The Daltons Volume II Part 7

"My sister, Mrs. Ricketts--Mrs. M-M-Montague Ricketts," began Scroope, whose habitual timidity gave way under the extremity of provocation.

And the Prince turned slowly round, and surveyed the speaker and the imposing form that loomed behind him.

"Tell them that I don't mean to keep any establishment here, Morlache."

And with this he strolled on, and pa.s.sed into another room, while, like as in a tableau, the others stood speechless with rage and indignation.

"He took you for the housekeeper, ma'am," said Haggerstone, standing up with his back to the fire----"and a housekeeper out of place!"

"Martha, where's the General? Where is he, I say?" cried Mrs. Ricketts, furious with pa.s.sion.

"He went to bed at nine," whispered Martha. "He thought, by rising early to-morrow, to finish the attack on Utrecht before night."

"You are as great a fool as himself. Scroope, come here. You must follow that Russian. You must tell him the gross rudeness--"

"I'll be ha-ha-hanged if I do. I 've had enough of rows, for one winter at least. I 'll not get into another sc-sc.r.a.pe, if I can help it."

"I 'm sorry, madam, that I cannot offer you my services," said Haggerstone, "but I never meddle in a quarrel which can be made a subject of ridicule. Mr. Fogla.s.s, I 'm certain, has no such scruple."

"The Prince appears a very agreeable man," said the ex-Consul, who, not having the slightest notion of what was pa.s.sing, merely followed his instincts of praising the person of high rank.

"De shains of my enslaved country is on my hands. I 'm tied like one galerien!" said Petrolaffsky, in a voice guttural with emotion.

"Your pardon once more, madam," said Morlache, slipping into the chamber, and noiselessly approaching Mrs. Ricketts's chair. "The Prince will take everything,----pictures, plate, china, and books. I hope to-morrow, at noon, will not inconvenience you to leave this--"

"To-morrow! Impossible, sir. Perfectly impossible."

"In that case, madam, we must make some arrangement as to rent. His Highness leaves all to me, and I will endeavor to meet your wishes in every respect. Shall we say two thousand francs a month for the present?" Without waiting for any reply, he turned to the Pole, and whispered, "He 'll take you back again. He wants a cha.s.seur, to send to St. Petersburg. Come over to me in the morning, about ten. Mr. Fogla.s.s,"

cried he, in a loud voice, "when you write to London, will you mention that the varnish on the Prince's drosky doesn't stand the cold of Russia, and that they must try some other plan with the barouche? Your brother is an ingenious fellow, and he 'll hit upon something. Colonel Haggerstone, the Prince did n't return your call. He says you will guess the reason when he says that he was in Palermo in a certain year you know of. I wish the honorable company good-night," said he, bowing with a deference almost submissive, and backing out of the room as he spoke.

And with him we also take our leave of them. They were like the chance pa.s.sengers we meet on the road of a journey, with whom we converse when near, and forget when we separate from. Were we not more interested for the actors than the scenes on which they "strut their hour," we might yet linger a few moments on the spot so bound up with our memory of Kate Dalton,----the terrace where she sat, the little orangery where she loitered of a morning, the window where she read, and dreamed of that bright future, so much nearer to her grasp than she knew of! There they were all!--destined to feel new influences and know other footsteps, for she had left them forever, and gone forth upon her "Path" in life.

CHAPTER IV. A PACKAGE OF LETTERS

It was a bright clear morning in May. A somewhat late spring had r.e.t.a.r.ded vegetation, and the blossoming fruit-trees now added their gorgeous beauty to the warmer tints of coming summer. We are once more in Baden; but how different is it from what we saw it last. The frozen fountains now plash, and hiss, and sparkle in the sun. The trim alleys are flanked by the yellow crocus and the daffodil; the spray-like foliage of the ash is flecking the sunlight on the merry river, along whose banks the cheering sound of pleasant voices mingles with the carol of a thousand birds. The windows are open, and gay balconies are spreading, and orange-trees unfolding their sweetness to the breezy air. All is life and motion and joy, for the winter is past, and nothing remains of it save the snow-peaks on some distant mountains, and even they are glowing in brilliant contrast with the deep blue sky beyond them.

Lovely as the valley is in summer or autumn, it is only in spring its perfect beauty appears. The sudden burst of vegetation--the rapid transition from the frost-bound durance of winter to the life and lightness of the young season, have a most exciting and exhilarating effect. This seemed conspicuous enough in the inhabitants as they chatted merrily in the streets, or met each other with pleasant greetings. It was the hour of the post arriving, and around the little window of the office were gathered the chief celebrities of the village,--the princ.i.p.al hotel-keepers, curious to learn what tidings their correspondents gave of the prospects of the coming summer.

Everything appeared to smile on that happy moment, for as the various letters were opened, each had some good news to tell his neighbors,--now of some great English Lord, now of some Hungarian magnate or Russian Prince that was to make Baden his residence for the summer. "The Cour de Bade is all taken," said one; "There will not be a room free in all the Adler;" "The Swan must refuse the Queen of Naples,"--such were the rumors that fell from lip to lip as in hearty congratulation they talked over their good fortune.

One figure only of the a.s.sembled group seemed excepted from the general Joy. He was a large elderly man, who, in a patched and threadbare surtout, with a coa.r.s.e scarlet m.u.f.fler round his throat, appeared either distrustful of the mild season or unprovided with any change of costume to enjoy it. Seated on a stone bench in front of the window of the post-office, with an arm on each knee, and his head bent heavily forward, he never seemed to notice what went forward, nor hear one syllable of the joyous recognitions about him.

The crowd at last dispersed, the happy recipients of good news were turning homewards, and only one or two still lingered around the spot, when the old man arose and approached the window. There was something almost of shame in the way he slouched his hat over his eyes as he drew nigh and knocked timidly at the closed pane.

His summons was unheard, and yet for some time he did not repeat it,--perhaps he loved better to feed his hope even these short few moments than again fall back into the dark gloom of his despair! At last, and with a deep, hollow sigh, he tapped again.

"Have you anything for the name of Dalton,--Peter Dalton?" asked he, in a voice wherein scarcely an accent revealed the once high-hearted nature.

"Nothing," was the curt rejoinder. And the window was slammed to with impatience.

He grasped the iron railing with a convulsive grip, as though a sudden pang had shot through him, and then, by a great effort, he drew himself up to his full height; his pale and haggard face grew paler as he turned it upwards, and his bloodless lips trembled as they muttered some indistinct syllables; then turning about, he brushed abruptly past the few who stood around, and walked away.

He had not gone many paces when a boy overtook him, saying, "Come back, sir; the postmaster has two letters for you."

Dalton looked stealthily at either side, to be sure that the speech was addressed to him, and, with a fierceness that startled the boy, said, "You're certain they're for me?"

"Yes, yes; all right,--here they are," cried the postmaster from the window. "One, a soldier's letter from Munich, and free. The other is a heavier packet, and costs four florins and twelve kreutzers."

"I must be satisfied with this one, then," said Dalton, "till I go back for money. I brought no change out with me."

"No matter: you can send it," said the other.

"Maybe it's not so easy as you think," muttered Dalton to himself; while he added, aloud, "Very well, I'll do so, and thank you." And he clutched the two letters, and pressed them to his bosom.

With hurried steps he now paced homewards, but, stopping at every instant, he drew forth the packets to gaze at them, and be certain that no self-deception was over him, and that his possession was real and tangible. His gait grew more firm, as he went, and his tread, as he mounted the stairs, sounded a.s.sured and steady.

"You have a letter, father dearest," cried Nelly, as she flung wide the door. "I saw you crossing the Platz, and I know, from your walk, that you've got one."

"No, but better, Nelly--I 've two. That's from Frank; and here's Kate's, and a bulky one--four florins twelve--devil a less."

"Oh, give it to me! Let me hear of her----let me feel beside her once again!" cried Nelly. And with bursting eagerness she tore open the envelope, from which two or three sealed notes fell out. "This is from Lady 'Hester," said she; "and this a hand I do not know, but addressed to you; and here are bills or money-orders for a large sum. What can all this mean?"

"Can't you read what she says?" said Dalton, reddening, and suddenly remembering that Nelly was not aware of his having written to Kate.

"Give it to me; I 'll read it myself." And he s.n.a.t.c.hed the letter from her fingers. "There's Frank's for you."

"Oh, father, father!" cried Nelly, in a burst of grief, as she tore open Lady Hester's letter; "it is as I feared. Kate is about to be married--if she be not already married."

"Without my leave--without asking my consent!" cried Dalton, pa.s.sionately. "Am I n.o.body at all? Am I the head of the family, or am I not? Is this the way to treat her father? May I never see light, if I won't have him 'out,' if he was a Prince of the Blood! Oh, the ungrateful girl! Leave off crying there, and tell me all about it. Read me her own letter, I say----if G.o.d will give me patience to listen to it."

With a bosom almost bursting, and a lip quivering with emotion, Ellen began,--

"La Rocca, Lake of Como.

Dearest Father and Sister,--Oh that I could throw myself at your feet, and poor out all that my heart is full of---- tell you what I feel and hope and fear, and ask your counsel and your blessing. I know not if the last few days be real; my poor head is turning amid the scenes I 've pa.s.sed through and the emotions I have felt. I had no friend but Lady Hester--no adviser but she! She has been a mother to me--not as you would have been, Nelly--not to warn and restrain, when perhaps both were needed, but to encourage and feed my hopes. I yielded to her counsels--"

"I don't understand one word of this," cried Dalton, impatiently. "What did she do?"

Nelly's eyes ran rapidly over the lines without speaking; and then, in a low but distinct voice, she said,---

"It is as I said; she is betrothed to this great Russian Prince."

"That fellow, they say, owns half Moscow. Fogles told us about him."

"Prince Midchekoff."

"That's the name. Well, it's a fine match,--there's no denying it.

How did it come about? and why didn't he come here and ask my consent?

What's the meaning of doing it all in this hurry?"