miss sarah jack, of spanish town, jamaica-第5章

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picnic；　and　it　therefore　became　necessary　that　the　ladies　should
retire　to　their　own　or　their　friends'　houses　at　Newcastle　to　adjust
their　dresses。　　Marian　Leslie　and　Julia　Davis　were　there　accommodated
with　the　loan　of　a　small　room　by　the　major's　wife；　and　as　they　were
brushing　their　hair；　and　putting　on　their　dancing…shoes；　something
was　said　between　them　about　Maurice　Cumming。

〃And　so　you　are　to　be　Mrs。　C。　of　Mount　Pleasant；〃　said　Julia。　　〃Well；
I　didn't　think　it　would　come　to　that　at　last。〃

〃But　it　has　not　come　to　that；　and　if　it　did　why　should　I　not　be　Mrs。
C。；　as　you　call　it？〃

〃The　knight　of　the　rueful　countenance；　I　call　him。〃

〃I　tell　you　what　then；　he　is　an　excellent　young　man；　and　the　fact　is
you　don't　know　him。〃

〃I　don't　like　excellent　young　men　with　long　faces。　　I　suppose　you
won't　be　let　to　dance　quick　dances　at　all　now。〃

〃I　shall　dance　whatever　dances　I　like；　as　I　have　always　done；〃　said
Marian；　with　some　little　asperity　in　her　tone。

〃Not　you；　or　if　you　do；　you'll　lose　your　promotion。　　You'll　never
live　to　be　my　Lady　Rue。　　And　what　will　Graham　say？　　You　know　you've
given　him　half　a　promise。〃

〃That's　not　true；　Julia；I　never　gave　him　the　tenth　part　of　a
promise。〃

〃Well；　he　says　so；〃　and　then　the　words　between　the　young　ladies
became　a　little　more　angry。　　But；　nevertheless；　in　due　time　they　came
forth　with　faces　smiling　as　usual；　with　their　hair　brushed；　and
without　any　signs　of　warfare。

But　Marian　had　to　stand　another　attack　before　the　business　of　the
evening　commenced；　and　this　was　from　no　less　doughty　an　antagonist
than　her　aunt；　Miss　Jack。　　Miss　Jack　soon　found　that　Maurice　had　not
kept　his　threat　of　going　home；　and　though　she　did　not　absolutely
learn　from　him　that　he　had　gone　so　far　towards　perfecting　her　dearest
hopes　as　to　make　a　formal　offer　to　Marion；　nevertheless　she　did
gather　that　things　were　fast　that　way　tending。　　If　only　this　dancing
were　over！　she　said　to　herself；　dreading　the　unnumbered　waltzes　with
Ewing；　and　the　violent　polkas　with　Graham。　　So　Miss　Jack　resolved　to
say　one　word　to　Marian〃A　wise　word　in　good　season；〃　said　Miss　Jack
to　herself；　〃how　sweet　a　thing　it　is。〃

〃Marian；〃　said　she。　　〃Step　here　a　moment；　I　want　to　say　a　word　to
you。〃

〃Yes；　aunt　Sarah；〃　said　Marian；　following　her　aunt　into　a　corner；　not
quite　in　the　best　humour　in　the　world；　for　she　had　a　dread　of　some
further　interference。

〃Are　you　going　to　dance　with　Maurice　to…night？〃

〃Yes；　I　believe　so；the　first　quadrille。〃

〃Well；　what　I　was　going　to　say　is　this。　　I　don't　want　you　to　dance
many　quick　dances　to…night；　for　a　reason　I　have；that　is；　not　a
great　many。〃

〃Why；　aunt；　what　nonsense！〃

〃Now　my　dearest；　dearest　girl；　it　is　all　for　your　own　sake。　　Well；
then；　it　must　out。　　He　does　not　like　it；　you　know。〃

〃What　he？〃

〃Maurice。〃

〃Well；　aunt；　I　don't　know　that　I'm　bound　to　dance　or　not　to　dance
just　as　Mr。　Cumming　may　like。　　Papa　does　not　mind　my　dancing。　　The
people　have　come　here　to　dance　and　you　can　hardly　want　to　make　me
ridiculous　by　sitting　still。〃　　And　so　that　wise　word　did　not　appear
to　be　very　sweet。

And　then　the　amusement　of　the　evening　commenced；　and　Marian　stood　up
for　a　quadrille　with　her　lover。　　She　however　was　not　in　the　very　best
humour。　　She　had；　as　she　thought；　said　and　done　enough　for　one　day　in
Maurice's　favour。　　And　she　had　no　idea；　as　she　declared　to　herself；
of　being　lectured　by　aunt　Sarah。

〃Dearest　Marion；〃　he　said　to　her；　as　the　quadrille　came　to　a　close；
〃it　is　an　your　power　to　make　me　so　happy；so　perfectly　happy。〃

〃But　then　people　have　such　different　ideas　of　happiness；〃　she
replied。　　〃They　can't　all　see　with　the　same　eyes；　you　know。〃　　And　so
they　parted。

But　during　the　early　part　of　the　evening　she　was　sufficiently
discreet；　she　did　waltz　with　Lieutenant　Graham；　and　polk　with　Captain
Ewing；　but　she　did　so　in　a　tamer　manner　than　was　usual　with　her；　and
she　made　no　emulous　attempts　to　dance　down　other　couples。　　When　she
had　done　she　would　sit　down；　and　then　she　consented　to　stand　up　for
two　quadrilles　with　two　very　tame　gentlemen；　to　whom　no　lover　could
object。

〃And　so；　Marian；　your　wings　are　regularly　clipped　at　last；〃　said
Julia　Davis　coming　up　to　her。

〃No　more　clipped　than　your　own；〃　said　Marian。

〃If　Sir　Rue　won't　let　you　waltz　now；　what　will　he　require　of　you　when
you're　married　to　him？〃

〃I　am　just　as　well　able　to　waltz　with　whom　I　like　as　you　are；　Julia；
and　if　you　say　so　in　that　way；　I　shall　think　it's　envy。〃

〃Hahaha；　I　may　have　envied　you　some　of　your　beaux　before　now；　I
dare　say　I　have。　　But　I　certainly　do　not　envy　you　Sir　Rue。〃　　And　then
she　went　off　to　her　partner。

All　this　was　too　much　for　Marian's　weak　strength；　and　before　long　she
was　again　whirling　round　with　Captain　Ewing。　　〃Come；　Miss　Leslie；〃
said　he；　〃let　us　see　what　we　can　do。　　Graham　and　Julia　Davis　have
been　saying　that　your　waltzing　days　are　over；　but　I　think　we　can　put
them　down。〃

Marian　as　she　got　up；　and　raised　her　arm　in　order　that　Ewing　might
put　his　round　her　waist；　caught　Maurice's　eye　as　he　leaned　against　a
wall；　and　read　in　it　a　stern　rebuke。　　〃This　is　too　bad；〃　she　said　to
herself。　　〃He　shall　not　make　a　slave　of　me；　at　any　rate　as　yet。〃　　And
away　she　went　as　madly；　more　madly　than　ever；　and　for　the　rest　of　the
evening　she　danced　with　Captain　Ewing　and　with　him　alone。

There　is　an　intoxication　quite　distinct　from　that　which　comes　from
strong　drink。　　When　the　judgment　is　altogether　overcome　by　the
spirits　this　species　of　drunkenness　comes　on；　and　in　this　way　Marian
Leslie　was　drunk　that　night。　　For　two　hours　she　danced　with　Captain
Ewing；　and　ever　and　anon　she　kept　saying　to　herself　that　she　would
teach　the　world　to　knowand　of　all　the　world　Mr。　Cumming　especially…
…that　she　might　be　lead；　but　not　driven。

Then　about　four　o'clock　she　went　home；　and　as　she　attempted　to
undress　herself　in　her　own　room　she　burst　into　violent　tears　and
opened　her　heart　to　her　sister　〃Oh；　Fanny；　I　do　love　him；　I　do　love
him　so　dearly！　and　now　he　will　never　come　to　me　again！〃

Maurice　stood　still　with　his　back　against　the　wall；　for　the　full　two
hours　of　Marian's　exhibition；　and　then　he　said　to　his　aunt　before　he
left〃I　hope　you　have　now　seen　enough；　you　will　hardly　mention　her
name　to　me　again。〃　　Miss　Jack　groaned　from　the　bottom　of　her　heart
but　she　said　nothing。　　She　said　nothing　that　night　to　any　one；　but
she　lay　awake　in　her　bed；　thinking；　till　it　was　time　to　rise　and
dress　herself。　　〃Ask　Miss　Marian　to　come　to　me；〃　she　said　to　the
black　girl　who　came　to　assist　her。　　But　it　was　not　till　she　had　sent
three　times；　that　Miss　Marian　obeyed　the　summons。

At　three　o'clock　on　the　following　day　Miss　Jack　arrived　at　her　own
hall　door　in　Spanish　Town。　　Long　as　the　distance　was　she　ordinarily
rode　it　all；　but　on　this　occasion　she　had　provided　a　carriage　to
bring　her　over　as　much　of　the　journey　as　it　was　practicable　for　her
to　perform　on　wheels。　　As　soon　as　she　reached　her　own　hall　door　she
asked　if　Mr。　Cumming　was　at　home。　　〃Yes；〃　the　servant　said。　　〃He　was
in　the　small　book…room；　at　the　back　of　the　house；　up　stairs。〃
Silently；　as　if　afraid　of　being　heard；　she　stepped　up　her　own　stairs
into　her　own　drawing…room；　and　very　silently　she　was　followed　by　a
pair　of　feet　lighter　and　smaller　than　her　own。

Miss　Jack　was　usually　somewhat　of　a　despot　in　her　own　house；　but
there　was　nothing　despotic　about　her　now　as　she　peered　into　the　book…
room。　　This　she　did　with　her　bonnet　still　on；　looking　round　the　half…
opened　door　as　though　she　were　afraid　to　disturb　her　nephew；　he　sat
at　the　window　looking　out　into　the　verandah　which　ran　behind　the
house；　so　intent　on　his　thoughts　that　he　did　not　hear　her。

〃Maurice；〃　she　said；　〃can　I　come　in？〃

〃Come　in？　oh　yes；　of　course；〃　and　he　turned　round　sharply　at　her。　　〃I
tell　you　what；　aunt；　I　am　not　well　here　and　I　cannot　stay　out　the
session。　　I　shall　go　back　to　Mount　Pleasant。〃

〃Maurice；〃　and　she　walked　close　up　to　him　as　she　spoke；　〃Maurice；　I
have　brought　some　one　with　me　to　ask　your　pardon。〃

His　face　became　red　up　to　the　roots　of　his　hair　as　he　stood　looking
at　her　without　answering。　　〃You　would　grant　it　certainly；〃　she
continued；　〃if　you　knew　how　much　it　would　be　valued。〃

〃Whom　do　you　mean？　who　is　it？〃　he　asked　at　last。

〃One　who　loves　you　as　well　as　you　love　herand　she　cannot　love　you
better。　　Come　in；　Marian。〃　　The　poor　girl　crept　in　at　the　door；
ashamed　of　what　she　was　induced　to　do；　but　yet　looking　anxiously　into
her　lover's　face。　　〃You　asked　her　yesterday　to　be　your　wife；〃　said
Miss　Jack；　〃and　she　did　not　then　know　her　own　mind。　　Now　she　has　had
a　lesson。　　You　will　ask　her　once　again；　will　you　not；　Maurice？〃

What　was　he　to　say？　how　was　he　to　refuse；　when　that　soft　little　hand
was　held　out　to　him；　when　those　eyes　laden　with　tears　just　ventured
to　look　into　his　face？

〃I　beg　your　pardon　if　I　angered　you　last　night；〃　she　said。

In　half　a　minute　Miss　Jack　had　left　the　room；　and　in　the　space　of
another　thirty　seconds　Maurice　had　forgiven　her。　　〃I　am　your　own　now；
you　know；〃　she　whispered　to　him　in　the　course　of　that　long　evening。
〃Yesterday；　you　know；〃　but　the　sentence　was　never　finished。

It　was　in　vain　that　Julia　Davis　was　ill…natured　and　sarcastic；　in
vain　that　Ewing　and　Graham　made　joint　attempt　upon　her　constancy。
From　that　night　to　the　morning　of　her　marriageand　the　interval　was
only　three　monthsMarian　Leslie　was　never　known　to　flirt。







End