John Chandos

“ These servants are searched: they are proved innocent; at least nothing is found upon them to imply guilt. They may turn round and say—why don't you search these two strangers?—and talk of injustice. However—of course Mr. Chandos must do as he pleases: he seems sole master here."
"Do not fear that he will suspect either you or me, Mrs. Penn. And Lady Chandos, as I gather, knows nothing of the matter."
The search and the commotion had the effect of delaying dinner. It was late when the men departed, and I got tired of being alone in the oak-parlour. Mr. Chandos had gone out somewhere. ”

“ In these awful moments, which have on occasion come to people in real life far more certainly and terribly than anything ever represented in fiction, believe me, God is ever at hand to send relief. The overstrung mind is not abandoned to itself: very, very rarely indeed are our guardian angels absent, or unready to work by an earthly instrument.
It came to me in the person of Mr. Chandos. Ascending the stairs, a candle in his hand, softly whistling in unconcern, he came. ”

“ When I said I was no stranger to the Chandos family, I meant that I was not strange to certain unpleasant events connected with it. That dreadful misfortune——"
"It's not a thing to be talked of in the light of day," shrieked Hill; putting up her hands to stop the words. "Have you not more discretion than that? Very fit, you'd be, as companion to young Mrs. Chandos!"
"Do not alarm yourself for nothing," rejoined Mrs. Penn, with soothing coolness. "I was not going to talk of it, beyond the barest allusion: and the whole world knows that the Chandos family are not as others. ”

“ In my revulsion of feeling I clasped her hands in mine, thanking her—oh, so earnestly. "There's only one thing," I said, with the tears running down my face.
"What's that?"
"I am not good enough for him. And oh, Lady Chandos, I was so afraid you would not think me so. I have been a governess, you know. I would have given him up, I have just told him so, now he is Sir Harry Chandos."
She smiled a little. "One objection arose to me when he first spoke—that you were the niece of Mrs. Edwin Barley. But I have grown to-day to think it may be well to overcome the prejudice. ”

“ But I am saying more than I ought," she suddenly added. "We get led on unconsciously in talking, and one word brings out another."
I could have boxed her ears in my vexation. Never, never had the idea of marrying Mr. Chandos crossed my mind; no, not in the wildest dream of dreams. I was a poor dependent governess; he was the presumptive heir to Sir Thomas Chandos.
"To return to what I was saying of Lady Chandos," resumed Mrs. Penn. "Rely upon it, I am right: that she has been suddenly afflicted with insanity. There is no other way of accounting for the mystery attaching to that west wing." ”

“ Chandos," I took courage to say, "I am very sorry to be in this position—an intruder here."
"And but for one thing I should be very glad of it," was his ready answer. "It is a pleasant in-break on our monotonous life."
"And that one thing, sir?"
"Ah! I cannot tell you all my secrets," he said, with a light laugh. "Do you make yourself at home, young lady. But for your book, that I know you are longing to be reading again, I should have compunction at leaving you alone." ”

“ Besides, the rooms have been fully searched by the housekeeper."
"Would you like a watch placed in the house, sir, unknown to the servants?"
"No, no," said Mr. Chandos. "It——"
The appearance of Mrs. Penn caused the pause. She came in, after knocking quietly at the door. Mr. Chandos rose; the officer rose.
"I beg your pardon for my interruption, Mr. Chandos. Will it not be better that the police"—slightly bowing to the one present—"should come up now? Mrs. Chandos has gone into my lady's rooms: if they can come up at once, she will be spared the sight."
"Come up for what?" asked Mr. Chandos. ”

“ They lie under enough disgrace as it is: they will lie under far greater then."
"They appear to be just those quiet, unpretending, honourable people who could not invoke disgrace. They—surely you cannot be alluding to Miss Chandos's runaway marriage!" I broke off, as the thought occurred to me.
"Tush! Runaway marriages are as good as others for what I see," avowed Mrs. Penn, with careless creed. "I question if Miss Chandos even knows of the blow that fell on them. I tell you, child, it was a fearful one. It killed old Sir Thomas; it must be slowly killing Lady Chandos. ”

“ He, poor fellow, is no longer in existence."
"As I hear: and I am sorry for it. Your servant wished to assure me that you had succeeded to the honours; he calls you 'Sir Harry.' I told him better," concluded Mr. Edwin Barley, with a cough that said much.
"I do succeed to them—more's the pity. I wish Thomas had lived to bear them to a green old age."
"Let me advise you not to assume them, at any rate, Harry Chandos the time has not come for it, and the world might laugh at you. George Chandos, fugitive-criminal though he has been, would succeed until proved guilty. Wait." ”

“ I remained silent: in my shock and perplexity.
"Fever seems to be busy this autumn," he remarked, carelessly. "It is in this neighbourhood; it is in Paris; it is in Nulle: and probably in a great many more places."
"But, Mr. Chandos! what am I to do?"
"There is only one thing that you can do—or that Lady Chandos would allow you to do: and that is, stay here. Not another word, Miss Hereford. You can't help yourself, you know," he added, laughing; "and we are happy to have you."
"But the objection that Lady Chandos feels to having any one?"
"Ah well—you will not be a dangerous visitor. ”

“ But these are private property."
"I am aware that they are the grounds belonging to Chandos House; but I did not know a stranger might not be permitted to walk in them."
"Lady Chandos prefers privacy. Strangers are not in the habit of entering here; nor can their doing so be sanctioned."
"I presume that I am speaking to Mr. Harry Chandos?" Mr. Chandos bowed his head, very coldly. Mr. Edwin Barley bowed in his turn ”

“ He is quite a second-rate sort of Frenchman, and she is Miss Chandos of Chandos. He is a bit of a jackanapes too, vain and silly."
"Ellen Roper, I am within hearing, I beg to inform you," said Miss Chandos, from half way up the desk, her face in a lovely glow.
"That is just why I said it," returned Ellen Roper, who, however, had not known Emily was near, and started at the sound of her voice. "I daresay he has not above a thousand pounds or two a year; a very fair patrimony for a Frenchman, you know; but only fancy it for one in the position of Miss Chandos." ”

“ Chandos! Are your thoughts glancing to a second murder?"
I borrowed the word from Mrs. Penn's mysterious communication—winch I had not believed. It was very bad of me to say it; I know that; but when in a passion of confusion one does not wait to choose words.
"Anne, you might have spared me that reproach," he rejoined, in a subdued tone of pain.
"How have you spared me?"
"It may end brightly yet; it may indeed. What's that?"
A rustling amidst the dense shrubs on the right caused the question. Possibly with an idea that it might be Edwin Barley, Mr. Chandos quitted me to look. ”

“ Chandos was in it nearly as soon.
"Hill said I was wanted. Who is it, Anne? Do you know?"
"You must forgive me for having ventured to call you Mr. Chandos. I have been the cause of some unhappy mischief, and how I shall make the confession to you I hardly know. But, made it must be, and there's no time to be lost."
"Sit down and don't excite yourself," he returned. "I daresay it is nothing very formidable."
"When we were speaking of the gentleman I saw before dinner in the west wing, you warned me that his being there was a secret which I must take care not to betray." ”

“ Mr. Chandos made no reply. I thought he looked puzzled.
"We have hitherto placed great trust in our servants," he observed, presently. "But the disappearance of these things is unaccountable."
"There does seem some mystery about it," returned the policeman. "You say, sir, that you are sure of the housekeeper."
"As sure as I am of myself."
"Shall we search the rooms in the front, above here, sir? Thieves have a trick of hiding things, you know."
"No," decisively replied Mr. Chandos. "My mother might hear you; I could not risk the annoyance to her in her sick state. ”

“ Chandos.
"Look you here, sir. That woman, whoever she might have been, was trying to do you an injury; to cause you to lose your life, I should say; and the chances are that she's concealed somewhere about here still. Look at the opportunities for hiding there are here! Why a whole regiment of gipsies and murderers and thieves might be skulking amid the trees, and us none the wiser till they showed themselves out with guns and knives. That woman—which I'll be bound was a man—may be watching to come out upon you, sir, if you can be caught by yourself." ”

“ I cried, as they flew away. "Does he find Mr. Chandos dangerously ill?"
"There's a change for the better," she answered. "Mr. Chandos will be about again to-morrow or next day. For goodness sake don't keep me with questions now, Miss Hereford!"
Not I. I did not care to keep her after that good news; and I ran away as light as a bird.
The carriage drew up to the portico and Dr. Amos came down to it attended by Hickens and Hill. After he passed the parlour-door, I looked out of it, and saw Mr. Dexter come up. He had heard the news of Mr. Chandos's illness, and had come to inquire after him. ”

“ Chandos.
"That book-case."
"What next, Harry! As if I should do anything of the sort!"
"You had the keys last night. And no one opens that book-case but yourself."
"I did open that book-case, I remember, and undraw the curtains; I thought they were dusty, but I'm sure I thought I drew them again. I'm very sorry."
"Be more cautious for the future, Ethel. Lady Chandos is vexed. You see, while this young lady is in the house——"
"But I cannot see what business she has in the library," interrupted Mrs. Chandos, in a quick complaining tone. "A stranger has no right to the run of the house. ”

“ Edwin Barley's object was me. That it was himself who had been in the pine-walk, and again now at the window, I felt a positive conviction. He must have recognised me; this stealthy intrusion at odd times, seasonable and unseasonable, must be to watch me, to take note of my movements, not of those of the owners of Chandos. But for his motive I searched in vain.
"I cannot see or hear any one about," said Mr. Chandos, when he returned; "all seems to be quite free and still. I fancy you must have been mistaken, Miss Hereford." ”

“ That he was personally unknown to the Chandos family was evident: it seemed a strange thing that he should come and plant himself down at their very gates as soon as I became an inmate in the family. Had he in some crafty manner made himself acquainted with my entrance to it the very hour it took place? Surely it must have been so. And he had lost no time in following.
When once suspicion connected with fear arises in man's mind, or in woman's, the most trifling circumstances are allowed to confirm it. ”

“ I am no great scholar. And what good would they do me?"
The argument seemed all conclusive; at least to Mr. Chandos. I suspected the girl more and more.
"Well, Harry, I must leave you to your investigation, if I am to have a walk this afternoon," concluded Mrs. Chandos.
She went out and turned down the broad walk. Lizzy resumed her work in the dining-room, I and Mr. Dexter went back to the oak-parlour and stood at the window: and then I became aware that Mrs. Penn had lingered in the portico, talking with Mr. Chandos. ”

“ A Miss Hereford. She came here with Madame de Mellissie as travelling companion."
"But she is a stranger to Lady Chandos?"
"Entirely so."
"Then why does Lady Chandos permit her to be here? Is it well, in this house of misfortune? Is it prudent?"
"Scarcely so. Of course Lady Chandos can only hope—how you are squeezing that kitten, my dear!"
"Pretty little thing! it likes to be squeezed," responded Mrs. Chandos. "It is hiding itself from you; from that ugly bonnet. You do wear frightful bonnets, Mrs. Freeman; as ugly as the black ones of Lady Chandos." ”

“ He examined his lineaments, in the hopes of detecting a likeness to the Chandos portrait, with a particularity that much abashed the object of his scrutiny, and even tried to get him to accompany him to the church, that he might compare his features with those of the bust of the bard in the chancel. ”

“ Involuntarily the long-past words of Annette Barlieu flashed into my mind: and I had never thought of them since they were spoken. "There is always a cloud hanging over Chandos. They do not care to have a governess residing there: Miladi said it to me." Then what was the cloud?—what was the fear?
Hill came in again, saying I was to keep the chintz-room. Lady Chandos, in passing just now along the gallery to her own apartments in the west wing, saw for the first time that the blue room was not ready. So it was decided between her and Hill that I should occupy the chintz one. ”

“ Chandos had lost sword and battle-ax, but drawing his dagger, he held with one hand his opponent's sword-arm, and at last, after repeated strokes with his dagger, he found an undefended part of his armor and pierced him with his dagger to the hilt. The Spaniard relaxed his hold, and Chandos, throwing him off, struggled to his feet and rejoined his friends, who had thought him dead. They now fought with more enthusiasm than ever, and at last, driving back the main body of the French knights, isolated a body of some sixty strong, and forced them to surrender. ”