Hay_Old_Myddletons_Money.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
tears stood thickly on her plea-
sant face. . '' crowd of fashionable guests " were
named separately, and admired en masse.
decorations had a minute description, and the gifts were
valued at a fabulous sum. as is the rule prescribed
on such occasions fewest words of all were bestowed upon
the bridegroom ; the weeklies only touching upon
his recent illness, and the dailies alluding casually
to the probability of his leaving his mark upon the times.
and returned from abroad on
purpose to have their favourite married from
; and it was in consequence of their determination
that could not carry out her anxious proposal for a
quiet wedding.
jSlled their beautiftil country seat with that " crowd
of fashionable guests " which the papers delighted to cata-
logue. supported the " charming galaxy of brides-
maids " by a noble phalanx of young manhood. em-
ployed the whole village in bearing flowers to and fro for
the decorations of the church, and park, and village street ;
and yet they never fancied they had done enough to make
this wedding-day a festival.
"at , both . and .
laughed heartily over 's impossible desire for a quiet
wedding. had come the day before to stay with
them, and, from early morning, the village had been filled
by people, who had travelled here to see the
marriage of their master. spite of the three hundred
walking-sticks which had always rankled in 's
breast, he threw the park open all the afternoon to these
men who cheered so heartily when passed among
them in her youth and beauty, and these women who so
warmly prayed, '' bless him," when led her
through the crowd.
echoed the prayer, as he
and walked from the church slowly, step by step, in
the long line of guests, while the joyous notes of the organ
came surging through the porch and followed them.
" , bless them both ! " murmured the rector, as
the bells clashed out across the autumn landscape, and there
infDDELTON* . 377
came into his mind a few words of one of those poets whose
yerses were but feebly linked about the memory of his
college days :
but love can answer love,
render bliss secure.
, it certainly had not been a quiet wedding, and
was not the only one who smiled at the notion, when the
excitement was at its ebb, and the travelling carriage rolled
down the avenue of , followed by countless
and curious missiles. sat beside the young
courier, lookmg down upon the four grey horses and the
scarlet-clad postilions, but still he had an ever ready word
or glance for the two women who sat together in the roomy
seat behind him ; one of these] being , proud
to feel that she was as much 's maid as was the plea-
sant girl who lavished constant care and kindness upon her,
and never allowed her to realise the fact that her employ-
ment was merely an agreeable sinecure. sojourn
abroad ^which was to restore to his old strength
was also to give the finishing touch to the benefit which
had derived from the life of ease and happiness
which she had spent in 's home.
.
! the little birds sang east, and the little birds sang west.
smiled to think 's greatness flowed
our incompleteness ;
.ound our restlessness rest.
. . .
are the bells which are now having it all
their own way with t^e summer echoes, and telling their
tale to the wind and waves, which, in their turn, laugh over
it among the rocks and leaves.
months have passed since, from the tower of
878 ' .
rang out the tidings of their marriage, and
and are on their way home to receire this greeting.
breaks upon them brightly and mnsically as they drive
into sight of the high towers above the sea, but turns
and hides her face upon her husband's shoulder then,
because^she sees that treacherous bay where he was found
four months ago, and carried home as dead.
watchers see the carriage now, and a signal gun is
fired out across the sea. , even more merrily still, the
bells peal out ; and presently a band, which himself
organised long ago, among the *' ndll-hands," marches to
meet them. rises the cheering of hundreds of voices,
and in a few minutes the horses are gone ; and, to the music
of the comets and the voices and the bells all harmonised
by loyalty and summer gladness their own people wheel
the carriage to the door.
upturned faces greet them in a mass, when they turn
and pause in the arched doorway. thanks them for
their cordial greeting ; and while they answer each sentence
with a deafening cheer, they notice how the very mention of
his wife brings a wondrous light into his eyes, beyond that
permanent light of happiness which dwells there now.
other have gathered within to
welcome and ; friends whom we shall look
upon to-day for the last time.
are and , cordial as of old.
is . , bent, as of old, on making a favourite
of ; and . recalling with a smile of self-
congratulation how, from the first, he had acknowledged
worthy of a hearty and profound respect.
is , beaming as if he had never
looked on anguish such as that which he had witnessed in
this spot just three months ago. is . ,
uncharacteristically hopeful. is the old vicar of
, confidentially asserting that there never has been
such a scene as this in the village since he came to live here
fifty years ago. is his young curate, in whose wake
comes a grave little lad who, for months now, has not only
eagerly devoured the lessons that he gives (the payment for
which doubles the young curate's salarv), but has been
with him ever in his walks and in his work. boy's face
)' . 879
flosheB and brightens into perfect beanty when , lay-
ing a gentle hand upon hJB shoulder, tells , ^' is
's child," and stoops and .
are and , come together
from the mansii, where is preparing for
her wedding,in a stateof happiness nnnsnallycalm and quiet ;
while makes ready that house where she will
enjoy her drives and dresses ^as.well as better things and be
thoroughly happy in her kindly, simple, and prosaic way.
is , reading a new translation of his old code
of etiquette ; the tones wMch used to be so slow and feultless
stirred and broken now as he thanks for that gift of
which she bought for him and when .
saw it best to leave the old neighbourhood not that
values the little estate for its memories so much as
for its proximity to 's home ; and because it is such
a relief to him to feel that he need not live only in
all the year round ; even though his new employment is
easy and pleasant to him. is ,
inexpressibly happy as a well-employed countiy squire ;
proud to hear the congratulations which are given him on
the manner he is carrying out in earnest zeal the work
began at ; and using wisely and kindly
the half of old 's money which was all his cousin
could succeed in winning him to accept. is ,
well and strong again, because no secret presses on her now,
and her husband*s name is loved and respected.
those belonging to the old life are all here, save four.
. and are moving restlessly from place to
place upon the continent ; unforgiving (as those often are, to
whom the wrong is due); and 's sister
is on her way to join him in . his first invi-
tation ^honestly though curtly given left the house
in which she had grown to mid(-age ; sold the household
gods which for years she had guarded so jealously, and
sailed to a new, strange world for the sake of this brother to
whom through good and evil ^she had all her life clung
faithfully. and cold she had been ever, but stiU
there ran through the flint this one pure vein of gold.
sUenoe of the autumn night has settled down upon
880 ' .
. at last, lingers at the window
in her dressing-room ; the curtains drawn back, and the
moonlight fsdling softly npon her, as she stands
, still and lovely, in ner long wnite dress.
** , do yon feel that this is really home "
has come up to her so quietly that his words
seem only a part of that long, happy thought.
*^ home, ; where your love will make me happy
beyond words ; and where will try "
'' fail," he interrupts, kissing her tenderly, as she
nestles within his arms, '' you have made me happy for all
time. need nerer try again."
does not turn her eyes from the moonlit sea, but
they are filled with a deep and full content. can even
she herself help feeling the difference her loye has made in
his life, always so full of generous deeds and purposes, but
now so full of happiness besides ?
" a welcome they have given us," she whispers
presently. ** filled my heart with deepest gratitude to
see how you have made your people love you ; and
know how it is, . your daily life, and hourly in-
tercourse with others mean in liitle things as well as
greats by trifles which so many of us do not think of you
have won a love which only such a life as yours can win,
my husband, and which never can be otherwise than warm
and true."
'' ," he says, lifting her face that he may read his
happiness within her eyes, "do you know that
and not alone ^has been speaking to me in just
such words of you. darling, are you satisfied with all
you hear of , and the working of your plans
and projects ? "
'' more than satisfied."
'' you will let me help you here, in your own share
of the work ? "
" , as if could ever think of anything good
which you have not thought of long before "
" you remember that first day we spent at -
moor, , when it was deserted, and the shadow of a
great crime lay upon it ? you remember how we talked
of that old superstition of a curse hanging over the miser's
* . 381
wealth, while neither yon nor conld guess in whose hands
woidd lie the task of scattering it ? "
" , whose would lift that shadow of crime from the old
name.**
" task is not finished, is it ? will only finish with
our lives . can we not feel to-night, mine own dear wife,
that at last there rests a blessing only upon old -
ton's money ; and that day by day, through all our grateful
lives, the blessing may grow and brighten ? "
laughs a happy little laugh, and lifts her arms and
clasps them softly round his neck.
" , , who, in all the world, has greater cause to
try to make others happy than , who am so happy and so
blest . "