The Daltons; Or, Three Roads In Life. Volume II. Lever Charles James
free in all the Adler;” “The Swan must refuse the Queen of Naples,” – such were the rumors that fell from lip to lip as in hearty congratulation they talked over their good fortune.
One figure only of the assembled group seemed excepted from the general Joy. He was a large elderly man, who, in a patched and threadbare surtout, with a coarse scarlet muffler round his throat, appeared either distrustful of the mild season or unprovided with any change of costume to enjoy it. Seated on a stone bench in front of the window of the post-office, with an arm on each knee, and his head bent heavily forward, he never seemed to notice what went forward, nor hear one syllable of the joyous recognitions about him.
The crowd at last dispersed, the happy recipients of good news were turning homewards, and only one or two still lingered around the spot, when the old man arose and approached the window. There was something almost of shame in the way he slouched his hat over his eyes as he drew nigh and knocked timidly at the closed pane.
His summons was unheard, and yet for some time he did not repeat it, – perhaps he loved better to feed his hope even these short few moments than again fall back into the dark gloom of his despair! At last, and with a deep, hollow sigh, he tapped again.
“Have you anything for the name of Dalton, – Peter Dalton?” asked he, in a voice wherein scarcely an accent revealed the once high-hearted nature.
“Nothing,” was the curt rejoinder. And the window was slammed to with impatience.
He grasped the iron railing with a convulsive grip, as though a sudden pang had shot through him, and then, by a great effort, he drew himself up to his full height; his pale and haggard face grew paler as he turned it upwards, and his bloodless lips trembled as they muttered some indistinct syllables; then turning about, he brushed abruptly past the few who stood around, and walked away.
He had not gone many paces when a boy overtook him, saying, “Come back, sir; the postmaster has two letters for you.”
Dalton looked stealthily at either side, to be sure that the speech was addressed to him, and, with a fierceness that startled the boy, said, “You’re certain they’re for me?”
“Yes, yes; all right, – here they are,” cried the postmaster from the window. “One, a soldier’s letter from Munich, and free. The other is a heavier packet, and costs four florins and twelve kreutzers.”
“I must be satisfied with this one, then,” said Dalton, “till I go back for money. I brought no change out with me.”
“No matter: you can send it,” said the other.
“Maybe it’s not so easy as you think,” muttered Dalton to himself; while he added, aloud, “Very well, I’ll do so, and thank you.” And he clutched the two letters, and pressed them to his bosom.
With hurried steps he now paced homewards, but, stopping at every instant, he drew forth the packets to gaze at them, and be certain that no self-deception was over him, and that his possession was real and tangible. His gait grew more firm, as he went, and his tread, as he mounted the stairs, sounded assured and steady.
“You have a letter, father dearest,” cried Nelly, as she flung wide the door. “I saw you crossing the Platz, and I know, from your walk, that you’ve got one.”
“No, but better, Nelly – I ‘ve two. That’s from Frank; and here’s Kate’s, and a bulky one – four florins twelve – devil a less.”
“Oh, give it to me! Let me hear of her – let me feel beside her once again!” cried Nelly. And with bursting eagerness she tore open the envelope, from which two or three sealed notes fell out. “This is from Lady ‘Hester,” said she; “and this a hand I do not know, but addressed to you; and here are bills or money-orders for a large sum. What can all this mean?”
“Can’t you read what she says?” said Dalton, reddening, and suddenly remembering that Nelly was not aware of his having written to Kate. “Give it to me; I ‘ll read it myself.” And he snatched the letter from her fingers. “There’s Frank’s for you.”
“Oh, father, father!” cried Nelly, in a burst of grief, as she tore open Lady Hester’s letter; “it is as I feared. Kate is about to be married – if she be not already married.”
“Without my leave – without asking my consent!” cried Dalton, passionately. “Am I nobody at all? Am I the head of the family, or am I not? Is this the way to treat her father? May I never see light, if I won’t have him ‘out,’ if he was a Prince of the Blood! Oh, the ungrateful girl! Leave off crying there, and tell me all about it. Read me her own letter, I say – if God will give me patience to listen to it.”
With a bosom almost bursting, and a lip quivering with emotion, Ellen began, —
“La Rocca, Lake of Como.
Dearest Father and Sister, – Oh that I could throw myself at your feet, and poor out all that my heart is full of – tell you what I feel and hope and fear, and ask your counsel and your blessing. I know not if the last few days be real; my poor head is turning amid the scenes I ‘ve passed through and the emotions I have felt. I had no friend but Lady Hester – no adviser but she! She has been a mother to me – not as you would have been, Nelly – not to warn and restrain, when perhaps both were needed, but to encourage and feed my hopes. I yielded to her counsels – ”
“I don’t understand one word of this,” cried Dalton, impatiently. “What did she do?”
Nelly’s eyes ran rapidly over the lines without speaking; and then, in a low but distinct voice, she said, —
“It is as I said; she is betrothed to this great Russian Prince.”
“That fellow, they say, owns half Moscow. Fogles told us about him.”
“Prince Midchekoff.”
“That’s the name. Well, it’s a fine match, – there’s no denying it. How did it come about? and why didn’t he come here and ask my consent? What’s the meaning of doing it all in this hurry?”
“The marriage can only take place in St. Petersburg, and in presence of the Emperor; and she is merely betrothed, at present, to enable her to accompany the lady, Madame de Heidendorf, to Russia, where the Prince will follow in a few weeks.”
“That bangs Banagher! Why could n’t they get a priest where they are? Be gorra! they ‘ve scruples about everything but me! I ‘m the only one that’s not considered! What the devil is the Emperor to her, – sure he is n’t her father? Well, well, go on.”
“She would seem to have yielded to persuasion,” said Nelly, feelingly. “The Prince, with all his greatness, appears not to have won her heart. See how she dwells upon his immense wealth and the splendor of his position.”
“Let us hear about that,” cried Dalton, eagerly.
“My heart is nigh to bursting when I think of you and dearest Nelly living with me, in all the enjoyment that riches can bestow, nothing denied you that you can fancy, and free to indulge every taste and every wish. To know that I can at last repay, in some sort, all your affection – that poor worthless Kate can minister to your pleasure and your comfort – would make me dare a rasher destiny than this. And he is so generous, Nelly. The whole of yesterday is like a page from the ‘Arabian Nights,’ as I sat surrounded with gorgeous articles of gold and gems – diamonds such as a queen might wear, and rubies larger than the glass-drops I used to deck my hair with long ago! And yet they tell me I have seen nothing as yet, and that the treasures of Vladovitch Palace I hear of at every moment are greater than most royal houses. Lady Hester is kinder than ever, and the Heidendorf also; but she is cold and reserved – too stately for my taste – and I cannot overcome my awe of her. Is not this like a confession of my unfitness for the station I am to occupy? – are not these signs of inferiority? How little Hans would stare at the objects of taste and art by which I am surrounded and of which I never tire in admiring! “There have been great changes in this family since I wrote, and some mysterious circumstance is now hanging over them; but Lady Hester has not told me anything, nor do I care to repeat