Elster's Folly by Mrs. Henry Wood (buy e reader .TXT) 📕

Assertion--That An Idle,  Aimless,  Profitless Life Was A Sinful One. Do

You Know The Rest?"

"No," She Faltered.

"He Said He Would Give Me To The End Of The Year. And If I Were Then

Still Pursuing My Present Frivolous Course Of Life,  Doing No Good To

Myself Or To Anyone Else,  He Should Cancel The Engagement. My Darling,

I See How This Pains You."

She Was Suppressing Her Tears With Difficulty. "Papa Will Be Sure To Keep

His Word,  Percival. He Is So Resolute When He Thinks He Is Right."

"The Worst Is,  It's True. I Do Fall Into All Sorts Of Scrapes,  And I Have

Got Out Of Money,  And I Do Idle My Time Away," Acknowledged The Young Man

In His Candour. "And All The While,  Anne,  I Am Thinking And Hoping To Do

Right. If Ever I Get Set On My Legs Again,  _Won't_ I Keep On Them!"

"But How Many Times Have You Said So Before!" She Whispered.

"Half The Follies For Which I Am Now Paying Were Committed When I Was But

A Boy," He Said. "One Of The Men Now Visiting Here,  Dawkes,  Persuaded Me

To Put My Name To A Bill For Him For Fifteen Hundred Pounds,  And I Had To

Pay It. It Hampered Me For Years; And In The End I Know I Must Have Paid

It Twice Over. I Might Have Pleaded That I Was Under Age When He Got My

Signature,  But It Would Have Been Scarcely Honourable To Do So."

"And You Never Profited By The Transaction?"

"Never By A Sixpence. It Was Done For Dawkes's Accommodation,  Not Mine.

He Ought To Have Paid It,  You Say? My Dear,  He Is A Man Of Straw,  And

Never Had Fifteen Hundred Pounds Of His Own In His Life."

"Does Lord Hartledon Know Of This? I Wonder He Has Him Here."

"I Did Not Mention It At The Time; And The Thing's Past And Done With. I

Only Tell You Now To Give You An Idea Of The Nature Of My Embarrassments

And Scrapes. Not One In Ten Has Really Been Incurred For Myself: They

Only Fall Upon Me. One Must Buy Experience."

Terribly Vexed Was That Sweet Face,  An Almost Painful Sadness Upon The

Generally Sunny Features.

"I Will Never Give You Up,  Anne," He Continued,  With Emotion. "I Told The

Doctor So. I Would Rather Give Up Life. And You Know That Your Love Is

Mine."

"But My Duty Is Theirs. And If It Came To A Contest--Oh,  Percival! You

Know,  You Know Which Would Have To Give Place. Papa Is So Resolute In

Right."

"It's A Shame That Fortune Should Be So Unequally Divided!" Cried The

Young Man,  Resentfully. "Here's Edward With An Income Of Thirty Thousand

A Year,  And I,  His Own Brother,  Only A Year Or Two Younger,  Can't Boast A

Fourth Part As Many Hundreds!"

"Oh,  Val! Your Father Left You Better Off Than That!"

"But So Much Of It Went,  Anne," Was The Gloomy Answer. "I Never

Understood The Claims That Came In Against Me,  For My Part. Edward Had No

Debts To Speak Of; But Then Look At His Allowance."

"He Was The Eldest Son," She Gently Said.

"I Know That. I Am Not Wishing Myself In Edward's Place,  Or He Out Of It.

I Heartily Wish Him Health And A Long Life To Wear His Honours; It Is No

Fault Of His That He Should Be Rolling In Riches,  And I A Martyr To

Poverty. Still,  One Can't Help Feeling At Odd Moments,  When The Shoe's

Pinching Awfully,  That The System Is Not Altogether A Just One."

"Was That A Sincere Wish,  Val Elster?"

Val Wheeled Round On Lady Maude,  From Whom The Question Came. She Had

Stolen Up To Them Unperceived,  And Stood There In Her Radiant Beauty,  Her

Magnificent Dark Eyes And Her Glowing Cheeks Set Off By A Little

Coquettish Black-Velvet Hat.

"A Sincere Wish--That My Brother Should Live Long To Enjoy His Honours!"

Echoed Val,  In A Surprised Tone. "Indeed It Is. I Hope He Will Live To A

Green Old Age,  And Leave Goodly Sons To Succeed Him."

Maude Laughed. A Brighter Hue Stole Into Her Face,  A Softer Shade To Her

Eyes: She Saw Herself,  As In A Vision,  The Goodly Mother Of Those Goodly

Sons.

"Are You Going To Wear _That_?" She Asked,  Touching The Knot Of Ribbon In

Miss Ashton's Hands With Her Petulant Fingers. "They Are Lord Hartledon's

Colours."

"I Shall Wear It On Monday. Lord Hartledon Gave It To Me."

A Rash Avowal. The Competitors,  In A Sort Of Joke,  Had Each Given Away

One Knot Of His Own Colours. Lady Maude Had Had Three Given To Her; But

She Was Looking For Another Worth Them All--From Lord Hartledon. And

Now--It Was Given,  It Appeared,  To Anne Ashton! For Her Very Life She

Could Not Have Helped The Passionate Taunt That Escaped From Her,  Not In

Words,  But In Tone:

"To _You_!"

"Kissing Goes By Favour," Broke From The Delicate Lips Of Val Elster,  And

Lady Maude Could Have Struck Him For The Significant,  Saucy Expression Of

His Violet-Blue Eyes. "Edward Loves Anne Better Than He Ever Loved His

Sisters; And For Any Other Love--_That's_ Still Far Enough From His

Heart,  Maude."

She Had Recovered Herself Instantly; Cried Out "Yes" To Those In The

Distance,  As If She Heard A Call,  And Went Away Humming A Tune.

"Val,  She Loves Your Brother," Whispered Anne.

"Do You Think So? I Do Sometimes; And Again I'm Puzzled. She Acts Well

If She Does. The Other Day I Told Edward She Was In Love With Him: He

Laughed At Me,  And Said I Was Dreaming; That If She Had Any Love For Him,

It Was Cousin's Love. What's More,  Anne,  He Would Prefer Not To Receive

Any Other; So Maude Need Not Look After Him: It Will Be Labour Lost. Here

Comes That Restless Old Dowager Down Upon Us! I Shall Leave You To Her,

Anne. I Never Dare Say My Soul's My Own In The Presence Of That Woman."

Val Strolled Away As He Spoke. He Was Not At Ease That Day,  And The

Sharp,  Meddling Old Woman Would Have Been Intolerable. It Was All Very

Well To Put A Good Face On Matters To Anne,  But He Was In More Perplexity

Than He Cared To Confess To. It Seemed To Him That He Would Rather Die

Than Give Up Anne: And Yet--In The Straightforward,  Practical Good Sense

Of Dr. Ashton,  He Had A Formidable Adversary To Deal With.

He Suddenly Found An Arm Inserted Within His Own,  And Saw It Was His

Brother. Walking Together Thus,  There Was A Great Resemblance Between

Them.

They Were Of The Same Height,  Much The Same Build; Both Were Very

Good-Looking Men,  But Percival Had The Nicer Features; And He Was Fair,

And His Brother Dark.

"What Is This,  Val,  About A Dispute With The Doctor?" Began Lord

Hartledon.

"It Was Not A Dispute," Returned Val. "There Were A Few Words,  And I Was

Hasty. However,  I Begged His Pardon,  And We Parted Good Friends."

"Under A Flag Of Truce,  Eh?"

"Something Of That Sort."

"Something Of That Sort!" Repeated Lord Hartledon. "Don't You Think,  Val,

It Would Be To Your Advantage If You Trusted Me More Thoroughly Than You

Do? Tell Me The Whole Truth Of Your Position,  And Let Me See What Can Be

Done For You."

"There's Not Much To Tell," Returned Val,  In His Stupidity. Even With His

Brother His Ultra-Sensitiveness Clung To Him; And He Could No More Have

Confessed The Extent Of His Troubles Than He Could Have Taken Wing That

Moment And Soared Away Into The Air. Val Elster Was One Of Those Who

Trust To Things "Coming Right" With Time.

"I Have Been Talking To The Doctor,  Val. I Called In Just Now To See Mrs.

Ashton,  And He Spoke To Me About You."

"Very Kind Of Him,  I'm Sure!" Retorted Val. "It Is Just This,  Edward. He

Is Vexed At What He Calls My Idle Ways,  And Waste Of Time: As If I Need

Plod On,  Like A City Clerk,  Six Days A Week And No Holidays! I Know I

Must Do Something Before I Can Win Anne; And I Will Do It: But The Doctor

Need Not Begin To Cry Out About Cancelling The Engagement."

"How Much Do You Owe,  Val?"

"I Can't Tell."

Lord Hartledon Thought This An Evasion. But It Was True. Val Elster Knew

He Owed A Great Deal More Than He Could Pay; But How Much It Might Be On

The Whole,  He Had But A Very Faint Idea.

"Well,  Val,  I Have Told The Doctor I Shall Look Into Matters,  And I Hope

To Do It Efficiently,  For Anne's Sake. I Suppose The Best Thing Will Be

To Try And Get You An Appointment Again."

"Oh,  Edward,  If You Would! And You Know You Have The Ear Of The

Ministry."

"I Dare Say It Can Be Managed. But This Will Be Of Little Use If You Are

Still To Remain An Embarrassed Man. I Hear You Were Afraid Of Arrest In

London."

"Who Told You That?"

"Dawkes."

"Dawkes! Then,  Edward--" Val Elster Stopped. In His Vexation,  He Was

About To Retaliate On Captain Dawkes By A Little Revelation On The Score

Of _His_ Affairs,  Certain Things That Might Not Have Redounded To That

Gallant Officer's Credit. But He Arrested The Words In Time: He Was Of A

Kindly Nature,  Not Fond Of Returning Ill For Ill. With All His Follies,

Val Elster Could Not Remember To Have Committed An Evil Act In All His

Life,  Save One. And That One He Had Still The Pleasure Of Paying For

Pretty Deeply.

"Dawkes Knows Nothing Of My Affairs Except From Hearsay,  Edward. I Was

Once Intimate With The Man; But He Served Me A Shabby Trick,  And That

Ended The Friendship. I Don't Like Him."

"I Dare Say What He Said Was Not True," Said Lord Hartledon Kindly. "You

Might As Well Make A Confidant Of Me. However,  I Have Not Time To Talk

To-Day. We Will Go Into The Matter,  Val,  After Monday,  When This Race Has

Come Off,  And See What Arrangement Can Be Made For You. There's Only One

Thing Bothers Me."

"What's That?"

"The Danger That It May Be A Wasted Arrangement. If You Are Only Set Up

On Your Legs To Come Down Again,  As You Have Before,  It Will Be So Much

Waste Of Time And Money; So Much Loss,  To Me,  Of Temper. Don't You See,

Val?"

Percival Elster Stopped In His Walk,  And Withdrew His Arm From His

Brother's; His Face And Voice Full Of Emotion.

"Edward,  I Have Learnt A Lesson. What It Has Cost Me I Hardly Yet Know:

But It Is _Learnt_. On My Sacred Word Of Honour,  In The Solemn Presence

Of Heaven,  I Assert It,  That I Will Never Put My Hand To Another Bill,

Whatever May Be The Temptation. I Have Overcome,  In This Respect At

Least,  My Sin."

"Your Sin?"

"My Nature's Great Sin; The Besetting Sin That Has Clung To Me Through

Life; The Unfortunate Sin That Is My Bane To This Hour--Cowardly

Irresolution."

"All Right,  Val; I See You Mean Well Now. We'll Talk Of These Matters

Next Week. Instead Of Elster's Folly,  Let It Become Elster's Wisdom."

Lord Hartledon Wrung His Brother's Hand And Turned Away. His Eyes Fell On

Miss Ashton,  And He Went Straight Up To Her. Putting The Young Lady's Arm

Within His Own,  Without Word Or Ceremony,  He Took Her Off To A Distance:

And Old Lady Kirton's Skirts Went Round In A Dance As She Saw It.

"I Am About To Take Him In Hand,  Anne,  And Set Him Going Again: I Have

Promised Dr. Ashton. We Must Get Him A Snug Berth; One That Even The

Doctor Won't Object To,  And Set Him Straight In Other Matters. If He Has

Mortgaged His Patrimony,  It Shall Be Redeemed. And,  Anne,  I Think--I Do

Think--He May Be Trusted To Keep Straight For The Future."

Her Soft Sweet Eyes Sparkled With Pleasure,  And Her Lips Parted With A

Sunny Smile. Lord Hartledon Took Her Hand Within His Own As It Lay On His

Arm,  And The Furious Old Dowager Saw It All From The Distance.

"Don't Say As Much As This To Him,  Anne: I Only Tell You. Val Is So

Sanguine,  That It May Be Better Not To Tell Him All Beforehand. And I

Want,  Of Course,  First Of All,  To Get A True List Of--That Is,  A True

Statement Of Facts," He Broke Off,  Not Caring To Speak The Word "Debts"

To That Delicate Girl Before Him. "He Is My Only Brother; My Father Left

Him To Me,  For He Knew What Val Was; And I'll Do My Best For Him. I'd Do

It For Val's Own Sake,  Apart From The Charge. And,  Anne,  Once Val Is On

His Legs With An Income,  Snug And Comfortable,  I Shall Recommend Him To

Marry Without Delay;