CHAPTER XIX.
After the funeral of Mrs. Cadurcis, the family returned to Cherburywith Plantagenet, who was hereafter to consider it his home. All thatthe most tender solicitude could devise to reconcile him to the changein his life was fulfilled by Lady Annabel and her daughter, and, undertheir benignant influence, he soon regained his usual demeanour. Hisdays were now spent as in the earlier period of their acquaintance,with the exception of those painful returns to home, which had oncebeen a source to him of so much gloom and unhappiness. He pursued hisstudies as of old, and shared the amusements of Venetia. His allottedroom was ornamented by her drawings, and in the evenings they readaloud by turns to Lady Annabel the volume which she selected. Theabbey he never visited again after his mother's funeral.
Some weeks had passed in this quiet and contented manner, when oneday Doctor Masham, who, since the death of his mother, had beenin correspondence with his guardian, received a letter from thatnobleman, to announce that he had made arrangements for sending hisward to Eton, and to request that he would accordingly instantlyproceed to the metropolis. This announcement occasioned both Cadurcisand Venetia poignant affliction. The idea of separation was to bothof them most painful; and although Lady Annabel herself was insome degree prepared for an arrangement, which sooner or later sheconsidered inevitable, she was herself scarcely less distressed.The good Doctor, in some degree to break the bitterness of parting,proposed accompanying Plantagenet to London, and himself personallydelivering the charge, in whose welfare they were so much interested,to his guardian. Nevertheless, it was a very sad affair, and the weekwhich was to intervene before his departure found both himself andVenetia often in tears. They no longer took any delight in theirmutual studies but passed the day walking about and visiting oldhaunts, and endeavouring to console each other for what they bothdeemed a great calamity, and which was indeed, the only seriousmisfortune Venetia had herself experienced in the whole course of herserene career.
'But if I were really your brother,' said Plantagenet, 'I must havequitted you the same, Venetia. Boys always go to school; and then weshall be so happy when I return.'
'Oh! but we are so happy now, Plantagenet. I cannot believe that weare going to part. And are you sure that you will return? Perhaps yourguardian will not let you, and will wish you to spend your holidays athis house. His house will be your home now.'
It was impossible for a moment to forget the sorrow that was impendingover them. There were so many preparations to be made for hisdeparture, that every instant something occurred to remind them oftheir sorrow. Venetia sat with tears in her eyes marking his newpocket-handkerchiefs which they had all gone to Southport to purchase,for Plantagenet asked, as a particular favour, that no one should markthem but Venetia. Then Lady Annabel gave Plantagenet a writing-case,and Venetia filled it with pens and paper, that he might never wantmeans to communicate with them; and her evenings were passed inworking him a purse, which Lady Annabel took care should be wellstocked. All day long there seemed something going on to remind themof what was about to happen; and as for Pauncefort, she flounced inand out the room fifty times a day, with 'What is to be done about mylord's shirts, my lady? I think his lordship had better have anotherdozen, your la'ship. Better too much than too little, I always say;'or, 'O! my lady, your la'ship cannot form an idea of what a state mylord's stockings are in, my lady. I think I had better go over toSouthport with John, my lady, and buy him some;' or, 'Please, my lady,did I understand your la'ship spoke to the tailor on Thursday aboutmy lord's things? I suppose your la'ship knows my lord has got nogreat-coat?'
Every one of these inquiries made Venetia's heart tremble. Then therewas the sad habit of dating every coming day by its distance fromthe fatal one. There was the last day but four, and the last daybut three, and the last day but two. The last day but one at lengtharrived; and at length, too, though it seemed incredible, the last dayitself.
Plantagenet and Venetia both rose very early, that they might make itas long as possible. They sighed involuntarily when they met, and thenthey went about to pay last visits to every creature and object ofwhich they had been so long fond. Plantagenet went to bid farewellto the horses and adieu to the cows, and then walked down to thewoodman's cottage, and then to shake hands with the keeper. He wouldnot say 'Good-bye' to the household until the very last moment; and asfor Marmion, the bloodhound, he accompanied both of them so faithfullyin this melancholy ramble, and kept so close to both, that it wasuseless to break the sad intelligence to him yet.
'I think now, Venetia, we have been to see everything,' saidPlantagenet, 'I shall see the peacocks at breakfast time. I wish Etonwas near Cherbury, and then I could come home on Sunday. I cannot beargoing to Cadurcis again, but I should like you to go once a week, andtry to keep up our garden, and look after everything, though there isnot much that will not take care of itself, except the garden. We madethat together, and I could not bear its being neglected.'
Venetia could not assure him that no wish of his should be neglected,because she was weeping.
'I am glad the Doctor,' he continued, 'is going to take me to town.I should be very wretched by myself. But he will put me in mind ofCherbury, and we can talk together of Lady Annabel and you. Hark! thebell rings; we must go to breakfast, the last breakfast but one.'
Lady Annabel endeavoured, by unusual good spirits, to cheer up herlittle friends. She spoke of Plantagenet's speedy return so much as amatter of course, and the pleasant things they were to do when he cameback, that she really succeeded in exciting a smile in Venetia's Aprilface, for she was smiling amid tears.
Although it was the last day, time hung heavily on their hands. Afterbreakfast they went over the house together; and Cadurcis, half withgenuine feeling, and half in a spirit of mockery of their sorrow, madea speech to the inanimate walls, as if they were aware of his intendeddeparture. At length, in their progress, they passed the door of theclosed apartments, and here, holding Venetia's hand, he stopped, and,with an expression of irresistible humour, making a low bow to them,he said, very gravely, 'And good-bye rooms that I have never entered;perhaps, before I come back, Venetia will find out what is locked upin you!'
Dr. Masham arrived for dinner, and in a postchaise. The unusualconveyance reminded them of the morrow very keenly. Venetia could notbear to see the Doctor's portmanteau taken out and carried into thehall. She had hopes, until then, that something would happen andprevent all this misery. Cadurcis whispered her, 'I say, Venetia, donot you wish this was winter?'
'Why, Plantagenet?'
'Because then we might have a good snowstorm, and be blocked up againfor a week.'
Venetia looked at the sky, but not a cloud was to be seen.
The Doctor was glad to warm himself at the hall-fire, for it was afresh autumnal afternoon.
'Are you cold, sir?' said Venetia, approaching him.
'I am, my little maiden,' said the Doctor.
'Do you think there is any chance of its snowing, Doctor Masham?'
'Snowing! my little maiden; what can you be thinking of?'
The dinner was rather gayer than might have been expected. The Doctorwas jocular, Lady Annabel lively, and Plantagenet excited by anextraordinary glass of wine. Venetia alone remained dispirited. TheDoctor made mock speeches and proposed toasts, and told Plantagenetthat he must learn to make speeches too, or what would he do whenhe was in the House of Lords? And then Plantagenet tried to make aspeech, and proposed Venetia's health; and then Venetia, who could notbear to hear herself praised by him on such a day, the last day, burstinto tears. Her mother called her to her side and consoled her, andPlantagenet jumped up and wiped her eyes with one of those verypocket-handkerchiefs on which she had embroidered his cipher andcoronet with her own beautiful hair. Towards evening Plantagenet beganto experience the reaction of his artificial spirits. The Doctor hadfallen into a gentle slumber, Lady Annabel had quitted the room,Venetia sat with her hand in Plantagenet's on a stool by the fireside.Both were sad and silent. At last Ven
etia said, 'O Plantagenet, Iwish I were your real sister! Perhaps, when I see you again, you willforget this,' and she turned the jewel that was suspended round herneck, and showed him the inscription.
'I am sure when I see you-again, Venetia,' he replied, 'the onlydifference will be, that I shall love you more than ever.'
'I hope so,' said Venetia.
'I am sure of it. Now remember what we are talking about. When we meetagain, we shall see which of us two will love each other the most.'
'O Plantagenet, I hope they will be kind to you at Eton.'
'I will make them.'
'And, whenever you are the least unhappy, you will write to us?'
'I shall never be unhappy about anything but being away from you. Asfor the rest, I will make people respect me; I know what I am.'
'Because if they do not behave well to you, mamma could ask Dr. Mashamto go and see you, and they will attend to him; and I would ask himtoo. I wonder,' she continued after a moment's pause, 'if you haveeverything you want. I am quite sure the instant you are gone, weshall remember something you ought to have; and then I shall be quitebrokenhearted.'
'I have got everything.'
'You said you wanted a large knife.'
'Yes! but I am going to buy one in London. Dr. Masham says he willtake me to a place where the finest knives in the world are to bebought. It is a great thing to go to London with Dr. Masham.'
'I have never written your name in your Bible and Prayer-book. I willdo it this evening.'
'Lady Annabel is to write it in the Bible, and you are to write it inthe Prayer-book.'
'You are to write to us from London by Dr. Masham, if only a line.'
'I shall not fail.'
'Never mind about your handwriting; but mind you write.'
At this moment Lady Annabel's step was heard, and Plantagenet said,'Give me a kiss, Venetia, for I do not mean to bid good-bye to-night.'
'But you will not go to-morrow before we are up?'
'Yes, we shall.'
'Now, Plantagenet, I shall be up to bid you good-bye, mind that'
Lady Annabel entered, the Doctor woke, lights followed, the servantmade up the fire, and the room looked cheerful again. After tea,the names were duly written in the Bible and Prayer-book; the lastarrangements were made, all the baggage was brought down into thehall, all ransacked their memory and fancy, to see if it were possiblethat anything that Plantagenet could require was either forgottenor had been omitted. The clock struck ten; Lady Annabel rose. Thetravellers were to part at an early hour: she shook hands with Dr.Masham, but Cadurcis was to bid her farewell in her dressing-room, andthen, with heavy hearts and glistening eyes, they all separated. Andthus ended the last day!