A Strange Experience, Chapters I-V [pp. 223-237]

A STRA,NGE EXPERIENCE.
any brown tones; the eyes a clear sapphire blue;
the brows and lashes themselves a gold color, if any thing a trifle fairer than the hair. Her complexion
had the vivid warmth of youth and perfect health,
while the rounded symmetry of her form, the arm
from which the sleeve of her wrapper fell back,
showed a physique in splendid keeping with her
beauty of feature. I have never seen a thoroughly
blond woman so completely typify glorious good
health and development. Although scarcely above
the medium height, her whole air and bearing were
naturally vigorous and full-toned; a certain languor
now in her movements, I could see, was only the ef fect of seclusion, for any idea of illness or drooping
seemed absurdly incongruous with such a splendid
young creature.
"Pray excuse my sending for you in this way,"
she said, in a rich, clear voice. She held out both
her hands, and, when I took them, looked at me
steadily for an instant. "Ah!" she said, slowly, a
delicious smile parting her lips and bringing a dim ple into her cheek. "I am sure we shall be friends."
"I hope so with all my heart," I rejoined,
laughing. "But we must test each other thor oughly."
"But I always believe in my impulses," said
Miss Newton. "My fancies are taken on the instant. And now, dear Miss Mayo," she added, "pray
take off your things and come back and have tea
with me."
I did so, and on my return found Leonor still in
the outer room, but dressed in an exquisite creamywhite silk gown, with some strings of amber on her
neck and arms. A shawl of white cashmere embroidered in gold hung down upon the chair. There
was a positive luxury in even looking at her as she
sat before the fire, her slippered feet resting on the
fender, her hands busied among some roses she was
making into a garland. I could hardly realize she
was in truth the daughter of a Massachusetts millowner, and that my duty was to instruct her! I felt
the necessity of becoming an artist or poet, to paint
her or set her into tuneful verse, and transport her
to Venice where her surroundings might be in keeping with the sort of golden splendor she suggested.
I stood quite still, looking at her, and she slowly
raised her eyes.
"Am I very pretty?" she said, calmly.
"You know you are beautiful," I answered,
laughing. "But I don't mean to spoil you, my dear.
I doubt not you get flattery enough."
She bent her head thoughtfully a moment.
"Well, really, Miss Mayo," she said, again lifting her eyes, "there is only one human being's flattery I truly care for-and-" She broke off laughing, and with her eyes dancing. "I only have one
little secret, and I must not tell it you at once. I
must preserve a slight air of mystery to make myself
interesting."
I might have told her she had betrayed it in
her heightened color; the sudden, ineffably sweet
shyness which seized her when she had spoken.
The door opened now upon our tea-tray, and we had
VOL. V. —5
a cozy little supper; and, even in discussing the com monplaces of my journey, I was surprised by Miss
Newton's evident observation and brilliancy. Every thing seemed to interest her in a healthy young way,
which was enchanting. After tea she desired me to
ring the bell. When I did so, she asked me to look
critically at her dress.
"Do you like me in white and gold?" she said,
somewhat imperiously.
"I have never seen you in much else," I an swered. "It is very pretty, but rather fanciful."
"Oh, but it is for a special occasion," she said.
"And I hastened to change it just for the benefit of
your opinion. I expected you to be startled when
you entered."
The dress had a long, flowing train and curious
mediaeval sleeves; her hair hung unbound, like a
golden bath of sunshine upon her shoulders, and was
caught by a white-satin ribbon at the back. The
effect, with the pale-amber beads upon her neck and
arms, was singularly picturesque.
"I am startled," I answered.
The maid appearing at this moment, Leonor
turned to her with a slight embarrassment:
"Has Captain Dale come, Mary?"
"Yes, miss."
"Well, where is he?"
Singing, miss."
Leonor's face clouded.
"Singing!" she exclaimed. "And I not to hear
him! Open the doors, Mary."
The maid calmly obeyed, and then we heard the
strains of a clear barytone voice from the drawingroom. The air was familiar enough-a melody of
Gounod's, with an exquisite pathos which the voice
expressed. Gradually the smile which had dazzled
me before broke over Leonor's face.
"Is it not charming?" she said, with the prettiest little air of possession in the voice. We stood
listening until the song ended. Then she turned to
the maid:
"Where are my aunts, Mary?"
"They have just stepped over to Mrs. Thurston's a moment, miss."
"I am sure I can go down with help," Leonor
said, eagerly. "I want Roger to see my dress tonight. You can both help me." She turned to me
with a plaintive little appeal in her eyes which I
could not resist. "You know," she went on, with
some increase of color, "I am to have my portrait
done, and my cousin Roger is arranging the costume.
Come, shall we go down?"
It seemed quite prudent, for her ankle was very
strong; and so we went out, the maid and I giving
her occasional help. How pretty she looked going
down the dark-wood staircase, the creamy folds
of her gown slipping over it, her young head catching the last touch of color lingering about the orielwindows!
The music had begun again in the drawing-room,
and we stopped a moment at the door. At the farther end of the room a young man was seated at the
piano. He rose suddenly as we entered. I took
225