The Dukes Children | Page 2

They remained the full year
abroad, travelling with a large accompaniment of tutors, lady's- maids,
couriers, and sometimes friends. I do not know that the Duchess or the
Duke had enjoyed it much; but the young people had seen something of
foreign courts and much of foreign scenery, and had perhaps perfected
their French. The Duke had gone to work at his travels with a full
determination to create for himself an occupation out of a new kind of

life. He had studied Dante, and had striven to arouse himself to ecstatic
joy amidst the loveliness of the Italian lakes. But through it all he had
been aware that he had failed. The Duchess had made no such
resolution,-had hardly, perhaps, made any attempt; but, in truth they
had both sighed to back amongst the war-trumpets. They had both
suffered much among the trumpets, and yet they longed to return. He
told himself from day to day, that though he had been banished from
the House of Commons, still, as a peer, he had a seat in Parliament; and
that though he was no longer a minister, still he might be useful as a
legislator. She, in her careers as a leader of fashion, had no doubt met
with some trouble,--with some trouble but with no disgrace; and as she
had been carried about among the lakes and mountains, among the
pictures and statues, among the counts and countesses; she had often
felt that there was no happiness except in that dominion which
circumstances had enabled her to achieve once, and might enable her to
achieve again--in the realms of London society.
Then, in the early spring of 187-, they came back to England, having
persistently carried out their project, at any rate in regard to time. Lord
Gerald, the younger son, was at once sent up to Trinity. For the eldest
son a seat was to be found in the House of Commons, and the fact that
a dissolution of Parliament was expected served to prevent any
prolonged sojourn abroad. Lady Mary Palliser was at that time nineteen,
and her entrance into the world was to be her mother's greatest care and
great delight. In March they spent a few days in London, and then went
down to Marching Priory. When she left town the Duchess was
complaining of cold, sore throat, and debility. A week after their arrival
at Matching she was dead.
Had the heavens fallen and mixed themselves with the earth, had the
people of London risen in rebellion with French ideas of equality, had
the Queen persistently declined to comply with the constitutional
advice of her ministers, had a majority in the House of Commons lost
its influence in the country,--the utter prostration of the bereft husband
could not have been more complete. It was not only that his heart was
torn to pieces, but that he did not know how to look out into the world.
It was as though a man should be suddenly called upon to live without
hands or even arms. He was helpless, and knew himself to be helpless.
Hitherto he had never specially acknowledged to himself that his wife

was necessary to him as a component part of his life. Though he had
loved her dearly, and had in all things consulted her welfare and
happiness, he had at times been inclined to think that in the exuberance
of her spirits she had been a trouble rather than a support to him. But
now it was as though all outside appliances were taken away from him.
There was no one of whom he could ask a question.
For it may be said of this man that, though throughout his life he had
had many Honourable and Right Honourable friends, and that, though
he had entertained guests by the score, and though he had achieved for
himself the respect of all good men and the thorough admiration of
some few who knew him, he had hardly made for himself a single
intimate friend--except that one who had now passed away from him.
To her he had been able to say what he thought, even though she would
occasionally ridicule him while he was declaring his feelings. But there
had been no other human soul to whom he could open himself. There
was one or two whom he loved, and perhaps liked; but his loving and
his liking had been exclusively political. He had so habituated himself
to devote his mind and his heart to the service of his country, that he
had almost risen above or sunk below humanity. But she, who had been
essentially human, had been a link between him and the world.
There were his three children, the youngest of whom was now nearly
nineteen, and they surely were