CHAPTER XI.

FORTUNE-TELLING.

When Alfred Van Hoosen quitted Harkaway he dropped in at the Union Club and played a couple of games of billiards.

He played very badly, for his thoughts were intent on anything but the game.

"Beaten you again," said his friend; "what is the matter with you this afternoon?"

"My right hand has lost its cunning."

"Play another?"

"Not to-day, you will have to excuse me," said Alfred.

Two gentlemen entered the room and approached Van Hoosen, one saying:

"Ah! Van, glad to see you. I want to make you acquainted with my friend, Lord Maltravers. Just arrived from England. He has brought a letter of introduction to me and tells me that he met your people in Paris."

Alfred shook hands with his friend, who was named Sinclair, and was well known as a banker in Wall street, while he bowed somewhat stiffly to the peer.

The latter placed a glass in his eye, and stared somewhat rudely at Van Hoosen.

"Pleased to know you, you know," he exclaimed. "But I thought you were out of form; your mother sent up for you, but you were indisposed; preferred playing billiards to seeing me, eh?"

"I can choose my own occupation, I guess," replied Alfred, who did not like his lordship's manner.

The tone in which he was addressed was offensive.

"Oh! certainly; I can forgive anything to the brother of such a charming sister."

"I don't want you to forgive me anything. Lord Maltravers," said Alfred haughtily, "and I beg, once for all, that you will not dare to take the liberty of mentioning Miss Van Hoosen's name in a billiard-room."

"But it's a club, you know."

"That makes no difference; don't do it."

"Eh?" said his lordship, calling the eye-glass into requisition again.

"Don't _dare_ to do it."

"Did you say dare?"

"Certainly I did. Is it necessary to repeat it?" replied Alfred, turning away.

Maltravers stared after him, and taking up a cue began to knock the balls about, remarking as he did so: "Queer people, these Americans."

Sinclair ran after Alfred, and caught him at the door.

"What's got into you?" he asked.

"Oh! nothing," was the evasive answer.

"I didn't think you would insult a friend of mine."

"Excuse me, I have my reasons. The fellow was not too conciliatory to me, and I'm not running after English lords just now. Good-afternoon."

Alfred left the club, more than ever inclined to support the cause of Jack Harkaway.

Dinner was ready, when he reached home, and when the meal was over, he had an opportunity of speaking to his sister.

Mrs. Van Hoosen had gone to the opera, having accepted a seat in Lord Maltravers's box, but Lena remained at home under the plea of a severe headache.

The brother and sister sat on a lounge together, and Alfred slipped his arm round her waist.

"You have stayed home, my baby," he said, "because you didn't want to meet _him_."

"Whom do you mean?" asked Lena.

"This English puppy, Lord Maltravers. Is it not so, sis?"

"Yes, dear," she replied. "When did you see him?"

"To-day, at the club, and we came near having a row."

"What about?"

"He mentioned your name, and I told him that I did not care to have my sister spoken of in a public place."

"That was right," said Lena.

"Tell me, my pet, which do you like best, Maltravers or Harkaway?"

Lena blushed scarlet.

"I esteem Mr. Harkaway very much," she replied.

"Esteem?" he repeated. "Is not that cold?"

"Well, as far as love goes, I do not know that I love any one."

"Yet you have lots of admirers."

"Have I?"

"Why, certainly you have, and a pretty girl like you deserves them. But tell me, do you care for this upstart lord?"

"Mamma says he has the blood of forty generations in his veins, and is the representative of one of the first noble families in England."

"I know mamma's weakness, and I am ashamed of it; but let me put it to you plainly. If you had your choice of the two men, which would you rather marry?"

"What do you think?" replied Lena with an arch smile.

"Harkaway."

"You are welcome to your opinion. I will not contradict you. Yet, Alfred, I cannot offend our mother, and I must be civil to a man, I freely admit, I do not like."

"If you ever marry him, I'll never speak to you again."

"That would be a terrible punishment," said Lena, "for you know full well, how much I think of you, Alfred."

"I do know it, sis, but my advice to you is to consult your own happiness."

"I cannot be happy if I offend mamma."

"But you cannot be happy if you marry Lord Maltravers."

"That is the dilemma," said Lena, "and how am I to get out of it?"

Alfred Van Hoosen shook his head.

"Give me a few days to think the matter over," he replied, "and perhaps I can see some way out of the difficulty. One thing I know, I would rather see you drop down dead at the altar, than become the wife of that man."

"Oh! Alfred. What dreadful language!"

"You do not know so much about him as I do. I am Harkaway's friend now, and I don't want you to encourage Maltravers. You will do that much for me?"

"I can make no promise."

"Why not?"

"I must obey mamma--oh!" she added, while the tears flooded her eyes, "I wish I had never been born!"

"That is a foolish wish."

"No. You have never known what it is to struggle between inclination and duty," said Lena.

"That will do. I am satisfied with that answer!" cried Alfred Van Hoosen. "Be true to yourself, sis, and trust to my inventive faculties to make you happy."

He kissed his sister affectionately, and she sought the privacy of her own chamber.

In a little while she grew tired of being alone, and threw aside a book which she had endeavored to read.

Ringing her bell, she summoned her maid whom she had brought from Paris with her; this was a bright little brunette named Fifine.

"Did ma'm'selle ring?" she asked.

"Yes, tell me what to do with myself. I am _distraite_."

"Is it that ma'm'selle will go to the theater?" asked Fifine. "But no, she can not go alone. _Tiens_! Why not have your fortune told?"

"Where?" said Lena, struck with this novel suggestion.

"There is one clairvoyant in this street, who always tells true. She is called Vesta Levine."

"Have you been there?"

"_Oui_, ma'm'selle, and she tell me I shall some day marry a prince, with so much money he can not spend it."

"That is encouraging," said Miss Van Hoosen with a smile. "Give me my hat; we will go to your fortune-teller, for I should like to know whom I am likely to marry."

"In France," exclaimed Fifine, "women never marry; it is the men who marry them. What is the difference? marriage is a lottery."

Lena was quickly attired. With her face hidden by a thick vail, and accompanied by her maid she went to visit the clairvoyant who was spoken of so highly.

She had no faith in the art of fortune-telling, and believed astrology to be all nonsense, but in every woman's breast there is a slight undercurrent of superstition.

Consequently she fancied, in spite of her reason, that there might be something in it.

The madame's house was not far from that in which she resided, and five minutes walking brought her to it.

Fifine rung the bell, and they were ushered by the domestic, into a room dimly lighted.

Here they waited fully ten minutes, when a curtain was thrown aside, the gas was turned up as if by magic; and the madame, without speaking, beckoned them into an inner room.

They obeyed the silent summons, the curtain fell behind them, and an undefinable feeling of dread came over Lena.

Madame Levine was a well-preserved woman of forty, with a pale, delicate, classic face, and large dreamy eyes. She was simply attired in black silk and wore no jewelry.

The inner apartment in which they found themselves was plainly furnished. Reclining on a couch was a young girl who appeared to be asleep.

This was Adéle Bellefontaine, the poor insane victim of Lord Maltravers's deceit, who had been placed with the clairvoyant for care and protection.

Madame Levine was not long in discovering that the girl possessed remarkable mediumistic properties, and she soon tested her powers; the result being so encouraging that she kept her in a trance half the time.

"Be seated, ladies," said the clairvoyant. "If you wish your fortune revealed, my fee is five dollars. You will address your questions to the medium who is on the lounge."

Lena Van Hoosen handed her the money, and the madame sat down at a small harmonium, from which she drew sweet and plaintive strains.

The music was not loud enough to drown the sound of the voices, and Lena, in low, trembling tones, said: "Shall I ever be married?"

"Yes," replied Adéle.

"To whom?"

"An Englishman."

She thought of Harkaway and Lord Maltravers, who were both of that nationality.

To which of the two did the medium refer?

"Two men love you," continued Adéle.

"I know it, but for heaven's sake which of the two will be my fate?" cried Lena, who was scarcely able to suppress her emotion.

Adéle's fingers nervously clutched the gold locket which hung round her neck.

"Come!" she said.

Lena Van Hoosen advanced like one in a dream.

"Look," continued Adéle.

Unclasping the locket she gazed upon the face within.

"Lord Maltravers!" she gasped.

"It is he whom you will marry," replied the medium.

Lena staggered back and fell heavily on the floor.

The revelation was too much for her, and she fainted away.

Adéle continued to lie in a trance and was apparently unconscious of all that was going on around her.