"Our good friend's ideas are somewhat antiquated8," said Pottersleigh to Guilfoyle, who now stuck to him pretty closely; "but he is a thorough gentleman of an old school that is passing away."
His lordship, however, looked the older man of the two.
"Antiquated! By Jove, I should think so," responded the other, who instinctively9 disliked his host; "ideas old as the days when people made war without powder and shot, went to sea without compasses, and pegged10 their clothes for lack of buttons; but he is an hospitable11 old file, and his wine--this Chateau12 d'Yquem, for instance, is excellent."
Pottersleigh gave the speaker a quiet stare, and then, as if disliking this style of comment, turned to Lady Naseby for the remainder of the repast.
The overcasting14 of the day and a threatening of rain had put an end to much of the dancing on the flower-terrace, and of the promenading15 in the garden and grounds. The proposal of Dora's health had been deemed the close of the fête; the servants had begun to prepare for the ball, and many of the guests, whose invitation did not include that portion of the festivities--for the grounds of course, would hold more than the hall--were beginning to depart, while a few still lingered in the conservatories16, the library, or the picture gallery; thus, though Caradoc was looking through them for me, with a shrewd idea that I was with Lady Estelle, he could not for the life of him imagine where; besides, Phil was anxious to make the most of his time with Miss Lloyd.
The breaking of the guests into groups caused our absence to be long unnoticed, especially while carriages, gigs, drags, wagonnettes, and saddle-horses were brought in succession to the door; cloaks and shawls put on, ladies handed in, and the stream of vehicles went pouring down the long lime avenue and out of the park.
"You have danced but once to-day with Mr. Caradoc, he has told me," said Dora in a low voice, as she passed her sister.
"I had so many to dance with--so many to introduce; and then, think of the evening before us."
"He loves you quite passionately17, I think, Winny dear; more than words can tell."
"So it would seem," replied Winifred, smiling over her fan. "Why--how?"
"He has never spoken to me on the subject."
"He will do so before this evening is over, or I am no true prophetess," said Dora, as she threw back the bright masses of her hair.
"That I don't believe."
"Why?"
"Because he wears at his neck a gold locket, the contents of which no one has seen; and Mr. Guilfoyle assures me that it holds the likeness19 of a lady."
"Well time will prove," replied Dora, as she was again led away by her new admirer, the little sub from Chester; but her prediction came true.
Winifred felt instinctively that she was the chief attraction to Caradoc, and was exciting in his breast emotions to which she could not respond. Again and again when asking her to dance, she had urged in reply, that he would please her more by dancing with others, as there were present plenty of country girls to whom a red coat was quite a magnet; so poor Caradoc found plenty of work cut out for him. Pressed at last by him, Winifred said, while fanning herself,
"Do excuse me; to-night I shall reward you fully; but meanwhile we may take a little promenade20. I think all who are to remain must know each other pretty well now;" and taking his arm they passed from the great marquee along the now deserted21 terrace, to find that the sky was so overcast13 and the wind so high, that they turned into an alley22 of the conservatory23, where she expected to find some of their friends, but it was empty; and as Caradoc's face, and the tremulous inflections of his voice, while he was uttering mere24 commonplaces about the sudden change of the weather, the beauty of the flowers, the elegance25 of the conservatory, and so forth26, told her what was passing in his mind, she became perplexed27 annoyed with herself, and said hurriedly,
"Let us seek Lady Naseby; I fear that we are quite neglecting her--and she is somewhat particular."
"One moment, Miss Lloyd, ere we go; I have so longed for an opportunity to speak with you--alone, I mean--for a moment--even for a moment," said he.
Winifred Lloyd knew what was coming; there was a nervous quivering of her upper lip, which was a short one, and showed a small portion of her white teeth, usually imparting an expression of innocence28 to her face, while its normal one was softness combined with great sweetness. Caradoc had now possessed29 himself of her right hand, thus without breaking away from him, and making thereby30 a species of "scene" between them, an episode to be avoided, she could not withdraw, but stood looking shyly and blushingly half into his handsome face, while he spoke18 to her with low and broken but earnest utterances31.
"I have decoyed you hither," said he, "and you will surely pardon me for doing so, when you think how brief is my time now, here, in this happy home of yours--even in England itself; and when I tell you how anxious I have been to--to address you--"
"Mr. Caradoc," interrupted the girl, now blushing furiously behind her fan, "your moments will soon become minutes!"
"Would that the minutes might become hours, and the hours, days and years, could I but spend them with you! Listen to me, Miss Lloyd--"
"Not at present--do, pray, excuse me--I wish to speak with Dora."
But instead of having her hand released, it was now pressed by Caradoc between both of his.
"I will not detain you very long," said he, sadly, almost reproachfully; "you know that I love you; every time my eyes have met yours, every time I have spoken, my voice must have told you that I do dearly, and if the fondest emotions of my heart--"
"A soldier's heart, of which little scraps32 and shreds33 have been left in every garrison34 town?"
"Do not laugh at my honest earnestness!" urged Caradoc, with a deep sigh.
"Pardon me, I do not laugh; O think not that I could be guilty of such a thing!" replied Winifred, colouring deeper than ever.
Beautiful though she was, and well dowered too, this was the first proposal or declaration that had been made to her. The speaker was eminently35 handsome, his voice and eyes were full of passion and earnestness, and she could not hear him without a thrill of pleasure and esteem36.
"I know that I am not worthy of you, perhaps; but--"
"I thank you, dear Mr. Caradoc, but--but--more is impossible."
"Impossible--why?"
She grew quite pale now, but he still retained her hand; and her change of colour was, perhaps, unseen by him, for there was little light in the conservatory, the evening clouds being dark and dense37 without.
"Miss Lloyd--Winifred--dearest Winifred--I love you, love you with all my heart and soul!"
"Do not say so, I implore38 you!" said she in an agitated39 voice, and turning away her head.
"Do you mean to infer that you are already engaged?"
"No."
"Or that you love another?"
"That is not a fair question," she replied, with a little hauteur40 of manner.
"It is, circumstanced as I am, and after the avowal41 I have made."
"Well, I do--not."
"And yet you cannot love me? Alas42, I am most unfortunate!"
"Let this end, dear Mr. Caradoc," said Winifred, almost sobbing43, and deeply repenting44 that she had taken his arm for a little promenade that was to end in a proposal. Phil, being in full uniform, played with, or swung somewhat nervously45, the tassels46 of his crimson47 sash, a favourite resort of young officers when in any dubiety or dilemma48. After a little pause--
"May I speak to Sir Madoc on the subject?" he asked.
"No."
"Perhaps my friend Harry49 Hardinge might advise--"
"Nay50, for Heaven's sake don't confer with him on the matter at all!"
"Why?" said he, startled by her earnestness.
"Would you make love to me through him--through another?"
"You entirely51 mistake my meaning."
"What do you mean?"
"Simply what I have said; that I love you, esteem and admire you; that you are, indeed, most dear to me, and that if I had the approval--"
"Of the lady whose likeness is in your locket; so treasured that a secret spring secures it!" said she, suddenly remembering Dora's words as a means of escape.
"Yes, especially with her approval. I should then be happy, indeed. I know not how you came to know of it; but shall I show you the likeness?"
"If you choose," said Winifred, thinking in her heart, "Poor fellow, it must be his mother's miniature;" but when Phil touched a spring and the locket flew open she beheld52 a beautiful coloured photo of herself.
"Good heavens!" she exclaimed, "how came you by this?"
"Hardinge had two in the barracks, and I begged one from him."
"Hardinge--Harry Hardinge! That was most unfair of him," said she, her agitation53 increasing; "he is one of our oldest friends."
"May I be permitted to keep it?"
"O, no; not there--not there, in a locket at your neck."
"Be it so; your slightest wish is law to me; but be assured, Miss Lloyd, the heart near which it lies was never offered to woman before."
"I can well believe you; but--hush, here are people coming!"
Sir Madoc and Lady Naseby entered the conservatory somewhat hurriedly, followed by two or three of the guests.
"Lady Estelle! Is Lady Estelle here?" they asked, simultaneously54.
"No," replied Caradoc.
"Nor Harry Hardinge?"
"We are quite alone, papa," said Winifred, in a voice the agitation of which, at another time, must have been apparent to all; for no woman can hear a declaration of love or receive a proposal quite unconcerned, especially from a handsome young fellow who was so earnest as Philip Caradoc; around whom the coming departure for the seat of war shed a halo of melancholy55 interest, and who, by the artless production of the locket, proved that he had loved her for some time past, and secretly too.
"What the deuce is the meaning of this?" exclaimed Sir Madoc, with an expression of comicality, annoyance56, and alarm mingling57 in his face; "the servants can nowhere find her!"
"Find who?" asked Lord Pottersleigh, opening his snuffbox as he shambled forward.
"Why, Lady Estelle."
His lordship took a pinch, paused for the refreshing58 titillation59 of a sneeze, and then said,
"Indeed--surprising--very!"
"And Hardinge is missing, too, you say?" said Phil. "How odd!"
"Odd! egad, I think it is odd; they have not been seen by any one for more than two hours, and a regular storm has come on!"
Phil and Miss Lloyd had been too much occupied, or they must have remarked the bellowing60 of the wind without and the sudden darkening of the atmosphere.
"O papa, papa!" exclaimed Dora, now rushing in from the lawn, "something dreadful must have happened. I left them on the verge61 of the cliffs; returning to look for the bracelet62 you gave me, I met my partner, Mr. Clavell of the 19th; we began dancing again, and I forgot all about them."
"On the cliffs!" exclaimed several voices, reprehensibly and fearfully.
"Yes," continued Dora, beginning to weep; "I took them through the park wicket, and suggested a visit to the B?d Mynach."
"Suggested this to Estelle! She is not, as we are, used to such paths and places, and you tell us of it only now!" exclaimed Winifred, with an expression of reproach and anguish63 sparkling in her eyes.
"My God, an accident must have occurred! The wind--weather--compose yourself, Lady Naseby; Gwyllim, ring the house-bell, and summon every one," cried Sir Madoc; "not a moment is to be lost."
"O, what is all this you tell me now, Dora?" exclaimed Winifred, as she started from the conservatory, with her lips parted, her dark eyes dilated64, and her hair put back by both her trembling hands.
Poor Phil Caradoc and his proposal were alike forgotten now; and he began to fear that, like Hugh Price of ours, in making love he had made some confounded mistake.
Querulous, and useless so far as searching or assisting went, Lord Pottersleigh nevertheless saw the necessity of affecting to do something, as a man, as a gentleman, and a very particular friend of the Naseby family. Accoutred in warm mufflings by his valet, with a mackintosh, goloshes, and umbrella, he left the house half an hour after every one else, and pottered about the lawn, exclaiming from time to time,
"Such weather! such a sky! ugh, ugh! what the devil can have happened?" till a violent fit of coughing, caused by the keen breeze from the sea, and certain monitory twinges of gout, compelled him to return to his room, and wait the event there, making wry65 faces and sipping66 his colchicum, while sturdy old Sir Madoc conducted the search on horseback, galloping67 knee-deep among fern, searching the vistas68 of the park, and sending deer, rabbits, and hares scampering69 in every direction before him. Above the bellowing of the stormy wind, that swept the freshly torn leaves like rain against the walls and mullioned windows of the old house, or down those long umbrageous70 vistas where ere long the autumn spoil would be lying thick, rose and fell the clangour of the house-bell. Servants, grooms71, gamekeepers, and gardeners were despatched to search, chiefly in the wild vicinity of the now empty B?d Mynach; but no trace could be found of Lady Estelle or her squire72, save a white-laced handkerchief, which, while a low cry of terror escaped her, Lady Naseby recognised as belonging to her daughter. On it were a coronet and the initials of her name.
It had been found by Phil Caradoc with the aid of a lantern, when searching along the weedy rocks between the silent cavern73 and the seething74 sea, which was now black with the gathered darkness and a mist from the west.
There was no ball at Craigaderyn Court that night.
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1
bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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tersely
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| adv. 简捷地, 简要地 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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7
orator
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| n.演说者，演讲者，雄辩家 | |
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8
antiquated
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| adj.陈旧的，过时的 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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pegged
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| v.用夹子或钉子固定( peg的过去式和过去分词 )；使固定在某水平 | |
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hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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chateau
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| n.城堡，别墅 | |
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13
overcast
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| adj.阴天的，阴暗的，愁闷的；v.遮盖，（使）变暗，包边缝；n.覆盖，阴天 | |
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overcasting
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| v.天阴的，多云的( overcast的现在分词 ) | |
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promenading
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| v.兜风( promenade的现在分词 ) | |
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conservatories
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| n.（培植植物的）温室，暖房( conservatory的名词复数 ) | |
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passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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18
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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likeness
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| n.相像，相似（之处） | |
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promenade
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| n./v.散步 | |
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21
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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alley
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| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
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conservatory
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| n.温室，音乐学院；adj.保存性的，有保存力的 | |
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24
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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utterances
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| n.发声( utterance的名词复数 )；说话方式；语调；言论 | |
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scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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shreds
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| v.撕碎，切碎( shred的第三人称单数 )；用撕毁机撕毁（文件） | |
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garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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eminently
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| adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地 | |
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esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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implore
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| vt.乞求，恳求，哀求 | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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hauteur
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| n.傲慢 | |
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avowal
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| n.公开宣称，坦白承认 | |
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42
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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43
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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44
repenting
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| 对（自己的所为）感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的现在分词 ) | |
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45
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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46
tassels
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| n.穗( tassel的名词复数 )；流苏状物；（植物的）穗；玉蜀黍的穗状雄花v.抽穗， （玉米）长穗须( tassel的第三人称单数 )；使抽穗， （为了使作物茁壮生长）摘去穗状雄花；用流苏装饰 | |
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47
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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48
dilemma
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| n.困境，进退两难的局面 | |
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49
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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50
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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51
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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52
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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53
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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54
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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55
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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56
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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57
mingling
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| adj.混合的 | |
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58
refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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59
titillation
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| n.搔痒，愉快；搔痒感 | |
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60
bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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61
verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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62
bracelet
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| n.手镯，臂镯 | |
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63
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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64
dilated
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| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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65
wry
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| adj.讽刺的；扭曲的 | |
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66
sipping
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 ) | |
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67
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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68
vistas
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| 长条形景色( vista的名词复数 )； 回顾； 展望； （未来可能发生的）一系列情景 | |
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69
scampering
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的现在分词 ) | |
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70
umbrageous
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| adj.多荫的 | |
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71
grooms
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| n.新郎( groom的名词复数 )；马夫v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的第三人称单数 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗 | |
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72
squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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73
cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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74
seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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