Percival Keene

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

  As soon as I was at home again, the events of the day, from associationof ideas, naturally brought Minnie Vanderwelt into my head, and Irecollected that I had not written to her since my promotion andappointment to the Circe; I therefore sat down and indited a longletter, ending with expressing my regret at not having received ananswer from the many I had written, especially the last, which informedthem of my arrival in England, and gave them the knowledge where toaddress me. I also requested to know what had become of young Vangilt,whose escape I had contrived. Having enclosed that letter to the agent,and begged him to have it forwarded to Hamburg, I went to bed, and,after the excitement of the day, had a variety of dreams, in whichMinnie's form was continually making its appearance.

  The following morning brought me a long letter from my aunt, MrsBridgeman, very lively and very amusing: the only news in it was themarriage of Lieutenant Flat to a tavern-keeper's daughter, which hadgiven great offence to the marine corps, as she was said to be ratherlight of carriage. She begged me very much to pay them a visit, butthat was not all to my wishes, I most candidly confess. My priderevolted at it; I even doubt if I would have fitted out a ship atChatham where people could point their finger at me, and say--Thatpost-captain's father was a marine in those barracks. Another letterfrom Lord de Versely, announcing his arrival at Madeline Hall, andrequesting me to join him as soon as possible, was infinitely more to mytaste, and I resolved to start next day, which I did. I was verycordially received by his lordship, and very graciously by the old lady,who expressed a hope that I would now make a long visit. About an hourafter I had arrived, Colonel Delmar made his appearance: he was a cousinof Lord de Versely's, but I certainly should not, from his appearance,have supposed him to be a Delmar: for he was short, round-shouldered,and with a fat, rubicund face, apparently about forty years of age. Iobserved, after our introduction, that his eyes were very often directedtowards me; but his manner was courteous, and, although his appearanceat first sight was not prepossessing, his conversation was veryagreeable, and he was very gentleman-like. Before dinner was over, Ifelt a great liking for him.

  As the first of September had not yet arrived, the birds had still twodays of peace and quietness, leading their broods through the stubbles,and pointing out to them the corn which had spilled on the ground, fortheir food. That the old birds had some idea of a gun, it is to besupposed, from their having escaped the season before; but the youngcoveys had still that pleasure to come; in two days more they were to beinitiated into the astonishing fact, that fast as feathers could fly,lead could fly faster, and overtake them.

  The two or three days before the shooting season begins are invariablyvery tedious in the country, and I passed my morning chiefly in roamingthrough the park and pleasure grounds, and I hardly need say that,during those rambles, my thoughts were chiefly occupied with theintimacy which had taken place between my mother and Lord de Versely.On the third morning after my arrival I had been strolling for more thantwo hours, when I came to a very retired sort of Gothic cell, formed ofthe distended limbs of an old oak, intermixed with stones and grass. Itfaced towards the park, and was built up on the green lawn amidst clumpsof laurel and other evergreens. I threw myself on the benches. It wasjust the place for a man to select for a rendezvous: just the secretspot where a maiden could listen without trembling at intruders; and itstruck me that this must have been the trysting place of my parents.For an hour I remained there, castle-building for the future, and musingon the past, when I heard a voice, close to me on the other side of thecell, the back of which was turned towards the hall. I knew the voiceto be that of the old lady, who, it appears, had, as usual, come out inher garden chair, and was dragged by her attendant, Phillis: the wheelshad made no noise on the velvet lawn, and, until roused by her voice, Iwas not aware of their approach.

  "Nonsense, Phillis; why, child, what should you know about such things?"said the old lady.

  "If you please to recollect, ma'am," replied Phillis, who certainly wasold enough to recollect all the passages in a woman's life, "I was yourmaid at the time that it happened, and I was constantly in company withBella Mason. She was very respectful towards you, but you did not knowwhat her temper was; there never was so proud a young woman, or whoconsidered herself of such consequence as she did--so much so, that shetreated even Mr Jonas, the butler, and Mrs Short, the housekeeper,with disdain."

  "Well, well, I know that she was proud; her mother was always a proudwoman. Mr Mason, in his younger days, held property of his own, atleast his father did, but he ran through it revelling and horse-racing;but what does that prove?"

  "I only say, madam, what was said at the time by everybody, that BellaMason never would have married that marine, whom she looked upon withcontempt, although he certainly was a good-looking young man, if she hadnot been obliged to do so."

  "But why obliged, Phillis?"

  "To conceal her shame, madam; for, if you recollect, the child was bornthree months after marriage."

  "I recollect that, very well," replied Miss Delmar; "it was a sad thing,and, as my nephew said, I ought to have looked out sharper after Bellathan I did, and not have allowed her to be so much in company with thatmarine."

  "That marine, ma'am! he was innocent enough; Bella was not likely tolisten to one like him."

  "Who can you mean then, Phillis?"

  "Why, Lord de Versely, ma'am, to be sure. Everybody in the Hall wassure the child was his; he and Bella were for ever together for monthsbefore her marriage."

  "Phillis, Phillis, you don't know what you are saying--it's impossible;indeed, I recollect talking the matter over with Lord de Versely, whowas then Captain Delmar, and he was more shocked at the impropriety thaneven I was, and offered to give the marine a good whipping."

  "That may be, madam, but still Captain Delmar was the father of thatboy; for, if you recollect, old Mrs Mason came to the Hall, and wentaway almost immediately."

  "Well, what of that? she was displeased no doubt."

  "Yes, indeed she was, madam; but she had a private meeting with CaptainDelmar; and Mrs Short, the housekeeper, overheard what passed, and Iunderstand that the captain did not deny it to her. One thing iscertain, that Mrs Mason, as she was going away, in her rage made use oflanguage about Captain Delmar, which otherwise she never would havedared. And, then, madam, only look at Captain Keene,--why, he is thevery image of his lordship."

  "He is very like him, certainly," said the old lady, musing.

  "And then, madam, do you think his lordship would have brought the boyup in the service, and made him a post-captain, if he had been the sonof a marine? And then, madam, see how fond his lordship is of him; why,he dotes upon him; and would he ask the son of his own servant to comedown to Madeline Hall, as fit company for you? No; so, madam, dependupon it, Captain Keene is a Delmar, and no wonder his lordship is sofond of him, madam; for he is his only child, and I dare say hislordship would give him his right hand if he could leave him the baronyand estates, instead of them going away, as they will, to his youngerbrother's children."

  "Well, well, Phillis, it may be so. I don't know what to think of it.I shall speak to Lord de Versely about it; for if Captain Keene is aDelmar, he must be looked to. He is a Delmar, although with the barsinister. I feel a little cold, Phillis, so drag me to the terrace,that I may get a little sunshine."

  Phillis, I thank thee, said I to myself, as the chair wheeled away.Your love of chatting may be useful to me. Perhaps his lordship may nowacknowledge my birth to his aunt, and good may come of it. I waitedtill the chair wheels were heard on the gravel walk, and then quittedthe grotto, and bent my steps away from the Hall, that I might communewith my own thoughts without chance of interruption.

  I had quitted the park, and was now pacing over several fields, oneafter another, walking as if I had some important business in hand, whenin fact, my legs were only trying to keep pace with my thoughts, when Ivaulted over a gate, and found myself in a na
rrow lane, sunk deepbetween two hedges. Indifferent as to the path I took, I turned to theright, and continued on my way, walking as fast as before, when I heardthe low bellowing of an animal. This induced me to raise my eyes, and Iwitnessed a curious scene in front of me, which I will narrate in thenext chapter.