"My dear, that boy is either a fool or a genius, and I'm sure I shouldbe glad to know which," said Aunt Plenty, putting her bonbons torights with a puzzled shake of her best cap.
"Time will show; but I incline to think that he is not a fool by anymeans," answered the girl, pulling a cluster of white roses out of herbosom to make room for the pansies, though they did not suit the bluegown half so well.
Just then Aunt Jessie came in to help them receive, with Jamie to makehimself generally useful; which he proceeded to do by hovering roundthe table like a fly about a honey-pot, when not flattening his noseagainst the window-panes, to announce excitedly, "Here's another mancoming up the drive!"
Charlie arrived next, in his most sunshiny humor; for any thing socialand festive was his delight, and when in this mood the Prince wasquite irresistible. He brought a pretty bracelet for Rose, and wasgraciously allowed to put it on, while she chid him gently for hisextravagance.
"I am only following your example; for, you know, 'nothing is too goodfor those we love, and giving away is the best thing one can do,'" heretorted, quoting words of her own.
"I wish you would follow my example in some other things as well asyou do in this," said Rose, soberly, as Aunt Plenty called him to comeand see if the punch was right.
"Must conform to the customs of society. Aunty's heart would bebroken, if we did not drink her health in the good old fashion. Butdon't be alarmed: I've a strong head of my own, and that's lucky; forI shall need it before I get through," laughed Charlie, showing a longlist, as he turned away to gratify the old lady with all sorts ofmerry and affectionate compliments as the glasses touched.
Rose did feel rather alarmed; for, if he drank the health of all theowners of those names, she felt sure that Charlie would need a verystrong head indeed. It was hard to say any thing, then and there,without seeming disrespect to Aunt Plenty: yet she longed to remindher cousin of the example she tried to set him in this respect; forRose never touched wine, and the boys knew it. She was thoughtfullyturning the bracelet with its pretty device of turquoiseforget-me-nots, when the giver came back to her, still bubbling overwith good spirits.
"Dear little saint, you look as if you'd like to smash all thepunch-bowls in the city, and save us jolly young fellows fromto-morrow's headache."
"I should; for such headaches sometimes end in heartaches, I'm afraid.Dear Charlie, don't be angry; but you know better than I that this isa dangerous day for such as you: so do be careful for my sake," sheadded, with an unwonted touch of tenderness in her voice; for, lookingat the gallant figure before her, it was impossible to repress thewomanly longing to keep it always as brave and blithe as now.
Charlie saw that new softness in the eyes that never looked unkindlyon him, fancied that it meant more than it did, and, with a suddenfervor in his own voice, answered quickly,--
"My darling, I will!"
The glow which had risen to his face was reflected in hers; for atthat moment it seemed as if it would be possible to love this cousin,who was so willing to be led by her, and so much needed some helpfulinfluence to make a noble man of him. The thought came and went likea flash; but gave her a quick heart-throb, as if the old affection wastrembling on the verge of some warmer sentiment, and left her with asense of responsibility never felt before. Obeying the impulse, shesaid, with a pretty blending of earnestness and playfulness,--
"If I wear the bracelet to remember you by, you must wear this toremind you of your promise."
"And you," whispered Charlie, bending his head to kiss the hands thatput a little white rose in his button-hole.
Just at that most interesting moment, they became aware of an arrivalin the front drawing-room, whither Aunt Plenty had discreetly retired.Rose felt grateful for the interruption; because, not being at allsure of the state of her heart as yet, she was afraid of letting asudden impulse lead her too far. But Charlie, conscious that a verypropitious instant had been spoilt, regarded the newcomer with anything but a benignant expression of countenance; and whispering,"Good-by, my Rose, I shall look in this evening to see how you areafter the fatigues of the day," he went away, with such a cool nod topoor Fun See that the amiable Asiatic thought he must have mortallyoffended him.
Rose had little leisure to analyze the new emotions of which she wasconscious: for Mr. Tokio came up at once to make his compliments witha comical mingling of Chinese courtesy and American awkwardness; andbefore he had got his hat on Jamie shouted with admiring energy,--
"Here's another! Oh, such a swell!"
They now came thick and fast for many hours; and the ladies stoodbravely at their posts till late into the evening. Then Aunt Jessiewent home, escorted by a very sleepy little son, and Aunt Plentyretired to bed used up. Dr. Alec had returned in good season; for_his_ friends were not fashionable ones: but Aunt Myra had sent up forhim in hot haste, and he had good-naturedly obeyed the summons. Infact, he was quite used to them now; for Mrs. Myra, having tried avariety of dangerous diseases, had finally decided uponheart-complaint as the one most likely to keep her friends in achronic state of anxiety, and was continually sending word that shewas dying. One gets used to palpitations as well as every thing else;so the doctor felt no alarm, but always went, and prescribed someharmless remedy with the most amiable sobriety and patience.
Rose was tired, but not sleepy, and wanted to think over severalthings; so ins
tead of going to bed she sat down before the open firein the study to wait for her uncle, and perhaps Charlie, though shedid not expect him so late.
Aunt Myra's palpitations must have been unusually severe; for theclock struck twelve before Dr. Alec came, and Rose was preparing toend her reverie, when the sound of some one fumbling at the hall-doormade her jump up, saying to herself,--
"Poor man! his hands are so cold he can't get his latch-key in. Isthat you, uncle?" she added, running to admit him; for Jane was slow,and the night as bitter as it was brilliant.
A voice answered "Yes," and as the door swung open in walked,--not Dr.Alec, but Charlie, who immediately took one of the hall chairs, andsat there with his hat on, rubbing his gloveless hands, and blinkingas if the light dazzled him, as he said in a rapid, abrupt sort oftone,--
"I told you I'd come--left the fellows keeping it up gloriously--goingto see the old year out, you know. But I promised--never break myword--and here I am. Angel in blue, did you slay your thousands?"
"Hush! the waiters are still about: come to the study fire and warmyourself; you must be frozen," said Rose, going before to roll up theeasy-chair.
"Not at all--never warmer--looks very comfortable, though. Where'suncle?" asked Charlie, following with his hat still on, his hands inhis pockets, and his eye fixed steadily on the bright head in front ofhim.
"Aunt Myra sent for him, and I was waiting up to see how she was,"answered Rose, busily mending the fire.
Charlie laughed, and sat down upon a corner of the library table."Poor old soul! what a pity she doesn't die before he is quite wornout. A little too much ether some of these times would send her offquite comfortably, you know."
"Don't speak in that way. Uncle says imaginary troubles are often ashard to bear as real ones," said Rose, turning round displeased.
Till now she had not fairly looked at him; for recollections of themorning made her a little shy. His attitude and appearance surprisedher as much as his words, and the quick change in her face seemed toremind him of his manners. Getting up, he hastily took off his hat,and stood looking at her with a curiously fixed yet absent look, as hesaid in the same rapid, abrupt way, as if, when once started, he foundit hard to stop,--
"I beg pardon--only joking--very bad taste I know, and won't do itagain. The heat of the room makes me a little dizzy, and I think I gota chill coming out. It _is_ cold--I _am_ frozen, I dare say--though Idrove like the devil."
"Not that bad horse of yours, I hope? I know it is dangerous, so lateand alone," said Rose, shrinking behind the big chair, as Charlieapproached the fire, carefully avoiding a footstool in his way.
"Danger is exciting--that's why I like it. No man ever called me acoward--let him try it once. I never give in--and that horse shall_not_ conquer me. I'll break his neck, if he breaks my spirit doingit. No--I don't mean that--never mind--it's all right," and Charlielaughed in a way that troubled her, because there was no mirth in it.
"Have you had a pleasant day?" asked Rose, looking at him intently, ashe stood pondering over the cigar and match which he held, as ifdoubtful which to strike and which to smoke.
"Day? oh, yes, capital. About two thousand calls, and a nice littlesupper at the Club. Randal can't sing any more than a crow; but I lefthim with a glass of champagne upside-down trying to give them my oldfavorite,--
"''Tis better to laugh than be sighing;'"
and Charlie burst forth in that bacchanalian melody at the top of hisvoice, waving an allumette-holder over his head to represent Randal'sinverted wine-glass.
"Hush! you'll wake aunty," cried Rose, in a tone so commanding that hebroke off in the middle of a _roulade_ to stare at her with a blanklook, as he said apologetically,--
"I was merely showing how it should be done. Don't be angry,dearest--look at me as you did this morning, and I'll swear never tosing another note if you say so. I'm only a little gay--we drank yourhealth handsomely, and they all congratulated me. Told 'em it wasn'tout yet. Stop, though--I didn't mean to mention that. No matter--I'malways in a scrape; but you always forgive me in the sweetest way. Doit now, and don't be angry, little darling;" and, dropping the vase,he went toward her with a sudden excitement that made her shrinkbehind the chair.
She was not angry, but shocked and frightened; for she knew now whatthe matter was, and grew so pale he saw it, and asked pardon beforeshe could utter a rebuke.
"We'll talk of that to-morrow: it is very late; go home, now, please,before uncle comes," she said, trying to speak naturally; yetbetraying her distress by the tremor of her voice, and the sad anxietyin her eyes.
"Yes, yes, I will go--you are tired--I'll make it all rightto-morrow;" and, as if the sound of his uncle's name steadied him foran instant, Charlie made for the door with an unevenness of gait whichwould have told the shameful truth, if his words had not already doneso. Before he reached it, however, the sound of wheels arrested him;and, leaning against the wall, he listened with a look of dismaymingled with amusement creeping over his face. "Brutus has bolted--nowI _am_ in a fix. Can't walk home with this horrid dizziness in myhead. It's the cold, Rose, nothing else, I do assure you; and achill--yes, a chill. See here! let one of those fellows there lend mean arm--no use to go after that brute. Won't mother be frightenedthough, when he gets home?" and with that empty laugh again, hefumbled for the door-handle.
"No, no: don't let them see you! don't let any one know! Stay heretill uncle comes, and he'll take care of you. O Charlie! how could youdo it! how could you when you promised?" and, forgetting fear in thesudden sense of shame and anguish that came over her, Rose ran to him,caught his hand from the lock, and turned the key; then, as if shecould not bear to see him standing there with that vacant smile uponhis lips, she dropped into a chair and covered up her face.
The cry, the act, and more than all, the sight of the bowed head wouldhave sobered poor Charlie, if it had not been too late. He lookedabout the room, with a vague, despairing look, as if to find thereason fast slipping from his control: but heat and cold, excitementand reckless pledging of many healths, had done their work too well tomake instant sobriety possible; and owning his defeat with a groan, heturned away and threw himself face-downward on the sofa; one of thesaddest sights the new year looked upon as it came in.
As she sat there with hidden eyes, Rose felt that something dear toher was dead for ever. The ideal, which all women cherish, look for,and too often think they have found when love glorifies a mortal man,is hard to give up, especially when it comes in the likeness of thefirst lover who touches a young girl's heart. Rose had just begun tofeel that perhaps this cousin, despite his faults, might yet becomethe hero that he sometimes looked; and the thought that she might behis inspiration was growing sweet to her, although she had notentertained it until very lately. Alas, how short the tender dream hadbeen, how rude the awakening! how impossible it would be ever againto surround that fallen figure with all the romance of an innocentfancy, or gift it with the high attributes beloved by a noble nature!
Breathing heavily in the sudden sleep that kindly brought a briefoblivion of himself, he lay with flushed cheeks, disordered hair, andat his feet the little rose, that never would be fresh and fairagain,--a pitiful contrast now to the brave, blithe young man who wentso gayly out that morning to be so ignominiously overthrown at night.
Many girls would have made light of a trespass so readily forgiven bythe world; but Rose had not yet learned to offer temptation with asmile, and shut her eyes to the weakness that makes a man a brute. Italways grieved or disgusted her to see it in others, and now it wasvery terrible to have it brought so near,--not in its worst form, byany means, but bad enough to wring her heart with shame and sorrow,and fill her mind with dark forebodings for the future. So she couldonly sit mourning for the Charlie that might have been, while watchingthe Charlie that was, with an ache at her heart which found no relieftill, putting her hands there as if to ease the pain, they touched thepansies, faded, but still showing gold among the sombre purple; andthen tw
o great tears dropped on them as she sighed,--
"Ah me! I do need heart's-ease sooner than I thought!"
Her uncle's step made her spring up and unlock the door, showing himsuch an altered face that he stopped short, ejaculating in dismay,--
"Good heavens, child! what's the matter?" adding, as she pointed tothe sofa in pathetic silence, "Is he hurt?--ill?--dead?"
"No, uncle: he is--" She could not utter the ugly word, but whispered,with a sob in her throat, "Be kind to him," and fled away to her ownroom, feeling as if a great disgrace had fallen on the house.