CHAPTER XII.
THE TIGRESS AND THE DOVE.
"Oh, wanton malice--deathful sport-- Could ye not spare my all? But mark my words, on thy cold heart A fiery doom shall fall."
In the golden glow of the morning, Minnette Wiseman stood at the door,gazing out--not watching the radiant beauties of nature--not listeningto the sweet singing of the birds--not watching the waves flashing andglittering in the sunlight--but nursing her own dark, fathomlessthoughts.
From the first moment of the coming of Celeste she had hated her, with adeep, intense hatred, that was destined to be the one ruling passion ofher life. She was jealous of her beauty, angry to see her so petted andcaressed by every one, but too proud to betray it.
Pride and jealousy were her predominant passions; you could see them inthe haughty poise of her superb little head, in the dusky firesmoldering in her glittering black eyes, in the scornful, curling upperlip, in the erect carriage and proud step. In spite of her beauty no oneseemed to like Minnette, and she liked no one.
Among her schoolmates her superior talents won their admiration, but hereagle ambition to surpass them all soon turned admiration into dislike.But Minnette went haughtily on her way, living in the unknown world ofher dark, sullen thoughts, despising both them and the love she mighthave won.
A week had passed since the coming of Celeste. Miss Hagar, feeling shewas not competent to undertake the instruction of such a shy, sensitivelittle creature, wished to send her to school. The school to whichMinnette and Gipsy went (sometimes) was two miles distant, and taught bythe Sisters of Charity. Miss Hagar would have sent her there, but therewas no one she could go with. She mentioned this difficulty to herbrother.
"Can't she go with Minnette?" said the latter, impatiently.
"No, she sha'n't," said the amiable Minnette. "I'll have no suchwhimpering cry-baby tagging after me. Let Madam Hagar go with herdarling herself if she likes."
"Just what I expected from you," said Miss Hagar, looking gloomingly inthe sullen face before her. "If the Lord doesn't punish you one day foryour hatred and hard-heartedness, it'll be because some of his creatureswill do it for him. Take my word for it."
"I don't care for you or your threats," said Minnette, angrily; "and I_do_ hate your pet, old Miss Hagar, and I'll make everybody else hateher if I can, too."
"Minnette, hold your tongue," called her father, angry at beinginterrupted in his reading.
Minnette left the room, first casting a glance full of dislike andcontempt on Celeste, who sat in a remote corner, her hands over herface, while the tears she struggled bravely to suppress fell in brightdrops through her taper fingers. Sob after sob swelled the bosom of thesensitive child, on whose gentle heart the cruel words of Minnette hadfallen with crushing weight. Dr. Wiseman, after a few moments, too, leftthe room, and Celeste, in her dark corner, wept unseen and uncared for.
Suddenly a light footstep entering the room startled her. Her handswere gently removed from her tear-stained face, while a spirited voiceexclaimed:
"Hallo! Sissy! what's the matter? Has that kite-heart, Minnette, beenmocking you?"
"No-o-o!" faltered Celeste, looking up through her tears into the brightface of Archie Rivers.
"What's the case, then? Something's wrong, I know. Tell me, like a goodlittle girl, and I'll see if I can't help you," said Archie, resolutelyretaining the hands with which she struggled to cover her face.
"Miss Hagar wants to send me to school, and I've no one to go with.Minnette doesn't like to be troubled with----"
"Oh, I see it all! Minnette's been showing her angelic temper, and won'tlet you go with her, eh?"
"Ye-e-es," sobbed Celeste, trying bravely not to cry.
"Well, never mind, birdie! I have to pass the Sisters' school every dayon my way to the academy, and I'll take care of you, if you'll go withme. Will you?" he said, looking doubtfully into her little, shrinkingface.
"I--I think so," said Celeste, rather hesitatingly. "I will be atrouble, though, I'm afraid."
"Not you!" exclaimed Archie, gayly. "I'll be your true knight andchampion now, and by and by you'll be my little wife. Won't you?"
"No-o-o, I don't like to," said Celeste, timidly.
Archie seemed to think this answer so remarkably funny that he gave wayto a perfect shout of laughter. Then, perceiving the sensitive littlecreature on the verge of crying again, he stopped short by an effort,and said, apologetically:
"There! don't cry, sis: I wasn't laughing at you. I say, Miss Hagar," headded, springing abruptly to his feet as that ancient lady entered,"mayn't I bring Celeste to school? I'll 'tend to her as carefully as ifshe was my daughter. See if I don't."
A grim sort of smile relaxed the rigid muscles of Miss Hagar's iron faceas she glanced benignly at his merry, thoughtless face over the top ofher spectacles.
"Yes, she may go with you, and the Lord will bless you for your good,kind heart," she said, laying her hand fondly on his curly head.
Archie, throwing up his cap in the exuberance of his glee, said:
"Run and get ready, sis, and come along."
"No; wait until to-morrow," said Miss Hagar. "She cannot go to-day."
"All right; to-morrow, then, you've to make your _debut_ in the schoolof St. Mark's. I say, Miss Hagar, what shall we call her? not yourname--Dedley's too dismal."
"No; call her Pearl--she _is_ a pearl," said Miss Hagar, while her voicebecame as gentle as _such_ a voice could.
"Very well, Celeste. Pearl then be it. And so, Celeste, be ready brightand early to-morrow morning, and we'll go by Sunset Hall, and call forGipsy and Louis. By the way, you haven't seen Louis yet, have you?"
"No," said Celeste.
"Oh, then, you must see him, decidedly, to-morrow. But mind, you mustn'tgo and like him better than you do me, because he's better-looking. Itell you what, little sis, he's a capital fellow, and _so_ clever; he'sahead of every fellow in the academy, and beats _me_ all to smash,because I'm not clever at anything except riding and shooting, and I'mhis equal in those branches. So now I'm off--good-bye!"
And with a spring and a jump, Archie was out of the room and dashingalong the road at a tremendous rate.
The next morning Celeste, with a beating heart, set out with Archie forschool. How pretty she looked in her white muslin dress, her whitesunbonnet covering her golden curls--a perfect little pearl!
Archie, having paid her a shower of compliments, took her by the handand set out with her for Sunset Hall. At the gate Celeste halted, and nopersuasions could induce her to enter.
"No, no; I'll wait here until you come back. Please let me," she said,pleadingly.
"Oh, well, then, I won't be long," said Archie, rushing frantically upthe lawn and bursting like a whirlwind into the hall door.
In a few moments he reappeared, accompanied by Louis.
"Look, old fellow! there she is at the gate. Isn't she a beauty?" saidArchie.
Louis stopped and gazed, transfixed by the radiant vision before him. Inher floating, snowy robes, golden hair, her sweet, angel-like face, onwhich the morning sunshine rested like a glory, she was indeed lovely,bewildering, dazzling.
"How beautiful! how radiant! how splendid! Archie, she is as pretty asan angel!" burst forth Louis, impetuously.
"Ha, ha ha! a decided case of love at first sight. Come along and I'llintroduce you," exclaimed Archie.
Having presented the admiring Louis to Celeste, who, after the first shyglance, never raised her eyes, he informed her that Gipsy had gone outriding early in the morning, and they were forced to go without her.
"Celeste, you must sit to me for your portrait," said Louis,impulsively, as they walked along.
"I don't know," said Celeste, shrinking closer to Archie, whom she hadlearned to trust in like an old friend.
"I'm sketching the 'Madonna in the Temple' for Sister Mary, and yoursweet, holy, calm face will do exactly for a model," said Louis.
"That's a compliment, sis," said Archie, pinchi
ng her cheek; "you'dbetter sit. Hallo! if that isn't Gipsy's bugle! And here she comes, asusual, flying like the wind. If she doesn't break her neck some day, itwill be a wonder."
As he spoke, the clear, sweet notes of a bugle resounded musically amongthe hills above them; and the next moment the spirited little Arabian,Mignonne, came dashing at a break-neck pace down the rocks, with Gipsyon his back, a fowling-piece slung over her shoulder, and sitting herhorse as easily as though she were in an easy-chair. With a wild"tally-ho!" she cleared a yawning chasm at a bound, and reined her horsein so suddenly that he nearly fell back on his haunches. The nextinstant she was beside them, laughing at Celeste, who clung, pale withfear, to Archie.
"What luck this morning, Diana?" exclaimed Archie.
"Pretty well for two hours. Look!" said Gipsy, displaying a well-filledgame-bag.
"Did you kill those birds?" inquired Celeste, lifting her eyes in fear,not unmixed with horror, to the sparkling face of the young huntress.
"To be sure! There! don't look so horror-struck. I declare if the littlecoward doesn't look as if she thought me a demon," said Gipsy, laughingat Celeste's sorrowful face. "Look! do you see that bird away up there,like a speck in the sky? Well, now watch me bring it down;" and Gipsy,fixing her eagle eye on the distant speck, took deliberate aim.
"Oh, don't--don't!" cried Celeste, in an agony of terror; but ere thewords were well uttered, they were lost in the sharp crack of her littlerifle.
Wounded and bleeding, the bird began rapidly to fall, and, with a wildshriek, Celeste threw up her arms, and fell to the ground.
"Good gracious! if I haven't scared the life out of Celeste!" exclaimedGipsy, in dismay, as Archie raised her, pale and trembling, in his arms.
"What a timid little creature!" thought Louis, as he watched her,clinging convulsively to Archie.
"Oh, the bird! the poor bird!" said Celeste, bursting into tears.
Gipsy laughed outright, and pointing to a tree near at hand, said:
"There, Louis, the bird has lodged in that tree; go and get it for her."
Louis darted off to search the tree, and Gipsy, stooping down, said,rather impatiently:
"Now, Celeste, don't be such a little goose! What harm is it to shoot abird?--everybody does it."
"I don't think it's right; it's so cruel. Please don't do it any more,"said Celeste, pleadingly.
"Can't promise, dear? _I_ must do something to keep me out of mischief.But here comes Louis. Well, is it dead?"
"No," said Louis, "but badly wounded. However, I'll take care of it; andif it recovers, Celeste, you shall have it for a pet."
"Oh, thank you! you're _so_ good," said Celeste, giving him such aradiant look of gratitude that it quite overcame the gravity of MasterRivers, who fell back, roaring with laughter.
Celeste and Gipsy stood a little apart, conversing, and the boys satwatching them.
"I say, Louis, what do you think of her?" said Archie, pointing toCeleste.
"I think she is perfectly bewitching--the loveliest creature I everbeheld," replied Louis, regarding her with the eye of an artist. "Shereminds me of a lily--a dove, so fair, and white, and gentle."
"And Gipsy, what does _she_ remind you of?"
"Oh! of a young Amazon, or a queen eaglet of the mountains, so wild anduntamed."
"And Minnette, what is she like?"
"Like a tigress, more than anything else I can think of just now," saidLouis, laughing; "beautiful, but rather dangerous when aroused."
"Aroused! I don't think she could be aroused, she is made of marble."
"Not she. As Miss Hagar says, the day will come when she will, she mustfeel; every one does sometime in his life. What does Scott say:
"'Hearts are not flint, and flints are rent; Hearts are not steel, and steel is bent.'"
"Well, if you take to poetry, you'll keep us here all day," said Archie,rising. "Good-bye, Gipsy; come along Celeste!"
* * * * *
True to promise, Louis adopted the wounded bird; and under his skillfulhands it soon recovered and was presented to Celeste. She would have setit free, but Louis said: "No; keep it for my sake, Celeste." And soCeleste kept it; and no words can tell how she grew to love that bird.It hung in a cage in her chamber, and her greatest pleasure was inattending it. Minnette hated the very sight of it. That it belonged toCeleste would have been enough to make her hate it; but added to that,it had been given her by Louis Oranmore, the only living being Minnettehad ever tried to please; and jealousy added tenfold to her hatred.
Seeing the bird hanging, one day, out in the sunshine, she opened thecage-door, and, with the most fiendish and deliberate malice, twistedits neck, and then, going to Celeste, pointed to it with malignanttriumph sparkling in her bold, black eyes.
Poor Celeste! She took the dead and mangled body of her pretty favoritein her lap, and sitting down, wept the bitterest tears she had ever shedin her life. Let no one smile at her childish grief; who has beenwithout them? I remember distinctly the saddest tears that ever I shedwere over the remains of a beloved kitten, stoned to death. And throughall the troubles of after years, that first deep grief never wasforgotten.
While she was still sobbing as if her heart would break, a pair ofstrong arms were thrown around her, and the eager, handsome face ofLouis was bending over her.
"Why, Celeste, what in the world are all those tears for?" he inquired,pushing the disheveled golden hair off her wet cheek.
"Oh, Louis, my bird! my poor bird!" she cried, hiding her face on hisshoulder, in a fresh burst of grief.
"What! it's dead, is it?" said Louis, taking it up. "Did the cat get atit?"
"No, no; it wasn't the cat; it was--it was----"
"_Who?_" said Louis, while his dark eyes flashed. "Did any one dare tokill it? Did Minnette, that young tigress----"
"Oh, Louis! don't, don't! You mustn't call her such dreadful names!"said Celeste, placing her hand over his mouth. "I don't think she meantit; don't be angry with her, please; it's so dreadful!"
"You little angel!" he said, smoothing gently her fair hair; "no, foryour sake I'll not. Never mind, don't cry; I'll get you another, twiceas pretty as that!"
"No, Louis; I don't want any more! I'd rather have the dear birds free!And now, will you--will you bury poor birdie?" said Celeste, almostchoking in her effort to be "good and not cry."
"Yes; here's a nice spot, under the rose-bush," said Louis; "and I'llget a tombstone and write a nice epitaph. And you must console yourselfwith the belief that it's happy in the bird's heaven, if there is such aplace," added Louis, as he placed poor "Birdie" in its lastresting-place.
Half an hour after, Celeste sought the presence of Minnette. She foundher sitting by the window, her chin resting on her hand, as was herhabit, gazing out. She did not turn round as Celeste entered; but thelatter went up softly, and, placing her hand on hers, said gently:
"Minnette, I'm afraid you're angry with me? I'm very sorry; pleaseforgive me?"
Minnette shook her roughly off, exclaiming:
"Don't bother me, you little whining thing! Go out of this!"
"Yes; but only say you forgive me, first! Indeed, indeed, Minnette, Ididn't mean to offend you. I want to love you, if you'll let me!"
"Love!" exclaimed Minnette, springing fiercely to her feet, her blackeyes gleaming like fire. "You artful little hypocrite! You consummatelittle cheat? Don't talk to me of love! Didn't I see you in the garden,with your arms around Louis Oranmore, in a way for which you ought to beashamed of yourself--complaining to him of my wickedness and cruelty inkilling the bird he gave you. And yet, after turning him against me,you come here, and tell me you love me! Begone, you miserable littlebeggar! I hate the very sight of you!"
Her face was convulsed with passion. With a cry of terror, Celeste fledfrom the room to weep alone in her own chamber, while Minnette sat bythe window, watching the stars come out in their splendor, one by one,with the germs of that jealousy taking deep root in her
soul, that wouldgrow and bear fruit for evermore!