CHAPTER XIV.
IN WHICH VARIOUS PERSONS GIVE THEIR OPINIONS OF CAPTAIN STANLEY LAKE.
'Stanley is an odd creature,' said Rachel, so soon as another slightincline brought them to a walk; 'I can't conceive why he has come downhere, or what he can possibly want of that disagreeable lawyer. They havegot dogs and guns, and are going, of course, to shoot; but he does notcare for shooting, and I don't think Mr. Larkin's society can amuse him.Stanley is clever and cunning, I think, but he is neither wise nor frank.He never tells me his plans, though he must know--he _does_ know--I lovehim; yes, he's a strange mixture of suspicion and imprudence. He'swonderfully reserved. I am certain he trusts no one on earth, and at thesame time, except in his confidences, he's the rashest man living. If hewere like Lord Chelford, or even like our good vicar--not in piety, forpoor Stanley's training, like my own, was sadly neglected there--I meanin a few manly points of character, I should be quite happy, I think, inmy solitary nook.'
'Is he so very odd?' said Miss Brandon, coldly.
'I only know he makes me often very uncomfortable,' answered Rachel. 'Inever mind what he tells me, for I think he likes to mislead everybody;and I have been two often duped by him to trust what he says. I only knowthat his visit to Gylingden must have been made with some seriouspurpose, and his ideas are all so rash and violent.'
'He was at Donnyston for ten days, I think, when I was there, and seemedclever. They had charades and _proverbes dramatiques_. I'm no judge, butthe people who understood it, said he was very good.'
'Oh! yes he is clever; I knew he was at Donnyston, but he did not mentionhe had seen you there; he only told me he had met you pretty often whenyou were at Lady Alton's last season.'
'Yes, in town,' she answered, a little drily.
While these young ladies are discussing Stanley Lake, I may be permittedto mention my own estimate of that agreeable young person.
Captain Lake was a gentleman and an officer, and of course an honourableman; but somehow I should not have liked to buy a horse from him. He wasvery gentlemanlike in appearance, and even elegant; but I never likedhim, although he undoubtedly had a superficial fascination. I alwaysthought, when in his company, of old Lord Holland's silk stocking withsomething unpleasant in it. I think, in fact, he was destitute of thosefine moral instincts which are born with men, but never acquired; and inhis way of estimating his fellow men, and the canons of honour, there wasoccasionally perceptible a faint flavour of the villainous, and anundefined savour, at times, of brimstone. I know also that when histemper, which was nothing very remarkable, was excited, he could besavage and brutal enough; and I believe he had often been violent andcowardly in his altercations with his sister--so, at least, two or threepeople, who were versed in the scandals of the family, affirmed. But itis a censorious world, and I can only speak positively of my ownsensations in his company. His morality, however, I suppose, was quitegood enough for the world, and he had never committed himself in any ofthose ways of which that respectable tribunal takes cognizance.
'So that d--d fellow Lake is down here still; and that stupid, scheminglubber, Larkin, driving him about in his tax-cart, instead of minding hisbusiness. I could not see him to-day. That sort of thing won't answer me;and he _is_ staying at Larkin's house, I find.' Wylder was talking to meon the door steps after dinner, having in a rather sulky way swallowedmore than his usual modicum of Madeira, and his remarks were deliveredinterruptedly--two or three puffs of his cigar interposed between eachsentence.
'I suppose he expects to be asked to the wedding. He _may_ expect--ha,ha, ha! You don't know that lad as I do.'
Then there came a second cigar, and some little time in lighting, andfull twenty enjoyable puffs before he resumed.
'Now, you're a moral man, Charlie, tell me really what you think of afellow marrying a girl he does not care that for,' and he snapt hisfingers. 'Just for the sake of her estate--it's the way of the world, ofcourse, and all that--but, is not it a little bit shabby, don't youthink? Eh? Ha, ha, ha!'
'I'll not debate with you, Wylder, on that stupid old question. It's theway of the world, as you say, and there's an end of it.'
'They say she's such a beauty! Well, so I believe she is, but I can'tfancy her. Now you must not be angry. I'm not a poet likeyou--book-learned, you know; and she's too solemn by half, and grand. Iwish she was different. That other girl, Rachel--she's a devilishhandsome craft. I wish almost she was not here at all, or I wish she wasin Dorcas's shoes.'
'Nonsense, Wylder! stop this stuff; and it is growing cold throw awaythat cigar, and come in.'
'In a minute. No, I assure you, I'm not joking. Hang it! I must talk tosome one. I'm devilish uncomfortable about this grand match. I wish I hadnot been led into it I don't think I'd make a good husband to any woman Idid not fancy, and where's the good of making a girl unhappy, eh?'
'Tut, Wylder, you ought to have thought of all that before. I don't likeyour talking in this strain when you know it is too late to recede;besides, you are the luckiest fellow in creation. Upon my word, I don'tknow why the girl marries you; you can't suppose that she could not marrymuch better, and if you have not made up your mind to break off, of whichthe world would form but one opinion, you had better not speak in thatway any more.'
'Why, it was only to you, Charlie, and to tell you the truth, I dobelieve it is the best thing for me; but I suppose every fellow feels alittle queer when he is going to be spliced, a little bit nervous, eh?But you are right--and I'm right, and we are all right--it _is_ the bestthing for us both. It will make a deuced fine estate; but hang it! youknow a fellow's never satisfied. And I suppose I'm a bit put out by thatdisreputable dog's being here--I mean Lake; not that I need care morethan Dorcas, or anyone else; but he's no credit to the family, you see,and I never could abide him. I've half a mind, Charlie, to tell you athing; but hang it! you're such a demure old maid of a chap. Will youhave a cigar?'
'No.'
'Well, I believe two's enough for me,' and he looked up at the stars.
'I've a notion of running up to town, only for a day or two, before thisbusiness comes off, just on the sly; you'll not mention it, and I'll havea word with Lake, quite friendly, of course; but I'll shut him up, andthat's all. I wonder he did not dine here to-day. Did you ever see sopushing a brute?'
So Wylder chucked away his cigar, and stood for a minute with his handsin his pockets looking up at the stars, as if reading fortunes there.
I had an unpleasant feeling that Mark Wylder was about some mischief--asuspicion that some game of mine and countermine was going on between himand Lake, to which I had no clue whatsoever.
Mark had the frankness of callosity, and could recount his evil deeds andconfess his vices with hilarity and detail, and was prompt to take hispart in a lark, and was a remarkably hard hitter, and never shrank fromthe brunt of the row; and with these fine qualities, and a much superiorknowledge of the ways of the flash world, had commanded my boyishreverence and a general popularity among strangers. But, with all this,he could be as secret as the sea with which he was conversant, and ashard as a stonewall, when it answered his purpose. He had no lack ofcunning, and a convenient fund of cool cruelty when that stoicalattribute was called for. Years, I dare say, and a hard life andprofligacy, and command, had not made him less selfish or more humane, orabated his craft and resolution.
If one could only see it, the manoeuvring and the ultimate collision oftwo such generals as he and Lake would be worth observing.
I dare say my last night's adventure tended to make me more nervous andprone to evil anticipation. And although my quarters had been changed tothe lower storey, I grew uncomfortable as it waxed late, and halfregretted that I had not migrated to the 'Brandon Arms.'
Uncle Lorne, however, made me no visit that night. Once or twice Ifancied something, and started up in my bed. It was fancy, merely. Whatstate had I really been in, when I saw that long-chinned apparition ofthe pale portrait? Many a wiser man than I had been mystified bydyspepsia and mel
ancholic vapours.
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