LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 661, 2 August 1876, Page 3

LITERATURE.

EYE-BRIGHT.

f Concluded.) ‘ It would be a good thing for Mabel —and for him. I sincerely hope it may be, Aunt. ’ And Eye-bright laid a small caressing hand upon her cat, while she knocked down Miss Belinda’s little castle in the air. * Sir Constable is a dear fellow in his wsfy, but I could never have fallen in love with him. He has not enough character for me : he is too effeminate. Mabel’s childish flippancy is just the very thing he most admires. We are capital friends; nothing more. But, my dear Aunt Linda, I can’t think what put that idea into your head and Mrs Oliver’s. It is perfectly ridiculous.’ * If my idea has not been correct, my dear, I presume that your young and tender feelings have not sustained any affliction by seeing him transfer his attentions to another woman. I think you had better come in to tea.’ Eye-bright obeyed the summons, and seated herself at the dainty tea-table with her back to the window, while she laughingly said, * Now, dear Auntie, that yon know I am not heart-broken about Sir Constable, you must forgive the Olivers this absurd jealousy, and make up your cheerful old mind to stay here as long as ever we can.’ ‘ But, my dear, it grieves me to see you tramping through all weathers over to the Manor. We had much better go to London and purchase a day-school. I could get the money, child, if you will but agree. ’ Miss Belinda spoke with grave deliberation, still reluctant to recall the hasty words she had spoken in her pique. ‘ I don’t know, Auntie, that it would be a good step,’ Eye-bright replied, after a thoughtful pause. ‘ We have no rent to pay here, and our expenses are trifling compared with what they would be elsewhere. I think though, dear, you need a change. You have been two years here with me, and I have been dreadfully selfish ; but my holiday will soon begin now, and we can go anywhere you like for two months. I should enjoy it so much. Shall we go, Aunt Linda 1 and where V The suggestion, meeting with Miss Belinda’s ready approval, was fruitful of much pleasant discussion, and under the delightful prospect of a change nearer to the great world on whose edge Miss Belinda thought herself stranded, her good temper reasserted itself over her late annoyance. CHAPTER 11. After tea Miss Belinda retired upstairs to her comfortable bedroom to indulge in a little epistolary correspondence. Eye-bright moved her low chair over to the window, where she sat in the shade cast by the apple boughs, for some time busily employed in correcting exercises. But by-and-by she raised her head, because a thought would creep in and distract her attention, and she had to give way to it before she could reconsider moods and tenses. The happy light in her eye, that had deluded Miss Belinda, appeared again, while her mouth smiled so bashfully that she was almost afraid to realise what it meant. As she sat, she was not screened from the observation of a gentleman who had been for some time approaching the cottage by the towpath. His dark, distinguishedlooking face grew warm, and his eyes softened tenderly, as he watched her bowed head and fair, preoccupied face. He was very tall, and slightly bent in his broad shoulders, and was decidedly a noble, strong, handsome man—one whom a woman might fearlessly trust. He cautiously crossed the lock, and with a spring reached the window, where Ms big shadow fell upon Eye-bright’s sheets of paper. With a nervous start she raised her head, and as she saw him standing there, a sweet, sudden, womanly confusion almost overpowered her, and crimsoned her cheeks, while she strove to say, ‘ Mr Oliver, is it you ? ’ ‘ Don’t fancy it is my ghost, Miss Elton, for of course it isn’t. How nervous you seem to have grown. See how those papers are tumbling out of your hands. Have I frightened you so very much?’ he added, in a rich, pleasant voice, that, in its dear old familiar fun, restored Eye-bright’s senses. * Oh, no ! ’ she replied, rising from her seat, while her heart throbbed almost to suffocation. * It is only the pleasant surprise cf seeing yon again. We did not expect you till to-morrow.’ ‘ I know it; but my impatience conquered my arrangements. I have come twentyfour horns sooner, to receive, I hope, a cordial welcome from you.’ He spoke with

a little imperious smile, and a tender cadence that kindled up her wits.

With gentle grace she extended her small white hand, which he grasped and held in a firm, affectionate clasp, that thrilled her exquisitely, while he scrutinised her drooping eyelids and pink cheeks, remarking that the little hand still felt nervous, even in his. * You look very well, Miss Elton; better than when I went away. I assure you your pale cheeks and brilliant eyes haunted me for weeks. I hope you have relaxed something of your severe discipline with those little ignoramuses ; it wasn’t good for you. ‘lt was good for me to be thoroughly interested in my work ; it did me no harm,’ she replied, feeling almost bewitched by his kind voice; thinking how that going away had blanched her cheek and made her eyes feverish with regret; how in silence she had lived, clinging to the hope of his return. ‘ You are quite as opinionated as ever, I see, using that gentle tyranny that subjugates all your pupils ; remember, I am one of them, I hope you have not forgotten those happy hours last winter when I was laid up, and you used to cheer my weariness by reading and singing to me?’ he said softly. ‘No, I have not forgotten it; I was very glad to be able to amuse you ; anything I could do for you eased the burden on my conscience. Are yon quite well now ?’ she asked, with more than common interest. ‘ You must look and judge for yourself, Eye-bright. You have giowu strangely shy and fearful of me. Come, show me again those eyes whose bright light has shone over the darkness of my life. ’ Eye-bright felt so foolishly happy that a sweet little laugh responded to his words ; and overcoming her timidity, she gratified him by a modest little study. ‘ Well, and what do you think of me now,’ he said, laughing, and pressing her hand. Her dimples began to play. ‘ 1 think you look very much tanned by your southern residence, Mr Oliver. Did you go to the Alhambra ? ’ ‘Yes, and selfishly sighed for your companionship there. We should have enjoyed the Moorish remains much better together, lam sure.’ His dark eyes lit up wonderfully with the sincerity of his wish Eye-bright playfully thanked him, and asked him to come in. ‘ That is a hint that you want your hand back, I suppose,’ he laughed, * That tender, skilful little hand that looked after my broken collar-bone when I was thrown. I wish you would give it to me, Eye-bright; I should take better care of it than you—see how you have inked it ! ’ and Mr Oliver playfully pointed to the black stains where her pen had rested. * I have come home post-haste to ask you that favor. Don’t wrench at it so, you won’t get it; you would only cover up your face, and I must see a great deal of that dear face. ’ Covered with blushes and the sudden emotion caused by his words, it was never more love’y and fascinating, and with a sparkling eye she said, ‘Do you know somebody else might be in here ?’ ‘ Eye-bright, don’t try to deceive me. I’ve been peeping into the room all this time. You are just like a ripple, you try to hide yourself and fail; you must flash out sometimes. But how is your aunt V ‘ She is quite well, and upstairs. I will call her ; she will be pleased to see you—if you would only give me my hand,’ Eyebright pleaded. ‘ Don’t disturb her now on any account; I forbid it. Abandon those wretched papers, and come out; the sunset is glorious. On that condition I will lend you your hand. Do you agree ?’ So it came to pass that presently she was by his side on the terrace. Then they crossed the lock and went down on the bank of the canal, where they walked in close and blissful delight, such as mortals have been permitted to enjoy on earth. Philip Oliver was the younger brother of Squire Oliver of the Manor, and he had formed an attachment for Eye-bright ever since he had known her; an attachment that appeared to have been perfectly mutual, though undeclared till now. He did not live at the Manor. His own ‘ Home Farm,’ as he styled his property, was about three miles away from the Manor, but much of his time was spent in his brother’s cheerful house, and there he had met Eye-bright. Her beauty and worth had interested him, and desperately in love did he fall with her, with little or no encouragement from her : so that the current ran swift and deep, and yet unobserved. An accidental fall from his hunter had occurred, through Eyebright’s suddenly springing. off a stile one day just as he was passing on his way to the meet, and frightening the animal, throwing him so violently that he had broken his collar-bone almost at her very feet. The agony of the moment had been terrible to her. She gently cradled his head upon her lap till his groom galloped to Holmby for a surgeon, then to the Manor for assistance to convey him there, where Eye-bright’a services were made useful in amusing ‘ Uncle Philip,’ and staying with him when Mrs Oliver and her elder daughters were going out. Kind Mrs Oliver I Purblind to any suspicion of Philip’s doing anything so foolish as falling in love, she completely trusted these two people, whose friendship developed itself in the delightful communion of two hearts formed for each other. Little did she think, when she slighted Eye-bright on account of Sir Constable, that a stranger mischief had been worked. ‘ I wonder what notice my sister-in-law requires, Eye-bright, in resigning your situation ? ’ he asked, bending down his laughing eyes upon her, and reclaiming the hand, which he drew through his arm. Starting her again to the inevitable, and causing her to consider diligently the glorious sunset that was paving the water with slabs of ruby and amethyst, under which the lightgreen water-grasses floated and sank among blue shadows. The waving sheaths of the flags, stirred by the wind, rustled crisply, and about their dark green roots were pillows of white and rosy clouds tempting her to look, if Mr Oliver would only have given her time. But he would not; he preferred to see the glow on her own sweet face, and he teased her till she replied, almost breathlessly, ‘I don’t know.’ ‘ Immediate notice ought to be accepted; but it won’t I suppose. I shall manage it for yon, my darling, never fear. Only tell me that I have not been too presumptuous—that I have not been idly dreaming.’ 7 Soft as the passing wind came the whisper, ‘ I don’t think you have been idly dreaming, Philip.’ Almost reverently he kissed her modest Ups, as he said, with heart at rest, ‘We had better go back, then, and tell Miss Belinda all about it.’