第90章 CHAPTER XXII(3)

"And it will be too.He is already 'known in the gates';known far and near.Think how many of our neighbours come to John to settle their differences,instead of going to law!And how many poachers has he not persuaded out of their dishonest--""Illegal,"corrected John.

"Well,their illegal ways,and made decent,respectable men of them!

Then,see how he is consulted,and his opinion followed,by rich folk as well as poor folk,all about the neighbourhood.I am sure John is as popular,and has as much influence,as many a member of parliament."John smiled with an amused twitch about his mouth,but he said nothing.He rarely did say anything about himself--not even in his own household.The glory of his life was its unconsciousness--like our own silent Severn,however broad and grand its current might be,that course seemed the natural channel into which it flowed.

"There's Muriel,"said the father,listening.

Often thus the child slipped away,and suddenly we heard all over the house the sweet sounds of "Muriel's voice,"as some one had called the old harpsichord.When almost a baby she would feel her way to it,and find out first harmonies,then tunes,with that quickness and delicacy of ear peculiar to the blind.

"How well she plays!I wish I could buy her one of those new instruments they call 'pianofortes;'I was looking into the mechanism of one the other day.""She would like an organ better.You should have seen her face in the Abbey church this morning.""Hark!she has stopped playing.Guy,run and bring your sister here,"said the father,ever yearning after his darling.

Guy came back with a wonderful story of two gentlemen in the parlour,one of whom had patted his head--"Such a grand gentleman,a great deal grander than father!"That was true,as regarded the bright nankeens,the blue coat with gold buttons,and the showiest of cambric kerchiefs swathing him up to the very chin.To this "grand"personage John bowed formally,but his wife flushed up in surprised recognition.

"It is so long since I had the happiness of meeting Miss March,that I conclude Mrs.Halifax has forgotten me?""No,Lord Luxmore,allow me to introduce my husband."And,I fancied,some of Miss March's old hauteur returned to the mother's softened and matronly mien;--pride,but not for herself or in herself,now.For,truly,as the two men stood together--though Lord Luxmore had been handsome in his youth,and was universally said to have as fine manners as the Prince Regent himself--any woman might well have held her head loftily,introducing John Halifax as "my husband."Of the two,the nobleman was least at his ease,for the welcome of both Mr.and Mrs.Halifax,though courteous,was decidedly cold.

They did not seem to feel--and,if rumour spoke true,I doubt if any honest,virtuous,middle-class fathers and mothers would have felt--that their house was greatly honoured or sanctified by the presence of the Earl of Luxmore.

But the nobleman was,as I have said,wonderfully fine-mannered.He broke the ice at once.

"Mr.Halifax,I have long wished to know you.Mrs.Halifax,my daughter encouraged me to pay this impromptu visit."Here ensued polite inquiries after Lady Caroline Brithwood;we learned that she was just returned from abroad,and was entertaining,at the Mythe House,her father and brother.

"Pardon--I was forgetting my son--Lord Ravenel."The youth thus presented merely bowed.He was about eighteen or so,tall and spare,with thin features and large soft eyes.He soon retreated to the garden-door,where he stood,watching the boys play,and shyly attempting to make friends with Muriel.

"I believe Ravenel has seen you years ago,Mrs.Halifax.His sister made a great pet of him as a child.He has just completed his education--at the College of St.Omer,was it not,William?""The Catholic college of St.Omer,"repeated the boy.

"Tut--what matters!"said the father,sharply."Mr.Halifax,do not imagine we are a Catholic family still.I hope the next Earl of Luxmore will be able to take the oaths and his seat,whether or no we get Emancipation.By the by,you uphold the Bill?"John assented;expressing his conviction,then unhappily a rare one,that every one's conscience is free;and that all men of blameless life ought to be protected by,and allowed to serve,the state,whatever be their religious opinions.

"Mr.Halifax,I entirely agree with you.A wise man esteems all faiths alike worthless.""Excuse me,my lord,that was the very last thing I meant to say.Ihold every man's faith so sacred,that no other man has a right to interfere with it,or to question it.The matter lies solely between himself and his Maker.""Exactly!What facility of expression your husband has,Mrs.

Halifax!He must be--indeed,I have heard he is--a first-rate public speaker."The wife smiled,wife-like;but John said,hurriedly:

"I have no pretention or ambition of the kind.I merely now and then try to put plain truths,or what I believe to be such,before the people,in a form they are able to understand.""Ay,that is it.My dear sir,the people have no more brains than the head of my cane (his Royal Highness's gift,Mrs.Halifax);they must be led or driven,like a flock of sheep.We"--a lordly "we!"--"are their proper shepherds.But,then,we want a middle class--at least,an occasional voice from it,a--""A shepherd's dog,to give tongue,"said John,dryly."In short,a public orator.In the House,or out of it?""Both."And the earl tapped his boot with that royal cane,smiling.

"Yes;I see you apprehend me.But,before we commence that somewhat delicate subject,there was another on which I desired my agent,Mr.

Brown,to obtain your valuable opinion."

"You mean,when,yesterday,he offered me,by your lordship's express desire,the lease,lately fallen in,of your cloth-mills at Enderley?"Now,John had not told us that!--why,his manner too plainly showed.