(Slatnell HtnitieraUg Slibratg 
 
 Jtt;ara, S^Mit Inrb 
 
 BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE 
 
 SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND 
 
 THE GIFT OF 
 
 HENRY W. SAGE 
 
 1891 
 
Cornell University Library 
 PR 5453.S2I6 
 
 Lewis Arundel; or, The railroad of life; w 
 
 3 1924 013 551 787 
 
The original of tliis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924013551787 
 
Lewis Arundel. 
 
DROPPING A DI3AGREKABLE ACQUAINTANCE,-: 
 
 P. 252. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL; 
 
 OR, 
 
 THE RAILROAD OF LIFE. 
 
 BY 
 
 FRANK E. SMEDLEY, 
 
 AUTHOR OF " FRANK FAIRLEGH." 
 
 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS SY "PHIZ. 
 
 THE WALTER SCOTT PUBLISHING CO., LTD. 
 
 LONDON AND NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE. 
 NEW YORK: 3 EAST I4TH STREET. 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 PAQE 
 DROPPING A DISAGREEABLE ACQUAINTANCE - Frontispiece. 
 
 RACHEL'S INTRODUCTION TO FAUST - 6 
 
 ,THE CHARTIST ROW - - 34 
 
 THREE STEPS IN LIFE — BEGGARY, POVERTY, AND COMPETENCE 76 
 
 A VIOLENT "ANTI-PROGRESS" MOVEMENT 108 
 
 CHARLEY LEICESTER BESET BY AN AMAZON 156 
 
 MAKING GAME OF A FELLOW - 180 
 
 A COWARDLY SHOT - - - - I98 
 
 BRACY DANCETH A LIVELY MEASURE - - - 234 
 
 THE GERMAN LESSON .... 308 
 
 LEWIS IN THE RUINED ABBEY . . 338 
 
 CHARLEY Leicester's domestic felicity - • 360 
 
 'TIS EASY TO PUT YOUR FOOT IN IT - 406 
 
 WOEFUL EFFECTS OF A WILFUL WAIST - 424 
 
 THE DEATH OF JANE HARDY - - • 456 
 
 THE FATE OF THE WOLF ..... 466 
 
Lewis Arundel 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 IN WHICH THE TRAIN STARTS, AND THE READER IS INTRODUCED 
 TO THREE FIRST-CLASS PASSENGERS. 
 
 " Surely he ought to be here by this time, Rose ; it must be past 
 nine o'clock ! " 
 
 " Scarcely so much, mamma ; indeed, it wants a quarter of nine 
 yet. The coach does not arrive till half-past eight, and he has quite 
 four miles to walk afterwards." 
 
 " Oh I this waiting, it destroys me," rejoined the first speaker, 
 rising from her seat and pacing the room with agitated steps. " How 
 you can contrive to sit there, drawing so quietly, I do not com- 
 prehend I " 
 
 "Does it annoy you, dear mamma ? Why did you not tell me so 
 before?" returned Rose gently, putting away her drawing-apparatus 
 as she spoke. No one would have called Rose Arundel handsome, 
 or even pretty, and yet her face had a charm about it — a charm that 
 lurked in the depths of her dreamy grey eyes, and played about the 
 comers of her mouth when she smiled, and sat like a glory upon her 
 high, smooth forehead. Both she and her mother were clad in the 
 deepest mourning, and the traces of some recent heartfelt sorrow 
 might be discerned in either face. A stranger would have taken them 
 for sisters, rather than for mother and daughter ; for there were lines 
 of thought on Rose's brow which her twenty years scarcely warranted, 
 while Mrs. Arundel, at eight-and-thirty, looked full six years younger, 
 despite her widow's cap. 
 
 " I have been thinking. Rose,'' resumed the elder lady, after a short 
 pause, during which she continued pacing the room most assiduously, 
 " I have been thinking that if we were to settle near some large town, 
 I could give lessons in music and singing : my voice is as good as 
 ever it was — listen ;" and, seating herself at a small cottage piano, she 
 began to execute some difficult solfeggi in a rich, clear soprano, with 
 a degree of ease and grace which proved her to be a finished singer ; 
 and, apparently carried away by the feeling the music had excited, she 
 
 I 
 
9 LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 allowed her voice to flow, as it were unconsciously, into the words of 
 an Italian song, which she continued for some moments, without 
 noticing a look of pain which shot across her daughter's pale features. 
 At length, suddenly breaking off, she exclaimed in a voice broken with 
 emotion, "Ah! what am I singing?" and, burying her face in her 
 handkerchief, she burst into a flood of tears : it had been her 
 husband's favourite song. 
 
 Recovering herself more quickly than from the violence of her grief 
 might have been expected, she was about to resume her walk, when, 
 observing for the first time the expression of her daughter's face, she 
 sprang towards her, and placing her arm caressingly round her waist, 
 kissed her tenderly, exclaiming in a tone of the fondest affection, 
 " Rose, my own darling, I have distressed you by my heedlessness, 
 but I forget everything now ! " She paused ; then added, in a calmer 
 tone, " Really, love, I have been thinking seriously of what I said just 
 now about teaching. If I could but get a sufficient number of pupils, 
 it would be much better than allowing you to go out as governess, for 
 we could live together then ; and I know I shall never be able to 
 part with you. Besides, you would be miserable, managing naughty 
 children all day long — throwing away your talents on a set of stupid 
 little wretches, — such drudgery would ennui you to death." 
 
 " And do you think, mamma, that I could be content to live in idle- 
 ness and allow you to work for my support?" replied Rose, while a 
 faint smile played over her expressive features. " Oh, no 1 Lewis 
 will try to obtain some appointment : you shall live with him and 
 keep his house, while I go out as governess for a few years ; and we 
 must save all we can, until we are rich enough to live together again." 
 
 " And perhaps some day we may be able to come back and take 
 the dear old cottage, if Lewis is very lucky and should make a 
 fortune," returned Mrs. Arundel. " How shall we be able to bear to 
 leave it I " she added, glancing round the room regretfully. 
 
 " How, indeed 1 " replied Rose, with a sigh ; " but it must be done. 
 Lewis will not feel it as we shall — he has been away so long." 
 
 " It seems an age," resumed Mrs. Arundel, musing. " How old was 
 he when he left Westminster?" 
 
 " Sixteen, was he not ? " replied Rose. 
 
 "And he has been at Bonn three years. Why, Rose, he must be a 
 man by this time ! " 
 
 " Mr. Frere wrote us word he was the taller of the two by half a 
 head last year, if you recollect," returned Rose. 
 
 "Hark I" exclaimed Mrs. Arundel, starting up and going to the 
 window, which opened in the French fashion upon a small flower- 
 garden. As she spoke, the gate-bell rang smartly, and in another 
 moment the person outside, having apparently caught sight of the 
 figure at the window, sprang Ughtly over the paling, crossed the lawn 
 in a couple of bounds, and ere the slave of the bell had answered its 
 impatient summons, Lewis was in his mother's arms. 
 
 After the first greeting, in which smiles and tears had mingled in 
 strange fellowship, Mrs. Arundel drew her son towards a table on 
 which a lamp was burning, saying as she did so, "Why, Rose, can 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL 3 
 
 this be our little Lewis ? He is as tall as a grenadier I Heads up, 
 sir 1 — Attention I — You are going to be inspected. Do you remember 
 when the old sergeant used to drill us all, and wanted to teach Rose 
 to fence ? " 
 
 Smiling at his mother's caprice, Lewis Arundel drew himself up to 
 his full height, and, placing his back against the wall, stood in the 
 attitude of a soldier on parade — his head just touching the frame of a 
 picture which hung above him. The light of the lamp shone full upon 
 the spot where he had stationed himself, displaying a face and figure 
 on which a mother's eye might well rest with pride and admiration. 
 Considerably above the middle height, his figure was slender, but 
 singularly graceful ; his head small and intellectual looking. The 
 features, ex(^uisitely formed, were, if anything, too delicately cut and 
 regular ; which, together with a brilliant complexion and long silken 
 eyelashes, tended to impart an almost feminine character to his 
 beauty. The expression of his face, however, effectually counteracted 
 any such tendency ; no one could observe the flashing of the dark 
 eyes, the sarcastic curl of the short upper lip, the curved nostril 
 slightly drawn back, the stern resolution of the knitted brow, without 
 tracing signs of pride unbroken, stormy feelings and passions un- 
 subdued, and an iron will, which, according as it might be directed, 
 must prove all-powerful for good or evil. His hair, which he wore 
 somewhat long, was, like his mother's, of that jet black colour charac- 
 teristic of the inhabitants of a southern clime rather than of the 
 descendants of the fair-haired Saxons, while a soft down of the same 
 dark hue as his clustering curls fringed the sides of his face, affording 
 promise of a goodly crop of whiskers. Despite the differences of 
 feature and expression, — and they were great, — there was a decided 
 resemblance between the brother and sister, and the same indescrib- 
 able charm, which made it next to impossible to watch Rose Arundel 
 without loving her, shed its sunshine also over Lewis's face when he 
 smiled. 
 
 After surveying her son attentively, with eyes which sparkled with 
 surprise and pleasure, Mrs. Arundel exclaimed, "Why, how the boy is 
 altered! Is he not improved, Rose?" As she spoke, she involun- 
 tarily glanced from Lewis to the picture under which he stood. It 
 was a half-length portrait of a young man, in what appeared to be 
 some foreign uniform, the hand resting on the hilt of a cavalry sabre. 
 The features, though scarcely so handsome, were strikingly like those 
 of Lewis Arundel, the greatest difference being in the expression, 
 which was more joyous, and that the hair in the portrait was of a rich 
 brown instead of black. After comparing the two for a moment, Mrs 
 Arundel attempted to speak, but her voice failing from emotion, she 
 burst into tears, and hastily left the room. 
 
 " Why, Rose, what is it ? " exclaimed Lewis in surprise ; " is my 
 mother ill.?" 
 
 " No ; it is your likeness to that picture, Lewis love, that has over- 
 come her : you know it is a portrait of our dearest father " (her voice 
 faltered as she pronounced his name), "taken just after they were 
 married, I believe." 
 
4 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 Lewis regarded the picture attentively, then averting his head as if 
 he could not bear that even Rose should witness his grief, he threw 
 himself on a sofa and concealed his face with his hands. Recovering 
 himself almost immediately, he drew his sister gently towards him, 
 and placing her beside him, asked, as he stroked her glossy hair — 
 
 "Rose, dearest, how is it that I was not informed of our poor 
 father's illness ? Surely a letter must have miscarried I " 
 
 " Did not mamma explain to you, then, how sudden it was ?" 
 
 "Not a word: she only wrote a few hurried lines, leading me to 
 prepare for a great shock; then told me that my father was dead; 
 and entreating me to return immediately, broke off abruptly, saying 
 she could write no more." 
 
 " Poor mamma I she was quite overcome by her grief, and yet she 
 was so excited and so anxious to save me, she would do everything 
 herself I wished her to let me write to you, but she objected, and I 
 was afraid of annoying her." 
 
 "It was most unfortunate," returned Lewis; "in her hurry she mis- 
 directed the letter ; and, as I told you when I wrote, I was from home 
 at the time, and did not receive it till three weeks after it should have 
 reached me. I was at a rifle-match got up by some of the students, 
 and had just gained the prize, a pair of silver-mounted pistols, when 
 her letter was put into my hand. Fancy receiving such news in a 
 scene of gaiety 1" 
 
 " How exquisitely painful I My poor brother 1 " said Rose, while 
 the tears she could no longer repress dimmed her bright eyes. After 
 a moment she continued, " But I was going to tell you, — it was more 
 than a month ago, — poor papa had walked over to Warlington to 
 negotiate about selling one of his paintings. Did you know that he 
 had lately made his talent for painting serve as a means of adding to 
 our income ? " 
 
 " Richard Frere told me of it last year," replied Lewis. 
 
 " Oh yes, Mr. Frere was kind enough to get introductions to several 
 picture-dealers, and was of the greatest use," continued Rose. " Well, 
 when papa came in, he looked tired and harassed ; and in answer to 
 my questions, he said he had received intelligence which had excited 
 him a good deal, and added something about being called upon to 
 take a very important step. I left him to fetch a glass of wine, and 
 when I returned, to my horror, his head was leaning forward on his 
 breast, and he was both speechless and insensible. We instantly sent 
 for the nearest medical man, but it was of no use ; he pronounced it 
 to be congestion of the brain, and gave us no hope : his opinion was 
 but too correct ; my dear father never spoke again, and in less than 
 SIX hours all was over." 
 
 " How dreadful 1 " murmured Lewis. " My poor Rose, how shocked 
 you must have been ! » After a few minutes' silence he continued 
 "And what was this news which produced such an effect upon mv 
 father?" ^ •' 
 
 "Strange to say," replied Rose, "we have not the slightest notion 
 No letter or other paper has been found which could at all account 
 for It, nor can we learn that papa met any one at Warlington likely to 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. $ 
 
 have brought him news. The only clue we have been able to gain is 
 that Mr. Bowing, who keeps the library there, remarked that papa 
 came in as usual to look at the daily papers, and as he was reading, 
 suddenly uttered an exclamation of surprise and put his hand to his 
 brow. Mr. Bowing was about to inquire whether anything was the 
 matter, when he was called away to attend to a customer ; and when 
 he was again at liberty papa had left the shop. Mr. Bowing sent us 
 the paper afterwards, but neither mamma nor I could discover in it 
 anything we could imagine at all likely to have affected papa so 
 strongly." 
 
 " How singular ! " returned Lewis, musing. " What could it pos- 
 sibly have been ? You say my father's papers have been examined ?" 
 
 " Yes, mamma wrote to Mr. Coke, papa's man of business in 
 London, and he came down directly, but nothing appeared to throw 
 any light on the matter. Papa had not even made a will." She 
 paused to dry the tears which had flowed copiously during this 
 narration, then continued : " But oh ! Lewis, do you know we are so 
 very, very poor?" 
 
 " I suspected as much, dear Rose ; I knew my father's was a life 
 income. But why speak in such a melancholy tone ? Surely my sister 
 has not grown mercenary ? " 
 
 " Scarcely that, I hope," returned Rose, smiling; "but there is some 
 difference between being mercenary and regretting that we are so 
 poor that wc shall be unable to live together : is there not, Lewis 
 dear?" 
 
 "Unable to live together?" repeated Lewis slowly. "Yes, well, I 
 may of course be obliged to leave you, but I shall not accept any 
 employment which will necessitate my quitting England, so I shall 
 often come and take a peep at you." 
 
 " Oh ! but, Lewis love, it is worse than that — we shall not be able 
 
 to Hush I here comes mamma; we will talk about this another 
 
 time." 
 
 " Why, Lewis," exclaimed Mrs. Arundel, entering the room with a 
 light elastic step, without a trace of her late emotion visible on her 
 animated countenance, "what is this ? Here's Rachel complaining that 
 you have brought a wild beast with you, which has eaten up all the 
 tea-cakes." 
 
 " Let alone fright'ning the blessed cat so that she's flowed up the 
 chimley like a whirlpool, and me a'most in fits all the time, the brute ! 
 But I'll not sleep in the house with it, to be devoured like a cannibal 
 in my quiet bed, if there was not another sitivation in Sussex ! " And 
 here Rachel, a stout serving-woman, with a face which, sufficiently 
 red by nature, had become the deepest crimson from fear and anger, 
 burst into a flood of tears, which, mingling with a tolerably thick 
 deposit of soot, acquired during the hurried rise and progress of the 
 outraged cat, imparted to her the appearance of some piebald variety 
 of female Ethiopian Serenader. 
 
 " Rachel, have you forgotten me ? " inquired Lewis, as soon as he 
 could speak for laughing. " What are you crying about ? You are not 
 so silly as to be afraid of a dog ? Here, Faust, where are you ? " As 
 
6 LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 he spoke he uttered a low, peculiar whistle; and in obedience to his 
 signal a magnificent Livonian wolf-hound, which bore sufficient like- 
 ness to the animal it was trained to destroy to have alarmed a more 
 discriminating zoologist than poor Rachel, sprang into the room, and, 
 delighted at rejoining his master, began to testify his joy so roughly 
 as not only to raise the terror of that damsel to screaming point, but 
 to cause Mrs. Arundel to interpose a chair between herself and the 
 intruder, while Rose, pale but silent, shrank timidly into a corner of 
 the apartment. In an instant the expression of Lewis's face changed ; 
 his brow contracted, his mouth grew stern, and fixing his flashing 
 eyes upon those of the dog, he uttered in a deep, low voice some 
 German word of command ; and as he spoke the animal dropped at 
 his feet, where it crouched in a suppliant attitude, gazing wistfully at 
 his master's countenance, without offering to move. 
 
 "You need not have erected a barricade to defend yourself, my 
 dear mother," said Lewis, as a smile chased the cloud which had for a 
 moment shaded his features; "the monster is soon quelled. Rose, 
 you must learn to love Faust — he is my second self; come and 
 stroke him." 
 
 Thus exhorted. Rose approached and patted the dog's shagg-y head, 
 at first timidly, but more boldly when she found that he still retained his 
 crouching posture, merely repaying her caresses by fixing his bright, 
 truthful eyes upon her face lovingly, and licking his lips with his long 
 red tongue. 
 
 " Now, Rachel," continued Lewis, " it is your turn ; come, I must 
 have you good friends with Faust." 
 
 " No, I'm much obliged to you, sir, I couldn't do it, indeed — no 
 disrespect to you, Mr. Lewis, though you have growed a man in 
 foreign parts. I may be a servant of all work, but I didn't engage 
 myself to look after wild beasts, sir. No ! nor wouldn't, if you 
 was to double my wages, and put the washin' out — I can't abear 
 them." 
 
 " Foolish girl ! it's the most good-natured dog in the world. Here, 
 he'll give you his paw; come and shake hands with him." 
 
 " I couldn't do it, sir ; I'm jest a-going to set the tea-things. I 
 won't, then, that's flat," exclaimed Rachel, waxing rebellious in the 
 extremity of her terror, and backing rapidly towards the door. 
 
 " Yes, you will," returned Lewis quietly ; " every one does as I bid 
 them." And grasping her wrist, while he fixed his piercing glance 
 sternly upon her, he led her up to the dog, and in spite of a faint show 
 of resistance, a half-frightened, half-indignant " I dare say, indeed," 
 and a muttered hint of her conviction " that he had lately been accus- 
 tomed to drive black nigger slaves in Guinea," with an intimation 
 "that he'd find white flesh and blood wouldn't stand it, and didn't 
 ought to, neither," succeeded in making her shake its great paw, and 
 finally (as she perceived no symptoms of the humanivorous propen- 
 sities with which her imagination had endowed it), pat its shaggy 
 sides. " There, now you've made up your quarrel, Faust shall help 
 you to carry my things upstairs," said Lewis; and slinging a small 
 travelling valise round the dog's neck, he again addressed him in 
 

 
 N. \ 
 
 Rachel's introduction to faust. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 7 
 
 German, when the well-trained animal left the room with the astonished 
 but no longer refractory Rachel. 
 
 "You must be a conjurer, Lewis," exclaimed his mother, who had 
 remained a silent but amused spectator of the foregoing scene. "Why, 
 Rachel manages the whole house. Rose and I do exactly what she 
 tells us, don't we, Rose? What did you do to her? was it mes- 
 merism ? " 
 
 " I made use of one of the secrets of the mesmerist, certainly," 
 replied Lewis ; " I managed her by the power of a strong will over a 
 weak one." 
 
 " I should hardly call Rachel's a weak will," observed Rose, with a 
 quiet smile. 
 
 " You must confess, at all events, mine is a stronger,'' replied Lewis. 
 " When I consider it necessary to carry a point, I usually find some 
 way of doing it ; it was necessary for the sake of Faust's well-being 
 to manage Rachel, and I did so." 
 
 He spoke carelessly, but there was something in his bearing and 
 manner which told of conscious power and inflexible resolution, and 
 you felt instinctively that you were in the presence of a master- 
 spirit. 
 
 Tea made its appearance ; Rachel, upon whom the charm still 
 appeared to operate, seeming in the highest possible good humour, 
 — a frame of mind most unusual with that exemplary woman, who 
 belonged to that trying class of servants who, on the strength of their 
 high moral character and intense respectability, see fit to constitute 
 themselves a kind of domestic scourges, household horse-hair shirts 
 (if we may be allowed the expression), and, bent on fulfilling their 
 mission to the enth, keep their martyred masters and mistresses in a 
 constant state of mental soreness and irritation from morning till 
 night. 
 
 Tea came, — the cakes demolished by the reprobate Faust in the 
 agitation of his arrival (he was far too well-bred a dog to have done 
 such a thing had he had time for reflection) having been replaced by 
 some marvellous impromptu resulting from Rachel's unhoped-for state 
 of mind. The candles burned brightly ; the fire (for though it was 
 the end of May, a fire was still an agreeable companion) blazed and 
 sparkled cheerily, but yet a gloom hung over the little party. One 
 feeling was uppermost in each mind, and saddened every heart He 
 whom they had loved with a deep and tender affection, such as but 
 few of us are so fortunate as to call forth, the kind and indulgent 
 husband and father, the dear friend rather than the master of that 
 little household, had been taken from amongst them ; and each word, 
 each look, each thought of the past, each hope for the future, served 
 to realise in its fullest bitterness the heavy loss they had sustained. 
 Happy are the dead whose virtues are chronicled, not on sculptured 
 stone, but in the faithful hearts of those whom they have loved on 
 earth I 
 
 During the evening, in the course of conversation, Mrs. Arundel 
 again referred to the project of teaching music and singing. Lewis 
 made no remark on the matter at the time, though his sister fancied, 
 
S LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 from his compressed lip and darkened brow, that it had not pzlssed 
 him unobserved. When the two ladies were about to retire for the 
 night, Lewis signed to his sister to remain ; and having lighted his 
 mother's candle, kissed her affectionately, and wished her good-night, 
 he closed the door. There was a moment's silence, which was broken 
 by Lewis saying abruptly, " Rose, what did my mother mean about 
 giving singing lessons ? " 
 
 " Dear, unselfish mamma ! " replied Rose, " always ready to sacrifice 
 her own comfort for those she loves 1 She wants, when we leave the 
 cottage, to settle near some large town, that she may be able to teach 
 music and singing (you know what a charming voice she has), in order 
 to save me from the necessity of going out as governess." 
 
 " Leave the cottage 1 go out as governess ! " repeated Lewis in a 
 low voice, as if he scarcely understood the purport of her words. 
 " Are you mad ? " 
 
 " I told you, love, we are too poor to continue living here, or indeed 
 anywhere, in idleness ; we must, at all events for a few years, work 
 for our living ; and you cannot suppose I would let mamma " 
 
 "Hush!" exclaimed Lewis sternly, "you will distract me." He 
 paused for some minutes in deep thought ; then asked, in a cold, hard 
 tone of voice, which, to one skilled in reading the human heart, told 
 of intense feelings and stormy passions kept down by the power of an 
 iron will, " Tell me, what is the amount of the pittance that stands 
 between us and beggary ? " 
 
 " Dear Lewis, do not speak so bitterly ; we have still each other's 
 love remaining, and Heaven to look forward to ; and with such 
 blessings, even poverty need not render us unhappy." And as she 
 uttered these words, Rose leaned fondly upon her brother's shoulder, 
 and gazed up into his face with a look of such deep affection, such 
 pure and holy confidence, that even his proud spirit, cruelly as it had 
 been wounded by the unexpected shock, could not withstand it. 
 Placing his arm round her, he drew her towards him, and kissing 
 her high, pale brow, murmured — 
 
 " Forgive me, dear Rose; I have grown harsh and stern of late^ 
 all are not true and good as you are. Believe me, it was for your sake 
 and my mother's that I felt this blow: for myself, I heed it not, save 
 as it impedes freedom of action. And now answer my question, What 
 have we left to live upon ? " 
 
 "About ;£ioo a year was what Mr. Coke told mamma." 
 
 "And, on an average, what does it cost living in this cottage as 
 comfortably as you have been accustomed to do ? " 
 
 " Poor papa used to reckon we spent ^200 a year here." 
 
 " No more, you are certain ? " 
 
 "Quite." 
 
 Again Lewis paused in deep thought, his brow resting on his hand. 
 At length he said, suddenly — 
 
 "Yes, it no doubt can be done, and shall. Now, Rose, listen to 
 me. While I live and can work, neither my mother nor you shall 
 do anything for your own support, or leave the rank you have held in 
 society. You shall retain this cottage, and live as you have been 
 
LEWIS AHUNtiEL g 
 
 accustomed to do, and as befits the widow and daughter of him that 
 is gone." 
 
 " But, Lewis " 
 
 " Rose, you do not know me. When I left England I was a boy ; 
 in years, perhaps, I am little else even yet ; but circumstances have 
 made me older than my years, and in mind and disposition I am a 
 man, and a determined one. I feel strongly and deeply in regard to 
 the position held by my mother and sister, and therefore on this point 
 it is useless to oppose me." 
 
 Rose looked steadily in his face, and saw that what he said was 
 true; therefore, exercising an unusual degree of common sense 
 for a woman, she held her tongue, and let a wilful man have his 
 way. 
 
 Reader, would you know the circumstances which had changed 
 Lewis Arundel from a boy to a man ? They are soon told. He had 
 loved, foolishly perhaps, but with all the pure and ardent passion, 
 the fond and trusting confidence of youth — he had loved, and been 
 deceived. 
 
 Lewis had walked some miles that day, and had travelled both by 
 sea and land ; it may therefore reasonably be supposed that he was 
 tolerably sleepy. Nevertheless, before he went to bed he sat down 
 and wrote the following letter : — 
 
 " My dear Frere, — There were but two men in the world of 
 whom I would have asked a favour, or from whom I would accept 
 assistance — my poor father was one, you are the other. A week 
 since I received a letter to tell me of my father's death: to-day I 
 have returned to England to learn that I am a beggar. Had I no tie 
 to bind me, no one but myself to consider, I should instantly quit a 
 countiy in which poverty is a deadly sin. In Germany or Italy I 
 could easily render myself independent, either as painter or musician ; 
 and the careless freedom of the artist life suits me well; but the little 
 that remains from my father's scanty fortune is insufficient to support 
 my mother and sister. Therefore I apply to you, and if you can help 
 me, you may — your willingness to do so, I know. I must obtain, 
 immediately, some situation or employment which will bring me in 
 ;£20O a year ; though, if my purchaser (for I consider that I am selling 
 myself) will lodge and feed me, as he does his horse or his dog, ;£5o 
 less would do. I care not what use I am put to, so that no moral 
 degradation is attached to it. You know what I am fit for, as well or 
 better than I do myself. I have not forgotten the Greek and Latin 
 flogged into us at Westminster, and have added thereto French, 
 Italian, and, of course, German ; besides picking up sundry small 
 accomplishments, which may induce somebody to oflfer a higher price 
 for me ; and as the more I get, the sooner I shall stand a chance of 
 becoming my own master again, I feel intensely mercenary. Write 
 as soon as possible, for, in my present frame of mind, inaction will 
 destroy me. I long to see you again, old fellow. I have not forgotten 
 the merry fortnight we spent together last year, when I introduced 
 you to student-life in the ' Vaterland' ; nor the good advice you ga\e 
 
16 LEWIS AkUNDEL. 
 
 me, which if I had acted on Well, regrets are useless, if not 
 
 worse. Of course I shall have to come ujj to town, in which case we 
 can talk; so, as I hate writing, and am as tired as a dog, I may as well 
 wind up. Good-bye till we meet. 
 
 " Your affectionate Friend, 
 
 "Lewis Arundel. 
 
 " P. S.— Talking of dogs, you don't know Faust— I picked him up 
 after you came away last year; but wherever I go, or whoever takes 
 me, Faust must go also. He is as large as a calf, which is inconvenient, 
 and I doubt whether he is full-grown yet. I dare say you think this 
 childish, and very likely you are right, but I must have my dog. I 
 can't live among strangers without something to love, and that loves 
 me; so don't worry me about it, there's a good fellow. Can't you 
 write to me to-morrow ? " 
 
 Having in some measure relieved his mind by finishing this letter, 
 Lewis undressed, and sleep soon effaced the lines which bitter thoughts 
 and an aching heart had stamped upon his fair young brow. 
 
 CHAPTER IL 
 
 SHOWING HOW LEWIS LOSES HIS TEMPER, AND LEAVES HIS HOME. 
 
 "Has the post come in yet, Rose?" inquired Mrs. Arundel, as she 
 made her appearance in the breakfast-room the following morning. 
 
 " No, mamma ; it is late to-day, I think." 
 
 " It is always late when I particularly expect a letter ; that old 
 creature Richards the postman has a spite against me, I am certain, 
 because I once said in his hearing that he looked like an owl — the 
 imbecile I " 
 
 " Oh, mamma 1 he's a charming old man, with his venerable white 
 hair." 
 
 " Very likely, my dear, but he's extremely like an owl, nevertheless," 
 replied Mrs. Arundel, cutting bread and butter with the quickness and 
 regularity of a steam-engine as she spoke. 
 
 "Here's the letters, ma'am," exclaimed Rachel, entering with a 
 polished face beaming out of a marvellous morning cap, composed 
 of a species of opaque muslin (or some analogous female fabric), 
 which appeared to be labouring under a violent eruption of little 
 thick dots, strongly suggestive of small-pox. "Here's the letters, 
 ma'am. If you please, I can't get Mr. Lewis out of bed nohow, 
 though I've knocked at his door three times this here blessed 
 morning; and the last time he made a noise at me in French, or 
 some other wicked foreigneering lingo ; which is what I won't put up 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. ii 
 
 with — no I not if you was to go down upon your bended knees to me 
 without a hassock." 
 
 " Give me the letters, Rachel," said Mrs. Arundel eagerly. 
 
 " Letters, indeed 1" was the reply, as, with an indignant toss of the 
 head, Rachel, whose temper appeared to have been soaked in vinegar 
 during the night, flung the wished-for missives upon the table. 
 " Letters, indeed I them's all as you care about, and not a poor gal 
 as slaves and slaves, and gets insulted for her trouble ; but I'm come 
 to " 
 
 " You're come to bring the toast just at the right moment," said 
 Lewis, who had approached unobserved, " and you're going down to 
 give Faust his breakfast ; and he is quite ready for it, too, poor 
 fellow 1" 
 
 As he spoke, a marvellous change seemed to come over the 
 temper and countenance of Rachel : her ideas, as she turned to leave 
 the room, may be gathered from the following soliloquy, which 
 appeared to escape her unawares : — " He's as 'andsome as a duke, 
 let alone his blessed father ; but them was shocking words for a 
 Christian with a four years' carikter to put up with." 
 
 During Rachel's little attempt at an imeute, which the appearance 
 of Lewis had so immediately quelled, Mrs. Arundel had been eagerly 
 perusing a letter, which she now handed to Rose, saying, with an air 
 of triumph, " Read that, my dear." 
 
 " Good news, I hope, my dear mother, from your manner ?" 
 observed Lewis, interrogatively. 
 
 " Excellent news," replied Mrs. Arundel gaily. " Show your 
 brother the letter, Rose. Oh I that good, kind Lady Lombard 1 " 
 
 Rose did as she was desired, but from the anxiety with which she 
 scanned her brother's countenance, as he hastily ran his eye over the 
 writing, it was evident she doubted whether the effect the letter might 
 produce upon him would be altogether of an agreeable nature. Nor 
 was her suspicion unfounded, for as he became acquainted with its 
 contents a storm-cloud gathered upon Lewis's brow. The letter was 
 as follows : — 
 
 "My dear Mrs. Arundel, — To assist the afflicted, and to 
 relieve the unfortunate, as well by the influence of the rank and 
 station which have been graciously entrusted to me, as by the judicious 
 employment of such pecuniary superfluity as the munificence of my 
 poor dear late husband has placed me in a position to disburse, has 
 always been my motto through life. The many calls of the numerous 
 dependents on the liberality of the late lamented Sir Pinchbeck, with 
 constant applications from the relatives of his poor dear predecessor 
 (the Girkins are a very large family, and some of the younger branches 
 have turned out shocking pickles), reduce the charitable fund at my 
 disposal to a smaller sum than, from the noble character of my last 
 lamented husband's will, may generally be supposed. I am, there- 
 fore, all the more happy to be able to inform you that, owing to the 
 too high estimation m which my kind neighbours in and about 
 Comfortown hold any recommendation of mine, I can, should you 
 
u LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 determine on settling near our pretty little town, promise you six 
 pupils to begin with, and a prospect of many more should your 
 method of imparting instruction in the delightful science of music 
 realise the very high expectations raised by my eulogium on your 
 talents, vocal and instrumental. That such will be the case I cannot 
 doubt, from my recollection of the touching manner in which, when 
 we visited your sweet little cottage on our (alas ! too happy) wedding 
 trip, you and your dear departed sang, at ray request, that lovely 
 thing, ' La ci darem la mano." (What a fine voice Captain Arundel 
 had 1) I dare say, with such a good memory as yours, you will 
 remember how the late Sir Pinchbeck observed that it put him in 
 mind of the proudest moment of his life, when at St. George's, 
 Hanover Square, his friend, the Very Reverend the Dean of 
 Dinnerton, made him the happy husband of the relict of the late 
 John Girkin. Ah 1 my dear madam, we widows learn to sympathise 
 with misfortune ; one does not survive two such men as the late 
 Mr. Girkin, though he was somewhat peppery at times, and the late 
 lamented Sir Pinchbeck Lombard, in spite of his fidgety ways and 
 chronic cough, without feeling that a vale of tears is not desirable for 
 a permanency. If it would be any convenience to you when you part 
 with your cottage (I am looking out for a tenant for it) to stay with 
 me for a week or ten days, I shall be happy to receive you, and would 
 ask a few influential families to hear you sing some evening, which 
 might prove useful to you. Of course I cannot expect you to part 
 with your daughter, as she will so soon have to quit you (I mentioned 
 her to my friend Lady Babbycome, but she was provided with a 
 governess), and wish you to understand my invitation extends to her 
 also. 
 
 " I am, dear Madam, ever your very sincere friend, 
 
 "Sarah Matilda Lombard. 
 
 " P.S. — Would your son like to go to Norfolk Island for fourteen 
 years ? I think I know a way of sending him free of expense. The 
 climate is said to produce a very beneficial effect on the British con- 
 stitution ; and with a salary of sixty pounds a year, and an introduc- 
 tion to the best society the Island affords, a young man in your son's 
 circumstances would scarcely be justified in refusing the post of 
 junior secretary to the governor." 
 
 "Is the woman mad ? " exclaimed Lewis impetuously, as he finished 
 reading the foregoing letter, " or what right has she to insult us in 
 this manner?" 
 
 " Insult us, my dear," replied Mrs. Arundel quickly, disregarding 
 a deprecatory look from Rose. " Lady Lombard has answered my 
 note informing her that I wished for musical pupils with equal kind- 
 ness and promptitude. Mad, indeed ! she is considered a very superior 
 woman by many people, 1 can assure you, and her generosity and 
 good nature know no bounds." 
 
 " Perish such generosity ! " was Lewis's angry rejoinder. " Is it 
 not bitterness enough to have one's energies cramped, one's free-will 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 13 
 
 fettered by the curse of poverty, but you must advertise our wretched- 
 ness to the world, and put it in the power of a woman, whose pride 
 of purse and narrowness of mind stand forth in every line of that hate- 
 ful letter, to buy a right to insult us with her patronage? You might 
 at least have waited till you knew you had no other alternative left. 
 What right have you to degrade tne, by letting yourself down to sue 
 for the charity of any one f " 
 
 " Dearest Lewis," murmured Rose, imploringly, " remember it is 
 mamma you are speaking to." 
 
 " Rose, I do remember it ; but it is the thought that it is my 
 mother, my honoured father's widow, who, by her own imprudence, 
 to use the mildest term, has brought this insult upon us, that maddens 
 me." 
 
 " But, Lewis," interposed Mrs. Arundel, equally surprised and 
 alarmed at this unexpected outburst, " I cannot understand what all 
 this fuss is about ; I see no insult ; on the contrary, Lady Lombard 
 writes as kindly " 
 
 An exclamation of ungovernable anger burst from Lewis, and he 
 appeared on the point of losing all self-control, when Rose, catching 
 his eye, glanced for a moment towards her father's portrait. Well 
 did she read the generous though fiery nature of him with whom she 
 had to deal : no sooner did Lewis perceive the direction of her gaze, 
 than, by a strong effort, he checked all further expression of his feel- 
 ings, and turning towards the window, stood apparently looking out 
 for some minutes. At length he said abruptly — 
 
 " Mother, you must forgive me ; I am hot and impetuous, and all 
 this has taken me so completely by surprise. After all, it was only 
 my affection for you and Rose which made me resent your patronising 
 friend's impertinent benevolence ; but the fact is, I hope and believe 
 you have been premature in asking her assistance. I have little doubt 
 I shall succeed in obtaining a situation or employment of some kind, 
 which will be sufficiently lucrative to prevent the necessity of your 
 either giving up the cottage, or being separated from Rose. I have 
 written to Frere about it, and expect to hear from him in a day or 
 two." 
 
 " My dear boy, would you have us live here in idleness and luxury, 
 while you are working yourself to death to enable us to do so?" said 
 Mrs. Arundel, her affection for her son overcoming any feeling of 
 anger which his opposition to her pet scheme had excited. 
 
 " I do not see that the working need involve my death," replied 
 Lewis. " Perhaps," he added, with a smile, " you would prefer my 
 embracing our Lady Patroness's scheme of a fourteen years' sojourn 
 in Norfolk Island. I think I could accomplish that object without 
 troubling anybody: I have only to propitiate the Home Office by 
 abstracting a few silver spoons, — and Government, in its fatherly care, 
 would send me there free of expense, and probably introduce me to 
 the best society the Island affords, into the bargain." 
 
 " Poor dear Lady Lombard ! I must confess that part of her letter 
 was rather absurd," returned Mrs. Arundel ; " but we must talk more 
 about this plan of yours, Lewis ; I never can consent to it" 
 
14 LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 " You both can and will, my dear mother," replied Lewis, playfully 
 but firmly; " however, we will leave this matter m abeyance till I hear 
 from Frere.'' 
 
 And thus, peace being restored, they sat down to breakfast forth- 
 with, Lewis feeling thankful that he had restrained his anger ere it had 
 led him to say words to his mother which he would have regretted 
 deeply afterwards, and amply repaid for any effort it might have cost 
 him by the bright smile and grateful pressure of the hand with which his 
 sister rewarded him. Happy the man whose guardian angel assumes 
 the form of such a sister and friend as Rose Arundel I 
 
 Rachel was spared the trouble of calling her young master the 
 following morning, as, when that worthy woman, animated with the 
 desperate courage of the leader of a forlorn hope, approached his room, 
 determined to have him up in spite of any amouut of the languages 
 of modern Europe to which she might be exposed, she found the door 
 open and the bird flown ; the fact being that Lewis and Faust were 
 taking a scamper across the country, to their mutual delectation, and 
 the alarming increase of their respective appetites. Moreover, Faust, 
 in his ignorance of the Game Laws and the Zoology of the land of his 
 adoption, would persist in looking for a wolf in the preserves of Squire 
 Tilbury, and while thus engaged could not resist the temptation of 
 killing a hare, just by way of keeping his jaws in practice ; owing to 
 which little escapade he got his master into a row with an under- 
 keeper, who required first knocking down and then propitiating by 
 a half-sovereign before he could be brought to see the matter in 
 a reasonable light. 
 
 This gave a little interest and excitement to his morning ramble, 
 and Lewis returned to breakfast in a high state of health and spirits. 
 A letter from his friend Frere awaited his arrival ; it ran as follows : — 
 
 " Dear Lewis, — If you really mean what you say (and you are not 
 the man I take you to be if you don't), I know of just the thing to suit 
 you. The pay is above your mark, so that's all right ; and as to the 
 work — well, it has its disagreeables, that's not to be gainsaid ; but life 
 is not exactly a bed of roses — or, if it is, the thorns have got the start 
 of the flowers nine times out of ten, as you will know before long, if 
 you have not found it out already. In these sort of matters (not that 
 you know anything about the matter yet, but I do, which is all the 
 same) it is half the battle to be first in the field ; ergo, if ^300 a year 
 will suit your complaint, get on the top of the first coach that will 
 bring you to town, and be with me in time for dinner. I have asked 
 a man to meet you, who knows all about the thing I have in view for 
 you. Pray remember me to Mrs. Arundel and your sister, although 
 I have not as yet the pleasure of their personal acquaintance. Don't 
 get into the dolefuls, and fancy yourself a victim ; depend upon it, 
 you are nothing of the kind. Mutton on table at half-past six, and 
 Faust is specially invited to eat the bone. 
 
 " So good-bye till we meet. 
 
 " Yours for ever and a day, 
 
 " Richard Frere." 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 15 
 
 " There 1 " said Lewis, handing the epistle to his mother, " now 
 that's something like a letter : Frere's a thorough good fellow, every 
 inch of him, and a real true friend into the bargain. I'll take what- 
 ever it is he has found for me, if it is even to black shoes all day ; you 
 and Rose shall remain here, and Lady Lombard may go to " 
 
 " Three hundred a year 1 Why, my dear Lewis, it's quite a little 
 fortune for you 1 " interrupted Mrs. Arundel delightedly. 
 
 " I wonder what the situation can be ? " said Rose, regarding her 
 brother with a look of affection and regret, as she thought how his 
 proud spirit and sensitive nature unfitted him to contend with the 
 calculating policy and keen-eyed selfishness of worldly men. Rose 
 had of late been her fathei-'s confidante, and even adviser, in some of 
 his matters of business, and had observed the tone of civil indifference 
 or condescending familiarity which the denizens of Vanity Fair assume 
 towards men of broken fortunes. 
 
 "Yes," resumed Mrs. Arundel, "as you say. Rose, what can it be? 
 something in one of the Government offices, perhaps." 
 
 "Curator of Madame Tussaud's Exhibition, and Master of the 
 Robes to the waxwork figures, more likely," replied Lewis, laughing. 
 " Or what say you to a civic appointment ? Mace-bearer to the Lord 
 Mayor, for instance; though I believe it reciuires a seven years' 
 apprenticeship to eating turtle soup and venison to entitle one to 
 such an honour. Seriously, though, if Frere wishes me to take it, I 
 will, whatever it may be, after all his kindness to me, and Faust too. 
 Faust, mein kind/ here's an invitation for you, and a mutton bone in 
 prospect — hold up your head, my dog, you are come to honour." And 
 thus Lewis rattled on, partly because the ray of sunshine that gleamed 
 on his darkened fortunes had sufficed to raise his naturally buoyant 
 spirits, and partly to prevent the possibility of his mother offering any 
 effectual resistance to his wish — or, more properly speaking, his resolu- 
 tion — to devote himself to the one object of supporting her and Rose 
 in their present position. 
 
 It was well for the success of his scheme that Mrs. Arundel had, on 
 the strength of the ^300 per annum, allowed her imagination to depict 
 some distinguished appointment (of what nature she had not the most 
 distant notion), which, with innumerable prospective advantages, was 
 about to be submitted to her son's consideration. Dazzled by this 
 brilliant phantom, she allowed herself to be persuaded to write a civil 
 rejection of Lady Lombard's patronage, and took leave of her son 
 with an April face, in which, after a short struggle, the smiles had it 
 all their own way. 
 
 Rose neither laughed nor cried, but she clung to her brothei-'s neck 
 (standing on tiptoe to do it, for she was so good, every bit of her, that 
 Nature could not afford to make a very tall woman out of such precious 
 materials), and whispered to him, in her sweet, silvery voice, if he should 
 not quite like this appointment, or if he ever for a moment wished to 
 change his plan, how very happy it would make her to be allowed to 
 go out and earn money by teaching, just for a few years, till they grew 
 richer; and Lewis pressed her to his heart, and loved her so well for 
 saying it, ay, and meaning it too, that he felt he would die rather 
 
1 6 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 than let her do it. And so two people who cared for each other more 
 than for all the world beside, parted, having, after a three years' 
 separation, enjoyed each other's society for two days. Not that there 
 was anything remarkalDle in this, it being a notorious though inex- 
 plicable fact that the more we like people, the less we are certain to 
 see of them. 
 
 We have wearied our brain in the vain endeavour to find a reason 
 for this phenomenon, and should feel greatly indebted to any philo- 
 sophical individual who would write a treatise on " The perversity of 
 remote contingencies, and the aggravating nature of things in 
 general," whereby some light might be thrown upon this obscure 
 subject. We recommend the matter more particularly to the notice 
 of the British Association of Science. 
 
 And having seated Lewis on the box of a real good old-fashioned 
 stage coach (alas 1 that. Dodo-like, the genus should be all but extinct, 
 and nothing going, nowadays, but those wonderful, horrible, con- 
 venient, stupendous nuisances, railroads ; rattling, with their "resonant 
 steam-eagles," as Mrs. Browning calls the locomotives), with Faust 
 between his knees, apparently studying with the air of a connoisseur 
 the " get up " of a spanking team of greys, we will leave him to pro- 
 secute his journey to London; reserving for another chapter the 
 adventures which befell him in the modem Babylon. 
 
 CHAPTER in. 
 
 IN WHICH RICHARD FRERE MENDS THE BACK OF ST. THOMAS 
 AQUINAS, AND THE READER IS INTRODUCED TO CHARLEY 
 LEICESTER. 
 
 Richard Frere lived in a moderate-sized house in a street in the 
 vicinity of Bedford Square. It was not exactly a romantic situation, 
 neither was it aristocratic nor fashionable ; but it was respectable and 
 convenient, and therefore had Frere chosen it ; for he was a practical 
 man in the proper sense of the term — by which we do not mean that 
 he thought James Watt greater than Shakespeare, but that he pos- 
 sessed that rare quality, good common sense, and regulated his 
 conduct by it ; and as in the course of this veracious history we 
 shall hear and see a good deal of Richard Frere, it may tend to 
 elucidate matters if we tell the reader at once who and what he was, 
 and " in point of fact," as Cousin Pheenix would say, all about him. 
 
 Like Robinson Crusoe, Richard Frere was born of respectable 
 parents. His father was the representative of a family who in Saxon 
 days would have been termed " Franklins " — i.e., a superior class of 
 yeomen, possessed of certain broad acres, which they farmed them- 
 selves. The grandfather Frere having, in a moment of ambition, sent 
 his eldest son to Eton, was made aware of his error when the young 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. i? 
 
 hopeful on leaving school declared his intention of going to college, 
 and utterly repudiated the plough-tail. Having a very decided will 
 of his own, and a zealous supporter in his mother, to college he went, 
 and thence to a special pleader, to read for the bar. Being really 
 clever, and determined to prove to his father the wisdom of the 
 course he had adopted, sufficiently industrious also, he got into very 
 tolerable practice. On one occasion, having been retained in a well- 
 known contested peerage case, by his acuteness and eloquence he 
 gained his cause, and at the same time the affections of the successful 
 disputant's younger sister. His noble client very ungratefully opposed 
 the match, but love and law together proved too powerful for his 
 lordship. One fine evening the young lady made a moonlight flitting 
 of it, and before twelve o'clock on the following morning had become 
 Mrs. Frere. Within a year from this event Richard Frere made his 
 appearance at the cradle terminus of the railroad of life. When he 
 was six years old, his father, after speaking for three hours, in a cause 
 in which he was leader, more eloquently than he had ever before done, 
 broke a blood-vessel, and was carried home a dying man. His wife 
 loved him as woman alone can love — for his sake she had given up 
 friends, fortune, rank, and the pleasures and embellishments of life ; 
 for his sake she now gave up life itself. Grief does not always kill 
 quickly, yet Richard's ninth birthday was spent among strangers. His 
 noble uncle, who felt that by neglecting his sister on her death-bed 
 he had done his duty to his pedigree handsomely, and might now give 
 way to family affection, sent the orphan to school at Westminster, and 
 even allowed him to run wild at Bellefield Park during the holidays. 
 
 The agrimens of a public school, acting on a sensitive disposition, 
 gave a tone of bitterness to the boy's mind, which would have 
 rendered him a misanthrope but for a strong necessity for loving 
 something (the only inheritance his poor mother had left him), which 
 developed itself in attachment to unsympathising silkworms and 
 epicurean white mice during his early boyhood, and in a bizarre but 
 untiring benevolence in after-life, leading him to take endless trouble 
 for the old and unattractive, and to devote himself, body and soul, to 
 forward the interest of those who were fortunate enough to possess 
 his friendship. Of the latter class Lewis Arundel had been one since 
 the day when Frere, a stripling of seventeen, fought his rival, the cock 
 of the school, for having thrashed the new-comer in return for his 
 accidental transgression of some sixth-form etiquette. Ten years had 
 passed over their heads since that day : the cock of the school was a 
 judge in Ceylon, weighed sixteen stone, and had a wife and six little 
 children ; Richard Frere was secretary to a scientific institution, with 
 a salary of £^i,oo a year, and a general knowledge of everything of 
 which other people were ignorant; and little Lewis Arundel was 
 standing six feet high, waiting to be let in at the door of his friend's 
 house, in the respectable and convenient street near Bedford Square, 
 to which he and Faust had found their way, after a prosperous journey 
 by the coach, on the roof of which we left them at the end of the last 
 chapter. 
 
 A wonian ugly enough to frighten ^ horse, arid old enough fo^: 
 
1 8 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 anything, replied in the affirmative to Lewis's inquiry whether her 
 master was at home, and led the way upstairs, glancing suspiciously 
 at Faust as she did so. On reaching the first landing she tapped at 
 the door ; a full, rich, but somewhat gruff voice shouted " Come in," 
 and Lewis, passing his ancient conductress, entered. 
 
 " What, Lewis, old boy ! how are you ? Don't touch me, I can't 
 shake hands, I'm all over paste ; I have been mending the backs of 
 two of the old Fathers that I picked up, dirt cheap, at a bookstall as 
 
 I was coming home to-day : one of them is a real editio princeps 
 
 Why, man, how you are grown ! Is that Faust ? Come here, dog — 
 what a beauty ! Ah ! you brute, keep your confounded nose out of 
 the paste-pot, do ! I must give Aquinas another dab yet. Sit down, 
 man, if you can find a chair — bundle those books under the table. 
 There we are." 
 
 The speaker, who, as the reader has probably conjectured, was 
 none other than Mr. Richard Frere, presented at that moment as 
 singular an appearance as any gentleman not an Ojibbewiy Indian, 
 or other natural curiosity for public exhibition in the good city of 
 London, need to do. His apparent age was somewhat under thirty. 
 His face would have been singularly ugly but for three redeeming 
 points — a high, intellectual forehead ; full, restless blue eyes, beaming 
 with intelligence; and a bright benevolent smile, which disclosed a 
 brilliant set of white, even teeth, compensating for the disproportioned 
 width of the mouth which contained them. His hair and whiskers, 
 of a rich brown, hung in elf locks about his face and head, which were 
 somewhat too large for his height ; his chest and shoulders were also 
 disproportionately broad, giving him an appearance of great strength, 
 which indeed he possessed. He was attired in a chintz dressing- 
 gown that had once rejoiced in a pattern of gaudy colours, but was 
 now reduced to a neutral tint of (we may as well confess it at once) 
 London smoke. He was, moreover, for the greater convenience of 
 the pasting operation, seated cross-legged on the floor, amidst a 
 hecatomb of ponderous volumes. 
 
 " I received your letter this morning,'' began Lewis, " and, as you 
 see, lost no time in being with you; and now what is it you have 
 heard of, Frere ? But first let me thank you ^" 
 
 " Thank me !" was the reply, " for what .■' I have done nothing yet, 
 except writing a dozen lines to tell you to take a dusty journey, and 
 leave green trees and nightingales for smoke and bustle — nothing 
 very kind in that, is there? Just look at the dog's-ears — St. 
 Augustine's, I mean, not Faust's." 
 
 " Don't tease me, there's a good fellow," returned Lewis ; " I'm not 
 in a humour for jesting at present. I have gone through a good deal 
 in one way or other since you and I last met, and am no longer the 
 light-hearted boy you knew me, but a man, and well-nigh a desperate 
 one." 
 
 " Ay I " rejoined Frere, " that's the style of thing, is it ? Yes ; I 
 know all about it. I met Kirschberg the other day, with a beard like 
 a cow's tail, and he told me that Gretchen had bolted with the 
 Baron," 
 
LEWIS ARUNt)fiL i^ 
 
 " Never mention her name, if you would not drive me mad," 
 exclaimed Lewis, springing from his chair and pacing the room 
 impatiently. His friend regarded him attentively for a moment, and 
 then uncrossing his legs, and muttering to himself that he had got the 
 cramp, and should make a shocking bad Turk, rose, approached 
 Lewis, and laying his hand on his shoulder, said gravely — 
 
 " Listen to me, Lewis : you trusted, and have been deceived ; and, 
 by a not unnatural revulsion of feeling, your faith in man's honour and 
 woman's constancy is for the time being destroyed ; and just at the 
 very moment when you most require the assistance of your old friends, 
 and the determination to gain new ones, you dislike and despise your 
 fellow-creatures, and are at war in your heart with society. Now this 
 must not be, and at the risk of paining you, I am going to tell you the 
 truth." 
 
 " I know what you would say,'' interrupted Lewis vehemently : 
 " you would tell me that my affection was misplaced — that I loved a 
 girl beneath me in mind and station — that I trusted a man whom I 
 deemed my friend, but who, with a specious exterior, was a cold- 
 hearted, designing villain. It was so; I own it; I see it now, when it 
 is too late ; but I did not see it at the time when the knowledge might 
 have availed me. And why may not this happen again ? There is 
 but one way to prevent it: I will avoid the perfidious sex — except 
 Rose, no woman shall ever " 
 
 " My dear boy, don't talk such rubbish," interposed his friend ; 
 "there are plenty of right-minded, lovable women in the world, I 
 don't doubt, though I can't say I have much to do with them, seeing 
 that they are not usually addicted to practical science, and therefore 
 don't come in my way — household angels, with their wings clipped, 
 and their manners and their draperies modernised, but with all the 
 brightness and purity of heaven still lingering about them, — that's my 
 notion of women as they should be, and as I believe many are, despite 
 your having been jilted by as arrant a little coquette as ever I had the 
 luck to behold ; and as to the Baron, it would certainly be a satis- 
 faction to kick him well ; but we can't obtain all we wish for in this 
 life. What are you grinning at ? You don't mean to say you have 
 polished him oif ?" 
 
 In reply, Lewis drew his left arm out of his coat, and rolling up his 
 shirt-sleeve above the elbow, exposed to view a newly-healed wound 
 in the fleshy part of his arm, then said quietly, " We fought with small 
 swords in a nng formed by the students ; we were twenty minutes at 
 it; he marked me as you see; at length I succeeded in disarming 
 him — in the struggle he fell, and placing my foot upon his neck and 
 my sword point to his heart, I forced him to confess his treachery, 
 and beg his hateful life of me before them all." 
 
 Frere's face grew dark. " Duelling 1 " he said. " I thought your 
 principles would have preserved you from that vice — I thought " 
 
 A growl from Faust, whose quick ear had detected a footstep on the 
 stairs, interrupted him, and in another moment a voice exclaimed, 
 " Hillo, Frere ! where are you, man ? " and the speaker, without wait- 
 ing for an answer, opened the door and entered. 
 
io LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 The new-comer was a fashionably-dressed young man, with A 
 certain air about him as if he were somebody, and knew it— he was 
 good-looking, had dark hair, most desirably curling whiskers; and, 
 though he was in a morning costume, was evidently "got up" regard- 
 less of expense. 
 
 He opened his large eyes and stared with a look of languid wonder at 
 Lewis, then, turning to Frere, he said, "Ah! I did not know you were 
 engaged, Richard, or I would have allowed your old lady to announce 
 me in due form; as it was, I thought, in my philanthropy, to save 
 her a journey upstairs was a good deed, for she is getting a little 
 touched in the wind. May I ask," he continued, glancing at Lewis's 
 bare arm, "were you literally, and not figuratively, bleeding your 
 friend?" 
 
 " Not exactly," replied Frere, laughing. " But you must know each 
 other: this is my particular friend, Lewis Arundel, whom I was telling 
 you of, — Lewis, my cousin Charles Leicester, Lord Ashford's youngest 
 son." 
 
 "Worse luck," replied the gentleman thus introduced; "younger 
 sons being one of those unaccountable mistakes of Nature which it 
 requires an immense amount of faith to acquiesce in with proper 
 orthodoxy : the popular definition of a younger son's portion, ' A good 
 set of teeth, and nothing to eat,' shows the absurdity of the thing. 
 
 Where do you find any other animal in such a situation ? Where 
 
 But perhaps we have scarcely time to do the subject proper justice at 
 present ; I have some faint recollection of your having asked me to 
 dine at half-past six, on the strength of which I cut short my canter 
 in the park, and lost a chance of inspecting a prize widow, whom 
 Sullivan had marked down for me ! " 
 
 "Why, you don't mean to say it is as late as that?" exclaimed 
 Frere. " Thomas Aquinas has taken longer to splice than I was aware 
 of ; to be sure, his back was dreadfully shattered. Excuse me half a 
 minute; I'll just wash the paste off my hands, make myself decent, 
 and be with you in no time." As he spoke he left the room. 
 
 " What a life for a reasonable being to lead ! " observed Leicester, 
 flinging himself back in Frere's reading-chair. "Now that fellow 
 was as happy with his paste-pot as I should be if some benevolent 
 individual in the Fairy Tale and Good Genius line were to pay 
 my debts and marry me to an heiress with ;£io,ooo a year. An 
 inordinate affection for books will be that man's destruction. You 
 have known him some years, I think, Mr. Arundel ? " 
 
 Lewis replied in the affirmative, and Leicester continued — 
 
 " Don't you perceive that he is greatly altered ? He stoops like an 
 old man, sir; his eyes are getting weak,— it's an even chance whether 
 he is shaved or not; he looks upon brushes as superfluities, and 
 eschews bears' grease entirely, not to mention a very decided objection 
 to the operations of the hair-cutter; then the clothes he wears, — 
 where he contrives to get such things I can't conceive, unless they 
 come out of Monmouth Street, and then they would be better cut; 
 but the worst of it is, he has no proper feeling about it, — perfectly 
 callous ! " He sighed, and then resumed. " It was last Saturday, I 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL it 
 
 think, — 'pon my word, you will scarcely believe it, but it's true, I do 
 assure you : I had given my horse to the groom, and was lounging by 
 the Serpentine, with Egerton of the Guards, and Harry Vain, who is 
 about the best dressed man in London, a little after five o'clock, and 
 the park as full as it could hold, when who should I see, striding 
 along like a postman among the swells, but Master Richard Frere ! 
 And how do you suppose he was dressed ? We'll begin at the top, 
 and take him downwards : Imprimis, a shocking bad hat, set on the 
 back of his head, after the fashion of the Ae peasants in a pastoral 
 chorus at the Opera House ; a seedy black coat, with immense flaps, 
 and a large octavo edition of St. Senanus, or some of them, sticking 
 out of the pocket ; a white choker villainously tied, which looked as if 
 he had slept in it the night before ; a most awful waistcoat, black-and- 
 white plaid trousers guiltless of straps, worsted stockings, and a 
 clumsy species of shooting shoes ; and because all this was not enough, 
 he had a large umbrella, although the day was lovely, and a basket in 
 his hand, with the neck of a black bottle peeping out of it, containing 
 port wine, which it seems he was conveying to a superannuated nurse 
 of his who hangs out at Kensington. I turned my head away, hoping 
 that as he was staring intently at something in the water, he might 
 not recognise me ; but it was of no use. Just as Egerton, who did not 
 know him, exclaimed, ' Here's a natural curiosity ! Did you ever see 
 such a Guy in your life?' he looked up and saw me: in another 
 minute his great paw was laid upon my shoulder, and I was accosted 
 thus: — 'Ah, Leicester I you here? Just look at that duck with the 
 grey bill ; that's a very rare bird indeed ; it comes from Central Asia. 
 I did not know they had a specimen in this country; it is one of the 
 Teal family, — Querquedula Glocitans, the bimaculated teal, — so called 
 from two bright spots near the eye. Look, you can see them now, — 
 very rare bird, — very rare bird indeed ! ' And so he ran on, till sud- 
 denly recollecting that he was in a hurry, he shook my hand till my 
 arm ached (dropping the umbrella on Vain's toes as he did so) and 
 posted off, leaving me to explain to my companions how it was 
 possible such an apparition should have been seen in any place 
 except Bedlam. Richard Frere's a right good fellow, and I have an 
 immense respect for him, but he is a very trying relative to meet in 
 Hyde Park during the London season." 
 
 Having delivered himself of this sentiment, the Honourable 
 Charles, or, as he was more commonly denominated by his intimates, 
 Charley Leicester, leaned back in his chair, apparently overcome by 
 the recollections his tale had excited, in which position he remained, 
 cherishing his whiskers, till their host reappeared. 
 
 The dinner was exactly such a meal as one gentleman of moderate 
 income should give to two others, not particularly gourmands ; that is, 
 there was enough to eat and drink, and everything was excellent of its 
 kind ; one of those mysterious individuals who exist only in large cities 
 and fairy tales having provided the entire affair, and waited at table 
 like a duke's butler into the bargain. When the meal was concluded, 
 and the good genius had vanished, after placing before them a most 
 inviting magnum of claret, and said " Yessir" for the last time, Frere 
 
ii Lewis arundel. 
 
 turned to Lewis, and observed, " By the way, Arundel, I dare say you 
 are anxious to hear about this appointment, or situation, or whatever 
 the correct term may be,— the thing I mentioned to you. My cousm 
 Charles can tell you all there is to hear concerning the matter, for the 
 good folks are his friends, and not mine; indeed, I scarcely know 
 them." 
 
 Thus appealed to, Charley Leicester filled a bumper of claret, seated 
 himself in an easy attitude, examined his well-turned leg and un- 
 exceptionable boot with a full appreciation of their respective merits, 
 and then sipping his wine and addressing Lewis, began as follows : — 
 
 "Well, Mr. Arundel, this is the true state of the case, as far as I 
 know about it. You may perhaps be acquainted with the name of 
 General Grant ? " 
 
 Lewis replied in the negative, and Leicester continued — 
 
 " Ah I yes, I forgot, you have been on the Continent for some time ; 
 
 however, the General is member for A , and a man very vvell 
 
 known about town. Now, he happens to be a sort of cousin of mine 
 —my mother, Lady Ashford, was a Grant; and for that reason, or 
 some other, the General has taken a liking to me, and generously 
 affords me his countenance and protection. So, when I have nothing 
 better to do, I go and vegetate at Broadhurst, an old rambling place in 
 
 H shire, that has been in his family since the flood— splendid 
 
 shooting, though ; he preserves strictly, and transports a colony of 
 poachers every year. I was sitting with him the other day, wheii he 
 suddenly began asking about Frere, where he was, what he was doing, 
 and all the rest of it. So I related that he was secretary to a learned 
 society, and was popularly supposed to know more than all the sqavans 
 in Europe and the Dean of Dustandstir put together. Whereupon he 
 began muttering, ' Unfortunate I — he was just the person — learned 
 man — good family — well connected — most unlucky 1 ' ' What's the 
 matter. General?' said L 'A very annoying affair, Charles — a very 
 great responsibility has devolved upon me, a matter of extreme 
 moment — clear £\2,ooo a year, and a long minority.' ' Has ;£i2,ooo 
 a year devolved upon you, sir? ' returned L ' I wish Dame Fortune 
 would try me with some such responsibility.' In reply he gave me the 
 following account : — 
 
 " It appeared that one of his most intimate friends and neighbours, 
 an old baronet, had lately departed this life; the title and estates 
 descend to a grandson, a minor, and General Grant had been appointed 
 guardian. All this was bad enough, but the worst was yet to come — 
 he had promised his dying friend that the boy should reside in his 
 house. Now it seems that, as a sort of set-off against his luck in 
 coming into the world with a gold spoon in his mouth, the said boy 
 was born with even less brains than usually fall to the lot of Fortune's 
 favourites — in plain English, he is half an idiot. Accordingly, the 
 General's first care was to provide the young bear with a leader, and 
 in his own mind he had fixed on Frere, whom he knew by reputation, 
 as the man, and was grievously disappointed when he found he was 
 bespoke. I suggested that, although he could not undertake the duty 
 himself, he might possibly know some one who could, and offered to 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 23 
 
 ascertain. The General jumped at the idta.—kinc illce lachrymce— 
 hence the whole business." 
 
 " Just as I received your letter," began Frere, " Leicester came in 
 to make the inquiry. In fact the thing fitted like the advertisements 
 in The Times — 'Wants a situation as serious footman in a pious 
 family ; wages not so much an object as moral cultivation.' — •' Wanted 
 in a pious family, a decidedly serious footman, wages moderate, but 
 the spiritual advantages unexceptionable.' — ' If A. B. is not utterly per- 
 fidious, and lost to all the noblest feelings of humanity, he will forward 
 a small enclosure to C. D. at Mrs. Bantam's, oilman, Tothill Street.' 
 — 'A. B. is desirous of communicating vnth C. D. ; if forgiven, he will 
 never do so no more, at any price.' You may see lots of them in the 
 advertising sheet; they are like angry women, sure to answer one 
 another if you leave them alone. And now, what do you think of the 
 notion, Lewis ? " 
 
 "Why, there are one or two points to be considered," replied Lewis. 
 " In the first place, what would be the duties of the situation ? In the 
 
 second, am I fitted to perform them ? In the third But, however, 
 
 I have named the most important." 
 
 " As to the duties," replied Leicester, " I should fancy they would 
 be anything but overpowering — rather in the nothing-to-do-and-a- 
 man-to-help-you style than otherwise. All the General said was, 
 ' Mind, I must have a gentleman, a person who is accustomed to 
 the rank of life in which he will have to move — he must be a young 
 man, or he will not readily fall into my habits and wishes. As he is 
 to live in my family, he must be altogether presentable. His chief 
 duty will be to endeavour to develop my ward's mind, and fit him for 
 the position which his rank and fortune render it incumbent on him 
 to occupy.' To which speech, delivered in a very stately manner, I 
 merely said, 'Yes, exactly;' a style of remark to which no exception 
 could reasonably be taken, unless on the score of want of originality." 
 
 " Is the General in town, Charley ? " asked Frere. 
 
 " Yes ; he is waiting about this very business," was the reply. 
 
 " Well then, the best thing will be for you to take Arundel there 
 to-morrow morning, and bring them face to face ; that is the way to 
 do business, depend upon it." 
 
 " Will not that be giving Mr. Leicester a great deal of trouble ? " 
 suggested Lewis. 
 
 "Not at all, my dear sir," replied Leicester, good-naturedly j "I'll 
 call for you at twelve o'clock, and drive you up to Park Crescent in my 
 cab. Having once taken the matter in hand, I am anxious to bring 
 it to a satisfactory conclusion — besides, a man must lunch, and the 
 General's pale ale is by no means to be despised." 
 
 At this moment the servant entered, and handing Frere a card, 
 informed him the gentleman wished to speak with him. 
 
 " Tell him to walk in. Say that I have one or two friends taking 
 wine with me, and that I hope he will join us. Now, Lewis, I will 
 introduce you to an original — you know him, Leicester — Marmaduke 
 Grandeville." 
 
 " De Grandeville, my dear fellow — don't forget the De, unless you 
 
44 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 intend him to call you out. What, is 'the Duke' coming? Ves, 1 
 certainly do know him, rai/ier— just a very little." Then, speaking in 
 an affected yet pompous tone, he continued—" Ar— really— yes— ^^ij De 
 Grandevilles— very old Yorkshire family in the West Riding— came 
 in with the Conqueror." 
 
 " That's exactly like him," exclaimed Frere, laughing. " Hush I 
 here he is." 
 
 As he spoke the door opened slowly, and a head with a hat on first 
 appeared, then followed a pair of broad shoulders, and lastly the whole 
 man entered bodily. Drawing himself up with a stiff military air, he 
 closed the door, and slightly raising his hat, shaded his eyes with it, 
 while he reconnoitred the company. 
 
 " There, come along in, man ; you know Charles Leicester — this is 
 an old Westminster friend of mine, Lewis Arundel : now here's a 
 clean glass ; take some claret." 
 
 The individual thus addressed made the slightest possible acknow- 
 ledgment on being introduced to Lewis, favoured Leicester with a 
 military salute, laid a large heavy hand adorned with a ring of strange 
 and antique fashion patronisingly on Frere's shoulder, poured himself 
 out a glass of wine, and then wheeling round majestically to the fire, 
 and placing his glass on the chimney-piece, faced the company with 
 an air equally dignified and mysterious, thereby affording Lewis a 
 good opportunity of examining his appearance. He was above the 
 middle height and powerfully made, so much so as to give his clothes, 
 which were fashionably cut, the air of being a size too small for him. 
 He wore his coat buttoned tightly across his chest, which he carried 
 well forward after the manner of a cuirassier; indeed, his whole gait 
 and bearing were intensely military. His age might be two or three- 
 and-thirty ; he had dark hair and whiskers, good though rather coarse 
 features, and a more ruddy complexion than usually falls to the lot of 
 a Londoner. After sipping his wine leisurely, he folded his arms with 
 an air of importance, and fixing his eyes significantly on the person 
 addressed, said, "Ar — Leicester, how is it Lord Ashford happens to 
 be out of town just now ? " 
 
 "'Poti my word, I don't know," was the reply; "my father is not 
 usually in the habit of explaining his movements, particularly to such 
 an unimportant individual as myself I have a vague idea Bellefield 
 wrote to beg him to come down for something — he's at the Park, at 
 all events." 
 
 "Ar — yes, you must not be surprised if you see him in Belgrave 
 Square to-morrow ; we want him ; he's been — ar — written to to-night." 
 
 " How the deuce do you know that ?" inquired Frere. " I never can 
 make out where you contrive to pick up those things." 
 
 "Who are we?" inquired Lewis in an undertone of Leicester, near 
 whom he was seated. " Does Mr. Grandeville belong to the Govern- 
 ment?" 
 
 "Not really, only in imagination," was the reply. "IVe means 
 himself and the other Whig magnates of the land, in this instance." 
 
 "Then you did not really know Graves was dead?" continued 
 Grandeville. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 25 
 
 " 1 am not quite certain that I even knew he was ahve," replied 
 Leicester. "Who was he?" 
 
 A. significant smile, saying plainly, "Don't fancy I am going to 
 believe you as ignorant as you pretend," floated across Grandeville's 
 face ere he continued : " You need not be so cautious with me, I can 
 assure you. The moment I heard Graves was given over, I wrote — ar 
 — that is, I gave the hint to a man who wrote to Lord Bellefield to say 
 the county was his ; he had only to declare himself, and he would 
 walk over the course." 
 
 "Extremely kind of you, I'm sure,'' replied Leicester; then turning 
 to Lewis, while Grandeville was making some mysterious communica- 
 tion to Frere, he added in an undertone, "That's a lie from beginning 
 to end. I had a note from Bellefield (he's my frire atnd, you know) 
 this morning, in which he says, ' Our county member has been 
 dangerously ill, but is now better ; ' and he adds, ' Some of the fools 
 about here wanted me to put up for the county if he popped off, but I 
 am not going to thrust my neck into the collar to please any of them.' 
 Bell's too lazy by half for an M.P., and small blame to him either." 
 
 Frere having listened to De Grandeville's whispered communica- 
 tion, appeared for a moment embarrassed, and then observed — but 
 an adventure so important as that to which his observation related 
 deserves a fresh chapter. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 LEWIS ENLISTS UNDER A "CONQUERING HERO," AND STARTS ON 
 A DANGEROUS EXPEDITION. 
 
 " I SHOULD be happy to join you, but you see I am engaged to my 
 friends here," observed Frere to Grandeville. 
 
 "You would never dream of standing on ceremony with me, Frere, 
 I hope," interposed Lewis. 
 
 "Why should we not all go together?" inquired Frere; "the more, 
 the merrier, particularly if it should come to a shindy." 
 
 " What's the nature of the entertainment ? " asked Leicester. 
 
 "Tell them, De Grandeville," said Frere, looking hard at his cousin, 
 as he slightly emphasised the De. 
 
 " Ar— well, you won't let it go further, I'm sure, but there's a meet- 
 ing to be held to-night at a kind of Mechanics' Institute, a place I 
 and one or two other influential men have had our eyes on for some 
 time past, where they promulgate very unsound opinions ; and we 
 have been only waiting our opportunity to give the thing a check, and 
 show them that the landed gentry are united in their determination 
 not to tolerate sedition, or in fact anything of the sort ; and I have 
 had a hint from a very sure quarter (I walked straight from Downing 
 Street here) that to-night they are to muster in force — a regular show- 
 
26 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 off; so a party of us are going to be present and watch the proceed- 
 ings, and if there should be seditious language used, we shall make a 
 decided demonstration, let them feel the power they are arraying 
 themselves against, and the utter madness of provoking such an 
 unequal struggle." 
 
 "Then we have a very fair chance of a row, I should hope," inter- 
 posed Lewis eagerly, his eyes sparkling with excitement; "'twill put 
 us in mind of old sixth-form days, eh, Frere ?" 
 
 " Leicester, what say you ? Do you mind dirtying your kid gloves in 
 the good cause ? " asked Frere. 
 
 " There is no time to put on an old coat, I suppose ? " was the reply. 
 " A broken head I don't mind occasionally, it gives one a new sensa- 
 tion ; but to sacrifice good clothes verges too closely on the wantonly 
 extravagant to suit either my pocket or my principles." 
 
 " I will lend you one of mine," returned Frere. 
 
 " Heaven forfend ! " was the horrified rejoinder. " I have too much 
 regard for the feelings of my family, let alone those of my tailor, to 
 dream of such a thing for a minute. Only suppose anything were to 
 happen to me, just see how it would read in the papers : ' The body of 
 the unfortunate deceased was enveloped in a threadbare garment of 
 mysterious fashion; in the enormous pockets which undermined its 
 voluminous skirts was discovered, amongst other curiosities, the leg- 
 bone of a fossil Iguanodon.' " 
 
 " Gently there ! " cried Frere ; " how some people are given to 
 exaggeration I Because I happened accidentally one day to pull out 
 two of the vertebrae of " 
 
 " Ar — if you'll allow me to interrupt you," began Grandeville, " I 
 don't think you need apprehend any display of physical force; our 
 object is, if possible, to produce a moral effect — in fact, by weight of 
 character and position, to impress them with a deep sense of the power 
 and resources of the upper classes." 
 
 " Still a good licking is a very effectual argument where other means 
 of persuasion fail. I have great faith in fists," said Frere. 
 
 "Ar — in the event of our being obliged to have recourse to such 
 extreme measures, I must impress upon you the necessity of discipline," 
 returned Grandeville. " Look to me for orders, ar — I am not exactly 
 — ar — regular profession — ar — military, though when I was at the 
 
 headquarters of the th in Ireland last year, they did me the 
 
 honour to say that I had naturally a very unusual strategic turn — a 
 good officer spoiled — ha ! ha I " 
 
 " I always thought you had a sort of Life-guardsman-like look about 
 you," said Leicester, with a sly glance at the others. " You often hear 
 of a man being one of ' Nature's gentlemen,' now I should call you 
 one of ' Nature's guardsmen.' " 
 
 " Ar— yes, not so bad that," returned Grandeville, the possibility of 
 Leicester's meaning to laugh at him faintly occurring to him, and 
 being instantly rejected as utterly inconceivable. "Here, sir," he 
 continued, turning abruptly to Lewis, "feel my arm; there's muscle 
 for you I I don't say it by way of a boast, but there is not such an 
 arm as that in her Majesty's - — th; there was not one of their crack 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. a 7 
 
 men that could hold up so heavy a weight as I could, for I tried the 
 thing when I was over at Killandrum last autumn, and beat them all." 
 
 "At what time does your entertainment commence, may I ask?" 
 inquired Leicester. 
 
 "Ar — I promised to join the others at a quarter before nine; the 
 meeting was to commence at nine, and we shall have some little way 
 to walk." 
 
 "Then the sooner we are off the better," said Frere. "But you 
 expect a reinforcement, do you ? " 
 
 "Ar — some men, some of our set, you understand, very first-rate 
 fellows who have the cause at heart, have agreed to come and cany 
 the matter through with a high hand. Failure might produce very 
 serious results, but the right measures have been taken ; I dropped a 
 hint at the Horse Guards." 
 
 " I suppose I had better not take Faust," observed Lewis. " If there 
 is a crowd he will get his toes trodden on, and he is apt to show fight 
 under these circumstances. May I leave him here ?" 
 
 " Yes, certainly," replied Frere ; " that is, if you can persuade him 
 to stay quietly, and bind him over to keep the peace till we return." 
 
 " That is soon accomplished," rejoined Lewis, and calling the dog 
 to him, he dropped a glove on the floor and uttered some German 
 word of command, when the well-trained animal immediately laid 
 down with the glove between his huge paws. 
 
 " Caution your old lady not to interfere with the glove," he continued, 
 " or Faust will assuredly throttle her." 
 
 "What, is he touchy on that head.?" inquired Grandeville, poising 
 himself on one leg while he endeavoured to kick the glove away with 
 the other. A growl like that of an angry tiger, and the display of a 
 set of teeth of which a dentist or a crocodile might equally have been 
 proud, induced him to draw back his foot with rather more celerity 
 than was altogether in keeping with the usual dignity of his move- 
 ments. 
 
 "The dog has not such a bad notion of producing a moral im- 
 pression," said Leicester, laughing. "Don't you think he might be 
 useful to us to-night ? ' 
 
 " Ar — now, there is nothing I should like better than to take that 
 glove away from him," observed Grandeville, casting a withering 
 glance on Faust. " Ar — I wish I had time." 
 
 " I wish you had," returned Lewis dryly. 
 
 "Why, do you think it would be so mighty diflScult?" retorted 
 Grandeville. 
 
 "When Rudolph Amheim, a fellow-student of mine, tried the ex- 
 periment, I had some trouble in choking Faust off before the dog had 
 quite throttled him," was the reply. " Rudolph is no child, and had a 
 heavy wager depending on it." 
 
 " Ar — well, I can't see any great difficulty in tlie thing, but it depends 
 on a man's nerve, of course. Now, are we ready ? " 
 
 So saying, Marmaduke Grandeville, Esq., placed his hat firmly on 
 his head, and with the gait of a heavy dragoon and the air of a 
 conquering hero, marched nobly out of the apartment. Leicester 
 
28 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 held back to allow Lewis to follow, then drawing Frere on one side, 
 he said — 
 
 "Richard, I like your friend Arundel; he is a manly, intelligent 
 young fellow, much too good to be bear-leader to a half-witted cub 
 like this precious ward of old Grant's ; and if I were as rich as I am 
 poor, I would do something better for him. Now, if he had but a few 
 hundreds to go on with, matrimony would be the dodge for him. 
 With such a face and figure as his, he might secure no end of a prize 
 in the wife market; there's a thoroughbred look about him which 
 would tell with women amazingly." 
 
 " He has all the makings of a fine character in him," replied Frere, 
 "but he is proud and impetuous; and pride and poverty are ill com- 
 panions, though they often go together." 
 
 " Do they ? " replied Leicester. " Well, I am poor enough for any- 
 thing, as a very large majority of the metropolitan tradesmen know to 
 their cost, but, upon my word, I am not proud. Any man may give 
 me a good dinner, and I'll eat it, — good wine, and I'll drink it ; I never 
 refuse a stall at the Opera, though the bone may belong to an opulent 
 tallow-chandler; and there is not a woman in England with ;£i 50,000 
 that I would not marry to-morrow if she would have me. No ! I may 
 be poor, but yon can't call me proud." And placing his arm through 
 that of his cousin, they descended to the street together, and rejoined 
 Lewis and his companion. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 IS OF A DECIDEDLY WARLIKE CHARACTER. 
 
 The place of rendezvous for the "gallant defenders of the British 
 constitution," as Leicester had designated the little party, was a cigar 
 shop in the immediate vicinity of the building in which the meeting 
 was to be held. On their arrival they perceived that the shop was 
 already occupied by several young men, who were lounging over the 
 counter, bandying jests and compliments with a ringleted young lady, 
 who appeared thoroughly self-possessed and quite equal to the part 
 she had to perform, having through all her pretty coquetries a shrewd 
 eye to business, and reserving her most fascinating smiles for the 
 most inveterate smokers. 
 
 As Grandeville entered the shop, which he did with a most lordly 
 and dignified air, he was welcomed with general acclamation. 
 
 " All hail, Macbeth 1 " exclaimed a thin young man, with a white 
 greatcoat and a face to match, throwing himself into a tragedy 
 attitude. 
 
 " Most noble commander ! " began another of the group. " Most 
 illustrious De Grandeville 1 how is " 
 
 "Your anxious mother?" interrupted a short, muscular little fellow 
 vyith as ("ich ^ brogue ^s ever clajnied Cork for its county. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 29 
 
 " Hush I be quiet, Pat; we have no time for nonsense now, man," 
 cried a tall youth with a piofusion of light curling hair, a prominent 
 hooked nose, a merry smile, and a pair of wicked grey eyes, which 
 appeared to possess the faculty of looking in every direction at once. 
 " You are late, De Grandeville," he added, coming forward. 
 
 " Ar — no, sir ; five minutes good by the Horse Guards. Ar — I 
 should have been here sooner, but I have been — ar — recruiting, you 
 see. Mr. Bracy, Mr. Frere, Mr. Arundel — you know Leicester?" 
 
 " Delighted to see such an addition to our forces," replied Bracy, 
 bowing ; then shaking hands with Leicester, he added in an under- 
 tone, " Walk with me when we start ; I have a word to say to you." 
 
 Leicester nodded in assent, and then proceeded to accost others of 
 the party with whom he was acquainted. 
 
 " Ar — now, gentlemen, will you please to attend to orders?" began 
 Grandeville, raising his voice. 
 
 " Hear, hear I " cried the pale young man, faintly. 
 
 "We'll do it betther if you'd be houldin' yer tongue, maybe," 
 interposed the hero from Cork, who, being interpreted, was none 
 other than Lieutenant McDermott of the Artillery, believed by the 
 Commander - in - Chief to be at that very moment on duty at 
 Woolwich. 
 
 " Ar — you are to divide yourselves into three or four bodies.'' 
 
 " Faith, we must get blind drunk, and see double twice over then, 
 before we can do that," remarked the son of Erin argumentatively. 
 
 " Now, Paddy, be quiet," said Bracy, soothingly ; " you know you 
 never got so far in your arithmetic as vulgar fractions, so you can't be 
 supposed to understand the matter." 
 
 A somewhat forcible rejoinder was drowned by Grandeville, who 
 continued, in his most sonorous tone : " Ar — you will tlien proceed to 
 the hall of meeting, and make your way quietly to the right side, as 
 near the platform as possible. There — ^keep together, and attract as 
 little attention as you can, and Mr. Bracy will transmit such directions 
 to you as circumstances may render advisable. Do you all dearly 
 understand ? " 
 
 A general shout of assent, varied by a muttered " Not in the slightest 
 degree," from McDermott, was followed by the order, " Then march ! " 
 and in another moment the party were en route. The pale young 
 man, who was in his secret soul rather alarmed than otherwise, had 
 attached himself firmly to Frere, with whom he was slightly acquainted, 
 and who he thought would take care of him, so Lewis was left to pair 
 off with Leicester. 
 
 As they proceeded, the latter began : " Depend upon it, there's some 
 trick in all this, probably intended for Grandeville's benefit ; that 
 fellow Bracy is one of the most inveterate practical jokers extant, and 
 he seems particularly busy to-night ; he's a clerk in the Home Office, 
 and Grandeville believes in him to an immense extent ; but here he 
 comes. Well, Bracy, what is it, man ? " 
 
 " Is your friend safe?" inquired Bracy aside, glancing at Lewis as 
 he spoke. 
 
 " The rnost cautious man in London,'' was the reply, " and ope whq 
 
Se LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 appreciates our noble commander thoroughly ; so now allow us a peep 
 behind the scenes." 
 
 "Well, the matter stands thus," returned Bracy. " I was walking 
 with Duke Grandeville one night about three weeks ago, when we 
 chanced to encounter the good folks coming away from one of these 
 meetings ; they were nothing very formidable— a fair sample of young 
 Newgate Street, youthful patriots from Snow Hill, embryo republicans 
 of St. Paul's Churchyard, Barbican, and other purlieus of Cockaignia, 
 led by a few choice spirits — copying clerks, who hide their heroism 
 from the light of day in lawyers' ofHces, booksellers' shopmen from 
 the Row, who regard themselves as distinguished literary characters, 
 and prate of the sovereignty of the press, and the like. Well, as might 
 be expected, they discoursed most ferociously, and the Duke, over- 
 hearing some of their conversation, was deeply scandalised, and 
 fancied he had discovered a second Cato Street conspiracy. The 
 thing appeared to promise fun, so I encouraged him in the idea, and 
 we attended the next meeting, when they talked the usual style of 
 radical clap-trap. Everything was an abuse — the rich were tyrants, 
 the poor slaves, and property required transferring {i.e., from its 
 present possessors to themselves); they knew they never should be 
 kings, so they cried down monarchy ; but they trusted that, with 
 strong lungs and good-luck, they might become paid delegates, there- 
 fore they clamoured for a republic. There was much noise, but no 
 talent ; sanguinary theories were discussed, which they had neither 
 minds nor means to enable them to carry out ; in short, the place is 
 one of those innocent sedition shops which act as safety valves to 
 carry off popular discontent, and ensure the health and vigour of the 
 British constitution. Of course, however, Grandeville did not see it 
 in that point of view, and from that night forth he became positively 
 rabid on the subject ; so it entered the heads of some of us that we 
 might improve the occasion by persuading him that he might, through 
 me, communicate information to the Home Office (I need scarcely tell 
 you that it never reached the authorities there), and we have led him 
 on sweetly and easily, till he positively believes that he is to be at the 
 Hall to-night as an accredited government agent, with full powers to 
 suppress the meeting, and I know not what else." 
 
 " But surely you'll get into a fearful row," urged Leicester. 
 
 " We are safe for a bit of a shindy, no doubt," was the cool reply ; 
 " in fact I do not consider that the thing would go off properly with- 
 out it, so I brought an Irishman with me to render it inevitable j but 
 I have bribed a doorkeeper, and let the worst come to the worst, we 
 can easily fight our way out." 
 
 "To be sure we can," exclaimed Lewis, "lick a hundred such 
 fellows as you have described. This is glorious fun ; I would not have 
 missed it for the world." 
 
 Bracy glanced at him for a moment with a look of intense approval 
 then shaking him warmly by the hand, he said, " Sir, I'm delighted 
 to make your acquaintance; your sentiments do you honour, sir. 
 Are you much accustomed to rows of this nature, may I ask?" 
 
 " I have been resident in Germany for the last three vears," was the 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 31 
 
 reply ; " and althoug-h they have a very fair notion of an imeute after 
 their own fashion, they don't understand the use of the fist as we do." 
 
 "There are two grand rules for crowd-fighting," returned Bracy. 
 " First, make play with your elbows, Cockneys' ribs are as sensitive as 
 niggers' shins ; secondly, if it comes to blows, strike at their faces, 
 and never waste your strength ; but when you do make a hit, drop 
 your man if possible ; it settles him, and frightens the rest. Here we 
 are I " So saying, he turned into a kind of passage which led to an 
 open door, through which they passed into the body of the hall. 
 
 It was a large room with a vaulted ceiling, and appeared capable 
 of holding from five to six hundred persons. At the farther end of it 
 was a platform, raised some feet, and divided from the rest of the hall 
 by a stout wooden railing. The room was lighted with gas, and con- 
 siderably more than half filled. Although the majority of the audience 
 appeared to answer the description Bracy had given of them, yet along 
 the sides of the apartment were ranged numbers of sturdy artisans 
 and craftsmen, amongst whom many a stalwart form and stern 
 determined visage might be detected. 
 
 "There are some rather awkward customers here to-night," 
 whispered Leicester. " If we chance to get black eyes, Arundel, we 
 must postpone our visit to the General to-morrow." . 
 
 "The man that gives me a black eye shall have something to 
 remember it by, at aU events," returned Lewis quickly. 
 
 " Hush ! that fellow heard you," said Leicester. 
 
 Lewis glanced in the direction indicated, and met the sinister gaze 
 of a tall, heavy-built mechanic, in a rough greatcoat, who frowned 
 menacingly when he found that he was observed. Lewis smiled care- 
 lessly in reply, and proceeded after Bracy up the room. When he had 
 passed, the man, still keeping his eye upon him, quitted his seat and 
 followed at some little distance. On reaching the upper end of the 
 room they perceived Grandeville and two or three others, arriong 
 whom was McDermott, on the platform, while Frere and the rest of 
 their party had congregated on and near a flight of five or six steps 
 leading to it from the body of the hall. 
 
 " Bravo, Grandeville 1 " observed Bracy, in an undertone, to 
 Leicester. " Do you mark that 1 he has secured a retreat — good 
 generalship, very. I shall have to believe in him if he goes on as 
 w-ell as he has commenced. Hark I they are beginning to give 
 tongue." 
 
 As he concluded, a little fat man came forward and said a good 
 deal about the honour which had been done him in being allowed the 
 privilege of opening the evening's proceedings, to which he appended 
 a long and utterly incomprehensible account of the objects of the 
 meeting. His zeal was evident, but Nature had never intended him 
 for an orator, and the chances of life had fitted him with a short husky 
 cough, so that nobody was very sorry when he ceded the rostrum to 
 his " esteemed friend, if he might be allowed to say so (which he was), 
 Jabez Broadcom." This Jabez Broadcom was evidently a great gun, 
 and his coming forward created no small sensation. He was a 
 tall, gaunt-looking man, with straight weak hair and an unhealthy 
 
 3 
 
32 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 complexion! but his great feature, in every sense of the word, was 
 his mouth. 
 
 It was a mouth, not only for mutton, but for every other purpose 
 to which that useful aperture could be applied ; at present it was to 
 be devoted to the task of conveying its owner's mighty thoughts, in 
 appropriate language, to the eager listeners who surrounded him. 
 
 This gentleman then, having, by dint of drawing in his lips and 
 thrusting them out again, and rolling his eyes so fearfully as to 
 suggest a sudden attack of English cholera, got up his steam to the 
 required height, proceeded to inform the assembly that they were, 
 individually and collectively, free and enlightened citizens of the great 
 metropolis of Europe, prepared to recognise their sacred rights, and 
 resolved to go forth as one man to assert and maintain them. Having 
 imparted this information (through his nose, for the greater effect), he 
 began to ask himself a species of Pinnock's Catechism, so to speak, 
 which ran somewhat after the following fashion : — 
 
 "And why am I here to-night? Because I love profit? No. 
 Because I love personal distinction? No. Because I love my 
 country ? Yes. Because I would not see her children slaves ? Yes. 
 Because purse-proud oppressors, revelling in their wealth, trample on 
 the honest poor man ? Yes." 
 
 Having said by heart several pages of this, in which he was 
 exceedingly well up, and which he rattled off most fluently, he 
 continued — 
 
 " But such tyranny shall not always be tolerated. British freemen, 
 whose proud boast it is that they have never borne a foreign yoke, 
 shall no longer crouch beneath a despotic rule at home. The 
 atrocious barbarities of a brutal poor-law, which taxes honest house- 
 holders to furnish salaried ruffians with power to drag the half-eaten 
 crust from the famished jaws of helpless poverty " 
 
 (A slight sensation was here occasioned by McDermott mentioning 
 for the benefit of the meeting in general, and the orator himself 
 in particular, his conviction that the last sentence was " very pretty 
 indeed," together with a polite inquiry as to whether he could not be 
 so kind as to say it again. Peace being restored after sundry shouts 
 of "Turn him out I" " Shame 1" etc., the orator resumed) — 
 
 "Let them build their bastiles, let them tear the wife from her 
 husband, the mother from her child; let them crowd their prison- 
 houses with the honest sons of labour whom their brutality has forced 
 into crime — the poor man need never dread starvation while the 
 hulks hunger and the gallows gapes for him — but a day of retribu- 
 tion is at hand ; let the tyrants tremble beneath their gilded roofs — 
 those unjust usurpers of the soil — the poor man's bitterest foes, the 
 landed gentry, as they arrogantly style themselves, must be cut off and 
 rooted out." 
 
 " Pretty strong, that 1 " observed Bracy, in a whisper. 
 
 " Ar— this won't do, you know 1 " returned Grandeville, in an equally 
 low voice. " I must, really — ar — interfere." 
 
 "Better hear him out," rejoined Bracy, "and then get up and 
 address them yourself." To which suggestion, after a slight remon- 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 33 
 
 strance, the former agreed ; but such a shining light as Mr. Jabez 
 nroadcorn was not to be put out as quickly as they desired ; he was 
 the great card of the evening, and knew it, and prolonged his speech 
 for a good three-quarters of an hour, during which time he theoreti- 
 cally dethroned the Queen, abolished the Lords and Commons, seated 
 a National Convention in St. Stephen's, and made all the rich poor, 
 and the poor both rich and happy, whilst he practically rendered 
 himself so hoarse as to be nearly inaudible; for which gallant 
 exertions in the cause of liberty he received the tumultuous applause 
 of the meeting, together with Lieut. McDermott's expressed con- 
 viction that he was "a broth of a boy entirely," together with an 
 anxious inquiry, " whether his mother had many more like him." 
 
 When Broadcom retired from the rostrum there appeared some 
 misunderstanding and confusion as to his successor ; taking advantage 
 of which, Grandeville looked at Bracy, who nodded, adding, " Now's 
 your time 1 Go in, and win;" then, catching a cadaverous-looking 
 mdividual who was about to advance by the shoulders, and twisting 
 him round, he exclaimed, " Now, my man, stand out of the way, will 
 you ? This gentleman is going to address the company." He next 
 thrust Grandeville forward, and patting him encouragingly on the 
 back, left him to his own devices. That heroic gentleman, having 
 bowed to his audience with much grace and dignity, waved his hand 
 to command attention, and began as follows : — 
 
 "Ar — listen to me, my friends! Ar — hem — I am prepared to 
 admit — that is, it is impossible to deny — that many great and serious 
 evils exist in the complicated social fabric of this glorious country. 
 The vast increase of population " 
 
 " Owing to the introduction of chloroform," suggested Bracy. 
 
 " Though slightly checked by " 
 
 "The alarming consumption of Morrison's Pills," interposed the 
 Irishman 
 
 "The wise facilities afforded for emigration," continued Grande- 
 ville, not heeding these interruptions, "is one chief cause of the 
 poverty and distress which, though greatly exaggerated by the false 
 statements of evil-disposed and designing persons (groans and cries 
 of 'Hear 1'), are to be found even in this metropolis, beneath the 
 fostering care of an enlightened and paternal government (increasing 
 murmurs of dissatisfaction). But if you believe that these evils are 
 likely to be redressed by such measures as have been pointed out to 
 you this evening, or that anarchy and rebellion can lead to any other 
 result than misery and ruin — ar — I tell you, that you are fearfully 
 mistaken I Ar — as a man, possessed of — ar — no inconsiderable 
 influence — and ar — intimately connected with those powers against 
 which you are madly arraying yourselves, I warn you ! " 
 
 Here the excitement and dissatisfaction, which had been rapidly 
 increasing, reached a pitch which threatened to render the speaker 
 inaudible; and amid cries of "Who is he?" — "an informer!" — 
 "government spy!" — "turn him out!" — "throw him over !" several 
 persons rose from their seats and attempted to force their way on to 
 the platform, but were kept back by Lewis and others of Grandeville's 
 
34 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 party, who, as has been already mentioned, had taken possession of 
 the flight of steps, which afforded the only legitimate means of access 
 from the body of the hall. 
 
 Undisturbed by these hostile demonstrations, Grandeville continued, 
 at the top of his voice, — " I warn you that you are provoking an 
 unequal struggle, — that you are bringing upon yourselves a fearful 
 retribution. Even now I am armed with authority to disperse this 
 meeting — to- 
 
 What more he would have added the reader is not fated to learn, 
 for at this moment the man in the rough greatcoat, who had 
 followed Lewis from the entrance of the room, exclaiming, "Come on, 
 we are not going to stand this, you know; never mind the steps," 
 seized the railing of the platform, and drawing himself uj), sprang over, 
 followed by several others. In an instant all was confusion. Grande- 
 ville, taken in some degree by surprise, after knocking down a couple 
 of his assailants, was overpowered, and, amid cries of "throw hinti 
 over," hurried to the edge of the platform ; here, grasping the rail 
 with both hands, he struggled violently to prevent the accomplish- 
 ment of their purpose. 
 
 " Come along, boys ! we must rescue him,'' exclaimed Bracy ; and 
 suiting the action to the word, he bounded forward, and hitting right 
 and left, reached the scene of conflict. Lewis and the others, aban- 
 doning the steps, followed his example, and the row became general. 
 For some minutes the uproar was terrific ; blows were given and 
 received ; blood began to flow from sundry noses ; and certain eyes 
 that had begun the evening blue, brown, or grey, as the case might be, 
 assumed a hue dark as Erebus. As for Lewis, he knocked down one 
 of the fellows who had hold of Grandeville ; then he picked up the 
 Irishman, who of course had singled out and attacked the biggest 
 man in the crowd (none other indeed than the rough-coated patriot, 
 who appeared a sort of leader among them), and been immediately 
 felled by him to the ground ; then he assisted Frere in extricating the 
 pale-faced youth from three individuals of questionable honesty, who 
 were availing themselves of the confusion to empty his pockets ; as he 
 did so he felt himself seized with a grasp of iron, and turning his 
 head, found he was collared by the gigantic leader. A violent but 
 ineffectual effort to free himself only served to convince him that in 
 point of strength he was no match for his antagonist, who, regarding 
 him with a smile of gratified malice, exclaimed, " Now then, young 
 feller, I've been a-waiting to get hold of you. How about a black eye 
 now ?" As he spoke he drew him forward with one hand and struck 
 at him savagely with the other. Avoiding the blow by suddenly 
 dodging aside, Lewis closed with his adversary, and inserting his 
 knuckles within the folds of his neckcloth, tightened it, until in self- 
 defence, and in order to avoid strangulation, the fellow was forced to 
 loosen his grasp of Lewis's collar. The instant he felt himself free, 
 Lewis, giving the neckcloth a final twist, and at the same time pressing 
 his knuckles into the man's throat, so as for the moment almost to 
 throttle him, stepped back a couple of paces, and springing forward 
 again before the other had time to recover himself, hit up under his 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 3S 
 
 guard and succeeded in planting a stinging and well-directed blow 
 exactly between his eyes ; this, followed by a similar application 
 rather lower on the face, settled the matter. Reeling backwards, his 
 antagonist lost his footing and fell heavily to the ground, dragging one 
 of his companions down with him in a futile attempt to save himself. 
 The fall of their leader threw a damp on the spirits of the others ; and 
 although those in the rear were still clamorous with threats and 
 vociferations, tlie members of the crowd in more immediate proximity 
 to the little party showed small inclination to renew the attack. 
 
 " Now's our time for getting away," said Bracy. " Make a bold push 
 for the door." 
 
 "Ar — I should say," rejoined Grandeville, one of whose eyes was 
 comjsletely closed from the effects of a blow, and whose coat was 
 hanging about him in ribands, " let us despatch one of our party for 
 the police and military, and stand firm and maintain our ground till 
 they come up, then capture the ringleaders and clear the room." 
 
 " Nonsense," said Leicester, who, despite his regard for his ward- 
 robe, had behaved most spiritedly during the skirmish. " We shall all 
 be murdered before they appear ; besides " (he added aside to Bracy), 
 " it will be making much too serious a business of it ; we should get 
 into some tremendous scrape." 
 
 " Yes, that's true," said Bracy ; then turning to Grandeville, he 
 added, " I don't think my instructions would bear us out if we were to 
 go any further. Remember, we were only to make a pacific demon- 
 stration." 
 
 " And faith, if breaking heads, and getting a return in kind, comes 
 under that same denomination, it's a pretty decent one we've made 
 already, 'pon me conscience," put in McDermott, wiping away the 
 blood that was still trickling from a cut in his forehead. 
 
 While these remarks were bandied from one to another, the party 
 had contrived to make their way from the platform, and were now in 
 the body of the room, striving to push through the crowd towards the 
 side door. This at every step became more and more difficult, till at 
 length they were so completely hemmed in that further progression 
 became impossible, and it was evident that a fresh attack upon them 
 was meditated. Fortunately, however, they were not far from the 
 point of egress, and Bracy, having caught the eye of his ally the door- 
 keeper, who was on the alert, exclaimed, " Now, Grandeville, we must 
 fight our way through these fellows and gain the door; there's nothing 
 for it but a spirited charge. You and I, Frere and his friend, and 
 Paddy had better go first as a sort of wedge." 
 
 " Ar — head the column and break the enemy's ranks, ar — yes, are 
 you all ready ? CHARGE ! " 
 
 As he gave the word they rushed forward in a compact body, and 
 knocking down and pushing aside all who opposed them, succeeded 
 in reaching the door. Here a short delay occurred while Bracy and 
 his friend were opening it, and several of their late antagonists, 
 irritated at the prospect of their escape, incited the others to attack 
 them, so that before their egress was secured even the Irish lieutenant 
 had had fighting enough to satisfy him, and the pale young man, 
 
35 LteWlS ARUNDEL. 
 
 having long since given himself up as a lost mutton, actually fainted 
 with fear and over-exertion, and was dragged from under the feet of 
 the combatants and carried out by Frere and Lewis, but for whom 
 his mortal career would then and there have ended. 
 
 How, as they emerged into the street, a party of the police arrived 
 and caused more confusion and more broken heads; and how Grande- 
 ville and the Irishman on the one hand, and sundry Chartists, with 
 Lewis's late antagonist among them, on the other, were jointly and 
 severally taken into custody and marched to the station-house, where 
 they spent the night ; and how Leicester contrived just in the nick of 
 time to catch an intelligent cab, into which he, Lewis, Frere, and the 
 fainting victim with the pallid physiognomy compressed themselves, 
 and were conveyed rapidly from the scene of action, it boots not to 
 relate : suffice it to say that a certain barrel of oysters, flanked by a 
 detachment of pint bottles of stout, which had taken up their position 
 on Frere's dining-table during the absence of its master, sustained 
 an attack about half-past eleven o'clock that night which proved that 
 the mode in which their assailants had passed the evening had in no 
 way impaired their respective appetites. 
 
 CHAPTER VL 
 
 IN WHICH LEWIS ARUNDEL SKETCHES A COW, AND THE AUTHOR 
 DRAWS A YOUNG LADY. 
 
 It was about noon on the day following the events narrated in the 
 last chapter. Frere had departed to his office at the scientific institu- 
 tion some two hours since, and Lewis and Faust were looking out of 
 the window, when a well-appointed cab dashed round the corner of a 
 cross street, and a pair of lavender-coloured kid-gloves drew up a 
 splendid bay horse, who arched his proud neck and champed the bit, 
 impatient of delay, till a young male child in livery coat and top-boots 
 rolled ofif the back of the vehicle and stationed itself before the 
 animal's nose, which act of self-devotion appeared to mesmerise him 
 into tranquillity, and afforded the occupant of the cab time to spring 
 out and knock at Frere's door. Five minutes more saw Leicester and 
 Lewis seated side by side and driving rapidly in the direction of Park 
 Crescent. 
 
 " I don't know how you feel this morning, Arundel," began Leicester ; 
 " but positively when I first woke I could scarcely move. I'm black 
 and blue all over, I believe." 
 
 " I must confess to being rather stiflf," was the reply, " and my left 
 hand is unproducible. I cut my knuckles against the nose of that tall 
 fellow when I knocked him down, and shall be forced to wear a glove 
 till it heals." 
 
 "You did that uncommonly well," returned Leicester; "the man 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 37 
 
 was as strong as Hercules, and vicious into the bargain. He evidently 
 had heard what you said about a black eye, and meant mischief, I 
 was coming to help you when you finished him off." 
 
 " It would have been most provoking to have been disfigured just 
 at this time," rejoined Lewis. " One could not very well go to propose 
 oneself as a mentor for youth with a black eye obtained in something 
 nearly akin to a street row." 
 
 " No," said Leicester ; " the General would consider our last night's 
 exploit as dreadfully infra dig. He is quite one of the old school, and 
 reckons Sir Charles Grandison a model for gentlemen. You must be 
 careful to avoid the free-and-easy style of the present day with him ; 
 but I think you'll suit him exactly; there's naturally something of the 
 preux chevalier, Mros de roman cut about you that will go down with 
 him amazingly." 
 
 " In plain English, you consider me stiflf and affected," returned 
 Lewis. " Do not scruple to tell me if it is so." 
 
 " Stiff, yes ; affected, no," was the rejoinder. " Indeed, your manner 
 is unusually simple and natural when you thaw a little, but at first 
 you are — well, I hardly know how to describe it ; but there is something 
 about you unlike the men one usually meets. You have a sort of half- 
 defiant way of looking at people, a sort of ' you'd better not insult me, 
 sir ' expression. I don't loiow that I should have observed it towards 
 myself, but it was your manner to Grandeville that particularly struck 
 me. I have not annoyed you by my frankness ?" he added interroga- 
 tively, finding that Lewis did not reply. Regardless of this question, 
 Lewis remained silent for a minute or two, then suddenly turning to 
 his companion, and speaking in a low, hurried voice, he said — 
 
 "Can you conceive no reason for such a manner? Is there not 
 enough in my position to account for that, ay, and more ? By birth I 
 am any man's equal. My father was of an old family, a captain in the 
 Austrian service, and in the highest sense of the word a gentleman. 
 I have received a gentleman's education. Up to the present time I 
 have associated with gentlemen on terms of equality, and now 
 suddenly, through no fault of my own, I am in effect a beggar. The 
 very errand we are upon proves it. Through the kindness of Frere 
 and of yourself, — a stranger, — I am about to receive a favourable 
 recommendation to some proud old man as a hired servant; for 
 though in name it may not be so, in fact I shall be nought but a 
 hireling I Is it strange then that I view men with suspicion ? that I 
 am watchful lest they attempt to refuse me the amount of courtesy 
 due to those who, having never forfeited their own self-respect, are 
 entitled to the respect of others ? " 
 
 He paused, and removing his hat, allowed the cold breeze to blow 
 freely around his heated brow. Leicester, who, despite his foppery, 
 was thoroughly kind-hearted, being equally surprised and distressed 
 at the burst of feeling his words had called forth, hastened to reply. 
 
 " My dear fellow, I really am — that is, 'pon my word, I had no idea 
 you looked upon the affair in this light. I can assure you, I think you 
 quite mistake the matter ; a tutorship is considered a very gentlemanly 
 occupation. If I had any work in me, I'm not at all sure I might 
 
38 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 not — that is, it would be a very sensible thing of me to look out for 
 something of the kind myself. Stanhope Jones, who was up at 
 Trinity with me, and about the fastest man of his year, ran through 
 his fortune, got a tutorship in Lord PuzzletSte's family, went abroad 
 with the eldest cub, and picked up a prize widow at Pisa, with tin 
 enough to set the leaning tower straight again, if she'd had a fancy to 
 do so." 
 
 During this well-meant attempt at consolation Lewis had had time 
 to come to the conclusion that he was in the position of that unwise 
 individual who wore " his heart upon his sleeve for daws to peck at ; " or, 
 in plain English, that he had been betrayed into a display of feeling before 
 a man incapable of appreciating or understanding it ; and a less agree- 
 able conviction at which to arrive we scarcely know. Nothing, however, 
 remained but to make the best of it, which he accordingly did, by 
 admitting the possibility that there might be much truth in Leicester's 
 view of the case, and changing the subject by saying, " Now I want 
 you to give me a peep at the carte du pays of the unknown region I 
 am about to explore. I think I pretty well comprehend the General 
 from your description. Of what other members does the family 
 consist ? " 
 
 " Ah 1 yes, of course you must be curious to know. Well, the dramatis 
 persona is somewhat Umited. First and foremost, the General, — you 
 comprehend him, you say?" Lewis made a sign in the affirmative, 
 and Leicester continued : " Then we have an awful personage, who I 
 expect will be a severe trial to you — Miss Livingstone; she is a 
 relation, an aunt I think, of the General's late wife, who lives with 
 him and keeps his house, and was the terror of my boyhood whenever 
 I was staying down at Broadhurst. She never was over young, I 
 believe ; at least I can't imagine her anything but middle-aged, and 
 she must now be sixty or thereabouts. For the rest, she looks as 
 if she had swallowed a poker, and, by some mysterious process of 
 assimilation, become imbued with its distinguishing characteristics ; 
 for she is very stiff, very cold, and as far as I know utterly impenetrable, 
 but of a stirring disposition withal, which leads her to interfere with 
 everybody and everything. Lastly, there is my cousin Annie, the 
 General's only daughter ; she inherits her mother's beauty, her father's 
 pride, her great-aunt's determination to have her own way, and the 
 devil's own love of teasing. To set against all this, I believe her to 
 be thoroughly good and amiable, and everything of that kind ; at all 
 events she is a most bewitching girl, and bids fair, under judicious 
 management, to become a very charming woman. I fancy her mission 
 is to reform my brother Bellefield and render him a steady married 
 man, and I wish her joy of it. She comes into her mother's fortune 
 when she is of age, and the respective governors have set their hearts 
 upon the match." 
 
 " And what says Lord Bellefield ? " inquired Lewis listlessly. 
 
 " Oh, Bell reckons she won't be of age, and that the match can't 
 come off these four years, by which time he expects to be so hard up 
 that he must marry somebody; and as there will be plenty of the 
 needful, she will suit his book as well as any other." 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 39 
 
 "The young lady, of course, approves?" continued Lewis dreamily, 
 untying a knot in the thong of Leicester's whip. 
 
 "Catch a woman refusing a coronet," returned Leicester, as he 
 pulled up at a house in Park Crescent so suddenly as almost to throw 
 the bay on his haunches. 
 
 " General Grant begs you will walk upstairs, Mr. Leicester. He is 
 engaged at present, but desired me to say he particularly wishes to 
 see you," was the reply made by a most aristocratic butler to Leicester's 
 inquiry whether his master was at home. " Keep the bay moving, Tim. 
 Now, Arundel, turn to the right— that's it," and suiting the action to 
 the word, Charley the indolent leisurely descended from the cab, and 
 crossing the " marble hall," lounged up a wide staircase followed by 
 Lewis. 
 
 "Silence and solitude," he continued, opening the door of a large 
 drawing-room handsomely furnished. " I hope they won't be long 
 before they introduce us to the luncheon-table. Oysters are popularly 
 supposed to give one an appetite ; but the natives we demolished at 
 Frere's last night must have been sadly degenerate, for I declare to 
 you I could scarcely get through my breakfast this morning. Ah I 
 what have we here ? — a water-colour landscape in a semi-chaotic con- 
 dition. Annie has been sketching, as sure as fate. I'll introduce a few 
 masterly touches and surprise her." So saying he seated himself at 
 the table and began dabbling with a brush. 
 
 " By Jove, I've done it now 1 " he exclaimed in a tone of consterna- 
 tion, after a minute's pause. "Just look here; I thought I would 
 insert the trunk of a tree in the foreground, and the confounded brush 
 had got red in it, so I have made a thing like a lobster and spoiled 
 the drawing." 
 
 " I think, if you wish, I could turn it into a cow, and so get you out 
 of the scrape," suggested Lewis, smiling at his companion's guilty 
 countenance. 
 
 " My dear fellow, the very thing," exclaimed Leicester, hastily rising 
 and thrusting Lewis into his seat ; " let's have a cow, by all means. 
 That's famous," he continued, as with a few graphic strokes Lewis 
 converted the red daub into the semblance of an animal. " Bravo ! 
 make her an eye — ^now the horns — what a fascinating quadruped ! 
 Where's the tail to come ? " 
 
 "You would not see the tail in the position in which the cow is 
 supposed to be lying," remonstrated Lewis. 
 
 "Still, it would make it more natural," urged Leicester. "As a 
 personal favour, just to oblige me, stretch a point and give her a 
 tail." 
 
 " There, then, I've twisted it under her leg," said Lewis, making the 
 desired addition ; " but depend upon it, there never was a cow's tail so 
 situated." 
 
 "All the greater proof of your talent," was the reply. " The ideal is 
 what you artists (for I see you are one) are always raving about, and 
 this is a specimen of it." 
 
 So engrossed had the two young men been with their occupation 
 that they had not observed the entrance of a third person. The new- 
 
40 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 comer was that most charming of all created beings, a very lovely girl 
 of seventeen. 
 
 As every poet since Homer has done his utmost to clothe_ in fitting 
 language a description of the best specimen of the class which it may 
 have been his hap to meet with, and as no man in his senses would 
 exchange half-an-hour of the society of one of the originals for all the 
 fanciful descriptions of women that ever were written, we would fain 
 be excused from adding one more to the number ; and were all our 
 readers of what grammarians most ungallantly term "the worthier 
 gender," we should cut the matter short by begging each man to 
 imagine the damsel in question exactly like the " unexpressive she " 
 who is, for the time being, queen of his soul. But as we flatter our- 
 selves certain bright eyes will sparkle and coral lips smile over this 
 " o'er true tale," and as we have already been asked by " oceans " of 
 young ladies, "What is the heroine to be like?" we will e'en make a 
 virtue of necessity and give a catalogue raisonni of her many per- 
 fections. 
 
 Annie Grant, then (for we'll have no disguise about the matter, but 
 own at once that she it was who entered the drawing-room unper- 
 ceived, and that she it is who is destined to play the heroine in this 
 our drama of the Railroad of Life ; and be it observed inter- 
 parenthetically that we use the theatrical metaphor advisedly, for 
 Shakespeare has told us that "all the world's a stage," and it is a 
 matter of common notoriety that in the present day all stages have 
 become railroads) — Annie Grant, then, we say, was rather above the 
 middle height, though no one would have thought of pronouncing her 
 tall; her gown of mousseline—poil de — psha 1 what are we thinking 
 of? — she had not a gown on at all ; how should she, when she was 
 going to ride directly after luncheon ? No, her habit, which fitted to 
 perfection, was well calculated to set off her slight but singularly 
 graceful figure to the best advantage. Her hair, which was braided 
 in broad plaits for the greater convenience (seeing that ringlets under 
 a riding-hat are an anomaly, not to say an abomination), was really 
 auburn, — by which definition we intend to guard against the pale red, 
 or warai, sand-coloured locks which usually pass current for the very 
 rare but very beautiful tint we would particularise, — and if a poet had 
 speculated as to the probability of some wandering sunbeam being 
 imprisoned in its golden meshes, the metaphor, though fanciful, would 
 not have been unapt. Delicate, regular features, large blue eyes, now 
 dancing and sparkling with mischievous glee, now flashing with pride, 
 a mouth like an expressive rosebud, a clear skin, with a warm glow of 
 health painting each velvet cheek, but retreating from the snowy 
 forehead, combined to form a whole on which to gaze was to admire. 
 
 This young lady, being such as we have described her, tripped 
 lightly across the apartment till she had stationed herself behind her 
 cousin Charles, and perceiving that both gentlemen were so pre- 
 occupied as not to have observed her approach, contrived, by standing 
 on tiptoe and peeping over Leicester's shoulder, to witness the intro- 
 duction of the cow of which we have already made honourable 
 mention, 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 41 
 
 During the animated discussion on the tail question she nearly 
 betrayed her presence by laughing outright; repressing the inclina- 
 tion, however, she retraced her steps, and had nearly succeeded in 
 reaching the side door by which she had entered, when her habit, 
 catching against a table, caused the overthrow of a piece of ornamental 
 china and revealed her presence. 
 
 On hearing the sound, Lewis, recalled to a sense of his situation, 
 and for the first time struck by the idea that, in touching the drawing, 
 he had been guilty of an unwarrantable liberty, rose hastily from his 
 seat, colouring crimson as he did so, from an agreeable mixture of 
 shyness, mortification, and proud self-reproach. Leicester, on the 
 other hand, with the d-plomb and presence of mind of a man of the 
 world, turned leisurely, and whispering, " Keep your own counsel, 
 there's no harm done," he advanced towards his cousin, saying with 
 a nonchalant air, " You have stolen a march upon us, Annie. This 
 gentleman and I called to see the General upon business, and as he 
 seems resolved to aflford us a practical lesson on the virtue of patience, 
 1 ventured to while away the time by showing my friend some of your 
 sketches. By the way, let me introduce you. My cousin. Miss Grant 
 — Mr. Arundel." Thus invoked, Lewis, who in order to atone to his 
 wounded self-respect, had wrapped himself in his very coldest and 
 haughtiest manner, and resembled a banished prince rather than an 
 every-day Christian, advanced a few steps and acknowledged the 
 introduction by a most Grandisonian inclination of the head. 
 
 The lady performed her part of the ceremony with an easy courtesy, 
 into which perhaps an equal degree of hauteur was infused, although 
 not the slightest effort was visible. 
 
 " Mr. Arundel is doubtless a judge of painting, and my poor sketches 
 are by no means calculated to bear severe criticism," remarked Miss 
 Grant demurely. 
 
 As Lewis remained silent, Leicester hastened to reply : " A judge ! 
 of course he is; he's just returned from Germany, the happy land 
 where smoking, singing, and painting all come by nature." 
 
 " Indeed I " returned Miss Grant. " Then, if it is not too trouble- 
 some, perhaps I might ask Mr. Arundel's advice as to a sketch of 
 Broadhurst I was attempting before your arrival ; I left off in despair, 
 because I could not manage anything for the foreground." 
 
 " Try an elephant," suggested Leicester ; " it would have a grand 
 effect, besides possessing the advantage of novelty, and filling up lots 
 of space." 
 
 "Would you bring me the drawing, Charles?" returned his cousin. 
 " I know too well the style of assistance I may expect from you in such 
 matters. Who embellished my poor head of Minerva with a pair of 
 moustaches f " 
 
 " I did," rejoined Leicester complacently, " and I am proud of it. 
 Minerva was the goddess of war, and sported moustaches in virtue of 
 her profession." 
 
 "Are you never going to give me the drawing, Charles?" asked 
 Annie impatiently. " Positively, cousins are most uncourteous beings. 
 Mr. Arundel, might I trouble you to hand me that sketch?" 
 
42 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 Thus appealed to, Lewis had nothing for it but to comply, which he 
 did accordingly, biting his lip with vexation at the denouement which 
 now appeared inevitable. But Leicester's resources were not yet 
 exhausted ; stretching out his hand before his cousin had received the 
 drawing, he coolly took possession of it, saying, " I know you meant 
 this drawing as a Uttle surprise for me. You have heard me say how 
 much I coveted a sketch of dear old Broadhurst, and so you have 
 kindly made one for me. You have really done it extreniely well ! 
 Who was it— Fielding— you have been learning of? Positively, you 
 have caught his style ! " 
 
 " Don't flatter yourself that I did you the honour of recollecting any 
 such wish, even supposing you really uttered it in my hearing, of which 
 I entertain grave doubts," returned Annie ; "but if you particularly 
 desire it I will make you a present of it when it is finished — if I could 
 only manage that tiresome foreground ! " 
 
 " I like it better without," was the reply. " There's nothing to inter- 
 fere with the outline of the building, which stands forth in bold relief 
 — and — eh ! — well, what's the matter ? " 
 
 During his speech his cousin had risen from her seat, and approach- 
 ing him, caught sight of the drawing, which she had no sooner done 
 than, raising a little white hand, she pointed to the intrusive cow and 
 asked quietly, " Where did that come from ? " 
 
 The comic perplexity of Leicester's face was irresistible to behold, 
 as, with a glance at Lewis to secure his sympathy and co-operation, 
 he was evidently about to adopt the cow at all hazards, when the door 
 opened, and a tall, stately old man, with a military port and erect 
 bearing, entered, and surveying the group with evident surprise, drew 
 himself up still more stiffly, ere, with slow and measured steps, he 
 advanced towards them. 
 
 It was General Grant ! 
 
 CHAPTER Vn. 
 
 WHEREIN THE READER IS INTRODUCED TO MISS LIVINGSTONE, 
 AND INFORMED WHO IS THE GREATEST MAN OF THE AGE. 
 
 " Ah ! General," exclaime'd Leicester, as he rose leisurely from the 
 arm-chair in which he had been reclining, " I hope they have not 
 disturbed you on our account. I was criticising one of Annie's 
 sketches four passer le temps — really she draws very nicely. Let me 
 introduce Mr. Arundel, Mr. Frere's friend, about whom I wrote to you 
 yesterday." 
 
 A stiff bow, acknowledged on Lewis's part by an equally haughty 
 inclination of the head, was the result of this introduction, when 
 General Grant observed — ■ 
 
 " Mr. Frere is a man of whom I have a very high opinion, both on 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 43 
 
 account of his unusual intellectual attainments, and his manly, up- 
 right character. Have you been long acquainted with him, sir, may 
 I ask?" 
 
 " He was my guide and protector when I first went to Westminster," 
 replied Lewis, " and we have been close friends ever since." 
 
 "A most fortunate circumstance," remarked the General senten- 
 tiously, " The mind of youth is easily impressible for good or 
 evil, and unless such establishments are greatly altered for the better 
 since my time, Satan has no lack of emissaries at a public school. 
 Will you allow me a few minutes' private conversation with you, Mr. 
 Arundel? The library is in this direction." So saying, General 
 Grant opened the door with frigid courtesy, and signing to Lewis to 
 precede him, followed with a stateliness of demeanour admirable to 
 behold. 
 
 Scarcely had they left the room, when Annie, clapping her hands 
 joyfully, exclaimed, " What a creature I why, he's as stiff and dignified 
 as papa himself. Now then, Charley, tell me who he is, and all 
 about him: we shall have Aunt Martha or somebody coming, and 
 then 1 shall never know, and be obliged to die of curiosity. You are 
 asleep, I believe." 
 
 " There you go — that's always the way with women," returned 
 Leicester, speaking very slowly and with an exaggeration of his 
 usual mode of pronunciation, which was something between a lisp 
 and a drawl; "asking half-a-dozen questions in a breath, and resolved 
 to get up a suicidal amount of curiosity if they are not as speedily 
 answered. Why, my dear child, I would not speak as quickly as you 
 do for any amount of money — at least any amount of money I should 
 be at all likely to get for doing so." 
 
 " Now, Charley, don't be tiresome. Who is the man ?" rejoined 
 Annie, half pettishly. Then, seeing that her imperious manner only 
 induced her cousin still further to tease her, she added, in an imploring 
 tone, which no heart of any material softer than granite could resist, 
 " You will tell me — won't you? I want to know so much, and I have 
 had nothing to amuse me all day." 
 
 " There, do you hear that ?" soliloquised Leicester, appealing to 
 society in general. "Trust a woman to get her own way. If she 
 can't scold you into giving it to her, she'll coax you. Well, you little 
 torment, I suppose you must know all about it. The man, as you 
 please to call him, is seeking the honourable post of bear-leader to 
 the cub your father has the felicity of being guardian unto." 
 
 " What, a tutor for poor Walter !" rejoined Annie meditatively. 
 " But surely he's a gentleman, is he not ?" 
 
 " Very particularly and decidedly so, as far as I am a judge," 
 returned Leicester, hooking a footstool towards him with his cane, 
 and depositing his feet thereupon. "At least I dined and spent last 
 evening in his company, and never wish to meet a better fellow." 
 
 " But," continued Annie, pursuing her train of reasoning, " if he is 
 a gentleman, why does he want to go out as a tutor ?" 
 
 " Because, unfortunately, there is a vulgar prejudice extant in this 
 feeble-minded country that the necessaries of Ufe, such as bread and 
 
44 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 cheese, cigars, kid gloves, and the like, must be paid for— this requires 
 money, whereof Arundel has little or none. Moreover, Richard 
 Frere hinted at a mother and sister in the case, who likewise have 
 . to be supported." 
 
 As he spoke a shade of deeper thought flitted across Annie's 
 expressive features, and after a moment's pause she resumed. 
 
 "Now I understand his strange manner: he was mentally con- 
 trasting himself (he is evidently a proud man) and his position ; it 
 must indeed have been a struggle— and he does this for the sake 
 of his mother and sister. Charley, do you know, I rather admire 
 him." 
 
 "Yes, I dare say you do; he's a decidedly good-looking fellow for 
 the style of man; there's a thoroughbred air about him, and he carries 
 himself well." 
 
 " Psha I I am not talking of his appearance : except that he is tall 
 and dark, I scarcely know what he is like," returned Annie quickly. 
 " No I I mean that there is something fine in the idea of a proud mind 
 submitting to degradations and indignities for the sake of those 
 it loves; bearing with a martyr-spirit the thousand hourly annoy- 
 ances " Checking herself suddenly, as she perceived upon her 
 
 cousin's face something nearly akin to a contemptuous smile, Annie 
 continued, " Charles, how stupid you are ! I hate you 1 " 
 
 " Not possible," was the cool reply. " Moreover, you have really 
 no cause to do so. I assure you I was not exactly laughing at your 
 sudden pluiige into the sentimental; it was merely a notion which 
 crossed my mind, that out of the thousand hourly annoyances by which 
 poor Arundel is to be martyrised, some nine hundred and fifty would 
 originate in the caprices of a certain young lady who shall be nameless. 
 In the monotony of life amid the leafy shades of Broadhurst, even 
 teasing a tutor may be deenied a new and interesting variety, as the 
 botanists have it. Seriously, though, you can coax the General to let 
 him teach you German." 
 
 "And embellish my water-colour sketches by the insertion of 
 occasional cows, with impossible tails made to order — eh, cousin 
 Charley?" returned Annie with an arch smile. "Give me my 
 drawing, sir, and let me look at the creature. How well he has done 
 it 1 I know a cow at Broadhurst with just such a face ! " 
 
 "There's a world of speculation in the eye," rejoined Leicester 
 carelessly, though he was slightly surprised at the extent of her 
 information respecting the "tail" debate; "the animal appears to be 
 ruminating on the advisability of petitioning Parliament against the 
 veal trade, or some other question of equal interest to the 'milky 
 mothers of the herd.' " 
 
 While Annie and her cousin thus gaily conversed, a very different 
 scene was enacting in_ the library. During a short delay, occasioned 
 by General Grant's being obliged to answer a note, Lewis had time to 
 recollect himself, and to school the rebellious feelings which his con- 
 versation with Leicester and the other events of the morning had 
 called into action. He thought of Rose and his mother, and of his 
 determination that they at least should be spared all knowledge of the 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 45 
 
 real evils of poverty ; and this reflection was for the time sufficient to 
 efface every selfish consideration. Bringing his strength of will into 
 play, he regained the most complete self-control, and even experienced 
 a sort of morbid pleasure in the idea of voluntarily humiliating himself 
 before the proud old man, whose clear, cold eye was occasionally 
 raised from the note he was employed in writing to fix its scrutinising 
 glance on Lewis's features. 
 
 Having sealed the missive and given it to a servant, he slowly 
 approached the spot where Lewis was standing, and after a word or 
 two of apology for having kept him waiting, began — 
 
 " I presume my nephew, Mr. Leicester, has made you in some 
 degree acquainted with the nature of the circumstances in which I am 
 at present placed, and of the necessity which renders me anxious to 
 secure the services of some gentleman as tutor to my ward, Sir Walter 
 Desborough ? " 
 
 " Mr. Leicester informed me that the young gentleman's education 
 had been neglected, and that his mind was singularly undeveloped," 
 replied Lewis, choosing the least offensive terms in which he might 
 express his conviction that the youth in question was rather a fool than 
 otherwise. 
 
 "Yes, sir, though it is even worse than you describe," returned the 
 General. " In fact it depends upon the degree of success which may 
 attend the efforts which must now be made whether Sir Walter Des- 
 borough can ever be considered capable of managing his own affairs, 
 or able to take that place in society to which his rank and fortune 
 would naturally entitle him. You perceive, therefore, that the post 
 of tutor will be one of much trust and importance, and the duties 
 attending it most onerous. Mr. Frere has written so high a character 
 of your various attainments that I cannot but feel perfectly satisfied 
 of your competency ; but you are very young, and as I should, in the 
 event of your undertaking the charge, expect a strict performance 
 of your duties, it is only fair to inform you that I conceive they 
 may be irksome in the extreme. What is your feeling on the 
 subject ? " 
 
 Lewis paused for a moment in thought, and then replied — 
 
 " I will be frank with you, sir. Were I free to act as I chose, such 
 an office as you describe would be one of the last I should select ; but 
 the welfare of others depends upon my exertions, and I have deter- 
 mined to refuse no occupation not unworthy a gentleman which will 
 enable me to render the necessary assistance to my family. If, there- 
 fore, you consider me fitted to undertake the charge of your ward, I 
 am willing to do so, and to fulfil the duties of such a situation to the 
 best of my ability, on one condition." 
 
 " What is that ? " inquired General Grant quickly. 
 
 " That I may be allowed to pursue whatever system I may deem 
 best fitted to attain the desired end, without the interference of any 
 one, and may be accountable for my conduct to you alone." 
 
 " Rather a singular request, young gentleman," returned the General, 
 knitting his brows. 
 
 " My reason for making it is easily explained, sir," replied Lewis, 
 
 4 
 
46 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 firmly but respectfully. "Unless such permission is accorded me, I feel 
 certain all my efforts would prove unavailing : I must have full power 
 to do what I think right, or I could not act at all, and should have 
 undertaken a duty which I should be incompetent to perform." 
 
 " Well, sir, there is truth in what you say," replied General Grant, 
 after a moment's consideration. "I like you none the worse for 
 speaking in a manly, straightforward manner. ' It is my intention to 
 go down to Broadhurst in a day or two : you shall accompany me ; 
 and if, after seeing my ward, you are still willing to undertake the task 
 of conducting his education, I shall be happy to entrust him to_ your 
 care, upon the conditions you have proposed. Your salary will_ be 
 £yx> a year. This, you are aware, is unusually high, but the case |s a 
 peculiar one, and money, fortunately, a very secondary consideration. 
 An entire suite of rooms will be devoted to the use of yourself and 
 your pupil, and a horse kept for you, that you may accompany him in 
 his rides. Do these arrangements meet your wishes ? " 
 
 Lewis bowed his head in token of acknowledgment, and said, " I 
 have one other request to make. I brought a Livonian wolf-hound 
 with me from Germany; he is much attached to me, and I should be 
 unwilling to part from him." 
 
 " Bring him with you, sir," returned the General, his lip slightly 
 curling with a sarcastic smile ; "a dog more or less will make little differ- 
 ence in such an establishment as that at Broadhurst. And now, if you 
 will give me the pleasure of your company at luncheon, I shall be 
 happy to introduce you to my relative, Miss Livingstone, who does me 
 the honour to preside over my household. My daughter, I believe, you 
 have already seen ; " and as he spoke he led the way to the dining- 
 room, where the rest of the party were already assembled. 
 
 Miss Livingstone, who scrutinised Lewis as if she suspected him of 
 belonging to that ingenious fraternity yclept the swell mob, was, in 
 appearance, a very awful old lady indeed. The nearest approach we 
 can make to a description of her features is to say that they bore a 
 marked (with the small-pox) resemblance to those of Minerva and her 
 owl ; the sternness of that utilitarian goddess — the Miss Martineau of 
 Olympus — and the sapient stupidity of the so-called bird of wisdom, 
 finding their exact counterpart in Miss Livingstone's time-honoured 
 physiognomy. This lady was appareled after a strange and imposing 
 mode, as behoved a spinster of such orthodox station and ferociously 
 virtuous propriety as the General's female commander-in-chief. 
 Minerva's helmet was modernised into a stupendous fabric, wherein 
 starch, muslin, and ribbon of an unnatural harshness struggled up- 
 wards in a pyramid, whence pointing with stiffened ends innumerable, 
 sugprestive of any amount of porcupines, they appeared ready and 
 anxious to repel or impale society at large. A triangle of spotless 
 lawn supplied the place of the breastplate beneath which Jove's 
 daughter was accustomed to conceal her want of heart ; and a silk 
 gown of an uncomfortable shade of grey, made so scanty as to render 
 at first sight the hypothesis of a mermaidzV termination conceivable, 
 completed the costume of this immaculate old lady. 
 
 Having apparently satisfied herself that Lewis had no immediate 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 47 
 
 design upon the spoons and forks, she condescended to afford him the 
 meteorological information that although the sunshine might delude 
 the unwary into believing it to be a fine day, she had received private 
 information that the weather was not to be relied upon : after pro- 
 mulgating which opinion she placed herself at the head, and assumed 
 the direction of, the luncheon-table. 
 
 Charley Leicester appeared to be the only individual of the party 
 insensible to a certain freezing influence, which might be specified as 
 one of Miss Livingstone's most characteristic attributes. Having 
 exerted himself to supply that lady with every possible adjunct she 
 could require, and seduced her into an amount of Cayenne pepper 
 which afterwards subjected her to considerable physical suffering, 
 he began — 
 
 " I was present, a day or two ago, Miss Livingstone, when a question 
 was started as to what man of modern times had been the greatest 
 benefactor to his race. It opened a mine of very curious speculation, 
 I can assure you." 
 
 " I do not doubt it, Charles," returned Miss Livingstone; "and I 
 am glad to learn that the young men of the present day employ their 
 time in such profitable discussions. What decision did you arrive at?" 
 
 " Well, ma'am," resumed Leicester gravely, " there was of course 
 much difference of opinion. James Watt had rather a strong party 
 in his favour, but an ex-railway director was present who had lost 
 ;£ 10,000 on the Do-em-and-Foot-in-it Line, and he blackballed him. 
 Lord John was proposed ; but some of the men who took in Punch 
 laughed so immoderately when his name was mentioned that it was 
 immediately withdrawn. One youth, who is known to be a little bit 
 flighty, not quite accountable, poor fellow ! declared for Lord 
 Brougham, but we soothed him, and he had sense enough left to see 
 his error almost immediately. At length it came to my turn " 
 
 " And whom did you mention ? " inquired Miss Livingstone, with a 
 degree of interest most unusual in her. 
 
 " I had been pondering the matter deeply," continued Leicester, " to 
 try and hit on some worthy against whom no valid objection could be 
 raised. At one moment I thought of Moses ^" 
 
 " I fancied it was restricted to men of modern times," interposed 
 Miss Livingstone. 
 
 "He to whom I referred, ma'am," returned Leicester, "was not the 
 Israelitish lawgiver, but the man of the City Mart, that benevolent 
 individual who clothes poverty in 'a light paletot at ten-and-six,' and 
 enables the honest hearts of free-born Britons to palpitate beneath a 
 ' gent's superior vest ' for the trifling remuneration of five shillings." 
 
 This speech was algebra, or thereabouts, to the lady to whom it was 
 addressed, but she had a sort of instinctive apprehension that Leicester 
 was talking nonsense, and accordingly drew herself up stiffly, com- 
 pleting her resemblance to Minerva by composing her features into a 
 very satisfactory likeness of the Gorgon. No way affected by this 
 transformation, Leicester continued — 
 
 " On mature reflection, however, I discarded Moses & Son, and was 
 going to give it up as hopeless, when, all of a sudden, a bright thought 
 
48 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 flashed across me, and springing to my feet, I exclaimed in a voice of 
 thunder, ' Gentlemen, I have it ; the difficulty is one no longer : the 
 greatest modem benefactor to the human race is — BASS t '" 
 
 " Who?" exclaimed Miss Livingstone, entirely mystified and a 
 good deal flurried by the narrator's unusual energy. 
 
 " Bass," resumed Leicester; "that remarkable man whose gigantic 
 intellect first conceived the project of regenerating society through the 
 medium of PALE ALEl The idea was hailed with enthusiasm; we 
 immediately sent for a dozen; and ere the liquor was disposed of, 
 there was not a man present but would have staked hundreds on the 
 soundness of my opinion." 
 
 Utterly disgusted and confused by this unexpected termination to 
 the anecdote, Miss Livingstone rose from her chair, sailed out of the 
 i-oom, and thus the visit concluded. 
 
 Lewis, after a solitary walk, during which he was revolving in his 
 mind the step he had just taken, and striving to discern in the dull 
 lead-coloured horizon of his future one ray of light which might yield 
 promise of brighter times to come, was ascending Frere's staircase, 
 when the door of the room above opened suddenly, and a voice, which 
 he thought he recognised, exclaimed — 
 
 " Then I may depend upon you ; you'll be with me by eight at the 
 latest, and bring your friend, if possible. Ah I here he is 1 Mr. 
 Arundel, delighted to see you — none the worse for last night, I hope 
 —-wasn't it glorious ? Grandeville has got such a face on him, he 
 won't be able to show for a week to come ; and Meeking of the pallid 
 features is so seedy this morning that I was forced to burthen my 
 conscience by inventing a fictitious fall from his horse, on the strength 
 of which I sent his mamma to nurse him. We must book that to the 
 pious fraud account, and let the charity absolve the lie. Rather shaky 
 divinity, eh, Frere ? Well, au revoir; I'm off." 
 
 So saying, Mr. Tom Bracy — for he it was, and none other — dashed 
 down the stairs, and having deeply scandalised Frere's ancient 
 domestic by an anxious inquiry how it was she did not get a husband, 
 took his departure. 
 
 " Frere 1" exclaimed Lewis, throwing himself into a chair and coldly 
 repulsing Faust, who never could imagine himself otherwise than 
 welcome, " I've done it 1 " 
 
 " So have I, man," was the reply ; " and pretty considerably brown, 
 too, as that nice youth who has just left me would call it. But what 
 have you done to make you so doleful ? " 
 
 " Sold myself," returned Lewis bitterly. 
 
 " Not to the old gentleman, I hope," rejoined Frere, " though your 
 black looks would almost lead one to imagine so." 
 
 " What weak, inconsistent fools we are 1 " pursued Lewis. 
 
 " Speak for yourself, young man," observed Frere parenthetically. 
 
 " How vacillating and impotent," continued Lewis, not heeding the 
 interruption, "is even the strongest will ! I have done this morning 
 the thing I believed I most anxiously desired to do — ^the thing I came 
 here hoping to accomplish— I have secured a competence for my 
 mother and sister. I have done so on better terms than I had 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 49 
 
 deemed possible. 1 have met with consideration, if not kindness, 
 from — from my employer." He pronounced the word firmly, though 
 his temples throbbed and his lip quivered with suppressed emotion 
 as he did so, "All this should make me contented, if not happy. 
 Happy 1 " he repeated mockingly, " Frere," he continued, with a 
 sudden burst of impetuosity, " it has not done so — I am miserable 1 " 
 
 He rose from his seat and began pacing the room with impatient 
 strides. Faust followed him for one or two turns, wagging his tail 
 and gazing up into his face with loving eyes ; but finding his efforts to 
 attract attention unavailing, he uttered a piteous whine, and, retreating 
 to a corner, crouched down, as perfectly aware that his master was 
 unhappy as if he had been a human creature and could have "told 
 his love" in words. Frere would have spoken, but Lewis checked 
 him by a gesture, and continued his rapid walk for some minutes in 
 silence. At length he spoke — 
 
 " You think me selfish and ungrateful, and you are right ; I am so. 
 I have schooled myself to bear all this, and I will bear it ; but bitter 
 thoughts arise and at times overpower me. I am very young" ("True 
 for you," muttered Frere, sotto voce), " and I am so unfit for such a life 
 as lies before me, a life of tame and ceaseless drudgery, in which to 
 indulge the high aspirations and noble daring that win men honour 
 becomes misplaced folly j to live with people whose equal, if not 
 superior, I feel myself, in a semi-menial capacity ; to obey when I 
 would command ; to forfeit all that is bright and fair in existence — 
 intercourse with the higher order of minds, the society of pure and 
 refined spirits ; and, above all, to lose the only thing I really prize on 
 earth — my independence. 
 
 " Well," he continued, after a pause, " the die is cast, and repining 
 is worse than useless. I will give this experiment a fair trial ; it may 
 be the harness will set more easily on me than I imagine; and should 
 it become unbearable, I can but cast it off and start afresh ; there is 
 such a thing as to COMPEL one's destiny t " 
 
 CHAPTER VHI. 
 
 LEWIS RECEIVES A LECTURE AND A COLD BATH. 
 
 Richard Frere listened to the somewhat grandiloquent remark 
 with which the last chapter concluded, muttering to himself, " ' Compel 
 destiny,' indeed j it strikes me you'll find ' destiny,' as you call it, will 
 have the best of it at that game ; " then turning to his companion, he 
 observed more gravely, " Now, listen to me, Lewis. What you have 
 just said is no doubt true enough ; you are about as unfit in tastes 
 and habits for the life that is before you as a man well can be, but for 
 that reason it is exactly the very best thing for you. For what purpose 
 do you suppose we are sent into this world? Most assuredly not only 
 to please ourselves, and by following out our own desires and 
 
50 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 caprices, create a sphere for the exercise and increase of our natural 
 faults. No; the only true view of life is as a school, wherein our 
 characters are to be disciplined, and all the changes and chances, 
 sorrows, trials, and temptations we meet with are the agents by 
 which the education of the soul is carried on." 
 
 " And a low, wretched view of life it is," replied Lewis bitterly ; " a 
 seventy years' pupilage under the rod of destiny. The heathen sage 
 was right who said that those whom the gods love die early. If it 
 were not for Rose and my mother, I would join some regiment bound 
 for India, volunteer into every forlorn hope, and trust that some Sikh 
 bullet would rid me of the burthen of life without my incurring the 
 guilt of suicide." 
 
 " In fact, you would die like an idiot, because you lack moral 
 courage to face the evils of life like a man," returned Frere. " But 
 wait a bit : your argument, such as it is, is founded on a fallacy, or on 
 that still more dangerous thing, a half-truth. Granting that life were 
 one scene of bitter experiences, — which would be granting a very 
 large lie, — for what is this discipline intended to fit us ? That is the 
 question. You are ambitious — how would you regard obstacles in 
 your path to greatness ? You would rejoice in them, would you not, 
 as opportunities for bringing out the high qualities you fancy you 
 possess? fortitude, courage, indomitable perseverance, ready wit, 
 aptitude to lead and govern your fellow-men, and fifty other mag- 
 nanimous attributes ; and deem the greatness unworthy your notice 
 could it be obtained without a struggle. But what is human great- 
 ness ? A triumph for the hour, bringing its attendant cares and evils 
 with it — mark that, — a bauble, which some other ambitious genius 
 may possibly wrest from your grasp, which old age would unfit you to 
 retain, of which death must deprive you in a few years more or less. 
 Now take the true, the Christian's view of life — obstacles to overcome, 
 demanding all our strength of mind, and then proving too mighty for 
 us without the assistance of a Power superior to that of man, but 
 which will be given us if we seek it properly. And the victory won, 
 what is the prize we shall obtain? A position, according to our 
 advance in righteousness, among the spirits of just men made perfect j 
 intercourse (with reverence be it spoken) with the Source of all good. 
 Omniscience our teacher. Omnipotence our only ruler, Perfect Justice 
 our lawgiver, Perfect Wisdom our director, the Powers of Heaven 
 for our associates, and our own souls, freed from the trammels of 
 mortality, fitted to appreciate and enjoy these inestimable blessings; 
 and all this, not for time, but for eternity. Lewis, you are a reason- 
 able being, and to your own reason I will leave the question." 
 
 There was silence for some minutes. At length Lewis raised his 
 head, revealing features on which the traces of deep emotion were 
 visible, and stretching out his hand to his friend, said in a voice which 
 trembled from excess of feeling, " God bless you, Frere ; you are 
 indeed a true friend I" He paused; then added suddenly, "Frere 
 promise me one thing,— promise me that whatever I may do, whatever 
 rash act or evil deed my feelings may hurry me into, you will not give 
 me up; that while we both live you will act by me as you have done 
 
LEWtS AfeUMbfiL ^i 
 
 lo-day — that you will preserve me from myself, stand between me and 
 my fiery nature ; then shall I feel that I am not utterly deserted — you 
 will be the link that shall still bind me to virtue." 
 
 " Well, if you fancy it will make you any happier, or better, or more 
 reasonable, I will promise it," returned Frere ; " more particularly as 
 I should most probably do it whether I promise it or not." 
 
 " You promise, then ?" asked Lewis eagerly. 
 
 " I do," replied Frere. 
 
 Lewis once more wrung his friend's hand with such eagerness as to 
 elicit a grimace of pain from that excellent individual, and then 
 continued — 
 
 " A conversation of this nature regularly upsets me ; I must go out 
 and walk off the excitement before I shall be fit for anything. Come, 
 Faust, good dog I I spoke up for Faust to-day, Frere, and the 
 General accorded a dignified assent : ' A dog more or less will make 
 little difference in such an establishment as Broadhurst.' " 
 
 " Did he say that ? " inquired Frere. 
 
 " Word for word," returned Lewis. 
 
 " Well, I thought better things of him I ' Folks is sich fools ! ' as 
 my old lady downstairs says. Are you off? Mind you are at home in 
 good time for dinner, for I have been seduced into accepting another 
 evening engagement for us." 
 
 "Any more fighting?" asked Lewis anxiously. 
 
 " No ; thank goodness for that same 1 " returned Frere. 
 
 " I wish I could meet that long Chartist," continued Lewis, shaking 
 his fist ; " not that I bear him any ill-will, but it would be such a relief 
 to me just now to knock somebody down. Mayn't I set Faust at a 
 policeman ? " 
 
 " Not unless you prefer Brixton to Broadhurst, and the treadmill to 
 the tutorship," returned Frere. 
 
 "Well, good-bye till dinner-time," responded Lewis, leaving the 
 room. " I won't punish your carpet any longer. Come, Faust ! " 
 
 " That is a most singular young man," soliloquised Frere as he took 
 down and unrolled a Persian manuscript ; " very like an excitable 
 steam-engine with an ill-regulated safety-valve in disposition ; I only 
 hope he won't blow up bodily while I have the care of him. He is a 
 fine fellow, too, and it's impossible not to be very fond of him ; but he's 
 an awful responsibility for a quiet man to have thrust upon him." 
 
 Meanwhile Lewis, walking hurriedly up one street and down 
 another, with the design of allaying the fever of his mind by bodily 
 exercise, found himself at length in the neighbourhood of Hyde Park, 
 and, tempted by the beauty of the afternoon, he continued his stroll 
 till he reached Kensington Gardens. Here, stretching himself on one 
 of the benches, he watched the groups of gaily-dressed loungers and 
 listened to the military band, till he began to fear he might be late for 
 Frere's dinner ; and retracing his steps, he proceeded aloxi^ the bank 
 of the Serpentine towards Hyde Park Corner. As he arrived nearly 
 opposite the receiving-house of the Humane Society, his attention was 
 attracted by the lamentations of a small child, whom all the endear- 
 ments of a sympathising nursery-maid were powerless to console. The 
 
52 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 child, being a fine sturdy boy, and the maid remarkably pretty, Lewis 
 was moved by a sudden impulse of compassion to stop and inquire the 
 cause of the grief he beheld. It was soon explained. Master Tom 
 had come to sail a little boat which his grandpapa had given him ; the 
 string by which the length of its voyage was to have been regulated 
 had broken, and the boat had drifted farther and farther from its 
 hapless owner, until at last it had reached a species of buoy, to which 
 the park-keeper's punt was occasionally moored, and there it had 
 chosen to stick hard and fast. In this rebellious little craft was 
 embarked, so to speak, all Master Tom's present stock of earthly 
 happiness ; thence the sorrow which Mary's caresses were unable 
 to assuage, and thence the lamentations which had attracted Lewis's 
 attention. 
 
 " Don't cry so, my little man, and we'll see if we can't find a way of 
 getting it for you," observed Lewis encouragingly, raising the dis- 
 tressed shipowner in his arms to afford him a better view of his 
 stranded property. " We must ask my dog to go and fetch it for us. 
 Come here, Mr. Faust. You are not afraid of him ? he won't hurt you 
 — that's right, pat him; there's a brave boy; now ask him to fetch 
 your boat for you. Say, ' Please, Mr. Faust, go and get me my boat ! ' 
 say so." And the child, half-pleased, half-frightened, but with implicit 
 faith in the dog's intellectual powers, and the advisability of conciliat- 
 ing its good will and imploring its assistance, repeated the desired 
 formula with great unction. 
 
 " That's well ! Now, nurse, take care of Master — what did you 
 say? — ay. Master Tom, while I show Faust where the boat is." As 
 he spoke he took up a stone, and attracting Faust's attention to his 
 proceedings, jerked it into the water just beyond the spot where the 
 boat lay, at the same time directing him to fetch it. 
 
 With a bound like the spring of a lion the noble dog dashed into 
 the water and swam vigorously towards the object of his quest, 
 reached it, seized it in his powerful jaws, and turned his head towards 
 the bank in preparation for his homeward voyage, while the delighted 
 child laughed and shouted with joy at the prospect of regaining his 
 lost treasure. Instead, however, of proceeding at once towards the 
 shore, the dog remained stationary, beating the water with his fore- 
 paws to keep himself afloat, and occasionally uttering an uneasy 
 whine. 
 
 "Here, Faust 1 Faust! what in the world's the matter with him?" 
 exclaimed Lewis, calling the dog and inciting him by gestures to 
 return, but in vain ; his struggles only became more violent, without 
 his making the slightest progress through the water. 
 
 Attracted by the sight, a knot of loungers gathered round the spot, 
 and various suggestions were hazarded as to the dog's unaccountable 
 behaviour. " I think he must be seized with cramp," observed a good- 
 natured, round-faced man in a velveteen jacket, who looked like one 
 of the park-keepers. " The animal is suicidally disposed, apparently," 
 remarked a tall, aristocratic-looking young man, vrith a sinister ex- 
 pression of countenance, to which a pair of thick moustaches imparted 
 a charactef of fierceness. " Anxious to submit to the cold-water cure, 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 53 
 
 more probably," remarked his companion. " It will be kill rather 
 than cure with him before long," returned the former speaker with a 
 half laugh; "he's getting lower in the water every minute." 
 
 " He is caught by the string of the boat which is twisted round the 
 buoy ! " exclaimed Lewis, who during the above conversation had 
 seized the branch of a tree, and raising himself by his hands, had 
 reached a position from which he was able to perceive the cause of 
 his favourite's disaster ; " he'll be drowned if he is not unfastened. 
 Wlio knows where the key of the boat-house is kept ? " 
 
 "I'll run and fetch it," cried the good-natured man; "it's at the 
 receiving-house, I believe." 
 
 " Quick I or it will be of no use ! " said Lewis in the greatest 
 excitement. 
 
 The man hurried off, but the crowd round the spot had now become 
 so dense — even carriages filled with fashionably-dressed ladies having 
 stopped to learn the catastrophe — that it was no easy matter for him 
 to make his way through it, and several minutes elapsed without 
 witnessing his return. In the meantime the poor dog's struggles 
 were becoming fainter and fainter ; his whining had changed to some- 
 thing between a hoarse bark and a howl, a sound so clearly indicative 
 of suffering as to be most distressing to the bystanders ; and it was 
 evident that if some effort were not speedily made for his relief he 
 must sink. 
 
 "He shall not perish unassisted 1" exclaimed Lewis impetuously; 
 " who will lend me a knife ?" 
 
 Several were immediately offered him, from which he selected one 
 with a broad blade. 
 
 "May I inquire how you propose to prevent the impending 
 catastrophe?" asked superciliously the moustached gentleman to 
 whom we have before alluded. 
 
 " You shall see directly," returned Lewis, divesting himself of his 
 coat, waistcoat, and neckcloth. 
 
 " I presume you are aware there is not one man in a hundred who 
 could swim that distance in his clothes," resumed the speaker in the 
 same sneering tone. " Do you actually — I merely ask as a matter of ' 
 curiosity — do you really consider it worth while to peril your life for 
 that of a dog?" 
 
 " For such a noble dog as that, yes ! " replied Lewis sternly. " I 
 might not take the trouble for a mere puppy j " and he pronounced 
 the last two words with a marked emphasis, which rendered his 
 meaning unmistakable. The person he addressed coloured with 
 anger and slightly raised his cane, but he read that in Lewis's face 
 which caused him to relinquish his intention, and smiling scornfully 
 he folded his arms and remained to observe the event 
 
 This was Lewis's introduction to Charles Leicester's elder brother, 
 Lord Bellefield, the affianced of Annie Grant. 
 
 Having completed his preparations, Lewis placed the knife between 
 his teeth, and motioning to the crowd to stand on one side, gave a 
 short run, dashed through the shallow water, and then, breasting 
 the stream gallantly, swam with powerful strokes towards the still 
 
S4 LfiWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 struggling animal. As he perceived his mastef appfoachiiig, the 
 poor dog ceased howling, and seemingly re-animated by the prospect 
 of assistance, redoubled his efforts to keep himself afloat. 
 
 In order to avoid the stroke of his paws, Lewis swam round him, 
 and supporting himself by resting one hand upon the buoy, he grasped 
 the knife with the other, and at one stroke severed the string. The 
 effect was instantly perceptible: freed from the restraint which had 
 till now paralysed his efforts, the dog at once rose higher in the water; 
 and even in that extremity his affection for his master overpowering 
 his instinct of self-preservation, he swam towards him with the child's 
 boat (of which, throughout the whole scene, he had never loosened 
 his hold) in his mouth. 
 
 Merely waiting to assure himself that the animal had yet strength 
 enough remaining to enable him to regain the shore, Levvis set him 
 the example by quitting the buoy and striking out lustily for the 
 bank; but now the weight of his clothes, thoroughly saturated as 
 they had become, began to tell upon him, and his strokes grew 
 perceptibly weaker, while his breath came short and thick. 
 
 Faust, on the contrary, freed from the string which had entangled 
 him, proceeded merrily, and reached the shore ere Lewis had 
 performed half the distance. Depositing the boat in triumph at the 
 feet of one of the bystanders, the generous animal only stopped to 
 shake the wet from his ears, and then plunging in again swam to 
 meet his master. It was perhaps fortunate that he did so, for 
 Lewis's strength was rapidly deserting him, his clothes appearing to 
 drag him down like leaden weights. Availing himself of the dog's 
 assistance, he placed one arm across its back, and still paddling 
 with the other, he was partly dragged and partly himself swam 
 forward, till his feet touched ground, when, letting the animal go free, 
 he waded through the shallow water and reached the bank, exhausted 
 indeed, but in safety. 
 
 Rejecting the many friendly offers of assistance with which he was 
 instantly overwhelmed, he wrang the water from his dripping hair, 
 stamped it out of his boots, and hastily resuming his coat and waist- 
 coat, was about to quit a spot where he was the observed of all 
 observers, when Lord Bellefield, after exchanging a few words with 
 his companion, made a sign to attract Lewis's attention, and having 
 succeeded in so doing, said, "That is a fine dog of yours, sir; will you 
 take a twenty pound note for him?" 
 
 Lewis's countenance, pale from exhaustion, flushed with anger at 
 these words ; pausing a moment, however, ere he replied, he answered 
 coldly, " Had he been for sale, sir, I should scarcely have risked 
 drowning in order to save him; I value my life at more than twenty 
 pounds." Then turning on his heel, he whistled Faust to follow him, 
 and walked away at a rapid pace in the direction of Hyde Park 
 Corner. 
 
 Amongst the carriages that immediately drove off was one contain- 
 ing two ladies who had witnessed the whole proceeding ; and as it 
 dashed by him, Lewis, accidentally looking up, caught a glimpse of 
 the bright eager face of Annie Grant I 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. SS 
 
 CHAPTER LX. 
 
 WHEREIN RICHARD FRERE AND LEWIS TURN MAHOMETANS. 
 
 Lewis rather expected a lecture from Richard Frere on account of 
 his aquatic exploit ; but he need not have made himself uneasy 
 on the subject, for the only remai'k his friend volunteered was : 
 " Well, you know, if the dog could not be saved without, of course you 
 were obliged to go in and fetch him. I should have done the same 
 myself, though I hate cold water as I hate the old gentleman, and 
 never could swim in my life." 
 
 When they had concluded dinner, Frere inquired suddenly : " By 
 the way, do you mean to come with me to-night ? " 
 
 " Before I can answer that question," returned Lewis, " you must 
 condescend to inform me where you are going, and what you mean to 
 do when you get there." 
 
 " To be sure ; I thought I had told you ; but the fact is, I have 
 been working rather hard lately (I read for three hours after you 
 were gone to bed last night), and my head is not over clear to-day. 
 The case is this, sir : Tom Bracy, who, as I before told you, is lament- 
 ably addicted to practical jokes, happens to be acquainted with a 
 certain elderly lady who devotes her life to lion-hunting." 
 
 "To what?" inquired Lewis. 
 
 "To catching celebrities, otherwise termed lions," replied Frere, 
 "and parading them at her parties for the benefit of her friends and 
 acquaintance. On the last occasion of this kind she confided to 
 Bracy her longing desire to obtain an introduction to a certain Persian 
 prince, or thereabouts, who has lately come over to this country to 
 avoid the somewhat troublesome attentions of his family, his younger 
 brother being most anxious to put out his eyes, and his grandfather 
 only waiting a favourable opportunity for bow-stringing him." 
 
 " 'A little more than kin, and less than kind,' " quoted Lewis. 
 
 " I knew you would say that," returned Frere ; " in fact, I should 
 have felt quite surprised if you had not But to proceed with my 
 account. Bracy soon found out that his hostess had never seen the 
 aforesaid Asiatic magnate, and knew next to nothing about him; 
 whereupon he determined ' to get a little fun,' as he calls it, out of the 
 affair, and accordingly informed her, very gravely, that from his 
 acquaintance with the Persian language, he was in the habit of 
 accompanying the prince to evening parties in the character of 
 interpreter, and that if she would entrust him with an invitation, he 
 should be happy to convey it to his Highness, and try to induce him 
 to accept it She joyfully acceded to the proposal, and this very 
 evening the party is to take place. And now can you guess the 
 purport of Brac/s visit to me ? " 
 
 " He wants you to act as interpreter in his stead, I suppose ; his 
 knowledge of Persian being probably confined to the word 'bosh.' " 
 
 "Wrong!" rejoined Frere, laughing. "A higher destiny awaits 
 me. I am for the nonce to be elevated to the proud position of one 
 
S6 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 of the Blood Royal of Persia. In plain English, Bracy knows as 
 much of the Prince as I do of the Pope; the whole thing is a hoax 
 from beginning to end, and he wants me to personate his Highness, 
 which I have promised to do, while you are to represent an attendant 
 satrap, a sort of Mussulman gold stick-in-waiting, always supposing 
 you have no objection so to employ yourself." 
 
 " To tell you the truth, I am scarcely in the vein for such fooling," 
 returned Lewis moodily. " I hate practical jokes to begin with, nor 
 can I see much fun in taking advantage of the absurdities of some 
 weak-minded old lady. At the same time I am tolerably indifferent 
 about the matter, and if you have pledged yourself to go, relying upon 
 my accompanying you, I will put my own tastes out of the question, 
 and do as you wish." 
 
 " Equally sententious and amiable," returned Frere ; " but the truth 
 is, I have promised Bracy (partly fancying you would like the fun), 
 and go I must." 
 
 " I'll accompany you then," rejoined Lewis. " I'd make a greater 
 sacrifice than that for you any day, old fellow. And now may I ask 
 who is the lady to be victimised ?" 
 
 " An opulent widow, one Lady Lombard, ' the interesting relict of a 
 be-knighted pawnbroker,' as Bracy calls her," replied Frere. 
 
 " Who ?" inquired Lewis, becoming suddenly mterested. 
 
 " Why, how now ?" returned Frere, astonished at his friend's 
 impetuosity. Then repeating the name, he continued, " Do you know 
 the lady?" 
 
 " Yes, I do," rejoined Lewis ; " know her for a coarse-minded, purse- 
 proud, wretched old woman 1" 
 
 " Phew 1" whistled Frere. " May I ask how the good lady has 
 been so fortunate as thus to have excited your bitter indignation 
 against her?" 
 
 "Never mind," returned Lewis, rising hastily and walking to the 
 window ; " it is enough that I know her to be the character I have 
 described." 
 
 " That's odd now," muttered Frere, soliloquising. " If I had not 
 been acquainted with his ' aniScedens,' as the French term it, nearly 
 as well as I know my own, I should have fancied the late lamented 
 Lombard had, in bygone hours, refused to negotiate some small loan 
 for him, on the perishable security of personal clothing. He can't 
 have popped the question to the widow at one of the German 
 watering-places, and encountered a negative ?" 
 
 " Frere, don't mention my dislike of Lady Lombard to your facetious 
 acquaintance," observed Lewis, turning round. " I have no ambition 
 to become a butt for his bad puns." 
 
 " Never fear, man, I'll not betray your confidence," returned Frere; 
 "more particularly when, as in the present instance, I don't happen 
 to share it." ^ 
 
 " Do you care to know ?" asked Lewis. 
 
 " Not by no manner of means, as the young lady said, when the 
 parson asked her whether she was prepared to give up all the pomps 
 and vanities of this wicked world," returned Frere, " And now, as we 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. S» 
 
 have to be converted into Pagans before ten o'clock, suppose we 
 start." 
 
 A quarter of an hour's brisk walking brought them to Bracy's 
 lodgings, where they found that gentleman deeply immersed in study, 
 with the fez which was to assist in changing Frere into a prince stuck 
 rakishly on one side of his head. On perceiving his visitors he sprang 
 from his seat, and making a low salaam, in the course of which 
 performance the fez tumbled off and knocked down a candle, he 
 exclaimed — 
 
 " Most illustrious brothers of the Sun, and first-cousins once 
 removed of the Moon and all the stars, may your shadows never be 
 less 1 You do me proud by honouring my poor dwelling with your 
 seraphic presences I" 
 
 " I see you have got the wherewithal to make Heathens of us," 
 returned Frere, pointing to the couple of Persian dresses which hung 
 against the wall like a brace of Bluebeard's headless wives. 
 
 " Bude Light of the Universe, yes 1" replied Bracy. "Your slave 
 has procured the ' wear with all ' necessary to complete your trans- 
 formation from infidel Feringhees to true sons of Islam. Would I 
 have had my prince appear without a khelaut — a dress of honour? 
 Be Cheshm 1 upon my eyes be it ; — by the way, it's a remarkable fact 
 that the expression 'my eyes' should be Court lingo in Persia, and 
 bordering upon Billingsgate in English." 
 
 "You seem particularly well up in the pseudo- oriental metaphor 
 to-night, Bracy," observed Frere; "has the fez inspired you?" 
 
 " No, there's nothing miraculous in the affair," returned Bracy ; " it 
 is very easily explained. I have been reading up for the occasion — 
 cramming, sir; a process successfully practised upon heavy Johnians 
 at Cambridge and corpulent turkey poults in Norfolk." 
 
 " Indeed 1 I was not aware that you are a Persian scholar. May I 
 inquire what line of study you have adopted ? " 
 
 " One that I have myself struck out," responded Bracy, "and which 
 has been attended, I flatter myself, with the most successful results. 
 I first subjected myself to a strict course of Hajji Baba, after which I 
 underwent a very searching self-examination in Morier's ' Zohrab, or 
 the Hostage.' I next thoroughly confused my mind with ' Thalaba,' 
 but brought myself round again upon ' Bayley Frazei-'s Travels ' ; after 
 which I made myself master of ' Ayesha, or the Maid of Khars.' And 
 by way of laying in a fitting stock of the sentimental, finished off with 
 Byron's ' Giaour' ; — stop, let me g[ive you a specimen." And replacing 
 the unruly fez, he sprang upon a chair, and throwing himself into a 
 mock-tragedy attitude, began bombastically to recite — 
 
 " ' 'Twas sweet, where cloudless stars were bright. 
 To view the wave of watery light. 
 And hear its melody by night j 
 And oft had Hassan's childhood play'd 
 Around the verge of that cascade : 
 And oft upon his mother's breast 
 That sound had harmonised his rest; 
 
S8 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 And oft had Hassan's youth along 
 Its banks been sooth'd by Beauty's song, 
 And softer seem'd each melting tone 
 Of music mingled with its own.' 
 
 " There now, I call that pretty well for a young beginner ; a little of 
 that will go a great way with my Lady Lombard j it is like a penny 
 bun, cheap to begin with, and very filling at the price." 
 
 "Turks and Persians are not exactly alike, though you seem to 
 think they are," observed Frere dryly. " Have you laid down any 
 plan of operations, may I ask ? You must give me very full and clear 
 directions how to behave, for, to tell you the truth, my acquaintance 
 with the manners and customs of the higher ranks of Persia is 
 infinitesimally select." 
 
 " Oh 1 it's all plain sailing enough," returned Bracy ; " you have 
 only to look wise, roll your eyes about, and occasionally jabber a little 
 Persian, or any other unknown tongue you may prefer, which I, not 
 understanding, shall translate ad libitum as the occasion may require." 
 
 " And sweetly you will do it too, or I am much mistaken," muttered 
 Frere, divesting himself of his greatcoat. 
 
 " Pray inform me, as I am unfortunately ignorant of all the oriental 
 languages, how do you propose to supply my deficiencies ? " inquired 
 Lewis. " Is my part, like Bottom the weaver's, to be nothing but 
 roaring?" 
 
 " Why, as you are about to enact a lion, it would appear not inappro- 
 priate," returned Bracy. " Yes, it never struck me ; there seems a 
 slight difficulty there — you never got up any Memoria Technica, did 
 you?" 
 
 Lewis shook his head. 
 
 " That's unlucky," continued Bracy ; " a page or two of that would 
 have served the purpose beautifully. I met a man the other night 
 who had struck out a new system for himself, and was perfectly rabid 
 about it. He had bottled, according to his own account, the whole 
 history of England into an insinuating little word that sounded to 
 me something like ' Humguffinhoggogrificicuana,' and bagged all 
 Hansard's Reports, from Pitt to Peel, in half-a-dozen lines of impos- 
 sible doggerel. Oh ! he was a wonderful fellow — clearly mad, but 
 intensely funny. I kept him in tow two good hours, and made him 
 explain his system twice over to everybody, till the people were ready 
 to cry, he bored them so. I was nearly being punished for it though, 
 as he was actually weak enough to believe in me, and called the next 
 day to fraternise." 
 
 "And how did you escape?" asked Lewis. 
 
 "Why, I have a sort of tiger (the imp that let you in, in fact), who 
 is a first-rate liar — most excellent, useful boy, I do assure you, sir ; I 
 sent him down with a message that I had an attack of Asiatic cholera, 
 but if he would take a glass of wine, and look at the paper till the 
 crisis should be over, I would come to him if it terminated favourably. 
 That settled the business ; he did not wait the event, but was off like 
 a shot, thinking the infection might disagree with his 'system' 
 perhaps." ' 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 59 
 
 " Then lie lias not repeated his visit ? " inquired Frere. 
 
 " No ; and I hope he will not," returned Bracy, " for there will be 
 nothing left for me to have but Elephantiasis or the Plague, and he 
 must be very far gone in innocence if he can swallow either of them." 
 
 " Am I expected to put on these things ? " asked Frere, holding up 
 a most voluminous pair of Persian trousers, made of a species of silk 
 gauze enriched with glittering spangles. 
 
 " Yea, verily, most emphatically and decidedly yes," replied Bracy. 
 
 " Well, what must be must be, I suppose," rejoined Frere, with a 
 sigh of resignation; "but I never thought to see myself in such a 
 garment. ' Sure such a pair were never seen ! ' One thing is clear, 
 I must stand all the evening, for there's no man living could sit down 
 in them." 
 
 " Never fear," returned Bracy encouragingly ; " only do you go into 
 my bedroom and put on your robes, and I'll ensure your ' taking your 
 seat on your return.' Never make mountains of molehills, man ; there 
 are worse dresses than that in the world ; for instance, it might have 
 been a kilt." 
 
 " That's true," said Frere reflectively, and unhooking the richest 
 Mrs. Bluebeard, he proceeded after sundry ejaculations of disgust to 
 carry it into the other room, whither after a minute or two Bracy 
 followed him, to perform, as he said, the part of lady's-maid. After a 
 lapse of about a quarter of an hour the door was again unclosed, and 
 Bracy, exclaiming, " Now, Mr. Arundel, allow me to have the honour 
 of introducing you to his Sublime Highness Ree Chard el Freer," 
 ushered in the person named. 
 
 Never was so complete a transformation seen. The Persian dress, 
 rounding off and concealing the angularities of his figure, gave a sort 
 of dignity to Frere, quite in keeping with the character he was about 
 to assume ; while moustaches and a flowing beard imparted a degree 
 of picturesqueness to his countenance which accorded well with his 
 irregular but expressive features and bright animated eyes. A shawl 
 of rich pattern confined his waist, while a girdle, studded with 
 (apparently) precious stones, sustained a sword and dagger, the 
 jewelled hilts and brilliantly ornamented sheaths of which added 
 not a little to the magnificence of his appearance. 
 
 " Voild.!" exclaimed Bracy, patting him on the back. "What do 
 you think of that by way of a get-up ? There's a ready-made prince 
 for you. Asylum of the Universe, how do you find yourself? Do 
 your new garments sit easily ? " 
 
 " None of your nonsense, sir," replied Frere. " If I am a prince, 
 behave to me as sich, if you please. I tell you what, I shall be tearing 
 some of this drapery before the evening is over. Ah I well, it is 
 not for life, that is one comfort; but I never was properly thankful 
 before for not having been bom a woman. Think of sinking into the 
 vale of years in a muslin skirt — what a prospect for an intellectual 
 being 1 " 
 
 "Now, Mr. Arundel, your dress awaits you," said Bracy, "and 
 ' time is on" the wing.' We shall have her ladyship in hysterics if she 
 fancies her prince means to disappoint her.'' 
 
6o LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 Lewis's toilet was soon completed, and proved eminently successful, 
 the flowing robe setting off his tall, graceful figure to the utmost 
 advantage, and the scarlet fez, with its drooping tassel, contrasting well 
 with his dark curls and enhancing the effect of his delicately cut and 
 striking features. Bracy making his appearance at the same moment, 
 most elaborately got up for the occasion, with a blue satin under- 
 waistcoat and what he was pleased to denominate the Order of the 
 Holy Poker suspended by a red ribbon from his button-hole, the tiger 
 of lying celebrity was despatched for a vehicle, and the trio started. 
 
 " To a reflective mind," began Bracy, when an interval of wood- 
 pavement allowed conversation to become audible, — " to a reflective 
 mind, there is no section of the zoology of the London streets more 
 interesting than that which treats of the habits and general economy 
 of the genus cabman." 
 
 "As to their general economy," returned Frere, "as far as I am 
 acquainted with it, it appears to consist in doing you out of more than 
 their fare, and expending the capital thus acquired at a gin-palace." 
 
 " Sir, you misapply terms, treat an important subject with unbe- 
 coming levity, and libel an interesting race of men," returned Bracy, 
 with a countenance of the most immovable gravity. 
 
 " Interest^fl?, you mean," rejoined Frere. 
 
 " One verjr striking peculiarity of the species," continued Bracy, not 
 heeding the interruption, " is their talent for subtle analysis of char- 
 acter, and power of discriminating it by the application of unusual 
 tests." 
 
 " What's coming now ? " inquired Frere. " Keep your ears open, 
 Lewis, my son, and acquire wisdom from the lips of the descendant of 
 many Bracys." 
 
 " I am aware an assertion of this nature should not be lightly 
 hazarded," resumed Bracy, " as it carries little conviction to the ill- 
 regulated minds of the sceptical, unless it be verified by some 
 illustrative example drawn from the actual." 
 
 " You have not got such a thing as a Johnson's Dictionary about 
 you, I suppose?" interrupted Frere. "I want to look out a few of 
 those long words." 
 
 " With this view," resumed Bracy, " I will relate a little anecdote, 
 which will at the same time prove my position and display the 
 capacity of the London cabman for terse and epigrammatic definition. 
 I had been engaged on committee business at the House of Commons 
 a short time since, and was returning to my lodgings when, as I 
 emerged into Palace Yard, it began to rain. Seeing me without an 
 umbrella, a cabman on the stand hailed me with a view of ascertaining 
 whether I required his services. While I was debating with myself 
 whether the rain was likely to increase or not, I was hailed by the cad 
 of an omnibus just turning into Parliament Street." 
 
 " I never do make puns," began Frere, "or else I should be inclined 
 to ask whether being exposed to so much hail and rain at the same 
 time did not give you cold?" 
 
 " It happened that I had just betted a new hat with a man," con- 
 tinued Bracy, still preserving the most perfect gravity, "as to how 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 6i 
 
 many times the chairman of the committee would take snuff, and had 
 lost my wager ; this made me feel awfully stingy, and accordingly 
 availing myself of the lowest of the two estimates, I fraternised with 
 the 'bus fellow, and metaphorically threw over the cabman. As I was 
 ascending the steps of the vehicle I had resolved to patronise, the 
 following remark from the injured Jehu reached my ears; it was 
 addressed to an amphibious individual, 'en sabots et bandeaux defoin' 
 (as the Morning Post would have it), yclept the waterman j and if you 
 don't think it fully bears out my previous assertions, I can only say 
 that you are an incompetent judge of evidence. He first attracted his 
 friend's attention by pointing to me over his shoulder with his thumb, 
 and winking significantly; then added in a tone of intense disgust, 
 ' See that cove ; I thort he worn't no good. 'Stead o' takin' a cab to 
 his self, like a gent, he's a goin' to have threepenn'orth of all sorts' " _ 
 As Bracy, amid the laughter of his companions, concluded his 
 recital, the vehicle which conveyed them drew up at the door of Lady 
 Lombard's mansion. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 CONTAINS A PRACTICAL COMMENTARY ON THE PROVERB, "ALL IS 
 NOT GOLD WHICH GLITTERS." 
 
 Lady Lombard, being in many senses of the word a great lady, lived 
 in a great house, which looked out upon that gloomy sight, a London 
 garden, and had its front door at the back for the sake of appearances. 
 At this perverted entrance did Bracy's mendacious tiger, standing on 
 tip-toe the better to reach the knocker, fulminate like a duodecimo 
 edition of Olympian Jove, until two colossal footmen, in a great state 
 of excitement and scarlet plush, opened the door so suddenly as nearly 
 to cause the prostration of the booted boy, who only saved himself 
 from falling by stumbling, boots and all, against the tall shin of the 
 highest footman, thereby eliciting from that noble creature an ejacula- 
 tion suggestive of his intense appreciation of the injury done him, and 
 hinting, not obscurely, at his wishes in regard to the future destiny of 
 his juvenile assailant. That youth, however, who, we are forced to 
 confess, was not only as " impudent as he was high," but, reckoning 
 by the peculiar standard which the expression aforesaid indicates, at 
 the very least three feet more so, hastened thus to rebuke his adver- 
 sary : " Hit's lucky for you. Maypole, as I hain't hon the bench of 
 majorstraits yet, hor ther'd a been five bob hout o' your red plush 
 pockets for swearin', as sure has heggs is heggs I Hif that's hall yer 
 gratitude for me a-bringin' of ye my honourable master and two noble 
 Purshun princes, hi'd better border the carridge to turn round and 
 take 'em back agen." 
 
 Having astonished the dis^sted giant by this speech, the imp 
 
 5 
 
62 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 bounded down the steps and held open the cab-door with an air of 
 dignified condescension. 
 
 "Is not that boy a treasure?" whispered Bracy to Frere as they 
 alighted. " How neatly he took the shine out of that thick-witted 
 pyramid of fool's flesh! I could not have done the thing better 
 myself" 
 
 " I don't pretend to any very unusual powers of foresight," muttered 
 Frere under his beard, " but I think I could point out that brat's 
 residuary legatee." 
 
 "Ah, indeed 1" returned Bracy; "and who do you fix upon? the 
 Archbishop of Canterbury ?" 
 
 " No, the hangman," was the gruff" reply. 
 
 " Well, I'd myself venture to insure him against drowning for a 
 very moderate premium," rejoined his master, laughing; "but now I 
 really must beg you to bear in mind that you are utterly ignorant of 
 the English language." 
 
 " Inshallah 1 I'd forgotten my illustrious descent most completely," 
 answered Frere, "but I'll be careful; so, for the next three hours, 
 ' my native ' tongue, ' good-night.' " 
 
 While this conversation had been carried on in an undertone, the 
 party had been ushered upstairs amidst the wondering gaze of 
 servants innumerable, of all sorts and sizes, from the little foot-page 
 staggering under a galaxy of buttons to the mighty butler barely able 
 to walk beneath the weight of his own dignity. 
 
 "What name shall I say, gentlemen?" asked the last-named 
 official in his most insinuating tone; for a Persian prince was a 
 rarity sufficient to impress even his imperturbable spirit with a 
 sense of respect. 
 
 "His Highness Prince Mustapha Ali Khan and suite," returned 
 Bracy authoritatively. 
 
 Immediately the door of a well-lighted saloon was flung back on its 
 hinges, and in a stentorian voice the major domo announced, "His 
 Highness Prince Mystify-all-I-can and see-it." 
 
 " By Jove I he's hit it," whispered Bracy to Lewis, as, following 
 Frere, they entered the room. " He won't beat that if he tries till he's 
 black in the face." 
 
 As he finished speaking, the guests, who had crowded as near the 
 door as good breeding would allow to witness the Prince's enMe, 
 drew back as a rustling of silks and satins announced the approach 
 of their hostess. 
 
 Lady Lombard, who, to judge by appearances, would never again 
 celebrate her forty-fifth birthday, had been a handsome, and still was a 
 fine-looking woman. She was tall and portly ; in fact portly is rather 
 a mild term to use in speaking of her ladyship, but we don't like to 
 stigmatise her as stout, and beyond that we could not go in speaking 
 of a lady. She had a very bright colour and a very fair skin, in the 
 display of which she was by no means niggardly, her gown having 
 short sleeves (so short, indeed, as scarcely to be worth mentioning), 
 
 and being well, we know a French word which would express our 
 
 tpeanin|:, but we prefer our own language, apd must therefore say, 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. «3 
 
 being rather too much off where it would have been better a little 
 more on. She wore a profusion of light ringlets, which we feel 
 justified in stating, upon our personal responsibility, to have been her 
 own, for Lady Lombard was an honourable woman, and paid her bills 
 most punctually. These flaxen locks rejoiced in one peculiarity — they 
 were not divided in the centre, after the usual method, but the 
 in medio iuiissimus ibis principle had been abandoned in favour of a 
 new and striking coiffure, which, until we were introduced to her 
 ladyship, we had believed to be restricted to the blue-and-silver 
 epicene pages who worship the prima donna and poke fun at the 
 soubrettes on the opera stage. The page-like parting, then, was on 
 one side of her head, and across her ample forehead lay a festoon of 
 hair, arranged so as to suggest, to a speculative mind, a fanciful 
 resemblance to the drapery at the top of a window curtain. Her 
 features were by no means without expression ; on the contrary, meek 
 pomposity and innocent self-satisfaction were written in legible char- 
 acters on her good-natured countenance. 
 
 The most carefully written descriptions usually prove inadequate to 
 convey to the reader's mind a just idea of the object they would fain 
 depict ; but as we are especially anxious that others should see Lady 
 Lombard with our eyes, we must beg their attention to the following 
 simple process, by which we trust to enable them to realise her. 
 
 Let each reader, then, call to mind the last average specimen of fat 
 and fair babyhood which may have come under his notice ; let him 
 imagine it clothed in the richest sky-blue satin ; let him deprive it of 
 its coral, and substitute in its place a gold watch and appendages ; 
 round its fat little excuse for a neck let him clasp a diamond necklace ; 
 let him dress its hair, or provide it a flaxen wig — if its hair should be 
 as yet a pleasure to come — made after the fashion we have above 
 described; and let him, lastly, by a powerful effort of imagination, 
 inflate this baby until, still preserving its infantine proportions, it shall 
 stand five feet nine in its satin shoes, — and he will then have arrived 
 at a very correct idea of Lady Lombard as she appeared when, rustling 
 forward in a tremor of delight, she advanced to perform the part of 
 gracious hostess to the Prince of Persia. 
 
 " Really, Mr. Bracy," she began, as that gentleman, with a 
 countenance of solemn satisfaction, stepped forward to meet her, 
 " really, this is too kind of you ; how do you do .'' So you have 
 positively brought me the dear prince ? Will you introduce me to 
 him, and explain to him how very much honoured I am by his con- 
 descension in coming this evening ?" 
 
 Be it observed, by the way, that her ladyship spoke with the greatest 
 empressement, and had a habit of uttering many of her words in 
 italics, not to say small capitals. 
 
 " It will give me much satisfaction to do so," returned Bracy, with 
 grave courtesy ; " but I can assure you the prince came quite of his 
 own accord. The moment I had explained your invitation to him he 
 caught the note out of my hand, pressed it three times to his forehead, 
 and exclaimed in the court dialect of Iraun, ^Hahasurimeyurmanzur, 
 he did, indeed." 
 
64 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 "No-o-o, really!^ ejaculated Lady Lombard, more emphatically 
 than she had ever yet spoken in her life ; then, as a faint glimmering 
 came across her that there was a slight anomaly in appearing so 
 deeply interested in a remark which she could by no possibility under- 
 stand, she added : " But you should recollect, Mr. Bracy, that every 
 one does not possess your remarkable acquaintance with the Eastern 
 languages." 
 
 "Psha! how forgetful I ami" returned Bracy. "Your ladyship 
 must excuse me ; the prince has been so short a time in this country 
 that I am scarcely yet accustomed to my new duties. The few words 
 I had the honour to repeat to you merely signify — you know the 
 Eastern metaphors are very peculiar — ' I will kiss ' — it's the usual 
 form of accepting any distinguished invitation — ' I will kiss her 
 ladyship's door-mat !' Curious, is it not?" 
 
 " Yes, indeed" was the sympathetic reply. At the same moment 
 Bracy, turning to Frere, presented him to their hostess, saying 
 " Prince, this is Lady Lombard — Tivygt-hur rhumauldgdlP' 
 
 The first sound that escaped his Highness was a 'hysterical grunt 
 which, in an Englishman, might have been deemed indicative of sup- 
 pressed laughter, but proceeding from the bearded lips of a Persian 
 potentate, assumed the character of an Eastern ejaculation. After 
 muttering a few real Persian words with an appearance of deep 
 respect, Frere took her ladyship's plump white hand between both his 
 own and raised it to his lips ; then, relinquishing it, he spoke again, 
 made a low salaam, and drawing himself up to his full height, crossed 
 his arms on his breast and stood motionless before her. The appeal- 
 ing looks which she cast upon Bracy when the prince spoke was a 
 severe trial to his gravity ; but by long experience in practical joking 
 he had acquired wonderful command of countenance, which stood 
 him now in good stead, and he proceeded to translate Frere's 
 sentences into certain flowery and unmeaning compliments, which 
 were about as unlike their real signification as need be. 
 
 After Lewis had gone through the same ceremony without the 
 speeches, for which omission Bracy accounted by explaining that it 
 was not etiquette for the Persian nobles to speak when in attendance 
 on their princes, they were led to the upper end of the apartment, 
 where Frere seated himself cross-legged on a sofa and made himself 
 very much at home, keeping Bracy fully employed in inventing 
 translations to speeches, not one word of which he, or any one else 
 present, comprehended. Lewis, in the meantime, who was becoming 
 dreadfully tired of the whole affair, stood near the end of the sofa, 
 with his arms folded across his breast, looking especially scornful and 
 very particularly bored. 
 
 " Ah 1 " exclaimed Lady Lombard, as a pretty, graceful girl, very 
 simply dressed, made her way up the room, " there's that dear Laura 
 Peyton arrived. I must go and speak to her, and bring her to be 
 mtroduced to the Prince." She then added, aside to Bracy, " She's 
 immensely rich ; clear six thousand a year, and does not spend two." 
 
 " A very charming trait in her character," returned Bracy. " I'll 
 mention it to the Prince. I don't know that there ever -was an 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 65 
 
 Englishwoman queen of Persia; but that's no reason there never 
 should be one." 
 
 Bracy was accordingly introduced to the young lady, and led her, 
 smihng and blushing, up to Frere, by whom he seated her, and paved 
 the way for conversation by the following remark : — 
 
 " Thanny buoi aintsheas ttmnarf " which for the damsel's edification 
 he translated — "Asylum of the Universe I the maiden, the daughter 
 of roses, salutes thee 1 " 
 
 After a short interval Lady Lombard again bore down upon them 
 hi full sail, towing in her wake a small, hirsute, baboon-like individual, 
 evidently one of her menagerie. 
 
 " There's a chimpanzee 1 " whispered Bracy to Frere. " Now, if that 
 picture of ugliness turns out an eastern traveller we're gone 'coons." 
 
 " All right," returned Frere in the same tone, " he's only an exiled 
 something. He came to our shop with a recommendation from some 
 of the Parisian savans the other day." 
 
 " I must trouble you 07ice again, Mr. Bracy," insinuated Lady 
 Lombard. " Professor Malchapeau is dying to be introduced." 
 
 " No trouble, but a pleasure," returned Bracy. " I shall have the 
 greatest satisfaction in making two such illustrious individuals known 
 to each other. Does the Professor speak English?" 
 
 " Yas ; I vas spik Angleesh von prittd veil," replied the person 
 alluded to, strutting forward on tiptoe. " I ave zie honaire to vish you 
 how you did, my prince ? " 
 
 Frere made some reply, which Bracy paraphrased into " The 
 descendant of many Shahs kisses the hem of the mantle of the Father 
 of science." 
 
 The Professor's "Angleesh" not providing him with a suitable reply 
 ready made, he was obliged to resort to that refuge for destitute 
 foreigners — a shrug and a grimace. 
 
 Lady Lombard came to his assistance. 
 
 " Now, Professor, suppose you were to tell his Highness your affect- 
 ing history;" adding in a whisper, " Mr. Bracy, the interpreter, is 
 connected with government, and might be of the greatest use to you." 
 
 " Ohf, miladi, if all zie bodies had your big heart in dem, zies vicked 
 vorld should be von eaven," replied the Professor, gratefully, through 
 his talented nose. " My littel storie I ohf, zie Prince should not vant 
 to ear him?" 
 
 His Highness, however, being graciously pleased to signify his 
 anxiety so to do, the small man resumed — 
 
 "Ah, ma Patrie! vhats I ave come thro' for him, ven I vill raconte 
 nobody shall not belief." 
 
 " To enable the Prince to understand your account more clearly," 
 interrupted Bracy, " may I ask to what country it relates ? " 
 
 " Vidout von doubt, saire I you shall tell zie Prince dat my littel tale 
 is Swish. My fadaire vas vot you call von mayor of zie canton of 
 Zurich. My brodaire and myselfs vas his only schild ; since a long 
 time ve vas live very appy, 7nais enfin — but on his end — zie sacrS 
 Autriche — von bad Oystrish government, did vot you call oppress 
 ma pauvre patrie, and my fadaire, ioujours brave, got himself into 
 
66 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 von littel conspiration, vaire he did commit vat you call zie offence 
 politique ; vas trown to prison, and in his confinement he did die. 
 Ah ! ' mourir pour la patrie, (fest doux,' to die for zie country is zie — 
 vat you call doux in Angleesh ? " 
 
 " You will find the same word in both languages. Professor, only we 
 pronounce it deuce," replied Bracy politely. / 
 
 " Ah ! if est ton, to die for zie country is zie deuce ! [Eh bien, after 
 my poor fadaire was entombed, my brodaire did run himselfs avay, 
 and vas converted to un berger, a little shepherd of cowa and I, hdlas! 
 pour mot, fitais disoU — for myself, I was dissolute, left\alone in zie 
 vide vorld, visout von friend to turn against. Mais le del'~embrace les 
 orphelins — eaven embarrasses zie orphans; I marched on my Tootrto 
 Paris ; I found an unexpected uncle, who had supposed himself dead 
 for some years ; I undervent all zie sciences, and enfin me void — on 
 my end here I am." 
 
 "A most affecting history indeed," returned Bracy, covering his 
 mouth with his hand to conceal a smile. As for Frere, he had for 
 some time past been nearly suffocated by suppressed laughter, which 
 at length made itself so apparent that nothing but his beard and an 
 assumed fit of coughing could have saved him from discovery. 
 
 While this conversation had been going on. Miss 'Peyton called 
 Lady Lombard's attention to Lewis by observing : " The interpreter, 
 in entertaining the Prince, seems entirely to have forgotten that very 
 handsome young attendant who stands there, looking so haughty and 
 disconsolate." 
 
 "Dear me/ so he does," exclaimed Lady Lombard anxiously. 
 " How- very handsome he is ! such a thoroughly Eastern countenance I 
 H^s a man of very high rank, too, over there. What could we do to 
 amuse him ? " 
 
 " Perhaps we might show him some prints," suggested Laura ; " at 
 all events the attention might please him." 
 
 " Ola, yes/ how dever of you! I should never have thought of that 
 now. I've a table covered with them in the boudoir," exclaimed Lady 
 Lombard delightedly ; " but do you think you could turn them over 
 for him ? I'm so foolish, I should be quite nervous; you see it's so 
 awkward his not understanding English, poor fellow 1 I know I'm 
 very foolish." 
 
 " I shall be most happy to do anything I can to lessen your diffi- 
 culties," replied the young lady good-naturedly. " Shall I look out a 
 book of prints ? " 
 
 " If you would be so kind, my dear, you'll find plenty in the boudoir ; 
 and I'll go to Mr. Bracy and get him to speak to him for me." 
 
 The result of this application was the capture of Lewis, who, 
 inwardly raging, was carried off to the boudoir and seated at a table, 
 while Miss Peyton, half frightened, half amused, turned over a volume 
 of prints for his edification. Lady Lombard and sundry of the guests 
 stood round for some minutes watching the smiles and pantomimic 
 gestures with which Lewis, or rather Hassan Bey, as Bracy had named 
 him, felt bound to acknowledge the young lady's attentions. 
 
 Amongst the guests who were thus amusing themselves lounged a 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 67 
 
 young dandy, who, on the strength of a Mediterranean yacht voyage, 
 set up for a distinguished traveller. To Lady Lombard's inquiry 
 whether he spoke Persian he simpered, " Re'ely — no, not exactly so 
 as to talk to him ; but he'll do vastly well. They prefer silence, re'ely, 
 those fellows do. You know I've seen so much of 'em." 
 
 " You were in Persia, were you not ? " asked one of the company. 
 
 " Re'ely — not exactly in his part of Persia. Stamboul, the city of 
 palaces, was my headquarters: but it's much the same; indolence, 
 beards, and tobacco are the characteristics of both races." 
 
 " Don't you think he is charmingly handsome ? " asked an old young 
 lady, shaking her ringlets after a fashion which five years before had 
 been a very " telling" manoeuvre. 
 
 " Re'ely, I should scarcdy have said so," was the reply ; " the boy 
 is well enough for an Asiatic. / like a more — ahem 1 — manly style of 
 thing." And as he spoke he passed his hand caressingly over a 
 violent pair of red whiskers which garnished his own hard-featured 
 physiognomy. \ 
 
 The cool impudence of this remark inspired Lewis with so intense 
 a sentiment of disgust that his lip curled involuntarily, and he turned 
 over the print before him with a gesture of impatience. On looking 
 up he was rather disconcerted to find Laura Peyton's piercing black 
 eyes watching him curiously. 
 
 " You've given us nothing new in the musical way lately, Lady 
 Lombard," observed the " sere and yellow leaf" damsel before 
 alluded to. 
 
 " I expect a lady to stay with me soon,'' was the reply, " whom I 
 think you'll be pleased with; she sings and plays in very y&-j/-rate 
 style." 
 
 " Indeed 1 Is she an amateur or professional, may I inquire ? " 
 
 "Why, really, my dear Miss Sparkless, you've asked a difficult 
 question. The fact is," continued Lady Lombard, sinking her voice, 
 " it's one of those very sad cases, reduced fortune — you understand. 
 I mean to have her here merely out of charity." Sinking her voice still 
 lower, the following words only became audible : " Wife of a Captain 
 Arundel — foreign extraction originally — quite a misalliance, I believe." 
 
 As she spoke some new arrival attracted her attention, and she 
 and her confidante left the boudoir together. 
 
 It may easily be conceived with what feelings of burning indigna- 
 tion Lewis had listened to the foregoing: remarks ; but Frere's lecture 
 of the morning had not been without its fruits. With his anger the 
 necessity for self-control presented itself, and he was congratulating 
 himself at having checked all outward signs of annoyance when he 
 was startled by a silvery voice whispering in his ear : " Persian or no 
 Persian, sir, you understand English as well as I do ; " and slightly 
 turning, his eyes encountered those of Laura Peyton fixed on him 
 with a roguish glance. His resolution was instantly taken, and he 
 replied in the same tone : " Having discovered my secret, you must 
 promise to keep it." 
 
 " Agreed, on one condition," was the rejoinder. 
 
 " And that is ? " asked Lewis. 
 
6§ LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 "That you immediately make a full confession and tell me all 
 about it." 
 
 " It is a compact," was the reply. 
 
 " That is good," rejoined the young lady. " Now move the port- 
 folio, so that your back will be towards those people. That will do. 
 Hold down your head as if you were examining the prints, and then 
 answer my questions truly and concisely. First, you are an English 
 gentleman ?" 
 
 "Yes, I hope so." 
 
 " Who is the prince?" 
 
 " My friend, Richard Frere.'' 
 
 " And why have you both come here dressed like Persians ?" 
 
 " To mystify our foolish hostess." 
 
 " For shame, sir 1 I'm very fond of Lady Lombard." 
 
 " But you know she is a silly woman." 
 
 " Well, never mind. Who planned this hoax?" 
 
 " Bracy, the so-called interpreter." 
 
 " Does Prince Frere talk real Persian ?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " And does the other man understand him ?" 
 
 " Not a bit." 
 . " Then he invents all the answers? That's rather clever of him. I 
 shall go and listen presently. And you can't talk either Persian or 
 gibberish, so you held your tongue and looked sulky. Well, I think 
 it's all very wrong; but it's rather droll. Poor, dear Lady Lombard ! 
 she'd never survive it if she did but know ! And now, tell me, lastly, 
 what put you in a rage just this minute and enabled me to find you 
 out?" 
 
 " You would not care to know." 
 
 " But I do care to know, sir, and you have promised to answer all 
 my questions." 
 
 " You heard the speech that woman made about a Mrs. Arundel?" 
 
 " Yes, surely." 
 
 " Learn, then, that my name is Lewis Arundel, and the lady referred 
 to was my mother. Now do you understand ? " 
 
 As Lewis uttered these words, in a tone of suppressed bitterness, his 
 companion hastily turned her head and said, in a low, hurried voice — 
 
 " I beg your pardon I I fear I have pained you ; but I did not 
 know — I could not guess " 
 
 " Pray do not distress yourself," returned Lewis kindly, Rose's 
 smile for a moment smoothing his haughty brow and playing round 
 his proud mouth. " I am sure you would not hurt any one's feelings 
 knowingly ; and since you observed my annoyance, I am glad to have 
 been able to explain its cause." 
 
 So engrossed had they been by this conversation that they had not 
 observed Miss^Sparkless enter the boudoir by another door; and 
 they were first made aware of her presence by seeing her standing, 
 breathless with astonishment, at discovering Miss Peyton in familiar 
 colloquy with a Persian nobleman utterly ignorant of the English 
 language. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 69 
 
 "Do you speak German?" asked Lewis quickly. 
 
 " Yes, a little," returned Miss Peyton. 
 
 " She has not caught a word yet," continued Lewis. " Tell her you 
 found out by accident that I had picked up a few German sentences 
 when the Prince was at the court of Prussia. White lies, unhappily, 
 are inevitable on these occasions," he continued, seeing his companion 
 hesitate. " It's the only way to prevent an ddaircissement j and then, 
 think of poor Lady Lombard's feelings 1 " 
 
 " As I seem fairly embarked in the conspiracy, I suppose I must do 
 your bidding," was the reply, and Miss Sparkless, the middle-aged 
 young lady, was accordingly informed of Lewis's German proficiency, 
 whereat, falling into an ecstasy, she replied — 
 
 " How charming ! What a dear creature he is 1 " On which the 
 dear creature himself, catching Miss Peyton's eye, was very near 
 laughing outright. 
 
 " Laura, my love^^ exclaimed Lady Lombard, entering hastily, " the 
 Prince is going down to supper ; will you come ? " Then taking her 
 hand caressingly, she added, " Have you been very much bored by 
 him, poor fellow ? " 
 
 " I found he could speak a few words of German, and that helped 
 us on," was the reply. 
 
 " Yes, really — ah ; we might have thought of that before," returned 
 Lady Lombard, by no means certain the German language might not 
 form an important and customary branch of Persian education. 
 
 During supper L^ura Peyton contrived to be seated between Frere 
 and Bracy, the latter of whom she kept so constantly engaged in 
 interpreting for her that he scarcely got anything to eat, and came 
 to the conclusion that in the whole course of his experience he 
 had never before encountered such a talking woman. Nor was his 
 annoyance diminished by observing that Lewis, who was seated 
 opposite, appeared to be deriving the utmost amusement from his 
 discomfiture. Having exhausted every possible pretext for breaking 
 off the conversation, and being each time foiled by the young lady's 
 quiet tact, he waS about to resign himself to his fate and relinquish all 
 idea of supper, when a project occurred to him which he immediately 
 hastened to put into execution. Waiting till Frere had spoken a 
 Persian sentence, he suddenly drew himself up, looking deeply 
 scandalised, frowned at the speaker, shook his head and muttered 
 something unintelligible in a tone of grave remonstrance, then paused 
 for a reply, which Frere, intensely perplexed, and by no means clear 
 that he had not done something un-Persian and wrong, was forced 
 to utter. This only seemed to make matters worse: Bracy again 
 remonstrated in gibberish, then appeared to have determined on his 
 course, and muttering, " Well, there's no help for it, I suppose," he 
 turned to Lady Lombard, and began in a tone of deep concern — 
 
 " I have a most disagreeable duty to perform, and must beg you to 
 believe that nothing but absolute necessity could have induced me to 
 mention the matter ; but I have remonstrated with his Highness 
 without effect, and I dare go no further — he is subject to most violent 
 bursts of passion, and becomes dangerous when opposed. He drew 
 
?o LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 his dagger and attempted to stab me only yesterday, because I inter- 
 fered to prevent his having one of the waiters of the hotel strangled 
 with a bow-string." 
 
 Lady Lombard turned pale on receiving this information, while 
 Bracy continued — 
 
 " It is most unfortunate, but the Prince has been so much delighted 
 with this young lady's charming flow of conversation that, in his 
 ignorance of the customs of this country, he has actually commissioned 
 me to offer you ;£soo for her, and declared his determination of taking 
 her home with him." 
 
 The effect of this communication may be "better imagined than 
 described." Miss Peyton, aware of the true state of affairs, hid her 
 face in her handkerchief in an uncontrollable fit of laughter ; Lewis, 
 sorely tempted to follow her example, bent over his plate till the flow- 
 ing tassel of the fez concealed his features j Frere, excessively annoyed 
 at the false imputation, all but began a flat denial of the charge in 
 somewhat forcible English, but remembering his assumed character 
 just in time, clenched his fist and ground his teeth with impatience, 
 while Lady Lombard, observing these gestures, and construing them 
 into indications of an approaching burst of fury, was nearly swooning 
 with terror, when a note was put into her hands by a servant j hastily 
 casting her eyes over it, she handed it to Bracy, saying — 
 
 " This is most fortunate ; it may serve to divert his attention." 
 
 As he became aware of its contents his countenance fell, and hold- 
 ing it so that Frere might read it, he whispered — N 
 
 " Here's a treat I We are in for it now, and no mistake 1 " 
 
 The note ran as follows : — 
 
 " Dr. , Persian Professor at Addiscombe, presents his compli- 
 ments to Lady Lombard, and begs to inform her that being only in 
 town for a few hours, and learning accidentally that his Highness 
 Prince Mustapha Ali was spending the evening at her house, he has 
 ventured to request her permission to intrude upon her uninvited, as 
 he is most anxious to renew his acquaintance with his Highness, 
 whom he had the honour to know in Persia." 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 TOM BRACY MEETS HIS MATCH. 
 
 The position in which we left Lewis and his friends at the conclusion 
 of the preceding chapter was decidedly more peculiar than agreeable, 
 and afforded no bad illustration of the American expression, " a pretty 
 tall fix." Bracy, the fertile in expedients, was the first to hazard a 
 suggestion, which he did by whispering to Frere, " You had better be 
 taken suddenly ill ; I shall say you have had too much tongue (if you 
 have not, I have), and that it has disagreed with you." 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 7t 
 
 " Wait a bit," returned Frere ; " you have seen the real Prince, 
 haven't you ? " 
 
 Bracy nodded in assent, and Frere continued, " He's something like 
 me, is he not?" 
 
 " Better looking," was the uncomplimentary rejoinder. 
 
 " Well, never mind that," resumed Frere. " I don't set up for a 
 beauty, but if I am sufficiently like to pass for him I might contrive to 
 humbug the fellow for a few minutes, and then we could manage to 
 slip away quietly without any shindy at all." 
 
 " You can try it on if you choose, but he is safe to find you out, 
 unless he is a perfect fool, and that is too great a mercy to hope for," 
 returned Bracy dejectedly. "If the worst comes to the worst, pretend 
 to pick a quarrel with him, draw your carving-knife and make a poke 
 at him ; then Arundel and I will bundle him out of the room bodily, 
 and swear we are doing it to save his life. I can see nothing else for 
 it, for there go the women, and, by Jove, here's the learned Pundit 
 himself 1 Oh 1 isn't he pretty to look at ? Why, he is a fac-simile of 
 the picture in the old editions of Gay's Fables, of ' the Monkey who had 
 seen the World.' " 
 
 While this dialogue was proceeding. Lady Lombard, having 
 gathered the ladies under her wing, had marched them off to the 
 drawing-room. Miss Peyton finding an opportunity as she passed 
 Lewis to say, in German, " Tell your Prince that when I sell myself I 
 shall want a great deal more than ;£soo." 
 
 " In fact, that your value is quite inestimable," returned Lewis. 
 
 " Exactly so," was the reply. " I am glad you have sufficient pene- 
 tration to have found it out already." 
 
 The description given by Bracy of the Doctor's outward man was 
 by no means inapt. His hair and whiskers were grey, and, still 
 adhering to the fashions of his younger days, he wore powder and a 
 pig-tail. His dress consisted of a black single-breasted coat with a 
 stand-up collar, knee breeches, and silk stockings ; a profusion of shirt 
 frill rushed impetuously out of the front of his waistcoat, a stiff white 
 neckcloth appeared thoroughly to deserve the appellation of " choker " 
 which Bracy applied to it, while a shirt-collar starched to a pitch of 
 savage harshness invaded the region of his cheeks to an extent which 
 rendered the tract of country lying between the ears and the comers 
 of the mouth a complete terra incognita. Constant study ofthe 
 Eastern hieroglyphics had probably rendered his wearing spectacles a 
 matter of necessity ; at all events a huge pair in a broad tortoiseshell 
 setting garnished his nose, which, truth compels us to confess, was 
 more than slightly red, in which particular it afforded a decided con- 
 trast to his general complexion, which was, we say it distinctly and 
 without compromise, yellow. 
 
 To this gentleman, who entered with a hasty step and glanced 
 round him with a quick, abrupt, and rather startling manner, did 
 Bracy address himself with much empressement. 
 
 " My dear sir, this is most fortunate ; the Prince is quite delighted 
 at the rencontre, but you must expect to find his Highness greatly 
 altered. The cares of life, my dear sir, the anxieties attending — ah 1 
 
?4 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 I see you are impatient ; I won't detain you, but I wished to warh yotl 
 that if you should perceive any great change in his appearance, you must 
 not be surprised, and above all be careful not to show it by your manner. 
 You have no idea how sensitive he is on the point; quite morbidly so, 
 really. Don't let me detain you— how well you are looking ! " 
 
 A good deal of pantomimic action had accompanied the delivery of 
 this speech, the Doctor being engaged in making vain and futile 
 attempts to get past his persecutor, who on his part continued, with 
 an affectation of the deepest respect, constantly, and with the utmost 
 perseverance, to frustrate them. The concluding words of his address, 
 however, elicited the following rejoinder, spoken in a quick, cross 
 manner : — • 
 
 " You have the advantage of me, sir, for I do not remember ever 
 setting eyes on you before in my life. I never forget a face I have 
 once seen." 
 
 " Confound his memory 1 " thought Bracy, " Frere won't have a 
 ■chance with him;" he only said, however, "You are right. Doctor; 
 the fact of your looking well is so self-evident that I ventured to 
 remark it, without having any previous data to go upon — but here is 
 his Highness," and as he spoke, he at length moved on one side and 
 allowed the man of learning to pass. 
 
 Frere coming forward at the same minute, Bracy whispered, while 
 the Doctor bent in a low salaam : 
 
 " I have bothered his br.iins sweetly for him, he hardly knows 
 whether he's standing on his head or his heels ; so now you must take 
 care of yourself, and joy go with you." 
 
 Frere, thus apostrophised, returned the Doctor's salute with much 
 cordiality, and Bracy, feigning some excuse, left them to entertain 
 each other, having before his eyes a wholesome dread of the new- 
 comei-'s addressing him in Persian, and thereby discovering his de- 
 plorable ignorance of that interesting language. 
 
 Time, which does not stand still for princes any more than for 
 private individuals, passed on with its usual rapidity. Most of the 
 gentlemen having eaten as much, and drunk probably more (looking 
 at it in a medical point of view) than was good for them, had rejoined 
 the ladies, and it became evident to Bracy that a crisis in his evening's 
 amusement was approaching. On his return to the drawing-room 
 he must of course resume his duties as interpreter, and this incon- 
 venient Persian professor would inevitably discover the imposture. 
 This was the more provoking, as Frere's likeness to the Prince must 
 evidently have been much stronger than he had imagined, and his 
 acquaintance with the rules of Persian etiquette more extensive than 
 he had believed possible, for the Doctor continued to converse with 
 the utmost gravity, and appeared to believe in him implicitly. While 
 he was still pondering the matter in his anxious mind, the few last 
 remaining guests conveyed themselves away, and the Prince and his 
 party were left to dispute possession of the supper-room with empty 
 champagne bottles and half-tipsy waiters. Frere, when he perceived 
 this to be the case, beckoned Bracy to approach, and as soon as he 
 was within earshot, whispered— 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 73 
 
 " I have humbugged the old fellow beautifully on the score of our 
 Persian recollections, but he has just been questioning me about you, 
 — where you acquired your knowledge of the language, whether you 
 have been much m the East, how I became acquainted with you, and 
 all the rest of it. I put him off with lies as long as I could, but it 
 would not do, and as a last resource, I have been obliged to refer him 
 to you." 
 
 " The deuce you have 1 " was the reply ; " that is pleasant. He'll 
 be jabbering his confounded lingo, and I shall not understand 
 a word he says to mej besides, my jargon won't go down with 
 him, you know. I tell you what, I shall be off, and you must say 
 upstairs (he can interpret for you) that I have been sent for by the 
 prime minister at a mmute's notice, d la De Grandeville." 
 
 '"Tis too late," replied Frere; and at the same instant the Doctor 
 seized Bracy by the button, and in a stern and impressive manner 
 asked some apparently searching question in Persian. Few men had 
 enjoyed the delight of seeing Tom Bracy in the unenviable frame of 
 mind expressed by the nautical term "taken aback," but of that 
 favoured few were the bystanders on the present occasion. Never 
 was an unhappy individual more thoroughly and completely at a loss j 
 and it must be confessed the situation was an embarrassing one. To 
 be addressed by an elderly stranger in an unintelligible language, in 
 which you are expected to reply, while at the same time you are 
 painfully conscious that your incapacity to do so, or even (not under- 
 standing the question) to give an appropriate answer in your native 
 tongue, will lead to a discovery you are most anxious to avert, is an 
 undeniably awkward position in which to be placed. That Bracy 
 found it so was most evident, for he fidgeted, stammered, glanced 
 appealingly towards Frere for aid, and at last was obliged, between 
 annoyance and an intense appreciation of the absurdity of his 
 situation, to get up a fictitious cough, which, irritating the mem- 
 brane of the nose, produced a most violent genuine sneeze. From 
 the effects of this convulsion of nature he was relieved by a hearty 
 slap on the back, while at the same moment the tones of a familiar 
 voice exclaimed in his ear — 
 
 " Sold, by all that's glorious I Bracy, my boy, how do you find 
 yourself?" and on looking up he recognised in the laughing face of 
 the Addiscombe doctor, now divested of its spectacles, the well-known 
 features of Charley Leicester. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 LEWIS FORFEITS THE RESPECT OF ALL POOR-LAW GUARDIANS. 
 
 Equally surprised and mystified at the complete manner in which 
 the tables had been turned upon him, Bracy stood listening with a 
 disgusted expression of countenance to the peals of laughter which 
 his discomfiture elicited from his companions. 
 
1A LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 "Yes, laugh away," growled the victimised practical joker; "it's all 
 very funny, I dare say, but one thing I'll swear in any court of justice, 
 which is, that you have been talking real Persian, at least if what 
 Frere jabbers is real Persian." 
 
 " Of course I have," returned Leicester, still in convulsions. " When 
 Frere and I planned this dodge we knew what a wide-awake gentleman 
 we had to deal with, and took our measures accordingly. I learned 
 four Persian sentences by heart from his dictation, and pretty good 
 use I have made of them too, I think." 
 
 " It was not a bad idea, really," observed Bracy, who, having got 
 over his annoyance at the first sense of defeat, instantly recovered his 
 good-humour. " How well you are got up I I did not recognise you 
 one bit till you pulled off the barnacles." 
 
 " Yes, I got little Stevens, who does the light comic business at one 
 of the minors, to provide the apparel and come and dress me. I 
 hope you admire my complexion ; he laid on the red and yellow most 
 unsparingly." 
 
 " He has done it vastly well," returned Bracy. " I shall cultivate 
 that small man ; he may be extremely useful to me on an occasion." 
 
 " Now we ought to be going upstairs," interrupted Frere ; " these 
 waiter fellows are beginning to stare at us suspiciously too. I say, 
 Bracy, cut it short, man ; we have had all the fun now, and I'm getting 
 tired of the thing." 
 
 " Ya, Meinheer,"- rejoined Bracy aloud, adding in a lower tone, 
 " The slaveys will swallow that or anything else for Persian. They 
 are all more or less drunk, by the fishy expression of their optics." 
 
 Laura Peyton was astonished somewhat later in the evening by the 
 Addiscombe professor leaning over the back of the sofa on which she 
 was seated and asking whether she had enjoyed her last valse at 
 Almack's the evening before last. 
 
 " Surely you can feel no particular interest about such a frivolous 
 and unintellectual matter, sir," was the reply. 
 
 " I was about to follow up the inquiry by asking whether your 
 partner made himself agreeable." 
 
 " To which I shall reply, after the Irish fashion, by asking how it 
 can possibly concern you to know, sir?'.' 
 
 " Merely because I have the honour of the gentleman's acquaint- 
 ance." 
 
 " That, in fact, you are one of those uncommon characters who 
 know themselves,'' returned Laura with an arch smile. " Is not that 
 what you wish to impress upon me, Mr. Leicester?" 
 
 Charley laughed, then continued in a lower tone, " I saw you knew 
 me. Did your own acuteness lead to the discovery, or are there 
 traitors among us?" 
 
 "Your friend Mr. Arundel's expressive features let me into the 
 secret of his acquaintance with the English language before we went 
 down to supper; but I entered into a contract not to betray the plot 
 if he would tell me all I might wish to know about it, so the moment 
 he came up I made him inform me who you were. What a gentle- 
 manly, agreeable person be is I " 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 75 
 
 As she said this a slight shade passed across Leicester's good- 
 natured countenance, and he repHed, more quickly than was his 
 wont — 
 
 " I had fancied Miss Peyton superior to the common feminine 
 weakness of being caught by the last handsome face." 
 
 "What a thoroughly »za«-like speech!" returned the young lady. 
 " Did I say anything about his appearance, sir ? Do you suppose we 
 poor women are so utterly silly that we can appreciate nothing but a 
 handsome face ? Your professor's disguise has imbued you with the 
 Turkish belief that women have no souls." 
 
 " No one fortunate enough to be acquainted with Miss Peyton 
 would continue long in such a heresy," replied Leicester, with the air 
 of a man who thinks he is saying a good thing. 
 
 " Yes, I knew you would make some such reply," returned Laura. 
 " You first show your real opinion of women by libelling the whole 
 sex, and then try to get out of the scrape by insulting my under- 
 standing with a personal compliment. Wait," she continued, seeing 
 he was about to defend himself, " you must not talk to me any more 
 now, or you will excite Lady Lombard's suspicions and betray the 
 whole conspiracy. Go away, and send my new friend Mr. Arundel 
 Hassan Bey here ; Lady Lombard committed him to my charge, and 
 I want to cultivate him." 
 
 Leicester tried to assume a languishing look, which he was in the 
 habit of practising upon young ladies with great success, but becoming 
 suddenly conscious of the wig and spectacles, and gathering from 
 Laura's silvery laugh that such adjuncts to an interesting expression 
 of countenance were incongruous, not to say absurd, he joined in her 
 merriment, then added, "You are in a very wicked mood to-night, 
 Miss Peyton; but I suppose I must e'en do as you bid me, and 
 reserve my revenge till some more fitting opportunity;" then, mixing 
 with the crowd, he sought out Lewis and delivered the young lady's 
 message to him, adding in his usual drawling tone, " You have made 
 a what-do-ye-call-it — an impression in that quarter. Women always 
 run after the last new face." 
 
 " You are right," returned Lewis, with a degree of energy which 
 startled his listless companion ; " and those men are wisest who know 
 them for the toys they are, and avoid them." 
 
 Leicester gazed after his retreating figure in astonishment, then 
 murmured to himself, " What's in the wind now, I wonder ; is the 
 good youth trying to keep up the Asiatic character, or suddenly 
 turned woman-hater? Confound that little Peyton girl, how sharp 
 she was to-night I " 
 
 " How very well Mr. Leicester is disguised I " observed Laura Peyton 
 to Lewis, after they had conversed in German for some minutes on 
 general topics. 
 
 "Yes," replied Lewis; "though I can't say his appearance is 
 improved by the alteration." 
 
 "A fact of which he is fully aware,'' returned Laura, smiling. 
 
 A pause ensued, which was terminated by Laura's asking abruptly, 
 "Do gentlemen like Mr. Leicester?" 
 
76 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " Really I have not sufficient knowledge of facts to inform you, but 
 I should say he is a very popular man." 
 
 "Popular man! I hate that phrase," returned his companion 
 pettishly. " It is almost as bad as describing any one as a man about 
 town, which always gives me the idea of a creature that wears a pea- 
 jacket, lives at a club, boards on cigars, talks slang, carries a betting- 
 book, and never has its hair cut. Can't you tell me what you think 
 of Mr. Leicester yourself? " 
 
 "Well, I think him gentlemanly, good-natured, agreeable up to a 
 certain point, cleverish " 
 
 "Yes, that will do; I quite understand. I don't think you do him 
 justice — he has a kind heart, and more good sense than you are 
 disposed to give him credit for. You should not form such hasty 
 judgments of people; a want of charity I perceive is one of your 
 faults. And now I must wish you good-night ; I hear my kind old 
 chaperone anxiously bleating after me in the distance." 
 
 So saying she- arose and hastened to put herself under the pro- 
 tection of " a fine old English gentlewoman," who, with a hooked nose, 
 red gown, and green scarf, looked like some new and fearful variety 
 of the genus Parroquet. At the same time, Bracy summoned Lewis 
 to join the Prince, who was about to depart, which, after Lady 
 Lombard had in an enthusiasm of gratitude uttered a whole sentence 
 in the largest capitals, he was allowed to do. 
 
 Leicester accompanied them, tearing himself away from Professor 
 Malchapeau, who had singled him out as a brother savan, and 
 commenced raconie-'mg to him his affecting history, thereby leaving 
 that shaggy little child of misfortune to lament to his sympathising 
 hostess the melancholy fact that "Zie Professor Addiscombe had cut 
 his little tale off short, and transported himselfs avay in von great 
 despatch." 
 
 'Twere long to tell the jokes that were made, the new and additional 
 matter brought to light, as each of the quartette, assembled round a 
 second edition of supper in Bracy's rooms, detailed in turn his own 
 personal experiences of the evening's comicalities — the cigars that 
 were smoked, or the amount of sherry cobbler that was imbibed: 
 suffice it to say, that a certain lyrical declaration that they would not 
 " go home till morning," to which, during their symposium, they had 
 committed themselves, was verified when, on issuing out into the 
 street, the cold grey light of early dawn threw its pale hue over their 
 tired faces and struggled with sickly-looking gas lamps for the honour 
 of illuminating the thoroughfares of the sleeping city. 
 
 Leicester's cab, with his night-horse — a useful animal, which, with- 
 out a leg to stand upon, possessed the speed of the wind, and having 
 every defect horseflesh is heir to, enjoyed a constitution which throve 
 on exposure and want of sleep, as other organisations usually do on 
 the exact opposites — was in waiting. Into this vehicle Charley (who 
 bore some token of sherry cobbler in the unsteadiness of his gait), 
 having made two bad shots at the step, rushed headlong and drove 
 off at an insane pace, and in a succession of zigzags. 
 
 Frere and Lewis watched the cab till, having slightly assaulted an 
 

 1/ ^> 
 
 
 ~t 
 
 
 THREE STEPS IN LIFE— BEGGARY, POVERTY, AND COMPETENCE. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 77 
 
 unoffending lamppost, it flew round a corner and disappeared; then, 
 having exchanged a significant glance suggestive of sympathetic 
 anticipations of a sombre character in regard to the safety of their 
 friend, they started at a brisk pace, vvhich soon brought them to 
 Frere's respectable dwelling. While the proprietor was searching in 
 every pocket but the right one for that terror of all feeble-minded elders, 
 that pet abomination of all fathers of families, that latest invention of 
 the enemy of mankind — a latch-key — they were accosted by a lad of 
 about fifteen, whose ragged clothes, bronzed features, and Murillo-like 
 appearance accorded well with his supplication, '■^Per pietd, Signer, 
 denaro per un f over' I/aliano." 
 
 Frere looked at him attentively, then exclaimed, " I tell you what, 
 boy, it won't do ; you're no more an Italian than I am. You should 
 not try to impose upon people." 
 
 The boy hung down his head, and then replied doggedly, " It's your 
 own fault ; you'll let an English boy starve in the streets before you'll 
 give him a bit of bread, but you are charitable enough to them foreign 
 blackguards." 
 
 " That" s not true," replied Frere. " However, liar or not, you must 
 be fed, I suppose; so if you choose to take a soup-ticket, here's one 
 for you." 
 
 "No," returned the boy proudly, "you have called me liar, and I 
 won't accept your miserable bounty. I'd sooner starve first." 
 
 "As you please," returned Frere, coolly pocketing the rejected ticket. 
 " Now have the goodness to take yourself off. Come, Lewis." 
 
 " I'll join you immediately," replied Lewis. 
 
 " Mind you shut the door after you, then," continued Frere, " or we 
 shall have that nice lad walking off with the silver spoons." So saying, 
 he entered the house. 
 
 Lewis waited till his retreating footsteps were no longer audible, 
 then fixing his piercing glance upon the boy, he said in an im- 
 pressive voice, "Answer me truly, and I will give you assistance. 
 Where did you learn to speak Italian with so good an accent ? " 
 
 " In Naples, sir ! " 
 
 " How did you get there ? " 
 
 " I served on board a man-of-war." 
 
 "And how have you fallen into this state of beggary?" 
 
 The boy hesitated for a moment, but something led him instinctively 
 to feel that his confidence would not be abused, and he answered : 
 " When we got back to England and the crew were paid off I received 
 £11. I got into bad company; they tempted me to everything that 
 was wrong. My money was soon gone ; I had no friends in London, 
 and I wouldn't have applied to them after going on so bad if I'd 
 had any. I sold my clothes to buy bread ; and when I had nothing 
 left I begged, and lately I've passed myself off as an Italian boy, 
 because I found people more willing to give to me." 
 
 " And do you like your present life ? " 
 
 "No, I have to bear cold and hunger; and when people speak to 
 me as he did just now it makes me feel wicked. Some day it will 
 drive me mad, and I shall go and murder somebody." 
 
78 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " What do you wish to do, then ? " 
 
 " If I could buy some decent clothes, I'd walk down to Portsmouth 
 and try and get afloat again." 
 
 "And what would it cost to provide them?" 
 
 " I could rig myself out for a pound." 
 
 Lewis paused for a moment, then added quickly : " Boy, I am poor 
 and proud, as you are, therefore I can feel for you. Had I been 
 exposed to temptation, friendless and untaught, I might have fallen 
 as you have done. You have learnt a bitter lesson and may profit by 
 it ; it is in my power to afford you a chance of doing so." 
 
 He drew a card from his pocket and wrote upon it a few words in 
 pencil, then handing it to the boy, continued : " There is the direction 
 to a friend of mine, the captain of a ship about to sail in a few days ; 
 show him my card, and tell him what you have told me. There is a 
 sovereign to provide your dress, and five shillings to save you from 
 begging or stealing till you get to Portsmouth ; and when next you 
 are tempted to sin remember its bitter fruits." 
 
 As he spoke he gave him the money. The boy received it 
 mechanically, fixed his bright eyes for a moment on the face of his 
 benefactor, and then, utterly overcome by such unexpected kindness, 
 burst into a flood of tears. As Lewis turned to depart the first rays of 
 the rising sun fell upon the tall, graceful figure of the young man and 
 the tattered garments and emaciated form of the boy. 
 
 Far different was the scene when Lewis Arundel and the creature 
 he was thus rescuing from infamy met again upon the Railroad of 
 
 LlFEl 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 IS CHIEFLY HORTICULTURAL, SHOWING THE EFFECTS PRODUCED 
 BY TRAINING UPON A SWEET AND DELICATE ROSE. 
 
 Rose Arundel sat at the open window of her little bedroom and 
 gazed out into the night. The scent of many flowers hung upon the 
 loaded air, and the calm stars looked down from Heaven, contrasting 
 their impassive grandeur with the unrest of this weary world. The 
 evening had been lovely; not a breath of wind was stirring; the long 
 shadows that slept upon the green sward, and afforded a dark back- 
 ground on which the brilliant glow-worms shone like diamonds on a 
 funeral pall, were motionless; the silence, unbroken save when some 
 heavy beetle or other strange insect of the night winged its drowsy 
 way across the casement, was almost oppressive in its depth of still- 
 ness ; it was a time and place for grave and earnest thought, a scene 
 in which the full heart is conscious of its own sorrow. And Rose, 
 although she had too much good sense and right principle to allow 
 herself to feel miserable, was far from happy. The key to the inner 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 79 
 
 life of every true-hearted woman must be sought in the affections. 
 The only two people whom Rose had loved, as she was capable of 
 loving, were her father and brother; for Mrs. Arundel, though all her 
 impulses were kind and amiable, did not possess sufficient depth of 
 character to inspire any very strong attachment. Between Captain 
 Arundel and his daughter had existed one of those rare affections 
 which appear so nearly to satisfy the cravings of our spiritual nature, 
 that lest this world should become too dear to us they are blessings 
 we are seldom permitted long to enjoy. Rose and her father were by 
 nature much alike in disposition, and in forming her character, and 
 educating and developing her mind, he had for some years found his 
 chief interest, while in her affection lay his only solace for the blighted 
 hopes and ruined prospects of a lifetime. 
 
 Originally highly connected, Captain Arundel had incurred the 
 displeasure of his family by forming in the heat of youthful passion, 
 and under peculiar circumstances, a marriage with the daughter of an 
 English resident at Marseilles by a foreign mother. Too proud to 
 seek to conciliate his relations, Mr. Arundel became a voluntary exile, 
 entered into the Austrian army, where he speedily rose to the rank of 
 captain and served with much distinction, till failing health induced 
 him to resign his commission and return to England for the sake of 
 educating his children. His heart was set on one object — namely, to 
 bestow upon his son the education of an English gentleman, and for 
 thie purpose he had availed himself of a very unusual talent for 
 paintmg as a means by which he might increase his slender income 
 sufficiently to meet the expenses of sending Lewis to Westminster 
 and afterwards to a German university. The constant application 
 thus rendered inevitable fostered the seeds of that most insidious 
 of all ailments, a heart-disease, and while still forming plans for the 
 welfare of his family, an unwonted agitation induced a paroxysm of his 
 complaint, and ere Rose could realise the misfortune that threatened 
 her she was fatherless. 
 
 Although stunned at first by the unexpected shock, hers was not a 
 mind to give way at such a moment, and to those who judge by the 
 outward expression only Mrs. Arundel's grief appeared much more 
 intense than that of her daughter. But Rose's sorrow was not a mere 
 transitory feeling, which a few weeks more or less might serve to 
 dissipate ; it had become part of her very nature, a thing too sacred 
 to be lightly brought to view, but enshrined in the sanctuary of her 
 pure heart it remained a cherished yet solemn recollection, which 
 would shed its hallowing influence over the future of her young life. 
 And now, as she sat with her calm, earnest eyes upturned to the 
 tranquil heaven above her, her thoughts wandered back to him she 
 had so dearly loved, and she pondered the solemn questions which 
 have ere now presented themselves to many a mourning spirit, and 
 longed to penetrate the secrets of the grave and )eam things which 
 death alone can teach us. Then she recalled conversations she had 
 held with him that was gone on these very subjects, and remembered 
 how he had said that the things which God had not seen fit to reveal, 
 could neither be needful nor expedient for us to know; that such 
 
8o LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 speculations were in themselves dangerous, inasmuch as they tended 
 to lead us to form theories which, having no warrant in Scripture, 
 might be at variance with truth ; and that it was better to wait 
 patiently in humble faith— that a time would come when we should 
 no longer see through a glass darkly, and the hidden things of God 
 should be made known unto us. Then her thoughts, still pursuing the 
 same train, led her to reflect how all her father's aspirations, crushed 
 and disappointed in the wreck of his own fortunes, had centred in his 
 son, and the bitter tears which no personal privations or misfortunes 
 could have forced from her, flowed down her cheeks as she reflected 
 how these bright anticipations seemed doomed never to be realised. 
 
 Unselfish by nature, and trained to habits of thoughtfulness by 
 witnessing her father's life of daily self-sacrifice, Rose had never been 
 accustomed to indulge on her own account in those day-dreams so 
 common to the sanguine mind of youth. But the germs of that pride 
 and ambition which were Lewis's besetting sins existed in a minor 
 degree in Rose's disposition also, and found vent in a visionary career 
 of greatness she had marked out for her brother, and for which his 
 unusual mental powers and striking appearance seemed eminently to 
 qualify him. In nourishing these visions her father had unconsciously 
 assisted, when in moments of confidence he had imparted to her his 
 hopes that Lewis would distinguish himself in whatever career of life 
 he might select, and by his success restore them all to that position 
 in society which by his own imprudence he had forfeited. What a 
 bitter contrast did the reality now present 1 Rose had received that 
 morning a letter from her brother detailing his interview with General 
 Grant and its results j and though, from a wish to spare her feelings, 
 he had been more guarded in his expressions than on the occasion of 
 his conversation with Frere the preceding day, yet he did not attempt 
 to disguise from her his repugnance to the arrangement, or the 
 degradation to which his haughty spirit led him to consider he was 
 submitting. 
 
 " Poor Lewis ! " murmured Rose, " I know so well what misery it 
 will be to him; the slights, the hourly petty annoyances which his 
 proud, sensitive nature will feel so keenly ; and then, to waste his high 
 talents, his energy of character and strength of will on the drudgery 
 of teaching, when they were certain to have led him to distinction if 
 he had only had a fair field for their exercise — it would have broken 
 dearest papa's heart, when he had hoped so differently for him. But 
 if ^e had lived this never would have been so. He often told me he 
 had influential friends, and though he never would apply to them on 
 his own account, he declared he would do so when Lewis should 
 become old enough to enter into life. I wonder who they were. He 
 never liked to talk on those subjects, and I was afraid of paining him 
 by inquiring. I am glad there is a Miss Grant: I hope she may 
 prove a nice girl "and will like Lewis; but of course she will — every 
 one must do that. Oh ! how I hope they will treat him kindly and 
 pienerously— it will all depend upon that. Poor fellow 1 with his 
 impulsive disposition and quick sense of wrong— his fiery temper too, 
 how will he get on? And it is for our sakes he does all this, 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 8,i 
 
 sacrificing his freedom and his hopes of winning himself a name. 
 How good and noble it is of him 1 " 
 
 She paused, and leaning her brow upon her little white hand, sat 
 buried m deep thought. At length she spoke again. 
 
 " If I could do anything to earn money and help I should be 
 so much happier. Poor papa got a good deal lately for his pictures ; 
 but they were so clever. Lewis can paint beautifully, but my drawings 
 are so tame. I wonder whether people would buy poetry. I wish I 
 knew whether my verses are good enough to induce any one to 
 purchase them. Dearest papa praised those lines of mine which he 
 accidentally found one day. Of course he was a good judge, only 
 perhaps he liked them because they were mine." And the tears 
 rolled silently down her pale cheeks as memory brought before her 
 the glance of bright and surprised approval, the warm yet judicious 
 praise, the tender criticism — words, looks, and tones of love now lost 
 to her for ever, which the accidental discovery of her verses had 
 drawn forth. With an aching heart she closed the casement, and 
 lighting a candle, proceeded to unlock a small writing-desk, from 
 whence she drew some manuscript verses, which ran as follows : — 
 
 THE PREACHER'S ADDRESS TO THE SOUL. 
 
 Weary soul, 
 Why dost thou slill disquiet 
 Thyself with senseless riot, 
 Taking thy fill and measure 
 
 Of earthly pleasure ? 
 The things which thou dost prize 
 
 Are not realities ; 
 
 AH is but seeming. 
 Waking, thou still liest dreaming. 
 That which before thine eye 
 Now passeth, or hath past, 
 Is nought but vanity — 
 
 It cannot last. 
 This evil world, be sure, 
 
 Shall not endure. 
 Art thou a-weary, Soul, and dost thou cry 
 For rest ? Wait, and thou soon shalt have 
 
 That thou dost crave. 
 For Death is real — the Grave no mockery. 
 
 THE SOUL'S REPLY. 
 
 Preacher, too dark thy mood ; 
 God made this earth — 
 At its primeval birth 
 " God saw that it was good." 
 And if through Adam's sia 
 Death enter'd in. 
 
82 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 Plath not Christ died to save 
 
 Me from the grave ? 
 Repented sins for His sake are forgiven — 
 
 There is a heaven. 
 For that this earth is no abiding-place, 
 
 Shall we displace 
 The flowers that God hath scatter'd on our path — 
 
 The kindly hearth ; 
 The smile of love still brightening as we come, 
 
 Makipg the desert, home ; 
 The seventh day of rest, the poor man's treasure 
 
 Of holy leisure ; 
 Bright sunshine, happy birds, the joy of flowers ? 
 
 Ah, no 1 this earth of ours 
 Was "very good," and hath its blessings still; 
 
 And if we will. 
 We may be happy. Say, stern preacher, why 
 Should we then hate to live, or fear to die, 
 With Love for Time, Heaven for Eternity ? 
 
 Rose perused them attentively, sighed deeply, and then resumed — 
 
 "Yes, he liked them, and said (I remember his very words) there 
 was more vigour and purpose about them than in the general run of 
 girlish verses. How could I find out whether they are worth any- 
 thing ? " She paused in reflection, then clasping her hands together 
 suddenly, she exclaimed — 
 
 " Yes, of course, Mr. Frere ; he was so good and kind about the 
 pictures, and Lewis says he is so very clever, he will tell me. But 
 may not he think it strange and odd in me to write to him? Had I 
 better consult mamma ? " 
 
 But with the question came an instinctive consciousness that she 
 was about the last person whom it would be agreeable to consult on 
 such an occasion. Rose, like every other woman possessing the 
 slightest approach to the artist mind, felt a shrinking delicacy in 
 regard to what the Browning school would term her "utterances," 
 which rendered the idea of showing them where they would not be 
 appreciated exquisitely painful to her. Now, Mrs. Arundel had a 
 disagreeable knack of occasionally brushing against a feeling so rudely 
 as to cause the unlucky originator thereof to experience a mental 
 twinge closely akin to the bodily sensation yclept toothache. 
 
 It will therefore be no matter of surprise to the reader to learn that 
 Rose, after mature deliberation, resolved to keep the fact of her 
 having applied to Mr. Frere a secret, at all events till such time as 
 the result should become known to her. 
 
 She accordingly selected such of her poetical eflfusions as she 
 deemed most worthy, in the course of which process she stumbled 
 upon a short prose sketch, the only thing of the sort she had ever 
 attempted, it being, in fact, a lively account of her first appearance 
 at a dinner-party, written for the benefit of a young lady friend, but 
 for some reason never sent. This, after looking at a page or two, 
 she was about to condemn as nonsense, when an idea came across 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 83 
 
 her that if Mr. Frere was to form a just estimate of her powers, it was 
 scarcely fair to select only the best things ; so she popped in the 
 sketch of the dinner-party as a kind of destitution test, to show how 
 badly she could write. 
 
 Then came the most difficult part of the business — the letter to 
 Frere. True, she had written to him before, acting as her father's 
 amanuensis, but that was a different sort of thing altogether. Still, 
 it must be done, and Rose was not a person to be deterred by diffi- 
 culties ; so she took a sheet of paper and wrote " Sir" at the top of it, 
 and having done so, sat and looked at it till she became intensely 
 dissatisfied. " Sir " — it seemed so cold and uncomfortable ; so she 
 took a second sheet and wrote, " Dear Sir." Yes ! that was better, 
 decidedly. She only hoped it was not too familiar in writing to a 
 young man ; but then, Mr. Frere was not exactly a young man ; he 
 was a great deal older than Lewis ; above thirty most likely ; and 
 three or four-and-thirty was quite middle-aged ; so the " Dear Sir " 
 was allowed to remain. 
 
 " Ce n'est que le premier fas qui coute" and having once started, it 
 was not long before Rose's nimble pen had covered two sides of the 
 sheet of paper, and the following letter was the result : — 
 
 " Dear Sir, — I know not how to offer any excuse for the trouble I 
 am about to give you, otherwise than by explaining the reasons which 
 have induced me to apply to you ; and, as I know your time is 
 valuable, I will do so as briefly as I can. Do not think me forgetful 
 of, or ungrateful for, your great kindness to Lewis, when I tell you 
 that ever since I received my brother's letter informing me of his 
 engagement as tutor to General Grant's ward, I have felt miserable 
 at the idea of his working hard at an occupation which I fear must 
 be distasteful to him, in order to provide for Mamma and myself the 
 comforts we have hitherto enjoyed. It was impossible to prevent 
 this in any way, for we tried to shake his determination, but in vain. 
 Now I feel that I should be so much happier if I could assist, in ever 
 so small a degree, in relieving him from his burthen j and the only 
 possible idea that occurs to me (for he will not hear of my going out 
 as governess) is that I might be able to earn something by my pen. 
 With this view I have ventured to enclose for your perusal a few 
 verses which I have written at odd times for my own amusement; 
 and I trust to your kindness to tell me honestly whether they possess 
 any merit or not I dare not hope your opinion will be favourable ; 
 but if by possibility it should prove so, will you do me the additional 
 kindness of advising me what steps to take in order to get them 
 published. I have never been in London, but I have heard there are 
 a good many booksellers who live there ; and as I dare say you know 
 them all, perhaps you would kindly tell me to which of them you 
 would recommend me to apply. I have not told Mamma that I am 
 writing, for, as I feel a presentiment that your answer will only prove 
 to me the folly of the hopes I am so silly as to indulge, it is not worth 
 while disturbing her about the matter. Once again thanking ^ou for 
 your extreme kindness to Lewis, and hoping that yov; will not 
 
84 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 consider me too troublesome in thus applying to you, believe me to 
 remain your sincerely obliged " ROSE ARUNDEL. 
 
 "P.S. — I have enclosed a little prose sketch with the verses, but I 
 am quite sure you will not like that. Perhaps, if Lewis has not left 
 you when this arrives, you will be so very kind as not to say any 
 thing to him about it, as he would be sure to laugh at me." 
 
 When Rose had finished this epistle she felt that she had done 
 something towards attaining the object she had at heart, and went to 
 bed feeling more happy than she had done since the receipt of Lewis's 
 letter. Straightway falling asleep, she dreamt that she was introduced 
 to Mr. Murray, who offered her ;£ioo to write a short biographical 
 memoir of General Grant for the " Quarterly Review." 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 PRESENTS TOM BRACY IN A NEW AND INTERESTING ASPECT. 
 
 Three days passed by, and still poor Rose received no answer to 
 her letter, but remained a prey to alternate hopes and fears and all 
 " The gnawing torture of an anxious mind." On the fourth arrived 
 the following characteristic note : — 
 
 "My DEAR Miss Arundel,— I dare say you've been abusing me 
 like a pick-pocket ; at least I must have appeared to you deserving 
 of such abuse, for treating your req^uest so cavalierly ; but the fact is, 
 I have been down in a Cornish tm mine for the last two days, and 
 only received your packet on my arrival in town, an hour ago. And 
 now to business. I don't set up for a judge of poetry, though I know 
 what pleases me and what doesn't (I should be a donkey if I did not, 
 you'll say) ; for instance, the present school of ' suggestive ' poetry 
 doesn't suit me at all. But then I have an old-fashioned prejudice in 
 favour of understanding what I read, and calling a railway locomotive 
 a 'resonant steam eagle,' for instance, does not tend to simplify 
 literature; the only thing such phrases 'suggest' to me is that it 
 would be a great deal better if the authors were content to stick to 
 plain English, and when they have such inexpressibly grand ideas, 
 not to trouble themselves to express them at all. Your verses ha*e 
 at least one good point in them— they are so worded that a plain man 
 may understand them ; in fact, all that I have yet read I like— the 
 feeling is invariably pure, true, and beautiful (your heart's in the right 
 place, and no mistake) ; the language is well chosen, and sometimes 
 eloquent ; there are, of course, plenty of places where it becomes weak 
 and young lady-like, but that was only to be expected. We can't 
 all be men, unfortunately. I could not help laughing when you 
 •supposed I knew' all the booksellers and publishers in London 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 85 
 
 Heaven forbid ! for in that case I should have a very miscellaneous 
 acquaintance. However, I do know several, and I will go the first 
 thing to-morrow morning and consult one of them — a gentleman on 
 whose judgment I can rely as to what will be the most advisable 
 course for us to pursue. I say us, because, as I don't mean to let the 
 matter rest till I have succeeded, I consider myself a partner in the 
 concern. Lewis parted from me in high health and very tolerable 
 spirits. He left town, with General Grant, the same morning on 
 which I started for Cornwall. You shall hear from me again when I 
 can report progress. Don't write any more nonsense about giving 
 me trouble : in the first place, the thing is no trouble ; in the second, 
 I should not mind it one bit if it were. 
 
 " I am yours very truly, 
 
 "Richard Frere." 
 
 The first thing next morning Frere called upon his friend the 
 publisher, who, as soon as he understood that nothing beyond advice 
 was required of him, became very communicative and agreeable; 
 glanced his eye over the verses and approved of them, though he 
 added, with a Burleigh-like shake of the head, that he wished they 
 were anything but poetry. Frere wondered why, and asked him. In 
 reply he learned that the public mind had acquired a sadly practical 
 bias, which leading him to suggest that poetry was the very thing of 
 all others to bring it right again, he was further informed that the 
 evil was much too deeply seated to be affected by so weak an 
 application as the poetry of the present day ; and the truth of this 
 assertion appearing undeniable, the subject was dropped. 
 
 "The best thing for you to do with these MSS., Mr. Frere," con- 
 tinued his adviser, " would be to get them inserted in some popular 
 periodical." 
 
 " Well, I don't object," returned Frere. " Which had I better send 
 them to ? There's ' Gently's Miscellany,' and the ' New Weekly,' and 
 ' Gainsworth's Magazine,' and half-a-dozen more of 'em." 
 
 " What do you suppose would be the result of adopting such a line 
 of conduct ? " inquired his friend. 
 
 " Why, as the things are in themselves good, they'd probably put 
 'em in next month, and send a cheque for the amount, enclosed in a 
 polite note asking for more." 
 
 " I fear not," was the answer. "A very promising young friend of 
 mme sent a nicely written paper to the least exclusive of the periodicals 
 you have just mentioned; hearing nothing of it, he ventured at the 
 end of six months to write and inquire its fate. In reply he received 
 a note from the editor, which appeared to him more explicit than 
 satisfactory. It was couched in the following laconic terms : — 
 ' Declined with thanks.' " 
 
 " Phew I that's pleasant," rejoined Frere. " What would you 
 advise, then, under the circumstances .' I place myself quite in your 
 hands." 
 
 His friend leaned back in his chair and considered the matter 
 deeply. At length he seemed to have hit upon some expedient, for 
 
86 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 he muttered with great emphasis, "Yes, that might do. He could 
 if he would. Yes— certainly 1 " Then turning suddenly to Frere, 
 he exclaimed, " Mind, you'll never breathe a word of it to any living 
 being ! " 
 
 " Not for the world," returned Frere. " And now, what is it ? " 
 
 " You've heard of ' Blunt's Magazine ' ? " 
 
 " Yes ; I've seen it in several places lately.'' 
 
 "No doubt; it's a most admirably conducted publication, and one 
 which is certain to become a great favourite with the public. Now 
 I happen to be acquainted with one of the gentlemen who edit it, 
 and shall be happy to give you a note of introduction to him. 
 But you must promise me to be most careful never to reveal his 
 name." 
 
 " Certainly," rejoined Frere, " if you wish it But may I venture to 
 ask what it would signify if all London knew it?" 
 
 His companion turned upon him a look of indignant surprise ; but 
 perceiving that he made the inquiry in honest simplicity of heart, his 
 face assumed an expression of contemptuous pity as he replied, in such 
 a tone of voice as one would use to a little child who had inquired why 
 it might not set light to a barrel of gunpowder, " My dear sir, you do 
 not know — you cannot conceive the consequences. Such a thing 
 would be utterly impossible." 
 
 He then wrote a few lines, which he handed to Frere, saying, " You 
 will find him at home till eleven." 
 
 "And this mysterious name," observed Frere, glancing at_ the 
 address, " is ! — eh 1 nonsense ! — Thomas Bracy, Esq. Why, he is an 
 intimate friend of my own I That's famous. Oh 1 I'll have some fun 
 with him. I'm sure I'm extremely obliged to you ; good morning." 
 So saying Frere seized his hat, shouldered his umbrella, and hurried 
 off, overjoyed at his discovery. 
 
 The mendacious tiger, of whom we have already made honourable 
 mention, answered Frere's inquiry as to whether his master was at 
 home with a most decided and unequivocal negative, adding the 
 gratuitous information that he had gone down to dine with his uncle 
 at Hampstead the previous day and was not expected home till four 
 o'clock that afternoon." 
 
 " Well, that's a nuisance," returned Frere. " I tell you what, boy, 
 I'll step in and write your master a note." 
 
 "Yes, sir, certain/^, if you please, sir; only we've been a having the 
 sweeps hin, and the place is hall in a huproar, so as it's unpossibul to 
 touch nothink." 
 
 At this moment a bell rung violently, and the boy, begging Frere 
 to wait, bounded up the stairs with a cat-like rapidity, returning 
 almost immediately with the information that "He was wery sorry, 
 but he'd just been to the greengrocer's, and while he was hout master 
 had corned home quite promiscuous." 
 
 " And how about the soot ? " asked Frere, a hght breaking in upon 
 him. 
 
 " Please, sir, cook's been and cleaned it hup while I were gone." 
 
 " I thought so," returned Frere ; " you're a nice boy 1 '•' Then 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 87 
 
 catching him by the collar of his jacket, he continued, "Tell me, 
 you young scamp, how often do you speak the truth ?" 
 
 The urchin, thus detected, glanced at Frere's face, and reading 
 there that any attempt to keep up appearances must prove a dead 
 failure, replied with the utmost sang f raid, "Please, sir, whenever I 
 can't think of nothink better." , 
 
 " There's an answer," returned Freve meditatively. " Well, you 
 need never learn swimming — water won't harm you; but mark my 
 words, and beware of hemp." So saying he loosened his hold on the 
 boy's collar and followed him upstairs. 
 
 The tiger, not having recognised Frere in his European habiliments, 
 had merely told his master that a gentleman wished to see him on 
 business ; and Bracy, who had reason to expect a visit from a certain 
 literary Don, had rushed into his dressing-room to exchange a very 
 decidedly " fast " smoking-jacket for the black frock-coat of editorial 
 propriety ; for which reason Frere was left to entertain himself for a 
 few minutes with his own society. After examining sundry clever 
 caricature sketches of Bracy's, which evinced a decided talent for that 
 branch of art, Frere seated himself in an easy-chair in front of a 
 writing-table on which lay a mysterious document, written in a bold, 
 dashing hand, which involuntarily attracted his attention. Perceiving 
 at a glance that it contained no private matter, he amused himself by 
 perusing it. For the reader's edification we will transcribe it : — 
 
 Blunfs Magazine, June. Sheets 3 and 4. 
 
 Questions on Quicksilver 4 
 
 The Homeless Heart {Stanzas by L. O. V. E.) . . . i 
 
 Hist. Parallels, No. 'i [Cromwell and Coeur-de-Lion) . , 7 
 VIncomprise (by the Authoress of VInconnue) . . .6 
 Hard Work and Hard Food ; or. How would you like it 
 
 yourself f A Plea for the Industrial Classes . , S 
 Dog-cart Drives {hy the Editor), Chap. 10, " The Spicey 
 
 Screw;" Chap. \i,'^ Doing the Governor" . . 7 
 
 Wanted something light, ab^ 2 
 
 32 
 
 The last item in this singular catalogue was written in pencil. 
 
 "Now I should like to know what all that means," soliloquised 
 Frere. " Something light about two ? A luncheon would come under 
 that definition exactly— two ivkatsf that's the question! Two 
 pounds? It would not be particularly light if it weighed as much 
 as that. Perhaps the figures stand for money — the prices they pay 
 for the magazine articles, I dare say ; 4—6—7. Now, if they happen to 
 be sovereigns, that will suit my young lady's case very nicely. Ah 1 
 here he comes." 
 
88 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 CONT/^INS A DIPQUTSITION ON MODERN PnETRY, AND AFFORDS 
 THE HEADER A PEEP BEHIND 1 HE EDITORIAL CURTAIN. 
 
 The position in which Frere had placed himself prevented Bracy 
 from discerning his features as he entered, and he accordingly 
 accosted his visitor as follows : — 
 
 " My dear sir, I am really distressed to have kept you waiting, but 
 as you arrived I was just jotting down the result of a little flirtation 
 with the Muse." 
 
 " And that is it, I suppose ? " observed Frere, turning his face 
 towards the speaker and pointing to the document before alluded to. 
 
 " Why, Frere, is it you, man ? " exclaimed Bracy in surprise. " As 
 
 I'm a sinner, I took you for that learned elder. Dr. . My young 
 
 imp told me you were a gentleman who wished to see me on particular 
 business. If that juvenile devil takes to telling lies to instead oi for 
 me, I shall have to give him his due for once, in the shape of a sound 
 caning." 
 
 " You may spare yourself the trouble," returned Frere, " as by some 
 accident he has only spoken the truth this time ; for I hope you don't 
 mean to insinuate that I am anything but a gentleman, and I have 
 most assuredly come to you on business — that is, always supposing 
 
 Mr. of Street has informed me correctly in regard to your 
 
 editorial functions." 
 
 " What 1 has the cacoethes scribendi seized you also, and tempted 
 you into the commission of some little act of light literature ? " added 
 Bracy. 
 
 " Thank goodness, no," answered Frere. " I'm happy to say I'm 
 not so far gone as all that comes to yet. No, this is a different case 
 altogether," and he then proceeded to inform his companion of Rose's 
 application, and the necessity which existed to make her talents 
 available for practical purposes. 
 
 "Magazine writing affords rather a shady prospect for realising 
 capital in these days," observed Bracy, shaking his head discouragingly. 
 " Let's look at the young lady's interesting efforts. Have you ever 
 seen her ? Arundel's sister ought to be pretty. What's this ? ' The 
 Preacher's Address to the Soul.' Why, it's a sermon in rhyme. 
 Heaven help the girl ! what's she thinking of ? " 
 
 " Read it and you'll see. I like it very much," returned Frere, 
 slightly nettled at the reception his proUgd^s productions appeared 
 Ukely to meet with. 
 
 " Oh ! it's a sermon clearly," continued Bracy ; " here's something 
 about vanity and the grave. I heard it all last Sunday at St. Chrysos- 
 tom's, only the fellow called it gwave and ga/ace. He'd picked up 
 some conscientious scruple against the use of the letter R, I suppose. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 89 
 
 'jolly dogs ' or 'odd fish.' I should have said dicky birds, if it had 
 been me ; that's a very safe expression, and one that people are 
 accustomed to. ' The joy of flowers,' — what on earth does she mean 
 by that, now? I should say nobody could understand that ; or -^ ' 
 reason, by the way, it's the best expression I've seen yet I'oei 
 be admired in the present day, must be utterly incomprehensible. 
 We insert very little, but that's the rule I go by. If I can't understand 
 one word of a thing, I make a point of accepting it ; it's safe to 
 become popular. ' Love for time. Heaven for eternity,' — well, that's all 
 very nice and pretty, but I'm sorry to say it won't do ; it's not suited 
 to the tone of the Magazine, you see." 
 
 " I can't say I do see very clearly at present," returned Frere ; 
 " what kind of poetry is it that you accept ? " 
 
 " Oh, there are different styles. Now here's a little thing I've got 
 in the June part, 'The Homeless Heart, by L. O. V. E.' Her real 
 name is Mary Dobbs, but she couldn't very well sign herself M.D. ; 
 people would think she was a physician. She's a very respectable 
 young woman (such a girl to laugh), and engaged to an opulent 
 stockbroker. Now listen : — 
 
 " ' Homeless, forsaken, 
 Deeply oppress'd, 
 Raving, yet craving 
 Agony's rest ; 
 Bitterly hating, 
 Fondly relenting. 
 Sinning, yet winning 
 Souls to repenting; 
 When for her sorrow 
 Comes a to-morrow, 
 Shall she be bless'd?'" 
 
 " That's a question I can't take upon myself to answer," interrupted 
 Frere. " But if those are in the style you consider suited to the tone 
 of your Magazine, it must be a very wonderful publication." 
 
 " I flatter myself it is, rather," replied Bracy complacently. " But 
 that's by no means the only style; here's a thing that will go 
 down with the million sweetly. Listen to this," and as he spoke he 
 extracted from a drawer a mighty bundle of papers labelled " Accepted 
 Poetry," and selecting one or two specimens from the mass, read as 
 follows : — 
 
 "THE COUNTESS EMMELINE'S DISDAINMENT. 
 
 " Bitter-black the winter's whirlwind wail'd around the haunted hall. 
 Where the sheeted snow that fleeted fester'd on the mouldering wall. 
 
 " But his blacker soul within him childish calm appear'd to view, 
 And when gazing, 'twas amazing whence the sceptic terror grew. 
 
 " Then her voice, so silver-blended, to a trumpet-blast did swell. 
 As she task'd him when she asked him, ' Mr. Johnson, is it well? ' 
 
 " Ashen-white the curdled traitor paled before her eagle eye, 
 Whilst denying, in replying, deeper grew his perjury." 
 
90 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " There I I can't stand any more of that, at any price I " exclaimed 
 Frere, putting his hands to his ears. " Unless you wish to make me 
 seriously ill, spare me the infliction of those detestable compound 
 adjectives." 
 
 " My dear fellow, you've no taste," returned Bracy. "Why, that's 
 written by one of our best contributors ; an individual that will make 
 Tennyson look to his laurels, and do the Brownings brown, one of 
 these days. But if that's too grand for you, here's a little bit of 
 pastoral simplicity may suit you better : — 
 
 •" TO A HERBLET, NAME UNKNOWN. 
 
 ' Once upon a holiday, 
 
 Sing heigho; 
 Still with sportive fancy playing 
 While all nature was a-maying, 
 
 Oa a sunny bank I lay; 
 Where the happy grass did grow, 
 'Neath the fragrant lime-tree row, 
 Sing heigho I 
 
 ' There a little fairy flower, 
 Sing heigho ! 
 Glancing from its baby eyes 
 With a look of sweet surprise, 
 
 Grew beneath a bower. 
 Brought unto my soul the dawning 
 O! a mystic spirit warning, 
 Sing heigho ! 
 
 ' Then I wept, and said, despairing. 
 Sing heigho ! 
 Fate is dark, and earth is lonely, 
 And the heart's young blossoms only 
 Render life worth bearing ' 
 
 "Now then, what's the matter with you?" inquired Bracy, inter- 
 rupting himself on seeing Frere snatch up his hat and umbrella. 
 
 "If you're going to read any more of that, I'm off; that's all," 
 returned Frere. " My powers of endurance are limited." 
 
 " Oh, if you are positively such a Hottentot as to dislike it," rejoined 
 Bracy, " I'll not waste any more of its sweet simplicity upon you ; 
 but, you'll see, the gentle public will rave about it to an immense 
 extent." 
 
 " Now tell me honestly, Bracy — you don't really admire that childish 
 rubbish?" 
 
 Thus appealed to, Brac/s face assumed an expression of most 
 comical significance; and after pausing for a moment in indecision, he 
 replied — 
 
 " Well, I've a sort of respect for your good opinion, Frere, and I 
 don't exactly like to send you away fancying me a greater ass than I 
 am ; so I'll honestly confess that, what between affected Germanisms 
 on the one hand and the puerilities of the Wordsworth-and-water 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 91 
 
 school on the other, the poetry of the present day has sunk to a very 
 low ebb indeed." 
 
 " Then don't you consider it the duty of every honest critic to point 
 this out, and so guide and reform the public taste as to evoke from the 
 ' well of English undefiled ' a truer and purer style ? " returned Frere 
 earnestly. 
 
 " My dear fellow, that all sounds very well in theory, but in practice, 
 I'm afraid (to use a metaphor derived from one of the humane and 
 intellectual amusements of our venerated forefathers), that cock won't 
 fight It may be all very well for some literary Don Quixote, with a 
 pure Saxon taste and a long purse, to tilt at the public's pet windmills, 
 because he conceives them to be giant abuses. If he meets with a fall, 
 he need only put his hand in his pocket and purchase a plaster, getting 
 a triple shield of experience in for the money. But it is far otherwise 
 with a magazine. If that is to continue in existence it must pay; in 
 order to pay it must be rendered popular; to make a thing popular 
 you must go with the stream of public opinion, and not against it. 
 The only chance is to head the tide and turn it in the direction you 
 desire. But to attempt that a man ought to possess first-rate talent, 
 and I'm free to confess that I, for one, do not; and therefore, you 
 see, as people must be amused, I'm very willing to amuse them in 
 their own way, as long as I find it pleasant and profitable to do so. 
 V'oila I do you comprehend ? " 
 
 "I comprehend this much,'' returned Frere gruffly, "that the 
 ground of your argument is expediency and not principle ; and I tell 
 you plainly that does not suit me, and I'm afraid Miss Arundel is too 
 much of my mind in that particular for her writings to suit your 
 wonderful magazine ; so the sooner I take my departure the better for 
 your morning's work." 
 
 " Stay a moment, don't get on stilts, man," returned Bracy, resum- 
 ing his examination of Rose's papers. " Is there nothing but verses ? 
 What have we here? 'My First Dinner-Party' — ^this seems more 
 likely." 
 
 He paused, and ran his eye over several of the pages, muttering 
 from time to time as he went along, "Yes, good lively style — quick 
 powers of observation — a very graphic touch — bravo 1 ha 1 ha I here, 
 listen to this — 
 
 " ' Immediately before me stood a dish which even my inexperience 
 believed itself able to recognise ; it was jelly of some kind, with certain 
 dark objects encased in it, as flies occasionally are in amber. These 
 opaque portions I settled, in my own mind, must be preserved fruit, 
 and accordingly (fearful lest, in my ignorance of fashionable dishes, I 
 should say "yes" to some tremendous delicacy which might prove 
 utterly impracticable), when invited to partake of it, I graciously 
 signified my assent. Imagine my horror when, on putting the first 
 mouthful to my lips, I discovered the jelly was savoury — /.«., all pepper 
 and salt, and the creature embedded in it a fragment of some dreadful 
 fish ! Eating the thing was out of the question ; the mere taste I had 
 taken of it made me feel uncomfortable : an attempt to conceal it 
 beneath the knife and fork proved utterly futile. I glanced at the 
 
92 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 butler, but he was too much absorbed in his own dignity and the 
 dispensation of champagne to observe me ; I gazed appealingly at a 
 good-looking young footman, but he merely pulled up his shirt-collar 
 foppishly, thinking he had made an impression ; I even ventured to 
 call, in a low voice, to the sprightly waiter who had eloped with my 
 untouched plate of lamb five minutes before, but he did not hear me; 
 and there I sat with a huge plateful of horrible food before me, which 
 I could neither eat nor get rid of, " a cynosure for neighbouring eyes," 
 forced, as my fears suggested, to run the gauntlet of all the mocking 
 glances of the assembled company.' 
 
 " There," continued Bracy, " I call that a stunning description ; I 
 could not have done it better myself. The girl writes so easily ! Let 
 me see, 18—25 — 28 lines in a page of manuscript; there's not much 
 of it, I think I can get it in. I want two pages of amusing matter in 
 the fourth sheet." 
 
 "Ahl something light, about two. Now I understand," exclaimed 
 Frere, pointing to the mysterious document on the table ; " that was 
 not a memorandum in regard to luncheon, then." 
 
 "A what?" returned Bracy, shouting with laughter. "No," he con- 
 tinued, as soon as he had in some measure recovered his composure, 
 " that is the ' make-up,' as we call it, of the third and fourth sheets of 
 the Magazine." 
 
 " Indeed I " returned Frere. " I should think it must require a great 
 deal of careful reflection to select suitable articles and arrange them 
 properly." 
 
 " Eh I no, not a bit ; the thing's simple enough when you once get 
 in the way of it. Have plenty of variety, that's the grand point — what 
 one doesn't like, another will. Take large shot for big birds, and 
 small shot for little ones, and then you'll bag the whole covey; that's 
 my maxim. Now, look here : first we begin with a scientific article, 
 ' Questions on Quicksilver.' There's not one reader in a hundred that 
 can understand that paper when they've read it ; and very few even of 
 those who can take it in care two straws about quicksilver — why should 
 they? But they all read it, because it's a cheap way of getting up the 
 necessary amount of scientific jargon to hash into small talk. I never 
 look at that man's papers myself; I know they're safe, though I can't 
 understand a word of 'em— but they're a great help to the Magazine. 
 Then comes our friend, the ' Homeless Heart.' I put that in as a drop 
 of romantic barley-sugar to soften the women's throats after swallow- 
 ing the science. Next we have 'An Historical Parallel.' Famous 
 fellows they are; the principal dodge in writing them is to take an 
 'eiitirely new reading of the character,' as the actors say. In the 
 present article, if I recollect right, they prove Coeur-de-Lion to have 
 been a hypocritical fanatic, and Cromwell a chivalric, magnanimous 
 enthusiast. It's safe to take, depend upon it. ' L'Incomprise ' tells 
 its own tale— it's as close an imitation of Eugene Sue and George 
 Sand as English morality will tolerate, though the invention of gutta- 
 percha, or some other elastic agent, enables even that stiff material 
 nowadays to stretch to lengths which would astonish our grandmothers 
 Then comes the ' Plea for the Industrial Classes '—a regular savage 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 93 
 
 poke at the present Poor Law (we're obliged to do a little bit of 
 political economy as well as our neighbours, you know) ; it's awfully 
 heavy, but it will neutralise any ill effects 'L'Incomprise' may have 
 had on fathers of families all the better. Lastly, there's my own little 
 thing, 'Dog-cart Drives.' Ahem! have you seen that?" 
 
 "Not I," replied Frere; "I've no time for reading tra — I mean 
 novels and that sort of thing." 
 
 " I believe it's liked ; I hear it's a good deal talked about," continued 
 Bracy with an air of bashful self-complacency. " ' Bell's Life ' spoke 
 very handsomely of it last week ; there were six whole lines devoted 
 to it, I think. Upon my word I should like you to read it." 
 
 At this moment Frere suddenly discovered that he had remained 
 over his time, and should be too late for some deeply interesting 
 experiments that were to come off that morning at what his com- 
 panion termed his science shop; so receiving an assurance from 
 Bracy that Rose's sketch should be inserted in the Magazine, and 
 that he would consider what would be her best mode of proceeding 
 in regard to the poetry, the friends shook hands and parted, Frere 
 promising to make himself acquainted with the subject-matter of 
 " Dog-cart Drives " at an early opportunity. 
 
 CHAPTER XVL 
 
 MISS LIVINGSTONE SPEAKS A BIT OF HER MIND. 
 
 It was a lovely morning in early summer, when the sun, shining into 
 Lewis's bedroom at Broadhurst, aroused him from a heavy dreamless 
 sleep, the result of his previous night's dissipation at Lady Lombard's. 
 The sensation of waking for the first time in a strange place is 
 usually a disagreeable one; there is an unfamiliar newness in the 
 aspect of everything around us, an absence of old associations, which 
 to an impressible disposition is singularly disheartening. This was 
 peculiarly the case with Lewis; the costly furniture of the room, 
 arranged with a stiff propriety, the spotless carpet, the chair-covers 
 too clean and slippery to be sat upon, the bright cold mirrors, the 
 polished grate, in which a fire would have been high treason, each 
 and all suggestive of the chilling influence of that rigid disciplinarian 
 Miss Livingstone, served painfully to realise his new position. 
 Splendour without comfort was an anomaly he had never before 
 encountered, and in his then frame of mind it aroused all the bitter 
 feelings which even his strength of will was unable to subdue, and he 
 mentally compared himself to a slave working in gilded chains, and 
 longed for independence, no matter through what hardships, struggles, 
 and dangers it must be attained. But there was a healthy energy 
 about his mind which prevented his yielding to these morbid feelings ; 
 hastily dressing himself, he found his way into the pleasure garden, 
 and as it was yet early, strolled onward through the park. 
 
94 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 After wandering about for nearly an hour, the calm beauty of the 
 scenery and the exhilarating freshness of the morning air producing 
 their natural effect upon his spirits, it occurred to him that his absence 
 might be commented upon, and possibly give offence; accordingly, 
 he retraced his steps towards the house. Ignorant of the locale, how- 
 ever, he was unable to discover the door by which he had gone out, 
 and after making one or two attempts in a wrong direction, was 
 compelled to effect his entrance through a French window opening 
 into a conservatory. Lewis possessed a great taste for, and some 
 knowledge of botany, and his attention was at once attracted by the 
 rare and beautiful plants around him. So completely was he en- 
 grossed by his admiration, that not until he heard his own name 
 pronounced did he become aware that he was not the sole tenant of 
 the conservatory. Turning at the sound, he perceived Annie Grant, 
 in a very becoming costume, busily employed in altering the arrange- 
 ment of certain flower-pots. 
 
 Before we proceed farther, it may be as well to afford the reader an 
 insight into Lewis's feelings towards this young lady, as they were 
 by no means of such a nature as might be expected from a young man 
 towards a pretty and agreeable girl, with whom he was about to be 
 domesticated. In order to account for his peculiar state of mind on 
 this subject we must take a retrospective glance at an episode in 
 Lewis's student life, which has been already alluded to in a conversa- 
 tion between Frere and his friend. About a year before the period 
 at which our story opened Lewis had encountered, at a festive 
 meeting of the worthy citizens of Bonn, the very pretty daughter of a 
 wealthy shopkeeper, and struck by her bright eyes and a certain 
 naive simplicity of manner, had danced with her the greater part of 
 the evening. Flattered by the attentions of the handsome young 
 Englishman, the damsel, who (her simplicity being confined entirely 
 to manner) was as arrant a little flirt as ever caused a heartache, took 
 care that the acquaintance should continue ; and while she was merely 
 bent on adding to her train of admirers, Lewis fell in love with her as 
 deeply as a man can do with a girl completely his inferior in mind as 
 well as in station. Imagination, however, which at eighteen is alarm- 
 ingly active, supplied all deficiencies, and Lewis continued to dream 
 his lady-love was an angel, till one fine morning the fact of her elope- 
 ment with a young German baron, who looked upon matrimony as a 
 superfluous ordinance, induced him to alter his opinion. With the 
 termination of the adventure the reader is already acquainted, but the 
 effect upon Lewis's disposition was one which time might weaken but 
 could never efface. The fatal lesson that one who seemed true and 
 pure was not so, once learnt could never be forgotten ; the seeds of 
 mistrust were sown, and strive as he might, the perfect faith, the 
 bright, eager confidence of youth, were lost to him for ever. 
 
 Annie, as the reader is aware, was unusually lovely, and Lewis 
 accordingly regarded her in the light of a dangerous man-trap ; be- 
 sides this, oddly enough, she was by no means unlike an ethereal and 
 spiritualised representation of " Gretchen" ; the features and colouring 
 were similar, and the arch simplicity of the Frauleiris manner was 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 95 
 
 part and parcel of Annie's very nature. The painful recollections which 
 this resemblance excited added unconsciously to the prejudice (for it 
 amounted to that) which Lewis had conceived against the General's 
 daughter ; but the true source of the feeling lay deeper. However 
 circumstances may cause him to affect, or even to believe the con- 
 trary, there is in every man's heart a latent desire to render himself 
 agreeable to any young and pretty woman into whose society he may 
 be thrown, more especially where the individual is conscious of 
 possessing powers of pleasing if he chooses to exert them ; and even 
 Lewis's slight experience of society had sufficed to enlighten him in 
 regard to this point, on which the dullest are usually clear-sighted. 
 But coupled with this feeling came the humiliating consciousness that 
 although by birth and education Miss Grant's equal, the position he 
 held in the family rendered him her inferior ; and this idea was galling 
 in the extreme to Lewis's haughty nature. Annie, on the other hand, 
 profoundly ignorant of all these wheels within wheels, entertained the 
 most amiable and benevolent intentions towards her new associate. 
 She knew he was unfortunate, she saw he was a gentleman, and she 
 had heard that he was undertaking a duty he disliked, for the sake of 
 his mother and sister ; and for all these reasons her woman's heart 
 warmed towards. him, and she determined to do what she was able to 
 render his position as little painful as might be ; moreover, she was 
 sufficiently acquainted with the idiosyncrasies of her father and great- 
 aunt to be aware that any particular kindness the young tutor would 
 be likely to meet with in the family must emanate from herself. 
 Accordingly, when Lewis, having replied to her cordial " Good morn- 
 ing, Mr. Arundel," by slightly raising his hat, and making a formal 
 bow, was about to pass on, she renewed the attack by adding — 
 
 " May I trouble you to move this flower-pot for me ? it is so 
 heavy." 
 
 Thus appealed to, Lewis stopped short, and for a moment debated 
 with himself the possibility of refusing ; but without being actually ill- 
 bred, such a possibility did not exist ; so, resigning himself to his fate 
 with a very ill grace, he deposited his hat on a vacant flower-stand, 
 and tossing back his dark curls with the air of a sulky lion shaking his 
 mane, he took the garden-pot, which indeed seemed too heavy for 
 Annie's little hands, asking, with a stately coldness by no means in 
 character with the mild nature of the inquiry — _ 
 
 " Where would you wish to have it placed, Miss Grant ? " 
 
 " Here, if you will be so kind," returned the young lady, indicating 
 the spot by pointing with the end of a peit little parasol. 
 
 Lewis, having installed the plant in its appointed place, was again 
 about to take his departure, but ere he did so, glancing involuntarily 
 at the effect of his labour, his quick eye at once discerned the object 
 of the changes Annie was striving to effect, and perceived that, in 
 order to carry out her design, several heavy flowers yet required 
 moving. Nothing, however, was farther from his thoughts than the 
 idea of volunteering his assistance, when Annie, catching the direction 
 of his eye, continued — 
 
 " Yes, the White Camellia is too low," 
 
96 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " While the Khododendron is as much too high," returned Lewis 
 eagerly, and forgetting his proud scruples in the impulse of the 
 moment, he set to work with the greatest energy to complete the 
 arrangement which his correct taste acknowledged to be an improve- 
 ment. 
 
 The Camellia had been exalted and the Rhododendron abased, and 
 many other " pets of the parterre " had experienced sudden changes 
 of position, and still Lewis worked with unabated zeal, and still his 
 fair companion directed and approved, when just as, poised like a 
 flying Mercury on one foot half-way up a high flower-stand, he was 
 stretching to his utmost to install a gaudy Cactus, all red and green 
 like a paroquet, on the topmost pinnacle, a stately tread was heard 
 approaching, and General Grant entered the conservatory. Lewis 
 coloured with mingled anger and annoyance at being detected in 
 such a situation, but Annie good-naturedly came to his assistance. 
 Tripping up to her father and taking both his hands, she exclaimed — 
 
 " Good morning, papa. Welcome to dear old Broadhurst once 
 again. How pretty it all looks I But they have placed my flowers so 
 stupidly, I must have every one of them altered. I've been working 
 away for half-an-hour at least, and as Mr. Arundel happened to be 
 passing, I pressed him into the service, for some of the pots are so 
 heavy." 
 
 " Much too heavy for you to attempt to move, my dear," returned 
 the General in a tone of marked disapproval ; " but why did you not 
 summon one of the gardeners to make the alteration you wished, 
 without troubling Mr. Arundel, who must have had other duties to 
 perform ? " 
 
 " As it was your desire, sir, to be present at my introduction to my 
 future pupil," replied Lewis, who had by this time reached terra Jirtna 
 and recovered his self-possession, " I have refrained from making any 
 attempt to see him till I should have learned your further wishes on 
 the subject. My time was therefore quite at Miss Grant's disposal, if 
 I could be in any way useful to her." 
 
 " My daughter is obliged by your politeness, sir, but will not 
 trespass upon it further," replied the General coldly. " My dear 
 Annie," he continued, " it only wants ten minutes to nine ; you will 
 oblige me by preparing for breakfast. Punctuality is a quality by the 
 neglect of which all order is subverted, propriety set at nought, much 
 valuable time wasted which can never be recalled, and the comfort 
 of a family totally destroyed. Your excellent aunt is aware of my 
 opinion on this subject, and during the twelve years she has done me 
 the favour to preside over my household she has never kept me 
 waiting one minute." 
 
 " Well, dear papa, I'll do my best to please you," returned Annie ; 
 " but," she added, laying her hand on his shoulder caressingly, and 
 looking ujp in his face with a glance half mischievous and half im- 
 ploring, ''^you won't expect me to be so terribly perfect as Aunt 
 Martha? Recollect, she is three times as old as I am, and ought 
 therefore to be three times as wise." 
 
 The General tried to look displeased, but he could not resist Anniei 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 9^ 
 
 for he Was human after all ; so, stroking her glossy curls, he told her 
 that Mrs. Botherfille (a serious schoolmistress, who, for the trifling 
 consideration of ^300 per annum, condescended to allow the youthful 
 female aristocracy of the land to sit at her feet and learn from her lips 
 how to regenerate society through the medium of frivolous accom- 
 plishments) had failed in curing her of talking nonsense, at which 
 Annie laughed merrily and then tripped off, turning as she passed 
 Lewis to take a last glance at the newly-arranged flowers, and saying, 
 " Now, don't they look pretty, Mr. Arundel ?" 
 
 As the directions in regard to Lewis and his pupil's separate 
 establishment (for such the isolated suite of rooms they were to 
 occupy might be considered) had not as yet been communicated to 
 the servants, General Grant requested the favour of Lewis's company 
 at breakfast with as much ceremony as he could have used if he had 
 been inviting a royal duke to a banquet ; and as a request from such 
 a quarter was equivalent to a command, Lewis could only comply. 
 Half a minute before the clock struck nine, Miss Livingstone, that 
 human hedge-hog, rustled into the breakfast-room, more stiff and 
 starched in mind and body than any other living creature. As for her 
 ca^, a railway train might have passed over it without injuring that 
 rigid mystery, while her gown was at the least sabre, not to say 
 bullet-proof. If ever there were a wife fitted for our Iron Duke, that 
 adamantine spinster was the woman — only that to have married her 
 would have required more courage than twenty Waterloos ! 
 
 As the clock struck nine the household servants made their appear- 
 ance, and all the family knelt down (with the exception of Miss 
 Livingstone, who, being evidently fashioned as the ancients believed 
 elephants to be, without knee-joints, merely reared up against the 
 breakfast-table, as the next best thing she could do), while the General 
 read them a short, sharp, but polite prayer, after which he blessed 
 them very much as if he were doing the reverse, and suffered them to 
 depart The breakfast was excellent as far as the commissariat 
 department was concerned, and the tea was not so cold as might have 
 been expected considering that Miss Livingstone poured it out. 
 
 Even Lewis's short acquaintance with that austere virgin's usual 
 expression of countenance led him to believe that a darker shade than 
 ordinary lowered upon her brow ; nor was he mistaken, for after 
 despatching a piece of dry toast with the air of an acidulated martyr, 
 the spirit (we fear it was not an amiable one) moved her, and she 
 spoke. 
 
 " I must say, General, your benevolence has rather overpowered 
 your judgment, to my poor thinking, in this singular addition to the 
 establishment at Broadhurst. I really consider that I ought to have 
 been a little more clearly informed as to the facts of the case before 
 these new arrangements were actually decided on." 
 
 " If you refer to Sir Walter Desborough, madam,'' returned the 
 General sternly, " I must recall to your memory the fact of my having 
 mentioned to you, this day week, my intention that my ward should 
 reside at Broadhurst." 
 
 " I am not in the habit of forgetting any communication you do me 
 
gS LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 the honour of making to me, General Grant, nor have I forgotten the 
 conversation to which you refer; but if you mentioned that your ward 
 was a dangerous idiot, and that you expected me to preside over a 
 private lunatic asylum, that circumstance certainly has escaped me." 
 
 The wrinkles on the General's forehead deepened as he replied 
 with a glance towards Lewis, " You forget, Miss Livingstone, that we 
 are not in private." 
 
 " Really," rejoined the lady, " if, as I believe, that young" (and she 
 laid an ill-natured emphasis on the word) "gentleman has undertaken 
 the duties of keeper " 
 
 " Tutor," interposed the General sharply. 
 
 " Well, tutor, then, if you like to call it so," continued Miss Living- 
 stone, " the name does not much signify. But if Mr. Arundel is to 
 have the care of this dreadful boy, the sooner he knows what his 
 duties will be, and sets about them, the better; for I tell you plainly. 
 General Grant, that unless there's a man about the creature who can 
 manage him, I won't sleep another night in the house with him. 
 There's no trusting those idiots; we may all be murdered in our 
 beds." 
 
 As the good lady, who had by this time got the steam up to a very 
 high degree of pressure, hazarded the above uncomfortable suggestion, 
 Annie, who had been listening with an expression of painful annoyance 
 to her aunt's harangue, suddenly turned pale and glanced with a look 
 of appealing inquiry towards her father, who replied to her rather than 
 to Miss Livingstone in the following terms: — 
 
 " Really, my dear Annie, I am compelled to say that the fears with 
 which your excellent relative" (and he looked bayonets at Minerva, 
 who shook her head till her terrific cap rustled like an angry hail- 
 storm) "would seek to inspire you are utterly without foundation." 
 He paused, took a pinch of snuff viciously, as though it were gun- 
 powder and he was priming himself for a fresh discharge ; and thus 
 prepared he turned to Lewis, saying — ^but we will reserve the volley 
 for another chapter. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 CONTAINS MUCH FOLLY AND A LITILE COMMON SENSE. 
 
 " The truth of the matter is' this, Mr. Arundel," began General 
 Grant. "From a mistaken policy your future pupil has been indulged 
 in every caprice of his weak intellect, till the slightest opposition to 
 his wishes irritates him beyond all control that has yet been exercised 
 over him ; but as his only attendants are an old female domestic who 
 was his nurse, and her son, a lad younger than Sir Walter himself, 
 whom he has been foolishly permitted to look upon in the light of a 
 companion, this is not so much to be wondered at" 
 " It will be a diflficult task to eradicate faults of temper which have 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 99 
 
 been allowed to become habitual, especially where the reasoning 
 faculties are .defective," observed Lewis thoughtfully. 
 
 "You may well say that, sir," chimed in Miss Livingstone. " His 
 reasoning faculties (as you please to term them) are so defective, 
 that in my humble opinion the boy is neither more nor less than a 
 fool ; and you may as well try to drive a pig straight as to talk sense 
 to a fool. But how a man so particular as General Grant can have 
 brought such an inmate into his family, and then expect that things 
 are to go on with the order and precision that " 
 
 " Madam ! " began the General in a voice of thunder, his stock of 
 patience utterly exhausted by this indirect mode of attack. But Annie, 
 with a degree of tact and moral courage for which Lewis had by no 
 means been disposed to give her credit, laid her hand imploringly on 
 her father's arm, and whispered a few magical words which served to 
 avert the storm that had appeared inevitable. An awkward pause 
 ensued, which was broken by the General, who, rising majestically 
 from his chair, informed Lewis that he should request his attendance 
 in half-an-hour ; then casting a withering glance at Miss Livingstone, 
 which caused that respectable porcupine of private life to bristle up if 
 possible more fiercely than before, he quitted the room. No sooner 
 had her nephew-in-law's retreating footsteps ceased to echo through 
 the long corridor than the good lady, freed from the restraint of his 
 presence, did then and there openly, avowedly, and with much 
 vehemence, utter a declaration of war to the knife with that gallant 
 officer, issued a protest against the introduction of " rampant idiots " 
 into that heretofore peaceful family, and finally assert her own liberty of 
 action by promulgatmg her determination to depart forthwith, leaving 
 her companions to contemplate the agreeable contingencies of " being 
 frightened out of their wits every day, and murdered in their beds all 
 night." 
 
 Having in some degree relieved her mind by this explosion, she 
 applied the superfluous steam still remaining to the purpose of 
 locomotion, her crisp schako rending the air, and her high-heeled 
 shoes knocking sharp little double knocks, as of an angry postman, 
 against the polished oak floor as she swept along. 
 
 And these " pleasant passages " were the first votive ofTering which 
 Lewis saw presented to the Lares and Penates of Broadhurst 
 
 General Grant sat bolt upright in his easy-chair, as if he were on 
 his charger, and his face wore an expression of scrutinising authority, 
 as of a commander about to review his troops, when Lewis, in obedience 
 to his summons, entered the library. 
 
 "Take a chair, Mr. Arundel. I have desired the attendance of Sir 
 Walter Desborough, and expect he will be here immediately." 
 
 In compliance with this request, Lewis seated himself to await the 
 arrival of his future pupil; but the minutes glided by, and still no 
 pupil appeared. At length, just as the General's small stock of 
 patience became exhausted and he had begged Lewis to ring the 
 bell, the butler returned, saying that it was impossible to induce Sir 
 Walter to leave his room unless his female attendant might come 
 with him. General Grant frowned portentously, glanced expressively 
 
100 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 towards Lewis, muttering, " Some of the evil effects of a grievous 
 system of neglect," then added, to the servant, " You may desire 
 Mrs. Peters to accompany Sir Walter Desborough.'' 
 
 "One of the first points to which you will have to direct your 
 attention, Mr. Arundel," continued the General as the domestic 
 quitted the apartment, " is to induce my ward to dispense with the 
 society of this person and her son. He may retain their services 
 as attendants, but must be taught no longer to regard them as 
 companions." 
 
 As he spoke the door opened and admitted three individuals. Of 
 these, the first who claims our notice was the unfortunate young 
 baronet who was to be Lewis's future charge. He appeared about 
 fourteen, but was tali for that age; his figure was slight and not 
 ungraceful, and his features were handsome ; his forehead was high, 
 but narrow and receding; his eyes were bright and clear, though 
 totally devoid of expression, and there was an appearance of weakness 
 and irresolution about the mouth, which too clearly indicated his want 
 of intellect. Mrs. Peters was a very stout old lady, on whom the 
 cares of life and a rare specimen of the female costume of some 
 bygone age appeared to sit easily ; her outline might have suggested 
 to an imaginative beholder the idea of a huge pillow which had "come 
 alive " and made itself a gown out of one of the chintz bed-curtains, 
 forgetting the waist. Her conversation was embellished by a redun- 
 dancy of mild ejaculations, amongst which a benediction on her own 
 "heart alive," and an apostrophe to a solitary possessive pronoun 
 which had lost its noun, and agreed with nothing in particular, stood 
 pre-eminent. Her stock of ideas, which was by no means incon- 
 veniently large, had been presented to her in her youth, and required 
 altering to suit the present fashion. Still she was a good old woman 
 in her way ; her " heart alive " was a very kind one ; and she doated 
 on poor Walter, spoiling and indulging him till she had made even a 
 greater fool of him than nature had intended. The trio was com- 
 pleted by her hopeful son Robert, or, as he was more familiarly 
 termed, Bob Peters, who, one year younger than Sir Walter, was as 
 clever and mischievous an imp as ever indued a page's livery and 
 bore a splendid crop of buttons to fascinate society. Pressing close 
 to his nurse's side and dragging the pretty page after him by the 
 wrist, Walter entered the alarming presence of his guardian and 
 his tutor, hanging back like a startled colt the moment he perceived a 
 stranger. 
 
 " Walter, come here ; I want to introduce you to this gentleman," 
 exclaimed General Grant in the blandest tone he could command ; 
 but in vain— Walter only hung his head and shrank closer to his 
 protectress. 
 
 "Oh, myl Walter dearie, go to the General. Bless my heart alive, 
 you ain't so silly as to be afraid of him^ exclaimed Mrs. Peters, 
 emphasising the him as though it referred to a pet lamb or a tame 
 rabbit. 
 
 "Go in and win, Master Walter; the gentleman won't bite yer," 
 suggested Bob in an audible whisper. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. loi 
 
 But their remonstrances produced no effect upon Walter, and 
 served only to increase General Grant's irritation. 
 
 " He must be taught obedience, sir," he remarked quickly, appeal- 
 ing to Lewis. " Nothing can be done until he becomes obedient;" 
 then turning to the old nurse, he continued, " Mrs. Peters, Sir Walter 
 will not require your attendance at present ; you may leave the room, 
 and take your son with you." 
 
 " I'm afeard, sir, you won't be able to do nothing with Master 
 Walter without one of us stops with him. You see, he's kind of used 
 to us," urged Mrs. Peters. 
 
 " I shall feel obliged by your leaving the room, Mrs. Peters. When 
 I require your advice I will inform you of the fact," returned the 
 General, walking with stately steps towards the door, which he held 
 partially open to permit the egress of the servants, while he prevented 
 Walter from following them. 
 
 As he saw his friends depart the boy raised his eyes, which gleamed 
 with mingled fear and anger, to General Grant's face, but cold 
 inflexibility was written there so unmistakably that even the darkened 
 perceptions of the idiot could not fail to perceive it ; and apparently 
 feeling instinctively that resistance would be unavailing, his counte- 
 nance assumed a sulky, dogged expression, and he suffered himself to 
 be led to a seat without opposition. But, despite this success, the 
 General seemed as far from gaining his point as ever ; neither kind- 
 ness nor coercion could induce Walter to pay the slightest attention 
 to the remarks addressed to him, or to utter a single word. Any one, 
 to have seen him at that moment, would have imagined him to be 
 hopelessly imbecile. That such was not the case, however, Lewis, 
 who without interfering openly had been closely observing him from 
 the moment of his entrance, felt convinced. He had particularly 
 watched the play of his features, and had remarked when he first 
 came in that they were characterised by an expression of fear and 
 shyness rather than of stupidity, and that it was not until his guardian 
 had banished those whom he knew well, and in whom he had 
 confidence, that they assumed the look of stolid sulkiness which they 
 now wore. After making several unsuccessful attempts to elicit from 
 his ward some proof of intelligence, General Grant at length quitted 
 the room in search of his daughter, actuated thereunto by a vague 
 consciousness that his own manner might possibly be deficient in 
 conciliatory power, and that Annie, from the fact of her belonging to 
 the softer sex, possessed a decided advantage over him in this par- 
 ticular. Availing himself of this opportunity, Lewis caught up a 
 young kitten which was playing about the room, towards which he 
 had observed Walter cast several furtive glances ; and caressing the 
 little animal as he held it in his arms, he approached his pupil, saying 
 quietly — 
 
 " I'm sure you like the kitten, Walter, she is so playful and pretty?" 
 
 The boy made no answer, but the sullen look in his face gradually 
 gave place to a milder expression, and he glanced from Lewis to the 
 kitten with an appearance of intelligence, for which any one who had 
 seen him a minute before would not have given him credit. Lewis 
 
loa LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 saw that he had touched the right string, and continued in the same 
 kind and gentle manner — 
 
 " We must make a great pet of the kitten. She will play with us and 
 amuse us nicely." 
 
 As he said this Walter drew closer to him, and seeming, in his 
 interest about the kitten, to forget his fear of the stranger, held out 
 his hands for the little creature to be given to him. 
 
 " Will you be kind to her if I let you have her?" continued Lewis, 
 
 Walter nodded in token of assent, and Lewis handed him the 
 kitten, which he immediately began to fondle and play with, laughing 
 with childish glee at its gambols. After amusing himself in this 
 manner for several minutes he suddenly turned to Lewis and asked in 
 a half-whisper — 
 
 " Do you like ponies, too ? " 
 
 Dehghted at this proof of the success of his attempt to win his 
 pupil's confidence, Lewis signified his intense affection for ponies in 
 general, and inquired whether Walter possessed one. On receiving 
 an affirmative nod he continued — 
 
 " And are you very fond of riding it ? " 
 
 This question seemed to perplex the boy, for he made no reply, and 
 a half-puzzled, vacant expression banished the gleam of intelligence 
 which had lighted up his features. Lewis repeated the inquiry in two 
 or three different forms, but with no better success. A pause ensued, 
 during which the young tutor pondered with himself the best means 
 of calling forth and strengthening the faint germs of intellect which 
 evidently existed in the clouded mind of the poor idiot, when Walter 
 again looked up and exclaimed abruptly — 
 
 " Bob says I'm to ride the pony when somebody comes to take care 
 of me." 
 
 "And I am that somebody," returned Lewis, smiling good-naturedly. 
 " You shall ride the pony to-day if you like." 
 
 This seemed to please him, for he nodded and laughed, and resumed 
 his gambols with the kitten. Suddenly a new idea appeared to strike 
 him, for his face became clouded, and drawing close to Lewis, he 
 whispered, pointing to the door by which General Grant had left the 
 apartment — 
 
 " Don't tell him, or he won't let me go." 
 
 "Why should you think so, Walter? That gentleman is your 
 guardian, and means to be very kind to you," returned Lewis; but 
 Walter shook his head and repeated — 
 
 " Don't tell him ; he won't let me go." 
 
 At this moment the General returned, accompanied by Annie, 
 whose feelings of sympathy and pity were slightly tempered by the 
 fears which Miss Livingstone had laboured industriously to instil into 
 her mind. Lewis drew the General on one side and gave him an 
 outline of all that had passed during his absence, adding, that although 
 it was of course too soon for him to judge with any degree of accuracy 
 to what extent they might proceed, it was evident his pupil possessed 
 some reasoning powers which cultivation might develop. And he was 
 going on to add that harshness appeared to him likely rather to 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 103 
 
 increase than diminish the evil, when his attention was attracted by 
 an exclamation of anger from Walter. 
 
 The moment General Grant returned his ward had relapsed into his 
 former state of sullen apathy, and all Annie's attempts to induce him 
 to notice her only appeared to increase his obstinacy, till at length she 
 began to stroke the kitten, which he still held in his arms. This, for 
 some unexplained cause (probably because he fancied she might be 
 about to injure his favourite, or to deprive him of it), irritated him 
 beyond control, and forgetting his fear in his anger, he uttered the 
 exclamation above alluded to, and struck at her fiercely with a riding- 
 whip which he had brought in with him. Springing forward, however, 
 before the blow could descend, Lewis caught his uplifted arm and 
 held it in an iron grasp, while in a grave but stem voice he said — 
 
 " Walter, I am surprised at you. Attempt to strike a lady ! You 
 must never do such a thing again." 
 
 The calm, impressive manner in which he uttered these words 
 appeared to produce a beneficial effect in subduing the boy's irritation ; 
 for after making one furious but unavailing attempt to free himself, he 
 sat perfectly still and unresisting. Nothing, however, could induce 
 him to make friends with Annie, or to allow her to touch his beloved 
 kitten, though when Lewis caressed it, and even took it in his arms, 
 he appeared well contented. 
 
 A fortnight's careful study of the young baronet's character only 
 served to confirm the impressions Lewis had received during this first 
 interview. That he possessed some powers of reasoning and reflection 
 was evident ; but the great difficulty lay in finding a key to the work- 
 ings of his mind by aid of which these powers might be strengthened 
 and developed. Any direct question seemed to puzzle and confuse 
 him, and the only plan which appeared to offer any hope of success 
 was, if possible, to discover some train of thought (if the vague and 
 desultory fancies which flitted across his feeble brain deserved to be 
 so called), and then to lead him gently on by suggesting new ideas, 
 some of which he might adopt and retain. But it was an up-hill task ; 
 and often when Lewis, with a degree of calm perseverance which in 
 one of his eager and impetuous disposition could scarcely have been 
 looked for, had succeeded in making him acquire, as he believed, a 
 leading idea on which he hoped to base some superstructure of 
 elementary knowledge, a look of hopeless vacuity would show that no 
 progress had been made, and that the labour must all be gone through 
 again. At other times some shrewd remark or pertinent question 
 would take Lewis as it were by surprise, and induce him to imagine 
 that he had underrated his pupil's mental capacity, and that the fault 
 must lie in his own inexperience of such cases. But there was much 
 to be unlearned as well as to be taught. As is often the case in 
 persons of weak intellect, the mere animal tendencies were unusually 
 strong. He was subject to violent bursts of passion, if his will were 
 in the slightest degree thwarted, which it required all Lewis's firmness 
 and strength of character to contend against successfully. Occasion- 
 ally fits of melancholy would seize him, during which he would sit for 
 hours without speaking, his bead resting dejectedly on his hand, and 
 
104 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 nothing appearing able to interest or amuse him. If not prevented, 
 he would eat so voraciously as to injure his health. He was also 
 indolent and averse to active exertion of any kind. But Lewis took 
 much pains to teach him to ride, and the exercise thus obtained tended 
 greatly to strengthen his constitution. His fondness for animals was 
 one of the most amiable points in his disposition. He and Faust ere 
 long became inseparable, and Lewis found the dog a most useful 
 auxiliary in inculcating — by example, not precept, for Faust could not 
 quite talk — the necessity of implicit obedience. 
 
 A month soon glided by, and at its expiration Lewis informed 
 General Grant that if he still wished him to undertake the care of his 
 ward he was willing to do so ; an offer of which that noble commander 
 joyfully availed himself, being in his secret soul equally surprised and 
 pleased at the degree of success which had already attended Lewis's 
 efforts, and only too glad to secure the services of one who could and 
 would save him all further difficulty in regard to the onerous and 
 troublesome responsibility which he had taken upon himself. For the 
 next six months of his residence at Broadhurst Lewis saw but little of 
 the family. During the greater part of that time the General was 
 absent on a visit to some relations in Scotland, whither his daughter 
 accompanied him. Miss Livingstone, having supplied herself with a 
 resident victim in the person of Miss Susan Pinner, an unhappy little 
 fourteen-year-old cousin once removed (the further the better from 
 such a relative, we should imagine), spent her time very much to her 
 own satisfaction in daily offering up the helpless sacrifice thus acquired 
 at the altar of her evil temper, and in tyrannising over the poor of the 
 neighbourhood with most excruciating benevolence. A sick family 
 was a rare treat to this venerable scourge. Nauseous were the 
 medicines she forced down the throats of the destitute, aggravating 
 the directions with which she tortured the suffering, hateful the dietary 
 on which she nourished all sick persons and young children I Truly 
 an irritating poor man's plaster was that sphinx of modem society, 
 Minerva Livingstone, and CEdipus himself would never have guessed 
 at one -half her modes of ingeniously tormenting indigent merit. 
 Fortunately, working out the details of this ferocious philanthropy 
 occupied so much of the good lady's time that Lewis enjoyed a happy 
 immunity from her attentions, and was allowed to put in practice his 
 theories for the improvement of his pupil without let or hindrance; 
 and it was with a degree of pleasure, which was in itself sufficient 
 reward for his trouble, that he perceived his plans likely to succeed 
 beyond his most sanguine expectations. Affairs were in this position 
 when — but such an interesting disclosure requires a fresh chapter. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL 105 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 LEWIS RECEIVES A MYSTERIOUS COMMUNICATION, AND IS RUN 
 AWAY WITH BY TWO YOUTHFUL BEAUTIES. 
 
 The arrival of the post-bag was an interesting event to Lewis, as 
 almost the only pleasure he allowed himself was a rapid interchange 
 of letters with his sister ; and to this correspondence was he indebted 
 for an amount of warm sympathy, judicious advice, and affectionate 
 interest in his pursuits which tended greatly to relieve the monotony 
 and diminish the irksomeness of his situation ; but with the exception 
 of Rose and (occasionally) Frere, his correspondents were exceedingly 
 limited in number, and their epistles few and far between. It was 
 then a matter of no small surprise to him to receive a business- 
 like-looking letter in an unknown handwriting. To break the seal 
 (which bore the impression of the letters J. and L. united in a flourish- 
 ing cipher that at first sight looked like a bad attempt to delineate 
 a true lover's knot) was the work of a moment. The contents were 
 as follows : — 
 
 " Sir, — My partner and myself, having some connection with War- 
 lington, were cognisant of the death of your late lamented father, 
 which sad event was reported to have been caused by the sudden 
 discovery of some important information contained in a public journal. 
 It is in our power to impart to you the nature of that information; but 
 as we have every reason to believe its importance has not been over- 
 rated, we are only prepared to do so on the following terms : — viz., 
 the present receipt of ten guineas, and a bond pledging yourself to 
 pay to us the sum of ;£200 should the information prove as valuable 
 as we conceive it to be. Awaiting the favour of a speedy answer, 
 " We have the honour to remain. Sir, 
 
 Yours obediently, 
 " Jones & Levi, Attorney s-at-Law. 
 " Street, Old Bailey :• 
 
 " What a strange letter 1 " soliloquised Lewis, after perusing it care- 
 fully for the second time. " The writer is evidently acquainted with 
 the circumstances of my poor father's death, but that proves nothing ; 
 the newspaper story rests on the evidence of the library-keeper at 
 Warlington, and he probably told it to every one who came into his 
 shop for the next week; and this tale may have been invented to suit 
 the circumstances, with a view to extort money. One has heard of 
 such rogueries ; still, in that case, why insist on the ;^200 bond ? That 
 seems as if Messrs. Jones & Levi themselves had faith in the value 
 of their information ; or it may only be done in order to give me that 
 impression. I'll send the letter up to Richard Frere and ask him to 
 ferret out these gents — I dare say they are thorough gents. Walter, 
 I will not allow you to give Faust all your gloves to play with ; that 
 is the third pair he has bitten to pieces this week. Faust ! drop it, 
 
io6 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 sir ! Do you hear me ? That's right— good, obedient dog ! Now 
 for Master Richard." 
 
 So saying he took a pen and wrote, in a delicately-formed yet 
 free and bold hand, the following note : — 
 
 " Dear old Frere,— Certain individuals, signing themselves 
 'Jones & Levi,' have seen fit to favour me with the enclosed mysteri- 
 ous communication, which on the face of the thing looks very like 
 an attempt to swindle. As there is, however, just a remote possibility 
 that something may come of it (for their account of the circumstances 
 preceding my poor father's death tallies exactly with the recital my 
 sister gave me on my return), you will, I am sure, add one more to 
 your many kindnesses by investigating this matter for me. You must 
 bear in mind that ;£io notes are by no means too plentiful with me, and 
 that, under present circumstances, my bond for ;^200 would scarcely 
 be worth as many pence. My poor charge progresses slowly ; he has 
 become much more docile and tractable, and is considerably improved 
 in manners and general amiability, but his mental capacity is lament- 
 ably deficient ; his reasoning powers and usual habits of thought are 
 about on a par with those of an average child of six or seven years 
 old ; many intelligent children of that age are greatly his superiors in 
 intellect: still, he makes visible progress, and that is recompense 
 sufficient for any expenditure of time and trouble. He appears much 
 attached to me, and (perhaps for that very reason — perhaps from the 
 necessity to love something, which exists in the nature of every man 
 worthy of the name) I have become so deeply interested in him, that 
 duties which six months ago I should have reckoned irksome in the 
 extreme, I now find a real pleasure in performing. I bore you with 
 these details because . . . because you are so old a friend that I have 
 acquired a prescriptive right to bore you when I like. As Walter and 
 Faust (who clearly knows that I am writing to you, and sends you an 
 affectionate wag of the tail) are becoming impatient at the length of 
 my epistle, there being a walk in prospect dependent on my arriving 
 at a satisfactory conclusion, the sooner I do so the better. 
 
 " Yours ever, L. A." 
 
 As Lewis folded and sealed this missive a servant entered with a 
 note on a silver waiter, saying, as he presented it, " For you, sir. I 
 am desired to wait while you read it." 
 
 It was written in a stiff, formal hand, and ran as follows : — 
 
 "Miss Livingstone presents her compliments to Mr. Arundel, 
 and requests the favour of an interview with him." 
 
 " What is in the wind now, I wonder?" thought Lewis, but he only 
 said, " Tell Miss Livingstone I will do myself the pleasure of waiting 
 on her immediately," and the servant retired. 
 
 Minerva was enthroned in state in the small drawing-room, the 
 large one being an awful apartment, dedicated to high and solemn 
 social convocations, and by no means lightly to be entered. Care sat 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 107 
 
 upon her wrinkled brow, and looked as uncomfortable there as in such 
 a situation might reasonably have been expected. As Lewis entered, 
 this remarkable woman rose and performed as near an approach 
 to a curtsey as her elephantine conformation would permit; then, 
 graciously motioning her visitor to a seat, she growled an inquiry 
 after the well-being of his pupil, promulgated a decidedly scandalous 
 account of the state of the weather, with a disheartening prophecy 
 appended relative to meteorological miseries yet to come ; and having 
 thus broken her own ice, dived into the chilly recesses of her cold 
 water system, and fished up from its stony depths the weighty 
 grievance that oppressed her. 
 
 It appeared that the same post which had conveyed the mysterious 
 document from Messrs. Jones & Levi had also brought a letter from 
 General Grant containing the intelligence that he was about to return 
 home forthwith, that the house was to be prepared for the reception of 
 a large Christmas party, and that he wished Miss Livingstone to pay 
 a round of visits preparatory to the issue of innumerable notes of 
 invitation, by which the neighbourhood was to be induced to attend 
 sundry festive meetings at Broadhurst ; and all this was to be done 
 more thoroughly and on a larger scale than usual, for some mysterious 
 reason in regard to which the General was equally urgent and 
 enigmatical. But Minerva shall speak for herself. 
 
 " Having thus, Mr. Arundel, made myself acquainted with General 
 Grant's wishes (fourteen beds to be ready this day week, and not even 
 the hangings put up on one of them — but men are so inconsiderate 
 nowadays), I proceeded to give Reynolds (the housekeeper) full and 
 clear instructions (to not one of which did she pay proper attention — 
 but servants are so careless and self-conceited nowadays) as to all 
 the necessary domestic arrangements. I then desired the coachman 
 might be informed that I should require the carriage to be ready for 
 use at two o'clock to-morrow (as you are perhaps aware, sir, that 
 since the General's departure for Scotland I have restricted myself to 
 a simple pony-chaise). Judge of my amazement when I was told 
 there were no horses fit for use 1 I begged to see the coachman 
 instantly, but learned that he was confined to his bed with influenza. 
 The second coachman is in Scotland with the General, so that in fact 
 there was not a creature of sufficient respectability for me to converse 
 with to whom I could give directions about the matter. Under these 
 circumstances, which are equally unexpected and annoying, I con- 
 sidered myself justified in applying to you, Mr. Arundel. Would you 
 oblige me by going through the stables and ascertaining whether 
 anything can be devised to meet the present emergency? I am 
 aware that the service I require of you is beyond the strict routine of 
 your duties ; but you must yourself perceive the impossibility of a lady 
 venturing among stablemen and helpers without showing a disregard 
 to that strict rule of propriety by which it has been the study of my 
 life to regulate my conduct." 
 
 Having reached this climax, Minerva glanced with an air of 
 dignified self-approval towards Lewis and began a very unnecessary 
 process of refrigeration with the aid of a fan apparently composed, 
 
 S 
 
io8 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 like its mistress, of equal parts of cast-iron and buckram. Lewis 
 immediately signified his readiness to undertake the commission, 
 and promising to return and report progress, bjowed and left the 
 room. 
 
 On reaching the stables a groom attended his summons, and, after 
 the fashion of his race, entered into a long explanation of the series 
 of untoward circumstances to which the present state of equine 
 destitution might be attributed, in the course of which harangue 
 he performed, so to speak, a fantasia on the theme, "And then do 
 you see, sir, coachman being hill," to which sentence, after each 
 variation, he constantly returned. The substance of his communica- 
 tion was as follows : — Shortly before the General's departure one of 
 the carriage horses had fallen and broken his knees, and its com- 
 panion having an unamiable predilection for kicking, the pair were 
 sold and a couple of young unbroken animals purchased, which, 
 after a summer's run, were destined to replace the delinquents. Shortly 
 after this the General fell in love with and bought a pair of iron-grey 
 four-yeai-olds, also untrained. All these young horses were now taken 
 up from grass and about to be broken in, but the coachman's illness 
 had interrupted their education." 
 
 " Well, but are neither pair of the young stock available ? " inquired 
 Lewis. 
 
 " I'm afeared not, sir," was the reply. " The bays ain't never been in 
 harness, and the iron-greys only three times." 
 
 "Oh, the greys have been in harness three times, have they?" 
 resumed Lewis. "Let us take them out to-day and see how they 
 perform." 
 
 " If you please, sir, I am only pad groom, and I can't say as I 
 should feel myself disactly compertent to drive them wild young 
 devils." 
 
 " Bring out that mail phaeton ; put on the break harness, and I'll 
 drive them myself," returned Lewis. 
 
 " But, if you please, sir," began the groom in a tone of remon- 
 strance. 
 
 "My good fellow, you waste time in talking. Of course if any- 
 thing goes wrong in consequence of your obeying my directions, I 
 alone shall be answerable ; but nothing will go wrong if your harness 
 is sound," returned Lewis quickly. 
 
 The man, seeing the young tutor was determined, summoned one 
 of his fellows, and in a short time the phaeton was made ready and 
 the horses harnessed and led out. They were a splendid pair of dark 
 iron-greys, with silver manes and tails ; their heads, small and well set 
 on, their sloping shoulders, and fine graceful legs, spoke well for their 
 descent ; but they snorted with fear and impatience as they were led 
 up to their places, and their bright full eyes gazed wildly and restlessly 
 around. 
 
 " Be quiet with them ! " exclaimed Lewis as one of the men laid a 
 rude grasp on the rein to back the near-side horse into his place. 
 " You never can be too quiet and steady with a young horse. Soho, 
 boy! what is it then.' nobody is going to hurt you," he continued, 
 
H 
 
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 55 
 
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LEWIS ARUNDEL. 109 
 
 patting the startled animal, and at the same time backing him gently 
 into the required position. 
 
 The operation of putting-to was soon completed ; and Lewis saying, 
 "You had better lead them off if there is any difficulty in getting them 
 to start," took the reins in his hands and sprang up lightly but quietly. 
 Seating himself firmly, he asked, " Now, are you all ready ?" and receiv- 
 ing an answer in the affirmative, continued, " Give them their heads ; " 
 then making a mysterious sound which may be faintly portrayed by the 
 letters " tchick," he endeavoured to start his horses. But this was no 
 such easy matter. The near-side horse the moment he felt the collar 
 ran back, pulling against his companion, who returned the compliment 
 by rearing and striking with his fore-feet at the groom who attempted 
 to hold him. 
 
 " Steady there I " cried Lewis. " Pat his neck ; that's right. Quiet, 
 horse 1 stand, sir I One of you call those men here," he added, 
 pointing to a couple of labourers who were digging in a slip of ground 
 near. " Now, my men," he resumed as they came up, " take hold of 
 the spokes of the hind wheels and move the carriage on when I give 
 you the signal. Are you ready ? Stand clear ; all right." As he spoke 
 he again attempted to start the horses, and this time more successfully. 
 
 The animal which had reared at the first attempt sprang forward, 
 and finding the weight which he had probably fancied was immovable 
 yield to his efforts, appeared anxious to proceed, but the other still 
 hung back, and was partly dragged forward by his yoke-fellow, partly 
 pushed on by the men who were propelling the carriage. Lewis again 
 tried mild measures, but without effect; and at length, considering 
 that the soothing system had been carried far enough, he drew the 
 point of the whip smartly across the animal's shoulder. In reply to 
 this the recusant flung up his heels as high as the kicking-straps would 
 permit ; but on a second and rather sharper application of the thong 
 he plunged forward and threw himself into the collar with a bound 
 that tried the strength of the traces ; then pulling like a steam-engine, 
 appeared resolved to revenge himself on his driver by straining every 
 sinew of his arms to the utmost pitch of tension. But rowing, fencing, 
 and other athletic exercises had rendered those arms as hard as iron ; 
 and though the swollen muscles rounded and stood out till his coat- 
 sleeve was stretched almost to bursting, Lewis continued to hold the 
 reins in a vice-like grasp, and the fiery horses, arching their proud 
 necks and tossing the foam-flakes from their champing jaws, were 
 compelled to proceed at a moderate pace. The grooms ran by their 
 sides for a short distance, then, at a sign from Lewis, one of the men 
 watched his opportunity and scrambled up while the phaeton was 
 still going on ; the other, having opened a gate leading down a road 
 through the park, remained gazing after them with looks of the 
 deepest interest 
 
 "Well, sir, you've managed to start 'em easier than I expected," 
 observed the groom, as, in compliance with Lewis's desire, he seated 
 himself at his side. " Coachman was a good half-hour a getting 'em 
 hout of the yard last time as they was put-to ; that near-sider wouldn't 
 take the collar no how." 
 
no LEWIS ARUNDEL., 
 
 "And yet he'll turn out the better horse of the two if he s judiciously 
 managed," returned Lewis. " He has higher courage than his com- 
 panion, though they're both splendid animals. They only require care- 
 ful driving and working moderately every day to make as good a pair 
 of carriage-horses as a man need wish to sit behind." 
 
 " It ain't the first time as you've handled the ribbons by a good 
 many, I should say, sir," continued Bob Richards (for that was the 
 man's name, dear reader, although I've never had an opportunity of 
 telling you so before). " I see'd as you know'd what you was about 
 afore ever you got on the box." 
 
 " Before I got up ! " returned Lewis. " How did you manage that, 
 my friend ? " 
 
 " Why, sir, the furst thing as you did was to cast your eye over the 
 harness to see as all was right ; then, afore ever you put your foot on the 
 step you took the reins into your hands, so that the minute you was 
 up you was ready for a bolt, hif so be it had pleased Providence to 
 start the 'orses off suddenly. Now, anybody as wasn't used to the 
 ways of four-footed quadrupals wouldn't never have thought of that." 
 
 " Your powers of observation do you credit," returned Lewis, with 
 difficulty repressing a smile. " You are right, I have been accustomed 
 to driving, as you imagine." And as he spoke the remembrance of 
 scenes and persons now far away came across him, and he thought 
 with regret of pleasant hours passed with his young associates in 
 Germany, when the mere fact of his being an Englishman caused 
 him to be regarded as an oracle on all matters connected with horse- 
 flesh. 
 
 While this conversation was taking place the iron-greys had 
 proceeded about a mile through the park, dancing, curvetting, and 
 staring on all sides, as though they would fain shy at every object 
 they discerned. 
 
 " They are gradually dropping into a steadier pace, you see,'' 
 observed Lewis ; " they'll be tired of jumping about, and glad to trot 
 without breaking into a canter, when they get a little warm to their 
 work. Quiet, boy, quiet 1 " he continued, as the horses suddenly 
 pricked up their ears and stared wildly about them ; " gently there, 
 gently! What in the world are they frightened at now ?" 
 
 The question did not long remain a doubtful one, for in another 
 minute a hollow, rushing sound became audible, and a herd of deer, 
 startled by the rattling of the carriage, broke from a thicket hard by, 
 and bounding over the tall fern and stunted brushwood, darted across 
 the road, their long thin legs and branching antlers, indistinctly seen 
 in the grey light of an autumn day, giving them a strange and 
 spectre-like appearance. But Lewis had no time to trace fanciful 
 resemblances, for the horses demanded all his attention. As the 
 sound of pattering feet approached they began to plunge violently ; at 
 the sight of the deer they stopped short, snorting and trembling with 
 fright ; and when the herd crossed the road before them, perfectly 
 maddened with terror they reared till they almost stood upright ; then, 
 turning short round, they dashed off the road at right angles, nearly 
 overturning the phaeton as they did so, and breaking into a mad 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. ill 
 
 gallop, despite all their driver's efforts to restrain them, tore away with 
 the speed of lightning. For a feAv seconds the sound of the wind 
 whistling past his ears, and oppressing his breathing to a painful 
 degree, confused Lewis and deprived him of the power of speech ; 
 but the imminence of the danger, and the necessity for calmness and 
 decision, served to restore his self-possession, and turning towards his 
 companion, who, pale with terror, sat convulsively grasping the rail 
 of the seat, he inquired — 
 
 " Can you recollect whether there are any ditches across the park 
 in this direction ? " 
 
 " There ain't no ditches, as I recollects," was the reply, " but there's 
 something a precious sight worser. If these devils go straight ahead 
 for five minutes longer at this pace, we shall be dashed over the bank 
 of the lake into ten foot water." 
 
 "Yes, I remember; I see where we are now. The ground rises to 
 the left, and is clear of trees and ditches, is it not ? " asked Lewis. 
 
 The groom replied in the affirmative, and Lewis continued : " Then 
 we must endeavour to turn them ; do you take the whip, stand up, and 
 be ready to assist me at the right moment. What are you thinking 
 of? " he continued, seeing that the man hesitated and was apparently 
 measuring with his eye the distance from the step to the ground. " It 
 would be madness to jump out while we are going at this rate. Be 
 cool, and we shall do very well yet." 
 
 " I'm agreeable to do whatever you tells me, only be quick about 
 it, sir," rejoined the groom. " For if it comes to jumping hout, or 
 sitting still to be drownded, hout I goes, that's flat, for I never could 
 abear cold water." 
 
 " I suppose the reins are strong, and to be depended on?" inquired 
 Lewis. 
 
 " Nearly new, sir," was the reply. 
 
 "Then be ready; and when I tell you, exert yourself," continued 
 Lewis. 
 
 While these remarks passed between the two occupants of the 
 phaeton, the horses still continued their mad career, resisting success- 
 fully all attempts to check the frightful speed at which they were 
 hurrying on towards certain destruction. As they dashed past a 
 clump of shrubs, which had hitherto concealed from view the danger 
 to which they were exposed, the full peril of their situation became 
 evident to the eyes of Lewis and his companion. With steep and 
 broken banks, on which American shrubs, mixed with flags and 
 bulrushes, grew in unbounded luxuriance, the lake lay stretched before 
 them, its clear depths reflecting the leaden hue of the wintry sky, and 
 a slight breeze from the north rippling its polished surface. Less than 
 I quarter of a mile of smooth greensward separated them from their 
 dangerous neighbour. An artist would have longed to seize this 
 moment for transferring to canvas or marble the expression of 
 Lewis's features. As he perceived the nearness and reality of the 
 danger that threatened him, his spirit rose with the occasion, and 
 calm self-reliance, dauntless courage, and an energetic determination 
 to subdue the infuriated animals before him, at whatever risk, lent a 
 
112 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 brilliancy to his flashing eye, and imparted a look of stem resolve to 
 his finely cut mouth, which invested his unusual beauty with a char- 
 acter of superhuman power such as the sculptors of antiquity sought 
 to immortalise in their statues of heroes and demigods. Selecting 
 an open space of turf unencumbered with trees or other obstacles, 
 Lewis once more addressed his companion, saying — 
 
 " Now be ready. I am going to endeavour to turn them to the left, 
 in order to get their heads away from the lake and uphill ; but as I 
 shall require both hands and all my strength for the reins, 1 want you 
 to stand up and touch them smartly with the whip on the off-side of 
 the neck. If you do this at the right moment, it will help to bring 
 them round. Do you understand me ? " 
 
 Richards replied in the affirmative, and Lewis, leaning forward and 
 shortening his grasp on the reins, worked the mouths of the horses 
 till he got their heads well up ; then assuring himself by a glance that 
 his companion was ready, he checked their speed by a great exertion 
 of strength ; arid tightening the left rein suddenly, the groom at the 
 same moment applying the whip as he had been desired, the fiery 
 steeds, springing from the lash and yielding to the pressure of the 
 bit, altered their course, and going round so sharply that the phaeton 
 was again within an ace of being overturned, dashed forward in an 
 opposite direction. 
 
 " You did that uncommon well, to be sure, sir," exclaimed Richards, 
 drawing a long breath like one relieved from the pressure of a painful 
 weight. " I thought we was over once, though ; it was a precious 
 near go." 
 
 " A miss is as good as a mile," returned Lewis, smiling. " Do you 
 see," he continued, " they are slackening their pace ; the hill is begin- 
 ning to tell upon them already. Hand me the whip ; I shall give the 
 gentlemen a bit of a lesson before I allow them to stop, just to con- 
 vince them that running away is not such a pleasant amusement as 
 they appear to imagine." 
 
 So saying, he waited till the horses began sensibly to relax their 
 speed ; then holding them tightly in hand, he punished them with the 
 whip pretty severely, and gave them a good deal more running than 
 they liked before he permitted thenl to stop, the nature of the ground 
 (a gentle ascent of perfectly smooth turf) allowing him to inflict this 
 discipline with impunity. 
 
 After proceeding two or three miles at the same speed he perceived 
 another cross-road running through the park. Gradually pulling up 
 as he approached it, he got his horses into a walk, and as soon as they 
 had once again exchanged grass for gravel he stopped them to 
 recover wind. The groom got down, and gathering a handful of 
 fern, wiped the foam from their mouths and the perspiration from 
 their reeking flanks. 
 
 " You've given 'em a pretty tidy warming, though, sir," he observed. 
 " If I was you I would not keep 'em standing too long." 
 
 " How far are we from the house, do you imagine?" inquired Lewis. 
 
 " About three mile, I should say," returned Richards. "It will take 
 you nigh upon half-an-hour, if you drives 'em easy." 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 113 
 
 Lewis looked at his watch, muttering, " More than an hour to 
 Walter's dinner-time." He then continued, " Get up, Richards ; I 
 have not quite done with these horses yet ; " adding, in reply to the 
 man's questioning glance as he reseated himself, " I'm only going to 
 teach them that a herd of deer is not such a frightful object as they 
 seem to imagine it." 
 
 " Sure/c you're never agoin' to take 'em near the deer again, Mr. 
 Arundel ; they'll never stand it, sir," expostulated Richards. 
 
 " You can get down if you like," observed Lewis, with the slightest 
 possible shade of contempt in his tone. " I will pick you up here as I 
 return." 
 
 Richards was a thorough John Bull, and it is a well-known fact 
 that to hint to one of that enlightened race that he is afraid to do the 
 most insane deed imaginable is quite sufficient to determine him to 
 go through with it at all hazards. Accordingly, the individual in 
 question pressed his hat on his brows to be prepared for the worst, 
 and folding his arms with an air of injured dignity, sat sullenly hoping 
 for an overturn, which might prove him right, even at the risk of a 
 broken neck. 
 
 Lewis's quick eye had discerned the herd of deer against a dark 
 background of trees which had served to screen them from the less 
 acute perceptions of the servant, and he now contrived, by skirting 
 the aforesaid belt of Scotch firs, to bring the phaeton near the place 
 where the deer were stationed without disturbing them, so that the 
 horses were able clearly to see the creatures which had before so 
 greatly alarmed them. It has been often remarked that horses are 
 greatly terrified by an object seen but indistinctly, at which, when 
 they are able to observe it more closely, they will show no signs of 
 fear. Whether for this reason, or that the discipline they had under- 
 gone had cooled their courage and taught them the necessity of 
 obedience, the iron-greys approached the herd of deer without 
 attempting to repeat the manoeuvre which had been so nearly proving 
 fatal to their driver and his companion. Lewis drove them up and 
 down once or twice, each time decreasing the distance between the 
 horses and the animals, to the sight of which he wished to accustom 
 them, without any attempt at rebellion on their part beyond a slight 
 preference for using their hind legs only in progression, and a very 
 becoming determination to arch their necks and point their ears after 
 the fashion of those high-spirited impossibilities which do duty for 
 horses in Greek friezes and in the heated imagination of young lady 
 artists, who possess a wonderful (a very wonderful) talent for sketching 
 animals. Having continued this amusement till the deer once again 
 conveyed themselves away, Lewis, delighted at having carried his 
 point and overcome the difficulties which had opposed him, drove 
 gently back to Broadhurst ; and having committed the reeking horses 
 to the care of a couple of grooms, who began hissing at them like a 
 whole brood of serpents, returned to make his report and soothe 
 the tribulation of that anxious hyaena in petticoats. Miss Martha 
 Livingstone. 
 
114 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 CHARLEY LEICESTER BEWAILS HIS CRUEL MISFORTUNE. 
 
 Frere'S answer to Lewis's note made its appearance at Broadhurst 
 on the morning of the second day after that on which the events 
 narrated in the previous chapter took place. It ran as follows : — 
 
 " Dear Lewis, — I think I've told you before — (if it wasn't you it 
 was your sister, which is much the same thing) — not to write such a 
 pack of nonsense as 'adding to my many kindnesses,' and all that 
 sort of stuff, because it's just so much time and trouble wasted. I see 
 no particular kindness in it, that's the fact. You and she live in the 
 country, and I in town ; and if there is anything that either of you want 
 here, why of course it's natural to tell me to get or to do it for you ; 
 and as to apologising, or making pretty speeches every time you 
 require anything, it's sheer folly ; besides, I like doing the things for 
 you. If I didn't I wouldn't do them, you may depend upon that; 
 so no more of such rubbish 'an you love me.' And now, touching 
 those interesting, or rather interest«4 individuals, Messrs. Jones & 
 Levi. I thought when I read their letter they were rascals or 
 thereabouts, but a personal interview placed the matter beyond 
 doubt ; and if you take my advice, you'll see them — well, never mind 
 where — but keep your ^lo in your pocket, that's all. Depend upon 
 it, they are more used to making rich men poor than poor ones rich. 
 However, I'll tell you all their sayings and doings, as far as I am 
 acquainted therewith, and then you can judge for yourself. As soon 
 as I received your letter I trudged off into the city, found the den of 
 thieves — I mean the lawyei-'s ofifice — of which I was in search, sent 
 in my card by an unwashed Israelite with a pen behind each ear and 
 ink all over him, whom I took to be a clerk, and by the same un- 
 savoury individual was ushered into the presence of Messrs. Jones & 
 Levi. Jones was a long cadaverous-looking animal, with a clever, 
 bad face, and the eye of a hawk ; Levi, a fat Jew, and apparently a 
 German into the bargain, with a cunning expression of countenance 
 and a cringing manner, who gave one the idea of having been fed on 
 oil-cake till he had become something of the sort himself; a kind of 
 man who, if you had put a wick into him, wouldn't have made a bad 
 candle, only one should so have longed to snuff him out. Well, I 
 soon told these worthies what I was come about, and then waited to 
 hear all they had to say for themselves. The Gentile, being most 
 richly gifted with speech, took upon him to reply — 
 
 " ' Let me offer you a chair, Mr. Frere, sir. Delighted to have the 
 honour of making your acquaintance. I speak for my partner and 
 myself — eh, Mr. Levi ? ' 
 
 " ' In courshe, shir. Moosh playsure, Misthur Vreer, shir,' muttered 
 Levi, who spoke through his nose, after the manner of modem Israelites, 
 as if that organ were afHicted with a permanent cold. 
 
 "When I had seated myself Jones returned to the attack by 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. n.S 
 
 observing' : ' Our letter contained a certain definite and specific 
 offer. Does Mr. Arundel agree to that, Mr. Frere, sir?' 
 
 " ' Mr. Arundel has placed the matter entirely in my hands, Mr. 
 Jones,' replied I ; ' and before I can agree to anything I must under- 
 stand clearly what benefit my friend is likely to derive from the 
 information hinted at in your letter.' 
 
 " ' May I inquire, Mr. Frere, sir, whether you are a professional 
 ■ man ? ' asked Jones. 
 
 " ' If you mean a lawyer, Mr. Jones,' replied I, ' I am thankful to 
 say I am not.' 
 
 " I suppose he did not exactly relish my remark, for he resumed, in 
 a less amicable tone than he had used before — 
 
 " ' I believe the letter to which I have already referred contained a 
 clear statement of the only' (he emphasised the word strongly) 
 ' terms upon which we should be disposed to communicate the 
 information,' and he glanced towards his partner, who echoed — 
 
 " ' De only turmsh." 
 
 " ' Then, gentlemen,' said I (gentlemen, indeed !), ' I beg most 
 distinctly to inform you that my friend shall never, with my consent, 
 pay ^lo down and become liable for ^200 more, this liability depend- 
 ing on a contingency which you have no doubt provided against, on 
 the mere chance that some information in your possession may refer 
 to the exciting cause of his father's death and prove valuable to him.' 
 
 " ' De informationsh ish mosht faluaple,' broke in Levi. 
 
 " ' I beg pardon, Mr, Levi,' exclaimed Jones quickly, ' but I believe 
 we agreed this matter was to be left to my management ? ' 
 
 " Levi nodded his large head and looked contrite, while Jones 
 continued : ' In that case, Mr. Frere, sir, I have only to add that if 
 Mr. Arundel refuses to comply with our terms we shall not part with 
 the information on any others. At the same time, I should advise 
 him to reconsider the matter, for I do not hesitate to say that I quite 
 coincide with Mr. Levi in his opinion concerning the importance of 
 the information which is in our possession.' 
 
 " As he said this an idea occurred to me, and I replied — 
 
 " ' Suppose, instead of the bond for £200 in the event of some 
 contingency which may never occur, Mr. Arundel were willing to pay 
 _^20 down for the information, would you agree to that ?' 
 
 " ' Say vive and dirtysh,' put in the Jew, his dull eyes brightening 
 at the prospect of money. ' Say vive and dirtysh, and it shall pe von 
 pargainsh.' 
 
 " ' Would you agree to take that sum, Mr. Jones ? ' asked I. 
 
 " He glanced at his partner with a slight contraction of the bro\y 
 and shook his head ; but the spirit of avarice aroused in the Jew was 
 not so easily to be put down, and he continued, in a more positive tone 
 than he had yet ventured to use — 
 
 " ' Yesh, he dosh agree. Me and my bardner ve vill take the vive 
 and dirtysh poundsh, ready monish, Mr. Vreer,' 
 
 " ' Not quite so fast, my good sir,' returned I. ' If you are so very 
 ready to give up the bond for ;£2oo, to be paid in case the information 
 should prove as valuable as you assert it to be, the natural inference 
 
ii6 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 is that you yourself have mighty little faith in the truth of your asser- 
 tion; and as I happen to be pretty much of that way of thinking also, 
 I shall wish you both good morning.' 
 
 " So saying, I put on my hat and walked out of the room, leaving 
 the Jew and the Gentile to fight it out to their own satisfaction. 
 
 " I had not a very strong affection for lawyers before, and I can't 
 say this visit has served to endear the profession to me particularly.. 
 You know the old story of the man who defined the difference 
 between an attorney and a solicitor to be much the same as that 
 between an alligator and a crocodile. Well, Messrs. Jones & Levi 
 realised such a definition to the life, for a more detestable brace 
 of rascals I never encountered; and depend upon it, the less you 
 have to do with them the better; at least, such is the opinion of yours 
 for ever and a day (always supposing such an epoch of time may 
 exist), 
 
 "Richard Frere." 
 
 " So," exclaimed Lewis, refolding the letter, "that chance has failed 
 me. Well, I never expected anything would come of it ; and yet — 
 heigho ! I certainly was born under an unlucky star. _ I think Frere 
 was rather precipitate. According to his account of his proceedings, 
 he seems to have felt such an intense conviction that the men were 
 rascals that he called on them rather for the purpose of exposing 
 them than to investigate the matter. He prejudged the question. 
 However, I have no doubt the result would have been the same in 
 any case. What a bore it is that men will be rogues 1 I shall have 
 out those horses again after Walter has got through his lesson. If 
 they go quietly I shall take him with me for a drive to-morrow." 
 And thus communing with himself, he summoned Walter and com- 
 menced the usual morning routine. 
 
 Miss Livingstone had, by Lewis's advice, ordered post-horses to the 
 carriage, and was in that way enabled to accomplish her round of 
 visits. Lewis carried out his intention of driving the iron-greys, who 
 conducted themselves with so much propriety that on the following 
 day he took his pupil with him, and finding the drive pleased and 
 amused the poor boy he repeated it every fine day. Thus a week 
 slipped away, and the time for the General's return arrived. It was 
 late on the afternoon of the day on which he was expected, and Lewis 
 was wearily assisting poor Walter to spell through a page of dissyl- 
 lables, when that peculiar gravel-grinding sound became audible which, 
 in a country house, necessarily precedes an arrival. Then there was 
 a great bustle as of excited servants, a Babel-like confusion of tongues, 
 bumps and thumps of heavy luggage, much trampling of feet, ringing 
 of bells and slamming of doors ; then the sounds grew fainter, were 
 remitted at intervals, and at last ceased altogether. The house was 
 no longer masterless — General Grant had returned. Walter's atten- 
 tion, by no means easy to command for five minutes together at the best 
 of times, became so entirely estranged by the commotion above alluded 
 to, that Lewis closed the book in despair and told him to go and play 
 with Faust, who, sitting upright on a rug in front of the fire, was 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. ii? 
 
 listeningf with the deepest interest to all that passed in the hall, and 
 was only restrained from barking by a strict sense of propriety oper- 
 ating on a well-disciplined mind. The boy gladly obeyed, and Lewis, 
 resting his aching head on his hand, fell into deep thought — he thought 
 of old times, when, head of his class at a public school, alike leader 
 and idol of the little world in which he moved, his young ambition had 
 shaped out for itself a career in which the bar, the bench, the senate, 
 were to be but stepping-stones to the highest honours to which energy 
 and talent might attain; and he contrasted his present position with the 
 ideal future his boyish fancy had depicted. Then he bethought him 
 of the tyrant who commanded that a living man should be chained to 
 a corpse, and considered how the cold and numbing influence of the 
 dead, gradually paralysing the vital energy of the living, was, as it 
 were, typical of his own fate. He could not but be conscious of 
 unusual powers of mind, for he had tested them in the struggle for 
 honours with the deep and subtile thinkers of Germany, and had come 
 off victorious ; and to reflect that these talents, which might have 
 ensured him success in the game of life, were condemned to be wasted 
 in the wearying attempt to call forth the faint germs of reason in the 
 mind of an almost childish idiot 1 The thought was a bitter one ! and 
 yet for months past he had felt resigned to his fate ; and the deep 
 interest he took in his pupil's improvement, together with the time 
 such a (juiet life afforded for reflection and self-knowledge, had ren- 
 dered him contented, if not what is conventionally termed happy. To 
 what then should he attribute his present frame of mind ? At this 
 moment a tap at the study door interrupted his meditations, and he 
 was unable to pursue his self-analysis further. Had he done so, he 
 might possibly have discovered that pride, his besetting sin, lay at the 
 root of the evil. As long as he lived in comparative seclusion his 
 duties sat easily upon him ; but now that he was again about to mix in 
 society, his position as tutor became- galling in the extreme to his 
 haughty nature. As he heard the summons above mentioned he 
 started from his reverie, and sweeping his hair from his forehead by a 
 motion of his hand, exclaimed, " Come in." As he spoke the door 
 opened, and our old acquaintance, Charley Leicester, lounged into the 
 room. 
 
 "Ah 1 how do you do, Arundel?" he began in his usual languid 
 tone. " I know all the ins and outs of this place, and I thought I 
 should find you here — this used to be my den once upon a time; 
 many a holiday's task have I groaned over in this venerable apart- 
 ment. Is that your incubus ?" he continued in a lower tone, glancing 
 towards Walter. " Handsome features, poor fellow 1 Does he under- 
 stand what one says?" 
 
 " Scarcely, unless you speak to him individually," returned Lewis. 
 " You may talk as you please before him, the chances are he will not 
 attend ; but if he does, he will only understand a bit here and there, 
 and even that he will forget the next moment, when some trifle occurs 
 to put it out of his head. Walter, come and shake hands with this 
 gentleman 1" 
 
 Thus spoken to, Walter turned sheepishly away, and stooping down, 
 
ii8 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 hid his face behind Faust. Lewis's mouth grew stern. " Faust, come 
 here, sir ! " The dog arose, looked wistfully at his playfellow, licked 
 his hand lovingly, then walking across the room, crouched down at 
 his mastei''s feet. 
 
 " Now, Walter, look at me." At this second appeal the boy raised 
 his eyes to Lewis's face. " Go and shake hands with Mr. Leicester." 
 
 " Don't worry him on my account, pray, my dear Arundel," inter- 
 posed Leicester good-naturedly. 
 
 " The General makes a great point of his being introduced to every 
 one; and /make a great point of his doing as I bid him," returned 
 Lewis with marked emphasis. 
 
 But it was unnecessary, if meant as a hint to Walter, for his tutor's 
 eye appeared to possess a power of fascination over him. No sooner 
 did he meet his glance than he arose from his kneeling position, and 
 going up to Leicester held out his hand saying, " How do you do ? " 
 
 Charley shook hands with him kindly, asked him one or two simple 
 questions, to which he replied with tolerable readiness ; then observ- 
 ing that his eyes were fixed on a silver-mounted cane he held in his 
 hand, he inquired whether he thought it pretty, and receiving an 
 answer in the affirmative, added, " Then you may take it to amuse 
 yourself with, if you like." 
 
 A smile of childish delight proved that the offer was an acceptable 
 one; and carrying off his treasure with him and calling Faust, who 
 on a sign from his master gladly obeyed the summons, he betook 
 himself to the farther end of the room, which was a very large one, 
 and began playing with his canine associate. Leicester gazed at him 
 for a moment or two, and then observed — 
 
 " What a sad pity ! Such a fine-grown, handsome lad, too ! Why, 
 in a year or two he will be a man in appearance, with the mind of a 
 child. Does he improve much?" 
 
 " Yes, he improves steadily, but very slowly," returned Lewis. 
 
 Leicester wandered dreamily up to a chimney-glass, arranged his 
 hair with an air of deep abstraction, pulled up his shirt-collars, 
 caressed his whiskers, then separating the tails of a nondescript 
 garment, which gave one the idea of a cut-away coat trying to look 
 like a shooting-jacket, he extended his legs so as to form two sides of 
 a triangle, and subjecting his frigid zone to the genial influence of 
 the fire, he enjoyed for some minutes in silence the mysterious delight 
 afforded to all true-born Englishmen by the peculiar position above 
 indicated. At length he sighed deeply and muttered, " Heigho ! it's 
 no use thinking about it." 
 
 " That depends on what it is, and how you set to work to think," 
 returned Lewis. 
 
 " That may do as a general rule," continued Leicester, " but it won't 
 apply to the case in point. The thing I was trying to cipher out, as 
 the Yankees call it, is the incomprehensible distribution of property 
 in this sublunary life. Now look at that poor boy — a stick for a play- 
 thing and a dog for a companion make him perfectly happy. Those 
 are his only superfluous requirements, which together with eating, 
 drinking, clothing, and lodging might be provided for £yx) a year. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 119 
 
 Instead of that, when he is twenty-one he will come into from ^^8000 
 to ;^io,ooo per annum, besides no end of savings during his minority. 
 Well, to say nothing of your own case " (Lewis's cheek kindled and 
 his eye flashed, but Leicester, absorbed in his own thoughts, never 
 noticed it, and continued), " though with your talents a little loose 
 cash to give you a fair start might be the making of you— just look 
 at my wretched position, — the son of a peer, brought up in all kinds 
 of expensive habits, mi.\ing in the best set at Eton and at Oxford, 
 the chosen associate of men of large property, introduced into the 
 highest society in London — of course I must do as others do, I can't 
 help myself. There are certain things necessary to a young man 
 about town just as indispensable as smock-frocks and bacon are to a 
 ploughman. For instance, to live one must dine — to dine one must 
 belong to a club. Then London is a good large place, even if one 
 ignores everything east of Temple Bar ; one must keep a cab if but 
 to save boot-leather — that entails a horse and a tiger. Again, for 
 four months in the year people talk about nothing but the opera — one 
 can't hold one's tongue for four months, you know — that renders a 
 stall indispensable. It's the fashion to wear white kid gloves, and the 
 whole of London comes off black on everything, so there's a fine of 
 3s. 6d. a night only for having hands at the end of one's arms. The 
 atmosphere of the metropolis is composed chiefly of smoke — the only 
 kind of smoke one can inhale without being choked is tobacco smoke ; 
 besides, life without cigars would be a desert without an oasis — but 
 unfortunately Havannahs don't hang on every hedge. I might mul- 
 tiply instances ad infinitum, but the thing is self-evident — to provide 
 all these necessaries a man must possess money or credit, and I 
 unfortunately have more Qf the latter than the former article. It is, 
 as I have explained to you, utterly impossible for me to exist on less 
 than — say ^i 500 a year ; and even with my share of my poor mother's 
 fortune and the Governor's allowance, my net income doesn't amount 
 to ;£8oo ; ergo, half the London and all the Oxford tradesmen possess 
 little manuscript volumes containing interesting reminiscences of my 
 private life. It's no laughing matter, I can assure you," he continued, 
 seeing Lewis smile; "there's nothing cramps a man's" — here he 
 released a coat-tail in order to raise his hand to conceal a yawn — 
 " augh ! what do you call 'em ? — energies — so much as having a load 
 of debt hanging round his neck. If it hadn't been for those con- 
 founded Oxford bills checking me at first starting, 'pon my word I 
 don't know that I might not have done something. I had ideas about 
 a parliamentary career at one time, I can assure you, or diplomacy — 
 any fool's good enough for an attachd. Now, if I had that poor boy's 
 fortune, and he had my wzzjfortune, what an advantage it would be 
 to both of us; he'll never know what to do with his money, and I 
 should — rather ! Just fancy me with ^10,000 a year, and a coat on 
 my back that was paid for. By Jove, I should not know myself. 
 Ah, well ! it's no use talking about it ; all the same, I am an unlucky 
 beggar." 
 
 " But," interposed Lewis eagerly, " if you really dislike the life you 
 lead so much, why don't you break through all these trammels of 
 
I20 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 conventionality and strike out some course for yourself? With ;{^8oo 
 a year to ward off poverty, and the interest you might command, what 
 a splendid career lies before you 1 Were I in your position, instead 
 of desponding I should deem myself singularly fortunate." 
 
 " So you might, my dear fellow," returned Leicester, after pausing 
 for a minute to regard Lewis with a smile of languid wonder. " So 
 you might with your talents, and — and wonderful power of getting up 
 the steam and keeping it at high pressure. I dare say we should see 
 you a Field Marshal if you took to the red cloth and pipe-clay trade; 
 or on the woolsack if you preferred joining the long-robed gentle- 
 men. Now, I haven't got that sort of thing in me : I was born to 
 be a man of property, and nothing else ; and the absurdity of the 
 thing is the bringing a man into the world fit only for one pur- 
 pose, and then placing him in a position in which, to use the cant of 
 the day, he can't ' fulfil his mission' at any price. It's just as if nature 
 were to form a carnivorous animal, and then turn it out to grass." 
 
 Having delivered himself of this opinion with the air of a deeply 
 injured man, the Honourable Charles Leicester consulted a minute 
 Geneva watch with an enamelled back, and replacing it in his 
 waistcoat pocket, continued, " Five o'clock ; I shall just have time 
 to smoke a cigar before it is necessary to dress for dinner. I presume 
 tobacco is a contraband article in the interior of this respectable 
 dwelling-house ? " 
 
 "A salutary dread of Miss Livingstone's indignation has prevented 
 me from ever trying such an experiment," returned Lewis. 
 
 " Well, I won't run the risk of offending the good lady," replied 
 Leicester. "Aunt Martha has a wonderful knack of blighting the 
 whole family for the rest of the day if one happens to run against 
 one of her pet prejudices. By the way, you must have found her 
 a most interesting companion ? " 
 
 " We are great friends, I can assure you," rejoined Lewis. " She 
 condescends to patronise me most benignantly ; but I have not spoken 
 half-a-dozen times with her in as many months." 
 
 " I suppose she has enlightened you as to the events about to come 
 off during the next three weeks." 
 
 " By no means. Beyond the fact of the General's return, and the 
 information that the house was to be filled with people, Miss Living- 
 stone has allowed me to remain in a state of the most lamentable 
 ignorance." 
 
 " What I have not you heard that the county is vacant, and the 
 General has been persuaded to allow himself to be nominated as a 
 candidate on the conservative interest i"" 
 
 " But I thought he was already member for the borough of A J" 
 
 " Yes; he will resign that if he succeeds for the county. Oh, you're 
 quite in the dark, I see ; we mean to stir heaven and earth to get him 
 in. My father gives him all his interest— Bellefield is coming down 
 to look up the tenantry. You know we (that is. Belle and the 
 Governor, worse luck) have large estates in the county. Belle can do 
 a little bit of love-making in between whiles, and so kill two birds 
 with one stone. And who else do you think is coming?— a very 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. ta 
 
 great man, I can assure you j no less a personage, in fact, than — ar — 
 ike De Grandeville I He has been induced to — ar — " (and here he 
 mimicked De Grandeville's pompous manner inimitably) " throw his 
 little influence— ar — into the scale, and — ar— show himself on the 
 hustings, and — ar— arrange one or two matters which will in fact — 
 ar— render the thing secure 1 The plain truth being that he really 
 is a good man of business, and the General has engaged him as an 
 electioneering agent. Well, then, there are a lot of people coming 
 besides; and balls and dinners will be given to half the county. In 
 short, the General means to do the thing in style, and spend as much 
 money as would keep me out of debt for the next three years. Several 
 parties are to arrive to-morrow, so the General brought Annie and 
 me down with him as a sort of advanced guard. There will be some 
 fun, I dare say; but an awful deal of trouble to counterbalance it. 
 I shall lose my cigar, though, if I stand gossiping here any longer. 
 Let me see, the nearest way to the stables will be to jump out of that 
 window ; deduct the distance saved from the amount of exertion in 
 leaping, and the remainder will be the gain of a minute and a half. 
 Well, time is precious, so off we go. I suppose you appear in the 
 course of the evening ? Take care, Walter ; that is right." 
 
 Thus saying, he flung open the window, sprang out with more 
 agility than from his usual listless movements might have been ex- 
 pected, pulled the sash down again, and having nodded good-naturedly 
 to Walter, disappeared. 
 
 General Grant felt and expressed himself greatly delighted at the 
 marked improvement which had taken place in his ward's manner 
 and appearance, and attributing it with justice to Lewis's judicious 
 management, that young gentleman rose many degrees in his em- 
 ployePs favour. The General was essentially a practical man — he was 
 endowed with a clear head, and (save where prejudice interfered) a 
 sound judgment, and being happily devoid of that inconvenient organ, 
 a heart (whence proceed, amongst other reprehensible emigrants, the 
 whole host of amiable weaknesses, which merely gain for their pro- 
 prietor that most useless, because unsaleable, article — affection), he 
 looked upon his fellow-creatures as machines, and weighing them in 
 the balance, patronised those only who were not found wanting. 
 Lewis had proved himself a good teaching machine, and the General 
 valued him accordingly. 
 
 " The great point now, Mr. Arundel," he said, " is to endeavour to 
 expand your pupil's mind. You have developed in him (and I give 
 you great credit for the degree of success you have attained) powers 
 of acquiring knowledge, — those powers must be cultivated ; he must 
 have opportunities afforded him of seeing people and amassing facts 
 for himself; and to this end it is my wish that he should mix as much 
 as possible in society. I am about to entertain a large party at Broad- 
 hurst, and I conceive that it will be a desirable opportunity to accustom 
 Sir Walter to the presence of strangers, and to enable him, by the 
 force of example acting on his imitative powers, to acquire the manners 
 and habits of those of his own rank. I therefore propose that after 
 two o'clock on each day your pupil and yourself should join the family 
 
 9 
 
t2i LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 circle and enter into any schemes for amusement or exercise which 
 may be arranged. I consider myself most fortunate," continued the 
 General, with a little patronising inclination of the head towards 
 Lewis, " in having secured the services of a gentleman whom I can 
 with such entire satisfaction present to my friends." 
 
 In compliance with this injunction Lewis was forced, much against 
 his will, to withdraw from the retirement under the shadow of which 
 he had hitherto contrived to screen himself from those annoyances 
 to which his dependent situation exposed him, and which his sensitive 
 nature led him especially to dread. On the following day arrivals 
 succeeded one another with great rapidity, and when Lewis joined 
 the party after luncheon there were several faces with which he was 
 unacquainted. One, however, immediately arrested his attention, and 
 turning to Leicester, he inquired the name of the person in question. 
 
 " Eh 1 who is the man with moustaches, did you say? What ! don't 
 you know him?" exclaimed Leicester, if, indeed, the slow, languid 
 manner in which that young gentleman was accustomed to promulgate 
 his sentiments can be properly so termed. " How very odd 1 I 
 thought everybody knew himy that's my frire aini, Bellefield ; come 
 with me, and I'll introduce you." 
 
 " Excuse me,y returned Lewis, drawing back with a flushed cheek 
 as the recollection of the scene on the banks of the Serpentine came 
 vividly before him. " I had no idea it was your brother ; I never 
 imagined for a moment " 
 
 " My dear Arundel, don't excite yourself; as a general rule, there's 
 nothing in this life worth getting up the steam about," returned 
 Leicester, drawing on a kid glove. "Bellefield will be extremely 
 happy to make your acquaintance — in fact, he is always extremely 
 happy. If you were to cut your throat before his very eyes he would 
 be extremely happy, and if he thought you did it well, probably fold 
 his arms, ask what you would take for the razor, and be extremely 
 happy to buy it of you. But as he'll be constantly here, there exists 
 a positive necessity for you to know him — so come along." 
 
 Thus saying, Charley Leicester linked his arm in that of Lewis and 
 carried him off, nolens volens, to be introduced to his brother. 
 
 Lord Bellefield having seen Lewis only once before, and under 
 very peculiar circumstances, did not immediately recognise him ; and 
 having made up his mind that for electioneering purposes it was 
 necessary to bear all species of social martyrdom amiably, underwent 
 his introduction to Lewis with great resignation, curling up his mous- 
 taches and showing his white teeth in a ready-made smile — of which 
 article he had always a stock on hand— most condescendingly. 
 
 Lewis's was, however, a face that once seen it was not easy to 
 forget. Moreover, there was at that moment an expression gleaming 
 in his dark eyes not altogether consistent with the conventional in- 
 difference befitting a mere social introduction, and Lord Bellefield was 
 too close an observer not to notice it. 
 
 " I've a strange idea I've seen you somewhere before, Mr. Arundel," 
 he remarked. 
 
 " If I am not much mistaken," returned -Lewis, "your lordship once 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 123 
 
 did me the honour," and he laid a slightly sarcastic emphasis on the 
 words, " to offer me a sum of money for a favourite dog." 
 
 There was something in Lewis's manner as he uttered these words 
 which showed that he had neither forgotten nor forgiven the insult 
 that had been offered him. Lord Bellefield perceived it, and replied, 
 with a half-sneer — 
 
 "Ay, I recollect now — you jumped into the water to fish him out; 
 and I naturally imagined that, as you appeared to set such store by 
 him, you must expect to make money of him. Have you got him 
 still?" 
 
 Lewis replied in the affirmative, and his lordship continued — 
 
 "Well, I'll give you your own price for him any day you like to 
 name the sum." 
 
 Without waiting for an answer he turned away and began convers- 
 ing in an undertone with his cousin Annie. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 SOME OF THE CHARACTERS FALL OUT AND OTHERS FALL IN. 
 
 " So ! you're old acquaintances, it seems ! " observed Leicester, who 
 had overheard the conversation following upon Lewis's introduction to 
 Lord Bellefield. " Frere told me about the dog business, but I never 
 knew till now that it had been Bellefield who offered you money for 
 him. I can see you were annoyed about it. Belle fancies money can 
 buy everything (which is pretty true in the long run), and a dog is a 
 dog to him and nothing more. He'd never dream of making a friend 
 of one ; in fact, he votes friendship a bore altogether ; so you must 
 not heed his insult to Herr Faust. What are people going to do this 
 afternoon? I wish somebody would settle something. Annie, just 
 attend to me a minute, will you — what are we going to do ? " 
 
 " Papa talked of a skating party on the lake," returned Annie, " but 
 I've had no definite orders. Where can papa be ? Do go and look 
 for him, Charles." 
 
 " Is he in the house, think you?" inquired Charles, rising languidly 
 and gazing round with a look of dreamy helplessness. 
 
 " I saw General Grant cross the lawn with a gentleman — Mr. De 
 Grandeville, I believe — not five minutes since," observed Lewis. 
 
 "Exactly; then as you know where to find him, Arundel, and I 
 don't, I dare say you'll be kind enough to tell him that — what was it, 
 Annie?" said Leicester, reseating himself in an easy-chair with an 
 expression of intense relief. 
 
 " Charley, how idle you are ! I am quite ashamed of you,'' exclaimed 
 Annie vehemently ; then, turning to Lewis, she continued, " If you 
 would be so kind, Mr. Arundel, as to ask papa whether the lake scheme 
 holds good, and if we are to walk or drive there, I should be so much 
 obliged to you." 
 
124 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 Lewis signified his willingness to execute her wishes, and calling to 
 Walter to accompany him, left the room. 
 
 "Well, Annie, how do you like Lewis Arundel by this time?" 
 inquired her cousin. " Wasn't I right in telling you he was quite a 
 catch ? " 
 
 "Yes, indeed," returned Annie warmly; "and he is so kind and 
 clever about that poor Walter, I don't know what we should do 
 without him. I think it is quite delightful to see his manner towards 
 him, poor boy ! it combines all the tenderness of a woman with the 
 firmness of a man, he is so patient and forbearing ; but it must in 
 some degree repay him for his trouble to see the improvement he has 
 effected, and the strong affection he has inspired. Walter absolutely 
 seems to dote upon him." 
 
 "A most desirable acquisition, certainly, the affection of an idiot," 
 observed Lord Bellefield with a satirical curl of the lip. 
 
 " I never despise real affection of any kind," returned Annie 
 quickly. 
 
 " I am delighted to hear you say so, belle cousine" replied Lord 
 Bellefield, fixing his bold, roving eyes on her with an expression 
 intended to be fascinating, but which was simply disagreeable. 
 
 Annie looked annoyed, and saying she must warn Miss Livingstone 
 of the intended expedition, rose and quitted the apartment. 
 
 When the brothers were left together, Charles, after a minute's 
 pause, began — " I say, Bellefield, I wish you'd try and be a little more 
 civil to young Arundel. You annoyed him by the way in which you 
 offered money for his dog, just after he had risked his life to save it, 
 and I don't think you mended matters by what you added to-day. 
 Recollect he's a gentleman by birth, and has the feelings of one." 
 
 " Curse his feelings I " was the unamiable rejoinder ; " he's a proud, 
 insolent young puppy. If he's a gentleman by birth, he's a beggar by 
 position, and requires pulling down to his proper level. I've no notion 
 of dependents giving themselves such airs, and shall let him know my 
 opinion some of these days." . 
 
 Charley Leicester regarded his elder brother with a half-sleepy look 
 of serio-comic disgust, then slightly shrugging his shoulders, he drew 
 on his glove, placed his hat on his head, arranged his curls to his 
 satisfaction at a mirror, and lounged gracefully out of the room. 
 
 Scarcely had he done so when the late subject of their conversation 
 entered by another door which opened into the conservatory, and 
 glanced round the apartment as if in quest of some one. Apparently 
 the object of his search was not to be discerned, for turning to Lord 
 Bellefield, he inquired "whether he could direct him where to find 
 Miss Grant ? " 
 
 The person addressed favoured him for some seconds with a super- 
 cilious stare ere he answered, "And what might you want with that 
 young lady, pray ? " 
 
 Lewis paused for a moment before he dared trust himself to reply, 
 for the tone in which the question had been asked was most insolent. 
 At length he said, " I can have no objection to gratify your lordship's 
 curiosity. The General wished me to inform Miss Grant that he had 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 125 
 
 arranged a skating party on the lake for this afternoon, and that 
 carriages would be at the door in ten minutes to transport those of 
 the company thither who might prefer driving to walking." 
 
 "Really, you must possess a wonderful memory, Mr. Arundel; I 
 dare swear those were the General's very words. As, however, I can 
 scarcely imagine it consistent with your onerous duties to play the 
 part of squire to dames, I'll save you the trouble for once, by deliver- 
 mg your message myself." And with an irritating smile, as he 
 remarked the anger his words had produced, Lord Bellefield turned 
 and quitted the apartment. 
 
 Lewis stood for a moment gazing after the retreating figure, his 
 chest heaving and his nostrils expanded, like those of some hunted 
 animal ; then pacing the room (his invariable custom when labouring 
 under strong excitement), he gave vent to the following broken 
 sentences : — 
 
 " He meant to insult me — his words, his look, everything proves it 
 — and I did not resent it. Perhaps he thinks I fear him — if I believed 
 so, I'd follow him, and before them all fix on him the blow of shame 
 that he must avenge, or own himself a coward." As he spoke he 
 took two or three hasty strides towards the door ; checking himself, 
 however, as his eye accidentally fell upon Walter, who had entered 
 with him, and who stood regarding him with looks of stupid amaze- 
 ment, he continued : " But I must not think of myself only ; the 
 interests of others are at stake — Rose — my Mother — that poor boy — I 
 dare not sacrifice them." He flung himself into a chair, and pressing 
 his hand against his burning brow, resumed, " Oh, why am I called 
 upon to bear this ? — how have I sinned, that this degradation should 
 be forced upon me ? — the coward 1 he knows I am bound hand and 
 foot, or he dare not thus insult me; it is like striking a fettered man—" 
 He paused, then added, " Well, a time may come when I may meet 
 him more as an equal; at all events, now it is my duty to bear 
 as much as human nature can, and I'll do it." He remained 
 silent for a few minutes, with his hand over his eyes, waiting till the 
 excitement should pass away. From this state he was aroused by 
 feeling something touch him, and looking up, he perceived the idiot, 
 half kneeling, half sitting by his side, gazing up into his face with 
 looks of wonder and sympathy. This mute evidence of affection 
 acted as a balm to his wounded spirit, and laying his hand kindly on 
 the boy's shoulder, he said, " Walter, my poor fellow, have I frightened 
 you ? I was not angry with you, you know. Come, we will walk down 
 to the lake and see the skating. What has become of Faust, I wonder ? 
 We must take him with us, of course." 
 
 " Who was that who went away just now ? " returned Walter. "He 
 with the hair over his mouth, I mean ? " 
 
 " That was Lord Bellefield, your friend Mr. Leicester's brother." 
 
 " He's a bad man, isn't he ? " 
 
 " Why should you think so, Walter ? " 
 
 The boy paused for a few moments in reflection, then answered, " His 
 eyes look wicked and frighten me ; besides, he made you angry — I 
 hate him." 
 
126 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 "You should not say that, Walter; you know it is not right to hate 
 any one," returned Lewis, feeling dreadfully hypocritical ; then linking 
 his arm in that of his pupil, they passed out through the conservatory. 
 
 As the sound of their retreating footsteps died away a figure 
 peeped timidly into the apartment, and seeing it was untenanted, 
 entered and gazed after them long and fixedly. It was Annie Grant, 
 who, returning to learn the result of Lewis's embassy to her father, 
 had involuntarily overheard both the insult and the burst of wounded 
 feeling which it had called forth. 
 
 In that short five minutes were sown seeds that, as they grew to 
 maturity, bore sleepless nights and weary days, and the tearless 
 sorrow of a breaking heart, as a portion of their bitter fruit 
 
 The lake in Broadhurst Park presented a gay scene on the after- 
 noon in question. The General, anxious to propitiate the good-will 
 of the voters, had ordered the park to be thrown open to all who 
 might choose to witness or join in the amusement of skating. A sharp 
 frost, which had continued without intermission for several days, had 
 covered the water with a firm coating of ice, which afforded a surface 
 as smooth as glass for the evolutions of the skaters. The sun was 
 shinmg brightly, bringing out beautiful effects of light and shade on 
 the steep and rugged banks, and causing the hoar-frost on the feathery 
 branches of a young birch plantation to glitter like sprays of diamonds. 
 On the side approached by the drive from the house a tent had. been 
 pitched, in such a direction that any of the party who feared to expose 
 themselves to the cold might witness the performances of the skaters 
 and yet be sheltered from the troublesome intrusion of the nortl: 
 wind. 
 
 As Lewis and Walter came in sight of the spot (on which several 
 groups of well-dressed people, together with a considerable numbej 
 of a lower class, were already assembled) the latter uttered an ex- 
 clamation 01 delight, and roused out of his usual state of apathy by 
 the novel excitement, bounded gaily forward till he reached the side 
 of Charles Leicester, to whom he had taken an extreme fancy. 
 
 " Mr. Arundel is going to teach me how to skate, Mr. Leicester, and 
 you are to help," he exclaimed, as soon as he had recovered breath 
 after his run. 
 
 " Am I ? " returned Leicester with a good-natured smile " How do 
 you know that I will help you ? " 
 
 " Because Mr. Arundel said so ; and everybody minds him — Faust 
 and all." 
 
 " Is that true, Arundel? Am I to do just as you tell me?" inquired 
 Leicester, as the individual alluded to joined them. 
 
 " It is quite right that Waher should think so, at all events," re- 
 turned Lewis ; " but I told him to ask you, as a favour, whether you 
 would lend us your assistance. Walter is anxious to learn to skate, 
 and to save his cranium from getting a few artificial bumps suddenly 
 developed upon it, I propose that you and I should each take one of 
 his arms and keep him from falling, till he learns to stand safely upon 
 his skates without assistance." 
 
 Leicester gave vent to a deep sigh of resignation, then muttered, 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 127 
 
 " Well, I should certainly never have dreamed of undergoing such an 
 amount of exertion on my own account ; but I suppose Walter fancies 
 it will be vei7 charming, and he has not a great many pleasures, poor 
 fellow ! " he continued aside. And so, like a good-natured, kind- 
 hearted creature, as, despite his affectation, he really was, he performed 
 the service required of him, and actually exerted himself till his com- 
 plexion became, as he expressed it, " redder than that of some awful 
 ploughboy." After a time Walter grew tired with the unaccustomed 
 exercise, and taking off his skates, the trio proceeded to join the party 
 at the tent. As they approached, Annie tripped up to Leicester, and 
 seizing his arm, said, " Where have you been all this time ? I wanted 
 you particularly." She then added something in a low voice which 
 had the effect of heightening her cousin's unromantic complexion to a 
 still greater degree, and elicited from him the incredulous ejaculation, 
 " Nonsense ! " 
 
 " I knew you'd be surprised," returned Annie, laughing. " She is 
 going to remain here till the party breaks up, so you'll have plenty of 
 time to make yourself agreeable, if it's not ' too much trouble,' or ' such 
 a bore,' " she continued, mimicking Charles's languid drawl. 
 
 " How was this matter brought about, pray?" inquired her cousin ; 
 " and why on earth do you fancy it concerns me in any way ?" 
 
 "It was all my doing," returned Annie. " I was not blind when we 
 were in Scotland; and after you left us I made a point of cultivating 
 the young lady, and fortunately for you, approving of her, I asked 
 papa to let me invite her to Broadhurst" 
 
 " Of course, with that discretion which is such a striking char- 
 acteristic of your amiable sex, imparting to him all your views in 
 doing so." 
 
 " Now, Charley, you are very cross and unkind and disagreeable. 
 I asked her merely because I thought it would give you pleasure ; 
 and though I like sometimes to tease you a little myself, of course I 
 never dreamed of saying anything to my father which could annoy you." 
 
 " Well, you are a dear, good little cousin, I know, so I won't scold 
 you," was the reply, and they entered the tent together. 
 
 A few minutes afterwards Lewis was engaged in pointing out to 
 Walter one of the skaters who was performing some very intricate 
 figure with great success, when he heard a female voice exclaim, 
 " Surely I am not mistaken — that is Mr. Arundel 1 " and turning at 
 the sound, beheld, leaning on the arm of Charles Leicester, Miss 
 Laura Peyton, the young lady who had penetrated his disguise at 
 Lady Lombard's party. Not to return her bow was impossible ; but 
 at the recollection of all that had passed on that evening his cheek 
 flushed and his features assumed a cold, haughty expression, the 
 result of mingled pride and vexation, under which he strove to conceal 
 his annoyance. Annie, who was not aware that Lewis and her friend 
 had ever met before, glanced from one to the other with looks 
 of the greatest astonishment, which was by no means diminished 
 when Miss Peyton continued, " Now let me inquire after the Prince 
 of Persia. I hope you left his Highness in the enjoyment of good 
 health." 
 
128 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 . While Lewis was striving to frame a suitable reply, Annie, who 
 could restrain herself no longer, exclaimed, in a tone of the utmost 
 bewilderment, " The Prince of Persia ! My dear Laura, are you out 
 of your senses ? " 
 
 The only reply her friend was able for some minutes to return was 
 rendered inaudible by a fit of laughing, in which Leicester, and at 
 last even Lewis himself, could not resist joining. 
 
 " Now I call that abominable," continued Annie ; " you are all enjoy- 
 ing some excellent joke, and I am left to pine in ignorance. Laura, 
 what are you laughing at ? " 
 
 "Ask Mr. Leicester," returned Miss Peyton, breathless with 
 laughter. 
 
 " Charles, what is it all about ? " 
 
 " Ask Arundel," was the reply; " he is the proper person to explain." 
 
 " Mr. Arundel, you must tell me ! " 
 
 " Really, I must beg you to excuse me," began Lewis. " Miss 
 Peyton — that is — Mr. Leicester — in fact, it is utterly impossible for 
 me to tell you. Come, Walter, you've rested quite long enough, 
 you'll catch cold sitting still, after making yourself so hot ; " and as 
 he spoke he took his pupil's arm and hastily quitted the tent. 
 
 Of course as soon as he was out of earshot, Annie reiterated her 
 demand that the mystery should be explained, and of course Laura 
 begged Charles to relate the affair, and then, woman-like, interrupted 
 him before he had uttered half-a-dozen words, and being once fairly 
 off, did not stop till she had told the whole history from beginning 
 to end, which she did with much spirit and drollery; then, in her 
 turn, she had to be informed of the position Lewis held in the General's 
 family; how wonderfully Walter had improved under his care, and 
 how much everybody liked him. When they had fully discussed 
 these matters, they were joined by Lord Bellefield, who escorted them 
 across the ice to witness more closely the proceedings of the skaters. 
 
 Later in the afternoon a party of young men had undertaken to 
 skate a quadrille. This being something new, people hurried from all 
 sides to witness the performance, and a crowd speedily collected. 
 Walter had expressed a wish to see it, and Lewis, pleased at the 
 unusual interest he took in all that was going forward, which he rightly 
 regarded as a proof of the decided progress his intellect was making, 
 willingly complied. 
 
 The crowd still continued to thicken as the quadrille proceeded, 
 and it had just occurred to Levns that the weight of so many people 
 collected in one spot would try the strength of the ice pretty severely, 
 when a sUght cracking sound confirmed his suspicions, and induced 
 him to withdraw Walter from the group. It was fortunate that he did 
 so, for scarcely were they clear of the crowd when a sharp crack, like 
 the report of a pistol, rang in his ears, followed in rapid succession by 
 one or two similar explosions. Then came a rush of many feet, 
 accompanied by the shrill screaming of women, and on looking round 
 Lewis perceived that a portion of the ice had given way, and that 
 several persons were struggling in the water. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 129 
 
 FAUST GETS ON SWIMMINGLY, AND THK READER IS INTRODUCED 
 TO A DIVING BELLE "WRINGING" WET. 
 
 The ihiieks alluded to in the last chapter still continued, and Lewis, 
 consigning Walter to the care of a servant, hastened to the spot to 
 render any assistance which it might be in his power to afford. As he 
 reached the scene of action the panic and confusion were so great 
 that it was no easy matter to ascertain the extent of the mischief, or to 
 perceive how best it might be remedied. Lord Bellefield, who seemed 
 the only person at all collected, was issuing directions in a loud, 
 authoritative voice, to which the majority of the bystanders appeared 
 too much alarmed and excited to pay attention. The number of 
 persons who were actually immersed had been increased by the in- 
 judicious attempts of those who had first endeavoured to assist them 
 by rushing to the edge of the broken ice, which, giving way under their 
 weight, had plunged them also into the water. As Lewis came up 
 a rope was flung across the opening, and held tightly by men on either 
 side. Grasping this firmly with one hand, the young tutor assisted to 
 extricate several persons who were clinging to the edges of the ice. 
 He was just springing back as the portion on which he was standing 
 broke away beneath his feet, when a cry was raised, " There's a lady 
 in the water ! " and immediately some one added, " It's the General's 
 daughter — it's Miss Grant." Before the words were well spoken 
 Lewis had fiung off his greatcoat and was about to plunge into the 
 water, when his eye suddenly caught that of Lord Bellefield, who, 
 having in the confusion accidentally stationed himself by his side, was 
 pointing with vehement gestures to the spot where, partly sustained 
 by the buoyant nature of her dress, partly supported by a mass of 
 floating ice, the form of Annie Grant was to be discerned. At the 
 sight of the eager face of the man who had insulted him some evil 
 spirit seemed to take possession of Lewis's breast ; checking himself 
 suddenly, he stepped back a pace, and fixing his eyes with a piercing 
 glance on Lord Bellefield's features, said coldly, " I beg pardon, your 
 lordship will, of course, rescue Miss Grant." 
 
 For a moment anger and surprise deprived Lord Bellefield of the 
 power of speaking, but as soon as he could find words he replied, 
 " Go on, sir ; as you could risk your life for a dog, you will surely take 
 a cold bath to save your master's daughter." 
 
 The speech was an ill-chosen one, for it excited a degree of irritation 
 which outweighed all other considerations, and folding his arms across 
 his chest, Lewis replied in a tone of the bitterest irony, " Your lord- 
 ship must excuse me. I am no squire of dames P 
 
 Lord Bellefield's only rejoinder was an oath, and flinging off his 
 wrapper, he appeared about to spring into the water. Suddenly 
 changing his intention, he turned to Lewis and exclaimed, his face 
 livid with rage and vexation, " Ten thousand curses on you ! You 
 know I cannot swim." 
 
130 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 It is at such moments as these, when by our own wilful act we have 
 laid ourselves open to his attacks, that the tempter urges us on to 
 crimes which in our calmer moments we should shudder to con- 
 template. A glance of triumph shot from Lewis's dark eyes ; the 
 fearful thought flashed across him, " She is to be his bride — her 
 fortune is to repair his extravagance — perhaps he loves her — let him 
 save her himself, I will not rescue her for him." And the fiend 
 prompted the idea, worthy of its originator, that he might revenge 
 himself on Lord Bellefield by leaving Annie to perish. But, like many 
 other clever people, for once the demon outwitted himself, the veiy 
 magnitude of the offence serving to awaken Lewis to the sinfulness 
 of the line of conduct he had meditated. Almost in the same moment 
 in which the idea occurred to him a mist seemed to clear itself away 
 from his mental vision, and he perceived the abyss of guilt on the 
 brink of which he was standing. And now the agonising doubt 
 suggested itself to him whether his repentance might not have come 
 too late — whether Annie might not sink before he could reach her; 
 and as Lord Bellefield ran off impetuously to hasten the movements 
 of a party who were bringing a small flat-bottomed boat towards the 
 spot, Lewis sprang into the water, clearing a quarter of the distance 
 in his leap, and swam with vigorous strokes in the direction of the 
 still floating figure. 
 
 His fears were not unfounded. Annie's dress, which had hitherto 
 served in great measure to sustain her, was rapidly becoming saturated 
 with water; every instant she sank lower, and while he was still some 
 yards from the spot, to his horror he perceived the fragment of ice on 
 which she rested roll round and slip from her grasp. The effect was 
 instantaneous. Uttering a piercing shriek, which rang through his 
 ears like a death-knell, she threw out her arms in a vain attempt to 
 save herself, and disappeared beneath the water. At the same moment 
 there was a rush, a bound, a plunge — some large animal dashed past 
 Lewis, and ere the last fragment of Annie's dress disappeared Faust 
 had seized it in his mouth and prevented its wearer from sinking. 
 The bystanders now drew the rope which had been flung across the 
 opening in the ice in such a direction that Lewis could grasp it, and 
 thus supported, he contrived to raise Annie's head above the water, 
 and with some assistance from Faust, to keep both her and himself 
 afloat till such time as the punt should arrive. This, fortunately, was 
 not long. The instant it was launched, Lord Bellefield and one or 
 two others jumped into it, and in another moment Annie Grant was 
 rescued from her perilous situation, to the horrors of which she was, 
 however, by this time happily insensible. As they were lifting her 
 into the boat, poor Faust, who probably did not understand that his 
 services were no longer needed, still retained his hold on her dress, 
 and Lord Bellefield struck him so fiercely with the handle of a boat- 
 hook that he fell back stunned, and would have sunk had not Lewis, 
 who was still in the water, thrown his arm round him and supported 
 him. 
 
 " The punt can hold no more," exclaimed Lord Bellefield. " Miss 
 Grant's safety must not be endangered for any consideration ; " and as 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 131 
 
 he spoke he pushed the boat from the spot, leaving Lewis still clinging 
 to the rope and supporting the weight of the dog, which did not as yet 
 begin to show any signs of life. 
 
 " We will bring the boat back for you, sir, directly," cried one of the 
 men who were assisting Lord Bellefield in punting. 
 
 " You must be quick about it, if you care to be of any use," returned 
 Lewis in a faint voice, "for I can't hold on much longer; my limbs 
 are becoming numbed with the cold." 
 
 " Better let go the dog if you're in any difficulty," suggested Lord 
 Bellefield with a malicious laugh as the boat moved rapidly away. 
 
 " That is the way they would repay your faithful service, eh 1 my 
 poor Faust," murmured Lewis. "Never fear, we'll sink or swim 
 together, my dog. If any one deserves to drown for this day's work 
 'tis I, not you." At the sound of his master's voice the poor animal 
 opened his eyes and began to show signs of returning animation. 
 Fortunate was it for them both that Lewis had contrived to place the 
 rope under his arms in such a position as almost entirely to support, 
 not only his own weight, but that of the dog also ; for long before the 
 boat returned his strength was entirely exhausted, and his limbs, from 
 the length of time he had been immersed in the icy water, had com- 
 pletely lost all sensation, and were powerless as those of a child. 
 
 Lord Bellefield contrived to detain the boat on various pretexts, till 
 at last the man who had promised to return lost all patience, and 
 pushed off without waiting for permission ; in another moment it was 
 by Lewis's side. 
 
 " Take the dog first," exclaimed Lewis in a voice scarcely audible 
 from exhaustion. " Now, you must lift me in, for I can't help myself." 
 
 With some difficulty (for even with the assistance of the rope Lewis 
 had been barely able to keep his own head and that of Faust above 
 water) the men in the boat complied with his directions. The dog 
 had by this time nearly recovered from the effects of the blow, and 
 was able to stand up and lick his master's face and hands as he lay at 
 the bottom of the punt. Lewis, however, by no means appeared in 
 such good case; his cheeks and even lips were deadly pale, his 
 breathing was hard and laborious, and he lay with his eyes closed 
 and his limbs stretched out with unnatural stiffness and rigidity. As 
 the boat approached the spot where a landing was practicable, 
 Charles Leicester, who had assisted his brother in conveying Annie to 
 the carriage, which was fortunately in waiting, came running back, 
 and as his eye fell upon the prostrate form of Lewis, he exclaimed — 
 
 " Why, Arundel 1 good heavens, I believe he's insensible." 
 
 Nor was he wrong. The instant the necessity for exertion was over 
 the reaction had been too much for Lewis, and he had fainted. He 
 was instantly lifted from the boat and carried to the tent, where such 
 restoratives as could be at the moment procured were applied, at first 
 without success, but after a short time the colour began to return to 
 his lips, and in a few minutes more he was restored to consciousness. 
 
 " Bravo, that's all right," began Charley Leicester, as Lewis, with a 
 faint smile, sat upright and returned his hearty shake of the hand with 
 a feeble pressure. " You begin to look a little less like a candidate 
 
132 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 for a coffin than you did five minutes ago. I declare, when I saw you 
 in the boat, I thought it was a case of ' found drowned.' Faust I 
 good dog, how unpleasantly wet you are — what a bump he's got on 
 the top of his head, just where the organ of combativeness — no, 
 veneration, isn't it? ought to be. How did that happen? In fact 
 I'm quite in the dark as to the whole affair, for I had gone to fetch 
 shawls for some of the ladies, and when I reached the scene of action 
 Bellefield was fishing his intended, half-drowned, out of a moist 
 punt, and enlisted me to assist in conveying the dripping damsel tc 
 the carriage. Did you fall in together?" 
 
 " You will hear enough about it soon, I dare say," returned Lewis, 
 speaking feebly and with apparent difficulty. " I am afraid I have 
 scarcely sufficient life left in me just now to tell you." 
 
 " Don't attempt it," returned Leicester good-naturedly. " And the 
 sooner you get those soaked clothes off, the better. Of course they 
 will send back the trap for you." 
 
 " My carriage is on the spot," interrupted a tall, aristocratic-looking 
 man who had assisted in conveying Lewis to the tent. " My carriage 
 is on the spot, and is very much at this gentleman's service. We must 
 all feel anxious to prevent his suffering from the effects of his gallant 
 conduct. The preserver of Miss Grant's life must be considered as a 
 public benefactor." 
 
 At this praise a slight colour rose to Lewis's pale cheeks, and a look 
 of pain passed across his features. He to be styled Annie's preserver I 
 — he who had all but sacrificed her life to his feelings of revenge I 
 and as the recollection occurred to him a slight shudder ran through 
 his frame. 
 
 " There, you are actually shivering,'' exclaimed' Leicester. " I shall 
 not let you stay here any longer. Since Sir Ralph Strickland is so 
 kind as to offer his carriage, there is nothing to delay us. Can you 
 walk ? Take my arm." 
 
 Lewis, with an inclination of the head to Sir Ralph, took Leicester's 
 proffered arm, and having with difficulty risen from his seat, attempted 
 to walk, but at the first step he stumbled, and would have fallen 
 had not his friend supported him. 
 
 " Steady, there," continued Leicester ; " you're hardly in marching 
 order yet Would you like to wait another minute or two?" 
 
 " I think I had better try to proceed," replied Lewis ; " exercise 
 may serve to restore the circulation." 
 
 " Allow me to take your other arm," said Sir Ralph Strickland 
 kindly; "then I think you will be able to reach the carriage — it is 
 close at hand. The length of time you were in the water has 
 cramped your limbs. _ I saw the whole affair, and never witnessed 
 anything more interesting than the conduct of your noble dog." 
 
 And as he spoke he stooped and patted Faust, then forcing Lewis 
 to accept his offer of assistance, they left the tent together. As his 
 blood began once again to circulate the cramp and stiffness gradually 
 disappeared, and ere the trio reached the carriage Lewis scarcely 
 retjuired assistance. On reaching Broadhurst he found the General 
 waiting to receive him, and the instant he alighted he had to 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 133 
 
 undergo a long, piosy, and pompous harangue, embodying that noble 
 commander's gratitude, during the delivery of which oration the 
 subject of it was kept standing in his wet clothes, a compulsory 
 act of homage to the cold-water system, by no means congenial to 
 his feelings, mental or bodily. However, it came to an end at last, 
 and Lewis was permitted to retire to his own room. Moreover, 
 Charles Leicester (instigated thereunto by a hint from Miss Peyton) 
 waylaid the apothecary who had been summoned on Annie's account, 
 and caused him to inspect Lewis's condition, which measure re- 
 sulted in a command to have his bed warmed, and instantly to 
 deposit himself therein ; with which medical ordinance Lewis was 
 fain to comply. 
 
 There he lay until, from being much too cold, he became a great 
 deal too hot, for before night he was in a high state of feverish 
 excitement, accompanied by violent pains in the head and limbs. 
 His medical adviser was, however, fortunately really skilful, and by 
 vigorous and timely measures he contrived to avert the rheumatic 
 fever with which his patient was threatened ; and after spending 
 three days in bed Lewis arose, feeling indeed especially weak, but 
 otherwise little the worse in body for his aquatic exploit. We say 
 in body, for mentally he had suffered, and was still suffering bitterly. 
 As he lay on the couch of sickness in the silent hours of the night, 
 face to face with conscience, the recollection of the sin he had 
 committed (for a sin it was, and he was too honest-hearted in his 
 self-scrutiny not to recognise it as such) haunted him. The fact 
 that he had been unable by his own act to repair the consequences 
 of the evil he had meditated impressed him deeply — but for Faust 
 Annie would have sunk ere he could have reached the spot, prob- 
 ably to rise no more. It appeared a special interference of 
 Providence to convince him of the folly of self-reliance, and to 
 impress upon his mind a sense of the mercy of God, in saving him 
 from the consequences of his revengeful feelings. True, he had 
 repented of his fault almost in the moment of committal ; true, he 
 had risked his life in proof of the sincerity of his repentance; true, the 
 provocation he had received might, in the eyes of men, serve in 
 great measure to justify him ; still, the knowledge that but for the 
 interposition of Providence he might now have felt himself a mur- 
 derer filled him with emotions of the deepest penitence, and at 
 the same time of the liveliest gratitude. 
 
 In this frame of mind the encomiums passedupon his gallant conduct 
 were most distressing to him, and a short note from Annie, thanking 
 him in a few simple words for having saved her life, added fuel 
 to the fire of his self-condemnation. Amongst other good resolutions 
 for the future he determined to bear any insults Lord Bellefield 
 might offer with as much patient endurance as could by any possi- 
 bility be consistent with self-respect in one in his dependent situation; 
 and the reader may judge of the sincerity of his repentance if he 
 reflects what such a resolution must have cost his haughty nature. 
 He also determined to seek an opportunity of confessing to Annie 
 how little he deserved her gratitude, and to implore her forgiveness 
 
134 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 for the wrong he had intended her. The dipping that young lady had 
 undergone did not appear to have affected either her health or her 
 spirits. By the doctor's orders she also had been sent to bed 
 immediately on her return home, where, falling asleep, she escaped 
 a lecture from Minerva and all other evil consequences of her im- 
 mersion, and woke the next morning none the worse for the accident. 
 
 It was about a week after the day on which these events had taken 
 place, when, the afternoon being fine, Lewis and Walter proposed to 
 take a ride together. Walter had mounted his pony, and Lewis was 
 strapping a greatcoat in front of his horse's saddle, when Richards, 
 the groom, who had been elevated to the rank of second coachman 
 (as the illness of the head coachman had rendered his resignation an 
 act of necessity, and the next in command had succeeded to his vacant 
 box), came forward, and touching his hat, asked if he could speak to 
 Lewis a minute. 
 
 " Certainly ; what is it ? " returned Lewis, stepping aside a few paces. 
 
 "Why, sir,-p'r'aps you know as the. General's gone out a-driving ?" 
 
 " I was not aware of the fact," returned Lewis ; " but what then ? " 
 
 "He's a-driving of hisself, sir, — our iron-greys, Mr. Arundel. 
 Master ain't so young as he used to was, and it's my belief if any- 
 think startles 'em he won't be able to hold 'em — they go sweetly now, 
 but they do pull most amazing. I drove 'em yesterday, and afore I 
 got home my arms ached proper^." 
 
 " Did you mention this to General Grant ? " inquired Lewis. 
 
 " Well, I told him I was afeard he'd find 'em pull rather stiff; but 
 he only give me one of his dark looks, as much as to say, ' Keep youi 
 advice to yourself, and mind your own business.' Master's rather a 
 hard gentleman to talk to, you see ; he's always been used to shooting 
 and flogging the blacks, out in the Ingies, till it's kind a-become 
 natural to him ; and as he can't act the same here with us whites, why 
 it puts him out like." 
 
 " I do not see that anything can be done now," observed Lewis, 
 after a moment's reflection. " If I had been here when the General 
 started I would have told him the trick the iron-greys played us, and 
 advised him not to drive them just yet ; but I dare say it would have 
 done no good ; for, as you say, your master is not over fond of advice 
 gratis. I suppose he has one of the grooms with him ? " 
 
 " Only a mere boy, sir, and Miss Annie," was the reply. 
 
 " What ! " exclaimed Lewis in a quick, excited tone of voice ; " is 
 Miss Grant with him ? Why did you not say so before ? Which road 
 have they taken ? How long have they been gone? " 
 
 "About twenty minutes, or p'r'aps not so long," returned Richards. 
 " I think they're gone to Camfield — leastways, I heard master tell 
 Miss Annie to bring her card-case, 'cos he was going to call on 
 Colonel Norton." 
 
 " That must be eight miles by the road, but not much above five 
 across the fields by Churton Wood," rejoined Lewis. 
 
 " That is right, Mr. Arundel," was the reply ; " and the gates is 
 unlocked, for I rode that way v. ith a note for Colonel Norton the day 
 afore yesterday." 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 135 
 
 Ere Richards had finished speaking Lewis was on horseback ; and 
 as soon as they reached the park he turned to his pupil, saying, 
 " Now, Walter, sit firmly, guide the pony on to the turf, tighten your 
 reins, and then for a good canter; touch him with the whip — not too 
 hard — that's it." Putting his own horse in motion at the same time, they 
 rode forward at a brisk canter, which, as the horses grew excited by 
 the rapid motion, became almost a gallop. Crossing the park at this 
 pace, they turned down a bridle-path which led through a wood and 
 across several grass fields, beyond the last of which lay a wide 
 common. As they approached this Lewis took out his watch. 
 "Above four miles in twenty mintues, — I call that good work for a 
 pony. You rode very well, Walter, — you've a capital seat on horse- 
 ijack now." 
 
 " I can leap too," rejoined Walter. " Richards taught me the days 
 when you were ill in bed." 
 
 " I'm glad to hear it," returned Lewis, who, while his pupil was 
 speaking, had been endeavouring, unsuccessfully, to open a gate, 
 "for they have fastened this gate with a padlock, and we must find our 
 way over the hedge." 
 
 " Oh ! but I can't " began Walter. 
 
 "Yes you can," interposed Lewis, "when I have cleared the road 
 for you, and shown you how to do it. Sit still and watch me." So 
 saying, he selected a place where the hedge was thin and the ditch 
 and bank practicable, and putting his horse into an easy canter, rode 
 at it. Being particularly anxious that nothing should go wrong, and 
 that Walter should be convinced of the feasibility of the attempt, 
 Lewis was not best pleased when his horse, instead of rising to the 
 leap, refused it, and replied to a tolerably sharp application of the 
 spur by plunging violently and turning short round. His rider, how- 
 ever, sat as firmly as if he were part of the animal, and cantering 
 round two sides of the field, got him well in hand and again rode him 
 at the hedge, working his mouth with the bit and giving him the spur. 
 This discipline produced the desired effect ; for instead of refusing 
 the leap this time, the horse sprang forward with a bound which 
 would have cleared an obstacle of twice the size, and alighted on the 
 other side several feet beyond the ditch. Lewis rode on a few yards, 
 and then turning, leaped back into the field and rejoined his pupil. 
 " Now, Walter, you must do as I have done. Canter up to that gap, 
 give the pony his head, touch him on the flank as he approaches the 
 hedge, sit firmly and press in your knees, and you'll go over as nicely 
 as possible." 
 
 But poor Walter's courage failed him; the conflict between Lewis 
 and his horse had destroyed his confidence, and he was afraid to make 
 the attempt. His tutor read it in his blanched cheek and quailing 
 glance, and being as kind and judicious as he was firm, forbore to 
 press the point, and dismounting, led the pony through the gap, and 
 assisted Walter to scramble over on foot ; then remounting his steed, 
 he tested his obedience by once more leaping him over ; and having 
 thus achieved the adventure of the locked gate, tutor and pupil can- 
 tered off across the common. But this little episode had caused some 
 
136 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 loss of time, and when Lewis reached the lane leading to the village, 
 near which Colonel Norton's house was situated, he learned from 
 a man who was mending the road that a phaeton, answering the 
 description of General Grant's equipage, had passed a few minutes 
 before. 
 
 " My friend Richards' fears were needlessly excited then, it seems, 
 and the old gentleman is a better whip than he gave him credit for 
 being," thought Lewis. " Come, Walter," he added aloud, " we will 
 go back by the road. Don't trot just yet; the horses are warm, we 
 must allow them to get a little cool." 
 
 After proceeding about half a mile along the lane, which was only 
 just wide enough to allow vehicles to pass each other, they overtook 
 an elderly woman in a red cloak most picturesquely perched between 
 two panniers on a donkey's back. Such an arrangement being a 
 novelty to Walter, he was proceeding to inquire of what use the 
 panniers were, when Lewis's quick sense of hearing caught a sound 
 which caused him to rein in his horse and, enjoining silence, pause 
 to listen. His ears had not deceived him. Owing to the frosty 
 weather the road was particularly hard, the ruts also had been lately 
 mended with coarse gravel, and as he listened the sound of horses' 
 feet galloping, and the rattle of a carriage proceeding at unusual speed, 
 became distinctly audible in the lane behind them. The vehicle was 
 evidently rapidly approaching. The lane being in this part extremely 
 narrow, Lewis's first thought was for Walter's safety. Seizing the 
 pony's rein, he set spurs to his horse, and they cantered on a short 
 distance till they reached a gateway leading into a field. The gate 
 was fortunately open, and desiring Walter to ride into the field and 
 wait till he joined him, he turned his horse's head and began to retrace 
 his steps. As soon as he had passed an old oak-tree which stood at 
 a corner of the road and prevented any one from seeing beyond it, he 
 perceived the cause of the sounds which had reached him, and which 
 he had already but too correctly divined. 
 
 At about a hundred yards from the spot where he was stationed 
 appeared a phaeton drawn by a pair of magnificent iron-grey horses, 
 which Lewis had no difficulty in recognising. From the furious pace at 
 which they were advancing, it was evident that their driver had lost 
 all control over them ; while about half-way between Lewis and the 
 equipage in question were the donkey and panniers, with the old 
 woman in the red cloak before alluded to. The gentleman driving 
 the phaeton shouted to her to get out of the way, and Lewis made 
 signs as to which side of the road she had better take; but she 
 appeared either paralysed with fear or unable to guide her donkey ; 
 and ere she was able to comply with, or probably to comprehend these 
 directions, the infuriated horses had overtaken her, and dashing 
 against her, flung her, donkey, panniers and all, to the ground with a 
 shock like that of a battering-ram. At the same instant Lewis, avail- 
 ing himself of the temporary check, rode forward, and springing from 
 his saddle, seized the heads of the phaeton horses, and with much diffi- 
 culty, and no inconsiderable personal risk, succeeded in stopping them. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL ts? 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 THE TRAIN ARRIVES AT AN IMPORTANT STATION. 
 
 The catastrophe related at the end of the last chapter attracted the 
 attention of a couple of labourers who had been engaged in mending 
 the road, and they immediately hastened to the spot to render any 
 assistance which might be required. By their aid the poor woman 
 was extricated from her perilous situation, and fortunately proved to 
 be less injured than could have been expected, a dislocated shoulder 
 being the most serious hurt she had sustained. Committing the 
 phaeton and horses to the care of one of the working men, Lewis and 
 the other labourer carried the poor woman to a cottage by the road- 
 side, and deposited her on a bed till such time as the surgeon (for 
 whom General Grant had, by his daughter's suggestion, despatched 
 the groom on the horse which Lewis had ridden) should arrive. 
 Luckily, they had not long to wait, as the boy met the person he was 
 in search of returning from his round of professional visits. The 
 dislocated shoulder was soon set to rights and bandaged up, and the 
 sight of Annie's well-filled purse rendered easy an arrangement with 
 the tenants of the cottage to allow the invalid to continue their inmate 
 till the next day, when she could be removed without detriment. 
 
 In the meantime the General had drawn Lewis on one side, and 
 was expatiating to him upon the cause of the accident. " You perceive, 
 Mr. Arundel, that my wrist is slightly swollen ? Well, sir, that is from 
 an old strain received in the little affair at Sticumlykphun. I was only 
 a captain then. The company to which I belonged got separated from 
 the regiment in crossing a jungle, and a party of the Rajah's irregular 
 horse tried to cut us off; they were upon us so suddenly, we hadn't 
 time to form a hollow square, and for a minute our fate appeared sealed ; 
 — they rode the men down like sheep. In the miUe a gigantic trooper 
 cut down the colour-sergeant and was about to possess himself of the 
 flag, when I seized the staff with my left hand and struck at him with 
 my sabre, but, unfortunately, it broke on his cuirass ; his sword had also 
 snapped with the blow which had caused the sergeant's death, and a 
 struggle ensued between us for the possession of the colours. His 
 strength was in proportion to his height, but although I felt as if every 
 muscle in my arms was about to snap, I held on till one of my men 
 shot him through the head. At the same moment a troop of the 14th 
 Lancers rode up and rescued us — but my wrists have never recovered 
 the strain. However, I found little difficulty in holding in these 
 horses, till, just now, when we had turned to come home, some boys 
 overthrew a barrow full of stones by the roadside, which startled the 
 animals; they broke into a gallop, and despite all my efforts to 
 prevent it, the accident to which you were witness occurred." 
 
 " Had I known of your intention, sir, I should have cautioned you 
 not to trust them too implicitly," replied Lewis. " Before your return, 
 — by Miss Livingstone's wish, — I went over the stables to ascertain 
 whether there were any carriage horses she could use. I drove these 
 
 10 
 
138 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 greys the second or third time they had ever been in harness, and they 
 ran away with me in Broadhurst Park ; but I have taken them out 
 several times since, when Walter wished for an airing, and I believed 
 they had become quiet." 
 
 " Indeed," returned the General, more graciously than was his wont, 
 " I was not aware you were so good a whip ; that relieves me from a 
 great difficulty; you will be so obliging as to drive the phaeton home, 
 and I can ride your horse. With my wrists in their present condition 
 it would be a great risk for me to attempt to hold in those animals, and 
 the groom is a mere boy. Annie, my dear," he continued, as his 
 daughter approached them from the cottage, " our difficulties are at 
 an end. Mr. Arundel, it appears, has been in the habit of driving these 
 horses lately, and will be so good as to take my place and see you 
 safely home." 
 
 " But, papa " began Annie in a tone of remonstrance, while a 
 
 slight accession of colour replaced the roses which fear had banished 
 from her cheeks. 
 
 " My dear, the arrangement is the only one which appears feasible 
 under present circumstances. I shall ride Mr. Arundel's horse and 
 will keep near, so you need be under no alarm," returned her father 
 majestically. 
 
 Annie by no means approved of the plan. In the first place, she 
 was a good deal afraid of the horses, and having no experience of 
 Lewis's skill as a driver, was naturally alarmed at trusting herself 
 again behind them. In the second place, she had a vague idea that 
 it was scarcely etiquette to take a tHe-d.-Ute drive with the handsome 
 young tutor. But she saw that her father was quite determined, so, 
 like a sensible girl, she refrained from oifering opposition which she 
 foresaw would be useless. 
 
 Lewis, however, reading in that " book of beauty," her expressive 
 face, the secret of her fears, took an opportunity, while the General 
 was altering the stirrups to suit himself, to reassure her by saying, 
 "You need not be in the least afraid. Miss Grant. Believe me, I 
 would not undertake so great a trust as that of your safety did I 
 not feel perfectly sure that I could drive you home without the slightest 
 danger." 
 
 As Lewis spoke Annie raised her eyes and glanced at him for a 
 rnoment. It has been already remarked, in the course of this vera- 
 cious history, that when Lewis smiled, the nameless charm which in 
 Rose Arundel's face won the love of all who knew her shed its lustre 
 over his handsome features. To analyse such an expression of 
 countenance is scarcely possible, but perhaps the nearest approach 
 to a correct description of it would be to say that it was a bright, sun- 
 shiny look which inspired others with a conviction of its wearer's 
 kindliness of heart and honest truthfulness of purpose. Such was 
 its effect in the present instance, and when her father handed her to 
 her seat in the phaeton the uneasiness which had arisen from a want 
 of confidence in her driver had in great measure disappeared. Lewis 
 waited, with the reins in his hand, till the General had mounted and 
 ridden off with Walter, who acquiesced silently in the change of com- 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 139 
 
 panion, then springing lightly to his place, he desired the man at the 
 horses' heads to stand aside, and drove off. The iron-greys soon found 
 out the difference between their late conductor and their present one, 
 and after one or two slight attempts to gain their own way gave up 
 the point and settled down into a quiet, steady trot. Annie, whose 
 alarm had quickened her perceptions on the subject, was not long in 
 remarking the change, and turning to her companion, observed, 
 " How do you contrive to make the horses go so quietly, Mr. 
 Arundel ? When papa was driving them they did nothing but dance 
 and caper the whole way, and at last, as you are aware, ran away 
 with us." 
 
 Lewis, who considered that the present was a favourable oppor- 
 tunity, which might never occur again, to unburden his mind in regard 
 to the skating affair, and was debating with himself how he might 
 best introduce the subject, heard her question mechanically, as it 
 were, without its reaching the ears of his understanding, and it was 
 not until he observed her look of surprise at receiving no answer to 
 her query that he hastened to reply, " I beg your pardon, Miss 
 Grant, I was thinking on quite a different subject I have lived such 
 a hermit's life of late with poor Walter that I fear I have become 
 dreadfully absent." 
 
 " I merely asked by what charm you had contrived to tame these 
 fiery steeds," returned Annie, smiling at his evident bewilderment. 
 
 " The charm of a steady hand and a strong arm," replied Lewis. 
 " But these horses and I are old acquaintances ; we had a struggle once 
 for the mastery, and I conquered, which they have not forgotten." 
 He then gave her a short account of the runaway scene in Broad- 
 hurst Park, to which she listened with much interest. When he had 
 concluded, Annie remarked, " How dreadful it must have been when 
 they were rushing towards the lake, and you felt uncertain whether 
 you might be able to check their wild career ! That lake seems 
 destined to become the scene of dangerous adventures. I must take 
 this opportunity," she continued with a faint blush, " of thanking you 
 for saving my life. In the few hurried lines I wrote you, I am afraid 
 I scarcely made you understand how much I — in fact, that I am not 
 ungrateful." 
 
 It was now Lewis's turn to feel embarrassed. The moment he had 
 sought for was arrived. He must confess that which would turn his 
 companion's gratitude into aversion ; he must forfeit her good opinion 
 irretrievably, and probably for this very reason (so perverse is human 
 nature), he, for the first time, discovered that he valued it highly. Annie 
 was the only member of the family (with the exception, perhaps, of 
 Charles Leicester) who had never caused him to feel painfully his 
 dependent situation; and it had not escaped his notice how on 
 several occasions she had interfered to save him from some trifling 
 annoyance, which her woman's tact led her to feel would be doubly 
 mortifying to his proud and sensitive nature. Still he had resolved to 
 make the confession, and with him to resolve and to do were one and 
 the same thing. Another difficulty which rendered his task more 
 embarrassing was that, in order to make his explanation intelligible, 
 
t46 LEWIS ARUNCEL 
 
 he must revert to Lord Bellefield's insult, and though at that moment 
 nothing would have given him greater satisfaction than to bestow on 
 that unworthy scion of nobility a sound horse-whipping, he shrank from 
 the idea of being supposed capable of the littleness of revenging 
 himself by injuring his enemy in the affections of his betrothed. 
 Thinking, however, was useless ; the more he reflected the more 
 embarrassed did he become, so he plunged at once in media res by 
 exclaiming, " You cannot be aware. Miss Grant, of the pain your words 
 give me. Far from deserving your gratitude, I must implore your 
 pardon for having nearly sacrificed your life to my unfortunately warm 
 temper and revengeful feelings; nor shall I again enjoy peace of 
 mind till I have obtained your forgiveness, should I indeed be for- 
 tunate enough to succeed in doing so." 
 
 At this singular address Annie opened her large eyes and regarded 
 her companion with unmixed astonishment, feeling by no means 
 satisfied that he had not suddenly taken leave of his senses ; not heed- 
 ing her surprise, however, Lewis continued: "In order to make my 
 tale intelligible, I must revert to an occurrence which I would rather, 
 for many reasons, have left unmentioned ; but you will, I hope, do me 
 the justice to believe that I am actuated by no unworthy motive in 
 alluding to it. About a year ago my favourite dog became entangled 
 whilst swimming in the Serpentine river, and would have been drowned 
 if I had not jumped in and saved him." 
 
 " I know, I saw it all ; we were driving in the park at the time,'' 
 interrupted Annie eagerly. 
 
 "As I regained the bank," resumed Lewis, "a gentleman, whom I 
 have since learned to be your cousin. Lord Bellefield, came up and 
 offered me a sum of money for the dog. I had not accomplished 
 Faust's rescue without some risk, for though I am a good swimmer, 
 my wet clothes kept dragging me down, and I confess the offer of 
 money for an animal I had just imperilled my life to save irritated 
 me, and I returned Lord Bellefield an answer which perhaps he was 
 justified in considering impertinent. When Mr. Leicester introduced 
 me to his brother, on the day of the skating-party, it was evident he 
 had not forgotten this transaction, and he soon found an opportunity 
 to address me in a style which could only have been applied to a 
 dependent with safety." 
 
 As he spoke these words in a tone of bitter contempt, his eyes flash- 
 ing and his cheeks burning, his companion murmured as though she 
 were thinking aloud, " It was ungenerous of him, in the extreme." 
 Lewis remained silent for a moment, and then continued in a calmer 
 voice : " I am by nature of a lamentably hasty temper, and my impulse 
 would have led me to resent Lord Bellefield's insult on the spot ; but 
 many considerations withheld me, and still possessed by angry feeling, 
 I joined the party on the lake. After the ice had given way, while I 
 was assisting those who clung to the edges to scramble out, I first 
 became aware that you were in the water, and I was about to jump in 
 and swim to your assistance when, by some ill luck, your cousin 
 approached in a state of great excitement and ordered me authori- 
 tatively to ' save my masters daughter.' " 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 141 
 
 " Oh, how could he say such a thing 1 " exclaimed Annie in- 
 dignantly. 
 
 "As he spoke," resumed Lewis, "some evil spirit seemed to take 
 possession of me, and, to annoy him, I bowed and drew back, saying. 
 Your lordship must excuse me — I am no squire of dames;' adding 
 that of course he would rescue you himself. From the irritation 
 produced by my reply I discovered that his lordship was unable to 
 swim, and having reason to suppose your safety was especially 
 important to him, the fiendish idea crossed my mind that by leaving 
 you to perish I could revenge myself on him more efTectually than by 
 any other means." 
 
 "How could you be so unjust, so cruel, even in idea?" interrupted 
 Annie reproachfully, — " I, who have never injured you in thought, 
 word, or deed; but you were maddened at the time, and knew not 
 what you did." 
 
 " I must indeed have been mad," exclaimed Lewis, completely -over- 
 come by the kindness of these last words, " when I could even for a 
 moment forget the gentle courtesy with which you have always treated 
 
 me — the consideration — the " He paused abruptly and pressed 
 
 his hand to his forehead as if to shut out some hateful vision, a 
 relaxation of vigilance of which the near-side horse took advantage to 
 shy at its own shadow and break into a canter, which manoeuvre 
 restored Lewis's self-possession in an instant, the rein was again 
 tightened, and the culprit admonished, by a sharp stroke of the whip, 
 that he was not to indulge in such caprices for the future, ere his 
 driver resumed : " I had scarcely formed the idea you so justly 
 stigmatise as cruel, when the atrocity of the act flashed across me, 
 and as Lord Bellefield ran off to procure a boat, I sprang into the 
 water and swam towards you. Imagine then the agony of mind with 
 which I perceived that you would sink before I could reach you 1 At 
 that moment I felt what it was to be a murderer 1 The rest of the 
 tale you have no doubt heard from others — how it pleased the Almighty 
 to permit the instinct of my noble dog to become the instrument by 
 which you were saved from death, and I from a life of remorse, to 
 which death itself would have been preferable. Of this you are already 
 aware ; it only remains for me to add that if the deepest self-abhorrence, 
 the most sincere repentance for the past may weigh with you, you will 
 forgive me the wrong I meditated." At this moment the sound of 
 horses' feet cantering gave notice that General Grant was about to 
 effect a junction with the main body, and Annie replied hastily, "As 
 far as I have anything to forgive, Mr. Arundel, I do so most heartily. 
 If for a moment you thought of allowing my life to be sacrificed, you 
 risked your own to save it immediately afterwards, so that I remain 
 your debtor, even putting to-day's adventure out of the account — for I 
 fully believe papa and I were in a fair way to break our necks, though 
 he would not allow it." 
 
 " Well, Annie," remarked the General, riding up to his daughter's 
 side, " you don't appear to be frightened now." 
 
 " No, papa," was the reply, " there is nothing to be alairoed at ; the 
 horses go as quietly as possible," 
 
142 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " Ah I I thought I had pretty well tamed them," returned the 
 General triumphantly. "You scarcely find them at all difficult to 
 restrain now, Mr. Arundel, I presume." 
 
 "They do pull a little strongly even yet, sir," returned Lewis 
 quietly ; "that glove was whole when I took the reins." As he spoke 
 he held up his left hand and disclosed two large rents caused by the 
 friction. 
 
 " Hum ! " replied the General, slightly disconcerted. " Well, you 
 have driven them very steadily; don't hurry them, take them in cool. 
 Walter and I will precede you and explain how this adventure came 
 about." So saying he gave his horse the rein, and he and Walter 
 cantered on. 
 
 " Lord Bellefield has behaved abominably," observed Annie 
 abruptly, after they had proceeded for some distance in silence ; "he 
 ought to apologise to you, and I have a great mind to make him 
 do so." 
 
 " Do not think of such a thing," returned Lewis hastily. " If I can 
 read his character. Lord Bellefield is a very proud man, and to one 
 whom he considers his inferior he could not bring himself to apolo- 
 gise ; nor, on calmly reviewing my own conduct, can I entirely 
 acquit myself of having given him cause of offence. In my manner 
 towards him I have shown too plainly my forgetfulness of our 
 difference of station. Feeling that the son of one who was a 
 soldier, a man of old family, and a gentleman in the highest sense 
 of the word, is any man's equal, I overlooked the distinction between 
 the heir to a peerage and a poor tutor, and I treated Lord Bellefield, 
 as I would any other man whose manner displeased me, cavalierly, 
 without considering, or indeed caring, in what light my conduct might 
 appear to him. This error I am resolved to avoid for the future, and 
 if he will on his part forbear further insult, it is all I desire. Believe 
 me," added Lewis in a tone which carried conviction with it, " I do 
 not undervalue your kindness in advocating my cause, but I would not 
 have you suffer further annoyance on my account ; so if you have 
 really forgiven me, you will best show it by forgetting the whole 
 matter as speedily as possible." 
 
 Annie shook her head as though she considered such a termination 
 to the affair highly improbable, merely replying, " Perhaps you are 
 right in thinking I should do more harm than good by my interference; 
 at all events, I will be guided in the matter by your wishes. And now, 
 Mr. Arundel," she continued, " let me say what I have often wished, 
 but have never been able to find an opportunity to tell you before, and 
 that is, that as long as you are with us — not that I mean to limit it 
 only to that time — I hope you will regard me as a friend. I have 
 heard from my cousin Charles an outline of the circumstances through 
 which my father was fortunate enough to secure your valuable assist- 
 ance for poor Walter, and I can well conceive how greatly you must 
 feel the loss of the society of your mother and sister." 
 
 " I know not how to thank you for such unexampled kindness ; you 
 are indeed returning good for evil," replied Lewis wannly. He paused 
 for a moment, as if be were considering how best he might express his 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 143 
 
 meaning, then added, "As far as may be, I shall most gladly avail 
 myself of the privilege of your friendship. I cannot tell you the weight 
 you have taken oft" my mind by this convincing proof of your forgive- 
 ness. You may imagine how exquisitely painful, knowing how little 
 I deserved them, were all the civil speeches people considered it 
 necessary to make me on my 'gallant conduct,' as they termed it; as 
 if there were anything wonderful in swimming a few yards to save a 
 life I — the wonder would be for any man who could swim not to do so." 
 
 " And yet, thinking thus lightly of the peril, you tell me you were so 
 carried away by your angry feeling as to hesitate whether or not to 
 leave me to perish," returned Annie reflectively. " How strange that 
 the mind can be engrossed by passion so completely as to banish all 
 its natural impulses 1 " 
 
 " You will laugh at me, and think my German education has filled 
 my brain with strange, wild fancies," replied Lewis; "but I believe 
 that we are under a species of demoniacal possession at such moments 
 — that by indulging our evil feelings instead of resisting them we 
 have given Satan additional power over us. You know the legend of 
 the Wild Huntsman : I cannot but look upon the description of the 
 spirit-riders who accompanied the baron, one on a white, the other 
 on a black steed, and alternately plied him with good and evil 
 counsel, less as an allegory than a reality." 
 
 " You believe, then, that we are constantly surrounded by spiritual 
 beings imperceptible to our bodily senses?" asked Annie. "It is 
 rather a fearful idea." 
 
 " Believe," returned Lewis, " is perhaps too strong a term to apply 
 to any theory not distinctly borne out by Holy Writ, but as far as I 
 have studied the subject, I think the existence of spiritual beings of 
 opposite natures, some good, some evil, is clearly indicated by Scrip- 
 ture ; and there are many passages which would lead one to suppose 
 that they are permitted, under certain restrictions, to interest them- 
 selves in mundane affairs, and influence the thoughts which are the 
 springs of human actions — immaterial agents, in fact, for working out 
 the will of God. Nor do I see anything fearful in the idea ; on the 
 contrary, as we cannot doubt that it is our own fault if the evil spirits 
 ever prevail against us, and that good angels witness our struggles 
 to do right, and are at hand to assist us, I consider the theory a most 
 consolatory one." 
 
 " I never looked at the subject in this light before," observed Annie 
 thoughtfully. " Of course, like most other people, I had a vague, vision- 
 ary kind of belief in the existence of good angels and evil spirits, 
 but I never applied the belief practically, never imagined they had 
 anything to do with me; and yet it seems reasonable that what you 
 have suggested should be the case. Oh ! if we could but have our 
 spiritual eyes open so that we could see them, we then should love the 
 good angels so much, and hate and fear the evil ones to such a degree, 
 that it would be quite easy to act rightly, and impossible to do wrong." 
 
 " I suppose, if our faith were as strong as it should be," returned 
 Lewis, " we ought so to realise the truths of Christianity that we should 
 feel as you (}?scribe." 
 
144 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 His companion made no reply, but sat for some minutes apparently 
 pursuing the train of thought to which his words had given rise. At 
 length rousing herself, she turned to Lewis, saying, with a naive 
 smile, " We shall be capital friends, I see. I did not know you could 
 talk so nicely about things of this kind. I delight in people who give 
 me new ideas — you must teach me German, too, when all this bustle is 
 over. I shall ask papa to let you do so. I want to learn German 
 above everything, and to read Schiller, and Goethe, and La Motte 
 Fouqud, and all sorts of people. Will you take compassion on my 
 ignorance, and accept me as a pupil ? I shall not be quite as dull as 
 poor Walter, I hope." 
 
 " I shall be delighted to play Master of the Ceremonies to introduce 
 you to those of the German authors who are best worth knowing, 
 always provided that the General approves of my so doing," returned 
 Lewis. 
 
 " Oh ! papa will approve," replied Annie. " He can care nothing 
 about it one way or another, and whenever that is the case he always 
 lets me do as I like; and as to Aunt Martha — well, there may be 
 some difficulty with her, I confess, but the most ferocious animals are 
 tamed by kindness, and it's hard if I can't coax her into submission to 
 my will and pleasure." 
 
 " I flatter myself I have become rather a favourite with Miss 
 Livingstone since the affair of the horses," observed Lewis. " 1 have 
 heard her describe me as ' a young man of unusual abilities and 
 irreproachable moral character' to three distinct sets of visitors during 
 the last week." 
 
 "You've caught her tone exactly," returned Annie, laughing; 
 " but it's very abotninable of you to deride my venerable aunt." 
 
 And so they chatted on, Lewis forgetting alike his proud preserve 
 and his dependent position in his pleasure in once again meeting with 
 the kindness and sympathy to which he had been so long a stranger, 
 and Annie engrossed by the joy with which she perceived the ice that 
 care and sorrow had frozen round the heart of her young companion 
 melt before the fascination of her look and manner; and when the 
 phaeton drew up before the ample portals of Broadhurst, it would have 
 been hard to decide which of the two felt most sorry that pleasant 
 drive had come so quickly to an end. 
 
 Our train still runs along the RAILROAD OF LIFE, but a most 
 important station has been passed when Lewis first arrived at the 
 conclusion that he had ceased to dislike Annie Grant. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIIL 
 
 DE GRANDEVILLE THREATENS A CONFIDENCE AND ELICITS CHARLEY 
 LEICESTER'S IDEAS ON MATRIMONY. 
 
 It was the morning of Twelfth-day, and in Broadhurst's ancient 
 mansio;! cptifusion reigned supreme ; for Twelfth-night was to fee 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 145 
 
 celebrated with high festivities. A grand ball was about to be given 
 to the county, and legions of upholsterers' men had taken the house 
 by storm, and were zealously employed in turning it out of the win- 
 dows. Minerva was great upon the occasion; starched to the «'h 
 she rustled through the apartments like an austere whirlwind, striking 
 an icy terror into the hearts of the stoutest workmen, and leading the 
 chief upholsterer himself the life of a convicted felon on the treadmill 
 — solitary confinement, implying separation from Minerva, would have 
 been a boon to that harassed tradesman. Whatever he put up she 
 instantly had taken down ; all his suggestions she violently opposed ; 
 he never gave an order that she did not contradict ; when he was 
 downstairs she required him at the top of the house ; if he appeared 
 without his hat, she took him out of doors. Foxe's Martyrs would 
 seem a mere book of sports beside a faithful chronicle of all that 
 upholsterer suffered on the occasion at the hands of Minerva Living- 
 stone. Had he not been endowed with remarkable tenacity of life, ere 
 he had set that house in order he would have died. 
 
 Amongst others of the dispossessed, Charley Leicester, having re- 
 treated from room to room before the invaders, at last, fairly driven 
 out, was fain to seek refuge in the garden. In this extremity he 
 betook himself to a certain terrace-walk, where he trusted to find 
 sunshine and quiet. Having, as he fondly imagined, secured these 
 necessary ingredients to his happiness, he was proceeding to recruit 
 exhausted nature with a mild cigar, when a footstep was heard ap- 
 proaching, and immediately afterwards the erect and portly form of 
 the De Grandeville hove in sight and bore down upon him. Now it 
 must be known that these two gentlemen regarded each other with 
 very different feelings — Leicester, albeit by no means given to dis- 
 covering faults of character in his acquaintances, could not but per- 
 ceive the absurd self-consequence and pompous pride which were so 
 palpably displayed in De Grandeville's every look and action, and 
 while this revolted his good taste and produced in him a passive 
 feeling of dislike, the style of conversation usually adopted by the 
 redoubtable Marmaduke, which, however it might begin, invariably 
 ended in some form of self-glorification, actively bored him. Accord- 
 ingly, it was with anything but a feeling of satisfaction that he now 
 witnessed his approach. De Grandeville, on the other hand, looked 
 up to Leicester on account of his connection with the peerage, and 
 knowing his popularity among the best set of men about town, 
 regarded him as an oracle on all points of etiquette and biensiance. 
 Being, therefore, at that moment in the act of revolving in his anxious 
 mind a most weighty matter on which he required good advice, 
 Charley was the man of all others he most wished to meet with. 
 Marching vigorously onward he soon reached the spot where, half- 
 sitting, half-lying, on the broad top of a low stone balustrade, Leicester 
 was ruminating over his cigar. Having halted immediately in front 
 of his victim, De Grandeville raised his hand to his forehead in a 
 military salute, which manoeuvre, acquired partly in jest, partly in 
 earnest, had now become habitual to him. 
 
 "Ar — enjoying aweed^eh 1 IVfr. Leicester?" l-^e began. "Ton mjf wordi 
 
146 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 you've selected a most picturesque spot for your bivouac. If it's not 
 against the standing orders to smoke here, I'll join you in a cigar, for— ar 
 — to tell you the truth, I rather want five minutes' conversation with you." 
 
 " I'm in for it," thought Leicester. " Well, what must be, must ; the 
 sun will be off here in about half-an-hour, and I suppose I can endure 
 him for that space of time." He only said, however, holding out his 
 cigar-case languidly, " Can I offer you one .'' " 
 
 "Ar — many thanks, you're one of the few men whose taste I can 
 rely on ; but — ar — really, the things they sell now, and pretend to call 
 genuine, are such trash, that — ar — I am forced to import my own. 
 I sent out an agent to Cuba express — ar — at least, Robinson, who 
 supplies my club — ar — the Caryatides, you know — sent him on a hint 
 from me, and I can't match the cigars he brought me anywhere ; I've 
 never met with anything like them. Ask your brother ; he knows 
 them — ar — I let him have half a box as the greatest favour." 
 
 " Bell lives on cigars and gin-and-water when he's in his native 
 state," returned Leicester, slightly altering his position so that he 
 could rest his back more conveniently against a statue. " If he's 
 been going too fast, and gets out of condition, he takes a course of that 
 sort of thing, and it always brings him right again ; it's like turning a 
 screwy horse out to grass." 
 
 De Grandeville, who had appeared somewhat abstracted during 
 this interesting record of the domestic habits of Lord Bellefield, 
 changed the conversation by observing, " Ar — you see, when a man 
 of a certain — ar — position in society gets — ar — towards middle life — 
 ar — say, three or four-and-thirty, it appears to me that it adds very 
 much to his weight to — ar — to " 
 
 "To drink brown stout instead of pale ale," exclaimed Leicester 
 
 more eagerly than his wont. " I observed you did so at , when 
 
 we were treating the incorruptible electors, and it struck me as a 
 decided mistake." 
 
 "Ar — yes, I believe — that is, of course — you are right; but that 
 was not exactly what I was going to observe," returned De Grande- 
 ville, slightly embarrassed. " In fact, I was going to say that it adds 
 to a man's weight in society, increases his influence, and improves his 
 general position to be — ar — well married ! " 
 
 " About that I scarcely know ; it's not a matter to decide on hastily," 
 returned Leicester, coolly lighting a fresh cigar, which, being of an 
 obstinate disposition, required much scientific management and con- 
 siderable hard puffing to induce it to perform properly. " In regard 
 to (puff) marriage, Mr. De Grandeville, looking at it philosophically — 
 and I can assure you it's a subject on which I've expended much 
 (puff, puff) serious thought, — looking at it in a reasonable business- 
 like point of view, it becomes a mere (puff) affair of debtor and 
 creditor, — a question of what you lose and what you gain. Let us try 
 the matter by various tests and see how the account stands. We'll 
 begin with the watchwords of the day, for instance : ' Liberty, 
 Fraternity, and Equality.' Liberty, — a single man can do as he 
 likes without consulting anybody; a married man can do as he 
 likes only when his wife shares the inclination, which, ^s no two 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL i47 
 
 people ever look at anything in exactly the same point of view, 
 appears a somewhat stringent restriction. Fraternity, — a single man 
 may choose his friends where he feels inclined, male or female, as it 
 may have pleased Providence to create them ; a married man dare 
 not, unless he has a taste for domestic misery, and possesses eyes 
 which are nail-proof, cultivate a female friendship, and somehow one 
 feels if one were married one should not exactly wish to have a set of 
 men always dangling about one's house. Equality, — a single man, if 
 he has received a gentleman's education, wears a good coat, and has 
 wit enough to keep himself warm, is anybody's equal; a married 
 man must bear all his wife's burdens as well as his own, and doesn't 
 get asked by the Browns because the Smiths have told them her great- 
 grandfather was transported for stealing a pewter pot. Now, let us 
 look at the per contra side. A single man soon gets tired of his 
 unlimited Liberty ; there's no fun in having your own way if you've 
 no one to contradict you. A little opposition becomes a positive 
 luxury, and this you're sure to obtain by matrimony. Then, as to 
 Fraternity, friends are better than acquaintances, certainly, just as a 
 mule is preferable to a jackass, but they're not much comfort to one 
 after all. My most intimate friend lives in Ceylon and writes to me 
 once in five years about hunting elephants. Now, your wife is part 
 of your goods and chattels, belongs to you as completely as your boot- 
 jack, and when in hours of indolence you wish to sit with your soul 
 in slippers, she, if she is worth her salt, is ready to pull off the 
 psychological boots that are pinching your mind, and prevent the 
 dolce far niente from becoming meaningless and insipid. Lastly, 
 there's no such Equality in the world as between husband and wife 
 when they are really suited to each other, appreciate their relative 
 positions justly, and endeavour to make practice and principle coincide. 
 These are my ideas regarding the marriage state, Mr. De Grandeville; 
 but 'tis no use discussing the matter. Society has long since decided 
 the question in favour of wedlock, and there are only enough excep- 
 tions to prove the rule. Byron enunciated a great truth when lie 
 declared — 
 
 " ' Man was not formed to live alone ; ' 
 
 the animal's gregarious, sir, and the solitary system is totally opposed 
 to all its tastes and habits." 
 
 So saying, Charley emitted a long puff of smoke, and caressing his 
 whiskers, calmly awaited his companion's reply ; but this demands a 
 fresh chapter. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 RELATES HOW CHARLEY LEICESTER WAS FIRST " SPRIGHTED BY A 
 FOOL," THEN BESET BY AN AMAZON. 
 
 "Ar — really — 'pon my word, you seem to have studied the subject 
 deeply, Mr. Leicester," returned De Grandeville, who was somewhat 
 
148 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 astonished at the length and volubility of Charley's notable " Essay 
 on Matrimony," with which the last chapter was concluded, and too 
 completely blinded by self-importance to perceive that the other was 
 more or less laughing at him. " However, the drift of your argument 
 appears in favour of marriage, and — ar — in fact — ar — I quite think 
 as you do on the matter. Now, in my position, I consider such an 
 arrangement would be most desirable, always supposing one can meet 
 with — ar — a suitable partner." 
 
 " Ay, there's the rub," rejoined Leicester, leisurely flipping the ashes 
 from the end of his cigar. 
 
 " I consider that I have a right to look — ar — high," continued Da 
 Grandeville, folding his arms with dignity. " Our family dates from 
 the Conquest ; our Original ancestor came over as equerry to William 
 of Normandy. I suppose you are aware how the name arose from an 
 incident in that invasion ? " 
 
 Leicester professed his ignorance of the anecdote, and De Grande- 
 ville proceeded: "My ancestor, who, like most of his descendants, 
 was a remarkably long-sighted individual, was riding near the person 
 of his liege lord some few days after the victory of Hastings, when at 
 the extreme verge of the horizon he descried the city of Canterbury, 
 and in the excitement of the moment he exclaimed, pointing with his 
 mailed hand, 'Voila/ une grande ville' William overheard the 
 remark, and fixing his piercing glance upon him, observed sarcasti- 
 cally, ' Ha ! sayest thou so ? he who hath been the first to discern 
 yon great city should be the first to enter it.' ' By the grace of God, 
 and with your permission. Sire, so I will,' exclaimed my ancestor. 
 William nodded assent, my ancestor clapped spurs to his horse, and 
 never drew bridle till the standard of Normandy floated on the highest 
 tower of Canterbury. For this gallant exploit he was made governor 
 of the city, and received the name and titles of De Grandeville. It's 
 ^ar — a creditable story." 
 
 " Extremely," returned Leicester, yawning. " I've a vague idea 
 the man we all came from was hanged for horse-stealing.'' 
 
 "Ar — yes — very good," rejoined De Grandeville, recognising an 
 excellent jest in his companion's assertion; "but, as I was about to 
 observe, in my position a man owes as it were a duty to his family; he 
 ought not to marry a nobody." 
 
 "Decidedly, such a connection should be avoided," returned 
 Charley sententiously, presenting the hot end of his cigar to an 
 inquisitive snail which appeared inclined to join the party. 
 
 " Ar — the De Grandevilles have been from time immemorial large 
 landed proprietors," resumed their grandiloquent descendant; "half 
 
 the county of belongs to them ; the estates held by my branch 
 
 of the family are immense, and though — ar— just at present they are 
 not exactly in my possession, yet if anything were to happen to my 
 cousin Hildebrand and his seven boys, I might be placed in — ar — a 
 very different position ; therefore, in looking out for a wife, I hold it 
 incumbent on me to select a lady who would not disgrace a prominent 
 situation, were she called upon to fill one." 
 
 l,eicester (whose ^ttentioti h^d been thoroughly engrossed by the 
 
LEWIS ARUNt)EL. 149 
 
 snail, which, after having made sundry futile attempts to avoid the 
 cigar and continue its onward course, had at length yielded the point, 
 and having turned round, was now crawling off in an opposite 
 direction) somewhat astonished his companion by quoting with great 
 etnpressement the words of the old nursery ballad— 
 
 " Off he set 
 With his opera hat." 
 
 As, however, he immediately afterwards assumed a look of the deepest 
 attention, De Grandeville set it down as an instance of the eccentricity 
 of genius, and continued — "Ar — this, as you must perceive, renders 
 certain qualifications essential in the object of my choice. I could 
 select no one who by birth and position was not perfectly unexception- 
 able. I should also require her to possess, in an eminent degree, the 
 manners of society ; another great point would be — ar " 
 
 " Plenty of tin," suggested Charley, making a face at the retreating 
 snail. 
 
 " Ar — yes — in my position it would of course be a matter of prudence, 
 before bringing upon myself the expenses of a family, to ascertain that 
 I can command an income sufificient to enable me to mix in the set to 
 which — ar — in point of fact, I belong." 
 
 " Nothing under ;£3000 a year would suit my book," replied 
 Leicester. ^'■£yxx) per annum and perfection I might put up with, 
 but ;£4ooo would be better without an actual angel, and beyond that 
 mark I'd bate an attaching quality in the damsel for every additional 
 £loQ in the funds." 
 
 "Ar — I have reason to believe that the income of the lady in regard 
 to whom I am about to ask your advice exceeds the sum you first 
 mentioned," replied De Grandeville. 
 
 " Oh, there is then a real bona fide lady in the case — you've posi- 
 tively marked down your bird ? " exclaimed Leicester. " Pray, have I 
 the honour of her acquaintance ? " 
 
 " Ar — yes — I have often met her in your society — in fact, she forms 
 one of the party now domesticated at Broadhurst." 
 
 " Staying in the house, eh ? " returned Charley, feeling slightly 
 curious. " By Jove ! who can it be ? you're not going to try and cut 
 out Bellefield by proposing for my cousin Annie, are you ? I wish you 
 would, it would sell Bell so beautifully." 
 
 " Of course — ar — you are joking," returned De Grandeville proudly. 
 " I would not do such a shabby thing by his lordship upon any con- 
 sideration." 
 
 Leicester was amused at the cool way in which his companion 
 seemed to take it for granted that he had only to enter the lists 
 against his brother in order to secure the prize. He kept his enter- 
 tainment to himself, however, merely replying, "Well, if it isn't 
 Annie, who is it ? I can scarcely imagine you have set your 
 affections on Miss Livingstone." 
 
 " The Livingstones are a good old family," returned De Grandeville, 
 "but the representative of the name to whom you allude would 
 have been a more sijitable match for my late excellent father than 
 
ISO LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 for myself. No, sir, the lady to whom I may probably offer the 
 opportunity of allying herself to the house of De Grandeville is as 
 suitable in age as in all other qualifications — Miss Peyton is in her 
 two-and-twentieth year." 
 
 " Miss how much I " exclaimed Leicester impetuously, sitting bolt 
 upright and flinging the remnant of his cigar after the snail, which 
 was yet striving to make good its retreat. 
 
 " Miss Laura Peyton," returned De Grandeville ; " I don't wonder 
 you are surprised. I am aware, as well as yourself, that her grand- 
 father was in trade. I can assure you that stood in my way for a 
 long time, and it was not till I had gone through the pedigree 
 carefully, with a friend in the Herald's College, and clearly traced 
 back the family to the time of Richard Cceur de Lion, that I ever 
 thought seriously of the thing." 
 
 "And how do you mean to carry on the campaign?" asked 
 Leicester, who had by this time recovered his composure. " Do you 
 intend to lay regular siege to the young lady's affections, or is it 
 to be a look-and-die, ' veni, vidi, ■vici' affair ? " 
 
 ■' Ar — really — I am scarcely sanguine enough to hope to carry the 
 citadel by a coup-de-main" returned De Grandeville; "but my 
 tactics will be very much regulated by those of my fair enemy at 
 present. If I might judge by one or two slight skirmishes we have 
 had together, the garrison will not hold out to extremity when once 
 the breastworks are taken, and the place properly invested." At this 
 moment a servant approached De Grandeville with a message from 
 General Grant requesting his presence. " Ar — yes — say I'll attend 
 the General immediately," was the reply; then, as the servant departed, 
 De Grandville continued, " Ar — the course of true love never did run 
 smooth, you see, Mr. Leicester. Ar — I shall have an opportunity of 
 speaking to you again on this matter, and hearing your opinion more 
 in full; at present I must wish you good morning." So saying, he 
 slightly raised his hat in salutation, and marched off in a great state 
 of dignified self-complacency. 
 
 Leicester watched him till he was out of sight ; then, springing from 
 his seat, he began pacing up and down the terrace with hasty strides, 
 muttering from time to time such uncomplimentary remarks as, 
 " Insufferable puppy ! " " Conceited ass 1 " all of which evidently bore 
 reference to his late companion. Having let off a little of his extra 
 steam by this means, he gave vent to the following soliloquy ; " Well, 
 I'm nicely in for it this time I Because a love affair, with the chance 
 of possible consequences, wasn't trouble enough, I must have a rival 
 step in — and such a rival — why, the very sight of that man disagrees 
 with me ; and then to hear him talk, it's positively sickening 1 I'll 
 be off to London to-morrow morning ; and yet I do like the girl, — I 
 know I do, because it is continually occurring to me that I am not 
 half good enough for her. I suppose she looks upon me as a mere 
 fortune-hunter — thinks I only care about her for the sake of her money. 
 I wish she hadn't a farthing ! I wish — eh 1 what am I talking 
 about ? Heigho ! that's another curse of poverty : a poor devil like 
 me can't even afford the hnury of a disinterested attachment. Then 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 151 
 
 that man — that De Grandeville — to hear an animal hke that debating 
 whether she was good enough for him I I declare he's made me 
 feel quite feverish 1 I'd no idea it was possible for anything to excite 
 me to such a degree. If the notion were not too preposterous, I should 
 really begin to fancy I must be falling in love I She never can have 
 the bad taste to like him — in fact, there's nothing to like in him — and 
 yet the fellow seemed confident ; but that is the nature of the brute. 
 Though I don't know, women are such fools sometimes, she might 
 take him at his own price — that military swagger of his might go 
 down with some of the sex. Once let a woman fancy a man to be a 
 hero, or a martyr, or a patriot, or any other uncomfortable celebrity 
 certain to make a bad husband, and she will be ready to throw herself 
 at his head, — just as if such a fellow were not the very last man in the 
 world whom she ought to select 1 I suppose it's the additional odds 
 in favour of widowhood that constitute the great attraction — females 
 are naturally capricious. Well, I shall try and take the matter easily, 
 at all events. I dare say it won't break my heart whichever way it 
 goes. I shall make observations, and if she really has the bad taste 
 to prefer this man, he's welcome to her — a woman who could love him 
 would never do for my wife ; that one fact would argue an amount of 
 incompatibility of temper which would be furnishing work for Doctors' 
 Commons before the first year's connubial infelicity was over. I 
 wonder whether there's any lunch going on ; it's astonishing how 
 thirsty anything of this kind makes me 1 Pale ale I must have, or 
 ntit caelum ! " And having arrived at this conclusion, he thnist his 
 hands — of whose delicate appearance he was especially careful — into 
 his pockets to preserve them from the cold, and strolled off to put his 
 resolution into practice. 
 
 In the meantime, Marmaduke De Grandeville, while listening with 
 his outward ears to General Grant's dull electioneering details, was 
 inwardly congratulating himself on the favourable impression he had 
 made on that very sensible young man, the Honourable Charles 
 Leicester, and thinking what a useful ally he had secured to assist 
 him in carrying out his matrimonial project. 
 
 Verily, there are as many comedies performed off the stage as 
 upon it 1 
 
 The ball at Broadhurst took place on the evening of the day on 
 which the above conversation had passed, and was a wonderful affair 
 indeed. It was given for a special purpose, and that purpose was to 
 conciliate everybody, and induce everybody to promise General Grant 
 their vote and interest at the ensuing election. Accordingly, every- 
 body was invited — at least everybody who had the slightest pretension 
 to be anybody — and everybody came; and as almost everybody 
 brought somebody else with them, a wife, or a daughter, or the young 
 lady from London who was spending Christmas with them, there was 
 no lack of guests. The object of the entertainment was no secret ; 
 and the king of the county, the Marquis of C , being in the con- 
 servative interest, and consequently anxious to secure the General's 
 return, not only came himself, but actually brought a real live duke 
 with him to exhibit to the company. This was a great stroke of 
 
IS2 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 policy, and told immensely, particularly with the smaller anybodies 
 who were almost nobodies, but who, having associated with a duke, 
 straightway became somebodies, and remained so ever after. More- 
 over, in all cases of incipient radicalism, chartist tendencies, or 
 socialist symptoms, his Grace was an infallible specific. Depend on 
 it, there is no better remedy for a certain sort of democracy than a 
 decoction of strawberry-leaves ; apply that to the sore place and the 
 patient instantly becomes sound in his opinions, and continues a 
 healthy member of the body politic. The particular duke on the occa- 
 sion in question was a very young one, little more than a boy in fact 
 (if a duke can ever be considered in the light of a boy). This youthful 
 nobleman had a leading idea — though you would hardly have sup- 
 posed it, to look at him — he believed that he was the best match in 
 England; and so, in the conventional sense of the term, he un- 
 doubtedly was, although he would have been very dear at the 
 price to any woman with a head and a heart. His pastors and 
 masters, backed by the maternal anxieties of a duchess unambitious 
 of the dignities of dowagership, had sedulously cultivated this one 
 idea till it had assumed the character of a monomania, under the 
 influence of which this unhappy scion of aristocracy looked upon life 
 as a state of perpetual warfare against the whole race of women, and 
 was haunted by a frightful vision of himself carried off and forcibly 
 married to the chief of a horde of female pirates, with long tongues, 
 longer nails, and an utter absence of creditable ancestry. His out- 
 ward duke (if we may be allowed the expression) was decidedly pre- 
 possessing. He was tall and not ungraceful in figure, and had a 
 bright, round, innocent face, as of a good child. His hair was nicely 
 brushed and parted ; whiskers he had none ; indeed, the stinginess of 
 nature to him in this particular was so remarkable, that, as the eldest 
 Miss Simpkins afterwards observed to an eager audience of uninvited 
 younger sisters, " So far from whiskers, my dears, now I come to think 
 of it, his Grace had rather thi reverse!^ However, take him "for all 
 in all," he was a very creditable young duke, and a perfect godsend on 
 the occasion in question. Then there was a descending scale from his 
 Grace downwards, leading through the aristocracy of birth to the 
 aristocracy of riches, till it reached the ilite of the country towns, and 
 the more presentable specimens of yeomen farmers. But let us join a 
 group of people that we know, and hear what they think of the guests 
 who are so rapidly assembling. 
 
 In a snug corner of the reception-room, not far from a door leading 
 into the large drawing-room, stands one of those mysterious innova- 
 tions of modern upholstery, a species of the genus ottoman, which 
 resembles a Brobdignagian mushroom, with a thimble made to match 
 stuck in the middle of it. Seated at her ease upon this nondescript, 
 half-buried by the yielding cushions, appeared the pretty figure of 
 Laura Peyton ; by her side, attired in much white muslin, crinolined 
 to a balloon-like rotundity, but which apparently had shrunk abomi- 
 nably at the wash in the region round about its wearer's neck and 
 shoulders, sat another — well, from the juvenility of her dress and 
 manners we suppose we must say young lady, though it was a 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 153 
 
 historical fact that she had been at school with Annie Grant's mother; 
 but then poor Mrs. Grant married when she was quite a child, and 
 died before she was thirty, and of course Miss Singleton must know 
 her own age best, and she had declared herself eight-and-twenty for 
 the last five years. This lady possessed one peculiarity — she always 
 had a passion for somebody j whether the object was of the gentler or 
 the sterner sex was all a matter of chance ; but as she was in the habit 
 of observing, " there existed in her nature a necessity for passionately 
 loving," and it has become proverbial that necessity has no law. The 
 object of her adoration just at present was "that darling girl," Laura 
 Peyton ; and really that young lady was in herself so lovable, that to 
 endeavour to account for Miss Singleton's devotion by insinuating that 
 the heiress was usually surrounded by all the most desirable young 
 men in the room would be the height of ill-nature. 
 
 " Dear me 1" exclaimed Miss Singleton, whose troublesome nature 
 had another necessity for liking to hear its own voice as often as 
 possible. " Dear me 1 I wish I knew who all the people were 1 
 Dearest Miss Peyton, do not you sympathise ? Ah, that tell-tale 
 smile I We girls certainly are sadly curious, though I believe the men 
 are just as bad, only they're too proud to own it. But really, we must 
 contrive to catch somebody who will tell us who everybody is. There's 
 that handsome, grave, clever Mr. Arundel : I shall make him a sign 
 to come here — ah 1 he saw me directly — he is so clever. Mr. Arundel, 
 do tell me, who are all these people ? " 
 
 "Rather a comprehensive question," returned Lewis, smiling; 
 " moreover, you could scarcely have applied to any one less able to 
 answer it, for beyond our immediate neighbours I really do not know 
 a dozen people in the room." 
 
 " Mr. Arundel's acquaintance lies rather among illustrious foreigners," 
 observed Miss Peyton demurely. " Were any members of the royal 
 family of Persia present, for instance, his intimate knowledge of the 
 language, manners, and habits of that interesting nation would be 
 invaluable to us." 
 
 "As you are strong, be merciful," returned Lewis, in a tone of voice 
 only to be heard by the young lady to whom he spoke. 
 
 "Dear me I How very delightful I What a thing it is to be so 
 clever I " exclaimed Miss Singleton, arranging her bracelet and round- 
 ing her arm (which was now one of her best points) with an action 
 that expressed, as plainly as words could have done, "There, look at 
 that — there's grace for you ! " " Here comes some one who can tell 
 us everything," she continued ; " that good-natured, fascinating Mr. 
 Leicester, with his loves of whiskers all in dear little curls. Tiresome 
 man 1 he won't look this way. Would you be so very good, Mr. 
 Arundel, as to follow him and bring him here ? Say that Miss Peyton 
 and I want him particularly." 
 
 "I beg you'll say nothing of the kind, Mr. Arundel," interposed 
 Laura quickly, with a very becoming blush. " Really, Miss Singleton, 
 you run on so that " 
 
 " I will deliver your message verbatim, Miss Singleton," returaed 
 Lewis with the same demure tone and manner in which Miss Peyton 
 
 II 
 
SS4 LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 had referred to the Persian prince ; and without waiting to mark the 
 effect of his words, he mingled with the crowd, and almost imme- 
 diately returned with the gentleman in pursuit of whom he had been 
 despatched. Charles Leicester, who was most elaborately got up for 
 the occasion, though his good taste prevented him from running into 
 any absurd extremes in dress, looked remarkably handsome, and 
 being flattered by the summons he had just received, particularly 
 happy. Both these facts Miss Peyton discovered at a glance, but 
 whether urged by some secret consciousness, or annoyed by an inde- 
 scribable look of intelligence which lurked in the corners of Lewis's 
 dark eyes and revealed itself through the sternness of his compressed 
 lips, she received him with marked coldness, and observed, in reply 
 to his offer to play showman to the collection of strange animals there 
 assembled, that she had no taste for zoology, and that it was Miss 
 Singleton's curiosity he had been summoned to satisfy. 
 
 " Yes, indeed, Mr. Leicester," exclaimed that mature damsel, in no 
 way daunted by a shade of discontent which, despite his endeavours 
 to the contrary, overspread the countenance of the gentleman she was 
 addressing; "yes, indeed, I'm dying to know all sorts of things. In 
 the first place, who's that tall, stout gentleman in the wonderful 
 waistcoat ? " 
 
 " That," replied Leicester, coolly examining the person indicated, 
 " that is— no, it isn't ! Yes, surely ! — I thought I was right — that is 
 the Marquis of Carabbas." Then seeing from her manner she did 
 not recognise the name, he continued, " He has enormous estates 
 situated in " 
 
 " Where ? " asked Miss Singleton earnestly, thinking she had lost 
 the name. 
 
 '.' That interesting tract of country yclept, by John Parry, the Realms 
 of Infantine Romance," continued Leicester. 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Leicester, you're laughing at me. How wicked of you — 
 the Marquis of Carabbas I Let me see : hadn't he something to do 
 with Whittington and his Cat?" 
 
 " With the cat, possibly," replied Leicester ; " for if my memory fail 
 not, the fortunes of the noble Marquis, like those of the ever-to-be- 
 lamented Lord Mayor of London town, were the result of feline 
 sagacity, and it's not likely there existed two such talented cats — even 
 Puss in Boots may only be another episode in the career of the same 
 gifted individual." 
 
 " Another of its nine lives, in fact," suggested Lewis. 
 
 " Yes, of course," rejoined Leicester. " I dare say it was the 
 original ' cat of nine tales,' only, like the sibylline leaves, several of 
 the manuscripts have been lost to posterity through the carelessness 
 of some elfin Master of the Rolls." 
 
 " I beg your pardon, but I really must interrupt you," exclaimed 
 Miss Singleton. " Can you tell me, soberly and seriously, who that 
 very strange-looking person may be who has just seized the General's 
 hand and nearly shaken his arm out of the socket ? " 
 
 Seeing that Laura Peyton's eyes asked the same question, though 
 her lips were silent, Leicester glanced in the direction indicated, and 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 155 
 
 immediately replied, " That energetic female rejoices in the name of 
 Lady Mary — but is more commonly known among her intimates as 
 Jack — Goodwood. In person she is what you behold her; in 
 character, she presents a most unmitigated specimen of the genus 
 Amazon; for the rest, she is a very good woman at heart, but my 
 especial torment ; she always calls me Charley, and her usual saluta- 
 tion is a slap on the back. She hunts, shoots, breaks in her own 
 horses, has ridden a hurdle race, in which she came in a good second, 
 and is reported to have dragooned her husband into popping the 
 question by the threat of a sound horse-whipping. And now. Miss 
 Singleton, you'll have an opportunity of judging for yourself, for 
 she has caught sight of me, and is bearing down upon us in full 
 sail." 
 
 "Well, but is she really a lady?" inquired the astonished Miss 
 Singleton, who, in her philosophy, had most assuredly never dreamt 
 of such a possibility as Jack Goodwood. 
 
 " She is second daughter of Lord Oaks," was the reply, " and 
 Goodwood is one of the Good woods, and is worth some £Zoaa a year ; 
 but here she is." 
 
 As he spoke the lady in question joined the group. Her age might 
 be eight or nine-and-thirty ; she was tall and decidedly handsome, 
 though her features were too large ; she had magnificent black eyes 
 and very white teeth, which prevented the width of her mouth from 
 interfering with her pretensions to beauty; her complexion was 
 brilliant in the extreme, nature having bestowed on her a clear brown 
 skin, which withstood the combined effects of exposure to sun and 
 wind, and softened the high colour induced by the boisterous 
 character of her ladyship's favourite pursuits. But if her personal 
 gifts were striking, the style or costume she saw fit to adopt rendered 
 her still more remarkable. As it will be necessary to describe her 
 dress minutely in order to convey any idea of her appearance, we 
 throw ourselves on the mercy of our lady readers, and beg them to 
 pardon all errors of description, seeing that mantua-making is a 
 science in which we have never graduated, and of which our know- 
 ledge is derived solely from oral traditions picked up during desultory 
 conversations among our female friends, usually held (if our memory 
 fail us not) on their way home from church. 
 
 Her dress consisted, then, of a gown of exceedingly rich white silk, 
 made half-high in the body and remarkably full in the skirt, over 
 .which she wore a polka of bright scarlet Cashmere lined and 
 trimmed with white silk, and adorned with a double row of the hunt 
 buttons. Her head was attired in a Spanish hat of black velvet, while 
 a single white feather, secured by a valuable diamond clasp, was 
 allowed to droop over the brim and mingle with the rich masses of 
 her raven hair, which was picturesquely arranged in a complication 
 of braids and ringlets. She leaned on the arm of a gentleman double 
 her age, whose good-humoured heavy face afforded a marked con- 
 trast to the ever-varying expression that lit the animated features of 
 her who was, in every sense of the word, his better half. Leicester's 
 description had but slightly enhanced the vigour of her mode of 
 
iS6 L1S.^IS A&UNDEL 
 
 salutation, for as she reached the spot where he stood she dapped him 
 on the shoulder with a small, white-gloved hand, exclaiming m a deep 
 but not unmusical voice — 
 
 " Bravo, Charley ! run you to earth at last, you see. Where have 
 you hidden yourself all this age? Now, Goody," she continued, 
 turning to her husband, " you may go. Charley Leicester will take 
 care of me— don't lose your temper at whist, don't drink too much 
 champagne, and mind you're forthcoming when I want you." 
 
 " There's a life to lead," returned her spouse, appealing to Leicester. 
 " Did you ever see such a tyrant ? " 
 
 "Be off, Goody, and don't talk nonsense," was his lady-wife's 
 rejoinder. 
 
 " How is it we never see you at the Manor- House now?" began 
 the master of that establishment in a hospitable tone of voice, but his 
 lady cut him short in his speech by exclaiming — 
 
 " Why ? because he found you such a bore he could not stand you 
 any longer; nobody can except me, and even my powers of endurance 
 are limited, so," she continued, taking him by the shoulders and turning 
 him round, " right about face — heads up — march. Voild," she added, 
 turning to Leicester, " he's famously under command, isn't he, Charley ? 
 all my good breaking in— he was as obstinate as a mule before I 
 married him, nobody could do anything with him. He's in splendid 
 condition, too, for a man of sixty. I'll back him to walk, ride, hunt, 
 shoot, or play at billiards with any man of his age and weight in the 
 three kingdoms. I've been obliged to dock his corn, though; there 
 was seldom a day that he didn't finish his second bottle of port. He 
 only drinks one now. But I say, Charley, about this election of 
 Governor Grant's, how is he going the pace ? You must tell me all 
 about it; I've been in Paris for the last two months, and I'm quite 
 in the dark." 
 
 " 'Pon my word, I take so little interest in the matter that I can 
 scarcely enlighten you. Lady Mary," returned Leicester, glancing 
 uneasily at Miss Peyton, who was talking with much apparent em- 
 pressement to Miss Singleton, though her quick ears drank in every 
 word spoken by the others. 
 
 " Who's that girl ? " resumed Lady Mary, lowering her voice a little 
 (very little) as she perceived the direction of Leicester's glance. 
 " Miss Peyton, eh?" she continued, "You shall introduce me; but first 
 tell me who's that man by her side, like an old picture." 
 
 " Mr. Arundel," was the reply ; " tutor to poor young Desborough." 
 
 "He's too good for the work," returned Jack; "he's too near 
 thoroughbred to take to collar and keep his traces tight with such 
 an uphill pull as that must be. I say, Charley," she continued in a 
 half whisper, " he's handsomer than you are. If you don't mind your 
 play, he'll bowl you out and win with the favourite — there, it's no use 
 getting up the steam or looking sulky with me," she added, as 
 Leicester uttered an exclamation of annoyance. " I can see it all 
 with half an eye ; you're as thoroughly what Goody calls ' spoony ' as 
 a man need to be ; but now, Charley, don't go putting your foot in it, 
 you know: is it all right with the tin? that's the main question." 
 
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 "Ask me to dahce, for pity's sake, and let me get out of that 
 fcreature's way," murmured Laura Peyton to Lewis ; " I never had a 
 taste for seeing monsters." 
 
 Lewis smiled and offered her his arm. At the same moment De 
 Grandeville, gaudily ornate, marched up and requested the honour of 
 Miss Peyton's hand for the set then forming. 
 
 " I am engaged to Mr. Arundel for the next quadrille," returned 
 Miss Peyton. 
 
 " For the following one, then— ar ? " 
 
 " I shall have much pleasure," was the reply. " In the meantime 
 allow me to introduce you to my friend Miss Singleton, who is at 
 present without a partner." 
 
 De Grandeville, charmed to have the opportunity of obliging Miss 
 Peyton, acted on the hint, and the two couples hastened to take their 
 places in the quadrille then forming. Leicester's volatile companion still 
 continued chattering, heedless of his evident annoyance, until she had 
 worried him into a state of mind bordering on distraction, when some 
 fresh fancy seizing her, she fastened herself on to a new victim and left 
 him to his meditations. These were by no means of an agreeable 
 character ; and after wandering listlessly through the suite of rooms 
 and watching Laura Peyton, as during the intervals of the dance she 
 talked and laughed gaily with De Grandeville (an occupation which 
 did not tend greatly to raise Leicester's spirits or soothe his 
 ruffled temper), he strolled into a card-room tenanted only by four 
 elderly gentlemen immersed in a rubber of whist, and flinging him- 
 self on a vacant sofa in a remote corner of the apartment, gave him- 
 self up to gloomy retrospection. 
 
 He had not remained there long when Lewis entered and glanced 
 round as if in search of some one ; then approaching Leicester, he 
 began — 
 
 " You've not seen Walter lately, have you ? Your amusing friend. 
 Lady Mary Goodwood " (" confound the jade," muttered Leicester, 
 sotio voce) " introduced herself to me just now, and having captivated 
 Walter by her bright smile and scarlet jacket, carried him off, to 
 tease me, I believe, and I can't tell what she has done with him. 
 But," he continued, for the first time observing his companion's 
 dejected manner and appearance, "is anything the matter; you're 
 not ill, I hope?" 
 
 " I wish I was," was the unexpected reply ; " ill — dead— anything 
 rather than the miserable fool I am " 
 
 " Why, what has occurred ? " asked Lewis anxiously. " Can I be 
 of any use ? " 
 
 " No, it's past mending," returned Leicester in an accent of deep 
 dejection. He paused, then turning to Lewis he resumed almost 
 fiercely : " The tale is soon told, if you want to hear it. I met that 
 girl — Laura Peyton, I mean — in town about a year ago; in fact — 
 for my affairs are no secret— every fool knows that I am a beggar, 
 or thereabouts. I was introduced to her because she was a great 
 heiress, and dangled after her through the whole of a London 
 season for the sake of her three per cents. Well, last autumn I met 
 
tsS LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 her again down in Scotland; we were staying together for three 
 weeks in the same house. Of course we saw a good deal of each 
 other, and I soon found I liked her better for herself than I had 
 ever done for her money; but somehow, as soon as this feeling 
 arose, I lost all nerve, and could not get on a bit. The idea of the 
 meanness of marrying a woman for the sake of her fortune haunted 
 me day and night, and the more I cared for her the less was I able 
 to show it. My cousin Annie perceived what was g:oing on, it seems, 
 and without saying a word to me of her intention, struck up a 
 friendship with Laura, and invited her here; and somehow — the 
 thing's very absurd in a man like myself, who has seen everything 
 and done everything, and found out what humbug it all is — but the 
 fact of the matter is, that I'm just as foolishly and romantically and 
 deeply in love with that girl as any raw boy of seventeen could be ; 
 and I don't believe she cares one sous about me in return. She 
 thinks, as she has a good right to do, that I am hunting her for 
 her money, like the rest of them, I dare say; and — stop a minute," 
 he continued, seeing Lewis was about to speak — "you have not heard 
 the worst yet : because all I've told you was not enough, that conceited 
 ass, De Grandeville, must needs come and consult me this morning as 
 to whether Miss Peyton was worthy of being honoured with his hand, 
 hinting pretty plainly that he did not anticipate much difificulty on the 
 lady's part ; and by Jove, from the way in which she is going on with 
 him this evening, I believe that for once he wasn't lyin^: then that 
 mad-headed Mary Goodwood coming and bothering with her con- 
 founded ' Charley' this and ' Charley' that, and her absurd plan of 
 monopolising one — of course she means no harm ; she has known me 
 from a boy, and it's her way ; besides, she really is attached to old 
 Goodwood. But how is Laura Peyton to know all that ? " 
 
 " Why, rouse up, and go and tell her yourself, to be sure," replied 
 Lewis. 
 
 " No, not I 1 " returned Leicester moodily. " I'll have no more 
 trouble about it. I'll leave this house to-morrow morning, and be off 
 to Baden, or Naples, or Timbuctoo, or some place where there are no 
 women, if such a Paradise exists — and she may marry De Grande- 
 ville, or whom she pleases, for me. You see, it would be different if 
 she cared at all for me, but to worry one's heart out about a girl who 
 does not even like one " 
 
 " Halte Icl ! " interrupted Lewis ; " lookers-on see most of the game ; 
 and if I know anything of woman's nature " — he paused and bit his 
 lip as the recollection of Gretchen crossed his mind — " depend upon 
 it, Miss Peyton is not as indifferent to you as you imagine." 
 
 "Did you see how coldly she received me to-night?" urged 
 Leicester. 
 
 " Yes ; and her so doing only confirmed my previous opinion. That 
 chattering Miss Singleton had annoyed her by bidding me summon 
 you in Miss Peyton's name ; but the very fact of her annoyance shovved 
 consciousness; had she been indifferent to you she would not have 
 cared. Then her irritation at Lady Mary's familiarity proves the 
 same thing." 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 159 
 
 " You really think so ? " returned Leicester, brightening up. " My 
 dear fellow, you've quite put new life into me. It's very odd now, I 
 never saw it in that light before. What would you have me do, then?" 
 
 " If, as you say, you really and truly love her," returned Lewis 
 gravely, "lay aside — excuse my plain speaking — lay aside your 
 fashionable airs, which disguise your true nature, and tell her of your 
 affection in a simple, manly way, and if she is the girl I take her to 
 be, your trouble will not be wasted." So saying, he rose and quitted 
 the room, leaving Leicester to reflect on his advice. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 CONTAINS A MYSTERIOUS INCIDENT, AND SHOWS HOW THE COURSE 
 OF TRUE LOVE NEVER DOES RUN SMOOTH. 
 
 As Lewis, after the conversation detailed in the last chapter, was 
 prosecuting his search for Walter through the various apartments 
 he encountered Annie Grant, who, having escaped the vigilance of 
 Miss Livingstone, was enjoying, in company with a young lady friend, 
 the dangerous luxury of standing by an open window. The moment 
 she perceived Lewis she advanced towards him and began — 
 
 " May I detain you one moment, Mr. Arundel ? Can you tell me 
 anything of my cousin Charles ? I'm afraid he must be ill, and I 
 wished him to exert himself so particularly to-night." 
 
 " He is not ill," returned Lewis. " I left him not two minutes since 
 in the card-room." 
 
 "In the card-room?" repeated Annie in a tone of annoyance; 
 " what can he be doing there ? Is he playing whist ? " 
 
 " No," was the reply; "he did not appear in a humour to enjoy the 
 dancing, and had gone there for the sake of quiet." 
 
 " A fit of his incorrigible idleness, I suppose," remarked Annie 
 pettishly; "really it is too provoking; it must seem so odd his absent- 
 ing himself on such an occasion as this. Would you mind the trouble 
 of returning and telling him I want to speak to him particularly, and 
 that he will find me here ? " 
 
 " I shall be most happy; it is no trouble," began Lewis. He paused, 
 and then added in a lower tone, " Perhaps you scarcely do Mr. 
 Leicester justice in attributing his absence to a fit of indolence; I 
 fancied, from his manner, something had occurred to annoy him." 
 
 " Something to annoy him !" exclaimed Annie, starting and turning 
 pale as a disagreeable possibility suddenly occurred to her. "Surely 
 
 he has not ? — she never can have ! " then seeing Lewis's glance 
 
 fixed on her with a look of peculiar intelligence, she paused abruptly, 
 and a most becoming blush overspread her features. Lewis pitied 
 her confusion, and hastened to relieve it by observing — 
 
 " If I have ventured to guess the direction of your thoughts some- 
 what too boldly, Miss Grant, you must pardon me, and believe that 
 
160 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 did I not think 1 might thereby in some slight degree repay the kind- 
 ness Mr. Leicester has invariably shown me, I would not have allowed 
 you to perceive it. If," he added in a lower tone, " you will permit 
 me to advise you, I believe you could most effectually serve your 
 cousin's interests by explaining to Miss Peyton, at your first oppor- 
 tunity, the nature of the friendship which exists between Lady Mary 
 Goodwood and Mr. Leicester, mentioning at the same time the fact 
 that they have known each other from childhood." 
 
 " That's the difficulty, is it? " rejoined Annie. " Oh ! I can set that 
 right in five minutes. Thank you very much, Mr. Arundel — how ex- 
 tremely kind you are ; but," she added with an arch look, " you are 
 most alarmingly clever ; I shall become quite afraid of you." Then 
 turning to her companion, she added, " Now, Lucy dear, you will 
 catch your death of cold standing at that window. You will send 
 Charles Leicester, then, Mr. Arundel." So saying, she linked her arm 
 in that of her friend, and the two girls left the room. 
 
 " Leicester's a lucky dog to have such a zealous advocate in that 
 sweet cousin of his," thought Lewis as he retraced his steps towards 
 the card-room. " She is a great deal too good for that brute, Lord 
 Bellefield ; she had better have chosen Charles, if she must marry 
 either brother, though he is scarcely her equal in mind or depth of 
 character, and without that I don't believe married life can ever pro- 
 gress as it should do." On reaching the card-room he found it only 
 tenanted by the whist players ; and rightly imagining that his advice 
 had so far restored Leicester's spirits as to induce him again to return 
 to the ball-room, he resumed his search for Walter, and at length 
 discovered him in the ice-room, where, under the auspices of a pretty, 
 interesting looking girl, the daughter of one of the tenantry, called 
 in on the occasion to assist the female servants, he was regaling 
 himself with unlimited cakes. 
 
 While Lewis was gently insinuating the possibility of his having 
 had enough, two or three men, amongst whom was Lord Bellefield, 
 lounged into the room and began eating ices at a table opposite that 
 at which Lewis and Walter were stationed. One of the party, who 
 was unacquainted with Lewis, apparently struck by his appearance, 
 addressed Lord Bellefield in an undertone, evidently inquiring who 
 the young tutor might be ; the answer, though spoken in a low voice, 
 was (whether designedly or not we will not say) perfectly audible to 
 the person to whom it related. 
 
 "That? oh, some poor devil old Grant has picked up cheap as 
 dry-nurse to his pet idiot ; a kind of male bonne, as the French term 
 it; a sort of upper servant, half valet, half tutor. You need not 
 notice him." 
 
 There was a degree of littleness in this speech which completely 
 robbed it of its sting. It was such a mean attempt at an insult that 
 Lewis saw it would be letting himself down even to feel angry about 
 it ; and merely allowing his lip to curl slightly with a contemptuous 
 smile, he folded his arms and patiently awaited the conclusion of 
 Walter's repast. After Lord Bellefield and his friends had devoured 
 as many ices as seemed good to them, they prepared to leave the 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. l6i 
 
 foom, and just as they passed the spot where Lewis stood, Lord 
 Bellefield, in drawing out his handkerchief, accidentally dropped a 
 glove. Not perceiving his loss, he was still walking on, when Lewis, 
 after a moment's hesitation, resolved to adhere to his determination 
 of treating Lord Bellefield as he would any other man his superior 
 in rank, and perhaps inwardly rejoiced at the opportunity of returning 
 good for evil, or at least civility for insult, stooped and picked up the 
 glove, then advancing a step or two, he presented it to its owner, 
 saying — 
 
 " Excuse my interrupting your lordship, but you have dropped your 
 glove." 
 
 Now it so happened that the moment before Lewis had removed 
 his own glove to render some assistance to Walter, and had not 
 replaced it when he extended his hand to Lord Bellefield, who, with- 
 out making any reply, signed to his French valet, then assisting in 
 the champagne department, and when he approached, said — 
 
 " Tenez, Anioine/ Take the glove from this gentleman, and bring 
 me a clean pair." 
 
 The insolence of his look and the affected drawl in which he spoke 
 rendered his meaning so unmistakable, that, after a slight attempt to 
 repress the inclination, one of his companions burst into a laugh, 
 while the other, who had sufficient good feeling to be disgusted at 
 such an unprovoked insult, turned on his heel and walked away. 
 Lewis stood for a moment as if stunned; then, flushing crimson, 
 he actually quivered with suppressed anger; still it was evident 
 that he was striving to master his passion, and apparently he 
 was in great measure successful, for when he spoke it was in a low, 
 calm voice. 
 
 " Am I to understand," he said, " that your lordship, considering 
 this glove polluted by the accident of my having touched it, will never 
 wear it again ? " 
 
 "Ya — as," was the reply; "you may very safely come to that con- 
 clusion without any fear of misinterpreting my intentions." 
 
 " In that case," continued Lewis, in the same low, clear voice, 
 though his eyes, which were fixed on Lord Bellefield's, actually glowed 
 with the intensity of his emotion, " I will crave your permission to 
 retain it as a memorial of this evening. Your lordship will observe it 
 is a right hand glove. I may, on some future occasion, have the 
 pleasure of calling your attention to the care with which I have 
 preserved the relic." 
 
 So saying, he bowed coldly, and still holding the glove with a vice- 
 like grasp, as though he feared to have it wrested from Him, he turned 
 away without waiting a reply. 
 
 "What on earth does the fellow want with that glove?" inquired 
 Lord Bellefield's companion, who, not being a particularly intellectual 
 young gentleman, had been greatly mystified by the whole proceeding. 
 "And what in the world is the matter with you?" he added, observing 
 for the first time that his friend was looking strangely pale and shudder- 
 ing slightly. 
 
 "Eh— come along— we're standing in a confounded draught, and 
 
iSa L£WIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 I've never rightly recovered that ague I picked up at Ancona," was 
 the reply ; and taking his companion's arm, Lord Bellefield hastily left 
 the room. 
 
 So engrossed had Lewis been with his own share of the transaction 
 that he had not observed the breathless interest with which the whole 
 scene had been watched by the girl before alluded to. She now 
 approached him under the excuse of offering some cakes, and, as he 
 somewhat impatiently refused them, said in a hurried whisper — 
 
 " I beg your pardon, sir, but what is it you intend to do with that 
 glove?" 
 
 Surprised alike at the question and the quarter from whence it 
 proceeded, Lewis looked at the girl more attentively than he had yet 
 done. She was above the middle height, and of a singularly graceful 
 figure ; her features were characterised by a degree of refinement and 
 intelligence not usually to be found amongst persons of her class; she 
 was very pale, and though she endeavoured to repress all outward 
 signs of emotion, he could perceive she was fearfully agitated. 
 
 " Do with the glove ! " returned Lewis. " What makes you ask such 
 an odd question ? " 
 
 "You cannot deceive me, sir," she replied in the same eager 
 whisper. " I witnessed all that passed between you and — that gentle- 
 man just now." 
 
 " And what is it you fear ? " asked Lewis. 
 
 "That you are going to challenge him to fight a duel to-morrow 
 morning — and — and perhaps mean to wear that glove on the hand 
 you shoot him with." 
 
 As she uttered these last words a strange expression flitted across 
 Lewis's face ; it had passed, however, ere he replied — 
 
 " You are mistaken. As long as I remain under this roof I shall 
 avoid any collision with that gentleman. Nay, more ; should he 
 repeat his insult (though I scarcely think he will), I shall not attempt 
 to resent it. So," he continued with a smile, " as I am living here, I 
 think he is tolerably safe from me. Stay," he added, as, after glancing 
 anxiously at his features, as though she strove to read his very soul, 
 she was about to turn away, satisfied that he was not attempting to 
 deceive her, " stay ; do not mention what you have observed amongst 
 the servants ; and here is something to buy you some new ribbon for 
 your cap." 
 
 " I will not accept your money, sir," she replied somewhat haughtily ; 
 "but your secret is safe with me as in the grave." Then taking 
 Walter's plate, which was by this time empty, she crossed the room 
 and mingled with the other servants. 
 
 It was later in the evening; much dancing had been accomplished, 
 many civil speeches and some rude ones made, mild flirtations began 
 to assume a serious character, and one or two aggravated cases 
 appeared likely to end in business. The hearts of match-making 
 mammas beat high with hope, marriageable daughters were looking 
 up, and eligible young men, apparently bent on becoming tremendous 
 sacrifices, were evidently to be had cheap. The real live Duke was 
 in unusually high spirits; he had hitherto been mercifully preserved 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 163 
 
 from dangerous young ladles, and had passed a very pleasant even- 
 ing. Lady Mary Goodwood, who was equal to a duke or any other 
 emergency, had been introduced to him, and had taken upon herself 
 the task of entertaining him ; and his Grace, being slightly acquainted 
 with Mr. Goodwood, and fortified by an unshakable faith in that 
 gentleman's powers of longevity, had yielded himself unresistingly to 
 the fascinations of the fair Amazon, and allowed himself to be amused 
 with the most amiable condescension. Charles Leicester, in some 
 degree reassured by his conversation with Lewis, returned to the 
 dancing-room and secured Miss Peyton for a waltz ; but his success 
 did not tend greatly to improve his position, as the young lady con- 
 tinued strangely silent, or only opened her mouth to say cutting things. 
 The last polka before supper she danced with De Grandeville ; on 
 that gentleman's arm she entered the room in which the repast was 
 laid out, and he it was who, seated by her side during the meal, 
 forestalled her every wish with most lover-like devotion. Lord Belle- 
 field, after the rencontre with Lewis, had consoled himself by taking 
 possession of Annie, whose side he never quitted for a moment, and 
 who he thereby prevented from holding any private communication 
 with her friend Miss Peyton, her acquaintance with the domestic 
 economy of her uncle's family leading her to divine that his brother 
 would be about the last person to whom Charles Leicester would wish 
 his hopes and fears confided. 
 
 Seeing that things thus continued steadily to " improve for the 
 worse," and that the tide which Shakespeare discovered in the affairs 
 of men appeared to have set dead against him, the unfortunate 
 " Charley " having, in a spirit of self-mortification, repudiated supper 
 and rejected offers of champagne with the virulence of a red-hot 
 teetotaller, betook himself to the solitude of the music-room in a state 
 of mind bordering on distraction, which fever of the soul Lady Mary 
 Goodwood had not tended to allay, by remarking, with a significant 
 glance towards Miss Peyton and De Grandeville — 
 
 " I say, Charley, cast your eye up the course a minute ; the heavy- 
 weight's making play with the favourite at a killing pace. I'd bet 
 long odds he pops and she says 'Done' before the meeting's over; 
 so if that don't suit your book, Charley, my boy, the sooner you hedge 
 on the double event the better." 
 
 The music-room at Broadhurst was a spacious apartment, with a 
 coved ceiling and deep bay windows hung with rich crimson damask 
 curtains, and containing ottomans of the same material in the recesses. 
 On one of these Leicester flung himself, and half hidden by the 
 voluminous folds of the drapery, sketched out a gloomy future, in 
 which he depicted himself quarrelling with De Grandeville, shooting 
 him in a consequent duel, and residing ever after in the least desirable 
 part of the backwoods of America, a prey to remorse, virithout cigars, 
 and cut off from kid gloves and pale ale in the flower of his youth. 
 Occupied with these dreary thoughts, he scarcely noticed the entrance 
 of various seceders from the supper-table ; nor was it until the sound 
 of the pianoforte aroused his attention that he perceived the room to 
 be tenanted by some twenty or thirty people scattered in small 
 
1 64 LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 coteries throughout the apartment. At the moment when he became 
 alive to external impressions Miss Singleton was about to favour the 
 company with a song, having secured a mild young man to turn over 
 the music, who knew not life and believed in her to the fullest extent 
 with a touching simplicity. Before this interesting performance could 
 commence, however, sundry preliminary arrangements analogous to 
 the nautical ceremony of " clearing for action " appeared indispens- 
 able. First, a necessity existed for taking off her gloves, which was 
 not accomplished without much rounding of arms, display of rings, 
 and rattling of bracelets, one of which, in particular, would catch in 
 everything, and was so incorrigible that it was forced to be unclasped 
 in disgrace and committed to the custody of the mild young man, 
 who blushed at it and held it as if it were alive. Then Miss Singleton 
 drew up her head, elongated her neck to a giraffe-like extent, raised 
 her eyes, simpered, cast them down again, glanced out of their corners 
 at the "mild one" till he trembled in his polished boots and jingled 
 the wicked bracelet like a baby's rattle in the excess of his agitation, 
 and finally commenced her song by an energetic appeal to her mother 
 (who had been dead and buried for the last fifteen years) to " wake 
 her early " on the ensuing first of May. Just as she was assuring the 
 company that "she had been wild and wayward, but she was not 
 wayward now," a couple entered the room, and apparently wishing 
 not to disturb the melody, seated themselves on a sofa in a retired 
 comer which chanced to be nearly opposite to the recess of which 
 Leicester had taken possession ; thus, although the whole length of 
 the music-room intervened, he could (himself unseen) catch occasional 
 glimpses of this sofa as the ever-changing groups of loungers formed 
 and dispersed themselves. 
 
 The occupants of the seat were Miss Peyton and De Grandeville ; 
 and could Charles Leicester have overheard the following conversa- 
 tion the passive annoyance with which he observed the colloquy might 
 have given place to a more active sentiment. 
 
 "Ar — really," remarked De Grandeville, "that is a very — ar — 
 touching, pathetic song " 
 
 " Murdered," observed Miss Peyton, quietly finishing his sentence 
 for him. 
 
 " Ar — eh — yes, of course, I was going to — ar — that is, your exquisite 
 taste has — ar — in fact— ar — beyond a doubt the woman is committing 
 murder." 
 
 " Recollect, the ' woman,' as you are pleased to call her, is my 
 particular friend, Mr. De Grandeville," returned his companion with 
 a slight degree of hauteur in her tone. 
 
 " Ar — yes, of course, that speaks volumes in her favour,'' was the 
 rejoinder; "and although it is not every one who is gifted with the — 
 ar — talent of vocalisation, yet the estimable qualities which one seeks 
 in the — ar — endearing relation of friendship may be found — ar — that 
 is, may exist — ar " 
 
 "What did you think of the champagne at supper?" interrupted 
 Miss Peyton abruptly. 
 
 " Really — ar — 'pon my word I did not particularly notice it, I was — 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 163 
 
 ar— so agreeably situated that I could not devote much attention to 
 the — ar — commissariat department." 
 
 " Surely it was unusually strong," persisted Laura. 
 
 "Ar — yes, of course you are right, it is no doubt owing to its agree- 
 ably exhilarating qualities that it is so universally popular with the 
 fair sex. Were I — ar — so fortunate as to be — ar— a married man, I 
 should always have champagne at my table." 
 
 " What a temptation I " returned Miss Peyton, smiling ironically. 
 " Your wife will be an enviable woman, if you mean to indulge her 
 in such luxuries." 
 
 " It delights me to hear you say so," exclaimed De Grandeville 
 eagerly. " If such is your opinion, I am indeed a fortunate man. I 
 had not intended," he continued in a lower tone, " to speak to you at 
 this early period of our acquaintance on the subject nearest to my 
 heart, but the — ar — very flattering encouragement " 
 
 " Sir 1 " exclaimed Miss Peyton in a tone of indignant surprise. 
 
 "Which you have deigned to bestow upon me," continued De 
 Grandeville, not heeding the interruption, " leads me to unfold my 
 intentions without further delay. I am now arrived at an age when, 
 in the prime of life, and with judgment so matured that I consider I 
 may safely act in obedience to its dictates without the risk of making 
 any great mistake, it appears to mej and to those of my highly born and 
 influential friends whom I have consulted on the subject, that I might 
 greatly improve my general position in society by a judicious matri- 
 moniaJ alliance. Now, without bein^ in the slightest degree actuated 
 by — ar — anything approaching to a spirit of boasting, I may venture to 
 say that in the selection of a partner for life I have a right to look — 
 ar — high. My family may be traced back beyond the Norman con- 
 quest, and the immense estates in our possession — ar — my cousin 
 Hildebrand holds them at present — but in the event of anything hap- 
 pening to his seven — ar — however, I need not now trouble you with 
 such family details, suffice it to say that we are of ancient descent, 
 enormous landed proprietors, and that my own position in society is 
 by no means an unimportant one. Now, although I am aware that 
 by birth you are scarcely — ar — that is — that the Peyton family cannot 
 trace back their origin — ar — I have made up my mind to waive that 
 point in consideration of " 
 
 " Excuse me, sir," interrupted Miss Peyton. " Doubtless your 
 mature judgment has led you to discover many, in fact some thousands 
 of good and weighty reasons why you should overlook the humble 
 origin of the poor Peytons ; but there is one point which appears to 
 have escaped even your sagacity, namely, whether this unworthy 
 descendant of an ignoble family desires the honour of such an alliance 
 as you propose. That you may no longer be in doubt on the subject, 
 allow me to thank you for the sacrifice you propose to make in my 
 favour, and most unequivocally to decline it." 
 
 No one could be in De Grandeville's company for ten minutes 
 without perceiving that on the one subject of his own importance he 
 was more or less mad ; but with this exception he was a clear-headed, 
 quick-sighted man, used to society and accustomed to deal with 
 
1 66 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 the world. Laura Peyton, in her indignation at the inflated style of 
 the preamble of his discourse, had committed the indiscretion of 
 refusing his hand before he had distinctly offered it. De Grande- 
 ville perceived the mistake, and hastened to avail himself of it by 
 replymg — 
 
 " Excuse me, Miss Peyton, but you jump rather hastily to con- 
 clusions. Had you heard me to the end you might have learned that 
 there were equally strong reasons why in my present position I dare not 
 yield to the impulse of my feelings — for that I greatly admire and 
 respect you I frankly own. Should these reasons disappear under a 
 change of circumstances, I shall hope to have the honour of again 
 addressing you on this subject with a more favourable result. In the 
 meantime, to assure you that I entertain no unfriendly recollection 
 of this interview, permit me the honour " 
 
 So saying, ere she was aware of his intention, he raised her hand 
 to his lips, bowed respectfully, and rising, quitted the apartment. 
 Miss Peyton, equally surprised and provoked at the turn De Grande- 
 ville had given to the conversation, remained for a minute or so 
 pondering the matter, with her eyes fixed on the ground; as she 
 raised them they encountered those of a gentleman who was passing 
 down the room at the time. Charles Leicester (for he it was) returned 
 her gaze haughtily, and as their eyes met a contemptuous smile 
 curled his lip, and bowing coldly, he passed on without a word. 
 Well might he despise her, for he had witnessed the parting salute, 
 and not unnaturally deemed her the afiSanced bride of Marmaduke 
 De Grandeville. Ere he retired for the night his servant had received 
 orders to pack up his clothes and to procure post-horses by eight 
 o'clock on the following morning. Annie Grant, who, when the latest 
 guests had departed, sought her friend Laura's dressing-room to 
 explain to her the old friendship which had existed between her 
 cousin Charles and Lady Mary Goodwood was equally surprised and 
 distressed to find her communication received with a hysterical burst 
 of tears. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 SUNSHINE AFTER SHOWERS. 
 
 Annie Grant found her friend strangely uncommunicative on the 
 subject of her fit of weeping ; she declared that it was nothing — that 
 she felt nervous and overtired, but that a good night's rest was all she 
 required to set her to rights again ; then kissing her affectionately, 
 Laura, with much caressing, turned her out of the room. As sound 
 sleep was the specific to which Miss Peyton trusted for the restoration 
 of her health and spirits, it can scarcely be imagined that, after pass- 
 ing four restless hours in a vain attempt to obtain the desired boon, 
 she should have felt particularly refreshed. Weary both in mind and 
 body, she was aroused from a dreamy, half-sleeping, half-waking, but 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 167 
 
 wholly uncomfortable state into which she had fallen by the sun 
 shining brightly into her room. The beauty of the morning, though 
 a thick hoar frost lay upon the ground, banished all further desire for 
 sleep, and commencing her toilet, she resolved on a scheme which 
 her acquaintance with the usual habits of the family led her to con- 
 ceive feasible— namely, to possess herself of the third volume of a 
 new novel in which she was considerably interested, and with that for 
 a companion, to take a brisk walk in the clear morning air and return 
 ere any of the party had made their appearance at the breakfast-table. 
 Dressing hastily, she wrapped herself in a thick shawl and tripped 
 lightly down the staircase, only encountering in her progress a drowsy 
 housemaid, who stared at her with lack-lustre eyes, as though she 
 took her for a ghost. Before she could carry her whole plan into 
 execution, however, it was necessary that she should visit the library 
 in order to procure the volume she wished to take with her. Opening 
 the door quickly, she had proceeded half-way across the room ere she 
 perceived it was not untenanted. As she paused, uncertain whether 
 or not to proceed, Charles Leicester — for he it was who, acting on his 
 resolution of the previous night, was writing a few lines to account for 
 his abrupt departure — rose from the table at which he had been 
 sitting and advanced towards her. He was attired for a journey, and 
 his pale features and the dark circles under his eyes gave token of a 
 sleepless night. There was a restless energy in his tone and manner, 
 as he addressed her, totally opposed to his usual listless indifference ; 
 and no one could be in his company a moment without perceiving 
 that (to use a common but forcible expression) something had come 
 over him — that he was (at all events, for the present) a changed man. 
 
 " You are an early riser. Miss Peyton," he said. " I did not expect 
 to have an opportunity of wishing you good-bye in person." 
 
 " I was not aware you intended leaving Broadhurst so soon," re- 
 turned Laura, feeling, she scarcely knew why, exceedingly uncomfort- 
 able. " Shall you return before the party breaks up ? " 
 
 "No. I shall go abroad directly, and endeavour to procure an 
 attach^ship to one of the embassies ; the Turkish, I think ; I've never 
 seen Constantinople." 
 
 " Surely you've formed this resolution somewhat abruptly," observed 
 Miss Peyton. "It was only yesterday you agreed to escort your cousin 
 Annie and myself to ride over and sketch the ruins of Monkton 
 Priory. I was thinking this morning, as soon as I saw the sunshine, 
 what a charming canter we should have." 
 
 " I should be more sorry. Miss Peyton, to be forced to break so 
 agreeable an engagement, did I not feel certain you will have no 
 difficulty in supplying my place on the occasion," returned Leicester, 
 laying a marked emphasis on the pronoun. " I must now wish you 
 good morning," he continued ; then bowing coldly, he took up his 
 hat and turned to leave the room. 
 
 Miss Peyton allowed him to reach the door ere she could make up 
 her mind what course to pursue; then colouring brightly, she ex- 
 claimed, "Stay one moment, Mr. Leicester." As he paused, and 
 closing the door, which he had partially opened, turned towards her, 
 
 12 
 
i68 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 she continued, " I will not afFect to misunderstand your allusion, and 
 although the subject is one on which I should not willingly have 
 entered, I consider it due to myself not to suffer you to depart under 
 a mistake, into which I should have thought you knew me too well to 
 have fallen." 
 
 " Mistake I " repeated Leicester eagerly. " Is it possible that I can 
 be mistaken ? Are you not then engaged to Mr. De Grandeville ? " 
 
 " Most assuredly am I not," returned Miss Peyton, " nor, unless I 
 very greatly alter my opinion of that gentleman, shall I ever be so. 
 I did think Mr. Leicester would have given me credit for better taste 
 than to have supposed such a thing possible, but I see I was mistaken ; 
 and now," she added, "having found the book I came to seek, I must 
 wish you good morning, and — a pleasant journey to Constantinople." 
 
 " Stay, Miss Peyton," exclaimed Leicester, for once really excited ; 
 "you have said too much or too little. Pardon me," he continued, 
 " I will not detain you five minutes, but speak I must." Taking her 
 hand, he led her to a seat, and resumed — 
 
 " I am placed in a position equally painful and difficult, but the best 
 and most straightforward course I can pursue will be to tell you in as 
 few words as possible the simple truth, and then leave you to decide 
 upon my fate. The difficulty I have to encounter is this : — You are an 
 heiress; I, a portionless younger brother, without a profession, and 
 brought up in expensive and indolent habits. Were I then to tell you 
 that I love you, and that the dearest wish of my heart is to call you 
 mine, how can I expect you to think that I am not actuated by 
 mercenary motives ? to believe that I do indeed, deeply, truly love you, 
 with an intensity of which I scarcely could have believed my nature 
 capable ? When first I sought your society, I frankly own (and if the 
 admission ruins my cause I cannot help it, for I will not attempt to 
 deceive you) it was the report of your riches which attracted me. I 
 considered you lady-like and agreeable, and this being the case, 
 I would willingly have done as I saw men of my acquaintance do 
 every day — married for money; but as I became intimate with you, 
 and discovered the priceless treasures of your heart and mind, my 
 views and feelings altered. I soon learned to love you for yourself 
 alone, and then for the first time, when I perceived that in marrying you 
 I had everything to gain and nothing to offer in return, I became 
 fully aware of the meanness of the act I contemplated — in fact I saw 
 the matter in its true light, and felt that to ask you to become my wife 
 would be an insult rather than a compliment. Thus, the more I grew 
 to love you, the less I ventured to show it, till at last, pride coming to 
 my assistance, I resolved to tear myself away, and quitted Scotland 
 abruptly, intending never to renew our intimacy, unless some un- 
 expected stroke of fortune should enable me to do so on more equal 
 terms. My cousin Annie, however, had it seems guessed my secret, 
 and invited you here without mentioning her intention to me till you 
 had actually arrived. Had I acted consistently, I should have left 
 this place a fortnight ago; but I had suffered so much during my 
 absence, and the delight of again associating with you was so over- 
 powering, that 1 had not sufficient strength of wiH to carry out my 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 169 
 
 determination ; thus I continued day by day yielding myself to the 
 fascination of your society, learning to love you more and more, and 
 yet not daring to tell you so, because I felt the impossibility of proving 
 — even now it seems absurd to say — my disinterestedness; but that 
 I loved you for yourself alone. Such had been for some days my state 
 of feeling, when yesterday I was nearly driven distracted by that man, 
 De Grandeville, actually selecting me as his confidant, and consulting 
 me of all people in the world as to the advisability of making you an 
 offer of marriage, hinting that he had reason to believe such a pro- 
 posal would be favourably received by you." 
 
 " Insolent 1 " exclaimed Miss Peyton, raising her eyes for the first 
 time during Leicester's address, and looking him full in the face. " So 
 far from encouraging him, I have never spoken to him save to turn his 
 pompous speeches into ridicule since I was first introduced to him." 
 
 " So I would fain have taught myself to believe yesterday," resumed 
 Leicester; "but the coldness of your manner towards me, and the 
 marked attention you allowed him to pay you during the evening, 
 tortured me with doubts, and when, after an animated conversation in 
 the music-room, I saw him raise your hand to his lips, I imagined he 
 had put his design into execution, and was an accepted suitor." 
 
 "A rejected one would have been nearer the mark," murmured 
 Miss Peyton. 
 
 " Utterly miserable," continued Leicester, " at the idea of having 
 irrevocably lost you — provoked that you should have accepted a man 
 so completely your inferior in mind, and, indeed, in every particular, 
 I ordered post-horses before I retired for the night, and but for this 
 accidental meeting should have been already on my road to London. 
 And now," he continued with passionate eagerness, " it is for you to 
 decide whether my future life is to be happy or miserable. If truth 
 has any power of revealing itself, you will believe that I love you 
 deeply, tenderly, for yourself alone ; and you will decide whether such 
 an affection is calculated to ensure your happiness; but if you are 
 unable to credit my sincerity, only say the word, and I leave you for 
 ever." 
 
 He ceased, and clenching his hands in the excess of his emotion 
 till the nails appeared to grow into the flesh, stood before her, pale 
 and agitated, like a criminal awaiting the sentence which shall send 
 him forth a free man or consign him to a felon's grave. After watching 
 her anxiously for a few moments, during which she remained without 
 speaking, her head averted and her features concealed by her close 
 straw bonnet, he resumed : " I see it is in vain to wait ; your silence 
 tells me that I have nothing to hope — fool that I was ever to deem it 
 could be otherwise I Farewell, Laura ; may you be as happy as I 
 would have striven to render you." 
 
 He turned, and his hand was again on the lock of the door, when a 
 low, sweet voice, every accent of which thrilled through his very soul, 
 murmured — 
 
 " Mr. Leicester — Charles — do not go — ^you will not leave me?" 
 
 And accordingly he did not go, but came back instantly like an 
 amiable, obedient young man as he was, and received the reward of 
 
170 LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 merit by learning from the lips of her he loved that she was not only 
 convinced of the sincerity of the affection he had bestowed on her, but 
 prized the gift so highly that she felt obliged to return it, which state- 
 ment sounded very like a contradiction, but was nothing of the kind. 
 Then followed a bright, happy half-hour, one of those little bits of 
 unmitigated sunshine which gleam once or twice in a lifetime to thaw 
 the ice that tears which have never found vent form more or less 
 thickly around the heart of each of us ; and ere it was over, Laura 
 Peyton stood pledged to become the wife of Charley Leicester, who 
 dis-ordered the post-horses and postponed his journey to Constan- 
 tinople ad infinitum. 
 
 Several droll little scenes occurred later on that morning between 
 various members of the party assembled at Broadhurst. In the first 
 place, Annie Grant, who, completely tired out, and greatly concerned 
 at the mysterious impediments which obstructed the course of her 
 cousin Charles's love affair, had sought her pillow with a firm convic- 
 tion she should never close her eyes all night, fell asleep immediately, 
 and woke soon after nine o'clock on the following morning under the 
 impression that she had just gone to bed. While she was dressing 
 she resolved in her anxious mind her cousin's difficulties, and came to 
 the following conclusions: first, that for sundry reasons connected 
 with his natural indolence and a painful sense of his dependent 
 position, Charley would never " tell his love ; " secondly, that Laura, 
 not divining these reasons, was piqued and hurt at his prolonged 
 silence; and thirdly, that it behoved her (Annie) to remove these 
 stumbling-blocks by a little judicious interference. Accordingly, 
 when she had finished her toilet, and, giving a last parting glance at 
 her pretty face and graceful figure in the cheval glass in her dressing- 
 room, had thought — well, I don't know that we've any business to pry 
 into her thoughts, but by the bright half-smile, half-blush which 
 resulted from the inspection it may be concluded they were of an 
 agreeable nature. When she had performed this little unconscious 
 act of homage to her own beauty she tripped off to her friend's room, 
 and found that young lady fastening a very dangerous little bow of 
 ribbon around her neck, with a small turquoise brooch made in the 
 shape of a true lover's knot. I wonder why she should have selected 
 it from some twenty others on that morning in particular ? 
 
 " Idle girl ! " exclaimed Annie, kissing her affectionately, as if idle- 
 ness were a highly commendable quality, " idle girl 1 not dressed at 
 ten o'clock, and I've been ready for the last five minutes." 
 
 " I'm vei-y sorry, dear; but if you knew what pleasant dreams I've 
 enjoyed, you would not wish to have dispelled them," returned Laura 
 demurely, though there was a fund of merriment gleaming in her 
 dark eyes which Annie in her innocence did not perceive. Feeling, 
 however, that under the circumstances her friend had no business to 
 have been so very happy, even in her dreams, she answered somewhat 
 pettishly — 
 
 " You have been more favoured than I have been. I went to bed 
 cross and worried, and fretted over all my troubles again in my 
 dreams. Laura dear," she continued, " I want to say something to 
 
LEWIS ARUNt)EL. i?t 
 
 you, if 1 thought you would not be angry with me : I wish you — but 
 can't you guess what I'm going to say?" 
 
 Miss Peyton shook her pretty head, and confirmed the conviction 
 expressed by De Grandeville, that her family was of modern date, by 
 repudiating any connection with the race of CEdipus. So poor, sensi- 
 tive Annie was forced to clothe her meaning in plain and unmistakable 
 words, which she endeavoured to do by resuming — 
 
 " My cousin Charles, dear Laura — you know we were brought up 
 together as children, and I love him as a brother; he is so kind- 
 hearted and such a sweet temper; and of course I am aware he 
 makes himself rather ridiculous sometimes with his indolence and 
 affectation, but he has been so spoiled and flattered by the set he lives 
 in — it is only manner — whenever he is really called upon to act, you 
 have no notion what good sense and right feeling he displays. Dear 
 Laura, I can't bear to see him so unhappy 1 " 
 
 At the beginning of this speech Miss Peyton coloured slightly; as 
 it proceeded her eyes sparkled, and any one less occupied with their 
 own feelings than was Annie Grant might have observed that tears 
 glistened in them; but at its conclusion she observed in her usual 
 quiet tone — 
 
 " I don't believe Mr. Leicester is unhappy." 
 
 " Ah 1 you don't know him as well as I do," returned Annie, her 
 cheeks glowing and her eyes beaming with the interest she took in 
 the subject; "he was so wretched all yesterday evening; he ate no 
 supper, and sat moping in corners, as unlike his natural, happy self as 
 possible." 
 
 " Did you hear that he had ordered post-horses at eight o'clock this 
 morning?" inquired Laura. 
 
 " No ! you don't mean it ! " exclaimed Annie, clasping her hands in 
 dismay. " Oh, I hope he is not gone ! " 
 
 " You may depend upon it he is," rejoined Miss Peyton, turning to 
 the glass avowedly to smooth her glossy hair, which did not in the 
 slightest degree require that process, but in reality to hide a smile. 
 " He must be on his way to town by this time, unless anything has 
 occurred this morning to cause him to alter his determination." 
 
 " That is impossible," returned Annie quickly ; then adding in a tone 
 of the deepest reproach, " Oh, Laura ! how could you be so cruel as to 
 let him go ? " she burst into a flood of tears. And Laura, that heart- 
 less young hyasna of fashionable life, that savage specimen of the 
 perfidious sex of whom a poet sings — 
 
 " Woman, though so mild she seem, 
 
 Will take your heart and tantalise it ; 
 Were it made of Portland stone, 
 She'd manage to Macadamise it " — 
 
 what do you suppose she did on the occasion ? Nothing wonderful, 
 and yet the best thing she could, for she wreathed her soft arms round 
 Annie's neck, and kissing away her tears, whispered in a few simple 
 touching words the secret of her happy love. 
 
iji LKVVIS ARUND£L. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 BROTHERLY LOVE "A LA MODE." 
 
 Now let us shake the kaleidoscope and take a peep at another com- 
 bination of our dramatis persona at this particular phase of their 
 destinies. Lord Bellefield is breakfasting in his private sitting-room; 
 a bright fire blazes on the hearth; close to it has been drawn a sofa, 
 upon which, wrapped in a dressing-gown of rich brocaded silk, lounges 
 the tenant of the apartment ; a breakfast-table stands by the sofa, on 
 which are placed an empty coffee cup, a small flask of French brandy, 
 and a liqueur glass, together with a plate of toast apparently scarcely 
 touched, a cut-glass saucer containing marmalade, and a cigar-case. 
 His lordship appears to be by no means in an amiable frame of mind. 
 He had sat up the previous night some two hours after the ball was 
 over, playing Ecartd with certain intimates of his own, whom he had 
 caused to be invited to Broadhurst, during which time he had con- 
 trived to lose between £,700 and ^300. Earlier in the past day he had 
 formed a canvassing engagement with General Grant for eleven 
 o'clock on the following morning, which had obliged him to rise 
 sooner than was by any means agreeable to his tastes, or consonant 
 with his usual habits; and lastly, he expected an important letter, and 
 the post was late. While he was pondering this agglomerate (to 
 choose a euphonious word) of small evils, the door opened noiselessly, 
 and Antoine, the French valet, carrying a well-brushed coat as tenderly 
 as if it had been a baby, stole on tiptoe across the room. Lord 
 Bellefield, whose head was turned away from the door, stretched out 
 his hand, exclaiming impatiently, "Well,, where are they?" 
 
 " MilorJ" returned the astonished Frenchman, who in his interest 
 about the coat had forgotten the letters. 
 
 " The letters, fool, where are they ?" reiterated his lordship angrily. 
 
 " Mille pardons, Milorj but ven I did valk myself up zie stair, I am 
 not avare dat zie lettairs had made zemselves to arrive," rejoined 
 Antoine with a self-satisfied smile, as if he had said something 
 clever. 
 
 " Did you ask ? " returned his master with a frown. 
 
 " Non pas prdcisement — I did not exactly demand," stammered 
 Antoine with (this time) a deprecatory smile. 
 
 Lord Bellefield's only reply was an oath; then, seeing the man 
 remained, uncertain what to do, he added — 
 
 " Go down again directly, idiot, and don't return without my letters, 
 
 unless " a menacing gesture of his clenched fist supplied the 
 
 blank, and the valet quitted the room, muttering with a shrug as he 
 closed the door, " Qt^ils sont barbares, ces Anglaisj but, parbleu, like 
 all zie savage, dey are made of gold— «/»/ bien, (^est igal,—\i.t shall pay 
 me veil for him." 
 
 Lord Bellefield was not fated to enjoy the blessing of peace that 
 morning, for scarcely had his servant closed the door ere some one 
 else tapped at it. " Come in," shouted the victimised peer, appending 
 
LEWIS AkUNDEL. i^i 
 
 a wish concerning his visitor, of which the most charitable view we 
 can take is that he was desirous of offering him a warm reception. 
 However this may be, Charles Leicester (for he it was to whose lot his 
 brother's left-handed benediction had fallen) entered the room, his 
 face reflecting the joy of his heart, and drawing a chair to the opposite 
 side of the fire-place, seated himself thereupon, and began rubbmg his 
 hands with a degree of energy totally opposed to his usual listless 
 indifference. 
 
 " Is there no other fire in the house that you are necessitated to 
 come and warm your hands here, Mr. Leicester ? I fancied you were 
 aware that if there is one thing in the world which annoys me more 
 than another, it is to be intruded on in a morning," observed his lord- 
 ship pettishly. Then, for the first time catching sight of his brother's 
 face, he continued, " What on earth are you looking so absurdly happy 
 about ? " 
 
 " Now, don't growl this morning, Belle ; be a little bit like a brother 
 for once in your life. I'm come to receive your congratulations," 
 returned Leicester. 
 
 " Has your Jewish money-lender turned Christian and burned his 
 books, like the magicians of old?" inquired Bellefield sarcastically. 
 
 " Something almost as wonderful," replied his brother, " for I live in 
 good hopes of paying him." 
 
 " Why, you don't mean to say my father is going to be such a con- 
 founded fool as to pay your debts ? " continued Bellefield, springing up 
 in the excitement of the moment. "I swear I'll not allow it; he'll 
 burden the estates so that when I come into the title I shall be a 
 beggar." 
 
 " Keep yourself cool, my good brother ; you might be sure I should 
 never in my wildest moments dream of asking you to congratulate me 
 on any good fortune which could by the most remote contingency 
 either affect your interests or interfere with your ease and comfort," 
 replied Leicester, for once provoked to say a cutting thing by his 
 brother's intense selfishness. 
 
 "Really, Charles, I'm in no humour for foolery or impertinence," 
 said Lord Bellefield snappishly. " If there's anything you wish me to 
 know, tell it at once; if not, I am expecting important letters, and 
 should be glad to be alone." 
 
 "What should you say if you heard I was going to be hanged, 
 Belle? "asked Charley. 
 
 "Wish you joy of your exalted destiny, and think things might 
 have been worse," was the answer. 
 
 "Apply both the wish and reflection to the present emergency,'' 
 returned Leicester, "for I'm in nearly as sad a case — I'm going to be 
 married." 
 
 " On the principli^that what is not enough to keep one can support 
 two, I suppose ! " rejoined Lord Bellefield in a tone of the most bitter 
 contempt. " Well, I did not think — but I wash my hands of the affair 
 entirely. Only mind this— the property is strictly entailed, my father 
 can do nothing without my consent, and if you expect that you're to 
 be supported in idleness at our expense " 
 
i?4 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " My dear fellow, I expect nothing of the kind," returned Charley, 
 caressing his whiskers. " My wife and I mean to set up a cigar divan, 
 and all we shall look for from you is your custom ; we certainly do 
 hope to make a decent living out of that." 
 
 Lord Bellefield uttered an exclamation expressive of disgust, and 
 then inquired abruptly — 
 
 "Well, who is the woman .■'" 
 
 " She isn't exactly a woman," returned Charley meekly ; " that is, of 
 course, speaking literally and in a physiological point of view she is 
 a woman, but in the language of civilised society she is something 
 more than a mere woman — for instance, by birth she is a lady. 
 Nature has bestowed on her that somewhat unusual feminine attribute, 
 a mind, to which art, through the medium of the various educational 
 sciences, has added cultivation ; then she has the sweetest, most 
 lovable disposition ■" 
 
 " There 1 spare me your lovers' raptures," returned Lord Bellefield ; 
 " of all stale trash they are the most sickening ; and tell me plainly, 
 in five words, who she is, and what she has." 
 
 " Laura Peyton — heiress — value unknown," returned Leicester 
 emphatically and concisely. 
 
 " Miss Peyton 1 " exclaimed Lord Bellefield in surprise. " My dear 
 Charles," he continued in a more cordial tone than he had yet used, 
 " do you really mean that you're engaged to Laura Peyton ? Why, 
 she is said to have between four and five thousand a year in the funds, 
 besides a princely estate in shire. Are you in earnest ? " 
 
 " Never was so much so about anything before in my life," returned 
 Leicester. " If I don't marry Laura Peyton, and that very soon too, 
 I shall do something so desperate that society had better shut up shop 
 at once, for it's safe to be ' uprooted from its very foundations,' as the 
 conservative papers say if a poor devil of a chartist happens to strop 
 his razor before committing the ' overt act ' by which he cuts his own 
 throat." 
 
 "'Pon my word," exclaimed Lord Bellefield, as he became con- 
 vinced that his brother was really in earnest, '"pon my word, you've 
 played your cards deucedly well. I declare, if I hadn't been booked 
 for little Annie here, I wouldn't have minded marrying the girl 
 myself. Why, Charley, you'll actually become a creditable member 
 of society." 
 
 As he spoke a tap was heard at the door, and Antoine made his 
 appearance, breathless with the haste in which he had run upstairs. 
 
 "Enfin elles sont arriv^es," he exclaimed, handing the letters on a 
 silver waiter; "vhy for zey vos si tard, zie postman, he did slip up 
 on von vot you call — {ah/ qu'ils soni difficiles, ces sacrds mots Anglais') 
 —slid? oui! oui! he did slip himself up on von slid, and tumbled 
 into two ditches." 
 
 Lord Bellefield seized the letters eagerly. Signing to the valet to 
 leave the room, without heeding his lucid explanation of the delay, he 
 selected one in a particular handwriting, and tearing it open, hastily 
 perused the first few lines ; then rubbing his hands, he exclaimed with 
 an oath, " By ! Beppo's won, and I'm a clear £12,000 in pocket. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. i?S 
 
 Charley, boy,*' he continued, with a sudden impulse of generosity (for 
 no one is all bad), "how much are your debts?" 
 
 " I believe about ^2000 would cover them," returned Leicester. 
 
 " Then I'll clear you, old fellow," replied Lord Bellefield, clapping 
 him on the shoulder, "and you shall marry your rich bride a free 
 man." 
 
 " My dear Bellefield, I can't allow it — ^you are too kind — I — I really 
 don't know how to thank you — I can't think what's come to everybody 
 this morning," cried poor Charley, as, fairly overpowered by his good 
 fortune, he seized Lord Bellefield's hand and wrung it warmly. At 
 that moment those two men, each warped and hardened differently, as 
 their dispositions differed, by the world's evil influence, felt more as 
 brothers should feel towards each other than they had done since they 
 played together years ago as little children at their mother's knee. 
 With one the kindly feeling thus revived was never again entirely 
 forgotten ; with the other — but we will not anticipate. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI IL 
 
 BEGINS ABRUPTLY AND ENDS UNCOMFORTABLY. 
 
 " Well, what is it ? for I can see by your eyes that you have some- 
 thing you wish to ask me, Walter," observed Lewis, as his pupil stood 
 before him nervously moving his feet and twisting the lash of a dog- 
 whip round his hands, 
 
 " Only Millar wanted — that is, he didn't want, but he said he would 
 take me out with him to see him shoot those great pretty birds." 
 
 " Pheasants," suggested Lewis. 
 
 " Yes, to see him shoot pheasants," continued Walter, " if you would 
 let me go. Millar says," he added, seeing that Lewis appeared 
 doubtful, " Millar says all real gentlemen like shooting, and that I'm 
 quite old enough to learn." 
 
 One great change wrought in Walter since he had been under 
 Lewis's direction — a change from which his tutor augured the most 
 favourable results — was the almost total disappearance of those fits 
 of morbid despondency and indifference to external objects, at times 
 almost amounting to unconscious imbecility, to which he had formerly 
 been subject ; it was therefore a part of Lewis's system to encourage 
 him to follow up vigorously any pursuit for which he evinced the 
 slightest predilection; indeed, so effectual a means did he consider 
 this of arousing his faculties, that he often sacrificed to it the daily 
 routine of mechanical teaching. Having, therefore, run over in his 
 mind the pros and cons, and decided that if he accompanied his pupil 
 no danger could accrue, he graciously gave his consent, and having 
 encased his feet in a stout pair of boots, and seen that Walter followed 
 his example, both master and pupil hastened to the stable-yard to join 
 the worthy individual with whom the expedition had originated. 
 
176 LfeWlS ARUMbteL. 
 
 Millar, who, as the reader has probably ere this divined, Was flofl6 
 other than General Grant's head gamekeeper, appeared anxious to be 
 ofF without delay, as he had received orders to kill a certain amount 
 of game which was required for a forthcoming dinner-party. The 
 morning was, as we have already said, lovely, and Lewis enjoyed the 
 brisk walk through some of the most wild and picturesque scenery the 
 country afforded with a degree of zest at which he was himself 
 surprised. The pheasants, however, not being endowed with such 
 superornithological resignation as certain water-fowl, who, when 
 required for culinary purposes were invited, as the nursery rhyme 
 relates, to their own executions by the unalluring couplet, 
 
 " Dilly dilly dilly ducks, come and be killed I " 
 
 appeared singularly unwilling to face death at that particular epoch, and 
 contrived accordingly by some means or other to render themselves 
 invisible. In vain did Millar try the choicest spinnies, in vain did he 
 scramble through impassable hedges, where gaps there were none, 
 rendering himself a very pin-cushion for thorns ; in vain did he creep 
 along what he was pleased to term dry ditches, till from the waist 
 downwards he looked more like a geological specimen than a leather- 
 gaitered and corduroyed Christian; still the obdurate pheasants refused 
 to stand fire, either present or prospective (gun or kitchen), and at the 
 end of three hours' hard walking through the best preserves the dis- 
 consolate gamekeeper had only succeeded in bagging a brace. At 
 length completely disheartened, he came to anchor on a stile, and 
 produced a flask of spirits, with the contents of which (after fruitlessly 
 pressing Lewis and Walter to partake thereof) he proceeded to regale 
 himself. Finding himself the better for this prescription, he shouted 
 to a dishevelled individual yclept the beater, who for the trifling con- 
 sideration of eighteenpence per diem and a meal of broken victuals, 
 delivered himself over to the agreeable certainty of being wet to the 
 skin, and scratched and torn through it, with the by no means remote 
 contingency of getting accidentally shot into the bargain. The 
 creature who appeared in answer to this summons, and who in spite 
 of the uncomfortable description we have given of his occupation, 
 seemed to enjoy his day's sport excessively, was too old for a boy and 
 too young for a man. His face was, of course, scratched and bleeding, 
 and his elf locks, drenched with the hoar frost, now melted into a 
 species of half-frozen gelatine, gave him a strange, unearthly appear- 
 ance. His clothing, if rags which looked like the cast-off garments of 
 an indigent scarecrow deserved the name, was so tattered and torn, 
 that the fact of their hanging upon him at all was calculated to shake 
 one's faith in the Newtonian theory of gravitation, till one gained a 
 clue to the mystery by recollecting the antagonistic principle 
 "attraction of cohesion;" the only personal attraction, by the way 
 (save a pair of clear grey eyes giving a shrewd expression to his face), 
 that our friend possessed. 
 
 " Villiam," began his superior — and here let it be remarked paren- 
 thetically that it was the custom of this excellent gamekeeper 
 invariably to address his satellite for the time being as "Villiam," 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL if? 
 
 utterly disregarding the occasional fact that the sponsors of the youth 
 had seen fit to call him otherwise — "Villiam," observed Mr. Millar, 
 " you're vet." This being an incontrovertible certainty, evident to the 
 meanest capacity, " Villiam " did not feel called upon to reply in 
 words, merely shaking himself like a Newfoundland dog for the 
 benefit of the bystanders, and glancing wistfully at the flask. " Yer 
 vet right thro' yer, Villiam," resumed his employer dogmatically ; " so 
 shove a drop o' this here down yer throat, and make spurrits and vater 
 of yerself." 
 
 To this proposition " Villiam " replied by stretching out his hand, 
 grasping the flask eagerly, then tugging at a tangled lock of hair on 
 his forehead as a salutation to the assembled company, and growling 
 out in a hoarse, damp voice, " Here's wushin' hall yer 'ealths," he 
 proceeded to " do his spiriting," though by no means as " gently " as 
 the delicate Ariel was accustomed to perform that operation. Having 
 thus qualified his cold-water system by the introduction of alcohol, 
 the spirit moved him and he spake. 
 
 " Yer ain't bagged much game, Master, this mornin', I reckon ?" 
 
 " Not I," was the reply ; "no man can't shoot things as ain't wisibul, 
 yer know, Villiam. I can't think vol's got all the game." 
 
 "They do tell I as pheasands as looks wery like ourn goes to 
 Lunnun in t'carrier's cart twice a veek," observed "Villiam" in a 
 dreamy, absent kind of manner, as if the remark were totally foreign 
 to the subject under discussion. 
 
 "Ah 1 that's vot yer hear, is it, Villiam?" returned Millar carelessly. 
 " Hif that's the case, I suppose (for 'tain't likely they valks there of 
 themselves) somebody must take 'em ? " 
 
 " That is right. Master," was the rejoinder. 
 
 " Has it hever cum across yer — take another drop of spurrits, 
 Villiam; yer vet — has it hever cum across yer who that somebody 
 his ? " demanded Millar in an easy, careless tone of voice. 
 
 " His it true as ther General thinks o' puttin' hon a second hunder- 
 keeper?" rejoined "Villiam," replying, like an Irish echo, by another 
 question. 
 
 " Hi'in avake, Villiam,'' returned his patron with an encouraging 
 wink, " it certingly his possibul hif I vas to tell ther General that I 
 knowed a quick, hintelligent lad has might be wery useful in catchiri 
 poarchers — yer understand, Villiam — sich a thing might cum about." 
 
 " In that case hi'm free to mention that hi see three coves a cummin' 
 hout o' Todshole Spinney vith a sack as vosn't haltogither hempty, 
 atween three and four o'clock this here blessed mornin'." 
 
 " And vot might yer be a' doin' yerself, hout o' bed at that time o' 
 night, Villiam?" inquired Millar suspiciously. 
 
 "A lying in a dry ditch vith my heyes open," returned the imp 
 significantly. 
 
 " I sees I " rejoined the keeper reflectively. " Yer didn't happen 
 haccidentally to know any o' they three coves, Villiam, I suppose ? " 
 
 " Ther von has carried the sack worn't haltogither unlike long 
 Hardy, the blacksmith," was the reply. 
 
 The worthy Mr, Millar meditated for some minutes in silence on 
 
tyS LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 the information thus acquired ; then rousing himself with a sudden 
 start, he observed, " Now, Villiam, hif you'll be so hobliging has to 
 beat along that ere 'edgerow to the right, ve'll see hif ve can knock 
 hover another brace o' longtails, and ve can talk about Mr. Hardy 
 ven ve have finished our day's vork. There's a precious young limb 
 o' vickedness," he added, turning to Lewis as the boy got out of 
 earshot, " he's von hof 'em, bless yer, only he's turned again 'em with 
 a mercenary view hof getting a bunder-keeper's sitivation." 
 
 " In which rascality do you mean to allow him to succeed ? " 
 asked Lewis. 
 
 "Not by no manner o' means — halways supposing I can pump 
 him dry without," was the prudent reply ; and shouldering his double- 
 barrel the gamekeeper quitted his perch on the stile and resumed 
 his shooting. 
 
 Whether the intelligence he had received had affected his nervous 
 system (reserving for future discussion the more doubtful question 
 of his possessing such an aristocratic organisation), or whether in the 
 excitement of the moment he had allowed hijnself to imbibe an un- 
 usually liberal allowance of the contents of the spirit-flask, vrt do not 
 pretend to decide ; but certain it is that he missed consecutively two 
 as fair shots as ever presented themselves to the gun of a sportsman, 
 and ended by wounding, without bringing dovra, a young hen pheasant, 
 despite the warning cry of "'ware hen" from the perfidious " Villiam," 
 then located in a quagmire. 
 
 " Veil, I never did ! " exclaimed the unfortunate perpetrator of this 
 the greatest crime which in a gamekeeper's opinion a sportsman can 
 commit ; " I 'aven't done sich a think has that since I wos a boy o' 
 thirteen year old, and father quilted me with the dog-whip for it, and 
 sarve me right, too. This here's a werry snipey bit, too," he continued 
 dejectedly ; " but hif I can't 'it a pheasand, hit's useless to 'old up my 
 gun hat a snipe." 
 
 "Your ill luck in the morning has made you impatient and spoiled 
 your shooting," observed Lewis, wishing good-naturedly to propitiate 
 his companion. 
 
 This speech, however, seemed to produce just a contrary effect, 
 for Millar answered gruffly, "Perhaps, Mister, you fancies as you 
 can do better yourself; hif so, you're velcome to take the gun 
 and try.'' 
 
 " I've no objection," replied Lewis, smiling at the very evident con- 
 tempt in which, 'as a " Lunnuner," his companion held him ; " I'll try 
 a shot or two, if you like." 
 
 " Here you are, then, sir,'' was the reply, as the keeper handed him 
 the gun ; " the right barrel's shotted for pheasands, and the left for 
 snipes ; so look hout, and if yer don't bag Villiam, or Master Valter 
 here, hit'U be a mercy, I expects." 
 
 If the unfortunate Millar hoped to console himself for his own 
 failure by witnessing a similar fmsha.p on the part of the young tutor, 
 he was once more doomed to be disappointed; for scarcely had 
 Lewis taken possession of the gun when a splendid cock-pheasant 
 rose within distance, though farther off than either of the shots the 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 179 
 
 keeper had just missed, and, ere its gaudy plumage had well caught 
 the rays of the sun above the tops of the young plantation, fell to 
 the ground, quivering in the agonies of death. As the smoke from 
 the discharge cleared away, a snipe, scared alike by the report of the 
 gun and the approach of the beater, sprang from a thick clump of 
 alder bushes iincl darted away, uttering its peculiar cry. 
 
 " No use — hit's clean out o' shot," exclaimed Millar, as Lewis, swift 
 as thought, again raised the gun to his shoulder. Slightly piqued 
 by the keeper's contemptuous manner, he determined not to throw 
 away a chance of vindicating his skill as a marksman, and though 
 he felt by no means sure of success, on the " nothing venture 
 nothing have" principle, the instant he got a clear sight of the bird 
 he blazed away at it. Great then was his delight to perceive the snipe 
 suddenly tower upwards and then drop to the ground, as if struck by 
 lightning. 
 
 "Vel, if that hain't a clever shot I" ejaculated Millar, surprised 
 into admiration in spite of himself; "bless'd if yer'aven't tuk the shine 
 hout of me properly. I thort yer vos a reg'lar green un, but I'm free 
 to confess I couldn't 'ave killed that ere bird at that distance ther 
 best o' times." 
 
 " Nor have I, it seems," exclaimed Lewis, as the snipe, which was 
 only wounded, rose, flew a short distance, and dropped again. 
 
 "Hit's dead this time, I'll bet a quart," observed Millar; "hit'll 
 never git hup no more, hif ve can honly find it." 
 
 " I think I can," said Lewis ; " I marked the exact spot where it 
 fell. Walter, do you stay with Millar till I come back. I should not 
 like to lose it." 
 
 So saying, Lewis, completely carried away by the excitement of the 
 sport, returned the gun to its owner, and dashing the branches aside, 
 bounded forward, and was soon hidden amongst the trees, as he forced 
 his way through the dense underwood towards the spot where he 
 trusted to find the snipe. With some difficulty, and after much 
 energetic scrambling, Lewis reached the place where he had seen the 
 bird fall, but even then it was no such easy matter to find it, nor was 
 it till he had nearly decided that he must relinquish the search that 
 he discovered his victim caught in a forked branch, and perfectly dead. 
 Having secured his prize, the next object was to rejoin his com- 
 panions, and this accordingly he endeavoured to accomplish without 
 delay ; but since the days of pious ^Eneas the task of retracing 
 our steps, the revocare gradus, has been a work of difficulty, more 
 especially if we have begun by taking a few in a wrong direction, 
 and Lewis's case proved no exception to the rule. After one or two 
 wrong turns he became completely bewildered, and feeling sure that 
 he should never discover his right course while surrounded by the 
 thick underwood, he struck into the first path which presented itself, 
 and following its windings, found himself, almost immediately, close 
 to the hedge which separated that side of the plantation from a grass- 
 field beyond. As he made his way towards a gap in this hedge his 
 attention was attracted by the sound of voices, and on approaching 
 the spot he perceived two persons engaged in earnest conversation. 
 
i8o LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 They were a man and a girl, the former, who wore the dress of 
 a gentleman, having his arm round his companion's waist. The 
 interview seemed, however, about to terminate, for as Lewis paused, 
 uncertain whether or not to make himself known to the lovers (for 
 such he conjectured them to be), the gentleman stooped, imprinted 
 a kiss on the damsel's brow, then saying, " Remember, you have 
 promised I " loosed the bridle of a horse which was fastened to 
 the branch of a tree, sprang into the saddle, and rode hastily away. 
 Not, however, before Lewis had recognised the features of Lord 
 Bellefield. 
 
 Surprise at this discovery was the first feeling of which Lewis was 
 conscious, then a sudden desire seized him to ascertain who the girl 
 could be, and without waiting to reflect on what further course it 
 might be advisable for him to pursue, he crossed the gap, sprang over 
 the ditch beyond, and presented himself before her. With a violent 
 start and a slight scream at this sudden apparition, the girl raised her 
 head, disclosing to Lewis the intelligent face and earnest eyes of the 
 young female who had accosted him on the previous evening im- 
 mediately after the affair of the glove had taken place. Lewis was 
 the first to speak. 
 
 " I have startled you, -I fear,'' he began. " I quitted my companions 
 to go in search of a snipe I had just shot, and becoming bewildered in 
 the wood, have contrived to miss them. Hearing voices in this direc- 
 tion, I jumped over the hedge, hoping I should find some one who 
 could tell me how to retrace my steps." 
 
 " Were you in the hazel walk when you left your party, sir ? " in- 
 quired the girl in a voice which faltered from various conflicting 
 emotions. 
 
 Lewis answered in the affirmative, and she continued — 
 
 " Then, if you go straight on till you come to the corner of the 
 field you will see a gate on your left hand; get over that and follow 
 the road which leads into the wood, and it will bi'ing you to your 
 friends." 
 
 Lewis thanked her, and then stood a moment, irresolute whether or 
 not to allude to the parting he had just witnessed. It was no affair of 
 his, and yet could he answer it to his conscience not to warn her 
 against the designs which, he did not doubt, Lord Bellefield enter- 
 tained against her ? 
 
 "Do not think me interfering without reason," he observed, "bui 
 I was an involuntary witness to your parting with that gentleman, 
 and I wish to ask you if you are acquainted with his name and 
 position ? " 
 
 The girl cast down her eyes, and after a pause, murmured that she 
 knew he was very rich. 
 
 "And his name ? " urged Lewis. 
 
 "Mr. Leicester, brother to the young Lord," she believed. 
 
 " He has told you that, has he ? " returned Lewis sternly ; " and did 
 it not occur to you to inquire of the servants last night whether your 
 wealthy admirer had revealed to you his real name ? " 
 
 " No ; she had never doubted that he had done sq." 
 

LEWIS ARUNDEL. r8i 
 
 "And perhaps were unwilling to call attention to your connection 
 with him by making the inquiry?" resumed Lewis. 
 
 A bright blush proved that he had hit upon the truth; but the 
 probing nature of his questions roused the girl's spirit, and raising 
 her eyes, she looked him full in the face as she in her turn inquired — 
 
 "And pray, sir, who are you ? and what right have you to question 
 me in this way ? " 
 
 " My name is Lewis Arundel ; I reside at Broadhurst, as tutor to 
 Sir Walter Desborough," was the reply; "and my right to ask you 
 these questions is the right every man possesses to do his best to 
 counteract the designs of a heartless libertine ; for such I take your 
 friend to be, and now I will give you my reasons for thinking him so. 
 In the first place, he has not told you his true name : he is not Lord 
 Bellefield's brother, as he pretends, but Lord Bellefield himself; and 
 in the second place, at the very moment when he is making profes- 
 sions of affection here to you, he is engaged to be married to his 
 cousin, the daughter of General Grant." 
 
 " It is not true, you hate him," exclaimed the girl with flashing 
 eyes. " You quarrelled with him last night, and now you seek to 
 revenge yourself by sowing dissension between him and me, but you 
 shall not succeed. I see through your meanness, and despise you for it." 
 
 " Girl, you are infatuated," returned Lewis angrily, " and must reap 
 the fruits of your obstinate folly. I spoke only for your good, and 
 told you the simple truth. If you choose to disbelieve me, the sin 
 will lie at your door, and not mine." 
 
 As he spoke he turned and left her. By the time he reached the 
 gate into the wood his conscience began to reproach him for having 
 been too hasty. He looked back to see if the girl were still there ; she 
 had not moved from the spot where he had quitted her, but stood 
 motionless, apparently buned in the deepest thought. Suddenly 
 observing that his eyes were directed towards her, she started, and 
 drawing her shawl closer around her, hurried away in an opposite 
 direction. Lewis watched her retreating figure till it became no longer 
 visible; then getting over the gate, he walked leisurely along the 
 turfed road to rejoin his companions. He was no coward, far from 
 it ; but had he known that at that moment a gun-barrel covered him, 
 levelled by the stalwart arm and keen eye of one before whose un- 
 erring aim by the broad light of day, or beneath the cold rays of the 
 moon, hare, pheasant, or partridge fell like leaves in autumn — one 
 who, hiding from the gaze of men, had witnessed his parting from the 
 girl not five minutes since, — had he known the deep interest felt for 
 her by this person, and how, his suspicions being aroused, he had 
 watched day after day to discover the features of her clandestine 
 suitor, but had never succeeded, till, creeping through the bushes, he 
 had accidentally come up at the moment when Lewis, having spoken 
 eagerly to her, turned and left the spot, — had he known the struggle 
 between the good and evil principle in that man's heart, a struggle 
 on the result of which depended life or death, — had he known all this, 
 Lewis Arundel, though a brave man, would scarcely have paced that 
 greenwpod alley with a pulse so calm, a brow so unrufHed and serene. 
 
 13 
 
1 8a LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 DE GRANDEVILLE MEETS HIS MATCH. 
 
 Unpleasant as was the situation in which Lewis was left at the end 
 of the last chapter, we can scarcely imagine that any of our readers, 
 however they may be accustomed to look on the "night side of 
 nature," can have coolly made up their minds to the worst, and settled 
 to their own dissatisfaction that he fell a victim to the poacher's gun. 
 We say we cannot imagine such a possibility ; not because we have any 
 very deep reliance on the tender-heartedness of all our fellow-creatures, 
 seeing that this tale may fall into the hands of a poor-law guardian 
 or a political economist ; that a butcher may read it fresh from the 
 shambles, or a barrister after defending some confessed murderer. 
 But we feel certain, butcher or barrister, law-giver or guardian must 
 alike perceive that, as we are writing the life and adventures of Lewis 
 Arundel, we cannot commit manslaughter without adding thereunto 
 suicide ; or, tc speak plainly, we cannot kill Lewis without docking 
 our own tale; therefore, the utmost extent for which our most 
 truculent reader can possibly hope must be a severe gun-shot wound, 
 entailing a lingering illness and a shattered constitution. But even 
 these pleasant and reasonable expectations are doomed to meet with 
 disappointment, the fact being that almost at the moment in which 
 " long Hardy " (for he it was) levelled his gun at Lewis's retreating 
 figure, his quick ear had caught a sound betokening the advance of 
 some person through the bushes in his immediate vicinity ; and 
 neither wishing to encounter any of the gamekeeper's satellites, nor 
 considering the deed he had meditated exactly calculated to be per- 
 formed before any, even the most select audience, the poacher slowly 
 recovered his gun and proceeded to convey himself away, after a 
 singular snake-like fashion of his own, reserving to himself the right 
 of shooting his supposed enemy at some more convenient season. In 
 the meantime Lewis walked quietly on, unconscious of the danger he 
 had escaped, until a turn in the road brought him in sight of his 
 companions. During the course of their homeward walk Lewis 
 questioned the gamekeeper as to his intentions concerning the 
 poachers to whose proceedings he had that morning gained a 
 clue. 
 
 "Veil, yer see, Mr. Arundel," returned Millar, in whose estimation 
 Lewis had risen fifty per cent, since his clever shot at the snipe, " yer 
 see, it ain't ther fust time as this chap Hardy has give us a good 
 deal o' trouble : we catched him a poarchin' about three year ago, and 
 
 he wor in gaol for six months at a stretch. Veil, ven he cum out, 
 
 he tuk to bad courses altogether— jined ther chartists, them chaps as 
 preaches equalerty, 'cos, being at the wery bottom of ther ladder 
 therselves, equalerty would pull them hup and their betters down; 
 vunce let 'em get to ther middle round, and they'd soon give up 
 equalerty— hit would be the ' haristogracy of talent,' or ther 'shu- 
 premacy of physic-all force ' (vich means, adwisability of pitching into 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 183 
 
 somebody else) vith 'em then. I hates such cant as I hates varmint, 
 so I do." 
 
 Having delivered himself of this opinion with much emphasis, the 
 keeper proceeded to relieve his mind by flogging an inofifensive dog 
 for an imaginary offence ere he continued — 
 
 " Veil, arter he jined the chartists he vent to Lunnun as a Delicate, 
 as they calls 'em ; and has they found him in wittles and drink, lodgin' 
 and hother parquisites, in course he worn't in no hurry to cum back ; 
 howsomdever, I suppose at last they diskivered what I could a told 
 'em at furst — that he wasn't worth his keep ; and so they packed him 
 off home agen. I 'spected vhen I heard he vas arrived vot he'd be 
 hup to. He calls hisself a blacksmith, but he drives more shots into 
 'ares and pheasands than nails into 'orses' 'oofs, you may append." 
 
 "And how do you propose to put a stop to his depredations?" 
 inquired Lewis. 
 
 " Vy, I should like to catch him in the wery act — nab him vith the 
 game upon him," returned the keeper meditatively; "then ve could 
 get him another six months. But he's precious sly, and uncommon 
 swift of foot too, though he ain't fur hoff my age, vich shall never see 
 five-and-forty no more." 
 
 " I wish, Millar," said Lewis, after a moment's consideration, " I 
 wish that whenever you receive information which you think likely to 
 lead to this man's capture, you'd send me word ; there's nothing I 
 should like better than to lend you a hand in taking him. I might 
 be useful to you, for I am considered a fast runner." 
 
 "And suppose it comes to blows? Them poarching chaps is rough 
 customers to handle sometimes," rejoined Millar, with a cunning 
 twinkle in his eye, as if he expected this information would alter his 
 companion's intentions. 
 
 " So much the more exciting,'' returned Lewis eagerly ; " an affray 
 with poachers would be a real treat after such a life of inaction as I've 
 been leading lately." 
 
 As he spoke— throwing off for a moment the cold reserve which had 
 now become habitual to him — his eyes flashed, he drew himself up to 
 his full height, and flung back his graceful head with an air of proud 
 defiance. The gamekeeper regarded him fixedly, and mentally com- 
 pared him with, not the fighting gladiator, for Millar's unclassical 
 education had never rendered him acquainted with that illustrious 
 statue, but he had once been present at a prize-fight, in which a tall, 
 athletic youth, rejoicing in the ornithological sobriquet of "the spicy 
 Dabchick," proved victor, and to that dabchick did he assimilate 
 Lewis. At length his thoughts found vent in the following ejacula- 
 tion — 
 
 " Veil, Mr. Arundel, hif ther's many more like you hup there, that 
 blessed Lunnun can't be as bad a place as I thought it." 
 
 Lewis smiled. Perhaps (for, after all, he was human and under 
 twenty-one) the evident admiration which had replaced the no less 
 evident contempt with which the sturdy gamekeeper had regarded 
 him earlier in their acquaintance was not without its charm; at all 
 events, when, after another hour's shooting, Millar went home to 
 
1 84 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 dinner, and Lewis and Walter returned to Broadhurst, the young tutor 
 diminished his income to the extent of half-a-crown, and the keeper, 
 as he pocketed the "tip," renewed his assurance that he would send 
 Mr. Arundel timely notice "vhenever there vas a chance of being 
 down upon that poarching willain, Hardy." 
 
 Charley Leicester, as he did not start for Constantinople, found 
 himself at liberty to escort Laura Peyton and his cousin Annie to 
 view the ruins of Monkton Priory, which in themselves were quite 
 worth the trouble of a ride ; had they, however, been even a_ less 
 interesting combination of bricks and mortar than the National 
 Gallery in Trafalgar Square (supposing such a thing possible), it 
 would not have signified to the party who then visited them. Never 
 were three individuals less inclined to be critical, or more thoroughly 
 determined to be pleased with everything. The old grey ruins, frovvn- 
 ing beneath the clear wintry sky, appeared the colour of strawberry ice 
 to them ; every object reflected the rose-tint of their happiness. As 
 for Charley, a change had come o'er him. The indolent, fastidious 
 man of fashion, whose spotless gloves and irreproachable boots were 
 the envy and admiration of Bond Street, had disappeared, and in his 
 place arose an honest, genuine, light-hearted, agreeable, sensible 
 being, to whom nothing seemed to come amiss, and who appeared 
 endowed with a preternatural power of diffusing his own super- 
 abundant happiness amongst all who came in contact with him. The 
 girth of his saddle broke ; they had no groom with them. " Grooms 
 were such a bore, he would be groom," Charley had said ; con- 
 sequently there were no means at hand by which the injury could 
 be repaired. 
 
 " Well, never mind ; he would get some string at the first cottage • 
 and tie it up ; he was rather glad it had happened, riding without a 
 girth was great fun." 
 
 But Laura's horse stumbled, and Charley, forgetting his precarious 
 seat, dashed in the spurs, intending to spring forward to her assistance. 
 The horse did spring forward, but the saddle turned round. Mr. 
 Leicester was, however, fated that day to fall on his legs, literally 
 as well as metaphorically, and beyond being splashed up to his 
 knees by alighting on a spot where the sun had thawed the ice into 
 a puddle, he sustained no further injury. Laura was frightened; 
 he must not mount again till he had been able to get the girth 
 mended. 
 
 " Very well," returned Charley ; " he would lead the horse then ; 
 it was pleasanter to walk than to ride such a cold day as that ; he 
 liked it particularly." 
 
 So he marched sturdily through mud and mire, leading his own 
 horse and resting his hand on the mane of the animal ridden by 
 Laura, for the space of some five miles, laughing and talking all the 
 time so agreeably that the young lady came to the conclusion that 
 she had never properly appreciated his powers of conversation till 
 that moment. Altogether, despite the broken girth and the mud and 
 the cold, to say nothing of a slight snowstorm which overtook them 
 ere they reached home, each member of that little party felt mentally 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 185 
 
 convinced that they had never before enjoyed a ride so much in all 
 their lives. 
 
 "Arundel, where are you?" exclaimed Leicester, putting his head 
 into the study as he passed the door on his way to his apartment. 
 " Can you spare me five minutes' conversation ? " he continued, as 
 Lewis, closing a book, rose to receive him. 
 
 " Certainly," was the reply ; "pray come in." 
 
 " I've been wishing to see you all day," resumed Leicester, carefully 
 shutting the door and glancing round the room. " Where is your 
 charge?" 
 
 " He is with the General," was the reply. " He likes to have him 
 for half-an-hour every day before he goes to dress ; he talks to him, 
 and tries to instil into his mind correct notions regarding things in 
 general, and his own future social position in particular. Walter sits 
 still and listens, but I'm afraid he does not understand much about it" 
 
 " No great loss either, I've a notion," returned Charley irreverently. 
 He paused, whistled a few bars of " Son Geloso," entangled his spur 
 in the hearthrug, extricated it with much difficulty, then turnmg 
 abruptly to Lewis, he exclaimed, "Arundel, I'm no hand at making 
 fine speeches, but recollect if ever you want a friend I owe you more 
 than I can possibly repay you. Not that this is such a very uncommon 
 relation for me to stand in towards people," he added with a smile. 
 
 "Nay," returned Lewis, "you are reversing our positions: I am 
 your debtor for my introduction to this family, and for an amount of 
 kindness and consideration which you must be placed, like myself, in 
 a dependent situation fully to appreciate. But," he added, glancing 
 at his friend's happy face, " I hope you have some good news to tell 
 me?" 
 
 "You are right in your conjecture," replied Leicester, "but it is 
 mainly owing to your straightforwai-d and sensible advice that I have 
 gained the prize I strove for. I was within an ace of losing it, though ; " 
 and he then gave a hasty outline of his day's adventures, with which 
 the reader has been already made acquainted. 
 
 Lewis congratulated him warmly on his good fortune. " You see I 
 was right when I told you Miss Peyton was not so indifferent to you 
 as you imagined," he said, " and that she liked you, not because you 
 were a man of fashion, the admired of all admirers, but because she 
 had sufficient penetration to discover that you were something more 
 — that you possessed higher and better qualities, and were not " 
 
 " Go on, my dear Arundel," urged Leicester as Lewis paused, " go 
 on. I like plain speaking when it comes from a friendly mouth." 
 
 "The mere butterfly you strove to appear, I was going to say," 
 resumed Lewis j " but you will think me strangely impertinent." 
 
 " Not at all," returned Leicester, "it's the truth ; I can see it plainly 
 now. I've taken as much trouble to make myself appear a fool as 
 other men do to gain a reputation for wisdom. Well, it's never too 
 late to mend. I shall turn over a new leaf from this time forth, give 
 up dress, restrict myself to one cigar a day, moderate my affection for 
 
 Eale ale, invest capital in worsted gloves and a cotton umbrella, and 
 ecome a regular business character." He paused, and drawing a 
 
i86 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 chair to the fire, seated himself, and stretching out his legs, subjected 
 his boots, which bore unmistakable traces of his pedestrian episode, 
 to the influence of the blazing wood. Having thus made himself com- 
 fortable, he fell into a fit of musing which lasted till, after gazing 
 vacantly at his extended legs for some moments, his features suddenly 
 assumed an eager expression, and he exclaimed, " Confound those 
 blockheads, Schneider & Shears ; I suppose if I've told them_ once 
 I've told them fifty times to give more room in the leg for riding- 
 trousers. A horse's back is a wide thing, and of course when you 
 stretch your legs across it you require the trousers to fit sufficiently 
 loosely to accommodate themselves to the position; they need not 
 set like a couple of hop sacks either ; the thing's simple enough. I 
 know if I'd a pair of scissors I could cut them out myself." 
 
 Glancing at Lewis as he spoke, Leicester perceived that he was 
 struggling, not over successfully, to preserve his gravity, and the 
 absurdity of the thing striking him for the first time, he indulged in a 
 hearty laugh at his own expense ere he added, " Heigh-ho 1 it's not 
 so easy to get rid of old habits as one imagines. I see it will take me 
 longer to unpuppyise myself than I was aware of. Seriously, how- 
 ever, I don't mean to continue a mere idler, living on my wife's 
 fortune. My father has interest with Government, and I shall ask 
 him to push it and obtain for me some creditable appointment or 
 other. He will have no difficulty; the Hon. Charles Leicester, 
 husband to the rich Miss Peyton, will possess much stronger claims 
 upon his country than Charley Leicester the portionless younger son. 
 In this age of humbug it is easy enough to get a thing if you don't 
 care whether you have it or not ; but if you chance to be some poor 
 wretch, to whom the obtaining it is life or death, ten to one but you 
 are done out of it. Poverty is the only unpardonable sin in these 
 days ; the worship of the golden calf is a species of idolatry to which 
 Christians are prone as well as Jews. It's rare to find a sceptic as to 
 that religion, even amongst the most inveterate unbelievers." 
 
 Lewis, to whom Leicester in his self-engrossment had not perceived 
 that his remarks would apply, bit his lip and coloured; then wishing 
 to save his companion the mortification of discovering that he had 
 accidentally wounded his feelings, he hastened to change the con- 
 versation by observing — 
 
 " How will the magnanimous Marmaduke bear the news of your 
 success?" 
 
 " Oh ! to be sure, I was going to tell you about him when something 
 put it out of my head," returned Leicester. " The great De Grandeville 
 was greater than ever on the subject — it was such fun. He came up 
 to me after breakfast this morning, and catching hold of my button, 
 began: 'Ar — Mr. Leicester — excuse — ar — won't detain you five 
 minutes, but— ar — ^you see in regard to — ar — the matter we conversed 
 on yesterday, when you were good enough to give me the benefit of 
 your opinion concerning a certain proposed ajliance, if I may call 
 your attention once more to the subject ; you will perceive that — ar 
 — the affair has assumed a very different aspect — ar — indeed so com- 
 pletely different that I feel confident you will agree with me in 
 
LfiWiS ARiJNbfeL i§7 
 
 tonsidering the — ar — in fact the arrangement no longer desirable.' 
 I told him I was quite prepared to think as he did on this point, and 
 begged to know in what the mysterious impediment consisted. ' Well, 
 sir — ar — I don't say it — ar — by way of a boast — ar — such things are 
 quite out of my line, but you must have yourself perceived the very 
 marked encouragement which my advances met with yesterday 
 evening — ar — in fact the game was — ar — in my own hands 1 ' I 
 succeeded in repressing a strong desire to kick him, and he continued 
 with bland dignity : ' Ar — finding that this was the case, I felt that, as 
 a man of honour, I was bound — ar — to make up my mind definitely 
 as to my future course, and had — ar — all but resolved to acquaint the 
 young lady with the brilliant, that is — ar — in many points unexcep- 
 tionable position which awaited her, when fortunately — I might say 
 providentially — it occurred to me to open a letter I had that evening 
 received from my friend in the Herald's College. Imagine my horror 
 to learn that her actual father, the immediately previous Peyton 
 himself, had — ar — horresco referens, as Pliny has it — 'pon my word it 
 quite upset me ! ' 
 
 " ' This dreadful Papa, had he murdered somebody ? ' inquired I. 
 
 " ' No, sir,' was the answer ; ' Lord Ferrers and other men with 
 unexceptionable pedigrees have committed that crime. There is 
 nothing necessarily vulgar about murder; the case was far worse. 
 This intolerable proximate ancestor, who has not rested in his dis- 
 honoured grave above half-a-dozen years, was not only guilty of 
 belonging to an intensely respectable firm in Liverpool, but had 
 actually been insane enough to allow his name to be entered as sleep- 
 ing partner in a large retail house on Ludgate Hill 1 Fancy a De 
 Grandeville marrying the daughter of " Plumpstern & Peyton, dealers 
 in cotton goods 1 " — 'pon my word, sir, it took away my breath to think 
 of the narrow escape I'd hadl' 'And the young lady?' inquired I. 
 ' Ar — of course it will be — ar — disappointment, as I've no doubt she 
 considered — ar — that she'd made her book cleverly and stood to win, as 
 the betting men say; but — ar — she soon had tact enough to perceive 
 that the grapes were sour — ar — took that tone immediately, — clever 
 girl, sir, very — ar — I shouldn't wonder if she were to give out that she 
 had discouraged my attentions — ar — in fact, virtually refused me — ar 
 — I shall not contradict her, I owe her that — ar — with the exception 
 of yourself, Mr. Leicester, her secret will be perfectly safe in my keep- 
 ing.' It was now my turn; so drawing myself up as stiffly as old 
 Grant himself, I said, ' Confidence begets confidence, Mr. De Grande- 
 ville; so in return for your candour allow me to inform you that Miss 
 Peyton, doubtless driven to despair by your desertion, has done me 
 the honour to accept me as your substitute ! One word more,' I con- 
 tinued, as, completely taken aback, he flushed crimson and began 
 stammering out apologetical ejaculations, ' I have listened in silence to 
 your account of the transaction. I confess I have my own opinion 
 about the matter, but should you adhere to your intention of pre- 
 serving a strict secrecy in regard to the affair, I shall do so likewise; 
 if not, I may feel called on to publish a somewhat different version of 
 these love passages— one which will scarcely prove so agreeable to 
 
188 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 your self-esteem ; unless, indeed,' I added, seeing that he was about to 
 bluster, ' you prefer settling the business in a shorter way; in which 
 case I shall be cjuite at your service.' So saying- I raised my hat, 
 bowed, and turning on my heel, left him to his meditations." 
 
 " Which must have been of a singularly unsatisfactory nature, I 
 should imagine," returned Lewis, laughing. " But there is no chance 
 of your fighting, I hope?" 
 
 " Not the slightest, I expect," replied Leicester. " De Grandeville, 
 to do him justice, is no coward, but he will have sense enough to see 
 that he can gain no icldt by giving the affair publicity, and will remain 
 quiet for his own sake. Luckily, I'm not of a quarrelsome tempera- 
 ment, or I should have horse-whipped him, or at least tried at it, when 
 he was talking about Laura." 
 
 " It was a temptation which in your place I could not have resisted," 
 rejoined Lewis. 
 
 "Ah, it's easy to be magnanimous when one is happy," returned 
 Leicester; " besides, I really was rather sorry for the poor devil, for, 
 as I dare say you've guessed long ago, it is clear Laura refused him 
 last night^n fact she as good as told me so." 
 
 " Perhaps it may benefit him," remarked Lewis. " His vanity was 
 too plethoric, and a little judicious lowering may conduce to the 
 general health of his moral system." 
 
 " I'm afraid it's a case of too long standing," replied Leicester. 
 " Such a lamentable instance of egotism on the brain is not so easily 
 to be cured; however, he's had a pretty strong dose this time, I must 
 confess. And now, seeing that my boots have been wet through for 
 the last three hours, the sooner I get rid of them the better." So 
 saying, Charley Leicester took himself off, preparatory to performing 
 the same operation on his perfidious boots. 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 THE GENERAL TAKES THE FIELD. 
 
 The interview which Lewis had witnessed between Lord Bellefield 
 and the girl dwelt in his thoughts, and was a source of much doubt 
 and uneasiness to him. The quiet, secluded life he had led for the 
 last year affording ample time for meditation — the almost total want of 
 society (for poor Walter was no companion) — ^the peculiar position in 
 which he was placed, shut out from all the pleasures and excitements 
 natural to his age and taste— had given an unusually reflective turn 
 to his vigorous mind, and produced in him a gravity and depth of 
 character, to which, under different circumstances, he might never 
 have attained. Thus, in the views he took of life, he was accustomed 
 to look beyond the surface, and deeming it unworthy of a believer in 
 the truths of Christianity to attribute events to the mere caprice of a 
 blind destiny, was rather disposed to trace in such occurrences the 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 189 
 
 finger of a directing Providence, and to consider them as opportunities 
 purposely thrown in our way, for the use or abuse of which we should 
 one day be called to account, as for every talent committed to our 
 charge. Holding these opinions, he could not be content to sit down 
 quietly with the knowledge of which he had become possessed with- 
 out making some effort to prevent Lord Bellefield from successfully 
 accomplishing the evil he could not doubt he meditated. But what 
 then should he do ? The question was not an easy one to answer. 
 The most natural and effectual means to employ would be to in- 
 form General Grant of the affair; he was the person likely (as the 
 father of his future bride) to possess most influence over Lord Belle- 
 field, while as possessor of the estate on which they resided he was 
 certain to meet with respect and obedience from the parents of the 
 girl. But besides the dislike every honourable man feels to undertake 
 the office of tale-bearer, Lewis's chivalrous nature shrank from even 
 the appearance of seeking to wreak his revenge on the man who had 
 insulted him, by injuring him in the opinion of his future father-in-law. 
 Again, were he to find out the girl and expostulate with her, he felt 
 certain he should produce no good effect — the fact of her being aware 
 of the terms on which he stood with her admirer would render her 
 suspicious of his intentions, and prevent her from paying any regard 
 to his arguments. At last it occurred to him to mention the thing to 
 Charles Leicester, and persuade him, if possible, to visit the girl, and 
 at all events to make her aware of the deceit which had been prac- 
 tised upon her by his brother in assuming his name. Accordingly, 
 he determined to seek an early opportunity of speaking to Leicester 
 on the subject ; but good resolutions are always more easy to form 
 than to carry into effect. On the following morning Leicester went 
 to town, as well to acquaint his father with the important step he 
 contemplated as to bear in person an invitation to an old family 
 friend and ci-devant guardian of Laura Peyton's to join the party at 
 Broadhurst ; nor did he return till after several days had elapsed, 
 so that it was nearly a week ere Lewis found the opportunity he 
 sought for. 
 
 There had been a dinner-party at Broadhurst, and, as was the 
 custom of the neighbourhood, the guests had departed early. Lewis 
 waited till Leicester had disposed of a lady whom he was handing 
 to a carriage, then drawing him aside, he made him acquainted with 
 the interview which he had involuntarily witnessed, informing him 
 at the same time of his object in so doing. As he proceeded with his 
 tale Leicester's brow grew dark. 
 
 " It is really too bad of Bellefield," he muttered, " situated as he is 
 in regard to this family ; it shows a want of all proper feeling — all 
 delicacy of mind^— assuming my name, too 1 Suppose it had come to 
 Laura's ears by any chance — 'pon my word I've a great mind to speak 
 to him about it — though, I don't know, it would only lead to a quarrel 
 — Bellefield is not a man to brook interference. I feel quite as you do 
 in regard to the affair, my dear Arundel, but really I don't see that I 
 can do anything that would be of the sUghtest use." 
 
 "Surely you can find out the girl and prove to her the truth of 
 
igo LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 my statement, that your brother has deceived her by assuming yout 
 name — you owe that to yourself." 
 
 " She would be certain to tell him of it the next time she sees him," 
 returned Leicester uneasily ; " it would lead to a quarrel between us, 
 and you don't know what Bellefield's resentment is when it's once 
 excited — it's actually terrific, and that's the truth." 
 
 " But for your cousin. Miss Grant's sake, you ought not to let your 
 brother proceed with this affair," urged Lewis ; " surely you must see 
 the matter in this light ? " 
 
 "Ah 1 poor Annie," returned Leicester with a half sigh ; " I some- 
 times wish that engagement had never been entered into. I doubt 
 whether they are at all calculated to render each other happy. In 
 fact, I've learned to look upon marriage in a very different light lately. 
 However, it's no business of mine; wiser heads will have to settle it, 
 
 luckily " He paused, and after a few moments' deliberation resumed 
 
 abruptly, " I'll do as you advise, Arundel. I'll see this girl and talk to 
 her, and if Bellefield hears of it and makes himself disagreeable, 
 why it can't be helped, that's all. He should not attempt such things, 
 particularly in this neighbourhood. He ought to have more respect 
 for the General and his daughter; it shows a want of good taste and 
 good feeling. Besides, as well as I can judge from the glimpse I had 
 of her in the refreshment-room, the girl's not so unusually pretty, after 
 all. She'd an awful pair of hands, if I recollect right." 
 
 A contemptuous smile passed across Lewis's handsome features as 
 his companion promulgated the above original moral distinction. 
 Leicester, however, did not observe it, and continued — 
 
 " Just fancy my coming out in the character of a virtuous mentor. 
 I only hope I shall get through my arduous duties without laughing 
 at my own performance. 'Pon my word, though, it's rather serious 
 when a man feels inclined to scoff at himself for doing his duty from 
 the sheer inconsistency of the thing. I tell you what, Arundel, I 
 believe I've been a very naughty boy without in the least knowing it. 
 I've always considered myself the victim of circumstances, and set all 
 my peccadilloes down to that account; but I don't see why I need 
 bother you by making you my father confessor." 
 
 Lewis, considering the train of thought into which Leicester had 
 fallen, one likely to lead to useful, practical results, was about to 
 encourage him to proceed, when a servant approached them and 
 placed a small, crumpled, and not over clean piece of paper in Lewis's 
 hand. Holding it under the light of a lamp, he was enabled with 
 difficulty to decipher the following words : — 
 
 " To Muster Arundel.— Sur, the party as you knows of is hout 
 to-night, and more of his sort along vith him. Ve are safe for a 
 shindy ; but being quite ready for ther blackguards, lives in good 'opes 
 hof a capture — hin which hif you likes to assist, not minding a crack 
 o' ther head, should sich occur, which will sometimes in ther best 
 regerlated famurlies, pleas to follur ther bearer, as will conduct you to 
 your humbel servaunt to commarnd, 
 
 "J. Millar." 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 191 
 
 " That's glorious 1 " exclaimed Lewis, placing the missive in the 
 hands of his companion. " I never did catch a poacher in my life, 
 but I've often wished to do so ; the whole scene must be so picturesque 
 and unlike anything one has ever met with — the darkness, the excite- 
 ment — but you are laughing at my eagerness. Well, I confess to a 
 love of adventure for its own sake; if I'd lived in the middle ages 
 I should have been a knight-errant, that's certain. I suppose it's no 
 use asking you to join us? There's metal more attractive in the 
 drawing-room, tiest-ce pas f " 
 
 " Why," returned Charley, arranging his neckcloth by aid of a glass 
 placed m the cloak-room for the benefit of the ladies who wished to 
 wrap up becomingly, " really I must own I prefer Laura's smiles even 
 to the delights of a possible rencontre with your friend, Mr, What's- 
 his-name, the poacher." 
 
 " Hardy is the fellow's name," replied Lewis. " He is a chartist and 
 all sorts of horrors, so that I don't feel the smallest degree of sympathy 
 for him. Do you know where the General is to be found? I suppose, 
 as I may be very late, or even obliged to sleep at Millar's cottage, I 
 must ask his sanction ere I start on mjr expedition." 
 
 "I think you'd better," returned Leicester; "he's in the library. I 
 saw him go there after he had seen Lady Runnymede to her carriage ; 
 so good-night. I shall be curious to learn in the morning whose 
 brains have been knocked out." And with this agreeably suggestive 
 remark Leicester ended the conversation and strolled off to the 
 drawing-room. 
 
 Lewis proceeded at once to the library, where he found not only 
 General Grant, but, to his extreme annoyance. Lord Bellefield also ; 
 there was, however, no help for it, and he accordingly explained his 
 wishes as briefly as possible. The General heard him to the end 
 without speaking. His first idea was that such a request was strange 
 and unbecoming the peaceful gravity that should environ the office of 
 a tutor, and he intended to favour him with a dignified refusal ; but as 
 Lewis proceeded, his eager tones and sparkling eyes recalled to the 
 old officer the days of his youth when the spirit of enterprise was 
 strong within him, and in the wild bivouac, the dashing assault, the 
 hand-to-hand struggle " i' the imminent deadly breach," and the many 
 exciting vicissitudes of a campaigning life, he had found a degree of 
 pleasure which his age knew not, and he was fain to accord a gracious 
 assent. 
 
 " Your father was a soldier, Mr. Arundel, I think you told me ? " 
 
 Lewis replied in the affirmative, mentioning some engagement in 
 which he had particularly distinguished himself The General listened 
 to him with complacency, then exclaimed — 
 
 " That's it, sir, that's it I I confess when I first heard your request, 
 I considered it unnatural, in fact, unbecoming in a civilian, but in a 
 soldier's son it assumes an entirely different character. I like to see 
 spirit in a young man." (Here he gJanced at Lord Bellefield, who, 
 apparently engrossed by a legal document which he was perusing, 
 seemed unconscious of Lewis's presence.) "It's a pity your father 
 was unable to afford you a commission : there's been some very pretty 
 
192 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 fighting in India lately, and you might have distinguished yourself." 
 He paused, then added, " I know most of the agricultural labourers 
 about here; did Millar tell you any of these poachers' names?" 
 
 " Hardy, a blacksmith, was the most notorious character," returned 
 Lewis. 
 
 As he mentioned the name Lord Bellefield started so violently that 
 he nearly overturned the lamp by which he was reading. Seeing the 
 General's eyes fixed on him inquiringly, he rose, and putting his hand 
 to his side, drew a deep breath as he exclaimed — 
 
 " One of those sharp stitches, as they call them— nothing worse. 
 You know I am subject to them ; it's want of exercise producing in- 
 digestion. I tell you what," he continued, "I've rather a curiosity 
 to witness Mr. Arundel's prowess, and see what sport this poacher 
 will afford. Man-hunting, in the literal force natum sense of the term, 
 will be a new excitement." 
 
 " We'll all go," exclaimed the General, springing up with the alert- 
 ness of a young man. " If these rascals choose to trespass on my 
 land and destroy my property, who so fit to resist them and bring 
 them to justice as myself? I'll make the necessary alterations in my 
 dress, and we'll start immediately." 
 
 Lord Bellefield urged the lateness of the hour, the cold night air, 
 the chance of danger to life or limb — but in vain ; General Grant had 
 taken the crotchet into his head, and he was not the man to be easily 
 induced to change his mind. Accordingly Lewis found himself suddenly 
 associated with two as strange companions as ever a man was em- 
 barrassed withal. Still there was no help for it; and inwardly 
 pondering what possible reason Lord Bellefield could have for joining 
 the expedition, and why he had started at the mention of Hardy's 
 name, Lewis hastened to wrap himself in a rough pea-jacket, and 
 selected a heavy knotted stick, wherewith he proposed to faiock 
 respect for the rights of property into the head of any misguided 
 individual who might be deaf to all milder argument As he returned 
 to the hall the General made his appearance, carrying under his arm 
 a. cavalry sabre ; his bearing was even more stiff and erect than usual, 
 and his eye flashed with all the fire of youth. 
 
 "Early on parade, I see, Mr. Arundel," he said, with something 
 more nearly approaching to a smile on his countenance than Lewis 
 had ever previously observed there. " We'll read those poaching 
 rascals a lesson they will not easily forget, sir." 
 
 As he spoke a light footstep was heard approaching, and in another 
 moment Annie Grant bounded down the staircase, her glossy curls 
 streaming wildly over her shoulders, and her cheeks flushed with the 
 speed at which she had come. 
 
 " My dear papa 1 " she began, then turning pale as her eye fell upon 
 the sword, she continued : " Oh 1 it is really true 1 I hoped they were 
 only deceiving me in jest. Dearest papa, you will be good and kind, 
 and not go out after these men ? Suppose any accident should occur ? 
 think how valuable your life is — papa, you will not go ? " 
 
 " Annie, I thought you were perfectly aware of my extreme dislike 
 to, or I may say disapproval of all uncalled-for displays of feeling. I 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 193 
 
 am about to perform a duty incumbent on my position, and I need 
 scarcely add that any attempt to induce me to neglect tlint duty will 
 not only prove ineflfectual, but will be highly displeasing to me. Not 
 another word," he continued, seeing she was about to resume her 
 entreaties ; " return immediately to the drawing-room and apologise 
 to our friends in my name for being obliged to leave them." 
 
 At this moment a servant announced that his master's shooting 
 pony was at the door, and that Lord Bellefield had already started ; 
 so placing his hat on his head with an air of offended dignity, the 
 General marched proudly out of the hall. Lewis was about to follow 
 him, when, glancing at Annie, he perceived that she had sunk into a 
 chair, and covering her face with her hands, had given way to an 
 irrepressible burst of tears. The young tutor paused — wishing to 
 reassure her by promising' to use his best efforts to shield her father 
 from danger, and yet fearing to intrude upon her grief In his em- 
 barrassment he accidentally dropped his stick; starting at the sound, 
 Annie for the first time perceived him, and springing up, she came 
 hurriedly towards him, exclaiming — 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Arundel 1 I am so glad you are going. Vou will take 
 care of papa, will you not ? " 
 
 As she spoke she laid her hand on his arm and gazed up into his 
 face implormgly. 
 
 " I will most assuredly try to do so, Miss Grant," returned Lewis 
 calmly, though that light touch thrilled through him like a shock of 
 electricity. "You need not alarm yourself so greatly," he continued, 
 anxious to soothe her; "believe me, your apprehensions have greatly 
 exaggerated any probable danger." 
 
 " You really think so ? " returned Annie doubtfully. " At all events," 
 she continued, " I shall be much happier now I know you are going. 
 I am sure you will try and take care of papa." 
 
 " I will, indeed," returned Lewis earnestly, as, glancing towards the 
 door, he essayed to depart ; but Annie, completely engrossed by her 
 anxiety to secure his services on her father's behalf, still unconsciously 
 retained her hold on his arm, and Lewis was obliged gently to remove 
 the little hand that detained him. As their fingers met, Annie, be- 
 coming suddenly aware of what Miss Livingstone would have termed 
 her " indiscreet and unpardonable heedlessness," blushed very becom- 
 ingly ; then with a sudden impulse of gratitude and warm feeling she 
 extended her hand to Lewis, saying — 
 
 "Thank you very much for all your kindness, Mr. Arundel. Mind 
 you take good care of yourself as well as of papa — I shall not go to 
 bed till I hear you have brought him safe home again." 
 
 Lewis pressed the fair hand offered to him, repeated his assurances 
 that her alarm was unnecessary, and hastened to follow General Grant. 
 Annie gazed after him with tearful eyes, but his words comforted her. 
 She had already begun to rely on him in moments of difficulty or of 
 danger. 
 
 The moon was shining brightly, though flitting clouds passed from 
 time to time across its silvery disc, wrapping wood and hill and valley 
 in momentary darkness, only to enhance their beauty when its pale, 
 
194 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 cold rays once more fell uninterruptedly upon them, imparting to the 
 scene the magic of a fairy twilight. Such, however, were scarcely 
 Lewis's thoughts as, haunted by the appealing expression of Annie's 
 soft eyes, he hastened to overtake his companions. The party pro- 
 ceeded in silence, following their guide, who was none other than the 
 renegade "Villiam," across one of the wildest portions of the park 
 towards a young larch plantation covering about forty acres of ground. 
 This spot, named Tod's Hole Spinney, from certain fox earths that had 
 existed in it till their occupants' partiality for dining on pheasants had 
 led to their ejectment, was considered, from its isolated situation, the 
 thick growth of underwood, the fact of a running stream passing 
 through it, and other propitious circumstances, the most amply stocked 
 preserve on the property, and it was with a degree of annoyance 
 proportioned to the enormity of the -offence that the General learned 
 this was the place selected by the poachers for the scene of their 
 depredations. As they approached the spot the report of a gun was 
 heard, followed by three or four others in rapid succession. General 
 Grant, irritated beyond control by this audacity, immediately rode 
 forward at a brisk trot. Lewis, bearing in mind Annie's injunction, 
 grasped the crupper of the saddle firmly with his left hand, and with 
 this slight assistance ran by the General's side, keeping pace with the 
 horse. In this manner they had nearly reached the wood, when a 
 man sprang from behind a bush, and would have seized the horse's 
 bridle had not Lewis interposed, saying, in a low voice, " Don't you 
 know us, Millar? it is General Grant, who, when he heard the 
 poachers were out, determined to come with me." 
 
 " I beg yer honour's pardon," returned the keeper, touching his hat 
 as he recognised his master. " I never expected to ha' seen you here 
 to-night, to be sure." 
 
 " I am usually to be found where my duty calls me," returned the 
 General stiffly. "These scoundrels seem to be out in force,'' he 
 continued. 
 
 " Veil, I take it there's as many on 'em as ve shall know wot to do 
 with," was the reply; "but I've got above a dozen men on the look- 
 hout, only in course they're scattered." 
 
 "And how do you propose to act?" inquired the General. 
 
 " I thort of taking a party into the wood, trying to captiwate long 
 Hardy and one or two of the ringleaders, chaps as I've had my eye 
 on for ever so long ; then take ther game from the tothers, and seize 
 their guns hif posserbul. But the chief thing is to captiwate that 
 willain Hardy ; so I means to leave three or four men on the look- 
 hout, in case he manages to do us and break cover." 
 
 " Your plan seems a good one," returned the General reflectively. 
 " How many men do you propose to take into the wood with 
 you ? " 
 
 " Veil, there's half-a-dozen lads a laying down behind those bushes 
 yonder, and there's two more jist inside that gap; then there's myself 
 and Muster Arundel." 
 
 "Let the boy that guided us hold my horse," began General 
 Grant. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 195 
 
 " Hif I might adwise," interrupted Millar, "yer honour would 
 remain in this wery place ; and hif Hardy should get away from us— 
 as he's likely enough, for he's as strong and houdacious as a steam- 
 ingine — he's a-most sure to break cover here ; in vich case yer honour 
 can ride him down, and hif he dares to show fight, give him a cut 
 hover the skull with yer long sword there." 
 
 " You feel sure he will endeavour to effect his retreat on this side ?" 
 inquired the General doubtingly. 
 
 " Sartain sure, I may say," cried Millar confidently ; then, as his 
 master turned to explain to Lord Bellefield, who had just come up, 
 the plan of operations, he added in a low voice, so that Lewis only 
 might hear — 
 
 " The old Gineral's pluckey enough for anything, but his legs ain't 
 so young as they used to be, and he's rather touched in the vind, vich 
 von't do for sich a valk as we've got before us." 
 
 At this moment more shots were heard in the wood, but apparently 
 much nearer than the last. The poachers were evidently advancing 
 in that direction. 
 
 " There is not a moment to be lost, Millar," exclaimed the General 
 eagerly. " I think as you say, I may be of more use here. Some one 
 must remain outside to cut off the retreat of these fellows if you should 
 succeed in driving them out of the wood. Lord Bellefield will 
 accompany your party. Where are the other watchers on this side 
 stationed ? " 
 
 " About fifty yards apart, along the ditch skirting the wood. If yer 
 honour wants help, a note on this whistle will produce it." So saymg, 
 Millar handed him an ivory dog-whistle; then signing to "Villiam" 
 to proceed, and requesting Lord Bellefield and Lewis to follow him, 
 the keeper conducted them along a narrow track leading into the 
 wood. 
 
 " Do you really expect that Hardy will attempt to cross that part of 
 the park, or was your assertion merely a white lie, framed to secure 
 the General's safety?" asked Lewis as he walked by the keeper's 
 side. 
 
 "Veil, it worn't altogether a lie," was the reply; "for if we don't nab 
 the gentleman, that's the side he'll try for, as it's easiest for him to get 
 away ; but if I vonce has a fair hit at him, I don't mean to leave him a 
 chance to get away. I shall not stand nice about hurting him neither, 
 I can tell yer. He beat Sam Jones, one o' my hunder-keepers, so 
 savage that the poor feller worn't out of his blessed bed for two 
 months. He deserves summut pretty strong for that." 
 
 " Mind you point him out to me, if you catch sight of him," rejoined 
 Lewis. " I am most anxious to be introduced to this truculent 
 gentleman." 
 
 " Yer can't mistake him hif yer once sets eyes on him," returned 
 the keeper; "he's half a head taller than any of the rest of 'em, but I'll 
 show him to yer." 
 
 As he spoke they reached the spot where the six men were waiting, 
 though, so well had they concealed themselves, Lewis was close upon 
 them ere he was aware of their vicinity. 
 
196 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " Now, my lads, are yer all ready?" inquired their leader in a low 
 voice. An answer in the affirmative was followed by the order — 
 
 "Come on, then;" when Lord Bellefield interposed by saying, 
 " One moment ! Listen to me, my men : I oflfer five guineas reward 
 to any of you who may secure Hardy." 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 IS CHIEFLY CULINARY, CONTAINING RECIPES FOR A " GOOD 
 PRESERVE" AND A "PRETTY PICKLE." 
 
 After a strict injunction from Millar to preserve silence, the party in 
 search of Hardy and his associates again moved forward, Lord Belle- 
 field, Millar, and Lewis in front, and the others following two abreast. 
 As soon as they had entered the wood the remaining men joined 
 them, making altogether a company of eleven. As they advanced 
 farther into the plantation, the boughs of the trees, becoming thicker 
 and more closely interlaced, intercepted the moonlight and rendered 
 their onward progress a matter of some difficulty. The gamekeeperj 
 however, knew every intricacy of the path, and could have found his 
 way in the darkest night as easily as at noonday. After winding 
 among the trees for some minutes they came upon a little glade where 
 the underwood had been partially cleared away and a small quantity 
 of barley stacked for the purpose of feeding the pheasants. At the 
 entrance to the space thus cleared the party halted, and Millar, creep- 
 ing forward on his hands and knees, reached the stack. Sheltering 
 himself behind it, he made his way to the opposite side, where he was 
 lost to sight; reappearing almost immediately, he cautiously rejoined 
 the others, saying in a low whisper: " I expected how it would be; there 
 is from twenty or thirty pheasands roosting on the trees beyond the 
 stack there, and Hardy and his mates being aware on it, is a-making 
 of their way through the bushes right ahead. I could hear 'em plain 
 enough when I was at the stack yonder. Now, two on yer must come 
 along o' me, creep to the stack and hide behind it as yer see me do, 
 then vait till them blackguards has let fly at the pheasands, and afore 
 they can load again ve three must jump forrard and try and captiwate 
 Hardy. In the meantime, you others must make yer way round through 
 the bushes and take 'em in the rear, and help us if we wants helping." 
 
 " Which you will do most certainly," returned Lord Bellefield. " I'll 
 lead the party that remains." 
 
 " And I'll go with you, Millar," observed Lewis. 
 
 "And you, Sam," continued Millar, addressing the under-keeper 
 before alluded to. The man came forward, and placing himself by 
 Lewis's side, the three crept along till they had reached the stack, 
 sheltered by which they again stood upright. Scarcely had they 
 taken their places when two guns, followed by four others, were dis- 
 charged in rapid succession, and so close to them, that the shot 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 197 
 
 pattering amongst the underwood was distinctly audible, and one of 
 the wounded pheasants dropped at Lewis's feet ; while almost imme- 
 diately afterwards a couple of men ran forward to collect the fallen 
 game. The foremost of these was a fellow of Herculean proportions : 
 as he stooped to pick up a pheasant a ray of moonlight revealed his 
 features, and Lewis immediately recognised his former antagonist, the 
 tall Chartist. At the same moment Millar whispered, " That's our 
 man; go ahead I " 
 
 " Leave him to me," returned Lewis eagerly; and bending forward, 
 with a bound like that of a tiger he sprang upon him. 
 
 The poacher Wks taken so completely by surprise (his back being 
 turned towards his assailant) that Lewis, encircling him with a grasp 
 of iron, was enabled to pinion his arms to his sides. Like a wild bull 
 caught in the toils, his struggles to free himself were tremendous ; but 
 Lewis, now in the full vigour of his strength, was an adversary not 
 easily to be shaken off, and despite his unrivalled powers, the poacher 
 failed to extricate his aims. Shouting, therefore, to his companion for 
 
 assistance, he desired him, with an oath, to shoot the keeper; 
 
 but that individual was unable to comply with his comrade's bene- 
 volent suggestion by reason of certain well-directed blows wherewith 
 Sam Jones, the under-keeper, was producing a marked alteration in 
 the general outline of his features. In the meantime, Millar, drawing 
 forth a piece of cord, began coolly to tie Hardy's wrists together, dis- 
 regarding a series of ferocious kicks with which he assailed him. At 
 this moment the other poachers, to the number of some half-dozen, 
 attracted by the sound of blows, reached the scene of action, but the 
 party led by Lord Bellefield were equally on the alert, and the fight 
 became general. And now the capture of the poacher Hardy appeared 
 certain: exhausted by his unavailing struggles to free himself from 
 Lewis's encircling arms, he could offer no effectual resistance to 
 Millar, who continued most methodically to bind his wrists, in no way 
 diverted from his purpose by the storm of blows which raged around 
 him, many of which fell on his unprotected person, when suddenly the 
 report of a pistol rung sharply above the other sounds of the combat, 
 and an acute, stinging pain darted through Lewis's left shoulder, 
 causing him such agony for the moment that he involuntarily re- 
 laxed his grasp. Hardy was not slow to avail himself of the opportunity 
 thus offered. Flinging off the young tutor with so much violence that 
 he would have fallen had not one of the gamekeeper's assistants 
 caught him and prevented it, he wrenched his hands from Millar's 
 grasp, and raising them, still bound together as they were, struck the 
 keeper such a severe blow on the side of the head that he reeled and 
 fell; then seeing that his companions, overpowered by numbers and 
 disheartened by his supposed capture, were giving way on all sides, 
 he turned, and dashing mto the bushes, disappeared, not so quickly, 
 however, but that Lewis, who, despite his wound, had never taken his 
 eyes off him for a moment, perceived the movement. 
 
 Grasping his stick, which he had contrived to retain during the 
 struggle, firmly with his right hand, he lost no time in following the 
 fugitive, and guided by the crashing of the bushes, kept close on hi.s 
 
 M 
 
igS LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 traces till they reached the boundary hedge ; breaking his way 
 through this obstacle with the strength and fury of some wild animal, 
 the poacher sprang across the ditch into the open park beyond. 
 Seeing that he had a desperate man to deal with, and fearing that 
 although the first severe pain had abated, and little more than a 
 sensation of numbness remained, his left arm might prove in some 
 degree incapacitated by the wound he had received, Lewis paused 
 a moment to reconnoitre ere he followed him. To his great delight, 
 he perceived he had reached the hedge along the side of which the 
 watchers were stationed, near the spot where General Grant had 
 taken up his position. Hardy, unconscious how closely he was 
 followed, stopped also a moment while he endeavoured to set free 
 his wrists ; but so securely had Millar bound them, that although 
 by a violent exertion of strength he contrived to render the cord 
 slacker, he was unable wholly to succeed in his object. Fearing, 
 however, that the cord would not hold out much longer, and un- 
 willing to lose the only advantage gained by his previous struggle, 
 Lewis determined once more to. endeavour to seize him. Shouting, 
 therefore, to give notice to the watchers where their assistance was 
 likely to be required, he sprang across the ditch and advanced 
 towards his antagonist. At first the poacher appeared inclined to 
 stand his ground; but seeing his opponent was armed with a stout 
 stick, and recollecting his own defenceless condition, he resolved to 
 trust rather to his unrivalled fleetness, and turning away with an 
 exclamation of disappointed rage, again betook himself to flight. 
 This portion of the park was clear of trees or any other cover for 
 a space of more than half a mile square, beyond which lay another 
 larger wood; if Hardy could contrive to reach this, his escape would 
 become a matter of certainty. The ground, which had once formed 
 part of an ancient Roman camp, lay in terraces, and this circum- 
 stance gave Hardy, who knew every inch of the country by heart, 
 a slight advantage. In speed they were very equally matched; for 
 although Lewis, from his youth and light, active make, was perhaps 
 really the fleetest. Hardy was in better training. When they first 
 started the poacher was about ten yards ahead, and they had reached 
 nearly half the centre of the space between the two woods ere Lewis 
 had diminished that distance materially. Hitherto they had been 
 running uphill, and the poacher's superior condition (as a jockey 
 would term it) enabled him to continue his rapid course without the 
 pace teUing as much as it did on his pursuer ; but now the ground 
 began to descend, and Lewis, having saved himself for a short 
 distance to recover breath, put forth his whole powers, and despite 
 the utmost exertions the poacher was capable of making, gained 
 upon him so fast that it was evident that in a few more strides he 
 must overtake him. But Hardy's usual good luck appeared not even 
 yet to have deserted him, for at the very moment when it seemed 
 certain Lewis must come up with him, a cloud obscured the moon, 
 and the poacher, taking advantage of this accident to double on 
 his pursuer, contrived to make such good use of his knowledge of 
 the grpund, that when the bright moonlight again enabled Lewis 
 
H 
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 as 
 
 a 
 a 
 
 o 
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 ?,!,'"' 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 199 
 
 to discern his retreating figure, he perceived, to his extreme cha- 
 grin and disappointment, that the fugitive would gain the wood, 
 and doubtless effect his escape, before he could again overtake 
 him. It was then with no small satisfaction that, just as he was 
 about to give up the chase as hopeless, he caught sight of a man 
 on horseback galloping in a direction which must effectually cut 
 off the poache?s retreat. Another moment sufficed to show him 
 that the rider, in whom he immediately recognised General Grant, 
 had perceived the fugitive, and intended to prevent his escape. 
 Lewis accordingly strained every nerve to reach the spot in time 
 to render assistance, more particularly as he remarked that Hardy 
 had by some means contrived to set his hands at liberty. In spite of 
 his utmost exertions, however, it was evident that the encounter would 
 take place before he could arrive ; and remembering his promise to 
 Annie, it was with mingled feelings of anxiety for her father's safety, 
 and self-reproach for having quitted him, that he prepared to witness 
 the struggle. As soon as the General perceived the state of affairs, he 
 waved his hand as a sign to Lewis ; then drawing his sabre, stood up 
 in his stirrups and rode gallantly at the poacher, shouting to him at 
 the same time to stop and yield himself prisoner. Hardy paid no 
 attention to the summons, continuing to run on till he felt the horse's 
 breath hot upon his neck; then, as General Grant, after again calling 
 on him to " surrender, or he would cut him down," prepared to put 
 his threat into execution, he dodged aside to avoid the blow, and 
 springing suddenly upon the rider, dashed the sword from his hand, 
 and seizing him by the throat, endeavoured to drag him off his horse. 
 The old man, though taken by surprise, clung firmly to his saddle, and 
 spurring his horse, tried to shake off his assailant ; but his strength 
 unfortunately was not equal to his courage, and the poacher, snatch- 
 ing at the rein, backed the horse till it reared almost erect and flung 
 its rider forcibly to the ground. Apparently bent on revenge. Hardy, 
 still retaining his grasp on the bridle, led the horse over the fallen 
 body of the man, with the brutal intention of trampling him to death. 
 But the generous instinct of the animal served to frustrate his evil 
 purpose; as, though he led it twice directly across its prostrate 
 master, the horse raised its feet and carefully avoided treading on him. 
 Striking the animal ferociously on the head with his clenched fist, he 
 next attempted to back it in the same direction, but the frightened 
 animal sprang aside and plunged so violently that he was unable to 
 effect his design. He was still striving to do so when Lewis, breath- 
 less with the speed at which he had run, reached the spot. Instantly 
 leaping over the fallen man, stick in hand, he struck Hardy so severe 
 a blow on the wrist that he was forced to quit his hold on the bridle, 
 and the scared horse broke away and galloped off, snorting with terror. 
 The poacher, infuriated by the pain of the blow, forgot all prudential 
 considerations ; and heedless of tlie approach of three of the watchers, 
 who, attracted by the noise of the struggle, were rapidly hastening 
 towards the spot, he rushed upon Lewis, and disregarding a heavy 
 blow with which the young tutor greeted him, flung his arms round 
 him and endeavoured to dash him to the ground. Fortunately for 
 
200 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 Lewis, he was not ignorant of the manly exercise of wrestling, and his 
 proficiency in the art stood him in good stead at this moment ; for, 
 despite his gigantic strength. Hardy could not succeed in throwing 
 him. In vain did he lift him from the ground; with whatever violence 
 he flung him down, he still fell upon his legs ; in vain did he com- 
 press him in his powerful arms, till Lewis felt as if every rib were 
 giving way — the only effect of his exertions was to exhaust his own 
 strength; till, at length taking advantage of an incautious move- 
 ment of his adversary, the young tutor contrived to pass his leg behind 
 that of the poacher and thus trip him up. His victory was, however, 
 nearly proving fatal to him, for in falling the ruffian clutched him 
 by the throat and dragged him down with him. Nor, although Lewis 
 being uppermost was enabled to raise himself on one knee and return 
 the compliment by inserting his hand within the folds of his adver- 
 sary's neck-cloth, could he foirce him to relinquish his grasp. For- 
 tunately, help was at hand; and just as Lewis began to feel that it 
 was becoming serious, and that if the pressure on his throat continued 
 much longer he should be strangled outright, the three assistants 
 came up ; two of them immediately flung themselves upon the poacher, 
 while the third dragged Lewis, who was rapidly growing exhausted, 
 from the deadly embrace of his prostrate foe. Having with some 
 difficulty succeeded in so doing, the man laid him at full length on the 
 grass, and leaving him to recover as best he might, turned to assist 
 his companions to secure Hardy. This was now a comparatively 
 easy task, for his final struggle with Lewis had exhausted even the 
 poacher's strength, and after a futile attempt to rise and shake off his 
 captors, he ceased to resist, and submitted in sullen silence, whUe his 
 arms were secured with the General's sword-belt. This operation 
 concluded, the man who had rescued Lewis returned to him and 
 found him sufficiently recovered to sit up. 
 
 "Have you looked to the General? is he uninjured?" was his first 
 question. 
 
 " I'm afear'd he's terrible hurt, if he ain't killed outright ; leastways 
 he's onsensibul, and one of his arms seems crushed like," was the 
 consolatory reply. 
 
 "Oh that I had come up a minute sooner!" exclaimed Lewis in a 
 tone of bitter self-reproach. 
 
 "You'd have been a dead man if yer had, sir," was the reply. "If 
 that willian there had had hold of your throat half a minute longer, 
 you'd have been as stiff as a leg of mutton by this time." 
 
 " Better that I had perished than that this should have occurred," 
 murmured Lewis ; then turning to the man, he continued, " Lend me 
 your arm ; I can walk now," and rising with difficulty, he advanced 
 towards the spot where General Grant lay. He was perfectly insen- 
 sible ; his hat had fallen off, and his grey hair, exposed to the night 
 dews, imparted, as the moonlight streamed on it, a ghastly expression 
 to his features, while his right arm was bent under him in an unnatural 
 position, which left no doubt that it must be broken, probably in more 
 places than one. Lewis knelt down beside him, and raising his 
 uninjured hand, placed his finger on the wrist. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 201 
 
 " I can feel his pulse beat distinctly," he observed, after a moment's 
 pause. " He is not dead, nor dying; indeed, except the injury to his 
 arm, I hope he may not be seriously hurt. No time must be lost in 
 carrying him to the house and procuring a surgeon." 
 
 " Somebody ought to go to Broadhurst to let'm know what's 
 happened and get us some help. We've more than we can manage 
 here, you see," urged the assistant. " It will take two on us to 
 purwent that blackguard Hardy from getting away; he won't lose 
 no chance, you may depend." 
 
 " I'll stay with General Grant if you'll run to the house," returned 
 Lewis feebly. 
 
 "Your arm's a bleeding, sir. Did that willian stab you?" inquired 
 the assistant. 
 
 " No; I was hurt in the wood," was the reply. 
 
 " Do you think you could ride, sir ? " continued the man ; " 'cos if you 
 could, I'd try and catch the horse— he's a grazin' very quiet yonder — 
 and then you could go to the house, start off one of the grooms to 
 fetch a doctor, send some of the people down here to help us, get 
 yer own wound dressed, and break the news to the family better than 
 such a chap as me." 
 
 This observation was a true one, and Lewis felt that it was so; 
 therefore, although he dreaded the task, and would rather have again 
 encountered the dangers he had just escaped than witnessed Annie 
 Grant's dismay and sorrow when she should find her dark anticipa- 
 tions realised, he agreed to the arrangement; and as the man 
 succeeded in catching the horse almost immediately, he mounted 
 with some difficulty and rode off at speed, though the rapid motion 
 increased the pain of his wound till it became almost insupportable. 
 He reached Broadhurst in less than ten minutes, never drawing bridle 
 till he entered the stable-yard, although he turned so faint and dizzy 
 on the way that more than once he was nearly falling from the saddle. 
 His first act was to despatch a mounted groom to procure a surgeon ; 
 he next sent off four of the men-servants with a hurdle converted into 
 an extemporary litter, giving them exact directions where to find their 
 master, and waiting to see that they started without loss of time ; he 
 then attempted to dismount, but was unable to do so without assist- 
 ance. Having paused a few moments till the faintness had again 
 gone off, he entered the house by the servants' entrance, and calling 
 the butler aside, desired him to summon Mr. Leicester as quietly as 
 possible ; then, sinking into a chair and resting his head on his hands, 
 he awaited his arrival with ill-coneealed anxiety, dreading lest some 
 incautious person should abruptly inform Annie of her father's 
 accident. 
 
ibi LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII 
 LEWIS MAKES A DISCOVERY AND GETS INTO A "STATE OF MIND." 
 
 The end of the room at which Lewis had seated himself lay in 
 shadow, so that Leicester, who shortly made his appearance wrapped 
 in a dressing-gown, could merely distinguish the outline of his figure. 
 
 "Why, Aj-undel," he began, "is anything the matter? Here has 
 Wilson been and roused me out of my first sleep, with a face like that 
 of the party who 'drew Priam's curtains i' the dead o' the night.' 
 Where's Governor Grant, and how is it that you're home first ? " 
 
 " It's no joking matter, Mr. Leicester," returned Lewis faintly, and 
 without raising his head. " The poachers have given us more trouble 
 than we expected, and in attempting to capture Hardy the General 
 has been thrown from his horse. His right arm is broken in two 
 places, and when I came away he was still insensible." 
 
 From the position in which Lewis sat (his elbows resting on a table 
 and his forehead supported by his hands) he was unable to perceive 
 anything that might be going on in the apartment, consequently he 
 had continued his speech, ignorant that a third person had joined 
 them. Annie (for she it was who, pale as some midnight ghost, had 
 glided noiselessly into the room) laid her hand on Leicester's arm to 
 prevent his calling attention to her presence, while eager and trem- 
 bling she listened to Lewis's account of her father's accident ; and 
 overcome for the moment by these evil tidings, she remained speech- 
 less, leaning against a chair for support. Lewis, surprised at Leicester's 
 silence, raised his head languidly, and the first object that met his 
 eyes was Annie Grant's sinking figure. With an exclamation of 
 dismay he attempted to start up, but he was becoming so weak from 
 loss of blood that he failed to accomplish his purpose. Roused by 
 the action, Annie recovered herself, and as a new idea struck her, she 
 asked — 
 
 " Where, then, is poor papa ? Have they brought him home ? J 
 must go to him instantly 1 " 
 
 " He is not yet arrived. Miss Grant," returned Lewis in a low voice 
 that trembled with conflicting emotions ; "his own servants are carrying 
 
 him, and a surgeon will be here instantly. I " he paused abruptly, 
 
 for Annie, drawing herself up, advanced towards him, and with flashing 
 eyes exclaimed — 
 
 " Is this then the way in which you have fulfilled your promise, Mr. 
 Arundel ? I trusted so implicitly to your assurance that you would 
 watch over him and protect him ; and now you have not only failed 
 him in the moment of danger but deserted him in his necessity, and 
 secured your own safety by coming home to break my heart with these 
 evil tidings. Oh, I am ashamed of you — grieved — disappointed ! " 
 
 " Hush, my dear Annie," observed Leicester soothingly. "Arundel 
 might not be able to prevent this accident — you are too hasty." 
 
 " No, no ! " returned Lewis in a low, broken voice, " I deserve her 
 reproaches. I ought never to have quitted him, and yet I did so 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 203 
 
 believing that 1 left him in perlect safety. I could not bear to stand 
 inactive when other men were about to face danger; besides, I had 
 pledged myself to assist in capturing this poacher." He paused, then 
 added, " I have been to blame, Miss Grant, but I am not quite the 
 poltroon you imagine me. I did indeed leave your father that I 
 might accompany the attacking party into the wood, but I strained 
 every nerve to come up with Hardy before General Grant encountered 
 him ; and although that was impossible, I arrived in time to prevent 
 him from forcing the horse to trample the life out of the fallen man, 
 and wounded as I am, I engaged with and captured, at the risk of my 
 own life, the ruffian who had injured your father; nor should I have 
 been here now, but that it was necessary for some one to procure 
 assistance and summon a surgeon, and I rode back at speed to my 
 own injury, that I might leave a more efficient man with the General." 
 
 As he ceased speaking the butler entered the room, bearing in his 
 hand a lamp, and for the first time the light fell upon Lewis's figure. 
 Leicester, as he beheld him, uttered an exclamation of surprise and 
 horror, which his appearance was well calculated to call forth. His 
 face was deadly pale, save a red line across the forehead, where some 
 bramble had torn the skin ; his dark hair, heavy with the night dew, 
 clung in wild disorder around his temples; and his clothes, stained 
 with mud, bore traces of the severity of the struggle in which he had 
 been engaged ; the sleeve of his left arm, which still rested on the 
 table, was soaked with gore, while the momentary excitement which 
 had animated him as he spoke had given way to a return of the 
 faintness produced by the loss of blood, which was by this time very 
 considerable. As this ghastly figure met her sight Annie uttered a 
 slight shriek — then a sense of the cruel injustice of her own reproaches 
 banished every other consideration, and springing towards him, she 
 exclaimed — 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Arundel, what can we do for you ? how shocked, how 
 grieved I am ! — will you, can you forgive me?" 
 
 Lewis smiled and attempted to reply, but the words died away upon 
 his lips, and completely overcome by faintness, he would have fallen 
 from the chair had not Leicester supported him. Fortunately, at this 
 moment the surgeon arrived, and Annie quitting the apartment, 
 Lewis's sleeve was cut open, his wound temporarily bound up, and 
 his temples bathed with some stimulating essence which dispelled his 
 faintness, before the surgeon's services were required for General 
 Grant The latter gentleman had recovered consciousness ere he 
 reached Broadhurst, and though suffering acute pain from his broken 
 arm, appeared cool and collected. His first question had been 
 "whether Hardy had escaped," and he seemed to revive from the 
 moment he was informed of his capture. His next inquiry was who 
 had taken him, and on learning it was Lewis, he was much pleased, 
 muttering, " Brave lad, brave lad ! pity he's not in the army." He 
 recognised Annie and spoke kindly to her, gave orders for the safe 
 custody of Hardy, demanded of the surgeon who examined his arm 
 whether he wished to amputate it, as he felt quite equal to the opera- 
 tion, and in short, under circumstances which would have overpowered 
 
204 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 any man of less firmness of character, behaved like a gentleman and 
 a brave old soldier, as he was. Fortunately the surgeons (for a 
 second, attracted by the rumour of an accident, as vultures are if a 
 camel dies in the desert, had come to test the truth of the old proverb 
 that two heads are better than one) succeeded in setting the arm, 
 pronounced amputation unnecessary, and after careful examination, 
 gave it as their opinion that, with the exception of a few contusions 
 of little consequence, the General had sustained no further injury. 
 Having come to this satisfactory conclusion, they found time to direct 
 their attention to Lewis. After much whispered consultation and 
 considerable exchange ol learned winks and profound nods, they 
 informed him that he had been wounded by a shot from a pistol 
 (which, by the way, he could have told them), and that they had very 
 little doubt that the ball remained in the wound, in which case it 
 would be necessary to extract it To this Lewis replied, " The sooner 
 the better." Accordingly they proceeded to put him to great agony 
 by probing the wound to find the ball, after which they hurt him still 
 more in extracting it, performing both operations with such easy 
 cheerfulness of manner and utter disregard of the patient's feelings, 
 that a bystander would have imagined they were carving a cold shouldei 
 of mutton rather than the same joint of live humanity. But surgeons, 
 like fathers, have flinty hearts, unmacadamised by the smallest grain 
 of pity for the wretched victims of their uncomfortable skill; their 
 idea of the " Whole Duty of Man" being that he should afford them 
 " an interesting case" when living, and become a "good subject" for 
 them when he has ceased to be one to the Queen. After the ball 
 was extracted, Lewis requested it might be handed to him; it was 
 small, and from its peculiar shape he perceived that it must have 
 been discharged from a pistol with a rifle barrel. 
 
 " If you will allow me," he said, " I shall keep this bit of lead as a 
 memorial of this evening's entertainment" 
 
 "Oh, certainly," replied the most cheerful surgeon, "by all means; 
 if it had but gone an eighth of an inch farther," he added, rubbing his 
 hands joyously, " only an eighth of an inch, it would have injured the 
 spinal cord, and you would have been — droll how these things occur 
 sometimes — you'd have been paralysed for life." 
 
 Lewis shuddered, and wished devoutly he were for the time being 
 Caliph Haroun Alraschid, in which case the facetious surgeon would 
 have added a practical acquaintance with the effects of the bastinado 
 on the sole of the human foot to his other medical knowledge. 
 
 " I don't think," resumed the doctor meditatively, " I don't think 
 you need apprehend any veiy unpleasant result, as far as I can as yet 
 see into the case. Of course," he continued with hilarity, " erysipelas 
 might supervene, but that is seldom fatal, unless it affects the brain ; 
 and I should hope the great effusion of blood will prevent that in 
 the present instance. You feel very weak, don't you ? " 
 
 Lewis replied in the affirmative, and his tormentor continued — 
 
 " Well, you need not be uneasy on that score; I don't apprehend a 
 return of syncope, but if you should feel an unnatural deficiency of vital 
 heat, or perceive any symptoms of approaching collapse, I would 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 305 
 
 advise your ringing the bell, and I'll be with you instantly. Scalpel's 
 obliged to be off; he's got a very interesting broken leg — compound 
 fracture — waiting for him down at the village, besides some dozen 
 agreeable minor casualties, the result of to-night's work. Keep up your 
 spirits, and go to sleep — your shoulder is easier now ? " 
 
 " It feels as if the blade of a red-hot sword were being constantly 
 plunged into it," returned Lewis crossly. 
 
 " Delighted to hear it," replied Dr. Bistoury, rubbing his hands j 
 "just what I could have wished; nothing inert there I I would recom- 
 mend your bearing (which word he pronounced bea-a-a-ring) it 
 quietly, and rely upon my looking in the first thing to-morrow." So 
 saying he rubbed his hands, chuckled, and departed. 
 
 In spite of his wound, which continued very painful, Lewis con- 
 trived to get a few hours' sleep, and awoke so much refreshed that he 
 resisted all attempts to keep him in bed, and though stiff and weak to 
 an excessive degree, made his way to the study and cheated Walter 
 out of the holiday he had expected — a loss which he scarcely regretted 
 in his joy at finding that the wicked poachers had not seriously 
 injured his dear Mr. Arundel. And then Annie could not be happy 
 till she had caught Charles Leicester and made him accompany her 
 on a penitential visit to Lewis, to tell him how grieved she was at the 
 recollection of her injustice to him ; it seemed so dreadfully ungrateful, 
 when in fact he had just saved her father's life; and she looked so 
 pretty and good and pure in her penitence, that Lewis began to think 
 women were brighter and higher beings than his philosophy had 
 dreamed of, and for the first time it occurred to him that he had been 
 guilty of an unpardonable absurdity in despising the whole race of 
 womankind because he happened to have been jilted by a little, 
 coquettish, half-educated German girl ; and he forgave Annie so fully 
 in his heart that with his lips he could scarcely stammer out half-a- 
 dozen unmeaning words to tell her so. 
 
 Leicester asked him in the course of the conversation whether he had 
 any idea which of the gang of poachers had fired the pistol, adding 
 that two others had been taken besides Hardy. Lewis paused for a 
 moment ere he replied, "That his back had been turned towards the 
 man who shot him, and that it was too serious a charge to bring 
 against any one without more certain knowledge than he possessed 
 on the subject." And having said this, he immediately changed the 
 conversation. 
 
 As soon as Annie and her cousin withdrew, Millar the gamekeeper 
 made his appearance, full of congratulations on Lewis's gallant conduct 
 and sympathy in regard to his wound. 
 
 " I can't imagine vitch o' ther warmints could have had a pistol ; it 
 wom't neither o' ther two as we captiwated, for I sarched 'em myself, 
 and never a blessed harticle had they got about 'em except ther usual 
 amount o' bacca and coppers hin ther breeches' pockets." 
 
 "Did you have any more fighting after I left you to follow Hardy?" 
 asked Lewis. 
 
 " Veil, we did 'ave one more sharpish turn," was the reply. "When 
 the blackguards see me down, they made a rush to recover the sack 
 
2o6 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 with the game, and almost succeeded, only Sam Jones pulled me out 
 of the crowd and set me on my legs again, and I was so mad a-thinking 
 that Hardy had got clear away that I layed about me like one pos- 
 sessed, they do tell me ; so we not only recovered the game, but 
 bagged two o' ther chaps themselves. By ther bye," he continued, 
 " Sam Jones came here with me ; he wants to see yer when I've done 
 with yer ; he says he's picked up somethin' o' yourn, but he won't say 
 what — he's a close chap when he likes, is Sam. Howsomdever, I 
 suppose he expects you'll tip him a bob or so, for it was he as ketched 
 yer when Hardy first flung yer off. You've paid him for it sweetly, 
 and no mistake ; he'd got a lovely black hye, and his right wrist was 
 
 swelled as big as two ven we marched him hoff to H gaol this 
 
 morning. And now I'll vish yer good artemoon, Mr. Arundel, and 
 send Sam hup, if you're agreeable." 
 
 Lewis, with a smile at the equivocal nature of the phrase, signified 
 his agreeability, and the keeper took his departure. In another minute 
 the sound of heavy footsteps announced the approach of Sam, who, 
 having obeyed Lewis's injunction to " come in," vindicated his title to 
 the attribute of " closeness " by carefully shutting the door and apply- 
 ing first his ear and then his eye to the keyhole ere he could divest 
 his cautious mind of a dread of eavesdroppers. He then crossed 
 the room on tip-toe, partly from a sense of the grave nature of his 
 mysterious errand, partly from respect to the carpet, the richness 
 of which oppressed him heavily during the whole of his visit, re- 
 stricting him to the use of one leg only the greater portion of the 
 time. 
 
 "You have found something of mine, Millar tells me," began Lewis, 
 finding that, ghost-like, his visitor appeared to consider it a point of 
 etiquette not to speak first. 
 
 " You're very kind, Mr. Arundel," returned his visitor, who, catching 
 sight at the moment of the gilt frame of an oil painting which hung 
 over the chimney, and believing it firmly to be pure gold, became so 
 overpowered between that and the carpet that he scarcely dared trust 
 himself to speak in such an aristocratic atmosphere. " I'm much 
 obliged to you, sir. Yes, I have found something, sir, but I don't 
 know disactly as it's altogether yourn." 
 
 "What is it, my good fellow?" inquired Lewis, half amused and 
 half bored by the man's bashfulness. 
 
 A consolatory mistrust of the sterling value of the picture-frame 
 had by this time begun to insinuate itself into Sam's mind, and 
 reassured in some degree by the doubt, he continued — 
 
 " I beg pardon, sir, but I hopes you don't feel so bad as might be 
 expected; you looks shocking pale, surely." 
 
 Lewis thanked him for his inquiry, and said he believed the wound 
 was going on favourably. 
 
 " I'm sure I'm very glad to hear it, which is a mercy to be thankful 
 for ; you looking so bad, too," returned this sympathising visitor ; 
 then leaning forward so as to approach his lips to Lewis's ear, he 
 continued in a loud whisper — 
 
 " Have ye any notion who it was as fired the shot ? " 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 207 
 
 Lewis started, and colouring slightly, fixed his eyes on the man's 
 face as he inquired abruptly — 
 
 " Have you ? " 
 
 Forgetting his veneration for the carpet in the excitement of the 
 conversation, the suspicious under-keeper walked to the door and 
 again tested the keyhole ere he ventured to answer the question; 
 then approaching Lewis, he thrust his hand into a private pocket in 
 his shooting-jacket, and drawing thence something carefully wrapped 
 in a handkerchief, he presented it to the young tutor, saying — 
 
 " That's what I've been and found, sir ; I picked it up in the wood, 
 not twenty yards from the place where you stood when you was shot, 
 Mr. Arundel." 
 
 Lewis hastily unrolled the handkerchief, and drew from its folds a 
 small pocket-pistol ; on the stock, which was richly inlaid, was a silver 
 escutcheon with a coat of arms engraved upon it ; from marks about 
 the nipple it had evidently been lately discharged, and on examina- 
 tion it proved to have a rifle barrel. Lewis's brow grew dark. 
 
 " It IS then as I suspected," he muttered ; pausing, however, as a 
 new idea seemed to strike him. " It might be unintentional," he 
 continued, " the mere result of accident. I must not jump too hastily 
 to such a conclusion ; " then addressing the under-keeper, he inquired — 
 
 " Have you any idea to whom this pistol belongs ? " 
 
 " P'r'aps I may have," was the cautious reply, "but there's some 
 things it's best not to know — a man might get himself into trouble by 
 being too knowing, you see, Mr. Arundel." 
 
 " Listen to me, my good friend," returned Lewis, fixing his piercing 
 glance on the man's face : " it is evident you more than suspect who 
 is the owner of this pistol, and you probably are aware by whom, and 
 under what circumstances, it was last night discharged. Now, i( 
 through a selfish dread of consequences you wish to keep this know- 
 ledge to yourself, why come here and show me the pistol ? If, on the 
 contrary, you wish to enhance the value of your information in order 
 to make a more profitable bargain with me, you are only wasting time. 
 I am naturally anxious to know who wounded me, and whether the 
 deed was accidental or intentional ; therefore, you have but to name 
 your price, and if I can afford it I will give it you. I say this because 
 I can conceive no other reason for your shilly-shallying." 
 
 During this speech the unfortunate Sam Jones shifted uneasily 
 from leg to leg, dropped his cap, stooped to pick it up again, bit his 
 under-lip with shame and indecision, and at last exclaimed — 
 
 " Bless'd if I can stand this hany longer ! out it must come, and if I 
 loses my sitiation through it, I suppose there's other places to be got ; 
 they can't say nuffin against my character, that's one comfort. It ain't 
 your money I wants, Mr. Arundel, sir; I'm able and willin' to earn my 
 own livin' ; but I've got a good place here, and don't wish to offend 
 nobody : still right is right, and knowing what I knows, my conscience 
 wouldn't let me rest till I'd come and told you — only I thort if you 
 would ha' guessed it of yourself like, nothing needn't ha' come out 
 about me in the matter." 
 
 " I understand," returned Lewis with a contemptuous curl of the 
 
2o8 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 lip ; " I will take care not to commit you in any way ; so speak 
 out." 
 
 " Well, if you remember, sir, I went with you and Millar up to the 
 barley-fitack last night, and when you grabbed hold of Hardy he sung 
 out to the chap as was with him to come and help him, so I thort the 
 best thing for me was to pitch into him and prevent his doing so. 
 Well, I hadn't much trouble with him, for he was a shocking poor 
 hand with his fists, and as soon as I'd polished him off I turned to 
 lend you a help ; just at that minute I see the moon a-shining upon 
 something bright, and looking further, I perceived the figure of a man 
 crouching close to the stack with a cocked pistol in his hand. When 
 fust I see him the pistol was pointed at Hardy, but suddenly he 
 changed his aim and fired straight at you ; as he let fly, the moon- 
 light fell upon his face, and if ever a man looked like a devil he did 
 then." 
 
 "And it was ?" asked Lewis eagerly. 
 
 " Lord Bellefield ! " was the reply; "there's none of 'em wears hair 
 on their top lip except the young lord, so it ain't easy to mistake him, 
 ye see." 
 
 " Are you quite sure he changed the direction of the pistol ? Might 
 not the shot have been intended for Hardy ? " 
 
 " I'll take my oath it wom't, Mr. Arundel ; he pointed it straight 
 at your breast, and if Hardy hadn't given a sudden wrench at the 
 minute and dragged you out of the line of fire, you'd have been a 
 dead man long before this." 
 
 Seeing that Lewis continued silent, the keeper resumed — 
 
 " As soon as you was hit you let go and Hardy threw you off. I 
 caught you, expecting it was all up with you, but I still kept my eye 
 on his lordship, for I was curious to know how he'd act. When he 
 saw you fall he smiled, and then he looked more like a devil than he 
 had done before. As Hardy was a-cutting away he passed close to 
 Lord Bellefield and struck against his shoulder, accidently, and his 
 lordship in a rage flung the discharged pistol after him, and it would 
 ha' fetched him down too if it hadn't a-hit against a branch. However, 
 I marked where it fell pretty nigh, and as soon as it was light this 
 morning I went and found it. There's his lordship's arms upon it, 
 same as them on his pheaton." 
 
 Completely overpowered and amazed at this recital, Lewis, desiring 
 to be alone with his own thoughts, obtained from Sam Jones a promise 
 of the strictest secrecy in regard to the affair, and having liberally 
 rewarded him for his discreet behaviour, dismissed him. He then, 
 concealing the pistol in his pocket, withdrew to the privacy of his own 
 apartment, and locking the door, sat down to collect his ideas. At 
 first he could scarcely realise the fact with which he had become 
 acquainted. True, he had suspected that it was from Lord Bellefield's 
 hand that he had received his wound, for he had previously observed 
 the butt of a pistol protruding from a pocket in his lordship's great- 
 coat, his_ attention being particularly called to the fact by the eagerness 
 with which its owner immediately hastened to conceal it more effec- 
 tually. Still, he had believed that he had been wounded by an 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 209 
 
 accident, and that the shot had been fired with the intention of 
 disabling Hardy, in whose capture Lord Bellefield appeared, for some 
 mysterious reason, to be deeply interested. The account he had just 
 received proved that this was evidently not the case, and Lewis could 
 only conjecture that at the moment Lord Bellefield was about to shoot 
 Hardy some fiend had suggested to him the opportunity of an easy 
 revenge on the man he hated, and that, in an impulse of ungovernable 
 malice, he had altered the direction of the pistol. 
 
 Rising and opening his dressing-case, Lewis took from a secret 
 drawer the ball which had been extracted from his shoulder, and 
 drawing the pistol out of his pocket, tried it ; it fitted the barrel to a 
 nicety. Replacing it, he muttered, "There is then no doubt." He 
 paused, but immediately resumed, "'Tis well; he has now filled up the 
 measure of his guilt; the time is come to balance the account." 
 His intention at that moment was to seek out Lord Bellefield, upbraid 
 him with his treachery, threaten to expose him, and demand as a 
 right that he should afford him satisfaction, forcing him by some 
 means to meet him on the following morning. But even when carried 
 away by passion, Lewis was not utterly forgetful of the feelings of 
 others, and his friendship for Leicester and for Annie, consideration 
 for the General in his present situation, and the interest he took in 
 Walter, rose up before him, and he exclaimed — 
 
 " No, it is impossible ; a thousand reasons forbid it while I remain 
 under this roof. I must break off all intercourse with this family 
 before I seek my just revenge. Well, the day of retribution is 
 postponed then, perhaps for years ; but it will come at last, I know ; 
 I feel that it will. That man is a part of my destiny. With what 
 pertinacity he hates me ! He fears me, too ; he has done so ever 
 since that affair of the glove. He read in my eyes that I had resolved 
 on — on what ? What will all this lead to ? Am I at heart a murderer .?" 
 He sat down, for he was very weak, and trembled so violently from 
 the intensity of his feelings that his knees refused to support him. 
 
 " No I " he continued, " it is an act of justice. This man insulted 
 me — I bore it patiently; at least I did not actively resent it. He 
 repeated his injurious conduct, he heaped insult on insult — I warned 
 him; he knew what he was doing; he saw the fiend he was arousing 
 in me, but he persevered — even yet I strove to forgive him ; yes, for 
 the sake of his brother's kindness to me, for the sake of the fair girl 
 who is betrothed to him, I had almost resolved to forego my right to 
 punish him. Then he seeks my life, the cowardly assassin ! and in so 
 doing he has sealed his own doom." He rose and paced sternly up 
 and down the apartment. " Frere would say," he resumed, " Frere 
 would say that I ought to forgive him yet, but he would be wrong. 
 He would quote the Scriptures that we should forgive a brother ' till 
 seventy times seven.' Yes, if he turn and repent; repented sins only 
 are forgiven either in heaven or on earth. Does this man repent ? let 
 him tell me so, and I will give him my hand in friendship ; but if he 
 glories in his wickedness? why then the old Hebrew law stands 
 good, 'An eye for an eye.' He owes me a life already, and if I offer 
 him fair combat, I give him a chance to which in strict justice he has 
 
210 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 no right ; but / am no mean assassin. And now to return his pistol 
 and inform his lordship that I am aware of the full extent of my 
 obligations to him." 
 
 So saying, he drew pen and ink towards him and hastily wrote as 
 follows : — 
 
 " Mr. Arundel presents his compliments to Lord Bellefield, and begs 
 to return the pistol with which he did him the honour to attempt his 
 life in the wood last night. Mr. Arundel reserves the pleasure of 
 returning the shot till some future opportunity." 
 
 He then rolled up the note, and inserting it in the barrel of the 
 pistol, formed the whole into a small parcel, which he carefully sealed, 
 and ringing for Lord Bellefield's valet, desired him to lay it on his 
 master's dressing-table before he prepared for dinner. 
 
 Reader, when your eye falls upon this page, which lays bare the 
 heart of one whom we would fain depict, not as a mere picturesque 
 brain-creation of impossible virtues and startling faults, but as an 
 erring mortal like ourselves, swayed by the same passions, subject to 
 the same influences for good or for evil — when you perceive how this 
 one wrong feeling, permitted to take root in his mind, grew and 
 flourished, till it so warped his frank, generous nature, that the fiend of 
 sophistry, quoting scripture to his purpose, could blind his sense of 
 right with such shallow reasoning as the foregoing, — resolve, if a 
 single revengeful feeling lurk serpent-like in your bosom, to cast it 
 from you at whatever sacrifice, lest when you pray "Our Father" 
 which is in heaven to "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive 
 them that trespass against us," you unawares pronounce your own 
 condemnation. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIIL 
 
 CONTAINS SUNDRY DEFINITIONS OF WOMAN AS SHE SHOULD BE," 
 AND DISCLOSES MRS. ARUNDEL'S OPINION OF RICHARD FRERE. 
 
 Lewis did not obtain any answer to his polite note, as Lord Belle- 
 field received on the following morning letters which he said 
 required his immediate presence in London, and in the hurry of 
 departure he no doubt forgot to refute the charge Lewis had seen 
 fit to bring against him; and as the young tutor preserved a strict 
 silence on the subject, and Sam Jones kept his own counsel with 
 his accustomed closeness, there, for the present, the matter appeared 
 likely to rest. Some little surprise was caused in the village by the 
 sudden disappearance of Jane Hardy, the poacher's daughter, a 
 girl of about nineteen ; but as it was imagined she had gone to 
 
 take up her quarters in the town of H , where her father was 
 
 imprisoned, her absence was soon forgotten. Lewis and Charles 
 Leicester alone, having ascertained her identity with the young 
 person who had assisted in the refreshment-room on the night of 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL 21 1 
 
 the party, connected her flight with Lord Bellefield's abrupt departure, 
 and although the subject was, for obvious reasons, avoided between 
 them, little doubt remained on their minds as to her probable fate. 
 This occurrence afforded Lewis a clue to Lord Bellefield's sudden 
 interest in regard to Hardy's capture : by her father's imprisonment 
 would be removed the chief impediment to the success of his designs 
 upon the daughter. The event had proved the correctness of his 
 calculation. 
 
 Weeks passed on; the wound in Lewis's shoulder healed, despite 
 the aggravating attendance of Doctors Scalpel and Bistoury, and 
 with youth and health on his side he speedily regained his accus- 
 tomed vigour. General Grant's recovery was a matter of greater 
 difficulty. The fracture had been by no means easily reduced, and 
 the process by which the bones re-united was a long and tedious 
 one. His accident (as is usually the case with such events) had 
 occurred at a most inconvenient moment. While he was yet con- 
 fined to his room the election for the county came on, and his 
 opponent, taking advantage of his absence to undermine his in- 
 fluence with the voters, was returned by a large majority. The 
 bribery by which he had obtained his seat was, however, a matter 
 of such notoriety, that, by De Grandeville's advice, the General was 
 induced to petition Parliament to annul the election. The petition 
 failed, and the expenses, which, from the prolonged proceedings, 
 were unusually heavy, all fell upon the unsuccessful candidate. 
 During the progress of the affair, Lewis, by the General's wish, 
 acted as his amanuensis and private secretary, a confidential ser- 
 vant being engaged to wait on Walter and attend him during his 
 rides, thus relieving his tutor of much that was irksome in his situation. 
 The London season was at its height before General Grant had 
 recovered sufficiently to leave Broadhurst, but a fortnight before the 
 day on which Charles Leicester's wedding was fixed to take place 
 Annie and her father started for the great metropolis. 
 
 During his attendance on the General, Lewis had been thrown 
 much into Annie's society, and their intimacy had deepened, on the 
 lady's side, into feelings of the warmest esteem and friendship, while 
 the gentleman became more and more convinced that his previous 
 estimate of the fair sex was a completely mistaken one, and altogether 
 to be condemned as the weakest and most fallacious theory that 'ever 
 entered the brain of a hot-headed boy — by which opprobrious epithet 
 he mentally stigmatised his six-months-ago self — and for at least a 
 week after she had departed he felt as if something had gone wrong 
 with the sun, so that it never shone properly. 
 
 The General had been away about a fortnight, when Lewis received 
 a letter from Rose informing him for the first time of her literary 
 pursuits. Since we have last heard of this young lady she had been 
 growing decidedly blue. Not only had she, under Bracks auspices, 
 published a series of papers in Blunt's Magazine, but she had posi- 
 tively written a child's book, which, although it contained original 
 ideas, good sense, and warm feeling, instead of second-hand moral 
 platitudes, and did not take that particularly natural view of life 
 
 IS 
 
iti LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 which represents it as a system of temporal rewards and punishments, 
 wherein the praiseworthy elder sister is always recompensed with an 
 evangelical young duke, and the naughty boys are invariably drowned 
 on clandestine skating expeditions, yet found an enterprising publisher 
 willing to purchase it ; nay, so well did it answer, that the courageous 
 bibliopolist had actually expressed a wish to confer with the " talented 
 authoress," as he styled poor Rose, in regard to a second work. 
 Whereupon Frere despatched a note to that young lady, telling her 
 she had better come up to town at once, offering her the use of his 
 house in a rough and ready way, just as if he had been writing to a 
 man ; and though he did add in a postscript that if she fancied she 
 should be dull, she'd better bring her mother with her, the after- 
 thought was quite as likely to have arisen from sheer good-nature, as 
 from any, even the most faint, glimmering of etiquette. Owing to a 
 judicious hint thrown out by Bracy, however, an invitation arrived, 
 at the same time, from Lady Lombard, which Mrs. Arundel had 
 immediately decided on accepting, and the object of Rose's letter was 
 to inquire whether there was the slightest hope of Lewis being able 
 to meet them. 
 
 By the same post arrived a note written by Annie from her father's 
 dictation, saying that he found he was guite unable to get on without 
 Mr. Arundel's assistance ; that he considered change of scene might 
 prove beneficial to Walter, and that it was therefore his wish that 
 Lewis and his pupil should join them immediately after the bustle of 
 the wedding should be over ; which scheme chimed in with the young 
 tutor's wishes most admirably, and for the rest of the morning he was 
 so happy as to be quite unlike his usual grave and haughty self, and 
 astonished Faust to such a degree by placing his fore-paws against 
 his own chest, and in that position constraining him to waltz round 
 the room on his hind-legs, that the worthy dog would have assuredly 
 taken out a statute of lunacy against his master had he been aware 
 of the existence of such a process. 
 
 Those who witnessed the marriage of the Hon. Charles Leicester to 
 the lovely and accomplished daughter of the late Peregrine Peyton, 
 Esq., of Stockington Manor, in the county of Lancashire (they said 
 nothing of Ludgate Hill and ignored Plumpstern totally), describe 
 it to have been a truly edifying ceremony. The fatal knot was tied, 
 and the wretched pair launched into a married state by the Bishop 
 of L , the unhappy victims submitting to their fate with un- 
 exampled fortitude and resignation, and the female spectators evincing 
 by their tears that the lesson to be derived from the awful tragedy 
 enacting before them would not be thrown away upon them. Nor 
 were the good intentions thus formed allowed to swell the list of 
 " unredeemed pledges " whence that prince of pawnbrokers, Satan, is 
 popularly supposed to select his paving materials, as, during the 
 ball which concluded the evening, two fine young men of property 
 fell victims to premature declarations, and after a rapid decline 
 from the ways of good fellowship were carried off by matrimony, 
 and departed this (i.e., fashionable) life in less than two months after 
 their first seizure: 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 413 
 
 On Lewis's arrival in town he found a small packet directed to him 
 in Leicester's handwriting, containing, besides the glazed cards 
 lovingly coupled by silver twist, a remarkably elegant gold watch and 
 chain for the waistcoat pocket, together with a few lines from Charley 
 himself, saying that to Lewis's good advice and plain speaking he felt 
 he in a great measure owed his present happiness, and that he hoped 
 Lewis would wear the enclosed trifle, the joint gift of himself and 
 Laura, to remind him of their mutual friendship and regard. Had he 
 known that Annie Grant had noticed the fact of his not possessing 
 a watch, and suggested the nature of the gift to her cousin, he would 
 have valued it even more highly than he did 
 
 The happy pair had determined to test the endurance of their 
 felicity by starting for the Rhine, which popular river it was their 
 intention to go up as far as it was go-up-able, then proceed to Switzer- 
 land, do that land of musical cows and icy mountains thoroughly, and 
 finally take up their quarters at Florence, where Leicester had suc- 
 ceeded in obtaining a diplomatic appointment. A letter had been 
 received from them dated Coblentz, wherein it appeared their new- 
 found happiness had stood the voyage better than might have been 
 expected; a fact mainly attributable to their having had an un- 
 usually calm passage. Laura considered the Rhine scenery exquisite ; 
 Charley thought it all very well for a change ; but for a constancy, he 
 must confess he preferred the Serpentine. He was disgusted with 
 the German students, whom he stigmatised as "awful tigers," wondered 
 why the women wore short petticoats if they hadn't better ankles to 
 show, complained bitterly of the intense stupidity of the natives for 
 not understanding either French or English, and wound up by a long, 
 violent sentence quite unconnected with all that had gone before it, 
 setting forth his unalterable conviction that Laura was an angel, which 
 unscriptural assertion he reiterated four times in as many lines. 
 
 A change had taken place in Rose Arundel, and Lewis, as he gazed 
 with affection on her calm, pensive brow, and marked the earnest, 
 thoughtful expression of her soft, grey eyes, felt that she was indeed 
 altered: he had left her little more than a child, he found her a 
 woman in the best and fullest sense of the expression. Reader, do 
 you know all that phrase implies ? do you understand what is meant 
 by a woman in the true and fullest sense of the term ? 
 
 "Eh? I should rather think I did, too, just a very little," replies 
 Ensign Downylip, winking at society at large ; " know what a woman 
 is ? yes, I consider that good, rather." 
 
 "And what, oh ! most exquisite juvenile, may be your definition of 
 woman as she should be ? " 
 
 The Ensign strokes his upper lip where that confounded moustache 
 is so very "lang a comin'," rubs his nose to arouse his intellect, which 
 he fails to do because that faculty is not asleep but wanting, and 
 replies — 
 
 " Ar — well, to begin with : woman is of course a decidedly inferiar 
 animal, but — ar — take the best specimen of the class, and you'll find it 
 vewy pwitty, picquante, devoted to polking, light in hand, clean about 
 the pasterns, something like Fanny Elsler, with a dash of Lady — -« 
 
2t4 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 to give it style (I can't stand vulgawity), decidedly fast (1 hate 
 your cart-horsey gals) ! plenty of bustle to make it look spicy, ready 
 to go the pace no end, and able properly to — ahem ! appweciate 
 'Yours truly' — ar — that's about the time of day, eh, Mr. Author ! " 
 
 "No such thing, sir," replies Ccerulea Scribbler, who is so very 
 superior that she is momentarily expected to regenerate society single- 
 handed, " no such thing, sir ! I know what the author means : he 
 justly considers woman as a — that is, as the concentrated essence of 
 mind ; nothing low, base, earthy — but — in fact — definitions should be 
 terse — you'll excuse my mathematical tastes, but — ahem ! — three terms 
 at Queen's College, and that dear Professor Baa-lamb ! naturally 
 produce a logical habit of thought — you require a perfect woman." 
 
 " No, madam, I am not so unreasonable." 
 
 " I mean, you require a definition of a perfect woman ; here you 
 have it then — the maximum of mind united to the minimum of matter; 
 or, to speak poetically, a ' thing all soul.' " And having thus given 
 her opinion. Miss Ccerulea, who measures barely five feet, and is as 
 thin as a lath, shakes her straw-coloured ringlets and subsides into 
 the Sixth Book of Euclid. 
 
 But neither the red-jacket nor the blue-stocking, albeit each the type 
 of a not unnumerous class, has exactly answered our question as we 
 would wish it replied to. We do not agree with Charley Leicester in 
 considering woman an angel ; first, because our ideas with regard to 
 angels are excessively vague and undefined, wings and white drapery 
 being the only marked features which we have as yet succeeded in 
 realising ; and secondly, because, to verify the resemblance, woman 
 should be faultless, and we have never yet met with one who had not 
 some fascinating little sin left to show that she was not too good for 
 this world. Our notion of a woman, in the best sense of the word, is 
 a being fitted to be a helpmeet for man; and this would lead us 
 into another disquisition, which we will dismiss summarily by stating 
 that we mean a man worthy of the name, not an ape in a red-coat like 
 Ensign Downylip, or an owl in a sad-coloured one hke Professor 
 Baalamb, but a man whom it would not be mere satire to call a lord 
 of the creation. A helpmeet for such an one as this should possess 
 a clear, acute intellect, or she would be unable to comprehend his 
 aspirations after the good, and true, and beautiful — the efforts of his 
 fallen nature to regain somewhat of its original rank in the scale of 
 created beings. She should have a faithful, loving heart, that when, 
 foiled in his worldly career, his spirit is dark within him, and in the 
 bitterness of his soul he confesses that " the good that he would he 
 does not, but the evil he would not, that he does," her affection may 
 prove to him that in her love he has one inestimable blessing yet 
 remaining, of which death alone can deprive him, and then only for a 
 season ; for, availing herself of the fitting moment with the delicate 
 tact which is one of the brightest instincts of a loving woman's heart, 
 she can offer him the only true consolation, by urging him to renew 
 his Christian warfare in the hope that together they may attain the 
 reward of their high calling, a reward so glorious that the mind of 
 man is impotent to conceive its nature. But to be able to do this she 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. aij 
 
 must herself have realised, by the power of faith, the blessedness of 
 things unseen, and with this requisite, without which all other excel- 
 lencies are valueless, we conclude our definition of " woman as she 
 should be." 
 
 Such an one was Rose Arundel, and countless others are there who, 
 if not sinless as the lac'iant messengers of heaven, are yet doing angels' 
 work by many a fireside which their presence cheers and blesses. 
 Happy is the man who possesses in a wife or sister such a household 
 fairy; and if some there be who bear alone the burden of life — whose 
 joys are few, for we rejoice not in solitude — let those whose lot is 
 brighter forgive the clouded brow or the cynical word that at times 
 attests the weariness of a soul on which the sunlight of affection 
 seldom beams. 
 
 No particular alteration was observable in Mrs. Arundel, who 
 seemed to possess the enviable faculty of never growing older, and 
 who remained just as gay and sparkling as when at sixteen she had 
 enslaved the fancy rather than the heart of Captain Arundel. 
 
 " My dear Lewis," she exclaimed, after having asked a hundred 
 questions in a breath regarding the internal economy of General 
 Giant's family, the affray with the poachers, Charles Leicester's 
 wedding, and every other event, grave or otherwise, which occurred 
 to her active and versatile mind, " my dear Lewis, what an original 
 your friend Frere is ! excessively kind and good-natured, but so very 
 odd. He volunteered to come and meet us at the coach-office, which 
 I considered quite a work of supererogation; but Rose had imbibed 
 such a mistrust of London and its inhabitants, whom she expected to 
 eat her up bodily, I believe, that she persuaded me to accept his offer. 
 Well, when the coach arrived I looked about, but nobody did I see 
 who at all coincided with my preconceived ideas of Mr. Frere, and I 
 began to think he would prove faithless, when I descried an individual 
 in a vile hat and an old, rough greatcoat perched on a pile of 
 luggage, with a cotton umbrella between his knees, reading some dirty 
 little book, in which he appeared completely immersed. He took not 
 the slightest notice of the bustle and confusion going on around him, 
 and would, I believe, have sat there until now, if a porter, carrying a 
 heavy trunk, had not all but fallen over him; upon which he started 
 up, and for the first time perceiving the coach, exclaimed, ' By Jove, 
 there's the very thing I am waiting for ! ' then shouldering his umbrella, 
 he advanced to the window, and thrusting in his great head, growled 
 out, 'Are any of you Miss Arundel?' Rose answered the question, 
 for I was so taken by surprise that I was dying with laughter. As 
 soon as he had ascertained our identity, he continued, ' Well, then I 
 should say the sooner you're out of this the better. I'll call a cab.' 
 The moment it drew up he flung open the door, and exclaiming, 
 ' Now, come along,' he caught hold of Rose as if she'd been a carpet- 
 bag, dragged her out, and pushed her by main force into the cab." 
 
 " Oh, mamma," interrupted Rose apologetically, " you really colour 
 the matter too highly. Mr. Frere was as kind as possible. He was a 
 little rough, certainly, and seemed to think I must be as helpless as a 
 child; but I dare say he's not accustomed to act as squire to dames." 
 
2i6 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " Indeed he's not," resumed Mrs. Arundel. " But I was determined 
 he shouldn't paw me about like a bale of goods, so I rested my hand 
 on a porter's shoulder and sprang from the coach into the cab while 
 he was stooping to pick up his wretched umbrella ; and finely astonished 
 he looked, too, when he discovered what I had done. Then he dragged 
 down all the luggage, just as he had done Rose, and tried to put two 
 trunks that did not belong to us on the cab, only I raved at him till I 
 obliged him to relinquish them. Of course I was forced to offer him 
 a seat in the cab, but he coolly replied, ' No, thank ye ; there are too 
 many bandboxes— the squares of their bases occupy the entire area. 
 I'll sit beside cabby.' And to my horror he scrambled up to the 
 driving-seat, and taking the dirty book out of his pocket, was speedily 
 absorbed in its contents; and in this state we actually drove up to 
 Lady Lombard's door. I could have beaten the man, I was so angry 
 with him. And yet, with it all, the creature is a gentleman." 
 
 "Indeed he is," returned Lewis, "a thorough gentleman in mind, 
 though from the extent to which he is engrossed by his literary and 
 scientific pursuits, and from the fact of living so much alone, he has 
 not the manners of society. But Frere is a very first-rate man ; his is 
 no ordinary intellect." 
 
 " It is impossible to watch the play of his features and doubt that 
 for a moment," returned Rose eagerly. " Look at his speaking eye 
 — his noble forehead." 
 
 " Oh ! Rose is quite emprise with the monster," remarked Mrs. 
 Arundel, laughing. " It's a decided case of love at first sight. Was 
 it the old greatcoat, or the dreadful hat, which first touched your heart, 
 ma cA^re?" 
 
 " I'm not bound to criminate myself," was the reply, " so I shall 
 decline to answer that question." 
 
 While she spoke a short, sharp, double knock, as of an agitated 
 postman, awoke the echoes and the porter in Lady Lombard's 
 " Marble Hall." In another minute the Brobdignagian footman, with 
 prize calves to his legs, flung open the drawing-room door and 
 announced, in a stentorian voice, "Mr. Frere." 
 
 " Quand on parle du diable on en voit la queuej' whispered Mrs. 
 Arundel, rising quickly. "Positively, Rose, my nerves won't stand 
 the antics of your pet bear this morning. Let me see you again 
 before you go, Louis, mon cher — you'll find me in the boudoir." 
 
 So saying, she gUded noiselessly out of one door a moment before 
 Frere entered at the other. Lewis followed her retreating figure with 
 a glance half-painful, half-amused. " My mother grows younger and 
 more gay every time I see her," he observed to Rose. A speaking 
 glance was her only answer, for at the moment Frere made his appear- 
 ance—and a somewhat singular one it was. The day being fine, he 
 had discarded the obnoxious greatcoat, and — thanks to his old female 
 domestic, who had caught him going out with a large hole in his 
 sleeve and sent him back to put on another garment, which she 
 herself selected — the coat he wore was in unusually good preservation, 
 and not so very much too large for him; but the heavy shoes, the 
 worsted stockings, the shepherd's plaid trousers, and the cotton 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 217 
 
 umbrella were all in statu quo; while his bright eyes, sparkling out 
 of a greater bush than ever of untrimmed hair and whiskers, gave 
 him a striking resemblance to some honest Scotch terrier, worthy to 
 be immortalised by Landseer's pencil. Catching sight of Lewis, he 
 rushed towards him, and seizing both his hands (in order to accomplish 
 which act of friendship he allowed the umbrella to fall on Rose's toes), 
 he shook them heartily, exclaiming, " Why, Lewis, old boy ! this is 
 a pleasure I I hadn't a notion you would be here so soon. How's 
 General Grant ? and how's Walter ? and how's Faust ? and how's 
 everybody ? Well, I am glad to see you ! " 
 
 All this time Frere had taken not the slightest notice of Rose, who, 
 having advanced a step or two to greet him, had resumed her seat, 
 more pleased to witness his delight in welcoming Lewis than any 
 attentions to herself could have rendered her. Having seated himself 
 on a sofa and pulled Lewis down by his side, he for the first time 
 appeared aware of Rose's presence, which he hastened to acknowledge 
 by a nod, adding, " Ah ! how d'ye do ? I've got something to tell you 
 presently, as soon as I've done with your brother." 
 
 Then, turning to Lewis, he recommenced his string of questions, 
 without regarding Rose's presence otherwise than by occasionally 
 including her in the conversation with such interjectional remarks as 
 " You can understand that " — " I explained that to you the other day," 
 until at length he abruptly exclaimed, " Now I must go and talk to 
 her — she and I have got a little business together." 
 
 " Perhaps I am de trop," observed Lewis with a meaning 
 smile. 
 
 In reply to this Frere merely clenched his fist, and having shaken 
 it within an inch of Lewis's face, marched deliberately across the 
 room, and drawing a chair close to Rose, seated himself in it ; then 
 laying hold of one corner of her worsted work, he said in a gruff 
 voice, " Put away this rubbish." 
 
 " I can listen to you, Mr. Frere, and go on with my slipper at the 
 same time," returned Rose, quietly releasing her work. 
 
 " You can't do two things properly together," was the reply ; " no- 
 body can ; for it's all fudge about Caesar's reading and dictating at 
 the same time. What I've got to tell you is more important than a 
 carpet shoe." 
 
 Smiling at his pertinacity, Rose, not having a particle of obstinacy 
 in her disposition, put away her work, and demurely crossing her 
 hands before her, like a good child saying its lessons, awaited her 
 tyrant's orders. That her attitude was not lost upon Frere that 
 gentleman made evident by catching Lewis's eye and pointing back- 
 wards with his thumb, as much as to say, " There 1 do you see 
 that ? " then producing a note from his pocket, he coolly broke the 
 seal, opened it, and handing it to Rose, muttered, " Read that." 
 
 The note ran as follows : — 
 
 " Mr. T. Bracy presents his compliments to Miss Arundel, and begs 
 to enclose a note of introduction to Mr. Nonpareil, the publisher, as 
 Mr. Frere agrees in thinking that the offeir made by Mr. A , of 
 
2i8 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 B Street, for the copyright of her interesting tale was quite 
 
 inadequate to its merits." 
 
 " How very kind of Mr. Bracy ! " exclaimed Rose, handing the note 
 to her brother, Frere having quietly read it over her shoulder. " Lewis, 
 I must ask you to be good enough to go with me to Mr. Nonpareil's 
 whenever you can spare the time." 
 
 " You needn't trouble him," returned Frere gruffly ; " I mean to 
 take you there myself ; and as there's never any good in putting things 
 off, I vote we go this morning. What do you say ? " 
 
 " You are very kind," repUed Rose, smiling ; " but really, now my 
 brother is in town I need not encroach on your valuable time." 
 
 " Valuable fiddlestick ! " was the courteous reply ; " though, of 
 course, everybody's time is valuable, if people did but know how to 
 employ it properly — which they never do. But you don't suppose if 
 I'd anything very particular in hand I should be dawdling here, do 
 you? I've got to be at the Ornithological at four, and to call at 
 Moore's, the bird-stuffer's, first ; but I can look in there on our way to 
 Nonpai-eil's." 
 
 " Yes ; but I'm sure Lewis " began Rose in a deprecatory tone 
 
 of voice. 
 
 "Nonsense about Lewis I" was the surly rejoinder. "What do you 
 imagine he knows about dealing with publishers? — they're 'kittle 
 cattle to shoe behint,' as a Scotchman would say. I've had dealings 
 enough with 'em to find out that, I can tell you. As for Lewis, if he 
 were to walk into one of their dens with his head up in the air, they'd 
 take him for Lord Octavo Shallowpate, come to negotiate for another 
 new novel, written with a paste-pot and scissors, and when they found 
 he had not a handle to his name with which to shove his rubbish 
 down the public throat, they'd kick him out of the shop again." 
 
 " Then you really think I look as stupid as a literary lord, eh, 
 Frere ? " inquired Lewis. 
 
 "Well, that's too strong a term, perhaps," answered Frere reflectively; 
 " but you don't look like a man of business, at all events." 
 
 " Where does this sagacious publisher reside?" asked Lewis; and 
 when Frere had given him the required information, he continued : 
 " Then we'll settle the matter thus :— My tailor, with whom I am 
 anxious to gain an interview, lives in the adjoining street ; accordingly, 
 I'll walk down with Rose and you, and while you negotiate with the 
 autocrat of folios, I'll take ' fitting measures ' for getting myself 
 'neatly bound in cloth.'" 
 
 " So be it then, most facetious youth," returned Frere, laughing ; 
 " and the faster you can get ready, you know," he continued, turning 
 to Rose, " the better." 
 
 " I'm all obedience," replied Rose, smiling ; " but I think you're 
 rather fond of tyrannising, Mr. Frere." 
 
 " Who, I ? " returned Frere in astonishment. " Not a bit of it ; 
 I'm the most easily managed fellow in London — I am, upon my 
 word." 
 
 " Yoli should see what perfect copifiian^ his pld housekeeper ha? 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 219 
 
 him in," observed Lewis, with an arch glance at his sister; "the bear 
 dares not growl at her — she's a perfect Van Amburgh to him." 
 
 Now there was so much truth in this charge that it was rather a 
 sore subject with Frere. The old woman in question had lived with 
 his mother and had nursed him when a child; and for these reasons, 
 as well as from good nature and a certain easiness of disposition 
 which lay beneath his rough manner, Frere had allowed her gradually 
 to usurp control over him, till, in all the minutise of his domestic hfe, 
 she ruled him with a rod of iron. Although her admiration of and 
 respect for her master's learning was fully equal to her total ignorance 
 of the arts and sciences; and although her affection for him was 
 boundless, nature had gifted her with a crusty temper, which an 
 interval of poverty and hardship (extending from the death of Frere's 
 mother till the time when his first act on obtaining a competence had 
 been to seek her out and take her into his service) had not tended to 
 sweeten. The dialogues which occasionally took place between the 
 master and servant were most amusing, and her power over him was 
 exercised so openly, that his fear of Jemima had become a standing 
 joke among his intimates. Accordingly, on hearing Lewis's observa- 
 tion, Frere hastily jumped up and strode to the fireplace, muttering, 
 " Nonsense I psha ! rubbish ! don't you believe a word of it, Miss 
 
 Arundel ; but go and dress, there's a good " he was going to add 
 
 " fellow " ; for be it known, the clue to his gruff, unpolished behaviour 
 towards the young lady in question was to be discovered in the fact, 
 that from her quiet composure, freedom from affectation, clear, good 
 sense, and the interest she took in subjects usually considered too 
 abstruse for female investigation, Frere looked upon her as a kindred 
 soul, and as all his other chosen intimates were of the worthier gender, 
 he was continually forgetting that she was not a man. Checking 
 himself, however, just in time, he substituted "creature" for "fellow" ; 
 and as Rose left the room, he continued, " 'Pon my word, Lewis, your 
 sister's such a nice, sensible, well-informed, reasonable being, that I 
 am constantly forgetting she's a woman." 
 
 " Which speech shows that amongst your numerous studies that of 
 the female character has been neglected," replied Lewis ; " or that you 
 have taken your impressions from very bad specimens of the sex." 
 
 Frere, who during the above remark had drawn from his pocket a 
 lump of crumbling sandstone, which, in order to examine more closely, 
 he coolly deposited on a small satin-wood work-table, looked up in 
 surprise as he rejoined, " Your opinions, touching the merits of 
 womankind, seem to have suffered a recovery, young man, seeing that 
 the last time I had the honour of discussing the matter with you, 
 women were all perfidious hyenas, or thereabouts. What has wrought 
 so remarkable a transformation ? " 
 
 Something appeared to have suddenly gone wrong with Lewis's 
 boot, for it was not until he had thoroughly investigated the matter 
 that he replied, his face being still bent over the offending article, 
 " The simple fact that as one grows older one grows wiser, I suppose. 
 No doubt Gretchen behaved abominably, and rendered me for the 
 time intensely wretched i but it was folly in me ever to have placed 
 
220 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 my happiness in the power of such a little, romantic, flirting, half- 
 educated thing as she was; I should not do so now, and to argue 
 from such an individual instance, to the disparagement of the whole 
 sex, was one of the maddest notions that ever entered the brain of a 
 hot-headed boy." 
 
 " Phew 1 " whistled Frere in astonishment, " you are not over civil 
 to your former self, I must say. If anybody else had spoken so 
 disrespectfully of you you'd have been for punching his head for him ; 
 however, I believe your present frame of mind is the more sane of 
 the two, though sweeping assertions are always more or less untenable. 
 The truth is, you can lay down no general rule about it — women are 
 human as well as men ; there are a few very good, a few very bad, 
 and an immense number who are nothing particular, in both sexes. 
 There is no authority which would lead us to suppose Adam's rib was 
 made of ivory more than any of his other bones. There's one vice 
 belonging to the fair sex, though — they're always an unmerciful time 
 putting on their bonnets ; your sister's been five minutes already, and 
 I'd lay a bet we don't see her for five more." As he uttered the last 
 words. Rose, fully equipped and looking the picture of neatness, 
 tripped into the room, to Frere's intense discomfiture, who scrambled 
 his relic of the Era of the Old Red Sandstone into his pocket with the 
 air of some culprit schoolboy detected in his malpractices by the 
 vigilant eye of his pedagogue. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 ROSE AND FRERE GO TO VISIT MR. NONPAREIL THE PUBLISHER. 
 
 Lewis, having slipped away for a moment to take leave of Mr4. 
 Arundel, who dismissed him with a parting injunction to take care 
 Ursa Major did not devour Rose, the trio descended the stairs, Frere 
 taking an opportunity to whisper to Lewis, " She was down upon me 
 then in every sense of the word ; didn't believe a woman could get 
 ready in five minutes on any consideration ; but your sister has more 
 sense than I ever expected to see under a bonnet, that's a fact." 
 
 " Don't you think for once you could dispense with that dreadful 
 umbrella?" inquired Lewis, who had imbibed a few Leicesterian 
 prejudices from his residence at Broadhurst. 
 
 " Dreadful umbrella I why what's the matter with it ? " exclaimed 
 Frere, half unfurling his favourite; "it's water-tight, and has a famous 
 strong stick to it ; what more do you want in an umbrella, eh ?" 
 
 " It might have been made of silk," suggested Lewis mildly. 
 
 "Yes, and be stolen and brought back again regularly three times a 
 week," returned Frere. " I had a silk one once, and the expense that 
 umbrella was to me, to say nothing of the wear and tear of mind it 
 occasioned, was perfectly terrific I shudder when I think of it; there 
 are not a do?en cabrnen in London who have not received half-^-crown 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 221 
 
 for bringing home that umbrella. It was a regular bottle-imp to me, 
 always being lost and always coming back again. The 'bus con- 
 ductors knew it by sight as well as they know the Bank ; they were for 
 ever laying traps to get it into their possession, with a view to obtain 
 the reward of honesty by bringing it home again. I got rid of it at 
 last, though ; I lent it to a fellow who owed me five pounds, and I've 
 never seen man, money, or umbrella since. Now this dear old cotton 
 thing, not being worth finding, has never been lost ; however, if you'll 
 promise to take care I have it to-morrow when I call, I'll leave it here, 
 and if your sister gets wet don't blame me." 
 
 " Rose, will you undertake the heavy responsibility?" asked Lewis. 
 
 " I think I may safely promise so to do," was the reply. "There is 
 a little foot page in this establishment in whom I have the greatest 
 confidence, and to his custody will I commit it." 
 
 And Frere's anxious mind being soothed by this assurance, they 
 started on their expedition. Twenty minutes' brisk walking — which 
 would have been brisker still if Rose had not gently hinted that ladies 
 were not usually accustomed to stride along like postmen ; to which 
 suggestion Frere responded with something very like a growl, — twenty 
 minutes' walking brought them to the very elegant front of Mr. 
 Nonpareil's shop, where Lewis left the two others. A nice young 
 man, with Hyperion curls outside his head, and nothing save much 
 too high an opinion of himself within, who lounged gracefully behind 
 the counter, replied to Frere's inquiry " Whether Mr. Nonpareil was 
 at home," after the fashion of the famous Irish echo, i.e., by another 
 question. Elevating his eyebrows till they almost disappeared in his 
 forest of hair, he drawled out — 
 
 " Wh-a-y ? did you w-a-ant him ? " 
 
 " Of course I did, or else I should not have asked for him," returned 
 Frere sharply; then handing his own card and Bracy's note of intro- 
 duction across the counter, he continued, " Take those to your 
 master, and tell him that a lady and gentleman are waiting to see 
 him." 
 
 At the word "master" Hyperion coloured and appeared about to 
 become impertinent, but something in Frere's look induced him to 
 alter his intention, and turning on his heel, he strode into the back 
 shop with an air mariyre, which was deeply affecting to the risible 
 muscles of the pair he left behind him. 
 
 " There's an animal 1 " exclaimed Frere, as the subject of his remark 
 disappeared behind a tall column of account books. " Now that ape 
 looks upon himself as a sort of Admirable Crichton, and I'll be bound 
 has a higher opinion of his own mental endowments than ever Shake- 
 speare or Milton had of theirs. I dare say the creature has his 
 admirers, too : some subordinate shop boy, or the urchin who runs of 
 errands, takes him at his own price and believes in him implicitly. 
 Ye gods, what a ' ship of fools ' is this goodly vessel of society ! " 
 
 " I hope he does not rest his claims on the ground of his personal 
 attractions," returned Rose with a quiet smile. 
 
 "His strength must lie in his hair, if he does,'' replied Frere, "like 
 that of his Israelitish Hercules of old. But see, here he comes, 
 
222 LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 shaking his ambrosial locks ; and behold, he smiles graciously upon 
 us. Bracy's note has worked miracles." 
 
 Approaching with a smirk and a bow, Hyperion politely signified 
 that Mr. Nonpareil was disengaged, then again retreating, led the 
 way through a sort of defile of unsold literature to the sanctum of the 
 enterprising publisher. This remarkable apartment was of the most 
 minute dimensions, a very duodecimo edition of a room, embellished 
 with a miniature fireplace, an infinitesimal writing-table, and a mere 
 peep-hole of a window looking across many chimney-pots into space. 
 In the middle of this retreat of learning, like an oyster in its shell, reposed 
 that Rhadamanthus of literature^rthe heroic Nonpareil. His outer 
 man was encased in black, as became the severity of his office ; a 
 white neck-cloth encircled his august throat, while a heavy gold watch- 
 chain and seals attested his awful respectability. He was of a most 
 respectable age, neither incautiously young nor unadvisedly old; he 
 was of a most respectable height, neither absurdly short nor incon- 
 veniently tall ; his weight, 12 stone 5 lbs., was most respectable — it 
 had not varied a pound for the last ten years, nor could one look at 
 him without feeling that it would remain exactly the same for the 
 next ten years ; he had a most respectable complexion, red enough to 
 indicate that he lived well and that it agreed with him, but nothing 
 more. Nobody could suspect that man of an apoplectic tendency ; he 
 was much too respectable to think of dying suddenly ; the very expres- 
 sion of his face was a sort of perpetual life assurance ; he go out of the 
 world without advertising the day on which he might be expected to 
 appear most respectably bound in boards 1 The idea was preposterous. 
 His manner naturally expressed his conviction of his own intense 
 respectability, and was impressive, not to say pompous ; while from a 
 sense of the comparative want of respectability in everybody else it 
 was also familiar, or as his enemies (all great men have enemies) 
 declared, presuming. 
 
 As Rose and Frere entered he stood up to receive them, favoured 
 Frere with a salutation half-way between a bow and a nod, partially 
 extended his hand to Rose, and as she hesitated in surprise, hastily 
 drew it back again, then motioning them to the only two chairs, save 
 his own judgment-seat, the apartment contained, resumed his throne, 
 and smiling graciously at Rose, leant back, waiting apparently until 
 that young lady should humbly prefer her suit to him. 
 
 Perceiving his design. Rose glanced appealingly at Frere, who came 
 to her assistance by plunging at once in medtas res with his accustomed 
 bluntness. 
 
 " Well, Mr. Nonpareil," he began, " touching the object of our visit 
 to you, I suppose Bracy has told you in his note what we've come 
 about ? " 
 
 " Yes — that is, so far ; Mr. Bracy signifies that your visit has a 
 business tendency," was the cautious reply. 
 
 "Why, we certainly should not have come here for pleasure," 
 returned Frere shortly; then catching Rose's look of dismay he 
 continued, " I mean to say we should not have thought of taking up 
 your valuable time" (here he gave Rose q confidential nudge with his 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 223 
 
 elbow to indicate that he spoke ironically), " unless we had a legitimate 
 object in doing so." 
 
 In answer to this the Autocrat merely inclined his head, and revealed 
 a highly respectable set of teeth ; so Frere resumed — 
 
 " This young lady, Miss Arundel, has determined, by the advice of 
 Mr. Bracy and — ahem !— myself, to make you the first offer of a very 
 valuable work which she has written — a tale of a very unusual descrip- 
 tion, peculiarly suited, as I consider, to the present state of society, 
 pointing out certain social evils, and showing how a more consistent 
 adherence to the precepts of Christianity would prove the only effectual 
 remedy." 
 
 At these last words Mr. Nonpareil, who, having apparently lapsed 
 into a state of torpor, had listened with a face as immovable as if it 
 had been cast in bronze, suddenly pricked up his ears and condescended 
 to exist again. 
 
 " If I understand you, Mr. " — " Frere," suggested that gentleman 
 
 . — "Mr. Frere," continued Nonpareil, "if I comprehend your meaning, 
 sir, this lady wishes to dispose of the copyright of a religious novel ? " 
 " That's it," replied Frere. 
 
 "Then my answer must mainly depend on the exact height of the 
 principles." 
 
 "On the how much?" inquired Frere, considerably mystified. 
 " On the exact height of the principles, sir," returned Mr. Nonpareil 
 with dignity. " I possess a regular scale, sir, which I have had worked 
 out minutely, proceeding from the broad outlines of Christianity to the 
 ■ most delicate shades of doctrine, and descending even to the smallest 
 points of the canon law. Such an ecclesiological table is most im- 
 portant in our line. Public opinion, sir, fluctuates in such matters, 
 just like the funds, up one week, down the next, up again the next. 
 Now I'll just give you an instance. There was a little work we 
 pubUshed, I dare say you've seen it, 'Ambrosius; or, The Curate 
 Confessed.' It was thought rather a heavy book when it first came 
 out. The public would not read it ; the trade did not like it ; it hung 
 on hand, and I expected to lose from ;£200 to £yio upon it. Well, 
 sir, the Surplice question began to be agitated. Fortunately, the 
 author had made Ambrosius preach in a white gown. I immediately 
 advertised it freely, the thing took, we sold 3000 copies in a fortnight, 
 and instead of losing ^300 I made ;£6oo. But that's not all, sir. 
 Shortly after that the Rev. Clerestory Lectern, one of the very tip-top 
 ones, went to Rome, and took his three curates, a serious butler, and 
 the family apothecary with him. This made a great sensation, con- 
 vulsed the public mind fearfully, and brought on a general attack of 
 the ultra-protestant epidemic. Accordingly, I sent for the author of 
 ' Ambrosius,' offered him terms he was only too glad to jump at, shut 
 him up in the back-shop with half a ream of foolscap and a bottle of 
 sherry, and in little more than a week we printed off 5000 copies of 
 ' Loyoliana ; or, The Jesuit in the Chimney Comer.' The book sold 
 like wild-fire, sir. A second edition was called for and went off in no 
 time, and I believe I might have got through a third, only Lord 
 Dunderhead Downhill joined the Plymouth Brethren and married 
 
a 24 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 his kitchen-maid, which brought public opinion up_ again several 
 degrees and spoiled the sale ; but I made a very nice thing of it, 
 altogether." 
 
 So saying, Mr. Nonpareil rubbed his hand gleefully, pushed his 
 hair off his forehead, and looked at Rose as if he longed to coin her 
 into money on the spot. After a pause he inquired abruptly, " What's 
 the name, ma'am ? " 
 
 "The name of my tale ?" began Rose, slightly flurried at the con- 
 versation so suddenly taking a personal turn. " I thought of calling 
 it ' Helen Tremorne.'" 
 
 " Very good, ma'am — very good," returned Mr. Nonpareil approv- 
 ingly ; " euphonious, aristocratic, and vague. Just at this time, a title 
 that does not pledge a book to anything particular of any kind is most 
 desirable. About how long do you suppose it will be ? " 
 
 "Mr. Frere thought it would make two small volumes about the 
 size of a work called ' Amy Herbert,' I believe," replied Rose. 
 
 " Quite right, ma'am, quite right, a very selling size, indeed," was 
 the answer; "clever book, 'Amy Herbert,' very. So much tender- 
 ness in it, ma'am ; nothing pays better than judicious tenderness ; 
 the mothers of England like it to read about — the daughters of 
 England like it — the little girls of England like it — and so the 
 husbands of England are forced to pay for it. If you recollect, 
 ma'am, there's a pathetic governess in 'Amy Herbert,' who calls the 
 children 'dearest' — well imagined character, that. She's sold many 
 a copy has that governess. May I ask does ' Helen Tremorne ' call 
 anybody ' dearest ' ? " 
 
 " I really scarcely remember," said Rose, hiding a smile behind 
 her muff. 
 
 " It would be most desirable that she should, ma'am," returned Mr. 
 Nonpareil solemnly. " Some vindictive pupil, if possible, ma'am — 
 the more repulsive the child, the greater the self-sacrifice — people 
 like self-sacrifice to read about — they call such incidents touching ; 
 and just at the present moment pathos sells immensely. Pray, 
 ma'am, may I ask are you high or low ? " 
 
 "My principles would not lead me to sympathise with the very ultra 
 party on either side," replied Rose, slightly annoyed at being forced to 
 allude to such subjects in such a presence. 
 
 " Ah I the via media; yes, I see — very good, nothing could be 
 better. Just at the present time the via media is, if I may be allowed 
 the expression, the way that leads to fortune ; nothing sells like 
 it — it's so vague and safe, you see ; the heads of families buy it in 
 preference to any more questionable teaching. May I asic have 
 you fixed on any sum for which you would dispose of the copyright of 
 your story ? " 
 
 Rose glanced at Frere, who responded to the appeal by naming a 
 sum exactly double the amount which Rose, in her humility, would 
 gladly have accepted. She was about to say so, but a slight con- 
 traction in her companion's brow warned her against committing 
 such an imprudence. Mr. Nonpareil, however, did not appear 
 alarmed at the magnitude of the demand, but promising to peruse 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 225 
 
 the manuscript carefully (which promise he fulfilled by sending it to 
 his paid reader, never even glancing at it himself) and to give a 
 definite answer in the course of a few days, he bowed them out of his 
 den in the most respectable manner possible. As soon as they had 
 quitted the shop, Rose exclaimed, " Well, if all publishers are like 
 Mr. Nonpareil, the less personal communication I hold with them 
 the better I shall be pleased." 
 
 " Ay, but they are not," returned Frere ; " many of them are men 
 of great intelligence, simple manners, and who possess much out-of- 
 the-way knowledge, which renders them very agreeable companions. 
 There are pompous and narrow-minded individuals in all professions. 
 Nothing is more illogical than to generalise from a single instance ; 
 it's certain to lead to the most absurd results. Why, I've actually 
 encountered an honest lawyer and met with a disinterested patriot 
 before now ! But here comes Lewis ; I wonder what conclusion he 
 has arrived at in regard to tailors." 
 
 CHAPTER XXXV. 
 
 HOW RICHARD FRERE OBTAINED A SPECIMEN OF THE "PODICEPS 
 CORNUTUS.'" 
 
 "Now for the Podiceps Cormitus/" exclaimed Frere, after Lewis 
 had been made acquainted with the result of the interview with 
 Mr. Nonpareil. 
 
 " May I ask what wonderful creature rejoices in that ineffable 
 name ? " inquired Rose. 
 
 "You may well say 'wonderful creature,'" returned Frere, enthusi- 
 astically. " It's my belief that my precious Podiceps is the first 
 specimen which has ever been obtained in this country ; and I should 
 fancy it will be the last, too, for I don't expect any one will be inclined 
 to take the same amount of trouble that I took in order to get it. I 
 was down in Lincolnshire last Christmas at a place called Water End 
 — so named, I should imagine, on the lucus a non lucendo principle, 
 because there was no end of water all round it. Well, sir " (he was 
 addressing Rose all this time), " Fenwick, the man with whom I was 
 staying, told me one day that he'd seen a bird when he was duck- 
 shooting which he'd never met with before,; and by the description 
 he gave me of it, I felt almost certain it must have been a specimen 
 of the Podiceps Cornutus, which, as I dare say you know, is scarcely 
 ever found in this latitude." 
 
 " You must excuse my lamentable ignorance," replied Rose, smiling, 
 " but I was not even aware of its illustrious existence five minutes ago." 
 
 " Well," returned Frere, arching his eye-brows, " they do neglect 
 women's educations shamefully, I must say ! The Podiceps Cornutus 
 
 ' The incident in the following chapter is taken from an anecdote related 
 (as the author believes) in " Gilpin's Scenery of the New Forest." 
 
426 LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 is a species of Grebe by no means rare in Pennsylvania, where they 
 winter; in summer they migrate to the far countries to rear their 
 young ; they are web-footed ; the bill is — but, however, you shall see 
 my specimen, so I need not bother you with a long description, which 
 I dare say you would not understand, after all; and I'll tell you, 
 instead, my adventures in pursuit of the particular individual in 
 question. The weather was unusually cold, the ground was covered 
 with snow, and the water with ice; but as soon as I heard of the 
 Podiceps nothing would serve me but I must go after it. Accordingly, 
 an amphibious old animal of a gamekeeper was summoned to attend 
 me, and as soon as it was light the next morning off we set, and we 
 walked through ice and snow till two o'clock in the afternoon, each 
 armed with a long duck gun that weighed as much as a young cannon. 
 We saw plenty of ducks, teal, and even snipes, but nothing that could 
 by any possibility be mistaken for a Podiceps. At last we came to a 
 salt-marsh, as they call it, — that is, a place which is all water when the 
 tide is high, and alluvium— more commonly termed mud — when it's 
 low, which it happened to be at that particular epoch. Well, my old 
 companion began to show signs of knocking up, and gave one or two 
 broad hints that he considered we were engaged in a wild-^oose chase 
 in every sense of the term, and that the sooner we relinquished it the 
 better; when, all of a sudden, almost from under our feet, up sprang 
 a bird and flew away like the wind. 'The Podiceps, by all that's 
 glorious ! ' exclaimed I ; and levelling my gun in such excitement that 
 I could scarcely hold it steady, I blazed away, and — of course missed 
 it. The old gamekeeper, however, took the thing more coolly — ■ 
 muttering 'most haste worst speed,' he raised his fowling-piece, and 
 when the bird was just at a nice killing distance pulled the trigger — 
 but the confounded gun hung fire and did not go off till my Podiceps 
 was all but out of shot. Luckily, however, some of the shots reached 
 him, and just as I fancied I was about to lose sight of him for ever, he 
 gave a sort of lurch, as if he were tipsy, and came toppling down head- 
 long. I marked the spot where he fell, and the moment he reached 
 the ground rushed off to secure him. As I was going along I heard 
 the old fellow bawling something after me, of which I only caught the 
 words, ' take care,' but as I was not in the humour just then to take 
 care of anything except to gain possession of my Podiceps, I paid no 
 attention to him. The bird had fallen on a sort of peninsular-shaped 
 bank, and along this, sometimes over my insteps in mud, sometimes 
 up to my knees in water, did I make my way, as fast as the difficulties 
 of the path would permit. The spot where the Podiceps had fallen 
 proved to be much farther off than I had imagined it, and before I 
 reached it I was completely out of breath, and almost dragged to 
 pieces by wading through the mud in my heavy boots. However, I 
 cared little for that when I discovered the bird lying on his back as 
 dead as mutton, and on picking it up perceived that it really was an 
 actual bond fide Podiceps Cornutus, and no mere myth, created by my 
 imagination. Delighted at having secured my prize, I washed the 
 mud off it, smoothed its feathers as carefully as possible, and wrapping 
 it m a handkerchief, placed it in my pocket, and prepared to retrace 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 227 
 
 my steps. But, lo and behold I while I had been admiring the 
 Podiceps, my peninsula had become an island I and there was I, 
 Robinson Crusoe-like, suddenly cut off from my fellow-creatures. 
 Not a soul, or more correctly, a body could I see, — my old man had 
 disappeared — indeed, so altered was the face of things by the rising 
 of the water that I did not very well know in what quarter to look for 
 him, or in which direction to advance in order to gain terra Jirma, 
 while, to my annoyance, I perceived that my island was rapidly 
 growing ' small by degrees, and beautifully less 1 ' " 
 
 " What a disagreeable position to be placed in I " exclaimed Rose, 
 much interested. " How did you contrive to escape ? " 
 
 " Well, I was just going to tell you if you hadn't interrupted nie," 
 returned Frere gruffly. " I made one or two attempts to discover the 
 route by which I had come, but in vain ; advance which way I would 
 I only got into deeper water, and in the last trial I made I slipped 
 souse into a hole, and was half-drowned before I could contrive to 
 scramble out again. After this rather serious failure I began to feel 
 that I was in an awkward predicament. I shouted, but no one 
 answered, for the very sufficient reason that no one was within hearing. 
 I loaded my gun and tried to discharge it; but it had become wet 
 when 1 tumbled into the hole, and obstinately refused to go off. The 
 water continued to rise rapidly, and my island was already covered. 
 My only hope now lay in the old man j the words he had bawled after 
 me must evidently have been a warning against the danger in which I 
 had so foolishly involved myself ; he was therefore aware of my situa- 
 tion, and would surely take some measures for my rescue. At all 
 events, there was nothing for it but patience. I was unable to swim, 
 the ground on which I stood appeared to be the highest point in the 
 immediate vicinity, so there I must remain. Perhaps, after all, my 
 imagination had exaggerated the danger ; the tide might not rise 
 much higher, and the old man, aware of this fact, might be waiting 
 till the waters should recede to join me and pilot me safely home. 
 This at all events was a consolatory hypothesis, and trying to persuade 
 myself it was the true one, I forced the ban-el of my gun as deeply 
 into the mud as I was able, leaned my elbows on the butt, and thus 
 supported, watched with a beating heart the advance of the water. 
 My feet were already covered, and it continued to rise almost imper- 
 ceptibly, and yet, comparing one five minutes with another, with 
 appalling rapidity, higher and higher : it gained the calf of my leg ; it 
 approached, then covered my knees; inch by inch it stole on till it 
 reached my hip ; the first button of my waistcoat was the next point, 
 then Ibe second, then the third, and as that also disappeared I felt my 
 situatimi was indeed becoming perilous in the extreme, and cast my 
 eyes around in the vain hope of discovering some means of extricating 
 myself. I might have saved myself the trouble ; nothing but the still 
 increasing water was visible on any side. A slight breeze arose and 
 rippled the surface, and now my precaution of thrusting my gun-barrel 
 into the mud stood me in good stead ; but for it I should have been 
 swept away by the advancing tide, and even in spite of this support I 
 found some difficulty in preserving my foothold. My eyes seemed 
 
 16 
 
228 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 riveted by some supernatural fascination on the progress made by the 
 deepening water. My waistcoat buttoned up to the throat with eight 
 buttons ; five of these were by this time immersed, the water stood 
 breast high, the sixth disappeared. It was with the greatest difficulty 
 I could preserve my balance — I swayed from side to side like a drunken 
 man. The cold was intense ; my teeth chattered and my limbs were 
 rapidly becoming cramped and paralysed, while to add to my catalogue 
 of miseries, the daylight began to fade apace. I gave myself up for 
 lost, and came to the conclusion that if ever we were fished out the 
 Podiceps and I should be alike candidates for a glass-case in some 
 museum. A strange mixture of thoughts ran through my brain. I 
 tried to realise the idea of death. I fancied the separation of soul 
 and body, and speculated on how my mental self would feel when it 
 saw strange fishes taking liberties with my bodily self, without having . 
 the slightest power to drive them away. My attention was diverted 
 from these gloomy fancies by observing that the water appeared much 
 longer in reaching my seventh button than it had been in advancing 
 froni the fourth to the fifth, or from that to the sixth, and while I was 
 casting about to find a reason for this variation — lo and behold I the 
 sixth button once more became visible. How was this ? Had I 
 unconsciously shifted to higher ground, or was it, could it be possible 
 that the tide had turned, that the waters had begun to recede ? The 
 agonising suspense of the next five minutes was one of the most 
 severe mental trials I have ever experienced. Though I have spoken 
 lightly on the subject, I had in fact made up my mind to face death as 
 a man and a Christian should do, and was prepared to meet my fate 
 calmly and resolutely ; but now the uncertainty, the renewed hope of 
 life struggling with the fear of a possibly approaching death became 
 almost unbearable, and had the conflict been prolonged my presence 
 of mind would have entirely deserted me. Less than five minutes, 
 however, served to set the matter at rest. The sixth button was left 
 high and dry, the fifth reappeared, and was succeeded by another and 
 another ; certain landmarks, whose immersion I had watched with 
 anxious eyes, again became visible, and I was thinking of making a 
 final effort to reach terra firma before the increasing darkness should 
 throw new difficulties in the way, when my ears were greeted by a 
 distant ' Halloo.' I shouted in reply, and soon had the satisfaction of 
 perceiving a flat-bottomed boat making towards me, propelled by my 
 host and the old man who I had conceived basely to have deserted 
 me. As they drew me, half-crippled with cold and exhaustion, into 
 the boat, Fenwick began haranguing me in a composite strain of 
 upbraiding and condolence, but I cut him short by raising my head 
 as I lay sousing in a puddle at the bottom of the punt, and murmuring 
 in a faint voice—' Never mind, old fellow, it's all right, for Pve got the 
 Podiceps Cornutus.' And touching that same bird, here we are at the 
 stuffer's shop ; so come along in, and I'll show him to you bodily." 
 
 A week had elapsed since the morning on which the above con- 
 versation took place, a week in which many events had occurred. 
 The mighty Nonpareil, still considering the via media a promising 
 investment, had condescended graciously to purchase Rose's manu- 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL 229 
 
 script, and when Fiere, who brought her the intelligence, placed in 
 her hands a cheque for ^^loo, which, relying on her profound ignorance 
 of business forms, he had kindly substituted for the publisher's bill at 
 six months, she received it with a start of delight. The girl was so 
 happy 1 she had at length realised her darling project ; she had, by 
 her own exertions, helped to lighten Lewis's burden ; she had done 
 something towards shortening his period of banishment, for such she 
 considered his enforced residence at Broadhurst. Poor Rose 1 she 
 had not a particle of avarice in her whole nature, and yet never did 
 miser rejoice over his hoards as she did over that hundred pounds ; 
 for it was by no means to be spent — that, fortunately, was unnecessary, 
 as Mrs. Arundel, albeit wanting mental ballast in some points, was a 
 notable housewife, and as for Rachel, she was a very dragon in her 
 care of that Hesperides, the larder ; so that out of the liberal allowance 
 Lewis made to them, his mother and sister were privately saving a 
 small fund, destined, as they fondly hoped, to advance at some future 
 time his fortunes; and to this store Rose's hundred pounds would 
 make a magnificent addition. And the joy it was to her thus to 
 dedicate it I Could she have purchased with it the most desirable 
 match in England, the hand of that identical young duke who 
 was exhibited to correct radical tendencies at the electioneering 
 ball at Broadhurst, his ^race might have died a bachelor ere Rose 
 would have diverted the money from its appointed purpose. But 
 something ought to be done with it. Rose had heard of compound 
 interest ; nay, she had even had its nature explained to her ; and 
 though at the end of the explanation she was more in the dark than at 
 the beginning, she attributed that to her own obtuseness, and contented 
 herself with recollecting that it was something which began by doubling 
 itself, and went on doubling itself, and something else, until — she 
 did not know exactly what; so she supplied the blank by adding, 
 until the desired result should be attained. And now, recalling the 
 definition thus attained, she decided that the advisable thing would 
 be to place her hundred pounds in the most favourable situation for 
 catching that desirable epidemic, compound interest. Accordingly, 
 with much diffidence, and a just appreciation of the very hazy nature 
 of her dissolving views in regard to the investment of capital generally. 
 Rose communicated her ideas to Frere. That gentleman heard her 
 out with a good-humoured smile playing around the corners of his 
 mouth. "Well," he said, as she concluded, "you are but a woman 
 after all, I see ! " 
 
 "Why, what have you taken me for hitherto, then?" demanded 
 Rose. 
 
 This very pertinent inquiry appeared somewhat to puzzle the in- 
 dividual to whom it was addressed, for he pushed his hair back from 
 his forehead and rubbed his chin with an air of perplexity ere he 
 answered, "If I were what they call a lady's man, which means a 
 conceited puppy, I should grin at you to show my white teeth, and 
 reply, ' An Angel ; ' but seeing that man was made a little lower than 
 the angels — though, by the way, that's a mistranslation — and that 
 women are inferior to men, to call a woman an angel is to be guilty of 
 
»3s LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 a logical absurdity, and is only to be excused in the case of lovers, who, 
 as men labouring under a mental delusion — temporary monomaniacs, 
 in fact — are scarcely to be looked upon as rational beings." 
 
 " But if you are not a puppy, and I am not an angel, both which 
 propositions I am perfectly ready to admit, why do you consider it 
 necessary to enunciate your apparent discovery that, after all, I am 
 only a woman ?" inquired Rose. 
 
 " Because, if you must know," growled Frere, at length fairly brought 
 to bay, "you have hitherto talked so much sense, and so little nonsense, 
 that I've looked upon you more as a man than a woman. You wanted 
 the truth, and now you've got it," he continued in a tone like the 
 rumbling of distant thunder, as Rose, clapping her hands in girl-like 
 delight at having elicited this confession, replied with a low, silvery 
 laugh, " I thought so ! I fancied that was it ! Oh, the conceit of 
 these lords of the creation 1 And now that you have found out that I 
 am not the mental Amazon your fancy painted me, do you intend 
 quite to give me up ? " 
 
 As she said this, half playfully, half in earnest, raising her calm, 
 grey eyes, which now sparkled with unwonted animation, to his face, 
 Frere experienced a (to him) entirely new sensation. He was for the 
 first time conscious of the effect produced by 
 
 " The light that lies 
 In woman's eyes," 
 
 and he felt — unreasonable as he could not but consider it — that he 
 was better pleased with Rose as she was than if she had been Pro- 
 fessor Faraday himself; than whom (barring Sir Isaac Newton) 
 Frere's mind was incapable of conceiving a more exalted type of male 
 humanity. The way in which he expressed the gentle sentiment 
 which had stolen into his breast was as follows : — 
 
 " Don't talk such rubbish, but listen to a little common sense, and 
 try and comprehend it, if you can, for once in your life. You want this 
 money invested for Lewis's benefit, don't you ?" Receiving a reply in 
 the affirmative, he continued, "Well, then, have you sufficient con- 
 fidence in me to trust it entirely in my hands to invest as I think 
 best?" 
 
 " I should be indeed ungrateful if I had not," returned Rose, the 
 tears springing to her eyes, as she remembered Frere's many acts of 
 kindness to her father. 
 
 " Psha ! stuff ! I didn't mean anything of that kind," rejoined 
 Frere, provoked with himself for having recalled such distressing 
 recollections, " only you women are so ready to trust anybody till 
 you've been let in for it two or three times, and then you're just as 
 unreasonable the other way, and suspect every one whether they 
 deserve it or not ; however, as I believe I'm indifferent honest, I'll 
 take this money, if you wish it, and do the best I can with it. Lewis 
 shall not be always a tutor if we can help it, though it's wonderful how 
 contented he's grown lately— so as he lashed out too when he was 
 first put in harness," 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 231 
 
 "You've observed the change, have you, Mr. Frere?" returned 
 Rose interrogatively. " I have been rejoicing in it exceedingly ; it is 
 just what I could have wished, but dared not hope for. I attribute it 
 in great measure to his affection for poor Walter." 
 
 " Well, it may be so ; no doubt the lad presents an interesting 
 psychological study," returned Frere reflectively, "though I rather 
 conceive it may be owing to his having taken a liking to " 
 
 "Miss Grant and Miss Livingstone," vociferated the Colossus of 
 plush, flinging open the door with a startling vehemence, the result 
 of an ebullition of temper consequent upon a severe rebuke he had 
 just received from Minerva for mispronouncing her patronymic, 
 which interruption prevented Frere from expressing his innocent con- 
 viction that certain geological researches in the neighbourhood of 
 Broadhurst constituted the charm that had so suddenly reconciled 
 Lewis to his dependent position. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVI. 
 
 RECOUNTS "YE PLEASAUNTE PASTYMES AND CUNNYNGE 
 DEVYCES" OF ONE THOMAS BRACY. 
 
 Annie Grant introduced herself to Rose with that easy courtesy 
 which adds so great a charm to the manners of a perfectly well-bred 
 woman, and Rose, as she gazed on her, thought she had never beheld 
 anything so lovely before. She was dressed in — Halt ld.1 attention, 
 young ladies 1 favete — no, not Unguis; in the amiability of your natures 
 you are always ready enough to do \!asi.\.— favete auribus, listen and 
 learn; for I myself, the chronicler of this veritable history, am about 
 to vindicate the good use I made of those halcyon days when 
 
 " My only books 
 Were woman's looks,'' 
 
 and to prove that " follies " were not all they taught me — for this I 
 assert and am prepared to maintain, that good taste in dress is not 
 in itself a folly, and only becomes so when the mind of a fool (or fool- 
 ess as the case may be) exalts it to an undue pre-eminence. Annie, be 
 it remembered, was a blonde, with just enough of the rose in her cheeks 
 to prevent the lily from producing an appearance of ill health. The 
 month was June, the London season was at its height, and the young 
 lady had called upon Rose in her way to the second horticultural f^te 
 at Chiswick Gardens. Her bonnet was of white chip, from which a 
 small white ostrich feather tipped with blue drooped lovingly, as though 
 it sought to kiss the fair face beneath it. A visite of light blue glad silk 
 had been fashioned by the skill of an ingenious Parisian modiste, so 
 as to suggest rather than conceal the exquisite form it covered, beneath 
 which the rich folds of a gown of pale fawn-colour Gros de Naples, as 
 uncreased as if, cherub-like, its wearer never sat down, completed the 
 
232 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 costume ; and a very becoming one it was, as we feel sure all young 
 ladies of good taste will allow. Richard Frere, being slightly 
 acquainted with Minerva Livingstone, good-naturedly devoted him- 
 self to that indurated specimen of the original granite formation, who 
 from her name and nature might possibly possess a geological interest 
 in his eyes, and by trying to macadamise her into small-talk, enabled 
 the two girls to prosecute their acquaintance undisturbed. Rose, Httle 
 used to society, was shy and reserved before strangers, though there 
 was a quiet self-possession about her which prevented her manner 
 from apTpeanng ^aucke or unformed. Annie, on the other hand, being 
 in the constant habit of receiving and entertaining guests, made 
 conversation with a graceful ease which completely fascinated her 
 companion The only subject on which her fluency appeared to 
 desert her was when she spoke of Lewis, his kindness to Walter, and 
 the valuable services he had lately rendered her father; but the little 
 she did say showed so much good taste and evinced such genuine 
 warmth of heart and delicacy of feeling, that his sister was more than 
 satisfied, and settled in her own mind that if all the family were 
 as charming in their different ways as was Miss Grant in hers, 
 Lewis's contentment with his present situation was no longer to be 
 wondered at. 
 
 " What a lovely, fascinating creature 1 " exclaimed Rose enthusiasti- 
 cally, as the door closed on her visitors; "she is like some bright 
 vision of a poet's dream." 
 
 " She seems a cute, hard-headed old lady, but she struck me as 
 having rather too much vinegar in her composition to induce one to 
 covet much of her society ; olives are well enough in their way, but a 
 man would not exactly wish to dine upon them, either," returned 
 Frere. 
 
 " Who on earth are you talking about ? " inquired Rose in astonish- 
 ment. 
 
 "Why, who should I be talking about, except Miss Livingstone?" 
 returned Frere gruffly. " Have you ' gone stupid ' all of a sudden ? " 
 
 " Vou must have become blind," retorted Rose, "not to have 
 observed Miss Grant's unusual grace and beauty; I wonder Lewis 
 has never said more about her." 
 
 " Bah ! " growled Frere, "do you think your brother has nothing 
 better to do than to chatter about a woman's pretty face ? Lewis is, 
 or was (for his opinions on the subject seem to have been modified 
 lately), a confirmed misogynist, and I'm very glad of it. Nothing 
 makes me more savage than to hear the confounded puppies of the 
 present day talk about this 'doosed fine woman' or that 'uncommon 
 nice gal.' If I happened to have a sister or any other womankind 
 belonging to me, and they were to make free with her name in that 
 fashion, I should pretty soon astonish some of their exquisite delicacies. 
 Well," he continued, buttoning up his coat all awry, " I'm off, so good- 
 bye;" and taking Rose's hand in his own, he wrung it with such force 
 that a flush of pain overspread her pale features. Observing this, he 
 exclaimed, "Did I squeeze your fingers too hard? Well, I am a 
 bear, as Lewis says, that" s certain." As he spoke he laid her hand in 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. i^i 
 
 his own broad palm, and stroking it gently, as though trying to soothe 
 an injured child, he continued, " Poor little thing, I didn't mean to 
 hurt it ; " then looking innocently surprised as Rose somewhat hastily 
 withdrew it, he added, " What ! isn't that right either ? well, I see I'd 
 better be off. I'll look you up again in a day or two, and if you want me 
 you know where to find me." So saying, he clattered downstairs, put 
 on his hat hind-side before, and strode off, walking at the rate of at 
 least five miles an hour. As he passed the church in Langham Place 
 he overtook two gentlemen engaged in earnest conversation : regard- 
 less of this he quickened his pace and struck the younger of the two 
 a smart blow on the back, exclaiming, " Bracy, my boy, how are you ? " 
 
 The individual thus roughly saluted immediately reeled forward as 
 if from the effects of the blow, and encountering in his headlong career 
 an elderly female, whose dress bespoke her an upper servant or 
 thereabouts, he seized her by the elbows and twirled her round in 
 the bewildering maze of an impromptu and turbulent waltz, which he 
 continued till an opportune lamp-post interposed and checked his 
 Terpsichorean performance. Before his astonished partner had 
 recovered breath and presence of mind sufficient to pour forth the 
 first words of a tide of angry remonstrance, Bracy interposed by 
 exclaiming in a tone of the most bland civility — 
 
 " My dear madam, excuse this apparent liberty ; really I am so 
 completely overpowered that I would sink into the ground at your 
 feet if it were not for the granite pavement which is " 
 
 Here the good woman, having scarcely recovered breath, gasped 
 vehemently, " It's very hard, so it is " 
 
 " Which is," continued Bracy, louder and with still deeper empresse- 
 ment, " as you justly observe, so very hard ; but, my dear madam, the 
 facts of this case are yet harder. Let me assure you my offence, if 
 you choose to stigmatise my late lamented indiscretion by so harsh a 
 name, was perfectly involuntary; simply an effect produced by a 
 too vehement demonstration of fraternal feeling on the part of my 
 particular friend Mr. Frere. Allow me to introduce you — Outraged 
 Elderly Lady, Mr. Frere — Mr. Frere, Outraged Elderly Lady. Ah, 
 what a happy meeting ! As the ever-appropriated Swan observes, 
 ' Fair encounter of two most rare affections ! ' or again, ' Joy, gentle 
 friends, joy and fresh days of love accompany your hearts.' " 
 
 " Yes, it's all wery fine," exclaimed the outraged one (suddenly 
 finding her tongue), " to go frightening of respectible parties out of 
 their wits, and then think to smooth 'em over with your blarneying 
 words ; but if I could set eyes on one of them lazy pelisemen which is 
 never to be found when wanted, blessed if I wouldn't give you in 
 charge for your imperence, so I would." 
 
 During the delivery of this speech Bracy had listened in an 
 exaggerated theatrical attitude of entranced attention, and at its 
 conclusion he exclaimed, in a voice so intensely impassioned that it 
 would have ensured his success at any of the minor theatres — 
 
 " Oh I speak again ; let mine enraptured ear 
 Drink the sweet accents of thy silvery vcicc" 
 
234 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 Which sentiment procured for him the applause of a small male 
 spectator of the tender age of ten years, clad in much dirt and a 
 pair of adult trousers on their last legs in every sense of the term, who 
 expressed his approval by nodding complacently and remarking, 
 " Wery well done ; ancore, I says." 
 
 " Come along," exclaimed Frere, seizing Bracy's arm and almost 
 forcing him away; "you'll have a crowd round you directly. Your 
 companion has taken himself off long ago." 
 
 " So he has," returned Bracy, looking round. " Now I call that 
 mean, to desert a friend in difficulties ; more especially," he added, as 
 they walked away together, "as the said difficulties were undertaken 
 wholly and solely on his account." 
 
 " On his account ? " returned Frere in surprise ; " why, I should have 
 thought the mighty De Grandeville was the last person likely to 
 appreciate a street row." 
 
 " For which reason I never lose an opportunity of involving him in 
 one," replied Bracy, rubbing his hands with mischievous glee. " He 
 can't bear walking with me, for I always get him into some scrape or 
 other, and injure his dignity irreparably for the time being. Why, the 
 last severe frost we had I met him in Pall Mall, drew him on to talk 
 of architecture, pointed out to him a mistake which didn't exist in the 
 front of one of the club-houses, and while he was looking up at it 
 beguiled him on to a slide and upset him, quite inadvertently, into an 
 
 itinerant orange basket, just as Lady B , with whom he has a 
 
 bowing acquaintance, was passing in her carriage. Look at him now, 
 prancing along as if all Regent Street belonged to him ! Walk a little 
 faster, and we shall overtake him ; and, by the way, lend me that 
 wonderful cotton umbrella of yours ; I'll make him carry it right down 
 to the Home Office. You are bound for Westminster, are you not?" 
 
 " What made you guess that ? " asked Frere, handing him the 
 umbrella. 
 
 " Because there's a meeting at the Palasontological to-day at three, 
 and I know you're one of their great guns," was the reply. 
 
 " It's my belief that you know everything about everybody," returned 
 Frere, laughing. 
 
 "And you know everything about tvtrY-ihing," rejoined Bracy, "so 
 between us we form an epitome of human knowledge. I say, De 
 Grandeville," he continued, as they overtook that gentleman, " you are 
 a treacherous ally, to desert your comrade in the moment of danger. 
 That ferocious old woman abused me within an inch of my life, and 
 wanted to give me in charge to a policeman." 
 
 " Knowing you have an equal aptitude for getting into and out of 
 scrapes of that nature," returned De Grandeville, " I— ar— considered 
 you fully equal to the situation — and — ar — having no taste for bandying 
 slang with vituperative plebeian females, I left you to fight your own 
 battles. Was I not justified in doing so, Mr. Frere?" 
 
 "Well, Bracy being the aggressor, I suppose you were," was the 
 answer; "but as I was the innocent first cause of the scrimmage I 
 felt bound to remain, and dragged Bracy away by main force, just in 
 time, as I imagine, to save him from the nails of the insulted matron,'' 
 
BRACY DANCETH A LIVELY MEASURE. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 235 
 
 " By Jove I what a nuisance. I do believe I've broken my trouser 
 strap," exclaimed Bracy, stopping and elevating his boot on a door- 
 step. " Hold this one moment while I try to repair damages, there's 
 a good fellow," he continued, thrusting the umbrella into De Grande- 
 ville's unwilling hand; " I'll be with you again directly." 
 
 The damages must have been serious, judging by the length of time 
 they took to remedy ; for ere Bracy rejoined them, Frere and De 
 Grandeville had proceeded half the length of Regent Street, the latter 
 carrying the umbrella — which he regarded from time to time with 
 looks of the most intense disgust — so as to keep it as much out of 
 sight as possible, even secreting it behind him whenever he perceived 
 a fashionably dressed man or woman approaching. 
 
 " I was trying to recollect that very interesting anecdote you told 
 me of the attack on the barrack in Galway when you were staying 
 with the 73rd — Frere has never heard of it," observed Bracy as he 
 rejoined his companions. 
 
 Now this said anecdote related to an episode in De Grandeville's 
 career to which he delighted to refer, and which, accordingly, most of 
 those who boasted the honour of his acquaintance had heard more 
 than once. Such indeed was the case with Frere, and he was just 
 going to say so when he caught a warning look from Bracy, which 
 induced him to remain silent. 
 
 "Ar — really, it was a very simple thing," began De Grandeville, 
 falling into the trap most unsuspiciously. " I happened to know 
 several of the 73rd fellows who were quartered down in Galway at 
 a place called — ar — here's your umbrella." 
 
 " I beg your pardon 1 I did not quite catch the name," returned 
 Bracy, who, having buried his fingers in the pockets of his paletot, 
 did not seem to have such a thing as a hand about him. 
 
 "At a place called Druminabog," continued De Grandeville. "The 
 country was in a very disturbed state ; one or two attacks of a rather 
 serious character had been made upon the police, and the military had 
 been called out to support them; ar — here's your um " 
 
 " Was it three or four years ago that all this took place ? " inquired 
 the still handless Bracy. 
 
 " Four years on the second of last April," returned De Grandeville. 
 
 "Are you sure it wasn't the first ?" muttered Frere aside. 
 
 " I was travelling on a business tour in the sister island," continued 
 the narrator, "and meeting Osborne, a 73rd man, who was going 
 down to join his regiment, he persuaded me to come on with him to 
 Druminabog — ar-Jlfire's your " 
 
 " Was that Tom Osborne, who sold out when the rifles were going 
 to Ceylon?" interposed Bracy, studiously ignoring the proffered 
 umbrella. 
 
 The victimised De Grandeville replied in the affirmative, and 
 resuming his tale, soon grew so deeply interested in the recital of his 
 own heroic exploits that the umbrella ceased any longer to afflict 
 him; nay, so absorbed did he become, that in a moment of excite- 
 ment, just as he was passing the Horse Guards, he waved that article 
 in the air and led on an imaginary company of the 73rd therewith, 
 
236 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 after the fashion of gallant commanders in panoramas of Waterloo, 
 and battle scenes enacted at the amphitheatre of Astley. As they 
 approached the Home Office, and De Grandeville had arrived at the 
 concluding sentence of his narrative, which ran as follows : — " And 
 so, sir, the Major shook me warmly by the hand, exclaiming, ' De 
 Grandeville, you're worthy to be one of us, and I only wish you were, 
 my boy 1 ' " the trio paused, and Bracy extracting one hand from the 
 pocket in which it had been reposing, remarked, with the air of a man 
 who considered himself slightly aggrieved but meant to make the 
 best of it — 
 
 "Now, if you please, I'll trouble you for my umbrella; I did not 
 like to interrupt your story by asking for it sooner, but now, if you 
 have no objection, I shall be glad of it." 
 
 "Certainly," replied De Grandeville, . only too glad (his attention 
 being once more attracted to it) to get rid of his incubus. 
 
 As Frere turned aside to hide a laugh, Bracy inquired, " By 
 the way, De Grandeville, do you dine at Lady Lombard's next 
 Tuesday?" 
 
 "/do," replied Frere; "and I suppose it's to be one of her Lord 
 Mayor's feasts, as I hear she's beating up recruits in all quarters." 
 
 "Ar — really — I've received an invitation— but I — ar — ^"pon my word, 
 I don't know whether one's justified in going to such places; one 
 must draw the line — ar — somewhere." 
 
 "It will be a first-rate feed," resumed Bracy. " Lady Lombard's 
 chef IS a capital hand, and her wine is by no means to be despised." 
 
 " Yes, but the woman herself," rejoined De Grandeville in a tone 
 of the deepest disgust, "just retrace her degrading career — ar — not 
 an ancestor to begin the world with." 
 
 "Well, I should have supposed she possessed her fair share in 
 Adam and Noah, too," remarked Frere drily. 
 
 " Plebeian in origin," continued De Grandeville, not heeding the 
 interruption, " she sinks herself still lower by espousing first a pickle- 
 merchant, secondly a pawnbroker; the first — ar — repulsive, the 
 second sordid." 
 
 " She did not play her cards altogether badly, though," observed 
 Bracy. " Old Girkin died worth a plum, and Sir Pinchbeck Lombard 
 was a millionaire, or thereabouts." 
 
 "Money, sir," returned De Grandeville sententiously, "is by no 
 means to be despised, and those who affect indifference on the sub- 
 ject usually do so to screen a grasping and avaricious temperament. 
 But money becomes really respectable only when it enables those 
 who are connected with the old historical families of England, those 
 in whose veins runs the ' blue ' blood of aristocracy, to assert their 
 rightful position as lords of the soil. Among the landed gentry of 
 England are to be found " 
 
 " Some thoroughly jolly fellows," interposed Bracy, " especially to 
 show you the way across country, or help to kick up a shindy at the 
 Coal Hole. But we must part company here ; Frere's booked for the 
 Palseontological, and I am going to attend a Committee at the House 
 You'll be at Lady Lombard's?" 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 237 
 
 " I shall give the matter full consideration," returned De Grande- 
 ville. " It is— ar — by no means a step to decide on hastily. In 
 these levelling days men of— ar — position are forced to be particular as 
 to the places to which they afford the — ar — sanction of their presence. 
 I wish you a very good morning ; " so saying, he raised his hat slightly 
 to Frere, drew himself up with his broad chest well thrown forward, 
 and marched off majestically like a concentrated squadron of heavy 
 dragoons. 
 
 " Here's your umbrella, Frere,'' remarked Bracy, handing it to him 
 as he spoke ; " many thanks for the loan. I don't wonder you are 
 careful of it ; it's a most inestimable property, and has afforded me 
 half-an-hour's deep and tranquil enjoyment. But of all the pompous 
 fools that ever walked this earth Grandeville is facile princeps." 
 
 " He's no fool either," returned Frere. 
 
 "Then why does he behave as sichf" demanded Bracy. "His 
 conceit and egotism are inconceivable. He's a regular modern 
 Cyclops ; he has one great ' I ' in the middle of his forehead, through 
 the medium of which he looks at everything. One really feels an 
 obligation to poke fun at that man. Well, I can't accuse myself of 
 neglect of duty in that particular, that's a consolatory reflection ; but 
 he's enough to convert the slowest old anchorite that ever chewed 
 peas into a practical joker." 
 
 " He was severe on the excellent Lady Lombard," observed his 
 companion. 
 
 " Did you not notice his remark about riches being respectable 
 only when in the possession of ' — ar — those connected with the old 
 historical families of England' ? That gave me a new idea." 
 
 " A thing always worth having, if but from its rarity," replied Frere. 
 "What was it?" 
 
 " Why, it occurred to me what fun it would be to marry him to 
 Lady Lombard — more particularly after his abuse of her to-day." 
 
 "A project more easy to conceive than to execute," returned Frere, 
 laughing. 
 
 " I don't know that," answered Bracy confidently ; "if I once set my 
 mind on a thing, I generally contrive to accomplish it. It did not at 
 first sight appear likely that De Grandeville would carry your old 
 cotton umbrella through some of the most fashionable streets in 
 London at three o'clock in the afternoon, yet you see he did it." 
 
 " You're a remarkable man, my dear Bracy, and I have the greatest 
 faith in your powers of management, but if you can induce Marmaduke 
 de Grandeville to marry the widow of the pawnbroker and the pickle- 
 man, you must be the very — well, never mind who — here we are at 
 the Palasontological." 
 
 So saying, Frere shook hands with Bracy, and the oddly consorted 
 companions, between whom their very eccentricities appeared to con- 
 stitute a bond of sympathy, each went his way, the practical joker to 
 apply his acute intellect to the details of that mighty machine, the 
 executive government of England, and the savant to investigate the 
 recently discovered small rib (it was only eight feet long) of a peculiar 
 species of something-osaurus, the original proprietor of the rib being 
 
233 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 popularly supposed to have " lived and loved," cut its awful teeth, and 
 ijeen gathered to its amphibious fossil forefathers two thousand years 
 and some odd months before the creation of man. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVII. 
 
 WHEREIN IS FAITHFULLY DEPICTED THE CONSTANCY OF THE 
 TURTLE-DOVE. 
 
 It was the important Thursday on which Lady Lombard's chief 
 dinner-party of the season was to take place, and the mighty coming 
 event cast a proportionate shadow before. For a day or two previous 
 a gloom, as of an approaching tempest, hung over the devoted 
 mansion. Visitors were scarce ; the invited would not call because 
 they were invited, and the non-invited avoided the place as though it 
 were plague-stricken, lest it should be supposed they wished to be 
 invited, which for the most part they did. As the event drew nearer 
 signs appeared heralding its approach : shoals of fishmongers, laden 
 with the treasures of the deep, poured down the area steps ; the number 
 of oysters which entered that house would have surprised Neptune 
 himself; squadrons of poulterers' men brought flocks of feathered 
 fowls, and of fowls unfeathered ; there was not a single species of 
 edible ornithology of which Lady Lombard did not possess one or 
 more specimens — she would have ordered a Podiceps Cornutus had 
 she ever heard of such a creature. The eighty-guinea advertisement- 
 horse, with the plated harness, in Messrs. Fortnum & Mason's spring 
 cart, began to think his masters must have established a dep6t in the 
 far west, and that he was engaged in transporting thither the major 
 portion of their seductive stock. In the interior of that dwelling-house 
 confusion reigned supreme. Upstairs Mrs. Perquisite, the house- 
 keeper, rendered life a burden to the female servants, and tyrannised 
 over her hapless mistress till free will became a mockery mentioned 
 in connection with that ever-thwarted widow. It was enough for Lady 
 Lombard to express a wish ; Mrs. Perquisite, a living embodiment of 
 the antagonistic principle, was instantly in arms to oppose it. 
 
 "What, your ladyship !" would she exclaim (and be it observed, 
 her voice was at least an octave higher than any good-tempered 
 woman's ever was, and pitched in a most aggravating key) ; " what I 
 not uncover the marble table ! I never heard of such a thing I Her 
 Ladyship will have it taken off, Jane— not uncover that bootiful Paria 
 marble ! inlaid with Lappuss Lazily. Why, your Ladyship must be 
 a-dreaming ! " 
 
 " I thought that the satin cover matching the chairs, and having 
 poor dear Sir Pinchbeck's arms embroidered on it, perhaps it might 
 have been better to leave it on, Mrs. Perquisite," pleaded Lady 
 Lombard meekly. 
 
 " Of course your Ladyship can do as your Ladyship pleases ; if your 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 239 
 
 Ladyship likes to demean yourself by looking after such things, which 
 was never the case when I lived with the Dowager Marchioness of 
 Doubledutch, now no more, having remembered all her faithful 
 servants handsomely on her death-bed, without a dry eye about her, 
 in the seventy-sixth year of her age. Perhaps I had better go down- 
 stairs, which is only in the way, and your Ladyship can direct Jane to 
 set out the rooms according to your Ladyship's fancy. " 
 
 Poor Lady Lombard, when once that defunct Dowager Marchioness 
 was let loose upon her, felt that her fate was sealed. It was not for 
 her, the widow of a man who had been knighted, to fly in the face of 
 the peerage ; so she humbly authorised the removal of the Lombard 
 arms, implored Perquisite to arrange the rooms as she had been 
 accustomed to set out those of the poor dear Marchioness, and betook 
 herself to the sanctity of her own boudoir, leaving the field to the 
 virago, to whom she paid ^60 per annum for keeping her in a 
 continual state of moral bondage. 
 
 But while such scenes as the foregoing were enacting in the upper 
 portions of the establishment, the French chef de cuisine, Monsieur 
 Hector Achille Ulisse Abelard d'Haricots, was making a perfect 
 Pandemonium of the lower regions. The physical energy displayed 
 by that accomplished foreigner was truly admirable, his ubiquity was 
 marvellous ; the tassel at the top of his white night-cap appeared to 
 have been multiplied infinitesimally and to pervade space, the sound 
 of his polyglot exhortations and reflections re-echoed through the lofty 
 servants' offices. Wonderful were the strange oaths he poured forth, 
 when Antoine, a long, limp, shambling French lad, " son dlive, zie son 
 oi—hMasl baignd des larmes, he even till at present scarcely could 
 pronounce her name — his angelic sister, since some time entombed, 
 having espoused un brave Anglais, his long-lost Louise Amdlie Marie- 
 Antoinette de Brownsmit, n6e d'Haricots," — when this unworthy off- 
 spring of international alliance committed some unpardonable artistic 
 error, and unlike " Polly" of lyrical celebrity, did not " put the kettle 
 on," or " take it off again," exactly at the critical moment. Deep and 
 nasal were his ejaculations when some obtuse butcher's boy would not 
 understand his " Anglishe," which that somewhat apocryphal person- 
 age, " ce brave garqon Brownsmit " (who was Hector Achille's Mrs. 
 Harris, and was consequently brought forward on all occasions), had 
 declared he spoke like a native. 
 
 "Mais, que diable! vot is zies?" he would exclaim, raising his eye- 
 glass to examine with a face of deep disgust a shin of beef; " vot is 
 zies ? Did I not ordaire un gigot, vot you call a leg of ship, and 'ere 
 you 'ave transported to me — ah, que c'est degouiant ! — zie stump of a 
 cow : qu'ils sont bHes, ces Anglais — takes 'im avay." 
 
 But if there were earthquakes and tornadoes in the culinary and 
 decorative departments, difficulties hydra-headed had arisen in the 
 boudoir of Lady Lombard, where sat a council of three. Rose merely 
 acting as secretary and writing just what she was bidden. The third 
 privy councillor (besides the giver of the feast and Mrs. Arundel) was 
 a certain Mrs. Colonel Brahmin, relict of the late Colonel Brahmin, 
 which gallant officer had been cut off in the prime of life, together 
 
«40 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 with 200 tawny privates of the th native infantry, by falling into 
 
 an ambush of armed Sikhs, headed by Meer Ikan Chopimatoo at 
 Choakumcurree. After this aflflicting event Mrs. Colonel Brahmin 
 returned to England, in the thirty-third year of her age, with a small 
 pension, a very becoming widow's cap, and an earnest desire to replace 
 the victim of Ikan Chopimatoo's scimitar without loss of time. 
 
 Now, in bygone hours the lamented Sir Pinchbeck Lombard, in 
 his capacity of East India director, had known and patronised the 
 lamented Brahmin ; what, therefore, could be more natural than that 
 their disconsolate widows should desire to mingle their tears ? And, 
 indeed, Mrs. Colonel Brahmin was so anxious to ensure the effectual 
 working of this Mutual-misery-mingling Association, that on her 
 return to England she was good enough to stay six months with Lady 
 Lombard; and although, during the whole of that period, she told 
 every one she was anxiously looking out for a house, so few edifices 
 are there in London and its vicinity, that she was unable to find one 
 till the very week before her hostess was about to start on a self- 
 defensive tour to the Lakes. Since then she had been vizier-in-chief 
 to her wealthy sister in afifliction, riding in her carriage, eating her 
 dinners, and entertaining her guests, especially such eligible males as 
 appeared likely to succeed to the (nominal) command left vacant by 
 the cut-off colonel ; but up to the present time these young eligibles 
 had remained unattached, and the appointment was still to be filled 
 up. Mrs. Brahmin was not really pretty, though, by dint of a pair of 
 fine eyes, glossy hair, a telling smile, and little white hands, she con- 
 trived to pass as such. In her manner she affected the youthful and 
 innocent ; and very well she did it, considering her natural astuteness, 
 and the amount of experience and savoir vivre she had acquired when 
 following the world-wide fortunes of the cut-off one. Lady Lombard 
 believed in her to a great extent, and liked her better than she 
 deserved. Perquisite saw at a glance, not only through, but con- 
 siderably beyond her, and hated her with all the rancour of a vulgar 
 mind. But Mrs. Brahmin was too strong for Perquisite, and with her 
 soft voice and imperturbable simplicity put her down more thoroughly 
 than the veriest virago could have done — the housekeeper's most 
 bitter speeches and cutting innuendos producing much the same effect 
 on the mild Susanna that a blow might have done upon an air-cushion 
 — ^viz., exhausting the aggressor's strength without making the slightest 
 impression on her opponent. 
 
 Mrs. Brahmin had been prepared to find in Mrs. Arundel a danger- 
 ous rival, and was ready to defend her position to the death, and to 
 battle d, Poutrance for her portion of the Lombard loaves and fishes. 
 But her courage was not destined to be put to the proof, the present 
 being an occasion on which an appeal to arms was unnecessary — 
 diplomacy would suit her purpose better, and on diplomacy, therefore, 
 she fell back. She had not been ten minutes in Mrs. Arundel's com- 
 pany ere she discovered her weak point — she was unmistakably vain. 
 Accordingly, with artless simplicity, Mrs. Brahmin indirectly praised 
 everything Mrs. Arundel said or did, and Mrs. Arundel straightway 
 suffered her discrimination to be tickled to sleep, took Mrs. Brahmin 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 241 
 
 at her own price, and doted on her from that time forth, until— but 
 we will leave events to develop themselves in their due course. 
 
 Rose and Mrs. Brahmin were mutual enigmas— neither could com- 
 prehend the other. Rose had heard the details of the " Chopimatoo " 
 affair, and all her sympathies were ready to be enlisted in behalf of 
 the interesting widow ; but the " sweet simplicity," cleverly as it was 
 done, did not deceive her. With the instinct of a true nature she felt 
 that it was assumed, and that beneath it lay the real character. What 
 that might be remained to be discovered, and she suspended her 
 judgment till opportunity might afford her a glimpse of that which 
 was so studiously concealed. On the other hand, the character of 
 Rose was one which Mrs. Brahmin could by no means comprehend, 
 perhaps because in its entireness it was beyond and above her 
 comprehension; but parts of it she discerned clearly enough, and 
 most particularly did they puzzle her. For instance, she perceived 
 that Rose had a mind, properly so called — that her ideas and opinions 
 were bond fide the product of her own intellect, and not like those of 
 too many girls, a dim reflex of somebody else's ; but the straightfor- 
 ward, earnest truthfulness of her nature she could by no means fathom, 
 such a quality being essentially foreign to her own disposition; 
 accordingly, she deemed it put on for a purpose, which purpose it 
 behoved her to find out. But her investigations did not prosper well, 
 from the simple fact that ex nihilo nil fit: Rose, having nothing to 
 conceal, concealed it effectually. 
 
 Many and important were the consultations held in the boudoir by 
 this council of three, as to who should, and who should not, be invited. 
 Lady Lombard's smooth brow grew furrowed with the unwonted 
 demand upon her powers (?) of mind. 
 
 " Sir Benjamin and Lady Boucher regret exceedingly that a previous 
 engagement prevents their accepting Lady Lombard's kind invitation 
 for Thursday, the — th." 
 
 " Dear me, how dreadfully provoking I " sighed the perplexed " in- 
 vitress." " My dear Susanna " (the Brahmin's Christian name), " the 
 Bouchers are engaged, and there'll be nobody fit to meet the General 
 Gudgeons. What are we to do ? " 
 
 "Would you ask the Dackerels? They're such very nice people, 
 and live in such very good style, dear Lady Lombard," cooed Mrs. 
 Brahmin (for, be it observed, that bereaved one's method of speaking, 
 together with the low, gentle, sleepy, caressing tones of her soft voice, 
 involuntarily reminded her hearers of the cooing of a dove or the 
 purring of a cat). 
 
 "They're only lieutenant- colonels, are they, my love?" incpaired 
 Lady Lombard doubtingly. 
 
 " Oh 1 my dear Lady Lombard, surely you must recollect he has 
 been a full colonel, by purchase, these five years, vice Rawbone 
 Featherbed, who sold out and married an heiress — at least," murmured 
 Innocence, remembering herself, or rather her part, "she was said 
 to be very rich; but of course it must have been a love-match. I 
 
 17 
 
24 a LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 cannot believe people are so — so horrid as to marry from any other 
 motive." 
 
 "Well, then, we'd better ask the Dackerels. Miss Arundel, my 
 love, will you request the pleasure of Colonel and Mrs. Dackerel's 
 company — with one R, my dear — at seven o'clock. That shy son with 
 the long legs, I suppose we need not ask him, my dear-? " 
 
 " He's lately come into a large Yorkshire property from an uncle 
 on the mother's side and has taken the surname of Dace, and perhaps, 
 as he's so shy, he might feel hurt at not being asked. _ I feel such 
 sympathy with shyness, you know; besides, somebody said he was an 
 author," rejoined Susanna, dropping her eyelids and looking as un- 
 conscious and disinterested as if John Dace Dackerel Dace, Esq., 
 barrister-at-law, still depended upon that ghost of nothing, his profes- 
 sional income, instead of the rent-roll of the manor of Roachpool, in 
 the West Riding. 
 
 " If they come they'll make — let me see," mused Lady Lombard ; 
 "what did I say the Fitzsimmons's were? Yes, twelve; well, then, 
 they'll make fifteen, and the table only holds three more, and that 
 tiresome Mr. De Grandeville hasn't sent an answer yet, and I shall be 
 so disappointed if he does not come, for he knows everybody and 
 moves in such high society, and is such a tall, noble, military-looking 
 creature." 
 
 This eulogium recalling, probably by contrast (seeing that the 
 lamented Brahmin had been remarkably small of his age all through 
 his boyhood, and never outgrown it afterwards), sad recollections of 
 the fair Susanna's killed and wounded, produced a little embroidered 
 handkerchief which just held the two tears its owner felt called upon 
 to shed on such occasions. The memory of the victim had, however, 
 been so often before embalmed by pearly drops in her presence that 
 Lady Lombard had grown rather callous on the subject, and she 
 abruptly invaded the sanctity of grief by exclaiming — 
 
 " It lies between the Lombard Browns and the Horace Hiccirys, my 
 dear. The Hiccirys live in better style, I know : Mrs. Hicciry was to 
 have been presented at Court last year, only little Curatius chose to 
 be born instead — the most lovely child I But the Lombard Browns 
 are godsons, at least he is, of poor dear Sir Pmchbeck's, and they've 
 not dined here this season." 
 
 " I think, dear Lady Lombard, if I might venture to advise, the 
 Horace Hiccirys would do best. Mrs. General Gudgeon would get 
 on so well with Mrs. Hicciry, I'm sure ; and I'm afraid Mrs. Dackerel, 
 — you know she's very clever, writes poetry, those sweet things in 
 the Bijou — all clever people are sarcastic, you know, — I'm afraid Mrs. 
 Dackerel might laugh at poor dear Mr. Lombard Brown's little 
 eccentricity about his H's." 
 
 " Ah, yes, that's true," returned Lady Lombard ; " yes, I forgot 
 his H's." 
 
 "As he probably does himselfj" whispered Mrs. Arundel aside to 
 Rose. 
 
 " Then, my dear Miss Arundel, may I trouble you to write a note to 
 the Horace Hicciry's— with two I's, my love— 15 Bellairs Terrace, 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 243 
 
 Park Village West. What ,1 pretty hand you write, and so quick I 
 Then if Mr. De Grandeville will only come, the table will be filled 
 properly." 
 
 " And a dear, charming party it will be," cooed the bereaved one, 
 who had manoeuvred herself into an invitation at an early stage of the 
 proceedings. 
 
 "Yes, my love, I hope it will," replied the giver of the feast 
 anxiously. "And if I was quite sure that Perquisite and Haricot 
 would not quarrel, and that General Gudgeon would not take too 
 much port wine after dinner, and tell his gentlemen's stories to the 
 ladies up in the drawing-room, more particularly since I hear Miss 
 MacSalvo has taken an extra serious turn lately, I should feel quite 
 happy about it all." 
 
 " You'd better add a postscript to the great Gudgeon's note mention- 
 ing the port wine and its alarming consequences. Rose," whispered 
 the incorrigible Mrs. Arundel. Her daughter smiled reprovingly, and 
 the sitting concluded. 
 
 Exactly at the time when Lady Lombard had completely given him 
 up, and was revolving in her anxious mind how she might best supply 
 his loss, De Grandeville condescended graciously to vouchsafe a 
 favourable answer. 
 
 On the afternoon of the eventful day, as Frere was returning from 
 his place of business, he met — of course accidentally — Tom Bracy, 
 who immediately took possession of his vacant arm and engaged him in 
 a disquisition on the use of formic acid as an anssthetic agent, which 
 discussion proved so deeply interesting to his companion, that in less 
 than five minutes he was completely lost to all outward objects and 
 reduced (for all practical purposes) to the intellectual level of a docile 
 child of three years old. 
 
 "Well," continued Frere eagerly, as Bracy paused before a hair- 
 dresser's shop, " well, supposing, for the sake of argument, I consent 
 to waive my objection; supposing I allow that by the process you 
 describe you've produced your acid " 
 
 " Excuse my interrupting you one moment, but I was going in here 
 to have my hair cut. If you're not in a particular hurry, perhaps you'll 
 come in with me, and I think I can show you where you are wrong." 
 
 "Yes — no, I'm not in a hurry; come along, I'm convinced there's a 
 mistake in your theory which upsets your whole argument — merely 
 subject to the common analysing process " 
 
 " By the way," observed Bracy carelessly, " you'd be all the better 
 for a little judicious trimming yourself; besides, it's more sociable. 
 This gentleman and I each want our hair cut. Sit down, Frere." 
 
 " Eh ? nonsense ; I never have my hair cut except when the hot 
 weather sets in," remonstrated that individual ; but he was fairly in the 
 toils. Bracy set a garrulous hairdresser's man at him, who deprived 
 him of his hat, popped him down in the appointed chair, and enveloped 
 him in a blue-striped wrapper before he very well knew where he was, or 
 had arrived at any kind of decision whatsoever on the subject. No 
 sooner was he seated than Bracy administered a fresh dose of his 
 anaesthetic agent j Frere resumed his argument, and long ere he had 
 
244 LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 exhausted the catalogue of chemical tests to which his opponent's 
 theory (invented for the occasion) might be subjected, the hair-cutter 
 (previously instructed) had reduced his hair and whiskers to the lati- 
 tude and longitude usually assigned to such capillary attractions by 
 the " manners and customs of ye English in ye nineteenth century." 
 And thus Frere became, for the time being, a reasonable looking 
 mortal, and Bracy won a new hat, which he had betted that morning 
 with a mutual acquaintance, on the apparently rash speculation that 
 he would before the day was over administer an anaesthetic agent to 
 Richard Frere, under the influence of which he should have his hair 
 cut. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVIII. 
 
 DESCRIBES THE HUMOURS OF A LONDON DINNER-PARTY IN THE 
 NINETEENTH CENTURY. 
 
 Dear Rose Arundel (excuse us the adjective, kind reader, for we 
 frankly own to being very fond of her), having been a perfect godsend 
 to everybody during the whole morning of the party day, having 
 thought of everything and done everything, and looked on the bright 
 side of everything, and sacrificed herself so pleasantly that an uniniti- 
 ated beholder might have imagined her intensely selfish and doing it 
 all for her own personal gratification, — Rose having, amongst other 
 gymnastics of self-devotion, run up and down stairs forty-three times 
 in pursuit of waifs and strays from Lady Lombard's memory, com- 
 mitted the first bit of selfishness of which she had been guilty all day, 
 by sitting down to rest for five minutes before she began her toilet ; 
 and leaning her forehead on her hand, thought over her own chances 
 of pleasure or amusement during the evening. She had had one 
 disappointment : Lewis had been invited, and Lewis would not come. 
 He did not say he could not come, but he put on what Mrs. Arundel 
 called his " iron-face," and said shortly, " the thing was impossible ; " 
 and no one could have looked on his comprfessed lips and doubted 
 the truth of the assertion. It grieved Rose, for she read his soul as 
 it were an open book before her, and she saw there pride, that curse 
 of noble minds, still unsubdued. Lady Lombard patronised them, 
 and Lewis could not submit to witness it. Rose had hoped better 
 things than this ; she had not failed to observe, the change that had 
 taken place in her brother during his residence at Broadhurst; she 
 saw that from an ardent, impetuous boy he had become an earnest- 
 minded, high-souled man, and in the calm dignity of his look and 
 bearing she recognised the evidence of conscious power, chastened 
 by the discipline of a mind great enough to rule itself. Nor was she 
 wrong in her conjectures; only she mistook a part for the whole, and 
 arguing with the gentle sophistry of a woman's loving heart, concluded 
 that to be finished which was but in fact begun. Lewis had learned 
 tp control (except in rare instances) his haughty nature, but he relied 
 
LEWIS ARUNJDEL i4S 
 
 too much on his own strength, and so he had failed as yet to subdue 
 it. Rose was too honest to disguise the truth from herself when it 
 was fairly placed before her, and she acknowledged, with an aching 
 heart that the great fault of her brother's character yet remained 
 imconquered. Poor Rose I as this conviction forced itself upon her, 
 how she sorrowed over it. He was so good, so noble, and she loved 
 him so entirely — oh ! why was he not perfect ? If Lewis could have 
 read her thoughts at that moment he would have assuredly made 
 one of the guests at Lady Lombard's hospitable board. 
 
 As the clock struck the half-hour, formmg the juste milieu between 
 seven and eight, post meridiem, the goodly company assembled in 
 Lady Lombard's drawing-room, being warned by the portly butler 
 that dinner was served, paired off and betook themselves two by two 
 (like the animals coming out of Noah's Ark, as represented on the 
 dissecting puzzles of childhood) to the lofty dining-room, where much 
 English good cheer, disguised under absurd French names, awaited 
 them. During the short time that Bracy had been in the house he 
 had not been altogether idle. He first took an opportunity of in- 
 forming Lady Lombard that De Grandeville was directly descended 
 from Charlemagne, and that he was only waiting till the death of an 
 opulent relative should render him independent of his profession to 
 revive a dormant peerage, when it was generally supposed his colossal 
 intellect and unparalleled legal acumen would render him political 
 leader of the House of Lords ; he then congratulated her on her 
 good fortune in having secured the presence of this illustrious indi- 
 vidual, who, he assured her, was in such request amongst the aristocracy 
 of the kingdom that he was scarcely ever to be found disengaged, 
 and wound up by running glibly through a long list of noble names 
 with whom he declared the mighty Marmaduke to be hand and glove. 
 Accordingly, good Lady Lombard, believing it all faithfully, mentally 
 elected De Grandeville to the post of honour at her right hand, 
 deposing for the purpose no less a personage than General Gudgeon. 
 When we say no less a personage, we speak advisedly, for that 
 gallant officer, weighing sixteen stone without his snuff-box, and 
 being fully six feet high, was, if not exactly '" a Triton amongst 
 minnows," at all events a Goliath amongst gudgeons, which we 
 conceive to be much the same thing. 
 
 Having achieved his object of placing De Grandeville in exactly the 
 position he wished him to occupy, Bracy next proceeded to frustrate a 
 scheme which he perceived the fair Susanna (who was his pet anti- 
 pathy) to have originated for the amatory subjugation and matrimonial 
 acquisition of John Dace Dackerel Dace, Esq., of Roachpool, in the 
 West Riding. The aforesaid John D. D. had a weakness bordering 
 indeed on a mental hallucination; he fancied he was born to be a 
 popular author — " to go down to posterity upon the tongues of men," 
 as he himself was wont to express it — and the way in which he 
 attempted to fulfil his exalted destiny and effect the wished-for transit, 
 vid these unruly members of his fellow-mortals, was by writing mild, 
 dull articles, signed J. D. D., and sending them to the editors of 
 various magazines, by whom they were always unhesitatingly rejected. 
 
446 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 The frequent repetition of these most unkind rebuffs, and the conse- 
 quent delay in the fulfilment of his mission, had tended to depress the 
 spirit (at no time an intensely ardent one) of John Dace Dackerel, and 
 had induced a morbid habit of mind, through which, as through a 
 yellow veil, he took a jaundiced view of society at large ; and even the 
 acquisition of the surname of Dace, and his accession to the glories of 
 Roachpool, had scarcely sufficed to restore cheerfulness to this victim 
 of a postponed destiny. Bracy, from his connection with Blunt's Maga- 
 zine, knew him well, and had rejected, only a fortnight since, a forlorn 
 little paper entitled " The Curse of Genius, or the Trammelled Soul's 
 Remonstrance;" in which his own cruel position was touchingly 
 shadowed forth in the weakest possible English. Accosting this son 
 of sorrow in a confidential tone of voice, Bracy began — 
 
 "As soon as you can spare a minute to listen to me, I've something 
 rather particular to tell you 1 " 
 
 "To tell mef" returned the blighted barrister in a hollow voice, 
 suggestive of any amount of black crape hatbands. " What ill news 
 have I now to arm, or I may say, to steel my soul against ? " And here 
 be it observed that it was a habit with this pseudo-author to talk, as 
 it were, a rough copy of conversation, which he from time to time 
 corrected by the substitution of some word or phrase which he con- 
 ceived to be an improvement upon the original text. 
 
 " Perhaps it may be good news instead of bad ! " remarked Bracy 
 encouragingly. The blighted one shook his head. 
 
 " Not for me," he murmured ; then turning to Susanna, he continued, 
 "Excuse my interrupting our conversation, but this gentleman has 
 some intelligence to impart — or I may say, to break to me." 
 
 Mrs. Brahmin smiled sweetly such a sympathetic smile that it went 
 straight through a black satin waistcoat, with a cypress wreath em- 
 broidered on it in sad-coloured silk, and reached the " crushed and 
 withered" heart of J. D. D. 
 
 " You know," continued Bracy, " I was obliged, most unwillingly, to 
 decline that touching little thing of yours. The — what is it ? the Cough 
 of Genius?" 
 
 " The Curse," suggested its author gloomily. 
 
 " Ah ! yes. I read it cough — you don't write very clearly — yes, 
 ' the Cursing Genius.' You know, my dear Dace, we editors are placed 
 in a very trying position. A great responsibility devolves upon us ; we 
 are scarcely free agents. Now your article affected me deeply" (this 
 was strictly true, for he had laughed over the most tragic touches till 
 the tears ran down his cheeks), " but I was forced to decline it. I 
 could not have put it in if my own brother had written it. You will 
 naturally ask, Why? Because it did not suit the tone of Blunt's 
 Magazine! " And as Bracy pronounced these awful and mysterious 
 words he shook his head and looked unutterable things; while the 
 " child of a postponed destiny," seeing the shadow of a still further 
 postponement clouding his dark horizon, shook his head likewise, and 
 relieved his elaborately-worked shirt-front of a sigh. 
 
 " But," resumed Bracy, " thinking the paper much too original to 
 be lost, I took the liberty of handing it over to BuUbait, the Editor 
 
tfiwis arUndel 247 
 
 of the Olla todrida. Well, sir, I saw him this morning, and he 
 said " 
 
 "What?" exclaimed the fated one eagerly, a hectic tinge colouring 
 his sallow cheek. 
 
 " Don't excite yourself, my dear Dace," rejoined Bracy anxiously ; 
 " you're looking pale : too much brain work, I'm afraid. You must 
 take care of yourself; so many of our greatest geniuses have died 
 young. But I see you're impatient. BuUbait said — he's a very close, 
 cautious character, never likes to commit himself, but he actually said, 
 h^d think about it ! " 
 
 "Was that all?" groaned the disappointed Dace, relapsing into 
 despondency. 
 
 " All 1 my dear sir ? all ! Why, what would you have ? When a 
 man like BuUbait says he'll think about a thing, I consider it a case of 
 opus operatum — reckon the deed done. If he meant to refuse your 
 paper, what need has he to think about it ? No, Mr. Dace, if you're 
 not correcting a proof of the ' Cough ' — psha, ' Curse,' I mean — (when 
 one once takes a wrong idea into one's head how difficult it is to get 
 it out again !) before the week is over, I'm no prophet. By the way," 
 he continued, as Rose, looking better than pretty in the whitest of 
 muslin frocks, resigned a comfortable seat to a cross old lady in a 
 gaudy turban, which gave her the appearance, from the neck upwards, 
 of a plain male Turk, liberally endowed with the attributes commonly 
 assigned to his nation by writers of fairy tales and other light literature 
 for the nursery, amongst which man-stealing and cannibalism are two 
 of the least atrocious — "by the way, I must introduce you to this 
 young lady; a kindred soul, sir, one of the most rising authoresses of 
 the day." 
 
 " No, I really " began the Dace, flapping about in the extremity 
 
 of his shyness like one of his fishy namesakes abstracted from its 
 native element. 
 
 " Nonsense," resumed Bracy, enjoying his embarrassment. " Miss 
 Arundel, let me have the pleasure of making you acquainted with one 
 of our men of genius, a writer to whom a liberal posterity will no 
 doubt do justice, however the trammelled sycophants of a clique may 
 combine to delay his intellectual triumphs." Then in an aside to 
 J. D. D. he added, " Make play with her ; BuUbait wants her parti- 
 cularly to write for the Olla, and she hangs back at present : she 
 would merely have to say a word to him, and you might obtain the 
 run of the magazine." 
 
 Thus urged, John Dace Dackerel Dace, Esq., called up all the 
 energies of his nature, and by their assistance overcoming his habitual 
 sheepishness, he caused to descend upon Rose a torrent of pathetic 
 small -talk which overwhelmed that young lady till dinner was 
 announced, when he claimed her arm and floated with her down the 
 stream of descending humanity until he found himself safely moored 
 by her side at the dinner-table. 
 
 Bracy having thus, as he would himself have expressed it, taken the 
 change out of that odd fish Dace, and frustrated, for the time being, 
 the matrimonial tactics of the Brahmin's widow, was making his way 
 
248 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 throtigh the various groups of people in search of Miss MacSalvo, 
 whose rampant Protestantism might, he considered, afford him some 
 sport if judiciously handled, when he was suddenly intercepted by the 
 innocent Susanna with the inquiry, " Pray, Mr. Bracy, can you explain 
 this wonderful metamorphosis in your friend Mr. Frere ? He's grown 
 quite handsome." 
 
 Thus appealed to, Bracy regarded attentively the individual in 
 question, who was good-naturedly turning over a book of prints for 
 Lady Gudgeon, a little shrivelled old lady, so deaf as to render con- 
 versation with her a pursuit of politeness under difficulties. Having 
 apparently satisfied himself by this investigation, Bracy replied, " To 
 the best of my belief, I should say he had only had his hair cut, and 
 was for once dressed like a gentleman." 
 
 " He is wonderfully clever, is he not ?" inquired the lady. 
 
 " Clever I " repeated Bracy. " That's a mild word to apply to such 
 acquirements as Frere rejoices in. He knows all the languages, living 
 or dead ; possesses an intimate acquaintance with the arts and sciences, 
 has all the ' ologies ' at his fingers' ends, and is not only well up in the 
 history of man since the creation, but will tell you to a fraction how 
 many feeds a day kept a Mastodon in good condition two or three 
 thousand years before we tailless monkeys came into possession of 
 our landed property." 
 
 " I suppose, as he dresses so strangely in general, that he's very 
 poor : all clever people are, I believe," returned Susanna, with an air 
 of the most artless natveti, the idea having for the first time occurred 
 to her that, faute de mieux, the philosopher might do to replace the 
 man of war. 
 
 Bracy read her thoughts, and kindly invented a few facts and 
 figures by which he increased Frere's income about sevenfold, and 
 gave him a magnificent stock of expectations, regarding the realisation 
 whereof not the most forlorn hope ever existed. 
 
 Having done this small piece of mischief also, he continued his 
 search after Miss MacSalvo. The result of these machinations was 
 that Lady Lombard signified to De Grandeville that he was to hand 
 her down to dinner; John Dace Dackerel Dace, Esquire, performed 
 the same office by Rose, much to the disgust of Richard Frere, who 
 had intended to secure that pleasure for himself, and who being, at 
 the moment in which he first became aware of his misfortune, captured 
 by the Brahminical widow, whose silky manner he could not endure, 
 went downstairs in a frame of mind anything but seraphic. Mrs. 
 Arundel contrived to gain possession of General Gudgeon, with a 
 view, as she observed to Bracy, to discover, firstly, his system of feed- 
 ing, which, from its results, she felt sure must be an excellent one ; and 
 secondly, to ensure his obtaining a liberal supply of port wine, to the 
 end that she might satisfy a reprehensible curiosity as to the precise 
 nature of the "gentleman's stories" Lady Lombard was so anxious 
 to suppress ; which act of wa-English-viomaxx-Vikt espUelerie must be 
 set down to the score of a foreign education, than which we know not 
 a better receipt for unsexing the minds of the daughters of Albion. 
 When we add that Bracy, with ii face of prim deco*um, escorted Miss 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 249 
 
 MacSalvo, a gaunt female, whose spirit appeared to have warred with 
 her flesh so effectually that there was little more than skin and bone 
 left, we believe we have accounted for every member of the party in 
 whom our readers are likely to feel the slightest interest. 
 
 During the era of the fish and soup, by which our modern dinners 
 are invariably commenced, little is discussed except the viands ; but 
 after the first glass of sherry mute lips begin to unclose, and conversa- 
 tion flows more freely. Thus it came about that John Dace Dackerel 
 Dace, Esquire, of the Inner Temple (we admire his name so much 
 that we lose no opportunity of repeating it), having revolved in his 
 anxious mind some fitting speech wherewith to accost the talented 
 young authoress, of whom he felt no inconsiderable degree of dread, 
 fortified himself with an additional sip of sherry ere he propounded 
 the very original inquiry, "Whether Miss Arundel was fond of poetry?" 
 Before Rose could answer this query her neighbour on the other side, 
 one Mr. James Rasper, a very strong young man with a broad, good- 
 natured, dullish face, demanded abruptly, in a jovial tone of voice, 
 " Whether she was fond of riding ? " 
 
 As soon as she could collect her senses, scattered by the raking fire 
 of this cross-examination. Rose replied "that she was particularly 
 fond of some kinds of poetry," which admission she qualified by the 
 apparently inapposite restriction — "When she was on a very quiet 
 horse." 
 
 J. D. D. was about to follow up his attack by a leading question in 
 regard to the gushing pathos of the bard of Rydal, when Rasper 
 prevented him by exclaiming, "No! Do you really?" (which he 
 called " railly "). " Then I know just the animal that would suit you." 
 And having thus mounted his hobby-horse he dashed at everything, 
 as was his wont when once fairly off, and rattled away, without stop- 
 ping, till dinner was finished, and he had talked Rose completely 
 stupid ; while the unfortunate Dace, foiled in his weak attempt to 
 captivate the influential authoress, plunged again into the deep waters 
 of affliction, where, pondering over this further postponement of his 
 destiny, he sank, and was heard no more. 
 
 Exactly opposite to Rose and her companions sat Frere and the 
 simple Susanna, who, labouring zealously at her vocation — viz., 
 husband-hunting — threw away much flattery and wasted an incalcul- 
 able amount of "sweetness on the desert air." To all her pretty speeches 
 Frere returned monosyllabic replies in a tone of voice suggestive of 
 whole forests full of bears with sore heads, while a cloud hung heavy 
 on his brow, and his bright eyes flashed envy, hatred, malice, and all 
 uncharitableness at the unconscious James Rasper. At last Susanna 
 chanced to inquire whether he were fond of music; and as, without 
 falsifying facts, he could not answer this negatively, he was forced to 
 reply, "Yes; I Hke some sort of music well enough." 
 
 " Some sort only," returned Susanna in a tone of infantine artless- 
 ness. " Oh ! you should like every kind, Mr. Frere. I never hear a 
 merry tune without longing to dance to it, and pathetic music aflfects 
 me even to tears. But what class of music is it that you particularly 
 prefer ?— though I need scarcely ask— operatic, of course." 
 
250 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " Not I," growled Frere ; " I hate your operas." 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Frere ! " exclaimed Simplicity, fixing its large eyes 
 reproachfully upon him, "you can't mean what you say. Not like 
 operas 1 Why, they are perfectly delicious. Look at a well-filled 
 house — what a magnificent coup cPcbU P' 
 
 "A set of pigeon-holes full of fools, and a long row of fiddlers,'' 
 rejoined Frere ; " I can't say I see much to admire in that. I went to 
 one of your operas last year, and a rare waste of time I thought it. It 
 was one of Walter Scott's Scotch stories bewitched into Italian. 
 There was poor Lucy of Lammermoor dressed out like a fashionable 
 drawing-room belle, singing duets all about love and murder whh a 
 pale-faced, moustachioed puppy, as much like Edgar Ravenswood as 
 I am like the Belvidere Apollo— a brute engaged, on the strength of 
 a tenor voice, to make love to all and sundry for the space of four 
 calendar months, for which ' labour of love ' he is paid to the tune of 
 ;^5oo a month, a salary on which better men than himself contrive to 
 live for a whole year. Then Lucy's cruel mamma, who is the great 
 feature in the novel, was metamorphosed into a rascally brother, who 
 growled baritone atrocities into the ears of a sympathising chorus of 
 indigent needle-women and assistant carpenters, who act the nobility 
 and gentry of Scotland at half-a-crown a head and their beer. The 
 first act is all love and leave-taking, the second all cursing and con- 
 fusion, and the third all madness and misery : and that's what people 
 call a pleasant evening's amusement. The only thing that amused 
 me was in the last scene, when the stipendiary lover kills himself first 
 and sings a long scena afterwards. I thought that very praiseworthy 
 and persevering of him, and if I'd been Lucy such a little attention as 
 that would have touched me particularly, and I dare say it would have 
 done her, only — seeing that she had died raving mad some five 
 minutes before, and was then drinking bottled porter in her dressing- 
 room for the good of her voice — she was perhaps scarcely in a situation 
 to appreciate it." 
 
 " But if you don't like the singing, I dare say you prefer the ballet ? " 
 suggested Susanna. 
 
 " No, I don't," was the short, sharp, and decisive reply. 
 
 " Not like the ballet ? Oh 1 Mr. Frere, what can be your reason ? " 
 inquired the surprised turtle-dove. 
 
 " Well, I have a reason good and sufficient, but I shan't tell it to 
 you," growled Frere ; then muttered as an aside, which was, however, 
 sufficiently audible, "A set of jumping Jezebels skipping about in 
 white muslin kilts, for they're nothing better; respectable people 
 ought to be ashamed of looking at 'em." Having enunciated this 
 opinion, Frere cast a doubly ferocious glance at Mr. Rasper, then 
 eloquently describing to Rose the points of his favourite hunter, and 
 relapsed into surly monosyllables, beyond which no amount of cooing 
 could again tempt him. 
 
 Marmaduke de Grandeville, enthroned in state on the right hand of 
 the lady of the house, gazed regally around him, and in the plenitude 
 of his magnificence was wonderful to behold. But, after all, he was 
 human, and the evident depth and reality of Lady Lombard's admira- 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 251 
 
 tioii and respect softened even him, so that ere long he graciously 
 condescended to eat, drink and talk — not like an ordinary mortal, 
 for that he never did, but like himself. For instance, the topic under 
 discussion being the new Houses of Parliament, then in even a more 
 unfinished state than they are at present, De Grandeville elaborately 
 explained the whole design, every detail of which he appeared to have 
 at his fingers' ends— a fact for which he accounted when he allowed it 
 to be understood that— "Ar— he had— ar— given Barry a hint or two 
 — ar — that Barry was a very sensible fellow, and not above — ar — 
 acting upon an idea when he saw it to be a good one ; " and it must 
 be owned that as De Grandeville had only once been in Mr. Barry's 
 company, on which occasion he had sat opposite to him at a public 
 dinner, he had made the best use of his time, and not suffered his 
 powers of penetration to rust for want of use. Having in imagination 
 put the finishing-stroke to the Victoria Tower (one of the furthest 
 stretches of fancy on record, we should conceive), he contrived to work 
 the conversation round to military matters, set General Gudgeon 
 right on several points referring to battles in the Peninsula at which 
 the General had himself been present, and gave so graphic an account 
 of Waterloo, that to this day Lady Lombard believes he acted as 
 Amateur Aide-du-Camp and Privy Counsellor-in-Chief to the Duke of 
 Wellington on that memorable occasion. He then talked about the 
 De Grandeville estates till every one present believed him to be an 
 immense landed proprietor, and wound up by the anecdote of William 
 of Normandy and the original De Grandeville, which, with a slight 
 biographical sketch of certain later worthies of the family (one of 
 whom, Sir Solomon de Grandeville, he declared to have suggested to 
 King Charles the advisability of hiding in the oak), lasted till the ladies 
 quitted the room, when, by Lady Lombard's request, he assumed her 
 vacant chair, and did the honours with dignified courtesy. 
 
 Bracy, who during dinner had appeared most devoted to Miss 
 MacSalvo, now endeavoured to render himself universally agreeable. 
 He applauded General Gudgeon's stories, and plied him vigorously 
 with port wine, which, as Mrs. Arundel had taken care the servants 
 did not neglect to replenish his wine-glass at dinner, began to tell 
 upon him visibly. He elicited the names, pedigrees, and performances 
 of all Mr. James Rasper's horses, and received from that fast young man 
 a confidential statement of his last year's betting account, together with 
 a minute detail of how he had executed that singular horticultural 
 operation yclept "hedging on the Oaks," during which dry recital 
 his throat required constantly moistening with wine, in spite of which 
 precaution his voice grew exceedingly thick and husky before the 
 sitting concluded. On two individuals of the party, however, all 
 Bracy's efforts were thrown away ; Frere continued silent and moody, 
 only opening his lips occasionally, shortly and sternly to contradict 
 some assertion, and relapsing into his former taciturnity; while 
 J. D. D sat silently bewailing his postponed destiny over a glass of 
 water and two ratafia cakes, which seemed to possess the singular 
 property of never diminishing. 
 
 At length the gentlemen rose to go upstairs, a matter easily 
 
iSi LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 accomplished by every one but General Gudgeon, who made threfe 
 unsuccessful attempts to get under weigh, and then looked helplessly 
 round for assistance. Bracy, the ever-ready, was at hand in an 
 instant. 
 
 " My dear General, let me lend you an arm. You're cramped from 
 sitting so long." 
 
 " Tha-a-ank you, my dear bo-o-oy," returned the gallant officer, who 
 appeared to have been seized with a sudden, wild determination to 
 alter the English language by dividing monosyllables into three parts, 
 and otherwise fancifully to embellish his mother-tongue. " Tha-a-ank 
 you ! It's that confou-wow-wow-nded gun-shot wound in my knee-ee. 
 I got it at Bu-Bu-Bu— no ! not Bucellas. What is it, eh?" 
 
 " Busaco," suggested Bracy, fearing he had over-dosed his patient. 
 
 However, when once the General got upon his legs he used them 
 to better advantage than might have been expected, and proceeded 
 upstairs, " rolling grand," as that prince of clever-simple biographers 
 (to adopt one of Mrs. Browning's double-barrelled adjectives), Boswell, 
 said of his ponderous idol. Encountering Frere at the foot of the 
 staircase, he stumbled against that gentleman with so much force as 
 nearly to knock him down. As he recovered his footing Frere turned 
 angrily towards his assailant ; but his irritation changed to an expression 
 of contemptuous pity as his eye fell upon the white hair of General 
 Gudgeon, and stepping on one side, he allowed him to pass. He was 
 quietly following, when Mr. James Rasper, who had witnessed his 
 discomfiture with an ill-bred laugh, excited by the wine he had drank, 
 attempted, by way of a stupid practical joke, to repeat General 
 Gudgeon's involuntary assault, and reckoning Frere a good-natured, 
 quiet sort of person, not likely to resent such a jest, pretended to 
 stumble against him, and pushed past him when about half-way up 
 the first flight of stairs. Never did a man (to use a common but 
 forcible expression) "mistake his customer" more completely. In an 
 instant Frere "had collared him, dragged him down a step or two, 
 then retaining his grasp of the coat-collar, seized him by the waist- 
 band of his trousers, and by a great exertion of strength, swung him 
 clear over the banisters, lowered him till his feet were about a yard 
 from the floor, and then let him drop. After which performance, 
 having glanced round to see that his victim was not injured by the 
 fall, he coolly pursued his way upstairs. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIX. 
 
 IS IN TWO FYTTES— VIZ., FYTTE THE FIRST, A SULKY FIT— FYTTE 
 THE SECOND, A FIT OF HYSTERICS. 
 
 Frere reached the drawing-room in a state of mind which the 
 occurrences related in the last chapter had not tended to render more 
 amiable. The front room was evidently the more popular of the two, 
 a numerous group being gathered round Mrs, Brahmin, who in the 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL 253 
 
 sweetest of mild sopranos was daintily cooing forth a plaintive love- 
 ditty, which was evidently telling well with John Dace, D.D. 
 Avoiding the crowd, Frere made his way into the back drawing-room, 
 which, barring an ardent flirtation in a corner between two poor young 
 things who could not, by the most remote possibility, marry for the 
 next fifteen years, was unoccupied. Here seating himself astride 
 across a chair as if it had been a horse, and leaning his arms on the 
 back, he fell into a deep fit of musing. From this he was roused by 
 the approach of a light footstep, and looking up, perceived Rose 
 Arundel. 
 
 " Why, Mr. Frere," she exclaimed playfully, " I do believe you were 
 asleep ; will you not come into the other room ? Mrs. Brahmin is 
 singing like a nightingale and charming everybody." 
 
 " Nightingales are humbugs. I hate singing women in general, and 
 abominate Mrs. Brahmin in particular, so I'm better where I am," 
 was the grumpy reply. 
 
 Rose had often before received speeches from Frere quite as rude 
 as the present one, but in this instance there was a peculiarity in his 
 method of delivering it which at once struck her attention. Usually 
 his bearish sayings were accompanied by a half-smile or meriy twinkle 
 of the eye, which proved that he was more than half in jest, but now 
 there was a bitter earnestness in his tone which she had never before 
 remarked, and Rose felt at once that something had occurred to 
 annoy him ; so she quietly drew a chair to the table near which he 
 was seated, and carelessly turning over the pages of a book of prints 
 which lay before her, observed — 
 
 "If you are not to be tempted within the siren's influence, and 
 positively refuse to be charmed with sweets sounds, I suppose I am 
 bound by all the rules of politeness to remain here and try to talk 
 you into a more harmonious frame of mind." 
 
 " Pray do nothing of the kind," returned Frere, " unless you've 
 some better reason than a mere compliance with what you please to 
 term ' the rules of politeness,' for they are things I trouble my head 
 about mighty little. Besides," he added sarcastically, "your new 
 friend, Mr. James Rasper, must have found his way upstairs by this 
 time, I should imagine, and I should be sorry to deprive you of the 
 pleasure of his intellectual conversation, more particularly as you 
 seem to appreciate it so thoroughly." 
 
 " How viciously you said that 1 " returned Rose, smiling. " But tell 
 me, are you really angry ? have I done anything to annoy you ? I'm 
 sure it's most unwittingly on my part, if I have ; " and as she spoke 
 she looked so good, and so willing to be penitent for any possible 
 offence, that a man must have had the heart of an ogre to have 
 resisted her. Such a heart, however, Frere appeared to possess, for 
 he answered shortly — 
 
 " No, I've no fault to find with you. I dai-e say it may be quite 
 according to the ' rules of politeness ' to cast off old friends and take 
 up with new ones at a minute's notice, and be completely engrossed 
 by them, though they may contrive to talk about horses till they prove 
 themselves little better than asses \o the mind of an unprejudiced 
 
2S4 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 auditor. There is your friend conversing eagerly with Bracy, asking, 
 no doubt, what has become of you." 
 
 " You are very unjust, Mr. Frere," returned Rose, looking hard at 
 her book and speaking eagerly and quickly. " Mr. Rasper is no 
 friend of mine ; I scarcely knew his name till you mentioned it. He 
 sat next me at dinner, and talked to me about horses and galloping 
 over ploughed fields after foxes, till I became so stupid that I had 
 scarcely two ideas left in my head, but of course I was bound to 
 answer him civilly. So much for my new friend, as you call him; 
 what you mean by my casting off old ones I don't at all know ; I have 
 done nothing of the kind that I am aware of." 
 
 " No, you have not," returned Frere, recalled to his better self by 
 Rose's harangue ; " it is I who am, as you say, unjust and absurd, but 
 the honest truth is that I wanted to talk to you myself. All these 
 good people are bores more or less, none of 'em able to converse 
 rationally for five minutes together. I meant to have handed you 
 down to dinner, but that silky, scheming widow got hold of me instead 
 and irritated me with her bland platitudes; and then I heard that 
 idiot prating to you about horses' legs, and you appeared so well 
 satisfied with him, when I knew that you were one of the few women 
 who could understand and appreciate better things, that altogether I 
 grew savage, and could gladly have punched my own head or any one 
 else's." 
 
 " It is quite as well Mr. Rasper was on the opposite side of the 
 table to you," returned Rose, " or you might have carried out your 
 theoretical inclinations by practising on him, and then we should have 
 had a scene." 
 
 Frere looked a little awkward and conscious as he replied — 
 
 "Though I am a bear, I am not quite such a savage animal as 
 all that comes to ; I do not give the fatal hug unless I am attacked 
 first." 
 
 At this moment Bracy and Mr. Rasper, whose backs were turned 
 towards them, approached within earshot. The latter appeared much 
 excited, and Rose heard him say — 
 
 " It's no use talking, I've been grossly insulted, sir, and if you won't 
 
 take my message to him, by ■ ■ I'll take it myself, and give him as 
 
 good as he gave me, or perhaps a little better." 
 
 Frere heard him also, and a flash of anger passed across his 
 features. 
 
 " My dear Rasper, you're excited," returned Bracy soothingly. " I 
 did not witness the affair certainly, but I cannot think that any insult 
 was intended. Frere is rough iii his manner, but the best-hearted fellow 
 in the world." 
 
 "I don't know what you may consider an insult, Mr. Bracy; but 
 taking a man by the collar and swinging him over the banisters like 
 a cat, at the risk of his neck, is quite insult enough for me, one for 
 which I'll have satisfaction, too." 
 
 " Hush, my dear fellow, you'll attract general attention if you speak 
 so loud. Here, come a?ide with me, and we'll talk the ipatter QVQr 
 cjuietly," 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL 255 
 
 So saying, he drew Rasper's arm within his own, and led him 
 through a side door wliich opened upon the staircase. Involuntarily 
 glancing at his companion, Frere perceived her eyes riveted on his 
 features with an expression of alarmed inquiry. 
 
 "Well, what's the matter?" he demanded, answering her speaking 
 look. 
 
 "What is that man so angry about?" returned Rose breathlessly; 
 " what have you been doing?" 
 
 " Nothing very wonderful," rejoined Frere coolly. " The young 
 gentleman, as I suppose one is bound to call him, drank rather more 
 wine than was prudent, and fancying I looked a quiet, easy-tempered 
 kind of person, by way of a dull jest, indulged himself with falling 
 against and rudely pushing by me on the staircase ; and I, not being 
 at the moment in the humour for joking, did, as he very truly observes, 
 swing him like a cat over the banisters, where, cat-like, he fell upon 
 his legs." 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Frere, how could you do such a thing ? And now he is 
 dreadfully angry, and talked about sending you a message, which 
 means that he wants to fight a duel. Mr. Frere, you will not fight 
 with him? " and as Rose spoke her pale cheek flushed with unwonted 
 animation, and tears, scarcely repressed, glistened in her earnest eyes. 
 
 "What do you think about it?" returned Frere, looking at her with 
 a kind smile. 
 
 " Oh, I think, I hope, you are too good, too wise, to do such a thing. 
 For Lewis's sake, for the sake of all your friends, you will refrain." 
 
 " For a better reason still, my dear, warm-hearted little friend," 
 returned Frere kindly but solemnly ; " for God's sake I will not break 
 His commandment, or incur the guilt of shedding a fellow-creature's 
 blood. But," he added, " all this folly has frightened you ; " and as he 
 spoke he took her little trembling hand in his and stroked it caress- 
 ingly, and this time it was not withdrawn. 
 
 " Then you will apologise, I suppose," Rose observed after a short 
 pause. 
 
 " Well, we'll hope that may not be necessary,'' returned her com- 
 panion, " seeing that Rasper the infuriated was more to blame in the 
 affair than I was ; but if the good youth is so obtuse that nothing less 
 will quiet him, I suppose I must accommodate his stupidity by doing 
 so. It is a less evil to pocket one's dignity for once in a way than to 
 murder or be murdered in support of it." 
 
 At this moment Bracy entered the room solo, with such a vexed and 
 anxious expression of countenance that Frere, who guessed rightly at 
 the cause, could, though he liked him the better for it, scarcely for- 
 bear smiling. 
 
 "Go back to your singing widow," observed Frere to Rose, "and 
 when I have administered his sop to Cerberus I will come and tell you 
 what wry faces he has made in swallowing it." 
 
 Rose fixed her eyes on him with a scrutinising glance, and reading 
 in his honest face that he was not deceiving her, smiled on him 
 approvingly, and rising, cjuietly mingled with (h? company in th? 
 front dr^wing-rooiii. 
 
2S6 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " I say, Frere," began Bracy as Rose disappeared, " I'm sadly 
 afraid you have got into a tiresome scrape. That young fool, Rasper, 
 declares you've pitched him over the banisters." 
 
 " A true bill so far, and richly he deserved it," returned Frere. 
 
 " I can well believe that," was Bracy's reply, "for he was more than 
 half screwed when he left the dinner-table ; but the shake appears to 
 have sobered him into a state of the most lively vindictiveness. How- 
 ever, it's no laughing matter, I can assure you: he has sent you a 
 message by me, and means fighting." 
 
 " He may, but / don't," returned Frere shortly. 
 
 "My dear Frere, I wish I could make you understand that the 
 affair is serious. Rasper's determined to have you out. I can make 
 no impression upon him, and you can't refuse to meet a man after 
 pitching him over the banisters," rejoined Bracy in a tone of 
 annoyance. 
 
 " Can't I, though ? " returned Frere, smiling. " I'm not of such a 
 yielding disposition as you imagine. Where is the sweet youth ? " 
 
 " I left him in the cloak-room," answered Bracy ; and as Frere 
 immediately turned to descend the stairs, continued, "Ton my word^ 
 you'd better not go near him : he's especially savage. Depend upon 
 it, you will have something disagreeable occur." 
 
 " Do you think I'm going to be forced into fighting a duel, a sin of 
 the first magnitude in my eyes, because I'm afraid of meeting an angry 
 boy? You don't know me yet," returned Frere sternly ; and without 
 waiting further parley he ran downstairs, followed by Bracy, with a 
 face of the most comic perplexity. The door of the cloak-room stood 
 half open, and at the further end of the apartment might be perceived 
 the outraged Rasper, pacing up and down like a caged lion, " nursing 
 his wrath to keep it warm." Unintimidated even by this tremendous 
 spectacle, Frere coolly entered the room, and immediately walked up 
 to his late antagonist, holding out his hand. 
 
 "Come, Mr. Rasper," he said, "this has been a foolish business 
 altogether, and the sooner we mutually forget it the better. Here's 
 my hand : let's be friends." 
 
 That this was a mode of procedure on which Mr. Rasper had not 
 calculated was evident, as well by his extreme embarrassment as 
 by his appearing completely at a loss what course to pursue. For a 
 moment he seemed half inclined to accept Frere's proffered hand; 
 but his eye fell upon Bracy, and probably recalling the threats he had 
 breathed forth in the hearing of that worthy individual, he felt that his 
 dignity was at stake; and giving himself a shake to re-arouse his 
 indignation, he replied, " I shall do no such thing, sir. You have 
 grossly insulted me, and I demand satisfaction." 
 
 " Excuse me," returned Frere quietly, " I did not insult you : I 
 simply would not allow you to insult me ; no man worthy of the name 
 would." 
 
 " It's no use jangling about it, like a couple of women, /consider 
 that you have insulted me : what you may think matters nothing to 
 me. I have been insulted, I require satisfaction, and I mean to have 
 it too," reiterated Mr. Rasper, talking himself into a passion, 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 257 
 
 " Now, listen to me," returned Frere impressively. " You are a 
 younger man than I am, and have probably, therefore, more of life 
 before you. You are of an age and temperament to enjoy life vividly. 
 There are many that love you ; I can answer for three, for I met your 
 mother and two sisters at Lord Ambergate's a fortnight since, and 
 the kind creatures entertained me for half-an-hour with your praises. 
 Why, then, seek to throw away your own life and embitter theirs, or 
 bring upon your head the guilt of homicide, entailing banishment from 
 your home and country, and other evil consequences, merely because, 
 having drunk a few extra glasses of wine, you sought to play off a 
 practical joke upon me, and I, not being at the moment in a jesting 
 humour, retaliated upon you, as you, or any other man of spirit, would 
 have done in my situation ? Come, look at it in a common sense point 
 of view: is this a cause for which to lose a life or take one?" 
 
 After waiting a moment for a reply, during which time Rasper stood 
 gnawing the finger of his white glove in irresolution, Frere resumed — 
 
 " If you're sorry for your share in the matter, I'm perfectly willing 
 to own that I am for mine; and now, once more, here's my hand 
 — what do you say?" 
 
 " Say, that you're a regular out-and-out good fellow, and that I'm 
 a d ass, and beg your pardon heartily," was the energetic re- 
 joinder; and bringing his hand down upon Frere's with a smack 
 that re-echoed through the room. Rasper and his late antagonist 
 shook hands with the strength and energy of a brace of giants ; and 
 then, both talking at once with the greatest volubility, they ascended 
 the stairs arm in arm, Bracy following them, with his left eye fixed 
 in a species of chronic wink, expressive of any amount of the most 
 intense satisfaction and sagacity. As they re-entered the drawing- 
 room, Rose, whose powers of hearing, always acute, were in the 
 present instance rendered still more so by anxiety, caught the follow- 
 ing words ; " Then you promise you will dine with me at Lovegrove's 
 on Thursday, and I'll pick up half-a-dozen fellows that I know you'll 
 like to irieet, regular top-sawyers, that you're safe to find in the first 
 flight, be it where it may." 
 
 " Only on condition that you come to my rooms on Friday and 
 bring your brother, and we'll show you sporting men how we book- 
 worms live — Bracy, we shall see you?" 
 
 "You'll dine with us, too, at Blackwall, Mr. Bracy," rejoined the 
 first speaker, who was none other than the redoubtable Rasper. 
 And numerous other genial sentences of like import reached the ear 
 and comforted the heart of that little philanthropist, Rose Arundel, 
 who could no more bear to see her fellow-creatures disagree than 
 could Dr. Watts, when in his benevolence he indicted that pretty 
 hymn which begins — 
 
 ' ' Let dogs delight to bark and bite, 
 For 'tis their nature to I " 
 
 then proceeds to state the interesting ornithological fact that 
 " Birds in their little nests agree,'' 
 
 18 
 
SSS LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 and touchingly appeals to the nobler instincts of childhood In the 
 pathetic metrical remonstrance— 
 
 " Those little hands were never made 
 To tear each other's eyes." 
 
 Oh 1 excellent and prosy Watts, doer of dull, moral platitudes into 
 duller doggerel, co-tormentor with Pinnock and the Latin grammar 
 of my, early boyhood, would that for thy sake I had the pen of Thomas 
 Carlyle, for then would I write thee down that which I suspect thou 
 wast, my Watts, in most resonant un-English, nay, I would make 
 thee the subject of a " Latter-Day Pamphlet," and treating of thee 
 in connection with the vexata questio of prison discipline, would by 
 thy aid invent a new and horrible punishment for refractory felons, 
 who in lieu of handcuffs and bread and water, hard labour, or soli- 
 tary confinement, should straightway be condemned to a severe 
 course of " Watts' Hymns." 
 
 Thomas Bracy, his mind being relieved from the onus of this rather 
 serious episode in his evening's amusement, now cast his eyes around 
 to discover how the various schemes projected by his fertile brain 
 might be progressing. The first group that met his eye afforded him 
 unmixed satisfaction — Lady Lombard, seated on a low fauteuil, was 
 listening with delighted attention to De Grandeville, who, hanging 
 over her, was talking eagerly (about himself) with an air of the most 
 lover-like devotion. The next pair that his glance fell upon scarcely 
 .pleased him so well, for Mrs. Brahmin had again hooked the Dace, 
 and appeared in a fair way of landing him safely. " However," 
 reflected Bracy, " one comfort is that he's such an awful fool he will 
 bore her to death in less than a week after they're married, and she'll 
 revenge herself by flirting with every man she meets, which is safe to 
 worry him to distraction, and they'll be a wretched, miserable couple ; 
 so I really believe there'll be more comedy evolved by letting them 
 alone than by interfering with them ; " and consoling himself with this 
 agreeable view of the matter, he turned his attention to the state, 
 mental and physical, of General Gudgeon. That gallant son of Mars, 
 as though conscious of the hopes and fears that were abroad concerning 
 his possible behaviour, was taking the best method of neutralising the 
 dangerous effects of his devotion to Bacchus by composing himself to 
 sleep in a mighty arm-chair. Next him was seated Miss MacSalvo, 
 who was engaged in a truly edifying conversation with Mrs. Dackerel, 
 mother to the " postponed one," on the propriety of establishing a 
 female Missionary Society for the prevention of Polygamy amongst 
 the Aborigines of the North-Eastern Districts of South-West 
 Australia; an evil which both ladies agreed to be mainly owing to the 
 fact that the women did not know how to conduct themselves like the 
 women of civilised nations ; a fact to which Bracy assented by observ- 
 ing " that was self-evident, or the men would find one wife quite 
 enough;" on which Miss MacSalvo turned up the whites, or more 
 properly speaking, the yellows of her eyes, and ejaculated, " Ah, yes 
 indeed 1 " with much unction, though it is to be doubted whether after 
 all she perceived the full force of the remarlt. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 259 
 
 "Why, General," exclaimed Biacy quickly, "you have been in 
 Australia ; you're the very man we want ; rouse up, my dear sir, and 
 enlighten our darkness." 
 
 " Pray, sir," observed Miss MacSalvo, addressing General Gudgeon, 
 " pray, sir, can you give me any insight into the habits and customs of 
 those interesting, but, alas I misguided individuals, the Aborigines of 
 South Australia; more particularly with reference to the female portion 
 of the population — any little anecdotes which may occur to you now ?" 
 
 " By Jo-o-ove, ma'am," returned the General, whose English had 
 not yet " suffered a recovery," " you've come to — you've come to the 
 right, eh — to the, the right, what-is-it ?" 
 
 " Shop," suggested Bracy. 
 
 " Ye-es, to the right sho-op, if that's what you want, ma'am. I should 
 think there ain't a man — there ain't a man — eh ? yes, breathing — that 
 can tell you more — eh ? more about larks " 
 
 " It is scarcely with a view to the ornithology of the countiy that I 
 am anxious to gain information," interrupted Miss MacSalvo; "the 
 facts I require regard the general behaviour and moral conduct of the 
 female population of the north-eastern district." 
 
 " Eh I oh, yes — yes, I under — I understand what you're up to, eh ? " 
 resumed the General, with what he intended for a significant wink at 
 Bracy; "there was Tom Slasher and me — a rare wild young, eh ? yes, 
 a wild young dog was Tom ; well, ma'am, there was a gal over there — 
 she wasn't one of the natives, though — they're taw-taw — yes, tawny 
 coloured — but this gal was a nigger — reg'lar darkie — Black-^/^ 
 Susan, Tom used to call her — witty chap was Tom." 
 
 And the General being fairly started, continued to talk most volubly, 
 though, from the peculiarities of his diction, he did not get to the point 
 of his story so quickly as might have been expected. In the meantime 
 Frere contrived to rejoin Rose, and seating himself almost in her 
 pocket, observed in a low voice — 
 
 " Well, I've managed to tame the dragon, you see.'' 
 
 " Yes, and persuaded him to dine with you instead of upon you," 
 returned Rose, smiling; "but tell me," she added, "how did you 
 contrive to satisfy him. Were you forced to apologise ? " 
 
 " Oh, I put the thing before him in a common sense point of view," 
 replied Frere; "appealed to his good feeling as if I had faith in his 
 possessing such a quality, which is the sure way to call it forth if it 
 exists, and wound up by telling him that if he was sorry for his share 
 in the business, I was ditto for mine, which mode of treatment proved 
 eminently successful. He applied a forcible adjective to the word ass, 
 and stigmatising himself by the epithet thus compounded, he shook 
 me heartily by the hand, and straightway we became the greatest 
 friends, ratifying the contract by an exchange of dinner invitations, 
 without which ceremony no solemn league and covenant is considered 
 binding in England in these days of enlightened civilisation." 
 
 " Well, I think you have behaved more bravely and nobly than if 
 you had fought twenty duels," exclaimed Rose, fairly carried away by 
 
 her admiration. " I esteem and respect you, and — and 1 " Here 
 
 she stopped short, and a bright blush overspread her pale features, 
 
86o LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 for she perceived Frere's fine eyes fixed upon her with an expression 
 of delighted surprise which she had never observed in them before, 
 and which brought to her recollection the fact that, after all, he was 
 a living man not many years older than herself, instead of some 
 magnanimous, philosophical, and heroic character in history done into 
 modern English and animated by magic for her express delectation. 
 The light in Frere's eyes had, however, faded, and he had relapsed 
 into his accustomed manner ere he replied: " I can't say I see 
 anything to make a fuss about in it. I wasn't going to allow a half- 
 tipsy boy to insult me with impunity, so I pitched him over the 
 banisters as a trifling hint to that effect; neither did I feel inclined 
 to shoot him, or let him shoot me, by way of compensation for his 
 tumble, because it would have been equally wrong and irrational so 
 to do, and I went and told him my ideas in plain English, which was 
 the natural course to pursue, and produced the desired effect. I 
 really can't see anything remarkable in it all." 
 
 " I fancy that I do," replied Rose archly; "but of course we poor 
 women cannot pretend to be competent judges in such a case." 
 
 " You know you don't think anything of the kind," returned Frere ; 
 " you've got a very good opinion of your own judgment, so don't tell 
 stories." 
 
 " Without either admitting or denying the truth of your assertion, 
 I should like to know what grounds you have for making it?" asked 
 Rose. 
 
 " I can soon tell you, if that's all you want to know," returned Frere. 
 " You could not act for yourself with the quiet decision I have before 
 now seen you exercise when occasion required it unless you possessed 
 self-appreciation sufficient to give you the requisite degree of 
 confidence." 
 
 Ere Rose could reply their conversation was interrupted by a 
 piercing shriek followed by an extreme bustle and confusion on the 
 other side of the room. The cause was soon explained. Excited with 
 wine, and artfully drawn on by Bracy, General Gudgeon had told one 
 of his " gentleman's stories " to Miss MacSalvo, on the strength of 
 which outrageous anecdote that zealous advocate for establishing a 
 Female Missionary Society for the Prevention of Polygamy amongst 
 the Aborigines of the North-Eastern District of South- West Australia 
 had seen fit to go off into a perfect tornado of the most alarming 
 hysterics ! 
 
 CHAPTER XL. 
 
 SHOWS, AMONGST OTHER MATTERS, HOW RICHARD FRERE PASSED 
 A RESTLESS NIGHT. 
 
 The hysterical affection of the praiseworthy antipolygamist having 
 taken place late in the evening, may be said to have broken up the 
 party. Mrs. General Gudgeon, who, when the catastrophe occurred, 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. , 261 
 
 was more or less asleep over the same book of prints to which she 
 had devoted herself on her first arrival, originated, as she witnessed 
 the confusion, a faint idea — (all this lady's ideas, and they were not 
 many, were of a dim and hazy character, so that a good impression of 
 her thoughts — if we may be allowed the term— was a rarity hardly to 
 be met with) — that her better half was in some way connected with 
 the matter ; and knowing that dining out usually " produced an effect 
 upon him" (as she delicately and indefinitely phrased it), she forth- 
 with instituted an inquiry after her carriage, and that " vehicle for the 
 transmission of heavy bodies" being reported in readiness, she issued 
 marching orders, and as soon as the honourable and gallant officer 
 could be got upon his legs, took him in tow, and in his company 
 departed. 
 
 The Dackerels hastened to follow this example, the maternal 
 Dackerel having come in for her share of the General's " good things," 
 and appearing much inclined to "trump" Miss MacSalvo's hysterics 
 with a fainting fit; J. D. D., with a face even longer than usual, 
 supported her retiring footsteps. He had been warming his chilly 
 spirit in the sunshine of the widow's smiles, till, in the possibility of 
 some day calling that delicate creature his own, the outline of a new 
 and fascinating destiny had been traced upon the foolscap paper of 
 his imagination ; but the doom was still upon him, and in the calls of 
 filial piety he recognised a fresh postponement even of this last forlorn 
 hope. Frere had shaken hands with Rose, apologised for not being 
 able to lunch with them the next day — a thing which nobody had 
 asked him to do— and, having set the butler and both the tall footmen 
 to look for his cotton umbrella, and put on consecutively two wrong 
 greatcoats, was about to walk home, when Mr. James Rasper inter- 
 fered ; he would drive his friend home — anywhere — everywhere — so 
 that he would but accompany him. He wanted to show him his cab ; 
 he wished to learn his opinion of his horse — in short, he would not be 
 denied ; and Frere, beginning to think his friendship a worse alternative 
 than his animosity, was forced to consent, which he did thus — 
 
 " Well, yes, if you like. I shall get home sooner, that's one comfort ; 
 and I've got three hours' work to do before I can go to bed. Is this 
 your trap ? The brute won't kick, will he ? Ugh ! what an awkward 
 thing to get into. I believe I've broken my shin. Go ahead 1 Mind 
 you steer clear of the lamp-posts. I can't think why people ride when 
 they've got legs to walk with." 
 
 Bracy waited patientljr to hand Miss MacSalvo downstairs, which 
 he did with much gravity and decorum, lamenting the disgraceful 
 conduct of General Gudgeon, of whom he remarked, with a portentous 
 shake of the head, that "he greatly feared he was not a man of a 
 sober, or edifying frame of mind," which observation was certainly 
 true as far as the sobriety was concerned. 
 
 Whether Jemima of the sour countenance had, in arranging Frere's 
 bed, imparted somewhat of the angularity of her own nature to the 
 feathers, or whether the events of the evening had excited that part of 
 his system in regard to the existence whereof he indulged in a very 
 bigotry of sceptfcism, namely, his nerves, certain it is that when 
 
262 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 (having read Hindostanee till daylight peeped in upon his studies) he 
 went to bed he did not follow his usual system of dropping asleep 
 almost as soon as he had laid his head upon his pillow ; neither could 
 he apply his ordinary remedy for insomnolency, for when he tried to 
 concentrate his attention on some difficult sentence in his Hindostanee, 
 or to solve mentally an abstruse mathematical problem, a figure in 
 white muslin obscured the Asiatic characters or entangled itself 
 inextricably with rectangular triangles, so that the wished-for Q. E. D. 
 could never be arrived at. Frere had never thought Rose Arundel 
 pretty till that night — one reason for which might have been that he 
 had never thought about her appearance at all; but now, all of a 
 sudden, the recollection of her animated face as, carried away by the 
 impulse of the moment, she had begun to tell him how she admired 
 his noble conduct, occurred to him, and all its good points flashed 
 upon him and haunted and oppressed him. The smooth, broad fore- 
 head — he had observed that before, and decided it to be a good 
 forehead in a practical point of view — i.e., a capacious knowledge-box ; 
 but now he felt that it was something more, and the mysterious 
 attribute of beauty forced itself upon his notice and flung its charm 
 around him. Then her eyes — those deep, earnest, truthful eyes — 
 seemed yet to gaze at him, with a bright expression of interest 
 sparkling through their softness. He could not, try as he pleased, 
 banish the recollection of those eyes; as he lay and thought they came 
 across him, and bewitched him like a spell. And her mouth — what a 
 world of eloquence was there even in its silence ; there might be traced 
 the same firmness and resolution which marked the haughty curl of 
 Lewis's short upper lip; but the pride and sternness were wanting, 
 and in their place a chastened, pensive expression seemed to afford a 
 guarantee that the strength of character thus indicated could alone be 
 aroused in a good cause; but the true expression of that mouth was 
 to be discovered only when a smile, suggestive of every softer, brighter 
 trait of woman's nature, revealed the little pearl-like teeth. All this 
 seemed to have come upon Frere like a sudden inspiration ; he could 
 not banish it from his recollection, and the more he reflected upon it, 
 the less he understood it. And so he tossed and tumbled about, rest- 
 less alike in mind and body, till at last, just as the clock struck six, he 
 fell into a doze. But sleep afforded him no refuge from his tormentress. 
 Rose, changed and yet the same, haunted his dreams; but a halo 
 appeared to surround her — she had acquired a character of sanctity 
 in his eyes. Never again could he inadvertently address her as "sir," 
 and he would as soon have thought of connecting the idea of a " good 
 fellow" with one of Raphael's Madonnas as with Rosff Arundel. At 
 half-past seven Jemima — a very chronometer for punctuality — knocked 
 at his door, and receiving no answer, sans cdrdmonie walked in, to 
 see what might be the matter; and finding her master rather snor- 
 ing than otherwise, invaded his slumbers by exclaiming in a shrill 
 voice — 
 
 " It ain't of much use me getting out of my blessed bed with the 
 rhumatiz in the small o' my back to bring your hot-water by half- 
 past seven, if you lay there snoring like a hog, Master Richard, 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 263 
 
 and won't ansWei" A body when they call you ; " to which appeal 
 she received the somewhat inconsequent reply — 
 
 " Well, suppose I wouldn't let him shoot me, there's nothing very 
 fine in that, Rose." 
 
 " Listen to him," exclaimed Jemima, aghast ; " lor* a mussy 1 I 
 hope he ain't a wandering, or took to the drink. Master Richard, 
 will ye please to wake and talk like a Christian, and not go frighten- 
 ing a body out of their wits," she continued in a tone of voice as 
 of an agitated sea-mew. 
 
 " Eh, what ? oh, is that you, Jemima ? I was so sound asleep ; go 
 away and I'll get up directly," muttered Frere, becoming conscious 
 of those usual colloquial antipodes, " his room and his company." 
 
 But Jemima had been flurried and rendered anxious on his account, 
 first by his silence, next by his incoherent address, and now finding 
 her alarm had been without foundation, her better feelings turned 
 sour, and having her master at an advantage, seeing that he could 
 not rise till she should please to convey herself away, she gave 
 vent to her acidulated sentiments in the following harangue — 
 
 " Yes, it's all very well to say ' go away,' as if you was speaking 
 to a dog, after frightening people out of their wits by talking gib- 
 berish about shooting and fine roses; but I see how it is, you're 
 a taking to evil courses, a staying out here till one o'clock in the 
 morning, for I heard ye a comin' in, lying awake with the rhumatiz 
 in the small o' my back, drinking and smoking cigars, which spiles 
 the teeth and hundermines the hintellects, and accounts for being 
 non compo Mondays the next morning ; but I've lived with you and 
 yours thirty year and odd, and I ain't a-going to see you rack-and- 
 ruining of your constitution without a-speaking up to tell you of it, 
 for all your looking black at the woman that nursed you when yer 
 was an hinocent babby, all onconscious of sich goings on." 
 
 " My good woman, don't talk such rubbish, but go away and let 
 me get my things on," returned Frere in a species of apologetic 
 growl. 
 
 "Rubbish indeed I" continued Jemima in a violent falsetto, her 
 temper being thoroughly aroused by the contemptuous epithet applied 
 to her unappreciated homily; " that's all the thanks one gets for one's 
 good advice, is it? but I don't care. I've lived with you, man and 
 boy, nigh half my life, which, like the grass of the field, is three 
 score years and ten come Michaelmas twelvemonth, and I'm not 
 a-going to see you take to evil courses without lifting up my voice 
 as a deacon set on a hill to warn you against 'em, which is what 
 your blessed mother would have done only too gladly if she wasn't 
 an angel in the family vault, where we must all go when our time 
 comes ; smoking filthy cigars and stopping out till one o'clock in 
 the morning, indeed ! " and muttering these words over and over to 
 herself, as a sort of refrain, Jemima hobbled out of the room with 
 more stoutness and alacrity than could have been expected from her 
 antiquated appearance. Relieved from the incubus of her presence, 
 Frere rose and proceeded to dress himself; but the nightmare that 
 had oppressed him, whether sleeping or waking, haunted him still. 
 
264 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 In vain he tried to shave himself; the vision in white muslin came 
 between his face and the looking-glass and occasioned him to cut 
 his chin. At his frugal breakfast it was with him again, and strarige 
 to say, took away his appetite ; it went out with him to his scientific 
 institution, and weakened his perceptions, and absorbed his attention, 
 and dulled his memory, till even the most positive resolved nebulae 
 swam in a mist before him, and the mountains of the moon, which 
 had lately developed a new crater, might have been the bonA fide 
 productions of that planet instead of merely her African godchildren, 
 for aught that he could have stated to the contrary. He got through 
 his morning's work somehow, and then the vision prompted him to 
 call at Lady Lombard's, and gave him no peace till he started for 
 the goodly mansion of that hospitable widow, which he did in such 
 an unusually agitated frame of mind, that for the first time in the 
 memory of man he forgot his cotton umbrella; he hurried wildly 
 through the streets, overthrowing little children and reversing apple- 
 women, not to mention an insane attempt to constitute himself a 
 member of the " happy family," by dashing violently against the 
 wires of their cage, which contains all kinds of strange animals 
 except a Richard Frere, or a Podiceps Cornutus, till at last he 
 reached the locality in which Lady Lombard's house was situated. 
 
 And here a new and unaccountable crotchet took possession of his 
 brain. Frere, who since he could run alone and express his sentiments 
 intelligibly in his native tongue had never known what bashfulness 
 meant, was seized with a sudden attack of that uncomfortable sensation, 
 the extinguisher of so many would-be shining lights of humanity, who 
 but for that "flooring" quality would have published such books and 
 made such speeches that the hair of society at large, upraised with 
 wonder and admiration, must have stood on end through all time, 
 " like quills upon the fretful porcupine." So violent was this attack 
 of shyness that, after having hurried from his office as though life and 
 death hung upon his speed, he could not make up his mind whether 
 to pay the projected visit or not, and actually strolled up and down, 
 passing and repassing the door some half-dozen times before he 
 ventured to knock at it ; nay, to such an extent had this mysterious 
 "timor panico" seized upon him, that when the plush-clad "man 
 mountain " appeared in answer to his summons he merely left his card, 
 and inquiring meekly how the ladies were, posted off at, if anything, 
 a more rapid pace than that at which he had walked on his way 
 thither. 
 
 Then ere he had proceeded the length of a street came the reaction, 
 under the influence of which he not unjustly stigmatised himself as an 
 egregious fool, and but for very shame would fain have retraced his 
 steps. He could not, however, make up any credible excuse for 
 facing the noble footman a second time, so as the next best thing to 
 seeing Rose, he found his way to Park Crescent and called upon 
 Lewis, to whom he related how he felt so restless and fidgety that he 
 was persuaded he must be about to develop a feverish cold, or some 
 analogous abomination. Having engaged Lewis to accompany him 
 on the following evening to a lecture at the Palaeontological on " The 
 
LEWIS AKUNDEL. 265 
 
 Relations of the Earlier Zoophytes," whoever they might be, he was 
 about to depart, when, as he reached the hall, a carriage, with a 
 splendid pair of greys, dashed up to the door, and a pretty little 
 brunette with sparkling black eyes, a brilliant complexion, and a 
 bonnet the colour of raspberry ice, descended, and passing Frere 
 with a glance half saucy, half contemptuous, ran upstairs as if she 
 were an habitude of the house. This was Emily, Countess Portici, 
 Lord Bellefield's younger sister, who, having at nineteen run away 
 with an Italian nobleman, for love of his black eyes and ivory com- 
 plexion, had ere she was five-and-twenty grown heartily sick of them 
 and of Italy, and discovered some good reason to quit that land of 
 uncomfortable splendour to enjoy the gaieties of a London spring, 
 leaving her picturesque husband to console himself as best he might 
 during her absence. She possessed very high spirits without any vast 
 amount of judgment to counterbalance them, and her present frame 
 of mind was that of a school-girl rejoicing in a holiday, into which she 
 was determined to cram as much pleasure, fun, and frolic as an 
 unlimited capacity for enjoyment would enable her to undergo. On 
 the strength of her position as a married woman, she constituted 
 herself Annie's chaperon on all occasions when the vigilance of 
 Minerva Livingstone could be eluded ; and as that Gorgon of the 
 nineteenth century was not so young as she had been, and found late 
 hours tend to reduce her stamina and degrade the dignity of ill temper 
 to the ignominious level of mere peevishness, she unwillingly allowed 
 the Countess Portici to act as her substitute and escort Annie to such 
 evening entertainments as from their nature threatened to invade the 
 hours dedicated by Minei'va to repose. There was much similarity of 
 feature and of manner between the Countess and her brother Charles 
 Leicester, only that Charley's languid drawl was in Emily replaced by 
 a sparkling vivacity, which, together with a certain selfish good-natm-e 
 that led her to promote the enjoyment of others on every occasion in 
 which it did not come in contact with her own, was sufficient to render 
 her a general favourite. Annie was no exception to this rule; and 
 always delighted to escape from the petrifying influence of Minerva, 
 eagerly seconded all her hvely cousin's schemes for her amusement. 
 
 The object of the Countess's visit on the present occasion was to 
 secure Annie for the following evening, when they were to dine 
 together, and were afterwards to be escorted to the Opera by Lord 
 Bellefield, where they were to hear a new soprano with a voice three 
 notes higher than that of anybody else, which notes might by a mild 
 and easy figure of speech be not inaptly termed bank-notes, seeing 
 that by their exercise the fair cantatrice had realised the satisfactory 
 sum of thirty thousand pounds. 
 
 The Countess's scheme happening to fit in very nicely with the views 
 of the elders, as the General dined out, and Minerva was nursing a 
 cold, which must have reduced the temperature of her blood to some 
 frightful figure below zero, the project met with no more opposition 
 than, from the constitution of Miss Livingstone's mind, was inevitable. 
 And thus it came about that on the following day Emily called for 
 Annie, and the two girls (for the matron was a very girlish specimen 
 
266 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 of five-and-tWeftty) drove round the park together, and then retired to 
 Emily's boudoir and "talked confidence" till it was time to dress. 
 Annie's revelations did not go much more than skin-deep, and related 
 chiefly to anxieties concerning papa and difficulties with Aunt Martha, 
 who was " so tiresome about things, and never would let anybody love 
 her," and then branched off to a retrospective sketch of the preliminary 
 difficulties which had obstructed Charley Leicester's wedding, ending 
 by a detailed account of the ceremony itself, and Annie's hopes and 
 fears as to the ultimate result of the bridegroom's good resolutions. 
 
 Emily, on the contrary, plunged at once in medias res, and related 
 how all last winter she had been rendered wretched by " Alessandro's " 
 attentions to the Marchese Giulia di B — ani (she revealed the blank 
 in an agitated whisper), and what all her particular friends had said 
 to her on the subject, and how she had jointly and severally replied to 
 them that the dignity of her sex supported her ; whence, warming with 
 her subject, she went on to state how she in her turn had supjiorted 
 this dignity by repulsing the advances of Captain Augustus (familiarly 
 and affectionately reduced, for colloquial purposes, into Gus) Travers, 
 who, having been her first love, and retired vice Alessandro Conte de 
 Portici promoted to the rank of husband, considered that it was again 
 his innings, and had diligently sought to become platonically her third 
 love and disputed the post of cavalier servente with all and sundry, in 
 spite of which constancy and devotion she had persevered in her re- 
 pulsiveness until, between her cruelty and a reckless indifference to 
 malaria, poor Gus was attacked with a brain fever, and then of course 
 when he grew a little better she could not continue unkind to him, for 
 she might have had his life to answer for, and that was a serious con- 
 sideration ; and so by degrees he took to coming to the Palazzo Portici 
 constantly and went about to places with her, and somehow she got 
 accustomed to him, and Alessandro did not seem to mind, and poor 
 Gus always behaved very well, and only asked to be allowed the 
 privilege of her friendship, and everybody did the same sort of thing — 
 " It's their way over there, you know, Annie dear ; " till at last Belle- 
 field came, and he had never been able to endure Gus because he was 
 so handsome, poor fellow, so Bellefield made a great fuss and said all 
 sorts of shocking things, and set Alessandro at her ; and worse than all, 
 quarrelled with Gus and wanted to horsewhip him, and it almost 
 came to a duel, only she wrote Gus a little note, imploring him not to' 
 fight, but to go away and forget her ; and he had done the first directly, 
 and she dared say he had done the second, for she'd never seen 
 him since, which of course she was very glad of. And here she 
 heaved a deep sigh and caressed a comic and unnatural transalpine 
 poodle, which by reason of its flowing locks looked like an animated 
 carriage mat, as though it had been a pet lamb, the sole prop of some 
 heart-broken and dishevelled shepherdess, to which picture of pastoral 
 pathos did Emily, Countess di Portici, then and there mentally 
 assimilate herself. 
 
 And to all this history of loves, and hates, and platonic friendships, 
 whatever they might be, simple innocent Annie listened with much 
 interest and more perplexity, She had a vague notion that Emily had 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 467 
 
 behaved foolishly, if not wrongly | but she was very fond of her cousin, 
 who, from the difference in their respective ages, had acquired a 
 degree of ascendency over her which their natural characters scarcely 
 warranted. Then Annie's deep ignorance of foreign manners and 
 customs threw a mist of uncertainty around the whole affair, beneath 
 the shadow of which she was able to put the most charitable con- 
 struction on Emily's conduct without "stultifying her moral sense" 
 (to speak as a logician); still she felt called upon to give her cousin a 
 little good advice in regard to striving entirely to forget, and scrupu- 
 lously to avoid for the future, the too fascinating Gus, for which 
 Eniily kissed her and called her a dear, silly, little prude ; then twining 
 their arms round each other's taper waists, the girls descended to the 
 dining-room, united for the time being, literally and figuratively, by the 
 closest bonds of amity and affect'on. Standing rather in awe of her 
 brother, Emily conducted herself during the meal with so much gravity 
 and decorum that she quite threw a shade over Annie's usual light- 
 heartedness, and by the time they reached their opera box a more 
 sombre trio (not even excepting the soprano, the tenor, and the bari- 
 tone, of whom the first two were prepared to be poisoned, and the 
 third to stab himself on their marble tomb before the evening should 
 be over) could not have been found beneath the roof of Her Majesty's 
 theatre. 
 
 Between the acts of the opera a divertissement was introduced, in 
 which a danseuse, who had acquired an Italian reputation, but who 
 was as yet unknown in England, was to make her first appearance. 
 Emily was conversing volubly about her various merits, when a 
 fashionably -dressed young man with delicate features, a profusion of 
 dark waving curls, and a pair of the most interesting little black 
 moustachios imaginable, lounged into one of the stalls and began 
 lazily to scrutinise the company through a richly-mounted opera-glass. 
 He was undeniably handsome, but the expression of his face was 
 disagreeable, and his whole demeanour blasd and puppyish in the 
 extreme. As he entered, Annie perceived her cousin to give a violent 
 start, and, as she met her glance, to colour slightly ; then, evidently 
 unwilling to attract her brother's notice, she made a successful effort 
 to recover herself, and appeared completely absorbed in the terpsi- 
 chorean prodigies of the new opera-dancer. Just at the conclusion of 
 the divertissement some one knocked at the door of the box, and on 
 Lord Bellefield's opening it, Annie heard a man's voice say, in a 
 hurried manner, " Can your Lordship allow me two minutes' conversa- 
 tion.? My business is of the utmost importance." Lord Bellefield 
 replied in the affirmative and quitted the box, closing the door behind 
 him. As he did so, Emily, laying her finger on her cousin's arm, said 
 in a hurried whisper: "Annie, do you see that gentleman in the fourth 
 row of stalls, the sixth from this end .'' That's Gus ; isn't he handsome, 
 poor fellow ? Ah I " she continued, as the object of her scrutiny 
 suddenly brought his opera-glass to bear upon their box, "he has 
 made me out, and he does not know that Bellefield is here. Oh 1 I 
 hope he won't think of coming up 1 " 
 
 As she spoke, Gus, having become aware of her presence, made an 
 
268 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 almost imperceptible sign of recognitipn, and in the same quiet manner 
 telegraphed an entreaty to be allowed to join her; upon which Eniily 
 frowned and shook her head by way of prohibition, favouring Gus 
 afterwards with a pensive smile, to show that her refusal proceeded 
 less from choice than from necessity. Almost as she did so Lord 
 Bellefield returned, looking annoyed and anxious. " I am obliged to 
 leave you for half-an-hour," he said, "but you will be perfectly safe 
 here, and I shall return in plenty of time to escort you home. You 
 may depend upon my coming to fetch you." And almost before he 
 finished speaking he had quitted the box and was gone. 
 
 Confused and half- frightened at his sudden departure, Annie 
 remained for a minute or two with her eyes fixed on the door through 
 which he had as it were vanished ; when she again glanced towards 
 the stage the stall lately occupied by Augustus Travers was vacant. 
 
 CHAPTER XLI. 
 
 ANNIE GRANT FALLS INTO DIFFICULTIES. 
 
 Lewis, according to agreement, accompanied Frere to the Palaeonto- 
 logical, and added to the circle of his acquaintance those mysterious 
 beings, the " Relations of the Earlier Zoophytes." When the lecture 
 was over, Frere, who had an order to admit two into the House 
 of Commons, took Lewis with him to hear the speaking. The 
 debate proved interesting : the Premier addressed the House at 
 length ; a well-known satirist rose to reply to him, remarking on 
 various points in the speech with much talent and more ill-nature, 
 and the minister was again on his legs to answer his opponent, 
 when Lewis, glancing at his watch, discovered to his annoyance 
 that it was considerably past eleven ; and aware that General Grant 
 had a particular objection to his servants being kept up late, 
 communicated this fact to his companion, and wished him good- 
 night. 
 
 " What ! can't you stay and hear 's answer ? " was the reply, 
 
 "and then I'd come away, too." 
 
 Lewis explained that the thing was impossible, and Frere con- 
 tinued — 
 
 " Well, what must be, must, I suppose ; and as my hearing 's 
 
 reply is another inevitable necessity, I must e'en say Good-night, 
 so Schlaffen sie wohl." 
 
 Lewis grasped his proffered hand, and leaving the gallery, started 
 on his homeward route. As he approached Charing Cross his atten- 
 tion was attracted by the restlessness of a magnificent horse, which, 
 in a well-appointed cab, was waiting at the door of one of the houses. 
 As he slackened his pace for a moment to ascertain whether the efforts 
 made by a diminutive cab-groom to restrain the plunging of the fiery 
 animal would prove successful, the house door was flung open, and a 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 269 
 
 genileman, apparently in headlong haste, sprang down the steps so 
 recklessly that he missed his footing, and would have fallen had not 
 Lewis caught him by the arm in time to prevent it. As the person 
 he had thus assisted turned to thank him, the reflection of the gas- 
 light fell upon his face, and Lewis recognised Lord Bellefield, though 
 his features were characterised by a strange expression which Lewis 
 had never observed in them before. Drawing back, he bowed coldly, 
 and was about to pass on when Lord Bellefield exclaimed — 
 
 " Stay one moment, Mr. Arundel. I have been forced to leave the 
 Opera-house suddenly: the Countess Portici and Miss Grant are in 
 Lord Ashford's box, and I have promised to return to see them 
 home, but am quite unable to do so. You would oblige — that is, I 
 am sure General Grant would wish you " 
 
 " Will your lordship favour me with the loan of your pass-ticket ? " 
 interrupted Lewis shortly. 
 
 As Lord Bellefield complied with this request, Lewis remarked that 
 his hand trembled to such a degree that he could scarcely grasp the 
 ivory ticket. 
 
 " You will tell the Countess that it was impossible for me to come 
 to them," continued the young nobleman hurriedly ; then passing his 
 hand across his eyes, as if he were half bewildered, he sprang into the 
 cab, and seizing the reins, drove off at a furious pace in the direction 
 of Westminster Abbey. 
 
 Lewis gazed after him for a moment in surprise, then turning on his 
 heel, walked rapidly to the end of the Haymarket, hoping to reach the 
 theatre before the opera should be concluded. In this expectation he 
 was however disappointed, for when he gained the Opera Colonnade 
 he perceived, from the crush of carriages and the bustle and confusion 
 which was going on, that the opera was over. Hastily pushing 
 through the crowd, he endeavoured to find the box Lord Bellefield 
 had indicated, but to one as little acquainted as was Lewis with the 
 intricacies of the Opera-house this was no such easy matter; first, he 
 ran up considerably too high ; in his eagerness to retrieve this error 
 he descended as much too low; and even when he had attained the 
 proper level he more than once took a wrong turning. At length he 
 caught a box-keeper, who, on learning his difficulties, volunteered to 
 conduct him to the box he was in search of. Lo, and behold, when 
 they reached the spot the door stood open, and the box was tenant- 
 less ! 
 
 In order to explain how this awkward and embarrassing result had 
 been brought about, we must beseech the reader's patience while we 
 resume the broken thread of our narrative where we relinquished it at 
 the end of the last chapter. 
 
 Scarcely had Lord Bellefield quitted the box five minutes when the 
 attendant opened the door and Augustus Travers made his appear- 
 ance. He was very humble and courteous, and all he said to Emily with 
 his tongue might have been printed in the " Times" the next morning 
 without affording matter for the most arrant gossip to prate about ; 
 but the language spoken by his eloquent blue eyes was of a very 
 different character. He told her vocally that he had been travelling 
 
970 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 in the East since they had last parted; that he had been unwell, had 
 felt restless and unsettled; that he had found it impossible to remain 
 contentedly in any place, had become a citizen of the world, a wan- 
 derer over the face of the globe ; that he had only returned to town 
 during the last week, and had no notion she had left Italy — dear 
 Italy 1 — and here his eyes said, " that country which your presence 
 made a paradise to me," just as plainly as if his tongue had spoken 
 the words (in fact they said it more plainly, for his tongue appeared 
 to consider it fashionable to speak English with a slight lisp, which 
 occasionally rendered his meaning indistinct) ; " but when he saw 
 her" — continued his tongue — " he could not resist coming up to her 
 box to learn whether she had quite forgotten all her old friends ; " 
 and here his eyes resumed that his faith in her was so strong that 
 nothing, neither absence nor aught else, could in the smallest degree 
 shake it. 
 
 Then Emily replied that she was always delighted to see any old 
 friend, but that she really was quite shocked to And him looking so 
 ill ; which observation she uttered with particular tenderness, because, 
 not being aware that he had played French Hazard at a club in St. 
 James's Street till five o'clock on the previous morning, she accounted 
 for his pale looks by the romantic hypothesis that he was dying for 
 love of her. And so they continued to converse in an undertone, 
 apparently much to their mutual satisfaction, while Annie, having 
 bowed coldly when she was introduced to the fascinating Augustus, 
 of whose presence there she greatly disapproved, pretended alto- 
 gether to ignore him, and to turn her attention solely to the opera. 
 And time ran on, till, just as the baritone singer was approaching, 
 with suicidal intentions, the (imitation) marble tomb supposed to 
 contain the corpses of his tenor and soprano victims, but which really 
 was tenanted by a live carpenter, who, in a paper cap and flannel 
 jacket, was waiting till the fall of the curtain should enable him to 
 carry away the entire mausoleum, Annie, looking at her watch, per- 
 ceived that it was past eleven, and glancing towards Emily, reminded 
 her in dumb show that Lord Bellefield might be momentarily expected. 
 This intelligence Emily, in a low tone, communicated to her friend, 
 who smiled, to show his white teeth, and replied that " Bellefield and 
 he had met at Baden, and had become wonderful friends again ; " 
 despite which assurance Emily still urged his departure, and he still 
 lingered on, till the opera came to an end before Lord B'ellefield made 
 his appearance. Being Saturday night, there was no ballet, and the 
 house began to empty rapidly. 
 
 "What can possibly have become of your brother, Emily?" ex- 
 claimed Annie, who, disliking the whole situation most particularly, 
 was fast lapsing into that uncomfortable state of mind familiarly 
 termed " a fuss." 
 
 " If you will allow me, I shall be delighted to see you to your 
 carriage," insinuated Gus. 
 
 "Thank you, but I am sure my brother will be here directly," 
 returned Emily ; " he would be extremely annoyed to find that we had 
 gone without waiting for him. Pray do not let us detain you." 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 371 
 
 But of course Gus would not go j " he should be wretched unless he 
 knew they were in safety; he saw they were anxious, he would ascer- 
 tain whether Lord Bellefield had returned ; there might perhaps be 
 diflSculty in getting up their carriage," and so he left the box, promising 
 to return instantly. 
 
 " What are we to do, Emily, if Bellefield does not come?" exclaimed 
 Annie, pressing her hands together much as the prima donna had 
 done when, some quarter of an hour since, she had ejaculated at the 
 very tip-top of her lofty voice, '■^Addesso Morir!" 
 
 " What are we to do, you silly child ? " replied Emily, laughing, 
 " why, walk downstairs, to be sure, and allow Gus to take care of us 
 till we can find the carriage. Is not he handsome, poor fellow 1 " 
 
 Before Annie could urge her dislike to this scheme, Travers 
 returned, bringing with him a tall, good-looking boy, embarrassed by 
 a perpetual consciousness of his extreme youth and his first tail-coat. 
 
 " I can see nothing of Lord Bellefield," began Gus ; " it is evident 
 something must have occurred to prevent his return. Let me intro- 
 duce my brother Alfred," he continued, addressing Emily ; " he was a 
 naughty little boy in pinafores when you saw him last— and now what 
 will you do ? every one is going or gone." 
 
 " Oh, wait a minute longer; I'm sure he will come," urged Annie. 
 
 " Really we cannot," returned Emily. " We shall get shut up in the 
 opera-house all Sunday, if we don't take care." 
 
 " Which would be indeed dreadfully wicked— a most terrific climax 
 of depravity," simpered Gus. "Seriously," he continued, "you must 
 accept my arm, though I am sorry the alternative should be so very 
 disagreeable to you." These latter words he spoke in such a tone 
 that Emily alone could hear them, for which he obtained a reproachful, 
 tender, and upbraiding glance, with a view to which reward he had 
 probably uttered them. 
 
 "Come, Annie, we positively must go," exclaimed her cousin im- 
 patiently. 
 
 "Alfred, why don't you offer Miss Grant your arm?" chimed in 
 Gus, drawing Emily's within his own. Thus urged, poor Annie, sorely 
 against her will, accepted Alfred's trembling arm and quitted the box, 
 Emily and Augustus Travers following. As they descended the stairs 
 a slight confusion occurred : an Irish gentleman had lost his hat, and 
 wanted to return to look for it, a measure against which a stout old 
 lady, to whom he was acting as escort, vehemently protested, while 
 an obsequious box-keeper was vainly endeavouring to understand the 
 locality m which the embarrassed Hibernian imagined he had left 
 the missing article. While Annie and her juvenile protector were 
 manoeuvring to get past this group, Augustus Travers paused, saying 
 in a low tone to his companion, " Let them precede us ; I must speak 
 two words to you in private, and if I lose this opportunity I may never 
 have another. Emily, if you value my peace of mind, I entreat you do 
 not refuse." 
 
 A large party, composed chiefly of young men, was descending at 
 the moment, so that Emily's reply was inaudible, but when, having 
 got in some degree clear of the confusion, Annie looked back for her 
 
272 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 chaperone, Travers and the Countess were nowhere to be seen. 
 Horrified at this discovery, Annie stopped abruptly, exclaiming, "Oh, 
 we have missed Mr. .Travers and my cousin ! We had better turn 
 back." 
 
 The boy glanced quickly round, and as he perceived the truth of 
 her assertion a meaning smile passed across his features. All traces 
 of it had, however, vanished ere he replied, " They must have turned 
 down the other staircase, but it will bring them out at the same place 
 as this would have done ; we shall meet them at the bottom." Then, 
 as his companion still hesitated, he continued, " I can assure you it is 
 so ; we should only lose them if we were to return." 
 
 Half convinced by this argument, and completely frightened by the 
 party of young men, who, talking and laughing, were rapidly following 
 them, Annie suffered herself to be hurried on by her companion till 
 she reached the foot of the staircase; here she paused and looked 
 anxiously around for her cousin and Travers — they were nowhere to 
 be seen. Annoyed, distressed, and frightened, she turned to her 
 companion, exclaiming, "They are not here, you see. What are we 
 to do?" 
 
 " Wait, I suppose," returned the boy, who seemed puzzled and vexed. 
 " This is a nice trick of Master Gus's," be continued in a half soliloquy; 
 "he ought at least to have given me a hint what to do." 
 
 Before Annie could inquire what he imagined his brother's intentions 
 might be, a fresh incident diverted, and, from its disagreeable nature, 
 soon wholly engrossed her attention. The crush-room, as it is called, 
 where she was now standing, was occupied almost entirely by men, 
 who, broken up into parties of four or five, were pacing up and down, 
 waiting for their friends to join them, or standing in groups, canvassing 
 the various merits and demerits of the different performers. To one 
 or two of these coteries Annie soon became an object of especial 
 notice. 
 
 " Do you see that girl ? " whispered a pert youth with light curls and 
 a turned-down collar. " Isn't she a regular stunner, eh ?" 
 
 "Ya'as, dev'lish pwitty, ra-ally," drawled a moustachiod puppy, 
 staring through an eyeglass at the object of his admiration. "Aw — I 
 wonder who she possibly ca-an be. I actually don't know har." 
 
 " I suppose she's standing there to be looked at," returned the first 
 speaker. " Her juvenile gallant can't get her along at any price, it 
 seems." 
 
 " Ra'ally, it were almost worth while to relieve him of his charge," 
 drawled moustachios. " He seems particularly incompetent to fill it, 
 not — aw — equal to the situation — ha ! ha ! " 
 
 "Why don't you volunteer, Spooner, if you think so?" urged a third 
 speaker. 
 
 " Na-o, I don't do that sort of thing — I'm — aw — quite a reformed 
 character," was the reply; "but if you wa-ant a leader for such a 
 forlorn hope — aw — here comes your man." 
 
 As he spoke, a tall, distinguished-looking individual, with much 
 watch-chain and more whisker, who looked forty, but might be a year 
 or two younger, lounged up to the group, and showing his teeth with 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 273 
 
 a repulsive smile, inquired, "What are you young reprobates grinning 
 about, eh ? " 
 
 " We were only saying it was a pity that young lady had not a more 
 efficient protector, and advising Spooner to volunteer, Sir Gilbert," 
 was the reply. 
 
 "Who are the individuals?" inquired the last comer, screwing a 
 glass into the corner of his eye. A moment's inspection served to 
 elucidate the mystery ; and removing the glass with a contemptuous 
 smile, he added, " The boy is little Alfred Travers, who has just left 
 Eton; he's evidently waiting for his brother, who, I've a notion, has 
 more strings than one to his bow to-night ; as for the damsel, noscitur 
 a sociis. We'll play the fascinating Gus a trick for once in his life. 
 Come with me. Forester ; I may want you to bully the boy." Then 
 turning on his heel, he advanced towards Annie, and saluting her with 
 a low bow, began — 
 
 " This is a most unexpected pleasure I I had no idea you were here 
 to-night ; where have you hidden yourself this age ? " then perceiving 
 that, confused by his address, and uncertain whether he might not be 
 some acquaintance whose features she had failed to recognise, the 
 young lady was completely at a loss how to reply, he continued, " I 
 see that you have been cruel enough to forget me; while I, on the 
 contrary, have carried your lovely image in my heart, and time has 
 failed to efface even the shadow of a charm. But let me be of use 
 to you. Have you a carriage here, or will you allow me to place 
 mine at your disposal? The house is becoming deserted — let me 
 escort you. Stand aside, young gentleman," and as he spoke he 
 advanced towards her, offering his arm. 
 
 But Annie, having recovered from her first surprise, felt convinced 
 that the person addressing her was a total stranger, and drawing 
 back in alarm, she said to her companion in a hurried whisper — 
 
 " Indeed, I do not know that gentleman — there must be some 
 mistake — pray let us get away." 
 
 Thus urged, the boy drew up his slight figure to its full height, and 
 turning to the individual in question, said haughtily — 
 
 " You are mistaken, sir ; I must trouble you to allow us to pass." 
 
 " It is you who mistake jest for earnest, my good boy," was the 
 contemptuous reply ; " the lady and I are old friends ; she is merely 
 trying to tease me by pretending to have forgotten me. This gentle- 
 man " (and he glanced at his companion) " will explain the matter to 
 you." Then again offering his arm to Annie, he continued, " Really, if 
 you persist in your silly joke we shall have the carriage drive off." 
 
 Confused by his pertinacity, Alfred Travers glanced at his trembling 
 companion, and reading the truth in the terrified expression of her 
 face, his boyish chivalry took fire, and anxious to vindicate his title to 
 be considered a man, he exclaimed, angrily — 
 
 "Stand back, sir, and let us pass; do you mean to insult the 
 lady?" 
 
 The person he addressed. Sir Gilbert Vivian, was a roui Baronet 
 who, having been a man about town for the last sixteen years, and 
 having long since lost all the good character he had ever possessed, 
 
 19 
 
274 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 and acquired a reputation of a diametrically opposite tendency, was 
 scarcely a person to stick at trifles, laughed as he replied — 
 
 "Do you hear that, Forester? This good youth accuses you of 
 insulting the young lady — hadn't you better give him a lesson in 
 civility ? " 
 
 As he spoke he made a significant gesture, which the other re- 
 sponded to by exclaiming — 
 
 "Insult the lady! what do you mean, you young cub, eh?" and 
 grasping him by the arm, he twisted him roughly round, thereby 
 separating him from Annie. 
 
 " Take that, and find out," was the thoroughly school-boy answer, 
 as, bounding forward, the ex-Etonian administered to his antagonist a 
 ringing box on the ear. 
 
 This, save that the blow was more skilfully applied and rather 
 harder than he had calculated upon, was just the result Forester had 
 anticipated. Seizing the struggling boy by the collar, he declared he 
 would give him in custody for an assault, and, despite his resistance, 
 dragged him from the spot in a pretended search after a policeman. 
 Availing himself of the confusion, the Baronet placed himself by 
 Annie's side, and bending over her, said — 
 
 " It's no use waiting for the fascinating Augustus, I can assure you; 
 he has other game in view to-night, and can't come; so for once you 
 must allow me the honour of acting as his deputy — 'pon my word, you 
 must," and as he spoke he attempted to take her arm and draw it 
 within his own. 
 
 Poor Annie ! distressed, confused, and frightened, the desertion, or 
 rather capture, of the boy, her only protector, had increased her alarm 
 twenty-fold, and now the renewed persecution of the Baronet brought 
 her fears to a climax, and attempting to withdraw her hand from his 
 grasp, in a very agony of terror she exclaimed — 
 
 "Oh! where is Emily? will nobody help me?" and burst into a 
 flood of tears. 
 
 At this moment a tall figure suddenly interposed between them, 
 and the Baronet's wrist was seized with such a vice-like grasp that he 
 uttered an exclamation of mingled rage and pain, and dropped the 
 little hand of which he had unjustly possessed himself as though it 
 had been a red-hot cinder; while Annie, uttering a cry of delight, 
 sprang forward, and clasping the arm of the new-comer, clung to it as 
 some drowning wretch clings to the plank which shields him from the 
 rushing waters that threaten his destruction. 
 
 Lewis, for he it was (as every reader above the unsuspecting age of 
 four and a half has of course ere this discovered for himself), under- 
 standing at a glance the outlines of the situation, and intuitively 
 divining much of what Annie must have gone through, pitied and 
 sympathised with her so deeply that the anger he would otherwise 
 have felt against the man who had insulted her was completely 
 conquered by the stronger feeling which absorbed him, and his only 
 thought was how best to soothe and tranquillise the frightened sirl 
 who clung to him. 
 
 "Do not alarm yourself," he said kindly; " you have nothing more 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 275 
 
 to fear. I will not leave you for a moment till you are again at home 
 and in safety. Lean pn my arm, you tremble so that you can scarcely 
 walk ; " and half leading, half supporting her, he drew her away from 
 the scene of her disasters, and passing through the crowd of loiterers 
 whom the scufHe between Forester and Alfred Travers had attracted 
 to the spot, conducted her towards the nearest exit. 
 
 So quietly and suddenly had all this taken place, that ere Sir 
 Gilbert Vivian had left off rubbing his wrist, or thoroughly realised 
 the sudden frustration of his scheme, the object of his insolent 
 attentions was almost out of sight. Irritated at his failure, and urged 
 on by the scarcely suppressed laughter of those who had witnessed 
 his defeat, he muttered an oath, and turning on his heel, followed 
 hastiljr in the track of Annie and her deliverer. Coming up with 
 them just as they reached the entrance leading into the colonnade, he 
 tapped Lewis smartly on the shoulder, saying angrily — 
 
 " A word with you, sir, if you please. I wish to ask what you mean 
 by your impertinent interference. Who the d — 1 are you, I should 
 like to know ? " 
 
 A flush of anger passed across Lewis's brow, and he was about to 
 make a reply which would scarcely have tended to bring the matter to 
 an amicable conclusion, when an almost convulsive pressure of the 
 arm on which Annie hung recalled his self-control, and drawing 
 himself up with a stern dignity which bespoke an apt pupil in the 
 school of General Grant, he fixed his piercing eyes upon the Baronet 
 as he answered, " You have already, sir, acting probably under some 
 mistake^' (and he laid a strong emphasis upon the last word), "sub- 
 jected this lady to an amount of fright and annoyance which should 
 secure the forbearance of any one moving in the society of gentlemen. 
 Should you wish to call and apologise to her father for your share in 
 this unlucky adventure, I shall be happy to explain to you in his 
 presence the part I have taken in the affair. There is my address," 
 and without waiting further parley Lewis handed him his card, and 
 drawing Annie gently forward, passed on. As they reached the 
 entrance, a gentleman coming hastily the other way, nearly ran 
 against them. Looking up, Annie perceived it to be Augustus 
 Travers, who, recognising her, exclaimed, " I have left the Countess 
 Portici in the carriage, and was returning to seek for you. Miss Grant. 
 She is much alarmed at having missed you." The only reply Annie 
 made to this speech was by a slight inclination of the head, and 
 pressing hastily forward, she passed on. As Lewis assisted her into 
 the carriage, she, for the first time, spoke. " You will come with us," 
 she said eagerly ; " remember you have promised not to leave me." 
 Then catching sight of Augustus Travers, who had followed them, a 
 new idea struck her, and she continued, " Tell that gentleman I am 
 afraid his brother has become involved in some difficulty on my 
 account; he had better go back and seek for him." Lewis repeated 
 her message and then sprang into the carriage, which instantly drove 
 off, leaving the discomfited dandy to accomplish his mission as best 
 he might 
 
2 76 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 CHAPTER XLII. 
 
 A TETE-A-TETE, AND A TRAGEDY. 
 
 A PARTY more silent than the trio occupying General Grant's carriage 
 never drove from the door of Her Majesty's theati-e. Annie, delighted 
 to find herself once again in safety, leant back amidst cloaks and 
 cushions to recover as best she might the effects of the terror she had 
 undergone. Somewhat to her surprise and displeasure, Emily, without 
 uttering a word by way either of explanation or condolence, also threw 
 herself back among the cushions, and arranging a fold of her mantle 
 so as to conceal her face, appeared unconscious of the presence of her 
 companions. To this silent system they scrupulously adhered till they 
 reached Conduit Street, when Emily exclaimed in a quick, eager tone 
 of voice, "Where are they going? Tell him to drive to Berkeley 
 Square directly." 
 
 Lewis, to whom this speech was addressed, let down the window 
 and gave the coachman the requisite order, and in less than five 
 minutes the carriage stopped at the house occupied for the season by 
 the Countess Portici. The servant let down the steps, and Lewis 
 springing out, assisted the Countess to alight; as she did so she 
 turned her head, and saying hurriedly, " Annie, I shall see you to- 
 morrow," entered the house, and the door closed after her. Lewis 
 resumed his place, and the carriage drove away. 
 
 " I think she is very unkind not to have said she was sorry for 
 having missed me, and I'll never go out wfth her again," observed 
 Annie petulantly. "And Lord Bellefield, too," she continued — for 
 she had by this time reached that stage of recovery when, tracing 
 back her alarm to its first causes, it became a relief to her to pour 
 forth her wrongs, and in Lewis she felt sure of a prudent and sympa- 
 thising auditor — " it is all his fault for deserting us in such a shameful 
 way." 
 
 "You are not perhaps aware that, meeting me accidentally, his 
 lordship despatched me to you as his substitute," returned Lewis. 
 
 " Did he intend then to have come back himself, if you had been 
 unable to act as his deputy.'" inquired Annie quickly. 
 
 " He told me it was impossible for him to do so," was Lewis's reply. 
 
 " Then if he had not happened to meet you by mere chance, he 
 would have left us to find our way to the carriage as best we could. 
 How shameful 1 just imagine what would have become of me if you 
 had not arrived when you did ? — that dreadful man ! — I believe I 
 should have died of fright." She paused, then added, in her usual 
 gentle, winning voice, " I must again plague you with my thanks, Mr. 
 Arundel ; you are fated always to render me services for which I am 
 unable to make you any return ; except by my sincere friendship," 
 she continued timidly. 
 
 " And that is a reward for which a man might " began Lewis 
 
 passionately. He was going to add, "gladly die," but he checked 
 himself abruptly, and if Annie could at that moment have seen his 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 277 
 
 face, she would have been scared at the expression of despair by which 
 it was characterised, an expression changing instantly to a look of the 
 sternest resolution, as he continued, in a calm, grave voice, " I mean 
 that your uniform kindness and consideration have overpaid any 
 trifling service I may have been fortunate enough to render you." 
 
 " Did Lord Bellefield give any reason for being unable to return to 
 us?" inq^uired Annie after a pause. Lewis replied in the negative, 
 and Annie resumed, " Papa will be waiting for us — he never goes to 
 bed till I come home. You must tell him all you know of what has 
 occurred, Mr. Arundel; and pray make him understand clearly how 
 much my cousin is to blame in the matter." 
 
 " Of course, if General Grant questions me I must tell him exactly 
 what I have done and why I did it," returned Lewis gravely ; " but — 
 may I indeed use the privilege of a friend, and venture for once to 
 advise you ? " 
 
 "Oh yes, pray do," rejoined Annie eagerly; "I shall be so much 
 oblified to you. I dare say I am going to do something very foolish." 
 
 " From my acquaintance with your father's high and chivalrous 
 character," continued Lewis, " I feel sure that the facts with which I 
 must make him acquainted will incense him greatly against Lord 
 Bellefield, and as the General is, both from temperament and educa- 
 tion, a man of action, his resentment is almpst certain to lead to some 
 practical results. Now just at present you are naturally and justly 
 angry with your cousin ; but young ladies' anger is seldom of a very 
 vindictive description, yours least of all so, and when, after frowning 
 him into penitence, you have graciously forgiven him, will not a 
 serious rupture with the General be a source of annoyance (to use no 
 stronger word) both to you and to Lord Bellefield ? All that I would 
 recommend," continued Lewis, seeing that Annie bent down her head 
 and made no reply, " would be, not what the lawyers term suppressio 
 veri—l would not for the world have you conceal anything ; but much 
 depends upon the spirit in which a tale is told, and I am anxious to 
 save you from the subsequent regret which yielding to a momentary 
 impulse of anger may cost you." 
 
 " Tell me plainly what it is you think my father would do ? " inquired 
 Annie abruptly. 
 
 " I think — pardon me if I speak too freely — I think the General 
 would resolve to break off the engagement which Mr. Leicester long 
 since informed me existed between yourself and Lord Bellefield ; and 
 it was to save you the pain such a resolve might cost you that I 
 ventured to offer you my advice." 
 
 " You are mistaken," replied his companion hurriedly ; " such an 
 arr.ingement as that to which you refer may have been, perhaps still 
 is, contemplated ; but the idea has always been distasteful to me, and 
 anything which would preclude the possibility of further reference to 
 it would be to me a subject of rejoicing rather than of regret. You may 
 think it strange in me to speak thus openly to you ; but I am sure my 
 confidence is not misplaced, and — and I am most anxious my father 
 should understand clearly the insult (for I consider it no less) my 
 cousin has to-night offered me." 
 
278 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 Whether the information thus communicated was a source of pain 
 or pleasure to her auditor, we must leave the reader to conjecture for 
 himself, as when Lewis next spoke his manner was calm and grave 
 as ever. 
 
 " There is one possibility," he said, " of which you must not entirely 
 lose sight : there may have been some urgent necessity for Lord Belle- 
 field's presence elsewhere — some sufficient reason for his apparent 
 neglect, which he will only have to mention in order alike to disarm 
 your indignation and that of General Grant" 
 
 " Really, my cousin appears to have secured a most able advocate," 
 returned Annie, with the slightest possible shade of annoyance per- 
 ceivable in her tone. " I was scarcely prepared to find you so zealous 
 in his cause." 
 
 Lewis's face grew dark as he replied in a low, earnest voice, " While 
 I live. Lord Bellefield shall always meet vnth the strictest justice at my 
 hands ! Justice 1 " he continued bitterly, " it is a god-like principle, 
 and sculptors have symbolised it well — the blinded brow, to show the 
 stern singleness of heart ; the scales, to weigh the merits of the case ; 
 and the keen sword, the agent of a sudden and full retribution." 
 
 He spoke in a tone of such deep and concentrated feeling, that 
 Annie, as she listened to his words, trembled involuntarily. With the 
 keenness of a woman's instinct she appreciated the intensity of the 
 feeling and the power of the will that was, for the time, able to control 
 it. For the time ! — in that phrase lay the secret of her prescient 
 terror. 
 
 Lewis was too much engrossed by the strength of his own emotions 
 to perceive the alarm he had excited ; nor was it till they reached the 
 corner of Park Crescent that he again spoke — 
 
 " How did you contrive to become separated from the Countess 
 Portici?" he inquired. "You were absolutely alone amongst those 
 people — were you not ? — when I came up." 
 
 Scarcely had Annie informed him of the circumstances which led 
 to her desertion when the carriage stopped. 
 
 " The General wishes to see you before you retire for the night, 
 Miss Grant," insinuated the aristocratic butler, as, leaning on Lewis's 
 arm, Annie entered the paternal mansion. 
 
 " Where is my father?" she inquired hastily — "in the library?" 
 
 Receiving an affirmative answer, she continued, turning to Lewis : 
 " You must come with me ; remember your promise 1 — I by no means 
 consider myself safe till this interview is over." 
 
 Lewis smiled assent ; his unnatural stiffness of manner seemed to 
 have disappeared like magic the moment their Ute-d.-tite was over, 
 and Annie again restored to the protection of her own home. 
 
 The General appeared in high good humour. "You are late, you 
 dissipated puss ! " he said as Annie entered. "Ah ! Mr. Arundel," he 
 continued, " I did not know you had been of the party. What have 
 you done with Emily and Bellefield, Annie?" 
 
 "Emily is safely at home," was the reply; "she would not come 
 further than Berkeley St^uare. As to my cousin Bellefield, he must 
 answer for himself, if he is not irrecoverably lost ; he chose to leave us 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 279 
 
 to take care of ourselves. We have had an adventure, and I should 
 have died of fright if Mr. Arundel had not come to my assistance like 
 one of the good genii in the 'Arabian Nights' Entertainments.' But 
 I must go to bed, or Aunt Martha will be implacable; she always 
 examines Lisette on oath as to the precise moment at which she finally 
 leaves my room. Mr. Arundel will tell you the whole history much 
 better than I can — so good-night I " and casting a glance, half arch, 
 half imploring, but wholly irresistible, at Lewis, she glided out of the 
 apartment, and was gone ere the General had sufficiently " come at " 
 tlie meaning of her speech to attempt to detain her. 
 
 Fixing his eyes on Lewis with a look of sublime perplexity, which 
 bordered closely on the ludicrous, he exclaimed, " Pray, what is the 
 meaning of all this, Mr. Arundel ? Can you explain to what my 
 daughter alluded?" 
 
 Thus called upon, Lewis was forced to narrate the adventures of the 
 evening, with the details of which the reader has been already made 
 acquainted. 
 
 The General heard him attentively, though his brow grew dark as 
 he proceeded. He listened in silence, however, till Lewis began to 
 describe the scene in the crush-room at the Opera-house, when he 
 became so much excited that he sprang from his seat and began 
 pacing the apartment with impatient strides. At the mention of Sir 
 Gilbert Vivian's impertinent behaviour he exclaimed — 
 
 " A scoundrel 1 I remember when he was broke upon parade for 
 insolence to his commanding officer. I hope you knocked him down, 
 sir ! " 
 
 " I felt strangely tempted to do so," replied Lewis, " but he had 
 several of his friends with him, so that I should have been certain to 
 get into a disagreeable squabble ; and in that case what would have 
 become of Miss Grant ? " 
 
 " Very true, sir, very true," returned the General hastily ; " next 
 to courage, coolness in action is the greatest attribute in a soldier — 
 that is to say, in a gentleman — and I honour your forbearance for 
 such a cause. Shake hands, sir I " and suiting the action to the 
 word. General Grant crossed the room, and seizing Lewis by the 
 hand, shook it warmly. 
 
 At this unusual display of feeling Lewis's pale cheek flushed, and 
 he continued his narration to the point when he handed Sir Gilbert 
 Vivian his card. Here he paused, and continued in an embarrassed 
 tone of voice : " I dare say he will take no notice of this — but if he 
 should — of course I am aware that the affair must be left entirely 
 in your hands, and that it is Lord Bellefield's privilege to — to defend 
 — that is, to chastise any insult offered to Miss Grant ; but as you 
 have so kindly signified your approval of my conduct in the affair 
 hitherto — if you could reward me by allowing me to go out with this 
 scoundrel ? " 
 
 This was a request so thoroughly after the General's own heart, 
 that, as he listened to it, his little, bright eyes danced and sparkled 
 with satisfaction, which he had much difficulty not to express in 
 words ; but his moral obligations, as a disciplinarian and the father of 
 
28o LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 a family, came across him, and he repHed : " Duelling is a practice 
 alike subversive of military disciphne, and contrary to the dictates of 
 religion ; it is one, therefore, against which I have always — that is, 
 for many years past — felt obliged to set my face. Until Lord Bellefield 
 shall have afforded me some perfectly satisfactory explanation of his 
 extraordinary conduct, his intercourse with this household must 
 entirely cease; a man who could thus neglect his trust is the last 
 person to whom I should dream of committing the honour of — ahem ! 
 — my family. As to this Sir Gilbert Vivian, from what I have heard 
 of him, he is beneath the notice of a gentleman — quite a contemptible 
 character; the fact of his annoying my daughter proves this. If it 
 were not so, I vow to Heaven I'd have the fellow out myself on 
 Monday morning." And finishing with this consistent remark his 
 tirade against duelling, the General resumed his peripatetic exercise, 
 much to the detriment of the library carpet. 
 
 When Lewis had completed his recital, his auditor again " took the 
 chair," and leaning his head on his hand, remained pondering the 
 matter for some minutes in silence. At length he said, " Did Lord 
 Bellefield give you any possible clue to the reason why he could not 
 return to the Opera-house ? " 
 
 "He said nothing, sir, to throw any light upon the matter; but 
 when I accidentally met him, as I have already mentioned, he ap- 
 peared much agitated, his features were unusually pale, and charac- 
 terised by an expression — I should almost say of horror." 
 
 " Have you any knowledge of the house he was leaving ? Why do 
 you hesitate ? " 
 
 " I will tell you frankly. General Grant," returned Lewis, drawing 
 himself up and meeting the General's scrutinising glance with a clear, 
 steadfast gaze. " For some time past Lord Bellefield and I have not 
 been on good terms together. Since I have lived beneath your roof 
 he is the only person who has treated me ungenerously, or caused me 
 to feel the full bitterness of my dependent situation. Respect for you, 
 and a sense of my own position, have prevented my resenting his 
 lordship's conduct as under other circumstances I might have done, 
 but enough has passed between us to prove that we regard each other 
 with no very friendly feeling." 
 
 " I was not at all aware of this — you should have told me this sooner, 
 Mr. Arundel. I allow no one to be treated discourteously in my 
 house," interrupted the General hastily. 
 
 " I should not have mentioned the fact now, sir," replied Lewis 
 calmly, " had I not been anxious to explain to you why it is in the 
 highest degree repugnant to me to be forced by circumstances to 
 appear as Lord Bellefield's accuser, and thus lay myself open to the 
 suspicion of being actuated by malicious motives." 
 
 " No one who knew you would imagine that, sir," returned the 
 General ; " but the truth should always be spoken regardless of 
 consequences, and you must yourself perceive how important it is 
 that I should form a just estimate of Lord Bellefield's conduct in this 
 affair." 
 
 Lewis paused a moment in reflection, and then replied, " The part 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 281 
 
 I have taken in this business was none of my own seeking, nor do I 
 see that I am bound by any obligation of honour to withhold from you 
 the only other fact of which I am aware in regard to the matter. I do 
 happen to know the character of the house which Lord Bellefield was 
 leavmg, for as I walked down to the Pateontological Society this 
 afternoon with my friend Richard Frere, he pointed it out to me as a 
 gaming-house of some notoriety." 
 
 The expression of the General's face, when he became aware of this 
 uncomfortable little fact, grew so stern, that a distressed artist, wishing 
 to paint some Roman father sacrificing his son, would have given all the 
 small change he might have happened to have about him at the time 
 for one glimpse of that inflexible countenance. Suggestive, however, of 
 evil as was this circumstance, the whole affair appeared wrapped in 
 such a veil of mystery that neither General Grant nor Lewis could, as 
 they that night lay awake revolving the mattei in their anxious minds, 
 arrive at any satisfactory hypothesis by which to account for Lord 
 Bellefield's extraordinary behaviour. The following paragraph, which 
 appeared in several of the Sunday papers, and was recopied in the 
 " Morning Post " of Monday, was the first thing that tended to 
 enlighten them ; it was headed 
 
 "APPALLING SUICIDE. 
 
 " As our columns were going to press we received intelligence of 
 one of the most awful catastrophes which it has ever been our melan- 
 choly duty to record ; we refer to the untimely decease of Captain 
 Mellerton, of the — th foot, who perished by his own hand in a notorious 
 gambling-house not far from Charing Cross. As far as we have been 
 able to ascertain the facts of the case, the unfortunate young gentle- 
 man, who was adjutant of the — th, lost a considerable sum of 
 money (it is said ;£ 12,000) to Lord B — f — d, a nobleman of sporting 
 notoriety, at the first Newmarket meeting. Being unable to meet so 
 large a call upon his finances, he was induced in an evil hour to 
 speculate with some of the regimental money committed to his charge, 
 intending to replace it by the sale of an estate in Yorkshire; and 
 having thus satisfied the demands of his noble creditor, he was on 
 Saturday last unexpectedly called upon to send in his regimental 
 accounts. In this extremity we have heard it rumoured that he was 
 induced to apply to Lord B — f — d, as the only person on whom he 
 had the slightest claim; but if we have not been misinformed, the 
 appeal was vain, and urged to desperation by this failure of his last 
 hope, the unfortunate young man repaired to the gaming-house in which 
 the rash act was committed, played deeply, and when fortune again 
 declared against him, drew a loaded pistol from his breast, and before 
 the bystanders were aware of his design, terminated his existence by 
 blowing out his brains. Captain Mellerton was the eldest son of the 
 Honourable H. Mellerton, of Harrowby Park, Beds., and was shortly 
 
 to be married to Miss A D , daughter of Sir C D , 
 
 the wedding-day being fi.\ed immediately after the commencement of 
 the recess." 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 CHAPTER xmi. 
 
 WHEREIN FAUST "SETS UP " FOR A GENTLEMAN, AND TAKES 
 A COURSE OF SERIOUS READING. 
 
 When General Grant had perused the " Morning Post," containing 
 the paragraph with which the last chapter concluded, he left the 
 remainder of his breakfast untasted, and hastening to the library, wrote 
 the following letter : — 
 
 "My Lord, — On learning from my daughter the uncourteous, I 
 had almost written ungentlemanly, manner in which you neglected 
 her safety on Saturday evening, I was naturally much incensed. A 
 paragraph referring to you in the ' Post ' of this morning affords a 
 sufficient clue to the cause of your absence from the Opera-house, but 
 unfortunately does so by casting upon you an imputation which (unless 
 you can explain the affair to my entire satisfaction, which I confess 
 appears to me improbable) must necessarily break off all intercourse 
 between us. I am aware that your conduct may not have exceeded 
 the limits which the world terms honourable, but I do not regulate my 
 opinions by the world's standard, and should consider that I was 
 indeed neglecting my duty as a father were I to entrust my daughter's 
 happiness to a gamester whose success has involved the ruin and 
 self-murder of a fellow-creature. These may sound harsh terms, but 
 unless you can disprove that they are true ones, I for the last time 
 sign myself, yours faithfully, 
 
 "Archibald Grant." 
 
 Having relieved his mind by penning the above epistle, he despatched 
 a mounted groom to convey it to its destination, and having seen him 
 depart, shut himself up, in solitary dignity, to await an answer. In 
 less time than could have been imagined the groom returned bearing 
 the following missive : — 
 
 " Lord Bellefield presents his compliments to General Grant, and 
 having perused his strangely offensive letter, begs to decline affording 
 any explanation whatsoever of the conduct of which General Grant 
 sees fit to disapprove. Lord Bellefield agrees in thinking that under 
 these circumstances all intercourse between himself and General 
 Grant's family had better cease." 
 
 While the General sat in his library pondering over this agreeable 
 epistle with a rueful countenance, to which anger, vexation, and out- 
 raged dignity imparted a singularly undesirable expression, an eager 
 and exciting conversation was being carried on in a pretty little apart- 
 ment opening into a miniature conservatory, dedicated to the use of 
 Annie Grant. Emily had arrived, all her own natural, fascinating, 
 impulsive, silly little self again, and had pooh-poohed any attempt at 
 coolness on Annie's part by throwing her arms round her neck and 
 kissing her a very unnecessary number of times, under the plea of her 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 283 
 
 being " a dear, ill-used thing that mnsl be petted." And having thus 
 at one and the same time expiated her offences and relieved her feel- 
 ings, she danced across the room, bolted the door, drew a heavy 
 damask curtain over it, and exclaiming, " Now we're snug," danced 
 back again, and flinging herself into an easy-chair, began — 
 
 " Oh, my dear Annie I I am so miserable, so utterly wretched, I 
 must go back to Italy; I've written to Alessandro to come and fetch 
 me directly. I shall never be happy again — at least not till I've 
 cjuite forgotten it all — and that will be never." And here came out a 
 little lace parody of a pocket-handkerchief, which, although by no 
 means a desirable article wherewith to face a violent cold in the head, 
 or at all calculated to withstand so much as an average sneeze, yet 
 sufficed to dry the ghost of the tear which Emily's deep wretchedness 
 drew from her. 
 
 " My dear Emily, what is the matter ? " returned Annie, alarmed by 
 a thousand vague fears, though, not having seen the paragraph, she 
 was as yet unconscious of the darkest cloud that obscured the family 
 horizon. 
 
 " Oh, my love, I suppose I ought not to tell you anything about it, 
 but I must, for I've no one else to confide in. That wretch Gus 1 — 
 would you believe it ? he actually wanted me to leave poor dear 
 Alessandro, and to run away with him;" and then with many ejacula- 
 tions, and much flourishing of the homoeopathic sized handkerchief, 
 she went on to relate how, when she became separated from Annie at 
 the Opera-house, " which was all that creature Gus's fault, and done 
 on purpose," she was certain, the " creature " had availed himself of 
 the opportunity he had thus secured to urge his undying attachment 
 to her, which affection, despite its inherent principle of vitality, he de- 
 clared would assuredly bring him to an early grave in the event of her 
 obduracy continuing; but Emily, though positively a flirt, and negatively 
 rather a goose than otherwise, was not unprincipled, and so when she 
 had overcome her first impulse of surprise and mortification, all the 
 virtuous wife arose within her, and she gave Gus to understand, by 
 dint of sundry short, sharp, and decisive plain-spoken unpleasantnesses, 
 that he had made a false move and ruined his game. Thence lapsing 
 abruptly into a fit of sulky dignity, she ordered him, with the voice and 
 gestures of a tragedy queen, to lead her to her carriage, finally des- 
 patching the foiled "Lionne " hunter to remedy one of his ill deeds by 
 finding Annie, on which mission he departed in a state of mind the 
 reverse of seraphic. Having concluded this historical episode, la 
 Contessa proceeded to append thereunto certain annotations and 
 reflections, in the course of which she contrived to fix much blame 
 on society in general, and on Gus and Alessandro in particular, but 
 none whatsoever on her own flirting manner and inordinate love of 
 attention, which self-deluding analysis was by no means an original 
 feature in the case, but rather an unconscious imitation of the proceed- 
 ings of many a deeper thinker than poor little Emily. 
 
 The conference between the girls was still at its height when a 
 summons for Annie from her father interrupted the proceedings; 
 whereupon Emily, declaring that neither her health nor spirits were 
 
284 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 then capable of undergoing the pain forte et dure of an interview with 
 •^Aunt Martha, drove home again, to fortify her principles and console 
 her breaking heart with a volume of George Sand's last novel. The 
 General was in a great state of virtuous indignation. LordBellefield's 
 note had been as gunpowder sprinkled over the smouldering embers 
 of his wrath, and when Annie arrived they (or, to translate the 
 metaphor slang-id, he) " flared up " to an immense extent. He told 
 her of all the enormities which the newspapers attributed to her 
 cousin, and signified his belief that the case had been rather under- 
 stated than otherwise ; he informed her of Lewis's rencontre with the 
 delinquent at the door of a gaming-house; he adduced the note which 
 he had just received as a proof that its writer must be lost to all better 
 feeling — utterly wanting in a proper respect for age and position ; and, 
 in short, he said a great many severe and unwise things, after the 
 fashion of angry men in general, for which he was afterwards very 
 sorry, finding such speeches easier to say than to unsay — which result 
 is also by no means uncommon in similar cases. 
 
 Having relieved his feelings by this explosion, he proceeded to the 
 more serious business of the interview by informing her that the 
 necessary consequence of these uncomfortable revelations must be the 
 dissolution of all ties, present or prospective, between herself and Lord 
 Bellefield, which autocratic act he performed with outward austerity 
 and inward trepidation, as he fully expected Annie to receive the 
 harsh decree with a violent burst of tears, and, man-like, there was 
 nothing he dreaded so much — he would rather have faced a charge 
 of cavalry any day. But to his surprise Annie sustained the informa- 
 tion with a degree of stoical self-control that was perfectly marvellous. 
 She neither wept, sighed, nor attempted the hysteric line; she only 
 said gravely, " It's all very sad and shocking ; but of course, dear 
 papa, I am ready to agree to whatever you think best." The General 
 rubbed his hands — there was a daughter for you ! Not a word of 
 opposition — to hear was to obey; it actually restored him to good 
 humour. He talked to her kindly and sensibly for a quarter of an 
 hour, and then went out and purchased for her a valuable diamond 
 bracelet, which was his idea of rewarding self-sacrifice in woman. 
 And so did Annie, involuntarily and unconsciously, gain high praise 
 and honour for submitting with resignation to a decree which afforded 
 her unmitigated satisfaction. As she left the library she encountered 
 poor Walter, who appeared in unusually high spirits. Next to Lewis, 
 Annie held the foremost place in Walter's affections, from the unvary- 
 ing patience and kindness with which she treated him. Moreover, 
 having failed to inspire him with the degree of respect not unmingled 
 with awe with which he was accustomed to regard his tutor, he looked 
 upon her in the light of a companion and an equal, to whom it might 
 be safe to confide certain mischievous performances in which, as his 
 spirits acquired more elasticity, and his mental powers began to 
 develop, he saw fit from time to time to indulge. With some such 
 ' intention did he now approach her, whispering as he drew near, " I 
 want you, Annie ; I want you to come with me and see Faust dressed 
 like a gentleman." 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 285 
 
 " See what, you silly boy ? " returned Annie, laughing. 
 
 " Come with me and you shall see," was the rhythmical and oracular 
 response ; and seizing her by the hand, he dragged her ofT in the direc- 
 tion of the sitting-room appropriated to his own use and that of his tutor. 
 
 "Is Mr. Arundel there?" inquired Annie, pausing when she dis- 
 covered their destination. 
 
 " No, he's not at home ; there's no other gentleman there except Mr. 
 Faust," was the reply ; and thus reassured, Annie complied with the 
 boy's whim, and allowed him to carry her off unopposed. Now, since 
 we have had any especial intercourse with that worthy dog, Faust's 
 education had progressed rapidly as well as Walter's. Lewis, partly 
 from want of occupation during the many weary hours his attendance 
 on Walter necessitated, partly because by so doing he was enabled to 
 excite and interest the feeble intellect of his poor charge, had availed 
 himself of the unusual power of control he had acquired over the dog 
 to teach him sundry tricks somewhat more difficult to perform than 
 the ordinary routine of canine accomplishments ; for instance, having 
 perfected him in sitting on his hind legs in the attitude popularly 
 supposed to represent the act of begging, he went on to teach him to 
 sit thus perched up in a corner for a space of time gradually increas- 
 ing, as by practice the animal's muscles acquired more rigidity, until 
 at length it was no uncommon feat for him to remain in this attitude 
 for an hour at literally a "sitting." Moreover, if a light book or 
 pamphlet were placed on his forepaws, he would support it, and remain 
 gazing on the open page before him with a solemn gravity of coun- 
 tenance, indicating, apparently, the deepest interest in the work he 
 seemed to be perusing. Of the results of this educational course 
 Walter had on the present occasion availed himself; and accordingly, 
 Annie, on her introduction to the study, found the excellent dog seated 
 on his hind legs in a corner, with an extempore mantle formed of a 
 red scarf drooping gracefully from his shoulders, and an old cap of 
 Walter's on his head. Thus attired, he appeared to be conning, with 
 an expression of puzzled diligence, a tract against profane swearing by 
 Mrs. Hannah More, presented to Walter by Miss Livingstone on the 
 occasion of his inadvertently making use 'in her presence of the 
 scandalous expression, " Bless my heart ! " Annie, duly impressed by 
 this spectacle, laughed even more than Walter had hoped for, and told 
 Faust that he was much the best dog in the world, in which assertion 
 she was not, as we think, guilty of any great exaggeration. And Faust, 
 taking the compliment to himself only when the occurrence of his 
 name rendered the allusion unmistakably personal, slobbered affec- 
 tionately with his great comic mouth, and winked with his foolish, 
 loving eyes, and made abortive attempts to wag his ridiculous friendly 
 tail, which was crumpled up un-wag-ably in the corner, and in the 
 plenitude of his- excellence sat more erect than ever, and studied his 
 profane swearing still more diligently. 
 
 As soon as Walter's delight at Annie's amusement had in some 
 degree subsided, he turned to her, saying— 
 
 "But, Annie, you have not found out why I told you Faust looked 
 like a gentleman." 
 
286 LEWIS ARUNDEL, 
 
 " Oh ! because he sits there reading his book with such an air of 
 dignified composure, I suppose," was the reply. 
 
 " No ; I'd a better reason than that," returned Walter, with a look of 
 unusual sagacity. 
 
 "Well, then, you must tell me what it was, for I can't guess,'' 
 observed Annie good-naturedly. 
 
 " Look again, and find out," rejoined Walter. 
 
 Thus urged, Annie examined the dog more attentively than she had 
 done before, and discovered that round his neck was slung the identical 
 gold watch and chain which, at her suggestion, Charles Leicester and 
 his wife had given to Lewis. 
 
 " Why, you've hung Mr. Arundel's watch round Faust's neck ! Oh, 
 Walter, how foolish of you ; he might have thrown it down and broken 
 it ! " exclaimed Annie, aghast at her discovery. 
 
 "Yes, that's it," returned Walter, chuckling with delight at the 
 success of his puerile attempt at a trick. " All gentlemen wear gold 
 watches, you know, and so does Mr. Faust." 
 
 " You ought not to have put it on him ; I'm sure Mr. Arundel will 
 be vei7 angry," resumed Annie ; and kneeling down by the dog, she 
 began untwisting the chain from his neck. "Sit still, Faust; be quiet, 
 sir," she continued, as Faust, in his affection, attempted to take an 
 unfair advantage of the situation to lick her hands and face, in which 
 act of impertinence Walter sedulously encouraged him; still Annie 
 persevered, and at length succeeded in disengaging the chain and 
 rescuing the watch from its dangerous position. "There," she ex- 
 claimed, " I have remedied the effects of your mischief. Master Walter; 
 but I should never have been able to accomplish it if Faust had not 
 been the best behaved, dearest old dog in the world ; " and with an 
 impulse of girlish playfulness she threw her arms round the animal 
 and pressed his rough head against her shoulder, her soft auburn 
 ringlets falling like a shower of gold upon his shaggy coat. 
 
 At this moment, Lewis, who had been to talk over his Saturday 
 evening's adventures with Frere (or, at least, such portion of them as 
 he chose to reveal, for on some subjects he was strangely reserved, 
 even with Frere), returned, and finding the door ajar, entered noise- 
 lessly, and stood transfixed by the sight of the tableau vivant we have 
 endeavoured to describe. He thought that he had never beheld 
 anything so lovely in his life before, nor was he far wrong. The time 
 that had elapsed since we first introduced Annie Grant to the reader 
 had altered only to improve her beauty; her figure had gained a 
 certain roundness of outline, and her face acquired a depth of expres- 
 sion, which had been the only finishing touches wanting to complete 
 one of those rare specimens of loveliness on which we gaze with a 
 speculative wonder as to why so much beauty should be, as it were, 
 wasted on this world of change, and sin, and sorrow, and not reserved 
 for that " Fetter Land," 
 
 " Where all lovely things and fair 
 Pass not away." 
 
 Whether ideas at all analogous to these presented themselves to 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 287 
 
 the mind of Lewis, we are unable to say j certain it is, however, that 
 (his artist eye attracted by the picture before him) he stood gazing as 
 one entrariced, while his colour went and came, and his broad chest 
 heaved with the intensity of his emotion. How long affairs might 
 have remained in this position it is impossible to decide, had not 
 Faust, becoming aware of his master's presence by some iiiysterious 
 canine instinct, made an unceremonious attempt to free himself from 
 Annie's caresses ; and that young lady, raising her eyes, encountered 
 those of Lewis fixed upon her with an expression which changed in 
 an instant from ardent admiration to one of grave courtesy as he 
 found that he was observed. Annie's manner, as she rose and came 
 forward, afforded but little clue whether or not she had noticed this 
 change, and though her colour appeared somewhat heightened, no 
 want of self-possession was discernible as she said, holding up the 
 watch — 
 
 "See what I have been rescuing from the mischievous devices of 
 Master Walter I He had actually hung my cousin Charles' present 
 to you round Faust's neck in order to make him look like a gentle- 
 man, as he declared. Walter, come and answer for your misdeeds ; I 
 intend Mr. Arundel to be very angry with you — where are you, sir?" 
 and as she spoke she looked round for her companion, but whether 
 really alarmed at the possibility of being reproved for his mischief, or 
 whether actuated by some reasonless caprice of his half-developed 
 intellect, Walter was nowhere to be found ; so Lewis, having thanked 
 Annie for her care of his watch, poUtely held open the door for her to 
 depart. But when kidnapped by Walter, Annie had been carrying 
 an armful of books, and Lewis, becoming aware of this fact, could do 
 no less than offer to take them up to the drawing-room for her. 
 Having accomplished this feat, he was about to retire, when it 
 occurred to him that he was bound in common civility to inquire 
 whether she had sustained any ill effects from her alarm. 
 
 " Oh, no," replied Annie ; " thanks to your kindness and considera- 
 tion, I am literally qui tte pour lapeur." 
 
 " I suppose," she added hesitatingly, " you have ere this learned 
 the sad cause of Lord Bellefield's absence on Saturday night ? " and 
 on Lewis replying in the affirmative, she continued, "And do you 
 believe all that the newspapers insinuate? Can my cousin have 
 really behaved so very wickedly?" 
 
 " I called on my friend Richard Frere this morning," returned 
 Lewis, "and I hear from him that the main facts of the case are 
 matters of notoriety; for instance, racing men are well aware that 
 Lord Bellefield won a large sum of money from this unfortunate 
 young man ; nor would your cousin attempt to deny that it is so. I 
 am not sufficiently acquainted with the fashionable London world to 
 hazard an opinion on the subject ; but Frere, who knows everybody, 
 says the story has gained universal credence; and though by no 
 means disposed to judge human nature severely, beUeves in it 
 himself." 
 
 "It is very, very shocking," murmured Annie; "and I had hoped 
 it could not be true, but papa is much incensed, and believes it fully ; 
 
288 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 and I fancy you do also, although, having such just cause to dislike 
 my cousin, you are too generous to blame him." 
 
 "Indeed, you are mistaken," returned Lewis kindly; for her 
 manner confirmed him in an impression which had arisen in his 
 mind that the distaste she had expressed to the engagement with 
 Lord Bellefield would vanish as her anger at his neglect cooled. 
 "Indeed, I do not think so; on the contrary, I have a strong 
 conviction that the affair has been misrepresented and exaggerated, 
 and that your cousin will be able to clear himself, not only to your 
 satisfaction, but to that of General Grant also." 
 
 " Heaven forbid 1 " exclaimed Annie impetuously ; and then, ere 
 the words were well spoken, she continued, " No, I do not mean 
 that. How wicked of me to say so 1 but, oh 1 it is such joy to 
 feel that I am free — free as air 1 " Then observing that Lewis's 
 eyes were fixed upon her with an inquiring glance, though his lips 
 framed no sound, she added with a bright blush, "Yes, you were 
 a true prophet, Mr. Arundel," and turning abruptly, she quitted 
 the room. 
 
 And Lewis ! Did he rejoice that the man he hated was thus 
 crossed in his dearest wishes — thus held up to public obloquy? Strange 
 as many will deem it, he did not. On the contrary — except on Annie's 
 account — he was annoyed at the turn events had taken. In the first 
 place, although the facts were so strong that he could not reasonably 
 discredit the reports that were in circulation, he felt a sort of in- 
 stinctive belief that Lord Bellefield was not guilty of all the evil laid 
 to his charge. He recalled the expression of his face as he had seen 
 it on the night of the suicide ; it had not been that of a man hardened 
 in crime, who had left the victim of his betting schemes unaided in 
 his extremity to seek refuge from dishonour in the madness of self- 
 destruction, but rather that of a being of mixed good and evil 
 startled by some frightful reality of life into a condition of temporary 
 remorse. If Lewis could have realised his exact wishes at this 
 moment, he would have desired to clear Lord Bellefield's character 
 by his own unassisted efforts, and as a reward, to have called him out 
 the next morning and fought with small swords (pistols would have 
 decided the matter too quickly to satisfy him) till one or both should 
 have furnished subjects for the undertaker. Then his thoughts re- 
 verted to Annie^she was free, and rejoiced in her freedom, therefore 
 she was to be won. Watch his features as the idea strikes him: first 
 a flush of joy, crimsoning brow and cheek, fading to the pale hue of 
 despair ; then the clenched hand and compressed lips, that tell of the 
 strong will battling with, ay, and conquering — for the will is as yet 
 the stronger — the germs of a consuming passion. Brave young heart, 
 tasting for the first time the full bitterness of life, angels might have 
 wept to view thy gallant striving ! 
 
 The aphorism embodying the statement that a storm is usually 
 followed by a calm, although by no means original, is not on that 
 account the less true; nor in tracing the course of events in the 
 household of General Grant shall we discover an exception to this 
 rule in the " Law of Storms." Immediately after the incident we 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 289 
 
 have related, Lord Bellefield (probably wishing to escape the disagree- 
 able notoriety likely to be obtained by his share in the catastrophe) 
 escorted his sister to Italy, without making any attempt to deprecate 
 the anger of General Grant ; and although the Marquis of Ashford, 
 who greatly desired that the proposed matrimonial alliance should 
 take place (hoping that marriage might wean his son from various 
 expensive pursuits, of the nature whereof the reader may have gleaned 
 some faint idea from the previous course of this narrative), made 
 sundry attempts to effect a reconciliation, the General remained im- 
 placable. From his new position, as occasional secretary to her 
 father, Lewis was thrown into constant intercourse with Annie, whil^ 
 from the deservedly high opinion General Grant had formed of him, 
 he was treated more as a friend than a dependant.- Before Mrs. 
 Arundel and Rose left London, Annie obtained her father's permis- 
 sion to invite the latter to spend a few days with them. Rose placed 
 the invitation in Lewis's hand before showing it even to Mrs. Arundel. 
 She divined that her brother would feel strongly on the subject, and 
 determined to be guided by his wishes. He read Annie's note in 
 silence : it was like herself — simple, frank, and warm-hearted ; it was 
 accompanied by a few lines from the General — kind (for him) and 
 courteous in the extreme. " Miss Arundel would confer an obligation 
 on his daughter by allowing her the opportunity of becoming ac- 
 quainted with," etc., etc. The General had heard of Rose's literary 
 reputation, and looked upon her as a second Madame de Stael. A 
 woman who had written a book appeared to his simplicity a thing as 
 wonderful as, in these latter days, when, to speak poetically, the sun 
 of literature is obscured by the leafy greenness of the softer sex, we 
 are accustomed to regard a woman who has never done so. Lewis 
 read the two notes; there was not a shadow of patronage from 
 beginning to end at which the most rampant pride could take offence 
 — the invitation was unexceptionable ; and then a crowd of conflicting 
 ideas rushed upon him, and he paced the apartment for once in a 
 state of the most complete indecision. This was not a mood of mind 
 which could ever contmue long with Lewis, and pausing abruptly, he 
 said, " I really do not see how you can well refuse, after such a very 
 kind note from — from the General." 
 
 " I shall be delighted to accept it, dear Lewis, since you wish it as 
 well as myself; I long to know more of that sweet Annie." 
 
 " You will be disappointed if you expect to find Miss Grant unusually 
 clever," returned Lewis moodily. " She has good natural abilities, 
 but nothing more, neither has she been accustomed to live amongst 
 intellectual people; she is by no means your equal in point of 
 talent." 
 
 Rose looked surprised at this depreciatory speech ; she considered 
 Annie so fascinating that she did not imagine it in man's nature to 
 criticise her unfavourably, and that Lewis, of all people, should do 
 so was very incomprehensible. She only replied, however, " Miss 
 Grant is much more accomplished than I am, at all events ; she 
 sketches like an artist, plays with great taste and execution, and sings 
 most sweetly. I do not think it by any means an advantage to a 
 
 29 
 
290 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 woman to be unusually clever : it tends to force her out of her proper 
 sphere, and to urge her to a degree of publicity repugnant to all the 
 better instincts of her nature." 
 
 " I quite agree with you," rejoined Lewis cordially. " A woman 
 should have a quick, vigorous intellect, to enable her to perceive and 
 appreciate the good, the true, and the beautiful, but nothing beyond. 
 With a single exception, dear Rose, I consider literary women com- 
 plete anomalies, things to wonder at and to pity ; depend upon it, few 
 women who devote their lives to literature are really happy." 
 
 As Lewis ceased speaking Rose sat for some moments pondering 
 the truth of the opinions which he, in common with many of the best 
 and wisest of his sex, held on this subject. At length she said, " I 
 agree, and yet I differ with you. Surely a fine mind is one of the 
 noblest gifts God can bestow upon His creature, because," she added 
 reverently, " the higher the intellect the nearer it must approach to His 
 own perfect wisdom ; therefore talent ought' to be a boon to woman 
 as well as to man ; but is it not in the application of that talent that 
 the mischief lies ? If the consciousness of mental superiority unfits a 
 woman for the performance of her natural duties, instead of enabling 
 her to fulfil them more thoroughly, the fault rests not in the gift, which 
 is i.i itself a privilege, but in the misapplication of it by the person on 
 whom it is bestowed. Retirement is a woman's natural position, and 
 anything which leads her to forsake it tends to unsex and deteriorate 
 her. I do not say that it must necessarily do so ; if, for instance, 
 some pious motive, such as a desire to assist her family, actuates her, 
 she often appears to be protected from the dangers which surround 
 the path which she has chosen, but that these dangers are great and 
 many it is vain to deny." 
 
 " My opinion is," rejoined Lewis, " that amongst either men or 
 women those only should write books who, from some cause or other, 
 are so thoroughly imbued with their subject that utterance becomes 
 as it were a necessity ; then, and then only, do they produce anything 
 great and good. The strongest argument I know against women 
 writing is that they never appear to exceed pleasing mediocrity. You 
 have no female Shakespeare or Milton — even Byron and Scott are 
 unapproached by the bravest of your literary Amazons. Certainly 
 women should not write ;" and having uttered this opinion much as if he 
 would have liked to alter the " should " into " shall," and to be made 
 autocrat of England till he had purged the land from blue-stockings, 
 Lewis took his hat and departed, leaving that " talented authoress," 
 his sister, to chew the cud of his encouraging observations as best she 
 might. 
 
 The practical result of this conversation was that Rose spent a week 
 in Park Crescent, and thus the occurrences thereof fell out. Miss 
 Livingstone first catechised, then patronised the young tutor's sister. 
 The General also tried a pompously condescending system, but Rose's 
 sweetness subdued the old soldier; and ere the week had passed he 
 became devoted to her, and in his stately fashion loved her only a 
 little less than his own daughter. And Annie— she first began by 
 bein^ afraid of her new acquaintance becgus? she w^s an authoress ; 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 291 
 
 then she discovered that she was not so alarming, after all ; next it 
 occurred to her that she was very sensible ; afterwards that she was 
 very affectionate, which went a great way with Annie; and finally, 
 that she was quite perfect, and exactly the friend she had been all her 
 life pining for. From the moment she discovered this, which was once 
 upon a time when Rose, carried away by the heat of congenial con- 
 versation, began to talk about her brother, she delighted to lay bare 
 her pure, girlish heart to her new-found friend. And what does the 
 reader suppose it contained } Any very mysterious secret, any dire 
 and soul-harrowing episode, as became the heart of a heroine ? Alas, 
 for poor, degenerate Annie 1 there were no such interesting contents 
 in her warm little bosom, only much simplicity, sundry good reso- 
 lutions containing the germs of future self-discipline, great natural 
 amiability, a ready appreciation of all that was excellent in art or 
 nature, and an open and unbounded admiration of, and respect for, 
 the character of Lewis ; so open indeed that Rose thankfully acknow- 
 ledged to her secret soul that one alarming possibility which had 
 lately occurred to and haunted her — viz., that Annie and Lewis were 
 falling in love with each other — could have no foundation in fact. The 
 only drawback to Rose's pleasure in her visit was, strange to say, the 
 behaviour of her brother. His manner when alone with her — and the 
 delicate tact of Annie Grant afforded them many opportunities for a 
 tefe-d-tlfe — was wayward and fitful in the extreme. Sometimes, but 
 very seldom, he appeared low and out of spirits ; at others he was 
 cold and sarcastic, or even perverse and unjust ; and though these fits 
 were invariably followed by expressions of the most affectionate regard 
 towards Ross herself, yet the idea with which they impressed her was 
 that his mind was ill at ease, and that for some reason which he 
 studiously concealed, he was unhappy. The week passed away like 
 a dream, and Annie, as she parted from her new friend, felt as if some 
 being of a superior ordei-, endowed with power to make and to keep 
 her good, were leaving her again to fight single-handed with the trials 
 and temptations of life. 
 
 Frere had been despatched by his scientific superiors to inspect 
 certain organic remains which had come to light during the formation 
 of a railroad cutting in the north of Ireland ; which remains, assuming 
 to be the vertebrae and shin bone of an utter impossibility (the com- 
 parative-anatomical sketch, which Frere designed on the ex pede 
 Herculem principle, represented the lamented deceased as a species 
 of winged hippopotamus,^ with a bird's head, a crocodile's tail, and 
 something resembling an inverted umbrella round its camelopard-like 
 neck, forming a whole more picturesque than probable), excited the 
 deepest interest in the world of science, which lasted till, unluckily, 
 one of the workmen, striking his pick-axe against a partially imbedded 
 bone, found that the Rumpaddyostodon (for so had Frere's c/««/" already 
 named it) was composed of Irish oak. 
 
 Ere Frere returned from this expedition Mrs. Arundel and Rose 
 had quitted London, a fact which annoyed that gentleman more than 
 he could reasonably account for. Having, however, recovered from 
 his strange fit of shyness, he wrote Rose a long account of his adven- 
 
292 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 tures, winding up by originating a pressing invitation to himself to 
 spend a fortnight with them during the vacation, which invitation he 
 not only accepted most graciously, but with the utmost benevolence 
 volunteered to prolong to three weeks, if he could possibly manage it. 
 Lewis, shortly after the departure of his mother and sister, received 
 what Annie termed " marching orders " — viz., an intimation that on a 
 certain day and hour he and his pupil were to hold themselves in 
 readiness to start for Broadhurst, it being one of the General's pet 
 idiosyncrasies to manage his family movements saltatim, by jerks, as 
 it were, which disagreeable habit he had acquired during his campaign- 
 ing days, when the exigencies of military service necessitated such 
 abrupt proceedings. The consequence of this particular exercise of 
 discipline was that Lewis received the following note on the evening 
 before their departure : — 
 
 "Dear Sir,— Learning this morning, accidentally, that you are 
 about to leave town to-morrow, and wishing much to see you on a 
 matter of some importance before you do so, shall I be putting you to 
 any great inconvenience if I ask you to do me the favour of breakfast- 
 ing with me to-morrow? Name your own hour, from six o'clock 
 downwards. My boy is waiting, or more properly (you know his 
 mendacious propensities) lying in wait for your answer. N.B. — I am 
 aware of the utter vileness of that pun, but my ink is so confoundedly 
 thick that really I could not make a better one. 
 
 "Yours faithfully, 
 
 "T. Bracy." 
 
 CHAPTER XLIV. 
 
 leWis practically tests the assertion that virtue is its 
 OWN reward, and obtains an unsatisfactory result. 
 
 " This is kind of you, Mr. Arundel," exclaimed Bracy, shaking him 
 heartily by the hand, when, in reply to his friend's invitation, Lewis 
 made his appearance at his chambers by eight o'clock on the follow- 
 ing morning ; " I like a man who will come to you at a minute's 
 notice. Now, as I know your time's short, Ve'U go to work at once, 
 and talk as we eat. Bring the eggs and rolls, Orphy." 
 
 " Please, sir, they ain't none of 'em come," responded the individual 
 thus addressed, who was no less a personage than the tieer "for 
 falsehood famed." 
 
 "I knew he'd say that," observed Bracy aside, with a look of exulta- 
 tion, I knew he'd say so, because I saw the man bring them five 
 mmutes ago j sharp boy ! he never loses an opportunity of Iving 
 Perhaps they may have arrived while you've been up here" he con- 
 tinued blandly; "go and see, Orphy." ' '"='•"*' 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 293 
 
 "What do you call your tiger?" inquired Lewis as the imp dis- 
 appeared. 
 
 " Why, his real name is Dick Timmins," returned Bracy ; " I have 
 taken the trouble to ascertain that fact beyond a doubt — of course I 
 should not have believed it merely upon his authority — but I call him 
 Orphy, which is a convenient abbreviation of Orpheus, because, like 
 that meritorious mythical musician, he is at all times and seasons 
 perfectly inseparable from a lyre ! ' a poor pun,' sir, 'but mine own.' " 
 
 " It must surely be inconvenient and troublesome to be obliged 
 pierpetually to guard against some deception or other, to be in con- 
 tinual doubt as to what has or what has not taken place in your 
 household," remarked Lewis. 
 
 " Not at all, my dear Arundel, there's the beauty of it," returned 
 Bracy. " Others doubt and are perplexed, but I am never at a loss for 
 a moment ; I know all his most intricate involutions of lying, and can 
 track him through a course of falsehood as a greyhound follows a 
 hare : that boy could not deceive me unless he were suddenly to take 
 to telling the truth ; but there's not the least fear of that, his principles 
 are too well established. Ah I inter alia, here he comes — do you see 
 the pun? pre-suppose an Irish brogue, and accent the penultimate 
 instead of the first syllable in the second word, and it's not such a bad 
 one after all." 
 
 When, to use the popular lyric style, the "false one had departed," 
 and the gentlemen were again left tite-cL-ttte, Lewis, reminding his 
 companion that his time was short, hinted that it would not be amiss 
 if he were at once to acquaint him with the business to which he had 
 referred in his note. 
 
 " Ah ! yes, to be sure," replied Bracy ; " it was a letter I had from 
 Frere yesterday which put the thing into my head. Let us see, what 
 does he say ? " And pulling a letter from his pocket, he ran his eye 
 down it, reading and soliloquising somewhat after the following 
 fashion: "Hum! ha! 'never take shares in an Irish railway' — ■ 
 thank ye, I never mean to — 'the natives in these parts are not 
 Cannibals, at which no one at all particular in his eating would 
 wonder, after seeing the state of filth ' — well, I won't read that, it will 
 spoil our breakfast — ' the organic remains are coming out splendidly ; 
 I feel little doubt they must have belonged to some antediluvian 
 monster yet unknown to science.' Ah ! the fossil remains of a pre- 
 Adamite Irish bull, probably ; and that's another, by Jove, for there 
 would have been nobody to make it at that time of day : there's a 
 P.S. about it, though — Ah 1 here it is — ' only fancy, my organic remains 
 prove to be vegetable, not animal ; nothing more or less than a new 
 species of Irish Oaks.' A new species of Irish Hoax, rather ; I wonder 
 how he came to miss the pun — some men do throw away their oppor- 
 tunities sadly; but I'm wasting your time — now then — 'in regard to what 
 you tell me about the Bellefield affair, I can do nothing, not being on 
 the spot ; your best plan will be to communicate with Lewis Arundel — 
 he is thoroughly aufaii as to the whole matter ; tell him everything, and 
 act according to his advice. You may safely do so. I always thought 
 his lordship a great scoundrel ' (rather strong language !), ' but in this 
 
294 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 case he appears more to be pitied than blamed ; I like fair-play all 
 the world over, and would give even the devil his due.' There," 
 continued Bracy, folding up the letter, "that's what Richard Frere 
 says, and I, knowing his advice to be good, am prepared to act upon it." 
 
 "It may be good," returned Lewis in a tone of annoyance, "but 
 as far as I am concerned it is particularly enigmatical. There are 
 many reasons why it is undesirable, I may say impossible, for me to 
 interfere with Lord Bellefield's affairs." 
 
 " Still, if you are the man I take you to be,'' replied Bracy seriously, 
 " you would not wish any one to labour under an unjust imputation, 
 from which a word of truth can set him free. But it's no use beating 
 about the bush; hear what I have to say, and then you can act or 
 remain neuter, as you please. Of course you read the newspaper 
 account of that sad business about poor Mellerton ?" 
 
 Lewis replied in the affirmative, and Bracy continued, " Except in 
 one or two points, the statement was substantially correct, but these 
 happen to be rather important ones. In the first place, I should tell 
 you that Mellerton was an intimate friend of my own. We were great 
 cronies at Eton, and never lost sight of each other afterwards. I first 
 heard of this betting affair from an officer of high rank, who holds an 
 appointment by which he is necessarily a good deal behind the scenes 
 at the War OfHce. Somehow it reached his ears that Mellerton had 
 been betting heavily and met with severe losses, and knowing that I 
 had some influence with him, he wished me to give him a friendly 
 hint, which I accordingly did. Mellerton took it very well, poor fellow 1 
 and thanked me for my advice, which was his invariable custom, 
 though I can't say he usually acted upon it. He confessed that he 
 had lost more money than was convenient, and told me he had been 
 forced to borrow, but the amount of his losses he studiously concealed. 
 On the morning of the day of his death the same person sent for me 
 again, and told me he was afraid Mellerton had been behaving very 
 madly, and in the strictest confidence informed me that it was deter- 
 mined upon to examine into his accounts, and that if, as he feared, 
 they would not bear the light, his character would be blasted for life, 
 adding that I was at liberty to warn him of this, and give him an 
 opportunity, if possible, of replacing the money. Owing to a chapter 
 of accidents, as ill luck would have it, I was unable to meet with 
 Mellerton till late in the evening, when I found him in a state of 
 distraction, having just received officially the information I had sought 
 to forestall. Seeing how much I knew already, he told me everything. 
 I will not recapitulate the miserable details, but the newspapers did 
 not overstate the truth. Well, as a forlorn hope, I suggested the 
 appeal to Lord Bellefield's generosity, and after much persuasion he 
 agreed to let me make the trial. I sprang into a hansom cab, and 
 drove like the wind to Ashford House. Bellefield was dining with his 
 sister; I followed him to Berkeley Square, and then to the Opera- 
 house, where I lost not a minute in explaining my business. Well, 
 sir, instead of rejecting the appeal, as has been reported, Lord Belle- 
 field appeared greatly distressed at the intelligence— jumped into his 
 cab, taking me with him, and as we drove down to poor Mellerton's 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 29S 
 
 lodgings, expressed his readiness to do whatever I thought best — 
 adding that he had;^io,ooo at his banker's, which was quite at Meller- 
 ton's service till he could sell his Yorkshire estate. The rest of the 
 tale you know. The poor fellow, thinking, from my prolonged absence, 
 that my attempt had failed, and unable to bear the disgrace of ex- 
 posure, placed a loaded pistol in his pocket, repaired to a gaming- 
 table, betted to the full amount of his defalcation, lost, and blew his 
 brains out. We got there just as the surgeon they had sent for declared 
 life was extinct; and you never saw a man so cut up as Bellefield 
 was about it. He accused himself of being a murderer, and in fact 
 seemed to feel the thing nearly as much as I did myself. As soon as 
 he had a little recovered he volunteered to drive to Knightsbridge, to 
 break the thing to poor Fred Mellerton's brother, while I did the same 
 by his mother and sisters ; and a nice scene I had of it — I thought the 
 old lady would have died on the spot. But now, to come to the point, 
 I hear that old Grant, believing all the newspaper lies, has quarrelled 
 with his intended son-in-law and broken off the engagement ; and 
 that Lord Bellefield, too proud to make any explanations, has allowed 
 him to continue in his mistake. Is this so ?" 
 
 " I have no reason to believe your information incorrect," was the 
 cautious reply. 
 
 " In that case, don't you think it is due to Lord Bellefield to acquaint 
 General Grant with the truth ? " 
 
 Lewis paused for a minute or two in thought ere he replied, 
 " Certainly ; it would be most unjust to withhold it." 
 
 " Well, I'm very glad you agree with me," returned Bracy, rubbing 
 his hands with the air of a man who has escaped some disagreeable 
 duty. " Then I may depend upon you to set the matter right ?" 
 
 " Upon me I " rejoined Lewis in surprise. 
 
 " Yes, to be sure," was the reply ; " that's what Frere expects. 
 Vou see, it's rather a delicate affair for a man to interfere in, 
 particularly one who is a complete stranger. I don't believe I ever 
 set eyes on Governor Grant in my life. Now you, living in the 
 house, can find a hundred opportunities. There is a good deal in 
 selecting the mollia iempora fundi with men as well as with women." 
 
 " Then I am to understand that you have related these facts to 
 me for the express purpose of my communicating them to General 
 Grant?" 
 
 " Yes, to be sure. Do you think I should have put you to the 
 inconvenience of coming here this morning merely for the sake of 
 having a gossip?" 
 
 " And suppose I were to refuse to make this communication ? " 
 continued Lewis. 
 
 "Such a supposition never occurred to me," replied Bracy in 
 amazement ; " but if you were to do such an unexpected thing, matters 
 must take their own course. In telling you, I've done all that I 
 consider I am in any way called upon to do ; if you, for any reason, 
 deem it unadvisable to enlighten General Grant, there the thing must 
 rest. Frere tells me to be guided by your advice, and so I shall ; as I 
 have just said, I leave it entirely to you." 
 
ig6 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " I understand you perfectly," rejoined Lewis, and as he spoke a 
 contemptuous smile curled his lip; "still, justice requires that the 
 General should not be kept in ignorance, and although there are 
 many reasons why it is painful and objectionable to me to enlighten 
 him, yet there are others which prevent my refusing; and now, 
 Mr. Bracy, as my time is short, you will excuse my being obliged to 
 leave you." 
 
 " Oh ! certainly," returned Bracy, as his visitor rose to depart ; 
 
 " ' Welcome the coming, speed the parting guest.' 
 
 Liberty Hall this, sir ! chacun & son goAi, ' everybody has the gout,' as 
 the little girl at the boarding-school construed it. Then you'll make 
 Governor Grant comprehend that in this particular instance Bellefield 
 behaved like a brick ? Disagreeable business to be obliged to interfere 
 in, but, as Frere says, you're just the man to do it ; good morning ; " 
 and uttering these words with the greatest empressement, he shook 
 Lewis's hand warmly and suffered him to depart. As the door closed 
 on his retreating figure Bracy threw himself back in an easy-chair. 
 
 " There's something in the wind that I'm not awake to," he muttered 
 in soliloquy ; " I don't comprehend that good youth at all. There 
 must be private feeling mixed up in it; something in the love and 
 murder line, I suspect. How savage he looked when he undertook 
 the job — rather he than I, though : Bellefield's as likely to call a man 
 out, as to say Thank ye, for interfering ; but, as Frere says, Arundel's 
 just the man to carry the thing through. He's a plucky young fellow 
 and deucedly good-looking, but he certainly does not appreciate wit — 
 ahem — that is, puns — properly ;" and with this reflection Bracy took 
 pen and paper and sate him down to indite an essay on moral courage 
 and the responsibility of man, wherewith to fill up a vacant corner of 
 •Blunt's Magazine. 
 
 ' And Lewis — what a task had he undertaken ! He who would have 
 made any sacrifice to gratify Annie's lightest wish must now bring the 
 first cloud over the sunshine of her young life ; he must be the means 
 of reconciling her father and Lord Bellefield ; he must, by his own 
 act, give the woman he loved to the man he hated. The woman he 
 loved ! — had then the fear that had lain cold and heavy at his heart, 
 that had come between him and — resignation, assumed a definite 
 shape? did he at length own that he, the poor tutor, the paid 
 dependent, loved the rich man's daughter ? Oh 1 Lewis, where was 
 thy pride — where that Hell-angel beautiful in evil, which hath 
 "haunted thee even from thy childhood upwards like a second self? 
 Had Rose's tears prevailed and thy pride deserted thee ? Would that 
 it had been so ; but no, he had not yet learned that hardest lesson for 
 the young and manly-hearted, self-distrust; his bosom-sin clave to 
 him, and striving single-handed, how should he subdue it I 
 
 Lewis was not one of those who deceive themselves long on any 
 point; and his emotions after the scene at the Opera-house, the 
 amount of self-control he was obliged to exert to restrain any out- 
 break of feeling in the teie-d-iite drive with Annie, had revealed the 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 297 
 
 truth to him, and ere he slept that night he knew that now indeed was 
 the sum of his wretchedness complete ; for he loved, for the first time, 
 one fitted to call forth all the depth and earnestness of his passionate 
 nature, and he loved without hope. Pressing his hands to his burning 
 brow, he sat down calmly to think. Calmly; yes, the treacherous 
 repose of the smouldering volcano were an apt illustration of such a 
 forced calmness. Renunciation and self-conquest 1 this then was his 
 portion for the time to come. Self-conquest 1 Pride caught at the 
 word ; an enemy strong as the strength of will which should subdue 
 it. Reason cried, "Flee from temptation;" but pride whispered, 
 " The task is vyorthy of you ; accomplish it." And resolution aided 
 pride, and the iron will came into play, and the contest was begun. 
 And now the reader can understand why Lewis's interview with Bracy 
 would scarcely tend to raise his spirits, or render his general frame 
 of mind more satisfactory. 
 
 Punctual to the moment the carriage made its appearance, drawn 
 by four posters ; and the General and the two ladies ensconced them- 
 selves in the interior, while, the day being lovely, Lewis and his pupil 
 took possession of the rumble. About two miles from Broadhurst 
 was a steep hill ; on reaching this point Annie and her father, Lewis 
 and Walter alighted, with the intention of walking up ; but before 
 half the distance was accomplished the General pleaded guilty to a 
 very decided twinge of gout, and unwilling to provoke a second, re- 
 entered the carriage, the others continuing their pedestrian exertions 
 without him. 
 
 Annie, delighted to regain the freedom of the country, was in high 
 spirits. " Why do people stay in London at this time of year ? " she 
 exclaimed. " This lovely sky, and the trees, and the birds, and the 
 sunshine, are worth all the operas and pictures and balls and every 
 sight or amusement London can afford ; those things excite one for 
 an hour or two, but this makes me perfectly happy." 
 
 Lewis glanced at her for a moment, sighed involuntarily, and then 
 rousing himself, uttered some commonplace civility, which so clearly 
 proved that he was forcing himself to make conversation from the 
 subject of which his thoughts were far away, that Annie, struck by 
 his manner, paused and fixed her large eyes earnestly upon him. At 
 length she said — 
 
 " I am sure you are ill or unhappy, Mr. Arundel. I am now too 
 well aware how utterly unable I am to compensate for the loss of such 
 a friend and counsellor as dear Rose (oh ! how I envy you that 
 sister I), but if you would sometimes tell me when you are annoyed or 
 out of spirits, instead of wrapping yourself in that cold, proud mantle 
 of reserve, I think even such poor sympathy as mine might make you 
 happier." 
 
 Lewis glanced round. Walter, actuated by some caprice of his 
 wayward intellect, had run on before — they were virtually alone. 
 Now it had occurred to Lewis that, as Annie had allowed him to 
 perceive her dislike to the idea of a union with Lord Bellefield, he 
 should entirely lose her good opinion were she to learn that it was 
 through his representations that a reconciliation with her father had 
 
298 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 been brought about ; and although this would have been a very 
 desirable result for many reasons, and have materially assisted him in 
 his design of conquering his unhappy attachment, yet he by no means 
 appeared to approve of the notion, but on the contrary had, virith his 
 usual fearlessness, determined to seize the first opportunity of explain- 
 ing to her why reason and justice obliged him to act in opposition to 
 her wishes. And now that the opportunity had arrived, the con- 
 siderate kindness of her address disarmed him, and in the unwilling- 
 ness to inflict pain on her he half abandoned his purpose ; but here 
 his strength of will — that fearful agent for good or for evil — came 
 into action and settled the matter. It was right ; it must be done. 
 Accordingly he thanked her for her kindness, made her a pretty 
 speech as to valuing her sympathy, which expressed somewhere about 
 one-fifteenth of what he really felt on the subject — said, which was 
 quite true, that nothing had for a long time afforded him greater 
 pleasure than the friendship which had sprung up between her and 
 Rose — then, speaking in a low, calm voice, he continued, " I have 
 been both grieved and annoyed this morning ; you guessed rightly 
 when you thought so. Will you forgive me, and still regard me as 
 your friend, when I tell you that circumstances force me to act in 
 direct opposition to your wishes, and to do that of which I fear you 
 will highly disapprove ? " 
 
 Annie looked at him with an expression of surprise and alarm, 
 which gave way to a bright, trustful smile as she replied, " Nothing 
 can lead me to doubt your friendship, Mr. Arundel ; I have had 
 proofs of its sincerity too convincing for me ever to do so. If you are 
 obliged to say or do anything which may pain me, I am sure you 
 feel it to be duty which compels you. And now tell me what you 
 refer to." 
 
 Poor Lewis 1 the smile and the speech went straight to his heart, 
 like the stroke of a poniard : pride, resolution, and all the other false 
 gods he relied on disappeared before it ; and for the moment love 
 was lord of all. But self-control had become so habitual to him, that 
 the most acute observer could not have detected the slightest indica- 
 tion of the inward struggle ; and ere he spoke his will had resumed 
 its mastery, and his purpose held good. He gave her, in as few words 
 as possible, an account of his interview with Bracy ; and told her that 
 it was his intention immediately to acquaint General Grant with the 
 facts that had thus come to his knowledge. 
 
 She heard him in silence; and when he had finished she said in a 
 low voice, which thrilled with suppressed emotion, " My father will 
 forgive him, and all will be as if this thing had never happened." 
 
 They walked on side by side, but neither spoke. At length Lewis 
 said abruptly, " I have told you this man and I were not on friendly 
 terms ; I now tell you that he has heaped insult after insult upon me 
 till I HATE him. Yes, you may start, and your gentle woman's nature 
 may condemn me, but it is so : I hate him." He spoke calmly, but 
 it only rendered his words more terrible, for it told not merely of the 
 angry impulse of the moment, but of the deep conviction of a lifetime ; 
 and Annie shuddered as she listened. Regardless of her emotion, 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 299 
 
 Lewis continued, " Circumstances have in this instance forced me to 
 appear as Lord Bellefield's successful accuser. To some minds this 
 petty triumph might have afforded satisfaction ; to me it has been 
 a source of unmixed regret ; the retribution I seek is not of such a 
 nature. Fate has novif placed in my hands the means of vindicating 
 his character; and every principle of honour, nay of common justice, 
 binds me to do so. We may not do evil that good may come. I 
 should forfeit my self-respect for ever were I to conceal this knowledge 
 from your father. You would not have me do so, I am certain ? " 
 
 Lewis paused for a reply ; there was silence for a moment, and then 
 in a low, broken voice Annie said, " No I you must tell him. But I 
 am very, very unhappy I" And uttering the last words with a convul- 
 sive sob, she covered her face with her hands, and turned away to 
 conceal the tears she could no longer repress. 
 
 CHAPTER XLV. 
 
 ANNIE GRANT TAKES TO STUDYING GERMAN, AND MEETS WITH AN 
 ALARMING ADVENTURE. 
 
 Whether the sight of Annie's tears would have produced any change 
 in Lewis's determination, had their tiie-d-tite continued uninterrupted, 
 is a question in regard to which psychologists may arrive at any 
 conclusion which pleases them; for Walter having literally, or 
 figuratively, caught his butterfly, rejoined his companions almost 
 immediately, and under cover of his puerile volubility Annie contrived 
 to dry her eyes and outwardly regain her composure. 
 
 In the course of the following morning Lewis found an opportunity 
 of making the important communication. General Grant heard him 
 with grave attention, and when he had concluded, observed — 
 
 " This alters the whole aspect of the affair. Any man may commit 
 a fault, but if he sees his error, and is willing by every means at his 
 command to atone for it, it behoves all generous-minded persons to 
 forgive him. I perceive that I have, in this instance, acted hastily, 
 and owe Lord Bellefield reparation. I shall write to him immediately, 
 and have to thank you, Mr. Arundel, for affording me this information, 
 which may give me an opportunity of effecting a reconciliation with 
 one on whom I had long since decided to bestow my daughter's 
 hand. Your disinterested, I may say magnanimous conduct in this 
 matter, entitles you to my fullest confidence. I shall make it an 
 express stipulation that for the future Lord Bellefield shall evince all 
 due consideration towards you." 
 
 And this speech, and the haunting memory of Annie's tears, were 
 Lewis's reward for doing his duty. 
 
 The result of this communication was that the General wrote a 
 long letter to Lord Bellefield, using many words to express ' his 
 meaning, which might have been advantageously compressed into half 
 
300 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 the number; however, it satisfied its composer, who considered it a 
 miracle of diplomacy and a model of style. Lord Bellefield's answer 
 was cold and haughty ; his pride had been wounded, and his was not 
 a mind frankly to forgive an injury of that nature; still he did not 
 reject the General's overtures. He was j^jing to travel in Greece (he 
 wrote), but on his return to England he would see General Grant and 
 refute the calumnies which had been spread to his disadvantage : he 
 was aware that he had enemies who might be glad to avail themselves 
 of any opportunity to vilify his character, but he trusted to the 
 General's sense of justice to discourage such attempts. And the 
 contents of this letter were communicated to Annie by her father, 
 together with a rebuke for having so easily believed reports to her 
 cousin's disadvantage, which lecture somewhat failed in its effect 
 from the unlucky fact that, in this particular instance, the lecturer's 
 practice happened to have been diametrically opposed to his preaching; 
 but the rebuke led to one evil result — viz., it crushed in the bud a half- 
 formed project which Annie had conceived of acquainting her father 
 with her growing disinclination to a union with her cousin, and of 
 imploring him to take no step towards a renewal of the engagement. 
 Moral courage (save when her feelings were very strongly excited) 
 was not one of Annie's attributes, and ais the evil She feared was not a 
 proximate one, she trusted to chance to postpone it still further, if not 
 to avert it altogether. Thus-, being naturally of a light-hearted, joyous 
 temperament, she ere long recovered her usual gaiety, and an occa- 
 sional sigh, or a quarter of an hour's unwonted abstraction, alone 
 attested her recollection of this dark speck on the horizon of her 
 future life. 
 
 The return to Broadhurst appeared to produce a soothing effect 
 upon Lewis also — it gave him an opportunity calmly to review his 
 position ; and a new idea struck him, generalising from which he 
 sketched out a system different from that which he had hitherto 
 pursued in regard to Annie Grant. True, he could never hope to call 
 her his — love was forbidden him — but friendship, warm, ardent friend- 
 ship — love elevated, spiritualised, purified from the slightest admixture 
 of passion, — this he might enjoy safely ; it only required a strong effort 
 of will, a determined, uniform exercise of self-control. To be enslaved 
 by hopeless love was mere weakness ; to crush the sentiment entirely 
 was Quixotic and uncalled for; but to control and regulate it, to fix 
 limits which it should not exceed, and thus to convert a curse into a 
 blessing, this was an effort worthy of a reasonable being, and this he 
 would accomplish. In order to carry out this design he determined 
 no longer to avoid Annie as he had done ; it was cowardly to fly thus 
 from temptation ; besides, it was evidently useless to do so ; imagina- 
 tion supplied the deficiency, and the evil was but increased. No, he 
 would face the danger and subdue it. Thus, too, he might be of use 
 to her, for with all his admiration of her character he read it aright, 
 and saw that there were weak points which required the aid of prin- 
 ciple to strengthen them; that her pursuits were frivolous, her mind 
 uncialtivated, and her existence practically aimless, because her views 
 of life were confused and indistinct, and her standard of excellence a 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 301 
 
 visionary one. All this he saw, and seeing, felt that he could remedy. 
 And while he pondered on these things Annie recalled an old wish to 
 study German, and asked her father's permission to be allowed to do 
 so, if Mr. Arundel could find time to give her lessons ; whereupon the 
 General, having a great respect for any language of which he was 
 personally ignorant, preferred her request to Lewis, and that young 
 gentleman was graciously pleased to accede thereunto. Miss Living- 
 stone of course played duenna, and but for one circumstance would 
 have performed her character with a degree of cold-blooded virulence 
 worthy of the most fractious tigress that ever mangled "lovers tender 
 and true." This fortunate circumstance was that the lessons, being 
 usually taken by way of dessert after an early dinner, invariably sent 
 Minerva to sleep. In vain did she bring out her "poor basket," in 
 which receptacle lay hid certain harsh underclothing for infant 
 paupers ; in vain did she attempt sewing the seams of Procustes-like 
 pinafores, which, solving the problem of the minimum of brown holland 
 capable of containing a living child, were destined to compress the 
 sturdy bodies of village urchins; the '^ colo calatkisve Minerva" were 
 unable to resist the attacks of the god Somnus, and ere Annie had 
 stretched her pretty little mouth by the utterance of a dozen double- 
 bodied subst^tives, the lynx-eyes were closed in sleep, and for all 
 practical pu^oses Miss Livingstone forfeited every right to the first 
 half of her patronymic. 
 
 Reader, if you are of the gender which uncourteous grammarians 
 are pleased to designate the worthier, tell me, — in strict confidence, of 
 course, — did you ever read German with a pair of bright eyes turning 
 from the crabbed Teutonic characters to look appealingly into your 
 own optics, while two coral lips, formed for pleasanter purposes than 
 growling German gutturals, complain of some enigmatical sentence 
 which tes not got a right meaning to it, the said eyes and lips being 
 the outward symbols of a warm heart and quick intelligence, ready to 
 discern and feel the grandeur of Schiller, the Shakespeare of the 
 Fatherland, or thrill to the trumpet blasts of young Korner's warrior 
 spirit, or trace the more subtle thinkings of Goethe, that anatomist of 
 the soul of man ? Tell me, did you ever read with so desirable a 
 fellow-student ? If you have done so, and can honestly say you did 
 not think such schooling delightful, the sooner you close this book 
 the better, for depend upon it there is little sympathy between us. 
 Lewis at all events had no cause to be dissatisfied with his pupil, who 
 was equally docile and intelligent, and in a marvellously short space 
 of time was able to read and translate with tolerable fluency ; while 
 the few German sentences in which her instructor from time to time 
 saw fit to address her appeared less like heathen Greek to her 
 at each repetition. As soon as she had suflficiently mastered the 
 difficulties of those aggravating parts of speech, the compound separ- 
 able verbs, and acquired moderate control over other equally necessary 
 and vicious parts of the grammar, they commenced translating that 
 most poetical of allegories. La Motte Fouqu^'s " Undine" ; and Annie, 
 as they read, took it all at first au pied de la lettre, and imagined, 
 with a degree of shuddering horror, which, as it was only a tale, was 
 
302 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 rather pleasant than otherwise, all the supernatural uncomfortables 
 Huldbrand underwent in the Enchanted Forest, and admired all the 
 generous impulses of the heroine's singular uncle-and-water, Kiihle- 
 born, who, however, she considered would have been better adapted 
 for family purposes, if he had been rather more of a man a.nd less of a 
 cataract. Then Undine herself, the capricious, fascinating, tricksy 
 sprite — the thoughtful, loving, feeling woman— how Annie sympa- 
 thised with and adored her 1 For Huldbrand she felt a species of 
 contemptuous pity, but Bertalda, oh ! she was sure no woman was 
 ever so heartless, so utterly and wickedly selfish. And then when 
 Lewis unfolded to her his view of the Allegory (every one is sure to 
 form a particular theory of his own as to the meaning of "Undine," 
 and to think he only has discovered the author's intention), and 
 Annie learned that the tale shadowed forth the mighty truths which 
 throng the passage to eternity, and symbolising the struggle between 
 good and evil, showed how Principalities and Powers wage through- 
 out all time an undying warfare — the breast of man their battle- 
 field — her pulses quickened and her cheek flushed; for she felt for 
 the first time the solemn realities of existence, and saw dimly how a 
 single life might be a link between the Ages, and a portion, however 
 insignificant, of the mighty whole. What wonder then if part of the 
 reverence, the awe, chastened by a deep, solemn joy, with which she 
 recognised the workings of Infinite power, and Infinite love, cast their 
 spell around him who had first awakened these perceptions within 
 her? — what wonder if unconsciously comparing him with those 
 around her, she grew to believe him a being of another and a higher 
 nature, and so to hang on his slightest word or look, to dread 
 his frown, and deem his smile sufficient compensation for hours of 
 unwonted study ? 
 
 The German lessons seemed to agree particularly well with Lewis 
 also ; for his eye grew brighter and his step more free, the extreme 
 paleness of his complexion changed to a manly brown, a slight tinge 
 of colour imparted a look of health to his cheek, and — unromantic as 
 it may appear — his appetite increased alarmingly. Would the reader 
 learn the secret of this improvement ? It is soon told. Living in the 
 present, blinding himself to the truth, he was happy 1 His system, he 
 told himself, had succeeded — his theory had been tested, and proved 
 a true one — resolution had conquered, and the insanity of love had 
 cooled down to the reasonableness of a delightful friendship. 
 
 Lewis was excessively pleased with himself at this result. At 
 length, then, he had attained that complete and perfect degree of 
 self-control he had so long endeavoured to acquire ; his feelings were 
 reduced to a due submission to his will ; and henceforward his 
 happiness was in his own hands. And thus basking in this gleam of 
 sunshine, he shut his eyes to all beyond, and dreamed that he pos- 
 sessed an elixir to dissipate every cloud, and that henceforward storms 
 would disappear from the horizon of his destiny and become mere 
 myths, existing only in memory. And these were some of the earliest 
 results of the German lessons. 
 
 About this time a small but unpleasant adventure occurred to poor 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 303 
 
 Annie which occasioned her a severe fright, and rendered her nervous 
 and uncomfortable for many days afterwards. She had been on an 
 expedition to the cottage of a poor neighbour who was suffering from 
 illness ; and as the sick woman lived beyond a walk, Annie had gone 
 on horseback, attended by an old coachman who had lived in the 
 family many years. Having accomplished her mission, she had ridden 
 about a quarter of a mile on her return when she discovered that she 
 had left her handkerchief behind, and directing the servant to ride 
 back and fetch it, she proceeded at a foot's pace in a homeward 
 direction. The road she was following wound round the base of a 
 hill thickly covered with trees and underwood, the spreading branches 
 of the oaks meeting across the lane and making a species of twilight 
 even at midday. 
 
 As Annie Grant was passing under one of the thickest of these 
 trees, a tall, gaunt figure sprang from behind its knotted trunk and 
 seized the bridle of her pony. Gazing in alarm at her assailant, Annie 
 perceived him to be a man of unusual stature ; his features were pale 
 and emaciated, and an unshorn, grizzly beard added to the ferocity of 
 their expression ; his clothes, which were torn and soiled, hung loosely 
 about him, while the long bony fingers which clutched her bridle-rein, 
 the sunken cheeks, and hollow, glaring eye-balls, gave evidence that 
 his herculean proportions had been reduced almost to a skeleton 
 leanness by disease or want. Annie had, however, little time to make 
 observations, for, accosting her with an oath, the rufSan demanded 
 her purse. Drawing it forth, she held it to him with a trembling hand. 
 He seized it eagerly and examined its contents, his eyes glittering as 
 he observed the sparkle of gold. Hastily concealing it about his 
 person, he next demanded her watch, which Annie, after a hopeless 
 glance in the direction from which she expected the appearance of the 
 servant, also relinquished. Having secured his plunder the fellow 
 paused, apparently reflecting whether by detaining her longer he could 
 gain any further advantage ; as he did so the sound of a horse rapidly 
 advancing struck his ear, and immediately afterwards a turn in the 
 road enabled him to perceive the figure of a servant on horseback, the 
 sunshine glancing from his bright livery buttons. The moment this 
 object met his view he started, and shading his eyes with his hand, 
 gazed fixedly at the approaching horseman. Having thus satisfied 
 himself as to the man's identity, he exclaimed with an oath, " It is the 
 old bloodhound's livery, and the girl must be his daughter. Oh, what 
 a chance I have thrown away! Yes," he continued, turning fiercely 
 upon poor Annie and threatening her with his clenched fist, "if I had 
 
 guessed you were the daughter of that old Grant, you should not 
 
 have got off so easy, I promise you." He paused as a new idea struck 
 him, and his face assumed an expression of diabolical revenge ; placing 
 his hand in his breast he drew forth a pistol, cocked it, and muttering, 
 "There is time yet," levelled it at his trembling victim. With a faint 
 scream Annie dropped the reins, and clasping her hands in an agony 
 of fear, murmured a petition for mercy. The ruffian stood for a 
 moment irresolute ; but, desperate as he was, some touch of humanity 
 yet lingered in his breast, a softening recollection came across him. 
 
304 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 and muttering, " I can't do it, she looks like poor Jane," he uncocked 
 and replaced the pistol. 
 
 At this moment the servant, having heard Annie's scream, came up 
 at a gallop, and the robber, uttering a fearful imprecation, sprang 
 back into the wood and disappeared among the trees. 
 
 It was some minutes before Annie, who was on the verge of fainting, 
 was able to give a coherent account of the adventure which had 
 befallen her. As soon, however, as she had in some degree recovered 
 from the effects of her terror, she desired the servant to ride close 
 beside her, and urging her pony into a rapid canter, made the best of 
 her way home. Here she found matters in a state of unusual bustle 
 and confusion. The General had received information that Hardy the 
 
 poacher had broken out of H gaol, effected his escape unperceived, 
 
 and was supposed to be concealed somewhere in the neighbourhood 
 of Broadhurst. Accordingly he was marshalling all the available males 
 of his establishment, preparatory to setting out on an expedition to 
 search for, and if possible to apprehend the escaped felon. 
 
 Great was his horror and indignation when he learned the danger 
 to which his daughter had been exposed, and ascertained from the 
 description she gave of her assailant that the man who had robbed 
 her, and even threatened her life, was none other than the ruffian 
 Hardy. 
 
 The preparations which he had already made he now considered 
 insufficient for ensuring the success of the expedition ; he accordingly 
 despatched a mounted groom to procure the assistance of a couple of 
 policemen, and sending for Lewis, begged him to lead a party to 
 search the country in one direction, while he proceeded with a second 
 division of the household forces in another. As the young tutor heard 
 of the alarm to which Annie had been subjected, his cheeks flushed 
 and his compressed lips quivered. He said little, however, but return- 
 ing to his room, placed a brace of small pistols in the breast of his 
 coat, attached spurs to the heels of his boots, then mounting a horse 
 which was in readiness for him, rode off. The tenants were roused, 
 the gamekeepers summoned, the policemen arrived. General Grant 
 remained absent till nearly ten o'clock at night, and his daughter 
 became alarmed to the last degree for his safety. At length he 
 returned; their search had been unsuccessful, but Mr. Arundel and 
 some of the men would remain on the watch all night, and he would 
 resume the pursuit next morning. 
 
 For three days and nights Lewis never entered a house, and was 
 scarcely out of the saddle ; the fourth day the police received a report 
 from the authorities at Liverpool, stating that an individual in some 
 degree corresponding to the description of Hardy had taken his 
 passage in a vessel bound for the United States, and that the wind 
 being favourable, the ship had sailed before they had been able to 
 search her ; and with this unsatisfactory report the family at Broad- 
 hurst were forced to content themselves. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 305 
 
 CHAPTER XLVI. 
 
 IS' CALCULATED TO "MURDER SLEEP" FOR ALL NERVOUS YOUNG 
 LADIES WHO READ IT. 
 
 The incident related in the last chapter produced a strange and 
 alarming effect upon Miss Livingstone; in fact it may be said to have 
 laid the foundation of a species of monomania which haunted her to the 
 day of her death. From this time forth she laboured under the delusion 
 that a man trained from his youth up to rob and murder his sleeping 
 fellow-creatures v/sls secreted at one and the same moment under every 
 bed and behind all the vi'indow curtains in the house. A singular and 
 alarming property belonging to this ambushed ruffian was the extra- 
 ordinary shadow cast by his legs and feet. Miss Livingstone was 
 perpetually scared by discovering it in the most unlikely places and 
 positions ; indeed the statistics of these shadowy phenomena tended 
 to show that it was this villain's ordinary custom to stand upon his 
 rascally head. Then the noises he made were most strange and un- 
 earthly, and a habit he possessed of moaning whenever the wind was 
 high really exceeded anything with which human nature could be 
 expected to put up. The trouble he occasioned everybody was incon- 
 ceivable; for at least a month after Annie's adventure the butler 
 almost lived in Minerva's bedroom, so constantly was he summoned 
 to unearth this lurking traitor ; and yet, although Miss Livingstone was 
 quite certain the monster was there, for she had seen the shadow of 
 his boots, with the soles upwards, upon the tester of the bed, by some 
 dreadful fatality he always contrived to evade the strictest search. 
 Once Miss Livingstone thought she hadgot him, for, having summoned 
 assistance on the strength of hearing him snore, she actually enjoyed 
 the satisfaction of being sworn at by him, when she looked under the 
 bed and poked for him with a large umbrella ; but this time he turned 
 out to be the cat. The servants became so harassed by these repeated 
 alarums that at length the butler gave bond fide warning, while the 
 footmen, when there was nobody to hear them, vehemently protested 
 they were not hired as thief-catchers, and that Miss Livingstone had 
 better set up a private policeman of her own, if she chose to be so sub- 
 ject to house-breakers. 
 
 Lewis was not at all pleased with this adventure : in the first place, 
 it interrupted the German lessons, for poor Annie had been so seriously 
 frightened — not without cause — that it made her really ill, and for 
 some days she remained on a sofa in her own room. In the second 
 place, Lewis had been so deeply affected when he first heard of the 
 danger to which she had been exposed, that for a moment a doubt 
 crossed his mind whether such a degree of emotion was exactly con- 
 sistent with that mild imposition yclept platonic friendship. In the 
 third place, he had used his best endeavours to catch Hardy once again, 
 and had been thoroughly and completely baffled. Time, however, 
 that wonder-working individual, passed on, and by his assistance 
 Annie's nerves recovered their tone, and the German lessons were 
 
3o6 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 recommenced; Miss Livingstone saw fewer visions of reversed legs, and 
 confined her researches after the cpncealed one to a good peep under 
 the bed night and morning. The General made a great fuss about 
 the whole affair, and severely reprimanded several individuals for 
 permitting Hardy to escape who never had it in their power to prevent 
 his doing so. Having relieved his mind by this judicious exercise of 
 authority, he applied Jhimself to other pursuits, and speedily forgot the 
 whole transaction. 
 
 About two months after the occurrence of the robbery Lord Belle- 
 field wrote to announce his return, and General Grant went to London 
 alorie in order to meet him. Before his departure, Annie, whose 
 dislike to the interrupted engagement appeared to increase rather 
 than to diminish, determined to make a great effort, and to acquaint 
 her father with her disinclination to the proposed alliance, and to 
 entreat him to take no steps which might lead to a renewal of the 
 matrimonial project. The General heard her attentively, and then 
 observed — 
 
 " I perfectly understand and appreciate your feelings, my dear 
 Annie ; they are such as, under the peculiar circumstances, become 
 my daughter. Remember, my dear, that the matter is in wiser and 
 more experienced hands than yours ; and rest assured that nothing 
 shall be done of which even your punctilious delicacy and true sense 
 of honour can disapprove." Then, seeing Annie was about to speak, he 
 continued, "Any further discussion is not only unnecessary, but as the 
 matter now stands, would appear to imply a doubt of my capability of 
 acting for you ; which I should consider, to say the least, disrespectful. 
 You will oblige me by withdrawing, my dear Annie." Thus saying, 
 he rose, and opening the door with all the frigid courtesy of the 
 Grandisonian school, ushered her out. And so poor Annie's attempt 
 proved a signal failure. 
 
 On the following morning the General left Broadhurst, having given 
 Annie a very unnecessary caution against riding out with merely a 
 servant, and made it his especial request that Lewis and Walter 
 should accompany her by way of escort; a proceeding of which 
 neither tutor nor pupil appeared to disapprove. 
 
 General Grant was, absent for more than a fortnight; and as the 
 weather was unusually fine during the whole of the time, Annie and 
 her attendants rode out every day. Oh, those rides ! what delightful 
 expeditions were they I By a tacit consent between Lewis and Annie, 
 all allusion to the future was avoided, in word or thought ; they lived 
 in the present — those loving hearts; they were together, and that 
 sufficed them ; and the trees appeared greener, and the flowers 
 more brilliant, and the sunshine brighter, than they had ever seemed 
 before; all was happy as a fairy dream, and dream-like did it pass 
 away. 
 
 A letter from the General announcing his intended return was in 
 Annie's hand, as, bending over a ponderous volume of crabbed 
 characters, she awaited her German lesson. The windows of the 
 breakfast-room in which she was seated opened on to an ample lawn, 
 interspersed with groups of shrubs and gay flower-beds. In crossing 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL 307 
 
 this lawn Walter had contrived to intercept Lewis and inveigle him 
 into a game at ball, 
 
 Flushed by the exercise, his eyes sparkling with excitement, and his 
 dark curls hanging in wild disorder about his brow, the young tutor 
 approached the window at which Annie was seated. Concealed by 
 the heavy folds of the window curtain, the girl watched him un- 
 perceived : involuntarily she contrasted his frank and easy bearing, 
 his free and elastic step, and the smile, half proud, half playful, which 
 parted his curved lips and sparkled in his flashing eyes, with the cold 
 reserve which usually characterised his demeanour, and for the first 
 time she became aware what a bright and noble nature had been 
 obscured and warped by the false position into which circumstances 
 had combined to force him. Who could blame her, who rather would 
 not love her the better, and thank God that He has implanted such 
 beautiful instincts in every true woman's heart, if she felt that she 
 should wish no fairer destiny than to devote her life to bring back the 
 sunshine of his, and by her affection restore to him the youth of soul 
 which misfortune had wrested from him ! 
 
 Little guessing the thoughts that were passing through her mind, 
 Lewis advanced towards the window, exclaiming, " Miss Grant, I 
 have a petition to urge — the day is so lovely it is quite wicked to 
 remain indoors: can I persuade you to use your influence with Miss 
 Livingstone to allow us to transfer the site of our German lesson to 
 the bench under the lime-tree? I will promise to arrange a most 
 seductive seat for her in the very shadiest corner." 
 
 " My aunt has departed on a charitable mission," was the reply ; 
 " she received a message to say that an unfortunate child whom she 
 has been doctoring out of that dreadful medicine chest of hers is much 
 worse, and she has rushed off armed with pills and powders." 
 
 " To give it the coup de grace, I suppose," interrupted Lewis. 
 
 Annie shook her head reprovingly, and continued, " In the excite- 
 ment of the occasion, she appears to have entirely forgotten our poor 
 German lesson." 
 
 " In which case the decision as to place rests with you ! " resumed 
 Lewis eagerly ; " the matter is therefore settled — you will come." The 
 accent upon the " wiW was intended to be one of entreaty, but some- 
 how the tone in which it was uttered partook largely of command, 
 and Annie, as she obeyed, said with a smile — 
 
 "Or rather, I must come— that is clearly your meaning, Mr. 
 Arundel ; however, I see Walter and Faust are already en posttio?i, 
 and I will not set them an example of disobedience, so if you can find 
 the books, I will join you immediately." 
 
 It was, as Lewis had declared, a lovely evening ; the sky was of that 
 deep, clear blue which indicates a continuance of fine weather, a soft 
 breeze sighed through the blossoms of the lime-tree beneath which 
 they sat. Faust lay at Annie's feet, gazing up into her face as though 
 he loved to look upon her beauty, which perhaps he did, for Faust 
 was a dog of taste, and particular in the selection of his favourites. 
 Walter, stretched at his length upon the turf, was idly turning over 
 the pages of a volume of coloured prints. Lewis opened the work 
 
3o8 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 thejr were translating; it was that loveliest of historical tragedies, 
 Schiller's " Piccolomini," and Annie read of Max, the simple, the true, 
 the noble -hearted, and thought that the world contained but one 
 parallel character, and that he was beside her. They read on beneath 
 the summer sky, and tracing' the workings of Schiller's master mind, 
 forgot all sublunary things in the absorbing interest of the story. The 
 scene they were perusing was that in which Max Piccolomini describes 
 the chilling effect produced upon him when he for the first time 
 beholds Thekla surrounded by the splendours of her father's court, 
 and says (I quote Coleridge's beautiful translation for the benefit 
 of my ««-German readers, and in consideration of the shallowness of 
 my own acquaintance with the language of the Fatherland) — 
 
 " Now, once again, I have courage to look on you, 
 To-day at noon I could not ; 
 The dazzle of the jewels that play'd round you 
 Hid the belovM from me. 
 
 This morning when I found you in the circle 
 
 Of all your kindred, in your father's arms, 
 
 Beheld myself an alien in this circle. 
 
 Oh I what an impulse felt I in that moment 
 
 To fall upon his neck and call him father ; 
 
 But his stem eye o'erpower'd the swelling passion, 
 
 I dared not but be silent — and those brilliants 
 
 That like a crown of stars enwreath'd your brows. 
 
 They scared me too — Oh! wherefore, wherefore should he 
 
 At the first meeting spread, as 'twere, the ban 
 
 Of excommunication round you ? — wherefore 
 
 Dress up the angel for the sacrifice. 
 
 And cast upon the light and joyous heart 
 
 The mournful burden of his station ? Fitly 
 
 May love woo love, but such a splendour 
 
 Might none but monarchs venture to approach." 
 
 As Lewis read this speech, the bright, happy look faded from his 
 face, and his voice grew deep and stem; there was in the whole scene 
 a strange likeness to his own position, which pained him in the 
 extreme, and brought back all his most bitter feelings. Engrossing 
 as was this idea when once aroused, he could not but observe the 
 unusual degree of taste and energy which Annie, who appeared 
 carried away by the interest of the drama, infused into her reading, 
 and the tones of her sweet voice did ample justice to the friendly, 
 confiding tenderness with which Thekla endeavours to console her 
 lover. After her appeal to the Countess Tertsky — 
 
 " He's not in spirits, wherefore is he not? 
 He had quite another nature on the journey. 
 So calm, so bright, so joyous eloquent " — 
 
 she turns to Max, saying — 
 
 " It was my wish to see you always so, 
 And never otherwise." 
 
^^l <7^^-^ ., 
 
 
 THE GERMAN LESSON, 
 
Lewis Akui^DUL 369 
 
 Annie spoke the last words so earnestly that Lewis involuntarily 
 glanced at her, and their eyes met. It was one of those moments 
 which occur twice or thrice in a lifetime, when heart reads heart, 
 as an open book, and sympathetic thought reveals itself unaided by 
 that weak interpreter the tongue. Through weary years of sorrow 
 and separation that look was unforgotten by either of them; and 
 when Annie bent her eyes on the ground with a slight blush, con- 
 fessing that the large amount of womanly tenderness which she 
 fain would show was not unmingled with a portion of womanly 
 love which she would as fain conceal, and Lewis dared not trust 
 hiniself to speak lest the burning thoughts which crowded on his 
 brain should force themselves an utterance, neither of them was 
 sorry to perceive the figure of Aunt Martha rustling crisply through 
 the stillness, as, burthened with boluses, Minerva appeared before 
 them, to give a triumphant account of her victory over Tommy 
 Crudle's catarrhal affection, of which ailment she promised Annie 
 a reversion for her imprudence in sitting out of doors without a 
 bonnet. 
 
 When Lewis retired to his room that night he sat down to think 
 over in solitude the occurrences of the day. Had he been deceiving 
 himself, then ? was his unhappy attachment still unsubdued — nay, had 
 it not strengthened ? under the delusive garb of friendship, had not 
 Annie's society become necessary to his happiness ? Again — and as 
 this idea for the first time occurred to him, the strong man trembled 
 like a child from the violence of his emotion — had he not more than 
 this to answer for ? Selfishly engrossed by his own feelings, madly 
 relying on his own strength of will, which he now perceived he had 
 but too good reason to mistrust, he had never contemplated the effect 
 his behaviour might produce upon a warm-hearted and imaginative 
 girl. Lewis was no coxcomb, but he must have wilfully closed his 
 eyes had he not read in Annie's manner that morning the fact that she 
 was by no means indifferent to him. True, it might be only friendship 
 on her part — the natural impulse of a woman's heart to pity and 
 console one who she perceived to need such loving-kindness — and 
 with this forlorn hope Lewis was fain to content himself. Then he 
 strove to form wise resolutions for the future: he would avoid her 
 society — the German lessons should be strictly confined to business, 
 and gradually discontinued ; and even a vague notion dimly presented 
 itself of a time — say a year thence — when Walter might be entrusted 
 to other hands, and he should be able to extricate himself from a 
 situation so fraught with danger. And having thus regarded the 
 matter by the light of principle and duty, feeling began to assert its 
 claims, and he cursed his bitter fortune, which forced him to avoid 
 one whom he would have braved death itself to win. He sat 
 pondering these things deep into the night ; the sound of the clock 
 over the stables striking two at length aroused him from his reverie, 
 and he was about to undress, when a slight growl from Faust, who 
 always slept on a mat in Lewis's dressing-room, attracted his attention, 
 and as he paused to listen, a low whistle, which seemed to proceed 
 from the shrubs under his window, caught his ear. Closing the door 
 
310 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 of the dressing-room to prevent Faust from giving any alarm, he 
 walked lightly to the window, which, according to his usual custom, 
 he left open all night, and silently holding back the curtain, looked 
 out. As he did so a window on the ground floor was cautiously 
 opened and the whistle repeated. After a moment's reflection he 
 became convinced that the room from which the signal whistle had 
 been replied to was occupied by the new butler, who had replaced the 
 individual harassed into the desperate step of resigning by Minerva's 
 incessant crusades against the Under-the-bed One. At the sound of 
 the signal whistle the figures of four men appeared from the shrubs, 
 amongst which they had been hidden, and noiselessly approached the 
 window. The candle which Lewis had brought upstairs with him had 
 burned out; and although his window was open, the curtains were 
 drawn across it; he was therefore able, himself unperceived, to see 
 and hear all that was going on. As the burglars, for such he did not 
 doubt they were, drew near, the following conversation was carried on 
 in a low whisper between their leader, a man of unusual stature, and 
 Simmonds the butler. 
 
 " You are late ; the plate has been packed and ready for the last 
 two hours." 
 
 " There was a light in the d tutor's room till half-an-hour ago," 
 
 was the reply ; " and we thought he might hear us and give the alarm 
 if we did not wait till he was in bed." 
 
 " It would not have much signified if he had when you were once 
 in," returned Simmonds: "the grooms don't sleep in the house; the 
 valet is in London; so there's only the tutor, the footman, and the 
 idiot boy, besides women." 
 
 " Where is the old man ? " inquired the other. 
 
 " Not returned," was the answer. 
 
 A brutal curse was the rejoinder, and the robber continued, " The 
 girl is safe ? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 "And the tutor?" 
 
 " Yes. What do you want with them ? " 
 
 " To knock out his d brains, and take her with us," was the 
 
 alarming reply. Simmonds appeared to remonstrate, for the robber 
 replied in a louder tone than he had yet used — 
 
 "I tell you, yes/ Old Grant shall know what it is to lose a 
 daughter as well as other people." 
 
 Afraid lest the loudness of his voice should give the alarm, the other 
 exclaimed in an anxious whisper — 
 
 "Hush! come in; "and one after the other the four men entered 
 by the open window. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 311 
 
 CHAPTER XLVII. 
 
 CONTAINS A "MIDNIGHT STRUGGLE," GARNISHED WITH A DUE 
 AMOUNT OF BLOODSHED, AND OTHER NECESSARY HORRORS. 
 
 Lewis, having overheard the conversation detailed in the preceding 
 chapter, perceived himself to be placed in a position alike dangerous 
 and difficult. In the spokesman and leader of the party he had 
 recognised (as the reader has probably also done) his old antagonist, 
 Hardy the poacher. The matter then stood thus : four ruffians (one 
 of whom, burning with the desire of revenge for wrongs real and 
 supposed, possessed strength and resolution equal to his animosity) 
 were already in possession of the lower part of the house, their avowed 
 objects being robbery, murder, and abduction ; the butler, faithless 
 to his trust, was clearly an accomplice ; Hardy, fighting as it were 
 with a halter round his neck, was not likely to stick at trifles, and 
 Lewis foresaw that the conflict, once begun, would be for life or death, 
 and on its successful issue depended Annie's rescue from a fate worse 
 than death. His only ally was the footman ; and whether this lad's 
 courage would desert him when he discovered the odds against which 
 he had to contend was a point more than doubtful. However, there was 
 no time to deliberate ; Lewis felt that he must act, and summoning all 
 the energies of his nature to meet so fearful an emergency, he prepared 
 to sell his life as dearly as possible. On attempting to unlock his 
 pistol case the key turned with difficulty, and it was not without some 
 trouble and delay that he was enabled to open it. As he did so, it 
 occurred to him that his pistols, which he kept loaded, might have 
 been tampered with. It was fortunate that he thought of ascertaining 
 this, for on inserting the ramrod he found the bullets had been with- 
 drawn from both barrels. Carefully reloading them, he placed the 
 pistols in a breast-pocket ready for use, and taking down from a 
 nail on which it hung a cavalry sabre which had belonged to Captain 
 Arundel, he unsheathed it, and grasping it firmly with his right hand, 
 he turned to leave the room, with the design of arousing the footman. 
 As he did so a faint tap was heard, and on opening the door the 
 figure of Annie Grant, pale and trembling, wrapped in a dressing- 
 gown and shawl, appeared before him, while her French soubrette, in 
 an agony of fear, was leaning against the wall listening (with eyes 
 that appeared ready to start out of her head with fright) for every 
 sound below. As Lewis advanced Annie perceived the sabre, and 
 pointing towards it, she exclaimed in an agitated whisper — 
 
 " Oh ! you have heard them, then ! what will become of us ?" 
 
 Lewis took her trembling hand in his. 
 
 " Calm yourself," he said in the same low tone ; " I will defend you, 
 and if needs be, die for you." 
 
 His words, spoken slowly and earnestly, appeared to act like a 
 charm upon her. She became at once composed, and looking up in 
 his face with an expression of childlike trust, inquired— 
 
 « And what shall I do?" 
 
314 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 "Go back to your apartment and pray for my success; God is 
 merciful, and will not turn a deaf ear to such angel pleadings," was 
 the solemn reply. 
 
 Annie again gazed earnestly at him, and reading in the stern resolu- 
 tion of his features the imminence of their danger, was turning away 
 with a sickening feeling of despair at her heart, when Lewis again 
 addressed her. 
 
 " I am going to awaken the man-servant," he said ; " the butler is 
 an accomplice of these scoundrels, and has admitted them. They 
 cannot, however, molest you without ascending the stairs, and as 
 they do that I shall encounter them; the result is in the hands of 
 God." 
 
 He was about to leave her, but there was a speechless misery in her 
 face as she gazed upon him which he could not resist. In an instant 
 he was by her side. 
 
 " Dear Annie," he said, and his deep tones faltered from the in- 
 tensity of his emotion — it was the first time he had ever called her by 
 her Christian name — " Dear Annie, do not look at me thus sorrowfully; 
 it is true we are in peril, but I have ere now braved greater danger 
 than this successfully, and — should I fall, life has few charms for me — 
 to die for you I" 
 
 At this moment the sound of a man's voice in anger was heard 
 from the lower part of the house, and starting forward with a 
 scarcely suppressed cry of terror, the French girl seized Lewis's 
 arm, while, pointing in the direction of the footman's room, she 
 exclaimed — 
 
 " Allez, allez, cherchez vtte du secours, nous allons itre assassinh 
 tous." 
 
 Lewis placed his finger on his lips in token of silence, and 
 listened a moment as the voices below were again audible and 
 then died away. 
 
 " They are quarrelling over their booty," he said, " and are too well 
 occupied to think of us at present." 
 
 He then led Annie to the door of her room, urged her to fasten it on 
 the inside, and pressing her hand warmly, left her. After one or two 
 futile attempts he discovered the man-servant's apartment ; the door 
 was unfastened, and he pushed it open, when the loud, regular breathing 
 which met his ear proved that the person of whom he was in search 
 was as yet undisturbed. Approaching the bed, Lewis paused for a 
 moment, and shading the light with his hand, gazed upon the face of 
 the sleeper. He was scarcely beyond the age of boyhood, and his 
 features presented more delicacy of form than is usually to be met 
 with in the class to which he belonged. He was sleeping as quietly 
 as a child; while Lewis watched him, he murmured some inarticulate 
 sounds, and a smile played about his mouth. As Lewis stooped to 
 wake him, he could not but mentally contrast the calm sleep from 
 which he was arousing him with the probable scene of violence and 
 danger in which he would so soon be engaged. It was no time 
 for such reflections, however, and laying his hand on the lad's 
 shoulder, he said — 
 
LEWIS AkUNDEL. 313 
 
 " Robert, you are wanted, rouse up 1 " 
 
 Startled by the apparition of a tall figure bending over him, the 
 young man sprang up, exclaiming — 
 
 "Whafs the matter? who is it?" then recognising Lewis, he con- 
 tinued, " Mr. Arundel I is anybody ill, sir ?" 
 
 "Hush!" was the reply; "get up and put on your clothes as 
 quickly as possible ; there are thieves in the house. I will wait at 
 the top of the stairs till you join me ; but make no noise, or you may 
 bring them upon us before we are prepared for them." 
 
 So saying, he quitted the room. In less time than he had imagined 
 it possible, the young servant joined him. 
 
 "Have you roused Mr. Simmonds?" was his first query. 
 
 " The butler has proved unworthy of the trust reposed in him," 
 returned Lewis ; " he has admitted these men into the house, and they 
 are now in his pantry, preparing to carry off the plate." 
 
 As he spoke his companion's colour rose, and with flashing eyes he 
 exclaimed, " Let us go down and prevent them ; there's plate worth 
 ;£5oo under his care." 
 
 Lewis held the lamp so that it shed its light upon the young man's 
 face and figure. He was a tall, well-grown youth, and his broad 
 shoulders and muscular arms gave promise of strength ; his eye was 
 keen and bright, and an expression of honest indignation imparted 
 firmness to his mouth. Lewis felt that he might be relied on, and 
 determined to trust him accordingly. 
 
 " They have worse designs than merely stealing the plate," he said ; 
 " they intend to carry off Miss Grant, and murder me. Chance enabled 
 me to overhear their plan ; I mean, therefore, to wait at the top of 
 the stairs and use any means to prevent their ascending them: will 
 you stand by me ? " 
 
 "Ay, that I will ; a man can but die once," was the spirited reply. 
 
 Lewis grasped his hand and shook it warmly. 
 
 " You are a brave fellow," he said, " and if we succeed in beating 
 off these scoundrels, it shall not be my fault if your fortune is not 
 made. There is a carabine hanging in the General's bedroom, is 
 there not ? " 
 
 Receiving an answer in the affirmative, Lewis continued, " Fetch it, 
 then, and the sword with it, if you think you can use it." 
 
 As Robert departed on this mission, Lewis, surprised at the delay 
 on the part of Hardy and his associates, glided lightly down the stair- 
 case to reconnoitre their proceedings. The lower part of the house 
 was of course in total darkness ; but as . he approached the butler's 
 pantry a bright stream of light issued from a crack in the door, while 
 the tramp of nailed shoes on the stone flooring inside, together with 
 an occasional muttered word or oath from one of the party, proved 
 that they were busily engaged in some toilsome occupation, which 
 Lewis rightly conjectured to be conveying the plate to a cart outside. 
 Returning as cautiously as he had advanced, Lewis rejoined his com- 
 panion, whom he found waiting for him at the top of the stairs, 
 carabine in hand. Having ascertained that the charge had been 
 removed from this also, he reloaded it with some of the slugs intended 
 
314 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 for his pistols, and placing the lamp so that it cast its light down the 
 staircase, leaving the spot where they stood in shade, he handed one 
 pistol to Robert, reserving the other for his own use in any emergency 
 which might occur ; and thus prepared they awaited the approach of 
 the robbers. Their patience was not in this instance destined to be 
 severely taxed, for scarcely had they taken their stations when the 
 creaking of a door cautiously opened, and the tread of muffled foot- 
 steps announced that the crisis was at hand ; and in another moment 
 Hardy and his associates were seen stealthily advancing towards the 
 foot of the stairs. As they perceived the light of Lewis's lamp they 
 paused, and a whispered consultation took place. At this moment 
 the rays fell strongly upon the upper part of the poacher's figure, and 
 Lewis, levelling his carabine, could have shot him through the heart. 
 It was a strong temptation. Hardy once dead, Lewis had little fear 
 of being able to overcome or intimidate the others. He knew that it 
 was life for life, and that by all laws, human and divine, the act 
 would be a justifiable one ; but he could not bring himself to slay a 
 fellow-creature in cold blood. Besides, although since his unmanly 
 attack on Annie, Lewis had felt in the highest degree irritated against 
 the poacher, he compassionated him for the loss of his daughter, and 
 could not entirely divest himself of a species of admiration for his 
 strength and daring : so, though he still held the carabine directed 
 towards the group, he did not pull the trigger; and thus, by a strange 
 turn of fate, Lewis spared Hardy's life, as Hardy had on a former 
 occasion spared his, when the motion of a finger would have sent him 
 to his long account. At this moment the butler joined the party, and 
 Lewis caught the words, " They have fire-arms !" 
 
 " Never fear," was the reply in the tones of Simmonds' voice, " they 
 may bark, but they won't bite ; I've taken care of that." 
 
 "Come on, then," exclaimed Hardy impetuously; "let us rush at 
 them together and overpower them ; " and grasping a bludgeon with 
 one hand, while in the other he held a cocked pistol, he dashed up- 
 stairs followed by his accomplices. Lewis waited till they had passed 
 a turn in the staircase, and then aiming low, in order if possible to stop 
 their advance without destroying life, he fired. Simmonds, who was one 
 of the foremost, immediately fell, and losing his balance, rolled down 
 several steps; one of the others paused in his career, and from his 
 limping gait was evidently wounded ; but Hardy and two more con- 
 tinued their course uninjured. The smoke of the discharge for a 
 moment concealed Lewis's figure; as it cleared away. Hardy levelled 
 his pistol at him and fired. The bullet whistled by Lewis's ear, and 
 passmg within an inch of his right temple, lodged in the wall behind 
 him ; while, foUowitig up his ineffectual shot, the robber rushed upon 
 him. Lewis, however, had too keen a recollection of his antagonist's 
 matchless strength to risk the chance of allowing him to close with 
 him, and springing back, he struck him, quick as lightning, two blows 
 with the sabre — the first on his arm, which he raised to protect his 
 head, the second and most severe one on the shoulder near the neck: 
 this last blow staggered him, and reeling dizzily, he grasped the 
 banister for support, the blood trickling from the wound in his 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 315 
 
 shoulder. In the meantime the two others, one of them having felled 
 the young footman to the ground by a back-handed stroke with a 
 bludgeon, attacked Lewis simultaneously. Having parried one or two 
 blows with his sabre, Lewis made a desperate cut at the head of the 
 man with the bludgeon. The fellow raised his staff to ward off the 
 stroke, and the blow fell upon the oak sapling, which it severed like a 
 reed; but unfortunately the shock was too great, and the sword 
 snapped near the hilt. Seeing that he was thus left defenceless, and 
 might probably be overpowered, as both his assailants were strong, 
 square-built fellows, Lewis had no resource but to draw his pistol ; and, 
 as before, endeavouring to aim so as to disable without destroying 
 life, he fired, and the man nearest to him fell. His comrade immedi- 
 ately threw himself upon the young tutor, and a fierce struggle ensued. 
 In point of strength the combatants were very equally matched; but, 
 fortunately for the result, Lewis was the most active, and by a sudden 
 wrench disengaging himself from his antagonist's grasp, he struck him 
 a tremendous blow with his clenched fist on the side of the head, 
 which sent him down with the force of a battering-ram. As he did so 
 a giant arm was thrown round his waist, a knife gleamed at his throat, 
 and in a hoarse, broken voice, the savage ferocity of which had some- 
 thing appalling in its tones. Hardy exclaimed — 
 
 " I've owed you something a long time, young feller ; and now I've 
 got a chance, I'm going to pay you." 
 
 Both his hands being occupied, he, with the fury of some beast of 
 prey, seized Lewis's hair with his teeth, and endeavoured to draw his 
 head back in order to cut his throat ; but, by dint of struggling, Lewis 
 had contrived to get his right arm free, and grasping the wrist of the 
 hand which held the weapon, he was enabled, as long as his strength 
 might hold out, to prevent the ruffian from executing his murderous 
 purpose. Hardy made one or two efforts to shake off the grasp which 
 thus fettered him, but his muscular power was so much impaired by 
 the sabre cut on the arm that he was unable to accomplish his design. 
 Accordingly, trusting to his great strength, and thinking that Lewis 
 would become exhausted by his attempts to free himself, Hardy 
 determined to wait rather than run the risk of affording his victim a 
 chance of escape by removing the arm which encircled him. While 
 affairs were in this position, Robert, having recovered the stunning 
 effects of the blow which had felled him, regained his feet, and was 
 advancing to Lewis's assistance when the robber who had been 
 slightly wounded in the leg as he was ascending the stairs, and had 
 since remained a passive spectator of the struggle, interposed, and 
 rousing, through the medium of a kick in the ribs, the fellow whom 
 Lewis had knocked down, closed with the young servant, and 
 attempted to wrench the pistol (which went off in the scuffle without 
 injuring any one) from his grasp, while his accomplice, gathering 
 himself slowly from the floor, prepared to assist him. In the mean- 
 time the struggle between Lewis and Hardy appeared likely to 
 terminate in favour of the young tutor, for the exertions made by the 
 poacher to retain his captive caused the blood to flow rapidly from 
 his wounds, and a sensation of faintness stole over him which 
 
3i6 LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 threatened momentarily to incapacitate him. As he became aware 
 of this fact his fury and disappointment knew no bounds; and collect- 
 ing his powers for one final effort, he released Lewis's waist, and 
 transferring his grasp to his coat collar, suddenly flung his whole 
 weight upon him and bore him heavily to the ground ; then raising 
 himself and planting his knee on Lewis's chest, he stretched out his 
 hand to pick up the knife which he had dropped in this last attack. 
 Had he made the attempt one minute sooner, it would have been 
 successful, and Lewis would indeed have laid down his life for her 
 he loved ; but his time was not yet come. As the poacher leant over 
 to reach the knife, a dizzy faintness overpowered him, his brain reeled ; 
 a slight effort on Lewis's part was sufficient to dislodge him, and 
 uttering a hollow groan, he rolled over on his back and lay motionless, 
 his deep, laboured breathing alone testifying that he was still alive. 
 Hastily springing from the ground, Lewis, on regaining his feet, 
 turned to assist his companion, who was still manfully battling with 
 his two assailants ; as he did so the sound of feet became audible, and 
 the gardener and three of the other outdoor servants, aroused by the 
 report of fire-arms, rushed in, having effected their entrance by the 
 open window of the pantry. Their arrival ended the affair. The 
 burglar who was uninjured, finding the door of Lewis's bedroom open, 
 took refuge there, leaped from the window, alighted on some shrubs, 
 which broke his fall, and the darkness favouring him, effected his 
 escape. The other four, who were all wounded more or less seriously, 
 were secured. 
 
 A surgeon was immediately sent for: he examined Hardy (who 
 remained in a state of unconsciousness) first. He pronounced the 
 cut in the arm of little consequence, but the wound in the neck had 
 divided several important vessels, and he considered it highly 
 dangerous. The burglar at whom Lewis had discharged his pistol 
 was severely wounded in the hip, but the surgeon did not apprehend 
 any serious consequences. Simmonds, the butler, proved to have 
 been hit in the knee by a slug from the carabine, an injury which 
 would probably lame him for life. The remaining member of the 
 gang had come off more easily, a shot having passed through the fleshy 
 part of the leg; Robert, the servant, displayed a broken head; and 
 Lewis, besides being severely bruised, had in the last struggle with 
 Hardy received a wound in the left wrist from the point of the 
 ruffian's knife. As soon as, by the application of proper restoratives, 
 Hardy became sufficiently recovered to bear removal, a carriage was 
 sent for, and the captured burglars were conveyed to the nearest town ; 
 the two most severely injured were taken to the hospital, and the 
 other pair securely lodged in the county gaol. 
 
 On Annie's expressions of gratitude to her preservers, or on the 
 feelings with which Lewis heard her lips pronounce his praises, we 
 will not dwell, neither will we expatiate on the view Miss Livingstone 
 (who appeared in a tremendous nightcap of cast-iron white-washed, 
 and a dressing-gown of Portland stone) was pleased to take of the 
 affair, in which she recognised a vindication of the reality of the 
 individual who was always under the beds and behind the curtains, 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 317 
 
 who for the future she declared to have been Hardy, professing her- 
 self able to swear to the expression of his boots in any court of justice 
 throughout the United Kingdom. 
 
 CHAPTER XLVIII. 
 
 WHEREIN THE READER DIVERGES INTO A NEW BRANCH OF "THE 
 RAILROAD OF LIFE" IN A THIRD-CLASS CARRIAGE. 
 
 Lewis, bruised and wearied after his skirmish with the housebreakers, 
 flung himself on a sofa in his dressing-room, to try if he could obtain 
 a few hours' sleep ere fresh cares and duties should devolve upon him ; 
 but sleep demands a calm frame of mind, and in his spirit there was 
 no peace. One thought haunted him — in his brief and agitating inter- 
 view with Annie, had he betrayed himself? Sometimes, as he recalled 
 the words he had spoken, and the feelings which had as it were 
 forced them from him, he felt that he must have done so ; and then 
 he regretted that Hardy's bullet had flown wide of its mark, and 
 wished that he were lying there a senseless corpse rather than a living 
 man endowed with power to feel, and therefore to suffer. Then he 
 bethought him how alarmed and confused Annie had appeared, and 
 he conceived that she might have been too thoroughly preoccupied 
 and self-engrossed to have marked his words, or to have attributed to 
 them any meaning save friendly interest. One thing was only too 
 clear: of whatever nature might be Annie's feelings towards him, his 
 affection for her was love— deep, fervent, earnest love — a passion that 
 he could neither banish nor control. How then should he act ? flight 
 had now become the idea that most readily occurred to him : again, 
 the possibility of leaving Walter presented itself to his mind, and this 
 time not as a mere remote contingency, but as a step which he might 
 at any moment be called upon to take, if he could not recover his self- 
 control so entirely as to endure Annie's presence; nay, to receive 
 marks of her gratitude and esteem, or even, on occasion, to share her 
 confidence, without betraying his feelings. Then in his self-torment- 
 ing he caught at the expression which he had half thought, half 
 uttered, to " endure " her presence — to endure that which he idolised, 
 the presence of one for whom he would sacrifice friends, family, the 
 love of adventure, his ambitious hopes, nay, as he had but now proved, 
 life itself. A wild idea crossed his mind : if love were thus all-powerful 
 with him, a strong-minded, determined man, might it not be equally 
 so with her, a young, impulsive girl, whose very nature was an em- 
 bodiment of tenderness ; might she not secretly pine to sacrifice rank, 
 station, riches, for the sake of love and him? Sacrifice — ay,- rather 
 rejoice to cast off such trammels ! Should he strive to ascertain this ? 
 Should he tell her how he loved her with a passion that was under- 
 mining the secret springs of his very existence, and implore her to fly 
 with him to some fair western land, where the false distinctions of 
 
3i8 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 society were undreamed of, and the brave, true-hearted man was lord, 
 not of his servile fellows, but of the creation which God had destined 
 him to rule? The picture, seen by the false glare of his heated 
 imagination, appeared a bright one, the lights stood out boldly, and 
 the shadows remained unheeded till the first gleam of returning reason 
 brought them prominently forward, and he shuddered to think that 
 he could have entertained for a moment a project so completely_ at 
 variance with every principle of honour and of duty. Thus feverish 
 alike in mind and. body, he tossed restlessly on his couch, till at length, 
 thoroughly exhausted, he fell into a deep sleep, and dreamed bright 
 dreams of happy love, to make the stem reality appear yet darker and 
 more drear on waking. 
 
 On his return to Broadhurst, General Grant expressed his most un- 
 qualified admiration at the gallant defence of his house, property, and 
 daughter (we quote his own " table of precedence ") by Lewis and 
 the man-servant. On the former he bestowed a sword (presented to 
 him in bygone days by some Indian potentate) to replace the weapon 
 broken in the struggle, together with a handsomely-bound copy of the 
 " Wellington Despatches " ; the latter he rewarded by promotion to the 
 post of butler, vice Simmonds (in a fair way. to be) transported, to- 
 gether with a douceur of twenty pounds ; which piece of good fortune 
 so elated the youthful Robert that he publicly declared he should like 
 to have his head broken every night, and wished the house might be 
 robbed regularly twice a week till further orders. The wounded men 
 recovered rapidly, with the exception of Hardy, whose case assumed a 
 very alarming character: owing to the state of his constitution, im- 
 paired by a course of intemperance, to which, since his escape from 
 prison, he had given himself over, erysipelas supervened, and m a few 
 days his life was despaired of. On receiving this intelligence Lewis 
 
 rode over to H , and calling at the hospital, requested to be 
 
 allowed to see the man whose life he had been the involuntary instru- 
 ment of shortening. The permission was readily accorded, and he 
 was conducted along several passages to the room, or rather cell, for 
 it was little else, in which, for the purpose of security as well as to 
 separate him from the other inmates of the establishment, the burglar 
 had been placed. As soon as Lewis had entered the door was closed 
 and fastened on the outside. Noiselessly approaching the truckle bed 
 on which Hardy lay, the young tutor paused as his glance fell upon 
 the prostrate figure of his former antagonist. Stretched at full length 
 upon the couch, his arm and shoulder swathed in bandages, and his 
 muscular throat and broad, hairy chest partially uncovered, he looked 
 even more gigantic than when in an erect posture : his face was pale 
 as death, and an unnatural darkness beneath the skin betokened to 
 any one accustomed to such appearances the speedy approach of the 
 destroyer; while a small hectic spot of colour on the centre of each 
 cheek gave evidence of the inward fever which was consuming him. 
 When Lewis approached the bed his eyes were closed, and his deep 
 breathing at first led to the belief that he was asleep ; that this was 
 not the case, however, soon became apparent. Openmg his eyes, he 
 accidentally encountered those of Lewis fixed upon him with an expres- 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 319 
 
 sion of iningled pity and remorse : as their glances met Hardy gave 
 a start of surprise, and gazed at him with a scowl which proved that 
 his feelings of animosity against Lewis were still unabated ; while a 
 puzzled look evinced that his mental powers were so much weakened 
 that he doubted whether the figure he beheld were real or a creation 
 of his morbid fancy. Advancing to the bedside, Lewis broke the 
 silence by inquiring whether he suffered much pain. As he began to 
 speak, the confused look disappeared from the sick man's counte- 
 nance, and glaring at him with an expression of impotent rage, he 
 exclaimed in a low, hoarse voice — 
 
 "So you're come to look upon your handiwork, are you? I hope 
 you like it ! " 
 
 " I am come to tell you that I am sorry the blows I struck you in 
 self-defence should have produced such disastrous consequences, and 
 to ask your forgiveness, in case the means employed for your restora- 
 tion to health should prove ineffectual," replied Lewis. 
 
 " Restore my health 1 " repeated Hardy bitterly. " Do you mean 
 that you expect these doctors can cure me ? Do you think these 
 wounds, that bum like hell-fire, can be healed by their plasters and 
 bandages ? I tell you no ! You have done your work effectually this 
 time, and I am a dying man. You want me to forgive you, do you ? 
 If my curse could wither you where you stand, I would and do curse 
 you ! If priests' tales be true, and there be a heaven and a hell, and 
 by forgiving you I could reach heaven, I still would curse you, in the 
 hope that by so doing I might drag you down to hell with me." 
 
 The vehemence with which he uttered this malediction completely 
 exhausted him, and falling back on the pillow he lay with dosed eyes, 
 his laboured breathing affording the only proof that he was still alive. 
 Throwing himself upon a chair by the bedside, Lewris sat wrapped in 
 painful thought The reflection that hatred to him for acts which 
 circumstances had forced him to commit might cause the unhappy 
 being before him to die impenitent, and that he might thus be instru- 
 mental to the destruction both of his body and soul, was distressing to 
 him in the extreme ; aiid yet how to bring him to a better frame of 
 mind was not easy to decide. At length, following out his own train 
 of thought, he asked abruptly — 
 
 " Hardy, why do you hate me so bitterly ? " 
 
 Thus accosted, the poacher unclosed his eyes, and fixed them with 
 a piercing glance upon the face of his questioner, as though he would 
 read his very soul. Apparently disappointed in his object, for Lewis 
 met his gaze with the calm self-possession of conscious rectitude, he 
 answered surlily — 
 
 "A\'hy do you come here to torment me with foolish questions ? It 
 is enough that I hate you with just cause — and you know that it is so. 
 I hate you now, I shall hate you dying, and I shall hate you after 
 death, if there is a hereafter. Now go. If by staying here you think 
 to persuade or entrap me into saying I forgive you, you only waste 
 your time." 
 
 "Listen to me, Hardy," returned Lewis, speaking calmly and 
 impressively. "You are, as you truly say, a dying man. In this life 
 
320 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 we shall probably never meet again. The reality of a future life you 
 appear to doubt: I believe in it; and I believe that your condition 
 there may be affected by your dying with such feelings in your heart 
 as you have now expressed. It is therefore worth while to discuss 
 this matter, and see whether you have such just cause to hate me as 
 you imagine." 
 
 As Hardy made no reply, Lewis continued : " It is true that on a 
 former occasion I secured your capture when perhaps I was stepping 
 beyond my regular path of duty to do so; but in this last affair I 
 merely acted in self-defence, as I overheard from my open window 
 your scheme for my destruction. You discharged a pistol at me ere 
 I attacked you : had the ball gone half an inch more to the right I 
 should have been a dead man. Whatever may be your faults, you are 
 brave; and that quality alone should prevent your bearing malice 
 against one who met you in fair, open fight. It was a game for life 
 and death, and it is unjust to hate me for winning it." 
 
 " Boy, you will madden me," exclaimed Hardy passionately, raising 
 himself on his elbow as he spoke, though the pain the action caused 
 him forced a groan from his compressed lips. " Do you suppose I 
 care for your paltry blows ? If they had not finished me, brandy or 
 my own hand would soon have done so; for life has long been a 
 curse to me, and had become unbearable since — may the torments I 
 shall soon endure, if there be a hell, fall upon you for it I — since you 
 and the titled scoundi-el, your accomplice, stole my daughter from 
 me." 
 
 " I ! " exclaimed Lewis in astonishment. " Do you imagine me to 
 have had any share in that wickedness ? Why, man, I never saw your 
 daughter save on two occasions ; and on the second of these I warned 
 her — unfortunately without effect — against the designs of the villain 
 who betrayed her." 
 
 As he spoke Hardy gazed eagerly at him, and when he ceased, 
 exclaimed — 
 
 " Tell me when and where was it that you did this ? " 
 
 " It was on the morning after the electioneering ball at Broadhurst. 
 I was shooting with the gamekeeper — met your daughter by accident 
 in the grass field by the larch plantation — and witnessing her parting 
 with Lord Bellefield, I took the opportunity of telling her his true 
 name and character, and warning her against his probable designs. 
 But, unluckily, she had observed a disagreement between us on the 
 previous evening, and supposing me to be actuated by malicious 
 motives, discredited my assertion." 
 
 " You are not deceiving me ? " questioned Hardy eagerly. " You 
 could not, dare not, do so now ! " 
 
 "You do not know me, or you would not doubt my word. I have 
 spoken the simple truth," returned Lewis coldly. 
 
 "Here !" continued Hardy, producing from beneath the pillow a 
 small Bible which the chaplain had left with him : " you tell me you 
 believe in this book. Will you swear upon it that you are not trying 
 to deceive me ? " 
 
 L?wis raised tlie book reverently to his lips, and kissing it, too}? the 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 321 
 
 required oath. Hardy watched him with a scrutinising gaze, and 
 when he had conchided, held out his hand, saying— 
 
 " I have wronged you deeply, Mr. Arundel, and must ask— what 1 
 never thought again to ask at the hand of man — your forgiveness. I 
 have sought your life, sir, as the wild beast seeks his prey; and chance, 
 on one occasion, and your own courage and address on others, have 
 alone preserved it." 
 
 He then went on to relate how, his suspicions having been excited 
 by hints from the neighbours, he had learned that his daughter was in 
 the habit of meeting some gentleman by stealth. How he watched for 
 this person constantly, without success, till the day after the great party 
 at Broadhurst, when, lying concealed in the larch plantation, he had 
 been attracted by the sound of voices, and creeping beneath the under- 
 wood, had witnessed, though not near enough to overhear what passed, 
 the interview between Lewis and his daughter, when he naturally 
 concluded the young tutor to be the individual against whom he had 
 been cautioned. He then went on to relate that the opportune arrival 
 of the gamekeeper had alone prevented him from shooting the supposed 
 libertine, but that he had determined on his destruction, and that his 
 subsequent capture by Lewis and the General had alone hindered him 
 
 from executing his design. It was not till after his escape from H 
 
 gaol that he first heard Lord Bellefield's name coupled with that of his 
 daughter, which information complicated the affair; but still feeling 
 convinced that Lewis was guilty, either as principal or accessory, he 
 joined in the scheme for robbing Broadhurst, in order to be revenged 
 on the young tutor, as well as on General Grant, against whom he had 
 long nourished feelings of animosity, on account of his poaching 
 persecutions. 
 
 His penitence for the wrong he had done him by his unjust suspicions 
 were so sincere and spontaneous, that Lewis imagined he recognised, 
 amid the ruin of a naturally generous disposition, that " seed of the 
 soul " which remains in almost every nature, however the rank growth 
 of evil passions uncontrolled may have checked its development. 
 Taking advantage of an expression which Hardy used, that " he thanked 
 God he had not added to his other sins the murder of one who had 
 sought to befriend his child," his companion observed — 
 
 "You say you thank God for preserving you from an additional 
 crime : now, does not the fact of your involuntarily making use of that 
 form of speech tend to convince you that the belief in a God and a 
 future state is natural to the mind of man ? " 
 
 Hardy seemed struck by the force of this remark, and Lewis, pursu- 
 ing the subject, had the satisfaction of perceiving that he had excited 
 the wounded man's interest, and ere he quitted him he obtained his 
 promise to listen to the exhortations of the chaplain, whose advances 
 he had hitherto angrily repulsed. Pleased with the result of his visit, 
 Lewis on his way home called upon the clergyman who fulfilled the 
 duties of chaplain to the hospital, and mentioning to him Hardy's 
 improved frame of mind, begged him to see him again as soon as 
 possible, to which request the chaplain willingly acceded. 
 
 Three days after this interview Lewis received a note from this 
 
322 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 gentleman thanking him for his hint, and informing him that its results 
 had been as satisfactory as in such a case was possible. Hardy 
 appeared sincerely penitent, willing to embrace and anxious to profit 
 by the truths of religion, as far as his weakened faculties enabled him 
 to apprehend them. He added that he was sinking fast, and had 
 expressed the greatest desire to see Lewis again before he died, as he 
 had some request to make to him. On the receipt of this information 
 Lewis immediately set out for H . 
 
 A great alteration had taken place in Hardy's appearance in those 
 three days. His cheeks had become still more hollow, the unnatural 
 brightness of his eyes was replaced by a dull, leaden look, and the 
 hectic colour had faded to the pale, ashy hue of approaching dis- 
 solution, whilst the hoarse, deep tones of his voice were reduced 
 almost to a whisper through weakness. But the most remarkable 
 change was in the expression of his features ; the sullen scowl, which 
 betokened a spirit at war alike with itself and others, had given place 
 to a look of calm resignation ; there were indeed traces of bodily pain 
 and mental anguish about the mouth, but the upper part of the face 
 was in complete repose. Lewis gazed upon him with deep interest, 
 and the idea suggested itself that thus might have appeared the 
 demoniac when the words of power had gone forth, " Hold thy peace, 
 and come out of him." Nor was the comparison inapt, for if ever the 
 mind of man was possessed by an evil spirit, that of Hardy had been 
 so by the demon of revenge. As the dying man perceived his approach 
 his features lighted up. 
 
 " I knew you would come, Mr. Arundel," he said. " I felt that I 
 should not die without seeing you again." 
 
 "Do you suffer much pain now, Hardy?" inquired Lewis kindly. 
 
 " Scarcely any since six o'clock this morning, sir," was the reply; 
 " but I know what that means — that's mortification coming on. I've 
 seen men die from sabre wounds before now. I was a soldier once — 
 at least I was farrier to a troop of cavalry, which is much the same 
 thing; but this was not what 1 wanted to say to you." He paused 
 from exhaustion, and pointed to a glass containing some strengthening 
 cordial. Lewis held it to his parched lips ; having drunk a portion of 
 it, he appeared considerably revived. 
 
 " I am going fast," he resumed, " and must not waste the minutes 
 that remain. You have treated me with kindness, sir — one of the few 
 who have ever done so ; you are a bold foe and a warm-hearted friend, 
 and that is a character I understand and can trust. Moreover, you 
 tell me you showed poor Jane" (as he mentioned his daughter's name 
 tears stood in his eyes and his breath came short and fast) "her 
 danger, and strove to warn her against the villain who has wronged 
 her, and this shows you are a good man ; therefore I am going to ask 
 you to do me a favour. When I am dead, I want you to find out Jane 
 and tell her whatever you may think best to induce her to leave this 
 man. And when she hears that I'm dead, if she seems to feel it very 
 deep and take on about it — which likely enough she will, for she did 
 care for me once — you may tell her that I forgave her before I died. 
 I never thought to do so, for she has finished what her mother began ; 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 323 
 
 between them they've first made me the devil I have been, and then- 
 broken my heart." He paused, and when he had sufficiently recovered 
 breath, continued, " When I married her mother, five-and-twenty years 
 ago, I was a different man from whatever you've known me. I'd been 
 brought up to my father's trade of a blacksmith, and worked steadily 
 at it till I was able to lay by a fair sum of money, besides keeping the 
 old man as long as he was alive. However, in the village where we 
 lived was a farmer, well-to-do in the world, and his daughter was far 
 the prettiest girl in those parts ; she'd had a good education, and gave 
 herself airs like a lady, and looked down upon a rough young fellow 
 like me ; but I bore it patiently, for I loved her, and determined I'd 
 never marry anybody but her. For a long time she would not look at 
 me, but I persevered ; any man that come a-courting her I picked a 
 quarrel with and thrashed. I found many ways of making myself 
 handy to the old man, her father, and somehow she got used to me 
 like, and grew less scornful ; and just then a sister of my father's, 
 who had been housekeeper at Broadhurst, died and left me ^300, and 
 I'd saved about ;£2oo more, and the old man wanted help to manage 
 his farm. And the long and short of the matter was I married Harriet 
 Wylde, took a farm next her father's, and gave up blacksmithing. 
 
 " For four years I was as happy as man could be ; everything 
 seemed to prosper with me. My wife had one child, a girl ; a proud 
 man was I when she was first placed in my arms, but had I known 
 what was to be her fate I would have smothered her in her cradle ! 
 There was a young gentleman lived near us — his father was a rich 
 baronet — I had been accustomed to break in horses for the son, and 
 when I took the farm we used to shoot together. He was a frank, 
 generous-hearted man, and treated me like a friend and equal. On 
 our shooting expeditions he would often come and lunch at my house ; 
 on one occasion he brought his younger brother with him. This 
 young fellow had just returned from Italy, and bi'ought foreign 
 manners and foreign vices with him. My wife was still very good- 
 looking, like poor Jane, but handsomer ; and this heartless villain 
 coveted her beauty. I know not what arts he used; I suspected 
 nothing, saw nothing, but one evening on my return my home was 
 desolate. I obtained traces of the fugitives — he had taken her to a 
 seaport town in the south of England, meaning to embark for France 
 — I followed them, and in the open street I met him ; the bystanders 
 interfered between us, or I should have slain him where he stood. 
 He was taken to an inn, where he kept his bed for some weeks from 
 the effect of the punishment I had administered to him. I was 
 dragged off to prison ; the law which suffered him to rob me of her 
 whom I prized more dearly than house and goods punished me for 
 chastising the scoundrel with six months' imprisonment. I consorted 
 with thieves, poachers, and other refuse of society ; and in my mad- 
 ness to obtain revenge upon the class which had injured me, I listened 
 to their specious arguments till I became the curse to myself and 
 others which you, sir, have known me. Well, society sent me to 
 school, and society has had the benefit of the lessons that were 
 taught me. I came out of gaol a bad and well-nigh a desperate 
 
iU LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 man, to learn that my wife had returned to her father's hoUse and 
 died, giving birth to a boy. In my anger I refused to acknowledge 
 the child, but the old man took care of it Time passed on : the elder 
 of the two brothers quarrelled with his father and died abroad, the 
 younger one married ; but God visited him f6r his sin. His wife saw 
 by accident in an old newspaper an account of my trial for the assault ; 
 the shock brought on a premature confinement ; she also died in child- 
 birth, and the child remained an idiot. Yes ! you start, but you have 
 guessed rightly — the boy to whom you are tutor is the son of the man 
 who wronged me. The ways of God are very wonderful : had the boy 
 possessed his proper senses you might never have come here, and I 
 might not now be lying on my death-bed." 
 
 Again Hardy broke off from weakness, and again Lewis administered 
 the cordial to him and wiped the cold dews from his brow. 
 
 " Little more remains to tell," he added after a few minutes' pause ; 
 " and 'tis well that it is so, for death comes on apace. I do not fear to 
 die ; I have long wished myself dead, life was such deep misery, yet 
 now I should be glad to live, that I might undo some of the evil I have 
 caused. Since I saw you last I have felt more like my former self than 
 I have ever done from the time my wife left me. Poor Harriet 1 Do 
 you think we shall meet in the world of spirits, Mr. Arundel ?" 
 
 " These are things God alone knows," replied Lewis gravely. " He 
 has not seen fit to reveal to living man the secrets of the grave ! " 
 
 After a short silence, in which Hardy appeared to be collecting 
 strength to finish his relation, he continued — 
 
 "After my release from the prison I took to drinking to banish 
 reflection. Drinking is a vice which brings all others in its train. I 
 soon fell into bad company, became involved in debt ; and at last, in a 
 
 drunken fit, enlisted in the th Dragoons, my height attracting the 
 
 notice of a recruiting party from that regiment. I served ten years, 
 at the end of which time my wife's father died and left his little 
 property between the two children, with the exception of a sum to 
 purchase my discharge if I chose to come and take care of them. The 
 confinement and regularity of a soldier's life did not suit me, and I 
 availed myself of the opportunity thus offered, returned home, and 
 lived on a certain income set apart for the maintenance and education 
 of the children. This was a fresh chance for me, and had I conducted 
 myself properly I might have yet known some peaceful years j but a 
 craving for excitement haunted me. I sought out some of my old 
 companions, joined a Chartist association, took to habits of poaching 
 — and this has been the end of it." 
 
 " What became of the boy who was left to your care ? " inquired 
 Lewis. Hardy uttered a low groan. 
 
 " That is another sin I have to answer for," he said. " I never 
 liked the child — I doubted whether it was mine, and the sight of it 
 recalled the memory of my wrongs; accordingly, I treated the boy 
 harshly, and he repaid me by sullen disobedience; and yet there 
 should have been sympathy between us. He was brave even to rash- 
 ness, and copied my vices with an aptitude which proved his power of 
 acquiring better things. By the time he was thirteen he could set » 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 325 
 
 snare, hit a bird on the wing, thrash any boy of his own weight, and 
 alas I drink, game, and swear as well as I could myself. One night I 
 had been drinking he angered me, and in my rage I struck him. For 
 a moment he looked as if he would return the blow; but the folly of 
 such an attempt seemed to occur to him, and he glanced towards a 
 knife which lay on the table ; then his sister threw her arms round 
 him, and he refrained. He waited till she had gone to bed, sitting 
 sulkily without speaking. When we were alone he looked up and 
 asked me abruptly, ' Father, are you sorry that you struck me that 
 blow ? ' There was something in the boy's manner that appealed to 
 my better feeUngs, and I was half inclined to own myself wrong, but 
 a false shame prevented me, and I angrily replied ' that I would 
 repeat the blow if he gave me any more of his impertinence.' He 
 looked sternly at me, and muttering, 'That you shall never do,' quitted 
 the room. From that day to this I have never seen him. My poor 
 Jane, who was dotingly fond of him, was broken-hearted at his loss. 
 She told me he oflen threatened to run away when I had treated him 
 harshly, and that his intention was to go to sea. I have no doubt he 
 contrived to put it into execution. Perhaps if her brother had remained 
 with her the poor girl might not have left her home so readily. God 
 help me, my sins have brought their own punishment ! " 
 
 An attack of faintness here overpowered him, of so severe a 
 character that Lewis thought it advisable to summon assistance. 
 When Hardy had in some degree recovered, Lewis, on consulting his 
 watch, found that he must return without further delay; he therefore 
 prepared to depart, bidding Hardy farewell, and promising to see him 
 again on the following day. The dying man shook his head. 
 
 " There will be no to-morrow for me in this world," he said ; then 
 pressing Lewis's hand, he added, " God bless you, Mr. Arundel ; you 
 have done me more good by your kind words than your sword has 
 done me evil; nay, even for my death I thank you; for had I lived on 
 as I was I should only have added crime to crime. You will remember 
 your promise about poor Jane ?" 
 
 Lewis repeated his willingness to do all in his power to carry out 
 the dying man's wishes; and Hardy added, " It may be that the poor 
 boy I told you of is still alive. If he should ever return, I should like 
 him to know that I have often grieved for my bad conduct to him. I 
 have left a letter for you with the clergyman in case I had not 
 seen you," he continued; "it only contains the request I have now 
 made, and one or two other particulars of less consequence; he 
 will give it to you when I am gone." He again pressed Lewis's hand 
 feebly, and closing his eyes, lay more dead than alive. 
 
 As Lewis quitted the room the surgeon met him and infoimed 
 him that it was not probable Hardy would survive through the 
 night, but promised that every attention should be bestowed upon 
 him. Lewis's thoughts, as he rode back to Broadhurst, naturally 
 ran upon the history of sin and shame and sorrow to vi'hich he 
 had just listened, and he could not but wonder for what purpose 
 a frank, generous nature, such as Hardy had originally possessed, 
 should have been so severely tried. A like question may hav? 
 
326 LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 occurred to many of us, and we may have felt that the safest coUrse 
 is to look upon such things as mysteries to be regarded by the 
 twilight of a patient faith, which waits trustfully till all that now 
 seems dark shall be made clear in the glorious brightness of the 
 perfect day. 
 
 CHAPTER XLIX. 
 
 CONTAINS A PARADOX— LEWIS, WHEN LEAST RESIGNED, DISPLAYS 
 THE VIRTUE OF RESIGNATION. 
 
 On the morning after his second visit to Hardy, Lewis received a 
 packet from the hospital chaplain enclosing the letter of which the 
 dying man had spoken, together with a note containing the informa- 
 tion that Hardy had breathed his last about two hours before day- 
 break. The chaplain had seen him, and judged him to be in a fitting 
 state of mind to receive the last consolations of religion. After 
 partaking of the Holy Communion he had fallen into a state of 
 unconsciousness, and died without any return of pain. Lewis opened 
 Hardy's letter; it merely contained a repetition of the request in 
 regard to his unfortunate daughter, together with a reference to one 
 of his associates, in whose possession was a packet containing his 
 father-in-law's will and other papers, all of which he begged Lewis to 
 take charge of and examine at his leisure ; he also gave a clue by 
 which Miss Grant's watch and trinkets might be recovered, and 
 expressed his deep penitence for that robbery, as well as for his other 
 crimes. As Lewis perused this letter, he for the first time became 
 more fully aware of the embarrassing situation in which he had placed 
 himself by his promise to Hardy. How was he to discover Lord 
 Bellefield's victim? how endeavour to reclaim her? After a few 
 minutes' thought his determination was taken. General Grant had 
 announced that morning the fact that Lord Bellefield, having accepted 
 an invitation to Broadhurst, might be expected in the course of the 
 following day ; Lewis therefore resolved to address a letter to his 
 lordship, to be given him on his arrival, detailing such portions of 
 Hardy's confession as related to his daughter, and the promise which 
 he had been thereby induced to make to the dying poacher ; adding 
 that if Lord Bellefield would afford him the information necessary to 
 enable him to carry out her father's wishes, and would pledge his 
 word of honour to avoid her for the future, he should not attempt to 
 give publicity to the matter, but that in the event of his refusal he 
 should feel it his duty to make General Grant acquainted with the 
 whole affair. 
 
 In pursuance of the system he had laid down for himself, Lewis 
 avoided Annie's society as much as was possible ; a line of conduct 
 which she soon appeared to observe, and at first to wonder at. The 
 arrival of Lord Bellefield, however, and her knowledge of Lewis's 
 feelings towards him, aff'orded her an imaginary clue to the young 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 327 
 
 tutor's altered demeanour ; still, the change annoyed and pained her 
 more than she chose to acknowledge even to her own heart. Lord Belle- 
 field was all amiability; he had visited Italy, and brought back innumer- 
 able anecdotes of the domestic felicity of his brother Charles, whose 
 wife he reported to be a model to her sex. His accounts of Charles's pro- 
 digious business efforts, varied by occasional lapses into the dolce far 
 niente of dandyism, were amusing in the extreme Annie was forced 
 to own that her cousin appeared greatly improved, and yet her repug- 
 nance to a renewal of the engagement seemed daily to increase. 
 General Grant, however, by no means sympathised with this caprice, 
 as he considered it, and was only restrained from some violent mani- 
 festation of domestic despotism by his confidence in his own authority, 
 and in the certainty of Annie's obedience whenever he might see fit to 
 demand it Lewis wrote the letter to Lord Bellefield, and having 
 ascertained that it had reached him safely, waited patiently for an 
 answer. Several days elapsed without his receiving one, and he was 
 debating what step he should next take, when, as he was pacing up 
 and down a shrubbery walk, wrapped in meditation, he suddenly met 
 Lord Bellefield face to face. Determining not to lose an opportunity, 
 he raised his hat, and bowing slightly, began — 
 
 "This meeting is fortunate, as I am anxious to ask your lordship a 
 question. Have you not received a lettei: from me ? " 
 
 " I have, sir," was the haughty and concise reply. 
 
 " It is customary between gentlemen to acknowledge the receipt of 
 a letter," urged Lewis, " more particularly when, as in this instance, 
 the writer has pledged himself to act according to the tenor of the 
 answer." 
 
 " I scarcely see how your observation applies to the present case," 
 was the insolent rejoinder. " In regard to your letter, I have treated 
 it with the silent contempt it merited." 
 
 Lewis's brow flushed; controlling the angry impulse, however, he 
 said calmly, "Your lordship cannot irritate me by such insinua- 
 tions — you are aware of the alternative when you refuse to answer my 
 letter?" 
 
 " I am, sir ; you are welcome to take any course you please ; I scorn 
 your false accusations, and leave you to do your worst." 
 
 " In that case we understand each other," was the stem reply, and 
 again raising his hat, Lewis passed on. 
 
 After this brief conversation he lost no time in obtaining a private 
 interview with General Grant; scarcely, however, had he begun his 
 statement when the General interrupted him by observing — _ 
 
 " I need not trouble you to proceed, Mr. Arundel ; I am in posses- 
 sion of all the facts you are about to detail — Lord Bellefield has given 
 me a full explanation of the matter, and I can assure you that you are 
 labouring under an erroneous impression. The main facts of the story 
 are, I am sorry to say, true ; but the chief actor in the affair was a 
 rascally valet of Lord Bellefield's, who assumed his master's name and 
 apparel in order to accomplish his nefarious designs." 
 
 " But I myself witnessed an interview between Lord Bellefield and 
 the poor girl on the morning after the ball," returned Lewis in surprise; 
 
328 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " I should not have brought such a charge on insufficient grounds, 
 believe me." 
 
 " Your zeal, sir," replied the General—" for I am virilling to attribute 
 the step you have taken solely to misdirected zeal — has assuredly led 
 you into error. Lord Bellefield, who seems by some means aware of 
 this idea of yours " 
 
 " I mentioned the fact that I had seen him in a letter which I 
 addressed to him on the subject," interrupted Lewis. " It is only fair 
 when you accuse a man of any fault to explain the grounds on which 
 you believe him to have committed it." 
 
 " Quite right, sir, quite right," rejoined the General with an approv- 
 ing nod ; " it is owing to the fair and manly way in which you have 
 stated this matter that Lord Bellefield has been enabled to clear him- 
 self to my entire satisfaction. In regard to the interview to which you 
 refer, he has recalled to me the fact that he spent the morning in 
 question almost entirely in my company; we were engaged upon 
 matters connected with the approaching election — you must therefore 
 have mistaken the identity of the person you imagined to be him." 
 
 " I am not apt to make such mistakes," replied Lewis dryly, feeling 
 convinced that the story was a clever fabrication from beginning to 
 end, while, at the same time, he was becoming aware that for him to 
 prove it to be so would be next to impossible. 
 
 " Nevertheless, you must have done so in this instance," resumed 
 General Grant ; " but the mistake is easily to be accounted for. Lord 
 Bellefield tells me that in order more safely to carry on his schemes, 
 this rascally valet used to disguise himself so as to resemble his master 
 as much as possible, even wearing false moustachios to increase the 
 likeness ; the fact of his having deceived you proves how successfully 
 the fellow had contrived his disguise." 
 
 While the General was speaking, Lewis hastily ran over in his mind 
 all the evidence he possessed to prove Lord Bellefield's guilt ; and 
 though he still felt as deeply convinced as he had ever been that in 
 his first impression he had not erred, yet so skilfully had this story of 
 the valet been adapted to suit the circumstances of the case that it 
 appeared impossible to undeceive a man whose habits of mind were 
 so obstinate as those of General Grant. His first introduction to the 
 girl after the glove affair in the ice-room, although it carried conviction 
 to his own mind, proved nothing, save that having witnessed a 
 quarrel between two gentlemen, she was naturally enough alarmed as 
 to the probable consequences to which it might lead. Again, in his 
 second interview she might have been herself deceived by the valet's 
 representations into believing him to be Lord Bellefield, or, as she said, 
 Mr. Leicester, his brother; or again, it was still more probable that 
 she had been in her lover's confidence, and striving to mystify and 
 deceive Lewis. Hardy might have been aware of other facts, but his 
 mistake in regard to Lewis proved that his information was not to be 
 relied on. All this Lewis saw at a glance; and seeing, felt more 
 annoyed and embarrassed than he could express. 
 
 "Time will prove the truth," he said; "I cannot believe in Lord 
 Bellefield's innocence, but I am unable, at the present moment, to 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 349 
 
 adduce ahy facts which might not bear the interpretation he has chosen 
 to put upon them, and can only express my sorrow at having annoyed 
 you, sir, by making a charge which I have failed to substantiate." 
 
 "You annoy me more, Mr. Arundel, by refusing to be convinced by 
 evidence which, after having given the matter my fullest attention, has 
 sufficed to satisfy me. I can only imagine that in this matter private pique 
 has warped your usually clear judgment ; perhaps, after a little cool re- 
 flection, you may be induced to take a more charitable view of the affair." 
 
 So saying, the General stalked out of the room with a majestic port, 
 as of an offended lion, leaving Lewis in a frame of mind the reverse of 
 seraphic. But his trials for that morning were not yet at an end. Annie 
 Grant had brooded over the young tutor's gloomy looks and altered 
 demeanour till she had made herself quite unhappy, when the idea 
 occurred to her that she herself might be to blame. Since the last 
 German lesson, to which allusion has been made, she had felt an instinc- 
 tive dread of sounding the depth of her own feelings, or of allowing any 
 one else, and much more Lewis, to perceive them. But it now struck 
 her that in avoiding one extreme she had fallen into the other, and 
 that Lewis might conceive the alteration in her manner to be owing 
 to Lord Bellefield's influence. This notion having once struck her, 
 was so inconceivably painful that she determined to avail herself of 
 the first opportunity of inquiring to what cause Lewis's estrangement 
 might be attributed ; and if she found it had been produced by any 
 supposed coolness on her part, she resolved to explain away such 
 impression, and as she herself would have termed it, " make friends " 
 again. Pondering these thoughts, she entered the library by a door 
 communicating with the garden ; in her hand she carried a bunch oi 
 roses, which she had just gathered, and hanging from her arm was 
 her garden bonnet, which she had converted for the occasion into an 
 extempore basket, also filled with roses; her golden ringlets, scared 
 from their propriety by the wind, hung in picturesque disorder about 
 her face and neck ; the alarm she had lately undergone had rendered 
 her somewhat paler than ordinary, and her delicate features were 
 characterised by an unusually pensive expression. She entered so 
 quietly, that Lewis, who, buried m thought, was seated at the table, his 
 head resting on his hands, did not perceive her presence until, in a 
 soft, low voice, she uttered his name. At the moment she spoke he 
 was thinking of her — striving in vain to banish her image, which 
 haunted his imagination like some restless ghost — trying to think 
 down the temptation which was hourly becoming too strong for him ; 
 and when the sound of her voice reached him, and looking up with a 
 start he saw her standing by him in the power of her dazzling beauty, 
 it seemed as though the phantom of his imagination had suddenly 
 assumed a bodily shape to tempt him beyond all power of resistance. 
 Something of all this must have appeared in the expression of his 
 features, for Annie began, " I beg your pardon, Mr. Arundel, I had no 
 idea of startling you ; I fancied you had heard me enter— but you look 
 pale and tremble, surely you are not ill ? " 
 
 "Oh, nol" he replied, forcing a smile, "it is nothing; a slight 
 giddiness which will pass away in a moment." 
 
330 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 As he spoke, however, he pressed his hand to his brow, which 
 throbbed as though it would burst. Annie became alarmed, and 
 placing her flowers on the table, she drew nearer to him, saying — 
 
 "I am sure there is something the matter; you are either ill or 
 unhappy ; you have received some bad news of your mother, or dear 
 Rose, is it not so ? " 
 
 " Indeed you are mistaken," returned Lewis, making an effort to rouse 
 himself; " I was buried in thought, and your sudden entrance startled 
 me. I am not usually given to such freaks, but since our nocturnal 
 adventure I must confess to having become practically convinced of 
 the existence of nerves. I must have lost more blood from this cut in 
 the wrist than I was at first aware of." 
 
 " Ah ! that dreadful night ! " exclaimed Annie, clasping her hands 
 and turning pale at the recollection ; " I shall never forget all I went 
 through on that night if I live to be a hundred. I had been asleep for 
 an hour or more, when I suddenly woke and saw Lisette standing by my 
 bedside pale and trembling ; as soon as she could find voice to speak 
 she told me there were robbers in the house, and that we should all be 
 murdered. My first idea was that you would be able to save us, and 
 I told her to go and arouse you instantly; I soon found, however, she 
 was too much alarmed to go alone, so I rose and accompanied her. 
 The rest you know; but you can never know the agony of mind I 
 suffered after you had left me : first, the dreadful interval of suspense 
 before the robbers came upstairs, and then the fearful sounds of the 
 conflict. I felt sure they would kill you, and I thought how wickedly 
 selfish I had been to allow you to stay there and meet them, when, but for 
 me, you might have escaped. I felt as if I had condemned you to 
 death, and that I could never — never be happy again. Oh I it was too 
 horrible ! " and carried away by the recollections she had called up, 
 Annie sank into a chair and covered her eyes with her hands, as if to 
 shut out some painful object. 
 
 And Lewis, what had been his feelings, as, hurried on by the in- 
 terest of her subject, Annie had thus unconsciously afforded him a 
 glimpse into the inmost recesses of her heart ? When she mentioned 
 that her impulse on the first alarm of danger had been to rely on his 
 protection, his dark eyes beamed with an inexpressible tenderness; 
 but as she proceeded, and her artless confession proved that in the 
 moment of peril her fears were not for herself but for him, his emo- 
 tions became uncontrollable, and the volcano of passion, whose secret 
 fires had already begun to prey upon his very life-springs, threatened 
 to burst forth and bear down all before it. Already he had half 
 risen from his seat ; in another moment his arm would have encircled 
 her, and the words that told of his deep, his overpowering love — the 
 words that, once said, could never have been recalled, would have 
 been poured forth, when, by one of those dispensations of Providence 
 which men call Chance, his eye fell upon two persons who were pacing, 
 arm-in-arm, along a terrace walk on the farthest side of the lawn— 
 they were General Grant and Lord Bellefield. The revulsion of 
 feeling was instantaneous ; duty, honour, pride, all came to the rescue, 
 and the fight was won, but the cost remained yet to reckon. Lewis, 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 331 
 
 once excited, was not a person to take half-measures j with the speed 
 of thought, the resolution rushed upon him that while their mutual 
 relations remained unchanged, he and Annie must never meet again. 
 The purpose was no sooner formed than it was acted upon. Turning 
 to his companion, who, engrossed by her own feelings, had remained 
 wholly unconscious of the struggle that had been proceeding in Lewis's 
 breast, he said in a calm, mournful voice, "Although I have not 
 exactly received evil tidings, yet circumstances have occurred which 
 require my presence elsewhere, and I am now about to ask your 
 father's permission to leave Broadhurst ; this will, therefore, probably 
 be the last time I shall see you." 
 
 " Until you return," interrupted Annie eagerly. 
 
 A bitter smile flitted across Lewis's mouth as he replied, "Yes, 
 until I return / I will therefore bid you good-bye at once." He 
 paused, and his eye fell upon a rose-bud she was unconsciously playing 
 with. " I have a fancy for that flower," he said ; " will you give it to 
 me?" 
 
 "Nay, let me find you a belter one,'' was the reply; "this is 
 blighted." 
 
 " For which reason I prefer it to any other ; you know I have odd 
 fancies sometimes." He took the bud from her, fixed it in his button- 
 hole, then resumed, " I must now seek the General — good-bye 1 " 
 
 Annie regarded him with a pleading glance, as though she would 
 fain learn more; but reading in the stern resolution of his coun- 
 tenance the inutility of further questioning, held out her hand in 
 silence; he took it, clasped it in his own, then, yielding to an irre- 
 sistible impulse, pressed it hurriedly to his lips, and was gone. 
 
 General Grant was naturally by no means of a suspicious disposi- 
 tion; the position in which he was placed giving him irresponsible 
 authority over nearly every person with whom he came in contact, had 
 rendered him pompous and arbitrary; but although not a man of 
 enlarged mind, or possessing much delicacy of perception, he was 
 actuated by a strong principle of justice. This attribute imparted a 
 degree of frankness and generosity to his character, which, despite 
 occasional displays of obstinacy or prejudice, caused him to be very 
 generally respected, and in some instances beloved. To a mind of 
 this nature there can be nothing more vexatious or annoying than to 
 have its preconceived opinions of a person shaken by artful insinua- 
 tions, which will require long and patient investigation to verify or 
 disprove. In such a state of mind as we have described, however, 
 did Lord Bellefield leave General Grant when, after pacing up and 
 down the memorable terrace walk which had been the scene of De 
 Grandeville's ill-judged confidence to Charley Leicester, he at length 
 quitted him. The subject of their conversation had been the character 
 of Lewis Arundel ; and Lord Bellefield had taken advantage of the 
 General's momentary irritation against the young tutor to suggest, 
 rather than positively to make, the following accusation: — He first 
 hinted that the General had been deceived by Lewis's fair seeming, 
 to adopt a wrong view of his disposition, and that, instead of the 
 chivalrous, high-spirited, honourable being he imagined him, he was 
 
332 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 in fact an artful and accomplished hypocrite. He then proceeded to 
 state that he had long seen this, and even suspected the oTDJect ofhis 
 lengthened residence at Broadhurst, nay, possibly of his original 
 entrance into that family ; this object he declared to be a systematic 
 design to ensnare the affections of the General's daughter, probably 
 relying on his good looks and insinuating manner to enable him to 
 inveigle her into a runaway marriage. "Hence," he observed, "his 
 animosity towards me; hence his unsuccessful attempts to blacken 
 my character, first in regard to poor Mellerton's affair, and now con- 
 cerning the poacher's daughter. If he could once have succeeded in 
 producing a quarrel between us, he would have had a clear field to 
 himself. I was unwilling to disturb you by telling you this before, 
 sir," he continued. " I felt perfect confidence in my cousin Annie's 
 affection ; and as to the young fellow himself, he was of course quite 
 beneath my notice ; but Annie, after all, is a mere girl, and naturally 
 inexperienced in the ways of the world. Since the hint you threw 
 out, advising me to proceed with gentleness, because she appeared 
 to have some girlish scruples as to the renewal of the engagement, 
 I have felt it was incumbent on me to put you on your guard without 
 delay. The man is handsome — chance has given him many oppor- 
 tunities of interesting a romantic girl, and it must be confessed our 
 dear Annie has a spice of romance about her." 
 
 " I do not think so, sir," interrupted the General snappishly; "none 
 of the Grants ever were romantic. I am not romantic myself, and I 
 do not believe a daughter of mine would forget her duty, her position, 
 in fact her relationship to me, so far as to indulge in romance in 
 regard to a private tutor. Moreover, I believe Mr. Arundel to be a 
 highly honourable young man ; he is the son of a soldier and a gentle- 
 man, and I cannot but consider that you wrong him by your suspicions ; 
 at the same time, I promise you the matter shall be looked into, the 
 engagement between my daughter and yourself formally renewed, 
 and the moment she is of age, it is my wish that the marriage should 
 take place. It is desirable for your sake as well as for hers. I trust 
 when you become a married man to see you give up racing, and take 
 more interest in public business. It is, as you are aware, my intention 
 to settle Broadhurst upon your second son ; it will therefore behove 
 you to distinguish yourself as one in whom the families of Leicester 
 and Grant are united." 
 
 So saying, the General relapsed into a solemn silence, and Lord 
 Bellefield, inly raging at the tone of authority which his future father- 
 in-law saw fit to assume towards him, quitted hira, leaving the poison 
 he had instilled into his mind to work ; and it did work, for although 
 he was disinclined in the highest degree to admit the truth of his 
 intended son-in-law's insinuations against Lewis, yet he could not 
 banish them from his mind. A thousand little circumstances came to 
 his recollection of which at the moment he had thought nothing, but 
 which now appeared to favour Lord Bellefield's view of the case ; and 
 for the first time his own imprudence in throwing so constantly to- 
 gether two young people in every way calculated to attract each other 
 pccurred to him, and he paced the terrace walk in a frame of mind by 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 333 
 
 no means customary to that gallant officer — viz., one of self-reproba- 
 tion. While thus pondering, at a sudden turn in the walk the object 
 of his thoughts appeared before him, looking so t.ill, dark, and cold, 
 as, with his arms folded across his breast, he stood statue-like beneath 
 the shadow of an old yew-tree, that the General started as though he 
 had seen a ghost. If any such notion occurred to him, however, the 
 illusion was soon dissipated, for Lewis, raising his hat, advanced 
 towards him and said — 
 
 " I have sought you. General Grant, to thank you for all the generous 
 courtesy I have received at your hands, and to tell you that it is 
 impossible for me longer to continue a member of your household." 
 
 As Lewis spoke these words calmly and respectfully, the General's 
 face assumed an expression of surprise and dismay most wonderful to 
 behold. 
 
 " What I " he exclaimed, " resign your appointment as tutor to my 
 ward 1 quit Sir Walter before you have completed his education, 
 when your system has been so surprisingly successful, too ! Oh, the 
 thing is impossible, I cannot hear of it." 
 
 A look of sorrow passed across Lewis's features as the General men- 
 tioned Walter, but he replied with the same calm, respectful, but 
 determined manner, which, to one who knew him well, would have 
 proved that he was acting in accordance with some resolve that 
 he had formed upon principle, and to which he would adhere in- 
 flexibly. 
 
 " I am grieved to be obliged to relinquish my task unfinished," 
 he said, "more especially since the interest I have long felt in my 
 poor pupil has rendered duties which others might consider irksome 
 a labour of love to me. I trust, however, that I have been enabled so 
 far to develop poor Walter's intellects that any person who will treat 
 him judiciously and kindly (and to no other, I am sure, you would 
 entrust him) may be able to complete all that remains to be done 
 towards his education." 
 
 " And pray what is your reason for this sudden determination, Mr. 
 Arundel ?" inquired the General, becoming more and more perplexed 
 as he perceived that it would be no easy matter to alter Lewis's deter- 
 mination. " I presume some more advantageous prospect has been 
 thrown open to you ? " 
 
 Lewis shook his head mournfully. "You wrong me by such a 
 supposition, sir," he replied; "my future, as far as I can foresee it, is 
 not a bright one, believe me." 
 
 " Has Lord Bellefield in any way annoyed or interfered with you ? " 
 inquired the General, as a suspicion crossed his mind that his amiable 
 future son-in-law might have taken some aggressive step against the 
 young tutor; but Lewis again replied in the negative, adding that his 
 reason for resigning his post was entirely of a personal nature, and 
 that he had not come to the conclusion without due consideration. 
 
 " Really, sir," returned the General, drawing himself up stifHy, as 
 the suspicions instilled by Lord Bellefield suddenly flashed across his 
 mind, " these enigmas are past my comprehension. You propose to 
 (•esigp at a monient's notice the conduct of my w^rd'§ education, 
 
J34 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 thereby materially injuring him, and causing me the greatest incon- 
 venience and annoyance ; I think, therefore, you owe it to me as well 
 as to yourself candidly to state your reason for so doing ; at all events I 
 must be allowed to say such concealment is most unlike your usual 
 frank and manly course of proceeding." 
 
 As the General uttered this reproach Lewis coloured, and his com- 
 pressed lip and knitted brow told how deeply it affected him. When 
 the other had ceased speaking he answered haughtily, " Your reproof 
 may be deserved, General Grant, but it was my wish to save us both 
 pain, which alone induced me to desire the concealment you repro- 
 bate ; your words, however, oblige me to speak openly, and cost what 
 it may, I will do so. I cannot remain longer beneath your roof , because 
 I love your daughter. Wait," he continued sternly, as with a start of 
 horrified surprise the General seemed about to give vent to his indig- 
 nation in a torrent of words, "you have forced me to speak, and must 
 now hear me out. I well know the feelings with which you regard 
 my mad presumption, as you consider it ; I know better even than you 
 do the gulf which lies between your daughter and your paid dependant; 
 but nature recognises no such distinctions — the same God who made 
 her good and beautiful implanted in my breast the admiration for 
 those qualities, and I could no more exist in her presence without 
 loving her than I could stand in the glorious sunshine without feeling 
 its genial warmth. My love was from the beginning as hopeless as I 
 know it to be at this moment, when I read in your lowering brow that 
 if your frown could annihilate me, you would deem the punishment 
 only too mild for my offence against your pride of station ; and yet I 
 know, and you know it too, that casting aside the adventitious gifts of 
 rank and fortune, my nature is more akin to your own than is that of 
 the titled worldling you have selected as your future son-in-law. Before 
 night sets in I shall have left this house for ever, and from that 
 moment to you and yours I shall be as one dead. I may therefore 
 say without fear of misconstruction that which I could not speak as 
 long as I remained a member of your household. The tale that I told 
 you regarding the poacher's child was true. In the version Lord 
 Bellefield gave of it he lied to you. He is a man of evil passions and 
 of narrow mind, and I warn you, if you entrust your daughter's happi- 
 ness to him, a time will come when you will bitterly repent it I will 
 next tell you why I have remained here thus long, and why I leave you 
 now. My passion for your daughter has been the growth of months ; 
 how- 1 have striven against it and endeavoured to crush it out — ay, 
 though I crushed my heart with it, none will ever know; it is enough 
 that I have failed, that where I fancied myself strong I have been 
 proved weak. If I have suffered, 'tis through my own folly; if my 
 future appear one fathomless hell of recollection, for myself have I 
 prepared it." He paused, drew his hand across his throbbing brow, 
 and then continued — 
 
 " I remained here for Walter's sake, relying on my own fortitude to 
 conceal the mental torture I endured ; I bore Lord Bellefield's sneers, 
 and harder still, your daughter's gentle kindness, with an unmoved 
 aspect, but St each sijccessive trial the effort became greater, and my 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 335 
 
 strength grew less, until this morning, when in her tender woman's 
 mercy, your daughter, reading in my face traces of the anguish which 
 was consuming me, spoke words of kindliness and sympathy, chance 
 alone, or rather the watchful providence of God, prevented my secret 
 from transpiring. A similar trial might recur at any moment — I have 
 lost all confidence in my power of self-control ; therefore every principle 
 of honour and of duty bids me leave this place without delay ; and this, 
 so help me Heaven, is the whole and simple truth." 
 
 As he concluded, General Grant, whose brow had gradually relaxed 
 during Lewis's speech, exclaimed with a degree of warmth most un- 
 usual to him, " You have behaved like a man of honour, Mr. Arundel, 
 under what I own to have been a very great trial, and I admire and 
 respect you for so completely justifying the favourable opinion I have 
 formed of you ; I wish — that is, I could wish if the thing were not impos- 
 sible — ^but it is useless to talk in this way — you must, as you wisely 
 perceive, leave Broadhurst immediately. I will take upon me to find 
 some reason to account for your abrupt departure, but you will carry 
 with you my esteem and gratitude, and in whatever career you may 
 think fit to adopt you may rely upon my willingness to assist you to 
 the uttermost. May I inquire your future plans ? " 
 
 " I have formed no plans," returned Lewis hurriedly. " When I 
 leave your house my only prospect is to begin life anew, with every 
 hope that renders life endurable shut out from me for ever — I am 
 grateful for your offers, but must decline them. Henceforward I am 
 likely to do little credit to any one's patronage, and must strive with 
 existence alone and single-handed. And now, ere I leave you, let me 
 again thank you for the courtesy you have uniformly shown me — I 
 expected justice at your hands, you have added kindness also: we 
 shall probably never meet again, but the chances of life are strange, 
 and should it ever be in my power to return your benefits, you will not 
 find me forgetful." 
 
 He raised his hat as he spoke, and turned to depart. General 
 Grant advanced as if he would detain him, but checking himself, he. 
 muttered — 
 
 " You shall hear from me — I will write to you at your banker's ; " 
 and Lewis bowed and left him. 
 
 CHAPTER L. 
 
 SHOWS HOW tEWIS CAME TO A "DOGGED" DETERMINATION, AND 
 WAS MADE THE SHUTTLECOCK OF FATE. 
 
 " Walter, I am going to leave you," observed Lewis in a quiet, 
 gentle voice. 
 
 Walter, who was seated on a low stool playing with Faust, continued 
 his amusement, merely replying carelessly, " Are you ? " 
 
 Lewis knew from the nature of the answer that the sound but not 
 the sense of his communication had reached his poor pupil's under- 
 standing, and yet the apparent indifference of the remark pained him ; 
 
 23 
 
336 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 it seemed as if all he loved were falling away from him. He had 
 determined that it would be better for Walter not to be told at once 
 that he was leaving never to return, but to allow the truth gradually 
 to dawn upon him, after he had practically tested his ability to do 
 without him; still he was anxious in some degree to prepare the poor 
 boy's mind to support the severe grief which he feared his absence 
 would occasion him. Accordingly he returned to the attack. 
 
 " Look at me, Walter," he said. Having caught his eye, he continued, 
 " You did not understand me, dear boy ; I am going away — going to 
 leave you for a long time." 
 
 " Ay ? how long a time ? a week ? " inquired Walter. 
 
 '■ A great many weeks," returned Lewis gravely, " and you must 
 be very good all the time, and do everything as you know I should 
 wish you to do it if I were here: do you understand me, and will 
 you try?" 
 
 Walter nodded assent, paused, and then asked, " What will Faust 
 do; may he stay with me?" 
 
 Lewis did not answer. Give up Faust, the only thing that he had 
 left to love him 1 could he make this sacrifice ? 
 
 " Because, if he may stay, I shall feel sure you will come back some 
 time or other; nobody can leave Faust and not come and see him 
 again — at least nobody who knows him and loves him as well as you 
 and I do," pleaded Walter, throwing his arm round the dog's neck. 
 
 I am inflicting injury enough on the poor boy as it is, reflected 
 Lewis sorrowfully; I must not deny him this thing, which he has 
 set his heart upon. Well, it only makes the sacrifice the more 
 complete. " Walter, will you be happy if I leave Faust with you ? " 
 he inquired gently. 
 
 " Oh, yes ! " was the joyful reply, " quite happy till you come again.'' 
 
 " Then he shall stay," resumed Lewis ; " remember he is your dog, I 
 give him to you." 
 
 "Yes, he is my dog,'' repeated Walter gleefully; "only till you 
 come back again though, you know," he added, gazing wistfully at 
 Lewis. 
 
 Poor Lewis ! his heart was full, he could not trust himself to speak; 
 this little incident had appealed to the affectionate side of his nature, 
 and all but unmanned him. He approached Walter, swept back the 
 soft, fair hair from his forehead, and imprinted a kiss on it, patted 
 Faust's shaggy head, and turning away abruptly, quitted the room. 
 Ere nightfall he had completed the few arrangements which his 
 sudden departure rendered necessary, and taking with him only a 
 small travelling valise which he slung across his shoulders, he waited 
 till the shades of evening had set in, and leaving directions with his 
 ally Robert, now invested with all the dignity and privileges of butler- 
 hood, in regard to his luggage, which he desired might be forwarded 
 to a certain address in London, he quitted Broadhurst alone and on 
 foot. 
 
 The town of H was situated about ten miles from the park gates 
 
 of Broadhurst, and thither did Lewis direct his steps. He paced along 
 mechanically, with a dull, heavy tread^ as unlike his usual free elastic 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 337 
 
 bounding step as possible ; he kept his eyes fixed on the road before 
 him, neither glancing to the right nor the left, and all his actions 
 appeared like those of one moving in a dream. The night was dry 
 and warm, and when Lewis had proceeded about six miles on his way 
 the moon came out and bathed hill and valley in a flood of silvery 
 light. Suddenly he paused, as the ruins of a picturesque old abbey, 
 thrown out in bold relief by a dark background of trees, became visible 
 at a turning of the road, and fixing his eyes on the time-worn structure, 
 gazed long and earnestly ; then a new idea seemed to strike him, and 
 springing over a gate, he ascended with vigorous strides the green 
 hiU-side on which the ruin was situated. Passing beneath crumbling 
 arches and over the fallen stone-work covering old graves of a for- 
 gotten generation, he reached a portion of the building which seemed 
 in somewhat better repair than the remainder. Having reached the 
 upper end of the chancel, he paused, and leaning his back against the 
 broken shaft of a pillar which had supported one of the arches, gave 
 way to the painful recollections which the place excited. The last time 
 he had visited that spot, Annie Grant had stood by his side, and as 
 he taught her how the mystic piety of our forefathers had striven to 
 symbolise the truths of Christianity in the cruciform cathedral, with 
 its vaulted arches and heaven-aspiring pinnacles, her soft blue eyes 
 had looked into his face with an expression of the respectful love we 
 feel towards one whom we deem better and wiser than ourselves. 
 And now how cruel was the contrast — how completely and painfully 
 alone he felt. Then he longed (who has not at some crisis of the 
 inner-life ?) so earnestly that he almost fancied he possessed the power 
 to separate mind and matter, and flying in the spirit to her he loved, 
 to learn whether she thought of him and grieved for his absence. 
 Pursuing the idea, he came to speculate on many things. Had they 
 yet told her he would not return ? What reason would the General 
 assign for such an abrupt departure ? Would she believe his account, 
 or would her heart divine the true cause ? Arid if it did, would she 
 pity him ? — strongest proof of love — he could bear the idea of her pity. 
 Poor Lewis ! perhaps his greatest trial was this, that at the very 
 moment when he gave her up for ever, a latent sense of power told 
 him that he could have won her; this was indeed the "sorrow's crown 
 of sorrow " — the bitterness of more than self-renunciation, for Annie, 
 too, might be rendered unhappy by his act. Then the future, the blank, 
 fearful future — what lay in store for him there ? " Fresh sorrow — no " 
 (and he smiled as men on the rack have smiled when the tormentors 
 have outwitted themselves, and the numbness of approaching death 
 has produced insensibility to pain and robbed them of their victim), 
 " he was dead alike to sorrow as to joy ; " but at the moment, as if to 
 prove him weak even in the vis inertim of despair, the possibility of 
 Annie's union with Lord Bellefield came before him like some hideous 
 phantom, and he was forced to own that there might be depths of 
 misery awaiting him greater than he had yet proved. And thus re- 
 calling the past and imagining the future, he afflicted himself with 
 griefs real and visionary, till the moonbeams grew paler and altogether 
 fled, and the stars disappeared one by one, and the red glow of the 
 
338 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 eastern sky proclaimed the coming day, and the sun arose glorious in 
 his majesty, and his earliest rays poured through the broken roof and 
 fell in a stream of golden light upon the ruined altar; then for the first 
 time that night Lewis thought of Rose, and of what her advice would 
 have been had she known of his unhappiness ; and prostrating himself 
 upon the altar-step, he prayed long and fervently. 
 
 The reflection that when our sorrow has become too heavy for us to 
 bear there is One mighty to save, Himself in His earthly career a 
 " Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief," who will strengthen us 
 to support them, must console the deepest mental anguish ; and we do 
 not believe that any man has ever prayed truly aiid earnestly without 
 receiving corrifort from so doing. For the very act recognises a belief 
 in the existence and faith in the benevolence of a Being, all powerful 
 alike to avert the evil we dread, and to bestow upon us the good we 
 desire. And Lewis, when he arose from his knees, did so refreshed 
 in spirit, and better fitted to do or to suffer, as he might be required 
 by the changes and chances of that portion of THE RAILROAD OF 
 Life over which he had yet to pass. 
 
 He reached the town of H as the inhabitants, aroused from 
 
 their slumbers, were drowsily opening the shop-windows, and making 
 his way to a small, unobtrusive inn, breakfasted. Having ascertained 
 at what hour the last coach passed through for London, he left his 
 valise under the care of the waiter, and passing along several dirty, 
 narrow streets, at length reached a court, in one of the poorest and 
 most wretched quarters of the town. Here, after some trouble and a 
 disagreeable amount of threatening glances from sundry suspicious- 
 looking characters, he succeeded in discovering the abode of a certain 
 Jerry Sullivan. This worthy, having satisfied himself that Lewis was 
 not a member of the detective police, graciously accorded him an 
 interview, wherein Lewis explained to him that, in consequence of a 
 communication made to him by Hardy on his death-bed, he was 
 anxious to investigate the contents of a packet left in possession of his 
 (Sullivan's) maternal ancestor. This fact, Mr. Sullivan, whose brogue 
 was considerably stronger than his regard for truth, immediatfely saw 
 fit to deny, and was proceeding to lament the death of his mother, 
 which he averred had taken place that day fortnight, when he was 
 interrupted by the inopportune entrance of the lady in question, who 
 appeared by no means dead, but in a very lively state of virtuous 
 indignation. She immediately silenced her mendacious offspring, 
 and beckoning Lewis into a kind of den which she inhabited, shut the 
 door, and then questioned and cross-questioned him as to his con- 
 nection with Hardy. Having satisfied herself, by perusing Hardy's 
 letter, that Lewis was no impostor, she unlocked an old trunk, whence 
 she produced a bundle of papers and a sheet of parchment 
 
 " There," she said, " that's the will he spoke of, poor fellow, and 
 them's the letters — and I only hope as you'll be able to find the 
 unfort'iiate childring, and that they will come into the money all 
 right — it's nigh ;£iQo a year, I'm told." 
 
 " Have you any idea whether Hardy had at all traced his daughter 
 since she left him?" inquired Lewis, 
 

 ^ *^s^i4t 
 
 LEWIS IN THE RUINED ABBEY. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 339 
 
 " No ; he heard nothink of her, poor chap ; he was a'most broken- 
 hearted about her, and that's what drove him to the courses he took 
 to. He worn't a reg'lar prig, bless yer; he did a little in the poarching 
 line wiles, but only for the sake o' the sport, same as you gents — he 
 wor above them things altogether. But I knows more than he did 
 about the gal: there were a young 'ooman here a week ago as had seen 
 her in London, dressed out and riding about in a coach like a lady ; 
 but that wor soon arter she fust went off with the young swell, and 
 wor a kind of new toy like." 
 
 " And did not the girl know anything of her since ? " inquired Lewis. 
 
 "Well, she know'd this much, that when the young lord went 
 abroad with his sister he made his valet stop behind and foUer 
 him in a few days with Jane Hardy, arter which she in course lost 
 sight of her ; but she thinks he's left her over in them furring parts." 
 
 " Them furring parts — that must mean Italy," thought Lewis ; and 
 finding the old woman had told him all she knew on the subject, he 
 thanked her for her information, secured the papers about his person, 
 and was preparing to depart, when his companion stopped him, 
 and summoning Jerry, whose main, if not only, virtue appeared to 
 consist in filial obedience, caused him to escort the "young gent" 
 beyond the purlieus of the miserable alley in which their abode was 
 situated. 
 
 The visit had taken longer than Lewis had expected ; and on his 
 return to the inn he found the coach would pass through in about 
 half-an-hour. Snatching a hasty meal, he placed the papers in his 
 valise, and in a few minutes was on his road to London. The coach 
 stopped at an inn in Holbom, and here Lewis, who, in his present 
 state of mind, was anxious to avoid a meeting with any of his friends, 
 Frere himself not excepted, determined for the next few days to take 
 up his abode. Accordingly, he engaged a sitting-room and bedroom, 
 which, for the sake of privacy and cheapness, were situated at the 
 back of the house, at an altitude little inferior to that of the neigh- 
 bouring chimney-pots. Having established himself in this uninviting 
 residence, he sat down to try and arrange some plan for the future. 
 He felt that he ought to write to Rose and his mother and acquaint 
 them with his altered destiny; but to do so involved an explanation 
 which he shrank from attempting. He tried to read, but the only 
 book at hand was a volume of Schiller, and with a sickening feeling 
 of despair he threw it from him. At length he bethought him of 
 Hardy's papers, and untying the string that bound them, he spread 
 them on the table before him. The will, which he first examined, 
 appeared formally drawn up, signed, and attested. The testator left 
 property worth, as far as Lewis could make out, about ^100 a year to 
 Jane and Miles Hardy. Laying this aside, he turned over a mass of 
 smaller papers, old game certificates, receipts for rent, and among 
 others a note carefully preserved, endorsed in a bold free hand, " The 
 first letter I ever received from Harriet." It was an invitation, 
 
 coquettishly worded, asking Hardy to join a party to the races, 
 
 written by her who had sinned so deeply, and had long since gone to 
 give account of the misery she had caused and suffered. Lewis could 
 
340 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 not look on this record of an affection whicli even the greatest wrong 
 woman can do to man had been unable wholly to destroy, without the 
 deepest commiseration. 
 
 Laying the note carefully aside, he took up the bundle of old letters, 
 and selecting one which was partially opened, glanced carelessly at 
 its contents. Why does he start and change colour as his eye falls 
 upon the handwriting? Why press his hand to his burning browas 
 the momentary doubt crosses his mind whether all the mental anguish 
 he has lately suffered can have unsettled his brain, or whether that 
 which he beholds is indeed reality? Eagerly does he devour the 
 contents of the epistle, eagerly does he unfold letter after letter till 
 not one of the packet remains unperused. Again, sitting late into 
 the night, does he read and re-read them, then folding them carefully, 
 paces up and down the room, chafing at the lazy hours that drag their 
 weary length and oppose a barrier between his wishes and the coming 
 day, when he may act and resolve doubt into certainty. For the 
 whole of that night, the second during which he had never closed an 
 eyelid, did he measure with restless steps the narrow limits of the 
 apartment Leaving his breakfast untasted, he hurried, at the earliest 
 business hour, to the chambers of the family solicitor ; for half the 
 morning did they remain closeted together — together did they seek 
 the office (yclept by Richard Frere a den of thieves) of Messrs. Jones 
 & Levi, the lawyers who, as the reader may remember, addressed 
 a mysterious letter to Lewis soon after his first arrival at Broadhurst. 
 Carefully did the astute man of law examine and compare papers, 
 and sift evidence, and draw out the crafty rogues with whom he had 
 to deal; and when he had gained all the information he required, 
 steadily and cautiously did he examine the affair in all its bearings ; 
 nor was it till he had thoroughly made himself master of the subject 
 that he approached Lewis, and shaking him heartily by the hand, 
 exclaimed, " Well, my dear sir, as far as one can judge in this early 
 stage of the proceedings, I think you have a very good case ; and I 
 beg to congratulate you on the prospect before you." 
 
 And what, then, was this prospect, at the mere possibility of which 
 Lewis's eye sparkled and his cheek glowed with the brightness of 
 renewed hope? It was the prospect of inheriting an ancient and 
 honourable name, of gaining a position which would render him not 
 only equal but superior in rank to Annie Grant, and of possessing an 
 income beside which Lord Bellefield's fortune, impoverished by the 
 turf and the gaming-table, sank into comparative insignificance. One 
 short year more for him to prove his right before the eyes of men, and 
 then, if Annie were but true to her own heart, he would boldly enter 
 the lists against his rival, and in love or hate Lord Bellefield should 
 find that he had met his match. Well might his step be proud and 
 his bearing joyous and elated, for in twelve hours the whole aspect of 
 life had become changed to him : such shuttlecocks are we in the 
 hands of Fate, as unthinking men term the mysterious ordinances of 
 the Omnipotent. 
 
 Had he known the contents of a letter which was even then awaiting 
 him at his banker's, his new-found joy might have been lessened. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 341 
 
 CHAPTER LI. 
 
 CONTAINS MUCH SORROW, AND PREPARES THE WAY FOR MORE. 
 
 The letter to which reference was made at the conclusion of the pie- 
 ceding chapter, and which Lewis received on the day following that 
 on which he visited Mr. Coke, the family solicitor, proved to be from 
 General Grant, and ran as follows : — 
 
 " My dear young Friend,— for in that light I must ever consider 
 you, after the many important services you have rendered me, — I am 
 
 anxious to lose no time in forwarding to your account, at Messrs. , 
 
 your salary for the year beginning May 18 — ; and as you have been 
 compelled by honourable feeling to throw up your appointment so 
 unexpectedly, and may not be fortunate enough to meet immediately 
 with another suited to your wishes, you will, I feel sure, allow me, as 
 some small testimony of the high esteem in which I hold you, to 
 enclose a cheque for ;£5oo instead of ^300. I shall feel hurt if you 
 refuse to accept this token of my regard." 
 
 " Two hundred pounds for giving up his daughter 1 he would 
 scarcely have bought me off so cheap if I had looked at the matter in 
 a pecuniary point of view," was Lewis's ironical comment, as with an 
 inward resolution instantly to return the ^200 he continued to peruse 
 the letter. 
 
 " You will be glad to hear that Walter bears your absence wonder- 
 fully well ; your kind consideration in leaving him the dog has produced 
 a very good effect, as the animal serves to amuse him. We have not as 
 yet been able to disabuse him of the notion that you will return, 
 although I have impressed upon my daughter, who appears to possess 
 more influence with him than any other member of the family, the 
 necessity for so doing. The mention of my daughter's name leads 
 me for the last time to touch upon a subject which I can conceive 
 may be painful even to your well-disciplined mind. During an inter- 
 view which I held with her yesterday, she expressed her readiness to 
 be guided entirely by my wishes. With her full concurrence, the 
 engagement to Lord Bellefield was formally renewed, and the marriage 
 is to take place as soon as she comes of age. I may add that, as far 
 as I am able to judge upon so delicate a point, I do not doubt that 
 her intended bridegroom possesses her entire affection. You will not 
 think me unnecessarily communicative, or careless of your feelings, in 
 mentioning these facts ; but I conceive the knowledge of them may 
 tend sooner to restore your mind to its usually healthy tone. Should 
 you still be in England after my daughter's marriage, I shall have 
 much pleasure in seeing you either at Broadhurst or in Park Crescent 
 Convey my remembrances to Mrs. and Miss Arundel, 
 
 "And believe me to remain, yours sincerely and faithfully, 
 
 "Archibald Grant." 
 
 Lewis read the letter steadily to the end. With trembling lips and 
 starting eyeballs did he reperuse it ; he could not avert his gaze, it 
 
342 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 appeared to possess a species of horrible fascination for him ; he felt 
 as if his brain would burst, as if his reason were/ailing him. Annie 
 loving Lord Bellefield, and allowing the engagement to be formally 
 renewed — ob, it was impossible 1 he must be going mad — an evil 
 which his worst fears pointed at only as a remote possibility, when 
 time should have effaced his image, and the influence of those around 
 her have conquered her lingering scruples, come to pass ere the 
 rosebud she had given him had withered on its stem. Why was it 
 that the trial had become too great for him to bear — that his self- 
 control had failed — was it only the intensity of his own feelings that 
 he feared ? or was it that he hoped, yet dreaded to learn, that he was 
 beloved? Did the sacrifice that he had made consist only of his love 
 for her, or did the belief that he was relinquishing the certainty of 
 winning hers in return add a redoubled bitterness to his self-renun- 
 ciation? were a thousand remembered words, looks, glances, realities, 
 or the creations of his morbid fancy ? He rose and paced the room, 
 as was his wont when deeply excited. Where should he seek a clue 
 to this mystery? could he believe — the thought flashed like lightning 
 through his brain, like lightning, searing as it passed — could he 
 believe that he had again been duped by a coquette ? were all women 
 false and heartless alike? could the goodness, and innocence, and 
 purity which rendered beauty such as Annie's a link between earth 
 and heaven be mere counterfeits, and not the angel -instincts they 
 appeared ? Did good exist at all ? or was this world an initiatory hell, 
 and the evil principle predominant ? Were Annie untrue, truth itself 
 might be but a great and specious falsehood. 
 
 From this chaos of passionate distraction a few clearer, but on that 
 account no less painful, ideas began to evolve themselves : his new- 
 found dream of joy had vanished ; rank and fortune, valued only 
 because they would bring him nearer to Annie, would become a tie 
 and a burden without her — he would have none of them. For his 
 mother and sister he would still labour ; to support them was his first 
 duty : in works which he must perform lay his only refuge against 
 despair, perhaps even against madness. There was something else : 
 some promise he made, what was it ? his brain swam, he could recol- 
 lect nothing clearly ; hastily removing his neckcloth he plunged his 
 head and face into a basin of cold water — this precaution in all 
 probability saved him from a brain fever. Having partially dried his 
 streaming locks and resumed his walk up and down the apartment, 
 he remembered his promise to Hardy. Yes, that also was a sacred 
 duty ; the girl must be discovered, rescued from a life of infamy, 
 
 separated for ever from , and here he stopped abruptly as a new 
 
 idea occurred to him — Lord Bellefield 1 the retribution he had vowed 
 to exact from him ! he was now free, in a position to demand it I For 
 a moment his eyes flashed, and the fingers of his right hand in- 
 voluntarily closed as if grasping a weapon, and then many conflicting 
 thoughts crowded upon him, and the eyes sought the ground, and the 
 fingers insensibly relaxed. If he provoked Lord Bellefield to meet 
 him now, at this particular juncture, would not it appear as if he were 
 actuated solely by jealousy of his more fortunate rival, as if his hope- 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 343 
 
 less passion for Annie were the cause of his animosity? This idea 
 was especially repugnant to him for many reasons. In the first place, 
 he had argued himself into the belief that his resentment against 
 Lord Bellefield was a just and reasonable feeling, and that in punish- 
 ing him for the unmanly insults he had heaped upon him, he was only 
 exacting a due penalty ; it was by this subtle argument alone that he 
 could regard the act he contemplated as at all a justifiable one. 
 Again, he considered that it would be completely beneath him to 
 be jealous of Lord Bellefield. If Annie were able to love such a 
 character, she was unworthy his affection. Lastly, although he was 
 himself scarcely aware of the feeling, and although a personal meeting 
 with the object of his hatred, a contemptuous word or insolent look, 
 would in a moment have conquered it, he felt a natural repugnance to 
 take any step which might necessitate shedding a fellow-mortal's 
 blood. To plan a duel d, Voutrance as a distant possibility was one 
 thing, to take measures coolly and deliberately to bring about such 
 an event immediately was quite another affair. So catching at the 
 only grey spot among the blackness that surrounded him, he consoled 
 himself with the reflection that, as Annie would not be of age till the 
 expiration of between two and three years, he might during that 
 period contrive to learn how far her heart was likely to go with her 
 hand in the proposed alliance, and to regulate his conduct accord- 
 ingly. Shaping his plans for the present in accordance with this 
 resolve, he wrote sundry letters (one to General Grant respectfully 
 declining his present) more or less coherently, and then going to bed 
 in the frame of mind of one who 
 
 " Dotes yet doubts, suspects yet fondly loves," 
 
 must have been singularly fortunate if he enjoyed a very good night's 
 sleep. 
 
 We must now take a retrospective glance at Broadhurst during the 
 short space that had elapsed since Lewis quitted it, and learn how 
 events, which caused him such bitter grief, have been brought about. 
 
 'Tis the night of Lewis's departure, and Annie Grant sits at her 
 open window gazing pensively at the moon, which moon, by the way, 
 was at that identical moment lighting the old abbey and shining on 
 her lover's throbbing brow, as he stood thinking of her beside the 
 ruined altar. Now Annie was by no means in a comfortable frame of 
 mind ; in the first place, she began more than to suspect that she was 
 falling deeply in love, and in the second, " the thing she loved " had 
 not exactly "died," Ijut what was quite as inconvenient and much 
 more inexplicable, had suddenly "conveyed itself away" without 
 telling her why or wherefore. Lewis and Walter had of late been in 
 the habit of spending their evenings in the drawing-room. General 
 Grant considering that it was desirable to accustom the latter to the 
 forms and habits of society, but on that evening they had not made 
 their appearance as usual ; Annie had inquired of her aunt the reason 
 of their absence. Miss Livingstone, looking like a very vicious old 
 owl, replied "that really she was the last person likely to know. 
 General Grant was doubtless well informed on the subject, but he 
 
344 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 was alv/ays strangely, and as she thought, most unnecessarily reserved ; • 
 she believed Mr. Arundel had been driven to resign his situation, and 
 she was not at all surprised ; she did not know who that could avoid 
 it would reside in a family ordered about like a regiment of dragoons ; 
 she dared say Lord Bellefield had some broken-down blackleg ready 
 to recommend as tutor to teach Walter gambling and horse-racing. 
 Would Annie oblige her by looking under the sofa ? she thought she 
 saw the shadow of a man's foot against the chimney-piece ; she 
 expected they should all be murdered in their beds of a night, now 
 the only person able to defend them was driven away. Would Annie 
 oblige her by ringing the bell ? she wished to ascertain whether 
 Robert had remembered to load the percussion cap of his blunder- 
 buss." Foiled in this quarter, Annie waited till Lord Bellefield was 
 so obliging as to stroll out in pursuit of a cigar, "smoking under 
 difficulties" being one of his most severe trials during a visit at 
 Broadhurst. When he was gone she attacked her father with a direct 
 inquiry as to what had become of Walter and Mr. Arundel ? 
 
 " Walter was in his own study, Mr. Arundel was absent," was the 
 reply. 
 
 "Absent," returned Annie; "why, where is he gone, papa?" 
 
 " I did not inquire Mr. Arundel's intended route, my dear ; his age 
 and character render him fully competent to regulate his own move- 
 ments," was the stiff response. 
 
 Annie's lip curled : " Able to regulate his own movements 1 " she 
 thought him fit to rule a universe. 
 
 " When is he coming back, papa ? " 
 
 " A — ahem ! not at present, my dear ; that is, in fact, you may 
 consider his absence as permanent. The reasons for his departure 
 which he imparted to me lead me to this conclusion." 
 
 "There, I told you so — I said he had been sent away," observed 
 Minerva snappishly. 
 
 " Madam, you have been misinformed," interposed the General with 
 much irritation ; " Mr. Arundel has not been sent away, he resigned his 
 position as tutor to my ward of his own free will, for reasons which I 
 considered good and sufficient." 
 
 "And what were these wonderful reasons, if one might make so 
 bold as to ask without having one's nose snapped off one's face?" 
 inquired Minerva, curiosity and crossness combined overcoming her 
 habitual fear of her august nephew-in-law. 
 
 " A— really I am not accustomed to be cross-questioned in this way. 
 
 A— you, madam, strangely forget our relative pos ; however, I 
 
 may as well mention once for all that I have Mr. Arundel's authority 
 for stating that his reasons for quitting Broadhurst are purely of a 
 personal nature. And now I beg this subject may not be alluded to 
 again ; I am the last person who should be accused of driving him 
 out of the family;" and having by this time worked himself up into a 
 very considerable passion, in which frame of mind he was, like most 
 other of his fellow-mortals, particularly unreasonable and incautious, 
 he glanced furiously at poor innocent Annie and strode out of the 
 room like an offended autocrat, as he was. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 345 
 
 And this agreeable little scene formed the subject of Annie's reverie, 
 as, with her golden hair hanging like a veil around her, she watched 
 the moonbeams sleeping on the velvet turf. Why had Lewis left 
 them so suddenly? — why, if her father knew the reason, did he refuse 
 to reveal it ; and still more strange, why should Lewis so scrupulously 
 have concealed it from her? Then again, her father had appeared 
 angry with her — could he suppose she had had anything to do with 
 the young tutor's departure? And then an idea struck her which 
 even there, alone, beneath the silent night, caused her face and neck 
 to become suffused by a burning blush — could it be possible that she 
 had betrayed herself, that Lewis had discovered her affection for him ? 
 And then she blushed yet more deeply at the plain words in which 
 she had for the first time expressed, even to herself, her heart's secret 
 yearnings. The idea was painful in the highest degree to a mind of 
 such child-like purity as Annie's, and yet the more she thought of it 
 the more probable did it appear ; it would account for everything that 
 perplexed her. If she really had been so madly imprudent, so utterly 
 deficient in maidenly reserve, as to allow Lewis to perceive the depth 
 of her regard for him, his honourable feeling would instantly oblige 
 him to leave the family, and no doubt her father's cross-questioning 
 had in some degree elicited from him the truth. Oh ! what dee^j 
 humiliation — regard it in whatever light she would, what bitter, endless 
 misery! Lewis's calm manner, his gentle, unimpassioned kindness, 
 his late avoidance of her society, since — distracting thought — since he 
 had begun to perceive her regard, his stern resolve, so soon acted 
 upon, to quit the family, all proved that her affection was not returned. 
 Cruel degradation, to love a man who was indifferent to her, and to 
 have allowed him to perceive it. Annie possessed a spice of her 
 father's haughty disposition, though in general the many essentially 
 feminine points of her character prevented it from appearing ; but this 
 was an occasion which called forth every particle of pride in her nature. 
 What could she do to remove the stain (for such in her morbid self- 
 reproach did she consider it) from her ? Nothing! Would to heaven 
 she could lie down and die ! Her father, too, evidently suspected the 
 truth ; Lord Bellefield would probably be the next person to become 
 acquainted with the disgraceful history — and with the recollection of 
 her cousin's name a new idea flashed across her. Yes, there was a 
 way of escape— a method of silencing every busy tongue ! But at 
 what a sacrifice ! Could she bring herself to consent to marry Lord 
 Bellefield her object would be at once attained. No, she felt it was 
 impossible. But then, on the other hand, could she bear to labour 
 under the suspicion of loving, without return (there was the bitter 
 sting !), a man beneath her in station ?— (she could remember this 
 difference now, when it would only add to her self-torment). Well, 
 fortunately, she was not called on to decide the question at once ; she 
 would think more upon the matter: at all events, there was the 
 possibility to fall back upon as a last resource. Then her thoughts 
 reverted to Lewis, the brave, the true, the noble-hearted ! She should 
 never see him again ; he would achieve greatness— (she felt as sure of 
 thaia.s if she had held in her hand the " Gazette " announcing his accept- 
 
346 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 ance of the Premiership) — and some other would share it with him, 
 
 while she should be the wife the alternative was too hateful to 
 
 contemplate, so she substituted, in her grave. Yes, she should never 
 see him again 1 And she recalled his image, as on that summer day 
 he had approached the window to summon her to the German lesson, 
 when, as she read of Max Piccolomini, she had realised his appear- 
 ance in the dark, proud beauty of him who sat beside her. She 
 remembered his joyous, animated look as he bounded across the 
 lawn, his glowing cheek, his bright, sparkling eye, the waving masses 
 of his raven hair, and his eager, happy smile as his glance met hers 1 
 Two ideas engrossed her: he did not love her — she should never see 
 him again ; and forgetting her pride, her woman's dignity, even her 
 self-upbraiding, in the intensity of her sorrow, the poor child flung 
 herself on her bed in an agony of tears, and poured forth the bitter 
 desolation of a lonely, breaking heart. 
 
 The next morning she pleaded a headache (a heart-ache would have 
 been nearer the truth) as an excuse for breakfasting in her room, and 
 did not make her appearance till it was nearly luncheon time. During 
 that meal the General was unusually dictatorial, not to say fractious, 
 and more than once spoke so harshly to Annie that she had some 
 difiHculty in repressing her tears. The meal was above half concluded 
 ere Lord Bellefield, who excused himself by saying he had had some 
 important letters to write, made his appearance. When at last he 
 joined them, he did so apparently in the most amiable frame of mind; 
 he received a reprimand from the General for his want of punctuality 
 with a good-humoured smile, and introduced a carefully veiled com- 
 pliment into his apology, which greatly tended to soften that gallant 
 veteran's ill-temper ; he interposed with skilful kindness to avert 
 sundry crabbed attacks, aimed by Miss Livingstone at poor Annie, and 
 introduced some interesting topic which drew out the elders, and 
 gave a new and agreeable turn to the conversation; he sympathised 
 with Annie's headache, for which he invented an equally opportune, 
 plausible, and false excuse, and, in short, he laid himself out to 
 fascinate, and succeeded & merveille. Annie felt really grateful to 
 him, for he had come to her rescue at a moment in which kindness 
 and sympathy were peculiarly acceptable to her. 
 
 When luncheon was concluded the General requested his daughter's 
 presence in the library. Poor Annie rose to obey him. A strange, 
 wild idea seized her, that he might be going to refer to Lewis's 
 departure, perhaps to upbraid her for her share in causing it; and 
 she trembled so violently that her knees almost refused to support 
 her: in a moment Lord Bellefield was at her side. 
 
 "Take my arm," he said kindly; "the effects of your headache 
 have scarcely passed away even yet." Annie accepted his arm in 
 grateful silence, and in her guileless gentleness of heart accused 
 herself of never before having done proper justice to her cousin's 
 kindly nature. As they approached the library he detained her. 
 
 "Dear Annie," he said, "it would be affectation on my part to 
 pretend ignorance of the subject on which your father is about 
 to converse with you. The General appears for some cause, which 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEI;. 347 
 
 I am unable to divine, especially irritable this morning : do not 
 needlessly oppose him; and should he chance to urge my cause 
 urgently, remember, dear one, how entirely my future happiness is 
 involved in your decision." As he ceased speaking he opened the 
 library door without giving her an opportunity to reply, then, leading 
 her in, pressed her hand, cast towards her an appealing glance, 
 and turning, quitted the room. Lord Bellefield was a good tactician : 
 for the first time the idea crossed Annie's mind, "He loves me 
 then," and contrasting his devotion with Lewis's supposed indiffer- 
 ence, she pitied him. Could she have seen his change of coun- 
 tenance as the door closed upon him she would scarcely have 
 done so; his look was that of some fiend who had compassed the 
 destruction of a human soul, the personification of triumphant 
 malevolence. 
 
 The General began his harangue : he informed Annie that she was 
 no longer a child, and so far he was right ; but he did not add, as he 
 might have done, had he been as well acquainted with the workings 
 of her mind as we happen to be, that the last twenty-four hours had 
 performed the work of years to effect the change from the thoughtless 
 child to the thinking, feeling woman, for the first time cognisant of 
 those fearful realities, LIFE and LOVE 1 But if the worthy General 
 said nothing of love, he soon discoursed at great length of (we were 
 about thoughtlessly to add) .its usual termination, marriage; which 
 institution he looked upon solely in a military point of view — viz., 
 as a solemn alliance between two powers for their mutual benefit. 
 Having given his oratorical powers a good breathing canter around (as 
 he attempted to depict them) the flowery meads of matrimony, he 
 gradually narrowed his circle till he was ambling about his daughter's 
 proposed union with Lord Bellefield, and having by this time pretty 
 well exhausted his eloquence, he dashed at once in medias res by 
 inquiring whether she knew any just cause or impediment wherefore the 
 engagement, broken off by him on the ground of her cousin's falsely 
 supposed misconduct, should not there and then be renewed, with a 
 view, at the fitting time, i.e., as soon as she should attain the age of 
 twenty-one, to their becoming man and wife. To this Annie replied 
 with down-cast looks and many blushes, that if her father had no 
 objection, she had made up her mind to live and die an old maid — 
 she was going to add, like Aunt Martha, but, on second thoughts, 
 doubting whether the association of ideas was likely to aid her cause, she 
 repressed the simile. To this the General merely said " Pish ! " and 
 took snuff contemptuously : so Annie tried another tack. 
 
 " If ever," she observed, " she were to marry, it must be a great 
 many years hence ; she was such a careless, silly little thing, not at all 
 fit to manage a family. Did not papa remember when she went with 
 him and Charles Leicester on their grouse-shooting expedition, and 
 their cottage was fifteen miles from everywhere, how she forgot to 
 take any tea or sugar, and they were obliged to drink whisky-and- 
 water for breakfast for nearly a week ? " 
 
 But to this papa turned a deaf ear, and showed such unequivocal 
 signs of being about to get into a rage, that Annie in despair fell back 
 
348 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 upon her last argument, which was that, although her cousin Belle- 
 field was very kind to her, and she had always looked upon him and 
 Charles Leicester as her brothers, yet she did not like him well 
 enough to wish to marry him, — " she was sure it was wicked to marry 
 any one unless you loved him better — than anybody else," she was 
 going to say, but she changed it to, "than she loved Adolphus." 
 Thereupon the General's anger, scarcely hitherto controlled, burst 
 forth, and he informed her, with great volubility, that she had spoken 
 the truth when she had called herself silly ; for that her whole argu- 
 ment was so childish and absurd that he was perfectly ashamed of it 
 and of her ; and that if she chose to talk and act so childishly, she 
 must expect to be treated as a child, and submit to the decision of 
 those who were older and wiser than herself — that he would give her 
 five minutes to reconsider the matter ; and if she then refused to 
 consent to a renewal of the engagement, he should begin to fear that she 
 must have had some unworthy reason for such continued obstinacy. 
 And as he uttered the last cruel words he fixed his little sharp eyes upon 
 her as if he were trying to look her through and through. For a 
 moment his reproach roused somewhat of his own spirit in his 
 daughter; and drawing herself up proudly, the girl confronted him 
 with flashing eyes and heaving bosom, and then, poor child ! the 
 consciousness of her secret attachment rushed upon her, and with 
 streaming eyes she threw herself at his feet, exclaiming, " I am very 
 foolish — very wicked. Dearest papa, forgive me, and I will do what- 
 ever you wish ! " 
 
 And thus it came about that the engagement with Lord Bellefield 
 was so speedily renewed. 
 
 CHAPTER Lll. 
 
 VINDICATES THE APHORISM THAT "'TIS AN ILL WIND WHICH 
 BLOWS NO ONE ANY GOOD." 
 
 Richard Frere sat at his breakfast-table ; before him stood an egg 
 untasted, which, having once been hot, was so no longer, whilst a cup 
 of coffee, that had undergone the same refrigerating process, threw 
 out its fragrance unregarded. In his hand was an opened letter: we 
 will take the liberty of peeping over his shoulder and making our 
 readers acquainted with its contents. They ran thus : — 
 
 " Dear Frere, — I have quitted Broadhurst for ever, and broken 
 off all connection between General Grant and myself. IVAy I have 
 done this I cannot at present tell you ; years hence, when time shall 
 have seared wounds which now bleed at the slightest touch of memory, 
 you shall know all. I have suffered, and must suffer, much ; but 
 suffering appears identical with existence— at least, in this present 
 phase of being. I am ill in mind and body; the restless spirit within 
 IS at length beginning to tell upon even my iron constitution. The 
 mind must have rest if 1 would continue sane, the body must be braced 
 by exertion if I wish not to degenerate into a mere nervous hypo- 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 349 
 
 chondriac. Accordingly, when you receive this letter I shall have 
 quitted England. My project — if such vague ideas as mine deserve 
 the title — embraces a walking tour through Europe, which may pos- 
 sibly be extended to Syria and Persia, should my object not be 
 previously attained. At my banker's lies the sum of ;£5oo, the wages 
 (minus the little my travelling expenses will require) of my two years' 
 slavery; before that is exhausted fresh funds will be placed at the 
 disposal of my mother and sister, or I shall be dead ; in either case I 
 leave my family as a sacred deposit to your care. Dear old Frere, 
 do not judge me harshly. I am not (if I know my own motives) acting 
 with selfish rashness in this matter. My whole being, intellectual and 
 physical, has received a fearful shock, and the course I propose to 
 pursue appears to offer the only chance of a restoration to a healthy 
 frame of mind. I could not do this did I not know that in you my 
 mother and Rose will find a more efficient protector than the one they 
 will lose for a season ; I could not do this did I not love you so well 
 as to have perfect faith in your friendship in the very highest sense of 
 the word. Enough on this head — we know each other. In the unlikely 
 event of pecuniary difficulty arising, apply to Mr. Coke, the solicitor, 
 in Lincoln's Inn. He has my directions also in case of any accident 
 befalling me, and from time to time he will be informed of my where- 
 abouts, as for at least the next year I shall not write to any of you — 
 it is my wish to forget that such a country as England exists. I enclose 
 a note for poor Rose : may I ask you to deliver it in person, and break 
 this matter to her and my mother ? As yet they are not even aware 
 
 that I have quitted Broadhurst. God bless you, and good-bye for ; 
 
 but we will not pry into the future — ' sufficient for the day is the evil 
 thereof.' " Yours ever, Lewis Arundel." 
 
 This letter Frere read carefully through ; having done so, he 
 ejaculated " Well ! " in a tone of the utmost astonishment ; then 
 pushing his hair back from his forehead, as if he sought to give his 
 intellectual powers freer play, he steadily reperused it, but apparently 
 with little better success, for when he had a second time arrived at the 
 signature, he gazed round the room with an expression of the most 
 intense perplexity, exclaiming, " I never read such a letter, never/" 
 
 Spreading the paper before him, he carefully turned up his wrist- 
 bands, seized a silver butter-knife, which in his abstraction he con- 
 ceived to be a pen, felt the point to see if it would write, dipped it into 
 the milk by way of ink, and thus prepared, again attacked the 
 mysterious document sentence by sentence, keeping up during this 
 third reading a running fire of comments somewhat after the following 
 fashion — 
 
 " Hum ! well 1 he's left Broadhurst for ever, etc., etc., and he can't 
 tell me why now, but will years hence — when he has forgotten all the 
 minute particulars which would make the affair intelligible, I suppose ; 
 sensible, very. Thrown away three hundred pounds a year, with a 
 mother and sister depending upon him, and 'no future prospects,' as 
 they say in all the ' shocking destitution ' advertisements. Oh, wise 
 young judge ! Well, never mind. ' Seared wounds — existence identical 
 with suffering— restless spirit affecting iron constitution '—a<»z muliis 
 
 24 
 
350 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 aliis, etc. Now, all that done into plain English means that he has 
 got into a rampant state of mind about something, which, interfering 
 with the gastric juices and all the other corporeal chemicals, has put 
 his digestion out of sorts ; ergo, in order to repair damages he has 
 started on a continental walking-tour: might have done worse; the 
 exercise will settle the dyspepsia in double-quick time; I'm doctor 
 enough to know that. Then he leaves five hundred pounds to support 
 one mother and sister till further notice, or till I receive intelligence 
 of his untimely decease. In the meantime he very obligingly com- 
 mits the live stock aforesaid to my care, as a sacred deposit; thus, 
 without being allowed as much as even a voice in the matter, I suddenly 
 find myself ^/«j a mother and sister — more peculiar than pleasant, 
 eh ? Well, never mind. Then he asserts the truism that he could 
 not do this without faith in my friendship, mentioning the unnecessary 
 fact that we know each other Next comes a very funny idea : if the 
 money runs short, I'm to apply to a lawyer of all people in the world. 
 Now, in my innocence I should have fancied just the reverse, and that 
 if we had been burdened with more cash than we knew what to do 
 with, the lawyer would have been the boy to help us through the 
 difficulty! Well, one lives and learns— what have we next? Oh ! my 
 young friend wishes to forget the existence of — England ! nothing 
 more — wishes to forget the existence of his own glorious country 1 
 The boy's as mad as a March hare. Then he very coolly hands over 
 to me the pleasant task of breaking the news of his most uncomfortable 
 conduct to his left-off mother and sister; and for the prospective per- 
 formance of all this toil and trouble he benevolently blesses me, and 
 adducing a text of Scripture, which applies much more to my case 
 than to his own, concludes. 
 
 " Well, I should just like anybody to explain to me the meaning of 
 that letter; for as to making out either what he has done, or what he 
 is going to do, from that document, I'd defy CEdipus himself to 
 accomplish it. Now, let me see what is the first article in my little list 
 of commissions : enlightening our mother and sister, I suppose; and a 
 very hazy style of illumination I expect it will be, unless sistei^s note 
 should happen to throw some brightness on the matter. ' Poor Rose 1 ' 
 He may well say poor ! Why, she dotes on him — actually dotes on 
 him. I'd give anything in the world to have her — that is, to have a 
 sister love me as that girl loves him. I know she will be miserable; 
 I'm certain of it ; " and sticking the butter-knife behind his ear, a place 
 in which he still retained the school-boy habit of putting his pen, 
 Frere rose from his seat, and resuming his soliloq'uy, began to pace the 
 room with hasty strides. 
 
 " What can have induced the boy to throw up his appointment in 
 this insane fashion I can't conceive. If it were any one else, I should 
 fancy he had misconducted himself, and that the rhapsodical letter 
 was merely an excuse for avoiding a plain statement of a disgraceful 
 truth ; but there's something about Lewis Arundel which makes one 
 certain he'd never commit a small sin or conceal a large one. If he 
 had murdered that scamp Bellefield in a duel, he would have men- 
 tioned it 4iiectljf. Perhaps old Grant has insulted his dipity; 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 351 
 
 Arcades umbo, they're a peppery pair; 'high stomached are they 
 both, and full of ire.' The elder gentleman has a double claim, literal 
 and metaphorical, to the quotation, if 1 remember his build rightly. 
 Poor Lewis ! I expect he is in a dreadful state of mind ; I should 
 feel very sorry for him if I were not so angry with him for bothering 
 Rose in this way. Well, I must think about starting; no science 
 shop for me to-day, or to-morrow either. By-the-bye, I must ring for 
 Jemima, and enlighten her as to my movements, and she'll be as 
 cantankerous as a bilious crocodile, I expect. However, it must be 
 done, so here goes ;" and giving the bell a very modest pull, he dropped 
 into his reading-chair awaiting the arrival of his acidulated domestic 
 with a singularly mild, not to say timid expression of countenance. 
 
 " Oh, Jemima, I rang — that is to say, the bell rang — to tell you I 
 am obliged to go out of town to-day, and shall not return till to- 
 morrow evening at the earliest," began Frere in an apologetic tone of 
 voice, as his ancient duenna, puffing and blowing from the ascent of 
 the staircase, entered. 
 
 As he spoke, the positively cross expression of her antique features 
 advanced a degree, and became comparatively crosser as she replied 
 with a toss of the head — 
 
 " Well, I'm sure ! what next, I wonder ! " Then addressing her 
 master in a tone of withering contempt, she continued : " Do you 
 know what it is you're a sayin' of. Master Richard ? " 
 
 "Well, I believe I do," returned Frere humbly. 
 
 " I believe you don't," was the unceremonious rejoinder. " I believe 
 you go on reading them foreign books in heathen Greek till you 
 don't know what you're a saying or a doing of ; here you tell me one 
 thing one day, and something liarmetrically contradictious of it the 
 next, till old Nick his blessed self wouldn't know how to act to please 
 you ! " 
 
 " Why, what have I said contradictious, as you call it ? " inquired 
 Frere. 
 
 " What have you said ? " repeated Jemima in a tone of intense . 
 disgust; "why you've told me to get ready a dinner for six this here 
 very day, and now you say you're a going out of town, and won't be 
 back till to-morrow night. Do you call that behaving as a master of 
 a house ought to do, let alone a sanatory Christian ? " 
 
 " A true bill, by all that's unlucky ! " muttered Frere. 
 
 " It's a true bill that you'll have to pay for as fine a couple of 
 chickens as ever was trussed, which is now cast away before 
 swine, for as to 'em keeping till the day after to-morrow, it's a model 
 impossibilitude." 
 
 " I should rather have thought a physical one," suggested Frere 
 sotio voce. 
 
 " Then there's a tongue," continued Jemima, unheeding the inter- 
 ruption, " as beautiful a one as ever I set my two eyes on." 
 
 " I wonder if if s as long as her own," observed Frere, speculatively 
 pursuing the under-current of his private annotations. 
 
 " A tongue that with care and good carving would have lasted you 
 for breakfast for a fortnight." 
 
352 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " Then it would not have gone by any means as fast as a certain 
 unruly member with which I am acquainted," continued the com- 
 mentator. 
 
 " Together with a lovely turbot, which I almost had to go down 
 on my bended knees to get out of the fishmonger — turbots being 
 like pearls of price at this time of year, with three dozen of natives, 
 which was astonished not to be able to procure, so was forced to 
 put up with lobster sauce instead, and a beauty it is now, though 
 it will be non compo scentis by the day after to-morrow, and fit 
 only to make people sick in the dusthole, where it's a sin to let it 
 go, with so many poor starving creatures a-wanting it, which was 
 not the case when your blessed mother was upon the face of the 
 earth, in a violent satin gownd, a setting you moral copies 'A 
 woeful waist makes wilful want,' and 'My name is Norval, on the 
 Grumpy Hills,' which ought to have taught you better than to have 
 asked five gents to come here, looking like fools, and yourself the 
 sixth, gone out of town, leaving me to tell 'em so, with the house 
 full of good things all turning bad, and nobody but me to eat 'em, 
 which is a hard trial for an aged woman, that, taking you from the 
 month, ought to be respected, if grey hairs is honourable, which 
 they don't seem to be nowadays, when we have got a bad lot of 
 wigs over our heads, with half of 'em nothing in 'em but crimped 
 horsehair, I do believe." 
 
 Here the worthy woman's breath failing her, Frere was at length 
 able to get in a word or two. 
 
 " My good Jemima," he began blandly, " listen to me. When I 
 invited my friends and ordered a dinner, I was of course not aware 
 that I should be suddenly called upon to leave town; such being the 
 case, however, we must make the best of it. I will, therefore, despatch 
 notes to the gentlemen who were to have been my guests, putting 
 them off; and in regard to the comestibles, such as from their animal 
 fabric require cooking must be cooked, and we must endeavour to 
 consume them in detail at — at our earliest convenience. Now have I 
 slain your Hydra, my good Jemima ? " 
 
 " I don't understand your gibberish. Master Richard, nor don't want 
 to. My poor dear mistress, which piously departed this moral life in 
 a mahogany cofBn and silver nails, didn't used to talk so, though she'd 
 been brought up at boarding-school with the best of pastors and 
 masters to honour and obey; but this I know, that the blessed dinner 
 will go to rack and ruin in spite of all your cooking retail combustibles, 
 and that puts me in mind, what have you been doing with your break- 
 fast ? why, goodness gracious ! he's never touched a bit of it, and " 
 (here she caught sight of the butter-knife), " Oh lor, oh lor ! if he ain't 
 gone clean demented. What's the matter ? " she continued, as Frere, 
 astonished at her unusual vehemence, sought to learn the cause of her 
 disquietude; " what's the matter, indeed ? Look in the glass, and if 
 you're fit for any pilace but Bedlam you'll soon see what's the matter." 
 
 Thus apostrophised, Frere turned his eyes in the unwonted direction 
 of the chimney-glass, and there descrying the butter-knife behind his 
 ear, was somewhat disconcerted; and muttering that it must have got 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 353 
 
 there by accident, of its own accord, instead of a pen, he felt that his 
 position was quite untenable, and so, retreating ignominiously to the 
 stronghold of his own bedroom, he busied himself in preparation for 
 his departure, actually going the length of shaving himself and 
 putting on a decent suit of clothes. Another half-hour saw him on 
 the road to . 
 
 It was on the afternoon of the same day that Rose Arundel sat at 
 the window of their little drawing-room sketching the tower of an old 
 church, which peeped prettily from amid a luxuriant group of giant 
 elms. Mrs. Arundel had gone in a friend's carriage to execute a host 
 of minor commissions at a neighbouring town, and Rose, having 
 written part of her quota for the next month's magazine, was rewarding 
 her industry by endeavouring to catch a peculiar effect of sunlight on 
 the tower aforesaid. Having worked with brush and pencil for some 
 minutes, she paused to criticise her drawing. It was a faithful copy 
 of the landscape before her nicely executed, but she shook her head 
 in dissatisfaction. 
 
 "It is laboured and tame," she said; " half-a-dozen touches from 
 Lewis's pencil would have given the effect twice as well. What a 
 strange thing is the power of genius, the hand creating at a stroke 
 the brilliant conceptions of the mind ! " and then she drew out some 
 of her brother's sketches in Germany : bold, free, spirited, and marked 
 by refined, severe taste, skilled alike to select the telling points and 
 reject the commonplace details, save where such details were required 
 to assist in carrying out the leading idea, they all bore indisputable 
 evidence of a true artist-mind. 
 
 From the sketches Rose grew to think of him who had traced them. 
 She had not heard from Lewis for quite three weeks ; his last letter 
 had indicated a mind ill at ease, and Rose had written to him to 
 entreat him to confide in her, if, as she feared, he was unhappy. Why 
 did he not reply to her letter ? Answering her question with a sigh, 
 she turned again, pencil in hand, to the window, and perceived a 
 gentleman advancing rapidly along the road leading to their cottage. 
 For a moment her pulse beat quickly : could it be her brother ? but 
 Lewis's was a figure not easily to be mistaken, and a second glance 
 convinced her she was wrong ; and then she gave a little start, and a 
 bright blush made her look so pretty that it was quite a shame no- 
 body was there to see her ; had there been, perhaps she would not 
 have turned to the glass, and still blushing and smiling, smoothed the 
 glossy bands of her rich brown hair. Why she performed this 
 ceremony at this particular moment we leave our female readers to 
 discover, and having done so, of their courtesy to enlighten us. Then, 
 like a puritanical little hypocrite as she was, she reseated herself at her 
 drawing-table, sketching away as zealously as if the results oi fixature 
 and bandcline had been as little known to the philosophy of the nine- 
 teenth century as is the secret of alchemy. 
 
 In another minute the full, rich tones of a man's voice were heard, 
 bearing down the shrill expostulations of Rachel — 
 
 " Never mind about your mistress, young woman ; where's Miss 
 Rose?" 
 
3S4 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " Upstairs, sir ; but " 
 
 " There, that'll do, ' but me no buts ; ' let me get by ; which is the 
 door ? — here we are." 
 
 And as be uttered the last words, Frere, tired and dusty, with a 
 carpet bag and a parcel of books in one hand, and his hat and ihe 
 umbrella in the other, entered the little drawing-room. Rose advanced 
 to receive him with a bright smile. 
 
 " This is an unexpected pleasure, Mr. Frere," she said, extending her 
 hand. Frere shook it heartily, squeezing it in the process much 
 harder than was agreeable. 
 
 " Why, how prett — a — I mean to say how well you are looking," he 
 began. -*' Country air suits you better than the pea-soup-coloured 
 atmosphere of London." 
 
 So unable did he appear to remove his eyes from her face, that, in 
 spite of her best endeavours, the becoming blush again overspread 
 her features ; turning away as if for the purpose of arranging her 
 drawing materials, she observed — 
 
 "Mamma is taking a drive with a friend; I'm afraid she won't 
 return just yet." 
 
 "So much the better," began Frere; then perceiving the rudeness 
 of the remark, he continued, " what I mean is that I want to talk to 
 you about a letter I've received from Lewis, and I can get on better 
 with you than with mamma, I expect. You and I understand each 
 other, you see; now Mrs. Arundel thinks I'm a bear or thereabouts, 
 and fit for nothing but growling and biting." 
 
 " Perhaps I think the same," remarked Rose, smiling at this unex- 
 pected proof of his penetration ; " but you spoke of a letter from Lewis ; 
 I'm so glad he has written to you, for it's three weeks since I've heard 
 from him. You are looking grave," she added hurriedly; then be- 
 coming suddenly alarmed, she continued: " Something has happened 
 to him, and you have come to break it to us — is it not so .■'" 
 
 Frere regarded her with a good-natured smile, half laughing at, half 
 pitying her; then holding up his finger, as if he were rebuking an 
 impetuous child, he said — 
 
 " How thoroughly woman-like and unreasonable, jumping to a con- 
 clusion without any sufficient data to go upon; selecting the most 
 dolorous hypothesis imaginable, and then preparing to afflict yourself 
 at sight of the phantom your own fancy has conjured up ; now," he 
 continued, taking her hand and half leading, half urging her to the 
 sofa—" sit down, listen quietly to what I have to tell you— think the 
 matter over with your usual good sense — and then we'll consult to- 
 gether as to the best course to pursue ; and if anything useful and 
 expedient can be devised, rely upon me to execute it." 
 
 Pale and trembling, but in every other respect collected. Rose 
 obeyed. As soon as she was seated Frere placed himself by her side, 
 and drawing out Lewis's letter, said — 
 
 " Your brother has left Broadhurst and thrown up his tutorship; his 
 reasons for so doing he has not explained to me ; but as he evidently 
 wrote in a state of considerable mental agitation, that may account 
 for the omission. Moreover, he promises to tell me all at some future 
 
LEWIS ARUNDfiL. 35^ 
 
 time : he sends also a note for you, which may perhaps throw more 
 light upon the matter. Here it is." 
 
 So saying, he produced the ' enclosure, and breaking the seal, 
 handed it to Rose. It ran as follows: — 
 
 "Do not fancy me unkind, dearest Rose, or insensible to the bless- 
 ing (almost the only one now left me) of your affection, when at this 
 miserable crisis of my fate I deny myself the consolation of your 
 sympathy : I say, deny myself, for wretched as I am, torn as is my 
 soul by the blackest unbelief in the existence of human truth and 
 goodness, I yet know you to be good and true, and love you more 
 entirely than I have ever done. Frere will tell you that I am even 
 now, as you read these words, upon a foreign soil ; the length' of my 
 self-imposed exile is as yet unfixed, but many months must elapse ere 
 I shall again visit England. Had I come to you, I could not have 
 withheld my confidence ; your sympathy would have utterly unmanned 
 me ; I should have lost the little strength and self-reliance remaining 
 to me, and have totally succumbed to the blow that has fallen upon me. 
 Rose, love, at times I fancied, when you were staying in Park Crescent, 
 that you divined my secret ! The struggle was then going on, and I 
 dreamed in my folly that self-conquest was attainable; thus madly 
 have I accomplished the ruin of my happiness. I have quitted Broad- 
 hurst by my own act — fled to preserve my honour; that and an aching 
 heart are all that remain to me. I trust to you and Frere to communi- 
 cate this matter to my mother : of course, should you from my broken 
 hints divine the truth, you would never dream of imparting it to her; 
 a thousand reasons forbid it. In regard to Frere, I leave you to judge; 
 he is trustworthy as yourself. If he smile at my folly in loving so 
 poor a thing as he holds woman to be, his kind heart will sympathise 
 with my wretchedness, even if my own weakness has produced it. I 
 have entrusted him to pay my mother the usual yearly allowance, and 
 placed funds at his disposal to enable him to do so. While I live, she 
 and you shall never know greater poverty than you endure at present. 
 I go to regain, in foreign travel, the vigour of mind and body which 
 this blow has well-nigh paralysed. Thank God in your prayers that 
 he has spared my reason, and left me strength to make this effort : 
 may he watch over you both I In all difficulties apply to Richard 
 Frere. Good-bye, dearest ; forgive me the sorrow I occasion you ; it 
 seems as though I were fated alike to suffer myself and to cause 
 suffering to all I love. — Yours ever affectionately, Lewis." 
 
 Rose perused her brother's letter eagerly ; as she proceeded her bright 
 eyes filled with tears. Frere waited until she had concluded, and then, 
 without speaking, handed her the epistle he himself had received. 
 When she had also finished this, he inquired, "Well, what do you 
 make of it — anything?" 
 
 Rose turned away her head, and drying her eyes, replied with a deep 
 sigh, " Poor fellow, it is only too clear ! " 
 
 " That's just about the very last remark now that I should have 
 expected any one to utter, after having read that letter. What a thing 
 it is to be clever ! " observed Frere. 
 
 Without noticing his observation. Rose placed in his hand Lewis's 
 
35^ LfiWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 letter to herself. Frere read it with a gradually elongating countenance 
 merely pausing to mutter, " Much he knows about my opinion of 
 women." 
 
 Having finished it, he refolded it carefully, and handing it back to 
 Rose, began, " This enlightens us in some degree as to the matter ; 
 Lewis has, it seems, fallen in love as they call it, disastrously, with 
 some party unknown." 
 
 " Oh, you cannot doubt to whom he refers," exclaimed Rose earnestly. 
 " It is this to which my fears have pointed ever since I first beheld 
 her; thrown into constant communication with such a creature, one 
 fitted " 
 
 " Why you don't mean to say he's fallen in love with Miss Liv- 
 ingstone?" interrupted Frere, looking the very picture of astonish- 
 ment. 
 
 " This is scarcely a subject on which it is kind to jest, Mr. Frere," 
 rejoined Rose almost sternly; " of course I refer to that gentle, lovely, 
 fascinating Annie Grant." 
 
 " I do assure you I was perfectly serious," returned Frere 
 hastily. " I wouldn't joke about anything that makes you unhappy, 
 if my life depended upon it ; but I never dreamed of its being 
 Annie Grant ; why, she's engaged to her unpleasant cousin, Lord 
 Bellefield." 
 
 " I thought the engagement was broken off," observed Rose. 
 
 ■' Ay, but it's on again," resumed Frere. " I met a man yesterday 
 who is one of Bellefield's intimates, and he told me that his lordship 
 was staying at Broadhurst — that he has made up his feud with the 
 General, and that the engagement has been formally renewed." 
 
 " Now, then, 1 see it all," exclaimed Rose. " Poor Lewis has been long 
 struggling against a deep attachment for that sweet Annie, whom none 
 could know without loving; nourishing, perhaps half-unconsciously, 
 a secret hope that she was not wholly indifferent to him — a hope which 
 to an honourable mind like his must have brought more pain than 
 pleasure. And now this renewal of the engagement must have proved 
 to him how entirely he was mistaken ; and unable to witness his rival's 
 triumph, he has, as he tells me, fled the spot where each kind word 
 from Annie, and every haughty glance from Lord Bellefield, would have 
 been like a dagger to his heart No wonder the mental conflict has 
 nearly maddened him — my poor, poor Lewis 1 " 
 
 Preoccupied by her sympathy for her brother's sorrow. Rose did not 
 observe the effect her words had produced upon Frere ; nor was it till 
 he spoke in a low, deep voice, which trembled with suppressed feeling, 
 that she observed his emotion. 
 
 " Ay," he said, more as if communing with his own spirit than as 
 though he were addressing her, " Ay, it must be a hard thing to love 
 with all the depth of such a passionate nature as Lewis's one who is 
 indifferent to him ; but it is a more bitter thing still to see the long 
 years gliding by, and to pass from boyhood to youth, from youth to 
 manhood, and to find middle age stealing quickly upon you, and never 
 to have had any human being to love you— never to have found any 
 heart on which you might pour out those riches of affection which every 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 357 
 
 generous nature pants to bestow." He paused — then, as the recollec- 
 tions he had excited seemed to crowd upon him, continued, " Oh, the 
 bitter tears I hava shed when, scarcely more than a child, I have wept 
 to hear other boys tell of happy homes, and a mother's love, and the 
 affection of brothers and sisters j then came the silent but more en- 
 during sorrow of youth, when tears can no longer form a vent for the 
 heart's isolation, and the restless spirit preys upon itself; and last, the 
 struggle of maturer manhood, which in its meridian strength contends 
 against the sorrows of its weaker morning, and strives to live down the 
 fruitless longing for that affection which it cannot attain, and conquering 
 all but the one abiding grief, remains to own itself still lonely-hearted, 
 and sees its only hope of comfort in the grave. Ay, this is grief which 
 the help of God alone can enable one to endure." 
 
 The deep feeling, the simple, manly pathos with which he spoke 
 were more than Rose or any true woman could hear unmoved. Lay- 
 ing her hand on his to attract his attention, she said in a sweet, gentle 
 voice, " Indeed, Mr. Frere, you do your friends injustice. Lewis loves 
 you as a brother; my dear father had the warmest affection for you, 
 and often said that if Lewis did but resemble you, if he proved as high- 
 principled, as kind-hearted, and as persevering, his dearest wishes 
 
 would be fulfilled : even I myself " she paused, glancing timidly 
 
 at her companion ; but as he remained with his hand pressed upon 
 his brow, apparently buried in abstraction, she gathered courage, and 
 continued — 
 
 " Even I feel that in you God has given me a second brother, and 
 that I should be most ungrateful, most unworthy such disinterested 
 kindness as you have invariably shown me, did I not feel the warmest 
 esteem and — and — gratitude " 
 
 And here, suddenly becoming aware that Frere's beautiful eyes were 
 fixed upon her with the same peculiar expression of delight which she 
 had once before observed in them, on the occasion of his telling her how 
 he had convinced Rasper the irascible of the evil of duelling, poor Rose's 
 eloquence failed her, and she became abruptly silent. Frere paused 
 for a moment, and then with a forced calmness which scarcely veiled 
 the depth of his emotion, said — 
 
 " Dear Rose, forgive me if I am about to cause you pain ; but your 
 kindness has afforded me a vision of such exquisite happiness that it 
 would be a source of endless self-reproach to me if through any reser\'e 
 on my part I failed to realise it. Rose, you cannot be my sister, but 
 you can, if you will, hold a far dearer title — you can become my 
 honoured wife. I have loved you long, although it was my sorrow at 
 your departure from London which first opened my eyes to the nature 
 of my feelings. Since then my sense of my own unworthiness to 
 aspire to the joy of possessing such an angel has alone kept me silent. 
 Rose, I know my own presumption in thus addressing you; I am 
 aware only too painfully of my own uncouthness, my deficiency in all 
 the polished conventionalities of life ; but if the deepest, tenderest 
 devotion of a heart which has pined through a lifetime for some object 
 on which to pour forth its treasure of love can make you happy; if you 
 think that in time you could in some degree return my affection " 
 
358 LEWIS ARUNDteL 
 
 " Oh, hush, hush ! " interrupted Rose, in a broken, faltering voice i 
 " I cannot bear to hear you speak thus ! If, good and noble as you 
 are, my love can indeed make you happier " 
 
 She could not conclude her sentence, but Frere seemed perfectly 
 satisfied with the fragment as it stood. 
 
 The result of the interview may best be gathered from the following 
 remark of Mrs. Arundel, who, returning home about an hour after the 
 occurrence of the conversation above related, declared that when she 
 came in "she found to her horror and astonishment Ursa Major 
 looking as if he would like to hug Rose, and, stranger still, Rose 
 appearing rather flattered by the attention than otherwise." 
 
 CHAPTER LIII. 
 
 DEPICTS THE MARRIED LIFE OF CHARLEY LEICESTER. 
 
 We must now request our readers to draw on the seven-leagued boots 
 of their imaginations, and, thus accoutred, to stride remorselessly over 
 the space of two years. 'Tis soon done; a slight mental effort, an 
 agile hop, skip, and jump of the fancy, and the gulf is passed — time is 
 annihilated. Let us raise the curtain and mark the changes the 
 destroyer has wrought. The world goes round much the same as 
 before; two years make little difference in the personal appearance 
 of the fifty-eight-centuries-old planet — no lack of births, deaths, and 
 marriages to regulate the average supply of the human race ; if the 
 cholera creates a deficiency one year, more poor curates marry, and 
 starving Irishmen take unto themselves wives, the next, and those 
 " beautiful " babies who contrive to turn out such very plain adults 
 multiply upon the face of the earth, and the thinned ranks are re- 
 plenished. And yet two years cause strange alterations when we dive 
 beneath the surface of society and become cognisant of the fortunes 
 of individuals : smiles have given place to tears, and the grief of the 
 mourner has turned to joy ; poor men have grown rich and rich men 
 poor, and the bad (with but few, very few exceptions to prove the 
 rule) have become worse, and the good advanced in righteousness; 
 and the mass of the half-hearted, clinging yet more closely to this 
 earth, of which they are so enamoured, where their grave is awaiting 
 them, see heaven afar off, and wish feebly, and for a shorter time each 
 seventh day, that they were good enough to reach it. Thus the 
 passenger train, with its cargo of hopes, and fears, and wishes, speeds 
 along the Railroad of Life. 
 
 In a magnificent apartment in one of those Arabian-night-like 
 edifices, a Venetian palazzo — which, having belonged to one of the 
 great historical families of the middle ages, whose chief was, by virtue 
 of his position, a petty sovereign, was now let for the season to a 
 wealthy Englishman — lounged Charley Leicester, whose own surprise 
 at the change of forti-.ne which could render such a description of him 
 appropriate had not even yet ceased. On a sofa opposite sat his wife, 
 on -whose knee was perched a very young gentleman, to whom we 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 3S9 
 
 could scarcely sooner have introduced our readers, for the excellent 
 reason that he had not made his appearance at the Cradle Terminus 
 of our Railroad when last we treated of his amiable parents. The 
 present phase of this extremely young aristocrat was, so to speak, one 
 of ex-babyhood; he was in the very act of ceasing to be "the most 
 beautiful creature in the world," and as yet retained enough of his 
 pristine loveliness to deserve the epithet of a really pretty child. He 
 exhibited in his proper person an instance of that strange phenomenon 
 which (why, we have either no idea, or we hope, for the sake of 
 morality, a wrong one) always excites such extreme astonishment in 
 the minds of all nurses, maiden aunts, and female acquaintance — he 
 was decidedly like his own proper papa and mamma. For the rest, 
 when placed on the carpet he preferred a quadrupedal to an erect 
 method of progression — had a strange habit of making the rashest 
 experiments in gastronomy by putting everything wrong and dangerous 
 into his mouth — never sat still for two minutes consecutively — would, 
 in the same breath, laugh heartily and bewail himself piteously, from 
 exciting causes, which may be expected to remain a mystery through- 
 out all time, and confined his conversation to two substantives and a 
 colloquial hieroglyphic — viz., " Pap-pa," " Mam-ma," and " gib-Tarley," 
 which last was believed to be an infantine-English compound of his 
 Christian name and the verb "to give," and signified an insatiable 
 desire to render himself monarch of all he surveyed by a process of 
 general self-appropriation. At the moment in which we shall introduce 
 the reader to the party thus assembled, a servant entered bearing 
 a packet of letters on a silver waiter, and handing them to Leicester, 
 withdrew. 
 
 " Letters from England, by Jove ! ' exclaimed Charles, untying the 
 string which encircled them. 
 
 "Any for me, Charley?" inquired Laura, who in her position of wife 
 and mother looked the prettiest little matron conceivable. 
 
 " Two for me, and one for you, from Annie Grant, if I may judge by 
 the writing," replied her husband, as he rose to hand it to her. 
 
 " Gib-Tarley, pap-pa 1 gib-Tarley," vociferated that individual in 
 the prettiest of infantine trebles, making insane plunges at the letters. 
 
 Laura, raising her hand above the curly pate of her acquisitive 
 oflfspring, gained possession of the interesting missive, then, holding 
 " Tarley " out at arm's length, she exclaimed — 
 
 "Here, take your boy, papa; he is in a troublesome humour, and I 
 wish to read my letter in peace. 
 
 Leicester meekly obeyed, muttering as he did so, "Wide-awake 
 young woman — knows a thing or two, that mamma of yours, master 
 Tarley ; " then taking the child on his knee, he continued, " Now 
 Tarley means to be a good boy, and sit quite still, because papa is 
 going to be busy with the affairs of the state." 
 
 The effect of this exhortation appeared to be to excite, on the part of 
 the young gentleman to whom it was addressed, a sudden and violent 
 determination there and then to convert his father into an extempore 
 high-mettled racer, which equine transfonnation he strove to accom- 
 plish by placing himself astride on the paternal knee, clutching a 
 
36o LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 fragile and delicate watch-chain by way of bridle, kicking the sides of 
 his fictitious Rosinante with immense juvenile vigour, and vocifer- 
 ating at the top of his small voice, " Pap-pa, gee-gee I pap-pa, 
 gee-gee ! " 
 
 Charley cast an appealing glance at his wife ; she appeared hope- 
 lessly immersed in her letter, so resigning himself to his fate, he 
 murmured faintly, "The thermometer stands at 75° in the shade, 
 that's all," and started at a brisk canter. The progress of the ride, 
 however, served to exhilarate both horse and jockey to such a degree, 
 that ere long a violent game at romps was established, which ended 
 in papa's perching his youthful son on his shoulder, and still in- 
 fluenced by the equestrian hypothesis, galloping round the room with 
 him, and clearing the sofa at a flying leap in the course of their rapid 
 career, to Laura's undisguised terror. 
 
 " There, my dear Charles, that will do ; you will break the child's 
 neck and your own also to a certainty if you do such wild things. 
 Now ring for nurse to take him, I want to talk to you about this 
 letter." 
 
 " Tarley," however, by no means approving of this arrangement, 
 and insisting strenuously upon a prolongation of his ride, his father, 
 who it must be confessed rather spoiled him than otherwise, complied 
 with his demand for " Gee-gee more ! " by again dashing round the 
 room with him, and continuing his headlong course till he had 
 deposited his rider within the august precincts of the nursery, where 
 the precocious Ducrow, falling under the baleful glance of an auto- 
 cratic nurse, subsided into a state of infantine depression, and was 
 heard no more. 
 
 Leicester, having returned to the apartment in which he had left his 
 wife, flung himself, in a state of apparent exhaustion, upon the sofa 
 he had lately jumped over, exclaiming, " That child will be the death 
 of me, I'm certain of it ; where he can get all this dreadful energy of 
 character from I can't conceive. It must come from the Peyton side, 
 for I'm certain that even at his early age I had a much more clearly 
 defined idea of the dolcefar niente than that unnatural little essence of 
 quicksilver possesses. By Jove, if he should turn out as fast when he 
 grows up as he appears now before he has begun growing at all, it will 
 be an awful look out for our grey hairs." 
 
 " Nonsense, Charley, you've energy enough when you care to exert 
 it ; in fact it is all your own doing, you know you delight to excite the 
 child. But now be sensible, and sit up and listen to me, for I really 
 want to consult you about this letter." 
 
 " As to listening to you, my love, I'm only too happy to do so at all 
 times and seasons, and I'll promise to be as sensible as is compatible 
 with my general mental capacity, but in regard to the sitting up, you 
 really must excuse me. I have a strong idea I sprained something in 
 jumping over this sofa just now, my back or my shin, I forget the 
 precise spot, but I can assure you it requires rest." 
 
 "Oh, you idle man," was the laughing answer, "how incorrigible 
 you are 1 " and as Laura pronounced this condemnation she seated 
 herself on a footstool by her husband's side, drew out the letter, 
 

 
 CHARLEY LEICESTERS DOMESTIC FELICITY. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 361 
 
 and handing it to him, said, " They have consented to my plan, 
 and aie coming here in the course of the next fortnight ; but I do not 
 like the tone of Annie's note, she must be much more really ill than 1 
 was at all aware of, and there appears throughout a spirit of depression, 
 which is completely foreign to her nature — I cannot understand it." 
 
 " I have a despatch from the General," began Leicester, leisurely 
 breaking the seal ; " perhaps that may tend to elucidate the mystery. 
 What a fist the old fellow writes 1 the letters all hold up their heads as 
 if they were a regiment of soldiers, and liis signature bristles like a 
 stand of bayonets. Oh ! he ' hopes to be in Venice by Friday week, 
 if his daughter's health, which has given him some little uneasiness 
 lately, should permit them to travel with the degree of swiftness and 
 punctuahty which has appeared to him expedient in laying out their 
 intended route.' I'm very sorry dear Annie is ill ; what can be the 
 matter with her, think you ? " 
 
 " Who is your other letter from ? " inquired Laura, avoiding his last 
 question. 
 
 "From Bellefield," returned Leicester, opening it; "he can't come 
 with the Grants, but he'll follow them before long. He has backed 
 the Dodona colt for the Derby, and has got a heavier book on the 
 race than he likes ; he was hit hard at the last Newmarket meeting, 
 and if anything were to go wrong with the colt, and he not on the spot 
 to hedge on the first hint, the consequences might be more unpleasant 
 than people in general are aware of. Well ! thank heaven, with all 
 my follies, I always contrived to keep clear of the betting-ring. I don't 
 like that note of Belle's ; he'll get into some awful scrape if he does 
 not take care." 
 
 " For which I shall not pity him one bit," rejoined Laura. " Born 
 to a high position, gifted with a princely fortune ; if he chooses to 
 disgrace the one, and squander the other by gambling with a set of 
 blacklegs, he deserves whatever he may meet with. I hope I have 
 not pained you, Charley dearest," ^he continued, observing a slight 
 shade of annoyance on her husband's good-humoured face ; " but truth 
 is truth ; I cannot like that man ; I wish he were not your brother, 
 and oh 1 how I wish he were not to be the husband of our darling 
 Annie. I say, Charley, how came it you never fell in love with her 
 yourself? Do you know — don't be conceited now — I think I was very 
 lucky to get you under the circumstances ? " 
 
 A gay laughing answer rose to the lips of Charles Leicester, and 
 then the memory of the empty, heartless life he had led before his 
 marriage, and the deep, true happiness he had enjoyed since, came 
 across him, and drawing his wife towards him, he imprinted a kiss on 
 her smooth forehead as he replied, " If I am, indeed, worthy of your 
 affection, darling, it is you alone who have rendered me so, for 
 before I knew you I was a mere conceited, idle, frivolous butterfly, 
 spoiled by the world, and with just sense enough (like most spoilt 
 children) to despise my spoiler, without sufficient manliness of 
 nature to free myself from its trammels by any unassisted efforts of 
 my own." 
 
 What reply Laijr^ ipade to this speech, if indeed she made any. 
 
362 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 we do not feel ourselves called upon to chronicle j suffice it to say 
 that she did not, by word, look, or deed evince the smallest symptom 
 of having repented of her bargain. A pause ensued, which was 
 broken by Leicester, who exclaimed — 
 
 " By Jove 1 I was very nearly forgetting all about it — what's o'clock ? " 
 then drawing out a small enamelled watch, one of the relics of former 
 days of dandyism, he continued, " half-past three ; there is just time. 
 I have procured an order to see the pictures Cardinal d'Ancona was 
 telling you about last week." 
 
 " Oh, the two paintings from Lord Byron's ' Giaour,' by the young 
 artist about whom no one knows anything, and who is said to be a 
 genius? I'm so glad; when shall we go?" inquired Laura. 
 
 "Why, it's a case of Hobson's choice," returned Leicester; "for it 
 seems the painter was so tormented by idle people coming to his 
 studio that he has been forced to lay down a rule only to admit 
 visitors on two days in the week, from three till five ; but the oddest 
 part of the business is that he chooses to be absent on these occasions, 
 leaving an old attendant to play cicerone — in fact, there appears to be 
 some kind of mystery about the man. However, to-day is the day, so 
 the sooner we're off the better, more especially as I must be with the 
 Consul by half-past four." 
 
 " I shall be ready in less than five minutes," rejoined Laura, " so let 
 us prosecute this wondrous adventure by all means — a mystery is such 
 a rarity in these matter-of-fact days, that even so small a one as that 
 of a man who prefers avoiding one's notice instead of seeking to 
 obtrude himself upon it, is interesting." 
 
 "When will women cease to be curious?" soliloquised Leicester, 
 elongating his body in order to reach a newspaper without the trouble 
 of rising. Another quarter of an hour saw them en route. 
 
 Under Leicester's able guidance they stopped at the door of a small 
 house at the corner of a street turning out of the square of St. Mark's. 
 On presenting the order an old man with grey hair came forward 
 and ushered the visitors into a room lighted by a skylight, beneath 
 which were arranged various pictures, some finished, others in a less 
 forward state of preparation. After examining several of the smaller 
 sketches, which displayed unusual talent, both Leicester and his wife 
 paused with one accord before a large painting. The old cicerone 
 approached them, " That is the picture," he said in Italian, " about 
 which every one is talking; it is very grand, but the companion 
 picture is finer : the Signore has refused 600 guineas for the pair. They 
 are taken from your Lord Byron's poem, the 'Giaour'; here is the 
 passage, ecco lo ! " As he spoke he pointed to the following stanzas — 
 
 " With sabre shiver'd to the hilt, 
 Yet dripping with the blood he spilt ; 
 Yet strain'd within the sever'd hand 
 Which quivers round that faithless brand ; 
 His turban far behind him roll'd, 
 And cleft in twain its firmest fold ; 
 His flowing robe by falchion torn. 
 And crimson as those clouds of morn 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 363 
 
 That, streak'd with dusky red, portend 
 
 The day shall have a stormy end ; 
 
 A stain on every bush that bore 
 
 A fragment of his palampore, 
 
 His breast with wounds unnumber'd riv'n, 
 
 His back to earth, his face to heaven, 
 
 Fall'n Hassan lies — his unclosed eye 
 
 Yet lowering on his enemy, 
 
 As if the hour that seal'd his fate 
 
 Surviving left his quenchless hate ; 
 
 And o'er him bends that foe with brow 
 
 As dark as his that bled below." 
 
 The artist had indeed well represented the fearful tragedy; the 
 principal light in the painting fell upon the figure, and especially the 
 face of the prostrate Hassan, which convulsed by the death agony, 
 yet glanced with an expression of "quenchless hate" upon his de- 
 stroyer. The features of the Giaour, owing to the position in which 
 he stood, with one foot planted on the breast of his fallen enemy, were 
 not visible, but his figure was tall and commanding, and his attitude 
 in the highest degree expressive of triumphant power. Leaning 
 against the same easel stood the companion picture — it contained but 
 a single figure, but it was one which being seen, it was scarcely pos- 
 sible to forget, such a living embodiment did it present of hopeless 
 despair. The stony eye, the sunken cheek, the stem yet spiritless 
 mouth — all spoke of one who had indeed "nothing left to love or 
 hate," all realised the painful description of "the vacant bosom's 
 wilderness," that paralysis of the soul in which 
 
 " The keenest pangs the wretched find 
 Are rapture to the dreary void, 
 The leafless desert of the mind." 
 
 In this painting also the features of the Giaour were partially con- 
 cealed by the hood of a monk's frock, which threw a deep shade across 
 them, and the drooping, nerveless figure served in great degree to tell 
 the tale. The two pictures were entitled " Revenge, and its Fruits." 
 Laura and her husband gazed at them long and silently ; at length 
 Leicester observed, with the air of a man who tries to dissipate a 
 sentiment akin to superstitious fear, by listening to the sound of his 
 own voice — 
 
 "'Pon my word, they are very extraordinary pictures; there's I 
 don't know what about them — a kind of uncomfortable fascination — 
 they're very horrible, but they're very clever, eh ? " 
 
 " Oh 1 they are most wonderful," returned Laura in a subdued 
 voice, as if she almost feared to trust herself to speak, " particularly 
 the second. I never saw anything express such utter hopelessness 
 as that face and attitude ; one feels that active pain even would be a 
 relief to the monotony of that dull despair. What an uncommon 
 person the artist must be ! The execution is good, but it is the mind 
 in the pictures that is so extraordinary." 
 
 Leicester, who during this speech had been attentively examining 
 
 "25 
 
364 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 the face of the prostrate Hassan, suddenly exclaimed, " Yes 1 of 
 course, now I see who it is. Look here, Laura, do you perceive a 
 likeness to anybody you know in the face of this floored individual ? " 
 
 Thus accosted, Lajira, after a moment's scrutiny, replied, " It is 
 like your brother." 
 
 " Just what struck me," returned Leicester ; " what a quaint 
 coincidence ! I've seen some one somewhere of whom the other 
 fellow reminds me too." 
 
 "The figure bears a shadowy resemblance to the Signore Luigi 
 himself, Eccellenza," observed the old attendant ; " at least, I have 
 always thought so." 
 
 " He must be rather an alarming, sanguinary kind of personage, at 
 that rate; he has not flattered himself, I must say." 
 
 " The Signore is tall and dark, but handsome as the Belvidere 
 Apollo — ^he is not sanguinary as you say, Signore, but of a gentle 
 kindness which touches the heart. I am bound to love him, for he 
 saved me from ruin." 
 
 " How was that ? tell me," asked Laura in a tone of interest. 
 
 " My dear Laura, I am grieved to prevent your hearing this worthy 
 man's recital, but unfortunately it only wants five minutes of the time 
 at which I promised to be with the Consul." 
 
 " How long shall you be obliged to stay with him?" inquired his 
 wife. 
 
 " Less than half-an-hour, perhaps twenty-five minutes would suffice," 
 was the reply ; " shall I leave you here and come back for you before 
 five o'clock?" 
 
 "There are several pictures the Signora has not yet examined," 
 suggested the old man. Thus urged, Laura consented to remain; 
 an idea which she would not confess even to her husband, so wild 
 and fanciful did she feel it to be, had taken possession of her, and 
 her curiosity in regard to the mysterious artist had become redoubled. 
 
 CHAPTER LIV. 
 
 TREATS OF A METAMORPHOSIS NOT DESCRIBED BY OVID. 
 
 "You were going to tell me some anecdote," Laura observed as 
 Leicester quitted the studio. 
 
 The Cicerone, who was a venerable-looking old man with grey hair 
 and a thoroughly Italian cast of features, placed a chair for the lady 
 before a view in Venice, at which she had not yet looked, and then 
 resumed — 
 
 "Favorisca di sedersi la prego Signora. I was going to relate how 
 the Signore whom I serve generously rescued me from ruin ; but to 
 do so I must trouble the Eccellenza with a few particulars of my own 
 history. I was originally educated as a painter, but although I was a 
 correct copyist, and possessed some skill in mixing colours, I had not 
 the afflatus the inexplicable, the divine gift of genius, which cannot 
 be acquired. Look at these pictures," he continued, warming into 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 365 
 
 enthusiasm as he pointed to the paintings from the "Giaour"; "in my 
 prime I could execute better than that, my colouring was richer and 
 stnoother, my shades less hard and abrupt, though to acquire that 
 skill had cost me fifteen years' constant study; but alas I the mind 
 was wanting. I could execute but I could not conceive — my pictures 
 would never have entranced any one as you were entranced before 
 those great soul-creations ! " He paused, sighed deeply, then re- 
 sumed : " So I grew poor, I had a wife and children to support, and I 
 bent my pride to become a scene-painter at the Fenice Theatre. 
 I worked there twenty long years, and then from over use my eye- 
 sight grew dim, and they discarded me. After that I was employed 
 by the great painter of the day, Signore B — elli, to prepare canvas 
 and mix colours for the young artists whom he instructed. A year 
 and a half ago a pupil came to study with him — he was a stranger " 
 
 "Of what country?" inquired Laura eagerly. 
 
 " I cannot inform the Signora. He speaks French, German, Italian, 
 and very rarely English, equally well, but I do not think he is a fellow- 
 countryman of mine. The other young artists who frequented 
 B — elli's studio would often tease me for sport, but the Signore was 
 always kind, and would not permit them to do so when he was present. 
 One day a pupil, who was finishing the drapery of a Madonna and 
 Child, of which picture all the more important parts had been painted 
 by B — elli himself, called to me to bring him some particular colour 
 which he required — in my haste I stumbled and overthrew a flask of 
 oil, which fell upon the not yet dry painting, entireljr obliterating the 
 features of the Madonna. Irritated at the difficulty into which I had 
 plunged both him and myself, the student sprang up and seized me 
 by the throat ; in a moment the Signore Luigi interfered, and com- 
 pressing the youth's arm in his powerful grasp, forced him to release 
 me. 
 
 " ' Remember, Carlo,' he said gently, ' Antonelli is an old man.' 
 
 " ' He has ruined himself and me ! ' exclaimed the other, clasping 
 his hands in despair ; ' B^-elli will discharge him without doubt, and 
 me he will refuse to instruct any longer.' 
 
 " ' Perhaps there is yet an alternative,' urged the Signore Luigi ; 
 ' B — elli will not return till to-morrow morning ; much may be done 
 in eighteen hours ; I will strive to restore the face.' 
 
 " He immediately set to work ; fortunately he paints with as much 
 quickness as skill. When night drew near he dismissed us ; through 
 the long hours of darkness he laboured incessantly, pausing neither 
 for sleep nor refreshment. With the earliest ray of dawn I was again 
 at the studio : he was painting still, calm, earnest, grave, as is his 
 wont, only appearing a little paler than usual ; but such a work of art 
 had grown beneath his hand, such a marvellous creation ! the Madonna 
 herself could not have appeared more lovely than was that heavenly 
 face. It was completed ere B— elli arrived; when he beheld it he 
 was amazed. 
 
 " 'What inspired hand has traced those features?' he demanded. 
 
 "The history was related to him. He once more examined the 
 picture, then turning to the Signore, who stood near with folded arms. 
 
366 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 gazing on the other's excitement with an air of cold indifference, he 
 exclaimed in a tone of mingled admiration and rage, ' Go, I can teach 
 thee no longer; it is thou shouldst be the master.' 
 
 "The Signore took him at his word. He engaged these painting 
 rooms, arranged with B — elli that I should accompany him, and is 
 now the first painter in Italy as to talent, and when his execution is a 
 little more perfected — ah ! se ne saprd, qualche cosa, we shall see how 
 men will talk of him !" 
 
 "And the head was very lovely, was it ? what style of face was it ?" 
 inquired Laura. 
 
 " How can I tell you ? it was perfection, vi bisognava vederla," was 
 the enthusiastic reply. " Stay," he continued, glancing at the clock, 
 which now only wanted ten minutes to five ; " I have an idea ; there 
 is yet time, but you must never relate that you have beheld it. Here, 
 follow me ; " and drawing out a key, he unlocked a door leading into 
 a small apartment, comfortably though simply furnished, and fitted 
 up with bookshelves somewhat after the fashion of an English study. 
 "Ecco! " resumed Antonelli, "he has again sketched the head, but the 
 subject is different. He will not allow me to place this picture in the 
 studio, though it is such a gem I could sell it for a large price." 
 
 As he spoke he drew back a curtain, and the light fell upon a small 
 picture painted with greater care, and more elaborately finished than 
 any which Laura had yet seen. It represented a girl of exquisite 
 beauty in a kneeling attitude, with her arms flung sportively around 
 the neck of a magnificent dog, her golden tresses falling over and 
 mingling with the waves of his shaggy coat 
 
 As Laura gazed her colour went and came quickly, and her eyes 
 seemed to grow to the canvas: both girl and dog were portraits done 
 to the life, and she recognised each of them immediately — her wild 
 conjecture was then the truth ! — ^her determination was instantly 
 taken. Seating herself as if to examine the picture more nearly, she 
 contrived by one or two artful questions to set the garrulous old man 
 talking again, and forgetful of the flight of moments, drew him on to 
 relate to her how the Signore had discovered that his youngest born, the 
 son of his old age, possessed a talent for painting, and how the Signore 
 was giving him lessons, and the talent was daily developing under 
 such favourable circumstances, until the old man had begun to hope 
 that the boy might succeed better than his father had done, and 
 retrieve the shipwrecked fortunes of the Antonellis. 
 
 While he was yet in the midst of his recital the clock struck five, 
 and almost at the same moment a quick, active footstep was heard 
 bounding up the staircase, and the deep tones of a man's voice 
 exclaimed — 
 
 "Antonelli, Antonelli, dove sei buon amico?" 
 
 With a horror-stricken glance at his companion, the old man was 
 about to rush precipitately out of the room, when Laura, quietly laying 
 her hand upon his arm, said — 
 
 " There is nothing to be alarmed about I bisogna cKio gli parli— 
 tell the Signore that an old friend is waiting to see him." 
 
 As she spoke a tall, graceful figure appeared at the door of the study, 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 367 
 
 and stopped in amazement on perceiving how it was tenanted. In no 
 way embarrassed by the situation in which she found herself, Laura 
 rose from her seat with the same degree of quiet, courteous, self- 
 possession with which she would have received a guest in her own 
 drawing-room, and advancing towards the new-comer, said, holding 
 out her hand — 
 
 "Your kindness will pardon the little stratagem by which I have 
 sought to verify my conjecture, that in Signore Luigi I should have 
 the pleasure of recognismg an old friend." 
 
 " Leave us, Antonelli," exclaimed his employer sternly; then care- 
 fully closing the door, he turned towards his guest, and bowing coldly, 
 inquired, " To what am I indebted for the honour of a visit from Mrs. 
 Leicester ? " 
 
 " To the fact that I was vain enough to fancy the pleasure I feel in 
 meeting an old friend might be mutual; and that Mr. Arundel would 
 not resent the liberty I have taken in disregarding the regulations of 
 the famous Signore Luigi: if I am so unfortunate as to have committed a 
 mistake, it is soon remedied," she continued quickly, finding that Lewis 
 — (as we have not intended any but the most transparent mystification 
 in regard to the identity of the painter and our hero, we may as well 
 call him by his proper name) — remained silent; as she spoke she rose 
 and advanced towards the door. Her look and words recalled Lewis's 
 wandering thoughts; he took her hand, reconducted her to her seat, 
 and then in a tone of deep feeling said — 
 
 " Forgive me ! but you do not, cannot know the train of over- 
 powering memories your sudden appearance called up; indeed I am 
 glad again to look upon the face of an old friend, since you accord 
 me the privilege of so considering you — glad as a two years' exile 
 from all who ever knew or cared for him can make a man." 
 
 " Is it so long since you quitted England.'" inquired Laura. 
 
 " It is," was the reply. Lewis paused, and then continued : " I left 
 England under circumstances which caused me great mental suffering 
 — suffering which time and a complete change of scene could alone 
 render less bitter. I travelled for five months, passing through Greece 
 and visiting Constantinople ; at the expiration of that period I 
 'wandered hither, my vigour of mind and body in great measure 
 restored. The wonders of this country revived my enthusiasm for 
 art ; this, and the necessity of following some profession, led me to 
 the idea of adopting the career of a painter. For a year I worked ten 
 hours daily in the studio of Signore B — elli, at the end of that 
 period I quitted him and commenced painting on my own account ; 
 hitherto my success has surpassed my most sanguine expectations, so 
 that I trust I have at last hit upon my true vocation." 
 
 "I am so delighted to hear it!" exclaimed Laura warmly; "but 
 how is it we have seen nothing of you before — did you not hear of our 
 arrival ? we have been here more than a month ! " 
 
 Lewis coloured, bit his lip, and then replied, " My recollections of 
 England were so painful that I resolved, partly for that reason, partly 
 that I might keep my mind free from any anxieties which could 
 interfere with my devoting my faculties fully and entirely to my new 
 
368 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 profession, to avoid the society of the few English who were likely to 
 come in my way; indeed, my only associates have been the young 
 artists with whom I became acquainted in the studio of B— elli, and 
 the family of the worthy old man who acts as my assistant." 
 
 "But you will make us exceptions to the rule?" pleaded Laura; 
 " Charles will be really hurt if you refuse to come to us." Lewis 
 paused, his impulse was to refuse, but there was a genuine kindness 
 in Laura's manner which vouched for her sincerity ; had she been a 
 man he would have adhered to his resolution, but it was not easy to 
 say no to Laura. 
 
 " Forgive my apparent churlishness," he began, " but inay I ask 
 whether you have any of^of your English friends staying with you?" 
 
 "Not at present; Charles and I are leading a quiet, hunidrum 
 Darby and Joan life, which need not alarm even your hermit-like 
 habits. You must promise to dine with us to-morrow at six." 
 
 " You are most good-natured to humour what must appear to you 
 my absurd caprices," replied Lewis, touched by her thoughtful 
 kindness. 
 
 " But you will come?" she said, holding out her hand to him. 
 
 Lewis took it in his own, and pressed it warmly as he replied, 
 " Nobody could resist such gentle pleading." 
 
 At this moment the door was flung open, and Charles Leicester 
 burst in, looking more puzzled, excited, and angry than he had ever 
 been known to do in the previous course of his existence; while 
 Antonelli, vociferating eagerly in Italian and broken English, was 
 vainly endeavouring to detain him. 
 
 CHAPTER LV. 
 
 IS DECIDEDLY ORIGINAL, AS IT DISPLAYS MATRIMONY IN A MORE 
 FAVOURABLE LIGHT THAN COURTSHIP. 
 
 The Honourable Charles Leicester was, take him all in all, about as 
 easy-tempered a fellow as ever breathed; but when old Antonelli 
 informed him that his young and pretty wife was closeted with a 
 mysterious stranger, at the same time positively refusing to allow him 
 to enter the apartment in which they were shut up together, even he 
 considered that it was time to exert himself ; so seizing the old man 
 by the arm and swinging him round with a degree of energy which 
 greatly discomposed that worthy cicerone, he threw open the door, 
 and staring with an angry and bewildered gaze into the dimly-lighted 
 room, discovered, to his horror and disgust, Laura quietly sitting with 
 her hand clasped in that of a handsome young Italian, for such did 
 Lewis at first sight appear. The period which had elapsed since 
 Leicester had last seen him had produced so marked a change in his 
 appearatice, that meeting him for the first time under circumstances so 
 utterly disconnected with all former associations, he might well deem 
 he was addressing a total stranger. Lewis's pale features had regained 
 in a great degree their look of health, and exposure to a southern sun 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 369 
 
 had converted the delicate complexion into a manly brown, while, 
 having allowed his moustaches and even a short curly beard to grow, 
 the lower part of his face was enveloped in a mass of glossy black 
 hair ; this, and the stern, thoughtful expression of his countenance, 
 caused him to look at least five years older than he really was. He 
 rose as Leicester entered and advanced a step towards him; then, 
 seeing that the other did not in the slightest degree recognise him, he 
 paused and exchanged a smiling glance with Laura as he marked 
 Charley^s puzzled, angry expression. 
 
 Laura, entering thoroughly into the absurdity of the situation, 
 determined to improve it to the uttermost ; returning Lewis's glance 
 with a look into which she contrived to throw an amount of tenderness 
 that by no means soothed her husband's irritation, she began — 
 
 "Ah, Charles, let me introduce you ; you will be delighted to hear 
 that Signore Luigi has kindly promised to dine with us to-morrow." 
 
 "The deuce he has!" muttered Leicester to himself; "he might 
 have waited till I had asked him, I think ; " then acknowledging the 
 introduction by a freezing little bow, he continued aloud — 
 
 " Now, my dear Laura, we must really be going ; " then crossing to 
 the place where his wife was seated, he held out his arm with the 
 evident intention of linking hers with it and walking her off forth- 
 with. 
 
 But Laura clearly disapproved of such precipitation; for without 
 showing the slightest disposition to move, she replied — 
 
 "Restrain your impatience a few minutes longer, Mr. Leicester. 
 Having formed so agreeable an acquaintance," she continued, glancing 
 at Lewis, " you really must allow me time to prosecute it" 
 
 It was not in Charles Leicester's nature to be angry with any one 
 for five minutes consecutively ; with his wife, whom he idolised, it was 
 utterly impossible ; so, making up his mind that Luigi was a kind of 
 lion, to be regarded in the light of an exhibition, and stared at and 
 fed accordingly, and that Laura's sudden fancy for him was only an 
 instance of womanly caprice — " women always went mad about 
 celebrities," he knew — he made a short, penitent, civil speech, and 
 then flung himself lazily into a chair, with a look of half-bored, 
 half-sulky resignation, which, under the circumstances, was perfectly 
 irresistible. 
 
 That his two companions found it so was evidenced by their 
 simultaneously bursting into a hearty fit of laughter, increased to an 
 alarming degree by the look of blank astonishment that came over 
 Leicester's face at their incomprehensible conduct. 
 
 As soon as Laura could recover breath she began, " Why, Charley, 
 you dear, good-natured, stupid old thing 1 don't you see who it is 
 yet?" 
 
 At the same moment the Mysterious One approached him, saying, 
 " Have you quite forgotten the existence of Lewis Arundel ? " 
 
 For a moment Charley gazed in half-sceptical astonishment, and 
 then seizing his hand, and shaking it as if he were anxious to make up 
 for his dulness by dislocating his friend's shoulder, he exclaimed, " My 
 dear fellow, I'm delighted to see you— I really am quite ashamed of 
 
ifb LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 myself— but, 'pon my word, you've made yourself look so particularly 
 unlike yourself, and the whole thing altogether is so very strange and 
 unexpected, and more Uke an incident in a novel than a real bona-fide 
 transaction of every-day life, that you must hold me excused. My 
 dear Laura, I began to think you were gone out of your senses, and 
 that I should have to procure a keeper for you. Why, Arundel, then 
 you've turned out a genius after all, a second Michael Angelo, eh 1 I 
 prophesied you would, if you remember, that day when you painted 
 the cow ? " . 
 
 As he spoke he stooped to pick up his cane and gloves, which in 
 the excitement of the discovery he had allowed to drop ; consequently 
 he did not perceive the effect his words had produced upon Lewis. 
 Did he remember the incident to which Leicester had alluded? 
 Would to heaven he could forget that which was branded on his 
 memory as with a red-hot iron, the fact that on the day in question he 
 had for the first time beheld Annie Grant 1 He turned pale — the 
 blood seemed to rush back upon his heart, and oppress him with a 
 feeling of suffocation — he was forced to lean against a table for 
 support. 
 
 These signs of emotion were not lost upon Laura's quick eye, and 
 rising at the moment to divert her husband's attention, she observed, 
 " Now I have at length succeeded in enlightening your understanding, 
 Charley dear, I am quite at your service." 
 
 "Come along then," was the reply; "you'll dine with us to-morrow 
 without fail, Signore Luigi, alias Arundel, you polyglot mystery. 'Pon 
 my word, it's the oddest coincidence I ever knew, exactly like a thing 
 in a play, where everybody turns out to be somebody else. Come 
 along, Laura ; I must try and conciliate your old friend the cicerone, 
 too, for I swung him round in my wrath most viciously ; I hope I 
 have not dislocated any of his venerable joints ; I got the steam up to 
 no end of a height, I can tell you, when I fancied I had lost my love. 
 By-by, al piacer di rivederla, Signore." Thus running on, Charley 
 Leicester tucked his wife under his arm, and having handsomely 
 rewarded Antonelli, departed. 
 
 In the course of their walk home, Laura, after her husband had 
 again and again expressed his astonishment at the denouement which 
 had just taken place, inquired, "You never clearly made out the 
 reason why Mr. Arundel quitted Broadhurst, did you, Charley ? " 
 
 " No ! Bellefield hinted in his way, which gives one an impression 
 without one's exactly knowing what grounds one has for taking it up, 
 that Arundel had misconducted himself in some manner; but the 
 General's letter quite contradicted such an idea, and spoke of him in 
 the very highest terms. I thought nothing of what Bellefield said, for 
 they never liked one another, and entre nous, I consider Belle behaved 
 shamefully to him on one or two occasions." 
 
 Laura paused for a minute in thought, and then inquired, " What 
 did the remark you made about sketching a cow refer to ? " 
 
 "Oh ! did I never tell you that?" returned Charles, laughing; "the 
 incident occurred on the occasion of his first introduction to the Grant 
 family;" and then he proceeded to give her a full, true, and particular 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 371 
 
 account of the interesting adventure, with which the readei is already 
 acquainted. As he concluded, Laura observed — 
 
 " In fact, then, he beheld for the first time Annie Grant. Now I 
 can guess why he turned pale when you referred to it : Charley, you 
 must be very careful how you say anything about the Broadhurst 
 party before him." 
 
 " Eh ! and wherefore, oh wise little woman, endowed with an un- 
 limited power of seeing into milestones ? " was the bantering reply. 
 
 " Well, if I tell you, you must promise never to mention the idea, 
 for it is only an idea, to anybody till I give you leave," returned Laura. 
 
 Charley compressed his lips, and went through a pantomimic repre- 
 sentation of sewing them together. 
 
 " Nay, but I'm serious," resumed Laura ; "if I tell you, you must 
 be careful, and not blunder it out in any of your absent fits ; do you 
 promise?" 
 
 "I'll do more than promise," returned her husband energetically; 
 " I'll swear by all 
 
 The heathen gods and goddesses, 
 Without skirts and bodices, 
 
 never to reveal to mortal ear the fatal secret — so let us have it ! " 
 
 "Well then, if you must know, I suspect Mr. Arundel to have had 
 better taste than you, and not to have escaped with a whole heart from 
 the fascinations of Annie Grant." 
 
 " Phew — ! " replied Leicester, giving vent to a prolonged whistle 
 indicative of intense surprise ; " that is the state of the case, eh ? then 
 my allusion to the cow was just about the most unlucky topic I could 
 have hit upon. I certainly have a genius for putting my foot in it, 
 whenever circumstances afford an aperture for the insertion of that 
 extremity. I should not wonder if that idea of yours, always supposing 
 it to be correct, might explain his sudden departure from Broadhurst, 
 and account for this strange freak of expatriating himself and starting 
 as a second-hand modern Michael Angelo. I say, Laura, suppose the 
 fancy should happen to be mutual, Bellefield may have had more cause 
 for disliking Arundel than people were aware of." 
 
 " She would never have accepted your brother if she knew that 
 another loved her, and felt that she returned his affection ; Annie is 
 too good and true-hearted for that," returned Laura warmly. 
 
 " Time will show," replied Leicester. " I only hope it may not be 
 so; for between Arundel and Belle I should not know how to act. 
 Belle is my brother, and to Arundel's good advice I shall always con- 
 sider I am in great measure indebted for a certain plague of my life 
 — (without whose plaguing the said life wouldn't be worth having, all 
 the same) ; — the only course I can take, if our suspicions prove true, 
 will be to preserve a strict neutrality." 
 
 "And how would you wish me to act, Charley dear?" inquired 
 Laura, taking her husband's fingers caressingly between her own soft, 
 white little hands. " You know I can't recommend Annie to marry 
 your brother if she does not love him." 
 
 "Follow the dictates of your own good sense and kind heart, 
 
372 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 darling, and you will be sure to do rightly. I have the most perfect 
 confidence in you, and would not influence you one way or another, 
 if I could." 
 
 The tears rose to Laura's eyes at this fresh proof of her husband's 
 affection; and as she reflected on what he had said in regard to 
 Lewis's share in bringing them together, she inwardly vowed that if 
 ever it lay in her power to do him a similar good turn, she would not 
 be slothful in advancing his interests. 
 
 True to his promise, Lewis dined with them the next day; by 
 mutual consent all reference to the past was avoided, and no allusion 
 made to any of the Broadhurst party. As soon as Lewis found this 
 to be the case, a certain proud embarrassment observable in his 
 manner disappeared; and yielding to the delight of again finding 
 himself in congenial society, he unconsciously displayed his_ brilliant 
 conversational powers — relating, with playful wit, or forcible and 
 striking illustration, the adventures which had befallen him, and the 
 scenery he had beheld in his late pedestrian tour, till Charles and 
 Laura, who had only been acquainted with him when the cloud of 
 his dependent position at Broadhurst hung over him and concealed 
 his natural character beneath a veil of proud reserve, were equally 
 delighted and astonished; and when, late in the evening, he took 
 his departure, they vied with each other in performing a duet to his 
 praise. 
 
 " He talks so well ! " exclaimed Charley. 
 
 " He knows so much 1 " cried Laura. 
 
 " He has been everywhere," continued the former. 
 
 " And done everything," resumed the latter. 
 
 " He is so clever and epigrammatic," urged the gentleman. 
 
 " And his descriptions of scenery are so poetical," put in the lady. 
 
 " His figure is so striking," said the master. 
 
 " And his face so handsome," rejoined the mistress. 
 
 " What a pair of eyes he has 1 " 
 
 "And such a smile !" 
 
 " Then his moustaches and whiskers are irreproachable." 
 
 " And his hands whiter than mine." 
 
 " In fact, he is a stunner ! " declared the baritone. 
 
 " Though I detest slang, I must confess that he is," chimed in the 
 soprano. 
 
 " If I were a woman I should be over head and ears in love with 
 him," suggested Charley. 
 
 " I am both the one and the other," responded his wife, casting an 
 arch glance at her spouse, as much as to say, " How do you like that.'" 
 which rebellious speech her lord and master punished by stopping her 
 mouth with — the only remedy we believe ever to have been found 
 effectual in such a case. 
 
 From that time forth Lewis became a constant visitor at the Palazzo 
 Grassini, and at last completed his triumph over Laura's affections by 
 asking, as a favour, to be allowed to take a sketch of " Tarley" ; "he 
 wanted a study of a child's head so much." Then the sketch was 
 pronounced so successful that nothing would serve but that it must 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 373 
 
 be perpetuated in oils, and as the possibility of making " Tarley " sit 
 still long enough for such a purpose did not exist unless Laura sat 
 also, Lewis consented to paint them together, although he had hitherto 
 steadily refused to take a portrait, in spite of large sums which had 
 been offered him to do so. 
 
 Laura received a second epistle from Annie Grant postponing their 
 visit for another fortnight. Her father had all along expected Miss 
 Livingstone would accompany them as a matter of course ; but when 
 it came to the point that redoubtable spinster broke into open revolt, 
 asserted her mdependence, nailed her colours to the mast, and 
 determined upon death or victory. So resolute was she, that after 
 a most obstinate engagement with sharp tongues, which followed 
 upon two days of sulky silence, the General was forced to make 
 terms and yield his own will to that of a woman; so Minerva 
 remained behind to garrison Broadhurst. As, however, the General 
 by no means approved of his daughter travelling without some 
 female companion, the journey was very nearly being given up, when, 
 at the last moment, a lady, the wife of an Austrian officer quartered at 
 Venice, was discovered, who, seeking for an escort to enable her to 
 join her husband, was only too happy to be allowed to accompany the 
 Grant party. These delays, however, would necessarily retard their 
 arrival for at least a fortnight Days passed away; the picture (and 
 a very pretty one it was) of the fair young mother and her little, rosy, 
 merry child, advanced towards completion, and Lewis began to look 
 forward with a feeling almost akin to regret, to the time when the 
 sittings, and the agreeable, friendly conversations to which they gave 
 rise, would be at an end. 
 
 Since he had quitted England his thoughts and feelings had under- 
 gone various and considerable changes ; at first he had striven, in the 
 excitement of active adventure, to banish recollection, and after a 
 time he succeeded so far as to take a lively interest in all he saw. 
 The revolutionary spirit, which has since produced such changes in 
 modem Europe, was then beginning to show itself, and he witnessed 
 the outbreak of a rather serious ^meuie in one of the German States, 
 in which he contrived to get mixed up, and by these means he came in 
 for a couple of day's hard fighting, and a week of intense fatigue and 
 excitement. This, paradoxical as it may appear, was of the greatest 
 psychological assistance to him; it roused him effectually, and took 
 him completely out of himself. The excitement was kept up for some 
 little time longer, for, owing to the part which his old student associa- 
 tions had led him to take in the affair, he brought upon himself the 
 suspicions of the Prussian government, and the next event of his tour 
 was in fact a flight to save himself from arrest. During this period 
 he was accompanied by a young German, who, much more deeply 
 implicated in the affair than Lewis had been, dreaded that his capture 
 might lead to his execution; and unwilling- to atone for his patriotism 
 with his life, he and his companion hurried from the scene of their 
 exploits, experiencing innumerable dangers, difficulties, and hair- 
 breadth escapes, ere they arrived at that sanctuary for political 
 refugees, the city of the Sultan. Having by these means regained his 
 
374 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 energy and vigour of mind, Lewis applied himself heart and soul to 
 the study of his new profession, and in the interest of the pursuit kept 
 his powers, mental and bodily, so fully employed as to hold memory 
 at bay, and to require neither society nor sympathy. But now a 
 change had again come o'er him; he had in great measure mastered 
 the difficulties of his art, he had solved the problem whether by his 
 talent he could secure a competency for himself and those belonging 
 to him; constant and indefatigable labour was no longer an obligation, 
 and ere the Leicesters discovered him he had begun to feel, though 
 he would scarcely acknowledge it even to himself, the want of those 
 social ties from which, in his first frenzy of grief, he had voluntarily 
 separated himself. In the society of the Leicesters he obtained 
 exactly the amount of relaxation which he required — Laura appre- 
 ciated and understood him, Charles, without understanding, liked him ; 
 while on his part, the ladjf's society interested and soothed him, and 
 that of her husband afforded him amusement and companionship. 
 
 As the day approached on which the Broadhurst party were 
 expected to arrive, Laura became considerably perplexed as to how 
 she might best break the matter to Lewis: she had once, by way of 
 experiment, mentioned to her husband, in Lewis's presence, the fact 
 that she had received a letter from Broadhurst, and the start he gave 
 at the name, the death-like paleness which overspread his counte- 
 nance, the quivering lip, and clenched hand, told of such deep mental 
 suffering, that, frightened at the efifects she had produced, Laura 
 immediately changed the subject and had never again ventured to 
 allude to it. 
 
 The last sitting for the picture chanced to be fixed for the very 
 morning before that on which the Grants were expected to arrive. 
 Laura consulted her husband as to the affair: Charley stroked his 
 chin, caressed his whiskers, gazed vacantly at himself in the chimney- 
 glass, and then, putting on a look of sapient self-confidence, in regard 
 to the reality whereof it was clear he entertained the strongest mis- 
 givings, he began in a thorough master-of-tlie-family tone — 
 
 " Why, it seems to me, my love, that the present is exactly one of 
 those emergencies in which a woman's tact is the very thing required. 
 I should advise you to feel your way with great caution, very great 
 caution, and when by this means you have ascertained the best 
 method of breaking it to him, I should speak at once without any 
 further hesitation, and — and " 
 
 " I think you had better undertake the business yourself, Charley 
 dear, as you seem to have such a clearly defined idea how to set about 
 it," inteFi;upted Laura with a roguish smile. 
 
 " Not at all; by no means, my dear," replied Charley, speaking with 
 unwonted energy. "A — in fact, so strongly do I feel that a womaris 
 tact is the thing required, and that any interference of mine might 
 ruin the whole affair, and, in short, bring about something very dis- 
 agreeable, that I have made arrangements which will keep me from 
 home during the whole morning, so as to leave you a clear field." 
 
 " Oh, you dreadfully transparent old impostor ! a child of five years 
 old could see through you," exclaimed Laura, laughing heartily at the 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 375 
 
 detected look which instantly stole over her husband's visage. " Now, 
 if you don't honestly confess that you have not an idea how to get 
 over the difficulty," she continued, " that you dread a scene with a 
 true degree of masculine horror, and yet have not the most remote 
 notion how to avoid one, I'll ' make arrangements which will take me 
 from home all the morning,' and leave you to flounder through the 
 affair as best you can." 
 
 " There is a vixen for you," exclaimed Charley, appealing to society 
 at large. " Poor Socrates ! I always had a deep commiseration for 
 his domestic annoyances when I read of them at school, but I little 
 dreamed that I should live to have personal experience of the miseries 
 of possessing a Xantippe;" then throwing himself into a mock-tragic 
 attitude, he ejaculated, " Ungrateful woman ! I leave you to your fate ;" 
 and shaking his fist at her, pressed his hand to his forehead, and 
 rushed distractedly out of the room — in less than two minutes he 
 lounged in again, drawing on his gloves. " What a bore tight gloves 
 are 1 " he murmured feebly — " here, Laura 1 " so saying, he seated him- 
 self by his wife's side, languidly holding out his hand, while with the 
 most helpless air imaginable he allowed her to pull on the refractory 
 gloves for him, which she did with a most amusing display of energy 
 and perseverance. 
 
 "Vot7d, Monsieur P'' she said; "that herculean feat is accomplished. 
 Have you aught else to command your slave ? " 
 
 Charley regarded her with a look of affection as he replied, " What 
 a blessing it is to have a good, clever little wife to do all the horrid 
 things for one 1 Good-bye, my own ! When you have dona vic- 
 timising Arundel with your alarming intelligence, ask him to dine 
 with us to-day; I want particularly to talk to him. He knows the 
 people here better than I do ; but it strikes me the politics of the plac« 
 are getting into a fix." 
 
 So saying, he imprinted a kiss upon her brow, admired his hand in 
 the new, well-fitting glove, and sauntered out of the apartment as 
 listlessly as though he were walking in his sleep. 
 
 Punctual to his appointment, Lewis arrived, looking so handsome 
 and animated that Laura felt doubly grieved at having to make a 
 communication which she was persuaded would tend to renew the 
 memory of a grief against which he appeared to have struggled with 
 some degree of success. Her task was rendered the more difficult 
 from the conviction that Lewis's intercourse with her husband and 
 herself had been of great service to him, by insensibly overcoming his 
 misanthropic distaste to society. This intercourse, she feared, the 
 tidings she was about to impart to him would eflTectually interrupt. 
 
 "Where is 'Taiiey '?" inquired Lewis, after exchanging salutations 
 \\\\!a."LaMadrer 
 
 " In the nursery, adorning for the sacrifice of his personal freedom 
 during the period you may require him to remain en positionl' 
 answered Laura ; " shall I ring for him ? " 
 
 " May I fetch him myself? I promised him a ride on my back for 
 good conduct at the last sitting, and he must not be disappointed," 
 urged Lewis in reply. 
 
376 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 "Agreed— always promising that you take great care not to tumble 
 the clean frock," returned Laura with a gratified smile. "Who 
 could believe that man was the same creature who used to look so 
 stern, and cold, and proud ? " she added mentally, as Lewis departed 
 on his mission ; " he has as much tenderness of nature as any woman. 
 If he really does love Annie, and she can prefer Lord Bellefield, she 
 deserves all the unhappiness such a choice will inevitably bring upon 
 her ; her greatest enemy can wish her nothing worse. Well, ' Tarley,' 
 are you going to sit still and be good?" she continued, as that self- 
 willed juvenile entered, seated in triumph upon Lewis's shoulder, and 
 grasping a lock of his horse's ebon mane the better to preserve his 
 balance. 
 
 " Tarley " having signified in the very smallest broken English his 
 intention to keep the peace to the best of his little ability, the sitting 
 began in good earnest, and terminated, as far as that young gentleman 
 was concerned, in less than an hour, during; which period, as he only 
 tore his mamma's gown once, made a hole in the sofa-cover, and had 
 one violent fit of kicking, he may comparatively be considered (all 
 things are comparative) to have kept his word. A few finishing 
 touches still remained to complete Laura's portrait, and these Lewis 
 hastened to add. The conversation (originating in " Tarley's " esca- 
 pades) turned on education. 
 
 "The theory which I hold to be the true one is simple enough," 
 remarked Lewis ; " the first thing to inculcate is— oblige me by turning 
 a little more to the light — implicit obedience ; that once acquired — 
 rather more still— you may, as the mind develops, occasionally give a 
 reason for your commands — you see my object is to get a clearer light 
 on the left eye-brow — thank you ; don't move." 
 
 " But that obedience, to be of much avail, should be founded on 
 other feelings than mere fear of punishment," returned Laura; "for 
 that in sturdy minds produces obstinacy, in weak ones deceit and 
 falsehood, and in both cases necessarily loses its effect as the pupil 
 advances towards maturity. It always appears to me that in our 
 conduct towards children we should strive to imitate (with reverence 
 be it spoken) God's dealings towards ourselves. We should teach 
 them to love and trust us, and obedience based on affection and faith 
 will surely never fail for time or for eternity. Then," she continued, 
 as Lewis, bending over his work, failed to reply, " I should endeavour 
 to make their punishments appear as much as possible the natural 
 consequences of their faults; for instance, I should allow them to 
 experience to the uttermost the mental suffering caused by pride and 
 anger, and in their cooler moments point out to them that it may be 
 wise, as well as right, to suffer even mjustice mildly, rather than bear 
 the distress of mind a contrary line of conduct is sure to entail. I 
 should impress upon them the evil of coveting by denying them the 
 thing they so eagerly sought. In fact," she added hastily, fancying 
 from her companion's silence that for some reason her conversation 
 was distasteful to him, " I have a great many sapient, theoretical ideas 
 in regard to education, but how they may turn out when I come to put 
 them in practice remains to be proved." 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 377 
 
 Lewis, who during the conclusion of this speech had been painting 
 away as zealously as if his life depended upon his exertions, though a 
 close observer might have remarked, by his downcast eye and quiver- 
 ing lip, the effect Laura's words produced on him, replied earnestly — 
 
 " Would to Heaven all mothers felt as truly and wisely as you do 
 about education ; were children taught such principles of self-govern- 
 ment as you propose, there would be fewer aching hearts among 
 us." 
 
 Having uttered these words and sighed deeply, he spoke no more 
 until he had finished Laura's portrait. 
 
 " There," he said, " I need detain you no longer; with the exception 
 of a few_ touches to the drapery, which I can do at my own rooms, the 
 picture is completed." 
 
 Laura approached and duly admired it, declaring the likeness of 
 " Tarley " to be perfect, but feeling quite certain Lewis had flattered her 
 terribly, at which little touch of woman's nature the young artist smiled 
 as he denied the accusation. And now the moment had arrived when 
 Laura must break her intelligence to him as best she might. Her 
 straightforward, simple nature disdained all subterfuge, and she began 
 accordingljf. 
 
 " There is a topic which, from a fear, perhaps uncalled for, of giving 
 you pain, Charles and I have avoided, but which I am now compelled 
 to mention to you. You asked me at our first meeting whether we 
 were alone ; after to-day we shall be so no longer, and the guests we 
 expect are none other than your former pupil Walter, General Grant, 
 and his daughter." Laura had purposeljr placed herself in such a 
 position that she could not see her companion's features as she made 
 this communication, and the only sign of agitation which met her ear 
 was the sound of his quick and laboured breathing. 
 
 After a moment's pause he said in a hurried, stern tone of voice, 
 " I cannot meet them 1 it is impossible, I must leave this place 
 directly." 
 
 " Nay, that surely is unnecessary, no one here knows you but our- 
 selves ; you have only to resume your incognito, and in Signore Luigi, 
 the Venetian painter, no one will recognise Lewis Arundel. We will 
 keep your secret inviolably." 
 " Can I rely on the discretion of Mr. Leicester ? " 
 " Perfectly; if he knows you consider the matter important, he will 
 remain silent as the grave." 
 
 " Be it so then," returned Lewis after a pause. Having paced up 
 and down the room, he threw himself on a sofa, and covering his eyes 
 with his hand, remained buried in painful thought. 
 
 Laura watched him with deep interest, till at length she could 
 restrain the expression of her sympathy no longer. 
 
 " I must speak that which is in my mind," she said earnestly. " I 
 know that you are good and true-hearted, you can have done no wrong 
 that you have cause to be ashamed of, why then do you fear to meet 
 these people ? " 
 
 Lewis started, raised his head, and flingmg back his dark hair, 
 exclaimed almost fiercely, " Did you say fear? I fear no living being ! 
 
378 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 There is no man who can accuse me of evil-doing ; my name is as 
 spotless as your own pure soul." 
 
 " Then why refuse to meet them ? " 
 
 " Because I fear my own heart," was the vehement reply, " because 
 I have sworn never to meet her again till I have learned to look upon 
 her with the indifference her weak fickleness deserves, and that," he 
 added bitterly, "will not be till grey hairs bring insensibility to 
 woman's love and such-like gilded toys, or till she has crushed out 
 the last germs of my lingering madness by marrying the heartless 
 scoundrel to whom she is engaged." He paused, and then continued 
 more calmly, " You ask me why I refuse to meet these people ; hear the 
 truth, and then judge for yourself whether I can meet them ; nay, judge 
 for me also if you will, for I am half-frenzied by the anguish I have 
 suffered, and am as incapable to decide for myself in this affair as a 
 child, such puppets are we to our loves and hates ; " and then in eager, 
 hurried accent he told her "of his love for Annie Grant, his struggle for 
 self-conquest, his signal failure, his fearful hope that she retumed_ his 
 affection, the parting, his confession to the General, the strange tidings 
 he had learned in London, and then the cruel paralysing blow of Annie's 
 engagement, renewed the very day after he had left Broadhurst, 
 believing on no slight grounds that she loved him and him only. All 
 the burning sorrow, pent for two long years within his secret soul, he 
 poured forth before her ; and Laura listened with glowing cheeks and 
 tearful eyes, and a growing resolve in her brave, pure heart to set 
 aside all conventionalisms and every hollow form of society, and if 
 Annie should but prove worthy of him, to labour with all the energy 
 of her earnest nature to bring these young, sad, loving hearts together 
 again. 
 
 CHAPTER LVL 
 
 LEWIS ATTENDS AN EVENING PARTY, AND NARROWLY ESCAPES 
 BEING "cut" by an OLD ACQUAINTANCE. 
 
 " Now listen to me, and be good, and sensible, and tractable for once 
 in your life," exclaimed Laura, when Lewis's agitation had in some 
 degree subsided. " You appear to have acted with more than sufficient 
 self-will and impetuosity all through this affair, and the result has not 
 proved so satisfactory as to justify you in refusing a friend's advice 
 and assistance. _ Excuse my plain speaking," she continued, with a 
 frank smile which would have thawed the moroseness of the most 
 churlish misanthrope who ever reversed the precepts of Christianity 
 by hating his neighbour, "but I must either say all I think or be 
 wholly silent. Besides, it is no kindness to hide the truth from you." 
 
 "What would you have me do?" returned Lewis sadly. "Believe 
 me, I reproach myself for my past folly more bitterly than you could 
 do were you my worst enemy, instead of the gentle, zealous friend 
 you are." 
 
 " I would not have you at present do anything, more especially any- 
 thing rash," returned Laura, "but simply leave the matter in my hands." 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 379 
 
 " Promise me " began Lewis. 
 
 " I promise you I will do nothing which can in the smallest degree 
 compromise your honour, or even your pride," returned Laura, witli 
 the slightest possible degree of sarcasm in her tone; "beyond this I 
 will promise you nothing, and if you have not sufficient faith to trust 
 my friendship thus far, you are less worthy of it than I have deemed 
 you." 
 
 Lewis glanced with mingled surprise and admiration at the animated 
 features of his spirited confidante. Accustomed to Rose's calm, per- 
 suasive reasoning, and the half- earnest, half- playful, but wholly 
 bewitching manners of sweet Annie Grant, Laura's keen wit and 
 fearless bearing surprised and pleased, while at the same time they 
 insensibly influenced him. " I will trust you," he said ; " you have the 
 strong sense and bold energy of a man's mind united with all the 
 gentleness and refinement which are woman's especial attributes. I 
 will and do trust you fully. But alas I dear friend," he continued 
 sorrowfully, " neither you nor any one else can remove the cause of 
 my unhappiness. I will not attempt to deceive you or myself ; despite 
 my best endeavours to forget her I cannot, and I am miserable. I, 
 who deemed myself so strong, am powerless to cast this affection from 
 me ; and though I despise her for her weak fickleness, though I scorn 
 her for allowing herself to be contracted to that man of whom I never 
 can bear to think as the brother of your kind-hearted, liberal-minded 
 husband, I yet love her with the reasonless passion of an idiot." 
 
 " You take too gloomy a view of the affair. She may not be so 
 much to blame as you imagine; she may yet prove worthy of your 
 affection," urged Laura. 
 
 " Would to Heaven it could be so ! " exclaimed Lewis vehemently. 
 " You bid me consider the matter calmly and sensibly," he continued, 
 after a pause; "by doing so I perceive the hopes with which you 
 would fam inspire me to be unreasonable and delusive. Facts speak 
 for themselves, and as they remain unalterable, so must my grief. 
 Either she does not return my affection, and is attached to her intended 
 bridegroom, or, loving me, she has with the most culpable weakness 
 allowed herself to be persuaded into an engagement with a man every 
 way unworthy of her, to whom she is, to say the least, indifferent; and 
 this, not in consequence of a lengthened persecution, but within 
 twenty-four hours after I have left her, fondly deeming that had fate 
 allowed me to ask her hand she would not have refused it." 
 
 "It is very strange, very unaccountable," returned Laura, musing, 
 " so much so, indeed, that I feel sure we do not yet know the whole 
 truth, and that there must be some way of explaining her conduct 
 satisfactorily." 
 
 Lewis shook his head mournfully. 
 
 "Farewell," he said ; "you will soon be able to judge for yourself, 
 and will find that the view I take of the affair, gloomy as it may 
 appear, is indeed the only true one." 
 
 " You will dine with us to-day ? Charles particularly, wishes it ; 
 you must not refuse. Remember, it will be the last time for some 
 weeks that I may have an opportunity of seeing you ! " pleaded Laura, 
 
 26 
 
38o LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " I do not know why I consent, except that it seems impossible to 
 say no to you," returned Lewis, unable to resist the influence of 
 Laura's sympathetic kindness. " You will find me but a dull com- 
 panion," he continued with a deep sigh, "for your intelligence has 
 completely unmanned me." 
 
 " We will take the chance of that," replied Laura with an incredu- 
 lous smile ; and so, shaking hands, they parted. 
 
 The dinner passed off heavily enough. Lewis, despite his efforts to 
 the contrary, appeared out of spirits and distrait. Charles, having 
 been cautioned and tutored to the utmost extent of female foresight 
 as to what he was to say and what to avoid, grew nervous and puzzle- 
 pated ; called Laura, Annie, and asked Lewis why he did not send 
 for Miss Grant (meaning his, Lewis's, sister Rose) to live with him 
 and keep his house ; by which blunders he provoked his wife to such 
 a degree that she could have found in her heart to box his ears for 
 him, without the smallest compunction. The arrival of " Tarley " and 
 the dessert produced a marked improvement, that young gentleman 
 being in the highest possible state of health and spirits, and influenced 
 by a strong determination to partake of everything on the table, wine 
 included, to ignore all established precedents as to eating jam by the 
 intervention of a spoon, to consider walnuts appropriate missiles to 
 throw at the company generally, and the cut-glass decanters in par- 
 ticular, to set maternal authority at defiance, as evinced by a resolution 
 to pull off his left shoe and imbed it in orange marmalade, and in fact 
 to do everything which appeared good in his eyes and naughty in 
 those of his elders, and then and there to make a night of it. These 
 little antics, at fir^t amusing, and secretly patronised and fostered by 
 Charles and Lews) soon becoming tiresome, and at length unbearable, 
 Laura asserted her prerogative, and disregarding much kicking and 
 a hysterical affection, which was neither laughing nor crying, but a 
 compound of the two, succeeded in carrying away her unruly offspring. 
 When the gentlemen were left to themselves, Leicester, filling his 
 glass and handing the bottle to Lewis, began — 
 
 " Do you mix much with the young men of the place, so as to judge 
 of their political bias at all ? " 
 
 " I am acquainted with some dozen, or more, young artists, though 
 I do not enter much into their pursuits, from want of inclination ; 
 although, at first, they pressed me to belong to their clubs. I should 
 say, however, judging from their conversation, that democratic prin- 
 ciples were rife among them." 
 
 " I fear so ; indeed, from information we have received, I should 
 not be surprised if some attempt were likely to be made to throw off' 
 the Austrian yoke." 
 
 " Surely that would be great folly," returned Lewis ; " with the 
 troops and resources the Governor, Count Palffy, has at his command, 
 any popular tumult might easily be quelled. It is only from cowardice 
 or maction on the part of the authorities that any of these successes 
 in Northern Italy have been achieved." 
 
 "Ay, but inaction is just what I fear," rejoined Leicester ; " the 
 Austrians will no; believe in the amount of popular disaffection which 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL 381 
 
 exists ; they will go on ignoring the danger till the moment at which 
 it could be most successfully combated has escaped them. Not that 
 I care very much about the matter ; I am neither Trojan nor Tyrian ; 
 but I am anxious to gain some certainty as to the chance of a popular 
 outbreak, that I may take measures to provide for the safety of Laura 
 and the child : besides, I think you are aware we have some guests 
 coming to us ; had I known this sooner I should have written to them 
 to postpone their visit till some more favourable opportunity." 
 
 I will investigate the matter," returned Lewis eagerly, " and will 
 communicate to you any information I may obtain; women should 
 never be exposed to the chance of witnessing the horrors of street 
 warfare." 
 
 After conversing on this topic for some minutes longer, the gentle- 
 men, being neither of them addicted to the practice of wine-bibbing, 
 followed Laura to the drawing-room. Lewis appeared silent and 
 depressed, and a gloom hung over the little party which no effort on 
 the part of the hostess could dispel. 
 
 Soon after ten o'clock their guest rose to take leave. 
 
 " I shall send Charles to you very often ; and if possible, without 
 attracting attention, I shall occasionally come with him," observed 
 Laura ; " so mind you are not to freeze up again into a marble mis- 
 anthrope : I consider I have improved you vastly since you have 
 been under my tuition, and I by no means desire to have laboured in 
 vain." 
 
 "You have shown me kindness which I may never be able to 
 repay," answered Lewis ; " but to prove that I neither forget nor feel 
 ungrateful for it, I will struggle against the faults you so justly repro- 
 bate : if I sometimes fail, you must remember that it is difficult to 
 preserve a cheerful, easy manner with an aching heart, and so pardon 
 me." 
 
 Having taken a cordial leave of his host and hostess, and refused 
 Charles's offer of walking home with him, partly because he knew it 
 would be an act of self-denial in his friend to relinquish his wife's 
 society, partly because he wished to be alone, Lewis quitted the 
 Palazzo Grassini and strolled on in the direction of his own abode. 
 As he passed under the Piazza of St. Mark, a particularly beautiful 
 effect of moonlight on the opposite buildings struck him, and leaning 
 against one of the columns, he paused to observe it. The place where 
 he was standing was in deep shadow, and to any one approaching 
 from the left his figure was invisible, the massive column effectually 
 hiding it. Having thoroughly fixed in his recollection the appearance 
 which had attracted him, and which he proposed to transfer to canvas, 
 he was about to quit the Piazza when a figure wrapped in a dark 
 mantle advanced with a quick yet stealthy tread. 
 
 As the new-comer approached the spot where Lewis was stationed 
 a low whistle pierced the air, and immediately a second figure, also 
 disguised in a dark robe, appeared from behind a pillar which had 
 hitherto concealed him, and addressing the other, observed — 
 
 " You are late-; I have waited for you." 
 
 " The delay was unavoidable. Signer," was the reply ; " I was forced 
 
382 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 to wait myself for Paulo, as until I had seen him I could not bring you 
 the pass-word." 
 
 "And what is it?" inquired the first speaker eagerly. The other 
 glanced round with a suspicious air as he replied, " / Martiri di 
 Cosenza." ' 
 
 " Good t " was the rejoinder ; " and the place of meeting ? " 
 
 " The great Hall of the Palazzo — iani," naming one of the many 
 ruined palaces which are to be found in Venice. 
 
 " Wisely chosen," observed the first speaker, who appeared of a rank 
 superior to that of his companion ; "the time of meeting must be at 
 hand?" 
 
 " If Vossignoria proceeds thither leisurely, the hour will strike as 
 you reach the appointed rendezvous." 
 
 " 'Tis well," was the reply. " Now leave me ; we must not be seen 
 together." 
 
 The person addressed raised his cap as a token of respect, and 
 turning, hurried from the spot — his confederate paused a moment as if 
 in deliberation, and then strolled leisurely away in the direction of the 
 Palazzo — iani. Lewis waited till the echoes of his retreating foot- 
 steps died away in the distance, then starting in the direction of his 
 own dwelling, he walked with rapid strides till he reached the corner 
 of one of the less-frequented streets ; having done so, he struck down 
 it, running at a pace which few could have kept up with till he 
 approached his own house, when he again moderated his speed. 
 Letting himself in with a private key, he entered his sitting-room, took 
 a brace of small pistols from a drawer, loaded them carefully, and 
 concealing them in a breast-pocket, flung a dark cloak overhis shoulders 
 and again quitted the room. His determination was taken. Accident 
 having put him in possession of the time and place of some secret 
 meeting, as well as the pass-word which he doubted not would ensure 
 his admission, his love of adventure occasioned him instantly to resolve 
 to be present at it. The assembly was doubtless of a political nature, 
 and besides gratifying his taste for excitement, he might obtain some 
 information in regard to the probability of a popular insurrection, and 
 thus satisfy Leicester's anxiety for the safety of his wife and child — in 
 which (though Lewis would not own the motive even to himself) might 
 be involved that of Annie Grant. That the expedition he projected 
 was a dangerous one he was well aware, but he trusted to chance 
 and to his own tact and presence of mind to save him from discovery, 
 and in case of these failing him, he possessed the pistols as a last 
 resource. Twenty minutes' brisk walking brought him beneath the 
 walls of the Palazzo — iani. 
 
 Pausing under the shadow of the building, he waited till he had seen 
 two or three persons, carefully muffled up, proceeding in a particular 
 direction. Conjecturing from their appearance and evident desire to 
 escape observation that they were bound on the same errand as him- 
 self, he followed with a quick but noiseless step the next man who 
 
 ' The brothers Bandiera, two youths of high Patrician Venetian descent, 
 were denounced to the Austrian governmept,and shot as conspirators at Cosenza, 
 June 35th, 1844. ' 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 383 
 
 passed. This person walked on rapidly till he reached a small arch- 
 way; here he stopped and looked round, as if to assure himself that he 
 was not followed, when, perceiving Lewis, he seemed embarrassed, and 
 after a moment's deliberation, during which he scrutinised the young 
 artist's figure narrowly, he stationed himself in the centre of the path, 
 as if to intercept Lewis's further progress. As he approached the 
 stranger advanced a step to meet him, observing in Italian — 
 
 " The Sigiior walks late, and chooses a strange path ; may I venture 
 to inquire his object in so doing?" 
 
 " The same as your own," returned Lewis sternly ; adding in a tone 
 of command, " We are too late already, lead the way." 
 
 The person thus addressed, in whom, from a slight peculiarity in his 
 accent, Lewis recognised him who had appeared the inferior of the two 
 speakers whose conversation he had overheard in the Piazza of St. 
 Mark, seemed for a moment undecided how to act; and then, either 
 deceived by Lewis's manner, or purposing to postpone any further 
 investigation till he should obtain the assistance of the other conspira- 
 tors, he passed through the archway, and turning abruptly to the right 
 hand, ran up a flight of stone steps terminated by a low door closely 
 studded with large iron nail heads. Giving a low whistle, some one 
 from within partially opened the door and the stranger entered, 
 followed by Lewis. The moment he had done so, the door was shut 
 and bolted behind him, and he found himself in total darkness ; at the 
 same instant he felt his arms pinioned by a powerful grasp, while a 
 gruff voice exclaimed — 
 
 " Give the pass-word ! " 
 
 " I Martiri di Cosenza," replied Lewis firmly. 
 
 " Proceed," was the rejoinder, as the grasp was removed from his 
 arms, and the light of a dark lantern was thrown along the narrow 
 stone passage in which Lewis now found himself. -Having traversed 
 this, a second door opened at his approach, a rush of cold air streamed 
 upon him, and he found himself in a large dimly-lighted chamber, in 
 which were assembled somewhere about thirty persons, who were 
 gathered round a long table, at the upper end of which stood a man, 
 who, with his arm extended, and his whole bearing indicative of strong 
 excitement, was addressing the meeting. Drawing the collar of his 
 cloak more over his face, and choosing a spot where the shadow of one 
 of the heavy columns which supported the roof served in some measure 
 to conceal him, Lewis joined the group. As he did so, the speaker, 
 glancing with flashing eyes round the assembly, exclaimed — 
 
 " We are resolved, then — the cup is full to overflowing — we will bow 
 no longer beneath the yoke of foreign tyrants. Our brethren in Milan 
 have set us a glorious example — the accursed Austrian already trembles 
 before their valour. Italy has shaken off her lethargy; — we have only 
 to be true to ourselves and to the glorious cause, and Uberty awaits 
 our efforts." 
 
 A subdued murmur of consent and approbation ran through the 
 assembly, and the speaker continued — 
 
 " Thus agreed, then, it only remains for us to act, and our first duty 
 is to succour those who have suffered for our sakes. Those heroes, 
 
384 LEWIS ARUNDEL, 
 
 those martyrs to the cause of the Venetian people, Daniel Manin and 
 Niccolo Tommaseo, languish in an unjust imprisonment; we will 
 demand their liberation, and that with a voice that shall force the 
 tyrants to listen — the voice of an awakened and indignant nation." 
 
 As the speaker ceased, amidst a subdued buzz of approbation, a 
 man in the 'dress of an artisan arose, and rolling his fierce blood-shot 
 eyes around the assembly, exclaimed — 
 
 " Yes, brothers, we will liberate our brave compatriots — Manin and 
 Tommaseo shall be set free to aid in the struggle for our liberty; but 
 we must do more, Venice must rise and cast put those foreign butchers. 
 A blow must be dealt which shall strike terror into their coward hearts; 
 a blow which shall prove to them the fate they may expect, if they 
 dare to oppress and withstand a people struggling for their freedom. 
 And on whom can it so justly fall as on the arch-tyrant, sold hand and 
 soul to Austria, thirsting only for vengeance and for murder — the base 
 persecutor Marinovich ? " 
 
 He paused; there was a moment's silence, and then a low whisper 
 went round the assembly, " Death to Marinovich ! " There was again 
 a pause, and then men began to communicate with one another in 
 deep muttered tones. After a short interval the first speaker, who 
 had been writing rapidly, arose, and again addressing them, said — 
 
 "We are, then, agreed; and our first act shall be the liberation 
 of Manin and Tommaseo. It is time that we disperse as silently 
 and cautiously as may be; we must creep now that we may soar 
 hereafter." 
 
 In order- not to interrupt the thread of our narrative, we have 
 described the proceedings as they occurred — we must now revert to 
 Lewis. During the delivery of the first speech he observed that the 
 man who had addressed him as he entered, and who appeared a tall, 
 muscular young fellow, had contrived to place himself by his side, 
 and was regarding him from time to time with looks of mistrust and 
 suspicion. At the proposal for the assassination of Colonel Marinovich, 
 the commandant at the Arsenal, a man who, though a strict dis- 
 ciplinarian, Lewis knew by report to be a brave and gallant officer, 
 he had been unable to repress some slight sign of disapprobation. 
 As he did so he perceived a scowl pass across the features of his 
 watcher, who took the opportunity of drawing yet nearer to him, 
 while an accidental movement revealed the unpleasant fact that he 
 held in his hand a naked stiletto. As the president ended his final 
 address, Lewis, who had kept his eye fixed on the features of his 
 dangerous neighbour, felt convinced that the man only awaited the 
 termination of the business proceedings to denounce him to his fellow- 
 conspirators. With his usual coolness and decision in moments of 
 danger, Lewis saw that his only chance of safety lay in taking the 
 initiative; accordingly, catching the man's eye, he fixed on him a 
 piercing glance, as he said in a stern whisper — 
 
 " The first word you utter aloud you are a dead man ; " at the same 
 moment he presented the muzzle of a pistol within an inch of his ear. 
 The man started slightly and attempted to increase the distance 
 between them, but Lewis laid an iron grasp on his collar and detained 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL 38^ 
 
 him ; having stood for a moment irresolute, he said, in the same low 
 whisper in which Lewis had addressed him — 
 
 " You are an Austrian spy." 
 
 " I am not," returned Lewis ; " I am an Englishman." 
 
 The other again started, regarded him fixedly, and then resumed — 
 
 " Swear by all you hold sacred never to reveal that which you have 
 learned to-night." 
 
 " I will swear nothing, except to blow out your brains if you attempt 
 to speak or move without my permission," was the stern, uncom- 
 promising rejoinder. 
 
 The stranger's lip quivered and his grasp tightened on the stiletto, 
 but he caught the glance of Lewis's flashing eyes and felt that he was 
 in earnest, and that his life hung upon a thread. The members of 
 the secret association were by this time noiselessly gliding away in 
 parties of two and three, and Lewis, fearing if he remained too long 
 he might attract the attention of the president, who still continued 
 writing at the table, determined to depart ; accordingly, he said in a 
 low whisper — 
 
 " Now we will go — precede me ; but if I observe you attempt, by 
 word or sign, to betray me, that moment I shoot you like a dog." 
 
 The stranger, who seemed by this time sullenly to have resigned 
 himself to his fate, or possibly to be reserving his strength for the 
 execution of some scheme which he had devised for the future, obeyed 
 in silence, and left the vault closely followed by Lewis, who still 
 retained a firm grasp of his collar, although the ample folds of his 
 cloak prevented the fact from being observed. In this manner they 
 reached the door at the top of the stairs, and here were stationed two 
 brawny-limbed, ruffianly-looking fellows, who acted in the double 
 capacity of porter and sentry. Their attention, however, appeared 
 solely directed to prevent the intrusion of any unwelcome visitant, the 
 advisability of refusing egress to any one who had already passed 
 their scrutiny never seeming to occur to them. This Lewis felt to be 
 the deciding moment of his fate; once outside the gate he would be in 
 comparative safety. Pressing the muzzle of the pistol against the 
 back of his companion's neck by way of a gentle hint, he muttered, 
 "Remember!" 
 
 The young man shuddered slightly as the cold iron touched him, 
 but made no reply. As they reached the gateway, the janitor stationed 
 on the left side, addressing Lewis's companion, made some inquiry in 
 a low voice. Glancing round appealingly, as if to indicate that he was 
 forced, even for their common safety, to reply, he spoke a few words 
 in a dialect Lewis did not comprehend, when the gate-keeper respect- 
 fully held the wicket open and they passed out. And now once again 
 Lewis felt that he was a free man, and he inwardly congratulated him- 
 self on having escaped so great peril, which congratulations were, as 
 the event proved, somewhat premature. 
 
 Having descended the steps, Lewis loosened his hold on the 
 stranger's collar, saying carelessly, as he replaced his pistol in his 
 breast — 
 
 " There, young gentleman ; thanks to your prudence and my pre- 
 
386 LEWIS 'ARUNDEL. 
 
 caution of bringing a brace of pistols with me, I have drawn my head 
 out of the lion's mouth without having it bitten off for my pains. But 
 now I want to have a little serious conversation with you." 
 
 " Wait till we are further from the Palazzo — iani, then," was the 
 reply, in a voice that yet trembled from excitement or some other deep 
 emotion; "we may be overheard; keep more in the shade of the 
 buildings." 
 
 Suspecting no treachery, Lewis complied. Scarcely had he done so, 
 however, when he fancied he heard a stealthy footstep following him, 
 and turning abruptly, found himself face to face with a tall, savage- 
 looking ruffian, who, armed with a naked stiletto, was evidently 
 meditating mischief Confused by his sudden motion, the fellow stood 
 for a moment irresolute ; not so his intended victim. The path along 
 which he had been proceeding followed the course of one of the 
 smaller rii or canals by which Venice is in so many directions inter- 
 sected. Availing himself of this circumstance, Lewis rolled his 
 cloak round his arm and sprang upon his assailant, parrying, with 
 the shield thus constituted, a hasty and ineffectual stab which the 
 other made at him. Foiled in his attempt, the ruffian drew back 
 to avoid Lewis's onset, thereby approaching incautiously too near 
 the bank of the canal. His antagonist was not slow to perceive the 
 opportunity thus afforded him. Following up his retreating foe so 
 as to prevent him from turning to perceive his danger, he waited till 
 the man reached the brink of the canal, then stretching out his foot, 
 he tripped him up, and parrying a second stab as he had done the 
 former one, pushed him over the bank, which at that part was 
 somewhat steep. A heavy fall and a loud splash in the water 
 announced that his stratagem had succeeded, but at the same moment 
 he felt his throat compressed by a powerful grasp, a naked stiletto 
 flashed before him, and the eyes of the young conspirator, burning 
 with hatred and revenge, glared at him through the darkness with 
 the ferocity of those of some savage animal. Up to this point 
 Lewis's courage and self-possession had never for a moment failed 
 him, but now a strange, wild idea occurred to him, and a horrible 
 dread suddenly overwhelmed him: his senses reeled, his limbs 
 trembled, and for the first time in his life he experienced the mental 
 agony of fear. Instinctively he seized the uplifted wrist of his 
 assailant, and gazed with starting eye-balls at his face, on which the 
 cold moonlight streamed. Yes ! there could be no doubt : in the 
 features of the being with whom he was engaged in deadly conflict 
 he recognised a dark, shadowy, but most unmistakable resemblance 
 to Hardy the poacher. Was it incipient madness, or was he thus 
 horribly to be convinced of the reality of tales which he had hitherto 
 deemed the mere drivellings of superstition ? — could the dead indeed 
 rise from their graves to seek vengeance on their slayers ? 
 
 As these thoughts flashed meteor-like through his brain, his an- 
 tagonist made a violent but ineffectual effort to free his wrist, and this 
 action in great measure restored Lewis's self-possession. Ghosts had 
 not thews and sinews, and even in that moment of peril a flush of 
 shame at his childish terror spread over his brow, and the impulse 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 387 
 
 seemed tb lend redoubled vigour to his frame. Consequently the 
 struggle, though severe, was short. Superior in strength to his 
 assailant, Lewis, having succeeded in wresting the dagger from his 
 grasp, hurled it into the canal, leaving him completely unarmed and 
 at his mercy. The stranger was the first to speak. Folding his 
 arms across his breast with an air of dogged resolution, he said, 
 speaking for the first time in English, and without the slightest 
 foreign accent — 
 
 "You were wrong to throw away that weapon ; it would have done 
 your work as effectually and more silently than the pistol." 
 
 " You consider your life as forfeit, then ? " inquired Lewis. 
 
 " I expect you to do by me as I would have done by you," was the 
 concise reply. 
 
 " I am no assassin," returned Lewis coldly; "and that reminds me 
 of your worthy associate. You engaged my attention, so that I am 
 ignorant whether he sank or swam." 
 
 "Never fear for honest Jacopo," was the answer; "he follows the 
 calling of a gondolier when his stiletto is not in requisition, and can 
 swim like a fish. Look yonder; he has gained the shore, and is even 
 now watching us." 
 
 As he spoke, Lewis observed a tall figure crouching under a pro- 
 jecting portion of the bank of the canal. 
 
 "He will not molest you further," continued his late antagonist; 
 " once foiled in his spring, like the tiger, he will not renew the attack. 
 Had he slain you I should have paid him five zwanzigersj as it is, the 
 poor fellow will only get his ducking for his pains." 
 
 "Why did he follow us?" asked Lewis. 
 
 " When you entered I gave him a hint not to let you pass on your 
 return ; had he attempted to stop you, however, I believed you would 
 shoot me, therefore, thinking I could obtain your death or capture 
 without losing my own life, I gave him a glance by which he knew he 
 was not to interrupt you. He then asked me in the thieves' patois of 
 this place what he was to do, and I told him \a follow us, as you were 
 a spy. You know the rest." 
 
 Lewis paused for a moment, and then said abruptly, " You are an 
 Englishman ? " 
 
 " I am." 
 
 " You will accompany me to my rooms," rejoined Lewis ; " I would 
 question you further." 
 
 " For what purpose ? " 
 
 " That you will learn at the fitting time," returned Lewis. 
 
 "What if I refuse?" 
 
 " I will summon the police, and if you attempt to escape, I will shoot 
 you through the head," was the stem rejoinder. 
 
 " I will go with you," replied the stranger ; " but I warn you I will not 
 be arrested : my liberty is dear to me, my life I hold cheap — so cheap 
 that even now, unarmed as I am, and unequal to you in muscular 
 strength, I am tempted again to rush on you and try the chances of a 
 death-struggle." 
 
 "I would advise you not to do so," returned Lewis calmly; 
 
388 LEWIS AlRUNDEL. 
 
 " besides," he added, " I may be more disposed to befriend you than yoit 
 are aware of — it is with no hostile purpose I thus force you to accom- 
 pany me, believe me." 
 
 " I will trust you," was the reply. " Your looks and words have, I 
 know not why, a strange power over me — you must possess the gift of 
 the Malocchio, which these Italians believe in — it was your glance, far 
 more than your pistol, which kept me silent in the chamber of meeting." 
 
 During almost the whole of this conversation they had been walking 
 side by side in the direction of the street in which Lewis's studio was 
 situated, and in another five minutes they reached it. 
 
 " Have I your word of honour that you will not again attempt my 
 life, or seek to escape till our interview is concluded ? " asked Lewis. 
 
 " You have," was the concise reply. 
 
 " Follow me, then," continued Lewis ; and drawing a key from his 
 pocket, he unfastened the door, entered, closed it again, and accom- 
 panied by the stranger, led the way through the painting-room into his 
 study. 
 
 CHAPTER LVII. 
 WALTER SEES A GHOST. 
 
 Lewis, having lighted a powerful lamp by the aid of which he was 
 accustomed to paint at night, was enabled to take a more particular 
 survey of his new acquaintance than circumstances had yet per- 
 mitted. He was a tall, powerfully-built stripling, with a dark 
 complexion and handsome features, but although he could scarcely 
 have numbered twenty years, his face wore a prematurely old expres- 
 sion, and there was a wild, reckless look in his eyes which told of \\ 
 spirit ill at ease. He wore a sailor's dress, though the materials of 
 which it was composed were of a finer quality than ordinary; he coldly 
 refused the chair which Lewis offered him, and folding his arms 
 across his breast, waited to be questioned. Lewis in the meantime 
 took his seat at the table, placed the pistols on the desk before him, 
 and fixing his piercing glance on the face of his captive, began — 
 
 " My knowledge of you is this : I find you an active and zealous 
 member of a conspiracy to overthrow the Austrian Government in 
 this city — one of a set of conspirators whose first act is to be the 
 assassination of Colonel Marinovich, commandant of the Arsenal. As 
 far as I am concerned, you first resolved to denounce me to your 
 associates as a spy; foiled in that attempt, you incite an accomplice to 
 murder me, and on his failure, use your best endeavours to stab me 
 yourself; in the struggle I disarm you, and you find yourself in the 
 power of the man for whose blood you have been thirsting. Even 
 allowing, for the sake of argument, that you were justified in seeking 
 the life of one who might betray your treasonous designs, you still 
 remain a convicted conspirator, and my natural course would be to 
 hand you over to the police; for your threat of never being taken alive 
 is absurd, since you lost your stiletto I could have captured you at any 
 moment I pleased. However, the fact of your being an Englishman 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 389 
 
 interests me in your behalf, and if you will answer my questions frankly 
 and truly, I may be induced to let you off. In the first place, tell me 
 who you are, and enough of your former life to enable me to under- 
 stand how I find you thus plotting with foreigners with whom you can 
 have no feelings in common, for an evil purpose." 
 
 " I can soon satisfy you, if that is all you require," was the reply. 
 " My life has from its commencement been a curse to myself and to 
 others. Wrong has produced wrong; I was badly brought up, and 
 I have turned out badly; I am not the first that has done so, nor 
 shall I be the last. At the age when most children are carefully 
 trained to good, I was as sedulously instructed in evil. At twelve 
 years old I could swear, game, and drink, and my instructors 
 laughed to see the boy aping the vices of the man. My mother 
 died in giving me birth ; my father, I know not why, never loved 
 me ; he used me cruelly, and I hated him for it ; so I left my home 
 and worked for four years on board a man-of-war. At the end oi 
 that time the ship was paid off. Seeking pleasure, I fell into vicious 
 company; squandered, and was robbed of my pay, and for some 
 weeks I wandered a houseless beggar through London streets. The 
 chance kindness of a stranger rescued me from that state of wretched- 
 ness" — a peculiar expression flitted across the features of his auditor 
 as he mentioned the fact of his rescue from beggary; not observing 
 it,he continued : " I then entered the merchant-service, and speedily 
 rose to the rank of mate. The misery I had undergone rendered me 
 more careful. I saved money, studied my profession, and hoped in 
 time to become a captain of a merchantman. I embarked the whole 
 of my savings in a trading speculation which would more than have 
 doubled them, when the ship containing my property was wrecked. 
 1 was picked up by a vessel bound to this port, and was landed here 
 again a beggar; and after trying in vain to procure any better situa- 
 tion, I have been forced to work in the arsenal as a common labourer 
 to save myself from starvation. But even there my ill-fortune and the 
 cruelty and injustice of men followed me. Peculation to a great 
 extent was discovered amongst the workmen; I was examined before 
 Colonel Marinovich; in vain I protested my innocence, God knows 
 I have committed sins enough; but thieving and lying were never 
 among them. However, I was condemned to receive forty lashes. 
 Yes, sir; I, an Englishman, innocent of the crime of which I was 
 accused, was beaten like a slave by the orders of a tyrannical foreigner; 
 and now, perhaps, you can tell what took me to the meeting to-night? 
 It was the hope of revenge, and there were others there with the same 
 deadly purpose. The man who proposed the assassination of Marino- 
 vich was innocent as myself, and like me had smarted beneath the 
 tyrant's lash. You by revealing this plot threatened to cheat us of our 
 just revenge, and for that reason 1 would have sacrificed your life. 
 And now you know my history, what will you do with me ? " 
 
 There was a moment's pause ere Lewis, fixing his eyes on him with 
 a clear, penetrating glancej said slowly and impressively, "There are 
 a few minor particulars which appear to have escaped your memory ; 
 I will try to supply the deficiency. You were born in the village of 
 
390 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 B , in H — shire. Your early instructors in evil were the worthless 
 
 characters who accompanied your father on his poaching expeditions. 
 You left home because in a drunken mood your father struck you, and 
 would not confess afterwards that he was sorry for so doing. You 
 would have run away sooner but for your affection for your sister 
 Jane. The stranger who rescued you from beggary was a young man 
 
 who met you by chance at the door of a house in Street, Russell 
 
 Square ; you begged of him in Italian ; the merchant-ship in which you 
 served, to whose commander he gave you an introduction, was the 
 ' Beauty,' of Southsea, Captain Singleton, and your own name is Miles 
 Hardy. Am I not correct in these particulars ? " 
 
 When Lewis began speaking his companion's attention became 
 riveted. As he proceeded his surprise grew deeper and deeper ; but 
 when he mentioned his name he sprang forward, and regarding him 
 with wildly gleaming eyes, exclaimed, " Tell me, what are you ? man 
 or devil ? who thus know every secret of my life." 
 
 " I am no devil," returned Lewis, smiling, " but a mortal like your- 
 self ; you have seen me before ; look well at me ; do you not recognise 
 me?" 
 
 Thus appealed to, the young man carefully scanned his features, 
 and then, in a low, hesitating voice, rejoined, " You are, or I am much 
 mistaken, the gentleman who rescued me from beggary." 
 
 " You are right," was the reply ; " we are both much changed since 
 that night, but I knew you at the moment you seized me by the throat." 
 " Thank God, I did not succeed in taking your life 1 " exclaimed 
 Miles Hardy earnestly; "you are almost the only person who has 
 ever shown me disinterested kindness ; and how have I sought to 
 repay it 1 Oh, sir, can you forgive me ? " 
 
 " The simple fact that you did not recognise me exonerates you 
 from the charge of ingratitude, my poor fellow," returned Lewis 
 kindly; "but now sit down. Ere I can explain to you how I gained 
 the knowledge which has so much surprised you, you have a long tale 
 to listen to, and one which will cause you much sorrow. You turn 
 pale ; wait, I will get you a glass of wine." 
 
 " It is nothing," was the reply ; " I have fasted long ; it will pass away 
 in a moment ; " but as he spoke he sank heavily into a chair which 
 stood beside him. 
 
 Lewis produced from a cupboard food and wine, and placing them 
 before him, induced him to partake of some refreshment, and soon 
 had the satisfaction of seeing the light return to his eye and the colour 
 to his cheek. Lewis then filled for himself a glass of wine, replenished 
 that of his companion, and seating himself, hastened to relate to Miles 
 Hardy the strange train of events by means of which he had become 
 acquainted with so large a portion of the young man's history. The 
 feelings with which Miles Hardy listened to the account of his un- 
 happy father's career, and the mingled grief and anger with which he 
 heard how the heritage of his mother's shame had descended to his 
 unfortunate sister, may easily be imagined. Lewis strove with an 
 amount of patient kindness, for which those who knew only the fiery 
 side of his character would scarcely have given him credit, to soothe 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 39T 
 
 the passionate emotions which his tale excited in an auditor so deeply 
 interested in the fortunes of those to whom it related. After long 
 perseverance his efforts were in some degree crowned with success- 
 Miles became more calm, and agreed with Lewis that his first duty was 
 to seek for, and endeavour to reclaim, his sister. His share of the 
 legacy would furnish him with funds sufficient to enable him to live 
 without the necessity of daily labour, and until his right to the money 
 should be established, Lewis insisted on becoming his banker. The 
 next question was not so easily arranged: Lewis informed Miles that 
 in regard to the events of the evening he had arrived at the following 
 determination — viz., to call on Colonel Marinovich, make him ac- 
 quainted with the plot against his life, beg him to inform his superiors 
 that such a conspiracy was on foot, and explain the manner in which he 
 had become aware of its existence ; but as far as Miles was concerned in 
 the affair, he would promise to preserve a total silence, on one con- 
 dition — namely, that he. Miles, should withdraw from the conspiracy 
 and engage to keep the peace in regard to the commandant of the 
 Arsenal. To this proposition the young man demurred. 
 
 " What," he said, " give up my just revenge ! — submit to undeserved 
 chastisement like a beaten hound, and leave it to less tame and slavish 
 spirits to punish the tyrant for his cruelty 1 — allow them to meet the 
 danger and divide the glory while I stand by inactive ! Never 1 " 
 
 "Believe me, Miles," returned Lewis earnestly, "revenge, even just 
 revenge, partakes of the nature of sin, and brings upon him who 
 obtains it the curse of an upbraiding conscience. But yours is not a 
 just revenge ; you have suffered wrong, and the sense of this blinds 
 your judgment. I know by report the character of this Marinovich ; 
 I know him to be a just and honourable man, though a stern 
 disciplinarian. Great abuses had existed at the Arsenal, and it was in 
 order to reform them that the command was bestowed on him. In 
 )-our individual case he has acted unjustly, but in all probability 
 appearances were strongly against you, and he had not sufficient 
 pereonal acquaintance with you to know that amongst such inveterate 
 liars as are the majority of the lower order of A^enetians, your word 
 might be relied on. His only fault is, therefore, that he committed 
 an error in judgment, and would you on this account take a man's 
 life? Besides, conniving at assassination is a cowardly proceeding, 
 unworthy any Englishman, and especially a brave young fellow like 
 yourself." 
 
 It was evident that Lewis's reasoning was not without its effect on 
 him whom he addressed, for his brow contracted, his fingers dosed 
 and relaxed, his mouth quivered convulsively, and his whole demeanour 
 was that of a person struggling against some powerful temptation. At 
 length he exclaimed abruptly — 
 
 " I know not how it is, you sway me like a child. I had resolved 
 not to rest till that man was dead, but I never before saw the matter 
 in the light in which you have now placed it. I believed that his 
 death would be an act of justice, and considered that, in order to 
 obtain justice, we must take the law into our own hands — but I feel 
 the truth of what you say, that assassination is co>vardly; I felt it 
 
392 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 when Jacopo was dogging your footsteps, and but for the cause that 
 was at stake, could have found in my heart to warn you." 
 
 " Then you will agree to my proposal ? " inquired Lewis. 
 
 "Yes, I will agree to withdraw from the conspiracy, but it is at the 
 risk of my life that I do so ; if I am found in Venice after my desertion 
 is known, I am a dead man. Moreover, I will promise you to abstain 
 from secretly attempting Marinovich's life ; but if I should ever meet 
 him face to face and hand to hand, I will teach him to remember 
 having flogged an Englishman." 
 
 Lewis felt that in his new character of Mentor he ought to combat 
 this openly declared resolution, but he abstained from doing so, partly 
 because he felt it would be useless, and partly because he sympathised 
 so completely in the sentiment, that he could not muster sufficient 
 hypocrisy to reprove it. Accordingly he remained satisfied with the 
 concession he had gained, and furnishing Miles with all the informa- 
 tion he possessed in regard to his sister, which was but vague and 
 unsatisfactory (a rumour that she had passed some time in Rome on 
 her first arrival in that country being the only trace he had yet been 
 able to discover of her proceedings), Lewis gave him an introduction 
 to an agent whom he had employed to gain further tidings, and forcing 
 a sum of money upon him more than sufficient to defray his expenses, 
 hastened his departure ere the brilliant rays of an Italian sun had 
 spread the lustre of the coming day throughout the picturesque old 
 streets and palace-crowned squares of Venice. 
 
 On the following morning Lewis fulfilled his intention of calling on 
 Colonel Marinovich, who heard his recital in silence, and when he had 
 concluded, thanked him for his information, said he was aware great 
 disaffection existed amongst the men employed at the Arsenal, and 
 that energetic measures must be taken to prevent its spreading further, 
 promised to report the discovery of the secret meeting to the Governor, 
 took down Lewis's address, and politely bowed him out. 
 
 Having despatched a note to Charles Leicester telling him he 
 wished to see him, Lewis debated with himself how much of the 
 previous night's adventure he should reveal to him, and at length 
 decided that it would be more prudent to avoid mentioning his 
 encounter with and recognition of Miles Hardy, as although he had 
 refused to reveal to him the name of the seducer of his sister, yet any 
 reference to an affair in which Lord Bellefield had so singularly mis- 
 conducted himself must necessarily be painful to Leicester. Moreover, 
 although in his dealings with Miles Hardy Lewis had acted justly, 
 according to the best of his judgment, he was by no means clear that 
 the law might take the same view of the matter. Charley came — 
 listened to his friend's account — yawned — wondered why he had such 
 a strange predilection for putting his life in danger, prophesying that 
 he would do it once too often and be sorry for it afterwards — expected 
 there would be a shindy in Venice before long — wished Laura and the 
 brat were safe in England, and that the other people were not coming 
 —voted it all an awful bore— asked Lewis whether he liked foreign 
 tailoring, into the merits and demerits whereof he entered at some 
 length— yawned again, and patting him affectionately on the back, 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 393 
 
 told him to take better care of himself for the future, and lounged 
 carelessly out of the studio. 
 
 A week passed away. The Grant party had arrived ; Annie, although 
 she made a great effort to appear in her former spirits, was evidently 
 labouring under some ailment, mental or bodily, or both combined, 
 which was wearing away her youth, and, as it appeared, changing her 
 whole nature. Laura, who watched her closely, observed that she was 
 unusually silent and abstracted, falling into long reveries, from which 
 she would awake with a start, and glancing round with a half-frightened 
 air, would immediately begin talking in an unnaturally excited manner, 
 as if to do away with any suspicion to which her silence might have 
 given rise. Her temper also, which had been remarkable for its sweet- 
 ness, had now become uncertain, and she occasionally answered even 
 the General with a wayward captiousness which surprised Laura only 
 one degree less than the preternatural meekness with which that 
 gallant officer submitted to her caprices and indulged her every whim; 
 but the fact was, General Grant had sufficient acuteness to perceive 
 that for some cause, utterly beyond the scope of his philosophy to 
 account for, his daughter was not the quiet, gentle, will-less creature 
 she had been, and that if he required her to yield to him in great 
 matters he must allow her to rule in small. Moreover, he had lately 
 become seriously alarmed about her health ; a London physician whom 
 he had consulted on the subject having plainly told him unless great 
 caution was observed she would go into a decline, and warned him 
 that the seat of the disease appeared to be in the mind, and that any- 
 thing like harshness or opposition must be avoided. Walter also was 
 much changed during the two years which had elapsed. In appearance 
 he was now a young man, tall, and slightly but gracefully formed, with 
 well-cut, regular features, though a want of intellectual expression 
 marred what might otherwise have been considered a handsome coun- 
 tenance. But considerable as was the alteration in his personal 
 appearance, the change in his mental capacity was equally perceivable, 
 his powers of mind had developed to a greater degree than had been 
 anticipated, but alas ! deprived of Lewis's firm yet gentle rule, the 
 improvement in his disposition had by no means kept pace with the 
 extension of his faculties. For some weeks after Lewis had quitted 
 Broadhurst, poor Walter could not be persuaded that he would not 
 come back again, nor was it till the arrival of a tutor, recommended by 
 Lord Bellefield, that he fully realised the fact of his friend having 
 left him never to return. The first effect this conviction produced 
 upon him was a fit of deep dejection ; he refused all attempts at con- 
 solation, could scarcely be persuaded to take nourishment, and sat 
 hour after hour playing listlessly with the wavy curls of Faust's shaggy 
 coat. At length, in order to rouse him, General Grant desired the dog 
 to be taken away from him ; the remedy proved only too effectual. 
 The new tutor, a certain Mr. Spooner, who appeared as if he had been 
 selected because he was in every respect the exact reverse of Lewis, 
 was the person to whom the General entrusted this commission. 
 
 Absorbed in his own sad thoughts, Walter allowed him to coax the 
 dog from his side by the attraction of a plate of meat, but when he 
 
394 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 laid his hand on the animal to buckle a collar and chain round his 
 neck, he started up, exclaiming — 
 
 " What are you going to do with Faust ? he is never tied up j let 
 him alone." Finding that his remonstrance was not attended to, he 
 continued, " Faust ! Faust I come here, sir, directly." 
 
 The dog struggled to obey, but Mr. Spooner, having fastened the 
 chain round his neck, endeavoured to force him out of the room, and 
 in doing so stepped accidentally on Faust's toes, who uttered a shrill 
 yelp of pain. Walter's eyes flashed. 
 
 " You are hurting him," he cried ; " how dare you 1 " and without 
 waiting for a reply, he darted across the room, seized the astonished 
 Mr. Spooner, who, unfortunately for himself, happened to be a small, 
 slightly-framed man, by the throat, and shook him till his teeth 
 chattered ; then suddenly releasing him, he snatched the chain from 
 his grasp, and leading the dog away, muttered in a threatening 
 tone — 
 
 " Never you touch Faust again ; if you do, I'll strangle you." 
 
 The results of this scene were twofold: Walter had rebelled and 
 gained his point, and the person whom he had thus conquered had 
 lost all chance of obtaining that degree of ascendency over him with- 
 out which his control must become merely nominal. This produced, 
 as might be expected, the worst possible effect upon poor Walter's 
 disposition. He became positive and wilful in the extreme, and his 
 tutor, partly to save himself trouble, partly to avoid any outbreak of 
 temper, gave way to him on every occasion; unless, indeed, he had 
 any particular personal interest at stake, when he sought to gain his 
 point by cajolery and manseuvring, and being rather an adept in those 
 ingenious arts, was usually successful. 
 
 One new and inconvenient caprice of Walter's was a dislike which 
 he appeared suddenly to have taken to Annie Grant, which displayed 
 itself m various ways : sometimes he would avoid all intercourse with 
 her, even sulkily refusing to answer her when she spoke to him; at 
 others he would seek her out and endeavour to annoy her by saying 
 what he deemed sharp things. Occasionally, however, he would fall 
 into his old habits, and confide in her as his playmate, from whom he 
 was sure of sympathy and assistance ; when suddenly, perhaps, even 
 in the midst of some conversation with her, he would appear to recol- 
 lect his new-born animosity, and his manner would entirely alter. One 
 thing invariably excited his extreme indignation, and this was any 
 attempt on her part to caress or notice Faust. The pain this altered 
 demeanour caused Annie (perhaps in consequence of some theory 
 which she had formed as to its origin) was known but to her own heart, 
 and could be guessed at merely by her unwearying efforts to conciliate 
 poor Walter. Laura, upon whose quick-sightedness nothing was lost, 
 carefully noted these changes, and made her own private comments 
 upon them. In pursuance of her design of befriending Lewis, she 
 made several attempts to penetrate the veil of reserve which hung 
 around Annie Grant ; but in vain : with her lightness of heart seemed 
 also to have departed her openness of disposition, and Laura had too 
 much good Uste, as well as too much sympathy with her grief, to 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 395 
 
 endeavour to force her confidence. At length one day, as Laura and 
 Annie were sitting together, Laura working zealously at some article 
 of juvenile finery, destined unconsciously to foster the seeds of incipient 
 dandyism already apparent in that embryo man-about-town " Tarley," 
 and Annie listlessly turning over the pages of a novel, from which her 
 thoughts were far away, the elder lady suddenly broke silence by 
 observing — 
 
 " ' Tarley' will be two years old to-morrow ; how the time slips away, 
 it really seems impossible 1 " 
 
 Annie's only reply was a deep sigh, and Laura continued — 
 
 "Why, Annie, you'll be of age in a month — four short weeks more, 
 and you will actually have arrived at years of discretion. How wise 
 you ou|fht to be ! " 
 
 Findmg Annie still remained silent, Laura only waited till she had 
 passed some interesting crisis in her stitching, and then looked up. 
 To her alarm and surprise she beheld the " big tears " silently coursing 
 each other down her friend's pale cheeks : in an instant she was by 
 her side. 
 
 " Annie, dearest," she said, "you are weeping; what is it? Have 
 I said or done anything to pain you ? " 
 
 Annie slightly shook her head in token of dissent, and made an 
 effort to check her tears, which proving ineffectual, eventuated in a 
 bitter sob. Laura could not stand the sight of her grief; throwing 
 her ai-ms round her, she said — 
 
 " Annie, you are miserable ; I see, I know you are ; and your un- 
 happiness is wearing you to death. Why will you not confide in me ? 
 Perhaps I might help you. What is it, darling ? will you not tell me ? " 
 
 She paused for a reply, but obtaining none, continued: "This 
 marriage with Lord Bellefield, it is distasteful to you, I am afraid ? " 
 
 A shudder which passed through poor Annie's frame as Laura 
 mentioned the name of her intended husband proved that on this 
 point her suspicions had not erred. Fancying she now saw her way 
 more clearly — 
 
 " Dearest," she resumed, "do not afflict yourself thus ; you must not, 
 shall not marry him. I will speak to the General myself. Charles 
 shall write to his brother ; you shall not be sacrificed." 
 
 " Hush I hush I " intemipled Annie, struggling to recover composure; 
 "you do not know what you say. I musi marry him; there is no 
 alternative." 
 
 " Do not say so, Annie," returned Laura gravely ; " marriage is a 
 sacred thing, not lightly to be entered into; and in marriage one 
 requisite alone is indispensable — love ! Tastes may differ, faults of 
 temper or disposition may exist ; yet if man and wife truly love each 
 other, they will be very happy; but to marry without love is a grievous 
 sin, and it entails its own punishment — wretchedness." 
 
 Laura spoke solemnly and with feeling, and her companion, as she 
 listened, trembled and turned pale. When she had concluded, how- 
 ever, Annie merely shook her head, repeating hopelessly— 
 
 " It must be— it must be 1 " 
 
 "And, pray, why must it be?" asked Laura quickly, for she was 
 
 27 
 
396 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 becoming slightly provoked at that which she deemed Annie's childish 
 weakness, the only fault, perhaps, with which her clear head, warm 
 heart, and earnest, zealous nature unfitted her to sympathise. " Why, 
 if the thing is wrong in itself, and is to render you miserable, must it 
 be ? At all events let us make some efforts to prevent it ; suffer Charles 
 and me " 
 
 "Dearest Laura," interrupted Annie mournfully, "I assure you 
 nothing can be done; any attempt to break off the match now would 
 be unavailing and only end in making me still more wretched than I 
 am at present." 
 
 Annoyed alike at her perseverance in that which Laura could not 
 but consider a culpable want of moral courage, and at the way in 
 which she still withheld her confidence, while at the same time the 
 idea occurred to her, though she was vexed with herself for admitting 
 it, that one so feeble-minded was no fitting bride for the high-souled, 
 brave-hearted Lewis, the spirited little matron was about to utter a 
 somewhat sharp reply, when, glancing at Annie's pale, beautifully- 
 formed features, the expression of deep anguish she read there dis- 
 armed her, and merely saying, " We take different views of this 
 matter, Annie dear, and must talk of it again when we are both more 
 composed," she rose and left the apartment. 
 
 Annie waited until the sound of the closing door assured her that 
 she was alone, and then murmuring, " She too is angry with me and 
 despises me — nobody loves me. Oh, that I were dead ! " she hid her 
 face in the sofa cushion and gave way to a passionate burst of grief. 
 
 Now there is one of our dramatis personce for whom we have reason 
 to believe many of our readers entertain a warm regard — a regard in 
 which we confess ourselves fully to participate — of whom we have 
 lately heard but little ; of course we refer to that most " meritorious 
 individual," that dog of dogs, dear, honest old Faust. Since Lewis 
 had quitted Broadhurst Faust's character, like those of his betters (if 
 mortals are better than dogs), had in a degree altered. The blind, 
 unhesitating obedience he had been accustomed to pay to his master's 
 slightest signal he accorded to no other person ; if Walter called him 
 he would come, it is true, but he would do so in the calm, leisurely, 
 dignified manner in which one gentleman would comply with the 
 request of another. Towards the General he conducted himself with 
 a degree of respectful hauteur which seemed to say, "We are not 
 friends ; there is no sympathy between us, but as long as I continue to 
 reside in a family of which you are the head, I owe it to myself to 
 render you the amount of courtesy due to your position." For Mr. 
 Spooner, the usurper who had dared to succeed his beloved master, 
 he showed a most unmitigated contempt, totally ignoring all his com- 
 mands, and resenting any attempt on his part to enforce his authority 
 by the utterance of a low, deep growl, accompanied by a formidable 
 display of sharp white teeth. Towards Annie alone did he evince any 
 great affection, which he showed chiefly by attending her in her walks 
 and taking up his position under the sofa, or close to the chair on 
 which she was sitting— demonstrations of attachment which, as we 
 have already hinted, were for some unexplained reason a source of 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL 397 
 
 considerable annoyance to Walter. During the conversation between 
 Laura and Annie, Faust had been lying unnoticed under the sofa, and 
 now finding his young mistress alone, and for some cause or other 
 unhappy (he knew that quite well), it occurred to him that the correct 
 thing would be to come out and comfort her, which he attempted 
 to do by laying his great rough head in her lap, wagging his tail 
 encouragingly, and licking her hand. In her loneliness of heart even 
 the poor do^s sympathy (endeared to her as he was by a thousand 
 cherished recollections) was a relief to Annie, and stooping down she 
 imprinted a kiss on his shaggy head, whispering as she did so, " Good 
 Faust— you have never forsaken me 1 " At this moment the door 
 opened, and Walter entered hastily. As his eye fell upon Annie and 
 the dog his cheeks flushed, and he exclaimed hastily — 
 
 "Annie, I wish you'd let Faust alone; how often have I told you 
 that I won't have hmi meddled with ? " 
 
 Witli a start at this sudden interruption Annie hastily raised herself, 
 and pushing the dog gently from her, said — 
 
 " Dear Walter, do not be angry ; Faust came and licked my hand, 
 you would not have me unkind to him ?" 
 
 " Oh 1 it's Faust's fault, is it ? " returned Walter crossly. " Faust, 
 come here I Take him to our room, Mr. Spooner, and keep him there 
 till I come ; he shall not stay in the drawing-room if he does what I 
 don't like. Faust, do you hear me, sir ? " 
 
 "He will never follow me, Sir Walter; it's no use calling him,'' 
 remonstrated Mr. Spooner. 
 
 " He will do as I tell him, and so will you too," returned Walter 
 imperiously, and twisting his handkerchief, he tied it round the dog's 
 neck, led him to the door, gave the end of the leash thus formed to 
 Mr. Spooner, and then fairly turned the pair of them out of the room. 
 Having accomplished this feat, he strolled listlessly to the fireplace, 
 and amused himself by pulling about the ornaments on the chimney- 
 piece for some minutes. At length a new idea seemed to strike him, 
 and turning to his companion, he said — 
 
 " Do you know why I was so angry with Faust just now ? " 
 
 " Because I was petting him, I suppose, as you don't seem to like 
 me to do so," returned Annie. 
 
 " Ah ! that was not all, though," rejoined Walter ; " I wanted him 
 particularly to have been with me when I was out walking to-day, 
 very particularly." 
 
 " Yes, and why was that ? " inquired Annie, who always encouraged 
 him to talk to her, in the hope of overcoming the dislike which he 
 had taken to her, and which, for many reasons, pained her inexpress- 
 ibly. Walter remained for a minute or two silent, and then coming 
 close to her, he asked in a low whisper — 
 
 "Annie, do you believe in ghosts?" 
 
 " My dear Walter, what an odd question," returned Annie in sur- 
 prise ; " why do you ask it ? " 
 
 Walter glanced carefully round the room, to assure himself that they 
 were alone ere he replied, in the same low, awe-stricken whisper, 
 " Because, if there are such things, I think I've seen one." 
 
398 LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 " Silly boy," rejoined Annie, anxious to reassure him, for she saw 
 that he was really frightened, " you have fancied it. What was your 
 ghost like, pray?" 
 
 " Promise you won't tell anybody." 
 
 Annie, half amused, half puzzled by the boy's earnestness, gave the 
 required pledge. As soon as she had done so, Walter, stooping down 
 so as to bring his mouth on a level with her ear, replied — 
 
 " It was the ghost of Mr. Arundel I " 
 
 Overcome by so unexpected a reply, Annie was a moment or so 
 before she could find words to inquire, " My dear Walter, what could 
 make you imagine such a thing? Perhaps you were asleep, and 
 dreamed it — when was it ? " 
 
 " No, I was not asleep ; and it was not fancy,'' returned Walter 
 gravely. " I was out walking this morning early with Mr. Spooner, 
 and we lost our way, and after trying for some time to find it, Mr. 
 Spooner hired a boat, and told the boatman to set us down near — 
 near — well, I forget the name, but he meant near here. When we got 
 out, we had to go through some narrow passages between the different 
 streets, and in one of them, which was very dark because of the high 
 houses, we met a figure of a man, very tall, and wrapped in a long 
 black cloak ; it drew back to let us pass, and just as I got close to it 
 it turned its head, and I saw the face; it was stern and dark, and 
 wore a black beard, but the beautiful eyes were the same, and when I 
 saw them I knew it was Mr. Arundel, or," he added, sinking his voice, 
 "his ghost!" 
 
 As his companion remained silent, he continued, " When I saw who 
 it was, I stopped, and was just going to speak, but at that moment he 
 stared hard at me, gave a violent start, and before I could do anything 
 to prevent it, vanished through a dark archway." 
 
 " Oh ! you must have mistaken some one for him," returned Annie, 
 struggling for composure — " Mr. Arundel is probably in England, and 
 ghosts are out of the question ; besides, if there are such things, which 
 I much doubt, they only appear after people are dead." 
 
 Walter considered for a minute, and then met the difficulty by con- 
 solatorily suggesting, "Perhaps dear Mr. Arundel is dead — perhaps he 
 grew so unhappy that he could not live without ever seeing Faust and 
 me, and — ah 1 Annie, how could you be so cruel as to send him away ? " 
 
 " I send him away, Walter ! what can have put such a strange notion 
 into your head?" exclaimed Annie, astonished at the accusation. 
 
 "Yes you did," returned Walter vehemently; "he went away 
 because he loved you and you would not love him — it was very cruel 
 of you, and I hate you for it whenever I remember how unkind you 
 have been," and overcome by his feelings, the poor boy burst into tears. 
 
 A thousand confused thoughts flashed like lightning across Annie's 
 brain. What could he mean ?— vi^as she listening to the mere folly of 
 idiocy, or could he indeed have any possible foundation for his asser- 
 tion ? Anxious to soothe him, she laid her hand caressingly upon his, 
 while, replying rather to her own heart than to his last observation, she 
 said — 
 
 " No, my poor Walter, he whom you so much regret never loved me." 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL 399 
 
 "Ah, but he did, though," returned Walter positively, drying his 
 tears — " I know it." He spoke so decidedly that Annie, despite her 
 reason, could not but feel curious to hear more, and turning away her 
 head to hide her agitation, she asked in a low voice — 
 
 " How do you know ?" 
 
 " If I tell you, you must never tell the General or anybody," returned 
 Walter — " people think I'm a fool, and I know I am not clever, and 
 can't learn hke other boys, and sometimes I feci a weight just here," 
 and he pressed his hand to his forehead, " and then all my sense 
 goes out — I wonder where it goes to, Annie — do you think it finds 
 wings and flies up to heaven amon^ the white angels? I think so 
 sometimes, and then I long to be a bird and fly with it." Too much 
 interested to allow him to fall into a new train of thought, Annie re- 
 called his wandering ideas by saying — 
 
 " You were talking about Mr. Arundel, Walter dear." 
 
 " Oh yes, and about you, I remember," resumed Walter. " I knew, 
 at least I thought, he was very fond of you a long time ago, but I was 
 not quite sure of it till one day when I dressed Faust up like a gentle- 
 man, with Mr. Arundel's watch, and you took it off the dog's neck, 
 and then you threw your arms round him and kissed him as you did 
 just now— that was what made me angry when I remembered about the 
 first time — well, while you were hugging Faust, Mr. Arundel came to 
 the door and saw you, though you did not see him, and his eyes danced 
 and sparkled, and his mouth melted into such a sweet smile ; he was 
 so glad to see how fond you were of Faust, and then I knew he loved 
 you, for if he had not, he would not have cared about it, you know. 
 Then he went away and left me Faust, and I thought because he had 
 left Faust he was sure to come back, but I know now that he left him 
 to comfort me, and went away himself all alone. Then that stupid Mr. 
 Spooner came ; he's a great friend of Lord Bellefield's, and one day 
 they were talking together, and they fancied I did not attend to them, 
 but I did though, for I knew they were talking about Mr. Arundel. 
 Well, Mr. Spooner asked why he went away, and Lord Bellefield 
 replied, ' Why, if the truth must be told, he had the audacity (what 
 does that mean ?) to raise his eyes to my cousin Annie.' Mr. Spooner 
 questioned him further, and he informed him that Mr. Arundel had 
 gone boldly to the General, and said he loved you." 
 
 " Told my father so ! " exclaimed Annie. 
 
 " Yes, so he said," resumed Walter ; " and the General told him you 
 loved Lord Bellefield instead, and meant to be his wife ; and then poor 
 Mr. Arundel said he would go away, and so he did, but of course if 
 you had loved him he would have stayed, and we should all have been 
 so happy together. So you see, Annie, it was you that sent him away, 
 and since I've known that I've hated you, and tried to keep Faust from 
 loving you, only he will, and I can't hate you quite always ; but I never 
 meant to tell you all this, and you must never tell Lord Bellefield, or 
 he would be ready to kill me." 
 
 He paused, then regarding her with a sad, regretful look, he said, 
 " But, Annie, is it really true that you don't love dear Mr. Arundel ? " 
 
 Poor Annie ! affected and excited as she had been by the foregoing 
 
400 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 scene, this last speech was too much for her, and throwing her arms 
 about the boy's neck, and hiding her burning cheek against his breast, 
 she whispered, " Dearest Walter, do not hate me I jfou have no cause 
 to do so J " 
 
 CHAPTER LVIll. 
 
 CONTAINS MUCH PLOTTING AND COUNTERPLOTTING. 
 
 It was the evening of the Tuesday in Epsom week, the day before 
 the Derby. Lord Bellefield, though outwardly calm, was inwardly a 
 prey to the most painful mental excitement. His lordship had met 
 with a continued run of ill-fortune latterly— everything he had 
 attempted had turned out badly : if he betted on a race, the horse he 
 backed invariably lost ; if he played, cards and dice equally declared 
 against him ; he had lavished hundreds in presents to a new opera 
 dancer, and at the moment in which he deemed his suit successful 
 she had eloped with a younger, richer, and handsomer man; his 
 tradesmen began to mistrust him and to dun him unpleasantly; 
 several of his intimates to whom he owed money grew cool and eyed 
 him suspiciously ; his extravagance had reached his father's ears, and 
 Lord Ashford had not only ventured to remonstrate with him, but 
 apparently bent on adding insult to injury, had cited the example of 
 his younger brother, Charles Leicester (whom from his heart he 
 despised), and held him up as a pattern for his imitation, while Lord 
 Bellefield was forced to bear this lecturing patiently ; for although the 
 estates were entailed, his father had been a careful man, and was 
 possessed of a large personalty which he could leave to whom he 
 pleased. The only piece of good luck to set against all this 
 "monstrous quantity" of vexation was the admirable promise dis- 
 played by the Dodona Colt. This exemplary quadruped, now 
 individualised b^ the name of " Oracle," appeared to have been born 
 with a metaphorical silver spoon in its delicate mouth, for from the 
 moment in which its four black legs (suggestive of its future fleetness, 
 for black-legs are mvai'iably /as^ put their feet into this uncomfortable 
 world everything had prospered with it. The breeder was astonished 
 at it, the groom who watched over its infancy was delighted with it ; 
 TurnbuU, the trainer, was so impressed by its merits that he never 
 could speak of it without a volley of the strongest oaths in his vocabu- 
 lary, by which expletives he was accustomed (transposing a certain 
 poetical dictum) to strengthen his praise of anything which was so 
 fortunate as to win his approval ; and by the united kind regards of 
 all these worthies this favourite of nature had grown in public opinion 
 until it now held the proud position of first favourite for the Derby. 
 Lord Bellefield was by this time no new hand upon the turf ; on the 
 contrary, by dint of having been cheated, and associating with those 
 who had cheated him, for several years, he had acquired, besides a 
 sort of prescriptive diploma to do as he had been done, a considerable 
 insight into the mysteries of the training stable as well as the betting 
 ring. He was therefore habitually cautious; but in the present 
 
LEWtS ARUNDEL. 4or 
 
 instance all his acquired knowledge and natural acuteness coincided 
 with the opinions of his underlings, to prove to him that in the Dodona 
 Colt he had indeed drawn a rare prize ; and that if he could but ensure 
 that which our sanguine country is popularly supposed to expect — viz., 
 that "every man should do his duty," his horse, and none other, must 
 be winner of the Derby. Accordingly, all the powers of his intellect 
 (which, although not enlarged, was subtle and acute) were now 
 directed to two points — viz., first, to take all precautions to ensure that 
 his horse should be fairly dealt by ; and secondly, to make such a book 
 on the event as might retrieve his bankrupt fortunes. This last feat 
 he had succeeded in accomplishing even beyond his utmost wishes; 
 and accustomed as he was to hazard large sums upon the cast of a 
 die, he began to grow alarmed at the magnitude of the stake for which 
 he was about to contend. 
 
 Having dined in town at his club, he returned to his luxurious 
 
 bachelor minage in Street, and desiring that he might not be 
 
 disturbed, drew out his betting-book, examined it carefiilly, went 
 through the calculations again and again, referred to the latest odds 
 — and then closing it with a sigh, muttered, " Yes, they are all safe 
 men, men who will pay to the hour, and if Oracle runs true, this 
 cursed load of debt will be wiped off, and — I shall be rich enough to 
 begin afresh and contract a new one 1 — ifl ay, there's the rub — 
 if 1" He strode up and down the room. "I am wretchedly nervous 
 to-night," he exclaimed, ringing the bell. " Bring brandy," he con- 
 tinued as the servant appeared; then filling a wine-glass, he drank 
 it off as if it had been water — " leave it," he said ; then resuming 
 his walk, added, " It must go right — there is not a horse that 
 can come near him; TartufFe was the only one that had a chance, 
 and TumbuU swears he is safe to lose ; he witnessed the private trial 
 himself, and the colt won by a head, carrying 5 lbs. extra weight. 
 That amusement cost me ;£so to bribe Austerlitz's trainer to allow 
 the trial to take place. True, TurnbuU may have lied — and yet why 
 should he ? he owes everything to me — though that has nothing to do 
 with it — gratitude, if there be such a quality, is simply prospective^ 
 men are grateful to those only from whom they expect favours. Well, 
 even thus, TurnbuU is bound to me hand and foot ; besides, I know 
 he has backed the colt heavily himself: barring accidents, then, 
 against which no foresight can provide, and of which therefore it is 
 useless to think, I stand safe to win. And yet it is a frightfiil sum to 
 hazard on the uncertainties of a horse-race. If I should lose, I must 
 either blow out my brains like poor Mellerton, or quit the country, 
 marry Annie Grant, and live abroad on her money till my father dies 
 — and he's as likely to last twenty years longer as I am. I scarcely 
 know which alternative is preferable. What an infernal fool I've been 
 to bring myself into this scrape ; but when a man has such a run of 
 ill-luck against him as I have been cursed with for the last year, what 
 is he to do ? " He paused, stretched himself wearily, and then glancing 
 at a gilt clock on the chimney-piece, muttered, " Twelve o'clock ; I 
 must be up early to-morrow and keep a clear head — I'll smoke a cigar 
 and turn in." At this moment the house-bell rang sharply, and Lord 
 
402 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 Bellefield started like a guilty thing. With an oath at this fresh 
 proof of his nervousness, he filled and drank a second glass of brandy, 
 then stood listening with a degree of eager anxiety which, despite his 
 efforts, he could not restrain. Doors opened and shut, and at length 
 a servant appeared. 
 
 " What is it?" exclaimed Lord Bellefield before the man could speak. 
 
 " A person wishes particularly to see your lordship," was the reply. 
 
 "Say I am engaged, and can see no one; I thought I told you I 
 would not be disturbed," returned his master angrily; "stay," he 
 continued, as a new idea struck him, " what kind of person is it ? " 
 
 " He desired me to inform your lordship that his name was Turn- 
 bull," was the answer. 
 
 With an oath at the man's stupidity, Lord Bellefield desired him to 
 admit the visitor instantly. 
 
 "Well, Turnbull," he exclaimed eagerly as the trainer entered, " what 
 is it, man ? " 
 
 Thus adjured, Turnbull, a tall, stout -built fellow, with a clever but 
 disagreeable expression of countenance glanced carefully round the 
 room to assure himself that they were alone, and then approaching 
 Lord Bellefield, began, " Why, you see, my lud, I thought I'd better 
 lose no time, for there ain't too many hours between now and to- 
 morrow's race, so I jumped on to my 'ack, cantered over to the rail, 'ailed 
 a 'Ansom's cab, and 'ere I am." 
 
 "Nothing amiss, eh? nothing wrong with the colt?" asked Lord 
 Bellefield with an affectation of indifference, though any one who had 
 watched him closely might have seen that he turned very pale. 
 
 " No, bless his eyes, he's as right as a trivet, and as playful and 
 impudent as — as a brick," continued Mr. Turnbull, rather at a loss for a 
 sufficiently eulogistic si,mile; " it was only this morning he took up little 
 Bill the 'elper by the waistband of his indispentionables and shuk him 
 like a tarrier would a rat. It would have done your ludship's 'art good 
 to have seen him; he'll come out to-morrow as fresh as paint, bless his 
 bones." 
 
 " Well then, what is it, if Oracle is all right?" returned his employer, 
 greatly relieved. 
 
 " Why, unfortunate^ there's somebody else as has got a 'orse as is 
 all right too, and I'm afraid we ain't quite so sure of the race as we 
 fancied we was," was the dispiriting reply. 
 
 " Why, I thought you had satisfied yourself that there was not a 
 horse that could run near him. You tell me he beat Tartuffe carrying 
 5 lbs. extra weight." 
 
 "Ay, so I believed; but the sharpest of us is done sometimes. It's 
 a wicked cross-bred world to live in, and a man need be wide-awaker 
 than-|-than one o'clock, to be down to all their moves." So saying, 
 the discomfited trainer rubbed his nose as if to brighten his wits, and 
 continued, " The truth is this, my lud — one of my grooms cum to me 
 this morning, and said if I would stand a soveraign between him and 
 one of his mates, he would tell me something as I ought to know. 
 Well, seeing as this race is rather a peculiar one, and as any little 
 mistake might turn out unpleasant " 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL 403 
 
 " What do you mean, sir ? " interrupted Lord Bellefield, drawing 
 himself up with a haughty gesture. 
 
 "Nothing, my lud, nothing," returned Turnbull obsequiously, "only 
 as our colt stands first favourite, and as we've made our calcilations 
 to win, I thought the Californian farthing would not be thrown 
 away. According/^ he brought up his mate, as he called him, which 
 was the hidentical boy as first rode the colt, and he confessed that 
 him and the boy that rode Tartuffe had met one day when they 
 was out a exercising, and just for their own amusement they give 
 'em a three-mile gallop. They run very near together, but Tartuffe 
 beat our colt by above a length; that he'd seen the trial afterwards, 
 and that he knowed from the difference in Tartuffe's running that 
 he was not rode fair, or was overweighted, or something. Well, 
 my lud, this information bothered me, and made me feel suspicious 
 that some move had been tried on which we was not up to, and 
 while I was scheming how to cipher it out, the same boy cum again, 
 and told me that the lad that rode Tartuffe at the second trial was 
 a keeping company along with his sister, and that he thought she 
 might worm something out of him if she could be got to try. 
 According/)/ I sent for the gal, and between bribing, coaxing, and 
 frightening her, persuaded her to undertake the job. She had some 
 trouble with the young feller, but she is a sharp, clever gal, and 
 she never left him till she dragged it out of him." 
 
 "Drew what out of him?" interrupted Lord Bellefield, unable to 
 restrain his impatience ; " can't you come to the point at once ? you'll 
 distract me with your prosing." 
 
 "Well, the long and short of it is, as I see your ludship's getting 
 in a hurry (and, indeed, there ain't no time to be lost), the long and 
 short of it is, that they've bin and turned the tables upon us : 
 while we put 5 lbs. extra weight on our horse, they shoved 8 lbs. on 
 theirs." 
 
 " Then Tartuffe ran within a head of the colt carrying 3 lbs. extra," 
 exclaimed Lord Bellefield, "and of course without that disadvantage 
 would again have beaten him." 
 
 " I think Oracle is a better horse now than he was at the time the 
 trial cum off," was the reply, "but the race ain't the safe thing I 
 thought it. It's rather a ticklish chance to trust to, if your ludship's 
 got at all a heavy book upon the ewent." 
 
 As he made this uncomfortable acknowledgment the trainer leered 
 inquiringly with his cunning little eyes at his employer. 
 
 Lord Bellefield did not immediately answer; but leaning his elbow 
 on the chimney-piece, remained buried in thought, his pale cheeks 
 and the eager quivering of his under lip, which from time to time 
 he unconsciously bit till the marks of his teeth remained in blood 
 upon it, alone testifying the mental suffering he experienced. Ruin 
 and disgrace were before him. Nor was this all. The Due d'Auster- 
 litz, a young foreigner who, bitten with Anglo-mania, had purchased 
 a racing stud and was the owner of Tartuffe, happened to be the 
 individual before alluded to as Lord Bellefield's successful rival 
 in the venial affections of the fascinating danseuse. He hated him, 
 
404 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 accordingly, with an intensity which would have secured him the appro- 
 bation of the good-hater-loving Dr. Johnson. If anything, therefore, 
 were wanting to render the intelligence he had just received doubly 
 irritating to him, this fact supplied the deficiency. His lordship, 
 however, possessed one element of greatness — his spirit invariably 
 rose with difficulties, and the greater the emergency the more cool 
 and collected did he become. Having remained silent for some 
 minutes, he observed quietly, " I suppose, Turnbull, you, being a 
 shrewd, clever fellow in your way, scarcely came here merely to tell 
 me this. You are perfectly aware that, relying upon your information 
 and judgment, I have made a heavy book on this race, and can 
 imagine that, however long my purse may be, I shall find it more 
 agreeable to win than to lose. You have, therefore, I atn sure, some 
 expedient to propose. In fact, I read in your face that it is so." 
 
 The man smiled. 
 
 "Your ludship I always knew to have a sharp eye for a good horse 
 or a pretty gal," he said, " but you must be wide awake if you can 
 read a man's thoughts in his face. It ain't such an easy matter to say 
 what is best to do ; if your ludship made rather too heavy a book 
 on the race, I should recommend a little careful hedging to-morrow 
 morning." 
 
 Lord Bellefield shook his head. " Too late to make anything of it," 
 he replied, "that is, of course, I might save myself from any very 
 heavy loss, but I must have money — a — in fact, I stand so fair to win 
 largely by this race, that hedging will be quite a dernier ressort. But 
 you have some better scheme than that to propose." 
 
 " If your ludship is at a loss how to act, it is not likely that any plan 
 of mine will do the trick," was the reply. 
 
 Whether or not Turnbull wished to provoke his employer, certain it 
 is his speech produced that effect, for with an oath Lord Bellefield 
 exclaimed — 
 
 " What is it you are aiming at ? if it be money you are standing out 
 for, you have only to prevent Tartuffe from starting, and name your 
 own price." 
 
 " Why, you see, it might be as well to let him start ; men have been 
 transported for interfering with a race 'orse to purwent his starting — 
 but he need not win the Derby for all that," was the enigmatical reply. 
 
 Lord Bellefield's lip curled with a sardonic smile ; his knowledge of 
 human nature had not then deceived him — Turnbull had some scheme 
 inietto, and was only waiting to secure the best market for it. 
 
 I sujjpose £\<yx> will satisfy you?" he said; and as the trainer 
 bowed his gratitude, continued, "You are certain your plan cannot 
 fail ? What is it you propose ? " 
 
 " Why, you see, my lud, 'orses is like 'uman creeturs in many respecs," 
 replied Turnbull sententiously ; "there's some things as agrees with 
 their stummicks, and some as disagrees with 'em ; the things that 
 agrees with the hanimals makes 'em run faster, the things that dis- 
 agrees makes them run slower, or if you give it 'em too strong they 
 comes to a standstill all together. Now, if so be as Tartuffe was to 
 have a taste of a certain drug as I knows on— that ain't very different 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 405 
 
 from hopium — give to him afore he goes to sleep to-night, he'll come 
 to the starting post all right and run very respectible, but if he beats 
 our 'orse I'll engage to eat him, saddle and all. I can't speak fairer 
 than that, I expect." 
 
 " And who have you fixed upon to execute this piece of delectable 
 rascality?" inquired Lord Bellefield, unable to repress a sneer at the 
 meanness of the villainy by which, however, he was only too glad to 
 profit. 
 
 " It was not a very easy matter to pitch upon the right man," rejoined 
 the trainer, "but luckily I happened to remember a party that seemed 
 as if he'd been born a purpose for the job, and who has been so 
 thoroughly cleaned out lately that he was not likely to be particular 
 about trifles. I saw him before I left home, showed him which way 
 his interest lay, put him up to my ideas on the subject, and I hope 
 when I sees your ludship to-morrow morning I shall have some good 
 news to tell you." 
 
 " I'll be with you early, before people are about," returned Lord 
 Bellefield ; " it is important that I should know the result of this 
 scheme as soon as possible. The greatest caution must be observed 
 lest the matter should transpire, and if anything comes out, you of 
 course must take it upon yourself. The man should go abroad for a 
 time. And now I must try and get a couple of hours' sleep, or my 
 head will not be fit for to-morrow's work. I breakfast at Epsom with 
 a set of men, but I'll be with you first. You've acted with your usual 
 zeal and cleverness, TurnbuU, and I'll take care that you shall have 
 no reason to repent your honesty to your employer; only let us win 
 to-morrow's race and your fortune is made. Good-night." 
 
 As he spoke he rang the bell, and with many servile acknowledg- 
 ments of his master's promised liberality the trainer departed. 
 
 While this interview was taking place a far different scene had been 
 enacting in the premises occupied by the racing stud of the Due 
 d'Austerlitz. As the clock over the stables chimed the hour after 
 midnight a light ladder was placed against the wall of one of the 
 outer buildings, and a slightly-framed, agile man ran up it, and draw- 
 ing it cautiously after him laid it in a place of security, where it would 
 remain unnoticed till his return. He then crept with noiseless, cat- 
 like steps over roofs and along parapets, finding among rain-gutters 
 and coping-stones a dangerous and uncertain footing, until he reached 
 a building nearly in the centre of the yard ; here he paused, and 
 drawing from his pocket a short iron instrument, shaped like a chisel 
 at one end, he cautiously chipped away the mortar round one of the 
 tiles which protected an angle of the roof, and by removing the tile, 
 exposed the ends of a row of slating. Quietly raising one of the 
 slates, he, by means of the instrument above alluded to, which is 
 known to the initiated by the euphonious title of a "jemmy," snapped 
 the nails which retained it in its place and removed it. Having acted 
 in a similar manner by two others, he produced a small cabinetmaker's 
 saw, and cutting through the battens, opened a space sufficiently wide 
 to admit the passage of a man's body. Replacing his tools, he crept 
 through the aperture thus effected, and letting himself down by his 
 
4o6 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 hands into the loft beneath, dropped noiselessly on to some trusses 
 of hay placed there for future consumption. Part of his task was now 
 accomplished', for he was in the loft over the loose -box in which 
 Tartuffe was reposing his graceful limbs before the coming struggle ; 
 but the most difficult and hazardous portion of his enterprise remained 
 yet to be accomplished. Crawling on his hands and knees, he reached 
 one of the openings by which the hay was let down into the racks 
 beneath, and cautiously peeping over, gazed into the interior of the 
 stable itself, and noted the precautions taken to secure the safety of 
 the racehorse and the difficulties which lay before him. The box in 
 which the animal was placed was secured by a strong padlock, the 
 key of which rested at that moment under the pillow of Slangsby, the 
 Due d'Austerlitz's trainer, while in the next box, half-lying, half-sitting 
 on a truss of straw, dozed " Yorkshire Joe," a broad-shouldered, bow- 
 legged lad some eighteen years of age, who had been a kind of 
 equestrian valet to Tartuffe during the whole " educational course " of 
 that promising quadruped. 
 
 These particulars the intelligent eye of the tenant of the hay-loft 
 took in at a glance, while his quick wit decided as rapidly the exact 
 degree in which they were calculated to tell for or against the object 
 he sought to accomplish. The padlock was in his favour; for as he 
 did not intend to enter the horse-box by the door, it would serve to 
 keep Joe out without interfering with his design ; but the presence of 
 the stable-boy presented an insuperable obstacle to his further pro- 
 ceedings. This difficulty had, however, been foreseen and provided 
 against. Stealing on tiptoe across the loft, he selected a long, stout 
 straw, and thrusting it through the key-hole of the door by which the 
 fodder was taken in, he suffered it to drop on the outside. Scarcely 
 had he done so, when a low cough announced the presence of some 
 confederate, and satisfied that everything was in a right train, he noise- 
 lessly returned to his post of observation. In another moment his 
 quick ear caught the sound of a modest tap at the stable-door. 
 Honest Joe's senses not being equally on the alert, the knock had to 
 be repeated more than once ere he became aware of it. As soon as 
 he grew convinced that the sound was not the creation of his sleeping 
 fancy, he rubbed his eyes, stretched himself, and drowsily inquired, 
 "Who;s there?" y h , 
 
 " It is I— Mary; and I want particularly to speak to you," replied a 
 woman's voice. 
 
 " Thy want must wait till morning, lass ; for I'm not a-goaing to 
 leave this place to-night fornothinknor nobody; so gang thee whoam 
 agin," was the uncourteous reply. 
 
 " No, but Joe, dear Joe, you must hear me to-night ; it is something 
 very important indeed. You musf hear me," pleaded the temptress. 
 
 " I woan't, I tell thee ; gang whoam I " returned Joe gruffly. 
 Well, if I'd thought you'd have been so unkind, I would not have 
 stayed out of my warm bed, trapesing through Hepsom streets at this 
 time o night, which ain't fit for a respecktible young woman to be out 
 in, and coming all this way to put you up to something as may lose 
 you your place, and worse, if you ain't told of it. I didn't expect sich 
 
'tis easy to put your foot in it. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 407 
 
 unkindness — <ind from you, too; that I didn't ; " and here a sound akin 
 to a sob, apparently indicating that the speaker was weeping, found 
 its way to Joe's ears, and going tlience straight to his honest, unsus- 
 picious heart, overcame his prudence and conquered his resolution. 
 Rising from his seat, he approached the door and listened; the sobs 
 still continued. 
 
 " Mary, lass, what ails thee ? " he said ; " I didn't mean to anger thee, 
 wench I but thee knoas I dare na leave t'horse; besoids t'stable-dour 
 be locked, and maister's got t'key." 
 
 " And can't you come to the window in the further stable, where 
 we've talked many a time before ?" suggested the siren. " It's some- 
 thing about the horse I want to tell you, a dodge they're going to try 
 to prevent his winning to-morrow. You don't think I'd have come 
 out at this time o'night for nothing, do you, stupey ? " This intelligence 
 chased away Joe's last lingering scruple, and muttering — 
 
 "About t'horse! — why did na thee say so afore?" he lit a hand- 
 lantern at the lamp which hung from the ceiling, and assuring himself 
 by a glance that his charge was in safety, quitted the stable by a 
 side-door. 
 
 In the meantime, the occupant of the loft had not been idle. As 
 soon as Joe became engrossed by the foregoing conversation, the 
 sound of a fine saw at work might have been perceived by a more 
 delicate organisation than that of the sturdy groom; and at the 
 moment in which he left the stable two of the bars of the rack were 
 silently removed, and through the opening thus effected a man 
 cautiously lowered himself, and resting his feet for an instant on the 
 manger, dropped lightly into the box occupied by Tartuffe. This 
 feat was accomplished so quietly, that the horse, which happened not 
 to be lying down, but was standing, trying, through its muzzle, to 
 nibble the straw of its bed, was scarcely startled, merely raising its 
 head and staring at its unexpected visitant. This individual now 
 produced from his mysterious pocket a handful of oats, and holding 
 them out, allowed Tartuffe to smell and nibble at them ; while the 
 animal was thus engaged, he removed the muzzle, worn for the purpose 
 of preventing it from eating its litter, or otherwise gaining access to 
 any food of which the trainer might disapprove. His next proceeding 
 was to draw out that ingenious instrument of torture yclept a twitch, 
 which, for the benefit of those of our lady readers who do not happen to 
 be gifted with " a stable mind," or to have encouraged sporting tend- 
 encies, we may describe as a short, thick stick or handle, about two 
 feet long, terminated by a loop of stout whipcord or leather, into 
 which the upper-lip, or occasionally the ear of the horse, is inserted ; 
 then, by twisting the stick, the loop can be tightened so as to produce 
 any amount of agony the inflicter may desire : the philosophy of the 
 matter being, that the animal finding his struggles exactly double his 
 pain, soon has sense enough to choose the lesser of two evils, and 
 therefore stands still while nasty things are being forced down his 
 throat and other liberties taken with him, which, but for the applica- 
 tion of the twitch, he would actively resent. In the present instance, 
 while the unfortunate Tartuffe was still chewing the oats by which his 
 
4o8 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 confidence had been betrayed, the twitch was fixed on his nose, 
 tightened, and the nauseating ball which was to impair his strength 
 and fleetness, and secure the victory to the Dodona Colt, and fortune 
 to Lord Bellefield, was already in his mouth ere he was aware that 
 any incivility was intended him. To give a horse a ball, however, it is 
 not only necessary to put it into its mouth but to thrust it back as far 
 as, if possible, the entrance of the gullet, and this operation, even when 
 performed in the most skilful manner, is by no means easy to the 
 operator or agreeable to the patient. In this last particular the 
 victimised Tartuffe appeared to be entirely of our opinion ; the blood 
 of his noble ancestors stirred within him, and tossing up his head 
 indignantly, he became practically aware of the full virtues of the 
 twitch ; the pain, however, only served to increase his rage, and he 
 attempted to rear; but his struggles were vain ; his tormentor pertina- 
 ciously clung to him, the ball was thrust further back in the mouth, 
 and in another moment the desired object would have been attained, 
 when suddenly the loop of the twitch, unable to bear the strain upon 
 it, snapped. The first use the racehorse made of his freedom was to 
 shake his head violently, and at the same time opening his mouth, the 
 stupefying ball dropped from it. 
 
 We must now return to our friend, Yorkshire Joe, who, suspecting 
 no evil, was engaged in interesting colloquy with the perfidious Mary ; 
 this seductive young lady having contrived, with a degree of ingenuity 
 worthy a better cause, to prolong the interview by the following ex- 
 pedients. First, she assailed her admirer with coquettish reproaches 
 for his unkindness and want of gallantry in refusing to speak to her ; 
 then she entered into a long account of how and when and where she 
 had discovered the pretended design against Tartuffe, which she 
 affirmed was to be put into execution two hours from that time. 
 
 " Eh 1 What ! tie my hands behoind me, shove a gag into my 
 mouth, and then and there lame fhorse afore my very eyes-— dost thee 
 say, lass ? I'd only like to see the man, or men either, that could do 
 it 1 " exclaimed Joe, doubling his fist indignantly ; " and thee heard 
 this in the tap-room of the Chequers, dost thee say? — What was that 
 noise ?" 
 
 " Nothing. I dropped one of my pattens, that was all," returned 
 the girl, stooping as if to pick it up, though she was not sorry for an 
 excuse to hide her agitation, for her quick ear had detected the sound 
 of a horse's hoofs trampling on straw, and she knew that her accom- 
 plice was at work. " Why, you are quite startlish to-night, Joe 1 " she 
 resumed, looking up at him with a forced smile ; " did you think it was 
 a ghost ? — but it's no wonder you're nervous ; it's hard lines for you, 
 poor fellow, sitting up at nights like this " 
 
 "There it is agen!" interrupted Joe; "by it's in t'horse- 
 
 box," he continued, listening attentively. " Them thieves can't be 
 
 come a'ready, sure 1 " And heedless of Mary's assurances that it was 
 nothmg, and her entreaties to remain only one moment longer, the 
 groom, now thoroughly excited, leaped down from the window and 
 rushed back into the stable. 
 
 With the speed of thought the girl sprang to the door at which she 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 409 
 
 had previously tapped, and stooping her head to the Icey-hole, listened 
 eagerly. The first thing that met her ear was a volley of abuse from 
 Joe, accompanied by heavy blows struck against wood or iron ; then a 
 noise as of a door being burst open; next, broken curses, dull, muffled 
 strokes, ejaculations of rage or pain, the sound of trampling feet, a 
 crushing, heavy fall, and then total silence I 
 
 What had happened? She placed her eye to the key-hole, but 
 could see nothing. She listened — but the throbbing of her own heart 
 was the only thing she could hear : for the first time the fearful idea 
 occurred to her, that by her treacherous dealing she might have occa- 
 sioned her lover's death; and regardless of consequences, she was 
 about to start up and summon assistance, when a man's hand was 
 laid on her shoulder, and a gruff voice exclaimed — 
 
 " So this is the way my grooms are tampered with ! I was sure 
 I heard talking going on. Hold up your head, you jade, and let us 
 see what you're like; nay, it's no use to struggle, I've got you fast 
 enough, and see who it is I will." 
 
 So saying, Mr. Slangsby the trainer drew the girl towards him, and 
 forcibly raising her head, threw the light of a bull's-eye lantern full on 
 her features. " Ha 1 little Mary Williams," he continued, " and what 
 brings you here at this time of night, you artful hussy ? " 
 
 " Oh I Mr. Slangsby, pray open the door, sir; I — I'm afraid they've 
 been and murdered poor Joe," was the reply, and overcome by fear 
 and remorse, the girl burst into tears — real ones, this time. 
 
 " They, and who are they, pray ? There's some rascality going on 
 here, I expect; it's lucky I got up.'' As he spoke, Slangsby drew a 
 key from his pocket, opened the door, and still retaining his grasp on 
 the girl's wrist, entered. The first object which met their sight was 
 Joe, by no means murdered, although he bore evidences of a severe 
 struggle in a black eye and bleeding knuckles. 
 
 " T'horse is all right, meister, but I wor only jest in time, though ! " 
 was his opening speech. 
 
 " In time for what ? " inquired Slangsby eagerly. 
 
 " In time to stop yon villain from pizonin the blessed hanimal," 
 returned Joe, pointing to something which at first sight appeared to be 
 a large bundle, but which proved on examination to be a human being 
 most ingeniously tied hand and foot with haybands. 
 
 " Who the deuce are you, fellow? " asked the trainer, addressing the 
 individual thus uncomfortably situated. 
 
 " It ain't o' no use talking to he, for a can't answer with a wisp o' 
 straw stuffed atween his jaws," observed Joe sententiously. 
 
 " Take it out then, and untie his legs so that he can stand up and 
 answer my questions." 
 
 "Better shut the dour fust then, meister, for he's a proper slippery 
 customer, I can tell you," returned the groom. " He promised to gag 
 me and tie my hands behind me, I do hear said, but he's found two 
 can play at that trick. Get up, ye warmint," he continued, applying a 
 by no means gentle kick to the ribs of his prostrate captive, " and 
 show your ugly mug." 
 
 The person thus uiicomplimentarily apostrophised rose slowly and 
 
 38 
 
410 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 stood sullenly awaiting the trainer's scrutiny. The latter, holding the 
 lantern so that its light fell upon the stranger's features, recognised 
 him immediately. 
 
 " Mr. Beverley," he said in a tone more of contemptuous pity than 
 of anger, " is it you, sir ? I knew times had been getting very bad with 
 you, but I did not think you had come to this." 
 
 The man's lip quivered — the reproach touched him more than the 
 most virulent abuse could have done. His had been, we fear, no 
 very unusual fate; at all events he had only fallen one step lower 
 than many who had followed the same career as he had done. 
 Well-born, rich, and with above average abilities, a taste for gambling 
 and low company had caused him to sink lower and lower in the 
 scale of society, till the depth of misery and degradation to which 
 he had been reduced, and the extent of the bribe offered by Turn- 
 bull, had overcome his last feeling of honour or honesty, and he had 
 consented to become the agent of another's villainy. Slangsby eyed 
 him sternly for a moment, and then said — 
 
 " You know what you have laid yourself open to, I suppose ? " The 
 other nodded in sign of assent. 
 
 " I don't wish to be hard upon you, sir," the trainer continued, 
 " so if you will speak out and tell me all, we may perhaps come to 
 some better understanding: what say you ? " 
 
 The other reflected a moment and then replied in a low voice, " I 
 will do as you wish, but not here." 
 
 "Joe, you have distinguished yourself," observed his master, putting 
 his hand into his pocket, "here is a ten-pound note for you. Do not 
 mention this night's work to anybody, and I will take care your wages 
 are raised. Now, sir," he continued to Joe's late adversary, " I am 
 ready to talk to you — by the way, about the girl; she was your 
 accomplice, of course ? " 
 
 The stranger nodded. 
 
 " Your sweetheart has deceived you, Joe," added Slangsby; "give 
 her a good lecturing, and then lock her up for the night in the saddle- 
 room; she must not be at liberty till the race is over, upon any 
 account." 
 
 Honest Joe scratched his head in deep perplexity — then a light 
 dawned upon him, and he perceived how Mary had beguiled him 
 Seizing her roughly by the wrist, he dragged her off, exclaiming, 
 " Come along, thee cheating jade, could'st thee foind nothing better to 
 do than to go and deceive a poor lad that loved thee, and try to get 
 him into trouble ? If thee was but a man, I'd woUup thee till thou 
 could'st not stand, and as it be, a little starving will do thee good, so 
 cum along." 
 
 At the same moment Slangsby and his companion quitted the 
 stable, and adjourning to the trainer's private apartments, held there 
 a long_ and solemn conference ; the result may be gathered from the 
 following speeches — 
 
 "And you feel sure Lord Bellefield is aware of the whole thing?" 
 questioned Slangsby. 
 
 " I've not z, doubt of it," was the reply. " Turnbull was too ready 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 411 
 
 with the blunt to be acting on his own account, he has not got the 
 money to do it. I am to have ;£5oo clear for this job, and my 
 expenses paid to any part of the continent I may select." 
 
 " And we may trust you ? " 
 
 " Wliy, of course you may, man ; by doing as you propose I escape 
 transportation, receive ;£5oo to start afresh with, and get sent over to 
 Paris out of harm's way free of expense." 
 
 " And your conscience ? " inquired Slangsby with a sarcastic smile. 
 
 " Curse conscience," was the angry reply ; " I began life with as 
 much honourable feeling as any man, but the villainy of the world has 
 crushed it out of me. Life is a struggle, and each one must take care 
 of himself; while I had money I spent it liberally, and met my engage- 
 ments honestly. Now I have none, I get it as I can. I undertook 
 to drug your horse because I was deeply in debt, all but starving, and 
 Bellefield's bribe offered me a chance. I failed through an accident, 
 and fell into your power ; your proposal regains me the position, and 
 I embrace it now as I did before. True, I deceive him : fancying 
 your horse is poisoned he will double his bets, which are very heavy 
 already, and be ruined, as better men have been before him, but this 
 only serves him right for his rascality, and — puts ;£soo into my pocket. 
 I have to thank you for your civility, Mr. Slangsby, and to wish you 
 good morning." He turned to go, then pausing, said — 
 
 " You have used me well in this affair, and to show you I am not all 
 bad, I will give you a hint. Do not rely too much on the result of 
 that trial: Bellefield's colt was only recovering from the strangles 
 then, and has since improved in speed and bottom ; still Tartuffe can 
 beat him if he is made the most ofj everything therefore depends upon 
 your jockey ; if he is careless or over-confident, Oracle may have it 
 yet — verbum sat." So saying, he placed his hat on one side of his 
 head, coolly ran his fingers through his hair, and departed. 
 
 CHAPTER LIX. 
 
 DESCRIBES THAT INDESCRIBABLE SCENE, "THE DERBY DAY." 
 
 " Fair laughed the morn, and soft the zephyr played," as Lord Belle- 
 field, having held an interview with his trainer, which had served in 
 great measure to set his mind at ease, cantered back to the inn at 
 Epsom, shaved the small portion of his chin which he saw fit to denude 
 of hair, made an elaborate toilet in the best style of sporting dandy- 
 ism, and then lounged down to breakfast, of which meal he had invited 
 some dozen of his intimates to partake. Amongst the last comers was 
 a tall, dark-whiskered man, who might be two or three years Lord 
 Bellefield's senior. Pointing to a seat on his right hand, his entertainer 
 began — 
 
 "Well, Philips, how is it with you this morning? You've been 
 wandering about as usual, picking up the latest news, I suppose ? what 
 say the prophets ? " 
 
 "There is nothing original hazarded, my lord," was the reply. 
 
413 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " Oracle is as much in favour as ever ; Phosphorus is looking up 
 slightly, and the Tartuffe party are backing their horse to a high 
 figure ; they seem to be in earnest, and mean to win if they can." 
 
 " Ay, if they can," returned Lord Bellefield, smiling ironically ; " I 
 confess, for my own part, I do not see that animal's good points." 
 
 "He has wonderful power in the loins, and his deep girth gives 
 plenty of room for the lungs to play ; no fear of ' bellows to mend ' in 
 that quarter," was the reply. 
 
 " Very excellent points in a hunter or steeplechase horse, but mis- 
 placed in a racer, and by no means calculated to make up for a want 
 of ileetness. Tartuffe, in my opinion, has not the true racehorse 
 stride, as Austerlitz will find to his cost, if he really is laying money on 
 him." 
 
 " He may not cover so much ground in his stride as Oracle, but he 
 is unusually quick in his gallop, and takes two strokes while another 
 horse is taking one. Still black and yellow (Lord Bellefield's colours) 
 will give him the go-by, and that is all vie have to look to," was the 
 reply. 
 
 In converse such as this, diversified by the interchange of bets of 
 more or less magnitude, the breakfast (if a meal consisting of every 
 delicacy that could please the palate or pamper the appetite, including 
 meats, fish, etc., etc., can be legitimately so called) passed off. When 
 liqueurs had been handed round, Lord Bellefield's drag was announced, 
 and the company dispersed, first to admire and criticise the turn-out, 
 and then to dispose of themselves on and about it. The equipage was 
 in perfect taste, and although not so showy as many others on which 
 less care had been bestowed, or money expended, yet the drag, with 
 its panels of the darkest possible cinnamon brown, picked out with a 
 lighter shade of the same colour; the four blood bays, faultless in 
 symmetry ; the two outriders on horses so exactly matching those in 
 harness, that any one unaccustomed to such matters might have been 
 puzzled to conjecture how the grooms could distinguish one from 
 another ; the harness perfectly free from ornament of any kind, save 
 black and yellow rosettes in the horses' heads ; the two grooms in dark, 
 well-fitting, pepper-and-salt liveries, and irreproachable top-boots and 
 leathers ; the coronet on the doors, the cockades in the hats ; every 
 trifle down to the gold-mounted whip-handle, excellent of its kind, and 
 in harmonious keeping with the whole, presented to the eye of a 
 connoisseur a tout ensemble calculated to excite his highest admiration. 
 
 Seating himself firmly on his box, and controlling his fiery horses 
 with an easy confidence which proved him a skilful whip, Lord Belle- 
 field drove to the Downs, apparently impassable obstacles seeming to 
 melt before him as if by magic (one of the surest tests of a good 
 coachman), and arrived on the course exactly at the " correct " mo- 
 ment. As he drew up to take his place by the ropes, a showy britska, 
 drawn by four splendid greys, the postilions' bright green jackets and 
 velvet caps blazing with gold, dashed in before him. The carriage 
 contained two persons— a singularly handsome young man with a 
 foreign cast of features, and a girl with black, flashing eyes and a 
 brilliant complexion, dressed not only in, but considerably beyond the 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 413 
 
 height of the fashion. These were the Due d'Austerlitz and Mademoi- 
 selle Angdlique, the fascinating danseuse. 
 
 As Lord Bellefield, with curling lip, passed them to take up his 
 station farther on, the Frenchman, catching his eye, nodded carelessly, 
 and turning to his companion said a few words in a low tone, and 
 they both laughed. Had Lord Bellefield been living at a period when 
 the state of society allowed the hand to act out the feelings of the 
 heart, he would at that moment have sprung upon the Due d'Auster- 
 litz, and seizing him by the throat, have held on remorselessly till life 
 became extinct. As it was, he merely returned the nod by a bow, 
 smiled, kissed the tips of his gloves to Ang^lique, and drove on ; so 
 that, after all, civilisation has its advantages. 
 
 Having chosen his station, the bays were unharnessed and led away, 
 and a mounted groom approached, leading his master's hack. 
 
 " I am going down to the ring, and then to the Warren, to see them 
 saddle," began Lord Bellefield, " so I must leave you to take care of 
 yourselves ; but any one disposed for luncheon will find something to 
 that effect going on here after the race. If I am not back, Robson 
 will take good care of you." So saying, he gave an order to one of 
 the servants, who remained with the drag, then, mounting his horse, 
 cantered away. 
 
 " He carries it off boldly enough, but they say if he loses the race 
 he is a ruined man," observed one of the friends he had left behind 
 him. 
 
 "Oh, Lord Ashford will clear him," remarked another; "his grand- 
 father was one of the leading counsel of the day, and the old boy 
 feathered his nest well before he gave up his wig and gown. He was 
 one of the old school of lawyers, and worked in the days when a 
 barrister's professional income was a great fact, whereas now it is a 
 great fiction." 
 
 " Come, Briefless, no grumbling ; back Oracle for a cool £,l<x>, and 
 then you may cut chambers till the season's over. But you are wrong 
 about Bellefield. Lord Ashford has paid his debts three times, and 
 has taken an oath on the family Bible never to do so again; but I 
 don't believe Bellefield's anything like hard-up. You know he won 
 ;^3o,ooo of poor Mellerton before he blew his brains out. Here's 
 Philips can tell us all about it; eh, what do you say, man?" 
 
 "Nothing," was the cautious reply; "and I would not recommend 
 you to let Bellefield find out exactly all you've been mentioning, my 
 dear Chatterby; I've known him shoot a man for less." So saying, 
 Mr. Philips joined in the laugh he had raised against the voluble 
 Chatterby, and then swinging himself down from the box, left them in 
 order to take his place in the betting ring. 
 
 We must now change the venue to the Warren, a small but pictur- 
 esque spot of ground encircled by a wall, within which enclosure the 
 horses for the Derby and Oaks are saddled and mounted. Here 
 jockeys and gentlemen, lords, blacklegs, trainers, and pickpocket's, 
 mix and jostle with one another indiscnminately. Assuredly Epsom, 
 on the Derby day, in exclusive, aristocratic England, is the only true 
 Utopia wherein those chimeras of French folly, Liberty, Fraternity, 
 
4t4 LEWIS ARtTNDEL. 
 
 and Equality, exist and prosper. Let the reader imagine from twenty 
 to five-and-twenty blood-horses, each led by its attendant groom and 
 followed by an anxious trainer, while the jockey who is to ride it, and 
 on whose skill and courage thousands of pounds are depending, care- 
 fully inspects the buckling of girths, regulates the length of stirrup- 
 leathers, and as far as hun^an foresight will permit, provides against 
 any accident which may embarrass him in the coming struggle. Then 
 the horse-clothing is removed, and the shining coat and carefully- 
 plaited mane of the racehorse are revealed to the eyes of the admiring 
 spectators; an attendant satellite at the same moment assists the 
 jockey to divest himself of his greatcoat, and he emerges from his 
 chrysalis state in all the butterfly splendour of racing dandyism. Then 
 the trainer, or the satellite before alluded to, "gives him a leg up," 
 and with this slight assistance he vaults lightly into the saddle and 
 becomes as it were incorporate with the animal he bestrides. Quietly 
 gathering up the reins, he presses his cap firmly on his head, slants 
 the point of his whip towards the right flank, exchanges a few last 
 words with the trainer, and then walks his horse up and down till his 
 competitors are all equally prepared. On this occasion the cynosure 
 of every eye was the first favourite, Oracle, and when his clothing 
 was removed, and one of the cleverest jockeys of the day seated 
 gracefully on his back, he certainly did look, to quote the enthusiastic 
 language of his trainer, "a reg'lur pictur," the perfection of a race- 
 horse. TurnbuU's last words to the jockey were — 
 
 " Save him as much as you safely can till the distance, and if the 
 pace has been anything like reasonable, it will be your own fault if the 
 race is not your own." 
 
 A slight contraction of the eyelid proved that the advice was under- 
 stood and afjpreciated, and man and horse passed on. 
 
 "How is it Tartuffe does not show?" inquired Lord Bellefield of 
 TurnbuU in a whisper. " The dose can't have been given too strong, 
 
 "No fear of that, my lud," was the reply; "but they've probably 
 discovered ere this that there is a screw loose somewhere, and they 
 will keep hini out of sight as long as they can, lest other people should 
 become as wise as they are themselves." 
 
 As he spoke the object of his remarks appeared ; his rider was 
 already mounted, and the horse-clothing removed. Tartuffe was a 
 complete contrast to his rival in appearance. The Dodona Colt was 
 a bright bay, with black mane, tail, and legs ; his head was small, 
 almost to a fault, and shaped like that of a deer, his neck longer and 
 rnore arched than is usually the case in thorough-bred horses ; while 
 his graceful, slender limbs seemed to embody the very ideal of swift- 
 ness. Tartuffe was altogether a smaller and more compact animal, 
 his colour a rich, dark chestnut, his head larger in proportion, and so 
 placed on as to give him the appearance of being slightly ewe-necked, 
 his forelegs were shorter, and the arm more muscular than those of 
 his graceful rival; but the sloping shoulder, the depth of the girth, the 
 breadth and unusual muscular development of the loins and haunches, 
 together with a quick, springy step and a general compactness of form, 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 415 
 
 afJbrded to the practised eye evidence of his possessing very un- 
 common powers both of speed and endurance. 
 
 " He looks fresh and lively enough," remarked Lord Bellefield, after 
 observing the horse narrowly. " What do you think about it ? " 
 
 "It's all right, my lud," was TurnbuU's confident answer; "things 
 speaks for themselves, the 'orse ain't allowed to show till the last 
 minute, and then he comes out with his jockey ready mounted. Now 
 the logic of that dodge lies in a nutshell : finding the hanimal sleepy 
 and out of sorts, they keeps him snug till they're forced to purduce 
 him, and then shows him with the jockey on him, when a touch with 
 the spur and a pull or two at his mouth with a sharp bit makes him look 
 alive again." Approaching his lips almost to his employer's ear, he 
 continued, " Do you see that patch of black grease on his nose ? that's 
 where the twitch has cut him. Beverley was obliged to twitch him 
 to give him the ball — so now your ludship may bet away without any 
 fear of Tartuflfe," and exchanging a significant glance, this well- 
 matched pair parted. 
 
 " Ah I Bellefield, ;«<?« cher ! how lovely your colt looks this morning 
 — I suppose he is to win; for myself I am preparing to be martyrised 
 with a resignation the most touching," and as he spoke Armand Due 
 d'Austerlitz stroked his silky moustaches and admired his glossy boot 
 with an air of the most innocently graceful self-satisfaction possible. 
 
 "You don't really believe that which you say. Monsieur le Due," 
 replied Lord Bellefield ; " I never saw a horse in better racing con- 
 dition than Tartuflfe." 
 
 "Ah ! dest iin bon petit cheval, and I have betted, ah ! — bah ! — I 
 cannot tell you what sums of money upon him, more than half my 
 estates in Languedoc ; positively I shall have to go through what you 
 call the Bench of your Queen, if I lose." 
 
 " In that case it is useless for me to inquire whether you are disposed 
 to back Tartuflfe against my bay colt," insinuated Lord Bellefield. 
 
 "No, not if you have a fancy that way, mon cher ami^' replied 
 Armand, smiling to show his white teeth; "what shall we say? — an 
 even bet of ;£3000 shall it be, or ;£5ooo?" 
 
 " Five is the more comfortable sum of the two," returned Lord 
 Bellefield quickly. " I always like to bet fives or tens ; it simplifies 
 one's book amazingly, and I never had a taste for intricate arithmetic." 
 
 " Comme il vous plaira — say ten, if you like it better." And as he 
 spoke Armand drew out a miniature belting-book and a gold pencil- 
 case blazing with jewels. Lord Bellefield paused for a moment ; 
 certain as he believed himself to be of the race, it was a great tempta- 
 tion. But, on the other hand, if he appeared too eager, might not 
 suspicion attach to him in the event of any clue being gained to the 
 poisoning aflfair? The idea was so alarming to him that prudence 
 overcame avarice. 
 
 " I have unfortunately no estates in Languedoc," he said laughingly; 
 "and thousands are not so entirely a matter of indiflference to me as 
 to your Grace ; so we will book the bet at five." 
 
 The wager was accordingly so entered; and with friendly smiles 
 and courteous words upon their lips these two men parted, one hating 
 
4t6 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 the successful rival, the other despising the detected swindler I Alas ! 
 for the shams and deceptions of society ! pasteboard and tinsel are 
 more real than its hollow-hearted seemings. 
 
 " Now you see your game," were Slangsb/s last words to the jockey 
 who was to ride Tartuffe. " Make running early in the race, so as to 
 render the pace as severe as possible throughout : your horse will live 
 to the end, and theirs won't ; but if he is not well blown before he 
 gets to the distance, it will be a very close thing, and the length of his 
 stride may beat you." 
 
 " I'm awake," was the concise reply ; but Slangsby was quite satisfied 
 therewith. 
 
 Racing may be very cruel, and it may lead to gambling and various 
 other immoralities, major and minor; and being thus proved contrary 
 to the precepts of Christianity, good people may be quite right in 
 using their best efforts to discourage it. Nevertheless, it is a manly 
 and exciting sport ; and although the evils to which we have alluded 
 may (and, we fear, do) attend it, we cannot see that the amusement in 
 itself necessitates them. On the contrary, we conceive that they are 
 added to it by the proneness to evil inherent in human nature, rather 
 than as the natural consequence of the sport itself. However this 
 may be, a finer sight than the start for the Derby we cannot easily 
 imagine. Let the reader picture to himself some twenty three-year- 
 old colts, their proud, expanded nostrils snuffing the wind, and their 
 glossy coats glistening in the sunshine, ridden by the crack jockeys of 
 England, and therefore of the world, drawn up in a line, preparatory 
 to starting ; let him reflect, in order fully to realise the earnest nature 
 of the scene, that on the fact of which may prove the better horse 
 depend many thousands — perhaps, in the aggregate, more than a 
 million of pounds sterling ; that the ruin of hundreds may be involved 
 in the event of the race ; that on the«;hances of that whirlwind course 
 have been expended the anxious thought, the careful calculation of 
 days and weeks and months ; that the weighing and reducing these 
 calculations to a theoretic system, by which some certainty may be 
 attained, is the business of many men's lives, — and he will then have 
 some faint idea of the deep, overpowering interest that is excited by 
 witnessing the start for the Derby. 
 
 On the occasion which we are describing two false starts occurred. 
 Twice as the word " Go ! " was pronounced by the stentorian lungs 
 of the starter did one queer-tempered animal choose pertinaciously 
 to turn its tail where its head should have been ; and twice did the 
 same " voice of power" vociferate the command " Come back 1 " and 
 deep, if not loud, were the anathemas breathed by those jockeys who, 
 having manoeuvred themselves into a good position, had contrived to 
 "getaway" well. However, "'tis an ill wind which blows good to 
 nobody ; " and these delays, annoying as they were to most of the 
 parties concerned, were as much in favour of the supporters of Oracle 
 as they were prejudicial to the interests of those who had backed 
 Tartuffe. 
 
 Oracle, amongst other gifts of fortune, chanced to be blessed with 
 a most amiable and placid temper, while Tartuffe, not possessing so 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 417 
 
 philosophical a turn of mind, was apt to get excited in a crowd, and 
 the first false start completely unsettling him, he availed himself of 
 the second to bolt half-way to Tattenham Corner before his rider 
 could pull him in ; and even when that feat was accomplished he 
 showed a decided preference for using his hind-legs only m progres- 
 sion on his return to the starting-post ; by his riotous and unmanage- 
 able conduct taking a great deal more out of himself than was by any 
 means prudent. 
 
 Once more, however, they are all in their places — the word is again 
 given, and they are off— Tartuffe springing away with a bound like 
 that of a lion, and half dislocating his rider's arms by a furious effort 
 to "get his head." As it happened that there were two or three 
 other " queer " tempered horses besides that of the Due d'Austerlitz 
 which required careful handling, the pace at first was by no means so 
 " good " as Slangsby had wished it to be ; nor could the jockey riding 
 Tartuffe venture to improve it, for two reasons : in the first place, his 
 horse was so excited that it required all his skill to prevent his running 
 away with him ; in the second, his former attempt to bolt had sufficed 
 to puff him, and he required " saving " to enable him to regain wind. 
 In the meantime Oracle was going sweetly and easily, keeping up with 
 his horses in what appeared scarcely beyond a canter. When past the 
 " Corner," however, Tartuffe had decidedly improved, and his rider, 
 remembering his instructions, began to make play. As the pace 
 increased, the "first flight" became considerably more select, the 
 "tender-hearted" ones gradually dropping in the rear. 
 
 Up to this point Phosphorus had been leading, followed by Advance, 
 Whisker, The Lynx, Gossip, and Challenger; but down the next slope 
 Tartuffe came up, passed the other horses, and after running neck to 
 neck with Phosphorus for about a quarter of a mile, took the lead, 
 and kept it by about half a length, Oracle lying well up on the near 
 side. This order they preserved till near the distance, when Lynx 
 and Challenger put on the steam to dispute the leadership with 
 Tartuffe, who appeared by no means disposed to relinquish the post of 
 honour, and the pace grew decidedly severe, in spite of which Oracle 
 continued insensibly to creep up to the others. 
 
 At the distance Lynx found it " no go," and fell back beaten ; Gossip 
 taking his place, closely waited on by Phosphorus and Oracle ; a few 
 strides more, in which Oracle improved his position, and then the final 
 struggle begins, whips and spurs go to work in earnest — the pace is 
 actually terrific — Gossip shuts up, Phosphorus is extinguished, Oracle 
 and Tartuffe run neck and neck, dust flies, handkerchiefs wave, the 
 spectators shout, when, just at the critical moment, the Frenchman's 
 horse shoots forward, as if propelled by some invisible power, the 
 favourite is beaten by rather more than a head, and Tartuffe remains 
 winner of the Derby. 
 
41 8 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 CHAPTER LX. 
 
 CONTAINS SOME "NOVEL" REMARKS UPON THE ROMANTIC 
 CEREMONY OF MATRIMONY. 
 
 " Frere, old fellow, have you prepared your wedding garments ? " 
 inquired Bracy, meeting his friend accidentally one fine day, about a 
 week after the occurrence of the events described in the last chapter. 
 
 "Ay, I hear that your machinations have succeeded," returned 
 Frere gruffly, "and that De Grandeville is about to marry Lady 
 Lombard. I'll tell you what it is, Bracy; it strikes me that in assisting 
 people to make fools of themselves and each other, you are just wasting 
 your time and perverting your talents : depend upon it you may very 
 safely leave folks to perform that operation on their own account, they 
 are not likely to class that amongst their sins of omission." 
 
 " Make fools of themselves ! " repeated Bracy. " My dear Frere, 
 it's nothing of the sort, that was an ' opus operatum,' a deed done for 
 our friends by beneficent Nature, long before I had the pleasure of 
 their acquaintance. Moreover, in the present case, I am seeking to 
 diminish, rather than to increase, the standing amount of folly — man 
 and wife are one, you know ; ergo, by uniting Lady Lombard and the 
 mighty De Grandeville, the ranks of the feeble-minded are one fool 
 minus." 
 
 " Well, that certainly is an ingenious way of putting it," rejoined 
 Frere, laughing in spite of himself; " and pray how have you contrived 
 to bring about this delectable affair ; for I conclude the match is your 
 handiwork ? " 
 
 " Oh ! the thing was easy enough to accomplish," replied Bracy. " I 
 invented pretty speeches, which I declared to each that the other had 
 made about them; I exaggerated De Grandeville's position to Lady 
 Lombard, and Lady Lombard's wealth to De Grandeville ; in short, 
 I lied perseveringly and judiciously until I fancied I had got the affair 
 thoroughly en train. But I soon found out there was a hitch some- 
 where ; it was clearly not on the lady's side, for she was so far gone as 
 to believe in De Grandeville to the extent of estimating him at his own 
 valuation, which I take to be the ne plus ultra of credulity ; so I set 
 steadily to work to investigate him, and if possible find out what was 
 the matter. I tried various schemes, but none of them would act, his 
 reserve was impenetrable ; at last, in despair, I gave him a champagne 
 dinner at the Polysnobion, taking care to ply him well with wine, and 
 to walk home with him afterwards. That did the business — he must 
 have been most transcendently drunk and no mistake, for before we 
 reached his lodgings, having confessed to me that his grandfather had 
 been a tallow chandler, he went on to relate that the bar to his union 
 with Lady Lombard was his inability to discover that she possessed 
 any pedigree." 
 
 " Well, for that matter," interrupted Frere, " having admitted the 
 tallow chandler, I don't see that he need have been so very par- 
 ticular as to the aristocratic tendencies of Lady Lombard's ancestry." 
 
 " De Grandeville did not think so," resumed Bracy; "he argued that 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL 419 
 
 no amount of chandlery could infuse vulgarity into the blood of one of 
 his illustrious house ; external circumstances, he declared, were power- 
 less to affect the innate nobility of a De Grandeville : whole years of 
 melting days*would fail to drop a spot upon that illustrious name. 
 But for a man, the founder of whose family came over with the Norman 
 William, to marry a woman without a pedigree, one who probably 
 never had so much as a grandfather belonging to her, was impossible: 
 he had a warm regard for Lady Lombard ; he considered that his name 
 and influence, supported by her wealth, would place him in one of the 
 proudest positions to which a mortal could aspire ; but even for this 
 he could not sacrifice his leading principle, he could not ally himself 
 to any one without a pedigree. 
 
 " Seeing that he was in earnest, I forbore to laugh at him; and 
 merely throwing out hints that I had reason to believe he was in error, 
 and that although Lady Lombard's father (an amiable soap-boiler, 
 whose virtues simmered for sixty years in the neighbourhood of Shore- 
 ditch) had been engaged in commerce (he paraphrased the tallow 
 chandler into a Russian merchant), as well as his grandfather, still the 
 arguments which applied to the one case would hold good in the 
 other, and at all events I begged him to take no rash or precipitate 
 step in the matter till I had applied to a friend of mine (of course 
 invented for the occasion) who was a genealogist, and used my best 
 endeavours to clear up the difficulty — for which disinterested offer he, 
 being still more or less inebriated, blessed me reiteratedly and fer- 
 vently, and so, having seen him safely home, we parted. The next 
 morning I visited Lady Lombard, led her on sweetly and easily to 
 talk of her family, gained some information, and learned where 
 to obtain more, and in less than two days had the satisfaction of 
 proving her fiftieth cousin sixteen times removed to Edward the 
 Third. De Grandeville was introduced to my friend in the Heralds' 
 Office " 
 
 " Whom you declared a minute ago to be invented for the occasion," 
 interrupted Frere. 
 
 " For which reason he was the more easily personated by Tom 
 Edgehill of the Fusileers," resumed the unblushing Bracy. " De 
 Grandeville was allowed, as a great favour, to peruse the pedigree, 
 believed in it " 
 
 " Or pretended to do so," suggested Frere. 
 
 " To the fullest extent ! " continued Bracy, not heeding the inter- 
 ruption, " and the next thing I heard was that the parties were 
 engaged." 
 
 " So he is actually going to marry a woman without an idea, properly 
 so called, in her head, and half as old again as he is, for the sake of 
 her money. Well I that's an abyss of degradation I'll never sink to 
 while there is a crossing to be swept in London," was Frere's disgusted 
 comment. 
 
 " Chacun A son gout — for my own part I should prefer involuntary 
 emigration at the expense and for the good of my country, vulgarly 
 denominated transportation, to being married at all, even were the 
 opposing party (my hypothetical wife, I mean) the most thorough-bred 
 
420 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 angel that ever wore a bustle," returned Bracy. " By the way," he 
 continued, " I saw your little friend, Miss Arundel, the other day; she 
 and her mother are staying with the ' Lombardic Character,' I find, 
 but of course you know all this better than I do. Really that girl writes 
 exceedingly good sense for a woman. Now if I were a marrying man, 
 I don't know any quarter in which I'd sooner throw the handkerchief." 
 
 " You might pick it up again for your pains, for she wouldn't have 
 you, I'm sure," growled Frere. 
 
 " Do you really believe so ? " asked Bracy, with an incredulous smile. 
 " Ahem ! now I flatter myself the little Arundel has better taste." 
 
 " Better sense than to do any such thing, you mean," returned Frere 
 more crossly than before. " Depend upon it, whenever Rose Arundel 
 marries, she will choose a man^who can respect and love her, and 
 not a — well, I don't mean to .insult you, my good fellow, but 
 truth will out — a self-conceited young puppy, whose head has been 
 turned by foolish people, by whom his cleverness has been overrated 
 and his vanity fostered." 
 
 Bracy drew himself up, and for a minute pretended to look very 
 fierce — then bursting into a hearty laugh, he patted his companiou 
 on the back affectionately, exclaiming, " Poor old Frere I did I put 
 him in a rage ? never mind, old boy, I only wanted to know whether 
 there was any truth in the report that you were engaged to Miss 
 Arundel — and now let me congratulate you. You have no doubt good 
 cause for thinking the young lady would have shown her wisdom by 
 selecting a sensible man such as you are, rather than a vaun'en 
 like myself, even if I were a marrying man and had placed such 
 a temptation before her." 
 
 Frere looked at him for a moment in utter astonishment, then 
 muttered, " A vaurien, indeed I I always prophesied that foot-boy 
 of yours would die with a rope round his neck, but I begin to think 
 the complaint which will necessitate such an operation runs in the 
 family, and that servant and master are alike affected by it." 
 
 " And what may be the name of this alarming epidemic which you 
 consider likely to terminate so fatally ? " asked Bracy. 
 
 "A most unmitigated and virulent form of chronic impudence," 
 returned Frere, laughing; then shaking hands most cordially, these 
 two oddly assorted friends parted. 
 
 After having left Bracy, Frere bent his steps towards the dwelling 
 of Lady Lombard, with whom Mrs. Arundel and Rose were spending 
 a few days for the avowed purpose of assisting to prepare her wedding 
 paraphernalia, though (as the most skilful dressmaker and the most 
 expensive tradesmen in London were at work in the good cause) their 
 duties were merely nominal. Mrs. Arundel having explained to her 
 hostess the nature of the engagement between Frere and her daughter, 
 that excellent bear was allowed to run tame about the house. Lady 
 Lombard, who was at first impressed by a vague sense of his awful 
 amount of learning, and decidedly alarmed at his snapping and growl- 
 ing, had become reconciled to his presence on perceiving that Rose 
 could tame him by a word or a smile, and committing him to her care 
 and management, troubled herself no further about him. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 421 
 
 " Rose, who do you think has gone to Venice ? " inquired Frere, 
 after having disburdened his pockets of a httle library of heavy books, 
 two cold, uncomfortable fossils, and the very hard handle of a Roman 
 sword, all highly prized and newly acquired treasures, which he had 
 brought that Rose might appreciate them and sympathise with him 
 in his delight at having obtamed them. 
 
 " To Venice," returned Rose — " oh I who ? do tell me." 
 
 " Why, lots of people, it seems," replied Frere. " I called upon 
 my uncle, Lord Ashford, this moniing, and found him in what is 
 vulgarly termed a regular stew. Bellefield it seems had a horse 
 which everybody fancied was to win the Derby, but what everybody 
 fancied did not come to pass, for the said horse was beaten, con- 
 sequently his owner has lost no end of money, for which same I 
 for one do not pity him : I have no sympathy with your ruined 
 gamester — and ruined he is, by the way, horse, foot, and artillery, 
 as the military De Grandeville would say. Well, poor uncle Ash- 
 ford showed me a note he had just received from his dutiful first-born, 
 telling him that he had not a farthing of ready money in the world, 
 except ^50 to pay for his journey; that he was quite unable to 
 meet his engagements, and that before the settling day for the 
 Derby he must put the British Channel between him and those to 
 whom he owed sums so large that he neither desired nor expected 
 his father to pay them ; that he would feel obliged if his lordship 
 would increase his yearly allowance, and that he wished letters of 
 credit to be forwarded to him at Venice, to which place he pro- 
 posed immediately to follow General Gi-ant and his daughter, who 
 it appears left England only three weeks ago ; that it was his in- 
 tention to marry the youug lady forthwith, and live abroad upon her 
 fortune, until something to his advantage should turn up ; and he 
 adds in a postscript, that if his father should attempt to prevent his 
 marriage by informing General Grant of what he is pleased to call 
 his misfortunes, that minute he will blow his brains out. Well, 
 poor uncle, who is a high-minded, honourable man, though he is 
 rather proud and cold in his manner, could not bear the idea of 
 his son marrying Annie Grant without informing the General of his 
 loss of fortune, and at length he resolved to meet the difficulty by sell- 
 ing the H — shire estate, and by that means increasing Lord Bellefield's 
 allowance till it would amount to /3000 a year, in which case General 
 Grant might be informed of the truth without the match being broken 
 off, or Bellefield driven to desperation. Whereupon I observed 
 innocently enough that the success of the scheme would in great 
 measure depend on the tact of the person sent out to manage the 
 negotiation : Lord Ashford agreed in this most cordially, and then 
 saying how grateful he should feel to any one who would assist him in 
 this strait, looked hard at me " 
 
 " And you instantly undertook the commission ; I know it as well as 
 if I had been present and had heard all that passed," interposed Rose 
 with a smile, in which, though affection predominated, a slight shade 
 of regret might have been traced. 
 
 " Why, you see, Rose, as I am one of the family, there seemed a 
 
422 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 kind of obligation upon me to do something to help them ; and poor 
 uncle Ashford did look so pitiful ; and really if I had not undertaken it, 
 I don't know who could have been found to do so, for Bellefield quar- 
 relled with their family solicitor because he refused to allow him to 
 make ducks and drakes of some of the entailed property three years 
 ago ; and I shall not be gone long. Besides, I did not quite forget 
 you, Rosey, for, do you comprehend, I shall be able to see Lewis with- 
 out his fancying that I have been sent out expressly to look after him, 
 and perhaps I may be able to persuade him to come home and live in 
 England like a reasonable being and a Christian ; at all events, I shall 
 find out how he is going on there ; and I've another thing to talk to 
 Lewis about — I don't mean to remain for ever without a wife, Miss 
 Rose — you need not turn your head away — that's sheer silliness — you 
 know we are to be married some day, we expect matrimony will 
 increase our happiness, and we have sounder grounds for our expecta- 
 tions than most of the fools who yoke themselves together for life ; 
 those who do so, for instance, in order to obtain rank or riches — our 
 next-door neighbours to wit," and he pointed with his thumb in the 
 direction of the drawing-room, wherein were seated the mighty De 
 Grandeville and his lady-love. " As, therefore, my reasoning is good, 
 sound reasoning, and matrimony proved to be a desirable thing, why 
 the sooner we get the ceremony over the better ; so, as I said before, 
 don't turn away your head like a little goose, seeing that you're nothing 
 of the kind 1 " 
 
 " Poor Lewis," murmured Rose ; " he will scarcely rejoice to see 
 you when he learns that the object of your mission is to hasten the 
 marriage of Annie Grant with Lord Bellefield. Oh, Richard," she 
 continued eagerly, clasping her hands, " it will make him hate you — 
 do not go I " 
 
 " Well, now, I never thought of that," muttered Frere, thoroughly 
 perplexed. "Why will people go and fall in love with one another 
 that didn't ought to?" He paused, rubbed his hair back from his 
 forehead till it stood on end like the crest of a cockatoo, played with 
 Rose's workbox till he overturned it, and in his abstraction committed 
 so many gaucheries that his companion was on the point of calling 
 him to order when he suddenly returned to his senses, and taking 
 Rose's hand in his, began, "Now listen to me, my child: in the first 
 place, as this matter nearly concerns Lewis, and therefore you, I will 
 do nothing in it of which you do not approve ; premising this, I will 
 give you my own ideas on the subject. Touching Lewis's interest in 
 the affair, the question seems to hinge upon this point : does Annie 
 Grant care for him or not? If she does not, it can't signify to him 
 who she marries ; and as in that case she is probably attached to her 
 cousin (women don't always love wisely, you know), I should feel able 
 to carry out uncle Ashford's wishes with a clear conscience, and trust 
 to Lewis's good sense and kind heart not to incur his displeasure by 
 so doing. If, on the other hand, Annie by any chance loves him, and 
 has been bullied or persuaded into this engagement, I for one will 
 have nothing to do with promoting the match, but, on the contrary, 
 will exert myself to the utmost to prevent it ; and now what say you ? '' 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 423 
 
 "That by doing as you propose you will act rightly, kindly, and 
 judiciously, and that come what may of it, your interference must be 
 for good," returned Rose, gazing with looks of proud affection upon 
 the simple-hearted, high-principled "/lonesi maxi" (indeed "the noblest 
 work of God ") who sat beside her. " But," she continued after a 
 moment's thought, "there is one difficulty which I scarcely see how 
 you will get over — how are you to find out whom Annie Grant really 
 loves ? " 
 
 "Ask her myself," was the straightforward reply. Rose looked at 
 him to see if he were joking, but his face was earnest and resolved. 
 
 " Oh, Richard, you will never be able to do that," she remonstrated ; 
 " remember how such a question must distress her." 
 
 " Which do you think will distress her most — to be asked abruptly 
 to give her confidence to a person who is anxious to befriend her, or 
 to spend her life with one man, when all the time she loves another ? " 
 inquired Frere almost sternly. Then laying his hand on Rose's head 
 and stroking her glossy hair, he continued, " No 1 no I Rosey, away 
 with all such sophistries ; they are the devil's emissaries to render 
 people first miserable, and then reckless and wicked. Marriages, 
 properly so termed, may be made in Heaven, but depend upon it, the 
 spurious articles too often foisted upon the public under that name — 
 alliances in which this world's goods are everything, and the treasures 
 of the next world nothing — come from quite another manufactory." 
 
 Then there was a pause, and then Rose inquired when he proposed 
 to set out. 
 
 " Why, there is no good in procrastinating," was the reply ; " the 
 sooner I start the sooner I shall be back again, so to-morrow the 
 lawyer gets the necessary papers ready; the next day good Lady 
 Goosecap here is to be married, and I mean to attend the ceremony 
 in order to learn how to behave on such an occasion ; and the day 
 after that, if nothing unforeseen occurs to prevent me, I'm off! " 
 
 "You will write very often — every " (Frere raised his eyebrows) 
 
 " well then, every other day, will you not ? " urged Rose appealingly. 
 
 " What queer things women are ! " soliloquised Frere. " Now, if 
 you had been going to the North Pole," he continued, addressing 
 Rose, "it would never have occurred to me to ask you to write — I 
 should have taken it for granted that if you had discovered the north- 
 west passage, or done anything else worth mentioning, you would 
 have let one know ; and why people write if they have nothing to say 
 I can't think." 
 
 " At all events, it is a satisfaction when we are parted from those 
 who are dear to us to be assured that they are well," suggested Rose. 
 
 "Oh, nothing ever ails me," replied Frere, quietly appropriating the 
 remark ; " there is not a doctor in the country who has ever received 
 one farthing of my money; and as to physic — throw physic to the 
 dogs, always supposing you to have any such abomination to dispose 
 of, and any dogs at hand to throw it to : it's a thing I don't know the 
 taste of, and where ignorance is bliss — well, never mind, I'll write to 
 you all the same, if you have a weakness that way, whenever I can 
 find pens, paper, and a post-ofiic?; only if my letters should happen 
 
424 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 to be rather prosy, somewhat in the much-ado-about-nothing style, 
 small blame to me, that's all." Thus the expedition was agreed upon, 
 and Rose having told Frere some hundred things which he was to say 
 to and inquire of Lewis, sat down to write a few more " notes and 
 queries," winding up with a pathetic appeal to her brother to bring his 
 self-imposed exile to a conclusion. 
 
 So the silver-footed hours turned round the treadmill of time, till 
 the dewy morn appeared which was to witness the celebration of the 
 nuptials of Lady Lombard and the mighty Marmaduke De Grande- 
 ville. Oh, the ardour and bustle of that devoted household 1 As for 
 the servants, so late did they sit up and so early did they rise, that 
 going to bed at all became rather a superstitious observance than a 
 beneficial practice. Then everybody had to dress, first themselves 
 and then somebody else ; and the amount of white muslin concen- 
 trated in that happy family rendered space crisp, and gave a look of 
 pastoral simplicity to the most iniquitously gorgeous arrangements of 
 modern upholstery. 
 
 The bride's dress was wonderful — words are powerless to describe 
 it — happy those women who, favoured beyond all other daughters of 
 Eve, were permitted to behold it. One very young lady, rash in her 
 ignorance, ventured to ask how much the lace cost a yard. The 
 French artiste. Mademoiselle Melanie Amandine Celestine Seraphine 
 Belledentelles, piously invoked six authorised female saints, besides 
 the deceased Madame Tournour, at whose flounces she had sat to 
 acquire her art, and whom, on her lamented removal to Pfere la 
 Chaise, she had privately canonised for her own especial use and 
 behoof, and thus supported did not faint. The "mistress of the 
 robes, a black-eyed, brown-cheeked grisette, turned as pale as her 
 complexion permitted her and sank upon a chair, but being un- 
 provided with a smelling-bottle, thought it advisable not to proceed 
 to extremities, and the mother of the culprit hurried forward, and with 
 great presence of mind led her from the room— such mysteries are 
 not for the profane. 
 
 Then occurred a tremendous episode— the dress was disposed in 
 graceful folds over the ample person of its fortunate possessor, and 
 fttted seraphically; only the bottom hook and eye, situated in the 
 region round about the waist, would by no means permit themselves 
 to be united, and a lucid interval, hiatus valde lachrymabilis, was the 
 fearful consequence. The grisette did her very utmost, but her 
 strength was inadequate to command the success her zeal deserved 
 and with flushed cheeks and tearful eyes she glanced appealinelv to 
 Mademoiselle Melanie Amandine, etc., etc. '"ingiy lo 
 
 That ardent foreigner stepped forward to the rescue, all the nohip 
 self-confidence of her nation flashing in her coal-black eves and 
 gallantly assumed the post of danger-she was a small woman hnt 
 her frame was compact and wiry, and Tydeus-like— "'"'"an, out 
 
 " Her little body held a mighty mind." 
 Setting to work with spirit, she devoted all her enprm»= * ., 
 before her. and Lady Lombard winced palpably, iinconsfiously echobg 
 
D 
 
 <! 
 O 
 
 u 
 
 D 
 
 b 
 
 o 
 
 29 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 425 
 
 Hamlet's well-known aspiration — but that good lady's melting moods 
 were unfortunately mental, not bodily, and in this attempt " to take 
 her in" even the French dressmaker was foiled; the "too solid" 
 substance was not compressible beyond a certain point, and with a 
 sigh which had a marvellous resemblance to the word sacr-r-r-e, 
 Mademoiselle Melanie Amandine, etc., etc., desisted. 
 
 "Ah! qu'ils sont difficiles ces agraffes P' she exclaimed, rubbing 
 her little hands with a theatrical gesture. " I have not to myself force 
 in lesfioignets, vot you call oncles." 
 
 " Wrists," mildly suggested Mrs. Arundel, who was assisting to 
 attire the bride — " mine are very strong, let me try " — and suiting the 
 action to the word, she, Curtius-like, endeavoured to close the 
 yawning gulf, but in vain. 
 
 "Ah -non! t^est impossible — you shall only hurt your hands too 
 motch, cMre Madame Hirondelle," resumed Mademoiselle — " permit 
 me to ring zie bell, we shall make approach le maitre d'hoiel, vot you 
 call zie coachman of zie chambaire, who shall have much of force, et 
 ce sera unfait accompli.^' 
 
 "Stop, Madurmoysel," exclaimed Lady Lombard aghast, as the 
 energetic Frenchwoman laid her hand upon the bell-rope — "Stop, if 
 you please, I should not like— that is, it is not exactly the custom to 
 admit the male domestics into one's bedroom." 
 
 For a moment the Frenchwoman appeared utterly puzzled as to the 
 reason of the objection, then a light broke in upon her, and she began, 
 " Ah, je comprends/ it ees not etiquette; que je suisbite! how I am 
 stupide 1 mais quHls sont dtSles ces petits scandales Anglais! Vrai- 
 ment dest comme la comddie. A Paris nous ne remarquons pas ces 
 petits riens; et en Allemagne, zie Schneider, vat you call tailor, ils 
 font toutes les robes — mais comment faire done?" 
 
 '' Why really, Madurmoysel, je nur par — I mean, I don't think I 
 could bear it, if it was got to," remonstrated Lady Lombard ; " don't 
 you think the hook and eye might be moved a little ? it's unfortunate 
 I am so stout — maisje nur — can't help it." 
 
 " Oh, mille pardons, miladi. Your ladysheep shall not be too stout; 
 apris la premiire jeunesse V embonpoint is a great beauty ; but zie hook 
 and ee, dest dommagej cependant, nous verrons, ve shall see vot vill 
 be done." And so saying. Mademoiselle Melanie etc's nimble fingers 
 went to work, and a quarter of an inch was graciously accorded ; by 
 which means the impossible became possible, and the crisis was safely 
 got over. 
 
 As to breakfast (not the wedding-breakfast, but the breakfast before 
 the wedding, two very different matters), that was a regular, or rather 
 an irregular scramble : people ate and drank standing, like horses, but 
 in a general way feelings were stronger than appetites, and with the 
 exception of one middle-aged lady, blessed with a powerful intellect 
 and a weak digestion, who having medical authority never to allow 
 herself to feel hungry, breakfasted three times that morning with three 
 different divisions of the party, little justice was done to the viands. 
 
 Rose made herself generally useful, helping all the neglected ones, 
 and bringing comforts to the uncomfortable, until she scarcely left 
 
426 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 herself time to dress, and yet appearing the most charming little brides- 
 maid of the lot, although her five companions did not disgrace their 
 uniform of white muslin with pink embellishments (the white symbolis- 
 ing their maiden innocence, and the pink suggesting the cheerfulness 
 with which they would be willing to exchange it for the honourable 
 estate of matrimony). 
 
 Then the carriages came to take up, and Mrs. Arundel and the fair 
 Susannah, relict of Col. Brahmin, H.E.I.C.S., had the greatest difficulty 
 in sustaining the weak nerves and fluttered spirits of the bride elect, who, 
 as she herself expressed it, " borne down by two such agitating sets of re- 
 collections," might well be overcome. However, by the assistance of a 
 rich male Lombard relation (whose wealth gilded his vulgarity till Mam- 
 mon worshippers believed this calf a deity) she was safely conveyed to the 
 church, where De Grandeville awaited her, accompanied by a splendid 
 old ancestor, who might by a very slight stretch of imagination have 
 been taken for the identical De Grandeville who had come over with 
 the Conqueror, and been carefully preserved (in port wine) ever since. 
 Bracy was there, looking preternaturally solemn, all but his eyes, in 
 which, for the time being, the whole mischief of his nature appeared 
 concentrated, and Frere with him, serving his apprenticeship, as Bracy 
 phrased it. 
 
 In solemn procession thejr approached the altar, where the priest 
 awaited them, and opening his book, read to them an account of the 
 true nature of the ceremony they were about to celebrate — ^how it was 
 " instituted by God in the time of man's innocency," and was symbolical 
 of high and holy things, and being ordained to assist us in fulfilling the 
 various duties for which we are placed in this world, and on the due 
 performance of which will greatly depend our weal or woe for ever- 
 lasting, it should not be undertaken lightly or unadvisedly ; then De 
 Grandeville, having learned the theory of the matter, proceeded to 
 afford a practical commentary on the text by solemnly promising to 
 love and honour Lady Lombard till death them should part, while she, 
 in return, pledged herself (with less chance of perjury) to serve, obey, 
 and keep him during the term of her natural life; then he, Marmaduke, 
 took her, Sarah, from the hands of the wealthy Lombard relation, and 
 declared that he did so " for richer, for poorer," though we much fear, 
 if he had foreseen the smallest probabiUty of the realisation of this 
 latter proviso, the ceremony would have been then and there inter- 
 rupted, instead of proceeding as it did, sweetly and edifyingly, till it 
 wound up with " any amazement." And everybody being much pleased 
 and thoroughly satisfied, there was, of course, a great deal of crying, 
 though why they cried, unless it was to see so solemn an institution 
 thus wantonly profaned, and to hear peoi)le use words of prayer and 
 praise, and worship God with their lips, while in their hearts they were 
 sacrificing all the bitter feelings of their nature before the altar of 
 Mammon, we cannot telL 
 
 Aniongst the rest Mrs. Arundel wept most meritoriously, until 
 catching sight of Bracy sobbing aloud into a very large pocket-hand- 
 kerchief, her weeping became somewhat hysterical, and ended in a 
 sound suspiciously like laughter. Then people crowded into the 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 427 
 
 vestfy, which was about the size of a good four-post bedstead, and 
 names were signed, and fees paid, and small jokes made, and then 
 the whole party took coach and returned to the house, where the 
 wedding-breakfast awaited them. The humours of a wedding-break- 
 fast have been described so often and so well, that we shall merely 
 give a very faint outline of the leading idiosyncrasies of the affair in 
 question. 
 
 In the first place, people were very hungry, Nature having asserted 
 her rights and promoted Appetite, vice Feeling sold (or rather starved) 
 out. Even the lady with the weak digestion (which made up by 
 increased velocity for want of stamina) adding a very substantial 
 fourth to her three previous breakfasts. Then, as mouths grew dis- 
 engaged, tongues found room to wag, healths were drunk, and the 
 speechifying began. First uprose the De Grandeville ancestor, who 
 was a tall, thin, not to say shadowy old gentleman, with a hooked 
 nose and a weak voice, who whispered to the company that " he rose 
 to" — here his face twitched violently and he paused, in evident 
 distress, — "he rose to" — ^here a tremendous sneeze accounted for 
 the previous spasm, and the patient, evidently relieved, proceeded, 
 " he rose to" — once again he paused, struggling furiously with the 
 tails of his coat — " he begged to call the attention of the company 
 to — he had" — still the struggles with the coat-tail continued — "he 
 had a toast to propose;" here, amidst breathless attention, he 
 whispered to his nephew in an aside, audible throughout the whole 
 room, " Marmaduke, I've left it in my great-coat — the left-hand pocket, 
 you know;" "the toast was this" — "Thank you, Jenkins," to the 
 butler, who brought the missing handkerchief on a silver waiter, sticky 
 with the overflowings of champagne — " this was his toast — he hoped 
 that the company would do it justice — Health and happiness to the 
 bride and bridegroom." 
 
 And the company did it justice; so much so, that if the health and 
 happiness of the newly-married pair depended on the amount of 
 champagne their friends appeared willing to drink at their expense, 
 sickness and sorrow were evils against which they might consider 
 themselves amply secured. Silence being restored, the bridegoom 
 rose to return thanks, his inborn greatness manifesting itself in every 
 look and gesture, and dignified condescension adding a new grace to 
 his sonorous voice and grandiloquent delivery. Having glanced round 
 the table with the air of a monarch (in a fairy extravaganza) about to 
 address his parliament, he cleared his noble throat and began — 
 
 " In rising to — ar— return thanks for the honour you have done us, 
 in so cordially assenting to the toast proposed by a man whose 
 presence might confer a favour upon the most aristocratic assembly 
 m the land — a man whom — ar — even at this moment, which I have 
 no hesitation — ar — in — ar" — (hear, hear, and_ question from Bracy) — 
 " I repeat, no hesitation in — in — no hesitation in — ar — declaring to 
 be at once the proudest and happiest moment of my life— a man who, 
 even in this season of felicity, I yet distinctly — ar— yes, distinctly say, 
 I envy; for he has the honour to represent the elder branch of that 
 ancient and illustrious house of which I am a comparatively insig- 
 
428 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 nificant" (a groan of indignant denial from Bracy, which procured him 
 a gracious smile from the speaker), " yes, I — ar — repeat it, a compara- 
 tively insignificant, but I hope not an entirely unworthy descendant." 
 Here Bracy, after a slight struggle with Frere, who sought to prevent 
 him, rose, and speaking apparently under feelings of the greatest 
 excitement, said, " He was sorry to interrupt the flow of eloquence 
 which was so much delighting the company, but he was certain every 
 one would agree with him in saying that Mr. de Grandeville's last 
 observation, however creditable it might be to him, as evincing his 
 unparalleled and super-Christian (if he might be allowed the term) 
 humility, could not be allowed to pass unchallenged. He put it to 
 them collectively, as intellectual beings ; he put it to them individually, 
 as gallant men and lovely women (immense sensation) — if his noble 
 friend, the illustrious man to whose burning eloquence they had just 
 been listening, were allowed to set himself forth to the world as ' com- 
 paratively insignificant' and ' not entirely unworthy,' — he asked them 
 j^such terms as these were allowed to be applied to such a character 
 as that, where was society to seek its true ' monarchs of mind ' ? 
 where should it look for those heaven-gifted soul-heroes — those giants 
 of thought, those ' Noblers' and 'that Noblest,' to quote the glowing 
 words of one of the leading writers of the age, by whom its evils were 
 to be remedied, its abuses reformed, and its whole nature purified and 
 regenerated ? — he put it to them to declare whether Mr. de Grandeville 
 must not be entreated to recall his words ? " 
 
 Deafening applause followed Brac/s harangue, and the amendment 
 was carried nem. con. Thus fooled to the top of his bent, De Grande- 
 villeresumed his speech, and after making a very absurd display of 
 egotistic nonsense, family pride, and personal pretensions, gave the 
 health of the company generally, and of his ancient ancestor and the 
 vulgar Lombard relation in particular. Then more healths were 
 drunk and more speeches made, and a great amount of stupidity 
 elicited, interspersed with some drollery, when Bracy was called upon 
 to return thanks for the bridesmaids, which he did in an affected 
 falsetto, smiling, blushing, coquetting, and screwing up imaginary 
 ringlets, much after the fashion of the inimitable John Parry, when 
 it pleases him to enact one of the young ladies of England in the 
 nineteenth century. Then the female portion of the company retired to 
 relieve their feelings by a little amateur crying and kissing, champagne 
 and susceptibility being mysteriously united in the tender bosoms of the 
 softer sex; then the miraculous robe was taken off and the bride 
 re-attired for travelling; then the gentlemen came upstairs, all more 
 or less "peculiar" from drinking wine at that unaccustomed hour in 
 the morning, and some little business was transacted; one spirited 
 bridesmaid, who had had a shy young man nibbling for some time, 
 actually harpooning her fish, and landing him skilfully beyond all 
 chance of floundering out of an engagement, by referring him on the 
 spot to mamma. Mrs. Arundel, who by this time had learned to 
 entertain a most lady-like and unchristian hatred against the fair 
 Susannah, maliciously laid herself out to captivate the limp and un- 
 stable affections of Mr. Dackerell Dace, and succeeded so well, that 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL 429 
 
 she actualljf began to deliberate whether opulence and triumph over 
 her rival might not render Dace endurable as a permanency. Then 
 the travelling carriage with Newman's four greys drew up to the door, 
 and the stereotyped adieus were spoken, the stereotyped smiles smiled, 
 and tears shed, and all the necessary nonsense rehearsed with most 
 painstaking diligence, the only original feature in the whole affair 
 being Frere's remark to Bracy as the happy pair drove off — 
 
 " You were about right, old fellow, when you compared marrying 
 to hanging. I tell you what it is — sooner than undergo all this parade 
 of folly, absurdity, and bad taste, I'll be spliced at the pier-head at 
 Dover, and set sail for Calais as soon as the ring is on the bride's 
 finger ; better be sea-sick than sick at heart with such rubbish as 
 we've been witness to." 
 
 CHAPTER LXI. 
 
 " WE MET, 'TWAS IN A CROWD 1 " 
 
 Lord Bellefield safely accomplished his journey to Venice, reach- 
 ing that city of palaces without let or hindrance. Despite his im- 
 perturbable assurance, a close observer might have discovered from 
 external signs that his lordship was ill at ease, and in no particular 
 was it more apparent than in the marked change in his manner 
 towards General Grant and his daughter. The cold nonchalance 
 with which he formerly tolerated the General's stateliness, and the 
 easy, almost impertinent confidence with which he had been accus- 
 tomed to prosecute his suit to Annie, had given place to an affectation of 
 studiously courteous deference when he addressed the father, and to re- 
 spectful yet tender devotion in his intercourse with the daughter, which 
 proved that to secure the good opinion of the former, and, if possible, 
 the affections of the latter, had now become a matter of importance 
 to him. With General Grant he was in great measure successful, that 
 gallant officer believing, in his simplicity, that his intended son-in-law 
 had at length finished sowing his wild oats ; a species of seed which, 
 being universally acknowledged to contain, besides every small vice 
 extant, the germs of the seven deadly sins, has this remarkable pecu- 
 liarity, that being once sown, it is popularly supposed to bring forth 
 a plentiful crop of all the domestic virtues. Deluded by this fallacy, 
 the General fondly trusted that the coming event of matrimony had 
 cast its shadow before, and extinguished all the wild-fire which had 
 hitherto flung its baleful glare over his Lordship's comet-like course ; 
 or, to drop metaphor and condescend to that much better thing, plain 
 English, the gallant officer taught himself to believe that Lord 
 Bellefield had at length seen the error of his ways and intended to 
 marry and live virtuously ever after. With the lady, however, his 
 lordship did not succeed so easily; and skilful tactician as he not 
 unjustly considered himself, never had he felt more completely be- 
 wildered or more thoroughly perplexed how to act. Annie's whole 
 nature appeared to him so completely altered that he could hardly 
 
43° LEWIS ARUNDEL, 
 
 recognise her as the same person. Instead of the simple, amiable, 
 child-lilce character which he had despised but fancied would do 
 very well for a wife, he now found a proud, capricious beauty, 
 whose mood seemed to vary between cold mdiiference and a teasing, 
 sarcastic humour, which he could neither fathom nor control. If he 
 tried to interest or amuse her, she listened with a careless, distrait 
 manner, which proved his efforts to be completely unavailing ; if he 
 attempted the tender or sentimental, she laughed at him, turning all 
 he said into ridicule by two or three words of quiet but bitter irony. 
 She appeared tacitly to acquiesce in their engagement, but any attempt 
 to fix a time for its fulfilment served only to estrange her still more 
 Does the reader think this change unnatural ? may he never witness 
 the alteration which a grief such as Annie's makes, even in the gentlest 
 natures — may he never experience the bitterness of that nascent 
 despair, which can sour the sweetest temper and force cold looks and 
 cutting words from eyes accustomed to beam with tenderness, and 
 lips from which accents of affection alone were wont to flow ! 
 
 One morning, rather more than a week after Lord Bellefield's 
 arrival, an expedition was proposed to visit one of the architectural 
 lions of the picturesque old city, and as the General seemed inclined 
 to accede to the scheme, and Annie urged no objection, it was agreed 
 that they should go. 
 
 " I make one proviso," observed Charles Leicester, " and that is, 
 that you come home in good time. I don't want to frighten you, in 
 fact there is nothing to be frightened about, only I know that there 
 has been for some time past a spirit of disaffection abroad among the 
 workmen at the Arsenal, and if they should attempt to make a 
 demonstration by congregating in the squares and few open spaces 
 in this amphibious city, it might be disagreeable for you." 
 
 " But is such an event at all probable ?" inquired Laura. 
 
 "Why, yes," was the reply; "I had a note this morning from 
 Arundel " — catching a reproachful look from his wife, Charley stopped 
 in momentary embarrassment, then continued — " a — that is, from a 
 friend of mine, telling me such a thing was possible — however, I'll go 
 with you myself, and keep you in proper order." 
 
 As Charley in his forgetfulness blundered out the name of Arundel, 
 Laura did not dare to look at Annie; when, however, she ventured a 
 moment afterwards to steal a glance towards her, her features wore 
 the cold, listless look which had now, alas ! become habitual to them, 
 and exhibited no sign of emotion by which her friend could decide 
 whether she had remarked the name, or whether it had passed without 
 striking her ear. Almost immediately afterwards she rose, and saying 
 she supposed she had better get ready, quitted the room. Lord Belle- 
 field had not been present at this little scene. With faltering steps 
 Annie sought her own apartment, closed and locked the door; then, 
 instead of preparing to dress, flung herself into an easy-chair, and 
 pressing her hands upon her throbbing temples, tried to collect her 
 thoughts. She had heard the name only too clearly, and combining it 
 with Walter's tale of the ghost, had guessed the truth. He was then 
 in Venice, and not only that, but he had evidently established some 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 431 
 
 communication with the Leicesters, and must therefore be aware of the 
 presence of her father and herself; nay, by what she had gathered 
 from Charles's speech, he must be actually engaged in watching over 
 their safety; and as the idea struck her, a soft, bright light came into 
 her eyes, and a faint blush restored the roses to her cheeks, so that 
 any one who had seen her five minutes before would scarcely have 
 recognised her for the same person. " But with what purpose could 
 he be there ? why, if the Leicesters knew it, had they so studiously 
 concealed it from her? — from her I" and as she repeated the words 
 the recollection of Walter's speech, " He went away because he loved 
 you, and you did not love him," flashed across her. " What if it were 
 true ? what if he had really loved her, and had left them because his 
 feelings were becoming too strong for his control?" and then a 
 thousand remembered circumstances (trifling in themselves, but con- 
 firmatory of that which she now almost believed to be the truth) 
 occurred to her. But if this were indeed the case — if, instead of 
 resigning his situation because, as her fears had urged, he had guessed 
 at the nature of her sentiments towards him, he had loved her, and 
 his honourable feelings had driven him into a self-imposed exile — 
 what must he not have suffered I and oh 1 knowing as much as he 
 did of her feelings towards Lord Bellefield, what must he not have 
 thought of her, when he learned that in less than four-and-twenty 
 hours after his departure she had renewed her engagement to a 
 man he was aware she both disliked and mistrusted 1 above all, 
 what a false view must it have given him of her feelings towards 
 himself 1 Oh, how she hoped, how she prayed this blow might 
 have been spared him I Then the present, what did it mean ? the 
 future, how would it turn out? On one point she was determined: 
 only let her ascertain beyond a doubt that Lewis loved her, and 
 she would die rather than marry Lord Bellefield. The evils that 
 befall us in this world are not without even their temporal benefit. 
 Two years of hopeless sorrow had given a species of desperate 
 courage to a mind naturally prone to a want of self-dependence. 
 Anything was preferable to the anguish she had gone through; and 
 Annie Grant's decision now was very different to the "lady's yea" 
 or nay she would have uttered ere the storm of passion had swept 
 over her maiden spirit. 
 
 The effect produced on Annie by the new light which had broken in 
 upon her did not immediately pass away, and although her remarks 
 were chiefly addressed to her cousin Charles, Lord Bellefield was 
 equally surprised and puzzled by the change in her manner. In order 
 to reach the building they were about to visit, they were forced to disem- 
 bark from their gondola, and after proceeding along a species of cloister, 
 to cross one of the foot-bridges which so constantly in Venice inter- 
 sect the canals. Under the shade of an arch of this cloister stood the 
 tall figure of a man ; as the party approached he drew back further 
 into the shadow, and, himself unseen, observed them attentively as 
 they passed. The excitement of the morning had left its traces in the 
 flushed cheek and sparkling eye of Annie Grant. At the moment she 
 quitted the boat, Charley Leicester had made her laugh by some 
 
434 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 quaint remark on the personal appearance of a fat little individual who 
 was one of the gondoliers, but whose figure by no means coincided with 
 the romantic associations his avocation recalled. _ As, leaning on Lord 
 Bellefield's arm, she passed the arch behind which the stranger was 
 concealed, her companion addressed to her some observation which 
 necessitated a reply. Turning to him with the smile Leicester's obser- 
 vation had provoked still upon her lips, the light fell strongly on her 
 features, revealing them fully to the eager gaze of (for we intend no 
 mystification as to his identity) Lewis Arundel. He looked after them 
 with straining eyeballs, till a corner of the building hid them from his 
 view. Then dark lines spread across his forehead, the proud nostril 
 arched, the stern mouth set, the flashing eye grew cold and stony, and 
 a spirit of evil seemed to take possession of him. 
 
 " So," he muttered, " it has come to this ; with my own eyes have I 
 beheld her perfidy. It is well that it should be so, the cure will be the 
 more complete, and yet" — he pressed his hand to his throbbing brow 
 — "yet how beautiful she is I She is changed ; her face has acquired 
 expression, soul, power, all it wanted to render it perfect, and — to 
 madden me." 
 
 He paused, then appearing to have collected strength, continued 
 more calmly, " Yes, I have seen it ; she clung to his arm, she smiled 
 on him, she loves and will marry him. It is over; for me there must 
 be no past ; I must sweep it from my memory. Happiness I can never 
 know ; as far as the affections are concerned, the game of life is played. 
 Well, be it so, my art still is left me, and the dark, the unknown future." 
 
 Again he paused. Ere the arrival of the party, the sight of which 
 had so deeply affected him, he had been sketching an antique gable 
 opposite. He resumed his work, and by a few hasty but graphic 
 strokes transferred to his sketch-book the object which had attracted 
 him to the spot. Replacing his drawing materials, he continued, 
 "'Tis strange how the sight of that man affected me: I fancied 
 I had taught myself the evil and folly of nourishing sentiments of 
 hatred against him, and yet the moment I beheld him, all the old 
 feelings rushed back upon me with redoubled vigour. I must avoid 
 his presence, or my wise resolutions will go for nothing." He sighed 
 deeply. " This, then, is all the fruit of two years of mental discipline, to 
 find, at the end of the time, that I love her as deeply and hate him as 
 bitterly as I did at the beginning. Oh, it is humiliating thus to be the 
 slave of passion I " 
 
 Communing with himself after this fashion, Lewis quitted the spot 
 and proceeded in the direction of his own lodgings. On reaching the 
 square of St. Mark he found it partially occupied by an excited crowd, 
 composed of the very lowest order of the people, its numbers being 
 constantly swelled by fresh parties pouring in from various parts of the 
 city. It instantly occurred to Lewis that in order to reach the Palazzo 
 Grassini, Leicester and his companions would be forced to cross the 
 square, and consequently obliged to make their way through the 
 crowd ; and a feeling which he did not attempt to analyse, but which 
 was, in truth, anxiety for Annie's safety, determined hinv to remain 
 there till he had seen them return. Accordingly, turning up his coat 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 433 
 
 collar, and slouching his hat over his eyes in order to conceal his 
 features, he mingled with the crowd. In the meantime the Grant 
 party, ignorant of the difficulties that awaited them, were quietly 
 examining statues and criticising pictures. 
 
 " Laura, you look tired, and Annie seems as if she were becoming 
 somewhat 'used-up,'" observed Leicester, glancing from his wife 
 towards his cousin. " No wonder either, for we've been on our feet for 
 more than two hours, and as for my share in the matter, I tell you 
 plainly, if you keep me here much longer, you'll have to carry me home 
 on your back, Mrs. Leicester, for walk I won't." 
 
 Thus urged the ladies confessed their fatigue, and their willingness 
 to return ; but there was still another gallery of paintings unseen, which 
 the General evidently wished to visit. He had commissioned an 
 artist to copy two or three of them, and he required Lord Bellefield's 
 opinion as to the propriety of his choice. This occasioned a difficulty, 
 which Laura met by proposing the following scheme — viz., that she, 
 Annie, and Charley should leave the General and Lord Bellefield to 
 their own devices, and taking a gondola, row to a point at which they 
 would be within two minutes' walk of St. Mark's. Lord Bellefield 
 made some slight remonstrance, and it was clear he disapproved of 
 the scheme, but the General was peremptory, so he had no resource 
 but to submit with the best grace he was able. 
 
 " Famous things gondolas are, to be sure," observed Charley, as, 
 placing a cushion beneath his head, he stretched himself at full length 
 under the awning; "they afford almost the only instance that has 
 come under my notice in which the intensely romantic and the very 
 decidedly comfortable go hand in hand — they cut out cabs, and beat 
 'busses into fits. Now, we only want a little melody to make the thing 
 perfect — Laura, sing us a song 1 " _ 
 
 " Sing you asleep, you mean, you incorrigible " 
 
 " There, that will do; don't become vituperative, you termagant," in- 
 terrupted her husband. "Annie, dear, gentle cousin Annie, warble forth 
 something romantic with your angel-voice, do, and I'll say you're " 
 
 "What?" inquired Annie. 
 
 " A regular stunner 1 " was the reply. 
 
 " And if the epithet be at all appropriate, it clearly proves me un- 
 qualified for the office," returned Annie, smiling, " so you really must 
 hold me excused." 
 
 "Then the long and short of the matter is that the duty devolves 
 upon me," rejoined Charley, and slowly raising himself into a half 
 sitting, half kneeling attitude, he placed himself at his wife's feet, after 
 the fashion of those very interesting cavaliers who do the romantic on 
 the covers of sentimental songs; then having played an inaudible pre- 
 lude upon a supposititious guitar, he placed one hand upon his heart, 
 and extending the other in a theatrical attitude towards the boatman, 
 begun — 
 
 " Gondolier, row— O ! " 
 
 when, having extemporarily parodied the first verse of that popular 
 melody, he was beginning the second with— 
 
434 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " Ain't this here go — 
 Glorious — oh — o " 
 
 when the prow of the gondola struck against the steps where they 
 were to land with so sharp a jerk as to pitch the singer on his hands 
 and knees, and effectually check his vocalising. After discharging 
 the boatman, they proceeded a short distance along the bank of the 
 canal, and then turned down a narrow lane, or alley, leading to the 
 square of St. Mark. In this Leicester was annoyed to perceive knots 
 of disreputable-looking men talking rapidly, or hurrying along with 
 eager gestures towards the square. Finding, as they advanced, that 
 the crowd became thicker, Leicester paused, irresolute whether or not 
 to proceed. 
 
 " Surely we had better turn back," urged Laura. " I should not 
 be afraid if we were alone, for I know you could take care of me, 
 
 but ," and she glanced towards Annie, who, although she said 
 
 nothing, had turned very pale, and clung with convulsive energy toher 
 cousin's arm. Charles looked back, and to his utter dismay perceived 
 that the crowd behind had been increased by a fresh accession of 
 numbers, and that their retreat was effectually cut off. 
 
 " There is nothing remaining for us but to keep on," he said; "the 
 stream of people appears, fortunately, to be going our way, and all we 
 can do is to go with it : I dare say they are too much engrossed by 
 their own affairs to trouble their heads about us. Whatever occurs, 
 don't let go my arm, either of you; it is rather disagreeable, certainly, 
 but there is nothing to be really afraid of, and we shall reach home in 
 five minutes." 
 
 Hoping these assertions, in regard to the truth of which he was him- 
 self somewhat sceptical, might suffice to reassure his companions, 
 Leicester continued his course, occasionally annoyed by the pressure 
 of the crowd, but not otherwise molested till they reached the square 
 of Saint Mark. Here the sight that awaited them was by no means 
 encouraging: the whole space was filled with a dense crowd of the 
 lowest rabble of Venice, who, many of them the worse for liquor, 
 ajjpeared in a state of considerable excitement, and filled the air with 
 mingled shouts, cries, and curses. To pass safely through such an 
 assembly, with his attention divided between his two charges, appeared 
 next to impossible, and thoroughly perplexed, Charles Leicester paused, 
 unable to decide whether it were better to advance or attempt to 
 retrace their steps. As he thus pondered a rush of people forced 
 them forward, and they found themselves completely hemmed in by 
 the crowd, while from the pressure of those around them Laura and 
 Annie experienced the greatest difficulty in retaining their grasp of 
 Charley's arm. Still no personal incivility was offered them, and 
 Leicester began to hope they might gradually make their way across 
 the square without actual danger, when a cry from Annie convinced 
 him of his error. The cause of her alarm was as follows : — 
 
 One of that industrious fraternity (some members of which are to be 
 met with in eveiy large city) whose principles in regard to the rights 
 of property are reprehensibly lax, attracted by the sparkling of a 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 435 
 
 valuable brooch in Annie's shawl, conceived the opportunity too good 
 to be lost ; accordingly, pressing close to her, he made a snatch at the 
 ornament, seizing it so rudely as to tear open the shawl and partially 
 drag it from her shoulders. As, alarmed by her cry, Charles turned to 
 discover its cause, a tall figure sprang forward and wrested his spoil 
 from the robber, flinging him off at the same time with such force that 
 he staggered and fell ; then addressing Leicester, the stranger said in 
 a deep, stern voice, each accent of which thrilled through Annie's very 
 soul — 
 
 "Make for the church steps — think only of protecting Mrs. 
 Leicester. / will be answerable for this lady's safety." 
 
 Then Annie was conscious that her shawl was replaced and care- 
 fully wrapped round her, and she felt herself half-led, half-carried for- 
 ward by one before whose resistless strength all obstacles seemed, as it 
 were, to melt away. How they passed through that yelling, maddened 
 crowd she never knew, but ere she had well recovered from her first 
 alarm at the ruffian's attack, she found herself placed on the steps of 
 St. Mark's Church, her back leaning against a column, and the tall, 
 dark figure of her preserver standing statue-like beside her, in such a 
 position as to screen her from the pressure of the crowd. Involuntarily 
 she glanced up at his features ; hidden by the coat collar and slouched 
 hat, the only portion of his face that remained visible was the tip of a 
 black moustache, the proud, arched nostril, and the cold, stony gaze of 
 two fierce black eyes, fixed upon her as though they would pierce her 
 very soul. It was a look to haunt her to her dying day, and worse 
 than all, she understood it! 'In a moment the idea flashed upon her. 
 He had loved her 1 he knew she was about to marry his bitterest 
 enemy, and now he hated her. Poor Annie, if mental agony could 
 kill, that instant she had died. Lewis, thou art bitterly avenged 1 
 
 CHAPTER LXII. 
 
 "points a moral," and so it is to be hoped "adorns 
 
 A TALE." 
 
 "What is the next move?" inquired Leicester, coming up with 
 his arm round his wife's waist, and his hat crushed into the shape 
 of a biffin. 
 
 " Wait here for a few minutes," returned Lewis, " the crowd is 
 already dispersing in the direction of the Arsenal." 
 
 " The Arsenal, what do they want there ? " inquired Leicester. 
 
 " To waylay Marinovitch as he leaves the place, and murder him," 
 returned Lewis in a stern whisper, " but he has been warned of their 
 design, and will of course take measures to ensure his safety." 
 
 " Pleasant all this 1 " muttered Leicester, taking off his injured hat 
 and endeavouring in some degree to restore its original shape ; " here's 
 a case of wanton destruction — glad it is not my head all the same. 
 Now the coast seems pretty clear, suppose we move on." 
 
 Coldly and silently Lewis resumed his office of guardian : the space 
 
436 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 intervening between St. Mark's Church and the Palazzo Grassini was 
 passed in safety, and they stood within the courtyard of Leicester's 
 dwelling. Charley laid his hand on Lewis's shoulder. 
 
 "You will come in? "he said; "you are hot and tired, and require 
 refreshment — a jflass of wine?" 
 
 Lewis shook his head. 
 
 " It is impossible," he replied coldly; then adding, " I am happy to 
 have been of use to— to Mrs. Leicester and yourself," he raised his hat 
 slightly to Annie and turned to depart : recollecting however that he 
 still held in his hand the brooch which he had rescued from the 
 ruffian's clutches, he paused with the intention of giving it to Laura ; 
 but Laura had caught sight of " Tarley's" curly head peeping out at 
 her, and actuated by a sudden impulse of maternal affection, or for 
 some other reason which we shall not attempt to fathom, she had 
 tripped off in the direction of her self-willed offspring. Leicester was 
 slowly following her, all his faculties apparently engrossed by a second 
 attempt to reform his outraged hat. Lewis and Annie were left there- 
 fore virtually alone. Advancing towards her with an_ expression of 
 countenance so cold and immovable that every feature might have been 
 carved in marble, Lewis began — 
 
 " I beg pardon, I had forgotten to return your brooch." 
 
 It was the first time that morning he had personally addressed her, 
 and his doing so appeared to break the spell which had kept her 
 silent ; she took the brooch from him, murmuring some indistinct words 
 of thanks, then gaining courage as she proceeded, she glanced at him 
 appealingly, saying — 
 
 " Strange as this meeting is, I am sure I cannot be mistaken — Mr. 
 Arundel, have you quite forgotten me ?" 
 
 As she uttered these words a kind of spasm passed across Lewis's 
 face, and for a moment he appeared afraid to trust himself to speak ; 
 recovering, however, he replied in the same cold, measured tone which 
 he had used throughout the adventure — 
 
 " No, Miss Grant, / (and he laid an emphasis on the pronoun, so 
 light that a casual observer would not have detected it, and yet which 
 shot a pang through Annie's heart that caused her colour to come and 
 go, and her limbs to tremble) do not forget so quickly." 
 
 Unable to meet his glance, which she felt was fixed upon her, 
 and scarcely conscious, in her agitation, of what she was saying, Annie 
 faltered out — 
 
 " You will give my father an opportunity of thanking you, I hope ; 
 he will, I cannot doubt — that is, we shall all be glad to renew our 
 intimacy with so old a friend." 
 
 Lewis paused ere he could trust himself to reply. Her evident 
 emotion, the earnestness of her manner, half timid, half imploring, 
 tended to soothe his wounded spirit and disarm his wrath ; but the 
 vision of the morning, in which he had seen her clinging to Lord 
 Bellefield's arm and smiling upon him, was too fresh in his recol- 
 lection, and the demon of pride and jealousy still retained full dominion 
 over him. 
 
 " You must pardon me," he said, " I will reserve my visit to General 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 437 
 
 Grant till I can congratulate him on his daughter's marriage." Then 
 raising his hat ceremoniously, he bowed to her, and was gone ! 
 
 No traces of the tumultuous assembly, which had so greatly alarmed 
 Laura and Annie, remained when Lord Bellefield and General Grant 
 crossed the square of St. Mark on their return from the morning's 
 sight-seeing. As they drew near the Palazzo Grassini, a tall lad in 
 squalid raiment, leaning upon crutches, and with a patch over one 
 eye, approached and begged of them. The General at first refused to 
 listen to him, but becoming wearied by his pertinacity, felt in his 
 pocket for something to give him. 
 
 " I have no small change about me," he remarked, after a minute's 
 ineffectual search, " but you have, Bellefield ; they gave you a handful 
 of their stupid little coins at the last shop we went into. Lend me 
 two or three, will you ? " 
 
 As he mentioned his companion's name the beggar fixed his piercing 
 eye on the features of the person addressed, scanning them eagerly, 
 as though he sought to fix them indelibly in his memory. Returning 
 his glance with a haughty stare, his lordship carelessly flung him a 
 couple of Zwanzigers and passed on. The beggar watched his re- 
 treating figure till it was no longer visible, then turning quickly, hobbled 
 with his crutches out of the square, continuing the same method of 
 progression till he reached the nearest canal, when, looking round to 
 assure himself that he was not observed, he coolly pitched his 
 supporters into the water, removed the patch from his eye, which by 
 no means seemed to require such a protection, walked briskly till he 
 reached a spot where a small skiff was moored, springing into which 
 he commenced rowing vigorously, and was soon hidden from sight by 
 a bend of the canal. 
 
 When Lewis returned to his lodgings the following note awaited 
 him: — 
 
 " My search is ended ; I have found my sister in time to see her — 
 die ! Her seducer, heartless in his villainy, brought his victim to a 
 foreign land, kept her in luxury till his fancy wearied of her, and then 
 left her — to starve. My curse has little power, or it would have 
 withered him long ago; but may the curse of that God who made 
 him and her cleave to him until — / meet him. Sir, I know not how 
 to thank you. She has told me how you warned her, how you explained 
 to her his real character. She was infatuated, but it is not for me to 
 judge her. We seem a doomed race, fatal alike to ourselves, to those 
 we love, and to those we hate. Oh, that she could live I she is soft 
 and gentle, and — ay ! though a scoundrel has debased her, still I say 
 it — she is good and pure, and she would have calmed my angry spirit ; 
 she would have taught me to love something human. But it was not 
 to be : each hour that I sit by her I expect to be her last. She sends 
 you her blessing; may God's go with it. " MILES H ." 
 
 Lewis could not peruse this letter without deep emotion. In the 
 just, though, jJas ! ill-governed indignation which gave a rude eloquence 
 even to the expression of this poor youth's outraged feeling, he traced 
 a likeness to his former self. " Heartless in his villainy, he kept her 
 in luxury till his fancy wearied of her, and then left her — to starve." 
 
438 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 This was the man Annie Grant loved and was about to marry 1 Oh, 
 how his heart bled for her 1 He pictured to himself her future life- 
 how she would gradually, by slow and painful steps, discover her 
 husband's true character, each advance in knowledge a new and 
 separate misfortune, until love should become indifference, and in- 
 difference end in hatred. Even yet he might prevent it His London 
 agent had forwarded to him that morning an English newspaper 
 containing an unmistakable allusion to the events of the Derby day, 
 and openly declaring Lord Bellefield a defaulter. This shown to 
 General Grant, and his tale of Hardy's daughter verified by the 
 evidence now in his possession, the old soldier would sooner see his 
 daughter lying dead at his feet than sanction her union with a man 
 devoid alike of honour and of principle. But then came in pride. 
 Had he known that Annie loved him, or had General Grant never 
 mistrusted him, Lewis would have come forward without a moment's 
 hesitation ; but his motives had been once doubted, his affections 
 betrayed, and his pride could neither forget nor forgive it. Besides, 
 Lord Bellefield would attribute his interference to a feeling of petty 
 malice ; such was not the revenge for which, despite his principles 
 and his reason, his soul still thirsted. So pride gained the day, though, 
 tyrant-like, in the very midst of his triumph he made his victim 
 miserable. 
 
 Unable to apply his mind to anything, he strolled out, trusting the 
 evening air would allay the fever of his blood. After wandering about 
 restlessly for some time he remembered that he had eaten nothing for 
 many hours, and turning into the nearest casino he called for wine 
 and biscuits. Having finished his frugal repast, he was about to leave 
 the house when three persons entered, and crossing through the 
 refreshment-room, passed into a salon which he knew to be devoted 
 to play. One of the three, a short, insignifica'nt-looking man, was a 
 stranger to him, but the two others he recognised instantly — they were 
 Walter and Lord Bellefield. A sudden impulse prompted him to 
 follow them ; at that time in the evening the salon was certain to be 
 pretty well filled, and Lewis trusted to avoid observation by mixing 
 with the crowd, relying on the alteration in his appearance to escape 
 recognition, even if he were perceived either by Walter or Lord Belle- 
 field. Accordingly, waiting his opportunity, he joined a group of 
 Italians, who, eagerly talking over the attempt upon the life of Colonel 
 Marinovitch (which had been frustrated by his escaping on board the 
 corvette which guarded the harbour), scarcely perceived this addition 
 to their party. Entering with them, and still keeping in the back- 
 ground, he took up a position whence he could observe the proceedings 
 of those for both of whom he felt an interest equally deep, though so 
 utterly distinct in character. 
 
 Lord Bellefield, who appeared unusually listless and indifferent, 
 lounged up to the table and staked a few Napoleons on the chances 
 of the game ; then, drawing forward a chair he seated himself, and 
 continued carelessly to watch the proceedings of the other players. 
 But despite the presence of the man he hated, Lewis's attention soon 
 became wholly absorbed in observing Walter. From his entire 
 
LteWis Arundel. 439 
 
 conduct it was evident that this was by no means his first visit to the 
 salon ; on the contrary, it was only too plain that a taste for gambling 
 had been implanted in the poor boy's feeble yet obstinate mind. 
 That he clearly understood the nature of the game Lewis could not 
 believe, but that he had acquired sufficient insight into the rules to 
 enable him to adhere to them, and that he was keenly alive to the 
 results of the deal, or the throw, elated when he won and depressed 
 when he lost, was most certain. 
 
 The third person of the party, whom Lewis rightly conjectured to 
 be his successor in the office of tutor, did not play himself, but 
 appeared to take great interest in Walter's game, looking over his 
 cards and advising him what to do. Lewis also noticed that when- 
 ever Walter won he always received gold, but that his losses were 
 paid in paper money, and the truth immediately occurred to him — 
 viz., that, child-like, the poor boy only attached value to the glittering 
 coin, and that the worth of the bank-notes had been completely mis- 
 represented to him, so that he believed himself winning when in fact 
 he was losing considerable sums. Moreover, from certain glances 
 which passed between Mr. Spooner and the proprietor of the salon, 
 who held the bank, Lewis became convinced that some secret under- 
 standing existed by which the tutor shared in the profits. 
 
 That Lord Bellefield was entirely ignorant of all that was passing 
 before his eyes Lewis could not conceive, while at the same time the 
 trifling nature of the stakes rendered it most unlikely that he could 
 have any personal interest in the affair; the probability therefore was 
 that he saw what was going on but felt totally indifferent as to the 
 matter. This view was confirmed when, as Walter grew more excited, 
 began playing higher, and at last staked ten Napoleons upon one 
 cast, Mr. Spooner approached Lord Bellefield and whispered some- 
 thing in his ear, to which his friend replied carelessly, " Oh, let him- 
 have his fling while he's in the humour;" then in a lower tone he 
 added, " Fm not blind t but the money is, I dare say, of more use in 
 your pocket than in his, so you'll be the greater fool of the two if you 
 attempt to prevent him." 
 
 Spooner appeared again to urge some difficulty, to which Lord 
 Bellefield rejoined with a sneering laugh, " Yes, it swXsyou charmingly 
 to assume the role of the innocent ! Can't you get him to sign another 
 bond payable when he comes' of age ? Tortoni will no more refuse to 
 cash It than he did on a former occasion;" then smiling again, he 
 added, " I tell you I am not blind, man ami, but 'tis no concern of 
 mine ; I am not the lout's guardian, Heaven be thanked." Although 
 from the position in which he stood Lewis only caught a word or two 
 here and there of this conversation, yet his quick apprehension supplied 
 the blanks with sufficient correctness, and the whole villainy of the 
 thing burst upon him. Here was a man engaged to educate and 
 watch over the poor, feeble-minded being before him abusing the 
 power thus entrusted to him to lead him to evil, and availing himself 
 of the imbecility he was bound to protect to swindle his helpless 
 charge; while Lord Bellefield, whose duty it was to denounce such 
 nractices to General Grant the instant he suspected them, had 
 *^ 30 
 
44d LEWIS ARUNDEL,. 
 
 evidently not only no intention of doing so, but sat Coolly looking on, 
 smiling with a fiend-like satisfaction at each fresh development of 
 human wickedness. 
 
 As Lewis watched Walter's flushed cheeks, eager eyes, and hands 
 which trembled as they were stretched out to receive the gold which 
 this time he had been allowed to win ; as he marked the lines which 
 excitement and the permitted indulgence of a capricious, obstinate 
 temper had traced upon his smooth brow and round the corners of his 
 mouth, all his old affection for the poor boy rushed back upon him, 
 and his just anger grew to such a pitch that he could scarcely repress 
 it. At this moment a fresh deal had begun. 
 
 " I will win more," exclaimed Walter eagerly ; " Mr. Spooner, tell 
 him I want to double my stake." 
 
 " But that has been done already," was the reply ; " the dealer has 
 doubled every one's stake this time." 
 
 " Then I will double that," returned Walter, carried away by the 
 excitement of the game ; " tell him so, I say." 
 
 Spooner appeared for a moment undecided ; the stake, thus quad- 
 rupled, amounted to forty Napoleons, and alarmed at its magnitude, 
 he glanced in irresolution towards Lord Bellefield. A look of undis- 
 guised contempt for his pusillanimity was the only reply his lordship 
 vouchsafed ; goaded on by which, Spooner turned to comply with his 
 pupil's direction. 
 
 But Lewis could bear it no longer ; regardless of consequences, he 
 strode across the room and laid his hand upon Walter's shoulder, 
 saying as he did so, in a gentle though determined voice, " Walter, 
 you must not play for such high stakes." 
 
 With a cry of mingled joy and surprise Walter sprang from his seat, 
 gazed earnestly at Lewis's features, then exclaimmg, " Oh, you have 
 come back at last 1 " threw himself upon his friend's breast with a 
 burst of tears. Much affected, Lewis returned his embrace, and lead- 
 ing him carefully to a seat, waited till he should recover from his 
 surprise and emotion. In the meantime the game had come to a 
 standstill, the bystanders, consisting chiefly of foreigners, being as 
 much charmed by such a scene as an Englishman would have been 
 annoyed at it. The moment quiet was in some degree restored, the 
 proprietor, mindful of his own interest, resumed his deal, inquiring 
 with a glance at Spooner what sum his young friend had staked. 
 Spooner paused, but Lord Bellefield, who had risen and with lowering 
 brow approached the scene of action, prompted him, and he replied, 
 " Forty Napoleons." 
 
 Lewis's eye flashed. " It is at your peril you do this," he said; "my 
 first act on quitting this place shall be to inform General Grant of the 
 manner in which you betray the trust he has reposed in you." 
 
 Spooner turned pale ; but relying on Lord Bellefield's support, 
 managed to stammer out, "And pray, sir, who the deuce may you 
 be ? " 
 
 "I will tell you, and this worshipful company also," exclaimed Lord 
 Bellefield, stepping forward. " This fellow is, or rather was, a menial 
 m General Grant's household, discarded for insolent behaviour, and 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL 44t 
 
 as such unfit for the society of gentlemen, into which as he has now 
 ventured to intrude himself, I, for one, vote he be ignominiously 
 expelled." 
 
 This speech caused, as might be expected, a sensation throughout 
 the room, and the bystanders congregated round Lewis and Lord 
 Bellefield, glancing from one to the other, to discover from their bear- 
 ing arid appearance which was the true man, and which the false. Up 
 to this moment Lewis had been wrapped in a large Spanish cloak; he 
 now allowed it to ^\ide from his shoulders, as, advancing a step, he 
 boldly confronted his adversary. 
 
 " Your lordship has been pleased to speak explicitly," he said j 
 " were I inclined to follow your example, / might, with some shadow 
 of truth, denounce you as a ruined blackleg and an outlawed de- 
 faulter ; but I prefer simply declaring that in the statement you have 
 just made you have maliciously and unequivocally — lied ! " 
 
 As he spoke he raised his head proudly, and folding his arms across 
 his breast, waited the effect of his words. He was not kept long in sus- 
 pense. However numerous might be Lord Bellefield's faults, a want of 
 personal courage was not one of them. As Lewis referred to the cause 
 of his ignominious exile his face grew pale with rage, but when he gave 
 him the lie his fury became uncontrollable. Springing forward with 
 a leap like that of a maddened tiger, he struck Lewis a violent blow 
 on the cheek, which, firmly as his feet were planted, staggered him, 
 exclaiming as he did so — 
 
 " Take that, beggar 1 " Instead of rushing on his adversary, as 
 those amongst the spectators who knew him (and there were several 
 who did so) expected, Lewis, recovering himself, stood for an instant 
 regarding Lord Bellefield with a smile of triumph, though to those who 
 remarked him closely there was an expression in his eyes which, in 
 spite of themselves, caused them to shudder, while, strange to say, he 
 was drawing a soiled zvhi/e kid glove on his right hand; having done 
 so, he advanced a step, saying in a stern, deep voice — 
 
 "Your Lordship is too generous — the beggar returns your alms- 
 giving — thus ! " 
 
 As he spoke there was a sudden movement in the crowd— a fright- 
 ful blow was struck, and Lord Bellefield lay insensible on the ground, 
 the blood flowing from a cut on his forehead, whilst over him stood 
 Lewis, his mouth set, and his eyes burning with the fire of hatred. 
 Several of the bystanders sprang forward to assist the fallen man, 
 but Lewis sternly motioned them back. 
 
 "Wait," he said, — his voice sounded deep and hollow, and there 
 was something in the expression of his face which quelled the stoutest 
 heart amongst those who stood around him, — drawing the glove from 
 the hand which had struck the blow, he dipped it in the Ijlood that 
 still trickled from the forehead of the fallen man, muttering to himself 
 as he did so, " ThcU, then, has come to pass — is the rest to follow ? " 
 He next examined the countenance of his prostrate foe — " He is merely 
 stunned," he said ; " raise him, and bring water to bathe his temples." 
 As he spoke he assisted those who stepped forward to lift the injured 
 man and place him on a chair ; having done so, he left him to the 
 
444 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 care of the bystanders, and again folding his arms, stood coolly await- 
 ing the issue. 
 
 The event justified his predictions ; on the first application of the 
 cold water Lord Bellefield revived, and in less time than could have 
 been expected, the bleeding, which was very slight, was arrested. As 
 soon as he had recovered sufficiently to speak, he said, addressing a 
 young Italian of rank, with whom he was acquainted, and who had 
 been bathing his temples with the cold water — 
 
 " Rastelli, you may inform that scoundrel that he has succeeded ; 
 rather than allow him to escape with impunity, I will undergo the 
 degradation of meeting him." He spoke in a low, faint voice, but the 
 expression with which he glanced towards Lewis as he pronounced 
 the word " scoundrel " was one of undying hatred. 
 
 " If your Lordship intended to apply that observation to the Signore 
 Luigi, I shall have the felicity to explain that your Excellency labours 
 under a mistake ; that gentleman is the son of a gallant officer, with 
 whom I have had the honour to serve in more than one campaign. 
 It is no condescension in any one under the rank of a Royal Prince to 
 meet the son of the brave Captain Arundel." 
 
 The speaker was an old General Officer in the Austrian service, 
 who possessed a European reputation, and whose dictum on all points 
 of honour was conclusive. Lord Bellefield bit his under-lip in anger 
 and vexation, cursing his own hastiness which had elicited this vindi- 
 cation of his enemy : perceiving, however, that he should only place 
 himself still more completely in the wrong by any attempt to impugn 
 the old Austrian's statement, he merely bowed haughtily in reply, then 
 desiring to be shown into a private room, he took Rastelli's arm and 
 quitted the salon. 
 
 Lewis stood gazing after his late opponent with a dark and troubled 
 countenance; it was not remorse that he experienced, for were the 
 deed to have been done over again, he would not have shrunk from 
 its performance ; and yet the feeling which engrossed him partook of 
 a remorseful character — it seemed to him as though he had now lost 
 all power of free will — he had taken the first step, and the rest must 
 follow ; there was no longer any possibility of turning back. Like one 
 walking in his sleep, he pemiitted himself to be led Jnto another room 
 — he heard, as in a dream, Rastelli enter and make arrangements with 
 a young Austrian officer who had volunteered to act as his second for 
 his meeting Lord Bellefield at daybreak. As the person challenged, 
 he had the choice of weapons, but he waived his right, and allowed his 
 opponent to select pistols. Ehrenburg (his second) whispered to him 
 that Lord Bellefield was reported to be a dead shot, but an indifferent 
 swordsman. 
 
 "The more reason to allow him to choose pistols," was Lewis's 
 careless reply. 
 
 Ehrenburg still urged the madness of throwing away a chance. 
 " It will be no boy's play," he said ; " mark my words, Luigi, this duel 
 will be one for life or death." 
 
 "Do you think I do not know it?" returned Lewis sternly, 
 ' ay, as well as if I now saw him lying dead before my feet," and 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 443 
 
 as he spoke an involuntary shudder passed through his powerful 
 frame. 
 
 " May not another contingency be possible, buoti amico ? especially 
 if you allow him to secure the advantage of pistols?" suggested 
 Ehrenburg. 
 
 "Would to Heaven it might so occur," was Lewis's eager reply; 
 " I hope no better fate than to die by his hand, believe me ; but it will 
 not be so — I know — I feel it ? Ehrenburg, that man has stood like 
 some evil spirit across my path ; time after time he has heaped insult 
 upon me ; once, coward-like, the assassin sought my life ; but till to- 
 night I have never opposed him. Why ? because it is written here " 
 (and he touched his forehead) "that when the final struggle shall 
 come, my destiny is stronger than his, and he must perish. You may 
 smile and deem my words the mere ravings of superstition, but you 
 will see, ^we meet to-morrow morning, Bellefield will never leave the 
 ground alive, and I shall quit it with the brand of Cain upon my brow." 
 
 He spoke so gravely and with such an evident belief in the reality 
 of his convictions, that for a moment Ehrenburg himself felt impressed. 
 But a duel was no very uncommon event with the young Austrian : 
 he had been principal on two occasions, when no serious result had 
 followed, and second on half-a-dozen more ; besides, he was essentially 
 a practical man. So he merely shrugged his shoulders, hinted that 
 Lewis's nerves might be excited, which would produce these little 
 fancies, advised him to take a cup of coffee, and then repair to the 
 shooting-gallery and practise steadily for an hour or so to get his hand 
 in, promised to be with him in good time on the following morning, 
 inquired whether he could be of any further assistance, and then 
 strolling back to the gaming-table, relieved Lewis of his presence. 
 
 To gain his lodgings and lock himself into his studio was scarcely the 
 work of five minutes; then flinging himself upon the first seat that 
 came in his way, he gave himself up to bitter thoughts. Two years 
 ago he had fled his country, had quitted all who were dear to him, 
 because his fieiy passions were beyond his control — because he had 
 loved too deeply and hated too bitterly. He had plunged into a life 
 of wild adventure to dissipate his feelings ; he had schooled his heart 
 in solitude ; he had devoted all his energies to the acquirement of an 
 art; nay, he had devoted the first eflforts of the skill he had thus 
 gained to embody a visible representation of the danger of ill-bestowed 
 love and the curse of gratified revenge ; and this was the result 1 
 
 He remained for a few minutes with his head resting on his hands, 
 apparently stunned by his conflicting feelings ; then rousing himself 
 by an effort, he heaved a deep sigh and drew out the glove. As his 
 eye fell upon the stain of blood, he shuddered, and hastily putting it 
 from him, began pacing up and down the apartment. An antique 
 lamp hung by a chain from the ceiling, throwing its light strongly on 
 the two pictures from the " Giaour." Involuntarily Lewis paused before 
 them, and remained gazing from one to the other with an expression 
 of remorse and horror. "Am I indeed about to realise these creations 
 of my gloomy fancy ? " he murmured ; " shall I become that human 
 tiger, th^t stony, ^gqUess image of impenitent despair! Revenge, 
 
444 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 how I have thirsted for it 1 how, when writhing under that man's 
 insults, I have pictured to myself the day of reckoning, and deemed 
 hfe itself would be a cheap sacrifice for one hour of unlimited ven- 
 geance j and now, when this coveted boon lies within my grasp, I see 
 it in its true light, and own this wished-for blessing to be a dark, con- 
 suming curse. Seen through the distorted medium of outraged feeling, 
 retribution appeared an act of justice. The demon wore an angel's 
 form. But viewed in its true aspect, the sentiment is that which leads 
 to murder, and the deed, with its sickening details, revolting butchery. 
 Yet, seeing this clearly, knowing to what it will lead, I must go on : I 
 owe him satisfaction. Satisfaction ! " and he smiled at the mocking 
 term. " Yes," he resumed, " I must go on, even if I wished to turn 
 back. If I coutd forego my revenge and forgive him, it is now too 
 late. Well, be it so ; 'tis weakness to repine at the inevitable. I will 
 meet my fate boldly, be it what it may ; and for him, he has brought 
 the punishment upon his own head, and must abide the issue 1 " He 
 resumed his walk up and down the apartment ; then a new idea struck 
 him. "What a strange expression her features wore when she ventured 
 to address me," he said ; " and in the crowd she did not shrink from 
 me, but trusted herself to me with a gentle, child-like confidence." 
 He paused, pressed his hand to his forehead, then exclaimed, " O God, 
 if I have wronged her — if" — and here his voice sank almost to a 
 whisper — " if. Heaven help me, she should have loved me after all 1 " 
 
 Completely overwrought by these conflicting emotions, Lewis sank 
 into a chair, and burying his face in his hands, struggled in vain for 
 composure, a deep-drawn, choking sob from time to time attesting his 
 mental agony. How long he remained in this position he never knew. 
 It might have been minutes, for he took no note of things external ; it 
 might have been hours, for a lifetime of heartfelt desolation appeared 
 crowded into that dark reverie. He was aroused at length by a tap 
 at the door, which, as at first he could scarcely collect his ideas 
 sufficiently to attend to such sublunary matters, soon grew into a loud 
 and impatient knocking with the handle of a stick or umbrella. 
 Imagining it to be one of his artist friends, come probably to bring 
 him information in regard to the late disturbances, he replied in Italian 
 that he was particularly engaged and could not see any one. 
 
 " Polite and encouraging, certainly," muttered a deep-toned voice, 
 at the first sound of which Lewis sprang from his seat and listened 
 with an eager yet half incredulous expression of countenance. " A 
 thousand and one pardons, Signor," continued the person on the out- 
 side, speaking in Italian, with a peculiarity of accent which proved 
 him to be unaccustomed to pronounce the language, or probably even 
 to hear it spoken ; " but you really must condescend to see me, even if 
 Diabolus himself is supping with you, and there is only macaroni 
 enough for two." 
 
 Without a moment's hesitation Lewis flung open the door, and there 
 in propria persona stood Richard Frere and the cotton umbrella 1 
 
 "Frere, dear old fellow! is it, can it indeed be you?" exclaimed 
 Lewis joyfully, forgetting for the moment everything in the surprise of 
 welcoming such an unexpected visitant. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 443 
 
 " Yes, it's me," returned Frere, squeezing and shaking his friend's 
 hand as if he had a design of reducing it to a jelly. " Richard's him- 
 self, and no mistake. Lewis isn't himst\(, though, it seems, but 
 Signore Luigi, forsooth. I had hard work to find you, I can tell you. 
 But good gracious I what has happened to the man?" he exclaimed, 
 catching sight of Lewis's bearded face and pale, haggard features, 
 " why, he has turned into somebody else, bodily as well as in name. 
 You look just like one of these horrid Italian fellows, with the proper 
 tragic expression of countenance which they get up by way of adver- 
 tising that they are ready and willing to cut throats at half-a-crown 
 a windpipe, country orders punctually executed, and the business per- 
 formed in a neat and tradesman-like manner; but tell me seriously, 
 you're not ill ? " 
 
 " Not in body, nor usually in mind either,'' was the reply; "but to- 
 day events have occurred which have thoroughly unmanned me, still I 
 shall 'win through it,' somehow; and now tell me of yourself, of Rose, 
 of my mother — they are well ?" 
 
 "A good deal better than you seem to be," growled Frere, who 
 during this speech had been attentively observing his friend's features; 
 " however, I'll soon satisfy your curiosity — and then you shall satisfy 
 mine," he added in an undertone, and removing a wonderful species 
 of travelling cap, he followed Lewis, who led the way to his inner 
 apartment, and then listened eagerly to Frere's account of the various 
 events which had taken place since he had quitted his native land. 
 Rose, by Frere's special desire, had, in writing to her brother, hitherto 
 forborne to allude to her engagement ; the worthy bear, with a char- 
 acteristic mixture of deep-seated humility and surface vanity, fearing 
 that Lewis might not think him a fitting match for his sister, and 
 therefore feeling anxious that the matter should be disclosed to him 
 in the wisest and most judicious manner possible— «.«., by himself wVa 
 voce. Thus, after having spoken of various less important matters, 
 Frere was gradually working his way towards the interesting disclosure 
 with a degree of nervous diffidence quite unusual to him, when Lewis, 
 whose attention began to flag, brought him to the point by exclaiming, 
 " And about Rose, what is she doing : she tells me in her letters she 
 still writes for some magazine ; but is she looking well ? does she 
 seem happy ? though I suppose," he continued, trying to hide his 
 state of mind by falling in with his friend's jesting mode of speech, 
 "these are minor particulars into which it never occurs to your 
 wisdom to inquire. I know your old habit of practically ignoring 
 the existence of women as a sex, regarding them as a race of 
 unscientific nonentities fitted only ' to suckle fools and chronicle small 
 beer.'" 
 
 Frere for a moment looked rather disconcerted ; then veihng his 
 discomfiture under an affectation of rough indifference, he replied, " I 
 can tell you one ' minor particular,' as you call it, and that is the fact 
 of the young lady in question being engaged to be married." 
 
 " Nonsense I" exclaimed Lewis, starting, "you are probably joking," 
 he continued seriously; "but you know not, dear old friend, how 
 deeply such tidings might affect me at this moment ; you know not— 
 
446 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 how should you ? — the mood of mind in which you find me ; but tell 
 me in a word, is there any earnest in what you have said ? " 
 
 " In a word," muttered Frere, " hum ! concise and epigrammatical 
 that ! but I'll try to accommodate you, so here goes by way of answer. 
 Yes!" 
 
 " And she has never even hinted at such a fact in her letters,'' ex- 
 claimed Lewis ; " out of sight, out of mind, indeed. I may have — 
 Heaven help me I — I have neglected my trust, in my self-engross- 
 ment ; but I did not think Rose would have been the person thus to 
 visit my sins upon my head. Who is the man ? " he continued sternly. 
 In the whole course of his existence Frei-e had never felt more uncom- 
 fortable; all his old diflSdence and humility rushed upon him, and for 
 the moment he felt as if he had been suddenly detected in an act of petty 
 larceny ; however, his sturdiness of nature and common sense came 
 to his rescue, and he replied, "It is no fault of Rose's, for /made it 
 an especial point that she should not tell you of her engagement by 
 letter." 
 
 '■'■You did, and wherefore?" inquired Lewis in surprise. 
 
 " Because I chose to tell you myself," returned Frere. " Your sister 
 is not an angel, for angels live in heaven and not on earth, but she is 
 the most lovable, the most pure-minded, decidedly the sweetest- 
 looking woman (though that does not so much signify) in this world, 
 and I should have added, the most sensible, only that she has, in her 
 tenderness of heart, seen fit to promise to marry a rough, uncouth 
 animal like me. Lewis, old fellow," he continued in a faltering voice, 
 " I know better than you can do how unworthy I am of such a blessing, 
 but if loving her better than my own life gives me any title to possess 
 her, Heaven knows that I do so." 
 
 When Frera reached that point in his peroration at which he men- 
 tioned Rose's promise to marry him, his auditor started, and raising 
 his eyes, murmured an ejaculation of fervent thankfulness. As he 
 concluded, Lewis clasped his hand eagerly in his own, saying, " My 
 dear old Frere, you know not how happy you have made me ; one 
 great weight, which was crushing my soul to the dust ere you appeared, 
 is removed by your words. Of all men living you are the one I would 
 have selected for my dearest Rose's husband ; and now, if I— that is 
 to say, whatever befalls me she will be happy." 
 
 "Then you are not disappointed?" rejoined Frere, greatly relieved; 
 " you know you used at one time to be just a very little bit ambitious, 
 and I fancied you might have been cherishing some splendid scheme 
 for marrying Rose to a duke— she's good enough for the best of 'em, 
 even if dukes were what they should be, instead of what they are 
 too many of 'em. Well, I'm very glad 1— but now about yourself 
 — ' if anything befalls you,' you say; pray what is likely to befall you 
 more than any other people ? and what do you mean by being crushed 
 by a weight, and by looking so melodramatically miserable?" 
 
 Lewis heaved a deep sigh, and then replied, " You speak jestingly; 
 but there are many melodramas less strange than my wayward fortune : 
 such as it is, however, I have provoked and will go through with it. 
 Frere, you love Rose for her own s^ke, be kind to and forbearing with 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 447 
 
 my mother for mine — she has many faults, a giddy head, an impulsive 
 disposition (than which there can be no greater temptation), but a 
 warm heart— -and— and I feel I have never done a son's duty by her. 
 Frere, you will take care of her?" 
 
 The events of the day and evening had well-nigh exhausted even 
 Lewis's untiring energy, and the sight of Frere arriving so unex- 
 pectedly had brought back to him so many home memories, recollec- 
 tions of earlier days, ere with the strength and freedom of manhood 
 had come its trials and its sins, that as he thought of these old 
 associations and remembered kindnesses slighted, affection cast away, 
 duties neglected, for the sake of that one master-passion, he forgot for 
 the time the wrongs he usually felt so keenly, and remorse for his 
 selfish neglect overwhelmed him and caused his voice to falter and his 
 eyes to grow dim with the mist of unshed tears. Frere perceived his 
 emotion, and waited till it had in a degree subsided ; then going up 
 to him, he laid his hand on his shoulder caressingly, saying, " Come, 
 Lewis, we have known each other from boyhood ; we have long been 
 brothers in affection, and are soon about to become so in name, asso- 
 ciated by a still nearer tie — we never used to have secrets from each 
 other, and should not do so now. I have learned from Rose the cause 
 you have had for sorrow, and for two years have suffered you to try your 
 own method of cure, without attempting to interfere with you, but I 
 now see that the experiment has failed, and that you are miserable — 
 is it not so.?" 
 
 Lewis bowed his head in token of assent, he could not trust himself 
 to speak. 
 
 " We are not placed in this world to be miserable,'' continued 
 Frere ; " true, this life is a state of trial, and it would not be so if we 
 had not many evils, temptations, and sorrows to endure ; but by God's 
 help the evils may be borne, the temptations overcome, and the 
 sorrow turned to joy, if we do not oppose our will to His ; but if we 
 do, sin lieth at the door, we league ourselves with the enemy of man- 
 kind, and misery must come of it. Do not misunderstand me," he 
 added kindly ; " I do not seek to blame you, I can have no pleasure 
 in so doing, but on the contrary deepest pain ; still it is evident your 
 mind is diseased, and if in probing the wound to discover the nature 
 of the evil I hurt you, you must pardon me for the sake of the object I 
 have in view. But I am talking at random, for want of a more clear 
 insight into the cause of your present difficulty. Come, be frank and 
 open with me ; let us face the evil boldly, and between us devise some 
 means of overcoming it." 
 
 " What brought you here ? " exclaimed Lewis, suddenly raising his 
 head and fixing his piercing eyes full upon his friend's countenance. 
 
 Frere smiled a melancholy smile. " Hot-headed, petulant, and 
 jealous of interference yet ! " he said. " My poor Lewis, I did not 
 come to catechise you — affairs of quite another nature brought me 
 here : I am trying to carry out an arrangement between my uncle 
 Ashford and your ci-devant foe. Lord Bellefield." As he mentioned 
 Lord Bellefield's name Lewis shuddered, and his eyes again sought 
 the groui}4. " An4 no\v that I liave cleared up this alarming doubt," 
 
448 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 resumed Frere, " tell me what ails you, for that you are miserable, and 
 that I mean to know wherefore, and do my best to render you other- 
 wise, are two self-evident facts." 
 
 '"Tis useless," returned Lewis in a low voice; "the die is cast, and 
 neither you nor any one else can help me. Would to Heaven you 
 had come a day sooner and taken me away from this accursed place ; 
 as it is, my own mad passion has hurried me on, and my fate is fixed. 
 Now," he continued, glancing at the clock, which stood at a quarter 
 to twelve, " I must ask you to leave me — we may meet to-morrow — or 
 — if anything should prevent it — and if~if I have not an opportunity 
 of telling you all you seek to know — my papers — that is, I will leave 
 you a letter explaining everything — good-night." Scarcely able to 
 control his voice in this which Lewis felt might too probably be a last 
 farewell, he hurried through the speech in a strange, almost incoherent 
 manner. 
 
 Frere regarded him fixedly. "Unless you condescend to explain 
 to me what you purpose doing within the next twenty-four hours," he 
 said, " I'll not leave you till that time has expired. I tell you what it 
 is, Lewis : I have not lived three-and-thirty years in the world without 
 having learned to read men's faces, and I read in yours that you are 
 standing on the verge of some great folly, madness, or — crime ; and 
 now, what is it ? " 
 
 Lewis paused for a moment in deep thought, and then said calmly, 
 " Sit down, Frere ; you are an Englishman, and a man of highly 
 honourable feeling; moreover, you are my oldest, my most cherished 
 friend. I am, as you say, maddened by circumstances and on the 
 verge of a great crime; sit down, I will tell you all, and you shall 
 judge between God and man, and me." 
 
 Calmly, clearly, truthfully, in the deep silence of night, did Lewis 
 recount to his friend the strange passages with which the reader is 
 already acquainted ; he related the simple facts, whether they told for 
 or against him, just as they occurred ; without entering into unnecessary 
 detail he left nothing important unsaid, till Frere had conceived a 
 clear idea of Lewis's whole career from the hour he entered Broadhurst 
 to the moment in which he was speaking. 
 
 " The upshot of all this is," observed Lewis in conclusion, " that I 
 am weary of life ; littleness, brutality, and oppression in man, weakness 
 and treachery in woman, and the tyranny of passion in oneself, render 
 this world an incipient hell. To-morrow must end it one way or the 
 other — either he will shoot me or I shall shoot him ; the latter con- 
 tingency I shall not long survive ; such remorse as I should feel would 
 be unendurable. To save myself from the guilt of suicide I shall 
 volunteer into some fighting regiment engaged in these civil broils — 
 Tyrian or Trojan, Austrian or Venetian, I care little; my sympathies 
 side with one, my associations with the other, and with either I may 
 obtain the only prize I covet — a soldier's death." 
 
 " Now Usten to me, Lewis," returned Frere gravely. " I once at 
 your own request promised you that while we both lived I would never 
 give you up, but would stand between you and your fiery passions, 
 and I thank God who in his n^grcy has sent me here at this particular 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 449 
 
 moment to enable me to fulfil my engagement. You have suffered, 
 and are suffering deeply, and from my heart I pity you ; but seeing, 
 as I do only too clearly, the cause of all this misery, it would be no 
 kindness in me to omit to point it out to you. Your two leading 
 faults of character, pride and an overweaning degree of self-confidence, 
 are at the bottom of it all. Pride made Lord Bellefield your enemy — 
 when he offered money for the dog he never intended to insult you ; 
 your proud answer irritated his pride, and from that time forth he 
 sought to injure you — evil produced evil, dislike grew to hatred, hatred 
 begat revenge, revenge cherished only required opportunity to become 
 developed into assault and murder; that opportunity has now arrived, 
 you have been guilty of the first, you contemplate the second. So 
 much for pride — now for self-confidence. You imagined nothing could 
 tempt you to forget your dependent position in General Grant's family 
 (a position which your pride led you falsely to consider a degradation) 
 so far as to forfeit your self-respect by loving Annie, so you permitted 
 yourself to enjoy her society till your affections were beyond your own 
 control— mistake number one. Then self-confidence whispered that 
 it would be heroic to overcome this passion, so instead of avoiding 
 the danger, you stayed to brave it till you had sacrificed your happiness, 
 if not hers also — mistake number two. Still untaught by experience, 
 in your own strength you endeavoured to crush out the memory of 
 the past ; still thinking only of self, you fled your country, recklessly 
 severing ties and neglecting duties. Two years' vain struggling have 
 proved your boasted strength to be abject weakness, unable to save 
 you from becoming the slave of your evil passions, and I arrive here 
 to find you contemplating the sin of— well, if I call it murder you will 
 deem that I exaggerate, so I will say the sin of gambling in a lottery 
 of manslaughter, with every chance against you." Lewis again raised 
 his eyes to Frere's face as he replied calmly, but in a cold, hard tone 
 of voice — 
 
 " You have described my miserable career harshly indeed, but in the 
 main truly. You profess yourself my friend — in making this painful 
 recapitulation therefore I presume you to have some friendly object ; 
 what is it ? " 
 
 " First to exhibit to you the disease, then to point out the remedy,'' 
 returned Frere. 
 
 " And if you can do this," exclaimed Lewis — " if, remembering what 
 I am, you can show me how I might have avoided my errors in the 
 past, how I may do aught to retrieve them in the future, I will indeed 
 reckon you my friend — ^nay, I will bless your coming as that of an 
 angel sent from heaven to aid a desperate, well-nigh a despairing 
 man." 
 
 " Pray what religion do you profess ? " asked Frere abruptly. 
 
 Lewis started, but recovering himself, replied coldly, " The same as 
 you do yourself." 
 
 " And do you believe in the truth of it ? " 
 
 " Why ask such a question ? " returned Lewis with a slight degree 
 of annoyance perceivable in his tone; "whatever may have been my 
 faults, I am no infidel." 
 
450 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " I will tell you why I ask," replied Frere ; " because, though you 
 confess with your lips the truths of Christianity, in your life you have 
 practically denied them." 
 
 Lewis made no answer, and Frere continued in an earnest, impressive 
 voice, his manner becoming every moment more animated as he grew 
 excited with his subject — 
 
 " If, as you say you do not doubt, Christianity be true, it amounts to 
 this. The God who made and governs this world has been pleased to re- 
 veal to us His will — namely, that if we believe in Him and obey Him, He 
 will save us from eternal misery and bestow upon us eternal happiness. 
 To enable us to fulfil the second condition, that of obedience, He has 
 given us a code, not so much of laws as of principles of action, by 
 which we may become a law to ourselves. In order to demonstrate 
 how these abstract principles are applicable to the exigencies of our 
 mundane career. He sent His Son into the world, ' a man subject to 
 like passions as ourselves, only without sin,' because he was a consistent 
 embodiment of the doctrines he taught. Now had you taken these 
 precepts, to which you accord an unpractical and therefore an equally 
 senseless and useless belief, as the rule of your actions, how different 
 a result would have followed; instead of provoking animosity by 
 haughty looks and proud words, you would have remembered that ' a 
 soft answer turneth away wrath ; ' instead of returning evil for evil, you 
 would have considered the example of Him, who ' when He was 
 reviled, reviled not again,' and called to mind His precepts, ' resist not 
 evil, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despite- 
 fuUy use you and persecute you ; ' instead of seeking to avenge your 
 own quarrel by deeds of violence, which outrage nature, and bring their 
 own punishment with them even here, in the pangs of conscience, you 
 would have thought of His words who hath said, ' Vengeance is Mine, 
 I will repay,' and left your cause in His hands. Instead of attempting 
 to do everything in your own strength, and failing thus miserably, you 
 would have recollected that ' God's strength is made perfect in our 
 weakness,' and prayed to Him for support and assistance. Even now, 
 instead of having recklessly determined to expose yourself to the 
 chance of committing what you own to be a crime of such frightful 
 magnitude, that the remorse it must entail on you would be unbear- 
 able, the question would be, not, how at any sacrifice you must 
 vindicate your honour in the eyes of men, but ' how then can I do this 
 great wickedness and sin against God?'" He paused, then asked 
 abruptly, " Do you admit all this ? " 
 
 Lewis's features worked convulsively, as in a hollow, broken voice 
 he replied, " Yes I do, God help me ! " 
 
 "And He will help you," returned Frere, "if your repentance is 
 indeed sincere; but that must be proved by acts, not words— Will 
 you give up your revenge, and agree not to meet Lord Bellefield to- 
 morrow ? " 
 
 " No, by Heaven ! " exclaimed Lewis fiercely, springing to his feet. 
 " The sole possession my father bequeathed to me was his name and 
 his spotless honour, and it shall never be said that he left tl^em tQ one 
 whom men ha(} a right tp c^U coward," 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 451 
 
 " And yet a coward you are," returned Frere sternly, " not in the 
 particular of brute courage, shared with you by the tiger and the wolf, 
 but in the far higher attribute of moral courage, the martyr spirit 
 which enables the highest order of minds to endure the scorn of 
 worldly men, rather than offend God and degrade themselves by the 
 commission of evil. I will ask one more question, and then I have 
 done with you : you say you believe in a future and eternal life — are 
 you fitted to enter upon that life to-morrow through the dark portal 
 of a sudden and violent death ?" 
 
 As Frere uttered these awful • words, in a tone of the deepest 
 solemnity, Lewis, who had been impatiently pacing the room, stopped 
 short as though arrested in his course by a thunderstroke. Placing 
 his hand to his brow, he staggered as if about to fall, and Frere sprang 
 up to support him. Recovering himself, he murmured — 
 
 " I must be alone, in half-an-hour you shall know my decision." 
 
 Then opening the door, he motioned to Frere to await him in the 
 painting-room, and closing it after him, locked it. What passed in 
 that half-hour — ^how, prostrate before the Great White Throne, the 
 proud man wrestled with his agony, can be known but to One, 
 the Searcher of Hearts. When, at the expiration of the prescribed 
 time, the door was gently unclosed and Frere entered, he found Lewis, 
 pale indeed and trembling, but calm as a little child, 
 
 " Bless you, dear old friend 1 " he said, " Truth and you have 
 conquered; I place myself in your hands — do with me as you will." 
 
 CHAPTER LXIII. 
 
 SHOWS HOW IT FARED WITH THE LAMB WHICH THE WOLF HAD 
 WORRIED. 
 
 About nine o'clock in the evening marked by the occurrence of the 
 events narrated in the last chapter, General Grant was informed that 
 a young man, who refused to give his name, requested five minutes' 
 private conversation with him. Somewhat surprised at this demand, 
 the General followed the servant into an apartment used by Charles 
 Leicester as a study, and desired that the person might be shown in; 
 in another moment a tall, swarthy young fellow, dressed in the garb 
 usually worn by the lower classes in Venice, made his appearance. 
 As soon as the servant had quitted the room, the stranger presented a 
 note to the General, saying, "If you will read that, sir, you will perceive 
 the object of my visit, and learn the necessity which forces me to 
 intrude upon you at such an untimely hour." 
 
 The note, which was written in a delicate but somewhat illegible 
 female hand, ran as follows; — 
 
 " A dying woman implores you, sir, to visit her; not for her own sake, 
 for her hope rests in God and not in man, but for the sake of one 
 who must be dearest to you in the world — your daughter. The writer 
 has information to impart to you which may save you and her 
 from years of deepest misery. The bearer of this note will conduct 
 
4S2 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 you safely to one who again implores you by all you hold sacfed 
 not to neglect this summons, or delay returning with the messenger, 
 lest you should arrive too late. The writer pledges her word, the 
 word of one about to enter upon eternity, that you shall return safely." 
 
 " This is a very strange note," observed General Grant, suspiciously 
 eyeing the young man, who stood awaiting his decision; "how am I to 
 know that this is not some cunningly devised scheme, dangerous to 
 my life or liberty ? " 
 
 " I swear to you that you may safely trust me,'' replied the stranger 
 eagerly; "adopt what precautions you will, leave your money, or aught 
 that is of value, at home — take pistols with you, and if you see any 
 signs of treachery, shoot me through the head. I could tell you that 
 which would render you as eager to accompany me as you now appear 
 unwilling to do so, but I have promised, to leave her to explain the 
 affair as seems to her best — she is my sister, and dying; if you delay 
 you will arrive too late." 
 
 " You are an Englishman, I presume ? " inquired the General, still 
 undecided. 
 
 " I am so," was the reply, " and have served my country on board a 
 man-of-war." 
 
 "A sailor 1 what was your captain's name, and what ship did you 
 belong to ? " demanded the General. 
 
 " ' The Prometheus ' — Captain Manvers," was the concise answer. 
 
 " Were you in her during the year i8 — ? " continued his questioner, 
 and receiving a reply in the affirmative, added, "Where were you 
 stationed then ? " 
 
 " We accompanied a convoy of transports, taking the — th and — th 
 foot to Madras, and then proceeded to China," was the answer. 
 
 The General nodded approvingly. " Quite true," he said ; " Captain 
 Manvers is a friend of my own, and I know his vessel to have been 
 then employed as you have stated. I will trust you ; wait five minutes 
 while I prepare to accompany you." 
 
 Within the time he had mentioned General Grant returned, wrapped 
 in a military cloak, beneath which he wore a belt supporting a sabre 
 and a brace of pistols. 
 
 " If I do not return in two hours, give this note to Mr. Leicester," he 
 said to the servant who attended them to the door ; then motioning to 
 the stranger to precede him, he quitted the Palazzo Grassini. Leaving 
 the square of St. Mark they advanced towards the Rialto ; crossing 
 this, and passing the fruit and vegetable market beyond, they reached 
 a spot where a gondola was moored. Having stepped into it, the 
 General, on a signal from his guide, seated himself near the stern, while 
 the young sailor took an oar and assisted his companion in propelling 
 the light vessel. Having proceeded some short distance m this 
 manner, the rowers paused at a flight of steps. Here the stranger 
 signified to General Grant that they must disembark ; then resuming 
 his office of guide, he led the way along the banks of the canal, and 
 through courts and narrow alleys, inhabited by the lower orders of 
 Venice, till he stopped before a rude door. At this he tapped twice in 
 a peculiar manner. . An old crone appeared in obedience to his sum- 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 453 
 
 tiions, ana cautiously unclosing the door, admitted them. Taking a 
 lamp from her hand, the young man led the way up a steep flight of 
 stairs, closely followed by his companion. 
 
 "Wait one minute," he said as they reached the top; returning 
 almost immediately, he continued in a low whisper — 
 
 " She is awake and perfectly collected, but appears sinking fast ; she 
 is anxious to see you without delay ; tread as lightly as possible, and 
 follow me." 
 
 Advancing a few steps, he opened the door of a bedroom, and the 
 General, stooping his head to avoid striking it against the top of the 
 doorway, entered. The apartment, though small, was clean and more 
 comfortably fitted up than from the external appearance of the house he 
 had been led to expect. On a low truckle bed, in one corner of the room, 
 lay the form of the dying girl ; at a sign from her brother, General 
 Grant approached, and seating himself on a chair by the bedside, 
 waited till she should address him. For a few minutes she appeared 
 quite unable to do so, and her visitor feared, as he gazed on her 
 emaciated form and sunken features, that she had indeed delayed her 
 communication till the paralysis of coming death had sealed her lips, 
 never again to unclose in this life. In his earlier days General Grant 
 had been familiar with death in some of its most appalling shapes ; he 
 had seen men fall by his side, mutilated by ghastly sabre wounds, to 
 be trampled under the hoofs of maddened, plunging horses ; he had 
 stood immovable when the deadly artillery ploughed up the ground 
 around him and mowed down whole ranks as the scythe of the reaper 
 prostrates the nodding corn; and when the word of command had 
 gone forth, he had led on the stern remnant that were left, till the 
 bayonet avenged the losses they had sustained ; and when the fight 
 was won, he had sat by the couch of some wounded comrade, and 
 watched the strong man battle as it were with death, and yield his last 
 sigh in a fruitless struggle with the inexorable enemy. But he had 
 never before seen any one worn to the brink of the grave by sorrow 
 and disease, and despite his utmost efforts to the contrary, the sight 
 shocked and distressed him deeply. The picturesque stage of decline 
 had long since passed away, and in the appearance of his victim the 
 destroyer stood revealed in his true colours. The features of the poor 
 sufferer were characterised by an expression of fatigue and distress, 
 that told of long days and weary nights of patient endurance ; she was 
 so emaciated that the form of the skull and the outline of the bones 
 of the cheek and jaw were distinctly visible through the parchment- 
 like skin, giving a strange, unearthly appearance to the face, while the 
 parched lips, the dark fever spot burning in the centre of each cheek, 
 and at intervals the low, husky cough, which once heard can never be 
 mistaken, evinced only too surely the presence of that fell disease, 
 which seems, as its peculiar attribute, to select its victims amongst the 
 young and fair. Her whole appearance was so worn and corpse-like, 
 that when, after a paroxysm of coughing, she raised her drooping eye- 
 lids and fixed her earnest, appealing glance upon her visitor, he started 
 as though he had seen one raised from the dead by the agency of some 
 special miracle. 
 
454 Lewis arundel 
 
 "I thank God that you are come, sir," she said in a low, swefet 
 voice, " that I may yet do some good before I die. I have been the 
 cause of much evil in my short Ufe, and I felt it was a duty to tell you 
 the truth of my sad history, and do the little that is possible to save 
 another from enduring the same misery that has brought me_ to the 
 condition in which you see me." She paused, and the silent, inward 
 cough — the voice of death — again shook her fragile frame. " You do 
 not know me," she resumed; " I am Jane Hardy." As she mentioned 
 her name the General started, and bending his head, drank in her 
 every word with deep attention. " About three years ago," she con- 
 tinued, "or perhaps rather less, a gentleman who was staying at 
 Broadhurst was thrown from his horse while hunting. He was stunned 
 by the fall, and some of his companions brought him to our cottage. 
 There was no one but myself at home, and I fetched water and bathed 
 his temples. As soon as he began to revive, the friends who had 
 brought him said laughingly that they could not leave him in better 
 hands, and quitted us to follow the hunt. As the gentleman began to 
 recover he entered into conversation with me. He was very witty 
 and clever, and told me of the fine sights he had seen in foreign lands, 
 and many other beautiful and wonderful things which I had never 
 heard of, and before he went away he drew me to his side and kissed 
 me, and said he should come again to see his kind little nurse, and I 
 — God help me — I was young and simple, and I believed all he said, 
 and from that hour I loved him. Well, sir, he came not only once, 
 but often, and I listened to his soft words and specious promises until 
 I ceased to think of or care for anything but him. I had no mother 
 to warn me; my poor father had become stern and morose, and I 
 feared him and sought only to conceal my attachment from him. 
 With some of the facts you, sir, are already acquainted. My father 
 was captured on one of his poaching expeditions and sent to gaol. I 
 sat up the whole night waiting for his return, and in the early morning 
 came, not he whom I was expecting, but my tempter. He told me 
 what had occurred, revealed to me for the first time his real rank, 
 promised to obtain my father's pardon by means of his wealth and 
 influence, and, as the price of his assistance, implored me to fly with 
 him. He could not make me his bride in England, he said ; his 
 position forbade it ; but he vowed he would carry me to some bright 
 land in the sunny south, and that we should be united and live happily 
 there. Weak fool that I was 1 I believed him, and consented. 
 
 " The rest of the tale is soon told. I accompanied him to London ; 
 he was kind to me, and my dream continued. By his desire I followed 
 him to Rome, under the care of his valet. For a time I was treated 
 with every attention; servants obeyed me, luxuries surrounded me; 
 but his promise of marriage he never fulfilled. Then he began to 
 grow tired of me, and my punishment commenced. He soon proved 
 to me the true nature of his disposition ; his temper was fearful, at 
 once passionate, sulky, and vindictive, and I was a safe object on 
 which to vent it. Still I could have borne this uncomplainingly if I 
 could ha.ve believed that he continued to love me. But his coldness 
 and indifference became every hour more apparent, till at length I 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 4SS 
 
 awoke one morning to learn that he had deserted me. I discovered 
 his direction and wrote to him. I forbore reproaches j I Icnew that I 
 had lost his love — I knew, alas I too late, that he had never really 
 loved me, and all I sought was to return to England, beg my father's 
 forgiveness, and then, if it pleased God, to die. But I entreated him 
 to send me money enough to take me home again. He left my letter 
 unanswered for a week, and then enclosed me a cheque for five 
 pounds, telling me that I had already cost him more than I was 
 worth, and that I need expect nothing further at his hands." 
 
 "And the name of this diabolical scoundrel was ?" inquired 
 
 General Grant eagerly. 
 
 " Lord Bellefield," was the reply, in a clear, distinct, though feeble 
 tone of voice. 
 
 "What proof can you give me of this?" was the cautious rejoinder. 
 
 " These letters," returned the girl, producing a small packet from 
 beneath her pillow. 
 
 The General took them, examined the post-marks and the seals, 
 compared the signatures with that of a letter he took out of his pocket, 
 read two or three of them and then returned them, muttering in a 
 voice that trembled with suppressed rage, "They are genuine, and 
 they are his." 
 
 " The rest of my tale is soon told," resumed Jane Hardy. " Lord 
 Bellefield had left debts behind him, and when it was known he had 
 quitted Rome, not meaning to return, those to whom he owed money 
 seized the few valuables that I possessed (chiefly dresses and trinkets 
 which he had given me), and my last hope, that of returning to 
 England, was taken from me." Here a fit of coughing, prolonged till 
 it seemed as though it must annihilate her feeble frame, effectually 
 interrupted the speaker. Her brother held a strengthening cordial 
 to her parched lips, and after a lapse of some minutes she was enabled 
 to resume her narration, though her voice was so weak and husky that 
 it was with difficulty her auditor could catch her words. " I have little 
 more to tell," she said. " I suffered much, very much misery, but, 
 thanks to the kindness of some sisters of charity (rightly were they so 
 called), I was saved from the depths of degradation into which too 
 many, deserted as I was, have been forced." Again she paused from 
 weakness, and with the tenderness of a woman Miles Hardy wiped 
 the cold dews of approaching death from her brow, and put back the 
 rich masses of her (even yet) beautiful hair. The General was visibly 
 affected. 
 
 " Can nothing be done to save her?" he said; " I will ascertain who 
 are the most skilful physicians in Venice and send them to her. No 
 money shall be spared." 
 
 A dark look flitted across Miles's face, but the dying girl turned 
 towards the speaker, and a faint smile testified that she had heard 
 and understood him. 
 
 " Tell me," she whispered, " that my last moments have not been 
 spent in vain. Your daughter — they say she is good and beautiful ; 
 he will take her heart for the plaything of an hour and then crush it 
 as he has crushed mine. You will not let her marry him ? " 
 
 31 
 
43 6 LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 " Sooner would I see her stretched on her death-bed before me,* 
 was the stern rejoinder. 
 
 The girl smiled again. "You have made me so happy," she 
 whispered ; then with difificulty, and pausing between each word, she 
 contmued, " Tell him I forgive him and pray for him ; I pray that he 
 may repent." Again she paused, apparently struggling for breath; 
 "Miles, it is very dark," she said; "come nearer, dear!" Her 
 brother placed his arm round her, and nestling her head in his 
 bosom, an expression of child-like happiness spread over her features. 
 Having lain thus for some moments she suddenly started up, exclaim- 
 ing aloud, " Oh God I my chest I " In a moment the severe pain 
 seemed to pass away and ttie happy smile returned. " May He bless 
 you, dearest I " she murmured ; then a solemn change came over 
 her countenance, there was a slight struggle, and then — the jaw 
 relaxed, the eyes glazed, and she fell back in her brother's arms a 
 corpse. 
 
 When later on that night women came to perform the last sad 
 offices to the dead, an English Bible was found beneath the pillow, 
 and a leaf was turned down at the text, " Her sins, which are many, 
 are forgiven, for she loved much ; " words of mercy we should do well 
 to bear in mind, and humbly trust they may indicate the future of 
 many a " broken and contrite heart." 
 
 While General Grant was thus occupied, Annie, little dreaming of 
 the various events that had occurred, and which so nearly concerned 
 her happiness, was thinking over the scenes of the morning, and 
 afflicting her spirit by the recollection of Lewis's parting words. 
 What would she not give that he could know the truth ; know why 
 she had allowed herself to be engaged to a man whom Lewis had 
 good reason to believe she both disliked and feared; but it was 
 impossible, situated as she was, to enlighten him, and she must 
 submit to bear that most bitter of all trials, the knowledge that one 
 we love thinks evil of us, and has just and reasonable grounds for such 
 misconception. Then her engagement to Lord Bellefield, now more 
 hateful to her than ever — what should she do to avoid it ? to whom 
 should she turn for counsel and assistance ? — Laura ? — she had great 
 faith in her good sense, and, above all, in her energy of character — 
 could she, dare she, confide in her ? and she had just settled that she 
 certainly could Moi when a gentle tap was heard at the door. Annie 
 cried, " Come in," and Laura entered. 
 
 "I hope I am not disturbing you, dear,'' she said, "but I grew 
 fidgety about you, fearing the alarm and fatigue of the morning might 
 have been too much for your strength;" 
 
 Annie smiled mournfully and shook her head, at the same time 
 making room for her friend on the settee upon which she was reclin- 
 ing. Laura placed herself by her side, and taking Annie's hand in her 
 own, stroked it caressingly. 
 
 " Poor little hand," she said ; " how soft and white it is, but it's 
 getting sadly thin ; really, dear Annie, I must lecture you. You eat 
 nothing, and your spirits have quite deserted you— you who were such 
 a happy, merry little thing— it makes me miserable to see you." 
 
< 
 
 b 
 O 
 
 s 
 
 H 
 <! 
 
 O 
 
 a 
 
LEWIS ARUNJOEL 4S7 
 
 She paused for a reply, and at length it came, but in a form she did 
 not expect, and which tended not at all to remove her anxiety. 
 
 " Do you think I am very ill, Laura ? " Annie asked ; " so ill that I 
 am at all likely to die ? " 
 
 " No, darling; I hope— I trust not," returned Laura earnestly; "but 
 why do you ask, and in so strange a tone that one could almost 
 fancy you wished that it might be so ? " 
 
 "Because I do wish it," was the sad rejoinder; "if I live I must be 
 very unhappy— there is no help for it, and so I wish to die. Is that 
 wrong ? I am afraid it is." 
 
 Laura paused ere she replied — 
 
 " I don't think you are likely to die — grief kills very slowly. I am 
 sure you need not die of grief, or seek to die to escape a life of un- 
 happiness, if you would only be reasonable. I love you as I should 
 have loved a sister, had I possessed one ; my only desire is to render 
 you happier ; I am a woman, as yourself, and as little likely as you 
 would be, were our situations reversed, to do or counsel anything 
 which could wound your feelings or compromise your delicacy; and 
 yet you lock your sorrow in your own breast, and refuse to give me 
 sufficient insight into your heart to enable me to be of the slightest 
 comfort or assistance to you. Is this wise or even kind ?" 
 
 Such an appeal, coming at that particular moment, was irresistible. 
 Annie threw her arms round her friend, hid her face on Laura's 
 shoulder, and sinking her voice almost to a whisper, inquired — 
 
 " What is it you wish to know? " 
 
 " You dislike Lord Bellefield, and are anxious not to marry him ? " 
 
 " Yes, oh, yes 1 " was the unmistakable answer. 
 
 " You love " 
 
 Annie drew back, but Laura's arm, passed round her slender waist, 
 detained her. 
 
 " You love Lewis Arundel ? " 
 
 This time Annie did not reply, but a convulsive pressure of the 
 hand answered Laura's question better than words could have done. 
 
 " Then, if you love him as he deserves to be loved, how could you 
 allow yourself to be forced into an engagement with Lord Bellefield ?" 
 
 " Must I, indeed, reveal to you all my folly and weakness ? " 
 murmured poor Annie. 
 
 " Really I am afraid you must, dear, if you wish my advice to be of 
 the smallest use to you," returned Laura with a kind, encouraging smile; 
 " but perhaps the follies may prove not to have been so very foolish, 
 and the wesinesses turn out amiable ones after all. Come, let us hear ! " 
 
 Thus urged, Annie recounted with smiles, and tears, and words, now 
 dropping in broken sentences, now poured forth with all the eager 
 vehemence with which feelings long restrained at length find vent, 
 that portion of this veritable history which especially related to herself, 
 and the rise and progress of her unfortunate attachment ; until she 
 reached the point whereat, overwhelmed by the belief that Lewis had 
 departed from Broadhurst, suspecting her love and not reciprocating 
 it, she had permitted herself to be hurried into an engagement with 
 Lord Bellefield, sacrificing herself to guard against the possibility of 
 
458 LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 any imputation being cast upon her maidenly reserve. Here Laura 
 interrupted her by exclaiming — 
 
 " My poor child I I see it all now ; you are to be pitied, not blamed; 
 would to Heaven you had known the truth earlier 1 how much misery 
 it might have saved you. Lewis Arundel quitted Broadhurst because 
 he loved you with all the impassioned tenderness of his fiery nature, 
 and found even his iron will powerless to control or even longer to 
 conceal his feelings." 
 
 " How do you know this ? " exclaimed Annie, sweeping back her 
 luxuriant ringlets from her flushed cheeks, and fixing her large, eager 
 eyes upon her friend's countenance. 
 
 " From his own lips when he first heard that you were coming here,'' 
 was the reply. And Annie, pressing her hands to her eyes, hid her 
 face in the sofa cushion and burst into tears ; but this time they were 
 tears of joy. 
 
 Then, when she had in some degree recovered from her agitation, 
 Annie learned the history of Lewis's wanderings to cure his love, and 
 how signally the remedy had failed, and how he had turned painter, 
 and was cleverer than anybody else (a fact of which she felt convinced 
 before she heard it), and how Laura had discovered his secret through 
 the medium of his sketch of Annie and Faust — (she did not mention 
 the "Giaour" pictures, fearing to alarm her friend) — and how Charles 
 and she had seen a great deal of him and become very fond of him 
 (oh how Annie loved her for saying that I), and how at last one day she 
 had gained his confidence and he had told her all, and how she had 
 resolved never to breathe a syllable of it to Annie unless she could 
 clear herself in the matter of accepting Lord Bellefield, and thus prove 
 herself not unworthy to possess the knowledge that the priceless 
 blessing of Lewis's noble and generous heart was hers, and hers only. 
 And when Laura had finished, Annie, like a true woman, contrived by 
 a series of "cunning-simple" questions to make her tell her tale all 
 over again, particularly those portions which related to Lewis's noble- 
 ness of nature, and the depth, strength, and permanent quality of his 
 aflfection for herself ; and when all had been said and re-said that 
 could by any possibility be found to say, even on this interesting 
 matter, Annie fixed her soft, imploring eyes on her friend's counte- 
 nance, and asked in a tone of the most innocent but complete help- 
 lessness — 
 
 " And now, dear Laura, tell me what is to be done .' " 
 
 Up to this moment Laura had considered the whole question to 
 hinge on one point — was Annie worthy of the love of such a man as 
 Lewis, or not ? This satisfactorily decided, all other difficulties seemed 
 by comparison insignificant ; but now, when the monster obstacle 
 had disappeared, the engagement to Lord Bellefield, the General's 
 obstinacy, Lewis's pride, Annie's womanly reserve, and Charley's 
 indolence and dislike of saying or doing anything which could by the 
 most remote possibility irritate or annoy any one, all flashed across 
 her and bewildered her. Still she had great faith in her own 
 energy and in the goodness of her cause, and so replied vaguely, 
 but confidently— 
 
LfiWlS ARUNDEL 4S9 
 
 " Why, my love ! it's perfectly absurd to give way to despair as you 
 have been doing; of course something must, and therefore can and 
 shall be done; but what it is to be will, I confess, require some little 
 consideration I " 
 
 And just when their deliberations had reached this point, Laura 
 received a summons from her husband to say that he desired to speak 
 with her ; so she imprinted a kiss on Annie's smooth brow, and they 
 parted. 
 
 " I say, Laura, read this,'' exclaimed Charley, looking worried and 
 perplexed, as he handed his wife the following note : — 
 
 " Dear Charles, I have desired your servant to give you this note in 
 case I should not return in the course of the next two hours. I am about 
 to accompany a young stranger, representing himself to be an English 
 sailor, to visit his sister, who is said to be on her death-bed, and has 
 some communication to make to me. I have examined the man, and 
 believe his tale ; but if I should not return within the time specified, 
 it is probably a clever fabrication, and as no lie can be framed for 
 other than an evil purpose you had better apply at once to the police, 
 and look after me m whatever way they may advise. — Yours faithfully, 
 
 "Archibald Grant." 
 
 CHAPTER LXIV. 
 THE FATE OF THE WOLF ! 
 
 " Pleasant that," resumed Charley, as Laura, having finished reading 
 the note, returned it with looks of alarm. " Evans declares it's more than 
 two hours since Governor Grant started, and there are no signs of him 
 yet. Why people can't stay quietly at home when they've got a good 
 house over their heads, instead of rushing out to seek dangerous 
 adventures, I can't think. 1 should have supposed the General had 
 arrived at a time of life when he would have sense enough not to be 
 gulled by messages from girls, either living or dying. Perhaps the 
 summons was meant for Bellefield after all, and the bearer deUvered 
 it to the wrong man; what a joke that would be, eh ? " 
 
 " Really, Charles, I don't think it is anything to laugh at," returned 
 Laura anxiously; " is your brother at home ? " 
 
 " No, Belle's out too ; my family is becoming shockingly dissipated." 
 
 " Had you not better apply to the police, as the note proposes ? " 
 urged Laura. 
 
 " Police, indeed I " muttered Charley : " the General can't remember 
 that he is out of London. I wonder he did not direct me to send a 
 cab for him. These confounded sulky Austrian ofificials are rather 
 different customers to deal with from our blue-bottles — Messrs. 
 Ai & Co. The only thing is to go down to the consul's office, and 
 that must be done, 1 suppose, but it's an awful bore." 
 
 So saying, Charley yawned, stretched himself, made Laura ring for 
 his boots, and had just accomplished the labour of pulling them on, 
 when rapid footsteps were heard— doors opened and shut, and the 
 
46o LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 object of their anxiety stood before them, his face flushed with exercise, 
 and his whole manner bearing traces of excitement and agitation. 
 
 " Well, General," began Charley, " we were just going to commence 
 
 fishing for you in all the canals '" when his auditor interrupted him 
 
 by inquiring in a quick, eager voice — 
 
 " Your brother is not in the house, is he ? " 
 
 " No; he has been out all the evening, and is not yet returned," 
 was the reply. 
 
 " Leave us, Laura, there's a good girl," exclaimed the General ; 
 " stay," he continued, as Laura was quitting the room, " do not say 
 anything which can alarm Annie." 
 
 Laura nodded her acquiescence and departed. 
 
 " I am very anxious about your brother," resumed the General. 
 " As I was returning from this most strange and painful interview, the 
 young man who had summoned me still acting as my guide, some 
 person followed us, and as we were crossing the Rialto approached, 
 and tapping my companion on the shoulder, detained him. They con- 
 versed m Italian, but I made out enough of what they said to catch 
 the following words spoken by the new-comer — 
 
 " ' I have watched him the evening through. He went from ' (the 
 
 names of the places I could not hear) ' to , which he has this moment 
 
 quitted. Jacopo and the others are prepared; we only await your 
 directions. Why have you not joined us sooner ? ' 
 
 " ' It was impossible,' was the reply; ' but all will yet go as it should.' 
 
 " Then, turning to me, my guide continued, ' You have now only to 
 walk straight on to reach the Square of St. Mark; no one will interrupt 
 you. Farewell, sir; and remember her wishes.' 
 
 " This referred to his poor sister, about whom I will tell you another 
 time. He and his companion then quitted me. Mechanically I 
 walked forward, reflecting on the interview, which had harassed and 
 distressed me greatly, till, recalling the words I had just overheard, a 
 new idea struck me, and I turned and looked back; as I did so I per- 
 ceived, at some distance off, a man carelessly advancing towards me 
 — at the moment several others rushed out upon him; there was a, 
 short struggle, then, as it seemed to me, he was overpowered, a cloak 
 was flung over his head, and he was hurried away. Instantly I ran to 
 the spot, but it was some considerable distance from the place where 
 I had been standing, and when I arrived there, no traces of them 
 were visible. The whole affair from beginning to end was over in less 
 than a minute, but from the glimpse I had, I feel convinced the man I 
 saw carried off was your brother." 
 
 " Nonsense," exclaimed Charles, starting, " kidnap Bellefield I why, 
 what possible motive could anybody have for doing that ? " 
 
 " One only too powerful — revenge I " was the alarming reply. " My 
 guide was young Hardy, whose sister Bellefield has cruelly betrayed 
 and forsaken. Come, Charles, let us obtain aid to seek and save 
 him : God grant we may not arrive too late." 
 
 We must now return to Lord Bellefield. After the disturbance at 
 the Casino, his lordship, accompanied by Rastelli, repaired to a shoot- 
 ing-gallery, where he practised with pistols for an hour. Having by 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL 461 
 
 repeated successes assured himself that his late fall had not shaken 
 his nerves to a degree which could interfere with his skill as a 
 duellist, he turned to his companion, observing, " Now, Rastelli, 
 devise some method of killing time for the next hour or so; I 
 am anxious not to return to the Palazzo Grassini till the family 
 have retired for the night. I had rather avoid meeting any of 
 them till this little affair is over. What can we contrive to do with 
 ourselves ? " 
 
 " Come home with me, and let us have a quiet game at ScarU" 
 was the reply ; " that will amuse without exciting you. I wish you 
 to keep cool, in order that you may punish for his temerity the 
 insolent Luigi." As he spoke the dark eyes of the Italian flashed 
 with the fire of revenge. 
 
 Lord Bellefield remarked his eagerness, and smiled contemptuously. 
 " Calm yourself, my good Rastelli," he said, quietly lighting a cigar; 
 "justice shall be done, depend on it." 
 
 " How cold and phlegmatic you English are I " exclaimed Rastelli, 
 irritated at his companion's apparent apathy ; "had the brigand insulted 
 me as he has insulted you, if I had not stabbed him on the spot, I 
 should have known no peace till he lay bleeding at my feet." 
 
 Lord Bellefield placed his hand on his friend's shoulder, and ap- 
 proaching his lips to his ear, said in a low, impressive voice, " Listen 1 
 we Englishmen do not talk about these things, we do them." There 
 was a cold, grating bitterness in his tone, which told of such fiendish 
 malice working at his heart that the Italian's display of boyish passion 
 shrank into insignificance beside it. 
 
 Together they repaired to Rastelli's dwelling ; cards were produced, 
 and their game began. With the calculating prudence of an accom- 
 plished gamester. Lord Bellefield played cautiously and for moderate 
 sums till he had tested his adversary's calibre; then, confident in his 
 own skill, he artfully led on the young Italian to propose higher stakes, 
 until, at the expiration of an hour and a half, he had won above a couple 
 of hundred pounds. 
 
 "You are becoming excited and beginning to play wildly, amico 
 tnio," he said, pushing back his chair; "we will pause for to- 
 night" 
 
 "And when will you give me my revenge?" inquired the Italian 
 with flushed cheeks and trembling lips. 
 
 " When you like — to-morrow evening, if it so please you — always 
 supposing our peep-of-day amusement goes as it should do," answered 
 Lord Bellefield carelessly. 
 
 "And what if you should be hit?" questioned Rastelli with a grim 
 smile, which involuntarily suggested to his auditor the idea that such 
 a catastrophe would not deeply distress him. 
 
 " To provide against such a contingency I shall make my will to- 
 night, and appoint you executor and residuary legatee ; so that when 
 you have satisfied the few claims against me, the remainder of my pro- 
 perty will be yours, to compensate for this evening's run of ill-luck," 
 was the jesting reply. 
 
 Rastelli, having by this time in a degree recovered his good 
 
462 LfiWlS ARUNt)£L. 
 
 humour, answered in the same light tone; then having made their 
 final arrangements for the morrow's meeting, they shook hands and 
 parted. 
 
 As Lord Bellefield gained the street, the conventional smile faded 
 from his lips, and a dark, sullen expression imparted a gloomy ferocity 
 to his countenance. His look did not belie the nature of his thoughts, 
 which ran somewhat after the following fashion : — 
 
 "A pretty thing I'm in for— to think of that accursed Arundel 
 turning up in such an out-of-the-way place as this I my ill-luck follows 
 me everywhere. That scoundrel is my evil genius. I shall be rid of 
 him to-morrow though, for I'll shoot him like a dog; that's some 
 comfort." He paused, then a new idea seemed to strike him, and he 
 muttered, " Curse him, he means to murder me ; I read it in his 
 fiendish eyes. I wonder whether he is anything of a shot ? A nice 
 way to lose one's life, in a quarrel with a tutor I it's next door to going 
 out with one's valet. Well, I'm in for it, and must chance it ; a quick 
 aim and a hair trigger may pick him off, as it has done many a better 
 fellow, before he has time to be mischievous. I wonder whether 
 Charles or old Grant know of his being here ? If not, the thin^ can 
 be easily hushed up." A sound as of a man's footstep caused him to 
 start and look round, but seeing no one he resumed, " Assassination 
 is said to be one of the fashions of this place ; I wish I was a little 
 more aufait as to the customs of the natives, or had longer time to 
 act in. I might get my friend quietly disposed of without risk or 
 trouble." He reflected a moment on the feasibility of such a scheme ; 
 but the spirit of revenge and hate was strong within him, and muttering 
 
 a fearful curse, he added, " No 1 him, I'd rather shoot him with 
 
 my own hand ; that blow sticks by me." 
 
 At this moment a man started out from a dark archway so suddenly 
 as nearly to run against Lord Bellefield, who, drawing himself up 
 indignantly, was about to commence an angry remonstrance, when 
 his elbows were pinioned from behind, some person tripped up his 
 heels, a cloak was flung over his head, and despite his attempts to 
 free himself, he was overpowered and hurried away by a party of 
 several men. After proceeding some short distance they reached the 
 bank of a canal; here they paused, and still holding the cloak over 
 the captive's head to prevent him from giving an alarm, they bound 
 his hands. One who seemed to possess authority over the others 
 superintended this operation in person. 
 
 "Not so tight," he said to an over-zealous individual who was 
 tying the cord as though it were never to be unfastened, "not so 
 tight, it will numb his arms. Now," he continued, " raise him care- 
 fully;" and in obedience to his command Lord Bellefield felt himself 
 lifted from his feet and placed in a lying posture at the bottom of what 
 he rightly imagined to be a gondola. 
 
 Having ascertained by listening that a portion of his captors were 
 engaged in rowing the boat, Lord Bellefield made an effort to remove 
 the cloak from his face, at the same time slightly raising himself; 
 immediately a heavy hand pressed him down, and a deep, low voice 
 uttered the following caution, " There is the point cf a knife within 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL 463 
 
 an inch of your heart ; if you again attempt to move or speak I plunge 
 itinl" 
 
 Thus warned, nothing »emained but to lie still and await his 
 captor's pleasure, which alternative, distracted by mingled rage and 
 fear. Lord Bellefield was forced to adopt. From the time occupied 
 by their transit it appeared that they must have proceeded some con- 
 siderable distance ere the gondola again stopped. Carefully guarded 
 as before, the prisoner was taken on shore, and half-led, half-carried 
 over some uneven, stony ground, in traversing which his conductors 
 were more than once forced to turn aside as if to avoid some 
 obstacle that lay in their path; he was then told to ascend steps; 
 doors were unbarred to afford them ingress, and the air struck cold 
 and damp, as from a vault. At length, apparently, they reached their 
 destination, and the prisoner was made to sit down on a stone bench ; 
 a light was procured, and then the order was given, " Untie his hands, 
 remove the cloak, and leave us." 
 
 The persons spoken to obeyed, and in another moment Lord 
 Bellefield was able to look round him. The chamber in which he 
 found himself was small, the roof was high and vaulted, and the walls 
 appeared of an immense thickness; the door was of oak, thickly 
 studded with iron nail-heads ; there was no fireplace ; a ship's lantern, 
 hanging by a cord from the roof, dimly lighted the apartment, and a 
 grated window, sunk in the thickness of the wall, seemed to afford the 
 only means of communication with the outward air. As Lord Belle- 
 field became aware of these particulars the men who had released his 
 hands and removed the cloak quitted the room, locking and barring 
 the door on the outside; in another moment the sound of their 
 retreating footsteps echoed along the stone passage and died away in 
 the distance. A shudder passed over Lord Bellefield's frame as he 
 found himself thus strangely left alone with one whose purpose he 
 could scarcely imagine other than hostile. As his companion — who 
 wore one of those half-masks termed a domino, which effectually 
 concealed his features — did not seem inclined to address him, Lord 
 Bellefield had time to examine, with a beating heart, the preparations 
 made for his reception. The only article of furniture the apartment 
 contained, with the exception of the stone bench on which he was 
 seated, was a heavy oak table. At the end nearest him lay a cutlass, 
 the blade crossed by that of a stiletto, in front of which was placed a 
 loaded pistol. A similar arrangement of weapons garnished the other 
 end of the table, at .which stood the motionless figure of the stranger. 
 The whole thing was so strange, and so like some fancy of a horrible 
 dream, that it was with difficulty Lord Bellefield could believe the 
 evidence of his senses. At length the silence became unendurable to 
 such a degree that, even at the risk of hurrying on his fate, he resolved 
 to break it. Addressing his captor, he asked, in a voice which 
 trembled in spite of his efforts to appear cool and indifferent, " What 
 place is this to which you have brought me?" 
 
 The person addressed paused a moment, and then, without remov- 
 ing his mask, replied, "A vault in the ruins of a convent on an island 
 in the lagunes, a mile from Venice." 
 
464 t,EWlS ARUNDEL. 
 
 Up to this moment Lord Bellefield had been possessed with a 
 secret belief that his captor was none other than Lewis Arundel ; and 
 having already had a convincing proof "both of his enemy's bodily 
 strength and of the implacable nature of his feelings towards him, the 
 idea that he had kidnapped him and carried him off to this desolate 
 place in order to force upon him a combat A Poutrance, with weapons 
 m the use of which his skill as a duellist would avail him little, was by 
 no means an agreeable one. This fear his companion's speech had 
 dispelled, for the voice, though deep and stern, was not the voice of 
 Lewis. Ignorant of the existence of any other person likely to nourish 
 deep feelings of revenge against him. Lord Bellefield immediately con- 
 ceived that he had fallen into the hands of some English ruffian 
 connected with banditti, in which case their object would probably be 
 plunder ; and the.solitary chamber, the naked weapons, etc., mere scenic • 
 arrangements got up for the sake of intimidating him, and so making 
 a better bargain. Much relieved by this view of the affair, he began — • 
 
 " Your object in bringing me here is of course plunder, all this 
 absurd mummery is therefore utterly needless ; you have only to name 
 some reasonable sum for my ransom, and as I cannot get out of the 
 scrape otherwise, I must pay it." 
 
 " You will find it no mummery, and are wrong in supposing money 
 will be of the slightest avail to you," was the reply. 
 
 Lord Bellefield, however, still considering his idea a right one, and 
 accounting for this speech as he had already accounted for the pres- 
 ence of the weapons — viz., as a means of intimidating him, in order to 
 extort from his fears a higher- ransom, continued — 
 
 " My good fellow, you have completely mistaken your man; all your 
 tragedy nonsense is quite thrown away upon me. The affair is simply 
 a matter of business : you require money, and knowing my rank, 
 imagine me a Croesus. I am nothing of the kind, but I can make it 
 well worth your while to set me free ; conduct me safely to the Square 
 of St. Mark, and I will give you a hundred Napoleons." 
 
 " A million curses on your money ! " exclaimed the other furiously ; 
 " may the bitter malediction of a desperate man cleave to the rank and 
 riches which have served to add a false splendour to as mean and 
 pitiful a scoundrel as ever disgraced God's earth. Fool I let me un- 
 deceive you — I am Miles Hardy " (as he spoke he flung down his mask), 
 " the brother of Jane— your victim — I have brought you here to die. 
 Now do you think your money, that money which you refused to give 
 to save her from a life of infamy, or a beggar's death, is likely to bribe 
 me to change ray purpose ? " 
 
 For a moment Lord Bellefield was utterly confounded by this de- 
 claration; he had never been aware that Jane possessed a brother, 
 and the surprise added to his discomfiture ; besides, hardened as he 
 was, he knew that he had deeply wronged the girl, and a superstitious 
 instinct of the justice of the retribution which had overtaken him 
 helped still more effectually to terrify and crush him: for once both 
 his haughty spirit and his presence of mind failed him, and mistaking 
 the character of the man with whom he had to deal, he resolved first 
 if possible to deceive, then to cajole and bribe him. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 463 
 
 " Refuse money to Jane Hardy I " he began in a tone of feigned 
 surprise; "you must have strangely deceived yourself: while she 
 remained with me I lavished hundreds upon her, and when, with the 
 caprice of her sex, she chose to leave me for some more favoured 
 swain, as I imagine, ignorance of her abode alone prevented my 
 settling a liberal allowance upon her. Even now I am ready to do 
 so if she wishes it — where is she ? " 
 
 A look of contemptuous anger, which had overspread Miles Hardy's 
 face as Lord Bellefield uttered these falsehoods, gave place to an 
 expression of deep solemnity as he replied, " She is where you will be 
 ere another hour has passed, wretched liar that you are — gone to 
 answer for her sins before her God ! " 
 
 " Dead 1 " exclaimed Lord Bellefield, involuntarily shocked into an 
 expression of feeling. Miles regarded him attentively ; had he dis- 
 cerned in him any symptoms of real grief for her loss, any signs of 
 true penitence for the destruction he had wrought, there was that 
 working in the brother's heart which might even yet have saved him. 
 But a doom was upon the seducer, and a fresh display of his evil, 
 sordid nature hastened it. " Poor girl ! " he said ; " 'pon my word, 
 Hardy, I'm quite shocked at this sudden intelligence ; I really was 
 excessively fond of her at one time — a — I mean to say, before she 
 chose to run away from me. However, you must not take the affair so 
 deeply to heart : I can assure you these things are happening every 
 day, and I always meant to make her a liberal settlement; but as that 
 is now unfortunately impossible, we must see what can be done for ^ 
 you." Having delivered himself of this heartless speech, which he 
 considered a model of diplomacy. Lord Bellefield paused to observe 
 its effects upon his auditor. Miles stood for a moment as if absorbed 
 in grief, murmuring to himself, " My poor Jane, and was it for such a 
 thing as this you sacrificed your young life ? My poor, poor sister ! " 
 Then suddenly raising his head, he said, with a glance of the most 
 withering scorn — 
 
 " Your mean lies will prove of as little use to you as your money ; I 
 loathe it, them, and you alike. I have told you I brought you here to 
 die, and I have told you true ; but I am no assassin, and if you have 
 the courage of a man, you have one chance yet remaining. On that 
 table lie six weapons, three for you and three for me ; choose which 
 you will, and come on ; only if the first fails we must try the second, 
 and if that does not end the matter there still remains the third. 
 Come, make your choice." 
 
 " Well, but hear me " began Lord Bellefield, turning very pale. 
 
 " Not a word," was the angry answer, " instantly defend yourself. 
 If you refuse, I will shoot you where you stand;" so saying he 
 advanced a step towards the table. 
 
 Lord Bellefield,. who had risen during the last speech, slowly 
 followed his example, casting, as he did so, a scrutinising look round 
 the apartment, and especially towards the window ; the action did not 
 escape Hardy's cjuick sight. 
 
 " Your search IS useless," he, said, smiling contemptuously. "Were 
 you here alone, with proper tools at hand, and knowing how to use 
 
466 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 them to the best advantage, it would take you two hours to break out 
 of this place. If you call ever so loudly, there is no one to hear you — 
 my companions are half-way back to Venice by this time. You have 
 nothing left but to overcome me, or to die the dog's death you deserve." 
 
 '"Tis false 1 " exclaimed Lord Bellefield eagerly; "my friends have 
 succeeded in tracing me, and even now I hear the tread of soldiers in 
 the passage — hark 1 " 
 
 With a gesture of surprise Hardy turned towards the door. This 
 was all Lord Bellefield required. Springing forward, he seized the 
 pistol nearest to him, levelled it, and with the speed of thought, fired. 
 Looking round. Hardy perceived too late the snare that had been laid 
 for him. As he did so, a sharp, stinging pain, followed by a sensation 
 like the burn of a red-hot iron, passed round his left side. The ball, 
 aimed at his heart, had struck against the handle of a clasp-knife which, 
 sailoir-fashion, he wore slung round his neck by a string, and glancing 
 ofT, entered the side and passed round one of the ribs under the skin, 
 lodging among the muscular fibres of the shoulder-blade. Furious at 
 the cowardly stratagem to which he had so nearly fallen a victim, and 
 half-maddened with the pain of his wound. Hardy seized the other 
 pistol, and shouting, "Die, you infernal, treacherous scoundrel!" 
 snapped it at his adversary ; but owing to the priming being damp, 
 the pistol rusty, or from some other unexplained cause, the cap ex- 
 ploded without discharging the weapon. Flinging it down with an 
 oath, he snatched up the sword that lay nearest to him, and exclaiming, 
 
 " Come on, and be to you 1 " scarcely gave his antagonist time to 
 
 follow his example, ere he attacked him furiously. 
 
 For a minute or two cut and thrust followed each other so rapidly 
 that all seemed confusion. Then as their first fury became expended, 
 and they fought more cautiously, Lord Bellefield perceived, to his 
 extreme satisfaction, that he was the better swordsman of the two, 
 Hardy having merely picked up the use of the cutlass on board a 
 man-o'-war, while his antagonist had learned fencing amongst the 
 other military exercises of a cavalry regiment in which, till within the 
 last two or three years, he had held a commission. If, therefore, he 
 could contrive to defend himself till Hardy's fury should have in some 
 degree worn out his strength, he trusted either to disarm his adversary, 
 or by a well-directed thrust to rid himself of him for ever. Nor was 
 he disappointed in this expectation; for having with some difiiculty 
 parried a furious thrust, he caught Hardy's sword with the blade of 
 his own weapon, and by a sudden turn of the wrist sent it flying out 
 of his hand, leaving his enemy defenceless and at his mercy. But 
 mercy being a quality for which his lordship was never famous, more 
 especially when, as in the present instance, its exercise might com- 
 promise his own safety, he drew back a step to get room for his thrust, 
 with the intention of running his opponent through the body. With 
 the speed of lightning, Hardy perceived the only chance remaining for 
 him, and unhesitatingly adopted it. Snatching up one of the stilettos, 
 he rushed upon Lord Bellefield, and receiving his thrust through the 
 fleshy part of his left arm, closed with him and buried the dagger in 
 his heart. Uttering a sound between a gasping sob and a groan, the 
 
THE FATE OF THE WOLF. 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL, 467 
 
 young nobleman staggered, raised his arm as if in the act to strike, 
 and fell back a corpse. 
 
 Thus did the vengeance of the great God whom he had insulted by 
 a life of selfish crime ■ overtake this wicked man in the pride of his 
 youth and strength, and thus in the same night were the libertine and 
 his victim called to appear before the Judge of all the earth to answer 
 for their deeds, whether they had done good, or whether they had 
 done evil. For the humble penitent we may indeed sorrow, yet not 
 as without hope ; but for the impenitent sinner, cut off in the midst of 
 crime, dying with his selfish heart untouched, his evil nature unre- 
 generated, " there remaineth no longer any hope, but a fearful looking- 
 for of judgment to come." 
 
 CHAPTER LXV. 
 
 FAUST PAYS A MORNING VISIT. 
 
 Frere, on the principle of striking whilst the iron is hot, had no 
 sooner obtained Lewis's promise to place in his hands the arrangement 
 of the quarrel between Lord Bellefield and himself than he induced 
 his friend to write a carefully worded apology for having in the heat 
 of passion assaulted his lordship on the previous evening. Lewis took 
 the pen, and without a murmur wrote as Frere dictated, his compressed 
 lips and knitted brow alone telling of the martyrdom his proud spirit 
 was undergoing ; but his strength of will was as powerful for good as 
 for evil ; he had resolved on the sacrifice, and cost what it might, he 
 •would maSa^ it. 
 
 "And now, what is your intention.'"' he inquired, as Frere, having 
 signified his approbation of its contents, folded the note and deposited 
 it safely in his pocket-book. " Suppose Bellefield should refuse to 
 accept this apology ?" 
 
 "Never fear," was the confident reply, "he must accept it; and to 
 tell you the truth, although he may bluster and give himself airs when 
 he perceives you are not forthcoming, I expect he will only be too glad 
 to be quit of such an awkward customer. I don't wish to be personal, 
 but depend upon it you are by no means pleasant as an enemy; there 
 is ' a lurking devil in your eye,' as Byron says (and he ought to know 
 about, devils, for, adopting the fallen angel hypothesis, he was very 
 like one himself), that would try a man's nerve rather when he found 
 himself standing opposite your loaded pistol at eighteen paces." 
 
 Lewis smiled faintly. 
 
 " The devil has been pretty well taken out of me this time," he said ; 
 " henceforth I shall be essentially a man of peace." 
 
 He paused, pressed his hand to his brow, and a slight shiver passed 
 through his frame. Frere regarded him anxiously. 
 
 "What are you shivering about?" he inquired. "You don't feel ill, 
 do you ? " 
 
 " No, it is nothing," was the reply. " I have, as you may easily 
 imagine, gone through a good deal, both mentally and bodily, of late, 
 
 3- 
 
468 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 and I am a little overworn ; but a couple of hours' sleep will set me 
 right again." 
 
 " Then the sooner you take it the better," rejoined Frere. " Never 
 mind me; I shall ensconce myself in this arm-chair till the man of 
 war, your second, makes his appearance, and sleep or read as the 
 Fates may incline. What time do you expect your accomplice?" 
 
 " He will be here at half-past four," was the reply. 
 
 "And it is now just two; so turn in, and pleasant dreams to you." 
 
 Thus saying, Frere threw himself back in the chair, and drawing a 
 volume of Dante out of his pocket, set to work to polish up his Italian, 
 as he termed it. Lewis rose to follow his friend's advice, but a mist 
 seemed to swim before his eyes, his brain reeled, his trembling knees 
 refused to support him, and staggering forward he sank heavily to the 
 ground in a famting fit. Frere, much alarmed, raised him in his arms, 
 and carrying him with some difficulty into the inner room, laid him on 
 his bed, and began, with more energy than skill, to apply every con- 
 ceivable or inconceivable remedy to recover him, but with only partial 
 success, for although after the lapse of a few moments colour returned 
 to his lips and pulsation to his heart, he neither spoke nor appeared 
 to recognise his friend's voice, and after a few inarticulate murmurs 
 sank into a dull, heavy sleep. Frere covered him with the bedclothes 
 as well as he was able, then drawing a chair to the bedside, seated 
 himself thereupon to watch his slumbers. Half-past four arrived, and 
 with it Major Ehrenburg, the Austrian officM who had promised to 
 act as Lewis's second. Before he came a new idea had entered 
 Frere's head — it might not be necessary to make use of the apology 
 at all, Lewis's sudden illness would be a sufficient reason for his not 
 meeting his adversary. 
 
 " The amusement you have promised yourself in seeing my friend 
 shoot or be shot you will be disappointed of, Mein lieber Herr," he 
 said with a quiet smile, as the Austrian stared at him in surprise and 
 twisted his moustaches fiercely. " Lord Bellefield in his angry moods 
 is no doubt a very terrible fellow, but Lewis is about to wrestle with a 
 more deadly foe yet, or I am much mistaken." 
 
 " Excuse me, sir, I have no time for badinage," returned the other, 
 bowing with haughty politeness ; " nothing can prevent this duel I 
 must speak with the Signore Luigi himself immediately. Permit 
 me to pass." 
 
 " Oh, certainly," replied Frere, holding open the door of the bed- 
 room; "but in regard to nothing being able to prevent the duel, 
 ' there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt 
 of in your philosophy.' You will find my words to be true. See, his 
 adversary has laid him on his back already." 
 
 The young soldier advanced to the bedside; Lewis still slept, but 
 his slumbers were disturbed and feverish. As the other bent over 
 him he turned uneasily and murmured some inarticulate sounds. 
 Laying his hand on his shoulder, Ehrenburg attempted to rouse him. 
 
 " Luigi," he said, "it is late; they will be on the ground before us." 
 
 The only reply was again an inarticulate murmur; but on his 
 repeating his summons Lewis sat up and stared ^bout him with 3 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 469 
 
 look of dull unconsciousness, then a wild light came into his eyes, and 
 glaring furiously at the Austrian, he exclaimed in a hoarse voice — 
 
 " Villain, it is false ! she loves you not — she never loved you t " 
 
 "Do you not know me Luigi?" inquired Ehrenburg in a more 
 soothing tone of voice. 
 
 " Know you, scoundrel, yes 1 On earth, or in the lowest hell, I 
 should know and hate you." He paused, glanced wildly round the 
 room, then exclaimed in a voice scarcely audible through passion, 
 " What I Tiere in my own house do you come to triumph over and to 
 insult me? This is too much." And with a scream of fury he made 
 a spring at the other's throat, which he would have succeeded in 
 grasping, probably to his severe injury, had not Frere, who had 
 watched hun closely during the foregoing scene, thrown himself 
 upon him, and with the assistance of the young soldier, who at length 
 began to perceive the true state of the case, contrived to hold him 
 down, till, exhausted by the violence of his struggles, he ceased to 
 resist any longer. 
 
 " He must have exposed himself to malaria, and the fever has 
 attacked the brain — is it not so?" inquired Ehrenburg as soon as 
 he had recovered breath enough to speak. 
 
 " So I fear," was the reply. "Malaria, or macaroni, or some 
 horrid foreign thing or other, has brought on a violent fever, and, as 
 you see, he is now about as mad as a March hare (though perhaps a 
 belief in that popular zoological delusion may not extend to the 
 Austrian dominions)" — this last remark was made w/'/to 7/o«. "And 
 now, Mein Herr, the sooner you're off the better, for Lord Bellefield, 
 unless he is much belied, is not particularly famous for patience. 
 You'll explain to him why Lewis can't do himself the pleasure of 
 shooting him this morning ; and you may add, with my compliments 
 — Richard Frere's, at your service — that it's better luck than he 
 deserves. By the way," he continued, "if you could give one a hint 
 how to come by such an article as a doctor I should esteem it an 
 additional favour." 
 
 " I will call at the residence of an English physician as soon as I 
 leave this house," was the reply ; " fortunately, one who is reckoned 
 very skilful resides within a few doors." 
 
 " That's right," returned Frere, " none of your foreign quacks for 
 me. Doctors are bad enough all the world over, I dare say; but an 
 English one is a degree better than any of your homoeopathic, 
 mesmeric, electro-biologfic, clairvoyant humbugs — Al placer di 
 revedervi, Signorej I mean, Leben sie wohl, mein Herr. A mus- 
 tachioed, laced, and padded young puppy 1" he continued, as, with a 
 haughty bow and a puzzled expression of countenance, the young 
 Austrian quitted the apartment; "can't he be content with cutting 
 throats himself without encouraging his neighbours to go and shoot 
 at one another I I hate a fellow who will be second in a duel as I 
 hate a professional hangman. I'd half a mind to let poor Lewis 
 strangle him — a foreigner more or less is no great matter." 
 
 The physician's opinion coincided with that of Richard Frere. 
 Overwrought both in mind and body, Lewis had been attacked by a, 
 
470 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 fever of the most virulent nature, and every resource that the science 
 of medicine afforded appeared powerless to subdue it. Night and day 
 Richard Frere sat by the sick man's bedside, listening with an aching 
 heart to his fevered ravings. Now, for the first time, did he become 
 aware of the depth and strength of that passion which, having destroyed- 
 its victim's peace of mind, seemed about to finish its work of devasta- 
 tion by sapping the very springs of life itself. In his delirium the idea 
 appeared to have fixed itself in Lewis's imagination that the duel had 
 taken place, and that Lord Bellefield had perished by his hand; and 
 the agonised self-reproaches which his remorse forced from him were 
 painful to listen to. Occasionally he would appear to forget even this, 
 and imagining himself in the presence of her he loved, would Jareathe 
 forth expressions of the deepest tenderness, when suddenly the re- 
 collection of his supposed guilt would flash across him, and upbraiding 
 himself in the bitterest terms, he would exclaim that a bar existed 
 between them, and declare himself a murderer accursed before God 
 and man. And so the weary days wore on, and the sufferer grew 
 paler and weaker, while still the fire which was consuming his young 
 life burned fiercely as at first. 
 
 The day following the night of Lord Bellefield's death was a 
 remarkable one, for it witnessed the assassination of the unfortunate 
 Marinovitch, whose courage and strong sense of duty forbade him to 
 desert his post, even in order to preserve his life; this act of dastardly 
 revenge heralded the revolt in Venice. The Palazzo Grassini was, as may 
 be supposed, the scene of much alarm and anxiety. General Grant 
 and Leicester had been foiled in their attempt to trace the after pro- 
 ceedings of the party who had kidnapped Lord Bellefield, nor was any 
 light thrown upon his mysterious disappearance until another night 
 and day had elapsed, when, in consequence of a high reward offered 
 by the family to any person who could afford information in regard to 
 the affair, an individual in the garb of a gondolier sought an interview 
 with General Grant. This worthy (who was none other than Jacopo, 
 the bravo whose stiletto had so nearly proved fatal to Lewis) having 
 bargained for the promised reward and for a free pardon for his own 
 share in the transaction, confessed that he and certain of his associates 
 had been engaged by an Englishman named Hardy, with whom he 
 had been for some months acquainted, to seize and carry off a gentle- 
 man, against whom Hardy, for some reason, appeared to nourish a 
 deep revenge; that this gentleman had been staying at the Palazzo 
 Grassini; and that Hardy having pointed him out to him, he (Jacopo) 
 had watched him the whole evening, and finding he remained abroad 
 so late, had arranged to waylay him as he returned home, and 
 succeeded in his design, though the plan was nearly being frustrated 
 by the unexpected absence of Hardy, who however joined them at the 
 last moment. He then communicated those details of the enterprise 
 with which the reader is already acquainted, up to the time when he 
 left Hardy and Lord Bellefield together in the ruined convent, beyond 
 which he either was, or affected to be, ignorant in regard to the affair 
 The clue thus gained was, however, sufficient. Led by Jacopo to the 
 room m which the duel had taken place, the General and Leicester 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 47r 
 
 soon found their worst fears realised. The body lay covered with a 
 cloak, on which was pinned a paper, written by Hardy before the duel, 
 stating his intention of forcing Lord Bellefield to a mortal combat, 
 adding that when that paper was found either one or both of them 
 would have gone to their long account; at the bottom was scrawled in 
 pencil — 
 
 " I have kept mjr word; he brought his fate upon his own head — no 
 one had any hand in his death but myself; he fell in fair fight, having 
 wounded me severely, but, as I think, not mortally. — (Signed) Miles 
 Hardy." 
 
 All Leicester's early affection for his brother was brought back by 
 his dreadful fate, and he wept over his corpse like a woman. The 
 General shuddered slightly when his eye first perceived the expression 
 of rage and hatred stereotyped on the rigid features of the dead man's 
 face, then his brow contracted and his mouth grew stern as he turned 
 to issue directions for the murderer's apprehension. Whether, being 
 Italians, the police looked upon manslaughter with a favouring eye, or 
 whether the disturbed state of the city facilitated his escape, certain it 
 is that Miles Hardy contrived to evade the search made for him; and 
 after offering large rewards for his apprehension, and using every 
 other means in his power to stimulate the exertions of the police, 
 General Grant was fain to rest satisfied that he had done all which the 
 strictest sense of duty could command at his hands. Perhaps, as the 
 memory of the scene he had witnessed by Jane Hardy's death-bed 
 recurred to him, and he thought of the cruel provocation her brother 
 had received, even the stern old soldier might be glad that he had not 
 been called upon to condemn Miles to an ignominious and painful 
 death. 
 
 The feelings both of Laura and Annie, when they became acquainted 
 with this frightful catastrophe, may easily be imagined. From Laura 
 it was impossible to conceal it, for, unused to deep emotion of any kind, 
 her husband's grief was for the time so overpowenng that he completely 
 lost all self-control, and it was only by the judicious exercise of her 
 good sense and tenderness that she was enabled to restore him to any- 
 thing like composure. Nor had she a much easier task with Annie, 
 for a superstitious but not unnatural fancy seized her that (her earnest 
 desire to avoid a union with Lord Bellefield having been thus fearfully 
 accomplished) she was in some degree morally guilty. But Laura, 
 tender, kind, judicious Laura, with her man's head and her woman's 
 heart (a rare alliance, constituting human perfection), argued and 
 soothed and coaxed and reasoned, until Annie's self-upbraiding horror 
 yielded to her gentle persuadings, as did of old the demon which 
 tormented Saul to the melody of David's harp : and indeed there is 
 on earth no music sweeter than a loving woman's voice. 
 
 During all this time poor Walter found himself sadly neglected. 
 After the affair at the Casino, Mr. Spooner, ignorant of Lewis Arundel's 
 illness, and fearful that he would keep his word and inform General 
 Grant of the shameful manner in which he had betrayed his trust, 
 found some plausible excuse for resigning his situation and returning 
 to England, at the General's expense, before any exposure should take 
 
4?2 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 place. So he wrote himself a letter announcing the death of his 
 mother (at that moment drinking brandy and water in the bar of a 
 hotel in Birmingham, whereof she was landlady), and leaving three 
 orphan sisters (invented for the occasion) solely dependent on him for 
 everythingj which epistle answered his purpose nicely. After his 
 departure Walter was left pretty much to his own devices ; and one 
 of his chief amusements was drilling and talking to Faust, for whom 
 all his old fondness had revived since the interview in which he had 
 made up his quarrel with Annie. He was therefore especially annoyed 
 and perplexed by a habit which the dog had lately acquired of absent- 
 ing himself every day for several hours. Various were the schemes 
 Walter laid to discover what became of the animal, but by some 
 fatality they all failed to effect their object ; and the cause of the dog's 
 absence, as well as the mode in which he contrived to effect his 
 egress, still remained a mystery. At length, one evening, as Walter 
 was sitting at a window of the Grassini palace which looked into a 
 small courtyard or garden enclosed by a high wall, his attention was 
 attracted by observing something which in the short glimpse he had 
 of it appeared like an animal's head pop up above the wall and dis- 
 appear again. Watching the spot carefully, Walter soon vritnessed a 
 repetition of the phenomenon ; but this time a rough, hairy body and 
 legs followed the head, and after a slight scramble the delinquent 
 Faust himself made his appearance at the top of the wall, which was 
 sufficiently broad to afford him a precarious footing : he then deliber- 
 ately, but with great caution, walked along the narrow causeway thus 
 afforded, until he reached a spot where the limb of an old tree grew 
 so as nearly to touch the wall ; upon this he got, and contrived, by a 
 mode of progression half-slipping, half-clambering, to arrive at a point 
 whence he could easily jump to the ground. All these manoeuvres 
 Walter carefully noted, and formed his plan accordingly. The boy's 
 curiosity — (we continue to use the term boy, for although in age and 
 appearance poor Walter was now almost a man, in mind he was still 
 far younger than his years, in spite of those occasional flashes of 
 intelligence so often to be observed in cases of partial mental imbecility, 
 which render a just estimate of the individual capacity so difficult to 
 arrive at) — Walter's curiosity was thoroughly aroused by this discovery, 
 and he determined if possible to find out the nature and object of 
 Faust's clandestine expeditions. That he had some definite object 
 Walter never for a moment doubted, for he had so completely made 
 a friend and companion of the dog, that he had learned to look upon 
 him much more as a reasonable being than as an animal guided only 
 by an enlightened instinct. 
 
 For the rest of that day, and from an early hour on the following 
 morning, Walter never lost sight of the dog, though he contrived to 
 effect his purpose without interfering with its liberty of action. At 
 length his patience was rewarded by seeing Faust enter the garden 
 and begin to scramble up the identical tree, by means of which he had 
 effected his descent on the previous day. Seizing his hat, Walter lost 
 no time in following him; the tree was easy to climb, and the same 
 branch which had afforded a passage for Faust enabled Walter to reach 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 473 
 
 the top of the wall in safety. On the other side the difficulties were 
 still less, for the ruins of some ancient building lay scattered in all 
 directions, and a pile of them actually came within a few feet of the 
 top of the wall, forming a rough but efficient flight of steps. By the 
 time Walter regained tenafinna, however, Faust had proceeded some 
 distance, and had he chosen to run on might still have preserved his 
 secret inviolate. But when Walter called hmi, he stopped and waited 
 till his friend approached, though neither threats nor endearments could 
 prevail upon him to turn back, or to allow Walter to come near enough 
 to lay hold of him. And so the pair proceeded, Faust running on for 
 a short distance, waiting till Walter drew near, and then resuming his 
 course. The route the dog pursued avoided the more frequented ways, 
 and Walter began to think Faust was merely taking a stroll for the 
 benefit of his constitution, when the animal suddenly turned down an 
 archway, and looking back to see that his friend followed, proceeded 
 along a narrow alley which led into one of the smaller streets, and 
 stopped at the door of a house which projected beyond some of the 
 others. The door stood ajar, and Faust without ceremony pushed it 
 further open and walked in. Walter paused, debating as well as his 
 mental capacity enabled him to do, whether or not he should venture 
 to follow. It was a knotty point to decide. On the one hand his fears 
 urged him to turn back and not risk facing the possible dangers which 
 might lie hidden within this mysterious mansion ; curiosity, on the 
 other hand, prompted him to enter and discover at once and for ever 
 the aim and end of Faust's incomprehensible visits. Fear was very 
 near gaining the day, when, in thinking over every motive, probable 
 or improbable, which might influence the dog, the bright idea flashed 
 across him that perhaps Faust had discovered his former master, and 
 the hope of again meetmg his " dear Mr. Arundel " outweighing every 
 other consideration, he boldly opened the door, and encountering 
 Faust, who had returned to look for him, followed that sagacious 
 quadruped up a flight of stairs. 
 
 Now it so happened that the particular morning in question was 
 that of the fourteenth day from the commencement of Lewis's illness, 
 and the physician had pronounced the crisis of the disease to be at hand. 
 He had seen his patient late on the previous evening, and administered 
 to him a powerful narcotic, from the effect of which he had not re- 
 covered when Walter and Faust commenced their ramble. Frere, 
 who had sat up with him all night, had gone out to refresh himself 
 with a short walk, leaving Lewis under the care of Antonelli, his old 
 attendant. This worthy man had in his turn been called down to see 
 a friend, who having heard of the Signore Luigi's illness, had come to 
 prescribe some outrageous remedy, in the infallibility whereof his faith 
 was as unshakable as his ignorance on all medical subjects was pro- 
 found. Antonelli, whose grief at his patron's danger had been over- 
 powering, was easily interested in his friend's account of the wonderful 
 specific; and with the garrulity of age, he remained discussing its 
 merits for a much longer space of time than he was at all aware o£ 
 Thus it came about that Walter, when he had followed Faust upstairs, 
 and after a second fit of hesitation entered an apartment through the 
 
474 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 partially open door of which the dog had disappeared, found himself in a 
 room, in one corner of which stood a small iron bedstead whereon lay 
 some person, who from his deep, regular breathing seemed to be in a sound 
 sleep. Cautiously, and with noiseless footsteps, the boy approached 
 and gazed upon the sleeper, nor, for a moment, could he recognise, in 
 the pale, worn face which met his view, the features of his " dear Mr. 
 Arundel." But this doubt was speedily resolved when Lewis moved 
 uneasily in his sleep and muttered some indistinct words, amongst 
 which Walter caught the name of Annie. Two clear ideas now pre- 
 sented themselves to the boy's mind : his friend was asleep and must 
 not be roused, and from the expression of his features he must be 
 either ill or unhappy. Having arrived at these conclusions, he pro- 
 ceeded to act upon them by seating himself at the bedside, to wait 
 patiently till Lewis should awake, while he devoted all the powers of 
 his intellect to form some theory by which to account for the change 
 in his late tutor's appearance. As he thus sat anxiously watching, 
 Lewis again turned restlessly, murmuring something, the meaning 
 of which Walter could not catch, then speaking more distinctly, he 
 said — 
 
 "She leaned upon his arm; she smiled on him; she loves him ! I 
 saw it with my own eyes." 
 
 He said this so plainly, that Walter, fancying he must be awake, 
 addressed him, and asked if he were ill. Lewis caught the sound of 
 the words, and replied — 
 
 " 111 in mind, Frere, nothing more.'' 
 
 Walter, still believing him to be awake, continued — 
 
 " It is I — ^Walter; do you not know me?" 
 
 For a moment the sleeping man made no reply, then resuming the 
 conversation which he imagined himself holding with Frere, he ex- 
 claimed eagerly — 
 
 " Love one man and engage herself to another ! I tell you no ! 
 Annie Grant never loved me ! " 
 
 At this moment Faust (who had been lying quietly, and as if he 
 were quite at home, on a rug by the bedside), roused by the sound of 
 his master's voice, placed his fore-paws on the bed, and finding himself 
 unnoticed, endeavoured to attract attention by licking first the sick 
 man's hand and then his face. The effect of the opiate had by this 
 time in a great measure worn off, and roused by Faust's intrusive 
 affection, Lewis awoke with a violent start, and attempting to raise 
 himself in a sitting posture, gazed around him in surprise, then fell 
 back upon his pillow from weakness. After lying some moments 
 perfectly motionless, he again unclosed his eyes and asked in a low, 
 faint voice, " Am I dreaming still, or did I see Walter ? " 
 
 " No, you are awake now, dear Mr. Arundel; it is I, Walter. Faust 
 found you out, and brought me to see you." 
 
 As Walter mentioned Faust, Lewis for the first time perceived his 
 old favourite, and stretched out his hand with the intention of patting 
 him, but the effort was beyond his strength, and his arm sank power- 
 less by his side. Faust, however, perceived the attention, and 
 acknowledged it by again licking his hand. Lewis turned his languid 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 475 
 
 eyes from Walter to the dog, and a tear stole down his wasted cheek, 
 then his lips grew compressed, and an expression of anguish over- 
 spread his countenance. With consciousness had also returned bitter 
 memories. In the meanwhile Walter, delighted at recovering his 
 long:-lost friend, grew loquacious in the fulness of his joy, and ran on 
 in his usual disconnected manner. 
 
 " So you haven't forgotten Faust, then, Mr. Arundel ? He has never 
 forgotten you either, poor fellow I all the time you have been away; 
 but I have taken great care of him, you see ; he's nice and fat, isn't 
 he? We've been very good friends too, only we used to quarrel 
 sometimes when he would follow Annie, and I did not like it because 
 — because " Here he paused, having a kind of confused recollec- 
 tion that this was a subject on which he wanted to say something 
 particular. After waiting for a minute or two his ideas grew in a 
 degree clearer, and he continued — 
 
 " You know I took a dislike to poor Annie, because I thought she 
 made you go away. I always thought so until she told me it was not 
 the case, and how fond she was of you." 
 
 When Walter first mentioned Annie's name Lewis started and made 
 a gesture to induce him to be silent, but the boy did not understand 
 his wishes, and his auditor soon became too much absorbed in the 
 interest of his disclosures to seek again to interrupt him. 
 
 "You were talking about Annie just now, you know, before you 
 were quite awake," resumed Walter, "and you said she did not love 
 you. I remember I thought so too once, and that that was the reason 
 why you went away, and so I took a dislike to her, and would not let 
 Faust follow her, only he would. But we were both quite wrong, for 
 Annie is just as fond of you as Faust and I are, and now I'll tell you 
 how I came to find it out." He then in his rambling way gave a 
 childish but perfectly intelligible account of his conversation with 
 Annie Grant, with which the reader is already acquainted. Just as 
 he had finished his recital, Richard Frere returned from his walk in 
 time to overhear the last few words of the history, and to discover that 
 Lewis had fainted from intense emotion. 
 
 CHAPTER LXVI. 
 
 URSA MAJOR SHOWS HIS TEETH. 
 
 Walter's visit to Lewis produced a more favourable effect upon the 
 patient's health than did all the pills and potions wherewith his doctor 
 had sought to exorcise the fever-fiend. He had noi then deceived 
 himself — Annie Jtad loved him ; nay, from Walter's recital, as well as 
 from her manner on the occasion of his protecting her through the 
 crowd in the square of St. Mark, was he not justified in believing that 
 she loved him still ? The idea was jn itself happiness, for although 
 the fact of her renewing her engagement with Lord Bellefield so 
 immediately after Lems had quitted Broadhurst still remained un- 
 accounted for, the belief that she loved him seemed to impart a new 
 
476 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 aspect to the whole afifair, and for the first time he allowed himself to 
 hope that her conduct might admit of some satisfactory explanation. 
 The emotions of a mind so impulsive as Lewis's necessarily produce 
 marked effects upon the body; agitation of spirits had mainly con- 
 duced to bring on the fever which had thus prostrated him, and the 
 hope to which Walter's words had given rise seemed to infuse new 
 life into him ; at all events, it is certain that from the moment in 
 which he became convinced that Annie had loved him he began to 
 amend. As soon as Frere considered him strong enough to bear such 
 an announcement, he informed him of the appalling fate which had 
 overtaken his enemy. Lewis was at first strongly affected. But for 
 events over which he had had no control he might now have been in 
 the position of Miles Hardy, a wanderer on the face of the earth, 
 beanng with him the harrowing consciousness that the blood of a 
 fellow -creature was upon his hands. After remaining in silent 
 thought for some minutes he suddenly raised his eyes to his friend's 
 countenance. 
 
 " Frere," he said, " how can I ever be sufficiently grateful to God, 
 who chose you as His instrument to set my sin before me, and bring 
 me to a better frame of mind ! Had this dreadful fate overtaken 
 Bellefield without my having resolved not to fight him, I should have 
 felt morally guilty of his death, considering that it was mere accident 
 which had enabled Hardy to meet him sooner than myself." 
 
 "You acted rightly, under circumstances which I must confess 
 to have afforded about as severe a trial to a man of your impetuous 
 nature as could well be conceived," returned Frere ; " so it is but fair 
 that you should reap some advantage from your self-conquest. I pity 
 poor young Hardy more than I blame him, for he has probably never 
 been taught the truths of Christianity, and nothing' else could have 
 possessed sufficient power over him to induce him to forego his 
 revenge. Ah 1 if such men as Bellefield could but be made to see the 
 mental agony their vices cause to others, even their selfish hearts 
 would be touched, and they would be unable to go on sinning with 
 such callous indifference ; but in their selfishness they look merely to 
 the gratification of their own passions, and ignore all possible results 
 which might tend to interfere witli them. Such a career as Bellefield's 
 is a fearful and inexplicable mystery to reflect upon, and it is only by 
 a high exercise of faith that we can believe even Omnipotence able to 
 bring good out of such consistent and unmitigated wickedness." 
 
 " And is such your belief?" inquired Lewis earnestly. 
 
 " Most assuredly it is," was the reply. " I am not one of those who 
 acknowledge God's attributes with my tongue but in my heart practi- 
 cally deny; nor can I believe that a Being, the perfection of wisdom, 
 of justice, and of mercy, could allow evil to exist, were He not able to 
 overrule it to good. But if you ask me, ' How can these things be ?' 
 I tell you at once I do not know; I form no theory on the subject, for 
 I have no power to do so ; my mind is that of a weak, fallen man, and 
 the secret things of God are so immeasurably above it that to speculate 
 upon them is equally presumptuous and absurd. Still I feel as certain 
 of the main fact as if each special detail of the Divine scheme lay 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 477 
 
 spread out like a map before me, because, were it not so, God would 
 falsify His attributes; the great Being we worship would be, not a 
 merciful Father, but a stern, inexorable judge. Depend upon it, 
 Lewis, the real fallacy in the religious teaching of the present day is 
 that, practically if not theoretically, fear rather than love is inculcated 
 as the actuating principle, and, as a natural consequence, men ignore 
 and put aside thoughts of futurity as they put aside any other painful 
 and alarming reflection." 
 
 As Frere concluded Lewis paused in thought, then observed — 
 
 " All you have said sounds wise and true, and yet there appears a 
 contradiction somewhere. Evil must always be hateful to God, and as 
 such must deserve everlasting punishment. I cannot understand it." 
 
 " Nor do I wish or expect you to do so," replied Frere ; " but 
 cannot you wait patiently through a little space — the life of one man 
 — trusting that when this mortal shall have put on immortality our 
 enlarged faculties may enable us to see clearly that which we now 
 believe as a matter of faith? The only difficulty arises from your 
 attempting to measure things infinite with your finite intelligence; 
 for instance, you talk of everlasting punishment — what do you mean 
 by the term?" 
 
 " Mean, why, of course, punishment that shall endure throughout 
 eternity," replied Lewis. 
 
 "And eternity, which to be eternal can no more have had a 
 beginning than it shall have an end, is an idea our minds cannot 
 grasp; and in attempting to define and realise these things we only 
 confuse and mislead ourselves. Take my word for it, Lewis, true 
 religion, the religion Christ canie down from heaven to teach men, 
 consists in a sincere, earnest, and consistent belief in the goodness 
 and benevolence of the Creator, carried out practically by an un- 
 ceasing endeavour to reform our fallen natures after His image." 
 
 " And how are we to gain the knowledge and the strengfth requisite 
 to enable us to do this ? " asked Lewis. 
 
 " By studying God's written word with an honest intention of doing 
 as we are there told to do, at the same time imploring His assistance 
 to enable us to carry out our good intentions," was the earnest reply. 
 
 So the conversation ended ; but Lewis thought over the ideas thus 
 presented to him, which, though not entirely new to him, or indeed to 
 any other reflecting mind, had perhaps never before occurred in a 
 light so clear and practical as that in which Frere had placed them ; 
 and as by slow degrees his strength began to return, and with Anto- 
 nelli's assistance he contrived to creep for an hour at a time to his 
 painting-room, he arose from that couch of sickness a wiser and a better 
 man. 
 
 As soon as Charles Leicester had recovered from the first shock of 
 his brother's death he determined to entrust his wife and child to the 
 care of General Grant, while he started for England to break the dis- 
 tressing intelligence to his father. Lord Ashford was now becoming 
 an old man, and although the profligate career of his eldest son had 
 caused him the deepest anxiety and regret, he still regarded him with 
 much affection ; and Leicester had only too good reason to dread the 
 
478 LEWIS ARUNDfiL. 
 
 effect which might be produced upon him if, by any accident, he wefe 
 to become aware of the fatal event without sufficient preparation. 
 Accordingly, on the second day after the discovery of the catastrophe, 
 he quitted Venice, and travelled day and night till he reached Eng- 
 land ; but fast as he journeyed, the evil tidings journeyed still more 
 swiftly : a rumour of the truth had somehow found its way to the 
 London clubs ; at one to which he belonged Lord Ashford had acci- 
 dentally overheard the affair discussed, and while uttering a half- 
 frantic inquiry in regard to the speaker's authority, was seized with a 
 fit, from which he recovered only to remain a heart-broken man, 
 paralysed and childish. Charles finding him in this deplorable state, 
 was of course unable to leave him, and wrote to Laura to beg that 
 no unnecessary delay might occur to prevent her joining him as soon 
 as possible. Under these circumstances. General Grant resolved to 
 proceed to England at once, with the party under his charge. 
 
 When Frere's anxiety for Lewis's life had ended, and he felt satisfied 
 that he was on the road towards recovery, and might safely be en- 
 trusted to the care of Antonelli, he had made his way to the Palazzo 
 Grassini, and seeking an interview with General Grant, had explained 
 to him the object which had brought him to Venice, together with the 
 train of events which had hitherto prevented his announcing his 
 arrival. He also gave an account of \.\\€ fracas between Lord Belle- 
 field and Lewis at the Casino, and his friend's subsequent self- 
 conquest, in resolving for conscience' sake to forego his revenge ; but 
 he said nothing of Lewis's attachment to Annie, feeling that he had no 
 right to betray his confidence to the General without obtaining his 
 consent to the measure. 
 
 General Grant was much interested by this recital, and highly ex- 
 tolled Lewis's conduct throughout the whole affair, the shock of Lord 
 Bellefield's death having taken away any little prejudices in favour of 
 dueUing which might have lingered in the chivalrous mind of the old 
 soldier. He thought, however, that considering the relative positions 
 of the different parties, it would be better for him not to visit Lewis so 
 soon after the awful catast:ophe which had taken place, but he sent 
 him a kind message by Frere, saying he should hope to see him on 
 his return to England, and thanking him for his interference in 
 Walter's behalf. 
 
 On the morning previous to that fixed for the departure of Laura 
 and her friends, Lewis, having over-exerted himself the day before by 
 painting for several hours, and having paid the penalty by lying awake 
 during great part of the night, had fallen into a deep sleep, which 
 lasted so long, that Frere, having breakfasted and given orders that 
 Lewis was on no account to be disturbed, went out. He had under- 
 taken, with his usual good nature, innumerable commissions for the 
 General ; these he set to work diligently to execute, and after wander- 
 ing up and down the lanes and squares of Venice, now trudging like 
 an excited postman, now sitting bolt upright in the stem of a gondola, 
 with the cotton umbrella spread like a gigantic mushroom over his 
 head to keep off the sun, he arrived, hot and tired, at the Palazzo 
 Grassini. General Grant was from home, so Frere left a card, saying 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 479 
 
 he would call later in the afternoon; then, considering on second 
 thoughts that it would not be kind, as he had been out so long, to leave 
 Lewis again on the same day, he altered his determination, and desir- 
 ing to be shown into the library, sent a message to ask to be allowed 
 to speak to Mrs. Leicester, or to Miss Grant. Now the servant to whom 
 this message was entrusted, being, like many of his betters, averse to 
 needless trouble, and chancing to encounter Annie as he was proceed- 
 ing from the library to the drawing-room, saw fit slightly to alter the 
 tenor of his message, and leaving out all mention of Laura, informed 
 Miss Grant that a gentleman of the name of Frere, having called to 
 visit the General, had, on learning that he was from home, asked to be 
 allowed to see her. This intelligence rather flurried Annie, Frere 
 being always connected in her mind with the idea of Lewis, and it was 
 not without a degree of trepidation, which mantled her cheek with a 
 most becoming blush, that she hastened to comply with his summons. 
 
 When Frere perceived who it was that his message had produced, 
 a sclieme, which had suggested itself to him as a vague possibility, as 
 he had sat by Lewis's bedside listening to the ravings of his delirium, 
 recurred to his mind, as a right and advisable step which it behoved 
 him to take, now that chance had thrown the opportunity in his way; 
 his first business, however, was to deliver himself of the commissions 
 entrusted to him by the General. Having relieved his mind of the 
 weight of this responsibility, he began — 
 
 " Well, Miss Grant, I'm glad to see you looking better than you 
 were. I suppose it's the" — (having got rid of your detestable 
 engagement was his original sentence, but he checked himself, and 
 substituted) — "idea of getting away from this horrid place, all puddles 
 and palaces ; the men every one of them either a tyrant or a slave, and 
 such lazy rascals into the bargain ; the women, not at all the style oi 
 female to talk to you about; and without any particular beauty to 
 account for it either, as far as I'm a judge, though perhaps in my 
 present position I'm a little bit over fastidious ; but then Rose Arundel 
 is as near perfection as anything on this earth can be — however, I'm 
 forgetting you don't know anything of the matter, and all that I'm 
 saying must be high Dutch, or thereabouts, to you." 
 
 And having by this time talked himself into a regular entanglement, 
 the worthy bear came to a sudden and unexpected standstill. Annie 
 hastened to relieve him. 
 
 " You have, indeed, let me into a secret, Mr. Frere," she said, smil- 
 ing ; " but it is quite safe in my hands, and it is a secret, moreover, 
 which I am dehghted to hear : there is no one in whose happiness I 
 take deeper interest than in that of dear Rose Arundel, and I quite 
 approve of the step you hint at as being likely to secure it. You must 
 allow me to offer you my warmest congratulations." 
 
 "Thank ye, thank ye," returned Frere, looking most comically 
 bashful, and routing his hair about insanely in his embarrassment, " I 
 certainly do hope to make her happy, God bless her; though I don't 
 think you can judge much about it one way or other, seeing that I 
 may be a Bear in reality (she calls me one in fun, you know), meaning 
 to eat her up bodily for aught you can tell. As to its being much of a 
 
48o LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 secret, too many people know it, too many women in particular, to 
 render that possible; so, though I don't want it announced in the 
 Times till the event actually comes off, you need not put any violent 
 constraint upon your natural communicativeness, for I am not so 
 ignorant of the idiosyncrasies of the fair sex as to forget the pain and 
 grief constrained silence occasions them." 
 
 Annie made a playful rejoinder, and then, after a minute's pause, 
 ventured timidly to ask, " I -hope Mr. Arundel continues to gain 
 strength. I — ^that is my father — and indeed all of us were so grieved 
 to hear of his illness 1 " 
 
 Frere fixed his large eyes upon her as he replied gruffly, " Yes, he's 
 getting on well enough for anything I know to the contrary ; but he's 
 as weak as a child. It will be months before he becomes anything 
 jike the man he was ; he's been unpleasantly near supplying a vacancy 
 in some moist graveyard of this amphibious city ; small thanks to those 
 who helped to bring him to such a condition." 
 
 Annie turned very pale at this somewhat unfeeling speech, but she 
 managed to stammer out, " I thought, that is, we were told that it was 
 a fever, produced by exposure to malaria, from which Mr. Arundel had 
 suffered." 
 
 " A fever it was, and no mistake,'' was the reply ; " such a fever as I 
 should be very sorry to fall in the way of catchmg, I can tell you." 
 
 " And yet you have nursed him through it with the most unceasing 
 self-devotion. You see I know you better than you are aware of, Mr. 
 Frere," interrupted Annie with a beaming smile. 
 
 " Nurse him ! why, of course I did ; if I hadn't, I should have de- 
 served to be well kicked," returned Frere in a tone of intense disgust. 
 " I've known Lewis ever since he was a pretty black-eyed boy of ten 
 years old, and though he is a little hot-headed and impetuous some- 
 times, that's no reason why I should leave him to die of a fever in a 
 foreign land, far away from those that care about him. A nice sort of 
 friend I should be if I did, and a pretty figure I should cut the next 
 time I came in Rose's way 1 • She is not one of those who love people 
 by halves, I can tell you ; why, she actually dotes on her brother." 
 
 " Oh, I am sure she does ; it was that which first made me love 
 her," exclaimed Annie with enthusiasm; then seeing all that her 
 speech involved, she blushed " celestial rosy red " and cast down her 
 eyes in confusion. 
 
 " Humph 1 " grunted Frere, " that sounds all very nice and amiable, 
 but I prefer deeds to words I I'll tell you what it is. Miss Grant," he 
 continued, turning suddenly upon Annie, " you talked about malaria 
 being the exciting cause of Lewis's illness, it was no such thing— the 
 cause of his fever was anguish of mind — the poor boy's been miserable 
 for the last two years, almost crazy with grief, as I take it, for he has 
 been doing all sorts of wild, unreasonable things; and if the truth 
 must be told, it strikes me it's more your fault than any one else's." 
 
 " My fault I " exclaimed Annie, her face and neck flushing crimson 
 at this unexpected charge. " Oh, Mr. Frere, how can you speak such 
 cruel words ? " 
 
 •' Because they happen to be true ones, young lady," returned Frere 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 481 
 
 sternly. " You are the daughter of a rich man, and a man in a high 
 station, and for that reason it's very seldom you have the plain, honest 
 truth spoken to you ; but you shall learn it to-day from my lips, if you 
 never heard it before in your life, and if it is not palatable, the fault 
 does_ not rest with me. I knew something of this same affair when 
 Lewis quitted Broadhurst all in a hurry, two years ago, and I set it 
 down as a foolish bit of boyish romance, which a few months' absence 
 would cure ; but it was not till I watched by his bedside, and listened 
 through the solemn hours of the night to his frenzied ravings, that I 
 became aware the passion he felt for you was rooted in his very heart's 
 core, and saw that by his deep, his overpowering love for one who I 
 fear was not worthy of him, he had shipwrecked the happiness of a 
 lifetime. Silence I " he continued angrily, as Annie, half rising from 
 her seat, seemed about to interrupt him, " silence I you have volun- 
 tarily, or involuntarily, been the cause of deep misery to the two 
 persons (for Rose has suffered greatly on her brother's account) for 
 whom I care most in the world, and you shall learn before we part 
 the evil consequences of your acts, and tell me whether you possess 
 either the will or the power to repair them." 
 
 Annie again attempted to speak, but finding her accuser would 
 not listen to her, sunk back with a gesture of despair, while Frere 
 continued — 
 
 " Very early in his residence at Broadhurst, Lewis, as I imagine, 
 became attached to you, though for a long time he would not acknow- 
 ledge the fact even to himself: at length, however, self-deception 
 became impossible ; then began the struggle between his pride and 
 his affection ; and from that period to the hour in which he quitted 
 Broadhurst he lived in a state of mental torture. Well, you could not 
 help his falling in love with you, you will say ; and because a poor 
 tutor was bold and foohsh enough to forget the difference of posi- 
 tion between you (which, by the way, he never did for one moment, 
 though the recollection was agony to his proud spirit), and to 
 raise his eyes to his employer's daughter, you were not bound to 
 forget it also — I grant you that — but shall I tell you what you could 
 have helped? (which I should never have known anything about but 
 for poor Lewis's delirious ravings) — you could have helped saying and 
 doing a hundred little nameless things, trifles in themselves perhaps 
 (so are straws, but they show which way the wind blows 1), things which 
 gave the poor fellow the idea that you returned his affection, and that 
 had he dared to declare his feelings, he might have obtained such a 
 confession from you ; an attempt which he was far too honourable to 
 make, but rather, with an aching heart, tore himself away from Broad- 
 hurst, throwing up every prospect he then had in life : you might have 
 helped this. Miss Annie Grant, and if you had been worthy of the love 
 of such a noble nature you would have done so.'| 
 
 As Frere, completely carried away by the excited feelings which his 
 recapitulation of Lewis's wrongs and sufferings had aroused, paused 
 for breath, poor Annie, who during the latter portion of his harangue 
 had been utterly unable to restrain her tears, replied in ^ voice scarcely 
 audible through emptioo^ 
 
482 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 " You cruelly misjudge tne, Mr. Frere — most cruelly — and are rnak- 
 ing an unkind and ungenerous use of knowledge which, if your friend 
 had retained his reason, would never have been in your possession." 
 
 Frere felt the justice of this reproach, and moreover the sight of 
 poor Annie's tears appealed to his kindness of heart, and served to 
 disarm his wrath. 
 
 " Well, that is certainly true," he said, " and if I have indeed mis- 
 judged you, why I can only say I am very sorry for it ; at all events I 
 need not have spoken so harshly and rudely to you ; but you see, Miss 
 Grant, I feel very deeply about this matter, and the idea that all which 
 Lewis has suflfered had been the consequence of your love of admira- 
 tion and idle coquetry made me angry with you." 
 
 " Indeed, indeed, I am no coquette," murmured poor Annie. 
 
 " Well, you seem to have behaved Uke one, at all events," returned 
 Frere ; " unless, indeed," he continued, as a new light suddenly broke 
 in upon him — " unless, indeed, you really do by any chance care about 
 Lewis as much as he cares about you — of course in that event you 
 would be more to be pitied than blamed." He paused, then after a 
 moment's reflection, continued, " But no, that cannot be either; if you 
 had really loved Lewis, you would scarcely have engaged yourself to 
 another man before he had been out of the house four-and-twenty 
 hours. What do you say to that ? eh, young lady 1 " 
 
 Poor Annie ! heavily indeed did her fault press upon her ; most 
 bitterly did she repent the weakness of character which had prevented 
 her from refusing to engage her hand when her heart went not with 
 it. What could she say ? Why, she could only sob like an unhappy 
 child, and whisper in a broken voice — 
 
 " I will send Laura to you — ask her, she knows all — she can tell 
 you." 
 
 And so running out of the room, she threw herself upon her friend's 
 neck, and begged her, incoherently and vaguely, to " go immediately 
 to ^m and explain everything;" with which request Laura, when she 
 had provided the solitary pronoun with a chaperon in the shape of a 
 concordant noun, and' restricted the transcendental "everythmg" to 
 mean the one thing needful in that particular case, hastened to 
 comply. 
 
 The commission was rather a delicate one, and the excellent Bear 
 did not render the execution thereof the less difficult by choosing to 
 take a hard-headed, moral, and common-sense view of Annie's conduct, 
 which confused Laura to such a degree, that in her desire to be par- 
 ticularly lucid, she contrived to entangle the matter so thoroughly 
 that a person with greater tact and more delicate perceptions than 
 the rough and straightforward Frere might have found the affair 
 puzzling. 
 
 " Well, I tell you what it is, Mrs. Leicester," he at last exclaimed 
 abruptly, " if you were to talk to me till midnight, which, seeing you've 
 a long journey before you to-morrow, would be equally fatiguing and 
 injudicious, you would never be able to convince me that your young 
 friend acted wisely. The idea of accepting that unhappy man (whose 
 death, between ourselves, was a gain to everybody but himself, though, 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 483 
 
 of course, I shall not say so to poor Charles, who in his amiability 
 contrived to keep up a sort of affection for his brother) ; but the notion 
 of accepting him to prevent anybody guessing she was in love with 
 Lewis seems to me about the most feeble-minded expedient that ever 
 occurred to the imagination, even of a woman ; it's like cutting one's 
 throat to cure a sore finger. I don't admire the principle of judging 
 actions by their results, or I should say the result of this has been just 
 what I should have expected— viz., to make everybody miserable. 
 However, though she has done a foolish thing, that is very different 
 from doing a deliberately wicked one. Well, I suppose we must not 
 be too hard upon her, poor little thing ; I dare say Lewis, at all events, 
 will be magnanimous enough to overlook it, in consideration of her 
 correct taste in properly appreciating his good qualities ; however, I'll 
 do my best to explain the matter to him, and put it in as favourable a 
 light as my conscience will allow me. And so wishing you a good 
 journey, I'll be off. I have a notion it won't be very long before Lewis 
 and I shall follow you ; we shall not be many hours in England before 
 we beat up your quarters, depend upon it. Lewis will have some 
 strange revelations to make to Governor Grant that will cause his 
 venerable locks to stand on end in amazement. Ah I it's a queer 
 world. Well, good-bye, Mrs. Leicester: I expect you and I should 
 become good friends in time, though you're quite mistaken if you 
 fancy that young woman acted sensibly in accepting her scampish 
 cousin, when all the time she was in love with another man." 
 
 And thus Richard Frere fairly talked himself out of the house, leav- 
 ing Laura especially astonished at his brusguerie, and decidedly of 
 opinion that she had mismanaged the affair and done her friend's 
 cause irreparable injury. 
 
 CHAPTER LXVII. 
 
 RELATES HOW, THE ECLIPSE BEING OVER, THE SUN BEGAN TO 
 SHINE AGAIN. 
 
 In the meantime, Lewis having awoke from his long sleep, and 
 finding himself all the better and stronger for his nap, had just 
 breakfasted with much appetite when Antonelli appeared and handed 
 him a note. It was from Laura (written before her interview with 
 Frere), informing him of their intended departure on the morrow, 
 begging him to call upon her immediately he returned to England, 
 which, as soon as his health would permit, she advised him to do 
 without loss of time, and winding up with a hint that, in regard to the 
 matter which especially interested him, he might make himself quite 
 easy, for that everything could be most satisfactorily explained. 
 
 Lewis read and re-read the note. " The matter that especially 
 interested him ! " — that could have but one meaning. Oh, yes ! Annie 
 had cleared herself— she had never accepted Lord Bellefield; or, if 
 she had, she had been cheated into doing so. Annie was good and 
 true— the Annie of his imagination— the bright, fair, loving, gentle 
 
 33 
 
484 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 being his soul worshipped ! But he must have certainty — he must 
 not again be the dupe of his own wishes ; no, he must have certainty, 
 and he must have it at once. Wait till his return to England ? Why, 
 that might be days, weeks hence 1 And was he all that time to suffer 
 the tortures of suspense ? It was not to be thought of. He must 
 see Laura before her departure and learn the truth. But this would 
 necessitate a visit to the Palazzo Grassini, in which he must run the 
 chance of encountering the General or Annie. And as his thoughts 
 reverted to her, the idea for the first time occurred to him of the 
 mental suffering she must have undergone if, as he now believed, she 
 had indeed truly loved him, and been in some unaccountable manner 
 forced by circumstances to consent to the engagement with her cousin. 
 Then he remembered the scene in the Square of St. Mark, and a sense 
 of the cruelty of his own conduct towards her overwhelmed him. This 
 decided the question. He would at all risks see Laura ; and if^as 
 he now did not for a moment doubt — her explanation proved satis- 
 factory, he would entreat her to obtain Annie's forgiveness. She must 
 forgive him when she came to know all he had suffered — when she 
 heard how ill he had been : and as he thought of his illness the some- 
 what perplexing question occurred to him how he was to reach the 
 Palazzo Grassini in his present weak state? Nevermind; where there 
 was a will there was a way. He would do it, he was determined ; and 
 so he summoned Antonelli, and to the alarm of that worthy man, who 
 fancied the fever had again flown to the brain, and that his beloved 
 master was delirious, announced that he was going out to pay a visit, 
 and requested his assistance in dressing himself. 
 
 It was not till his toilet was completed and he attempted to walk 
 downstairs that he became aware how weak and helpless his illness 
 had left him, and it required all his resolution to persevere in his 
 expedition. Luckily the distance was short, and he was enabled to 
 perform some part of it in a gondola ; still, by the time he reached 
 the Palazzo Grassini his strength was so completely exhausted that if 
 he had been required to proceed a hundred yards further he would 
 have been unable to accomplish the task. Having inquired if Mrs. 
 Leicester was at home and received an answer in the affirmative, he 
 continued — 
 
 " Then show me up to her boudoir unannounced ; I vi'ill hold you 
 blameless for doing so." 
 
 The servant, who knew how intimate Lewis had been there before 
 the coming of the Grant party, and how his visits had ceased with 
 their arrival, naturally enough conjectured that the young painter was 
 for some reason desirous to avoid encountering any of the General's 
 family, and complied with his request unhesitatingly. But the 
 domestic in question, who chanced to be the same individual who had 
 admitted Frere, was not aware of the additional and, to the parties 
 concerned, somewhat important fact, that since he had performed that 
 service Miss Grant and his mistress had changed places, and that at 
 the moment he was conducting Lewis to the boudoir that apartment 
 was tenanted by Annie Grant, while Laura was engaged in solemn 
 conclave with Richard Frere in the library. Thus it fell out that when 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 485 
 
 the door of the boudoir was noiselessly opened, Annie Grant, who had 
 remained there after she had despatched Laura on her difficult mission 
 to Ursa Major, and more majontm, from the time of Niobe down- 
 wards, had indulged her feelings with a hearty cry, was wiping her 
 eyes and trying to make herself believe that her troubles must be 
 " working to an end," and that dim on the horizon of her future fate 
 there might be discerned a good time coming. Annie thus pondering, 
 and thus engaged, saw a tall, bending figure enter, in whose well-known 
 features, their expression softened and spiritualised by severe illness, 
 she needed no announcement to recognise Lewis Arundel. 
 
 The windows of Laura's boudoir were shaded from the burning rays 
 of an Italian sun by (literally) Venetian blinds, which kept out not only 
 the heat, but in great measure the light also ; and Lewis, whose eyes 
 were dizzy and his head swimming from weakness, perceiving a 
 female figure advancing towards him, naturally conjectured it to be 
 Laura, and accosted her as follows — 
 
 " You are no doubt surprised to see me here, but after perusing your 
 note I could not rest till I had learned the truth from your own lips, 
 and as you are to quit Venice to-morrow, there was no time to lose ; 
 so I resolved, couie qui couie, to make the effort, and here I am." 
 
 He paused for a reply, but obtaining none, looked up in surprise, 
 and perceived Annie Grant standing pale and trembling before him. 
 Completely overcome by this unexpected encounter, he contrived to 
 stammer out — 
 
 " I beg pardon, I believed I was addressing Mrs. Leicester. I must 
 go and seek her," and turned to put his design into execution ; but his 
 strength was unequal to the task, and leaning against a marble slab, 
 he remained motionless, utterly unable to proceed. For a moment 
 Annie paused as if thunder-stricken, then her woman's heart awoke 
 within her, and in an instant she was by his side, bringing a chair for 
 him to sit down. 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Arundel, how wrong, how mad of you to venture out," 
 she exclaimed, her anxiety for him overpowering every other feeling ; 
 " you will bring on a return of the fever. Why, you are so weak that 
 you can scarcely stand ; pray sit down." 
 
 Advancing a step, Lewis took the chair from her, and leaning on the 
 back for support, said with a faint smile — 
 
 " I have indeed somewhat miscalculated my strength. Miss Grant ; 
 I am very, very weak," and as he spoke he sank upon the seat, while 
 the bright flush, which the excitement of beholding Annie had called 
 into his cheeks, faded to the most deathlike paleness : his companion 
 became alarmed. 
 
 " You are faint," she said; "let me ring for assistance." 
 
 A tray, virith a decanter of water and some glasses, stood upon a 
 table near; Lewis's eye fell upon them. 
 
 " It is merely the unaccustomed exertion," he said feebly, " it will 
 pass away in a moment." 
 
 Annie caught the direction of his glance. " You would like a glass 
 of water," she exclaimed, " let me give you one ; " and suiting the action 
 to the word, she filled a glass with the sparkling liquid and handed it 
 
486 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 to him. He took it with a sHght inclination of the head, drank it 
 eagerly, and was about to rise, in order to put down the glass, when 
 Annie, by a deprecating gesture, prevented him, and taking it from 
 his trembling fingers replaced it on the table. As she turned from 
 doing so, their eyes met, and she perceived that his were fixed on her 
 features with a deep, earnest, scrutinising gaze, as though he strove to 
 read in her countenance the history of her inner life. For a moment 
 she met his gaze with a bright, truthful, unshrinking look ; then, un- 
 able to bear the power of his eagle eye, she turned away with a blush 
 and a smile, half tender, half reproachful, for Annie was no stoic, and 
 every feeling of her heart reveaJed itself in her tell-tale countenance. 
 Lewis could bear it no longer — speak he must. 
 
 " Miss Grant — Annie," he said, and as he pronounced her Christian 
 name his deep voice trembled with suppressed emotion, "when I 
 came here to-day I had no thought of seeing you; but accident (if, 
 indeed, in this strange, complicated life anything may be so considered) 
 has determined it otherwise, and the opportunity shall not be lost. 
 Not very many days since I was so grievously ill that the chances 
 were strongly against my rallying ; it has pleased God to spare my life 
 a little longer; but such an escape as this gives rise to deep and 
 solemn thoughts. While I lay upon the bed of sickness, which had so 
 nearly proved the bed of death, I learned to read my own heart 
 — my past life glided as it were in review before me, and my faults 
 and errors, no longer hidden by the mists of self-deceit or of passion, 
 revealed themselves clearly in the light of an awakened conscience : 
 above them all stood forth in its evil beauty the master-demon pride, 
 and I saw how it had embittered my whole existence, and how, if ever 
 I hoped to obtain even peace of mind, much more happiness, I must 
 relax no effort until I should subdue it. Annie, I have loved you 
 long ; you cannot, do not doubt it ; but because I deemed you richer 
 than I was, and of higher rank, I was too proud to own it to you. 
 Years of mental torture have been my punishment : I do not complain 
 that this should have been so — I do not impugn the justice of the decree ; 
 on the contrary, I acknowledge it with deep contrition. I sinned, and 
 it was fitting I should pay the penalty, however bitter ; but there was a 
 grief I was not prepared for, and in which I could not discern retribu- 
 tive justice ; for whatever a slanderous world may say, my love for you 
 has been deep, pure, and disinterested, the truest, most earnest feeling 
 of my inmost soul. Annie, I will be frank with you, and even if my 
 presumption ruins my cause, I have suffered too much from conceal- 
 ment not to tell you the whole truth. When, distracted by my 
 hopeless passion for you, and maddened by the insults of one who is 
 now no more, I tore myself away from Broadhurst, and lefl you, as I 
 deemed, for ever, the most bitter pang proceeded from a secret belief, 
 which even despair could not banish, that I read in your soft glances 
 assurance that had I dared to urge my suit, I might have learned I 
 had not loved in vain ; and in the midst of my desolation I was happy, 
 deeply happy, in the thought Then a ray of light broke in upon the 
 darkness — a strange chain of events led to the discovery that I was 
 heir to an ancient and honourable name and an ample fortune, and I 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 487 
 
 Waited but lo obtain legal evidence of the fact, ere I hastened to tell 
 you of my affection, in the fond hope of eliciting that I was beloved 
 again: once assured of that, I determined that nothing shoxxld prevent 
 my winning your hand— all obstacles must yield before such a love as 
 mine. With these feelings burning in my breast, imagine the dismay 
 which overwhelmed me on learning by a letter from your father that 
 scarcely twenty-four hours after I had quitted Broadhurst, you, of your 
 own free will, had renewed your engagement with your cousin. Hear 
 me out," he continued, as Annie, who with blushing cheeks and tearful 
 eyes, had remained as though spell-bound, drinking in his every tone, 
 attempted eagerly to interrupt him — " hear me out, and then if you 
 can explain this mystery, the devotion of a life-time shall plead for- 
 giveness for my having misjudged you. How I lived through the 
 wretchedness that letter caused me, I do not know. I believed I was 
 going mad, for a time I was mad, and railed at Heaven for having 
 created a being so fair and false as then I deemed you. Oh ! the 
 misery, the heavy, crushing grief, when the heart adores, with all its 
 faculty of loving, one whom the reason points out as light, fickle, and 
 all unworthy to have called forth such true affection. For two years 
 this black veil of doubt and mistrust hung between your image and 
 my spirit — I cast from me any idea of claiming the rank and riches 
 that were my birthright, for I valued them only as they could bring me 
 nearer to you ; and went forth a wanderer, tormented by the conscious- 
 ness, doubly humiliating to one of my proud nature, that although I 
 believed you unworthy of my affection, I still loved you devotedly as 
 ever. The first person who won me from my gloomy thoughts, and 
 led me to hope your conduct might be satisfactorily explained, was 
 your kind friend Laura, who in her honest singleness of heart could 
 not believe in the possibility of the fickleness of which 1 imagined you 
 guilty — and I (though her arguments failed to convince my reason), 
 how I loved her for her unbelief I I could say much more — could tell 
 you of the agony of mind I endured, when unseen by you I watched 
 you leaning on his arm and smiling upon him, and deemed my worst 
 fears realised, and that you loved him ; but it is needless — Annie, I 
 cannot look on you and believe you false ; if indeed you ever loved 
 me, I know that, despite appearances, you have been true to that 
 affection, and that you love me still. Annie, dearest, tell me that it 
 is so?" 
 
 He ceased, and with his hands clasped, as those of some votary 
 adoring his saint, sat gazing on the April of smiles and tears that 
 played over the expressive features of her he loved, until reading in 
 her tender glances the secret her lips refused to speak, happiness lent 
 him strength, and springing to her side, he drew her unresistingly 
 towards him, and reproved the coral lips for their silence by sealing 
 his forgiveness upon them with a loving kiss. And as Annie, albeit 
 there is no reason to doubt that she was an exceedingly moral and 
 well-conducted young lady, did not appear to discern any great im- 
 propriety in this act, but, on the contrary, disengaged herself from his 
 embrace gently and tenderly, the probabilities are, looking at the 
 matter in a correct light, and with an artist eye (an optical delusion, 
 
48.8 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 popularly supposed to fulfil one of the main duties of charity 
 by clothing the naked), that the view she took of the affair was 
 a right one. And then by degrees, having declared that it was 
 impossible she could ever tell him anything about it, but that 
 Laura knew — would not he go and ask Laura at once ? (a pro- 
 position Lewis coolly but decidedly rejected), she contrived, she iiever 
 knew how, to enable him to guess the truth, which he did very quickly 
 and cleverly, and found so perfectly satisfactory that his anger (such 
 mild anger !) instantly changed to the most unmitigated pity, an 
 emotion so nearly akin to that other Christian virtue, love, that we 
 fear we shall lay ourselves open to the charge of writing an actual love 
 scene if we pursue the subject any further. And as it is a well- 
 ascertained fact that young persons strictly brought up and never 
 allowed to inflame their imaginations and gain perverted views of life 
 by perusing those inventions of the enemy of man- (and woman-) kind, 
 works of fiction, either never fall in love at all or do so according to 
 parental act of parliament, passed in the year one of the reign of good 
 king Mammon, we (lest we incur the high displeasure of any of this 
 monarch's respectable subjects) will say no more about it But when 
 Laura, grieved at what she considered the unsatisfactory issue of her 
 interview with Richard Frere, returned to her boudoir to make the 
 best report her conscience would allow of to Annie, she was especially 
 surprised, and a little frightened, to discover her friend, with heightened 
 colour, downcast eyes, and a bright smile playing about the corners of 
 her mouth, sitting on a sofa by the side of what Laura would have 
 taken for the ghost of Lewis Arundel, only that ghosts do not in a 
 general way look intensely happy, and are not usually addicted to 
 holding young ladies' hands caressingly between their spectral fingers. 
 However, the ghost soon vindicated his claim to the protection of the 
 Habeas Corpus Act by rising and shaking Laura's hand cordially, and 
 taking the initiative in conversation by exclaiming— 
 
 " My dear, kind Mrs. Leicester, I owe all my happiness to you." 
 Then Laura began to surmise what had happened, and in the excess 
 of her joy scolded Lewis so vigorously for his madness in venturing 
 out, and Annie for her folly in allowing him to talk, that she was 
 forced to stop in the midst of her harangue to declare herself a virago, 
 and to laugh so heartily at her own vehemence that in order to save 
 herself from becoming hysterical she was fain to betake herself to her 
 own bedroom and indulge in the feminine luxury of a good cry. And 
 then Lewis and Annie sat and looked into each other's eyes ; their joy 
 was too full for words, but such silence as theirs is far more eloquent, 
 for as there is a grief too deep for tears, so is there happiness which 
 language is powerless to express, and such happiness did they experi- 
 ence at that moment. At length Lewis spoke. 
 
 " Dearest," he said, in a low, soft voice that trembled with the 
 tenderness which filled his soul, " I must leave you now ; there are 
 many reasons which forbid my meeting your father till we reach 
 England and I am prepared to prove to him all that your trustful, 
 loving heart believes because I tell you that it is so. Until we meet 
 in our own happy country, which for the future will be as dear to me 
 
LEWIS A&tNDEL. 49 
 
 for your sake as lately it has been for the same cause hateful, our 
 engagement must remain a secret from all but Laura." 
 
 "But will that be right?" pleaded Annie, looking up wistfully into 
 the face of him who would be from thenceforth her oracle. 
 
 It is a fearful responsibility when, through the affections, we gain 
 such a hold over a living soul that the judgment lies dormant, and the 
 thing which seems good in our eyes appears so in theirs also; such 
 influence is indeed a mighty talent committed to our charge, and most 
 careful should we be lest we abuse the trust reposed in us. Lewis felt 
 this strongly, and paused to reconsider his decision. His chief reason 
 for wishing that General Grant might not be immediately informed of 
 his declaration was the difficult position in which it would place tha' 
 gallant officer in regard to Lord Bellefield's relations. How could he, 
 for instance, expect Lord Ashford to believe that his brother-in-law 
 had used all possible exertion to secure the murderer of his son when 
 Annie Grant, that son's destined bride, was affianced to a man who, 
 but for the catastrophe which had taken place, would have met Lord 
 Bellefield in a duel ? the altercation and subsequent challenge being 
 so completely a matter of notoriety in Venice that it was certain that 
 some account of them, probably an exaggerated and distorted one, 
 would find its way to England. But this was a reason which he could 
 not give Annie, as he correctly imagined that the affair at the Casino 
 had been kept from her knowledge. Thus the more he reflected the 
 more certain he became that his original determination was a right 
 one. Accordingly he replied — 
 
 "Trust me, dear one; concealment is as foreign to my nature as to 
 your own. My faults (and I have only too many) do not lie in that 
 direction ; but, to the best of my judgment, I believe that in wishing 
 your father should, for the present, remain ignorant of our engage- 
 ment, I am consulting your interest and his quite as much as my own. 
 Believe me, love, I would sacrifice anything, even the cherished hope 
 of one day calling you my own, rather than influence you to do aught 
 for which your conscience could afterwards upbfaid you." 
 
 And Annie did believe him, with the strong, unhesitating faith of 
 perfect love. Had he advanced the most incredible assertion — 
 declared, for instance, that he had discovered perpetual motion, 
 squared the circle, and set the Thames on fire, Annie would equally 
 and implicitly have believed him. Had he deceived her, her only 
 refuge from a universal scepticism would have been to die. Then 
 came the "sweet sorrow" of a lovers' parting — sweet in the many 
 evidences of affection which the occasion calls forth, and sorrowful by 
 reason of the anxious thoughts to which quitting those we love, even 
 under the happiest auspices, necessarily gives rise. Annie's bright eyes 
 were dim with tears, and Lewis's mouth, no longer sternly compressed, 
 trembled with the emotion he in vain attempted to conceal, as, with a 
 murmured "God bless and protect you, my own darling I" he tore 
 himself away. 
 
 In the meanwhile, scarcely had Richard Frere quitted the Grassini 
 Palace than he encountered General Grant, fretting and fuming under 
 the weight of a burden of minor miseries, and full of complaints of 
 
49^ LEWIS ARUNDEL 
 
 the abominable misdemeanours of the Venetian officials, amongst 
 which, by no means the lightest, was the culpable stupidity which 
 prevented them from speaking or understanding English, together 
 with the obstinate prejudice with which they refused to acknowledge 
 that by adding the letter O to the termination of words in that 
 language they immediately became Italian — 
 
 "I said 'regttiro uno passporto' to them, sir, half-a-dozen times 
 over, and nobody shall ever make me believe they did not know what 
 that meant I " was his indignant complaint. 
 
 Of course Frere's ready sympathy entailed on him a request that if 
 he could spare the time to go back to the office with him, the General 
 would esteem it such a great favour, and of course, though his 
 conscience reproached him for being away from "poor, solitary 
 Lewis " for so many hours, he did what was required of him ; and of 
 course, having said A, — B, C, and D followed as a matter of neces- 
 sity, until, before he had gone through the alphabet of the General's 
 commissions, several hours had elapsed, and Lewis, having found his 
 way back to his lodgings, was reclining in an easy-chair enjoying a 
 feast of happy memories and bright anticipations, when Frere, hot, 
 tired, and dissatisfied with his morning's work, flung down his cotton 
 umbrella, and throwing himself, very much unbuttoned, in a kind of 
 dishevelled heap upon the nearest chair, began — 
 
 " Well, confound this climate, say I, where a man can't get through 
 a morning's business without coming home more like a piece of hot 
 boiled beef than a temperate Christian — here's a state of dissolution 
 for a free-born Briton to be in. I tell you what it is, young man, if 
 you keep me here much longer I shall become a mere walking 
 skeleton — flesh and blood literally can't stand it, and I shall have to 
 go home and be married in my bones." 
 
 " By which ceremony I suppose you hope to become possessed of 
 an additional rib to make up for your loss of substance," suggested 
 Lewis, smiling at the odd, quaint way in which his friend described 
 his troubles. 
 
 " Yes, it's all very well for you to sit there and laugh at a fellow," 
 returned Frere grumpily, " but if you had been parading about this 
 oven of a place for two hours, tied like a kettle to Governor Grant's 
 tail, as I have been, you would find it no such laughing matter, I can 
 tell you. He is obstinate and wrong-headed as an elderly mule too, 
 making a fuss about trifles that do not signify a bit one way or the 
 other. Why cannot he take life coolly and quietly as — as ? " 
 
 Here he came to an abrupt conclusion, having discovered that the 
 grumbling tenor of the speech was somewhat at variance with the 
 ending he had intended to make to it — viz., "as I do." Lewis 
 finished it for him. 
 
 "As a sensible man should do, I suppose you were going to 
 observe." 
 
 Frere detected the covert satire and shook his fist threateningly at 
 his friend. 
 
 " You had better be civil, you know, or I may be tempted to give 
 you the thrashing I have owed you so long. I could not have a 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 491 
 
 better opportunity than now, when you are so weak that you can 
 scarcely walk across the room alone." 
 
 " Perhaps I may be stronger than you are aware of," returned 
 Lewis ; " what do you think about my being able to go out, for 
 instance ? " 
 
 "Think," replied Frere dogmatically; "why, I think that if you 
 attempt it a week hence it will be too soon. Dr. Grabafee says a 
 fortnight, but his is scarcely an unprejudiced opinion; however, I'll 
 take care you don't set foot outside this room within a week." 
 
 Lewis turned away to hide a smile, while Frere, still suffering from 
 heat, and not having another available button which could be respect- 
 ably unfastened, pulled off his neckcloth, and thus relieved, resumed — 
 
 "Who do you think I have been lecturing this morning?" 
 
 Lewis professed his ignorance, and Frere continued — 
 
 " Only a certain young lady, in whose proceedings I've an idea you 
 take particular interest — one Miss Annie Grant." 
 
 Lewis started as Frere pronounced this name, but recovering him- 
 self, asked in an elaborately indifferent tone of voice, " Pray when did 
 this interesting colloquy take place, and what might be the subject 
 thereof? " 
 
 " The colloquy, as you call it, took place some four hours ago ; and 
 the subject thereof was the young woman's conduct towards your 
 precious self. Now, don't go and fly into a passion," continued Frere, 
 as Lewis coloured and seemed about to make some hasty rejoinder ; 
 " remember, life ought to be taken easily and quietly by a sensible 
 man, and of course you consider yourself one : however, I took the 
 liberty to tell Miss General Grant a few home truths that she will be 
 none the worse for hearing." 
 
 He then proceeded, after his own fashion, to give an account of his 
 conversation with Annie, and his subsequent interview with Laura, 
 concluding his recital thus — 
 
 " So the upshot of the whole affair, and a very unsatisfactory one I'm 
 afraid you'll think it, is this. When you had left Broadhurst, Ma'am- 
 selle Annie found herself in a bit of a fix, and not being a man or Rose 
 Arundel, she, after the fashion of her silly sex, did a weak and in- 
 judicious thing; but as I said to the other young woman, who, by the 
 way, seems to have the best sense of the two, that's very different from 
 doing a deliberately wicked one, and therefore, perhaps, Lewis may be 
 induced to look over it." 
 
 " For Heaven's sake, my dear fellow, don't tell me any more about 
 it, you will drive me frantic with your detestable common-sense plati- 
 tudes," exclaimed Lewis, springing from his chair inipatiently ; "at 
 least you would have done so," he continued more quietly, " if I had 
 not happened to have seen Miss Grant myself since your well-meant 
 but somewhat unnecessary interview with her, and learned from 
 her own sweet lips that she forgives me for having so hastily and 
 ungenerously misjudged her." 
 
 "Eh! what ! has the young woman been here in my absence?" 
 returned Frere, greatly scandalised. " Oh ! this will never do I I 
 don't allow such liberties to be taken with my patient ; besides, I don't 
 
 33* 
 
493 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 consider the proceeding by any means a correct one ; she might have 
 found you in bed, with your nightcap on, for aught she could tell to 
 the contrary." 
 
 " Do you know what is reported to have occurred when a mountain 
 objected to come at Mahomet's bidding?" asked Lewis quietly. 
 
 " Why, Mahomet went to the mountain, to be sure, like an arrant 
 humbug as he was; but what has that got to do with the case in 
 question ? Why, you don't mean to say," continued Frere, as a sudden 
 light broke in upon him — "you don't mean to say that you've been to 
 call upon ker f " 
 
 " I am afraid I must confess that such is the alarming fact," was the 
 cool reply. 
 
 " Well ! I have known many insane actions in my life, certainly," 
 growled Frere, making fruitless attempts to re-unbutton his already 
 enfranchised garments, "but this" — here he nearly tore a wristband 
 off his shirt in his pursuit of coolness under difficulties — "is the very 
 maddest thing I ever did hear of — a man that was on the point of 
 death here not ten days ago to rush out of bed the moment one's back 
 is turned for the sake of seeing " 
 
 " She is looking so sweetly pretty, Frere," interrupted Lewis ; " and 
 those eyes — there never were such eyes seen in the world before." 
 
 " Oh, of course not," returned Frere viciously. " Patent double- 
 actioned, high-pressure, sky-blue revolvers, made to look every way at 
 once, see through mill-stones, and peep round the comer into the 
 bargain, t&ey are, no doubt ; but if she could use them to no better 
 purpose than to lure out, at the risk of his life, a foolish boy that ought 
 to have had more sense — but it's a mere waste of words talking to you," 
 he continued, catching a smile on Lewis's features ; " and here have I 
 gone and ruined my other shirt, and this one is at the wash^psha ! I 
 mean to say, ruined my other wash — that is, washed my other ruin — hang 
 me if I know what I mean to say — only if you're not the worse for this 
 — bother the boy, how absurdly happy he's looking 1 So it's all right 
 between you, eh ! Lewis ? Well, Heaven knows, you have suffered 
 enough to deserve that it should be so, my poor fellow, and though you 
 must have been mad to go out, and 1 ought to be very angry with you, 
 yet, as it has ended, and always supposing it does not do you any 
 harm, why I am heartily glad you did it ; " and so saying, Frere, 
 whose feelings, and the heat together, were decidedly too many for him, 
 made a precipitate retreat into the bedroom, where, for the present, 
 we will leave him. 
 
 CHAPTER LXVIII. 
 
 LEWIS OUT-GENERALS THE GENERAL, AND THE TRAIN STOPS. 
 
 LEVifls's recovery was not retarded by his imprudent visit to the 
 Palazzo Grassini; and Frere had the satisfaction, ere many weeks 
 elapsed, of perceiving that he was strong enough to render their 
 return to England practicable. Accordingly, the " Giaour " pictures and 
 the sketch of Anme and Faust were carefully packed (Lewis having 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 493 
 
 determined to retain them as mementos of the eventful portion of his 
 career which led to their execution), old Antonelli received a present 
 of money sufficient to enable him to carry out the darling wish of his 
 heart — viz., to bestow upon his son the education of a painter; and 
 Lewis and Frere, having wound up their aflfairs in Venice, quitted that 
 city, which, filled with a rabble of revolutionary demagogues and their 
 dupes, had become no longer a desirable place of residence. The 
 friends reached England without any adventures worthy of record ; 
 and Rose was compensated for many a weary hour of anxiety and 
 suspense by her joy in welcoming her brother, and learning from his 
 lips the unmitigated satisfaction with which he had heard of her 
 engagement to Richard Frere; and how that "glorious fellow" had 
 redoubled all his former obligations to him by his sound advice and 
 tender and judicious nursing. If for a moment Frere could have 
 regretted the part he had played, the loving smile of warm approval 
 with which Rose received him would have compensated him for any 
 far greater expenditure of time and trouble. But Lewis had much to tell, 
 which gave rise to very different emotions in his auditor ; and Rose, 
 as she grieved for the untimely fate of poor Jane Hardy, and shuddered 
 at the awful retribution which had overtaken her betrayer, breathed a 
 silent thanksgiving that her brother had been restrained from any deed 
 of violence, to which his impetuous disposition, keen sensibilities, and 
 quick sense of injury might have impelled him. Lewis had also some- 
 thing to hear as well as to communicate. 
 
 Mrs. Arundel, in her spirit of opposition to the artless and bereaved 
 relict of the late Colonel Brahmin, had carried her flirtation with that 
 victim of literary ambition, Dackerel Dace, Esq., to such a pitch, that 
 when the blighted barrister determined to resign his destiny altogether 
 in favour of matrimony, and made her an offer of his limp hand, flabby 
 heart, and five thousand a year to give piquancy and flavour to the 
 tasteless and insipid "trifle" he tendered iox her acceptance, that 
 volatile matron felt that she had committed herself too deeply to 
 retract, and that, setting off the money against the man, the bargain 
 after all might not be such a bad one, and so said " Yes." Rose dis- 
 liked the match greatly, and fearing Lewis would do so still more 
 strongly, ventured upon a mild remonstrance; but when once she had 
 taken a thing into her head, Mrs. Arundel was very determined, and Rose 
 gained nothing but an intimation, half earnest, half playful, that as she 
 (Mrs. Arundel) had not interfered with her daughter when she chose 
 to engage herself to Ursa Major, she expected the same forbearance 
 (and she einphasised the vile pun most unmistakably) to be exercised 
 towards her and her odd fish, by which nickname she irreverently 
 paraphrased the ichthyological appellation of her "future!' 
 
 Lewis, as Rose had feared, was both hurt and annoyed at this fresh 
 and convincing proof of his mother's volatile and worldly nature, but 
 there was nothing in the connection to justify his taking measures to 
 break off the match ; Mrs. Arundel was perfectly free to do as she 
 pleased, and competent to decide her own course in life ; so after one 
 conversation with her on the subject, the nature of which may be 
 gathered from the result, he left the affair to take its own course. His 
 
494 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 "first step on reaching London was to seek an interview with his legal 
 adviser; their conference proving satisfactory, eventuated (to use an 
 affected but expressive word) in sending for a patent cab, wherein 
 Lewis ensconced himself, in company with a small lawyer and a large 
 blue bag, and the trio drove to Park Crescent. 
 
 The feeUngs with which Lewis once again stood within the library 
 of General Grant's mansion — that library where he had first been 
 engaged to act as poor Walter's tutor — the chamber into which he 
 and Annie had been shown on the night when he had rescued her 
 from insult in the crush-room of the opera — the night of the unhappy 
 MellertOn's suicide — may well be imagined. Then he had been poor, 
 friendless, in the situation of a dependant, and made to feel that 
 situation, alike by the open insults of Lord Bellefield and the frigid 
 courtesy of the General and Miss Livingstone, his youth, his inexperi- 
 ence, sensitive disposition, and proud, impassioned nature rendering 
 all these trials doubly galling to him ; while, still more to embitter his 
 lot, came that " sorrow's crown of sorrow," his hopeless attachment to 
 Annie. Now heir to an ancient and honourable name and an ample 
 fortune, his affection returned by her he loved, his rival swept from his 
 path without his having to reproach himself with participation in the 
 act which wrought his downfall, his mind strengthened, his principles 
 raised, and his faults diminished, if not eradicated, by the struggle he 
 had undergone, and above all, his soul fortified by the recollection 
 that, through God's grace, he had been enabled, at the turning-point 
 of his career, to sacrifice eveiything rather than sin against his Maker's 
 law, how different was his position ! He received a moderately cordial 
 welcome from General Grant, which tepid reception was occasioned 
 by a conflict in the mind of that noble commander, between his strong 
 regard for Lewis, a sense of the obligations he lay under to him, and 
 an uncomfortable recollection of his attachment to Annie, together 
 with the moral impossibility of allowing his daughter to marry a man 
 whose present income consisted of the savings of an ex-tutorship, and 
 whose prospects embraced the doubtful gainings of a professional 
 artist; Lewis perceived his embarrassment, and rightly conjectured its 
 cause, which it was the object of his visit to remove. But General 
 Grant's cold imperturbability had caused him so much annoyance in 
 bygone hours, that a slight spice of what the French term esprit malin 
 actuated him, and under its influence he began, after a few desultory 
 remarks — 
 
 " It may possibly not have escaped your mind, General, that during 
 a conversation I had the honour to hold with you before I finally 
 quitted Broadhurst, I mentioned to you my devoted attachment to 
 Miss Grant." 
 
 The General bowed in token of assent, but the cloud upon his brow 
 grew darker. Not heeding this, Lewis continued — 
 
 " I remember expressing myself somewhat strongly against certain 
 conventional prejudices relating to inequality of position, which 
 opposed an effectual bar to the realisation of my wishes. I was 
 young and inexperienced then— I have since become wiser in the 
 ways of the world, and am perfectly aware that, in speaking as 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 495 
 
 I did on that occasion, I alike wasted my words and your valuable 
 time." 
 
 He paused; and the General, who had been considerably puzzled 
 during the speech to make out what his companion might be aiming 
 at, settled, to his own satisfaction, that the increased knowledge of 
 human nature to which Lewis alluded had shown the young man the 
 folly of which he had been guilty, and that this speech was intended 
 as an apology — nothing could be more respectful and correct. Ac- 
 cordingly the cloud vanished, as in his most gracious manner he 
 replied, " Sir, your observations do you credit. Pray set your mind 
 at rest on this subject ; fortunately my daughter never had the slightest 
 suspicion of your feelings towards her ; and for my own part, I have 
 long ago dismissed the affair from my recollection ; and you may rest 
 assured that in our future intercourse the subject shall never again be 
 broached between us." 
 
 As the General alluded to his daughter's happy ignorance of Lewis's 
 attachment a slightly ironical smile curled that young gentleman's 
 handsome mouth ; repressing it instantly, he replied with a calm, 
 almost nonchalant air, " I scarcely see how that can be accomplished. 
 General Grant, as the object of my visit here to-day is to make you a 
 formal proposal for your daughter's hand 1 " 
 
 If Lewis had suddenly risen from his chair, and with the full power 
 of his returning strength had hurled that article of furniture at General 
 Grant's head, it might have knocked him down more literally than the 
 foregoing speech, but, figuratively, nothing could have done so. For 
 a minute or two he appeared utterly unable to frame a reply; then, 
 drawing himself up to a degree suggestive of a telescopic conforma- 
 tion, he began in an awful tone of voice, " Sir, you have astonished me 
 — nay, more than that, sir, you have disappointed me — very greatly 
 disappointed me. I had hoped better things of you, sir ; I had hoped, 
 from the early promise you evinced, that your judgment and good sense 
 would, when matured and strengthened by a little more knowledge of 
 the world, have enabled you to conquer your strangely misplaced 
 attachment — would, in fact, have saved me from the painful situation 
 in which you have — to which you have — that is — you would have saved 
 yourself (you must not blame me, sir, if the truth sounds unpalatable) 
 the humiliation of a refusal." 
 
 "Then am I to understand that you unhesitatingly reject my suit?" 
 inquired Lewis, something of the old stern look coming across his 
 features. 
 
 " Most unequivocally and decidedly," was the concise reply. 
 
 " It would have been more courteous, and therefore more in accord- 
 ance with General Grant's usual conduct towards those whom he con- 
 siders beneath him in the social scale, to inquire whether any, and if 
 so, what amelioration might have taken place in my future prospects 
 to have induced me to hazard so bold a step ere my proposal was thus 
 unmistakably declined," observed Lewis in a marked yet respectful 
 tone of displeasure ; " it will, however, make no difference in my 
 intentions, as when I shall have obtained your answers to a few 
 important questions, and explained to you my object in making 
 
496 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 them, it is possible you may view my conduct in a different 
 light." 
 
 The General, who grew taller and stiffer every moment, merely 
 acknowledged this speech by an inclination of the head, so slight as 
 to be scarcely perceptible ; and Lewis continued — 
 
 "The late Sir Hugh Desborough, Walter's grandfather, was, I 
 believe, your intimate friend ? " 
 
 "Bless my soul, yes, sir; we served together in India, were for six 
 years in the same regiment, and lived as if we had been brothers. 
 Why do you ask such extraordinary questions ? " exclaimed the 
 General, startled completely out of his dignity. 
 
 " Because, in that case, you are probably well acquainted with the 
 circumstances of his family history, and can set me right if I state 
 them incorrectly," replied Lewis, upon whom the mantle of the 
 General's cast-off dignity appeared suddenly to have fallen. "Sir 
 Hugh had two sons, I believe; the elder married imprudently, 
 quarrelled with his father, who refused to receive the lady he had 
 espoused, and severing all family ties, lived abroad under a feigned 
 name, and was believed to have died without issue. The second son 
 was Walter's father, and Walter inherits the baronetcy in default of 
 male issue of the elder son." 
 
 He paused, and the General observed, "You are correct in your 
 facts, sir, but to what does all this lead ? " 
 
 " That you will be better able to perceive, sir, when I inform you 
 that I am prepared to prove, indisputably, and to your full satisfaction, 
 the following additional particulars. Sir Hugh's eldest son. Captain 
 Desborough " 
 
 " Right ; he was captain in the — th Lancers, and threw up his com- 
 mission when he chose to live abroad. It was said he entered the 
 Austrian army, and attained the same rank in that service," interrupted 
 the General. 
 
 " He did so," resumed Lewis, who spoke in the same calm, unim- 
 passioned voice which he had used throughout the interview, though 
 to any one who knew him well it would have been perceivable that he 
 did so by the greatest effort ; " but those who believed that he died 
 abroad, and without male issue, were misinformed : he died in England, 
 in the spring of i8 — , and left (besides a daughter) one son, who is still 
 living." 
 
 " Left a son ! why he would be heir to the title and estates instead 
 of Walter. Where is he, sir? who is he?" exclaimed the General 
 impetuously. 
 
 Lewis rose, drew himself up to his full height, advanced slowly till 
 he stood face to face with the General, and then, fixing his piercing 
 glance upon him, said, " He now stands before you. General Grant, 
 and asks you whether, when he has established his rights before the 
 eyes of the world, you will again refuse him your daughter's hand ? " 
 
 Reader, the only little bit of mystery in our story (if indeed it has 
 presented any mystery at all to your acuteness) is now cleared up ; 
 and the interest ended, the sooner the tale itself arrives at a conclusion 
 the better. But for the satisfaction of the unimaginative, the strong- 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 497 
 
 minded women and practical men of the world, who cannot rest 
 assured that two and two make four till they have counted it on their 
 fingers, we will write a few more last words, winding up the various 
 threads of this veracious history. 
 
 In his interview with General Grant, Lewis had only stated that 
 which he was fully prepared to prove ; and when the lawyer and his 
 blue bag (not that lawyers ever do carry blue bags anywhere but in 
 farces at the minor theatres, or those still more unreal mockeries," 
 the pages of modern novels) were called in to assist at the conference, 
 the following facts were elicited: — 
 
 The packet of letters which Lewis found amongst Hardy's papers, 
 and which gave him the first intimation that he, and not poor Walter, 
 was heir to the title and estates of Desborough, had been written 
 by Captain Arundel, or, as his name really was, Desborough, to his 
 younger brother, Walter Desborough (the father of the poor idiot, 
 who was in fact first cousin to Lewis) ; the object with which these 
 letters were written being to bring about a reconciliation between Sir 
 Hugh and his eldest son — Walter Desborough having undertaken the 
 office of mediator. In order to do this, it was first of all necessary 
 to disabuse Sir Hugh's mind of an idea that Captain Desborough's 
 marriage was not valid and that the children were illegitimate; for 
 this purpose the wedding certificate was enclosed (proving that he 
 had been married in his own name and by a properly constituted 
 authority), together with certificates of the baptism of Rose and of 
 Lewis. The letters also contained an account of his having taken the 
 name of Arundel, and his reasons for so doing ; in fact, without going 
 into minutia2, the papers afforded complete evidence legally to 
 establish the identity of Captain Desborough and Captain Arundel, 
 and to render Lewis's claim to the baronetcy indisputable. To 
 account for their having been found among Hardy's papers, it must 
 be borne in mind that Walter Desborough was the scoundrel who 
 first roused the evil nature in that misguided man by eloping with his 
 wife. Hardy, be it remembered, followed the guilty pair, and 
 assaulted the betrayer of his honour to such good effect as to 
 confine him to his bed for months ; his companion in crime returned 
 to her father's house, and died shortly after giving birth to the unfor- 
 tunate Miles. 
 
 When she returned to her father, she brought with her a writing- 
 case, in which were letters she had received from her seducer previous 
 to her elopement j in this desk, for convenience of travelling, Walter 
 Desborough had placed papers of his own, and amongst others, the 
 letters, etc., which he had shortly before received from his brother. 
 Long ere he recovered from the effects of Hardy's chastisement he 
 had forgotten where he had placed these papers, and Hardy never 
 discovering them (he left his home and enlisted as a soldier on his 
 release from the imprisonment the assault entailed upon him), the 
 letters were to all intents and purposes lost, till by a chapter of acci- 
 dents they fell into the hands of Lewis. The shock which led to 
 Captain Arundel's (or Desborough, as he should rightly have been 
 called) sudden death was caused by reading an account of his father, 
 
498 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 Sir Hugh's demise, in the newspaper. The clue Messrs. Jones & 
 Levi had gained was from a shopman in the public library in which 
 Captain Arundel had been sitting when he first became aware of his 
 father's decease, who gathered, from an involuntary exclamation he 
 made at the moment, that Sir Hugh Desborough's death was the 
 subject which had so much excited him ; this shopman had been a 
 clerk of Messrs. Jones & Levi, and learning in their employ that 
 knowledge was sometimes money as well as power, sold them for a 
 couple of sovereigns the information he had acquired, giving at the 
 same time an account of the strange death of Captain Arundel ; hencfe 
 their subsequent application to Lewis. 
 
 The evidence being so clear and full, Lewis had little difficulty in 
 establishing his claim, more especially as General Grant, convinced of 
 its justice, did not attempt to resist it on Walter's behalf. The poor 
 fellow himself could not be made to comprehend his change of 
 fortune J but he did comprehend, to his inexpressible delight, that 
 for some reason or other he was always to live with his dear Mr. 
 Arundel, who, when months had gone by and arrangements made 
 which he neither understood nor heeded, took him to a grand house 
 of his own, where Faust was waiting to receive them in a great state of 
 boisterous tail- wagging affection ; and when Faust, having licked them 
 all over, and having made them damp, dusty, and rumpled in the excess 
 of his love, had quite done with them and gone back to a large bone 
 on the drawing-room rug, and Lewis placing his arm round Walter's 
 neck, had whispered to him that he was never to go away any more, 
 and that he hoped before very long Annie would come and live with 
 them, Walter felt sure he had never known what it was to be quite 
 happy till then, which fact he afterwards communicated to Faust in 
 the strictest confidence. 
 
 Lewis's assertion in regard to Annie was not based on mere con- 
 jecture; for General Grant — albeit he felt that, in the interview we 
 have lately recorded between himself and Lewis, he had been decidedly 
 out-generalled — did not again reject his late tutor's proposal for his 
 daughter's hand. On the contrary, with the usual self-knowledge of 
 worldly elderly people (that is, of those who, nine times out of ten, 
 dictate the actions, and influence for weal or woe the future of the 
 young and generous-hearted), the moment he became convinced that 
 Lewis was about to inherit a baronetcy and an income little short of 
 ;!^io,ooo a year, he contrived to persuade himself that when his first 
 surprise had been passed, and he had become aware how deeply his 
 daughter's happiness was involved, he should certainly have allowed 
 her to unite herself with Sir Lewis Desborough under his former phase 
 of a precarious portrait-painter. But if we had been Sir Lewis, we 
 should have felt heartily glad we had not been forced to rely on such a 
 very " forlorn hope." 
 
 Rose, no longer Arundel, did not enjoy the name of Desborough 
 many weeks, for although she had particularly desired to be married 
 on the same day as Lewis and Annie, she yet yielded the point when 
 Ursa Major, hearing that General Grant would not allow his daughter's 
 wedding to take place till a year after the death of Lord Bellefield, 
 
LEWIS ARUNDEL. 499 
 
 grew so outrageous that Rose was forced to marry him out of the wayi 
 in order to prevent him from snapping and growling at every one that 
 came near him. But this was Richard Frere's last bearish episode ; 
 for constant association with Rose softened his little asperity of temper, 
 which, having arisen solely from the unloved and unloving existence 
 he had been forced by circumstances to lead, disappeared in the sun- 
 shine of a happy home. 
 
 Lord Ashford did not long survive the loss of his eldest son, and 
 Charley Leicester, the portionless younger brother, with " a good set 
 of teeth and nothing to eat," is now a highly respectable peer of the 
 realm, with a rent-roll to be computed by tens of thousands. Happy 
 in the affection of his wife and children (for " Tarley " has already had 
 two successors to dispute the chance of being " spoiled by papa, only 
 that mamma won't let him"), Charles, Lord Ashford, has but one 
 trouble in life, though that unfortunately appears likely to prove an 
 increasing one — viz., that those confounded fellows, Schneider & 
 Shears, worit make his waistcoats to fit him as they used to do, they 
 are all too tight round the waist — and Schneider & Shears bear the 
 blame meekly, having only last week discharged an injudicious fore- 
 man, who had been rash enough to declare that their excellent 
 customer. Lord Ashford, was growing stout. For a short time the 
 Countess Portici resided with her brother and sister-in-law, Alessandro 
 having obligingly got himself knocked on the head in the cause of 
 liberty, the reversion of this popular watchword being about the only 
 legacy he bequeathed to his young, interesting, and not particularly 
 disconsolate widow, who, having sown her romance, replaced the hand- 
 some Italian by a rich old French nobleman, Le Marquis de Carosse- 
 Tranquille, irreverently translated by Bracy, who is still a bachelor 
 and makes more puns than ever, into " My Lord Slow Coach " — a 
 title which the mental incapacities of that venerable foreigner rendered 
 unpleasantly appropriate. 
 
 The mighty Marmaduke de Grandeville purchased with his wife's 
 
 money a large estate in shire, which had belonged to his family 
 
 some five hundred years before; he has since instituted a set of 
 regulations for his tenantry, formed on the model of the feudal 
 system, and if he be not prematurely suffocated by his own greatness, 
 bids fair to " add a new lustre to the noble name which — ar — ahem ! " 
 etc., etc. 
 
 Mrs. Arundel carried out her design of marrying her "blighted 
 barrister," and by her liveliness of disposition has done more towards 
 removing the mildew from his mind than could have been expected. 
 As, however, in accordance with her taste, they live chiefly abroad, 
 Lewis and Annie see but little of them. 
 
 Miss Livingstone, as she increased in years, grew harsher, stiffer, 
 and more frozen than ever, until one bitter winter's day, happening to 
 catch a slight additional cold, her temperature sank below the point 
 at which animal life could be maintained, and becoming rather stiffer 
 and colder than usual, the first half of her patronymic ceased to be 
 any longer appropriate — her last word was a cross one. 
 
 General Grant lived to a good old age, improving, under the in- 
 
500 LEWIS ARUNDEL. 
 
 fluence of certain bright-eyed little Desboroughs, into a very amiable 
 grandpapa. 
 
 The fate of Miles Hardy still remains a mystery ; that he did not 
 die of the wounds received in the death-struggle with Lord Bellefield 
 was ascertained ; but whether he perished in the Italian revolution, 
 in which he was known to take an active part, or, as was rumoured, 
 escaped in safety to America, the few who are interested in him have 
 failed to learn. 
 
 Annie and Lewis, after their stormy transit along that portion of the 
 Railroad of Life in which we have accompanied them, were at length 
 bappily united ; their future fortunes yet lie hid amid the uncut leaves 
 of the great book of Fate; but one thing we may safely predict — viz., 
 that whatever trials may be in store for them, they will find in their 
 mutual affection a source of constant joy and consolation, of which the 
 lonely-hearted are unhappily ignorant. 
 
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