The Bramleighs of Bishop's Folly. Lever Charles James
his hopes as a lover; and surely it is well for us that ambitions in life appeal to us in other and humbler ways than by the sense of triumph, and that there are better rewards for success than either the favor of princes or the insignia of rank.
To poor Jack, looking beyond that two years, it was not a three-decker, nor even frigate, it was the paradise of a cottage overgrown with sweetbrier and honeysuckle, that presented itself, – and a certain graceful figure, gauzy and floating, sitting in the porch, while he lay at her feet, lulled by the drowsy ripple of the little trout-stream that ran close by. So possessed was he by this vision, so entirely and wholly did it engross him, that it was with difficulty he gave coherent replies to the questions poured in upon him at the breakfast-table, as to the sort of service he was about to be engaged in, and whether it was as good or a better thing than he had been expecting.
“I wish you joy, Jack,” said Augustus. “You’re a lucky dog to get afloat again so soon. You have n’t been full six months on half-pay.”
“I wish you joy, too,” said Temple, “and am thankful to Fate it is you, and not I, have to take the command of H.M.‘s gunboat ‘Sneezer.’”
“Perhaps, all things considered, it is as well as it is,” said Jack, dryly.
“It is a position of some importance. I mean it is not the mere command of a small vessel,” said Marion, haughtily; for she was always eager that every incident that befell the family should redound to their distinction, and subserve their onward march to greatness.
“Oh, Jack,” whispered Nelly, “let us walk over to the cottage, and tell them the news;” and Jack blushed as he squeezed her hand in gratitude for the speech.
“I almost wonder they gave you this, Jack,” said his father, “seeing how active a part I took against them; but I suppose there is some truth in the saying that Ministers would rather soothe enemies than succor friends.”
“Don’t you suspect, papa, that Lord Culduff may have had some share in this event? His influence, I know, is very great with his party,” said Marion.
“I hope and trust not,” burst out Jack; “rather than owe my promotion to that bewigged old dandy, I ‘d go and keep a lighthouse.”
“A most illiberal speech,” said Temple. “I was about to employ a stronger word, but still not stronger than my sense of its necessity.”
“Remember, Temple,” replied Jack, “I have no possible objection to his being your patron. I only protest that he shan’t be mine. He may make you something ordinary or extraordinary to-morrow, and I ‘ll never quarrel about it.”
“I am grateful for the concession,” said the other, bowing.
“If it was Lord Culduff that got you this step,” said Colonel Bramleigh, “I must say nothing could be more delicate than his conduct; he never so much as hinted to me that he had taken trouble in the matter.”
“He is such a gentleman!” said Marion, with a very enthusiastic emphasis on the word.
“Well, perhaps it’s a very ignoble confession,” said Nelly; “but I frankly own I ‘d rather Jack owed his good fortune to his good fame than to all the peers in the calendar.”
“What pains Ellen takes,” said Marion, “to show that her ideas of life and the world are not those of the rest of us.”
“She has me with her whenever she goes into the lobby,” said Jack, “or I ‘ll pair with Temple, who is sure to be on the stronger side.”
“Your censure I accept as a compliment,” said Temple.
“And is this all our good news has done for us, – to set us exchanging tart speeches and sharp repartees with each other?” said Colonel Bramleigh. “I declare it is a very ungracious way to treat pleasant tidings. Go out, boys, and see if you could n’t find some one to dine with us, and wet Jack’s commission as they used to call it long ago.”
“We can have the L’Estranges and our amiable neighbor, Captain Craufurd,” said Marion; “but I believe our resources end with these.”
“Why not look up the Frenchman you smashed some weeks ago, Jack?” said Augustus; “he ought to be about by this time, and it would only be common decency to show him some attention.”
“With all my heart. I’ll do anything you like but talk French with him. But where is he to be found?”
“He stops with Longworth,” said Augustus, “which makes the matter awkward. Can we invite one without the other, and can we open our acquaintance with Longworth by an invitation to dinner?”
“Certainly not,” chimed in Temple. “First acquaintance admits of no breaches of etiquette. Intimacies may, and rarely, too, forgive such.”
“What luck to have such a pilot to steer us through the narrow channel of proprieties,” cried Jack, laughing.
“I think, too, it would be as well to remember,” resumed Temple, “that Lord Culdufif is our guest, and to whatever accidents of acquaintanceship we may be ready to expose ourselves, we have no right to extend these casualties to him.”
“I suspect we are not likely to see his lordship to-day, at least. He has sent down his man to beg he may be excused from making his appearance at dinner: a slight attack of gout confines him to his room,” said Marion.
“That ‘s not the worst bit of news I ‘ve heard to-day,” broke in Jack. “Dining in that old cove’s company is the next thing to being tried by a court-martial. I fervently hope he ‘ll be on the sick list till I take my departure.”
“As to getting these people together to-day, it’s out of the question,” said Augustus. “Let us say Saturday next, and try what we can do.”
This was agreed upon, Temple being deputed to ride over to Longworth’s, leaving to his diplomacy to make what further advances events seemed to warrant, – a trustful confidence in his tact to conduct a nice negotiation being a flattery more than sufficient to recompense his trouble. Jack and Nelly would repair to the cottage to secure the L’Estranges. Craufurd could be apprised by a note.
“Has Cutbill got the gout, too?” asked Jack. “I have not seen him this morning.”
“No; that very cool gentleman took out my cob pony, Fritz, this morning at daybreak,” said Augustus, “saying he was off to the mines at Lisconnor, and would n’t be back till evening.”
“And do you mean to let such a liberty pass unnoticed?” asked Temple.
“A good deal will depend upon how Fritz looks after his journey. If I see that the beast has not suffered, it is just possible I may content myself with a mere intimation that I trust the freedom may not be repeated.”
“You told me Anderson offered you two hundred for that cob,” broke in Temple.
“Yes, and asked how much more would tempt me to sell him.”
“If he were a peer of the realm, and took such a liberty with me, I ‘d not forgive him,” said Temple, as he arose and left the room in a burst of indignation.
“I may say we are a very high-spirited family,” said Jack, gravely, “and I ‘ll warn the world not to try any familiarities with us.”
“Come away, naughty boy,” whispered Eleanor; “you are always trailing your coat for some one to stand upon.”
“Tell me, Nelly,” said he, as they took their way through the pinewood that led to the cottage, “tell me, Nelly, am I right or wrong in my appreciation – for I really want to be just and fair in the matter – are we Bramleighs confounded snobs?”
The downright honest earnestness with which he put the question made her laugh heartily, and for some seconds left her unable to answer him.
“I half suspect that we may be, Jack,” said she, still smiling.
“I’m certain of one thing,” continued he, in the same earnest tone; “our distinguished guest deems us