The ball was a very grand affair, and Emily Hotspur was a very great lady. It had come to be understood that the successful suitor for her hand would be the future lord of Humblethwaite, and the power with which she was thus vested gave her a prestige and standing2 which can hardly be attained7 by mere8 wit and beauty, even when most perfectly9 combined. It was not that all who worshipped, either at a distance or with passing homage10, knew the fact of the heiress-ship, or had ever heard of the ￡20,000 a year; but, given the status, and the worshippers will come. The word had gone forth11 in some mysterious way, and it was acknowledged that Emily Hotspur was a great young lady. Other young ladies, who were not great, allowed themselves to be postponed12 to her almost without jealousy13, and young gentlemen without pretensions14 regarded her as one to whom they did not dare to ask to be introduced. Emily saw it all, and partly liked it, and partly despised it. But, even when despising it, she took advantage of it. The young gentlemen without pretensions were no more to her than the chairs and tables; and the young ladies who submitted to her and adored her,—were allowed to be submissive, and to adore. But of this she was quite sure,—that her Cousin George must some day be the head of her own family. He was a man whom she was bound to treat with attentive15 regard, if they who had the custody16 of her chose to place her in his company at all.
At this ball there were some very distinguished17 people indeed,—persons whom it would hardly be improper18 to call illustrious. There were two royal duchesses, one of whom was English, and no less than three princes. The Russian and French ambassadors were both there. There was the editor of the most influential19 newspaper of the day,—for a few minutes only; and the Prime Minister passed through the room in the course of the evening. Dukes and duchesses below the royal degree were common; and as for earls and countesses, and their daughters, they formed the ruck of the crowd. The Poet-laureate didn't come indeed, but was expected; and three Chinese mandarins of the first quality entered the room at eleven, and did not leave till one. Poor Lady Elizabeth suffered a great deal with those mandarins. From all this it will be seen that the ball was quite a success.
George Hotspur dined that day with Lord and Lady Altringham, and went with them to the ball in the evening. Lord Altringham, though his manner was airy and almost indifferent, was in truth most anxious that his friend should be put upon his feet by the marriage; and the Countess was so keen about it, that there was nothing in the way of innocent intrigue20 which she would not have done to accomplish it. She knew that George Hotspur was a rake, was a gambler, was in debt, was hampered21 by other difficulties, and all the rest of it; but she liked the man, and was therefore willing to believe that a rich marriage would put it all right. Emily Hotspur was nothing to her, nor was Sir Harry; but George had often made her own house pleasant to her, and therefore, to her thinking, deserved a wife with ￡20,000 a year. And then, if there might have been scruples22 under other circumstances, that fact of the baronetcy overcame them. It could not be wrong in one placed as was Lady Altringham to assist in preventing any separation of the title and the property. Of course George might probably squander23 all that he could squander; but that might be made right by settlements and entails24. Lady Altringham was much more energetic than her husband, and had made out quite a plan of the manner in which George should proceed. She discussed the matter with him at great length. The one difficulty she was, indeed, obliged to slur25 over; but even that was not altogether omitted in her scheme. "Whatever incumbrances there may be, free yourself from them at once," she had advised.
"That is so very easy to say, Lady Altringham, but so difficult to do."
"As to debts, of course they can't be paid without money. Sir Harry will find it worth his while to settle any debts. But if there is anything else, stop it at once." Of course there was something else, and of course Lady Altringham knew what that something else was. She demanded, in accordance with her scheme, that George should lose no time. This was in May. It was known that Sir Harry intended to leave town early in June. "Of course you will take him at his word, and go to Humblethwaite when you leave us," she had said.
"No time has been named."
"Then you can name your own without difficulty. You will write from Castle Corry and say you are coming. That is, if it's not all settled by that time. Of course, it cannot be done in a minute, because Sir Harry must consent; but I should begin at once,—only, Captain Hotspur, leave nothing for them to find out afterwards. What is past they will forgive." Such had been Lady Altringham's advice, and no doubt she understood the matter which she had been discussing.
When George Hotspur entered the room, his cousin was dancing with a prince. He could see her as he stood speaking a few words to Lady Elizabeth. And in talking to Lady Elizabeth he did not talk as a stranger would, or a common guest. He had quite understood all that he might gain by assuming the intimacy26 of cousinhood, and he had assumed it. Lady Elizabeth was less weary than before when he stood by her, and accepted from his hand some little trifle of help, which was agreeable to her. And he showed himself in no hurry, and told her some little story that pleased her. What a pity it was that Cousin George should be a scamp, she thought, as he went on to greet Sir Harry.
And with Sir Harry he remained a minute or two. On such an occasion as this Sir Harry was all smiles, and quite willing to hear a little town gossip. "Come with the Altringhams, have you? I'm told Altringham has just sold all his horses. What's the meaning of that?"
"The old story, Sir Harry. He has weeded his stable, and got the buyers to think that they were getting the cream. There isn't a man in England knows better what he's about than Altringham."
Sir Harry smiled his sweetest, and answered with some good-humoured remark, but he said in his heart that "birds of a feather flock together," and that his cousin was—not a man of honour.
There are some things that no rogue27 can do. He can understand what it is to condemn28 roguery, to avoid it, to dislike it, to disbelieve in it;—but he cannot understand what it is to hate it. Cousin George had probably exaggerated the transaction of which he had spoken, but he had little thought that in doing so he had helped to imbue30 Sir Harry with a true idea of his own character.
George passed on, and saw his cousin, who was now standing up with a foreign ambassador. He just spoke29 to her as he passed her, calling her by her Christian31 name as he did so. She gave him her hand ever so graciously; and he, when he had gone on, returned and asked her to name a dance.
"But I don't think I've one left that I mean to dance," she said.
"Then give me one that you don't mean to dance," he answered. And of course she gave it to him.
It was an hour afterwards that he came to claim her promise, and she put her arm through his and stood up with him. There was no talk then of her not dancing, and she went whirling round the room with him in great bliss32. Cousin George waltzed well. All such men do. It is a part of their stock-in-trade. On this evening Emily Hotspur thought that he waltzed better than any one else, and told him so. "Another turn? Of course I will with you, because you know what you're about."
"I'd blush if I'd time," said he.
"A great many gentlemen ought to blush, I know. That prince, whose name I always forget, and you, are the only men in the room who dance well, according to my ideas."
Then off they went again, and Emily was very happy. He could at least dance well, and there could be no reason why she should not enjoy his dancing well since he had been considered to be white enough to be asked to the ball.
But with George there was present at every turn and twist of the dance an idea that he was there for other work than that. He was tracking a head of game after which there would be many hunters. He had his advantages, and so would they have theirs. One of his was this,—that he had her there with him now, and he must use it. She would not fall into his mouth merely by being whirled round the room pleasantly. At last she was still, and consented to take a walk with him out of the room, somewhere out amidst the crowd, on the staircase if possible, so as to get a breath of fresh air. Of course he soon had her jammed into a corner out of which there was no immediate33 mode of escape.
"We shall never get away again," she said, laughing. Had she wanted to get away her tone and manner would have been very different.
"I wonder whether you feel yourself to be the same sort of person here that you are at Humblethwaite," he said.
"Exactly the same."
"To me you seem to be so different."
"In what way?"
"I don't think you are half so nice."
"How very unkind!"
Of course she was flattered. Of all flattery praise is the coarsest and least efficacious. When you would flatter a man, talk to him about himself, and criticise34 him, pulling him to pieces by comparison of some small present fault with his past conduct;—and the rule holds the same with a woman. To tell her that she looks well is feeble work; but complain to her wofully that there is something wanting at the present moment, something lacking from the usual high standard, some temporary loss of beauty, and your solicitude35 will prevail with her.
"And in what am I not nice? I am sure I'm trying to be as nice as I know how."
"Down at Humblethwaite you are simply yourself,—Emily Hotspur."
"And what am I here?"
"That formidable thing,—a success. Don't you feel yourself that you are lifted a little off your legs?"
"Not a bit;—not an inch. Why should I?"
"I fail to make you understand quite what I mean. Don't you feel that with all these princes and potentates36 you are forced to be something else than your natural self? Don't you know that you have to put on a special manner, and to talk in a special way? Does not the champagne37 fly to your head, more or less?"
"Of course, the princes and potentates are not the same as old Mrs. Crutchley, if you mean that."
"I am not blaming you, you know, only I cannot help being very anxious; and I found you so perfect at Humblethwaite that I cannot say that I like any change. You know I am to come to Humblethwaite again?"
"Of course you are."
"You go down next month, I believe?"
"Papa talks of going to Scarrowby for a few weeks. He always does every year, and it is so dull. Did you ever see Scarrowby?"
"Never."
"You ought to come there some day. You know one branch of the Hotspurs did live there for ever so long."
"Is it a good house?"
"Very bad indeed; but there are enormous woods, and the country is very wild, and everything is at sixes and sevens. However, of course you would not come, because it is in the middle of your London season. There would be ever so many things to keep you. You are a man who, I suppose, never was out of London in June in your life, unless some race meeting was going on."
"Do you really take me for such as that, Emily?"
"Yes, I do. That is what they tell me you are. Is it not true? Don't you go to races?"
"I should be quite willing to undertake never to put my foot on a racecourse again this minute. I will do so now if you will only ask it of me."
She paused a moment, half thinking that she would ask it, but at last she determined38 against it.
"No," she said; "if you think it proper to stay away, you can do so without my asking it. I have no right to make such a request. If you think races are bad, why don't you stay away of your own accord?"
"They are bad," he said.
"Then why do you go to them?"
"They are bad, and I do go to them. They are very bad, and I go to them very often. But I will stay away and never put my foot on another racecourse if you, my cousin, will ask me."
"That is nonsense."
"Try me. It shall not be nonsense. If you care enough about me to wish to save me from what is evil, you can do it. I care enough about you to give up the pursuit at your bidding."
As he said this he looked down into her eyes, and she knew that the full weight of his gaze was upon her. She knew that his words and his looks together were intended to impress her with some feeling of his love for her. She knew at the moment, too, that they gratified her. And she remembered also in the same moment that her Cousin George was a black sheep.
"If you cannot refrain from what is bad without my asking you," she said, "your refraining will do no good."
He was making her some answer, when she insisted on being taken away. "I must get into the dancing-room; I must indeed, George. I have already thrown over some poor wretch39. No, not yet, I see, however. I was not engaged for the quadrille; but I must go back and look after the people."
He led her back through the crowd; and as he did so he perceived that Sir Harry's eyes were fixed40 upon him. He did not much care for that. If he could carry his Cousin Emily, he thought that he might carry the Baronet also.
He could not get any special word with her again that night. He asked her for another dance, but she would not grant it to him. "You forget the princes and potentates to whom I have to attend," she said to him, quoting his own words.
He did not blame her, even to himself, judging by the importance which he attached to every word of private conversation which he could have with her, that she found it to be equally important. It was something gained that she should know that he was thinking of her. He could not be to her now like any cousin, or any other man, with whom she might dance three or four times without meaning anything. As he was aware of it, so must she be; and he was glad that she should feel that it was so.
"Emily tells me that you are going to Scarrowby next month," he said afterwards to Sir Harry.
Sir Harry frowned, and answered him very shortly, "Yes, we shall go there in June."
"Is it a large place?"
"Large? How do you mean? It is a good property."
"But the house?"
"The house is quite large enough for us," said Sir Harry; "but we do not have company there."
This was said in a very cold tone, and there was nothing more to be added. George, to do him justice, had not been fishing for an invitation to Scarrowby. He had simply been making conversation with the Baronet. It would not have suited him to go to Scarrowby, because by doing so he would have lost the power of renewing his visit to Humblethwaite. But Sir Harry in this interview had been so very ungracious,—and as George knew very well, because of the scene in the corner,—that there might be a doubt whether he would ever get to Humblethwaite at all. If he failed, however, it should not be for the want of audacity41 on his own part.
But, in truth, Sir Harry's blackness was still the result of vacillation42. Though he would fain redeem43 this prodigal44, if it were possible, and give him everything that was to be given; yet, when he saw the prodigal attempting to help himself to the good things, his wrath45 was aroused. George Hotspur, as he betook himself from Bruton Street to such other amusements as were at his command, meditated46 much over his position. He thought he could give up the racecourses; but he was sure that he could at any rate say that he would give them up.
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1
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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2
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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3
banished
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4
lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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5
liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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6
intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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7
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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8
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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9
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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10
homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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11
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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12
postponed
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| vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发） | |
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13
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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14
pretensions
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| 自称( pretension的名词复数 )； 自命不凡； 要求； 权力 | |
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attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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16
custody
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| n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留 | |
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17
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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18
improper
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| adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的 | |
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19
influential
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| adj.有影响的，有权势的 | |
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intrigue
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| vt.激起兴趣，迷住；vi.耍阴谋；n.阴谋，密谋 | |
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21
hampered
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| 妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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scruples
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| n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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23
squander
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| v.浪费，挥霍 | |
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24
entails
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| 使…成为必要( entail的第三人称单数 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需 | |
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25
slur
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| v.含糊地说；诋毁；连唱；n.诋毁；含糊的发音 | |
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26
intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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27
rogue
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| n.流氓；v.游手好闲 | |
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28
condemn
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| vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑 | |
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29
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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30
imbue
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| v.灌输(某种强烈的情感或意见)，感染 | |
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31
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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32
bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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33
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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34
criticise
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| v.批评，评论；非难 | |
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35
solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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36
potentates
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| n.君主，统治者( potentate的名词复数 )；有权势的人 | |
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37
champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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38
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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39
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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40
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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41
audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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42
vacillation
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| n.动摇；忧柔寡断 | |
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43
redeem
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| v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等） | |
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44
prodigal
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| adj.浪费的，挥霍的，放荡的 | |
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45
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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46
meditated
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| 深思，沉思，冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 )； 内心策划，考虑 | |
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