Then she received another tender of affection from a quarter whence she certainly did not expect it.The Duchess of Omnium wrote to her.The Duchess, though she had lately been considerably restrained by the condition of the Duke's mind, and by the effects of her own political and social mistakes, still from time to time made renewed efforts to keep together the Coalition by giving dinners, balls, and garden parties, and by binding to herself the gratitude and worship of young parliamentary aspirants.In carrying out her plans, she had lately showered her courtesies upon Arthur Fletcher, who had been made welcome even by the Duke as the sitting member for Silverbridge.With Arthur she had of course discussed the conduct of Lopez as to the election bills, and had been very loud in condemning him.And from Arthur also she had heard something of the sorrows of Emily Lopez.Arthur had been very desirous that the Duchess, who had received them both at her house, should distinguish between the husband and the wife.Then had come the tragedy, to which the notoriety of the man's conduct of course gave additional interest.It was believed that Lopez had destroyed himself because of the disgrace which had fallen upon him from the Silverbridge affair.And for much of that Silverbridge affair the Duchess herself was responsible.She waited till a couple of months had gone by, and then, in the beginning of May, sent to the widow what was intended to be, and indeed was, a very kind note.The Duchess had heard the sad story with the greatest grief.She hoped that Mrs Lopez would permit her to avail herself of a short acquaintance to express her sincere sympathy.She would not venture to call as yet, but hoped that before long she might be allowed to come to Manchester Square.
This note touched the poor woman to whom it was written, not because she herself was solicitous to be acquainted with the Duchess of Omnium, but because the application seemed to her to contain something like an acquittal, or at any rate a pardon, of her husband.His sin in that measure of the Silverbridge election,--a sin which her father had been loud in denouncing before the wretch had destroyed himself,--had been specially against the Duke of Omnium.And now the Duchess came forward to say that it should be forgiven and forgotten.When she showed the letter to her father, and asked him what she should say in answer to it, he only shook his head.'It is meant for kindness, papa.'
'Yes;--I think it is.There are people who have no right to be kind to me.If a man stopped me in the street and offered me a half-a-crown it might be kindness,--but I don't want the man's half--crown.'
'I don't think it is the same, papa.There is a reason here.'
'Perhaps so, my dear, but I do not see the reason.'
She became very red, but even to him she would not explain her ideas.'I think I shall answer it.'
'Certainly answer it.Your compliments to the Duchess and thank her for her kind inquiries.'
'But she says she will come here.'
'I should not notice that.'
'Very well, papa.If you think so, of course I will not.
Perhaps it would be an inconvenience, if she were really to come.' On the next day she did write a note, not quite so cold as that which her father proposed, but still saying nothing as to the offered visit.She felt, she said, very grateful for the Duchess's kind remembrance of her.The Duchess would perhaps understand that at present her sorrow overwhelmed her.
And there was one other tender of kindness which was more surprising than even that from the Duchess.The reader may perhaps remember that Ferdinand Lopez and Lady Eustace had not parted when they last saw each other on the pleasantest terms.
He had been very affectionate; but when he had proposed to devote his whole life to her and to carry her off to Guatemala she had simply told him that he was--a fool.Then he had escaped from her house and had never again seen Lizzie Eustace.She had not thought very much about it.Had he returned to her the next day with some more tempting proposition for making money she would have listened to him,--and had he begged her pardon for what had taken place on the former day she would have merely laughed.She was not more offended than she would have been had he asked her for half her fortune instead of her person and her honour.But, as it was, he had escaped and had never again shown himself in the little street near May Fair.Then she had the tidings of his death, first seeing the account in a very sensational article from the pen of Mr Quintus Slide himself.She was immediately filled with an intense interest which was infinitely increased by the fact that the man had but a few days before declared himself to be her lover.It was bringing her almost as near the event as though she had seen it! She was, perhaps, entitled to think that she had caused it! Nay;--in one sense she had caused it, for he certainly would not have destroyed himself had she consented to go with him to Guatemala or elsewhere.And she knew his wife.
An uninteresting, dowdy creature she had called her.But, nevertheless, they had been in company together more than once.
So she presented her compliments, and expressed her sorrow, and hoped that she might be allowed to call.There had been no one for whom she had felt more sincere respect and esteem than for her late friend Mr Ferdinand Lopez.To this note there was an answer written by Mr Wharton himself.
MADAM, My daughter is too ill to see even her own friends.
I am, Madam, Your obedient servant ABEL WHARTONAfter this, life went on in a very quiet way at Manchester Square for many weeks.Gradually Mrs Lopez recovered her capability of attending to the duties of life.Gradually she became again able to interest herself in her brother's pursuits and in her father's comforts, and the house returned to its old form as it had been before these terrible two years, in which the happiness of the Wharton and Fletcher families had been marred, and scotched, and almost destroyed for ever by the interference of Ferdinand Lopez.
But Mrs Lopez never for a moment forgot that she had done the mischief,--and that the black enduring cloud had been created solely by her own perversity and self-will.Though she would still defend her late husband if any attack were made upon his memory, not the less did she feel that hers had been the fault, though the punishment had come upon them all.
