Ayala's Angel [282]
for my purpose," said the Colonel.
"But it wouldn't for mine, Sir. Fine feathers make fine birds, and I mean to be as fine as Lady Albury's big peacock. So if you please you'll go to Queen's Gate, and Lombard Street too, and show yourself. Oh, Jonathan, I shall be so proud that everybody who knows me should see what sort of a man has chosen to love me."
Then there was a joint visit paid by the two sisters to Mr Hamel's studio -- an expedition which was made somewhat on the sly. Aunt Margaret in Kingsbury Crescent knew all about it, but Aunt Emmeline was kept in the dark. Even now, though the marriage was sanctioned and was so nearly at hand, Aunt Emmeline would not have approved of such a visit. She still regarded the sculptor as improper -- at any rate not sufficiently proper to be treated with full familiarity -- partly on account of his father's manifest improprieties, and partly because of his own relative poverty and unauthorised position in the world. But Aunt Margaret was more tolerant, and thought that the sister-in-law was entitled to visit the workshop in which her sister's future bread was to be earned. And then, starting from Kingsbury Crescent, they could go in a cab; whereas any such proceeding emanating from Queen's Gate would have required the carriage. There was a wickedness in this starting off in a hansom cab to call on an unmarried young man, doing it in a manner successfully concealed from Aunt Emmeline, on which Ayala expatiated with delight when she next saw Colonel Stubbs.
"You don't come and call on me," said the Colonel.
"What! -- all the way down to Aldershot? I should like, but I don't quite dare to do that."
The visit was very successful. Though it was expected, Hamel was found in his artist's costume, with a blouse or loose linen tunic fitted close round his throat, and fastened with a belt round his waist. Lucy thought that in this apparel he was certainly as handsome as could ever have been any Apollo -- and so thinking, had contrived her little plans in such a way that he should certainly be seen at his best. To her thinking Colonel Stubbs was not a handsome man. Hamel's hair was nearly black, and she preferred dark hair. Hamel's features were regular, whereas the Colonel's hair was red, and he was known for a large mouth and broad nose, which were not obliterated though they were enlightened by the brightness of his eyes. "Yes," said Ayala to herself, as she looked at Hamel; "he is very good looking, but nobody would take him for an Angel of Light."
"Ayala has come to see you at your work," said Lucy, as they entered the studio.
"I am delighted to see her. Do you remember where we last met, Miss Dormer?"
"Miss Dormer, indeed," said Ayala. "I am not going to call you Mr Hamel. Yes; it was high up among the seats of the Coliseum. There has a great deal happened to us all since then."
"And I remember you at the bijou."
"I should think so. I knew then so well what was going to happen," said Ayala.
"What did you know?"
"That you and Lucy were to fall in love with each other."
"I had done my part of it already," said he.
"Hardly that, Isadore," said Lucy, "or you would not have passed me in Kensington Gardens without speaking to me."
"But I did speak to you. It was then I learned where to find you."
"That was the second time. If I had remained away as I ought to have done, I suppose you never would have found me."
Ayala was then taken round to see all those magnificent groups and figures which Sir Thomas would have disposed of at so many shillings apiece under the auctioneer's hammer. "It was cruel. -- was it not?" said Lucy.
"He never saw them, you know," said Ayala, putting in a good-natured word for her uncle.
"If he had," said the sculptor, "he would have doubted the auctioneer's getting anything. I have turned it all in my mind very often since, and I think that Sir Thomas was right."
"I am sure he was wrong," said Lucy. "He is very good-natured, and nobody can be more grateful to another person than I am to him
"But it wouldn't for mine, Sir. Fine feathers make fine birds, and I mean to be as fine as Lady Albury's big peacock. So if you please you'll go to Queen's Gate, and Lombard Street too, and show yourself. Oh, Jonathan, I shall be so proud that everybody who knows me should see what sort of a man has chosen to love me."
Then there was a joint visit paid by the two sisters to Mr Hamel's studio -- an expedition which was made somewhat on the sly. Aunt Margaret in Kingsbury Crescent knew all about it, but Aunt Emmeline was kept in the dark. Even now, though the marriage was sanctioned and was so nearly at hand, Aunt Emmeline would not have approved of such a visit. She still regarded the sculptor as improper -- at any rate not sufficiently proper to be treated with full familiarity -- partly on account of his father's manifest improprieties, and partly because of his own relative poverty and unauthorised position in the world. But Aunt Margaret was more tolerant, and thought that the sister-in-law was entitled to visit the workshop in which her sister's future bread was to be earned. And then, starting from Kingsbury Crescent, they could go in a cab; whereas any such proceeding emanating from Queen's Gate would have required the carriage. There was a wickedness in this starting off in a hansom cab to call on an unmarried young man, doing it in a manner successfully concealed from Aunt Emmeline, on which Ayala expatiated with delight when she next saw Colonel Stubbs.
"You don't come and call on me," said the Colonel.
"What! -- all the way down to Aldershot? I should like, but I don't quite dare to do that."
The visit was very successful. Though it was expected, Hamel was found in his artist's costume, with a blouse or loose linen tunic fitted close round his throat, and fastened with a belt round his waist. Lucy thought that in this apparel he was certainly as handsome as could ever have been any Apollo -- and so thinking, had contrived her little plans in such a way that he should certainly be seen at his best. To her thinking Colonel Stubbs was not a handsome man. Hamel's hair was nearly black, and she preferred dark hair. Hamel's features were regular, whereas the Colonel's hair was red, and he was known for a large mouth and broad nose, which were not obliterated though they were enlightened by the brightness of his eyes. "Yes," said Ayala to herself, as she looked at Hamel; "he is very good looking, but nobody would take him for an Angel of Light."
"Ayala has come to see you at your work," said Lucy, as they entered the studio.
"I am delighted to see her. Do you remember where we last met, Miss Dormer?"
"Miss Dormer, indeed," said Ayala. "I am not going to call you Mr Hamel. Yes; it was high up among the seats of the Coliseum. There has a great deal happened to us all since then."
"And I remember you at the bijou."
"I should think so. I knew then so well what was going to happen," said Ayala.
"What did you know?"
"That you and Lucy were to fall in love with each other."
"I had done my part of it already," said he.
"Hardly that, Isadore," said Lucy, "or you would not have passed me in Kensington Gardens without speaking to me."
"But I did speak to you. It was then I learned where to find you."
"That was the second time. If I had remained away as I ought to have done, I suppose you never would have found me."
Ayala was then taken round to see all those magnificent groups and figures which Sir Thomas would have disposed of at so many shillings apiece under the auctioneer's hammer. "It was cruel. -- was it not?" said Lucy.
"He never saw them, you know," said Ayala, putting in a good-natured word for her uncle.
"If he had," said the sculptor, "he would have doubted the auctioneer's getting anything. I have turned it all in my mind very often since, and I think that Sir Thomas was right."
"I am sure he was wrong," said Lucy. "He is very good-natured, and nobody can be more grateful to another person than I am to him