Part 50 (1/2)
Looking round her with a gla.s.s, which Mrs. Pompley was in the habit of declaring that ”Mrs. M'Catchley used like an angel,” this lady suddenly perceived Leonard Fairfield; and his quiet, simple, thoughtful air and look so contrasted with the stiff beaux to whom she had been presented, that, experienced in fas.h.i.+on as so fine a personage must be supposed to be, she was nevertheless deceived into whispering to Mrs. Pompley,
”That young man has really an air distingue; who is he?”
”Oh,” said Mrs. Pompley, in unaffected surprise, ”that is the nephew of the rich Vulgarian I was telling you of this morning.”
”Ah! and you say that he is Mr. Arundel's heir?”
”Avenel--not Arundel--my sweet friend.”
”Avenel is not a bad name,” said Mrs. M'Catchley. ”But is the uncle really so rich?”
”The colonel was trying this very day to guess what he is worth; but he says it is impossible to guess it.”
”And the young man is his heir?”
”It is thought so; and reading for College, I hear. They say he is clever.”
”Present him, my love; I like clever people,” said Mrs. M'Catchley, falling back languidly.
About ten minutes afterwards, Richard Avenel having effected his escape from the colonel, and his gaze being attracted towards the sofa-table by the buzz of the admiring crowd, beheld his nephew in animated conversation with the long cherished idol of his dreams. A fierce pang of jealousy shot through his breast. His nephew had never looked so handsome and so intelligent; in fact, poor Leonard had never before been drawn out by a woman of the world, who had learned how to make the most of what little she knew. And as jealousy operates like a pair of bellows on incipient flames, so, at first sight of the smile which the fair widow bestowed upon Leonard, the heart of Mr. Avenel felt in a blaze.
He approached with a step less a.s.sured than usual, and, overhearing Leonard's talk, marvelled much at the boy's audacity. Mrs. M'Catchley had been speaking of Scotland and the Waverley Novels, about which Leonard knew nothing. But he knew Burns, and on Burns he grew artlessly eloquent. Burns the poet and peasant--Leonard might well be eloquent on him. Mrs. M'Catchley was amused and pleased with his freshness and naivete, so unlike anything she had ever heard or seen, and she drew him on and on till Leonard fell to quoting. And Richard heard, with less respect for the sentiment than might be supposed, that
”Rank is but the guinea's stamp, The man's the gowd for a' that.”
”Well!” exclaimed Mr. Avenel. ”Pretty piece of politeness to tell that to a lady like the Honourable Mrs. M'Catch ley! You'll excuse him, ma'am.”
”Sir!” said Mrs. M'Catchley, startled, and lifting her gla.s.s. Leonard, rather confused, rose and offered his chair to Richard, who dropped into it. The lady, without waiting for formal introduction, guessed that she saw the rich uncle. ”Such a sweet poet-Burns!” said she, dropping her gla.s.s. ”And it is so refres.h.i.+ng to find so much youthful enthusiasm,”
she added, pointing her fan towards Leonard, who was receding fast among the crowd.
”Well, he is youthful, my nephew,--rather green!”
”Don't say green!” said Mrs. M'Catchley. Richard blushed scarlet. He was afraid he had committed himself to some expression low and shocking. The lady resumed, ”Say unsophisticated.”
”A tarnation long word,” thought Richard; but he prudently bowed and held his tongue.
”Young men nowadays,” continued Mrs. M'Catchley, resettling herself on the sofa, ”affect to be so old. They don't dance, and they don't read, and they don't talk much! and a great many of them wear toupets before they are two-and-twenty!”
Richard mechanically pa.s.sed his hand through his thick curls. But he was still mute; he was still ruefully chewing the cud of the epithet ”green.” What occult horrid meaning did the word convey to ears polite?
Why should he not say ”green”?
”A very fine young man your nephew, sir,” resumed Mrs. M' Catchley.
Richard grunted.
”And seems full of talent. Not yet at the University? Will he go to Oxford or Cambridge?”
”I have not made up my mind yet if I shall send him to the University at all.”