LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1457, 17 October 1878, Page 3

LITERATURE.

VALENTINE’S VIGIL.

A Stout of the Day and Night.

By W. W. Fenn.

Chapter I.— the day.

“Do you know, Nina, Valentine Gray is home again ?’ No but 1 know now you tell me—not that I am concerned with the nows. Mr Valentine Grey is nothing to me.’ ‘O, indeed; I thought he used to be rather devoted to you, and that you—’ ‘ Absurd nonsense, Fanny. We used to laugh and talk a great deal—at least he used; I never found anything to laugh at in what he said. I found his conversation especially dull, though I know he thought it otherwise; he thought it very humorous and witty, but I never could see it. In truth, I promised that I would record in gold letters every genuine joke I heard him make Yea. I said I would put them down in a diary, and that I would be bound to get all he ever made in a year into one day’s division of it.’ * Ah, but he is very clever, Nina, you must admit; his conversation is considered brilliant at times.’

‘ I admit nothing of the kind, Fanny ; and I repeat, I never found it so,’ * Well, he is back at home again, at any rate, and he will be hero to-night; so you will have an opportunity of seeing if las trip to the States has improved him.’ ‘O, coming here to-night, is ho? What is to night? Lot me sec—the Kith! Ah, then ho has i omo home, no doubt, to be in time for to-morrow —his saint’s day. H’ra ! I daresay he thinks that very funny. I have no doubt lie will bo making all sorts of stupid jokes about his name, and cupids and darts, and the rest of it ’ ‘And why not, Nina? You are too hard

on him. To-morrow is his birthday, that’s why he is named Valentine; and surely there’s no harm in his making fun of it.’ ‘I didn’t say there was any harm ; I only said it was stupid, and that he is stupid, and that I don’t like him—there ’

This scrap of conversation took place in the snug but capacious drawing room of a large house in Dolton gardens, South Kensington-

The occupants of the drawing room in question, at the moment when it is first necessary forus to play the ca-es-dropper and looker-on, wore, fust (to give precedence to age), Mrs Davouell, s lit f le woman of fifty, with a bright cheery twinkle in her brown eyes and a beaming expression of the most perfect good nature for ever playing over her small and delicate face, a lady whom you felt you might always appeal to in any emergency with the certainty of receiving the very assistance you would want, one too who was up to any amount of fun, and on whom you might rely for the most perfect sympathy in any undertaking you might have afoot, grave or humorous. Then there were her two daughters, Fanny and Emily, who looked, as we might say of books, exactly like exquisitely bound and printed second editions of their mother. There was a great similarity not only of face and feature, but in dress and manner, only the younger ladies were neater and trimmer in certain details. This perhaps was not saying very much ; for though all three were the fairest-skinned, freshest, and most blooming of women, there was a degree of carelessness in the way their dresses were put on and worn, and in their general air, that shocked theii milliners, and had acquired forthem amongst intimate friends the sobriquet of the Happy-go-luckies, The young gentleman who was the object of the conversation we began our story with was responsible for this cognomen. Mr Valentine Grey, when he had first come to be intimate at the house, had called them the ‘ Happy-go-luckies,’ because he declared they were th« happiest and luckiest family he had ever known ; and that no one could ever go to the house without being made happy and lucky too. This was thought to be very humorous, for, as we may have already gleaned, Mr Grey had established for timself in Dolton gardens the reputation of a wit, although, as we may also have gleaned, there was one person who refused to admit his right to it; and as this young lady made up the fourth and last occupant of the drawing-room on this present 18th February, 187(j, let me say a word or two about her here.

Nina Davenell, in spite of her surname, in no way resembled the other ladies who bore it; she was a tall, graceful, oliveskiuned, dark-haired, brilliant, and somewhat haughty and dignified looking girl. Many persons said she had no pretensions to he handsome, and judging strictly by features, perhaps it was true; but at any rate if it were, she was the handsomest plain girl you might meet with in a year’s march. She was the only child of Air Davenell’s brother, who had married a native of Bologna, and who had died (soon after his wife/ when Nina was only six years old. Consequently, she had been brought up in the house of her uncle and aunt, and educated with her consius.

She had just returned home from a visit to some friends in the country, when her cousin Fanny made the announcement to her with which these pages commence. With the expression of her opinion that Air Grey was stupid, and that she didn’t like him, the haughty beauty left the room to take off her tra\elling dress, AVhcn she was gone, says Fanny to her mamma, after a pause, ‘ I never can tell, mamma, whether Nina really means what she says about Mr Grey; can you ?’ * I don't know what she means, my dear ; I only know what 1 wish.’

‘ Ah, you wish that they might make a match of it,’

‘ I don’t deny it; it would be the best thing that could happen for them both. But dear me, I’m afraid there is no chance of it. She is always piquing herself on her dignity, and he is always so full of chaff. as you call it, that one never can tell whether they really like each other, 1 wish we could hit upon a plan to bring matters to a crisis, and settle it one way or the other.’ ‘ I think we might, mamma, for 1 wish as yon wish ; and now that he is just come back, and will, of course, be a great deal here again, it would be a good opportunity to try. It is very funny ; but instantly that Nina spoke of to-morrow as being St, Valentine’s Day, I began to think whether we couldn’t turn that fact to account. It would be rare fun.’ ‘ How do you mean, child ? ’

* Well, I don’t know quite yet; it wants thinking about; ’ and the young lady paused in her needlework, and, resting her chin upon her hand, stared for a minute straight into space ; then her face dimpled into a mighty knowing little smile, and she said suddenly, * I have it! If we can only make them both believe that each is very fond of the other, and that it is only the dignity of the one,, and the laughing merry disposition of the other, that prevent them from showing their real feelings ; if he were only sure that she cared the least little bit for him, I feel certain he will propose; if she were .only sure that that chaff and nonsense that he talks was all on the surface, and that beneath there was a strong affection for her, 1 feel certain she will accept.’ ‘Yes, my dear Fanny,’ said the mother, ‘ hub how can you bring all this about ? It’s a very delicate, complicated business ’ ‘ Why, my dear old silly mamma, leave that to me ; don’t you see that we could start it with a valentine? If we could only pretend and make it appear that she had sent one to him, and that he had sent one to her, and then expose them—well, we should have broken down the barrier of Miss Nina’s dignity, at any rate.’ The door here opened, and the servant announced Mr Valentine (Irey. The three ladies rose to greet him, and, after an interchange of a few commonplace civilities and a warm welcome, Miss Fanny slipped from the room.

‘ 1 am afraid I am awfully early, Mrs Davenell,’ said the gentleman, ‘ for a dinner guest; but I know there is no false ceremony in this house; and when you said you wanted me to come and have a long talk, and hear all about my travels, 1 knew you meant it.’

‘Of course, of course, we are delighted,’ said Mrs Daveaell; and as the door opened —* 0, here is Kina ! Nina, my love, here’s Mr Grey.’ That gentleman rose and saluted the tall brunette with easy grace. She, holding her head very high, and just putting out the tips of three taper lingers, exclaimed, with an air of surprise, ‘ Dear me, Mr Grey, who would have expected to see you here ? I thought you were away in the far west ’

* Ah, then, you have been thinking of me: that is really very good of you.’ ‘I did not say so,’ said Nina, with a wicked toss of her head, as she crossed the room and sat down at a small writing table in a farther corner.

• How rude you are to Mr Grey, Nina ! ’ interposed her aunt. * What a bad child it is I But you know her, Mr Grey, and will make allowances.’

‘ (>, indeed, yes, I know her, and esteem it a great privilege that I do,’ answered the young man, resuming the seat he had originally taken near Mrs Daveuell, and which was in the large bay window overlooking the garden and garden door. ‘ Why, I thought Miss Fanny was here when I came in,’ he continued, looking out of the window ; ‘ and yet surely that is she, coming up the garden in her hat and jacket. She is like the Irishman’s bird, that has the gift of being in two places at once.’ ‘She has been out,’meekly here for the first time broke in her younger sister. ‘ I know she had a letter to post,’

‘Yes, and there are nc* servants kept in this house,’ said her mother ironically ‘ That’s just like Fanny, it is foolish for her to go out so late; it’s getting cpiitc dusk.’

‘ Well, I like people who can wait on themselves,’ said Mr Grey. ‘ Your house is aline school for that, Mrs Daveaell; aud

very lucky for me has it been that I profited by the examp'e. People have to wait upon themselves a good deal in the States, I can tell you ,* ‘Yes, I have heard so. But come, now, tell us, how far west did you get ? I want to hear all about it,’ answered the lady. But the narration of Mr Grey’s adventures was destined to be yet farther delayed. The parlor-maid now entered with tea, followed, soon after, by Fanny Daveuell, who, innocently assuming the air of not having been out of the room even, walked over to the table where Nina, having lighted candles, was busily writing. After a while there was a g neral shifting of the positions of everybody in the room, during which Fanny retired, with her sister, into a snug little conservatory which projected from the farther end of the room, and which was partially screened by a heavy portiere. A flight of steps communicated through this alcove with the garden which on three sides surrounded the house ; and a side door also opened into the hal l , into which it was quite possible to pass from the little greenhouse without entering the drawing room, * Perhaps,’ went on Mr Grey, in his gay and joking manner, as he again found himself left alone with Mrs Daveuell and Nina, ‘ it will be better to defer an account of the stirring incidents of my travel till after dinner. Mr Davenell will want to hear something about them, I suppose, and you will be awfully bored if I have to tell my story twice over. ’ ‘ Not at all; but as he will be home soon, and we dine early, as you know, like the unconventional barbarians that we are, and as I have one or two little matters to attend to before dinner, it will be better for you to tell us then. Will you excuse my leaving Nina to entertain you for ten minutes ? Nina, my dear.’ continued Mrs Davenell, with her hand on the door, ‘leave your writing, and just go and talk to Mr Grey.’ When she had vanished, Nina rose and advanced to the fire. ‘You are very busy with your pen,’ said the gentleman. * Writing valentines, I presume ?’ ‘Yes; that is just about all my intellect is capable of at present. Your appreciation of my powers, Mr Grey, is quite correct, if not very flattering.’ ‘ 1 never flatter,’ ‘ Truly, 1 know you don’t ; llattery was never your chcval de hataille.' *Y T et it always puts me hors (horse) de comhat, which is the same animal, I imagine.’ ‘O, that is too atrocious! Is that your last, Mr Grey, or does it come from the States ?’ ‘ No ; done on the spur of the moment, I assure you. I drove the spur into that horse’s flanks especially for you.’ ‘ Worse and worse ! I really can’t stand this; and there is my uncle’s knock. You will find him better audience than I am for your jokes. I shall leave you together.’ And without another word she swept from the room. Left alone, Mr Grey listened for a moment, cast a wistful glanco towards the door, walked to it, opened it, looked out, reclosed it, and then threw himself into an easy chair hard by the ‘pcrtxcre. {To he continued.)