Beaufort's Disgrace
Four months passed, and Newland didn't see Ellen again. She went back to Washington, and he went back to his false, empty life. One evening, he and May went to dinner at his mother's house with Sillerton Jackson. When the ladies had left them to their brandy and cigars, Mr Jackson said, "It looks as though Beaufort will go bankrupt. If that happens, it will be a big scandal. He didn't spend all that money on Regina."
"Well, everyone knows that," replied Newland impatiently.
"It's a pity that Countess Olenska didn't accept her husband's offer."
"Why do you think it's a pity?"
"Well, what's she going to live on now? If Beaufort -"
Newland leapt to his feet and banged his fist on the table. "What the devil do you mean, sir?" he cried indignantly.
Mr Jackson smoked his cigar and looked serenely at the young man's angry face. At length he said with a smile, "Well, she hasn't got much money, and what she did have was invested with Beaufort. So I could ask you, my dear boy, what do you mean by asking me what I mean?"
"You know perfectly well that what you said seemed to suggest -"
"Yes, but I'm not the only one who's suggesting it. Larry Lefferts told me, and he isn't the only one talking about them either."
Newland was afraid of having shown too much to this observant old man. "I think it's time we joined the ladies," he said.
***
Newland decided to go to Washington to visit Ellen. He could wait no longer. He had to see her. He told May that he had business in Washington and would be gone for several days. He made arrangements to leave on Tuesday.
Early on Sunday morning, however, Mrs Manson Mingott had a stroke. On Saturday evening, Regina Beaufort had come to visit her. She'd begged Mrs Mingott to lend Beaufort the money he needed to avoid bankruptcy. She'd insisted that the whole family's honor depended on this. "I'm a Dallas!" Regina had cried to her aunt.
"No, Regina!" the old lady had replied. "Your husband has ruined himself and hundreds of innocent people who trusted him with their money. He has brought shame on anyone associated with him. You were a Beaufort when he covered you in diamonds, and you're still a Beaufort now that he has covered you in shame!"
At three in the morning, Mrs Mingott had called her maid. The maid found her sitting up in bed, unable to speak properly or to move her left arm. She sent a messenger to the doctor's house and to the houses of Mrs Welland and Mr Lovell Mingott - the old lady's children. The rest of the family arrived at six and went in to see her one by one. They were relieved to see that she was a little better. She could speak clearly now. When Mr Lovell Mingott came out of his mother's room, he said, "She said she'll never speak to Regina Beaufort again. She also says we must send a telegram to Ellen, telling her to come here immediately."
The whole family was rather shocked by this last bit of news. They felt offended that their own presence wasn't comfort enough. Obviously the old lady cared for no one but Ellen. They were also alarmed: clearly if the old lady asked for Ellen she must be very ill indeed. She must be afraid of dying. Why else would she command Ellen to come to New York? May thought perhaps her grandmother wanted to try one last time to persuade Ellen to return to her husband.
Newland listened to these discussions in silence.
"Will you go to the Post Office, Newland, and send the telegram?" asked May.
"Of course," Newland replied.
As he walked to the Post Office, Newland saw Beaufort's disgrace announced on every newsstand. The whole of New York was shocked at his dishonor, and fashionable young gentlemen were gossiping about it on every corner.
The next day, a telegram arrived in reply to the one Newland had sent. It said that Countess Olenska would arrive at Jersey City station on Tuesday evening.
"Somebody must meet her. It's two hours' drive from Jersey City. We can't let her come back to New York on her own," said Mrs Welland. "Lovell and I must be here with mother, and Mr Welland isn't well enough to go."
"I'll go," said Newland.
"But Newland!" cried May. "You'll be in Washington then. You told me you were leaving on Tuesday morning for a business meeting."
"It's been cancelled," said Newland. "So, I can go and meet Countess Olenska. It's no trouble at all."
"Really?" said May in amazement. "What a coincidence!" She looked at him, and her eyes at that moment seemed so blue that Newland wondered if there were tears in them.
"Oh, thank you so much, Newland," said Mrs Welland, and May looked down.
by Edith Wharton