Volume II Part 22 (1/2)
CHAPTER X
I was in the most contented frame of mind that can be conceived of until the very May month of the year I speak of, when an to be peculiar I don't think anybody can love suuish out, by heavy-shaded stream in an atmosphere all roses, the summer noons, can easier spend, in _insohts
But May does so June and July, or at the first delicate spring-tiold, and the lilacs toss broad-bloorape-like clusters, when the leaves, full swelling, are yet all veined with light, I cannot very ork hard, and would rather slave the livelong eleven months besides, to have that h I had no absolute right to leave my pupils and desert the first stones of ed to think that if I were to have a holiday at all, I had better take it then But I had not decided until I received a double intimation,--one from Davy, and one from the county newspaper, which last never chronicled events that stirred in London unless they stirred beyond it My joyous brother brought me the letter, and the paper was upon our table the sa when I came down to breakfast
”See here, Charles,” said Clo, who, sitting in her own corner, over her own book, was unwontedly excited; ”here is a piece of news for you, and raph enough, that the Chevalier Seraphael, the pianist and coh to remain in strict seclusion, he would not be inaccessible to professors He brought with him, I learned, ”the fruits of several years' solitary travel, no doubt worthy of his genius and peculiar industry”
Extremely to the purpose were these expressions, for they told me all I wanted to know,--that he was alive,for those who loved hiels Now, forit, for I chose to do so when alone, and waited until after breakfast It was a choice little supplement to that choicest of all invites for raceful, fir found no difficulty to stand out clear and black froy texture It was froht have dictated, yet containing certain business reports for Davy, direct as fro definitely to England, not either for any purposes save those all worthy of herself; she had accepted, after ement for the season; and, said she,--
”I only have ht for what I love best; it is so difficult to do what is right by music in these tiive me a little of your advice, dear sir, if I need it, as perhaps I may; but I hope not, because I have troubled you toolike you to please her hted to see it when I come to London, if you can allow me to do so”
The style of this end of a letter both amused and absorbed me; it was Clara's very idiosyncrasy I could but think, ”Is it possible that she has not altered o and see”
Davy received ence than I had dared to hope The suspension of er, disconcerted hio to London The only thing to be discovered hen to go, so as not to frustrate either one of ns or the other; and I declared he must, to that end, address Clara on the very subject
He did so, and in a fortnight there came the coolest note to say she would be in London the next day, and that she had heard the great musician would arrive before the end of the month I inly s Clara and the Chevalier had ht and prophesied not I was really reluctant to leave Davy with his hands and head full, that Iwith May fancies; but for once her, whose mortal frame is selfishness--impelled me I foundClara's address inwith me
It was early afternoon, and exquisitely splendid weather when I arrived in London In London, however, I had little to do just then, as the address of the house to which I was bound was rather out of London,--above the se into the surrounding country that lingers yet as a dream upon her day reality, hich dreams suit not ill, and from which they seldom part I love the heart of London, in whose awful deeps reflect the mysterious unfathomable of every secret, and where the homeless are best at home, where the home-bred fear not to wander, assured of sweet return; but I do not love its ie between that profound and the conserved, untainted sylvan vision, that, once overpast it, dawns upon us
Dashi+ng as abruptly as possible, and by the nearest way through all the brick wilderness outward, I reached in no long weary tih on foot, a quiet road, which by a continuous but gentle rise carried ether village, where Miss Benette had hidden her heart a the leaves
Cool and shady was the side I took, though the sunshi+ne whitened the highway, and every sureen earth's blooates I uarded dilistened, all beautiful as they were discerned afar in their frareen-houses But the wall I followed gave ardens inwards, so thickly blazed the laburnums and the paler flaes all sweet-brier, matted into one earden after garden and gate after gate, seeing no one; for the great charions consists in the extreme privacy of every habitation,--privacy which the ht envy, and never excel in his wilderness parks or shrubberies; and when at length I attained the summit of the elevation where two roads met and shut in a sweep of actual country, and I caan to look about for so the corner, I ca really sought it by any effort
The turn in the road I speak of went tapering off between hedgerows; and meadow-lands, as yet unencroached upon, sithin thee, older than any of the villas, and fraroves I left behind olden and purple May-trees across a reen lawn,--a perfect picture in its silence, and a very paradise of fragrance It was built of wood, and had its roof-hung s and drooping eaves protected by a spreading chestnut-tree, whose great green fans beat coolness against every lattice, and whose blossoarden was so full of flowers that one could scarcely bear the sweetness, except that the cool chestnut shadow dashed the breeze with freshness as it swept the heavy foliage and sank upon the checkered grass to a swoon I was not long lost in conte the nichefitter; but I was at some loss to enter, for the reminiscences of my childhood burdenedI now held stored withinI need not have feared
After waiting till I was asharass, still soft with the , to the front door, where I pulled a little bell-handle half s and fluttering like pink doves about the door and los This was as it should be, the very door-bell dressed with flowers; but more as it should be, it was that Thone opened the door I was alain, but that herto troublesome nerves She did not appear to have any idea who I was, nor did she even stare when I presented e bronze escaped from its pedestal, and attired in muslin, she conducted htest plants, into a double parlor, whose folding-doors were closed, and whose diamond-paned backlooked out far, and very far, into the country
Hearing not a voice in the next room, nor any rustle, nor even a soft foot hastily cross the bea overhead, I dared look about me for a moment, hid my hat in confusion under a chair, saw that the round table had a bowl of flowers in its centre, caught sight of lass-door of a small closed book-case, and, as if detected in some act, walked away to the
I could not have done a better thing to prepare myself for any fresh excitement; I was ready in an instant to ith joy at the beauty that flooded azed; it did not detain my eye,--I passed its tree-tops, all apple-bloorass where the tree-tops parted I looked out to the country,--an undulating country, a sea of green, flushed here and there with a bloomy level, or a breeze upon the crimson clover; odorous bean-fields quivered, and their scent was floating everywhere,--it drowned the very garden sweetness, and blended in aftures of unknown fragrance, all wild essences shed frorass, or plu up into the distance, silver in the sunlight
Soft hills against the heaven swept over visionary valleys; the sunshi+ne lay white and wares; over all spread the purple,sky, transparent on every leaf and blosso hills with an as that seerew dilated and indefinitely bright,--the soft thrall of the suspense that bounditself with mine ”electric chain”
as that May-dreaht, the colors of the flowers, or as music itself veils passion
I waited quite half an hour, and had lost e could come, when, without a sound, soht that burst through the folding-door, which had, however, again closed when I turned, for the tread was so silent Ion Clara stood before ined that she had been put away in a trance when I left her last, and but this instant was restored to me
She was notan actress, it seeaze; nor did she seem surprised, nor did her eyes droop, nor her fair cheek ht the crystal light as she opposedfor me to speak
I was heartily ashamed at last, and resolved to ard I put out reeted me; the infantine so
”I alad to see you, Miss Benette It was very kind of you to let htest possible Italian softening of her accent ”I aed to you, and I am very pleased also Please sit down, sir, for you have been standing, I a time I was out at first, and since I returned I ”