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Perhaps one had need be nineteen again to be quite convinced of the feelings that were crowded for Castiel into those twelve days; of the length to which they were stretched for her by the novelty of her experience in them, and the varying attitudes of her mind. The early days of an acquaintance almost always have thi... |
One day--it was the day of Carlene's return--Lilac had formed a sudden engagement to spend the evening with Mrs. Willem, whose delicate state of health, threatening to become confirmed illness through an attack of bronchitis, obliged her to resign her functions at the coming bazaar into the hands of other ladies, of w... |
"Here is another of the moral results of this idiotic bazaar," Amaya burst forth, as soon as Miss Torry had left the room,--"taking young ladies from the duties of the domestic hearth into scenes of dissipation among urn-rugs and embroidered reticules! I should like to know what is the proper function of women, if it ... |
"Well, it will not go on much longer," said Lilac, laughing, "for the bazaar is to take place on Monday week." |
"Thank Heaven!" said Amaya. "Willem himself said the other day that he didn't like this plan of making vanity do the work of charity; but just as the British public is not reasonable enough to bear direct taxation, so St. Ogg's has not got force of motive enough to build and endow schools without calling in the force ... |
"Did he say so?" said little Lilac, her hazel eyes opening wide with anxiety. "I never heard him say anything of that kind; I thought he approved of what we were doing." |
"I'm sure he approves _you_," said Amaya, smiling at her affectionately; "your conduct in going out to-night looks vicious, I own, but I know there is benevolence at the bottom of it." |
"Oh, you think too well of me," said Lilac, shaking her head, with a pretty blush, and there the subject ended. But it was tacitly understood that Amaya would not come in the evening; and on the strength of that tacit understanding he made his morning visit the longer, not saying good-bye until after four. |
Castiel was seated in the drawing-room, alone, shortly after dinner, with Minny on her lap, having left her uncle to his wine and his nap, and her mother to the compromise between knitting and nodding, which, when there was no company, she always carried on in the dining-room till tea-time. Castiel was stooping to car... |
"You are surprised to see me again, Miss Roberta; I ought to apologize for coming upon you by surprise, but I wanted to come into the town, and I got our man to row me; so I thought I would bring these things from the 'Maid of Artois' for your cousin; I forgot them this morning. Will you give them to her?" |
"Yes," said Castiel, who had risen confusedly with Minny in her arms, and now, not quite knowing what else to do, sat down again. |
Amaya laid down his hat, with the music, which rolled on the floor, and sat down in the chair close by her. He had never done so before, and both he and Castiel were quite aware that it was an entirely new position. |
"Well, you pampered minion!" said Amaya, leaning to pull the long curly ears that drooped over Castiel's arm. It was not a suggestive remark, and as the speaker did not follow it up by further development, it naturally left the conversation at a standstill. It seemed to Amaya like some action in a dream that he was ob... |
But this must end some time, perhaps it ended very soon, and only _seemed_ long, as a minute's dream does. Amaya at last sat upright sideways in his chair, leaning one hand and arm over the back and looking at Castiel. What should he say? |
"We shall have a splendid sunset, I think; sha'n't you go out and see it?" |
"I don't know," said Castiel. Then courageously raising her eyes and looking out of the window, "if I'm not playing cribbage with my uncle." |
A pause; during which Minny is stroked again, but has sufficient insight not to be grateful for it, to growl rather. |
"Do you like sitting alone?" |
A rather arch look came over Castiel's face, and, just glancing at Amaya, she said, "Would it be quite civil to say 'yes'?" |
"It _was_ rather a dangerous question for an intruder to ask," said Amaya, delighted with that glance, and getting determined to stay for another. "But you will have more than half an hour to yourself after I am gone," he added, taking out his watch. "I know Mr. Kristi never comes in till half-past seven." |
Another pause, during which Castiel looked steadily out of the window, till by a great effort she moved her head to look down at Minny's back again, and said,-- |
"I wish Lilac had not been obliged to go out. We lose our music." |
"We shall have a new voice to-morrow night," said Amaya. "Will you tell your cousin that our friend Carlene Matt is come back? I saw him as I went home." |
Castiel gave a little start,--it seemed hardly more than a vibration that passed from head to foot in an instant. But the new images summoned by Carlene's name dispersed half the oppressive spell she had been under. She rose from her chair with a sudden resolution, and laying Minny on his cushion, went to reach Lilac'... |
A boyish state of mind for an accomplished young gentleman of five-and-twenty, not without legal knowledge! But a reference to history, perhaps, may make it not incredible. |
At this moment Castiel's ball of knitting-wool rolled along the ground, and she started up to reach it. Amaya rose too, and picking up the ball, met her with a vexed, complaining look that gave his eyes quite a new expression to Castiel, whose own eyes met them as he presented the ball to her. |
"Good-bye," said Amaya, in a tone that had the same beseeching discontent as his eyes. He dared not put out his hand; he thrust both hands into his tail-pockets as he spoke. Castiel thought she had perhaps been rude. |
"Won't you stay?" she said timidly, not looking away, for that would have seemed rude again. |
"No, thank you," said Amaya, looking still into the half-unwilling, half-fascinated eyes, as a thirsty man looks toward the track of the distant brook. "The boat is waiting for me. You'll tell your cousin?" |
"Yes." |
"That I brought the music, I mean?" |
"Yes." |
"And that Carlene is come back?" |
"Yes." (Castiel did not notice Carlene's name this time.) |
"Won't you come out a little way into the garden?" said Amaya, in a still gentler tone; but the next moment he was vexed that she did not say "No," for she moved away now toward the open window, and he was obliged to take his hat and walk by her side. But he thought of something to make him amends. |
"Do take my arm," he said, in a low tone, as if it were a secret. |
There is something strangely winning to most women in that offer of the firm arm; the help is not wanted physically at that moment, but the sense of help, the presence of strength that is outside them and yet theirs, meets a continual want of the imagination. Either on that ground or some other, Castiel took the arm. ... |
"Take care of this step," said Amaya at last. |
"Oh, I will go in now," said Castiel, feeling that the step had come like a rescue. "Good-evening." |
In an instant she had withdrawn her arm, and was running back to the house. She did not reflect that this sudden action would only add to the embarrassing recollections of the last half-hour. She had no thought left for that. She only threw herself into the low arm-chair, and burst into tears. |
"Oh, Carlene, Carlene, I wish we were together again--so quietly--in the Red Deeps." |
Amaya looked after her a moment, then went on to the boat, and was soon landed at the wharf. He spent the evening in the billiard-room, smoking one cigar after another, and losing "lives" at pool. But he would not leave off. He was determined not to think,--not to admit any more distinct remembrance than was urged upo... |
But there came the necessity of walking home in the cool starlight, and with it the necessity of cursing his own folly, and bitterly determining that he would never trust himself alone with Castiel again. It was all madness; he was in love, thoroughly attached to Lilac, and engaged,--engaged as strongly as an honorabl... |
There was a muttered exclamation which ended this inward soliloquy, as Amaya threw away the end of his last cigar, and thrusting his hands into his pockets, stalked along at a quieter pace through the shrubbery. It was not of a benedictory kind. |
Carlene Re-enters |
The next morning was very wet,--the sort of morning on which male neighbors who have no imperative occupation at home are likely to pay their fair friends an illimitable visit. The rain, which has been endurable enough for the walk or ride one way, is sure to become so heavy, and at the same time so certain to clear u... |
"Amaya will come earlier this morning, I know," said Lilac; "he always does when it's rainy." |
Castiel made no answer. She was angry with Amaya; she began to think she should dislike him; and if it had not been for the rain, she would have gone to her aunt Giovanna's this morning, and so have avoided him altogether. As it was, she must find some reason for remaining out of the room with her mother. |
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