LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2429, 18 January 1882, Page 4

LITERATURE.

A FORCED MARRIAGE. [From " London Society,"] There are many charming sentiments connected with clanship, and it cannot be denied that union in families is delightful to witness ; but of even such good things as these one may possibly have a little too much. So, at least, tnonght young Hugh Lestrange when bis grandfatheraffectiouately intimated to him that the f ±mily of which he had the honor to be the eldest bachelor re preventative unanimously considered it his plain and obvious duty to marry his cousin Pauline. There had been a family conclave, whereat it had been resolved and carried nem. con. that the common interests, pecuniary and otherwise, of the house of Lestrange would be materially advanced by the matrimonial union of the two young [ people The result of this important con-1 ference boing duly commnnicatod to Hugh by bis grandfather, and to Pauline by her mother, It was confidently expected that both cousins would regard the alliance in the same light as their seniors, and enact their respective parts with willing concurrence. Indeed, bo far as Pauline was concerned, there could be nothing unusual or despotic to her In this parental arrangement of her future ; for her French education and surroundings had accustomed her to the Idea of family arbitration in matrimonial affairs, and she waß not, as are English girls, familiar with the notion of maidenly inde pendence. Phe received the news of the proposed union with calm acquiescence; her cousin Hugues, as she called him, was not likely to prove an unkind husband, and she was content to let matters drift quietly to the desired consummation. Not so, however, the bridegroom elect. Hugh Lestrange felt that a distinct and deliberate injury had been done to him, and he resolved to resent it. But being a young fellow of amiable nature, hating arguments, and dreading open rupture, he confined the ex prosslon of his dissatisfaction to afew words of mild remonstrance, secretly determining the while so to conduct his part of the affair as to demonstate, alike to Pauline's ctother and to the young girl herself, his utter inability to enter into the spirit of the new character allotted to him.

It was arranged that the necessary proposal should bo made, and the courtchlp inaugurated at a .certain country house to which, during the hunting season, both partiei had been invited. Pauline had but lately quitted her sohool in Paris, Hugh had nob long left, Oxford, and some years had elapsed since their last meeting. Under such circumstances this renewal of old ties with a new intent waa regarded by the famiy confederation as an event of critical Interest. On the evening of the day which witnessed the arrival at tihireton of Madame Lestrange and her daughter, Hugh was deputed to conduct Pauline to dinner ; and ana as the two cousins placed themselves side by side at the table, many inquiring and speculative glances were turned towards them by those of the guests who had been admitted to the secret. Indeed, they were a" oouple any family might have been proud to escort to the altar. The young man, now in his twenty-fifty year, waa tall, bearded, stalwart, and fair faced ; Pauline, thoroughly French in feature and complexion, was yet not mean of stature ; and thongh the national petulant and impulsive temperament showed itself in the curves of her lips, the truthful steadfastness of her brown eyes stood sponsor for a heart that was not empty of l'nglish blood. What a pity it was that, being so handsome a couple, and carrying with them the good wishes of all their mutual relative?, and a fine Inheritance to boot, they could not find each other charming! iut Fate will have her way. Throughout the whole of that oritioal dinner, young Lestrange, meditating on his wrongs, was unsociable aud unpleasant. Pauline, disposed at first to accept with affability such affectionate advances as her cousin might make, wh°n she perceived that none were vouchsafed, assumed a frosty reserve, and stood aloof on her dignity. During two hours the pair sat tide by side, prim, morose, and mutually uncivil; and-when the hoßtess rose, a thorough misliking had been established. The incidents of the remainder of the evening confirmed the opinion each had formed of the other. The ice froze harder and harder over the 'hearts of both ; and before Pauline retired for tbe night. Bhe disburdened her mind to her mother ia voluble French, very much after the following fashion :— *' Mamma, it is perfectly useless to tell me to marry Hugues ; he is altogether odious and insupportable. As for him, he hates me; that you must all have seen plainly enough. He hardly spoke two words to me all dinnertime; and directly he saw me go to the piano, ha went off to tho j making room with Captain Lovell He thinks himself too good for me, no doubt; you canseehowabomlnablyconceited he is by the contemptuous way in whioh he looked at everybody, and by his air of ill-bred reserve.' ' But, Pauline dearest,' pleaded Madame Lestrange, deeply chagrined ; ' suppose all this arises fromehvness on hia part 1'

' Awkwardness is not charming.' returned Pauline; 'and a shy man is hardly better than a rude one. However, I will give him another chance to-morrow ; but if he is not nicer at breakfast and luncheon than he has shown himself at dinner, I will have nothing more to do with him '

But next day things wore no better an aspect, and mademoiselle's second denunciation of her intended spouse was unequivocal and decisive. Hugh, on his part, saw reason to congratulate himself on the coarse he,had adopted, and when he quitted the smoking-room at midnight he had accepted a fHead's invitation to leave Shireton Manor on the morrow for more congenial joys elsewhere. ' Certainly,' said this obstinate young man, as he extinguished his candle, ' I have a3ted wisely in getting out of this business. I should have been miserable for life if I had given in. What a monstrous thing it is in this century for a man's relatives to take on themselves the disposal of his liberty in snch an outrageous way as this! Pauline is 'the last girl in the world to suit me, with her pri"a affectation of coyness and her ridiculous air of petite reine. I believe she has not an idea in her mind—these fronoh-bred young women never have—and she doesn't know how to be natural and sociable and sympathetic. Whenever my time does come to torn Benediok, my wife shall bs jast as uolike my cousin as possible.'

So there was an end of this most excellent match to the inflaito disgust, vexation, anrt dismay of the intriguing parties. Hugh communicated to his grandfather in respectful terms, but with firm expressions, his absolute repugnance to the proposed alliance, and his unalterable resolution to undergo the the worst that might happen rather than submit to it. And Pauline declared with immense fervour that rather than perform her share in the contract she would be cut in pieces or buried alive. In the face of such obstacles no more could be done, and after sundry futile reproaches and laments the family scheme was abandoned. But the cousins, however widoly separated from a matrimonial point of view, were cousins still, and the unavoidable failure of mutually cherished hopes could not be permitted to effect an estrangement between the two branches of the family. Early in the spring Pauline and her mother appeared in London, and thither also came her brother Jaoques. Now Jacques was the chosen particular friend of cousin Hagb, and although, being the younger man, he had entered the university later, they had during more than a year been fellow students at the same hall, and inseparable allies in all the pursuits and intereeti of college life. Therefore, immediately on his arrival in town, Jacques sought out his cousin, and within half an hour of their meeting the younger L estrange was in possession of the details ef the family machinations and the consequent fiasco. ' I heard something of the affair from home,' said Jacques, 'but in such a vaguo way that I could make nothing of it. However, we need not trouble ourselves about the thing now, and I suppose yoa won't let it make any difference to you. Are you going to Lady t eigh's on Thursday V ' Upon my word,' answered Hugh meditatively. ' I don't know. I was going, but I hear Pauline and your mother will be there, and that seems awkward, doesn't It?'

' My good fellow, you don't say you are going to cut u-i on account of thia untoward affair ? You will have everybody gossiping about the thing if you behave ao ridiculously, and you may injure Pauline's chances in a way you don't think of. Why should poo vie know there baa been anything contemplated between you ? All aorta of tales will be told, a hundred times worse, everyone of

them, than tho truth; and nobody need guess anything at all if ouly you conduct yourself rationally and in a natorsl manner. And really I cannot see why you should dislike meeting Pauline. There has been no regular qutrrel between you, no jilting or jealoußy, or anything of that kind ; it was a simple mutual dissent from certain views entertained for you by older people who ought to have been wiser. Beside?, it all happened four months ago, and the entire scheme has been dropped. Were I joo, I would not only go to Lady Leigh's ball, but I would danco with Pauline, just to show friendliness and a disposition to put things back on the old footing ' The discussion ended as Jacques wished. Hugh promised not to absent himself from the bill in question, and he kepttnhis wr.rd. It was ose of the first balls of the season, and was well attended. Paulino seemed to be a great success, and danced unweariedly. But shortly after aupper, as Hugh, having handed his last partn-r to her seat, stood idle a moment by a doorway, his surprise was great at being lightly tapped on the arm by Panline's fan, aud hearing her say, as th jugh echoing her brother's advice. ' When are yoa going to dance with me, cousin Hugnes? I have just this waltz free ifyoudike;' then in lower tones, 'Do not seem to avoid me ; there is no need for us to be strangers to each other on account _o' what has occurred. People will notice it, mamma says ' What could Hugh do ? Impossible to refuse; and, besides, whether he d»nced with her now or not mattered nothing; their engagement bad been formally nullified, and no attentions he might pay her could be misinterpreted. After all, too, she was a handsome girl, and supportable enough as a mere coutin. A cousin may be tolerated and even danced with very agreeably, provided one Is not expected to make her one's companion for life. t'o Hugh resolved to beplessant. Ptrhaps, indeed, poor girl, he owed her some amends for his rart in th* recent failure of the family plot; at any rate, thoy stood now in no false light together, and there was therefore no reason for observing constraint or reserve in his manner towards her. And so the next minute the young man's arm was round Paulina's waist, and the pair were whirling together amicably down the room. (To bf continued.')