LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 45, 22 July 1874, Page 3

LITERATURE.

MAY-DAY: A LONDON IDYL

[From “St James’ Magazine,”] f Concluded.']

He offered his arm and led Arabella into the middle of the room, and gave her a turn in the waltz then going on. When they paused to take breath, Arabella said, “ It’s a wonder that I was able to come here to-night.” “ Indeed 1 Were you not well ? ” “Yes, quite well; but I really had no dress to wear.”

“ Is that possible, Miss Stewart ? ” said Mr Penrose, with an incredulous smile ; “ nothing to wear ! ” “I mean, nothing new. And this dress, which is new, was utterly spoilt by the carelessness of a milliner’s girl.” “ It looks very nice, nevertheless.” “ It is quite marvellous 1 ” cried Arabella; “ my cousin, Ann Wallace, and the milliner’s girl together, contrived to repair the damage in the most wonderful manner.” “ That was very kind of Miss Wallace,” said Mr Penrose. “ Very clever, at all events,” rejoined Miss Stewart; “ I think Annie is clever, certainly. I hope she is, poor thing ; she is going to be a governess.” “ Is she really ? When ? ” “ She intends to advertise to-morrow.” Mr Penrose gave Arabella half a dozen rapid turns among the dancers, and then suddenly stopped. “Your cousin will feel a great difference in goingfrora jour hospitable house to the chilliness of a strange family.” There was something almost stern in his tone. “ Yes, but really,” said Arabella, as if making an apology, “ one can’t support all one’s poor relations,” “ All !” repeated Mr Penrose, “ certainly not all, if there are many of them. Miss Wallace is not coming here to-night, I suppose?” “ Oh no!” and Arabella allowed some annoyance to ooze through her voice and w'ords; “ she is drawing up her advertisement this evening; just like a servant, you know!” This was enough; this bit of cruel spite put the finishing touch to the portrait of herself which she had unconsciously been drawing. The waltz was ended; Mr Penrose took his partner back to her mother, and found Lord Spilbury in conversation with Mrs Stewart.

“How do, Miss Stewart? How do, Penrose ? Cold night for May, isn’t ? Goin’ somewhere else, Penrose ?” The young peer ignored the final g of present participles. “ Yes, I think so,” replied Mr Penrose,

“ Too early to go yet, my dear fellow. Wait half an hour longer—Miss Stewart is goin’ to dance with me. Come and be our vis-a-vis.”

Mr Penrose shook his head. “ It’s getting late.”

“ Gettin’ late! Why, it’s only about eleven or so. What’s the matter with him, Miss Stewart?”

Arabella said she did not know, and looked as if she did not care.

“ Well, we won’t have him spoilin’ our fun, will we? Yon know,” confidentially, as they moved off, “he’d be one of the best fellows out if he wasn’t so good.” Arabella laughed. “ He’s too good for me,” said she, “ But just fancy, Lord Spilbury, it’s quite a wonder that I’m here at all tonight—” and his lordship was entertained with the history of the dress, replying with sundry “By Jovesl By Georges! Surprising! You don’t say sos!” And though the dialogue never rose above this sort of thing, the young lady was very well contented with her partner. “Penrose is gone,” said the peer; “that fellow will be doin’ somethin’ very queer one of these days.” Lord Spilbury was right; Penrose was gone. He had slipped downstairs, hailed a hansom, and given the order, Wilton Crescent. The servant who opened the door looked astonished at the sight of so late a visitor; and when he asked to see Miss Wallace, the girl was too much bewildered to answer him. He repeated his request, and was then led to the study. On his entrance Ann sprang from her seat by the fire, and with the first instinct of a woman, shook out her dress, and glanced in the chimney-glass, Mr Penrose was in faultless evening attire, while Ann was wearing a plain grey alpaca gown without any ornament. She wished she had a pink bow in her hair; but he was thinking of the pink flush which had come to her cheeks; She consoled herself by reflecting that if he liked simplicity he beheld it now. “ I ought to apologise for calling so late,” said Mr Penrose.

“ Oh no,” replied Ann; “but Mrs Stewart is out. She and Arabella have gone to Mrs Montgomery-Yore-Vane’s ball.” “ I left them there,” said Mr Penrose quietly. There was a pause, while the pink flush deepened into crimson. “ I heard you were at home and alone, so I came to see you.” Ann bowed her head as if to thank him. She was nervous and rather puzzled, and began to draw her papers together, and to cover the inkbottle.

“ What have you been writing ?” asked Mr Penrose, as in a somewhat peremptory manner he took the papers from her hand and began to read them. Poor Annie grew still more flushed and nervous.

“ As governess,” Mr Penrose began to read. “ So you are thinking of going out as a governess,” “ I must; there is nothing else for me to do.”

“It is an honorable calling, and one in which an immense deal of work maybe done for the minds and hearts and souls of the pupils. But it is a hard life, especially for those who have not been trained to it.”

All this Annie knew very well. “ There is nothing else,” she faltered, “ by which I can hope to earn nay bread.” “Are you sure of that?” and Mr Penrose remained silent for some minutes, waiting to hear what more she would say; but when the silence became oppressive he spoke again slowly. “ I could show you a pleasanter and even more useful situation. My father and mother sadly want a daughter, my tenants want a lady bountiful, my servants want a mistress, and I want a wife. Will you come and take all those duties on yourself ?” There was a long ilence now, but not oppressive or painful When Ann was able to speak it was in broken words, but they were enough to make Mr Penrose very happy. The papers for the advertisement were torn up and thrown into the fire ; and the neighbouring church of St. Paul’s struck midnight before Mr Penrose stood up to depart. As soon as he was gone Ann hurried to her own room, and was yet on her knees in most fervent thanksgiving when she heard her aunt and cousin return home. She heard Arabella’s voice humming a galop as she mounted the stairs ; and Ann looked forward to the revelations of the next morning with some dread ; for she had seen that her cousin would have been well pleased if Mr Penrose had offered himself to her rather than to the poor dependent. Perhaps Arabella would be angry ; never mind if she were, Cecil would take Ann’s part now. When they met at breakfast on the 2nd of May, Arabella seemed in high spirits, and when the servant had left the room she exclaimed, “ Well, Annie, there is news this morning.” Ann was surprised that her cousin had already heard it. “ Yes, indeed ; I was as much surprised as you could be,” “ Ob, but I was not much surprised. I had seen it coming for some time.” “ Had you really ? But you never spoke of it.”

“ I could not speak of it until it was really settled. It is to be at the end of the season.”

Ann thought they might have consulted her as to her own wedding-day ; but of course she must submit to 'Miss Stewart’s wishes in Miss Stewart's house.

“He is really very nice,” said Arabella ; “ straigh'forward, and kind, and good tempered ; and he will be a useful man in Parliament, And, after all, a coronet is a great thing.” “ A coronet ! ” repeated Ann. “Yes,” said Arabella; “think of your cousin the Baroness Spilbury 1 ” “I am so glad,” cried Ann warmly ; “ I’m sure you will be a splendid Baroness, So now, I must tell you my news. Mr Penrose came here last night after you were gone. And I am engaged to him.”

For a moment Ax-abella’s face darkened. Ann turned to Mrs Stewart, and said, “ Aunty, won’t you congratulate me ? ” “ Let me hear what Miss Stewart says,” replied the aunt. Arabella grew bright again. “ It’s awfully jolly ! ” she exclaimed ; “ and you won’t go to service—l mean, to bo a governess ! And Ira so much obliged about the white dress ; that was what brought Lord Spilbury to the point! And we can have a double wedding! Oh ! what a May-day this has been ! ” So said Ann Wallace. So said Mary Spring.