Attempt > Volume 1 and Select writings

94
THE ATTEMPT
contrived to cut his lectures short, by a lively sally or broad hint that his patience
was exhausted for the time being. Soon after Catherine joined the party, they all
adjourned to the drawingroom, where Mr Campbell and the priest sat down to their
never-failing amusement, chess, and Charles and his sister prepared to give their father
bis nightly concert, which he expected should continue as long as the game. Indeed,
he used to declare that when they were otherwise engaged, and could not indulge him
as usual, he was invariably the loser. The twins rarely spent an evening apart, as
they were devotedly attached to each other; but lately Charles had been often absent,
and Catherine paused as she was humming a song, and turning to her brother, exclaimed,
“ How comes it, Charles, that you have not been an evening with us all this week, and
even now, although it is at my earnest solicitation that you spend Christmas evening
with us, you seem quite restless to be gone l ” and in a rallying tone she added, “ Has
a fair lady aught to do with it 1” As she made this joking allusion Charles coloured,
and looked so annoyed that she dared not press the matter further. He turned to the
piano, and said, “ Come now, Kate, one more song before I go; for I have an engagement
that must be kept.” She complied silently with his request, but resolved that she
would sit up till her brother’s return, and learn from his own lips the secret that
oppressed him, as for some days he had appeared unlike himself, being either moody
and reserved, or almost uproarious in his sallies of humour. Song succeeded song, and
still Charles lingered, but at last he started up, and bidding his sister an affectionate
good night, left the room without either the priest or his father noticing his departure.
Prayers were read and supper served, and at an early hour all retired, Mr Campbell
merely remarking, “ Charles seems to have numerous engagements now-a-days, Kate;
but I think he might have spared us Christmas evening,” as he took his candle and
left the room. Kate retired also, but after all was quiet, she descended to the library,
and prepared to wait for the truant’s return. She took up a book, but her thoughts
were so busy with the events of the day that it failed to interest her, so releasing her
long bright hair from its fastenings, and wrapping her furred dressing-gown closely
round her, she drew an arm-chair to the fire, and leaning back among its luxurious
cushions, closed her eyes, whilst her mind busied itself in conjecturing all possible and
impossible things about her brother; the wasted features of poor Agnes, and the
bright young face of her fair visitor, ever and anon flitting before her eyes.
Ladybird.