Ah! what avails the cradle's damask roof,The eider bolster, or embroidered woof,Oft hears the gilded couch unpitied plains,And many a tear, the tassel'd cushion stains!No voice so sweet attunes his cares to rest,So soft no pillow as his mother's breast!Thus charm'd to sweet repose, when twilight hoursShed their soft influence on celestial bowers,The cherub, Innocence, with smile divine,Shuts his white wings, and sleeps on beauty's shrine.Darwin.
Ah! what avails the cradle's damask roof,The eider bolster, or embroidered woof,Oft hears the gilded couch unpitied plains,And many a tear, the tassel'd cushion stains!No voice so sweet attunes his cares to rest,So soft no pillow as his mother's breast!Thus charm'd to sweet repose, when twilight hoursShed their soft influence on celestial bowers,The cherub, Innocence, with smile divine,Shuts his white wings, and sleeps on beauty's shrine.
Darwin.
Incessantly anxious about the babe, Lady St. Aubyn could not soon permit it to be removed from her apartments, it lay therefore with its nurse in a smaller room within that where Lady St. Aubyn slept.
It was about six weeks after this event, so interesting to all parties, had taken place, and Ellen had for some time been returned to the society of her own family, that one day, just as they had finished dinner, St. Aubyn was told two gentlemen in a chaise and four had just arrived, and requested to speak to him immediately. He changed colour, but conquering his purturbation, desired they might be shewn into his study, and he would go to them. "Who are they?" said Lady Juliana. "I did not know, nephew, you expected any company." "Perhaps," said St. Aubyn, evading her questions, "they may not remain here an hour, perhaps till to-morrow morning." He hastily left the room, and Ellen was convinced these strangers were the persons at whom St. Aubyn had often hinted as connected with the mystery which hung around him: she trembled, and felt dismayed, but endeavoured to be as composed as possible. In a few minutes after St. Aubyn hadleft the room, Mr. Mordaunt was sent for; and as he had been some time an invalid, St. Aubyn desired a carriage might be dispatched to bring him to the Castle. Ellen passing soon after up stairs to the nursery, crossed him in the hall, followed by his assistant with a quantity of papers and parchments: they bowed, and went into the study. "Oh, I know now," said Lady Juliana, who was with her, "who St. Aubyn has with him: it is I suppose Lord De Montfort, and his guardian and tutor, Mr. O'Brien, a Catholic priest, who has the entire management of the young man, and will I suppose now have the entire direction of his estates, which have till now been under the care of my nephew, who was appointed by his father's will the young Earls guardian, as far as related to his English property, till he should be twenty-four, though his Catholic relations have had the care of his person. Rejoiced shall I be when St. Aubyn has finally concluded all his concerns withthat family. Heaven knows they have given him trouble enough already! and this young man I know hates him. I don't suppose he will stay an hour after the accounts are settled, indeed he would not have come at all, only Mordaunt having all the affairs in his hands, and being too unwell to go from home, it was I conclude necessary: this I know, if these people stay here to-night, I shall remain in my own room."
Ellen carefully and anxiously attended to all she said, yet this discourse gave her no clue by which to unravel the mysterious speeches of St. Aubyn. After spending an hour in the nursery, both ladies returned to the drawing-room, and sent a servant to know if coffee should be carried into the study, or if Lord St. Aubyn and his guests would join the ladies. Orders were given for tea and coffee in the study; and Lady Juliana could not restrain her curiosity enough to refrain asking who was with Lord St.Aubyn: from the servant she learned that the party consisted of his Lordship, Mr. Mordaunt, his clerk, and two strange gentlemen, one elderly, the other young, and apparently in ill health. This confirmed her surmises, and soon after tea, not wishing to see Lord De Montfort, should he make his appearance, she retired to her own room, leaving Ellen and Laura together, with a strict injunction to the former not to be kept up too late.
Ellen's anxiety made her somewhat silent; and Laura, never very talkative, easily fell into her present humour, so that for some time very little conversation passed between them. Laura was netting, and Ellen attempting a drawing; but her hand was unsteady, and her attention divided, therefore finding she should not succeed, she threw down her pencil, and listened in silence to a loud equinoxial wind, which howled around, and shook with "murmur not unlike the dash of ocean on his sounding shores" theancient trees which grew near the mansion. A chilling sensation insensibly stole upon her, and at length, to break the melancholy silence of the apartment, rather than that she wished to speak, she said, "'Tis a rough night, and cold."
"Yes," said Laura; and they both drew nearer the fire.
"Do you know Lord De Montfort?" asked Ellen.
"I have seen him when a boy," replied Laura, "and think I should know him again, though six or seven years make a great alteration at his age."
"Was he handsome?"
"Yes, but not so much so as his sister."
"Is he like her?"
"A little, but of a darker complexion: her's was a clear lively brown; dark hazle eyes, full of spirit, and indeed at times of scorn, a Grecian nose, full lips, the upper one curled a little, which gave a haughty air to her countenance; Edmund was thinner, paler, and his eyes had a softer look."
"Edmund is his name?"
"He has a long list of names, according to the Spanish custom; but his sister always called him Edmund, which was his father's."
"I wonder whether we shall see him?"
"Of course,—I suppose so," said Laura, with some surprize: "it is too late for him to quit the Castle to-night, and he will without doubt pay his compliments to you before he departs."
"I think," replied Ellen, "from what Lady Juliana said just now, that St. Aubyn and Lord De Montfort are not on very good terms, that made me doubt whether he would stay the night."
"It may be so," said Laura, "yet unless they are decidedly at enmity, the young man cannot avoid seeing you."
Soon after the supper tray was brought into the room, and on its being announcedto the gentlemen, St. Aubyn came to the library, accompanied by Mr. Mordaunt and Mr. O'Brien, the latter of whom he introduced to the ladies. St. Aubyn looked pale, and his manners had lost some of its usual composure. O'Brien was a grave, respectable old man, of Irish extraction, but bred in a convent abroad, and speaking English but imperfectly.
"I will return to the study," said St. Aubyn, "and see once more if I can persuade Lord De Montfort to take some refreshment. You remember De Montfort, Miss Cecil?—He is my other guest, but he pleads fatigue, and disinclination to see any one, and will not be prevailed on to take even a glass of wine. I will once more endeavour to induce him to join you."
"Indeed, my Lord," said Ellen, "I hope he will: if he be fatigued, he must the more need refreshment."
"My love," said St. Aubyn, "will youhave the goodness to order beds to be prepared for Lord De Montfort and Mr. O'Brien. They remain here this night."
He then left the room, and Ellen ringing the bell, desired Mrs. Bayfield might be sent to her dressing-room, whither a few minutes after she went herself to give orders respecting the beds. As she passed the study door, which was not quite close, she distinctly heard St. Aubyn say:—
"For Heaven's sake, De Montfort, be persuaded; do not wrong me so cruelly! Why condemn me on mere appearances?"
Ellen passed hastily on, and heard St. Aubyn close the door with some violence, warned perhaps by the light she carried that some one might overhear him.
In her dressing-room she met Mrs. Bayfield, and was instantly struck with her pale countenance and agitated appearance.
"My good Bayfield," said Ellen, "I sent for you to request you would see chambers prepared for the strange gentlemen; but you look ill, pray go to bed: Jane shall go with the housemaids and see that all is right."
"I am not ill, my Lady," said Mrs. Bayfield; "but a glimpse I caught of Lord De Montfort just now, and the tone of his voice, reminded me of so many painful events—"
She paused, sighed, and the tears ran down her cheeks as she added:
"I wish he had not come here; I wish he was gone back to Spain; I cannot bear to see him."
"His likeness to your late lady affects you perhaps, my good friend?" said Ellen.
"Oh, no, Madam; it is not that; he is like her to be sure; but it is notthat. I feel so uneasy when I see him.—He does not love my Lord; and yet he used tolove him. But forgive me, Madam; I forget myself: will your Ladyship please to give your orders now?"
"I will leave all to your care, my good Bayfield. I suppose the gentlemen will like to be near each other: the two chambers at the end of the gallery where I sleep (those next to that your Lord sleeps in at present, I mean) will suit them best, I think: see that they have good fires, for it is cold to-night: the wind is really alarming."
"Your Ladyship had better take another shawl round your shoulders: the staircase is cold."
Ellen thanked her careful old friend, and returned to the company.
FOOTNOTES[A]A fact.[B]It is said that the once lovely Lady C——, when on her death-bed, lamented to a friend sitting by her, that her little boy, then in the room,would never know what a beautiful creature his mother was. "She feels the ruling passion strong in death!"
[A]A fact.
[A]A fact.
[B]It is said that the once lovely Lady C——, when on her death-bed, lamented to a friend sitting by her, that her little boy, then in the room,would never know what a beautiful creature his mother was. "She feels the ruling passion strong in death!"
[B]It is said that the once lovely Lady C——, when on her death-bed, lamented to a friend sitting by her, that her little boy, then in the room,would never know what a beautiful creature his mother was. "She feels the ruling passion strong in death!"