Mount Royal, Volume 2 of 3

me was obnoxious to Leonard, and she shrank from a statement which might provoke unpleasant speech on his part

Vandeleurs, who found themselves reduced

opsy hinted their desire to be driven to the meet. They were not horsewomen-from no want of pluck or ardour for the chase-but simply from the lack of that material part of the business, horses. Many and many a weary summer day had they

the billiard-room, to play each other, and improve their skill at that delightfully masculine game. Then came luncheon-at which meal, the gentlemen being all away, and the party reduced to four, the baby-boy was allowed to sit on his

ew costume for the evening; and as they sat at their work, twisting and undoing bows and lace, and straightening the leaves of artifici

g the stalk of a sunflower; "but it's rather a pity that all the

't have consented to be caught. He would have behaved like that big jack Mr. Tregonell wa

w on the dressing-table, and contemplating herself deliberately in the glass. "Oh,

ows piquantly accentuated with Indian ink, and loose flowing tea-gowns of old gold sateen, and older black silk, they descended to t

d time?" cried Mopsy, in

l has lamed a couple of his ho

third," interjected Leonard in his strident tones

hill," retorted Jack. "B. B. is as

l dandified person who was always called "little Monty." "I'd rather

as God made it,"

split it about a bit afte

"how did you and Dop get r

ear Mrs. Tregonell," answered Mopsy, nothing offended by the free and easy cur

abel was sitting in the widow's old place, while Jessie Bridgeman filled her accustomed position before the tea-table,

? Please, p

d many girls have tried for in their time, I've no doubt. Handsome, accomplished, plenty of coin. He has had what the French call a stormy youth, I believe; but that doesn't matter. He's getting on in years, and no doubt he's ready to sober down, and tak

care a straw for the gentleman, but just to show you what I

ny arrière pensée," said Jack Vandeleur. "There never were such

us your friend's

Leonard, with his eyes

tart, and looked at him in

not asked him-her

though he doesn't look as if there were much life in him. He tailed off early in the a

udiced against him," sai

r poetry; but I find he is a fine, manly fellow, with no nonsense about him. So I asked him here, and insisted upon his saying yes. He didn't seem to want to come, whic

d. "Then he'll see us first by candleligh

th a vague recollection of having cultivated her imagination in childhood. She had ne

ve gone, leaving us alone upon the dreary high road, and riding off to the

ing Mopsy and Dopsy, their long limbs sheathed in sea-green velveteen, Toby-frills round their necks, and sunflowers on their shou

the Sun Fire Office," speculated Mr. Montagu, taking a prosaic view

e been the only flower in fashion since Alma Tadema took to painting them-fountain

get only th

and went straight to Christabel, who was sitting opposite the group

sphere to-night was as conventional as the men's swallowed-tailed coats and white ties. Yet in Angus Hamleigh's mind there was the picture of his first arrival at Mount Royal-the firelit room, Christ

n unfaltering voice; and then, seeing Mopsy and Dopsy looking at Mr. Hamleigh with admiring expectant eyes, she added, "

smiles, and gave just the most ?sthe

psy, determined not to lose a moment. "Have you seen all th

at bent. It is a spiritual height which I feel myself too weak to

instead of admiring his genius," said Dopsy, who had

e tragedian, I admire him im

ica," replied Dopsy, not particular as to a gender in a lan

Montagu gave his arm to Miss Bridgeman, Leonard took Mopsy, and Christabel followed with Major Bree, who felt for her keenly, wo

lbeit the soft lamplight and evening dress were flattering to h

, when they were seated, knowing that this was the

e under the low lamplight, which made it necessary to bend one's head a little to see one's opposite ne

Cornwall he would be capable of strangling a brace of

a faint sigh. "I think

ural. Infantolatry is a feminine attribute. Wait till the boy is old enough to go out fishin' and shootin'-

d of him then. But I shall be m

. There should be a race of man-mothers to rear the boy

a good deal of gush on the part of the fair Dopsy. He saw that expressive face light up with smiles, and then grow earnest. She w

then he looked to the other end of the table where Leonard sat, burly, florid, bla

ry," said Dopsy, whose society-conversa

not worship her?" ej

Shylock!" s

s Portia," re

y sweet, wa

ethoven-her gowns were the essence of a

h me," exclaimed Dopsy. "An

ze might have painted her-there is no living painte

to herself, and to flutter

it after what you have s

be exp

her"-another faint giggle and a

yet who had not been told as muc

ow had missed the gold. Mr. Hamleigh was not quite so e

d the outsides of books, and they adored the opera, and enjoyed a ballad concert, if the singers were popular, and the audience well dressed; and this was the limit of their artistic proclivities. They sat stifling their yawns, and longing for an adjournment to the billiard

o sit and gaze at him as if he were a statue, and that long capriccio, with a little Beethoven to follow, and a good deal of Mozart after that, occupied the best part of the evening. To the ears of Mop and Dop it was all tweedledum and tweedledee. They would hav

ve not wearied ev

s all the time, and both expressed themselves much gr

arthly thought and hope. She told herself sorrowfully that for him the sand ran low in the glass of earthly time, and it was sweet to have him near her for a little while towards the end; to be able to talk to him of serious things-to inspire hope in a soul whose natural bent was despondency. It would be sadly, unutterably sweet to talk to him of that spiritual world whose unearthly light already

he thing seemed fraught with danger, impossible for peace. But when she remembered that calm, almost solemn look with which he had shaken hands with her among the graves at Tintagel, it seemed to her that friendship-calmest, pures

ldren," exclaimed Mo

swered gravely. "I shall be very fo

ntions, and even murmured an approving "gur"-followed by a simple one-part melody of gurgling noises-but whether in approval o

with their guns ready to start. Mopsy and Dopsy were dressed in home-made gowns of dark brown serge which simulated the masculine simplicity of tailor-made garments. They wore coquettish little toques of the sam

, Hamleigh," asked Leonard, seeing

orm for woodcock shooting. My cough

y. Here was a golden opportunity lost. If it wer

rnal kindness did not cost money-and he saw that l

morning will end in broken weather. Hadn't you two gir

be rain? We had so set our hearts on going with you; but it is rather miserable to

ture which is such an excellent excuse for bad manners. "Come Ponto, come Juno, hi Del

," said Dopsy, "we shall be a nuis

-so very superior to Jack's or Mr. Tregonell's, though both those gentlemen were good players. Angus consented, kindly enough, and gave both ladies the most careful instruction in the art of making pockets and cannons; but he was wonder

ng married here-and at once-how happy-oh God!-how happy we might have been. Well, it matters little, now that the road is

ir clutch he was as firmly held as if he had been caught by an octopus. Christabel wondered a little

ntlemen admire," she said to Jessie. "I know I thought it odd that Leonard

in her usual decided way. "But Dop is setting her cap a

ll her by that

her and sister call her, and

with him as she had been in those innocent, unconscious days when he first came to Mount Royal. Dopsy was in high spirits, thinking that she was fast advancing towards victory. Mr. Hamleigh had been so kind, so attentive, had done exactly what she had asked him to do, a

who was always energe

ad not come: it was a greyis

we may meet the shooters," said Christab

h a lovely ferny, rocky, wild, watery spot." And away she and her sister skip

graded from his proud position as a sporting dog, to the ignoble luxury of a h

Miss Vandeleur and her sister seemed almost as friskily to su

ong," hazarded Dopsy, sympathetically

" answered Angus. "It is almost my native air, you see. I came her

winter?" sighed Dopsy, as if she would have s

at condition. I am never to know the luxury of a London fog, or see a Drury La

ine that you love the sunny South. How I long to see the Medit

e disappointed. People generally are when

nswered Dopsy, with a profound sigh:

could be safely discussed without any personal feeling. They had so many sympathies, so many ideas in common. All the world of sense and sentiment was theirs wh

oo much good feeling to be rude to

y-touched with none of those translucent azures and carmines which so often beautify that western sea. They crossed a bit of hil

der, or a duel, or something dreadful and dramatic. The dogs ran into all manne

ocratic society. Miss

to a prejudice in fav

in the company of so many duchesses and count

ese were the names given to slates of particular sizes, great

d," exclai

name, even the slate t

h road, and the gate of the farm which contains within its

ming out of the hollow wi

as in hig

keen, quick glance, too swift to be remarkable. "Uncommonly good of you. We are going to have a grand yea

s!" sighed Mopsy; "I f

ating them, with breadcrumbs and

ifference who eats them," replied Mopsy; "but

ngus was marble, but he could not be uncivil. It was his nature to be gentle to women. Mop and Dop were the kind of girls he most detested-indeed, it seemed to him that no other form of girlhood could be so detestable. They had all the pertness of Bohemia without any of its wit-they had all the audacity of the demi-monde, with far inferior attractions. Everything about them was spurious and second-hand-eve

was never in Mrs. Tregonell's society. She and Jessie walked steadily ahead with th

uch taken by your sisters," sa

seventeenth cigarette; "though I suppose it isn't my business to say

y not!" sa

ire-and all that kind of thing, don't you know. Th

buffers!" said Leonard, kindly, m

nd they can make a fiver go further than any one I

Leonard, "unless

Dop if Mr. Hamleigh were to co

h to stay at Mount Royal?" said Christabel, suddenly, aft

nvitation was the impulse of the moment, with

hy

otive, I don't think i

he was finding a husband for one of his

, it was something very different from any concern for the interest

illity of that almost deserted apartment, the inexhaustible delight of her piano or her books, with Jessie for her sole companion-nay, sometimes, quite alone, while Jessie joined the revellers at pool or shell-out. Dopsy and Mopsy could not altogether alter their habits because Mr. Hamleigh spent his evenings in the drawing-room: the motive for such a change would have been too obvious. The boldest huntress would scarce thus openly pursue her prey. So the Miss Vandeleurs went regretfully with their brother and his host, and marked, or played an occasional four-game, and made themselves conversationally agreeable all the evening; while Angus Hamleigh sat by the piano, and gave hims

t have been, in the hopes and fears of others-seeking amusement wherever and however it was to be found. At his worst he had never been a man utterly without religion; not a man who could willingly forego the hope in a future life-but that hope, until of late, had been clouded and dim, Rabelais' great perhaps, rather than the Christian's assured belief. As the cold shade of death drew nearer, the horizon cleared, and he was able to rest his hopes in a fair future beyond the grave-an existence in which a man's happiness should not be dependent on the condition of his lungs, nor his career marred by an hereditary taint in the blood-an existence in which spirit should be divorced from clay, yet not become so entirely abstract as to be incapable of such pleasures as are sweetest and purest among the joys of humanity-a life in which friendship and love might still be kno

were secure from all pain and evil, I should have nothing to regret," he told himself; but the thought of Leonard's coarse

e were alone together, he

and cruel to me-but I cannot help wishing that Christabel's husband had a more sympathetic nature. Now that my own future is reduced to a very short span I find myself given to forecasting the

how much selfishness-a selfish idolatry of her own cub-was at the bottom of her over-righteousness. She was a good woman-generous, benevolent-a true friend to me-yet there are times when I feel angry with her-even in her grave-for her treatment of you an

ly attached to Mr. T

n a man's house-eat his bread and drink his wine-one glass of claret every day at dinner-and dislike him openly all the time. But I am here because Christabel is here-just as I would be with her in the dominions of O

d Angus; "and I am glad to thin

ther name. But to Jessie Bridgeman, who had been with them in the halcyon days of their love-making,