LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 142, 17 November 1874, Page 3

LITERATURE.

LADY ESTHER. Bv Mrs Forrester, Author of “From Olympus to Hades,” &c. ( Continued.) Charter 111. A dinner party and ball were given that evening by the Dowager Countess of Gladesham, Lady Esther’s grandmother, and it was supposed that, with sufficient encouragement, Mr Valliant would, upon this occasion, propose himself as th efutur of the high-bred young damsel. For once the girl took precedence of her elder sister, which was in itself a triumph, was better dressed, and treated with more consideration. The rich man took her into dinner, and she armed herself with smiles to meet his vulgar commonplaces. Jacob Valliant was an essentially vulgar man ; he had crept somehow into society though the fortune he (and his father before him) had made, and he entertained a servile adoration for rank that made him blush with shame for his own humble origin. The height of his ambition was to marry a woman of title, and to that end he had cast his eyes on the fair Esther, and lent money to her scapegrace brother. What tortures the proud girl underwent—tortures that in a worthier cause might have earned her a martyr’s crown! Occasionally she cast a side glance at his bald shining forehead and well-oiled black curls, at his ill-bred thick-set features, and marked, with a contemptuous curl of her lip, his uneasy manner and want of repose. How she shuddered, inwardly, at his loud-whispered compliments, and turned sick when he fixed his dull eyes on her face with a lover-like gaze. But the torments during dinner were as nothing to those which followed; for Mr Valliant, not content with engaging her for the first dance and the Lancers, in which he performed steps and perspired profusely with nervousness, insisted on trying mazy evolutions of the waltz ; and Lady Esther, the best waltzer in town, was forced to make herself ridiculous in the clumsy arms of this hapless votary of Terpsichore. How devoutly she thanked Heaven when he put one of his awkward feet upon her dress, and tore the soft tulle into ribbons, and she was obliged to leave him to have it repaired. As a faithful chronicler, I am obliged to state that she rushed away first, and cried, in private, with rage and shame, before she submitted herself to the “neat-handed Phillis ” in attendance. But later on came the crowning torture. This was when the rich man conducted her to a recess of the dimly lighted conservatory, with the obvious intention of proposing to her. As unkind fate would haveit, the recess w r as tenanted by Captain Loraine, who had gone there to indulge his jealous misery alone. He rose as footsteps approached, and, seeing who it was, turned away towards the ball-room. But as he went, he shot a glance of such passionate pain and entreaty at Esther, that, highlywrought as her nerves were, she could hardly restrain herself from bursting into a flood of tears. As it was she bit her lace handkerchief through, and bent quickly over a cluster of roses. * You’re fond of flowers I see, Lady Esther,’ broke in the high-pitched tones of her admirer. ‘ Ah ! I’ve got much finer ones down at my place in Surrey than anything here. ’ ‘ I have heard Valliant Park is very fine, answered Lady Esther, trying to smile. ‘ Well, I flatter myself I’ve made something of it,’ was the complacent reply, ‘ and I mean it to be the show-place of the county before I’ve done. A poor tumbledown old place it was when I bought it; the people were too poor to keep it up ; but I’ve spent no end of money on it, and I expect I shall have to lay out as much again before it’s really Letter A —Number 1. I shall only want one thing then,’ and Mr Valliant hesitated and blew his nose, being ill at ease. ‘ A nd that is ?’ interrogated Lady Esther, softly, but feeling in her heart the most degraded of her sex. ‘ Some one to share it with me,’ said the lover, edging nearer, and taking the girl’s hand in his vulgar paw. For the moment Lady Esther felt a savage desire to tell him she loathed and detested him, and to bid him begone ; she could have dragged her hand away and flown in hot haste from his hateful presence; but she controlled the impulse, and looked silently into her bouquet. ‘lf you —would only honour me by accepting my hand, Lady Esther, I—l’m sure it would be my pride to—to heap everything around you that —that you’ve been used to and could fancy.’ (The man was wise in his generation ; he did not plead love.) Well, Lady Esther accepted him, and tried very hard to feel triumphant when she received the congratulations of her family. Chapter IV. ‘ It is not true, Esther! Oh, darling, be quick and speak! If you only knew the torture I have lived in since last night. _! A momentary hush, a quicker beatm" of two hearts that throbbed painfully, and then the answer. ‘ It is quite true, Captain Loraine. Then a long silence, only broken by a choked ‘ God help me ! ’ The speakers were walking side by side down one of the long glades in Kensington Gardens! The bright Juno sunbeams came slanting through the forest of green leaves, and lay stretched full length all athwart the soft cool grass ; the sweet birds piped and sang, and everywhere the tired eyes rested opened long sylvan arcades of branching boughs and shadowed turf. There was a sound of blithe child-voices at their merry romps; groups of readers and workers sat

under the big old trees ; but just here, itt this sheltered spot, there was nothing to disturb the two who walked in heavy-hearted silence.

Lady Esther turned at last with feverish impatience. ‘ This is bad for us both, and is foolish besides. Congratulate me, Vincent, and let me go. ’ Her voice was harsh and strained; her lips quivered, and tears stood in the soft grey eyes. She stood still, putting out a little ungloved hand as if to wish him goodbye.

Captain Lorainc took the hand, but ho did not say good-bye ; he only drew her to one of two chairs, that through the thoughtful consideration of Mr Pearce had been placed conveniently near together under tho shelter of a spreading chestnut. One of the badged minions watched the new customers with secret pleasure, but made no mental distinction between them and the dashing sergeant and nursemaid he had just taken toll of farther up. ‘Esther, I have something to say to you.’ There was such pleading in the voice, such sorrow in the kindly blue eyes, that Lady Esther sat down quietly without resistance, only giving a little weary sigh, * Darling, you think just now, because you arc in all the whirl and excitement of fashionable life, that you could not live without it; you feel ready to make any sacrific® for pomp and show. You won’t accuse me of speaking only from interest, dear, will you ? but if I know anything of your nature, all these hollow shams will never satisfy you.’ ‘You don’t know anything of my nature,” broke in the girl, petulantly, because her heart was so sore ; “ you want to set me up on a pedestal, and believe everything that’s good and generous. I am nothing of the sort. I have no heart. I love the world and pomp and show, as you call it. They are not hollow shams to me—they are real tangible things, out of which I shall get all the pleasure that I expect in this life. Nothing would make up to me for being poor—not all the love in the world and Esther spoke with quick passion, because she was bitterly angry and ashamed of herself. At this moment the phantom watcher of the chairs appeared with stolid face before the pair, causing Captain Loraine to anathematize heartily under his breath. In the midst of an exciting love scene to be called upon to feel in your pockets for gross material dross, and to have more gross material dross returned you in the way of greasy coppers, is sufficiently disordering to the mental balance. When the phantom was vanished, as chairmen and spirits can vanish, the young man took Lady Esther’s hand again. ‘ Don’t be so harsh against yourself, dear. I don’t believe, in spite of all you may say, that you could live without love. And oh, darling ! if you only knew how I would love you !’ and the strong young voice grew quite tremulous.

Two great tears fell into Lady Esther’s lap, but her weakness only made her more petulant. ‘Won’t you be desillusionne ?’ she exclaimed. ‘I tell you I can do perfectly without love. Bah ! love has gone out of fashion, and marrying for love is more ridiculous still. If I did as you wanted you would repent it in a month, and then it would be too late.’

‘ I should never repent it, Esther. I could give up everything in Jhe world for you. ’ “It is only an idea; if it were not impossible for you to marry me you would not value me a quarter as much. Why don’t you look out for a woman with money ?’ ‘ Because you are the only girl in the world that is dear and loveable in my eyes.’ ‘ Can’t you be disenchanted ?’ and a little foot tapped the ground impatiently. (What French author says that a woman’s foot always betrays her, however -well she may command all else ?) ‘ I have no heart. I will not make a single sacrifice for you ; my mind is bent on vanity and display. _ I am ready to crush every womanly feeling for ambition, and you know it all, and yet you insist on loving me. Why will you be so unreasonable ?’

‘ I don’t know, darling. When one loves as I love you, there is no reasoning. If there are virtues, one loves the virtues ; if there are faults, one loves the faults—only one goes on loving.’ Lady Esther was crying now; her face was turned away, and the lace that crossed her breast rose and fell with a quick uncertain movement.

‘ Oh, child, don’t cry ! I would not pain you for all the world.’ The tone was so grieved and tender; but the girl rose quickly, and brushed away the tears with impatient scorn. ‘ I think I am not very well, ’ she said; ‘ the heat is depressing. Don’t think _ I am regretting my decision ’ she added defiantly. ‘ I don’t a bit. Good-bye, Captain Loraine; you will not cut me because I am going into trade ;’ but here she broke down miserably, and was obliged to sink back into the chair, and fairly hide her face in her handkerchief. _ The young man was infinitely tender to her varying moods ; he knew well enough how she was suffering, and he did not quite despair yet. At this moment Mrs La Touche was seen coming quickly towards them. Lady Esther rose, and advanced to meet her. To be continued.