The Lost Heir

by G. A. Henty

  CHAPTER III.

  A DEAF GIRL.

  "Yes, Lady Moulton, I will undertake the gypsy tent business at yourfete; that is to say, I will see to the getting up of the tent, providea gypsy for you, and someone to stand at the door and let in one visitorat a time and receive the money. Do you mean to make it a fixed charge,or leave it to each to pay the gypsy?"

  "Which do you think will be best, Hilda? Of course the great thing is toget as much money for the decayed ladies as possible."

  "I should say that it would be best to let them give what they like tothe gypsy, Lady Moulton."

  "But she might keep some of it herself."

  "I think I can guarantee that she won't do that; I will get a dependablegypsy. You see, you could not charge above a shilling entrance, and verylikely she would get a good deal more than that given to her."

  "Well, my dear, I leave it all to you. Spare no expense about the tentand its fitting up. I have set my heart upon the affair being a success,and I think everything else has been most satisfactorily arranged. It isa very happy thought of yours about the gypsy; I hope that you will finda clever one. But you must mind and impress upon her that we don't wantany evil predictions. Nothing could be in worse taste. It is all verywell when a girl is promised a rich husband and everything to match, butif she were told that she would never get married, or would die young,or something of that sort, it would be a most unpleasant business."

  "I quite agree with you, and will see that everything shall be 'couleurde rose' as to the future, and that she shall confine herself as much aspossible to the past and present."

  "I leave it in your hands, and I am sure that it will be done nicely."

  Lady Moulton was a leading member of society, a charming woman with arich and indulgent husband. Her home was a pleasant one, and her ballswere among the most popular of the season. She had, as her friends said,but one failing, namely, her ardor for "The Society for Affording Aid toDecayed Ladies." It was on behalf of this institution that she was noworganizing a fete in the grounds of her residence at Richmond. HildaCovington was an orphan and an heiress, and was the ward of her uncle,an old Indian officer, who had been a great friend of Lady Moulton'sfather. She had been ushered into society under her ladyship's auspices.She had, however, rather forfeited that lady's favorable opinion byrefusing two or three unexceptionable offers.

  "My dear," she remonstrated, "no girl can afford to throw away suchchances, even if she is, as you are, well endowed, pretty, and clever."

  The girl laughed.

  "I am not aware that I am clever at all, Lady Moulton. I speak Germanand French perfectly, because I have been four or five years in Hanover;but beyond that I am not aware of possessing any specialaccomplishments."

  "But you are clever, my dear," the other said decidedly. "The way youseem to understand people's characters astonishes me. Sometimes it seemsto me that you are almost a witch."

  "You are arguing against yourself," the girl laughed. "If I am such agood judge of character I am not likely to make a mistake in such animportant matter as choosing a husband for myself."

  Lady Moulton was silenced, but not convinced; however, she had goodsense enough to drop the subject. General Mathieson had already told herthat although he should not interfere in any way with any choice Hildamight make, he should make it an absolute condition that she should notmarry until she came of age; and as she was at present but eighteen,many things might occur in the three years' interval.

  On her return home, after arranging to provide a gypsy for LadyMoulton's fete, Hilda related what had occurred to a girl friend who wasstaying with her.

  "Of course, Netta, I mean to be the gypsy myself; but you must help me.It would never do for me to be suspected of being the sorceress, and soyou must be my double, so that I can, from time to time, go out and mixwith the crowd. A few minutes at a time will do."

  The other laughed. "But what should I say to them, Hilda?"

  "Oh, it is as easy as A B C. All that you will have to do is to speakambiguously, hint at coming changes, foresee a few troubles in the way,and prophesy a happy solution of the difficulties. I will take uponmyself the business of surprising them, and I fancy that I shall be ableto astonish a few of them so much that even if some do get onlycommonplaces we shall make a general sensation. Of course, we must gettwo disguises. I shall have a small tent behind the other where I canchange. It won't take a moment--a skirt, and a shawl to go over my headand partly hide my face, can be slipped on and off in an instant. Ofcourse I shall have a black wig and some sort of yellow wash that can betaken off with a damp towel. I shall place the tent so that I can leavefrom behind without being noticed. As we shall have the tent a good dealdarkened there will be no fear of the differences between the twogypsies being discovered, and, indeed, people are not likely to comparenotes very closely."

  "Well, I suppose you will have your way as usual, Hilda."

  "I like that!" the other said, with a laugh. "You were my guide andcounselor for five years, and now you pretend that I always have my ownway. Why, I cannot even get my own way in persuading you to come andsettle over here. I am quite sure that you would get lots of pupils,when people understand the system and its advantages."

  "That is all very well, Hilda, but, you see, in the first place I haveno friends here except yourself, and in the second it requires a gooddeal of money to get up an establishment and to wait until one getspupils. My aunt would, I know, put in the money she saved when you werewith us if I were to ask her, but I wouldn't do so. To begin with, sheregards that as my fortune at her death. She has said over and overagain how happy the knowledge makes her that I shall not be leftabsolutely penniless, except, of course, what I can get for the houseand furniture, and I would do anything rather than sell that. She admitsthat I might keep myself by teaching deaf children, but, as she says, noone can answer for their health. I might have a long illness that wouldthrow me out. I might suddenly lose a situation, say, from the death ofa pupil, and might be a long time before I could hear of another. Shesaid to me once, 'I do hope, Netta, you will never embark one penny ofthe little money that will come to you in any sort of enterprise orspeculation, however promising it may look.' We had been talking ofexactly the plan that you are now speaking of. 'The mere furnishing of ahouse in England large enough to take a dozen children would swallow upa considerable sum. At first you might have to wait some time till youcould obtain more than two or three children, and there would be therent and expenses going on, and you might find yourself without moneyand in debt before it began to pay its way; therefore I do hope that youwill keep the money untouched except to meet your expenses in times ofillness or of necessity of some kind. If you can save up moneysufficient to start an establishment, it will, I think, be a good thing,especially if you could secure the promise of four or five pupils tocome to you at once. If in a few years you should see your way to insurestarting with enough pupils to pay your way, and I am alive at the time,I would draw out enough to furnish the house and will look after it foryou.' That was a great concession on her part, but I certainly wouldnot let her do it, for she is so happy in her home now, and I know thatshe would worry herself to death."

  "Well, Netta, you know I am still ready to become the capitalist."

  Both girls laughed merrily.

  "Why not, Netta?" the speaker went on. "I know you said that you wouldnot accept money as a loan even from me, which, as I told you, was verystupid and very disagreeable, but there is no reason why we should notdo it in a business way. Other women go into business, why shouldn't I?As you know, I can't absolutely touch my money until I come of age, andit is nearly three years before that; still, I feel sure that theGeneral would let me have some money, and we could start the Institute.It would be great fun. Of course, in the first place, you would beprincipal, or lady superintendent, or whatever you like to callyourself, and you would draw, say, five hundred pounds a year. Afterthat we could divide the profits."

  Again both girls laug
hed.

  "And that is what you call a business transaction?" the other said. "Iknow that your guardian is very kind, and indeed spoils you altogether,but I don't think that you would get him to advance you money for such ascheme."

  "I am really in earnest, Netta."

  "Oh, I don't say that you would not do it, if you could. However, Ithink, anyhow, we had better wait until you come of age. There is plentyof time. I am only twenty yet, and even in three years' time I doubtwhether I should quite look the character of professor or ladysuperintendent."

  "Well, directly I get of age I shall carry out my part of the plan,"Hilda said positively, "and if you are disagreeable and won't do as Iwant you, I shall write to the professor and ask him to recommend asuperintendent."

  The other laughed again.

  "You would have a difficulty, Hilda. You and I are, so far, the onlytwo English girls who have learned the system, and either yoursuperintendent would have to learn English or all her pupils would haveto learn German."

  "We will not discuss it further at present, Miss Purcell," Hilda saidwith dignity. "Oh, dear, those were happy days we had in that dear oldhouse, with its pretty garden, when you were thirteen and I was eleven.I have got a great deal of fun from it since. One gets such curiouslittle scraps of conversation."

  "Then the people do not know what you learned over with us?"

  "No, indeed; as you know, it was not for a year after I came back that Ibecame altogether the General's ward, and my dear mother said to me justbefore she died, 'It would be better for you, dear, not to say anythingabout that curious accomplishment of yours. I know that you would neveruse it to any harm, but if people knew it they would be rather afraid ofyou.' Uncle said the same thing directly I got here. So of course I havekept it to myself, and indeed if they had not said so I should neverhave mentioned it, for it gives me a great deal of amusement."

  When Hilda Covington was ten years old, she had, after a severe attackof scarlet fever, lost her hearing, and though her parents consulted thebest specialists of the time, their remedies proved of no avail, and atlast they could only express a hope, rather than an opinion, that intime, with added health and strength, nature might repair the damage. Ayear after her illness Mr. Covington heard of an aurist in Germany whohad a European reputation, and he and Mrs. Covington took Hilda over tohim. After examining her he said, "The mischief is serious, but not, Ithink, irreparable. It is a case requiring great care both as todieting, exercise, and clothing. If it could be managed I should like toexamine her ears once a fortnight, or once a month at the least. I havea house here where my patients live when under treatment, but I shouldnot for a moment advise her being placed there. A child, to keep ingood health, requires cheerful companions. If you will call againto-morrow I will think the matter over and let you know what Irecommend."

  Mr. and Mrs. Covington retired much depressed. His opinion was, perhaps,a little more favorable than any that they had received, but the thoughtthat their only child must either make this considerable journey once amonth or live there altogether was very painful to them. However, ontalking it over, they agreed that it was far better that she shouldreside in Hanover for a time, with the hope of coming back cured, thanthat she should grow up hopelessly deaf.

  "It will only be as if she were at school here," Mr. Covington said."She will no doubt be taught to talk German and French, and even if sheis never able to converse in these languages, it will add to herpleasures if she can read them."

  The next day when they called upon the doctor he said, "If you can bringyourself to part with the child, I have, I think, found the very thingto suit her. In the first place you must know that there is in the townan establishment, conducted by a Professor Menzel, for the instructionof deaf mutes. It is quite a new system, and consists in teaching themto read from the lips of persons speaking to them the words that theyare saying. The system is by no means difficult for those who havestill, like your daughter, the power of speech, and who have lost onlytheir hearing. But even those born deaf and dumb have learned to be ableto converse to a certain degree, though their voices are never quitenatural, for in nine cases out of ten deaf mutes are mutes only becausethey have never learned to use their tongue. However, happily that isbeside the question in your daughter's case. I hope that she will regainher hearing; but should this unfortunately not be the case, it will atleast be a great mitigation to her position to be able to read from thelips of those who address her what is said, and therefore to converselike an ordinary person. I can assure you that many of Herr Menzel'spupils can converse so easily and rapidly that no one would have theleast idea of the misfortune from which they suffer, as in fact theyfeel no inconvenience beyond the fact that they are not aware of beingaddressed by anyone standing behind them, or whose face they do nothappen to be watching."

  "That would indeed be a blessing!" Mrs. Covington exclaimed. "I neverheard of such a system."

  "No, it is quite new, but as to its success there can be no question. Icalled upon Professor Menzel last evening. He said that as your daughterdid not understand German the difficulties of her tuition would be verygreat. He has, however, among his pupils a young English girl two yearsolder than your daughter. She lives with a maiden aunt, who hasestablished herself here in order that her niece might have the benefitof learning the new system. Here is her name and address. The professorhas reason to believe that her income is a small one, and imagines thatshe would gladly receive your daughter as a boarder. Her niece, who is abright girl, would be a pleasant companion, and, moreover, having in thetwo years that she has been here made very great progress, she would beable to commence your daughter's education by conversing with her inEnglish, and could act as her teacher in German also; and so soon as thelanguage was fairly mastered your daughter could then become a pupil ofthe professor himself."

  "That would be an excellent plan indeed," Mrs. Covington said, and herhusband fully agreed with her. The doctor handed her a slip of paperwith the name, "Miss Purcell, 2nd Etage, 5 Koenigstrasse."

  Hilda had already been informed by the finger alphabet, which had beenher means of communication since her illness, of the result of theconversation with the doctor on the previous day, and although she hadcried at the thought of being separated from her father and mother, shehad said that she would willingly bear anything if there was a hope ofher regaining her hearing. She had watched earnestly the conversationbetween the doctor and her parents, and when the former had left andthey explained what was proposed, her face brightened up.

  "That will be very nice," she exclaimed, "and if I could but learn tounderstand in that way what people say, instead of watching theirfingers (and some of them don't know the alphabet, and some who do areso slow that one loses all patience), it would be delightful."

  Before going to see Miss Purcell, Mr. and Mrs. Covington talked thematter over together, and they agreed that, if Miss Purcell were thesort of person with whom Hilda could be happy, no plan could be betterthan that proposed.

  "It certainly would not be nice for her," Mrs. Covington said, "to beliving on a second floor in a street; she has always been accustomed tobe so much in the open air, and as the doctors all agree that muchdepends upon her general health, I am sure it will be quite essentialthat she should be so now. I think that we should arrange to take somepretty little house with a good garden, just outside the town, andfurnish it, and that Miss Purcell and her niece should move in there. Ofcourse we should pay a liberal sum for board, and if she would agree, Ishould say that it would be best that we should treat the house as oursand should pay the expenses of keeping it up altogether. I don't supposeshe keeps a servant at present, and there are many little luxuries thatHilda has been accustomed to. Then, of course, we would pay so much tothe niece for teaching Hilda German and beginning to teach her thissystem. I don't suppose the whole thing would cost more than threehundred pounds a year."

  "The expense is nothing," Mr. Covington said. "We could afford it if itwere five times the amount. I
think your idea is a very good one, and wecould arrange for her to have the use of a pony-carriage for two orthree hours a day whenever she was disposed. The great thing is for herto be healthy and happy."

  Ten minutes after they started with Hilda to see Miss Purcell, afterhaving explained to her the plan they proposed. At this she was greatlypleased. The thought of a little house all to themselves and a girlfriend was a great relief to her, and she looked brighter and happierthan she had done since she had lost her hearing. When they knocked atthe door of the apartment on the second floor, it was opened by abright-faced girl of thirteen.

  "This is Miss Purcell's, is it not?" Mrs. Covington asked.

  "Yes, ma'am," the girl replied, with a slight expression of surprisewhich showed that visitors were very rare.

  "Will you give my card to her and say that we shall be glad if she willallow us a few minutes' conversation with her?"

  The girl went into the room and returned in a minute or two. "Will youcome in?" she said. "My aunt will be glad to see you."

  Miss Purcell was a woman of some fifty years old, with a pleasant,kindly face. The room was somewhat poorly furnished, but everything wasscrupulously neat and tidy, and there was an air of comfort pervadingit.

  "We have called, Miss Purcell," Mrs. Covington began, "in consequence ofwhat we have learned from Dr. Hartwig, whom we have come over toconsult, and who has been good enough to see Professor Menzel. He haslearned from him that your niece here is acquiring the system oflearning to understand what is said by watching the lips of speakers.The doctor is of opinion that our daughter may in time outgrow thedeafness that came on a year ago, after scarlet fever, but he wishes herto remain under his eye, and he suggested that it would be well that sheshould learn the new system, so that in case she does not recover herhearing she would still be able to mingle with other people. Hilda isdelicate, and it is necessary that she should have a cheerful home;besides which she could not begin to learn the system until she hadbecome familiar with German. The doctor suggested that if we couldpersuade you to do us the great kindness of taking her under your chargeit would be the best possible arrangement."

  "I should be glad to do so, madam, but I fear that I could notaccommodate her, for it is a mere closet that my niece sleeps in, andthe other apartments on this floor are all occupied. Were it not forthat I should certainly be glad to consider the matter. It would bepleasant to Netta to have a companion, for it is but dull work for heralone with me. We have few acquaintances. I do not mind saying franklythat my means are straitened, and that I cannot indulge her with manypleasures. She is a grandniece of mine; her father died some years ago,her mother three years since, and naturally she came to me. Shortlyafter, she lost her hearing through measles. Just at that time Ihappened to hear from a German workman of the institution which had beenstarted in this town, of which he was a native. I had no ties inEngland, and as I heard that living was cheap there, and that the feeswere not large, I decided to come over and have her taught this newsystem, which would not only add greatly to her own happiness, but wouldgive her the means of earning her livelihood when she grew up; foralthough I have a small pension, as my father was an Excise officer,this, of course, will expire at my death."

  "Happily, Miss Purcell, we are in a position to say that money is noobject to us. Hilda is our only child. We have talked it over, ofcourse, and will tell you exactly what we propose, and I hope that youwill fall in with the arrangement."

  She then stated the plan that she and her husband had discussed.

  "You see," she went on, "you would, in fact, be mistress of the house,and would have the entire management of everything as if it was yourown. We are entirely ignorant of the cost of living here, or we mighthave proposed a fixed monthly payment for the expenses of servants andoutgoings, and would still do that if you would prefer it, though wethought that it would be better that you should, at the end of eachmonth, send us a line saying what the disbursements had been. We wouldwish everything done on a liberal scale. Hilda has little appetite, andit will, for a time, want tempting. However, that matter we could leaveto you. We propose to pay a hundred a year to you for your personalservices as mistress of the house, and fifty pounds to your niece asHilda's companion and instructor in German and in the system, until sheunderstands the language well enough to attend Professor Menzel'sclasses. If the house we take has a stable we should keep a pony and alight carriage, and a big lad or young man to look after it and drive,and to keep the garden in order in his spare time. I do hope, MissPurcell, that you will oblige us by falling in with our plans. If youlike we can give you a day to consider them."

  "I do not require a minute," she replied; "my only hesitation is becausethe terms that you offer are altogether too liberal."

  "That is our affair," Mrs. Covington said. "We want a comfortable, happyhome for our child, and shall always feel under a deep obligation to youif you will consent."

  "I do consent most willingly and gratefully. The arrangement will be adelightful one for me, and I am sure for Netta."

  Netta, who had been standing where she could watch the lips of bothspeakers, clapped her hands joyously. "Oh, auntie, it will be splendid!Fancy having a house, and a garden, and a pony-chaise!"

  "You understand all we have been saying then, Netta?"

  "I understand it all," the girl replied. "I did not catch every word,but quite enough to know all that you were saying."

  "That certainly is a proof of the goodness of the system," Mr. Covingtonsaid, speaking for the first time. "How long have you been learning?"

  "Eighteen months, sir. We have been here two years, but I was six monthslearning German before I knew enough to begin, and for the next sixmonths I could not get on very fast, as there were so many words that Idid not know, so that really I have only been a year at it. Theprofessor says that in another year I shall be nearly perfect and fit tobegin to teach; and he has no doubt that he will be able to find me asituation where I can teach in the daytime and still live with my aunt."

  In a week the necessary arrangements were all made. A pretty, furnishedhouse, a quarter of a mile out of town, with a large garden and stables,had been taken, and Netta and Hilda had already become friends, for asthe former had learned to talk with her fingers before she came out shewas able to keep up her share of the conversation by that means whileHilda talked in reply.

  "The fingers are useful as a help at first," Netta said, "but ProfessorMenzel will not allow any of his pupils to use their fingers, becausethey come to rely upon them instead of watching the lips."