"You have heard of him,then?"
"Few had not,twenty years ago.He was one of the most 'blatant beasts'of the Reign of Terror.A fellow without honesty,conscience,or even common decency.""And that man's daughter we have had in our house,teaching our innocent child!"Alarm and disgust were written on every feature of the mother's face.
It was scarcely surprising.Now that the ferment which had convulsed society in our younger days was settling down,--though still we were far from that ultimate calm which enables posterity to judge fully and fairly such a remarkable historical crisis as the French Revolution,--most English people looked back with horror on the extreme opinions of that time.If Mrs.Halifax had a weak point,it was her prejudice against anything French or Jacobinical.Partly,from that tendency to moral conservatism which in most persons,especially women,strengthens as old age advances;partly,I believe,from the terrible warning given by the fate of one--of whom for years we had never heard--whose very name was either unknown to,or forgotten by,our children.
"John,can't you speak?Don't you see the frightful danger?""Love,try and be calmer."
"How can I?Remember--remember Caroline."
"Nay,we are not talking of her,but of a girl whom we know,and have had good opportunity of knowing.A girl,who,whatever may have been her antecedents,has lived for six months blamelessly in our house.""Would to Heaven she had never entered it!But it is not too late.
She may leave--she shall leave,immediately.""Mother!"burst out Guy.Never since she bore him had his mother heard her name uttered in such a tone.
She stood petrified.
"Mother,you are unjust,heartless,cruel.She shall NOT leave;she shall NOT,I say!""Guy,how dare you speak to your mother in that way?""Yes,father,I dare.I'll dare anything rather than--""Stop.Mind what you are saying--or you may repent it."And Mr.Halifax,speaking in that low tone to which his voice fell in serious displeasure,laid a heavy hand on the lad's shoulder.Father and son exchanged fiery glances.The mother,terrified,rushed between them.
"Don't,John!Don't be angry with him.He could not help it,--my poor boy!"At her piteous look Guy and his father both drew back.John put his arm round his wife,and made her sit down.She was trembling exceedingly.
"You see,Guy,how wrong you have been.How could you wound your mother so?""I did not mean to wound her,"the lad answered."I only wished to prevent her from being unjust and unkind to one to whom she must show all justice and kindness.One whom I respect,esteem--whom I LOVE.""Love!"
"Yes,mother!Yes,father!I love her.I intend to marry her."Guy said this with an air of quiet determination,very different from the usual impetuosity of his character.It was easy to perceive that a great change had come over him;that in this passion,the silent growth of which no one had suspected,he was most thoroughly in earnest.From the boy he had suddenly started up into the man;and his parents saw it.
They looked at him,and then mournfully at one another.The father was the first to speak.
"All this is very sudden.You should have told us of it before.""I did not know it myself till--till very lately,"the youth answered more softly,lowering his head and blushing.
"Is Miss Silver--is the lady aware of it?"
"No."
"That is well,"said the father,after a pause."In this silence you have acted as an honourable lover should towards her;as a dutiful son should act towards his parents."Guy looked pleased.He stole his hand nearer his mother's,but she neither took it nor repelled it;she seemed quite stunned.
At this point I noticed that Maud had crept into the room;--I sent her out again as quickly as I could.Alas!this was the first secret that needed to be kept from her;the first painful mystery in our happy,happy home!
In any such home the "first falling in love,"whether of son or daughter,necessarily makes a great change.Greater if the former than the latter.There is often a pitiful truth--I know not why it should be so,but so it is--in the foolish rhyme which the mother had laughingly said over to me this morning!
