“I mean it; I could show you the lines and proportions in that, I may say, lovely face that quite settle the point; she is a fiend if you place her in certain relations.”
“What sort of fiend?”
“Cruel.”
“You are quite wrong,” said Lord Ardenbroke.
The physiognomist laughed.
“You are, I assure you.”
“That’s because you fancy that cruelty and malice are inseparable. She has no malice, and yet she is diabolically cruel. Recollect, I know absolutely nothing of her past life, and nothing of her character except what my art reveals. But that art is infallible, you’ll find I’m right.”
“I shall be very sorry,” said Lord Ardenbroke with a smile, “and till then I must venture to question your mode of divination.”
“You don’t fancy that the people who burnt heretics in Smithfield, were more ill-natured than others; they were simply stupid on a certain point — now there’s a face quite beautiful, but it shows a capability, not a habit, of intense narrowness, intense obstinacy, and intense violence — she has imagination also. She might be in certain situations a character bigoted and terrible. There are fine qualities also — very, but I shan’t trouble you with them. But, because she has so many fine attributes, I repeat, she is worth punishing. Who is she?”
There was a slight tension of features, as if a screw tightened. While putting the question he fixed his dark eyes on Lord Ardenbroke.
That nobleman looked a little put out, and said, as carelessly as he could —
“That young lady is a cousin of mine, Miss Gray of Gray Forest.”
“Really, how odd! The moment I looked at her, the thought struck me, that she was one of that family. It is a name that always strikes me with pain when I hear it. I sometimes think they had reason to complain, but that’s an old story now, and I shan’t disturb it. She’s very pretty, and unless I mistake, she will take very good care of herself. I have fifty things to ask you, but not here. I know where to find you, and you’ll allow me to look in on you?”
“Only too happy, and remember, you really must. I’m going now to that box over the way — I have not seen her for such a time.”
“Shall I introduce you?” whispered the young man to his elderly companion, with an arch and bitter smile. The man of the long white head replied by slightly hitching his shoulder and turning a degree more away, his eyes still fixed on the remote prompter’s box, while a shadow of displeasure gathered on his face, and he muttered some inaudible monologue to himself.
It was a mere whisper, and having uttered it the young man, still smiling, gave his hand again to Lord Ardenbroke, who bid him goodbye, and vanished.
“You knew verra well I did not want to be introduced, what for should I?” said the old man, with traces of a Scotch accent, grimly, and without turning. “What for should I?”
“How should I know? He might be of use to you.”
The young man seemed to enjoy his friend’s uneasiness.
“And the way you talk — the questions you ask at him, and the things you do, I’d say ye were daft, and I tell ye plainly, sir, I don’t understand it,” said the old man, turning and looking full at him for a moment.
“Understand it — of course you don’t.”
“No; you young men, if ye were a bit more steady and less conceited, ye’d be nothing the worse o’t,” said the gray man sternly.
“Cautious, cautious, but don’t you know that rashness is often the highest caution?”
“I know nothing o’ the kind.”
“I have my own ideas about it,” said the young man. “I say with Monsieur Danton — l’audace, encore l’audace, toujours Faudace!”
“And if I wanted to speak with Lord Ardenbroke,” continued his elderly companion, “what for shouldn’t I, without cereemony, for I ha’ spoken with him sayveral times, it will be eight years since, and upon business of his own, confidential business, but I’ve no desire to renew the acquaintance, and if I had, ye’ll understand, I should consider the present, sir, a vera inopportune time for ony such purpose.”
“Don’t call me sir, pray call me by my name,” said the young man.
“Well, well, Mr. Dacre, there, and as I am acting. with you. Mr. Dacre, I take the liberty of reminding you, sir, that business is business, and I see no room for trifling here.”
“None in the world — quite the contrary, by Jove. I quite agree with you,” answered Dacre.
“I came here to inform ye, with precision, on one or two points.”
“And so you have — admirably.”
“And I tauld ye somebody would recognise ye; ye should a sat more back, and held a bit o’ playbill or something before your face.”
“Or worn a paper nose and a pair of spectacles. But seriously, I had not an idea he could have known me after so long a time, for I am very much altered.”
“And ye needn’t have talked so long with him; he’s vera well known, and I saw other folk with spyglasses turned this way, while he was here.”
“Well, they didn’t hurt us, and what for shouldn’t I hae a crack wi’ the Lord after sae mony years?” said Dacre, with a mimicry of the Scottish dialect.
“It needn’t have been so long,” said the gray man, accepting the phrase in good faith.
“And now, to change the subject. In a quarter of an hour this opera will be over, and then comes the ballet, and I mean to leave this in exactly five minutes,” said Dacre, and he looked at his watch.
CHAPTER IX.
AN ADVENTURE.
IN the meantime, in Miss Laura Challys Gray ‘s box, another greeting had taken place, and after some talk, unnecessary to set down here, Lord Ardenbroke said —
“And so you think my friend very distinguished-looking, and — what else — I forget?”
“Yes, I think he is — and I said, fierce, sinister sometimes; and you are to answer me two questions,” she said.
“You are curious, then?”
“Yes, a little; that is — very, and you must tell me.”
“Well, I’ll, tell you,” said Lord Ardenbroke. “He’s goodnatured — he s agreeable — he’s always in good spirits — he’s very good company, and — I really think that is everything.”
“Does he live in London?”
“He lives all over the world, I believe.”
“Is he an artist?”
“Oh dear, no — except for his amusement.”
“And what has he come here about?”
“He has come here, he says, upon political business; that’s his own account of it; but there may be some other mixed in it; in fact, I should be very much surprised if there was any public business in it whatever.”
“Well, you must answer one question. Isn’t he a very revengeful person?”
Miss Challys Gray was trying to spell out some clue to the author of her anonymous letter.
Lord Ardenbroke laughed.
“That’s a thing which might be very easily hidden. He was an intimate acquaintance, not an intimate friend, do you see? — very different thing. I have had no experience of him in any other way; he has had quarrels like other people — a good many; but one does not often know who is in the right, and who altogether in the wrong; and the truth is, except of his lighter qualities, I have had little or no experience of him.”
“And now you are to tell me: is he a relation of De Beaumirail’s?”
“Let me consider. Isn’t this a very severe cross-examination? Well, yes, this much I am sure of — he is related to relations of De Beaumirail, and” — he laughed merrily— “I should be very much flattered if any young lady were to make such particular inquiries about me.”
“Has he an antipathy to Guy de Beaumirail?”
“I know hardly anything of him, I told you, except what I’ve said; but I never heard of anything of the kind.”
“And what’s his name?”
“You’re not to ask me.”
“Not ask his name
?”
“No,” said, Lord Ardenbroke, laughing, as he shook his head.
“0h, this is quite too absurd. You promised to answer two questions.”
“I didn’t, though — no, indeed.”
“Oh! yes, you did, and you must. What is his name?”
“I can only say the same thing; I can’t tell it; I mustn’t.”
He looked at her, laughing.
“Why not?”
There’s no particular reason, except that I promised, only five minutes ago. He doesn’t choose anyone to know that he’s here, and he made me promise — I’m quite serious.”
“Well, will you do me a kindness?”
“Only name it.”
“You must go and get his leave just to tell one person who will not repeat it to any other creature living.”
“But wont that be putting you in a very interesting light? What is he to think?”
“I didn’t think of that. But Charles, here — he can tell you.”
“But he’ll be bound to secrecy, just as I am, and you, still in the dark, and — just look there — there’s no use in debating it further, for they have left their box, and, perhaps, I shan’t see him again during his stay in town.”
Yes, the box was empty, and Miss Laura Challys Gray was vexed. She had been so near, she fancied, obtaining a key to the puzzle that excited her curiosity and her fears, and now, perhaps, she should never know.
Lord Ardenbroke took his leave. Then followed a listless interval — nearly a quarter of an hour — before the curtain went down.
“Shall we stay for the ballet?” asked Miss Gray of her chaperon.
“Well, I’m a little tired,” said Mrs. Wardell.
“And I’m very tired,” answered Miss Gray.
“Then, I’m afraid it has disappointed you?” said Charles.
“It’s very good — and the tenor quite angelic, and that basso wonderful — but somehow I haven’t enjoyed it. I don’t know; I haven’t been in spirits.”
“You were talking to Ardenbroke about that man with the get-up, after Mario. Had he much to say about him?”
“No — next to nothing.”
He fancied that a faint tinge of crimson stole to her cheeks as she answered his question.
“Nor even about the old man?” asked Charles, who was a little surly.
“I did not think of that, it is very true; if we knew all about him it might throw a light — — “
How ridiculous, and even coarse, this eagerness about a total stranger! thought Charles Mannering — throw a light indeed; what stuff!
A few minutes later, having seen the ladies into their carriage, and bid good night — it the window, Charles lighted his cigar, not in a cheerful temper, and walked away towards his lodging, through streets already very nearly deserted, while Miss Gray’s brougham drove at a rapid pace towards Guildford House.
The adventures of that night, however, were not yet over.
Turning the corner of a street, at a rapid pace, the of horse, young and fresh, swerved a little, the wheel struck one of those iron posts that guard the flagway, and in an instant one of the horses was lying on the pavement, and the other plunging furiously; Mrs. Wardell screaming, while the carriage rocked most uncomfortably.
The door was, however, opened almost instantly, and not by her footman, whose descent from the box was delayed by the plunging of the horses. It was the handsome unknown of the opera who opened the door. By the light of the carriage lamps she had seen this tall slender figure approaching from the front, and recognised him in his loose coat. The fine eyes and oval face, also, were not to be mistaken.
It was he who held the door open and assisted Miss Gray to alight. He led her to the pathway with as ceremonious a respect as heroes in fairy tales lead their princesses, leaving Mrs. Wardell to the care of the servant, who had, by this time, got to the ground.
“You’re not hurt, I hope?”
“No — she wasn’t hurt.”
“You can’t stay here till your carriage and horses are ready; it may be a very long wait; my carriage,” he said, “is quite at your disposal; shall I tell your servant that he is to attend you home, and your friend? I wish it was more comfortable.”
As the coachman reported something amiss with the harness, and a possible delay, the stranger’s offer was accepted, the two ladies got in, and he shut the door; Miss Gray’s servant got up beside the driver, and away they went.
CHAPTER X.
A FEW WORDS IN THE HALL.
AS they drove homeward Miss Gray was silent, but her thoughts were happier. There was even a little excitement that was pleasant. Did this heroic looking young man interest her independently of all theories about the nameless letter or the diamond locket, about which her conjectures grew more and more confused?
Here she was, sitting, in his carriage, a very nice one — pretty, elegant even — and utterly in the dark as to who or what he was — longing to know — with nothing but a moveable sheet of glass between her and the coachman, who could relate everything about him, and, yet, still in the dark, without a conjecture as to how she was ever to learn more than the generalities she had collected from Ardenbroke.
At last she said to Mrs. Wardell —
“Did you remark the young man who was so kind about lending us his carriage; I mean, did you recognise him as the same who sat with an ugly old man at the opera, nearly opposite to us?”
“Yes, to be sure; I could not recollect it was the very person.”
“I’ve been wondering who he is; he’s a friend of Ardenbroke’s; but Ardenbroke would not tell me who he is, and we must make it all out; you are to manage that, mind, when we get home; you can see the servant and ask him whether our horse was much hurt, or anything you please, only you must learn the name of his master.”
“Very good, my dear.; suppose you tell Mrs. Rumble to get him some supper, and to make out everything while he is eating it; and I can call him into the dining-room first, so that you shall have time to give Rumble her instructions.”
This little plot was hardly completed when they reached the gate of Guildford House. It was thrown open. The carriage lamps flashed on the knotted trunks of the old elms, as they flew by, and with a sudden sweep they drew up at the steps.
The plan, so artfully contrived, however, broke down before it was so much as set in motion; for the door was again opened by the handsome young man who owned the carriage. He assisted the ladies, in turn, to alight, and Miss Gray with only a little bow, and “We are very much obliged,” ran up the steps, and disappeared, leaving Mrs. Wardell to deal with the stranger.
“Wont you come in? pray do,” said the old lady.
This handsome cavalier might have assumed this invitation to mean precisely so much as similar hospitalities so offered, do mean, and no more. Even Mrs. Wardell, curious as she had become — and what passion is more unscrupulous than curiosity? — was at her wit’s end to find a decent pretext for urging him to come into the house at such an hour, had he hesitated.
But this difficulty did not occur, for he instantly availed himself of her invitation.
He followed her into the hall, and said, “I could not deny myself the honour of coming in, just to receive from your own lips the assurance that you and your young friend were not hurt.”
“Hurt! well I do hope not injured, but shaken — shaken a good deal, and — and our nerves — you can understand — but no serious injury.”
“I’m so happy to hear you say so; and would it be very impertinent to ask leave to call to inquire tomorrow? My name is Dacre; your servant mentioned that the young lady is Miss Gray, of Gray Forest. I knew, at one time, some of her relations, and I shall do myself the honour to call.”
And thus speaking, with a bow that was graceful, as well as stately and grave, he took his leave; and in another minute was driving rapidly in the direction from which he had come.
“He’s coming tomorrow,” said Mrs. Wardell, who repaired forthwit
h to Laura Gray’s room, very purple, and very much out of breath, “and his name is Dacre; and I think him one of the very most agreeable and elegant young men I ever saw; and he knew some of your people long ago, and he was so kind, and anxious, and attentive.”
“Oh! coming here? How odd! And why is he coming here?” asked Laura, very gravely.
“To inquire — to ask how we are; he couldn’t well do less, he’s so polite!”
“Dacre — I think I recollect the name, but I’m not sure. Well, he’ll call; do you intend seeing him?”
“I see no reason why I shouldn’t, merely to tell him how we are,” answered Mrs. Wardell.
“No, there’s no reason,” acquiesced Laura Gray, slowly; “did he come into the house?”
“Yes; just to the hall, but merely to inquire, and ask leave to call tomorrow, which, of course, I could not refuse; but it may be merely a call at the hall door, you know.”
“Very likely. Dacre? Do you remember the name among friends or acquaintance of ours?”
“He only said that he once knew relations of yours. No; I can’t say I do,” answered Mrs. Wardell.
Laura Gray was sitting before her glass, in her dressing-gown, with her line hair loose about her shoulders. She leaned back in her chair.
“You’ll take a little tea, wont you? I should like some. Get tea, Noel.”
And her maid glided away.
“Dacre?” repeated Laura, thinking. “I saw him, I told you, at the opera; but distance, you know — and — I don’t know how it is, but people do look different in such places. Did he look like a singer, or an actor, when you saw him near — in the house?”
“Not at all; he looked just like anyone else, only very handsome, and distinguished,” answered the old lady.
“And what of his manners?”
“Perfect,” said Mrs. Wardell, decisively.
“He seems to have made a very agreeable impression,” said Laura, smiling, and relapsed into thought. “Dacre, I cannot recall it; yet I feel as if I ought to remember it. And what hour is he to call?”
Complete Works of Sheridan Le Fanu (Illustrated) Page 443