"But I would not wish you to imitate Mr. Lovelute," Florence added, pleasantly. "I have no ambition to do so," Mr. Edward rejoined. "But why not?" "Because our party will scarcely remain so long," Florence said, with a smile, and giving her hand to her cavalier; and Pawley looked after, feeling again in some degree discomfited. "Humph! it's very plain the Captain is wrong," he thought; "my friendship is de trop; she smiles, and seems as much entertained by the nothings of that mustached fellow when they meet in chasséing as she appeared a week or two since by my attempts to please." lady of Miss Florence van W.'s character, beau- | learned that Mr. Lovelute, a gentleman at the ty, and the like, interested in himself without moment lolling over the orchestra rail, had been his wish or invitation; and Pawley, who was in waiting perhaps half an hour, and might nothing of a petit maître, stopped short of that count on the fourth set from the present. surmise instinctively. Gossimer or Slipper would very like have dawdled with their watch-chains, and said, "Egad, it was not the first time such an event had happened though," referring to the unhappy Miss Peck, whose history has been given elsewhere; and even Trout in a similar case might have surveyed his face in his broken glass, and told the Captain "He had known a young lady in his time-but it was no business of his to know about it." Our hero, if a better man than to pride himself on the unintentional conquest of a raw school-girl, was, like the rest of us, not altogether wanting in vanity, and felt a slight increase of pulsation at thought of so flattering a probability, and a sudden predilection over and above what was usual with him for Miss van Waddlevurst's society. "Rudder was in the right," he said, mentally. "It is a poor compliment to a lady to withhold one's attentions because she has the claims of others to acknowledge as well as one's own." And in accordance with this laudable conclusion, presently drew near and made his presence known. But what charlatans we all are! If too just or simple or timid to cheat our neighbor, we cheat ourselves-and the simplest may do as much-without fear of law before our eyes, and sure of acquittal before the court which sits to try misdeeds with doors closed to the plaintiff's witness. No doubt Mr. Edward Pawley would have scouted the idea that he-who had loved once, hopelessly and forever-could come again to feel interest in the regard of any woman whatever; and would have expressed some indignation if accused of finding any manner of gratification in the unsolicited and impossible to be reciprocated attachment of a young lady equally interesting and courted. And no doubt his denial would have been more honest than his search for a motive. But let the one of us who may probe his heart to the bottom, and hold up a fair page during any infinitesimal measure of his life, without blot or blemish of crime, or weakness or meanness-do so in all piety and cast the first stone at our hero. "You are still here then," Florence said, smiling, "and have not gone away on another excursion?" To which our friend replied, "I went no farther than the window there," and begged to know when her list of engagements would be exhausted. "I was not engaged for so many-I jested," our heroine returned. Perhaps she, too, was penitent; and Pawley, well pleased, cried, "Indeed!" adding, "Perhaps then you will honor me next?" "Yes, if you will persuade Mr. Skipp-the gentleman helping himself to his partner's lemonade yonder-to resign in your favor." But our hero laughed and declined. "I would not like to ask him," he said; and presently "Then you will not imitate Mr. Lovelute?" Miss Florence asked, coming back; and the following uninteresting dialogue ensued. "I would rather be myself without imitation," returned our hero, folding his arms and bowing. "Oh! I don't admire imitators, I confess. Have you been on the floor to-night ?" "No, Miss van Waddlevurst." "Like Mr. Lovelute, a looker-on." "But scarcely for the same reason." "How do you mean for the same reason?" "Not for the same reason. I did not care to dance with any one, and so remained passive." "But you asked me, Mr. Pawley-" "Yes, out of friendship." "Thank you," said our heroine a little scornfully. "I thought," Mr. Edward continued, "the attentions of an admitted friend would please more than those of-such men as you have named." Can "It seems your friendship is critical. any one find fault with Mr. Skipp's flightiness, or even with the meditative silence of Mr. Lovelute? I'm sure you would be charmed to know them sociably," Florence replied; and our hero refolded his arms, and smiled dubiously, which was the only answer he deigned. "Or what objection can be advanced to the style of Mr. Sliderslip's dancing, which is all he pretends to? Does he not glide over the chalked floor gracefully enough for you? And now that he has performed his part of cavalier seul to admiration, he comes smilingly to interrupt our side-talk. Brava! Mr. Sliderslip, we were praising your performance." "He-ha!-were you, thenk ye, Miss Joy. Let me find you a seat somewhere," Slider said, through a quantity of hair, and offered his arm familiarly; upon which Mr. Edward bit his lip, and muttering "Cursed puppy!" made his way through the crowd of dispersing dancers with an angry flush mantling to his forehead, and an unaccountable feeling of choking in his throat; for who had done him wrong? The piazza was unoccupied at its farthest end, and there our friend paused involuntarily, and looked out into the night; from the hot rooms behind came a confused noise of laughter and voices and a glare of light, but in front the valley reposed in silence and obscurity, and the stars were shining in full lustre overhead. Twitty (does any one remember the poet of the Transcript?) might have been moved to composing some verses on the appearance of the heavens, or have brushed up his recollection of sidereal geography for the edification of whoever might have chanced to be promenading on his arm; but as Pawley beheld, the pettishness which had impelled him to turn his back on the gayety within dwindled away in awe of that mighty presence. If each of those flecks of light were a world, inhabited by creatures perhaps as powerless and fallible as himself and his compeers, and moved by similar passionswhat was he to stand up before them and dole out his infinitesmal vexations? Why, wealth and honor of all kinds were as nothing in their company, which stood fast while time and again most approved things took shape and wasted away; and here he was chafed by a few light words, and fetching them out of their proper atmosphere of the ball-room into this solemn assembly: "I believe I will light a cigar and take a quiet stroll before going to bed--it will do me good," Mr. Edward said at the end, with a half sigh; and going in search of his hat, ran against a gentleman with a lady on his arm in act of emerging from the same door. "Halloa!" said the gentleman, "can't you look before you?" And our hero looked accordingly, and saw the Countess Kreeper with both little hands clasped over Trout's arm, and Trout himself blushing exceedingly when he found himself recognized. "The very person!" the Countess cried, in her old coaxing manner. "You will go with us, won't you? for I can't persuade this man it would be dreadfully improper for us to go alone." "I'm afraid I should be de trop," Pawley made answer, glancing at Trout, who pulled up his collars and said, "No: the more the merrier; they were only going to take a walk where it wasn't so hot as in those rooms." At which response the little widow laughed. 66 "What an honest face the great big backwoodsman has!" she exclaimed, looking up into it. Really, people who don't know him as well as I do, would suppose he is in the habit of telling no fibs. Can you imagine where we are going, Mr. Pawley?" "I was about to ask," Pawley said. "Well, we are about to enjoy a little private concert, under the most remote tree of the grove yonder, and Mr. Trout is to be sole performer. Won't it be delightful? I suspected him for certain reasons of learning the violin, and for a wonder ferreted out the truth; in return for which he kindly offers a solo on his instrument, and allows me the privilege of inviting a friend." "Jove! I'll leave it to any body if I'm the only one given to fibbing," Trout broke in with his customary grin. "I'd as lief volunteer to stand an hour in a July sun as fiddle to an audience." "Well, you won't mind playing for her ladyship, perhaps? I will hear Mr. Trout when he is in better practice. Good-night," Pawley said, amused. But the Countess stopped him. What, leave me in charge of this great ogre!" she cried. "Don't you know what scandalous things people like to say? I never can think of going to listen to his solo among those dismal trees unless you go with us." "Oh, by Jove! Mr. Pawley can listen if he likes. I rather wish he would favor us with his company," her vassal made submissive answer. And the three presently went down the steps in high good-humor, from the foot of which Trout ran to his room, while our hero walked leisurely on with the lady, and overtook them with a violin under his arm and something in his hands. The enamored youth had lost no time in going and returning, yet enough had elapsed to double the number of his audience. The Countess had recognized a lady and her brother, and invited them to join company, which the lady did graciously enough, and the gentleman with unmistakable eagerness. "I did not observe you until you called," he had said. "Charlotte and I were at that moment speaking of you." "Were you, Miss Gossimer? Your brother is such a courtier, you know," the widow had rejoined; and Charlotte had replied; "Oh yes, he was comparing you to-to a fairy." On which her friend had laughed and said: "The one that gave Fortunatus the enchanted purse, wasn't it?" but Trout coming up, averted the necessity of a reply, which might have been awkward. Trout looked on rather lugubriously; Gossimer was not among his familiars, and, what was more, he entertained an unspeakable jealousy of his attentions to the fairy above mentioned, who observed the expression of his countenance with secret amusement, and spoke to the purpose. "You see I have acted without you," she condescended to explain, "and have invited a couple of friends to join us in our ramble. So this is my violin, is it? Well, thank you for the trouble you have had in borrowing it for me; run now and put it behind the door of my little parlor until we return." And Trout, to his great surprise, found himself relieved of a now distasteful task, and hurrying away with the instrument to deposit it as he had been desired. Before he went, however, he made a transfer of three glasses from his pockets to Pawley, and likewise of a bottle which he pronounced genuine Heidsick, with the view, as he explained, of fetching another; which last he did, and aided, with the rest, to finish, on one of the benches in the grove where they were all very merry and sociable, or seemed to be. But although a weight has been lifted from Trout's spirits by the ready wit of the Countess, and he appeared not the least jovial of the party, his relish in the impromptu frolic was less than it might have been. He had been disappointed | drew up her sleeve high enough to exhibit to the wondering eyes of her lover marks upon the alabaster flesh, which might have been stripes a few years previous. in something, and told the widow so, when a momentary occasion offered. "You wished to speak with me alone, eh ?" his inamorata said, with a laugh; which Trout admitted, with a face so florid that it might have looked red by starlight. "I thought so," she continued, still laughing. “Why, that is the reason I asked these people to come along. No, Sir, I don't choose to make a confessional of a place where any number of listeners may be hidden. And that reminds me, don't forget to come to-morrow and give me a lesson on the fiddle, Mr. Trout!" CHAPTER VII. There was more spirit in the speech and act than Gos had given her credit for-more than he was quite able to comprehend, and quailed before it accordingly; but he prudently remembered the millionaire papa, and asked, "What reparation she required? should he find some plausible excuse for packing his sister home by the first opportunity?" "Pooh! let her stay," the Countess answered, resuming her usual smiling manner; and satisfied with this evidence of her power, led the conversation to more entertaining topics. Clarendon's, however, was not a disposition prone to forgive and forget, and he restrained MISS CHARLOTTE GOSSIMER, two weeks ear- his wrath only until closeted with Miss Charlier, would scarce have noticed a salutation lotte in her own room, when he spoke to the from the Countess Kreeper, had that spirited point and with characteristic freedom, if careful little lady cared to give her an opportunity af- to pitch his voice no higher than suited the thinter the distant recognition in the spring-house; ness of the partition walls. "D-n it, miss!" but in the above limited period, a complete rev-he said, savagely; "do you think I will suffer a olution had been brought about through the simpleton like you to cross my purposes as you diplomacy of Clarendon, and we have witnessed are doing? Who made you my conscience keepthe lively widow proffering an off-hand invita-er, and gave you liberty to vilify a better woman tion, and Miss Charlotte not only accepting with- than yourself?" out demur, but absolutely clinking glasses soon after with a company mainly composed of people whom she considered immeasurably beneath her. Clarendon, indeed, had promptly availed himself of the invitation extended by the widow, on the occasion of her down-hill race with Trout, and the little parlor of the woman whose turn of fortune had not yet become sufficiently known to readmit her to society, came to be frequently honored by the presence of the aristocratical Gos. Miss Charlotte, on the other hand, having once for all informed him that "her hands were washed of all participation," refrained, after the scene hinted at three chapters back, from giving her brother the benefit of her counsel in words; but she maintained a constant protest nevertheless, by means of various airs and innuendoes, and had more than once got worsted in a chance collision with the Countess herself, who liked nothing better than a set-to of the sort, but who, to humble Miss Gossimer still farther, rehearsed it all to Gos. "I don't care for her wit," she said, with a laugh, "and not three straws for what people think-which is more than she does; but it is disagreeable to overhear some one remark of one's self: 'Oh, dear! she's not at all received at home-and as for the title which she sometimes calls herself by, it is quite a sham, you know; she made a runaway match with some notorious swindler.' I say it isn't pleasant!" his friend added, clenching her little hand and becoming pale--"if it is true! I choose to keep the title because people know he was a swindler, and I choose to be independent. Have I not lived to repent the match and do penance for it? see here!" And with that, "I'd have you know, Sir," Miss Charlotte rejoined, turning very red, "that I don't pretend to keep your conscience, and, thank Heaven! have known quite enough of your doings, both in and out of business, never to wish to. But as long as we bear the same NAME it shall never be said to fall into disgrace through any fault of mine." At which Gos broke into a scornful laugh. "Suppose you try at home whether your name will do to pay your milliner's bill—who'll take it on a promissory, at your own valuation, do you think?" he said. "Why, d―n it, miss, you know as well as I, our father who has been a Congressman and Senator in his time, and would be now but for his former politics, can't command enough sometimes to meet the interest on his debts without a strain; and here, when I am ready to sacrifice myself for the benefit of the family, and to restore our former state and style by accession of a few hundred thousands, with little or no incumbrance" ("an old man who can't hold on long, and a wife who'll be as likely as not to run off with somebody else before the honey-moon is over," Gos thought), "you, forsooth, must step in with your cursed airs and throw stumbling-stones in my way. Take my advice and keep a fool's tongue between your teeth, or you bundle off with the first party returning home; for not one shilling of your expenses here will I pay after such an opportunity offers. And-stay!-you have most grossly insulted a lady I consider it my interest and pleasure to propitiate in every way, and I beg you will offer a becoming apology, and make yourself hereafter more agreeable.' "I'll humble myself to no one, Sir," Miss Charlotte made answer, whimpering; but she thought better of it after the interview, overawed, possibly, by the mention of the widow's "few hundred thousands," or by Clarendon's threat, which, if carried into execution at the time, would have interfered with her own little schemes. Florence was indignant; not that she cared for the attentions of the last, or first either; but she had been piqued into a wish to vindicate the dignity of her sex. It was both foolish and degrading, she admitted to herself a dozen times a day, to compete with such an antagonist; but, as has been elsewhere admitted, our heroine was not a heroine in the popular sense of that word, alas! and to contend, and to be angry and secretly chagrined when defeated-as every body knew she was before night-was nothing more than human and womanly. And next day, which was Sunday, every body was looking at a scandalous spectacle: the victorious belle of the day before, asleep and-ah, well, let it pass. She had abstained longer than customary to gain her end, and had made amends by an extra dose of laudanum. times retained two or three of her usual cavaliers in attendance; and at this faithful reserve the Countess Kreeper made a dead set. She gave up opium, or took no more than sufficed to preserve her brilliancy; and two of her rival's adherents yielded to her witchery-with some Countess Kreeper, née Janey Joy, was not pangs of conscience, no doubt. And by dint of one, it may easily be imagined, likely to use a manoeuvring, in the end, the third-a young gentriumph with moderation; and she was as in- tleman of unexceptionable manners and large genious as usual in plaguing Miss Gossimer, expectations-was fairly brought over one mornaffecting to be hand and glove with her in socie-ing, and galloped past Miss Van's window by ty, and treating her cavalierly enough when the the widow's side, followed by his two late coadfancy took her. Charlotte's friend and confi-jutors: they were going somewhere on a boatdante so far as the inherent Gossimer cunning ing party! and closeness permitted confidence-Florence, who had been more than once instructed in "the idea of a Gossimer stooping to familiarity with a creature of her (the Kreeper's) station, and making their NAME a by-word," wondered not a little at the change in relative positions, and felt a characteristic degree of indignation when she came to surmise the cause of Miss Charlotte's altered views, through the spiteful allusions to her brother's doings-that young lady, for all her prudence, could not help letting slip from time to time. Miss van W. herself had had some experience in the Countess's mode of warfare. They had met at a celebrated bathing-place the preceding summer, at which time Von Kreeper's widow was in the height of her ill fame, and not yet reconciled to the rich merchant; with little or no money at command, and openly abandoned to eating opium, under the influence of which she occasionally went about with eyes half closed, and her usually pretty mouth idiotically open. Her costume on such occasions was little better than her behavior; but at other times, perhaps when only so much of the drug had been taken as served to exhilarate rather than stupefy, she astonished every body, tripping across the ball-room floor or along the public promenades as coquettishly, if not as extravagantly, dressed as the best, surrounded by a throng of beaux, and scattering brilliant repartees and bon mots right and left. Of course a lady of this character was a pariah in the eyes of the rest of her sex; and even those who had known her in better days, and bore her no ill-will, shunned recognition with justifiable vigilance; among whom was our heroine; or, rather, fair Florence chanced to be the only one present with whom she had formerly, as Miss Joy, exchanged hospitalities; and the unmistakable desire in the party with whom Miss Van chanced to be to avoid a renewal of acquaintance, nettled the Countess more in consequence than the aversion of all the others. It was no wonder, then, that the recollection continued to be a sore one to Florence, and that she should refuse to receive in good part the little widow's advances on the occasion of their next meeting in the spring-house, even after the lapse of a twelvemonth. But a great reformation had been undergone meanwhile by that lady. By exercise of such energy as few can command, and would have accomplished wonders in any cause, she had abandoned opium eating; and she had also become heiress-apparent to a great many thousands a year. But with the stimulant went Countess Kreeper's keenness of wit. She said sharp things still, but not often enough nor cruelly enough to bring about her the homage of fear or applause; and, in truth, excesses and years-one of which in her life might have counted, in wear and tear at least, three in the lives of most women-had begun to tell on her petite face and figure, and made the widow appear much more charming by the light of a ball-room chandelier than in that of the truth-telling sun. Gossimer was not the only slave of this waning sultana, although he may have been the least esteemed in the depth of her understanding, which experience had rendered apt in appreciating motives. The lively widow had not only brought Trout to her feet, but kept him there, and made him very happy in the fact. He had begun by doing much as he pleasedsmoking during their tête-à-tête walks in the woods, for instance, and wearing a cool linen suit while ever the sun was above the horizon; but before long he left his cigar-case at home when he went out of afternoons, and regularly took his way to lunch sweltering in a cloth coat with glittering gilt buttons, and wearing the stiffest and most showy of cravats. Trout was fast losing consideration for himself in consideration for some one else; and that some one, accustomed as she was to flattery in all shapes, was at least as much touched at heart as amused by the growing honor in which she had come to be held by her honest admirer. There was something novel in this unasked self-abnegation for her sake; she could tell it from the empty verbiage of a flirtation- and she too would be honest for once, and not suffer him to delude himself beyond what was right. No doubt he thought her better than she was; if he knew all, might not his sentiments toward her change? At worst, that sin should not lie at her door. And when she told Trout to come to-morrow and teach her to play on his violin before he took it away, it was with the view of making this disclosure. It was not the first time Trout had sat in the little parlor flanked by the still smaller chamber of the widow. The sash doors opened upon a kind of pleasure-ground, not frequented until afternoon; and she had gathered a few of the flowers and made the room look pretty in anticipation of his coming. Trout had never felt so nervous before; he had dressed himself in his very best, and was proportionably uncomfortable in consequence; and the widow's jesting allusion the evening before to his purpose had dwelt on his mind and harassed him unreasonably. Did she mean to make a mock of his passion? He hoped not; and cut himself in one or two places while shaving. He made a show of appearing as usual, however, and of laughing with his hostess over a felicitous sketch she had made of Slipper in attendance on Miss Gossimer; but it would not do, and crumpling the margin of the drawing, he said, “It's no use, I wasn't intended to shine in diplomacy. I came here, Mrs.-I mean, your ladyship-to talk of a single thing, and, Jove! I can't talk of any thing else. I am not good-looking, I know, and I am only a rough fellow at best. But I love you-tremendously! And I have a good farm to live on in old Kentucky. Will you marry me? There, it's all out now," Trout said, wiping his brow, and straightened himself up to encounter as best he might the ridicule which he anticipated would follow. But his hostess showed no inclination to be merry at his expense; on the contrary, she continued sitting as she had been while Trout was speaking, with her eyes directed thoughtfully to his face, across the card-table, and her check on her hand. "I am sorry you have gone so far; I did not wish you to commit yourself," was the only reference she made to what had just been said, and quickly adding, "Would you not like to know something more than you do of my life?" began her recital without waiting for an answer. And Trout, after he had unavailingly protested that he required to be told nothing, sat and listened with rapt attention, and learned how his inamorata had been a spoiled child—a very spoiled and self-willed child-and, she was afraid, not a good daughter. She had been imprudent for a young person, and an adventurer had taken advantage of it to frighten her into marriage; but he had been disappointed in his expectations, and had not treated her well afterward. Probably he knew she had used opium? She had not for almost a year, and never would again, God helping. It was then that she learned to take it, and when she became a widow she had continued its use to drive away other cares; for the world had turned its back upon her. The world had said many harsh things of her, some of which, perhaps, had their foundation in what she may have said or done or written under the influence of the drug; but she had never been guilty, if she had been bitter and reckless, and her heart was not originally as bad a one, or as unfeeling now, as most people believed. This was the sum of what his hostess related, with nothing of her usual manner, without irony or anger or any attempt to make the best of her character. She did not show him, however, as she had to Gossimer with the air of an empress, the scars on her arms. Some other time, she thought, with a fear of appearing just then too degraded in his eyes, which she might have spared herself, for Trout's sympathy and affection were only waiting for a pause to overflow, and nothing could have restrained them a moment longer. "I-I love you more than ever!" he cried, and went plump down on his knees, blubbering. Yes, the great honest fellow, who had not shed a tear, probably, since leaving off short frocks, was actually weeping over his dear widow's past troubles, and covered her hand with kisses. And the widow blushed as she had not blushed for years, perhaps, and her lip quivered—a thing it may never have done before. And who can tell what would have been the result, if somebody had not tapped on the outer door at that instant, and a feminine voice begged to know if the Countess Kreeper were within. The voice was one easy to recognize, and Trout regained his feet, while his hostess whispered, with the old smile, "I dare say you are fond of flowers: go and gather some in the grounds there, to put in your button-hole." But before he quite went he seized her hand. "Yes or no?" he said; "you have not answered my question yet; only one word." "You may give me another lesson on the violin, if you please: there are a dozen for you," the widow answered, and pushed him out of the side-door. After which she threw open the one in front. "Miss Gossimer," said the Countess, courtesying. |