Endymion - Benjamin Disraeli
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CHAPTER XLIII
Lady Montfort heard with great satisfaction from Mr. Neuchatel that Lord
Roehampton was going to pay a visit to Hainault at Easter, and that he
had asked himself. She playfully congratulated Mrs. Neuchatel on the
subject, and spoke as if the affair was almost concluded. That lady,
however, received the intimation with a serious, not to say distressed
countenance. She said that she should be grieved to lose Adriana under
any circumstances; but if her marriage in time was a necessity, she
trusted she might be united to some one who would not object to becoming
a permanent inmate of their house. What she herself desired for her
daughter was a union with some clergyman, and if possible, the rector
of their own parish. But it was too charming a dream to realise. The
rectory at Hainault was almost in the Park, and was the prettiest house
in the world, with the most lovely garden. She herself much preferred it
to the great mansion--and so on.
Lady Montfort stared at her with impatient astonishment, and then said,
"Your daughter, Mrs. Neuchatel, ought to make an alliance which would
place her at the head of society."
"What a fearful destiny," said Mrs. Neuchatel, "for any one, but
overwhelming for one who must feel the whole time that she occupies a
position not acquired by her personal qualities!"
"Adriana is pretty," said Lady Montfort. "I think her more than pretty;
she is highly accomplished and in every way pleasing. What can you
mean, then, my dear madam, by supposing she would occupy a position not
acquired by her personal qualities?"
Mrs. Neuchatel sighed and shook her head, and then said, "We need not
have any controversy on this subject. I have no reason to believe there
is any foundation for my fears. We all like and admire Lord Roehampton.
It is impossible not to admire and like him. So great a man, and yet so
gentle and so kind, so unaffected--I would say, so unsophisticated; but
he has never given the slightest intimation, either to me or her father,
that he seriously admired Adriana, and I am sure if he had said anything
to her she would have told us."
"He is always here," said Lady Montfort, "and he is a man who used to go
nowhere except for form. Besides, I know that he admires her, that he is
in love with her, and I have not a doubt that he has invited himself to
Hainault in order to declare his feelings to her."
"How very dreadful!" exclaimed Mrs. Neuchatel. "What are we to do?"
"To do!" said Lady Montfort; "why, sympathise with his happiness, and
complete it. You will have a son-in-law of whom you may well be proud,
and Adriana a husband who, thoroughly knowing the world, and women, and
himself, will be devoted to her; will be a guide and friend, a guide
that will never lecture, and a friend who will always charm, for there
is no companion in the world like him, and I think I ought to know,"
added Lady Montfort, "for I always tell him that I was the last of his
conquests, and I shall ever be grateful to him for his having spared to
me so much of his society."
"Adriana on this matter will decide for herself," said Mrs. Neuchatel,
in a serious tone, and with a certain degree of dignity. "Neither Mr.
Neuchatel, nor myself, have ever attempted to control her feelings in
this respect."
"Well, I am now about to see Adriana," said Lady Montfort; "I know she
is at home. If I had not been obliged to go to Princedown, I would have
asked you to let me pass Easter at Hainault myself."
On this very afternoon, when Myra, who had been walking in Regent's Park
with her brother, returned home, she found Adriana agitated, and really
in tears.
"What is all this, dearest?" inquired her friend.
"I am too unhappy," sobbed Adriana, and then she told Myra that she had
had a visit from Lady Montfort, and all that had occurred in it. Lady
Montfort had absolutely congratulated her on her approaching alliance
with Lord Roehampton, and when she altogether disclaimed it, and
expressed her complete astonishment at the supposition, Lady Montfort
had told her she was not justified in giving Lord Roehampton so
much encouragement and trifling with a man of his high character and
position.
"Fancy my giving encouragement to Lord Roehampton!" exclaimed Adriana,
and she threw her arms round the neck of the friend who was to console
her.
"I agree with Lady Montfort," said Myra, releasing herself with
gentleness from her distressed friend. "It may have been unconsciously
on your part, but I think you have encouraged Lord Roehampton. He is
constantly conversing with you, and he is always here, where he never
was before, and, as Lady Montfort says, why should he have asked himself
to pass the Easter at Hainault if it were not for your society?"
"He invited himself to Hainault, because he is so fond of papa," said
Adriana.
"So much the better, if he is to be your husband. That will be an
additional element of domestic happiness."
"O Myra! that you should say such things!" exclaimed Adriana.
"What things?"
"That I should marry Lord Roehampton."
"I never said anything of the kind. Whom you should marry is a question
you must decide for yourself. All that I said was, that if you marry
Lord Roehampton, it is fortunate he is so much liked by Mr. Neuchatel."
"I shall not marry Lord Roehampton," said Adriana with some
determination, "and if he has condescended to think of marrying me," she
continued, "as Lady Montfort says, I think his motives are so
obvious that if I felt for him any preference it would be immediately
extinguished."
"Ah! now you are going to ride your hobby, my dear Adriana. On that
subject we never can agree; were I an heiress, I should have as little
objection to be married for my fortune as my face. Husbands, as I have
heard, do not care for the latter too long. Have more confidence in
yourself, Adriana. If Lord Roehampton wishes to marry you, it is that he
is pleased with you personally, that he appreciates your intelligence,
your culture, your accomplishments, your sweet disposition, and your
gentle nature. If in addition to these gifts you have wealth, and even
great wealth, Lord Roehampton will not despise it, will not--for I
wish to put it frankly--be uninfluenced by the circumstances, for Lord
Roehampton is a wise man; but he would not marry you if he did not
believe that you would make for him a delightful companion in life, that
you would adorn his circle and illustrate his name."
"Ah! I see you are all in the plot against me," said Adriana. "I have no
friend."
"My dear Adriana, I think you are unreasonable; I could say even
unkind."
"Oh! pardon me, dear Myra," said Adriana, "but I really am so very
unhappy."
"About what? You are your own mistress in this matter. If you do not
like to marry Lord Roehampton, nobody will attempt to control you. What
does it signify what Lady Montfort says? or anybody else, except your
own parents, who desire nothing but your happiness? I should never have
mentioned Lord Roehampton to you had you not introduced the subject
yourself. And all that I meant to say was, what I repeat, that your
creed that no one can wish to marry you except for your wealth is a
morbid conviction, and must lead to unhappiness; that I do not believe
that Lord Roehampton is influenced in his overture, if he make one, by
any unworthy motive, and that any woman whose heart is disengaged should
not lightly repudiate such an advance from such a man, by which, at all
events, she should feel honoured."
"But my heart is engaged," said Adriana in an almost solemn tone.
"Oh! that is quite a different thing!" said Myra, turning pale.
"Yes!" said Adriana; "I am devoted to one whose name I cannot now
mention, perhaps will never mention, but I am devoted to him. Yes!"
she added with fire, "I am not altogether so weak a thing as the Lady
Montforts and some other persons seem to think me--I can feel and decide
for myself, and it shall never be said of me that I purchased love."
CHAPTER XLIV
There was to be no great party at Hainault; Lord Roehampton particularly
wished that there should be no fine folks asked, and especially no
ambassadors. All that he wanted was to enjoy the fresh air, and to
ramble in the forest, of which he had heard so much, with the young
ladies.
"And, by the by, Miss Ferrars," said Mr. Neuchatel, "we must let what
we were talking about the other day drop. Adriana has been with me quite
excited about something Lady Montfort said to her. I soothed her and
assured her she should do exactly as she liked, and that neither I nor
her mother had any other wishes on such a subject than her own. The fact
is, I answered Lady Montfort originally only half in earnest. If the
thing might have happened, I should have been content--but it really
never rested on my mind, because such matters must always originate with
my daughter. Unless they come from her, with me they are mere fancies.
But now I want you to help me in another matter, if not more grave, more
businesslike. My lord must be amused, although it is a family party.
He likes his rubber; that we can manage. But there must be two or three
persons that he is not accustomed to meet, and yet who will interest
him. Now, do you know, Miss Ferrars, whom I think of asking?"
"Not I, my dear sir."
"What do you think of the colonel?" said Mr. Neuchatel, looking in her
face with a rather laughing eye.
"Well, he is very agreeable," said Myra, "and many would think
interesting, and if Lord Roehampton does not know him, I think he would
do very well."
"Well, but Lord Roehampton knows all about him," said Mr. Neuchatel.
"Well, that is an advantage," said Myra.
"I do not know," said Mr. Neuchatel. "Life is a very curious thing, eh,
Miss Ferrars? One cannot ask one person to meet another even in one's
own home, without going through a sum of moral arithmetic."
"Is it so?" said Myra.
"Well, Miss Ferrars," said Mr. Neuchatel, "I want your advice and I want
your aid; but then it is a long story, at which I am rather a bad hand,"
and Mr. Neuchatel hesitated. "You know," he said, suddenly resuming,
"you once asked me who Colonel Albert was."
"But I do not ask you now," said Myra, "because I know."
"Hah, hah!" exclaimed Mr. Neuchatel, much surprised.
"And what you want to know is," continued Myra, "whether Lord Roehampton
would have any objection to meet Prince Florestan?"
"That is something; but that is comparatively easy. I think I can manage
that. But when they meet--that is the point. But, in the first place,
I should like very much to know how you became acquainted with the
secret."
"In a very natural way; my brother was my information," she replied.
"Ah! now you see," continued Mr. Neuchatel, with a serious air, "a word
from Lord Roehampton in the proper quarter might be of vast importance
to the prince. He has a large inheritance, and he has been kept out of
it unjustly. Our house has done what we could for him, for his mother,
Queen Agrippina, was very kind to my father, and the house of Neuchatel
never forgets its friends. But we want something else, we want the
British Government to intimate that they will not disapprove of the
restitution of the private fortune of the prince. I have felt my way
with the premier; he is not favourable; he is prejudiced against the
prince; and so is the cabinet generally; and yet all difficulties would
vanish at a word from Lord Roehampton."
"Well, this is a good opportunity for you to speak to him," said Myra.
"Hem!" said Mr. Neuchatel, "I am not so sure about that. I like Lord
Roehampton, and, between ourselves, I wish he were first minister. He
understands the Continent, and would keep things quiet. But, do you
know, Miss Ferrars, with all his playful, good-tempered manner, as if he
could not say a cross word or do an unkind act, he is a very severe man
in business. Speak to him on business, and he is completely changed.
His brows knit, he penetrates you with the terrible scrutiny of that
deep-set eye; he is more than stately, he is austere. I have been up to
him with deputations--the Governor of the Bank, and all the first men in
the City, half of them M.P.s, and they trembled before him like aspens.
No, it will not do for me to speak to him, it will spoil his visit. I
think the way will be this; if he has no objection to meet the prince,
we must watch whether the prince makes a favourable impression on him,
and if that is the case, and Lord Roehampton likes him, what we must do
next is this--_you_ must speak to Lord Roehampton."
"I!"
"Yes, Miss Ferrars, you. Lord Roehampton likes ladies. He is never
austere to them, even if he refuses their requests, and sometimes he
grants them. I thought first of Mrs. Neuchatel speaking to him, but my
wife will never interfere in anything in which money is concerned; then
I thought Adriana might express a hope when they were walking in the
garden, but now that is all over; and so you alone remain. I have great
confidence in you," added Mr. Neuchatel, "I think you would do it very
well. Besides, my lord rather likes you, for I have observed him often
go and sit by you at parties, at our house."
"Yes, he is very high-bred in that," said Myra, gravely and rather
sadly; "and the fact of my being a dependent, I have no doubt,
influences him."
"We are all dependents in this house," said Mr. Neuchatel with his
sweetest smile; "and I depend upon Miss Ferrars."
Affairs on the whole went on in a promising manner. The weather was
delightful, and Lord Roehampton came down to Hainault just in time for
dinner, the day after their arrival, and in the highest spirits. He
seemed to be enjoying a real holiday; body and mind were in a like state
of expansion; he was enchanted with the domain; he was delighted with
the mansion, everything pleased and gratified him, and he pleased and
gratified everybody. The party consisted only of themselves, except one
of the nephews, with whom indeed Lord Roehampton was already acquainted;
a lively youth, a little on the turf, not too much, and this suited Lord
Roehampton, who was a statesman of the old aristocratic school, still
bred horses, and sometimes ran one, and in the midst of an European
crisis could spare an hour to Newmarket. Perhaps it was his only
affectation.
Mrs. Neuchatel, by whom he was seated, had the happy gift of
conversation; but the party was of that delightful dimension, that it
permitted talk to be general. Myra sate next to Lord Roehampton, and
he often addressed her. He was the soul of the feast, and yet it is
difficult to describe his conversation; it was a medley of graceful
whim, interspersed now and then with a very short anecdote of a very
famous person, or some deeply interesting reminiscence of some critical
event. Every now and then he appealed to Adriana, who sate opposite to
him in the round table, and she trusted that her irrepressible smiles
would not be interpreted into undue encouragement.
Lord Roehampton had no objection to meet Prince Florestan, provided
there were no other strangers, and the incognito was observed. He rather
welcomed the proposal, observing he liked to know public men personally;
so, you can judge of their calibre, which you never can do from books
and newspapers, or the oral reports of their creatures or their enemies.
And so on the next day Colonel Albert was expected.
Lord Roehampton did not appear till luncheon; he had received so many
boxes from Downing Street which required his attention. "Business will
follow one," he said; "yesterday I thought I had baffled it. I do not
like what I shall do without my secretaries. I think I shall get you
young ladies to assist me."
"You cannot have better secretaries," said Mr. Neuchatel; "Miss Ferrars
often helps me."
Then what was to be done after luncheon? Would he ride, or would he
drive? And where should they drive and ride to? But Lord Roehampton did
not much care to drive, and was tired of riding. He would rather walk
and ramble about Hainault. He wanted to see the place, and the forest
and the fern, and perhaps hear one of those nightingales that they had
talked of in Portland Place. But Mrs. Neuchatel did not care to walk,
and Mr. Neuchatel, though it was a holiday in the City, had a great many
letters to write, and so somehow or other it ended in Lord Roehampton
and the two young ladies walking out together, and remaining so long
and so late, that Mrs. Neuchatel absolutely contemplated postponing the
dinner hour.
"We shall just be in time, dear Mrs. Neuchatel," said Myra; "Lord
Roehampton has gone up to his rooms. We have heard a nightingale, and
Lord Roehampton insisted upon our sitting on the trunk of a tree till it
ceased--and it never ceased."
Colonel Albert, who had arrived, was presented to Lord Roehampton before
dinner. Lord Roehampton received him with stately courtesy. As Myra
watched, not without interest, the proceeding, she could scarcely
believe, as she marked the lofty grace and somewhat haughty mien of Lord
Roehampton, that it could be the same being of frolic and fancy, and
even tender sentiment, with whom she had been passing the preceding
hours.
Colonel Albert sate next to Myra at dinner, and Lord Roehampton between
Mrs. Neuchatel and her daughter. His manner was different to-day, not
less pleased and pleasing, but certainly more restrained. He encouraged
Mrs. Neuchatel to occupy the chief part in conversation, and whispered
to Adriana, who became somewhat uneasy; but the whispers mainly
consisted of his delight in their morning adventures. When he remarked
that it was one of the most agreeable days of his life, she became a
little alarmed. Then he addressed Colonel Albert across the table, and
said that he had heard from Mr. Neuchatel that the colonel had been in
America, and asked some questions about public men, which brought him
out. Colonel Albert answered with gentleness and modesty, never at any
length, but in language which indicated, on all the matters referred to,
thought and discrimination.
"I suppose their society is like the best society in Manchester?" said
Lord Roehampton.
"It varies in different cities," said Colonel Albert. "In some there is
considerable culture, and then refinement of life always follows."
"Yes, but whatever they may be, they will always be colonial. What
is colonial necessarily lacks originality. A country that borrows its
language, its laws, and its religion, cannot have its inventive powers
much developed. They got civilised very soon, but their civilisation was
second-hand."
"Perhaps their inventive powers may develop themselves in other ways,"
said the prince. "A nation has a fixed quantity of invention, and it
will make itself felt."
"At present," said Lord Roehampton, "the Americans, I think, employ
their invention in imaginary boundary lines. They are giving us plenty
of trouble now about Maine."
After dinner they had some music; Lord Roehampton would not play whist.
He insisted on comparing the voices of his companions with that of the
nightingales of the morning. He talked a great deal to Adriana, and
Colonel Albert, in the course of the evening much to Myra, and about her
brother. Lord Roehampton more than once had wished to tell her, as he
had already told Miss Neuchatel, how delightful had been their morning;
but on every occasion he had found her engaged with the colonel.
"I rather like your prince," he had observed to Mr. Neuchatel, as they
came from the dining-room. "He never speaks without thinking; very
reserved, I apprehend. They say, an inveterate conspirator."
"He has had enough of that," said Mr. Neuchatel. "I believe he wants to
be quiet."
"That class of man is never quiet," said Lord Roehampton.
"But what can he do?" said Mr. Neuchatel.
"What can he not do? Half Europe is in a state of chronic conspiracy."
"You must keep us right, my dear lord. So long as you are in Downing
Street I shall sleep at nights."
"Miss Ferrars," said Lord Roehampton abruptly to Mr. Neuchatel, "must
have been the daughter of William Ferrars, one of my great friends in
old days. I never knew it till to-day, and she did not tell me, but it
flashed across me from something she said."
"Yes, she is his daughter, and is in mourning for him at this moment.
She has had sorrows," said Mr. Neuchatel. "I hope they have ceased. It
was one of the happiest days of my life when she entered this family."
"Ah!" said Lord Roehampton.
The next day, after they had examined the famous stud and stables, there
was a riding party, and in the evening Colonel Albert offered to perform
some American conjuring tricks, of which he had been speaking in the
course of the day. This was a most wonderful performance, and surprised
and highly amused everybody. Colonel Albert was the last person who they
expected would achieve such marvels; he was so quiet, not to say grave.
They could hardly credit that he was the same person as he poured floods
of flowers over Myra from her own borrowed pocket-handkerchief, and
without the slightest effort or embarrassment, robbed Lord Roehampton of
his watch, and deposited it in Adriana's bosom. It was evident that he
was a complete master of slight-of-hand.
"Characteristic!" murmured Lord Roehampton to himself.
It was the day after this, that Myra being in the music room and alone,
Lord Roehampton opened the door, looked in, and then said, "Where is
Miss Neuchatel?"
"I think she is on the terrace."
"Let us try to find her, and have one of our pleasant strolls. I sadly
want one, for I have been working very hard all this morning, and half
the night."
"I will be with you, Lord Roehampton, in a moment."
"Do not let us have anybody else," he said, as she left the room.
They were soon on the terrace, but Adriana was not there.
"We must find her," said Lord Roehampton; "you know her haunts. Ah! what
a delight it is to be in this air and this scene after those dreadful
boxes! I wish they would turn us out. I think they must soon."
"Now for the first time," said Myra, "Lord Roehampton is not sincere."
"Then you think me always sincere?" he replied.
"I have no reason to think you otherwise."
"That is very true," said Lord Roehampton, "truer perhaps than you
imagine." Then rather abruptly he said, "You know Colonel Albert very
well?"
"Pretty well. I have seen him here frequently, and he is also a friend
of my brother."
"Ah! a friend of your brother." Then, after a slight pause, he said, "He
is an interesting man."
"I think so," said Myra. "You know all about him, of course."
"Very good-looking."
"Well, he looks unhappy, I think, and worn."
"One is never worn when one is young," said Lord Roehampton.
"He must have great anxieties and great sorrows," said Myra. "I cannot
imagine a position more unfortunate than that of an exiled prince."
"I can," said Lord Roehampton. "To have the feelings of youth and the
frame of age."
Myra was silent, one might say dumbfounded. She had just screwed herself
up to the task which Mr. Neuchatel had imposed on her, and was about to
appeal to the good offices of Lord Roehampton in favour of the prince,
when he had indulged in a remark which was not only somewhat strange,
but from the manner in which it was introduced hardly harmonised with
her purpose.
"Yes, I would give up everything," said Lord Roehampton. "I would even
be an exile to be young; to hear that Miss Ferrars deems me interesting
and good-looking, though worn."
"What is going to happen?" thought Myra. "Will the earth open to receive
me?"
"You are silent," said Lord Roehampton. "You will not speak, you will
not sigh, you will not give a glance of consolation or even pity. But I
have spoken too much not to say more. Beautiful, fascinating being, let
me at least tell you of my love."
Myra could not speak, but put her left hand to her face. Gently taking
her other hand, Lord Roehampton pressed it to his lips. "From the first
moment I met you, my heart was yours. It was love at first sight; indeed
I believe in no other. I was amused with the projects of my friend,
and I availed myself of them, but not unfairly. No one can accuse me of
trifling with the affections of your sweet companion, and I must do
her the justice to say that she did everything to convince me that she
shrank from my attentions. But her society was an excuse to enjoy yours.
I was an habitual visitor in town that I might cherish my love, and,
dare I say it, I came down here to declare it. Do not despise it,
dearest of women; it is not worthy of you, but it is not altogether
undeserving. It is, as you kindly believed it,--it is sincere!"
CHAPTER XLV
On the following day, Mr. Neuchatel had good-naturedly invited Endymion
down to Hainault, and when he arrived there, a servant informed him that
Miss Ferrars wished to see him in her room.
It was a long interview and an agitated one, and when she had told her
tale, and her brother had embraced her, she sat for a time in silence,
holding his hand, and intimating, that, for a while, she wished that
neither of them should speak. Suddenly, she resumed, and said, "Now you
know all, dear darling; it is so sudden, and so strange, that you must
be almost as much astounded as gratified. What I have sighed for,
and prayed for--what, in moments of inspiration, I have sometimes
foreseen--has happened. Our degradation is over. I seem to breathe for
the first time for many years. I see a career, ay, and a great one; and
what is far more important, I see a career for you."