LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 393, 15 September 1875, Page 4

LITERATURE.

THE FATAL LETTER. [From. London Society.) It was only a girlish freak. She had a mind to try his heart. If she could make the noble Percy Jealous, surely that were to put his love unto the quickest test. How should she know that the time was ill chosen ? They had not told her foe was almost at the gate. Time out of mind, she had heard of the enemy who would one day come and challenge them to the combat. But use is second nature. She had grown up among alarms of war and record of knightly deeds. . ‘ iSb, thou shalt not see it, cousin Percy, I tell thee the letter is for me alone to read, and thou mayst not see how or why ’tis writ. There was Yes and No in her eye. No means yes as often as it me ms no in woman s mouth and eyes. But Lord Percy was a man of earnest mind and impulse. He had no practice in reading hearts like Lady Katharine’s. He weighed her words, not her looks; he had no skill of badinage; his soul was truth itself; but he should not thus have played the part of lover with Katharine. To-day, moreover, he was less than ever in mood for jests and frivolous words He longed for the maiden’s love, for gentle speech and sympathetic looks. She gave him glances arch and coy, and jests, and yea and nay; and these jarred upon Lord Percy’s serious knowledge of the times. But my Lady Katharine seemed not made for sober joys and deep heart-plighted troth. Her young life had taken the gayest colour of the time, leaving the sombre tints to sadder natures. As yet she had lived in the sun, and knew nothing of the sad delights of the shadow. ‘ If thou art jealous of this poor letter because thou mayst not see it, then, Lord Percy, get thee gone. 1 am used to be trusted, and I take-it ill of thee to do me wrong with thy jealous fears,’ He had come to say farewell; he had come to kneel ather feet, to take her hand, to ask her when they should be wed; to tell her that, when she saw him go forth to meet the foe, she might know he would be safe to conquer, because he wore her likeness in his heart, and her glove in his plumed casque. He came to look into her eyes, and say tender things and sad. He came to sue for the solace of her outspoken love, to bask in the true woman’s smile, to be assured that he had some one to fight for, to die for, if need be, and to carry with him to the field her sweet looks, the memory of her last dear words. But how should she have known all this ? Why are not men always frank and true of speech ? Why do they not open their hearts freely, and take the risk of results ? Because they are vain and proud, foolishly susceptible to ridicule, and lack the courage to meet disappointment. Had Lord Percy told her all, Katharine, startled into naturalness at his earnest words, had laid her hand in his, and trusted him with all her true heart’s secret.

She chose to make a mystery of that foolish letter, albeit ’twas but a fond epistle from her brother; but in those long past days of English history to receive a letter was a great event. Moreover, Lord Percy remembered a strange knight riding out {across the drawbridge three months before, and kissing his hand in the moonlight to the window of Lady Katharine’s chamber. But what of that, my lord ? True love should hold the mistiess of its heart above suspicion. It was only now, in the presence of that averted letter, that Lord Percy thought of the strange guest of half an hour, who came to deliver despatches to the garrison. ‘Then’tis like you love another,’he said with rueful voice—‘that strange knight, perchance, and ’tis he hath sent my lady that favored letter. ’ ‘ ’Tis like, if thou shalt think so—like enough, my Lord,’ the maiden answered, nothing loth to fan the flame. ‘ I say not so; but thou art brave and wise, and knowest many things,’ ‘ You answer tauntingly, methinks, when Ido but speak from the love I bear thee, sweet Kate,’ he said, ‘I am no longer sweet Kate to thee, Percy, if thou doubtest me, and can even remember that strange knight, whom I never saw, against me,’ She looked up with an acted indifference which Lord Percy could not discern, he was so intent upon her words and his own desires.

‘Nay, show me that letter, then, my cousin, and let me know my fate at once. I pine and chafe against these bars of doubt, and I have much that I would say to thee.’

‘ I tell thee, Percy, thou mayst not see the letter ; and if thou wilt make bars to chafe against, thou art thine own prisoner, ’ ‘ Kate, you trifle with me—you have a secret.’

‘I have, my Lord ; and wouldst thou know it, then wouldst thou be sorry for thy cruel words.’

She was getting angry with herself and him, and longed to see him at her feet, that she might show him her brother’s letter, and all be well again. But Lord Percy had never loved before, and knew not, nor guessed the maiden’s arts and wiles, ‘ I would die rather than say cruel words to thee, Kate; but I would not have tortured thee as thou hast tortured me for all the treasures of Egypt and Peru. Thou art fickle and untrue, and would take back the promises which I once read in thine eyes and in thy choice of companionship.’ ‘ Fickle, my Lord !—untrue ! Are these the words thou dost select to pelt thy love withal? Nay, then, the Lady Katharine has well escaped such mating as thou wouldst offer her. Farewell, cousin Percy ; and when next thou comest to woo, bring softer words and more discerning eyes, and better knowledge of a maiden’s heart than thou hast discovered here to-day.’ He went his way, the proud Lord Percy, and the tender words remained unsaid. When he was gone my lady sighed and wept, and tore up her brother’s letter into fragments, and scattered them in the air from her window. She watched them floating on the wind like summer butterflies. On the morrow the foe, whose tardy operations had made his presence in the land almost disregarded, showed his angry front, and summoned the royal garrison to battle. There was a clash of drums and trumpets, and neighing of restless steeds. The sun shone out on glittering swords, and silken banners, and men in flashing steel. Lordj Percy sallied forth with his mailclad warriors, He had not sought the Lady Katharine again. The bustle of sudden preparation had held him prisoner to details of arrangement, She had sent once to bid him

remember his cousin in this hour of danger, to wish him godspeed; hut for Lord Percy the bout of love was over. He had put on the solder now, and laid aside the silken hose and rosetted shoon. His voice rung out the well-known commands—his gallant knights responded with the Percy battlecry—his plume waved foremost in the van. Thinking of this on yesternight, he would fain have carried some simple talisman against the foeman’s spear, some guerdon of his love, a ribbon, a glove, to wear in his helmet's plume—some token of his heart’s desire. But now he sallied forth with only the Percy colours, the Percy arms, unsoftened by woman’s gentle gift at parting. * * * * * When his men came home victorious, with spoils of battle and prisoners of note, they brought their leader on a warlike bier, and laid him down where his cousin and all the castle’s inmates, men and women, might see how death had quenched the light of his noble face. And then my Lady Katharine learnt the bitter lesson of her life. Her heart stood still, until they feared she were dead also ; but she awakened to her grief all pale and sad, and then they guessed her secret, and tended her night and day. Lord Percy’s mother came likewise, and, touched by the maiden’s grief, she took her for a daughter, to fill the vacant place in her widowed heart. Lady Katharine lived a pious, gentle life, that might, under another fortune, have been a life of love and household pride—a life of woman’s happiness, with children to console and bless. But fate had willed it otherwise, and she bowed her head as one who merited all the sorrow that had fallen upon her young and blighted years. So oftimes it happens, in course of love and friendship, the hasty word, the cruel thought, only shadowed forth in jest, come back to blister the fairest lips and break the truest heart.