Part 21 (1/2)

When the Sir Humphreys and Lord Charleses, Lady Bettys and Mistress Lovelys were announced in flocks, fluttering and chattering, she rose from her old place to meet them, and was brilliant graciousness itself. She hearkened to their gossipings, and though 'twas not her way to join in them, she was this day witty in such way as robbed them of the dulness in which sometimes gossip ends. It was a varied company which gathered about her; but to each she gave his or her moment, and in that moment said that which they would afterwards remember. With those of the Court she talked royalty, the humours of her Majesty, the severities of her Grace of Marlborough; with statesmen she spoke with such intellect and discretion that they went away pondering on the good fortune which had befallen one man when it seemed that it was of such proportions as might have satisfied a dozen, for it seemed not fair to them that his Grace of Osmonde, having already rank, wealth, and fame, should have added to them a gift of such magnificence as this beauteous woman would bring; with beaux and wits she made dazzling jests; and to the beauties who desired their flatteries she gave praise so adroit that they were stimulated to plume their feathers afresh and cease to fear the rivalry of her loveliness.

And yet while she so bore herself, never once did she cease to feel the presence of that which, lying near, seemed to her racked soul as one who lay and listened with staring eyes which mocked; for there was a thought which would not leave her, which was, that it could hear, that it could see through the glazing on its blue orbs, and that knowing itself bound by the moveless irons of death and dumbness it impotently raged and cursed that it could not burst them and shriek out its vengeance, rolling forth among her wors.h.i.+ppers at their feet and hers.

”But he can not,” she said, within her clenched teeth, again and again-”that he cannot.”

Once as she said this to herself she caught Anne's eyes fixed helplessly upon her, it seeming to be as the poor woman had said, that her weakness caused her to desire to abide near her sister's strength and draw support from it; for she had remained at my lady's side closely since she had descended to the room, and now seemed to implore some protection for which she was too timid to openly make request.

”You are too weak to stay, Anne,” her ladys.h.i.+p said. ”'Twould be better that you should retire.”

”I am weak,” the poor thing answered, in low tones-”but not too weak to stay. I am always weak. Would that I were of your strength and courage. Let me sit down-sister-here.” She touched the divan's cus.h.i.+ons with a shaking hand, gazing upward wearily-perchance remembering that this place seemed ever a sort of throne none other than the hostess queen herself presumed to encroach upon.

”You are too meek, poor sister,” quoth Clorinda. ”'Tis not a chair of coronation or the woolsack of a judge. Sit! sit!-and let me call for wine!”

She spoke to a lacquey and bade him bring the drink, for even as she sank into her place Anne's cheeks grew whiter.

When 'twas brought, her ladys.h.i.+p poured it forth and gave it to her sister with her own hand, obliging her to drink enough to bring her colour back. Having seen to this, she addressed the servant who had obeyed her order.

”Hath Jenfry returned from Sir John Oxon?” she demanded, in that clear, ringing voice of hers, whose music ever arrested those surrounding her, whether they were concerned in her speech or no; but now all felt sufficient interest to p.r.i.c.k up ears and hearken to what was said.

”No, my lady,” the lacquey answered. ”He said that you had bidden him to wait.”

”But not all day, poor fool,” she said, setting down Anne's empty gla.s.s upon the salver. ”Did he think I bade him stand about the door all night? Bring me his message when he comes.”

”'Tis ever thus with these dull serving folk,” she said to those nearest her. ”One cannot pay for wit with wages and livery. They can but obey the literal word. Sir John, leaving me in haste this morning, I forgot a question I would have asked, and sent a lacquey to recall him.”

Anne sat upright.

”Sister-I pray you-another gla.s.s of wine.”

My lady gave it to her at once, and she drained it eagerly.

”Was he overtaken?” said a curious matron, who wished not to see the subject closed.

”No,” quoth her ladys.h.i.+p, with a light laugh-”though he must have been in haste, for the man was sent after him in but a moment's time. 'Twas then I told the fellow to go later to his lodgings and deliver my message into Sir John's own hand, whence it seems that he thinks that he must await him till he comes.”

Upon a table near there lay the loaded whip; for she had felt it bolder to let it lie there as if forgotten, because her pulse had sprung so at first sight of it when she came down, and she had so quailed before the desire to thrust it away, to hide it from her sight. ”And that I quail before,” she had said, ”I must have the will to face-or I am lost.” So she had let it stay.

A languis.h.i.+ng beauty, with melting blue eyes and a pretty fas.h.i.+on of ever keeping before the world of her admirers her waxen delicacy, lifted the heavy thing in her frail white hand.

”How can your ladys.h.i.+p wield it?” she said. ”It is so heavy for a woman-but your ladys.h.i.+p is-is not-”

”Not quite a woman,” said the beautiful creature, standing at her full great height, and smiling down at this blue and white piece of frailty with the flas.h.i.+ng splendour of her eyes.

”Not quite a woman,” cried two wits at once. ”A G.o.ddess rather-an Olympian G.o.ddess.”

The languisher could not endure comparisons which so seemed to disparage her ethereal charms. She lifted the weapon with a great effort, which showed the slimness of her delicate fair wrist and the sweet tracery of blue veins upon it.

”Nay,” she said lispingly, ”it needs the muscle of a great man to lift it. I could not hold it-much less beat with it a horse.” And to show how coa.r.s.e a strength was needed and how far her femininity lacked such vigour, she dropped it upon the floor-and it rolled beneath the edge of the divan.