Archibald Malmaison Page 9

  VIII.

  Old Miss Tremount had come up from Cornwall for the occasion, accompaniedby her poodle, her female toady, and her father confessor. The good ladyhad altered her will some years before, on hearing of her favoritenephew's changed condition, and it was feared she would leave her money tothe Church of Rome, of which she was a member. But on receiving theannouncement of her intended visit, Lady Malmaison had begun to entertainhopes that Sir Edward might succeed in so favorably impressing his aunt asto induce her to divert at least some portion of her thousands in hisdirection. But it is not likely that Miss Tremount had come to Malmaisonwith any such views; in fact, her reason for coming had little or noconnection with the late baronet's family. It was not generally knownthat, between forty and fifty years previously, there had been tenderpassages between Colonel Battledown and this snuffy old maid, whose soulwas now divided between her cards and her psalter. So it was, however;they were even betrothed to one another, though the betrothal was kept asecret, the Colonel then being a comparatively penniless young lieutenant,and as such by no means a desirable son-in-law from the parental point ofview. An elopement was contemplated so soon as the young lady should be ofage; and it would be difficult to explain the occasion of the trumperyquarrel between the lovers, which ended in the lady taunting thegentleman with caring only about her money, and resulted in the rupture ofthe engagement. Doubtless it might have been renewed; but at thisjuncture the lieutenant was ordered away on active service to the AmericanColonies, where he remained for some years. Later, he was stationed inIndia; and the next time he met his old love, in London, he was twentyyears older than when she had last seen him, and a major, and with ribbonson his breast, and a wife on his arm. Miss Tremount never betrayed anygrief or disappointment, except in so far as she remained single all herlife, and latterly waxed religious and became a convert to the Jesuits.But when the Colonel was dead, and she heard that his daughter was aboutto be married, she resolved to make a journey to Malmaison; and who cantell whether in the bottom of her heart, hidden even from her fatherconfessor, she may not have cherished a secret purpose of making MistressKate her heir? It is certain at all events that she brought her will withher in her trunk.

  This romance, I say, was known to but few, and as Miss Battledown did nothappen to be among the number, she was less cordial in her behavior to theold lady than she might otherwise have been. Kate was not constitutionallya lover of old women, and not herself old enough to be aware that no trulycharitable person should ever be inattentive to seventy thousand pounds,no matter to how unprepossessing a human being the money might beattached. Her manner, therefore, was tolerant and patronizing rather thanflattering; and honest Lady Malmaison, though she liked Kate very much,and would have been delighted to see her inherit seventy thousand poundsfrom the Shah of Persia or the President of the United States, was notquite so unnatural an idiot as to recommend to the young lady a moreconciliating behavior. As for Miss Tremount, she preserved her composureand kept her counsel perfectly, and never referred to her will even in hermost unguarded moments. She was courteous and complimentary to Sir Edward,indulgent to Archibald, kind and sisterly to Lady Malmaison, and quietlyobservant of everything and everybody. On the wedding morning shecriticised and admired the bride's toilet with a taste and appreciationthat caused the proud young beauty's eyes to sparkle; and just before theparty entered the hall, she pressed Kate's hand affectionately, and said,in her gentlest tones, that she hoped she would be happy. "I have alwayslooked upon your mother as one of the happiest of women, my dear," sheadded. "May your fortune equal hers!" This good-natured benediction causedLady Malmaison a good deal of anxiety; Sir Edward smiled aside at what hefancied was a subtle stroke of irony; and Kate herself became thoughtful,and regretted that it was rather late in the day to begin to show MissTremount what a charming elderly lady she thought her.

  The great hall looked its stateliest that morning. The March sunshine cameslanting through the tall windows, and lay in bright patches upon thebroad floor, or gleamed upon the ancient swords and breastplates, orglowed in the festal hangings. Quite a large number of titled andfashionable persons were collected at the upper end of the room,whispering and rustling, and dressed in what we should now consider verywonderful costumes, though they were all the mode then. A few minutesbefore eleven the very reverend dean, and an assistant divine, togetherwith the bridegroom and Archibald, entered and took their places in greatpomp and dignity beneath the canopy which had been constructed for theoccasion, and which, was covered with fresh flowers, whose fragrancebreathed over the gay assemblage like a sacred incense. At eleven o'clockthere was a general hush of expectation; and presently the door at thebottom of the hall was thrown open, and the bridal procession came in.Very pretty they looked as they paced, up the long stretch of carpetingwhich had been laid down for them to walk upon, and which had beenscattered over with a profusion of flowers. The bride, with her veil andher orange-blossoms, was supported on the arm of Sir Henry Rollinson (thegood Doctor had been knighted the year before by an appreciativesovereign), who was to give her away. She looked calm, pale, andexceedingly handsome. The widow of Colonel Battledown was escorted by LordEpsom, the Honorable Richard's elder brother, and wore a very splendidpink turban, and red eyes. But all these details, and many more, may beread in the _Morning Post_ of March 7th, 1821, to which I refer thecurious.

  The service commenced. As Sir Henry Rollinson was in the act of giving thebride away, he happened to glance at Archibald, and observed that thelatter wore a very strange expression on his face; and a moment afterwardthe young man dropped into a chair that happened to be near him, pressinghis head between his hands, and breathing heavily. No one else noticedthis incident; and Sir Henry, who supposed the youth was going to faint,was of course unable at the time to afford any assistance. The servicewent on. Richard Pennroyal and Catherine Battledown were pronounced manand wife; and man was warned not to put asunder those whom God had joinedtogether. The ring shone on the new-made wife's finger. The very reverenddean gave the pair his blessing. All this time Archibald remained withhis head between his hands, the physician watching him not withoutapprehensions, and inwardly cursing the folly of those who wereresponsible for the poor half-witted creature's appearance in such ascene.

  The register was now brought forth, in which the happy couple and theirfriends were to inscribe their names. The principal personages signedfirst. It came to Archibald's turn. It had previously been ascertainedthat he knew how to string together the requisite letters upon paper.There he sat, with his head in his hands. Sir Henry touched him on theshoulder.

  "Now, then, lad--Archie! wake up! Come! you're wanted!" He spoke sharplyand imperatively, in the hope of rousing the young fellow out of hisstupor, and at least getting him decently out of the room.

  Archibald raised his face, which was deadly pale and covered with sweat,and looked at the persons around him with a kind of amazed defiance. Hestarted to his feet, oversetting his chair as he did so, which rolled downthe steps of the dais and fell with a crash on the stone floor below.

  "I came in by the staircase door!" he said in an excited voice, whichstartled every one who heard it, so different was it from his usual tones."If you thought it locked, you were wrong. How else could I have come?...When did you bring me here? This is the great hall! What have you beendoing? How came _you_ here?"

  There was a dead silence. Every one felt that some ugly thing was about tohappen. Several women began to laugh hysterically. It seems to have beensupposed, at first, that Archibald had exchanged his inoffensive idiocyfor a condition of raving madness. The old physician was probably the onlyone present who had a glimmering of what might be the truth. TheHonorable Richard Pennroyal had none. He pushed between the venerableknight and his "best man," and relying upon his oft-proved and establishedinfluence over the latter, he took him firmly by the arm, and looked inhis face.

  "Don't make a fool of yourself, Archie," said he, in a low distinct voice,in which was a subdued ri
ng of menace. "It's all right. You're my bestman, you know. You are to sign your name as one of the witnesses of themarriage--that's all."

  "I have witnessed no marriage," replied Archibald, returning with surpriseRichard's look. "Who are you?" he continued, after a moment. Then heexclaimed, "You are Richard Pennroyal--I didn't know you at first, youlook so old!"

  "Oh, the fellow's quite mad!" muttered Richard, turning away with a shrugof the shoulders. "I should have known better than to run the risk ofhaving such a lunatic here. We must have him moved out of the room atonce."

  Young Sir Edward overheard this latter sentence. "Pardon me for remindingyou that my brother is at home in Malmaison," he said gravely.

  "Oh, as you please, of course," returned Richard, frowning.

  Meanwhile Archibald had caught sight of Kate, and recognized her at once;and breaking away from his mother and Sir Henry Rollinson, who wereendeavoring to quiet him, he came up to her and planted himself in frontof her, just as Richard was approaching to take her off. Archibald tookboth her hands in his.

  "Kate, I have never seen you look so beautiful," he said. "But why have yougot this white veil on?--and orange blossoms! It's like a wedding. Whatwere they saying about a wedding? ... is it to be our wedding?"

  "The wedding has already taken place, my dear Archie," interposed thebridegroom, offering his arm to the bride, and smiling with no very goodgrace. "This lady is now Mrs. Pennroyal. Stand aside, like a good boy--"

  Archibald grasped Richard by the padded sleeve of his coat, and with anangry movement of his powerful arm threw him backward into the embrace ofhis new mother-in-law, who happened to be coming up from behind.

  "You are under my father's roof, or I would tell you that you are a liar,"said the young man, grimly. Then turning to the bride, who had said not aword since this scene began, but had kept her eyes constantly fixed uponthe chief actor in it, "He shall not insult you again, my dear. But allthis is very strange. What does it mean?"

  "It means.... It is too late!" replied the girl, in a low, bitter voice.What could she have meant by that?

  Richard, white with fury, came up again. There was a general murmur andmovement in the surrounding assemblage, who expected to see some deed ofviolence committed.

  "Mrs. Pennroyal," said he between his teeth, "I am obliged to request youperemptorily to take my arm and--and leave this house where guests areinsulted and outraged!"

  Archibald turned, his face darkening. But Kate held up her handentreatingly; and Archibald caught the gleam of the plain gold ring on herfinger. At that sight he stopped abruptly, and his arms fell to his sides.

  "Is it true?" He asked in a tone of bewilderment.

  Here Sir Edward interposed again, with, his cool courtesy: "Mr. Pennroyal,and my friends, I trust you will find it possible to overlook the behaviorof my brother. You may see that he is not himself. When he has had time torecover himself, he will ask pardon of each and all of you. Mr. Pennroyal,I entreat you and your wife to forget what has passed, and to reconsiderthe heavy imputation which has been cast upon my house. Let the shadowpass away which has threatened for a moment this--most auspiciousoccasion!"

  If the last words were ironical, the irony was too grave and ceremonious tobe obtrusive, Pennroyal was fain to return Sir Edward's bow with the bestgrace he could muster. The rest of the company accepted the apology, as atleast a formal way out of the difficulty. An effort was made to resumeindifferent conversation, and to act as if nothing had happened. SirEdward, with admirable self-possession and smiling courtesy, marshalledthe guests out of the hall, to a neighboring room in which the weddingbreakfast had been set out. Archibald remained behind, and the Doctor andold Miss Tremount remained with him. He stood still, with his arms at hissides, his glance fixed upon the floor. The Doctor and Miss Tremountexchanged a look, and then the latter went up to him, and took one of hishands between hers.

  "Do you know me, my dear?" she said.

  Archibald looked at her, and shook his head.

  "I am your aunt, Ruth Tremount. My dear, I am so sorry for you."

  "Can you tell me what is the matter with me? Am I mad?"

  "On the contrary," put in the Doctor, "you are yourself for the second timein your life. You've overslept yourself, my lad, that's all!"

  Archibald cast his eyes round the hall, as if searching for some one."Where is my father?" he asked at length.

  There was an awkward pause. Finally Miss Tremount said, "My dear, yoursleep has lasted seven years. Much may happen in such a length of time."

  "But my father--where is he? I want to see him; I will see him!" and hemade some steps toward the door.

  "My poor lad, you cannot see him now--he ... he--"

  "Where is he?" cried Archibald, stamping his foot.

  "He has been for five years in his grave."

  Archibald stared at the Doctor a moment, and then burst out laughing.