L I B HAHY OF THE UN IVLRSITY Of ILLINOIS 8Z3 L6HG4- LIFE'S MASQUERADE. LIFE'S MASQUERADE a Jlobtl. e* S IX THREE VOLUMES. AOL. I. LONDON: CHARLES W. WOOD, 13, TAVISTOCK ST., STBAKD. 1867. [All Rights reserved.] LONDON : BRADBURY, EVANS, AND CO.. PRINTERS, WH1TEFRIARS. 8tt v.JL TO ANNIE M. ALEXANDEINA HENRY, THESE VOLUMES ABB IN8CBIBBD. CONTENTS. BOOK I. ' HAP. PAGE J. — THE BANK MANAGER ..... 1 II. — EVELEEN . . . . . . . . 15 III. — NATHANIEL BLOHAN ..... 35 IV. — LOVE ........ 42 v. — QUESTIONABLE COMPANIONSHIP . . . 60 VI. — AN ARRANGEMENT . . . . 7"> VII. — A THWARTED LOVE . . . . .SI VIII. — H.OMAN ACAIN . . . . . 1 02 IX. — IN THE BANE . . . . . .125 X. — SEARCH ........ I Mil XI. — THE TABLES TURNED ..... 168 XII. — FATHER AND DAUGHTER ITU XIII. — Tin. TRIAL . . . . . . . l'JG VIU CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE XIV.— AT SKA . . . . . . . 205 XV. — ON AX ICEBERG ...... 222 BOOK IT. I. — MISS GODSTONE . . . . . 245 ii. — eveleen's death ..... 202 III. — MASTER FREDERICK WILLIAMS . . . . 279 IV. — THE JERKINSES AT HOVE .... 295 LIFE'S MASQUERADE. BOOK I. CHAPTER I. THE BANK MANAGER. On the twenty- second of October, 183 — , the directors of the United British Banking Com- pany held a meeting in their board-room, for the purpose of considering the propriety of opening a branch of their establishment at Y . The mover of this scheme professed to be well acquainted with " those parts," as he called them, and energetically assured his col- leagues that success must inevitably follow the adoption of his views. So just were his opinions, and so cogent his arguments, that the directors agreed to act upon his suggestions ; and after a journey, for the purpose of inspecting the re- sources of the town, was performed by three of VOL. I. B 2 life's masquerade. the gentlemen, who, it may be needless to say, dined and travelled at the expense of the share- holders, a favourable report was handed in, and the branch bank was soon after formally declared open. The position of manager was assigned to a young man named Frank Hamilton, who was assisted by two clerks. All commercial men are aware that the two things necessary to maintain and render success- ful such speculations are first, capital, and next connection. Of these, the Y bank had only the first ; it therefore became the business of the manager to procure the second. Casting his eye down a list of the principal inhabitants of the place, it encountered the name of the Reverend James Smallands, upon whom Hamilton resolved to call and solicit his assist- ance. Mr. Smallands was the incumbent of St. Michael's, a venerable church, overgrown with ivy and surrounded with mouldering tombstones. Almost adjoining it was the Rectory, a small house, also overgrown with ivy, and built on a slight eminence, commanding a partial view of THE BANK MANAGER. 3 the town beneath. From the eastern windows of his house, when the wind was favourable and the day clear, Mr. Sinallands could see the fog and hear the hum of the chafing Metropolis of London, that lay an easy three hours' drive away. Mr. Sinallands was a little old man with a bowed bod} r , a broad-brimmed hat, and a benevolent smile. He was thin, pale, and pious, loved by his congregation, and adored by the poor. One curate only assisted him ; his opposite in form and character. This gentleman, whose name was Symmonds, loved not heartily his profession. He had dreamt his existence away in schemes of a military future, and awoke only when he found himself encased in the irreparable white neck- cloth, which a pious mother had implored him to wear. "Where there is no love there is little zeal. He ill-naturedly endured his calling, and Mr. Sinallands good-naturedly endured him. The latter therefore derived but little help from such assistance. Nevertheless he rejoiced rather that he was thus enabled to do so much himself for the cause to which he was wedded heart and soul. An industrious curate would have ren- dered him unhappy ; two would have expelled him from the parish. The character of Richard b 2 4 life's masquerade. Hooker, as given by Walton, was his ideal of human excellence. To live like that judicious divine, and to die like him, was his endeavour and hope. These are the models of which the imitations are always noble. All his leisure hours were devoted to his library. He read, thought, digested, and com- mented, and by those who knew him was ac- counted a prodigy of erudition. He had pub- lished three works ; one of sermons, the others commentaries on certain portions of the New Testament. He was also a poet. But then his doggerels, as he termed his effusions, were wholly limited to the ears of his housekeeper. These he would first of all read with great satisfaction to himself; then straightway commit them to the flames, regardless of the expostulations of his ancient listener, who, though she secretly lamented not in the least degree their destruction, yet com- plained, in order to give her master an oppor- tunity of repeating a favourite joke, which was this : — " You have undergone martyrdom through me ; now I will undergo martyrdom through tli em." THE BANK MANAGER. To the house of this worthy man Hamilton repaired one morning shortly after his arrival at Y . His future depended a very great deal upon his present success ; and, to insure a success, he thought that he could not better begin than by making the parson his friend. The door was opened to him by the house- keeper, who ushered him into a parlour, where presently entered Mr. Smallands. Hamilton rose and politely returned the parson's solemn bow : then briefly communicated to him the object of his visit, and concluded, by expressing a hope that he would not deem him intrusive for thus venturing to solicit his friendship and advice. There was something in Hamilton's demeanour which confessed him at once a gentleman, and something in his features, in the delicacy of his hands, in the largeness and beauty of his eyes, that proclaimed his gentility old and pure ; and such, indeed, was the case. His father had boasted his descent from royalty : his mother had claimed connection with one of the oldest families of France. At an early age he had been left an orphan to the charge of an uncle, old-fashioned, and far from 6 life's masquerade. wealthy, and whose chief pride after his ancestry- was to boast the fact of having once shaken Sir Joshua Reynolds by the hand, and once dined with Samuel Johnson at the house of a mutual friend, where the great lexicographer had listened with complacence and approbation to certain arguments he (the uncle) had advanced. He would add, that he had communicated this to Boswell, who, however, had neglected to mention it in his " Life." This uncle, too proud to put his nephew to commerce, and too poor to procure him a loftier position, chose an intermediate profession, and sent him as a midshipman on board an East Indiaman. He was absent four years, and on his return found his uncle dead, his house sold, his trifling fortune distributed amongst a multi- tude of near and remote relations, and himself apportioned with the trifling legacy of a hundred- pound note. Wearied of the sea, Hamilton determined to devote himself to the City his uncle had so heartily contemned ; and with this view he called upon an old gentleman whom he had formerly known, and begged his exertion in his favour to procure him some financial employment. The THE BANK MANAGER. 7 result of this interview was his admission as clerk into that bank of which, after a trial of two 3 r ears, he was now appointed to superintend the branch at Y . These slight details he communicated to Mr. Smallands, won perhaps by the kind and cour- teous questioning of the reverend gentleman, who seemed desirous of becoming more intimate with his new friend. 11 Ah! I see, I see," exclaimed the parson, as Hamilton came to a pause; " you are a stranger here, and you want, of course, to cultivate the societ} r of the place. Now, let me think how this is to be done." He remained lost in meditation for some moments, then suddenly looking up, exclaimed, " I have it ! But tell me, first of all, have you dined ? " " No, sir, I have not." " I shall feel happy if you will remain with me to dinner, then we shall be more at liberty to dis- cuss the scheme I have planned." Hamilton accepted the invitation with pleasure. There was something greatly encouraging in Mr. Smalland's cordiality. " And now," continued the parson, taking Hamilton parentally by the arm, " I am going to 8 life's masquerade. indulge nryself in a humour with which I beg you will bear. It is a penalty I exact from all my friends. I want you to come and see my library." And so saying he led the way into a little dar- kened back room, around the walls of which were arranged rows of books upon shelves. A beam of satisfaction illumined the parson's face as he contemplated this goodly show of erudition, and he took a side glance at his visitor, to see what effect it had produced upon him. " You have indeed a fine library," said Hamil- ton, taking a worm-eaten volume from the shelf, and running his eye over its contents. " Ah ! Boccaccio's works." " Yes ; and favour me by looking at the title- page." Hamilton did so, and read, " II Decamerone di Messer G. Boccaccio : In Fiorenza, 1481." " I would not take twenty guineas for that book. What do you think of it, sir ? " Hamilton, not being a book- worm, did not think so warmly of it as the parson might have anticipated. Nevertheless, he said it was very curious — very, indeed — and with this mild praise Mr. Smallands seemed content. THE BANK MANAGER. 9 The parson was now upon his hobby, and book after book, ancient and modern, rare and curious, was brought down, shaken, and submitted for in- spection to Hamilton, who saw more solid learn- ing in ten minutes than he had seen in twice that number of years. Mounted upon a ladder, which travelled upon wheels, and from which he would laboriously descend and push to and fro, the parson, in his dust} T black and lank clothes, looked like the spirit of some ancient divine keeping watch over the repositories of the learning of the dead. At last he pushed his ladder up into a corner, and approaching Hamilton, remarked in a sub- dued whisper, that he had something yet to show him which he made a point of reserving for the last ; something that he prized above all his other volumes, nay, he would almost say, above all his earthly possessions. He then searched his pockets for a key, with which he opened a cupboard, and with much solemnity extracted from its extreme corner a moth-eaten volume, which he placed in Hamilton's hands, and with a cunning smile, asked him what he thought it was. Finding it to be in Hebrew, Hamilton, who 10 life's masquerade. protested that he knew not a syllable of that language, declared he could not tell. Then the parson told him it was a Hebrew Bible, published in the year 1488, and the first edition of the first work of the kind printed in Europe. Moreover, it was rendered surpassingly valuable by having* once been in the possession of the great Erasmus, wdio had bequeathed it to his friend Goclenius. " And now," said the parson, having concluded the genealogy of his book, and replaced it with infinite care in the cupboard, " let us to dinner." The parson w r as a plain man, not only in his house and clothes, but also in his food, as Hamil- ton very soon found out. A basin of broth, a leg of cold lamb, and a hearty welcome to the same, were all that his host had to offer him. Nevertheless, this fare they both very heartily enjoyed, owing, perhaps, to the novelty of each other's society. A little elderly woman waited upon them, and the old housekeeper, who was evidently unused to visitors, bobbed in and out amidst much noise, instructing the little elderly woman how to act, what to serve first, what to serve next, and what not to serve at all. These hints were conveyed in a tremulous whisper up in THE BANK MANAGER. 11 the corner ; then the housekeeper would go out, and the little elderly woman approach the table, and travel round it, with much seeming satisfac- tion and content. All this was not unobserved by Hamilton, who secretly enjoyed the manceuvrings of these primitive people, and the delight with which the parson, when the meal was concluded, dwelt upon the excellence of these simple servants. " You will hardly believe me," said Mr. Small- ands, " when I assure you that my housekeeper has been in my family thirty-six years. My two little ones, whom God in His infinite mercy has long since taken to Himself, she nursed and partly reared ; and to her I owe my life ; for during my wife's last illness, I slept not a wink for nine nights, and when she died my grief was so great, and my health so impaired by my long vigils, that I must have speedily followed her, had it net been for the motherly care and watch- fulness of my good housekeeper." He brushed away a tear as he concluded, and touched the bell. The housekeeper entered. " Martha," said the parson, " would you like a glass of wine, Martha ? Come," as Martha drew back, and glanced with 12 life's masquerade. an embarrassed look at Hamilton ; " to comme- morate the visit of this gentleman, who has thus honoured me with his presence at my table, you must have a glass of wine, Martha." His hand trembled as he held it out to her, and hers trembled more as she took it. Before drinking she made a curtsy, and looked round as if preparing to make a speech, but she thought better of it, and gulped down her emotion with the wine. Then dropping another curtsy to Hamilton, and glancing with a moist eye at her master, the old creature left the room. Evidently she had made up her mind to reserve her elo- quence until after the departure of the guest. " You will pardon my little weakness, I am sure," said Mr. Smallands, glancing benevolently at Hamilton ; " when you are my age," he added, with a quiet smile, " jo\x will comprehend what a hold such disinterested faithfulness takes upon the heart." " Sir," answered Hamilton, " many an exqui- site homily has been preached upon texts far less beautiful than that which you have just illustrated." " And which you call ? " "Fidelity." THE BANK MANAGER. 13 Mr. Smallands seemed pleased with the notion, and thought this bank manager a very superior kind of 3 T oung man. He remained lost in con- templation for a few minutes, then suddenly starting, exclaimed, " Dear me ! I had almost forgotten it ! how very silly of me ! I had some- thing to tell you, and you might absolutely have left me without learning what it was." " Ah, true : you had something to tell me," said Hamilton. " Yes, and now you shall hear it," said Mr. Smallands. " You came to solicit my assistance to promote the interests of your bank, did you not?" " Yes," said Hamilton. "Well," said Mr. Smallands, "I think I can do so. To-morrow I am going to sacrifice at a shrine from which I have been absent for a very long while indeed : I mean the shrine of society ! I am asked to dinner by my old friend Mr. De Courcy, and as this is the fourth time he has invited me, I can no longer consistently refuse. Now, would you like to accompany me ? It is a mere family dinner, and Mr. De Courcy is one of the most hospitable of men. I can insure you a welcome, and you need be under no apprehension 14 life's masquerade. of that cold civility or colder formality which scares so many young men from social inter- course." Hamilton was greatly gratified hy this kind- ness, which he considered also a compliment. He accepted his reverend friend's proposal with many thanks, and soon after went his way, over- come with the unexpected goodness and courtesy he had received. Nor was the impression he had left less favourable. I advance here as a position that, as the richest soil gives birth to the most deadly plants, so the fairest intentions sometimes result in the direst calamities. And it shall be the business of this book to prove this position correct. CHAPTER II. EVELEEN. Y , as I have said, was situated within an easy three hours' drive of London. At least its distance from the metropolis in the year 183 — was fourteen or fifteen miles. Whether such be the case now, whether this distance has not been wondrously diminished by the gradual spread of those metropolitan suburbs which, month after month, and year after year, are extending into and embracing in their grasp of soot and brick, the surrounding country, I know not. But cer- tain it is, that at the time of the commencement of this narrative, Y was a pretty little town, pleasantly situated, and having in its environs many charming houses and many large estates. That the local gentry was numerous might be readily seen by taking a walk, any fine afternoon, between the hours of three and five, up the street called High Street. For here congregated 16 life's masquerade. numbers of young ladies, nurses, and children, some to shop, some to ogle the few gentlemen who paraded the pavement arm-in-arm, and some to dissipate the ennui of a country existence. Y was also a market-town, and every Wednesday was looked upon by the young ladies as a grievance and a calamity. For surely no- thing could equal the state of High Street during its usurpation by the odious cattle. Pigs, cows, geese, hens, sheep, lined the pavements and filled the roads. Discordant shrieks and a tumultuous uproar deafened for awhile the hurry- ing passer-by; nor was this confusion owing entirely to animals with four feet ; for short and bow-legged farmers, intoxicated drovers, multi- tudes of small boys, and the constant influx and efflux of purchasers and sellers, added to the ceaseless clamour by every variety of whistling, singing, shouting, and anathematising. High Street ran directly through the town. It first of all brought you from the country, and, after a walk of some ten minutes or so, emitted you into it again. Halfway down this street stood a meeting-house ; next door to that was a butcher's ; and the house after was the bank, of which Hamilton was the manager. EVELEEN. 17 About a quarter of a mile from the town the traveller would observe with some curiosity a house fronted by a strong wall, of which the entrance was a massive gate, surmounted on either side by two crouching figures of tigers. So formidable did these statues look, that the passing dog would not unfrequently utter a frightened yelp and speed away with its tail between its legs. On the day following the events detailed in the last chapter, two persons might have been seen approaching this gate at a slow pace, and both engrossed in conversation. The one was a short, jovial-faced man, with red cheeks, bright eyes, a broad-brimmed hat, and a blue tight-fitting coat. The other was about half as tall again, with a sallow complexion, black hair and moustachios, smooth cheeks, and dressed entirely in a dark- grey costume. Sometimes the little man took his companion's arm, and listened for awhile to what was being said ; sometimes he would relin- quish it, and smack his hands together to emphasise some energetic reply. The other was always calm and cool. Now and then he would shrug his shoulders, or give his left moustachio a fierce twist, or stop and eye vol. r. c 18 life's masquerade. the little man with a penetrating glance, and then turn with another shrug, and walk on. To an acute observer behind them their backs and gait would have been sufficient to have pro- claimed their respective characters. In the broad backward-bent shoulders of the one, in the tread, sometimes hasty, sometimes angry, sometimes joyous, could be discerned a disposition open, frank, and cordial; a foe to melancholy, a lover of good things ; hospitable, generous, and passion- ate. In the cautious, sliding steps of the other that slyly stole the ground, rather than boldly took it ; in the narrow back, the long thin form, the lank black hair, the completely up and down figure, there was revealed cunning, and with cunning, hypocrisy, selfishness, sensuality, a contracted mind, a character cold and dispas- sionate, and a demeanour always studied, always insincere. The short man, by his hair growing thin and grey, seemed about fifty years old : his companion not more than twenty-four or five. Their conversation was interrupted by their arrival at the gate, and the young man held out his hand to bid adieu. " Nonsense, Murray, you mustn't talk of re- EVELEEX. 19 turning yet," exclaimed his friend, seizing his arm and pushing aside the proffered hand ; " I am going to have an old friend of mine to dinner with me to-day : stop and make one of the company." "May I ask who it is ? " " Certainly : it's Smallands, the parson." " Ha, ha ! That's a good joke, De Courcy ! To ask me to meet a clergyman, the society which of all, as you well know, I consider the slowest and the most intolerable. And Smal- lands, too ! Dear, dear — the heaviest of the heavy ! " Mr. De Courcy looked rather surprised at this sally. " Upon my word, Murray, you have a most admirable way of saying unpleasant things." " Look ! I apologise. Ton my soul, I had no intention to offend you. Have I done so ? Yes ; I have. Well, you forgive me?" " Pshaw ! Tell me, did you ever dine with Smallands ? " " No ; but I know him well." " Ah, well then, give me leave to tell you, that so far from being slow, he is downright good society — at least good for such as are content to c 2 20 life's masquerade. forego the ephemeral humour of everyday life for the solid wit of a learned thinker. It is the rarest thing in the world to get him out, and if you are wise you'll stop and meet him. Is it settled ? " Murray was ahout to reply, when just at that moment his eye caught sight of two figures coming in the distance up the road. " I say," he exclaimed, pointing, " isn't that the parson ? " De Courcy put his glass to his eye, and after a moment's reconnoitre, said it was. " And who's that with him, I wonder ? Come, let us go and meet him. He's an honest soul." They walked towards them, and presently met Hamilton and Mr. Smallands, who were coming to the house. There was some bowing and shaking of hands, and then Mr. Smallands intro- duced Hamilton. " Glad to make 3'our acquaint- ance," said De Courcy, heartily; " any friend of my dear Mr. Smallands is always welcome with me. Manager of the new bank, eh ? Ah, is it going to be a success ? We are all poor here/' he continued, wisely shaking his head ; " all very poor here — very little money indeed, and that always in use. Isn't it so, Murray ? By the EVELEEN. 21 way, let me introduce you. Mr. Murray, Mr. Hamilton." The first bowed stiffly, the second cordially ; but observing the other's stiffness, he drew him- self haughtily up, and turned half aside. M Handsome fellow ! " whispered De Courcy to Mr. Smallands. " Eveleen will be in love with him : you mark me." The parson smiled and glanced meaningly towards Murray. De Courcy observed the look and answered it with a slight shrug. Then they all walked towards home together : Hamilton by the side of his reverend friend. If the gate, and the stone guardians, and the thick wall presented outwardly a rugged appear- ance, all was at least smooth and smiling within. In the centre of the garden that fronted the house laughed and sparkled a handsome fountain, that precipitated its waters into a marble reser- voir brilliant with gold and silver fish. The flowers were bright and beautiful, the walks admirably kept, and the flower-beds cut into grotesque shapes with a most amusing exactness. After the heat and dust of the road there was something intensely refreshing in this scene, its charm heightened by a silentness, broken only by 22 life's masquerade. the occasional piping of a bird from the heavy autumn foliage of some trees, standing so as to shade the house from the morning sun. De Courcy conducted his guests into a prettily- furnished drawing-room, where, seated at the table, sat a lady reading. On their entrance she rose hastily, bowed, and would have retired but for De Courcy, who detained her by the arm, and laughingly led her back to her seat. " Come, Eveleen," he exclaimed, " you mustn't leave us poor men alone. You who read so much poetry ought surely to know how valued woman's society is by man. Ah, Mr. Smal- lands," he added, turning to the clergyman, " what would be life without woman's bright smile to illumine it ? " Mr. Smallands smiled solemnly, then relapsing into gravity, went over to where Miss De Courcy was sitting, and asked her what she was reading. There is something in a clergyman's presence that reassures all women. Eveleen looked up and answered him with a smile. But in the meantime De Courcy had taken Hamilton by the hand and was leading him to his daughter. EVELEEN. 23 " Mr. Hamilton, that is my daughter Eveleen ; Miss Eveleen, this is Mr. Hamilton, manager of our new bank at Y ." Hamilton bowed, and in doing so, noticed Murray's reflection in a mirror turn aside, as if to conceal a smile. Hamilton glanced quickly round, and observed him turning over the leaves of a volume on a side table. An indescribable feeling took possession of Hamilton's heart : instinctively he felt that Murray's smile was one of contempt — of ridicule — for a calling which he doubtless esteemed humiliating and low. But all thought of others was soon suspended in the contemplation of the girl who sat before him. Never, until now, had he seen his ideal of feminine beauty embodied. In one brief moment he had become the slave, the fool, of an absorb- ing passion. Every woman that Heaven creates is destined to please some man. That man is not often found. When he is, the mutual bliss is supreme. Eveleen De Courcy was born to please — to please ! the word is tame — to fascinate, to inthral Hamilton. Their lot was sealed in a single glance. 24 life's masquerade. Let not the frigid philosopher talk of the necessity of time waiting upon the loves of young people to confirm or prove unstable their dreams. Time is annihilated by the flash of a bright eye — one burning vow melts the present into the past, and renders the unborn future living. Eveleen De Courcy was fair. Hamilton admired fair girls. She had masses of hair, golden as if sungilt, and enveloping her head as if in a halo. Hamilton's idea of perfection was golden hair. She had dark blue eyes, their dreamy depths fraught with a world of tender- ness and love. Hamilton sometimes wrote poetry : his stanzas were nearly all addressed to an imaginary " Her of the dark-blue eye." Her costume was simple ; a rose in her hair, and white muslin, sufficiently opened at the neck to modestly reveal a snowiness that would have distracted St. Anthony from his devotions, and called Apollo once more from the skies to pursue again this fairer Daphne. All this Hamilton adored. Beauty unadorned was to him beauty indeed. Wonder not, then, that from that moment his waking and his sleeping thoughts presented him with but one vision : Eveleen De Courcy. Alas ! From the romantic to the common- EVELEEN. 25 place there is but a step. Whilst Hamilton's whole thoughts were absorbed with this new passion, came a fat-calved footman to dissipate his reverie by the tame words, " Dinner is served, sir." Murray offered his arm to Eveleen, who ac- cepted it — Hamilton thought, and chuckled as he thought — shrinkingly. The others followed in a group, the parson vehemently expatiating on the merits of a certain work which he had beheld lying on the table. The first half-hour at a dinner-table is usually dull. People are hungry : and nature, o'erleap- ing for awhile all conventional restraint, asserts her primitive freedom and obeys her own dic- tates in silence. He who spoke generally had his mouth full, and those who were supposed to listen, secretly congratulated themselves upon being better employed. As for poor Mr. Smal- lands — he, good soul, accustomed to deprive himself of all luxury at home, felt that, for once in a way, he might indulge a carnal appetite without any great violation of his duty as a divine, and accordingly fell to his host's cheer with great heartiness of enjoyment. Human contentment, however, soon finds a 26 life's masquerade. tongue. Its first impulse is to sing, its next to talk. Custom, that prohibits the one at a dinner- table, sanctions the other, and in a short while everybody was busily engaged in delivering to the other his opinions and thoughts. Murray was seated next to Eveleen, and endea- voured with great assiduity to engage her in con- versation. In this he was pretty successful, though sometimes he elicited from her a " yes," when it should have been " no," and vice versa. Had he been more observant, he would have remarked the frequent glance she threw in the direction of Hamilton, who sat opposite, but who, with the diffidence of first love, kept his gaze obstinately fixed on Mr. De Courcy's countenance. When the dinner was over the party rose and went for a stroll in the garden. The evening was lovely ; the sunset glorious ; the deep blue of the eastern sky superb. The air was filled with the perfume of flowers, agitated by the evening breeze, that sighed softly amongst the leaves of the trees. Now and then some drowsy bird would wake the surrounding silence by its sleepy note, or there would fall upon the ear the remote cry of the distant drover urging homeward his cattle. EVELEEN. 27 United to the presence of Eveleen all this was the finest poetry to Hamilton. He leant over the balustrade, overlooking the wide extent of land which De Courcy laughingly called his back garden, and remained lost in meditation. Mr. Smallands aroused him by lightly laying his hand upon his arm. " Isn't this lovely ?" " Lovely, indeed." " Mr. De Courcy wants you to accompany him in a stroll through his grounds ; would you like to do so ? " " With the greatest pleasure." At that moment De Courcy came towards him, holding out his cigar-case. " Of course, you smoke," he said. " Thank you ; I do," Hamilton answered, taking one of the fat, fine cigars offered ; " but," he added, " perhaps Miss De Courcy " " Not at all, Mr. Hamilton," exclaimed Eve- leen, anticipating the objection; "on the con- trary, I am most unfemininely partial to the smell of a cigar." " Thanks to me," said her father, chucking her under the chin, and slily winking to the others. " I cured her of that stupid repugnance which all women feign to tobacco. I never knew a young 28 life's masquerade. and pretty girl whose objection to the smell of a cigar was really honest, and who couldn't be soon brought to confess that she liked it. When I was a young man I used to test a woman's character by my cigar-case. I would pull it out before her, and if I found she didn't frown, I knew her in a moment to be of the right sort. Ha ! ha ! ha! Tobacco's the thing to test women by!" And the old fellow, laughing heartily at his own eccentricity, seized Hamilton by one arm, and the parson by another, and commenced dragging them off. Murray stood alone by the side of Eveleen. The circumstance possibly might have afforded him some satisfaction, for it promised at least a tete-a-tete ramble with a young lady to whom, the reader will have observed, he was by no means indifferent. But whether Eveleen had had enough of his society at the dinner-table, she did not scruple to interrupt his satisfaction by hastening after her father with a request to be permitted to join the party. Of course, this was readily granted, and Murray was left to pace the gravel walk by himself, evidently vexed, if, indeed, not greatly irritated, as could be seen by the smart manner in which he lopped off the head of certain adjacent EVELEEN. 29 flowers with his cane. Mr. De Courcy remarked his absence, and turned and halloed to him to come on ; but he shook his head, and taking a seat on the doorstep, lighted a cigar, and vigor- ously commenced blowing thick clouds of smoke into the air. So observing him to be settled, Mr. De Courcy pleaded familiarity of friendship for his ap- parent discourtesy, and the party continued its route. The commencement of this walk was signalised by De Courcy expatiating at length to Hamilton upon the size of his grounds, their produce, their expenses, their eligible situation, and the promise they afforded of becoming by-and-by greatly valuable for building, &c. From this discourse the transition was easy to the subject of the rapidly increasing population of Great Britain, and another step led the old gentleman into down- right politics. Now Mr. De Courcy was a Whig, and Mr. Smailands, who followed behind with Eveleen, it is perhaps needless to say, was a Toiy. When- ever, therefore, politics were broached between these two persons, a strong and long argument ensued. Thus, ere Mr. De Courcy had well 30 life's masquerade. delivered himself of his opinion on the existing minishy, Mr. Smallands was alongside of him opposing his views with an eloquence befitting rather the votary of Westminster than the dis- ciple of Hooker. The result was that, before many moments had elapsed, Hamilton discovered himself insensibly dropping behind, and only awoke to the full conviction that such was actually the case, to find himself by the side of Eveleen. What trifling chit-chat first ensued between this pair it would be tedious to record ; but when the two elder ones had concluded their decla- mation, Mr. De Courcy turned to see what had become of his companions, and observed them at a distance slowly following, evidently engaged in deep conversation. De Courcy smiled, and nudged his reverend companion lightly with his elbow. " Didn't I tell you," said he, " that Eveleen would tumble in love with your handsome friend ? " " And Murray ? " quoth Mr, Smallands. (l Murray be " A dangerous epithet was surely about to follow that be ; but the parson suddenly drew himself erect, and gazed sternly at vacancy, so that Mr. De Courcy stopped him- EVELEEN. 31 self with a jerk, and then, in a subdued voice, murmured, " hanged." " He is courting Eveleen, is he not ?" " I believe he is." " And what is your child's opinion of him ? " " Ton my word, I have never asked her. I let them fight it out between them. If they like each other, good and well. They have my con- sent." Mr. Smallands remained silent. They were now awaiting the approach of the loitering couple, who in a short while joined them. Eveleen' s cheek was slightly flushed, and her eyes sparkled with uncommon brilliance. Evidently the walk had done her good. " Well," asked Mr. De Courcy, bluntly, " and what have you been talking about so earnestly." Eveleen stole a timid glance at Hamilton, who promptly answered, " all sorts of things." " You've not been hard up then for conver- sation, eh ! " and De Courcy laughingly shook Eveleen by the arm. " But," he added, sud- denly, "what will Murray think of our neglect? Come, let us make haste to join him." They found him still seated where they left him, his body bent, and making figures of eight 32 life's masquerade. on the walk with his cane. He rose as they advanced, and went towards them ^ith a smile. " I hope you have enjoyed your walk," he said. "What is j'our opinion of Mr. De Courcy's grounds, Mr. Hamilton ? " There was an air of cordiality in his manner which Hamilton had not noticed before. He answered that he thought thej r were remarkably fine. " A man of taste, my friend De Courcy, eh ? And now, gentlemen, having been left alone so long, I think I have a right to demand your assistance to entertain me. And in order to enforce my proposition, I depute you, Mr. De Courcy, to request your fair daughter to favour us with a little of her charming music." This request was speedily complied with, and in a short while the party found themselves assembled in the drawing-room listening to Eveleen's sweet voice. Before leaving, Hamilton received a cordial invitation from De Courcy to come and dine with him whenever he had nothing better to do ; an invitation which needed not the quiet pleading of Eveleen's eyes to make him accept. Their route lying all in the same direction, Mr. Smallands, Murray and Hamilton walked EVELEEN. 33 home together. The night was fine though dark; and the parson, a cautious man, had bor- rowed a lantern from De Courcy, which he now held before him, and which made him feel, as he himself declared, just like an animated "will o' the wisp," so uncertain were his footsteps, and so unsteady the lantern that swayed to and fro in his hand. Murray, who seemed in excellent humour, enlivened the monotony of the walk by many capital anecdotes, and some smart sayings, by which his companions found him to be something of a wit. He seemed studiously desirous of ingratiating himself in Hamilton's good opinion, applauding with much laughter everything that he said, and enlarging upon his humorous hints with a view of illustrating by his own wit the occasional wit of his companion. They had now come to a cross road, where Murray bade his friends good night, warmly shaking hands with Hamilton, of whom he said he was enchanted to make the acquaintance. They then separated, the parson and his young friend continuing their journey in the direction of High Street. When some twenty yards divided them, YOL. I. D 34 life's masquerade. Murray suddenly stopped and looked behind him. The receding figures of his late com-^ panions were faintly apparent in the obscurity of night. His face grew darkened, a heavy scowl contracted his eyebrows, the merry expression of his eye was replaced by a gleam of wild ferocity, and doubling his fist he shook it in the direction of the taller of the two figures, whilst between his clenched teeth he muttered, "You have triumphed to-day; but it will be my turn to-morrow ! " Then letting fall his arm, he turned upon his heel and suddenly resumed his way. CHAPTER III. NATHANIEL SLOMAN. There had been sent from London, with Hamilton, two clerks, of whom one was named Gamyn, and the other Sloman. The first was a red-headed, pink-cheeked young man, harmless, willing, and about nineteen years old. The other was dark, with a hooked nose, a keen cunning eye, ringlets, long arms and fingers, and to crown all, he possessed a hump. The two young men when they had first settled at Y , occupied the same lodgings. But after they had lived together for a week they quarrelled, and Sloman turned Gamyn out to look for other accommodation. Sloman, though not a Jew, had Jewish blood circulating in his veins. Of this he was ashamed. His features plainly spoke his origin ; never- theless he imagined that by going to church people would take him to be a Christian. This D 2 36 life's masquerade. was his religion : to avoid being considered a Jew. Though his hump was irksome, he sometimes laughed at it. Though his arms and fingers were unusually long, he boasted that they pos- sessed uncommon strength ; sometimes he would congratulate himself before others upon being possessed of these members, and would deride those whose limbs were in proportion. Hence it will be seen, that though his deformity was an unpleasant, it was not a sore subject. But to call him a Jew was to convert him into a dangerous enemy. This was an insult he never forgave or forgot. Once only had it occurred to him. When in the bank in London, a young clerk, provoked by something he had said, retorted by calling him a Jew. The next day a twenty-pound note was found missing from the till. All the clerks were compelled to stop until the error was detected. Some attributed it to one of the cashiers' inaccuracy of compu- tation : and the man diligently went over again the whole day's work, but to no purpose ; the money was wanting, and the question, where is it ? yet remained to be answered. Presently Sloman was observed to enter the manager's NATHANIEL SLOMAN. 37 room, and by-and-by that dignitary came for- ward and summoned one of the clerks to come to him. A young man obeyed the call, and Sloman resumed his place at his desk. Soon after the manager announced that the note had been recovered. And the clerks went home. Next day a young clerk was found to be absent. He was reported to the manager, who informed the reporter that he had been dismissed for having abstracted the twenty-pound note the preceding evening. " I searched him," con- tinued the manager, " on the strength of a hint whispered to me by Mr. Sloman ; and found the money in one of his pockets. I would not give him in charge, although I was irritated by his impious assurance of innocence ; so I sent him home to his mother — a widow, I believe," added the manager nonchalantly, and turned to a news- paper. The directors marked their approbation of Sloman's acuteness by raising his salary. Only himself, however, knew that, two days before, the clerk who had been dismissed had called him a Jew. The Y bank had been now established a fortnight, and by degrees business came in, and 38 life's masquekade. the promise of success slowly began to settle down to a certainty. One morning two girls entered to change a five-pound note. On seeing Sloman they began to laugh, and one shook hands with him. While they were conversing at one side, a tall, dark young man entered, and requested to see the manager. The other clerk stepped into the backroom, and summoned Hamilton, who on seeing the stranger came hurriedly forward and shook hands with him. " And so, Mr. Murray," he exclaimed, " you have come to us at last ? " " Yes," was the reply, " I wish to deposit five hundred pounds with you : your rate of interest is good." And taking out his pocket-book he extracted from it six one hundred pound Bank of England notes, and laid them on the counter. " Here are five," he said, " and I shall feel greatly obliged by your letting me have gold for this one, as I have numerous small bills to pay. As soon as you can, too," he continued, turning to Sloman, to whom Hamilton had given the note, " as I am in a hurry to catch the coach to London." Sloman opened the drawer of the till, and NATHANIEL SLOMAN. 39 found there only forty sovereigns. Hamilton gave him the key of the strong-room, and bade him fetch some bags of gold up. He was a long time gone, and Murray, who did not seem much inclined for conversation, impa- tiently paraded the floor, ever and anon going to the door and then returning to the counter. " Your clerk is very dilatory," he exclaimed at last. " He is, indeed," replied Hamilton ; then going to the top of the staircase, which was placed in the corner, and had a hatchway like the hold of a ship, he shouted out, " Come, bear a hand, there, Mr. Sloman." But still Mr. Sloman lingered below, and Hamilton now thoroughly angry, turned to the other clerk, and exclaimed in an irritable voice, " Go down stairs and see what that hump-backed Jew is about ! " At the same moment Sloman's head appeared on a level with the floor. The speech was wanton. But it had escaped Hamilton even ere he was conscious that it had been expressed. It is true that he had been a sailor ; and any one who has been to sea perfectly well knows that impatience amongst seamen is 40 life's masquerade. by no means scrupulous in its choice of terms. Hamilton, however, blushed scarlet, and would instantly have apologised for the insult, but he believed that Sloman had not heard him. Whether he had or not, there was nothing in the expression of his features to have given one much insight into his thoughts. His face was the least bit paler than usual, and his lips rather hardly compressed. There was something, how- ever, in his eyes, which Murray, who was regard- ing him with some degree of attention, noticed with a slight start. The pupil of the eye emitted a faint light, as if being consumed by an internal fire. This Murray only observed when Sloman looked directly at him ; the next moment his eyes were following the movements of his fingers, busied with counting the gold. Murray placed the money in a bag, then shaking hands with Hamilton, and nodding to Sloman, he left the office. Hamilton retired to his little back room. The two girls took for the note the money tlmt Sloman gave them, and went away. Before going one made a remark to the other, in a low voice, whereat the other laughed, and then they both glanced at Sloman. NATHANIEL SLOMAN. 41 The remark was inaudible to Slouian, save one word. That was " Jew." He seated himself upon his stool, and leaned his head upon his hands, and seemed intensely absorbed in the contemplation of the ledger be- fore him. Once he turned to observe Gamyn. The clerk's back was towards him, and he was busily engaged in writing. Sloman took out a pocket handkerchief, and hurriedly wiped away a large tear drop that had fallen upon the page of his ledger. CHAPTER IV. LOVE. Hamilton had become a frequent visitor at the De Courcys'. He had many other acquaintances, but the old gentleman and his daughter he most regularly attended. His good friend, the parson, was not forgotten ; but in spite of his constant amiability, to this venerable student, such visits were not always welcome. The most well-loved being, you know, will interrupt the perusal of a book ; and a sermon may be marred by a single knock at the door. This Hamilton intuitively discovered, and became less prodigal in his visits to Mr. Smallands. But at the De Courcys' there was always a welcome, and, what was better than a welcome, Eveleen. To walk with her, to converse, to listen to those charmingly-sung melodies, with which, after dinner, the old gentleman was wont to have himself lulled to slumber, and to have her all to LOVE. 43 himself for at least an hour, — for De Courcy's sleep was extended or limited to this duration of time, — were joys which, by their frequency, be- came more and more endeared to him. He had loved her from the moment he had seen her, and now that a month had rolled away since they had first met, his love had become the one supreme passion of his life ; it had taken root in his heart, and was nourished by every smile, every glance, every accent of Eveleen. M. De Courcy was one of those easy-going men who are content to let people do exactly as they like ; not from any selfish desire not to be troubled with the business of others, but because they are willing to believe that what people na- turally perform they naturally like, and are there- fore most happy when they are suffered to pursue umolested their own inclinations. He had once or twice bantered Eveleen on the subject of Hamilton, but had received no other reply save such as the conscious blush or the downcast eye is capable of giving. One evening when Murray was present, he said to Eveleen, " Well, my pretty one, tell me, what is going to be the finale of this charming flirta- tion between you and Mr. Hamilton ? " 44 life's masquerade. Eveleen cast a reproachful look at her father ; but besides being short-sighted, the old gentle- man had a heart wholly insensible to, not only the eloquence of a glance, but even the pathos of a sigh. So turning to Murray he asked, " And what's your opinion, since Eveleen won't give me hers ? " Murray, who was employed in turning over the pages of a book, pretended not to hear the question ; but, after a short pause, changed the subject by asking him what he thought of the conduct of the Tory Lord . Here was a subject upon which De Courcy loved to descant, and in a moment Eveleen and her flirtation were forgotten. But shortly after Eveleen had retired for the night, and whilst the two gentlemen were light- ing their cigars, Murray, in a nonchalant manner, asked De Courcy what he thought of Hamilton. "A fine fellow," was the answer. " I agree with you ; and he seems to have more of the gentleman about him than is often to be met with in men of his walk of life." " I believe you. I consider him quite a gentle- man." " He is poor, though." LOVE. 45 11 True ; but that doesn't render him less gen- tlemanly." " No, but I should fancy it must affect him in his position as a suitor to Miss De Courcy." " Ah ! I want to have your opinion of this matter. What do you think of it ? " " I do not believe," replied Murray, " that it would be very difficult to discover my feel- ings." " Of course : I know you're in love with Eve- leen." " Heart and soul/' " Therefore you can't contemplate with much satisfaction this trespasser into your domains. But tell me, have you ever avowed your passion to Eveleen ? " "No; at least not verbally; although my ac- tions, I fancy, would and have sufficiently dis- covered my sentiments." "Well, before you get jealous of Hamilton, you should, first of all, find out whether Eveleen cares for you or not. Perhaps this very flirtation may be a ruse of hers to pique you into a con- fession of love, eh ? Who can divine a woman's heart ? " " Thanks for the suggestion ; I shall adopt 46 LIFE S MASQUERADE. it at the very earliest opportunity. It is my cursed timidity that has hitherto stood in my way; your daughter's eyes, powerful enough to provoke a very schoolboy into a declaration of love, have the precisely opposite effect upon me. I approach potent with long matured resolutions, when, pouff ! — one glance of those eyes melts them all into the thinnest air. Had the god Cupid ever such a drivelling votary ! " " Please yourselves ! please yourselves ! " ex- claimed De Courcy, exhaling a thin long line of smoke from between his lips. " If you love her, and she loves you, marry and be blest. If she loves Hamilton, and he asks her of me, why, being a gentleman and a good fellow, and, and — well, well; if they love each other, you won't trouble 'em, will you ? " Murray's mouth widened with a harsh and pe- culiar smile ; then his features suddenly assumed a look of almost stern gravity, and his hand slightly trembled as he raised his tumbler to his lips. "And now, Mr. De Courcy," he said: and, in spite of his self-control, which, from long prac- tice, had grown easy to him, there was an air of visible embarrassment in his manner as he spoke : LOVE. 47 "to change from a subject which, to rue, is inex- haustible and always delightful, to one so very unpleasant that I have hesitated to mention it until it is imperative that it should be at once discussed. I have to tell you something which, as your informant, I am afraid will place me be- fore you in a rather unamiable light." De Courcy took his cigar from his mouth, and his features assumed an expression of anxiety. " What is it ? " he asked. " Bad news cannot be too briefly spoken. In a few words this is it : — your bill of five thousand pounds drawn upon us and accepted by Mr. Wyn- kin has been dishonoured." The cigar dropped from De Courcy's hand ; his eyes dilated with a look half of terror, half of despair; in a low and broken voice he exclaimed, " Impossible ! " " It is, unfortunately, only too true. Mr.Wynkin was declared insolvent the day before yesterday." "And the endorsers?" De Courcy inquired, eagerly. " One sailed for New York the same evening of Wynkin's declared bankruptcy ; the other is nowhere to be found." De Courcy rose and paced the room in silence 48 life's masquerade. for some moments. Then, turning to Murray, he asked, " What is to be done ? " Murray shrugged his shoulders, and took a sip from his tumbler. "And your firm ? " " My firm is inflexible. You know what ship- brokers are. My partner says he must have the money." " I cannot pay him." The tone in which this was uttered was full of despair. Again he asked, " What is to be done ? " and again Murray shrugged his shoulders. Then there came a pause, and Murray anxiously fidget- ted with his watch-chain. At last he spoke. His voice was subdued and soft- — almost musical. " Mr. De Courcy, it is now three years since I first had the happiness of enrolling myself amongst the number of your friends. During that time, — a short lifetime, sir, for one of my age, — I have enjoyed your society, I have par- taken of your hospitality, and have learnt, sir, not only to value you as a friend, but to esteem you as a man. It is now eighteen months since your daughter left school, and since I had the pleasure of being introduced to her by you. For LOVE. 49 eighteen months, then, I have been fostering in my heart an affection for your child, such as you will hardly credit, and such as she will, perhaps, never do me the justice to believe. For eighteen months I have enjoyed her conversation with delight, have accepted each little token of her regard for me, either by action or word, with a hidden joy ; have fondly lingered over the most trivial accent addressed to me that has fallen from her lips, — in short, sir, for eighteen months I have loved your daughter Eveleen in secret. Though I was conscious of the truth of my pas- sion, I was not aware of either its depth or force until Mr. Hamilton came between me and her like a blight, withering each fairest hope before me, and interrupting those schemes of future happiness which I had had the vanity to plan and to trust." He paused, and Mr. De Courcy, who had been listening to him with attention, encouraged him to proceed by an approving nod. " I will be candid and plain. You are called upon to pay five thousand pounds, a debt which, though perhaps at any other time, would be sufli ciently easy for you to discharge, is, at present, a matter of annoyance, and, I may presume, of VOL. I. B 50 life's masquerade. difficulty. Knowing this," he continued, unbut- toning his coat and extracting from it his pocket- book, " I have ventured to assume the privilege of a friend, and beg to hand you a blank cheque signed, which you can fill up to what amount you may think necessary to discharge your obli- gations." There was something in this act of generosity which touched De Courcy to the quick. He sprang forward and grasped Murray's hand with an ardour that proclaimed the heartiness of his gratitude. "You are good — you are good," was all he could say. "And now, may I ask you a small favour in return ? " " My life — my life — anything ! " " Will you assist me to make your daughter Eveleen my bride ? " " If a father's voice hath aught of authority in it," replied De Courcy, raising one hand solemnly to heaven, " she shall be yours." A gleam of joy illumined Murray's eyes, and he turned his head to conceal the smile of triumph that wrinkled his features. " But Mr. Hamilton ? Suppose he should al- J9 LOVE. 51 ready have engaged your daughter's affections ? " he said. " I will nip his courtship in the bud : he shall not have her." Murray pressed his hand in silence, and De Courcy continued : "Besides, although I esteem the young man, I know nothing of him. His position suffi- ciently declares his means ; and I will never allow Eveleen to render her future unhappy by uniting herself to a poor man." It will be frequently found, that when a good- hearted man is under an obligation to another, he will adapt himself to the views of his friend, even though they should be uncongenial to his own. This was a phase in De Courcy's character which Murray had read once before. He knew his man, and knew also that he would be assisted by him, heart and soul. He left the house with a heart elated by the promise of the evening, his host accompanying him to the door, and repeat- ing his thanks as he warmly bade him good-night. At six o'clock on the following evening, Hamil- ton left the Bank to pay a visit to the De Cour- cys. He was conducted by the servant into the drawing-room, where an elderly lady, who E 2 52 life's masquerade. performed at once the part of governess and companion to Eveleen, was seated at the piano, laboriously spelling out the overture to a new opera that had then lately appeared. Seeing who it was, she rose and bowed, and Hamilton taking a seat, asked after Mr. and Miss De Courcy. " Did not the servant," inquired the governess, whose name was Marriott, "inform you that Mr. De Courcy left this morning for London ? " "No." " How very silly of him ! Yes. Mr. De Courcy received this morning a letter demanding his presence at once at some office or other in the city." " And Miss De Courcy, has she accompanied him ? " " No ; I believe she is in the garden." At that moment the door opened, and Eveleen entered the room. She wore upon her head a large straw hat, from which escaped a profusion of her fair hair, disarranged perhaps by some recent exercise. Her cheeks were dyed with a rich colour, and as she stood at the door smiling at Hamilton, he thought he had never seen her look more fascinatingly beautiful. LOVE. 53 " I find I am an intruder, Miss De Courcy," he said, rising and advancing towards her. u Until informed by Miss Marriott, I was unaware of the absence of your father." " Oh, no ; you are never an intruder," Eveleen answered, laughing. " We are always so glad to see you. But won't you come into the garden ? it is so beautiful out, and this room seems so dreadfully close and musty, after the fresh air." Such an invitation could not of course be refused. So they went out ; — the governess with a white handkerchief tied around her head, fol- lowing behind; — it being her business to look after Eveleen during her father's absence. Of the presence of this useless companion Hamilton was not aware, until, glancing around, he observed her solemnly pursuing them. He looked down at the sweet girl by his side, and exclaimed with a smile, " I thought we were only two, but I find we are three." " Oh, you mean Miss Marriott," replied Eveleen without turning her head. " But she is easily got rid of, if you like." " Will you try the experiment ? I am curious to see how duennas are to be dismissed." " Miss Marriott," said Eveleen, stopping and 54 life's masquerade. addressing that elderly person, " there is a new volume of Moore's poems in my room, on the table, and the leaves want cutting : do you mind doing so, that I may have it ready for this evening ? " " I anticipated the request, Miss Eveleen," replied Miss Marriott, imperturbably, " and cut them myself this morning, soon after they were sent from the shop." Eveleen turned and resumed her way, with the least possible pout. " She is too clever for you," whispered Ha- milton. " Is she though ! " retorted Eveleen, glancing defiance at him from her shaded eyes. She walked on in silence for a few moments, and then suddenly slackening her pace, allowed Miss Mar- riott to approach her side. Eveleen commenced a conversation with her. The subject was music ; and presently there sprung up a little argument : and Hamilton was appealed to. The question was, a certain air from one of the operas, which Eveleen hummed, and said it was from " Don Giovanni." This Miss Marriott had contradicted ; and then Hamilton was consulted. He declared he did LOVE. 55 not know the opera well, but fancied Miss Mar- riott was in the right. A smile of triumph sat upon this lady's features as she exclaimed " I am certain of it." But so was Eveleen; and as neither would agree, there was only one way of settling the argument. This was, for Miss Marriott to fetch the opera in question, and vindicate her mu- sical knowledge by proving the air not to be Mozart's. All this was accomplished in five minutes, and Hamilton found himself alone with Eveleen — laughing heartily at this display of feminine cunning. " It is really very unpleasant to be watched so closely, is it not ? " said Eveleen. " One would imagine that I was the most wilful of beings, constantly demanding a rigid surveillance. When papa is at home, I do just as I like : but the moment he is absent, Miss Marriott commences to play the dragon." Hamilton quite agreed with her : and the} r walked on a short while without speaking, mu- tually embarrassed, though they knew not exactly why. At last they came to a seat, beneath a beautiful willow -tree, whose sweeping branches 56 life's masquerade. were bent down and confined to the earth so as to fashion a charming summer-arbour. Here Hamilton proposed that they should seat themselves : an arrangement into which Eveleen entered with apparent pleasure. " Miss Marriott," she said, " will never know where we are. Won't it be delicious to see the poor old thing searching about for us ! " It was a quiet evening, and though yet day- light, one or two stars in the darker eastern sky were visible. The air was sweet with the rich fragrance exhaled by the autumnal flowers and leaves ; and now and then might be heard the tiny note of some evening insect, some late wassailer still in search of amusement when all its honest brother insects were in bed and asleep. It was a poetry- provoking scene, and Hamilton speedily felt its influence. " In such a night," he began, " Did Thisbe fearfully o'ertrip the dew ; And saw the lion's shadow ere himself, And ran dismayed away. " And a sweet low voice by his side took up the strain, and replied — LOVE. 57 11 In such a night Stood Dido with a willow in her hand, Upon the wild sea banks, and waved her love To come again to Carthage." There was something in the word love, uttered by those lips, that thrilled through his being ; a flood of wild, of glorious, of happy emo- tions swept over his heart : he took a hasty glance at the fair form by his side, and the next moment his hand was around her waist, and he was pouring his glowing love into her ear. Her cheek crimsoned, but she did not repulse him. As if conscious that it had at length found its life's resting-place, the fair head was rested upon his breast, and her eyes were turned upon his — speaking deep love from their dark depths, in which was expressed the purity of the spirit within that animated them to their mellow ra- diance. And as if emblematical of their future, a faint wind arose and sighed sadly through the leaves of the weeping-willow that overshadowed these lovers. But soon they heard a voice calling : and Eveleen started to her feet. 58 life's masquerade. "It is Miss Marriott ! " she exclaimed. " She must not find us here !/' When they encountered this elderly lady she seemed frightened and pale. " Goodness gracious me!" she said, " where did you get to, Miss Eveleen ? I have been calling you until I am. positively hoarse ! " Which, indeed, appeared the case, for she spoke huskily. " We were down in the lower walk," replied Eveleen ; " and the moment we heard you, we came." " Well, Fve brought ' Don Giovanni;' but it's too dark to see it now. However, I have care- fully looked through it, and the air you hummed is not in, as I thought." Eveleen, who was occupied with considerations of a rather different nature, drily answered — " Oh ! " But Hamilton, who saw the necessity of con- ciliating the old lady, said — " I fancied you were right ; although, as I told you, I didn't know the opera. By the way, you must have a remarkably good ear, besides a strong memory, to remember such tunes." This tickled Miss Marriott, who piqued her- LOVE. 59 self upon her musical acquisitions. And, thus conversing, they returned to the house. Hamilton left soon after; and, before going, took an opportunity to whisper to Eveleen that he would call and see her father on the morrow. Then raising her hand to his lip when Miss Mariiott had her back turned, he bade them both farewell, and went home. CHAPTER V. QUESTIONABLE COMPANIONSHIP. There stood at the corner of a little street leading out of High Street a small house, upon which was inscribed in large characters " George Hotel.'* Here were wont to bait the coaches going to or from London ; and here were wont to assemble of an evening the young men of the town of Y , for the purpose of enlivening the tedium of the hours by a game of billiards. As it was the only house in the place at which a passion of this amusement could be indulged, the room was generally pretty crowded ; and when the evening happened to be wet the throng was so very thick as frequently to be productive of much noise, swearing, and confusion. At these crises the master of the hotel, a fat, smiling man in shirtsleeves, would appear at the door, and after making a laborious bow, petition the QUESTIONABLE COMPANIONSHIP. 61 inmates of Lis billiard-room to behave them- selves. On the night of the events detailed in the last chapter, Jem, the " boots " of the " George," who was employed in cleaning some glasses at the bar, asked the billiard-marker, who had descended to refresh by a thin potation the inner-man, what company he had upstairs. " Two young gents," was the reply. Whereupon Jem expressed his surprise at the fact, and congratulated his friend upon the prospect of having a light evening's work. The billiard-marker having nodded back his satisfaction at the probability, ignited a short clay pipe, and slowly remounted the staircase. What he had said was quite the fact. Only two young men were in the billiard-room, and one of them happened to be no less a person than Mr. Sloman. He was playing with a young man, evidently a stranger to him, who after he made his stroke would rest upon his cue, watch- ing the movements of the deformed person of his antagonist. It seemed that to this young man there was more amusement to be extracted out of Mr. Sloman's body than from the game. 62 life's masquekade. When they had been thus occupied for some ten minutes the door opened, and a third person entered. Lighting a cigar at a gas-jet that streamed over the marker's head, he took a seat in the corner, and folding his arms upon his breast, appeared to watch intently the game. Sloman had been so engrossed with his occu- pation that he had not noticed the entrance of this person ; nor was it until some excellent play had elicited a cry of approval that Sloman raised his head, and met the glance of Murray fixed upon him. They bowed to each other, and Murray ex- claimed " Very well played, Mr. Sloman." To the banker's clerk this was an act of con- descension on the part of a client exceedingly gratifying. Sloman smiled his thanks, and con- tinued his game with redoubled zeal. Presently the marker declared Sloman the victor; and his opponent flinging half-a-crown upon the table, took his hat from a peg and left the room. " You play a capital game, Mr. Sloman," said Murray, rising from his seat and advancing towards him. QUESTIONABLE COMPANIONSHIP. 63 " It's very kind of you to say so, sir," replied Sloman. "A capital game, indeed. Come, will you have a bout with me ? " They played, and Sloman triumphed. Such was the case three times running. " What was the rubber ? " " Five shillings, sir, I think you said." Murray put the money into his hand. Sloman was in high spirits ; he had won seven-and- sixpence. The room was now beginning to fill, and Murray prepared to leave, when suddenly turning he said to Sloman, w I am going to have a glass of brandy-and-water in the coffee-room. Do you feel disposed to join me ? " This was quite overpowering. Sloman humbly bowed his thanks, and followed Murray down- stairs. The coffee-room was empty ; and seating them- selves at a side table the waiter was summoned, and their wants supplied. Sloman's arms jerked restlessly about, in evident embarrassment. It was plain he was not used to such treatment. " Well, Mr. Sloman," began Murray, " and how do you like Y ? " 64 life's masquerade. " Oh, very well indeed, sir ; it's a capital place." " And how is your Bank getting on ? " " Middling, sir ; we opened two new accounts yesterday." " Ah, you'll get on well enough by-and-by. By the way, what a nice fellow you have for a manager ! " Murray shaded his eyes by bending his head as he said this, and glanced keenly at Sloman. There was no reply. " A fine, jovial, good-looking fellow,'' continued Murray ; " a little too brusque perhaps — too blunt, too plain-spoken," he added, interpreting the word that his companion might the better understand him. Sloman gave him a hard, searching look ; then answered, " Yes, sir ; he is as you say, a little blunt." " I remember once," continued Murray, assum- ing a careless voice and still closely scrutinising Sloman's features, " when I had occasion to enter your offices, I heard him address one of you two clerks in a manner that, though I couldn't help laughing at the curious terms he used, I thought that he for whom they were QUESTIONABLE COMrANIONSHIP. 05 meant must have been greatly indignant. At least I know such would have been my feelings," added he, sipping from his tumbler. Sloman blushed to the roots of his hair, and bent his head to hide his confusion. " But," said Murray, still in the same offhand tone, " I suppose such hard words are of frequent occurrence in a bank where there are so many inferiors and so few superiors." There was a pause. Suddenly Sloman, striking the table heavily with his fist, rose to his feet, and exclaimed in a voice trembling with passion : " Have you brought me here only to insult me ?" His face was livid, and his whole frame seemed convulsed with rage. Murray did not appear startled by this sudden display of temper. He answered coolly, " Certainly not." " If you have," continued Sloman in a voice pitched to the tone of a shriek, " let me tell you it is mean, contemptible, cowardly of you ! And he — you heard him ! Look ! M he cried, seizing his throat between his trembling hands, and compressing it until his eyeballs were visibly protruded from their sockets, " I'll have him like this some of these days — I'll have them all like this who remind me of my curse. A Jew — VOL. I. F 66 life's masquerade. let them call me Jew ! He'll suffer for it — he does not know me. I'll not forget him ! He has called me Jew ! " And, as if the expression choked him, he spat in the air; then turning on his heel marched with his long arms swinging hy his side out of the room. Murray sat motionless for some moments after his departure. Then a slow, peculiar smile over- spread his features. He plainly perceived that the deformed carcase of Sloman embodied the spirit of something, for which it is not easy to find another name than fiend. What he had before conjectured he now found confirmed. Perhaps, however, he had not reckoned upon quite so much vehemence. He had an object in goading him thus ; but he had no idea that the spur he used lacerated a part so terribly vital. Plainly, he was a little startled at the demon he had himself conjured up. He sat for a long while absorbed in meditation. The hands of the clock pointed to eleven before he rose from his chair. When he did so a faint smile lingered yet upon his lips. He was talking to himself. " If all else fails, this is a tool that will serve me. There was never sent a fitter instrument upon QUESTIONABLE COMPANIONSHIP. 07 earth to work a bad deed with." He continued muttering to himself as he left the room, and passed through the corridor of the inn. On the day following this occurrence Hamilton, with a mind agitated by many conflicting emo- tions, repaired to the residence of Mr. De Courcy, and inquired if that gentleman had returned from London. The answer was in the affirma- tive ; but Hamilton was struck with the manner in which it was delivered. The servant, a foot- man, had replied in a rather jaunty and offhand manner ; and in the way in which he stood swinging the door to and fro by the handle, and one leg backwards and forwards over the other, he evinced a want of respect that Hamilton remarked at once, and imagined the fellow in- toxicated. He made no remark, however; but pushing by requested to see Mr. De Courcy at once. The servant, instead of showing him into the drawing-room, as he was in the habit of doing, conducted him to a small ante-room, where he informed him Mr. De Courcy would see him. Hamilton grew anxious. In the behaviour of this footman ho plainly enough perceived the F 2 68 life's masquerade. shadow of some coming event. To a mind already agitated the least cause is sufficient to add to its perturbation. Hamilton tried to con- sole himself by picturing Mr. De Courcy as he had hitherto known him to be — jovial and hearty. He conceived him readily granting his permission to the union, and calling Eveleen in to unite their hands. Then he imagined Eveleen's de- light ; the quiet joy expressed in her lovely eyes ; the tender pressure of her hand as he glanced at her with the pride and gladness of a husband. Such is the human heart — ever hastening to extremes ; ignoring that middle course by which the whole conduct of life is regulated ; but now suffering its hopes to elevate it to the highest heaven of bliss ; and now groaning beneath the oppression of imagined sorrow. From his pleasing reverie Hamilton was awakened by the entrance of De. Courcy. He rose to shake him by the hand ; the hearty greeting was wanting ; a cold, though not dis- courteous salute was all Hamilton gained. They sat down opposite each other, and then there came a short pause. De Courcy fixed an inquiring glance upon Hamilton, and the latter understood that he was expected to begin. QUESTIONABLE COMPANIONSHIP. 69 But to go plump to the subject in hand in Mr. De Courcy's present frame of mind, which, if Hamilton could jud^e by the cloud that darkened his brow, seemed not wholly amiable, would have been ridiculous. Some circumlocutory disquisi- tion was first necessary, to pave the way to the declaration ; so Hamilton (poor Hamilton !) said that the weather looked promising ! No sooner was this silly remark uttered than Hamilton cursed himself for having spoken it. He experienced in a moment that contempt for himself common to every mind that has placed itself in a false or absurd light ; and so without giving Mr. De Courcy time to reply, he morally braced himself up, and went head-foremost into the subject. " The motive of this interview," he began, "is to discuss with you, Mr. De Courcy, a question in which is involved the whole of my future career of happiness, or " But Mr. De Courcy had stopped him by holding one hand up, and commencing to speak. " I anticipate what you are about to ask me," he said, firmly ; " and to avoid giving you un- necessary pain, let me briefly inform you that it cannot be." 70 life's masquerade. He crossed his legs, and leant back in his chair, dangling the seals of his watch-chain. Hamilton turned pale ; hut he remained cool- so cool, that he was surprised at himself. " I cannot doubt by your reply that you have anticipated the motives of this interview correctly; although, to avoid any error, it may be perhaps necessary for me to proceed in what I was saying." " It is quite unnecessary. You have come to solicit my daughter Eveleen's hand. My pre- sumption is correct, is it not ? " Hamilton bowed his head. "When, then, I inform you that I cannot entertain your request — that I could not sanction the union — we shall be both spared the pain of further discussing this unpleasant subject." Not a muscle of Hamilton's face moved ; per- fectly collected, he said : " You will pardon me, I am sure, sir, if I make one or two observations. By your explicit rejection of my appeals, I am, un- avoidably, led to arrive at one of two conclusions : either that you have been prejudiced against me by some unknown person ; or that my present position is such as to render me unworthy of your daughter. The latter I am unwilling to QUESTIONABLE COMPANIONSHIP.