CHAPTER XII. A FIRST VISIT
"Whenever Captain Forester is quite able to bear the fatigue,Sullivan,--mind that you say 'quite able,'--it will give me muchpleasure to receive him."
Such was the answer Lady Eleanor Darcy returned to a polite message fromthe young officer, expressing his desire to visit Lady Eleanor andthank her for the unwearied kindness she had bestowed on him during hisillness.
Lady Eleanor and her daughter were seated in the same chamber in whichthey have already been introduced to the reader. It was towards theclose of a dark and gloomy day, the air heavy and overcast towards theland, while, over the sea, masses of black, misshapen cloud were driftedalong hurriedly, the presage of a coming storm. The pine wood blazedbrightly on the wide hearth, and threw its mellow lustre over theantique carvings and the porcelain ornaments of the chamber, contrastingthe glow of in-door comfort with the bleak and cheerless look of allwithout, where the crashing noise of breaking branches mingled with theyet sadder sound of the swollen torrent from the mountain.
It may be remarked that persons who have lived much on the seaside,and near a coast abounding in difficulties or dangers, are far moresusceptible of the influences of weather than those who pass theirlives inland. Storm and shipwreck become, in a measure, inseparablyassociated. The loud beating of the waves upon the rocky shore, thedeafening thunder of the swollen breakers, speak with a voice to _their_hearts, full of most meaning terror. The moaning accents of the spentwind, and the wailing cry of the petrel, awake thoughts of those whojourney over "the great waters," amid perils more dreadful than all ofman's devising.
Partly from these causes, partly from influences of a different kind,both mother and daughter felt unusually sad and depressed, and hadsat for a long interval without speaking, when Forester's message wasdelivered, requesting leave to pay his personal respects.
Had the visit been one of mere ceremony, Lady Eleanor would havedeclined it at once; her thoughts were wandering far away, engrossed bytopics of dear and painful interest, and she would not have constrainedherself to change their current and direction for an ordinary matter ofconventional intercourse. But this was a different case; it was her sonLionel's friend, his chosen companion among his brother officers, theguest, too, who, wounded and almost dying beneath her roof, had been acharge of intense anxiety to her for weeks past.
"There is something strange, Helen, is there not, in this notion ofacquaintanceship with one we have never seen; but now, after weeks ofwatching and inquiry, after nights of anxiety and days of care, I feelas if I ought to be very intimate with this same friend of Lionel's."
"It is more for that very reason, Mamma, and simply because he isLionel's friend."
"No, my dear child, not so; it is the tie that binds us to all for whomwe have felt interested, and in whose sorrows we have taken a share.Lionel has doubtless many friends in his regiment, and yet it is veryunlikely any of them would cause me even a momentary impatience to seeand know what they are like."
"And do you confess to such in the present case?" said Helen, smiling.
"I own it, I have a strange feeling of half curiosity, and shouldbe disappointed if the real Captain Forester does not come up to thestandard of the ideal one."
"Captain Forester, my Lady," said Sullivan, as he threw open the door ofthe apartment, and, with a step which all his efforts could not renderfirm, and a frame greatly reduced by suffering, he entered. So littlewas he prepared for the appearance of the ladies who now stood toreceive him, that, despite his habitual tact, a slight expression ofsurprise marked his features, and a heightened color dyed his cheek ashe saluted them in turn.
With an air which perfectly blended kindliness and grace, Lady Eleanorheld out her hand, and said, "My daughter, Captain Forester;" and then,pointing to a chair beside her own, begged of him to be seated.The unaccustomed exertion, the feeling of surprise, and the nervousirritability of convalescence, all conspired to make Forester ill atease, and it was with a low, faint sigh he sank into the chair.
"I had hoped, madam," said he, in a weak and tremulous accent,--"I hadhoped to be able to speak my gratitude to you,--to express at leastsome portion of what I feel for kindness to which I owe my life; butthe greatness of the obligation would seem too much for such strength asmine. I must leave it to my mother to say how deeply your kindness hasaffected us."
The accents in which these few words were uttered, particularly thatwhich marked the mention of his mother, seemed to strike a chord inLady Eleanor's heart, and her hand trembled as she took from Forester asealed letter which he withdrew from another.
"Julia Wallincourt," said Lady Eleanor, unconsciously reading half aloudthe signature on the envelope of the letter.
"My mother, madam," said Forester, bowing.
"The Countess of Wallincourt!" exclaimed Lady Eleanor, with a heightenedcolor and a look of excited and even anxious import.
"Yes, madam, the widowed Countess of the Earl of Wallincourt, lateAmbassador at Madrid; am I to have the happiness of hearing that mymother is known to you?"
"I had, sir, the pleasure,--the honor of meeting Lady Julia D'Esterre;to have enjoyed that pleasure, even once, is quite enough never toforget it." Then, turning to her daughter, she added: "You have oftenheard me speak of Lady Julia's beauty, Helen; she was certainly themost lovely person I ever saw, but the charm of her appearance was eveninferior to the fascination of her manner."
"She retains it all, madam," cried Forester, as his eyes sparkledwith enthusiastic delight; "she has lost nothing of that power ofcaptivating; and as for beauty, I confess I know nothing higher inthat quality than what conveys elevation of sentiment, with purity andtenderness of heart: this she possesses still."
"And your elder brother, Captain Forester?" inquired Lady Eleanor, witha manner intended to express interest, but in reality meant to directthe conversation into another channel.
"He is in Spain still, madam; he was Secretary of the Embassy when myfather died, and replaced him in the mission."
There was a pause, a long and chilling silence, after these words, thateach party felt embarrassing, and yet were unable to break; at lastForester, turning towards Helen, asked "when she had heard from herbrother?"
"Not for some days past," replied she; "but Lionel is such an irregularcorrespondent, we think nothing of his long intervals of silence. Youhave heard of his promotion, perhaps?"
"No; pray let me learn the good news."
"He has got his company. Some very unexpected--I might say, fromLionel's account, some very inexplicable--piece of good fortune hasaided his advancement, and he now writes himself, greatly to his owndelight, it would appear, Captain Darcy."
"His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales," said Lady Eleanor, with a lookof pride, "has been pleased to notice my son, and has appointed him anextra aide-de-camp."
"Indeed!" cried Forester; "I am rejoiced at it, with all my heart. Ialways thought, if the Prince were to know him, he 'd be charmed withhis agreeability. Lionel has the very qualities that win their wayat Carlton House: buoyant spirit, courtly address, tact equal to anyemergency,--all these are his; and the Prince likes to see handsomefellows about his Court. I am overjoyed at this piece of intelligence."
There was a hearty frankness with which he spoke this that captivatedboth mother and daughter.
There are few more winning traits of human nature than the unaffected,heartfelt admiration of one young man for the qualities and endowmentsof another, and never are they more likely to meet appreciation thanwhen exhibited in presence of the mother of the lauded one. And thus thesimple expression of Forester's delight at his friend's advancement wentfurther to exalt himself in the good graces of Lady Eleanor than thedisplay of any powers of pleasing, however ingeniously or artfullyexercised.
As through the openings of a dense wood we come unexpectedly upon a viewof a wide tract of country, unfolding features of landscape unthought ofand unlooked for, so occasionally doth it happen that, in conversation,a chance allusion, a
mere word, will develop sources of interest buriedup to that very moment, and display themes of mutual enjoyment whichwere unknown before. This was now the case. Lionel's name, which evokedthe mother's pride and the sister's affection, called also into play thegenerous warmth of Forester's attachment to him.
Thus pleasantly glided on the hours, and none remarked how time waspassing, or even heeded the howling storm that raged without, whileanecdotes and traits of Lionel were recorded, and comments passed uponhis character and temper such as a friend might utter and a mother loveto hear.
At last Forester rose. More than once during the interview aconsciousness crossed his mind that he was outstaying the ordinarylimits of a visit; but at each moment some observation of Lady Eleanoror her daughter, or some newly remembered incident in Lionel's career,would occur, and delay his departure. At last he stood up, and, warnedby the thickening darkness of how time had sped, was endeavoring tomutter some words of apology, when Lady Eleanor interrupted him with,--
"Pray do not let us suppose you felt the hours too long, CaptainForester; the theme you selected will always make my daughter andmyself insensible to the lapse of time. If I did not fear we should betrespassing on both your kindness and health together, I should ventureto request you would dine with us."
Forester's sparkling eyes and flushed cheek replied to the invitationbefore he had words to say how gladly he accepted it.
"I feel more reconciled to making this request, sir," said Lady Eleanor,"because in your present state of weakness you cannot enjoy the societyof a pleasanter party, and it is a fortunate thing that you can combinea prudent action with a kind one."
Forester appreciated the flattery of the remark, and, with a brokenacknowledgment of its import, moved towards the door.
"No, no," said Lady Eleanor, "pray don't think of dressing; you have allthe privilege of an invalid, and a--friend also."
The pause which preceded the word brought a slight blush into her cheek,but when it was uttered, she seemed to have resumed her self-possession.
"We shall leave you now with the newspapers, which I suppose you arelonging to look at, and join you at the dinner-table." And as she spoke,she took her daughter's arm and passed into an adjoining room, leavingForester in one of those pleasant reveries which so often break in uponthe hours of returning health, and compensate for all the sufferings ofa sick-bed.
"How strange and how unceasing are the anomalies of Irish life!"thought he, as he sat alone, ruminating on the past. "Splendor, poverty,elevation of sentiment, savage ferocity, delicacy the most refined,barbarism the most revolting, pass before the mind's eye in the quicksuccession of the objects in a magic lantern. Here, in these fewweeks, what characters and incidents have been revealed to me! and howinvariably have I found myself wrong in every effort to decipherthem! Nor are the indications of mind and temper in themselves sovery singular, as the fact of meeting them under circumstances and insituations so unlikely. For instance, who would have expected to seea Lady Eleanor Darcy here, in this wild region, with all the polishedgrace and dignity of manner the best circles alone possess; and herdaughter, haughtier, perhaps, than the mother, more reserved, more timidit may be, and yet with all the elegance of a Court in every gestureand every movement. Lionel told me she was handsome,--he might havesaid downright beautiful. Where were these, fascinations nurtured andcultivated? Is it here, on the margin of this lonely bay, amid scenes ofreckless dissipation?"
Of this kind were his musings; nor, amid them all, did one thoughtobtrude of the cause which threw him first into such companionship,nor of that mission, to discharge which was the end and object of hiscoming.
The Knight Of Gwynne, Vol. 1 (of 2) Page 14