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Chapter VI. Fickleness—Harry's Method of Love-Making.

Harry glanced at her eagerly. Would she give him this chance of altering his decision? Had her pride not been touched, she doubtlessly would have seen his wavering mood; but alas for him! it was touched, and not gently either.

‘Well, if you won't stay when I ask you, I have no more to say except good-bye.’ This was said in a tone of pique which destroyed all hope.

Poor Harry! I pitied him when I saw how his countenance fell. I would have put in a word, but knew it would be worse than useless. He shook hands with them, and was darting off as we entered the hotel. We did not notice at the time that Miss Grave remained behind as we ascended the staircase to the Robinsons' room. It appeared that she called Harry back, and entered a small room with him and closed the door. I did not hear the substance of their conversation till years afterwards, but I may as well give it here. ‘Mr Baker, we will not part thus. I believe from what I have noticed that you have quarrelled with your friends, and will not take advice or assistance from one so able to give it as Mr Robinson. Now, do not mistake my motives when I say you shall not quarrel with me. We are both orphans, and far away from home and kindred, and though I believe you do not know it, your mother was a very dear friend of mine. It was while you were away at school I met her. I am certain I am doing nothing wrong in asking you to promise to write to me sometimes as a brother would to a sister, especially if you should be in any trouble, and we will aid and strengthen one another to the best of our ability. We little know what troubles and trials may assail us in a new country. By the memory of your dead mother I beg you to grant my request.’

The effect these words of sisterly kindness had on Harry's heart, embittered as it was with his own feelings, and what he considered the unkindness of others, was to make him see at once what his better judgment had told him long ago, though he would not listen to it—that this girl was worth a thousand Miss Julias, and that if he could only win her love his happiness would be complete.

‘No, my darling,’ he answered in an impassioned voice, ‘I will not write as a brother, nor look on you as a sister. I could not. But if you will only forgive my past trifling with you, and try if you can love me, I will do everything that is possible for a man to do to reward you. I love you, my darling, with a love, the depth of which even I do not understand. My infatuation for your friend was as different as light from dark. I know I do not deserve the bliss of being loved by you. Oh, God! what a blind fool I have been! little encouragement.’

‘No, Mr Baker, I cannot, I cannot,’ she replied, though sorely tempted to throw herself into his arms, for I can venture to say, from information received subsequently, that this quiet young lady, page 23 an orphan in a strange land, even at this time loved Harry with all the strength of a love which a girl like her charge could not even comprehend, much less feel. But she knew that Harry, whatever his professions, had not at present enough to give her in return, and until he had proved his affection to be true and lasting, instead of fickle as the wind, she would not show him the priceless treasure of hers. If he really was in earnest, they would be none the worse for waiting a year or two before they were engaged, and if he did not remain true to her, she would at all events save herself much pain by not becoming bound to him now. ‘No, Harry, I will be your sister and nothing more, and I shall always be pleased and proud to hear of my borther's success in life,’ she said, in quiet, earnest tones.

‘I can say no, too, Miss Grave, and what is more, I do. You cannot be my sister. Accept me as your lover, I implore you, and save me from I know not what.’

‘No, Mr Baker, it is not fair—it is not honest of you to force your love on me now when so short a time since it was given to another, and expect me to accept it at once. I asked you in all kindness to allow me a sister's interest in you, and am deeply hurt that you should refuse. Good-bye, I must be going.’

He grasped her hand, pressed it to his lips, and kissed it passionately.

At this moment Julia came quietly in to seek Miss Grave, just in time to see this parting scene. Her anger can be easily imagined when she saw Harry, who had just refused her invitation, engaged in this manner with her friend.

‘Oh, oh, my lady!’ she cried. ‘Is this the way you practice what you preach? Don't lecture me on flirting again, you sly thing! I think it is very mean of you stealing my lover away in this manner. You're welcome to him, though. I've done with him,’ she concluded, thinking she had shown her true feeling for Harry a little too plainly.

In vain Miss Grave tried to explain matters, for Julia was far too angry and excited to listen, and rushed off upstairs. Miss Grave followed her up quietly to the room in which we were already busy with our tea. As she entered, Miss Julia sarcastically remarked that she had found Miss Grave in a small room downstairs taking a very loving farewell of Mr Baker.

‘Oh, oh! Miss Grave, this was a very nicely-arranged little meeting,’ began Mr Robinson, in a bantering tone, ‘but you should have waited till after tea; then we should not have thought of sending after you and interrupting your little game.’

‘Little game, indeed!’ put in his indignant spouse. ‘I think after the way Mr Baker treated your kind offers, and, indeed, us all, it was very bad taste in Miss Grave to run after him that way, and to be closeted alone with him for at least half an hour in that clandestine manner. I beg for the future you will be more particular, my lady, and not set my daughter such a bad example.’

‘You need not fret about that, mamma. I would not do such a thing.’

‘I know you would not, my love,’ returned the irate old lady.

I knew she would if she got the chance, but did not think it polite to say so.

‘I cannot help it if you all misunderstand me, remarked the persecuted young lady, calmly, ‘although it grieves me to think such constructions page 24 should be put on my actions. Indeed, there is nothing between Mr Baker and myself. I only stepped into that room to say good-bye to him and wish him God-speed, as I would anyone with whom I had been on intimate terms for three months. I cannot see any harm in that. His mother was a very dear friend of mine some year since, although I had never met him before our voyage commenced.’

‘Do not make matters worse by prevaricating. I could see by your face that he had been talking love nonsense to you, had he not, now?’

Poor Miss Grave was getting into the mire, for she could not deny this, nor did she care to own to it. However, she got out of the difficulty. ‘I am not accustomed to be accused of falsehood, madam, and as you do not believe what I say, I certainly shall not answer any more questions.’

‘Whether you answer or not, I shall ask you if you think it your duty to set me at defiance before strangers? And what's more, I can tell you I won't have it, my lady.’

Miss Grave very sensibly left the room. I cannot say how I pitied her, for I saw what she would have to suffer in a family where the ladies had neither the refinement nor the delicacy of feeling which she had. Mr Robinson, I felt certain, would shield her as much as he could, though, as will appear, the fact of his trying to protect her might get her into more trouble.

‘Come now, old girl,’ he said, ‘don't be too hard on her. You know at her age nothing pleased you better than a spoon.’

‘Oh, yes, of course, you take her part and run down your wife. I was a fool to let you choose a girl like that for Julia's companion. I might have known how it would be. You're in love with her yourself.

Having delivered herself of this stinging retort, she retired from the room without waiting for an answer, which she probably knew from experience would not be of a very soothing nature. She just popped her head in again to say, ‘That minx's behaviour had made her head ache so that she must go and lie down.’

I do not think we any of us regretted her departure. The old gentleman and I had a long chat, and I gathered many hints from him which I afterwards found useful. Julia tried hard to engage me in conversation, but I was too vexed with her for her treatment of her friend, and directed my attention to her father principally. Not having quite recovered her serenity, she also soon had a headache and retired.

Mr Robinson observed on my rising to leave, that a stroll would do him good, and descended to the street with me. As we turned up Shortland-Street on the way to my lodgings, we met Master Harry in a state of hilarity which could have but one cause, with a party of sailors, whose rations of spirits had undoubtedly been poured out with a much more liberal hand than that of the steward on board. They were carrying on amorous conversations with some very gaudily-dressed females. I fervently hoped that Robinson had not recognised Harry, and suggested that we should turn back, but I was too late, Harry had seen us, and in an inebriate voice saluted my companion.

‘Well, old buffer, so you would not give me your daughter, eh? Never mind! plenty of girls as good as her here, and a dashed sight better too.

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‘I don't doubt it, Harry, and I hope you'll get the best of them. Shake hands and come along with Frank and me.

On this Harry, who was really a good-hearted fellow, felt ashamed of himself, and begged our friend's pardon a matter of fifty times, and walked peacefully to the Wyndham House where we had arranged to stay. I tried to excuse his conduct as much as possible to the old gentlemen when we had him safely in bed, saying it was his first day ashore.

‘Yes, yes, I know all that, but though I saw the only way to get him quietly home was to humour him as I did, yet I am very vexed with him. I can see he is the last fellow to be left to knock about the colonies without a true friend near him. His excitable nature, and the ease with which he takes offence, will lead him to make enemies where he should make friends, and then when he imagines everyone against him he will probably take to the whiskey in earnest. The young fool! through his thundering stupidity he has lost two chances already. If he had not made himself such an ass about Julia, I would have taken him as a cadet on my own run, but, of course, that is now out of the question. Then because he imagined my notion was to get him as far away as possible, he refused to go to the Bay of Islands with my introduction to my old friend there. The most important rule for getting on in the colonies or elsewhere is “never throw away a good chance unless you have a better one.” Remember that, Frank. I will now say good-bye, for I must be off to Napier by the boat which leaves to-morrow morning. My agent will see after the heavy luggage and send it after me. If you can possibly persuade Harry to take this letter, do. I will leave it with you, and remember, if either of you are down my way, there will always be a knife and fork, eh, and something to use them on, and a bed at your service.’

With this the old gentleman departed, and I need not say that in him I felt I had a true friend, and I determined to use my utmost endeavour to persuade Harry to take the course which he had pointed out. I had a long talk with him next day. He was in a most crossgrained temper; still at last he said, ‘Give me the letter, then.’ I thought I had gained my object, and handed it to him.

‘This is how I'll present it, he said, and immediately tossed it into the fire, stamping it down with his heel. His old animosity against his would-be benefactor had returned with full force. The reconciliations and profuse expressions of regret for his ungrateful conduct, uttered the previous evening, were evidently forgotten. I tried to persuade him to accompany me to Wanganui, but anything I happened to propose always proved to be most distasteful to him. He persisted in believing that I was in league with Mr Robinson to get him out of the way. He wished to remain in Auckland, and do it he would. I stayed at the boarding-house for a week or so, but only saw him at the breakfast table. The remainder of the day he spent with new and far from desirable acquaintances. Handsome-looking bar-maids and the flashily-dressed females we met him with on the first night of our arrival found the mad young fool an easy and willing victim. He always had something in view, the very thing to suit him, he'd make no end of money at it, etc., yet by some means it never eventuated. The kind (?) friends who were always ‘laying him on’ to these good things were of a class who not only amuse themselves, but make a living by ‘catching new chums,’ page 26 They make any number of promises, get any amount of drinks, and loans of small or large sums according to the length of purse and degree of verdancy of the particular new chum they have hooked. When the poor fellow ‘is played out’ the billet they had promised to secure him is ‘played out’ also.

In this unsatisfactory position I had to leave my old schoolmate, as I found the s.s. Stormbird was starting from Onehunga for Wanganui on the following day. He promised to write regularly and let me know what he was doing, but did not keep his word, so that I heard no more of him for a very considerable time.