Volume Iii Part 9 (1/2)
A clear musical laugh which, to Arthur's ear, sounded more like the ringing waters of Tivoli than anything he had ever since heard.
Then the door opening, admitted what might have appeared (to pursue the same strain of a.n.a.logy) a wandering sunbeam from the skies of golden Italy, in the person of Carrie Elliott, the judge's lovely daughter.
”I am disturbing you, I know, Mr. Seaham,” she exclaimed blus.h.i.+ngly, advancing; ”but it is your sister's fault. She says it is quite time that you should be disturbed; did you not, Miss Seaham?” turning to her companion.
Mary, who, with a faint and gentle smile, very different in its character to that which played so brightly on the features of the other, acquiesced in the truth of the a.s.sertion. But Arthur did not look very angry at the interruption, and was soon standing by the window entering with a very unbusiness-like spirit into conversation with his lively visitor, who, this being her father's first circuit in a judicial capacity, had been, much to her amus.e.m.e.nt and delight, suffered to accompany him on this occasion.
To this circ.u.mstance had Mary also been indebted for the opportunity thus afforded her of witnessing her brother's first start in his profession; for having been of late thrown somewhat intimately into the society of the judge's family, it had finally been arranged that the two young ladies should have the benefit of each other's society, on an occasion of such especial interest to them both.
”But do tell me something about your case, Mr. Seaham. Is it not a very interesting story? a poor young woman accused of forgery?”
”Yes,” Seaham replied, glancing at his sister; ”at least an attempt to exchange bank-notes, which on discovery were found to be forged. It is, indeed, an interesting case; and having full internal evidence that she is innocent, I am doubly concerned in her acquittal. That fact at least is in my favour, for I am afraid I shall be never able to plead _con amore_ under contrary circ.u.mstances. The fact is, this poor woman has been for years toiling hard to ama.s.s a sufficient sum to carry her to America to her betrothed husband. When still far from the desired point, sickness and other causes having often interrupted her exertions and r.e.t.a.r.ded her success, she finds her lover, impatient at the delay, beginning to entertain injurious ideas of her constancy and truth. In this distressing emergency, it happened (this is her own statement of the case) that some friend came forward, and made up in those same forged notes the requisite amount; that she received them in perfect ignorance of their real character; but refusing absolutely to give up the name of the guilty donor, she was imprisoned, and now stands arraigned for at least connivance in the delinquency.”
”Poor creature!” murmured Mary, ”is this then the end of all her deferred hope--and wearing, wasting anxiety of mind and body! Oh!
Arthur, in such a cause you must surely be successful; how much you will have to say to soften the hearts of her judges, and lead them to look upon the case with lenity and pity!”
”Really, Mary!” exclaimed her brother, smiling with affectionate interest at the sudden energy with which the subject of discussion had animated his sister; the thrilling pathos of her tone--the brilliancy which lighted up her languid eye--the earnest spirit s.h.i.+ning with almost sublimity from her anxious countenance, all which he had but a moment ago observed as affording so sad a contrast to the beaming brightness of her fair companion; ”I really believe you would do more for my client in the way of eloquence than I should, if by eloquence the cause is to be gained. Do you not think so, Miss Elliott?”
”Miss Elliott has not yet tested your powers in that way,” Mary rejoined with a smile, whilst Carrie only laughed and blushed.
”As for my eloquence,” she added with a sigh, ”it could only spring from the sympathetic feeling which one woman must have for the sufferings and the trials of another; at least”--in a low tone she added, ”she must be very young or very happy,” glancing at Miss Elliott, ”if she be found wanting in that most powerful of inspirations.”
”Poor woman!” interposed Miss Elliott, who perhaps began to fear she might be considered too uninspired in the eyes of the young barrister, ”she seems deemed throughout to suspicion. How dreadful to be suspected wrongfully! But, as for that lover, I am sure he cannot deserve all the trouble she has suffered on his account. I dare say, the faithlessness was all on his side, for no person could suspect or doubt any one they really loved. Do you not think so, Miss Seaham?” turning away her face from Arthur to look at his sister with a pretty blush.
An expression of intense pain shot across Mary's countenance.
”I thought so once,” was the almost gasping utterance which trembled on her lips; but she paused, merely saying in a low tone, her eyes bent mournfully on the ground, ”at any rate, the one who doubts and suspects is the greatest sufferer of the two. Yet there are circ.u.mstances, I hope, in which, without faithlessness, our perfect trust and confidence in another may--must indeed be shaken.”
”Of course; otherwise the virtue becomes indeed a very weakness,”
rejoined Arthur with some moody significance of tone and manner.
”Now, I must go, for I suppose it is nearly time to dress for dinner,”
exclaimed Miss Elliott, who, though only partially acquainted with the particulars of Mary's love affair, probably perceived that she had inadvertantly struck upon some tender string; ”I suppose, you will soon be doing the same.”
And away the gay-hearted creature glided, singing as she went.
”Now, Mary,” Arthur cried, his eyes and ears disenchanted; ”wait for me just one minute.” And down he sat for the s.p.a.ce of several moments, and his pen flew swift as thought over the parchment. Mary also sat patiently, her eyes fixed with a look of affectionate interest on the intelligent countenance of the writer.
At length, his task completed, the pen was thrown, with a gesture of triumph and satisfaction upon the table, and ”Now, Mary, it is finished,” was the exulting expression of his lips.
There was something in the congratulating smile which met his own, that seemed to change the spirit of the young man's dream; for more thoughtfully he gathered up his papers, whilst ”love, fame, ambition,”
might have seemed at once annihilated from his thoughts, by the tone of voice in which--glancing at Mary, who drew near to a.s.sist him--he abruptly murmured:
”Mary, you are not looking well.”
”Am I not?” with forced cheerfulness; ”ah! I dare say you think so to-day--by comparison.”
”Nonsense!” knitting his brows; ”I am _not_ speaking comparatively, but quite positively. You have been looking less well every day for some time. I am becoming impatient. I want to see you looking better, or I should say, _happier_.”