Duchess

“ At all events, Mrs. Greatorex, horrified, was sending in all directions for Agatha. Dr. Darkham was her messenger. These sudden scandals were so disgraceful. Would he go and look for Agatha, he who—-
There was a last moment, however, when Agatha found herself alone with Dillwyn. The short, scrubby bushes were thick in this blessed spot—Dillwyn and Agatha were virtually alone.
"That is all over, I fancy," said Dillwyn, alluding to Elfrida's engagement with Ambert.
"Yes, I think so. I am sure of it."
"The best thing that could happen to her. Love alone makes marriage sacred." ”

“ Darkham," said the girl slowly, miserably, but with great courage. "Let me leave you, Aunt Hilda. Let me go out in the world as a governess. I could make my own way, perhaps—and—-"
"Don't talk to me like that, Agatha. You—my niece! Do you think I am going to have you spoken of by the people here as a paid person? No, you shall stay here." She rose to her feet and pointed imperiously to the door. "You shall stay here and marry Dr. Darkham, and thank God for your good fortune. Now go; leave me." She pointed again to the door, and Agatha, sad and sick at heart, went out of the room. ”

“ Darkham that you are absolutely free—that you care for nobody—- that your heart is still your own to dispose of? I may tell him that you have never felt so much as a passing fancy for this young man, Dr. Dillwyn, who has been sent here through a whim of Reginald Greatorex—to starve, as far as I can see; for Dr. Darkham, as you know, has all the paying practice, and Reginald Greatorex"—bitterly—"as you also know, is a false friend, and a man that would rather die than part with a penny. I may tell Dr. Darkham that?"
Agatha, pale as death, lifted up her eyes and looked at her. ”

“ My dear Agatha! You will end by representing Dr. Darkham as a modern Bluebeard. As for me, I pity him. And there are so many cases just like his. A young man of his parentage—nobody at all, in facts—starts in life, very naturally, by marrying somebody in his own class. Some dreadful person! Then he, being clever—a man—rises. She stands rootedly still. She is a millstone round his neck, weighing him down, keeping him back from the goal to which he would attain—the goal of equality with his superiors which he feels ought to be his, because of the intellect that ennobles him. ”

“ He'll murder you if you encourage him any further. Get rid of him, Agatha, I implore you, before he does any mischief."
"Oh no, it isn't that. It is only that he is in terrible distress about something."
At this moment Edwy rose to his feet, and, approaching her, began to gesticulate violently and make loud guttural sounds. In vain Agatha tried to understand him. Finally, as if dimly aware that his cries and gestures conveyed no meaning to her, the idiot seized her by both arms and turned her in the direction from which he had just come. ”

“ But Agatha did not stir. She was evidently very comfortable were she was, and her sweet proximity strengthened Dillwyn.
"She is is mine," said he; "I claim her. Mrs. Greatorex, why would you part us?"
"For her good—and especially now. You refuse to consider how you are injuring her. An advantage has fallen into her life, and you must wilfully deprive her of it."
"An advantage! Darkham do you mean? As for that," said Dillwyn,
"I am not depriving her of an advantage. I am saving her from"— he paused—"misery. Agatha!" ”

“ I can't afford one."
"I should think you could afford anything," said Agatha. "You could, at all events, afford to marry the man who loved you."
"And where does he live?" asked Elfrida, laughing.
"You know," said Agatha slowly, earnestly.
"You're lovely; you're a perfect delight!" said Miss Firs-Robinson, her amusement now growing more apparent; "but really I don't. I know only that I—want to be—-"
"Happy?" said Agatha, answering.
"No; a countess," said the pretty little fairy, with a gay grimace. ”

“ Blount. What a pity I must lose him now!"
"You have Lord Ambert instead," said Agatha coldly. In her heart she loved Elfrida, but she was angry with her now.
"Ah, true, true!" cried the culprit gaily. She ran down the steps to where her ponies were waiting for her. Agatha, though angry, followed her. It hurt her to be offended with the pretty charming, lovable little creature, who was so wilfully making hay of her life; she even went down the steps and, without looking at Elfrida tucked the light rug round her. ”

“ An hour after death makes the dead face so different, even when death has been hard.
It was all finished now, and the boy only remained to be got rid of; he could not stay here.
Much as Darkham disliked being left alone in this terrible room, still he disliked more the companionship of this loathsome idiot. There was always the thought, too, that he knew—had seen! For the first time he felt thankful that his only child had been born deaf and dumb, and a fool. If only he had been born blind as well! ”

“ And yet you say you love me."
"Love seems a poor word," said Dillwyn. "My dear, dear girl, have pity on me, if not upon yourself. Don't cry like that. I'll do anything you like—anything, if you will only try and be happy again. Why, look here now, Agatha; it isn't altogether so easy a matter to murder a person without being found out as you seem to imagine." ”

“ Just as they once more reached the little inside gate of the villa, the sound of wheels in the small avenue outside told them of Mrs. Greatorex's return.
"Cut for your life!" cried Mr. Browne in a tragic whisper, and without waiting for another word from her, he took his own advice, and bolting through the few shrubs, found himself presently safe but breathless on the public road, and almost in the arms of Dillwyn.
"So you followed the dear departed, after all," said Dicky. "What a thing is love! To tread in the footsteps of her is rapture. ”

“ Agatha started.
"I must go," said she. "Though I'm certain it can't be five minutes yet."
"Who's whistling?" asked he.
"Dicky Browne. He brought me here."
"Browne!"
"Yes." She smiled at him. "He said he knew you would shoot him for it. But he has been so kind. I couldn't have come but for him. I do so like Dicky, don't you?"
"Yes. But you mustn't like him too much."
"There is only one person in the world I like too much. But you must confess that Dicky was very good to me to-night." ”

“ She was a little unstrung, and at this moment she firmly believed that Darkham was bent on a swift destruction of her lover. In the slow, solemn passing of the light to darkness fears grow thick, and Agatha's became unbearable.
Jack was there, in his lonely house, and unwarned! What fitter time to take a person unawares? The poor child was weakened by the events of the past few days, and could see nothing but her one sole possession cruelly done to death. That man—Darkham— had looked murderous. Oh, to go to Jack for a second only—to tell him! ”

“ Over there in the window was the girl he loved, standing up bravely, with a little troubled smile upon her lips—but still a smile—and all for him. What a stout heart she had, his dear, pretty girl!
"I am glad you have come, Dr. Dillwyn," said Mrs. Greatorex.
"Agatha refused me her confidence, but I have heard from other sources of your—you must forgive me if I call them presumptuous—attentions to my niece. Of course, considering your position in life, I do not take them seriously; but such as they are, they rather prejudice her chances of making an excellent marriage." ”

“ Why do you speak? What good will it do you?"
"It means life!" said Darkham. "What nights, what days have been filled with my vain longing for such an hour as this! To say it —to tell you how unutterably dear you are to me—has been my consuming passion since first we met. Often, often, when attending your aunt, a craving to speak to you—to lay bare my heart—to take you in my arms—-"
He moved towards her, and she shrank back affrightedly. After all, a girl's best courage does not amount to much. ”

“ Browne," said Agatha, laughing still.
"You must have precious little to love," said her aunt, knitting vigorously. She had known old Mr. Browne in her youth.
Agatha's laughter came to a sudden end. She sprang to her feet.
"Here is Edwy Darkham," said Agatha, moving to the window—"and looking so wild! Aunt Hilda, do come here! Oh!"—anxiously— "surely there is something wrong with him."
Across the lawn, running uncouthly, hideously—rolling from side to side—yet with astonishing speed, the idiot came. ”

“ Dillwyn was saying, Agatha's cheek pressed against his—"a very pretty room. That would be your drawing-room, and the one opposite, that would be the dining-room. It is very small, certainly; in fact, the word 'dining-room' seems too grand for it."
Here Agatha sighed heavily.
"What is it, darling?" asked he anxiously. "You don't like the prospect? Certainly it is small."
"I'll tell you what it is," said she, looking at him seriously: "it is too good to be true—all of it. It will never be mine. That drawing-room, that dining-room, that whole lovely cottage, will never be mine. ”

“ Dillwyn went towards Agatha. His face was as white as death. He caught her hand.
She felt that he was trembling even more than she was. He let her hand go, and it occurred to the girl that he made a step towards her with his arms a little outheld, as though he would have clasped her to his heart. Her late danger had perhaps made him bolder—for the moment. He could dare the strong idiot, but what man could dare his love? ”

“ Dicky, I told you I was frightened, and I am. That dreadful man said that, rather than see me married to Jack, he would destroy him!" Her voice began to tremble. "He'll do it, too; I feel he will."
"Nonsense, my good child! People can't go about destroying people nowadays. There is always the convenient hangman. And besides, though I can't exactly say I dote on Darkham, still, he seems to me a most respectable person."
"To me," said Agatha in a low tone, "he seems a murderer! Yes; I mean it. I am afraid of him, and I really do think, Dicky"— bursting into tears—"that he will try to kill Jack. ”

“ Darkham burst into a wild laugh.
"Him! Love him! A man who courts you clandestinely, who has not the courage or the desire to do so openly. Has he spoken to your aunt? Come, what has he done? Has he asked your hand in marriage of your only guardian? Or is he playing fast and loose with you? It would not be the first time he had played that game. Why, there are tales of him in the village."
Agatha made a gesture of contempt.
"There are no tales of Dr. Dillwyn in this village or any other," she said. ”

“ The woman went on her knees, and caught the unwieldy mass of humanity to her with long arms. It had been but a slight burn, and after awhile the turmoil subsided. Mrs. Darkham rose from her knees, and the idiot went back to his play amongst the cinders.
"I believe you'd see him burnt alive with joy," said she, turning to her husband, a great animosity within her eyes.
"Your beliefs are so numerous, and are always so complimentary, that it is hard to reply," said Dr. Darkham, with a slow smile.
If her glance had betrayed animosity, his, to her, betrayed a most deadly hatred. ”

“ They merely adopt the thoughts of those who think as they do, and suit their opinions to their likes and dislikes. Unbiased judgement is beyond them."
"Then I'm not prejudiced," said old Miss Firs-Robinson, with another laugh. "Your words prove it, because I beg you to understand I have as sound an opinion as any one I know on most matters. And I don't suit it to my likes or dislikes either, because I never could bear Mrs. Darkham; yet I think there is some good in her."
"Who is Mrs. Darkham?" asked Mr. Browne. "That big red woman with the voice of a costermonger I met here last year?" ”

“ How could a girl willingly sell herself for title, or money, or position, or anything? And Elfrida, who was rich, who could defy the world, she to sell herself to that detestable man, for the sake of hearing herself called Lady Ambert! In her present mood it seemed hateful—unnatural—to Agatha. Oh, how gladly would she give herself for love—love only! ”