Forbear

CHAPTER IX.

forbear! Oh no! Not thus,

With sacrilegious hand

Profane the Temple!

MRS. H. SANDBACH.

"VERY well, Eleanor; I am answered, or rather, I am not answered at all. Your arguments have no effect upon me. -I think you selfish, and I think you absurd. You are absorbed in your own feelings, and never think of his. You have got some romantic notions of your own into your head, and scorn to listen to the representations of one a little more experienced in the world, I should think, than yourself."

Eleanor made no reply. She sat there, looking so pale and ill, so utterly exhausted by the mental and bodily agitations of the last fourteen hours, that she was really scarcely able to articulate far less to contend a matter.

"Now, don't be sullen, Eleanor. We all know you can take refuge in sullenness when you are at a loss for reasons. Don't be obstinate. It is that sullen obstinacy in your disposition which drives your father mad; and I have often heard him say he would rather have to do with the most violent little vixen in the world, than with you in your fits of silent depression. And I must own, Eleanor, they try me very much and I don't think it is quite treating me as I deserve from you, child."

Ravenscliffe. I.

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And Lady Wharncliffe's voice slightly trembled. She really was moved. She thought herself a very unkindly-treated mother.

"I am sure," said the poor girl, sadly, and in a voice which her weakness rendered very low and trembling, "that I do not mean to be sullen; but I am very weak, Mamma. I do not intend to be obstinate ... I don't know what Papa means by calling me so obstinate . . . . I wish, I am sure, to be docile and obedient in everything; but there are things, mother, mother, it seems so treacherous, so

wrong."

"And that it is which puts me out of all patience, Eleanor; as if your father or I should be capable of exacting from you anything either treacherous or wrong. What can be more simple, or what can be more kind, or more reasonable? All we ask of you is, that you will merely give Randal Langford the opportunity of pressing his suit, and endeavour to wean you from a most unfortunate and degrading state of feeling .; and that, during this, you will be wise enough, and kind enough, to conceal a certain part of your history, which it can do him no possible good to know, which he has not the least right in the world to expect to know, as it is quite over, and which it would, of course, make him wretched, under his present feelings, to be made acquainted with. I do not see that there is anything so very wrong or treacherous in showing a little consideration for the feelings of a man so devotedly attached to you; rather than thinking, as you are for ever doing, of the right and the wrong as regards

very

yourself. This, pushed too far, is only another form of selfishness, in my opinion."

The pale cheek dropped upon the hand; the eyes were bent upon the floor. She seemed to hesitate.... That voice of intense feeling, that cry of the soul, not to be mistaken, which she had heard at her window the few hours before, still rang in her ear.

Lady Wharncliffe saw her advantage, and went on: "Eleanor, let me speak to you as a friend,

with the authority of a mother dal's history?"

"No, Mamma.

not

Do you know Ran

What do you mean?"

"Do you know the cruel insult he received at college? And, that his family principles, how unimaginably absurd people can be! however, that the principles in which these his worthy parents brought him up, forbade him to wipe away the infamy of the affront in the way every man of honour on earth but himself would have done. In short, that he refused to send a challenge and rather than abandon his principles, you are all of you enough to make one hate the name, left college, and his has been a miserable, disappointed, embittered life ever since. Has he ever told you this part of his

history?"

"No, Mamma," looking up, and fixing her eyes. upon her mother's face with an air of great interest. "What do you tell me? My head is confused; I do not understand. How was it?"

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Why, that Randal was grossly insulted when he was at Cambridge, by some impudent young Irishman or other; and because he had been taught by this excellent father and mother of his, — I have no patience

with your good people,

--

that it was wrong to send a challenge, be the occasion what it might, (I don't advocate duelling, I am sure; but there are circumstances. . . .) what does he do, but instead of putting a pistol-bullet through his adversary's body, as any rational creature, smarting under the affront, would have done, what does Randal do but fairly turn tail run away from Cambridge, and come

down to hide his blushes here."

The young girl's eyes were riveted upon her mother.

And

the

"Now, you know, child, conscience and principle, and all that sort of thing, are excellent, no doubt; but when one has obeyed them, they don't always prevent one feeling very small and uncomfortable. And so this affair rankled in Randal's heart for no creature on earth, be he what he may, likes to have been horsewhipped, and not to have had his revenge. so Randal has been a miserable man ever since, most gloomy, wretched spirits at times, and all because he adhered to what he thought right. His mother tells me, that till you came, he was quite a lost being, his sense of dishonour was so keen, and his sense of injury so bitter; but that your presence has acted like a charm upon him, that he is restored to himself, is become quite an altered creature, and bids fair to turn out at last what he once promised to be, a first-rate man."

Still Eleanor was silent; but the changes of her countenance were not unmarked by her mother, who resolved to pursue her advantage, and thus went on:

"Now, my love, here it is. Your own happiness is, or you fancy it is, ruined by an unfortunate and

you are,

most misplaced attachment. You are not happy as you are not likely to be happy again at least so you think. If unhappy you are to be, what matters it to you whether it be in one way or the other? But it matters everything to one who has always loved you, and been kind to you, and whose happiness you hold in your power. Indeed it matters to him, and a great deal more than matters; for there is no knowing to what extremities a disappointment in his first love might drive such a being. Now it is for you to consider this. Will you be the cause of ruining Randal Langford body and soul? or will you do a little violence to your own romantic feelings,

and ..

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Ah Mamma! you confuse me. know what is right or wrong."

I do not seem to

"I should think it was easy enough to know what was right or wrong if people would not wilfully shut their eyes to it. But I have done. You must decide as you please. However, pray do not forget, as you imaginative people are apt to do, the plain facts of the case; and there is not the least doubt of the fact as regards Randal Langford's feelings and character. The inevitable ruin of both will be the consequence of your conscientious regard to the gratification of your own feelings."

Then Lady Wharncliffe rose and made a few paces, as if about to quit the room; but she returned to the fire, and standing in front of her daughter, said,

"But one thing I repeat

I urge

I would command, if you gaye any weight to a parent's com

mands upon such subjects nor, if you have the least

-

but I conjure you, Elearegard for his peace and