Lewis Arundel

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Chapter 1

m WHICH THE TRAIN STARTS AND THE READER IS INTRODUCED TO THREE FIRST- CLASS PASSENGERS.

“ Surely lie output to be here by this time. Rose; it must be past nine o’clock.

“ Scarcely so much, mamma; indeed it wants a quarter of nine yet; the coach does not arrive till halt past eight, and he has quite four miles to walk afterward.” .

” Oh! this wailing, it destroys me,” rejoined the first speaker, rising from hei seat, and pacing the room with agitated steps; how you can contrive to sit there, drawing so quietlv, i do not comprehend!”

” Does it annoy you, dear mamma?— why did you not tell me so before?” returned Rose, gently, putting away her drawing apparatus as sUe spoke. No one would have called Rose .Arundel handsome, or even pretty, and yet her lace had a charm about it, a charm that lurked in the depths of her dreamy gray eyes, and played about the corners of her mouth wnen she smiled, and sat like a glory upon her high smooth forehead. Both she and her mother were clad in the deepest mourning, and the traces of some recent heart -tell sor^ row might be discerned in either face. A stranger would have taken them tor sisters rather llian for mother and daughter; for there were lines of Ihonglit on Rose’s brow which her Iweut}'' years scarcely warranted, while Mrs. Arundel, at eight- arid-thirty, looked full five years younger, despite her widow’s cap.

” 1 have been thinking, Rose,” resumed the elder lady, after a short pause, during which she continued pacing the room most assiduously. ”1 have been thinking that if we were to settle near some large town, 1 could give lessons in music and singing; my voice is as good as ever it was— listen;” and, seating herself at a small cottage piano, slie began to execute some difficult solfeggi in u rich clear soprano, with a degree of ease and grace which proved her to he a tinisbed singer; and, apparent 1}' carried away h}^ the feeling the music had excitcJ, she allowed her voice to flow, as it were unconsciously, into the words of an Italian song, which she continued for some moments, wiihout noticing a look of pain which shot across her daughter’s pale features. At length, suddenly breaking off, she exclaimed in a voice broken with emotion, ” Ah! what am 1 singing?” and, burying her face in her handkerchief.

LEWIS AKUNDEL.

she burst into a flood ot tears;-— it Had been her husband’s favorite song.

Kecovering herself more quickl}^ than from the violence of her grief might have been expected, she was about to resume her walk, when, observing, for the first time, the expression of her daughter's face, she sprung toward her, and placing her arm caressingly round her waist, kissed her'tendeily, exclaiming in a tone of the fondest affection, ‘'Rose, my own darling, 1 have distressed you by my heedlessness, but 1 forget everything now!” IShe paused; then added, in a calmer tone, “ Really, love, 1 have been thinking seriously of wliat 1 said just now about teaching; — it 1 could but get a suflicient number ot pupils, it would be much better than letting you go out as governess; tor we could live togeilier then; and I know 1 shall never be able to part with 3mu. Besides, vou would be miserable, managing naughty children all day— throwing away jmur talents on a set ot stupid little wretches— such drudgery would wear you to death.”

‘‘ And do jmu think, mamma, that I could be content to live in idleness, and allow you to work for my support?” replied Rose, while a faint smile played over her expressive features. ” Oh, no; Lewis will try to obtain some appoinlmenl ; you shall live with him, and keep his house, while I will go out as governess for a few years; and we must save all we can, until we are rich enough to live together again.”

“And perhaps, some day we may be able to come back and take the dear old cottage, if Lewis is very lucky, and should make a loriune,” returned Mrs. Arundel. “ How shall we be able to be{\r to leave it?” she added, glancing I'ound the room TegretflllIv^

” How, indeed!” replied Rose, with a sigh; ” but it must be done. Lewis will not teel it as we shall— he has been away so long.”

” It seems an age,” resumed Mrs. Arundel, musing; “how old wf.s be when he left W^estminster?”

” Bixteen, was he not?” replied Rose.

‘‘ And he has been at Bonn three years. Why, Rose, he must be a man by this time!”

‘‘ Mr. Fiere wrote us word lie was taller than himself last year, if you recollect,” returned Rose.

” Hark!” exclaimed Mrs. Arunflel, starting up, and going to the window, wiiich opened in tne French fashion upon a small flowergarden. As she spoke the gate-bell rang smartly, and in another moment the person outside, iiaving apparently caught sight of the figure at the window, sprung ligiitl}^ over the paling, crossed the lawm in a couple of bounds, and ere the slave of the bell bad answered its impatient summons, Lewis was in his mother’s arms.

Alter the first greeting, in whicli smiles and tears had mingled in strange fellowship, Mrs. Arundel drew her son toward a table, on wiiicii a lamp was burning, saying as she did so, ” Why, Rose, can tliis be our little Lewis? He is as tall as a grenadier! Heads up. sir! Attention! You are going to he inspected. Do you remember when the old sergeant used to drill us all, and wanted to teaeri Rose to fence?”

Bmiliug at his mother’s caprice Lewis Arundel drew himself up

LEWIS ARUNDEL.

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to his full height, and, placing his back against the wall, stood in the attitude ot a soldier on parade— his head just touching the frame of a picture which huug above him. The light ot the lamp shone full upon the spot where he had stationed himself, displaying a face and figure on which a mother’s eye might indeed rest with pride and admiration. Considerably above the middle height, his figure was slender, but singularly graceful; his head small and intellectual-looking. The features, exquisitely formed, were, it anything loo delicately cut and regular; and, together with a brilhaut complexion and long silken eyelashes, tended to impart an almost feminine character to his beauty. The expression ot his countenance, however, etiectually counteracted any such idea; no one could observe the flashing of the dark eyes, the sarcastic curl of the short upper lip, the curved nostril slightly drawm back, the stern resolution ot tlie knitted brow, without tracing signs ot pride unbroken, stormy feelings and passions unsubdued, uni an iron will, which, according as it might be directed, must prove powerful tor gooil or evil. His hair, which he wore somewhat long, was like liis mother’s, ot that jet black color characteristic of the inhabitants ot a southern clime rather than of the descendants of the fair- haired Saxons, while a soft down of the same dark hue as his waving curbs fringed the sides ot his face, affording promise of a goodly crop ot w’hiskers. Despite the differences ot feature and expression— and they were great — there was a decided resemblance between the brother and sister, and the same indescribable charm which made it next to impossible to watch Rose Arundel without loviug her shed its f unshiiie also over Lewis’s face wiien he smiled.

After surveying her son atteutively, with eyes which sparkled with surprise and pleasure, Mrs. Arundel exclaimed, “ Why, how the boy is altered! Is he not improved, Rose?” As she spoke she inv< luntarily glanced from Lewis to the picture under which he stood. It was a half-leugth portrait of a young man, in what appeared to be some foreign uniform, the hand resting on the hilt of a cavalry saber. Tlie features, though scarcely so handsome, were strikingly like tJiose of Lewis Arundel, the greatest diflerence being that the liair in the portrait was of a rich brown instead of black. After comparing the two for a moment Mrs. Arunael attempted to speak, but her voice failing her from emotion, she burst into tears, and hastily left the room.

” Why, Rose, what is it?” exclaimd Lewis in surprise. ” Is my mother ill?”

'‘Ku; it is your likeness to lliat picture, Lewis ciear, that has overcome her; you know it is a portrait of our dearest father ” (her voice fullered as she pronounced his name), ” taken just after they were married, 1 believe.”

Lewis regarded the picture attentively; then averting his head, as if he could not bear that even Rose should witness his grief, he threw himself on a sofa, and concealed his face with his hands. Recovering himself almost immediately, he drew his sister gently toward him, and placing her beside him, asked, as be stroked her glossy hair:

” Rose, love, how is it that 1 was not informed of our poor father’s, illness? Surely a letter must have miscarried.”

“ Did not mamma explain to you, tb^n, hnw sudden it was?”

“Not a word; she only wrote a few hurried lines, leading me to prepare tor a great shook; then told me that my father was dead; and entreating me to return immediately, broke ofi abruptly, saying she could write no more.”

“ Poor mamma! she was quite overcome by her grief, and yet she was so excited, and so anxious to save me, she would do everything herselt. 1 wished her to let me write to you, but she objected, and I was afraid of annoying her.”

” It was most untortunatei” returned Lewis; ” in her hurry she misdirected the letter; and, as I told you when i wrote, 1 was from home at the time, and did not receive it till three weeks after it should have reached me. 1 w’as at a rifle match, got up by some ot the students, and had jiis‘t gained the prize, a pair of silver-mounted pistols, when her letter was put into my hand. Fancy receiving such news in a scene of gayety!”

“ Ilow' exquisitely, painful. My poor brother!” saiS Kose, while the tears she could no longer repress dimmed her bright eyes. Alter a moment she continued, “ But 1 was going to tell yon— it was more than a month ago— poor papa had walked over to tVarlington to see about selling one ot his paintings. Did you know thnt he had lately made his talent for painting seive as a means of adding to our income?”

” Richard Frere told me of it last year,” replied Lewis.

” Oh, yes, Mr. Frere was kind enough to get introductions to sev- •eral picture-dealers, and was of the greatest use,” continued Kose. ” Well, when papa came in, he looked tired and harassed ; and in answer to my questions, lie said he had received intelligence wiiicli had excited him a good deal, and added something about being called upon to take a very impoitant step, i lett liim to feich a glass of w’ine, and when I returned to my horror his heiul was leaning forward on his breast, and he was both speechless and insensible. We instantly sent for the nearest medical man, but it w^as of no use; he pronounced it to he congestion of the brain, and he giive us no hope; liis opinion was but too correct, for in less than six hours all was over.”

‘‘How dreadtul!” murmured Lewis; “my poor Rose, how shocked you must have been!” After a few minutes’ silence he continued, “And wliat was this news which produced such an effect upon my father?”

“ range to say,” replied Rose, “we have not the slightest notion. No letter or other paper has been found whicli could at all account tor it, nor can we learn ttiat papa met any one at Warling on likely to have brought him news. The only clew we have been able to gain is, that Mr. Bowing, who keeps tlie library tliere, says papa came in as usual to look at the daily papers, and as lie waj- reading, suddenly uttered an exclamation ot surprise, and put his hand to his brow. Mr. Bowing was about to inquire wlietlier anything was the matter, wlien he was called aw^ay to attend to a custouif r; and when he was again at liberty papa had left the shop. Mr. Bowing sent us the paper afterward, but neither mamma nor f could discorer in it anytidng that we could imagine at all likely to have aliected papa so strongly.”

LEWIS ARUNDEL.

“How singular!” returned Lewis, musing. What could it possibly have been? You say my father’s papers have been examined?”^

“ Yes, mamma wrote to Mr. Coke, papa’s man of business lu London, and he came down directly, but nothing appeared to throw any light on the matter. Papa hud not even made a will. But oh I Levvis, do you know we are so very, very poor?”

“ 1 suspected as much, dear Rose; 1 knew my father’s was a lire income. But why speak in such a melancholy tone? surely my sister has not grown meicenary?”

“ Scarcely that, 1 hope,” returned Rose, smiling through the tearswhich had flowed freely during this recital, ” but there is some difterence between being mercenary and regretting that we are so poor that we shall be unable to live together ; is there not, Lewis dear?”

“ Unable to live together!” repeated Lewis, slowly. “ Yes, welU 1 may ot course be obliged to leave you, but 1 shall not accept any employment which will necessitate my quitting England, so 1 shall often coine and taKe a peep at you.”

” Oh! but, Lewis, love, it is worse than that — we shall not be able to — liush! here comes mamma; we will talk about this another time,”

” Wh3', Lewis,” exclaimed Mrs. Arundel, entering the room with a light elastic step, without a trace of her lateemotion visible on her animated countenance, ” what is this? here’s Rachel complaining that you have brought a wild beast with you, which has eaten up all the tea cakes.”

” Let alone fright’ning the blessed cat so that she’s flowed up the chirnley like a whirlpool, and me a’most in tits all the lime, the brute! But I’ll not sleep in the house with it, to be devoured like a cannibal in my quiet bed, if there w^as n(»t another silivation in b^iissex!” — And here Rachel, a stout serviug-womau, with a lace which, sufliciently red by nature, had become the deepest crimson from fear and auger, burst into a flood of tears, wiiieh, mingling with a tolerably tliick depositor soot, acquired during the huiried rise and progress of the outraged cat, imparled to her the appearance of a variegated variety of ^female Ethiopian Serenader.

” Rachel, have you forgotten me?” inquired Lewis, as soon as he could speak for laughing. “ What are you trying about? You are not so silly as to be afraid of a dog? Here, Faust, where are you?” As he spoke, he uttered a low peculiar wmistle; r.rid in obedience to his signal, a magnificent Livonian wolt Loiind, which bore sutflcienl likeness to the animal it w'as trained to destroy to liave alarmed a more discriminating zoblogist than poor Rachel, sprung into the room, and, delighted at rejoining his master, began to testify his joy so roughly as not only to raise the terror of that damsel to screaming point, but to cause Mrs. Arundel to interpose a chair between herself and the intruder, while Rose, pale but silent, shrunk timid)}^ into a corner of the apartment. In an instant the expression of Lewis’s face changed; his brow contracted, his mouth grew stern, and fixing his flashing eyes upon those of thedog, he uttered in a deep low voice some German word cf command; and as he spoke the animal dropped at his feet, where it

LEWIS ARUNDEL.

crouched in a suppliant attitude, gaziu" wistfully at his master's countenance, without offering to move.

“ You need not have erected a barricade to defend yourself, my dear mother,” said Lewis, as a smile chased the cloud w’hich had tor a moment shaded his features; ‘‘ the monster is socm quelled. Rose, you must learn lo love Faust— he is my second self; come and stroke him.”

Thus exhorted, Rose approached, and patted the dog’s shaggy head, at first timidly, but more boldly when she found that he still retained his crouching posture, merely repaying her caresses by fixing his bright, truthful eyes upon her face lovingly, and licking his lips w’iih his long red tongue.

“Now, Rachel,” continued Lewis, “it is your turn; come, 1 must have you good friends with Faust.”

“ No. I’m much obliged to you, sir, 1 couldn’t do it, indeed— no disrespect to you, Mr. Lewis, though you have growed a man in loreiirn parts. 1 may be a servant of a; I work, but I didn’t engage myself to look after wild beastses, sir. No! nor wouldn’t, it you was to double my wages, and put the washin’ out— 1 can't abear

them. ”

“Foolish girl! it’s the most good natured dog in the world- Here, he’ll give you his paw; come and shake hands with him.”

“ 1 couldn't do it, sir; I’m agoing to get the tea ready. 1 won’t

then, that’s flat,” exclaimed Rachel, backing rapidly toward the door.

“Yes, you will,” returned Lewis quietly, “ every one does as 1 bid;” and, grasping her wrist, while he fixed his piercing glance sternly upon her, he led her up to the dog. and in spite of a taint show of resistance, a half-frightened, halt indignant “1 daresay, indeed,” and a muttered hint of her conviction “ that he had lately been accustomed to Irive black nigger slaves in Guinea,” wiih an intimation “ that he’d find while flesh and blood wouldn’t stand it. and didn’t ought to, neither,” succeedeil in making her shake its great paw, and finally (as she perceived no symptoms of {XiQhuriianimrom propensities with which her imagination had endowed it) pat its shaggy sides. “ There, now you’ve made up your quarrel, Faust shall help you to carry my things upstairs,” said Lewis; and slinging a small traveling valise round the dog’s neck, he again addressed him in German, when the well-trained animal left the room, with the astonished but no longer refractory Rachel.

“ You must be a conjurer, Lewis,” exclaimed his mother, who had remained a silent but amused spectator of the foregoing scene; “ why. Rachel manages the whole house. Rose anu 1 do exactly what slie tells us, don’t we, Rose? What did you do to her? was it mesmerism?”

“ I made use of one of the secrets of the mesmerist, ceitainly,” replied Lewis; “ I managed her by the power of a strong will over a weak one. ”

“ I should hardly call Rachel’s a weak will,” observed Rose, with a qiuet smile.

“ ^du must confess, at all events, mine is a stronger,” replied Lewis; “ when 1 consider it necessary to carry a point, 1 usually

LEWIS AHL'NDEL. 9

find some way of doinsj it;— it was necessary for Faust’s sake to manage Kachel, and 1 did so.”

He spoke carelessly, but there was something in his bearing and manner which told of conscious power and inflexible resolution,, and you felt instinctively that you were in the presence of a masterspirit.

Tea made its app*earance: Rachel, over whom the charm still appeared to retain its power, seeming in the highest possible good humor — a frame of mind most unusual with that exemplary woman, who belonged to that trying class of servants who, on the strength of their high moral character and intense respectability, see fit to constitute themselves a kind of domestic scourge, household horse-hair shirts (if we may be allow^ed the expression), and, bent on fiiL filling their mission to the enth^ keep their martyred masters and mistresses in a constant state of mental soreness and irritation from morning till night. Tea came — the cakes demolished by the reprobate Faust in the agitation of Ids arrival (he w^as far too well-bred a dog to have done such a thing bad be had lime for reflection) having been replaced by some marvelous impromptu resulting from Rachel’s unhoped for slate of mind. Tlie candles burned brightly; the tire (tor though it was the end of May, a fire was still an agreeable companion) blazed and sparkled cheerily; but yet a gloom hung over the little party. One feeling was uppermost in each mind, and saddened every heart. He whom they had loved with a deep and tender affection, such as but tew of us are so fortunate as to call forth, the kind and indulgent husband and father, the dear friend rather than the master of that little household, had been taken from amongst them; and each word, each look, each thought of the past, each hope for the future, served to realize in its fullest bitterness the lieav}" loss they had sustained. Happy are the dead whose virtues are chronicled, not on sculptured stone, but in the faithful hearts of those whom they have loved on earth! During the evening, in the course of conversation, Mrs. A^rundel again referred to the project of teaching music and singing. Lewis made no remark on the matter at the lime, though his sister fancied, from his compressed lip and darkened brow, that it had not passed liiin unobserved. When the iwm ladies w^ere about to retire for the night, Lewis signed to his sister to remain; and, having lighted his mother’s candle, kissed her affectionately, and wished her good-night, he closed the door. There was a moment’s silence, which was broken by Lewis saying abruptly, “ Rose, what did my mother mean about giving singing lessons?”

” Dear unselfish mamma!” replied Rose, ” always ready to sacrifice her own comfort for those she loves! She wants, when we leave Hie cottage, to settle near some large town, that she may be able to teach music and singing (you know what a charming voice she has) in order to save me from the necessity of going out as govermss.”

” Leave the cottage! go out as governess!’* repeated Lewis in a Jow voice^ as if he scarcely understood the purport of her words; ” are you mad?”

” 1 told you, love, we are too poor to continue living here, or indeed anywhere, in idleness; we must, at all events for a few years, work for our living; and you can not suppose I would let mamma—”

LEWIS ARUNDEL.

“ Hush!” exclaimed Lewis sternly, “ you will distract me.” He paused for some minutes in deep thought; then asked, in a cold, hard tone ot voice, which, to one skilled in read'n^i^ the human heart, told ot intense feelings and stormy passions kept down by the power of an iron will, ” Tell me, what is the amount ot the pittance that stands between us and beggary?”

‘‘ Dear Lewds, do not speak so bitterly; we have still each other’s love remaining, and Heaven to look forward to; and with such blessings, even poverty need not rendei us unhappy.” And, as she uttered these words, Rose leaned fondly upon her brother’s shoulder, and gazed up into his face with a look of such deep afieclion, such pure and holy ctintidence, that even his proud spirit, cruelly as it had been wounded by the unexpected shock, could not withstand it. Placing his arm around her, he drew her toward him, and kissing her high, pale brow, murmured:

” Forgive me, dear Rose, 1 have grown harsh and stern of late — all are riot true and good as you are. Believe me, it was for your sake and my mother’s that i felt it; tor myself, I heed it net, save as it impedes freedom ot action. And nciw, answer mj’’ question, what have we left to live upon!”

” About £100 a year was what Mr. Coke told mamma.”

” And, on an average, what does it cost living in this cottage as coiiifoilable as you have been accustomed to do?”

‘‘ Poor papa used to reckon we spent £200 a year here.”

‘‘No more, you are certain?”

‘‘ Quite.”

Again Lewis paused in deep tnought, his brow resting on Ills hand. At length be said, suddenly,

‘‘ Yes, it no doubt can be done, and shall. Now, Rose, listen to me. While 1 live and can work, neither my mother nor you shall do any tiling ior your own support, or leave the rank you have held in society. You shall retain this cottage, and live as have been accustomed to do, and as befits the widow and daughter of Jiim that is gone.”

” But, Lewis—”

‘‘ Rose, you do not know me. When 1 left England 1 was a boy in years, perliaps 1 arc little else even yet; but circumstances have made me older than my years, and in mind and disposition I am a man, and a determined one. I teed strongly and deeply in regard to the position held by my mother and sister, and therefore on this point it is useless to oppc.se me.”

Rose looked steadily in his face, and saw that what he said waS true; therefore, exercising an unusual degree ot common sense for* a woman, she held her tongue, and let a willful man have his way.

Reader, would you know the circumstances which had changed Lewis Arundel from a boy to a man? They are soon told. He had loved, willi all the pure but ardent passion, the fond and trusting confidence of youth— he had loved, and been deceived.

Lewis had walked some miles that day, and had traveled both by sea and land; it may therefore reasonably be supposed that he was tolerably sleepy. Nevertheless, before he went to bed, he sat down and wrote the following letter:

“ My dear Frere, — There were but, two men in (he world of whon. 1 would have asked a favor, or from whom 1 would accept assistance — my poor father was one, you are the oilier. A week since 1 received a letter to tell me of my lather’s death: yesterday 1 returned to England, to learn that 1 am a beggar. Had 1 no tie to bind me, no one but myself to consider, 1 should instantly quit a country in which poveiMy is a deadly sin. In Germany or Italy 1 could easily make myself independent, either as painter or musician; and the careless fi’eedom of the artist life suits me well; but the little that remains from my lather’s scanty fortune is insufficient to support my mother and sister. Therefore 1 apply to you. aud if you can help me, you may — your willingness to do so 1 know, 1 must have immediately some situation or employment which will bring me in £200 a year; though, it my purchaser (for 1 cousider that 1 am selling myself) will lodge aud feed me, as he does his lior^e or his dog, £50 less would do. 1 care not what use 1 am put to. so that im moral degradation is altacheal to it. You know what 1 am fit tor as well or better than 1 do myself. 1 have not forgotten the Greek and Lat n flogged into us at AVesl minster, and have added llnieto French, Italian, and, of course, German; besiles pickingup sundry small accomplishments, which may induce somebody to otter a higher price for me; and as the moie 1 get, the sooner 1 shall stand a chance of becoming my own master again, 1 feel intensely mercenary. Write as soon as possible, for, m my present frame of mind, inaction wdll destroy me. 1 long to see you again, old fellow. I have not forgotten the merry fortnight we spent together last year, wlnn 1 introduced you to student-life in the ‘ Valerland;’ nor the good advice you gave me, which if 1 had acted on—. Well, regre ts are useless, if not worse. Of course 1 shall have to come up to town, in which case we can talk; so, as I hate writing, and am tired as a dog, 1 may as well wind up. Good b 3 "e, till we meet.

“ Your aflectionate friend,

“ Lewis Arundel.

*‘P.S. Talking of dogs, you don’t know Faust— that happened after you came away last year; but wherever 1 go, or whoever takes me, Faust must go also. lie js as large as a calf, which is inconvenient, aud 1 doubt whether he is full gi'own yet. 1 dare say you think this childish, and very likely you are right, but i mvst have my dog. 1 can’t live among strangers wiihoul something to love, and that loves me; so don’t worry me about it, there’s a good fellow. Can’t you write to me to-morrow?”

Having in some measure relieved bis mind by finishing this letter, Lewis undressed, and sleep soon effaced the lines which oitter Ihoughts and an aching heart had stamped upon his fair young blow.

Chapter II. Showing How Lewis Loses His Temper And Leaves His Home

” Has the post come in yet, Rose?” inquired Mrs. Arundel, as she made her appearance in the Dieaktast-ioom the following morn' ing

LEWIS ARUKDEL.

“ No, mamma; it is late to-day, 1 think.”

” It is always late when 1 particuhrly expect a letter; that old creature Richards, the postman, has a spite against me, I am certain, because I once said in his hearing that he looked like an owl — the imbecile!”