CHAPTER XV.-FAMILY MATTERS. Y father, after reading the letter from M. de Nothing more than my compliments, papa." MY Vernieul, inquired if we had any message for him. My mother merely desired her compliments. And you, Clara, you have nothing to say?" VCL. VII. 'Very well, my dear, I will not forget them." I will now pass rapidly over the events of the next six months. During the time my father received three 349 I inquired the name and address of the family, and to my surprise found the man suffering from delirium tremens to be no other than Derigny, the tavern waiter—who, by the way, made a deplorable appearance as our footman at the last ambassador's ball. letters from M. de Vernieul, all ostensibly written | and the mother, a poor sickly woman, without sufrespecting the affairs of his family, but their pith ficient strength to attend on one of her family, much addressed to myself. In these letters he certainly less on four." showed considerable ingenuity, for even if my father and mother had been of a far more suspicious temperament than they were, it would have been utterly impossible to have detected one word which would have formed the most remote clue to their real object. Nevertheless, the words "love" and "attachment" were repeated more than once in each, and yet in such a manner as not to throw the slightest hint that they were not connected solely with the subject he was writing upon. next day. On visiting the family, I found their condition just as the doctor had described. I did what I could to console the poor woman, and placing some money in her hands, told her to purchase the proper food for During these six months my life, as the reader may her family, and also to get some help from her neighassume, was monotonous in the extreme. De Ver-bours, saying I would call and see her again the nieul stated in each of his letters that he had made no new associates, and went to no balls nor parties; and to as full an extent on my part I abstained from amusements of any kind. I went to neither ball nor party, nor did I form any fresh acquaintance. It must not be imagined that this arose from want of opportunity. On the contrary, I was invited to several parties, and more than one gentleman of our acquaintance showed sufficient admiration of me to prove that I had but to give a little encouragement to change that admiration to love. Dull as my life may seem to others, to me it was full of charms. I had now entered energetically on my duties as a district visitor, generally accompanied by my mother, and occasionally, in localities where I was well known, going by myself. When pursuing my home occupations, my mind would dwell on him whom I loved so dearly, and in counting the hours till his return. Fortunately in my visits to the poor, from the liberality of my dear father, I did not go empty-handed. Though, as I said in a former chapter, he was strictly economical in his housekeeping, he was liberal indeed when called upon to perform an act of charity. He had now constituted me his almoner, with full privilege to draw upon his purse to any extent I required, and I fully profited by the permission. I trust, however, I was not without discretion in doing this, for in my acts of charity I had placed myself under the direction of our old family medical attendant, who, himself a very kindhearted man, was well acquainted with most of the respectable poor in the locality. Let me be excused if I delay the course of my narrative to give one instance of my dear father's kindness of heart. One day, when unaccompanied by my mother, I was about to pay a visit to a poor woman, when I met the doctor on my road. "If you are bound on works of charity, Miss Levesque," he said to me, "let me point out to you a case well worthy of your attention. I have just left a family residing in a court at the back of Fleur-de-lis Street, where I found crowded together three children suffering from fever, the father stricken down by a fit of delirium tremens, I now returned home to bring the case under my father's notice, and to request some liberal pecuniary assistance from him. I did this with some trepidation, as of all cases of sickness none met with less sympathy from him than delirium tremens, he being strictly abstemious himself, and detesting insobriety in others. When I mentioned the case to him he made no remark, and, to my still greater surprise, offered me no money. I waited for some time, hoping he would speak, but still he remained silent, with the exception of once calling Derigny an irreclaimable drunken vagabond. My mother, who was present at the time, also said nothing. Presently she left the room; I immediately followed, and when in the passage said to her, "Oh, mamma, do induce papa to give something to that poor family. He cannot know the distress they are in, or he certainly would not treat my application so coolly." "Do not worry yourself, my dear," said my mother, smiling; "I know your father perfectly well. Mark my words, to-morrow he will visit the Derignys, and assist them liberally. So far from your application having made no effect on him, he has felt much touched by it, although perhaps he does not like to show any sympathy in cases of drunkenness. He is one of those men with whom silence occasionally is more eloquent than speech." I now went back into the parlour, but my father was not there. We did not again meet till the evening, when not a word passed his lips respecting the Derigny family. On my visiting them the following day I found a change for the better in every respect, far more than the money I had left could have procured. On expressing my suprise, I was told that my father had called on them about two hours after I left, and that he had behaved in the kindest and most liberal manner. He continued his charitable visits till the whole family were restored to health, and that too without speaking one angry word to Derigny. However, as soon as the man was able to leave the house, my father sent for him, and with real sternness in his tone, pointed out the dangerous position he and his family had been in, and asked if he did not think it was a warning to purchased; and I am sure my father, from the him that he should amend. quantity of East India silk he buys, must have sufficient interest with some of the directors to procure me one." "It is a warning indeed, sir," said Derigny, "and one which I would willingly take; but what am I to do? All I'm fit for is to be waiter in a tavern. I can't go back to my old situation, for it's already filled up; and I know perfectly well if I get another, when I see the old temptation of drink before me, struggle as I may against it, I shall not be able to conquer it. I've tried many times, but strive all I could, I've never succeeded." "Come then, Derigny," said my father, "let me see if I cannot help you. I want a light porter in my business, and if you think it will suit you, you may have the place. I shall take care you have not more given you to do than your strength will allow." Derigny warmly thanked my father for his kindness, and gratefully accepted the offer, and a few days later came on duty. My brother Edmond continued at the same school at Clapham for some months longer, strongly to his disgust. He had long since considered himself old enough to leave school and make his first start in the world, but my father had determined he should not do so till he was seventeen years of age. As before the next vacation he would attain that age, we expected he would soon take up his residence amongst us. An unhappy difference, however, existed between Edmond and his father as to the profession he should follow. My father intended he should be brought up in his own business, while Edmond was equally bent on entering the army. Two or three elements had contributed to raise this desire in the mind of my brother. In the first place he was a tall, wellmade, handsome youth, somewhat clumsy perhaps, but fond of athletic sports, and possessing a considerable amount of animal courage. Moreover, three of his schoolfellows, youths about his own age, had received appointments as cadets in the East India service; and as these were Edmond's most intimate associates, it is hardly to be wondered at that he became inoculated with the same idea. On his speaking to my father about it, he received so severe a reply that he felt no inclination to renew the subject, although his wish to enter the army remained as strong as before. He spoke to my mother, however, who remonstrated with him on the folly of such an idea. "It is perfectly absurd of you, my dear," she said to him, "to wish to enter the army. It requires much interest to get a commission at the present time, and that interest your father does not possess in the most remote degree, even if he could be inluced to meet your views. Now, like a dear boy, do be reasonable, and make up your mind to enter your father's business." "That, my dear, I will never ask him to do. You are our only son, and if you left us to reside in India for so many years it would break both our hearts: we might never see you again." Noticing the tears come into my mother's eyes, Edmond dropped the conversation, though without giving any decided promise that he would no longer think of entering the army. CHAPTER XVI. LOVE'S PROBATION. ONE fine morning, about three months after M. de Vernieul had left England, my mother proposed that we should pay Alice Morgan a visit, We had been somewhat uneasy about her lately, not having heard from her for some time; and as we were both attached to her-I especially-we could not help being anxious on her account. On arriving at her house we were fortunate in finding her at home. She appeared well in health, was nicely dressed, and there was an air of comfort about her, even more than at the time of our first visit. Still, it struck both my mother and myself that there was a careworn look on her countenance which seemed to show she was not altogether happy. By way of not questioning her too abruptly on the subject, my mother began by asking after Morgan's health, and whether he was still employed in the same workshops. "No, ma'am," said Alice, with something like a sigh, "he is not. You remember when last I saw you I told you that a man of the name of Parkinson was trying to persuade him to enter into partnership with him for taking a sub-contract on some works which were going on at Woolwich, and that my husband was to find the money for the job. Well, ma'am, for good or evil, Parkinson at last got his own way. John gave up his situation as foreman in the shop he had been in so many years, and with Parkinson took the sub-contract for the carpentry works at Woolwich. They expected to make a very profitable affair of it, but it hardly turned out so. Still, it's true that on that subject we have but little right to complain. You see, ma'am, good as the profits might have been, Parkinson had half of them, while he didn't do one quarter of the work. John had to work like a slave, harder than he ever had done in his life before; and that he had to get through daily from week's end to week's end. He not only had to control all the men he employed, but to work harder than any of them, though I must say he was well paid for it; he got as much as if he'd been a skilled artisan among them, beyond his share "But, mother," said Edmond, "cadetships are not of the profits." Poor "But," said my mother, "you said the profits family matters, we took our leave and returned alone were not to be complained of." home. Edmond, having completed his seventeenth year, now left school and returned home. Although his wish to enter the army was not yet extinct, a sort of compromise was effected in the matter between him and my father, and this was chiefly owing to my dear mother's mediation. It was arranged that Edmond was to take part in the business for two or three months, and then, should he still retain his aversion to the idea of becoming a silk manufacturer, my father would seek for him some other occupation more congenial to his taste. Edmond seemed to take to the business quietly enough, although to a certain degree his dislike to it might have been somewhat ameliorated by the kindness and consideration my "No, ma'am, he has not, I wish he had. I'm sorry to say Parkinson is inducing him to enter into another speculation with him. Perhaps it's very wrong of me, but I'm dreadfully anxious about John's being so connected with that man.” "Why cannot your husband apply for a sub- father showed him. But great as this was on my contract of his own ?" inquired my mother. "There's certainly no reason why he shouldn't; but, as I said before, that man Parkinson has got such control over him that it's very little use my offering any opposition, and so I say nothing about it. A better husband than John is never lived," said Alice, “but when he's once taken a determination into his head, it's impossible to induce him to alter it, so I quietly submit, and make things as comfortable at home as I can." "And what is the new contract they are now talking about ?" asked my mother. "I don't know at all, ma'am," replied Alice. "All I know about it is that my husband is to advance a hundred and fifty pounds of the money, and Parkinson fifty. He promises John this time a larger share in the profits than the last, and I only hope he may keep his word; but it's a disagreeable subject, so I'd best say no more about it." Alice now asked many questions respecting our family, particularly after my father's health. She also made many inquiries regarding Edmond, who had always been a great favourite of hers. "I suppose, ma'am, he'll soon be leaving school, for he must be growing quite a young man now." "I think it very likely he may leave next Christmas," said my mother. "His father will be very glad to have him at home so that he may assist in the business." father's part, it was trifling in comparison with that of my mother. She seemed to study his every wish, no matter how trifling, and if she succeeded in pleasing him, her own pleasure was immeasurably greater in her success than Edmond's in experience. And now occurred the first real sorrow of my life. So great, indeed, did it appear to me, that I imagined nothing could exceed it; this, however, to my cost, I afterwards found to be an erroneous conclusion. The six months had now elapsed since M. de Vernieul left England, and it was five weeks since my father had received any letter from him. I now began to look anxiously for the arrival of my lover, but I neither heard directly or indirectly from him. That he would call as soon as he arrived I now felt certain, and the day the six months were completed I dressed myself with more care than usual, and sat in the drawing-room in full anticipation that he would arrive. The day passed, however, but De Vernieul came not. Another and another followed, and nothing was seen or heard of him. A week, a fortnight, three weeks more, and the silence respecting him remained unbroken: not so much as a word reached us as to the cause of his prolonged absence. I now became decidedly unhappy. Hitherto I had attempted to console myself on the evening of each day as it passed, that the probabilities were the greater that I should see him on the morrow, but at last the deferred hope, which maketh the heart sick, "And I suppose Mr. Edmond likes the idea very began to leave its effects on my appearance. Both much of leaving school ?" "Well, at present he has not been told much about it; and I do not think he will particularly like the idea of being at home when he does hear of it," said my mother. "Indeed, ma'am," said Alice; "I should have thought Mr. Edmond would have liked nothing better." "The fact is he has taken into his head the idea of becoming a soldier, and neither his father nor myself would like our only son to enter the army." After a little more conversation with Alice on my father and mother noticed it, and neither could guess at the cause. When they questioned me on the subject I gave some commonplace evasive reply, to the effect that nothing ailed me. They were, however, not convinced, and proposed sending for our doctor, but to this I resolutely objected. My parents insisted, and the first real act of rebellion I had ever perpetrated towards them occurred on this occasion. I emphatically told them that if the doctor came I would not see him. And then, by way of avoiding all further conversation on the subject, I hurriedly left them, and seeking my own room, closed the door, and flinging myself in a chair, burst | his commission, had not a strong sense of honour into tears. withheld him. So intensely did he feel it, that when he told me how disappointed he was not to be able to pay his anticipated visit to England, the tears came into his eyes." Here I remained for some hours. When my temper had somewhat calmed, I felt thoroughly ashamed of myself for behaving as I had done to my father and mother, and resolved without delay to seek them, and apologise for my rudeness. Bathing my eyes with water, so as to take off the redness caused by my tears, I returned to the drawing-room, where who should I find alone in it but M. Dubarry, the attaché of the French Embassy. For a moment I remained motionless, in doubt whether to advance or retire. I did not like him to see my swollen eyes, and yet thinking perhaps he might be the bearer of some news from his cousin, my anxiety counselled me to remain. The absurdity of my indecision now occurred to me, and advancing towards him, I said, "Does my father know you are here? I trust you have not been waiting long." "Only a few minutes, mademoiselle. The servant told me she would inform him of my arrival, but if you think he is engaged, pray do not disturb him. My business with him is of very little importanceconnected with the silk business-mere matters of slight detail. I had occasion to visit the City today, or perhaps I should not have called, but then again I was further stimulated by the wish to pay my respects to Madame Levesque and yourself." As he had been standing during the time he said this, common courtesy obliged me to ask him to be seated. "Has your father lately heard from my cousin ?" he inquired. "No, I believe not. Indeed, it must be more than two months since he had a letter," I replied, trying (but I fear unsuccessfully) to put a tone of indifference in my voice and manner. "Poor fellow!" said the attaché; "I suppose from the state of indecision he is kept in by the Minister of War, he has not written till his movements are further decided on. I hope, however, the affair will blow over, and then he will be able to obtain his leave of absence. If not, I am strongly tempted to think, but for one reason, he will throw up his commission and leave the army, strong as may be his attachment to the service." I could hardly restrain the tears from coming into my own eyes at this intelligence, but, however (I think), I managed to keep them back. "You have seen him lately, then ?" I said. "It is about three weeks since I parted from him at Verdun. He requested me to call on your father, if I had an opportunity, and tell him how matters stood." "Is the war in Algeria likely to break out soon?" I inquired. "I think not. It is very likely the revolt is crushed by this time; but it is hard to say when such wild, barbarous foes are really conquered. Depend upon this, however, as soon as certain intelligence of peace comes, my cousin will receive his leave of absence, and ten days afterwards he will be in England. Even at the worst, he has the right, after his twelve months' service is over, to take leave of absence, whether his regiment be in Algiers or France." I mentally calculated that in the latter case there would still be nearly five months to wait, and notwithstanding the hope the attaché held out that the war in Algeria would not break out, I could easily see by his manner that there was little hope of my seeing M. de Vernieul before the expiration of the full twelve months from the time he left. No, there was no alternative for me but to wait and hope. My father's footstep was now heard ascending the stairs, and the next moment he entered the room. I think I felt grateful to him for interrupting our tête-à-tête; at any rate, his presence was a great relief, as it allowed me time to collect my thoughts. As soon as the first civilities of meeting were over, the attaché informed my father of the ostensible object of his visit. I paid but little attention to what he said, but if I remember rightly it was to the effect that the French Consul General being indisposed, and his head clerk in Paris, the ambassador had requested him occasionally to visit the Consulate and see that all was proceeding with regularity. Some question connected 'with the importation of French silks had occurred, and he wished to obtain the "What affair do you allude to ?" I inquired, al- opinion of the English manufacturers on the subject. most breathless with anxiety. My father replied to him, and in the course of their "To the revolt in Algeria," he replied: "have conversation some paper was referred to which would you not heard of it ?" clear up an obscure point. My father had the paper "No, I take but little interest in politics. But in the counting-house, and sent a servant for it. A how does it concern your cousin ?" few minutes afterwards my brother Edmond entered the room with the document in question. "Because his regiment is ordered to hold itself in readiness to embark, should the revolt attain any The attaché received Edmond in a very friendly formidable proportions. The news reached my manner. I should here mention that my brother's cousin about six weeks ago, just after his application appearance had greatly improved since they last to the Minister for leave of absence. He was so met. The school costume he then wore had given annoyed at it that he would at once have given up place to one of a far more manly and gentlemanly |