CHAPTER IV.
_In Which Mr. Glastonbury Informs Captain Armine of His Meeting with Miss Temple_.
IT WAS still an early hour when Mr. Glastonbury arrived at his hotel.He understood, however, that Captain Armine had already returned andretired. Glastonbury knocked gently at his door, and was invited toenter. The good man was pale and agitated. Ferdinand was already in bed.Glastonbury took a chair, and seated himself by his side.
'My dear friend, what is the matter?' said Ferdinand.
'I have seen her, I have seen her!' said Glastonbury.
'Henrietta! seen Henrietta?' enquired Ferdinand.
Glastonbury nodded assent, but with a most rueful expression ofcountenance.
'What has happened? what did she say?' asked Ferdinand in a quick voice.
'You are two innocent lambs,' said Glastonbury, rubbing his hands.
'Speak, speak, my Glastonbury.'
'I wish that my death could make you both happy,' said Glastonbury; 'butI fear that would do you no good.'
'Is there any hope?' said Ferdinand. 'None!' said Glastonbury. 'Prepareyourself, my dear child, for the worst.'
'Is she married?' enquired Ferdinand.
'No; but she is going to be.'
'I know it,' said Ferdinand.
Glastonbury stared.
'You know it? what! to Digby?'
'Digby, or whatever his name may be; damn him!'
'Hush! hush!' said Glastonbury.
'May all the curses------'
'God forbid,' said Glastonbury, interrupting him.
'Unfeeling, fickle, false, treacherous------'
'She is an angel,' said Glastonbury, 'a very angel. She has fainted, andnearly in my arms.'
'Fainted! nearly in your arms! Oh, tell me all, tell me all,Glastonbury,' exclaimed Ferdinand, starting up in his bed with an eagervoice and sparkling eyes. 'Does she love me?'
'I fear so,' said Glastonbury. 'Fear!'
'Oh, how I pity her poor innocent heart!' said Glastonbury.
'When I told her of all your sufferings------'
'Did you tell her? What then?'
'And she herself has barely recovered from a long and terrible illness.'
'My own Henrietta! Now I could die happy,' said Ferdinand.
'I thought it would break your heart,' said Glastonbury.
'It is the only happy moment I have known for months,' said Ferdinand.
'I was so overwhelmed that I lost my presence of mind,' saidGlastonbury. 'I really never meant to tell you anything. I do not knowhow I came into your room.'
'Dear, dear Glastonbury, I am myself again.'
'Only think!' said Glastonbury; 'I never was so unhappy in my life.'
'I have endured for the last four hours the tortures of the damned,'said Ferdinand, 'to think that she was going to be married, to bemarried to another; that she was happy, proud, prosperous, totallyregardless of me, perhaps utterly forgetful of the past; and that I wasdying like a dog in this cursed caravanserai! O Glastonbury! nothingthat I have ever endured has been equal to the hell of this day. And nowyou have come and made me comparatively happy. I shall get up directly.'
Glastonbury looked quite astonished; he could not comprehend how hisfatal intelligence could have produced effects so directly contrary fromthose he had anticipated. However, in answer to Ferdinand's reiteratedenquiries, he contrived to give a detailed account of everything thathad occurred, and Ferdinand's running commentary continued to be one ofconstant self-congratulation.
'There is, however, one misfortune,' said Ferdinand, 'with which you areunacquainted, my dear friend.'
'Indeed!' said Glastonbury, 'I thought I knew enough.'
'Alas! she has become a great heiress!'
'Is that it?' said Glastonbury.
'There is the blow,' said Ferdinand. 'Were it not for that, by the soulof my grandfather, I would tear her from the arms of this stripling.'
'Stripling!' said Glastonbury. 'I never saw a truer nobleman in mylife.'
'Ah!' exclaimed Ferdinand.
'Nay, second scarcely to yourself! I could not believe my eyes,'continued Glastonbury. 'He was but a child when I saw him last; but sowere you, Ferdinand. Believe me, he is no ordinary rival.'
'Good-looking?'
'Altogether of a most princely presence. I have rarely met a personageso highly accomplished, or who more quickly impressed you with his moraland intellectual excellence.'
'And they are positively engaged?'
'To be married next month,' replied Glastonbury.
'O Glastonbury! why do I live?' exclaimed Ferdinand; 'why did Irecover?'
'My dear child, but just now you were comparatively happy.'
'Happy! You cannot mean to insult me. Happy! Oh, is there in this worlda thing so deplorable as I am!'
'I thought I did wrong to say anything,' said Glastonbury, speaking asit were to himself.
Ferdinand made no observation. He turned himself in his bed, with hisface averted from Glastonbury.
'Good night,' said Glastonbury, after remaining some time in silence.
'Good night,' said Ferdinand, in a faint and mournful tone.