Vellenaux A Novel, Edmund William Edmund William [reading a book .TXT] 📗

Of The Grand Old Organ. As The Clock In The Square

Tower Was Striking Twelve The Whole Party Left The Abbey,  And Were

Driven To The Earl'S Mansion In Saint James' Square,  Where A Luxurious

Repast Was Prepared For Them,  To Which Ample Justice Was Done. At Two,

The Earl And Countess Stepped Into Their Traveling Carriage And Were

Whirled Off To Brighton,  From Which Point They Were To Start On Their

Bridal Tour Through Continental Europe.

 

The Bartons And Cotterells Left Town A Few Days Later For Their Homes In

Devonshire,  Where They Hoped To Be Comfortably Settled Ere The Honeymoon

Of The Happy Couple Should Have Terminated,  As It Was The Desire Of All

Concerned To Give Them An Enthusiastic Welcome On Their Return,  And

Arrangements And Preparations Were At Once Entered Upon To Make The

Occasion One Of General Rejoicing And Festivity,  And A General Holiday

To All In and Around Vellenaux.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 21

 

 

The City Of Madras,  The Seat Of Government And Capital Of The Presidency

Of That Name,  Although Not Possessing All The Facilities For An

Agreeable Sojourn To The Lover Of Pleasure And Amusement That May Be

Found At The Capitals Of The Sister Presidencies--Bengal And Bombay--It

Having Neither The Healthy Climate Of The One,  Or The Wealth Of The

Other. Yet There Are Times And Seasons When Madras Is Very Enjoyable:

Just After The South-West Monsoons,  When All Nature Is Clothed In

Verdant Beauty,  And A Delightful Coolness Pervades The Air,  The

Neilgerie Hills Cannot Be Surpassed By Those Of Mahableshwa Or Any Other

Sanitary Station In India,  Even The Capital Itself,  Whose Shores Are

Washed By The Boiling Surf From Over The Triple Reefs Of Rocks During

The Rainy Season; But That Time Being Past,  A More Tranquil State Of

Things Pervades The Ocean,  And Cool Sea Breezes Waft Over The City. At

The Time Of Which I Am Writing,  Madras Was More Than Usually Gay,

Several Vessels Of War Were In Port And A Number Of Crack Corps Had

Arrived From Europe And Elsewhere,  Officered By A Set Of Men Whose

Fathers And Great-Grandfathers Before Them Had Served Their Country

Either In The Army Or Navy; They Served Not For Pay But For Honor,  And

To Uphold The High And Honourable Name Bequeathed Them By Their

Ancestors. Many Of These Came Into The Regiment Not To Save But To Spend

Money,  And It Was Surprising To The Calculating Natives The Enormous

Sums They Managed To Get Through During Their Short Stay At Any Of The

Large Towns Or Stations Where Europeans Do Most Congregate.

 

The Stream Of Fashionable Life Was Now At Its Height,  Now In Full Force

When Lady Chutny'S Magnificent Bungalow Was Thrown Open For Receptions;

And It Was Not Long Before The Fame Of Her Ladyship'S Fetes And

Assemblies Spread Far And Wide. Sir Lexicon Was Known To Be Exceedingly

Wealthy,  And It Will Be Remembered That Mrs. Fraudhurst,  On Quitting

England,  Had Drawn Out Of The Bank Her Capital Of Ten Thousand Rounds.

This Sum,  Together With A Large Amount Given Her By The Planter For The

Express Purpose Of Giving Entertainments In Town,  Had Been Paid Into The

Bank Of Madras,  In Lady Chutny'S Name. The Sum Was Actually Only One Lae

And A Half Of Rupees,  But Dame Rumour,  With Her Hundred Tongues,  Had

Quadrupled It.

 

The Season Was Now At Its Height,  And Her Ladyship Had Issued Cards For

An Entertainment That Was To Exceed Anything Before Attempted In Madras

The Spacious Verandahs To The Right,  Left And Rear Of The Bungalow Were

Converted Into Lounging Halls,  Half Drawing-Room,  Half Conservatory,

While The Compound And Gardens Were Brilliantly Illuminated With

Countless Colored Lamps And Lanterns. Hundreds Presented Themselves For

Admission To The Fairy-Like Scene,  And It Was Allowed By All To Be A

Perfect Success,  A Gem Of The First Water Of Entertainments,  And Such,

As Many Of The Guests Had Seldom Witnessed. Her Ladyship,  Elegantly

Attired,  And Flushed With Pride And Pleasure At The Triumph She Was

Achieving Moved Gracefully About From One Room To Another Attending To

The Comfort And Convenience Of Her Visitors. In Passing Along One Of The

Improvised Conservatories,  The Figure Of A Cavalry Officer Attracted

Her Attention. His Features Were Screened From Her View By The Leaves Of

A Magnificent Orange Tree,  But There Was Something In His General

Outline,  As He Stood Leaning Indolently Against The Trellis Work

Chatting With A Drawl,  Real Or Affected,  To A Little Lady Seated,  Or

Rather Reclining On A Low Ottoman Close By,  Something That Caused Her To

Start As If The Gallant Officer Was Not Altogether Unknown To Her,  But

Her Memory Would Not At The Moment Serve Her,  Yet A Feeling Of Mistrust,

A Sort Of Almost Indescribable Sensation Of Disquietude Came Over Her As

She Listened To The Polite Nothings That Issued From His Lips; But

Fearing To Attract Observation She Quietly Withdrew,  And Entering The

Upper End Of The Ball Room Summoned Her Chobdah And Pointing Out The

Figures Said,  "When That Gentleman Leaves His Present Position,  Tell Him

That Lady Chutny Desires To Speak With Him." The Native Made His Sallam

And Withdrew. In a Few Moments The Object Of Her Enquiry Advanced

Towards Her,  And Without Preface Or Introduction,  Commenced,  "I Am

Informed That Your Ladyship Has Done Me The Honor To Request My

Presence,  And,  Like An Obedient Slave,  I Am At Your Ladyship'S Command,"

And He Bowed With The Most Deferential Politeness As He Delivered

Himself Of This Harangue; Then Recollecting For The First Time That He

Had No Card Of Invitation From,  Or Introduction To,  Her Ladyship,  Began

To Stammer Forth His Excuses,  That He Had Dropped In On The Strength Of

Having Met Sir Lexicon For A Few Minutes At The Mess Of The Fusiliers,

And Had Accepted His General Invitation As A _Carte Blanche_. He Was

Quickly Relieved From His Embarassment By His Handsome Hostess Declaring

Herself Fortunate In Numbering Among Her Friends So Gallant A

Chevalier. "I Was Not Aware That Your Regiment Was In Town,  Nor Do I

Believe That I Have Ever Met Your Distinguished Corps,  And It Was To

Explain Away The Seeming Slight In Neglecting To Forward Cards That I

Have Requested A Few Minutes' Conversation With You."

 

"Your Ladyship Is Kindness Itself,  And Our Fellows Will Duly Appreciate

Your Affability On Reaching Madras; For,  Unfortunately For Them,  We Are

Still Quartered At Secunderabad. I Alone Am Here On Court Martial Duty

And Have,  I Fear,  Intruded Upon Your Hospitality. But I Believe I Have

Had The Pleasure Of Meeting Your Ladyship Before,  Though I Must Confess

That When And Where Has Escaped My Memory; Unpardonable In Me,

Certainly,  To Forget The Occasion That Introduced Me To So Charming A

Lady." They Were Standing Opposite One Of The Large Mirrors,  And By A

Skillful Manipulation Of Her Fan,  The Hostess Contrived To Obtain A

Perfect View Of The Features Of The Gentleman Who Was Now Addressing

Her,  At The Same Time Revealing But Little Of Her Own. For A Few Moments

She Too Was Mystified As To Who He Was,  Or Under What Circumstances They

Had Met,  Or Whether It Was A Case Of Simple Mistaken Identity; But

Another Searching Glance At The Mirror,  And The Truth Flashed Upon Her

In An Instant. Her Thoughts Travelled Back To Vellenaux. Yes,  It Was He,

The Same Snaffle Of The Lancers,  Who Had Figured As Young Lochinvar At

The Fancy Dress Ball,  And Had Subsequently Lunched There On One Or Two

Occasions During The Shooting Season,  Prior To Arthur'S Joining His

Regiment. She Felt Certain That He Had Not As Yet Recognized Her,  But

That He Must Do So At Length She Felt Convinced. To Be Recognized By Him

After So Many Years Was An Event Which She Had Not Calculated On. It

Was One To Be Dreaded,  For,  Doubtless,  The Disclosures That He Could

Make,  Would Bring Her To Disgrace And Ultimate Ruin; But She Was Equal

To The Trying Ordeal.

 

"If We Have Met,  My Dear Sir," She Said,  In a Low,  Soft Voice,  "It Must

Have Been At The Cape,  Or In London. Although I Do Not Think That Your

Regiment Was In either Of Those Places During My Residence There,  But

That Circumstance Need Not Prevent Us From Becoming Better Acquainted."

He Bowed And Retired,  And The Smiling Hostess Moved Among Her Guests As

Though Nothing Had Occurred To Disturb Her. On The Following Morning The

Card Of Captain Snaffle Was Handed To Her,  But She Excused Herself From

Appearing On The Plea Of Indisposition. The Sight Of The Lancer'S Card

Both Startled And Alarmed Her. He Had Discovered Her Identity With The

Ex-Governess Of Vellenaux,  Or He Would Never Have Presented Himself At

So Early An Hour After The Bail. What Was To Be Done? She Must Return At

Once To Pallamcotta,  And An Hour After The Gallant Captain Had Left,  She

Quitted Her Bungalow. She Need Not Have Been So Much Alarmed,  For,

Although Snaffle,  Who,  During The Evening,  Had Obtained A Good Look At

Her Unobserved,  It Was Not Until Late In The Morning That He Remembered

Her As The Companion Of Edith At Vellenaux. Nor Had He Heard Anything Of

Sir Ralph'S Death,  Or The Crime Which Had Caused Her To Fly From

England,  But This She Did Not Know,  And As "Conscience Makes Cowards Of

Us All," She Sought The Refuge Of Her Bungalow At Pallamcotta.

 

With Agitated Feelings,  And Distracted With Doubts And Fears,  It Was In

No Enviable State Of Mind That Lady Chutny Re-Entered Her Home On The

Plantation. Judge Then Of Her Indignation To Find That During Her

Absence The Favourite Mistresses Had Been Re-Established In Their Old

Comfortable Quarters,  For,  While She Had Been Amusing Herself At The

Capital With Balls And Parties,  They Had Regained Their Ascendency Over

Sir Lexicon,  Who,  Not Expecting Her Ladyship'S Return For Several Weeks,

Had Consented To Their Returning To The Bungalow Until Suitable

Arrangements Could Be Made For Them. He Ladyship'S Sudden And Unexpected

Return,  Together With Her Order For Their Immediate Expulsion,  Aroused

Their Passions--Which During Her Absence Had Remained Dormant--To

Intense Hatred,  And They Were Determined To Sacrifice Her At The Altar

Of Jealousy And Revenge,  And Resolved To Execute Their Wicked Project

Without Further Delay. Sir Lexicon'S Absence,  They Well Knew,  Would

Afford Them An Excellent Opportunity For Carrying Out Their Design. The

Servants,  They Were Sure,  Would Act In concert With Them,  By Affording

Them The Facilities They Required.

 

"Gopall," Said One Of The Three,  "Bring The Madam Sahib'S Food Into My

Room Before You Place It On The Table This Evening." "And," Responded

Another,  "I Wish To Act As Her Ayah,  And Carry The Sherbet To Her

Chamber Tonight. You Understand,  Eh? You Shall Have A Gold Mohur From

Us." The Butler Grinned With Intense Satisfaction,  For He Had No Doubt

Of Their Intentions,  And His Little Black Eyes Twinkled With Delight At

The Idea Of Receiving The Gold Coin Promised; And At Once Gave The

Assurance That They Might Count Upon His Assistance,  And Likewise The

Co-Operation Of The Other Servants.

 

During Dinner Lady Chutny Enquired Whether Her Orders Regarding The

Three Women Had Been Attended To,  And If They Had Left The House. The

Crafty Butler Pretended Not To Understand The Meaning Of Her Words. She

Could Not Speak The Language,  And Her Ayah,  Who Had Always Acted As

Interpreter,  Whenever She Wished To Issue Her Commands Personally,  Had

Been,  Owing To Her Hasty Retreat,  Left Behind At The Capital. Boiling

With Rage At Being,  As It Were,  Set At Defiance In Her Own House And By

Her Own Domestics,  Fatigued With Her Journey,  And Alarmed At The

Prospect Of Being In The Power Of Captain Snaffle,  Also Dreading The

Disclosures He Might Make,  It Was No Wonder That She Sought The Quiet Of

Her Own Chamber Much Earlier Than Was Her Usual Custom. For Several

Hours She Turned Uneasily On Her Couch,  Her Mind Disturbed By

Conflicting Doubts And Fears,  When A Strange Attendant Entered,  Bearing

A Large Goblet Of Sherbet,  Which Had Been Rendered Deliciously Cool By

Being Placed For Several Hours In a Mixture Of