The Firm of Girdlestone
Page 27
CHAPTER XXVII.
MRS. SCULLY OF MORRISON'S.
One day Major Tobias Clutterbuck was sitting at the window of his littleroom smoking his cigarette and sipping his glass of wine, as was hiscustom if times were reasonably good. While thus agreeably employed hechanced to look across the road and perceived a little fringe of darkhair, and a still darker eye, which surveyed him round the border of oneof the curtains which flanked a window opposite. The gallant major wasmuch interested in this apparition, and rose to make a closer inspectionof it, but, alas! before he could focus it with his eye-glass it wasgone! He bent his gaze resolutely in that direction for a long time,and smoked at least half a dozen cigarettes, besides finishing thebottle of wine; but although he thought he saw certain flittings andwhiskings of garments in the dark background of the opposite room, hecould not make out anything more definite.
Next day the soldier was on the look-out at the same hour, and wasrewarded by the appearance of two eyes, very mischievous and dangerousones too, which were set in a buxom and by no means unprepossessingface. The lady who owned these charms looked very deliberately up thestreet, and very deliberately down the street, after which she bethoughtherself to look across the street, and started to perceive a stout,middle-aged gentleman, with a fiery face, who was looking at her with anexpression of intense admiration. So much alarmed was she that shevanished behind the curtains and the major feared that he would see herno more. Fortunately, however, it became evident that the lady's alarmwas not very overpowering, for within five minutes she was back at thewindow, where her eyes again fell upon the beaming face and jauntyfigure of the major, who had posed himself in a striking attitude, whichwas somewhat marred by the fact that he was still enveloped in hispurple dressing-gown. This time her eyes lingered a little longer thanbefore and the suspicion of a smile appeared upon her features. On thisthe major smiled and bowed, and she smiled also, showing a pretty littleline of white teeth as she did so. What the veteran's next move mighthave been no one can tell, for the lady solved the problem bydisappearing, and this time permanently. He was very well satisfied,however, and chuckled much to himself while arraying himself in his longfrock coat and immaculate collar before setting out for the club.He had been a sly old dog in his day, and had followed Venus almost asmuch as he had Mars during his chequered career.
All day the recollection of this little episode haunted him. So muchpre-occupied was he at the club that he actually played out thethirteenth trump upon his partner's long suit and so sacrificed thegame--being the first and only time that he was ever known to throw awaya point. He told Von Baumser all about it when he came back.
"She's a demned foine-looking woman, whoever she may be," he remarked,at they sat together before turning in. "Be George! she's the foinestwoman I've seen for a long time."
"She's a window," said the German.
"A what?"
"A window--the window of an engineer."
"Is it a widow you mane? What d'ye know about her? What's her name,and where does she come from?"
"I have heard from the slavey that a win--a widow lives over dere inthose rooms. She boards mit Madame Morrison, and that window belongs toher privacy zimmer--dat is, chamber. As to her name, I have not heardit, or else I disremember it."
"Ged!" said the major, "she'd eyes that looked right through ye, and afigure like Juno."
"She's vierzig if she's a day--dat is, forty," Von Baumser remarked.
"Well, if she is, me boy, a woman of forty is just in the proime o'loife. If you'd seen her at the window, she would have taken ye bystorm. She stands like this, and she looks up like this, and then downin this way." The major pursed up his warlike features into what heimagined to be an innocent and captivating expression. Then she looksacross and sees me, and down go the lids of her eyes, like the shuttingoff of a bull's-eye lantern. Then she blushed and stole just one moreglance at me round the corner of the curtain. She had two peeps, thedivil a doubt of it."
"Dat is very good," the German said encouragingly.
"Ah, me boy, twinty years ago, when I was forty inches round the chestand thirty-three round the waist, I was worth looking at twice.Bedad, when a man gets ould and lonely he sees what a fool he was not tomake better use of his time when he'd the chance."
"Mein Gott!" cried Von Baumser. "You don't mean to say that you wouldmarry suppose you had the chance?"
"I don't know," the major answered reflectively.
"The vomens is not to be trusted," the German said sadly. "I knew avoman in my own country which was the daughter of a man dat kept ahotel--and she and I was promised to be married to each others.Karl Hagelstein, he was to be vat you call my best man. A very handsomeman was Karl, and I sent him often mit little presents of one thing oranother to my girl, for there were reasons why I could not go myself.He was nicer than me because my hair was red, and pretty soon she beganto like him, and he liked her too. So the day before the vedding shewent down the Rhine to Frankfort by the boat, and he went down by train,and there they met and was married the one to the other."
"And what did you do?" the major asked with interest.
"Ah, dat was the most worst thing of all, for I followed them mit afriend of mine, and when we caught them I did not let her know, but Icalled him out of his hotel, and I told him that he must fight me.Dat vos a mistake. I should have done him an insult, and then he vouldhave had to ask me to fight, and I could have chosen my own veapon.As it was he chose swords, for he knew veil that I knew nothing of them,and he had been the best fencer in the whole of his University. Then wemet in the morning, and before I had time to do anything he ran methrough the left lung. I have shown you the mark of it. After dat Ivas in bed for two month and more, and it still hurts me ven de veatheris cold. That is vat they call satisfaction," Baumser added, pullinghis long red beard reflectively. "To me it has ever seemed the mostdissatisfactory thing that could be imagined."
"I don't wonder you're afraid of the women after that," said the major,laughing. "There are plenty of good women in the world, though, if youhave the luck to come across them. D'ye know a young fellow calledDimsdale--? Ah, you wouldn't, but I've met him lately at the club.He's got a girl who's the adopted daughter of that same ould Girdlestonethat we talk about. I saw the two of them togither one day as happy asa pair of young love birds. Sure, you've only got to look at her faceto see that she's as good as gold. I'll bet that that woman over thestrate there is another of the right sort."
"Dat voman is alvays in your head," the German said, with a smile."You shall certainly dream about her to-night. I remember a voman inGermany--" And so these two Bohemians rambled on into the small hours,discoursing upon their past experiences and regaling each other withmany reminiscences, some of which, perhaps, are just as well omitted andallowed to sink into oblivion. When the major finally retired for thenight, his last thought was of the lady at the window and of the meansby which he might contrive to learn something of her.
These proved to be more easy than he anticipated, for next morning, oncross-examining the little servant girl from whom Von Baumser hadderived his information, the major found out all that he desired toknow. According to this authority, the lady was a widow of the name ofScully, the relict of a deceased engineer, and had been staying somelittle time at Morrison's, which was the rival establishment to that inwhich the major and Von Baumser resided.
Armed with this information, the major pondered for some time beforedeciding upon his course of action. He saw no possible means by whichhe could gain an introduction to his charming neighbour unless he hadrecourse to some daring strategem. "Audace et toujours audace" hadalways been the soldier's motto. He rose from his chair, discarded hispurple gown, and arrayed himself in his best attire. Never had he paidsuch attention to his toilet. His face was clean shaven and shining,his sparse hairs were laid out to the best advantage, his collarspotless, his frock coat oppressively respectable, and his _toutensemble_ irreproachable.
"Be George!" he said to himself, as hesurveyed himself in the small lodging-house glass, "I'd look as young asBaumser if I had some more hair on me head. Bad cess to the helmets andshakoes that wore it all off."
When his toilet was fully completed and rounded off by the addition of apair of light gloves and an ebony stick with a silver head, the veteranstrode forth with a bold front, but with considerable trepidation at hisheart; for when is a man so seasoned as to have no misgivings when hemakes the first advances to a woman who really attracts him? Whateverthe major's inward feelings may have been, however, he successfullyconcealed them as he rang the bell of the rival lodging-house andinquired of the servant whether Mrs. Scully was at home.
"Yes, sir, she is," said the slavey, with a frightened bob, which was atribute to the major's martial mien and gorgeous attire.
"Would you tell her that I should like to see her," said the majorboldly. "I shan't detain her a moment. Here is my card--Major TobiasClutterbuck, late of the 119th Light Infantry."
The servant disappeared with the card, and presently returned with arequest that he would step up. The old soldier stumped his way upstairswith the firm footfall of one who has taken a thing in hand and means tocarry it through at all hazard. As he ascended, it seemed to him thathe heard the sound of feminine laughter in the distance. If so, itcould hardly have come from the lady whom he was in quest of, for he wasshown into a large and well-furnished room, where she sat looking demureand grave enough, as did another young lady who was crocheting on theottoman beside her.
The major made his most courtly bow, though he felt very much as theSpaniards may be supposed to have done when they saw their ships blazingbehind them. "I trust you will excuse this intrusion on my part," hebegan. "I happened to hear that a lady of the name of Scully wasstopping here."
"My name is Scully, sir," said the lady, whose dark eyes had allured themajor to this feat of daring.
"Then perhaps, madam," the veteran said with another bow, "you willallow me to ask you whether you are any relation to Major-gineralScully, of the Indian Sappers?"
"Pray take a seat, Major--Major Clutterbuck," said Mrs. Scully,referring to his card, which she still held in her very well-formedlittle hand. "Major-general Scully, did you say? Dear me! I know thatone of my husband's relations went into the army, but we never heardwhat became of him. A major-general, is he? Whoever would have thoughtit!"
"As dashing a souldier, madam," said the major, warming into eloquence,"as ever hewed a way through the ranks of the enemy, or stormed thesnow-clad passes of the Himalayas."
"Fancy!" ejaculated the young lady with the crochet needle.
"Many a time," continued the soldier, "he and I after some hard-foughtbattle have slept togither upon the blood-stained ground wrapped in thesame martial cloak."
"Fancy!" cried both ladies in chorus; and they could not have selected amore appropriate interjection.
"And when at last he died," the major went on with emotion, "cut in twowith a tulwar in a skirmish with hill tribes, he turned to me--"
"After being cut in two?" interrupted the younger lady.
"He turned to me," said the major inflexibly, "and putting his hand inmine, he said, with his last breath, 'Toby'--that was what he alwayscalled me--'Toby,' he said, 'I have a--' Your husband was his brother,I think you said, ma'am?"
"No, it was Mr. Scully's uncle who went into the army."
"Ah, quite so. 'I have a nephew in England,' he said, 'who is very dearto me. He is married to a charming woman. Search out the young couple,Toby. Guard over them. Protict them!' Those were his last words,madam. Next moment his sowl had fled. When I heard your name casuallymintioned I could not feel satisfied in me mind until I had come acrossand ascertained if you were the lady in question."
Now, this narrative not only surprised the widow, which was notunnatural, seeing that it was entirely an invention of the oldsoldier's, but it appealed to her weakest point. The father of thedeceased Scully had been of plebeian origin, so that the discovery inthe family of a real major-general--albeit he was dead--was a famouswindfall, for the widow had social ambitions which hitherto she hadnever been able to gratify. Hence she smiled sweetly at the veteran ina way which stimulated him to further flights of mendacity.
"Sure he and I were like brothers," he said. "He was a man that any onemight well be proud to know. Commander-in-chief said to me once,'Clutterbuck,' says he, 'I don't know what we'd do if we had a Europeanwar. I've no one I can rely on,' says he. 'There's Scully,' says I.'Right,' says he, 'Scully would be our man.' He was terribly cut up whenthis occurred. 'Here's a blow to the British army!' he remarked, as helooked down at him where he lay with a bullet through his head--he did,madam, be Jove!"
"But, major, I understood you to say that he was cut in two?"
"So he was. Cut in two, and shot and mortally wounded in a dozen placesbesides. Ah, if he could have foreseen that I should have met you hewould have died happy."
"It's strange he never let us know of his existence when he was alive,"the widow remarked.
"Pride, madam, pride! 'Until I reach the top of the tree, Toby,' he usedto say, 'I shall niver reveal myself to me brother.'"
"Nephew," interpolated the widow.
"Quite so--' I shall niver reveal myself to me nephew.' He said thosevery words to me only a few minutes before the fatal shell struck him."
"A shell, major? You mean a bullet."
"A shell, madam, a shell," said the major with decision.
"Dear me!" exclaimed Mrs. Scully, with a somewhat bewilderedexpression. "How very sad it all is. We must thank you very much,Major Bottletop--"
"Clutterbuck," said the Major.
"I beg pardon, Major Clutterbuck. It was very kind of you to call uponus in this friendly way and to give us these details. Of course, when arelative dies, even though you don't know much about him, still it isinteresting to have a clear account of how it all happened. Just fancy,Clara," continued the widow, drawing her handkerchief from her reticuleand mopping one of her eyes with it. "Just fancy the poor fellow beingcut in two with a bullet far away in India and him just speaking aboutJack and me a few minutes before. I am sure we must thank MajorBottlenose--"
"Clutterbuck, madam," cried the major with some indignation.
"I really beg pardon. We must thank him, Clara, for having told usabout it and for having called."
"Do not thank me, me dear Mrs. Scully," said the major, clearing histhroat and waving his stubby hand deprecatingly. "I have already had mereward in having the pleasure and honour of making your acquaintance andof coming nearer to those charums which I had alriddy admired from adistance."
"Oh, auntie, listen to that!" cried Clara, and both ladies giggled.
"Not forgetting yours, Miss-Miss--"
"Miss Timms," said Mrs. Scully. "My brother's daughter."
"Not forgetting your charums, Miss Timms," continued the major, with abow and a flourish. "To a lonely man like meself, the very sight of alady is like dew to a plant. I feel stringthened, madam, vitalized,invigorated." The major puffed out his chest and looked apoplecticallytender over his high white collar.
"The chief object of me visit," the old soldier said after a pause,"was to learn whether I could be of any assistance to you in any way.Afther your sad bereavement, of which I have heard, it may be that evena comparative stranger may be of service in business matters."
"I'm sure it's very kind of you, major," the widow answered."Since poor Jack died everything has been in disorder. If it wouldn'ttrouble you, I should very much like your advice on some futureoccasion. I'll ask your opinion when I have cleared up things a littlemyself. As to these lawyers, they think of their own interests, not ofyours."
"Quite so," said the major sympathetically.
"There's the fifteen hundred of poor Jack's insurance. That's not laidout yet."
"Fifteen hundred!" said the major. "That's seventy-five pounds a yearat five per cint."
"Safe, too," said the girl.
"The deuce you have!" thought the major.
"So, when we are making arrangements, I'll ask your assistance andadvice, Major Tanglebobs. I know that we poor women are very bad atbusiness."
"I shall look forward to the day," said the major gallantly, rising andtaking up his hat. He was very well satisfied with his little ruse andhis success in breaking the ice.
"Be George!" he remarked to Von Baumser that evening, "she's got moneyas well as her looks. It's a lucky man that gits her."
"I vill bet dat you ask her for to marry you," Von Baumser said with asmile.
"I'll bet that she refuses me if I do," answered the major despondently,in spite of which he retired that night feeling considerably more elatedthan on the preceding evening.