Part 89 (1/2)
”I love her the more,” said young Hazeldean, raising his front with a n.o.ble pride, that seemed to speak of his descent from a race of cavaliers and gentlemen,--”I love her the more because the world has slandered her name,--because I believe her to be pure and wronged. But would they at the Hall,--they who do not see with a lover's eyes, they who have all the stubborn English notions about the indecorum and license of Continental manners, and will so readily credit the worst?
Oh, no! I love, I cannot help it--but I have no hope.”
”It is very possible that you may be right,” exclaimed Randal, as if struck and half convinced by his companion's argument,--”very possible; and certainly I think that the homely folks at the Hall would fret and fume at first, if they heard you were married to Madame di Negra. Yet still, when your father learned that you had done so, not from pa.s.sion alone, but to save him from all pecuniary sacrifice,--to clear yourself of debt, to--”
”What do you mean?” exclaimed Frank, impatiently.
”I have reason to know that Madame di Negra will have as large a portion as your father could reasonably expect you to receive with any English wife. And when this is properly stated to the squire, and the high position and rank of your wife fully established and brought home to him,--for I must think that these would tell, despite your exaggerated notions of his prejudices,--and then, when he really sees Madame di Negra, and can judge of her beauty and rare gifts, upon my word, I think, Frank, that there would be no cause for fear. After all, too, you are his only son. He will have no option but to forgive you; and I know how anxiously both your parents wish to see you settled in life.”
Frank's whole countenance became illuminated. ”There is no one who understands the squire like you, certainly,” said he, with lively joy.
”He has the highest opinion of your judgment. And you really believe you could smooth matters?”
”I believe so; but I should be sorry to induce you to run any risk; and if, on cool consideration, you think that risk is incurred, I strongly advise you to avoid all occasion of seeing the poor marchesa. Ah, you wince; but I say it for her sake as well as your own. First, you must be aware, that, unless you have serious thoughts of marriage, your attentions can but add to the very rumours that, equally groundless, you so feelingly resent; and, secondly, because I don't think any man has a right to win the affections of a woman--especially a woman who seems to me likely to love with her whole heart and soul--merely to gratify his own vanity.”
”Vanity! Good heavens! can you think so poorly of me? But as to the marchesa's affections,” continued Frank, with a faltering voice, ”do you really and honestly believe that they are to be won by me?”
”I fear lest they may be half won already,” said Randal, with a smile and a shake of the head; ”but she is too proud to let you see any effect you may produce on her, especially when, as I take it for granted, you have never hinted at the hope of obtaining her hand.”
”I never till now conceived such a hope. My dear Randal, all my cares have vanished! I tread upon air! I have a great mind to call on her at once.”
”Stay, stay,” said Randal. ”Let me give you a caution. I have just informed you that Madame di Negra will have, what you suspected not before, a fortune suitable to her birth. Any abrupt change in your manner at present might induce her to believe that you were influenced by that intelligence.”
”Ah!” exclaimed Frank, stopping short, as if wounded to the quick. ”And I feel guilty,--feel as if I was influenced by that intelligence. So I am, too, when I reflect,” he continued, with a naivete that was half pathetic; ”but I hope she will not be very rich; if so, I'll not call.”
”Make your mind easy, it is but a portion of some twenty or thirty thousand pounds, that would just suffice to discharge all your debts, clear away all obstacle to your union, and in return for which you could secure a more than adequate jointure and settlement on the Casino property. Now I am on that head, I will be yet more communicative.
Madame di Negra has a n.o.ble heart, as you say, and told me herself, that, until her brother on his arrival had a.s.sured her of this dowry, she would never have consented to marry you, never crippled with her own embarra.s.sments the man she loves. Ah! with what delight she will hail the thought of a.s.sisting you to win back your father's heart! But be guarded meanwhile. And now, Frank, what say you--would it not be well if I ran down to Hazeldean to sound your parents? It is rather inconvenient to me, to be sure, to leave town just at present; but I would do more than that to render you a smaller service. Yes, I'll go to Rood Hall to-morrow, and thence to Hazeldean. I am sure your father will press me to stay, and I shall have ample opportunities to judge of the manner in which he would be likely to regard your marriage with Madame di Negra,--supposing always it were properly put to him. We can then act accordingly.”
”My dear, dear Randal, how can I thank you? If ever a poor fellow like me can serve you in return--but that's impossible.”
”Why, certainly, I will never ask you to be security to a bill of mine,”
said Randal, laughing. ”I practise the economy I preach.”
”Ah!” said Frank, with a groan, ”that is because your mind is cultivated,--you have so many resources; and all my faults have come from idleness. If I had had anything to do on a rainy day, I should never have got into these sc.r.a.pes.”
”Oh, you will have enough to do some day managing your property. We who have no property must find one in knowledge. Adieu, my dear Frank, I must go home now. By the way, you have never, by chance, spoken of the Riccaboccas to Madame di Negra.”
”The Riccaboccas? No. That's well thought of. It may interest her to know that a relation of mine has married her countryman. Very odd that I never did mention it; but, to say truth, I really do talk so little to her: she is so superior, and I feel positively shy with her.”
”Do me the favour, Frank,” said Randal, waiting patiently till this reply ended,--for he was devising all the time what reason to give for his request,--”never to allude to the Riccaboccas either to her or to her brother, to whom you are sure to be presented.”
”Why not allude to them?”
Randal hesitated a moment. His invention was still at fault, and, for a wonder, he thought it the best policy to go pretty near the truth.
”Why, I will tell you. The marchesa conceals nothing from her brother, and he is one of the few Italians who are in high favour with the Austrian court.”
”Well!”
”And I suspect that poor Dr. Riccabocca fled his country from some mad experiment at revolution, and is still hiding from the Austrian police.”