L I B R.AFLY OF THL UNIVERSITY or ILLINOIS . I ^^ AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. a Nobel BY THE AUTHOS OP " THE gambler's WIPE," " SYBIL LEXXARD/' " ALIXE," " THE RECTORY GUEST," &C. &C. IX THREE VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON : T. C. NEWBY, PUBLISHER, WBLBECK STREET, CAVEXDISH SQUARE. 1850. CrP.'^'^o ^ X •^ Si A.'S OLD COU]!fTIlY HOUSE. CHArTER I. There is a festival where knights and dames, And aught that wealth or lofty lineage claims Appear. Lara, Anon a careless herd, Full of the pasture, jumps along by him, And never stays to greet him. As You Like It. ^"^ " Stoke walls have ears/' the proverb says, -^ and that they have tongues too, also may \_ seem as truly implied, else how are those 9^ TOL. I. B 2 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. many secrets of private history noised abroad, which those they concern had deemed so inviolate — and hence did not dehcacy prohibit it, how much adaptation for his pen might there not be furnished to the writer or poet from the annals of real life? How^ much more romantic than romance — more unlikely than fiction, for truly has it been remarked so often — ^' Le vrai n'est pas toujour s le vraisem- hlabler Still there is much in what we see or hear around us, which less closely familiar and defined, leaves to the imagination free liberty and play to work itself out into form and substance to the living or the dead. A house, a room, a few discovered written words, which the slightest hint has led us to regard with interest and atten- tion, often conjures up the most romantic AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 3 visions in our brain, but still more a pic- tured face looking down upon us from the gallery wall of some old country house, with eyes in which a world of significance seems to be, arouses the conviction that had " those lips " but " language," they must surely tell a tale which would freeze the blood, or make it dance with ardour and delight, would chain the listening spirit in breathless attention in awe and curiosity. " Yes, those old country houses," thus to continue a quotation from the same most interesting writer, " are in themselves an inestimable national treasure ; a thousand endearing associations gather about them. What an opening of the human heart would be there ! There is nothing more splendid, or surprising, or fearful, or pa- thetic, or happy, or fanciful in romance than would be there discovered. There is no success, no glory of life and action, no image of princely or baronial power, no B 2 4 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. strange freaks of fortune, none of the startling or the moving incidents of hu- manity, but have there enrolled themselves. What noble hearts, what great and pathetic spirits have dwelt at one time or another in these old places ! and then what beautiful and bewitching creatures have cast through them the sunshine of their presence ; have made them glad with their wit and their gay fancies, and their strong affections, or have hallowed them with their sufferings and their tears \" "Oh! for the revelation of the fair forms — of the scenes of successful or sor- rowful love — of the bridals or the burials, of the poetic dreams and pious aspirations that have warmed or saddened these old walls through the flight of ages !" We need not apologize to the reader for a quotation whose graphic style will fully plead its own excuse ; may the tale it ushers in, disappoint not the expectations AN OLD COUNTBY HOUSE. 5 naturally excited by such glowing imagery of description. I was very young when I was taken by a relation to visit the ancient seat of the Malverns in shire, on the occasion of a grand fete given annually in the splendid pleasure grounds of that domain. It was a gay and brilliant scene, into which, from the magnificent avenue through which, we approached the mansion, we found ourselves straightway transported, but to me more formidable and bewilder- ing than pleasurable and amusing' — for I was shy, unsophisticated, and unassured, and the finding myself strange and unno- ticed, amidst a throng of people who^ seemed like one large family all full of ease and enjoyment, perfectly damped that in- terest and entertainment which more in- dependent and initiated spirits than my 6 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. own might have been able to extract from the novelty and excitement of a scene, in which in Hke manner, they formed the spectators rather than the partakers — and as standing, or creeping, by my diaper one's side — miknown, miremarkable, conse- quently unnoticed and unremarked, I envied the beautiful, the graceful, the fashionable, and the gay ; as they swept by me ab- sorbed in their respective pleasures and excitements, laughing or talking, flirting or singing ; on land, on water, in shade or in sunshine, in temple, or in grove ! There was one amongst the company, who attracted my especial observation, if not envy, one apparently about my own age. She could have been scarcely more than sixteen — a lovely creature ! of a love- liness perhaps more of expression than of feature, but still most truly lovely, who as AN OLD COrXTRY HOrSE. 7 fairy-like as she flitted across my sight, her voice ringing clear and joyously in song, in prattle or in laughter, seemed ever to attract the smiles, the interest, the delight of those amongst whom she moved ; to be in short the privileged pet and favorite of the party. Ah, how unwittingly do we envy others the flattering semblance of conspicuous- ness ! The effect is bright and pleasurable, but if we could but trace the cause which has drawn upon them this coveted guerdon, unwilling should we often be to exchange our own insignificance for that which has been gained at so high or melancholy a price. Later in the afternoon I asked ray aunt who this young lady might be. " Miss Rashleigh, my dear," she replied. " But howpale you look, Susan! I hope you are enjoying yourself," sheaddednowforthe first time noticing my dejected and wearied countenance ; so absorbed had been my 8 AN OLD COUN'TRY HOCTSB. chaperone with the numerous acquaint- ances she possessed amongst the company. Having introduced me on our first ar- rival to one or two young people, she had deemed her duty done on my behalf, and never thought till this moment of ascer- taining whether I was really amused like the rest. I could but languidly assent to her last expression of anxiety. What with the long drive preceding my arrival, the heat, the fatigue of so much standing, without the exhilarating im- pulse of pleasure or excitement, my head was by this time aching fearfully. " She looks dreadfully tired, poor child, '^ remarked a good-natured looking lady standing near us, " had she not better sit down.'' "I have a headache," I said, meeting eagerly the first approach to anything like sympathy and attention I had yet en- countered. AX OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 9 This confession drew forth the desired compassion and concern. The aforesaid lady proposed my going to the house, even offering to conduct me there herself. " It will be full an hour or more before the dinner, and perhaps a little rest and quiet will make you fit for the dancing in the evening," she added. As to the dancing, I could feel but little anxiety on the subject at that moment. but I was glad to accept the kindly proffer, and my aunt making no objection, I was accordingly led off from the gay and httle heeding throng. " I have not tlie slightest idea,'' said my conductress, as having brought me through divers shrubbeiy walks and parterres we entered b}' a side door into the mansion, " where you and Lady Frances are to be lodged, but I will put you in charge <^f some one who will take good care of yon. and m.ake you comfortable. Come this way !" B 5 10 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. And the lady — evidently a relation of the family, or very familiar friend and visiter — turning from the portion of the house by which we had entered, down some long passages, at length ascended a flight of oaken stairs, and knocking at a door in the corridor w^hich we then attained, opened it unceremoniously, and entered the apartment. " Oh ! Mrs. Lilly, I am so hot and tired," was her first exclamation, as untying her bonnet, she threw herself upon a chair as if exhausted by her exertions," and I have brought this young lady all the way up from the lake to the house to put her under your care ; she has a bad headache, and is quite knocked up with the heat and so forth — you must give her some sal- volatile or something of that sort, and let her lie quietly on the sofa till dinner." The person the lady thus addressed, and who now quietly rose and laid aside the work in which on our intrusion we had AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 11 found her engaged, was an elderly woman dressed in black and grey ; and who from her very respectable appearance, I naturally conjectured to be a domestic — perhaps a housekeeper — of very superior order in the establishment. The apartment of which we found her the occupant was capacious and comfortable, furnished with oaken tables and presses, old fashioned chintz- covered chairs, and sofas. On one of the latter she civilly invited me to repose, removing my walking apparel with the same grave, quiet demeanour, then said she would order me a cup of coffee, and turning to my companion asked whether "her ladyship " would not also like to partake oi some refreshment. " No, I thank you, I must be off this moment," was the reply. " I am a little less tired now, and before I go out again, I shall take this opportunity of paying a visit to poor Dora." " You had better not. Lady Clara," the 12 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. old lady said, ia a dry, decided tone of voice. " You think not T the other quickly re- joined, and though the answer she re- ceived, was but a sad and mysterious movement of the head, it seemed, never- theless, to satisfy the inquirer, for she rose, without any further question or re- mark, save that expressed in the words, " Well, poor creature, perhaps so." Then bidding me good-bye, and hoping to find me better when we met again, she hurriedly departed. Mrs. Lilly, as I had heard her called, without further parley, also left the room, and in the space of five minutes returned, with the fragrant specific she had pre- scribed. I received it gratefully, and having taken back the cup, and arranged a soft cushion behind my head, on the comforta- ble sofa on which I reclined — urging the recommendation which I felt no inclination AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 13 to neglect — that I should remain quite quiet — she sat down again upon the arm- chair, near the window seat, on which a basket of plain work was placed — put on her spectacles, and resumed her needle- work. 14 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. CHAPTER II. " As when a soul laments, which hath been blest, Desiring what is mingled with past years, In yearnings that can never be expressed By sighs, or groans, or tears." TENiNYSON, " Airy, fairy Lilian, Flitting, fairy Lilian.*' Ibid. What a -strange change of scene, circum- stances, and companionship, appeared the still life, into which, as if by enchantment, AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 15 I had been transported, from that restless, buzzing, glittering movement, in which I had SO lately mingled ! But to me, the metamorphose was com- parative Elysium, and the coffee having speedily worked a most soothing influence both upon my head and spirits, I was able not only to feel a passive enjoyment of my situation, but some lively interest and curiosity in the scene surrounding me. I inwardly admired the old-fashioned style of the apartment, and the clock ticking so steadily in the corner, and the mono- tonous clicking of my companion's busy needle, were sounds much more pleasing to my ear, than had been the tones of laughter and singing I had lately heard. But principally, the living object before me gradually attracted my attention. Un- der other circumstances, she might have seemed little worthy of remark, but seated there, plying her homely task — so still, and apparently so abstracted and insensible to the excitement and hilarity, of which, at 16 AK OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. SO short a distance, crowds of her fellow- creatures were partakers — she particularly struck my fancy, and I was reminded at the time, of that favourite feature in the nursery story, when the heroine, wandering over some ancient castle, finds an old fairy spinning in a distant turret. My friend was not so very old neither — perhaps scarcely past sixty, but her hair was white, and she had a stick by her side, being rather lame — her countenance, too, either from care or ill-health, was aged more than her appearance would otherwise have indicated her to be. As my observation proceeded, I remarked further, an expression of earnest thought — far above that of the mere vulgar intelli- gence or carefulness, which commonly characterizes the ordinary individuals of her class. Gradually it even occurred to me, that what I had at first mistaken for placid absorption in her homely occupation was more the result of an internal pre-oc- cupation — a melancholy and depressing AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 17 cast of thought — and in this supposition I was the more strengthened, when, at length, the breeze from the open window faintly bringing to our ears the sounds of merri- ment, from the revellers of the fHe, she looked up, as if aroused from some painful meditation, to still more melancholy atten- tion, and laying down her work upon her knee, and fixing her moistened eye upon the casement, she listened for a moment, sadly shook her head, and then, as the sounds again died away, with a deep, heavy sigh, resumed her employment. I felt a growing desire to open some conversation with my silent companion, so, after a little demur, I ventured to remark what a fine day it was for the fete, though I had certainly found the heat very intense. To this, she civilly and courteously agreed. 18 AN OLD COUKTRY HOUSE- " But the grounds are beautiful-— so very beautiful !" T continued ; " and there is plenty of shade/' " Plenty of shade V' she repeated, so ab- stractedly, that it might have seemed she only caught the sound of my simple words, to attach to them deep thoughts, passing within her own mind. " Plenty of shade," she continued to murmur, in a low, significant tone, " if they had but hearts to feel it." I was almost frightened to proceed, after such a mysterious ejaculation, but emboldened by the juvenile curiosity awakening in my mind, I continued, after a pause, " I suppose you have lived here some time, and seen a great many of these fStesr " A great many, young lady," she re- plied, with less abstracted attention. *' They take place every year V I said interrogatively. " Yes, for a long time it has been so — AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSB. 19 for these t^Yenty years more or less !'' again relapsing into her absent tone and manner, " and but twice or thrice in that time has their light joy been darkened, their music hushed, their wine ceased to flow — what will stop them next 1 Nothing — nothing — if they can dance and laugh and sing, and she — "^ Remembering my presence she abruptly paused — her lips only moving as if in- wardly she were completing her sentence, then she wiped some drops away which had dimmed her spectacles and again re- sumed her composed and silent demeanour. I asked her who was the lady that brought me there. '-' Lady Clara, Lister," she answered, drily, and then the conyersation dropped. In less than ten minutes after, the door was abruptly opened, and Miss Rash- leigh flew into the room all flushed and ex- cited. " Oh, dear ^Irs. Lilly, I have had such a 20 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. misfortune — torn my frock from top to bottom r And she held up the dilapidated skirt. " Mj beautiful worked muslin — I cannot go to Cross, she will be so angry — do just run it up for the present, and you will darn it beautifully, like a good, dear creature, 1 am sure, to-morrow.'' Without any demur, Mrs. Lilly, after one comprehensive glance over the wide field of action thus supplied for her needle, selected the required implements, and set herself to the task. By this time the young lady had become aware of my occupation of the sofa, I having risen upon it in a sitting posture on her entrance, and fixing her large blue eyes upon me with some curiosity, she gave a sly nudge, and a glance at her old friend, as if to ask for information concern- ing the strange intruder. " A young lady who came from the grounds with a bad headache, my dear ; Lady Clara brought her here to rest," I heard her reply in a low tone. AN OLD COUXTRT HOUSE. 21 The bright little beauty gave a sort of shrug as if in very scorn and pity of any one who could have, or at any rate could yield herself prisoner to a headache on such any occasion, and again she regarded the dull stranger askance. " You have no headache, Miss Milly T* the old lady said, looking up sadly and affectionately in the young girl's beaming face. " A headache ? — no thank you — who could have one on — V then checking herself she said, laughing and blushing, and now looking good-naturedly at me, " I pity any one who has.'' " There are worse things than headaches. Miss Milly," suggested her grave atten- dant. " What, dear Lilly 1'^ enquired the young girl, carelessly, her anxiety seeming to address itself more to the delay these digressions of her sempstress occasioned in the repairing of her rent. " Torn frocks 22 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. perhaps you think worse/' and she laughed lightly. The old lady drew back, I thought, as if this levity, sweet and musical as its ex- pression sounded, pained and displeased her ear. " Ah, Miss Milly/' she said, sadly, and looking reproachfully into the young girFs eyes, "a torn robe maybe repaired, the aching head be soothed, but who shall mend, who shall heal the riven, broken, heart r Miss Rashleigh looked sorry, and was silent for an instant or two, watching, nevertheless, with more or less avidity the renewed progress of her mentor's fingers. I, in my turn, ventured to ask the young lady some questions concerning the even- ing proceedings, to which she very courte- ously replied. " Shall you be well enough to come into dinner V she asked, '' for it will be ready AN OLD COUNTKY HOUSE. 23 in a few minutes," glancing down upon Mrs. Lilly's fingers, '• and that makes me in such a hurrj, though of course uncle will keep me a good seat." '' Where do you dine V I enquired. " In the great pavillion," she continued, " and then we come to the house and dance as long as we Hke." " Well, I think if I may, I would rather stay here till you all come back from dinner, then I can join my aunt." '• Oh, you came with your aunt V she said, regarding me with a little increase of girlish interest and attention. " Yes, with my aunt. Lady Frances \" " And you stay all night V " Several days, I believe," was my answer. " Oh, yes, so you do — I remember now." Then breaking off with an exclamation of delight as she turned her eyes to behold the sempstress in the act of taking her fare- well stitch, she waited only, and that 24 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. impetuously, to allow the upraised skirt to be shaken and smoothed down into its proper place, and was starting away at full speed when the door opened abruptly from without and another lady appeared upon the threshold. AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE, 25 CHAPTER III I saw a shape of beauty in a dream Gazing upon me. Barry Cornwall. Then being alone, Left and abandoned of his velvet friends, " 'Tis right,'' quoth he, " this misery doth part The flux of company,'' As you Like it. Miss Rashleigh's impetuous course was immediately arrested. She stood at once quiet and submissive as a lamb before the VOL. L c 26 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. new comer, with countenance metamor- phosed into an expression of mingled em- barrassment and fear. But my observation was immediately engrossed by the last ap- parition. I had thought the young Miss Rashleigh lovely, when I first remarked her, but it was the immature loveliness of a child, or but a very faint image of that which I now beheld ; though here there was neither extreme youth, nor the aid of festal toilette in its favour. This lad}^ had decidedly past her thirtieth year, though how far beyond that age, no one could have divined. There was a colour upon her cheek — that peach-like bloom, seen sometimes on ancient pictures of beautiful women, adorn- ing the gallery walls of noble mansions, but which I had never before beheld on living face. Her skin altogether was as delicate and pure, as must have beeii that of Lord Cassilas's lady, through whose throat, tra- AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 27 dition says, the red wine could be seen while she was drinking. Her eyes darted clear, briglit, and piercing, from the long, wide, snowy lids, whilst her mouth — thougli not of the most regular beauty — was never- theless one, which, with those full, red lips, is generally the most admired, and one to which must have belonged " a most be- witching smile/' Her figure was of grace- ful height and symmetry, though evidently thinner now, than it once might have been. " The pride, too, of her step/' w4s that of one born with a right " To walk some Heavenlier element, And tread in places, where her feet A star at every step should meet." Why was it not so now? Why was she not moving amidst the gay scene without, in which she would have shone the queen — the jewel "? c 2 28 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. Why was she here, in that loose, ne- glected attire, instead of decked for the festival, hke those less fair than her, in the bright apparel she would have so well become '? That the lady had from sickness been thus precluded, was my first most natural conclusion, but the impression of admira- tion her first appearance produced upon my mind, was diversified into interest of a different nature, by her subsequent peculiar deportment. On finding herself face to face with the young girl, whose egress she had arrested, she regarded her, for a moment, with a quiet, scrutinizing glance, then exclaimed, in a voice strange and unnatural, " Ah, you are here — I thought I heard your voice — well ! were you coming to me or not '? — perhaps, escaping back to your gay company, and I have caught you against your will V and the lady laughed sarcastically. AX OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 29 " But jou should not laugh and talk so loud," she continued ; " my ears are very sharp." " I will come, mama, if you like," I heard Miss Rashleigh murmur, in a tone which too plainly indicated more of pained embarrassment than affectionate alacrity. '•' I thought—" " Yes, no doubt," the other harshly in- terrupted ; " you thought as they all think — and have taught my child to think also. Go — go," she continued, waving her hand impatiently, " I will not keep you." " You had better go to dinner, Miss Milly," the housekeeper said, hurriedly, coming in aid of the young girl, who still stood as if in distressed uncertainty as to what course she was to pursue. " And after it is over, you can come back and stay with your mama." '"' Oh, 3"es — go — go to your dinner," ex- claimed the lady ; and as the young girl, 30 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. now with downcast mien, slowly withdrew, she advanced into the room, and threw herself, v/ith another of those jarring, scornful laughs upon a chair — and then continued — " Dinner is of most weighty importance, I am aware ; but then," softening her tone into one of strange sweetness — " Poor child, why should she have a heart more than the rest of them — what brought her here, dear Lilly V " She came to have her frock mended," the old lady replied, in a grieved tone, at the same time, by a quick glance, directing the speaker's attention to my presence. She turned round quickly on perceiving me, and drawing up her figure, composed her demeanour to one of cold dignity and hauteur, then rose, as with the intention to depart. ," Do not let me be in the way," I said, addressing myself to the housekeeper. " I AIT OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 31 feel better now, and might, perhaps, go down into the drawing-room till my aunt returns. ' " Oh no ; pray do not disturb yourself on my account," the lady replied, with most self-possessed courtesy ; and again Mrs. Lilly coming to my aid with explana- tions, as to the unaccountable occupation of her apartment — Mrs. Rashleigh — as I now concluded her to be — even expressed a kindly interest and sympathy in my situa- tion, which I could not have expected. " It is very hard for you to be shut up here, young lady," she said, feelingly. " Is your head-ache so very bad that you could not join this dinner with that little girl who has just made her escape so gladly r " Oh, no — it is nearly gone," I replied ; " but I did not care for the dinner ; and if I might be shown the way to the drawing- room, I would wait till my aunt, Lady Frances, and the rest came to the Louse.'' 32 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. "Oh, you are Lady Frances's niece," she rejoined, examining me with more in- terest ; then rising with a kind of restless excitement, and turning to the elder per- sonage, she said, with a determined flash from her brillant eyes — " Lilly, if this young lady likes to go down stairs, I will show her the way — *It will be a beguiling of my. weary time,'" the tone and manner in which she made this proposal seemed to ex- press. The old lady looked up silently — but as if more surprised than pleased at this pro- posal on the lady's part. Any objection, however, she might have felt inclined to advance, she had evidently not the courage to pronounce ; and I, half flattered — half embarrassed by the con- descension of the strange and beautiful being, having expressed my thanks to Mrs. Lilly for the kind attention and ac- commodation I had received from her, AN OLD COUKTRY HOUSE, 33 "was forced to hurry from the room after my impatient conductress, whose retreat- ing steps I noticed the old lady followed with an anxious eye- c 5 34 AN OLD cou:ntey house. CHAPTER lY. Come to my heart, my only stay, Companion of a happier day, Thou gift of Heaven — thou pledge of good — • Harp of the mountain and the wood. Weened not my heart when youth had flown, Friendship would fade, and fortune frown, When pleasure, love, and mirth were past, That thou shouldst prove my all at last. EtIKICK SHEI'IIF.RD. I WAS led through many devious ways and windings, of what seemed an old and very spacious mansion. But I had not much attention to bestow I AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 35 on the local interests of my transit — it was 80 strangely engrossed at the time by fol- lowing the progress of my cicerone as she glided on before me, with swift, unhesi- tating step, and as I perceived, on her once turning her head, to ascertain that I was near, with a strange, fixed smile upon her countenance, which appeared, I thought, to partake rather of the fiendish than the angelic. And so we arrived in time at tLe prin- cipal department of the mansion — the place of corridors, vestibules and anti- rooms, all furnished and adorned in a rich but antiquated style. And on the lady strode, over the thick, soft, velvet carpets, as before, or the oaken boards, or down the naked, slippery stairs, smooth, stately, noiseless, unresting, look- ing neither to the right or to the left, but gliding on as a queen might pass in her prideful superiority through the familiar precincts of her palace — her enchanted palace I might almost have deemed it. 36 AN OLD COUNTKY HOUSE. The lioiise seemed so still and deserted; not a living soul had we encountered — the operations connected with the banquet now in progress, concentrating, I suppose, the establishment in the immediate sphere of duty and exertion; so that the fanciful illusion might have been easily suggested to the imagination, in conjunction with the being so well formed to favor the visions of romance. Many a stern, or proud, or beautiful face — less beautiful, however, than her own — looked down upon her from the pic- tured walls, their featuies almost seeming to relax and soften, as if courting her re- gard as she floated by. But she as unheedingly pursued her way, nor turned, nor lifted up an eye until her destination was attained ; I still closely following, unnoticed, and almost, as I could have deemed myself, forgotten. At length, we had entered a saloon of costly and luxurious appearance, but still of a style and keeping quite in character AN OLD COJJ^sTRY HOUSE. 37 with the rest of the mansion — a costliness and luxuriance more in accordance, per- haps, with the tastes and ideas of olden than of modern times, but none the less to be admired and enjoyed; when, as now, to be seen preserved in such wiicjue perfection. Of the several objects and fea- tures which from their nature and arrange- ments gave such effect and character to the whole, 1 could not attempt to particu- larize, though a catalogue raisonne might have been well compiled therefrom, upon which a Horace Walpole might have de- hghted to dilate. The general effect vras all that my un- scientific and unindividualizing eye was able to comprehend, and the impression produced on my senses at the time, that which 1 can now most distinctly recall, I thought the very fragrance impregnating the atmosphere of the apartment as exhaled from the cedar cabinet, bottles, boxes and other ornaments and furniture of antique shape and workmanship, from jars of rare 38 AN OLD COUNTRY HOtJSE. old china, such as many a virtuoso would have fallen down to worship, seemed to breathe like incense, rising from the en- shrined ashes of the past, and I felt my breath oppressed, as with an almost reve- rential awe. The dark, umbrageous foliage of the trees of centuries' growth, which on the eye wandering to the large stained and embla- zoned window, were seen waiving heavily beyond, aided admirably in heightening the influence thus produced upon the ima- gination. In my first surprise and absorption in a scene to me so striking and so new, I had even forgotten the previously engrossing object of my interest and attention. When I next looked in the lady's direc- tion, she was seated, leaning back in a large, damask bergere, half turned towards the window, half towards the spot where I, AN OLD COUXTEY HOUSE. 39 in riveted examination of all around me, had paused, still standing. She did not seem to display any con- sciousness of my presence, or remark, though whilst her hands, slender and transparent almost to attenuation — and this the only sign of ill health, I could as yet have thought to observe in her appearance — were clasped together, her fingers slowly and convulsively, in strong sign of internal unrest, twining themselves one within the other, her eyes were all the while dreamily and wonderingly travelling around her. But it was as if " her soul had wandered from its dwelling, and their lustre was not of this earth." A painful idea now assailed me — might this really be the case ? Did the peculia- rity evident on the deportment of this beautiful, interesting being, portend any- thing of this dreadful nature \ I had seen her mood and mien take such different turns and chai'acters in the short 40 A^ OLD COtmTll^ HOUSE. space which had elapsed even since her first entrance into Mrs. Lilly's room to the present time — such quick and varied tran- sitions — then the circumstance of her not participating in the gaieties of the rest of the family — the fear and anxiety I had observed in the demeanour towards her of tiie only two individuals with whom I had as yet seen her in contact! — All this con- joined, appeared sadly in favour of this conjecture, and I looked at the lady again more narrowly, and with an uncomfortable feehng of curiosity. But save those wandering orbs and the painfully quivering fingers, she was still and motionless as a picture, and I almost forgot the unpleasing purpose of my scru- tiny, as I thought how well she filled in as a feature of the scene, which I have just described. I have alluded to her undress attire when compared with the style of those with whom I had been mixing at the fSte, but for the picturesque and effective AX OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 41 it was considerably more appropriate and consistent, than any studied toilette of former fashion could have been. She wore a rich black silk dress, which, save the lace ruffles at the wrist and throat, was quite devoid of ornament, and which was made somewhat in the neglige style ; the skirt open in front displaying the white worked jupon beneath, whilst in a degree half veiling her head with its dark and lustrous chesnut hair was a small coif- like cap of lace, also black. As my eye thus dwelt upon her figure I could almost have identified her in fancy with the captive, ]\Iary Stuart, as she might have been seen in some one of her ancient English prison-houses, plunged in melan- choly musing over her fallen and disastrous fortunes ; regretful or accusing memory cruelly adding its corroding sting to her spirit's trouble or unrest. 42 AK OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. I know not how long the lady might thus have remained, if the silence had con- tinued undisturbed — my noiseless move- ment to a seat having been productive of no such effect, but suddenly a sound vi- brated through the still apartment — a sound which simple and accountable as it natu- rally was, the present state of nervous susceptibility to which my romantic situ- ation had worked my unsophisticated feel- ings, made my heart beat as if it had been one of most strange and mysterious por- tend. It was but the quick, sharp, silvery twang which denotes the snapping of a harp string — yet a heart string for aught I know might at the same time have given way — such was the thrilling sigh from the lady's breast, which almost simulta- neously attended the sound; and then setting forward she turned her head quickly, as one abruptly awakened from sleep; but with an instantaneous rallying of her collected- ness and previous alert vivacity of movement, AJs OLD COUNTPcY HOUSE. 43 she rose and with anxious eagerness glided across the room in the direction from which the tone had proceeded, and where my eye, thitherward attracted, had by this time also distinguished standing amongst the other furniture, as less for use than adornment, a harp of richly ornamental framework. Having reached the instrument and placed her hand upon it, she stooped, and dehcately, almost tenderly, even as a child might hold and handle some living favor- ite, which has sustained injury and hurt, examined and adjusted its fallen string with wonderful expedition and dexterity ; and then she pressed her arm around it, and leant her head against the embossed and gilded frame — in an attitude at once inexpressibly beautiful and touching, from the unaffected grace and melancholy it pourtrayed. But the spell-bound nature of my position, began to oppress me with a feeling approaching almost to supersti- tious fear. I determined to break the 44 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. enchantment, by forcing myself on her notice and recollection — whatever effect my temerity might happen to produce. So, with an effort to articulate in a tolerably steady and fearless tone and manner, I ventured to raise my voice and asked her whether she played or sang. Raising her head quickly, without otherwise altering her attitude, the lady looked towards me, for a moment, with a keen, star- tled glance ; then, as if the circums'ance of my presence and situation readily recurred to her, she smiled her courte- ous, sweet, and yet still absent smile, as if her thoughts could scarcely linger, than for the immediate instant, no longer retain, or recognize an object so remote and uncon- nected with their internal pre-occupation. But the matter of my enquiry seemed, nevertheless, to have been comprehended and received ; and as a suggestion, far from unhappy or unwelcome. The lady looked round again, though less at me than at some imaginary person who might have asked the question — AX OLD COrXTRT HOUSE. 45 smiled once more with sweet and playful animation, and ran her hands over the chords — just as she stood — in a short and brilliant prelude ; then paused and again looked round as if awaiting encourage- ment or applause. 1 murmured, timidly, my entreaty that she would proceed ; and seating herself in earnest, and with a kind of thirsting delight, to the employment, as to one which, long withheld, had been un- expectedly and indulgently restored to her, the room now soon resounded w^ith the varied and brilliant strains which her skill elicited from the silverv chords — " The trembling strings around her fingers crowd, And tell their joy at every kiss aloud." all the time her eye beaming, and her cheek flushing, as if with pleased and tri- umphant excitement, -whilst I felt — mingled with my astonished admiration — a kind of frightened misgiving as one might do on having been the instigator of some de- 46 AN OLD COTJNTEY HOUSE. lightful but questionable performance. At length, having executed a rapid succcession of wild and splendid passages, she made a momentary pause ; lifting up her eyes, a painful expression of serious thought was suddenly transfused into her countenance ; and thus, without any other preparation or preface, but one faint or wavering sweep upon the strings, she unlocked her long silent lips ; and sweetly, high and clear, but thril- linglj plaintive, in strange contrast to the former triumphant strains, she had awaken- ed, were those in which she now broke forth in song. Drearily and musingly she sigh- ed the verses forth as if the words had been the natural and spontaneous effusion of her own heart, and recollection had no part in their production. " I saw from the beach when the morning was shining, A bark on the waters move gloriously on, J came when the sun o'er the beach was declining, The bark was still there but the waters were gone ! AX OLD COUNTPwY HOUSE. 47 Ah, such is the fate of one's youth's early promise, So passing the spring tide of joy we have known Each wave that we danced on at morning, ebbs from us, And leaves us, at eve, on the bleak shore alone 1 She ceased — and I, though distressed and grieved at the ebulhtion, could feel no surprise, when sinking her head upon the harp, a burst of uncontrolled emotion followed her heart-rending strain. Indeed it was the most natural and healthful, though, perhaps, the most distressing as- pect under which I had as yet witnessed the poor lady's behaviour. Thus he : " Who in some close sequestered glade, Dreams of past years, and pleasures long expired ; There, as in pleasing solace of his pain, He bids the lute or rural reed complain. If chance a stray note's accidental fall, Some long-remembered melody recall ; Then bursts the S'gh — then tears in torrents roll. And griefs insatiate tide overwhelms the soul." Feeling that, under such circumstances, 48 AK OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. any attempt on my part to offer sym- pathy or solace, would be alike unwarrant- able and impossible, I was reduced to remain a silent spectator of this affecting scene. The first passionate paroxysm was but just allayed, the convulsive sobs seem- ing to die away into sounds less loud and frequent, when breaking discordantly upon those so sad and dreary, there struck upon my ear, through the open window, the light, gay tones of voices and of careless laughter. Nearer and nearer the sound seemed to approach. The company was evidently returning from the pavillion to the house. TKey would enter here, most probably, by the open window. I looked anxiously towards the lady, naturally expecting to behold her in startled preparation for retreat — but it was not so. She had been indeed aroused by the sounds, for she had raised her head and was in- tently listening, but with a dreamy calm AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 49 Upon her countenance, which seemed scarcely to denote a real estimation of the circumstances of her situation. Yet I could not but feel instinctively convinced, that whatever might be the merits of her case, it could not but prove most undesirable for her to be discovered here, at this present moment, and that it was, therefore, incumbent on me at least to warn her of the threatened danger. So rising, I exclaimed in a voice of alarm, which I really experienced for her sake : " They are coming!" These words produced the desired effect. She started to her feet, turning her eyes around her, as a beautiful deer might have done at the distant baying of the dogs — but still with a bewildered, undecided ex- pression, as if all presence and collected- ness of mind had forsaken her, for though the voices were sounding nearer and nearer, and a footstep was close at hand, she did not even make any attempt to reach VOL. L D 50 AN OLD COdNTEY HOUSE. the door which she might have effected in time. On the contrary, I was but the more despairing on her account, when I at length beheld her in the act of moving with fal- tering, and, as it appeared, objectless steps in an opposite direction, away from any visible point of egress, straight against the empanelled wall at the other extremity ; and there, to all appearance hke one blind or bereft of reason, she stood with groping hand and fluttering foot. Again I glanced towards the window — again I looked upon the poor, demented fugitive, and was now but the more con- founded and dismayed to perceiv^e her in that very twinkling of an eye to have vanished — yes, literally vanished from the spot which had contained her. AS OLD COFXTEY HOUSE. 51 CHAPTER V, The long carousal shakes the illumined hall, Well speeds alike the banquet and the ball ; And the gay dance of bounding beauty's train, Links grace and harmony in happiest chain. Lara. I WAS still standing, lost in petrified amaze- ment, when a lady and gentleman made their appearance at the window. Thej entered — the lady first — her eye reviewed the apartment ; — hurried, anxious scrutiny expressed therein ; whilst the gentleman, who more slowly and un- D 3 ^^ Of lu. ua. 52 AJT OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. certainly advanced, gazed about him with an eager and enquiring interest ; then my soHtary and insignificant presence being quicl:ly ascertained, both countenances seemed to relax, and the lady, glancing slightly upon me, and from me towards her companion, whose eyes were, neverthe- less, still wandering round the room, passed quickly on to throw open the door leadinginto the vestibule, and an adjoining suite of apart- ments, for the reception, probably, of the approaching company. This new debutante on the stage of my observation attracted my interest at the time, by the light of contrast in which she seemed to stand to that being on whom before, it had been so strongly conden- sed. She was, to all appearance, about eight or nine and twenty, of middle height, agreeable, if not elegant figure, and that fair, somewhat pale complexion generally accompanying the light hazel eyes and pale auburn hair which characterized her AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 53 appearance. Her other features were cor- rect, but unconspicuoua for any decided character or beauty. Altogether, she was more what is vaguely termed, " nice,^^ than good-looking. Her dress, too, was in strict conformity with the nature and characteristics of her person — totally devoid of anything the least bordering on ih.Q pro7ionc6 or con- spicuous in fashion or in style — ^yet in its every minutiae so well ordered, so comme il faut, that the whole produced an effect which, from its correctness and good taste, was as likely to draw upon it remark as a toilette of more admired and distinguished brilliancy ; whilst a quiet, self-assurance and calm composure, in her step and carriage, presented an equivalent for any degree of very decided natural grace, or dignity of mien, in which she might have been sur- passed by others of her sex. With all this, I cannot say I felt in any great degree attracted or prepossessed, but then my senses fresh from the exciting 54 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. fascination to which they had been pre- viously exposed, it was not surprising if they recoiled instinctively from an influence so comparatively cold and uDinviting, such as this new object was calculated to exercise over them. Then the gentleman — ^for my readers will begin to condemn my portrait gallery as most tamely feminine — at him we must just glance ere I diverge from a course of personal description, which must be becoming wearisome, into matters com- prising more of narrative and circumstantial detail. Well ! this personage, now under obser- vation, was one whom it would have been certainly difficult to overlook. Tall, finely proportioned, and of a carriage, air, and even glance which was immediately cal- culated to assure the beholder of his military profession, he was at the same time pre- eminently handsome in face and counte- nance — with brown hair, brown eyes, fine, high chiselled features, and expression A^' OLD COCFIEY HOUSE. 55 pleasantly temporizing the manly with the mild — the lion with the lamb. He was, in short, a specimen of his kind which does not often, in this our piping day of peace, fall under our observation, and I thought, as T looked upon him, stand- ing within the window, that if a hero had been required to match well with the mys- terious heroine of my late adventures no fitter could in any way have been provided for my fancy's satisfaction. Favoured by his abstraction, I was considering him in this light, with somewhat unceremonious attention, when unexpectedly withdrawing his earnest, curious inspection of the apart- ment, he turned his eye with a keen but quiet air of consideration upon my unpre- tending person, and that with an appearance and degree of interest and attention as astonishing as it was flattering to my humility. He even seemed, with a slight courteous smile to be about to address me, but some other envious individual entering at that 56 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. moment cut short his intention, and step- ping aside, he passed carelessly onwards in some other direction. And now my hour of romance had ended — the spirit of my dream was changed, or rather deprived at once of all visionary pretensions. The spell was broken — I was restored to a common-place perception and appreciation of surrounding objects — for beings of a style and character most dis- enchanting to the high pitched imagination now came pouring in upon the scene of my former enthralment. The scene in itself of course retained all its intrinsic antique and unique character, but its charm upon the senses was dispelled. Gentlemen and ladies most fearfully modern in deportment, manners, and costume, now filled the glorious old saloon with their un- assimilating presence, converting its aspect AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 57 more into that of a show, curiosity shop, than that retreat of lonely, solemn grandeur, wherein I had of late sat so entranced, and gazed until the place " Became religion, and tlie heart ran o'er With silent worship of the great of old. These uninspired ones now recUned on its grand old chairs and couches, leant against its massive furniture, buzzed curiously or carelessly around the most choice and precious of its gems and rehcs. One hand — most audacious — even went so far as to sweep its fingers across that harp's most silvery strings, from which seemed scarcely to have died, those tones of Heavenly, piercing sweetness, still linger- ing on my ear, and which the sacrilegious touch now revived, like the remembered music of a dream — as part of the vision, from which I had been so rudely awak- ened. D 5 58 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. I know not what instinctive association of ideas, moved me to turn my eyes, to seek out from amidst the unsympathetic throng, that noble-looking officer, whom I had previously honoured with my remarks, and that — foolish maiden — with the hope to read upon his countenance, some respon- sive echo to my injured sensibility — per- haps, even, to behold him step forward, to guard and defend that sacred treasure from further profane and vulgar touch. But, no — I was doomed to disenchant- ments. It was plain that the soul of chi- valry had not survived a bright and soli- tary denizen of to-day, even in a form so fitted to enshrine it. My hero of the moment made no such chivalrous demonstration, and coldly turned — if he turned at all — when the sacriligious sounds assailed his ear. And thus, though what reason I had then to conclude that he had, or should have had, part or interest in the matter, can be alone accounted for, AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 59 but by a most wonderful quontam of imagi- nation newly set to work by the unusual occurrences of the day. I almost believe I should have visited upon him this derelic- tion on his part, by a withdrawal of my previously concentrated interest and admi- ration, had he not, by the sequel, more successfully ingratiated himself in my sight. It was not very difficult so to do, you will probably say, when you listen to the cir- cumstances, but you would not, perhaps, thus slightingly have considered the case, had you been made the subject of the kindly smile and courteous glance, with which, in the course of the evening, or rather night — for dancing was kept up with much spirit till midnight was past — my hero came to my side, and seeing me sad, silent, and alone, again as at the morning fete, reduced to the melancholy role of looker on, he came, and, placing himself beside me, on the ottoman where I was seated, entered into conversation. 60 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. He had not been dancing — I had re- marked this, and was glad — he looked too superior for such an occupation — besides, fair readers, I have unintentionally omitted the fact, that he was not so young as may be required for a hero of romance — forty, perhaps, or thereabouts — an age at which such frivolities may easily be dispensed with. " Well, I suppose," he said, with that smile and glance to which I have before alluded, " I shall be considered lazy — but, really, having no such excitement as the rest, to keep me from desiring the luxury of a seat, after the fatigues of a most fatiguing sort of day, and finding a young lady, w^hose want of inclination (with a most courteous inflection of his voice,) I can alone conclude, exempts her from the necessity of perpetual motion, in which so many are enlisted, I may be excused, I think, yielding to the like indulgence, and hope to find in her the same sympathy and excuse/' AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 6 J I smiled and blushed. " But you do sometimes dance, I sup- pose V he continued. " Sometimes," I answered, in pleased confusion, excited by this, to me, flattering interest and consideration. " At any rate, you play — you sing de- lightfully," he persisted, in accents most unaccountably full of interest and regard. '- 1 play a little, but have alas ! no voice," I replied. " Really !" he continued, " but the harp — you surely play on that instrument." " Oh, no !" I replied, with quiet decision, '' not in the least — I never touched it." " Oh indeed !" he returned, with as- sumed carelessness, " I thought — I fancied, when I was approaching the house to-day that I heard — " '• Oh yes," I interrupted, for I knew now where he was, " but that waS not I." " Who — who then V he asked, fixing his expressive eyes upon me with a glance of quick, eager enquiry." 62 AK OLD COUKTEY HOtJSE. " A lad J," I replied, " I do not know her name." I paused, and he too asked no more, but sat in silent thought — once or twice just glancing up towards me as if meditating a return to the attack upon my sources of information, but refraining nevertheless ; and my aunt rejoining me shortly after, and addressing my companion, who rose at her appearance, I learnt to my satisfaction that I had been honoured by the notice of no less a person than the gallant Colonel Max Egerton. And there — reader, is not that a name worthy of a Knight of Ro- mance 1 All this time, like some gay " creature of the elements,'' was Milly mingling, as at the fSte, now in the dance, the sprightly pet and plaything of the company — her rich golden locks ever tossing from. her AK OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 63 mantling cheeks — her bright eyes ever dancing in the fulness of her gay delight. " Ever sportive, graceful, wild, Scarcely -woman — more than child !" I had not previously remarked that Colonel Egerton had bestowed upon her any personal notice or attention, but after our conversation I saw his eyes silently following her, as with earnest, serious at- tention. Then there was that cold and quiet lady whom I caused to pass before you in the saloon. She was here again with the same tranquil mien — the noiseless — almost im- perceptible, yet at the same time efficient superintendent of the gay proceedings — " Tout faire sans paroitre." Whom might she be — and who amongst the company was the rightful head of this large house, the Lord of this great feast ? I had been brought here in the most perfect ignorance of the place and its people — " picked up " 64 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. on the way by my aunt, into whose head it had never entered to enlighten me on the subject ; nor indeed had I eared to enquire what was to be the scene of my future debut. It had been a perfect blank to my before unawakened imagination — no presentiment of interest or excitement being attached thereto, therefore, perhaps, was it now but the more engrossed by the field of interest and remark, opened before its unsophisti- cated and unprepared perception ; and I believe from that day I may almost date the time when I first began to look about me with searching and enquiring eyes. " And know all qualities with a learned spirit Of human dealings." But whatever food for information! might have found in the scene of present gaiety there was something comparatively artificial and flimsy in its nature and aspect which could not long rivet my high fed powers of interest and imagination. I found these ever wandering to the tranquil stillness of that oalien room and its quiet occupant. AN OLD COUI^TRY HOUSE. 65 with whom I had found so pleasing and soothing a retreat, and from thence to those precincts of gorgeous gloom into which I had been inspirited by that being most strangely and sadly beautiful, who had so enthralled and mystified my fancy. Surely I should see her again in some antique bower of this wide old house, far, far remote from the sounds and lights around me, and gladly would I have trans- formed myself into a little mouse, and have crept away to find that distant cham- ber, to listen unseen to the music of her sighs, and sun me in the brightness of her eyes. • A clock had long struck the hour of eleven. Milly came flying past the spot where we were seated — her steps were momen- tarily arrested by the question of ray aunt. " Where are you going so fast, Milly V " To bed — to Mama," she answered hurriedly, as if impatient at the deten- tion. 66 AN OLD COUNKRY HOUSE. " What, so early V was the rejoinder. *• It is not early ; it has struck eleven I find." " Well, you little Cinderella, is that so very late 1" Again, in the music's sudden pause, the loud clock sounded warningly upon the ear. It was midnight — Milly placed her finger upon her lip, uttered an exclamation, almost of dismay, and fled like an arrow. "To Mama V my aunt repeated with a smile, addressing Colonel Egerton, who re- mained stationary at our side ; " that makes one feel very old, does it not, Colonel r " Very old \" was the absent reiteration, as our companion, with a look of grave and painful consideration, followed the young girFs retreating form. " She is only sixteen,'' — my aunt then rejoined a moment after — " Let me see, she cannot be more." "Impossible — impossible!" Colonel Eger- AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 67 ton exclaimed with a sudden energy as of awakened feeling, " it cannot be/' and he turned away. " Oh dear yes, I think so, Colonel ; but come, it is full time for all young ladies of sixteen or thereabouts to be in their beds. Susan, you little mouse, let us be off." I was far from disinclined to accept my aunt's inyitation, and accordingly we left the saloon, and proceeded through galleries and windings to the department where our chambers had been prepared. 68 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. CHAPTER YL The crowd are gone ; the revellers at rest, The courteous host, and all-approving guest. Lara. My aunt's term of address had again sug- gested the desire to my mind, of being in good right earnest that Httle mouse, for then, could I not have followed on the steps of that fairy daughter, to the precincts of her mother's presence '? It could have been only a kind of fascination which inspired me with any such desire, for what I had X2s OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 69 seen of the influence excited and displayed in the former meeting of the mother and daughter in the good housekeeper's room, had impressed me little with those soft and pleasajit conjectures to which the ideas of the re-unions might otherwise have given room — the willing child flying back as a truant bird to the maternal nest — received into her mother's eager, long expectant arms — kneeling at that mother's feet in prayer — receiving on her young head that mother's fervent, nightly parting blessing — perhaps sinking to sleep in that wakeful mother's fond and soft embrace. But no ! as I lay an hour or more in restless, excited wakefulness on my bed, in the little pigeon-hole apartment as- signed me, I was rather haunted by painful visions of the tall figure of that bright but strange and sadly lovely lady standing at her chamber door all clothed in white — a taper in her hand, receiving with harsh and bitter greeting her shrinking, conscious daughter — reproving her in thrilhng tones 70 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. for her long — her unnatural desertion. — that she, once the light and glory of a scene like that from which that girl had so reluctantly parted, should be left like a neglected lamp, unseen and forgotten, to burn out its fading brilliancy, left not only by lovers and friends, but by her own child, scorned and forsaken And then the bitter laugh and emphatic, touching cry — " No heart — no heart ^ as with that air of so- vereign command she waved off the em- brace of the repentant and frightened daughter, echoed painfully on my ear, and even when these embodiments of my excited fancy were swallowed up in slum- ber, my dream was of a fairy bark riding gloriously on the glittering wave, which hardly could I follow with my eye, so brightly shone the beams of the morning sun on the azure sky ; but, methought, that even as I gazed on this fair and pleasant picture, a pain and grief were at my heart, for I too surely felt that when this bright sun was kindling this fair bark AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 71 with its declining light, it would be lying stranded on " this bleak shore alone,'' for- saken by those treacherous, ebbing waters. From this vision I was awakened with a start. I opened my eyes, but re-closed them speedily. Surely the dazzling sun -beams were a reality, or I still slumbered — and still dreamed. But no — I soon felt I was alone — felt I was awake. It was still night — indeed it could not have been many minutes that 1 had slept at all. Dreams are so swift ! — we could dream a life time in an hour, and the vision of the bark, might have been the vision of a second. I was wide awake, and yet a bright light was streaming in full upon my dazzled sight. It was not the moon-beams — no, it came not through the casement — its shining was all condensed within my little chamber — round about my bed. A sinking, chilling 72 AN OLD COUI^TEY HO[JSB. terror assailed me — my heart suspended its beatings, but I forced my eyes to look around me with a desperate courage — and then my childish fear was transformed into a kind of maryellous awe, in which mere common-place affright was overcome. It seemed to me that an angel stood at my bed's foot — a figure, in white, shining garments, for a silvery light was in its hand shining down upon the slight form and sweet seraph-like young face, pale and tearful ; in this respect indeed more like a spirit than an angel — for all tears are wiped from angels' faces, and this face I saw was pale, tearful, and distressed, with long golden hair drooping on either side down upon the loose white vest. The lips spoke, and gradually, on my bewildered senses, began to clear, substan- tiate themselves, and explain, as through a dim, ethereal mist, both the vision and the voice. It was Milly's face and figure which I saw— Milly's voice which I heard ; but how could they be so changed from that of AX OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 73 bloom and joy, smiles and sprightly glad- ness I had envied all that previous day and night, and why was she here 1 At first I could hardly distinguish the broken words with which in her distress or fear, or shame, or sorrow, she indistinctly and murmuringly strove to address me as I gazed bewildered upon her, '•' Oh, will you come to — I am sure I beg your pardon for awakening you, but I could not — could not help it — she is so — so — she cannot sleep — she talks about the harp, and about you — and wants to speak to you, about I know not what — and I was obliged to come — She would not let me call Lilly, or any one else — oh, what shall we do ? — you will be afraid, perhaps, and I cannot go back without you." " But tell me, Milly," I said, I forgot what other name to call her, " tell me who wants me, and I will go with you, and not be afraid." The young girl's countenance brightened. " Why, Mama," she cried, " it is she who VOL. I. E 74 A^ OLD COUKTRY HOUSE. ^ants you — she is very, very much excited to-night — She came to me after I had been in bed, and made me give her an account of the fSte, and all about the people who are here — T do not know why, but I think it was when I said something about Colonel Egerton that it had such an effect upon her mind — She asked me if he talked to me, and I said no, he did not ; that I had even seen him talking to you, but that, though he looked at me a great deal, he never spoke to me like all the other people did — Mama asked what he was saying to you though I do not believe she knew who i/on were, when she asked me the question. How could I tell what he had been saying to you *? but I did catch something as I passed, about playing and singing on the harp delightfully, so I repeated that, just for something to say, and then she seemed to remember you in Lilly's room ; and she became so excited — she talked about her hour of deliverance being arrived, and she said she must see you again ; for you were AX OLD COUXTEY HOUSE. 7o not — like the rest of the house — in league against her, and jou would be her help. But, oh we must make haste and go, if you really do not mind accompanying me." And with eyes of growing wonder and almost awed respect, she watched the cool equaminity with which, having by this time risen, I prepared myself to accompany her on an adventure which certainly surpassed any which the most extravagant flights of my newly romance-awakened fancy could have conceived or desired. Surely it was no common habitation of the earth into which I had fallen, or amongst common mortals ! Led by this spirit dike guide — the failing light streaming on our else dark wilderness maze of passages and stairs — I passed many a closed chamber door, all hushed in deepest silence, save the ticking of some ancient time-piece, which ever since I had been within that house had seemed more or less to reach E 2 76 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. my ears, low, or with a soft but warning Yoice, which, whether men would hear, or whether they would forbear, was ever sounding on, its grave tones of instruction, but which now " In the silent dead of night, Distinct as a passing footstep's fall, Echoed all through the vacant hall, Along the ceiling — along the floor,'' As if it could reach and knock at every door — at every sleeper's heart. Thus soft and silent as shadows we two children, hand in hand, slid on, pursuing our strange, unseasonable way ; more in a trance than awake, I think now, it must have been — so vaguely did I seem to AX OLD COUXTEY HOUSE. 77 realize — and yet so little disturbed was I, by the strangeness of the position in which I found myself placed. We arriyed, at length — somewhere in the neighbourhood of the oaken room, I found it to be — but my organ of locaKty and clearness of vision were too much be- wildered at the time to feel at all sure of it. Miliy paused before the door, and look- ing at me with an anxious glance, which seemed to say, " Now prepare yourself for the worst,'' softly opened it, and crept in. I followed close behind. "Mama," she whispered, " I have brought her." I looked around, for no one was to be seen. I confess that I felt a thrill of dehght- fully mysterious awe as I now found my- self standing within a large, dark, tapes- tried chamber, glancing around me for its mysterious inmate, at whose bidding I had come. 78 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. There was a large, carved, oaken bed at one end, with dark satin hangings, but the curtains were drawn aside at the foot, and showed it to be tenantless. A sob-like sound now reached our ears amidst this stillness, and a light glimmer- ing from another point of the apartment, became distinguishable. Thitherward Milly directed her steps, and mine still following, we thus, on our advance, found ourselves fronting a deep oriel or arched recess, such as might be supposed to form the toilette of the ladies of the olden times, as, perhaps, in some old poetry I have seen described — " In her oryal — there she was, Closy'd well with royal glas, Fulfillyd it was with imagery Every window by and by On each side had there a gyve Speerde with manie a dyvers gyne.'* All this I afterwards imaged to my- AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 79 self. At this present moment, as may be supposed, 1 had little power for critical or poetical observation and interest. This oriel seemed to form one of the projecting towers, much overgrown with ivy, when seen from without the house, which almost entirely concealed the fine window, and much obstructed the en- trance of dayhght within ; but now the bow fitted up in old boudoir fashion was faintly illuminated by a small, bronze lamp, placed in a niche in the wall. Near this the lady sat, all clothed in white, as I had imagined her in my dream, in attitude and garb of marble weeper on a monument. But at the sound of our approach she removed the hands which concealed her face— lifted up her eyes, and beholding our two small figures standing in front, arose. " I have brought her, Mama," repeated !Milly's low, distressful voice. 80 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. The lady looked at me, at first, almost in surprise, as if my appearance had been unexpected, or its purpose forgotten. But the next instant a ray of intelligence il- lumined her countenance. She smiled on me complacently, then turning to her daughter, bade her begone, in a tone, if not of harshness, yet of un- gentle impatience ; and on Milly's hnger- ing for a moment, either on my account or from some pained feelings on her own, with a wave of her hand she angrily re- peated — " Go — go to bed, child ; I shall not want you here ; go to bed and to sleep — heaven knows it is time T^ And on the girl's submissively retreat- ing, as if to make more sure of her obedi- ence, she speedily followed her across the apartment — saw her disappear through a door opening in the tapestried wall — watched her, I concluded, into her little bed, and then, having shut her in, drew a small bolt across the opening. AX OLD COUFTEY HOUSE. 81 This done, the lady returned silently into the oriel, and seated herself, as before, one elbow on the table—her face buried in her hand. 32 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. CHAPTEK yil. But bear this ring— his own of old, And tell him what thou dost behold ; The withered frame, the ruined mind, The wreck by passion left behind A shrivelled scroll, a scattered leaf, Sear'd by the autumn blast of grief. The Giaour. Now that I was alone with my strange companion, immediately her mien and manner assumed a subdued and natural mournfulness which re- assured my courage, AX OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 83 — beginning by this time to wax some- what faint. •'•' You are very good to come to me, at this hour/' she, at length, said in a Toice deep, cabn, and touching. " It was cruel to disturb you, perhaps, but you are young and in the height of your health and strength ; and, therefore, may endui'e it this once without much harm. I suppose you do not often pass through that tortur- ing ordeal, a wakeful night, or, perchance, indeed, you may have done so in one point of view — you may have been in sickness — your brow may have throbbed and your lips burnt with the pains and thirst of fever. My own Milly is as young as you, and she has suffered thus — you may have been ill, and so have lain awake all through the weary hours of night, longing for the coohng drink you knew was nigh, but out of reach, and yet have had not the heart to arouse some happy sleeper near, and beg for relief. Well, young girl, you know that even that was agony ; but what 84 AN OLD COUNKEY HOUSE. are such mere physical sufferings when compared to the fever of the heart's pangs and thirstingsl The exhaustless torture of tears and groans — and tossing to and fro of the fevered, withered soul — may you never be taught to know, but image it if you can, by what you have experienced, for then, surely, you w^ill not murmur any more than that sleepy attendant would have, doubtless, murmured, that I have called you now from your selfish rest to minister to % mind diseased." " Oh, lady — lady, surely not," I whis- pered tremulously, in earnest accents, " and could I hope — could I only dare to hope, that I — " " You can do what I ask you, dear child ; that will be doing all that is required of you," the lady interrupted, with rising ex- citement, and she fixed her bright, keen glance upon me. " You are not in league with the rest— ^'0?/ are not my enemy ?" " /, ladyr' '^ No, no, I thought not — for you do not AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 85 call yourself my friend — that precious thing, a friend," with a low, bitter laugh — " you are a stranger — a little, perhaps, in- significant stranger, whose name I scarcely know. But the bible says that strangers (what does it say of friends, I wonder ?) that strangers are sometimes angels in dis- guise ; and that you may have been sent as a minister of grace to me, something has seemed to whisper from the first — Who but you," she continued, her voice rising into accents of most thrilHng excitement, " who but you would have caused me to break the spell, and tread those haunts once more — retouch those chords, lift up my voice in song, till it even pierced his ears V She clasped her hands in ecstatic silence for a moment, and then turning to me with a suddenness, which made me start and tremble, she exclaimed : — " Girl, you must tell him I am waiting for him — that I have waited for him long — that he must listen not to friends or foes 86 . AN OLD COUNTKY HOUSE. — but to you, little stranger, and come quickly — that is all — he knows where to find me, and how — he did know, too well — he cannot, surely, have forgotten — though memories are short, now-a-days, and his, perhaps, has proved as short a one as ever woman — poor, silly fool — whose memory is long — so very, very long — a never-ending, restless chain, which winds — winds itself around her heart, corro- dingly — ever counted on, long after the chain which bends man's stern heart to the past, is burst and snapped asunder, and even if not lost, or broken quite, trampled in the dust beneath his feet, like a trouble- some and scorned appendage, of which, if possible, he fain would be rid. And tell him, girl, if but one link of his be che- rished, to come to me, and set me free from mine. I have worn them long, for his dear sake, and would wear them longer still, if I could — but if he break not the chain, another will — the dark, dark hand, AN OLD COUMRY HOUSE. 87 I feei for ever near — one less gentle and less kind than his, will do the deed." I sat and listened, mute and in pain. It was so clear that the poor lady's mind was wandering, that when she paused mindful alone of what would calm and satisfy her mind at the moment, I pro- mised to do all that she had asked, and begged her now to lie dov/n to rest. Softened by my tone of sympathy she took my hand — pressed it convulsively in her cold, marble-like palm, and held it thus silently for several minutes, then brushed away a few burning drops oozing painfully over her dilated eyes- Hds. " Young girl, I thank you — you know what you are to do — tell him — but secretly remember — let not all hear — the cold- hearted, cold-eyed Eleanor, or the false- tongued Clara, or — or — let no one see or hear you when you tell — '' " Colonel Max Egerton," I suggested, with the intent to assist her perturbed re- 88 A'^ OLD COUKTRY HOUSU. collection, and to assure both her and my- self, as to mj right understanding on a subject in which I had been so vaguely in- structed. But, at the utterance of this name, her hand closed on mine with a grasp, so firm and painful — her features worked so convulsively, that a cry of ter- ror had well nigh escaped ray lips. But the paroxysm was but momentary ; and when it passed away, her hand re- laxed its pressure — her countenance its ex^ pression into more natural softness than before. " Max — Max — yes, Max I" she repeated, and wept gently like a child. I let her tears flow, and then, begging her to allow me to lead her to her bed, she suffered me to do so ; and when she had entered it and I had smoothed her pillow, she smiled upon me, and drawing a plain gold ser- pent ring from her finger, held it towards me. I hardly knew, nor have I ever since, quite ascertained, whether it was presented AX OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 89 as a pledge, or token, connected with the commission I had received, or merely as a thanks offering to myself. I took it, how- ever, and then, ere preparing to depart, murmured my hope that she would be able now, to find rest. She responded, with a smile, which seemed to thank me, but, at the same time, sadly, shook her head — and by a sUght upraising of her eyes, and backward movement of her hand, appear- ed to direct my attention to something above her pillow. I glanced up accordingly, and there in- serted in the crimson taffetas which lined the interior of this venerable, regal couch, I read, marked in tent stitch, and match- ing in colors, the worn and faded tapestry of the walls, the royal Psalmist's melancholy complaint. " / am weary with my groaning ; all the night long, ivash I my bed, and water my couch with my tears r — Psalm, vi. 7. " Thou holdest my eyes waking — 1 am so 90 AK OLD COUNTEY HOIJSE. troubled that I cannot speak. — Psalm Ixxvii. 6. E. M. ^tat. 25—1'/.;'" ''' I turned away, strangely moved. What hand, long mouldering in the dust, had inscribed that doleful couplet 1 What wo- man's heart, in the very summer of her day, had been thus reduced to pour, even in the task which beguiled the weary hours of the day, the breathings forth of her spirit, through the still wearier night '? And what had her grief been 1 Was it the adopted language of a maiden's wounded, disappointed heart, of joyless or forsaken wife or of mourning widow, thus brought to cry aloud unto the God who had smitten her — how many too, must have, since then, reposed beneath that ban- ner of distress — many who had yet to learn what meant this night of hopeless weeping — or, perhaps, many whose tears had been wiped away for ever, upon whose peaceful breasts the rapture of a full re- pose was lying. The fair, young bride — the new-born babe upon its happy mo- AX OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. 91 ther's bosom, or the holy and the blessed dead ! How many again, to turn to a darker page of misery, might have there laid down to whom that handwriting on the wall, lilce unto this poor lad\", came too surely home, was the breathing forth of their own spirit through the long hours of weary darkness without, perchance, those rays from the lamp of holy faith and trust which in his lowest depths of sorrow Avas ever at hand to shine forth on the royal mourner's night of weeping. " Tliou hold est mine eyes ivaking, I am so troubled that I cannot speak,'' I carried these words weepingly on my heart into the adjoining closet. I slid aside the bolt, entered, and there found Milly in her httle bed, plunged in the most profound and sweetest slumber. The touching contrast made me weep still more. The tears I had seen upon her 92 - AN OLD COCTNTRY HOUSE. cheeks had passed away, and left no trace save the rosy flusli which once more dyed their smoothness. Her soft, white arms folded around her head in graceful aban- donment, and the arch, innocent smile of the day's petted favorite again parted her lips. All thought of arousing the poor child to guide me back on my intricate way, I immediately abandoned. Sleep seemed to have become to me all at once a holy and sacred thing, by whose side I could have watched, wept, and prayed as by some shrine, over which an angel hovered, but never dared to desecrate by a sound, or by a touch. So as I knew that to find my way back alone to my dormitory would be a work of impossibility, I crept into the bed by Milly's side, and quite worn out, I be- lieve scarcely a second passed ere I too was asleep — the words, " I am so troubled that I cannot speak," hovering* on my lips ; and when I awoke, AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 93 thej still sadly greeted my returning senses. When I opened my eyes, the Kttle room was all bright and shining with the morn- ing's sun, and Milly, still in her sleeping garb, was standing at the high, narrow, latticed window, chiruping and talldng to a twittering goldfinch, and dropping seed into its gilded cage. " You naughty, wild thing," said she, " are you very hungry 1 But you shall be starved in good earnest if you do not get tame and perch on my hand, and draw up water in a bucket, and lie down and die at my command, as other good little gold- finches are taught to do." "Is it very young 1" I said, from the bed, having listened with great interest to this apostrophe; ''if so, I will tell you how^ to teach it — I have a bird.'' 94 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. She started, and looked round with great alacrity. " Oh, have you!'' she exclaimed in de- light; "and could you really teach mel Oh, I shall be so glad. Yes, it is quite young — caught in the woods, just fledged. It is a naughty, wild thing — do come and give it a lesson ; I scold and coax it, and shake it by turns, but all to no purpose — the stupid little creature will never learn.'' I rose at her bidding, and standing to- gether, we were soon absorbed in our import- ant operations upon the poor little creature under discussion. It might have appeared that all recol- lection or impression with respect to our night's strange and painful adventure was obliterated from both our minds, and that little thought or concern as to our vicinity to the distressing cause of our trouble and disturbance, found place within them. But this was not in any way my case. AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 95 1 should indeed have been almost tempted to consider all that had passed in the light of a dream ; but finding myself in this pre- sent place and company, and more, that rin^, glittering so brightly beneath the sun^s rays, on my finger, were matter-of- fact demonstrations of its reality. And all the time I was engaged with the bird I was vaguely wondering how Milly could be so light and careless, and uncon- cerned, and what she must think of seeing her mother^s ring upon my finger, for 1 had observed her eye fall upon it with a passing glance of recognition, though she made no remark, nor gave further sign of interest or curiosity on the subject. She did not indeed allude in any way to the occurrences of the night past — nor seem to think anything of my being found an un- invited sharer of her bed. She was all most child4ike simplicity and unconcern to all appearances, as forget- ful of the night's disturbance, as the bird which carols blithely in the morning light. 96 A-^ OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. is of the storm and tempest which scared it, in the hours of darkness, a passing moment from its tiny nest. I enquired at length what was the hour, and whether it was not time to leave the bird for another lesson at a future time, that I might go back to mj room to dress. " Yes," Milly said, starting a little, " I think you had better go, for the servants' breakfast bell has rung some time, and Cross will be coming to dress me soon — and Lilly with Mama's cup of tea." Here was at least a show of prudence and circumspection savouring less en- tirely of child-like simplicity than accorded with the general tenor of her behaviour — but doubtless the same process of custom which had brought Milly to the state of child-like indifference as to irregularities in this establishment, such as had taken place on the late occasion, had innoculated her alike w4th the instinct of cautiousness and concealment, even as her perfect ac- AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 97 quaintance ^'ith the intricacies of the old mansion of which she was the inmate, had taught her so cannily to avoid and guard against false steps or sudden concussions in the dark steps and turnings. ''' Will you show me the way there V I asked. " Oh yes, do you not know it V she cried, quite surprised, and shutting the cage door upon her hberated favorite, she skipped along before me into the passage, more fleetly, more blithely than she had conducted me on the last occasion, and laughing all the time at our threatened dangers and encounters, left me before the door of my tiny chamber, then scampered back with still swifter speed. VOL L 98 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. CHAPTEE VIII. There were the painted forms of other times 'Twaa all they left of virtues or of crimes, Save vague tradition. Lara. The next scene I open before the readers of this my " strange and most eventful history/' shall be the large, lofty dining- room, in which I, in common with the other guests within the mansion, found myself AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 99 seated at a late breakfast this same morn- ing. The company was so extensive, that there being no room found conveniently for us at the general board, Milly and I, much to the former's satisfaction, were installed at a private side-table by ourselves ; and there, pronouncing herself as hungry as her goldfinch, she made most excellent play, for such a truly bird-like being, on the rolls, and cakes, and marmalades, and other niceties, with which we were plenti- fully served by the attentive domestics. For myself, though I was not idle in this matter, for a night of disturbed excitement had given me also that kind of craving feeling generally following such occasions, I had more time to spare — my tongue not being so busy all the while as my compa- nion's, to use my eyes and look about a little at the people — those people of whom I as yet virtually knew so little, and by whom I was still far less known, but on whom I might now look with that certain feeling F 2 100 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. of elevation, with which the sense of an important and secret commission invests the most humble and insignificant. I felt that I had a word and a sign for one at least of that careless company, and he, in my eyes, the goodliest and most considerable amongst them, which would tinge his cheek, and kindle his eye with interest and emotion of no common kind, though whether of a nature pleasant or the reverse, was as the case might be. Any one of maturer years, or riper so- phistication, would have experienced more of annoyance and embarrassment than pride or gratification at finding themselves in a position such as I had been surprised into ; but I was just at that age and point of worldly knowledge to rush blindly into a similar affair, without an idea of the blame or error which might be attached to my participation therein, and with the exception of a little bewilderment at my position, and some fluttered nervousness at the approaching necessity of its execution, AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 101 I felt more of elation and ardour in the undercaking, than regret or repentance at having suffered mjself to be thus involved. It was at least in the cause of one most beautiful and most distressed. " Yes, that is not Mama, but very like her," !Milly said, just after we had taken our seats, and were waiting for our break- fast. Mj eyes had been attracted to the pic- tures on the walls, and first to the full length portrait of a lady in the costume of the time of Charles IL, to whom the like- ness, such as ^lilly suggested, was very striking and observable. " She must have been very beautiful," I said. " nearly as — " I wa.s going to say " your Mama;' but Milly interrupted me by continuing : '' I do not like that picture — -they say 102 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. her ghost walks the house, and sometimes when Mama/' she lowered her voice and shuddered, " when Mama comes and draws aside mj curtains when I am in bed, I fancy it is she. That ladj was a very wicked woman." " What did she do V I enquired. " I don't know exactly, but she was a very wicked woman," Milly repeated, and this was all the enlightenment she seemed able to throw upon the matter; so my sur- vey travelled on to the more virtuous, if less beautiful subjects, of which the rest of the collection was composed. They were all family portraits, most of antique date. There is something very striking in a similar examination to any one possessed of an observing and reflecting turn of mind. Mrs. Hemans, I think, has beautifully embodied the impression which one more or less receives, on such occasions, when she speaks of " the superior character AN OLD COUiNTRY HOUSE. 103 of repose," by which these old English portraits are distinguished from those of the present day. ^. " 1 found this," she writes, " to a certain ' degree, the predominant trait in every one of them ; not any thing like nonchalance or apathy — but a certain high-minded, self- possession — something like what I think the ' opium eater' calls the breathing of the majestic intellect over all. " I scarcely ever see a trace of this quiet yet stately sweetness in the expression of modern portraits — they all look so eager, so restless, so trying to be veillee ;" and she adds — " I wonder if this is owing to the fever- ish excitement of the times in which we live, for I suppose that the world has never been in such a hurry during the whole course of the world before." Well, though I had no such clear and definite ideas on the subject, my impres- sions, on this occasion, might have been of some such nature : at least, I remember 104 AN OLD COUKTRY HOUSE. thinking there was something very awe- inspiring in those silent yet speaking eyes bent down upon me — I could hardly be- lieve that under such surveillance the roar of unbridled mirth, or the rude indecor- ous jest could ever have ventured to issue forth from mortal lips. Yet how little gene had ever proved these silent witnesses, since first established on those walls — over such effusions — I need not insinuate to my readers my misgivings. But to return to the breakfast table, my later sphere of observation. From my retired post of examination, I was enabled more distinctly to separate the individuals towards whom my particu- lar interest was excited than when amal- gamated and scattered amongst the be- wildering throngs of yesterday. " That is your uncle Malvern, I sup- pose," I said to Milly, fixing my eyes on the gentleman at the bottom of the table. An old man he then appeared to me, though I found he had not passed fifty. AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 105 A hale, perhaps handsome man he must originally have been, but his hair was grey, and his figure slightly bent, as from some sudden and premature cause. " Yes, that is my uncle," Milly replied. " And that your aunt 1" I rejoined, look- ing, at the lady in the seat of authority op- posite, " Yes, that is Eleanor,'"' she assented in the same careless way ; but I was thus as- sured as to the identity I had before imagined to exist between the cool, calm president of the yesterday's revels, and the " cold-eyed Eleanor," according to her mother's bitter signification. And then, the false-tongued Clara — my obliging escort of the day before ! From her good-looking, good-humoured countenance, and busy, courteous manner, I should have set her down as the model of candour, and good will towards every human being ; but I now bethought my- self of the text : 106 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. '' She givetli good words with her tongue • — hutcurseth in her heart." And learnt to look on her with different eyes. This lady seemed to be the principal spokeswoman at the table — and, indeed, in a great degree, to constitute the life of the party — for altogether though it might be attributed to the languor generally con- sequent on a day of extraordinary excite- ment, such as the preceding one, or it might be only as contrasted with the violent elation which had seemed to me to have been the general characteristic on the above occasion — there was nothing of a very genial spirit of gaiety and animation pervading the party — so little so, that a stranger like myself might easily have been impressed with the idea that some existing cause, or depressing presentiment, had risen to throw a damp and gloom over the assembled company. AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 107 Milly and I had nearly finished our breakfast, when a Kttle sensation was created in the room, by the entrance of another candidate for a place, at the al- ready overfilled board. '• Well, I declare l'^ Milly exclaimed, '• here is this lazy boy — I hope he does not mean to come and disturb us." I looked round accordingly and saw a tall, delicate youth, making his way, blush- ing and embarrassed, by his awkward situ- ation, but with the evident attempt to put a good face on the matter, down one side of the table, in unsuccessful search of a diseno'ao-ed seat. Most of the company noticed and ac- costed him, kindly or playfully. Mr. Malvern glanced towards him, but did not speak, whilst Eleanor — or Mrs. Malvern, as she might be — saluted him with her cold, gentle gravity, and signed to him, that he would find a place at our side table. He approached accordingly, the servant in attendance hastenino' to set him a seat 108 AJT OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. and cover — but with the semblance of feehng rather a sHght cast upon his sense of dignity and importance by the assign- ment, he thrust his finger through his nicely curled hair, frowning with attempted ferocit}'. " Oh you tiresome boy," again repeated Milly, retiring with her plate and her chair further on one s^de, as he condescend- ingly availed himself of the seat which had been placed between us two. " We w^ere so comfortable, and you have come to disturb us — really, you should not be so lazy — you ought to have had. your bread and milk at eight-o-clock, and been learn- ing your lessons hy this time, instead of staying up-stairs, curling and scenting your hair, till this hour — " I was all astonishment at this rudeness, but the youth answered, with grea.t good- humour, " And where omAit you to be. Miss Milly, I wonder V AN OLD COUXTIiY HOUSE. 109 " I — oh, just where 1 am — but you — that is quite different/"' " Well, let me have some bi eakfast, at any rate," he continued, heliDuig him- self to the devilled chicken, handed to him by a domestic, '■ some coffee, Ben- son." " Coffee and devilled chicken — oh, that is too much !" Milly exclaimed, and pouring- out a jug of cream into the empty cup before him, and hurriedly substituting his just fdled plate, for another on wliich she threw a dry French roll, she added : "That's the proper breakfast for a boy, though you shall have a small bit of marmalade at the end, if you are a good child." " Come, come, ^lilly, don t be a plague," he said, colouring, and annoyed, aa the servant stood behind, coflee-pot in hand, trying to conceal a smile, at this e.spie- glerie. " Here, take this a^Yay !" he ex- claimed, authoritati\'ely, and having been again provided to his satisfaction, was com- .110 AN OLD COUisTRY HOUSE. mencing operations, when the mischievous Milly returned to her attack, declaring that the dear boy should make a good breakfast if he behaved well, and forthwith began heaping his plate with a heterogene- ous mixture of every thing within her reach, and finally attempted to pour over his savoury meats, some sugar candy from the basin at her side. •' Eeally, you are too bad, Milly," he exclaimed, his blue eyes flashing angrily, as he removed his plate out of her reach ; and as she still continued her mischievous attempts upon it, he leaned his elbows on the table, on either side, to secure it more efi'ectually from her oppressions. And thus he remained for several se- conds, unable to proceed, frowning defen- sively on his antagonist, who, baulked in her mischief, yet satisfied as to the pass to wdiich she had reduced him, placed her- self in the same position, returning his stern, threatening glances, with the most AX OLD COUXTEY HOUSE. 1 1 1 provoking and impertinent expressiun of her most engaging face. The 3"outh's countenance retained its immovability, his delicate, chiselled featur^is, their rigidity for some minutes with good success, but gradually relaxed beneath the influence to vrhich it was opposed. The frown w^as chased b^^ the smile which broke gradually on his lips. " Milly, you are too provoking,'' he re- peated, affectionately and imploringly, " be a sensible giri^ and leave me alone." Milly laughed, but a change came over her also. She removed her elbows from the table, and now, with a loving look emanating irrepressibly from her bright eyes, patted him playfully on the shoulder, exclaini'ng, " That, the dear boy should eat his break- fast in peace, and have every thing he pleased," then with a mimic show of jealous interest, set herself to watch the proceedings of the youtii who Vi'as at length v/ith perfect 112 AK OLD COUNKRY HOUSE. comfort suffered to commence, as whilst a little sociable conversation was established betweenus, some playful bantering onMilly's part still interspersed therein, but which Edwj, as she now called him, treated with contempt ; and backed by my gravity and politeness, he made himself perfectly independent. We were all three thus engaged when suddenly we became aware that some one had risen from the table, and was stand- ing near us, and on looking up w^e beheld Colonel Egerton behind Edv.y's chair. On finding himself discovered he placed both his hands on the youth's shoulders, saying, " Well, sir, I call you a very fortunate gentleman to be thus happily situated — a lady w^aiting on you on each side, whilst you discuss your breakfast at your leisure." " You v^ould not have given much for my good fortune, in that respect, if you AN OLD COUNiEY HOUSE. 113 had been here five minutes earlier," the boy answered, laughing, " I am sure I could have dispensed with the attention of one young lady at least at that junc- ture." " Which young lady could that possibly have been, you ungrateful fellow V Colonel Egerton replied, with playful reproach, and all tiie time I could perceive that he was looking over the ^^outli's shoulders with earnest interest into Milly's saucy face. But the whole company were now rising from the breakfast table, and, other members of the party approaching, Colonel Egerton drew back, and turned avv^ay. My aunt came, and asked Milly to be so kind as to take me under her protection during the morning. Milly cordially assented, seeming pleased with the responsibility laid upon her, and the acquisition of m.y companionship, and when her aunt Eleanor marshalled her 114 AK OLD COUNTKY HOUSE. train of ladies to the drawing-room, and the gentlemen fell off in parties to their different pursuits, she invited me to put on mj bonnet, and come with her into the grounds. AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 115 CHAl^TER IX. Cette petite qui est folle conirae une jeune chienne ; qui chante, qui rit, qui danse, qui saute, au lieu de marcher, qui ne sait ce qu elle fait, et fait tout avec grace ; qui ne sait ce qu elle dit et dit tout avec esprit; et surtout avec une naivete charmante. Madame D£ffani>. It was a bright clear autumn morning, the weather truly inviting. If my mind had been divested of its care concerning my secret mission, I should have felt perfectly con- 116 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. tent with ray position and circumstances, and, as it was, having lost sight of Colonel Eger- ton, and satisfied myself that there was no present opportunity of executing my busi- ness concerning him, 1 contrived for the moment to disencumber my mind of the sense of responsibility. I wondered rather that Milly did not go to her mother, but she did not appear to think it incumbent on her so to do, and came flying to meet me, all equipped for the walk long ere I was ready, and we sallied forth together. It was like being led by some aerial sprite, so quickly and glibly was I transported through wood and wdld, over rock and bridge of the romantic domain. I was never tired of saying " how beau- tiful — how pleasant! ^' as we looked down into rushing cascades beneath, or plunged into shades, whose dark emerald leaves were just touched here and there with the varie- gated tints of autumn. As for my companion, it might have AN OLD CCU^sTEY HOUSE. ]17 seemed that it v/as the pure pleasure of loco- motion which thus propelled her, for though on our first onset she had lingered near the house to feed, en passant, some rabbits and guinea pigs and other tame animals, she had suddenly started off with the exclama- tion, " NoTv I must really go !" and led me around as described, but at length as we more slowdy began the ascent of a path winding up a steep bank among the trees, she turned to me and with a voice perceptibly subdued, said : " I should not think that she can have come yet, but we can sit and wait ; it is very pleasant up there, and a beautiful view." I ventured to ask, as we continued our upward progress, w^ho it was that she awaited. " Oh, Mama of course," she answered carelessly, " she comes here every morning, and I have to read French to her in the 118 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. old tower — I call it my school-room," she added with a laugh, which, as well as the tone in which she spoke, struck me as not a little unfeehng. " And is it not a pleasure to you," I enquired, " to come and read to your mother V '' W hy I don't know," she said with a shrug of her shoulders. " It is very well sometimes, but 1 get horribly tired, and it very often seems to me great nonsense which I read, and often mama does not listen I am sure ; and old Lilly sits look- ing grave as a judge, not understanding a word, and I feel inclined to laugh, or to cry, or to hurl the book over into the Dee and jump down after it myself." On attaining a considerable summit, we found ourselves in a flat court before an old stone tower, from whence we looked down upon a view more beautiful indeed than Milly's preparation had given me reason to expect. AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 119 Wood and water — hill and purple moun- tains stretching far beyond, and a sky of purest azure above our heads. Surely on some such spot as this, the poet must have stood when inspired to hymn forth that ecstatic strain of grateful praise — " Oh Good — oh Great beyond compare, If thus thy meaner works are fair, If thus thy glories gild the span, Of ruined earth and sinful man. How glorious must those mansions be Where thy redeemed shall dwell with Thee !" I wondered that Milly could so lightly esteem the constant privilege of such a school-room. But she certainly was one who " cared for none of these things." I had not long leisure allowed me to indulge in undisturbed contemplation — other footsteps were heard following ours, and two figures came slowly upon us. "The lady" and old Lilly — the latter 120 AX OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. carrying a basJvet on her arm with books and work. The former took no notice of either of us, but as if faint and weary with her walk, hastened with faltering steps straight up to a bench at the extremity of the court before the tower, and sinking thereon leant her elbow on the balustrade, gazing abstractedly into the out-stretched pros- pect. " Why Lilly," whispered Milly, " how in the world did you manage to get up after us so quickly, surely you must have flown." " No, Miss MiUicent," the old lady re- plied seriously, " we did not fly, we came very slowly — you passed by us on your way, whilst we were resting amongst the trees — indeed, young lady, the flying days of both your mother and myself are now quite over." And she glanced sadly towards the lady and then down on her own lame leg, as she leaned wearily on her stick. AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 121 "Poor Lilly — why do you not sit down'?" Milly now rejoined compassionately, " well, I do call it cruel that you should be dragged up here every morning — if some one must come, why,^^ she added laughing, " is not some one chosen with two good legs, instead of one most decidedly bad, and the other doubtless but indifferent." " Miss MilKcent, Miss Millicent," the old woman said, shaking her head reprovingly — ''you are too bad — too bad." I wronged her if I thought at first that this saucy stricture on her own infirmity called forth this rebuke from the faithful attendant's lips ; for, glancing towards the neglected parent of the young madcap speaker, she added, with much of wounded feeling — " To hear you speak so lightly, to see you think of me, or any one before your mother ! have you no duty — no natural affection — like the rest, no feeling, no compassion. But never think I am one to VOL. L G 122 AN OLD COUN^TRY HOUSE. forsake or neglect my duty and my trust whilst I have limbs to move." " Well, well, dear Lilly," interrupted the young girl, somewhat abashed by this severe reflection on her conduct — " I am sure I Iwpe you will always have one leg at least to stand upon, and that stick is quite as good as the other ; I do not mean to be ' too had ' in any way. I am quite willing to read to Mama when she is ready — give me the book — which was \i% I quite forget — yesterday put it all out of my head, whichever it was — but it does not nmch signify, I scarcely read the same two days following — no one is ever the wiser ; not you Lilly, I am sure, and Mama never seems to tire, however often I may repeat the same lesson. As for me, it all seems most beautifully sentimental, and by repetition I get such fine sentences into my head, which I say over when I am in bed, and cannot go to sleep, just as when I was a child, I used to repeat 'Old Mother AX OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 123 Hubbard/ and ' Pig won't go/ What is this V she continued, taking up a book, '• ' Delphine,' oh ! that I know by heart — at least a great part of it, particularly where she dies, and they put over her grave an inscription, to the fairies or angels I believe they are — by which she is made to say " on ne me repond pas, mais peut- etre on m'entend,^ a sort of conversation I suppose such as I am having now,' looking up at me, " with you and Lilly/' All this time Milly was kneeling, we have said, at the entrance of the tower, where, as if to keep herself from her mother's sight, she had drawn the basket Mrs. Lilly had resigned to her, and was employed in turning over its literary con- tents, which I perceived to consist of a few volumes, old editions of sentimental works of the De Stael and Cottin school! and whilst indeed Lilly sat gazing and listening in silent sadness to this unwise tirade from her young lady's lips, I stood in as grave and silent mixture of astonishment and G 2 124 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. pity. The last part of the discourse es- pecially shocked both my taste and sensi- bility, such want of both qualifications were displayed in every word which had been uttered. " Ces dernier s mots de Delphine" of al- most canonized celebrity in the world of sentiment, to be so ignorantly profaned — to name indifferently, fairies — or angels ! What levity not to say irreligion in the conjunction ! in short I had already more than once heard Milly reproached for her want of heart, but with my mind freshly impregnated with the recollection of that creature, of the German writer's most happy conception, the interesting but soulless Undine, she seemed to me more vividly to personify the idea of one of that same order — a being without soid. But at this juncture, Milly was inter- rupted in her idle pursuit of pretended AN OLD COO TRY HOUSE. 125 selection by the voice of the poor lady without, who seemed at length to have aroused herself from the state of dulled abstraction of which her daughter was taking advantage. "Who is there," she called out, in a sharp, querulous tone, "is not Milly there'? what is that talking, and I waiting all this time to hear her read V " I am coming. Mama," the young girl exclaimed, snatching- up the first book on which she laid her hand, and starting to her feet, she approached her mother, with that altered mien, ever so shockingly per- ceptible on such occasions. " At last — well, now, what have you there V the lady enquired, impatiently holding out her hand for the volume. " Corinne — ah, well, that will do — the crowned — the courted — the briefly, weakly, loved — and then the forgotten — the for- saken ! Ah ! that will do well" And with a strong and passionate em- phasis on the last word, she pressed her 126 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. hand down upon Milly's arm, to oblige her to seat herself, which she did accord- ingly, by her mother's side, and in the most submissive tone of her silvery voice, and a very tolerable French accent, commenced her task, just in the part of the book her mother had opened, near the close of the third volume. I, unseen, or at least unnoticed, took a seat in the back-ground, near Mrs. Lilly, who began quietly to knit. How very beautiful, I thought, looked the mother and her daughter ! There was that graceful majesty in the elder lady's form, which had from the first impreessd me — and now, enveloped in a bright India Cashmere, its outline showed to the fullest advantage on the pure, clear aBther, which formed the back-ground of the picture, as did the profile of her face, which, subsided for the time into an expression of calm attention, was turned towards young Miily, who, on her part, with hat thrown backwards from her brow, AX OLD COL^>'TRY HOUSE. 127 shaded in the drooping attitude of her head, bent upon the book on her knee, by her bright waving ringlets, represented a figure of corresponding, though well-diver- sified lovehness. And then the locale of the spot, in which they sat, and the scenery beyond, it would have been altogether a right royal scene, subject for a painter, seeking the embodiment of his conception of a regal lady and her princely daughter, as seen in the enjoyment of their quiet morning retirement and study. But, alas ! the tableau retained not long the pleasing aspect I have described. Milly read on with a simple naivete, which, if unfitted to exalt the eloquence and pathos of the passages she read, at least, in no degree spoilt or deteriorated therefrom. But it seemed that her princi- pal listener did not continue to be of that 128 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. opinion, and that her daughter's tone and emphasis failed fuUj to keep pace with the awakened enthusiasm and excitement, with which the sentiments and expressions contained in these passages, begun gra- dually to work her mind. They came to Corinne's parting letter to the faithless Oswald. " Savez vous," exclaims the forsaken heroine, " i^^avez vous, que dans les deserts du nouveau monde faurais beni mon sort si vous rri aviez perrnis de vous suivre, savez vous, que je vous aurais servi comme un esclave — Savez vous f " The petulant stamping of her impatient mother's foot upon the ground made Milly break off in the midst of her quiet de- livery of this pathetic invocation, and timidly look up. '' Heartless, soulless child, give me the book !" and taking it from her daughter's hands, with accents of passionate energy AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 129 thrilling the air in tones of which I have never lost the memory, the lady resumed the interrupted strain : " Savez votis, que je me serais prosterne devant vous comme devant unenvoye duciel — si vous m'aviez fidelement aimet. Si vous m^ainez ^dele?fie?it aimee," she repeated in a tone of concentrated feeling. '* Si vous m'aviez fidelement aimeeP And raising her eyes from the page ^\dth a wild smile, '' cette e oppression la plus decliiiante du malheur, cette amere ironier as this same writer of Corinne so well ex- presses it, I saw her glance become sud- denly transfixed, frozen, glazed, as by some sudden and strange shock of vision — her countenance changing to a death -like hue. I turned to look, and beheld Colonel Egerton standing before us at the entrance of the little court before the tower in which we were seated ; his gaze, imbued G 5 130 Al^ OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. with scarce less of startled perturbation, returniDg that of the unfortunate lady. The next instant she had risen slowly and gradually, and in another, as by the attraction of some magnetic influence, had advanced, and was on the ground at his feet ; he recoiled one step, in distressed and strong dismay, and Mrs. Lilly, rush- ing forward to her mistress's aid, Milly and I, from either side, started to our feet looking on in bewilderment and amaze. They raised her from the stones, all stiff and cold — she was insensible. '' Into the tower, sir," murmured Mrs. Lilly, and Colonel Egerton — with a coun- tenance very pale, and much agitated, after having obeyed the direction, and assisted the housekeeper to place the lady upon a seat therein, was entreated by her to retire. " Leave us, sir, if you please," she said in a tremulous voice, but decided manner. " She must not see you when she revives, or it may be her death." AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 131 Colonel Egerton came out accordingly, looking inexpressibly shocked and grieved. " Had you not better go and assist your mother V he said, glancing at Milly, and then towards me, as if with the same suggestion. We both therefore, timidly approached the entrance of the tower, but Mrs. Lilly, who was hanging over her lady, adminis- tering salts, on perceiving us, made a sign that we should, in a like manner, retire. " All of you go away, if you please," she murmured, " she will be well presently, and will be better alone with me, and with nothing to remind her of what has hap- pened." 32 AK OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. CHAPTER X. Oh heaven ! were man But constant, he were perfect. Winter's Tale. It is a pretty youth ; not very pretty: — But, sure he's proud ; and yet his pride becomes him ; He'll make a proper man. But for my part, I love him not. As You Like It. Thus dismissed, we had nothing to do, after a few moments' lingering hesitation, but to proceed, and all three slowly and AN OLD OU^^TRY HOUSE. 133 sileatly went down the path, leading from the scene of this distressing adventure. Milly's spirits were the first to recover their tone. She soon became tired of the quiet, subdued character of our progress, and gradually gained a start of Colonel Egerton and myself. Then I bethought me to seize the fa- vourable opportunity now afforded, of delivering myself of my responsible com- mission. So I began first, by making some remark, expressive of my concern at the illness of Mrs. Rashleigh, and when he made no reply, but merely ejaculated a few words of participation in my regret, I con- tinued, timidly — " It was she, poor lady, you heard singing so beautifully to the harp, yester- day." " Yes," he answered hurriedly, with more attentive consideration of my words " Yes, I suppose so I" And then, a pause threatening to ensue, I went on to say abruptly. 134 AN OLD COUNTPwY HOUSE. " She sent for me last night, having heard that you were amongst the com- pany in the house, and said a great deal to me, that I was to repeat to you, about coming to see her — she seemed very an- xious on the subject, and added, that she had been waiting for you a long time. But finding it difficult to embody into words the imperfect recollection I had re- tained of the strangely worded messages I had been commissioned to bear — I ended by saying as I drew the ring from my finger — " And Mrs. Rashleigh at the same time gave me this ring — I suppose it was for you." Colonel Egerton had now listened to me with serious and startled attention; and then he glanced down upon the ring which I held towards him, with an expression of evidently pained recognition, but did not offer to take it from my hand. On the contrary he made a quick, impatient move- ment of his head, as if to say, AX OLD COUXTKY HOUSE. 135 " Do not give it to me — you had better keep it ;" and then murmured in a hurried manner — " Indeed, indeed — this is a very painful business altogether — poor lady ! You know/' he proceeded, lowering his voice to one of confidential explanation, " you know she is deranged." Although the idea of this melancholy fact had pretty surely established itself in my mind, there was notwithstanding the degree of pitying feeling with which the dreadful idea was now confirmed, some- thing indescribably repellant to my feelings in hearing it thus proceed with no stronger sign of S3"mpathy from my informant's lips — for I could not but divine a tale of former love to be unfolded in the secret histories of these two persons, and one w^hich my imagination could not fail to figure of no ordinary nature. Supposing this really to be the case, and the end of 1S6 AK OLD COUKTHY HOUSE. that love concerning which I had built so bright and passionate a picture. " Poor ladj, she is deranged !" It was truly a fearful and melancholy exemplification of " love's history " to have presented before my newly opening sense of observation. But as yet all my ideas on this head were but the offspring of mere conjecture. Milly and I joined the luncheon party at two o'clock, but not a word passed the former's lips concerning what had occurred during the morning, and I of course did not think of broaching the subject. The compan}^ was composed chiefly of ladies; but few gentlemen made their ap- pearance, and Colonel Egerton was not amongst the number. Edwy also was ab- sent — he had accompanied the shooting party. AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 137 Millj to my surprise proposed to me whilst at table, that she and I should go in search of the sportsmen, and gave orders to a servant sotto voce to have her pony, and one for me made ready. I was astonished at the perfect inde- pendence which seemed allowed to so young, or rather, so old a girl. The other ladies were going out to drive or walk, and some made attempts to draw Milly into their party, but she eluded all such propositions, evidently deeming the regular and dependent routine of proceed- ing, in which she must have been thereby involved, as perfectly irrelevant to her nature and inclinations. As to "Aunt Eleanor," she did not seem to interfere in any way with her niece's movements, nor did it appear that much communication of any sort subsisted between them — but that a total lack of sympathy and assimilation of nature and character, rather than any decided design to that effect, kept them 138 AIS OLD COUNTKY HOUSE. habitually clear from contact or inter- course with one another. Having effected her escape from civilized society, Milly ordered me to equip and soon rejoined me in a riding-dress, and with a little plumed hat upon her head, which rendered her indescribably bewitching. She drew me to the stable-yard, where we mounted and rode off. The route this wild creature led me, was over the hills, in which direction she ex- pected to fall in with the shooting party. But I think she soon became careless, or, at least, forgetful of that intended object, and yielded herself, with seeming uncon- cern, to the pure enjoyment of flying over gorse and heather, as it pleased her pony to conduct her — a large dog scampering by her side. I, who found it hard matter to keep up my less thorough paced steed with the AX OLD COUXIEY HOUSE. 139 speed of her perfect little Pegasus, had full opportunity afforded me of admiring the picturesque appearance presented by the lovely group, as seen in the wild, open spot beneath the clear, bright sky. At length, the sound of shots reached our ears, and off Milly gallopped in the direction of a wood situated in the hollow of a Ml — from whence these sounds now proceeded, in the fallow ground on the side of which the party were pursuing their sport. '•' We must take care and not be shot," she said, relaxing her pace, as we ap- proached the spot ; '* I had better give no- tice of our being near. They will be dreadfully enraged if we interfere with them, or frighten the birds — but I cannot let them shoot me for the sake of a fat partridge or two, so here goes." And lifting up her tiny hand to her mouth, she gave the prettiest attempt at a huntsman's holloa, at the top of her clear, 140 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. shrill girlish voice, following it up by a peal of laughter, as if in mockery, or amuse- ment at her own attempt. Her signal was closely answered by ano- ther of warning and injunction not to ap- proach, from the shelter of the wood through the trees, from which we now dis- cerned the sporting party advancing in shooting order ; shots firing, smoke ascend- ing, birds dropping thick and fast, as they pursued their destructive career. " I can see that ridiculous boy, Ed tvy," Milly exclaimed, laughing scornfully ' marching away with his little gimcrack gun, thinking himself as real a man as any of the party ; and if he has but wounded or brought down one poor partridge, we shall never hear the last of it — just as if I could not do the same, and much better too, for he has not the strength of a ''You are very hard upon — " and not knowing how to call him, I paused and asked whether he was her relative I AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE 141 " Oh, yes — to be sure !" she repUed, " he is Edwy Malvern," and with a tone of soft- ened indulgence, added— "I do, certainly, tease and laugh at him a little — it does him good — he has been so spoilt of late/' " Is he Mr. Malvern's son V I enquired, " that Mr. Malvern, I mean V directing my glance towards the cortege headed by her uncle. " Oh, no ! not his son," she replied ; " they have one child, but do not let us talk about it," she added, hurriedly, and with so striking a shudder and change of countenance and colour, that I was mystified and startled. The beat of the neighbouring ground being now completed, the party broke from their ranks, and came to meet us. Milly was soon the centre of a group of gentlemen, who willingly suffered the mo- mentary delay thus occasioned in the pur- suance of their sport for the sake of so attractive smd piguante an object of diver- sion. 142 AN OLD C0U1>'TEY HOUSE. Milly seemed much more in her element amongst them, I thought, than she had been with the ladies, and though her de- portment still partook of the same naive and natural character, it appeared alto- gether under less childish an aspect than any I had as yet seen her assume. She laughed and talked and darted playful sallies and jests amongst the group with a certain degree of coquetry highly fascinating and attractive to her beholders. Only Colonel Egerton, who we found amongst the party, stood aloof — whilst the uncle was giving orders to the foUoAvers with regard to the remainder of the day's sport. Edwy had made his way to his cousin's side, and on him she, at length, turned her attention, questioning him in her banter- ing way o]i his success. " Ah, I assure you, he is a capital shot, as good as any of us," a gentleman, re- marked. AN OLD COUXTEY HOUSE. 143 " Indeed," she cried ; " well, you must all be excellent ; but he ought to shoot well, for it is only the other day he and I had such good practice in bringing down sparrows ; but I flattered myself I was the better shot of the two ; and if I only had that pretty little gun, would I not beat him with the partridges 'I Give it to rae," she continued, placing her hand on the muzzle of the missile well adapted to the stripling's strength ; " let me try its mighty weight." " Take care, ^lilly," young Malvern ex- claimed, drawing back, " it is loaded." But it was too late — the rash girl had already closed the weapon in her grasp, and his movement served but to perpetrate the danger he feared. The gun which had been resting on the, young man's shoulder, with the muzzle placed backward, but which Milly's action now drew downward, nearly to a level with his ear, went off. An exclamation of horror burst simul- taneously from the lips of the assembled 144 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. group, above which Milly's shrill, piercing scream reverberated. Edwy sprang backvrards into the air, then fell stretched at our feet upon the ground. AX OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 145 CHAPTER XL Look here he comes, And brings the dire occasion in his arms, The bird is dead, That we have made so much on. Cymbeline. If the reader has ever known from experi- ence what it is when at the very acme of careless, fearless, unforseeing exhilaration, to which the united influences of weather, air, and the pleasurable excitement of sport and exercise have elevated the animal VOL. I. H 146 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. spirits of a party, some awful, sudden, and horrible catastrophe, like the one just re- corded, has suddenly occurred, they may imagine the dread metamorphose, when, as now, in one second of time, agony, horror, and dismay spread, by this fatal acci- dent, like wildfire through the whole as- tonished party. I shut my eyes during the awful silence which succeeded, and opened them in agonized fear as to what I should behold; but the crowd around the fallen youth hid him from my sight. I heard only the shrieks of Milly, who had sprung from her pony. " I have killed him! I have killed himT' she called forth ; and these frightful sounds mingled with the confused murmurs of the other voices. " Take her away — take her away!'^ I heard pronounced by a voice hoarse with horror. *' For God's sake, take her away T' It was Mr. Malvern's. AX OLD COUXTEY HOUSE. 147 From the throng issued Colonel Egerton, supporting, nay, carrying Milly, who faintly struggled to resist his friendly guidance from the scene of woeful distress — her features all couYulsed with torture — her bright hair dabbled in crimson blood. I now jumped off my pony and ap- proached to assist in attendance upon her — to pacify or to comfort was impos- sible. "We led the unfortunate girl to the pony I had just left — her own had been appro- priated by the messenger, despatched in all haste for surgical aid. But, in the act of mounting, she suddenly burst from our hold, and threw herself upon the ground, writhing in strong agony, like the possessed child of scripture. It was truly a fearful scene! To see this young, gay thing, so joyful but a mo- ment since, now distorted, changed, mad- dened, by the intensity of her mental suf- ferings. I knelt by her side with attempts, as far H 2 148 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. as it was possible, to soothe and allay the paroxysm, but in vain. Colonel Egerton, on seeing this, seemed to come at once to a determination as to what course it was best to pursue, for stoop- ing down, he raised her promptly and irre- sistibly in his arms, and carried her like a lamb struggling in the shepherd's powerful hold, from the fatal spot. I, leading the pony by the bridle, fol- lowed behind, with trembling limbs. They had raised the unhappy Edwy, by this time, to bear him to a cottage near at hand; but I feared to turn to look be- hind. Colonel Egerton did not pause at any intervening resting-place, but strode straight onwards over the hills, by the shortest cut towards the house, his light burden now lying passively in his arms, exhausted by her late violent agitation, her head rest- ing on his shoulder. And thus we reached the house. There the tidings of the shocking acci- AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 149 dent seemed but newly to have arrived, for, on passing through the stable yard, and entering by the door leading to the offices, the first excitement of horrified dismay, consequent on such an intelli- gence, was visible amongst the servants we encountered. Colonel EgertoQ did not stay to hold any communication with any of these, but as one to whom the locale of the precincts was perfectly familiar, he proceeded in the direction of that same flight of stairs I had ascended on the preceding day, when, though by a different route, 1 was conducted by Lady Clara. Remembering, as I did, the visitant of yesterday in that housekeeper's room, it was not without some misgiving, that I perceived this intention of committing her to the care of Mrs. Lilly. But we fortunately found the old lady the sole occupant of her apartment, seated just as I had found her on the former 150 AK OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. occasion, occupied with her needle in the bow window. She stared around for one instant in be- wildered terror, at the sight, which, on our entrance, met her gaze, but when Colonel Egerton, advancing to place Millj on the couch,''pronounced the words, " Mrs. Lilly, a dreadful accident, I am sorry to say, has occurred,^^ she tottered forwards, with an exclamation, partaking more of resigned grief, than horror or affright, but seeing then more plainly, the bloody signs which stained the hands, the hair, and, indeed, the whole person of the young Milly, the poor old woman hid her face within her hands, with a deep, low groan, murmur- ing, " Blood ! blood ! again blood V The sight of the old attendant, and the A>T OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 151 grief which agitated her, seemed to rouse Milly from the kind of stupor into which she had been reduced, and springing up, with renewed violence, from the sofa, she threw her arms round the old woman's neck, crying out, in passionate and empha- tic accents, " Yes, blood, Lilly, blood — but it is not my blood — it is Edwy's — Edwys — and / have killed him !" The old T;\oman, at these words, stag- gered back. " Then, God have mercy on this wretched house!" she cried, clasping her hands and raising her eyes to Heaven. " They are a doomed race — a doomed race! May He in mercy turn away His judgments from them, for they are sore and terrible!" 152 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. CHAPTEE XII. Lilies for a bridal bed, Koses for a matron's head ; Violets for a maiden dead — Pansies let mine be. On the living grave I bear, Scatter them without a tear; Let no friend, however dear, Waste one hope for me. Shelley. It was the evening of the day following the event of that fatal afternoon ; the greater part of the guests had volunteered AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 153 taking an early departure, and the old mansion had resumed its usual stillness — retaining only its natural inmates and a few others, whom pecuhar circumstances had caused to linger ; I was amongst the latter number, for the evening found me the wearied sharer of Milly's bed, on whose excited and half dehrious slumbers I had been the devoted attendant, and on rising to obey my aunt's summons to prepare for the journey, the poor girl besought me in such earnest accents not to leave her, say- ing that I was her only comfort, and in- deed begged my aunt, who came to her bedside, in such pathetic terms to allow me to remain, that she had not courage or in- deed much inclination to refuse. Milly's request was also strongly seconded by Mrs. Lilly, who considered my presence highly desirable in the present state of. affairs ; my aunt therefore agreed that if the plan met with the approval of 31rs. Malvern to leave me for a day or two ; re- ceiving assurance from Mrs. Lilly that I H 5 154 AK OLD COUNTEY HOUSE, should be well cared for, and safely con- ducted home, when my presence could be more easily dispensed with. So it was arranged, and I who had but a few days before entered that house an unnoticed stranger was now solicited to remain as a much valued friend. ''It is better to go to the house ofmoiirnincf than into the house of feasting!^ So was it now surely with me. Edwy was still alive. His wounds had not proved directly fatal, the head had almost miraculously escaped the violence of the explosion, but the frightfully muti- lated state of arm and shoulder, rendered it almost impossible that vitality could long resist so frightful a shock. He had been brought to the house, but established in a distant part, where his groans could not penetrate to the ears of those pre- cluded from rendering him personal atten- dance. I learnt from Mrs. Lilly the exact nature of the sufferer's situation ; she also informed me, as if it were a fact of more A^^ OLD COCNFEY HOUSE. 155 than common import, that the young man's mother had been sent for — and as far as it was possible, the account was conveyed to Milly. That he was not dead — that she had not '-killed him/' seemed at first too vivid a rehef, which had only given place to the distressing excitement of suspense to which I had alluded as agitating her during the past night. The chamber in which we had been es- tabhshed^ on this occasion was the one usually occupied by Mrs. Lilly, and adjoin- ing the sitting-room. The removal of Milly in her present state from the vicinity of her mother's apartment, had been considered of course advisable. Late in the afternoon, the poor girl issued from the dormitory where she had lain all day, sometimes sleeping or in a kind of dreamy stupefaction. She ad- vanced and cowered down before the fire now lighted in the oaken room, for to the sultry heat of two days before, and the 156 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. bright freshness of yesterday, had succeeded weather chill and rainy, such as often ushers in the autumn season. Mrs. Lilly brought her tea and cake, of which our united coaxing and persuasion induced her to partake ; and then a little revived and animated, she exerted herself to rise and bestow a little notice on the goldfinch, whose cage had been brought there for her diversion. I took the bird out of the cage and began to give it a lesson in the various ac- complishments she was anxious it should acquire. Her interest, at first very languid, became gradually excited to some degree of her usual vivacity — indeed so much so that when at last a very decided specimen of my skill in tuition was afforded by a prompt execution of some desired freak — a wild burst of laughing delight was elicited from her lips. " Bravo !" she at the same time cried, and clapped her hands together. But at this ebuUition, the remembrance AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. 157 of the wounded — dying — nay, for what I knew at this moment — dead Edwy, rising to my mind, a shudder and a chill passed ofer me — the levity of the sound as well as the frivolous occasion which called it forth, jarring on my feelings in such painful contrast to that most grave and shuddering idea ; sadly and seriously I replaced the bird in the cage, and shut it in. This movement on my part seemed to recall her to recollection, and convey reproof to her momentary forgetfulness. She threw herself on the couch with re- newed expressions of wretchedness, and there crouching down in the idle abstrac- tion of grief, gazed upon the evolutions of her favorite, which as if grateful for its release shook its ruffled feathers and hopped and twittered about its cage. I left her thus ; for Mrs. Lilly, who had been absent for some time, suddenly re- turned and beckoned me from the room. I obeyed her summons, dreading to hear some fatal tidings, but found her communi- 158 AK OLD COUISTRY HOtJSE. cation to be of a different nature to that which my fears had suggested. The good woman had a request to make. It was that I, for one half hour, would go and keep her mistress company in her room, her own presence being urgently re- quired on business connected with the suf- fering patient, and though now in a par- ticularly composed and tranquil mood, the dreadful accident having been successfully withheld from her, Lilly did not like to leave the poor lady long alone, lest she should be induced to seek her daughter, and from her, glean some inkling of a fact which was likely to have such an injurious effect upon her state of mind. Mrs. Lilly added that she had hitherto satisfied her mind on the subject of her daughter's absence from her sight, by re- porting her to have been on a visit, as was sometimes her custom, to a neighbouring family, and bad kept her from the oaken room in which she often spent much of her time, by describing it to her as occupied by AN OLD COtJKTPwY HOlTsE. 159 workwomen, as was eometimes the case, employed under her superin tendance on domestic needle-work. My nerres, somewhat shaken by all that had lately occurred, I rather shrunk in dread from the office imposed on me, anti- cipating some repetition of the scene of my night's adventure, and which I scarcely felt now able to meet with eqnal san(/ froid, or judiciousness. Therefore hesitating, I en- quired of ]\Irs. Lilly whether she was sure my presence would be agreeable to the lady — I so completely a stranger — and whether some of her friends — '•' Alas, my dear young lady," interrupted the housekeeper, " her friends'' with an emphasis on the last words, which reminded me of the poor lady's painful strictures on those of that denomination ; " her own friends have long ceased to have anything like a pleasing influence on my poor lady's feelings ; you, on the contrary — since your meeting in my room — she has con- stantly mentioned in terras of approval, as 160 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. an amiable girl — an excellent companion for her Milly." I found also that she had enquired whe- ther I was gone — and altogether, Mrs. Lilly was sure she would be pleased to see me. After this, I did not like to hesitate, but went, as led by Mrs. Lilly, to the door of the tapestried chamber, and according also to her directions, opened it softly, w^ithout knocking, and entered alone. I had to cross, once more, the chamber, within whose dusky tapestried wall prema- ture twilight was reigning, and approaching the Oriel, there again I found the lady seated. To my perception, there was something more strikingly beautiful in her appearance, on this than on any former occasion. In the same attire I have before descri- 'ted — she was seated near a table, her brilliant cheek resting on her transparent hand, pensively contemplating a vase of autumnal flowers, in the pure brightness of whose hue, and in the languid fragrance AX OLD COL'NTRY HOUSE. 161 they exhale, there seems ever something pecuHarly affecting to the secret feeUngs — something which seems to tell and breathe of approaching ruin and decay, not visibly present to the eye, in these, nature's fare- well gifts, to the passing season of beauty and sweetness. There was also something very touching in her present calm and tranquil unconsci- ousness, after the distress and disquiet of which I had lately been the witness. The lady looked up, as I timidly approach- ed ; and when I explained my intrusion by saying that Mrs. Lilly had sent me — she being unexpectedly detained by business, adding, that I should be happy to be of any service — the lady thanked me with a kind, but languid smile, as if, though un- wilHng to be discourteous, she could have dispensed, at the moment, with the gene of my society. " So Milly has left you V she said, after signing me to a seat with the air of a con- 162 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. descending queen, " I call that very rude = — she is a thoughtless, inconsiderate girl — very wild and unruly — you must find this large house lonely with no companion of your own age V^ I answered that I did not mind the quiet. " Do you not V she said, " ah ! but you are a quiet little girl — different from Milly. Oh ! yes — very different, or you would not have come here so willingly now. She is not fond of giving me her company in this room. It is gloomy, perhaps, particularly when the shadows fall and evening ap- proaches, and the figures on the tapestry look dim and indistinct. But, at any time, she cares not much to grace it with her presence, and yet I remember the time, and that not very long ago," she spoke more as if retracing these memories in her own mind than as addressing me, " when her happiest, merriest moments were spent herein — when, especially at this evening hour, she panted A2T OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 163 to gain admittance here ; true, but the waxen tapers then, were wont to irradiate the sombre room ; bright jewels then flashed beneath their radiance, and the child, Hke her elders, loved the light and the glitter. Yes, and loved her mother, too, for whom these lights were kindled, and those gems brought forth to deck. Now, one so- litary lamp is the melancholy substitute. Now, those jewels lie hidden and unheeded in their cases, or they are taken, perhaps, to deck some other form — and the mother sits alone, unless the dependents in duty, or the stranger, in pity, comes lo seek her out. Well, well, childhood and youth, are vanity, they say — nay, all is vanity — youth, beauty, favor, friendship, love — - oh ! what is not vanity '?" " Keligion !'^ I whispered. She caught the word and started. " Religion," she replied, " religion !" as if endeavouring to realize the vague, un- familiar idea ; my faint spirit was daunted by this reception, and I had not 164 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. courage to touch again upon that sacred string, but rather thought to divert her mind from the melancholy strain her lips had taken, and expressed my admiration of the antique style and nature of her chamber, and the interest with which it inspired me. She smiled in languid acquiescence, as if scarcely able to enter into feelings in- spired by the aspect of a locale to which time and custom had so famiharized her. But she answered, with a bitter laugh. " Yes ; this is also a specimen of faded state and banished grandeur, fit prison for a queen to sit in and weep her altered for- t unes.^^ " A queen V I murmured, interroga- tively, not informed then, of the fact, that this mansion had once been chosen for the temporary seclusion of an unfortunate royal lady. " Yes/' she answered, her former calm, to AN OLD COUXTEY HOUSE. 165 my alarm, perceptibly decreasing ; " but they gave to her her room of council and re- ception, and let her play the mimic role of carrying on a miserable state. But they have shut me out from that pleasant place where once / played the queen. That was a real, royal, old room — you shall see it, girl— I dreamt, last night, that I was there — was it a dream V vShe placed her hand to her head, her wandering thoughts seemed to recover their appearance of reality ; and she sighed deeply, as at the perception of her incom- petency. " I remember it now," she spoke harshly, " and, girl, you will think me mad !' After a few moments' sad pause, she continued, with renewed animation, " But I might well consider it a dream — it is so long since I have dared to enter there, though they know it not, I might visit it now as often as the fancy moves me — but — " she murmured, after a panuse, and the continued, in hurried ac- 166 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. cents — " it is dreadful to pass up those stairs, and think of him standing there — HushT' lowering her voice to a whisper, " they Avill say it is all my guilty con- science — guilty ! do the guilty choose the neighbouring chamber to the scene of that very crime for their abode by day, and their rest by night 1 The bolted door can keep no spectre out/^ I began earnestly to wish to divert her from such strange discourse, but knew not what theme to choose which could turn her mind into a more unexciting channel. So I only remarked on the unique beauty of the apartment to which she had alluded ; but I immediately repented of my choice of subjects, for she instantly started to her feet, saying, that I should see it again, if I would come with her ; and when I hesitated, and looked alarmed, she, with an impatient wave of the hand, ex- claimed, authoritatively — '' Child, you need not fear ; I am not AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 167 quite such a prisoner as all that — or, at least, from this day forward, intend not so to be. Something tells me, that to-night my chains are broken/' With hasty but resolute steps, she crossed from the Oriel across the chamber, to where stood an oaken bureau of very antique make, opened it — and from some part, though I was not quite near enough to observe exactly, but it seemed, from a drawer, opening by a secret spring, she produced a key. Turning again, with the implement hidden in her hand, she signed to me to follow, and advanced towards that side of the chamber on which stood the bed. She then fitted the key in an aperture of the wall, and opened, by this a door, the existence of W'hich I had not before ob- served, and through which I now found myself compelled to follow the lady. It gave outlet upon a winding staircase, lighted by one narrow lancet window. Down this my conductress carefully pre- 168 AliT OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. ceded me, but half way, just at a turn which afforded a view to the end of the descent, she paused abruptly, and leaning shudderingly against the wall, gazed fearfully downwards as on some fancied sight of horror ; then speedily re- covering this hallucination, hurried on the rest of the way. At the foot of the stairs we came upon a panelled door, to which, having applied the same key — she pushed it open with a jerk, and we entered the antique saloon into which my conductress had before in- troduced me. A purple light, the reflection of the sun- set sky, mixed with the stained colours of the western window, through which it shone, filled the room, and played on every object The gorgeous efiect thus pro- duced, was perfectly dazzling to the sight, and so it seemed to the lady's vision, for she stood still, and Hfted her alabaster hand to shade her eyes, and see around her more distinctly. I followed her ex- AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 169 ample — and was in no small degree star- tled and dismayed to behold, in the act of rising from the same bergere, occupied by the lady, on her former visit to this apart- ment, the tall, proud figure of Colonel Egerton, whom I had ccfncluded to have left the house with the general company. I certainly expected a repetition of the scene in the tower ; but this was not the case. An exclamation, indeed, but one of sub- dued and delighted feeling, burst from the lady's lips — then, with extended hands, she hurried forward. " Max, Max !" she murmured, in thrill- ling accents of joy — '' Max, Max, you arc come at last T Her hands were mechanically received by Colonel Egerton, and pressed within his own, but I saw him to be of an ashy paleness, as he anxiously looked into her face, murmuring some low, whispering words, in answer to her fervent greet- ing. VOL. L I 170 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. Yet, surely, in no lovelier form could the love of his youth have appeared to mortal man, after, as I now concluded, years had parted her from his sight. Standing there, in the full glory of that radiant light I have described, her beauty seemed to me, more than earthly ; perhaps it was the sense of this, ond not coldness or restraint, which had influ- enced his first reception — for in another instant, his demeanour changed its cha- racter, and I saw him bend one knee before that too bright lady, whilst he pressed her hand in silence to his lips. In another moment they were seated side by side — he sadly bending down his head, and gazing with eyes of melancholy affection in her face, while, with an unna- tural brilliancy in her eye, and smile of mournful happiness on her lip, she spoke in a low, calm, touching tone of voice, like the soft breathing of an Eoiian harp, into her companion's ear. I cannot repeat her words, for I did not AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 171 stay long to listen — I slid softly through the door, which the lady had left ajar, and re-ascending the stairs, returned to the chamber we had left, just in time to meet Mrs. Lilly there, standing in pale and startled astonishment, at the sight of that long unopened place of egress, of which she had just made the discovery. I explained to her how it all was, and the situation in which I had left the lady. " Alas! alas ! there is no end of trou- ble !" she exclaimed, but at the same time begged me to return quickly from whence I came ; her own presence, she added, might be likely only to excite and annoy the lady, and she would be ready to an- swer my summons, if her attendance was required. But I could plainly see, that in spite of her usual strong-mindedness, some ner- vous feelings made the old woman very loth to descend, without absolute necessity, the secret staircase. I 2 172 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. There was a reluctant aversion in her eye, and a trerabhng of her frame, as she looked towards it. I obe^^ed her, therefore, though not wil- lingly. Before I was half way down, however. I heard the lady's voice raised, in clearer, louder accents of passionate appeal, and again I recognized those words of Corinne, Savez vous que dans les deserts^ du noumau mondefauraisbenimon sort si vous m'aviez per mis de vous suivre. Savez vous que je vous aurais suivi comme un esclave. Savez vous que je me serai prosterne devant vous comme devant un envoy e du ciel si vou% ni aviez fidelement aimee ? These words died away like an expiring lute fall. There was a pause, during which I still stood listening anxiouslv ; then a movement took place in thea partment, and the next moment, Colonel Egerton appeared, bear- AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 173 ing the lady in his arms, as I had seen him bear the daughter two days before. 1 preceded him to give warning ; he ascended carefully with his burden, and entering the chamber, deposited her on the stately couch. She was not quite insensible, for upon her Hps the words, " Si vous ni aviez fidelement aimee !" were still faintly trembling. This time Col. Egerton seemed anxious to hnger by the lady's side. Strong and visible emotion were visible on his coun- tenance, but at this moment a hurried pull from the bell in some neighbouring apart- ment being heard, Mrs. Lilly whispered that it was Miss Milly ringing, and beg- ged me to go to her. I left the chamber accordingly. 174 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. CHAPTER XIII. Sure some felbfiend hatli cursed our line. ScoTT. As I was opening the door of the oak- room, I was surprised to hear a strange sound within, something between the laugh of a child and the cry of an animal — but unpleasing and unnatural in the extreme. I saw indeed a child, which from its height seemed about four years old, standing near the spot where Milly lay upon the AX OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 175 couch, crouching low and hiding her face within her hands. The little creature was before the bird- cage, overturned upon the ground. On my entrance, he turned his face to- wards me, and displayed a countenance on which none of the attractiveness of child- hood was visible, and with the same un- couth, uimatural sound which had reached my ear, stretched forth his hand, hold- ing something squeezed tightly within his grasp. I stepped hastily forward, instinctively perceiving that something was amiss, and glancing from the empty cage to the out- stretched hand, was horrified to discover that the prize, so triumphantly displayed by the little wretch, was no other than Milly's poor goldfinch. In all the excitement of dismay, I seized the young destroyer by the arm — at- tempting to rescue the bird from his fatal hold — but with considerable difficulty and 176 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. danger, for the little creature moaned, and gibbered angrily and threateningly. I succeeded at last in making him open his tightly-closed fingers ; but then it was too late — the toils and troubles of Nelly's favorite, were brought to a too early end. It dropped lifeless at my feet. " Yes he has killed it,'' she said, now uncovering her face, and turning to look round upon it with languid despondency. " Poor little creature, he has killed it !" '' Mischievous, naughty child 1" I began with pitying concern ; " why did you al- low him to have it V " I could not help it," she replied faintly, " he could not help it — he knows no better, do you not see V* I looked more particularly at the young offender, although I had been before struck by something unnatural about him, and now perceived that he was evidently older than I had at first imagined him to be — and un- mistakeablj an idiot. AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 177 The boy was pale and sickly, and but for that terrible expression which stamps the countenances of those unfortunates, would not have been ill-favoured. As if perfectly unconscious of the heinous- ness of the act he had perpetrated, and his fury pacified by its fatal ebullition, he went up close to Milly, and began pulling her about, but she shrank back shuddering, and murmured — " Take him away, pray take him away — I cannot bear to see him — do not let him touch mo" At that moment the door opened, and Mrs. Malvern entered, followed by a female servant; the composed, collected mien of the former, was now hurried and discom- posed — the cold eye now anxious and dis- tressed as it darted its gleam across the apartment upon the group there visible ! " My darling,'' the lady cried in a voice of tenderness thrilling from her frigid lips like the sioging water from the cold, grey I 5 178 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. rock, " ray own darling how frightened I have been/' The idiot boy turning at her voice, rushed to her with a cry. She clasped her arms round him — as he clung about her knees— -caressing the child with the fondest affection. At length her glance happened to fall upon the bird, dead upon the ground. Mrs. Malvern coloured and enquired of Milly, still crouching with covered face on the sofa, in a tone of concern — what had happened to the bird '? " He has killed it, Eleanor,^' Milly re- plied, looking and speaking in a tone of sullen grief, " but it does not much signify.'' The mother colored still more painfully, and turning to the nurse, who had accom- panied her, and was standing at the door, reproved her rather severely for the child having been allowed to leave the nursery. The woman made reply that she had been called away to render some urgent service AK OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 179 in the sick-room, and laid the blame on thenurserj-maid; upon which Mrs. Malvern sternly desired that some less neglectful attendant might be chosen to prevent the repetition of such untoward accidents — then with redoubled tenderness havino: fondled and caressed the boy, she committed him to the woman who led him from the apartment. Mrs. Malvern lingered for a moment. " I am very sorry for what has occurred, Milly," she said in a constrained a-ii dis- tressed voice and manner. " Oh Eleanor, pray do not mind,'' ^lilly murmured, with resigned bitterness, " after all it is only a bird ; a pretty little bird certainly, and 1 was very fond of it — but a senseless, soul -less creature, shut up and tormented — it is as well dead, perhaps/' " You are very good to say so, Milly." " Oh ! no, not at all, Eleanor ; I who, per- haps, have killed a fellow creature can have no right to complain of anything. Xo, Heaven knows I am not good — I am only 180 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE, resigned ; I know that everything in this house dies — no, not always dies — but is destroyed, mind or body ; as Lilly says, it is a doomed house — I only wish it had been me that he had killed instead of the bird, and then perhaps — " She turned abruptly round, and Mrs. Malvern, after standing for another instant, silently departed. I picked up the goldfinch, stil warm, and removed it and the cage out of Milly's sight. AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 181 CHAriER XIV. 'Ti3 still, at last, the heart that beat so high. Corrinn< An old, grey-haired woman, seated in a large, quiet room, on a calm Sabbath after- noon, employed in reading her Bible, is a sight calculated to remove the idea of death, madness, and misery, from the mind, and as I now sat and looked upon such a picture, mine was almost soothed into like forgetfulness. 182 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. " Mrs. Lilly," I at length said in a low voice, breaking the silence which had reign- ed for far more than an hour — undisturbed, " it is so peaceful here — no one would imagine that the shadow of death was darkening the house." " Is death then an unquiet thing T en- quired my companion with stern solemnity as she raised her eyes from her book and fastened them on my face. "But Mrs. Lilly, in this case it would be a dreadful thing to be cut off so sud- denly and so soon." " Nay — rather blessed I should call one cut off from a sinful house, ere time is given him to swell the measure of its iniquity. Taken away from the evil to come — ^^surely to such — the day of their death is better than the day of their birth." , " Has this then been so very wicked a house, Mrs. Lilly ?" T enquired. " It has been for long a godless house, each one going the way of his own heart AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 183 with no fear of God before his eyes. Long, long, was it suffered to flourish, and abide, to lift up its head in pride and beauty — but its day of judgment came, though not of repentance — so now is its crown of pride trampled under foot, and its glorious beauty become as a faded flower." Having thus spoken, the old lady re- turned to her sacred study, but now with many a groan and sad shake of the head. " Mrs. Lilly," after a little time of silence I contmued anxiously to enquire, " does no one ever read the Bible to the poor lady in the tapestried chamber — or Milly, is she never incHned to look into that or any other serious book V " That is a question which may well be asked, young lady, and argues of a wise and thoughtful mind — but did I not tell you that this was a godless house from father to son — from mother to daughter % all that is holy or heavenly is unreceived 184 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. — disregarded. ' Give not that which is holy to the dogs — nor cast your pearls be- fore swine/ lest you see them trampled under the profane wanton foot — swift in the pursuit of vanity or sin, all which is in variance to that law, holy, heavenly, un- defiled — contrary to sinners." *' But surely Mrs. Lilly, now in this day of calamity — now too, when that poor lady's mind seems at intervals restored to a calm healthiness of tone, you say you remember not to have seen in it for many a year — and now when Milly is so young, so inno- cent—" " Young and innocent — yes, so she was, and more so, when years ago I took her to my knee, and spoke to her as one speaks to a little child, of holy and heavenly things ; had 1 spoken to a kitten, or a bird, it would have been all one. She was young and innocent, when later still I have often on a Sunday afternoon like this, called her to me, and said — ' Miss Milly learn a piece of catechism in my prayer-book, or AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 185 read a chapter in my Bible — yes, my Bible — I the only one in this mansion one might fancy who possessed such a book ; and she has fled like a spirit of darkness, (God save her, poor child) at the very mention of those sacred volumes, or consented to the task with a weariness or levity, which soon made me shrink from similar attempts, and rather suffer her to spend her soul- less wantonness on the tasks it pleases her unhappy mother to impose — the profane or, to say the least, unprofitable reading of a strange language, to which I am doomed to sit and listen — though in mercy no doubt, precluded from the com- prehension of what would only the more offend my ears and distress my heart to understand/' Alas 1 young and fair and innocent, according to man — qualifications little to be prized, when no seed of divine grace will ever take root in the heart. " Young, fair and innocent," the old woman continued to ejaculate with 186 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. much emotion, " and so was her mother once." " And now still, liow fair !" I added " al- though no longer so very young, and as it seems so unfortunate." " Fair," she murmured, " yes, could beauty w^in her entrance to the courts above — she might arise and need no change of form to match the brightness of God's angels — but no, it is not enough — that is not the beauty with which she must appear before her Maker — that must perish in the tomb, and how then shall she appear V I shuddered at the stern old woman's words ; was an immortal soul to be suffered to pass away from earth in so false and hopeless a condition ^ — unrepentant, un- awakened from the morbid trance of a diseased and weakened fancy, and the sickly dreams of sentiment and romance — no prayer said, no words of spiritual im- port sounded in her ear \ I expressed my- self to this effect. AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 187 The old woman shook her head. "Too true !" she murmured sorrowfully, " it is fearfully true — but so it must be. In that room/' with a shudder, " the prayer dies on my lips, and spiritual words seem like blasphemy when uttered there." " Why in that room, Mrs. Lilly 1" I again demanded, " are there then such dreadful associations connected with the spot, and if so would they not rather be softened by prayer and holy converse — surely the reck- less hallucinations and morbid excitement by which the poor lady's spirit and brain seem imbued, might be better dispersed by these holy exercises, if at least carried on in her presence, than by the pernicious food in which she is suffered to indulge, by medium of those sickly romances consti- tuting as it seems the sole literary furniture of her apartment — nay, with which in this holy season, Milly may at this very moment be engaged with her unfortunate parent ? My earnest expostulation on this sad 188 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSB. subject had the effect of arousing the old lady from the superstitious apathy which seemed to have taken possession of her mind upon this responsible point. She seemed particularly struck by my last representation, and murmuring in a low tone of emotion, " Let us go and see !" she prepared to raise the Bible from the table, but her aged hands trembled beneath the weight. I hastened to relieve her from the bur- den, and thus provided, we proceeded together to the chamber of the lady — where, at the fretful entreaties of her afflicted parent, Milly had been sent, and left alone with her for the last hour. Mrs. Rashleigh had not removed from her bed since deposited there by Colonel Egerton, as recounted in the last chapter. From this time, an alarming prostration of strength had accrued, and enveloped in her white drapery, — she lay beneath the AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 189 dark heavy canopy of the couch — her cheek flushed with the hue of fever — her brow damp with drops as of summer's heat, though the wide room was chill with the moist air of the autumn afternoon entering by the opened window. Milly had wrapped a bright blue shawl around her as she sat upon the bed, a book was upon her knee, her golden hair stream- ed around her — and the eye, when first it glanced fresh upon the living picture, was reminded, by the vivid contrast of the colouring of its features, of some depicted group upon a stained cathedral window, or on an illuminated missal of ages past. Milly read — and her voice mingling— as we entered — with the dismal sound of the neighbouring church bell tolling for some funeral ac the close of afternoon service, was tearful and depressed, We paused, anxiously holding our breath to listen to the words issuing from her lips, and the fears I had expressed were too readily realised. 190 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. It was a passage from her favourite romance to which the dying woman, by raised eye and faint gesture of the hand, was responding wdth impassioned fervour. '' Mon amie fen conviens il me cause guelque effroie ; je crams la mort^ sans re- gretter la vie ; Vetre le plus malheureuw ne vois pas approcher sans terreur cet incon- cevable moment dont la jeunesse et F amour ecartent si douce ment Videe^ je me contemple avec une sorte de peur ceb ijeuoj eteints qui fJ etvprimoient autrefois tant de tendresse, cefi traits abattiis, res mains defaits sans couleur. Oh ! Leonce te souviens tu de ce jour de fete on nous dansdmes ensemble^ que de roses alors ornoient ma tete, que d^esperances remplissoients mon cceur." Mrs. Rashleigh at these words became greatly moved. With a convulsive effort AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE, 191 she raised herself in a sitting posture upon the bed, then sank feebly back. A vivid change passed over her counten- ance. We hurried forward, and taking the book from Milly's hand, I murmured in a tone of horror, " Stop Milly ; for Heaven's sake read no more of such books at this awful moment — have you no prayer to breathe for your mother's soul V Darting a frightened glance at her mother the poor girl sprang to her feet with a cry of anguish. Mrs. Lilly sank on her knees at her mistress's side, whose colourless hands sought her's, and closed convulsively on that of the faithful domestic whose fal- tering lips breathed a fervent prayer to Heaven. A gleam of yellow sunshine lighted up the faded glory of the room ; the breeze bringing in upon our ears with distinct sounds the mournful cadence of the 192 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. tolling bell waved at the same time the hangings of the couch round a cold and wax-like form. Mrs. Eashleigh's earthly pains were at an end. AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 193 CHAPTER XV. '• I SEE that all things come to an end !" How often as we pass through Ufe is this exclamation forced from our Ups by the futile nature of human history. It is the summary of every man's experience who passes through this world with open eyes and observant mind. VOL. L K 194 AN OLD COU.\TEY HOUSE. It is the cry wrung forth, if not by the great reverses of fortune or prosperity, which are ever startling society, at any rate by the slower and more gradual expe- rience of our disappointed hearts — the evan- escent nature of our feelings, tastes, in- clinations, and opinions — our faded hopes, our fleeting wishes, our worn out in- terests, wasted energies, and satiated en- joyments. *' Truly man walketh in a vain shadow, and disquiet eth himself in vain/' But, certainly, the most melancholy and generally striking exemplifications of this truth, are the changes seen to pass over the fortunes of a house or family, whether abrupt and violent, or slow and silent, in their effect. Houses which seemed likely to en- dure for ever, after a long season of daz- zling prosperity, falling suddenly, with a crash — seeming the more terrible on ac- count of the tranquil repose, amidst which it so suddenly happens — lands. AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 195 long bearing the names of their proud owners, passing into the hands of plebeian strangers — or if their wealth remains, plagues worse than these, trou- bling the pride and withering the happi- ness of their possessors — the end of all, which makes wealth or fortune pre- cious of virtue, fame, health, youth af- fection. Or some old man, perhaps, is left standing- like a decimated forest tree, amidst the shattered tombs of those in the midst of whom he had grown up in early verdure, the lights of his life, like fading star-Hght extinguishing around him, till left alone to '' sordid thoughts and child-less misery,'' he sits, in his gorgeous palace, surrounded by the ghost of many a disappointed hope and buried affection. And he, above all men, has seen, like the royal psalmist, " That all things come to an end." Well for him, if he beholds beneath his feet th?it foundation of sure life and unfading K 3 196 AN OLD COUNT EY HOUSE. enjoyment so exceeding precious, treasured up in the word of truth. When at the close of another week, I had been, according to Mrs. Lilly's promise to my aunt, sent back under fitting escort, to my friends, I left Malvern Court bereft of its dead and deserted by its living. " All fled the house of grief.*' all those, at least, who were able so to do. The wounded Edwy still lingered in a dangerous and suffering state, in his dis- tant chamber, but now watched over by a tender mother — who though, as I learned, a great invalid, had braved distance and fatigue, to travel to her child on the first intimation of his danger. But what wonder this should be ? for Edwy, I now heard was — " The only son of his mother — and she was a widow.'' AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 197 With the other circumstances con- nected with the history of the mother and child, on my first arrival, I was not ac- quainted, nor did I see Mrs. Edmund Mal- vern — as I found she was called — during the week I remained at the Court, she never quitting her son's suffering couch. But all immediate danger having passed away by the time that the mortal remains of Mrs. Rashleigh had been committed to the dust, the family did not think it necessary to linger longer in this saddened home on the youth's account. The Malverns accordingly left England ; soon after their departure from the Court, carrying with them the orphan Milly. On taking up a paper a few days after my departure, I was struck by a para- graph which announced the marriage of Colonel Egerton with a lady of rank and fortune. 198 AN OliD COUNTRY HOUSE. Thus the marriage bells of the love of to-day, might have mingled with the funeral chimes of the old ! I was amazed and disgusted then, but I am older now, and after all I have seen of the world and its wonderful ways nothing- comes to me new or strange. I find that it is truly a world of con- tinual change — of setting and of rising suns — of shining and of falHng stars, that the common lot of all, is but more or less, that which I had seen exemplified in this one instance. But I go on in this way, forgetting that the history of the past of which I had made myself mistress before quitting the society of the good Lilly, is not open to the reader's eyes as it is to mine. It is a long tale to tell, as my informant said to me. "And it is painful work,'' she added, " plodding back through the weary track of years, but you deserve to know a little of what has brought us to this sad pass, and AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 199 I will try to be concise not tire your patience, and as much as possible save my own sore heart." So, reader, I will endeavour to follow this plan of relation although I may not keep exactly to Mrs. Lilly's own words or manner of speech. 200 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. CHAPTER XVL There was a large family of children born in this wide old mansion, but three only arrived at man and woman's estate — two sons and a daughter. The others dropped off one by one from the parent stem — cut off for the most part by the diseases common to children — and this may be said to have been the beginning of sorrow to this house, which had from AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 201 generation to generatiofi been able to boast of its large and long lived stock. But the three, who were spared, pro- mised well as representatives of this race. The sons grew up equal to their father in strength and manliness, the daughter in grace and beauty superior, perhaps, to anj before her, except it might be that ancient portrait in the banquet-room which has been already mentioned — the most beautiful, though not the most virtu- ous of her race. They say, indeed, that the mother of the Dorothea Malvern, now under discussion, before the birth of this, the only daughter destined to survive her, was wont systematically to fix her eyes upon this portrait in hopes that the impres- sion thus effected on her mind, by its love- liness, might have some physical influence on the child she was to bear ; and when her husband would laughingly enquire, whether there was not some risk of a moral influence being in like manner imparted, the vain and thoughtless mother would K 5 202 AN OLD COUKTRY HOUSE. reply, that of such a mischance she feared little, and that, at all events, it might be in her own power to make her daughter virtu- ous, but not to create her beautiful. Even in this slight trait may be conveyed some idea as to the state of mind with regard to anything like a serious acknowledgment of Divine Superinten- dence of his creatures, generally pre- vailing amongst the members of this house and family. Well ! the beauty was given to the mother's heart's desire — as for the virtue w^e will not anticipate, but only here say, that the mother lived not long to witness its development ; and, indeed, she was uot one calculated to carry out her pre- sumptuous security on that point. But even as a child, the young Doro- thea's beauty was the theme of every tongue, amongst the gay company which filled her father's house, and as her brothers, from their earliest youth, drank and feasted at their father's table^ AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 203 and were brought up as if to eat and drink and be merry, was the object of every man's existence, so the little girl learned early to feed her mind and heart with all that ministered to the gratification of wo- man's vain thoughts and wishes. At sixteen, she was left an orphan in her brother s house, and stepped into the place of mistress and leader of its business and pleasure, with the grace and freedom of many an older woman. " Not many months after the father's death," said Mrs. Lilly, " when I, who had not seen Miss Malvern from a child, re- turned a widow to the Court, having con- sented to take upon myself the superin- tendence of the household — in which my father before me had been the much es- teemed and respected steward — and as had been also premised, act as a kind of infe- rior friend and adviser of the young lady, I found the Lady Clara, Miss Malvern's senior by ten years, constituted companion 204 AHi OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. and resident in the house, whilst the part of married chaperone seemed to be but irregularly filled by some matron guest who might happen to be amongst the changing company. " It was six months, as I have said, af- ter the father s death — but there was music and dancing in the house the night I arrived, and when I said to the old domestic, who had received me, and was conducting me to our room, " They have not long mourned their parents' loss," he smiled indulgently, and said, " that the young gentlemen and their sister, were full of youth and spirits ; that mourning had never been the fashion in this, house, with either young or old — as the old lights burnt out the new ones came in — there was no time allowed for darkness ; and such bright light within the house, he had never seen till now, for his kind master and his brother, were brave and open-hearted gentlemen, and his young lady, a star which must turn the darkest AX OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 205 night into noon-daj brightness. Oh ! she was a Queen of Beautv !" And then he bade me come and see, with my own eyes, if they were hke to have, with such as her, much mourning within the man- sion. And the old man led me to the gallery, over the hall, on which, looking down, my eyes, after the dim passages through which 1 passed, were dazzled by the blaze of light, so that I could, at first, hardly distinguish amongst the throng of figures there as- sembled. There had been dancing going on, but it had ceased now and the music hushed, and there was only a confused murmur heard amongst the company — for as the old man told me, Miss Malvern was going to sing ; and by this time, my sight began to be clear and steady, and I saw that every one had formed into one large ring, and in the midst sat the most beautiful young creature, I thought my eyes had 206 AN OLD COITKTRY UOVm. ever beheld, just in the act of striking upon a golden harp, which was encircled in her fair, round arms. And then she played and sang so de- lightfully, that I scarcely knew if my eyes or ears were the most charmed. The young lady wore a black dress, but it was embroidered all over with silver stars, and a jewelled star was on one side of her shining hair. Her skin was lustrously white, and the colour of her cheek more brilliant than anything I had ever seen save on a pictured face, and her eyes so large, and brighter than I can describe — altogether, it was wonderful to see a creature so young of such finished grace and loveliness. Truly, the daughter is but an infant compared to the mother, as she then was in person, mind or character. I re- marked that ere she had sang many mo- ments, glancing her eyes around the silent crowd with many a witching glance, Ay OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 207 two amongst her listeners broke the circle and advanced closer on either side of the young lady's chair. The one was a young officer of striking appearance, in glittering regimental attire ; the other a somewhat older man, dark, less handsome and prepossessing in appearance —but he never took his eyes off the young lady's face. I never should have tired of looking on this beautiful giri ; but when her song was over, and others were going to surround her, I turned ray eyes to seek for the young master ; and the old man shewed me which was he, the present Mr. Malvern, whom you have seen ; then a fine, stout young man of six and twenty, by the side of whom stood the Lady Clara rather a handsome, bold looking young lady, and, as my companion whispered in my ear, it was plain to see what she ^as about. But it was the younger brother bdmund Malyern, who possessed the great- er portion of his sister's beauty. 208 AN OLD COtJKTEY HOUSE. He was a fair young man indeed, and gay and sprightly as he was handsome ; and I could hear his merry voice from where I stood, when his sister had ceased to sing, laughing, and talking lightly and pleasantly with the fair ladiesof the party. When we turned to leave the gallery, I saw something move behind one of the pillars, and as we passed before it, I perceived that it was the figure a girl evidently attem]">ting to avoid detection. My conductor exclaimed, " Julia, what business have you pry- ing here V Upon which, murmuring something apo- logetic, and trying to hide her face, all wet and bathed in tears, she shrank hastily away in the opposite direction. Ths steward shook his head mysterious- ly, as if to say that all was not quite right in that quarter ; and told me that the girl was Miss Malvern's waiting maid, over whom it would be a kindness in me to keep a strict eye — she had always seemed to be AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 209 a wonderfully steady girl for one so pretty and so young, till just of late, when he had seen things he did not quite like. The girl had, indeed, struck me as a very fair, delicate, innocent looking young creature ; and it had impressed me as very sad to see one thus solitary and wretched, looking down in this way on so many gay and careless fellow beings — but then, certainly they were all ladies and gentle- men, and she but a humble waiting woman ; and as the steward said, what business had she to be there at all ? When I went up to this oak-room, in which I was established from the first, we found a litfle pale girl, about ten years old, peeping and creeping about the passages like a little mouse. Perkins addressed her as Miss Nelly, and asked why she was not in bed. She said she was waiting for her supper, 210 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. and following us into the room, sat quietly down at the fire, silently eyeing my move- ments, and afterwards partaking of the meal which was served up. I discovered that the child was the orphan daughter of a deceased sister of the Malverns, and that since her mother's death, a few years before, she lived, or at least spent her holidays — for she had been sent to school for the last year — at Mal- vern Court. She was kindly treated by her cousins — but as may be supposed, considerably neglected and overlooked in respect, and proper care and attention, by the household. I strove to rectify, as far as lay in my power, this point, as well as many others in the house, making the young lady read and sew, and have her meals more regularly in my room. Miss Malvern, in her disengaged hours, took a good deal of notice, or rather, per- haps, mado a great deal of use of her little cousin, who, though so quiet and still, AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 2ll' was a sharp, handy Httle thing, with no small degree of what is called tact in her manner and ways of proceeding towards those about her. But with all that I could do, she was a wonderful child not to have been more hurt by the kind of Hfe she led, and all she saw and heard amongst her elders, not good for one of her early years to witness. But then she had not much warmth of temperament by nature, and a cold heart may be alas ! I have learnt to perceive, a preservation against many an evil — though I would not quite say that she might not have had naturally more principle in her character than the rest of them. 212 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. CHAPTEE XVII. My first personal interview with Miss Malvern took place in her tapestried cham- ber, as she lay just waking from her morning sleep, on that same couch upon which I have so lately seen her stretched beneath her death sheets so marble -like and still. AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 213 How different then did she appear, as she redined half raised in a sitting posture against the pillows, her rounded limbs rising in such life-like beauty beneath the covering. The morning sun streamed in upon the room, shining on the bright hair, which parted from the white brow, hung down over her shoulders — her cheeks fresh, and brilliant as the reddest rose — her neck and arms as the whitest lily of the garden. By the bedside, holding a tray and cup, from which her young mistress had been drinking her chocolate, and Hstening to some orders she was giving, stood the waiting woman, Julia — pale as on the pre- ceding night — with downcast eyes, and a sad, or it might be somewhat of a sullen expression on her countenance. Perceiving me. Miss Malvern dismissed the young girl, and received me with much cordiality and affection. " Oh ! I am so glad to see you Mrs. 214 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. Lilly/' she said, "we shall have now, I hope, better rule and order in the establish- ment — I mean amongst the servants. It is all very pleasant to be mistress in this large house — and they say I play my part to perfection ; our entertainments have been on a larger scale than ever they were during my mother's life time ; never have we had such gay doings as during the last month — and still gayer are our plans for the future. But still, I cannot be expected to attend to everything — I am too young — too full of other things — to have time or inclination to examine into every detail, and Perkins has grown so very old and feeble. Now, Juha, my waiting maid, who you saw just now — I don't know what has been the matter with her of late — such a change has come over her. Clara has all sorts of ideas on the subject, and wishes me to send her away to her friends — but 1 like her too well for that, poor girl ! She is not a common place servant, and has been more like a companion to me— AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 215 besides, it strikes me that the good Lady Clara is a little bit jealous that Julia is so pretty, and that my brothers admire her so much. They often talk to her when they come in here to see me : and the other night they danced with her in the hall at the servants' ball., I supposed I looked a little surprised or shocked, for the young lady continued hastily "And why not'? Julia, between our- selves, is as much, if not more of a lady in manner and mind than Lady Clara, nor would she ever presume upon their con- descension/' I said that I hoped not — but I who could enter more into the feelings of people in her sphere, knew well that the heart is presumptuous sometimes, be the spirit ever so humble, and only hoped that matters might become no worse — and that jealous or not. Lady's Claras advice might be pursued, and the girl removed to 216 A-N OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. surer protection than my authority might be able to procure her. Ah, it turned out both better, and worse than I could have imagined. Not to lengthen out this subject, which has been very nearly set at rest for ever with the poor boy so well nigh hurried to his grave I will relate the rest as briefly as I may, One morning on retiring, after being occupied on domestic business, I found Mr. Edmund in the oak-room, where I had left Julia and Miss Nelly sitting working together ; but the child had been sent away, and the other two were engaged in earnest conversation. I loudly expressed my displeasure, to the young gentleman for his intrusion, saying that it was my determination to preserve strictness and propriety in my own precincts, however powerless I might be to obtain it else- where. Mr. Edmund received my admonitions with his usual good-nature, and told me I need have no fear as to any want of pro. AN OLD COUXTEY HOUSE. 217 priety in their case — that if he had no right to speak to Julia, he knew not who had — he thanked me for the care and in- terest I took in her be half, adding that I should, after this day have never any more reason lo complain on this point. As Mr. Ed- mund was leaving the Court that evening on a visit, as he gave out, and as Julia received all I thought right to say further on tlie subject in impenetrable silence, I could do no more for the time, but make up ray mind that she must depart. However, at the hour of her young lad_ys rising, Julia was missing from the house, and much commotion was excited at the discovery. Enquiries were set on foot, and consul- tations — in which Lady Clara took an active part — were held on the mysterious event ; but not till the evening was any- thing satisfactory ascertained. Then, as I was assisting Miss Malvern in her dinner toiktte, little Miss Nelly too making herself ui^ 1 on the occasion, Mr. Malvern and 'L, I, L 218 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. Lady Clara also in the apartment, still talking over the mysterious affair, the door opened, and Mr. Edmund Malvern entered, with Julia leaning on his arm. He led her up to Miss Malvern's chair. " Dora," he said, " you must excuse Julia for having so abruptly deprived you of her services, and I must ask you for my sake, to look upon her henceforth with the affection and consideration of a sister— for she is my wife !'' And he made sign that they should embrace, but Julia, stepped from his side, and sinking on her knees, buried her face in Miss Malvern's robe. For a moment all remained silent — im- moveable — with startled amaze. The awful pause was broken by the elder Mr. Malvern. "Dora," he cried, his face crimsoned with angry pride, " I forbid you to look upon, or treat that woman, beneath my roof, in any such character. Edmimd,'' turning to his brother, '' never will T low AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 219 my father's house to be disgraced by acknowledging any such degrading connec- tion/' Then high words followed between the brothers — those on Mr. Malvern's part in particular, reflecting, indeed, little homour on the high-birth and gentle blood, against which he deemed his brother to have offended, by an act in itself honourable and virtuous — but of course repellant to his ancestral pride. Truly, the violent and offensive language, in which he gave vent to his feelings, made his sister shi^ink and tremble — though the Lady Clara, in spite of all her noble bloody bore the rude-storm with much composure ; indeed, one could almost have fancied that she entered into every word her cou- sin spoke with the fullest approbation, though right glad she doubtless felt that it was the younger, not the eldeo son who had thus demeaned himself And when Mr. Edmund, glancing significantly, I thought, at his lady cousin, prayed Heaven that his L 2 220 Al^ OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. brother might never take to himself a wife less honourable — as far as beauty and virtue were concerned — to his name and race than the one he had chosen, I thought her ladyship coloured deeply with conscious anger. The little Nelly, sheltered behind Miss Malvern^s chair, also witnessed this scene I thought with wonderful cbtuseness. It vvas to me one most painful to behold. It ended in Mr. Edmund turn- ing to his bride, who looked half- dead with grief and terror, and biddiDg her come with him from a house, into which he would hever set his foot again. " May no greater curse than the presence of one like you, Julia, fall upon this old house,^^ were his last w6rds as he led the weeping girl dov/n -stairs, and, at once out of the mansion. It was a wretched night — cold and dark, the rain falling in torrents. Thev walked two miles to the villaoe, Mr. Edmund took off his great coat AN OLD COUNTKY HOUSE. 221 t-0 wrap round his delicate wife, and they arrived at the cottage where they took up their abode, drenched to the skin. There the young couple remained in great privacy — no communication of any kind being carried on with the Court, at wliich things went on as if nothing of this sort had happened. About two months after the event, it came to my ears, through the doctor of the place, that Edmund was dying. An inflammation of the chest — the effects of the cold caught on the night, the event of which I have just recorded — had brought him into what is called a gallopping con- sumption. I told this to Mr. Malvern and also to his sister, who was sadly grieved for her brother's sake ; and I was sent immediate- ly to the cottage in the village, to see what could be done. I found Julia, or Mrs. Edmund I should call her, watching, in much anguish, over her husband^s sick bed. He, indeed, as had been reported 222 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. dying. I brought with me a message, purporting that his brother and sister would visit him on the morrow. They were engaged with their company that night. " It will be too late/' Julia said. And so it was Before morning dawned I had closed Mr. Edmund's eyes. I conveyed back the mournful tidings to the Court. Miss Malvern was much dismayed — she seemed for a time as one distracted. Her lovers and friends came round to cheer and comfort her ; and then, as there were no more entertainments to be carried on in the house, the guests went their ways — a few of the most intimate friends fol- lowing the family party to the continent, where they almost immediately proceeded. Mr. Edmund's widow had, after her hus- band's burial, gone home to her relations. No settlement had been made upon her, nor any provision for children. Mr. Malvern, when applied to by the AN OLD COtJNTRY HOUSE. 223 widow's friends, accorded a small annuity, begging, that he might be no more im- portuned on the subject of one whom he had refused to acknowledge during the life time of his brother, whose death had more effectually done away with any claim upon his consideration, and when the an- nouncement of a son and heir presumptive to the house of Malvern was forwarded to him some months after, he took no notice of the impUed appeal. 224 AH OLD COUKTKY HOCSK CHAPTER XYllL To-night — but who and what art thou Of foreign garb and fearful brow ? And what are these to thine or thee, That thou shouldst either pause or flee ! The Giaour. I WAS to have accompanied Miss Malvern abroad, but nearly at tbe last, it was ar- ranged otherwise. Lady Clara, who took all the appoint- ments of this foreign expedition into her AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. ^25 own hands, persuaded her cousin that the adoption of her own maid as their common attendant during their travels, would be a more convenient and expedient arrange- ment, and Mr. Malvern was too glad fo: me to remain behind in authority during his absence. Miss Nelly went to her school, and for ^ whole year I was thus left to keep hou; : alone. Though a young woman, compared t what I am now, and my life was cl; ' and solitary enough, it suited me ve- well. Still my mind often ran up Miss Malvern, and I was grieved to thi;: that one so young and beautiful shoir without better guide and guardians ti: those who surrounded her, be exposed all the temptations and seductions nat^ to her position and circumstances. Fo sooner were they on the continent thai- party plunged into every kind of for dissipation and gay society — Miss Ma' L -5 226 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. being for her beauty and attractions cele- brated far and wide. I received, during this year, several an- nouncements of the family^s intended re- turn, always followed by its postpone- ment. But there came at last positive notice that they might be expected the following month, Febuary. Every preparation was accomplished ; and late in the afternoon of the day before the one appointed for that event, a carriage drove up to the hall door, and a gentleman, attended by a foreign servant, who could not speak English, alighted. On my going out to receive this unexpected visiter, I recognised in him one of those whom I had found on my first arrival, the most familiar guests at the Court — one of the two gentlemen whom you may remember me to have particular- ized as stepping from the throng to take his place by Miss Malvern's side, when she was playing the harp in the hall. Not the young officer ; but the other, a dark, pale i AN OLD Country house. 227 foreign-looking person — who, however, bore the English name of Rashleigh. He told me that when he had parted, not long ago, with Mr. and Miss Malvern, on the Conti- nent, he had been invited to join their circle at the Court immediately on their return, which event he fancied had by this time taken place. Such, however, not being the case — and which he the more regretted — his stay being restricted to but a very few days— she must beg to be allow^ed to await their ar- rival. 1 had, of course, nothing to do, but civilly entertain and accommodate the gentlemen. I established him in the libra- ry, and prepared a bedroom in the guests' apartments for his reception. In the evening, however, sometime after partaking of his late dinner, he sent for me into the library, and asked if Miss Malvern's harp was not kept in the antique- saloon — adding that he had promised my young lady to put her instrument into tune, 228 A^ OLD COUITTEY HOUSE. in readiness for her use — and that the occu- pation would now be welcome. I said that I would have the door opened, and lights brought — that there was a fire burning — but at the same time, if he pre- ferred the warmer library, the harp might easily be brought to him there. Mr. Rashleigh, however, rejected the proposition with some demonstration of eager impatience ; saying that he would not have the harp moved for the world, and that he infinitely preferred the saloon. When I shewed him into that apart- ment always up to this time kept, with much care, as a kind of show-room, only opened and made use of on rare and special occasions — but which my young mistress afterwards was pleased to appropriate for her more constant and es- pecial place of reception and occupation — Mr, Rashleigh evinced much satisfaction, though I thought the room had but a very AX OLD COIT^^TRY HOUSE. 229 awful and gloomy appearance in its present lonely and solemn dim silence. I said that, as I always saw tlie room locked, I would return and fasten it, and ascertain that the lights and fire were extin- guished, when we retired for the night. But the gentleman begged me not to trouble myself, as probably he would amuse himself by playing on the musical instru- ment for some hours, and would not have any one sit up on his account — promi- sing himself to see both fire and lights extinguished, and the door locked. I did not feel quite comfortable or satis- fied w^th having to accede to this irregulari- ty ; but I did not like to keep ^the servants from their rest, nor quite relish the idea of sitting up myself alone. Besides this, I could not, of course, with reason or propriety, presume to make any scruples or refusal on tliis score, to one whom I knew to be an intimate friend of the family. 230 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSF. After only a slight show of hesitation, I therefore complied with the gentleman's demand. I knew that he was a great musician — that he had often, indeed, instructed Miss Malvern in the art in which she so much excelled — and supposed that it was his great musical taste which inspired him with the wish to sit up so late, alone, in the vast apartment. So I went my way, and as I withdrew down the passage, sure enough, I could hear him sweep the strings of the harp in a hurried, but masterly manner. However, to my ear — so long unaccus- tomed to any such disturbance of the gloom and stillness of the house — there appeared something almost fearful in the sounds, and I was not sorry when I had lost hearing of them in the distance. I slept that night in the dressing-room adjoining the tapestried chamber, which you have seen occupied by Miss Milly, and AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 231 where 3Iiss Eleanor had lately slept, when at the Court. I had been having all the rooms inhabi- ted by the family, occupied in turns, to ensure them being well aired — and had myself lately spent a night in the tapestried chamber, which, from some foolish super- stition, I should have had much difficulty in persuading any of the servant-maids to do. And tnily, had not my dear 3"oung lady^ from her mother's death, of her own accord, chosen this for her dormitory, without a thought of fears or discomfort seeming to cross her mind \ But to terrors of ary sort this family were certainly not subject. It had been better, perhaps, could they have been sometimes afraid — as it was, it might have appeared — God help them — that they were of the number of those who believed neither ''Angel or Spirit ^^ But when I had said my prayers, all 232 AK OLD COUNTSY HOUSE. such weak minded fancies, on my part, would quickly vanish. I could take as much rest here as in any other chamber of the mansion, having no reason to apply to my- self the verse you see marked upon the bed-head— awful words most truly, and which I have been told, many think are in allusion to the terrors which the style and aspect of the apartment was calculated to inspire to its weak-minded occupant, " Thou keepest mine eyes waking — / am so troubled that I cannot speak J' " Well, I slept this night, as I have said in the little room adjoining the door of communication bolted ; for there is al- ways a kind of dreary feeling in having a large empty room opening into one's own. I had been in bed perhaps an hour, when I was roused from a sort of half-sleep, by a mysterious noise in that next chamber — AX OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 233 mysterious, for I knew that every means of ingress was precluded, for the common door was locked, and through the secret staircase I knew it to be an impossibility that any one could intrude, as the doors, both at the top and bottom of the stairs, had been never opened since the family's de- parture — the key never having been even committed to my charge, but held in the private possession of Miss Malvern, and carried away by her when she went abroad. But now I distinctly heard • something moving within that uninhabited room, and as was but natural, a cold thrill of terror ran through my frame — and my heart seemed to die quite away. I held my breath, and listened intently. It was not the wind — it could not be a rat or mouse ; but plainly, from the slow and measured nature of the sound, a human footstep, which, as if without much attempt at con- cealment, seemed leisurely to walk half across the apartment — pause a few seconds and retire. 234 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. Then, to my no small amaze though, per- haps, my] slight relief — for it made at least accountable, what otherwise was so fearfully marvellous — I heard a key turning distinct- ly in the tapestry door, and the faint, hollow sound of a footstep retreating down the secret staircase, reached my quickened ear. I could perceive nothing pecuHar in the demeanour of Mr. Eashleigh when T met him in the morning. He followed me into the antique-saloon — which I had entered to see that all was right — and merely asked at what hour I expected the family home that day. I told him, late in the afternoon I imagined they would arrive ; and then, whilst I continued there silently, he kept pacing the apartment with a kind of half-smile upon his thin lip, and a thoughtful contrac- tion on his brow. I did not much like the gentleman's countenance from the first — but much less so now, after the suspicious adventure of AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 235 the preceeding night, had left such a dis- agreable impression upon my mind con- cerning him. About two o'clock in the afternoon, a foreign servant, who could speak no English, arrived at the Court to see Mr. Rashleigh ; he was with his master in the library for nearly an hour — then, after partaking of refreshment, took his de- parture in great haste, by the same con- veyance which had brought him to the Court. From that time till towards evening, Mr. Rashleigh appeared to be in a very anxious and unsettled state of mind. He wandered about the house from room to room — through the passages and hall — often as evening approached, going out upon the front steps — though it was raining heavily — to listen evidently for the approach of the expected carriage-wheels — and when time went on — the house long lighted up and dinner in readiness — and yet, they came not — his impatience became unbounded. 236 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. He was seen standing in the hall pale as ashes — his teeth clenched— his brow knit fiercely — and when requested to partake of the prepared repast, he impatiently moved away with a muttered imprecation ; and having repaired to the solitary dining- room, and hurriedly swallowed a few mouthfuls, he returned to his restless watch. At length, he sent for me to enquire my opinion concerning this delay. I was obliged to own that I feared some- thing had occurred to prevent the arrival of the family that night — in short, that I had nearly given them up. The gentleman looked as if he would have fainted — but with as much calmness as he could command — expressed his great disappointment and vexation, at having to depart early the following morning without seeing Mr. Malvern and his sister. Another hour passed. I was again summoned to admit Mr* AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 237 Rashleigh into the saloon — but when, after having led him in, and about to retire, I said that I did not mean to go to bed very early that night, and would, therefore, be in the way to lock the door when he retired, Mr. Rashleigh, holding it as if awavfelng my departure, said, in so de- termined a tone, and with so firm a look and gesture, " 'Mj good woman, pray let me not be disturbed again to-Eiglit ; but leave me to retire when I choose." I would not have dared to hesitate for a moment, but quickly went my way, deter- mining, hovv-cver, to make the tapestry room closet once more my abode, and to ascertain, with more certainty, if my gentleman had indeed been the intruder of the night before — whether his visit would be repeated — and if so, to discover what he possibly could have to do in my lady's chamber. So I left the door between the rooms 238 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. just slightly ajar, and sitting up in anxious expectation, on the first sound I heard at the secret opening, I extinguished my candle, and stood up on the watch. AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 23 CHAPTER XTX Though like a demon of the night He pass'd and vanish'd from my sight, His aspect and his air impress'd A troubled memory on my breast. The Giaour. It was in fact no other than Mr. Rashleigh, who haying drawn aside the tapestry hang- ings which concealed the door, made his appearance. He advanced towards the centre of the MO AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. apartment, and lifting up the light he carried in his hand, turned his eyes all round the wide, desolate room with a gaze of earnest contemplation, fixing them on every object with as much intensity as if they had been living subjects. Then having thus stood riveted for several moments, there came over his countenance, an expression of dark and passionate anguish. He beat his breast, and cried aloud u-T)on the name of Dora with the voice of one calling upon the dead rather than the living. Then he strode with impatient step to- wards the old stately couch — drev/ aside, with passionate grasp, the heavy drapery which concealed the interior, and having cast his fiery eyes over its wide, still va- cuity, threw himself on his knees by its side, burying his face upon the rich, crimson coverlet which concealed the snowy, laced pillows, all la.id ready for my young lady's use — groaning aloud in a paroxysm of the same strong emotion. AN OLD COUXTEY HOUSE. 241 When he next arose, I all this time standing immoveable with surprise and dread, he was calm ; but theie was some- thing in the very fixed composure now visi- ble on his countenance,which appeared more terrible to me in my present situation — especially when still standing by the couch, he drew from his bosom something which, ghttering in the light before which he held it, I saw to be a sharp pointed dagger. He contemplated it for a moment mth a grim smile, then glancing across the room, deliberately traversed the apart- ment, and entering the Oriel, was hidden from my sight ; and for the few succeeding moments evidently he was writing. When Mr. Rashleigh ceased that occu- pation, 1 heard him stir in the recess — remove a book or so — then, presently he reappeared with a composed and resolute brow ; but with fixed eyes and hasty step, as if fearful that further lingering would awaken his former state of mind— he vanished — the echoing footsteps once more sounding VOL. I. M 242 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. down the secret staircase ; and the large chamber was left once more to its dark and dreary stillness. You may imagine what an impression the strange scene I had witnessed made upon me. The remembrance of that solitary figure, and his mysterious deportment, recurred to my fancy, as if it had been some troubled phantom haunting at midnight some doomed and lonely spot. The gentleman had ordered his chaise at a very early hour in the morning, and he departed accordingly, leaving under my charge two letters — one for Mr. Malvern — the other for his sister. He departed — and I never saw him more, till — But I will not anticipate that frightful crisis of my story. That same evening, the family returned — Mr. Malvern, Miss Malvern, and Lady Clara. My young lady beautiful as ever — but thinner, it might be paler ; and I Als' OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 243 thouo-ht to mark, even in the few first moments succeeding our meeting, an altered look of restless thought, as if from some secret care or anxiety, upon her brow, which she seemed, nevertheless, as if desi- rous to conceal by a light and excessive gaiety of manner and deportment, not so natural as heretofore. I presented her with the packet from Mr. Rasyeigh, after she had ascended to her chamber. She received it with chang- ing colour — but then, with apparent care- lessness threw it aside unopened, till she had divested herself of her travelling habih- ments, putting to me various indifferent questions — amongst the number, whether her little cousin Nelly had yet arrived. She had been written to — and desired to come to the Court from school, and made her appearance the following day. At last, quickly taking up the letter, she enquired when and how it had come. I then proceeded to tell her of Mr. Rash- M 2 244 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. leigh's arrival — his staj — and his departure from the Court. At this she turned, I thought, a little pale, and with avidity, to reopen the billet, and turned away to peruse it. When it was finished, she appeared flurried and somewhat agitated — but begged me to go and desire her maid to at- tend her in ten minutes to dress her for dinner. It was a new waiting woman she had brought with her from abroad ; and when, at the lapse of the appointed time, I shewed her the way to her lady's chamber, Miss Malvern was standing near the old bureau, hastily closing it as if having secured something therein. I concluded it to be Mr. Eashleigh's letter. She then turned as with the air of a person who had been relieved of some present weight of care, and with more genuine excitement of spirits than before. And under this influence, I thought. AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 245 indeed, as I lingered to watch her dress for the late dinner, that her beauty and at- tractiveness had certainly increased. But that air of foreign fashion, T^hich, perhaps, ministered to this improvement, was a charm — the addition of which I could well have dispensed with. This same influence had worked, but with less pleasing effect upon the lady Clara also — she too, in her way, might have been considered handsomer — though in my eyes it was only bolder — less womanly. She came into her cousin's room just as my mistress had completed hei toilette, so they went down stairs together ; as I was crossing the passages on my way to my own room, I unavoidably overheard the following words passing between them as they slowly proceeded arm-in-arm along the corridor, " Clara, only think— he has been here !" " He has ! — good Heavens ! and what 246 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. has become of hiraV exclaimed Lady Clara. " Gone !" was the reply, with a wild musical laugh, which rang silvery and clear all round the corridor. ^^ Come and gone — a despatch arrived which summoned him abroad, and compelled hira to depart without a day's delay — he was off in despair unparrelleled, without another sight or embrace of his — '^ I did not catch her following words. " For shame, Dora !'' cried her companion, with a laugh still louder and less musical ; "you widow-bewitched — is this the way you wear your weeds V "Weeds — no weeds to me alas — unless, indeed — " And here again I lost the words. " But no — I do but joke," Miss Malvern continued ; " though I must own it was a pleasant relief — it would have been so difficult and irksome to conceal — it cannot last long, I know," with a sigh, " but, for AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 247 the present at least, let me think of other things— let me dream of liberty — amuse- ment — and Max Egerton./^ And talking and laughing thus lightly, their voices died away in the dis- tance. 248 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. CHAPTER XX. Go, speak not to me ; even now begone— O go not yet ! even thus two friends eondemn'd Embrace and kiss, and take ten thousand leaves, Loather a hundred times to part than die, Yet now farewell ; and farewell life with thee ! King Henry VI. It seemed probable that, under the present circumstances of his family, Mr. Malvern would not much longer continue unmar- ried; it had often occurred to me, and Ai^' OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 249 not with the most welcome feeling that he would, on his return from abroad, most iikely be engaged to his cousin, Lady Clara. But from what I now saw and heard, there seemed little to confirm truth in this idea. The Lady Clara with all her cleverness had not yet been able to effect so much. She was noisy and agreeable, and as far as that went, my master liked her company and presence in his house ; but probably the longer and the more intimate their intercourse became, the less thought or inclination did he take to make her his wife ; so her ladyship was forced to con- tent herself for the present with getting as much power in the house, and to that effect, as much influence over my master and his sister, as she could possibly obtain. The family had but just returned to M 5 250 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. England at the time war again broke forth on the continent. The first tidings we heard of this event were under the following circumstances : A day or two after the arriyal of the family company assembled at the court — Amongst the number, was the young Captain Egerton — - After this period Miss Malvern mani- fested a mood and demeanour which ex- cited in my mind no little anxiety and un- easiness on her account. Her spirits were so excited, restless and variable, often after their greatest height of levity and elation, she gave way to a violent hysterical fit of weeping. My young lady seemed to hke me to be with her when alone in her own apartment, as I was quiet and silent and did not trouble her with any show of idle curiosity and observation, though Go knows I v/as anxious enough in my private mind concerning her. The fourth day of the stay of the above mentioned party at the Court, Miss Mai- AK OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 251 vern separated herself early in the after- noon from her company, and came to the retirement of her tapestried chamber, summoning me to administer to her some essences of which it had become her habit to partake, afterwards desiring me to sit with her in the apartment whilst she re- posed upon the couch within the oriel. Well do 1 remember the aspect of the apartment. Miss ]\IalYern was attired in a loose, silken wrapper of the most delicate cerulian blue ; her unbound hair falling in rich braids upon the damask cushion on which her head reclined. The afternoon was bright and sunny, though there was a wild March wind with- out, and the sunbeams shone through the many paned orie), dancing in chequered stars and streams upon the carpet, ceiKng, and Heathenish figures w^orked upon the wall, whilst the gleeful notes of a canary bird in - the same old cage, since repaired and gilded up for Miss Millicent's goldfinch, singing shrill and clear through the 252 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE, apartment, were the only sounds within, that broke its stillness. But my mistress lay there, as I have described, sad and silent — holding list- lessly in her hand a book she had taken from the little shelf you have observed, still standing in the Oriel, its contents the only furniture of the kind the chamber afforded, and they were works of fiction, mostly foreign and in very old bindings, and to these which I had never seen her look in before, she had added, on her re- turn, several brought with her from abroad. But she did not read much now, letting the volume sink down within her hand, and fixing her eyes on vacancy with a dark, troubled look of thought. We had been thus together, it might be nearly an hour. Miss Nelly once coming quickly in, but my lady sending her fret- fully away, as if not inclined to have her in the room, when I heard the quick strong tread of a man's footstep hastily ascending AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 253 the secret staircase, and almost before I had time to conjecture that it could be but her brother, there was a loud, impatient knocking outside the door, and an agitated voice I knew at once to be Captain Eger- ton's, earnestly entreating for admittance. ]\Iiss i\Ialvern, turning pale as death, exclaimed, •'Max — good Heavens — what has hap- pened '?" and flying to the door, she opened it, and Captain Egerton entered — his coun- tenance evincing much haste and agitated emotion. " I must speak to you, Dora,'' he exclaim- ed, hastily darting an impatient glance to- w^ards me as he spoke Miss Malvern hastily returned with him to the Oriel, making, however, an agitated sign that I should remain at the further end of the room Thither, I accordingly retired — but could not refrain, when there, from glancing back towards the spot where shone the sun- beams, I have before described, upon as 254 AK OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. beautiful a pair as I could erer contemplate. You have seen Colonel Egerton, Miss, as he even now is, and can imagine what he was then in his early manhood — the model, I may say, of a young and gallant officer — such as these days of idle peace seldom produce. But you should have seen my lady at that moment, looking as if shrouded in a golden cloud by her flowing hair — the paleness with which her alarmed emotion had overpowered her countenance, render- ing it only, I thought, more heavenly-fair. Captain Egerton had come to tell her that a despatch had just arrived, summon- ing him to join the army abroad — war having again broken out — and that he must depart with all speed. Then Miss Malvern clasped her hands over her eyes, as if quite overcome by this intelligence, and her voice was faint and faltering when she strove with words of sorrow to make reply. But, perhaps, there was not quite enough AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE, 255 of natural emotion in her tone and manner to suit the passionate feelings of her lover, for I heard him accuse her of coldness and unconcern. Then Miss Malvern's tears broke forth in torrents, indeed. " Coldness — unconcern — oh. Max," she cried, " if you could but see my heart at this wretched moment — the last we must ever look upon each other but with cold- ness and unconcern — indeed, as note, when we must truly part — and part for ever I" Then, on his knees, Captain Eger- ton swore that such should never be the case — that if the God of armies would but preserve him in the battle, he would return and claim her as his own for ever. Nay, he continued, as she woefully shook her head, as he deemed in sorrowful fear of what might be his probable fate— if to leave her now, was to risk the losing her for ever — he would brave all risks to which the delay might expose him, and make her his wife before the sun of that day had set. 256 AN" OLD COUI^TRY HOUSE. " But even if this were not possible," he continued, with rising fear, her agony of desponding hopelessness seeming to strike on his conviction ; " why distract my already lacerated heart — why not let me depart with the promise of faithful love — to me as sure a bond of union between us, as vows spoken in holy church could be V Then recoiling, trembling, and grasping at a chair for support, my lady held out her lily hand, and bade him take it for the last time — then go to glory and honour, and think no more of her — for though he and no one else had nor would ever possess her love — nay, though the sinful words were her last, she must speak them forth — to another that hand had been given — and never could it be his. After this, bewildered and amazed at what I heard, I hardly could distinguish distinctly the rest. Doubtless Captain Egerton spoke in the bitter passion of the heart of a man de- ceived and wounded in that tenderest part AX OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 257 — nay ! perhaps time and honourable of soul himself — much as he had prized the maiden love he deemed she bare him, in the first impulse of his upright nature, he spurned that love ^hen declared on such terms as these, and wresting from his false fair one but a few more half dying words of explanation, he rushed in scorn and anger from her presence to plunge with soul de- votion to his country's cause, midst the fire and sword — the first love episode in his life here endet]. '' When I hurried to my lady's side," continued Mrs. Lilly, " I found she had fainted on the couch ; but having brought her to herself without summoning other assistance, she was calmer than might have been expected — bidding me, at length, in a firm and resolute tone, to go and bid her brother and Lady Clara come, saying, " Since he knows it — it shall be no secret now — nay, the whole world may hear all — it matters not to me— Go, Lilly, bid my 258 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. brother come and hear, that I am mar- riedr And she laughed something Kke the fearful laugh I have heard so often since proceeding from her lips. Mr. Malvern came with Lady Clara, and my mistress stood up with a queen- like air, and told him at once, as a queen might make such an announcement to her subject minister, that during her residence abroad, not two months ago, she" had been wedded clandestinely to Jose Rashleigh her brother's former friend and associate. " Being a Roman Catholic,'' Miss Mal- vern continued, " and a foreign subject he could not, without great risks of various kinds, make his marriage known ; and I, as long as its concealment was possible, felt little inclination to divulge the fact, not only likely to draw upon me the displeasure of you, my brother, but alas!" and she sighed deeply, " it was a step of which I learnt almost as soon as it was taken, to repent. It was a rash adventure AK OLD COUXTEY HOUSE, 259 to which I had been excited as into some childish freak, scarcely conscious of its real and responsible nature. Rashleigh has now been obliged, und^r pain of loss and penalty to hasten to his own country — under much distress of mind it appears from a letter he left behind. He foresees probably, as it has truly proYed the case, that the speedy outbreak of the war might probably detain him in Spain — I haYO now only to request," she added, " that you will, my brother, allow me to remain in your house during this period of separation, or if you deny me this, giYe me my portion, and I must seek another asylum." As may be supposed, my master's amaze- ment and dismay knew no bounds as he listened to this strange communication. That his beautiful and only sister should be thus inYoigled, as it appeared, into an 260 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSli:. alliance with a man whose half foreign, and indeed never well substantiated origin, had been ever rather the subject of slight and contempt to this scion of the purest of English stock in the kingdom, on whom some caprice alone, perhaps his prominent musical abihties, indeed any talent which might serve to minister to the selfish gratification of its inmates, proving a sufficient passport to favour beneath this roof, had induced him to bestow so much favour and patronage. And this lute playing mongrel (I heard master exclaim in a paroxysm of passion,) had taken advantage of the liberty' his neg- lectful guardianship had exercised over his sister, and worked so far on her youth and indiscretion as to induce her to make so odious and disgraceful a connection ! — it was maddening to his pride and passion, But it was singular to observe the power which the youth and beauty of his sister seemed to exercise over him — and when I almost expected to see her share her bro- ther's fate under similar circumstances AX OLD COL^.NTRY HOUSE. 261 Mr. Malvern, his incoherent ebulHtion of wrath and wonderment having exhausted themselves sensibly softened and subdued. Perhaps, the very undisguised scorn and self-abhorrence, evinced by Miss Malvern towards the act into which she had been betrayed, inclined her brother the more to indulgence as far as she was concerned ; and he even had began to say something relative to an attempt to extri- cate her from so unfortunate affair, when my lady further declared, with crimsoned brow, that not only was she sure that Rash- leigh had taken every precaution to prevent any such possibility — but, that she also had the prospect of becoming a mother. Mr. Malvern now turned the impulse of his increased resentment upon Lady Clara, whose conscious alarm and discomfort throughout this scene could not be hidden. With little ceremony, he called upon her to account for the aid and abetments she must have given to this detestable proceed- 262 AN OLD COTJNTEY HOUSE. Her ladyship could not deny her know- ledge of the affair, though she endeavored to exculpate herself from any assist- ance, or encouragement to her cousin in the business — in support of which assertion, I thought Mrs. Rashleigh, as I must now call her, preserved somewhat suspicious silence — though she did not, by word or look, insinuate anything against her friend in this respect. In short, to spin out no longer this part of the story, though the business, promised at one time, to lead to a breach between Lady Clara and Mr. Malvern, the storm blew over at this point, like many others, and she managed to keep her ground. But there was, as you may imagine, confusion such as had not been before or since the affair with poor, forgotten Mrs. Edmund. Mrs, Rashleigh did not shew herself to the party in the house — indeed, she was too ill from the effects of all she A^ OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 26 3 had undergone, to leave her room whilst they remained — strange indeed, that her maternal expectations had not been dis- troyed. Every one concluded that grief for her young and gallant lover's loss — caused her sequestration, for my master kept the hated secret with as good a face as he could com- mand, and then was forced to have the fact of his sister's marriage publicly announced. Much talk and wonderment did, as you may suppose, the news excite, though as with many other much more wonderful than this — it proved but a nin^ days' wonder after all. 64 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. CHAPTER XXL And thus the next few months were spent by the family in much quiet seclusion — with the exception of a few intimate gentlemen friends of my masters' who occasionally came to the country. Even the Lady Clara, the dullness and want of company being not much AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 265 to her taste — often absented herself on a visit to London,, or other gay places, though she took care to keep up an affec- tionate correspondence with her cousins, and to return as soon as she thought matters seemed likely to take a better turn. In the meantime, my lady, who but for want of better guidance and control — possessed a mind really of high and superior grade — passed this time, more to her satisfaction and contentment than mio;ht have been expected of one so habituated to the excitement of dissipation. With her books she amused her mind. Alas ! not the books I would fain have seen her choose for her studies ! but with those — such as they were — and with her harp, at times, and driving her ponies, she contrived to beguile the heavy moments which suc- ceeded these events. Miss Nelly and myself were almost her TOL. 1. N 266 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. sole companions, for she never cared much for the society of her own sex, save jusb the few whom custom and famiharity had thrown habitually in her way. Miss Nelly, now nearly twelve years old, began to bring herself more into notice even with Mr. Malvern, who often remarked upon her as a tidy, well-conditioned little girl, and a very useful companion to his sister. At last the autumn came, and the child of this ill-omened union saw the light in that same chamber in which the mother died. My lady never seemed to contemplate its birth with much of the fond and tender interest, with which a mother generally anticipates a similar event, and often indeed told me she was AN OLD COUXTPtY HOUSE. 267 sure she should never care about her off- spring. Still it must be a hard heart in- deed ^vithin a woman's breast, which can resist the gushings of natm^e in such a case, and the infantine attractions of her Httle daughter soou created the love and interest of the young mother. She nursed and fondled it whilst a babe, and as it gi^ew to the age of intelhgence, made it her constant plaything and amusement — I may also say her ornament. For alas ! for the vanity of woman's nature, she knew too well, that never did she look so Icvely as when the fair little Millicent was car- ried in her arms, nestling in her bosom, or playing by her side. I am carrying on my story as quickly as possible now ; I had intended it to be so short, but at my age it is difficult not to be garrulous, though I do not think I have N 3 268 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. brought in any circumstance that was not wanting to make my narrative intelligible. You will be aware that all private cor- respondence was cut off with the Continent, so that Mrs. Rashleigh heard nothing of her husband all this time, whilst the bravery and gallant deeds of one — whose doings, I fear, excited more interest in her heart — by public report often reached her ears, and she would sigh and smile, for her merry and elastic nature had well nigh, by this time, recovered its tone ; and often whilst feigning to resist the playful caresses of her httle girl, half in jest and half in earnest, she would say : " Oh ! had you but been the child of that one brave man — how I could have loved you V And then she would laugh at the grave, chiding looks with which I listened to such sallies. It was on one of these occa- sions that she went to the old bureau which stands, you know, on one side of the ta- pestried chamber. AS OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 269 In this she kept her jewels, her money, her papers, besides a great deal of now considered trash and obsolete trinketrj, accumulated by her grandmothers of old. These, such as pomade -boxes, beads, snuff- boxes, curious watches, &c. &c., she would often take from the many pigeon- hole hiding places of this bureau, as play- things for the Httle lady, to her great and never failing delight But on that occasion, she brought out from the same receptacle something, which as it ghtteringly caught the child's notice, caused her to throw down a whole lap-full of baubles, with which she had been before beguiling herself, and to hold out her Httle hands for the newly-discovered treasure. Tliis, however as you may suppose, my lady did not grant to her, for it was nothing less than the same shining dagger I had seen in Mr. Rashleigh's hands the night of his ^isit to his wife's chamber. And then the lady told me that her hus- band, in his farewell letter, written under the 270 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. despairing presentiment of a lengthened separation, had at the same time directed her to the folds of a book, in which he had enclosed for her a parting token of remembrance, and that she had accordingly discovered therein, this same ill-omened present placed within a page, on which were lines of fearful significance. My lady continued in a light, contemp- tuous smile : " For these lines even set forth that were I to prove faithless, it were well to put this sharp reminder of my entiiralment to its deadly purpose — whether on my own false heart or to his, the betrayed one, is left to the imagination. — But, oh, I know too well," she added, with a wild laugh, " that false or faithful, when he does re- turn, I shall only feel too sadly inclined to use it one way or another to that effect. Absence isatest I should advise no husband, unloved like mine, to put long to the proof." Thus, unthinkingly, spoke that young A^ OLD COUNTRY HO[JSE. 271 and beautiful creature impatient of the position into which her own follj and rashness had drawn her ; persuaded, perhaps, at the time she so committed herself, bj the evil influences surrounding her both of foreign society and her own more inti- mate associates — to regard the connection upon which she had entered, more in the light it is looked upon by the wives of foreign countries, than as that strict, binding tie so sacred to the women of our own more blessed land, except, indeed, in instances of those unfortunates corrupted by evil com- munication — a tie truly, which, however little inclination and affection maybe found there- with, can seldom, without much violence to the mind and conscience, be cast off by the wives of England. On my enquiring of Mrs. Lilly how it had happened, that if so deeply in love with one another, no declaration of ma- trimonial intentions had passed between herself and Captain Egerton, a circum- 272 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE. stance which might have prevented the inauspicious marriage with Mr. Rashleigh, the old ladj rephed, that she believed the youngofficer must have been induced to de- lay any public acknowledgment of the at- tachment he had conceived for his beautiful young hostess, during his visit at the Court, by the wild levity he might have witnessed in her conduct, whilst under the deterio- rating influences of her continental dissi- pations — and that it was partly pique and resentment consequent on this be- haviour on her lover's part, which had ex- cited the unfortunate girl to the ill-advised and unprincipled conduct which ended in that fatal union with another. Peace was restored — our armies returned victorious — communion with the Continent was restored. Long parted friends and rela- tions were re-united ; and Mrs. Eashleigh, with sensations, which those who are AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 273 aware of her feelings towards her husband may easily imagine, began to exist in daily expectation of receiving tidings of his expected return. jSTot a letter was put into her hand — not a carriage was heard grinding down the approach — not a foot- step upon the stair, but her hand trembled, her cheek paled, till she ascertained it not to be the much dreaded missive — that most unwelcome arrival. Even the child had caught the infection of repugnance which the idea excited, and on such occasions, when by constant re- petition, taught to perceive the relief caused to her mother by the dispersions of such alarms, she would clap her hands and jump for joy, exclaiming that she was so glad it was not her dark and ugly father, who had come ; deformity of per- son being so generally the shape with which a child invests real or imagined ob- jects of disKke to herself, or those about her. It was a dreadful sin to be thus minded N 5 274 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. toward a husband — it was a still greater one to inculcate such sentiments into the mind of a child against its parent — one of the crying sins which has called down judgment upon this devoted house. AX OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. -75 CHAPTER XXII And thus matters proceeded. But one morning, there being company at the time in the house, and all the ladies amusing themselves in the pleasure grounds, one of the party entered the summer-house in which my lady was seated with one or two friends, and informed Mrs. Rashleigh that little Miss Milly, now the most fairy-like 276 AN OLD COUNTHY HOUSE. little creature of five or six years, and who had been sporting about the gardens and woods, was approaching, borne in the arms of a gentleman, who had suddenly made his appearance from the house. Mrs. Rashleigh, T have heard, became pale as death, and sat as if turned to stone, till the moment when Colonel Egerton made his appearance, at the entrance of the arbour, carrying the child, as had been described. The blood rushed back in torrents to her face, and then receded ; she seemed as if about to faint. Colonel Egerton placed the httle girl upon the ground, and stood speechless till ray lady recovered power sufficient to rise and greet him with extended hands and smiling brow. Then the few ladies, who had been in her company, one by one took occasion to depart, and the two were left alone. AX OLD COUNTRY HORSE. 277 When my mistress came to her room to dress for dinner, having only just parted from Colonel Egerton, she was radiant with happy excitement, which it terrified me to witness. She chose her richest robe, her brightest jewels for her attire; and when I gravely \i; at ched this anxious, restless care for her adornment, and shook my head, as if to ask, " for wliat end was all this V she a wife, in un- certainty and suspense as to her husband's safety, she turned it off with a slight laugh, asking whether it were not right, in daily expectation of that hus- band's return, that she should be ready to receive him, decked in her best attire, and in her gayest smiles. " But, Lilly," she added, in a lower tone, and with forced seriousness, as she passed with me into the gallery from her room ; " you know not what bad news this gallant hero has brought — I shall, indeed, be obliged, ere long, to doff these robes 278 AN OLD CONNTRY HOUSE. and jewels, if the report be not soon cleared away — ah me T' And she left me with recovered smiles and unconcern. The meaning of her words I found afterwards to be as follows — It appears that Colonel Egerton, in spite of the first impulsive feeling excited in his breast against the beautiful being he had so truly and earnestly loved, in hearing from her lips the astounding fact of her marriage with another, had not allowed his anger against her to continue ; but that during the years of the foreign campaign which had succeeded, he had, with a painful and tenacious interest, kept in view, the husband, Rashleigh, of whose arrival and detention in Spain, he became aware. Indeed, during the first part of this in- tricate and arduous foreign contest, they were, by circumstances, both pohtical and military, thrown considerably in one an- AN OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 279 other's way ; and, in spite of the feelings which, under the pecuHar circumstances of their case, it was but natural for the one man to feel towards the other, independently, also, of the dislike, which both the origin and whole character of a man like Rash- leigh is so prone to excite in a heart and disposition such as Colonel Egerton's. That young and gallant officer seemed to take a generous pride in being able to render to his rival, those services which his high mihtary rank and influence placed within his power. And often when, like the erring King of Israel, he might, so to speak, have " slain his rival with the sword of the children of Ammon," he made a glory of ministering rather to his safety and de- fence. So that he might, above all others, have adopted on his shield and helmet for the motto — " Sana 'peur et sans reproche'' 2S0 AN OLD COUIs^TRY HOUSE. But Rashleigh was, later in the day, separated from this sphere of protection. Engaged as a spy upon the enemies^ manoeuvres, he had fallen into the hands of the French ; and the last tidings that Egerton had received of his fate, was his imprisonment, indeed, his supposed assas- sination — his property, being consequently, seized by the avaricious clergy under that belief. Such was the information concerning her husband's fate, which Colonel Egerton had brought with him to his lady love— it would be contrary to human nature to say, with any sorrow of heart ; and ala*=? ! for the lady bright, how much less ot grief could it excite in hers ! without a sigh — a tear — nay, with scarce sup- pressed smiles of gladness did she not listen to the tale which, from those lips, spoke her, perhaps, once more husbandless and free 1 And day after day succeeded each other, during which all thoughts, but that AiT OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 281 this must be, seemed madly and recklessly to have been cast aside ; and carried on by the stream of pleasure and excitement pervading the mansion, the pair began to look upon as a reality, and an established certainty, the yet ill-defined possibility, that they were now at liberty to be all in all to one another. Relatives, friends, seemed all eager and anxious to minister to the fond belief. Mr. Malvern desiring nothing so much as the marriage of his sister with Colonel Eger- ton, could hardly be less willing than the young couple to credit the reality of Kashleigh's death. Then there was Lady Clara, more eager than any to encourage her cousin in such questionable proceedings as those in which her present course involved her — she being, besides, no doubt, nob a little anxious for the possibility of a marriage with her cousin, which promised to be so much more successful in furthering her own 282 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE, views — namely a transfer of female power at the Court into her own hands. All this time, there was one person- age amongst our group, who played, though an unconspicuous, not quite an un- important part. The young cousin, Nelly White, now serenteen, was admitted at table, and allowed to mix otherwise in the society and festivities carried on at that time so continu- ally in the mansion, but almost it might have seemed as an attendant upon her beautiful cousin, who, nevertheless, though availing herself of the young girFs capability and utility in her service, pre- sumed as little as any one could have done upon the dependent situation in which she stood towards her. Mrs. Rashleigh made a point of Nelly being nicely? , though not expensively dress- ed ; and at evening time, when the tapes- tried chamber was brilliant, as the light of many a wax taper, and gay as lively voices and light laughter could make it, AX OLD COUXTEY HOUSE. 283 and the beautiful mistress of this splen- dour stood by the tall mirror in rich at- tire — and the little ^lilly, like an airy fay, sported round her mother, decked fantastically, in the gems and flowers, or other finery she had stolen from the cases which lay scattered around — Nelly in striking contrast might be seen stand- ing in her simple, white dress, so modest and unassuming, waiting to attend her splendid cousin to the saloon. " I had t^ken great pains with Miss Nelly," Mrs. Lilly continued ; " that is to say, in the manner I considered most likely to conduce to her future benefit and ad- vantage in after life. I could not assist her in carrying on those accomplishments or those other branches of education which from the time of her early remoyal from school had almost entirely been neglected; but I could teach her to guide the domestic affairs of the household with judgment and discretion, and often hoped that it might be her fate to become early the wife of a 284 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. clergyman or some other respectable gen- tleman, a marriage which might re- move her, though perhaps into a less ex- alted, yet into a safer and more healthful sphere of existence than that in which she was now installed. We are such short-sighted creatures, my dear young lady ; we frame our own plans and purposes when another hand is directing them in the most contrary and unlikely direction. I little knew the real purpose for which 1 was busying myself to prepare this girl. Mrs. Rashleigh was delighted with an aptitude and efficiency in her young cousin which saved her so much from what she called, " prosaic drudgery of daily life," and constituting Nelly, as her deputy, every domestic arrangement seemed by degrees to fall into the hands of myself and my young lady -pupil, and it was Miss Nelly now, whom in those transactions in which it was necessary to communicate with my master, AN OLD COUXTRT HOUSE. 285 acted my lady\s part, receiving from him orders, and appl}dng to him for direc- tions. And no one, even Ladj Clara, thought to feel a spark of jealousy or distrust in the case of so uninteresting and unremarkable a little girl, who went about her business in so simple and matter-of-fact a manner, going in and out from her cousin's library, or standing by his side like a little mouse, whilst the brilliant Lady Clara, treating the interruption with the most careless un- concern, continued to entertain him with her loudest powers and most flashing wit. Altogether, these were noisy times just then at the Court, as indeed all over Eng- land, when houses were being thrown open and no expense, money, or exertion spared in this interval of peace for the entertain- ment and relaxation of those brave officers who had for so many years been plunged in the arduous toils and dangers of war. I was not so successful in my endeavours 286 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. to put mj lady's little daughter into any kind of better training, than her nurses or her mother, who was pleased to make her a mere ornament and plaything, were able to effect. She was ever a lovely, winning, but most untractable child, wild and un- teachable as a bird — fantastic, and it might have almost seemed heartless as a fairy ; and when we had even succeeded in teach- ing her to read and to write — that is to say Miss Nelly and myself, for into our hands Mrs. Rashleigh, with despairing im- patience at her own bootless endeavours, soon committed the education of the young lady — we really fancied we had achieved a miracle. And certainly by instinct rather than by the least sensible degree of thought or application did the child seem to attain this desired knowledge.'' But if I pursue this system of detail by means of which Mrs. Lilly, in spite of her opening professions to the contrary, slowly AN OLD COUNTKY HOUSF. 287 unfolded her narrative I might go on for ever. " U imagination saute les inter inedieres" so I must beg my readers to exercise a portion of that faculty, wliich I flatter my- self they must possess, whilst I carry them more abruptly to the principal catastrophe of the tale. 288 A'^ OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. CHAPTER XXIII. Amongst the other entertainments with which the Court at that time abounded, the feasting, the dancing, the music, and that harmony especially with which Mrs. Rash- leigh enchanted every ear and heart, whilst she sought but the delight and the enamour- ed admiration of the one being, by this time AX OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 289 becoDie the sole and all absorbing object of her passionate affections — seated in that antique chamber, night after night, sing- ing and playing on her golden harp a veiy queen of love and beauty — amongst these entertainments, as I have said, was one fraught with still more ex- citement and delight co this presiding genius, and her g-oodly company, namely theatrical amusements which were carried on with much spirit and success, in aid of which a chest filled with a splendid assortment of old masquerade gauds and decorations had been rifled and adapted to most valuable requisitions. I could not tell you all the scenes, sung, acted or de- picted, the living characters set forth by the accomplished company — in all of which Mrs. Rashleigh of course shone pre-eminent ; for what was considered worth beholding without her assistance ? — and need I say whom it was her pleasure should oftenest play the hero of the piece or picture in VOL. I. o 290 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. which she took a part '? But I find that on this certain night in question a scene had been performed from the now well- known poem of " The Corsair/' then but lately come before the world, in which the slave, Gulnare, appears in prison to the captive, and enchained Conrad. " Is it some seraph sent to grant him grace No 'tis an earthly form with heavenly face. Its white arm raised a lamp — yet gently hid, Lest the ray flash abruptly on the lid Of that closed eye, which opens but to pain. And once unclosed, but once may close again. That form with eyes so dark and cheeks so fair, And auburn waves of gemmed and braided hair, With shape of fairy lightness — naked foot That shines like snow, and fall on earth as mute." Delighted with the applause she elicited but perhaps still more, with the circumstances in which it had placed her towards her fellow actor, she proposed to him that they should carry on the performance AK OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 291 through the other prison scene, the one, namely, in which Gulnare proposes, and carries out the deadly means for Conrad's liberation — a task for which the attentive study of the whole poem together, but though its representation on this night had not been contemplated, fully capacitated the talented performers. For this purpose one principal feature of the scene in question was unprovided, so bidding Colonel Egerton announce the intended addition to the company, and wait one instant for her return, Mrs. Rashleigh hastily left the saloon in which the theatricals were carried on, and hur- riedly proceeded towards the antique chamber over whose grandeur a dim and subdued light from many a carved lamp was shining. Whilst pressing the spring of the secret door she might perchance have heard some- thing like a living sound, but fancying it 2 292 AN OLD COUNTEY HOUSE, perchance but the vibration of her harp, she gave it no heed, but lightly as- cended the private staircase to her cham- ber, by the light of the same silvery lamp she had lately held above the fea- tures of the slumbering corsair. The small dormitory communicating with this apartment, as before described, had for some little time been appropriated as the sleeping room of the little Milly, Nelly, its former occupant, being removed elsewhere. And here, without a thought of child- ish fear, was the child often left to lie awake for hours — pleasing herself with watching the light which from fire, lamp, or moonbeam, shone on the grotesque figures on the tapestried walls, and tell- ing herself tales of giants and fairies, such as the scene or hour suggested to the fan- tastic fancy of the little creature. But on this night, she had not been very AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. 293 long in bed, having been allowed to sit up till late, to witness the former part of the evening s entertainment. Often indeed, was the child numbered amongst the performers ; the most effec- tive tahleauon being those represented by the mother and her lovely little daughter. She was then, on this occasion, wide awake, when she saw a light stine, and heard the soft, swift foot-step sounding in the neigh- bouring room — and sitting up, she beheld as lovely a vision as ever visited childhood's sleeping dream, or waking fancy, that pre- sented by her mother in the costume and semblance of the Turkish queen and favorite of stern Seyd's harem. She crept out to the bottom of her bed to catch a better view of the beautiful appari- tion, and from thence could see her mother ap- proach the old bureau, amd opening it, extract therefrom — for it flashed in the lamplight in her sight — that always coveted, because ever prohibited, plaything, the pretty shining poniard ; then as hastily reclose 294 AN OLD COUNTRY HOUSE. the heavy frame upon its many hoards and depart ; so intent it seemed upon the ob- ject of her coming, and its speedy accom- plishment, that she did not cast a look — even if she gave an inward thought the while — towards the place where lay her little child. Then she fleetly flitted through the secret door, and with the silvery gleam from the lamp she carried, disappeared from Milly's sight, leaving the large room to its former dreary silence and partial obscurity. But it was only for an instant. It seems that the child was about to creep back within her couch, when a muffled sound — a cry — perhaps, a shriek, or the wild, agitated tones of stifled voices — she never could tell with much distinctness which ! — she heard echoed upon her ear from within the secret staircase. Any other child would, probably, under similar circumstances, have crouched in terror beneath the covering of the bed ; but AX OLD COUXTRY HOUSE. 295 Millj/s more characteristic impulse, prompted her to spring to the ground, and fly across the neighbouring chamber on her mother's footsteps. EKD or VOL. I. T. C. New by, Printer, 30, VVel beck-street, Cavendish-sq. In Three Vols. Demy 8yo, A HISTORY OF THE PAPAL STATES. prom their origin to the present time. By John MILEY, D.D. Author of * Kome under Paganism and the Popes, We commend * The History of the Papal States. Every page is worthy of perusal, because it is the history of the past ; a narrative of contem- porary events, illustrated by profound learning, deep thought, refined taste, and great sagacity. — Dublin Review. We have gone through these volumes with consider- able interest and some advantage. We have no hesitation in recommending them, as characterized by a good deal of learning and eloquence, and as by no means deficient in original research. Daily News. In one Vol. 8vo. C IRC ASS I A: OR A TOUR TO THE CAUCASUS. By G. LEIGHTON DITSON, Esq. Gives us a number of glimpses at countries not in the common track of tourists, so that we find consi- derable amusement in his descriptions, adventures, stories, and anecdotes. — Literary Gazette. Mr. Ditson has embraced in his actual survey, all the ancient world or more. — Spectator. There is much in the work that is worth reading and a variety of characteristic facts of a peculiar people. — Atlas. In Three Vols. SIR ARTHUR BOUVERIE. By the Author of ' Lady Granard'g Nieces. ' A beautifully and powerfully written story of domestic life, of deep feeling — of intense interest — it opens with an extraordinary mystery which remains long undeveloped ; but the denouement is finely, skilfully, exquisitely worked out. As a lady's novel, par excellence, it is the most delightful that we have for a long time read. We cannot too warmly con- gratulate the fair author on her success. — Naval and Military Gazette, A story of great pathos, deep interest, much power of description and every way worthy of our best opinion. — Dispatch. Light and brilliant in style. — Wilts Standard. The beauty and wisdom of truth, the hatefulnes and folly of falsehood, the terrible misery often pro- duced by a non-compliant temper, are produced, proved, illustrated and expounded in the circum- stances of a story, to which, for brilliant variety of character and scenery, dialogue, description and narrative passages, we might long revolve our re- collection of lately published works before we could name a superior. This powerful book must claim permanent interest among readers of fiction. — Weekly Chronicle, It indicates observation of life a power of depict- ing character and possesses an agreeable style — it is likely to furnish pleasant entertainment to the mass of readers. — Spectator. Of considerable power — and there ifi a vivacity in the whole performance which shows no lack of spirit or invention. — Literary Gazette. 30, Welheck Street, Cavendish Square, London. THE MOST POPULAR UfEW NOVELS OF THE SEASON. In Three Vols. (NOW READY.) THE OLD OAK CHEST. A TALE OF DOMESTIC LIFE. B Y G. P. R. JAMES, Esq. Author of * The Gipsy, ' Darnley, * The Forgery, * The Woodman,' ' Richelieu.' Exceedingly dramatic in construction and interest- ing in development. Mr. James has here combined a story likely to be as generally popular as the fore- most of his historical novels. Literary Gazette. ' The Old Oak Chest,' has the best arranged plot to be found in any of the several excellent novels and romances yet given by Mr. James to the public. The book interests from the first page Morning Herald. In Three Vols. MARMADUKE LORRIMEE, By J. MIDDLETON, Esq. THE AEMOURER'S DAUGHTER. OR, THE BORDER RIDERS. The author displays talent, which will place him high in the ranks of historical novel writers Standard. Written with great ability and replete with fas- cination. The characters are dealt with with perfect art and taste Britannia. We honestly pronounce it worthy of ranking w^ith the first historical romances of the day Dispatch. We assign this novel a front place amongst historic romances Observer. A story, such as romance readers love to dwell upon, it opens well, is well conducted, and ends well Morning Herald. HVLTON HOUSE; AND ITS INMATES. By the author of " The Hen-pecked Husband." The author has displayed great tact and no small share of talent. As a story confined to domestic oc- currences, it would not be easy to point out one of recent date more amusingly narrated than " Hylton H ouse." ... Observer. Entitled to a high place in the class of novels in which the delineation of character is the object... - Britannia. There is a strain of pleasant, lively narrative in this novel, which carries the reader onward with un- flagging attention.... Critic. In Three Vols. (Now ready.) Is^ORAH DALRYMPLE A WOMAFS STORY. In Three Vols. MR. DALTON-'S LEGATEE. A Y E R Y NICE WOMAN. By M e s. S T N E. Author of '' The Art of Needle-work," &c. The trait that redeems * Mr. Dalton's Legatee * from the common run of novels is a knowledge of a certain kind of society and a true exhibition of character. — Spectator. Delineated with all the force of 'Widow Bar- naby without any of the vulgarity which attaches to that celebrated character. The dialogue is perti- nent and piquant, the diction elegant and refined, and the whole the work of an observant mind, it stands fair to be the most successful novel of the season. — Durham Chronicle. In Two Vols. (Now ready.) SEVEN YEARS' SERVICE ON THE SLAVE COAST OF WESTERN AFRICA. BY SIR HENEY HUNTLEY. Author of ' Peregrine Scramble.' LONDON : T. C. NEWBY, PUBLISHER, WELBECK-STREET.