Mr Huntingdon's acquaintances appear to be no better pleased with our approaching union than mine. This morning's post brought him letters from several of his friends, during the perusal of which, at the breakfast.table, he excited the attention of the company by the singular variety of his grimaces. But he crushed them all into his pocket, with a private laugh, and said nothing till the meal was concluded. Then, while the company were hanging over the fire or loitering through the room, previous to settling to their various morning's avocations, he came and leant over the back of my chair, with his face in contact with my curls, and commencing with a quiet little kiss, poured forth the following complaints into my ear--`Helen, you witch, do you know that you've entailed upon me the curses of all my friends? I wrote `to them the others day, to tell them of my happy prospects, and now, instead of a bundle of congratulations, I've got a pocketful of bitter execrations and reproaches. There's not one kind wish for me, or one good word for you among them all. They say there'll be no more fun now, no more merry days and glorious nights--and all my fault--I am the first to break up the jovial band, and others, in pure despair, will follow my example. I was the very life and prop of the community, they do me the honour to say, and I have shamefully betrayed my trust--'
`You may join them again, If you like,' said I, somewhat piqued at the sorrowful tone of his discourse. `I should be sorry to stand between any man--or body of men--and so much happiness; and perhaps I can manage to do without you, as well as your poor deserted friends,'
`Bless you! no,' murmured he, `It's "all for love or the world well lost," with me. Let them go to--where they belong, to speak politely, But If you saw bow they abuse me, Helen, you would love me all the more, for having ventured so much for your sake.'
He pulled out Iris crumpled letters, I thought he was going to show them tome, and told him I did not wish to see them.
`I'm not going to show them to you, love,' said he. `They're hardly fit for a lady's eyes--the most part of them. But look here. This is Grimsby's scrawl--only three lines, the sulky dog! He doesn't say much, to be sure, but his very silence implies more than all the others' words, and the less he says, the more he thinks--G--d--n him!--I beg your pardon, dearest--and this is Hargrave's missive, He is particularly grieved at me, because, for sooth, he had fallen in love with you from his sister's reports, and meant to have married you himself, as soon as he had sown his wild oats.'
`I'm vastly obliged to him,' observed I.
`And so am I,' said he. `And look at this. This is Hattersley's--every page stuffed full of railing accusations, bitter curses, and lamentable complaints, ending up with swearing that he'll get married himself in revenge: he'll throw himself away on the first old maid that chooses to set her cap at him,--as If I cared what he did with himself.'
`Well,' said I, `If you do give up your intimacy with these men, I don't think you will have much cause to regret the loss of their society; for it's my belief they never did you much good.'
`Maybe not; but we'd a merry time of it, too, though mingled with sorrow and pain, as Lowborough knows to his cost--Ha, ha!' and while he was laughing at the recollection of Lowborough's troubles, my uncle came and clapped him on the shoulder.
`Come, my lad!' said he. `Are you too busy making love to my niece to make war with the pheasants?--First of October, remember!--Sun shines out--rain ceased even Boarham's not afraid to venture in his waterproof boots; and Wilmot and I are going to beat you all. I declare, we old 'uns are the keenest sportsmen of the lot!'
`I'll show you what I can do today, however,' said my companion.
`I'll murder your birds by wholesale, just for keeping me away from better company than either you or them.'
And so saying he departed; and I saw no more of him till dinner.
It seemed a weary time: I wonder what I shall do without him.
It is very true that the three elder gentlemen had proved them selves much keener sportsmen than the two younger ones; for both Lord Lowborough and Arthur Huntingdon have, of late, almost daily neglected the shooting excursions to accompany us in our various rides and rambles, But these merry times are fast drawing to a close. In less than a fortnight the party breaks up, much to my sorrow, for every day I enjoy it more and more--now that Messrs Boarham and Wilmot have ceased to tease me, and my aunt has ceased to lecture me, and I have ceased to be jealous of Annabella--and even to dislike her--and now that Mr Huntingdon is become my Arthur, and I may enjoy Iris society with out restraint--What shall I do without him, I repeat?