CHAPTER XLVIII. An Apparition
Going off in his wrath from his morning's conversation with Harry,Mr. Draper thought he heard the young prisoner speak behind him; and,indeed, Harry had risen, and uttered a half-exclamation to call thelawyer back. But he was proud, and the other offended: Harry checkedwords, and Draper did not choose to stop. It wound Harry's pride to beobliged to humble himself before the lawyer, and to have to yield frommere lack and desire of money. "An hour hence will do as well," thoughtHarry, and lapsed sulkily on to the bed again. No, he did not carefor Maria Esmond! No: he was ashamed of the way in which he had beenentrapped into that engagement. A wily and experienced woman, she hadcheated his boyish ardour. She had taken unfair advantage of him, as herbrother had at play. They were his own flesh and blood, and they oughtto have spared him. Instead, one and the other had made a prey ofhim, and had used him for their selfish ends. He thought how they hadbetrayed the rights of hospitality: how they had made a victim of theyoung kinsman who came confiding within their gates. His heart was sorewounded: his head sank back on his pillow: bitter tears wetted it."Had they come to Virginia," he thought, "I had given them a differentwelcome!"
He was roused from this mood of despondency by Gumbo's grinning face athis door, who said a lady was come to see Master Harry, and behind thelad came the lady in the capuchin, of whom we have just made mention.Harry sat up, pale and haggard, on his bed. The lady, with a sob, andalmost ere the servant-man withdrew, ran towards the young prisoner,put her arms round his neck with real emotion and a maternal tenderness,sobbed over his pale cheek and kissed it in the midst of plentifultears, and cried out--
"Oh, my Harry! Did I ever, ever think to see thee here?"
He started back, scared as it seemed at her presence, but she sank downat the bedside, and seized his feverish hand, and embraced his knees.She had a real regard and tenderness for him. The wretched place inwhich she found him, his wretched look, filled her heart with a sincerelove and pity.
"I--I thought none of you would come!" said poor Harry, with a groan.
More tears, more kisses of the hot young hand, more clasps and pressurewith hers, were the lady's reply for a moment or two.
"Oh, my dear! my dear! I cannot bear to think of thee in misery," shesobbed out.
Hardened though it might be, that heart was not all marble--that drearylife not all desert. Harry's mother could not have been fonder, nor hertones more tender than those of his kinswoman now kneeling at his feet.
"Some of the debts, I fear, were owing to my extravagance!" she said(and this was true). "You bought trinkets and jewels in order to give mepleasure. Oh, how I hate them now! I little thought I ever could! I havebrought them all with me, and more trinkets--here! and here! and all themoney I have in the world!"
And she poured brooches, rings, a watch, and a score or so of guineasinto Harry's lap. The sight of which strangely agitated and immenselytouched the young man.
"Dearest, kindest cousin!" he sobbed out.
His lips found no more words to utter, but yet, no doubt they served toexpress his gratitude, his affection, his emotion.
He became quite gay presently, and smiled as he put away some of thetrinkets, his presents to Maria, and told her into what danger he hadfallen by selling other goods which he had purchased on credit; and howa lawyer had insulted him just now upon this very point. He wouldnot have his dear Maria's money--he had enough, quite enough for thepresent: but he valued her twenty guineas as much as if they had beentwenty thousand. He would never forget her love and kindness: no, byall that was sacred he would not! His mother should know of all hergoodness. It had had cheered him when he was just on the point ofbreaking down under his disgrace and misery. Might Heaven bless her forit! There is no need to pursue beyond this, the cousins' conversation.The dark day seemed brighter to Harry after Maria's visit: theimprisonment not so hard to bear. The world was not all selfish andcold. Here was a fond creature who really and truly loved him. EvenCastlewood was not so bad as he had thought. He had expressed thedeepest grief at not being able to assist his kinsman. He was hopelesslyin debt. Every shilling he had won from Harry he had lost on the nextday to others. Anything that lay in his power he would do. He would comesoon and see Mr. Warrington: he was in waiting to-day, and as mucha prisoner as Harry himself. So the pair talked on cheerfully andaffectionately until the darkness began to close in, when Maria, with asigh, bade Harry farewell.
The door scarcely closed upon her, when it opened to admit Draper.
"Your humble servant, sir," says the attorney. His voice jarred uponHarry's ear, and his presence offended the young man.
"I had expected you some hours ago, sir," he curtly said.
"A lawyer's time is not always his own, sir," said Mr. Draper, who hadjust been in consultation with a bottle of port at the Grecian. "Nevermind, I'm at your orders now. Presume it's all right, Mr. Warrington.Packed your trunk? Why, now there you are in your bedgown still. Let mego down and settle whilst you call in your black man and titivate a bit.I've a coach at the door, and we'll be off and dine with the old lady."
"Are you going to dine with the Baroness de Bernstein, pray?"
"Not me--no such honour. Had my dinner already. It's you are a-going todine with your aunt, I suppose?"
"Mr. Draper, you suppose a great deal more than you know," says Mr.Warrington, looking very fierce and tall, as he folds his brocadedressing-gown round him.
"Great goodness, sir, what do you mean?" asks Draper.
"I mean, sir, that I have considered, and, that having given my word toa faithful and honourable lady, it does not become me to withdraw it."
"Confound it, sir!" shrieks the lawyer, "I tell you she has lost thepaper. There's nothing to bind you--nothing. Why she's old enough tobe----"
"Enough, sir," says Mr. Warrington, with a stamp of his foot. "Youseem to think you are talking to some other pettifogger. I take it, Mr.Draper, you are not accustomed to have dealings with men of honour."
"Pettifogger, indeed!" cries Draper in a fury. "Men of honour, indeed!I'd have you to know, Mr. Warrington, that I'm as good a man of honouras you. I don't know so many gamblers and horse-jockeys, perhaps. Ihaven't gambled away my patrimony, and lived as if I was a noblemanon two hundred a year. I haven't bought watches on credit, andpawned--touch me if you dare, sir," and the lawyer sprang to the door.
"That is the way out, sir. You can't go through the window, because itis barred," says Mr. Warrington.
"And the answer I take to my client is No, then!" screamed out Draper.
Harry stepped forward, with his two hands clenched. "If you utteranother word," he said, "I'll----" The door was shut rapidly--thesentence was never finished, and Draper went away furious to Madame deBernstein, from whom, though he gave her the best version of his story,he got still fiercer language than he had received from Mr. Warringtonhimself.
"What? Shall she trust me, and I desert her?" says Harry, stalking upand down his room in his flowing, rustling brocade. "Dear, faithful,generous woman! If I lie in prison for years, I'll be true to her."
Her lawyer dismissed after a stormy interview, the desolate old womanwas fain to sit down to the meal which she had hoped to share withher nephew. The chair was before her which he was to have filled, theglasses shining by the silver. One dish after another was laid beforeher by the silent major-domo, and tasted and pushed away. The manpressed his mistress at last. "It is eight o'clock," he said. "You havehad nothing all day. It is good for you to eat." She could not eat. Shewould have her coffee. Let Case go get her her coffee. The lacqueys borethe dishes off the table, leaving their mistress sitting at it beforethe vacant chair.
Presently the old servant re-entered the room without his lady's coffeeand with a strange scared face, and said, "Mr. WARRINGTON!"
The old woman uttered an exclamation, got up from her armchair, but sankback in it trembling very much. "So you are come, sir, are you?" shesaid, with a fond shaking voice. "Bring back the----Ah!" here shescream
ed, "Gracious God, who is it?" Her eyes stared wildly: her whiteface looked ghastly through her rouge. She clung to the arms of herchair for support, as the visitor approached her.
A gentleman whose face and figure exactly resembled Harry Warrington andwhose voice, when he spoke, had tones strangely similar, had followedthe servant into the room. He bowed towards the Baroness.
"You expected my brother, madam?" he said "I am but now arrived inLondon. I went to his house. I met his servant at your door, who wasbearing this letter for you. I thought I would bring it to your ladyshipbefore going to him,"--and the stranger laid down a letter before MadamBernstein.
"Are you"--gasped out the Baroness--"are you my nephew, that we supposedwas----"
"Was killed--and is alive! I am George Warrington, madam and I ask hiskinsfolk what have you done with my brother?"
"Look, George!" said the bewildered old lady "I expected him hereto-night--that chair was set for him--I have been waiting for him, sir,till now--till I am quite faint--I don't like--I don't like being alone.Do stay an sup with me!"
"Pardon me, madam. Please God, my supper will be with Harry tonight!"
"Bring him back. Bring him back here on any conditions! It is but fivehundred pounds! Here is the money, sir, if you need it!"
"I have no want, madam. I have money with me that can't be betteremployed than in my brother's service."
"And you will bring him to me, sir! Say you will bring him to me!"
Mr. Warrington made a very stately bow for answer, and quitted the room,passing by the amazed domestics, and calling with an air of authority toGumbo to follow him.
Had Mr. Harry received no letters from home? Master Harry had notopened all his letters the last day or two. Had he received no letterannouncing his brother's escape from the French settlements and returnto Virginia? Oh no! No such letter had come, else Master Harry certainlytell Gumbo. Quick, horses! Quick by Strand to Temple Bar! Here is thehouse of Captivity and the Deliverer come to the rescue!
The Virginians Page 48