Volume Iii Part 7 (1/2)
”Oh! Mary, Mary!” the good clergyman whispered, as he drew his fair friend's arm within his own and walked on, the others following together behind, ”I have heard sad stories of you, little quiet one, since I saw you last;--trampling n.o.ble flowers under your feet, and grasping at thorns, which something in that sweet face of your's tells me have not failed to do their wounding work. This comes of reading all that dreamy poetry I used to warn you against. A good and pleasant thing it is in its degree, but too much of it dazzles and deludes the senses, till at length they come to be unable to discern darkness from light, good from evil. Well! well!” he added, as Mary pretty well accustomed by this time to indirect attacks of this nature, attempted no defence, but with a faint melancholy smile, only drooped her head in silence and resignation. ”Ah! well, even now who knows! The Almighty never will permit his little ones to walk on long in darkness, but in the end ever leads them by secret ways into safe and quiet pastures.”
CHAPTER VI.
The stern Have deeper thoughts than your dull eyes discern, And when they love, your smilers guess not how Beats the strong heart, though less their lips avow.
BYRON.
The victory is most sure For him, who, seeking faith by virtue, strives To yield entire submission to the law Of conscience.
WORDSWORTH.
”Arthur, this can scarcely be possible,” Mary exclaimed with almost trembling solicitude, when alone with her brother, he informed her of the proposal Mr. Wynne had made--and he had unhesitatingly accepted--that he and his friend Mr. Temple should join their party during the succeeding week's tour.
”Not if it is disagreeable to you, Mary, certainly,” was the brother's reply; ”otherwise I must say I can see no objection to the plan; nor does Mr. Wynne either it seems, as he made the proposal, being of course aware by this time of the past circ.u.mstances respecting you and Temple.
All that of course is an affair over and forgotten, particularly when made aware how matters stand with regard to your engagement with Trevor; so on your part, you will have nothing to fear. It only rests with him, I should think, to determine whether he is equal to the ordeal of your society, though to judge by his countenance just now, firm and calm as a statue, after a meeting which must have put his feelings rather to the test, I should say there was not much doubt upon the matter.
”'Nay, if she loves me not, I care not for her.
Shall I look pale because the maiden blooms, Or sigh because she smiles--or sighs for others.'
No--no, Miss Mary, that is not our way, however it may be with you ladies in cases of the kind.
”'Great or good, or kind, or fair, I will ne'er the more despair; If she love me, this believe, I will die e'er she shall grieve,
”'Be she with that goodness blest, Which may merit name of best.
If she be not such to me-- What care I how good she be.'”
Thus the brother playfully sung and quoted, though whether the philosophical doctrine the old poet implied in his song had the effect of easing his listener's mind upon the point in question, her faint and absent smile was not exactly calculated to declare; though perhaps could he have read aright the secret history of that anxious countenance, he might have seen how far less any such considerations were agitating his sister's mind than the remembrance of Eugene's strange and angry excitement in the Edinburgh gardens, on the subject of this same Edward Temple; and the question now chiefly agitating her breast to be, whether she could without treason to her lover, place herself in the position and circ.u.mstances now under discussion--yet what was she to do? She knew that Arthur could not enter into her feelings on this point; besides, was there not some unconfessed leaning in her secret heart in favour of the arrangement. For that interview of the morning, and the circ.u.mstances from which it took its rise; had it not aroused ideas of perplexity, interest, and anxiety in her mind? was there not still much left unaccounted for and unexplained?
She mentioned the ring to her brother. He was surprised, and thought it a strange coincidence, though certainly it did often happen that families of different names, bore the same crests, sometimes the same arms.
Mary's recognition of the impression showed at least there to be, some connection between Eugene Trevor and Mr. Temple. Arthur could easily gain explanation from Mr. Wynne on the subject. He also was often puzzled to know to what family of Temple his friend belonged.
But, before time or explanation was given for any such inquiry, the little party yielding themselves pa.s.sively as it were to the irresistible force of circ.u.mstances which had so singularly united them, were pursuing their way over the enchanted ground Arthur had previously marked out for their excursion, most of which the two more experienced travellers had already explored, but gladly retrode for the benefit of their young companions.
”By sweet Val d'Arno's tinted hills, In Vallambrosa's convent gloom, Mid Terni's vale of singing rills, By deathless lairs in solemn Rome.
Ruin, and fane, and waterfall.”
They wandered delightedly, and never did Mr. Wynne and Arthur cease to congratulate themselves and one another; the latter, on the valuable acquisition he and his sister had gained in such able cicerones as himself and his companion; whilst Mary and Mr. Temple, by their silence only, gave testimony to the same effect.
Yes, it were well for the good Mr. Wynne and the young and hopeful-hearted Arthur
”Cheerful old age, and youth serene,”
to yield themselves to the charm of sunny skies and cla.s.sic ground, and to feel almost as if earth wanted no more to make it Heaven.