Novelist. [ALL RIGHTS RESFEVED.] Love's Labour Won: AN EVENTFUL STORY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2635, 1 June 1889, Page 1 (Supplement)

Novelist. [ALL RIGHTS RESFEVED.] Love's Labour Won: AN EVENTFUL STORY.

BY JAMES CIRANT. Author of "'The Koninuce of War," "Tho Lhick Wutch," " i<'niror than it Fairy," etc., ifee.

OHAPTEIi VII.—Or ali. the I'LOWEU.S 01' FA IK EXOLANX). Though well-used to the life of visiting in ordinary English conn- | try houses—so delighful when the party gathorod is well-assorted— that at Euvensbourno would have borod—nay, perhaps did boro— Montague Lonsdale, whoso only solace was his suddenly discovered vicinity to Hose Cottage, and his meetings Avith MoLmie, mootings preferred to tho visits grudgingly permitted by Mr. Grimshaw, and which had to bo indulged in with tho caution of two conspirators, for tho eyes and suspicions of bumkins aro keen, and go a long way indeed. The circle at Eavesbourno was rather a heavy ouo, as Sir Brisco Braybrooke. though popular with a set of old " fogies," was much less so witli young men, for, though a confirmed bachelor apparently, he hud not an element of " fastness" abouthim. Writing of visits to country houses, Lord BeacouaJield, in one

of his novols, asserts that Sundays there are apt to degenerate into dull walks and heavy meals, and that in some houses there is a week of Sundays ; and so, unless you can divide your wholo time between eating and walking, your occupation is gone. "Tho host, with praiseworthy compassion, comes to your assistance, constitutes himself a local guidance, march.?.-? you through the library, up and down the hall, up tho staircase, and into all sorts of odd corners, telling you of the subjects of his old masters, uine out of ten of which are preposterous copies, and narrating to you tho story of each of his obscure and ignoble ancestors." Family vanity not being a weakness of Sir Brisco, lie did not fall back upon that line; but lie was somewhat vain of the Hall, and proud of asserting that the little tributary of tho Thames, that ran thereby, was tho the true Eavonsbourne (and not tho other in Houston Common) which was discovered in tho timo of Oajsar, when lie encamped his troops there, then in great need of water. Observiug that a raven frequently alighted near tho camp, and conjecturing that it was for tho purposo of quenching its thirst, ho desired the bird to be watched, and the spot noted. This was dono and tho result was as Caosar anticipated. Tho object of tho raven's resort was the little runnel that trickled through tho dense underwood, where a supply was found for tho Roman legions, and from that circumslancothe runnel was named, in after years, the Ravens Bourne, or brook; and to this logend Montague Lonsdale had to listen moro than once.

Another way of getting through tho timo, on a country visit, is let-ter-writing, and the number of letters guests write, or say they have to write, when in other people's houses, is somewhat remarkable ; but go into their rooms, and they will probablybe found immersed in Jiudio's last, or a sleep in an easy chair. Lunehoon would come, and in anticipation of meeting with Melauie, Lonsdale's whole object was how to steal away alone, for he was loth—oh, sadly loth—to loso one of tho few opportunities that now remained to him; for she, too, like Uncle Grimshaw (but from a very different point of view) was reckoning every day of his leave of absence. There wore no lady visitors just then at Eavensbourno, it being a bachelor's house ; so, though there wore picture corridors, a billiard room and conservatories, thero was no one to flirt with, even for those who were that way disposed, Thero was plenty of riding, of courso ;and the cub-hunting and shooting days had yot to come; and it seems a kind of habit in country houses, that, if you play anything —cards, chess or billiards thoso who noithor ride, shoot, ramble or flirt, hang about one's game, look over one's shoulder, taking a wonderful interest in every stroko or move, till the boredom is over and the pleasant visit is ended. So, at Eavensbourno, but for tho vicinity of Melanie Lousdalo would, have agreed with what Madame de Staol said, that travelling is—" h Iriatc pknsir de la vie." "My poor darling, it is both heartless aud cruel of your undo to threaten you with the expulsion —for it is no less—of Eeginald from his houso, bocauso you have engaged yourself to mo, Melanie," said Lousdalo, at one of the stolen meetings referred. It was a lovely <Tuly evening—a sweet and calm one; they wero under tho beech trees in Eavensbourno Wood, and she was seated on a fallen or hewn down log, one end of which was half hidden by a luxuriant wild rose bush that grow around it. Lousdalo looked intensely annoyed, and Melanie looked sorrowful, ashamed perhaps of her unwise admission, and sorely perplexed, as it was calculated to lire his pride and sense of justice.

As ho gazed on her now, in his loving eyes she seemed like a bright coloured vision to him—her chirk eyes sparkling, her cheek slightly Unshed, the pale yellow plaiting of thick lace that trimmed her summo costume —one that made her seem taller than she really was—shewing deep against the pure whiteness of her slender throat and ungloved hands.

"Cruel indeed." assented Melanie after a pause, " when we consider how poor Reggie is tho victim of circumstances, of unrequited service, and how his terrible helplessness camo upon him. Yet times there are when undo has threatened to send him away to sonio institution; and then I know not what I should do—what I should do," she repeated, clasping her hands, " tho shame and humiliation of such a measure would break tho poor boy's heart and how should I bo without poor helpless Reggie, and ho without me ?"

Now it was that Lonsdale felt, envious of Sir Brisco's wealth, and thought sadly, that oven if Melanie became his wife, she could not fake Keggie about tho world with her ; but he remained silent for a time, full of tonderest sympathy for the affectionate girl. "Mv Grimshaw —pardon me, Melanie —is a hard-hoartod old wretch !" lie exclaimed.

"Do not speak quite so dispnrmgly of him," urged tho gentle M.olanio ; "consider, Montague, there aro three of us thrown on his hands, that ho is not rich now, and tho littlo that ho has—"

"' Ho would rather spend upon himself." " Perhaps. It is natural, I suppose." After another pause, Lonsdale said : " I shall bo a year away, Molanie ; and by that time my promotion in tho regiment is cortain." " A year—a wholo year—oh, what may net happen in that time !" said the girl, with a broken voice. '• Let us not think of it yet a while, but bo happy, oh, my darling, while we may."

A silence ensued between thorn now, Nothing was heard but the rustle of tho leaves overhead and faint sounds from the distant village, and from rowers on the river; and through a break in tho trees they could see a silent current of the latter as it wound away between holds of "-olden rain. " You have not boon at Rose Cottage for three wliolo days," said Molanie. " Mr Grimsliaw is so uncordial— by Jove ! ho is barely civil to me. Why is he so"?" Molanie knew too well why. "I would not, and should not endure him," said Lonsdale, almost bitterly, '' but that you, Metallic, are my hope, my life, my all! Oh, how I love you, my own !" He drew her to him, and kissed her tenderly, softly, and then passionately; bub as lie did so, a little gasping cry of alarm escaped her, and she let fall some wild roses she had gathered. " Sec !" she exclaimed. Crossing a meadow, leisurely, at some distance from them, were Sir Bnseo Braybrooke and her Uncle Grimsliaw, who had been ceremoniously returning the visit of the former, by whom he was being accompanied through the grounds towards the private gate in the lane already referred to.

"It would have been well for you, Mclauie, if we had never, never met!" said Lonsdale, in a tone of sorrow, love and irritation curiously mingled. "Why?"

"Your beauty must have won you a more wealthy, if not a more worthy love, than such an unlucky devil as I. You might have become independent of Mr Grimshaw, able to further the interests of your brothers, and never have known —"

" What it was to have your love, Monti —oh, dearest, do not speak of me in that mercenary way," pleaded the girl with quivering lips, and tears in her eyes. '• I have never yet thought of myself."

'" Did he but know—did ho but know all!" she thought, recalling the oilers of Sir Biisco, and the words he had uttered at Ghillington Park. But that was a mortifying secret, which she was resolved her lover should never know.

" They are coming this way —clear Monti, leave me," said Melanie, imploringly and in haste. " Why so V he asked. " Oh, can you ask me?" " But your undo knows of our engagement."

"And the other tiresome old man es not."

" Sir matter?"

Brisco — what does it

<( He will think it odd our meeting thus, and in his woods—and Uncle Grimshaw, I know, would be furious."

" Perhaps you are right, so goodbye till to-morrow, tny darling." And, greatly to the relief of Melauie, he rose, left lier, and dived

into the coppice, while Melauie lied like a startled fawn towards a path that led to the cottage, while from a vista between the trees, Montague Lonsdale watched her light floating dress as long as he could see it, and he sang softly to himself :

"Of all the flowers <>f fair England, The fuiiest flower is she !" Then he leisurely scraped a match on the, stem of a bush, lit a cigar, and slowly joined the two loiterers. Had they scon the speedy parting 1 Surely not; yet to Lonsdale it seemed that Mr Griinshaw, at least, was curiously piqued and reserved in his manner towards him. CHAPTER IX. " But what to me, my love—but what to mo ?" Love's Labour Lost. Reginald Talbot felt just now that a kind of change had come over the tenor of his life, and that he was now more left to himself than was wont to be the case. Melanio was often with Lonsdale, or occupied in writing to him, and Amy Brendon's visits to Cottage were now paid at longer intervals, and were more brief in their duration, and his sad heart foreboded the reason why. In his solitude, his thoughts ever ran on sunny days long gone—of his boyish career— of his ship and his moss-mates ; of hopes that were brilliant, of passionate and heartfelt longings, of memories that were regretful and sweet, of all that was now, all that might have been but for the present death in life that had come upon him !

In her he had always had a good and patient listener to his yarns, and more especially in his young Dick, who listed open-mouthed, and was never weary of hearing how, when becalmed in the tropics for days, tho sea and sky were like molten brass, with a cloudless burning sun blazing overhead, in the light of which every rope and span seemed to twist like serpents, and if a deck seam were touched, the pitch bubbled out of it; '.hi .;. w

naked to tho waist, worn with the

hauling round of yards, and sick of box-hauling to catch a breath of air, while with moistened finger, the lieutenant of the watch tried to detect if there was a current aboard; or what was better suited to Dick's taste, Reginald's fight with a brown bear on the coast of Japan, when he choked him by thrusting a brandy bottle down his throat; or better still, how the Ibis, with the Condor and other gunboats, lay off Fort Marabout at the Bombardment of Alexandra, throwing in shot and shell, after Seymour's signal flew from the Alexandra, and then, as at that other cannonade of which Campbell sang, " Kach gun, From its adamantine lips, Cast a, dead slnido. round tho ships, Like a hurriuanu eclipse Of tho sun !" Now this life was all over and done with ! and now even Dick was generally absent, after rooks and sparrows with tho little, fowlingpiece which Lonsdale had as Melanie thought, unwisely given him; and he was always attended by bob-tailed Bingo, for whom Sir Brisco's keepers wore quietly on the look-out. Reginald found that he failed to interest Amy in any way, as of old ; and so occupied was she with the new thoughts that filled her heart with the sunshine of love, that she failed, for a time at least, to notice the change that had come over her invalid friend.

Times there were, before that other ciime, when she held seen his grave and handsome face light up at her approach, or when it turned to hers, when beneath the hopeless and imploring passion of his handsome eyes, her own hud more than once drooped shyly and coyly, and while her heart vibrated to his soft and alluring voice, it trembled with a fear of the hopeless emotions she might be exciting; but even the fear of that was forgotten now, apparently. "You are very silent, Reggie," said she one day, as she brought him some flowers from the Vicarage. "Am I ]" he asked, curtly and strangely. "And not lively company today," said Amy, witli one of her sweetest smiles. " Perhaps." " No, indeed. Why so sad—why so silent ?" " Because I have been thinking— thinking too much, it may be." "Of what?" " Of you, Amy/' he replied, as an uncontrollable emotion came over

" Something pleasant, I hope," she said playfully, and yet with some dread in her mind.

" It is, at all events, something. I—l know not how to tell you," said he, turning uneasily on his couch. " Something I never said to a woman before, and am not likely ever to say to another," he added, slowly, tremulously, and then paused.

" And this V she murmured, tremulously too, and feeling confusion in her heart.

" Cannot be said now," exclaimed Reginald, sinking back, and thinking, "I am mad to yield to such ideas, and here he comes, as usual!" lie muttered bitterly, as Horace Musgrave came in, with his bright smiling face his well-bred bearing, and his cavalry stride, Unwelcome though the visitor was to him, Jlcgiuald was almost thankful for the interruption. He dared not speak of love to her, he thought, yet his eyes and heart wero ever full of it. What was he that ho should venture to do so ? What had he too offer or hope for but death, as a release from everything ? And yet he loved her —oh, God, how he loved her ! To look upon her, to hear her voice, to feel the touch of her gentle hands, to meet her eyes, and to be sensible of her presence, the perfume of her laces and of the flowers at her breast and neck.

The hopeless love of the halfdead, he felt it to be.

Soon after the arrival of Horace Musgrave, whose health and strength, muscle and activity, with his generally joyous, though quiet bonhomie, proved almost oppressive to the invalid sailor now, Amy rose to return home, and the Hussar offered to escort her.

As they passed through the garden, lingering for a moment or

two to pluck a flower, Reginald, whoso couch was near an open window, heard Musgrave say, while bending over his companion tenderly ; " You are looking pale. Amy," "Aral?" "Yes—it is the heat, perhaps." " Oh no, dear." Amy aud dear! The words seemed to pierce Reginald Talbot's ear. No stranger had ever called her Christian name before—and there was her responso. He almost ground his teeth. This was but the beginning of the end, and he felt that now each thought of her must be crushed down as it arose. Was this suddenly developed new state of affairs reality or fancy 1 Till now, Amy Brendon had always seemed somehow to be Ins, in thought, and without her the world would appear without form—a void ! Touching of hands and meeting of eyes—and Amy's were always so starry and softly caressing in expression—were forbidden now—the sweet madness and the day-dreams ♦hat were born of it were over, and | for ever. Yet the temptation re-

maiued or abode with him, and when he whispered her name— Amy ! Amy !—it seemed to thrill through him with mingled sweetness and pain. She was gone—gone with the lover whom she had accepted, and who was able to take his place in. the world and in the battle of life; but a sense of her presence still hovered about the poor fellow—a clear memory of her—the turn of her adorable neck, the lovely outline of Iter cheek and tiny ear ; the droop of her white lids and the lout ensemble of her perfect, but petite figure, seemed to meet him again and again as he turned listlessly and restlessly on his couch by tho open window, from which he had last seen her, and with Horace Musgrave ! Was he the same creature —he to whom in his naval career the enjoyment of health and of youthful strength had seemed the sum of life—whose heart had bounded in wild and heedless triumph, when at the bombardment of Alexandria, the first salvoes of the opening caunonade shook the hot air, when those monster guns, such as tho world had never seen before, belched forth fire, smoke, and a tempest of iron, and a dense sulphurous cloud shrouded lleet and fort, while the din of battle deepened from -Marabout to Ras-el-Tin, and roaring rockets and pestilent Nordeufeldts added to the stupendous din 1

Why did he not fall then ? Why had Musgrave saved his life and dragged him from amid the bloody press of dead and dying on that night of horrors in McNeill's zereba, when the broad band of electric light from the distant gunboat swept so weirdly across the desert where the gashed and the weary lay side by side, and an odour of blood filled the dusky air.

Better a thousand times had it been to have met his fate there, than live to be the wretched creature he was to-day—a dependent on old Grimshaw's grudginglyaccorded bounty. Melanie would have wept for him, but Time, the consoler, would have dried her tears, and he would have been but a sad and loving memory to her now. Yet it was his doom to live and linger, for—as Matthew Henry tells us— ■" Duties aro ours— events are God's."

" Reggie is sorely changed !" thought Amy, a little time after this. It was no idle fancy of hers, conceived one moment to fade out the next; for the alteration of his manner, and the increased gravity of his handsome aquiline face, were remarkable and unmistakable ; and yet, as if there was magic in it, he felt a difficulty in guarding his secret —in avoiding the hopeless and now perilous subject that filled his whole heart, and made up the sum of his narrow existence; and thus, on another occasion, when Amy found him alone, he nearly revealed all. " Tell me, Reggie," said Amy, softly and rather rashly, " what is the matter with you V " With me? What do you mean?" he asked in turn, bnt without looking at her.

" I mean that something seems to have come between. Us—a cloud ; you are not as you used to be, and will not even play chess with me. A re you ill ?"

"Am I ever likely to be otherwise—till death conies 1" he asked, with petulant bitterness; " otherwise, I am not aware of any cloud." " You have some fancy, what is it ?" said Amy, colouring with consciousness ; but he did not reply, and seemed intent on watching the sky. " We used to bo good friends— the best of friends—why are wo otherwise now?" asked tho girl sweetly and sorrowfully, but still young Talbot remained silent. " Sho treats mo like a child — rather than a man!" thought ho bitterly, pursuing his own repining ideas.

The light began to break more fully upon her now, and she shrunk from it nervously. This poor follow —tho playmate of her childhood— the brother of her dearest friend on earth —loved her, hopelessly loved her!

A sob rose to Lev slender throat. "Amy," lie exclaimed, turning his large, sad, and now weird-look-ing dark eyes upon her "you are weeping?" " I am not." " There are tears in your eyes and in your voice, dear Amy." " Are there ?" she faltered; surely not—well, if so—it is because— because you are so cross with me, and I grieve that it should be so. " Why ?'•' " Because I love you so much." " Love me V said he in a hollow voice, "Yes-vis the dearest of friends," she replied, hastily ; "as the kindest of. brothers—yefc you have begun to avoid me." " Can a creature so helpless as I, either seek or avoid 1" he asked, tuning at his dark moustache. A silence that was full of a great awkwardness and a great pain, fell upon them. The summer gloaming was deeping in its golden light and purple shadows; the roses in the garden loaded the air with perfume; the elms and beeches that grew thereby tossed their branches in the soft breeze of the mist, and long ferns waved their fronds to the fro, and the hour seemed full of whispers, as Amy rose, and in some haste, to take her departure for home—knowing who would meet her on the way. « Oh, it cannot be, it must not be,

that you love me more than a friend —more than a brother !" wailed the girl, in her kind heart, as she withdrew : " poor fellow—poor darling Reogie—that would be -too terrible!" '■"' .■"■'■

To. Reginald it soon became apparent that Musgravo's visits to tho Vicarage bocauie more frequent and protected, and that there was no necessity for visiting Rose Cottage if he sought to see Amy. It was evident too that his visits wore not distasteful to the vicar, and still less so to little Amy, who, ere long —though she did her best to conceal it —appeared with a rosediamond ring on her tiny engagement finger, a jewel that told of " tho old, old story, which soetneth ever new."

■' It is wicked to repine, I suppose," sighed poor Reginald Talbot ; "it is the duty of all to bear tho hand of I'rovidenco patiently— yet it has been laid heavily on mo," he added aloud. "I am shattered. —wrecked —borne down for life ! "

"And knowing such to be the case," snorted Undo Grimsliaw, who could not repress a stinging remark, " what has brought that girl Amy Brandon here—what can her object havo boon ? " " Object —in what, uncle ? " '' Hanging about you—a wretched cripple."

Reginald's fine face grew ghastly pale, and his nether lip twitched convulsively. He almost started up from his couch, and then sank back upon it, helpless and trembling in every limb.

" How can you speak thus cruelly, uncle," exclaimed Melanie, when you know that our poor Reggie is beyond all medical skill?" "If so," he responded bitterly, but in a low voice she alone could hear, " then the best place for him is Stokencross Churchyard, since you won't help him in the only way you can!"

11 is speech filled Melanie with anguish and horror; and just then, with his side tufts rasped upwards like two horns, and the pale, angry gl-mce that shone in his colourless eyes, he looked, to the girl's idea, something actually diabolical! (To be coiiliiiiwd,)