Volume Ii Part 32 (2/2)
The news of his success--great as it was, magnified still more--had preceded him to his own country; and he was met, as all lucky men are met, and will be met to the end of time, by those who know the world and feelingly estimate that the truly profitable are the fortunate!
Not that he remarked how many had suddenly grown so cordial; what troops of pa.s.sing acquaintances had become in a moment warm friends, well-wis.h.i.+ng and affectionate. He never so much as suspected that ”Luck”
is a deity wors.h.i.+pped by thousands, who even in the remotest way are not to be benefited by it. He had always regarded the world as a far better thing than many moralists would allow it to be,--unsteady, wilful, capricious, if you like--but a well-intentioned, kindly minded world, that would at all times, where pa.s.sion or prejudice stood aloof, infinitely rather do the generous thing than the cruel one.
Little wonder, then, if he journeyed in a sort of ovation! At every change of horses in each village they pa.s.sed, there was sure to be some one who wanted to shake his hand. People hobbled out on crutches and quitted sick-beds to say how ”glad they were;” mere acquaintances most of them, who felt a strange mysterious sort of self-consequence in fancying themselves for the moment the friends of Peter Barrington, the millionnaire! This is all very curious, but it is a fact,--a fact which I make no pretence to explain, however.
”And here comes the heartiest well-wisher of them all!” cried Barrington, as he saw his sister standing on the roadside, near the gate. With thoughtful delicacy, his companions lingered behind, while he went to meet and embraced her. ”Was I not a true prophet, Dinah dear?
Did I not often foretell this day to you?” said he, as he drew her arm, and led her along, forgetting all about his friends and companions.
”Have they paid the money, Peter?” said she, sharply.
”Of course they have not; such things are not settled like the fare of a hackney-coach. But our claim is acknowledged, and, fifty thousand times better, George Barrington's name absolved from every shadow of an imputation.”
”What is the amount they agree to give?”
”Upon my life, I don't know,--that is, I don't recollect, there were so many interviews and such discussions; but Withering can tell you everything. Withering knows it all. Without _him_ and Conyers I don't know how I could have got on. If you had heard how he spoke of George at the Council! 'You talk of _my_ services,' said he; 'they are no more fit to be compared with those of Colonel Barrington, than are _my_ petty grievances with the gross wrongs that lie on _his_ memory.' Withering was there; he heard the words, and described the effect of them as actually overwhelming.”
”And Withering believes the whole thing to be settled?”
”To be sure, he does! Why should he oppose his belief to that of the whole world? Why, my dear Dinah, it is not one, nor two, but some hundreds of people have come to wish me joy. They had a triumphal arch at Naas, with 'Welcome to Barrington' over it. At Carlow, Fishbourne came out with the corporation to offer me congratulations.”
She gave a hasty, impatient shake of the head, but repressed the sharp reply that almost trembled on her lips.
”By George!” cried he, ”it does one's heart good to witness such a burst of generous sentiment. You 'd have thought some great national benefit had befallen, or that some one--his country's idol--had just reaped the recompense of his great services. They came flocking out of the towns as we whirled past, cheering l.u.s.tily, and shouting, 'Barrington forever!'”
”I detest a mob!” said she, pursing up her lips.
”These were no mobs, Dinah; these were groups of honest fellows, with kind hearts and generous wishes.”
Another, but more decisive, toss of the head warned Peter that the discussion had gone far enough; indeed she almost said so, by asking abruptly, ”What is to be done about the boy Conyers? He is madly in love with Josephine.”
”Marry her, I should say!”
”As a cure for the complaint, I suppose. But what if she will not have him? What if she declares that she 'd like to go back to the convent again,--that she hates the world, and is sorry she ever came out into it,--that she was happier with the sisters--”
”Has she said all this to you, sister?”
”Certainly not, Peter,” said Dinah, bridling up. ”These were confidences imparted to the young man himself. It was he told me of them: he came to me last night in a state bordering on distraction. He was hesitating whether he would not throw himself into the river or go into a marching regiment.”
”This is only a laughing matter, then, Dinah?” said Peter, smiling.
”Nothing of the kind, brother! He did not put the alternatives so much in juxtaposition as I have; but they lay certainly in that manner on his thoughts. But when do your friends arrive? I thought they were to have come with you?”
”What a head I have, Dinah! They are all here; two carriages of them. I left them on the road when I rushed on to meet you. Oh, here they come!
here they are!”
”My brother's good fortune, gentlemen, has made him seem to forget what adversity never did; but I believe you all know how welcome you are here? Your son, General Conyers, thought to meet you earlier, by taking boat down to the village, and the girls went with him. Your friend, Polly Dill, is one of them, General Hunter.”
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