East Lynne [46]
that she would not.
Two mourners only attended the funeral--the earl and Mr. Carlyle. The latter was no relative of the deceased, and but a very recent friend; but the earl had invited him, probably not liking the parading, solus, his trappings of woe. Some of the county aristocracy were pallbearers, and many private carriages followed.
All was bustle on the following morning. The earl was to depart, and Isabel was to depart, but not together. In the course of the day the domestics would disperse. The earl was speeding to London, and the chaise to convey him to the railway station at West Lynne was already at the door when Mr. Carlyle arrived.
"I was getting fidgety fearing you would not be here, for I have barely five minutes to spare," observed the earl, as he shook hands. "You are sure you fully understood about the tombstone?"
"Perfectly," replied Mr. Carlyle. "How is Lady Isabel?"
"Very down-hearted, I fear, poor child, for she did not breakfast with me," replied the earl. "Mason privately told me that she was in a convulsion of grief. A bad man, a /bad/ man, was Mount Severn," he emphatically added, as he rose and rang the bell.
"Let Lady Isabel be informed that I am ready to depart, and that I wait to see her," he said the servant who answered it. "And while she is coming, Mr. Carlyle," he added, "allow me to express my obligations to you. How I should have got along in this worrying business without you, I cannot divine. You have promised, mind, to pay me a visit, and I shall expect it speedily."
"Promised conditionally--that I find myself in your neighborhood," smiled Mr. Carlyle. "Should--"
Isabel entered, dressed also, and ready, for she was to depart immediately after the earl. Her crape veil was over her face, but she threw it back.
"My time is up, Isabel, and I must go. Is there anything you wish to say to me?"
She opened her lips to speak, but glanced at Mr. Carlyle and hesitated. He was standing at the window, his back towards them.
"I suppose not," said the earl, answering himself, for he was in a fever of hurry to be off, like many others are when starting on a journey. "You will have no trouble whatever, my dear; only mind you get some refreshments in the middle of the day, for you won't be at Castle Marling before dinner-time. Tell Mrs. Va--tell Lady Mount Severn that I had no time to write, but will do so from town."
But Isabel stood before him in an attitude of uncertainty--of expectancy, it may be said, her color varying.
"What is it, you wish to say something?"
She certainly did wish to say something, but she did not know how. It was a moment of embarrassment to her, intensely painful, and the presence of Mr. Carlyle did not tend to lessen it. The latter had no idea his absence was wished for.
"Bless me, Isabel! I declare I forgot all about it," cried the earl, in a tone of vexation. "Not being accustomed to--this aspect of affairs is so new--" He broke off his disjointed sentences, unbuttoned his coat, drew out his purse, and paused over its contents.
"Isabel, I have run myself very short, and have but little beyond what will take me to town. You must make three pounds do for now, my dear. Once at Castle Marling--Pound has the funds for the journey--Lady Mount Severn will supply you; but you must tell her, or she will not know."
He shot some gold out of his purse as he spoke, and left two sovereigns and two half sovereigns on the table. "Farewell, my dear; make yourself happy at Castle Marling. I shall be home soon."
Passing from the room with Mr. Carlyle, he stood talking with that gentleman a minute, his foot on the step of the chaise, and the next was being whisked away. Mr. Carlyle returned to the breakfast-room, where Isabel, an ashy whiteness having replaced the crimson on her cheeks, was picking up the gold.
"Will you do me a favor, Mr. Carlyle?"
"I will do anything I can for you."
She pushed a sovereign and a half toward him. "It is for Mr. Kane. I told Marvel to send in and pay him, but it seems she forgot it, or put it off,
Two mourners only attended the funeral--the earl and Mr. Carlyle. The latter was no relative of the deceased, and but a very recent friend; but the earl had invited him, probably not liking the parading, solus, his trappings of woe. Some of the county aristocracy were pallbearers, and many private carriages followed.
All was bustle on the following morning. The earl was to depart, and Isabel was to depart, but not together. In the course of the day the domestics would disperse. The earl was speeding to London, and the chaise to convey him to the railway station at West Lynne was already at the door when Mr. Carlyle arrived.
"I was getting fidgety fearing you would not be here, for I have barely five minutes to spare," observed the earl, as he shook hands. "You are sure you fully understood about the tombstone?"
"Perfectly," replied Mr. Carlyle. "How is Lady Isabel?"
"Very down-hearted, I fear, poor child, for she did not breakfast with me," replied the earl. "Mason privately told me that she was in a convulsion of grief. A bad man, a /bad/ man, was Mount Severn," he emphatically added, as he rose and rang the bell.
"Let Lady Isabel be informed that I am ready to depart, and that I wait to see her," he said the servant who answered it. "And while she is coming, Mr. Carlyle," he added, "allow me to express my obligations to you. How I should have got along in this worrying business without you, I cannot divine. You have promised, mind, to pay me a visit, and I shall expect it speedily."
"Promised conditionally--that I find myself in your neighborhood," smiled Mr. Carlyle. "Should--"
Isabel entered, dressed also, and ready, for she was to depart immediately after the earl. Her crape veil was over her face, but she threw it back.
"My time is up, Isabel, and I must go. Is there anything you wish to say to me?"
She opened her lips to speak, but glanced at Mr. Carlyle and hesitated. He was standing at the window, his back towards them.
"I suppose not," said the earl, answering himself, for he was in a fever of hurry to be off, like many others are when starting on a journey. "You will have no trouble whatever, my dear; only mind you get some refreshments in the middle of the day, for you won't be at Castle Marling before dinner-time. Tell Mrs. Va--tell Lady Mount Severn that I had no time to write, but will do so from town."
But Isabel stood before him in an attitude of uncertainty--of expectancy, it may be said, her color varying.
"What is it, you wish to say something?"
She certainly did wish to say something, but she did not know how. It was a moment of embarrassment to her, intensely painful, and the presence of Mr. Carlyle did not tend to lessen it. The latter had no idea his absence was wished for.
"Bless me, Isabel! I declare I forgot all about it," cried the earl, in a tone of vexation. "Not being accustomed to--this aspect of affairs is so new--" He broke off his disjointed sentences, unbuttoned his coat, drew out his purse, and paused over its contents.
"Isabel, I have run myself very short, and have but little beyond what will take me to town. You must make three pounds do for now, my dear. Once at Castle Marling--Pound has the funds for the journey--Lady Mount Severn will supply you; but you must tell her, or she will not know."
He shot some gold out of his purse as he spoke, and left two sovereigns and two half sovereigns on the table. "Farewell, my dear; make yourself happy at Castle Marling. I shall be home soon."
Passing from the room with Mr. Carlyle, he stood talking with that gentleman a minute, his foot on the step of the chaise, and the next was being whisked away. Mr. Carlyle returned to the breakfast-room, where Isabel, an ashy whiteness having replaced the crimson on her cheeks, was picking up the gold.
"Will you do me a favor, Mr. Carlyle?"
"I will do anything I can for you."
She pushed a sovereign and a half toward him. "It is for Mr. Kane. I told Marvel to send in and pay him, but it seems she forgot it, or put it off,