Chapter LI
"And, Betty, give this cheek a little red."
POPE.
The departure of Isabel in the _Windsor Castle_, so immediately after thedeath of Colonel Revel, prevented her communicating to her mother thealteration which had taken place in her circumstances, and her intendedreturn to England. The first intimation received by Mrs Revel was from ahurried note sent on shore by a pilot-boat off Falmouth, stating Isabel'sarrival in the Channel, and her anticipation of soon embracing her mother.Isabel did not enter into any particulars, as she neither had time, nor didshe feel assured that the letter would ever reach its destination.
The letter did however come to hand two days before Isabel and Mrs Enderbyarrived in the metropolis, much to the chagrin of Mrs Revel, who imaginedthat her daughter had returned penniless, to be a sharer of her limitedincome. She complained to Mr Heaviside, who as usual stepped in, not somuch from any regard for Mrs Revel, but to while away the time of a _farniente_ old bachelor.
"Only think, Mr Heaviside," said the lady, who was stretched on a sofa,supported on pillows, "Isabel has returned from India. Here is a letter Ihave just received, signed by her maiden name! Her sisters so well marriedtoo! Surely she might have stayed out with one of them! I wonder how shegot the money to pay her passage home! Dear me, what shall I do with her?"
"If I may be allowed to see the letter, Mrs Revel," said the oldgentleman--
"Oh, certainly, it's nothing but a note."
Mr Heaviside read the contents.
"There is very little in it indeed, Mrs Revel; not a word about thecolonel, or why she left India. Perhaps the colonel may be dead."
"Then she might have gone to live with one of her sisters, Mr Heaviside."
"But perhaps he may have left her some property."
"And do you, a sensible man, think that if such was the case, my daughterwould not have mentioned it in her note? Impossible, Mr Heaviside!"
"She may intend to surprise you, Mrs Revel."
"She has surprised me," replied the lady, falling back upon the pillows.
"Well, Mrs Revel, you will soon ascertain the facts. I wish you agood-morning, and will pay my devoirs in a day or two to inquire after yourhealth, and hear what has taken place."
To defray the expenses attending the "consignment" of the three Miss Revelsto India, Mrs Revel had consented to borrow money, insuring her life as asecurity to the parties who provided it. Her unprincipled husband took thisopportunity of obtaining a sum which amounted to more than half hermarriage settlement, as Mrs Revel signed the papers laid before her withoutexamining their purport. When her dividends were become due, this treacherywas discovered; and Mrs Revel found herself reduced to a very narrowincome, and wholly deserted by her husband, who knew that he had no chanceof obtaining further means of carrying on his profligate career. His deathin a duel, which we have before mentioned, took place a few months afterthe transaction, and Mrs Revel was attacked with that painful disease, acancer, so deeply seated as to be incurable. Still she was the samefrivolous, heartless being; still she sighed for pleasure, and to move inthose circles in which she had been received at the time of her marriage.But, as her income diminished, so did her acquaintances fall off; and atthe period of Isabel's return, with the exception of Mr Heaviside and oneor two others, she was suffered to pine away in seclusion.
Isabel was greeted with querulous indifference until the explanation of thefirst ten minutes; then, as an heiress, with the means as well as thedesire of contributing to her mother's comforts, all was joy andcongratulation. Her incurable disease was for the time forgotten; andalthough pain would occasionally draw down the muscles of her face, as soonas the pang was over, so was the remembrance of her precarious situation.Wan and wasted as a spectre, she indulged in anticipation of again mixingwith the fashionable world, and talked of _chaperoning_ Isabel to privateparties and public amusements, when she was standing on the brink ofeternity. Isabel sighed as she listened to her mother, and observed herattenuated frame; occasionally she would refer to her mother's state ofhealth, and attempt to bring her to that serious state of mind which herawful situation demanded; but in vain: Mrs Revel would evade the subject.Before a week had passed, she had set up an equipage, and called upon manyof her quondam friends to announce the important intelligence of herdaughter's wealth. Most of them had long before given orders not to be "athome to Mrs Revel." The few to whom, from the remissness of their porters,she obtained admittance, were satisfied at their servants' negligence whenthey heard the intelligence which Mrs Revel had to communicate. "They wereso delighted; Isabel was always such a sweet girl; hoped that Mrs Revelwould not be such a recluse as she had been, and that they should prevailupon her to come to their parties!" An heiress is of no little consequencewhen there are so many younger brothers to provide for; and, before a shortmonth had flown away, Mrs Revel, to her delight, found that the cards andinvitations of no inconsiderable portion of the _beau monde_ covered thetable of her confined drawing-room. To Isabel, who perceived that hermother was sinking every day under the exertion she went through, all thiswas a source of deep regret. It occurred to her that to state herengagements with Newton Forster would have some effect in preventing thisindirect suicide. She took an opportunity of confiding it to her mother,who listened to her with astonishment.
"Isabel! what do I hear? What! that young man who calls here so often! You,that can command a title, rank, and fashion, engage yourself to a captainof an Indiaman! Recollect, Isabel, that now your poor father is dead, I amyour legal protector; and without my permission I trust you have too muchsense of filial duty to think of marrying. How you could venture to form anengagement without consulting me is quite astonishing! Depend upon it, Ishall not give my consent; therefore, think no more about it."
How often do we thus see people, who make no scruples of neglecting theirduties, as eagerly assert their responsibility, when it suits theirconvenience.
Isabel might have retorted, but she did not. In few words, she gave hermother to understand that she was decided, and then retired to dress for asplendid ball, at which, more to please her mother than herself, she hadconsented to be present.
It was the first party of any consequence to which Mrs Revel had beeninvited. She considered it as her re-_entree_ into the fashionable world,and the presentation of her daughter; she would not have missed it for anyconsideration. That morning she had felt more pain than usual, and had beenobliged to have recourse to restoratives; but once more to join the gay andfashionable throng--the very idea braced her nerves, rendered her callousto suffering, and indifferent to disease.
"I think," said Mrs Revel to her maid--"I think," said she, panting, "youmay lace me a little closer, Martyn."
"Indeed, madam, the holes nearly meet; it will hurt your side."
"No, no, I feel no pain this evening--there, that will do."
The lady's-maid finished her task, and left the room.
Mrs Revel rouged her wan cheeks, and, exhausted with fatigue and pain,tottered to an easy-chair, that she might recover herself a little beforeshe went downstairs.
In a quarter of an hour Isabel, who had waited for the services of Martyn,entered her mother's room, to announce that she was ready. Her mother, whowas sitting in the chair, leaning backwards, answered her not. Isabel wentup to her, and looked her in the face--she was _dead_!
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