The Man in Black: An Historical Novel of the Days of Queen Anne

by G. P. R. James

  CHAPTER XLII.

  Mrs. Hazleton was an observer of all small particulars. She neverseemed to give them any attention indeed, but it is not those whonotice them publicly who pay most attention to them in private. Nowshe had never in her life been detained five minutes when she had cometo visit Lady Hastings. Her friend was always only too glad to seeher. On the present occasion, she had been kept alone for fullyten-minutes in the drawing-room, and she was not at all pleased withthis want of alacrity. Her face was as smooth, as gentle, and assmiling when she entered the sick lady's bed-room, as if she had beenfull of affection and tender consideration; and before she had reachedthe bed-side, Lady Hastings felt that it would be a somewhat difficulttask to play the cold and reserved part she had imposed upon herself.She resolved, doggedly, however, to act it out; and as Mrs. Hazletonapproached, she continued looking at her fair delicate hands, or atthe rings--now somewhat too large for the fingers they encircled.

  All this was a hint, if not distinct intelligence, to Mrs. Hazleton.She saw that a change of feeling, or at least a change of purpose, hadtaken place, and that Lady Hastings felt embarrassed by aconsciousness which she might or might not choose to communicate. Mrs.Hazleton remained the same, however, and rather enjoyed the hesitationwhich she perceived than otherwise. She was not without that proudsatisfaction which persons of superior mind feel, in witnessing theeffects upon weak people of causes which would not give them amoment's trouble. Difficulties and complexities she had been so muchaccustomed to overcome and to unravel, that she had learned to feel acertain triumphant joy in encountering them. That joy, indeed, wouldhave been changed to despair or rage if she had ever dreamed of beingfrustrated; but success had made her bold, and she loved to steer hercourse through agitated waters.

  "Well, my dear friend," she said, with the sweet tones of her voicefalling from her lips like drops d liquid honey, "You do not seemquite so well to-day. I hope this business which you were to undertakehas not agitated you, or perhaps you have not executed your intention;it could be very well put off till you are better."

  This was intended to lead to confession; for from a knowledge of LadyHastings' character, a strong suspicion arose that she had not foundcourage to carry through the little drama which had been plannedbetween them, and that she was now ashamed to confess her want ofresolution.

  Lady Hastings remained silent, playing with her rings, and Mrs.Hazleton, a little angry--but very little--gave her one of thosedelightful little scratches which she was practised in administering,saying, "No one knew any thing about your intentions but myself, so,no one can accuse you of weakness or vacillation."

  "I care very little," said Lady Hastings (most untruly) "of whatpeople accuse me. I shall of course form my own resolutions from whatI know, and execute them or not, dear Mrs. Hazleton, according tocircumstances, which are ever changing. What is inexpedient one daymay be quite expedient the next."

  Now no one was more fully aware than Mrs. Hazleton that expediency isalways the argument of weak minds, and that changing circumstancesafford every day fair excuses to men and to multitudes for every kindof weakness under the sun. Her belief was strengthened, that LadyHastings had not acted as she had promised to act, and she repliedwith an easy, quiet, half-pitying smile, "Well, it is not of theslightest consequence whether you do it now or a week hence, or not atall. The worst that could come would be Emily's marriage with Marlow,and if you do not care about it, who should? I take it for granted, ofcourse, that you have not acted in the matter so boldly and decidedlyas we proposed."

  There was an implied superiority in Mrs. Hazleton's words and manner,which Lady Hastings did not like. It roused and elevated her, and shereplied somewhat sharply, "You are quite mistaken, my dear friend. Idid all that was ever intended; I sent for Emily and my husband, toldthem that I believed I should not live long, and made it my lastrequest that the engagement with Marlow should be broken off."

  "Indeed!" exclaimed Mrs. Hazleton, with even too much eagerness; "Whatdid they say? Did they consent?"

  "Far from it," answered Lady Hastings. "My husband said he had made apromise, which he would not violate on any account or considerationwhatever, and Emily was much in the same story."

  "That shows that your decision was not strongly enough expressed,"replied her visitor. "I do not believe that any man or woman could beheartless enough to refuse a wife or mother's last request, if made inso solemn a manner."

  "They did refuse, point-blank, however," said Lady Hastings. "But doyou know, Mrs. Hazleton," she continued, seeing a provokingly bittersmile on Mrs. Hazleton's face, "do you know, strange to say, I am veryglad they did refuse. Upon after consideration, when all anger andirritation was gone, I began to think it was hardly right or fair, orChristian either, to oppose this marriage so strongly, without somebetter reason than I have to assign. Marlow is a gentleman in allrespects, of very good family too, I believe. He is a good andexcellent young man. His fortune, too, is not inconsiderable, hisprospects good, and his conduct under the deprivations which we havelately suffered, and the loss of at least two-thirds of the fortune hehad a right to expect with Emily, has been all that is kind, andamiable, and generous."

  Mrs. Hazleton sat by the bedside, fixing her eyes full upon thecountenance of the invalid, and betraying not in the least the rageand disappointment that were at her heart. They were not a whit theless bitter, however, or fierce, or malignant; but rather the more sofrom the effort to smother them. No one for a moment could haveimagined that she was angry, even in the least degree; and yet nodisappointed demon ever felt greater fury at being frustrated by theweakness or vacillation of a tool.

  After staying for a moment to take breath, Lady Hastings proceeded,saying, "All these considerations, dear Mrs. Hazleton, have made meresolve to make amends for what I have said--to withdraw theopposition I have hitherto shown--and consent to the marriage."

  Mrs. Hazleton retired for a moment into herself. For a minute or twoshe was as silent as death--her cheek grew a little paler--her eyeslost their lustre, and became dead and cold--they seemed looking atnothing, seeing nothing--there was no speculation in them. The onlything that indicated life and emotion was a slight quivering of thebeautifully-chiselled lip. There was a word echoing in the darkchambers of her heart in replying to Lady Hastings. It was "Never!"but it was not spoken; and after a short and thoughtful pause sherecovered herself fully, and set about her work again.

  "My dear friend," she said, in a sweet tone, "you have doubtless goodreasons for what you do. Far be it from me to say one word againstyour doing what you think fit; only I should like to know what hasmade such a change in your views, because I think perhaps you may bedeceived."

  "Oh, no, I am not deceived," replied Lady Hastings, "but really Icannot enter into explanations. I have heard a great deal lately aboutmany things--especially this morning; but I--I--in fact, I promisednot to tell you."

  Lady Hastings thought that in making this distinct declaration she wasperforming a very magnanimous feat; but her little speech, short as itwas, contained three separate clauses or propositions, with each ofwhich Mrs. Hazleton proposed to deal separately. First, she assertedthat she was not deceived, and to this her companion replied, with aslight incredulous smile, "Are you quite sure, my friend? Here you arelying on a bed of sickness, with no power of obtaining accurateinformation; while those who are combined to win you to their wisheshave every opportunity of conveying hints to you, both directly andindirectly, which may not be altogether false, but yet bear with thema false impression."

  "Oh, but there can be no possible doubt," said Lady Hastings, "thatMarlow is the heir of the Earl of Launceston."

  Mrs. Hazleton's brow contracted, and a quick flush passed over hercheek. She had never before given attention to the fact--she had neverthought of it at all--but the moment it was mentioned, her knowledgeof the families of the nobility, and Mr. Marlow's connections, showedher that the assertion was probably true. "It may be so," she said,"but I am very doubtful. H
owever, I will inquire, and let you know thetruth, to-morrow. And now, my dear friend, let us turn to somethingelse. You say you have heard a great deal to-day, and that you havepromised not to tell _me_--me--for you marked that word particularly.Now here I have a right to demand some explanation; for your verywords show that some person or persons endeavor to prejudice your mindagainst me. What you have heard must be some false charge. Otherwisethe one who has been your friend for years, who has been faithful,constant, attentive, kind, to the utmost limit of her poor abilities,would not be selected for exclusion from your confidence. They seek,in fact, by some false rumor, or ridiculous tale, which you have notthe means of investigating yourself, to deprive you of advice andsupport. I charge no one in particular; but some one has done this--ifthey had nothing to fear from frankness, they would not inculcate awant of candor towards one who loves you, as they well know."

  "Why the fact is Emily said," replied Lady Hastings, "that could onlybe for a short time, and----"

  "Emily!" cried Mrs. Hazleton with a laugh, "Emily indeed! Oh, then thematter is easily understood--but pray what did Emily say? Dear Emily,she is a charming girl--rather wayward--rather wilful--not alwaysquite so candid to her friends as I could wish; but these are allthoughts which will pass away with more knowledge of the world. Shewill learn to discriminate between true friends and false ones--totrust and confide entirely and without hesitation in those who reallylove her, and not to repose her confidence in the dark andmysterious.--Now I will undertake to say that Emily has thrown outhints and inuendoes, without giving you very clear and explicitinformation. She has asked you to wait patiently for a time. It isalways the dear child's way; but I did not think she would practice itupon her own mother."

  Now most people would have imagined, as Lady Hastings did imagine,that Mrs. Hazleton's words proceeded from spite--mere spite; but suchwas not the case: it was all art. She sought to pique Lady Hastings,knowing very well that when once heated or angry, she lost allcaution; and her great object at that moment was to ascertain whatEmily knew, and what Emily had said. She was successful to a certaindegree. She did pique Lady Hastings, who replied at once, and somewhatsharply, though with the ordinary forms of courtesy. "I do not thinkyou altogether do Emily justice, dear Mrs. Hazleton, although you havein some degree divined the course she has pursued. She did not exactlythrow out inuendoes; but she made bold and distinct charges, andthough she did not proceed to the proofs, because there was no time todo so, and also because there were particular reasons for not doingso, yet she promised within a very few hours to establish everyassertion that she made beyond the possibility of doubt.

  "I thought so," said Mrs. Hazleton, in a somewhat abstracted tone,casting her eyes round the room and taking up, apparently unconcerned,the vial of medicine which stood by Lady Hastings' bedside. "Pray, mydear friend, when the revelation is made--if it ever be made--informme of the particulars."

  "If it ever be made," exclaimed Lady Hastings. "No revelation needs tobe made, Mrs. Hazleton--nothing is wanting but the proofs. Emily wasexplicit enough as to the facts. She said that you had aided andassisted in depriving my husband of his property, that in that andmany other particulars you had acted any thing but a friendly part,that you were moved by a spirit of hatred against us all, and thatvery seldom had there been any communications between our house andyours without some evil following it--which is true enough."

  She spoke with a good deal of vehemence, and raised herself somewhaton her elbow, as if to utter her words more freely. In the mean whileMrs. Hazleton sat silent and calm--as far as the exterior went atleast--with her eyes fixed upon a particular spot in the quilt fromwhich they never moved till Lady Hastings had done.

  "Grave charges," she said at length, "very grave charges to bringagainst one whom she has known from her infancy, and for whom she hasprofessed some regard--but no less false than grave, my dear friend.Now either one of two things has happened: the first, which I mentionmerely as a possibility, but without at all believing that such is thecase--the first is, I say, that Emily, judging your opposition to herproposed unequal marriage to be abetted by myself, has devised thesecharges out of her own head, in order to withdraw your confidence fromme and gain her own objects: the second is--and this is much morelikely--that she has been informed by some one, either maliciously ormistakenly, of some suspicions and doubts such as are always more orless current in a country place, and has perhaps embellished them alittle in their transmission to you.--The latter is certainly the mostprobable.--I suppose she did not tell you from whom she received theinformation."

  "Not exactly," answered Lady Hastings, "but one thing I know, whichis, that Mr. Dixwell the rector has all the same information, and if Iunderstood her rightly, has got it down in writing."

  Mrs. Hazleton's cheek grew a shade paler; but she answered at once "Iam glad to hear that; for now we come to something definite. All thesecharges must be substantiated, dear friend--that is, if they can besubstantiated--" she added with a smile.

  "You can easily understand that, attached to you by the bonds of along friendship, I cannot suffer my name to be traduced, or my conductimpeached, even by your own daughter, without insisting upon a fullexplanation, and clear, satisfactory proofs, or a recantation of thecharges. Emily must establish what she has said, if she can.--I am inno haste about it; it may be to-morrow, or the next day, or the dayafter--whenever it suits you and her in short; but it must be done.Conscious that I am innocent of such great offences, I can waitpatiently; and I do not think, my dear friend, that although I see youhave been a little startled by these strange tales, you will give anycredence to them in your heart till they are proved. Dear Emily isevidently very much in love with Mr. Marlow, and is anxious to removeall opposition to her marriage with him. But I think she must takesome other means; for these will certainly break down beneath her."

  She spoke so calmly, and in so quiet and gentle a tone--her whole lookand manner was so tranquilly confident--that lady Hastings couldhardly believe that she was in any degree guilty.

  "Well, I cannot tell," she said, "how this may turn out, but I do notthink her marriage with Mr. Marlow can have any thing to do with it. Ihave fully and entirely resolved to cease all opposition to her union;on which I see my daughter's happiness is staked, and I shallcertainly immediately signify my consent both to Emily and to myhusband."

  "Wait a little--wait a little" said Mrs. Hazleton with a significantnod of the head. "I have no mysteries, my dear friend. I have nothingto conceal or to hold back. You are going, however, to act uponinformation which is very doubtful. I believe that you have beendeceived, whoever has told you that Mr. Marlow is the heir to the Earlof Launceston, and it is but an act of friendship on my part toprocure you more certain intelligence. You shall have it I promiseyou, before four and twenty hours are over, and all I ask is that youwill not commit yourself by giving your consent till that intelligencehas been obtained. You cannot say that you consent if Mr. Marlowproves to be the heir of that nobleman, but will not consent if suchbe not the case.--That would never do, and therefore your consentwould be irrevocable. But on the other hand there can be no great harmin waiting four and twenty hours at the utmost. I have plenty of booksof heraldry and genealogy, which will soon let me into the facts, andyou shall know them plainly and straightforwardly at once. You canthen decide and state your decision firmly and calmly, with justreason and upon good grounds."

  Lady Hastings was silent. She saw that Mrs. Hazleton had detected themotives of her sudden change of views, and she did not much like beingdetected. She had fully made up her mind, too, that Marlow was tobecome Earl and her daughter Countess of Launceston, and the verythought of such not being the result was a sort of half disappointmentto her. Now Lady Hastings did not like being disappointed at all, andmoreover she had made up her mind to have a scene of reconciliation,and tenderness, and gratitude with her husband and her daughter, fromwhich--being of a truly affectionate disposition--she thought sheshould derive great pleasure. T
hus she hesitated for a moment as towhat she should answer, and Mrs. Hazleton, determined not to let theeffect of what she had said subside before she had bound her morefirmly, added, after waiting a short time for a reply, "you willpromise me, will you not, that you will not distinctly recall yourinjunction, and give your consent to the marriage till you have seenme again; provided I do not keep you in suspense more than four andtwenty hours? It is but reasonable too, and just, and you would, I amsure, repent bitterly if you were to find afterwards that your consentto this very unequal marriage had been obtained by deceit, and thatyou bad been made a mere fool of--Really at the very first sight, evenif I had not good reason to believe that this story of the heirship iseither a mistake or a misrepresentation, it seems so like a stagetrick--the cunning plot of some knavish servant or convenient friendin a drama--that I should be very doubtful. Will you not promise methen?"

  "Well, there can be no great harm in waiting that length of time,"said Lady Hastings. "I do not mind promising that; but of course youwill let me know within four and twenty hours."

  "I will," replied Mrs. Hazleton firmly; "earlier if it be possible; butthe fact is, I have some business to settle to-morrow of greatimportance. My lawyer, Mr. Shanks--whom I believe to be a greatrogue--persuaded me to lend some money upon security which hepronounced himself to be good. I knew not what it was for; as we womenof course can be no judges of such things; but I have just discoveredthat it was to pay off some debts of this young man who calls himselfSir John Hastings. Now I don't know whether the papers have beensigned, or any thing about it; and I hear that the young man himselfis absent, no one knows where. It makes me very uneasy; and I havesent for Shanks to come to me to-morrow morning. It may therefore bethe middle of the day before I can get here; but I will not delay amoment, you may be perfectly sure."

  She had risen as she spoke, and after pressing the hand of LadyHastings tenderly in her own, she glided calmly out of the room withher usual graceful movement, and entering her carriage with a face asserene as a summer sky, ordered the coachman to drive home in a voicethat wavered not in its lightest tone.