Part 54 (1/2)

”Now think a little. Here are three on one sort of footing, and one on a different footing; which is likeliest to be _the man,_ the one or the three? You have gained a point since we were all together. She _distinguishes_ you.”

”But what a way to distinguish me. It looks more like hatred than love, or liking either.”

”Not to my eye. Why should she shun you? You are handsome, you are good-tempered, and good company. Why should she be shy of you? She is afraid of you, that is why; and why is she afraid of you? because she is afraid of her own heart. That is how I read her. Then, as for her snubbing you, if her character was like mine, that ought to go for nothing, for I snub all the world; but this is a little queen for politeness. I can't think she would go so far out of her way as to affront anybody unless she had an uncommon respect for him.”

”Listen to that, now! I am on my beam-ends.”

”Now think a minute, David,” said Eve, calmly, ignoring his late observation; ”did you ever know her snub anybody?”

”Never. Did you?”

”No; and she never would, unless she took an uncommon interest in the person. When a girl likes a man, she thinks she has a right to ill-use him a little bit; he has got her affection to set against a scratch or two; the others have not. So she has not the same right to scratch them. La! listen to me teaching him A B C. Why, David, you know nothing; it's scandalous.”

Eve's confidence communicated itself at last to David; but when he asked her whether she thought Lucy would consent to be his wife, her countenance fell in her turn. ”That is a very different thing. I am pretty sure she likes you; how could she help it? but I doubt she will never go to the altar with you. Don't be angry with me, Davy, dear.

You are in love with her, and to you she is an angel. But I am of her own s.e.x, and see her as she is; no matter who she likes, she will never be content to make a bad match, as they call it. She told me so once with her own lips. But she had no need to tell me; worldliness is written on her. David, David, you don't know these great houses, nor the fair-spoken creatures that live in them, with tongues tuned to sentiment, and mild eyes fixed on the main chance. Their drawing-rooms are carpeted market-places; you may see the stones bulge through the flowery pattern; there the ladies sell their faces, the gentlemen their t.i.tles and their money; and much I fear Miss Fountain's hand will go like the rest--to the highest bidder.”

”If I thought so, my love, deep as it is, would turn to contempt; I would tear her out of my heart, though I tore my heart out of my body.” He added, ”I will know what she is before many hours.”

”Do, David. Take her off her guard, and make hot love to her; that is your best chance. It is a pity you are so much in love with her; you might win her by a surprise if you only liked her in moderation.”

”How so, dear Eve?”

”The battle would be more even. Your adoring her gives her the upper hand of you. She is sure to say 'no' at first, and then I am afraid you will leave off, instead of going on hotter and hotter. The very look she will put on to check you will check you, you are so green.

What a pity I can't take your place for half an hour. I would have her against her will. I would take her by storm. If she said 'no' twenty times, she should say 'yes' the twenty-first; but you are afraid of her; fancy being afraid of a woman. Come, David, you must not s.h.i.+lly-shally, but attack her like a man; and, if she is such a fool she can't see your merit, forgive her like a man, and forget her like a man. Come, promise me you will.”

”I promise you this, that if I lose her it shall not be for want of trying to win her; and, if she refuses me because I am not her fancy, I shall die a bachelor for her sake.” Eve sighed. ”But if she is the mercenary thing you take her for--if she owns to liking me, but prefers money to love, then from that moment she is no more to me than a picture or a statue, or any other lovely thing that has no soul.”

With these determined words he gave his sister his arm, and walked with her through the grounds to the road where her cousin was waiting for her.

Lucy found Mrs. Wilson in the hall. ”Come into the library, Mrs.

Wilson,” said she; ”I have only just heard you were here. Won't you sit down? Are you not well, Mrs. Wilson? You tremble. You are fatigued, I fear. Pray compose yourself. May I ring for a gla.s.s of wine for you?”

”No, no, Miss Lucy,” said the woman, smiling; ”it is only along of you coming to me so sudden, and you so grown. Eh! sure, can this fine young lady be the little girl I held in my lap but t'other day, as it seems?”

There was an agitation and ardor about Mrs. Wilson that, coupled with the flaming bonnet, made Miss Fountain uneasy. She thought Mrs. Wilson must be a little cracked, or at least flighty.

”Pray compose yourself, madam,” said she, soothingly, but with that dignity n.o.body could a.s.sume more readily than she could. ”I dare say I am much grown since I last had the pleasure of seeing you; but I have not outgrown my memory, and I am happy to receive you, or any of our old servants that knew my dear mother.”

”Then I must not look for a welcome,” said Mrs. Wilson, with feminine logic, ”for I was never your servant, nor your mamma's.” Lucy opened her eyes, and her face sought an explanation.

”I never took any money for what I gave you, so how could I be a servant? To see me a dangling of my heels in your hall so long, one would say I was a servant; but I am not a servant, nor like to be, please G.o.d, unless I should have the ill luck to bury my two boys, as I have their father. So perhaps the best thing I can do, miss, is to drop you my courtesy and walk back as I came.” The Amazon's manner was singularly independent and calm, but the tell-tale tears were in the large gray honest eyes before she ended.

Lucy's natural penetration and habit of attending to faces rather than words came to her aid. ”Wait a minute, Mrs. Wilson,” said she; ”I think there is some misunderstanding here. Perhaps the fault is mine.

And yet I remember more than one nursery-maid that was kind enough to me; but I have heard nothing of them since.”

”Their blood is not in your veins as mine is, unless the doctors have lanced it out.”

”I never was bled in my life, if you mean that, madam. But I must ask you to explain how I can possibly have the--the advantage of possessing _your_ blood in _my_ veins.”

Mrs. Wilson eyed her keenly. ”Perhaps I had better tell you the story from first to last, young lady,” said she quietly.