CHAPTER XV.
DORCAS SHOWS HER JEWELS TO MISS LAKE.
Stanley Lake and his sister dined next day at Brandon. Under the coldshadow of Lady Chelford, the proprieties flourished, and generally verylittle else. Awful she was, and prompt to lecture young people beforetheir peers, and spoke her mind with fearful directness and precision.But sometimes she would talk, and treat her hearers to her recollections,and recount anecdotes with a sort of grim cleverness, not whollyunamusing.
She did not like Wylder, I thought, although she had been the inventorand constructor of the family alliance of which he was the hero. I didnot venture to cultivate her; and Miss Brandon had been, from the first,specially cold and repellent to Captain Lake. There was nothing verygenial or promising, therefore, in the relations of our little party, andI did not expect a very agreeable evening.
Notwithstanding all this, however, our dinner was, on the whole, muchpleasanter than I anticipated. Stanley Lake could be very amusing; but Idoubt if our talk would quite stand the test of print. I often thought ifone of those artists who photograph language and thought--the quiet,clever 'reporters,' to whom England is obliged for so much of her dailyentertainment, of her social knowledge, and her political safety, were,pencil in hand, to ensconce himself behind the arras, and present us, atthe close of the agreeable banquet, with a literal transcript of thefeast of reason, which we give and take with so much complacency--whetherit would quite satisfy us upon reconsideration.
When I entered the drawing-room after dinner, Lord Chelford was plainlyarguing a point with the young ladies, and by the time I drew near, itwas Miss Lake's turn to speak.
'Flattering of mankind, I am sure, I have no talent for; and withoutflattering and wheedling you'll never have conjugal obedience. Don't youremember Robin Hood? how--
'The mother of Robin said to her husband, My honey, my love, and my dear.'
And all this for leave to ride with her son to see her own brother atGamwell.'
'I remember,' said Dorcas, with a smile. 'I wonder what has become ofthat old book, with its odd little woodcuts.
'And he said, I grant thee thy boon, gentle Joan! Take one of my horses straightway.'
'Well, though the book is lost, we retain the moral, you see,' saidRachel with a little laugh; 'and it has always seemed to me that if ithad not been necessary to say, "my honey, my love, and my dear," thatgood soul would not have said it, and you may be pretty sure that if shehad not, and with the suitable by-play too, she might not have ridden toGamwell that day.'
'And you don't think _you_ could have persuaded yourself to repeat thatlittle charm, which obtained her boon and one of his horses straightway?'said Lord Chelford.
'Well, I don't know what a great temptation and a contumacious husbandmight bring one to; but I'm afraid I'm a stubborn creature, and have notthe feminine gift of flattery. If, indeed, he felt his inferiority andowned his dependence, I think I might, perhaps, have called him "myhoney, my love, and my dear," and encouraged and comforted him; but tobuy my personal liberty, and the right to visit my brother atGamwell--never!'
And yet she looked, Lord Chelford thought, very goodhumoured andpleasant, and he fancied a smile from her might do more with some menthan all gentle Joan's honeyed vocabulary.
'I own,' said Lord Chelford, laughing, 'that, from prejudice, I suppose,I am in favour of the apostolic method, and stand up for the divine rightof my sex; but then, don't you see, it is your own fault, if you make ita question of right, when you may make it altogether one of fascination?'
'Who, pray, is disputing the husband's right to rule?' demanded old LadyChelford unexpectedly.
'I am very timidly defending it against very serious odds,' answered herson.
'Tut, tut! my dears, what's all this; you _must_ obey your husbands,'cried the dowager, who put down nonsense with a high hand, and had ruledher lord with a rod of iron.
'That's no tradition of the Brandons,' said Miss Dorcas, quietly.
'The Brandons--pooh! my dear--it is time the Brandons should grow likeother people. Hitherto, the Brandon men have all, without exception, beenthe wickedest in all England, and the women the handsomest and the mostself-willed. Of course the men could not be obeyed in all things, nor thewomen disobeyed. I'm a Brandon myself, Dorcas, so I've a right to speak.But the words are precise--honour and obey--and obey you _must_; though,of course you may argue a point, if need be, and let your husband hearreason.'
And, having ruled the point, old Lady Chelford leaned back and resumedher doze.
There was no longer anything playful in Dorcas's look. On the contrary,something fierce and lurid, which I thought wonderfully becoming; andafter a little she said--
'I promised, Rachel, to show you my jewels. Come now--will you?--and seethem.'
And she placed Rachel's hand on her arm, and the two young ladiesdeparted.
'Are you well, dear?' asked Rachel when they reached her room.
Dorcas was very pale, and her gaze was stern, and something undefinablywild in her quietude.
'What day of the month is this?' said Dorcas.
'The eighth--is not it?--yes, the eighth,' answered Rachel.
'And our marriage is fixed for the twenty-second--just a fortnight hence.I am going to tell you, Rachel, what I have resolved on.'
'How really beautiful these diamonds are!--quite superb.'
'Yes,' said Dorcas, opening the jewel-cases, which she had taken from hercabinet, one after the other.
'And these pearls! how very magnificent! I had no idea Mark Wylder'staste was so exquisite.'
'Yes, very magnificent, I suppose.'
'How charming--quite regal--you will look, Dorcas!'
Dorcas smiled strangely, and her bosom heaved a little, Rachel thought.Was it elation, or was there not something wildly bitter gleaming in thatsmile?
'I _must_ look a little longer at these diamonds.'
'As long, dear, as you please. You are not likely, Rachel, to see themagain.'
From the blue flash of the brilliants Rachel in honest amazement raisedher eyes to her cousin's face. The same pale smile was there; the lookwas oracular and painful. Had she overheard a part of that unworthy talkof Wylder's at the dinner-table, the day before, and mistaken Rachel'sshare in the dialogue?
And Dorcas said--
'You have heard of the music on the waters that lures mariners todestruction. The pilot leaves the rudder, and leans over the prow, andlistens. They steer no more, but drive before the wind; and what carethey for wreck or drowning?'
I suppose it was the same smile; but in Rachel s eyes, as pictures will,it changed its character with her own change of thought, and now itseemed the pale rapt smile of one who hears music far off, or sees avision.
'Rachel, dear, I sometimes think there is an evil genius attendant on ourfamily,' continued Dorcas in the same subdued tone, which, in its verysweetness, had so sinister a sound in Rachel's ear. 'From mother tochild, from child to grandchild, the same influence continues; and, oneafter another, wrecks the daughters of our family--a wayward family, andfull of misery. Here I stand, forewarned, with my eyes open, determinedlyfollowing in the funereal footsteps of those who have gone their waybefore me. These jewels all go back to Mr. Wylder. He never can beanything to me. I was, I thought, to build up our house. I am going, Ithink, to lay it in the dust. With the spirit of the insane, I feel thespirit of a prophetess, too, and I see the sorrow that awaits me. Youwill see.'
'Dorcas, darling, you are certainly ill. What is the matter?'
'No, dear Rachel, not ill, only maybe agitated a little. You must nottouch the bell--listen to me; but first promise, so help you Heaven, youwill keep my secret.'
'I do promise, indeed Dorcas, I swear I'll not repeat one word you tellme.'
'It has been a vain struggle. I know he's a bad man, a worthlessman--selfish, cruel, maybe. Love is not blind with me, but quite insane.He does not know, nor you, nor anyone; and now, Rachel, I tell you whatwas unknown to all but mysel
f and Heaven--looking neither for counsel,nor for pity, nor for sympathy, but because I must, and you have sworn tokeep my secret. I love your brother. Rachel, you must try to like me.'
She threw her arms round her cousin's neck, and Rachel felt in herembrace the vibration of an agony.
She was herself so astonished that for a good while she could hardlycollect her thoughts or believe her senses. Was it credible? Stanley!whom she had received with a coldness, if not aversion, so marked, that,if he had a spark of Rachel's spirit, he would never have approached hermore! Then came the thought--perhaps they understood one another, andthat was the meaning of Stanley's unexpected visit?
'Well, Dorcas, dear, I _am_ utterly amazed. But does Stanley--he canhardly hope?'
Dorcas removed her arms from her cousin's neck; her face was pale, andher cheeks wet with tears, which she did not wipe away.
'Sit down by me, Rachel. No, _he_ does _not_ like _me_--that is--I don'tknow; but, I am sure, he can't suspect that I like him. It was mydetermination it should not be. I resolved, Rachel, quite to extinguishthe madness; but I could not. It was not his doing, nor mine, butsomething else. There are some families, I think, too wicked for Heavento protect, and they are given over to the arts of those who hated themin life and pursue them after death; and this is the meaning of the cursethat has always followed us. No good will ever happen us, and I must golike the rest.'
There was a short silence, and Rachel gazed on the carpet in troubledreflection, and then, with an anxious look, she took her cousin's hand,and said--
'Dorcas, you must think of this no more. I am speaking against mybrother's interest. But you must not sacrifice yourself, your fortune,and your _happiness_, to a shadow; whatever his means are, they hardlysuffice for his personal expenses--indeed, they don't suffice, for I havehad to help him. But that is all trifling compared with otherconsiderations. I am his sister, and, though he has shown little love forme, I am not without affection--and strong affection--for him; but I mustand will speak frankly. You could not, I don't think anyone could behappy with Stanley for her husband. You don't know him: he's profligate;he's ill-tempered; he's cold; he's selfish; he's secret. He was a spoiledboy, totally without moral education; he might, perhaps, have been verydifferent, but he _is what_ he is, and I don't think he'll ever change.'
'He may be what he will. It is vain reasoning with that which is notreason; the battle is over; possibly he may never know, and that might bebest for both--but be it how it may, I will never marry anyone else.'
'Dorcas, dear, you must not speak to Lady Chelford, or to Mark Wylder,to-night. It is too serious a step to be taken in haste.'
'There has been no haste, Rachel, and there can be no change.'
'And what reason can you give?'
'None; no reason,' said Dorcas, slowly.
'Wylder would have been suitable in point of wealth. Not so well, I amsure, as you _might_ have married; but neither would _he_ be a goodhusband, though not so bad as Stanley; and I do not think that MarkWylder will quietly submit to his disappointment.'
'It was to have been simply a marriage of two estates. It was old LadyChelford's plan. I have now formed mine, and all that's over. Let him dowhat he will--I believe a lawsuit is his worst revenge--I'm indifferent.'
Just then a knock came to the chamber door.
'Come in,' said Miss Brandon: and her maid entered to say that thecarriage, please Ma'am, was at the door to take Miss Lake home.
'I had no idea it was so late,' said Rachel.
'Stay, dear, don't go for a moment. Jones, bring Miss Lake's cloak andbonnet here. And now, dear,' she said, after a little pause, 'you'llremember your solemn promise?'
'I never broke my word, dear Dorcas; your secret is safe.'
'And, Rachel, try to like me.'
'I love you better, Dorcas, than I thought I ever could. Good-night,dear.'
'Good-night.'
And the young ladies parted with a kiss, and then another.
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