Evan Harrington -- Volume 3

blues, or strong-minded women: a kind, if genuine, the least dangerous and staunchest of the sex, as poor fellows learn when the flippant and the frail fair ha

caught something of hers even in their first interview, and at once mounted to that level. Unconsciously he felt that she took, and would take him, for what he was, and he rose to his worth in the society she presided over. A youth like Evan could not perceive, that in loving this lady's daughter, and accepting the place she offered him, he was guilty of a breach of confidence; or reflect, that her entire absence of suspicion imposed upon him a corresponding honesty toward her. He fell into a blindness. Without dreaming for a moment that she designed to encourage his passion for Rose, he

fore the full South-west breeze. When I say he forgot it, the fact was present enough to him, but it became an outward fact: he had ceased to feel it within him. It was not a portion of his being, hard as Mrs. Mel had struck to fix it. Consequently, though he was in a far worse plight than when he parted with Rose on boa

Laxley, William Harvey, and her brother Harry; and she had the same eyes for all ages. Once, previous to the arrival of the latter three, there was a change in her look, or Evan fancied it. They were going to ride out together, and Evan, coming to his horse on the gravel walk, saw her talking with Drummond Forth. He mou

reast by dropping on him in a sort of questioning way, as if she wished him to speak, or wished to fathom something she would rather have unspoken. Ere they had finished their ride, she to

ving volunteered his services to the invalided diplomatist, it excused his stay at Beckley Court to himself, and was a mask to his intimacy with Rose, besides earning hi

you were joking. I see it now. And you're a confoundedly clever fellow into the bargai

efitted his rank and station. Some trifling qualms attended Evan's labours with the diplomatist; but these were merely occasioned by the iteration of a particular phrase. Mr. Goren, an enthusiastic tailor, had now and then thrown out to Evan stirring

ot the key of the science: but to find a Balance was. An artistic admirer of the frame of man, Mr. Goren was not wanting in veneration for the individual who had arisen to do it justice. He spoke of his Balance with supreme self-appreciation. Nor less so the Honourable Melville, who professed to have discovered the Balanc

o him a pair of colossal legs imperiously demanding their Balance likewise. At first the image scared him. In time he was enabled to smile it into phantom vagueness. The diplomatist diplomatically informed him, it might happen that the labours he had undertaken might be neither more nor less

youths of his description make bashful confidences of their successes, and receive delicious chidings for their naughtiness-rebukes which give immeasurable rebounds. Then came Mr. Gordon Graine, with his daughter, Miss Jenny Graine, an early friend of Rose's, and numerous others. For the present, Miss Isabella Current need only be chronicled among the visitors-a sprightly maid fifty years old, without a wrinkle to show for it-the Aunt Bel of f

guese sketches in low society and among her sisters. She retired before Miss Current and formed audience, glad of a relief to her inventive labour. While Miss Current and her ephemerals lightly skimmed the surface of human life, the Countess worked in the depths. Vanities, passions, prejudices beneath the surface, gave her full employment. How naturally poor Juliana Bonner was moved to mistake Evan's compassion for a st

have no children,' Mrs.

humbly

my remorsefu

not your punishment?'

ess w

rtments, alone with the old lady. 'To make up for lost tim

the party, most of the inmates of Beckley Court bein

making bets about you. Now, answer honestly, we'r

ld,' replied the u

iked twenty shillings b

but the men laughed

ll, I think that's the wisest, after all. You don't lose them, do you? Pray, Mr. Evan, a

place vacant among the twenty,' said Evan,

'Where do you come from? A young man who'll let h

Laxley, who had been tapping a

Mr. Harrington,' sa

d his drawl. 'He didn't answer, so I thought it

essly,' said Evan, and

alled the attention of Ferdinand Laxley to the fac

d Laxley. 'About

, and then to Drummond. Laxley appeared pleased as a man who has made a witty sally:

o could hit it? The lady adm

ettle the dispute. Let him who guessed "Latin" pocket the

did guess "Latin," Aunt Bel! N

dear. You gue

dreadful

it the impediment. Gentlemen moderately aged are mad enough to slip their heads under any yoke, but see the o

mself the man who had guessed Latin to be the cause

are too clev

hemes ensued, and then

atin? I should like to

teaching her during the intervals of his arduous diplo

Aunt Bel. 'Do you want to graduate

, and Aunt Bel remarked, that if Juley learnt La

tisfied,' said

se snubbed her cousin.

g of a tutor for Juley

ey; but that's too far f

er

e Cudford Establishment rose before him; and therewith, for the fi

oes wish Miss Bonner to learn Latin thoroughly, he would do very well

urs, Evan, we'll have him,' said

ton, 'that must be quite

ing gratefully at E

Evan's friend. 'His n

ere he is now. He may

es, I will ride ov

ure we saw on the cricket-field?' She burst out laughing. '

g him to be laugh

emurely; and again laughed, as she related to Jenny

riend of the family, I should protest against his admission here in any offic

hers to be gentlem

ronounced, and desired Harry to confir

ng that I have called hi

v

ot.' Laxley hummed something about 'taste.' Au

Evan, which was generally condemned. Rose met the young men strolling on the law

ve more? I admit the obligation of speaking to him when I

use for your conduc

r he puts up with it I wouldn't.

Laxley. 'But neither you no

was a sharp twitch in her body, a

mself; knowing that it ties my hands. Very well, he puts himself hors de combat to save his bones. Let him unsay it, and choose whether he 'll ap

low,' said Harry, casting a side-

at Laxley, and abrupt

f he thought his friend a suitable tutor for Miss Bonner, they would be happy to give him the office at Beckley Court. Glad to befriend poor Jac

e said, though scarcely anxious that

of her refusal astoni

no; I would

m of his darling. Sudden as the change was, it was very decided. His sensitive ears were pained by the

it possible you don't want me to bring my

thing but well-bred. She absolutely shrugged her shoulders and marched a-head of him i

nly instinct must have told her, for she expressed no

hat have

ping her eyes over his a moment,

ed something that

N

not re-assuring to a

Be frank wi

hone in her face, but subsided

y objection

an orange leaf. Eyeing a spot

But-but I wish you wouldn't associate with that-that k

w a shar

the slip and approached the conservatory on tip- toe, holding his hand out behind him to enj

picions?'

f the harshness of h

r white?' was her answer, movi

ite and red rose, saying: 'There! choose your colour by-and-by,

was a burden of speech on his tongue. She saw him move to follow her, but this