A Double Knot Part 52

"And a good presence."

He bowed again.

"You are not quite handsome, but there is an aristocratic, well-bred look about you that would recommend you to any lady--and I mean you to marry a lady."

"Yes, by all means. Pray don't find me a young person who might pa.s.s for a relative of the great Elbraham."

"My good boy, there is no such party in the field; and if there were, I should not allow you to try and turn up that haughty aristocratic nose at her. A hundred thousand pounds, dear Arturo, would gild over a great many blemishes."

"True, O queen!" he said, smiling.

"As I said before, let us understand one another. You must not be too particular. Suppose the lady chances to be old?"

Litton made a grimace.

"And rich--very rich?"

"That would make amends," he said with a smile.

"I could marry you myself, Arturo," she continued, looking very much attenuated and hawk-like as she smiled at him in a laughing way.

"Why not?" he cried eagerly, as the richly-furnished home and income opened out to his mind ease and comfort for life.

"Because I am too old," she said, smiling at the young man's impetuosity.

"Oh, no," he cried; "you would be priceless in my eyes."

"Hold your tongue, Arturo, and don't be a baby," said her ladys.h.i.+p. "I tell you I am too old to be foolish enough to marry. There are plenty of older women who inveigh against matrimony, and profess to have grown too sensible and too wise to embark in it, who would give their ears to win a husband."

"Why should not Lady Littletown be placed in this list?" said Litton meaningly.

"Because I tell you she is too old in a worldly way. No, my dear boy, when an elderly woman marries, it is generally because she is infatuated with the idea of possessing a young husband. She thinks for the moment that he woos her for her worldly store; but she is so flattered by his attentions that these outweigh all else, and she jumps at the opportunity of changing her state."

"Again, then," he whispered impressively, "why should not this apply to Lady Littletown?"

"Silence, foolish boy!" she cried, menacing him again with the scissors, and holding up her flower-basket as if to catch the snipped-off head.

"I tell you I am too old in a worldly way, When a matter-of-fact woman reaches my years, and knows that she has gradually been lessening her capital in the bank of life, she tries to get as much as possible in the way of enjoyment out of what is left."

"Exactly," he cried eagerly.

"She takes matters coolly and weighs them fairly before her. 'If,' she says, 'I take the contents of this scale I shall get so much pleasure.

If I choose the contents of this other scale, I shall again obtain so much.'"

"Well, what then?" said Litton, for her ladys.h.i.+p paused in the act of decapitating a magnificent j.a.pan lily.

"What then? Foolish boy! Why, of course she chooses the scale that will give her most pleasure."

"Naturally," he said.

"Then that is what I do."

"But would not life with a man who would idolise you be far beyond any other worldly pleasure?"

"Yes," said her ladys.h.i.+p drily; "but give me credit, _mio caro_ Arturo, for not being such an old idiot as to believe that you would idolise me, as you call it."

"Ah, you don't know," he cried.

"What you would be guilty of to obtain a good settlement in life, my dear boy?"

"You insult me," he cried angrily.

"Oh no, my impetuous young friend; but really, Arturo, that was well done. Capital! It would be winning with some ladies. Rest a.s.sured that you shall have a rich wife. As for me, I have had you in the scale twice over. I did once think of marrying you."

"You did?" he cried with real surprise.

"To be sure I did," she said quietly. "Why not? I said to myself, 'I am careless of the opinion of the world, and shall do as I please;' and I pictured out my home with you, a _distingue_ man, at the head."

"You did?" he said excitedly.

"Of course I did. And then I pictured it as it is, with Lady Littletown, a power in her way, a well-known character in society, whose word has its influence, and one who can sway the destinies of many, in many ways, in the world."

"No; say in one," he exclaimed rather bitterly--"in the matrimonial world."

"As you will, _cher_ Arthur," replied her ladys.h.i.+p. "You see, I am frank with you. I weighed it all carefully, as I said, and weighed it once again, to be sure that I was making no mistake, and the result was dead against change."

"Highly complimentary to me!"

"A very excellent thing for you, my dear boy; for you would have led a wretched life."

"a.s.suming that your ladys.h.i.+p's charms had conquered my youthful, ardent heart?" he said.

"Silly boy! you are trying to be sarcastic," said Lady Littletown.

"Pis.h.!.+ I am too thick-skinned to mind it in the least. Be reasonable and listen, dear brother-in-arms."

"Why not lover-in-arms?" he cried quickly--"in those arms."

Lady Littletown placed her scissors in the hand that held the basket, raised her square gold eyegla.s.s, and looked at her visitor.

"Well done, Arturo! excellent, _mon general_! Why, you would carry the stoutest fort I set you to attack in a few days. I have not heard anything so clever as that apt remark of yours for months. Really," she continued, dropping the gla.s.s and resuming her scissors, "I am growing quite proud of you--I am indeed."

"And so you mock at me," he said angrily.

"Not I, Arturo; you were only practising; and it was very smart. No, my dear, it would not do for you; and I tell you frankly, you have had a very narrow escape."

"Why?" he said; and his eyes glanced round at the rich place with its many indications of wealth, and as he noted these there came to his memory his last unpaid bill.

"Because I have a horrible temper, and I am a terrible tyrant. Of course you would have married me for my money and position."