CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.
He fell, and, deadly pale, Groaned out his soul. MILTON.
"Do, mamma, come here," said Emily, as she was looking out of the windowof an inn on the road, where they had stopped to take somerefreshment--"do come, and see what a pretty lady is in the chariotwhich has stopped at the door."
Mrs Rainscourt complied with her daughter's request, and acknowledgedthe justice of the remark when she saw the expressive countenance ofSusan (now Mrs McElvina), who was listening to the proposal of herhusband that they should alight and partake of some refreshment. Susanconsented, and was followed by old Hornblow, who, pulling out his watchfrom his white cassimere _femoralia_, which he had continued to wearever since the day of the wedding, declared that they must stop to dine.
"This country air makes one confoundedly hungry," said the old man; "Ideclare I never had such an appetite in Cateaton-street. Susan, mydear, order something that won't take long in cooking--a beef-steak, ifthey have nothing down at the fire."
Mrs Rainscourt, who was as much prepossessed with the appearance ofMcElvina as with that of his wife, gave vent to her thoughts with "Iwonder who they are!" Her maid, who was in the room, took this as ahint to obtain the gratification of her mistress's curiosity as well asher own, and proceeded accordingly on her voyage of discovery. In a fewminutes she returned, having boarded the Abigail of Mrs McElvina justas she was coming to an anchor inside the bar; and, having made aninterchange of intelligence, with a rapidity incredible to those who arenot aware of the velocity of communication between this description ofpeople, re-entered the parlour, to make a report to her commandingofficer, precisely at the same moment that Susan's maid was deliveringher cargo of intelligence to her own mistress.
"They are a new-married couple, ma'am, and their name is McElvina," saidthe one.
"The lady is a Mrs Rainscourt, and the young lady is her daughter, anda great heiress," whispered the other.
"They have purchased the hunting box close to the --- Hall, and aregoing there now," said the first.
"They live at the great park, close to where you are going, ma'am," saidthe second.
"The old gentleman's name is Hornblow. He is the lady's father, and asrich as a Jew, they say," continued Mrs Rainscourt's maid.
"Mrs Rainscourt don't live with her husband, ma'am; by all accountshe's a bad 'un," continued the Abigail of Susan.
The publicity of the staircase of an hotel is very convenient for makingan acquaintance; and it happened that, just after these communicationshad been made, Emily was ascending the stairs as Mrs McElvina was goingdown to join her husband and father at the dinner table. The smilingface and beaming eyes of Emily, who evidently lingered to be spoken to,were so engaging that she soon found her way into the room which theMcElvinas were occupying.
Mrs Rainscourt was not sorry to find that she was to have forneighbours a couple whose appearance had so prepossessed her in theirfavour. As she expected that her society would be rather confined, shedid not suffer to escape the favourable opportunity which presenteditself of making their acquaintance. As they were returning to theirvehicles, Emily ran to Mrs McElvina to wish her good-bye, and MrsRainscourt expressed her thanks for the notice they had taken of herdaughter. A few minutes' conversation ended in "hoping to have thepleasure of making their acquaintance as soon as they were settled."
The carriages drove off; and we shall follow that of the McElvinas,which arrived at its destination late in the evening, without anyaccident.
The cottage-ornee (as all middle-sized houses with verandas and Frenchwindows are now designated), which Hornblow had purchased, was, for awonder, quite as complete as described in the particulars of sale. Ithad the sloping lawn in front; the three acres (more or less) ofplantation and pleasure ground, tastefully laid out, and planted withthriving young trees; the capital walled gardens, stocked with thechoicest fruit trees, in full bearing; abundant springs of the finestwater; stabling for six horses; cow-house, cart-house, farm-yard, and_complete piggery_. The dimensions of the conservatory, and rooms inthe interior of the house were quite correct; and the land attached toit was according to "the accompanying plan," and divided into parcels,designated by the rural terms of "Homestead," "Lob's-pound,""Eight-acre-meadow," "Little-orchard field," etcetera, etcetera.
In short, it was a very eligible purchase, and a very pretty and retireddomicile; and when our party arrived, the flowers seemed to yield a moregrateful perfume, the trees appeared more umbrageous, and the verdure ofthe meadows of a more refreshing green, from the contrast with so manyhours' travelling upon a dusty road, during a sultry day.
"Oh, how beautiful these roses are! Do look, my dear father."
"They are, indeed," replied old Hornblow, delighted at the happy face ofhis daughter;--"but I should like some tea, Susan--I am not used to somuch jumbling. I feel tired, and shall go to bed early."
Tea was accordingly prepared; soon after which, the old gentleman roseto retire.
"Well," said he, as he lighted his chamber candle, "I suppose I amsettled here for life; but I hardly know what to do with myself. I mustmake acquaintance with all the flowers and all the trees: the budding ofthe spring will make me think of grandchildren; the tree, clothed in itsbeauty, of you; and the fall of the leaf, of myself. I must count thepoultry, and look after the pigs, and see the cows milked. I was fondof the little parlour in Cateaton-street, because I had sat in it solong; and I suppose that I shall get fond of this place too, if I findenough to employ and amuse me. But you must be quick and give me agrandchild, Susan, and then I shall nurse him all day long. Goodnight--God bless you, my dear, good night."
"Good night, my dear sir," replied Susan, who had coloured deeply at therequest which he had made.
"Good night, McElvina, my boy; this is the first night we pass underthis roof; may we live many happy years in it;" and old Hornblow leftthe room, and ascended the stairs. McElvina had encircled Susan's waistwith his arm, and was probably about to utter some wish in unison withthat of her father, when the noise of a heavy fall sounded in theirears.
"Good Heaven!" cried Susan, "it is my father who has fallen downstairs."
McElvina rushed out; it was but too true. The stair-carpet had not yetbeen laid down, and his foot had slipped at the uppermost step. He wastaken up senseless, and when medical advice was procured, his head andhis spine were found to be seriously injured. In a few days, duringwhich he never spoke, old Hornblow was no more. Thus the old man, likethe prophet of old, after all his toiling, was but permitted to see thepromised land; and thus are our days cut short at the very moment ofrealising our most sanguine expectations.
Reader, let us look at home. Shall I, now thoughtlessly riding upon theagitated billow, with but one thin plank between me and death, and yetso busy with this futile work, be permitted to bring it to a close? Thehand which guides the flowing pen may to-morrow be stiff; the head nowteeming with its subject may be past all thought ere to-morrow's sun isset--ay, sooner! And you, reader, who may so far have had the courageto proceed in the volumes without throwing them away, shall you bepermitted to finish your more trifling task?--or, before its close, behurried from this transitory scene where fiction ends, and the spirit,re-endowed, will be enabled to raise its eyes upon the lightning beamsof unveiled truth?