Not at all, answered Harry. They call their prejudices principles, and then, of course, they cannot be decently relinquished.
Mrs. Johnstone Miller is a very superior woman. It is a great thing to hear her criticise Longfellow, Whittier, Eugene Field, Will Carlton, and the rest. I am sure she believes that she could easily excel each in their own department, if she were not prevented by her high-bred exclusiveness.
Not unlikely, Rose; there is no impertinence like the impertinence of mediocrity.
Mediocrity! Why, Harry, Mrs. Johnstone Miller is worth all of three million dollars, and it is very good of her to interest herself about literature at all. And with these words Mrs. Filmer rose, and Harry gave her his arm, and the little party strolled slowly round the piazzas, and so through the blue portières into the drawing-room. And as Adriana did so, she had a vivid memory of Harry Filmer as she first saw him, standing between the pale draperies. They had emphasized his black hair and eyes and garments very distinctly; for the young man was physically dark, 25 even the vivid coloring of his face being laid upon a skin more brown than white.
Mrs. Filmer made herself comfortable in the easiest of easy chairs, and began mechanically to turn and change the many rings upon her fingers; the act being evidently a habit, conducive to reflection or rest. She told Harry to go away and smoke his cigar; but the young man said he was saving the pleasure until the moon rose; and in the meantime, he added, he should expect the ladies to amuse him. Rose was talking of the greatest poets of the age, he said, but I am wondering what possible use we can have for poetry. Our age is so distinctively material and epicurean.
Then Adriana asserted that it was precisely in such conditions poetry became an absolute necessity. Poetry only could refine views that would become gross without it; and give a tinge of romance to manners ready to become heartless and artificial. The discussion was kept up with much spirit and cleverness, though diverging continually to all kinds of asides, and Mrs. Filmer, with half-closed eyes, watched and listened, and occupied her mind with far different speculations.
Then there was some music; Rose played in her faultlessly brilliant manner; and Harry sang The Standard Bearer, and Adriana sang a couple of ballads. And by this time the moon had risen, and Harry brought woolen wraps, and the two girls walked with him, while he smoked more than one cigar. At first, the promenade was to a quickstep of chatter and laughter; but as the glorious moonshine turned earth into heaven, their steps became slower, their laughter died away, feeling grew apace, speech did not seem 26 necessary, and a divine silence that felt even motion to be a wrong was just beginning to enthrall each young, impressible heart.
At that moment Mrs. Filmer broke the dangerous charm by an imperative assertion that it was high time the house was locked up for the night. She had been asleep and forgotten herself, she said, and there was a tone of hurry and worry in her voice. So emotion, and romance, and young loves dreaming were locked out in the moonshine; and there was a commonplace saying of good-nights. At their bedroom doors, Rose and Adriana kissed each other, and Rose said:
I have been thinking of poor Dick Duval. Poor Dick! He loves me so much!
Then love him in return, Rose.
Impossible! He is poor.
With a sad smile, and a deep sigh, Rose shut her door. It was characteristic of her, that she had not thought of Adriana and Harry. But Harry could not sleep for thought for a sweet, pervading, drifting thought, that had no definite character, and would indeed have been less sweet if it had been more definite. He could only tell himself that he had found a new kind of woman; that her beauty filled his heart; and that her voice whether she spoke or sang set him vibrating from head to feet.
As for Adriana she was serious, almost sorrowful, and she wondered at the mood, finding it nevertheless quite beyond her control. Had she been wiser in love lore she would have feared it; for there is a gloom in the beginnings of a great love, as there is gloom in deep water; a silence which suspends expression; an attitude shy and almost reverent, it being the nature of true love to purify the temple in which it burns.
CHAPTER II
The next morning Harry went to New York. Mrs. Filmer, Rose, and Adriana stood on the piazza and watched him leap into the dog-cart, gather up the reins, and drive away at a rate supposed to be necessary in order to catch the train. He looked very handsome and resolute, and the house felt empty without his predominating presence.
Harry promises to be home again at five oclock; then, if we are ready, he will drive with us, said Rose; and towards this hour all the days hopes and happiness verged. For already Harry stole sweetly into Adrianas imaginations, and to Rose his return was interesting, because he was to bring back with him his friend Neil Gordon. Neil was not Roses ideal lover; but he was unconquered, and therefore provoking and supposable; and as environment has much to do with love, Rose hoped that the heart, hard as flint to her charms in the city, might become submissive and tender among the roses and syringas.
Harry was on time, but he was alone. Neil did not keep his engagement, he explained, and as I wished to keep mine, I did not wait for him. I think we can do without Neil Gordon. Rose said he was not at all necessary; but she suddenly lost her spirits and grumbled at the sunshine and the dust, and did not appear to enjoy her drive in the least. They went twice through the village, and passed Adrianas home 28 each time. Peter was in his garden, and he saw them, and straightened himself that he might lift his hat to Harrys salute, and to the kiss his handsome daughter sent him from her finger tips. The event pleased him, but he was not unnaturally or unadvisedly proud of it. He considered the circumstance as a result of giving his girl a fine education, and he hoped some of the rich, miserly men of the village would see and understand the object lesson. In the evening he walked down to the post-office. He expected his neighbors to notice the affair, and he had a few wise, modest words ready on the duty of parents to educate their daughters for refined society. He intended to say it was natural for girls to look for the best, and that they ought to be fitted for the best; and so on, as far as he was led or supported.
But no one spoke of Adriana, and people generally seemed inclined to avoid Peter; even his intimates only gave him a passing good-night as they went rapidly onward. At length, Peter began to understand. I believe they are dumb with envy, he thought, and his thoughts had a touch of anger. Of course, it is better to be envied than pitied; but I wish they did not feel in that way. It is disappointing. Bless my little Yanna! There are many who would not mind her being behindhand with God; who cannot bear her to be beforehand with the world. It is queer, and it is mean; but Ill say nothing about it; a man cant wrangle with his neighbors, and be at peace with his God at the same time and it is only a little cloud it will soon blow over.
He had scarcely come to this conclusion when he was accosted by an impertinent busybody, who said some sharp things about Mr. Harry Filmers reputation, 29 and the imprudence of Adriana Van Hoosen being seen driving with the young man.
Go up to the Filmers house, and say to them what you have said to me, answered Peter, and his face was black with anger.