The Soldier's Wife — page 140: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE SOLDIER'S WIFE. 121 = perbaps you will find that the grapes are/riage for their son—their nephew Reginald and pour.” “ What the deuce do you mean? would speak intelligibly.” “T suppose you have heard that Adela is in love with another ?”—and Aunt Jane seemed to experience a sort of malignant pleasure as she thus spoke. “Tn love with another! I never heard of it befere-—and what’s more, I don’t believe it. Now then, please to be explicit.” “Tf you don’t believe me,” said Aunt Jane, inacold but half-sneering voice, “there is no use in my uttering another word.” “You may just as well tell me what you I wish you Adela had become deeply attached. however supposed that any explanation took place between them: for Herbert knew in his heart that his five hundred a-year would not re- commend him to the Countess of Burton as a husband for her daughter. vou see, : ment, just about the same time she discovered Mr. Stansfield’s debauched conduct. in one sense fortunate that the Stansfields left Clive Hall somewhat abruptly, inasmuch as Reginald Herbert was compelled to accompany them.” It 18 not He knew the world, The Countess discovered this attach- So it was “And pray how did you learn all this?” ire have vot in vour head,” remarked Gerald: “be-| quired Gerald, when his aunt had ceased speak- cause then [ can judge for myself.” “ Yes—you are such a fine discriminator: ing. “Oh! it was whispered about at the time,” you know the difference between a man and she responded; “and Ihave not the slightest a monkey when you look in the glass, How- doubt it was strictly true, Ask your parents, ever,” continued the spitefal woman, perceiv- if you like: they know more of such things ing that her nephew bit his lip with rage, “I than I do—and they can tell you all about it, if may as welletell you what I have heard. About they think fit to speak the truth.” eighteen months ago, Lord and Lady Stansfield, ; “ Well, it may be that Adela formed a girlish tovether with their son and nephew, paid a visit attachment which has passed away,” remarked to Clive Hall. Stansfields ¢ No great loss, at least for a sen-, I don’t think you know the Gerald. “ How do you know that it has passed ?” in- sible person: although you would have takenin- quired the aunt. “It is so easy to assume finite delight in their society. Lord Stansfield things as being true because we wish them so.” is as arrogant and overbearing as your father, “ But how do you know that it has not passed and perhaps a trifle more wooden-headed : Lady away ?” demanded Gerald. Stansfield is quite as frivolous as your mother, bat older and uglier. As for the Honorable Ferdivand Stansfield, he is a veritable puppy — a shallow-minded coxcomb—sickly-looking and dissipated, but very self-sufficient withal, In short, he reminds me uncommiunly of yourself. But the nephew, Reginald Herbert, is quite a different being. He must now be about three- and-twenty—tall, handsomely formed, and ex- ceedingly good-looking. He 1s intelligent too. He has got more in his little finger in the shape of knowledge, than sume persons that J know have in their whole composition. He is likewise a good young man —steady, well principled, and of a magnanimous spirit. Of course you can have no conception of such a character—it is not likely you could: for in this world people are too apt to Judge others by themselves. The great misfortune is that Reginald Herbert has not a penny piece beyond the salary derived from a Government situation which he holds. That is only five hundred a-year—a trifle that would not pay for your cigars, although it enables him to live honorably hke a géntleman—which is more than fifty thousand a-year could do to many | persons of my acquaintance. Now, it happened that Reginal Herbert fell deeply in love, as the phrase goes, with Adela Clive; and what was equally natural, Adela Clive fell as deeply in love with him. The real object of the Stans- “{ judge from appearances,” rejoined Miss Redburn, I know that Adela Clive’s mind cherishes some image; and I would stake my existence that it is not yours.” “ How do vou know that ? very positive.” “Because, knowing Adela Clive thoroughly as I do—knowing you also thoroughly®as I do— I am confident that she is no more capable of loving you than of becoming enamored of one of the scarecrows stuck up in the corn-fields.” “You are exceeding complimentary, aunt, I must say,” observed Gerald, bitterly. “ Perhaps you think yourself a great beauty.” “Tf I had one tithe of your conceit, I certainly should: but under circumstances I do not.” “Well, we shall see,” muttered Gerald to himself: and he abruptly quitted the drawing- room. On the landing he encountered his mo- ther, who was proceeding to that apartment, and the thought struck .him that he would in- quire more particularly into what Aunt Jane had just been telling him. So he beckoned Lady Redburn into another room; and when they were alone there together, he said, “Sup- pose, mother, that I was to make an offer of my hand to Lady Adela, do you think it would be You seem to ve ” ) accepted #” “ My dear boy,” responded her ladyship, quite fields’ visit to Clive Hall, was for the son and / delighted to see that he was in this matrimonial heir to pay his court to Adela: but Lady Bur- mood, “I am certain it would be accepted, be- ton discovered something so derogatory to his|¢ause the Countess has taken a liking to you character as a gentleman and an embryo noble-; and she would only have to breathe a word to man, that she declined the connexion on behalf | ber daughter of her daughter. Perhaps she will have to do the same thing over again very shortly in ano-/interrupted Gerald. ” “Ah! but that is not exactly what I meant,” “T mean, do you think ther case. However, while the Stansfields had|that Adela of her own free will would accept been vainly endeavoring to arrange that mar-! me? It has struck me that she has growa GOnGooOo cS (C(O)