4 ft. J A- To be kept Days S. RANSFORD'S MARINE HOUSE, GLEVEDON. TERMS OF SUBSCRTPTTON. To either Library or Reading Room : — £ s. d. One Year 1 1 Half- Year 14 6 Quarter 8 6 Month 4 6 Fortnight 2 6 AVeek 1 6 To both Library and Reading Room : — £ s. One Year 1 10 Half- Year 1 1 Quarter 15 M' 8 .4- 4 3 .♦ Single Volumes *" ^ "^ ud by Non-Subscribers. In the Reading Rov ^ '^*^e found the London, Bristol, and Rath and Cheltenham Papers !^*.gether with Blackwood's, Tail's Bentley's and Chambers' Magazines, and other Periodicals. RULES OF THE LIBRARY. I, — The money to be paid at the time of Subscribing, and at the commencement of each bubsequent Term II._No Book to be transferred from One Subscriber tp another, or lent to any other person, under forfeiture of the Subscription ; or if a Non-Subscriber, of an extra charge. III. — Any Volume being lost, damaged, or written in, must be paid for ; and "if constituting' one of a set, the remaining Volumes to be taken to, and replaced by a new Work of the same description. IV.— Subscribers may have Three Volumes at a time, which may be exchanged once a day ; and must be returned within the time speci- fied on the Cover, under forfeiture of Two-pence per day for each Volume. |^° As the Proprietor wUhes to oblige and give sntia faction to all Subscrihcrs, he hopes that a strict observance of these Rules will ordij be considered as essential to that purpose. i^tationpvg of rijtrp ticstrtption. I LI E) R.AR.Y OF THE UN IVLR5ITY or ILLINOIS D2.a<;g v.l BEAUTIFUL COMPLEXION. ROWLAND'S KALYDOR. An Oriental Botanical Preparation, of vital importance to the mpport of FEMALE BEAUTY. This admirable specific possesses balsamic properties of surprising energy, and is perfectly free from mineral or any pernicious admixture. It eradicates Tan, Freckles, Pimples, Spots, Redness, and other Cutaneous Visitations, gradually realizing a delicately clear and soft Skin ; transforms even the most Sallow Complexion into one of a healthy and juvenile bloom, imparts a deUcacy and softness to the Neck, Hands, and Arms; and, by due perseverance in its appHcation, promotes a free and uninterrupted ex- ercise of those important functions of the Skin, which is of the utmost necessity for the preservation of health, and attainment and continuance of a Beautilul Complexion. Gentlemen, after shaving, will find it allay the irritability and smarting pain, and render the Skin smooth and pleasant. \ii purifying and refreshing properties have obtained its selection |by Her Majesty the Queen, the Court, and th e Royal Family of Great Bri- tain, and the several Courts of Europe, together with the '^ elite" of the Aristocracy^ from the sultry climes of India to the frozen realms of the Czar. — Price 4s. ^d. and 8s. ^d. per bottle. Caution. — The words Rowland's Kalydor are on the wrapper of each bottle, and A. Rowland & Sons, 20, Hatton Garden, on the Go- vernment Stamp, affixed on each. THE TEETH AND HEALTH. A good set of teeth ever insures lavourable impressions, while their preservation is of the utmost importance to every individual, both as re- gards the general health by the proper mastication of food, and the conse- quent possession of pure and sweet breath. Among the various prepara- tions offered for the purpose, ROWLAI^D'S ODOiyiO, OR PEARL DENTIFRICE, stands unrivalled in its capability of embellishing, purifying, and preserving the teeth to the latest period of life. Prepared from Oriental Herbs with unusual care, transmitted to this country at great expense, this unique compound will be found to eradicate all tartar and concretions, and impart a pearl-like whiteness to the enamelled surface, remove spots of incipient decay, render the gums firm and red, fix the teeth firmly in their sockets, and from its aromatic influence impart sweetness and purity to the breath. It is important to observe that when used early in life it eifeetually pre- vents all aches in the Teeth and Gums — effaces spots and discolouration — eradicates scm-vy — and, in a word, soon realizes the chief attrilmte of Health and Beauty— A FINE SET OF PEARLY TEETH. As the most efficient and fragrant aromatic cleanser of the Mouth, Teeth, and Gums ever known, Rowland's Odonto has now for a long series of years occupied a distinguished place at the Toilettes of the Sove- reigns and the Nobility throughout Europe, while the general demand for it at once announces the favour in which it is held by the public at large. — Price 2.9. 9rf. per box. Caution. — The words " Rowland's Odonto" are on the Label, and ** A. Rowland 8f Sons, 20, Hatton Garden," engraved on the Government Stamp afHxcd on each. fcOLD BY THE PROPRIETORS, AND BY CHEMISTS AND PERFUMERS. . Beware of Spurious Imitations ! ! ! ^^^. CtERTRUDE CAMERON "^ 1 jQnnfl MRS. MACKENZIE DANIELS, AUTHOR OF " MY SISTER MINNIE," " FERNLEY MANOR," " OCK GUARDIAN," " GEORGIANA HAMMOND,'* ETC. ly THREE YOLrMES. VOL. L LONDON: THOMAS CAUTLEY NEWBY, PUBLISHER, 30, WELBECK STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE. 1853. 8£^ GERTRUDE CAMERON. CHAPTER I It was in compliance with the very earnest request of an old and esteemed friend — the excellent wife of the rector of Lissonburn — that I agreed to become an inmate of Mr. Cameron's family, and to undertake the educa- tion of his two nearly grown-up daughters. " I do not wish for one moment to deceive you," said Mrs. Maxwell, in first broaching the subject to me, " and therefore you shall have a faithful picture of my singular neigh- bours — at least as they appear to me — for, after all, my knowledge of them is exceedingly limited, and, if you go, you may find things much better than I shall represent them, from VpL. I. B 2 GERTRUDE CAMERON. the imperfect, broken view, I have been able to obtain." " Pray let me see the picture as you have seen it/' I said eagerly — "it is desirable that I should know the worst I have to encounter." "They came into our neighbourhood to- wards the end of last autumn, about eight months ago," continued Mrs. Maxwell, " and it was understood that they had taken the old priory on a lease of seven years. You do not know the place, and I am no hand at descrip- tions of any kind, but it will be enough to tell you that, although now^ in a state of pitiable decay, the priory has always been considered quite a first-rate dwelling house, and those who have hitherto lived in it have been thought good enough, and high enough, to associate with the best families in the country round — (and upon the whole, there are few neighbour- hoods, so secluded as ours, that can boast of older or more substantial families than may be found within ten and fifteen miles of Lisson- burn)." " I have heard so before- — but about the Camerons ?" GERTRUDE CAMERON. 6 " Oh, well, I was going to tell you that no- body beyond the quiet people of the village have taken the least notice of the present in- mates of the Priory. It is whispered that Mr. Cameron is a sort of gentlemanly adven- turer, that his name is well known in the fashionable world, and that although the wife and daughters are irreproachable in their con- duct, they must share, in some measure, tht? odium which attaches to him, as the head of the family. For my own part, I never believe one third of what I hear, when it is prejudicial to my fellow-creatures. One thing is certain — these Camerons are poor, reduced probably from affluent circumstances — and (alas for the mammon -worship of the present age !) this is quite enough to render them ineligible for the society of the rich and great." "In the abstract you are undoubtedly right," I said ; " but it seems to me that in this individual case the vooj populi must have had something, how^ever slight, upon which to found its censures. How does Mr. Cameron appear to you?" " A perfect gentleman, certainly. Accom- B 2 4 GERTRUDE CAMERON. plished, agreeable, very handsome, and, in short, without entering into details, a polished man of the world." " And the wife and daughters ?" " Mrs. Cameron is, as I said before, a con- firmed invalid, and I have never seen her out of her bedroom ; but she possesses, equally with her husband, an unmistakeable air of re- finement, and has the remains of very un- common beauty.'' " The girls too are handsome, I believe you observed ?" " The eldest will be, I think, in a most emi- nent degree. At present, one is more struck by the singularity' of her look. I never saw or imagined any face in the least like Gertrude Cameron's — ^but the youngest — little Ella as they call her — is quite bewitching. If I were free, I would risk much, and endure more, to save that sweet child from the evils that threaten her. Her mind is an imweeded but most lux- uriant garden." • " And how does the mother account for their education having been so cruelly neglected?" " Oh, poor woman 1 she seems more inclined GERTHUDE CAMERON. ^ to deplore than to explain, more solicitous re- garding the future than desirous of excusing the errors of the past. Thus much, however, Mrs. Cameron told me— that they had lived almost entirely abroad, travelling from place to place, and that the few governesses she had been enabled, from time to time, to secure, had turned out so flighty, ignorant, and ill-con- ducted, tuat she had grown weary of this mode of educating her daughters— and even now, if the father were not so strongly opposed to it, 1 fancy she w^ould prefer sending the girls to school." " But I have still to learn the secret of the powerful interest these children have excited in your heart, which, with all its warmth and kindness, is not, I know, prone to imbibe sudden or unfounded prepossessions " " Well, my dear, it is, I suppose, just this— they seem to me like flowers springing up m a bleak desert, where ungenial winds will de- stroy all their beauty and sweetness, and leave them either cold and hardened, or drooping wearily on their fragile stems." " And from what quarter are these ungenial winds at present blowing ?" 6 GERTRUDE CAMERON. "Alas!" said Mrs. Maxwell, "it is in their own home that the evil arises. I dare not affirm that anything bad is taught them, but I have too much reason to fear that there is an utter absence of all that is good, both in the way of precept and example. Mrs. Cameron seems bewildered in a labyrinth of wild, Uto- pian doctrines, amongst which pure and un- defiled religion has evidently no place to set its foot, and the father, though he laughs at her, and warns the girls against their mother's liulf crazy romance (that is Ids term, my dear, not mine), does nothing, as far as I can see, to put them upon a better track. Mr. Maxwell, indeed, apprehends, from a conversation he once held with our singular neighbour, that he has studied in the Voltaire school of philosophy, and scoffs, in his heart, at everything sacred and holy." " And these are the people, dear Mrs. Max- well amongst whom you are asking me to make my home?" "Yes," was the undaunted reply; "and more- over I have the fullest confidence that you will not say me nay." GERTRUDE CAMERON. '' But, my good friend, this is no joke, let me tell you. Here am I, after no end of storms and tempests, just settled down in a quiet little ark of refuge, determined to have nothing more to do with the restless, thankless world— and here are you invading my peaceful retreat, and saying with unblushing face— * Come out into the mad arena again. Abandon all your schemes of tranquil repose, and elegant Isdyism — and devote yourself to the education of two headstrong girls, and the companion- ship of their moonstruck mother and infidel father. My best of friends, are you not sensi- ble that your proposition is a serious and very weighty one ?" " I am not more sensible of this, than you are of the duty of laying out to the best pos- sible interest the talents which your Father has given you. Why you are not forty yet, and who ever talks of resting on their oars at that age ? As for your cottage, which is in truth a sweet, sunny picture, you can let it while you remain with the Camerons. Confess now, that you find a life of solitude occasionally very irk- ome and that independently of aU higher and 8 GERTRUDE CAMERON. purer considerations, there would be an infinite gratification in attaching to yourself two sweet, affectionate girls, whose children, perhaps, may be the solace and delight of your otherwise lonely age." " But, my dear creature, you are absolutely galloping now. What an imagination you have ! I can see no reason why these young ladies should regard me in any other light than that of an indifferent, salaried governess. They may even look upon me as their inferior." " That is impossible. I told Mrs. Cameron that the lady I had in view was a widow of an officer in the army ; a gentlewoman in every sense of the word. And she assured me that, if you would be so generous and unselfish as to take up your abode amongst them, her most earnest endeavour should be to enable you to regret as little as possible the sacrifice you would make in doing so." " Well, well," I said, *' it is quite evident that you have settled it all for me, and that I am literally to have no voice in the matter. Alas, for my tranquil cot, my sweet flowers, my calm unruffled days ! — Mrs. Maxwell, don't you GERTRUDE CAMERON. 9 tremble to think of what you may have to answer for ?" " No, my dear. When the path of duty is clear and defined, I never have any apprehen- sions in following it, and I am so firmly per- suaded that you are the very person that the Cameronswant — the very person to rescue those young, interesting creatures from error, and perhaps destruction — that I can tear you, even from this little paradise, without one throb of compunction. Hereafter you will thank me warmly for what I have done." "Ah, I hope it may be so — but I sadly fear your kind partiality towards me has led you to exaggerate my capabilities ine very respect. — - And if, after all, I should fail in doing any good?" " You will at least have made an effort in a most righteous cause, and if not to others, to yourself, in any case, a real good will be done. I must give you a quotation that used to be a favourite of yours — ' Who does his best his circumstance allows, Does well ; acts nobly. Angels can no more.' *' " My friend, I am conquered ; and in imi- B 3 10 GERTRUDE CAMERON. tation of your pure and cheerful faith, I wil try, henceforth, to hope all things." Such were the precise circumstances under which my dcvStiny became interwoven with that of the youthful beings whose story I am about to relate. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 11 CHAPTER II. Six weeks had passed ; and having succeeded in letting my pretty cottage, and made every other necessary arrangement connected with the new career that had so suddenly opened before me, I was journeying alone, and with anything but pleasurable anticipations, towards the old Priory at Lissonburn. Now that my admirable friend was no longer by, to cheer and animate me, 1 had a thousand gloomy fears and misgivings to con- tend against, a legion of uncomfortable doubts as to the wisdom of the step I had taken. True, it would have been cowardly and selfish to shrink from exertion, however distasteful, because it must interfere with my personal com- fort and convenience — but then there was an old saying about " letting well alone," which haunted me most pertinaciously, and brought with it a mocking spirit, who accused me of 12 GERTRUDE CAMERON. vanity and presumption, in supposing that my influence could be of any avail amongst persons whose manners, thoughts, and habits had been formed in a school altogether opposed to the one I, myself, had studied in. If it were only the girls I should have to do with, the matter would wear a different aspect; but the father and mother appeared to me very formidable, especially Mr. Cameron, whose mental visage seemed to grow uglier and uglier with every mile that lessened the distance be- tween us, tiU, as the journey drew to its ter- mination, I worked myself into an absolute paroxysm of wonder — not to say indignation — at Mrs. Maxwell, for having persuaded me to become domesticated with a man bearing the double stigma of "Infidel" and "Adven- turer." "Pray, are we far from Lissonburn?" I asked suddenly of my opposite neighbour, a quiet, aristocratic-looking young man, who had been my only companion in the stage coach, for the last thirty miles. " We are now approaching it," he repHed courteously. '' If you will take the trouble to GERTRUDE CAMERON. 13 rise and look from this window, you will see the village a little to the left. The view about here is considered pretty, I believe ; and for flat, inland scenery, it certainly is not amiss !" I thought this testimony cold, when, on obeying my companion's directions, I cast my eyes over the fair prospect, glov\dng in the softened light of a summer sunset, immediately before me. The abundance of wood and brake, the ripening corn and clover fields, the curiously winding road, skirted with branching elms ; and then the little village rising as it seemed out of all this luxuriance of nature ; the blue smoke curling from the cottage chimneys, and becoming lost amongst the dark green trees, — not forgetting the church spire, half hidden in its mantling ivy — formed alto- gether a picture on which I felt I should never be weary of gazing. " How very beautiful it is !" I exclaimed, returning at length to my seat, and looking almost reproachfully at the young stranger for having manifested so little enthusiasm con- cerning it. " Ah, you admire it," he said with real or 14 GERTRUDE CAMERON. assured indifference, "and I have no doubt you are right ; but as I am neither artist, poet, nor farmer, I must plead guilty to the bad taste of preferring the ugliest town that was ever built, to the most exquisite rural scenery in the world. Besides, I have lived near this since I was a boy, and familiarity with external beauty is said to deaden our perception of its excellence, in the same way that association with vice blunts the moral sense of its enor- mity." This remark was unfortunate, as it directed my thoughts again to the subject of Mr. Ca- meron, and occasioned the uncomfortable mental enquiry, of how far my future pupils could have escaped contamination in their daily intercourse with such a father ? After a few minutes' silence, during which my vis-a-vis had taken the Morning Post from his pocket, I ventured to say — " As you are a resident in this part of the world, perhaps you can inform me whether the coach will pass within a walking distance of Lissonburn Priory?" The young man looked up quickly, put down GERTRUDE CAMERON. 15 his paper, and, after bestowing upon me a much more attentive survey than he had thought it worth his while to do before, rephed, with evident empressement — " The coach leaves the Priory about a quarter of a mile to the left ; but my carriage will meet me at the village, and if it will be of the least service to you, I shall have great pleasure in offering you a seat. It will not, I assure you, inconvenience me in the slightest degree, as I nuist in any case drive by the very gates of the Priory !" Taken by surprise in this manner, T scarcely knew what to say; but a moment's reflection de- termined me on accepting the very polite offer of my new acquaintance, who could not, I was well aware, be influenced by any sudden ad- miration of a middle aged -lady, without even the remains of beaut v. " You are then acquainted with the family at the Priory ?" resumed the stranger, appear- ing to think that the little arrangement we had entered into entitled him to become rather more friendly and inquisitive. " Not yet," I replied shortly, willing to 16 GERTRUDE CAMERON. amuse myseif for a few minutes by exciting his curiosity. He looked, I fancied, both puzzled and dis- appointed, and nothing more was said by either of us till the coach stopped at the little village inn, and, in answer to an enquiry from my com- panion, I heard a loud order issued to bring round Mr. Willoughby's carnage immediately. " Have you any luggage that I can accom- modate?" then said the latter to me, as he po- litely assisted me from the coach. " Pray give me credit for feeling real pleasure in doing all I can for a lady to whom accident has kindly introduced me." I had luggage of course, but I would not hear of its encumbering the very light and elegant vehicle that now appeared in sight, and into which Mr. Willoughby handed me with another plentiful sprinkling of amiable speeches, that fully established his claim to gal- lantry, if they did nothing else. They did something else, though, for they made me feel that there was an ungracious- ness in my own reserve towards such a cour- teous and benevolent individual, which he was GERTRUDE CAMERON. 17 very far from deserWng; and as soon as we were fairly off, I renewed the conversation that my abruptness had interrupted, and told him that I was going to the Priory, in the capacity of governess to Mr. Cameron's daughters. Mr. Willouorhbv looked decidedlv interested, — so much so, indeed, that I was tempted to be inquisitive too, and to ask him whether he knew anything of the family. " Very little," he replied with a momentary increase of colour. " Thay have not been long in the neighbourhood, and — and — in short," (conquering his sudden hesitation and embar- rassment) " my mother takes queer notions into her head, and so w^e don't visit." " My friend Mrs. Maxwell, who does visit them," I said, with an emphasis of which I afterwards felt heartily ashamed, " led me to understand that they were rather avoided than otherwise by the surrounding families." " Oh, it is all humbug," he said quickly, '' but people in the country must have some- thing to talk about. Mrs. Maxwell shows her good sense by breaking through the foolish barriers that foolish people have set up. It's 18 GERTRUDE CAMERON. a confounded shame too," he continued with increasing warmth, " to visit the sins, or im- puted sins, of the father, upon the innocent mother and children, though for that matter it's a vastly convenient thing for those parents who have daughters to get off their hands, to decline receiving the Camerons. That eldest girl will be handsome enough to set the whole country on fire, and the little one would make the greatest beauty in our exclusive cir- cles hide her face with envy. Hang it ! people are sure to find out something wrong with those who would stand in their way." Mr. Willoughby's sudden warmth of speech and manner suggested a brief mental note, which I set down for future use before 1 asked him how he came to be so familiar with the personal attractions of the Miss Camerons. " Oh," he replied, " I see them at Lisson- burn church nearly every Sunday. It has always been the custom in our family to attend the parish church w^hen we are in the country. My mother thinks it necessary to show a good example, I believe." (Poor young man ! he really seemed to think GERTRUDE CAMERON. 19 an apology requisite for entering the house of God once a week.) I was just about to ask another question, when my companion abruptly exclaimed — " We are now close to the Priory, madam, and there, I believe, is your youngest pupil looking out for you at the gate." I leaned from the carriage eagerly and ner- vously as Mr. Willoughby spoke, and it was not long before I discovered, half concealed amidst a mass of very wild-looking trees and overgrown shrubs, a green iron gate, on the lowest bar of which stood a small figure dressed in white, peering anxiously, as it seemed, into the road along which we were rapidly ad- vancing. I had scarcely time to feel either surprised or shocked, when the odd little figure vanished, and Mr. Willoughby remarked, by way of ex- planation, that the young lady had probably run away to apprise her mother and sister of my arrival. In a few minutes more I had thanked my new acquaintance for his kind courtesy, dis- mounted from the carriage, received its owner's 20 GERTRUDE CAMERON. polite adieu, and was walking quickly through what ought to have been a garden, after a foreign-looking boy (in a page's costume) who had answered, in an incredibly short space of time, the summons made on my behalf, at the garden bell. I was too agitated and excited to bestow much notice upon the house, though I had cer- tainly a vague idea even then that there was something very romantic and uncommon about it ; and when my conductor left me in a large gloomy, oak-panelled room, opening on the richly luxuriant, uncultivated, wilderness garden, I began to think I had got into a palace more adapted to a sentimental heroine of sixteen, than to a plain and sober widow of eight and thirty. " I will tell the young ladies you are here, ma'am," the dark page had said on leaving me alone ; and at the expiration of about ten mi- nutes, during which I had tried to amuse my- self by looking at some wretchedly executed chalk drawings that hung round the sombre walls, the door opened v^ery softly, and my two pupils entered the room. GERTRUDE CAMERON. CHAPTER III. The sisters were both dressed in white, plain white muslin relieved by little black silk aprons, and with a narrow piece of black velvet round their long graceful necks. But in spite of these various points of similarity, there was, in fact, so striking a contrast between these young girls, that I could scarcely believe they were really sisters on whom I was gazing. Gertrude, the eldest by something less than two years, gave me, in that first interview, the idea of one oppressed, irritated, weighed down by some habitual trouble or annoyance. Not that she looked cross, in the common meaning of the w^ord, or that her face bore any decided tokens of fretfulness — but there was in it such a strange and utter absence of all joyousness, such an unmistakeable indication of settled sonfcw, that I was led to the hasty conclusion that her character was of that reserved and 22 GERTRUDE CAMERON. brooding nature, which magnifies every passing vapour into a thunder-cloud. She did not appear to me so handsome as I ^ had been taught to expect, though I was struck by the unusual size, and by the equally unusual expression of her dark, melancholy eyes, and I admired particularly the extreme simphcity of her costume, which was not marred by the addition of a jewel or ornament of any sort or kind. Ella, on the contrary, had as many bracelets, rings, and lockets, as she could contrive to dis- pose about her excjuisitely pretty and fairy-like little person ; and although I have, in general, a decided prejudice against these baubles, particu- larlyfor very young people, I was obliged toadmit that on her they had a most quaint and charming effect, and made her look like a lovely but fan- tastic portrait of some old world beauty, just stepped out of its frame. Her hair, which was of the richest brown I have ever seen, was confined loosely in a blue silk net, that matched the colour of her eyes, and set off to great ad- vantage the pure red and white of her delicate complexion. GERTRtDE CAMERON. 23 Altogether, I had an involuntary feelmg, be- fore the sisters had been two minutes in the room, that Ella Cameron was one of those marvellously attractive beings who seem out of place in oiu* dull, plodding world, and w^ho too often, while we wonder at and adore their sweet- ness, fade like an unreal vision from our daz- zled sight. On entering the apartment where I was sit- ting, Gertrude, without the least appearance of shyness or mauvaise honte, had come up to me and expressed, in a few welhchosen words, her satisfaction at my arrival. Then turning to shrinking, blushing Ella, she said encourag- ingly— " You see, dear, Mrs. Eeversham does not look such a very formidable personage. 1 am sure you need not be afraid of her." I hked the voice, and the manner in which she passed her arm round her sister's waist while I was trying to make friends with the latter — a somewhat difficult task as it proved, for Miss Ella had an invincible repugnance to learning of any description ; and my advent had been anticipated, as I subsequently dis- 24 GERTRUDE CAMERON. covered, with feelings the reverse of pleas ui'able by her little wayward ladyship. To my enquiries after Mr. and Mrs. Ca- meron, Gertrude replied that her father had been away for some days, and they did not know when he would return ; and that " mamma " was not very well, but would be happy to receive me in her room when I had dined. '' I have told Henri to bring your dinner to this room, because it is the coolest we have in the house," she continued in her composed and quiet manner, " but if you prefer taking it up stairs, in your own apartment, I hope you will not hesitate to say so. Shall I be your guide at present ? you must be weary, from your long journey." I gladly accepted this proposal, and follow- ing my young conductor, who went before me like a gracefully moving automaton,! soon found myself in a charming little bed-chamber, with a small dressing-room attached, and both fur- nished in that simple, foreign style, which was then as new to me, as it has always been at- tractive. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 25 " I hope you will find everything comforta- ble," said Miss Cameron, as she assisted me in the few alterations I was making in my toilette. " Mamma chose these rooms for you be- cause they have a southerly aspect, and in the winter the Priory is excessively cold." " My dear," I replied, " you have only been too solicitous concerning my comfort. What could the finest lady in the land desire beyond what has been provided for me here ?" Gertrude made no attempt to depreciate these pretty rooms, nor did she think it ne- cessary to say that no trouble had been taken, or that she wished things had been better, or to make any of the other foolish and insincere observations which young ladies (and even old ones sometimes) are too apt to indulge in on similar occasions. When I was ready to return to the dining- room, my companion accompanied me as far as the door, and then, finding that my dinner had been served, she hoped I would ring for what- ever I might want, and disappeared from my side almost as rapidly as her sister had flown from the garden gate half an hour before. VOL. I. . c 26 GERTRUDE CAMERON. My solitary meal was soon dispatched, and having summoned Henri to remove the cloth, I wandered out through the open French win- dows into the wild garden, and found my way to a pretty shady grove that appeared to have been planted for the purpose of rendering the house and grounds as private and secluded as possible. The trees — some of which were of very ancient growth— extended as far as the eye could reach, and terminated only where a wide and winding stream effectually separated all this part of the property from the land of a rich neighbouring farmer, to whom the whole estate belonged. Having a keen taste for the beauties of na- ture, and a still keener appreciation of quiet and repose, I found very much to admire and enjoy in the still scene around me ; but my half- dreamy, indolent satisfaction was quickly disturbed by the sudden apparition of Gertrude Cameron, sitting at the foot of a dwarf oak, with a book in her hand, and her white dress glitter- ing like snow against the dark ivy that clung i n thick masses about the stunted tree. She did not immediately notice my approach, GERTRUDE CAMERON'. Xl / and I had time, not only to admire the simple grace of her attitude, but to come to the rapid conclusion that her book must be a romance, and that it was indiscriminate romance-reading which rendered her so unnaturally pensive, and indisposed her to take an interest in the com- mon-place affairs of life. "All this must be altered now," I had just said to myself, with some degree of compla- cency, when Gertrude, hearing my footstep, rose hastily from the ground, and came to meet me, vrith a grave though wholly unem- barrassed air. I began by saymg — "I think I can guess that this is a favourite haunt of yours; and although it does no discredit to your taste, I should be better pleased to see one so young as yourself in love with the sunnier spots of the garden." " There are few sunny spots about the Priory," replied Gertrude ; " the trees and shrubs have been neglected and unpruned so very long, that our grounds are little better than a straggling wilderness at present. If I prefer this quiet grove, it is because it hides from my view the desolation of the other parts of the srarden." c 2 Its GERTRUDE CAMERON. " And because, perhaps, you can here in- dulge your taste for reading, without danger of being disturbed. I hope, however, my dear, that you will be prepared to substitute books of a graver cast for those which, I presume, have hitherto engrossed the best portion of your time and affections/' " I shall be glad to read anything you may recommend," said my calmest and strangest of pupils, " but mamma regrets, even now, that I have so little taste for works of imagination. She will tell you that I am hopelessly old- fashioned, matter-of-fact, and altogether unlike other girls of my age." " Which communication will scarcely be ne- cessary," was my mental commentary ; but I only said — " Then what, my dear, is the subject of the book I found you reading ?" "It is an Italian grammar," replied Ger- trude, handing it to me as she spoke ; — '' but there comes Ella, so I suppose mamma is anxious to receive you." It turned out, however, from Ella's report, that Mrs. Cameron would prefer meeting me GERTRUDE CAMERON. 29 at the hour of tea, which meal she hoped I should do her the favour of taking that even- ing in her room ; so finding we had still ample time, I proposed to the sisters to continue our stroll under the pleasant shade of the rustling trees ; and, placing myself between the two, I encouraged them to converse freely, and with Ella at least (whose shyness melted like snow in the warm sunbeams) I was ere long on the most friendly terms, and had been made ac- quainted with much of the village gossip, and received the most touching confidences con- cerning the dullness of the "stupid old Priory," and the impossibihty of existing for any length of time under such dreary, weary circum- stances. As yet I had made no allusion to the appa- rition I had seen on the iron gate. "Then I presume that you do not share your sister's partiality for Italian grammars ?" I observed, after Ella had been talking nonsense for as long a time as I approved. " Oh, I am a very naughty girl indeed, and always have been, and Gertrude is the very, very, very best of created beings," said little 30 GERTRUDE CAMERON. Ella emphatically, " but of course I know I am to learn now ; and I am really going to try to be excessively good and industrious." " I hope so. I sincerely hope and believe we shall all find too much to do for the future, to permit of our swinging on gates, and be- coming the jest or laughing-stock of any im- pertinent passers-by." " Oh dear," cried Ella, with a most amusing naivete, " then you saw me after all. I was in hopes that Mr. Willoughby would have had the kindness to hold his tongue ; but I might have guessed that he would be glad of an op- portunity of spiting us. However, as he had the civility to offer you a seat in his carriage, I won't abuse him any more now, and you, my dear Mrs. Eeversham, must forgive my naughti- ness in standing on the gate. Indeed, I meant to run away the instant anybody appeared in sight; but seeing a stranger in Mr. Willoughby 's carriage, I just wanted to find out who it was — you have no conception what a horribly dull and unnatural life we are leading here." "Dear Ella, you will give Mrs. Eeversham a headache if you talk so much," put in Gertrude GERTRUDE CAMERON, 31 at this point ; and I almost wondered that she did not add—" and so foolishly too/' But Gertrude appeared to have unhmited indulgence for the foibles of her charming, giddy, fascinating sister, and I could not help thinking it a pity that, with so much apparent thoughtfulness and steadiness of character, the former should have neglected to guide with judgment the evidently wild and unrestrained disposition of her weaker companion. It seemed scarcely fair or even politic to as- sume, on this first evening, any of the privileges of my new office. Nevertheless, in answer to Ella's voluble excuses, I felt bound to comment on a few ill-chosen expressions she had used, and to ask the meaning of her statement re- specting the probability of Mr. WDloughby rejoicing in an opportunity of spiting them. At this question Ella blushed vehementl}', and, instead ^of replying to it, looked, as I thought, enquiringly and deprecatingly at her sister, who without a moment's hesitation re- plied — " Tell Mrs. Peversham whatever you please, I have no other fear than that of wearying her with these foolish matters." 32 GERTRUDE CAMERON. Thus authorized, Ella, nothing loth, eagerly began her story, the substance of which was that young Mr. Willoughby had long been an ardent admirer of Gertrude's — that he never ceased gazing at her the whole time they were in church — that he constantly contrived to meet them in their walks ; and finally, that, on one recent occasion, he had ventured to address them, and been treated with the contempt and indignation such ungentlemanly and presuming conduct merited. " We have not mentioned this to papa or mamma," continued Ella, " because Gertrude thought it unnecessary, and dear Gertie always has good reasons for everything she does." For one moment my mind harboured an un- generous suspicion of this incomprehensible Gertrude, and I turned with a feehng of pain to scrutinize the quiet face beside me. The next instant I was blushing for my gross injustice, and almost inclined to extenuate Mr. Willoughby's impertinence, in consideration of the good taste which led him to prefer the un- obtrusive and almost spiritual loveliness of the elder sister, to the dazzling, sparkling, enchant- ing beauty of the younger one. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 33 I think Gertrude read the suspicion that had glanced across my mind, for as I met her eye (and assuredly there was nothing of lightness or frivohty written there) she said, with a candour that greatly pleased me — "I thought it best not to mention this foolish matter at home, because it would probably have deprived us of our walks (which to Ella would have been a serious affliction), and be- cause also I am convinced there is not the sUghtest danger of Mr. Willoughby repeating his offence." With the last sentence there was an involun- tary erection of the graceful figure, a firmer planting of the little foot, and a sudden ex- pression of lofty, invincible pride, that, over- spreading all the calm, fair face like a shadow from another world, gave a totally different character to her beauty, and afforded me fresh grounds for speculation concerning the real nature of the character I should have to deal with. But in a few seconds all these outward in- dications of the " grand Satanic passion " had entirely disappeared, and were succeeded by an c 3 34 GERTRUDE CAMERON. aspect of such deep and touching humiUty, a sigh of such profound and apparently bitter grief, that, more than ever puzzled and inte- rested, I turned with an enquiring glance to Ella, thinking she could scarcely fail to make some remark on her sister's extraordinary and sudden dejection. But Ella only said, in her careless, wilful way— '' Oh dear, how cold it's getting ! Do let us all go in, and have some tea." GERTRUDE CAMERON. 35 CHAPTER lY. The evening had quite closed in when I was admitted to my first interview with Mrs. Cameron ; and by the soft Hght of a shaded lamp I saw a small, delicate figure, stretched on a low couch, beside which stood a table covered with books, writing materials, and blotted manuscripts in abundance. For Mrs. Cameron was a poetess. She received me with marked and even affectionate kindness, thanked me, again and again, for having accepted the office of instruc- tress to her daughters — her poor neglected girls, as she called them — and then made me sit in an easy chaii' by her sofa, while she herself did the honours of the tea-table, and endeavoured — not unsuccessfully — to make me feel myself at home. There was a certain nameless charm about Mrs. Cameron — and, indeed I may say, about 36 GERTRUDE CAMERON. the whole family — which I am quite hopeless . of being able to describe. They were not surrounded by any particular tokens of wealth or luxury, yet you felt, on entering their house, that you were suddenly breathing an atmo- sphere of singular and delightful refinement. They certainly were very far from being flatterers, in the ordinary acceptation of the word, yet you could not avoid, when in their society, being filled with the pleasing con- sciousness that they admired, appreciated, and, in short, cared for you, in a degree which per- haps no one else had ever seemed to do before. They might (with a single exception, con- cerning whom I cannot have the shadow of a doubt,) have been insincere to the world in general; — they might, from the perfection of that art which the French call savoir vivre, mingled with a natural graceful amiability, have been enabled to render themselves thus fascinating to those with whom they came in contact, without really feeling one spark of that interest and enthusiasm they assumed ; — but I am rather inclined to think that they did feel whatever they professed at the time. GERTRUDE CAMEROX. 37 and that this power of coming out of them- selves, as it were, and entering, heart and soul, into the interests of others, was a gift as pe- culiar to the Camerons, as it was delightful to those in whose favour they exercised it. But I believe I ought to give you a little clearer idea of what took place between Mrs. Cameron and myself at our first meeting. She would not let me talk while I was drinking my tea, which consideration I par- ticidarly estimated, inasmuch as I had always a great weakness for this most refreshing beverage, and the tea Mrs Cameron now gave me was certainly the best I ever tasted. But as soon as the tray had been removed, and we were both settled again in our respective positions, the mother was naturally impatient to tell me something about her children, and my curiosity to hear what she would say of Gertrude, made me equally desirous that our conversation should recommence. But Ella, I found — the little spoiled, bewitching, giddy Ella — was to be our first theme, and truly I could scarcely wonder at the love she had excited in the heart of the impassioned, dreamy Mrs. 38 GERTRUDE CAMERON. Cameron, whose judgment weighed but as a feather against her imaginative and sentimental facilities. '' My Ella," said the too partial mother, " is literally a flower growing up in the desert. She is the incarnation of light, joy, and sunshine — a bird singing summer melodies amidst the cold and the snows of winter." I thought at the time that this language w^as affected as well as exaggerated ; but a very short acquaintance with Mrs. Cameron sufficed to convince me that it was as natural to her as the most unadorned common-places to less fanciful individuals. She knew nothing of every-day life, from the simple fact of having a mind incapable of grappling with its plain unpoetical realities. She existed amongst the fair creations of her ever-active brain, and Ella was only one of these, endued with brighter, warmer life, and clinging with firmer tendril chords to her mother's human heart. When Mrs. Cameron had given utterance to a whole epic poem concerning her youngest daughter, I ventured gently to remind her that I had yet heard nothing about Gertrude, in GERTRUDE CAMERON. 39 whom, I frankly acknowledged, I was disposed to feel considerable interest. " Oh, you are so very kind," she replied, with her soft, amiable smile, " and, as you say, Gertrude is certainly an uncommon gu'l. I declare to goodness, dearest Mrs. Feversham, I no more understand her than I do animal magnetism, or the electric telegraph, or any of the other strange things that one hears of in these wonderful days. There is, I am sure, much sterling worth in dear Gertrude ; but I think she has a black veil always before her eyes, through which life appears to her in un- naturally gloomy colours, and the sun is never seen at all." This last observation arrested my attention. It described exactly the impression that Ger- trude Cameron had made upon my mind. She had undoubtedly a black veil before her eyes — but of what materials it was woven, or who had placed it there, I seemed likely to leani no- thing, for the mother had evidently only made her former remark at random, and did not con- sider her eldest daughter's singularities of suf- ficient importance to become matters of dis- tinct or serious enquiry. 40 GERTRUDE CAMERON. In allusion to our future course of study, she said — " You must make the best you can of these poor ignorant children, my dear Mrs. Fever- sham. Ella has promised to be attentive and industrious ; she has great natural capacities, and I believe a decided talent for music. Let her sing, if possible. It would be a thousand pities if, with so many attractions (forgive a fooHsh mother), she lacked the most powerful and delightful of all. As for Gertrude, you must be guided by your own judgment and her wishes. There is no want of industry in that quarter ; but I sadly fear you will find httle genius — certainly a total absence of imagination, and of all those lighter, intellect- ual endowments, which constitute a woman's greatest charm. " Yet," I ventured to observe, '' she has a decidedly intellectual face, and one of the most classically shaped heads I ever saw.'' '' Well — yes — perhaps you are right. Mr. Cameron thinks Gertrude handsome. Her eyes of course are magnificent, and I believe, on the whole, you will find her a good girl. But she GERTRUDE CAMERON. 41 is odd, Mrs. Feversham — beyond all question excessively odd — and I candidly own that I never can get on myself with reserved people." I was surprised that Mrs. Cameron — who certainly had very little of the reserve she de- precated — should not have spoken more to me of her husband. But, beyond an occasional allusion, his name was never mentioned during our first interview, and, somehow or other, this augmented the nervous dread with which I was beginning to regard my pupils' father, and I hoped very earnestly indeed that his absence might be prolonged for weeks and months in- stead of days, or rather that circumstances might keep him altogether from his family, while I remained an inmate of the Priory. When I thought Mrs. Cameron had said everything to me that she deemed necessary, I proposed returning to the young ladies ; and receiving her permission to do so, I found my way to the room in which I had dined, and discovered Gertrude translating a portion of French history, and Ella yawning vehemently over one of Eugene Sue's romances, in a horizontal position on the hearth-rug. 42 GERTRUDE CAMERON. CHAPTER V. I HAVE said that the Camerons always ma- naged to surround themselves with an at- mosphere of peciiUar refinement, and I am indined to beheve that one of the chief ele- ments of this consisted in the abundance of flowers — fresh, lovely, blooming flowers — that were disposed, and with such exquisite taste, too, in every available part of their otherwise plainly decorated rooms. I had observed that even Mrs. Cameron's bed-chamber was abundantly adorned with these loveliest of summer's treasures ; and on descending the next morning to the breakfast- parlour, I found Ella loading the table with newly-gathered roses — such roses as I really never saw anywhere but at the Priory — whose exquisite perfume filled almost to oppressive- ness the small sunny room. "Oh, Mrs. Feversham, I hope you love GERTRUDE CAMERON. 43 flowers/' exclaimed my pretty little pupil, running up to me and presenting a handful of the finest, as she spoke. " There is nothing at the Priory worth looking at except the roses, and they are really delicious, adorable creatures, and o:ive no trouble to anybody. Oh, my dear, dear roses ! what shall I do when you fade and die ? Do you know, Mrs. Feversham, mamma has written some verses about our beautiful roses, and papa calls them ' twaddle ;' but then mamma says papa has no soul, and I don't think he can have, or else he would love flowers as we do, and not be always saying they are unhealthy, and laughing at poor mamma's pretty verses about them." Decidedly my youngest pupil had a tongue ; and how much longer she might have thought proper to exercise it on the present occasion I cannot even guess, as Gertrude's sudden en- trance put a stop to her volubility, and saved her for the moment from a rather serious lec- ture I was meditating. Dm'ing breakfast I endeavom^ed, though with indiff'erent success, to draw out my eldest 44 GERTRUDE CAMERON. pupil — to make her say or do something that would give me a clue to the mystery of her character, or rather to that unnaturally serious aspect of it which was so prominently exhibited at present. But beyond the courtesies of the table, Ger- trude scarcely spoke at all, and, except an oc- casional glance of admiration at Ella's roses, her face retained its changeless expression of patient, because unavoidable, and perhaps un- authorized suffering. I should explain, however, that this last term has reference to an idea that had sud- denly occurred to me, apropos of the cause of Gertrude Cameron's unhappiness. I wondered, the moment the thought darted across my mind, that it had not done so before. It seemed now the most natural elucidation of the puzzling enigma, especially when I re- called that expression of more than girlish pride that I had observed the previous night, for one brief minute, upon her countenance. She must be chafing under the neglect to which it seemed they had long been subjected. That high, lofty spirit, though kept within GERTRUDE CAMERON. 45^ certain bounds, must be foaming and raging beneath the indignities to which their peculiar position exposed them — and perhaps mingUng with, and giving increased bitterness to this, might be a natural pining for the pleasures and the recreations of youth, which ever ac- quii'e a tenfold value in the eyes of those who are debarred from them. "Poor girl !" I said to myself, as the con- viction that I had at length hit upon the truth fastened itself upon my mind, " your fate seems likely to be a joyless one, and, alas ! for Mrs. Maxwell's prognostications I what shall I be able to do towards rendering it one shade less gloomy ?" My meditations were abruptly put to flight by Ella jumping up from her seat, and telling us that she was going to gather some flowers for " mamma," and that afterwards she would bring her books to the dining-room, and make a courageous display of her woeful ignorance. " Your sister appears to have no lack of good spirits, in spite of her complaints of dull- ness and solitude,'' I observed to Gertrude, as soon as we were alone. '' Is she always as merrv as I have seen her?" 46 GERTRUDE CAMERON. " I think so," Gertrude answered, slowly. " Yes — I am sure I cannot remember Ella otherwise than the joyous, thoughtless, happy being that she seems to you at present." " Then you do not suppose that she really finds a life of seclusion so dreadful as she would have us believe ?" "Dreadful — oh no, for she grumbles and laughs in the same breath — but I fear she has a decided yearning after a busier and more active life than she is likely, for some years at least, to experience. Ella has not much power of creating interests for herself, independently of external excitements, and although a very little suffices to charm and gladden her, this little must be constantly provided or suggested by others " ''It is a pity that she does not share your taste for study?" I added, with a view of leading Gertrude to say something of herself ; and, after a short pause, she replied with ap- parent hesitation : — " I believe I should do wrong in appropri- ating such a very undeserved compliment. Eor indeed I have no manner of love for studv GERTRUDE CAMERON. 47 of any kind. I cannot even understand people delighting in learning, for learning's sake. To me it is a trouble, a labour without reward. Mamma says I want genius, and perhaps this is the secret — at all events, everything I have hitherto toiled at appears to me stale, flat — " •' And unprofitable ?" I suggested, Avith a smile, thinking that Gertrude had borrowed a little of Mrs. Cameron's sentiment for the oc- casion. "Perhaps not," she said, with a sudden in- crease of gravity — " but shall we join Ella in the dining-room now?" The dining-room, I found, w^as the apart- ment destined for our summer studio. It was large, cool, and peculiarly sombre in its aspect. Ella apologized, (while her sister was aw^ay for a few minutes), for the absence of flowers, by tellins^ me that Gertrude never would have ai:v near her, or even in sight, while she was occu- pied wdth her books. " She loves them, you know," continued my informant, " as nmch as I do — but Gertie is so good, and conscientious, and self-denying, that she will allow nothing to interfere with 48 GERTRUDE CAMERON. what she considers her duty. I always sigh for my beautiful roses, when I am in this room ; but of course if Gertie doesn't like to have them, why there's no help for it — and you won't make me stay here quite all day, when the sun shines so very brightly — will you, dear Mrs, Feversham?" As Gertrude now came in with books and portfolios and various finished and unfinished drawings, my attention was fully occupied ; and the business of the day commenced in earnest. Assuredly Ella had in no degree exaggerated her ignorance, for, as I soon found, she knew literally nothing beyond a little French, and this very superficially ; although, as it formed her sole attainment, she did not fail to press it upon my notice, with a complacency and per- severance at which I was secretly amused. I tried her first in history, but after being gravely informed that William the Conqueror was grandson to the Black Prince, and that George the Third was the originator of the Crusades, I abandoned this in despair, and went on to geography, w^hich Ella had pre- viously assured me she had a great taste for. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 49 Not being, however, particularly sanguine after our historical failure, I made a very modest beginning, by asking her how she would describe a continent. Judge of my be- wilderment, when she replied promptly that it was " round like an orange, only flattened at the poles !" " Show Mrs. Feversham some of your draw- ings, Ella," said Gertrude ; vexed, I fancied, at her sister's exposure. And the drawings, most of them very indifi'erent, carelessly-exe- cuted productions, were spread on the table before me. *' Well now, my dear," I began, after a hasty glance at these specimens of bad teaching, "to what do you really feel disposed to give your serious attention? At your age it will be quite useless to attempt everything, and I should strenuously advise deferring all accom- plishments till Ave have a little clearer notion of those branches of knowledge, with which most children of twelve years old are, at the present day, expected to be conversant." Ella appeared very much incKned to pout, VOL. I. D 50' GERTRtJDE CAMERON. but on a look from her sister, she said witl^ tolerable submissiveness, — '' I will give up drawing if you wish it, but mamma says I must go on with music, and she would, I know, consider any great attention to history, and all that dry stuff, a complete waste of time." '■' Very well ; we will be moderate, then, in our devotion to this dry stuff, and to-morrow you shall let me judge of your musical talents. I think now you may put aside these books and drawings for to-day, and go and look after your roses. I must not forget that I have another pupil, whose ideas on the subject of knowledge may differ somewhat from your own." Ella did not wait for a second permission, but sweeping from the table all that belonged to her in the way of books and drawings, she nodded to us both, and ran joyously out of the room. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 51 CHAPTER VI. I HAD, of course, no intention of subjecting Gertrude to an examination such as I had attempted with her sister, but I suppose she anticipated something of the kind, as the mo- ment we were alone, she said, Avith singular humility — - "My dear Mrs. Feversham, pray do not risk having your feehngs shocked and disgusted a second time. My knowledge is scarcely less limited than Ella's, and if you consider her too old to begin every thing afresh, how much more useless would it be in my case. Yet do not misunderstand me — I am quite prepared for any amount of labour which is likely to have a result. What I wish to avoid, is a devo- tion of time to no profitable end. My own impression is, that I have no decided talent for anything, but that with great perseverance I may attain a tolerable proficiency in the foreign D 2 5.2 GERTRUDE CAMERON. languages. Should your opinion agree with mine, I should like to make these my exclu- sive study ; for although music might be turned to more account, I fear I have too little taste for it ever to rise above mediocrity ; and draw- ing, unless it is of the highest order, goes for nothing in the present day." I felt greatly inclined to ask my companion what object she could have in desiring to per- fect herself in one particular branch of study, instead of following the ordinary plan, and acquiring a moderate knowledge of all ; but there was a calm dignity, and, at the same time, a touching humility in Gertrude's man- ner, which rebuked my curiosity, while it in- creased my interest tenfold^ and made me more than ever anxions to become a real friend to this apparently incomprehensible girl. " Mrs. Cameron desires me to yield to your own wishes in the matter of your studies, my dear," I replied, '' and therefore if you will allow me to ascertain the extent of yom^ dif- ferent acquirements, I will give you my candid opinion as to what you have the best chance of excelling in." GERTRUDE CAMERON. 53 Gertrude then shewed me her drawings, played a few simple airs on the piano, and finally read several pages of French and Italian, and placed before me various translations and compositions that she had written in both lan- guages. There was not a shadow of doubt that her owTi judgment had been correct. She might, with labour, become an excellent linguist ; but for anything else I could give her little hope, although neither her music nor drawing lacked a certain degree of taste, which, with earlier cultivation, might have been improved into a very fair talent It was agreed, then, that w^ith the exception of an horn- daily for English reading, Gertrude should continue to devote herself to French and Italian, to which by and by German might be added, should her progress in the two for- mer languages warrant an increase of study. At the conclusion of this arrangement I again endeavoured to enter into general con- versation, particularly to discover, if possible, whether my suspicions concerning the cause of my interesting pupil's dejection had any foun- 54 GERTRUDE CAMERON. dation in truth. But Gertrude's reserve ap- peared in no degree to diminish, and despair- ing of learning anything in a round-about way, I asked her plainly at last, whether, like her sister, she had any yearnings after a gayer and more stirring life than they were leading at the Priory ? Her answer, which bore the un- doubted stamp of genuine sincerity, placed the matter on its former footing of impenetrable mystery, and convinced me that I had once more done her a grievous injustice. She said — " I am not formed for society. I am defi- cient in nearly every quality which is necessary to its appreciation. My natural element is perfect tranquillity and repose. With Ella it is different, and therefore, without ascribing to myself a larger amount of the virtue of con- tentment, I may truly say that the undisturbed seclusion of our present life is one of my chief sources of thankfulness.'* I might have pressed my inquiries a little farther, had I not been too much bewildered by this unexpected answer to rouse myself from he train of thought it suggested ; and a few GERTRUDE CAMERON. 00 minutes after, Gertrude rose from her chair, and beejrino; me to excuse her for a short time (while she attended to some domestic matters that were under her immediate surveillance , left me to the unsatisfactory speculations which seemed destined to produce no other eti'ect than that of irritating and tormenting me. The books containing her translations and compositions still lay scattered on the table, and mechanically I took them up, one after the other, and glanced carelessly over their contents. They were most of them in Italian, to which it appeared that Gertrude gave a de- cided preference ; but at length I came to something in English, and turning over the leaves of the small book I then held in my hand, I discovered what I imagined to be a series of detached translations from an imagi- native French or Italian author. The words I began to read were as fol- lows : — " I have grown so accustomed to talk with my own thoughts — what sad thoughts they are, too ! — that it is only at particular seasons that, the remembrance of the utter moral 56 GERTRUDE CAMERON. solitude in which I Hve, comes hke a heavy- footed and unwelcome guest across my mind. It is true, this is a trivial misfortune ; it is in fact not worthy to be named as a mis- fortune, and yet, when it does occur to me, there comes with it such a strange mocking, torturing vision of an unknown, untasted, scarcely comprehended joy — a something that, under different circumstances, might have been attainable, even by me — that my heart is always sadder for these unsolicited visitations, and I ii'Kl harder than ever the necessity of strug- gling against the waves, of enduring patiently what I, only /, see in the hght of •' The sentence was unfinished. It was the last in the book ; but, curious to ascertain if all my pupil's selections were of the same morbid character, I turned to a few pages back, and again read — •' How little we really require to form our happiness when the mind and conscience are at peace, and when eoeternal circumstunc.es, over Avhich we have no control, do not wring from our hearts those pure drops of joy and glad- ness, which a bountiful Providence has placed GERTRrDE CAMERON. 57 in the hands of nature for the strengthening and refreshing of human souls. Beautiful, beautiful nature ! summer's sunshine, flowers and glo\Adng skies, do I not love you faith- fully ? have all my achings of heart, all my sad, sad, hopeless days, all ray vain stragglings with a destiny that grows upon me, done aught towards alienating my affections from those mute but glorious objects which God has given to the meanest as well as to the noblest of His earthly children ! I sometimes fear there may be idolatry in my love for these beauteous things, for flowers above all, amongst which I fancy I could live for ever, and want no other companions. This is the only taste in which Ella and myself agree " Reader, the book dropped from my hand. I was frightened, stupified, shocked beyond measure at what I had ignorantly done. These, then, were poor Gertrude's most private, secret thoughts. It was no translation, no copy I had been reading, but the very inner fold of a heart that opened itself to none — that would, I doubted not, be wounded grievously at the knowledge that a stranger had presumptuously D 3 58 GERTRUDE CAMERON- intruded where the nearest and dearest had never yet been admitted. Upon consideration, I determined to say no- thing about the matter. Gertrude had of course left the book amongst the others by mistake, and it was probable that she would put them all away together, without discover- ing that she had done so. This decision, on my part, was easy enough to arrive at, far easier than any rational con- clusion as to the meaning of what I had been reading. That Gertrude Cameron had some concealed cause of sorrow I knew% or at least very strongly suspected, before; and what in- crease of knowledge had I gained by my mo- mentary entrance into the grief-chambers of her solitary heart ? Yet shall I say that I gained nothing by this accidental initiation ? Was it nothing to acquire a new feeling, a strong and quenchless interest, a warm and true affection for one who appeared solely in need of counsel, sympathy, and tenderness ! We read in the sacred and inspired volume, I f GERTRUDE CAMERON. 59 " And it came to pass when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul." We have no language out of the Bible that can so beautifully and affectingly describe the birth, the sudden up-springing of a tender human friendship in the heart of man. Soul knit with soul ! what can be more expressive, more suggestive of a strong and profound attachment than these simple but forcible words? Let me with all reverence use them, in describing the sentiment that was born in my heart on reading Gertrude Came- ron's touching confessions of some secret sor- row% whose bitterness no friend or mother had hitherto been permitted to soothe. I had never been blessed with children of my own — I had never been called to exercise those faculties of cherishing, protecting, shel- tering tenderness, -which, I conceive, may be found, either in an active or dormant state, in every woman's heart. I had often wished to find a being to whom my affeclion might be 60 GERTRUDE CAMERON. a solace, to whom my experience might in some sort serve as a guide. I had long indulged, too, in a fanciful theory of my own, the principle of which was, that to every human soul is appointed a particular and distinct ministration of charity, on the discovery and accomplishment of which our real happiness and contentment in the present world must depend. Assuming this to be a fact, I had every reason to believe that my search was now at an end — that I had been providentially directed to the labour of mercy which it was to be my peculiar duty and privilege to perform. Un- der these circumstances I could no longer re-, gret my peaceful home, — I could no longer torment myself with doubts as to the wisdom of the step I had taken, — I could scarcely even retain my dread of the formidable Mr. Cameron ; I could do nothing but pray for grace and strength to walk steadily and con- scientiously in the path which I had the inex- pressible consolation of believing to be indeed the path of duty GERTRUDE CAMERON, 61 CHAPTER VII. The next few weeks flowed on calmly and pleasantly enough. ]\Iy pupils were docile and affectionate, and I tried to make their studies as easy and interesting to them as possible. I found that Ella had a decided taste for music, and that her voice was sufficiently sweet and powerfid, to warrant a hope of cultivating it successfully. We spent all our mornings in the sombre dining-room, and after our early dinner, if Mrs. Cameron did not want any of us to sit with her, we went out into the shady grove, or wandered where the lovely tangled roses, clinging to the broken stone-w^ork of the terrace, fiUed all the air around with such a rich and exquisite fragrance. Sometimes, but not often, we extended our walks beyond the Priory grounds, and explored the green lanes and dusky woods with which Lissonburn was on every side surrrounded. We rarely met 62 GERTRUDE CAMERON. any one except the villagers on these occasions ; but if, by chance, a solitary horseman, or a carriage containing any members of the neigh- bouring families, passed us suddenly, I always noticed that Gertrude's slight form towered instinctively for a moment, and that this in- dication of natural haughtiness was invariably succeeded by that expression of sorrowful humility which I had before observed, with so much surprise, on her strictly aristocratic countenance. As yet I had done little towards gaining the confidence of my eldest pupil, although I saw* with vivid satisfaction that she felt real pleas- ure in my society, and seldom cared now to take her books to the grove, as she had for- merly done, or to seclude herself from the rest of the family, as it appeared she had been in the frequent habit of doing, previous to my arrival. It is true I had provided a new occupation and amusement for the sisters, which, for the present, engrossed all their leisure moments, and efiPectually drove away the fiend of ennui, with which Ella, at least, had so hopelessly GERTRrOE CAMEROX. 63 struggled before. This happy suggestion of mine was the cultivation of a favourite spot in their hitherto neglected garden ; and, knowing something of amateur gardening myself, I had no difficulty in directing and assisting the efforts of my pupils towards a result which promised to be highly pleasing and satisfactory. The site of our labours was just beneath the half ruined terrace, where the roses grew so wildly and luxuriantly, and Avhere between the decaying wall and a sloping piece of emerald turf, which we called the lawn, had formerly been a wide and handsome flower- bed, that struck me as not only capable of re- storation, but as being admirably calculated to reward any labours bestowed on it, both on account of the peculiar richness of the soil, and the shelter afforded to it by the ten-ace wall on which the morning sun poured all its fertilizing beams. On first mentioning this idea of mine to my pupils, I had ventured to suggest that it would be advisable to have a gardener, just to clear away the really gigantic weeds, and to prepare the ground for our lighter operations ; 64 GERTRUDE CAMERON. but while Ella was loudly seconding this pro- position, and mentioning several gardeners of whose skill she had heard wonders — Gertrude, with an energy that I had never yet seen her display, and with a sudden colour overspread- ing her marble cheek, put a decided and pe- remptory negative to our plan, and declared that Henri could, under my instructions, do all the hard work that would be required. It seemed a trifling matter, and yet I felt more annoyed than I can express at having made such a suggestion, for I could not doubt that it had excited in Gertrude's mind some train of painful thought, the nature of which was as great a mystery to me as ever. After expressing herself in the decided way above mentioned, I observed that she looked reprovingly at her sister, who pouted a little, coloured a good deal, and finally threw her arms caressingly round Gertrude's neck, and said, with very winning tenderness — " I will do all the hard work myself, dear Gertie — see if I won't now ! I ought to be better than I am, with such a sister as you — but there is nobody in all the world like you — is there, Mrs. Feversbam ?" GERTRUDE CAMERON. 65 I was quite touched by this Httle scene^ — the more so, that a new idea had just presented itself, explanatory in some measiu'e of much that had hitherto appeared inexplicable at the Priory. The answer to the enigma must be the word " poverty " — poverty that sought in- dustriously to conceal itself, and had worn its purple and fine linen till the bare threads alone remained to testify of past magnificence. Mrs. Maxwell had told me that jVlr. Ca- meron was stigmatized in society as an adven- turer ; but this term presented to my mind the vaguest of all vague ideas, a something made up of cleverness and hypocrisy, a nondescript animal between a roue, a gambler, and one who lives nobody can tell how. Whatever opinion I might have formed be- fore I came to Lissonburn, I certainly was very far from investing the unknown Mr. Cameron w^ith any such detestable combination of qualities now. Gertrude's father an adven- turer ? How ridiculous and impossible it ap- peared — but Gertrude's father a poor gentle- man — poor not only, as Mrs. Maxwell had re- presented him, compared with the aristocracy 66 GERTRUDE CAMERON. of the neighbourhood — but poor in the fullest, truest meaning of the word, seemed likely and reasonable enough. At any rate there was no other way of accounting for the scene about the garden, nor for a circumstance which had occurred a day or two prior to this, and which had afforded me a subject of curious speculation at the time. In consequence of Mrs. Cameron's long ill- ness, she had been obliged altogether to relin- quish the cares of housekeeping, and Gertrude, in her father's absence, undertook the entire ma- nagement of domestic matters, such as ordering the dinners, giving out the necessary stores, keeping the accounts, and so on. It had cer- tainly struck me that everything was regulated on a scale of very careful economy, but I had so long been accustomed to thrifty ways my- self, that I paid little attention to this ; and assuredly never thought of inferring from it that the Camerons were poorer than they otherwise appeared to be. One morning, Gertrude informed me, at breakfast, that she should have to leave home GERTRUDE CAMERON. 67 in an hour's time, and be absent during nearly the whole day. A letter from Mr. Cameron required her to go on some business matter for him to the market town of EdgeclifF, which was situated at a distance of about twelve miles from Lissonbum. I fancied that Gertrude looked pleased at the prospect of her expe- dition ; but thinking it not altogether right that she should take such a journey alone, I asked if I might not be allowed to accompany her. With much embarrassment my pupil gi'atefully declined this offer, and at tlie ap- pointed hour a post-chaise came from the vil- lage, and Gertrude, after a long interview with Mrs. Cameron, departed. For that day, Ella, to her immense satis- faction, had to act the part of housekeeper, and what was my astonishment when, on sitting down with her to our two o'clock dinner, I found, instead of our usual plain and simple fare, an assemblage of dainties that might, in quality if not quantity, have been prepared for a state banquet, and were certainly very ill adapted for the noon -day meal of two quiet gentlewomen like ourselves. 68 GERTRUDE CAMERON. " Why, Ella, my dear ?" I said, as soon as the apparently dehghted Henri had left the room — "what is the meaning of this? Did you expect company to dinner, or has some fairy godmother of yours sent you these delicate viands, as a token of her love and favour?" " Oh," replied Ella, blushing a little — *' mamma told me to give you a good dinner to-day. We always have nice things when papa is at home — but Gertie thinks it right to be economical." As it seemed that Mrs. Cameron had autho- rized this unusual and certainly most unneces- sary extravagance, I did not feel justified in ]j^ proving her daughter farther than by partalabg of the plainest dish on the table, and by recom- mending Ella to follow more closely her sister's example, in small matters as well as great ones. The affair of the gardener occurring soon after this, I was, not unnaturally, led to the conclusion that my friends were struggling to keep up an appearance beyond their means, and that Gertrude resisted to the utmost of her power this false and most dangerous, not to say destructive, pride. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 69 One tiling was most certain, namely, that Gertrude's ideas concerning the necessity for so rigid an economy as she practised were no more derived from her talented mother than they were shared by her giddy and thought- less sister. When Mrs. Cameron heard what we were doing in the garden, she expressed great satis- faction, and overwhelmed me with thanks for having thought of so healthy and delightful an amusement for her poor, dear girls ; but she was sure it must be impossible to go on with- out a gardener, and asked Gertrude what she could be thinking of, not to have sent for one at the beginning ? " Dear mamma," was the quick reply, ac- companied by a smile in which affection and sadness were most beautifully blended, " we do not choose to lose any portion of the credit due to our unassisted labours. Mrs. Fever- sham has made quite a gardener of Henri, and we all protest against any interference now.'' " Mrs. Feversham seems to be working won- ders amongst you all," rejoined the invalid, 70 GERTRUDE CAMERON. with that amiable desire to please which made her so peculiarly fascinating. " Even you, Gertie, are learning to look somewhat less gloomy than of yore, and as for my little fairy here," (drawing Ella towards her), " she is be- coming so clever and accomplished, that I shall soon be afraid to submit my simple pages to such a formidable critic.*' At length Mr. Cameron came home. We had been down to the village one afternoon, to call on Mrs. Maxwell, who had been absent during the first few weeks of my residence at the Priory ; and on our return, or rather before Ave arrived at the house, Henri met us, and announced, with apparent excitement in his voice, the interesting and important fact of his master's arrival. He was (he proceeded to inform us) on his way to the butcher's, as Mr. Cameron had not dined, that he liked in the housey " W^nad better mal Ella, " for papa will be so cross, if he has no- body to talk to ; and mamma told the servants on no account to disturb her, if she went to sleep this afternoon." GERTRUDE CAMERON. 71 Neither of the sisters expressed the smallest degree of satisfaction at their father's retui'n, and Gertrude, who had been almost lively du- ring our walk, never opened her lips again till just as we were entering the house, and then sh^ only said, — " My dear Mrs. Fever sham, will }»ou allow me to introduce you to papa now, or shall I tell him that you will join us when you have taken off yom* walking things ?" I preferred having it over at once, so follow- ing my pupils, (who, as I before hinted, be- trayed very little animation at the prospect of meeting their father), I soon found myself in the long-dreaded and still formidable presence of Mr. Cameron. He was walking about the drawing-room, with his hands in his pocketSj and whistling a very doleful tune as we went in, but the mo- ment Gertrude spoke he stopped abruptly, tm^ned round, and then came towar(f^4is, with every appearance of rejoicing at this interrup- tion of his soHtude. After replying to his daughter's introduction of their new o^overness, bv an almost courtlv 72 GERTRUDE CAMERON. welcome, Mr. Cameron suffered rather than encouraged the girls to kiss him, and then de- manded eagerly when he was likely to get some dinner. " We did not expect you," said Gertrude, in her very calm voice, "so I fear it may be longer than you will like to wait. We have always, since you left home, dined at two o'clock." The gentleman shrugged his shoulders, and was going, I believe, to resume his whistling, when suddenly remembering my presence, he again turned towards me and said, — " I hope they have not quite starved you, Mrs. Feversham, although it seems you have been condemned to nursery hours. I trust, however, you will favour me by taking the head of the table this evening — I hate being alone, and my girls are the very worst com- panions in the world." " Oh, how cross and rude you are," ex- claimed Ella, reddening and pouting, " I am sure Gertie, at least, would be a companion for anybody who had the sense to appreciate her, but you always do abuse us in this way. GKRTRUDE CAMERON. 73 I never knew such an unreasonable person in my life." " Ella ! " I began, — scarcely believing that I had heard correctly, — but Mr. Cameron, who saw my look of mingled dismay and astonish- ment, interrupted me with a short laugh : — "Oh, my dear madam, this is nothing, I assure you. Pray reserve your indignation and surprise for more important occasions, of which I dare say there will be no lack by-and- bye. That saucy girl of mine has been spoiled (as of course you have found out) by her mo- ther, who knows about as much of education as she does of making a pudding or reckoning up an account. We are a queer family alto- gether, Mrs. Feversham, but in the midst of our flowers, and perfumes, and gracious man- ners, and fragments of sentimental philosophy, we make a pretty fair appearance to the world, and if the frame is of more value than the pic- ture, why let the world look at the frame — it's meant to be looked at, to be sure ; and the more it's admired, the better pleased we shall I listened to all this with feelings the reverse VOL. I. E 74 GERTRUDE CAMERON. of satisfactory. I began to comprehend now what it was that Mrs. Maxwell had dreaded so much for these poor children. I saw that they had no respect for their father, and that their father laboured to destroy all that they had or ought to have for their mother and themselves. Ella's language was certainly im- pertinent and imjustifiable, but how did Mr. Cameron reprove it? Was sarcasm a fit weapon to employ against a wayward, unreflecting child? was that child likely to be improved in heart or conduct by hearing the mother she loved openly sneered at and condemned ? Alas ! I saw now that there would be harder work for me than I had suspected, and that to fulfil Mrs. Maxwell's sanguine expectations, I must teach my pupils other things besides ladylike accomplishments, and the planting of flower beds. As Mr. Cameron had begged us to return to him as soon as possible, w^e did not linger in my bedroom, as was our usual custom on coming home from our w^alks, but went down after a hasty toilette, and had the satisfaction of meeting Henri carrying in the first course of his impatient master's hurriedly-prepared dinner. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 75 I hoped now that everything would go on smoothly, and when Mr. Cameron (who I for- got to say before was a remarkably handsome man) led me, with courteous smiles, to the head of the table, I really made up my mind to be as entertaining and agreeable as I pos- sibly could, and not to suffer the prejudice I had imbibed against him in any way to ap- pear. Gertrude and Ella not being invited to the table by their father, sat near the window behind me ; and after we had been a few mi- nutes in our places, the former, who never could endure to be idle for a moment, unneces- sarily, opened her work-basket, and was going to begin some plain sewing. "Put that away, if you intend remaining here," said Mr. Cameron, interrupting himself in the midst of an anecdote that was scarcely adapted to his present audience. " You know in what especial detestation I hold needlework of every kind — besides, it's not right in a moral point of view — it's taking the bread out of the mouths of the poor women, who gain their E 2 76 GERTRUDE CAMERON. livelihood by that sort of labour. Don't you agree with me, Mrs. Fever sham ?" " I think," I replied, " that where there are ample means, it becomes a duty to assist the industrious poor in the best way that may suggest itself; but I really cannot admit that there is, under any circumstances, an obligation on our sex to abandon altogether a pursuit which has ever been considered such a delight- ful resource and amusement to us." " Well, well," rejoined Mr. Cameron, " I am sorry we don't agree in this matter, but I am sure you will respect my prejudices by msisting on those young ladies keeping their cotton and calico out of the drawing-room. Ella won't trouble you much, though, for she's the laziest little imp on the face of the earth. She thinks that red and white skin of hers, and those im- pudent eyes and floating curls, will get her a husband one of these days, without any trouble on her own part. My youngest daughter's ambition, Mrs. Feversham, is to marry a good- natm^d millionaire, who will let her do exactly as she likes, supply her abundantly with trin- kets and French novels, and relieve her from GERTRUDE CAMERON. 77 the necessity of thinking for herself on any subject whatever." "It is false, — " began Ella, passionately ; but I turned round, looked at her steadily, and though the tears rose to her eyes, and the flush deepened on her cheek, she stopped abruptly, and bent over a book that she took from the table beside her. Mr. Cameron watched her for a minute or two, admiringly I was quite certain, in spite of his sneering words, and then laughingly re- sumed, — " As for our eldest, Mrs. Feversham, I should find it somewhat difficult to give you a rough outline of her disposition. Miss Ger- trude Cameron has, I beheve, some pretension to saintship. [She dresses, as you observe, with remarkable simplicity (by-the-bye, young la- dies, I have got a present for each of you in my portmanteau), and if ambition has found any place in so calm a breast, it must be, I should imagine, to gain the crown of martyr- dom for sufferings which are too agreeable to be got rid of, and too sacred to be com- municated to any of the infatuated revellers in 78 GERTRUDE CAMERON. Vanity Fair. I am justly proud of my daugh- ters, Mrs. Feversham, though unfortunately it is not I, but their mother, who must have the credit for making them such as they are." Curious to see what effect this most itnfa- therly speech would have npon Gertrude, I got up, under the pretence of drawing down the window-blind, and walked quietly to where she sat. As I approached she raised her eyes for a moment to mine, and that glance, even without the calm smile that accompanied it, would have assured me, had I needed assur- ance on this point, that there was no fear of Gertrude forgetting her duty as Ella had done, and also that hoAvever galling these pointed sarcasms might be to a proud and s'jnsitive spirit like that of my eldest pupil, it was something infinitely sharper and more bitter than this, that had formed the arrow with which she had been wounded. I returned to the table feeling deeper pity and warmer admiration than ever for that poor, stricken deer, and less inclination to judge leniently the man who could voluntarily cast one additional shadow over the ^ad and pa- tient face I already loved so well. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 79 But our annoyances were not ended yet, and the scene that followed distressed me far more than anything that had yet occurred. After making a very excellent dinner, and drinking a very fair proportion of sherry and madeira, wines which I now saw for the first time at the Priory, Mr. Cameron told Henri to bring some dessert, and then turning to Gertrude, asked her in which cellar she had put the Bordeaux that he had ordered last. " There is no Bordeaux in the house," said Gertrude in a low and quiet voice. " What do you mean ?" (impatiently) " didn't you go to EdgeclifF, and follow all the instructions I sent you?" " Yes, Papa." " Well — have n't you got a tongue in your head — can't you speak, and explain why the wine isn't here ?" Gertrude hesitated. Once she began and then stopped abruptly. Her colour came and went rapidly, (for having turned my chair half round I could now see her face) and I believe she would have declined answering the ques- tion at all, had not Mr. Cameron, in a loud and 80 GERTRUDE CAxMERON. angry voice, insisted on her giving some ex- planation. I shall never forget the tone of her voice, as she replied at last, " The wine merchant refused to send any- more until the v^hole of his bill shall be paid." It was not the v^ords, suggestive though they certainly were, that revealed to me Gertrude's secret. It was the strange depth of sorrow and humiliation, the acute and torturing sense of family degradation, betrayed in every accent of her trembling voice, that gave me, at length, the right clue to that uncommunicated grief which had excited my warmest and tenderest sympathies. As she spoke the required answer, a deep red spot rose to her pale cheek, and re- mained fixed there even long after the agitating discussion was ended. But this, I am quite sure, had reference only to some internal emo- tion, and was in no way connected with any fears concerning the scene she doubtlessly ex- pected. Mr. Cameron remained silent, biting his lips desperately for the few minutes imme- diately succeeding his daughter's explanation. GERTRrDE CAMERON. 81 Then the storm of angry and senseless rage broke forth, levelled chiefly against the offend- ing \yine-merchant, certainly, but including poor Gertrude, every now and then, in its mad violence, with an injustice and a cruelty that roused every indignant feeling of my natm-e, and made the necessity of holding my tongue a far greater hardship than it had ever been to me before. " The rascal ! the ungrateful scoundrel !" he continued to repeat, with increasing demon- strations of anger. " To think that I should have let him have all that money for nothing. Why, Avhat an idiot he must take me for ! No- body but you, Gertrude, would have made such a fool's blunder. So easy as it would have been to make the payment conditional on his send- ing in another twelve dozen. And you are glad you didn't — I see it in that whiny-piny face of yours. Hang it ! there's not a man in England blessed with such a set of stupid mar- plots as I have about me." And there was much more than this, part of which I have forgotten, and part of which I do not think it advisable to repeat. I have told £ 3 82 GERTRUDE CAMERON. you enough to show clearly what Mr. Came- ron's principles were. His conduct, I am bound in justice to say, could be, and generally was, very different to the specimen of it above re- corded. For instance, as I was walking with my pupils that same evening in the grove, trying to rouse both them and myself from the dejection that had fallen upon us, Mr. Cameron, who had been drinking coffee with his wife, suddenly joined our party, and presenting an elegant little trinket to each of his daughters (though Gertrude's was by far the most simple and in- expensive), he apologized in a really dignified and gentlemanly manner, for the anger be had so recently exhibited, and added (turning to me, that I might see how well his self-inflicted hu- miliation became him) — " I hope, Mrs. Feversham, though you have had a very early peep at the black side of my character, that you will not set me down as a thorough reprobate. My temper is not so bad, I give you my honour, except where those rascally wine merchants are concerned. The fact is, I can't live without my Bordeaux. It is with me GERTRUDE CAMERON. 83 the great necessity of life — but we have all our little weaknesses, and we must be charitable and indulgent to each other. Mrs. Feversham, I hope you don't dislike the smell of a cigar." I answered as civilly as I could, and this accomplished man, continuing to walk beside us, redoubled his efforts to make himself agree- able, and to do away the unfavourable impres- sion his former conduct was so eminently cal- culated to inspire. 84 GERTRUDE CAMERON, CHAPTER VIII. I HAVE dwelt at some considerable length on my first meeting with Mr. Cameron, because I never afterwards had so good an opportunity of estimating the peculiar trials my pupils must have gone through, and also because, in the hurry and excitement of subsequent events, my mind was too completely engrossed to allow of its taking much note of individual character. It very soon became painfully evident to me that everything was going wrong with the family at the Priory. From the moment Ger- trude resigned the reins of domestic govern- ment, economy was never thought of. Mr. Cameron appeared perfectly unable to compre- hend the necessity of denying himself any- thing on principle, or, in other words, because he had not the means of paying for it. To do him justice — such justice at least as is in m.y power — I really believe that he had some vague GERTRUDE CAMERON. 85 idea of being one day in a position to discharge the debts he nowcontracted with so few scruples of conscience, and with such a total disregard of all but his own immediate and selfish gi'ati- fication. But where this El Dorado was to spring from, was a question with which, I am quite sure, he troubled himself very little, as long as he could get what he wanted by fair promises and specious words. That Mrs. Cameron, as well as her daughters, had some knowledoje of this state of things I could not doubt, but of the extent of the evil I am very sure she had no idea : and that her acquiescence in it at all, proceeded more from indolence and ignorance of every thing con- nected with pounds, shillings, and pence, than from bad principles, I am equally certain. Nevertheless, there was much in her supine- ness to condemn, and perhaps with a more energetic ^^dfe Mr. Cameron would have stopped short in the career which he was so madly running, and whose end could only be in misery and dishonour. That Gertrude had ventured on many dif- ferent occasions openly to remonstrate with 86 GERTRUDE CAMERON. her father, I learnt through Ella, who, seeing that I was no longer in the dark, volunteered to initiate me still further in those family mysteries which, alas ! had lost already too much of their deformity for this thoughtless and ill-instructed child. My position was becoming, truly, a most trying and difficult one. Nothing but the strong interest I felt in my pupils, in Gertrude especially, would have tempted me to remain in it when I found how things were going on, and how little real peace it would be possible to enjoy where there was so nmch, in every way, to lament and condemn. Wliat I could do for those poor young creatures at that time, I did. I never en- couraged Ella in speaking disrespectfully either to or of her father, I kept them as much as possible alone with me, and instead of bewil- dering both them and myself by attempting to define the exact bounds of right and wrong (in those peculiar matters which w^ere so fre- quently brought under our cognizance), I sought to lead them to that Fountain of Eternal wisdom, wherein no minglings of human error are to be feared. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 87 But true and spiritual religion is not, as we all know, the teaching of a day, and though I had every reason to believe that Gertrude would have purchased peace of mind at any cost, she did not seem to understand that the most fervent piety could bring forth other fruits than those poetical aspirations after purity and goodness, which her imaginative mother had so early instilled into her heart. In point of conscientiousness and strict love of justice, I never met with any one so sensi- tively endowed as Gertrude Cameron. It was the union of these qualities with a pride originally without limit, that caused her to be- hold with such bitter grief the dishonour her father had so recklessly brought upon his family. Yet in spite of her present insensibiUty to the consolations which religion alone can afford, I did not despair of eventually conducting that gentle, truthful, earnest spirit to the source of all peace and hope and joy. With Ella, I feared I should have a harder task. She panted for life, for excitement, for pleasure, and for anything indeed except a portion " beside the still waters," or a heart weaned from the vain idols of the world. 88 GERTRUDE CAMERON. But both sisters, I am fully persuaded, re- garded me with sincere affection, and profited in some degree, as far as their respective natures would allow, by the lessons I was so anxious to teach them. It was, I think, about six weeks from the time of Mr. Cameron's return to the Priory, when a public ball was advertised to take place at Edgecliff, on the occasion of some national or festive event, the precise nature of which I do not now remember. It was one morning at breakfast that Mr. Cameron first spoke of it, and asked his daughters — ^jokingly as I fancied — whether they should like to go. I saw in a moment, by Ella's glowing cheek and sparkling eye, what her answer would be had the question been put seriously, and I was therefore not in the least surprised when she said — " Oh, papa, and why not ? I am sure we have lived in this horrid, moping way long enough. It would be so delightful to go to a ball. I could wear that lovely white crape dress you bought for me in Paris ; and I have GERTRUDE CAMERON. 89 lots of jewels, and mamma would lend me her beautiful Norma wreath for my hair, and — " '' And Miss Ella Cameron would be of course the Belle of the room, and make a sensation never to be forgotten," interrupted her father laughingly, though I verily beheve he only spoke his own sentiments on the subject. "Well, in this case," he resumed, (in that sarcastic tone which left one in doubt whether he meant what he said or not) " in this case, little Miss Lil, I think we had better go, for the sooner your rich and titled husband turns up, the better for all parties. Gertrude can try her chance also if she likes, though, to speak frankly, I'm afraid there are too many wrinkles on that fair brow to encourage a hope of ever seeing it encircled by a Countess's coronet." Gertrude was certainly looking more than usually out of spirits this morning, but I can- not admit that there was ever any appearance of ill humour in her countenance, or that its expression of sadness deteriorated in the slightest degree from her very peculiar and spiritual loveliness. " Such being the case, papa," she said, 90 GERTRUDE CAMERON. forcing a smile, '' I hope you will not think of exposing me to the mortification of a failure, which w^ould inevitably be my lot were I to go to this fine ball. You know I have never done you any credit when you have taken me out on former occasions." " Egad ! that's true enough," replied the father, " for one might just as well chaperon a wooden maypole, or a stone Diana, as a girl like you, Ger. But young Willoughby seems to think you worth looking at, and he's pretty sure to be there. What ! not even a blush, young lady ? upon my honour, there's no such thing as modesty in these degenerate days. Instead of advertisements from gentlemen who profess to have discovered a cure for woman's greatest charm, we shall have, by-and-by, a reward offered by distressed females to any one who will volunteer to teach them the for- gotten art. But to return to business^ — what money shall you require to get your finery in order? 1 must have you both well dressed, remember." " You are not really serious, papa ?" said Gertrude incredulously, and looking in dismay at Ella's joyous and animated face. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 91 "I give you my honour I am," was the prompt reply ; '' and to prove it to you, I shall now beg of Mrs. Fevershara to accompany us." I need scarcely say that T declined this in- vitation, and, not to lengthen a scene which has no interest apart from its result, I shall briefly add that Mr. Cameron, having once made up his mind to take his daughters to this unfortunate ball, was obstinately deaf to our united entreaties that Gertrude might con- sult her own inclinations by staying at home. He said it was quite time that she turned her handsome face to some account, that her mo- ther wished it as well as himself, and finally that he was resolved to listen to no womanish humbug on the subject. We afterwards tried what we could do with Mrs. Cameron ; but although she absolutely overwhelmed me with amiable and gracious spev?ches on the occasion, I soon found out that she was even more anxious than her hus- band for. the girls to be seen and admired, and that poor Gertrude's reluctance to go was attributed to her moping, unsociable ways, which must in no wise, ^Irs. Cameron said, be encouraged. 92 GERTRUDE CAMERON. Nothing, therefore, remained for us but sub- mission, and being clearly convinced of this, I did my utmost to reconcile my eldest pupil to the disagreeable necessity that was laid upon her. But I saw that she suffered acutely, and I half suspected that at the last moment she would have a fit of illness, which woidd oblige them to leave her at home. What a busy, uncomfortable week it was. Nothing to be seen but dress-makers and boxes of millinery, — nothing to be heard but endless consultations as to the comparative merits of lace and tulle, — nothing to be done but pack and unpack these formidable car- toons, and decide upon the becomingness of scarfs, head-dresses, &c. &c. It annoyed and provoked me beyond mea- sure to see Mr. Cameron come and dispute with us these insignificant, or, at any rate, purely feminine matters. He seemed really to take an immense interest in all that was going on, and would stand by the hour toge- ther in his wife's bed-room (where the finery was being made) watching the needlewomen and giving his opinion on the most trifling and GERTRUDE CAMERON. 9& unimportant point. Gertrude was firm in her determination of having nothing new, and al- though her father swore a httle at first, and said she was the greatest fool that had ever lived, he yielded with tolerable grace in the end, and even acknowledged, on one occasion, that the severe simplicity of her taste was as likely to gain admirers for her, as Ella's showy, fanciful, and somewhat exaggerated style. As for Ella, she was positively nearly beside herself with excitement and dehght. She seemed to tread upon air, to be basking in an atmosphere of enjoyment too exhilirating to allow of her giving one thought to the sober realities of life. Even her garden was totally neglected now ; the roses might, every one of them, have withered on theii' stems without her little ladyship casting a single regretful glance upon them, and as for study of any sort or kind, it would have been deemed insanity to allude to such a thing. I verily believe that Ella had quite made up her mind that this ball was to be the means of emancipating her from the restraint and seclusion she so much disliked, that she con- 94 GERTRUDE CAMERON. fidently anticipated winning the heart of some rich and fascinating individual, who would at once transplant her into those enchanting scenes of luxury and pleasure which her fond, weak mother had so often in glowing words de- scribed to her. Poor, poor Ella ! far better would it have been for her that Mrs. Cameron had educated her as the veriest household drudge than thus have filled her excitable imagination with un- real visions of the world through which she would have to struggle. At length the ball-night arrived. Contrary to my expectations — I had almost said my hopes — Gertrude was not taken ill; and though, as usual, she was very pale, a murmur of admiration was heard amongst us all, when, dressed in her plain white crape, and with no ornament save a small bouquet of natural flowers, she walked into her mother's joom, where Ella was re- ceiving the last finishing touches from Mrs. Cameron's skilful hands. " Well, Ger, I think you will do," said her father, who was, as well as Ella, in the highest spirits. " If young Willoughby does not re- GERTRUDE CAMERON. 95 ceive his death-blow to-night, never trust to my predictions again. I shouldn't mind now betting a hundred pounds to one that you and Lil — fantastic monkey as she is — outshine every other girl and woman in the room. You both ]ook magnificent, on my honour." This is only a very small part of the ex- aggerated nonsense Mr. Cameron gave utter- ance to, on the memorable occasion ; but I should weary you were I to repeat one half of it, or of the equally hyperbolical and much more poetical compliments bestowed by the fond, foolish mother on her radiant Ella, who certainly did look exquisitely pretty and be- witching, and formed an admirable and strik- ing contrast to the simple, grave, and ap- parently passionless Gertrude. I was glad when they were fairly off. I had grown tired of listening to so much in- judicious flattery, and I was on the point of leaving Mrs. Cameron's room to indulge in a little quiet reading in my own, when with even more than her usual protestations of affectionate regard, the invalid entreated me to remain, for the purpose of rousing her from 96 GERTRUDE CAMERON. the dejection she felt certain was creep- ing on. During that evening I learnt more of the Camerons' pecuniary affairs than I had yet done, for my companion was restless and ex- cited, and seemed to feel a necessity for talk- ing to drive away reflection. She told me that they had formerly been in very diff'erent circumstances, that herself and Mr. Cameron had each possessed an independent fortune when they married, but that the latter had soon squandered nearly the whole of both, and that they were at present living on (though Mrs Cameron had no clear idea as to the ex- act amount of this) was certainly less than a sixth of their original income. For herself, she said, she did not now care in the least. Her shattered health and failing spirits would prevent her, under any circum- stances.^ returning to society — but the girls, the poor girls, what was to become of them ? how were they to be settled advantageously in life, when their father, except on a chance occasion like the present, never suffered them to go be- yond theiT own gloomy walls ? GERTRUDE CAMERON. 97 For Gertrude it certainly did not so much signify. Her reserved and unsociable nature, her almost puritanical tastes and habits, would render a secluded existence at least endurable ; but for Ella — who was the very spirit of hfe and gaiety, who had a horror of poverty and all its self-denying accompaniments, who seemed essentially to belong to a world of luxury and refinement — for her, their altered position was unfortunate indeed. Poor Mrs. Cameron ! how eloquently and passionately she always talked when her dar- ling Ella was the theme ; how impossible it appeared to her that any one could see more to interest and attach them in the quiet, sober Gertrude, than they saw in the spoiled and wayward darling, whose place was the nearest and dearest in the mother's unreflecting, in- discriminating heart. I tried now, as I had done on many former occasions, to make Gertrude the subject of our conversation. I could not bear that she should be unappreciated. I was anxious that others should open their eyes, as I had done, to the gentle dignity, the pure integrity of VOL. 1. F 98 GERTRUDE CAMERON. her remarkable character. But my labour was quite thrown away, and I soon found that while I had been holding up to admiration the noble virtues of humility, contentedness, and self-denying prudence, Mrs. Cameron had been following Ella in her glittering dress, through the brilhantly lighted ball room, and listening, with her heart's ear, to the many foolish, flattering things the giddy idlers in that mixed assembly were whispering softly to her lovely one. Well, well, and if it must be so — if mothers, with all their deep, undying love for their children, loill persist in bounding their hopes and Avishes for them to this world of shadows and unrest, wherefore should we warn and preach? who will Ksten, who will profit or attend ? Nevertheless the hour must come when the shadows will flee away, when the true light w^ill dawn, when all the seeming of the hollow world shall be unmasked and put to shame. When that only shall be found to be wisdom which taught the doctrines of the cross — that only shall be known to be love which sought GERTRUDE CAMERON. 99 for the object of it an entrance into the " better land." Blind mothers, dreaming mothers, worldly mothers — how will it be with you then ? P 2 100 GERTRUDE CAMERON. CHAPTER IX. Not feeling inclined to sleep after I left Mrs. Cameron (although it was then sufficiently late), I took a book, and trimming my bed- room lamp, sat down with the intention of reading till my pupils came home. I thought I should like to see how Gertrude looked after the painful ordeal of this dreaded ball, and perhaps, also, I was not without a certain degree of curiosity concerning Ella's antici- pated triumphs, upon the result of which, since my recent tete-a-tete with her mother, I had begun to reckon rather sanguinely too. Was the book I had chosen a stupid one, that I found it so difficult to keep my atten- tion fixed upon it for more than a few minutes at a time ? No, the fault, assuredly was not in the book, which had never failed to interest me deeply before. It must be that I had im- bibed a portion of Mrs. Cameron's restless- GERTRUDE CAMERON. 101 ness, or that some unwonted cloud was hang- ing over my brain. In either of these cases it would be folly to continue reading ; so, with a feeling of impatience at my own stupidity, I threw aside the book, extinguished my lamp, and stood idly at the window looking out upon the sky. It was not a very fine night considering the season, for there was no moon, and the stars had a dim, hazy appearance, as if the wicked- ness of the world they were compelled to shine on, had quenched aU their brightness for a time. Such, at least, was the idea which suggested itself to me on that occasion, and, do what I would, I could conjure up none more cheerful to beguile my tedious hours of waiting, or to disperse the unusually sombre visions which were passing and repassing be- fore my mental eye. What these were, it matters not now to ex- plain. In a general way I have very little faith in presentiments, but as there is no rule without an exception, so I am compelled to admit, from the remembrances of that night, that the human mind may occasionally — and 102 GERTRUDE CAMERON. without any apparent reason — have a myste- rious foreshadowing of things that are to come. The clock had just struck two when, by the rapid opening and shutting of doors, mingled with a confused sound of voices, I learnt that the party had returned. Believing that the girls would come to their own rooms, which were close to mine, as soon as possible, I would not go down stairs to meet them. I felt no inclination to be detained to amuse Mr. Ca- jtieron while he smoked his cigar and drank his brandy and water, neither did I choose to encounter the risk of being again conducted to his wife's room, and kept up all night to act the part of Ustener. So I relighted my lamp, drew the window curtains, and sat down in pleasurable anticipation of the immediate arrival of my dear pupils. Ella was the tirst to come, and, in answer to my eager enquiries for her sister, she said that Mr. Cameron having brought home a gentleman, an old acquaintance, that he had met at the ball, Gertrude was giving orders to the servants about a sleeping apartment for this unexpected guest. And before I could ask another ques- tipn, Ella continued hurriedly — GERTRUDE CAMERON. 103 " I am afraid something is the matter with Gertie. I could not get her to speak a word as w^e were coming home, and yet I am sm-e she ought to have enjoyed herself, for every- body in the room was admiring her, and several of my partners (I did not miss a single quad- rille, dear Mrs. Feversham) asked me if I knew who that very lovely creature was who would not dance, and of whom all the w^omen were so furiously jealous. When I said it w^as my sister they begged me to introduce them, but Gertie was scarcely civil when I complied w ith this request, and I am sure, almost, that some- body has offended her, or that she has heard something which has made her very unhappy indeed." " I hope not, my love," I said, unwilling that Ella should perceive the anxiety her words occasioned me, " but at any rate this is not an hour for discussing the matter. You look quite pale and weary yourself, so I must order you off to bed immediately. If you w^ait for Gertrude, you will, I know, stay gossiping half the night." Ella was too sleepy to be rebellious, so after 104 GERTRUDE CAMERON. embracing me affectionately, and promising me a full description of all her partners on the morrow, she went away to her own room, and in a few minutes after, Gertrude came m, and finding me alone, sat down in a chair and burst into tears. I would not disturb her immediately, for I saw that her nerves had been frightfully shaken, and I knew that tears, whatever might be their origin, would relieve the burdened heart ; but by and bye I approached her chair, put my arm round her neck, and begged her to tell me what had agitated and distressed her in such a very uncommon degree. *' Where is Ella ?" she said then, struggling to conquer her emotion, yet speaking in a voice of the most utter despondency. " She is gone, my love," I replied, " we are quite alone, and you may safely intrust your sorrow, of whatever nature it may be, to me. You have not a truer friend, Gertrude." " Oh, I know that, I know that," she con- tinued with an excitement quite foreign to her usual manner, " but I am in doubt as to what I ought to do — what to tell, and what to con- GERTRUDE CAMERON. 105 ceal. Dear Mrs. Feversham, you will do me the justice to acknowledge that I have never made any family matters the subject of un- necessary discussion, that I have never even alluded to the faults of those I am bound to honour, that I have — but this is all useless now. I mmt speak — there is no other way. It would kill mamma, the very mention of what I fear. And, Mrs. Feversham, you must think for me, advise and direct me, for my mind is altogether bewildered and confused." This was so literally the case, that it was only after a long interval that Gertrude suc- ceeded in making me understand clearly the source of her disquietude. It appeared that being unwilling to dance — feeling, as she said, the utter impossibility of shaking off the depression under which she was labouring — my eldest pupil had, towards the end of the evening, taken a seat in a small, inner room, dedicated to the card players — Mr. Cameron being one of their number. How it all came about, she could not tell, having been entirely engrossed #^ with her own thoughts, until the suddenly raised voices of the gentlemen at the table F 3 % 106 GERTRUDE CAMERON. roused her to what was going on. Fearful of some quarrel, Gertrude was on the point of leaving her seat, when the word " swindler," ap- plied to her father, caused her to remain fixed, as it were, to the spot, and of course trembling in every limb. After this she had a very in- distinct notion of what occurred (though the disputants continued talking loudly and passion- ately), till all at once she found the room de- serted by the original party, and saw another coming in to take their places. Then she too got away as well as she could, and met her father (who had apparently returned in search of her) at the entrance of the ball-room door. He looked very pale, she said, but made no re- mark upon what had just occurred, only re- proving her, somewhat sharply, for not having been amongst the dancers, and declaring that it was time for them to be going home. As Ella, however, was in the midst of a quadrille, Mr. Cameron desired Gertrude to sit down near her sister until it was over, when he would come and fetch them both, if he could get up their carriage in the meanwhile. Gertrude be- lieved it must have been at least half an hour GERTRUDE CAMERON. 107 from the time Ella joined her, that their father returned, bringing with him the gentle- man who had accompanied them home, and whom he introduced to his daughters as au old acquaintance, though Gertrude's own con- viction was that they had never met before. " I know," she continued with cheeks and lips of ashy paleness, when she had arrived at this point of her narrative — "I know, dear Mrs. Feversham, what it all means. It wdll not be the first time. Papa thinks nothing of these things — I mean in a moral point of view. He has of course challenged the gentle- man who insulted him at the card table, and the one who came home with us is to be his second. Now what must we — what can we do?" " Give information to the magistrates, my dear, of course," I said, with as much com- posure as I could possibly assume. " But is it not probable that you may be alarming your- self unnecessarily ? If you have told me all, I do not see " I stopped abruptly, for my conscience whispered it was an untruth, under the mask of pity, that I was about to 108 GERTRUDE CAMERON. utter, and Gertrude eagerly took up my words — "Oh yes, you do see — you must see; and why would you, to give me a few hours' deceptive peace, endeavour to conceal your own convic- tions'^? — besides, I have not yet told you all. As we were driving home. Ella seemed disposed to gossip with me in a low voice about the ball, and feeling assured that any attempt at conversation would betray the excessive agita- tion I was enduring, I leant back in my corner with closed eyes, and allowed my com- panions to think I was sleeping. It was not long before Ella followed my example, and slept, I believe, in reahty, for suddenly I heard papa's friend say to him — " There is a reproach to our conversational powers, Cameron — the young ladies are both fast asleep." Papa laughed rather absently, and after a pause of a few minutes, said in his natural voice, " We shall have daylight in an hour, Eerguson — splendid season for our early expedition of Eriday, isn't it ?" Mr. Eerguson replied in a low voice, and then they both laughed in an odd unnatural way — at least so it seemed to GERTRUDE CAMERON. 109 me — and continued their conversation in whispers." " Then you think, my love," I said, when Gertrude ceased speaking — " that this hostile meeting is fixed for the day after to-morrow ? In this case we shall have ample time to take measures for preventing it." " Heaven grant that we may," replied Ger- trude earnestly — " but, dear Mrs. Feversham, in spite of all that reason can urge in the way of hope or comfort, my heart forebodes evil only. You do not know papa as I do." As it was quite clear that any further dis- cussion of the affair would be worse than use- less at present, I persuaded Gertrude (though not without difficulty) to undress and go to bed. She seemed reluctant to leave me, afraid, as it were, to trust herself with her own thoughts ; and as I had no intention of sleeping myself, I finally compromised the matter, by agreeing to go and read to her w^hen she was in bed. Poor, dear Gertrude ! how grateful she was for even this little kindness — how touchingly she expressed her thankfulness for having me 110 GERTRUDE CAMERON. with her at such a time — how confidingly she seemed to lean on me, how closely to be drawn towards me in that hour of anxiety and sorrow. The clock had struck four, when, finding that my pupil had dropped off to sleep, I went quietly back to my own room, and sat down to reflect soberly on the trials and the duties that were in all probability awaiting me. The conclusion at which Gertrude had arrived, ap- peared to me, even from my imperfect acquaint- ance with Mr. Cameron's character, so ex- tremely natural, that I never for one moment thought of questioning it ; neither, on review- ing the matter, did it seem in the least likely that any effectual means could be taken to pre- vent the catastrophe. The utmost in our power would be to delay it for awhile, and I had strong suspicions now that even for this we should be too late. For while I sat turning all these things over in my mind, I had heard sounds of quick and impatient movement below, and before I could ask myself what they meant, the hall door had opened and closed again, and I entertained little doubt that the gentlemen had started on their desperate and unrighteous errand. GERTRUDE CAMERON. Ill As it was - now daylight I resolved to go down stairs, and make what discoveries I could. The whole house appeared wrapped once more in profound repose, and passing noiselessly along the upper galleries, I found my way to the drawing-room, where I pre- sumed Mr. Cameron and his friend had taken their breakfast before setting out. What a mournfully suggestive scene it pre- sented. How my heart trembled and then ached as I gazed around me, and thought that the repulsive disorder and confusion on which I was looking, was but a type of the moral condition of the family whose troubles had, in some measure, become my own. What a weight of inexpressible sadness fell upon me as I stood amidst all that unlovely disorder, which was rendered still more painfully appa- rent by the bright beams of the morning sun, that, shining full into the room, seemed to mock my sickness of heart, and to rejoice in heightening the desolate aspect of everything around. There was the table, usually occupied by elegantly bound books and vases of flowers. 112 GERTRUDE CAMERON. covered now with empty wine bottles, spirit cases and glasses ; and there was the polished oak floor (for the Camerons had most of their apartments got up in the French style) literally strewed with fragments of cigars, broken corks, and lucifer-matches, amongst which (and ap- parently kicked rudely aside) lay the faded bouquet that one of the girls had probably brought home from the ball, and thrown on the first table or chair that presented itself. And above all this, high up in its gilded cage, by the window, a little canary bird of Ella's sang its morning hymn of praise and gladness, reminding me most opportunely that although there is in the world a broad stream ever rushing on swiftly towards the dark ocean of despair, there is another, like a silver thread, gliding on slowly but surely towards the calm, unruffled river of everlasting peace and con- tsntment. Yet the scene and the thoughts it suggested were altogether of such a depressing nature that 1 had little inclination to remain where I was, and resolving to summon Henri, and question him on the subject of his master's GERTRUDE CAMERON. 113 absence, I turned towards the door and met the wild, affrighted gaze of poor Gertrude, who had descended the stairs as noiselessly as my- self, and stood now at the entrance of the room, looking more like a spirit from another world, than a creature of flesh and blood. " Mrs. Eeversham, we are too late !" she said, in a voice that went to my very soul, and without noticing the hand I silently extended to her. [*' The judgment so long delayed has come at last. I knew it must come. I have anticipated some such hour as this — but ichat is to follow it ? Why are our hearts formed to endure so much, and never break ? Why, if only to suffer, are we brought into the world at all ? Oh, dear friend, don't look reprovingly at me now. I have worn out all my powers of endurance. I feel more than helpless in look- ing forward to the future. I have no super- natural stock of courage to fall back upon in an hour like this. My heart is only appalled and overwhelmed." " Ah, dear Gertrude," I ventured to say, " it is rehgion alone that can avail us anything in the hour of sudden trial. If we cannot 114 GERTRUDE CAMERON. cast our burden upon a compassionate Saviour, it may well weigh us to the earth. If we cannot receive chastening as children, then indeed we must expect to be wounded sorely by the stripes." She looked up piteously, despairingly into my face, and replied with touching humility of tone — *' I know 1 deserve and require correction, but my heart seems to harden under it. Oh, Mrs. Teversham, is there indeed such a thing as happiness in this wretched world?" '' Yes, Gertrude," I said, " but not while we are content to regard this wretched world as our rest. True happiness is only for those who, walking through life as pilgrims on a journey, sing, like that bird above us, their clear songs to Heaven, and find in their own hearts' melody all that they need for refresh* rnent, for consolation, and for joy." GERTRUDE CAMERON. 115 CHAPTER X. As I have no intention, in the course of my narrative, of dwelUng unnecessarily upon the shadows which I cannot exclude from it, I shall briefly relate that Mr. Cameron received his death-wound in the duel to which his own dishonesty had exposed him, and that he was brought to his house a corpse a few hours after he had left it in the perfection of manly strength and vigour. Who his opponent had been we never clearly discovered, as the whole affair had been arranged w4th such extraordi- nary promptitude and caution, that public enquiry (less vigilant then than now) was completely baffled, and all who had been en- gaged in the transaction enabled to make their escape without the slightest difficulty or opposition. An inquest was held in the house, and a verdict returned against some party or parties unknown, but Mr. Cameron had no 116 GERTRUDE CAMERON. friends to take the matter up, and so from being a nin€ days' wonder it was allowed, as far as public curiosity or interest was con- cerned, to die the death of all other wonders, and to take its place amongst the quiet shades of forgotten or disposed-of events. Of course its effect upon his innocent and unfortunate family was of a much less epheme- ral nature. Mrs. Cameron, as might have been anti- cipated, abandoned herself in the first instance to wild, passionate, and ungovernable grief, Ella, though equally demonstrative in her ex- pressions of sorrow, appeared to me far less deeply affected than I had imagined she would have been. But Gertrude, rousing herself when I least expected it, displayed, in the midst of genuine and heartfelt suffering, a courage and a resolution that I could only stand still and admire. It was, indeed, highly important that some- body should think and act, as well as feel and weep. It was not poverty, but literal starva- tion that stared these helpless and delicately- nurtured women in the face. A very brief GERTRUDE CAMERON. 117 examination of Mr. Cameron's private papers sufficed to convince even our inexperience that there was no provision of any sort or kind for his unhappy family. It appeared that he had sunk the small residue of his capital in a life annuity, about five years ago, and although he had, in the following year, insured his fife for the benefit of Mrs. Cameron and the children, the circumstance of his death must of course preclude the smallest hope of benefit from that quarter. And besides all this, there were standing debts, including the rent of the house for the whole time they had been in it, which every fraction of personal property left by the deceased would be wholly inadequate to dis- charge. The prospect before them was truly fright- ful, and when Mrs. Cameron called wildly upon death to take them all to its sheltering arms, I could scarcely find it in my heart to point out to her the impiety of her adjura- tions. The Maxwells were our only friends ; but sympathy, with some little advice, were the extent of what they had to ofi'er, and Mrs. 118 GERTRUDE CAMERON. Cameron Avas at present too completely shaken in mind and body to appreciate the first, or to profit greatly by the latter. In the meantime bills came pouring in, and we lived in momentary dread of something worse, though the mother's entire and curious ignorance of all business matters kept her from a full participation in those immediate dis- quietudes which I did not feel justified in making hght of to her daughters. I cannot pass over one little scene that took place at this time between Gertrude and my- self, because it exhibited so strongly that fine sense of integrity in her nature, to which I have before had occasiom to allude. It was, I think, about the third day after the calamity had fallen upon them, and when she and I had been looking over her father's papers, that suddenly taking my hand and fixing her mournful eyes resolutely on my face, she said calmly — '' Mrs. Feversham, although there may ap- pear an abruptness and an indelicacy in what I am going to say, I feel so strongly the ne- cessity for saying it, that I am unwilling it GERTRUDE CAMERON'. 119 should be any longer deferred. You know our circumstances, and therefore you will not misjudge me when I entreat of you to return to your tranquil home before utter ruin comes upon us. Even as it is, you will have suffered somewhat at our hands ; and alas ! we have little need to swell the list of those who will one day be witnesses against us. Dear friend," she continued, seeing that I was about to speak, " do not fancy that I underrate your disinterested friendship. It is because I know so perfectly the sacrifices you are willing and anxious to make, that I implore you to go while there is yet time, and to forbear laying us under obligations which we can never, never repay." " Gertrude," I replied, as steadily as my emotion would suffer me to speak, " you have done your duty, and now let me do mine. Henceforth, remember I am not your gover- ness, but your friend, your guardian if you will ; and in these capacities I claim the right of remaining with you, of sharing all I have with you and yours, and of being included in whatever trials and vicissitudes of fortune a 120 GERTRUDE CAMERON. righteous God may yet have in reserve for you." She was deeply affected. She wept long and unrestrainedly, while holding my hands tightly pressed in her own ; but not another word was said, either then or at any future time, concerning my departure from the Priory. " A person to speak to Miss Gertrude," said Henri, one evening, half opening the door of Mrs. Cameron's bed-room, where, as usual, we had assembled to cheer the invalid. " I have shown him into the dining-room ; and he says he is rather in a hurry." Gertrude and myself quickly exchanged looks, and went out together. " Who is it, Henri ? Do you know the man?" This was asked the moment we were in the passage, for the servants had all received instructions never to announce any one by name, when Mrs. Cameron was present. "Yes, Miss," was the reply, "it is Farmer Lawson, the landlord ; but he did say he wanted to speak to you." GERTRUDE CAMERON. 121 "Shall I spare you this, my love?" I whispered, as we approached the door ; and I felt the hand that was locked in mine becom- ing colder every minute. " Oh, no !" Gertrude answered calmly, and making an effort to smile. " It will never do to turn coward at the first sound of the battle drum, when I shall probably have to accustom my ears to the wildest and fiercest of martial music. You shall see how bravely I can hide the trembling spirit within, and do more jus- tice for the future to my powers of self- possession." Mr. Lawson was a tall, hard, grey-looking man, of about sixty years of age ; and in the hasty examination I bestowed upon him as we entered the room, I could not detect a single point in his physiognomy on which to build a hope that he would be merciful towards the widow and orphans placed so entirely within his power. I said to myself at once that he had come to claim his own, and that on the morrow my unhappy friends would be home- less and penniless. " How^ do you do, Miss Gertrude ?" he VOL. I. G 122 GERTRUDE CAMERON. began, in a voice that was very far from pre- possessing, and rising as he spoke to offer a chair to my trembling companion. " I hope I have not intruded upon you too soon ?'' " Pray sit down, Mr. Lawson," repHed Gertrude, meekly. " I am grateful to you for having delayed this necessary visit so long." " Why, I have been from home till yester- day," he continued bluntly, "or it's likely I should have asked to have a few words with you before. I suppose I may speak out now ?" (With a momentary glance of inquiry towards me.) " This lady is our nearest friend," said Gertrude, quickly ; and Mr. Lawson, bowing awkwardly enough, continued, — " I have no doubt you are aware. Miss Gertrude, that your late father and myself had a few business transactions together, soon after he became my tenant. I merely mention this now, to show you that my knowledge of his ])rivate affairs is not built entirely on the gossip of the village. But perhaps you are not prepared to hear that I have claims upon any property he may have left, to at least six GERTRUDE CAMERON. 123 times the amount of the rent due to me for the house you are now in." Gertrude's face blushed to the deepest crim- son, and she replied chokingly — " Indeed, I was not aware of this, Mr. Law- son. I know nothing of business. We are of course ready to give up everything and " "And to live yourselves — how?'' interrupted the farmer, half shutting his small, bright eyes as he gazed, pitilessly I fancied, at the trem- bling, drooping figure before him. "That is not at present the question," Ger- trude answered, with a momentary erection of her graceful head, and a look which plainly indicated that she did not acknowledge her visitor's right to allude to their private con- cerns. "Our first object must be to have justice done to the extent of our means, and, for the rest, we shall prepare ourselves as well as we can." " You have had a fine education, Miss Ger- trude, I dare say ?" This was said interrogatively, and though T saw that my companion was no less surprised G 2 124 GERTRUDE CAMERON. than myself, she answered readily, — " 1 have, of course, received the education of a gentle- man's daughter, Mr. Lawson, but I cannot, I regret to say, boast of many accompHshments." "Ah, well, you must, without doubt, have got together a deal of knowledge out of the books I have so often seen you reading in the grove. Now my wife has a fancy for giving the two little nieces we have taken, some sort of learning, and if you're willing to have them in here for a few hours every day, it will be doing us, you see, a favour, and perhaps be of some trifling service to yourself in the mean- tune. "But," said Gertrude, with looks of un-. feigned astonishment and perplexity, " you surely must be aware, Mr. Lawson, that we have no means of remaining at the Priory — nay, that even in resigning to you everything we possess in the world, you will still be our creditor to a very large amount." Mr. Lawson smiled a very little, and after a momentary hesitation, resumed — '' I believe I do know all about your affairs, Miss Gertrude, and this is why I have made GERTRUDE CAMERON. 1.25 SO bold in speaking to you. The law, as yo\i seem to understand, gives me the first claim upon whatever property your father may have left. Well, I claim my own, of course, that is but right and proper ; it's neither your fault nor mine that there's so little to claim, and that the other creditors get nothing at all. My man of business will come and look over the things in a day or two— there's no hurry — and what I propose is, that you remain at the Priory till something better turns up. I make no doubt that you can gain a livelihood by teaching, and there's our two little lasses to begin with." For a few minutes Gertrude seemed literally speechless with amazement and gratitude. Then, stretching out her trembling hand to the bluff farmer, she said, with deep emotion, " Mr. Lawson, I cannot thank you as I should. T am bewildered at this great, this unexpected kindness and generosity from a stranger. I shall hope yet to be able to show you " " There, there, don't say another word, my dear," interrupted our singular visitor, per- 126 GERTRUDE CAMERON. ceiving that poor Gertrude's composure was rapidly deserting her. " Go back to your mother now, and I will conclude the little mat- ter I came about with this lady, if she can grant me a few minutes more of her time and attention." As I eagerly seconded Mr. Lawson's con- siderate request, Gertrude gladly hastened out of the room, and I turned to express to my companion some of the feelings with which his extraordinary disinterestedness had inspired me. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 127 CHAPTER XL •'Madam/' he said, interrupting me before my speech was half conckided, " I very much doubt whether there is such a thing as pure disinterestedness in the world. Some ten months ago, the young lady who has just left us, sat up four nights with my little daughter, my only child, who was dying — and all be- cause poor Mary, when she was in health, had taken a fancy to Miss Gertrude, and felt a pleasure in having her beside the bed, and holding the kind hand that had so often led her about the sunny garden, when her illness was coming on. Madam, I made to myself a solemn promise then, that if I could ever be- friend Miss Gertrude Cameron, I would do it. By claiming my own debt, I have prevented the other creditors from troubling the family. They all know now that there is nothing to be had except the furniture, which becomes 128 GERTRUDE CAMERON. mine. I have no doubt that if circumstances should change with them, Miss Gertrude (I know nothing of the others) will see justice done to everybody. Perhaps by-and-bye their friends will come forward and relieve them from their present unhappy situation." I hastened to explain to the really worthy Mr. Lawson that the Camerons had no friends on whom they could count for the slightest })ecuniary assistance ; that with the exception of myself and the Maxwells, they had literally no one to care whether they lived or died ; and that therefore in exercising his benevolence on their behalf, he must do it without the re- motest expectation of ever being recompensed in kind. To this he answered, that he was not thinking of himself; that they were wel- come to the Priory for as long as it suited them to remain in it ; and in conclusion, he- named, at my earnest entreaty, a mere nominal rent, which I assured him we should have no difficulty in paying. And thus ended the long- dreaded interview with the Camerons' principal creditor. I found Gertrude explaining to her bewil- GERTRUDE CAMERON. 129 dered mother the scene that had just taken place, and the latter vainly trying to compre- hend that they had been rescued from a most critical and distressing situation, by the un- heard-of liberality and kindness of a man who was almost a stranger to them. Mrs. Cameron beheved all that was told her, in the same way that we believe there are mountains in the moon ; but as for understanding the why and the wherefore of so curious and intricate a case, she felt, intuitively, that it was not to be expected of her, and wisely forbore making any superhuman efforts in the matter. The idea of Gertrude teaching the first ru- diments of knowledge to Mr. Lawson's proba- bly low-born nieces, was evidently both start- ling and painful to her ; but when the former declared, in plain and emphatic language, that it had always been her intention to attempt earning her own livelihood in this manner, and that it was wholly with such an end in view that she had devoted herself to the study of foreign tongues, poor Mrs. Cameron opened her languid eyes, and professed her total in- G 3 130 GERTRUDE CAMERON. ability to fathom the very eccentric character of her eldest daughter. Of course she was aware, she said, that they must do something for themselves. She hoped she knew enough of money matters to be con- vinced that they could not live without it; but it was her firm belief, that by applying to a cousin of hers, who had recently married a very wealthy man, they should obtain, not only present assistance, but important advice as to their future proceedings. " But in the meantime, dear mamma," said Gertrude, "it is our duty to lessen, by every means in our power, the obligation we are un- der to the kind-hearted Mr. Lawson. I shall feel the greatest pleasure in having his little nieces to instruct, and I only wish his sweet, gentle Mary had lived to be my pupil also." " Ah, Gertrude," I said, looking admiringly on her now glowing countenance, " you never spoke to me of that little protege of yours, but I know all about it notwithstanding, and I was just thinking of the beautiful and encou- raging proverb, * Cast thy bread upon the GERTRUDE CAMERON. 131 waters, and thou slialt find it after many days.' " In another week, Mrs. Cameron was so much better, that she began to talk seriously of taking a journey to London, in search of the cousin, from whose assistance and advice she anticipated such marvellous results; and, although neither Gertrude nor myself shared in these flattering expectations, we did not dis- courage the effort, because in the first place we hoped the journey would prove beneficial to the invalid, and in the second place we had a plan of our own in view, which could not easily be executed except in Mrs. Cameron's absence. Ella was to accompany her mother, as, in spite of the latter's improved health, we all agreed that it would be madness for her to travel quite alone; and although I thought and said that a female servant would be found in- finitely more useful, this opinion was over- ruled by Mrs. Cameron's evident desire to ex- hibit the charms of her favourite daughter to any old acquaintances she might have the good fortune to meet. 132 GERTRUDE CAMERON. Of course Ella herself was mightily desirous of going, and Gertrude, who truly loved her sister, appeared equally anxious that she should have a chance of regaining some portion of her usual spirits in a livelier atmosphere than their unnaturally quiet home could boast at present. They were all unanimous in refusing to ac- cept from me the means of paying for this important journey, so Mrs. Cameron, with the co-operation of the intelhgent Henri (who still continued with us), raised a small sum by the sale of a few of her own jewels, which Mr. Law- son had generously insisted on her retaining. At length every preparation was completed, and the delicate-looking widow (secretly en- chanted, I am convinced, at this first great undertaking of her life) set forth one lovely morning, with her blooming Ella, in search of — a friend ! " Poor dear mamma !" said Gertrude, as, after escorting the travellers to Lissonburn, we walked slowly back together through the scented fields. " Poor dear mamma ! what a shock it will give her, should this journey prove unsuccessful, as I cannot help thinking GERTRUDE CAMERON. 133 it will. She will lose all faith in the gene- rosity and kindly feeling of others, and aban- don herself, I am afraid, to utter despair." " Nay, my love," I replied, " Mrs. Cameron is far too imaginative and warm-hearted ever to imbibe misanthropical principles. She would feel a disappointment keenly, but its chief re- sult would be to direct her mind towards some new object of hope and expectation. Let us, however, speak of your personal concerns at present, for I think the sooner our first step is taken the better." I nuist here briefly explain that Gertrude, after mature deliberation — and, I am convinced, much inward struggling with that pride which was undoubtedly the dark spot in her nature — had come to the resolution of offering her ser- vices as a teacher of languages to the aris- tocracy of Lissonburn and its neighboiu-hood. She would, as a matter of course, have pre- ferred a more distant county, but Mr. Law- son's unexpected kindness seemed so com- pletely to point out this spot as their home for the time at least, that we both agreed there was no choice but to submit to circumstances. 134 GERTRUDE CAMERON. and to be grateful for the help already be- stowed. In resolving to share my little income with the Camerons, and to continue residing under the same roof, I was only doing that which was really most agreeable to myself. True, I should have liked much better to have carried away Gertrude to my own peaceful home ; but as this, in the present circumstances of the family, would have left two of them without any means of support, it was of course out of the question, and I took care never to hint to any of my friends that such would have been my choice. It was a singular fact that Gertrude, who was beyond all doubt by far the proudest of the three, should have felt infinitely less than either of the others their temporary obligations to myself. It must have been, I imagine, her perfect conviction of the strong attachment I entertained for her, that made this yoke a comparatively easy one to bear. Nevertheless, her anxiety to work out an independence for herself and relatives was strong and abiding, and ended in her plan of GERTRUDE CAMERON. 135 seeking employment amongst those who had been endowed with an ample share of the mammon of unrighteousness, and who, now that Mr. Cameron had disappeared from the scene, could have no longer an excuse for looking coldly and disdainfully upon his daughters. We had resolved, after discussing various schemes for making our object publicly known, on going round ourselves to the different fami- lies, giving an impartial statement of the case, and soliciting for the young teacher the pa- tronage of all those who had daughters of an age to benefit by her instructions. I was quite aware how much poor Gertrude suffered in anticipation of this terrible ordeal ; but a fiiTQ sense of duty and necessity enabled her'to persevere in her resolution, and to crush, in a great measure, all outward manifestations of repugnance to the humbling task. There were, we ascertained, four families within three miles of Lissonburn, and one a little farther, whose circumstances might war- rant a reasonable hope in applying to them ; and having decided on taking three of these 136 GERTRUDE CAMERON. the first day, and two the second, we started at an early hour one exquisite autumn morn- ing, I doing my utmost to cheer and encourage Gertrude, and Gertrude striving bravely and energetically to conceal his nervousness and depression from me. The first name on our list was that of Mrs. Colonel Clifford, of whom we only knew that she was rich, generous, and the mother of four gro wing-up daughters. This lady lived just on the other side of the village, in a very fine house indeed, and was greatly admired and respected by all the middle-class gentry of Lissonburn. To our enquiries for the mistress of the mansion, a fat and somewhat over-dressed page replied that his mistress was at home, and would doubtless see us if we would send in our names. Two cards, with a letter of in- troduction from Mrs. Maxwell, were delivered to him, in consideration of which we were in- vited to follow^ the receiver of them into a magnificent drawing-room, and led to hope that in due course of time the owner of all GERTRUDE CAMERON. 137 this magnificence would favour us with her gracious presence. Gertrude took up a book and tried very hard to read it. She was looking pale, but tolerably composed, I do not think that this Mrs. Clifford was amongst those whose recep- tion she appeared the most to dread. We had sat about a quarter of an hour, when the door opened slowly, and Mrs Colo- nel CUfford sailed, in all her splendour, into the room. She was a tall stout woman, with some pretensions to good looks, a delightfully self-satisfied aspect, and an indescribable ap- peai-ance of having had " greatness thrust upon her" at too late a period of life to render her (juite easy under the nevertheless welcome burden. Mrs. Maxwell's letter of introduction was held carelessly in the lady's hand as she came in, and after returning our salutations with in- finite graciousness, Mrs. Clifford glanced once more slightly over her letter, and looking at Gertrude, said — " Miss Cameron, I presume ?" A quiet, modest bow from my pale com- 138 GERTRUDE CAMERON. panion, and then the first speaker, sitting down, continued — " It gives me much pleasure, Miss Came- ron, to make your acquaintance. My friend, Mrs. Maxwell, is most kind in affording me an opportunity of doing so. This letter (again raising it very close to her eyes) mentions vaguely some project you have of — of — in short, the lady of our excellent rector refers me to you for a clearer explanation of your views than she has thought it necessary to give." Although Mrs. Clifford had not once looked towards me, I determined now to answer her, that Gertrude might have time to compose herself against a second attack, so I said — " Miss Cameron is desirous of securing a few pupils for French and Italian, to the study of which she has devoted considerable time ; and understanding that you had daughters at home, my young friend was induced to make the present visit, with the hope of obtaining your kind encouragement to her first efforts in the field of personal exertion." " Ah !" replied Mrs. Clifford, with a little GERTRUDE CAMERON. 1S9 patronizing nod, " a most praiseworthy under- taking, upon my honour, and very much to the young lady's credit. The French lan- guage is no doubt highly important for the rising generation. I am quite an advocate, I assure you, for all that sort of thing. I always tell my girls they can't begin to work too early. An uncultivated mind is my detesta- tion ; and, as our admirable vicar told us on Simday, the more good we can get into our heads, the less evil we are likely to admit into our hearts. Miss Cameron, I must trouble you to favour me with your address. I am charmed, indeed, at having been fortunate enough to make your acquaintance." As this was undeniably a hint that the gra- cious Mrs. Clifford had had enough of us, we both rose to go, and seeing that Gertrude looked flushed and agitated, I spared her the necessity of speaking, by referring our smiling hostess to the cards we had sent in, on which I told her the name of Miss Cameron's abode would be found inscribed. Then the bell was gently pulled, a few more 140 GERTRUDE CAMERON. complimentary speeches uttered, and following the stout page down the fine staircase, through the gilded hall, and over the closely-shaven lawn, we reached at length the fresh and open fields again, and had the satisfaction of dis- covering that our power of breathing freely was not ijuite gone, in spite of the unnatural and oppressive restraint we had endured for the last half hour. "Well, Gertrude love," I said — detecting in her countenance the signs of some powerful emotion — " don't yon think we have had enough for one day ? Will it not be wiser to return home now, and gather up our scattered forces against to-morrow's skirmish ?" "No," she replied firmly, "let us, in any case, go on. This rebellious spirit must not be indulged, dear Mrs. Feversham. It would soon gain the mastery over me, if not resisted and trampled on at its first encroachments." Her voice was that of a person struggling desperately with inward sadness ; but though I longed to speak pityingly and soothingly, I felt it would be unwise at present to do so — GERTRUDE CAMERON. 141 that she would be more likely to recover firm- ness if left entirely to herself. In silence, therefore, we pursued our way through the green lanes and fields, till, emerging once more into the high road, we stopped before a low, picturesque, gothic-looking house, half hidden by the tall, graceful trees that waveti their leafy branches against the very windows of the unpretending mansion. This was " the Rookery," and its present occupants were a Mr. and Mrs. Temple, who lived a very secluded life indeed, and had two twin daughters. It was a sensible relief to have our sum- mons answered by a respectable footman out of livery, instead of a fat page bursting with his own importance, and it was equally agree- able, on being conducted into the house, to have our senses refreshed with the familiar sight and smell of newly-gathered flowers, in- stead of being rendered dizzy by the variety of glittering decorations with Avhich Mrs. Clif- ford's splendid mansion abounded. At the Rookery all was in pure and admirable taste, and as we walked along the cool, plainly- 142 GERTRUDE CAMERON. matted hall, I noticed that Gertrude's pale face brightened perceptibly, while her step assumed a firmness that contrasted strikingly with its weariness and languor on leaving the presence of Mrs. Colonel Clifford. The room into which we were conducted was quite in keeping with what we had already seen at the Rookery. There was no luxury, no extravagance, no display — but an air of comfort and elegance, mingled with those name- less tokens of intellectual refinement which are found only in the homes of the " gentle born," pervaded the whole apartment, and gave to it a charm which I feel myself altogether in- adequate to describe. We had scarcely time to exchange a glance of satisfaction and approval, when Mrs. Temple entered the room, and received us with a quiet, graceful ease, that removed at once aU em- barrassment and constraint on our parts. She was a pretty, delicate-looking creature, a mere girl in appearance, but possessing, notwith- standing, that sober, matronly dignity, with- out which a married woman is divested, GERTRUDE CAMERON. 143 in my opinion, of one of her greatest attrac- tions. The object of our visit being explained, (and this time Gertrude herself was spokeswoman,) Mrs. Temple warmly commended my young friend's motives, and promised unhesitatingly any influence she might possess in obtaining pupils for her. Their own little girls, she said, were almost too young to begin the foreign languages, but she would speak to Mr. Temple, and communicate with us in a day or two. In conclusion, our fair hostess insisted on our taking some refreshments, and then, while I remained in the drawing room enjoying a little additional repose, she shewed Gertrude the garden and shrubbery, gathered her a beauti- ful bouquet of flowers from the green-house, and parted from us both as if we had been old and esteemed friends, instead of strangers soliciting patronage. We were mutually agreed — on leaving the pleasant Rookery — to postpone our third visit till the morrow — and with spirits greatly strengthened and revived, and hopes gradually 144 GERTRUDE CAMERON. rising from their recent miserable prostration, we turned om: tired steps homewards, and found, on reaching the Priory, a long letter from Mrs. Cameron. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 145 CHAPTER XII. As this letter was highly characteristic, and somewhat amusing, I shall make no apology for inserting it here at full length. Thus it ran — " My clear Gertrude, "After a legion of adventures and ;;//*- adventures that would fill volumes, here we are at last, in a cjiuet little lodging, that is nevertheless so close and suffocating that we never attempt even to breathe until the evening. I thought, at first, it would be impossible to exist in it, but dear Ella suggested that if wp had lots of flowers and kept the windows al- ways open, it might be endurable till we couhj. present ourselves to my cousin, who will, ot course, insist upon our making her house our home while we remain in London. Finding we were not far from Covent Garden Market, VOL. I. H 146 GERTRUDE CAMERON. your sister and myself set out early, the morning after our arrival, to purchase fruit and flowers. It was very hot, very dusty, and noisy beyond all description ; so seeing an omnibus, I stood for a moment reflecting on the expediency of getting in, when, to our astonishment, the con- ductor politely ran up to us, and urged us so kindly to avail ourselves of his vehicle, that I no longer hesitated, notwithstanding that I had made the unfortunate discovery of its being already crammed to sufibcation. However, in we got, and after going a few yards the man who had been so polite, enquired of me our destination. I told him Covent Garden, and was informed, in return, that he did not go nearer to it than where we at present were. He looked so sorry for my mistake that I was greatly prepossessed in his favour — indeed it struck me forcibly that he had been condemned by adverse circumstances to fill a position in- ferior to that in which he was born. Under this impression I asked liimin a low voice what I had to pay — for you know people thus reduced from aflluence to poverty cannot but feel keenly any pubUc allusion to the wages of their miserable GERTRUDE CAMERON. 147 calling. In a voice low and subdued as my own (as though understanding and appreciating my consideration for him), he named three shillings, as the sum due to him for the few yards he had taken us. I thought it high, certainly, as so much is said in the country respecting the cheapness of the London omnibuses, but on reflection it occurred to me that this might be a superior one, as indeed the manners, if not the appearance, of its con- ductor testified. I therefore paid the money, and with some difficulty we found our way to the market on foot, purchased as much fruit and as many flowers as we could carry, and re- turned home in a state of heat and exhaustion quite beyond the power of any language to describe. On relating our omnibus adven- tiu-e to the landlady, she laughed till she was nearly black in the face — but as she declined explaining the cause of her mirth, and only apologized repeatedly for indulging it, I am still quite in the dark as to what I have said or done contrary to general usage. " As we are just going to dress now for our visit to my cousin, whose address I have for- H 2 148 GERTRUDE CAMERON. Innately obtained, you must forgive my termi- nating these few lines abruptly ; and with sin- cere and grateful love to our kind friend Mrs. Feversham, in which dear Ella cordially unites, " I am, my dearest Gertrude, " Your attached mother, "Emmeline Cameron." This letter and the events of the day afforded Gertrude and myself ample matter of conver- sation during the evening. I was glad to ob- serve that my companion's spirits were better than they had been for some time — that she could talk even cheerfully of the future, except when some accidental word or unbidden thought recalled her father's miserable and untimely end. Then she would become suddenly grave and silent — lost, as it were, in a labyrinth of restless and unsatisfying meditation, and I could fancy that her enquiring, though not yet wholly enlightened mind, was struggling to grapple with the hidden " why" of a righteous God's mysterious dispensations. But although Gertrude was much less re- served than formerly, she still kept the larger GERTRUDE CAMERON. 149 portion of her thoughts to herself, and it was only from occasional and perhaps involuntary remarks that I was enabled to judge of the progress she was making towards the great source of light and peace and truth. The next morning we rose early, and after a hasty breakfast, and one or two turns round the garden to nerve ourselves for what might be before us, we once more set forth upon our far from agreeable mission. Of the first two families we visited on this day, I need only record that they received us civilly, but decHned Miss Cameron's services. The first consisted of a dowager countess and two grand-daughters, who, according to their noble relative, could speak every language under the sun, and had consequently no need of further instruction. The second consisted of a widower with one daughter, but she, poor thing ! was evidently threatened with consump- tion, and her father had wisely resolved not to burden her mind with any unnecessary know- ledge, when, in all human probability, her days on earth were numbered. But of the third and last family on whom we 150 GERTRUDE CAMERON. called, a rather more detailed account is neces- sary, as our intercourse with them extended beyond this preliminary visit. Sir Joshua and Lady Willoughby were the great i^eoiphpar excellence not only of Lisson- burn, but of the county in which our modest village was situated. The former was simply a rich, jovial, good-humoured, fox-hunting baronet of the old school — the latter was a haughty, exclusive, ultra-fashionable lady, who was said to have a heart colder than that of the sphinxes on their pillared gate, and to look with supreme disdain on all whose ancestral tree had a less venerable root than her own. This was the mother of the young man who had been my traveUing companion to Lisson- burn, and whom I had since learnt, with the rest of the family, to designate as Gertrude's admirer. He was absent from home at the present time, or I should not have sought to persuade the former to include Heathfield Park in her experimental rounds. In any case, it is probable that we should have omitted it, had not Mrs. Maxwell heard incidentally that Lady Willoughby had been enquiring for a French GERTRUDE CAMERON. 151 teacher for the younger branches of her family. Heathfield Park was a very grand, aristo- cratic, and imposing-looking place. It pos- sessed, besides the beauties of a strictly classic architecture, all those marks of antiquity, or of "old" (as I believe it is nov^ the fashion to say), which, to a person like Lady Willoughby, were more attractive than the most finished and sumptuous adornments that modern taste and ingenuity can boast. Hoping to divert Gertrude's mind from dwelling on her approaching interview with the haughty lady of this splendid mansion, I said — foolishly enough — as we walked through the small richly- wooded park — " Well, my dear, what increased amount of fascination does Mr. Charles Willoughby ac- quire in your eyes, now that you witness the state and grandeur of his ancestral home ? — don't you feel that you are a very enviable person, in being the admired of the future owner of all this magnificence ?" " Look at that pretty fawn," said Gertrude in reply — " how gracefully it bounds over the 152 GERTRUDE CAMERON. soft green. Do you think, dear Mrs. Fever- sham, its happiness consists in the pure free- dom it enjoys, or in the fact of its belonging to the proud and high-born Willoughbys ?" "But have you really no ambition, Ger- trude ?" I asked, half-jestingly still. " Indeed, I have," she answered, quickly — " but it is not the ambition of being purchased by Mr. Charles Willoughby." On arriving at the house it was some time before the very grand-looking servants could make up their minds to admit us. There seemed to exist amongst them all, an unac- countable doubt as to whether the ladies of the family were at home or not. But at length the mystery being solved in our favour, we were ushered into a lofty drawing-room, some- what less elaborate in its decorations than that of Mrs. Clifford, but bearing unmistakeable evidence of the wealth and luxury of those who habitually occupied it. At the end of about half an hour, which appeared to me, and I doubt not to Gertrude also, at least twice as long — Lady Willoughby and her eldest daughter made their appearance. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 15o " I have to apologize to Miss Cameron for keeping her waiting," said the former, on en- tering the room — " but really when I am m the country I have scarcely a moment I can call my own — Geraldine, my dear (to her daughter), ring the bell. These ladies will take some refreshments after their drive." Notwithstanding our earnest assurances that we required nothing of the sort, the tray was ordered up, and it was not until we. had each taken a biscuit and a glass of wine, that Lady Willoughby would give her attention to the real object of our visit. Then she Hstened to my brief statement of it with a courteous patience for which I had not been prepared, and turn- ing to Gertrude, when I ceased speaking, asked her, in quite a kind, friendly manner, whether she had well counted all the difficulties and dis- couragements of her proposed undertaking. "I believe I have," replied Gertrude, firmly; " but if these should exceed my expectations a hundredfold, I must still learn to endure them — for unhappily I have no alternative." Lady Willoughby seemed pleased with this speech — she evidently liked young people to H 3 154 GERTRUDE CAMERON. be humble — and after reflecting for a few mi- nutes, while her pretty daughter was making an effort to do the agreeable to me, she said abruptly — " Well, my dear Miss Cameron, I think we may manage to give you a beginning at Heath- field Park. Come with me to the school-room, and I will introduce you to my little ones." Gertrude rose instantly, in obedience to this request, and they left the room together. The moment the door had closed on her mamma, Miss Willoughby threw herself back on the sofa, and indulged in a succession of yawns that were more significant than becom- ing or amusing. " I am so sorry to appear rude,'' she said, as I turned over the leaves of a book that was lying on the table, " but really this place is so hopelessly, miserably, incomprehensibly stupid, that if I didn't occasionally give vent to my weariness in some way, I should infal- libly die of stagnation before my imprisonment was over." There was an expression in this young lady's face, that, in spite of the nonsense she talked, GERTRUDE CAMERON. 155 prepossessed me somewhat in her favour, and I therefore closed my book, and asked her what made Heathfield Park so insupportable to her. " Oh/' she replied, listlessly, " there is no- thing to make it otherwise. Mamma has uo sympathy with her children. She thinks we can live and fatten upon the consciousness of our own importance, as she can. Such folly ! as if life had only vain pomp, and cold splen- dour, and cheerless isolation, to bestow upon poor loving, social mortals — oh, I am very weary of it all. I would gladly change places with that beautiful Miss Cameron, pale and sad, and heavily burdened as she looks at present." " My dear young lady," I said, " you would, I fear, be ill-fitted to endure Miss Cameron's trials. It is only those who have been reared in the school of affliction, that can receive calmly the bitter, though salutary lessons it teaches." " Ah, well, I dare say I should make a poor hand at suffering — real suffering of any kind." She paused a minute or two, and appeared en- 156 GERTRUDE CAMERON. gaged in some sudden and painful self-ques- tioning ; then, with an evident struggle to get rid of the unbidden thoughts, she con- tinued, — " So that pretty creature has seen much trouble — has she ? I think nature always makes people pay in some way for being su- perlatively handsome. Yet who would shrink from the price to be like Miss Cameron ? Do you know, everybody in the county talks about her ? She has been toasted at many of the public dinners, since the ball at Edge- clifF. But there is another sister, beautiful as a fairy queen — Is she going to be a gover- ness too ?" " Oh no," I said, smiling, — " Ella is not in the least fitted for such a vocation. She has been a spoilt child." "It is Ella, I believe," resumed my com- panion, " of whom that good Mrs. Maxwell speaks in such unbounded raptures. I assure you I have been dying for a long time to know these young ladies, and so has my bro- ther Charles ; but, oh dear me ! mamma is so GERTRUDE CAMERON. 157 obstinate and unbending, that there's no do- ing anything with her." Not being exactly prepared to reply to these observations, I said, by way of changing the subject — " Your younger brother is, I presume, still abroad?" " Fred ? oh yes, he is in Sicily, I fancy now — but in a few months we shall have him home again — and I shall be so glad." This was said with such genuine earnest- ness, that I immediately concluded that Fred- erick was her favourite brother, and suggested something to this effect. A deep and sudden blush rose to Miss Wil- loughby's cheek, and before I could even form a conjecture as to its origin, she had jumped up from the sofa, and was busily engaged in altering the position of the window-blind, with her face effectually screened from my observa- tion. Appearing, however, while thus en- gaged, to remember that my question remained unanswered, she said, with more than her former carelessness — " Oh, no, Charles is my favourite, but Fred 158 GERTRUDE CAMERON. puts a little life into us, and I never like him to be away from home." The return, at this moment, of Lady Wil- loughby and Gertrude ended our conversa- tion, and as it appeared that my young friend and her noble patroness had succeeded in arranging matters to their mutual satisfaction, we soon after took our leave. " So far then, all is coleur de rose,' I re- marked to Gertrude as we walked slowly in the direction of the Priory, " and Lady Wil- loughby turns out a much less formidable per- sonage than we had imagined." "Yes," said Gertrude, in that dry, short tone that I was learning to understand — " she can receive me and be kind to me as an infe- rior ; but as an equal, I might have sighed in vain for one of the smiles of which she is so lavish now. Dear Mrs. Feversham, do not think me ungrateful. Remember I am but a beginner in the hard lessons of humility." To change the subject, I said — " My love, did you ever happen to see Mrs. Maxwell's nephew, the young man who is abroad with Lady Willoughby's son?" GERTRUDE CAMERON. 159 " The private tutor ? no — but why do you ask?" " A sudden whim, I suppose. You know my nature is rather inquisitive." " Mrs. Maxwell speaks of him as a most in- tellectual and attractive person, and I believe the family at the Park think very highly of him also. Sir Joshua has two or three livings in his gift, and it is expected that he will bestow one of these, by and bye, upon this g man." "Oh!" youn^ 160 GERTRUDE CAMERON. CHAPTER XIII. The day after our visit to Heathfield Park, Gertrude received the following note from Mrs. Temple : — " My dear Miss Cameron — " Since I had the pleasure of seeing you at the Rookery, Mr. Temple and myself have talked over the matter which you then sub- mitted to me, and I am instructed by my hus- band to say, that if you feel inclined to unite the rudiments of music with the other accom- plishments you propose to teach, we shall very gladly engage you for our little girls. Should it be quite convenient and agreeable to your- self, we hope to have the pleasure of seeing you to luncheon at two o'clock to-morrow, GERTRUDE CAMERON. 161 when all further particulars can be more fully discussed. " I am, " My dear Miss Cameron, '• Yours faithfully, " Clara Temple." Gertrude, though somewhat nervous at the thought of this second visit, in which I could not of course accompany her, decided at once on accepting the invitation, and — not to weary the reader with unimportant details — at the appointed hour she went ; looking, I could not help fancying, as pure, calm and beautiful as an angel, and reminding me forcibly of Words- worth's touching picture of the exquisite Lucy — " A violet by a mossy stone Half hidden from the eye. Fair as a star wheii only one Is shining in the sky!' It was five o'clock when Mrs. Temple's elegant little carriage deposited the young governess at the Priory gate, and, as I had just 162 GERTRUDE CAMERON. strolled out upon the lawn, Gertrude joined me, and entered, at my request, into a minute account of her visit. I believe I rather teased the poor girl with my persevering questions, but I was so exceedingly anxious to discover what sort of an impression she had produced, that I never recollected at the time how an- noying I might be to her. And she answered everything with such admirable patience and sweetness, that I was inclined to believe she really did feel an interest in her new and at- tractive friends. " Mr. Temple, then, you are much pleased with, my dear? young, good-looking, lively, intelligent — what a promising list of attractions to begin with ! did you say he talked a great deal to you, love ?" "No, I think not. Mrs. Temple had so much to tell me about the children, that her husband really had little chance of getting in a word — and then when their cousin Mr. Lorimer came in, he monopolized the whole of the conversation. I never heard a person talk so much in my life.'' " But he is clever and brilliant you say — • GERTRUDE CAMERON. 163 one that you can listen to without yaAvning every five minutes ?" " Oh yes — he is certainly that — and hand- some too, very handsome — but " "Well, ray love?" " Well, I scarcely know what fault to find with him — only I suppose I have no sympathy with brilhant people — and then I was so busy making friends with those darling children. They are just hke two little cherubs. Mrs. Temple says I may have them to spend a day with me when mamma and Ella return. — Dear Mrs. Feversham, how surprised mamma will be to hear what we have done in her absence !" Gertrude had now to set about her new labours in earnest. She had at present quite as much as it would be possible to accomplish, and indeed if I had not undertaken to relieve her in a great measure of ^Ir. Lawson's nieces, i do not see how she could have conscientiously fulfilled all her duties. Three days in every week were to be devoted to the children at Heathfield Park, and three to the pretty twins at the Rookery. What I feared most though, were the long walks to and fro — for Gertrude, 164 GERTRUDE CAMERON. in spite of her dauntless will, had but a fragile body after all ; but as we found that Mrs. Temple invariably, and Lady Willoughby some- times, insisted on bringing or sending Miss Cameron home in the carriage, I hoped that the fatigue would not prove too much for her, and that things would go on as fairly and prosperously as they had commenced. Somewhat less than a fortnight from the time we had been left alone, we were startled, one evening, by the unexpected arrival of Mrs. Cameron and Ella, both looking considerably worse than when they went away, and both declaring themselves enchanted at getting home again. Their story was soon told The rich cousin had received them politely, condoled with them on their recent loss, invited them once to luncheon, and expressed a vague hope that at some future time Mrs. Cameron might be in- duced to spare her charming daughter to pass a few weeks in town. Ella was indignant and disappointed — her mother was wounded and disheartened ; and it required all mine and Gertrude's efforts to GERTRUDE CAMERON. 165 make her look once more hopefully upon the \mcertain future. Under present circumstances, however, Mrs. Cameron could say nothing against her eldest daughter's undertaking, and in a short time everything was going on as usual at the Priory, and a calm was settling over all of us, which appeared likely (as far as human foresight could extend) to have an in- definite continuance. I really believe there was not one amongst us who at this period was not tolerably happy and contented. Gertrude, I know, was emi- nently so. She liked her occupation ; she enjoyed the society of both Mrs. Temple and of Geraldine Willoughby ; she felt that she was in the plain path of duty ; and, above all, she was reheved from that oppressive weight, which during so many years had been burden- ing her sensitive and conscientious mind. Mrs. Cameron had, as I anticipated, returned to her poetry and her dreams of future great- ness for Ella ; and Ella herself, whose educa- tion I continued, amused herself as best she might, while waiting the realization of her mother's radiant visions. 166 GERTRUDE CAMERON. The monotony of our life was now occasion- ally varied by the visits of Gertrude's new ac- quaintance, Mrs. Temple, whom we all soon learned to love: she came indeed very often, and appeared to take a real and deep interest in the young and friendless beings occupying so ill- defined a place in the society to which their birth had given them a claim. Geraldine Wil- loughby, though a less frequent visitor, (owing, I have no doubt, to her mother's prejudices), seemed to delight in spending a morning at the Priory, and Ella and this young lady soon established a sort of girlish friendship, which was excessively pretty and sentimental, and formed the theme of a very elegant and ima- ginative poem, dedicated to Miss Willoughby, by Miss Cameron's mamma. Thus two months passed away, and the flowers and the sunshine, and the long days and the gentle winds, were all leaving us, and winter, with its gloomy shadows, was creeping slowly on. One evening about this time Mrs. Came- ron, Ella, and myself sat round a bright little fire in the drawing-room, anxiously expecting GERTRUDE CAMERON. 167 the arrival of Gertrude, who had never yet been detained from home so late. It was long past our usual hour for taking tea, and we endeavoured to beguile the time by conjec- turing as to the cause of her non-appearance. Poor Mrs. Cameron, I am quite sure, was dis- posed to picture some romantic adventure as a solution of the mystery. It was to Heath- field Park that Gertrude had gone, and as Charles Willoughby had now been at home for some weeks, the mother's teeming brain was only too ready with every variety of ima- ginable probability, connected with this ardent admirer of her beautiful and amiable daughter. As, how^ever, my own impressions on the subject did not justify me in encouraging these unsubstantial fancies, Mrs. Cameron, according to her usual custom, soon wandered from Ger- trude's prospects to those of Ella, w^ho, sitting at our feet with a book in her lap, her cheeks flushed from the warmth of the fire, and her long, golden hair falling over her blue eyes like a veil, certainly formed a very fair excuse for her mother's idle dreams on her account.. There was, beyond all question, a poetry in 168 GERTRUDE CAMERON. Ella Cameron's beauty, a union of light and shade, a combination of those peculiar elements whereof ideal heroines are usually composed, such as I never saw in any except herself. At present she was truly a mere child, with phy- sical and moral powers wholly undeveloped, but while her mother spoke and dreamt and spoke again, I watched my little pupil silently, and wondered, almost painfully, w^hat her future destiny would be. At length the welcome sound of the garden bell roused us all from our vain speculations, and sent me to the tea-table, that every thing might be in readiness when our dear Ger- trude came in. After the lapse of a few minutes, her light step sounded in the passage, and listening in- tently, I had just said " surely she is not alone,"' when the door opened and proved my suspi- cion correct. " Mamma, dear, I have to introduce to you a gentleman of whom you have often heard — Mr. Maxwell, the nephew of our kind friend at the parsonage. Lady Willoughby could GERTRUDE CAMERON. 109 not spare the carriage this evening, so I have been obliged to walk home." '' And Mr. Maxwell has been good enough to take care of you," said Mrs. Cameron, ex- tending her hand, and smihng graciously, though not, perhaps, quite so graciously as she would have done had it been Charles Wil- ioughby who had brought her daughter home. " I am really charmed to make your acquaint- ance, Mr. Maxwell, and I trust you will favour us by remaining now, to partake of our simple meal" The young man, as might have been ex- pected, shawed no disposition to refuse so cordial an invitation ; and when Gertrude had laid aside her bonnet and cloak, we all drew round the table, and soon forgot that our guest was not quite an old acquaintance. For Sidney Maxwell was, in truth, a very charming, fascinating person, — one of those special favourites of nature who seem born to win all hearts that come within their influence. He had only returned with his pupil to Heath- field Park the day before, and knowing all sorts of pleasant and lively anecdotes to re- VOL. I. I 170 GERTRUDE CAMERON. late concerning his travels, it may be sup- posed that the few hours he spent with us appeared scarcely more than so many minutes, and that there was a general expression of regret when he at length rose to go, having, as he declared, forgotten the lapse of time in the enjoyment of our society. ''Well, you must come again very soon," said Mrs. Cameron, with her usual gracious- ness to strangers. " We are such dull, quiet people here, that it is a real charity when anybody is good enough to drop in and have a chat with us. Ella, my dear, how you have scorched your face with the fire, — put down the poker, love, — Mr. Maxwell is waiting to shake hands with you." It was the first bit of pleasurable excite- ment — this young man's visit — that had ever occurred at the Priory, so no wonder that it was caressed, and made much of, and thought about, and talked over, for days and days after it had taken place. Especially as Geraldine Willoughby came the following morning, and said she was dying to know what we thought of Gertrude's escort. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 171 and asked how long he had stayed with us, whether he had spoken about any of them at the Park, &c. &c. It struck me indeed very forcibly, in reflect- ing upon the matter after her departure, that Lady Willoughby would by no means have approved the interest this young lady testified in her brother's private tutor. But of course it was no afiair of mine, and whatever thoughts I might have about this and other things, I was by no means bound to make them pubhc. I don't know how it happened — at least I did not know then how it happened — but from this time Lady Willoughby was always wanting the carriage in the afternoon, or find- ing some equally plausible excuse for sending Gertrude home with Sidney Maxwell. Cer- tainly the young man was nothing loth to be thus made use of, and on nearly every occa- sion of his coming Mrs. Cameron insisted on his staying to tea, and we none of us, I ima- gine, ever found him less charming than he had at first appeared ; still, still for all this, I I 2 172 GERTRUDE CAMERON. knew that it was foolish, injudicious, unwise — I regretted it. One day, towards the end of October, we were surprised by a visit from Mrs. Temple, the object of which was to ask Mrs. Cameron to allow the girls to spend an evening at the Rookery. There were to be a very few young people of Gertrude's and Ella's ages, and Mrs. Temple thought it might amuse them, as they went so little into society. Feeling convinced that Ella must be en- chanted at such an invitation, I left the two matrons chatting together, that I might have the pleasure of being the first to communicate the news to my giddy little pupil, whom I had sent, to get rid of a headache, from Avhich she was suffering, into the garden. It was some time before I succeeded in finding her, and I fancied that she looked an- noyed when she saw me coming ; but beheving that what T had to tell would fully reconcile the little frowning beauty to my society, I went up to her with a smile, and bade her guess what my errand was about. " Oh !" she replied languidly, " I'm sure it's GERTRUDE CAMERON. 178 nothing that will interest me— and I have got suck a headache still." " Now how can you be sure that it will not interest you, Ella? have you, then, ceased to feel an interest in all the concerns of this sub - lunary world?" She coloured slightly, and looked irritated. " But I am certain nothing of any conse- quence can have happened since I left tlie house. Nothing ever does happen at the Priory." " Very well, then, my love, I will refrain from teasing you any longer on the subject, and leave you to your pleasant musings again. Good bye." " Oh, Mrs. Feversham ! how can you ? I am sure you would not torment Gertie in this way. I beg your pardon if I looked or spoke crossly — indeed I am not well this morning — and now do tell me what has happened." " Mrs. Temple has come to invite you and your sister to a small evening party at the Rookery." No symptoms of pleasure or rejoicing ; 174 GERTRUDE CAMERON. only a cold indifferent look, and the simple question — "When?" " To-night, my dear," I said, " and it is pro- posed that you return now with Mrs. Temple, and she will send the carriage for Gertrude in the evening.'' " To-night — now — impossible 1" was the eager reply, accompanied by an expression of annoyance and perplexity that I could not at once understand. "Dear Mrs. Feversham, who ever heard of going to a party without any previous notice ? we have nothing to wear ; besides, I am really unwell, and — and I hate parties." The tears were now in her eyes, and taking her reluctant hand, I said very seriously — " Ella, all these excuses are, as you know, idle, if not untrue. Your mother wishes you to accept Mrs. Temple's invitation; you are not required to make a fine toilette. In mourning, the greatest simplicity is the most becoming ; and finally, my dear child, you do not hate parties, you only like them less than Sidney Maxwell." GERTRUDE CAMERON. 175 Neck, cheeks, forehead, all were now of a fiery red, and without raising her eyes from the ground, only withdrawing sharply the hand I had taken, she began indignantly — passion- ately, indeed, I might say — " 1 am sure I do not know why I am ac- cused in this manner — I never gave any body any reason " " My dear Ella," I said, venturing to inter- rupt her reproaches, " nobody accused, nobody condemned you. We all esteem and appre- ciate Sidney Maxwxll, and we all know, I hope, that it would be insanity for any body in this house to regard him otherwise than as a plea- sant and valued acquaintance. But you had better come in, now, my love, and speak to Mrs. Temple." 1 76 GERTRUDE CAMERON. CHAPTER XIV. Whatever ill-humour or annoyance Ella might feel, she knew better than to exhibit it before Mrs. Temple, who, on our entrance, delivered her invitation so kindly and graciously, that the former had no choice but to accept it with thanks and smiles. " I shall be glad if your mamma can spare you to return with me now," continued the friendly lady of the Rookery, " because Lucy Melville is coming early — she is a sweet girl, though a great invalid, and so passionately fond of music, that your singing, my dear Miss Cameron, will make her as happy as a bird." " Melville ?" I said. " Is not that the name of the widower who lives at the white cottage in the valley, just beyond your house ?" " Yes — we have only known them lately. He is rather an odd person, I believe; but this girl of whom I speak is an angel, literally GERTRUDE CAMERON. 177 an angel, my dear Mrs. Feversham, with wings rapidly unfurling themselves for flight. Her father worships her. Poor man ! he has nothing else to worship — and he knows, of course, that she will soon be taken from him. Ah, these things are very, very sad — I cannot bear to think of them ! My dear Miss Cameron, may I ask you to put your bonnet on now, or Lucy will be there before us.'' I went up-stairs with Ella, and did my best to reconcile her to this evidently unwished-for visit ; but she was in a very bad temper, and seemed determined not to be pleased at any- thing. "To go and sing all the morning to a stupid child, a poor, sickly thing, who probably did not know one note from another — how exceedingly dehghtful and amusing ! how obliging of Mrs. Temple to procure such enter- tainment for her friends." " My dear Ella," I remonstrated, " we do not, or ought not to, live for ourselves and our own gratification alone. Mrs. Temple paid you a very high compliment, in assuming that you would feel pleasure in exerting your mu- sical talents for the entertainment of poor Lucy I 3 178 GERTRUDE CAMERON. Melville. Gertrude, I am quite sure, would never complain of being thus made use of — not even when a sickly child was in question/' '' Oh, Gertrude of course is a model of all perfection, and I am — oh dear me ! — something very bad indeed, I suppose. Ym think me a desperate little sinner, don't you, Mrs. Fever- sham ?" " I think you wayward and capricious, Ella, certainly ; but you are young — a mere child, in point of fact — and I trust, in a few years, to see your most glaring faults corrected." Ella coloured highly at these observations, and after biting her lips in silence for two or three minutes, she said, turning from the looking-glass towards me, — "I am not so vert/ young, Mrs. Eeversham ; — at all events, I am far from desiring to have my youth brought forward as an excuse for the errors of my character. What I am now, I shall probably be ten or even twenty years hence." " I think not, my dear," I replied, gravely. "The discipline of life will always leave us either better or worse than it found us ; and GERTRUDE CAMERON. 179 within the next ten or twenty years, I doubt not you will have made some acquaintance with this salutary but bitter medicine." " Come down now," said my companion, with a look which expressed pretty plainly that she should prefer even Lucy ^lelville to my sermonizing ; and knowing Mrs. Temple was impatient to get home, I accompanied EUa to the drawing-room, and in five minutes more saw her depart with her kind friend, whose sweet, tranquil smiles, I thought, could not long fail in restoring the good humour of my disappointed pupil. Mrs. Cameron was in unusual spirits all the rest of that morning. She could not help be- traying that she had magnificent hopes con- cerning this introduction for Ella. Mrs. Tem- ple had hinted that she should rejoice in being instrumental in bringing the sisters into notice. She had plainly declared that she thought them both lovely, and had said — half -jestingly of course — that her cousin, Mr. Lorimer, was an enthusiastic admirer of beauty. I did what I could to check these fond and unsubstantial fancies of the too imaginative 180 GERTRUDE CAMERON. mother — but who could wonder at, who could blame her ? Her own life was so uncertain — her girls' prospects, with or without her, were so wholly unassured, — and then they were so lovely, so attractive, so little fitted to battle with an ungracious world, — that cold must have been the heart which did not beat with anxious hopes and fears, in contemplating the probable destinies of Gertrude and Ella Ca- meron. My own heart had little wisdom to boast in this matter, for, even while I preached to Mrs. Cameron, it was busy with a thousand idle dreams, that had probably no more prospect of reahzation than those of the dreaming mo- ther. " We shall feel quite lost this evening, with- out either of the dear girls," said my com- panion, as we sat waiting for Gertrude in the afternoon. " I think if Mr. Maxwell comes, we must make him stay to cheer us a little." " If we can," I replied, doubtingly ; " but perhaps he, too, will find something wanting at the Priory." Mrs. Cameron looked up at me quickly, but GERTRUDE CAMERON. 181 before she had time to speak, we heard the well-known footsteps in the passage, and in another moment Gertrude and Sidney Maxwell were standing within the room. Contrary to my usual practice, I left the former to her mother's affectionate solicitude, and directed all my attention to the young man. He had glanced hastily towards Ella's ac- customed seat on entering the apartment, and a look of unmistakeable disappointment was visible on his handsome face, on seeing it un- occupied. To this look (for he said nothing) I replied — " We have lost one of our household to-day, you perceive, Mr. Maxwell. Ella ran away from us quite early this morning." '' Indeed !" he answered, with a wretchedly unsuccessful attempt at indifference ; ' ' and pray whither has the fair lady flowai ?" " She has flown, or rather been carried, to the Rookery," I said. " Mrs. Temple has a httle party, and she thought it would be a nice change for our young people." (Mrs. Cameron, in the meantime, was giving 182 GERTRUDE CAMERON. a more detailed narration of the morning's occurrence to Gertrude.) Sidney Maxwell smiled now as pleasantly as he could, and observed that it would no doubt be a very agreeable change, and that he hoped sincerely that the young ladies would enjoy themselves ; they must require a little variety occasionally, &c. &c. And after this, Mrs. Cameron, having dis- patched Gertrude to dress, while our early tea was being prepared, turned eagerly to Mr. Maxwell, and asked if he could not spend the evening at the Priory, — to console us, she said, for the absence of the poor dear children. The reply was such as I had anticipated. He should have been delighted to stay — no- thing would have given him greater pleasure, but, unfortunately, he had some writing to do for Sir Joshua, which must positively be finished that evening. He hoped to see us again very soon — he was really so very, very sorry. This was true enough, as to* the fact, what- ever it might be as to the cause. Sidney Maxwell's face was one that at present be- GERTRUDE CAMERON. 183 trayed every emotion of the mind to which it was such a charming index. "Well," said Mrs. Cameron, when our guest had departed, and Mrs. Temple's car- riage had whirled away Gertrude to the festive scene at the Rookery ; " it is some satisfaction to feel that our young friend really regretted not being able to stay with us to-night. He looked positively sad about it, did he not ?" "He looked positively sad about something," I replied ; " but whether you or I had any- thing to do with it remains, I think, to be proved." "My dear creature, you are quite mysterious this evening. What can you possibly mean to infer ?" " Only that there are other admirers of beauty besides Mrs. Temple's aristocratic cou- sin, and that Sidney Maxwell is not without a human heart." " Good heavens ! you can't think he has any serious attachment to either of the girls." "Why not?" " Why, he won't have a penny ! — he is en- 184 GERTRUDE CAMERON. tirely dependent on the patronage of Sir Joshua WiUoughby." "Poor tutors lose their hearts as easily as rich elder sons. Ask Ella if it is not so." "Ella? ask EUa? My dear, dear friend, speak plainly. — Tell me what you mean, what you suspect — oh, tell me anything, but that my darling, my lovely Ella, is going to be a poor man's wife — a household drudge — a domestic slave. This toouldhreak my heart." Mrs. Cameron and myself sat up late that night, and her last words at parting were — " I will be firm, I promise you solemnly I will. What, as you say, are a few tears now, compared to those which would inevitably be shed hereafter ? My dear friend, trust to me ; my mind is quite made up. Ella must not, can not, shall not, be the wife of Sidney Max- well." GERTRUDE CAMERON. 185 CHAPTER XV. ''I AM really sorry, my dear, to torment you so often," said Mrs. Temple, coming up to Gertrude for the third time since the danc- ing had commenced, " but indeed I am being persecuted to the very death, because I cannot induce you to join the dancers. There is Mr. Willoughby looking unutterable despair, and Arthur Lorimer voting my party an unex- ampled bore. Do take pity upon them and me, and leave this dark corner for at least half-an-hour." " Do, dear Miss Cameron," said Lucy Mel- ville, beside whose couch Gertrude was sitting. '' Do," she repeated earnestly, " I shall so like to see you dance." "I cannot dance to-night, Lucy dear," re- plied Gertrude, shaking her head, and smiling half sadly, half deprecatingly at Mrs. Temple ; " indeed," (with more firmness, as the latter 186 GERTRUDE CAMERON. seemed disposed to continue her entreaties) — " indeed I could not do it." " Well, then, you shall not be teased any more, however black those disappointed gen- tlemen may choose to look about it. To speak frankly, I greatly admire your firmness, my love, and quite envy you and Lucy your little tete-a-tete m this quiet spot you have chosen." " Your flowers are so lovely, my dearest Mrs. Temple, and the music so delicious, and Miss Cameron so very, very kind, that I think I never felt so happy or so comfortable in my life as I do this evening," said the pretty in- valid, with such a pleased and grateful smile. "Papa will scarcely recognize me when he comes, I think." Mrs. Temple bent down and kissed the pale forehead of the gentle Lucy, pressed Gertrude's hand warmly and approvingly, and then re- luctantly went away to devote herself once more to the amusement of the larger and gayer por- tion of her own and her husband's friends. Lucy Melville remained silent for many minutes after their hostess had left them. She was evidently deep in thought, though her GERTRrDE CAMERON. 187 eyes were directed somewhat curiously towards that part of the room in which the dancers and the loungers were assembled. At length, turning suddenly to her equally silent companion, she said with much naivete — " Miss Cameron, I hope you will not marry either of those two gentlemen who are so anx- ious for you to dance with them. I see plainly that they are both in love Tv^th you — but they are neither of them good enough, I am sure, for you, — neither of them the sort of husband I should like you to have." " And what sort of husband should you like me to have, Lucy?" asked Gertrude, recover- ing from the momentary astonishment her young companion's unexpected observations had occasioned. "Oh, I know exactly," said Lucy, with much animation — " but I cannot tell you now. Dear Miss Cameron, you are not going to marry Mr. Willoughby or Mr. Lorimer — are you?" " Certainly not," replied Gertrude, fairly laughing at Lucy's earnestness, " but it is my tm-n to ask questions now ; so tell me in the 188 GERTRUDE CAMERON. iirst place what has induced you to feel suffi- ciently interested in a person you never saw till this evening, as to care what sort of a hus- band she may get." " I have heard so much of you from Mrs. Temple, that I knew you intimately long ago. She is always talking about you. She thinks there is nobody like you in the world — and I think so too, therefore I should be so happy if you were to marry " "Who, dear Lucy?" Lucy blushed and laughed a little — then she said — " Oh, perhaps I may have courage to tell you some time — but it is neither Mr. Wil- loughby nor Mr. Lorimer, though they are both very elegant, and fashionable, and rich, and all that sort of thing — more so, much more so than the one I should choose for you." " Well, Lucy, I will not ask you for your secret, but tell me why you do not think either of the two you have named good enough for me.^ " They don't look good enough. Mr. Wil- loughby appears vain and trifling, and Mr. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 1B9 Lorimer — I have seen much more of him than the other — is, I am certain, the very last per- son in the world to suit youy Again Gertrude laughed, and enquired what bad qualities Lucy had detected in Mrs. Tem- plets brilliant and accomplished cousin ? But Lucy declared that she had detected none. She believed him to be good-tempered, generous, clever, agreeable, and so forth — but still, in spite of all this, wholly and entirely unsuited to Miss Cameron — the very last per- son in the world, she again repeated, that Gertrude ought to marry. " Surely," said the latter, " you have thought much more of these things than is usual with young people of your age — you are quite a child in years, Lucy, yet you talk like a very thoughtful woman." " I am only thirteen, it is true, but then for the last four years I have been papa's constant companion — and my ill health has also, I dare say, contributed to make me less childish than others of the same age." " Why is not your papa here to night ?" " He never goes to parties — he is so quiet 190 ' GERTRUDE CAMERON. and reserved, so different to the people one usually meets in society. But he will come to see me for half-an-hour by and bye, as I am not going home till to-morrow/* " How devoted he must be to you, Lucy/' The blue eyes of the poor, fading girl filled with tears, as suddenly laying her warm hand on Gertrude's, she said, emphatically — " Oh, if you knew how we love each other ! and who will he have to comfort him ?" ^ * ^ ^ At rather a later hour of the same evening, a somewhat different dialogue took place be- tween two of Mrs. Temple's guests. Geraldine Willoughby and Ella Cameron having danced till they were tired, had seated themselves side by side on a causeuse, near the piano, and were just beginning one of those interesting tete-a-tetes for which young ladies who have sworn eternal friendship to each other are so famous, when the brother of the former abruptly intruded upon their privacy, and asked his sister, in a decidedly impatient tone, if she had not had " nearly enough of it ?" " If you mean of the party — yes — " replied GERTRUDE CAMERON. 191 Geraldine, in the languid tone which had now become habitual to her — " but it is too early to make our escape with any decency at pre- sent. Why don't you get a partner for the waltz they are just beginning ?" " Oh, I am sick of dancing, and it's such slow work to-night. Here's Lorimer coming for one of you young ladies." It was for Ella; and on her departure Charles Willoughby took the vacant seat by his sister, and leaning back with a very discontented, al- most savage air, he contemplated, with curled lip and knitted brows, the gaily-moving figures before him. "You are disappointed, Charles," said Geraldine, looking half affectionately and half disdainfully at her favourite brother— "but upon my word I do not see how you can ex- pect it to be otherwise." " I don't in the least understand you. I am not disappointed — I am only bored. What should I be disappointed about?" " Oh, I am not anxious to force myself into your confidence," resumed Geraldine hstlessly. 192 GERTRUDE CAMERON. " It's no affair of mine. What a pretty creature Ella Cameron is — isn't she ?" " A wax doll !" said the brother crossly. '' There's only one handsome girl in the room, and she's no more life in her than a marble statue." " Nay, there you are mistaken," repHed Geraldine, a little maliciously. " For I have been watching her for the last half hour, and I never saw anybody more animated than Gertrude Cameron has been, in conversing with that sober Mr. Melville." Charles Willoughby bestowed a very un- loving look upon his sister for this speech; but after a brief silence he said briskly— " Hang it ! she can't be in love with a man like that. He's old enough to be her father!" " Not quite, I should think — but who spoke about love ? I merely said she appeared interested by his conversation. In all probability they have now met for the first time." " You reckon her marvellously beautiful — don't you, Geraldine ?" GERTRUDE CAMERON. IVf'o " Yes — I should be proud of s\icli a sister- in-law," " Should you, though ? Well, but she's as cold as ice, you see," *' I see nothing of the sort." " I tell you I have never got a kind, scarcely a civil, word out of her yet." " That may be your own fault. You have probably only paid her foolish and unmeaning compliments, and Gertrude Cameron is not a girl to be won by any thing of this sort." " I don't get a chance of speaking to her at all above once a week, as you know; and she always answers me, whatever I may say, in the most haughty and distant manner." " Of course — she feels it her duty to do so, in your relative positions. But once let her understand that you are seriously attached, and desirous of making her your wife — and depeiif i upon it the affair will assume a very different aspect." '*You are a pleasant counsellor, Geral- dine, if not a sage one. I wonder if Lady Willoughby would take your view of the case." VOL. I. K 194 GERTRUDE CAMERON. "Mamma will unquestionably oppose it vehemently at first. But you are her favourite, Charles, and in the end you will be pretty sure of conquering/' Suddenly Charles Willoughby raised him- self from his leaning posture, and looking full and steadily in his sister's face, said gravely — •' " What makes you so anxious that I should marry Gertrude Cameron ? I thought the sister was yom- sworn ally." Geraldine's fair, pale cheeks became sufiused with a brilliant red, and it was some minutes before she could say, in reply to her brother's not unnatural question — " I thought you loved her — but, as I be- fore observed, it can be no affair of mine. Pray let us dismiss the subject. I feel quite sleepy." The brother now bent towards his sister and whispered a few earnest words in her attentive ear. She started, trembled visibly, and the burning blushes sprang once more to her cheek, neck, and forehead, leaving them of an almost deadly whiteness again, as, after the GERTRUDE CAMERON. 19.5 interval of a few minutes, she replied courage- ously — '' You are right, Charles. To save my life I would never disown it." K 2 196 (iERTRUDE CAMERON. CHAPTER XVI. It was I think about a week after Mrs. Tem- ple's party, that, as Mrs. Cameron and myself sat chatting together about the girls one cold morn- ing by the breakfast-room fire, Ella (who had been taking a run round the garden to warm herself ) appeared suddenly at the glass door of our small apartment, and communicated the startling inteUigence that Lady AVilloughby had just descended from her carriage, and was coming up alone to the house. As her ladyship had never honoured us with a \isit before, it may be supposed that this communication occasioned no small degree of excitement, especially (for in moments of sur- prise the best-bred people will think of these foolish things) — especially as there was no fire in the drawing-room, and the apartment in which we were sitting was small, and very shabbily furnished. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 197 There was, however, no help for it, of course ; so resigning ourselves, as best we might, we stirred the fire, swept the hearth, and sat waiting the entrance of her ladyship. In a very few seconds Henri threw open the door, and, in a tone of considerable importance, announced our distinguished visitor. She came in with a half smile, though not a very natural one, upon her handsome features, and extending her hand to Mrs. Cameron (who had advanced to receive her), begged that lady, in a soft and gracious voice, to resume her seat, and to excuse the early hour she had of necessity chosen for her visit. Mrs. Cameron murmured a few low words, whose purport, I suppose, was to assure Lady Willoughby that she must be welcome at all hours — ^and then the latter sinking into an easy chair I had drawn to the fire for her, said briefly — " Mrs. Cameron, I am desirous of having a few minutes' conversation with you." I hastily gathered together my working materials, and was about to leave the room, when Lady Willoughby, probably observing 198 GERTRUDE CAMERON, the imploring glance that the widow directed towards me, added condescendingly — ''As far as I am concerned, I beg that Mrs. Feversham will not disturb herself. I cannot desire to exclude so sincere a friend of Miss Cameron's from a matter in which that young lady is nearly interested/' I sat down again, feeling no small amount of curiosity and anxiety — and in rather a nervous, rapid manner, Lady Willoughby continued — " I need scarcely assure you, my dear Mrs. Cameron, that your very charming and talented daughter has given me the greatest possible satisfaction in the performance of the duties in which she has recently been engaged in my family. I have indeed the highest esteem for Miss Cameron, and should always be most happy to promote her welfare in any way that might lay in my power. Unfortunately, cir- cumstances have occurred which render it ex- pedient for me to dispense with her services for the present — in short — not to weary you with details — my son Charles fancies himself in love with your daughter, and and his GERTRUDE CAMERON. 191^ father has views for him which unhappily pre- chide the possibiUty of our encouraging this juvenile attachment. I ought to add, that I believe Miss Cameron to be entirely ignorant of the prepossession she has inspired, and that I acquit her altogether of the slightest blame in the matter." " I hope so," said poor Mrs. Cameron in a voice of suppressed excitement, " for indeed Gertrude is the last person in the world to en- courage the attentions of any young man — " " Or to desire, under any possible circiun- stances," I added hastily, " to enter a family that would not be both proud and happy to receive her." " Of course, of course," said Lady Wil- loughby quickly, and looking more uncomfort- able and embarrassed than I should have sup- posed so proud and haughty a personage could have looked in the presence of those she evi- dently deemed her inferiors — " I have, as I before observed, the very highest esteem for Miss Cameron, and much do I regret that, for the present, I feel it my duty to deny myself the happiness of her society." 200 GERTRUDE CAMERON. To all this Mrs. Cameron could only bow- gravely, and signify as briefly as possible her ready acquiescence in Lady Willoughby*s de- cision. For my own part I felt — foolishly per- haps — too angry and indignant to utter an- other word ; so as nothing more remained to be said on either side, her ladyship, with an- other plentiful sprinkling of apologies for her intrusion, rose to go — leaving her kindest re- gards for her " dear Miss Cameron, of whose welfare she should always be delighted to hear." After the departure of our aristocratic visitor we neither of us felt much inclined to renew the conversation her arrival had interrupted; and I only guessed, by observing the fall of a few quiet tears upon the work Mrs. Cameron had in her hand, that one of the sanguine mother's fondest dreams had been abruptly dissipated. AVhen Gertrude returned from Mrs. Tem- ple's that evening, we told her what had oc- curred ; but beyond the expression of a little surprise that Lady Willoughby should have deemed her son's foolish admiration of so GERTRUDE CAMERON. 201 much importance, she betrayed no emotion whatever, and Mrs. Cameron remarked to me afterwards, that if her eldest daughter married at all, she was quite certain it would not be a love match — most probably she would choose an old man, with as cold a heart as her own. Poor Mrs. Cameron ! she was utterly in- capable of feeling any sympathy with persons who did not habitually inhabit the same land of poetry and romance in which her own ex- istence was passed. Instead of appreciating in Gertrude the utter absence of that foolish and susceptible vanity which is unfortunately so common to young girls of her age, Mrs. Cameron regarded it only as a proof of cold- ness and insensibility, which she could never sufficiently deplore. Again I must repeat — poor Mrs. Cameron ! for most sadly, in after-days, was she brought to acknowledge that there is no guide so dangerous, no beacon so false and fatal, as that sentiment to which we give the name of " ro- mance" or *' warmth of heart." I should have mentioned, that although Ger- trude endured with such admirable philosophy K 3 202 GERTRUDE CAMERON, her dismission from Lady Willougliby's family, it was far otherwise with Ella. She remained gJoomy and desponding all the afternoon, scarcely opened her lips to anybody, and when tea-time arrived, declared that her head ached so badly, that it would be quite useless for her to come to the table. As I had my private suspicions respecting tlie origin of this sudden illness, I did not think it necessary to pay her little ladyship any extraordinary attentions on the occasion ; but of course the mother had a less stony heart, so Ella was overwhelmed with questions and caresses, which would probably have continued throughout the evening, had not the thoughts of the whole party been opportunely diverted by the unexpected arrival of Sidney Maxwell. He was the bearer of a small packet from Lady Willoughby to Gertrude, and having de- livered this, and hoped all the ladies were well, he expressed the necessity of bidding us adieu, as he had promised to drink tea and spend the evening at the Rectory. '' Oh, I wish you could have stayed," said Mrs. Cameron, " a little music to-night would have GERTRUDE CAMERON. 203 " cheered us all — and the girls never care to go to the piano of an evening unless you are here.'"' Mr. Maxwell glanced towards the sisters as their mother spoke, and observing, probably, the very visible discontent expressed in Ella's face, he replied eagerly — *' I dare say I could run down and make an excuse to my aunt, if you really will be troubled with me, Mrs. Cameron. It isn't far to the Rectory." There was no mistaking the instantaneous change in Ella's countenance at this suggestion ; and as Mrs. Cameron could not but give a cordial assent to it, the young man started with- out loss of time on his evidently pleasing errand; and neither then, nor at any subsequent period of the evening, when Sidney hadreturned and was exerting his varied^talents for our entertainment, did we hear aught of Ella's headache, or see aught of her former gloom and ill humour. The next day Mrs. Maxwell came over to ask both the girls to spend the evening at her house ; but Gertrude not feeling very well, was obHged to decline the invitation, and Ella went alone. 2X)4 GERTRUDE CAMERON. T cannot tell why or wherefore it was, but certainly something seemed to be forewarning me, during the whole of that evening, that trouble was near at hand. I tried to shake off the impression, to occupy my thoughts with general subjects, but it was all of no use ; and when, at about half-past ten, Ella not having returned, Mrs. Cameron and Gertrude expressed their intention of remaining up for her, I took my bed-room lamp, pleaded the dulness of my spirits as an excuse for prefer- ring solitude, wished my friends good night, and was going quietly to my own room. I had, however, to pass through the hall on my way to it, and neglecting to protect my lamp, it was suddenly extinguished by a gust of cold air from a window that had very thoughtlessly been left open. While I was debating whether to return to the drawing- room or grope my way to the kitchen for a light, I heard footsteps coming slowly and hesitatingly up the gravel path, under the window ; and although voices were certainly mingling with the sound of steps, I could not, GERTRUDE CAMERON. 205 from their subdued tone, immediately recog- nize them. My first thought was of robbers, — for there had been no ring at the garden gate, and I did not know then that Henri had left it unlocked for Ella — but a moment's quiet attention con- vinced me that Ella herself was one of the speakers, and that her companion was Sidney Maxwell. Having rather a dread than a desire of overhearing their conversation, I immediately left the window, and went to unlock the hall- door for the purpose of letting them in. Without a hght, though, this was a matter of some difficulty ; and as they did not ring on reaching the house, but stood close under the open window, it was certainly no fault of mine that some of the foolish words they uttered reached other ears than those for which they Avere alone intended. I do not think it necessary or advisable to repeat all I heard, for in truth it was sad nonsense, considering the very short time these young, thoughtless creatm^es had known each other. It will be enough to say, that I 206 GERTRUDE CAMERON. became an unwilling confidante of one of the most imprudent and irrational engagements that was ever entered into, and that I listened with a perfectly spell-bound despair to the ut- terance of vows which bound these infatuated beings to remain unmarried for Hfe, if any ad- verse circumstances should prevent the fulfil- ment of this present engagement. Alas ! were they so blind as not to see that every circumstance was adverse to it? — were they so mad as not to understand that their mutual poverty formed a barrier between them, which love in all its mightiness was insufficient to break down ? When at last I succeeded in opening the door, the tender farewell had been uttered, and as Sidney walked slowly down the gloomy path, Ella darted quickly into the house, and, not recognising me in the darkness, passed on — without speaking, or appearing conscious of the absence of a light — towards the room where her mother and sister were waiting for her. GERTRUDE CAMEROiN. 207 CHAPTER XVII. Mrs. Cameron had assured me, in the most emphatic manner, that she would be firm — that whenever the time came for her to give a deci- sion in the case of Ella and Sidney Maxwell, she would put a decided and peremptory ne- gative on their contemplated union. Did I believe her ? If so, we shall see what wisdom there was in my confidence. * It was at least six weeks from the evening I had stood in the hall, and heard the foolish vows of these foolish, foolish lovers. Christ- mas is come and gone, and some of us had been sick, and some of us had been sorry, and all of us had been more or less depressed by the gloom of an unusually gloomy season. It was now the middle of January, cold as cold could be — the snow thick upon the ground, a keen north-east wind blowing, and 208 GERTRUDE CAMERON. everything in nature seeming to groan and pine under the prospect of a long, long, dreary winter. Gertrude, who had perhaps borne up against the combined influences of gloom without, and sickness within, better than any of us, had gone to spend a week with Mrs. Temple, from whom, since the cessation of her engagement at Heathfield Park, she had received even more marked and affectionate kindness than before. Ella, though invited also, had preferred remain- ing at home. She did not care for society; it was much too cold to enjoy anything ; she never wished to move from her own corner of the ilreside. If people would only leave her in peace, she should be so much obHged to them. Consequently we leave her in peace; and while Mrs. Cameron sits dreaming and dozing, and I sit working and thinking, Ella sits gazing into the fire, folding and unfolding her small white hands, and occasionally sighing in a very ominous and suggestive manner indeed. A rational method of preparation, you will GERTRUDE CAMERON. 209 say, for becoming the wife of a man without a penny. Well, but the mother, who loves her beauti- ful child with the most doting fondness, has positively asserted that this shall never be. In spite of all Mrs. Cameron's romance, she has sufficient common sense to perceive that Ella is not cut out for a household drudge — that she would be no more capable of governing a poor man's home than she would be of composing a history of Europe, or writing a treatise on the destinies of nations. So there can be no sort of fear, one would imagine, of anything so ridiculous as a mar- riage between Sidney and Ella taking place ; and if the latter chooses to sit by the fire and indulge in foolish,* idle dreams, there is surely no greater mischief to be apprehended than a little future disappointment, accompanied by a few girhsh tears, when the time arrives for prudence and common sense to put all these irrational hopes and fancies to flight. But let us see what substantial grounds ex- isted for such confident reasoning as this. It was, as I before observed, the middle of 210 GERTRUDE CAMERON. January, a cold, cheerless, most uncomfortable day. The snow had been fallmg heavily all the morning, and the sky wore that peculiarly dark and leaden appearance which usually ac- companies a winter storm. I believe it would have been difficult for anybody, however stoical, to have felt lively on such a day. I know that I was very far from such a state of mind myself, and it occasioned me no surprise that Mrs. Cameron, after our early dinner, should retire to her easy chair, and sit, with half-closed eyes, looking the very picture of misery. But I thought, notwithstanding, that it would be desirable to rouse her from this growing dejection, so I turned to Ella, who was standing by the window, and begged her to sing us a lively song, by way of a change. " Ah, do, my pet," said the mother, lan- guidly ; " it is quite an age since we have heard your voice." " I can't sing, mamma ; who could sing on a day like this ?" " It is wretchedly gloomy, darling, certainly ; GERTRUDE CAMERON. 211 but at your age the weather ought not to have so much influence." " People can be just as miserable, and have just as much suffering at my age as at any other/' said EUa, desperately. *' I am sure, I wish I had never been born." "Ella, darling EUa " EUa now burst into tears, and as it struck me that she probably desired to open her heart to Mrs. Cameron — and 1 really thought that the sooner it was aU over the better — I rose quietly from my seat, and left the mother and daughter together. It was tea-time when I went down into the drawing-room again, and to my astonishment Mrs. Cameron was sitting there alone, sobbing almost hysterically. " Where is EUa ?" I said, going up to my poor friend in much alarm ; '' has anything happened ?" " Oh, no, (with a great effort at composure), she has only gone to lie down for an hour or so, with one of her bad headaches ; we must send her up some tea, when it is made." '' I hope you do not yourself feel worse to- 212 GERTRUDE CAMERON. night," I said, as I went to the table and be- gan arranging the cups and saucers which were standing ready for me. " Oh, no, thank you, my dear friend ; it is only my foolish nervousness — I shall be better by and bye." So we took our tea in almost unbroken silence, Mrs. Cameron continuing to cry at in- tervals, and I wondering intensely what it could all mean. " I suppose Ella will come down this even- ing ?" Avas the first question I ventured upon, as soon as the tray had been carried out, and we had drawn our chairs to the fire again. " I don't know, 1 rather think not," said the mother, with evident embarrassment ; " the fact is, we have had rather an agitating conversation, and the poor dear child is so sensitive, that it has quite upset her." " Well, at any rate, it is a good thing over," I replied, nothing doubting that it referred to her silly attachment, and that Mrs. Cameron had kept her promise of being firm in the matter. '' She will forget all about it when once Sidney has left the neighbourhood." GERTRUDE CAMERON. 213 Without appearing to have heard these ob- servations, notw^ithstanding that I had spoken them in a particularly clear and intelligible voice, Mrs. Cameron, looking up at me half pleadingly, half despairingly, said, in a very subdued tone — " Don't you think, my dear friend, that, with prudence and economy, a young couple might manage to get on for a year or two upon a hundred per annum ?" " Some young couples might, undoubtedly," I replied, pitilessly ; " but then it would of course depend altogether on the manner in which both parties, but particularly the wife, had been educated." The tears now burst forth anew, and I really felt that there was sufficient cause for them, when I gathered, at last, from my companion'^ broken exclamations, that she had given Ella a solemn promise to offer no opposition to her marriage with Sidney Maxwell, as soon as he could command a clear income of one hundred a year. Of course it was quite evident to me, at once, that any further confidence in Mrs. Ca- 214 GERTRUDE CAMERON. meron's strength of mind or firmness of pur- pose would be wretchedly misplaced. It never, indeed, occurred to me from that time to ad- vance one argument, or bring forward one reason, in my conversations with her, against the contemplated marriage. I thought it just possible that I might have some little influ- ence with Ella herself, and I resolved also to see what I could do with the young gentle- man ; but as far as poor Mrs. Cameron was concerned, I felt intuitively that my task was ended, and thenceforth, beginning from that very evening when the wild, wintry tempest mingled obtrusively with the mother's plaintive voice, I hstened heroically to never-ending cal- culations, whose only rationality, or point of union, consisted in their all revolving with steadfast constancy round the magnificent sura of " one hundred a year." GERTRUDE CAMERON. 215 CHAPTER XVIIL " Give up, Sidney, when I have sworn most solemnly that I will never marry anybody else, and when all his happiness is centred in me, and when mamma has promised her ultimate consent to our union ! Oh, my dear Mrs. Feversham, how can you ask such a thing of me ? — how can you suppose that any apprehen- sions of future suffering would influence me in this matter ? — how can you think so poorly of me, as to believe that any human arguments or persuasions would tempt me now to break my faith ? Once more — and oh let me implore you to take this for a final answer — once more, I repeat that I vail never give him up/' This was what I got from Ella when I ven- tured to remonstrate with her on the extreme imprudence of the engagement she had con- tracted. And with Sidney himself I was not. 21 G GERTRUDE CAMERON. as might be anticipated, much more suc- cessful. It was the old, the very old story. He had youth; and strength, and earnest love, and faith (alas ! what faith ?) which should remove moun- tains ! And he would work night and day for his young wife — head, heart and hands should all be employed, if need be, in her service. They neither of them wanted luxuries, nor amusements, nor society even — all they wanted was each other, aU they asked was the privilege of being happy or miserable together. It is a certain satisfaction to me now to re- member, that I held back nothing in my argu- ment with either of these infatuated young people, that I thought Hkely to deter them from their folly. I had seen a little of love matches and their consequences, and these I painted to them in their true and sombre colours. But what was the result, what did I gain by my really devoted efforts to save from future sorrow two beings who were bent on their own de- struction ? From them a degree of ill-will that they could never entirely conceal — for myself in ad- GERTRUDE CAMERON. 217 dition to this, a trifle more of sad experience concerning the wayward folly of the unrege- nerated heart, and an increased conviction of the danger of allowing sentiment and romance to mingle indiscriminately with the earhest im- pressions of the youthful mind. But the engagement of these ardent lovers was now an understood thing in his family and ours; and all, except Gertrude and myself, seemed well pleased that it should be so. Mr. Maxwell certainly shrugged his shoulders on first hearing of it, and said that they ought both to have done better ; but his wife had such an afi'ection for Ella, and was herself of such a very hopeful disposition, that the matter soon became one of entire acquiescence at the Rec- tory, and the Rector promised to make every possible exertion to get his nephew comfortably established in life. Mrs. Cameron seemed now in the very zenith of enjoyment. All her horror of household drudgery, all her deprecation of care and poverty for Ella, appeared entirely forgotten or put aside. She liked Sidney excessively — his frequent visits varied the monotony of her VOL. I. L 218 GERTRUDE CAMERON. life — he listened to and praised her poetry ; and, above all, he made her darhng gay and happy, and was never otherwise than gay and happy himself. It may seem strange that Gertrude, who had so deep a love for her sister, and whose notions of the evils of poverty must necessa- rily have been of the vaguest kind, should have expressed such strong disapprobation of Ella's engagement. It vras certainly quite indepen- dent of any influence my opinions might be supposed to have over her, for on first hearing the whole matter, and before I had uttered a single word either for or against it, she said, with an energy and a promptitude that was very unusual with her — " I would have done anything to prevent this. I feel persuaded it will never be for good, I know Ella so well " This was in the presence of Mrs. Cameron, who replied, rather unkindly I thought, that Gertrude was always anticipating evil, and that Ella should not be made unhappy now to please anybody. Wlien Gertrude and I were discussing the GERTRUDE CAMERON. 219 affair in private, I asked her whether she dis- approved of Sidney Maxwell himself, as a hus- band for her sister, or whether it was only poverty that she feared for her. " Oh," she said hastily — " it is neither Sid- ney nor his poverty, taken separately, that I fear. It is a much greater evil that I foresee in this imprudent marriage. Poor, poor Ella ! she should have taken warning by all the past." This was the entire amount of Gertrude's confidences to me on the unfortunate subject, but I understood her perfectly, and thenceforth seized every opportunity of instilling into Ella's mind those firm principles of right and WTong, which might preserve her from the very serious evils her just and conscientious sister dreaded for her. And so the weeks passed on — with certainly a little more external brightness than before, and with enough of variety to keep our hearts and intellects from preying injuriously upon themselves. Eor Sidney Maxwell, though of course the most frequent, was not our only visitor at pre- L 2 220 GERTRUDE CAMERON. sent. We had sometimes the gratification of entertaining both Mr. and Mrs. Temple, who were almost equally charming and agreeable ; and since Gertrude's Christmas visit, the fasci- nating and accomplished Arthur Lorimer (who still lingered at the Rookery) had come over several times to take sketches, he said, (though I never got a sight of his sketch-book) of the quaint old Priory, which he so excessively ad- mired. 1 used to wonder whether the placid smile with which Gertrude invariably acceded to his request of walking with him through the grounds, was assumed to hide any deeper feel- ing of pleasure, or whether it was a genuine expression of indifference towards the brilliant individual who evidently did her the honour of appreciating her attractions in no ordinary degree. As Gertrude was not a blushing heroine, I was deprived of one of the most accredited means of solving my doubts on this important subject, and as I had a particular aversion to anything like jesting in such matters, I was obliged to endm^e a large amount of suspense GERTRUDE CAMERON. 221 and curiosity, and to go on building my own castles with the scanty materials I had in hand. " What do you think of Arthur ?" said Mrs. Temple to me one day, when she and I hap- pened to be strolling behind her cousin and Gertrude, in a sheltered part of the Priory grounds. " What do you ?" I replied, laughing — " for / have scarcely had time or opportunity to form an opinion of Mr. Lorimer's character." " Yet I know one merit you ascribe to him," she rejoined, " and in which I agree with you entirely. Can you guess it, Mrs. Feversham ?" " No, indeed. Pray tell me." " Good taste — pure, admirable, uncorrupted taste, which might challenge the approval of the w^hole world. Is it not so ?" I was quite startled for the moment, but after looking enquiringly into Mrs. Temple's earnest, truthful face, I replied unhesitatingly, " Yes — this does indeed constitute a merit in my eyes — if sincere, it almost guarantees the worth of the whole character." " Oh, there can be no doubt of its sincerity," 222 GERTRtTDE CAMERON. observed Mrs. Temple, warmly — "the only question is — will it ever be mutual?" "That I don t know." " I wish you did. You cannot fancy how interested I have become in your pretty, sober Gertrude. I should so like her to marry Ar- thur." " Then you do think highly of Mr. Lorimer, yourself?" " I believe him to have excellent qualities, which a wife, such as Miss Cameron, would enable him to develop and improve. As far as I can judge (for I have only known him in- timately about two years) the great defect in his character appears to be pride — a pride that only possesses greater strength from being im- perceptible to common observation." " Strange," I said, almost unconscious that I was giving utterance to my thoughts, " for pride is Gertrude's besetting sin, and one that you will acknowledge is as carefully concealed from observation as Mr. Lorimer 's." " I should never have suspected it. She seems humility itself." " So she is, in a merely personal sense — but GERTRUDE CAMERON. 2*23 the pride of which I speak is almost irrespec- tive of herself. It is quite distinct from vanity, at any rate ; and I beheve has its origin in some of the noblest feelings of which the human mind is capable." " Well, this may form a bond of sympathy between them. I am sure Gertrude would suit Arthur admirably, if she could only be made to think that he would suit her. At present I do not see much to hope for in her manner towards him. She gives me the idea of a person who is trying desperately to Hke another, and meeting with indifferent success." At this moment Mr. Lorimer and his com- panion turned abruptly, and walked slowly to- wards us. " Now look at him," said Mrs. Temple, " and tell me whether he has the aspect of a favoured wooer, or that of one who marvels at the little progress he is making." I did look at him, and there was something in the expression of his face at that instant that hung like a brooding shadow over all its beauty — something in the slightly compressed though smiling lip, in the proudly flashing 224 GERTRUDE CAMERON. though love-lit eye, that told a harsher tale than the one I had just been hearing, and made me glance with a momentary feeling of intense apprehension at her who walked so tranquilly and sedately at his side. " No, there will never be any bond of sym- pathy between those two,'' was the result of this second examination. " Arthur Lorimer may give his heart a thousand times over to my sweet Gertrude, but Gertrude will never, never, never give her heart to him." "Was I right?" GERTRUDE CAMERON. 225 CHAPTER XIX. A PRETTY study for an artist Geraldine Wil- loughby would have made, as she sat alone one mild February morning, in the old hbrary of Heathfield Park — sat, with her pale, thought- ful face supported on her hand, her light chest- nut ringlets pushed back carelessly from her aristocratic brow, and tears, genuine tears, trickling rapidly through her slender fingers, do^vn to the book that lay open, but evidently unread, on the small table before her. In the possession of all that the world es- teems necessary for enjoyment — gifted with youth, health, and more than an average share of personal attractions — Geraldine Willoughby was pining. She took no pleasure in anything — existence itself was a weariness, a disgust to her. If she could have felt quite certain that death was the long, dreamless sleep that L 3 226 GERTRUDE CAMERON. the heathen poets have represented it, she would have wished to die, and to have flowers planted over her grave, and a touching epitaph to record how early sorrow had crushed an open- ing flower, and how the green earth had taken again its blighted off'spring to its kind and sheltering bosom. The churchyard at Lissonburn was exces- sively pretty and picturesque, with abun- dance of cypress and yew trees to guard it from any gleam of sunshine, and with scores of old, crumbling grave-stones, that contributed greatly to heighten its attractions in the eyes of a sentimental young lady of eighteen, who yearned for quiet and repose so ardently as poor Geraldine Willoughby. She was speculating on the probability of her own speedy removal to this cheerful spot, as she sat crying in the old library on the morning to which I have alluded. She was wondering what would be said about her early death, and who, among all her friends, would sincerely regret her, and whether any one in- dividual amongst them would ever think of GERTRUDE CAMERON. 227 visiting her grave, shedding a tear over the green turf that covered her — when the library door was abruptly opened, and Sidney Maxwell came a few steps into the room. "Oh, I beg your pardon, Miss Willoughby," he said, making a movement to retreat. " I thought your brother must be here, as he is neither in the study nor in the dining- room." '' Fred went out with Charles about half an hour ago," replied Geraldine, in a tone of such striking mom-nfulness, that Sidney, though his hand was on the door, paused a moment, and said feelingly, — '' I hope you are not ill." The words were surely trifling and common- place enough, and their meaning one of the simplest courtesy, but for all this they brought a rich crimson flush to Miss Willoughby' s pale cheeks, and arrested, as if by magic, the tears that had been falling so rapidly before. '' I am not very well this morning," she an- swered quickly, and struggling with a little choking sensation in the throat; "but I sel- 228 GERTRUDE CAMERON. dom am well at this miserable place. Yoii know I do so hate the country/' Sidney felt that it would be rude to go away without making a reply, and as he had no sort of objection to a tete-a-tete with his pupil's interesting sister, he walked up to the fire- place, and ventured some remark about Lon- don being gayer at the present season than Heathfield Park. " Heathfield Park is abominable at all sea- sons," said Geraldine, bitterly ; " and I am sure you have given sufficient proofs lately that this is your opinion also — for — for — you never remain with us a single evening now." Sidney appeared both startled and embar- rassed at this unexpected charge. " Miss Willoughby honours me too much by remarking my absence," he rephed, awk- wardly enough ; and was trying to think what he ought to say next, when Geraldine scornfully took up his words — "/ honour ^<9^^, Mr. Maxwell, by simply re- marking your absence ? What if I told you that I regretted, sincerely and deeply regretted GERTRUDE CAMERON. 229 this absence, which deprives me of the only society I ever enjoyed at Heathfield Park ?" " Miss Willoughby must surely be laughing at me," said Sidney, looking and feeling much more uncomfortable than he had ever done in all his hfe before. Again Geraldine's voice changed to its for- mer indescribably plaintive tone, as she re- phed — "Indeed, Mr. Maxwell, you do me great injustice. I speak the pure truth. I have both appreciated and enjoyed your companion- ship, and if ever, in after-years, you should need a friend (we all need friends at times) re- member the promise I now make you, of exert- ing every power or influence I may possess, in your behalf." Geraldine was evidently much excited. She spoke rapidly, and blushes came and went in quick succession upon her naturally marble cheek. Sidney Maxwell was touched and softened — he had a very tender heart, and there was something in the whole look, manner, and at- 230 GERTRUDE CAMERON. titude of his companion, so suggestive of real and earnest feeling, that with an instinctive sentiment of gratified vanity, there mingled the first faint shadow of an emotion which his absent love would have been scarcely pleased to read. As he really had not the least notion in the world what would be most proper for him to say on such an occasion, he could only mur- mur, in a low voice, something about Miss Willoughby's excessive goodness, his own un- worthiness, and the gratitude he must always feel. Again Geraldine interrupted him — " Pray do not speak of gratitude, Mr. Max- well. I have done nothing for you yet — but will you, can you make a friend of me ? and, as a friend, may I ask you whether you are engaged to that beautiful Gertrude Cameron?" Sidney was now regaining his composure, notwithstanding that the whole scene still ap- peared like a dream to him. " Not to Gertrude," he said, with some re- luctance ; " but to her sister." There was nothing very extraordinary in this GERTRUDE CAMERON. 231 communication, nothing calculated, one would imagine, to excite much emotion in the mind of her to whom it was made, especially as her own question would seem to imply that she had been prepared for an answer not very dis- similar from the one she received. Yet there was a long silence. Geraldine did not even look up at her companion, in ac- knowledgment of the confidence he had reposed in her. She rested her head again on her white hand, and with eyes bent fixedly upon the little table, seemed to be thinking with almost a painful intensity. Perhaps she was marvelling at, and regret- ting the strange imprudence of her friend's engagement. Perhaps she was w^ondering how Ella Cameron, with her many advantages, could throw herself away on a man whose best prospects consisted in the hope of some little country living, at a far off, future day. Was it, do you suppose, such thoughts as these that sealed the lips of the fair Geraldine Willoughby, when she should have opened them to congratulate her companion upon the 232 GERTRUDE CAMERON. announcement he had so frankly made to her ? Or was it that her foohsh heart was mourning the final death-blow of some long-cherished dreams of its own, and that she was envying Ella Cameron the prospect of sharing poverty and seclusion, and all the possible ills of a struggling life, with the man who now stood gazing at herself, with such mingled feelings of pain, pleasure, and bewilderment? Yes, for Sidney was but mortal, and to every mortal breathing there is, and always must be, a certain satisfaction arising from the convic- tion of being an object of warm interest to another. And if he could have entertained any doubts that such was indeed the case in the present instance, they must all have been dispelled w'hen he saw the tears pouring, thick and fast, from the eyes of the pale and silent girl beside him, and heard the low and choking sob, that not all the pride of the Willoughbys could enable her to repress or conceal. I question whether any man, particularly one so young as Sidney Maxwell, would have GERTRUDE CAMERON. 233 felt very much at his ease, or known very well what to do in similar circumstances. That Geraldine's emotion was involuntary, and by no means got up for the sake of effect, he felt thoroughly convinced — their relative positions, as well as all her former conduct towards him, would have placed this fact beyond a doubt, even had the external evidences of it been less clear arid striking than they were. But still the difficulty of his situation was not lessened. It seemed mhuman and unnatural not to speak one soothing word, not to testify, at least, his gratitude for such extraordinary interest, such flattering esteem, towards an insignificant indi- vidual like himself. But while he debated as to what he ought and what he dared to say, while his heart was beating rebelliously with many and varied feelings, Geraldine rose abruptly from her seat, and hastily brushing away the tears that dim- med her eyes, held out her hand, with a smile that was quite touching in its resigned sad- ness. " Mr. Maxwell, I wish you, from my very 234 GERTRUDE CAMERON. heart, every happiness tins world can give — yoa and your Ella. I may not see her again, but tell her this from me — and — ^and once more remember that if ever you need a friend, you have a very sincere and devoted one in Geraldine Willoughby." She did not wait for him to reply. Perhaps she read some of the feelings that were so strongly agitating him at that moment, and felt that it would be better for both of them that nothing more should be said. If Geraldine had been weak where self alone was concerned, she was now strong where another might be compromised. With all her girlish romance and folly, there was a depth and a real noble- ness in her character, which is rarely found in one educated as Miss Willoughby had been. Which, alas ! was sadly lacking in the cha- racter of Sidney Maxwell's future wife. I don't know whether any thought or sus- picion of this kind suggested itself to him, as he stood alone, by the dying fire in the hbrary, after Geraldine had gone out ; but I know that GERTRUDE CAMERON. 235 he looked graver and more thoughtful than he had looked for many months past ; and that during all that morning, Fred Willoughby had it very much his ov^n v^ay, with the lessons his tutor was teaching him. 236 GERTRUDE CAMERON. CHAPTER XX. " My dear Sidney," said the quiet, cheerful Mrs. Maxwell, looking up from the stocking she was mending, into the grave and earnest face of her nephew, who stood beside her — " my dear Sidney, you must surely have taken leave of your senses." To this rather startling charge, the young man replied, — *' My dearest aunt, I am much distressed that you should view the matter in this Hght, for my determination was formed before I came to you, and nothing could now induce me to change it." *' Your determination to leave Sir Joshua Willoughby's family, and probably, by this means, to deprive yourself of the only patron you are ever Hkely to find." "Yes." GERTRUDE CAMERON. 237 Then, my good nephew, I repeat that you must be absolutely mad. But may I ask your reasons for this unaccountable step, as I conclude there is something beyond mere ca- price in the matter"? " There is, my dear aunt — but you must be content to take my word for it ; as I can only tell you that I believe I am following the plain path of duty." " In this case, Sidney," said Mrs. Maxwell, on whom the word " duty" had ever a magical effect, — " in this case, it is not for me or for any one to attempt to shake your resolution. I can only deplore the occasion of it, and as- sist you in thinking of what you are to do with yourself for the future." " My uncle was speaking some time ago about requiring an assistant. He certainly has too much to do. Cannot I stay here and un- dertake some of his duties for the present?" " But what your imcle could afford to pay for a curate would scarcely keep you in salt. You know this is by no means a rich living, Sidney." 238 GERTRUDE CAMERON. " I thought that I might be able to ob- tain a few pupils also. I do not mind how much I have to work." '' Well, we must talk it over with Mr. Max- well by and bye. — When are you going to speak to Sir Joshua ?" " Not later than to-morrow. The family leave the Park in a fortnight." As the nephew, after a little more conversa- tion with his excellent aunt, was wishing her good bye, she suddenly put down her work, and looking him very gravely in the face, said anxiously, — " I do hope, Sidney, that the desire of re- maining in the same neighbourhood with Ella Cameron has not influenced you in this im- portant matter. My dear boy, you surely have not the lamentable weakness of choosing pre- sent gratification at the expense of future care and embarrassment?" " No," replied Sidney in a tone of unques- tionable sincerity. " In this matter, my con- science is perfectly clear. Ella has nothing whatever to do with it." GERTRUDE CAMERON. 239 Mr. Maxwell heard with much surprise and more regret of his nephew's determination to resign his situation in Sir Joshua Willoughby's family. Sidney was an orphan, and, in having him educated for the Church, the Maxwells had done for him the very utmost it was in their power to do. Sir Joshua's patronage had hitherto relieved them of all anxiety on his account. They had always felt convinced that as soon as his tutorship's duties were com- pleted, he would be provided with a good cu- racy, as a preparation for something better by and bye. Without this hope, they could never have sanctioned his engagement to Ella Came- ron ; and though it ay as now too late to with" draw their consent to this act of superlative imprudence, they felt keenly how unwise they had been, and how slight a probability there was of even the stipulated hundred a year fall- ing to the lot of their now friendless nephew. Sir Joshua Willoughby was one of those indi- viduals — and how many such there are in this our imperfect world — who mean kindly, and feel and will even do kindly, towards a person who 240 GERTRUDE CAMERON. is constantly brought under their notice, but who invariably forget all their professions and all their promises the moment that person is removed from their observation. The Maxwells were quite aware of this, and they felt, consequently, that to reckon on the future patronage of the rich owner of Heath- Held Park, would be to build their hopes upon the sand. It was a very small consolation to them, what- • ever it might have been to Sidney himself, that the whole family expressed unbounded sor- row and regret when the resolution of the young man was made known to them. Even Mrs. Maxwell, with all her hopefulness and generosity of heart, knew enough of human nature to be convinced that sorrow and regret of this kind would bring forth no other fruits than polite and gracious words, which would be no sooner uttered than forgotten. It is true that both Sir Joshua and Lady Wil- loughby declared most emphatically that they should always have an eye to the interest of their young friend — that they should never GERTRUDE CAMERON. 241 cease to remember the services he had rendered to their boy, that they should endeavour to in- terest several influential acquaintances in his behalf, &c., &c. But what did all this amount to ? Simply, that Sir Joshua and Lady Wil- loughby possessed the good breeding of their class, and were willing to leave a favourable impression on the minds of their country neighbours. It vnll be perhaps anticipated that Mrs. Ca- meron shared with Sidney's relatives the regret and anxiety arising from the step he had taken. As Ella's mother, you would suppose she could scarcely fail to do so. But it was not the case. She was indeed rather glad than otherwise — looking upon it, I verily be- lieve, as an indication that fate had something much better in store for him. Ella, of course, was amazingly delighted at the w^hole affau* ; but she did not attempt to give a better reason for her rejoicing, than that Sidney would be able to remain at Lissonburn during the summer. She thought it would be the easiest thing in the world for him to get VOL. I. M 242 GERTRUDE CAMERON. pupils — what is there that does not appear easy to youth and love ? — and made up her mind to write secretly to Geraldine Willoughby, and talk secretly to Mrs. Temple on the inter- esting subject. In the meantime, there was the long bright summer to anticipate — daily meetings, daily walks, daily interchange of those sweet and tender sentiments which form so important an element in the happiness of a young girl's life. There was to be no bitter parting yet, no last look, no last word, no weary, miserable days without him who had become all in all to the heart of this foolish, unreflecting child. So, for the time at least, Ella Cameron was living in an atmosphere of sunshine, and treading on some of the brightest of life's quickly fading roses. While her friend Geraldine Willoughby was becoming hourly more disgusted with exist- ence, and yearning ever more and more to- w^ards the quiet shade under the dark yew trees, where she confidently expected ere long to find a home. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 243 CHAPTER XXL Mrs. Temple was a sincere and earnest friend of the Camerons ; and when Ella confided to her the whole history of her engagement, al- though she could not as a sensible woman avoid lamenting its imprudence, she promised unhesitatingly to strain every nerve in advanc- ing Sidney's present views, and in promoting his future welfare. That this was something more than a mere form of words we were all agreeably cominced, when, about six weeks from the time the family at the Rookery had left Lissonburn for London, Sidney received an intimation that, through the warm interest of Mrs. Temple, he would shortly have two pupils confided to him, and these on terms far more advantageous than any he had presumed to reckon upon. As every member of our small circle was greatly interested in M 2 244 GERTRUDE CAMERON. the welfare of this amiable and agreeable young man, the above intelligence occasioned very general satisfaction, and Mrs. Cameron saw in it the first unrolling of that brilliant thread of destiny which she confidently be- lieved the fates had long been employed in weaving for her future son-in-law. " I told you how it would be," she said, the evening after Sidney had been down to com- municate to us his good fortune — " I was quite certain that everything would turn out for the best. You will see now that in a few months Sidney will have more pupils than he knows what to do wdth." "If he gets more than these two," added Ella, with sudden animation, " they won't be able to accommodate them at the Rectory, and then Sidney must have a house of his own." " And a housekeeper, also, I suppose," re- plied the mother, kissing her daughter's blush- ing cheek, and whispering something that I did not hear. In the meantime, how^ever, Sidney's home was still to be with his aunt and uncle ; and as GERTRUDE CAMERON 245 the latter found plenty of employment for him, he had little leisure even now to bestow upon Ella, and when the pupils arrived he would of course have less. The lovers, I believe, grum- bled considerably at this state of things, and Mrs. Cameron sympathized most pathetically with her spoiled darling on the subject, but both Gertrude and myself were of opinion that it was very far from being a matter of lamentation, and agreed in hoping that in this respect the present position of affairs would remain unchanged. Since the departure of the Temples, we had had scarcely any break upon the quiet mo- notony of our lives. Gertrude had failed in her efforts to obtain more pupils, and we were not without some little anxiety as to the future. I say " we," but this must be understood as re- ferring only to Gertrude and myself, because I am sure Mrs. Cameron, amidst all her brilliant day-dreams, never bestowed a thought upon so vulgar and trivial a thing as money ; and as for Ella, it was not to be expected that she could descend from the exalted regions of love 246 GERTRUDE CAMERON. and romance, to contemplate with us the gloomy depths of sordid cares and perplex- ities. Gertrude was far from being in good spirits at this time. I often, on intruding suddenly upon her, found that she had been crying, and not unfrequently she would ask me on such occasions to let her remain alone, though never offering the slightest explanation of her sorrow or her tears. " Did she," I used continually to ask my- self, " really care for Arthur Lorimer? Had his abrupt departure, without the anticipated declaration, indeed been a source of regret and disappointment to her ? Could it be that my calm, pure, high-minded Gertrude was the victim of an unrequited attachment, and to- wards one who I felt most thoroughly per- suaded was in no respect worthy of her ? I disliked to think this even possible. I tried to banish such an idea from my mind ; but not succeeding, I resolved at last to risk offending Gertrude, by questioning her unreservedly on the subject. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 247 We were alone one day when I first intro- duced it. She had been giving a French lesson to Mr. Law^son's nieces — her only pupils now — and as they went out, closing the door after them, I observed that the young teacher, with a sigh of utter weariness, pushed aside the books, and rested her forehead on her clasped hands, in the manner of one who is growing impatient under suffering. *' Are you very tired, my dear ?" I said, without leaving my seat at the other end of the room. " Yes, I believe I am," she replied deject- edly — " this A. B. C. affair is dry work, isn't it?" " Very far from interesting, certainly — but you had to begin at the beginning with most of your pupils, had you not ?" " Yes — but these children are not intelligent — though why (interrupting herself) should I say that ? It is my own indolence that makes the task now appear so hard to me. I fear I am getting sadly idle, dear Mrs. Feversham." "And how do you account for this, Ger- trude ?" 248 GERTRUDE CAMERON. " I don't think I have ever tried to account for it. I must rouse myself, must I not ?" " If you can, my love — that is to say, if there is no actual and irremediable cause for your depression." " I don't know. I am inclined to despair, at times." With Arthur Lorimer still in my thoughts, I said — " It must, I should imagine, depend very greatly upon yourself. I always fancied you extremely cool on the subject." " Cool — oh no, I was never, never cool upon it. From the very first it has engaged my whole thoughts, been the object of my every hope, the theme of my every prayer. — Oh, if I might but succeed at last, I should esteem no exertions, no labour, no perseverance too hard or too great." Concealing, as well as I could, the utter astonishment this speech occasioned me, I said with tolerable composure — " My dear girl, if it will be any comfort to you to hear it, I can assure you that it was Mrs, Temple's opinion, as well as mine, that GERTRUDE CAMERON. 249 Mr. Lorimer loved you, and intended, sooner or later, to ask you to be his wife." Never shall I forget the surprised and gradual opening of Gertrude's large sorrowful eyes, as I thus addressed her. There was no blush upon the cheek, no conscious trembhng of the lip, no indication of any other emotion than this grave astonishment, in which suffi- cient reproach was mingled to make me feel how absurdly ridiculous my unfounded sus- picion had been. As soon as I could speak, I stammered out — " My dear, I have mistaken you — I see I have. How could I be so foohsh ? Can you, will you forgive me ?" Gertrude smiled now, and walking across to where I sat, took my hand and squeezed it cordially. " Yes, I must forgive you," she said, '' even for attributing to me a folly of which I shall certainly never be guilty. Dear Mrs. Fever- sham, we must acknowledge, between ourselves, that enough is heard concerning love in this house, to justify your investing every shadow M 3 250 GERTRUDE CAMERON. with its form or likeness, and to preserve me from ever falling a victim to its beguiling fasci- nations/' This was said so cheerfully that I felt en- couraged to be a little inquisitive, and return- ing Gertrude's squeeze of the hand, I asked — " What is it then, my love, that weighs upon your mind, and engrosses all your thoughts at present ?" She sat down beside me. The look of suffer- ing that had for a brief space disappeared, re- turned again to her countenance, and in a voice of considerable emotion, she said — " What could it be but those debts, those terrible debts, which I almost despair now of ever being able to pay ?" "Your father's debts, Gertrude? Surely you never had any hope of being able, by your own exertions, to discharge these ?" " Indeed I had. I told Mr. Lawson I w^ould do it. If I could get pupils, or work of any kind, I should still anticipate doing it. One thing is very certain — I never shall, I never can be really happy, till this task is accom- plished." . . GERTRUDE CAMERON. 251 Bat my dear, dear child, I really cannot see- '' Forgive my interrupting you," she said meekly, " and for telling you, that although I do not expect either you or any one else to see it as I see it, this can never alter 7)17/ View of the case. Oh, surely if every strong desire works out its own accomplishment, I shall yet, in spite of every apparent difficulty, succeed in this earnest, passionate desire of my inmost heart." As Gertrude spoke, a thought suddenly oc- curred to me, and I said, without a moment's reflection, *' There might be an easier way of attaining this object than working yourself almost to death, for goodness knows how long. As Mr. Lorimer's wife, you would be in a position to—" I was not allowed to finish my suggestion. Gertrude laid her hand abruptly on mine, looked imploringly into my face, while a deep colour suffused her own, and whispered in a tone of strong excitement — 252 GERTRUDE CAMERON. '* Don't — pray don't 1 Some evil angel has said that to me before' You must be my good angel, and dissuade me from indulging such an unworthy, wicked thought." I was about to reply soothingly, when she continued — "Do not let us speak more about it at present. I feel quite unnerved to-day. There is Ella wandering alone in the garden ; it will do us both good to join her for half an hour." * * a * As the summer advanced, although Gertrude had no more pupils, she was kept in a great measure from brooding over her disappoint- ments and anxieties, by an occupation that was a constant source of interest and gratification to her. Mr. Melville and his invalid daughter had been absent all the winter months — Lisson- burn being pronounced too cold during that season for the fading Lucy. But immediately on their return, the latter wrote to Gertrude, and entreated her to come sometimes to see them, as, now that the Temples were away, they GERTRUDE CAMERON. 253 had no friends or even acquaintances in the neighbourhood. An invitation such as this Gertrude had no hesitation in accepting, and not a week passed without her spending two or three mornings out of it at the white cottage in the valley. It was a long and somewhat fatiguing walk from the Priory — but who would have con- sidered this, when the gratification of so sweet and gentle a creature as Lucy Melville was concerned ? Gertrude felt indeed — and I could not wonder at it — that she could never do enough for one whose attachment to herself seemed to grow day by day, and who was never so happy as when her dear Miss Ca- meron and her dear, dear father sat talking in their low, grave voices beside her. " How do you like Lucy's father ?" I ask- ed one day of Gertrude, after she had been spending several hours at the cottage. She smiled a little in replying, " He is not in the least a lady's man Oh, so very unlike Mr. Lorimer." " So I concluded, my dear," I said, rather 254 GERTRUDE CAMERON. mystified at this ambiguous answer — " but Mr. Lorimer is only a unit among hundreds and hundreds of thousands. If I had not attributed to Mr. Melville a distinctive charac- ter, I should not have asked you how you liked him." " Well," she said then, in her peculiarly thoughtful manner — " I can really scarcely tell you how I like him, or what I think of him. Lucy's adoration of him argues the existence of some very estimable qualities, but ex- ternally he is so singularly calm and cold, that I cannot even presume to guess what these qualities are." *' I do not quite see the justice of your argument, Gertrude. A child, particularly an only child, may be devotedly attached to a very unworthy father." " Oh, I do not believe he is unworthy," re- plied Gertrude, as quietly as if she had been expressing an opinion on the colour of a ribbon. And feeling almost inclined to quar- rel with her want of enthusiasm (though why I should have expected her to be enthusiastic GERTRUDE CAMERON. 256 about Mr. Melville I really cannot tell), I said no more on the subject. And the visits to the white cottage in the valley continued. 256 GERTRUDE CAMERON. CHAPTER XXII. I MUST beg the reader now to accompany me to London — to one of its gayest and most fashionable locaUties — to the splendid town- house of Sir Joshua and Lady Willoughby. It was the morning after a party — a very magnificent evening party, given by her lady- ship with a view of forcing her daughter Geral- dine to appear once more in public society, an object which the alarmed mother, since their removal to London, had hitherto been unable to accomplish. But on this occasion Geraldine had yielded with a tolerable grace, and she was rewarded, as all good girls are sure to be, by spending a very pleasant evening, and finding that her spirits were considerably better for the exertion she had, at first, so reluctantly made. It was, as I have said, the morning following GERTRUDE CAMERON. 257 the party, and Miss Willongliby, having grown tired of gossiping in her mamma's dressing- room, had come down stairs in search of her brother Charles. Charles Willoughby, not having a vast amount of business on his hands, was yawning desperately over a fashionable newspaper, in the library, when his sister wxnt in. '* Well, what's the news ?" he asked lan- guidly, as Geraldine sat down on the sofa beside him. " Any of your admirers of last night sent in their proposals yet ?'* " Not yet," replied Geraldine, quietly ; " but there is ample time. I do not despair." " I'm glad," continued the brother, pushing away the newspaper, and yawning more vehe- mently than ever — " I'm glad to see you are coming to your senses again. You've fretted quite long enough about that fool of a tutor, or curate, or whatever he may be ; I was really growing quite sick of it." " Charles !" exclaimed Geraldine, in a tone of affectionate reproach ; "I scarcely expected this from you." 258 GERTRUDE CAMERON. " My dear girl, I beg pardon, if I have said anything wrong. You know your secret's safe with me ; but I must be allowed to re- joice that you are recovering from so unhappy a disease." " Thank you, Charles, for your solicitude. May I congratulate ^ou on as speedy a prospect of emancipation ?" Without appearing to heed this question, the other said abruptly — " Oh, by-the-bye, what were you and Mrs. Temple chattering about for such an uncon- scionable time last night ? Lorimer said you must be telling each other all the secrets of your lives." " A very shrewd guess of Mr. Lorimer ; but did it never occur to him that Ms secrets might be one of the themes of our discussion ?" *' I should think not. What could either of you know about him ?" " Mrs. Temple is his cousin, and he has been staying with her for the last three or four months." "Well, what have you heard? Do come to GERTRUDE CAMERON. Z0\} the point at once, there's a good gn^l. I see, you are dying to tell." " Less so than you are to hear, Mr. Charles, in spite of that magnificent assumption of in- difference. But I won't keep you in suspense. Mrs. Temple confided to me her firm convic- tion that it will he a match between Arthur Lorimer and Gertrude Cameron." " Pshaw 1" exclaimed Charles, getting very red indeed ; " I don't believe a word of it." Geraldine leant back on the sofa, closed her eyes, and remained silent. " Can't you go on with your story ?" re- sumed her brother presently, and with an irri- tation of manner he was at little pains to con- ceal. '' Mrs. Temple could scarcely have taken an hour and three quarters to communicate her valuable opinion on this subject." " Oh, but we talked of many other things besides,'* repHed Geraldine, provokingly. " For instance, she apprised me of a fact that will doubtless astonish you as much as it astonished me. What do you think of Gertrude having given up the teaching business at mamma's 260 GERTRUDE CAMERON. instigation, — having, in fact, been regularly dismissed from office, on the plea of your being smitten with her rare attractions." " Impossible, Geraldine ! My mother would not have dared to deceive us in this manner." " Dared ! oh, dear me, Charles, that is a very improper and ridiculous word to use. Lady Willoughby, of Heathfield Park, dares all things, with a legitimate end in view. Be- sides, she did not tell us positively that Ger- trude had expressed a wish to discontinue her instructions at the Park." " But she left us to infer as much, — nay, more, — for did she not hint repeatedly that Miss Cameron had declined coming on my account ? — that my attentions annoyed and dis- pleased her ? By Jove ! if I could prove the truth of what you have now told me, I would go down and make an offer to the girl to-mor- row." "And come home again the next day a re- jected man," said Geraldine. " You are amazingly polite," rejoined her brother, reddening again; "but unrequited attachments don't always run in a family." GERTRUDE CAMERON. 261 Geraldine turned pale, but uttered not a word of reproach ; and Charles, after a few minutes' awkward silence, stretched out his hand and begged his sister to forgive him. "You know," he continued apologetically, " that I am particularly vulnerable on this one subject, and my mother's double-dealing in the matter has altogether upset me. I shall have a little private talk with her ladyship by and bye." " Well, you must not implicate Mrs. Tem- ple, whatever you do ; because she was quite unconscious that it was a secret she betrayed, and I left her to imagine that I knew all about it before." " So Mrs. Temple thinks that Lorimer really intends proposing ?" said Charles, abruptly. " Yes, she certainly hinted as much." "Is he going down into the country with them again?" " They are all going abroad together first. I don't suppose Mr. Lorimer will see Gertrude for the next six or seven months." " His love can't be very ardent, one would 262 GERTRUDE CAMERON. think ; but perhaps he has already made him- self sure of her aifections." " Mrs. Temple says he has not ; that when they left the Rookery Gertrude did not appear to have the very smallest degree of teiidresse for her fascinating admirer." " She's a splendid girl !" exclaimed Charles, emphatically ; " there's no one in England to be compared to her. You stand by me, Geral- dine, and I'll see if I can't throw Lorimer over yet." With these words, Charles Willoughby, in- dulging in a final yawn, got up from his seat ; and whistling a lively air, to accord with the recovered tone of Iiil^ spii us, he sauntered lei- surely out of the room. And poor Geraldine was once more alone with her sad and uncommunicated thoughts. Sad, because they referred to the only event in her life wherein real suffering had been min- gled ; uncommunicated, because amongst the whole circle of her acqiiairtance there was not a single individaal who would not have ridi- culed this fervent outpouring of pure womanly GERTRUDE CAMERON. 263 affection on one who had nothing but cold es- teem (with perhaps a Httle gratitude) to offer in return. And would not all the world have reckoned Geraldine AYilloughby a loser by this unre- quited affection ? — would not all the world have pronounced her most unfortunate in her weak- ness, and predicted that this girlish folly would have an injurious influence over her whole future life and character ? But the world in such a judgment would be wrong, entirely wrong. Geraldine Willoughby had certainly lost her heart, — that is to say, she had given its best and freshest, and purest affections ; and these could never be recalled : but what had she gained in return ? Was it nothing to have discovered that she /tad a heart ta give ? — that amidst the dross of vanity, and selfishness, and worldliness in which she had been educated, a little pure ore of genuine feeling still remained? And was it nothing to have acquired a strong and undying interest in the fate and fortunes of another ? — to have gained a powerful rival to that spirit of selfish 264 GERTRUDE CAMERON. egotism, which holds so many children of affluence and ease in its cold, unhallowed grasp ? Surely all this was something ; and all this, — nay, more than this, Geraldine Willoughby had gained. It is scarcely fair to intrude into the inner sanctuary of a loving woman's heart ; but for one moment we will lift the veil, that we may be able to estimate more accurately the amount of Geraldine's loss, as compared with that of her gain. " Oh, if it might be my happy privilege to prove a real friend to Sidney and his wife — oh ! if I could but do something to convince him that my love was not a mere selfish passion, which would die of its own hopelessness, but a firm, true, unchanging aff'ection, which will be content to seek and labour for his happi- ness, however far asunder our future paths may lie. I have promised to be a friend to him. Heaven is my witness how sincerely I wish to be ; but my power is so limited, I have« no one to aid me in the matter. Papa will GERTRUDE CAMERON. " 265 soon forget all that he meant to do. If Sidney had remained ^dth us, it would have been dif- ferent. And why did he leave ? why, but be- cause I was weak enough to let him read my foolish, foolish heart. And therefore am I doubly bound to be his friend. Oh, if Charles should but succeed in marrying Gertrude, all will be easy. I see no other way by which my family would consider themselves bound to assist the poor tutor who is already nearly forgotten amongst those who professed such steady friendship for him a few weeks ago. Charles ougjd to marry Gertrude ; he loves her as well as he could love any one ; she is a beautiful and noble-hearted girl, and it would be a great thing for her and hers — I do not beUeve she cares for my brother — but her na- ture appears cold, and for the good of her family she would surely dispense with fond and romantic love. Ah, me ! henceforth I^ too, must dispense with fond and romantic love. I must be content to pass through Hfe with a crushed and aching heart, whose only solace will be found in the hope of befriending VOL. I. N 266 GERTRUDE CAME RON. him who, perhaps, in his heart, dislikes or despises me." Such were poor Geraldine Willoughby's secret communings, as she sat alone, after her brother's departure ; and although there was no large amount of wisdom in them, there may surely be traced, even in these rambling thoughts, a few germs of pure, devoted feel- ing ; a few faint, shadowy glimpses of that self-denying heroism which may occasionally be found shining brightly through all the na- tural frivolity and acquired heartlessness of even a worldly woman's character, giving a touching meaning to the poet's words — " Some flow rets of Eden we still inherit, But the trail of the serpent is over them alir GERTRUDE CAMERON. 267 CHAPTER XXIII. The fairest of the summer months were nearly over before any event of importance occm'red at the Priory, and then Charles Willoughby came down alone to Heathfield Park, and made his proposals in due form for our dear Ger- trude. And Gertrude, resisting for once her mo- ther's silent tears, turning resolutely from her sister's pleading eyes, firmly and steadily de- clined the honour of so noble an alliance. It has been asserted, I believe, that no man of common sense will ever make an offer of marriage to a woman until he feels quite cer- tain of being accepted. With some, this as- surance grows out of that sweet conviction of mutual love, which mutual sympathy alone can afford. With some it is the result of a keen appreciation of their own merits, forbidding N 2 268 GERTRUDE CAMERON. the bare supposition that they can be over- looked; and with others, it springs from a pretty accurate estimate of the advantages that v^^ould accrue to the individual proposed to, by her acceptance of the proposal that is made. To this latter class it is most probable that Charles Willoughby belonged. He saw him- self the eldest son of a noble house, possessed of wealth, youth, good looks, and all the other auxiliaries which unite in making what the world esteems a " first-rate match ;" and he saw Gertrude Cameron poor and friendless, with no recommendations save her rare beauty, and a nobility of spirit and character that riot one in a thousand could understand or a])pre- ciate. Was it surprising that he should have felt full assurance of having his very flattering pro- posals at once accepted ? He was perhaps as much surprised and mys- tified, as disappointed and unhappy, at Ger- trude's very plainly spoken refusal. He could see no reason for it ; it struck him as by far the most extraordinary thing that had ever hap- GERTRUDE CAMERON. 269 pened to him. His family, after along, tough battle (in which Geraldine had fought bravely on his side), had agreed to receive Miss Ca- meron as a daughter; Gertrude herself admitted that she had no prior attachment, and yet he, Charles VVilloughby, one of the best matches of the day, a young man possessed of count- less advantages, the admired of all beholders, the flattered, the feted, the caressed — was re- fused, and by a girl without a penny ! But 1 must leave the reader to imagine and perhaps sympathize with his outraged feelings on the occasion, while I relate how we got on at the Priory, after the fatal "no" had been uttered. Making every allowance for a mother's na- tural anxiety respecting the advantageous settlement of her fatherless children, I must still assert that Mrs. Cameron was very hard upon poor Gertrude at this time. I do not mean to say that she addressed one harsh or unkind word to her daughter, but she spoke many cold and bitter things at her, which were infinitely harder to bear than the most angry and open reproaches would have been. 270 GERTRUDE CAMERON. Sidney Maxwell happened, I remember, to come in to tea the evening after Mr. Wil- loughby's last interview with Gertrude (for he had insisted upon her taking a few days to consider upon the proposals,) and Mrs. Cameron, who certainly was very far from well, enter- tained her future son-in-law with such a dismal homily on the miseries of human life, her own in particular, that I hastened to send the little boys he had brought with him to play in the garden, lest their youthful minds should recoil in horror from an existence so darkly painted. Yet Sidney's bright and cheerful spirit was well calculated to deal with these gloomy visions of a vexed and disappointed heart. He had ever some word of hope or comfort for the murmurs against life's accidents and chances (falsely so called), and very earnestly and kindly he strove, on the present occasion, to dissipate the widow's fears, and make her look tor ward trustingly to the uncertain future. In vain. For the wound was still too fresh to admit of healing — the view of what anight have been was far too dazzling to allow^ of any GERTRUDE CAMERON. 271 sort of satisfaction in contemplating that whick was. She thought nothing of herself, wished nothing for herself, she said. A few years, or even less, would probably end for ever her earthly sorrows ; but as a mother she could not avoid suffering acutely in thinking of the future destinies of those so dear to her ; she could not avoid regretting deeply that an alter- native to all these natural troubles had been offered, since its only result was to torment and tantalise her with a vision that would never be reahzed. Mrs. Cameron must surely have forgotten that in the case of one daughter she admitted the sentiment of love as a plea for the grossest imprudence, or she never could have railed against her other child for refusing to unite herself with a person towards whom she could not even feel an emotion of common esteem. In the midst of her querulousness and fault- finding, Sidney considerately proposed to Mrs. Cameron that she should take a Httle walk with Ella and himself, to look at a small house 272 GERTRUDE CAMERON. that he fancied would suit him nicely, in case of the present number of his pupils being aug- mented. This was a fresh, though certainly but a trifling excitement; it concerned Ella too, whose sparkling eyes attested the interest she should feel in the carrying out of this agreeable pro- ject ; so Mrs. Cameron, after a few general as- sertions as to the probability of her dying on the road, was prevailed upon to accompany the lovers ; and thus Gertrude and myself had the privilege and satisfaction of spending the greater part of the evening alone. Poor Gertrude ! she looked sorely harassed and perplexed, when, the necessity for restraint being over, she no longer tortured her features into that expression of calm decision which had led us all to believe that there had been no wavering, no vacillation, for one moment in her mind. Alone with me, the long pent-up tears burst forth, and sighs of utter weariness and despondency rose, as it were, involuntarily from her heart, and found an echo of true and loving sympathy in my own. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 273 Yet I strove to comfort her, to assure her that I approved her firmness, to convince her that she had acted as a true, right-thinking, honourable woman must have acted, under similar circumstances. Above all, I commended the strength of mind which had enabled her to resist the specious arguments that her poor mother had held out, in favour of this unfor- tunate proposal. But here Gertrude stopped me. " Dear friend," she said, " how little, how very little you know me ! I have no real strength of mind . If mamma could have read my weak, vacillating, trembling heart, while she was urging this matter upon me, she would, I greatly fear, have continued her efforts, and triumphed. Oh yes, though it is over now, I cannot but feel how narrow my escape has been — I cannot help shuddering in remember- ing how nearly I was persuaded to do that which every principle of my nature revolts against and condemns." •' Well, but it is over, my dear child," I said soothingly, '' so we must try to think no more N 3 274 GERTRUDE CAMERON. about it. Mr. Willoughby has too much pride, I should imagine, to renew a proposal that has been twice rejected." "I hope and trust he has," she replied earnestly, " for a second ordeal, similar to the one just passed, I never could go through." To divert her mind from dwelling so exclu- sively on this subject, I said jestingly — " You will be making a romantic love match one of these days, Gertrude — rivalling your sister in the performance of that sublime drama." Laying her warm hand on mine, she replied, smiling sorrowfully enough — " My dear Mrs. Feversham, I beheve that I have no sort of capacity for what is called falling in love. If I could only have esteemed or respected Charles Willoughby, I should not have scrupled to marry him. But my husband, if ever I have one, must be a man that I can look up to, even if it is with fear." I was going to ask her if Mr. Lorimer was one to whom she could "look up" in this way, when the return of Mrs. Cameron and the GERTRUDE CAMERON. 275 young people put a stop to our conversation, and for a while directed all our interest and at- tention into another channel. Ella was in the highest, Tvdldest spirits, posi- tively radiant with delight, and all on account of the httle house they had been to look at, which it was just possible at some future day might be her own and Sidney's home. Listen to her for a moment, as she describes the mar- vellous attractions of this very humble cottage. ''Such dear, tiny rooms, scarcely high enough to stand upright in, such lovely views from all the tiny windows, and oh, Gertie, if you could but see the wee dot of a kitchen, with its red brick floor and white-washed walls, and opening into such a love of a garden — ^just large enough for Sidney and me to work in ! But you must come to-morrow, you and Mrs. Feversham, and judge for yoursehes. I am certain you will both be in raptures with my cottage." And Mrs. Cameron, in spite of her previous low spirits and present fatigue, was in raptures too. The Eairy Hope had once more held her magic glass before the mother's eager eyes, and 2T6 GERTRUDE CAMERON, all Charles Willoughby's vainly offered splen- dours, and all Gertrude's obstinacy and cold- ness of heart were alike forgotten, while Ella's future home was converted in imagination into ja miniature Eden, where flowers of joy and gladness were to spring perpetually, the im- mortal flower of love shedding its beauty and its fragrance over all. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 277 CHAPTER XXIV. " My dear friend, pray don't look at me so reproachfully. Indeed I cannot bear it. You exaggerate the evils of a small income, I am convinced you do. After all, if two people can live upon a hundred a year — five, out of whom three are children, can live upon a hundred and thirty. Besides, what is Sidney to do? If he refuses this pupil, he throws away a cer- tain, though trifling, addition to his income. If he accepts him, he must take a house imme- diately ; and, having a house, he cannot, of course, do without a housekeeper ; therefore EUa " Here I was obhged to interrupt the very earnest speaker. I really could keep silence no longer. " My good friend, let us pause for one in- stant to consider the duties required of a house- 278 GERTRUDE CAMERON. keeper — of the housekeeper of a very poor, and a very young, and a very inexperienced man." " Why we all know what these are, I should think. She must sit at the head of the table, keep the accounts, and attend generally to all her domestic concerns." " Do you consider Ella competent to the discharge of such duties ?" " I don't know why she should not be. Everybody must have a beginning. I dare say she will manage very well after a little time." " Eor my part, I don't believe she will ever manage even tolerably." "And then," continued Mrs. Cameron, with- out heeding my remark, " it would be such a thousand pities to lose the chance of that cot- tage, which is certain to let before the summer is over. It is so pretty, and so convenient, and so cheap, that really one would think it was built on purpose for them. And then — " But I need not continue the discussion. Suffice it to relate, that Mrs. Cameron's "ands" beat all my "buts" out of the field; and that GERTRUDE CAMERON. 279 I left her presence with the mournfiil convic- tion that Ella's destiny was finally decided upon, and that one of the most signal acts of folly ever perpetrated, would be carried out in a few weeks at the quiet village of Lissonburn. I must again repeat, that in every point of view I disapproved of the contemplated mar- riage. Above all, I disapproved of the haste with which it was now about to be concluded, without regard to Ella's youth and inexperience, or to the very great uncertainty of Sidney's future prospects. And yet, in spite of the warnings of reason, and the preachings of a matured judgment, I could not forbear entering heartily and cordially into the spirit of lively animation that prevailed during the few suc- ceeding weeks at the Prior}^ The matter once decided, and the wedding- day fixed, there certainly was not much time for reflection of any sort. We were all obhged to work, and to work in right good earnest too, for besides preparing Ella's wardrobe, there was the cottage to be furnished, with but a very small sum of ready money to assist us 280 GERTRUDE CAMERON. in this indispensable part of the business. Mrs. Cameron, of course, was unable to do anything for her daughter, and had not Mr. Maxwell generously added a little to his nephew's scanty savings, Ella's " dear tiny rooms " would have lacked even the plain tables and chairs, which she had now the vivid satisfaction of arranging according to her own fancy in them. It was, undoubtedly, an excessively pretty, little place, and had Ella been differently brought up, and had Sidney himself been pos- sessed of rather more experience, I should have looked forward, with some degree of pleasure, to seeing one, in whom I felt such heartfelt interest, the mistress of so charming and at- tractive a home. But as it was, I could only rejoice in those moments when reflection hap- pened to fall asleep, or when Ella's excessive and child-like enjoyment, which was in itself so beautiful a thing to see, cheated me into forgetfulness of the cause, while I was admiring and marvelling at the effect. I wish I could describe the cottage ; but long years have passed away since I looked GERTRUDE CAMERON. 281 upon it, and my mind, which had never much talent for detail, retains only a general and rather vague impression of the whole. Of the green, sheltered lane that led to it, of the wdld, waving trees, that almost hid the house from view — of the tiny, tiny rooms, with their light, flower- wreathed papering, and their quaint, old-fashioned lattice windows, where roses and woodbine peeped, and shed their exquisite fragrance amongst the snowy drapery that fell in graceful folds to the ground. Of the long, oddly-shaped garden behind, with its abundance of lilacs and guelder roses, and the one old mulberry tree at the end, beneath which was a smooth plot of grass, and a cir- cular bench that Sidney put up himself, and painted green, to Ella's especial amusement and dehght. All this I see vividly before me now, just as I used to see it on those bright autumn even- ings, when Gertrude and myself would sit stitching away at carpets and curtains in the tiny rooms, while Ella and Sidney w^orked, or pretended to work, among the flower-beds in 282 GERTRUDE CAMERON. the garden, and Mrs. Cameron and Mrs. Max- well paced gravely up and down the gravel path before our windows, encouraging each other to hope that all this fair beginning would have as fair an end. There were certainly many circumstances of a decidedly propitious nature that, occurring at this time, gave a show of rationality to the mother's expectations of continued prosperity for her darhng. Mrs. Temple, on hearing that the marriage was to take place immediately, exerted herself to such good purpose, that she obtained the promise of two more pupils for Sidney after the next Christmas vacation. Be- sides this act of kindness, she sent a handsome present in money to the youthful bride elect, to enable her, she said, to add a few little de- corations to the charming cottage, which she was really dying to see. But there was yet another surprise for the young couple, in the shape of a very liberal gift, consisting of plate and jewellery, from the rich cousin in London, to whom my poor friends had made so unsuccessful an application before. GERTRUDE CAMERON. 283 but who now thought proper to accompany her congratulations with this suitable and ac- ceptable oflPering, which convinced Mrs. Came- ron, if it did no one else, that Ella had obtained a steady friend for life. But Ella's good fortune did not cease even here ; for on making om* last pilgrimage to the cottage, the evening before the wedding, we found Mrs. Maxwell and Sidney superintending the unpacking of one of the prettiest and most elegant httle pianos I ever saw. There was no letter found in it, only a plain card, on which was written simply — ''With Geraldine's love and best wishes." I have said that I have a distinct remem- brance of the many pleasant evenings we used to spend at Laurel Cottage (that was its name) while the preparations for Ella's marriage were going on ; but foremost in my memory, above all the rest, is the night to which I am now alluding, w^hen the arrival of Miss Willoughby's beautiful wedding-gift put the crown to Ella's happiness, and forced upon each of us the con- viction that hitherto she had indeed basked in fortune's sunniest smiles. 284 GERTRUDE CAMERON. How plainly 1 see her now — even through the tears that while I write are dimming my eyes — as with fingers trembling from delight, she hastened to unlock her treasure, and sitting down, poured forth a stream of heart melody that resembled more the untaught minstrelsy of the forest birds, when they shout aloud for joy in the summer skies, than anything else to which I can compare it. And the mother, the fond, proud, happy mother, hanging in silent ecstasy over her bright and beautiful child ; and the sister, gaz- ing in tender, loving anxiety, on the dear playmate and companion of her by-gone years; and the lover, standing in such strange thoughtfulness apart from the rest, seeming neither to look nor to listen to anything but what was passing in his own secret heart — how distinctly I see them all ! Reader, do you know what it is to feel, in contemplating any scene of beauty, either in the moral or physical world, an emotion of in- describable sadness, to hear a dull voice sug- gesting "if a blight should come?" and to GERTRUDE CAMERON. 285 see, mtli prophetic eye, all the dreaiy change, the cold desolation that such a bhght would entail ? I could not have detined or explained the nature of my bodings, as I sat in a shaded corner of that little cottage room, silently watching my companions. It was not poverty, now^ that formed the spectre of my thoughts — it was something less familiar to them than this — something whose very name was unknown to me, and whose visage I sought in vain to distinguish clearly through the mists and shadows that enshrouded it. But during all that evening it haunted me with strange perseverance. While Ella's joyous voice echoed sweetly through the room, and Sidney stood, with folded arms, crushing the muslin curtains as he leant in his abstracted mood against them ; — and whilst the lovers, at a later hour, strolled, side by side, through the garden, mingling their low whispering voices with the gentle sighing of the autumn ^\ind ; — and as we all walked home together down the moon-lighted lanes, and spoke cheer- fully of the morrow, and of the future life of 286 GERTRUDE CAMERON. those who were then to be united for ever — still that mysterious spectre haunted me, giving to the coming days of Ella Cameron a gloom with w^hich even my apprehensions had never till now invested them. " Mrs. Feversham, I am so happy !" were Ella's last words to me that night. " Almighty Father! keep her from the evil," was my last prayer, as I laid my head on the pillow, and sought temporary oblivion of my anxieties in sleep. END OF VOL. T. J. BILLING, PRINTER AND 8TEREOTYPRR, WOKING, SURREY. TBI UMlSf FiBMSiflOiS. I. In 3 Vols. * ACNES SOREL. By G. P. E. JA^IES, Esq. " Agnes Sorel is one of Mr. James's best books, and wrought out of his best material — history. No modern writer has done so much to make the annals of any country, especially those of France, so popular as James, and he justly wields the baton among living historical noTelists." — Civil Service Gazette. II. In 3 Vols. THE BRIDE ELECT. By the author of " The Jilt," ** Cousin Geoffrey," &c. "' It reads a severe and slern lesson to all scheming match- making mothers, and all flirting, coquetting maids. For the valuable moral it conveys, not less than the merit of the tale itself, we cordially commend ' The Bride Elect.' " — Observer. III. ; In 3 Vols. THE DOUBLE MARRIACE. By the author of '* The Lady of the Bedchamber." ^ " Mrs. Crawford has given us a first-rate novel, both as re- gards purity of style, the interest of the tale, and life-like develop- ment of her characters." — Post. " A deeply interesting and exciting tale." — Observer. " The author depicts scenes of emotion and strong feeling powerfully, and without exaggeration." — Sunday Times. THE NEWEST PUBLICATIONS. IV. In 3 Vols. PASSION AND PEDANTRY. A NOVEL. V. In 3 Vols. THE GOLDBEATER. By the Author [of " The Blacksmith's Daughter," " Mabel CURRINGTON," &C. " It is a remarkably clever book." — Leamington Advertiser. "■ Really an interesting novel, full of sparkling incident." — Weekly Times. VI. In 3 Vols. CABRIELLA W I T H E R I N C T O N. By the Author of '* Treachery." " It abounds in interesi." — Observer. "There have been few novels in the present year equal to this. " — Leamington Advertiser. VII. In 3 Vols. THETIDEOFLIFE. By the Author of " The Cup and the Lip," &c. "Miss Jewry's dramatis persons are well conceived, consist- ent with the times and with themselves. — Spectator." " The interest of the whole tale is of the most intense na- ture." — Dispatch. ^v^. f^-} 'I , ,'*^*^ ^•^ A 'K^- UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA ^C -/ ♦^ f^: ^^ m,. > ' \ %■ ra .: ■ . ■- .. «/ ;« ^*5 y :m^ ■ i ■ * »»^ ■ m^.: „V-\ 1 'T'^^^pi^ .J.^r> ^^'^'C^^^m m ^ 4*m^-