Добавил:
ivanov666
Опубликованный материал нарушает ваши авторские права? Сообщите нам.
Вуз:
Предмет:
Файл:Ralph the Heir II
.pdf
RALPH THE HEIR
“Ontario Moggs in my parlour!” said Neefit, jumping up
in bed.
“Yes, father; Ontario Moggs, — my husband, as will be;
the man I honour and love; the man that will honour and love
you; as true a fellow as ever made a young woman happy by
taking her. Let me tell him that you will have him for a son.”
In truth, Neefit did not speak the word; — but when Polly left
the room, which she presently did after a long embrace, Mr.
Neefit was aware that his consent to the union would be conveyed to Ontario Moggs in less than five minutes.
“And now you can name the day,” said Ontario.
“I cannot do any such thing,” replied Polly; “and I think
that quite enough has been settled for one morning. It’s give
an inch and take an ell with some folks.”
Ontario waited for breakfast, and had an interview with his
future father-in-law. It was an hour after the scene up-stairs
before Mr. Neefit could descend, and when he did come down
he was not very jovial at the breakfast-table. “It isn’t what I like,
Moggs,” was the first word that he spoke when the young politician rose to grasp the hand of his future father-in-law.
“I hope you’ll live to like it, Mr. Neefit,” said Ontario, who,
now that he was to have his way in regard to Polly, was prepared to disregard entirely any minor annoyances.
“I don’t know how that may be. I think my girl might have
done better. I told her so, and I just tell you the same. She might
a’ done a deal better, but women is always restive.”
“We like to have our own way about our young men, father,” said Polly, who was standing behind her father’s chair.
311
ANTHONY TROLLOPE
“Bother young men,” said the breeches-maker. After that
the interview passed off, if not very pleasantly, at least smoothly, — and it was understood that Mr. Neefit was to abandon
that system of persecution against Ralph Newton, to which his
life had been devoted for the last few weeks.
After that there was a pretty little correspondence between
Polly and Ralph, with which the story of Polly’s maiden life
may be presumed to be ended, and which shall be given to
the reader, although by doing so the facts of our tale will be
somewhat anticipated. Polly, with her father’s permission,
communicated the fact of her engagement to her former lover.
Hendon, Saturday.
Dear Sir, —
Father thinks it best that I should tell you that I am engaged to marry Mr. Ontario Moggs, — whom you will remember. He is a most respectable tradesman, and stood once for
a member of Parliament, and I think he will make me quite
happy; and I’m quite sure that’s what I’m fitted for.
Whether Polly meant that she was fitted to be made happy,
or fitted to be the wife of a tradesman who stood for Parliament, did not appear quite clearly.
There have been things which we are very sorry for, and
hope you’ll forgive and forget. Father bids me say how sorry
he is he broke a figure of a pretty little man in your room.
He would get another, only he would not know where to
go for it.
Wishing you always may be happy, believe me to remain,
Yours most respectfully,
Maryanne Neefit.
312
RALPH THE HEIR
Ralph’s answer was dated about a fortnight afterwards; —
— , Cavendish Square, 1 June, 186 — .
My dear Polly, —
I hope you will allow me to call you so now for the last
time. I am, indeed, happy that you are going to be married.
I believe Mr. Moggs to be a most excellent fellow. I hope I may
often see him, — and sometimes you. He must allow you to
accept a little present which I send you, and never be jealous if
you wear it at your waist.
The pretty little man that your father broke by accident in
my rooms did not signify at all. Pray tell him so from me.
Believe me to be your very sincere friend,
Ralph Newton.
I may as well tell you my own secret. I am going to be married, too. The young lady lives in this house, and her name is
Augusta Eardham.
This letter was sent by messenger from Cavendish Square,
with a very handsome watch and chain. A month afterwards,
when he was preparing to leave London for Brayboro’ Park, he
received a little packet, with a note as follows; —
Linton, Devonshire, Wednesday.
Dear Mr. Newton, —
I am so much obliged for the watch, and so is Ontario, who
will never be jealous, I’m sure. It is a most beautiful thing, and
I shall value it, oh! so much. I am very glad you are going to be
married, and should have answered before, only I wanted to
313
ANTHONY TROLLOPE
finish making with my own hand a little chain which I send
you. And I hope your sweetheart won’t be jealous either. We
looked her out in a book, and found she is the daughter of
a great gentleman with a title. That is all just as it should
be. Ontario sends his respects. We have come down here for
the honeymoon.
I remain, yours very sincerely,
Maryanne Moggs.
CHAPTER LIV
MY MARY
Both the invitations sent by Patience Underwood were accepted, and Sir Thomas, on the day named, was at home to receive them. Nothing had as yet been done as to the constructing of those cases which he so suddenly ordered to be made for
his books; and, indeed, Stemm had resolved to take the order
as meaning nothing. It would not be for him to accelerate his
master’s departure from Southampton Buildings, and he knew
enough of the man to be aware that he must have some very
strong motive indeed before so great a change could be really
made. When Sir Thomas left Southampton Buildings for Fulham, on the day named for the dinner, not a word further had
been said about packing the books.
There was no company at the villa besides Sir Thomas,
the three girls, and the two young men. As to Clarissa, Patience said not a word, even to her father, — that must still
be left till time should further cure the wound that had been
made; — but she did venture to suggest, in private with Sir
Thomas, that it was a pity that he who was certainly the more
worthy of the two Ralphs should not be made to understand
315
ANTHONY TROLLOPE
that others did not think so much of the present inferiority of
his position in the world as he seemed to think himself.
“You mean that Mary would take him?” asked Sir Thomas.
“Why should she not, if she likes him? He is very good.”
“I can’t tell him to offer to her, without telling him also
that he would be accepted.”
“No; — I suppose not,” said Patience.
Nevertheless, Sir Thomas did speak to Ralph Newton before dinner, — stuttering and muttering, and only half finishing his sentence. “We had a correspondence once, Mr. Newton.
I dare say you remember.”
“I remember it very well, Sir Thomas.”
“I only wanted to tell you; — you seem to think more about
what has taken place, — I mean as to the property, — than we
do; — that is, than I do.”
“It has made a change.”
“Yes; of course. But I don’t know that a large place like
Newton is sure to make a man happy. Perhaps you’d like to
wash your hands before dinner.” Gregory, in the meantime,
was walking round the garden with Mary and Clarissa.
The dinner was very quiet, but pleasant and cheerful. Sir
Thomas talked a good deal, and so did Patience. Mary also was
at her ease, and able to do all that was required of her. Ralph
certainly was not gay. He was seated next to Clarissa, and spoke
a few words now and again; but he was arranging matters in
his mind; and Patience, who was observing them all, knew
that he was pre-occupied. Clarissa, who now and again would
forget her sorrow and revert to her former self, — as she had
done in the picture-gallery, — could not now, under the eye
316
RALPH THE HEIR
as it were of her father, her sister, and her old lover, forget her
troubles. She knew what was expected of her; but she could
not do it; — she could not do it at least as yet. Nevertheless,
Patience, who was the engineer in the present crisis, was upon
the whole contented with the way in which things were going.
The three girls sat with the gentlemen for a quarter of
an hour after the decanters were put upon the table, and then
withdrew. Sir Thomas immediately began to talk about Newton Priory, and to ask questions which might interest the parson without, as he thought, hurting the feelings of the disinherited Ralph. This went on for about five minutes, during
which Gregory was very eloquent about his church and his
people, when, suddenly, Ralph rose from his chair and withdrew. “Have I said anything that annoyed him?” asked Sir
Thomas anxiously.
“It is not that, I think,” said Gregory.
Ralph walked across the passage, opened the door of
the drawing-room, in which the three girls were at work,
walked up to the chair in which Mary Bonner was sitting, and
said something in so low a voice that neither of the sisters
heard him.
“Certainly I will,” said Mary, rising from her chair. Patience
glanced round, and could see that the colour, always present in
her cousin’s face, was heightened, — ever so little indeed; but
still the tell-tale blush had told its tale. Ralph stood for a moment while Mary moved away to the door, and then followed
her without speaking a word to the other girls, or bestowing
a glance on either of them.
317
ANTHONY TROLLOPE
“He is going to propose to her,” said Clarissa as soon as
the door was shut.
“No one can be sure,” said Patience.
“Only fancy, — asking a girl to go out of the room, — in
that brave manner! I shouldn’t have gone because I’m a coward; but it’s just what Mary will like.”
“Let me get my hat, Mr. Newton,” said Mary, taking the opportunity to trip up-stairs, though her hat was hanging in
the hall. When she was in her room she merely stood upright
there, for half a minute, in the middle of the chamber, erect
and stiff, with her arms and fingers stretched out, thinking
how she would behave herself. Half a minute sufficed for
her to find her clue, and then she came down as quickly as her
feet would carry her. He had opened the front door, and was
standing outside upon the gravel, and there she joined him.
“I had no other way but this of speaking to you,” he said.
“I don’t dislike coming out at all,” she answered. Then there
was silence for a moment or two as they walked along into
the gloom of the shrubbery. “I suppose you are going down to
Norfolk soon?” she said.
“I do not quite know. I thought of going to-morrow.”
“So soon as that?”
“But I’ve got something that I want to settle. I think you
must know what it is.” Then he paused again, almost as though
he expected her to confess that she did know. But Mary was
well aware that it was not for her to say another word till he
had fully explained in most open detail what it was that he desired to settle. “You know a good deal of my history, Miss Newton. When I thought that things were going well with me, —
318
RALPH THE HEIR
much better than I had ever allowed myself to expect in early
days, I, — I, — became acquainted with you.” Again he paused,
but she had not a word to say. “I dare say you were not told,
but I wrote to your uncle then, asking him whether I might
have his consent to, — just to ask you to be my wife.” Again
he paused, but after that he hurried on, speaking the words
as quickly as he could throw them forth from his mouth. “My
father died, and of course that changed everything. I told your
uncle that all ground for pretension that I might have had before was cut from under me. He knew the circumstances of my
birth, — and I supposed that you would know it also.”
Then she did speak. “Yes, I did,” she said.
“Perhaps I was foolish to think that the property would
make a difference. But the truth of it is, I have not got over
the feeling, and shall never get over it. I love you with all my
heart, — and though it be for no good, I must tell you so.”
“The property can make no difference,” she said. “You
ought to have known that, Mr. Newton.”
“Ah; — but it does. I tried to tell you the other day something of my present home.”
“Yes; — I know you did; — and I remember it all.”
“There is nothing more to be said; — only to ask you to
share it with me.”
She walked on with him in silence for a minute; but he said
nothing more to press his suit, and certainly it was her turn to
speak now. “I will share it with you,” she said, pressing her arm
upon his.
“My Mary!”
319
ANTHONY TROLLOPE
“Yes; — your Mary, — if you please.” Then he took her in
his arms, and pressed her to his bosom, and kissed her lips and
forehead, and threw back her hat, and put his fingers among
her hair. “Why did you say that the property would make a difference?” she asked, in a whisper. To this he made no answer,
but walked on silently, with his arm round her waist, till they
came out from among the trees, and stood upon the bank of
the river. “There are people in the boats. You must put your
arm down,” she said.
“I wonder how you will like to be a farmer’s wife?” he asked.
“I have not an idea.”
“I fear so much that you’ll find it rough and hard.”
“But I have an idea about something.” She took his hand,
and looked up into his face as she continued. “I have an idea
that I shall like to be your wife.” He was in a seventh heaven of
happiness, and would have stood there gazing on the river
with her all night, if she would have allowed him. At last they
walked back into the house together, — and into the room
where the others were assembled, with very little outward
show of embarrassment. Mary was the first to enter the room,
and though she blushed she smiled also, and every one knew
what had taken place. There was no secret or mystery, and in
five minutes her cousins were congratulating her. “It’s all settled for you now,” said Clarissa laughing.
“Yes, it’s all settled for me now, and I wouldn’t have it unsettled for all the world.”
While this was being said in the drawing-room, — being said even in the presence of poor Gregory, who could not
but have felt how hard it was for him to behold such bliss,
320
Соседние файлы в предмете [НЕСОРТИРОВАННОЕ]