The Yellow Book Volume I Part 25

_Lady Dol._ He has no taste for cards, horses, brandy, or actresses. We read together, walk together, and drive together. In the evening, if he is too tired to engage in conversation, I play the piano while he dozes.

Lately he has taken a particular interest in Mozart's cla.s.sic light opera. Any interest of that kind is so elevating, and I know of nothing more agreeable than a musical husband.

_Lord Dol._ You see she is resolved on his marriage, and she has had Julia de Trappe on a visit with us for the last five weeks in the hope of bringing matters to a crisis.

_Lady Dol._ And why not? Our marriage was arranged for us, and what idle fancies of our own could have led to such perfect contentment?

[Lord Doldrummund _avoids her eyes_.]

_Soame._ Julia de Trappe? She must be the daughter of that Mrs. Howard de Trappe who gives large At Homes in a small house, and who spends her time hunting for old lovers and new servants.

_Lady Dol._ I own that dear Julia has been allowed to meet men and women who are not fit companions for a young girl, no matter how interesting they may be to the general public. Only yesterday she told me she was well acquainted with Mr. Mandeville, the tenor. Mrs. de Trappe, it seems, frequently invites him to dinner. Still, Julia herself is very sensible, and the family is of extraordinary antiquity.

_Soame._ But the mother? If she has not been in the divorce court, it is through no fault of her own.

_Lady Dol._ [_Biting her lip._] Mrs. de Trappe is vain and silly, I admit; but as she has at last decided to marry Mr. Banish, the banker, I am hoping she will live in his house at Hampstead, and think a little more about her immortal soul.

_Soame._ Does Cyril seem at all interested in Miss Julia?

_Lady Dol._ Cyril has great elegance of mind, and is not very strong in the expression of his feelings one way or the other. But I may say that a deep attachment exists between them.

_Soame._ A man must have sound wisdom before he can appreciate innocence. But I have no desire to be discouraging, and I hope I may soon have the pleasure of congratulating you all on the wedding.

Good-bye.

_Lord Dol._ What! Must you go?

_Soame._ Yes. But [_aside to_ Lord Dol.] I shall bear in mind what you say. I will do my best. I have an engagement in town to-night.

[_Chuckles._] An amusing one.

_Lord Dol._ [_With envy._] Where?

_Soame._ At the Parna.s.sus.

_Lady Dol._ [_With a supercilious smile._] And what is the Parna.s.sus?

_Soame._ A theatre much favoured by young men who wish to be thought wicked, and by young ladies who _are._ Good-bye, good-bye. [_Shakes hands with_ Lord _and_ Lady Doldrummond _and goes out_.]

_Lady Dol._ Thank goodness, he is gone! What a terrible example for Cyril. I was on thorns every second lest he should come in. Soame has just those meretricious attractions which appeal to youth and inexperience. That you should encourage such an acquaintance, and even discuss before him such an intimate matter as my hope with regard to Julia, is, perhaps, more painful than astonis.h.i.+ng.

_Lord Dol._ They are both too young to marry. Let them enjoy life while they may.

_Lady Dol._ _Enjoy_ life? What a degrading suggestion! I have often observed that there is a lurking taste for the vicious in every Doldrummond. [_Picking up_ Cyril's _miniature from the table_.] Cyril is pure Bedingfield: my second self!

[_The Butler announces_ Mrs. De Trappe, Mr. Arthur Featherleigh, Mr.

Banish. Mrs. de Trappe _is a pretty woman with big eyes and a small waist; she has a trick of biting her under-lip, and looking shocked, as it were, at her own audacity. Her manner is a little effusive, but always well-bred. She does not seem affected, and has something artless, confiding, and pathetic._ Mr. Featherleigh _has a nervous laugh and a gentlemanly appearance; otherwise inscrutable_. Mr. Banish _is old, well-preserved, rather pompous, and evidently mistakes deportment for dignity_.]

_Mrs. de Trappe._ [_Kissing_ Lady Dol. _on each cheek_.] Dear Edith, I knew we should surprise you. But Mr. Banish and I are house-hunting, and I thought I must run in and see you and Julia, if only for a second. I felt sure you would not mind my bringing Arthur [_indicating_ Featherleigh.] He is so lonely at the prospect of my marriage that Mr.

Banish and I have promised to keep him always with us. We have known each other so long. How should we spend our evenings without him? James admits they would be tedious, don't you, James? [_Indicating_ Banish.]

_Banish._ Certainly, my dear.

_Lady Dol._ [_Stiffly._] I can well understand that you have learned to regard Mr. Featherleigh as your own son. And as we advance in years, it is so pleasant to have young people about us.

_Mrs. de Trappe._ [_After a slight pause._] How odd that it should never have struck me in that light before! I have always thought of Arthur as the trustee, as it were, of my poor fatherless Julia [_To_ Banish.] Have I not often said so, James?

_Banish._ [_Dryly._] Often. In fact I have always thought that Julia would never lack a father whilst Arthur was alive. But I admit that he is a little young for the responsibility.

_Feather._ [_Unmoved._] Do not forget, Violet, that our train leaves in fifty-five minutes.

_Lord Dol._ [_Catching a desperate glance from_ Lady Doldrummond.] Then I shall have time to show you the Russian poodles which the Duke of Camdem brought me from j.a.pan.

_Mrs. de Trappe._ [_Peevishly._] Yes, please take them away. [_Waving her hand in the direction of_ Banish _and_ Featherleigh.] Edith and I have many secrets to discuss. Of course she will tell you [_to_ Lord Dol.] everything I have said when we are gone, and I shall tell Arthur and James all she has said as we go home. But it is so amusing to think ourselves mysterious for twenty minutes. [_As the men go out laughing, she turns to_ Lady Doldrummond _with a sigh_.] Ah, Edith, when I pause in all these gaieties and say to myself, Violet, you are about to marry a second husband, I cannot feel sufficiently thankful that it is not the third.

_Lady Dol._ The third?

_Mrs. de Trappe._ To face the possibility of a third honeymoon, a third disappointment, and a third funeral would tax my courage to the utmost!

And I am not strong.

_Lady Dol._ I am shocked to see you so despondent. Surely you antic.i.p.ate every happiness with Mr. Banish?

_Mrs. de Trappe._ Oh, yes. He has money, and Arthur thinks him a very worthy sort of person. He is a little dull, but then middle-cla.s.s people are always so gross in their air when they attempt to be lively or amusing; so long as they are grave I can bear them well enough, but I know of nothing so unpleasant as the sight of a banker laughing. As Arthur says, City men and butlers should always be serious.

_Lady Dol._ Do you think that the world will quite understand--Arthur?

_Mrs. de Trappe._ What do you mean, Edith? A woman must have an adviser.

Arthur was my late husband's friend, and he is my future husband's friend. Surely that should be enough to satisfy the most exacting.

_Lady Dol._ But why marry at all? why not remain as you are?

_Mrs. de Trappe._ How unreasonable you are, Edith! How often have you urged me to marry Mr. Banish, and now that it is all arranged and Arthur is satisfied, you begin to object.

_Lady Dol._ I thought that you liked Mr. Banish better.

_Mrs. de Trappe._ Better than Arthur? No, I am not so unkind as that, nor would James wish it. I am marrying because I am poor. My husband, as you know, left nearly all his money to Julia, and I feel the injustice so acutely that the absurd settlement he made on me is spent upon doctor's bills alone. If it were not for Arthur and one or two other kind friends who send me game and other little things from time to time, I could not exist at all. [_Draws off her gloves, displays a diamond ring on each finger, and wipes her eyes with a point-lace pocket-handkerchief._] And when I think of all that I endured with De Trappe! How often have I been roused from a sound sleep to see the room illuminated and De Trappe, rolled up in flannel, sitting by the fire reading "Lead, kindly Light." What an existence! But now tell me about Julia. I hope she does not give you much trouble.

_Lady Dol._ I only hope that I may keep her always with me.

_Mrs. de Trappe._ How she must have improved! When she is at home I find her so depressing. And she does not appeal to men in the least.

_Lady Dol._ I could wish that all young girls were as modest.

_Mrs. de Trappe._ Oh, I daresay Julia has all the qualities we like to see in some other woman's daughter. But if you were her mother and had to find her a husband, you would regard her virtues in another light.

Fortunately she has eight thousand a year, so she may be able to find somebody. Still, even money does not tempt men as it once did. A girl must have an extraordinary charm. She is so jealous of me. I cannot keep her out of the drawing-room when I have got callers, especially when Mr.

Mandeville is there.

_Lady Dol._ I have heard of Mr. Mandeville. He is an actor, a singer.

_Mrs. de Trappe._ A lovely tenor voice. All the women are in love with him, except me. I would not listen to him. And now they say he is going to marry Sarah Sparrow--a great mistake. I should like to know who would care about him or his singing, once he is married.

_Lady Dol._ And who is Sarah Sparrow?