Part 62 (2/2)
”You have not told her?”
”No; I promised you I would keep that secret.”
”Be sure you do; it is only for some mischief, some snare, that she could desire such information. Concessions! pooh! This is no question of concessions, but of rights.”
”I think you should leave your friend to judge of that.”
”Well, I will write to him. Meanwhile, beware of this woman. I have heard much of her abroad, and she has the character of her brother for duplicity and--”
”Beauty,” interrupted Audley, turning the conversation with practised adroitness. ”I am told that the count is one of the handsomest men in Europe, much handsomer than his sister still, though nearly twice her age. Tut, tut, Harley; fear not for me. I am proof against all feminine attractions. This heart is dead.”
”Nay, nay; it is not for you to speak thus,--leave that to me. But even I will not say it. The heart never dies. And you; what have you lost?--a wife; true: an excellent, n.o.ble-hearted woman. But was it love that you felt for her? Enviable man, have you ever loved?”
”Perhaps not, Harley,” said Audley, with a sombre aspect and in dejected accents; ”very few men ever have loved, at least as you mean by the word. But there are other pa.s.sions than love that kill the heart, and reduce us to mechanism.”
While Egerton spoke, Harley turned aside, and his breast heaved. There was a short silence; Audley was the first to break it.
”Speaking of my lost wife, I am sorry that you do not approve what I have done for her young kinsman, Randal Leslie.”
HARLEY (recovering himself with an effort).--”Is it true kindness to bid him exchange manly independence for the protection of an official patron?”
AUDLEV.--”I did not bid him. I gave him his choice. At his age, I should have chosen as he has done.”
HARLEY.--”I trust not; I think better of you. But answer me one question frankly, and then I will ask another. Do you mean to make this young man your heir?”
AUDLEY (with a slight embarra.s.sment).--”Heir, pooh! I am young still. I may live as long as he--time enough to think of that.”
HARLEY.--”Then now to my second question. Have you told this youth plainly that he may look to you for influence, but not for wealth?”
AUDLEY (firmly).--”I think I have; but I shall repeat it more emphatically.”
HARLEY.--”Then I am satisfied as to your conduct, but not as to his.
For he has too acute an intellect not to know what it is to forfeit independence; and, depend on it, he has made his calculations, and would throw you into the bargain in any balance that he could strike in his favour. You go by your experience in judging men; I by my instincts.
Nature warns us as it does the inferior animals,--only we are too conceited, we bipeds, to heed her. My instincts of soldier and gentleman recoil from that old young man. He has the soul of the Jesuit. I see it in his eye, I hear it in the tread of his foot; volto sciolto he has not; _i pensieri stretti_ he has. Hist! I hear now his step in the hall.
I should know it from a thousand. That's his very touch on the handle of the door.”
Randal Leslie entered. Harley--who, despite his disregard for forms, and his dislike to Randal, was too high-bred not to be polite to his junior in age or inferior in rank-rose and bowed. But his bright piercing eyes did not soften as they caught and bore down the deeper and more latent fire in Randal's. Harley did not resume his seat, but moved to the mantelpiece, and leaned against it.
RANDAL.--”I have fulfilled your commissions, Mr. Egerton. I went first to Maida Hill, and saw Mr. Burley. I gave him the check, but he said it was too much, and he should return half to the banker; he will write the article as you suggested. I then--”
AUDLEY.--”Enough, Randal! we will not fatigue Lord L'Estrange with these little details of a life that displeases him,--the life political.”
HARLEY.--”But these details do not displease me; they reconcile me to my own life. Go on, pray, Mr. Leslie.”
Randal had too much tact to need the cautioning glance of Mr. Egerton.
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