按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
judgment of a girl！ He came back fall of admiration； not altogether
to Miss Jack's dissatisfaction； for Miss Jack was willing enough that
both her nephew and her niece should settle down into married life。
But then Maurice met his fair one at a governor's ballat a ball
where red coats abounded； and aides…de…camp dancing in spurs； and
narrow…waisted lieutenants with sashes or epaulettes！ The aides…de…
camp and narrow…waisted lieutenants waltzed better than he did； and
as one after the other whisked round the ball…room with Marian firmly
clasped in his arms； Maurice's feelings were not of the sweetest。
Nor was this the worst of it。 Had the whisking been divided equally
among ten； he might have forgiven it； but there was one specially
narrow…waisted lieutenant； who towards the end of the evening kept
Marian nearly wholly to himself。 Now to a man in love； who has had
but little experience of either balls or young ladies； this is
intolerable。
He only met her twice after that before his return to Mount Pleasant；
and on the first occasion that odious soldier was not there。 But a
specially devout young clergyman was present； an unmarried；
evangelical； handsome young curate fresh from England； and Marian's
piety had been so excited that she had cared for no one else。 It
appeared moreover that the curate's gifts for conversion were
confined； as regarded that opportunity； to Marion's advantage。 〃I
will have nothing more to say to her；〃 said Maurice to himself；
scowling。 But just as he went away Marian had given him her hand；
and called him Mauricefor she pretended that they were cousinsand
had looked into his eyes and declared that she did hope that the
assembly at Spanish Town would soon be sitting again。 Hitherto； she
said； she had not cared one straw about it。 Then poor Maurice
pressed the little fingers which lay within his own； and swore that
he would be at Shandy Hall on the day before his return to Mount
Pleasant。 So he was； and there he found the narrow…waisted
lieutenant； not now bedecked with sash and epaulettes； but lolling at
his ease on Mrs。 Leslie's sofa in a white jacket； while Marian sat at
his feet telling his fortune with a book about flowers。
〃Oh； a musk rose； Mr。 Ewing； you know what a musk rose means！〃 Then
she got up and shook hands with Mr。 Cumming； but her eyes still went
away to the white jacket and the sofa。 Poor Maurice had often been
nearly broken…hearted in his efforts to manage his free black
labourers； but even that was easier than managing such as Marion
Leslie。
Marian Leslie was a Creoleas also were Miss Jack and Maurice
Cumminga child of the tropics； but by no means such a child as
tropical children are generally thought to be by us in more northern
latitudes。 She was black…haired and black…eyed； but her lips were as
red and her cheeks as rosy as though she had been born and bred in
regions where the snow lies in winter。 She was a small； pretty；
beautifully made little creature； somewhat idle as regards the work
of the world； but active and strong enough when dancing or riding
were required from her。 Her father was a banker； and was fairly
prosperous in spite of the poverty of his country。 His house of
business was at Kingston； and he usually slept there twice a week；
but he always resided at Shandy Hall； and Mrs。 Leslie and her
children knew but very little of the miseries of Kingston。 For be it
known to all men； that of all towns Kingston； Jamaica； is the most
miserable。
I fear that I shall have set my readers very much against Marian
Leslie；much more so than I would wish to do。 As a rule they will
not know how thoroughly flirting is an institution in the West
Indiespractised by all young ladies； and laid aside by them when
they marry； exactly as their young…lady names and young…lady habits
of various kinds are laid aside。 All I would say of Marian Leslie is
this； that she understood the working of the institution more
thoroughly than others did。 And I must add also in her favour that
she did not keep her flirting for sly corners； nor did her admirers
keep their distance till mamma was out of the way。 It mattered not
to her who was present。 Had she been called on to make one at a
synod of the clergy of the island； she would have flirted with the
bishop before all his priests。 And there have been bishops in the
colony who would not have gainsayed her！
But Maurice Cumming did not rightly calculate all this； nor indeed
did Miss Jack do so as thoroughly as she should have done； for Miss
Jack knew more about such matters than did poor Maurice。 〃If you
like Marion； why don't you marry her？〃
Miss Jack had once said to him； and this coming from Miss Jack； who
was made of money； was a great deal。
〃She wouldn't have me；〃 Maurice had answered。
〃That's more than you know or I either；〃 was Miss Jack's reply。 〃But
if you like to try； I'll help you。〃
With reference to this； Maurice as he left Miss Jack's residence on
his return to Mount Pleasant； had declared that Marian Leslie was not
worth an honest man's love。
〃Psha！〃 Miss Jack replied； 〃Marian will do like other girls。 When
you marry a wife I suppose you mean to be master？〃
〃At any rate I shan't marry her；〃 said Maurice。 And so he went his
way back to Hanover with a sore heart。 And no wonder； for that was
the very day on which Lieutenant Ewing had asked the question about
the musk rose。
But there was a dogged constancy of feeling about Maurice which could
not allow him to disburden himself of his love。 When he was again at
Mount Pleasant among his sugar…canes and hogsheads he could not help
thinking about Marian。 It is true he always thought of her as flying
round that ball…room in Ewing's arms； or looking up with rapt
admiration into that young parson's face； and so he got but little
pleasure from his thoughts。 But not the less was he in love with
her；not the less； though he would swear to himself three times in
the day that for no earthly consideration would he marry Marian
Leslie。
The early months of the year from January to May are the busiest with
a Jamaica sugar…grower； and in this year they were very busy months
with Maurice Cumming。 It seemed as though there were actually some
truth in Miss Jack's prediction that prosperity would return to him
if he attended to his country； for the prices of sugar had risen
higher than they had ever been since the duty had been withdrawn； and
there was more promise of a crop at Mount Pleasant than he had seen
since his reign commenced。 But then the question of labour？ How he
slaved in trying to get work from those free negroes； and alas！ how
often he slaved in vain！ But it was not all in vain； for as things
went on it became clear to him that in this year he would； for the
first time since he commenced； obtain something like a return from
his land。 What if the turning…point had come； and things were now
about to run the other way。
But then the happiness which might have accrued to him from this
source was dashed by his thoughts of Marian Leslie。 Why had he
thrown himself in the way of that syren？ Why had he left Mount
Pleasant at all？ He knew th