第23章

"Oh，dear，dear，dear!Becausethatiswhereeverydaughtergoesintrouble。Ishould——she_has。_Fancyyounotseeingthat——why，FannyDoverwouldhavetoldyouthatmuchinamoment。Butnowyouwillhavetothank_my_motherforteachingmeAttention，theparentofMemory。Pray，sir，whowerethewitnessestothatabominablemarriageofhers?"

"Iremembertwo，BaronHompesch——"

"No，CountHompesch。"

"AndCountMeurice。"

"Viscount。What，haveyouforgottenHerrFormes，FrauleinGraafe，ZugtheCapellmeister，andherverymother?Comenow，whosedaughterisshe?"

"Iforget，I\'msure。"

"WalterFerrisandEvaKlosking，ofZutzig，inDenmark。Pack——startforCopenhagen。Consultanordnancemapthere。FindoutZutzig。GotoZutzig，andyouhavegother。Itissomeholeinawilderness，andshecan\'tescape。"

"Youcleverlittleangel!I\'llbethereinthreedays。DoyoureallythinkIshallsucceed?"

"Yourownfaultifyoudon\'t。Shehasrunintoa_cul-de-sac_throughbeingtooclever；and，besides，womensometimesrunawayjusttobecaught，andhideonpurposetobefound。Ishouldnotwonderifshehassaidtoherself，\'Hewillfindmeifhelovesmesovery，verymuch——I\'lltryhim。\'"

"Notawordmore，angelicfox，"saidVizard；"I\'mofftoZutzig。"

Hewentoutonfire。Sheopenedthewindowandscreechedafterhim，"Everythingisfairafterherbehaviortome。Takeherabookofthosespiritualsongssheissofondof。\'Johnnycomesmarchinghome，\'isworththelot，Ireckon。"

AwaywentVizard；foundCopenhagenwithease；Zutzigwithdifficulty，beingasmallvillage。Butoncethere，hesoonfoundthefarmhouseofEvaKlosking。Hedroveuptothedoor。ADanishlaborercameoutfromthestabledirectly；andabuxomgirl，withpalegoldenhair，openedthedoor。Thesetwoseizedhisluggage，andconveyeditintothehouse，andthehiredvehicletothestable。Vizardthoughtitmustbeaninn。

Thegirlbubbledmelodioussounds，andranoffandbroughtasweet，venerablename。VizardrecognizedEvaKloskingatonce。Theoldladysaid，"Fewstrangerscomehere——areyounotEnglish?"

"Yes，madam。"

"ItisMr。Vizard——isitnot?"

"Yes，madam。"

"Ah，sir，mydaughterwillwelcomeyou，butnotmoreheartilythanIdo。

Mychildhastoldmeallsheowestoyou"——theninDanish，"Godblessthehouryoucomeunderthisroof。"

Vizard\'sheartbeattumultuously，wonderinghowInaKloskingwouldreceivehim。Theservanthadtoldheratallstrangerwascome。Sheknewinamomentwhoitwas；soshehadtheadvantageofbeingprepared。

Shecametohim，hercheeksdyedwithblushes，andgavehimbothhands。

"Youhere!"saidshe；"oh，happyday!Mother，hemusthavethesouthchamber。Iwillgoandprepareitforhim。Tecla!——Tecla!"——andshewasallhostess。Shecommittedhimtohermother，whilesheandtheservantwentupstairs。

Hefeltdiscomfitedalittle。Hewantedtoknow，allinamoment，whethershewouldlovehim。

However，Danishhospitalityhasitsgoodside。Hesoonfoundouthemightlivetherestofhisdaysthereifhechose。

Hesoongotheralone，andsaid，"YouknewIshouldfindyou，cruelone。"

"HowcouldIdreamofsuchathing?"saidshe，blushing。

"Oh，Loveisadetective。Yousaidtoyourself，\'IfhelovesmeasI

oughttobeloved，hewillsearchEuropeforme；buthewillfindme。\'"

"Oh，thenitwasnottobeatpeaceandrestonmymother\'sbosomIcamehere；itwastogiveyouthetroubleofrunningafterme。Oh，fie!"

"Youareright。Iamavainfool。"

"No，thatyouarenot。Afterall，howdoIknowallthatwasinmyheart?

(Ahem!)Besureofthis，youareverywelcome。Imustgoandseeaboutyourdinner。"

InthatDanishfarmhouselifewasveryprimitive。EvaKlosking，andbothherdaughters，helpedthetwofemaleservants，ordirectedthem，ineverydepartment。SoIna，whowasonherdefense，hadmanyexcusesforescapingVizard，whenhepressedhertoohotly。Butatlastshewasobligedtosay，"Oh，pray，myfriend——weareinDenmark:herewidowsareexpectedtobediscreet。"

"ButthatisnoreasonwhytheEnglishfellowswhoadorethemshouldbediscreet。"

"Perhapsnot:butthentheDanishladyrunsaway。"

Whichshedid。

But，afterthebustleofthefirstday，hehadsomanyopportunities。Hewalkedwithher，satwithherwhilesheworked，andhungoverher，entranced，whileshesung。HeproducedthebookfromVizardCourtwithoutwarning，andshescreamedwithdelightatsightofit，andcaughthishandinbothhersandkissedit。Shereveledinthosesweetstrainswhichhadcomfortedherinaffliction:andoh，theeyessheturnedonhimaftersinginganysonginthisparticularbook!Thosetenderglancesthrilledhimtotheverymarrow。

Totellthehonesttruth，hisarrivalwasagodsendtoInaKlosking。Whenshefirstcamehometohernativeplace，andlaidherheadonhermother\'sbosom，shewasinElysium。Thehouse，thewoodfires，thecooingdoves，thebleatingcalves，theprimitivelife，therecollectionsofchildhood——allwerebalmtoher，andshefeltlikeendingherdaysthere。

But，asthedaysrolledon，cameasenseofmonotonyandexcessivetranquillity。Shewasonthevergeof_ennui_whenVizardbrokeinuponher。

Fromthatmomenttherewasnostagnation。Hemadelifeverypleasanttoher；onlyherdelicacytookthealarmathisopendeclarations；shethoughtthemsopremature。

Atlasthesaidtoher，oneday，"IbegintofearyouwillneverlovemeasIloveyou。"

"Whoknows?"saidshe。"Timeworkswonders。"

"Iwonder，"saidhe，"whetheryouwillevermarryanyotherman?"

Inawasshockedatthat。"Oh，myfriend，howcouldI——unless，"saidshe，withaslyside-glance，"youconsented。"

"Consent?I\'dmassacrehim。"

Inaturnedtowardhim。"Youaskedmyhandatatimewhenyouthoughtme——Idon\'tknowwhatyouthought——thatisathingnowomancouldforget。

Andnowyouhavecomeallthiswayforme。Iamyours，ifyoucanwaitforme。"

Hecaughtherinhisarms。Shedisengagedherself，gently，andherhandrestedanunnecessarymomentonhisshoulder。"Isthathowyouunderstand\'waiting?\'"saidshe，withablush，butanindulgentsmile。

"Whatistheusewaiting?"

"Itisamatterofpropriety。"

"Howlongarewetowait?"

"Onlyafewmonths。Myfriend，itislikeaboytobetooimpatient。

Alas!wouldyoumarrymeinmywidow\'scap?"

"OfcourseIwould。Now，Ina，love，awidowwhohasbeentwoyearsseparatedfromherhusband!"

"Certainly，thatmakesadifference——inone\'sownmind。Butonemustrespecttheopinionoftheworld。Dearfriend，itisofyouIthink，thoughIspeakofmyself。"

"Youareanangel。Takeyourowntime。Afterall，whatdoesitmatter?I

don\'tleaveZutzigwithoutyou。"

Ina\'spinktintandsparklingeyesbetrayedanythingbuthorroratthatinsaneresolution。However，shefeltitherdutytosaythatitwasunfortunatesheshouldalwaysbethepersontodistracthimfromhishomeduties。

"Oh，nevermindthem，"saidthissingle-heartedlover。"IhaveappointedMissGaleviceroy。"

However，onedayhehadaletterfromZoe，tellinghimthatLordUxmoorwasnowurginghertonametheday；butshehaddeclinedtodothat，notknowingwhenitmightsuithimtobeatVizardCourt。"But，dearest，"

saidshe，"mind，youarenottohurryhomeforme。IamveryhappyasI

am，andIhopeyouwillsoonbeashappy，love。Sheisanoblewoman。"

ThelatterpartofthislettertemptedVizardtoshowittoIna。Hesoonfoundhismistake。Shekissedit，andorderedhimoff。Heremonstrated。

Sheputon，forthefirsttimeinDenmark，hermarblelook，andsaid，"Youwilllessenmyesteem，ifyouarecrueltoyoursister。Lethernamethewedding-dayatonce；andyoumustbetheretogiveheraway，andblessherunion，withabrother\'slove。"

Hesubmitted，butalittlesullenly，andsaiditwasveryhard。

Hewrotetohissister，accordingly，andshenamedtheday，andVizardsettledtostartforhome，andbeintime。

Astotheproprieties，hehadinstructedMissMaitlandandFannyDover，andgiventhemandLaGale_carteblanche。_Itwastobeamagnificentwedding。

Thisbeingexcitement，FannyDoverwasinparadise。Moreover，arosy-cheekedcuratehadtakentheplaceofthevenerablevicar，andMissDover\'sthreattoflirtoutthestigmaofanunwasexecutedwithpromptitude，zeal，pertinacity，andthedexteritythatcomesofpractice。

WhenthedaycameforhisleavingZutzig，Vizardwasdejected。"Whoknowswhenwemaymeetagain?"saidhe。

Inaconsoledhim。"Donotbesad，dearfriend。Youaredoingyourduty；

andasyoudoitpartlytopleaseme，Ioughttotryandrewardyou；

oughtInot?"Andshegavehimastrangelook。

"Iadviseyounottopressthatquestion，"saidhe。

Attheveryhourofparting，Ina\'seyesweremoistwithtenderness，buttherewasasmileonherfaceveryexpressive；yethecouldnotmakeoutwhatitmeant。Shedidnotcry。Hethoughtthathard。Itwashisopinionthatwomencouldalwayscry。Shemighthavedonetheusualthingjusttogratifyhim。

Hereachedhomeingoodtime:andplayedthe_grandseigneur_——nobodycoulddoitbetterwhendriventoit——todohonortohissister。Shewasapeerlessbride:shestoodsuperiorwithebonlocksandcoalblackeyes，encircledbysixbridemaids——allpickedblondes。Thebevy，withthatgloriousfigureinthemiddle，seemedonegloriousandrareflower。

Afterthewedding，thebreakfast；andthenthetravelingcarriage；thefourliveriedpostilionsbedeckedwithfavors。

ButthebrideweptonVizard\'sneck；andalightseemedtoleavethehousewhenshewasgone。Thecarriageskeptdrivingawayoneafteranothertillfouro\'clock:andthenVizardsatdisconsolateinhisstudy，andfeltverylonely。

Yetathingnobiggerthanaleafsufficedtodriveawaythissombermood，apieceofamber-coloredpaperscribbledonwithapencil:atelegramfromAshmead:"Goodnews:lostsheepturnedup。IsnowwithhermotheratClaridge\'sHotel。"

ThenVizardwasinraptures。NowheunderstoodIna\'scomposure，andthehalfslylookshehadgivenhim，andherdryeyesatparting，andotherthings。HetoreuptoLondondirectly，withatelegramflyingahead:

burstinuponher，andhadherinhisarmsinamoment，beforehermother:shefencednolonger，butownedhehadgainedherlove，ashehaddeserveditineveryway。

SheconsentedtobemarriedthatweekinLondon:onlysheaskedforaContinentaltourbeforeenteringVizardCourtashiswife；butshedidnotstipulateevenforthat——sheonlyaskeditsubmissively，asonewhosedutyitnowwastoobey，notdictate。

TheyweremarriedinSt。George\'sChurchveryquietly，byspeciallicense。Thentheysawhermotheroff，andcrossedtoCalais。TheyspenttwohappymonthstogetherontheContinent，andreturnedtoLondon。

ButVizardwastooold-fashioned，andtooproudofhiswife，tosneakintoVizardCourtwithher。Hedidnotmakeitacountymatter；buthegavethevillagesucha_fete_ashadnotbeenseenformanyaday。ThepreparationswereintrustedtoMr。Ashmead，atIna\'srequest。"Hewillbesuretomakeittheatrical，"shesaid；"butperhapsthesimplevillagerswilladmirethat，anditwillamuseyouandme，love:andthepoordearoldThingwillbeinhisglory——Ihopehewillnotdrinktoomuch。"

Ashmeadwasindeedinhisglory。NothinghadbeenseeninaplaythathedidnotelectrifyIslipwith，andthesurroundingvillages。Hepastedlargepostersonwallsandbarndoors，andhissmallbillscurledroundthepatriarchsoftheforestandtheroadsidetrees，andblisteredthegateposts。

Thedaycame。Asoapypole，withalegofmuttononhighforthesuccessfulclimber。Racesinsacks。Shortblindfoldraceswithwheelbarrows。Pigwithagreasytail，tobewonbyhimwhocouldcatchhimandshoulderhim，withouttouchinganyotherpartofhim；bowlsoftreaclefortheboystoduckheadsinandfishoutcoins；skittles，ninepins，AuntSally，etc。，etc。，etc。

ButwhatastonishedthevillagersmostwasaMay-pole，withlongribbons，aboutwhichballetgirls，undisguisedasHighlanders，danced，andwoundandunwoundtheparty-coloredstreamers，tothemerryfiddle，andthendancedreelsuponaplatform，thenreturnedtotheirlittletent:butoutagainanddancedhornpipesundisguisedasJackyTars。

Beerflowedfromasturdyregimentofbarrels。"TheCourt"kitchenandthevillagebakehousekeptpouringforthmeats，baked，boiled，androast；

therewasapileoflo