Mount Royal, Volume 2 of 3

esentment in various petty ways-descending so low as to give an occasional sly kick to Randie. He was grumpy in his intercourse with his mother; he took every opportunity of being rude to Mis

those which he had taken away with him. He no longer pretended the faintest interest in Christabel's playing-confessing frankly that all classical compositions, especially those of Beethoven, suggested to him that far-famed melody which was fatal to the traditional cow. He no long

had spoken-with disastrous result. She had seen the angry cloud upon her son's brow when he came home from that tête-à-tête ride with Christabel. She feared to question him, for it was her rash counsel, perhaps, which had brought this evil r

usin, Leonard," she said, with a feeble attempt to speak lightly, her voice tremulous with suppres

iling that fellow whom you brought here-and, mark my words, she'll marry him sooner or later. She threw him over in a fit of temper, and pride, and jealousy; and when she finds she can't live without him she'll take some means of bringing

the hardest heart; but it was lost on Leonard, who sat sco

is memory, as a true wife should. He knew that I was interested in Angus Hamleigh's career, and he never resented that feeling. I am sorry your cousin has rejected y

olishly-ignominiously fond of her-so f

l count for nothing. Only be patient, and gentle wi

me when I mentioned his name-her eyes flaming-her cheeks first crimson and then deadly pale. That's what love means. And, even if she were willing to be my wife to-morrow, she would never give me such love as that. Curse her," muttered the lover between his clenched teeth; "I didn't know how fond I was of he

talk like that," said Mrs. Tregonell. "It makes

ill? Would you have me pretend to be better than I am-tell you that I can feel all affection for the gir

exacting with her in those days, Leonard, I think she wou

r cut the conversation," retorted Leonard. "I'll go and practise the

Leonard, believe me; only I cannot help regretting, as you do, that Christabel should not be more attach

ll me to ask h

e of my dear boy's happiness. Let us try different tactics, Leo. Take things quietly for a little-behave

appen next October, unless the lady chan

is t

Andes-enjoy a little life in Valparaiso, Truxillo-Lord knows where! I've

e me to die in my loneliness; for I think, dea

f yours would breed vapours in the liveliest person. Besides, if you should be ill while I am away, you'll have your

ak with her lover. I said never one word in his favour, although I must have known in my heart that they woul

u think it would have been better to be wise before the e

fresh bitterness. He could not forgive his mother f

oom, and a leisurely series of experiments upon the spot

er had said to him overnight. He answered his cousin in monosyllables, and was rude to Randie-wondered t

o her favourite place beside Mrs. Tregonell's chair, and with her folded arms r

go away somewhere with Jessie, to some quiet German town, where I can improve myself in music, and where she and I can lead a hard-working, studious life, just like a couple of G

roken, and that I am so dependent on your love?"

nd that lay on the cushion near her-anxious to

"You are happy, are you not, deare

l day-anywhere but at my side-making every possible excuse for leaving me? He has begun, already, to talk of going to South America in the autumn.

ir?" pleaded Christabel, with her hea

nement of manner-he is not so clever-so imaginative-but of what value is such surface refinement when the man's inner nature is coarse and profligate. A man who has lived among impure women must have become coarse; there must be deterioration, ruin, for a man's nature in such a life as that," continued Mrs. Tregonell, passionately, her resentment against Angus Hamleigh kindling as she thought how he had ousted her son. "Why should y

s and lands make in the happiness of a life? If Angus Hamleigh had been a ploughman's son, like Burns-nameless-penniless-only just himself, I should have loved him exactly the same. Dearest, these are the things in which we can

that you r

ve made up my mind to live and die unmarried. It is

thy of your love," said

few months only, if you like. My presence in this house only does harm. Leonard is angry with me-and you are angry for his sake. We are all unhappy now-nobody

u have spoiled his life.

t want to marry him. Do you remember how angry he was when he wanted to go out shooting, at eleven years of age, and you refused him a gun? He moped and fretted for a week, and you were quite as unhappy as he was. It is almost the first thing I re

and instead of dying in peace, with the assurance of my boy's happy future-with the knowledge that he will have a virtuous and loving wife, a wife of my own training, to guide him and influence him for good-I shall die miserable, fearing that he may fall into evil hands, and that evil days may come upon him. I know how impetuou

an any one in this world. If God would spare you for years to come, and we could live always together, and be all in all to each other as we have been, I th

ould be content with duty and good faith. I know how true and loyal you are,

if I don't go away, Auntie

happ

anything disagreeable, except kick Randie; and I will not murmur. But you

was agreed that Christabel should forego her idea of six months'

rmed Miss Bridgeman that she had given way to Mrs. Tregonell's wish, and had abandoned

help it. You are a fool-a yielding, self-abnegating fool! If you stay here you will marry that man. There is no escape possible for you.

he kind. I wonder that y

you will be weak enough to do t

yes, dying eyes-they are so changed since last year-and

she is my benefactress. But I have to think of your welfare, Christabel-your welfare in this wo

to marry Leonard. Will that assurance satisfy

ur aunt. She parted you and Mr. Hamlei

as my act," sa

ld have been no such parting. If you had only trusted to me in that crisis, I

a woman must judge for hersel

g of the hard real world and its temptations, difficulties, struggles. Don't let us talk of

a passionate vehemence which took the girl's breath away; and yet, in her he

m so much-that you were so s

y there was not a present he gave me which did not show the most thoughtful study of my tastes and fancies. I never look at one of his gifts-I was not obliged to fling his offerings back in his face as you were-without wondering that a fine gentlem

e," said Christabel, kissing her f

between him and his mother. She had told him how his sullen temper had almost driven Christabel from the house, and how she had been only induced to stay by an appeal to her affection. This evening he was all amiability, and tried to mak

alks now rarely went beyond this broad velvet lawn, or the shrubberies that bordered it. She drove to church on Sundays, but she had left off visiting that involved long drives, though she professed herself delighted to see her friends. She did not want the house to become dull and gloomy for Le

told Mrs. St. Aubyn, "but I have every ho

s. St. Aubyn, a commonplace matron of irreproachable lineage: "it would be s

should my son live but

is you

Leonard's enjoyment of it," exclaimed Mrs. Tregonell. "I should be proud to take t

valga, who made a third in the little group seated on the edge of the wide lawn, where sportive youth was

ly matron to Mrs. Tregonell, a little later in the afternoon: "s

s forgotten," answe

ions. There must be some kind of festival upon her adopted daughter's coming of age. The inheritor of lands and money w

t the sad end of last year's engagement, darling," said Mrs. Tregonell, when Christabel ha

the dust, if I ever had any; it will not r

thin and wan; and they ascribed this change in her to anxiety about her niece's engagement. There were vague ideas as to the cause of Mr. Hamleigh's dismissal-dim notions of terrible iniquities, startling revelations, occurring on the very brink of marriage. That section of county society which did not go to London knew a great deal more about the details of the story than the people who had been in town at the ti

nners; being, indeed, one of those women who do not wear their hearts upon their sleeves for daws to peck at. The local mind, therefore, arrived

ongratulate her upon this hap

ristabel's hand, during an inspection

hristabel, with a freezing look: "who

k that you and your cousin are going to make a match of it. He is so

ristabel, still supremely cold; "but my cousin

n't mea

the smallest

been civil to her. They had tastes in common, were both horsey and doggy, and plain-spoken to brusquen

fternoon, reclined languidly in her favourite chair, moved from its winter-place by the hearth, to a deep embayed window looking on to t

and the birthday is over. Isn't t

My guardianship expires to-day. I wonder whether I shall find

dom or the unrestricted use of my fortune give me, which your indulgence has not already given? What whim or

ill the end?" pleaded the widow. "Y

ng and kissing the pale transparent hands. "I have not the knack of loving many people. Jessie is very good to me, and I am fond of her as my friend and companion. Uncle Oliver is all goodne

ng and innocent to be happy in this world-happy and a source of happiness to others. You wil

You will think less badly of me for refusing Leonard if you un

n history. When George Hamleigh died I thought the world-so far as it concerned me-had come to an end, that I had only to wait for death. My f

been made of a different clay from herself. There was a degradation in being able to forget: i