The Martins Of Cro' Martin Volume I Part 21

Martin looked on in silent satisfaction, not offering a single suggestion, or even seeming to feel interested in the events, but enjoying, with all a lazy man's pleasure, the activity displayed around him. Not so Lady Dorothea. If she did not like "an adventure," she loved "a grievance." Whatever ministered to her selfishness, even in the remotest degree, was grateful to her. Mary's opportune arrival had now converted what might have pa.s.sed for a calamity into a mere momentary inconvenience; and she could not conceal her discontent. "Your heroines are a perfect torment; at least, to us souls of commoner clay. They live only for disasters."

"I must say that Mary extricated us from what might have become one,"

said Martin, dryly.

"We are indebted to her, however, for the possibility. This detestable road, which I promise you I 'll never come again, is entirely her own invention. I hope, Miss Martin," added she, from the window, "that the other approach is to be kept in repair,--at least, for me." But Mary did not hear the appeal, for she was bandaging the arm of a poor country fellow, who had been sorely cut.

"There, drive on, Barney," cried Lady Dorothea. "I shall be taken ill if I stay here. Really, Mr. Martin, your niece's accomplishments are the least feminine one can conceive." And improving this theme, she continued the entire way till the carriage drew up at the door of the castle.

"Yes, sir," said she, as she descended, "that heavy sigh shows you are indeed greatly to be pitied. No martyrdom ever exceeded yours. I am quite aware of all my imperfections, and can at least fancy everything you could say of me and my temper. What did you say, Collins?" said she, addressing the obsequious-looking servant, who, with an air of gloomy joy, very respectful,--but meant to mean more,--had whispered something in her ear.

"A young lady, did you say, Collins?"

"Yes, my Lady."

"Then you were very wrong, Collins. You meant to say a young person."

"Yes, my Lady,--a young person, like a lady."

"Not in the least, except to such appreciation as yours. Where is she?"

"In your Ladyship's library."

"Did she come alone?"

"No, my Lady. Mr. Henderson drove her over in his car, and said he 'd pa.s.s this way again in the evening."

And now her Ladyship swept proudly by, scarcely noticing the bowing servants who had formed into a line along the hall, and who endeavored to throw into their sorrowful faces as much of joy as might consist with the very deepest humility. Nor was she more condescending to old Catty, who stood courtesying at the top of the stairs, with a basket of keys on her arm that might have served to lock up all Newgate.

"How cold every place feels! Collins, are you sure the rooms are properly aired?" cried she, shuddering. "But I suppose it's the climate.

Have another stove put there," said she, pointing to an impossible locality.

"Yes, my Lady," replied Collins.

"And warmer carpets on these pa.s.sages."

"Yes, my Lady; it shall be done to-morrow."

"No, sir; to-day."

"Yes, my Lady; this afternoon."

"I don't remember if the windows are double along here."

"Yes, my Lady, they are all double towards the north."

"Then they fit badly, for I feel the draught acutely here. It's like the keen air of a mountain;" and Collins gave a slight sympathetic shudder, and really looked cold. A somewhat haughty glance from her Ladyship, however, as quickly reproved him, for Collins ought to have known that it was not by such as himself changes of temperature could be appreciable. And now she pa.s.sed on and entered that part of the mansion peculiarly her own, and where, it must be owned, her spirit of fault-finding would have been at a loss what to condemn.

Lady Dorothea's library occupied an angle of the building; and from this circ.u.mstance, included within its precincts an octagonal tower, the view from which comprised every varied character of landscape. This favored spot was fitted up in the most luxurious taste,--with rarest gems of art, and cabinet pictures of almost fabulous value,--to supply which foreign dealers and connoisseurs had been for years back in correspondence with her Ladyship. Now it was some rare treasure of carved ivory, or some sculptured cup of Benvenuto, that had been discovered accidentally, and which, despite the emulous zeal of princes and cardinals to obtain, was destined for herself. Now it was some choice mosaic of which but one other specimen existed, and that in the Pope's private collection at the Quirinal. Such was her ardor in this pursuit of excellence, that more than once had every object of this precious chamber been changed, to give place to something more costly, more precious, and rarer. For about two years back, however, the resources of the old world seemed to offer nothing worthy of attention, and the vases, the "statuettes," the bronzes, the pictures, and medallions had held their ground undisturbed.

Such was the sanct.i.ty of this spot, that in showing the house to strangers it was never opened, nor, without a special order from Lady Dorothea,--a favor somewhat more difficult to obtain than a firman from the Sultan,--could any one be admitted within its walls. The trusty servant in whose charge it was, was actually invested with a species of sacred character in the household, as one whose feet had pa.s.sed the threshold of the tabernacle. Our reader may then picture to himself something of Lady Dorothea's varied sensations--for, indeed, they were most mingled--as she heard a slight cough from within the chamber, and, drawing nearer, perceived a female figure seated in front of one of the windows, calmly regarding the landscape.

With a degree of noise and bustle sufficient to announce her approach, Lady Dorothea entered the tower; while the stranger, rising, retired one step, and courtesied very deeply. There was in all the humility of the obeisance a certain degree of graceful dignity that certainly struck her Ladyship; and her haughty look and haughtier tone were some little modified as she asked by what accident she found her there.

"My intrusion was a pure accident, my Lady," replied the other, in a low, soft voice; "mistaking the door by which I had entered a room, I wandered on through one after another until I found myself here. I beg your Ladyship to believe that nothing was further from my thoughts than to obtrude upon your privacy."

"Your name?" began her Ladyship; and then, as suddenly correcting herself, she said, "You are Miss Henderson, I suppose?"

"Yes, my Lady," she replied, with a slight bend of the head.

"I sent for you," said Lady Dorothea, in a half-careless tone, while she turned over some books on the table, as if in search of something,--"I sent for you, partly at the request of your mother--"

"My stepmother, my Lady," interposed the girl, calmly.

Lady Dorothea stared at her for a second or two, as though to say, how had she dared to correct her; but either that the reproof had not met its full success, or that she did not care to pursue it, she added, "At the request of your friends, and partly out of curiosity." And here Lady Dorothea raised her gla.s.s to her eye, and quietly surveyed her,--an examination which, it must be owned, none could have borne with more unshaken fort.i.tude; not the slightest tremor of a limb, not the faintest change of color betokening that the ordeal was a painful one.

"I do see that you have been educated in France," said her Ladyship, with a smile of most supercilious import, while a courtesy from the young girl admitted the fact.

"Were you brought up in Paris?" asked she, after a pause.

"For four years, my Lady."

"And the remainder of the time, where was it pa.s.sed?"

"We travelled a great deal, my Lady, in Germany and Italy."

"'We,'--who were the 'we' you speak of? Please to bear in mind that I know nothing of your history."

"I forgot that, my Lady. I thought my stepmother had, perhaps, informed your Ladyship."

"Of nothing whatever, child," said she, haughtily, "save of your having a foreign education, and wishing, or hoping, to find some engagement as a governess or a teacher;" and the last words were drawled out languidly, as though they were suggestive of all that was wearisome and a bore. "So you must be good enough to explain who 'we' were."

"The d.u.c.h.esse de Luygnes and her family, my Lady."

"You travelled with them; and in what capacity, pray?"

"I was called companion to the Princesse de Courcelles, the eldest daughter of the d.u.c.h.ess, my Lady."

"Companion!--why, you must have been a mere child at the time?"

"A mere child, my Lady; but they took me from the Pensionnat, to speak English with the young Princess."

"And then they took the charge of your education, I conclude?"

"Yes, my Lady."

"And to what extent--or rather, in what direction; I mean, what object had they in view in choosing your studies?"

"They gave me the same masters as to the young Princess, my Lady; and I was instructed in all respects as she was."