CHAPTER LXI
Juliet was aroused from this species of patient despondency by the groomof Mrs Ireton, who broke in upon her with orders to enquire, whether itwere her intention to detain his lady at the castle all night? adding,that all the rest of the party had been gone some time.
Juliet followed him to the hall, where she was greeted, as usual, withsharp reproaches, conveyed through ironical compliments.
Upon reaching the portico, she perceived, hastily returned, anddismounting his horse, Lord Melbury.
He held back, with an air of irresolution, till Mrs Ireton, to whom hedistantly bowed, was seated; and then, suddenly springing forward,offered his hand to her depressed and neglected dependent.
Blushingly, yet gratefully she accepted his assistance; and havingplaced her in the coach, and made a slight compliment to Mrs Ireton, thecarriage drove off; and, the final amazement over, the envenomed tauntsof that lady were indulged in a full scope of unrestrained malignityduring the whole little journey.
Juliet scarcely heard them; new perplexity, though mingled with hope andpleasure, affected and occupied her. Lord Melbury, in aiding her intothe carriage, had said, 'I am afraid you will lose your shawl;' and,snatching at it, as if to present its falling, he enveloped a smallpacket in the folds which he put into her hands, of which, in her firstconfusion, she was scarcely conscious; though she felt it the instantthat he disappeared.
Was it money? Nothing, in her helpless state, could be more welcome; yetto what construction, even from himself, might not its acceptance beliable? Nevertheless, with so suspicious and illjudging a witness by herside, to call him back, might seem accusing him of intentions of whichshe sincerely believed him guiltless.
The moment that she could disengage herself from her troublesomecharges, she stole to her chamber, where she read the following words,written with a pencil upon the cover of a letter.
'How shall I ever endure myself again, should Miss Ellis withdraw her kind promise of communication, in resentment of an acquiescence in quitting her, for which already I begin almost to disdain myself? Yet my consent was granted to two of the purest of her admirers and well wishers. I could not have been biassed an instant by those who know not how to appreciate her. Hold, therefore, amiable Miss Ellis, your condescending promise sacred, though I make a momentary cession of my claim upon it, to the pleadings of those who are every way better entitled to judge than I am, of what will best demonstrate the high and true respect felt for Miss Ellis, by
'Her most obedient, 'humble servant, 'MELBURY.
'P.S. Aurora had no time to entreat for your permission to lodge the enclosed trifle in your hands. She is ashamed of its insignificance; but she has a plan, which I shall unfold when I have next the honour of seeing you, to solicit, as a mark of your confidence, becoming, through me, your banker till your affairs are arranged.
'Pardon this paper. I write on horseback, to catch you flying.'
Soft were the tears of Juliet, and radiant the eyes whence they flowed,as she perused these words. Nor could she hesitate in accepting theoffering, though the little gold-purse, which contained it, was markedwith the cypher of Lord Melbury. It was presented in the name of hissister; a sister whom he revered as truly as he loved; such a name,therefore, sanctioned both the loan and the kindness. And theintimation, given by the young peer himself, of the equal influence overhis mind possessed by Lady Barbara Frankland, proclaimed and proved thepurity of his regard, and the innocence of his intentions.
An idea now struck her, that bounded to her heart with rapture. Mightnot the sum of which she permitted herself to take the disposal, provethe means of re-union with Gabriella? A very small part of it wouldsuffice for the journey; and the rest might enable them, when oncetogether, to make some arrangement for being parted no more.
A plan so soothing could not, even for a moment, present itself to herimagination, unaccompanied by some effort to put it into execution, andshe instantly wrote a few lines to her beloved friend; stating thepresent possibility of their junction, and demanding her opinion, herconsent, and her directions, for the immediate accomplishment of sodelicious a scheme.
Cheered by a hope so dear to her wishes, so promising to her happiness,Juliet, now, was perfectly contented to continue at Brighthelmstone,till she should receive an answer to her proposal.
But, before its arrival was yet possible, she was called to a messenger,who would deliver his commission only to herself.
She descended, not without perturbation, into the hall; where acountryman told her, that he had been ordered to beg that she would go,at the usual time, the next morning, to the usual place, to meet her oldfriend.
He was then walking off; but Juliet stopt him, to demand whence he came,and who sent him.
A lady, he answered, who spoke broken English, and who had named five ofthe clock in the morning.
'Oh yes! Oh yes!' cried Juliet: 'I will not fail!' whilst a soft murmurfinished with 'Tis herself!--'tis my Gabriella!
What brought her back to Brighthelmstone, now occupied all the thoughtsof her friend. Was it a design to fix her abode where her maternalenthusiasm might daily be cherished by visiting the grave of her child?Or, was it for the single indulgence of bathing that melancholy spotonce more with her tears?
It was already night, or Juliet would have sought to anticipate themeeting, by some enquiry at their former lodgings: the morning, however,soon arrived, and, nearly with its dawn, she arose, and, by a previousarrangement made with the gardener, quitted the house, to hasten to thechurch-yard upon the hill.
In her way thither, she was seized, from time to time, with somethinglike an apprehension that she was pursued; for, though no one came insight, the stillness of the early morning enabled her to hear,distinctly, a footstep that now seemed to follow her own, now to stoptill she had proceeded some yards.
It might merely be some workman;--yet would not a workman overtake her,and pass on? It was more probably some traveller. Nevertheless, shewould not ascend the hill without making some examination; and, castinga hasty glance behind her, she perceived a tall man, muffled up, whoseair denoted him to be a gentleman; but who instantly hung back.
A thousand anxious doubts were now awakened. Was it possible that shehad been summoned upon any false pretence? Gabriella had not written;and though that omission had, at first, appeared the natural result ofhaste upon her arrival; joined to the difficulty of immediatelyprocuring writing implements, it left an opening to uncertainty uponreflection, by no means satisfactory. That she should not personallyhave presented herself at the house of Mrs Ireton, could excite nosurprize, for she well knew that Juliet had neither time nor a room ather own command; and to re-visit the grave of her child had always beenthe purpose of Gabriella.
With a slackened and irresolute step, she now went on, till, wistfullylooking towards the church-yard, she descried a female, with armsuplifted, that seemed inviting her approach. Relieved and delighted, shethen quickened her pace; though, as she advanced, the form retreated,till, gradually, it was wholly out of sight.
This affected and saddened her. The little grave was on the other sideof the church. It is there, then, only, she cried, there, where ourmelancholy meeting took place, that my ever wretched Gabriella willsuffer me to rejoin her!
With an aching heart she proceeded, though no Gabriella came forward togive her welcome; but when, upon crossing over to the other side of thechurch, in full sight of the little grave, no Gabriella was there; andnot a human being was visible, she felt again impressed with a fear ofimposition, and was turning back to hurry home; when she observed, justmounting the hill, the person by whose pursuit she had already beenstartled.
Terrour now began to take possession of her mind. She had surely beendeluded, and she was evidently followed. She had neither time norcomposure for divining why; but she was instantly certain that she couldbe no object for premeditated robbery; and the unpri
ncipled Sir LyellSycamore alone occurred to her, as capable of so cruel a stratagem toenveigle her to a lonely spot. The height of the man was similar: hisface was carefully concealed; but, transient as had been her glance, itwas obvious to her that he was no labourer, nor countryman.
To descend the hill, would be to meet him: to go on yet further, whennot a cottage, perhaps, might be open, would almost seem to expect beingovertaken: yet to remain and await him, was out of all question. Shesaw, therefore, no hope of security, but by endeavouring to regain thestreet, through a circuitous path, by sudden rapidity of flight.
But, upon gliding, with this design, to the other side of the church,she was struck with amazement to see that the church-door was ajar; andto perceive, at the same instant, a passing shadow, reflected through awindow, of some one within the building.
Was this accident? or had it any connection with the tall unknown whofollowed her?
Filled with wonder and alarm, though a stranger to every species ofsuperstition, her feet staggered, and her presence of mind threatened toplay her false; when again a fleeting shadow, of she knew not whom norwhat, gleamed athwart a monument.
Summoning now her utmost force, though shaking with namelessapprehensions, she crossed, with celerity, a gravestone, to gain whatappeared to be the quickest route for descending; when the sound of ahasty step, immediately behind her, gave her the fearful intelligencethat escape was impossible.
Nevertheless, though nearly overcome with dread, she was pressing on;but some one, rushing abruptly past her, and turning short round, stopther passage.
Horrour thrilled through her every vein, in the persuasion that she wasthe destined victim of deliberate delusion, when the words, 'It is,indeed, then, you!' uttered in an accent of astonishment, yet withsoftness, made her hastily raise her eyes,--and raise them uponHarleigh.
Bereft of prudence, in the suddenness of her joy; forgettingself-command, and casting off all guard, all reserve, she rapturouslyheld out to him her willing hands, exclaiming, 'Oh, Mr Harleigh!--areyou, then, my destined protector?--my guardian angel?'
Speechless from transported surprize, Harleigh pressed to his lips andto his heart each unresisting hand; while Juliet, whose eyes beamedlustrous with buoyant felicity, was unconscious of the happiness thatshe bestowed, from the absorption of the delight that she experienced.
'Precious, for ever precious moment!' cried Harleigh, when the power ofutterance returned; 'Here, on this spot, where first the tortures of themost deadly suspense give way to the most exquisite hopes,--'
The countenance of Juliet now again underwent a change the most sudden;its brilliancy was overclouded; its smiles vanished; its joy died away;not, indeed, to return to its look of horrour and affright, but toconvey an expression of the deepest shame and regret; and, with cheekstingling with burning blushes, she strove to regain her hands; torecover her composure; and to account to him, by relating what had beenher dread, and her mistake, for her flattering reception.
But she strove in vain: her efforts to disengage herself had no morethat frozen severity which Harleigh had not dared resist; and though herearnestness and distress shewed their sincerity, her varying blushes,her inability to find words, and her uncontroulable emotion,demonstrated, to his quick perception, that to govern her ownconflicting feelings, at this critical moment, was as difficult as toresume over his accustomed dominion.
'Here on this spot,' he continued, 'this blessed, sacred, hallowed spot!clear, and eternally dismiss, every torturing doubt by which I have solong been martyrized! Here let all baneful mystery, all heart-woundingdistrust, be for ever exiled; and here--'
A faint, but earnest, 'Oh no! no! no!' now quivered from the lips ofJuliet; but Harleigh would not be silenced.
'And here, where you have condescended to call me your protector,--yourdestined protector!--a title which gives me claims that never while Ilive shall be relinquished!--claims which not even yourself, now, canhave power to recall--'
'Hear me! hear me!--' interrupted, but vainly, the pleading Juliet;Harleigh, uncontrouled, went on.
'Initiate me, without delay, in the duties of my office. Against whom,and against what may I be your protector? You have called me, too, yourguardian-angel; Oh suffer me to call you mine! Consent to that sweetreciprocation, which blends felicity with every care of life! whichanimates our virtues by our happiness! which secures the performance ofevery duty, by making every duty an enjoyment!'
A frequent 'Alas! alas!' was all that Juliet could gain time to utter,from the rapid energy with which Harleigh overpowered all attempt atremonstrance.
'Why, why,' he then cried, with redoubled vivacity; 'Why not exile now,and repudiate for ever, that terrible rigour of reserve that has so longbeen at war with your humanity?--Listen to your softer self! It willplead, it will surely plead for gentler measures!'
'Oh no, no, no!' reiterated the agitated Juliet, with a vehemence thatwould have startled, if not discouraged him, had not another incautious'Alas! alas!' stole its way into the midst of her tremulous negatives;and revealed that her heart, her wishes, her feelings, bore no part inthe refusals which her tongue pronounced.
This was not a circumstance to escape Harleigh, who, indescribablytouched, fervently exclaimed, 'And what, now, shall sunder us? Pardon mypresumption if I say us! What is the power,--the earthly power,--whileyet I live, and breathe, and feel, that can now compel me to give up therights with which, from this decisive moment, I hold myself invested?No! our destinies are indissolubly united!--All procrastination,--allconcealment must be over! They would now be literally distracting. Why,then, that start?--Why that look?--Can you regret having shewn a littlefeeling?--a trait of sensibility?--O put a period to this unequalled,unexampled mystery! I am yours! faithfully, honourably yours! Yours tothe end of my mortal existence; yours, by my most sacred hopes, far, farlonger!--You weep?--not from grief, I trust,--I hope,--not from griefflow those touching tears? Open to me your situation,--your heart! Here,on this sacred, and henceforth happiest spot, where first you haveaccorded me a ray of hope, let our mutual vows be plighted to alleternity!'
Juliet, whose whole soul seemed dissolved in poignant yet tenderdistress, cast up to heaven, as if imploring for aid, her irresistiblystreaming eyes; when, caught by some shadowy motion to turn them towardsthe church, she fancied that she beheld again the female, whoseappearance and vanishing had been forgotten from the excess of her ownemotions.
Startled, she looked more earnestly, and then clearly perceived, thoughhalf hidden behind a monument, a form in white; whose dress appeared tobe made in the shape, and of the materials, used for our mortalcovering, a shroud. A veil of the same stuff fell over the face of thefigure, of which the hands hung down strait at each lank side.
Struck with awe and consternation, Juliet involuntarily ceased herstruggles for freedom; and Harleigh, who saw her strangely moved,pursuing the direction of her eyes, discerned the object by which theyhad been caught; who now, slowly raising her right hand, waved to themto follow; while, with her left, she pointed to the church, and,uttering a wild shriek, flitted out of sight.
Could it be Elinor? Each felt at the same instant the same terribleapprehension. Harleigh sprang after her; Juliet, almost petrified withaffright, was immovable.
The fugitive entered the church, and darted towards the altar; where shethrew her left hand over a tablet of white stone, cut in the shape of acoffin, with the action of embracing it; yet in a position to leaveevident the following inscription:
'This Stone Is destined by herself to be the last kind covering of all that remains of ELINOR JODDREL: Who, sick of Life, of Love, and of Despair, Dies to moulder, and be forgotten.'
Casting off her veil when she perceived Harleigh, 'Here! Harleigh,here!' she cried, in a tone authoritative, though tremulous, ''tis hereyou must reciprocate your vows! Here is the spot! Here stands the altarfor the happy;--here, the tomb for the hopeless!'
Suspicious of some sinister purpose, Harleigh was at her side with theswiftness of lightening; but not till her fingers were upon the triggerof a pistol, which she had pointed to her temple; though in time, byattaining her arm, and forcibly giving it a new direction, to make herfire the deadly weapon in the air.
Her own design, nevertheless, seconded by the loud din of a pistol, soclose to her ear, and let off by her own hand, operated upon herderanged imagination with a belief that her purpose was fulfilled; andshe sunk upon the ground, uttering, with a deep groan, 'Oh Harleigh!bless the dying Elinor,--and be happy!--'
Harleigh, terrified and shocked, though thankfully perceiving hermistake, dropped down at her side, and supported her head; whilecongratulating eyes stole a glance at Juliet; who, at the sound of thepistol, had hastened, aghast, to the spot; but who now, dreading to beseen, retreated.
'Oh Elinor!' he then cried, 'what direful infatuation of wrong isthis!--What have you done with your nobler, better self?--How have youthus warped your reason and your religion alike, to an equal andterrible defiance of here and hereafter?'
Recovering, at these interrogatories, to conscious failure, andconscious existence, she hastily arose, indignantly spurned at thetablet, looked around for Juliet with every mark of irritation, and,casting a glance of suffering, yet investigating shame at Harleigh,''Tis again, then,' she cried, 'abortive!--and, a third time, I am food,for fools,--when I meant to be food only for worms!'
She then peremptorily demanded Juliet; who, affrighted, was absconding,till shrieks rather than calls forced her forward.
With an exaltation so violent that it seemed incipient frenzy, Elinorhailed her. 'Approach, Ellis, approach!' she cried. 'Oh chosen of thechosen! Oh born to shew, and prove the perfectibility of earthlyhappiness, and the falsehood and sophistry of the ignorance andsuperstition that deny it! Approach! and let me sanction your nuptialcontract! I here solemnly give you back your promise. I renounce all tieover your actions, your engagements, your choice. Approach, then, that Imay join your hands, while I quaff my last draught of tender poison fromthe grateful eyes of Harleigh, whose happiness,--my own donation!--willcast a glory upon my exit!'
Juliet stood motionless, pale, almost livid, and appearing nearly asunable to think as to speak. But the feelings of Harleigh were as muchtoo actively alive, as hers seemed morbid. Agitation beat in everypulse, flowed in every vein, throbbed even visibly in his heart, whichbounded with tumultuous triumph, that Juliet, now, was liberated fromall adverse engagements: and though he sought, and meant, to turn hiseyes, with tender pity, upon Elinor, they stole involuntarily,impulsively, glances of exstatic felicity at the mute and appalledJuliet.
The watchful Elinor discerned the distraction, which he imagined to beas impenetrable as it was irresistible. Shame, mingled with despondence,superseded her exaltation; and disdainfully, and even wrathfully, shedisengaged herself from his hold; but, suspicious of some new violence,he hovered over her with extended arms; and presently caught a glimpseof a second pistol, placed behind the tablet, and, as nearly aspossible, out of sight. Her intention could not be doubted; but,forcibly anticipating her movement, he seized the destined instrument ofdeath, and, flying to the porch, fired it also into the air.
Elinor now was confounded; she reddened with confusion, trembled withire, and seemed nearly fainting with excess of emotion; but, afterholding her hands a minute or two crossed over her face, she forced asmile, and said, 'Harleigh, our tragi-comedy has a long last act! Butyou can never, now, believe me dead, till you see me buried. That, next,must follow!' And abruptly she was rushing out of the church, when shewas encountered, in the porch, by her foreign servant, accompanied bythe whole house of Mrs Maple.
Juliet, satisified that this victim to her own passions and delusions,would now fall into proper hands, eagerly glided past them all; and,finding the streets no longer empty, fled back to the mansion of MrsIreton.