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

The Rain Excepted,  It Was A Fair Vision That He Looked Out Upon. The Room

Faced The Back Of The House,  And Beyond The Lovely Grounds Green Slopes

Extended To The River,  Tolerably Wide Here,  Winding Peacefully In Its

Course. The Distant Landscape Was Almost Like A Scene From Fairyland.

The Restless Dowager--In A Nondescript Head-Dress This Morning,  Adorned

With An Upright Tuft Of Red Feathers And Voluminous Skirts Of Brown Net,

A Jacket And Flounces To Match--Betook Herself To The Side Of Lord

Hartledon.

"Where D'you Get The Boats?" She Asked.

"They Are Kept Lower Down,  At The Boat-House," He Replied,  Puffing At His

Cigar. "You Can't See It From Here; It's Beyond Dr. Ashton's; Lots Of

'Em; Any Number To Be Had For The Hiring. Talking Of Dr. Ashton,  They

Will Dine Here To-Day,  Ma'am."

"Who Will?" Asked Lady Kirton.

"The Doctor,  Mrs. Ashton--If She's Well Enough--And Miss Ashton."

"Who Are They,  My Dear Nephew?"

"Why,  Don't You Know? Dr. Ashton Preached To You Yesterday. He Is Rector

Of Calne; You Must Have Heard Of Dr. Ashton. They Will Be Calling This

Morning,  I Expect."

"And You Have Invited Them To Dinner! Well,  One Must Do The Civil To This

Sort Of People."

Lord Hartledon Burst Into A Laugh. "You Won't Say 'This Sort Of People'

When You See The Ashtons,  Lady Kirton. They Are Quite As Good As We Are.

Dr. Ashton Has Refused A Bishopric,  And Anne Is The Sweetest Girl Ever

Created."

Lady Maude,  Who Was Drawing,  And Exchanging A Desultory Sentence Once In

A Way With Val,  Suddenly Looked Up. Her Colour Had Heightened,  Though It

Was Brilliant At All Times.

"Are You Speaking Of My Maid?" She Said--And It Might Be That She Had Not

Attended To The Conversation,  And Asked In Ignorance,  Not In Scorn. "Her

Name Is Anne."

"I Was Speaking Of Anne Ashton," Said Lord Hartledon.

"Allow Me To Beg Anne Ashton's Pardon," Returned Lady Maude; Her Tone

This Time Unmistakably Mocking. "Anne Is So Common A Name Amongst

Servants."

"I Don't Care Whether It Is Common Amongst Servants Or Uncommon," Spoke

Lord Hartledon Rather Hotly,  As Though He Would Resent The Covert Sneer.

"It Is Anne Ashton's; And I Love The Name For Her Sake. But I Think It

A Pretty Name; And Should,  If She Did Not Bear It; Prettier Than Yours,

Maude."

"And Pray Who _Is_ Anne Ashton?" Demanded The Countess-Dowager,  With As

Much Hauteur As So Queer An Old Figure And Face Could Put On,  Whilst

Maude Bent Over Her Employment With White Lips.

"She Is Dr. Ashton's Daughter," Spoke Lord Hartledon,  Shortly. "My

Father Valued Him Above All Men. He Loved Anne Too--Loved Her Dearly;

And--Though I Don't Know Whether It Is Quite Fair To Anne To Let This

Out--The Probable Future Connection Between The Families Was Most Welcome

To Him. Next To My Father,  We Boys Reverenced The Doctor; He Was Our

Tutor,  In A Measure,  When We Were Staying At Hartledon; At Least,  Tutor

To Poor George And Val; They Used To Read With Him."

"And You Would Hint At Some Alliance Between You And This Anne Ashton!"

Cried The Countess-Dowager,  In A Fume; For She Thought She Saw A Fear

That The Great Prize Might Slip Through Her Fingers. "What Sort Of An

Alliance,  I Should Like To Ask? Be Careful What You Say,  Hartledon; You

May Injure The Young Woman."

"I'll Take Care I Don't Injure Anne Ashton," Returned Lord Hartledon,

Enjoying Her Temper. "As To An Alliance With Her--My Earnest Wish Is,  As

It Was My Father's,  That Time May Bring It About. Val There Knows I Wish

It."

Val Glanced At His Brother By Way Of Answer. He Had Taken No Part In The

Discussion; His Slight Lips Were Drawn Down,  As He Balanced A Pair Of

Scissors On His Forefinger,  And He Looked Less Good-Tempered Than Usual.

"Has She Red Hair And Sky-Blue Eyes,  And A Doll's Face? Does She Sit In

The Pew Under The Reading-Desk With Three Other Dolls?" Asked The Foaming

Dowager.

Lord Hartledon Turned And Stared At The Speaker In Wonder--What Could Be

So Exciting Her?

"She Has Soft Brown Hair And Eyes,  And A Sweet Gentle Face; She Is A

Graceful,  Elegant,  Attractive Girl," Said He,  Curtly. "She Sat Alone

Yesterday; For Arthur Was In Another Part Of The Church,  And Mrs. Ashton

Was Not There. Mrs. Ashton Is Not In Good Health,  She Tells Me,  And

Cannot Always Come. The Rector's Pew Is The One With Green Curtains."

"Oh,  _That_ Vulgar-Looking Girl!" Exclaimed Maude,  Her Unjust Words--And

She Knew Them To Be Unjust--Trembling On Her Lips. "The Grand Sultan

Might Exalt Her To Be His Chief Wife,  But He Could Never Make A Lady Of

Her,  Or Get Her To Look Like One."

"Be Quiet,  Maude," Cried The Countess-Dowager,  Who,  With All Her Own

Mistakes,  Had The Sense To See That This Sort Of Disparagement Would Only

Recoil Upon Them With Interest,  And Who Did Not Like The Expression Of

Lord Hartledon's Face. "You Talk As If You Had Seen This Mrs. Ashton,

Hartledon,  Since Your Return."

"I Should Not Be Many Hours At Hartledon Without Seeing Mrs. Ashton," He

Answered. "That's Where I Was Yesterday Afternoon,  Ma'am,  When You Were

So Kindly Anxious In Your Inquiries As To What Had Become Of Me. I Dare

Say I Was Absent An Unconscionable Time. I Never Know How It Passes,  Once

I Am With Anne."

"We Represent Love As Blind,  You Know," Spoke Maude,  In Her Desperation,

Unable To Steady Her Pallid Lips. "You Apparently Do Not See It,  Lord

Hartledon,  But The Young Woman Is The Very Essence Of Vulgarity."

A Pause Followed The Speech. The Countess-Dowager Turned Towards Her

Daughter In A Blazing Rage,  And Val Elster Quitted The Room.

"Maude," Said Lord Hartledon,  "I Am Sorry To Tell You That You Have Put

Your Foot In It."

"Thank You," Panted Lady Maude,  In Her Agitation. "For Giving My Opinion

Of Your Anne Ashton?"

"Precisely. You Have Driven Val Away In Suppressed Indignation."

"Is Val Of The Anne Ashton Faction,  That The Truth Should Tell Upon Him,

As Well As Upon You?" She Returned,  Striving To Maintain An Assumption Of

Sarcastic Coldness.

"It Is Upon Him That The Words Will Tell. Anne Is Engaged To Him."

"Is It True? Is Val Really Engaged To Her?" Cried The Countess-Dowager In

An Ecstacy Of Relief,  Lifting Her Snub Nose And Painted Cheeks,  Whilst A

Glad Light Came Into Maude's Eyes Again. "I Did Hear He Was Engaged To

Some Girl; But Such Reports Of Younger Sons Go For Nothing."

"Val Was Engaged To Her Before He Went Abroad. Whether He Will Get Her Or

Not,  Is Another Thing."

"To Hear You Talk,  Hartledon,  One Might Have Supposed You Cared For The

Girl Yourself," Cried Lady Kirton; But Her Brow Was Smooth Again,  And Her

Tone Soft As Honey. "You Should Be More Cautious."

"Cautious! Why So? I Love And Respect Anne Beyond Any Girl On Earth. But

That Val Hastened To Make Hay When The Sun Shone,  Whilst I Fell Asleep

Under The Hedge,  I Don't Know But I Might Have Proposed To Her Myself,"

He Added,  With A Laugh. "However,  It Shall Not Be My Fault If Val Does

Not Win Her."

The Countess-Dowager Said No More. She Was Worldly-Wise In Her Way,  And

Thought It Best To Leave Well Alone. Sailing Out Of The Room She Left

Them Alone Together: As She Was Fond Of Doing.

"Is It Not Rather--Rather Beneath An Elster To Marry An Obscure Country

Clergyman's Daughter?" Began Lady Maude,  A Strange Bitterness Filling Her

Heart.

"I Tell You,  Maude,  The Ashtons Are Our Equals In All Ways. He Is A Proud

Old Doctor Of Divinity--Not Old,  However--Of Irreproachable Family And

Large Private Fortune."

"You Spoke Of Him As A Tutor?"

"A Tutor! Oh,  I Said He Was In A Measure Our Tutor When We Were Young. I

Meant In Training Us--In Training Us To Good; And He Allowed George And

Val To Read With Him,  And Directed Their Studies: All For Love,  And Out

Of The Friendship He And My Father Bore Each Other. Dr. Ashton A Paid

Tutor!" Ejaculated Lord Hartledon,  Laughing At The Notion. "Dr. Ashton An

Obscure Country Clergyman! And Even If He Were,  Who Is Val,  That He

Should Set Himself Up?"

"He Is The Honourable Val Elster."

"Very Honourable! Val Is An Unlucky Dog Of A Spendthrift; That's What Val

Is. See How Many Times He Has Been Set Up On His Legs!--And Has Always

Come Down Again. He Had That Place In The Government My Father Got Him.

He Was Attache In Paris; Subsequently In Vienna; He Has Had Ever So Many

Chances,  And Drops Through All. One Can't Help Loving Val; He Is An

Attractive,  Sweet-Tempered,  Good-Natured Fellow; But He Was Certainly

Born Under An Unlucky Star. Elster's Folly!"

"Val Will Drop Through More Chances Yet," Remarked Lady Maude. "I Pity

Miss Ashton,  If She Means To Wait For Him."

"Means To! She Loves Him Passionately--Devotedly. She Would Wait For Him

All Her Life,  And Think It Happiness Only To See Him Once In A Way."

"As An Astronomer Looks At A Star Through A Telescope," Laughed Maude;

"And Val Is Not Worth The Devotion."

"Val Is Not A Bad Fellow In The Main; Quite The Contrary,  Maude. Of

Course We All Know His Besetting Sin--Irresolution. A Child Might Sway

Him,  Either For Good Or Ill. The Very Best Thing That Could Happen To Val

Would Be His Marriage With Anne. She Is Sensible And Judicious; And I

Think Val Could Not Fail To Keep Straight Under Her Influence. If Dr.

Ashton Could Only Be Brought To See The Matter In This Light!"

"Can He Not?"

"He Thinks--And I Don't Say He Has Not Reason--That Val Should Show

Some Proof Of Stability Before His Marriage,  Instead Of Waiting Until

After It. The Doctor Has Not Gone To The Extent Of Parting Them,  Or Of

Suspending The Engagement; But He Is Prepared To Be Strict And Exacting

As To Mr. Val's Line Of Conduct; And I Fancy The Suspicion That It Would

Be So Has Kept Val Away From Calne."

"What Will Be Done?"

"I Hardly Know. Val Does Not Make A Confidant Of Me,  And I Can't Get To

The Bottom Of How He Is Situated. Debts I Am Sure He Has; But Whether--"

"Val Always Had Plenty Of Those," Interrupted Maude.

"True. When My Father Died,  Three Parts Of Val's Inheritance Went To Pay

Off Debts Nobody Knew He Had Contracted. The Worst Is,  He Glides Into

These Difficulties Unwittingly,  Led And Swayed By Others. We Don't Say

Elster's Sin,  Or Elster's Crimes; We Say Elster's Folly. I Don't Believe

Val Ever In His Life Did A Bad Thing Of Deliberate Intention. Designing

People Get Hold Of Him--Fast Fellows Who Are Going Headlong Down-Hill

Themselves--And Val,  Unable To Say 'No,' Is Drawn Here And Drawn There,

And Tumbles With Them Into A Quagmire,  And Perhaps Has To Pay His

Friends' Costs,  As Well As His Own,  Before He Can Get Out Of It. Do You

Believe In Luck,  Maude?"

"In Luck?" Answered Maude,  Raising Her Eyes At The Abrupt Question. "I

Don't Know."

"I Believe In It. I Believe That Some Are Born Under A Lucky Star,  And

Others Under An Unlucky One. Val Is One Of The Latter. He Is Always

Unlucky. Set Him Up,  And Down He Comes Again. I Don't Think I Ever Knew

Val Lucky In My Life. Look At His Nearly Blowing His Arm Off That Time In

Scotland! You Will Laugh At Me,  I Dare Say; But A Thought Crosses Me At

Odd Moments That His Ill-Luck Will Prevail Still,  In The Matter Of Miss

Ashton. Not If I Can Help It,  However; I'll Do My Best,  For Anne's Sake."

"You Seem To Think Very Much Of Her Yourself," Cried Lady Maude,  Her

Cheeks Crimsoning With An Angry Flush.

"I Do--As Val's Future Wife. I Love Anne Ashton Better Than Any One

Else In The World. We All Loved Her. So Would You If You Knew Her. In

My Mother's Last Illness Anne Was A Greater Comfort To Her Than Laura."

"Should You Ever Think Of A Wife On Your Own Score,  She May Not Like This

Warm Praise Of Miss Anne Ashton," Said Lady Maude,  Assiduously Drawing,

Her Hot Face Bent Down To Within An Inch Of The Cardboard.

"Not Like It? She Wouldn't Be Such An Idiot,  I Hope,  As To Dislike It. Is

Not Anne Going To Be My Brother's Wife? Did You Suppose I Spoke Of Anne

In That Way?--You Must Have Been Dreaming,  Maude."

Maude Hoped She Had Been. The Young Man Took His Cigar From His Mouth,

Ran A Penknife Through The End,  And Began Smoking Again.

"That Time Is Far Enough Off,  Maude. _I_ Am Not Going To Tie Myself Up

With A Wife,  Or To Think Of One Either,  For Many A Long Year To Come."

Her Heart Beat With A Painful Throbbing. "Why Not?"

"No