Beulah - Page 224/348

"Beulah, where are you going?"

"Home, sir."

"What! so soon tired?"

"Yes; heartily tired," said she, wrapping her shawl about her.

"Have you spoken to Eugene to-night?"

"No."

Her guardian looked at her very intently, as if striving to read her

soul, and said slowly: "Child, he and Antoinette are sitting in the front parlor. I

happened to overhear a remark as I passed them. He is an accepted

lover; they are engaged."

A quick shiver ran over Beulah's frame, and a dark frown furrowed

her pale brow, as she answered: "I feared as much."

"Why should you fear, child? She is a beautiful heiress, and he

loves her," returned Dr. Hartwell, without taking his eyes from her

face.

"No; he thinks he loves her, but it is not so. He is fascinated by

her beauty; but I fear the day will come when, discovering her true

character, he will mourn his infatuation. I know his nature, and I

know, too, that she cannot make him happy."

She turned away; but he walked on with her to the carriage, handed

her in, and said "Good-night" as coldly as usual. Meantime, the

rattle of plates, jingle of forks and spoons, in the supper room,

would have rendered all conversation impossible had not the

elevation of voices kept pace with the noise and confusion. At one

end of the table Cornelia Graham stood talking to a distinguished

foreigner who was spending a few days in the city. He was a handsome

man, with fine colloquial powers, and seemed much interested in a

discussion which he and Cornelia carried on, relative to the society

of American cities as compared with European. A temporary lull in

the hum of voices allowed Cornelia to hear a remark made by a

gentleman quite near her.

"Miss Laura, who did you say that young lady was that Mrs. Asbury

introduced me to? The one with such magnificent hair and teeth?"

His companion was no other than Laura Martin, whose mother, having

built an elegant house and given several large parties, was now a

"fashionable," par excellence. Laura elevated her nose very

perceptibly, and answered: "Oh, a mere nobody! Beulah Benton. I can't imagine how she contrived

to be invited here. She is a teacher in the public school, I

believe; but that is not the worst. She used to hire herself out as

a servant. Indeed, it is a fact, she was my little brother's nurse

some years ago. I think ma hired her for six dollars a month." She

laughed affectedly, and allowed her escort to fill her plate with

creams.