Read Henry James: Complete Stories 1864-1874 Online

Authors: Henry James

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Henry James: Complete Stories 1864-1874 (118 page)

 
Page 704
Mrs. Rushbrook told me she had not replied to me because she was about to return to Rome: she expected to see me almost as soon as, with the Holy Father's postal arrangements, a letter would be delivered to me. Meanwhile she couldn't pretend that she had done anything for me; and she confessed that the more she thought of what I wanted the more difficult it seemed. She added however that she now had a project, which she declined to disclose to me. She contradicted herself a little, for she said at one moment that she hadn't the heart to spoil poor Veronica's happiness and at the next that it was precisely to carry out her device (such a secret as it was, even from the girl!) that she had decided to quit Albano earlier than she had intended.
How can you spoil Veronica's happiness when she won't have any happiness? How can she have any happiness with a man who will have married her in such absurd conditions?
Oh, he's charming, Mr. Wilmerdingeverything you told me of him is true: it's a case of pure chivalry. He'll be very kind to herhe'll be sorry for her. Besides, when once he takes her away from her mother Veronica will be all right. Seeing more of them that way, before they left Frascati, I became ever so much interested in them. There's something in Veronica; when once she's free it will come out.
How will she ever be free? Her mother will be on top of themshe'll stick to themshe'll live with them.
Why so, when she has her other daughters to work for?
Veronica will be richI'm sure Mrs. Goldie will want to enjoy that.
They'll give her moneyMr. Wilmerding won't haggle!
How do you knowhave you asked him?
Oh, I know, smiled Mrs. Rushbrook. You know I saw them again. Besides, she added, he'll escape with his wifehe'll take her to America.
Veronica won't goshe'll hate that part of it.
Why will she hate it?
Oh, it isn't smart.
So much the better. I should like to go there.
Very good, said I. I daresay I shall be sent there by the Foreign Office some day. I'll take you over.
Oh, I don't want to go with
you,
said Mrs. Rushbrook,
 
Page 705
plainly. And then she added that she should try to get back to Rome by the Thursday.
How was it you saw so much of them before they went away? I suddenly inquired.
Why, they returned my visitthe queer young couple. Mr. Wilmerding brought her over to see me the day after we breakfasted with him. They stayed three or four hoursthey were charming.
Oh, I see; he didn't tell me.
Mrs. Rushbrook coloured a little. You say that in a tone!
I
didn't ask him not to.
I didn't say you did. However, he has had very little chance: we've scarcely spoken since that day.
You're very wronghe's such a good fellow.
I like the way you give me information about him, because you've seen him three times.
I've seen him fourI've seen him five, Mrs. Rushbrook protested. After they had been here I went over to Mrs. Goldie's.
Oh, to speak to her? I cried, eagerly.
I spoke to her, of courseit was to bid her good-bye. Mr. Wilmerding was therethat made another time. Then he came here once again. In fact, the next day Mrs. Rushbrook continued.
He came alone?
She hesitated a moment. Yes, he walked over. He said he was so nervous.
Ah, to talk it over, you mean? I exclaimed.
To talk it over?
Your interference, your rescue.
Mrs. Rushbrook stared; then she burst into merriment. You don't suppose we've spoken of that! Imagine his knowing it!
I stood correctedI perceived that wouldn't have done. But what then did he come for? I asked.
He came to see meas you do.
Oh, as I do! I laughed.
He came because he feels so awkward with the girl.
Did he tell you that?
You told me yourself! We never spoke of Veronica.
 
Page 706
Then what
did
you speak of?
Of other things. How you catechise!
If I catechise it's because I thought it was all for me.
For youand for him. I went to Frascati again, said Mrs. Rushbrook.
Lord, and what was that for?
It was for you, she smiled. It was a kindness, if they're so uncomfortable together. I relieve them, I know I do!
Gracious, you might live with them! Perhaps that's the way out of it.
We took another walk to Villa Mondragone, my hostess continued. Augusta Goldie went with us. It went off beautifully.
Oh, then it's all right, I said, picking up my hat.
Before I took leave of her Mrs. Rushbrook told me that she certainly would move to Rome on the Thursdayor on the Friday. She would give me a sign as soon as she was settled. And she added: I daresay I shall be able to put my idea into execution. But I shall tell you only if it succeeds.
I don't know why I felt, at this, a slight movement of contrariety; at any rate I replied: Oh, you had better leave them alone.
On the Wednesday night of that week I found, on coming in to go to bed, Wilmerding's card on my table, with Good-byeI'm off to-morrow for a couple of months scrawled on it. I thought it an odd time for him to be offI wondered whether anything had happened. My servant had not seen him; the card had been transmitted by the porter, and I was obliged to sleep upon my mystification. As soon as possible the next morning I went to his house, where I found a post-chaise, in charge of one of the old
vetturini
and prepared for a journey, drawn up at the door. While I was in the act of asking for him Wilmerding came down, but to my regret, for it was an obstacle to explanations, he was accompanied by his venerable chief. The American Minister had lately come back, and he leaned affectionately on his young secretary's shoulder. He took, or almost took, the explanations off our hands; he was oratorically cheerful, said that his young friend wanted to escape from the Roman pastto breathe a less tainted air, that he had fixed it all right and was going to see him off, to ride
 
Page 707
with him a part of the way. The General (have I not mentioned that he was a general?) climbed into the vehicle and waited, like a sitting Cicero, while Wilmerding gave directions for the stowage of two or three more parcels. I looked at him hard as he did this and thought him flushed and excited. Then he put out his hand to me and I held it, with my eyes still on his face. We were a little behind the carriage, out of sight of the General.
Franklywhat's the matter? I asked.
It's all overthey don't want me.
Don't want you?
Veronica can'tshe told me yesterday. I mean she can't marry me, Wilmerding explained, with touching lucidity. She doesn't care for me enough.
Ah, thank God! I murmured, with great relief, pressing his hand.
The General put his head out of the chaise. If there was a railroad in this queer country I guess we should miss the train.
All the same, I'm glad, said Wilmerding.
I should think you would be.
I mean I'm glad I did it.
You're a
preux chevalier.
No, I ain't. And, blushing, he got into the carriage, which rolled away.
Mrs. Rushbrook failed to give me the sign she promised, and two days after this I went, to get news of her, to the small hotel at which she intended to alight and to which she had told me, on my last seeing her at Albano, that she had sent her maid to make arrangements. When I asked if her advent had been postponed the people of the inn exclaimed that she was already thereshe had been there since the beginning of the week. Moreover she was at home, and on my sending up my name she responded that she should be happy to see me. There was something in her face, when I came in, that I didn't like, though I was struck with her looking unusually pretty. I can't tell you now why I should have objected to that. The first words I said to her savoured, no doubt, of irritation: Will you kindly tell me why you have been nearly a week in Rome without letting me know?
 
Page 708
Oh, I've been occupiedI've had other things to do.
You don't keep your promises.
Don't I? You shouldn't say that, she answered, with an amused air.
Why haven't I met you outin this place where people meet every day?
I've been busy at homeI haven't been running about.
I looked round me, asked about her little girl, congratulated her on the brightness she imparted to the most
banal
room as soon as she began to live in it, took up her books, fidgeted, waited for her to say something about Henry Wilmerding. For this, however, I waited in vain; so that at last I broke out: I suppose you know he's gone?
Whom are you talking about?
Veronica's
promesso sposo.
He quitted Rome yesterday.
She was silent a moment; then she repliedI didn't know it.
I thought this odd, but I believed what she said, and even now I have no doubt it was true. It's all off, I went on: I suppose you know that.
How do
you
know it? she smiled.
From his own lips; he told me, at his door, when I bade him good-bye. Didn't you really know he had gone? I continued.
My dear friend, do you accuse me of lying?
Jamais de la vie
only of joking. I thought you and he had become so intimate.
Intimatein three or four days? We've had very little communication.
How then did you know his marriage was off?
How you cross-examine one! I knew it from Veronica.
And is it
your
work?
Ah, minecall it rather yours: you set me on.
Is that what you've been so busy with that you couldn't send me a message? I asked.
What shall I say? It didn't take long.
And how did you do it?
How shall I tell youhow shall I tell?
You said you would tell me. Did you go to Mrs. Goldie?
No, I went to the girl herself.
 
Page 709
And what did you say?
Don't ask meit's my secret. Or rather it's hers.
Ah, but you promised to let me know if you succeeded.
Who can tell? It's too soon to speak of success.
Why soif he's gone away?
He may come back.
What will that matter if she won't take him?
Very trueshe won't.
Ah, what did you do to her? I demanded, very curious.
Mrs. Rushbrook looked at me with strange, smiling eyes. I played a bold game.
Did you offer her money?
I offered her yours.
Mine? I have none. The bargain won't hold.
I offered her mine, then.
You might be seriousyou promised to tell me, I repeated.
Surely not. All I said was that if my attempt didn't succeed I wouldn't tell you.
That's an equivocation. If there was no promise and it was so disagreeable, why did you make the attempt?
It was disagreeable to me, but it was agreeable to you. And now, though you goaded me on, you don't seem delighted.
Ah, I'm too curiousI wonder too much!
Well, be patient, said Mrs. Rushbrook, and with time everything will probably be clear to you.
I endeavoured to conform to this injunction, and my patience was so far rewarded that a month later I began to have a suspicion of the note that Mrs. Rushbrook had sounded. I quite gave up Mrs. Goldie's house, but Montaut was in and out of it enough to give me occasional news of
ces dames.
He had been infinitely puzzled by Veronica's retraction and Wilmerding's departure: he took it almost as a personal injury, the postponement of the event that would render it proper for him to make love to the girl. Poor Montaut was destined never to see that attitude legitimated, for Veronica Goldie never married. Mrs. Rushbrook, somewhat to my surprise, accepted on various occasions the hospitality of the Honourable Blancheshe became a frequent visitor at Casa Goldie. I was

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