Part 7 (2/2)
”Well, there was no conscious manoeuvring on your part, but was there not on his?”
”Why, bless you, no! Why should there have been?” ”'Why should there have been?' Oh, Johnny! Johnny! where are your perceptive faculties?
You will never be wideawake enough for a soldier!”
”I don't know what you would be at.”
”I suppose not. But did you observe nothing interesting in the meeting between Mr. Howard and Miss Legare?”
”Oh, oh, oh, oh! Whew ew-ew-ew! Is that it?”
”Yes.”
”That's what you meant when you pinched my arm black and blue?”
”Yes.”
”A sorry dog. He never hinted one word about this to me.”
”He had no right to do so, nor must you speak of it.”
”Eh! why?”
”Because--but I had better tell you all about it. They met about three years ago for the first time. It was at Saratoga, where he was making quite a figure. The acquaintance had ripened to friends.h.i.+p, and something more when 'papa' bethought himself to inquire who this very distinguished-looking gentleman might be at home among his own people, and was informed that he was--a machinist by trade! Recall to mind the pa.s.sion of Desdemonia's proud patrician 'pa' on discovering that he had a black-a-moor for a son-in-law, and you may be able remotely to conceive the consternation of Mr. Legare. He hurried his family away from Saratoga, and forbid the name of Howard to be mentioned in his presence. The lovers never corresponded, and never met until this evening! You may judge how much cause for speculation there is in this meeting.”
”Yes--but within these three years great changes have taken place. Mr.
Howard is a distinguished man--a man of fortune, and of acknowledged talent--one of the lawgivers of the nation. And Mr. Legare and his family are reduced from wealth to a moderate competency.”
”Yes, I know; but that does not change the old aristocrat's manner of regarding the affair. He contends that a gentleman born is always a gentleman, and a peasant always a peasant, notwithstanding the vicissitudes of fortune, that may enrich the one and impoverish the other.”
”Or rather, he contended so--it belongs to the past tense. Look at him now--see what deference he pays to Mr. Howard's opinions.”
”The mere politeness of the host. Take nothing for granted from that.”
”Nay, but Frank Howard is a gentleman of whom any father might be proud as a son-in-law.”
”Very likely. But Mr. Legare is not 'any' father. However, what I wish to know is, whether Frank Howard did not use you to procure the 'bid'
that brought him hither?”
”No, indeed!”
”How came it, then, you artful boy, that you took just the course, and the only course, by which you could procure him an invitation?”
”I don't understand you.”
”You innocent! How came it, then, that you wrote to Mr. Legare, you would be very happy to obey his summons, and spend the holidays at Wolfbrake, but that you had a friend with you whom you could not leave, and whom you took care not to mention by name?”
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