A Woman-Hater [182]
Thus furnished, and equipped in a uniform suit of gray cloth and wideawake hat, she cut a very sprightly and commanding figure, but more like Diana than Hebe.
The Klosking came down, a pale Juno, in traveling costume; and a quarter of an hour before the time a pair-horse fly was at the door and Mr. Ashmead in the hall.
The ladies were both ready.
But Vizard had not appeared.
This caused an uneasy discussion.
"He must be very angry," said Fanny, in a half whisper.
"I cannot go while he is," sighed La Klosking. "There is a limit even to my courage."
"Mr. Harris," said Rhoda, "would you mind telling Mr. Vizard?"
"Well, miss," said Harris, softly, "I did step in and tell him. Which he told me to go to the devil, miss--a hobservation I never knew him to make before."
This was not encouraging. Yet the Klosking quietly inquired where he was.
"In there, ma'am," said Harris. "In his study."
Mademoiselle Klosking, placed between two alternatives, decided with her usual resolution. She walked immediately to the door and tapped at it; then, scarcely waiting for an instant, opened it and walked in with seeming firmness, though her heart was beating rather high.
The people outside looked at one another. "I wonder whether he will tell _her_ to go to the devil," said Fanny, who was getting tired of being good.
"No use," said Miss Gale; "she doesn't know the road."
When La Klosking entered the study, Vizard was seated, disconsolate, with two pictures before him. His face was full of pain, and La Klosking's heart smote her. She moved toward him, hanging her head, and said, with inimitable sweetness and tenderness, "Here is a culprit come to try and appease you."
There came a time that he could hardly think of these words and her penitent, submissive manner with dry eyes. But just then his black dog had bitten him, and he said, sullenly, "Oh, never mind me. It was always so. Your sex have always made me smart for-- If flying from my house before you are half recovered gives you half the pleasure it gives me pain and mortification, say no more about it."
"Ah! why say it gives me pleasure? my friend, you cannot really think so."
"I don't know what to think. You ladies are all riddles."
"Then I must take you into my confidence, and, with some reluctance, I own, let you know why I leave this dear, kind roof to-day."
Vizard's generosity took the alarm. "No," said, "I will not extort your reasons. It is a shame of me. Your bare will ought to be law in this house; and what reasons could reconcile me to losing you so suddenly? You are the joy of our eyes, the delight of our ears, the idol of all our hearts. You will leave us, and there will be darkness and gloom, instead of sunshine and song. Well, go; but you cannot soften the blow with reasons."
Mademoiselle Klosking flushed, and her bosom heaved; for this was a strong man, greatly moved. With instinctive tact, she saw the best way to bring him to his senses was to give him a good opening to retreat.
"Ah, monsieur," said she, "you are _trop grand seigneur._ You entertain a poor wounded singer in a chamber few princes can equal. You place everything at her disposal; such a physician and nurse as no queen can command; a choir to sing to her; royal sables to keep the wind from her, and ladies to wait on her. And when you have brought her back to life, you say to yourself, She is a woman; she will not be thoroughly content unless you tell her she is adorable. So, out of politeness, you descend to the language of gallantry. This was not needed. I dispense with that kind of comfort. I leave your house because it is my duty, and leave it your grateful servant and true friend to my last hour."
She had opened the door, and Vizard could now escape. His obstinacy and his heart would not let him.
"Do not fence with me," said he. "Leave that to others. It is beneath you. If you had been content to stay, I would have been content to show my heart by halves. But when you offer to leave me, you draw from me an avowal I can no longer restrain,
The Klosking came down, a pale Juno, in traveling costume; and a quarter of an hour before the time a pair-horse fly was at the door and Mr. Ashmead in the hall.
The ladies were both ready.
But Vizard had not appeared.
This caused an uneasy discussion.
"He must be very angry," said Fanny, in a half whisper.
"I cannot go while he is," sighed La Klosking. "There is a limit even to my courage."
"Mr. Harris," said Rhoda, "would you mind telling Mr. Vizard?"
"Well, miss," said Harris, softly, "I did step in and tell him. Which he told me to go to the devil, miss--a hobservation I never knew him to make before."
This was not encouraging. Yet the Klosking quietly inquired where he was.
"In there, ma'am," said Harris. "In his study."
Mademoiselle Klosking, placed between two alternatives, decided with her usual resolution. She walked immediately to the door and tapped at it; then, scarcely waiting for an instant, opened it and walked in with seeming firmness, though her heart was beating rather high.
The people outside looked at one another. "I wonder whether he will tell _her_ to go to the devil," said Fanny, who was getting tired of being good.
"No use," said Miss Gale; "she doesn't know the road."
When La Klosking entered the study, Vizard was seated, disconsolate, with two pictures before him. His face was full of pain, and La Klosking's heart smote her. She moved toward him, hanging her head, and said, with inimitable sweetness and tenderness, "Here is a culprit come to try and appease you."
There came a time that he could hardly think of these words and her penitent, submissive manner with dry eyes. But just then his black dog had bitten him, and he said, sullenly, "Oh, never mind me. It was always so. Your sex have always made me smart for-- If flying from my house before you are half recovered gives you half the pleasure it gives me pain and mortification, say no more about it."
"Ah! why say it gives me pleasure? my friend, you cannot really think so."
"I don't know what to think. You ladies are all riddles."
"Then I must take you into my confidence, and, with some reluctance, I own, let you know why I leave this dear, kind roof to-day."
Vizard's generosity took the alarm. "No," said, "I will not extort your reasons. It is a shame of me. Your bare will ought to be law in this house; and what reasons could reconcile me to losing you so suddenly? You are the joy of our eyes, the delight of our ears, the idol of all our hearts. You will leave us, and there will be darkness and gloom, instead of sunshine and song. Well, go; but you cannot soften the blow with reasons."
Mademoiselle Klosking flushed, and her bosom heaved; for this was a strong man, greatly moved. With instinctive tact, she saw the best way to bring him to his senses was to give him a good opening to retreat.
"Ah, monsieur," said she, "you are _trop grand seigneur._ You entertain a poor wounded singer in a chamber few princes can equal. You place everything at her disposal; such a physician and nurse as no queen can command; a choir to sing to her; royal sables to keep the wind from her, and ladies to wait on her. And when you have brought her back to life, you say to yourself, She is a woman; she will not be thoroughly content unless you tell her she is adorable. So, out of politeness, you descend to the language of gallantry. This was not needed. I dispense with that kind of comfort. I leave your house because it is my duty, and leave it your grateful servant and true friend to my last hour."
She had opened the door, and Vizard could now escape. His obstinacy and his heart would not let him.
"Do not fence with me," said he. "Leave that to others. It is beneath you. If you had been content to stay, I would have been content to show my heart by halves. But when you offer to leave me, you draw from me an avowal I can no longer restrain,