Roland Cashel Volume II (of II)

Excerpt

CHAPTER I. AN "UNLIMITED" MONARCHY

"Here is Mr. Cashel; here he is!" exclaimed a number of voices, as Roland, with a heart full of indignant anger, ascended the terrace upon which the great drawing-room opened, and at every window of which stood groups of his gay company. Cashel looked up, and beheld the crowd of pleased faces wreathed into smiles of gracious welcome, and then he suddenly remembered that it was he who had invited all that brilliant assemblage; that, for him, all those winning graces were assumed; and that his gloomy thoughts, and gloomier looks, were but a sorry reception to offer them.

With a bold effort, then, to shake off the load that oppressed him, he approached one of the windows, where Mrs. Kennyfeck and her two daughters were standing, with a considerable sprinkling of young dragoons around them.

"We are not to let you in, Mr. Cashel," said Mrs. Kennyfeck, from within. "There has been a vote of the House against your admission."

"Not, surely, to condemn me unheard," said Roland; "I might even say, unaccused."

"How so?" cried Mrs. Kennyfeck. "Is not your present position your accusation? Why are you there, while we are here?"

"I went out for a walk, and lost myself in the woods."

"What does he say, my dear?" said Aunt Fanny, fearful of losing a word of the dialogue.

"That he lost himself, madam," said one of the dragoons, dryly.

"So, indeed, we heard, sir," said the maiden lady, piteously; "but I may say I foresaw it all."

"You are an old fool, and, worse still, every one sees it," whispered Mrs. Kennyfeck, in an accent that there was no mistaking, although only a whisper.

"We considered that you had abdicated, Mr. Cashel," said Mrs. White, who, having in vain waited for Roland to approach the window she occupied, was fain at last to join the others, "and we were debating on what form of Government to adopt,—a Presidency, with Mr. Linton—"

"I see you are no legitimist," slyly remarked Miss Kenny-feck. But the other went on,—

"Or an open Democracy."

"I 'm for that," said a jolly-looking cavalry captain. "Pray, Miss Olivia Kennyfeck, vote for it too. I should like nothing so much as a little fraternizing."

"I have a better suggestion than either," said Roland, gayly; "but you must admit me ere I make it."

"A device of the enemy," called out Mrs. White; "he wants to secure his own return to power."

"Nay, on honor," said he, solemnly; "I shall descend to the rank of the humblest citizen, if my advice be acceded to,—to the humblest subject of the realm."

"Ye maunna open the window. Leddy Janet has the rheumatics a' dandering aboot her back a' the morning," said Sir Andrew, approaching the group; and then, turning to Cashel, said, "Glad to see ye, sir; very glad indeed; though, like Prince Charlie, you're on the wrang side o' the wa'."

"Dear me!" sighed Meek, lifting his eyes from the newspaper, and assuming that softly compassionate tone in which he always delivered the most commonplace sentiments, "how shocking, to keep you out of your own house, and the air quite damp!...