A Woman-Hater [183]
and you must and shall listen to it. When I saw you on the stage at Homburg, I admired you and loved you that very night. But I knew from experience how seldom in women outward graces go with the virtues of the soul. I distrusted my judgment. I feared you and I fled you. But our destiny brought you here, and when I held you, pale and wounded, in my very arms, my heart seemed to go out of my bosom."
"Oh, no more! no more, pray!" cried Mademoiselle Klosking.
But the current of love was not to be stemmed. "Since that terrible hour I have been in heaven, watching your gradual and sure recovery; but you have recovered only to abandon me, and your hurry to leave me drives me to desperation. No, I cannot part with you. You must not leave me, either this day or any day. Give me your hand, and stay here forever, and be the queen of my heart and of my house."
For some time La Klosking had lost her usual composure. Her bosom heaved tumultuously, and her hands trembled. But at this distinct proposal the whole woman changed. She drew herself up, with her pale cheek flushing and her eyes glittering.
"What, sir?" said she. "Have you read me so ill? Do you not know I would rather be the meanest drudge that goes on her knees and scrubs your floors, than be queen of your house, as you call it? Ah, Jesu, are all men alike, then; that he whom I have so revered, whose mother's songs I have sung to him, makes me a proposal dishonorable to me and to himself?"
"Dishonorable!" cried Vizard. "Why, what can any man offer to any woman more honorable than I offer you? I offer you my heart and my hand, and I say, do not go, my darling. Stay here forever, and be my queen, my goddess, my wife!"
"YOUR WIFE?" She stared wildly at him. "Your wife? Am I dreaming, or are you?"
"Neither. Do you think I can be content with less than that? Ina, I adore you."
She put her hand to her head. "I know not who is to blame for this," said she, and she trembled visibly.
"I'll take the blame," said he, gayly.
Said Ina, very gravely. "You, who do me the honor to offer me your name, have you asked yourself seriously what has been the nature of my relation with Edward Severne?"
"No!" cried Vizard, violently; "and I do not mean to. I see you despise him now; and I have my eyes and my senses to guide me in choosing a wife. I choose you--if you will have me."
She listened, then turned her moist eyes full upon him, and said to him, "This is the greatest honor ever befell me. I cannot take it."
"Not take it?"
"No; but that is my misfortune. Do not be mortified. You have no rival in my esteem. What shall I say, my friend?--at least I may call you that. If I explain now, I shall weep much, and lose my strength. What shall I do? I think--yes, that will be best--_you shall go with me to-day."_
"To the end of the world!"
"Something tells me you will know all, and forgive me."
"Shall I take my bag?"
"You might take an evening dress and some linen."
"Very well. I won't keep you a moment," said he, and went upstairs with great alacrity.
She went into the hall, with her eyes bent on the ground, and was immediately pinned by Rhoda Gale, whose piercing eye, and inquisitive finger on her pulse, soon discovered that she had gone through a trying scene. "This is a bad beginning of an imprudent journey," said she: "I have a great mind to countermand the carriage."
"No, no," said Ina; "I will sleep in the railway and recover myself."
The ladies now got into the carriage; Ashmead insisted on going upon the box; and Vizard soon appeared, and took his seat opposite Miss Gale and Mademoiselle Klosking. The latter whispered her doctress: "It would be wise of me not to speak much at present." La Gale communicated this to Vizard, and they drove along in dead silence. But they were naturally curious to know where they were going; so they held some communication with their eyes. They very soon found they were going to Taddington Station.
Then came a doubt--were they going up or down?
That was soon resolved.
Mr. Ashmead had hired
"Oh, no more! no more, pray!" cried Mademoiselle Klosking.
But the current of love was not to be stemmed. "Since that terrible hour I have been in heaven, watching your gradual and sure recovery; but you have recovered only to abandon me, and your hurry to leave me drives me to desperation. No, I cannot part with you. You must not leave me, either this day or any day. Give me your hand, and stay here forever, and be the queen of my heart and of my house."
For some time La Klosking had lost her usual composure. Her bosom heaved tumultuously, and her hands trembled. But at this distinct proposal the whole woman changed. She drew herself up, with her pale cheek flushing and her eyes glittering.
"What, sir?" said she. "Have you read me so ill? Do you not know I would rather be the meanest drudge that goes on her knees and scrubs your floors, than be queen of your house, as you call it? Ah, Jesu, are all men alike, then; that he whom I have so revered, whose mother's songs I have sung to him, makes me a proposal dishonorable to me and to himself?"
"Dishonorable!" cried Vizard. "Why, what can any man offer to any woman more honorable than I offer you? I offer you my heart and my hand, and I say, do not go, my darling. Stay here forever, and be my queen, my goddess, my wife!"
"YOUR WIFE?" She stared wildly at him. "Your wife? Am I dreaming, or are you?"
"Neither. Do you think I can be content with less than that? Ina, I adore you."
She put her hand to her head. "I know not who is to blame for this," said she, and she trembled visibly.
"I'll take the blame," said he, gayly.
Said Ina, very gravely. "You, who do me the honor to offer me your name, have you asked yourself seriously what has been the nature of my relation with Edward Severne?"
"No!" cried Vizard, violently; "and I do not mean to. I see you despise him now; and I have my eyes and my senses to guide me in choosing a wife. I choose you--if you will have me."
She listened, then turned her moist eyes full upon him, and said to him, "This is the greatest honor ever befell me. I cannot take it."
"Not take it?"
"No; but that is my misfortune. Do not be mortified. You have no rival in my esteem. What shall I say, my friend?--at least I may call you that. If I explain now, I shall weep much, and lose my strength. What shall I do? I think--yes, that will be best--_you shall go with me to-day."_
"To the end of the world!"
"Something tells me you will know all, and forgive me."
"Shall I take my bag?"
"You might take an evening dress and some linen."
"Very well. I won't keep you a moment," said he, and went upstairs with great alacrity.
She went into the hall, with her eyes bent on the ground, and was immediately pinned by Rhoda Gale, whose piercing eye, and inquisitive finger on her pulse, soon discovered that she had gone through a trying scene. "This is a bad beginning of an imprudent journey," said she: "I have a great mind to countermand the carriage."
"No, no," said Ina; "I will sleep in the railway and recover myself."
The ladies now got into the carriage; Ashmead insisted on going upon the box; and Vizard soon appeared, and took his seat opposite Miss Gale and Mademoiselle Klosking. The latter whispered her doctress: "It would be wise of me not to speak much at present." La Gale communicated this to Vizard, and they drove along in dead silence. But they were naturally curious to know where they were going; so they held some communication with their eyes. They very soon found they were going to Taddington Station.
Then came a doubt--were they going up or down?
That was soon resolved.
Mr. Ashmead had hired