Part 103 (1/2)
”Nevertheless, you may have heard of him,--a foreigner, a Count di Peschiera.”
”Yes,” said Lord Lansmere; ”he was pointed out to me in the Park,--a handsome man for a foreigner; wears his hair properly cut; looks gentlemanlike and English.”
”Ah, ah! He is here then!” and Harley rubbed his hands.
”Which road did you take? Did you pa.s.s the Simplon?”
”No; I came straight from Vienna.”
Then, relating with lively vein his adventures by the way, he continued to delight Lord Lansmere by his gayety till the time came to retire to rest. As soon as Harley was in his own room his mother joined him.
”Well,” said he, ”I need not ask if you like Miss Digby? Who would not?”
”Harley, my own son,” said the mother, bursting into tears, ”be happy your own way; only be happy, that is all I ask.”
Harley, much affected, replied gratefully and soothingly to this fond injunction. And then gradually leading his mother on to converse of Helen, asked abruptly, ”And of the chance of our happiness,--her happiness as well as mine,--what is your opinion? Speak frankly.”
”Of her happiness there can be no doubt,” replied the mother, proudly.
”Of yours, how can you ask me? Have you not decided on that yourself?”
”But still it cheers and encourages one in any experiment, however well considered, to hear the approval of another. Helen has certainly a most gentle temper.”
”I should conjecture so. But her mind--”
”Is very well stored.”
”She speaks so little--”
”Yes. I wonder why? She's surely a woman!”
”Pshaw,” said the countess, smiling in spite of herself.
”But tell me more of the process of your experiment. You took her as a child, and resolved to train her according to your own ideal. Was that easy?”
”It seemed so. I desired to instil habits of truth: she was already by nature truthful as the day; a taste for Nature and all things natural: that seemed inborn; perceptions of Art as the interpreter of Nature: those were more difficult to teach. I think they may come. You have heard her play and sing?”
”NO.”
”She will surprise you. She has less talent for drawing; still, all that teaching could do has been done,--in a word, she is accomplished.
Temper, heart, mind,--these all are excellent.” Harley stopped, and suppressed a sigh. ”Certainly I ought to be very happy,” said he; and he began to wind up his watch.
”Of course she must love you,” said the countess, after a pause. ”How could she fail?”
”Love me! My dear mother, that is the very question I shall have to ask.”
”Ask! Love is discovered by a glance; it has no need of asking.”
”I have never discovered it, then, I a.s.sure you. The fact is, that before her childhood was pa.s.sed, I removed her, as you may suppose, from my roof. She resided with an Italian family near my usual abode. I visited her often, directed her studies, watched her improvement--”
”And fell in love with her?”