Mrs. Clifton

“ When the man had bowed and retired, Captain Clifton passed out through the open leaf of the window, into the piazza, and thence down into the lawn, to speak to Frank, who was just entering from the garden with Mrs. Clifton on his arm.
Georgia saw at a glance, that her train of gunpowder had caught, and the magazine had blown up, and her dark, beautiful, 100demoniac, witching face lighted up with a lurid joy for one unguarded instant, and then all was self-recollection, self-control, and sweet, smooth, serene, alluring glamour. ”

“ Clifton sent for her, with the message that her friend Zuleime had come. That was no sufficient lure to the resolute girl, however, who had once for all determined that nothing but the absolute necessities of others should draw her again into the dangerous association of the Cliftons. She returned thanks to the lady, declining the visit. Mrs. Clifton was disappointed in missing the society of her young favorite for that day. Yet the time passed very pleasantly notwithstanding. There is scarcely any such thing as a stiff dinner party in the country. ”

“ You love Archer Clifton! You feed your heart upon the secret hope of one day being his wife! And now listen to me, girl!” she exclaimed, every vestige of prudence and self-restraint swept away by her rising passion, “I, too, day and night, feed my soul upon one desperate hope—that I live for, would die for, or go to perdition for! I, too, love Clifton. ”

“ Clifton.”
“No, Kate—no, my dear girl. I have to talk rationally to the man as soon as he comes to his senses,” replied the lady.
“Who is that girl?” inquired the old gentleman, not recognizing Kate under the new aspect—or affecting not to do so. “Who is that girl, Mrs. Clifton?” he repeated, while the lady gazed fondly on her protégé.
“Miss Kavanagh; my son’s ward, and my own adopted daughter,” replied Mrs. Clifton, without withdrawing her fond gaze from the face of Kate, who was blushing under it. ”

“ Clifton’s cheerfulness infected all the party—both upon this evening and afterwards. Her decline was so gradual, so painless, that she never took to her bed—but when weakest, sat in the easy-chair in the parlor, often with a little light knitting in her hands, that she would leisurely work upon, or drop into her lap, to be resumed at pleasure, while she conversed with Catherine and Major Clifton, or listened while one of them read, or both sang. There never were more pleasant, serene days, than these of the invalid’s gentle decay. ”

“ You are not the first noble-minded man that has been duped by a bad woman! You feel it as every generous hearted man would. But it will pass. Life has many chances, and you will be happy yet. My friendship is not much, perhaps, but is it not something?”
“Yes—yes—yes—yes—sweet friend, it is much,” said Archer Clifton, slowly—half soliloquizing, as he took and held her hand. Then suddenly starting, as out of a reverie, he exclaimed—“Mrs. Clifton, you know my errand here—it is to bring you over to Hardbargain, for the purpose of which you have already been advised by the note.” ”

“ Little else but suffering and sorrow had the girl seen since she came into the world—and no part had she filled in life but that of servant, nurse, or comforter.
The summer passed with Mrs. Clifton and Catherine in almost uninterrupted retirement. They heard, at long intervals, from Major Clifton and his bride, and then the news was various and unsatisfactory. Sometimes Carolyn was better, and there would be a talk of speedy return, and, perhaps, the very next letter, after a long interval, would speak of a season of prostration by extreme illness. ”

“ Clifton remained a week longer in town, to give Catherine an opportunity of attending a course of lectures on Moral Philosophy. And their escort every evening was Colonel Conyers.
255 CHAPTER XXII.
LIFE’S VARIOUS PHASES.
Why, let the stricken deer go weep,
The hart ungalled play,
For some must watch while some may sleep.
So runs the world away.—Shakspeare. It was always Mrs. Clifton’s rule to spend Christmas at home—so she arranged to leave Richmond on the twenty-third. It was three o’clock on the dark, cold, winter morning, that the stage called for them. ”

“ He is an honest, kind-hearted man,” said Mrs. Clifton, with a sigh of regret.
“Yes, he is a good man. Heaven bless him with a good wife,” answered Kate.
Neither of these unworldly women once reverted to the advantages of rank resigned with the rejected lover.
And soon Catherine had other thoughts and occupations than those connected with courtship and marriage. The situation of her grandfather demanded all her care. For many months before this, the long and persevering efforts of the patient girl had been blessed with success, and the old man had abandoned the use of intoxicating spirits. ”

“ For many days the struggle between life and death went on, and no one, not even the medical attendant, was able to form an opinion as to which power would eventually conquer.
Mrs. Clifton had taken her station by the bedside of the patient as permanent nurse, and she constantly refused to yield her post to any other person. And it was to her vigilant attention, quick perceptions, and intelligent treatment, that all the family ascribed the recovery of the girl. For the crisis came and passed, and Carolyn Clifton lived. ”

“ And as Kate’s little, rough-coated pony stepped freely out over the ground, life and hope and joy tided back to her heart, giving bloom to her cheeks, light to her eyes, and elasticity to all her motions. She was very glad indeed to find herself on her way to the farm, and about to exchange the feverish, exciting atmosphere of White Cliffs, and the disturbing proximity of Georgia, for the long, calm days, and long, calm evenings with Mrs. Clifton, at the farm-house. ”

“ Clifton went to Richmond and brought back his wife. And then she bade them all good-bye and returned home—not to the farm-house of Hardbargain, but to her brother Carl’s cabin.
She needed to commune with herself, and be still. She wished to descend into the unsounded abysses of her heart, and examine, though with awe, the mystery of iniquity that in some unguarded hour had germinated there—this growing passion for a man betrothed to another. No matter if the marriage was broken off for the present. They loved each other. ”

“ Georgia would need a female companion, he got in his chaise, and went ever to Hardbargain for Catherine.
“Kate is not here,” said Mrs. Clifton, in answer to his inquiries—“do you not know that she has been for three weeks at her brother’s cabin, nursing his wife through her confinement?”
Major Clifton threw his hat upon the table, and dropped himself into a chair, with an air of extreme vexation, saying—
316“It really seems to me that that girl is nurse and servant-in-general to the neighborhood! Her brother might easily have found some old woman to nurse his wife. ”

“ I would to God she were born mine—my own—body, soul and spirit! 94My own to use or abuse—to crown or kill, as I listed!” exclaimed Clifton, passionately, while his cheeks and very lips were white and dry, and his eyes burned with a fierce, consuming, inward fire. And forgetting all things real, he felt as in a vision, a girl’s spirit swoop down upon his bosom, and a dream voice murmur in his ear—“Oh! if it will give you one instant’s joy to press me strongly to your heart—crush me to death in the fold, and my soul will exhale in rapture to Heaven.” ”

“ You never, never shall become the dupe of that woman! I have entered the lists with her. I mean, that to save you, I have done so, and before I leave them, I will prove her false and treacherous. God show the right!”
Major Clifton gazed upon her in wonder. The strong emotion that she had exhibited, imposed upon him, for there was no doubting its reality; and far from suspecting its cause, an unhallowed passion for himself, he ascribed it solely to her strong conviction of Catherine’s unworthiness, and to her disinterested regard for his own welfare. ”

“ The woman that Major Clifton shall marry, if he ever marries, will be quite worthy of him, and that will preclude the idea of his ‘stooping’ to her.”
“And that woman will not be you, presumptuous girl. Do you dare to hope it will? Speak! Answer me!”
“Lady!” said Catherine, in a tone of grave and dignified rebuke, “considering the recent bereavement of Major Clifton, the discussion into which you have drawn me is indelicate, to use no harsher term!” ”

“ For instance, do you know your own heart or mind? In all hearts lie depths below depths, never known to the owner until some earthquake of sorrow, or of passion, throw them open to view! There are in all minds powers beyond powers of achievement or of endurance, unsuspected by their possessor until some emergency calls them into action! But give me the drawings, Kate, they will refresh me like a talk with Archer.”
Catherine lifted them, en masse, and handed them to Mrs. Clifton, who took and examined each separately and leisurely. ”

“ To this half petulant, half laughing philippic Captain Clifton, while his glance still roved over the shrouded hemisphere, replied, with an indulgent smile—
“You cannot see the face of the country for the morning veil she chooses to wear. But wait till high noon, when the sun, her royal lover, in the meridian of his glory, shall raise that gauzy covering, and she, like a right royal bride, shall smile and blush in light and glory.” ”

“ Mrs. Clifton and Miss Kavanagh?”
“Yes, Colonel Conyers, and I am as much pleased as surprised to find you here! How comes it that we are fellow travelers?” said the lady, placing her own in his offered hand.
“And how-do-you-do, Miss Kavanagh?—really, I am so overjoyed to find you here! Why, you must know, my dear Mrs. Clifton, that I have been due at White Cliffs for several days. I am, in fact, the laggard of a party—but in truth I could not tear myself from Richmond, while you and Miss Kavanagh remained. ”

“ There was a small proportion of really well-dressed and dignified women and stately, honorable men.
“How do you like the scene, Catherine?” asked Mrs. Clifton.
Kate laughed—then replied—
“I am somewhat disappointed, but very much more diverted! It seems to me so strange that people should look, dress and behave so very inappropriately! and that they could possibly be so very ill-dressed and dowdy at such a great expense. I expected something very recherché and elegant in the saloon of the Governor’s mansion. ”

“ And your jealousy is as ridiculous as it is indelicate. In the first place, this girl, though brought up on the mountain, comes of respectable, if humble parentage, and possesses, by all accounts, a higher toned moral and intellectual nature than most young ladies are endowed with. She is as far removed from vice as my own Carolyn! In the second place, she is the protégé of Mrs. Clifton, as well as of Captain Clifton, and enjoys that excellent lady’s esteem and friendship, spending half of every day in her company, except when visitors are at the house. ”

“ Clifton, of Hardbargain, has been troubled with some refractory servant, and has sent for her son to come up and reduce him to order—or possibly there may be some dispute or difficulty in settling the demands of the hired harvest hands. They are often even dishonest in their extortions.”
“Deferring to your better judgment, madam, still, I fear not! I think such trifles would scarcely have raised so dark a thunder-cloud upon Clifton’s brow,” said Frank.
“Oh, well! At worst it is but some lover’s quarrel with his most exacting queen, Carolyn!” playfully replied the lady. ”

“ You are not at all alike in feature. Are you very much attached to this brother, Catherine?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Humph.” He did not speak again until they had reached White Cliffs, when he handed her out, and said—“Catherine, Mrs. Georgia is greatly fatigued; I wish you to attend to her comforts, this evening—do you hear?”
“Yes, sir,” replied Kate.
The next day Mrs. Clifton, of Hardbargain, came over to call on Georgia. And afterwards, at the earnest solicitation of her son, she paid them a visit of a week. Major Clifton busied himself with the settlement of the estate. ”

“ When they reached her bed-chamber, he noticed that the smile had departed from her lips, and the color from her cheeks. The old physician put on his spectacles, and looked scrutinizingly at her face and hands, laid his hand upon her forehead and bosom, to get the temperature, felt her pulse, felt her hands and feet, and finally pronounced her to be doing very well.
“May she not be wakened up, sir?” asked Clifton, almost selfish in his impatience for a reconciliation.
“By no means. She must be let alone—nature is her best physician, and the sleep she prescribes, her best medicine.” ”

“ He disliked all demonstrations of emotion, and detested all exhibitions of evil passion in a woman. It was the high-bred delicacy and refinement—the queenly placidity—the cool reserve and stately dignity of Carolyn Clifton, that had attracted his first admiration. And though he sometimes gallantly complained of her cruelty, he would not have had her manner one degree warmer. But now this fair, cool, peerless queen o’er herself and her emotions, had yielded to passions that might govern a serving-maid—to suspicion, jealousy, and fierce anger—had descended to virulent, vituperative abuse! ”