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 BAITINCx THE TEAP 

 
 BAITING /fHE TRAP 
 
 JEAN MIDDLEMAS 
 
 AUTHOE OF "LIL" AND "WILD GEOEGIE" 
 
 /iV TRRUE VOLUMES 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON 
 CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY 
 
 1875 
 
 \_All Bights Reserved."}
 
 PBINTKD BY TATLOE AND CO., 
 LITTLE QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS.
 
 e^3 
 
 V.I 
 
 <^ 
 
 .^ 
 
 CONTENTS, 
 
 ^ CHAP. PAGK 
 
 "^ I. HAZE IN THE HORIZON . . ' . . . .1 
 
 >^ II. THE CLOUDS LIFT. 19 
 
 III. MAKING AN ACQUAINTANCE 36 
 
 "^ IV. PRINCE CHARMING 55 
 
 I^X^ V. THE ' ARGUS ' 75 
 
 VI. SHAKING THE SIEVE 92 
 
 >\ VII. women's work 109 
 
 VIII. IN LONDON 127 
 
 ;• IX. A REVELATION 144 
 
 X. SHYLOCK AND JESSICA IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 161 
 
 XI. WHEN THE FOOTLIGHTS ARE OUT .... 180 
 
 ' - XII. HEN AND DUCKLING . , . . . . 197 
 
 '^ XI<II. EGYPT SPOILS ISRAEL 219 
 
 ^ XIV. TO THE ABBEY ! . . . . . . . 238 
 
 i XV. BREAK OF DAY 259 
 
 ^
 
 / 
 
 BAITING THE TEAP. 
 
 GHAPTEH I. 
 
 HAZE IN THE HORIZON. 
 
 ^'^A GEE AT city is that wliich has the 
 greatest man or woman. 
 
 "^If it be but a few ragged huts, it is 
 still the greatest city in the world.' 
 
 ^' I wonder if it would be so very difficult 
 to be great ! What do you think, Mar- 
 garet?'' and a young girl who had been 
 crouching for some time past, reading 
 attentively in the window-seat, threw down 
 her book, as the gathering shadows of 
 evening rendered it impossible to see any 
 longer, and walked up to the fireplace 
 
 VOL. I. B
 
 Baitifig the Trap. 
 
 •where her elder sister was sitting knitting, 
 or rather, thinking, for frequently the click 
 of the needles stopped, and her work fell in 
 her lap. She started as though returning 
 from some far-off dream, as these words 
 fell on her ear, and evidently desirous of 
 chasing away all sadness from her face and 
 Toice, answered cheerily, smiling the while, 
 
 ^^ To be great one must strive continually 
 to be good, my darling." 
 
 ^'You are wrong," replied the young 
 one musingly. ^^ Good people are often 
 very insignificant, while wicked people are 
 very great." 
 
 The elder sister sighed softly. 
 
 ^' And which are the happier, Pettita ? " 
 
 " Happiness ! Oh ! she is a very fickle 
 lady who only allows herself to be caught 
 occasionally; besides, what is one person's 
 happiness is another's misery. You and I, 
 Madge, though we are sisters, should never 
 seek it at the same source." 
 
 ''IN'o, child, perhaps not; yet God knows, 
 my happiness is entirely merged in yours."
 
 Haze in the Horizon. 
 
 ^^You are a dear, good old sister, my 
 "beautiful Madge, but I wisli you were not 
 quite so fond of me. It is very nice to be 
 coaxed and loved and petted, called baby 
 names and all that, but it holds me back, 
 Margaret, that you must allow; and now 
 that I am quite eighteen, and no longer in 
 swaddling clothes, I confess I should enjoy 
 a little more liberty." 
 
 ^^Tlie child does not know what she 
 would have," murmured the other softly ; 
 ^^ liberty for a woman is the road to ruin." 
 
 '^Dear me, Margaret, these are really 
 old-fashioned notions. Who would ever 
 imagine that you were only five years my 
 senior; to hear you talk one would think 
 you had been a contemporary of your own 
 grandmother? I cannot think what has 
 made you so prematurely old." 
 
 The other did not answer at once, but 
 rose from her seat, and walking to the 
 window, looked out at the dreary winter 
 landscape which was gradually fading away 
 in the darkness. 
 
 b2
 
 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 Care had made Margaret St. Or me what 
 her younger sister called ^' prematurely- 
 old." She was of a somewhat thoughtful 
 temperament, and though her nature was 
 placid and unexcitahle, yet the troubles and 
 worries of life did not pass lightly over her ; 
 they seemed to sink deeply into her mind, 
 to be brooded over in solitude and dwelt on 
 till the worst was made of every little annoy- 
 ance. And she had already had her share 
 of this world's trials, nor, she feared, was 
 her burden in the future likely to become a 
 lighter one. She was the sole friend, 
 adviser, and guardian of the young, impe- 
 tuous, wayward sister, who, she foresaw, 
 would never view life from her quiet aspect. 
 Pettita would forget the unpaid washing- 
 bill which haunted Margaret's sleepless 
 pillow, while she kicked rebelliously against 
 the bounds of her little country home, and 
 longed to see what the great world was 
 made of. Their mother had died when 
 Pettita was a baby, but she had never 
 missed a mother's care, for the elder and
 
 Haze in the Horizon, 
 
 more thoughtful sister had always been 
 there to watch over her with the tenderest 
 devotion. Their father, too, who had only- 
 been dead about six months, had always 
 made an idol of Pettita — she was so like her 
 mother, who, with her wild fitfulness, her 
 grace, and her bright sallies had charmed 
 him in the days of his youth ; so he made a 
 companion of his elder daughter, whose 
 character was of his own type, and between 
 them they spoiled Pettita, and strove to 
 shelter her from every side-wind which 
 could even momentarily chill the sunshine 
 of her young life. But she was too im- 
 petuous, too instinct with strong feeling, to 
 bask contentedly in perpetual brightness ; — 
 to some natures storm-clouds are a necessity. 
 Lavater has truly said, ^^He can bear his 
 griefs in silence who can moderate his 
 joys," but to Pettita both were impossible. 
 She must indulge to the fullest in the 
 extremes of grief and joy, and the placid 
 monotony of Woodlands, as the tiny cottage 
 was called where the sisters still dwelt on
 
 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 after their father's death, was little in 
 accordance with Pettita's developing cravings 
 to know more of life. 
 
 " Have I vexed you, Madge ? " she cried, 
 when the silence had lasted some minutes, 
 "or have you some new trouble that you 
 are afraid to tell me ? Those dreadful bills, 
 haven't you paid them all yet ? " 
 
 "I^ever mind the bills, my pet; leave 
 me to arrange them. Come upstairs and 
 look at your dress ; let us see if we cannot 
 make even a black dress pretty, for I think 
 you may go to the New Year's party at the 
 Squire's. It is so kind of Mrs. Leigh to 
 offer to take charge of you." 
 
 A bright colour mantled Pettita's cheek, 
 while her large brown eyes flashed, and 
 there were angry tones in her answer, 
 
 "No, I cannot go to that party. "Why 
 should I? If it is not decorous that you 
 should go out in mourning, neither will I. 
 Because I am a baby, I suppose you will 
 answer. That is just what I complain of. 
 I hate to be petted and fooled, Madge,
 
 Haze in the He 
 
 orizoii. 
 
 and I wish with all my heart it was 
 stopped." 
 
 " My dear child, I thought you wished to 
 go, and you always profess to like Mrs. 
 Leigh." 
 
 '-'• Mrs. Leigh ! Oh, yes ! she is charming, 
 she is kind and pleasant and full of fun, 
 and moreover she is quite ready to concede 
 to me the right of having a will and a way 
 of my own, which is more than most people 
 do." 
 
 ^^ A will and a way of your own, Pettita ? 
 Why, I don't think you are ever thwarted. 
 It seems to me that you do too much as you 
 like, my poor child." 
 
 '^ Oh ! I pick what flowers I choose, have 
 what playthings I prefer, ride the donkey 
 about the lanes for any given number of 
 hours that please me ; tease you, you good- 
 tempered old saint, whenever I feel vicious ; 
 in fact, the more I behave like a spoiled 
 child, the better I believe you are pleased. 
 But if I live to be as old as Methusaleh I 
 don't thiuk you would ever give me credit
 
 8 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 for being otherwise than a baby, or being 
 capable of caring for anything but the 
 most puerile of amusements." 
 
 Margaret looked fairly bewildered as she 
 asked, 
 
 ^'And this tirade is all called forth 
 by-" 
 
 '^ Knowing you are fidgeting over the 
 butcher's bill," cried Pettita, laughing. 
 
 "With a sudden change of humour which 
 was one of her peculiarities, she had seen 
 the comic side of their squabble, and 
 accepted it at once. But the elder sister, 
 though better read, was far denser in many 
 ways ; a rapid conclusion was the last thing 
 she ever arrived at. 
 
 " Butchers' bills — Mrs. Leigh — a baby — 
 and being very great! my dear Pettita, 
 it is such a complicated puzzle, that I 
 cannot put the pieces together." 
 
 ^^Well, dear, then come and sit cosily 
 down by the fire and I will explain it. 
 First of all, I have greater faith in myself 
 than you have in me ; next, though I
 
 Haze in the Horizon, 
 
 cannot worry over horrid figures and un- 
 receipted bills as you do, I should like to 
 help to find the money to pay them. Then 
 Mrs. Leigh put it into my head that if we 
 went to live in London, an opportunity 
 might offer of doing something. I over- 
 heard her saying the other day that it was 
 a pity a girl with my capabilities was 
 condemned to spend her life among country 
 bumpkins ; so you see, though I am only a 
 baby in your eyes, other people speak of me 
 as a girl with capabilities." 
 
 "Pettita, child, you take my breath 
 away. "What does all this mean ? You — 
 my little sister — why what could you do ? " 
 
 '-'- Yes, your baby, Madge dear, would like 
 to do something. She cannot bear to see 
 you wearing your heart out over farthings 
 any longer. It is such small work, Madge, 
 this grizzling and scraping and managing ; 
 it would be so much greater to strike out a 
 line of one's own, and thus satisfy the 
 hunger of both mind and body at one and 
 the same time."
 
 lO Baiting the Trap, 
 
 Margaret sat down and looked, but did 
 not attempt to si3eak, and as the fire 
 flickered up and cast a gleam of light on 
 her face, its expression of sorrowful surprise 
 filled in the words her tongue refused to 
 utter. Hers was a beautiful face. She had 
 exquisitely chiselled features, soft, sweet, 
 and Madonna-like, with sad grey eyes which 
 told their own tale of patience and lasting 
 endurance, but she wholly lacked the 
 passion which was continually bursting 
 forth in Pettita, nor could she comprehend 
 its surgings, or follow its sudden storms 
 and vagaries. 
 
 She had, however, grown somewhat accus- 
 tomed to outbreaks which she was wont to 
 consider as the mere youthful effervescence 
 of a spoiled child, and which she strove to 
 calm in her gentle loving way, but thi& 
 sudden determination, as she deemed it, to 
 do something for herself, fairly took her 
 aback ; and though she scarcely realised it in 
 its entirety, yet a cold sensation circling 
 about her heart seemed to sicken her.
 
 Haze in the Horizon. 1 1 
 
 as she cast the foreshadow of trouble in the 
 future. 
 
 In a moment Pettita was on her kneeSy 
 resting her arms in her sister's lap, and 
 looking up, her bright face all aglow with 
 enthusiasm, into the sorrowful eyes which 
 were regarding her so lovingly. 
 
 ^^Yes, it is true, Madge, quite true; I 
 have been thinking about it for a long time. 
 I must do something. I cannot bear this 
 dronishlife any longer; patching and mend- 
 ing and contriving may form your sum 
 total of existence, but it does not suit me. 
 Let us give up this cottage and go away." 
 
 '' And should you have no regret about 
 leaving a home where you have lived so 
 long, and where we received our dear 
 father's last sigh ? " 
 
 " Oh ! please don't ask me to think about 
 that ; it only makes me feel wretched. We 
 cannot be always ^ harking back,' you know, 
 we must go on." 
 
 *^And I might then have saved myself 
 much sorrow and pain. I dreaded to tell
 
 12 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 you, Pettita, what I have known for some 
 weeks past, — that we must leave the 
 cottage." 
 
 ^'Hurrah!" cried Pettita, ^^when, and I 
 suppose I ought to ask, why ? " 
 
 '^Because we have not money enough to 
 stay here. It was a struggle when papa 
 was alive, to help us, but since his pay has 
 stopped it is impossible." 
 
 " Well, unless one has a large fortune, it 
 is better to have no money at all. Making 
 money must be more amusing than pinching 
 and saving." 
 
 "Pettita, my darling, you don't know 
 what you are talking about." 
 
 "Yes I do. At all events, let us try. 
 "We cannot be worse off than we are now, 
 and we may improve our condition." 
 
 "And how do you intend to carry out 
 this money-making scheme of yours ? May 
 I not be allowed to help?" and Margaret 
 smiled as she smoothed the girl's hair back 
 off her brow. 
 
 "Always incredulous, Madge. Well, I
 
 Haze in the Horizon, 13 
 
 hope you will live to have more faith," said 
 Pettita, jumping up. ^^If you wish to 
 know my intentions, I mean to go on the 
 stage." 
 
 Margaret gave a faint low cry, and caught 
 hold of the arm of her chair, as though 
 in sudden pain. 
 
 ^^ Never ! " she exclaimed. " My father's 
 daughter — his youngest — his pet — to walk 
 a common stage ! No, child, it is impossible. 
 I will never sanction it. Why, he would 
 come back from his grave to ask me if this 
 were the way I fulfilled my trust, when in 
 his dying hours he committed you to my 
 care." 
 
 Pettita began to laugh hysterically. She 
 was considerably touched by her sister's 
 emotion, though she did not care to show 
 it. 
 
 "Bravo, Madge!" she cried; ^^I am 
 delighted to think one can excite heroics 
 in your usually unimpressionable nature, 
 but I hope you will calm down again and 
 leave that field to me."
 
 14 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 ^'Yoii are very foolish and naughty/' 
 answered the other, striving to overcome 
 her momentary excitement with an effort. 
 '-'- 1 ought to have known you were only 
 trying to frighten me, for, after all, you don't 
 know how to act." 
 
 ^^ Don't I? ^Some are born great, some 
 achieve greatness, some have greatness 
 thrust upon them ; ' now I feel that I was 
 born great," and she began to strut about 
 the room in a mock tragic manner, which 
 would have been very amusing to any one 
 but Margaret. ^'It is no use to combat 
 Fate," she went on; ^Hhe old hag is 
 stronger than we are. ISTow, tell me, when 
 •do we leave the cottage ? " 
 
 '' On the 25th March." 
 
 ^^ Another three months, — what a bore! 
 and then we shall go to London, shall we 
 not, Madge ? " 
 
 '^ I don't know. I had thought of taking 
 lodgings in the county town." 
 
 ^'In the county town? Oh, no!" she 
 pleaded. ^' I cannot go there. There is a
 
 Haze in the He 
 
 ortzon. 
 
 15 
 
 certain amount of freedom here, but among 
 the gossiping nonentities we should find 
 there, one would be driven mad. IN'o, let 
 us go to London." 
 
 ^*I doubt if we can aiford it. We shall 
 have to live in such a very poor way." 
 
 ^^Oh! we'll do something; take in plain 
 needlework or washing. Better that than 
 the stage, eh, Madge?" 
 
 ^' Foolish Pettita ! But why should we 
 go to London? we know no one there." 
 
 "So much the better; there will be 
 charm in the novelty of haviug new ac- 
 quaintances. There is Mr. Griesnach, that 
 friend of papa's whom we have never seen; 
 he will introduce us." 
 
 " Life is rose-coloured at eighteen," 
 quoth Margaret soberly. 
 
 " And dun- coloured at three-and-twenty, 
 you dear old croak. ]N"ow I am going up- 
 stairs to burnish that fusty black dress, for 
 as we are really going away, perhaps it 
 would be as well to show one's self at the 
 Squire's party."
 
 1 6 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 And the elder sister was left alone, for 
 she seemed too much absorbed by her 
 thoughts to follow Pettita forthwith. She 
 feared, she scarcely knew what ; that Pettita 
 would really go on the stage she scarcely 
 for a moment deemed likely, but that she 
 would do many rash and foolish things she 
 felt very sure. It required a great deal of 
 consideration before she decided on taking 
 this impetuous girl to London. Yet the 
 very Mr. Griesnach of whom Pettita had 
 spoken was the man to whom her father 
 had bade her address herself in any diffi- 
 culty, and perhaps, who knows, he might 
 prove a very efficient help in directing a 
 young untutored character. 
 
 Captain St. Orme, the father of these 
 two girls, was a naval officer who had 
 married a beautiful but penniless foreigner 
 with whom he had become infatuated during 
 a sojourn at Lima, and from that hour his 
 life had been uphill. At her death, when 
 Pettita was yet a baby, he settled down on 
 his half-pay in a country cottage with his
 
 Haze iji the Horizon, 17 
 
 two little girls. Though Margaret was 
 still very young, she was thoughtful and 
 somewhat precocious for her years, fond of 
 her father till it hecame almost a worship. 
 Thus she soon learnt to help in the house 
 and to initiate herself in all the minutiae 
 of their straitened circumstances ; and 
 as soon as she was old enough took so 
 thoroughly upon herself the smoothing 
 and the hiding of money difficulties from 
 the two beings to whom she devoted her 
 life, that they were neither of them fully 
 aware how hard was her task, or with what 
 patient heroism she fought bravely on. 
 Captain St. Orme had insured his life to 
 provide a miserable pittance for his children, 
 but it was so small that poor Margaret 
 was almost hopeless now, and felt the 
 loneliness and responsibility of her position 
 the more, because she was resolved, if pos- 
 sible, to spare Pettita. She judged the 
 young sister from her own standard, and 
 forgot to take into consideration that she 
 would never brood over troubles or torture 
 
 VOL. I. c
 
 1 8 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 herself with misgivings as she did. While 
 Margaret would have found happiness and 
 content in a quiet unruffled life, Pettita 
 delighted in turmoil, excitement, and variety. 
 Money, of course, she wanted ; money she 
 must have, but she probably would not be 
 so scrupulous as Margaret was as to the 
 source from whence it came. More brilliant 
 and attractive than her elder sister, she yet 
 lacked the delicacy and purity which per- 
 vaded all her actions ; and though by the 
 many Margaret would perhaps be scarcely 
 as much appreciated as Pettita, yet '-'' II 
 semble qu'estimer quelqu'un c'est Fegaler a 
 soi," says La Bruyere, and those who, like 
 herself, loved refinement and the pale steady 
 light of virtue, felt that there were few 
 women in whom it shone so unflickeringly 
 as in Margaret St. Orme.
 
 19 
 
 CHAPTEE II. 
 
 THE CLOUDS LIFT. 
 
 And so Pettita went to the party at the 
 Squire's, which, after all they said, was only 
 to be a gathering of very young people round 
 a magnificent Christmas-tree, whereon the 
 good-natured Squire had promised to hang 
 many and beautiful presents, ^' therefore it 
 was nonsense to be so scrupulous about the 
 mourning ; it was not often she got a 
 chance of amusing herself." The Squire 
 was a bachelor in declining years, but he 
 loved to see merry joyous faces round him, 
 and was very good and liberal with his 
 gold ; he had, however, only a life-interest 
 in the property, and could will nothing.
 
 no Baitmg the Trap. 
 
 away, or doubtless Margaret St. Orme would 
 
 not have been forgotten, for, as lie often 
 
 said in his blunt way, ^' she was a young 
 
 woman for whom he had a great respect." 
 
 Had he known half the secret troubles her 
 
 pride bade her conceal, probably many a 
 
 bitter moment would have been spared her. 
 
 Pettita he treated as every one else did, as 
 
 a baby and a pet, brought her lovely boxes 
 
 of bonbons whenever he went to Paris, 
 
 and made pretty speeches to her when he 
 
 met her in the lanes, so she stigmatised 
 
 the Squire in her own mind as an ^ old 
 
 driveller,' and troubled herself very little 
 
 about him. Lately, however, he had had a 
 
 niece staying at ^ The House,' as his abode 
 
 was called by the country people, and she 
 
 had proved rather an attractive ally of 
 
 Pettita's. She was the widow of a Colonel 
 
 Leigh, who had died in India two years 
 
 previously ; and though she was about 
 
 eight-or-nine-and-twenty, she was so much 
 
 younger in her ideas and habits than any 
 
 one Pettita was accustomed to associate
 
 The Clouds Lift. i\ 
 
 with, that for the time she was very much 
 taken up by this new friendship, being as 
 it was too the first reaction after the wild 
 grief into which her father's death had 
 phmged her. Mrs. Leigh was just the sort 
 of person a young untutored girl would 
 go mad about, for she possessed a certain 
 charm which fascinated every one more or 
 less. She was not exactly pretty, but she 
 was graceful, well-made, and a perfect 
 woman of the jworld ; she had evidently 
 studied the art of pleasing, for she always 
 managed to say just the right thing, and 
 had never been known to utter a discour- 
 teous or disagreeable remark to any one, 
 though as to the innuendos she made about 
 her friends when they were not present we 
 will not now inquire. Truly, however, 
 Bertha Leigh was a woman of wonderful 
 talents, who might have been a second 
 Chevalier d'Eon had the diplomatic require- 
 ments of the day offered a field for her 
 services. She could not help it, poor thing I 
 it was her misfortune and not her fault
 
 22 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 that she had been born with the bump of 
 intrigue so fully developed, and that struggle 
 against the feeling as strongly as she would, 
 it yet was utterly impossible for her to do 
 a straightforward action or to speak the 
 plain unvarnished truth. Why she had 
 come down to visit her uncle in his country 
 quarters, no one quite knew, for Mrs. Leigh, 
 though not rich, had a snug little house in 
 London, with her brougham and other com- 
 fortable addenda. She had too her court 
 of admirers, out of which the gossips of 
 society had not yet been able to select the 
 favoured one; the truth being that she 
 feared to lose the mass by seeming to pre- 
 fer any single individual ; and Bertha 
 Leigh could not bear it to be said that 
 there was any man of her acquaintance, at 
 all known or sought after in London circles, 
 who was not more or less her slave. It 
 was an uncertain homage this which she 
 prided herself on commanding, and must 
 have cost her as many hours of annoyance 
 as of pleasure; but woe to the luckless
 
 The Cloicds Lift, 23 
 
 man who failed in his allegiance, and ten- 
 fold woe to the woman for whose sake he 
 was faithless to this self-constitnted queen 
 of fashion. Bland words and sweet smiles 
 would doubtless mask her intentions; but 
 Mrs. Leigh would ere long find some under- 
 hand way of wreaking her small vengeance 
 on one or both. A few strong-minded indi- 
 viduals had marked her as dangerous, and 
 sought to keep themselves or their belong- 
 ings out of her power ; but ' public 
 opinion ' was with her, she was tlie most 
 charming woman of her set, so the one 
 voice was silenced by the many, and 
 Eertha Leigh still smiled, showed her white 
 teeth, ^made new proselytes of both sexes, 
 and prospered; She had taken to Pettita 
 St. Orme the first moment she saw her ; she 
 was young, impressionable, and there was 
 something in her ; besides, every fiower 
 that blooms in a wilderness is a rose, and 
 Mrs. Leigh was sadly in want of congenial 
 society during her country visit. She be- 
 ^an, therefore, to practise her little arts on
 
 24 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 Pettita, dazzled the girl by her conversation, 
 won her by her kind sweet manner, and 
 filled her head with thoughts about the 
 future, as she talked to her of London and 
 its pleasures. She must have had mis- 
 givings though, sometimes, if she ever 
 thought of moulding Pettita entirely to her 
 will ; there was a flash in those young eyes 
 which, to one knowing character as Mrs. 
 Leigh did, must have forbade her to think 
 of coupling bondage with Pettita's name 
 — she might be dazzled for a while, but free 
 will must conquer at last. Strange that 
 Bertha Leigh studiously avoided Margaret, 
 — she would come to the cottage door and 
 call Pettita out to walk with her, but she 
 would rarely if ever risk an interview with 
 the elder sister ; there was evidently some- 
 thing in Margaret's upright straightforward 
 character which was thoroughly antagonistic 
 to her, — a look in her clear true eyes which 
 Mrs. Leigh did not care to face often er than 
 the exigencies of society absolutely re- 
 quired. Thus it happened that Margaret
 
 The Clouds Lift, 25 
 
 knew comparatively little of Mrs. Leigli, 
 and, therefore, was incompetent to form an 
 opinion as to the advantage to be derived 
 from the warm friendship thus suddenly 
 sprung up. From a worldly point of view 
 it was very desirable, she supposed; but 
 Margaret was too unworldly herself to make 
 much point of the matter either way, and 
 the good old Squire's niece she accepted on 
 his account as more than a fitting companion 
 for Pettita. The outbreak about London 
 and going on the stage had somewhat 
 alarmed her, but no more had been said 
 about the matter, and she had well-nigh 
 forgotten it. "Was Pettita beginning to be 
 infected by some of Bertha's manoeuvring 
 ways, that she had been so reticent to her 
 sister, fearing that by drawing the cord 
 too tightly it might snap ? "When Margaret 
 watched her depart for the Squire's party, a 
 week had nearly intervened since their con- 
 versation, and yet it had never been alluded 
 to again ; and Pettita was a little chatterbox, 
 and not wont to keep her ideas and feelings
 
 Q.6 Baitmg the Trap, 
 
 to herself; true, she had Bertha Leigh to 
 open her heart to, and she was probably a 
 more sympathetic listener than the staid, 
 sober Margaret. 
 
 Arrived at the Squire's in the little 
 brougham which he had sent to fetch her, 
 Pettita at once went up to Mrs. Leigh's 
 room. There she found her surrounded 
 by tulle and laces, satins and velvets, 
 powders and puffs of every description. 
 
 ^^Why, Mrs. Leigh, what a toilette you 
 are making. I thought this was to be only 
 a children's party, and you are dressed as 
 though you were going to a court ball." 
 
 '' Children grow, my dear Pettita. The 
 people who are coming to-night have all 
 been children once." 
 
 ^' Is it then a regular ball?" cried the 
 girl aghast, as she looked at her black dress, 
 and thought of Margaret sitting at home 
 alone, — and she was only half delighted 
 at having a peep into gay life. 
 
 ^' A little dance, my love. Three genera- 
 tions are to flourish under the Squire's
 
 The Clouds Lift, 27 
 
 mistletoe to-night — past, present, and to 
 come. So the good Margaret has done the 
 best she could for you, according to her 
 lights, which are subdued. Bring me that 
 box and let me see if we cannot touch up 
 the picture, which of itself is a pretty one. 
 One thing you do understand, child, and 
 that is how to arrange your hair; but I 
 strongly suspect it is its own natural 
 luxuriance that makes it tumble about so 
 gracefully. There, that bit of crimson and 
 gold brightens you up wonderfully. Where 
 Jias Adele gone, I wonder ? Get her to loop 
 up your dress with the rest of those crimson 
 flowers; then take off those horrid black 
 ornaments, and clasp my gold ones on your 
 arms and neck." 
 
 '-'' Oh ! Mrs. Leigh, I dare not appear 
 dressed like this ; remember I am in 
 mourning." 
 
 "And is not black and red mourning, 
 you profound little ignoramus ? " 
 
 "What would Margaret say if she saw 
 me?"
 
 28 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 '^ Why, that she had never known before 
 that you could look so handsome." 
 
 With flushed cheek and flattered vanity 
 Pettita completed the transformation without 
 expostulating farther, and then she stood 
 looking at herself in the glass. Mrs. Leigh 
 laughed her little soft musical laugh, and 
 kissed the girl afl'ectionately. 
 
 '^Pleased with yourself, eh, little one? 
 That is the first step towards conquest. 
 Self-approval in a woman is a powerful 
 weapon, it overturns so many barriers, and 
 prevents one from knowing when one has 
 failed." 
 
 " Do you possess it ? " 
 
 ^' No, I wish I did. I frequently doubt 
 my power, and dread, I know not what, 
 from others. You have not learnt yet? 
 Pettita, what a hell of misery jealousy can 
 evoke." 
 
 Pettita looked up in astonishment at words 
 so unlike Bertha Leigh's usually placid 
 sweetness. " I hope you will never be 
 jealous of me," she said simply, while she
 
 The Clouds Lift, 29 
 
 gave the rose in her hair a twist into a more 
 coquettish position. 
 
 A slight shiver passed over Mrs. Leigh, 
 and dropping the hand-glass with which she 
 was surveying her chignon, it cracked across 
 the middle. 
 
 '"'' Oh, I am so sorry,'' cried Pettita, 
 ^' for it is so unlucky to break a looking- 
 glass." 
 
 ^^ I have broken many in my day, yet 
 they were always evil omens," answered the 
 other musingly; then she looked up at 
 Pettita as though for the first time she had 
 seen that one day the struggle between 
 them might be a fierce one. 
 
 Tears were gathering in the girl's eyes. 
 
 ^* Oh ! Mrs. Leigh, this has made me quite 
 unhappy. I wish I had stayed with Mar- 
 garet. I am sure some dreadful thing will 
 happen." 
 
 " Pettita St. Orme is only a baby after 
 all," said her friend, as though pursuing 
 aloud the train of her thoughts, but the 
 words at once roused the girl's indignation.
 
 30 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 and she disclaimed the appellation with 
 warmth. 
 
 '^ Well, never mind, we won't think of 
 disagreeable things any more, but go down- 
 stairs and make ourselves as pleasant as 
 circumstances will permit. Eemember, I 
 am your chaperone to-night, and you are 
 not to dance with any one without my 
 leave." 
 
 '' I dare say no one will ask me ! " an- 
 swered Pettita, while the other smiled. 
 
 At the door of the drawing-room they met 
 the Squire. 
 
 ^^ What, our little wood-anemone turned 
 into a brilliant exotic ! This is your doing, 
 Bertha, but I doubt if Margaret would thank 
 you for it," he called out when he saw 
 Pettita ; ^' children should not be brought 
 forward too soon." 
 
 To rush upstairs and divest herself of her 
 borrowed plumes was Pettita' s first impulse, 
 but the Squire's last words checked it ; she 
 must teach these people to remember that 
 she was no longer a child, she thought, so
 
 TJie Clouds Lift, 37 
 
 she swept past the good Squire with a toss 
 of her head and a flash in her dark eye, and 
 followed Mrs. Leigh into the room. The 
 county families from the neighbourhood 
 soon began to arrive ; and as Mrs. Leigh had 
 predicted, it was a mixed gathering, varying 
 in age from the grey-haired old paterfamilias 
 to the fifteen-year-old fledgling, who is only 
 allowed to go to one or two dances at Christ- 
 mas time, while the governess, poor thing, 
 has her short infrequent holiday. The girl 
 looks very missish and shy in her high white 
 frock, and probably derives the greatest plea- 
 sure from her ball in anticipating it before, 
 and talking it over afterwards with her 
 female friends. Pettita, however, though 
 she had never previously been at anything 
 so festive, had no such misgivings — graceful 
 dancing and easy manners came to her as it 
 were intuitively, a heritage probably from 
 her foreign mother ; and those who had 
 never seen Mrs. St. Orme wondered how it 
 was that the girl who had spent all her life 
 in that poor cottage should have come out
 
 32 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 all at once such a superb dashing young 
 "beauty. The Squire shook his head, and 
 muttered Margaret's name to himself more 
 than once, as he watched the course of events 
 that night. 
 
 '^ She will have trouble witJi the child ; 
 would that I could help her to forego it," 
 was the kindly thought, as for the first time 
 he became aware of the fact that Pettita was 
 fast unfolding into womanhood, and not likely 
 long to content herself with the quiet limited 
 sphere of Woodlands Cottage, for he did not 
 yet know that even that tiny home was soon 
 to be given up, and that a real earnest 
 struggle with life must ere long begin for 
 both of them. By the one to be borne un- 
 murmuringly, fought out bravely, and sancti- 
 fied by secret prayer ; by the other to be 
 combated no less determinedly, but with 
 bitter inward strife, and those fierce alterna- 
 tions of joy and grief which pertain entirely 
 to zealous, impetuous natures. 
 
 Pettita had quite forgotten Margaret, her 
 poverty, and her mourning habiliments, for
 
 The Clouds Lift, ^t'h 
 
 the nonce ; she was enjoying to the fullest 
 the amusement of the hour, with that keen 
 sense of present pleasure which so few 
 people possess. "With appreciation she was 
 " tasting " the ruby wine, of which she 
 would one day drink a goblet to the dregs 
 — but not yet. Those born in affluence 
 wander at their ease by flowing rivulets and 
 in prolific gardens, but the poor must 
 struggle up-hill in the heat of the noon-day 
 sun before they reach the pleasant vineyards 
 or can refresh themselves with the luscious 
 tempting fruit. 
 
 " And onward, onward, onward, seems, 
 Like precipices in our dreams, 
 To stretch beyond our sight ; " 
 
 ay, if we looked on and saw the crags 
 from whence we might slip — the avalanches 
 which seem ready to crush us with their 
 weight — then would progression be indeed 
 impossible. Pettita, however, was not 
 likely to think of dangers or difficulties, 
 to be either warned or frightened. She 
 
 VOL. I. D
 
 34 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 would clamour loudly over a disappoint- 
 ment, but gather herself speedily together 
 for a fresh venture, while Margaret's de- 
 monstrative but perhaps deeper feeling 
 nature would be still monotoning its 
 patient Jeremiad. 
 
 Mrs. Leigh's injunction that Pettita was 
 only tO' dance after permission from her 
 had been long disregarded, and there was 
 something much resembling a wrinkle on 
 the alabaster brow as she witnessed the 
 admiration her young protegee evoked. 
 Perhaps Bertha Leigh regretted that she 
 had been instrumental in bringing her 
 there — who knows ? for she echoed the 
 general sentiment that Pettita was very 
 lovely and dazzling-looking, and, in her 
 winning little way, she took to herself great 
 Kvhos for cutting away the brambles which 
 hid this pretty flower, and giving it the 
 chance of blooming in the bright sun- 
 shine. 
 
 ^^ How good of Mrs. Leigh to help that 
 St. Orme girl forward ! It is more than
 
 The Clouds Lift. 
 
 every pretty woman would do ; but then 
 she is so unselfish, and thoughtful for 
 others," was the remark made more than 
 once during the evening of the Squire's 
 party. Thus Bertha Leigh had won some 
 of the golden opinions which she so in- 
 variably craved, though perhaps they were 
 scarcely the extent of the stake for which 
 she had thrown. How uncharitable, I think 
 I hear some one observe — but was Mrs. 
 Leigh ever known to act without a 
 motive ? 
 
 d2
 
 36 
 
 CHAPTER III, 
 
 MAKING AN ACQUAINTANCE. 
 
 ^^ Do leave off those everlasting accounts 
 for a few minutes, Margaret, and let me 
 iell you all about last night. I have been 
 waiting vainly for a pause in that calcula- 
 tion of money, but you go on as thor.gh 
 you had not already discovered that you 
 cannot divide nothing." 
 
 Margaret closed her account- book with a 
 sigh. She had indeed full well learnt the 
 truth of Pettita's words, and then she 
 walked across the room to the little sofa 
 on which the younger sister was lounging, 
 for it was the day after the Squire's party, 
 and Pettita was indulging in the dolce far
 
 Making an Acquaintance, 37 
 
 niente which inevitably follows the excite- 
 ment of a successful debut. 
 
 '' Have you got anything particular to 
 tell me, dear?" she asked. ^^You look 
 very feverish and large-eyed, as though late 
 hours were not good for you." 
 
 '' They are meat and drink," she cried 
 eagerly. ^^I was so happy last night, 
 everybody was so polite and made me 
 such pretty compliments ; you would have 
 been quite proud of your baby-sister had 
 you heard them." 
 
 " I am very glad you liked it," answered 
 the other gravely, ^'but you must not 
 learn to love gaiety, little one, for remem- 
 ber we are too poor to mix much in society, 
 and must be content if we can maintain 
 ourselves like gentlewomen in a quiet 
 way." 
 
 "Then I shall live about as long as a 
 fish in a stagnant pool ; but don't you worry 
 yourself, Margaret, people always work out 
 their own destinies in life, and I shall not 
 be behind mine, which I can tell you is
 
 38 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 not to hide my light under a bushel. I 
 have not formed any plans yet, but I have 
 no doubt they will mature themselves." 
 
 ^*I had hoped you had given up such 
 nonsense, Pettita ; this wild talk makes me 
 quite unhappy when I think of it." 
 
 ^" Then don't think of it, dearest, but 
 listen to what I have to say about last 
 night. Well, the old house looked lovely, 
 it was all flowers, perfumes, and candles ; 
 •everything was arranged with exquisite 
 taste by Mrs. Leigh, who seems to touch 
 things with a fairy's wand, and they in- 
 stantly become beautiful. But I dare say 
 you have seen bright scenes like this one 
 Madge ; only have patience with me. It was 
 my first peep into dreamland, and so, you 
 know, I was quite carried away, and I stood 
 and looked almost like one entranced ; then 
 suddenly I wondered where Prince Charm- 
 ing was, for it would not have been fairy- 
 land, would it, without a hero ? And, lo ! as 
 though he had been borne there by spirits 
 at my will, he was standing at Mrs. Leigh's
 
 Making an Acquaintance. 39 
 
 side, twirling the prettiest little silken 
 moustache and looking for all the world 
 just like a woman dressed up — the hand- 
 somest, half-fledged downy hero you ever 
 saw.'' 
 
 '' You little fool," said Margaret, laugh- 
 ing as the young one prattled on, ^^ it is 
 well your ' half-fledged hero ' does not hear 
 you, or the down you so eloquently de- 
 scribe might suddenly become bristles." 
 
 ^^ Oh ! but Prince Charming was very 
 lovely, and I am not laughing at him at all. 
 He asked who I was. I heard him, and then 
 Mrs. Leigh introduced us." 
 
 " Well, and who was he ? " 
 
 '^ That I don't know, his name was 
 evidently intended to remain a mystery ; 
 for when the presentation took place I only 
 heard my own, and neither of them would 
 tell me afterwards — they only laughed 
 when I inquired. He wrote Edward on 
 my programme ; fancy, we had real pink 
 and white programmes for dancing ; but 
 Edward is not so pretty a name as Prince
 
 40 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 Charming, so I called him Prince Charming 
 all the evening." 
 
 '^ You called a strange gentleman Prince 
 Charming ! my dear Petti ta, you surely did 
 not so far forget yourself? " 
 
 " What was the harm, dear ? He was 
 only a boy, and I could not call him Ed- 
 ward, you know. Well, we danced and we 
 danced and we danced till — my poor dear 
 Madge, I am afraid there is a hole in my 
 shoe." 
 
 '''' Well, if that be the most serious 
 damage which has arisen from all this danc- 
 ing with fairy princes, we will try and 
 remedy it," said Margaret, with a serio- 
 comic expression on her pale face, whicL 
 considerably excited Pettita's mirth as 
 she looked up at her with beaming 
 eyes. 
 
 ^^I have not fallen irretrievably in love, 
 if that be what you mean, you practical old 
 Mentor. I have a great deal to do before 
 that time, still I have a notion Prince- 
 Charming and I shall not be strangers in
 
 Making an Acquaintance. 41 
 
 the future. He will have some influence 
 either for good or bad ov.er my life." 
 
 '-'• Pettita, I shall have seriously to lec- 
 ture you if you will persist in these delu- 
 sions. A woman's life, child, should be 
 spent in the magic circle of home ; even if 
 that home be poor, it may be happy if we 
 will only be contented, and strive to be 
 good. 
 
 ' My home, my home, though thou art small, 
 Thou art to me th' Escurial.' " 
 
 <^ Yery well in theory, Madge — looks well 
 on paper and all that, but in practice I 
 should prefer the real Escurial. I wonder 
 whether Prince Charming lives in a palace 
 or a cabin ? " 
 
 " Yery strange of Mrs. Leigh to introduce 
 you to a gentleman without telling you who 
 he is. I shall ask her." 
 
 " Please don't. A strong wind will blow 
 away my air-castles quite soon enough.. 
 1 would rather not know more than my 
 fancy suggests, for the present at all events.
 
 42 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 To find that he were Brown, Jones, or 
 Eobinson, were a blow from which I should 
 take months to recover myself. Call me a 
 baby in this matter if you will, Margaret, 
 it is only in youth that we can indulge in 
 dreams. When I go into the world, I won- 
 der if I shall grow staid and practical like 
 you ? You'll stick by me and take care of 
 me if I don't, eh, Madge ? " 
 
 '-'- Whatever happens, Pettita, you know I 
 will never desert you." 
 
 ^^All right, but don't let us get senti- 
 mental, it unhinges one. Who is that coming 
 in at the gate ? — a visitor I declare. I hope 
 our only Abigail has got a clean apron, 
 though it does not much matter, for he is a 
 seedy looking little individual— not my 
 Prince Charming, unless a bad fairy has 
 transformed him." 
 
 Margaret started up and clutched the 
 back of the nearest chair — difficulties were 
 ever present to her mind, and her first 
 thought was that this man might probably 
 be some dun. To save Pettita from annoy-
 
 Makijig an Acquaintance, 43 
 
 ance was her next, and she at once went out 
 into the little passage to receive the un- 
 welcome visitor, if possible, alone. The 
 moment she saw him the ice melted from 
 about her heart, for she knew at a glance 
 that she had alarmed herself unnecessarily. 
 He was a little man about forty, with long 
 lank black hair hanging untidily about, and 
 keen little eyes that seemed to pierce you 
 through ; but as he took off his hat to 
 Margaret, the highly r developed head and 
 open brow told its own tale of mental cul- 
 ture, just as the sad pained expression about 
 the mouth told of inward conflicts and 
 vexations of spirit ; for patiently as he 
 might bear his cross, yet it could not be 
 borne in private. He was deformed, and to 
 a shy, sensitive, retiring nature as his was, 
 it was a bitter trial this walking among his 
 fellows, of them but not like them, knowing 
 that he was pointed at and remarked on, 
 perhaps jeered at and held up to ridicule by 
 thoughtless scoffers. Margaret had never 
 seen him before, but she knew at once that
 
 44 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 he was Mr. Griesnach, her father's friend — 
 the man to whom she had been bidden to 
 address herself in any case of difficulty. 
 She held out her hand which received a warm 
 shake. 
 
 ^' St. Orme's daughter ? '' he said. "I need 
 not ask though, you are so like him. I 
 should have been here before, but have been 
 abroad for months, and letters never follow 
 me. I only heard of your poor father's 
 death on my return home last week." 
 
 Margaret opened the door and ushered 
 him into the sitting-room where Pettita was 
 still lounging on the sofa. She jumped up 
 hurriedly, and with a quick bow to the 
 stranger, was about to leave the room. This 
 was probably some horrid man about busi- 
 ness, she thought, and from the very instinct 
 she had that any business connected with 
 them could scarcely be pleasant, Pettita 
 invariably shrank from facing it ; but her 
 sister stopped her gently. 
 
 ^^ Mr. Griesnach, Pettita; will you not 
 stay and speak to him ? "
 
 Making an Acqicainfance. 45 
 
 ^^ Of course I will," she cried, holding 
 out both hands in her eager imjDetuous way. 
 ^* You do not know how welcome you are. 
 ^ow you will tell us all about London ? I 
 do want to go there so much." 
 
 He smiled, a very pleasant kind smile as he 
 for a moment or two contemplated Pettita's 
 radiant face without speaking, and then he 
 looked from her to her sister, as though he 
 were comparing them. 
 
 ^' I am like my mother — at least so every 
 one says — don't look at me as if I were a 
 stranger to you." 
 
 *' I never saw your mother but once, and 
 then — yes, the features are all there, and 
 the— 
 
 ^' What I wonder," murmured Pettita to 
 herself, as she walked away half frowning 
 over the close inspection which she scarcely 
 appreciated. 
 
 "Forgive me, my child," he said, fol- 
 lowing her and putting out his hand, "you 
 were both little more than babies when I 
 saw you last, and I can scarcely realize the
 
 46 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 flight of years ; but we shall be friends, shall 
 we not ? " 
 
 ^^ I am sure I hope so," was the ready 
 answer ; '-'- that is to say, if you are prepared 
 to be very nice, and to further my views. I 
 certainly want a good friend very badly." 
 
 ''Young ladies' views are sometimes 
 rather difficult to follow," he answered, 
 '' but I will do my best when I have learnt 
 what they are." 
 
 '' Oh ! you will be expected to persuade 
 Madge there that I am a woman, and 
 not a mere automaton to be wound up 
 for amusement, and that I am capable of 
 doing something to better my condition in 
 life, which, as I dare say you know, is at 
 present that of a pauper. In fact, instead 
 of repining over what might have been, had 
 the gods been kinder, I should like to obtain 
 a position and money for myself." 
 
 '^ Hush, Pettita, hush, Mr. Griesnach will 
 be quite shocked ; he does not know yet how 
 we have spoiled you, and let you talk at 
 random as you would."
 
 Making an Acquaintance, 47 
 
 " But lie does know better than either of 
 you suspect," he interrupted. '-^ How youth- 
 ful enthusiasm will rebel against narrow 
 limits, and how the mind seems sometimes 
 as it were pinioned and longs for work, — 
 active, all-absorbing work. To such ardent 
 natures idleness is a curse, want of proper 
 employment a life-long misery." 
 
 "But this only holds good for men," 
 suggested Margaret, " women have, or ought 
 to have, their avocations at home." 
 
 "There are women and women, my 
 dear Miss St. Orme. We must discuss 
 this matter more fully when we have 
 learnt to know and understand each other 
 better." 
 
 "Then you will help me to do something 
 and to get lots of money," broke in Pettita. 
 " Ah ! don't look grave, as though you 
 thought me sordid, but I do want to save 
 Margaret from being worried. I do want 
 to get money to pay the bills." 
 
 " My poor children, has it indeed come to 
 this?" he said tenderly. But the dark
 
 48 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 flush on Margaret's proud face showed him 
 that she did not thank the younger sister for 
 these revelations. 
 
 "With tact and delicacy he immediately 
 turned the conversation into another channel, 
 though perhaps a scarcely less painful one, 
 for he asked all particulars about his old 
 friend's death, and seemed hardly less 
 touched than his sorrowing daughters, as he 
 listened to the details of how he had passed 
 away to his rest, grieving only that he was 
 compelled to leave his orphan children to 
 buffet, as well as they could, with the diffi- 
 culties of life. A deeper interest than mere 
 friendship, taking the word in its accepted 
 worldly sense, must have existed between 
 the two men, — a bond of some sort of which 
 the girls knew nothing, or he would not 
 have been so overcome by grief or so readily 
 have pledged himself to take the father or 
 elder brother's place. Mr. Griesnach, how- 
 ever, could only help them with advice and 
 kindly interest, for he was by no means a 
 rich man himself, nor would the proud Mar-
 
 Making an Acquaintance, 49 
 
 garet have accepted pecuniary assistance had 
 it been offered. 
 
 Eichard Griesnach was a worker, though 
 owing to frequent ill-health the time he 
 could devote to sedentary pursuits was 
 necessarily so small that it did not tend to 
 fill his purse rapidly ; yet he lived by his 
 brains, which were ever acute and busy, as 
 is not unfrequently the case when the 
 physical powers are feeble. He had been 
 called to the bar in years gone by, but had 
 never practised his profession. He kept, 
 however, his chambers in the Temple, and 
 wrote occasional stinging and sarcastic 
 articles in some of the leading papers, which 
 brought grist to the mill, but which his 
 acquaintances could scarcely believe to have 
 emanated from the gentle softly spoken little 
 man, who, on the rare occasions when he was 
 prevailed on to go into society, was never 
 known to have given utterance to a caustic 
 remark. Only those who knew him the 
 best would look grave, as though they were 
 
 VOL. I. E
 
 50 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 fully aware that the inner life of this man 
 had its dark spots — that an irritability of 
 brain existed, which could only relieve itself 
 in pungent satire, the heart all the while being 
 loving, tender, and true. Mr. Griesnach 
 had no relations — an old aunt, long since 
 dead, was said to have brought him up. 
 But no one knew exactly whence he came 
 or who he was, and he never vouchsafed 
 any information on the subject. Few, 
 perhaps, took enough interest in him to 
 inquire, for his bodily infirmity rendered 
 him unprepossessing looking, and his retiring 
 Tiabits prevented most people from finding 
 out what a mass of knowledge, what a keen 
 sense of observation he possessed, or how 
 agreeable and well read a companion he 
 could prove. To the St. Ormes he had 
 come under very peculiar circumstances, and 
 they speedily forgot that he was not in 
 appearance like other men. Margaret was 
 fascinated by and interested in him, partly 
 perhaps for that very reason, partly from 
 old associations, while Pettita was ready to
 
 Making an Acquaintance, 51 
 
 cling to him as tlie rudder which was to 
 guide her on the perilous sea of life. 
 
 '' So you give up the cottage in March. 
 "Well, after all, I think the little lady here 
 is right, and that you had better come to 
 London. I can look after you there." 
 
 '' Hurrah ! " cried Pettita, dancing round 
 the room in her delight, and seeming entirely 
 to forget that her new friend was but the 
 acquaintance of half an hour. 
 
 Mr. Griesnach smiled as he sat rubbing 
 his long taper fingers, — sunbeams like 
 Pettita did not often irradiate his firma- 
 ment. 
 
 '']^ot so fast, Miss — . What is your 
 name ? " 
 
 '' Isabelle Mary," she answered promptly, 
 ^'but every one calls me Pettita, because I 
 am small and a pet." 
 
 '' Called after your mother," he said 
 gravely, ^' of whom you are the living 
 image." 
 
 '' If you only saw my mamma once, how 
 is it that you remember her so well ? " 
 
 i-iweRsiTY OF \\mm 
 
 U.3RARY
 
 52 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 ^' There are some faces, child, which leave 
 an impression time cannot efface." 
 
 Pettita looked at him as though the matter 
 were beyond her comprehension, and then, 
 to Margaret's great relief, she sat down at 
 the farther end of the room and took a book. 
 Beading was Pettita' s unfailing resource 
 whenever she was puzzled or provoked ; she 
 seemed to think no one would dare to interfere 
 with her if she were shielded by literature. 
 
 ^' You do not share in your sister's enthu- 
 siastic desire to go to London?" resumed 
 Mr. Griesnach, turning to the elder girl. 
 
 " I hardly know what is for the best. I 
 sometimes think we shall be better there, 
 and then again I fear," and she cast a furtive 
 glance across the room at Pettita absorbed in 
 her book. 
 
 " Let the child make her mark if she 
 can; never try to hold her back," he said 
 softly. ^' Guidance is one thing, coercion is 
 another. We must hold a little committee 
 of ways and means though, but I dare say 
 they will not be difficult to arrange. I am
 
 Makino an Acquaintance. 53 
 
 afraid you will think me a horrid Cockney, 
 my dear young lady, but in my opinion 
 there is no place in England like London. 
 Living in poverty in the country, or in a 
 country town, is a sorry life, even for a 
 woman," and he smiled as though he had 
 already discovered how Margaret thought 
 that a woman's lot on earth was to endure 
 in patient privacy, and never to put herself 
 forward to eclipse others or to. assert her 
 independence. 
 
 '-'- 1 should be happier so," she answered, 
 "but if Pettita thinks otherwise and you 
 advise it, I will be overruled, though not 
 convinced. I cannot but dread a life in 
 London, yet I will never leave Pettita while 
 she wants my protection and care." 
 
 " Then, it is decided that we go," cried 
 Pettita, throwing down her book and jump- 
 ing up. " You will never convince Mar- 
 garet, Mr. Griesnach ; if she says she will 
 go without being convinced, that is quite as 
 much as you can expect." 
 
 "I am afraid my wish to have you in
 
 54 Baiting tfie Trap. 
 
 town, my dear children, is a terribly selfish 
 one, for though T think I can do more for 
 you there than here, yet the country is so 
 antipathetic to my own habits that I never 
 visit it unless compelled to do so, and never, 
 as you know, saw your poor father excepting 
 when at rare intervals he came up to tovm." 
 
 " How good of you then to make such a 
 sacrifice for us now!" said Margaret. ^^ I 
 should indeed be ungrateful if I were longer 
 to hesitate about making our future home in 
 London, when so kind a friend as yourself 
 will be near to advise and direct us." 
 
 Thus, against Margaret's better judgment, 
 it was decided that they should go to London, 
 for, as Pettita had truly said, she seldom 
 changed her opinion, though she occasionally 
 waived it to please other people.
 
 55 
 
 CHAPTEE IV. 
 
 PKINCE CHARMING. 
 
 Some men are happiest when not in the 
 society of their own sex. Mr. Griesnach 
 was one of these. He felt soothed by the 
 companionship of women, he believed fully 
 in the real or assumed interest they took in 
 him, and imagined that they could under- 
 stand him better than his sterner and more 
 logical brethren. Perhaps there was some- 
 thing just a trifle womanish in the com- 
 pound of talent, irritability, and kind- 
 heartedness which were his leading cha- 
 acteristics. Woman in the more intimate 
 and sociable relations of life was what Mr» 
 Griesnach liked. He preferred a home where
 
 ^6 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 lie could pop in when he felt cross-grained 
 and out of temper with himself and the 
 world generally, and where he felt sure of a 
 cordial reception, a gentle voice, and a patient 
 listener, while he dilated on his latest quirks 
 and fancies or, on more trying occasions, 
 burst out in invectives on the hard usage 
 bestowed on him by fate. The St. Ormes' 
 cottage was just the dovecot where he was 
 likely to nestle down and find a few peaceful 
 hours ; and when he had been two or three 
 days at Woodlands he anathematized him- 
 self that he had allowed his prejudice against 
 country life to stand so long in the way of 
 making this agreeable acquaintance. The 
 links, too, in the chain of pleasant associa- 
 tions had been considerably strengthened by 
 frequent meetings with Mrs. Leigh, who 
 had smiled her sweetest smiles on the little 
 deformed man, and spoken to him in her 
 most dulcet strains. The one crooked in 
 body, the other crooked in mind, who shall 
 prognosticate how this strangely matched 
 acquaintance shall end ! For the nonce Mr.
 
 Prince Charming. 57 
 
 Griesnach was thoroughly fascinated. Man 
 of the world though he was, he accepted 
 Bertha Leigh as she presented herself, and 
 never sought to rend the veil which hid her 
 truer nature. She was au courant with all 
 the anecdotes of the London life to which 
 he belonged, though he but seldom abjured 
 the solitude of his own chambers to visit 
 it ; thus they had many topics of interest in 
 common, and she knew so exactly how to 
 lay her little soft palm on all his open 
 wounds and close them by the gentle 
 pressure, that he seemed to forget himself 
 and his infirmities when he was in her pre- 
 sence ; and keen as he usually was in dis- 
 covering supposed slights and indignities 
 where none existed, it never for a moment 
 suggested itself to him that Mrs. Leigh was 
 other than the genuine kind creature she 
 appeared, or that it were possible she could 
 be laughing in her sleeve over the '' self- 
 sufficiency and overweening conceit of that 
 miserable little cripple." Mrs. Leigh was 
 too cautious to make her real sentiments
 
 58 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 known to Pettita, wlio really liked Mr. 
 Griesnach, so she was compelled at times to 
 smother them in a way that half-stifled her. 
 Still, notwithstanding all the soft purring 
 and graceful gentleness of this feline woman's 
 attractions, Mr. Griesnach's favourite was 
 Pettita ; he admired her buoyancy, her 
 spirit, her indomitable energy of purpose, 
 and resolved to help her to the fullest extent 
 in his power, an office in which Mrs. Leigh 
 most fully concurred. '^Between them,'' 
 she said, "it would be strange if Pettita 
 did not do something substantial for herself." 
 Make a rich marriage, forsooth ! would have 
 been her only alternative a few years since, 
 but women now are learning to walk alone, 
 and they look forward as impatiently to a 
 self-made career as does any young B.A. 
 just emancipated from the trammels of college 
 life. How Pettita meant to distinguish her- 
 self none of her friends quite knew. She 
 was not as fully qualified for asserting 
 woman's rights in the arena of physic, 
 science, or land, as would have been her
 
 Prince Charming. 59 
 
 prosier and more retiring sister, who had. 
 read steadily all her spare hours, while 
 Pettita had only sipped the sweets here and 
 there from the books which pleased her 
 fancy. With all her desire for fame, she 
 had never been thoroughly impressed by the 
 knowledge that to attain it years of hard 
 work and unswerving patience are neces- 
 sary. 
 
 "My father's daughters must not work 
 for their living," was Margaret's last-century 
 remark whenever the subject was mooted 
 before her, so they were all forced to leave 
 it with the hope that when once she went to 
 live in London, and saw the rapidly develop- 
 ing demand for women's work, and how the 
 barriers which had hemmed them in were 
 being razed to the ground, she would then 
 view the matter in a different spirit, and 
 perhaps be herself desirous of adding by her 
 industry to her small store of home com- 
 forts. 
 
 And so the little party went on for some 
 days, Margaret in her quiet undemonstrative
 
 6o Baitifig the Trap. 
 
 way doing everything that could possibly 
 tend to Mr. Griesnach's comfort, while, as 
 not unfrequently happens to calm and retiring 
 people, she was often slighted and overlooked 
 for her more rattling and piquante sister. 
 And Pettita had neither seen nor heard any 
 more of Prince Charming, about whom, 
 girl-like, she was beginning to feel rather 
 curious, and was rendered still more so by 
 the mysterious silence Mrs. Leigh observed 
 about him. It was evident she had some 
 design in introducing him to Pettita, and, 
 with her knowledge of human nature, she 
 calculated on interesting her more fully in 
 him by enveloping the whole affair in 
 mystery. 
 
 Mr. Griesnach and the two ladies were 
 sauntering through the Squire's grounds 
 one afternoon, Margaret, as usual, having 
 stayed at home to look after some household 
 affair, when who should be seen approaching 
 them but the very Prince Charming himself. 
 The ladies were instantly all smiles when 
 they perceived him, but a little frown for a
 
 Prince Charmincr. 6r 
 
 moment contracted Mrs. Leigli's brow as 
 Mr. Griesnacli exclaimed, 
 
 ^^Why, Bazalgette, who would have 
 dreamed of meeting you here ? " 
 
 ^^ It is yet more astonishing to see you 
 away from your Temple haunts, Mr. Gries- 
 nach. I do occasionally condescend to hunt 
 the fox." 
 
 The mutual recognition of the two men 
 evidently did not please Bertha Leigh, 
 though she would scarcely allow her annoy- 
 ance to be perceived, but said glibly, 
 
 '^ Then it is a coterie of friends — this is 
 indeed charming. Have you been up to 
 ' The House,' Edward ? " 
 
 ^^ Yes ; and hearing from the Squire that 
 you and Miss St. Orme were in the grounds, 
 I strolled forth in search of you." 
 
 Then a sort of restraint seemed to come 
 over every one, and no one spoke for a few 
 seconds. Prince Charming was evidently 
 wondering what relation Mr. Griesnach bore 
 to Pettita. Mr. Griesnach was trying to 
 surmise what had brought him there at all,.
 
 62 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 Mrs. Leigh was engrossed by the suspicion 
 that he probably knew more of this youth 
 than exactly suited her projects, and Pettlta 
 was quite blindfolded, and consequently in- 
 capable of penetrating the mystery, if mys- 
 tery there were. Each, for some unknown 
 reason, seemed to feel that the rencontre was 
 an inconvenient one. Mrs. Leigh, though 
 probably the most annoyed, was nevertheless 
 the first to recover her self-possession. 
 
 " It is getting very cold," she observed, 
 ^' January days in the country are certainly 
 not lively, suppose we all adjourn to my 
 little sitting-room at * The House,' and have 
 tea?" 
 
 '' It will be too late I am afraid for 
 Pettita to walk home," suggested Mr. 
 Griesnach. 
 
 ^'Nonsense," cried Pettita, ^'it is not five 
 minutes' walk from ^ The House ' to the 
 cottage, and I traverse that short distance 
 at all hours, don't I Mrs. Leigh ? " 
 
 So it was agreed, and to ' The House ' 
 they went; no one thought of Margaret
 
 Prince Charming, 63 
 
 and her patient homely honsekeepmg, but 
 round a good fire in the cosy little room 
 which the Squire had allotted to his niece, 
 they all four seemed determined to make 
 themselves thoroughly comfortable, and to 
 forget for the time, at least, whatever dis- 
 agreeables might ensue. Bertha naturally 
 devoted herself to Mr. Griesnach, and left 
 the two very young people to resume the 
 badinage and incipient flirtation which had 
 begun on the night of the ball. What 
 Mrs. Leigh's object was the sequel may 
 perhaps show ; she certainly did not make 
 a rule of introducing her male pets to her 
 female friends, but this was evidently an 
 exceptional case. Sir Edward Bazalgette, 
 or, as Pettita called him. Prince Charming 
 was a young man of a type pretty well 
 known about town ; at Hurlingham, in the 
 Kow, he was constantly to be seen, dressed 
 in Poole's last, glass in eye, bouquec in 
 l)utton-hole, lounging along as though the 
 earth were made but for him, or driving his 
 high-steppers in a way which showed he
 
 64 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 was but a dandy-whip, a mere ignoramus 
 in the matter of horse-flesh ; but then he 
 was a baronet with an income, and what 
 matter if his mental capabilities were below 
 par, and his conversation never rose above 
 the platitudes of mere gossip ? In the eyes 
 of modern society noodledom were paradise 
 if it were paved with gold. Was the pro- 
 motion of a marriage with this youth the 
 substantial assistance Mrs. Leigh intended 
 to vouchsafe to Pettita ? A look she occa- 
 sionally bestowed on them from under her 
 drooping lashes, carrying on the while an 
 animated discussion with Mr. Griesnach, 
 showed that in all probability it was 
 not. 
 
 ^^ Those children are really becoming too 
 noisy ; how fatiguing we should think it 
 now if we had the exuberant spirits of 
 nineteen ! " she said at last, abruptly inter- 
 rupting the talk which had turned on the 
 Darwinian theory and was becoming too 
 learned for her. Bertha never did more 
 than skim the surface of knowledge, nor
 
 Prince Charming. 65 
 
 was she backward in announcing the fact 
 that she had no depth of learning. Mr. 
 Griesnach very frequently overwhelmed 
 her. 
 
 "Yes,'^ he said, "a few stern realities 
 soon serve to dash the gauzy wings which 
 would bear us into those regions of ether 
 where we imagine the sky is always blue ; 
 but for you, my dear Mrs. Leigh, life is at 
 its brightest. You can still laugh as 
 merrily as those children there. Bazalgette, 
 by the way, though still young enough, 
 knows more of the world than many much 
 older men." 
 
 '' Then you are acquainted with his 
 history ? It is a sad one." 
 
 ^' I do not know to what you particularly 
 refer. I only meant that he belongs to 
 rather a fast set, and consequently knows 
 more than is perhaps quite good for 
 him." 
 
 Mrs. Leigh saw she had somewhat over- 
 shot her mark, but she instantly repaired 
 the mistake. 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 66 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 ^^ Oh ! I don't know anything about him 
 except that his mother died when he was 
 a little boy, his father before he came of 
 age, and it must be a sad trial to be left all 
 alone at a very early period of existence 
 to find out the intricacies of life for 
 one's self. My acquaintance with Sir 
 Edward is very slight ; he seems a nice 
 boy, — innocent I should have thought rather 
 :than fast." 
 
 Mr. Griesnach smiled. Mrs. Leigh's sense 
 of observation was somewhat at fault, he 
 thought to himself, but it was scarcely his 
 province to enlighten her, so he merely 
 <asked casually what had brought the young 
 man under discussion into that part of the 
 country. 
 
 '^ He has relations living in the neigh- 
 bourhood ; he came partly for my uncle's 
 little dance, and you need scarcely ask why 
 he stays." 
 
 '^Perhaps not, perhaps not. Pettita, don't 
 you think we ought to be going home, your 
 sister will imagine we are lost ? "
 
 Prince Charmmg. 67 
 
 In the somewhat new amusement of 
 "bandying repartee with a good-looking man 
 Pettita had quite forgotten how late it 
 was growing ; but she jumped up at once 
 when she heard Mr. Griesnach's words, and 
 prepared to accompany him. 
 
 ^' She is pretty, isn't she? observed Mrs. 
 Leigh as, the door having at last closed on 
 them, she coiled herself up lazily in an arm- 
 chair by the fire and settled herself for a 
 tete-d-tete with her remaining visitor. 
 
 ^^ Pretty ! She is perfectly charming, '^ 
 said the other enthusiastically; '^but what 
 has old Humpty-Dumpty got to do with 
 her ? '' 
 
 ^^ He is the guardian appointed by tho 
 father to watch over his daughters' 
 naughts." 
 
 "Bah! He is a horrid little brute, 
 Iniows too much by half." 
 
 " That is just what he says of you^ — 
 yes, he is clever decidedly." 
 
 "Mere abstract cleverness. He may 
 have as much of that as pleases him. but I 
 
 r2
 
 68 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 hate your shrewd people who can see 
 through a brick wall. So he has been pass- 
 ing his remarks on me, has he? ergo^ I 
 suppose in future I shall be denied all speech 
 of the little girl." 
 
 " The pedestal on which you place your- 
 self is not a lofty one," she answered 
 laughing. 
 
 '^ Well,. you know all that hateful story ? " 
 
 ^' Some of it — yes, but Mr. Griesnach 
 evidently does not, so keep your own 
 counsel and be brave." 
 
 ^^ I thought Miss St. Orme was a great 
 friend of yours." 
 
 ^' So she is. Who told you she was 
 not ? " 
 
 '-^ Well, women are queer creatures ; they 
 beat my comprehension altogether. Would 
 you like me to take a shooting-box in these 
 parts, Mrs. Leigh, since you seem so very 
 anxious that I should continue this friend- 
 ship — jQirtation — call it what you will ? " 
 
 *' No need, the St. Ormes are coming to 
 live in London, so you will have plenty of
 
 Prince Charming, 69 
 
 opportunities of meeting at my house." 
 He gave a low whistle, and there was a 
 silence for two or three minutes. 
 
 " I think I shall go abroad," he said at 
 last, *^ England must be too hot to hold me 
 long. I will go wild boar hunting in 
 Wallachia, and send you and Miss St. Orme 
 the tusks to quarrel for." 
 
 ^' That — anything would be better than 
 what you are doing now ; but I don't think 
 you will go away. You will stay on like a 
 moth, allured by the light of Pettita's 
 ^yes." 
 
 " When a man tries to be moral and 
 respectable, society won't let him," he said 
 hastily. ^^ I am not a bad-hearted fellow, 
 though I say it myself; and if people would 
 only let me alone, I should balance myself 
 pretty averagely, but I am always getting 
 pulled about first this way and then that." 
 
 " When a man has acted as you have 
 done, he has defied society. Shamust inter- 
 fere ; we cannot afford to let Sir Edward 
 Eazalgette follow the dictates of his good
 
 7o Baiting the Trap, 
 
 heart as though he were a common tinker,'^ 
 answered Mrs. Leigh with more of a sneer 
 than was usually allowed to express it- 
 self. 
 
 '^ Curse rank and title, why can't a fellow 
 be allowed to do as he likes ? " 
 
 ^^ Because so few people know what they 
 do like, and you, my dear Sir Edward, are I 
 suspect among the number. However, I 
 have no wish to bias you in any way ; 
 the course in life which you choose to 
 pursue must be a matter of indifference 
 to me." 
 
 ^^ Why, then, did you introduce me to that 
 girl ? " 
 
 ^' Chance always plays the most conspicu- 
 ous part in our lives." 
 
 " Fatalism is no doubt a comfortable 
 doctrine if one can wholly give oneself up 
 to it," he said moodily, half talking to him- 
 self ; ^'for then it is not / but the stern 
 arbiter of one's destiny who is to blame for 
 what is wrong." 
 
 " You seem to be uncomfortably burdened
 
 Prince Charming, 71 
 
 with a conscience this afternoon ; a case of 
 liver I am afraid, as they used to say in 
 India." 
 
 ^^ Pardon me," he answered, bowing 
 gracefully. '-'- 1 forgot I was talking to a 
 lady." 
 
 She laughed joyously, not in the least 
 offended by the rebuke. 
 
 '^ Do you wish to infer that women as a 
 rule are not overburdened with conscientious 
 scruples ? " 
 
 '^ Some certainly are not ; but may I, 
 Mrs. Leigh, ring and order my horse ? I am 
 afraid I shall be late for dinner, which is a 
 grievous offence with the people whose 
 guest I am." 
 
 '' We part friends, I hope. You will for- 
 give my attack on your principles." 
 
 ^'Willingly, it is my fault not yours; 
 were my principles stronger they would 
 scarcely be so easily ridiculed." 
 
 '•You are severe to-day, Ted, take care 
 how you get into the habit of making 
 caustic speeches ; they will dash away the
 
 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 dew, and you will lose the boyishness which 
 is your charm." 
 
 ^^ Good-bye. Mrs. Leigh, a man should 
 have something more than mere boyishness 
 to trust to when he has reached three-and- 
 twenty. You have taught me a lesson to- 
 day without perhaps quite intending it, and 
 I still think my wisest course is to go 
 abroad." 
 
 ^' To pine in solitude in some wild spot 
 over a chimera which you call principle, 
 which a more practical person would call 
 folly. The thing cannot be allowed, my 
 dear boy. Dine with me this day week in 
 Eelgrave Street, when I hope you will have 
 resumed your usual self." 
 
 Sir Edward hung his head. 
 
 "I will dine with you — yes — I do not 
 say I shall leave so soon as that, yet I feel 
 sure that one false step now will entail 
 perhaps an incalculable amount of misery 
 hereafter." 
 
 And so he left her. 
 
 ^^ He is not such a noodle as the world
 
 Prince Charming, 73 
 
 believes him to be, but be is nevertheless 
 as weak as water," was Bertha's mental 
 comment as she went upstairs to dress, and 
 she smiled complacently to herself while 
 making her toilette, in a wav which showed 
 her sharp London maid that her mistress' 
 little plans were ripening in the sunshine of 
 success. 
 
 No such self-complacency accompanied 
 Sir Edward, to judge from the way he took 
 his steed across country, back to his friend's 
 house by the nearest route. Had he been 
 called upon at that moment for an answer, 
 he would have testified unhesitatingly to 
 his hatred for Mrs. Leigh ; he was never at 
 any time one of her enthusiastic admirers, 
 and yet she fascinated him. Weakness of 
 purpose was Edward Bazalgette's besetting 
 sin; he found it to his cost, and Bertha 
 Leigh had that sort of power over him 
 which a woman of her calibre could so easily 
 acquire if she chose ; he the while hating 
 her more and more as he winced under her 
 rule, though he. had not the strength to free
 
 74 Baiting the Ti^ap, 
 
 himself from the yoke. Never before, how- 
 ever, had he felt so thoroughly irritated and 
 rebellious ; and by the time he had termi- 
 nated his rapid ride, he had fully resolved 
 to cut the Gordian knot which bound him 
 to troubles in England, and not to be talked 
 out of going abroad either by Mrs. Leigh or 
 any other woman.
 
 75 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE 'AEGUS.' 
 
 Me. Geiesnach was sitting alone in his 
 chambers, bending in somewhat moody 
 thought over a large fire. The pained 
 expression which at times almost passed 
 away from his face was more strongly 
 marked than usual, and the feverish gleam 
 in the dark eyes plainly testified to the 
 inward wrestle of which language scarcely 
 avails to tell. 
 
 Though returned but a few days from 
 Woodlands, to judge from the irritable 
 workings of that fragile little frame, female 
 companionship had scarcely accomplished 
 its usual ofiice of soothing. Alas ! for him
 
 76 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 who realises so fully how mental power 
 depends on physical strength, and how the 
 busy brain unaided by nourishment from 
 the body runs riot in irritability and dis- 
 content. 
 
 One of Eichard Griesnach's dark moods 
 was on him now. He had fought the 
 demon of distrust and unbelief for hours; 
 he had combated despair at every issue; 
 large beads of perspiration standing on his 
 brow showed the mental torture, and he 
 sank back in his chair, his feeble frame 
 exhausted by his self-communings. 
 
 Every human being who has thought, 
 pulse, entity, must have a purpose for, an 
 object in, existence. Fame and Love are 
 the twin potentates who govern brain and 
 heart, and Mr. Griesnach would fain "fill 
 the empty gaps of life," but they stared 
 him in the face, cold, void, and cheerless. 
 Pame was beyond his reach; that bodily 
 infirmity which he ever regarded as his 
 curse, closed every portal to a career which, 
 but for this, might have been glorious and
 
 The ^ Arorus^ 
 
 17 
 
 triumphant, and he would have borne the 
 cross patiently, ungilded though it was, 
 had not that other gate been closed too, and 
 he felt that with the curse of his infirmities 
 upon him, he did not dare to ask for the 
 love and tenderness which would have 
 compensated for all other griefs, and, indeed 
 have ^' filled the empty gaps " of that lonely 
 troubled existence. 
 
 Have we not all gaps, some more some 
 less, according to the amount of sensitive- 
 ness which we possess ? Aye, but few, we 
 trust, lead such an utterly cheerless, hope- 
 less life as did Eichard Griesnach, with 
 every desire, too, to be benevolent and 
 kindly and trustful. The self-imposed 
 charge of the St. Ormes had, now that he 
 had returned to the quietude of his ordinary 
 avocations, set him ofi" in a train of thought, 
 and dug up old memories which, as he 
 dwelt on them, had worked him into a state 
 of feverish excitement. In Pettita he saw 
 reflected all those struggling tendencies 
 which were so strongly developed in his
 
 78 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 own character. There was a hungry longing 
 about the girl which, unsatisfied, would 
 starve her into an atrophy, — a restlessness 
 which by success alone would ever be 
 linked with happiness. !N"one of this did 
 the calm, thoughtful Margaret understand ; 
 to her Pettita's impetuous vagaries were 
 but the ebullitions of youth, which in a 
 year or two would die out, and she would 
 settle down soberly and discreetly as a 
 woman should. But Eichard Griesnach 
 knew better, and to assist in carving out a 
 happy future for Pettita was the task he had 
 allotted to himself, though how that end 
 was to be attained was the question he had 
 been impatiently asking himself full many a 
 time during the last few hours. 
 
 No practical conclusion had evidently 
 been arrived at, — an issue which was, 
 perhaps, scarcely to be expected, consider- 
 ing the state of fermentation into which 
 the good little man had worked himself. 
 The dark hours, however, were passing 
 away, and as was usually the case after one
 
 The ''Argus,'' 79 
 
 of these exhausting trials, he was ill, feeble, 
 and spent. 
 
 He was lying back in his arm-chair, 
 when he was suddenly called upon to gather 
 himself courageously together by the some- 
 what abrupt introduction of a visitor. A 
 fussy, pompous, good-tempered-looking man, 
 short, and squarely built, and of a rubicund 
 physiognomy, his hand full of papers and 
 pamphlets tied together with ominous- 
 looking bits of red tape, brought a chair, 
 and seated himself at the opposite side of 
 the fire. 
 
 '' Ho, ho, Griesnach ! you look ailing to- 
 day. Afraid I have come at a bad time, 
 but I want much to have a talk with you." 
 
 Mr. Griesnach pushed back his long hair 
 with a weary look. 
 
 ''I am not well to-day. My head is 
 scarcely clear enough for business, I fear ; 
 but talk on, I will listen." 
 
 " Lucky dog, you ! to be able to lie back 
 in your chair and take life quietly, while 
 your fellows are well-nigh worked to death.
 
 8o Baiting the Trap. 
 
 Here have I been sorting papers, drawing 
 up statistical reports, and writing letters 
 half the night, and all the morning I have 
 been rushing about the town like a mad 
 bull, in search of information of all sorts, 
 while you have been sleeping and dream- 
 ing." 
 
 '^ Never mind me," answered the other, 
 wincing under the careless words; ^^my 
 work and yours are of different orders." 
 
 '•'- That is just it, my dear fellow. I can- 
 not see why they should be though. You 
 have brains, feeble and delicate as you 
 look, or you could not write those stinging 
 articles which occasionally set the people 
 talking round every breakfast-table. !N'ow, 
 why should not we coalesce? I have toa 
 much work to do, you have none at all." 
 
 '^Pardon me, Mr. Jenkins, but had you 
 not better employ a machine?" suggested 
 Mr. Griesnach, softly, though the covert 
 sneer showed how he writhed under the 
 coarse, unfeeling, but probably well-meant 
 attack.
 
 The ^ Arcrus,'^ 8i 
 
 ^'Machine- work pays better than hand- 
 labour in these days, my dear sir," said the 
 man he called Jenkins, with a boisterous 
 laugh. ^^Time is money, money is time, 
 with business men; and, after all, what 
 more do you want ? We hacks don't need 
 the tender treatment bestowed on racers, 
 iDut we get our bread and cheese for all 
 that, and many of your high-bred ones 
 starve in the training." 
 
 ^' ' Travaillez pour la gloire, et qu'un sordide gain 
 Ne soit jamais I'objet d'un illustre ecrivain.' 
 
 said Mr. Griesnach, quoting Boileau quietly, 
 but the point was too fine to penetrate Mr. 
 Jenkins' thick hide, so he only laughed 
 loudly and began to fuss about with his 
 papers. 
 
 "Business, my good sir. business. I 
 cannot afford to waste time talking nothings. 
 Are you or are you not disposed to help 
 me ? I assure you I am overwhelmed. I 
 am Secretary to the Committee of the Free- 
 thought Co-operative Society, Chairman of 
 
 VOL. I. G
 
 82 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 the Provident Association of Worn-out Lite- 
 rary Hacks; I have undertaken to sell 
 shares in the Limited Liability Knowledge- 
 diffusing Company ; as you know, I do 
 articles for several weeklies and monthlies, 
 and it pays, my good sir, it pays. But 
 what is crushing me at this moment is a 
 letter I have received from an educational 
 board, offering me work of a very interest- 
 ing and remunerative character. Now, the 
 furnace is not big enough to keep all the 
 irons hot, however strenuously I may use 
 the bellows." 
 
 '^ So you want me to assist in blowing ? 
 You should have applied to some one with 
 more corporeal strength," said Mr. Griesnach, 
 half amused at this ^^ muscular educationist," 
 half annoyed by his proposition to himself. 
 
 "No, no, no; you do the sedentary part 
 of the work, I'll run about and bring you 
 information by the ton." 
 
 '^ And on what subject do you desire that 
 I should use my pen ? " 
 
 "Higher education of women, my dear
 
 The ^ Argus : 83 
 
 sir, higher education of women," said 
 JenkinSj who had a trick of repeating him- 
 self; ^Hhat is the topic nowadays. Don't 
 agree with it in the least myself, not in the 
 least ; but no matter, if it pays to puff it my 
 purpose is answered. The board wants an 
 organ ; concentration, my dear sir, nothing 
 to be done without concentration; scattered 
 forces make no head against the common foe 
 ignorance. I gather them up, you manipu- 
 late them into a mass. Joint-stock business 
 — joint -stock business — I run, you write. 
 I have not time to write, that is the fact ; 
 too much energy, far too much energy." 
 
 *' Can I see the letter from the Board?" 
 asked Mr. Griesnach, to whom Jenkins' 
 tirade gave a very confused notion of what 
 was required. 
 
 '' Certainly, my good sir, certainly; but as 
 to terms, why of course we must make our 
 own." 
 
 It seemed that the letter which had put 
 Jenkins into a greater fuss than was even 
 his ordinary state, was to the effect that a 
 
 a2
 
 84 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 pamphlet, magazine, or organ, as lie called 
 it, was required to be published monthly, 
 which should give a statistical account of 
 how education, that of women especially, 
 was proceeding in the various quarters of 
 the civilised globe ; the information to be 
 reduced to tangible shape, and offered by 
 dint of editorial knowledge, in a readable 
 form to the public. To collect the required 
 information Jenkins found himself quite 
 equal, but though he did, as he said, write 
 articles for one or two periodicals, they 
 were publications of a low calibre, and he 
 did not feel that he had the head-piece ne- 
 cessary for carrying on and arranging this 
 somewhat important undertaking. But he 
 was a man of energy, who never gave up 
 anything if he could help it. " Half a loaf 
 is better than no bread," was the conclusion 
 he arrived at on thinking the matter over, 
 and if he could only form what he called 
 a ^'coalition" with Mr. Griesnach, it might 
 prove a lucky venture for them both. 
 
 Jenkins was one of the rough-and-ready
 
 The ^ Argus? 85 
 
 kind, who lived entirely by his wits, making 
 the best of whatever turned up, and 
 troubling himself very little as to ways 
 and means. He was too go-ahead in his 
 habits to study character, except in its 
 merest outline, though instinct generally 
 prevented him from being imposed upon. 
 Delicate touches, refinement, sensitiveness, 
 were totally lost on him ; thus he was quite 
 incapable of reading Kichard Griesnach, and 
 regarded him as a ^^poor devil with brains '^ 
 to whom a five-pound-note was an object. 
 Little did he anticipate then the difficulties 
 which would be raised, before anything like 
 a satisfactory arrangement could be arrived 
 at. The order of things must be entirely 
 reversed before Mr. Griesnach would listen 
 to any proposition. Jenkins must be the 
 machine, he himself the directing power. 
 Intellect declined in toto to be subservient 
 to mere commercial value. 
 
 *^TJpon my word, I never thought you 
 would have proved such a tough customer 
 to deal with," exclaimed Jenkins, after the
 
 86 Batting the Trap. 
 
 subject had been discussed for some time 
 very minutely, and Mr. Griesnach had 
 plainly given him to understand what their 
 relative positions must be, supposing that 
 he should decide to accept the editorship of 
 this educational organ. Interference from 
 his coadjutor he felt he should never be able 
 to brook, yet he was thoroughly aware that 
 Jenkins possessed the very qualities in 
 which he was himself the most wanting, 
 namely, impudence and activity, and there- 
 fore he understood that a coalition might be 
 effected with advantage, if he could only 
 succeed in keeping Jenkins in a secondary 
 place. Slothful by nature, and consequently 
 not easily roused into seizing a new idea, it 
 was somewhat unlike Mr. Griesnach' s usual 
 habit thus readily to entertain the thought 
 of harnessing himself with an amount of 
 business which must be done ^^to time." 
 His writing had hitherto been of a very 
 desultory nature; the "genus irritabile," 
 of which he was a specimen, can scarcely be 
 put under pressure and made to write a
 
 The ^Arous? 87 
 
 •certain given number of lines ^^to order," 
 for an appointed day. But the thought had 
 flashed across his mind that this was an 
 opening which might serve the St. Orme 
 sisters ; a magazine which was to be instru- 
 mental in raising the standard of woman's 
 education, could scarcely fail to produce 
 work for women, he fancied, and therefore 
 he determined to close with Jenkins' offer, 
 if he could arrive at an arrangement by 
 which that ofi'er should be made amenable 
 to his wishes. 
 
 The "auri sacra fames" was not upon 
 him ; thus he was the more likely to come 
 to terms with Jenkins, who worshipped 
 Mammon with extreme reverence. To keep 
 the fussy, pompous little bureaucrat from 
 interfering too much, and asserting his 
 ignorance on every possible occasion, was 
 the difficulty under which Mr. Griesnach 
 was likely to labour, especially as he would 
 be dependent on him for information. 
 
 It was a rash venture when we consider 
 that a sensitive, delicately organized, refined
 
 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 man was to be brought into almost daily 
 working nnion with a coarse, rough boor, 
 who had, moreover, a rattling tongue and 
 an unfortunate habit of making blunt, 
 unfeeling speeches. The firm seemed ill- 
 assorted, taken individually, but the ingre- 
 dients were there which would conduce to 
 the public weal. None of the component 
 parts were wanting. Self-governuient in 
 the matter of temper was the only quality 
 required to balance the raft which was to 
 be freighted with so much nineteenth century 
 knowledge. 
 
 And so at last it was agreed, Jenkins 
 being, perhaps, the least pleased with the 
 bargain, that Mr. Griesnach was to edit the 
 ^ Educational Argus ' in his own name, and 
 be answerable for what should be inserted ; 
 he having sole power, while Jenkins, like a 
 faithful dog, brought the game to the bag, 
 and asked no questions as to its disposal. 
 
 It was a strange finale to the torturing 
 hours Kichard Griesnach had spent ; it 
 seemed almost as if Providence had sent
 
 The ^ Argus ^ 89 
 
 him work to make him forget himself and 
 his wrongs. Well would it have been had 
 he thus taken it^ but Providence and 
 Eichard Griesnach were too often at issue. 
 He had not faith enough to bear his trials 
 for good; like Thomas of old, he wanted 
 more light ; what he did not see for himself 
 with the eyes of sense, he passed over as 
 superstitious folly— mere comedy to be 
 played out for the amusement of the weak 
 and the childish. ''More knowledge, more 
 power, more love," are heart cries which 
 rend and lacerate, but the chilliest, the 
 ghastliest of all is that hopeless wail for 
 '' more light." Here, then, was the secret 
 of Eichard Griesnach' s bitterest sufferings ; 
 his sole reliance was in that '' ego " which 
 has so often sought ere now to equalise man 
 with God. 
 
 He sat for a long time very calmly there, 
 after Jenkins had fussed himself out of the 
 room with the promise to introduce him 
 forthwith to the Board, and there was a 
 pleased smile on his noble -looking, intelligent
 
 ^o Baitinc/ the Trap, 
 
 face which was very different from the ex- 
 pression it had worn earlier in the day. 
 
 ^^ At his age he was going to work, — to 
 l)ecome a drudge — for what ? For Pettita's 
 sake." 
 
 The idea tickled him so much that he 
 actually laughed as he lay back there in his 
 solitude, and thought over all the different 
 emotions with which the morning had been 
 so pregnant. That Jenkins of all men 
 should come to him as a Fate, an individual 
 for whom he had always had a feeling of pity, 
 commingled with contempt, as for one who, 
 having started in life as a barrister, had 
 "fallen from his high estate," and lost caste 
 when he took to doing hack work, and 
 turned bureau hanger-on for money; and 
 now he himself was going to join in one of 
 his specious undertakings. The idea was 
 almost too preposterous to be true. To 
 what an ebb will not circumstances bring a 
 man ; aye, and an upright, chivalrous one 
 too. There is an old saying that "you 
 <^.annot touch pitch without dirtying your
 
 The ' Ai gtcs!' 91 
 
 fingers," but it was very evident that Mr. 
 Griesnach meant to prove, if possible, that 
 he was an exception to the rule. 
 
 At length he got up, and having made a 
 hasty toilet, and partaken of a slight repast, 
 he prepared to start West. He had sud- 
 denly bethought himself of the existence of 
 Mrs. Leigh, who, by this time had returned 
 to town, but on whom he had not yet called. 
 He would relate to her his day's experiences, 
 and find, he in nowise doubted, a ready 
 listener and a sympathetic adviser.
 
 92 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 SHAKING THE SIEVE. 
 
 Mrs. Leigh is ^ at home,' in society's ac- 
 ceptation of the term. It is Thursday after- 
 noon, and after an idea borrowed from our 
 French neighbours, she receives all those of 
 her acquaintance who may feel disposed to 
 wile away a leisure hour by participating 
 in a little lively gossip. Bertha had adopted 
 the plan soon after she took up her residence 
 in London, because she found it was the 
 fashion in the set into which she was herself 
 launched, but she was beginning to find it 
 rather irksome. Her acquaintances did not 
 always quite amalgamate, neither did it 
 altogether suit a woman of Bertha Leigh's
 
 Shaking the Sieve. 93 
 
 intriguing proclivities to let every one see 
 her hand, which was a misfortune very- 
 likely to befall when the great mass of her 
 associates was brought together every Thurs- 
 day afternoon ; in fact, she regarded the 
 whole thing as a terrible gene^ and meant to 
 take an early opportunity of stopping it. 
 Her receptions, however, were always so 
 crowded and brilliant that vanity had 
 hitherto held her back, and this, her first 
 reunion since her absence from town, was 
 likely to prove no exception to the rule. 
 Mrs. Leigh was fond of patronising 
 talent ; she was fully aware that to be the 
 ^ fashion ' there must be something to attract, 
 so she collected clever people of all sorts at 
 her house, both from the artistic and literary 
 worlds, and if she had left them to amuse 
 themselves and others according to their 
 lights, the system would have worked to 
 perfection ; but she was always exercising 
 her own talents in the way of amalgamations, 
 rousing petty jealousies by her innuendos ; 
 setting people who might otherwise have
 
 94 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 been firm friends for life irrecoverably by 
 the ears. ^^ Disunion is strength " was 
 the motto on which she ever acted ; and 
 though like most manoeuvring people, she 
 occasionally pulled the cord too tightly, and 
 had some little difficulty in getting her head 
 out of a noose, yet on the whole she was 
 very well satisfied with her success ; only 
 these dreadful Thursday afternoons kept her 
 in a state of dread .lest something should 
 come out, some word be dropped which 
 should prove a key to some of her myste- 
 rious entanglements. For Bertha Leigh, be 
 it known, was a shocking coward, and she 
 shrank instinctively from the bright sun- 
 shine; the twilight cast a much more 
 becoming light over her little schemes. If 
 any of them had been or was likely to be 
 brought into day, she would shut herself in 
 her room and weep floods of bitter tears. 
 Mr. Griesnach knew nothing of Mrs. Leigh's 
 receptions, or he would scarcely have chosen 
 this particular day to pay a visit from which 
 he hoped for solace and sympathy; and great
 
 Shaking the Sieve. 95. 
 
 was his consternation on being shown into 
 the drawing-room to find a small mob of 
 well-dressed people, talking and laughing 
 as if amusement were the only occupation 
 in life. !N'or was his entrance a source of 
 gratification to Mrs. Leigh; she did not care 
 to face the remarks about ' the maimed and 
 the halt ' with which she knew she would in- 
 evitably be assailed by various members of 
 that giddy throng. However, according to 
 her wont, she received Mr. Griesnach with 
 one of her brightest smiles, and whispering 
 softly, 
 
 '^ Don't mention the St. Ormes here," she 
 introduced him to the lady next her, and 
 passed on to talk to others of her guests. 
 
 Brilliant as was the assemblage, it was 
 evident that there were some smouldering 
 ashes passing about which might at any 
 moment burst into a conflagration, and it 
 required all Bertha's most winning ways 
 and plausible little speeches to avert the im- 
 pending blaze. A truculent-looking middle- 
 aged woman, of sufficiently offensive manners
 
 9 6 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 to testify a well-established position in high 
 society, was standing near the mantelpiece 
 with a very ominous frown on her by no 
 means pleasing physiognomy. She was one 
 of those stern guardians of morality be- 
 fore whom frivolity quails and levity seeks 
 to hide an abashed head. To a drawing- 
 room like Mrs. Leigh's she was invaluable — 
 a widow who receives, and to whom a 
 censorious world might occasionally apply 
 the phrase, ^ Not too particular,' would 
 make no standing-point at all if she did not 
 cultivate a few of these unbending matrons 
 who lead the phalanx of propriety. Her 
 ladyship's feathers had, however, been con- 
 siderably ruffled on this occasion ; and though 
 Eertha almost cringed before her, she was 
 «o obsequiously meek, yet smoothing that 
 agitated plumage was no easy matter. At 
 the other end of the room there was a knot 
 of noisy talkers, towards whom the irate 
 lady looked every now and then during her 
 angry discussion with Mrs. Leigh. One of 
 these was a pretty woman — a woman of
 
 Shaking the Sieve, 97 
 
 whom Bertha herself might have been 
 jealous, but against whom Lady Bluntisfield 
 would scarcely dare to tilt, yet she evidently 
 was the object of her indignation. 
 
 *^Dear Lady Bluntisfield, indeed you are 
 mistaken ; she is my late husband's cousin. 
 I assure you your suspicions are unfounded." 
 
 ^' The ebb to which modern society has 
 fallen is a low one, I am fully aware, but I 
 did not expect to meet people of this sort at 
 your house, Mrs. Leigh," answered the en- 
 raged matron. 
 
 '-^ Poor Marcia, I did not know she pos- 
 sessed any vice but that of being pretty," 
 answered Bertha innocently. *^ Her beauty 
 makes me wickedly envious sometimes. She 
 is very young and unsophisticated. If you 
 would only take her under your fostering 
 wing, dear Lady Bluntisfield, her future 
 would be made. This is indeed what I had 
 hoped." 
 
 ^' Never, Mrs. Leigh, never. Young girls 
 who don't know how to conduct themselves 
 as gentlewomen, will never be patronized or 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 ^8 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 smiled on by me, and I must say it would 
 be your wiser course, as a young unprotected 
 woman yourself, to free yourself from your 
 acquaintance with that very objectionable 
 member of society." 
 
 A loud laugh from the girl called Marcia 
 formed a sort of echo to this speech, and 
 made Bertha Leigh wish that either the one 
 or the other of them were at the Antipodes. 
 
 ^^ I will not encourage her to come so 
 often. She is somewhat noisy I am afraid, 
 but I thought it was rather a kindness," she 
 said softly. 
 
 '^ That young person is not only noisy, 
 she is imbued with an amount of vulgarity 
 and levity which is inadmissible in good 
 society. A kind heart is not always the best 
 monitress, my dear Mrs. Leigh." 
 
 Probably had Lady Bluntistield been 
 closely examined on the subject, she might 
 have concurred in Fontenelle's saying that 
 *^ A good stomach and a bad heart are es- 
 sential to happiness." Anyhow, she gave 
 Bertha Leigh credit for more self-imposed
 
 Shaking the Sieve, 99 
 
 wretchedness on behalf of other people than 
 she at all deserved. 
 
 But honied words too often hide the void 
 w^ithin. 
 
 A flash just for half a second broke out 
 from under Bertha's half-closed lids ; the 
 faintest twitch played about the full lips ; 
 but she readily recovered herself, and went 
 on with her self-imposed part. 
 
 " Ah ! well, society has its demands I sup- 
 pose," she murmured softly, ^' and they must 
 be paid. I know you speak because you 
 are really interested in my welfare, dear 
 Lady Bluntisfield, and I hope you will have 
 no farther cause for complaint." 
 
 ^^ But I have — I have. You are stepping 
 far too freely on the precincts of Bohemia, 
 — these quasi-gentry are not to be tolerated 
 in our society. There are too many of them 
 everywhere, but you, my dear Mrs. Leigh, 
 should keep especially clear. Your lone 
 position entails the greatest circumspection." 
 
 ^^ Oh ! this is too much," thought Bertha 
 to herself. ^^ If life is to be all Lent and no 
 
 h2
 
 lOO Baiting the Trap, 
 
 Carnaval, it isn't worth having," and her eye 
 followed Lady Bluntisfield's round the room 
 to see against whom her present wrath was 
 directed. Her handsome tenor, the ornament 
 of her parties and one of her especial and 
 particular pets, was the evident victim. A 
 woman can bear unflinchingly a merciless 
 attack on another woman, even though she 
 be her best and dearest friend, but to main- 
 tain a bland smile while her pet man is being 
 censured and derided requires a consummate 
 actress. Bertha, however, was equal to the 
 occasion. 
 
 ^' Oh ! he is so useful," was all she said 
 in extenuation for noticing this vaurien 
 singer; "his warbling always seems to 
 please." 
 
 "As a paid professional he is well 
 enough, but I am afraid he comes here on 
 terms of equality." 
 
 " Dear Lady Bluntisfield, how you mis- 
 judge me, when you believe me capable of 
 admitting a man like that within the pale of 
 my acquaintance ! "
 
 Shaking the Sieve, lor 
 
 •^You were seen talking to him at the 
 theatre not very long ago." 
 
 '^Well, is there a crime in that?" an- 
 :swered Bertha, smiling sweetly, '^one must 
 be civil to the creatures who are of service 
 to us. La Bruyere says, ^ Un jardinier n'est 
 un homme qu'aux yeux d'une religieuse,' 
 and professional singers have the only dif- 
 ference that they cultivate art instead of 
 nature." 
 
 '^ Oh, if you really see it in that light, 
 I am rejoiced, but from remarks I had 
 heard made, I feared you looked on this 
 man as something more than a mere 
 voice-machine, — he is always here, you 
 know." 
 
 " On Thursdays, yes, when he comes to 
 amuse my friends. I hope you do not think 
 I would admit him at other times." 
 
 "Well, don't take my friendly words 
 amiss, dear Mrs. Leigh ; I cannot, however, 
 refrain from sounding a note of warning 
 when I am interested in any one and see 
 danger. Who is the little cripple who has
 
 102 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 just come in ? I don't think I ever saw 
 him before." 
 
 '-'- A friend of my uncle's, with whom I 
 have been staying in the country. He is a 
 barrister, and a very clever one, too," 
 answered Bertha promptly, giving an out- 
 lined sketch of her own about Mr. Gries- 
 nach. 
 
 " "Will you present him to me ? " asked 
 Lady Bluntisfield, on whom Eichard Gries- 
 nach's intelligent face had made an impres- 
 sion, enhanced in her mind by comparison 
 with what she called the '-'- puppyism of these 
 degenerate days." 
 
 ^^ Some other time I will with pleasure ;. 
 but he is so very shy and morbid that at 
 times I am almost afraid to speak to him 
 myself; you must come and meet him some 
 day when all this world is not here, then 
 you will appreciate him fully." 
 
 Thus she artfully put off ^ine die an in- 
 troduction which would in no way have 
 suited her arrangements, and right thankful 
 did she feel when a few moments later she
 
 Shaking the Sieve. 103 
 
 saw Lady Bluntisfield prepare to depart. 
 If she would only catch a cold which should 
 confine her in the house for months, how 
 grateful would Mrs. Leigh be ! but no such 
 good luck was likely to befall, for Lady 
 Bluntisfield was as tough as leather, and 
 Bertha could not afford to offend her, so she 
 was compelled to parry her attacks as best 
 she could, and to bring all her diplomatic 
 art to bear in keeping matters smooth. For 
 this day she trusted her work was done ; 
 but no, just as the good lady was saying her 
 final ait revoirs, the door was thrown open 
 and Sir Edward Bazalgette was announced. 
 Here was another black sheep, and, to 
 judge from Lady Bluntisfield's face, a very 
 black one, too, for she was not wont to be- 
 stow such unmistakeable marks of her dis- 
 approval on those individuals whom she dis- 
 tinguished as belonging to her own class. 
 She did not speak, however, only gave a 
 grunt and a very ugly jerk of her head, 
 when the young man in question bowed as 
 he passed her into the room.
 
 I04 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 At last she was goue, and Bertha breathed 
 more freely ; in fact, the atmosphere seemed 
 to have become so suddenly cleared and rari- 
 fied by her absence, that she became quite 
 joyous and excited, a phase to which her 
 usually placid temperament did not fre- 
 quently rise; but she joked so familiarly 
 with the good-looking tenor, so much pointed 
 repartee, so many half-whispered double- 
 entendres passed between them, that perhaps 
 Lady Bluntisfield was not so far wrong in 
 her somewhat interfering remarks. Though, 
 after all, it was only a little way Mrs. Leigh 
 had ; she had no especial penchant for this 
 particular man, but he was one of her 
 trov/pe^ and, as such she meant to retain 
 him, and therefore employed the sort of at- 
 tractions which she thought the most likely 
 to keep him enslaved. But while this ani- 
 mated conversation was proceeding, Mrs. 
 Leigh was by no means wholly absorbed by 
 it, her eyes and thoughts were everywhere, 
 and she saw every little combination that 
 was being formed. If she suffered person-
 
 Shaki7ig the Sieve, 105 
 
 ally by these Tliursday afternoons, they, at 
 least, bore their fruit by letting her know 
 what pairings and ^'coalitions," as Jenkins 
 i^ould have called them, were going on 
 among her friends. Sir Edward Bazalgette 
 and Mr. Griesnach had shuffled together 
 she saw with an amused twinkle ; that there 
 was an ulterior motive on the part of Sir 
 Edward she felt very sure, for his personal 
 regard for '^ Humpty Dumpty " was, she 
 knew, infinitesimally small. 
 
 '^ Marcia, you are not going ? Do stop and 
 dine ; I shall be alone and dull," she said 
 softly as the former passed in front of her 
 while she was still talking to the tenor. 
 
 "Would with pleasure, dear, but I have 
 an engagement; the governor has asked 
 some fogies and I must preside at home." 
 
 ''I am sorry. I wanted a chat; but you 
 will come soon, love, when we can have it to 
 •ourselves. I have seen nothing of you in 
 this crowd." And with a pressure of the 
 hand they parted. 
 
 Which was the truth ? Was Marcia Fenton
 
 io6 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 still to remain one of Mrs. Leigh's dearest 
 friends, or was she to be dropped to please 
 the great lady whom she dared not offend, 
 because under the patronage of her stern 
 respectability, Bertha was enabled to carry 
 on many little intrigues and practices for 
 which, under less powerful protection, she 
 would probably have been coolly treated, if 
 not absolutely cut, by that very fickle dame, 
 Society ? To a certain extent, perhaps. Lady 
 Bluntisfield was right in her dislike to Miss 
 Fenton ; she was very noisy and off-hand, 
 talked slang as if it were her mother -tongue, 
 and was dashing and showy in her dress as 
 well as her manners. She was the daughter 
 of a money lender, who had amassed con- 
 siderable wealth, — a fact which had not 
 reached Lady Bluntisfield, placed as she was 
 on that highly respectable pinnacle of hers, 
 but still she had not failed to discover that 
 the young person was very third-rate, and 
 did not belong to her set. As to her being 
 a connection of the late Colonel Leigh, that 
 was a mere fabrication of Bertha's, who
 
 Shaking the Sieve, • lo; 
 
 never could walk otherwise than indirectly 
 in the paths of Truth. She had only made 
 acquaintance with Miss Fenton some months 
 previously; and, as in many respects she 
 suited her, they had become fast friends. 
 Marcia had always plenty of money to com- 
 mand, and was ready for any amount of 
 gadding about and amusement, only she 
 was very irrepressible, a flagrant vice in 
 Mrs. Leigh's eyes, and one which she vainly 
 sought to stem, but all her little suggestions 
 were totally disregarded. Marcia Fenton 
 would always put herself very much en evi- 
 dence^ and be as loud and noisy both in her 
 behaviour and attire as though gentleness 
 and quietness were totally unfeminine 
 virtues. She was altogether a very difficult 
 card to play, especially when she would in- 
 sist on presenting herself on Thursday after- 
 noons, but still for all that Mrs. Leigh 
 scarcely felt inclined to give her up. She 
 must manage to keep on frieudly terms with 
 all these odds and ends of life, which never 
 would fit into the same fabric. After all
 
 io8 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 how could any one imagine that they would ? 
 A mansion built in every style of known 
 architecture would be an anomaly, and 
 why should people of strong characteristic 
 types, each with a line of his own, be ex- 
 pected to shake down amicably together in 
 the same drawing-room ? Even you, Mrs. 
 Leigh, with all your aptitude for finesse will 
 not manage it ; and so she thought herself 
 as, the crowd having departed, she stood 
 listening to the end of the conversation 
 between Sir Edward Bazalgette and Mr. 
 <jriesnach.
 
 log 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 women's woek. 
 
 ^^ Were they both going to stop ? " Bertha 
 Leigh wonderedj as she coiled herself up in 
 the corner of the sofa in a lazy sleepy 
 fashion peculiarly her own ; if so, she would 
 have to go on acting, and the pressure had 
 been rather high to-day, she felt somewhat 
 weary. 
 
 ^' When are the St. Ormes coming to 
 town ? " she asked, putting a leading ques- 
 tion at once. 
 
 ^''Not till March, I believe," answered 
 Mr. Griesnach ; "at least the term for 
 which they have the cottage does not expire 
 till then."
 
 no Baiting the Trap, 
 
 '^ "What nonsense ! you should persuade 
 them to come at once. I hate things being 
 put off, they lose their interest." 
 
 '^ Money, I am afraid, is t/ie difficulty ; 
 speedy arrangements without it are not easily 
 effected." 
 
 "I think I shall ask them to come and 
 stay here," pursued Mrs. Leigh, looking 
 fixedly at the two men to see if her words 
 made any mark, ^' at all events I will invite 
 Pettita. I should think sh e would be terribly 
 in the way while Margaret is packing up the 
 household gods. There are some people here 
 to whom I want to introduce her. She must 
 lose no time in being started. Will you back 
 my application to have her, Mr.Griesnach ? " 
 
 "With pleasure," he answered, ^^ if she 
 is to come to town the sooner the better." 
 
 'Poor Margaret, no one thought of her, or 
 troubled themselves whether she came or 
 stayed away. 
 
 "Agreed then. I will write to-morrow 
 and you will endorse my appeal. You are 
 going out of town, I think, are you not. Sir
 
 Womcji^s Work, 
 
 III 
 
 Edward ? " she went on, suddenly changing 
 her tone and addressing her other visitor. 
 
 '' Who ? I ? Ah ! Yes ; well I scarcely 
 know." 
 
 *' Yery coherent and to the point, I must 
 say. Like most men, I suppose, you please 
 the fancy of the fleeting hour." 
 
 "The exception proves the rule," he 
 answered, rising, "for I must be off. I 
 have a long standing dinner and theatre 
 engagement, which I had nearly forgotten 
 in this agreeable society." 
 
 Sir Edward had had some experiences of 
 Mrs. Leigh's banter lately, and he did not 
 feel inclined to expose himself to more, 
 b)esides he always hated to play number 
 three. This was exactly what Bertha had 
 wished, and she had commenced the on- 
 slaught, expecting to beat him off the field, 
 allowing him, however, to carry the know- 
 ledge with him that Pettita might possibly 
 come to London soon, a fact which she hoped 
 would have the effect of keeping him on in 
 town.
 
 112 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 " Poor boy, he is very nice, and I am 
 quite pleased to talk his affairs over with 
 him sometimes, but I want so much to 
 have a chat with you, Mr. Griesnach,'' she 
 said, as the door being closed they were 
 left alone. 
 
 " For that express purpose am I here. I 
 suppose I could hardly have chosen a worse 
 day." 
 
 ^^ All's well that ends well," she answered 
 gaily, '''' and now tell me all about yourself. 
 What have you been doing since you 
 came to town, and, above all, how are 
 you?" 
 
 In a few terse sentences he gave a graphic 
 account of his day's experiences. 
 
 "How clever you are!" she exclaimed 
 when he had finished. " Ah ! well, you 
 know I am not clever in the least, and I am 
 often thankful for it, it seems to make 
 people suffer so much. Is not it a blessing 
 that mediocrity has its consolations ? " 
 
 " Are you not doing yourself an in- 
 justice ? " he asked. " ISTo one surely can
 
 Women's Work, 113 
 
 be kind and considerate for otliers as you 
 are without at times feeling deeply." 
 
 ^^ Oh ! that is quite another thing, but if I 
 were to put myself in the agonies of mind 
 that you do I should not be able to console 
 and sympathise ; though I am not at all 
 clever myself I can appreciate cleverness in 
 others, and almost worship them for it. 
 Acknowledge now, Mr. Griesnach, that you 
 have antidotes to misery in those hours 
 when we all make much of you and pet 
 you? " 
 
 ^^My hours for being petted are like 
 angels' visits," he said, smiling sadly. 
 
 ^' Well, come here whenever you feel 
 dejected and unhappy, and you shall have 
 petting ad nauseam^'' and she held out her 
 hand to him ; ^^ only do not make too much 
 clever talk, or you will annihilate poor little 
 me altogether." 
 
 He bowed over her hand and kissed it 
 with the tears in his eyes. The lonely man 
 was touched by this mark of womanly 
 regard. 
 
 VOL. I. I
 
 1 1 4 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 '' So you are going to start an educational 
 newspaper, you say, and for women, too ! I 
 am afraid we are progressing too fast. I 
 should like to creep back into the last 
 century," she said, leading him away from 
 the sentimental and putting him back on his 
 pet hobby-horse again. '' It is all no good, 
 my dear man, I feel quite sure of it. Fools 
 will be fools still, whatever newspapers you 
 may write or schools you may institute. I 
 for one would never either read the one or 
 go to the other." 
 
 ^' And yet you appreciate talent." 
 
 *^ Ah ! but I should not if it were very 
 common. Then I should want a fool to 
 exhibit at my parties, as the kings had 
 jesters of old." 
 
 "Even nonsense requires more teaching 
 than you suspect," he replied, laughing. 
 "To be amusing it must be sparkling, to be 
 sparkling it must have its source from the 
 fount of knowledge ; and a man who talks 
 nonsense professionally is indeed a dreary
 
 Womoi^s Work. 1 1 5 
 
 individual, unless lie have a flash or two of 
 genius about him." 
 
 '^ Oh ! if you are going to analyse every- 
 thing, even nonsense, pray spare me, and 
 tell me what you want women to do and ta 
 be, when they have received all this highly 
 intellectual teaching ; not helpmeets for man^ 
 — for if they take it all in they will be in- 
 comparably superior to him." 
 
 '^ I hope not, if the same amount of pres- 
 sure is applied to both sexes. But the main 
 object, I take it, of the higher education of 
 women is to make them more self-reliant 
 than they now are, more capable of contribut- 
 ing to their support, and finding for them- 
 selves avocations in which their talents may 
 be employed and their purses filled. Ta 
 women of the middle classes I most particu- 
 larly allude." 
 
 *^ Poor wretches, — well, if a woman can- 
 not find a man to work for her she must be 
 a poor thing, with all her learning. I am a 
 fool, as I have previously told you, therefore 
 my opinion is not worth much, but I strongly 
 
 i2
 
 1 1 6 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 suspect you men are carving out misery for 
 the next generation by putting everything 
 and everybody in the wrong place. The 
 mental training from which you expect so 
 much is sure to fall short of its adjudged 
 mark, self-sufficiency and arrogance will 
 assert themselves in its place ; and you men 
 will find out when too late that the pretty 
 little dolls, who are contented to be coaxed 
 and played with, are far preferable to these 
 overpowering young women who are ready 
 to crush you with an avalanche of big words 
 at every turn." 
 
 '^This is viewing the leading question of 
 the day from a very low standard." 
 
 "- Taken at a silly woman's focus, — so be 
 it, — but, nevertheless, you will never make 
 me think otherwise than that the system 
 will prove homicidal. This is surely 
 not the sort of opening you meditate for 
 Pettita, that she is to be crammed with 
 learning and made horrid and disagree- 
 able ? " 
 
 " Something must be done for those girls,"
 
 Women's Work. 117 
 
 answered Mr. Griesnacli gravely, ''their in- 
 come is totally inadequate to meet their 
 requirements as gentlewomen." 
 
 '' Well, bring high pressure to bear on 
 Margaret if you like, but do leave Pettita 
 alone. I cannot and will not have her 
 spoiled, which is sure to happen the moment 
 she is taught." 
 
 ''But, my dear Mrs. Leigh, Pettita is a 
 girl with strong latent ambitions ; her yearn- 
 ings and longings for a world beyond her 
 own little one are already developing them- 
 selves." 
 
 " And do you think women never had 
 yearnings and longings, as you call them,, 
 before this higher education system was 
 the general topic ? It is no use to talk 
 to me ; I do not see the good of it and I 
 never shall. Let us take Pettita, for instance 
 — put her in a hotbed and force her brain 
 to its utmost, — what is the result, the 
 money -making return you expect from all 
 this?" 
 
 " A highly educated woman must find a
 
 1 1 8 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 value for her talents ? " answered Mr. Gries- 
 nach. 
 
 ^' So I should imagine — by going out as a 
 daily governess and leading a life of drudgery. 
 It might suit Margaret, it shall not be tried 
 for Pettita. Women are of a totally different 
 organisation to men. Take an ignorant 
 woman's word for it, my dear Mr. Gries- 
 nach, one who knows the sex much better 
 than you can possibly do ; it is useless 
 trying to drench us with the heavy know- 
 ledge you give to boys, in nine cases out of 
 ten it produces nothing but self-sufficiency 
 and impertinence ; we frequently have one 
 leading talent, which, if properly worked, 
 will bear fruit, and failing that, which only 
 developes itself in the favoured few, we are 
 far better left to our housewifely duties, our 
 frivolities and our gossip, as the case 
 may be.'' 
 
 '''- You do not draw a very flattering picture 
 of your sex," he said, smiling. 
 
 '' Do not misunderstand, I think my' own 
 sex in its way quite the equal of yours, it is
 
 Women'* s Work. 1 1 9 
 
 brighter, lighter, more brilliant; but the 
 very qualities we have which lend their 
 radiance to you, and which tend to gladden 
 many an overworked man's leisure hours, 
 you men are yourselves labouring to extin- 
 guish, and are trying to taint us with the 
 attributes of that most unpleasant of all 
 mortals, a learned don. All I can say is, I 
 fervently hope that you will never succeed, 
 or if you do, that you will be made to suffer 
 for it." 
 
 " Do you then altogether object to a 
 woman making any mark for herself in 
 public life V 
 
 ''Not a bit. Prudery is not one of my 
 tenets, but I object to her standing on plat- 
 forms haranguing about things entirely out 
 of her province, and trying to take fresh re- 
 sponsibilities and troubles upon herself when 
 it seems to me she has quite enough without 
 them. Defend me from a strong-minded 
 woman, but then you know I am a fool, and 
 that may account to a great extent for my 
 antipathy. I believe the whole thing is got
 
 I20 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 up by a faction for the sake of notoriety, 
 but as notoriety pays better perhaps than 
 celebrity, Vive the ^ Educational Argus.' " 
 
 ^^ Pardon me, Mrs. Leigh, but this is a 
 harsh judgment even from a woman," ex- 
 claimed Mr. Griesnach, half-laughing, half 
 prepared to be affronted, " you do not surely 
 imagine that I would lend myself to a mere 
 money-making scheme in which my opinions 
 did not fully concur." 
 
 ^^ Oh ! then you really believe in the ad- 
 vantages to accrue from this revolution in 
 the old state of things ; now tell me what 
 they are, I am willing to be converted, if 
 possible." 
 
 " Extended education ought most empha- 
 tically to be an object, because by it alone 
 can the interests and position of women be 
 improved, and even you will, I fancy, admit 
 that there are grounds. Every year in this 
 country an increasing number of women are 
 left to struggle for themselves in life, their 
 instruction seems to me then to have become 
 of immense commercial value."
 
 Womenh Work. 121 
 
 " But the market is over-stocked," cried 
 Mrs. Leigh, ^' and teach them as much as 
 you will, there is no work left for them to 
 do when they are taught, consequently they 
 would be much happier knowing less. Now, 
 Mr. Griesnach, we have before us two living 
 instances of moneyless girls wanting work 
 and an opening, so all these fine theories can 
 very readily be put into practice. What are 
 you going to do with them ? Pettita says 
 she is going on the stage." 
 
 ^' Heaven forbid ! " he exclaimed, but Mrs. 
 Leigh burst out laughing. 
 
 " Why, you are as absurd as Margaret, do 
 you mean to say the girl will not be much 
 happier following the bent of her own in- 
 clinations than being forced into work for 
 which she has no taste or talent ? I feel sure 
 Bohemia is a very pleasant country." 
 
 He shook his head gravely. 
 
 ''You have never tried it, and therefore 
 scarcely know the horrors which counter- 
 balance its seeming charms. This then is 
 Pettita' s view for her future career," he con-
 
 122 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 tinued, as though half talking to himself, 
 ^^ foolish child, foolish child; she never told 
 me though ; but it must be stopped, it must 
 be stopped." 
 
 ^'You bigot," cried Mrs. Leigh, still 
 laughing, ^^ you call yourself an advocate for 
 women's work, and then when a young thing 
 presents herself with a developing talent, 
 you cry out crush it back, crush it back, it 
 is the wrong one, we want another." 
 
 "Margaret will never consent," he per- 
 sisted ; " think of their position as gentle- 
 women." 
 
 " Position ! fiddle-de-dee, that is a word 
 that will be obsolete in the next generation ; 
 the ^ pinnacled aristocracy ' has only a few 
 old-fashioned champions, like Lady Bluntis- 
 field, left even now ; these levelling days do 
 not admit of many class distinctions. Now 
 answer me honestly, Mr. Griesnach, would 
 not you rather that Pettita were an artiste 
 than a governess." 
 
 " If she were a successful artiste^ yes, 
 perhaps."
 
 WomerCs Work, 123 
 
 '-^ And who says she is not going to be 
 successful ? She must take her chance in 
 that like other things." 
 
 Mr. Griesnach did not speak again for two 
 or three minutes, — he was thinking ; at last 
 he burst out with, 
 
 '^ It is a fearful trial, though, to see the 
 child you would watch over and keep from 
 harm, exposed to the buffets, cuffs, and libels 
 of a bitter world." 
 
 ^' Or the applause, admiration, and lauda- 
 tion of a delighted audience; every picture 
 has its reverse side, every phase in life its 
 temptations.'' 
 
 " But the stage for Pettita,'' he went on. 
 
 *^Her mother," said Mrs. Leigh quietly. 
 
 He started up. 
 
 '-'- Was a danseuse^ yes, but the girls do not 
 know it ; never let them be told ; how did 
 you find it out ?" 
 
 Mrs. Leigh smiled complacently. 
 
 '' I know most things," she observed. 
 
 The fact was, she knew nothing of the 
 matter, only a vague suspicion had on more
 
 124 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 than one occasion crossed her mind that the 
 penniless Lima beauty might have a history, 
 so she threw out a little hook, the fish, 
 nibbled, and the required information was 
 caught. 
 
 '^ And with this knowledge," she went on 
 talking quietly, "is it surprising that 
 Pettita should have a taste for the foot- 
 lights." 
 
 But Mr. Griesnach was beyond listening 
 patiently, he was shambling about the room 
 in his awkward disjointed way, groaning and 
 muttering, and seemingly regardless of Mrs. 
 Leigh's presence. Bertha rose, and walking 
 up to him in her noiseless fashion led him 
 gently back to his arm-chair by the fire. 
 
 " I cannot allow you to excite yourself 
 thus, indeed it is not good for you, you will 
 be quite ill, and your health, in my eyes at 
 all events, is far more important than that 
 foolish girl's caprices." 
 
 '' The first moment I saw her I knew she 
 resembled her mother," he went on. 
 
 ^' Well, never mind that now, do be calm
 
 Womeri^s Work, 125 
 
 and reasonable. I am going to write to 
 Pettita to come to town, and then you shall 
 •talk to her, and I will talk to her, and be- 
 tween ns we will see whether a "middle 
 <}ourse cannot be arranged. T have my little 
 projects." 
 
 ^'My dear lady, I have been at my wits' 
 end to know what to do for those girls ever 
 since I became aware of their forlorn, almost 
 penniless condition." 
 
 '-'' Well, never mind, they will fall on their 
 feet never fear. You go on with your 
 '- Educational Argus ' (I dare say it will 
 prove a very useful organ), and your news- 
 paper articles; do not roll yourself up in 
 morbid thoughts and neglect them, there is 
 nothing like having a hold on the press when 
 you have anything to push." 
 
 ^^ Ah ! " he said, rising to take his leave, 
 ^' I suspect you know far more of the work- 
 ings of things in general than in the early 
 part of our conversation you would have led 
 me to believe." 
 
 '^ Mere instinct, my friend, and that
 
 126 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 quick-siglitedness in which we so far surpass 
 you men, and of which you would rob us 
 when you would dull our natural capacities 
 by too much learning." 
 
 Mr. Griesnach, however, was too much 
 taken up by his thoughts about Pettita's 
 future to feel disposed for farther argument, 
 thus Mrs. Leigh carried her love of excessive 
 womanliness to the end of the discussion 
 by having the last word — and so they 
 parted. 
 
 She threw herself back on her sofa to rest 
 for awhile after the somewhat fatiguing con- 
 versations and combinations of the day.
 
 127 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 IN LONDON. 
 
 ^' You do not mean to say that this is London 
 and that I am really and truly here at last ? 
 It is much smokier and dingier than the 
 country, but never mind that. Oh ! it is 
 too delightful. How good of you to invite 
 me, you sweet old dear ! " and Pettita, but a 
 few hours since arrived from Woodlands, 
 danced about the little drawing-room in 
 Belgrave Street, in a perfect ecstasy of de- 
 light ; '^ and ' old Dick ' is coming to din- 
 ner you say, Mrs. Leigh ; by the by, Madge 
 says I am not to call him ^ old Dick,' but I 
 cannot help it, it comes naturally." 
 
 ^' ' Old Dick ' is going to have you taught^
 
 128 Baitijig the Trap, 
 
 he is editing a newspaper on purpose, he 
 wants to bring you out as a philosopheress, 
 a sort of she-Hegel or Comte in petti- 
 coats." 
 
 "Good gracious, how alarming! but of 
 course you are only poking fun at me." 
 
 " ITot a bit of it, the idea of the foot- 
 lights frightens him excessively, so he 
 means to have you crammed with learning 
 till you have passed your examination in 
 all sorts of ^ ologies,' and, with a pair of 
 very ill-shaped spectacles on your nose, are 
 fit to stand on a platform from whence you 
 will be expected to harangue a very large 
 audience of the unenlightened masses." 
 
 " What fun it would be ! " cried the girl, 
 "just to do it for once, if one could only 
 get the ^ ologies ' into one's head without 
 learning them." 
 
 Mrs. Leigh put on a serio-comic face. 
 
 " My dear Pettita, I am surprised to hear 
 you talk in this flippant strain. Are you 
 not aware, young woman, that you have 
 oome to London to work, and that therefore
 
 In London, 129 
 
 you must put aside all frivolity and levity, 
 and must devote yourself with a will to the 
 pursuit of knowledge ? You will hear of 
 nothing else in this great capital, we have 
 all gone mad on the subject of education; 
 in fact. Bedlam is so full of educational 
 monomaniacs that they are thinking of build- 
 ing another hospital.'' 
 
 Pettita sat down on a low stool on the 
 hearthrug looking very dismal, almost as 
 though she were going to cry. 
 
 ''And is it really true?'' she asked, 
 " that there is nothing for me to do in 
 London unless I go to school again ? And 
 I do so hate all books except just those that 
 it pleases my fancy to read ; I don't want 
 to be taught grammar and geometry, and 
 astronomy and political economy. I abomi- 
 nate them all, they are only fit for boys." 
 
 '' It shall not if it does not like," said 
 Mrs. Leigh, leaning over her and smoothing 
 her hair; ''it shall marry a rich husband, 
 and he shall have learnt all the objection- 
 able things." 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 130 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 ^^ I don't want a rich husband ; I want to 
 do something for myself without going to 
 school again at eighteen," and Petti ta 
 pushed Mrs. Leigh off somewhat roughly, 
 in her petted way. 
 
 '' Well, my dear child, if you will neither 
 accept the new-fashioned system nor the old 
 one, what is to be done ? " 
 
 '^ I won't be fettered," cried Pettita, 
 jumping up. ^' I will neither be tied to old 
 folios nor to a man for his money-bags. 
 Let us go to the theatre to-night, dear Mrs. 
 Leigh ; I am sure that is the only life that 
 will suit me. I must have glitter and ad- 
 miration, and light and a brilliant career, or 
 I shall die of starvation." 
 
 ^' Oh ! you poor little Lima offshoot; and 
 this is the girl they want to turn into a bit 
 of dried parchment. We cannot go to the 
 theatre to-night, darling, because Mr. Gries- 
 nach is coming, but some night soon you 
 shall see the very best play in London." 
 
 Pettita began to pirouette about the room 
 with a sort of baby glee.
 
 /;/ London, 131 
 
 Mrs. Leigh watched her and made her 
 mental comments. Eertha was a keen 
 observer of character, or she would not 
 have succeeded so well in her various little 
 plans and intrigues. She smiled quietly to 
 herself as she regarded Pettita from under 
 her long lashes. 
 
 '^ There is not much of the stuff strong- 
 minded women are made of in her com- 
 position," she thought to herself. "Fancy 
 trying to teach her ; nothing would ever 
 make her understand the meaning of the 
 word ' value,' and without that you would 
 not make much impression." 
 
 " Glitter and warmth and brightness, so 
 that is what you want, Pettita," she said 
 at last, finishing her comments out loud, 
 " and no work ? I am sorry there are so 
 many like you, child." 
 
 "Oh! I will work, Mrs. Leigh, but not 
 at books. I will dance or act or sing all 
 day and all night if it will only pay Madge's 
 bills." 
 
 "Can you sing?" asked Mrs. Leigh^ 
 
 K 2
 
 1^2 Baitinor the Trap. 
 
 who felt that if she had a voice worth 
 training perhaps the Gordian knot might be 
 untied. 
 
 Pettita began to carol like a bird as she 
 went on with her graceful dance about the 
 room. Mrs. Leigh, ensconced among her 
 sofa cushions, looked on and listened ; she 
 was searching for the one talent, which, a 
 few • days previously, she had assured Mr. 
 Griesnach was to be found in every woman 
 who was above par ; and this she hoped 
 and believed Pettita to be. Generally 
 bright and clever, there was no doubt the 
 girl was; 'accomplished' was the young 
 lady's term by which she would have been 
 designated had money allowed her to 
 dawdle along the path of life in which 
 she was born. The object, however, now 
 was to find the accomplishment which 
 would bear forcing. She had never had 
 any teachers but her father and Margaret ; 
 thus learning with her had been very de- 
 sultory, and talent had been left a good 
 deal to its natural growth. Margaret's
 
 In London. 135. 
 
 somewhat dry, matter-of-fact view of study- 
 was but little in accordance with. Pettita's 
 more vivacious and impressionable tempera- 
 ment. The books she would read with 
 avidity Margaret generally disapproved ; and 
 had it not been that Captain St. Orme 
 spoiled his youngest born and let her do 
 exactly as she liked, they would probably 
 bave been taken away altogether. 
 
 Left to their own luxuriant growth, her 
 talents then had undergone but little pruning^ 
 and cutting, except occasionally, when Mar- 
 garet managed to get her incisive scissors 
 among the branches ; but this was so seldom, 
 and raised such a storm of rebellion when it 
 did happen, that the advantages derived 
 were but small. Thus, training to be com- 
 menced at eighteen was scarcely likely to 
 prove very effectual, and well might her 
 friends look at each other and ask, ^^ What 
 is to be done with Pettita ? " 
 
 Mrs. Leigh sat and watched the girPs 
 mad frolics about the room, and did not 
 speak for some little time, — she was con-
 
 134 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 sidering. She was desirous, after her fashion, 
 to do something substantial for her ^rote^ee. 
 She was not altogether ill-natured and un- 
 benevolent ; it was only when any one got 
 in her way that Bertha Leigh would scheme 
 and intrigue till she annoyed, or perhaps 
 crushed, them. For the present, at all 
 events, Pettita was in high favour, and 
 Bertha was really intent on doing her the 
 best turn she could, according to the focus 
 from which she viewed her case. Be 
 it remembered, Mrs. Leigh generally made 
 her own lens, and to any one but herself they 
 would have been very misty, darkness and 
 general vagueness would have oppressed the 
 uninitiated, but then, of course, they could 
 know nothing of the conjuror's tricks by 
 which Bertha filled in roseate hues and 
 golden tints. She was very capable of 
 taking care of herself, no one more so ; but 
 was she a safe and sure guide for a young, 
 highly imaginative, impressionable girl like 
 Pettita St. Orme? That was the question 
 those who knew her well would assuredly have
 
 In London. 135 
 
 asked. At last Pettita, tired by her some- 
 what childish gambols, came and sat down 
 on the sofa beside her friend and patroness. 
 In a moment Bertha's arm was round her, 
 and she was drawn lovingly towards her. 
 
 ^^ Poor little thing/' she said compas- 
 sionately, " I am so sorry you feel obliged 
 to work ; you might amuse yourself so plea- 
 santly if you only had money." 
 
 '^ Don't pity me, pray don't pity me," 
 cried Pettita, flushing and starting back; 
 ^^ money is pleasant I make no doubt, at 
 least I know that poverty is utterly miser- 
 able. To see Madge pinching and striving 
 and slaving to make two ends which are ever 
 so far apart meet, is a dreary picture to 
 have constantly before one's eyes, and to tell 
 the truth, I cannot stand it much longer, 
 though I know she draws a curtain over the 
 half of it, poor dear; but I will not 
 be pitied. I want to know whether you 
 think I am any good, whether the stage will 
 have me, in fact." 
 
 ^' Oh ! yes, the stage will have you, I
 
 136 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 make no doubt," ansTrered Mrs. Leigh, look- 
 ing straight before her, and speaking in her 
 low quiet way, ^^but have you considered 
 all you will have to contend against before 
 you get there — Margaret's tears, Mr. Gries- 
 nach's frowns, and when the first have been 
 dried up and the puckers smoothed out of 
 the second, then there is the training; — you 
 must learn your business, my child." 
 
 Pettita looked very demure. 
 
 '^ Learning, always learning, Mrs. Leigh ; 
 can nothing be done without learning ? And 
 I thought I was to become great and rich 
 all at once." 
 
 At that moment the door opened, and 
 Mr. Griesnach was announced ; he was early, 
 earlier by half an hour than he had been 
 expected, but he was impatient to see 
 Pettita. Mrs. Leigh glanced at the clock 
 on the mantelpiece, this unpunctuality was 
 an infringement on the laws of society 
 which did not please her, and might, she 
 thought, have proved very inconvenient. A 
 fidgety, irritable temperament was a phase
 
 In London. 137 
 
 of iLuman nature witli which personally she 
 was wholly unacqnaintedj though it might 
 prove amusing as a psychological study, 
 always provided that its vagaries and eccen- 
 tricities were not allowed to interfere with 
 her arrangements and plans. 
 
 She only smiled, however, when Mr. 
 Griesnach excused himself for his over-im- 
 patience, and then took up the thread of the 
 conversation by telling him that Pettita had 
 evidently more than believed the old saying 
 that London streets were paved with gold, 
 for she anticipated that glory was to be met 
 at every turn, but she added, 
 
 '^ We know, dear Mr. Griesnach, do we 
 not, that the road to Fame is up-hill, and 
 that it is only notoriety that is easily 
 attained ? " 
 
 ^^ ' Genius never fails to be accompanied 
 by a martyr's crown,' as said the great 
 Goethe*," he replied softly, looking sadly on 
 the girl as he spoke. 
 
 * Wo du das Genie erblickst 
 
 Erblickst du auch zugleich die Marterkrone.
 
 138 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 He knew full well that the life she in her 
 youthful enthusiasm imagined would be 
 fraught with so much happiness, would 
 probably prove a disappointment and a 
 blank, at best a fret and a perpetual torment. 
 Who has cast himself into the troubled waters 
 of public life, into whichever of its many 
 streamlets his proclivities may have led him, 
 and has not found it so ? How many a 
 man, to-day vested with almost god-like 
 attributes, is to-morrow cast forth naked to 
 be scourged, while the vox popiili^ but yes- 
 terday so loud in praise, finds no epithets 
 too foul to lavish on the fallen idol ? and, as 
 Mrs, Leigh had justly observed, to reach 
 that unsafe pinnacle was no easy road. 
 Dangers, vexations, rebuffs, beset the aspi- 
 rant for Fame at every turn; how many 
 young hearts are broken in the fight, how 
 few minds have the strength to pursue the 
 ivorld- weary pilgrimage to its end ! All 
 this and more did Eichard Griesnach know 
 full well as he stood and looked at Pettita. 
 What man interested in a woman's welfare
 
 In London. 139 
 
 would choose such a lot for her ? Yet what 
 was to be done ? Of money she had little, 
 of contentment she had none. The restless- 
 ness of her nature demanded employment ; 
 the good that was in her made her long to 
 do what was possible towards paying those 
 dreadful bills which were always worrying 
 Margaret. 
 
 " Women's work ; " the words are passed 
 from tongue to tongue, the subject is dis- 
 cussed largely in all its bearings. Yet no 
 one seemed able to decide how Pettita's 
 efforts were to be directed, there seemed 
 nothing she could do, no portal open to her. 
 '- The fault was entirely her own,' is the im- 
 patient answer. To a [certain extent true. 
 She is a very woman, impressionable, illogi- 
 <3al, led by instinct rather than reason, fond 
 of admiration, pliable and loving, made 
 wretched by a cross word, won over by a 
 kind one. With all these attributes, totally 
 unfit to struggle along a hard road, and yet, 
 poor child, no other seemed likely to pre- 
 sent itself. From the stage, at any cost,
 
 140 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 Eichard Griesnacli had determined she 
 should be saved ; he had been thinking the 
 matter over carefully and painfully since he 
 was last at Mrs. Leigh's, and had resolved 
 to do his utmost to prevent it. 
 
 She sat for some few minutes looking 
 very subduedj a tear-drop glistening in each 
 eye, then she dashed them away and started 
 up full of hope and life once more. 
 
 ^'I can dance," she cried, ^^ and I have 
 read in books that people are paid for 
 dancing; if you think I am too great a 
 fool ever to be famous, at least let me get 
 money and help Madge." 
 
 Mrs. Leigh glanced at Mr. Griesnach and 
 smiled, but he turned away with a shudder. 
 
 '' My child," he said in a low voice, " you 
 know nothing of life, or you would not talk 
 at random thus." 
 
 '^ You all find fault," cried Pettita pet- 
 tishly, ^^but no one suggests a career, so 
 there is nothing left but to take the law in 
 my own hands and make one for myself. I 
 hate this perpetual ' don't do this ' and ' you
 
 hi London, 141 
 
 must not do the other,' so I shall end by 
 doing as I like." 
 
 ^^ Anything but the stage," broke in Mr. 
 Griesnach, his words coming out in a half- 
 choked way. 
 
 ^^ I thought you admired the drama," she 
 cried ; '^ why, I am sure it was entirely owing 
 to your talking so much one day at Wood- 
 lands about ' legitimate drama ' that I rum- 
 maged out a lot of old books and devoured 
 Beaumont and Fletcher and Massinger till 
 Margaret took them all away." 
 
 ^^ The drama, yes, one bows before intel- 
 lect, — but to dance ! My God, Pettita, I feel 
 almost mad at the very thought." 
 
 Mrs. Leigh, who had witnessed Mr. 
 Griesnach's excitement on a previous occa- 
 sion and did not wish for a repetition, now 
 interrupted them, speaking with her flute- 
 like voice. 
 
 '^ Do let us be happy to-night, and not get 
 into any uncomfortable discussions ; a very 
 old friend of mine^ who knows more of the 
 stage than we can possibly do, for she has
 
 142 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 been before the public for the last forty 
 years, shall come and have a talk to the 
 child here, and we will more or less abide 
 by her dictum ; now, to please me, say no 
 more about it for this one evening. Arguing 
 before dinner is very bad for the digestion, 
 and poor dear Mr. Griesnach looks quite 
 weary and ill. We are going to devote our- 
 selves to petting him, are we not, Pettita." 
 Soon the dinner was announced, and as 
 Bertha aptly turned the conversation when- 
 ever it touched on dangerous ground, the 
 time passed jjleasantly enough. Any one 
 who knew Bertha Leigh well would inevi- 
 tably have discovered that she was bored; 
 she yawned occasionally in a suppressed sort 
 of way, and was very distraite when not 
 absolutely called upon to speak. Perhaps she 
 was wondering why she had entangled her- 
 self in this new mesh, and troubled herself 
 about the affairs of people who were after 
 all nothing to her. One thing is very 
 certain, that she was deciding in her own 
 mind that Eichard Griesnach should not be
 
 /;/ Lo7idon, 143 
 
 a too-frequent visitor in Belgravc Street. 
 "Would it not be possible," she thought, 
 " to bring about a marriage between him and 
 Margaret ? That might afford her a little 
 amusing occupation, she must see if it 
 could not be accomplished.''
 
 144 
 
 CHAPTER IX, 
 
 A EEVELATION. 
 
 Pettita had been gone some days, and 
 Margaret was alone in the cottage. Alone 
 with her perplexities, her troubles, her un- 
 paid bills. She was glad Pettita was gone, 
 though she sorely missed her vivacity and 
 her prattle ; still it was more or less of a 
 relief to her overstrained nerves to feel that 
 there was no occasion to hide her annoyances 
 and anxieties under a cheerful smile, that 
 she might lay her poor tired aching head on 
 the table beside those endless account-books 
 without being questioned as to her weariness 
 and depression, .^o one but Margaret her- 
 self knew how strenuously she had hitherto
 
 A Revelation. 145 
 
 fought to save Pettita's young life from 
 being enveloped in the sort of cloud which 
 hung over her own. 
 
 Now as she sits in the little drawing- 
 room everything round her looks very con- 
 fused and out of place, for Margaret has 
 been having a general rummage over old 
 letters and papers, and she has at length 
 sunk down tired out and haunted by the old 
 memories, which have been one after another 
 awakened during her search. Margaret 
 was by no means of a dreamy temperament, 
 she was active and practical ; if those money 
 difficulties had not well-nigh crushed her 
 with their weight, she would have been ever 
 cheerful and busy in her placid, undemon- 
 strative way, but she so frequently knew 
 not what to do, or which way to turn for 
 the best, that she had of late taken to sit- 
 ting with her hands in her lap puzzling her 
 poor young brain over the future till it was 
 well-nigh worn out. These old letters, too, 
 with their many sad recollections had not 
 helped to cheer her, reminding her as they 
 
 VOL. I. L
 
 146 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 did how thoroughly she was alone in the 
 world, with no one to shield her from trouble, 
 and a young sister dependent on her for 
 counsel and protection. Presently she 
 thought she heard some one at the outer 
 door, and she started to her feet and began 
 to arrange her papers vigorously ; the Squire 
 was almost her only visitor, and, with the 
 pride inherent in her nature, she did not 
 wish him to find her dejected and out of 
 sorts with herself. It was not, however, 
 his big jovial voice which called to Mar- 
 garet as the drawing-room door opened, nor 
 his benevolent face which met hers as she 
 turned round anxiously. It was Eichard 
 Griesnach, pale, haggard, and with an ex- 
 cited feverish look in his eyes, who walked 
 nervously up to her. 
 
 '' Pettita, — my sister," she asked in a low 
 voice, as though fright rendered her almost 
 powerless, ^'she is not ill? Oh! Mr. 
 Griesnach, tell me the worst at once, what 
 has brought you here ? " 
 
 *• Pettita is quite well. I did not mean
 
 A Revelation, 
 
 47 
 
 to frighten you," he said hurriedly, ^' I only 
 came down for an hour or two to talk over 
 aflPairs. You and I, Margaret, can settle 
 things better without the child." 
 
 She gave a sigh of relief, and then in her 
 quiet, thoughtful way, wheeled him a cosy 
 chair, and suggested that he should have 
 .some luncheon before they began to discuss 
 business. Eut Eichard Griesnach seemed 
 restless and irritable. I^otwithstanding his 
 assurance that nothing was wrong, it was 
 obvious that he had not come to Woodlands 
 simply in a calm spirit for a practical talk 
 over affairs with Margaret. Yet he said 
 nothing to the point, but talked in a random 
 way about a diversity of subjects, while she 
 busied herself over his creature comforts. 
 The litter of papers all about the room did 
 not seem to please him, and he testily asked 
 Margaret why she had not burned them all 
 without looking at them. A suggestion 
 which seemed to amuse the practical Mar- 
 garet, as she wondered to herself whether 
 he were likely to prove the adviser she had 
 
 l2
 
 148 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 hoped if that were his mode of conducting 
 business. He looked at her unruffled face, 
 and concluded that she had found no secrets 
 which he would fain conceal from her. 
 
 ^^Your father's desk," he asked, ^^have 
 you opened it ? " 
 
 "Not yet; but I suppose it must be 
 done. I cannot do otherwise than hold it 
 sacred, and have sometimes thought of put- 
 ting it away untouched." 
 
 " Haye you sufficient confidence in me, 
 Margaret, to let me have it just as it is ? 
 You may trust me to bring you any paper 
 relating either to your own or Pettita's wel- 
 fare." 
 
 Margaret regarded him with some sur- 
 prise, but she believed in him fully, and 
 when a woman believes what will she not 
 entrust to a man ? 
 
 "You shall have it willingly," she 
 answered. " I am very sure poor dear papa 
 would have wished it ; how good of you, 
 Mr. Griesnach, to try and save me from 
 pain ! "
 
 A Revelatio7i. 
 
 49 
 
 ^^ Try and save you from pain ? Ay, 
 would I, but I fear there is pain in store for 
 both of us if we do not strengthfully face 
 the danger and avert it. Do you know that 
 Pettita is bent on going on the stage ? " 
 
 Margaret started as though a knife had 
 suddenly pierced her flesh. 
 
 '''- 1 have heard of this before," she said 
 in a low voice, ^' but had hoped it was mere 
 childish talk. Do you think Mrs. Leigh is 
 urging her on ? '** 
 
 Mr. Griesnach looked up inquiringly, but 
 the scales had not yet fallen from his eyes, 
 and to his blinded vision all Bertha Leigh's 
 shortcomings were perfections. 
 
 '' No, certainly not ; she is very rational 
 and sensible about it." 
 
 '^What is to be done, what can be 
 done?" asked Margaret piteously ; ^^it is 
 too dreadful to contemplate." 
 
 "Eeason must, if possible, be brought 
 into the balance," he answered somewhat 
 sternly. "Look you, my dear young lady, 
 some time ago you and I agreed to differ on
 
 150 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 the subject of women's work; now, mark 
 you, I have not the same horror of the staga 
 even for Pettita which you profess ; if I saw 
 or thought she was likely to make her mark 
 as a great actress, I should yield at once, 
 but I do not, she will never rise above 
 
 " what her mother was before her he 
 
 had nearly said, but he stopped himself in 
 time and turned away with a half sob. 
 
 Margaret rose and began hurriedly to put 
 the papers back in the drawers from whence 
 she had taken them. 
 
 ^^ What are you doing ? " he asked at last,. 
 after there had been a long silence. 
 
 " I am coming back to town with you," 
 she said. '^ I ought never to have left the 
 child, even for a moment, something tells 
 me utterly and thoroughly to distrust Mrs. 
 Leigh." 
 
 ^' You are right to watch over your 
 sister, but, as for your distrust of Mrs. 
 Leigh, that I feel sure is a mere woman's 
 caprice. Pettita could scarcely have found 
 a better friend, or be received in a house
 
 A Revelation, 1 5 r 
 
 where she would find pleasanter or more 
 agreeable society." 
 
 Margaret looked up at him as she stopped 
 for a moment in her work of cramming the 
 papers back still unsorted into the drawers 
 of a davenport. 
 
 ^^ Pleasant society and pauperism will 
 never amalgamate," she said coldly; '^and 
 if Pettita is only to obtain pleasant society 
 at the risk of losing her position as her 
 father's daughter, I sincerely wish Mrs. 
 Leigh had never come to Woodlands to 
 tempt her. She would have been happy 
 enough here, if she had not had glimpses 
 into a world so different from what her own 
 can ever be." 
 
 ^^ You are wrong," he said; ^^ your sister's 
 warm impulsive nature could not have been 
 satisfied long with the ^ still life ' you would 
 accept gratefully. Be thankful then that 
 she has found a friend in Mrs. Leigh." 
 
 " She is impulsive and frequently dis- 
 contented with what she calls ^ monotony,' " 
 murmured Margaret musingly, half talking to
 
 152 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 herself. " I wonder why she has a character 
 so unlike the family type ; all the St. Ormes 
 were cold and calm and proud. Pettita, poor 
 child, seems to possess no pride at all." 
 
 Mr. Griesnach looked at Margaret as she 
 went on reasoning in a quiet unruffled way. 
 '-'- Was it all St. Orme blood that flowed 
 in their veins? " he would have asked, but he 
 rose from his seat, walked to the window, 
 and looked out ; he knew full well the severe 
 stab Margaret's proud nature had yet to 
 receive when she learnt the history of her 
 mother's early life, and had her faith shaken 
 in that ' pride of race ' with which she 
 believed her father and all the St. Ormes to 
 have been so strongly imbued. The papers 
 were, at last, out of sight, and the room was 
 restored by Margaret's busy hands to its 
 usual state of tidy formalism. Then she 
 stood for a minute or two and looked into 
 the fire, as though she would find a plan for 
 future action in the changing coals. Mr. 
 Oriesnach, with his back to her, was still 
 studying the dreary, leafless winter land-
 
 A Revelation, 153 
 
 scape. Both had much upon their minds, 
 neither quite knew how to shape it into 
 words. 
 
 " Let us go," said Margaret at last. ^^I 
 shall hring Pettita back with me here till 
 March, and then if she still wishes to return 
 to London, I will take a small lodging where 
 she must be content to live quietly; we 
 cannot afford more, and as gentlewomen 
 belonging to an old family how can we 
 work?" 
 
 Pettita' s voice was wanting, or the cry 
 would have been, ^^ Madge, I am no longer 
 a baby, and loill only do as I like," but Mr. 
 Oriesnach heard the echo in the distance. 
 
 '' Again, you forget the difference in your 
 temperaments," he said, as he walked up to 
 where Margaret was standing. 
 
 ^'Nonsense," she -answered, the family 
 decision coming out strongly when she 
 thought herself thwarted, '^ she is only a 
 child, and must be made to obey ; she knows 
 nothing of life, — how can she judge for 
 herself? I really believe, Mr. Griesnach,
 
 154 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 that you would listen to her whims till you 
 attended to them." 
 
 He bowed his head down on his breast. 
 
 ^•If I thought she cared or could ever 
 care for me, how gladly would I protect and 
 shelter her ! " he said gravely. ^' Of money 
 I have little to oifer her, but enough I hope 
 to keep her above want." 
 
 Margaret gave a little start of astonish- 
 ment, and then looked at him without 
 speaking, a very appalled expression on her 
 face the while. She in her turn heard the 
 echo of Pettita's young voice laughing over 
 '- Old Dick ' and his peculiarities. And as 
 the picture of her joyous impetuous sister in 
 all the freshness of her developing beauty 
 rose before her mind, and she contrasted it 
 with the feeble flickering blighted life of 
 the man who stood beside her, she almost 
 cried out impulsively, ^^ I know Pettita'S 
 character after all better than you do, 
 for I know she will never be persuaded 
 to do this thing." An instinctive dread 
 of wounding him, however, tied her tongue
 
 A Revelation, 155 
 
 and she only murmured softly after 
 awhile, 
 
 " You are good, too good. Time alone 
 can solve the mysteries of the future." 
 
 ^^ Then you think I have no hope ? " he 
 asked eagerly, looking suddenly up at her 
 with those fiery little eyes. 
 
 '''- 1 cannot say, I am quite ignorant on 
 the subject. You have taken me so by 
 surprise, I am quite incapable of forming an 
 opinion. Pettita is very young, — can never 
 yet have thought of either love or marriage." 
 
 ^'But do you think she likes me?'' he 
 asked with a naivete which showed how a 
 strong emotion may bring a great intellect 
 down almost to the level of a child's capa- 
 city. 
 
 ^' Oh ! yes, she likes you, of that I am 
 very sure," she answered shortly. ^^ Did 
 she hate you, you would have more chance," 
 she might have added. Strong love not un- 
 frequently springs frcnn hatred, — never from 
 mere liking. 
 
 " And may I not hope for countenance and.
 
 156 Baiting the 7 rap, 
 
 help from you ? " he asked, seizing her 
 nervously by the wrist. 
 
 ''Have you not told me yourself that 
 Pettita is somewhat impatient of control? 
 "Words from me would have but little weight 
 if your wooing prove ineffectual." 
 
 For Margaret, although she reverenced 
 Eichard Griesnach as an intellectual sensible 
 man who had been her father's dearest 
 friend, was scarcely prepared to accept him 
 as a husband for her bright young sister. 
 
 " I have not spoken to her on the subject. 
 She knows nothing of my feelings," he said 
 hurriedly. '' I wished first to talk to you, 
 to learn if you thought I had any hope, but 
 I see in your eyes that it is all vain, the 
 curse of my deformity will blight my life 
 even to its end, and no bright eyes fraught 
 with love shall ever pierce my gloom." 
 
 And he dropped into the nearest chair, 
 and hid his face as though he would not 
 have Margaret gaze upon its agony. Mar- 
 garet was not like Bertha Leigh, she could 
 l)e practically kind and hospitable, but she
 
 A Revelaiioji, 157 
 
 was almost powerless to deal with a strong 
 emotion. She stood and looked at Eichard 
 Griesnach, her heart full of regretful annoy- 
 ance at the turn events had taken, but for 
 some time no words rose to her lips. How 
 often does it happen that those who feel the 
 most keenly for the griefs and vexations of 
 others, find the fewest words to express 
 themselves, and therefore how generally mis- 
 understood they are in this world of ours ! 
 
 As it was, Eichard Griesnach was the 
 first to break the silence. He looked up at 
 Margaret and saw the tear-drops glistening 
 in the sorrowful eyes which bent so com- 
 passionately on him. 
 
 ^^You cannot help it, child," he said, 
 striving to smile. ^^ Do not let sorrow for 
 me be added to the list of your troubles, 
 which God knows is a long one. Let us 
 try to be tough, Margaret, and make the 
 best of life. Whatever comes, my first 
 thoughts will ever be centred in Pettita ; 
 do not fear that I shall desert her because 
 she cannot love a blighted old fellow like
 
 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 me, — liow should she, poor child ? I was 
 mad to hope it." 
 
 ^' Oh ! Mr. Griesnach, please do not talk 
 so bitterly, we neither of ns know what 
 Petti ta's feelings towards you may be." 
 
 In her woman's fear of wounding him she 
 threw him this straw, though in her heart 
 she believed it to be a broken one ; he seized 
 it, however, like a drowning man, and a 
 bright light for a moment illumined the 
 intelligent face that was so frequently 
 darkened by shadows. 
 
 '^ We do not know, true we none of us 
 know, — if the future had not hope to lead us 
 on, it would indeed be a dreary barren 
 waste ; " and then he sank back again in his 
 chair as though to dwell on the new train of 
 thoughts which had suggested themselves. 
 
 '^ Shall we not start for London?" asked 
 Margaret ; her practical mind was dwelling 
 on the fact that she wanted if possible to 
 bring Pettita back to Woodlands at once, 
 that the short winter day was waning fast, 
 and that on reaching the metropolis, where
 
 A Revelation. 159 
 
 «he would be very strange, slie had to find a 
 night's lodging for herself. 
 
 ''Ay, of course," he answered, rising. 
 ''I am forgetting everything in my selfish- 
 ness, we will go certainly, but I doubt 
 much if the child will return with you, 
 Margaret. ' Forward, ho ! ' is her motto I 
 strongly suspect." 
 
 Margaret's brow contracted somewhat, 
 and her lips became compressed, she did 
 not understand the word '' Disobedience," 
 and according to her views Pettita was in 
 duty bound to listen to the elder sister, who 
 was her sole surviving relation. 
 
 So some half hour later, leaving the 
 cottage in charge of the solitary servant who 
 composed the St. Orme's establishment, Mr. 
 Griesnach and Margaret started for ^^ 
 station, which, by taking a short cut across 
 some fields, was but about ten minutes' walk 
 from Woodlands. Somewhat to Margaret's 
 astonishment, even the excitement under 
 which he laboured did not allow Eichard 
 Griesnach to forget the desk, which fortu-
 
 i6o Baiting the Trap, 
 
 nately was not a large one, or it would have 
 been scarcely possible for the little man to 
 have carried it so persistently as he did, 
 refusing every offer from Margaret to relieve 
 him, if only for a few moments, from its 
 weight.
 
 i6i 
 
 CHAPTEE X. 
 
 SHYLOCK AND JESSICA IN THE NINETEENTH 
 CENTURY. 
 
 A DIRTY street in tlie immediate neigh- 
 bourhood of Oxford Street, — costermongers' 
 barrows laden with the refuse of the markets 
 passing continually up and down, while their 
 owners call your attention to the cheapness 
 of their contents in clamorous chorus in- 
 harmoniously blended with the grating and 
 jingling of barrel-organs and hurdy-gurdy s, 
 — on a hot day not unfrequently redolent of 
 that fragrance for which, according to 
 Coleridge, Cologne is so renowned. Beauty ? 
 'No, there is little enough of that, poverty is 
 rarely beautiful if you look at it closely, 
 
 VOL. I. M
 
 1 62 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 though artists tell you that there is a certain 
 amount of picturesqueness about a dirty 
 child with coal black eyes and luscious blood- 
 red lips, — but the illusion soon vanishes. 
 Take up your dainty skirts as you pass 
 down this particular street, and hold them 
 as high as modesty will permit when you 
 stand on the doorstep of the dilapidated 
 dingy looking old abode into which we 
 mean to have a peep. Paint and whitewash 
 cost money, and the owner of that particular 
 house is not lavish in his expenditure ; per- 
 haps he is one of those benighted individuals 
 who believe in the picturesqueness of dirt. 
 If you ask the neighbours about him, thej^ 
 will tell you with a shrug that he is a Jew, 
 and so he is, but he has his good points for 
 all that. He has some of the eccentricities 
 which are usually ascribed to the great 
 Jewish family, but he is not without much 
 of the large-heartedness and benevolence 
 which Christians are so backward in allowing 
 to them; yet he is a Jew, a very Jew, a bigot 
 to the faith of his fathers.
 
 Shy lock and Jessica, i (^T) 
 
 Well, as the iinoiled street-door creaks 
 back on its hinges you start and feel for 
 your scented handkerchief, for a smell of 
 dust and general fustiness seems to get into 
 your throat ; but be brave and go on, — if 
 you do carry off an occasional cobweb, it 
 will hurt the spiders more than it will you. 
 The journey onwards is fraught with 
 difficulty, you say, and no wonder, for the 
 house is piled with works of art from the 
 garret to the cellar, not artistically arranged 
 to please the eye of cognoscenti^ but crowded 
 together so as to occupy the least possible 
 space. Pause a moment on the first landing, 
 there is a little gleam of sunshine dancing 
 in through that high window ; look at that 
 blackwood cabinet of Italian work with its 
 lapis-lazuli panels, at that bronze statue of 
 Yenus, and then above your head at the 
 rare oriental lamp with its quaint Arabian 
 characters and enamels rich in gorgeous 
 colouring. If you cannot appreciate these, 
 if you are only one of those senseless 
 automata who exclaim ^^ How pretty " when 
 
 M 2
 
 164 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 you beliold a work of art unparalleled 
 among the riches of kingdoms, then turn 
 back and do not profane the old Jew's den 
 Tdj your presence, for there they all are 
 those priceless emanations from the hands 
 and brains of genius. ^^ He buys them and 
 sells them that he may become rich," per- 
 haps you observe sneeringly. Ay, but he 
 regards them and handles them with love, 
 they are his children, part of his very life, — 
 with one glance he can distinguish the 
 spurious from the real. 
 
 The lower or dining rooms have been 
 turned into a sort of warehouse, where the 
 more cumbersome but less precious of this 
 wonderful collection of art-treasures are 
 kept locked ; it is therefore on the first floor 
 that the old Jew may be found, seated at a 
 small ormolu table in the corner of the front 
 room, deeply engrossed adding up long lines 
 of figures, while some of the loveliest gems 
 to be found in the kingdom of art are 
 scattered pell-mell all around him. He is 
 himself a quaint looking old specimen of
 
 Shy lock and Jessica, 165 
 
 God's workmanship. Small in limb and 
 feature, he is bent nearly double from age, 
 and his tiny white hands tremble with 
 emotion as he touches some pet treasure ; 
 altogether he looks a very fragile and decrepit 
 little old man as he sits there, his white 
 hair hanging lankily and scantily about his 
 neck from beneath his velvet cap. It is not 
 till he looks up at you with his keen hawk- 
 like eyes that you discover that the flame 
 is not entirely extinguished in the nearly 
 spent body, and from the energy, passion, 
 and resolution still lurking in those little 
 balls of fire you seem to form an instanta- 
 neous retrospect of the life that is hidden 
 behind the veil of years. He is urbane and 
 courteous in his manners too, though a fine 
 ear may detect a vein of sarcasm which 
 never forsakes his conversation, the result 
 probably of his cosmopolitanism, for intimate 
 knowledge of humanity in some of its 
 coarsest forms, as he had experienced it, had 
 hardened him, while it had called forth a 
 power of latent satire in his nature.
 
 i66 Baitino- tJic Trap, 
 
 Although he had lived in England so long 
 as to be almost naturalised, yet it was not 
 his birthplace, nor had the language ever 
 become wholly familiar to him. No one 
 knew where he was born, ' Am Ehein ' was 
 the only answer an interrogatory on the 
 subject ever called forth, — verily he could 
 not deny his Yaterland even' had he been 
 so disposed, for the hard guttural German 
 accents would intermingle with his English 
 talk. 
 
 But while we have been describing so far 
 the interior of the old Jew's abode, the sun's 
 rays, which for a few moments commingled 
 their beauty with the rich colourings of art, 
 have died awa}/ behind the chimney-pots 
 and sombre-looking houses which the English 
 love, and old Jacobsen's tremulous fingers 
 are rolling up his papers with care. 
 
 " Good ; ja, so far it is good," and there is 
 a faint smile of pleasure on his pale seamed 
 face as, having finished his work, he lies back 
 in his chair. 
 
 In a few minutes, in the increasing dark-
 
 Shy lock and Jessica. i6j 
 
 ness, you can see notliing but those bright 
 glowing little eyes which seem to light up 
 the corner with their brilliancy. 
 
 ^^ Ah ! but wherefore then comes the child 
 not," he exclaimed at length, ^^ is it possible 
 that absorbed in my calculations I forget 
 her ? " 
 
 '' I am here, my father, " said a young 
 Toice from the doorway, though no one 
 could be seen, ^^ but why are you sitting 
 there without a light ? It is so wretched to 
 be in the dark. I am afraid to come in for 
 fear of creating a misfortune." 
 
 '^ No, child, make no trial, I will come to 
 you, but wherefore you seem., so still, are 
 you fatigued, my daughter ? " 
 
 ^' Yes, very tired," she answered somewhat 
 wearily, "but no matter, come up in my 
 room, father, it is bright and cosy there, 
 this gloom gives me the shivers, there is a 
 little supper too quite ready." 
 
 The old man groped his way to the door 
 without any difficulty and followed his 
 daughter up the stairs, of which with the
 
 1 68 Baiting the Ti'ap, 
 
 elastic step of youth slie had ah-eady gained 
 the top. Through the open door of the 
 front room a bright light shone, revealing 
 one habitable spot in this otherwise 
 wretchedly comfortless abode. The girl 
 looked up at him as he entered, then she 
 turned her face suddenly away as though 
 she feared to betray an emotion under which 
 she was labouring. Something had evidently 
 occurred to disturb her, for she was usually 
 calm and self-]Dossessed enough. Mimi 
 Jacobsen was not exactly beautiful, her 
 features were of too stern a type, but she 
 was picturesque and regal looking. She 
 had made a nest for herself at the top of this 
 old house, where she had artistically 
 arranged all the pretty things which she 
 was not absolutely forbidden to touch, and 
 had introduced an amount of bright colouring 
 and strong effect which told its own word- 
 less tale, and you knew without asking that 
 the mistress of this tiny retreat had a 
 craving for the beautiful and the picturesque 
 which would surmount every other want in
 
 Shy lock and Jessica, 169 
 
 life. A strong will ruled all her actions, a 
 will which her father, engrossed in the cares 
 of his business and the history of his art- 
 treasures, had never sought to stem. Her 
 mother had died when she was a mere baby, 
 and she had grown up in an atmosphere of 
 *' sacred dust ; " pictures, and china, vertu 
 and bijouterie had been her playthings. 
 She had loved them as most children do their 
 dolls, talked to them, and told stories about 
 them founded on the facts her quick ears 
 had gathered from the many visitors and 
 lovers of art who dawdled away the mornings 
 among her father's treasures, and gossiped 
 with him over their beauties and their 
 histories. She had scarcely been educated 
 at all, yet she was not without knowledge ; 
 living under the patronage and shadow of 
 art, how could she fail to know something 
 and to yearn for more ? Her oriental descent 
 showed itself in the poetical, almost rhapsodi- 
 cal view from which she not unfrequently 
 regarded both people and things, overcoming 
 as it did the natural cunning peculiar to
 
 170 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 lier race, -which would have taught her 
 to turn trifles to her own advantage. 
 
 So the old man and the girl sat down to 
 their evening meal, which, thanks to Mimi's 
 care, was well served, nor did the cooking 
 in any way disgrace the old foreign servant 
 who had the sole charge of the Jacobsens' 
 limited establishment. Although Mimi had 
 23rofessed to be very tired when she was 
 questioned by her father on the subject, she 
 seemed to have forgotten all about it, for 
 she talked and laughed so joyously, almost 
 excitedly, that the old man had scarcely a 
 chance of speaking. He eat his supper 
 almost in silence, only occasionally smiling 
 when his daughter chattered on with a volu- 
 bility which was unlike her usually somewhat 
 taciturn nature. To-day, for the first time, 
 she had seen a book full of '^Jleurs animees^' 
 and her vivid imagination was giving each of 
 her girl-friends her flower, then arranging 
 them and grouping them in her mind with 
 that love of redundancy and colouring 
 which came to her as a breath from her
 
 Shy lock and Jessica. 171 
 
 eastern home. The old Jew listened 
 with enjoyment to these vagaries of his 
 daughter. 
 
 " 'Un pauvre bucheron tout convert de ramee, 
 Sous le faix du fagot, aussi bien que des ans.' 
 
 You know the fable, Mimi ; before you 
 begin your gallery of beauty show how it 
 must all end. Sketch then your old father 
 amid the dry and withered sticks which 
 shall be for him a frame work, it is what 
 all these beautiful flowers and garlands must 
 come to, my child." 
 
 For a moment a cloud passed over Mimi's 
 face, but then she answered briskly, 
 
 '^ As the rods blossomed at Aaron's will, 
 so will life and beauty return again to the 
 aged stems, my father. I revere old age, 
 and would, as you say, give it a prominent 
 place in my gallery, but not as a warning or 
 a regret." 
 
 '' What then would you satirise ? What 
 does your young knowledge tell you is the 
 worst thing on earth, my child ? "
 
 17- Baiting the Trap, 
 
 ^^ Deceit," she answered, briskly. 
 
 "Draw it, Mimi; it pleases me to hear 
 you talk." 
 
 '^A young and beautiful maiden, with 
 dark hair and rich colouring, graceful in 
 form, round in limb, velvety and soft and 
 downy ; and for a flower-type I would take 
 the Moorish cucumber, which from its slen- 
 der threadlike stems hangs its luscious-look- 
 ing blood-red head. It is so tempting that 
 you long to cull the dainty morsel, yet it 
 imbues with its poisonous attributes the 
 very air you breathe." 
 
 Old Jacobsen looked astonished at his 
 daughter's words, for there was earnestness 
 and fervour in her voice, while a deep colour 
 mantled her cheek, and her eyes shone 
 brightly. When she had finished speaking 
 she laid her head for a second on the table, 
 and two or three convulsive sobs burst forth 
 as though unbidden." 
 
 " What ails you, child, wherefore this 
 emotion ? " 
 
 She looked up again, smiling amid the
 
 Shy lock and Jessica, 173 
 
 tears she strove so courageously to repress — 
 the storm had been of short duration. 
 
 '^ I am only tired," she said. ^'I have 
 had a long day of pleasure. I shall be 
 better after a good sleep." 
 
 "Still devoted to pleasure, child," an- 
 swered the old man, with a sneer, '* for 
 me I shall be pleased when a new epoch 
 shall arrive; we have too much of these 
 Gentiles, Mimi." 
 
 For a moment she looked as though tears 
 were going to fall anew, but she restrained 
 them with an effort. 
 
 " Oh, father ! how can you say so ? why, 
 Christians are our best friends. How very 
 kind they have always been to me ! They 
 seem quite to forget that I am only a poor 
 Jewish maiden living in this old garret, and 
 they take me out and fete me and pamper 
 me till my head is almost turned. 
 
 " Shrewdness is an instinct of your race, 
 — are you deficient in it, child ? " 
 
 " No," she said, throwing up her head 
 proudly as though nettled at the insinuation,
 
 174 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 " I can fend for myself in life, have no fear 
 for me, father." 
 
 ^^ I like it not, I like it not," muttered 
 old Jacobsen to himself, as though unheed- 
 ing her words. ^'Why crave the one ewe 
 lamb from the j)oor man's fold ? ' Behold 
 the Lord shall raise up evil against them out 
 of their own house ' for this thing." 
 
 "My father, what madness is this, — is it 
 a curse ? " cried the girl, starting to her 
 feet, while her whole frame dilated, " they 
 are my friends, would give me the best they 
 have on earth." 
 
 " We want not their gifts, Mimi. Israel's 
 daughter has nothing to give in return to 
 these Gentiles among whom we sojourn." 
 
 ^^ You barter and cheapen and traffic with 
 them," she said bluntly. 
 
 " Ja, ja, ja," he answered, rubbing his 
 delicate hands together with nervous excite- 
 ment, " this is my calling. Shall not the 
 Gentile's gold j3.ow into the coffers of the 
 chosen people?" 
 
 " You are then very rich, my father ? "
 
 Shy lock and Jessica. 175. 
 
 '^ I have it not said — I have it not said — 
 all things on earth have their comparison ; 
 not rich like some of these English lords who 
 come to bny my toys." 
 
 '^ English lords, yes, I envy them some- 
 times in their great palaces, surrounded as 
 they are with plenty and luxury. I wish 
 we could live in a better house than this, 
 father." 
 
 The old man's bright eyes flashed. 
 
 *' From your Christian friends you learn 
 this foolishness, child. Eats burrow in dark 
 holes and out-of-the-way corners, and they 
 grow fat and strong; in the light of day,, 
 in the dwellings of man, they would be 
 worried b}^ ferrets and dogs." 
 
 ^^ I never get worried or beset when I go 
 into the world," said the girl, laughing, 
 " I tell you they make so much of me, I 
 am sometimes quite bewildered." 
 
 ^' Hein ! hein ! I like it not, I tell you," 
 he continued. ^' My days of work are nearly 
 numbered. I shall journey soon to the fold 
 of Abraham — make that no Christian shall
 
 176 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 touch, my hardly-gained earnings, or the 
 curse of the God of Israel — " 
 
 '^ Hush, father, hush," she cried, ^^no 
 more. Xeep your riches, give them to the 
 chief Eahbi for his poor, but bind me by no 
 oath, heap no curse upon my head. I could 
 not bear its weight, it would blight my 
 young life, and I should droop and die." 
 
 '-^ Foolish child I would not curse you, 
 but the Gentile who would touch my 
 gold." 
 
 ^^ Enough, enough, let us speak of it no 
 more," she said, going up to him and 
 kissing him, '^ you will live long years 
 yet to guard your riches, I hope, my father, 
 and for the rest the God of Jacob will pro- 
 vide." 
 
 ^^ 'Tis well, child, 'tis well, but wherefore 
 come these Gentiles ? There has been here 
 to-day a fair-spoken, sleek-faced woman who 
 would fain have had speech of you, and 
 with pertinacity refused to confide to me 
 her business. She had none, she would 
 bave me believe, but to make your acquaint-
 
 Shy lock and Jessica. 177 
 
 ance only. Wherefore, Mimi ? You are 
 but a half-blossomed hedge-flower, this 
 woman, seemingly of importance in her own 
 eyes, can have no good design." 
 
 "Who was she, father? Did she leave 
 no name ? " and there was a visible agitation 
 in Mimi's voice as she asked the question. 
 
 " Do the rag-pickers and bone-seekers 
 give their names when they haunt your 
 premises in search of booty ? " he asked 
 sneeringly. 
 
 " I do not know who the lady could be. 
 I have invited no one," murmured the girl, 
 " she must have been merely a client who 
 came to see your bric-a-brac, father." 
 
 "Hein, hein ! ^Alte Yogel fangt man 
 nicht mit der Lockpfeife ; '* she came for 
 no good — no good I tell you, child. The 
 Christian harpies are like vultures, ever 
 flying about the dying man, and waiting 
 with impatience for the little flicker of life 
 to expire, that their revolting meal may 
 begin. My gold! they think already that 
 * Old birds are not to be caugbt with chaff'. 
 
 VOL. I. N
 
 178 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 they hear it chink, for you are foolish, child, 
 too foolish in your tenderness. You are no 
 true daughter of Israel." 
 
 ^^ Oh, father ! these are hard words and 
 cut me to the very soul ; unsay them if 
 you love me, father." 
 
 '* Not so, Mimi, it is my love that hids 
 me warn you of the evil hour that must 
 arrive, when the Jewish maiden lends too 
 willing an ear to Christian flatteries. Be- 
 ware of them, child, spurn them, loathe 
 them. Hedge yourself in with the prickly 
 thorns of satire, and never be betrayed into 
 trusting a Christian's oath." 
 
 " Father, father ! it is too much — I can- 
 not bear it ; for this night at least spare me. 
 Eemember they are human, of the same 
 flesh and blood as we are ; why should they 
 be so hardly judged ? " 
 
 A low howl, like that of some wild 
 animal, burst from the old man at these 
 words. 
 
 ''Is the girl bewitched?" he cried, 
 "have the idolatrous demons taken posses-
 
 Shy loch and Jessica. 179 
 
 sion of her? But no matter, the path is 
 clear, the Mammon worshippers shall be 
 balked of their prey. Gold is all they seek, 
 and truly my curse shall follow the Gentile 
 who shall touch my treasures." 
 
 With these words he left the room, and 
 Mimi sank back in her chair almost fainting, 
 and as though utterly powerless to cope with 
 the old man's wrath. 
 
 n2
 
 i8o 
 
 CHAPTEE XI. 
 
 WHEN THE FOOTLIGHTS AEE OUT. 
 
 Pettita had been three or four days in 
 Belgrave Street, and life with her was 
 flowing on very evenly and pleasantly. 
 She had not seen Eichard Griesnach again 
 since the evening he had dined at Mrs. 
 Leigh's ; he had spent the two or three 
 following days ^^ mewed up to his heavi- 
 ness " in the privacy of the Temple ; true, 
 he had had several visits from. Mr. Jenkins 
 about the ' Educational Argus,' but as all 
 the preliminaries for starting that erudite 
 journal were not arranged, Mr. Griesnach' s 
 editorial powers had not yet been fully 
 called into requisition, so he resolved to go
 
 When the Footlights are Out, i8i 
 
 off to Woodlands, and take counsel with 
 Margaret. 
 
 Meanwhile, Pettita was amusing herself 
 seeing life, and life under Bertha Leigh's 
 guidance presented many and varied aspects. 
 She had friends and acquaintances of every 
 distinctive class, from the exalted aristocrats 
 of Lady Bluntisfield's type (though, be it 
 said, there were but few of these upon her 
 list), down to the shadiest denizens of 
 Bohemia. In fact, Bertha showed such a 
 decided preference for these "back- stair 
 acquaintances," as she termed them, that it 
 was almost a pity she did not give up the 
 struggle for ^^ place," and save herself from 
 the slanderous epithets which she felt 
 society was perpetually ejaculating to 
 her cost, and the knowledge of which, 
 although she heard them not, kept her 
 in a constant state of inward worry and 
 torment. 
 
 True to her promise of having a profes- 
 sional opinion on the subject of Pettita' s 
 histrionic talent, the little brougham bore
 
 1 82 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 them one afternoon to a dingy house on the 
 outskirts of the Kegent's Park. 
 
 Bertha sent in a message to know if Mrs. 
 Kelly would see her, and they were at once 
 shown into an untidy-looking parlour ; 
 hooks, musicj pictures, and photographs 
 being littered all over it in a confusion which 
 was not without its charm. Their owner evi- 
 dently lived among them, they were her 
 daily, nay, hourly companions, and she never 
 could bear to have them put away out of 
 her sight. She had a staring, stiffly- 
 furnished, half-empty room in which she 
 received state visits, but Bertha was a 
 favourite, and had begged so hard to have 
 the entree of Mrs. Kelly's private ^^den," 
 that she had succeeded in obtaining a pri- 
 vilege accorded but to few. 
 
 Pettita was delighted. 
 
 '-'- Oh ! if Margaret would only let me 
 have a room like this, and not put every- 
 thing away the moment one has done with 
 it, how nice it would be ?" she cried. 
 
 " Margaret has a regular mind," answered
 
 When the Footlights are Out, 183 
 
 Mrs. Leigh, laugliiug, ^' she could not live 
 in the hopeless tangle in which you are 
 perpetually involved." 
 
 "Is Mrs. Kelly in a tangle too?" asked 
 Pettita, looking up wonderingly. 
 
 ^'Not now, she has lived long enough to 
 unravel the skein. But here she is." 
 
 Pettita opened her large eyes and looked 
 on in a sort of speechless awe. To this 
 young country girl, whose only knowledge 
 of "Her Majesty's servants" was from 
 books, this real, living, breathing actress 
 was a wonder. There was something, too, 
 about Mrs. Kelly which was very taking, 
 though she was no longer young. She was 
 tall and slim and graceful, with a very 
 pleasing face, while her dress, though by no 
 means costly, was arranged with an artistic 
 elegance which gave you an idea that posing 
 for effect had become a second nature. 
 Some white lace about her head was 
 arranged a la Siddons, and enhanced the 
 characteristic expression of her counte- 
 nance.
 
 184 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 She came into the room with a little 
 bound, and was more demonstrative than 
 perhaps was strictly in accordance with 
 the dignity of her bearing, but this pro- 
 bably was owing to the exigencies of her 
 profession. 
 
 Mrs. Leigh was received with effusion. 
 She always managed by some witchery, of 
 which she knew the secret, to gain an 
 immense ascendancy over all those of her 
 acquaintance who were just below her in 
 the social scale. Pettita was of course 
 introduced forthwith, but Mrs. Leigh did 
 not at once enter on the real object of their 
 visit. She had all Mrs. Kelly's private and 
 public joys and sorrows to inquire about; 
 Bertha, thorough tactician that she was, 
 never forgot that the chief secret in the art 
 of fascinating others is to identify yourself 
 thoroughly with their hopes and fears. So 
 they chatted on for a long time, Pettita 
 listening without speaking, for Mrs. Kelly's 
 clear articulation and the euphony of her 
 tones as she related various little adventures
 
 Whe7i the Footlights are Out. 185 
 
 wliich had befallen her, did not fail to make 
 their mark. 
 
 At last Mrs. Kelly strayed away from the 
 personal affairs, in which Mrs. Leigh seemed 
 to take so deep an interest, and as she 
 casually mentioned the name of ^^ Sir 
 Edward Bazalgette " Bertha suddenly re- 
 called the business which had brought them 
 there. She evidently was not desirous that 
 Pettita should hear the revelations about 
 Prince Charming which Mrs. Kelly might 
 vouchsafe, so she started up. 
 
 "We really must go," she exclaimed, 
 "in your agreeable society one forgets the 
 flight of time. By the by, this child here 
 is crazy to follow in your footsteps, and 
 wreathe herself in dramatic laurels.'' 
 
 "Amateur theatricals — well, they are a 
 charming amusement," said Mrs. Kelly, as 
 she took Pettita' s little gloved hand and 
 held it warmly between both her own, 
 "they have more self-satisfaction than 
 belongs to the real stage, and none of the 
 sting."
 
 1 86 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 ^^You mistake," said Pettita, somewhat 
 timidly, colouring up, '^ I cannot afford to 
 play, I must work for my living." 
 
 ^' Then choose some other career," was 
 the decided answer, gravely given. 
 
 Pettita looked very crestfallen, she had 
 lioped at least for encouragement and ap- 
 proval from Mrs. Kelly. 
 
 '' Then every one is against me, — what 
 am I to do ? " she said, in a choked 
 voice, which showed that tears were fast 
 rising. 
 
 ^'Better make skirts in an attic than 
 venture on a career so fraught with difficul- 
 ties, temptations, and annoyances, as is 
 that of an actress. I have had a long 
 eventful life, many laurels and many vexa- 
 tions, and had I a daughter of my own, 
 I would shut her in a convent rather than 
 she should go through all that I have 
 done." 
 
 ''"Why, Mrs. Kelly and Margaret would 
 quite agree," cried Pettita. ^' This is not at 
 all what I had expected."
 
 When the Footlights are Out. 187 
 
 ^^ I do not kown who Margaret may be, 
 my child," continued Mrs. Kelly earnestly, 
 " but whoever she is, if she is advising you 
 to keep your freshness from the tarnishing 
 glare of the footlights, she is acting towards 
 you the part of a good and wise counsellor. 
 I am not alluding to your talent or want of 
 talent ; I know nothing about it. You may 
 be gifted with the genius of a Eachel ; but 
 it is from the life of false excitements, the 
 desperate mental convulsions, torturing alike 
 to both soul and body, I would save, if 
 possible, any young thing who came to me 
 for advice." 
 
 "And yet Mrs. Leigh tells me you are 
 yourself a great actress," said Pettita 
 naively. 
 
 Mrs. Kelly smiled. 
 
 " I have tasted fame and sigh for peace," 
 she said gently. " If you persist in be- 
 lieving the stage to be your vocation, you 
 will, should you live as long as I have, be 
 as weary as I am now." 
 
 " What a dreary, dreary picture !" sighed
 
 BaitiuQ^ the Trap, 
 
 the girl, turning in a sort of piteous way to 
 Mrs. Leigh. 
 
 She, however, only began to laugh. 
 Bertha had evidently some little plan of her 
 own about Pettita's future, and she did not 
 exactly want this plunge into professional 
 life to be carried out, at all events not yet. 
 She meant it to be played with for a time, 
 while other matters were ripening. If the 
 girl failed to accomplish the end Bertha had 
 in view, well, then it was very immaterial 
 to her what became of her. 
 
 *^I am afraid you are suffering from a 
 slight attack of dyspepsia, my dear Mrs. 
 Kelly," she said, as she looked at the 
 actress, whose usually cheerful, lively man- 
 ner had been so suddenly chilled into grave 
 disapprobation by Pettita's appeal, ^'we 
 must come some other day, child, when 
 we hope Mrs. Kelly will not be so cold in 
 the cause of her art, and may, perhaps, 
 therefore kindly give us a few valuable 
 hints." 
 
 ^^ Pardon, dear lady," was the warm
 
 When the Footlights are Out, 189 
 
 answer, ^^you have totally misunderstood 
 my meaning. I will gladly do anything in 
 my small power to assist you and your 
 young friend. If she be really bent on 
 following my profession, every nerve shall 
 be strained to place her to the best advan- 
 tage, but I would have her ponder well 
 over my words of warning. When once 
 she has made the plunge, she must either 
 swim or sink; it is useless to try and 
 clamber back into the ship, for the ladder 
 will have been carried away by the tide. 
 However, do not look so downcast, little 
 one," she continued, with that sudden 
 change of voice training had so thoroughly 
 mastered, ''I am, perhaps, drawing what 
 our dear friend, Mrs. Leigh, would call ^a 
 dyspeptic picture.' Come to me to-morrow 
 morning for an hour, alone, and we will 
 see artistically, not socially, of how much 
 further consideration the subject is worth, 
 — that will assuredly weigh for something 
 in the balance." 
 
 ^' Thank you, Mrs. Kelly, how good, how
 
 igo Baiting the Trap, 
 
 very good you are ! " and Pettita, gushing 
 witli youthful enthusiasm, threw her arms 
 round the tall stately looking actress^ 
 neck, and kissed her. 
 
 It was returned cordially. Freshness 
 and beauty and joy could not fail to 
 be appreciated by one whose nature was 
 so antagonistic to artifice or voidness as 
 was Mrs. Kelly's. Strange she had not 
 detected the false key-note in Bertha' & 
 character. Who knows? perhaps she had, 
 but a woman of the world, as Mrs. Kelly 
 from her position was forced to be, does not 
 always find it politic to pass severe strictures 
 on her friends. Mrs. Kelly, too, was of a 
 sweet, amiable temperament, she would 
 rather have found an excuse for a flagrant 
 fault than have sought out a venial one 
 which its possessor strove to keep partially 
 hidden. 
 
 '^Eun away, child, and get into the 
 brougham," said Mrs. Leigh, when the 
 embrace was over, ^4f you are not de-
 
 Whe7i the Footlights are Out. 19 r 
 
 lighted with your morning's work you 
 ought to be." 
 
 Pettita did as she was bid, and Bertha 
 lingered behind for a few parting words 
 with Mrs. Kelly. 
 
 "You could not have done better if I 
 had prompted you," she whispered, " don't 
 encourage her too much at first, but see 
 what stuff she is made of. I doubt myself 
 if she will ever rise above burlesque." 
 
 Mrs. Kelly shook her head and looked 
 grave. 
 
 " Then do not let the dew be dashed off 
 her petals. She is a bonnie child and evi- 
 dently comes of a good race." 
 
 "Ye-s, oh, yes!" said Mrs. Leigh, with 
 that quiet inflection of hers which always 
 raised a doubt. She thought of the Lima 
 mother, — but it were wiser not to admit the 
 fact, it might prove disadvantageous in 
 other matters. No one knew it but Eichard 
 Griesnach, and he would never tell, so she 
 went on, 
 
 "She is of a very good family — decidedly —
 
 192 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 her father was in the navy, — one of the St. 
 Ormes, — but poor, poor as church mice. 
 By the by, do not mention anything about 
 Ted Bazalgette and his affairs before her, — 
 he is a sort of connection, so mischief might 
 come of it." 
 
 "I understand," said Mrs. Kelly, smil- 
 ing. 
 
 She was a clever woman if she did under- 
 stand either that or any other of Bertha's 
 amalgamations, but it was as well, perhaps, 
 that she asked no questions, for Bertha 
 would have found it rather difficult to ex- 
 plain the connection which existed between 
 the St. Ormes and the Bazalgettes. It 
 answered her purpose, however, for the 
 moment. 
 
 By this time she was standing by the 
 street-door, which Mrs. Kelly held open 
 herself. She gave one glance to see if 
 Pettita were safe in the carriage out of ear- 
 shot, then dropping her voice into a low 
 whisper, she said hurriedly, 
 
 ^' I have traced the girl ; she is a Jewess,
 
 When the Footlights are OiU. 193 
 
 but I have not yet seen her, — she lives in 
 such a dirty hole." 
 
 Mrs. Kelly bent her head and smiled 
 again, this time without speaking. She 
 knew a good deal of the rough hard side of 
 life, and she was tolerably accustomed to 
 breathing an atmosphere tainted with in- 
 trigue and chicanery, thus she was not so 
 scrupulous or so fearful of soiling her 
 fingers, or her reputation, as the case might 
 be, as she would otherwise have been; yet 
 there still remained a strong sense of prin- 
 ciple, as it were instinct in Mrs. Kelly, and 
 she never put herself out of the way to 
 meddle detrimentally m other men's matters. 
 ''Let every struggler shift for himself as 
 well as he can in this world," was her 
 motto. She was therefore just a little bit 
 surprised at this woman, who condescended 
 to walk out of her frame, which though it 
 hung rather low and not in the best light, 
 yet had its place on the privileged walls of 
 the Upper Ten. " A position so many poor 
 aspirants are crazy for," thought Mrs. Kelly, 
 
 VOL. I.
 
 194 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 ^^ and yet this lady every now and then 
 marches right away to track poor girls, who 
 liave never interfered with her, into dirty 
 dens, and comes here for all sorts of infor- 
 mation abont people, which she thinks she 
 would never obtain if she sat quietly at 
 home by her own fireside. There must be 
 •some strong motive actuating her, though ; 
 «he takes a lively interest in the affairs of 
 «o many people. It rather puzzles me, 
 sometimes." 
 
 These were the reflections that not unfre- 
 quently passed through Mrs. Kelly's brain 
 when Bertha Leigh and her little manoeuvr- 
 ing ways came before her mind. It never 
 •entered the kind-hearted actress' head to 
 imagine, woman of the world though she 
 was, that Bertha craved to hold the secrets 
 of the lives of those around her, only that 
 she might make them dance as puppets at 
 her will ; yet Mrs. Kelly gave the infor- 
 mation she so frequently came to seek from 
 her, grudgingly and scantily. She did not 
 feel altogether sure of Mrs. Leigh's schemes,
 
 When the Footlights are Out. 195 
 
 though she was not sufficiently on her 
 guard to seek either to frustrate or over- 
 throw them. Bertha always seemed so 
 kind and charming, that she could scarcely 
 bring her mind to believe that her little 
 combinations were anything but a harmless 
 amusement. Too wary, however, to en- 
 tangle herself more than was necessary, 
 Mrs. Kelly only smiled, and asked no 
 questions about the Jewish girl. She had 
 too many occupations in life to waste her 
 time, or in fact to be amused by a gossippy 
 conversation relative to some girl she had 
 never seen or was ever likely to see, 
 although for some reason Bertha Leigh 
 seemed to take an immense amount of 
 interest in her, — for weal or woe had yet to 
 be proved. 
 
 So Bertha got into the carriage, and that 
 morning's work was accomplished, as far as 
 Pettita was concerned, very satisfactorily; 
 for, if she had not at once secured for herself 
 that entrance to dramatic life which in her 
 ignorance she had imagined was so easily 
 
 2
 
 196 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 attained, she had at least made the acquaint- 
 ance of a loyal sterling woman, one who 
 was held in high respect by all who knew 
 her, and who was capable of proving a safer 
 conductor through the mazes of life than 
 Mrs. Leigh was ever likely to be, fine lady 
 though she was.
 
 197 
 
 OHAPTEE XII. 
 
 HEN AND DUCKLING. 
 
 IVCes. Leigh and Pettita had returned to the 
 little house in Belgrave Street and were 
 sitting in a suhdued light hy the fire, sip- 
 ping their five o'clock tea and chatting in the 
 confidential though frequently treacherous 
 way peculiar to women, over the events of 
 the morning generally and the visit to Mrs. 
 Kelly in particular. 
 
 They had come home from their drive 
 rather earlier than usual, because Pettita's 
 first visit to the theatre was to take place 
 that very evening under the safe conduct 
 of Sir Edward Bazalgette, whose services
 
 1 98 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 Bertha had especially retained for the oc- 
 casion. 
 
 ^^Dear! there is the visitor's bell, — how 
 tiresome ! we shall never be dressed in time," 
 cried Pettita, starting up from the negligent 
 attitude in which she had been lolling. 
 
 Mrs. Leigh smiled. Was it the expected 
 play or the society of the cavalier that 
 Pettita was looking forward to with so 
 much impatience, she wondered. She had 
 not time, however, to pursue the train of 
 her thoughts for the door was thrown open,, 
 and to the intense surprise of both the 
 ladies, Margaret walked into the room in 
 her rapid decided way. 
 
 '^Miss St. Orme, I am delighted to see 
 you, but this visit is somewhat unexpected," 
 said Mrs. Leigh more stiffly than was her 
 wont when receiving guests in her own 
 house. If the truth were told she nearly 
 lost her temper when she saw Margaret, 
 whose presence she regarded very much 
 in the light of an intrusion. 
 
 Pettita, however, rushed into her sister' s^
 
 Heii and Duckling, 199 
 
 arms, and kissed her in her warm impulsive 
 way. 
 
 " What has brought you, Madge dear, the 
 cottage is not burnt down by chance, is 
 it?" 
 
 '^I want you to come back with me, 
 Pettita, I am very lonely without my 
 child, so I came off suddenly to fetch you ; 
 there is plenty of time to catch the seven 
 o'clock train." 
 
 "Margaret, you must be mad," cried 
 Pettita, " I am certainly not going back 
 with you to-night ; it is quite impossible, I 
 have no end of engagements." 
 
 '^ They surely will not stand in the way 
 of your love for and obedience to your 
 sister, Pettita." 
 
 '' Obedience is a nasty word," retorted 
 Pettita, whose little naughty temper was 
 oozing out at the idea of being ordered home 
 just when she was going to enjoy herself^ 
 " there is not a creature in the world to whom 
 I am bound to be obedient; nowhere in 
 the Bible are sisters mentioned, and as for
 
 200 Baitmg the Trap. 
 
 love, if you love me as mucli as you 
 profess to do, you would know when I am 
 well off, and leave me in peace with Mrs. 
 Leigh." 
 
 Margaret turned as pale as death. 
 
 Had she imagined the young sister was 
 always to be subservient to her will ? If so, 
 how thoroughly had she been mistaken. 
 The sudden awakening for a moment para- 
 lysed her, so much so that she could not 
 trust herself to speak. Bertha, however, 
 came to the rescue with those dulcet tones 
 of hers. 
 
 ^^ You will not think of returning home 
 to-night, my dear Miss St. Orme ; we are 
 going to the play, and the child would 
 be too disajDpointed if she were carried 
 off. I have a tiny room which is entirely 
 at your disposal, and we shall both be so 
 glad if you will remain with us for a few 
 days." 
 
 ^^ Thank you," answered Margaret stiffly, 
 drawing herself up with cold dignity, ^^ but 
 I have no wish to intrude my presence
 
 He7i and Ducklino. 201 
 
 iv^here I see I am not wanted. I cannot 
 stop here, but I must say it is my wish for 
 many reasons that my sister should return 
 with me." 
 
 ^' Then she will not — do you understand 
 that? — at least, not to-night," cried Pettita. 
 *'What a fool you are, Madge! you are 
 always trying to make one uncomfortable 
 and wretched ; you don't know what it is to 
 be jolly and happy. If duty and misery 
 are the synonyms you always make them, 
 keep them both all to yourself, — now sit 
 down on that cosy sofa and listen to reason. 
 As you have chosen to take this wild-goose 
 chase after me, you must accept Mrs. Leigh's 
 invitation for to-night. At least, / don't 
 intend to give up my play, — besides, to- 
 morrow — " 
 
 A frown and a pinch from Mrs. Leigh 
 ended the sentence somewhat abruptly. 
 
 '' To-morrow you will return with me if 
 I concede the point and stay to-night?" 
 asked Margaret gravely. 
 
 ^' Oh ! do let to-morrow take care of it-
 
 202 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 self/' interrupted Bertha ; *^ let us make our- 
 selves as happy to-night as circumstances 
 will permit. I fear, however, you will find 
 it very dull here while we are out. My 
 dear Miss St. Orme, if you have any friend 
 you would like to invite to chat with you, 
 pray use my house as though it were your 
 own." 
 
 Margaret bowed. 
 
 ^* I have no friends in London," she said 
 coldly, ^'and I am never dull." 
 
 ^' You said just now you were dull at 
 Woodlands without me, though I did not 
 believe it," interrupted Pettita; ^'tell me 
 the truth, why have you come to town after 
 me?'^ 
 
 " To prevent you, if possible, from de- 
 grading your father's name by dashing head- 
 long into a false career, and from storing up 
 unhappiness for your future life." 
 
 " Have you so little faith in me that you 
 could not trust me ? " asked Bertha's little 
 soft voice, and she laid her hand as she 
 spoke on Pettita with a gentle squeeze,.
 
 Hen and Duckling. 205 
 
 whicli tacitly bade her be silent, and not 
 break out either in harsh invectives or into 
 a gushing flow of information. 
 
 ^^ I scarcely know whom to trust," replied 
 Margaret somewhat despondingly, ^' but I 
 know my duty is to look after my sister, and 
 I mean to fulfil it to the letter." 
 
 Pettita flushed up scarlet, and would not 
 have been restrained much longer from 
 pouring forth her wrath. It always did 
 make her so very angry to be thought 
 incapable of taking care of herself. Mrs. 
 Leigh, however, suggested that she should 
 run away upstairs and dress, while she had 
 a little conversation with Margaret. As 
 usual. Bertha succeeded in levelling the 
 rough bits and pacifying Margaret's mind, 
 for a time at least, on the subject of her 
 sister's future career. When Mrs. Leigh, 
 some quarter of an hour later, followed 
 Pettita upstairs, she had fully persuaded 
 Margaret to trust to her management about 
 the stage, and quietly to place full reliance 
 on her judgment and knowledge of the
 
 -204 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 world. Just for one second she popped into 
 Pettita's room. 
 
 ^^ ISTot one word to your sister about Mrs. 
 Kelly if you value my friendship, or her 
 opinion," she said hurriedly. 
 
 ^' Oh ! Mrs. Leigh, I don't like having 
 secrets from Madge ; after all, it was very 
 good of her to come and look after me, and 
 I don't think I treated her quite fairly or 
 kindly." 
 
 Bertha shrugged her well-formed shoul- 
 ders. 
 
 ''As you like, but people who reveal 
 everything generally lose their game. I 
 should have imagined you could without 
 difficulty have held your tongue till after 
 your interview with Mrs. Kelly to-morrow, 
 but perhaps Margaret is right, you are only 
 a baby and not capable of acting for your- 
 self." 
 
 The flash Mrs. Leigh knew these words 
 were sure to raise came at once into the 
 girl's eyes. 
 
 " You need not twit me so sharply," she
 
 Hen and Duckling, 205 
 
 saidj ^' I will prove I can be silent as death ; 
 poor Madge, I wisli she had stayed at 
 Woodlands." 
 
 "So do I with all my heart," muttered 
 Bertha to herself as, having kissed Pettita, 
 she left her ; and yet a combination under 
 her own roof, was it not the very thing 
 Bertha Leigh would have craved for ? only 
 she was not very sure of Pettita, — Sir 
 Edward Bazalgette, too, was coming to din- 
 ner. Between the two Bertha was sorely 
 afraid that Margaret would see and hear far 
 more than was intended ; altogether it was 
 an amalgamation she would never have 
 brought about could she have helped it. 
 
 The dinner, however, went off more 
 cheerily than could have been expected, for 
 Margaret's still grave manner had always 
 more or less of a depressing effect, and had 
 not Bertha roused herself and talked gaily 
 and unweariedly to Sir Edward, almost to 
 the exclusion of both the sisters, it would 
 have been a dreary repast enough, and the 
 little spots marked " dangerous," which she
 
 2o6 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 so perpetually and cleverly piloted them all 
 away from, would inevitably have engulfed 
 them long before the announcement came 
 that the brougham was at the door. 
 
 At last they were off, and Margaret was 
 left to pass the evening with a book and her 
 thoughts for her only companions. True, 
 Sir Edward had suggested that there was no 
 reason as far as he — short-sighted individual 
 — knew, why she should not go too, but Mrs. 
 Leigh thought differently, and said there 
 was, she regretted to say, no place, while 
 one of her little frowns, which he under- 
 stood so well, reminded him that the limited 
 proportions of the box which he had himself 
 taken could not by any means be stretched 
 so as to hold another inmate. 
 
 For once Bertha Leigh had chosen wisely, 
 and the play she had selected was a good 
 drama of the legitimate school, the acting 
 had the reputation of being above average 
 merit, and the piece had been put on the 
 stage carefully and with much scenic effect. 
 Bertha herself would in all probability have
 
 Hen and Dtuhling, 207 
 
 infinitely preferred witnessing a burlesque, 
 but she wanted to let Pettita see the best, 
 ;according to the critics, that London could 
 produce. 
 
 '^ We will not vitiate her taste at first 
 starting," she had said to herself as she ran 
 her eye down the theatrical advertisements 
 ^nd selected this one. 
 
 Pettita was in a state of enthusiastic 
 excitement which to her companions was 
 imparalleled, accustomed as they were to 
 the blasees damsels who had lived among 
 glare and tinsel from their cradles, and who, 
 «ince they witnessed their first pantomime 
 at the age of six, had probably kept the ball 
 rolling pretty briskly, and therefore were 
 not likely to be so readily impressed as 
 was this country maiden. In vain did Sir 
 Edward seek to pour into Pettita' s ear the 
 little honied phrases which were wont to 
 trip so glibly off his sugared tongue, she 
 scarcely either heard or saw him. He had 
 sunk into a very secondary position before 
 those heroes of the footlights. Bertha was
 
 2o8 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 intensely amused, partly at Sir Edward's 
 discomfiture, partly at Pettita's utter in- 
 genuousness and the total absence of all 
 conventional ennui which there was about 
 the girl. 
 
 ^' Leave her, Ted," she said laughing, 
 '^ she will talk to you when her astonishment 
 over all this glitter has subsided. I would 
 not be jealous of paper crowns if I were 
 you." 
 
 '' I have no right to be jealous at all," he 
 answered somewhat sharply. '-' I wish you 
 would not always speak as if you took it for 
 granted that a feeling exists between me 
 and this young friend of yours." 
 
 Bertha shook all over with that rippling 
 laugh of hers. 
 
 '^ You are a good joke, my dear boy, 
 indeed you are. What is the use of trying 
 to deceive me. You know that you are 
 over head and ears in love with Pettita St. 
 Orme." 
 
 ^' And you know, Mrs. Leigh, that even 
 were it so the whole thing is useless, and
 
 Hen and Duckling. 209 
 
 witli tliat knowledge you ought to keep her 
 as much as possible out of my way, — only, 
 self-conceited though I usually am, I don't 
 believe she cares a brass button about me,'' 
 and he turned and looked at Pettita, who, 
 entirely absorbed by what was going on on 
 the stage had apparently quite forgotten 
 that Sir Edward Bazalgette even existed. 
 
 What man who prides himself on his 
 universal success with women, would not be 
 piqued at finding that he is treated with 
 indifference by a young half-fledged country 
 girl ? 'N'othing could have made him more 
 eager in pursuit, especially too as he was 
 spurred on by Bertha's laughs and little 
 ^ paper bullets.' 
 
 ^' Please don't talk to me, I want to 
 watch the play," was the only answer he 
 had received whenever he had addressed 
 any observations to Pettita, so he had 
 resolved to devote himself to Mrs. Leigh for 
 the remainder of the evening, and to take 
 his revenge on her friend at the very first 
 opportunity that offered itself. 
 
 VOL. I. p
 
 210 Baithig the Trap, 
 
 On a sudden however Bertha ex- 
 claimed, 
 
 '^ Good gracious ! Ted, look, who is that 
 fitting in the stalls? Lord Avebury, if 
 I ever saw him in the flesh," and all 
 the colour forsook her face as she raised 
 her opera-glass to her eyes, partly to 
 conceal her confusion, partly to assure 
 herself that the owner of the stall was 
 indeed the man she had taken him to be. 
 
 " Impossible ! I had no idea he was in 
 England," and Sir Edward followed at 
 once in the wake of Bertha's excitement, 
 and looked eagerly towards the stalls. ^^ By 
 Jove ! it is, though, why, what the very 
 deuce has brought him back again so 
 soon ? " 
 
 Was there ? Yes, there was just an 
 almost imperceptible shade of satisfaction 
 on Bertha's face as she dropped her glass, 
 and with recovered composure looked up 
 somewhat mischievously at Sir Edward, 
 whose evident annoyance seemed to amuse 
 her.
 
 Hen and Duckli7icr, 211 
 
 *^And to be at tlie play too, without 
 making his arrival known to any one ! I 
 wonder when he came home. He has not 
 called on yon, has he, Mrs. Leigh ? " 
 
 ^^ On me ? " she said, smiling sweetly, 
 ^'why should he call on me the moment 
 he arrives? I am not of his kith and 
 kin." 
 
 ''No, no, but you are very good friends, 
 every one knows that.'' 
 
 ''Lord Avebury's circle of acquaintance 
 is a large one, he is a popular man," and 
 she drew her opera-cloak round her, as 
 though desirous of wrapping herself up in a 
 general statement. 
 
 "As soon as the curtain falls I will go 
 and speak to him. I am all curiosity to 
 know why he has cut his winter abroad 
 so very short. Shall I bring him up 
 here ? " 
 
 "If he wishes to come, I shall be very 
 happy to see him." 
 
 And So at the end of the second act the 
 ladies were left alone, and Bertha seemed 
 
 p2
 
 212 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 almost as much absorbed in watching Sir 
 Edward's appearance in the stalls, the 
 hand- shaking between the two men, their 
 short conversation, the rapid glance directed 
 to her box, as had been Pettita by the play 
 itself. Here was evidently another drama, 
 being enacted under the girl's very eyes, 
 though in her ignorance she knew it 
 not. 
 
 Two minutes more and the gentlemen 
 entered the box. Bertha sat back in her 
 chair — calm and imperturbable-looking — 
 a self-possessed woman of the world, 
 who never allowed herself to show a 
 sign, whatever might be the inward 
 struggle. 
 
 The man they called Lord Avebury was 
 no longer young, that is he had passed the 
 meridian of life, but he was handsome. He 
 had a frank open countenance, with just 
 enough sternness about it to denote a strong 
 will — and he was very martial-looking in 
 his gait and bearing. There was a decided 
 resemblance between him and the younger
 
 Hen and Duckling, 213 
 
 man that stood beside him, their features 
 were of the same type — not surprising, for 
 Sir Edward was his sister's child, but for all 
 this the distance between them was im- 
 measurable. Neither in feature, form, nor 
 character did Sir Edward Bazalgette ap- 
 proach his uncle, who, as Mrs. Leigh had 
 truly said, was a popular man — one of those 
 mortals who understand the art of keeping 
 society perpetually at a distance — never 
 admitting anything like a familiarity — 
 and so retaining his power and place as 
 master. 
 
 ^^Has Lord Avebury turned a political 
 spy, or what has happened to him, that he 
 creeps back to England without letting any 
 of his friends know? " asked Bertha, smiling 
 as they shook hands. 
 
 " I returned only this very day. You 
 do not think I should have let twenty-four 
 hours pass without paying Belgrave Street 
 a visit?" he said gallantly. ^'As for this 
 young scapegrace here, I sent a note to tell 
 him of my arrival, but heard he had gone
 
 214 Baitmg the Trap, 
 
 out. I scarcely hoped to find him in such 
 good company." 
 
 Eor a moment his eyes fell on Pettita, 
 then he di^opped into the empty chair by^ 
 Mrs. Leigh. 
 
 ^' That girl, she is— " 
 
 *^ Ah ! how remiss of me ; allow me to 
 introduce Miss St. Orme, a very dear young 
 friend of mine — Lord Avebury." 
 
 Then there was a good deal of whispered 
 conversation between Bertha and the new- 
 comer, and as their glances were not unfre- 
 quently directed to Pettita and Sir Edward, 
 it was obvious that they were the subject of 
 their remarks. 
 
 The curtain had by this time been raised 
 again, and to everything but what was 
 passing on that marvellous stage Pettita 
 was lost, but Ted Bazalgette, as his familiars 
 called him, was obviously uncomfortable. 
 If you could have peeped into his box of 
 secret thoughts, you would assuredly have 
 discovered that the one which lay uppermost 
 was a strong wish that his uncle would
 
 Hen and Dtickliiig. 215 
 
 return to Italy and remain there for an in- 
 definite period. It was not that he disliked 
 him, far from it, it was the very love and 
 respect he had for him which made him 
 wince whenever he patted him familiarly on 
 the back, and avert his face whenever Lord 
 Avebury's frank honest eyes sought to read 
 him in a very disagreeable way they had, — 
 a way that was particularly perplexing 
 at times, and which Bertha, strong as 
 was evidently her regard for him, had 
 not failed frequently to find as difficult to 
 circumvent as did at this moment his 
 nephew. 
 
 At last, to Pettita's no small regret, the 
 play was over, and the general rush out 
 began. There is always a sort of ''sauve 
 qui pent " idea about the way people hurry 
 from a place of public amusement the 
 moment the performance has been brought 
 to an end. 
 
 " You will come and eat a tiny sandwich 
 at my house. Lord Avebury — Sir Edward 
 has promised to accompany us," said Bertha's
 
 2 1 6 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 soft voice, as the two cavaliers escorted her 
 and Pettita to the brougham. 
 
 He bowed acquiescence, and half an hour 
 later the quartette was enjoying the good 
 things of life in the little dining-room in 
 Eelgrave Street. Nor was the party of the 
 quietest, Mrs. Leigh with her peculiar 
 facility for drawing people out and setting 
 them entirely at their ease, seemed to have 
 accomplished her work more effectually than 
 usual this evening — and they talked and 
 laughed over Lord Avebury's droll descrip- 
 tion of some foreign experiences, till the 
 little house echoed again with their merri- 
 ment. The shadows were all gone, even 
 from Sir Edward's brow — the witching 
 hour of night, the bright snug room, the 
 beauty, the flowers, above all the wine — 
 yes it was evidently one of Bertha's 
 happiest combinations. She basked in a 
 genial hour like the present, with no 
 external influences to jar, and she sat there 
 looking so plump and soft and white, that 
 he must indeed have been a horrid disbe-
 
 Hen and Duckling, 217 
 
 liever who could have ascribed to her 
 anything but the sweetest, kindest, most 
 womanly attributes. 
 
 There is a flavour of Bohemianism about 
 these little supper parties, which makes 
 them especially acceptable to the woman of 
 society who likes to play with dangerous 
 weapons, as a child would with fire, 
 and who would shiver and look horrified 
 if you called her ^^fast," but who is 
 nevertheless just toppling on the verge 
 of the abyss. Luck or circumstances, 
 rather than principle, being about the only 
 thing which will keep her from tumbling 
 over. 
 
 To Pettita it was something quite new, 
 and under the influence of her companion's 
 vivacity she had assumed a half shy, half 
 saucy, manner which from the entire 
 absence of everything artificial about it 
 was especially taking. 
 
 Altogether the evening had been a suc- 
 cess, and, charmed with themselves and with 
 each other, the convives separated far on
 
 2i8 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 in the small hours, while Margaret was 
 asleep, di^eaming of the young sister in 
 whom all her love was centred, and for 
 whom she would have given up everything 
 in life.
 
 219 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 EGYPT SPOILS ISRAEL. 
 
 The people who visited old Jacobsen's 
 sanctum of beauties were of very varied 
 classes and dispositions. A rare mixture of 
 the odds and ends of life was not unfre- 
 quently assembled there — such as one but 
 rarely meets under the same roof and in 
 the same room. Many patrons of art, who 
 by former purchases had bought the right 
 of entree^ pottered away their mornings 
 while they pleased their senses, by looking 
 at the pretty things which came in daily, 
 collected as they were by some of Jacobsen's 
 repulsive-looking satellites, who, in almost 
 every quarter of the globe, cheapened the
 
 2 20 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 treasures which were eventually to find their 
 way into the old man's net. 
 
 Against these Israelitish traffickers did 
 the aristocratic element expect to jostle, but 
 these lordlings were perhaps scarcely pre- 
 pared for the queer little episodes which 
 not unfrequently occurred, when unfortunate 
 beings would bring in the gems and precious 
 stones which want reduced them to part 
 with, and which they hoped to turn into 
 ready money at old Jacobsen's hands. 
 Accidents of recognition would befall, meet- 
 ings would sometimes take place which 
 would make the old man, with his keen 
 love of satirising the follies and foibles 
 of his fellows, chuckle to himself as he 
 rubbed his little womanish hands to- 
 gether. 
 
 To-day the Jew's den is especially crowded, 
 — a work of art has arrived which is making 
 a sensation among the critics. It is a large 
 ebony cabinet in carving of exquisite design 
 and workmanship; when thrown open the 
 doors and interior of the case form seven
 
 Egypt Spoils Israel. 221 
 
 panels, on which are painted in miniature 
 the seven dolors of Our Lady. 
 
 This marvel of beauty is supposed to 
 date from about the fifteenth century, when 
 it had probably graced the private chapel of 
 some rich Italian devotee. Now, after the 
 lapse of years, during which it had been 
 lost sight of, it had found its .way into old 
 Jacobsen's ^'treasure den," and was re- 
 ceiving veneration once again, though of a 
 very different nature. Every one in that 
 room did homage to the genius, which had 
 created and worked out that marvellous art- 
 design, there was no thought for the 
 deeper meaning, no tribute offered to her 
 who had suffered such cruel sorrows lest 
 man's redemption should be lost. Alto- 
 gether it was a strange sight in a Jew's 
 abode — and if those gazing there had been 
 less engaged with their criticisms, some of" 
 them at least must have testified to it. 
 
 The old man himself was in a state of 
 exuberant spirits. He loved to see his 
 house crowded with visitors, it was as a
 
 2 22 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 flattering imction to him that this throng 
 of English aristocrats should be making 
 their glib off-hand remarks in his sanctum^ 
 and treating him as the potentate who 
 bought and dispersed at his will these 
 beautiful subjects in art and gem. Bitterly 
 .as he reprobated the '^Gentiles" whenever 
 he was alone with Mimi, nothing could be 
 more obsequious or more cringing than was 
 his manner to them, when they paid him a 
 yisit ; no wonder then that the girl thought 
 they must be of a better race than he, for 
 some reason, would have her suspect, and 
 she had consequently made more than one 
 Christian friend. 
 
 Usually when visitors are there Mimi is 
 to be seen wandering about from one to the 
 other, talking occasionally in her quiet 
 grave way, but more frequently listening to 
 the remarks going on around her, and 
 drawing her own inferences from them. 
 Thus the amount of general information 
 she had picked up was very extensive, but 
 unfortunately, side by side with it, there
 
 Egypt Spoils Israel, 223 
 
 i\ras a large share of gossip, which rendered 
 her better acquainted with the movements 
 and little scandals of the Upper Ten than 
 was many a girl who lived in their very 
 midst. 
 
 Several inquiries, however, had on this 
 occasion been made after Mimi, who had not 
 yet appeared. At last she might be seen 
 coming slowly down the creaking old stair- 
 case. She entered the room, and without 
 saluting any one, beyond a grave bend of her 
 stately head in return for some recognition, 
 she took her place among those standing 
 round the cabinet. Several gentlemen who 
 knew her well, addressed her, but she 
 treated them as though she heard them not, 
 and stood in a wrapt way looking at the 
 beauties those open doors revealed. Eight- 
 and-forty hours had not yet passed since 
 she had listened to her father's curses and 
 invectives on her Gentile friends, and, not 
 able to shake off their weight, she had re- 
 mained till now immured in the privacy of 
 her own room, bowed down, as it were,
 
 224 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 under an oppression from which she vainly 
 sought to free herself. She had not, there- 
 fore, previously seen this work of art, which 
 had been unpacked but yesterday, and she 
 seemed quite entranced by it. Her practised 
 eye, accustomed from childhood to look for 
 beauty, recognised at once the hand of a 
 master, but beyond this, in her present 
 perturbed state, the subject seemed to touch 
 her heart, and had it not been for the crowd 
 around she would probably have thrown 
 herself down in an agony of tears before the 
 suffering Virgin. 
 
 The power of self-control, however, was 
 one of her strongest points, and save for her 
 silence, no one would have imagined that 
 she was other than a cold, inflexible woman, 
 who from long usage was, with the critical 
 eye of a connoisseur, depreciating the beauties 
 she gazed on. 
 
 The hubbub of voices went on around, 
 men passed in the light careless way that is 
 their nature, from the sublime even to the 
 ridiculous — nay, lower still, to the profane^
 
 Egypt Spoils Israel, 225 
 
 for at last scandal raised its venomed tongue 
 and many a racy little episode and pointed 
 story Avas passed about in half whispers. 
 
 ''• Since when have you become a patroness 
 of art ? Is the house in Belgrave Street to 
 be adorned with gems amongst other novel- 
 ties ? " said a man's voice, as Bertha Leigh^ 
 evidently to the surprise of those among the 
 crowd who knew her, came smiling into the 
 room, looking as bland and happy and soft 
 as though such a thing as care were un- 
 known on earth. 
 
 " Why should I be banished ? Mr. 
 Jacobsen's collection is so herilhmt^^'^ she 
 said, using one of the very few German 
 words she knew, as she sidled up to the old 
 Jew and held out her hand to him. ^^ You 
 will bid me welcome, will you not ?" 
 
 He touched the tips of her fingers some- 
 what coldly, for he recognised in Bertha the 
 same lady who had previously asked for 
 Mimi ; besides, he was scarcely in the habit 
 of being shaken hands with by his cus- 
 tomers. 
 
 VOL. I. Q
 
 2 26 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 '' In trade, large buyers have the first 
 23lace," he said quietly. 
 
 " What a sordid speech ! but I know you 
 do not mean it/' cried Bertha, laughing. 
 
 He looked at her for a moment with his 
 keen little eyes. 
 
 '^What does miladi desire to see?" he 
 asked. Old Jacobsen called all his English 
 customers milord or miladi. 
 
 ^^ Everything pretty that you have to 
 show," she answered, '' including your 
 daughter, of whom I have heard much from 
 a friend of mine, 'and whose acquaintance, as 
 I told you two or three days ago, I would 
 so gladly make." 
 
 "The child were better in her garret 
 singing praises and tuning her harp, like 
 the Jewish maidens of old time, than learn- 
 ing the workings of a world in which she 
 can never dwell. Against my will she seeks 
 for pleasure in strange haunts." 
 
 ''I am very sorry you disapprove of her 
 going out; I will not try to beguile her, 
 but may I not at least speak to her ? "
 
 Egypt Spoils Israel, 227 
 
 "As you will, miladi; I am but a poor 
 Jew at your service," and he bowed pro- 
 foundly. Then in a loud tone he called to 
 Mimi, who was still standing lost in con- 
 templation of the cabinet. She started as 
 she heard her father's voice, and turning 
 round confronted Mrs. Leigh. 
 
 That she was not entirely a stranger to 
 Mimi was very obvious, from the look that 
 instantly came into her eyes when she saw 
 her, but she made no farther sign, only 
 bowed when Bertha in her blandest tones, 
 and with her kindest, most patronising 
 manner, told her how glad she was to make 
 her acquaintance. She had heard so much 
 of her beauty and her enthusiasm for art, 
 from their mutual friend Miss Fenton. 
 
 "My father forbids me to associate in 
 future with those who are not of my race 
 and station. I shall go to Miss Fenton' s no 
 more," said Mimi coldly. 
 
 "And do you always obey your father 
 in everything? What a model daughter! 
 You must at least make an exception in 
 
 a2
 
 228 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 my favour, and initiate me in the formulee 
 of a race whose children arrive at such 
 perfect obedience." 
 
 Mimi winced and coloured up under this 
 somewhat pointed speech. 
 
 ^^The Jews are, perhaps, not better than 
 the Christians," she said in a very low 
 tone. ^^ If we could only be left to do our 
 work as we see it is for the best, it would 
 be a happiness." 
 
 "ISTay, child, you ask what is impossible 
 on earth. Interference is one of the motive 
 powers of the world. Infringement on what 
 we consider our personal rights is what we 
 all have to make our little fight against, as 
 best we can." 
 
 ^^It is the want of understanding other 
 people's reasons and feelings which makes 
 life so difiicult," answered Mimi wearily. 
 *-' I often wish I were dead, if one only knew 
 what would come after." 
 
 ^'Have you no room of your own where 
 we can talk?" asked Bertha, as she took 
 the young Jewess by the hand; ^'I would
 
 Egypt Spoils Israel, 229 
 
 so gladly be of use to you, and if I mistake 
 not I can be so.'' 
 
 Mimi led the way upstairs, and Mrs. 
 Leigh followed smiling. Here was a more 
 pliable impressionable nature than from 
 the grand-looking young Jewess' imposing 
 beauty she had at first been led to expect. 
 
 And so in the privacy of Mimi's pretty 
 room they sat together and talked their 
 woman's talk. Bertha, assuming her most 
 interested manner, drew the girl out till she 
 made her tell her of her father's wrath, 
 and his bitter invectives on her Christian 
 friends. 
 
 '^I will not go to Miss Fenton's house 
 again at present," she said; "perhaps that 
 will appease him somewhat." 
 
 "Ah! I see," suggested Mrs. Leigh; 
 ^^Marcia Fenton has more power over you 
 than your father judges expedient." 
 
 " No, I do not think that it is against her 
 that his anger is directed, but against Mr. 
 Fenton. My father and he have frequent 
 business relations. They both trade in
 
 230 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 money, though Mr. Fenton deals much 
 more largely in that way than my father, 
 and I have reason to believe that there has 
 been lately a dispute between them. For 
 the moment he would include all Christians 
 in his anger, and I must humour his whims 
 and abide the time when they shall have 
 passed." 
 
 Mrs. Leigh elevated her well-shaped 
 eyebrows, and smiled meaningly at these 
 words. 
 
 *^ Of course, you have no suspicion of the 
 cause of the quarrel between Mr. Fenton 
 and your father ? " 
 
 '^I have told you it is money. "What 
 care I to enter into their business secrets ? 
 It is not my province." But Mimi's voice 
 trembled slightly as she answered, and her 
 face paled visibly, while her fingers were 
 clutched nervously together in her lap. 
 Bertha laid her warm soft hand upon them. 
 
 ^^ My child, you are right," she said, in a 
 low confidential tone. ''I have come to 
 warn you ; keep to the privacy of your own
 
 Egypt Spoils Isi^aei. 23 i: 
 
 home — avoid for the present your Christian 
 friends; if your father should suspect the 
 interest you have in the matter, it will bring 
 trouble and difficulties to one you love." 
 
 "To one I love?" exclaimed Mimi, 
 starting up ; " how do you know I love any 
 one, whom do you mean? I have seen 
 you once, it is true, but I do not even know 
 your name ! How can you venture, then, 
 to come and talk to me of my private 
 affairs ? " 
 
 "You saw me once, yes, when I was 
 walking with Sir Edward Bazalgette, whom 
 I have known from childhood, and the 
 members of whose family are among my 
 oldest friends — now do you understand why 
 I have come to seek you out ? " 
 
 Mimi bent her head down low upon her 
 breast, to avoid meeting Bertha's searching 
 gaze. 
 
 " No ! " she said, " for I don't believe Sir 
 Edward sent you. He never mentioned you 
 to me, and he always advised me to mistrust 
 all female friends."
 
 1232 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 '' Then, there is an imderstanding between 
 you," said Bertha quietly. 
 
 That little unguarded word t/ien aroused 
 the Jewess' suspicions, and prevented Mrs. 
 Leigh for the moment at all events from 
 hearing more. 
 
 Mimi raised her head and looked up 
 proudly. 
 
 '^ What information you require you must 
 seek from Sir Edward himself. I have none 
 to give." 
 
 '^ Silly, silly child!" said Bertha, try- 
 ing to recover the ground she had let 
 slip from under her. ^^ I suspect I know 
 far more of Sir Edward and his affairs 
 than you do yourself. How frequently 
 has he talked over with me both the 
 money difficulties in which he is involved 
 with your father, and his admiration for 
 you ! " 
 
 '^ Did he send you here ? " asked Mimi 
 suddenly. 
 
 ^' Well, not exactly ; but can you not 
 understand the longing that one may have
 
 Egypt Spoils IsraeL 233 
 
 to be better acquainted with an individual 
 of whom one's best friends talk so warmly 
 and so frequently ? " 
 
 ^^It were wiser to be silent," said the 
 girl, with a cold scorn in her voice, which 
 showed Bertha that to mould Mimi Jacobsen 
 to her will, and make her believe in her, 
 would be no easy task ; however, she went 
 on with her pretty platitudes. 
 
 ^' Were it not for this money-storm, which 
 seems so thick in the atmosphere of your 
 home just now, I would invite you to my 
 house, where we could all meet and pass 
 some pleasant hours together, but under the 
 circumstances I fear we must postpone the 
 happiness. Take my advice, dear child, 
 keep very quiet for the present ; seek to see 
 none of your friends, for a week or two at 
 least. In the meantime, if you can have 
 sufficient faith in almost a stranger, rely on 
 me for information." 
 
 "Thank you, lady, thank you for your 
 kindness. I shall probably hear from my 
 father how these business matters proceed.
 
 234 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 He has but few secrets from me," and lier 
 head sank once more into her lap. 
 
 ^' Your father is the last person likely to 
 be made acquainted with the necessity Sir 
 Edward may find to leave the country,'^ 
 suggested Bertha quietly. 
 
 ^^ Leave the country — he — Edward Bazal- 
 gette ? — impossible ! — and on account of 
 persecution from my father, — and I am 
 powerless to help. Oh, this is too much ! " 
 and her whole frame shook under the 
 violence of her emotion. 
 
 '^Do not give way thus, my child; the 
 game is not lost yet, though a false move on 
 your part now may prove fatal. You must 
 do nothing, absolutely nothing. If your 
 father were to suspect your interest in the 
 matter, he would be doubly desirous of 
 crushing Sir Edward." 
 
 But Mimi did not answer, only sat sobbing 
 on as though there were no comfort left in 
 life. Vainly did Bertha strive to soothe 
 her; the young heart, which was only for 
 the first time beginning to feel the burden
 
 Egypt Spoils Israel. 235, 
 
 and lieat of the fierce sun of life, refused to 
 be consoled; perhaj^s, too, Mimi had her 
 own secret reasons for being more crushed 
 and desponding than the outward appearance 
 of passing events seemed to warrant. At 
 last, however, the extreme violence of her 
 grief spent itself, and she answered Mrs. 
 Leigh's caressive little speeches more genially 
 than she had hitherto done. It is, after all, 
 more or less of a comfort to have a kind 
 shoulder on which to lay your aching head ; 
 and a soft voice bidding you have faith and 
 trust is not without its influence. So Mimi 
 yielded, and consented to leave her future 
 in Bertha Leigh's hands, who promised to 
 work it out for her to the best of her power, 
 and in the manner most conducive to her 
 happiness and his. 
 
 ^^ You will see him, then, dear lady, and 
 tell him why I have broken my tryst, and 
 cannot come to the old place of meeting; 
 and you will beg him, for my sake, to 
 make the best terms he can with my 
 father."
 
 236 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 Bertha kissed her lovingly, and promised 
 that she would talk to Sir Edward, and in 
 two or three days come and see Mimi again, 
 and give her information as to how matters 
 were progressing. 
 
 Thus they parted, — and with insidious 
 falseness Bertha had begun the first act in a 
 little drama which, for some private reasons 
 of her own, she had determined if possible 
 to play out. 
 
 And Mimi sat there long and passively, 
 as though ossified by the cold weight of 
 thought. A few months ago she had been 
 a light, joyous girl, the sunshine of her 
 father's heart, the light of his old home ; but 
 events had changed the current of her life, 
 age and care and depression seemed to 
 have come upon her even in the heyday of 
 her youth, and though with a vigorous effort 
 she would cast them from her when in her 
 father's presence, and would laugh and 
 chatter excitedly for his amusement, it was 
 simply as one acting a part, and anxious if 
 poossible to lull any suspicions which might
 
 Egypt Spoils Israel, 237 
 
 have been aroused. For two long hours 
 after Mrs. Leigh's departure she sat there, 
 till the complete stillness which had crept 
 over the house seemed to awaken in her the 
 knowledge that action of some sort was a 
 necessity, if she would not be questioned. 
 She had only just risen from her crouching 
 position, and was beginning to bestir herself 
 about some woman's work, when the door 
 opened and her father entered.
 
 238 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 TO THE abbey! 
 
 After Bertha Leigh had quitted Mimi 
 Jacobsen on the morning following the 
 supper-party in Belgrave Street, she drove 
 round in the little brougham to the Eegent's 
 Park to call for Pettita, who had meanwhile 
 been having a private interview with Mrs. 
 Kelly. There was a flush on the girPs face, 
 a pink look about her pretty eyes, as she 
 took her seat in the carriage. 
 
 ^^ Another excited heroine," thought the 
 more self-composed Bertha, '^all these 
 strong emotions must have a very bad effect 
 on the constitution. Well, child," she 
 said out loud, ^'have you been put through
 
 To the Abbey! 239 
 
 your paces and found wanting, that you 
 look so "woebegone ? Never mind, I really 
 do think rushing on the stage to make 
 money is only the sort of thing one reads 
 of in a book, it is scarcely practicable in 
 real life — but you would have a peep into 
 the possibilities of following such a career." 
 
 Pettita began to cry. 
 
 '-^ I should not care if I could get money 
 to help Madge. Do you think, Mrs. Leigh, 
 that I would have deceived her by coming 
 out without telling her where I was going, 
 if I had not hoped to help her? "When I 
 saw her grave pale face at breakfast this 
 morning, I longed to rush into her arms and 
 tell her everything. How sorry I was I 
 had spoken sharply last night, and had not 
 given up the play at once, and gone home 
 with her if she wished it, for she is a dear 
 good, kind old Madge, and loves me very 
 much, though it is very hard sometimes for 
 me, wicked by nature as I am, to under- 
 stand how she can sacrifice everything to 
 duty in the way she does."
 
 240 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 '' Good gracious ! Pettita, do stop and 
 allow me a little breathing space in the 
 midst of these rhapsodies over your sister's 
 goodness, which I am sure no one denies, 
 though what in the world it has to do witL 
 Mrs. Kelly and your wish to go on the stage 
 I cannot comprehend." 
 
 ^'Everything, for Madge is to go and see 
 Mrs. Kelly, and they are to talk about me, 
 though Mrs. Kelly, who is almost as good 
 and nice as Madge, says she is sure they 
 will neither of them consent to my being au 
 actress." 
 
 ''They both make a great fuss about 
 nothing," said Bertha, with a little frown. 
 ''I cannot see why you should not go on 
 the stage as well as — " 
 
 ^' Do you wish it for me ? " asked Pettita, 
 not heeding the unended sentence. 
 
 " IS'o, I wish you for the next few weeks 
 to remain quietly with me. You are happy 
 with me, are you not, Pettita ? " 
 
 "Yery," cried the girl, throwing her 
 arms round Bertha's neck and kissing her.
 
 To the Abbey! 241 
 
 ^' Well, then, we must persuade Margaret 
 after a visit of a few days, to go back to 
 Woodlands and finish her packing. In the 
 meantime you will stop with me, as pre- 
 viously arranged, and we will not even 
 discuss the dreary subject of what you are 
 eventually to do. Chance, little one, or, as 
 I suppose Margaret would call it. Providence 
 plays a very conspicuous part in all our 
 lives, so suppose you wait a bit and see if a 
 trump card will turn up. You are young 
 and beautiful, but remember, perpetually 
 tormenting yourself about the future will 
 soon make an ugly old frump of you, so let 
 us be jolly while we may." 
 
 Even the bright vista which life for the 
 next two or three months at Mrs. Leigh's 
 presented, was scarcely sufiicient to comfort 
 Pettita, whose better feelings had been 
 aroused, and the warm impulsiveness of her 
 nature excited to its utmost by Mrs. Kelly's 
 straightforward truth, as she placed the 
 future before Pettita with all the shrewd- 
 ness of a practical woman of the world^ 
 
 VOL. I. R
 
 242 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 and all the loyalty of a high-principled 
 one. 
 
 " Oh ! but I have my work to do — fun 
 and amusement is not the only end in life. 
 Why should Madge slave all alone? it is 
 my duty to help her ! " 
 
 ^'Pettita, don't be tiresome and pro- 
 Toking ! " cried Mrs. Leigh, losing her 
 placidity, — scarcely her temper, that was 
 always kept in great subjection. ^'Mar- 
 garet's only care and anxiety is on your 
 account. You will annoy her far more by 
 making a public exhibition of yourself than 
 by remaining immured in the privacy of 
 noodledom all vour life. "When she hears 
 you have given up the stage, she will be 
 quite happy and contented, and if you can- 
 not make yourself the same in my house for 
 the next few weeks, well, you are an un- 
 grateful little ape, that is all I have to 
 say." 
 
 Thus far it was settled between them, but 
 Bertha was destined to be still farther pro- 
 voked, for on reachincr Belgrave Street in
 
 To the Abbey ! 243 
 
 time for a late lunch, tliey found Eichard 
 Gricsnacli in the drawing-room in close 
 conversation with Margaret. Mrs. Leigh's 
 first impulse was to rush to her room and 
 shut herself up till all this tiresome talk, 
 which she had brought upon herself by 
 taking possession of the girl should have 
 •come to an end ; but for some reason of her 
 own she intended to stand her ground, so, 
 having shaken hands with the little man, 
 she sank down wearily in the corner of the 
 sofa, while Pettita, in her effusive way, 
 gave an account of her morning's ex- 
 periences. 
 
 Bertha, annoyed as she was at what she 
 ■called ^^ the platitudes of these self-righteous 
 people," could not help being amused by 
 Margaret's intense look of surprise and 
 horror at all she heard ; and at her prompt 
 and decided refusal to become acquainted 
 with Mrs. Kelly Bertha fairly laughed. 
 
 '-'- Oh ! young woman who knows nothing 
 of life," she said, ^' you see I have done the 
 best for your sister, for under my guidance 
 
 ii2
 
 244 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 she has given up the stage of her own will, 
 while you would probably have drilled her 
 and lectured her till you had driven her on 
 to it. ISTow for goodness' sake do not let us 
 hear anything more about it, but as a com- 
 pensation for all this uninteresting talk you 
 are going to leave me Pettita as first agreed, 
 and we are going to play a little comedietta 
 of real life." 
 
 Margaret still had her misgivings about 
 the air of Belgrave Street being good for 
 Pettita, but how could she with her cramped 
 means find it in her heart to take her away, 
 now that there seemed no actual present 
 danger to terrify her, and that Eichard 
 Griesnach urged that she should remain, 
 and promised to watch over her ? 
 
 A promise at which Mrs. Leigh's eye- 
 brows arched slightly. She had no intention 
 of sharing with any one, least of all with 
 Mr. Griesnach, the duties of chaperon e. 
 So with a few more words Margaret rose to 
 depart, she had decided to leave her sister, 
 thus there was no more to be said ; before
 
 To tho Abbey! 245 
 
 Eertha Leigh she was not likely to bestow 
 on Pettita one of her grave kind lectures, 
 for Margaret always felt rather uncom- 
 fortable in Bertha's presence, and was im- 
 pressed with a sort of inward conviction that 
 she was being laughed at. Certainly these 
 two women were antipathetic. 
 
 Pettita almost broke down when she saw 
 her good old Madge really start off on her 
 journey back to Woodlands, having refused 
 all Mrs. Leigh's reiterated invitations that 
 she should remain for a few days. And 
 when the door fairly closed on them both, 
 for Eichard Griesnach insisted on accom- 
 panying Margaret to the station, and Bertha 
 burst out into one of those ringing laughs 
 with which she only occasionally indulged 
 herself, Pettita stamped her foot, and in her 
 impetuous off-hand way declared her to be 
 both ^^ unkind and unfeeling." 
 
 But Mrs Leigh only went on laughing. 
 
 '^A marriage, Pettita, a marriage be- 
 tween those two ! Would it not be 
 charming?"
 
 246 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 ^^What nonsense," cried Pettita indig- 
 nantly; '^yon are always making up some- 
 thing. I am sure Madge will never marry ; 
 besides, fancy any one marrying ^ old Dick.' 
 He is a dear kind creature, but to think of 
 marrying him, — that is too preposterous." 
 
 '^ Well, I must own he would suit 
 Margaret the better of the two. Yet I haye 
 sometimes had a fancy that he was falling 
 in love with you." 
 
 Now it was Pettita' s turn to laugh, with 
 that careless happy laugh which has so 
 much of the ring of youth about it. The 
 idea that *' old Dick " should be in love with 
 any one amused her excessively, and the 
 supposition that the favoured individual on 
 whom he deigned to bestow his affections 
 should be herself, was to this very young 
 girl too ridiculous to be entertained for a 
 moment. Thus Pettita' s thoughts were 
 speedily withdrawn from the dreariness which 
 had come over her when she saw her sister 
 depart, and she was as vivacious and full of 
 nonsense as ever, when some half-hour
 
 To the Abbey! 247 
 
 later Lord Avebury presented himself in the 
 little drawing-room. 
 
 Although he was a man probably some 
 two or three years older than Eichard 
 Griesnach, it wonld not have entered into 
 Pettita's head to call him old, or to deride 
 him in the way she did her good little self- 
 constituted guardian, nor did she feel 
 disposed to laugh and bandy nonsense with 
 him, as though he were only that pleasant 
 good-looking Sir Edward. 
 
 Pettita had, since her arrival in London, 
 ceased to use the sobriquet of Prince 
 Charming, which she had bestowed on her 
 new acquaintance at the Squire's dance, 
 perhaps because a good deal of the illusion 
 had faded ; and if Margaret had asked her 
 now what she thought of Sir Edward, she 
 would have said unhesitatingly he was a 
 bright " chaffy " boy, who helped to make 
 some of the hours of her life pass very 
 pleasantly. Truly, there was no danger of 
 Pettita falling in love with him. He was 
 quite right when he told Mrs. Leigh she
 
 248 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 did not care a button about him, but he was 
 piqued nevertheless. 
 
 Bertha was a little disappointed when she 
 saw Lord Avebury enter the room unaccom- 
 panied by his nephew. ^^ One is so seldom 
 alone, men should always hunt in couples, 
 like dogs ; besides it is so much less com- 
 promising," was one of her aphorisms, and 
 though of course she could not speak her 
 thoughts, they were implied by the shrug 
 of her shoulders. She sat back in that 
 cosy little sofa corner of hers, and made her 
 pretty pointed speeches in the soft purring 
 way which fascinated every one, and which, 
 added to the general air of comfort she 
 knew so well how to bestow, gave her house 
 the 'homiest' cosiest aspect to be found 
 anywhere. In fact half an hour with Bertha 
 Leigh so often roused a drooping courage 
 and smoothed the rough places in a rugged 
 career, that surely those green spots should 
 be well watered to her advantage, whenever 
 one feels too anxious to exhibit the prickly 
 thorn-covered stems which were generally
 
 To the Abbey! 249 
 
 liidden under the rose brandies she held out 
 to most of her so-called friends. 
 
 On this occasion Lord Avebury ad- 
 dressed his conversation principally to 
 Pettita. There was something about the 
 girl's brightness and beauty which evidently 
 pleased him, but he turned round every now 
 and then with a sort of confidential aside to 
 Bertha, as though to show her that she was 
 in reality his preferred friend, and that he 
 by no means wished her to feel jealous about 
 any passing petits soins he might pay to the 
 child who was her last toy. He need, 
 perhaps, scarcely have troubled himself, for 
 though Bertha hardly knew at what value 
 to place Lord Avebury's attentions to her- 
 self, yet that he should even for a moment 
 seriously entertain any feelings for that little 
 chit, was an idea which would not arise 
 without some very marked reason. 
 
 ^'Where's Ted?" however she asked at 
 last, when she thought the conversation had 
 gone on long enough without her, and she 
 had come to a resolution to turn it into
 
 250 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 another channel, and finally to get rid of 
 Pettita if possible. 
 
 '''- 1 have not seen him to-day," answered 
 Lord Avebury. ^^ He usually looks into my 
 rooms, which are close to his own, every 
 morning when I am in town, but there is 
 evidently a cloud of some sort hanging over 
 him, which I, at all events, am powerless to 
 lift. I came back from Pau sooner than I 
 had intended, because I was unhappy about 
 the state in which I had left him, and affairs 
 do not seem in the least improved." 
 
 Bertha's little shrug was slightly notice- 
 able. She had hoped that she had something 
 to do with Lord Avebury' s speedy return. 
 
 '^ Young men will be young men," she 
 said quietly. ^^ I dare say things will shake 
 themselves into their places with him as 
 with others." 
 
 ^^ A very philosophical way of viewing it, 
 I make no doubt," he answered, laughing. 
 '' I wish I could quiet my doubts and fears 
 as easily. If I could only gqt him to make 
 a confidant of me it would be a relief, but
 
 To the Abbey ! 25 i 
 
 the boy seems to avoid me at every turn, 
 I am thinking of carrying him off down to- 
 the Abbey for a few days' hunting; we 
 must get confidential when we are alone over 
 our pipes at night." 
 
 This arrangement was in no way likely to 
 suit Bertha, and she roused herself out of 
 her comfortable corner. 
 
 *' Two men alone at the Abbey in Febru- 
 ary ! How dull you will find it ! I should 
 think you would end by hating each other. 
 I cannot call that a good arrangement, Lord 
 Avebury." 
 
 *^ "Well, the Abbey is not a hundred miles^ 
 from London. When we are tired of each 
 other, three-quarters of an hour by train will 
 bring us back to the haunts of beauty and 
 pleasure; in the meantime we can attend 
 to a little business. I have some papers 
 that want looking over, and Ted can help 
 me." 
 
 ^^ I think it very unkind of you to want 
 to go away again so soon, but you men are 
 so ver}^ errant in your ways there is no
 
 2^2 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 comprehending you. How dull we shall be ! 
 shan't we, Pettita ? " 
 
 But Pettita only laughed. She had not 
 arrived yet at considering either Lord 
 Avebury's or his nephew's presence as 
 essential to her life, whatever she might do 
 later. 
 
 At this moment the door dashed open, 
 and a new visitor broke in on the group. It 
 was that very irrepressible Marcia Fenton, 
 of whom Lord Avebury had almost as in- 
 stinctive a horror as had Lady Bluntisfield, 
 though this probably was the only point on 
 which they were agreed, for Lord Avebury 
 -always stigmatised her ladyship as an in- 
 veterate old bore. He was too much of a 
 cosmopolitan to . enter con amore into her 
 prejudices, as she would have had him do, 
 because he was an aristocrat, forsooth ! He 
 liked to dawdle away some of his idle hours 
 on the confines of Bohemia. There was a 
 freedom about the lives of the joyous, care- 
 less band yclept Bohemians, which had for 
 him a rare charm ; but women of Marcia
 
 To the Abbey ! 253, 
 
 Fenton's stamp were his especial aversion, 
 they always seemed to act as an irritant, 
 and kept him in a perpetual state of ill- 
 temper with himself and every one else. 
 
 Impartial as by nature he was in his 
 judgments on his fellows, he felt that he 
 could scarcely accord her even her due, for 
 that she was good-hearted honest and loyal 
 her bitterest enemy must allow; but her 
 loudness, fastness, and general vulgarity 
 made him at times almost forget the ex- 
 istence of better qualities. Lord Avebury 
 frequently thought there must be a note or 
 two out of tune about Bertha, which he had 
 not discovered, or she would not have en- 
 couraged this woman as an intimate friend. 
 It never entered his unimaginative mascu- 
 line brain that Marcia, notwithstanding her 
 slang and her slap-dash, was as true as steel, 
 while in the other's nature was mixed a very 
 fair quantity of base alloy. 
 
 *' Dear me ! you look as if a thunderbolt 
 had fallen among you. How are you. 
 Bertha? Why, Lord Avebury, I had no
 
 .254 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 idea you had come back ; so this is the girl 
 — glad to make your acquaintance dear — 
 hope we shall be friends ; " and she tapped 
 Pettita kindly on the shoulder, and then 
 threw herself somewhat unceremoniously 
 into a seat. 
 
 Lord Avebury looked at Bertha and rose. 
 He had never openly avowed his dislike to 
 this friend of hers — perhaps he scarcely 
 cared to assume the right, — but she knew 
 instinctively that they were not likely to 
 suit. It was so provoking that people 
 always would come when they were not 
 wanted, — when Bertha felt lonely and 
 out of sorts, she was very glad of Marcia to 
 cheer her, but. just now she would have 
 annihilated her on the spot if she had only 
 dared. 
 
 " You will let me hear, then, something 
 of your plans. You will not leave town 
 without letting me know," she said sotto voce 
 :as she shook hands with her male visitor, 
 but the words did not escape Marcia's quick 
 /ears, and she broke in with.
 
 To the Abbey! 255 
 
 '^ Going out of town again already? 
 Wliy you are a bird of passage. How I 
 should like to be always on the wing ! " 
 
 ^* I am only going to the Abbey for a few 
 days on business," he said, more stiffly than 
 was his usual manner with ladies. 
 
 "On business!" cried Marcia; ^' can't 
 we help you ? there is not much doing in 
 London just now. Suppose we make a 
 picnic party to the Abbey, and come and 
 look you up some day, should you be very 
 much surprised ? " 
 
 Just a tinge of colour for a moment 
 appeared in Bertha's usually pale face ; the 
 scheme found favour in her eyes, and she 
 inwardly thanked Marcia for the suggestion. 
 " These plain, outspoken people are of use 
 sometimes in working the machinery of life," 
 she thought. 
 
 "In the summer it would be a delightful 
 trip for you all," said Lord Avebury, 
 catching like a drowning man at a straw in 
 order to put off sine die this threatened 
 invasion of his house.
 
 2.^6 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 '^ In the summer, bah ! we may not live 
 till the summer." 
 
 He almost hoped she would not. 
 
 '^We mean to come. IN'ow what do 
 you say, Bertha? Would it not be de- 
 lightful?" 
 
 ''Yes very, but I should be sorry to 
 put Lord Avebury to so great an incon- 
 venience," and she drew a pattern on the 
 carpet with her foot, and did not look at 
 any one. 
 
 ''Pray do not think of it in that light," 
 he answered gallantly. " I should only be 
 too proud and happy to see you all, but I am 
 afraid you will find the expedition a very 
 cold imd dreary one, nor is the Abbey worth 
 seeing when you get there." 
 
 " That is modesty now," laughed Marcia, 
 ^' for I always heard it was a lovely place, 
 and had one of the finest old halls in 
 England." 
 
 "You do the place too great honour," he 
 said with that grand air he always assumed 
 when not altogether pleased. "lean only
 
 77? the Abbey! 257 
 
 repeat I shall be very liappy to see you 
 all." 
 
 *'01i! but we must make a party and 
 you must fix the day. Invitations given in 
 that vague general way never come to 
 anything. What do you say, child? You 
 have not given your opinion yet — let us 
 have it. "Would not it be jolly ? " 
 
 Thus appealed to, Pettita became crim- 
 son. 
 
 ^^I should like it excessively," she said; 
 ^4n fact, there are few things I should like 
 better." 
 
 Lord Avebury turned and looked at her 
 for a moment, then smiled as he said in a 
 kind paternal way, 
 
 ^^ So you would like to come and see my 
 old place, Miss Pettita? Well, you shall 
 be gratified. We will arrange this projected 
 trip, and in the meantime let us pray for a 
 fine day." 
 
 And for some minutes after he had left 
 them Bertha sat silently in her old corner 
 by the fire, and left Pettita and Marcia 
 
 VOL. I. s
 
 258 Baitmg the Ti^ap. 
 
 to chatter away and become better ac- 
 quainted without her. She was on the 
 whole pleased at the idea of the expedition 
 to the Abbey, though scarcely gratified 
 that she had had so little to do in bringing, 
 it about.
 
 259 
 
 CHAPTEE XV. 
 
 BREAK OF DAY. 
 
 Once more we take a peep at Eichard 
 Griesnach as he sits alone in that somewhat 
 dingy room of his in the Temple. The 
 table is littered from one end to the other 
 with papers and pamphlets of every de- 
 scription, and the little man is looking very 
 brisk and business-like, while his ready pen 
 is moving quickly on. It is evident that 
 the ^ Educational Argus ' is in full force, and 
 a glance at Mr. Griesnach's face tells that 
 this editorial work is, to him, no unpleasing 
 employment. To judge from his activity as 
 he compiles, arranges, erases, ties up, and 
 in fact puts the first number in printing 
 
 s2
 
 i26o Baiting the Trap. 
 
 order, one would almost imagine he had 
 been used to work all his life, and would 
 scarcely give him credit for having been but 
 a few weeks back a very dilettante scribbler 
 indeed. Yet so it was, and such is the 
 effect of determination of purjDOse, when set 
 in motion by a vigorous mind. A weight, 
 too, had been removed from Mr. Griesnach's 
 thoughts, — the stage had been given up, and 
 Pettita was safe for a while, at least, at Mrs. 
 Leigh's; and Eichard Griesnach, be it 
 remembered, had great faith in Bertha 
 Leigh. Altogether a light-heartedness which 
 was very unusual to his naturally despon- 
 dent nature, had come over him, so he 
 worked away with a will, and — 
 
 ^^ Vogue la galere I The ^ Educational 
 Argus ' is launched at last," shouted 
 Jenkins, as he burst into the room, and by 
 his noisy voice almost startled Mr. Griesnach 
 out of his chair. ^^Upon my word, my 
 good fellow, I never had such hard work in 
 my life. I thought the ^ Argus ' was going 
 to be too sharp for us, indeed I did, but we
 
 Bi^eak 0/ Day. 261 
 
 have managed it, — we have managed it. A 
 shilling a number, monthly, and all that 
 tremendous amount of machinery required to 
 set it in motion, — it is almost incredible ! 
 Statistical accounts of the training of street 
 Arabs in every quarter of the civilised globe, 
 are not easy to collect, let me tell you, and 
 I take to myself Kvhos^ very great Kvhosj 
 though you are not a bad hand at knocking 
 it into shape either." 
 
 Eichard Griesnach in his present happy 
 state of satisfaction with all the world, him- 
 self included, put out his hand, which was 
 grasped warmly by Jenkins' huge flabby 
 paw. 
 
 ^^Here are the two or three articles still 
 remaining to be sent to the printer; had 
 they not better be despatched at once ? '' 
 said Griesnach, overjoyed at the thought 
 that the work which for the last week had 
 been absorbing all his time was finished 
 pro tem.^ and that he should now be free to 
 go and pay the house in Belgrave Street a 
 visit.
 
 262 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 '^Ay, ay, man! I will take them forth- 
 with. But first of all read this glorious 
 puif in the ' Spinning Wheel ' ; such an 
 article as that ought to start us, eh ? " 
 
 ^' The subject should of itself have suffi- 
 cient weight/' answered Mr. Griesnach 
 gravely. ^' I hate back-door influence." 
 
 '^Bah! my good fellow, we should all 
 stand still without it. Believe me, there 
 never yet was anything in this world accom- 
 plished without a little jobbery," 
 
 Mr. Griesnach rose and walked to the 
 window. Jenkins, as usual, was treading 
 on some of his corns, and he was beginning 
 to get irritable. 
 
 *^ Well, it is a system I deprecate highly," 
 he said, ^^and if you consider that your 
 share in this undertaking justifies your use 
 of any means you may have at command to 
 push the magazine, you may, at least, 
 accord me the privilege of being kept in 
 ignorance of what you are doing." 
 
 " ^ High-flown Buckingham grows cir- 
 cumspect ' ! " shouted Mr. Jenkins, and
 
 Break of Day. 263 
 
 then he burst into one of his loud, vulgar 
 laughs. 
 
 How much there is in a laugh ! — how you 
 can tell by its very tones whether the world 
 goes well or ill with the laugher, whether 
 its troubles and annoyances sit carelessly or 
 heavily on his shoulders. A man's laugh is 
 almost the key to his inward life. Jenkins' 
 laugh jarred unpleasantly on Eichard Gries- 
 nach, and he felt at times, when subjected 
 to the infliction, that he could not possibly 
 continue to coalesce with this man, but that 
 this laugh, if nothing else, would compel 
 him to throw up the editorship of the 
 
 ^ Argus '. 
 
 '^ Circumspect or not," he replied with a 
 dark frown Jenkins knew how to interpret, 
 ^4f we are to continue to work together, my 
 wishes must be respected." 
 
 "All right, all right, my good fellow, 
 don't let us quarrel whatever we do, 
 especially, too, just when we are on the 
 verge of success. Give me the bundle of 
 papers. In a few days, perhaps, we may
 
 264 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 have an honester and blunter verdict on our 
 labours than even you bargain for. Truth 
 is not always pleasant, my good sir, not 
 always pleasant. Ta-ta, I am off! haven't 
 got any especial message for the printer^ 
 have you ? " 
 
 Thus the edge of Eichard Griesnach's 
 seeming content was blunted, and his inter- 
 view with Jenkins left him, as those inter- 
 views generally did, ^^ riled," and out of 
 temper with himself. 
 
 For to-day, at least, his urbanity of dis- 
 position being gone, it was useless to pay, 
 as he had intended, a visit to that little 
 "West-end house where, just now, all his 
 thoughts were centred. So after Jenkins' 
 departure he put away his papers and sat 
 down moodily. It was not that in the short 
 conversation which had just taken place 
 there had been anything said especially to 
 annoy him, but it was the inward feeling 
 that he was degrading himself by having 
 this man for a coadjutor, which rose so 
 forcibly before him every time they came in
 
 Break of Day, 265 
 
 close contact with each other. Thus it is 
 that irritable temperaments are easily over- 
 set. Richard Griesnach's nervons system 
 was always highly strung ; those good 
 hours which so seldom came to him invari- 
 ably raised him far above the level on which 
 men usually find themselves when life goes 
 brightly, while in his evil hours he sank 
 into a perfect slough of despair, from which 
 with difficulty, even the convictions of his 
 wiser and more trained self could scarcely 
 raise him. 
 
 Jarred, then, and set out of tune by his 
 recent interview with the man with whom 
 fate had elected he should be brought so 
 closely in contact, he felt inclined to give 
 way to dark thoughts and despairing fancies, 
 instead of rousing himself to action, and 
 smiling at his partner's shortcomings as he 
 would have done had his tone of mind been 
 a healthier one. He reached a favourite 
 book from a shelf close by, and having 
 wheeled his chair near the fire, seemed as 
 though he were going to give himself up to
 
 266 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 that hour of dreamland which none but an 
 overworked mind, as his had been of late, 
 knows how to appreciate. Let the drones 
 fancy they have the best of life, it is only 
 the workers who can truly value the sweets 
 of repose. 
 
 Eichard Griesnach's hour of rest, how- 
 ever, belonged to that list of ^^unaccom- 
 plished desires " which usually forms so 
 long a one in most human histories, — and 
 well, perhaps, it is for us that such is the 
 case. 
 
 He had scarcely lain back, dreaming over, 
 not reading his book for five minutes, 
 when his eye casually fell on Captain St. 
 Orme's unopened desk. He had been too 
 busy ever since his return from Woodlands 
 to do more than cast an occasional glance at 
 it as it stood on a side-table. This afternoon 
 then, the '- Argus ' being despatched and his 
 own thoughts being ready to take a morbid 
 turn, was the very time to unlock that relic 
 of the past, and to penetrate into some of 
 the secrets which, for all he knew, would
 
 Break of Day. 267 
 
 perhaps have been better buried with those 
 who had passed away. 
 
 It is a strange medley, that collection of 
 papers and scraps which we most of us 
 gather so eagerly together in life, and hide 
 so carefully from other eyes but our own, 
 forgetting that the day must come sooner or 
 later when they will either bring sorrow to 
 a loving heart, or derision to cold scornful 
 eyes. There are few dead men's treasures 
 which fall into the reverential hands that 
 Captain St. Orme's did. Poor proud Mar- 
 garet ! it was well too that the opening of 
 that desk had passed away from her, for 
 there lay revealed the history of her 
 mother's early career, the knowledge of 
 which would have bowed her down with 
 grief, and she had quite sorrows and troubles 
 enough of her own just now to keep the 
 balance of her life even, she scarcely 
 wanted this new one to add to their 
 weight. 
 
 Eichard Griesnach sat and mused long 
 with the record of how Mrs. St. Orme's
 
 268 Baiting the Trap. 
 
 early days had been passed lying open 
 before him on the table. He remembered 
 how angrily annoyed he had been with his 
 friend when he first became aware of the 
 marriage he had contracted, — then his 
 thoughts passed on to that one only time 
 when he had seen the wife, and how in his 
 heart he had freely forgiven St. Orme for 
 his folly. For the image of the Lima 
 beauty had dwelt on through years in 
 Eichard Griesnach's mind, even till he saw 
 it reproduced in her child, and the cry for 
 love which he had hoped was silenced for 
 ever in his breast had made itself heard 
 again more loudly than ever when he 
 beheld Pettita. 
 
 '-'- If she could only bear with me and be 
 happy with me," was his wail, as he sat 
 there with the history of her father and 
 mother's early loves in his hand; and 
 when he turned over the pages and read 
 the whole account as Captain St. Orme had 
 written it down day by day, as it all 
 happened, he wondered how it was that
 
 Bixak of Day. 269 
 
 lie could have passed the severe verdict he 
 had once done on his friend's "foolhardy 
 rashness." 
 
 How strange are the issues of events ! 
 
 Years had swept on their course, the 
 child of that foolish union had grown to 
 woman's estate, and he, the grizzly man 
 who for some years now had had no thought 
 of a home life beyond those Temple cham- 
 bers, was roused from his selfish cares, and 
 his whole nature was aglow as he hoped 
 that the twin-born happiness for which all 
 mortals long, was not to be for him alto- 
 gether a blank and a desert. 
 
 " Shine ! shine ! shine ! 
 Pour down your warmth, great sun ! 
 While we bask, we two together, 
 Two together ! 
 
 "Winds blow south, or winds blow north, 
 Day come white, or night keep black, 
 Home, or rivers and mountains from home. 
 Singing all time, minding no time, 
 If we two but keep together." 
 
 Were it not for dreams, what would some
 
 270 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 of our lives be ? The active mind works off 
 its annoyances and its vexations in action, 
 the contemplative nature dreams and makes 
 a bright future for itself, in a world peopled 
 by its own imaginings. Dreamy then was 
 Eichard Griesnach's mood as he sat alone in 
 that solitary room, with the cold spring 
 winds soughing in the narrow courts, and 
 making but a dreary accompaniment to the 
 bright picture he w^as painting for himself 
 on the worn canvas of that old bygone love 
 story. 
 
 Those who had noted him as a shrewd, 
 keen- sighted man, who could hit hard at 
 both public and private grievances with a 
 vigorous and unyielding pen, might not 
 have understood this reversed side which 
 his nature now presented ; yet so it is, everj^ 
 highly developed point of character has its 
 strong opposite. 
 
 At last he shook himself back from that 
 happy land of romance, and went on with 
 his investigation of the contents of the desk. 
 There seemed to be little of particular
 
 Break of Day, 271 
 
 interest, though many old letters brought 
 vividly back to Eichard Griesnach's mind 
 the recollection of days now long gone 
 by, which the two friends, who had 
 been as brothers, had passed happily to- 
 gether. 
 
 The search was well-nigh over, and save 
 for the finding of that one particular docu- 
 ment, which he wished to keep from the 
 girls' knowledge, it had yielded no especial 
 information, till on a sudden by an accident 
 his hand touched a spring of the existence 
 of which he was unaware, and a secret 
 drawer flew open. It contained two or 
 three old papers tied together with a 
 string. 
 
 At almost the first glance, Eichard Gries- 
 nach saw that they must have been there for 
 years, — long before the desk came into the 
 possession of Captain St. Orme. They 
 referred to people of whom he had never 
 heard, and had not the instincts which had 
 been awakened in him when he had been 
 studying for the Bar caused him to read
 
 272 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 them steadily to the end, he would probably 
 at once have thrown them in the fire as 
 worthless and irrelevant. Something, how- 
 ever, on a sudden seemed to rouse him. 
 He no longer perused the old papers as a 
 mere matter of duty. All his acuteness 
 was brought into service ; the man of 
 dreams gave place to the lawyer, and as he 
 at last put them all down before him on the 
 table, there was a feverish look on his pale 
 intelligent face, a fire burning in his keen 
 eyes, which showed without words how 
 thoroughly he had been aroused, how that 
 in the short half-hour that he had been 
 reading there, a new epoch had arisen which 
 must inevitably change the current of 
 several lives. But Eichard Griesnach's 
 thoughts had evidently been carried far 
 back into past years, for — ' 
 
 ^' St. Orme, my poor old friend ! " were 
 the words he almost inaudibly spoke as his 
 long thin fingers nervously wandered over 
 the papers. 
 
 Then the recollection of the younger
 
 Break of Day, 273 
 
 generation seemed to spring up before him, 
 and as his lips framed Pettita's name he 
 started hastily to his feet, as though he 
 would seek her immediately. Poor Mar- 
 garet with her patient anxious watchings — 
 was she always to be quite forgotten ? 
 
 But Mr. Griesnach did not immediately 
 follow his first impulse. He took the 
 papers up once more, and reperused them. 
 He could scarcely trust to his own judg- 
 ment in his present excited state, — ^he must 
 have an opinion. 
 
 To whom should he turn ? To Jenkins ? 
 He was practical, business-like, and less 
 likely to be imposed upon than he was 
 himself, notwithstanding his greater learn- 
 ing and more refined perceptions. 
 
 A few minutes more and the little man 
 with his precious bundle of papers in his 
 hand, might be seen hobbling through the 
 courts in search of Jenkins, — for the first 
 time, perhaps, in his' life, impatiently 
 desiring to find him, and feeling as it 
 were that in his hands lay a great 
 
 YOL. I. T
 
 274 Baiting the Trap, 
 
 issue, for according to the verdict Jen- 
 kins should pass, Mr. Griesnach felt 
 much in the future might shape it- 
 self. 
 
 END OF VOL. I. 
 
 PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND CO., 
 LITTLE QXJKBK STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELD3. 
 
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