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Can you forgive her?

Chapter 5 The Balcony at Basle

Word Count: 4297    |    Released on: 11/11/2017

ery small chance of success in the literary world at present, and I should consider myself to be dishonest if I attempted to palm off such matter on the public in the pages of a nove

happiest of all lives. It’s because they think so that they generally want to put an end to the man’s condition.”“It’s envy that makes us want to get married — not love,” said Kate.“It’s the devil in some shape, as often as not,” said he. “With a man, marriage always seems to him to be an evil at the instant.”“Not always,” said Alice. “Almost always — but he does it, as he takes physic, because something worse will come if he don’t. A man never likes having his tooth pulled out, but all men do have their teeth pulled out — and they who delay it too long suffer the very mischief.”“I do like George’s philosophy,” said Kate, getting up from her chair as she spoke; “it is so sharp, and has such a pleasant acid taste about it; and then we all know that it means nothing. Alice, I’m going upstairs to begin the final packing.”“I’ll come with you, dear.”“No, don’t. To tell the truth I’m only going into that man’s room because he won’t put up a single thing of his own decently. We’ll do ours, of course, when we go up to bed. Whatever you disarrange tonight, Master George, you must rearrange for yourself tomorrow morning, for I promise I won’t go into your room at five o’clock.”“How I do hate that early work,” said George.“I’ll be down again very soon,” said Kate. “Then we’ll take one turn on the bridge and go to bed.”Alice and George were left together sitting in the balcony. They had been alone together before many times since their travels had commenced; but they both of them felt that there was something to them in the present moment different from any other period of their journey. There was something that each felt to be sweet, undefinable, and dangerous. Alice had known that it would be better for her to go upstairs with Kate; but Kate’s answer had been of such a nature that had she gone she would have shown that she had some special reason for doing. Why should she show such a need? Or why, indeed, should she entertain it?Alice was seated quite at the end of the gallery, and Kate’s chair was at her feet in the corner. When Alice and Kate had seated themselves, the waiter had brought a small table for the coffee cups, and George had placed his chair on the other side of that. So that Alice was, as it were, a prisoner. She could not slip away without some special preparation for going, and Kate had so placed her chair in leaving, that she must actually have asked George to move it before she could escape. But why should she wish to escape? Nothing could be more lovely and enticing than the scene before her. The night had come on, with quick but still unperceived approach, as it does in those parts; for the twilight there is not prolonged as it is with us more northern folk. The night had come on, but there was a rising moon, which just sufficed to give a sheen to the water beneath her. The air was deliciously soft — of that softness which produces no sensation either of warmth or cold, but which just seems to touch one with loving tenderness, as though the unseen spirits of the air kissed one’s forehead as they passed on their wings. The Rhine was running at her feet, so near, that in the soft half light it seemed as though she might step into its ripple. The Rhine was running by with that delicious sound of rapidly moving waters, that fresh refreshing gurgle of the river, which is so delicious to the ear at all times. If you be talking, it wraps up your speech, keeping it for yourselves, making it difficult neither to her who listens nor to him who speaks. If you would sleep, it is of all lullabies the sweetest. If you are alone and would think, it aids all your thoughts. If you are alone, and, alas! would not think — if thinking be too painful — it will dispel your sorrow, and give the comfort which music alone can give. Alice felt that the air kissed her, that the river sang for her its sweetest song, that the moon shone for her with its softest light — that light which lends the poetry of half-developed beauty to everything that it touches. Why should she leave it?Nothing was said for some minutes after Kate’s departure, and Alice was beginning to shake from her that half feeling of danger which had come over her. Vavasor had sat back in his chair, leaning against the house, with his feet raised upon a stool; his arms were folded across his breast, and he seemed to have divided himself between his thoughts and his cigar. Alice was looking full upon the river, and her thoughts had strayed away to her future home among John Grey’s flower-beds and shrubs; but the river, though it sang to her pleasantly, seemed to sing a song of other things than such a home as that — a song full of mystery, as are all river songs when one tries to understand their words.“When are you to be married, Alice?” said George at last.“Oh, George!” said she. “You ask me a question as though you were putting a pistol to my ear.”“I’m sorry the question was so unpleasant.”“I didn’t say that it was unpleasant; but you asked it so suddenly! The truth is, I didn’t expect you to speak at all just then. I suppose I was thinking of something.”“But if it be not unpleasant — when are you to be married?”“I do not know. It is not fixed.”“But about when, I mean? This summer?”“Certainly not this summer, for the summer will be over when we reach home.”“This winter? Next spring? Next year? — or in ten years’ time?”“Before the expiration of the ten years, I suppose. Anything more exact than that I can’t say.”“I suppose you like it?” he then said.“What; being married? You see I’ve never tried yet.”“The idea of it — the anticipation. You look forward with satisfaction to the kind of life you will lead at Nethercoats? Don't suppose I am saying anything against it, for I have no conception what sort of a place Nethercoats is. On the whole I don't know that there is any kind of life better than that of an English country gentleman in his own place — that is, if he can keep it up, and not live as the old squire does, in a state of chronic poverty.”“Mr Grey's place doesn't entitle him to be called a country gentleman.”“But you like the prospect of it?”“Oh, George, how you do cross-question one! Of course I like it, or I shouldn't have accepted it.”“That does not follow. But I quite acknowledge that I have no right to cross-question you. If I ever had such right on the score of cousinship, I have lost it on the score of — but we won't mind that, will we, Alice?” To this she at first made no answer, but he repeated the question.“Will we, Alice?”“Will we what?”“Recur to the old days.”“Why should we recur to them? They are passed, and as we are again friends and dear cousins the sting of them is gone.”“Ah, yes! The st

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1 Chapter 1 Mr Mavasor and His Daughter2 Chapter 2 Lady Macleod3 Chapter 3 John Grey, the Worthy Man4 Chapter 4 George Vavasor, the Wild Man5 Chapter 5 The Balcony at Basle6 Chapter 6 The Bridge over the Rhine7 Chapter 7 Aunt Greenow8 Chapter 8 Mr Cheesacre9 Chapter 9 The Rivals10 Chapter 10 Nethercoats11 Chapter 11 John Grey goes to London12 Chapter 12 Mr George Vavasor at Home13 Chapter 13 Mr Grimes gets his Odd Money14 Chapter 14 Alice Vavasor becomes Troubled15 Chapter 15 Paramount Crescent16 Chapter 16 The Roebury Club17 Chapter 17 Edgehill18 Chapter 18 Alice Vavasor's Great Relations19 Chapter 19 Tribute from Oileymead20 Chapter 20 Which shall it be21 Chapter 21 Alice is taught to grow Upwards, towards the Light22 Chapter 22 Dandy and Flirt23 Chapter 23 Dinner at Matching Priory24 Chapter 24 Three Politicians25 Chapter 25 In which much of the History of the Pallisers is t26 Chapter 26 Lady Midlothian27 Chapter 27 The Priory Ruins28 Chapter 28 Alice leaves the Priory29 Chapter 29 Burgo Fitzgerald30 Chapter 30 Containing a Love-letter31 Chapter 31 Among the Fells32 Chapter 32 Containing an Answer to the Love-letter33 Chapter 33 Monkshade34 Chapter 34 Mr Vavasor speaks to his Daughter35 Chapter 35 Passion versus Prudence36 Chapter 36 John Grey goes a Second Time to London37 Chapter 37 Mr Tombe's Advice38 Chapter 38 The Inn at Shap39 Chapter 39 Mr Cheesacre's Hospitality40 Chapter 40 Mrs Greenow's Little Dinner in the Close41 Chapter 41 A Noble Lord Dies42 Chapter 42 Parliament Meets43 Chapter 43 Mrs Marsham44 Chapter 44 The Election for the Chelsea Districts45 Chapter 45 George Vavasor takes his Seat46 Chapter 46 A Love Gift47 Chapter 47 Mr Cheesacre's Disappointment48 Chapter 48 Preparations for Lady Monk's Party49 Chapter 49 How Lady Glencora went to Lady Monk's Party50 Chapter 50 How Lady Glencora came back from Lady Monk's Par51 Chapter 51 Bold Speculations on Murder52 Chapter 52 What occurred in Suffolk Street, Pall Mall53 Chapter 53 The Last Will of the Old Squire54 Chapter 54 Showing how Alice was Punished55 Chapter 55 The Will56 Chapter 56 Another Walk on the Fells57 Chapter 57 Showing how the Wild Beast got himself back from t58 Chapter 58 The Pallisers at Breakfast59 Chapter 59 The Duke of St Bungay in Search of a Minister60 Chapter 60 Alice Vavasor's Name gets into the Money Market61 Chapter 61 The Bills are made all right62 Chapter 62 Going Abroad63 Chapter 63 Mr John Grey in Queen Anne Street64 Chapter 64 The Rocks and Valleys65 Chapter 65 The First Kiss66 Chapter 66 Lady Monk's Plan67 Chapter 67 The Last Kiss68 Chapter 68 From London to Baden69 Chapter 69 From Baden to Lucerne70 Chapter 70 At Lucerne71 Chapter 71 Showing how George Vavasor received a Visit72 Chapter 72 Showing how George Vavasor paid a Visit73 Chapter 73 In which come Tidings of Great Moment to all the P74 Chapter 74 Showing what happened in the Churchyard75 Chapter 75 Rouge et Noir76 Chapter 76 The Landlord's Bill77 Chapter 77 The Travellers return Home78 Chapter 78 Mr Cheesacre's Fate79 Chapter 79 Diamonds are Diamonds80 Chapter 80 The Story is finished within the Halls of the Duke