I'll settle it for you, which way you like.""You will? Oh, Fanny, you are very good!""Say indulgent, please. I'm not good, and never will be, if _I can possibly help._ I despise good people; they are as weak as water. But Ido like you, Zoe Vizard, better than any other woman in the world. That is not saying very much; my taste is for men. I think them gods and devils compared with us; and I do admire gods and devils. No matter, dear. Kiss me, and say, 'Fanny, act for me,' and I'll do it."Zoe kissed her, and then, by a truly virginal impulse, hid her burning face in her hands, and said nothing at all.
Fanny gave her plenty of time, and then said, kindly, "Well, dear?"Then Zoe murmured, scarce audibly, "Act--_as if_--I loved him."And still she kept her face covered with her hands. Fanny was anything but surprised at this conclusion of the struggle. She said, with a certain alacrity, "Very well, I will: so now bathe your eyes and come in to supper.""No, no; please go and make an excuse for me.""I shall do nothing of the kind. I won't be told by-and-by I have done wrong. I will do your business, but it shall be in your hearing. Then you can interfere, if you choose. Only you had better not put your word in till you see what I am driving at."With a little more encouragement, Zoe was prevailed on to sponge her tearful eyes and compose herself, and join Harrington at supper.
Miss Maitland soon retired, pleading fatigue and packing; and she had not been gone long, when Fanny gave her friend a glance and began upon Harrington.
"You are very fond of Mr. Severne, are you not?" said she.
"I am," said Vizard, stoutly, preparing for battle. "You are not, perhaps."Fanny laughed at this prompt pugnacity. "Oh, yes, I am," said she;"devoted. But he has a weakness, you must own. He is rather fond of gambling.""He is, I am sorry to say. It is his one fault. Most of us have two or three.""Don't you think it would be a pity if he were to refuse to go with us tomorrow--were to prefer to stay here and gamble?""No fear of that: he has given me his word of honor.""Still, I think it would be hardly safe to tempt him. If you go and tell him that friend of his won such a lot of money, he will want to stop; and if he does not stop, he will go away miserable. You know they began betting with his money, though they went on with their own.""Oh, did they? What was his own money?"
"How much was it, Zoe?"
"Fifty pounds."
"Well," said Vizard, "you must admit it is hard he should lose his own money. And yet I own I am most anxious to get him away from this place.
Indeed, I have a project; I want him to rusticate a few months at our place, while I set my lawyer to look into his affairs and see if his estate cannot be cleared. I'll be bound the farms are underlet. What does the Admirable Crichton know about such trifles?"Fanny looked at Zoe, whose color was rising high at all this. "Well!"said she, "when you gentlemen fall in love _with each other,_ you certainly are faithful creatures.""Because we can count on fidelity in return," said Vizard. He thought a little, and said, "Well, as to the other thing--you leave it to me. Let us understand one another. Nothing we saw at the gambling-table is to be mentioned by us.""No."
"Crichton is to be taken to England for his good.""Yes."
"And I am to be grateful to you for your co-operation in this.""You can, if you like."
"And you will secure an agreeable companion for the rest of the tour, eh?--my diplomatic cousin and my silent sister.""Yes; but it is too bad of you to see through a poor girl, and her little game, like that. I own he is a charming companion."Fanny's cunning eyes twinkled, and Zoe blushed crimson to see her noble brother manipulated by this artful minx and then flattered for his perspicacity.
From that moment a revulsion took place in her mind, and pride fought furiously with love--for a time.
This was soon made apparent to Fanny Dover. When they retired, Zoe looked very gloomy; so Fanny asked, rather sharply, "Well, what is the matter now? Didn't I do it cleverly?""Yes, yes, too cleverly. Oh, Fanny, I begin to revolt against myself.""This is nice!" said Fanny. "Go on, dear. It is just what I ought to have expected. You were there. You had only to interfere. You didn't. And now you are discontented.""Not with you. Spare me. You are not to blame, and I am very unhappy. Iam losing my self-respect. Oh, if this goes on, I shall hate him!""Yes, dear--for five minutes, and then love him double. Come, don't deceive yourself, and don't torment yourself. All your trouble, we shall leave it behind us to-morrow, and every hour will take us further from it."With this practical view of matters, she kissed Zoe and hurried to bed.
But Zoe scarcely closed her eyes all night.
Severne did not reach the hotel till past eleven o'clock, and went straight to his own room.