The Three Clerks

nderously the whole time. Katie was so thoroughly shocked that she did not know which way to look; Norman, who had recovered his good-humour, and Alaric, cou

anner conceivable; but then, in a moment, he would be again asleep and snoring, with all the regularity of a kitchen-clock. This was at fir

Hampton Court, with its palace-gardens and lovely park, is so popular with Londoners that it is generally alive on that day with a thronged multitude of men, women, and children, and thus beco

under the spreading trees; and both Harry and Alaric agreed with him. Mrs. Woodward, however, averred that it would be much better if they would go to church first, and Gertrude and Linda were of opinion that the Park was spoilt by the dirty bits of greasy paper which we

could induce his Dulcinea to be so complaisant in his favour; but either accident or kindness on her part favoured him on this occasion, and as Katie went on eliciting from Uncle Ba

Norman; 'but it seems as though, now that this captain has

may, perhaps, be put out a little-that is, mamma and

suffer-and yet i

uffering?'

last night-not able t

d be a little reasonabl

alk last night wh

rhaps it was. But I could not feel comfor

said Gertrude,

m, and cursing and swearing before you and Linda,

self happy, and I am sure he is not

a fool of the old man; and, to tell the

us are doing,' said she; 'I fear we are all in your black books

Cuttwater talked last night? Do you mean to say that the scene which passed, with the rum and the curses, and the a

the best and only judge of what should,

ware of his own fault in this particular. Thus, though the temptation to preach was very powerful, he refrained himself for a while. His present desire was to say soft things rather than sh

with his sweetest voice, and looking at the beautiful girl beside

ought to be,' said Gertrude, doing a little in the Men

well there is only one thing

perfectly happy before Captain Cuttwater came, I suppos

thing necessary i

ottle of rum? But, Harry, you see it would be cowardly in

ts, you really care a straw about me,' said Harry,

duplicity that was almost wicked; as if she did not fully understand that the kind of 'caring' of which Norman spoke

ou; I am speaking of you, Gertrude-you in particul

yourself in the mean time. If you get cross because Captain Cuttwater has come here, and snub Alaric and Linda, as you did last night, a

ke himself agreeable, his brow became somewhat darkened, and his lips somewhat compressed. He would not probably have been annoyed had he not been found fault with for snubbing his friend Tudor. Why should Gertrude, his Ger

ning your uncle into ridicule, and that before your mother's face; and it grieved me to see you

ay that Alaric sa

ng to express his own opinio

hat was not true; and, which is more, I am quite sure that he would

n, looking now as blac

ric got on better last night with Captain Cuttw

sgusted that his lady-love should suppose that he could be otherw

pted; and the pair were not long before they

e other pair under the o

of this nature than her sister. Not that she was as a general rule willingly and wilfully inclined to give more encouragement to lovers than Gertrude; but she had less power of fence, less skill in protecting

sceptible of the pleasure of holding an affectionate, close intercourse with so sweet a girl as Linda Woodward; and though he knew that marriage with a girl without a dowry would for him be a death-blow to all his high hopes, he could hardly resist the temptation of conjugating the verb

t well that thou shouldst leave that sweet ung

nd what she ought to do, and how she ought to think about her uncle; and Alaric had a better way of laying down the law than Norman. He could do so wit

to choose another subject. Gertrude and Norman were at some

the motion of his shoulder that he is at

likely that they are q

lovers-we know all

aric; mamma would not like it, nor

at Mrs. Woodward would not like; but betw

don't believe that they are a bit,'

ey should not be; that is-for I heartily beg Gertrude's pardon

Linda, with the faintest possible sigh, occasio

speaking with an absent air as though his mind were fu

define, even had she attempted it. She saw her sister and Harry Norman before her, and she knew in her heart that they were lovers, in spite of her little weak declaration to the contrary. She saw how earnestly her sister was loved, and she in

But seeing that Norman was Gertrude's lover, was it not natural that Alaric should be hers? And then, though Harry was the handsomer and the richer, s

he thought all this, but that she felt it. Such feelings are quite involuntary, whereas one's thoughts are more or less un

gathering itself in the corner of Linda's eye: she was afraid even to raise her hand to brush i

aid Alaric-'how very si

ith you all! such a pe

bered Alaric since the days of her short frocks and

ther knew nothing of my father; there is no kindred blood common to us. Harry Norman, there, is your near cousin; but wh

ear friend of mam

ur mother is at any rate a dear friend to me. But, Linda, one cannot b

of her sister; and then, remembering that it was necessary that she should admit nothing on Gertrude's behalf, she entered her little pro

e carried. 'No, indeed. I have no wish at all to do that. It is not that of which I was thinkin

d her heart beat very quick, and she didn't quite remember where she was. Up to this moment no

, and renewed his attack on the ferns. 'Well,

nor would it have been expedient to do so-that h

ut the bush as modest lovers do, and should do; 'but she is not the only

a word. She knew that Gertrude, when so addressed, would have maintained her dignity, and have concealed her secret, even if she allowed herself to have a secret to conceal. She knew that it behoved her to be repellent and antagonistic to t

f a positive declaration. He wished to raise an interest in Linda's heart, and having done so, to leave the matter to chance. Something, howe

me?' Linda, however, answered nothing. 'L

ugh her tears. 'Pray don

ou now. Let us walk gently; we shall catch the

e her lover; but it was so sweet, so very sweet, to be able to share her sister's happiness. And Alaric, was he also happy? At the moment he doubtless enjoyed the triumph of his success. Bu

an, with blood from thine own breast, had such feeding been of avail; thou who art the kindest of

wicket which leads out of the park on the side nearest to Hampton. Nothing was said or thought of their absence, and they all entered the h

Harry and Alaric being thus at liberty, sauntered out down the river side. They both made a forced attempt at good-humour, each speaking cheerily to the other; but there was no confidence between them as there had been on that morning when Harry rowed his

ings. And Gertrude was generally prone enough to talk of Harry Norman. Sometimes she would say she loved him a little, just a little; at others she would declare that she loved him not at all-that is, not as heroines love in novels, not as she thought she could love, and would do, should it ever be her lot

ove him at all. She had taught herself to think that he might probably be her husband, and had hitherto felt no such repugnance to her destiny as caused her to shun the subject. But n

d said of her and Norman, Gertrude gave her no encouragement. She would speak of Captain Cuttwater, of Katie's lessons, of

ng within her to tell her sister that she also was beloved

would have consented to talk about Harry, she did not know how to start the subject of her own lover, while Gertrude was so cold and uncommunicative a

d been put to rest at any rate for that night, 'don't you think mamma wou

o engage myself with Harry as you would be with Alaric. For though Harry has property of his own, while poor Alaric has none, he has a very insufficient income for a married man, and I h

lly felt a spark of love for the man of whom she spoke, how much would prudent,

and slept; and poor Linda also turned round and bedewed her pi

men returned to town, and the cu