The Maiden CHAPTER 10.
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About a week after the interview between Mrs. Leslie and young Archer, as described in the last chapter, a note was left for Anna Lee, containing an invitation for her to spend an evening at the house of the former. "A few friends are to be present," was added to the note.
"What have you there?" asked Mrs. Lee, coming into Anna's room, about ten minutes after, and finding her daughter sitting in a thoughtful mood, with Mrs. Leslie's invitation in her hand.
Anna gave her mother the note. After reading it, she handed it back, and said with a smile —
"Mrs. Leslie is very kind, always to remember you when she has company."
"Yes."
This response was cold, and made in an equivocal tone. Anna said nothing more, and Mrs. Lee did not refer more particularly to the subject. On the day before the one to which the invitation had referred, Anna said to her mother —
"After thinking a good deal about it, I have made up my mind not to go to Mrs. Leslie's tomorrow, nor ever again."
"Have you a good reason?"
"Perhaps not one that I could make fully plain to everybody. But I think you can understand me. I don't feel right, when I think of going there."
"There must be some reasons for such a feeling."
"And there are. But even these reasons are so linked with feelings, that my mind cannot separate and give them distinctness."
"Freely state to me all your reasons and feelings," said the mother. "Perhaps, together, we can arrive at a distinct, rational conclusion."
"I have liked Mrs. Leslie, because she always seemed pleased to have me visit her, and showed me very kind attentions," Anna remarked. "But, at the same time, there has been something about her that I could not understand, and from which I have felt an involuntary shrinking. She is the intimate friend of Mr. Gardiner; and, I think, must be thoroughly acquainted with his character and habits. She may be a woman of sound principles; but my mind has many doubts. Anyhow, I do not wish to meet Mr. Gardiner, as I certainly shall, if I go to her house."
"And the invitation may only be intended to procure a meeting between you and that young man," suggested Mrs. Lee.
"I do not know."
"You say, that there was always something about Mrs. Leslie that repulsed you?"
"Yes. Something that seemed instantly to assault my purest and best feelings. I do not recollect, now that I begin to think of it, that I ever heard her declare a high principle of action. I am sure I have heard very wrong sentiments uttered by young ladies, in her presence, to which she never opposed. For all, she had pleasant words. All she aimed to please. But is it good to be constantly flattered and favored, and never opposed, even when thinking and speaking wrong? I do not believe so."
"Nor is it, Anna. No true-minded woman can listen to wrong sentiments from the lips of young ladies, without correcting them. She who fails to do so, is not just to her gender."
"So I have felt, whenever anything led me to think about the way in which Mrs. Leslie treats the many young people who meet at her house."
"Does she talk to them often about their beaux?"
"O yes. It is almost her constant theme. She is sure to have something to say about how much this or that one is pleased with you, every time you meet her. To me, she was constantly dropping something about Mr. Gardiner."
"And, no doubt, was at the bottom of his proposal to you."
"I have never thought that." And Anna looked up into her mother's face with surprise. "But it may be true."
"I now understand you fully," Mrs. Lee said. "You are right in not wishing to go to her house again. I would not have you do so on any account. Such a woman is a young maiden's most dangerous friend. She should be shunned as carefully as you would shun an open enemy."
"I am glad you feel as I do about going to her house," returned Anna, seeming much relieved. "Between me and her, there is nothing really congenial. I take no pleasure in talking all the time about young men; and she seems to think there is no theme so interesting — nothing so pleasant to a maiden's ear."
There was a mirthful company at the house of Mrs. Leslie, on the next evening. But Anna was not there. Archer did not arrive till late. This was intended.
"Where is Miss Lee?" he asked, drawing Mrs. Leslie aside, soon after he came in. "I don't see her here."
"No. She sent me a note declining the invitation."
"On what ground?"
"No ground at all. I read it as a flat refusal to accept my invitation."
"What did she say?"
"She thanked me for my kind courtesy, but begged, for reasons not necessary to explain, so she said, to be excused."
"Confound it all! It is too bad! Do you think she suspected the whole plan?"
"No. How could she?"
"I must and will see her."
"If you can."
"I'll call at her father's house."
"O, well. You can do that. She can't decline going there — or, rather, staying there. But, what good will it do you?"
"Faint heart never won fair lady."
"True. And a fair lady can usually be won, if the lover perseveres."
"The very thing that I will do. I will break through the ice by calling upon her. I have met her often enough here to be authorized to do this."
"And after that?"
"Once let me get at the maiden's ear, and I will try hard to charm it. In the first interview I have with her, I will sweep the whole circle of subjects likely to interest a lady; and when I have found the right one, I will play dexterously upon that string. Before leaving her, I will succeed in effecting an engagement of some kind or other — to go to church or opera; concert or exhibition. At a second meeting, I will talk of virtue and morality like any saint; and even venture to hint something about early errors long since repented of, and, I trust, forgiven by God and man. Don't you think I will make my way into her confidence? After gaining a few of the outworks to the citadel of her heart, I will continue to approach with great caution; and be very careful not to strike foolishly, like Gardiner, before the iron is hot. You see, I understand what I am about."
"Yes. But you have no ordinary person to deal with. Anna Lee will see through you at a glance, and act with a promptness such as you have not been used to meeting in young ladies To me, she is almost too perfect — too free from weakness."
"I'm sorry for that. I like your real women. But women-angels are a little above my comprehension. I don't know how to take them. Still, as I have set out, I shall go through the matter. There never was any back-out in me, and never shall be. I've come around as good as she is, in my time, and — "
"William!" And Mrs. Leslie raised her finger and affected a grave face.
The young man, who was about to venture, as Mrs. Leslie perceived, upon a boast of wickedness, became silent, but showed no shame. He had not really offended the lady with whom he was conversing, that he could plainly see. She had only checked him for the sake of appearances; and this was just as apparent to his mind as it was to hers. In a moment he resumed, with a smile,
"I know I'm something of a bad boy; but you can forgive me, if other people can't. As I was saying, I never allow myself to be foiled in anything I set my head about; and I shall not be foiled in this."
"We shall see."
"So we shall. And if I don't have this very coy and fastidious young lady completely caged before a month, my name isn't William Archer!"
"Success to your adventure!"
"Thank you! You shall dance at my wedding, before six months."
"Not if you marry Anna Lee!"
"Why?"
"She has thought fit to decline an invitation to my house, without alleging a reason. Such conduct from people standing on my own level, I would not pass by; much less from one to whom I have stooped — from one whom I have been endeavoring to lift from her native obscurity. I feel no unkindness towards the girl; but self-respect will not permit me again to notice her."
"Don't talk so foolishly, Mrs. Leslie."
"I mean just what I say, William. I shall not again notice the girl."
"Suppose she makes an apology? Will that alter the face of things?"
"Certainly. That would restore former relations."
"She shall do it!"
Mrs. Leslie smiled.
"She shall! In less than six weeks, you will be on terms of the closest intimacy."
In thus boasting of what he could and would accomplish, the young man was not, consciously, expending mere idle breath. Judging from his former success in winning his way into the favorable regard of young ladies, he believed that he would again be successful. He had much in his favor, so far as externals were concerned.
His person was attractive, his manners easy and fascinating, and his tastes cultivated. He had spent two years in Europe, and had come home with all the external advantages which a residence on the continent gives to an intelligent mind, and all the moral defects it entails upon an impure one. In heart a villain — he could assume the air of a saint! And he was ready to do so at any moment that it suited his purpose.
Understanding the power of false appearances, and knowing how perfectly he could assume them — Archer did not entirely over-estimate his ability to insinuate himself into the good feelings of young ladies. He had already succeeded in doing so, in more than one instance, even to the accomplishment of the most base and infamous purposes; for which he was execrated by many virtuous minds, and by none more deeply than by Anna Lee. At the same time, the melancholy truth must be told, that four-fifths of the entire number of those who were fully conversant with all the sad details of his base conduct, fathers, mothers and daughters — welcomed him to their houses, and associated with him as freely and as cordially as before; while the victims of his infernal passions were thrust out, cast down, trampled under foot, and consigned to hopeless infamy!
How the heart sickens at this picture! Would that it were only an imaginary one! Would that the best society around us contained no William Archers, or that it had the healthy moral force to throw them out, as base and unworthy! But alas! it yet lacks this healthy action at the vitals. And this fact, the truly pure and good ought never to forget.
But we will pass on, and see how far the young man Archer is successful in his efforts to woo and win the heart of a maiden, whose perceptions of moral qualities are so acute as those of Anna Lee.
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