CHAPTER XV
THE LADY EXPLAINS STILL FURTHER
"When a woman says she will, she will! You may depend on't! And when she says she won't, she won't! And there's an end on't!"
"I knew you would! I knew you had only got to get together tounderstand each other perfectly."
This was what Mr. Ash said as he entered the room. He had caught MissTruscott's words, but misapplied their meaning. He advanced towardsMr. Ely with beaming countenance.
"I congratulate you, Ely; I do with all my heart. Who was right aboutthe little misunderstanding, now? Did I not tell you that there was aromantic side about the feminine character with which you wereunacquainted, a sort of airy nothing which is a source of continualperplexity to the most experienced man. And wasn't it worth it all forthe sake of the reconciliation at the end?"
Mr. Ely gasped.
"This--this is the final straw!"
"Ah, my boy, I know more about a woman than you. We old bachelors arenot quite blind, after all."
It was with difficulty that Mr. Ely obtained sufficient self-controlto enable him to speak.
"Do I understand that you are offering me your congratulations?"
"Certainly! I congratulate you with all my heart, my boy."
Mr. Ash held out his hand. Mr. Ely ignored it. He did more. He lookedas though he would have liked to have spurned it from him. He eyed Mr.Ash with withering scorn.
"I'm a fit subject for congratulations. I'm the happiest man alive. Isuppose there's no man in England who has more cause to bless hisstars than I have."
"I am so glad to hear it, Mr. Ely, I cannot tell."
Mr. Ely started as though he had been shot. Mrs. Clive had, in herturn, made her appearance on the scene. She, too, had overheard hiswords. She came sailing across the room all smiles and condescension.
"I knew my niece, you see. Who should know her if not I? The girl hasbeen to me as my own child. What I learnt at my mother's knees I, inmy turn, have taught to her--what she is she owes to me. Receive mysincerest congratulations, Mr. Ely, upon this fortunate event."
Mr. Ely stared at the old lady as though his eyes were starting fromhis head. It was only after an interval that his thoughts were able tofind expression in speech.
"I don't know if all the world has lost its mental equilibrium, or ifit's only I! What she is she owes to you? I don't know that I shouldlike to be owed a debt like that, by George! You have taught her whatyou yourself learnt at your mother's knee? You must have learnt somefunny things! And as for your congratulations--as for yourcongratulations, madam"--Mr. Ely settled his waistcoat in itsplace--"I don't know if a deliberate insult is intended, but in anycase you may postpone your congratulations to a future date."
Mr. Ash looked surprised, Mrs. Clive bewildered. But Miss Truscottlaughed--the most musical of little laughs.
"You see, my good people, although you are all of you older than I,there is not one of you who understands."
"That's one consolation," said Mr. Ely, "at any rate."
Miss Truscott, without heeding him, went on, to Mr. Ash's and Mrs.Clive's increasing bewilderment--
"One would really think that love was quite a new creation--you seemnever to have heard of it before! You see, guardian"--she turned withan air of the most bewitching frankness to Mr. Ash--"when your lettercame I was more than twelve months gone in love. I think that lovemust be a sort of disease which has to run its course throughdifferent stages. I was in the stage of dark despair. At that moment Iwould have married Pompey had he asked me--I looked on Mr. Ely just asI would have looked on Pompey, you understand."
"Flattering, upon my word!" Mr. Ely was just able to articulate.
But Miss Truscott only looked at him and laughed.
"But the morning after, that stage had passed away, and with it allthe things which appertained to it had gone--whether you call itPompey or Mr. Ely, it is just the same, those things had gone--I wassane again, in my right mind. Love claimed me on that day, and, ofcourse when love claimed me I was his. For to think"--she bore herselfquite straight, with her head a little back, so that, in some strangeway, she seemed to have grown in stature before their very eyes--"forto think that this to me means love"--she motioned to Mr. Ely with herhand--"this little gentleman of stocks and shares--it is the mostfoolish thing that ever yet I heard. None knows better than thisgentleman himself that love is just the thing he does not even care tounderstand; and to me, love, with the eternity of meaning the littleword conveys, is all the world."
She favoured Mr. Ely with her most sweeping curtsey, the sweetestmockery of laughter in her eyes.
"Mr. Ely, I wish you, sir, good day. For the engagement-ring whichcost you twenty pounds I hope that you will find a wearer soon."
She went to the window, and stood just outside, with her finger on herlips.
"One word in confidence. Next time you ask a girl to be your wife, donot insist upon it as your chiefest qualification for the marriedstate that you are indeed a business man!"
She passed down the steps, and across the lawn, and went away; anddirectly she was out of sight they heard her voice upraised in a burstof joyous song.
CHAPTER XVI
THUNDER IN THE AIR
There was silence in the room--an awkward silence. For some momentsnobody seemed to think that there was anything left to say. It wasnoticeable that neither of the trio seemed to care to look the otherin the face. Mr. Ely stood with his hands thrust to the extremestdepths of his trouser pockets, staring moodily, not to say savagely,at the window through which Miss Truscott had disappeared. Mr. Ashstroked his chin with something of an embarrassed air--he did not seemto know where to rest his eyes. From the expression of hercountenance, and from her bearing altogether, Mrs. Clive seemed tohave had the faculty of speech knocked out of her.
As perhaps was natural, Mr. Ely was the first who found his tongue. Hepointed his words by looking at Mrs. Clive out of the corners of hiseyes.
"That's a nice way in which to bring up a girl!"
His tone was distinctly venomous. Mr. Ash continued to stroke hischin.
"It does seem," he hazarded, in a sort of deprecatory undertone, "itdoes seem as though she had imbibed some curious ideas."
"That's the sort of girl to do anybody credit."
"I confess," said Mr. Ash with a little cough, as though he wished toapologise for his confession, "I confess that I am surprised."
Mrs. Clive, blissfully unconscious that it could enter into anybody'sphilosophy to think of attacking her, remained sublimely statuesque.
"I say, without the slightest hesitation, that the person who isresponsible for the education of that young woman has committed acrime against society."
Mr. Ely turned on Mrs. Clive with something that was very like asnarl. The old lady started. For the first time it seemed to occur toher that the words were spoken with intention. Mr. Ash, who was stillengaged upon his chin, did not appear to be able to go quite as far ashis friend.
"That--eh--is perhaps a strongish thing to say--hardly crime--but itreally does appear that blame rests somewhere--it really does."
But Mr. Ely was not to be gainsayed. No toning down of truths for him!
"I said, and I say again, that the person who is responsible for thebringing up of that young woman has committed a crime againstsociety." He turned so that he looked Mrs. Clive straight in the face."A girl is entrusted to her aunt to receive her education. If thataunt betrays her trust--miseducates the child!--then I challengecontradiction when I say that that aunt pulls away one of the props,the absence of whose support threatens to undermine the very fabric ofsociety."
"Eh--there is--eh--of course one must admit that there is a certainsubstratum of truth in that."
"Is it possible"--smoothing the front of her dress with her two hands,it was evident that Mrs. Clive was awaking to the nature of theoutrageous attack of which s
he was being made the victim--"is itpossible that these remarks are directed against me?"
Thrusting his thumbs into his waistcoat armholes, Mr. Ely began tostride about the room.
"Oh, it's easy to throw about oneself the cloak of womanhood, and toclaim that the privilege of sex exonerates from blame, but I shouldlike to know, if this is to be the fate of the coming generation ofyoung women, what will our future mothers be?"
Imitating Mr. Ely, Mr. Ash also thrust his thumbs into his waistcoatarmholes.
"Just so! What will our future mothers be?"
"Our future mothers! Am I not a mother, then?"
But neither of the gentlemen paid the slightest attention to Mrs.Clive.
"It is not a question of our mothers only, it is a question of ourfathers, too!"
"That is so. There can be no doubt that the maternal and paternalquestions are closely intertwined."
"I never thought"--Mrs. Clive produced her handkerchief--"I neverthought that I should have lived to see this day!"
Mrs. Clive began to cry; but neither of the gentlemen seemed at allabashed. They had a duty to perform, and evidently meant to carry itthrough.
"'Our acts our judges are, for good or ill. Fatal shadows--which march by us still!'"
It was such an unusual thing for Mr. Ely to essay quotation that itwas not surprising if the poet's words got slightly mangled inproduction. "The thing you do is like the seed you sow, it grows andgrows until it assumes gigantic proportions, and blights your life andthe lives of all whose paths you cross. You cannot get away fromthat!"
"You certainly cannot get away from that! That is well put--very wellput, indeed!"
But Mrs. Clive was not to be trampled upon in silence. She turned onMr. Ely with undaunted mien.
"May I ask, Mr. Ely, for an explanation of the language which youuse?"
"Your niece, ma'am, is sufficient explanation. You say that what sheis she owes to you. I presume her singular notions of morality amongthe rest!"
"Ahem!" Mr. Ash contented himself with clearing his throat.
"Mr. Ely, I am as much surprised at my niece's behaviour as you canpossibly be."
"Surprised, madam! Why are you surprised? You say that you have handedon to her the precepts which you yourself imbibed at your mother'sknee!"
"Sir!" Mrs. Clive turned towards Mr. Ash with her grandest air. "Mr.Ash, may I ask you to protect me from this gentleman?"
"I certainly understood you to say," stammered Mr. Ash, when he wasthus appealed to, "that you had handed on to her the precepts whichyou had imbibed at your mother's knees?"
"Mr. Ash!" Up went the handkerchief to the injured lady's eyes.
"It's easy enough to cry," sneered Mr. Ely. "I believe that somepeople keep a stock of tears on hand. At the same time"--he turned onMr. Ash with a sudden ferocity that was really startling--"don'tsuppose for a moment that I acquit you entirely from blame."
Mrs. Clive's tears were checked in the very act of starting to hereyes. Mr. Ash, about to move from the position in front of thefireplace which he had occupied until then, was apparently momentarilyturned into stone. This sudden change of front seemed to take him verymuch aback.
"Oh, I know! I know!" continued Mr. Ely. "You may stare at me as muchas you please, but I'm not to be frightened by your looks! I've notforgotten how you tried to rob me once before."
"This," exclaimed Mr. Ash, looking up, as though he apostrophised theskies, "is the most outrageous attack of which I ever heard!"
He had apparently forgotten that Mrs. Clive had just been the victimof a very similar attack in which he and his present antagonist hadjoined their forces.
"Bah!" cried Mr. Ely; "stuff and nonsense! Whenever there is any dirtywork about I always see your hand. Who robbed me of a thousandpounds!"
"This," exclaimed Mr. Ash, extending his hands as though he wereaddressing an unseen audience, "is the man who robbed me of fivehundred and thirty-three pounds thirteen and fourpence!"
Mr. Ely flung himself upon a seat and nursed his knee.
"If I had done what I ought to have done, I should have locked youup."
"Locked me up!" The words were gasped rather than spoken.
Mr. Ash turned to Mrs. Clive with the apparent intention of explainingto her the situation--it perhaps required explanation. "Madam, you seethis man" ("this man" was the recent friend of his bosom, FredericEly), "he is so incapable of concealing his true character that evenan inexperienced girl has found him out, and because she--veryproperly--refuses to have anything to do with him at any price, heturns on me! Madam," Mr. Ash became warmer as he spoke, "you are notacquainted with the intricacies of the Stock Exchange, but I think youwill understand me when I tell you that I once sold him a quantity ofa certain stock, and when there was a fall, so that there was a profitin my favour of five hundred and thirty-three pounds thirteenshillings, he had the audacity to say that I had bought, not sold, andhe actually declared that the transaction had referred to doubleamount of the stock than was in reality the case, and he evenpreferred a claim against me for over a thousand pounds!"
"How shocking!" said Mrs. Clive. Though it may be suspected that shewould have found it difficult to explain what was shocking if she hadbeen required to do so on the spot.
Mr. Ely rose from his seat. He seemed more at his ease than he hadbeen since he entered the room, as though falling out with Mr. Ash hadrelieved his mind.
"Ah," he observed, "that's the sort of man he is; if he robbed hismother he would swear that she'd robbed him. But perhaps he's not toblame. According to the new philosophy that sort of thing is in theblood."
Mr. Ash turned pale.
"Mrs. Clive, may I ask you to withdraw?"
"That's another of his dodges; he doesn't want you to know what sortof man he is. But I don't mind telling you, not the least. He's notthe sort of man I should care to choose to be trustee to my girl. Heis the sort of man who regards a trusteeship as the royal road towealth."
Mr. Ash began to grow angry, which was not surprising on the whole.
"Mrs. Clive, that man is the greatest thief in town."
"That's why he wanted me to marry his ward--that we might go halves,you know."
This remark so evidently enraged Mr. Ash that Mrs. Clive actuallyfeared that hostilities would be commenced upon her drawing-roomfloor. She endeavoured to interpose.
"Gentlemen, I must beg of you to consider where you are!"
"You mustn't ask from him impossibilities; he can't realise that he'sin a respectable house, you know."
Mr. Ash almost foamed at the lips.
"If you will not withdraw, Mrs. Clive, then in your presence I shallbe compelled to thrash this man within an inch of his life."
"Gentlemen! I do beg of you!--I pray!"
"There's not the slightest occasion to be alarmed. Threatened menproverbially live long. Honest men know from experience that they canlisten unmoved to the tall language used by the more doubtful membersof society."
Mr. Ely ostentatiously jingled the money in his trouser pockets, andsmiled a beatific smile.
"You hound!"
Mrs. Clive was in time to seize Mr. Ash's uplifted arm.
"Mr. Ash!" she cried.
"Hallo, Ash! What's the matter, Ash? Want to exhibit a little valouron the cheap?"
"You cur!"
Mr. Ash caught Mr. Ely by the collar, and Mr. Ely sprang at Mr. Ash'sthroat. The lady screamed. A very pretty fight was spoiled by thesudden appearance of other actors on the scene.
CHAPTER XVII
MR. ELY THROWS THE LADY OVER
"Guardian! Mr. Ely! What is the matter now?"
Miss Truscott and Mr. Summers were standing at the window. They hadapproached unperceived in the excitement of the little argument whichhad been taking place within. The lady's face was lighted with hersweetest, happiest smile. The gentleman, too, seemed at his ease; hehad the lady's hand in his. The perfect agreement which evidentlyex
isted between the lovers was in striking contrast to the perfectdisagreement which was conspicuous within. Outside the room, perfectpeace; inside the room, a raging storm.
On the appearance of this united pair the combatants had the grace tolet each other go. All signs of actual violence vanished into space.The old lady ceased to scream. Mr. Ash hastened to the window; hisplumes were still a little ruffled.
"Lily, you have been better advised than I. I commend your choice.Rather than see you the wife of such a man as Frederic Ely, I wouldcut your throat."
Miss Truscott looked surprised. Mr. Ash's language was strong in anunexpected place. Mr. Summers laughed outright. Mr. Ely picked up hishat, which had been up to now reposing on a chair, and settled it uponhis head.
"Mr. Summers, I can't congratulate you--I really can't. Not that Ihave anything to say against the lady--at least not much. But the manAsh--her guardian--is the most notorious character in town. Ratherthan become in any way connected with such a person as that I wouldmarch single to the silent grave. Good day, Mrs. Clive. I hope thatPompey continues in the enjoyment of good health."
Nodding slightly to Mrs. Clive, Mr. Ely swaggered from the room. MissTruscott's look of surprise when he had gone was comical.
"Guardian, what does this mean?"
Mr. Ash still seemed a little uncomfortable, but he tried to pass itoff as lightly as he could.
"Nothing, my dear, nothing. Let me beg of you to dismiss the incidentwholly from your mind. Mr. Ely has revealed an unexpected phase in hischaracter, but it was a phase which was better discovered early thanlate. I assure you that your engagement with my old friend Summersgives me complete content. May your days be happy and your love livelong."
The lady looked her lover in the face.
"It will live long, I think."
"I am sure it will," said he.
They clasped each other by the hand; the old lady and the stockbrokerturned away. There is a candour about true love which worldly mindsfind at times embarrassing.
Shortly afterwards the following announcement appeared in a dailypaper--
"Ely--Rosenbaum.--On the 6th instant, at St. Philip's, SouthKensington, Frederic Ely, Esq., of the Stock Exchange, to Ruth, sixthand youngest daughter of Myer Rosenbaum, Esq., of Queen's Gate, S.W.,and the Stock Exchange. No cards."
Miss Truscott showed this to Mr. Summers. They laughed together whenthey read it. Not many weeks elapsed before their names appeared inthe same column of the _Times_.
UNWIN BROTHERS, THE GRESHAM PRESS, WOKING AND LONDON.
The Woman with One Hand, and Mr. Ely's Engagement Page 26