Ralph and Bruno

Front matter

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ By M. BRAMSTON, AUTHOR OF THE " CARURIDGES," ETC. " Love . . . made wise To trace love's faint beginnings in mankind, To see a good in evil, and a hope In ill-success : to sympathise, be proud Of their half-reasons, faint aspirings, dim Struggles for truth, their poorest fallacies. Which all touch upon nobleness despite Their error." Browning. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. iloubtm MACMILLAN AND CO. 1875. [The Right os Translation and Reproduction is Reserved A\ LONDON : R. CLAY, SONS, AND TAYLOR, PRINTERS, BREAD STREET HILL. CONTENTS.

Chapter I. The Pastor's Views

" By nature he to gentlest thoughts inclined, To most severe had disciplined his mind ; He held it duty to be half unkind. " CLOUGH. The Dulauriers stayed longer in America than they had expected to do. When the meeting of the Evangelical Alliance was over, there were other meetings of a wholly or half ecclesiastical kind, where people were only too glad to get the chance of a speaker with as much power as M. Dulaurier, and he was persuaded to stay from one week to another, so that it was autumn before he and his wife returned to the Old World. They came back by Middlebury to fetch Ninie home ; and they were both gratified VOL. II. B [chap. RALPH AND BRUNO. 2 by her readiness to accompany them. They had little idea what was the true magnet that drew the child's heart back to Paris. Ninie went home in a maze of pleasant expecta tions and vague delight.

She dreamed over the little flat of apartments where in the future she was to reign supreme as Madame Bruno Noel, and she had already decided on the colour of her carpet and curtains, and the flowers with which she meant to fill the windows. She thought of the corbeille de noces, and of the dainty garments she would con trive for herself. Ninie was not avaricious of riches ; she cared much more for the delights they would procure than for the position they gave, and Bruno's moderate little fortune seemed to her ample for all she would ever want. And then, too, though Ninie cared more for herself than for any one else, she did care for Bruno too. His ardent love had called out a reflection in her heart which seemed not only to him, but to her also, a genuine and independent flame. Nay, perhaps it was true and genuine in its way.

Ninie still had the freshness of the morning of life about her — the " dew of her youth " was not yet dried up by the heat and glare of the world. Her girlish visions were pretty and innocent enough now, though it might safely be prophesied that, with her love of ease and ignorance of self-sacrifice, she would find them less easy of realization than she imagined. Bruno was quite as confident of success as she was. What could there be against him ? He was young, strong, industrious, of excellent character and competent means. He flattered himself, not untruly, that the Dulauriers could not consider him ineligible on any of these grounds. He did not suppose that they would set their hearts on making Ninie marry a pastor ; and if it struck him that they might object to his opinions, he answered him self that the number of young men in Paris who held orthodox views was so limited, that no one in these days could refuse a proposal, in other respects irreproachable, upon this ground.

He did not altogether understand the aspect which these thing presented to a man like M. Dulaurier. The very day after their return he made up his mind to put his fate to the touch. He arrayed himself in his best, and committed a very unusual piece of extravagance for him ; he bought a delicate blush rose-bud for his button-hole. He looked B RALPH AND BRUNO. [chap. 4 the picture of confident hope as he strode along the streets, with flushed cheeks and bright eyes, and that indefinable air of youth, strength, and happiness which is so pleasant to see in a young man. He walked up the long straight Boulevards, with their intricate crossings, until he reached the house which had once been his home. He went up to the door, and here, for the first time, he was seized with shyness, and instead of going straight up to Madame Dulaurier's apartment, he went into his father's room.

Here he found, not M. Horace Noel, but his wife in a peignoir and curious head gear betokening cookery. " Ah ! it is you ? " she said, with a toss of her head. " I suppose that you have come to me with a message from your father." " No, indeed, madame," said Bruno, somewhat amazed. "Ah, I thought perhaps he had been to you. The fact is that we have had a little quarrel. I would not give him as much money for his little pleasures as he desired, and he told me that he should go off and see what he could do for himself. I told him he had much better do so ; but he is so idle, I do not think he will have the heart to do much." " I daresay he will be back soon," said Bruno, judging by long experience of M. Horace Noel's idiosyncrasies. "Ah, no doubt," said his stepmother, evidently troubling herself little about the matter ; and then the two bowed politely to one another, and Bruno departed.

He went up the stairs to the Dulauriers' rooms, rang the bell, and waited. Lise, the Dulauriers' Protestant maid-servant, ushered him in. Lise came from Alsace ; all the Protestant servants in Paris seem to be Alsacian. At home she was called Lieschen, and her accent was of the strongest. She wore a dirt-coloured skirt and a loose jacket over it, and was very ugly. But she had a clean cap and a clean white apron, and a stupid good-humoured face. " Is M. Dulaurier at home ? " said Bruno, with a beating heart. " Oui, m'sieur." And Bruno was ushered into the pastor's little study, which opened out of the drawing-room. He heard Ninie's voice through the door ; they were all talking together about some [CHAP. 6 RALPH AND BRUNO. stupid, indifferent, every-day matter ; about soup for some poor woman, and a quarrel that had threat ened to arise between Madame Dulaurier and a deaconess.

Ninie's clear young voice chimed in now and then. Bruno sat and waited ; he thought the pastor was never coming. But at last the conversa tion was finished, and M. Dulaurier came in, shutting the door and saying briskly, " How do you do, my young friend ? Can I be of any service to you ? " It was said in a way which plainly signified that M. Dulaurier's time was precious ; and Bruno, though not usually bashful, hesitated and stammered. "Do you wish to speak to me on religious difficulties ? " said the pastor, more kindly. " No, monsieur. I wish to know whether — if you would have any objection to my proposing my self to you as a candidate for the hand of your daughter," said Bruno, getting it out at last, and getting hot and red as he spoke. The pastor made an exclamation of astonishment ; but Bruno, having once broached the subject, went on more fluently.

"You see, monsieur, I saw her every day at the good Doctor's at Middlebury, «■] THE PASTOR'S VIEWS. 7 and I could not see her without loving her. Since my dear aunt's lamented death, I have sufficient to maintain a wife in comfort, with my earnings as journalist. I know that very possibly you may wish her to marry a more wealthy man ; but I am sure that no one would love her better, nor make her happier, than I would do, monsieur." " I do not know — " began M. Dulaurier, in a hesitating tone, which sounded like the beginning of a negation of Bruno's request. Bruno vehemently stopped him. " Oh, do not answer me hurriedly, monsieur. Be cause, though you may get many a man of better wealth than I, you will never find any one to love her more. And is not happiness better than wealth ? " And Bruno went on pleading more or less incoherently, but with the true ring of feeling in his voice, so that at last the pastor broke silence and said, "My good young man, it is not wealth which is the consideration here.

Wait a moment; let me call my wife. Louise ! " And he opened the folding door for a moment. During that moment Bruno caught sight of a [CHAP. 8 RALPH AND BRUNO. dainty grey-clad figure, with the little dark head brightened by a cherry-coloured bow. Did she see him ? Had she heard his voice ? Surely he saw a furtive glance lifted towards him under the fringed lids; but he could hardly be certain even of this, the moment was so brief before the door of communication was shut, and Madame Dulaurier was shaking hands with him. " Louise," said the pastor, " Monsieur Bruno Noel does us the honour to ask for the hand of our daughter." " He does us much honour, my friend," said Madame Dulaurier. " But I fear, Louise, that you will agree with me, that one objection in the matter is insuperable." " What objection, monsieur ?

" said Bruno proudly. " This, Monsieur Bruno : that as a Christian pastor, it would not be becoming in me to consent to the marriage of my child with one who is not a Christian. Is not this the case with you ? " " It is ; but I would never say a word to interfere with Ninie's religion," said Bruno pleadingly. "I would never say a word even that could wound her tenderest susceptibilities in the matter ! Oh, mon- THE PASTOR'S VIEWS. 9 sieur, you would not wreck her and my happiness for this ? I love her more than she will ever find any one else to do ! " said poor Bruno, with a choking in his throat. " My young friend, it is not happiness only that has to be considered in this question," said the pastor gravely. " We must think also of her eternal profit, and of my duty." " Madame ! " said Bruno appealing, " will you not plead for me ?

Indeed I respect the pastor's convictions, but is it necessary for their sake to divide two hearts which love each other ? " " Which love each other ! " repeated the pastor. " Have you then spoken already to my daughter before addressing yourself to me ? " He spoke sternly, but Bruno, though he recalled Ninie's warning, had now no alternative but to confess. " I have spoken to Ninie, monsieur, and avowed to her my love. I did not intend to do so, but I was in trouble, hearing of my dear aunt's illness, and I spoke to her. In England it is not thought unbecoming to do this," he added, in justification of himself. " Possibly : the English ideas of marriage and of parental authority are far removed from ours. But [chap. RALPH AND BRUNO. 10 you are French, Monsieur Bruno, and my daughter also, and you should not have done this.

Now she may suffer as well as yourself from the refusal which I am obliged to give your proposal on this ground. "Do not give it at once, then, monsieur," said Bruno. "Think over the matter at your leisure. Think whether these scruples are sufficient cause to wreck Ninie's happiness as well as mine." " Monsieur Bruno, * these scruples ' are the principles upon which I act ; the only means whereby I can show my loyalty to the Master whom I serve. It would be contrary to my conscience to give consent to my daughter's marrying a sceptic. I grieve much for your disappointment, and yet more for hers, which you should not thus have risked. But we may not do evil to gain happiness for others more than for ourselves." " But, my friend," said Madame Dulaurier to her husband, " if at any time Monsieur Bruno comes to behold the truth, you will be willing then to recon sider his proposal ?

" " Certainly, if he changes his convictions," said the pastor dryly. Bruno's face had grown hard and set, but pride came to his assistance. " Thank you for the hope, monsieur," he said stifly. "It does not at present seem to me probable that I shall be enabled to make much use of it, since hypocrisy is not among the faults to which I am liable." He took his hat and was moving to the door, when his heart conquered his pride. " I suppose you will refuse my request if I ask you to be allowed one moment's interview with your daughter, monsieur ? " " It is not usual," began the pastor ; but his wife, more tender-hearted, pleaded for Bruno once more. " It will do no harm, my husband. It may soften the disappointment to the poor child, since Bruno has already spoken to her. I grant that he should not have done so, and that Ninie should have confessed it to me ; but since it has all gone so ill, let her have this little consolation.

Perhaps it will settle her mind." The mother's pleading was successful. Bruno was Lold that he might see Ninie alone for five minutes ; and the pastor and his wife left him alone for a short time, at the end of which Ninie came in in tears. "My darling, you must not cry," began Bruno, restraining his own rage in order to comfort her. RALPH AND BRUNO. [CHAP. 12 "See here. I wished to see you to tell you that whatever they said I would be faithful to you for ever— for ever, Ninie ! " He folded her in his arms and kissed her passionately again and again. " See, of course I can do nothing against the will of your parents, my child, and now they will not move an inch for me. But things may change, and in two years I shall try again. They will see then that it is no childish fancy with either of us ; they love you, you are the apple of their eye, they will not be able to hold out against our love.

Will you hold to me, my darling, and believe in me till then ? " " I will ! I will ! whatever happens," sobbed Ninie. " And perhaps, Bruno, in two years you will have changed your ideas. Why, why did you not say that you would try and believe all that papa wants you to believe ? " " My child, I should be a hypocrite. My convictions are as sacred to me as the pastor's to him," said Bruno, with a decision in his voice which made Ninie feel that here she had touched upon depths which she had not suspected, and could not under stand. If Bruno was a sceptic, she reasoned within herself, it was a bad thing to be, and something to be ashamed of rather than to hold to ; so what reason could he have for not smoothing matters down by promising at least to try to amend his views ? " No," Bruno went on, " there is nothing for us but to wait.

I shall wait at least, and hope for better days. But I will not bind you, Ninie ; you are so young, you cannot tell what you may wish for yet." He looked down upon her with wistful gentleness in his glance. " I am bound to you, but you are free, Ninie, if you wish it," he added. " I am bound to you, and I will wait the two years, and not mind what they may say," said Ninie, looking up with that sweet trustful look which seemed to ex press the most tender, sensitive, and loving of souls. A little feeling stood for a great deal when it was expressed by those exquisite dark eyes and that soft curved mouth of Ninie's. " Will you, my angel ? Then I can bear it. But it will be harder for you than for me, because I shall be working for France. What will you do? " " I shall sit and work in the window, and look out into the garden, and think of you, and wonder when the time will end," said Ninie.

" But oh, Bruno, [CHAP. RALPH AND BRUNO. 14 I did think it would have been all right without this ! " " So did I, my darling. Never mind : we are both young ; we have life before us ; we can afford to wait if we have hope at the end. I shall watch for glimpses of you, Ninie, and shall look carefully to see if your rosy little face is getting pale ; so keep yourself well and happy to comfort me." Soon after this the interview was brought to an end, and the two young lovers separated. Bruno did not look so jubilant and happy when he walked away as when he came ; but yet he was not inconsolable, for hope was strong in his heart, though its fulfilment was postponed. Ninie went back to receive a lecture from her mother on the impropriety of a girl of good education bestowing her heart upon a young man before he had received her parents' sanction to address her, and on the secretiveness with which she had refused to confide in her mother.

Ninie grew very angry, though poor Madame Dulaurier was as tender in her reproofs as was possible when her feelings had been seriously hurt by her daugh ter's reticence; and finally from anger she passed to sullenness, would not speak unless spoken to, and then as shortly as possible. " Mamzelle boude toujours, toufours," said Lise to her mistress ; and this was the normal state of the girl's temper throughout the autumn. It was not pleasant for any one in the house. The poor pastor and pas toress were at their wits' end to know what to do with this un-lamblike daughter of theirs, and many were the reproaches which Ninie's conduct brought upon her absent lover. " She always was difficult, but now she is more difficult than ever," said her mother in despair.

Chapter II. Horace Noel's Secret

He that will take a bird must not scare it. " G. Herbert. Ralph was sitting in his rooms at Cambridge on the afternoon of the same day on which Bruno received his repulse from the Dulauriers. The day, which had been fine and sunny at Paris, was foggy and damp at Cambridge ; and when the early October evening closed in, the lights that shone out from the windows of the college looked bright and invitingly tempting to those whose necessities led them to linger in the muddy fog outside. Ralph Treguire's rooms, too, were really charming to enter. There were few signs of " swelldom " about them ; they were not full of the absurdly numerous and varied luxuries which young men now-a-days seem to enjoy multiplying about them, until one wonders what they will do when the lessons of life teach them sharply that life is not meant to be spent in Sybarite enjoyment.

Ralph's rooms were not furnished with all the newest uphol stery, nor did he wear a brocaded dressing-gown and embroidered slippers, according to the effeminate fashion which has of late sprung up in a certain set of "wealthy and aristocratic snobs," as Dr. Gracedew called them. Ralph had a piano, a writing table, two arm-chairs and a casual wicker one, for the furniture of his room ; also he had a few good prints, and two or three Liber-Studiorum etchings, framed on the walls ; and statuettes in black marble of the Wrestlers, the Grinder, and the Dying Gladiator, as his friends would persist in calling the statue which Ralph, after his last visit to Rome, would never name but as the Wounded Gaul. He himself, minus a coat, sat in one arm-chair by the fire, and his friend Winterton in the other; they did not smoke cigars of the choicest Havanna, but pipes of ordinary bird's eye ; and the room was certainly rather full of smoke when a knock was heard at the door, and in reply to Ralph's "Come in," a bland face and a waxed moustache appeared through the clouds of tobacco C VOL. RALPH AND BRUNO. [CHAP. 18 " My uncle," said Ralph to Winterton.

The term was not expressive of extreme delight, but he rose and greeted his guest courteously, if not warmly. Winterton gathered up his books, shook the ashes out of his pipe, and took his departure. " I trust I am not incommoding you, my nephew," said Horace Noel, as he sat down in the chair which Ralph offered him. "Not at all," said Ralph. " The fact is, my friend, that I had a little busi ness to talk about which I thought it was best to transact by word of mouth." Ralph thought to himself, " I suppose he wants money," but he only said, " How is Bruno ? " " He is very well ; but I see very little of him now. Since my marriage he has left me. On the whole, I do not blame him, for things were not comfortable chez moi ; but still it would have been a solace to me to have poured out my soul to a sympathising son.

But in this world the sentiments of our hearts find little response in those whom we love ! " He sighed, and his hard-hearted nephew felt inclined to laugh. Uncle Horace, with his waxed moustache, his white waistcoat, and his little sentimental truisms, had seldom found any response in him. " Bruno was so fond of my mother," said Ralph, " that it is not to be wondered at that he should have found his home very different since her death." "Ah, no," said M. Noel; "the present Madame Noel is a highly worthy and respectable person, but she has not that fulness of sympathy which I, at least, always hoped to find in a wife. May you, my nephew, be more happy when you make the choice of your life ! " " Thank you," said Ralph, dryly, and there was a pause. He did not seem disposed to help on his uncle, and M. Noel had to begin again.

"It is owing to her want of sympathy with me that I have come here to you to-night, my friend. You know that when your dear late mother was alive the annuity which was paid to her from your estate supported us both in comfort. Now that she is dead that annuity is at an end." Yes," said Ralph. "It might have been expected that her savings, which were considerable— she was a marvellously economical manager, poor Eugenie " — and he heaved C a sigh— "would have come to me to compensate me in some respect for her death, and not to Bruno, who is a young man with the world before him. But such was not the case. Bruno has received everything, and I, who am by my constitution and character incapacitated for making my own way in the world, am left penniless ! " " I thought you wrote as a theatrical critic," said Ralph.

" Critic ? What is that ? I can get orders for the theatres by it, no doubt ; but can I live on orders for the theatres ? My good young man, you are totally inexperienced in the necessities of life." " Possibly," said Ralph, dryly. " Under the circumstances," said Horace Noel, " you will hardly wonder that I thought to myself ' What can I do ? I cannot hang upon my son, who, between ourselves, is so harebrained that I quite expect in the next revolution to see him shot on the top of a barricade. Besides, he has taken up ideas of marriage in his foolish head, and has fallen in love with the little Dulaurier, who will not have a dot of more than twenty thousand francs ! I know what it will be — saving and starving, and asking help of me, who have not a sou ! I wash my hands of the matter ! I looked round, and I saw before me the widow Badinet, with a handsome fortune in her own power.

I thought, ' This is the finger of Providence.' I proposed to her and was accepted. Can you believe, my friend, that after such a sacrifice on my part Madame Noel becomes stony-hearted, and tells me that her money is hers alone, and not mine ! " Ralph longed for Winterton to share his internal amusement. He had a pretty clear idea now of what was coming, and it came. "Under these circumstances, my nephew, can you wonder if I make an appeal to your generosity and ask you to help me ? " " I do not know. I never do anything without my guardian's advice," began Ralph, who was not so strongly impelled to pity by the circumstances of the case as his uncle evidently expected him to be. " But it is just the same. Your guardian never interferes with any reasonable expense on your part. Bruno told me so."

" Did you tell Bruno of this application that you were going to make ? " said Ralph. " No. I have not seen him of late. But to the point, Monsieur, my nephew. Promise to accede to my request." There was a certain peremptoriness in the tone, which perhaps gave decision to Ralph to say, " I will put your request before Dr. Gracedew ; but I certainly shall not accede to it unless he strongly advises it. I see no special need in the circumstances you have told me of." " I warn you that you had better accept my terms, my friend." Ralph looked up surprised. " The scene grows melodramatic," he thought. M. Noel was smiling with ease, as if he were certain that his wish would be granted in the end, however unwilling Ralph might appear now. " Perhaps," he added blandly, " you may not be aware that I have more power over you than you think, my nephew."

" I am not aware that you have any. "You will hardly be likely, then, to believe me when I say that a word from me would turn you from a gay young English esquire to a beggar." Ralph was startled, as well he might be ; but he kept his countenance. " You are right there ; I should not believe you," he said. " Very well ; but I warn you of this, my friend that unless you promise me an annuity equal to that which your mother received, the thing will happen, and then you will be sorry." " I never do anything on compulsion," said Ralph ; " and I warn you as a friend that in this country it is considered criminal to extort money under false pretences," said the young man. " There are no false pretences in the case, my friend," said Horace, with a coolness which rather staggered Ralph. " I forgive your insinuations, as produced by the spleen, and as possibly natural under the circumstances.

None the less" — and he slapped his crossed leg with emphasis — " would I object to swear, before any court of justice you please, in France or in England, that this fact is true ; ay, and produce the proofs of it too ! " " Very well," said Ralph, after a pause. " Prove that I have no right to be master of Brynscombe, and of course I give up Brynscombe at once. I am not going to do such a rascally thing as to pay you to hold your tongue that I may keep what I have no right to keep." He had nonplussed Horace in his turn. The Frenchman, who prided himself upon his knowledge of human nature, had not reckoned upon the simple, straightforward line of conduct which was the only thing that occurred as obvious to his young relation ; and Ralph, emboldened by his silence, went on — " Now then, what is this precious disclosure of yours ?

" " Pardon me, my friend. Would it be a secret if I told it to you ? " " No, it would not ; but it would be quite as useful to you in my possession as in yours ; and if there is anything in it, I ought to know it. Now then." If Ralph's manner had been that of a man who hesitates, or demurs, or makes up his mind about a doubtful course, matters might have changed, and Horace Noel might have spoken, the more certainly to induce Ralph to pay him for guarding the mysterious secret. But there was nothing to make him think that this would be the case if he spoke ; and, while his speech might or might not be silvern, he plainly saw that his silence had most chance of being golden. " Merci, monsieur mon neveu," he said, shaking his head with a bland smile, "knowledge is power, when you have hold of a secret like mine.