Late that night,as I sat up pondering over all that had happened,Mrs.Halifax came into my room.
She looked round;asked me,according to her wont,if there was anything I wanted before she retired for the night?--(Ursula was as good to me as any sister)--then stood by my easy-chair.I would not meet her eyes,but I saw her hands fluttering in their restless way.
I pointed to her accustomed chair.
"No,I can't sit down.I must say good-night."Then,coming at once to the point--"Phineas,you are always up first in the morning.Will you--John thinks it had better be you--will you give a message from us to--Maud's governess?""Yes.What shall I say?"
"Merely,that we request she will not leave Beechwood until we have seen her."If Miss Silver had overheard the manner and tone of that "request,"Idoubt if it would not have hastened rather than delayed her departure.But,God help the poor mother!her wounds were still fresh.
"Would it not be better,"I suggested,"if you were to write to her?""I can't;no,I can't,"--spoken with the sharpness of exceeding pain.
Soon after,as in faint apology,she added,"I am so tired;we are very late to-night.""Yes;it is almost morning.I thought you were both in bed.""No;we have been sitting talking in Guy's room.His father thought it would be better.""And is all settled?"
"Yes."
Having told me this,and having as it were by such a conclusion confessed it was right the question should be thus "settled,"Guy's mother seemed more herself.
"Yes,"she repeated;"John thinks it ought to be.At least,that she should know Guy's--the feeling with which Guy regards her.If,after the probation of a year,it still remains,and he is content to begin life on a small income,we have given our consent to our son's marriage."It struck me how the mother's mind entirely dwelt on the one party in this matter--"Guy's feelings"--"Our son's marriage"--and so on.The other side of the question,or the possibility of any hindrance there,never seemed to enter her imagination.Perhaps it would not,even into mine,for I shared the family faith in its best-beloved Guy;but for Mrs.Halifax's so entirely ignoring the idea that any consent except her son's and his parents'was necessary to this marriage.
"It will not part him from us so very much,you see,Phineas,"she said,evidently trying to view the bright side--"and she has no relatives living--not one.For income--Guy will have the entire profit of the Norton Bury mills;and they might begin,as we did,in the old Norton Bury house--the dear old house."The thought of her own young days seemed to come,soothingly and sweet,taking the sting out of her pain,showing her how it was but right and justice that Nature's holy law should be fulfilled--that children,in their turn,should love,and marry,and be happy,like their parents.
"Yes,"she answered,as I gently hinted this;"I know you are right;all is quite right,and as it should be,though it was a shock at first.No matter:John esteems her--John likes her.For me--oh,Ishall make a capital--what is it?--a capital MOTHER-IN-LAW--in time!"With that smile,which was almost cheerful,she bade me good-night--rather hastily,perhaps,as if she wished to leave me while her cheerfulness lasted.Then I heard her step along the passage,pausing once--most likely at Guy's room door;her own closed,and the house was in silence.
I rose early in the morning;--not one whit too early,for I met Miss Silver in the hall,bonneted and shawled,carrying down with her own hands a portion of her chattels.She evidently contemplated an immediate departure.It was with the greatest difficulty that,without betraying my reasons,which,of course,was impossible,Icould persuade her to change her determination.
Poor girl!last night's events had apparently shaken her from that indifference which she seemed to think the best armour of a helpless,proud governess against the world.She would scarcely listen to a word.She was in extreme agitation;half-a-dozen times she insisted on leaving,and then sat down again.
I had not given her credit for so much wholesome irresolution--so much genuine feeling.Her manner almost convinced me of a fact which every one else seemed to hold as certain,but which I myself should have liked to see proved;namely,that Guy,in asking her love,would have--what in every right and happy marriage a man ought to have--the knowledge that the love was his before he asked for it.
Seeing this,my heart warmed to the girl.I respected her brave departure--I rejoiced that it was needless.Willingly I would have quieted her distress with some hopeful,ambiguous word,but that would have been trenching,as no one ever ought to trench,on the lover's sole right.So I held my tongue,watching with an amused pleasure the colour hovering to and fro over that usually impassive face.At last,at the opening of the study-door--we stood in the hall still--those blushes rose up to her forehead in one involuntary tide.
But it was only Edwin,who had lately taken to a habit of getting up very early,--to study mathematics.He looked surprised at seeing me with Miss Silver.
"What is that box?She is not going?"
"No;I have been entreating her not.Add your persuasions,Edwin."For Edwin,with all his quietness,was a lad of much wisdom,great influence,and no little penetration.I felt inclined to believe that though as yet he had not been let into the secret of last night,he guessed it pretty well already.
He might have done,by the peculiar manner in which he went up to the governess and took her hand.
"Pray stay;I beg of you."
She made no more ado,but stayed.
I left her with Edwin,and took my usual morning walk,up and down the garden,till breakfast-time.