The Absentee Part 32

Mr. Burke was appointed agent in his stead to the Clonbrony as well as the Colambre estate. His appointment was announced to him by the following letter:--

To MRS. BURKE, AT COLAMBRE. DEAR MADAM, The traveller whom you so hospitably received some months ago was Lord Colambre--he now writes to you in his proper person. He promised you that he would, as far as it might be in his power, do justice to Mr. Burke's conduct and character, by representing what he had done for Lord Clonbrony in the town of Colambre, and in the whole management of the tenantry and property under his care.

Happily for my father, my dear madam, he is now as fully convinced as you could wish him to be of Mr. Burke's merits; and he begs me to express his sense of the obligations he is under to him and to you. He entreats that you will pardon the impropriety of a letter, which, as I a.s.sured you the moment I saw it, he never wrote or read. This will, he says, cure him, for life, of putting his signature to any paper without reading it.

He hopes that you will forget that such a letter was ever received, and that you will use your influence with Mr. Burke to induce him to continue to our family his regard and valuable services. Lord Clonbrony encloses a power of attorney, enabling Mr. Burke to act in future for him, if Mr. Burke will do him that favour, in managing the Clonbrony as well as the Colambre estate.

Lord Clonbrony will be in Ireland in the course of next month, and intends to have the pleasure of soon paying his respects in person to Mr. Burke, at Colambre.--I am, dear madam, your obliged guest, and faithful servant, COLAMBRE.

GROSVENOR SQUARE, LONDON.

Lord Colambre was so continually occupied with business during the two days previous to his coming of age, every morning at his solicitor's chambers, every evening in his father's study, that Miss Nugent never saw him but at breakfast or dinner; and, though she watched for it most anxiously, never could find an opportunity of speaking to him alone, or of asking an explanation of the change and inconsistencies of his manner. At last, she began to think that, in the midst of so much business of importance, by which he seemed hara.s.sed, she should do wrong to torment him, by speaking of any small disquietude that concerned only herself. She determined to suppress her doubts, to keep her feelings to herself, and to endeavour, by constant kindness, to regain that place in his affections which she imagined that she had lost. 'Everything will go right again,' thought she, 'and we shall all be happy, when he returns with us to Ireland--to that dear home which he loves as well as I do!'

The day Lord Colambre was of age, the first thing he did was to sign a bond for five thousand pounds, Miss Nugent's fortune, which had been lent to his father, who was her guardian.

'This, sir, I believe,' said he, giving it to his father as soon as signed--'this, I believe, is the first debt you would wish to have secured.'

'Well thought of, my dear boy I--G.o.d bless you!--that has weighed more upon my conscience and heart than all the rest, though I never said anything about it. I used, whenever I met Mr. Salisbury, to wish myself fairly down at the centre of the earth; not that he ever thought of fortune, I'm sure; for he often told me, and I believed him, he would rather have Miss Nugent without a penny, if he could get her, than the first fortune in the empire. But I'm glad she will not go to him penniless, for all that; and by my fault, especially. There, there's my name to it--do witness it, Terry. But, Colambre, you must give it to her--you must take it to Grace.'

'Excuse me, sir; it is no gift of mine--it is a debt of yours. I beg you will take the bond to her yourself, my dear father.'

'My dear son, you must not always have your own way, and hide everything good you do, or give me the honour of it I won't be the jay in borrowed feathers. I have borrowed enough in my life, and I've done with borrowing now, thanks to you, Colambre--so come along with me; for I'll be hanged if ever I give this joint bond to Miss Nugent, without you along with me. Leave Lady Clonbrony here to sign these papers. Terry will witness them properly, and you come along with me.'

'And pray, my lord,' said her ladys.h.i.+p, 'order the carriage to the door; for, as soon as you have my signature, I hope you'll let me off to Buxton.'

'Oh, certainly--the carriage is ordered--everything ready, my dear.'

'And pray tell Grace to be ready,' added Lady Clonbrony.

'That's not necessary; for she is always ready,' said Lord Clonbrony.

'Come, Colambre,' added he, taking his son under the arm, and carrying him up to Miss Nugent's dressing-room.

They knocked, and were admitted.

'Ready!' said Lord Clonbrony; 'ay, always ready--so I said. Here's Colambre, my darling,' continued he, 'has secured your fortune to you to my heart's content; but he would not condescend to come up to tell you so, till I made him. Here's the bond; put your hand to it, Colambre; you were ready enough to do that when it cost you something; and now, all I have to ask of you is, to persuade her to marry out of hand, that I may see her happy before I die. Now my heart's at ease! I can meet Mr.

Salisbury with a safe conscience. One kiss, my little Grace. If anybody can persuade you, I'm sure it's that man that's now leaning against the mantelpiece. It's Colambre's will, or your heart's not made like mine--so I leave you.'

And out of the room walked he, leaving his poor son in as awkward, embarra.s.sing, and painful a situation, as could well be conceived. Half a dozen indistinct ideas crossed his mind; quick conflicting feelings made his heart beat and stop. And how it would have ended, if he had been left to himself, whether he would have stood or fallen, have spoken or have continued silent, can never now be known, for all was decided without the action of his will. He was awakened from his trance by these simple words from Miss Nugent--

'I'm much obliged to you, cousin Colambre--more obliged to you for your kindness in thinking of me first, in the midst of all your other business, than by your securing my fortune. Friends.h.i.+p--and your friends.h.i.+p--is worth more to me than fortune. May I believe that is secured?'

'Believe it! Oh, Grace, can you doubt it?'

'I will not; it would make me too unhappy. I will not.'

'You need not.'

'That is enough--I am satisfied--I ask no farther explanation. You are truth itself--one word from you is security sufficient. We are friends for life,' said she, taking his hand between both of hers; 'are not we?'

'We are--and therefore sit down, cousin Grace, and let me claim the privilege of friends.h.i.+p, and speak to you of him who aspires to be more than your friend for life, Mr.--'

Mr. Salisbury!' said Miss Nugent; 'I saw him yesterday. We had a very long conversation; I believe he understands my sentiments perfectly, and that he no longer thinks of being more to me than a friend for life.'

'You have refused him!'

'Yes. I have a high opinion of Mr. Salisbury's understanding, a great esteem for his character; I like his manners and conversation; but I do not love him, and therefore, you know, I could not marry him.'

'But, my dear Miss Nugent, with a high opinion, a great esteem, and liking his manners and conversation, in such a well-regulated mind as yours, can there be a better foundation for love?'

'It is an excellent foundation,' said she; 'but I never went any farther than the foundation; and, indeed, I never wished to proceed any farther.'

Lord Colambre scarcely dared to ask why; but, after some pause, he said--

'I don't wish to intrude upon your confidence.'

'You cannot intrude upon my confidence; I am ready to give it to you entirely, frankly; I hesitated only because another person was concerned. Do you remember, at my aunt's gala, a lady who danced with Mr. Salisbury?'

'Not in the least.'

'A lady with whom you and Mr. Salisbury were talking, just before supper, in the Turkish tent.'

'Not in the least.'

'As we went down to supper, you told me you had had a delightful conversation with her--that you thought her a charming woman.'

'A charming woman!--I have not the slightest recollection of her.'

'And you told me that she and Mr. Salisbury had been praising me A L'ENVIE L'UNE ET L'AUTRE.'

'Oh, I recollect her now perfectly,' said Lord Colambre; 'But what of her?'

'She is the woman who, I hope, will be Mrs. Salisbury. Ever since I have been acquainted with them both, I have seen that they were suited to each other; and fancy, indeed I am almost sure, that she could love him, tenderly love him--and, I know, I could not. But my own sentiments, you may be sure, are all I ever told Mr. Salisbury.'

'But of your own sentiments you may not be sure,' said Lord Colambre; 'and I see no reason why you should give him up from false generosity.'

'Generosity?' interrupted Miss Nugent; 'you totally misunderstand me; there is no generosity, nothing for me to give up in the case. I did not refuse Mr. Salisbury from generosity, but because I did not love him.

Perhaps my seeing this at first prevented me from thinking of him as a lover; but, from whatever cause, I certainly never felt love for Mr.

Salisbury, nor any of that pity which is said to lead to love; perhaps,'

added she, smiling, 'because I was aware that he would be so much better off after I refused him--so much happier with one suited to him in age, talents, fortune, and love--"What bliss, did he but know his bliss,"

were HIS!'

'Did he but know his bliss,' repeated Lord Colambre; 'but is not he the best judge of his own bliss?'

'And am not I the best judge of mine?' said Miss Nugent; 'I go no farther.'

'You are; and I have no right to go farther. Yet, this much permit me to say, my dear Grace, that it would give me sincere pleasure, that is, real satisfaction, to see you happily--established.'

'Thank you, my dear Lord Colambre; but you spoke that like a man of seventy at least, with the most solemn gravity of demeanour.'