University of Virginia Library

36. XXXVI.
THE FAMILY IN CONCLAVE.

Innis was seated before the fire in
his chamber, on the second day after
these scenes, gazing with dull and stupefied
eyes into the blaze, when a knock
came at his door, and the old butler of
Colonel Brand entered, bowing respectfully.

The young man returned his greeting,
in a dreary way, and said:

“Well, Robin?”

“A note from master, Mas' Edmund.”

And the old gray-haired servant went
to a table, took a small waiter therefrom,
deposited the note upon it, and respectfully
presented it to Innis. He took it
with a strange expression of mingled repugnance
and surprise, and, tearing it
open, read the following lines:

The young man read this note over
twice, with indications of very great astonishment,
and muttered, “An affair of
an extraordinary character.”

A slight movement made by old
Robin recalled the fact of his presence.
It was necessary to reply to the colonel's
note; and Innis wrote a line to him, informing
him that he would be present at
the hour indicated. This note he handed
to old Robin. That old colored gentleman—for
gentleman Robin was in his
character and feelings—carefully placed
the missive in his pocket, fell back a
step, and—waited.

Innis looked at him.

“You have something to say to me,
Robin?”

“I thought, Mas' Edmund,” said
Robin, “you might have something to
say to me.”

“Yes, yes, I understand you, Robin!
Thanks, thanks, my good friend. Your
Miss Honoria—”

“She is better to-day, sir.”

Innis sighed deeply, and his head
sank. His eyes were fixed upon the fire,
his expression absent and dreamy, and,
taking this as an indication that his
presence was no longer desired, old Robin
silently and respectfully left the apartment.

The young man continued for some
time lost in reverie.

“What now!” he muttered at length.
“Here is a mystery which at other times
would certainly interest me! `An affair
of an extraordinary character' — what
may that be? That my Lord Ruthven
is an impostor—I a changeling, and the
true representative of the earldom?
What means this most mysterious mystery?
Ah! well—all speculation is idle,
doubtless. I shall very soon see.”

And, relapsing into reverie, the young
man continued to gaze with his old expression
into the blaze.

At noon precisely, Innis presented
himself at Colonel Brand's door, and
had no necessity to ask for the master of
the mansion, who stood upon the threshold
of the great drawing-room, waiting
to receive him.

It was obvious, from the appearance
of the colonel's face, that some surprising
event had occurred. A sudden alteration
had taken place in him. The
countenance, ordinarily so flushed and rubicund
with high living and rich wines,
was pale and haggard; the air of proud,
almost haughty politeness, not unmingled
with condescension, had given place to a
bearing full of absent-mindedness and
gloom; the erect figure was bent; the
shoulders stooped, and the unwonted
negligence of the colonel's toilet betrayed
the absorbing character of the
thoughts which occupied him.

Innis advanced with slow and measured
steps, and made a low and ceremonious
bow.

“I have come in response to your request,
this morning, sir,” he said, coldly.

“I thank you, sir,” said the colonel,
in a much-altered, and singularly faltering
voice.

He almost instantly recovered, however,
his self-possession, and, with something
of his old stateliness, bowed low,
and said:

“I pray you to come into the drawing-room,
Mr. Innis. I desire to communicate
to you a matter of very great importance.”

The last words were uttered with a
quick tremor, of which the colonel tried
vainly to divest his voice. As he spoke,
he stood ceremoniously aside, that Innis
might precede him; and the young man,
inclining slightly in response to this
courtesy, entered the apartment.

Near a table, on the right of the fireplace,
sat Lady Brand, holding in her
own the thin hand of Honoria, who,
pale, anxious, and with eyes which never
wandered from Innis, seemed occupied
by some absorbing emotion. Within a
few feet Lon Brand stood erect, her superb
figure drawn up to its full height,
her jewelled hand resting upon the carved
back of an arm-chair, and in this chair
reclined Meta, looking very white and
much reduced, but with an unwonted
expression of calmness and sweetness in
her dark eyes, around which fell a few
stray curls of her black hair.

We have heard Dr. Vandyke explain
to Innis the daring attempt made to restore
Meta, and its perfectly successful
result. It is unnecessary to dwell further
upon the scene. The all-powerful
anæsthetic had done its work, and
plunged the child into coma—the rapid
and unerring hand had removed the obstruction
to reason—painlessly removed
it even; and the human being, but lately
a subtle, scheming, insane girl, tongue-tied,
and deaf as dumb, was in possession
of her reason, in possession of the
power of hearing and of speaking—
smiled, as those around her had not seen
her smile for years, and thrilled with

happiness when informed of this miracle
wellnigh, which had restored to her the
light of reason, and opened the blessed
fountain of tears.

As he slowly advanced into the apartment,
Innis surveyed with a fixed glance
the group near the fireplace, suppressing
with difficulty his agitation at the sight
of Honoria. As he drew near, the countenance
of the young girl flushed slowly;
her lips trembled, and her thin hand
convulsively grasped the hand of Lady
Brand, whose eyes were swimming in
tears.

Before Innis could speak, Colonel
Brand advanced, and said in a voice
which he vainly endeavored to control:

“You will perceive, sir, that I have
invited you to something which resembles
a family consultation. You see
here assembled all the members of my
family, as it is my wish that all should
be present and participate in this interview.”

Innis bowed, but said nothing. He
felt that his voice would fail him.

Colonel Brand cleared his throat, and
drew himself up with a painful assumption
of dignity.

“The object of this interview, sir, is
to inform you of a very unexpected discovery.”

A suppressed sigh from Lady Brand
was heard as the colonel ended his sentence,
and the sound seemed to irritate
him.

“I pray you do not permit any evidence
of emotion, madam, to mingle
with this strictly business consultation.
You will perceive that I, madam, am not
agitated in the least.”

And Colonel Brand's voice shook.

Innis looked at Lady Brand, and saw
that she was nearly ready to sob. The
spectacle broke down his haughty pride,
and he exclaimed:

“What is the occasion of this agitation,
aunt? Speak! I am lost in won
der at this scene. What is the occasion
of your grief?”

“It is not grief, sir!” said Colonel
Brand, with hauteur.

“What then?” said Innis.

“Agitation — mere agitation, sir!
Ladies do not understand business.”

“The cause of this agitation, then, if
it be agitation alone?”

Innis spoke with vehemence, a vague
excitement mastering him.

“The reply is simple, sir,” said Colonel
Brand. “Yesterday I and my family
were persons of wealth and consequence
—to-day we are stripped of all, and are
penniless.”

Innis looked at the speaker with
stupefaction.

“You speak in riddles, sir. I pray
you will explain yourself.”

“That is easy, sir. I am no longer
the proprietor of Rivanna!”

“Good Heavens!—and who—”

“Is the owner of the estate? It is
yourself, sir.”

“I!” exclaimed Innis. “I the owner
of Rivanna!”

“Yes, sir; and I beg to say that
I shall in no manner contest your
claim. The entire estate will be surrendered
to you, so soon as I shall have
been able to secure shelter for my
family.”

Innis uttered no word of reply. His
eyes were riveted upon the face of Colonel
Brand with an expression of incredulous
astonishment.

“I shall be compelled, for a brief
space, to remain a trespasser upon your
property, sir,” said the colonel, in an
agitated voice. “I shall proceed at once
to collect my scattered resources, and
shall be able, I trust, to secure a moderate
provision for my household—an honorable
support for them—the rest I leave
to Providence.”

“In Heaven's name, end this preface,
sir, and explain what you mean!” exclaimed
Innis.

“It is easily explained,” muttered
Colonel Brand. But there he stopped.

“The explanation!” said Innis, gloomily.
“So many things have occurred
recently, sir, that I am proof against
almost all emotion. You, nevertheless,
excite my curiosity.”

“Without further delay, then, you
are, as I have said, the sole proprietor
of the Rivanna estate. Your indulgence,
sir! I did not think to betray
this agitation, but the thought is bitter
that Ellen—I mean Lady Brand—and
my children—my dear children—”

The haughty spirit broke down. The
voice stuck in the throat.

At the same moment a chariot was
heard to stop before the door; the
knocker rose and fell.

“Lord Ruthven!” old Robin announced.

“It is well!” muttered Colonel
Brand; “the family party is now complete,
and one explanation will suffice
for everybody.”

As he uttered these words, Lord
Ruthven, who had paused for a moment
in the hall to divest himself of his furs,
entered the apartment, and saluted the
assembled company with a profound and
courtly inclination.