VOLUME THREE, CHAPTER FOURTEEN.
And, Betty, give this cheek a little red. POPE.
The departure of Isabel in the Windsor Castle, so immediately after thedeath of Colonel Revel, prevented her communicating to her mother thealteration which had taken place in her circumstances, and her intendedreturn to England. The first intimation received by Mrs Revel was froma hurried note sent on shore by a pilot-boat off Falmouth, statingIsabel's arrival in the Channel, and her anticipation of soon embracingher mother, Isabel did not enter into any particulars, as she neitherhad time, nor did she feel assured that the letter would ever reach itsdestination.
The letter did however come to hand two days before Isabel and MrsEnderby arrived at the metropolis, much to the chagrin of Mrs Revel,who imagined that her daughter had returned pennyless, to be a sharer ofher limited income. She complained to Mr Heaviside, who as usualstepped in, not so much from any regard for Mrs Revel, but to whileaway the time of a _far niente_ old bachelor.
"Only think, Mr Heaviside," said the lady, who was stretched on a sofa,supported on pillows, "Isabel has returned from India. Here is a letterI have just received, signed by her maiden name! Her sisters so wellmarried too! Surely she might have stayed out with one of them! Iwonder how she got the money to pay her passage home! Dear me! whatshall I do with her?"
"If I may be allowed to see the letter, Mrs Revel," said the oldgentleman--
"Oh, certainly, it's nothing but a note."
Mr Heaviside read the contents.
"There is very little in it indeed, Mrs Revel; not a word about thecolonel, or why she left India. Perhaps the colonel may be dead."
"Then she might have gone to live with one of her sisters, MrHeaviside!"
"But perhaps he may have left her some property."
"And do you, a sensible man, think that if such was the case, mydaughter would not have mentioned it in her note? Impossible, MrHeaviside!"
"She may intend to surprise you, Mrs Revel."
"She has surprised me," replied the lady, falling back upon the pillows.
"Well, Mrs Revel, you will soon ascertain the facts. I wish you a goodmorning, and will pay my devoirs in a day or two to inquire after yourhealth, and hear what has taken place."
To defray the expenses attending the "consignment" of the three MissRevel's to India, Mrs Revel had consented to borrow money, insuring herlife as a security to the parties who provided it. Her unprincipledhusband took this opportunity of obtaining a sum which amounted to morethan half her marriage settlement, as Mrs Revel signed the papers laidbefore her without examining their purport. When her dividends werebecome due this treachery was discovered, and Mrs Revel found herselfreduced to a very narrow income, and wholly deserted by her husband, whoknew that he had no chance of obtaining further means of carrying on hisprofligate career. His death in a duel, which we have before mentioned,took place a few months after the transaction, and Mrs Revel wasattacked with that painful disease, a cancer, so deeply seated as to beincurable. Still she was the same frivolous, heartless being; still shesighed for pleasure, and to move in those circles in which she had beenreceived at the time of her marriage. But, as her income diminished, sodid her acquaintances fall off, and at the period of Isabel's return,with the exception of Mr Heaviside, and one or two others, she wassuffered to pine away in seclusion.
Isabel was greeted with querulous indifference until the explanation ofthe first ten minutes; then, as an heiress, with the means as well asthe desire of contributing to her mother's comforts, all was joy andcongratulation. Her incurable disease was for the time forgotten, andalthough pain would occasionally draw down the muscles of her face, assoon as the pang was over, so was the remembrance of her precarioussituation. Wan and wasted as a spectre, she indulged in anticipation ofagain mixing with the fashionable world, and talked of _chaperoning_Isabel to private parties and public amusements, when she was standingat the brink of eternity. Isabel sighed as she listened to her mother,and observed her attenuated frame; occasionally she would refer to hermother's state of health, and attempt to bring her to that serious stateof mind which her awful situation demanded; but in vain: Mrs Revelwould evade the subject. Before a week had passed she had set up anequipage, and called upon many of her quondam friends to announce theimportant intelligence of her daughter's wealth. Most of them had longbefore given orders not to be "at home to Mrs Revel." The few to whom,from the remissness of their porters, she obtained admittance, weresatisfied at their servants' negligence when they heard the intelligencewhich Mrs Revel had to communicate. They were so delighted; Isabel wasalways such a sweet girl; hoped that Mrs Revel would not be such arecluse as she had been, and that they should prevail upon her to cometo their parties! An heiress is of no little consequence when there areso many younger brothers to provide for; and, before a short month hadflown away, Mrs Revel, to her delight, found that the cards andinvitations of no inconsiderable portion of the _beau monde_ covered thetable of her confined drawing-room. To Isabel, who perceived that hermother was sinking every day under the exertion she went through, allthis was a source of deep regret. It occurred to her that to state herengagements with Newton Forster would have some effect in preventingthis indirect suicide. She took an opportunity of confiding it to hermother, who listened to her with astonishment.
"Isabel! what do I hear? What! that young man who calls here so often?You, that can command a title, rank, and fashion, engage yourself to acaptain of an Indiaman! Recollect, Isabel, that now your poor father isdead, I am your legal protector; and without my permission I trust youhave too much sense of filial duty to think of marrying. How you couldventure to form an engagement without consulting me is quiteastonishing! Depend upon it, I shall not give my consent; therefore,think no more about it."
How often do we thus see people, who make no scruples of neglectingtheir duties, as eagerly assert their responsibility, when it suitstheir convenience.
Isabel might have retorted, but she did not. In few words, she gave hermother to understand that she was decided, and then retired to dress fora splendid ball, at which, more to please her mother than herself, shehad consented to be present.
It was the first party of any consequence to which Mrs Revel had beeninvited. She considered it as her _re-entree_ into the fashionableworld, and the presentation of her daughter; she would not have missedit for any consideration. That morning she had felt more pain thanusual, and had been obliged to have recourse to restoratives; but oncemore to join the gay and fashionable throng--the very idea braced hernerves, rendered her callous to suffering, and indifferent to disease.
"I think," said Mrs Revel to her maid--"I think," said she, panting,"you may lace me a little closer, Martyn."
"Indeed, madam, the holes nearly meet; it will hurt your side."
"No, no, I feel no pain this evening--there, that will do."
The lady's maid finished her task, and left the room. Mrs Revel rougedher wan cheeks, and, exhausted with fatigue and pain, tottered to aneasy chair, that she might recover herself a little before she went downstairs.
In a quarter of an hour Isabel, who had waited for the services ofMartyn, entered her mother's room, to announce that she was ready. Hermother, who was sitting in the chair, leaning backwards, answered hernot. Isabel went up to her, and looked her in the face--she was _dead_!