CHAPTER LXXII.
When we quitted the bed-side of Lady Anne, Lord Rotheles, delighted with the prospects of his two remaining nieces, anxious to see his still languishing sister, and, particularly desirous to hear how the election progressed, determined to set off on the spur of the moment, and get through a couple of stages that very evening. His lady's thoughts being ever Londonward, she took care to throw no drawback on his wishes, further than to propose spending the first day or two at the Clarendon, whilst their own house was prepared, to which he gladly assented. To be near Sir Edward Hales was alone a subject of consideration with him, and he hoped to prevail on him and Mrs. Margaret to take up their abodes at Rotheles House, as soon as possible. As he had never been properly informed of the state of his sister, he allowed himself to believe that those who prophesied her death some months before, had deceived themselves, and that her own account was the only one to be relied on, yet he had many surmisings.
His anxiety on this point increased the nearer he advanced to London, and he gave orders at Hounslow to call in Welbeck Street the first thing, in order to make particular inquiries. Helen presented herself at the door of the carriage, into which she was immediately admitted, and received affectionate, and, on the earl's part, sincere congratulations on the state of her love affairs; but she was evidently so low in her spirits, and her account of Lady Anne was so unsatisfactory, that the earl would not proceed farther without seeing his sister, and he alighted accordingly, and went into the dining-room, that she might be apprized of his coming.
The invalid was at the moment propped up with pillows, and Georgiana was feeding her with jelly. In the morning, accounts of a tolerably promising nature had been received from Mrs. Glentworth, but they were not sufficiently so to prevent her from experiencing much solicitude, and frequently wishing herself on the spot, and, so much was she absorbed by this subject, that when told her brother was in the house, and earnestly desired to see her, she answered, "Bring Lord Rotheles here immediately; he very likely can tell me something about the election."
Agreeable to her present humour, and consistent with her unfailing spirit of "keeping up appearances," she addressed the earl in a cheerful tone, welcoming him to town, and telling him she expected him to give away both her daughters. "Only to think, Rotheles," she added, "Helen, whom I have sighed over many a time, fearing, pretty as she is, that she would live to become an old maid, with blue lips, and a whitey brown complexion, living on her hundred a year in a northern village, playing tradrille with the doctor's lady and the vicar's widow; instead of which, this very girl marries the handsomest young nobleman about town!"
Lord Rotheles made an effort to smile—to speak was utterly beyond his power. That the shadow before him was really the remnant of his sister, her voice and its subject convinced him, otherwise he might have exclaimed, "unreal mockery, hence," to the thing which hailed him "brother." Yet was there no deficiency in those observances, which soften to the eye the ghastly character of that visitant, whose seal is on the features. The curtains of the bed were lined with the palest pink, the finest lace fell in soft folds round the pale face, and a rich velvet scarf was thrown over the counterpane, to divert the eye from noting deficiencies; yet Lord Rotheles saw alone that death in a palpable form was before him; the very voice seemed unearthly; he was shocked, bewildered, overcome, as he had never been before, and, sinking into the nearest chair, his bosom heaved with convulsive sobs, that seemed to rend his very frame.
Georgiana was exceedingly alarmed, and offered him water, salts, whatever she could think of, and the nurse eagerly began to chafe his hands for a short time, being exceedingly alarmed, whilst his old attendant, long accustomed to witness his complaint, was horror struck by the expression of his countenance. His lord had never been so ill as now, since several hours passed before he was able to speak, and his physician desired to have a consultation, which accordingly took place, but without any favourable results. The whole of the next day every person under the roof, with their kind neighbours, and the good old baronet, were indefatigable in their attentions, and those of the latter appeared to yield the patient some comfort, for even when he could not speak, his eye surveyed him with apparent pleasure, and, when he could utter it, the name of Glentworth several times broke from his lips. As no one understood him so well as Georgiana, she was the person to whom Lady Anne from time to time applied for information. On this circumstance being mentioned, she observed, "It was rather odd he mentioned the name in kindness; had he done it with a curse, it would have been no wonder, though that would not have applied to her son-in-law."
"My uncle has no other feelings than kind ones, to any human being. I understood him to say, that Mr. Glentworth and he had been equal sufferers from some wicked man, but that he now forgave even that man, and trusted my brother would do the same."
"I am glad he did say so—that he could say so; it makes me happy."
"And I think he wants to see Mr. Glentworth about his will, but Sir Edward said that was immaterial, he should do as well; to which uncle assented."
"I thought that woman would have taken care to wheedle him into getting the little he has to leave, long ago. Mind you don't let her come near me; and yet I should just like to inquire how she approved of my daughter Mary's marriage, after seven years of unmerited suffering? I should, I confess."
"Not now, dear mamma, not now," said Georgiana, in piteous accents.
"It must be now, or never," said Lady Anne, sharply; but to the great relief of her daughters, she did not mention such an intention again, though she was evidently busy in her own mind, calculating what it was probable Lady Rotheles might make by the effects her husband would leave. "The furniture," she muttered, "is old, and out of fashion. I don't suppose Colonel Ellerton will buy it at all. If I could speak to him, I'm sure he wouldn't. The hounds and horses will go for something, though they are gone down sadly since he left off hunting. Then there must be debts: no one ever died out of debt who pretended to any style at all! Time was, Rotheles had plenty of them; but his godfather left him a capital legacy only ten years since, and I think he has been pretty well off for a long time. She has a thousand a year secured, and not a single child to keep; and now she will take the sweepings, and make a couple of thousands at least: no great things to leave a castle with, to be sure. I'll tell Mary to claim my picture by Lawrence; neither she nor the heir has a right to it. A good deal of the plate is heirloom, or I would insist on the rights of my daughters."
Though the mind of Lady Anne was thus busy, whilst her afflicted brother was struggling for life, it is certain that she also felt much for his sufferings; and as both Helen and Georgiana were up the whole night, her inquiries were incessant, and she sent many kind messages which had always a soothing effect on his mind, and it was observed that in every petition for mercy which either acute pain, or a proper sense of his approaching fate drew from his lips, he often coupled the name of her he termed his "beloved sister." The following morning he was much easier, and heard, with a faint smile, that his sister was delighted with the progress of the election, and had even proposed to be carried up to his room to read the letters she had received; but he declined a visit which he was sure would be her immediate death, and said—"He wished to see no one but his nieces and Sir Edward." Lady Rotheles was forbidden by the latter to ask him any questions, and told "that all his affairs were equitably settled," on which she flew down stairs and insisted on seeing Lady Anne, saying—"some conspiracy was on foot to deprive her of her rights, and she was determined to do herself justice. Lady Anne had been a thorn in her side while she lived, and was determined to injure her, even when she had ceased to live."
Helen wept, and clung around her. The nurse assured her that the physician had peremptorily insisted that no stranger should enter; but she persisted and forced her way to the bed of the invalid, who had heard all that had passed, and was perfectly prepared to receive her.
"Dear sister," she began (not aware that her words had been heard), "I think it strange that you should be denied to me, at a time when we have a joint interest in the disposition of Lord Rotheles's property, which he is probably giving entirely to strangers. Sir Edward Hales rules him in every thing."
"Thank God he is in such good hands! I cannot think myself, that your neice Henrietta is the properest of all people to receive it, though she did cajole Lord Allerton, with your assistance, so adroitly."
"My niece! What has my niece to do with it?"
"More than you, for you have taken my complaint and will die. Yes, die! probably before me! Foolish woman, why did you suffer yourself to go into a passion, which opens the pores, creates excitability, and will render the slightest infection fatal? Yes! I am unintentionally the avenger of my many injuries. Every word you speak, every breath you inspire, subjects you to becoming the awful spectacle you are beholding, ay, and soon, too. Georgiana, lose not a moment in giving the countess some drops—the antiseptic drops, which you all take to guard you from infection, and"
But the countess was gone, and her carriage rolling down the street, ere Georgiana could reach either drops or water. As Lady Anne heard it, she said, with somewhat of a complacent smile, "I do wish old Palmer had been here to see how I sent that woman off! I have cured her for one while of tormenting either me or her husband. Tell your dear uncle she is gone, Georgiana; and see if he continues easier."
Many were the messages passed on this eventful day between the invalids, and all spoke of Lord Rotheles as being easy in person and calm in mind; but exactly forty-eight hours after his severe seizure on beholding his sister, the last of the Earls of Rotheles breathed his dying sigh, whilst feebly grasping the hand of that venerable friend who was the "foe to his faults, but friend to his amendment," and who forgot his own infirmities in his anxiety to impart eternal truths, or bless, with heavenly consolations, that humble and contrite spirit which was, as he devoutly trusted,
"Not doomed to die, and go it knew not where."