‘I’th too bad, Ernetht. We thee tho little of you now. You mutht come and thettle down at home. Marry a nithe wife—’
Which was meant as a gentle womanly hint that she knew what occupied his thoughts and his time.
Sir Rupert’s line towards Ernest was more plainly marked, and possibly less judicious9. He very soon gave his son to understand that he knew all about the Gibraltar escapade.
[41]
‘I thought it was only a passing act of folly10. Young men cannot always be trusted to behave with judgment11 and decorum. It is very deplorable, of course, but no more, after all, than others have done. What I complain of, Ernest, is that there appears to be no end to your infatuation. I hear—no matter how—’
‘From Mr. Oozenam, I presume,’ said Ernest, bitterly. ‘I knew he was dogging my footsteps, but did not think he had been set on by my father. It’s a disgraceful shame!’
‘I hear,’ went on Sir Rupert, speaking still calmly, but the black look on his face showed that he was fast growing furious, ‘that you are continually at a house at Wimbledon, where, I suppose, this—this person—resides.’
‘Look here, father, you are going too[42] far,’ put in Ernest, hotly. ‘I am quite old enough to——.’
‘To make a fool of yourself? No doubt. You always were that. You’ve been a fool all your life. But you shall not make a fool of me.’
‘I won’t stay another minute in the house.’
‘If you leave it, you shall not return to it until you have begged my pardon.’ Sir Rupert was very angry, still he strove to be calm. ‘Be careful, Ernest, how you aggravate12 me. I am willing to make allowances for your youth, but you shall not disgrace your name. Promise me to give up this affair at once and for ever, or, or—’
‘I will do nothing of the kind. I will not be treated as a child,’ cried Ernest, in a loud voice.
‘Then take the consequences, sir,’[43] shouted Sir Rupert, still louder. ‘Leave my presence, sir; leave the room, sir; leave the house, sir; and do not dare to show yourself again, sir, till I ask you, which will be never, never, sir, so help me——’
Ernest, with a white and rather scared face, got up and quietly walked away.
His father and he never met again in the flesh.
There were many efforts at reconciliation13, but all had fallen through. Ernest, before leaving the Hall, had gone to his mother to say good-bye, and there had been a very painful scene. The poor woman was torn by conflicting emotions. She was passionately14 fond of her boy, and desperately15 afraid of her fierce spouse16. But her maternal17 instincts carried the day, and she braved her husband’s anger, seeking to win[44] forgiveness for her son. She failed utterly18. The parties to the quarrel were equally determined19, but in different ways. Ernest was weakly and foolishly obstinate20; Sir Rupert, harsh, implacable, unrelenting. Father insisted upon submission21 unconditional22 and complete; son refused even to admit that he was wrong. Farrington Hall was a sad house while the dispute was in progress, and Lady Farrington was a very unhappy woman. Then, while matters were still unaccommodated, came the orders for active service, and she was in a paroxysm of despair. She made piteous appeals to Sir Rupert; she wrote imploring23 letters to her son, she besought24 the Horse Guards to delay embarkation25, and pleaded all sorts of excuses to keep him at home. But fate and the authorities were inexorable, and Ernest, very much against[45] his own will too, was compelled to start for the Coast.
He had never revisited the Hall. His father would not ask him, and he would not offer himself. His mother begged to be allowed to go to Southampton to bid him a last farewell, but Sir Rupert positively26 forbade it; and Ernest left the country with no one—except broken-hearted Mimie—to bid him adieu.
This was why the news of his death fell so heavily upon them all at home. Lady Farrington broke down utterly. She was like Rachel, and refused to be comforted. Sir Rupert, although he was still outwardly calm and impassive, felt it more than he could say. But he showed his grief very differently. It was a sort of relief to him to burst forth27 into the loudest invectives—not against himself, although[46] his parental28 cruelty might well have caused him the keenest remorse29, but against all who might, by the smallest implication, be deemed to be responsible for Ernest’s untimely end. Where was Diggle? Why had he allowed the young fellow out of his sight? And Sir Garnet, what excuse would the general make for leaving a young officer to be thus out-matched and massacred by the rascally30 foe31? He even included Mimie Larkins in his reproaches, although she manifestly was but little to blame. He could not at first bring himself to think well of Herbert, whose brave act in trying to save his officer’s life was hailed with enthusiasm in this country as soon as it became known. What had this sergeant32 done? Only his duty. It was the duty of every sergeant or corporal in the service to lay down his life for a Farrington, of course. And[47] the young fellow had been amply rewarded—over rewarded, if anything—for his pains.
But deeper down in Sir Rupert’s heart there was anguish33 and sharp regret. As a father he was deeply grieved at the loss of an only son; but as the proud owner of an old title and wide estates, it cut him to the heart to think that he must be the last of his line. Was it for this that he had schemed and man?uvred? For this that he had caused Lady Farrington to be placed under restraint—had abandoned her protégé to starve? Then followed a wave of better feeling towards the gallant34 young fellow who had heaped coals of fire on his head. What a fine action it was! How splendidly the young man had behaved! He half wished that Herbert was really the heir to the family honours, now that there was no one else to inherit them.
[48]
Upon this point he would have met with some sharp opposition35 within his family, had he expressed his opinion. Much as poor Ernest was regretted by all, there were some who, after the first decorous mourning, found themselves quite able to reconcile themselves to his loss. To Mrs. Cavendish-Diggle, Ernest’s death meant a certain tangible36 gain. She could never succeed to the baronetcy, certainly, but there were the broad acres of Farrington which, faute de mieux, would now undoubtedly37 come to her. Possibly, if Diggle did but take his proper place in life, and could be persuaded to enter Parliament, a grateful Government might be brought to continue the baronetcy through the female branch. Mrs. Cavendish would have been only too pleased that her infant son should some day resume the name and arms of the Farrington family,[49] and that the Diggle-Farringtons should become celebrated38 as the proprietors39 of Farrington Hall. The son was forthcoming, indeed more than one; but poor Cavendish-Diggle was not himself quite equal to the task which the ambitious Letitia would have imposed upon him. The Gold Coast campaign, in fact, had nearly cost him his life, and had left him almost a wreck40. Weeks of low fever upon a miserable41 sickbed in the malarious42 bush, had nearly finished him; and long before the end of the war he had returned to England more dead than alive. His life in the long run was spared, but the once smart dandy reappeared a broken, half-crippled man, one much more fitted to spend the remainder of his days in European health resorts, drinking the waters and taking the baths, than in any active struggle for parliamentary or[50] contested family honours. Before the return of the Duke’s Own to England he had retired43 upon half-pay, and took no further part in regimental affairs.
Herbert’s glorification44, however, when he reached England duly came off, and this without any protest on the part of Mrs. Cavendish-Diggle. She did not know really that he was, or had ever been, a competitor for the family estates. Besides which, when he arrived she and her husband were at Aix; and however calmly she may have accepted the sad news of Ernest’s death, she could not openly be otherwise than pleased at the honour done to the man who had endeavoured to save her brother’s life. Herbert, whether or no, was invited at once to the Hall, whither he went, not from any love for Sir Rupert, but simply to see how the land lay, and whether[51] he could help the poor old dowager, who still languished45 in her asylum46 prison.
Yet it was with a certain strange excitement that he entered the house which might be, and which somehow he felt ought to be his. The baronet received him most courteously47; poor Lady Farrington fell upon his neck and wept torrents48 of tears; he was shown into a gorgeous guest chamber49, a room all blue satin and silver, such as he had never before seen in all his life; and he was treated with the most profound respect on every side.
Lady Farrington was not equal to appearing at table, and he dined with Sir Rupert tête-à-tête. His host questioned him closely upon the events of the campaign. Acutely painful as was one of its episodes to the baronet, he yet seemed to ignore this, and was only anxious to give his guest[52] an opportunity of describing what he had seen. Possibly he was anxious also to keep off dangerous ground, and to avoid inconvenient50 questions upon points on which Herbert was, if anything, far more closely concerned.
Here, however, he counted without his host. The young soldier was by nature, and still more by his recent rough and ready training, little disposed to beat about the bush. He had resolved upon coming to Farrington Hall to ascertain51 what could be done to release the old Lady Farrington from durance. He had had already one or two communications from ‘the Boy’ Hanlon, none of which, however, gave him much hope of effecting this without the assistance of the baronet himself. The ‘Boy’ had not seen much of the old lady. She was, of course, upon the female side of the asylum.[53] But Hanlon was not to be baulked by any restrictions52 of sex, and as the rules of the establishment forbade him from attending upon a female patient, he made it his business to secure the co-operation of a female attendant. The person who had especial charge of Lady Farrington was a middle-aged53 damsel, to whom the blandishments of ‘the Boy’ were by no means distasteful. Through this impressionable daughter of Eve, Hanlon had communicated frequently with the old lady. He had told her of Herbert’s progress; of the young man’s advancement54 in the lower walks of the military career; finally of the Ashanti war, and Herbert’s undoubted success. Had the doctor been within easy reach, he might have ordered Lady Farrington the usual cooling regimen, so excited did she become. But she escaped observation, and[54] under the advice of her attendant, and indeed through her own native intelligence she managed to preserve a calm exterior55, feeling sure that her Herbert would soon appear to open wide her prison doors.
That he was most eager to do so was evident from his conversation with Sir Rupert that first night.
‘I shall be only too glad to meet your wishes in any way,’ the baronet had said. ‘At the Horse Guards, perhaps, or with Mr. Cardwell—’
‘I will not ask so much,’ Herbert replied. ‘I have been already treated most liberally by the authorities. All I want is—to pay a visit to Greystoke.’
‘To Greystoke?’ Sir Rupert turned rather pale.
‘Yes, and with you. You see I know everything. Why hesitate, Sir Rupert?[55] There need be no concealment56 between us. The last time we met I was a victim—one of your victims—but now I am above all that, but poor Lady Farrington still suffers.’
‘It would not be safe, I assure you, to set her at large. I have that on the best authority. She is still quite insane.’
‘I have it on better that she is now perfectly57 recovered.’
‘May I ask who is your informant?’ Sir Rupert blandly58 enquired59.
‘One of the attendants at the asylum.’
‘A skilled practitioner60? A medical man?’
‘Well, no; not exactly. He was, in fact, formerly61 in the Duke’s Own.’
‘As a surgeon?’
‘No, in the ranks.’
‘And you would set up his opinion—the opinion of an illiterate62, untrained man—against[56] that of the highest medical authority in the country? Really, Mr. Larkins—’
‘He’s an honest, straightforward63 man, Sir Rupert, with plenty of common sense. His judgment may be at fault, but at any rate his opinion is certain to be unbiassed and unprejudiced; he assures me that Lady Farrington is perfectly fit to take care of herself, and ought to be immediately set at large.’
‘I cannot agree with your friend. I have seen her only within these last few days, and I think she is as bad as ever.’
‘I shall refer the matter, then, to one of the Lord Chancellor’s visitors,’ said Herbert, displaying an intimate acquaintance with procedure which rather surprised Sir Rupert.
‘That is not necessary, I assure you.[57] If the poor lady is capable of taking care of herself I do not wish to detain her. Far from it. If it is really your wish to visit Greystoke, Mr. Larkins, we will go there to-morrow.’
And thus Sir Rupert Farrington consented to a step which could not but have very serious consequences to himself and all who were dependent upon him.
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1
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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peremptory
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| adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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6
curtailed
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| v.截断，缩短( curtail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
discreetly
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| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
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8
upbraided
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| v.责备，申斥，谴责( upbraid的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
judicious
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| adj.明智的，明断的，能作出明智决定的 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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11
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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12
aggravate
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| vt.加重(剧)，使恶化；激怒，使恼火 | |
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13
reconciliation
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| n.和解，和谐，一致 | |
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14
passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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15
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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16
spouse
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| n.配偶(指夫或妻) | |
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maternal
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| adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的 | |
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18
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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unconditional
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| adj.无条件的，无限制的，绝对的 | |
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imploring
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| 恳求的，哀求的 | |
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besought
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| v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的过去式和过去分词 )；(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
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embarkation
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| n. 乘船, 搭机, 开船 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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parental
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| adj.父母的；父的；母的 | |
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remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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rascally
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| adj. 无赖的，恶棍的 adv. 无赖地，卑鄙地 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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34
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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tangible
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| adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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proprietors
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| n.所有人，业主( proprietor的名词复数 ) | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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42
malarious
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| （患）疟疾的，（有）瘴气的 | |
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43
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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44
glorification
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| n.赞颂 | |
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45
languished
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| 长期受苦( languish的过去式和过去分词 )； 受折磨； 变得（越来越）衰弱； 因渴望而变得憔悴或闷闷不乐 | |
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46
asylum
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| n.避难所，庇护所，避难 | |
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47
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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48
torrents
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| n.倾注；奔流( torrent的名词复数 )；急流；爆发；连续不断 | |
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49
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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inconvenient
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| adj.不方便的，令人感到麻烦的 | |
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51
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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52
restrictions
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| 约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则） | |
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53
middle-aged
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| adj.中年的 | |
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advancement
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| n.前进，促进，提升 | |
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55
exterior
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| adj.外部的，外在的；表面的 | |
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56
concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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57
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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58
blandly
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| adv.温和地，殷勤地 | |
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59
enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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60
practitioner
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| n.实践者，从事者；(医生或律师等)开业者 | |
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61
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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62
illiterate
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| adj.文盲的；无知的；n.文盲 | |
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63
straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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