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CHAPTER XXVII. By Proxy
About half-past twelve Claude Locker made his appearance in the spacious
hall. He looked out of the front door; he looked out of the back door;
he peered into the parlor; he glanced up the stairway; and then he
peeped into the library. He had not seen the lady of the house since her
return, and he was waiting for Olive. This morning his fate was to be
positively decided; he would take a position that would allow of no
postponement; he would tell her plainly that a statement that she was
not prepared to give him an answer that day would be considered by him
as a final rejection. She must haul down her flag or he would surrender
and present to her his sword.
Claude Locker saw nothing of Miss Asher, but it was not long before the
lady of the house came down-stairs.
"Oh, Mr. Locker," she exclaimed, "I am so glad to see you! Come into the
library, please."
He hesitated a minute. "I beg your pardon," said he, "but I have an
appointment--"
"I know that," said she, "and you may be surprised to hear that it is
with me and not with Miss Asher. Come in and I will tell you about it."
Claude Locker actually ran after his hostess into the library, both of
his eyes wide open.
"And now," said she, "please sit down, and hear what I have to say."
Locker seated himself on the edge of a chair; he did not feel happy; he
suspected something was wrong.
"Is she sick?" he asked. "Can't she come down?"
"She is very well," was the reply, "but she is not here. She is with her
uncle."
"Then I am due at her uncle's house before one o'clock," said he.
"No," she answered, "you are due here."
He fixed upon her a questioning glance.
"Miss Asher," she continued, "has deputed me to give you her answer. She
can not come herself, but she does not forget her agreement with you."
The young man still gazed steadfastly. "If it is to be a favorable
decision," said he, "I hope you will be able to excuse any exuberance of
demeanor on my part."
Mrs. Easterfield smiled. "In that case," she said, "I do not suppose I
should have been sent as an envoy."
His brow darkened, and instinctively he struck one hand with the other.
"That is exactly what I expected!" he exclaimed. "The signs all pointed
that way. But until this moment, my dear madam, I hoped. Yes, I had
presumed to hope that I might kindle in her heart a little nickering
flame. I had tried to do this, and I had left but one small match head,
which I intended to strike this day. But now I see I had a piece of the
wrong end of the match. After this I must be content forever to stay in
the cold."
"I am glad you view the matter so philosophically," said Mrs.
Easterfield, "and Olive particularly desired me to say--"
"Don't call her Olive, if you please," he interrupted. "It is like
speaking to me through the partly open door of paradise, through which I
can not enter. Slam it shut, I beg of you, and talk over the top of the
wall."
"Miss Asher wants you to know," continued Mrs. Easterfield, "that while
she has decided to decline your addresses, she is deeply grateful to you
for the considerate way in which you have borne yourself toward her. I
know she has a high regard for you, and that she will not forget your
kindness."
Mr. Locker put his hands in his pockets. "Do you know," said he, "as
this thing had to be done, I prefer to have you do it than to have her
do it. Well, it is done now! And so am I!"
"You never did truly expect to get her, did you, Mr. Locker?" asked Mrs.
Easterfield.
"Never," he answered; "but I do not flinch at what may be
impossibilities. Nobody, myself included, can imagine that I shall rival
Keats, and yet I am always trying for it."
"Is it Keats you are aiming at?" she said.
"Yes," he replied; "it does not look like it, does it? But it is."
"And you don't feel disheartened when you fail?" said she.
Mr. Locker took his hands from his pockets, and folded his arms. "Yes,
I do," he said; "I feel as thoroughly disheartened as I do now. But I
have one comfort; Keats and Miss Asher dropped me; I did not drop them.
So there is nothing on my conscience. And now tell me, is she going to
take Lancaster? I hope so."
"She could not do that," answered Mrs. Easterfield, "for I know he has
not asked her."
"Then he'd better skip around lively and do it," said Mr. Locker, "not
only for his own sake, but for mine. If I should be cast aside for the
Hemphill clothes I should have no faith in humanity. I would give up
verse, and I would give up woman."
"Don't be afraid of anything like that," said Mrs. Easterfield,
laughing. "It may be somewhat of a breach of confidence, but I am going
to tell you nevertheless; because I think you deserve it; that I am also
deputed to decline the addresses of Mr. Hemphill, and Mr. Du Brant."
"Hurrah!" cried Locker. "Mrs. Easterfield, I envy you; and if you don't
feel like performing the rest of your mission, you can depute it to me.
I don't know anything at this moment that would give me so much joy."
"I would not be so disloyal or so cruel as that," said she. "But I shall
not be in a hurry. I shall let them eat their lunch in peace and hope."
"Not much peace," said he. "Her empty chair will put that to flight. I
know how it feels to look at her empty chair."
"Then you really love her?" said Mrs. Easterfield, much moved.
"With every fiber," said he.
Mrs. Easterfield found herself much embarrassed at the luncheon table.
She had made her husband understand the state of affairs, but had not
had time to enter into particulars with him, and she did not find it
easy satisfactorily to explain to the company the absence of Miss Asher
without calling forth embarrassing questions as to her return, and she
wished carefully to avoid telling them that her guest was not coming
back for the present. If she made this known then she feared there might
be a scene at the table.
Mr. Hemphill turned pale when, that afternoon, his hostess, in an
exceedingly clear and plain manner, made known to him his fate. For a
few moments he did not speak. Then he said very quietly: "If she had
not, of her own accord, told me that she had once loved me, I should
never have dared to say anything like that to her."
"I do not think you need any excuse, Mr. Hemphill," said Mrs.
Easterfield. "In fact, if you loved her, I do not see how you could help
speaking after what she herself said to you."
"That is true," he replied. "And I love her with all my heart!"
"She ought never to have told you of that girlish fancy," said his
hostess. "It was putting you in a very embarrassing position, and I am
bound to say to you, Mr. Hemphill, that I also am very much to blame.
Knowing all this, as I did, I should not have allowed you to meet her."
"Oh, don't say that!" exclaimed Mr. Hemphill. "Don't say that! Not for
the world would I give up the memory of hearing her say she once loved
me! I don't care how many years ago it was. I am glad you let me come
here. I am glad she told me. I shall never forget the happiness I have
had in this house. And now, Mrs. Easterfield, let me ask you one
thing--"
At this moment Mrs. Easterfield, who was facing the door, saw her
husband enter the hall, and by his manner she knew he was looking for
her.
"Excuse me," she said to Hemphill, "I will be back in an instant."
And she ran out. "Tom," she cried, "you must go away. I can not see you
now. I am very busy declining the addresses of a suitor, and can not be
interrupted."
Mr. Tom looked at her in surprise, although it was not often Mrs.
Easterfield could surprise him. He saw that she was very much in
earnest.
"Well," said he, "if you are sure you are going to decline him I won't
interrupt you. And when you have sealed his fate you will find me in my
room. I want particularly to see you."
Mrs. Easterfield went back to the library and Hemphill continued: "You
need not answer if you do not think it is right," said he, "but do you
believe at any time she thought seriously of me?"
Mrs. Easterfield smiled as she answered: "Now, you see the advantage of
an agent in such matters as this. You could not have asked her that
question, or if you did she would not answer you. And now I am going to
tell you that she did have some serious thought of you. Whatever
encouragement she gave you, she treated you fairly. She is a very
practical young woman--"
"Excuse me," said Hemphill hurriedly, "but if you please, I would rather
you did not tell me anything more. Sometimes it is not well to try to
know too much. I can't talk now, Mrs. Easterfield, for I am dreadfully
cut up, but at the same time I am wonderfully proud. I don't know that
you can understand this."
"Yes, I can," she said; "I understand it perfectly."
"You are very kind," he said. As he was about to leave the room he
stopped and turned to Mrs. Easterfield. "Is she going to marry Professor
Lancaster?" he asked.
"Really, Mr. Hemphill," she replied, "I can not say anything about that.
I do not know any more than you do."
"Well, I hope she may," he said. "It would be a burning shame if she
were to accept that Austrian; and as for the other little man, he is too
ugly. You must excuse me for speaking of your friends in this way, Mrs.
Easterfield, but really I should feel dreadfully if I thought I had been
set aside for such a queer customer as he is."
Mrs. Easterfield did not laugh then; but when Hemphill had gone, and she
had joined her husband, they had a good time together.
"And so they all recommend Lancaster," said he.
"So far," she answered; "but I have yet to hear what Mr. Du Brant has to
say."
"I think you have had enough of this discarding business," said Mr.
Tom. "You would better leave Du Brant to me."
"Oh, no," said she; "I promised Olive. And, besides, I think I like it."
"I believe you do," said Mr. Tom. "And now I want to say something
important. It is not right that Broadstone should be given up entirely
to the affairs of Miss Asher and her lovers. I think, for instance, that
our friend Fox looks very much dissatisfied."
"That is because Olive is not here," she replied.
"Not only that," he answered. "He loses her, and does not get anything
else in her place. Now, we must make this house lively, as it ought to
be. Let Du Brant off for to-day and let us make up a party to go out on
the river. We will take two boats, and have some of the men to do the
rowing. Postpone dinner so we can have a long afternoon."
Mr. Du Brant did not go on the river excursion. He had some letters to
write, and begged to be excused. He had not asked when Miss Asher was
expected back, or anything about her return. He did not understand the
state of affairs, and was afraid he might receive some misleading
information. But if she should come that afternoon or the next day he
determined to be on the spot. After that he might not be able to remain
at Broadstone, and it would be a glorious opportunity for him if she
should come back that afternoon.
It was twilight when the boating party returned. Under the genial
influence of Mr. Tom and his wife they had all enjoyed themselves as
much as it was possible for them to do so without Olive.
When Claude Locker, a little behind the others, reached the top of the
hill he perceived, not far away, Mr. Du Brant strolling. These two had
not spoken since the night of the interrupted serenade. Each of them had
desired to avoid words or actions which might disturb the peace of this
hospitable home, and consequently had very successfully succeeded in
avoiding each other. But now Mr. Locker walked straight up to the
secretary of legation, holding out his hand.
"Now, Mr. Du Brant," said he, "since we are both in the same boat, let
us shake hands and let bygones be bygones."
But the young Austrian did not take the proffered hand. For a moment he
looked as though he were about to turn away without taking any notice of
Locker, but he had not the strength of mind to do this. He turned and
remarked with a scowl:
"What do you mean by same boat? I have nothing to do with you on the
water or on the land!"
Mr. Locker shrugged his shoulders. "So you have not been told," said he.
"Told!" exclaimed Du Brant, now very much interested. "Told what?"
"That you will have to find out," said the other. "It is not my business
to tell you. But I don't mind saying that as I have been told I thought
perhaps you might have been."
"Told what?" exclaimed Mr. Du Brant again, stepping up closer to the
other.
"Don't shout so," said Locker; "they will think we are quarreling.
Didn't I say I am not the person to tell you anything, and if you did
not understand me I will say it again."
For some seconds the Austrian looked steadily at his companion. Then he
said, "Have you been refused by Miss Asher?"
"Well," said Locker with a sigh, "as that is my business, I suppose I
can talk about it if I want to. Yes, I have."
Again Du Brant was silent for a time. "Did she tell you herself?" he
asked.
"No, she did not," was the answer. "She kindly sent me word by Mrs.
Easterfield. I suppose your turn has not come yet. I was at the head of
the list." And, fearing that if he stayed longer he might say too much,
Mr. Locker walked slowly away, whistling disjointedly as he went.
That evening Mrs. Easterfield discovered that she had been deprived of
the anticipated pleasure of conveying to Mr. Du Brant the message which
Olive had sent him. That gentleman, unusually polite and soft-spoken,
found her by herself, and thus accosted her: "You must excuse me, madam,
for speaking upon a certain subject without permission from you, but I
have reason to believe that you are the bearer of a message to me from
Miss Asher."
"How in the world did you find that out?" she asked.
"It was the--Locker," he answered. "I do not think it was his intention
to inform me fully; he is not a master of words and expressions; he is a
little blundering; but, from what he said, I supposed you were kind
enough to be the bearer of such a message."
"Yes," said Mrs. Easterfield; "not being able to be here herself, Miss
Asher requested me to say to you that she must decline--"
"Excuse me, madam," he interrupted, "but it is I who decline. I bear
toward you, madam, the greatest homage and respect, but what I had the
honor to say to Miss Asher I said to her alone, and it is only from her
that it is possible for me to receive an answer. Therefore, madam, it is
absolutely necessary that I decline to be a party to the interview you
so graciously propose. It breaks my heart, my dear madam, even to seem
unwilling to listen to anything you might deign to say to me, but in
this case I must be firm, I must decline. Can you pardon me, dear madam,
for speaking as I have been obliged to speak?"
"Oh, of course," said Mrs. Easterfield. "And really, since you know so
much, it is not necessary for me to tell you anything more."
"Ah," said the diplomat, with a little bow and an incredulous
expression, as if the lady could have no idea what he might yet know, "I
am so much obliged to you! I am so thankful!"
Read next: Chapter 28. Here We Go! Lovers Three!
Read previous: Chapter 26. A Stop At The Toll-Gate
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