The White Rose of Memphis. Falkner William Clark
gracious! what on earth can it all mean?”
“I’m sure I don’t know; I wish I did.”
“Perhaps she is the wife of the murdered man; or she may be his sister, or his sweetheart, who is watching him.”
“Can’t say as to that; but it is certain that she is shadowing him. One circumstance connected with her, however, tends to prove your theory about it. The lady in the black domino seems to be unusually melancholy all the time – has often been seen weeping, and never speaks to any one. That goes to prove that she has lost a dear friend or relative; and it may be, as you say, that she was related to the man who was murdered.”
“The truth is, I can’t stand this suspense much longer; I shall die of mere curiosity if things don’t change soon.”
“I beg you not to make a die of it, Scottie, before I get a look at your face.”
“And pray why should you wish to see my face?”
“I am sure I should like it.”
“Suppose you did like it – what would that signify?”
“It might bring about a coincidence, you know.”
“Look, look! there comes the black domino; see how she follows Ingomar! I saw her pointing at him just now, and whispering something in her uncle’s ear. The whirlwind is going to burst on us ere long; don’t you think so?”
“Indeed I do! There is a strange game being played on this boat – it may end in a tragedy.”
“Pray don’t talk that way – you frighten me. I think I had better mention the matter to the queen, and have this nonsense ended at once.”
“No, no! don’t do that, by any means, I beseech you. Our best plan is to remain silent and wait for the denouement.”
“Be it so, then, sir knight. You shall be my champion when the war begins.”
“I shall be proud of the honor – I’ll emblazon my banner with the name of Scottie, in letters of gold, and fight the world in arms in defense of my lady-love. Then I’ll imitate the brave Spanish king, when he met Sir Roderick Dhu on Clanalpine’s lofty height. You know he threw himself against a rock – which I’ll do when the fight opens.”
“But there are no rocks here, you see.”
“Oh, never mind that; I’ll make the pilot-house answer for the rock. I’ll just throw myself against it while you can hide inside, and then hear me cry:
“‘Come one, come all! this rock shall fly
From its firm base as soon as I.’”
“Brave, bravo! my gallant knight. I’ll swap my domino for a laurel crown, to deck the brow of my brave champion.”
“There, there, Scottie, I cry enough! Come, let us join our friends – they are waiting for us yonder. Don’t you see the queen is beckoning to you?”
“When I received Lottie’s note requesting me to come to her immediately, you may guess how my heart fluttered – for I thought something serious had surely occurred, and but very few moments elapsed before I was at the gate in front of Mr. Rockland’s residence. It was a considerable walk from the drug-store to his residence, and I was compelled to halt in order to rest a moment before entering, as I wished to appear composed. While I was leaning against a tree wiping the perspiration from my face and panting with fatigue, I saw Lottie coming rapidly toward me. She had been watching for me.
“‘Oh, Eddie, it’s all settled!’ she exclaimed, as she caught both my hands in hers. I made a move as if I were going to take her in my arms. She gently pushed me back. ‘Don’t be quite so familiar, Eddie – can’t you see papa looking at us? Oh, such a storm as we have had here to-day! Papa ordered me to go away from his home because I wouldn’t let him tell you that I wanted our engagement broken off.”
“‘Well, why didn’t you take him at his word? you knew where you could find another home.’
“‘I did, but the good, dear old darling relented before I could pack my things, and fell to hugging and kissing me, and wouldn’t let me go.’
“‘Lottie, Mr. Rockland is really a good man, and I respect him very much – mainly because he loves you.’
“‘Indeed he is! and my heart was most broken when he ordered me to go away; but did you wish to have our engagement broken off?’
“‘No, you know I did not! What could have put such an idea as that into your mind? Mr. Rockland did not tell you I wished it ended, did he?’
“‘He didn’t say that you said so, but he said you were willing to cancel it if I would consent to it.’
“‘Ah, I see now how it is: Mr. Rockland put the case very strong in favor of his side. That was a good stroke of policy, you see, Lottie; you didn’t believe for a moment that I wanted to have the engagement canceled?’
“‘No, I did not.’
“‘I declare, Lottie, I never saw you look so pretty before.’
“‘I am truly glad that you think so; it makes me very happy to please you.’
“‘Ah! how could I be otherwise than well pleased when I know Lottie loves me? I feel like a new man since I found it out. Will my Lottie always love me?’
“‘Yes, of course I will; I am so very, very happy when you are with me, and so miserable when you are away from me. What shall become of poor me when my Eddie goes away to Philadelphia?’
“‘Let us look forward to the happy day that brings me back to my love. Let us keep our minds on the bright future, when we shall be always together.’
“‘I wish I could do that, but I cannot; I shall all the time be thinking you are ill, or that something has gone wrong with you. I should die if you were to fall ill among strangers!’
“‘I’ll take good care of myself for your sake; I’ll be prudent in all things, and let you know if anything goes wrong; but you must do the same.’
“‘Let us go in; I see Mr. Rockland waiting for you – he is going to talk to you about our engagement, and you must be careful not to offend him.’
“‘Fear nothing on that score; I think we will now come to an understanding entirely satisfactory to all parties concerned.’
“Mr. Rockland met me on the portico with his cold, placid smile, and directed me to follow him into the library. He also asked Lottie to go with us. Pointing to a seat, he requested me to take it; Lottie stood calmly by my chair, while Mr. Rockland took his usual seat on the opposite side of the table.
“‘Mr. Demar,’ he began, with his austere tone of voice, ‘I have had an interview with Lottie on the subject about which we were speaking a short while ago.’
“‘So Lottie told me, Mr. Rockland.’
“‘Her views and mine differed somewhat; but we have managed to reconcile them to some extent; and we may therefore reasonably hope to have all things amicably settled.’
“‘I am truly glad to hear it, Mr. Rockland.’
“‘Thank you, Edward; are you willing to promise me that the marriage shall be deferred until the end of two years from this date?’
“‘Indeed, Mr. Rockland, I should like very much to be able to comply with your request, but why not let the marriage be solemnized when I return from Philadelphia in the spring?’
“‘Lottie would be too young to marry then.’
“‘Grant papa’s request, Eddie,’ said Lottie; ‘I am very willing to put it off indefinitely, if you can be with me often.’
“That settled the question; so it was agreed that Lottie should be my wife at the end of two years.
“‘Come,’ said Lottie, as she took my arm, and looking up at me, her sweet little mouth puckered