A Strange, Sad Comedy

by Molly Elliot Seawell

MEANWHILE, a period of convulsion was at hand for the happy family at Shrewsbury. As soon as it was decided that Miss Maywood was to return to England, a number of obstacles arose, as if by magic, to her departure—and they were all inspired by Mr. Romaine. As she was to cross alone he declared that she must do it only under the charge of a certain captain—and when inquiries were made at the steamship office in New York, it turned out that this particular captain had a leave of absence on account of ill health, and would not command his ship again until after Christmas. Mr. Romaine proposed to wait for this event, if it did not occur until midsummer. Then some acquaintances were discovered who intended sailing almost immediately, but Mr. Romaine suddenly grew very ailing, and could not part with Mr. Chessingham to take his sister-in-law to New York. Besides he found every imaginable fault with the proposed traveling companions, and the Chessinghams and Ethel felt that, after enjoying Mr. Romaine’s hospitality for so long, they ought to defer to him as regarded the impending departure. Therefore, although Miss Maywood had undoubtedly got her congé from Mr. Romaine, she was still under his roof well on in December, and it looked as if he would succeed in doing to her what Letty complained of in her own case—making a fool of her. Ethel was really very anxious to leave; but this reluctance to give her up on the part of her elderly and eccentric friend made her wonder sometimes whether, after all, Mr. Romaine would let her return to England without him. He openly declared that he was tired of Virginia and meant to take a house in London for the season; and he actually engaged, by correspondence, a charming house at Prince’s Gate, from the first of April. Ethel felt that it would be flying in the face of Providence to insist upon going, as long as there was a chance of her presiding over the house in Prince’s Gate. And the liberty and spending-money enjoyed by American women seemed daily more pleasing to her. Whatever could be said against Mr. Romaine, his worst enemy could not charge him with meanness. He gave with a princely generosity that made Ethel—who thought that nobody got more than three per cent. interest on money—think he was worth millions. Sir Archy had gone away from Corbin Hall a few days after Farebrother left, but was to return after Christmas; but Ethel put Sir Archy out of her mind altogether—she was eminently reasonable, and never counted upon the vaguely brilliant.

The beginning of more serious upheavals was the announcement, one day, from Bridge, Mr. Romaine’s own man, and Dodson, who was also Mr. Romaine’s man, but waited on Mr. Chessingham, that they desired to leave at the end of the month; and Carroll, the ladies’ maid, gave simultaneous warning.

“I ’ave been, sir, with Mr. Romaine for sixteen year, and I ’ave put hup with ’im, and I could put hup with ’im for sixteen year more; but this stoopid country and the willainous blacks is too much for me,” Bridge announced to Chessingham, with an injured air. Dodson followed suit, and Carroll tearfully explained that she ’ad been in mortial terror ever since she first knew the blacks, for fear they would kill and eat her.

Chessingham was secretly much delighted with this, and confided his feelings to his wife and Ethel.

“It will take the old curmudgeon back to London quicker than anything on earth that could have been devised,” he said. “He can’t get on without Bridge—nobody else, I’m told, ever stayed with him more than three months—and he’ll be forced to quit.”

In the library a characteristic interview was taking place between Bridge and his master. Bridge, feeling like a felon, announced his determination to leave.

“That’s quite satisfactory,” remarked Mr. Romaine, raising his black eyes from his book. “I have been thinking for some time that I needed a younger and more active man. I do not like men of any sort when they become antiquated.”

Bridge opened his mouth to speak, but dared not. He was at least twenty years younger than Mr. Romaine, and there he was reproached with his age!

However, some faint stirring of the heart toward the man he had served so long, and who had given him some kicks, but a good many ha’pence, too, made him say hesitatingly: