CHAPTER XVII. LA TERRASSE.

,nodoubt.Yourwanderingshadtakenanoppositedirectiontothepensionnat.NeartheBéguinage,amidstthestressoffloodandgust,andintheperplexityofdarkness,youhadswoonedandfallen.Thepriestcametoyoursuccour,andthephysician,aswehaveseen,supervened.Betweenusweprocuredafiacreandbroughtyouhere.PèreSilas,oldasheis,wouldcarryyouup-stairs,andlayyouonthatcouchhimself.Hewouldcertainlyhaveremainedwithyoutillsuspendedanimationhadbeenrestored:andsoshouldI,but,atthatjuncture,ahurriedmessengerarrivedfromthedyingpatientIhadscarcelyleft—thelastdutieswerecalledfor—thephysician’slastvisitandthepriest’slastriteextremeunctioncouldnotbedeferred.PèreSilasandmyselfdepartedtogether,mymotherwasspendingtheeveningabroadwegaveyouinchargetoMartha,leavingdirections,whichitseemsshefollowedsuccessfully.Now,areyouaCatholic?” “Notyet,”saidI,withasmile.“AndneverletPèreSilasknowwhereIlive,orhewilltrytoconvertmebutgivehimmybestandtruestthankswhenyouseehim,andifeverIgetrichIwillsendhimmoneyforhischarities.See,Dr.John,yourmotherwakesyououghttoringfortea.” Whichhedidand,asMrs.Brettonsatup—astonishedandindignantatherselffortheindulgencetowhichshehadsuccumbed,andfullypreparedtodenythatshehadsleptatall—hersoncamegailytotheattack. “Hushaby,mamma!Sleepagain.Youlookthepictureofinnocenceinyourslumbers.” “Myslumbers,JohnGraham!Whatareyoutalkingabout?YouknowIneverdosleepbyday:itwastheslightestdozepossible.” “Exactly!aseraph’sgentlelapse—afairy’sdream.Mamma,undersuchcircumstances,youalwaysremindmeofTitania.” “Thatisbecauseyou,yourself,aresolikeBottom.” “MissSnowe—didyoueverhearanythinglikemamma’swit?Sheisamostsprightlywomanofhersizeandage.” “Keepyourcomplimentstoyourself,sir,anddonotneglectyourownsize:whichseemstomeagooddealontheincrease.Lucy,hashenotrathertheairofanincipientJohnBull?Heusedtobeslenderasaneel,andnowIfancyinhimasortofheavydragoonbent—abeef-eatertendency.Graham,takenotice!IfyougrowfatIdisownyou.” “Asifyoucouldnotsoonerdisownyourownpersonality!Iamindispensabletotheoldlady’shappiness,Lucy.Shewouldpineawayingreenandyellowmelancholyifshehadnotmysixfeetofiniquitytoscold.Itkeepsherlively—itmaintainsthewholesomefermentofherspirits.” Thetwowerenowstandingoppositetoeachother,oneoneachsidethefire-placetheirwordswerenotveryfond,buttheirmutuallooksatonedforverbaldeficiencies.Atleast,thebesttreasureofMrs.Bretton’slifewascertainlycasketedinherson’sbosomherdearestpulsethrobbedinhisheart.Astohim,ofcourseanotherlovesharedhisfeelingswithfiliallove,and,nodoubt,asthenewpassionwasthelatestborn,soheassigneditinhisemotionsBenjamin’sportion.Ginevra!Ginevra!DidMrs.Brettonyetknowatwhosefeetherownyoungidolhadlaidhishomage?Wouldsheapprovethatchoice?IcouldnottellbutIcouldwellguessthatifsheknewMissFanshawe’sconducttowardsGraham:heralternationsbetweencoldnessandcoaxing,andrepulseandallurementifshecouldatallsuspectthepainwithwhichshehadtriedhimifshecouldhaveseen,asIhadseen,hisfinespiritssubduedandharassed,hisinferiorpreferredbeforehim,hissubordinatemadetheinstrumentofhishumiliation—thenMrs.BrettonwouldhavepronouncedGinevraimbecile,orperverted,orboth.Well—Ithoughtsotoo. Thatsecondeveningpassedassweetlyasthefirst—moresweetlyindeed:weenjoyedasmootherinterchangeofthoughtoldtroubleswerenotrevertedto,acquaintancewasbettercementedIfelthappier,easier,moreathome.Thatnight—insteadofcryingmyselfasleep—Iwentdowntodreamlandbyapathwayborderedwithpleasantthoughts.