lA THE MIDDLE-AGED LOVER. 31 cStors. PERCY FITZGERALD, AUTHOR OF " BELLA DONNA," ETC. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. L LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON. 1873. {All Rig/its Reserved.) F 575. V. I CONTENTS OF VOL. I, CHAPTER PAGE OS I. II. THE GARDINERS . . . . THE BRAHAM NAGLES I 13 -9 III. IV. V. " CHERRY RIPE " . THE NAGLES AT CHURCH WILL AND JACK . 26 65 VI. OLD DOUGHTY 71 VII. "the dying swan" 79 VIII. A GRAND SCHEME 91 IX. AN UNWELCOME INTRUDER . 106 X. A NEW ALLY 120 XI. XII. COLD WATER RECONCILIATION . . 135 • 147 XIII. THE CONCERT . 154 ^ XIV. SKIRMISHING . 184 \ XV. MR. DOUGHTy's concert . 199 :j "'^i XVI. A DISCOVERY . 213 ^ XVII. A WARNING . ^ZZ J XVIII. FATHER AND DAUGHTER . ' 243 ^ IV Contents. CHAPTER XIX. "dear brothers" XX. LADY duke's CONFIDENCE XXI. MR. NAGLE AT THE ORGAN XXII. DOCTOR SPOONER XXIII. THE LAMPOON PAGR • 254 . 267 • 279 . 291 . 302 THE MIDDLE-AGED LOVER CHAPTER I. THE GARDINERS. • DINNER-PARTY was being given at one of the great houses at Brickford, and the ladles had just come up, " leaving the gentlemen to their wine" — a phrase that always seems to be used with a certain state and smack- ing of lips, as though the gentlemen were doing something ennobling. " Their wine," too, sounds curiously, as though the liquor VOL. I. ' I The Middle-aged Lover, belonged to them before, as well as after, assimilation. Brickford was a new,* but rising manu- facturing town, blushing scarlet in the healthy bloom of its cheeks ; while its freshly turned clay was being newly baked into long lines of houses. The villas and substantial suburban houses of the gentry were, of course, disguised in grey plaster paletots, and furnished in a stately fashion, but there had been hard work with *' the grounds," which can never be extemporised by contractors, and could only be coaxed into what seemed a well-worn green table- cloth, fringed round with some stubbly tufts and bunches. The fine brick clay would break out even in the flower-beds, and the gravel on the walks was mixed with broken scraps of the same material. Brickford seemed sometimes impatient under these The Gardiners, refinements, but was thoroughly at home when allowed to furnish Its real native pro- duce, namely, vast red masses of factory, and what might be called the true scarlet oak of the place, the huge chimney. The house In which the dinner-party was given was that of Mr. William Gardiner, who had been a barrister In fair practice, and was now a county-court judge. The band of ladies sitting In the drawing-room, pursuing the rites carried on at that mystic season, was composed of the following elements. There was Mrs. William Gardiner, host- ess, a sharp, restless lady, who in her youth had been piquante, and was furnished with a vast number of soothing and conciliatory devices — a very worldly person under an air of almost girlish rusticity. Her daughter Fanny, playfully called " Fancy," who stood near her, was a pale and delicate-looking 4 The Middle-aged Lover. girl, seemed to be all affection and impulse, was interested to the full in anything inter- esting that was told to her, and amused to the same extravagant degree at anything amusing. The great lady on the sofa— the commander-in-chief of the party — was Lady Duke, wife of Sir George Duke, K.C.B., a connexion of the Gardiners ; while near her was Mrs. John Gardiner, a parsons wife, a rosy, good-natured, and rustic lady, who had left her seven children in bed at home. " Gardiner, the clergy- man," as he was usually called, was vicar of Saint Jude's, the new and most important church of the place ; a temple that seemed all roof, like a chalet, and whose walls were piebald as it were, being dappled with in- numerable coloured bricks. The Gardiners, William and John, were brothers, and the two families were known to be on the most affectionate terms, evidence of which was a The Gardiners. 5 standing arrangement that they should dine with each other every Sunday alternately. Often of an afternoon, when the day's work was done, the brethren were seen trudging out for what they called " a constitutional" among the salubrious brick-kilns and gravel- pits which made up the unvarying suburbs of Brickford. Will Gardiner was a strongly- built, hearty, honest-looking fellow, with a laugh that cleared the air, and which in a May Fair drawing-room would have disturbed genteel nerves, and have been fairly chris- tened a '' horse" one. The clergyman was a short and reserved person, with a black beard and moustache, wearing spec- tacles, which he was always steadying deli- cately with his thumb and little finger. He was a quiet soul, had a good deal of what is called dry humour, and was a great admirer of his brother's hearty joviality 6 The Middle-aged Lover, and boisterous enjoyment of life. Will Gardiner knew everybody, dined every- where, and had every one to dine with him ; and no officer, or official, or person of rank could pass by, or come within ken of his court, without Will Gardiner's getting up a dinner in his honour. There, over his good wines and, perhaps, better cookery, his merry laugh and hearty stories enter- tained even the primmest guests. These stories were not of the reminiscent class, " I recollect when I was staying at Frog- ley," &c. ; but of that more piquant sort, which are served fresh and fresh like Devonshire cream or rolls, whose date is that of either to-day or yesterday, and the figures in which are walking about and known to us all. Will Gardiner usually led off with a '' Did you hear what hap- pened to the doctor yesterday?" — his boisterous roar of enjoyment, as it were,. The Gardiners, giving a local colour to the scene, and call- ing up smiles of anticipatory relish in the faces of the listeners. He had a positive art of falling in with these sort of good things, a fortune, indeed, given to most, though they have not the art of observing or putting them by for future use. These William Gardiner entertainments, being of the handsomest kind, and at which very good company assisted, often caused discussion, or, at least, wonder ; for he had but moderate private means in addition to his judgeship. It was calculated by the social actuaries of the place, the old maids, dowagers, and the like, that Will Gardiner could not, on the fairest computation, have more than fourteen hundred a year ; " and how the deuce " — (this strengthener, of course, came from a male actuary) — '' and how the deuce was a man to keep a carriage, give state dinners once a week or 8 The Middle-aged Lover. so, and dress that girl of his on such an income ?" An appeal to the same strength- ener was, perhaps, oftener made in private b}^ honest William himself, who, to the world, seemed to accomplish the feat with ease, if not with a margin for even more extended operations. This good sort of fellow was not in the least " soft," for all his coarse laughter and good humour. He was rather quick of temper, and when he felt he had been injured or unjustly treated, could show a warm resentment. He was, besides, proud and sensitive. But his affection for his quiet, bookish, and parsonic brother was very remarkable, who, he would declare, only wanted a sailor s cutlass to go on as a pirate or bandit in a melodrama, so fero- cious was his coal black ecclesiastical beard. Nor must his worship of that rather faded and artificial young person, The Gardiner ■s. who was his daughter, be passed by. On her he absolutely doted, and on her accom- plishments spared nothing. She had some taste for singing, which the best masters at the great towns within reasonable distance were employed to develop. This young lady and her mother were sometimes a little ashamed of their William's rather plebeian merriment, especially when London people like Lady Duke, KoC.B. (for, in their estimation, it was she who really bore those letters of knighthood), were present ; but both stood too much in awe of him to make any protest, and found that to affect an enthusiasm for papa and his jokes was a more effectual cover than public disap- proval. There are, indeed, only two courses to be adopted in such a case — wholesale repudiation or wholesale adoption. Thus the mother, whose role was affec- tion to all the world, would go round : lo The Middle-aged Lover. " Did you hear darling John, to-night ? Is he not droll ? Oh ! he is another Sheridan, my dear. Sir George always says if he was in London he wouldn't be dining at home a single day." But this lady's admiration, indeed, ex- tended to all that concerned her or her family. Everything that was theirs, or connected with them, instantly became gorgeous, golden, and beautiful in her eyes. The reader will gather a fair idea of this idiosyncrasy from a remark of hers to a little girl present on this occasion of the dinner, to whom William had presented a doll as a birthday present. " And did Willie give you that, dear ? Oh how lovely ! What a beautiful little thing ! Now, you must take care of it. Oh !" this in rapture, '' no one has such taste in choosing a present as Willie." There was nothing affected in this, for it The Gardmers. 1 1 was the lady's habit unconsciously to view all things connected with her family with partiality and admiration, and all matters not thus associated with distrust and de- preciation. Was any friend or neighbour about to enjoy an advantage — as the marrying a daughter — or obtain promotion of some kind, she could only see the sad in- conveniences, the positive drawbacks of such a step ; and if she were congratulating the parties, insensibly contrived to dwindle the event into a disadvantage rather than a blessing. With sincere commiseration she would allude to some blemish, assuring that " they ought not to mind it." So to a friend with a pretty daughter : ** My dear poor darling Fanny ! I am so sorry for her ; she looks so pale and shrunk away. Absolutely not a bit on her bones !" A description that applied with more propriety to her own darling girl. 1 2 The Middle-aged Lover. It was hard to cavil at these home truths, for they were attended with an overpowering amount of endearments, kiss- ings, huggings, squeezings. Such was Mrs. WilHam Gardiner, or " Lizzie Gar- diner," as she was known to her friends. Of the other Mrs. Gardiner not much can be said, save that she was a good-natured soul, whose function in life seemed to be that of repairing the ravages which that fell tyrant Death made in the circle in which she moved ; and possibly that of receiving the exuberant and profuse oscu- lations, squeezings, and darlings which were lavished on her by her devoted rela- tive. Thus much for the Gardiners of the two branches of the family, assembled at the dinner-party. CHAPTER IL THE BRAHAM NAGLES. |HE dinner was given in honour of Sir George, Lady Duke (K.C.B.), and their son, young Duke, who were passing through Brick- ford. But they could not escape the vigilance of the Customs ; for no better douanier in the matter of guests could be conceived than Will Gardiner. He stopped the whole party on the frontier and made them pay him the duty of a dinner. Sir George and his lady, as we have stated, were '* far out" connexions of the Gardiners 14 The Middle-aged Lover. — she having been a Miss Gardiner — who were very proud of this distinguished miH- tary connexion. She now sat enthroned, much gratified with the choice meats and wines, and pleasant dinner which had been set before her. Just as she was deHvering judgment from the ottoman as if from a Avool-sack — and indeed her law had been accepted obsequiously all through the even- ing — the door was thrown open, and the servant proclaimed : *' Mr. and Mrs. Bra- ham Nagle ! M18B Nagle !" For where there is such a trio to be announced — father, mother, and daughter — servants seem to have learned to com- pensate themselves for their trouble by this extra emphasis on the '' Miss." These were merely the evening guests ; who were clearly persons of an unsophisti- cated kind, arriving at what is a painfully awkward season, during the Eleusinian The Braham Nagles, 1 5 mysteries, the solemn and confidential privacy that intervenes before the gentle- men come up. The priestesses always receive such arrivals with a mixture of pity and contempt, as persons glad to par- take of the leavings after they, the priest- esses, have been filled. And this is some- times literally the case. There was a long interval after this announcement, as though the new comers were dressing their ranks outside, or too nervous to make up their minds to enter. Then there appeared a tall, smiling gentle- man, with a wiry, short lady hanging gracefully on his arm. Both paused a little way from the door while the gentle- man looked round, raising his eyes in an interrogative fashion. Behind them came one who clearly belonged to the same family : and it was significant that the great lady who was smiling in genteel wonder at 1 6 The Middle-aged Lover the first arrivals, now became serious, and hoisted her glass. The cause of this sudden show of inte- rest Avas the appearance of a tall, striking- looking, stately girl, walking with a sort of haughty independence, that contrasted oddly with the deprecatory manner and general air of discomfort of those who preceded her. She was really a patrician- looking creature, both in her carriage and the very arch of her neck — her face was so generally brilliant, her hair so thick and rich, while a look of genius flashed from her dark eyes. Her mother, Mrs. Braham Nagle, had a curiously quaint and almost theatrical air ; her hair v/as In stiff, old- fashioned bands, as they used then to be called ; she was dressed in black silk, while a very faded Indian scarf drooped with rather wisp-like tenuity over her shoul- ders. In short, she was a highly- attenuated The Brakam Nagles. 1 7 lady with that leanness and shrunkenness, on which old -fashion seems generally to attend as a species of page-In-waitlng. Mrs. William Gardiner came forward to greet the Braham Nagles, not without a sort of trepidation. For It seemed a ser- vice of responsibility to go and meet that tall gentleman — to whose arm his wife still clung — and the sinuous and smiling curves of whose face already betokened unctuous and florid eloquence. And there was yet another florid element about him — a richly flowered satin waistcoat of a grey tone. '' How do you do, Mrs. William Gardi- ner ?" he said. " We have not detained you, I trust ? But there was a difliculty — a leetle difficulty — about the cabman. Could not find the house. Mr. William Gardiner is well, I trust. He has a genuine mee- ewsical instinct, I can assure you. By the way " — this mysteriously — " I had forgot." VOL. I. 2 1 8 The Middle-aged Lover. He took his daughter by the elbow and drew her forward. " Let me, Mrs. William Gardiner. This is our child, Corinna. She is very clever, and promises amazingly. Quite the Grisi, I assure you." Mrs. Gardiner received this handsome girl good-naturedly, but adroitly got them all into the next room, much as a box- keeper disposes of " orders " that arrive early, in the hindmost and second-rate seats. Mrs. Braham Nagle, very nervous In this society, was still heard complaining hysterically about " the cabman — so stupid, you know !" Corinna, seated on the sofa, surveyed the company " like a duchess," as her father would have said. Mr. Nagle, not knowing any one, re- paired to the piano, surveying it curiously and critically, as though he were about to purchase it ; then struck a treble chord The Braham Nagles. 19 cautiously, with his flexible mouth drawn into an O, as though he would weigh the matter cautiously before concluding the bargain. Having decided this point, he began to turn over some pieces of music, shook his head as he surveyed the first, then laid it down tenderly, as though it were brittle and would make a clatter. At the next he raised his eyes with an air of pleased recognition, and proceeded to con it over : now nodding graciously as he came to a flowing passage : now frowning severely and pausing, as who should wish to convey " that is a stiff bit of country for you mere musical tailors on horseback ; but it won't stop my horse." Being the only gentleman present, he thus conveyed the idea of being busily occupied, as if he had been engaged spe- cially to make a careful and minute survey of the various articles connected with music, 2 — 2 20 The Middle-aged Lover. and report thereon. What might seem to confirm this view was his presently coming over on tip-toe to Mrs. Gardiner, and say- ing confidentially : " A fine instrument — a true bichord — a noble Collard, ma'am !" He would have given some more par- ticular grounds for this high praise, had not a Babel of voices talking together, and of laughers laughing together, suddenly burst out in the next room, as though a school had been suddenly discharged on a play- ground. Gentlemen were now revealed with arms affectionately laid on each other's shoulders, and pouring into each other's ears stories of exquisite mirth, interrupted by bursts of loud laughter. Some entered surveying the ladies with a social and almost sultanic appreciation ; some with a more chastened smile ; some held back near the door with a reserve that seemed The Brakam Nagles. 2 1 almost like alarm. So curious are the different phases of this interesting condi- tion of man, which it would perhaps be rude to describe as the sanctioned and polite inebriety of the drawing-room. Loudest among the laughers was Will Gardiner, who was holding the General — a placid, grey-moustached gentleman — by both arms, and telling him " as comic a thing as he ever heard in his whole life." In a moment, however, Mr. Gardiner had caught sight of the tall gentleman in the next room, and had rushed noisily to greet him. "" How are you, Nagle ? Very glad to see you here. Where's the wife and child ? I hope you brought them." " My dear Mr. William Gardiner, we all availed ourselves of your kind invita- tion. There is Corinna — Coe-reen-nah, dear " — thus he sounded her name on 2 2 The Middle-aged Lover. occasions of state — "here is Mr. Gardiner asking " " Oh, I declare !" cried William, in ad- miration. "Ton my word! Quite a belle !" " Yes, she is classical. Poor Braham ! whose favourite pupil and aide-de-camp I may in a manner say I was-^ " " I know that well," said the other. " You often told me." " said to me one evening — I think it was on the second day of the Festival in the Abbey — that she was like Malibrong's own born child. The likeness is amazing. I can see it now." And Mr. Nagle closed his eyes, while his lips moved softly, no doubt as if ad- dressing the departed songstress. William Gardiner looked at him with an amused air. " I noticed your music down in the hall. The Braham Nagles, 23 I call it very kind of you to come in . this unceremonious way." '' Not at all. Fm only delighted. I'll just fetch it up and lay it out, so there will be no loss of time." "My dear sir, no ; the servant will bring it." While this conversation was proceeding, a tall, bright-looking, and decidedly hand- some young man was going about the room chatting to this lady and to that, with that almost boyish gaiety which is so engaging a quality. He was perfectly at home, was in good spirits, and, without attempting anything funny, was making them all laugh. " Tell me," said Mr. Braham Nagle, snatching at the host's arm in a most mysterious way — " you could not tell me who that fine-looking young gentleman is, over there, sitting on the low chair ?" " Of course I could. Why, that's a sort 24 The Middle-aged Lovei\ of cousin of ours." Then, in a loud whis- per, *' Lady Duke's eldest son — a young hussar, sir." " Fine ! Regular Italian-looking ! A something now that reminds me of Gri- mani, who came when we were at Brighton. He used to sing with the royal people sometimes. One of those odd women's trebles, which seem a little foreign to our English ways." " Revolting, sir," said William, with dis- gust. '* By the way, we must get our handsome Miss Corinna a beau. Here, Master Duke," he added, in one of his loud whispers, " I want to introduce you to a deuced fine girl." Corinna, who was adorned with a blue sash, worn from her shoulder, like the Order of the Garter, received the pre- sentee with an unconcealed pleasure, that showed she was a natural girl. The happy The Brahani Nagles. 25 father strained over in the direction of the pair, as though there were a crowd be- tween him and them. The spare mamma leaned round the corner to look. As Mr. Nagle saw his Corinna smiling, while the young man made his few introductory con- versational flourishes, he began to smile also, swaying to and fro, as if in paternal encouragement. It was, indeed, all going very well. It is amazing how a confidence springs up in certain cases. The gentleman might have been a husband returned from a voyage, and relating his adventures. The young lady was as interested as though she had been an anxious wife. CHAPTER III. [O that little entertainment went on. Now were Mr. and Mrs. Wil- liam Gardiner going on a joint deputation to Mr. Braham Nagle. '' Would he, or would Miss Nagle ? — every one wished so much to hear her." Mr. Nagle motioned over his spouse : " Our kind friends here are good enough to wish for a little music. If you would not mind, Mrs. B. N. and I will just clear the ground a little. You know it's trying for a poor fluttering child to come out ** Cherry Ripe^ 27 before a strange audience. Suppose we just, as poor Hopkins used to say — the best agent Braham ever had — play the curtain up a bit ?" A servant had brought in an alarming pile of music, mostly of a frayed and ragged sort ; enough, indeed, for a small Festival. Mrs. Braham Nagle placed herself at the noble Collard, and nervously took a short gallop up the course, as it were, '' to breathe her fingers." The steed stumbled a little, but the casualty was masked in a great dust, and scattering of gravel and stones. Mr. Braham Nagle stood out away from " the Collard," disdaining music, gazing on the audience with a look of sly humour. For this was to be a buffo Italian duet, full of excruciating fun — that is, of volubility and patter of syllables. It began with *' Chio Song !" a loud scream from Mrs. B. N., whose voice was very wiry (she had 2 8 The Middle-aged Lover, been a great singer in her day), and which seemed like a cry for help. Her husband, turning half round, made a reply, which, from his scornful shaking of head, seemed to convey some sort of bitter hint that very little of that was to be expected from him. In this reciprocal strain the opening recitative was conducted. Then Mrs. Nagle broke into her slow and piteous air, during which time her husband had his eyes fixed on the ceiling, now with a smile of pity, now glancing at her with withering disgust, and now inter- polating some spoken, not sung, exclama- tion of contempt, such as " Ragazza !'^ Then came his turn. It was amazing how voluble he was, how he poured out words of expostulation, then of anger, then sud- denly relapsed Into good humour. He seemed to be hugging himself in some " Cherry Ripe^ 29- secretly sly and comical enjoyment of the most exquisite sort, but the enjoyment of which he had all to himself, though he strove hard to convey to the audience with winks, and nudges, and sarcastic shaking of his head, how much genuine merriment was going on. Gradually the lady was drawn into coquettish and rather shrill re- monstrance ; Mr. Nagle pattered over what seemed a paved causeway ; while her fingers strove almost ineffectually to keep up with his stronger vocal steed ; and finally the whole party, Mr. Nagle, Mrs. B. N., and the struggling hands, came panting and struggling in together, just *' pulling up" for one protracted cry, roar, and crash before riding in ! The company listened wondering ; but it was considered '' very fine" by all, save Lady Duke and a few of the more dainty. Such decidedly histrionic singing had not 30 The Middle-aged Lover, been heard in Brickford since the great musical "farmer" brought round his me- nagerie, to give opera concerts. On your highly-refined people like Lady Duke, and on many more of us, these realistic exhi- bitions sometimes rather jar. William, the host, however, was de- lighted. His great laugh had been heard bursting in at some of Mr. B. Nagle's faces and posturings, and he came rushing up at the close with loud-voiced congratulations. " Splendid ! splendid !" he said, " fit for Covent Garden !" " Ah, my dear sir, these things bridge over the past. We stood up to sing that at the alderman's little party during the Festival. Catalawney, sir, was expected, but didn't come. Unfortunately got on- roomy d, sir, at the last moment." By which singular word Mr. Nagle was understood to be referring to the effects of cold. " At '' Cherry Ripe!' 31 another house Catalawney" — Mr. Nagle always gave the open ItaHan sounds with a bell-like richness — '^ I was given to under- stand, spoke of us, and asked who we were. Grand, swelling creature ! Ah, there were voices in those days. Now, sir, its all wire, wire, wire." And Mr. Nagle shook his head sadly over this decay, which his own organ and that of his lady rather fairly illustrated. Will Gardiner did not follow him very clearly, but was im- pressed. '' I am so glad," he said, " that you sang that before John ; it will strike him about the organist business. It must. Such a performance in his church would not be heard every day. Old Humphries is get- ting past his work, and a little pressure would make him retire." " Then, my dear sir, could you do me the favour — present me to the Reverend John 32 The Middle-aged Lover, Gardiner ? Poor Braham always used to say that five words were better than five letters." On this the candidate, for such he was, was led over to the bearded clergyman, who paid him many fresh compliments. Meanwhile, young Mr. Duke was busily engaged entertaining the daughter of the Nagles. Young people, who are thus de- lighted with each other on meeting for the first time, take especial pride and exultation in taking care that this mutual relish shall be exhibited to all the world. Corinna, beaming with smiles, was unconscious of the attention she was exciting ; while the enraptured youth was pouring out some confidence — the listening to which made her, perhaps, so charming. WilHam Gar- diner came to interrupt this delightful com- munion. ''Miss Corinna, you must let us hear " Cherry RipeT 33 your charming voice. No excuse will be taken. You must, indeed." Excuses were made, however. But Mr. Nagle intervened authoritatively. " Come, Corinna," he said, with a sweet smile, ** it is most kind of Mr. Gardiner to ask you. Come over and give them the * Cherry.' The ' Cherry Ripe.' I heard Waylett sing it one night at Grimani's, in a drawing-room, just like this. I did, indeed ! She was staying with Grimani at the time, and he had asked just a few of the Con- newchenty. Come, Corinna, love !" To some observers it almost seemed as though Mr. Nagle considered that he was going to perform, while his daughter was to turn over the leaves, as it were, for him ; so languishing were the glances that he cast about the room, so sweetly did he smile to himself, and close his eyes, as though wrapped in the enjoy- VOL. I. 3 34 1^^^ Middle-aged Lover. ment of certain harmonic excursions and strayings with which his fingers were en- gaged. Corinna drew herself up proudly and with dignity, as her father thrummed through the jocund symphony of that once popular melody. Then she began to sing ; and with a voice so rich, and round, and daring that it seemed to be kept in reserve, as it were, and to be quite capable of emu- lating the dashing exploits of the more famous prima donna '' Catalawney." Heads nodded in delight as she tripped over the airy quavers of the pleasant lilt. Had not every one been engrossed by her, they would have been amazed by the singular pantomime of the accompanist, who con- veyed the idea that he was extracting, controlling, modulating these enchanting sounds — his face now turned to hers with a sort of sweet and coaxing smile, " Cherry Ripe!' 35 his mouth now assuming a circular shape as she touched a high note. When a difficulty was surmounted, his head suddenly disappeared altogether, and descended almost to the keys, over which his fingers, although hidden by the head, rattled in renewed confidence. But at the last high note his face lit up with rapture, his hands were in the air, and then de- scended with a crash, to finish in an easy canter. Every one was enchanted ; even the grim and suspicious face of Lady Duke relaxed. *' I wish to heaven old Doughty had heard that ! A true connoisseur — knows all the great fiddlers and horn-blowers in Lon- don !" So said Will Gardiner ; and the remark excited Mr. Nagle's attention. Such singing had not been heard in the room since Brickford had been built. As 36 The Middle-aged Lover. for Alfred Duke, he was enraptured ; and it must be said, that the fine figure and brilHant air of lyrical inspiration in the young singer were sufficient to cause any amount of enthusiasm. Other songs were called for. Some, notably William Gar- diner, wished for more of the old English ballads ; Mr. Alfred Duke pressed for an Irish melody. Corinna owned that she thought she was more familiar with that department, and Alfred Duke was heard going round the room : — ''Miss Nagle is going to sing, 'When through Life once blest we roam.' Such a treat ! Her father says it is her grandest performance. Now, pray^ let every one keep silent, because all the effect depends on the words," Corinna then commenced that most charming and touching of melodies, to hear which is a relief after the more hack- ' * Cheny Ripe. " 37 neyed '' Minstrel Boys," '' Last Roses of Summer," and ** Halls of Tara." Her father again appeared to be singing it for her ; his face craning painfully, his body out at a slant to the right, and half off the music-stool ; his mouth repeating every syllable, smiling an agonised smile, now seeming to deprecate haste, as who should say, '' For Heaven's sake, caution, cau- tion ! — go tenderly ! Pick your steps !" Honest William's eyes filled up, as he stood and listened, his arm affectionately round his parson-brother. At the close a burst of applause came forth. More songs were called, and by twelve o'clock that night Corinna was constituted a heroine, and a grand addition to Brickford ! Every one gathered round her as she finished her song. " I really never heard singing like it," said William Gardiner, earnestly. But the 2,S The Middle-aged Lover. homage most grateful was, of course, young Dukes. " Oh, Miss Nagle, I declare it's all but divine — divine ! It goes to one's heart." The father listened with half-closed eyes. '' She did it well ; ve-ry well — there might have been a little more rail-tan at the last three bars. Poor Braham always said that was half the battle in singing. Put on the break, here, there, and judi- ciously. Then let all go with a run ! — that I take to be the golden rule." " I don't agree with you at all, Mr. Nagle," said the young gentleman, enthu- siastically. "It was perfection — could not be improved ; and as for the rail-tan, what- ever you mean by that " " Ah, a little professional abbreviation — short for rallentando. But it's a great art ! By the way, you have an organ, sir, / '* Cherry Ripe^ 39 know ; I see it In the shape of your mouth. You have the true taste and you have in- stinct. You have melody, sir, inside. Pray let us hear you." '' Do, Mr. Duke. I should so like to hear you," added Corinna. " Oh, absurd !" said the young man, almost blushing. " Why, I have never sung since the supper parties at college. You'd only laugh at me." " I laugh at you !" said Corinna, " no, indeed." The young lady searched among the music, apparently a little hurt, and then sought her chair. Mr. Duke, distressed, followed her. '' I did not mean — really no ; but I am always saying stupid things." '' Well, we only asked you to sing," she said. " If you really wish it," he said, with 40 The Middle-aged Lover. some embarrassment, " I am sure I should be delighted — anything to please yoit. I do know, that is I used to sing at the suppers a thing called, ' In this Old Chair my Father sat ;' but I don't know the accompaniment. " " Papa does," said the young lady ; " at least he could follow you." " In this Old Cheeayre," said Mr. Nagle. " Dear me, to be sure ! How these things touch up the past ! It belongs to a class of songs we call 'strainers' — require tin throats to do 'em properly. There was an impostor called Triphook, who came down to Brighton to give a chamber concert, as he called it — tickets half a guinea, if you please, and he sang that very thing ! . But he soon blew up, though. Not even the sweeper of the rooms paid ! Even the great Simms, who distends his lungs at the oratorios — Ah, my dear sir, these things " Cheriy Ripe!' 41 won't do — he finds the lid coming off some- times." Thus encouraged, young Mr. Duke, in rather faltering tones, sang the touching associations connected with the old chair in which his father sat, with the companion one in which '* his mother smiled" — it would seem, from the context, to the ex- clusion of sitting. He was terribly fright- ened, and, to say the truth, the performance was a sorry, not to say a ridiculous one. '' My goodness," said William Gardiner, *' what can Alfred Duke mean by making such an exhibition of himself! Some one ought to stop him." But Mr. Nagle led him over the ditches and hedges in the most soothing, tender, and paternal style, his face distending every moment as one would encourage an infant, his mouth making all the notes. Lady Duke listened scornfully, and at the 42 The Middle-aged Lover. last bar gathered up her shawl lightly and rose to go. "■ A voice of great capability," Mr. Nagle was saying : "■ only wants leading out. Good gracious, Corinna, how like Grimani the night he directed Lady Towler's con- cert ! I declare if I was behind a door now, I could hardly " But here he was interrupted. The party was breaking up. There was a general wishing good night. The musician and his family were a little dis- turbed at young Duke^s disappearance with his mother and father, without paying them, or Corinna, rather, the civility of " Good night." But after a short delay they were much relieved by his reappear- ance. He had put his parents Into the carriage, but '' must go to the club for a short while" before returning home. Here were the Nagles wishing warm '' Cherry Ripe!' 43 and grateful " Good nights." Most de- lightful, indeed, it had all been. " Co- rinna," he said, " was in the seven-and- twentieth heaven" — a multiplicity of bea- titude not warranted by the text. " Come again T Indeed he would. Young Mr. Duke must go down and "opera cloak" Miss Corinna, which he did tenderly; her tall parent, who was quite ready to go, being in a sort of rhapsody of admiration over a very ordinary match-box that was on the chimney-piece. "Wonderful," he said to Mrs. Nagle, " really wonderful how they make these things! The ingenuity — the foresight — the benevolence — the kindliness " The good man fancied he was speaking of Providence — but he was making play, as it were. The maid in charge was gazing in wonder at his raptures over the match-box. 44 The Middle-aged Lover, After a decent interval, when the whis- perings, or what the indecent would have called " sniggerings," had died away, Mr. Nagle laid down the match-box, and said : ** We are going to walk, to perform a little pedal passage home. So da capo, my dear sir, for some other night. God bless you !" '' Nonsense," said the young man, " I am going by the Crescent." He knew their address already. " I shall see you that far." ^ He did not see much of them that far ; for he and Corinna followed a long way behind. Mr. and Mrs. Nagle straying on in front, Mr. Nagle being seized with admiration for the stars, the streets, the gas-lamps, for everything in short. " It was charming," said Corinna. " I am sure you sing well." '* Cheny Ripe'' 45 '' And yoic say this. How happy it makes me. To tell you the truth I was not thinking of the words, but of some- thing else. That was what gave the idea of such feeling to you. Oh, Corinna " '' Halloo, you sir !" the conventional testy father would have exclaimed. But it must be remembered that the young war- riors of our day receive the most prodi- gious encouragement from the admiring demoiselles with whom they consort, so that in a single night a fair maid has been known to be wooed and won. Competi- tion is so brisk, and the market so — though this seems rather a disrespectful strain. In short, the young gentlemen are privileged, more or less, to say what they please. '* Recollect," said Mr. Nagle, impres- sively, on his steps, '' this house, such as it is — lodgings, second floor — is always open to you. Seriously, my dear sir, I am 46 The Middle-aged Lover, anxious about that voice. We should not trifle with these blessings. In my humble way I should be delighted. Drop in any morning or any night — any time that suits you, and we'll take you over the roulados. The Do-o-o — remifasolasid-o-o-o !" chanted Mr. Nagle, with animation. " Oh ! I'll come to-morrow, the first thing," said the young man, in his off-hand way. '* Then you won't forget," said the charming Corinna in a low soft voice ; their parents had discreetly turned into the dark and narrow hall, quite careless of their child. Then he said good night. They entered their modest lodgings in the Crescent, where the trio gazed on each other with a sort of smiling satisfaction. At least Mr. and Mrs. Nagle did. In Mr. Nagle's countenance it was triumph — soft and rapturous triumph. " Cherry Ripe!' 47 ** It is very pleasing, all this," he said, with half-closed eyes. " Corinna, my girl, it was well done to-night" " He's in love with her," said Mrs. Nagle, enthusiastically, and rather rudely coming to the point. " Oh ! hush !" said her husband, aus- terely. " Don't speak in that way. All in good time ; it promises well. I like the young fellow very much." '' Oh, he was so nice," said Corinna, dreamily. '' I think he would give up the whole world for one he liked." '' One thing is clear," said her father, loftily. " I was more than justified in breaking up at that beastly hole, where I and my talents and my family were thrown away — utterly thrown away. A country village. Faugh ! I wanted a field, and here it is " '' And it was such a success !" said Mrs. 48 The Middle-aged Lover. Nagle, again wandering astray. " The Cherry took the whole party by storm." " The place will be a mine, I foresee. I shall start the Harmonic Matinees again, raising the subscription to two Geeneys. Eight lessons a Geeney — why it is beg- garly, sir !" (Mr. Nagle often thus ad- dressed an imaginary male disputant.) '' Just worthy of the workhouse. I'll not do it. Grimani got his guinea ; why shouldn't I as well as an old caterwauler like that ! But three a guinea will do for the first. Then we can raise — screw up the pegs tighter." Mother and daughter presently retired to confide in each other — Corinna, we may presume, to unfold all the delightful things Mr. Duke had said to her. Then the ladies disposed themselves to sleep sweetly, while Mr. Nagle remained planning gor- geous musical schemes. CHAPTER IV. THE NAGLES AT CHURCH. 5P^^HE -hole" to which Mr. Nagle ^5 ^^ ^^^ made such contemptuous (^^y^'^ allusion was an obscure little town in Wales, into which the family had been driven, two or three years before, by stress of weather, as it were. It was a rude spot ; and a music-master is about as much wanted in such places as he would be at some newly-found gold diggings. No one at such benighted places cares to learn music, even were it taught at sixpence a lesson. VOL. I. 4 50 The Middle-aged Lover. This " miserable bog," as he was fond of calHng it, did not even afford subsistence to an organist, as the population were chiefly dissenters, and relied on their own unaided throats. As for Corinna, her charms of person and voice were equally thrown away. There was no one, indeed, to admire. Corinna, and a venerable " Broad- wood" of angular build, and of buzzing in- terior sounds — that in forte passages rose into a jangle — were the only treasures and two most valuable pieces of property pos- sessed by the family. " The Broadwood," and " my girl Corinna," were the words oftenest in Mr. Nagle's mouth. In all their distresses — and they had had many — the faithful instrument had always been retained, and no matter how small their humble apartments, ''the Broadwood" was some- how hoisted up the narrow stairs : though once or twice it had been in sore peril from The Nagles at Church, seizure. This would have been a cruel profanation : for the legend ran that the great Braham had once carelessly strum- med upon its keys — now grown as yellow as an old set of teeth — the first rude outlines of " 'Twas in Trafalgar's Bay !" — since become immortal. It was scarcely wonder- ful, then, that this relic should be regarded with veneration, or that like '' my daughter and my ducats," which the Jew was so concerned about, Mr. Nagle should have always coupled his daughter and his piano. Mr. Nagle boasted of being connected with a gentlemanly family, though after a hazy fashion. It was understood he was al- lied with certain Nagles of Naglestown " in the North," who had behaved scandalously to this member of their house ; though it must be said in justice to him that both state- ments were generally made for him, and that beyond sad movements of his eyes, 4—2 UNlVERSmr OF iUl»Wi 52 The Middle-aged Lover. and significant shakings of his head, no very distinct statement on his side could be quoted. The impression left was that he preferred '' to wipe out the past," and suffer the consequences of his original error, whatever it was. An assumption,, for which there was better authority, was that he had whilom trod the boards in English opera, and, it was believed, had played with the enchanting Caradori Allen, though some affirmed that he had done no more than carry a white night-gown as second Druid, and had been merely ad- dressed collectively, in company with a large number of ladies and gentlemen, by the fair singer. His little biography may be completed by one more fact, that the lady he married enjoyed tolerable practice at Brighton as lady professor of singing, with shadowy expectations from a relation in trade, who, however, was glad to gain a The Nagles at Chtirch, 53 reputation for just severity by declaring she should not have a sixpence of his money for marrying a fellow that painted his face and bellowed on a stage. Such is a little sketch — all that is known, indeed — of the previous history of Mr. and Mrs. Braham Nade. Their daughter, as may have been guessed, was a practical girl enough ; but with a certain lofty ambition, and an un- developed romance which no one would have suspected. In all the shifts to which their life had exposed them, she had always shown a dignity, and even haughtiness, as though she were looking to some future stage of life where she would be free from the ''eternal exercises," and ''the Broad- wood." Yet she did not disdain the pro- fession to which her father, in many a family council, destined her — both father and mother fondly looking forward to a 54 The Middle-aged Love7\ proud moment when she was to come out in " The Bohemian Girl." Or, as the ItaHan Opera often filled its ranks from English recruiting districts, why should she not belong to the great cage of singers, and come forth atCovent Garden as SIGNORA NAGLIONI! Her voice would fill that vast house as effectively as that of any of " the Italian squad ;" her bell-like organ would ring melodiously through that vast enclosure. To this glorious apotheosis Braham Nagle ever fondly looked, though he had as yet taken no serious steps in the direction. " Wait till she ripens," he would say ; " her voice wants matewering, and mellowing," two delightful juicy words to which he was partial. The following morning was Sunday, and the Nagle family set forth to attend church, a spiky structure with a moist clayey air,, and dappled over in diaper patterns of The Nagles at CIncrch, 5 5 white and black bricks. It can hardly be said that Mr. Nagle came for devotional purposes, his attention being absorbed by a rite that was going on at the other end of the building, namely, the performance on the organ, which '' old Humphries" was handling. The demeanour of the critic was infinitely scornful. At first he would look back with curiosity, as though he were disturbed at his devotions by something strange going on at that end of the building. Then he seemed to grow certain that something was wrong— something almost barbarous. His expressive face conveyed all this by a certain pantomime — elevation of the eye-brows, pitying smiles, shaking of head ; with then a resolute but vain attempt to fix his attention on his devo- tions. At times he would give a violent start or shiver as though his nerves were jarred by the execrable performance. Some 56 The Middle-aged Lover. were amused by these antics, but many more were impressed, and began presently to look round and shiver likewise ; and before the day was over agreed at the Sunday dinner that old Humphries was playing execrably, was past his work, and that having subscribed so much for the new church, they ought really to have a suitable performer. There were some other persons who came to that service for purposes very dif- ferent from that of following the rites that were going forward. The music-master's handsome daughter, though not over " stylish" in her dress, was still as bril- liant as gay ribbons, selected in accordance with the rather theatrical taste of her mother, could make her. From the next pew a pair of admiring eyes wandered in contemplation of her beauties. Young Duke was the one that strayed most from The Nagles at C/mrck. 5 7 his devotions on this occasion ; nay, it is to be feared, was actually led to the new brick church for some end wholly different to that of devotion. When the congregation came out he at once joined the Nagles, and all walked home together to the Crescent, where Mr. Nagle insisted that his friend should honour them by taking share of their '' crust and rind of cheese," otherwise of luncheon. The young man was delighted. He looked with veneration on the modest room where his divinity was enshrined, and above all on the sacred instrument, the Broad- wood. On the other hand, the homage that was paid to kivi was quite touching. Each Nagle face was turned to him like so many sunflowers, watching every motion, smiling in anticipation, chorusing in semi- tones at all he said. Such a situation is always very seductive, and even fascinating 58 The Middle-aged Lover, for a young man who has chiefly associated with men. It is a new revelation ; for it is the new discovery of the preciousness of one's own gifts that may hitherto have been rather sHghted in the bosom of one's family. Then Mr. Nagie went over to the in- strument, and lifted the attenuated and lath-like flaps which contrasted with the solid and handsome frame-work of modern instruments, and insisted on having a pri- vate audition of Mr. Duke's vocal powers. " Just, now, let us do a little of the Do-re- mi-fa-sol !" and the old instrument gave forth from its yellow jaws what seemed a distant and jangling peal of cracked bells. The youth was a little shy at first, but led on gradually by the applause of the bystanders, was presently giving forth those prolonged calls and cries by which the human voice is supposed to be best exer- The Nagles at Church. 59 cised. The music-master led him on care- fully, his eyes blinking, his mouth inviting the notes, the whole family quite in ecstasy. " It is curious," said Mr. Nagle, stopping short, " it's quite the same Tamber" — it may be guessed that the word in Mr. Nagle's mind at this juncture was timbre — " as Spollio's, the man who came out at the King's Theatre. He was thought to have raced Rubini, neck and neck." " Or throat and throat," said Mr. Duke, smiling. "Ha, ha ; very good ! But afterwards cracked on his high C. Terrible, sir, ter- rible ! I know it for a fact from Grimani and others," added Mr. Nagle, mysteriously, " that no less than half an octave was grafted on, sir, to his register. I did the same with Miss Wilkinson — forced — de- veloped — squeezed — soothed — and when that girl left me she had three notes more 6o The Middle-ao-ed L over. than when she came ! I made her a present of those three notes ! Of course, got no thanks. As for your organ, my dear Mr. Duke, we could fertilise it in the most sur- prising manner. I could engage, mind you, to lift it two within a month !" The young man listened, wondering and delighted. " Somehow they never seemed to care much for my musical gifts at home,'' he said ; '' and to tell you the truth, I never considered the matter much ; but if you really think that I have a voice, I do wish you would take it in hand. My father and mother go away to-morrow : but I shall stay on here for some time. I find it a very pleasant place." The family interchanged glances. This departure had been the rock ahead, and had caused Mr. and Mrs. B. Nagle some anxious moments' discussion, Lady Duke The Nagles at Cktirck. 6 1 appearing to be a person likely to act with promptness and vigour, and exceedingly- dangerous to encounter. Here she was, retiring from the scene, either unconscious of danger, or, more probably, overpowered by the determination of the young man. Corinna's eyes sparkled, and her handsome lips took the shape of a smile. " We were so afraid that you were going away," she said. Here Mr. Nagle became absorbed in some perverse harmonies which would not resolve themselves, and which, like restive horses, he was determined to force into doing their duty. His daughter and her admirer strayed over to the window, while Mrs. Nagle, though unfamiliar with counter- point, became absorbed in papa's interesting struggles. Later, over " the rind of cheese and 62 The Middle-aged Lover. crust," it was arranged that the lessons should begin on the morrow. ** My time," said Mr. Nagle, frankly, ^' is with me, money. Unhappily, so it is" (unhappily, so it wasn't). "- I would dis- pense such little knowledge as I have, in your case, Mr. Duke, without any Ee-mo- lewmentary views" — one of our professor's richest words — '' but we will put it as low as we can " '* My dear sir," said the young man, *'pray don't speak in that way. I must insist on being placed on the same footing with your other pupils. I really insist, or we must consider the whole at an end !" '' Well, well, if you take it that way, be it''so. We'll put it at, say, half a Geeney a lesson — " an arrangement which, however, •did not answer to the request of being placed on the same footing with the other The Nagles at Church. 63 pupils. Mr. Nagle then took out a rather greasy little memorandum book and searched through various pages of dose writing, which affected to record the crowded engagements of the coming week. " Mon- day — two. No, that won't do. Tuesday — four — six ; hardly — though we could put her off. Wednesday — no we must rnanage Monday somehow. There," added Mr. Nagle, in desperation at the inconvenient crush, " let us say Monday — at twelve. You shall have your appointment for that hour." During this pecuniary arrangement, Co-' rinna, unlike other heroines, looked on calmly. She saw nothing indelicate or un- romantic in the discussion. The young man was a little surprised. But he did not yet know her character. In this way it was arranged. In this 64 The Middle-aged Lover. way, too, began that extraordinary attach- ment of young Duke's — " infatuation " it was presently called — which soon began to be the talk of Brickford. CHAPTER V WILL AND JACK. ONEST Bill Gardiner saw all that was going on ; and in his hearty, noisy fashion, expressed his delight and intention to forward the business in every way. " She's a fine, noble girl," he said, " and fit to be a lady." And when his wife would contemptuously murmur something about disparity of station, William Gardiner burst into one of his loud laughs, and declared seriously that now-a-days good looks and good behaviour were preferred VOL. L 5 €6 The Middle-aged Lover, to mere pedigree. Braham Nagle was a right good fellow, and they must ask him to dine the next time, and not have him coming sneaking in in the evening, like a fiddler coming to play at a ball. As a matter of course, Nagle must " form " the voices of the Pollys, Lucys, and Marys of the family, who were, indeed, already under instruction at the hands of Miss Parker, the governess ; and Will was now pressing his brother Jack to secure Mr. Nagle's musical services. " Have Nagle," he would say to every one ; " have Nagle at once, if you want style, finish, and the true touch. He was taught by Braham. By the way, I'll tell you as good a story as ever you heard in the whole course of your life about Braham, which Nagle told us the other night." Bill Gardiner, indeed, was always full of these good stories " as you ever heard in Will and Jack, 67 the whole course of your h*fe," and which he told boisterously and noisily. They were mostly in a broad, low comedy style, and accompanied by such roars of enjoy- ment, that it was impossible for the listener not to join. It may be said, however, that his musical taste did not keep pace with this hearty enjoyment of music. Like many other enthusiastic people, he made two mistakes : he mistook pantomime for singing, and supposed that the recitation of familiar words was the same thing as singing. Therefore, he assumed that Mr, Nagle's performance of " Sally in our Alley" was one of the most exquisite, refined, and touching things in the whole history of music. These things he impressed on his bro- ther, ''Jack Gardiner, the parson," as he was familiarly called in Brickford, to dis- tinguish him. It was pleasant to see the 5—2 68 The Middle-aged Lover. two brothers together every Saturday taking their long walk in the suburbs among the brick-pits and lime-kilns, Will's arm round his brother's in an affectionate fashion, whilst its owner poured out stories and put questions, and made the air ring with loud laughter. Never was there such an affectionate pair. Damon and his brother paled off by comparison. While Will had the usual shilling. Jack was to have the affectionately divided half. They suggested two enthusiastic young college friends rather than such elderly sages. During these walks Bill impetuously settled all the Nagle affairs. Nagle must be the new organist ; Nagle must give lessons to the parish all round ; Nagle's daughter must marry that young spark. This wholesale adoption of a comparative stranger may seem a little surprising, but such was " the way " of this good-natured Will and yack. 69 fellow, who in his time had gone about with many a goose, which he puffed and praised to his friends as an undoubted swan. *' I say, Jack," said Will, on one Sunday walk, as he was dragging his brother along, " we must get Old Doughty, when he next comes down, to hear Miss Corinna. We must make the old boy useful. He knows all the musical swells and pundits, has Costa and Company to his scraping parties at Warwick-street. We'll get introductions from him, and have Miss Corinna brought out at St. James's Hall, my boy !" This, for our ardent friend, was the erand theatre of success, and to come out at that well-known place of exhibition, either as lecturer, Ethiopian, conjuror, singer, or panoramist, was to have secured fame. This idea was founded on his own partiality for the place, as whenever he 70 The Middle-aged Lover. went up to town he always repaired to this temple of amusement, and returned en- chanted, giving his family a vivid rehearsal of all he had seen and heard, whether Ethiopian or necromantic. The dining- room at his house often re-echoed with his burst of laughter as he repeated the jests and repartees of that uncommonly divert- ing fellow, Jim Stackney, "one of the most humorous beggars you ever heard," and so on. There was certainly a little inconsis- tency in his views wnth regard to Corinna, supposing that he really hoped to see her appear on this platform ; for he had an- nounced already that all his energies, with those of his friends, were to be bent to- wards securing the young admirer for her in lawful marriage. As Old Doughty fills a rather important part in this narrative, at this stage some attention must be devoted to him and to his condition. CHAPTER VI. OLD DOUGHTY. LD DOUGHTY, were his family documents, certificates, &c., duly scrutinised, would be found to be not so very old after all. He was, in fact, neither grey nor stooped, and not very old-fashioned in dress or manner, but more old and "dry" in mind than in body; a cold, grey-eyed bachelor, who lived by him- self, and at a club. He was a retired civil servant, and had a pension of three hundred a year. He disliked young men, and was devoted to but one thing in the world. 72 The Middle-aged Lover. music ; and from his rooms in Warwick- street, Pimlico, were heard at midnight the hurried gallopings of fiddle-bows, and the horny agonies of the violoncello, when the performer was giving way to expression. The quartettos of Mozart and Haydn were thus interpreted, the host at times taking the viola, though his fingers were weak from nervousness and delicacy, and his tone not strong. He was certainly a true ama- teur, and all the money he could spare went for operas, chamber music, and con- certs, his face being familiar to all musical habitues. His hair was thin and dark, but there was an extraordinary sweetness in his face which attracted those v/ho knew him well. He was about forty-four or forty-five, wiry, and well-preserved ; his figure showed a curious cragginess or sharp- ness at the shoulders, with a corresponding spareness at the small of the back. Though Old Doughty. 73 he wore a modern coat, it always would assume a certain muffler-like " highness " about the collar. He had a nervous fidgety manner, and his gentle grey eye would roll with uneasiness on any one who tried to be free or friendly with him. As to his character, some said he was stingy, yet the " fiddlers " who came to play in Warwick-street found at the end of the night a handsome and liberal supper, with champagne, and other delicacies, laid out for them. He had somehow a reputation for being sour and crabbed, yet these *' fiddling gentry," as the landlady called them, declared he was pleasant, jovial even, and kindly. At intervals he came down to Brickford for change of air, for the place suited him. The brothers Gardiner, especially Will, tried hard to be friends with him ; but he seemed to shiver under the boisterous 74 The Middle-aged Lover, blasts of Will's merriment, while the ladies of both families could not conceal their amusement and even contempt at his ways. He was not old enough to have the plea- sant, softened compatibility of the official elderly relation ; nor was he young enough to fall in with the ideas of an agreeable cousin. Hence they were all ''shy" of him. It was known, too, that there was a little history connected with him, and that some twenty years before he had been " crossed in love." This ought to have made him " interesting," but somehow only excited a sort of amusement. Old Doughty in love ! Absurd ! What a comic idea ! But the real hardships of the poor gentleman's case was this sobriquet of Old Doughty, which was utterly unmerited, but against which arguments, dates, expostulations, were utterly powerless. Even the love story Old Doughty, 75 contributed to the delusion. Brickford would have him Old Doughty, and Old Doughty he always was. He came once or twice to dine, literally as overpowered by the obstreperous press- ing of the impetuous Will, as though he had been seized, bound, and brought away to the dinner-table, but he did not make a favourable impression. He had a small, clear, sharp voice, and his comments on the rallying speeches of the ladies were cold, distrustful, and even sarcastic. He was pronounced to be '*a curmudgeon," — he had "snarled" and "yapped" all through dinner. When one of the girls went to the piano, he gently expressed his disapproval. " She is wasting time," he said, " and desecrating a noble art. All this is no more than learning steps from the dancing- master. Where there is no natural taste,. 76 The Middle-aged Lover. it is cruelty to the child, who might learn something that she could really excel in. I know it seems ungracious to tell you this ; but you said I was a judge, and insisted on having my opinion." On this we may be sure he was voted a downright bear, without manners or breed- ing. " After all, he had really little or no- thing to go on. Any one that saw his den in Warwick-street would say that, and to know a few fiddlers and scrapers, was easy enough in all conscience." Notwithstanding this, and other unsatis- factory attempts at cultivation, the male Gardiners did not give him up. Indeed there was a curious, wistful look in his face, that appealed, as it were, for sympathy, and suggested some old suffering. . In due time it was insisted that he must hear Corinna, and encourage her with due praise, when he said in his *' sour way :" Old Dotcghty. TJ "None of you were pleased when I last gave my opinion. I really have no opinions, and can give none. If I had any I should keep them to myself." '' But hang it, Doughty, a poor girl, who wants to work for her family. Are we to do nothing for our fellow-creatures ?" " Not in music ; it is too sacred a thing to be playing tricks with and recommend- ing persons who may turn out impostors. We may give characters to servants who are robbers and drunkards ; it seems there is no harm in that. But for Heaven's sake let us keep clear of that in music !" *' You are a very odd creature, Doughty," was his relative's complimentary remark, and on that dropped the subject. After- wards, as he came but rarely, the inter- course between him and the family was but of a slender description. He continued his life, and they continued theirs. 78 The Middle-aged Lover. A few days after the time when this story commences, Mr. Doughty had come down to Brickford and had brought his favourite "genuine Guanerius" (an article, by the way, of which the world seems to possess enormous quantities) to comfort his -leisure moments. CHAPTER VII. "the dying swan." HINGS were promising very fairly for Mr. Braham Nagle in Brickford. He began to think of a sort of Orphean power of stir- ring, if not the stones of the place, at least the huge masses of brick, as he walked along. He would revive the " Harmonic Matinees," with arrangement for tickets, at " two Geeneys the course of twelve," and a reduction on family tickets ; though two geeneys seemed a ridiculous price con- sidering the prospects of the family. 8o The Middle-aged Lover, " Mud-cheap, mud-cheap, sir," he said contemptuously to the imaginary listener who attended him in such discussions. " But Tm not going to do grinders' work now. It's high time to stop all that. I've let myself down too much. No, no ! that must come to an end. I've given myself and my ' method ' mud-cheap, mud -cheap, sir !" This was a favourite expression of the music-master's. And in truth things were promising well for the family. Various proprietors of the chimneys and the vast mills of brick were driven, by the overpowering importunities of Bill Gardiner, to engage so famous a professor for their children, and very soon he was assuming the air of an overworked cabinet minister, striving to make his en- gagements compatible with each other. He had established commercial relations with the one music-shop of the place, " The Dying Szvan.'" 8i which did but a meagre business, and where he was received with profound homage. Here he purchased those ballads which he brought to his pupils, and on which he received " the usual allowance ;" but it must be said that there was no ballad in the wide domains of human composition which so satisfactorily answered the pur- poses of instructions, as '' a little thing of his own," published many years ago, which bore the title of " The Dying Swan " — the title-page of which, being characteristic of the man, and, indeed, of many other men, may be inserted here : VOL. I. 32 The Middle-aged Lover, SUNG AT THE HARMONIC MATINEES. THE DYING SWAN ! WORDS BY SIMPLICIA. THE MUSIC, COMPOSED AND DEDICATED TO HIS PUPIL, MRS. HOBSON COBB, , BY BRAHAM NAGLE, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE HARMONIC MATINEES, AUTHOR OF THE METHOD FOR THE VOICE, ETC. LONDON : PUBLISHED BY KINTER AND STUBBS. " The Dying Siuanr '^'^ Every new pupil was expected to make him or herself master, or mistress, of this lyric ; and it must be said that the entire sale of the work was confined to the human nature that was formed by Mr. Nagle. A number of copies were ordered down to meet the anticipated demand. The general appearance of this chef- d'oeuvre at various houses in a small dis- trict, produced rather a monotony — swans, as Bill Gardiner remarked, dying about in ^ every direction. But for the gallant young Alfred Duke, when had Mr. Nagle a more eager pupil, or one that followed the Do-re-mi-fa with such enthusiasm ? The truth was, it be- came not so much a series of lessons as one long lesson. Say that the hour fixed was two o'clock. Mr. Duke would arrive about one, and the professor would drop in 6—2 84 The Middle-aged Lover. about half-past two, harassed by the mul- tiplicity of engagements. " Hunted, sir, hunted !" he would ex- claim. '* I envy the cab-horse, and would change with him this moment. My dear Mr. Duke," he added, solemnly, *' take this warning : break stones, sweep up the mud In the streets, pick oakum, go down and live In the sewers, but — never embrace tuition as a profession !" Which, as ad- dressed to the young gentleman, might seem a superfluous warning. " It's heart-breaking, sir ! Not for the work, but for the character of the work. There are girls brought to me, sir, by thelr mothers, poor ignorant creatures, with no more voice than the chimney-pot on that house. I suppose they expect me to find them voices ! But I can t lend myself to the Imposture ; there are plenty of hacks about ready for jobs of that kind. Let The Dying S-wanr risky game. So convinced was she that Mr. Doughty would propose that night to Corinna, and be accepted, that she had re- solved on the desperate extremity of inter- posing her own son, so as to gain a little delay, and trusted to her ingenuity to rescue him later. The rooms at Mr. Dough ty's presented the most brilliant appearance. They over- flowed with the " cream of the cream " — the " blue ruin," Will Gardiner called it — such as it was, of Brickford. The large music-room had been laid out with rows upon rows of chairs, filled with the wealth and fashion and beauty of the place. There was abundance of the first, not much of the second, and very little of the third. The ^ platform was framed in a perfect Harden of shrubs and flowers, and the music seemed to issue from a sort of bower. Every one agreed that the whole was done Mr. Doughty s Concert, 207 magnificently, and in perfect taste. But '' Old Doughty " had been lately boiled young again in a golden pot, with more success than attended on his mythological predecessor, and taste and gallantry and magnificence, as we know, are natural accompaniments of youth. But they saw his quiet, thoughtful face lit up with the brightness of happiness as he led Corinna to the place of honour at the top of the room. There was a pride, an exultation in his eyes, and some ladies vowed he looked positively handsome, though " candidates," as they might be called, looked grim, and wondered " at the boldness of some people." Yes, there must be a proposal that night. Otherwise, who could submit to be led up in such a style, before all that crowd. Certainly on that night our heroine looked a perfect princess, and Mr. Duke, surveying her progress, 2o8 The Middle-aged Lover. watching from afar off her flushed cheek and the pride of her cavaHer, bit his glove and stamped his foot impatiently. The people about, who knew him by sight as well as they did the market cross, were looking at him with curiosity, and, as he fancied, with enjoyment, to see " how he took it." All this was infinitely morti- fying and irritating. The spectacle of Corinna, thus followed with admiration and envy, led up by her devoted admirer, to be dazzled by such homage with all the splendours of wealth about to be laid at her feet, was too much for him. He was not a profound analyst of his own emo- tions, or, indeed, of emotions in general, and he set this feeling down to deep pas- sion, and perhaps to jealousy. Perhaps it was the supremacy of his rival which amused, and was seen by, that large assem- blage, that really disturbed him. Mr, Doughty s Concert. 209 The "Squallinis" — so used Mr. Nagle to contemptuously describe the ladles and gentlemen of his own profession of the "■ assoluta " class — had done their work. The Italian signora had voiced a very- difficult medley of " runs," trills, vocal leaps, which had about the same relation to true music as the steps of a prize clog- dancer have to the performance of a Cerito, when the turn of Corinna arrived. She came forward as composed as the Italian lady, but with a grace and dignity perhaps foreign to the nature of that artist. Her beautiful and classical face was lit up with a true inspiration, an expression very dif- ferent from that of the artificial gymnast who had preceded her. But what a flutter went round the audience when the spare figure of Mr. Doughty was seen at the pianoforte, and his delicate fingers began the sad symphony of the solemn strain in VOL. I. 14 2IO The Middle-aged Lover. Orfeo. Then her full rich voice, charged with feeling and passion, was lifted up, and floated in melodious waves down to the end of the room, making even unmusical senses vibrate with a strange sympathy. There was the tenderest grief and sense of bereavement, the most wonderful dramatic feeling. The whole scene was brought before them, without scenery or stage ; the whole story was told by the noble music alone, and her expression. The Italian signora, listening with surprise, was biting her lips with a spiteful expression. When it was over, and the last melo- dious tones had died away, a burst of applause spread in waves over the room. Corinna stood there a queen, an empress, as indeed she might have been for that timid adorer who was gazing on her with reverence and rapture. What did genteel Brickford think now after this recognition Mr. Doughty s Concert. 211 and association in public ? '' Opera-house " Jenkinson, as he was called, was seen to go forward enthusiastically, and appeared to stream compliments. Alfred Duke could endure it no longer. The next piece being a serious task, a heavy Mozart business — so many square feet of earth to be dug out within half-an- hour or so with musical spades and shovels — he found his way to Corinna s side, and after a whisper, led her away out of that crowded room to one of those improvised greenhouses where were scattered various pairs and parties for whom the music of their own discourse had a greater charm than the common crotchets and quavers. The Doughty eyes, though fixed on the Mozart notes which he was playing, strayed uneasily in the direction of the two departing figures. All through the easy progress of the allegro, the heavy ploughed 14 — 2 212 The Middle-aged Lover. field of the adagio, and the pleasant asphalte of the presto, they were absent. All this covered a good deal of time, but they did not return. Anxious eyes looked towards the door ; and at last the audience saw Mr. Doughty leaving the room. CHAPTER XVI. A DISCOVERY. E Stood before the pair, and In a quiet, calm voice said to her : " You are missing all this good music. Will you not come back to the room .'' Corinna started up. Mr. Doughty looked from one face to the other with an angry suspicion. '' Will you come with me ?" he said. ''When they see such an artist as you absent, I'm afraid they will think the music I offer very poor indeed, and not worth listening to." 2 14 The Middle-aged Lover. " You must obey him," said Mr. Duke, scornfully. '' There is no alternative." Mr. Doughty did not answer, but put her arm in his, and both walked away. *' I have interrupted you, I see," he said. " You were good enough to show a little interest in our performance. You gave some useful hints ; yet you do not think it worth listening to on this great occasion." "Do forgive me, forgive me," said Corinna, eagerly ; ''it was very stupid and thoughtless of me, and most ungrateful." " Ungrateful," he said, as if the word jarred on him. *' That is nothing. But thoughtless — ah ! that means much more, /am not thoughtless where you are con- cerned. While you were engaged here, I was thinking of you. It is all settled. That is, if you wish it to be settled, you have but to say yes. Express your wish, and your next appearance can be on a A Discovery. 215 greater stage, in London ; or, if you desire it, you can stay two years abroad with the best Italian masters. Understand," he added, hastily, " and this with no obliga- tion to me. If you enter into a formal en- gagement, you will be independent, and the means will be provided from your future gains. You know that if I could venture to do so I would offer all that I had in aid of such a plan ; but I dare not. At all events here is what you have wished for at last open to you." She was in much confusion. " What will you think of me if I tell you that I have made up my mind not to enter on such a course of life ?" " A very sudden change," he said, gravely. '' But are you quite in earnest ?" '' I should not like it ; I feel no vocation for that kind of life." " May I then tell you what I feel ?" he 2 1 6 The Middle-aged Lover. said, eagerly. " That I am delighted to hear of this resolution ! I never could bear the idea of one like you — so sacred in my eyes — coming out before crowds in tawdry dress and paint ; but it was your wish, and what you decided on became en- nobled. This, however, simplifies every- thing, and takes away a barrier. I fancied you were so devoted to your art, and to this purpose of the stage, that it would be idle — a profanation, indeed — to attempt to divert you from it. Now," he continued, with some agitation, " the time has come for me to speak freely, and say what has long been in my thoughts. Encourage me with but a word." ''No, no," said Corinna, almost passion- ately, " I implore you, not. You must not. You will only detest me, for you will think I have been playing a double part. Let everything remain as it is. Continue to A Discovery. 217 like me ; but let me not lose your friend- ship and esteem for ever." Mr. Doughty was deadly pale. He looked at her with eyes that seemed almost to distend. There was a long silence, but at last he spoke. Corinna's eyes were bent upon the ground. " You seem to me to make too much of all this," he said with a forced smile, " and I dare say I understand you. But I shall do so more clearly if you will answer one question. What is the reason of thfs change in your views ? Come, now, be frank and open with me — a poor foolish creature that has lived all his life in dreams and delusions, and is well nigh old enough to be your father. Come, speak," he added, in almost a peremptory tone, '' I have a right to know this." '' How am I to tell you ?" faltered Co- rinna. 2 1 8 The Middle-aged Lover, " Somethinor has occurred that has made you happy — very happy ?" he went on. " No, no," said Corinna. '' I thought so," he answered, with an effort. "And of course your kindly and well-meant caution to me is connected with such an event. Come," he again added almost fiercely, " I am surely entitled to some answer from you on these points ; it is the least, after all, you can do for me." " You quite misjudge me," said Corinna. *' If you have any confidence in me, you will not assume anything now." " Oh, I understand ! Now, then," he said, " listen to me, and weigh carefully, I conjure you, what I am going to say. Do not suppose there is any selfish motive. I tell you, you are being led away by a shadow, bya phantom, more light and vapourised than any that has ever danced before a traveller crossing a marsh. I warn you of this — I, A Discovery. 219 who have been your devoted friend and worshipper — I mean who am so still, though you have deceived me cruelly." " I have not, indeed. At least, I never intended it. But I have my pride." " Then perhaps I deceive myself ; that I suppose must be the truth. But think of my warning. It is not too late. I tell you as surely as I stand here, you will ship- wreck all your happiness if you pursue the new course you have determined on. I know human nature, and man^s human na- ture. You are deceived now, and will be yet more deceived." Corinna looked at him steadily. ** I grieve to see that you do not under- stand me ; but there is no remedy for that." His lips were trembling. '' Mind, you have been warned. Do not blame me if you find yourself shipwrecked 2 20 The Middle-aged Lover. in your peace and hope and happiness. Like all women, you have settled your heart on those whose hearts are not settled on you, and who only think of trifling with you. But it is only one more disappoint- ment for me ; that yours may not come later is my fervent wish." There was something so bitter, and even hostile in his tone, in his tightened lips, that Corinna drew herself up and answered firmly — " Now listen to me. I have answered you candidly and fairly. And let me say that there is no one else whom I would have allowed to question me or bring me to account. This was because I thought you had a genuine and kindly interest in me. Beyond this, I did not dream " ''And you must not for the world dream anything else beyond that," he said, in a hard, sarcastic tone. " Your judgment was A Discovery. 221 perfectly correct. A poor elderly virtuoso would not think of anything else unless he were a fool, of course. I am elderly, but not a fool, I trust. But see, we are losing all the fine music ; people will be wonder- ing what has become of us, and will be settling, as I believe some of the gossips have settled already, that some very serious matters are being arranged. Let us go back, or rather let me conduct you to your favoured cavalier, for whom, as I must con- clude, you are making this grand sacrifice of a career. Now one word more. As you have made me your confidant In this matter, I am bound to aid you to the ut- most, and you may really depend on me. I have been singularly unlucky in the one or two attachments I have had In my life, so I must Indemnify myself by forwarding the interests of others. I promise you that I shall look after the favoured being in this 2 2 2 The Middle-aged Lover. case on whose faith you have staked your happiness, unwisely, as It seems to my poor dull mind. I shall strain every nerve to make him act as one ought to do who has been honoured — Oh ! by such an enviable preference !" He seemed to Corlnna quite to change as he spoke these words, which had a tone of menace In them rather than of friendly encouragement. She felt a little indignant, but took his arm without another word. This night appeared to the gay and airy guests who were fluttering through Mr. Doughty's rooms, to be no more than some pleasant evening of amusement, like many others. But for the personages of this little piece It was one fraught with the highest dramatic interest. At many a ball and party and dinner, which to the average guest seems a mere formal show, some such strange drama is secretly going for- A Discovery, 223 ward — the course of true love running smooth or roughly, jealousy and rage rising rampant ; disappointment, the certain ruin of to-morrow, or excruciating physical pains being hidden away under rippling smiles and agreeable talk. There never was a girl so full of a strange pride as this Corinna ; a pride made singularly sensitive by the position of her family. Where there was any un- favourable misconstruction of her motives or behaviour, she would never condescend to set right those who could thus miscon- strue her. In another case, she would have swept away haughtily, under the im- pression that she had been treated with cruel injustice; but as she rose, the thought of all Mr. Doughty's kindness, the ro- mantic Interest he had shown in her, came back on her, and she put her pride away for a moment. 2 24 ^'^^^ Middle-aged L over. " After this, I suppose you will be quite changed to me," she said, turning to him. " I can see this plainly. But take care that there has not been a mistake here, a mis- take that we may regret — that I may re- gret. You may find out too late that you have assumed too much." '* I have found it out," he answered, bit- terly, ''and am content. Pray, let me bring you back to your friend and admirer." She did not say another word. They returned to the music-room. Lady Duke, sitting at the door, and eagerly scanning their faces, thought she read in them a full and true account of all that had occurred. Had her crafty scheme succeeded so far ? In a moment she had secured him, and in- terposed her daughter. " Emmeline is enchanted," she said, with a sort of rapture. " She never heard such music in her life." A Discovery, 22' *' Yes, indeed/' said Emmeline, fervently, '' it is a new world to me ; something like the angels playing f This was pretty strong, and the speech was overheard by Will Gardiner, who was never weary of repeating it. '' Something like the angels playing ! Did you ever hear anything like that?" He, too, had been watching the strange proceedings of the evening, and had kept wary watch on the parties. "Well, Lady Duke," he said, in his' bluntest style, *' if the match doesn't come off after to-night, there never was love- making in this world. Miss Corinna might have her action against your son, and get heavy damages. Ha, ha ! I declare, they would make a very handsome pair." Mr. Doughty was standing close by, and heard this remark. So they could see by a sharp twitch which seemed to pass across VOL. 1. 13 226 The Middle-aged Lover. his face. It was as though some one had stabbed him. Mr. Will Gardiner's face, so honest and jovial, was now a sort of com- bination that seemed almost grotesque, of greed and vexation, that fitted badly with the old good nature. In a moment he had his arm in a most affectionate fashion about Mr. Doughty, who seemed to be fast grow- ing back into '' Old Doughty " again. " Ton my word, you have done this magnificently. And I can tell you, you have given your protegee a regular pres- tige. I want to tell you the Dukes, both mother and son, are taking to her fast enough. Ton my soul, I believe they think you'll come down with a fortune for the girl." Mr. Doughty slowly withdrew himself. ''Your compliments are always elegant from their heartiness," he said. '' The ar- rangement you suggest would, I am sure, A Discovery, 227 be very pleasant for all the parties con- cerned. I have some interest in this clever young lady, and should be happy to help her in the way you propose. But ^I am hardly so sanguine as you." "More in the style of Shilly-Shally," said the other, with a burst of genuine en- joyment. " Eh ?" He was, in truth, de- lighted to see that " no harm had been done." The concert dragged to its close. Mr. Doughty was the most painstaking of hosts, though many people remarked the old " dryness," which, in a more elderly man, would be pronounced cantankerous- ness. To compliments and congratula- tions he answered, with a half-sarcastic tolerance, *' that it was very good of them to be so entertained by his exertions.'^ Had not Miss Corinna Nagle excelled herself ? He hoped, by-and-by, they 15—2 2 28 The Middle-aged L over, would all be hearing her in a very different area from that poor room. Her noble voice would fill an opera-house. Lady Duke was the greatest lady there. So the host came to " take her in to sup- per." He approached her as she sat, the centre of an obsequious group. '' We must go in to supper," he said. *'But, first, where's mademoiselle ? Ah ! There^s some pretty interesting work going on there. Master Alfred will have something to tell you when he gets home to-night." Lady Duke looked a little alarmed at these public compliments. " Alfred," she said, " is the most terrible flirt in the world." "Oh," he answered gravely, " but this is no flirtation. Miss Corinna is a person who must not be trifled with in that style. Her disposition is too noble, too much out of the common, for such treatment. Ah ! A Discovery. 229 here they come. We must have our con- gratulations ready. Mr. Duke, will you take in Miss Corinna to supper ?" Every one standing round was listen- ing with some surprise. No one was so mystified as our young hero, Mr. Alfred Duke. He expected a display of bitter- ness, mortification, and spite. During the supper, Mr. Doughty en- chanted all the ladies about him with what they called his "dry wit.'' He was un- sparing in his jests and criticisms. Miss Duke, who had contrived to get next to him, was convulsed with laughter. But still there was a strange bitterness in his tone. " I must have some strange powers of entertaining," he said, looking at the young lady at the close of one of these ap- preciative bursts, ''that has suddenly de- veloped itself. Indeed, I have noticed that 230 The Middle-aged Lover. whatever I say always tells — but I must add, only within the last few weeks." Will Gardiner struck in with his usual indiscreetness. ** We all remarked that it has not been telling so well as usual in one quarter to- night, Doughty. How is that ?" Mr. Doughty winced a little, but re- covered himself. Then looked at Lady Duke, afterwards at the happy pair, who were silent enough. " I am one of those good-natured people who only wish to make their young friends happy. Things are going very fairly, I think, and after to-night I have reason to believe -" Lady Duke turned pale. Will Gardiner burst into one of his favourite roars. He was delighted with this new turn, and his anxiety was now relieved. He at once took the cue, and for the rest of the sup- A Discovery, 231 per the table echoed with his rough jests, his congratulations and praises of the ''happy pair," as he called them, with many an "Oh, you are very deep, Doughty. I vow he quite took me in." About one o'clock the party broke up, and all went home. When the sound of clattering carriages had died away, the owner of the place was left alone in the great waste of his great music-room, alone with the long and disordered piles of chairs, and the music and instruments scattered about. After all those sounds there was a stillness. A sort of fury came into his pale worn face. " Fooled and deceived again," he said aloud, as he literally stamped to and fro. " Are these smooth-faced women all de- mons, that they lay themselves out to play with our wretched hearts ? Why could she not leave me in peace to my music, 232 The Middle-aged Lover, without seeking to make me her plaything, show me off to the people here as one full of a childish infatuation ? She has only used me to lead on that creature whom she loves. But I shall mark it to her and hers. She shall be left as deserted as she has left me !" CHAPTER XVII. A WARNING. LFRED DUKE had a secret dislike to the cold and rather mysterious being whose guesl he had been, who seemed to gauge per- fectly all the uncertainties of his weak soul, and to be actually acquainted with all the crooked passages and little cabins of his mind. There was jealousy and awe mixed up with these feelings, and when the element of wealth was added, there came a sense of his rival's superiority which seemed to vex his very heart. This 234 The Middle-ao;ed Love7\ young gentleman was so accustomed to have his own way in the world, to be petted by the young damsels with whom he consorted in garrison towns, that any opposition annoyed him exceedingly. It must be again said that, if not actually " in love " with Corinna, he had a violent in- clination towards that young person, such as gentlemen of the garrison often expe- rience for the young ladies of the district where they are quartered, and he longed to show that he had conquered the prettiest girl in Brickford. He was walking down to the club, rather proud of his last night's proceedings, and of the victory he had gained, of which, no doubt, all the ladies in the place were talk- ing, or would be talking. After all, they would see that wealth did not always carry the day, and that the cold, crabbed fellow, with his owl-like airs of wisdom and giving A Warning. 235 advice, had, in mess-table phrase, been '' holed." The divine Corinna understood the difference between mere vulgar attrac- tions of money and the wealth of youth and grace, which he possessed. As he indulged in these thoughts, he felt a touch on his shoulder. "My dear Duke," said Mr. Doughty, for it was he, '' I am sorry to stop you, but will you let me ask you a question ? Do you ever make up your mind on a particular matter ?" The other looked at him haughtily. '' Make up my mind ? Perhaps I do ; perhaps I do not. Why do you ask ?" " Not very satisfactory as an answer. But I do really wish you would in reference to one matter. I must tell you that you have given a deal of trouble and anxiety in one quarter, and have disturbed a poor family, who are in a sphere far below 236 The Middle-aged Lover. yours. Now, is this fair ; is it honourable ; is it becoming a gentleman ?" The other started up. " Really, Mr. Doughty, you are a sort of relation of ours, but I do not think you are privileged to address me in such a style. What are my proceedings to you ?'* " I am not to be offended," said the other, coolly ; " and have come to speak plainly and candidly. I shall do so. All I wish is, that matters should be explained clearly and definitely. You had really a great triumph last night at my house. Every one — and there were two hundred people there — saw the honoured preference that you received. I am sure you deserved it. I have heard everywhere this morning that it is considered certain that you have won the affections of Miss Nagle, that you have made a very great conquest." A curious twinkle of pride came into the A Warning, 237 young man's eyes. This was the happiest flattery conceivable. The other saw it, and went on : " As for me, an humble and distant ad- mirer of her talents and beauty, I was completely distanced — literally nowhere. If I had any humble pretensions, they were effectually extinguished by your attrac- tions." ''You really think so ?" said Mr. Duke, complacently. " Well, after all, you see, my dear Doughty, that money is not the chief thing in the world. Girls are not always ready to sell themselves for gold. But surely, you could not have seriously thought that a fine, handsome, brilliant creature like that would have wished to sacrifice her affections, even for your handsome fortune. Girls will be girls, you know, just as boys will be boys." " No doubt," said the other. '' And I 238 The Middle-aged Lover, am delighted to hear such sense from you. The only thing is, has it occurred to you that this grand triumph of yours, at which you are smiling so pleasantly, may have been obtained at the expense of her mor- tification and unhappiness ? You might prevent her obtaining one who would really love and cherish her, and place her in a situation of comfort, where she would not have to work for her bread, while you offer her in return the trumpery and trifling solace of your royal preference, which will neither support her nor shield her from mortification, nor provide for her, but, on the contrary, only leave her wretched, dis- appointed, deserted, and her whole life blighted. This noble and gallant course, I am sure, is not what you propose." At this burst of what was almost elo- quence, declaimed with a warmth and pas- sion that contrasted strangely with the cold A Warning. 239 temperament of the speaker, Mr. Duke was much put out. After a while he recovered himself. '* I am not to be driven into a corner in this way, and brought to book. What right have you to assume that I have any such intentions ? I can allow no one to cross-examine me in this style." " No right in the world," said Mr. Doughty, calmly, "beyond a fatherly sort of interest that I have in the young lady. You will admit that regard for her justiftes a great deal. She must not be sacrificed. Then are you ashamed — as indeed I sus- pect you are — of having your august name coupled with hers, and are the people here to know that you mean nothing by these attentions ? What must you tell her, too, for it is only fair she should know ? Come, be honourable and straightforward. Have some generosity for this poor loving heart, 240 The Middle-aged Lover. who has sacrificed you know how much for you." '* Indeed !" said the other, with a sort of triumph. " So this accounts for your bit- terness. All because she was not to be tempted by money.'* " Well, you are welcome to that assump- tion if it pleases you, provided you engage to take some distinct course. Either come forward and make her your wife, in spite of all, — for I know she loves you, — or leave this place, and leave her." '' And leave the coast clear for you. You are really not so intelligent as people think, or you must suppose me very stupid. Thank you. I am not bound to shape my conduct at any one's bidding, or to choose any particular course because you desire it. I may do what you desire, or I may not. I must decline to give any information on the subject." A Warning. 241 *' That Is enough, more than enough. I shall be more communicative than you. Take a friendly warning. I venture to say that I know the course you have de- cided on, which is not a manly one. The last thought in your mind is that of marry- ing this music-master's daughter. You wish to go on in this pleasant, undetermined course v/hich is sport to you, but death to her. With your pride of family, you would disdain to stoop so low, though she is in- finitely above you. Now mark me. V look on you as unworthy of her, but still she likes you, and that is sufficient. From this moment every resource I possess, and such mental power as I have — which is more than you may give me credit for, — will be devoted to this set purpose : to make you declare yourself, and force you to carry out what you have engaged to do ; or, if this be not your view, drive you away at once VOL. I. 16 242 The Middle-aged Lover. from her side, and for ever, as I would some noxious animal. Mind, I would not for the world say this in anger or in spite. But, recollect, you have spoken just as bluntly to me. As sure as you stand there, it will be done. For you are weaker than I am." Mr. Doughty made Alfred a bow, and, with a pleasant smile on his face, left him to reflect on this strange warning. CHAPTER XVIII. FATHER AND DAUGHTER. R. NAGLE always stood in awe of the cold and haughty reserve of his daughter Corinna where there were matters that concerned her dignity or that of the family. He fully expected that the result of the evening s work would be declared to him, and that he had gone to bed the future father-in-law of his friend, the '' illustrious millionaire." On the following morning he broke out with : " Well, Corry, love, out with your news. 1 6 — 2 244 1^^^^ Middle-aged Lover. You've ' snaffled' him at last ? Give a kiss to your father, my future Mrs. D. !" '* I have no news of the kind you mean, papa," she answered coldly ; " nor is it likely you will ever hear any of that sort." *' No news," he repeated in wonder. '' You're joking. Miss. Why, the man's in love with you ; the whole town sees it. What nonsense you do go on with." " A delusion," said she ; " one more added to the many that have done us so much mischief in our course through life. I tell you, papa, he does not think of me, nor I of him. You must put the whole idea aside.'' " Ridiculous ! Preposterous ! Fiddle- dedee ! Put it aside, indeed ! How easy you talk of it !" were the only incoherent words that suggested themselves to Mr. Nagle. Father and Daughter, 245 "No doubt you are right, father. But I cannot be made the victim of the gossips of this place, or be pointed out as the scheming, intriguing girl, who, with her family, wished to take in a rich man. It has gone on far too long. He himself, if he does not already, would despise me later, for he would never believe that I could really love him for himself." " And who the deuce cares — ■ — " was beginning Mr. Nagle, but he was checked by the severe look on his child's face. " O, ril set all that right, never fear." " / care, if you ask the question. But it is no matter now. The Brickford gossips shall have little to talk about in future ; I can promise them that. Would to heaven I had never begun such folly." "What idiotic stuff this is," said Mr. Nagle, in a fury. '' D'ye mean to tell me you are going to take up with that young 246 The Middle-aged Lover. snapperjack ?" — a strange word that was born of sudden wedlock in Mr. Nagle's brain, of two other words, "whipper- snapper" and " skipjack"" — " a young snap- perjack, who has nothing in the world but the coat on his back ? D'ye mean to tell me that ?" "" No," said Corinna, haughtily, '' I do not. But all this must be changed. It is your interest, no doubt, to keep up your friendship with Mr. Doughty. I cannot interfere in that. But as regards myself,, I cannot go through this humiliating role any longer. I am weary of it. Now, will you understand me, father ? From this day it must all end. You have secured what- ever aims you have had in view by my means, though I blush that I should have lent myself to such things." • " Phew ! This is absurd and incompre- hensible," said Mr. Nagle, quite beside Father and Daughter. 247 himself with impatience. '' What's at the bottom of it ? what does it mean ?" ''It may seem odd to you, I know, after the way in which I have behaved ; but one of these days, perhaps, I may tell you the whole." Mr. Nagle always felt that when his daughter spoke in this tone, it was to be an ultimatum. He was inexpressibly disap- pointed, '' put out," and bewildered. Such a blow when he thought everything was settled so nicely, and going on ''so swina- mingly." He was, however, of a very buoyant temper, and before the day was over would be reconciled to the idea. He was now on such free and familiar terms with his " opulent friend," as he called him, that he was entitled to sound him on this mysterious subject. He repaired at once to his house, and found his friend threading the mazes of a quartet, assisted by a 248 The Middle-aged Lover. German musician or two. Mr. Doughty received him good-naturedly, but with something of a change in his manner from the old easy-going and tolerant fashion. '' I really fear," said Mr. Nagle, confi- dentially, " that Corinna has been going on with some of her nonsense. You are not displeased are you ? And you must not mind her — girls are so absurd now-a-days." The other smiled at this odd speech. " I see you are going to be severe on my protegee. The truth is, I have been be- having very thoughtlessly and selfishly, and it did not occur to me till last night, when I saw that my hearty interest has been turned by the good people of this place into a source of annoyance to her. I ought to have thought of this long ago, as I am so much older, and supposed to have more sense — I say supposed, for I can't claim to possess it." Father and Daughtei\ 249 Braham's favourite pupil was quite taken back at the candour of this confession. He was also hurt ; and though the reader may have hitherto taken him for a trim- ming, obsequious character, that would accept any treatment, he had still a certain sense of pride. '' Then I must say, Mr. Doughty, that I do think it was scarcely fair to expose a child of mine to such a misconstruction. Here, for days and weeks she is seen with you, while your devotion to her in puUlic and private has been so marked as to be unmistakable. Now it appears that all this turns out to be — er" — and Mr. Nagle stopped, much embarrassed for a suitable word, though '' moonshine" would have been the expression in his own family circle. ''Platonic, perhaps?" suggested Mr. Doughty, with a smile. "And why not ? How could I pretend to the affections of a 250 The Middle-aged Lovei^. blooming young girl — I, a quaint, curious oddity, with my queer ways and tastes ^ True, I have money, which does away with a good deal of oddity. But the fair Corinna herself never dreamed of such a thing. I swear to you she didn't. Come, my dear Nagle, you and I have a regard for each other and tastes in common. Many a friendship and pleasant prospect has been spoilt by some such misapprehension as this. So leave me out of the question, and dismiss the idea from your mind alto- gether." In answer to this rather ''brutal" way of putting the matter, Mr. Nagle felt he had nothing to offer. Moreover, being a person- of ambitious views, he generally considered his daughter's interests as completely secondary to his own. He looked ruefully at Mr. Doughty, gave a sigh, and thus ac- cepted the situation. Father and Daughter, 251 '' But, my dear Nagle," continued the latter, " you should look round, and notice what is going on about you. There is something far more suitable in view. There is youth, and good looks, and good station ready to come to her feet, only waiting the proper encouragement. There would be an alliance that would do honour to any family. Not that I think Mr. Duke quite worthy of her ; but still, would it not be a most desirable match ?" " Oh," said Mr. Nagle, with open con- tempt, '' that fellow. Why, he hasn't two- pence halfpenny in the world." " Oh ! But he has. Besides a few half- pence may be added to his means. That is quite a minor obstacle. The real point is that he has won the affections of your daughter — that I know. And why not ? Youth should be mated with youth, good looks with good looks. Any one who 252 The Middle-aged Lover. would try and subvert this proper order of things is the wildest delusionist in the world. Think of the alliance ! rank, interest, that will do a great deal ; and as for money, is not the world full of friends, who will see that a young pair, marrying for love, and on nothing, shall not be unprovided for ? It is a grand opening, my dear Nagle. Besides, we cannot allow a beautiful and innocent girl to be trifled with ; to be talked of by the free-and-easy gossips of the place, to be made a plaything of by a young gen- tleman of condition, for his amusement during leave of absence from his regiment. He must, at least, be made to pay her the compliment of an offer of his hand: an offer with which you and the young lady can deal as she thinks proper." Mr. Nagle, quite carried away by this eloquence, seized his patron's hand, de- claring : Fatkei^ and Datcgh ter, 253 ** You are right, sir ! No man shall trifle with my daughter. He shall be made to do the handsome thing, depend upon it. ril allow no jack-snapper " — he was so pleased with this odd conceit that he used it again in another shape — *' to come play- ing tricks here. She has good blood in her veins, and is as good as any Duke among them. Though I have to thrum away at the kevs, that doesn't make us lose our gentility. There's many a kerownet" — so he pronounced the word — '' that we see'on the panels of a pompous carriage that was won before now by the poor despised crotchets and quavers." CHAPTER XIX. DEAR BROTHERS." :^^;HUS then had ended this part of this little episode. Mr. Doughty, living in a world of music, sim- ple, shrewd, retired, and solitary, yet per- fectly familiar with the world, and the •characters found in the world, had a very sensitive temper, which in time had reached to a pitch that was almost morbid. No one could have suspected that he had in his youth encountered a terrible disappoint- ment, the effect of which had been to scorch up, as it were, all his sympathy with the ordinary things and personages of life, and " Dear Brothers!' 255 left him a kind of secular Trappist, who, uncowled and unfrocked, was " dead to the world." Indeed, It was said, on the au- thority of Lady Duke, that his brain had been a little unsettled by the stroke. But this speech may have been uttered in the hope of damping Corinna's chance. This second disappointment had left him well- nigh crushed, and the feeling that his last state was far worse than his former one. The only comfort in store for him now seemed to be the thought of the strange purpose which was working in his soul, to which he seemed to be bending all his thoughts with a feverish purpose. Was this some scheme of revenge, or some wild undefined plan of getting those who had trifled with him into his power ? At this moment, perhaps, he hardly knew himself. He wished to do, to carry out, something, perhaps, just to occupy his thoughts. 256 The Middle-aged Lover. Meantime, the little ant-hill bustle and intrigues of Brickford began to go forward in their ordinary course. Various parties had begun to congratulate themselves on the discovery of the state of affairs between Corinna and young Duke, which left Mr. Doughty, as it were, free, and a fair object of competition for others. Mr. Gardiner, the clergyman, with his lady, had long re- sented the matter of course style in which their claims on this rich relation's good offices had been put aside by more pushing persons, and the reverend gentleman had been stirred up by his lady *' to make some exertions for his family." Accordingly, one morning during the course of these events, Mr. Gardiner, the clergyman, was announced — that very af- fectionate brother of Will Gardiner, the Rev. Mr. Orestes of the lay Pylades — who presented himself with a certain nervous- '' Dear Brothers!' 257 ness and embarrassment which did not escape his host. " I have brought some news," he said, *' which I know you will be glad to hear, as it concerns those excellent Nagles. I have been working very hard at old Hum- phries, the organist, and have at last got him to go. It has been a very difficult and delicate matter, as he has been so long in the place ; and I can assure you he had a strong party among the parishioners. But Nagle is infinitely the better man, and I felt at last obliged to take the matter up myself." Mr. Doughty smiled, then added, gravely : " No doubt you felt that the interests of church and congregation must be put above all questions of personal feeling. How long has this poor worn-out old organ- ist, whom you have ejected, been on duty ?" VOL. I. 17 258 The Middle-aged Lover. "' Why, I believe, since the church was built," said the clergyman, a little alarmed at the sympathy. " It is, of course, a little hard on him, but when I saw that you were so anxious about the Nagles " " Why the Nagles ?" said the other, coldly. *' You are not going to appoint Mrs. Nagle, or Miss Corinna Nagle, to the office." " No, no, dear no. But I mean that, as you were such a judge, and considered Mr. Nagle to be beyond question the right man in the right place, I resolved, as far as in me lay, to forward your wishes." "It was very good of you. But you must do something for the poor decayed musician as you have got rid of him so summarily. There must be a subscription, which I shall be glad to head. It is really pleasant to see how eager people are to gratify me. Now, tell me, how did you Dear Brothers. " 259 like my music last night ? Miss Corinna, I think, carried the day." The clergyman's face suddenly became a little disturbed. "It was the most delightful concert in the world. We were all enchanted." '* I dare say, too, you observed that something else besides music was going on. It would be splendid if my little musical attempt led to such a happy result as esta- blishing the enchanting Miss Corinna in life. It ought to be brought about, and I don't see why it should not." '' The young man's attentions were in- deed very marked," said the clergyman, eagerly. " Every one round us was no- ticing them. Oh dear yes I" " I am glad to hear you say so. Though he must not be allowed to trifle with her. Don't you agree with me? I think we should all put our shoulders to the wheel to help 17 — 2 26o The Middle-aged Lover. In the business. And I think, my dear Gardiner, that you, as clergyman of the parish, might do a good work by saying something in the proper quarter. You un- derstand. You know my interest in the family." " I shall speak to Lady Duke about it at once," said the clergyman, *'and to the young man himself. It is very wrong of him to be trifling with any girl's affections in this style. He should marry hen" Suddenly entered fresh visitors. These were Will Gardiner with his daughter, '' Mamsie," his pet and favourite, a young thing of about fourteen, but looking much older. The clergyman and Mr. Doughty were in a most confidential attitude, the former nodding wisely, as who should say, ''You may depend on me," their heads close together. Will Gardiner stopped in the doorway^ Dear B^'o titers. " 261 and actually coloured. His brother co- loured also. " Oh, I see, I fear I am Interrupting," he said ; " you have got secrets. I only came to tell you a bit of news. Doughty, that you will be delighted to hear." Mr. Doughty received him cordially. " Sit down," he said ; '' so you have brought the young lady, my friend Miss Watteau, as I call her, to see me. She is so like one of his shepherdesses." '* So I said to Slater — didn't I, Chirrtfp ? She gave a sitting to Slater yesterday, who has quite taken up the idea, and is going to do her as a shepherdess with a lamb !" It was the turn of the clergyman to look suspicious and uneasy now. So there were ^ome things, then, that were not told to him when Orestes and Pylades went out together on those affectionate Sunday walks ! 262 The Middle-aged Lover. " What I came to tell you," went on Will, "" was the grand coup we have managed for Nagle. We have routed that old impostor, Humphries — battered him out of his organ loft. So we can have Braham tramping away at the pedals next Sunday if he likes." '* I know," said Mr. Doughty, smiling a little maliciously. " Your brother came off here before you to tell me how he got him out at last." "He !" said Will colouring, "not a bit of it ! It was I who went to him. I wish you had heard how I bullied him. But trust our pious clergy for taking the credit of everything. Not content with having our souls to look after, they must have their holy fingers in every pie made in the parish* Ha, ha !" The clergyman smiled feebly at this rough " badinage " of his dear brother's. " Dear Brothers!^ 263 " It's not much matter," he replied tartly, "as to who did It. I, of course, as head of the church, could bring the matter to an issue. But as I was saying, we were all glad to forward Mr. Dough ty's wishes." " Oh, of course," said the brother, dryly. '' Though, after this, I suspect our friend Braham Nagle will set himself up as com- mander-in-chief. Wonderful creature he is. I dare say he'll contrive somehow to get hold of the young fellow yet ; though, as an alliance, it would hardly do for iliy Lady Duke." "■ That's another consideration," said Mr. Doughty, "' and should have occurred to the young gentleman before he set himself to the occupation of winning her heart. The thing is gone too far, and we must really all stand by Nagle In this, or rather by Miss Corinna." " So we shall," said Will, tumultuously. 264 The Middle-aged Lover, '' if it's only for the good of society. Though, to tell you the truth, I do not think my lad does mean business. You see, after all, the blue blood of the Dukes and that of our friend Nagle would hardly do for mixing/* " Why not, pray ?" said Mr. Doughty sternly. *' I hate to hear that nonsense about * blue blood ' and such stuff. There is no blue blood, in England at least, and the real question is, is he worthy, not of the affections of that young girl, which he has won already, but of her hand ?" " Exactly," said the clergyman, enthusi- astically, ** that's the triie way to put it ! She might marry anybody !" Will Gardiner glanced at his brother, and with a certain warmth, replied : " That's all very romantic, but still people do make remarks ; and say what you like, it's not exactly the custom." *' Dear B r other sP 265 Will Gardiner had a certain rude inde- pendence ; and though he felt that his inte- rests were concerned, could not bring himself to be so obsequious as his brother was. The object of the present visit was to make his little " Chirrup " play before " such an excellent judge as Mr. Doughty." ** She has been practising the whole week," said the enthusiastic father, " getting up, I believe, at six o'clock in the morning to have a private strum, eh. Poppets ? Now, dear, out with your ' Summer Ripples,' and mind, you are before the best judge. But she's awfully frightened, my dear sir." " Oh, papa, I am so afraid. Mr. Doughty will laugh at me." That gentleman was good-natured, as indeed he always was to children, and the young lady began her *' scramble," protest- ing that " he must promise not to look at 266 The Middle-aged Lover. her." She was struggHng through the usual violent digital leaps and splashlngs which such pieces as " Summer Ripples," " Rain- drops," or "Cascades" seem to require, when the door was opened, and some fresh visitors entered — Lady Duke and her daughter. This interest in Mr. Doughty was really amazing, and developing with a sort of crescendo movement. CHAPTER XX. LADY duke's confidence. HERE were some elements of comedy in this scene, and even in the faces of the parties. A pride was developed in the eager father's face, as his child laboured on success- fully, and which showed that he had for- gotten all else but her gifts, such as they were ; the clergyman having girls of his own at home, who he fancied were far more clever, though *' not half so pushing," now exhibited a kind of rueful toleration in his face ; while Lady Duke, who had 268 The Middle-aged Lover, brought her own candidate, listened with a practised smile of toleration that seemed to mean " this is very fair indeed." The host himself often looked from one to the other of the assembled party with a quiet ironical glance, as though he perceived the odd competition which was being quietly carried on for his favour. '' There !" cried the delighted father, when his young girl had finished. '' That's very creditable for the short time she's been learning. She's been grinding from morning till night, and she has got a little request, which she hasn't courage to make herself.'' '' Oh, if you wouldn't think it too much trouble," said Miss Chirrup, with an air which the experienced in such matters would have recognised as of being well tutored in the part, *' just to let me come now and then and get a few hints " Lady Dukes Confidence. 269 '* Yes, It would do her more good than all the masters in the kingdom/* struck in her father, seeing that she was faltering. And yet there was a certain genuineness in this demonstration of his. He was so im- pulsive, so fond of his children, that his interest for them seemed to lead him into these little devices, and perhaps prevented his seeing how transparent they were. But Mr. Doughty, always good-natured, praised the young damsel, and graciously promised that he would give her those precious hints she was so eager for. Lady Duke, who had come for the special purpose of receiv- ing some of the same divine criticism for her own child, felt there would be a want of originality in going over the same ground, and was thinking how she might hit on something as effective, when Mr. Doughty turned to her. " Well, where is our gallant amoroso, the 2 70 The Middle-aged Lover. Alfredo mio ? I suppose at the feet of his mistress ?" Then added in a half-mys- terious way, '' Everything is going on admirably. They tell me that Nagle, our future papa-in-law, has got the appointment of organist ; so that gives him a sort of permanent office." Lady Duke winced at this good news. " I fear Alfred will soon have to go and join his regiment. He can't be idling on here always." " Oh, I see ! Then you ought to hurry on matters. Everything ought to be settled at once." " Hush ! my dear Mr. Doughty," said the lady, with vexation. " You go a little too fast. I was indeed coming to you, to speak to you about this very matter." *' But why," said he, looking round with an amused air, *' make a confidential matter of what is known to the whole Lady Dukes Co7iJidence. 271 town ? Our friends here were talking of it the very moment you came in. Every one is hourly expecting the joyful news. I say, Gardiner, where can our young Lochinvar be who is so gallant both in love and in war ?" '' Why," cried Will, noisily, " I declare, here he comes to answer for himself !" Mr. Duke started back when he saw the room so full, and found himself greeted by the obstreperous Will. "Ha, ha, ha! Just talking of you, Master Duke," he said, seizing him by the shoulders. '' Do you know it has been passed nem. con. by all Brickford that you are to come forward gallantly forthwith and do your duty like a man ! No shirking to be allowed !" The young man impatiently shook him- self free. " I am getting quite tired of this style 272 The Middle-aged Lover, of joking,'* he said, '* and perfectly sick of it!" " Then beware the vengeance of the infuriated Nagle. I give you friendly warning. I wouldn't be in your shoes for a fifty-pound note. Fulfil your pro- mises like a true lover. Our enchanting Corinna " But here Mr. Doughty interposed with a bitter tone. ''Mr. Gardiner V he said, " your spirits seem to carry you away. You make a joke of everything. This is a subject you know " *' My dear Doughty, I quite forgot," said Will Gardiner, with a sudden humility that scarcely harmonised with his ordinary and accepted character. '* Yes, I am getting perfectly sick of this place," said the young man. '' Every one is so free with me and my affairs. The whole town wishes to arrange them for me. Lady Dzckes Confidence. 273 Can t they leave me alone ? I don't meddle with them/' Lady Duke shrugged her shoulders at Mr. Doughty with an appealing air, and drew him away into another room. '' I came to speak to you about this very thing," said the woman of the world. " You see how admirably this Gardiner helps us on. He has certainly got a clumsy touch. But what am I to do in such a state of things ? The boy is self-willed, of age, his own master, and the people here, as he says, have worried him to death about the matter. But we will soon have him back again, and then, I hope, he will do what we all wish; for she is a charming girl, and I'm sure we should all like her, notwith- standing the disparity in position." " It is very handsome of you to say this;" replied Mr. Doughty, "■ exceedingly so." " But then, you see," continued the lady, VOL. I. 18 2 74 T^^^^ Middle-aged Lover, looking at him steadily, " there is a serious difficulty. No money on either side. Alfred won't have a hundred a year beyond the value of his commission, while the girl has not a sixpence ; nor, as far as I am aware, is she likely to have anything. What do you say to this ?" " But surely, when a young man comes down from his own station to choose a young girl of the people, as I may say, money is the last thing he should look for. It is only love that could justify such a step." The lady, In her heart of hearts, was in- clined to answer, " Stuff and nonsense !" but replied instead : " A very proper and nice feeling. But, you see, alas ! my dear Mr. Doughty, we must look to the beef-and-mutton side of the question. With perhaps a young family, eh ? Even supposing they had Lady Dukes Confidence, 275 nothing now, still, if there was a prospect, a something to look forward to, some pro- vision that would drop in later " And her eyes were fixed wistfully on the impene- trable face of Mr. Doughty. '* Well," he answered, after a pause, " in the case of a man like Nagle, who has to work hard for his crust, you know pretty well what ought to be expected." " Oh, of course, I know that," she answered ; " but what I meant was, would it be likely that anything could be done for her by friends and people of that kind ? And indeed Alfred said that you hinted to him that something of the kind might be looked for in her case." And the lady looked at him very wistfully. " Who could tell that," he said, " unless a fortune-teller ? A prudent mother should not arrange a marriage on such a specula- tion as that. No one who respected a girl 18—2 2 76 The Middle-aged Lover, like Miss Corinna, too, could offer her an eleemosynary gift of the kind as one gives a portion to a charity girl. No, no, the young fellow ought to think himself very happy to secure such a priceless being, and to be allowed to work for her." Lady Duke made no answer, but gathered her shawl about her. It was evident that the answer had satisfied her one way or the other, as indeed her companion seemed to read in her face. As she was going out of the room he stopped her. "Just pardon me. Do you think he loves her enough to do that, to brave all — his relatives, friends, the world, poverty, everything- — sooner than give her up : In genuine alarm : '' Heaven forbid, my dear Doughty, that he should do anything so foolish. I know you are deeply inter- ested in the girl, but, I implore you, don't Lady Dukes Confidence, 277 even mention such things. It will be the ruin of our family, of us all." There was something in Mr. Doughty's face that had filled her with a sudden alarm, and carried away all her prudent and ingenious reckonings. A something which showed her that real danger was imminent, and that this man, so cold, so calm in manner and purpose, might actually have power to bring about this fatal alliance while she was weaving these frail cobwebs of future plans. This would be quite too high a price to pay for the mere chance of a share in old Doughty's bounty. That gentleman, too, fancied that he saw in her face, as she left him, a new purpose — a hint of some sudden change that dis- turbed him a good deal. '* Corinna will think all this revenge," he said to himself. '' Heaven knows I wash for no such thing ! She has misjudged me 278 The Middle-aged Lover. before, and will do so again. But the thing must work itself out now ; and why should she not suffer, as she has made others suffer ?" CHAPTER XXI. MR. NAGLE AT THE ORGAN. ;FTER Mr. Doughty's grand con- cert, and the rather important changes that had been crowded Into the space of a night, Mr. Nagle rose up with the importance of a commander- in-chief. Weighty responsibilities were now falHng on his shoulders. Music was actually with him sinking into quite a se- condary matter ; and if his services as a teacher were in tolerable request, he fumed at the recurring lessons as so many inter- ruptions. He exclaimed impatiently in the 28o The Middle-aged Lover. spirit, though not in the words of Lofty in the play, '' I'll be pack-horse to none of 'em." He entered the houses of his pupils like some overworked secretary of state, and, according to his favourite practice, consumed a good portion of the time that should have been devoted to tuition, in easy conversation on matters wholly un- musical. Braham's scholar began, as some considered it, to give himself airs. He positively declared he could not go through the drudgery of dealing with raw, untrained organs, and such he forthwith bade go to Dobson, or Jones, or ''some local stone- breaker," as he styled the inferior members of his profession. '' I assure you," he would say, good-naturedly, " Dobson is a very good, honest, hard-working fellow, with a wife and six children "^ — as though they formed part of his musical gifts — "and you couldn't do better than go to him. He'll Mr. Nagle at the Organ, 281 put you through the dumb-bells, and the rest of it — grind you into the Doremifasol, and all that. When you've got the muscles well greased, and in working order, come to me. I could not do you a halfpenny- worth of good now — not one halfpenny- worth. Go to Dobson for a twelve- month." " Stonebreaker " is not at all an unsuit- able description of such professional gen- tlemen as Dobson and his brethren, who abound in every town, and who, honest souls ! are the very hodmen of music. They thump at their pianos with a resolu- tion worthy of those who are breaking stones on the road-side ; bring out the human voice, and teach singing, much as a drill-sergeant will work at the arms and legs of his recruits. There were some such humble labourers in Brickford, who regarded the flashy gifts of Mr. Nagle 282 The Middle-aged L over. almost with obsequiousness, though he had snatched away the few crusts that found their way to their hungry jaws. But they hoped to be repaid by some such recom- mendations as we have described. Dob- son, indeed, had won the favour of his patron by his remarkable self-abnegation and humility, and was spoken of in Nagle circles as "a very worthy, hard-working creature, to whom it was a charity to give a job. No one could be better if you wanted a puddler " — a metaphor, it may be presumed, drawn from one of the most laborious operations of the iron manufac- ture. These, then, were exciting times for Mr. Nagle, and though there was some uncer- tainty in the future, he felt that he and his family were now perhaps the most im- portant people in Brickford. He talked of quitting *' that stuffy den " in the Cres- Mr, Nagle at the Oi^gan. 28 o cent, and of taking a handsome house In a more fashionable quarter. The little me- morandum-book was really filling up with entries, and the Harmonic Matinees were being established. A little circular on tinted note-paper had already gone forth, announcing that these meetings would shortly commence, and by "the obliging permission of J. Doughty, Esq.," would be held in the " noble music-room '' of that gentleman. Always soaring and ambitious In his views, Mr. Nagle had even conceived the Idea of a '' Grand Conservatory of Music" as he called it, where all sorts of arts should be cultivated ; where there should be classes for vocal, for Instrumental music, for counterpoint, for foreign lan- guages, and even for organ-playing. His dream was that these branches were not so much to be taught by ordinary masters, as to be acquired, by a sort of inspiration, by 284 The Middle-aged Lover. personal contact with himself and family. It was the tone that he wished to impart. The price of this rather hazy " course," including singing, playing, dancing, and, we may presume, the musical glasses, if the parents required it, and for the foreign languages, organ-playing, &c., was certainly reasonable — some five " geeneys " a year. Then " associates," who did not desire to study under Mr. Nagle, could be affiliated for the modest sum of '' a geeney " a year, for which they were admitted to all the concerts, to all the rehearsals, to all the Harmonic Matinees, to all the Soirees Musicales and tuneful " Apres-midis," and to the occasional dances — certainly a most generous and handsome '' geeney's " worth. It was a prodigious scheme this of Mr. Nagle's, though cloudy enough ; but it sounded so magnificent, that the subscrip- tions began to flow in. It must be said, Mr. Nagle at the Organ. 285 however, that the public were good-natured and indulgent, and expected nothing very- practical from him. They were for a long time content with the airy programme which he set before them, and there was beside that little weakness, found In too many communities, of looking tenderly on the family which, by an auspicious marriage, was about to be raised, as It were, from the ranks. Mr. Nagle often told his confidential friends that the coming change would make no difference In his life — In the profession he had lived, in the profession would he die. He felt that It ennobled him, and he it ; at his time of life, " he was not going to become ashamed of it." The old Broad- wood he would never give up. *' It has stuck to me through thick and thin, come weal come woe," Mr. Nagle would say, as though he were repeating the marriage ser- 286 The Middle-aged Lover, vice, " in sickness and in health, and I am not going to discard it now that I am a prosperous man." There was a good deal of excitement in Brickford when it became known that the old organist had been expelled, and some plain unmusical people, who had not been fascinated by the glittering manner of Braham's pupil, or of Braham's pupil's be- witching daughter, spoke of the matter as a rather oppressive act. In a place like Brickford, every ordinary personage or functionary has his party of friends ; and the case of this old retainer, who, indeed, had done his work respectably, justly ex- cited a good deal of sympathy. When, therefore, it was known that on the following Sunday Braham Nagle was to preside at the organ, there was quite a hubbub, and a more than usually large con- gregation attended. Mr. Nagle at the Organ. 287 It is curious what a judicious amount of self-confidence will do. It was a truth that the professor knew no more of that noble instrument than he did of the ophi- cleide, or of the double bass, yet on the general assumption that '' he had sat at the feet of the immortal Braham," he felt that if any difficulty were to be noticed it might be attributed to the instrument. Indeed, he reasonably trusted a good deal to the ignorance of the congregation. He had, it is true, ''presided at the harmonium," *in the small Welsh chapel, and the gifts which he had brought to that function he considered more than sufficient for such " hodmen " as came to church at a place like Brickford. The stops and pedals were matters wholly unfamiliar to him. Yet he took his seat, drew them out and made them clatter with professional insouciance; and when the occasion arrived, gave out a The Middle-aged Lover. deafening and discordant jumble, with a vast number of wrong notes, which he tried to overpower in what he called ''a general rttmble 2tpy Such was the art of the performer, that he contrived to make a sort of doubtful impression on the congre- gation, and to avoid leaving one of a com- plete break down, so overpowering and confused was the noise or " rumble up '^ that he succeeded in producing. With a marvellous self-confidence, he did not shrink from using the pedals, plunging his heel down on the lowest, which produced a sort of muffled reverberating thunder, which made the windows clatter and rattle, and distracted attention from the fact of its being the wrong note. When, however, '' he got a chance," as he called it, he began to flourish away in flowing and pathetic voluntaries, indulging in mundane and operatic runs and melodies. Finally, he M7\ Nagle at the Or gait. 289 played the audience oiit in a tremendous hurly-burly of wrong chords, wrong notes — *' miss-fires/' as he used to call them in tuition — a sort of slap-dash-helter- skelter, which he entitled a march *' Religioso," but which might have been anything in the wide world, save what was musical. The result was a sense of bewilderment and doubt, though people certainly felt that there was a considerable difference be- tween this " music of the future " and poor old Humphries's style. Will Gardiner was the first dissentient. *' Why, chaos come again is nothing to him ! Nagle must have chartered all the cows, cats and dogs in the parish, and let them loose. I suppose it's the way Braham would have played if he had been able to finger the organ. But I am only what he calls a * hodman ' at music, so I suppose I am no judge." VOL. I. 19 290 The Middle-aged Lover, The friends of the ejected Humphries thought it was " all a wild scramble," but they were overborne by the delighted criti- cisms of the young lady pupils, and the applause of members of the Harmonic Matinees, who were, in a manner, com- mitted to approbation. Thus it was that Mr. Nagle came to play the organ at the Brickford church in succession to the ejected Humphries, with a most imperfect knowledge, and was pronounced on the ivhole to be a performer in the grand style. CHAPTER XXII. DOCTOR SPOONER. HIS season in Brickford was for many a time of suspense, as it were, and also a time of acting. Mr. Doughty, grown thinner, and coldef, looked out wearily and eagerly, waiting for something to be determined. The proud Corinna had her own purpose fixed, what- ever that might be, but she too was preyed by suspense, the attendant mortification, the prying and the jealous looks, and the longing anticipations of her defeat. As for the gallant young Duke, he had become morbid and even sulky, and was worried 19 — 2 292 The Middle-aged Lover. by finding himself in a position where he knew that he was expected to decide on some course, and that all the vulgar tattle- mongers of the place were watching him. This rather selfish and ornamental young officer had one grand aim in life, which was to avoid being " annoyed " or " vv^or- ried ;" and was very well content to bestow his affections on the enchanting Corinna, provided matters went very much as they would on some long night at a ball, where all was music and dancing, bright and flashing light, beauty, youth, and entertain- ing talk. Now it was like awakening from a plea- sant dream. He found himself suddenly brought face to face with business ; he saw that he was expected ''to do something," to take some rudely practical step from which he recoiled. Everything, too, seemed to have assumed new and more prosy Doctor Spooner. 293 shapes. The divinity of the enchanting Corinna had invested the town of Brick- ford with golden clouds ; now it seemed a depressing, murky, gloomy, manufacturing place, as indeed it was. Mr. Nagle, through the same medium, had taken the shape of some spiritualised Mozart or Men- delssohn. Was he not the father of an enchanting heroine, dealing with divine harmonies and exquisite melodies — in short, a dreamy and ethereal artist ? Now he became of a sudden a common music- master, whose vulgarity and cheap and paltry manners quite jarred upon the fas- tidious Alfred. That Doughty, whom he had taken such a pride In defeating, he looked on now with a jealousy of quite an- other kind, as one who had shown a supe- rior tact and knowledge of the world. He had kept himself free from this foolish entanglement. 294 ^^^^ Middle-aged Lover, And the enchanting Corinna herself,, how was she regarded by the fickle swain whom she had enslaved ? Had the general desillusionnement affected her ? No one could have guessed from her manner or bearing that she noted any change in her admirer. Her own family could only see that she had the same calm, impassive, im- penetrable air, behind which there was no piercing ; that she seemed to be calmly awaiting some issue, whatever that might be, whenever it was to arrive. That issue was now not very far off. It had come to a certain Monday morn- ing, when Mr. Nagle, paying his accus- tomed visit to his opulent friend, found him a little unwell. He had a bad cold — had not slept very well during the night. Instantly the visitor was in a state of bustle and agitation. '' We must have in a medical man. My Doctor Spooner, 295 dear friend, you must not neglect yourself. Would you like Parker, or perhaps Spooner — I think on the whole, Spooner." Mr. Doughty was indifferent. He had thought of sending for some one. But one physician seemed to him as good as an- other. So he left it to his anxious friend. Away spurred Mr. Nagle, always in his element when on some mission of this kind. He has a good many brethren and sisters in the world, who in any situation of the kind arrive booted and spurred, as it were, and delight in hurrying off express to fetch this person and that. For such persons a sudden illness is quite a godsend. Mr. Nagle having selected Doctor Spooner, made straight for that gentleman's house. Dr. Spooner was' a new doctor, who had come to open up the '' practice " of the district, just as Mr. Nagle had done the musical ground. He was a young man, 296 The Middle-aged Lo\ ^er. good-looking, with glossy black whiskers, who possessed that valuable professional gift which the College of Physicians cannot impart, and which patients, strange to say, are often content to accept instead of know- ledge, namely, ''an excellent manner." He would appear so absorbed and interested in the story of a patient's symptoms, that it seemed, as one of his friends or enemies remarked, as if he were listening to the reading of a will when he expected to find himself a legatee. So much surprise, en- joyment, and interest were exhibited, that the patient was flattered, and conceived the idea either that he had such powers of narrative as to invest a dry subject with the charms of romance, or that his case had some special features of interest which distinguished it from all others. The new physician, too, had a low voice ; was defe- rential, though firm ; insinuating ; dressed Doctor Spooner. 297 well, and thus contrasted most favourably with the old-established doctors of the place, who affected the gruff Abernethy manner, and were too far advanced in life and in the profession to go with the times. It was natural that this gentleman and Mr. Nagle should be drawn together, their principles being the same ; and Mr. Spooner, besides, affected a certain defe- rence, and even admiration, for the music- master, as being one who had seen a vast deal of the world. He conveyed the sense of this admiration so cleverly, that Mr. Nagle assumed the airs of a patron, and spoke everywhere of his friend as a '' wor- thy, deserving, clever fellow ;" and often used the recommendatory phrase, when a pupil was suffering from hoarseness or a cold in the head, *' you should see Spooner at once." To Mr. Doughty he had used the same exhortation, "You should see 298 The Middle-aged Lover. Spooner at once," and, as we have seen,, hurried off to bring back the physician himself. It was a curious circumstance, however, that, only a few yards from Doctor Spooner s house, Mr. Nagle should have reined up the imaginary charger on which he was mounted, and have become gravely reflective. It occurred to him that he was now about to introduce into the sacred pre- serve, which he had guarded so jealously, another candidate sportsman, and an idea of danger from so agreeable and entertain- ing a physician suggested itself. Was it not rather Quixotic, tempting Providence, as it were, in this rash way ; thus intro- ducing one who might hereafter hoist him, Nagle, on his own private petard ? This thought struck him with a sudden panic, and it was possible that he might have turned back, and acted as " bringer " to Doctor Spooner. 299 one of the more old-fashioned, but safer, mediocrities, when Mr. Spooner himself suddenly came up. He was so obsequious and deferential, that Mr. Nagle muttered an internal " Pooh ! pooh !" addressed to himself, and instantly imparted his intelligence. Then he carried the doctor off at once to his opulent friend's house, where the usual formalities, tactual, visual, and scriptural, were gone through ; that is to say, of pulse feeling, respectful tongue examination, and prescription writing. Mr. Doughty tole- rated these functions with more than his usual indifference, and scarcely looked at his new physician. So Mr. Nagle again said, " Pooh ! pooh !" to himself in con- temptuous rebuke. After the doctor s departure, the patient detained his friend Nagle for a little chat. ** I can hardly speak," he said, '* with 300 The Aliddle-aged Lover. this cold. But tell me how are they all with you at home ?" "Corinna will be dreadfully distressed when I tell her of this — quite grieved about you. I know she will." *' No, no ; she has something more en- grossing to think of than a middle-aged gentleman's cold." "Middle-aged!" exclaimed Mr. Nagle, with a horror, as though some one had stated in his presence that his opulent friend was a malefactor, had forged bonds, &c. " Why, boyish, my dear sir, would be the word ; boyish in mind, heart, soul, and body." *' Thank you for the compliment, which is well meant, though boyishness and mid- dle-age do make a comic mixture. Well, everything is going on well ?" Mr. Nagle scratched his chin uneasily. " Ton my word I don't know what to Doctor Spooner. 301 say. There is a haziness about that young man and his proceedings, and Corinna is so dignified, that really, though she is my own child, I don't like to press her about the business. It's unsatisfactory somehow, and I'd really like " " To see something satisfactory. Well, we must only wish her plenty of valentines — to-day is Saint Valentine's Day, you know. Have the young men of Brickford been pouring in verses and odes ? — No ?" *' My dear friend, there it is. Girls are such utter fools with their fiddle-de-dee. I know well the man that I believe her heart to be set upon. There's some unlucky malon tongdew somewhere, and things won't go straight." **You must only try and straighten them," said Mr. Doughty, indifferently. " That's all. Good-bye." CHAPTER XXIII, THE LAMPOON. ;S Mr. Doughty had said, this was the month of February, and that particular day in the month of February which some milHons of rational beings dedicate to over-loading the Post Office with strangely-painted cut-out cards and worse doggerel. This, perhaps the most idiotic of all British customs, was not neglected in Brickford, and in the morning before Mr. Nagle had paid his visit to his friend, the postman had left quite a packet of effusions of this kind. When Mr. Nagle The Lampoon. 303 returned, he found his daughter cold and haughty, her eyes filled with a stern de- termination and indignation. Mrs. William Gardiner was sitting with her. He was in high good humour. '' What," he said, " not enough valen- tines, Corry, dear ?" " It is too much," she said, with infinite scorn. " I cannot endure it any longer. Has it come to this now, that any creature of the place can make free with our name ?" ''In the name of all the discords — what is it. Miss C. ?" " I mean that the end of all this plotting and finessing is that we have lost in respect, that my name is a byword. I cannot endure it longer. It is cruel and unfair. Raise yourself in the world, father, any way you can, but do not use your daughter to help you. But it serves us 304 The Middle-aged Lover. right. I wish to Heaven we could fly from this place." " I don't know what you are talking about," said Mr. Nagle, impatiently. " I am worried to death among you all. I tell you I do everything for the best " *' Is that for the best ?" said Corinna, in her stateliest manner, throwing down a paper upon the table. "It is degrading! I feel like some miserable adventuress ; but, as I said, it only serves us right." '' Yes," said Mrs. Gardiner, " these are some printed verses that are being circu- lated, and I thought it my duty to bring a copy here." Mr. Nagle took up the paper. It was a copy of verses, and he read as follows : TO MISS C— R— NNA N— GLE. Oh, charming Miss Nagle, Are things quite en regie, Is money or love to be winner ? The Lampoon. 305 There's age, which is cold, And youth without gold, At the feet of the lovely Corinna. There's D — ghty and Duke, To which do you look ? One handsome, the other much thinner, To fall 'twixt two stools Is the fate of some fools, So keep this in mind, fair Corinna. Young D — ke will be doughty. Old D— ghty will flout ye. As surely as I am a sinner. But that priggish young D — ke You never will hook. Do your best, enchanting Corinna ! Mr. Nagle perused this doggerel to the end. '' Uncommonly free and impertinent,'* he said, " but still — clever." *' They are welcome," answered Corinna, ^' for we have deserved it, and have in- vited it. And you, you papa, are the cause of this degradation for your child. What can we expect when we attempt to go out of our station ?" VOL, I. 20 3o6 The Middle-aged Lover, "It is very fine laying it on me," said Mr. Nagle. " You were making up to this young spark, who has no more honourable intentions about him than I have." " Who do you suppose has done this ?" " It is very hard to say," said Mrs. Will Gardiner. " There are no clever people in Brickford. I mean natives. Is there any one that you could have offended, that bears you animosity, or is jealous ? It is like the work of some jealous person." " Why surely it couldn't be the man I have just left now, Doughty. Oh, non- sense." " A most noble revenge truly," said Corinna, suddenly snatching the paper, " to stab at a poor girl in the dark. But I don't believe it of him. He is too generous to stab in the dark." " Who, Doughty ? ridiculous ! He write lampoons, nothing of the kind ; though in- The Lampoon, 307 deed, 'pon my word, he did ask me this morning had you received any verses." '' That looks rather Hke it," said Mrs. Gardiner. " None of the people in this place have sense enough to put such rhymes together." '' Still, he wouldn't describe himself in that way ; as ' Old Doughty,' and all that " '' It matters little," said Corinna. "All I ask is this, and I implore it of you. Do not let me be dragged through the mire in this way — be offered to the best bidder to be rejected contemptuously any more. I cannot bear it. It must not be. If you love your daughter, respect her, or wish her to be respected, you will leave me out of these wretched, restless plans. It is contemptible, unworthy, to be using your child as a stepping-stone!" Mrs. William Gardiner, seeing that a 20 — 2 3o8 The Middle-aged Lover. warm discussion was likely to arise between father and daughter, and having accom- plished the charitable object of her visit, now took her leave. Mr. Nagle then broke out with considerable heat. '' Oh, fiddle-de-dee !'' he said. " I can t have this nonsense ! I want no stepping- stones, as you call 'em. My name and reputation are pretty well established. I have fought my own way, ma'am. Ask anyone who Braham Nagle is. I am not quite so foolish as you would make me out. The whole failure is owing to your own fault. We might have had Old Doughty at this moment, I firmly believe,, only for your high-flown romance." " Yes," said Corinna, '' and at this mo- ment he would have despised me, and have been persuaded that we wanted him only for his money. I could not have endured that. I cannot endure it!" The Lampoon. 309 " More fool you ; and what have you to endure now ? To be laughed at by all the envious women of the place." " Well, it all must end, father. We must give up these wretched plans, which, indeed, I have only tolerated for your sake. I wish now to work for my bread, to confine myself to our own proper sta- tion." Had the immortal Braham risen through a trap-door suddenly and stood beside him, Mr. Nagle could not have been more as- tonished. " Why this is all moonshine and — and " the word would not come, so he had to use his favourite one — " all fiddle-de-dee !" " As you insist on forcing me into this course, I must act for myself I wish,'^ said Corinna, not heeding this familiar phrase, '' to accept the proposal which I declined before, and go and be a public 3 lo The Middle-aged Lover, singer on the stage. I shrank from it at first, but now I see I must do it." *' Well, of all the things in the world I ever heard !" was the only exclamation Mr. Nagle could find, as he saw in her face that calm, but not hostile look of determination which had so often before checked his angriest expostulations. As she quitted the room, his eyes fell on the obnoxious " lampoon," as he called it to himself. This outrage had really made him uncomfortable : it was low and mean ; an undignified proceeding, a ''gross liberty" in short. As for its coming from Doughty, that was a mere girl's delusion ; it was more likely the work of that ejected Hum- phries. Most probably, though, "that woman," Lady Duke — he was always, as it were, denouncing an offender with a '' that," like a finger of scorn. There was a hard hostility about the lady he never The Lampoon, 311 could relish ; a cold indifference even to his- conjuring with the mighty name of Braham. Much wondering at these changes, Mr. Nagle put on his hat with some depression of spirit, and went away to preside at one of the meetings of what he called a " Mat," that is, one of the Harmonic Matinees. END OF VOL. I. BILLING, PRINTER, GUILDFORD, SURREY v^ 12112045838593