CHAPTER III.
Lord Elmwood had now allowed Rushbrook a long vacation, in respect tohis answer upon the subject of marriage; and the young man vainlyimagined, his intentions upon that subject were entirely given up. Onemorning, however, as he was attending him in the library,
"Henry,"----said his uncle, with a pause at the beginning of his speech,which indicated that he was going to say something of importance,"Henry----you have not forgot the discourse I had with you a little timeprevious to your illness?"
Henry hesitated--for he wished to have forgotten it--but it was toostrongly impressed upon his memory. Lord Elmwood resumed,
"What! equivocating again, Sir? Do you remember it, or do you not?"
"Yes, my Lord, I do."
"And are you prepared to give me an answer?"
Rushbrook paused again.
"In our former conversation," continued the Earl, "I gave you but a weekto determine--there has, I think, elapsed since that time, half a year."
"About as much, Sir."
"Then surely you have now made up your mind?"
"I had done that at first, my Lord--if it had met with your concurrence."
"You wished to lead a bachelor's life, I think you said?"
Rushbrook bowed.
"Contrary to my will?"
"No, my Lord, I wished to have your approbation."
"And you wished for my approbation of the very opposite thing to that Iproposed? But I am not surprised--such is the gratitude of the world--andsuch is yours."
"My Lord, if you doubt my gratitude----"
"Give me a proof of it, Harry, and I will doubt no longer."
"Upon every other subject but this, my Lord, Heaven is my witness yourhappiness----"
Lord Elmwood interrupted him. "I understand you--upon every othersubject, but the only one, my content requires, you are ready to obeyme. I thank you."
"My Lord, do not torture me with this suspicion; it is so contrary to mydeserts, that I cannot bear it."
"Suspicion of your ingratitude!--you judge too favourably of myopinion--it amounts to certainty."
"Then to convince you, Sir, I am not ungrateful, tell me who the Lady isyou have chosen for me, and here I give you my word, I will sacrificeall my future prospects of happiness--all, for which I would wish tolive--and become her husband as soon as you shall appoint."
This was spoken with a tone so expressive of despair, that Lord Elmwoodreplied,
"And while you obey me, you take care to let me know, it will cost youyour future peace. This is, I suppose, to enhance the merit of theobligation--but I shall not accept your acquiescence on these terms."
"Then in dispensing with it, I hope for your pardon."
"Do you suppose, Rushbrook, I can pardon an offence, the sole foundationof which, arises from a spirit of disobedience?--for you have declared tome your affections are disengaged. In our last conversation did you notsay so?"
"At first I did, my Lord--but you permitted me to consult my heart moreclosely; and I have since found that I was mistaken."
"You then own you at first told me a falsehood, and yet have all thistime, kept me in suspense without confessing it."
"I waited, my Lord, till you should enquire----"
"You have then, Sir, waited too long;" and the fire flashed from hiseyes.
Rushbrook now found himself in that perilous state, that admitted of nomedium of resentment, but by such dastardly conduct on his part, aswould wound both his truth and courage; and thus, animated by hisdanger, he was resolved to plunge boldly at once into the depth of hispatron's anger.
"My Lord," said he, (but he did not undertake this task withoutsustaining the trembling and convulsion of his whole frame) "MyLord--waving for a moment the subject of my marriage--permit me to remindyou, that when I was upon my sick bed, you promised, that on myrecovery, you would listen to a petition I should offer to you."
"Let me recollect," replied he. "Yes--I do remember something of it. ButI said nothing to warrant any improper petition."
"Its impropriety was not named, my Lord."
"No matter--that, you must judge of, and answer for the consequences."
"I would answer with my life, willingly--but I own that I shrink fromyour anger."
"Then do not provoke it."
"I have already gone too far to recede--and you would of course demand anexplanation, if I attempted to stop here."
"I should."
"Then, my Lord, I am bound to speak--but do not interrupt me--hear me out,before you banish me from your presence for ever."
"I will, Sir," replied he, prepared to hear something that woulddisplease him, and yet determined to hear with patience to theconclusion.
"Then, my Lord,"--(cried Rushbrook, in the greatest agitation of mind andbody) "Your daughter"----
The resolution Lord Elmwood had taken (and on which he had given hisword to his nephew not to interrupt him) immediately gave way. Thecolour rose in his face--his eye darted lightning--and his hand was liftedup with the emotion, that word had created.
"You promised to hear me, my Lord!" cried Rushbrook, "and I claim yourpromise."
He now suddenly overcame his violence of passion, and stood silent andresigned to hear him; but with a determined look, expressive of thevengeance that should ensue.
"Lady Matilda," resumed Rushbrook, "is an object that wrests from me theenjoyment of every blessing your kindness bestows. I cannot but feelmyself as her adversary--as one, who has supplanted her in youraffections--who supplies her place, while she is exiled, a wanderer, andan orphan."
The Earl took his eyes from Rushbrook, during this last sentence, andcast them on the floor.
"If I feel gratitude towards you, my Lord," continued he, "gratitude isinnate in my heart, and I must also feel it towards her, who firstintroduced me to your protection."
Again the colour flew to Lord Elmwood's face; and again he could hardlyrestrain himself from uttering his indignation.
"It was the mother of Lady Matilda," continued Rushbrook, "who was thisfriend to me; nor will I ever think of marriage, or any other joyfulprospect, while you abandon the only child of my beloved patroness, andload me with rights, which belong to her."
Here Rushbrook stopped--Lord Elmwood was silent too, for near half aminute; but still his countenance continued fixed, with his unvariedresolves.
After this long pause, the Earl said with composure, but with firmness,"Have you finished, Mr. Rushbrook?"
"All that I dare to utter, my Lord; and I fear, I have already said toomuch."
Rushbrook now trembled more than ever, and looked pale as death; for theardour of speaking being over, he waited his sentence, with lessconstancy of mind than he expected he should.
"You disapprove my conduct, it seems;" said Lord Elmwood, "and in that,you are but like the rest of the world--and yet, among all myacquaintance, you are the only one who has dared to insult me with youropinion. And this you have not done inadvertently; but willingly, anddeliberately. But as it has been my fate to be used ill, and severedfrom all those persons to whom my soul has been most attached; with lessregret I can part from you, than if this were my first trial."
There was a truth and a pathetic sound in the utterance of these words,that struck Rushbrook to the heart--and he beheld himself as a barbarian,who had treated his benevolent and only friend, with insufferableliberty; void of respect for those corroding sorrows which hadimbittered so many years of his life, and in open violation of his mostperemptory commands. He felt that he deserved all he was going tosuffer, and he fell upon his knees; not so much to deprecate the doom hesaw impending, as thus humbly to acknowledge, it was his due.
Lord Elmwood, irritated by this posture, as a sign of the presumptuoushope that he might be forgiven, suffered now his anger to burst allbounds; and raising his voice, he exclaimed in a rage,
"Leave my house, Sir. Leave my house instantly, and seek some otherhome."
Just as these words were begun, Sandford o
pened the library door, waswitness to them, and to the imploring situation of Rushbrook. He stoodsilent with amazement!
Rushbrook arose, and feeling in his mind a presage, that he might neverfrom that hour, behold his benefactor more; as he bowed in token ofobedience to his commands, a shower of tears covered his face; but LordElmwood, unmoved, fixed his eyes upon him, which pursued him withenraged looks to the end of the room. Here he had to pass Sandford; who,for the first time in his life, took hold of him by the hand, and saidto Lord Elmwood, "My Lord, what's the matter?"
"That ungrateful villain," cried he, "has dared to insult me.--Leave myhouse this moment, Sir."
Rushbrook made an effort to go, but Sandford still held his hand; andmeekly said to Lord Elmwood,
"He is but a boy, my Lord, and do not give him the punishment of a man."
Rushbrook now snatched his hand from Sandford's, and threw it withhimself upon his neck; where he indeed sobbed like a boy.
"You are both in league," exclaimed Lord Elmwood.
"Do you suspect me of partiality to Mr. Rushbrook?" said Sandford,advancing nearer to the Earl.
Rushbrook had now gained the point of remaining in the room; but thehope that privilege inspired (while he still harboured all the justapprehensions for his fate) gave birth, perhaps, to a more exquisitesensation of pain, than despair would have done. He stoodsilent--confounded--hoping that he was forgiven--fearing that he was not.
As Sandford approached still nearer to Lord Elmwood, he continued, "No,my Lord, I know you do not suspect me, of partiality to Mr.Rushbrook--has any part of my behaviour ever discovered it?"
"You now then only interfere to provoke me."
"If that were the case," returned Sandford, "there have been occasions,when I might have done it more effectually--when my own heart-stringswere breaking, because I would not provoke, or add to what yousuffered."
"I am obliged to you, Mr. Sandford:" he returned, mildly.
"And if, my Lord, I have proved any merit in a late forbearance, rewardme for it now; and take this young man from the depth of despair inwhich I see he is sunk, and say you pardon him."
Lord Elmwood made no answer--and Rushbrook, drawing strong inferences ofhope from his silence, lifted up his eyes from the ground, and venturedto look in his face: he found it composed to what it had been, but stillstrongly marked with agitation. He cast his eyes away again, inconfusion.
On which his uncle said to him--"I shall postpone executing yourobedience to my late orders, till you think fit once more to provokethem--and then, not even Sandford, shall dare to plead your excuse."
Rushbrook bowed.
"Go, leave the room, Sir."
He instantly obeyed.
Then Sandford, turning to Lord Elmwood, shook him by the hand, andcried, "My Lord, I thank you--I thank you very kindly, my Lord--I shallnow begin to think I have some weight with you."
"You might indeed think so, did you know how much I have pardoned."
"What was his offence, my Lord?"
"Such as I would not have forgiven you, or any earthly being besideshimself--but while you were speaking in his behalf, I recollected therewas a gratitude so extraordinary in the hazards he ran, that almost madehim pardonable."
"I guess the subject then," cried Sandford; and yet I could not havesupposed"----
"It is a subject we cannot speak on, Sandford, therefore let us dropit."
At these words the discourse concluded.
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