"No,I must not think of it--she and I have agreed that I must not,"said he,steadily."It's my weakness--my hobby,you know.But--no hobbies now.Above all,I must not,for a mere fancy,give up the work that lies under my hand.What of the tan-yard,Phineas?""My father missed you,and grumbled after you a good deal.He looks anxious,I think.He vexes himself more than he needs about business.""Don't let him.Keep him as much at home as you can.I'll manage the tan-yard:you know--and he knows too--that everything which can be done for us all I shall do."I looked up,surprised at the extreme earnestness of his manner.
"Surely,John--"
"Nay,there is nothing to be uneasy about--nothing more than there has been for this year past.All trade is bad just now.Never fear,we'll weather the storm--I'm not afraid."Cheerfully as he spoke,I began to guess--what he already must have known--that our fortunes were as a slowly leaking ship,of which the helm had slipped from my old father's feeble hand.But John had taken it--John stood firm at the wheel.Perhaps,with God's blessing,he might guide us safe to land.
I had not time to say more,when,with its pretty grey ponies,the curricle once more passed our way.Two ladies were in it:one leaned out and bowed.Presently a lacquey came to beg Mr.Halifax would come and speak with Lady Caroline Brithwood.
"Shall you go,John?"
"Certainly--why not?"And he stepped forward to the carriage-side.
"Ah!delighted to see mon beau cousin.This is he,Emma,"turning to the lady who sat by her--oh,what a lovely face that lady had!no wonder it drove men mad;ay,even that brave man in whose honest life can be chronicled only this one sin,of being bewitched by her.
John caught the name--perhaps,too,he recognized the face--it was only too public,alas!His own took a sternness,such as I had never before seen,and yet there was a trace of pity in it too.
"You are quite well.Indeed,he looks so--n'est-ce pas,ma chere?"John bore gravely the eyes of the two ladies fixed on him,in rather too plain admiration--very gravely,too,he bowed.
"And what of our young bride,our treasure that we stole--nay,it was quite fair--quite fair.How is Ursula?""I thank you,Mrs.Halifax is well."
Lady Caroline smiled at the manner,courteous through all its coldness,which not ill became the young man.But she would not be repelled.
"I am delighted to have met you.Indeed,we must be friends.One's friends need not always be the same as one's husband's,eh,Emma?
You will be enchanted with our fair bride.We must both seize the first opportunity,and come as disguised princesses to visit Mrs.
Halifax."
"Again let me thank you,Lady Caroline.But--""No 'buts.'I am resolved.Mr.Brithwood will never find it out.
And if he does--why,he may.I like you both;I intend us to be excellent friends,whenever I chance to be at Norton Bury.Don't be proud,and reject me,there's good people--the only good people Iever knew who were not disagreeable."
And leaning on her large ermine muff,she looked right into John's face,with the winning sweetness which Nature,not courts,lent to those fair features--already beginning to fade,already trying to hide by art their painful,premature decay.
John returned the look,half sorrowfully;it was so hard to give back harshness to kindliness.But a light laugh from the other lady caught his ear,and his hesitation--if hesitation he had felt-was over.
"No,Lady Caroline,it cannot be.You will soon see yourself that it cannot.Living,as we do,in the same neighbourhood,we may meet occasionally by chance,and always,I hope,with kindly feeling;but,under present circumstances--indeed,under any circumstances--intimacy between your house and ours would he impossible."Lady Caroline shrugged her shoulders with a pretty air of pique."As you will!I never trouble myself to court the friendship of any one.
Le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle."
"Do not mistake me,"John said,earnestly."Do not suppose I am ungrateful for your former kindness to my wife;but the difference between her and you--between your life and hers--is so extreme.""Vraiment!"with another shrug and smile,rather a bitter one.
"Our two paths lie wide apart--wide as the poles;our house and our society would not suit you;and that my wife should ever enter yours"--glancing from one to the other of those two faces,painted with false roses,lit by false smiles,--"No,Lady Caroline,"he added,firmly,"it is impossible."She looked mortified for a moment,and then resumed her gaiety,which nothing could ever banish long.
"Hear him,Emma!So young and so unkindly!Mais nous verrons.You will change your mind.Au revoir,mon beau cousin."They drove off quickly,and were gone.
"John,what will Mrs.Halifax say?"
"My innocent girl!thank God she is safe away from them all--safe in a poor man's honest breast."He spoke with much emotion.
"Yet Lady Caroline--"
"Did you see who sat beside her?"
"That beautiful woman?"
"Poor soul!alas for her beauty!Phineas,that was Lady Hamilton."He said no more,nor I.At my own door he left me,with his old merry laugh,his old familiar grasp of my shoulder.
"Lad,take care of thyself,though I'm not by to see.Remember,I am just as much thy tyrant as if I were living here still."I smiled,and he went his way to his own quiet,blessed,married home.