第98章 CHAPTER XXIII(4)

The word hissed itself out between her shut teeth--"impossible."Then she walked quickly on,and was her lively self once more.

When the evening closed,and the younger children were gone to bed,she became rather restless about the non-appearance of her coach.At last a lacquey arrived on foot.She angrily inquired why a carriage had not been sent for her?

"Master didn't give orders,my lady,"answered the man,somewhat rudely.

Lady Caroline turned pale--with anger or fear--perhaps both.

"You have not properly answered your mistress's question,"said Mr.

Halifax.

"Master says,sir--begging my lady's pardon for repeating it--but he says,'My lady went out against his will,and she may come home when and how she likes.'""My lady"burst out laughing,and laughed violently and long.

"Tell him I will.Be sure you tell him I will.It is the last and the easiest obedience."John sent the lacquey out of the room;and Ursula said something about "not speaking thus before a servant.""Before a servant!Why,my dear,we furnish entertainment for our whole establishment,my husband and I.We are at the Mythe what the Prince Regent and the Princess of Wales are to the country at large.

We divide our people between us;I fascinate--he bribes.Ha!ha!

Well done,Richard Brithwood!I may come home 'when and how I like!'

Truly,I'll use that kind permission."

Her eyes glittered with an evil fire:her cheeks were hot and red.

"Mrs.Halifax,I shall be thrown on your hospitality for an hour or two longer.Could you send a letter for me?""To your husband?Certainly."

"My husband?--Never!--Yes,to MY HUSBAND."The first part of the sentence was full of fierce contempt;the latter,smothered,and slowly desperate."Tell me,Ursula,what constitutes a man one's husband?Brutality,tyranny--the tyranny which the law sanctions?

Or kindness,sympathy,devotion,everything that makes life beautiful--everything that constitutes happiness and--""Sin."

The word in her ear was so low,that she started as if conscience only had uttered it--conscience,to whom only her intents were known.

John came forward,speaking gravely,but not unkindly.

"Lady Caroline,I am deeply grieved that this should have happened in my house,and through your visiting us against your husband's will.""His will!"

"Pardon me;but I think a wife is bound to the very last to obey in all things,not absolutely wrong,her husband's will.I am glad you thought of writing to Mr.Brithwood."She shook her head,in mocking denial.

"May I ask,then--since I am to have the honour of sending it--to whom is this letter?""To--"I think she would have told a falsehood,if John's eyes had not been so keenly fixed upon her."To--a friend.""Friends are at all times dangerous to a lady who--""Hates her husband--ha!ha!Especially male friends?""Especially male friends."

Here Guy,who had lingered out of his little bed most unlawfully--hovering about,ready to do any chivalrous duty to his idol of the day--came up to bid her good-night,and held up his rosy mouth,eagerly.

"I--kiss a little child!I!"--and from her violent laughter she burst into a passion of tears.

The mother signed me to carry Guy away;she and John took Lady Caroline into the parlour,and shut the door.

Of course I did not then learn what passed--but I did afterwards.

Lady Caroline's tears were evanescent,like all her emotions.Soon she became composed--asked again for writing materials--then countermanded the request.

"No,I will wait till to-morrow.Ursula,you will take me in for the night?"Mrs.Halifax looked appealingly to her husband,but he gave no assent.

"Lady Caroline,you should willingly stay,were it not,as you must know,so fatal a step.In your position,you should be most careful to leave the world and your husband no single handle against you.""Mr.Halifax,what right have you--"

"None,save that of an honest man,who sees a woman cruelly wronged,and desperate with her wrong;who would thankfully save her if he could.""Save me?From what--or whom?"

"From Mr.Gerard Vermilye,who is now waiting down the road,and whom,if Lady Caroline Brithwood once flies to,or even sees,at this crisis,she loses her place among honourable English matrons for ever."John said this,with no air of virtuous anger or contempt,but as the simple statement of a fact.The convicted woman dropped her face between her hands.

Ursula,greatly shocked,was some time before she spoke.

"Is it true,Caroline?"

"What is true?"

"That which my husband has heard of you?"

"Yes,"she cried,springing up,and dashing back her beautiful hair--beautiful still,though she must have been five or six and thirty at least--"Yes,it is true--it shall be true.I will break my bonds and live the life I was made for.I would have done it long ago,but for--no matter.Why,Ursula,he adores me;young and handsome as he is,he adores me.He will give me my youth back again,ay,he will."And she sang out a French chanson,something about "la liberte et ses plaisirs,la jeunesse,l'amour."The mother grew sterner--any such wife and mother would.Then and there,compassion might have died out of even her good heart,had it not been for the sudden noise over-head of children's feet--children's chattering.Once more the pitiful thought came--"She has no children.""Caroline,"she said,catching her gown as she passed,"when I was with you,you had a child which only breathed and died.It died spotless.When you die,how dare you meet that little baby?"The singing changed to sobbing."I had forgotten.My little baby!

Oh,mon Dieu,mon Dieu!"

Mrs.Halifax,taking in earnest those meaningless French ejaculations,whispered something about Him who alone can comfort and help us all.