CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.
AT THE ORCHARD.
Ralph Percival spent a long hour alone with his father in the chill dawnof that New Year's morn, and during its passing heard more stern home-truths than he had ever before listened to from those indulgent lips.The Squire had not insisted on any arduous work on his son's part: inhis heart he shared Ralph's theory that a man whose life is to be spentlooking after his own land has no need of much scholarly lore. He mustbe straight and manly, intelligent enough to understand and move withthe movements of the day, but not so intelligent as to grow discontentedwith a circle of admirable, but somewhat humdrum, neighbours. He mustbe possessed of courteous and agreeable manners, able on occasion totake the chair at a meeting, possibly even on a Bench, with credit tohimself and his family.
A 'Varsity education was obviously the best means of developing suchqualities, but who was going to bother his head as to the question ofhonours or no honours? There was no reason why the boy should slave asif he had his living to make by sheer brain effort. The Squire wasprepared to show the utmost leniency towards Ralph's scholastic efforts,but that he should have persistently broken the rules, ignored warnings,incurred gambling debts, and, crowning indignity of all, that he shouldhave been sent down, even for the last week of the term--that stabbedthe honest old countryman to his heart.
He said very little on the subject of his own feelings; such men are notgiven to talk of themselves, but the tone of his voice was eloquent, andRalph winced before it. It was a new experience for the spoilt son andheir to hear any accents but those of love and appreciation from amember of his own family, and the experience was unexpectedly bitter.Who could have believed that the Governor would cut up so rough--coulddeliver himself of such sledge-hammer judgments? The card debts wouldbe paid, there was no question of that--every debt should be paid--andRalph should return to college with a clean sheet so far as money wasconcerned, and with his handsome allowance undiminished--_for thepresent_. He himself must decide what would happen in the future. TheSquire asked for no promises; he had had experience of the uselessnessof promises (the listener winced again at the significance of thosewords); but Ralph must understand that any debts would be subtractedfrom his own future allowance. He must also understand that he wasexpected to take his pass the following May. There had been too muchshirking and running loose--now he must work for a change. For hisparents' sake, his sisters' sake, he must make amends for the pain andshame of the last weeks.
It was a painful scene for both father and son, but the charm of mannerwhich was the great secret of Ralph's popularity did not forsake him,even in this hour of humiliation. He made an ideal penitent--abashed,yet manly, subdued and silenced, yet when the right moment came readywith a few apt, quietly spoken words.
"Thank you, sir. You are always generous. I've made a beastly poorreturn. I hope this year may end better than it has begun."
Poor Ralph! How little he guessed at that moment all that the year heldin store! How little the father dreamed of the altered conditions withwhich he would face another New Year's Day! But so long as they bothlived it was good to remember that the interview had ended peacefullyand with a renewed sense of harmony, with a firm hand-grip and anaffectionate glance.
Ralph took his candle from a table in the hall and made his way quietlyup the oak staircase, and his father stood below and watched him go,while his heart waxed tender within him.
His son--his only son! He would give his heart's blood for the lad.Had he been just, wise, prudent, in the words which he had said? Had hebeen stern enough?--too stern? He was in a thousand minds about his ownconduct, but in only one as regards Ralph's. The boy had taken hisdressing like a man. How handsome he had looked as he stood to listen,not flinching or hanging his head as an ordinary culprit would havedone, but drawn to his full height, with straight, fearless gaze. Withwhat a frank air he had held out his hand for that farewell grasp!Bless the boy! his heart was in the right place. He would settle down,and make a fine man yet. Patience! Patience!
And so when the family met again for a late breakfast that New Year'smorning there was no shadow visible on the horizon, and throughout theremainder of Darsie's visit every day seemed given up to enjoyment, andbrought with it some fresh festivity.
Contrary to her expectation, the subject of Ralph's troubles was avoidedrather than sought, and it was only on the eve of her departure toNewnham that mother and sisters broke the silence to urge in each casethe same request--
"See as much of Ralph as you can during these next six months! Have alittle talk with Ralph now and again! Show an interest in his work.Let him see that you care. We must all do our best to encourage him towork!"
By all the members of the family it was taken for granted that Darsie'sinterest in Ralph's future was equal to, if not greater than, their own;they made no secret of their belief that her influence had the moreweight. If Darsie had known a passing temptation to abandon herefforts, it would have been impossible to do so in the face of suchunanimous appeals.
Well, it was good to be back in Newnham once more, to get to work againafter the lazy weeks, to wake up one's brains with tussles over Anglo-Saxon texts, to wrestle with philology, instead of browsing over novelsand magazine tales. The Divinity Schools were stuffy as ever, the menon one side shutting up the windows with their usual persistence, whilethe girls on theirs frowned and fumed; but the Chaucer lectures werefull of interest, and coaching assumed a keener interest as springadvanced and the prospect of "Mays" drew near. Last year both Darsieand Hannah had gained second-class honours; this year they haddetermined to gain firsts, or perish in the attempt. With a second anda first record for Mays there was a possibility--a dazzlingpossibility--of firsts in the final Tripos. When one thought of that itseemed impossible to work too hard, to put _too_ much energy into one'sstudies. But the happy blending of work and play which characterisesNewnham life prevented industry from being carried to an exaggeratedextent. The hour's informal dancing after dinner on Wednesday andSaturday evenings seemed to quicken circulation and brain alike, and thegreat Shakespeare Ball was a distinct fillip, although--or was it_because_?--it involved some slackness for the preparation of costumes.
The short Easter vac. served but as a breathing-space, and then anotherMay term began with an unparalleled succession of fine and sunny days.Everything seemed early this spring; trees and shrubs rushed into leaf,a wealth of blossom gave a fairy-like beauty to the old-world gardens,and in every youth and maid the spirit of the spring awoke also, andcalled to them to come out to play. This was the season for picnics,for walks along the fields by the riverside, for boating, for bathing,for garden teas, for breakfast parties at the Orchard, amidst the pinkand white wonder of the apple-blossom.
Darsie Garnett was fired with a desire to give an Orchard party on herown account, the guests to be Hannah, Margaret France, her specialFresher adorer (Marian White by name), Ralph Percival, Dan Vernon, twoagreeable Classics from King's; Mrs Reeves to play chaperon--just acheery little party of nine. What could you wish for more?
Margaret, preternaturally solemn, opined that _ten_ would be a moredesirable number. "Poor Mrs Reeves! What has _she_ done? Why not asksome one to play about with _her_? I can't bear to see a Lonely at apicnic or to be interrupted myself!"
"It _might_ be judicious to invite Minerva!" agreed Darsie, twinkling,and alluding to the Don who enjoyed the privilege of Mrs Reeves'sspecial friendship. "Two chaperons! What a character for propriety Ishall gain, to be sure! They little know."
"They know perfectly well, but they are human creatures after all.They've been young themselves, and they enjoy the Orchard! Set to workat once, my dear, and get out your invitations. This weather can'tpossibly last, and it's going to break my heart if it is wet."
But there was no sign of rain on that exquisite morning when at thestriking of six o'clock Darsie leaped out of bed, and thrust her ruffledgolden head out of the opened window. A few feathery
white cloudsserved but to intensify the blueness of the sky; the air was soft andsweet, the garden beneath was already bathed in sunlight. Darsie gave alittle caper of delight. Sunshine, a picnic, a pretty frock and hatwaiting to be worn, and one's very best friends to admire the result--what healthy girl of twenty could fail to be happy under suchcircumstances as these?
She sang as she dressed; she made little fancy steps, and three separatepirouettes which would have delighted the heart of a terpsichoreanmistress. One pirouette greeted the effect of the white dress; thesecond, that of the wide straw hat, with its appropriate garland ofblossom; the third was partly in celebration of the combined effect, andpartly out of sheer inability to keep still.
Her toilette completed, Darsie repaired to Hannah's room and surprisedthat tasteless young woman engaged in putting the final touches to herown costume, in the shape of an abomination designated "a neckarrangement," composed of the cheapest of machine lace and papery satinribbon. Hannah jumped with dismay as a hand descended suddenly over hershoulder, and tore this treasure from her grasp.
"No!" cried Darsie firmly. "You are my childhood's friend, and I loveyou dearly, but wear lace frills with a linen collar at my Orchard partyyou--_shall not_! Miserable woman! Will you never learn how to dress?"
"I paid eleven-three for it, near the end of a term. Thought I _would_please you this time! Hate the tickling stuff myself. Some people arenever satisfied," grumbled Hannah, rummaging in her tie-box, but itnever occurred to her to dispute the decree. On questions of toiletteDarsie's word was absolute.
The two girls descended the stairs together, and found the other threemembers of the party awaiting them at the door, Margaret and the littleFresher abeam with smiles, and even Minerva herself looking quite youngand skittish. At moments like these it dawned upon the student mindthat even a don herself could occasionally enjoy a mixture of play withher work.
At the river Mrs Reeves and the four men came forward to meet theNewnham party, the canaders were ranged ready for the embarkment, andDarsie felt the honours of her position press heavily, as the othermembers of the party stood silently waiting for her to apportion thecrews. The worst of it was that one felt obliged to take the leastdesirable place oneself. Considered as a don, Minerva had many points,but when bound for a river picnic one did not exactly hanker after hersociety. Still, there it was. Every position has its drawbacks. Therow up the river on that exquisite morning was a joy independent ofsociety, and when the Orchard itself was reached it was undeniablyagreeable to sit at the head of the table, and play the gracious hostessto one's guests.
Orchard appetites are proverbial, but this particular party claimed tohave broken all previous records. Soon there was hardly a fragment offood left on a plate. The pile of banana-skins was positively startlingto behold; tea and coffee pots were drained, and drained again; requestsfor milk and more milk threatened the supply of later guests, and thebirds in the trees overhead chattered not a whit more gaily than thecompany around the board.
"Shop" was sternly forbidden as a subject of conversation, and theremotest reference thereto was instantly booed into silence, for behindall the lightsomeness of demeanour a weight of anxiety lay on eachheart. The critical time was approaching when the result of the year'swork would be put to the test. The two classics, as sons of a poorclergyman, were acutely conscious of all that was involved by a first orsecond class. Ralph Percival was realising painfully the difficulty ofmaking up for years of slacking, or even of keeping up a spurt beyond afew days at a time; the little Fresher trembled at the thought of herfirst Mays; even Margaret France herself showed signs of nerves beforethe ordeal of the Tripos, and on one tragic occasion had even beendiscovered weeping hysterically upon her bed.
"C-c-couldn't remember a context," was her hiccoughing explanation ofthe breakdown, and henceforth Darsie had taken her in hand, fagged forher, petted her, scolded her, put her to bed, and ruthlessly carried offnotebooks to her own study, to frustrate disastrous attempts at midnighttoil.
As for Dan, he was a giant among pigmies. Examinations had no terrorsfor him; his place was assured. When strangers visited Cambridge, theirsons and brothers pointed out his big, lumbering form in the streets,and bade them remember Vernon--Vernon would arrive! Darsie wasconscious that his presence lent distinction to her party, for Dan butseldom appeared in the social world.
And he was behaving so well, too! taking part in the conversation, eventelling stories and capping anecdotes of his own accord, and behavingquite amiably to Ralph. Darsie beamed approval on him from the end ofthe table, and deliberately singled him out as her companion for theafter-breakfast stroll.
"Come down to the river, Dan! There's a tree with the most convenientforked branch where one can sit hidden by the leaves and watch thecanaders come up. Last year I heard some quite thrilling fragments ofconversation."
"I'll be wary of that tree," said Dan solemnly, but he helped Darsie toher eyrie, and swung himself up beside her with an alacrity which showedthat the suggestion fell in well with his own wishes, and there they satlike birds in a nest, smiling at each other with bright, friendlyglances.
"Isn't this fine? No one saw us come, did they? They'll think we'relost. I'm tired of being polite. Thank you for coming to my party,Dan, and for being so jolly."
"Thank you for asking me and for looking so--ripping!" Dan cast anappreciative glance at the white dress and blossom-wreathed hat. "Gladto see you're not knocking yourself up with too much work."
Darsie bent her head with a dubious air.
She wished to look well, but, on the other hand, a little sympathy wouldnot have been unwelcome. "I'm excited this morning, and that gives me acolour," she explained. "If you could see me at the end of the day--I'mso weak in my mediaeval French Grammar. It haunts me at night--"
"Stop!" cried Dan warningly. "Don't let it haunt you here, at anyrate--it would be a crime among this blossom. Tell me a story as youused to do in the old schoolroom days. I haven't heard you tell a storysince that Christmas night when we all sat round the fire and burnt fir-cones, and the light shone on your face. You wore a white dress then.You looked _all_ white."
"And you sat in the corner and glowered--I could see nothing, but I_felt_ eyes. That will be one of the times we shall remember, Dan, whenwe look back on our young days--all together, and so happy and free. Ihad a melancholy turn during that cone-burning, one of the shadows thatfall upon one causelessly in the midst of the sunshine, but that wasonly a bit of the happiness, after all. It's rather wonderful to betwenty, Dan, and never to have known a real big sorrow! Most of thegirls here have come through something, some of them a great deal. Ifeel such a babe beside them. It isn't good for one, I suppose, to havethings _too_ smooth."
"I hope they'll continue smooth for a long time to come. You're tooyoung for troubles, Darsie," said Dan hastily. He sat silent for a fewmoments, his chin poking forward, his thin, expressive lips twitching asif struggling with difficult speech. A canader came gliding slowly by,the man and girl occupants chatting gaily together, unconscious of thewatchers in the tree on the bank. Their words fell absently on Darsie'sear, she was waiting for what Dan had to say.
"When they _do_ come, you know you can depend on me. I'm not much of ahand at social life, so it's best to keep out of the way and let otherfellows chip in who can make a better show, but if there's anythinguseful to be done, you might give me a turn. We're very old friends."
Darsie gave him an affectionate glance. "Indeed I will. I should feelyou a tower of strength. Thank you, dear Oak-tree."
"Thank you, Apple-blossom!" returned Dan quite gallantly, if you please,and with a laugh which followed the passing seriousness vanished.
For the next half-hour they laughed and sparred, capped stories, andmade merry, more like a couple of happy children than hard-workedstudents on the verge of examinations; and then, alas! it was time toreturn to work, and, sliding down from their perch, Dan and Darsiewalked fo
rward to assemble the scattered members of the party.