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diff --git a/77720-0.txt b/77720-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..77a1070 --- /dev/null +++ b/77720-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3997 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77720 *** + + + + + YES AND NO. + + VOL. II. + + + + + LONDON: + IBOTSON AND PALMER, PRINTERS, SAVOY STREET, STRAND. + + + + + YES AND NO: + + A TALE OF THE DAY. + + BY THE AUTHOR OF “MATILDA.” + + + Che sì e no nel capo mi tenzona. + DANTE. + + At war ’twixt _will_ and _will not_. + SHAKSPEARE. + + + IN TWO VOLUMES. + + VOL. II. + + LONDON: + HENRY COLBURN, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. + 1828. + + + + +YES AND NO. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + Gentlemen, welcome! ladies, that have their toes + Unplagu’d with corns, will have a bout with you: + Aha, my mistresses! which of you all + Will now deny to dance? she that makes dainty, she, + I’ll swear hath corns; am I come near you now? + You are welcome, gentlemen!--Come, musicians, + A hall! a hall! give room, and foot it, girls! + + SHAKSPEARE. + + +The events of the last chapter, combined with Lady Latimer’s rather +deliberate devoirs at her dressing-table, had so much postponed her +arrival, that by the time she entered the room, the ball was at its +zenith. For two hours previously had the motley assemblage been +collecting; and various as the character and rank of the company, had +been their modes of arrival. + +First, the ostentatious old grandee, who had insisted on the dignity +of his coach-and-six, though at every turn of the narrow streets the +leaders’ heads had smashed a shop window, and the hind wheel had +carried off the scraper from the opposite door. + +Then, drawn by a pair of the farm-team, slowly rolled on the family +chariot, whose single seat was as warmly contested as if it had been +a parliamentary one: the proper pretensions of a bodkin being very +differently considered by brother Bill, whose tight “knees” resisted +sitting in too acute an angle; and by sisters Selina and Georgina, who +insisted on ample space for their lower garments, and elbow-room for +their gigot sleeves. + +Here too, but for the convenient darkness, might have been seen, from +under a carefully-gathered gown, a well-turned leg, and slim ancle, +tottering over the crossing beneath the weight of cumbrous clogs; papa +having been too stingy to hire a chaise to go a hundred yards, and Miss +herself too impatient to wait for the twentieth turn of the single +sedan which the town boasted. + +How little know they, whose London mornings are spent in a fastidious +discussion of the half-a-dozen “at homes,” from which they are to +make a selection, of the pleasure felt by the country girl in the +anticipation of her only ball! With all the languor of the last night’s +raking still upon her, the disciple of fashion finds out, as she +contemptuously tosses over the offered engagements for the evening, +that Lady G. has not got Collinet; that Mrs. H. lives in Bryanstone +Square, and she makes it a rule never to cross Oxford Street except +to the _corps diplomatique_, who, as foreigners, have a right to live +in outlandish parts; that Lady Mary is always so civil, and means this +for a squeeze; and that if they go to Mrs. D.’s, they must ask her in +return; and their “very small, very early,”----impossible! + +On the other hand, the rural nymph, to whom an engagement of this +kind is an extraordinary event, wakes earlier in the morning, for +fear she should not be in time, counts the hours impatiently till +dressing, whilst the habitual glow of health is heightened by the flush +of excitement. And what can be a more gratifying sight than such a +collection of happy faces--if they did but know how to dance! + +Germain had miraculously escaped from his election-dinner, only so much +elevated with all he had swallowed, as made him the more likely to go +through the remaining labours of the evening with spirit, and therefore +with success. + +Not so Mr. Macdeed and Captain Wilcox, who were both as much cut as +the occasion warranted, and walked about the early part of the evening +arm-in-arm, each thinking that he was taking care of the other. The +wine rendered Macdeed facetious, the captain only familiar. + +“My friend the captain,” Macdeed repeated several times with an +accompanying laugh; “though only a single vote after our dinner has +turned out a plumper.” + +“Macdeed, my man, don’t talk nonsense; and take care, or you’ll run +against the ladies,” replied the captain, pulling him away. + +Mr. Stedman was solemn and sober, but looked wonderfully clean, till +after the dancing had set in with such severity as to cause the first +fall of powder upon his coat, which, though antique in cut, was new +for the occasion; nor was his double-breasted white dimity waistcoat +as yet stained with snuff; and his stout legs, shown to advantage in +ribbed silk stockings, seemed to want nothing but elasticity to qualify +them for the labours of the evening. Yet for all this, there was not +a young lady whose situation in the county entitled her to dance with +one of the members, who did not put up a secret wish that the young +and handsome Germain might first offer to lead her forth, and that she +might not be left to be dragged up and down by the main force of the +old squire. + +Germain, who was not very learned in the etiquette of these occasions, +had entertained some vague sort of intention of opening the ball with +Lady Latimer, but her late arrival put that out of the question, and it +was lucky for his popularity that it did so. It was suggested to him, +that to dance with a bride would prevent jealousies about any other +pretensions; and Mrs. Captain Wilcox, both on account of her father’s +situation in the county, and her husband’s recently acquired property, +would be a proper person. + +Our old friend Fanny was not dressed as a bride--it would have been +better if she had, for the combined election colours which she thought +her husband’s opinions required on the occasion, were not becoming. +Hers was not a taste which could be trusted with the indiscriminate +use of two such colours as blue and red, particularly as she of course +had no very accurate idea of the peculiarly delicate shade of the real +“_feu d’enfer_.” Her shoes, however, were red, which Germain could +not deny was giving a very fair allowance in point of quantity to his +colour. Still her general appearance was dowdy; and as Germain stood +opposite to her waiting to begin, though it was impossible to find +much fault with any thing that looked so good and fresh, and happy and +healthy, yet he could not help wondering at his former self, as he +recollected some of the day-dreams of his early sentiment. + +There, too, stood his formerly revered, always respectable Mentor, her +father, who certainly was not in the same state as the captain and Mr. +Macdeed; but this arose not so much from any abstemiousness on the +occasion, as from having ascertained from long habit exactly how much +he could drink with decency. Germain fancied, when he first observed +him, that his features had the cunning compression of a man who knows +that he has drank enough, and he was confirmed in his opinion by the +maudlin tone in which he said, as he passed, nodding at Fanny, “Old +times, eh, Mr. Germain?” + +When Captain Wilcox at that moment touched him on the other side, and +nodding and smirking, said, “Much flattered, I’m sure, Mr. Germain; +you’ll make Mrs. Wilcox quite sport high at opening the ball with +the Member ----,” Germain felt almost gratified by the captain’s +interruption, from the consciousness he thence derived that ‘old times’ +could not be really revived. + +Reply was prevented by the commencement of the dancing; and Fanny swam, +and bounced, and floated, and jumped, as if she was determined to show +her sense of the honour. + +“’Tis pity,” thought Germain, “that where the heart is so light, the +heels should be so heavy.” + +At length, to his infinite relief, though his exertions had kept no +pace with those of his partner, they reached the bottom. At this moment +Lady Latimer entered the room alone, and took her seat at one end of +it by Mrs. and the Misses Luton. She had depended upon having Miss +Mordaunt to accompany her. Lord Latimer had declined to come from a +feeling, perhaps unnecessarily squeamish in those days, that a peer had +better not personally interfere in elections. Fitzalbert, in a fit of +indolence, had staid with him. + +The first glance satisfied Germain that Lady Latimer never looked +more beautiful; and she took the same opportunity to signify her +congratulations at his success by a slight inclination of the head, +and a finger half raised to point out the colours she wore. But from +where he stood, Germain could see her but imperfectly; for between them +was the figure of Mrs. Wilcox fanning herself, and swinging about her +not very transparent person. The captain, too, came up to them again, +saying, “Fanny, my dear, hadn’t you better be seated; now I declare +you are quite warm, and I’m sure you must be leg-weary.” + +“Me! oh no, I could dance down ten times more, with pleasure.” + +“_Dieu m’en défende!_” thought Germain. + +“But are you sure it’s quite prudent, my dear?” enquired the captain, +winking and nudging Germain, who was not learned enough in family +matters to comprehend the meaning of the inuendo, though it added to +the already deep die of Fanny’s skin. + +As they were (to use the new idiom of the day) being danced up, he +observed Lady Latimer, who was really short-sighted, and never used +a glass offensively, stealing hers up to her eye, and directing it +towards the expansive but unconscious front of his partner, which was +turned towards her. This was evidently followed by an inquiry of Mrs. +Luton, and he did not at all like the tale-telling manner in which +that lady prepared to answer it; for he had a disagreeable recollection +that she had lived near his tutor’s, and that she could no otherwise +account for the indifference he then showed to the advances of any, +and indeed all of the Misses Luton, than by supposing a domestic +prepossession at Mrs. Dormer’s. He felt sure, too, that she would +detail every thing in the most malicious manner; and he could not deny, +as he looked at Mrs. Captain Wilcox, that it wanted no assistance to +make her, and consequently himself, ridiculous. + +The apparently interminable dance at length concluded, he hastened to +Lady Latimer, and began expressing his regrets, which were certainly +very sincere, that she had not arrived in time for him to open the ball +with her. “Oh,” said she, laughing, “pray don’t think it necessary to +make speeches which we know how far to believe. You remember the old +proverb, ‘_On revient toujours_;’ need I go on, or does your conscience +fill up the rest?” + +Germain felt that he looked sufficiently foolish for him to wish to +avoid Lady Latimer’s eye, he therefore carried his down the line +beyond, where it encountered Mrs. Luton’s malicious grin, Miss Luton’s +suppressed smile, Miss Anne Luton’s silly simper, and a certain +expression which twittered about the little pursed-up mouths of the +whole line of Misses Luton. + +Now Germain was not aware that he had given what was considered very +serious ground of offence to every one of these young ladies. The elder +ones recollected the manner in which he had formerly slighted their +charms, and all of them considered, that as they were the only young +ladies in the room who had actually been at Paris, and who bore about +them the outward and visible signs of it, that this ought to have +superseded every other claim to precedence, and left, as the only +choice for Germain, which of the sisters he should open the ball with. + +Germain felt what has been felt by less diffident characters when +exposed alone to a whole line of ladies, that if he was not actually +making a favourable impression upon one, he was probably making an +unfavourable one upon all, and therefore to extricate himself from this +false position, he proposed to Lady Latimer to dance the next dance +with him. + +“I think I am growing too old,” said she, evidently not very seriously; +“I am losing the elasticity of youth,” looking down at her pretty +little foot, which certainly seemed to come much more under the +description of the “light fantastic” than that of his last partner. + +What gallant reply he might have thought it necessary to make is +unknown, for at that moment he felt his elbow touched, and turning +round he beheld the persevering Captain Wilcox. + +“Sweet woman that, the Viscountess Latimer; would you do me the honour +to present me to her in due form?” Germain did not know how to refuse, +and therefore mentioned the request to Lady Latimer. “What,” said she, +“the successful rival? you generous man!” The introduction effected, +the captain began-- + +“My lord’s not here, I understand. I hope not indisposed. I am sure +you look charming well, my lady, in spite of the hot room--perhaps, +as assistant-surgeon Jackson used to say at Madras, the hotter the +healthier, because----” + +“And so you insist upon my standing up this dance,” said Lady Latimer +to Germain, taking his arm, and interrupting the captain, and then +continuing, as she walked away--“That was a little too bad, Mr. +Germain. So I was to have occupied the good, easy man, whilst you--Oh! +for shame!” + +There was much in all this that annoyed Germain; he was, as has been +seen before, always peculiarly sensitive to ridicule, and the tone of +banter so successfully assumed by Lady Latimer, he could not conceal +from himself was most probably founded on indifference. However, though +she was soon satisfied with the sensation her presence had created +in the ball-room, and retired early, he resolutely remained much of +the night, as in duty bound; and it was a very late hour ere the +festivities concluded. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + Oh, Grief hath changed me since you saw me last; + And careful hours, with Time’s deformed hand, + Have written strange defeatures in my face. + + SHAKSPEARE. + + +The night was dark and stormy, a circumstance of which most of the +revellers amid the dust and noise and glare of the ball-room were, or +affected to be, unconscious. True, the proprietor of the coach-and-six +had it hinted to him, and departed accordingly; but the fair owner of +the clogs danced indefatigably till dawn, without wasting a thought +upon the increasing difficulties of her return, and then ran laughing +and hopping home, having deposited one of her clumsy protectors stuck +deep in the first miry crossing. + +But there was one to whom the tempestuous state of the weather during +that tedious night added to the dreariness of her situation. Helen +found her progress seriously retarded by the severity of the storm. For +though Lady Latimer’s servant, spurred to exertion by his mistress’s +express injunctions, did all in his power to facilitate their advance, +yet as the road they had to travel was a cross country one, it required +at each of the inns where they changed horses, no small powers of +persuasion to convince the sleepy postboys, harassed and jaded as they +and their horses had latterly been by the election, that any one could +really wish them on such a night as this to leave their warm beds, and +drive ten or fifteen miles. + +At each of these unwelcome checks to her impatience, Helen sat +motionless, absorbed in her own melancholy thoughts, intently gazing +upon the front window, against which the beating rain never ceased to +patter, her eye following mechanically the copious streams in which it +descended the glass, and equally unconscious of the tears which more +silently trickled down her own cheeks. + +Her mother had been all in all to her: she had never seemed to have +any separate existence from that of her child. As the incidents of her +early life now passed rapidly through her mind, with an accuracy and +yet a variety which nothing but the concentrated feelings of such a +moment could condense into so short a space, she could not recollect +any one act of her parent’s which was not dictated by the most anxious, +and yet the most judicious regard for her welfare. And she had enjoyed +a mother’s affection in all its purity and all its strength, undiluted +by division--unalloyed by the slightest dross of self, and yet she +had been absent from her during a serious, perhaps a tedious illness, +and had thus missed the only occasion, when she might have attempted +to repay, though imperfectly, those fond attentions which she had +always experienced from her in all the ills of childhood. She might +well have thought that the prospect of such a final separation, under +such circumstances, would have been incapable of aggravation; but in +anguish she now admitted that a most cruel aggravation had been but too +successfully attempted, and by whom--she could hardly bear to think. + +Oakley’s last words still rung in her ears. She rejected them as the +ravings of passion, till her mother’s apparent confirmation forced +itself on her recollection. “You from whom I have had no secret.” +And was it from him, in whom confidence seemed to have been so +unworthily placed, that she must receive the only cureless wound? +Mortal separation, even heart-rending as that with which she was +threatened, as the common lot of humanity, is not entirely incapable of +alleviation--pious resignation may sooth its pangs, till all-healing +time has slowly worked out his cure. But how would nature and reason +have made their first efforts to assuage the hitherto uncontrollable +bursts of grief? By fondly pointing to the spotless memory of her that +was gone; and this blessed consolation had been wantonly and abruptly +destroyed by him, from whom, least of all, she would have expected such +wrong. As the morning advanced, and she approached her destination, +these thoughts for the time faded before the more immediate fear that +she might have arrived too late. + +Mrs. Mordaunt’s dwelling was rather prettily situated on the skirts +of a little village. It was of the cottage order; and the garden and +little ground about it had all those marks of care and attention which +are found when the owner’s first resource is in the works of nature. + +It was hence that Helen had derived her earliest recollections. It +had been purchased for Mrs. Mordaunt, and had been legally settled on +her, though the annuity had not, and was therefore all she possessed +independent of Oakley. Helen’s tottering steps, as she descended from +the carriage, were supported by old Dorothy, who without administering +much further comfort, relieved her anxious doubts as to her mother’s +being still alive. + +Old Dorothy had been with her mistress as long as Helen could remember, +and all her infantine grievances, such as they were, had been confined +to the very short and constantly diminishing intervals when her +mother’s authority had been transferred to her as her deputy; for +nature had not endowed Dorothy with a good temper, and perhaps her +limited experience of life had not improved it. The wayward fancies +of childhood had therefore often irritated and incensed her. In later +days, what had most soured her and excited her spleen, was Helen’s +increasing beauty. Whether this arose from her own original deficiency +in this respect, or from some other cause, she used always to say: “She +know’d nought but mischief comes of your fair skin and your fine form.” + + “The canker feeds on the fairest rose, + And the brightest eye will soonest close.” + +But she showed withal a most invincible, dogged fidelity to her +mistress, over whom Helen had early observed that she had no slight +degree of influence. She had also always remarked that Dorothy was +kinder at a period of calamity or distress, and that not so much from +any apparent effort to exert herself more at such times, as that it +was a state which appeared best suited to her own habitual frame of +mind. It was long therefore since Helen had been so warmly greeted by +her as she was upon the present melancholy occasion of her return. As +she supported her with one arm, she gently turned the stray hair off +her forehead with her other withered hand. Perhaps she was softened +and thrown off her guard by her own distress--perhaps the havoc that +grief had made in Helen’s beauty caused her to view it with unusual +complacency, as she said: “God bless your dear face, it does one good +to see it again--how you have been crying! Oh! Miss Mordaunt, to think +that you should return when there is no hope left. She has been much +worn away within the last week; before that I never found it out: she +never complains, you know it’s not her way. I thought to myself that +she seemed to grow a bit thinner; but I’ve seen over many and great +changes in her, poor lady, in my day, to mind a trifle; and then my +eyes are not so sharp as they have been; and I minded it not so much, +for that I guessed your being away might make her a bit lonesome, for +she needs other company than her own thoughts; and I spoke to her more +sharply than I’ve done this many a long year, that she should send +for you here, and that she ought to ken well enough you’d get no good +gadding where you were; and then she took on so, poor soul, that I was +sorry for what I’d said, though I meant it all for the best. And the +next day was the first she was over weak to get as far as your garden +to tend your flowers. She’d ne’er missed a day since you went, and that +she minded worser than any thing, and so she sent for the doctor, and +together they settled to have you back.” + +By this time they had crossed the garden to the front door, and Helen +eagerly inquired whether she should go in at once to her mother, or +whether Dorothy had best break her arrival to her. + +“Why, I reckon she has just dropped into a sort of dose, for you must +know she was rather on the look out for your return all yesterday, and +that fretted her into a worse fever. I don’t know how it was, she had +her own way of sending to tell you; if she had but left it to me, I’d +have had a care there should have been no mistake; but so it was, she +kept peering and pining for you all the afternoon, and though it was to +be looked for she should not sleep all night, as I told her she might +thank herself for managing matters so ill; and so at last she’s gone +off into a sort of slumber from sheer weakness.” + +Helen seized the opportunity of escaping from the officious old +Dorothy, who returned to take the consignment of her things from the +carriage, and with a light tread she stole to the door of her mother’s +apartment. All seemed perfectly still within. She gently opened the +door. There had been no precautions taken to procure the sleep in which +her mother’s senses had been overcome. The morning sun shone full upon +the bed where Helen’s anxious eyes were directed. + +Mrs. Mordaunt’s was a frame where sorrow had preyed upon the substance +without defacing the filmy covering. Her clear skin was still free from +furrows, though it seemed but to rest upon the bone. Such as she then +appeared in that unconscious trance, the interest she must have excited +in one less partial than her daughter was beyond that of mere mortal +beauty. The hectic spot upon one point of the cheek seemed to touch the +long eyelashes which in sleep hung down towards it. Her silken hair, +which time and grief had thinned not turned, strayed unconfined over +her pale forehead. The expression of her colourless lips was tranquil +and free from pain. Her thin transparent hands, more than any thing +else, told the tale of approaching dissolution. Around the bloodless +fingers of one hand was twined a long lock of Helen’s hair, the other +was stretched towards a book of common-prayer which lie open upon the +bed. Mrs. Mordaunt’s devotion had never partaken of the character of +fanaticism, that mistaken cordial of diseased minds. She thought it +best became a sincere penitent to study and practise the plainest +precepts of religion, rather than to pride herself upon the gloomy +perversion of its most disputed dogmas. + +As Helen bent over the still and passionless form, where amid the +traces of bodily suffering so much seemed to recall the recollection +of recent virtues, so little to confirm the suspicion of former guilt, +she felt her throat swelling with a sudden burst of indignation, which +being utterly unable to control, she hastily left the room, and then +gave vent to the bitter thought: “_He_ has dared to defame _her_, and +to me!” + +After she had to a certain degree succeeded in restoring to herself the +degree of composure necessary to prepare her for the interview she must +soon have with her mother, she attempted to sustain herself by a survey +of the well-known contents of their common sitting-room. Every thing +was much as she had left it. Her sketch-book, however, which she had +put by, was open, as if it had been recently examined. Her birds too +had not been neglected, from the appearance of the green food and water +in the cages; it seemed as if they must have been replenished no longer +ago than the evening before. This was an attention quite out of old +Dorothy’s line. It must have been her mother then who had thus employed +the moments while she had been, as stated, fretting for her return. + +She was soon again summoned to the bed-room. After the first agitation +of meeting had subsided, Mrs. Mordaunt raising herself said: “And have +you not suffered from cold, my poor child? I could not sleep till the +storm had subsided, with the thought that you might be out in it.” + +“Think not of me; to find you thus--ill, very ill, I fear,” said +Helen, unable to bear the unnatural brilliancy of her mother’s eye, +which alarmed her more than any of the symptoms of decay which she had +observed whilst she was still asleep. + +“His will be done!” said Mrs. Mordaunt; “it is perhaps on many accounts +better as it is. Better for you, I mean, which is my only care. You +are formed to ornament society. It would have been out of my power to +accompany you into the world; you must have observed that I have always +avoided society; I have not been without my reasons for it.” + +As Mrs. Mordaunt paused, Helen felt a slight shudder, as this conduct +of her mother occurred to her in a new light. + +She then continued: “I shall never again perhaps be stronger than I +am at present, so I may as well now communicate one or two facts with +regard to your future circumstances, which it is necessary you should +know. It is not much I can bring myself to say, but if I have had, +and still have any concealment from you, it is only what an anxious +consideration for your happiness has, upon mature deliberation, +determined me to pursue.” + +“There is one, however,” thought Helen, “from whom she has had no +secret;” and she almost dreaded that in what was about to follow she +should hear any allusion to that name, which it would previously have +gladdened her heart to have heard mentioned with praise by her mother. + +“I will not deny that your absence has been painful to me, but I shall +at least die with the consciousness that it has been far from useless +to you. The sense of obligation must always be irksome, when gratitude +is extracted only by the act itself, and does not flow naturally from +regard for the benefactor. Judge then of the pleasure I derived from +the unsuspicious encomiums you passed upon the character of Mr. Oakley, +and the gratification you seemed to derive from the intercourse with +so superior a person, when I tell you that it is to his bounty that we +have latterly owed the means of subsistence; indeed every thing, except +the roof over our heads. I can no otherwise diminish your surprise at +my acceptance of such a favour than by saying, that your relationship +to a member of his family, from whom he derived his property, gave you +a sort of claim in equity to his consideration. But, oh Helen! the +manner in which it was done, so feeling and delicate, was so like the +fine generous creature you described in your letters!” + +Helen dropped her head upon the bed to hide her contending emotions, +whilst her mother continued:-- + +“Had it been otherwise, had his disposition been different, fickle, +liable to change, or subject to the influence of the baser passions +of our nature, the perplexities of the present moment would have been +increased tenfold. I hardly know what I would not have endured rather +than my child should have been subject to a sudden shock, such as--but +what am I saying? I feel that under any circumstances my strength would +not have been equal to any further exertion. And I trust in heaven ’tis +better as it is. There is an all-seeing eye which penetrates our most +secret thoughts, and Heaven knows that it is only for my child and her +sake that I would----” The rest of the sentence hovered trembling on +the mother’s lip, but reached not the daughter’s ear. + +I must draw a veil over their final separation, which, heart-rending as +it would have been even if there had been no necessity for reserve, was +aggravated by many pangs which the mother feared to communicate. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + ----My project may deceive me, + But my intents are fix’d, and will not leave me. + + SHAKSPEARE. + + +Helen had been but four-and-twenty hours returned when her mother +expired in her arms; and as she slowly recovered from the immediate +stupor of despair, the first sound that jarred discordantly upon her +returning senses was the merry chime of the village bells summoning the +rural congregation to morning-service, for it was Sunday. + +The powers of sound upon the brain in awakening dormant associations, +have been felt by many, independent of time or space. And even in +declining life, an accidental imitation of the well-known tone of the +bell that used to disturb the slumbers of the schoolboy, has recalled +for a moment the remembrance of the long-forgotten hopes and fears +of childhood. But the summons, which with its unwelcome jingle and +ill-timed cheerfulness now grated upon Helen’s ear, was one which had +never hitherto been unpleasing either to her or her mother. And the +last time she had heard it--it seemed but yesterday--how different +had been her feelings! In the sameness of their tranquil life, the +return of the Sunday had always furnished the principal event, and +the consequent periodical return of Mrs. Mordaunt’s walk to the +parish-church had for some time been the extent of her rambles +beyond her own garden. Upon these occasions the severe simplicity, +though studied neatness of Mrs. Mordaunt’s attire, had added to the +impression created by her striking though no longer blooming figure. +And now Helen recalled with an astonishing accuracy the whole of her +appearance, dress, and deportment, the last time that they had together +started to obey that summons to church. She recollected too, and it was +consolatory to her in her present state, the increased cheerfulness +with which her mother always returned from thence; but it occurred to +her, with some slight sensation of reproach, that she had not then been +warned by the first symptom of bodily weakness shown by her mother, in +requiring the assistance of her arm on their walk homewards the day +before she had last left her on her visit to Lady Latimer. + +Still that distractingly cheerful sound continued, and with the +desperation with which one sometimes turns one’s attention to that +which is painful, Helen half opened the window-shutters. It was a +bright autumnal morning. At the distance of the garden she could see, +on one side, small parties of the peasantry, all in their gayest +clothing, and hearts as gay, hastening towards their morning duty, +but opposite her own little gate, there was a still, and apparently +increasing group, and all, as they passed, paused a minute, as it were, +listening on the skirts of this group, and then, as they resumed their +way, it was easy to observe in the awkward gait of all, and in the +unfolded handkerchief of many of the women, that they had just heard +heavy news. For Mrs. Mordaunt had been the best of neighbours to the +poor, her charity had been, not only of the hand, but of the heart, +and there are few so ignorant as not to appreciate the distinction. + +From this melancholy sight, Helen turned inwardly to the consolation +that she thought she might derive from the good offices of Mr. +Saunders, the respectable clergyman, whose influence on his +parishioners had only been commensurate to his merit. She mentioned +this to Dorothy, with the desire that she might see him after the +duties of the day were concluded. + +“Aye, I thought of the same thing myself,” said Dorothy, “how fashous +it was, and how disappointed you’d be when you heard it; why, he’s +removed too--no, not dead,” seeing Helen much shocked,--“he’s gotten +a better benefice, that’s all, and I don’t believe there’s fifty +pound a-year difference, neither; and it was na like him, to leave +us all for that, and go among strangers, and here I’m certain there +are those who would have made up the difference to keep him--and now +we’ve gotten a beardless boy, that drived himself down in a dog-cart, +and that I should guess, had to learn more than to teach. He’s civil +enough too, for when one of his sporting dogs, nasty brute, strayed +into our grounds and destroyed one of your carnation-beds, and my poor +mistress was sorely grieved, for she’d cared it every day for your +return, and I went to give him a piece of my mind about it, instead +of flying out too, he was so sorry, I couldn’t say half as much as I +meant to have done, and he bid me say he’d rather hang all the dogs he +had, than it should happen again. But he’s ow’r young for his business, +that’s certain, and I’m thinking that you’d not like to speak to +him yourself; but if you’d leave all to me, to settle about my poor +lady’s last”----Here even Dorothy’s tough nature yielded to her better +feelings, and her grief choked her. + +“No, I’ll go through it all myself, if I can,” said Helen. + +The Hon. and Rev. Henry Seaford called the next morning, to ask the +intentions of the orphan girl as to the funeral of her parent, and +Helen forced herself to see him. He was a raw youth just from college, +but apparently with the manners of a gentleman, and the feelings of +an honest man; very much embarrassed, however, at the distressing +situation into which the duties of his new profession had brought him, +but probably with nothing but his youth and inexperience, (of which he +would soon be cured,) to prevent his adequately fulfilling them. Such +as he was, though Helen felt at once that it was impossible for her to +ask or expect any advice from him, on the difficulties of her present +situation, which were most seriously aggravated by the removal of her +old friend, Mr. Saunders, who would, at such a moment, have been an +invaluable monitor. But, after she had in some measure, recovered from +the effects of the harrowing sight of watching the earth close over the +remains of her only acknowledged relation, she felt that it was then +for her to decide something as to her future fate. + +Whichever way she turned, the prospect seemed gloomy enough; one thing +she had firmly resolved, that after Oakley’s insulting and offensive +allusion to the terms and nature of the provision he had made for +her, she would no longer live a dependent upon his bounty; and this +she determined to decide irrevocably, as she knew the weakness of +her heart, whilst she found it attempting to frame excuses for his +conduct, in the excitement, perhaps jealousy of the moment. “No,” +thought she, “if he heard the case as of an indifferent person, how +base would he think her, who, under such circumstances, after such an +injury, could consent to continue receiving the offender’s stipend?” +And thus unconsciously she confirmed her own fears as to the weakness +of her heart, by allowing her notions of his opinions to influence her +conduct, even in rejecting his assistance. + +What was therefore to be done? Sometimes her thoughts turned to Lady +Latimer, but her proud spirit could not bear the idea of a life of +useless dependence; and then, too, though from Lady Latimer she felt +sure she should always receive the most considerate attentions which +friendship could offer, yet, even if she had been ready to accept +from her substantial assistance, when she recollected, in spite of +that lady’s brilliant position in the world, how little command of +ready money she ever had, she doubted very much whether, without +inconvenience, she could supply her to the extent that would be +necessary to maintain her as her companion in the world. + +This plan, therefore, appeared as impracticable in itself, as +unpalatable to her feelings; and as any communication to Lady Latimer +would not only probably lead to a proposal of this kind, which she +could not accept, but also entail confidences which she would rather +avoid, she determined, for the present, to drop any correspondence with +her. + +She would have found in the old governess, with whom she had first met +Lady Latimer, a ready confidant, and a useful assistant in any scheme +she might wish to adopt, to make her talents available for her support, +but unfortunately, during her absence from home, she, and Lady Latimer, +had together regretted the not untimely death of that worthy person. + +Having taken the resolution that the best way to rid herself of +Oakley’s annuity, would be silently to omit to claim it at the bankers +where it was deposited, as her feelings told her, that ostentatiously +to reject it, would lead to attempts to alter her determination which +might harass, but, she thought, could not convince her. She therefore, +both as the necessary consequence towards avoiding any attempts of that +kind, and, indeed, as the only way of procuring immediate means of +subsistence, determined to let her present residence and leave it. + +It was necessary to communicate this intention to old Dorothy, though +she had not consulted her upon the reasons which had induced her to +form it. For Dorothy’s was a character which was estimable, only for +the perfection of one virtue--fidelity. Hers was not a disposition to +conciliate confidence, or to render her services, when not necessary, +particularly acceptable. But now that Helen was about to leave all +the associations of her childhood, old Dorothy had in her eyes a +peculiar value:--she was the only living thing, that could remind her +of her mother, and with whom she could have the melancholy pleasure of +talking of her that was gone. But besides this, her active services +would be useful in disposing of the house, and wherever she afterwards +went, till finally settled as governess in some family, (which was her +intention,) the presence of a person of Dorothy’s age and appearance, +would be a necessary protection to one so young and unguarded. + +“You don’t know, perhaps, Dorothy, how completely a beggar I am left. +I have no money, or any means of raising any, except by letting this +house.” + +“Letting this house! and would you think to turn me, in my old days, +out of the snug chimney-corner, where I have sat these eighteen +years?” answered Dorothy, her first impression partaking rather of the +selfishness of age. + +“It is no fault of mine, if I am forced to seek a livelihood elsewhere.” + +“Elsewhere! and whither would you go, Miss, now you are your own +mistress?” + +“To London, in the first instance,” said Helen. + +“To London!” screamed Dorothy, “with such a face, and in want too, and +let poverty and passion fight which first should ruin you? No, never, +if I can prevent it by fair means or foul!” + +“My conduct will be neither dependent on place or circumstances,” said +Helen, rather proudly; for she thought that her ancient attendant +rather presumed upon her present situation to give vent to her +ill-humour. + +“Would I could think it, seeing what I’ve seen of you and your’n. Well, +may peace be restored to those that are gone, and never lost by those +that are left!” and her forbidding features were softened by an unusual +fervency of expression. + +Helen was struck with the apparent confirmation of some dreadful secret +hanging over her own birth, and her mother’s conduct, which these words +seemed to imply, and feared lest the continuation of what Dorothy was +evidently preparing to address to her should furnish further proof. + +But Dorothy’s thoughts had taken another turn, for she began again. +“No, I’m clear determined you shall not leave this house if I can help +it. I have not been forty years in service without putting by a penny. +You never was a fanciful child: your wants are not hard to tell. You +just let me market as I have done, and ask no questions about it; +and, on your part, you’ll just let me end my days in the old kitchen +chimney-corner, which is just the warmest I ever kenned.” + +Helen was much touched by this proposal, which was both essentially +kinder than she could have expected from Dorothy, and in its framing +more delicate than the old woman’s habitual want of manners would +have led her to expect; but as, of all species of dependence, it was +the least inviting, she was as firm in declining it as profuse in her +thanks. + +The old woman paused a little, and then, as if armed with sudden +resolution, said, “Then I shall just write mysel’ to some of your great +kin, what claims I know you have upon them.” + +“How do you mean?” said Helen, with a consciousness that some great +disclosure was in Dorothy’s contemplation, unwilling to check her, and +yet afraid to hear it. + +“Why should I fear to tell it? It canna hurt her now; she that +has done her best to atone to a Heavenly Father canna fear a frail +daughter’s forgiveness; and as for you, it was no fault of yours--why +should you care that you came into the world with shame, so as you can +but go shameless out of it?” + +She then gradually unfolded to Helen the history of Mrs. Mordaunt’s +frailty, such as that lady had herself confessed it to Oakley, only +that Dorothy told it in her own way, and much less favourably to Lord +Rockington. + +“And wasn’t it enough to sicken one of vanities, to see what she might +have been and what she was? But it was na only by her that I learnt +the curse of comeliness. I felt it nearer home--not myself, no--Heaven +be praised there never was aught about me to catch a leering eye. But +I had once a sister, a gentle, light-haired, blue-eyed girl, with a +skin like a lady’s. When she left our home for London, she carried +with her the sighs of many a stout heart; but she soon forgot them and +us, and never wrote more. It was some years after, when I was in my +first service in London, I was sent an errand of a moon-shiny night; at +the corner of a street, a half-frantic, tipsy creature seized me with +horrid loathsome oaths. I turned to free myself. It was my sister Sarah +sure enough: but she had no beauty left to boast. No, she had cured +herself of that; and, ever since, I can never bring her to my mind, +save as I saw her on that awful night. That would have sickened one of +good looks; but then, my poor lady, you have seen what a jewel her soul +would have been if Providence would only have set it in an ugly case. +When I first knew her, she sacrificed every thing to the vain love of +her own sweet person; sure she had more temptation than most folk, but +it is sad to think of her as of the fallen!” + +So thought poor Helen; but though there was much in old Dorothy’s +relation most painfully interesting, there was nothing that did not +rather tend to confirm her in her previous determination to depend +upon her own exertions alone for subsistence, rather than run the risk +of spreading the disgraceful tale by seeking relief at the expense of +reposing confidence. + +It required no small powers of persuasion to convince Dorothy that this +was a desirable course to adopt. But when, by a display of firmness on +her own part, she had made it obvious even to the obstinate old woman, +that there was no longer any use in contesting the point;-- + +“Well then,” said Dorothy, “I must e’en trundle off with you, for I +have now no other care in this world than to keep you out of harm’s way +if I can.” + +The house, through her means, was easily let, furnished, to Mr. +Seaford, who preferred it to his own, in which he intended to establish +a curate; and the half year’s anticipation of the moderate annual rent +of fifty pounds was almost all with which Helen tore herself away from +the scenes of her youth. + +Upon the journey, and still more upon their arrival in London, she +suffered many additional inconveniences, to which she found the +asperities of Dorothy’s disposition would constantly subject her. For +though it was good feeling which had induced the old woman to determine +to follow her young mistress, yet her temper was not improved by the +discomforts to which this determination necessarily exposed her. She +would, as it appears, have been very ready herself to furnish the means +which might have enabled Helen still to live in her own house; but that +proposal once rejected, she was not over scrupulous in the demands +which her selfish wants made upon the slender purse of her young +mistress. + +It had been Helen’s intention, at first, to endeavour to procure some +situation as governess in a good family, for which her accomplishments +peculiarly fitted her. But now she found the difficulty of presenting +herself any where without recommendation or introduction; and how was +she to procure these, without applying to some one who would disclose +her actual situation? She therefore determined, for the present, to +take a quiet lodging in a respectable part of the town, and support +herself by the disposal of fancy-work for some of the bazaars. And it +was soon obvious to her, that she must exert herself to the utmost in +this line, as, after Dorothy had indignantly rejected several lodgings +as uncomfortable, with which she would herself have been very well +contented, she was at last obliged to pacify that difficult person by +taking one which she herself disliked, and for which she paid a guinea +a-week; something more than what she was receiving for the house she +had forced herself to quit. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + This fellow pecks up wit, as pigeons peas; + And utters it again, when God doth please: + He is wit’s pedlar, and retails his wares + At wakes, and wassels, meetings, markets, fairs; + And we that sell by gross, the Lord doth know, + Have not the grace to grace it with such show. + + SHAKSPEARE.--_Love’s Labour’s Lost._ + + He must be told on’t, and he shall; the office + Becomes a woman best; I’ll take’t upon me: + If I prove honey-mouth’d, let my tongue blister! + + SHAKSPEARE.--_Winter’s Tale._ + + +“See the conquering hero comes!” said Fitzalbert to Lady Latimer, as +from the terrace where they were strolling, they observed Germain +arriving at Latimer a few days after the election. + +“Very well indeed--nothing could be better, I hear from every body,” +said Lord Latimer, receiving the new member; “quite perfect from +top to toe: it was hard to tell where your exertions were most +successful--haranguing on the hustings, or dancing down the dowdies of +the ball-room.” + +“Nay, don’t make a merit of that,” said Fitzalbert; “‘the labour we +delight in physics pain;’ and our modern Alexander was not without +his rival queens. I have not forgotten the soft Statira we met at +----; I hope her foot was lighter on the boards than on the beach; for +I remember it left an impression on the soft sand, that would have +frightened Robinson Crusoe.” + +“Perhaps, now she’s married, she’s on another _footing_ with Germain,” +added a Mr. Starling, who was one of the party. + +Now all this was, on many accounts, very disagreeable to Germain; in +the first place, it confirmed what he had before suspected, that no +part of the ridicule of the meeting on the sands had been lost upon +Fitzalbert; but it touched him more nearly, as from thence it was +evident that Lady Latimer had, upon her return from the ball, made +ludicrous mention of his first partner. And if there could otherwise +have been any doubt as to his having been previously talked over on +this head before his arrival, the attempt at a joke on the subject by +Mr. Starling would have been evidence enough that it was not new to +him; for he was one who literally laboured at easy conversation, and it +is incredible the midnight toil with which he used to prepare himself +to ‘hold his own’ in the probable topic of the coming day. His great +object in life had been to be always favourably received in a certain +round of first-rate country-houses; and to prevent the possibility of +his being forgotten in his absence, he used to book himself for another +visit, in the lady’s album, before his departure. Neatness was the +leading characteristic both of his person and mind, and this to such a +degree, as to give a studied appearance to both. As Fitzalbert, with +whom he was no favourite, used to say, “Neither the flow of his curls +nor of his conversation seemed natural--both had the appearance of +having been previously committed _to paper_.” However this might be, +neither _papillote_ nor common-place book, was ever positively detected +by the most prying of housemaids. He never opened his mouth but with an +attempt at point at least in the tone of his voice; and when he did not +say a good thing, he looked as if he had, which often did just as well. + +Having a fair fortune, and being of a good family, he had latterly +entertained serious thoughts of endeavouring to establish himself by +some more permanent tenure in his favorite haunts, and a union with +Lady Jane Sydenham had occurred to him as a very agreeable mode of +carrying that point. + +It happened that at the juncture of this his periodical visit here, +Lady Latimer, missing the resource of Miss Mordaunt’s society, had felt +a wish to have one of her sisters with her; and whether it was from a +dislike so far to forward her mother’s plans as to ask Caroline to meet +Sir Gregory Greenford, who was then staying there, or whether it was +merely that she preferred Jane herself, it happened she accidentally so +far forwarded Mr. Starling’s views as to have Jane to meet him. Lady +Flamborough had readily acceded to her daughter Louisa’s request to +send her youngest sister, from recollecting that Germain would probably +be there after the election. + +There were few people whom Germain’s easy nature could bring him to +dislike, but he certainly had rather an aversion to Mr. Starling. This +might have arisen merely from the difference of their characters, for +nothing could be more perfectly natural and unaffected than Germain; +or perhaps he only felt the re-action always caused by hearing a +man cried up beyond his merits. But from whatever this arose, it +made him view with a distaste for which he could not account, Mr. +Starling’s attentions to Lady Jane. It could be of no consequence to +him, and yet the indifference with which she received the studied +advances of her methodical admirer, gave him a very high opinion +of her discrimination. “She is not so brilliant as Lady Latimer,” +thought he, “and yet perhaps her taste is more correct”--recollecting +a little dispute he had had with her ladyship as to the merits of +some namby-pamby verses of Mr. Starling’s in her album, to which she +might have been supposed to lend rather a favourable ear from its +subject-matter, which was a high-flown compliment to herself. Even +the theme, Germain declared, had not been able to inspire the writer +with an easy flow, and that his verse merited the name of a _strain_, +rather from its apparent effort, than its poetry. But he had by no +means undivided leisure for these observations, for there was in what +Fitzalbert called “a quiet way,” a good deal of play in the evenings +at Latimer; and Germain entered into it with an eagerness and avidity, +which had only wanted an occasion to call it forth ever since his luck +at Peatburn Lodge. This, however, did not now continue the same: the +game was chiefly _écarté_, at which both Fitzalbert and Lord Latimer +played much better than he did; and though the stakes were not always +very high, he found that night after night the difference of play told; +and what Fitzalbert called a “quiet way,” meant that it was amongst so +few, that he had no means of recovering from others what he had lost to +him. So that very soon, the balance of what had been called, ever since +the play at Peatburn Lodge, “the running account between them,” shifted +very considerably to the other side. True, he sometimes won a little +from Sir Gregory Greenford, but not so much as he might have done, for +Fortune seemed at present to have taken the baronet under her most +especial protection; so much so indeed, that Fitzalbert said, “there +must be witchcraft in it,” and that the weird sisters had prophesied of +him as of Banquo, “Thou shalt _get kings_, though thou be none:” for +hardly a deal passed, without Sir Gregory’s marking his majesty, so +that Germain was the chief and constant loser. Whilst this was going +on, another new and alluring enticement to expense was opened to him. + +“Suppose we go and look at my young things,” said Lord Latimer one +morning. + +“I did not know,” said the Count St. Julien, a foreigner on a visit, +“dat milord was de papa of any little people.” + +“Adopted children,” answered Fitzalbert; and they wound their way +through a sheltered part of the park, to the paddocks where Lord +Latimer’s fine stud was to be seen, and examining the foals, they +stood for some time learnedly discussing the various merits of little +creatures with crooked legs, large knees, no bodies, and bushy tails. +From thence they went to the yearlings, and as these galloped gaily +round the paddock, Sir Gregory Greenford, who was resting his chin upon +the gate, said; “Look at that chestnut, with a white hind leg; I’ll bet +a hundred to one against him the first time he starts.” + +“Ten thousand to a hundred, if you please,” said Lord Latimer; “his is +in a large produce-stake with many others, and we’ll make it for that +if you like; as I don’t wish to tie you down to your offer whenever he +starts.” + +“So be it,” said Sir Gregory; “for I’m sure he’ll never win a saddle.” + +“Got a slight strain the other day,” whispered Lord Latimer to +Fitzalbert, as he was booking the bet; “and still goes short and +stiff, but has the best action of the whole set, and seems as if he +would beat them all. Take it again.” + +“Again, a thousand to ten, Sir Gregory?” enquired Fitzalbert; “No, +that’s enough, I think,” answered the baronet; “for I should never +forget the thousand, even if it was in no danger; and I doubt whether +you would remember the ten pounds, even if you lost it;” and this was +supposed to be the sharpest thing Sir Gregory ever said. + +“Come Germain, you shall have half my bet,” said Lord Latimer; “we must +have you upon the turf; I’m sure you will like it.” + +And so thought Germain, naturally fond of horses and all that concerns +them; he had always enjoyed the exhilarating bustle of a race-course +as an uninterested spectator; and as a mere means of excitement, +it struck him that a fine animal was a happier medium than packs of +painted paper. + +“And you must come with me next time I go to see my Derby horse,” added +Lord Latimer; and an incident which occurred shortly afterwards induced +him readily to accept this proposal. + +For Germain, in spite of the occasional distraction of play, and +the amusement sometimes afforded him by disconcerting some of Mr. +Starling’s regularly laid approaches to a bon-mot, (an amusement that +was not a little increased by his believing that it was equally enjoyed +by Lady Jane,) yet in spite of all this, he still was, or fancied +himself to be, desperately in love with Lady Latimer, an illusion, if +it was one, likely to be very much assisted by the listless, lounging +sort of life that he was then leading. His attentions had not been +generally remarked by any of the party. Lord Latimer had been so long +in the habit of seeing his wife the object of admiration to every one +but himself, that he very coolly, and in this instance very wisely, +determined to have neither fears nor cares on the subject. + +But the apparent earnestness of Germain’s devotion to her had more than +once been the source of uneasiness to Lady Latimer; for she had really +a regard for him, as an agreeable, unaffected, good-humoured addition +to her society, and had therefore not the least wish to be obliged to +break with him, still less had she the least idea of participating in +the warmth of his feelings. + +She therefore at last took her resolution, and one morning that they +had strolled out together in the park, when he had been unusually +sentimental in his adoration, she turned to him with an expression +half serious, half playful-- + +“Did it ever occur to you, Mr. Germain,” said she, “that a person might +habituate himself to the soothing effects of small doses of laudanum +without the slightest intention of taking it as a poison?” + +“A very common case, I believe,” replied Germain, not knowing what was +coming next. + +“And would it surprise you that such a person should make a distinction +between the careful hand that distilled it drop by drop, and the +heedless creature that seemed determined to pour down a deadly +quantity?” + +“What can you mean?” said Germain. + +“I dare say you think I’m talking nonsense,” replied she, “but it is +only very good sense in a thin disguise. You are young in the ways of +the world, and must take a little good advice from one who is older. +Nay, don’t look so shocked at that; I’m not wrinkled yet, I know, but +forgive me if I say the fault is on your side for being so very, very +young. Must I explain myself further? Most people would think me over +candid in saying what I have done. If admiration has been the cordial +draught in the delirium of which I have sought forgetfulness of the +aching void within, ’tis a voice, I own, like that of the opium-eater; +and like his, habit has made it second nature; but be assured of this, +I never mean to _poison_ myself--you understand me--and I have said +enough when I have added that you are intended for better things than +to administer drop by drop my daily dose of flattery; so help me in +this crossing.” And as she lightly touched the hand he offered, said: +“We shall always be friends, I’m certain; and now don’t look so +doleful, for here comes Fitzalbert, if he suspects any thing, he will +quiz _perhaps both_, but certainly _you_.” + +This was the strongest inducement she could have held out for +discretion, and it was not without its effect; and perhaps upon the +whole the interruption caused by Fitzalbert was not entirely unwelcome, +for however much annoyed Germain might have been at the tone taken by +Lady Latimer, there was in her manner, with much kindness, an air of +superiority, a coolness, and an entire absence of all embarrassment, +which convinced him that remonstrance would have been entirely in vain, +and thus his only hope of continuing her friend, was never to attempt +to be more. + +It was in the state of things produced by this interview that he +thought a little absence would not be amiss, and therefore readily +accepted Lord Latimer’s proposal to accompany him to see his Derby +horse. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + I am wrapp’d in dismal thinkings. + + SHAKSPEARE. + + +After the abrupt termination of Oakley’s last interview with Helen, he +had quitted Lady Latimer’s lodgings in a state of mind bordering on +distraction; and could Helen have seen his deportment during the rest +of that night, it would have confirmed her first impression, created +by his incoherent reproaches, that they could be but the ravings of +insanity. He mounted his horse, and rode furiously away, not knowing +or caring whither he went; as it was merely from himself and his own +reflections that he sought to escape. But the pangs of self-reproach +are not so easily avoided, though many were the efforts he made to +convince himself that he was not so much in the wrong. He attempted +to consider Helen as fickle and frivolous, the child of circumstance, +and the willing slave of fashion. But it was all in vain! She always +recurred to him patient in suffering loveliness, and bending under a +load of grief, the burden of which had been doubled by the ebullitions +of his ungovernable temper, and his wanton perversion of a sacred trust. + +Towards dawn his horse began to remind him that the reasons for the +continuance of their headlong course were not mutual, and he was then +not displeased to find that he was quite in a different direction +from Goldsborough Park, and much nearer Rockington Castle, to which +he determined for the time to turn his steps, as best suited to his +present gloomy frame of mind. + +The outward appearance of every thing still remained the same--still +the same stamp of solitary misanthropy on all around. He would not +have been able, even if he had been willing, so soon to remove the +desolating, characteristic traces of the late proprietor. But did he +himself return the same? In one respect he had certainly maintained +to the letter the resolution he had formed upon the acquisition of +his property. In all the ordinary every day relations of life, he +had always shown the same cold distrust towards those who sought his +favour--the same haughty dislike to stoop to seek the favour of others. + +But to this general rule in one instance the noble, and in another, the +softer feelings of his nature had sought to establish two exceptions, +and in both they seemed to have failed. Patriotic ambition had fired +him with a desire to represent his native county in parliament. He had +entered into the contest with the most disinterested intentions of +benefiting the county by his active services. He had retired from it, +the victim, as he thought, of the treachery of false friends, and the +corruption of base competitors. Sometimes, to be sure, in spite of his +desire to crush it, there would rise on his mind a suspicion that he +might not have been sufficiently gracious upon his canvass, and that +individual courtesy was sometimes esteemed no bad criterion of the +sincerity of general good intentions. + +Of the infinitely more painful impression left by a review of his +conduct on the other occasion, he was unable to analyse the mixed +nature. The ready relief which in the first instance he had hastened +to grant to Mrs. Mordaunt, upon her appeal, was almost the only act +in the disposal of his immense property upon which he could reflect +with any feelings of peculiar complacency. To many of the more obvious +claims upon his liberality to which his present situation had of course +exposed him, he had felt averse, from a dislike of the very semblance +of ostentation; to some more pressing demands for charity he had turned +a deaf ear, from a constitutional fear of imposition. As to the expense +incurred in a contested election, he thought his had been managed with +the strictest economy; that is to say, an abuse of money to which few +look without regret after success--none after failure. As to the more +transient sources of enjoyment which a large fortune opens to him +who delights to forget the graver cares in promoting the convivial +intercourse of the world, to these his unsocial disposition placed a +bar, which he had not as yet attempted to surmount. + +From the first, therefore, he had experienced no pleasure from the +possession of his splendid property, equivalent to that of placing +the child of his benefactor above want. Afterwards, upon becoming +acquainted with her, this satisfaction was blended with sensations of +a stronger nature; and the impression made upon him was more powerful +in proportion, as his heart was not habituated to feelings of this +description. He would then have thought no sacrifice on his part +too great to insure her happiness; and so far from considering the +circumstance of her birth as a degradation, he only esteemed it an +additional reason why he should endeavour to be the medium of endowing +with his uncle’s worldly goods the only living relic he had left behind +him. + +And yet in an unguarded moment of passion, all these hopes and +intentions had been overthrown. Though he would not have endured that +any other person should insinuate that Helen was other than perfect, +yet had his distrustful nature allowed him to imbibe the most absurd +suspicions, and the most ridiculous jealousy, and under their influence +to forget himself so far as to make disclosures which he could never +sufficiently repent. + +The longer he remained at Rockington Castle, the more acutely did these +reflections prey upon his harassed mind. Every thing that reminded him +of his uncle, gave him an additional pang of self-reproach, ashamed, +as he could not but be, of having been the means of publishing his +foibles where he would most have wished them concealed. Every time that +he passed by the gallery where hung the portrait of Lord Rockington, +which, from the first, had made so strong an impression upon his +imagination, it recalled to his recollection the indignant expression +which Helen’s countenance had assumed when repelling his insinuations +against her friend. + +All this he forced himself for some time to suffer, till he at +last became sensible that he ought no longer to delay returning to +Goldsborough Park, where many matters of various descriptions required +his presence. One of the most urgent, was the state of the borough from +which the park took its name. + +Goldsborough was a neat little market-town, situated just at the +park-gate. It had no peculiar claims to consequence, founded on trade, +or manufactures, but it abounded in those never-failing signs of +independent competency, green doors, with bright brass knockers, fenced +in by white railings, containing five feet of gravel walk, and as much +of border on each side crowded with hollyoaks and sunflowers. + +In most of the dwellings so situated, resided the electors, who had +been long accustomed to attend to the wishes of their near neighbours +at the park, in the choice of their members. In the early part of Lord +Rockington’s life, this had not been without its advantages, as far +as a quiet little inland market-town, with no particular pretensions +of any kind, could desire. Latterly this interest had been kept up, +as much as was in his power, by Mr. Gardner, and was one of the many +instances in which he had attended to his employer’s interests beyond +the strict line of his duty. + +Since Oakley had come into possession, he had given many causes of +offence: not the least was, that from a dislike to intrusion upon +his privacy, he had shut up the park, and by that means deprived the +corporation and the wives of its members of their regular Sunday +stroll, where, from time immemorial, they had always carved true love +upon the trees, and picked chicken bones under them. This had been a +grievous offence, and had been aggravated by many other instances of +neglect; so much so, that when Oakley wished, in case he should fail in +the county, at least to gain a seat in parliament by returning himself +for Goldsborough--unexpected grumblings occurred. These, however, were +luckily checked, instead of encouraged, by one of the leading members +of the corporation, the ex-mayor, whose consequence shone conspicuous +in double the usual width of white rail, and double the usual width of +gravel walk. + +This gentleman was a retired member of the medical profession, and +during a successful practice, had been present at most of the exits +and entrances that the fluctuating population of the neighbourhood had +been subject to, for twenty years. He was a very worthy man, and a very +popular character in the town, and finding his leisure hang rather +heavy on his hands, it had occurred to him that he might as well turn +his attention from physical to political constitutions, and take to +prescribing for the state. + +The representation of his native town seemed quite within the reach of +his ambition, and he thought that to enter into such a compromise with +Oakley, as to share the representation with him as his colleague, would +be the best means of obtaining that object. + +Oakley at this moment was rather harassed with the difficulties of +the county election, and only anxious to secure his own return. +Entertaining notions on the subject of reform, which were incompatible +with dictation if he had had the power to enforce it, (which he had +not,) and having no friend of his own to propose, he made no objection. +The other eleven electors on their part, were quite satisfied with +such an indication of their independence, as taking away from Oakley +the nomination to one of the seats, and not a little pleased with +the manner of doing it, by making a ‘parliament man’ of one of their +own body. The medical member, however, soon afterwards found his +fellow-townsmen not a little dissatisfied with his colleague’s +subsequent conduct. His absence at the election had been easily +accounted for, by his being occupied with the county contest; but they +did not by any means approve, subsequently to his defeat, of his not +coming near them, or taking any notice of his new constituents. This +having been communicated to him by his colleague, had determined him +to go back to Goldsborough; and as he had felt the inconvenience of +indulging his natural disposition, he arrived among the electors with a +resolution to be as civil and courteous as possible. + +He had arrived late one night at the park, and as he was coming down +stairs the next morning, he already found symptoms, as he thought, of +his new colleague having arrived, for he saw, pacing round the space +before the door, two saddle-horses, the collar-marks on whose necks +seemed to indicate that their matching so well was not accidental. On +the back of one, was a saddle of the most brilliant newness, the other +was mounted by a gawky lad, who had, of course, the brevet rank of +groom, though his dress, consisting of a cerulean coloured frock-coat +and red plush breeches, with gaiters, showed that his avocations were +not limited to the stable department. + +Oakley, descending to the saloon, and not meeting the servant who was +in search of him to announce the visitor, there encountered, not his +colleague the ex-mayor, and new member, but our old acquaintance, +Captain Wilcox, who had recently established himself in the +neighbourhood, and was come to pay his respects. + +It will be recollected, that Mr. Gardner had been very anxious +that Oakley should purchase a freehold property then on sale, which +overlooked his grounds; but he, suspicious that there was some +advantage intended to be taken of him in the business, had not been +able to make up his mind to give an assent. + +This property had fallen into the hands of Captain Wilcox, who being +desirous to change his ingots for acres, had immediately set about +building upon it. As Oakley never encouraged his steward to make +communications of this kind, they were no longer made to him; and as it +was quite dark when he arrived the night before, he had not seen any +symptoms of recent proprietorship. + +He had never previously been acquainted either with his new colleague +or new neighbour, and there was nothing in the appearance of the +gentleman whom he found in the saloon, which might not as well belong +to a retired member of the medical, as of the military profession, +or at all to indicate the sort of deaths in which he had formerly +dealt. He therefore acted upon his lately-formed determination to +be peculiarly civil, and welcomed his visitor with great courtesy. +Encouraged by this, (for he had previously been a little abashed at the +idea of Oakley’s stiff manner,) the captain began. + +“Allow me, sir,” said he, “to offer my compliments upon your return.” + +Oakley, who imagined this to refer to his election, answered very +graciously: “You must allow me to say, I consider you as the cause of +my return.” + +“Oh, you are a great deal too good to say so, but I hope we shall be +mutually agreeable in our new situation.” + +“I can assure you, such is my intention.” + +“I hope, too, that you will acquit me of wishing to intrude myself upon +what you may almost have considered as your property.” + +“Indeed, nothing can be farther from my notions, than to reckon as +property, what can neither be bought nor sold; I considered it as a +sacred trust, and am perfectly satisfied as it is.” + +“Oh, you thought it trust-property, and not to be bought; and, to be +sure, you ought to be satisfied, for you had pretty pickings without +buying a bit--but I was very anxious to purchase a seat.” + +“You surely don’t mean,” said Oakley, “that you have paid for it?” + +“Indeed, but I have, and much more since. The house, I hope, will be an +object you will rather like to look to.” + +“I have always considered it the great object of my admiration and +envy.” + +“Oh, let me beg at least you’ll never think of making speeches,” said +the captain, rather overpowered with the apparent hyperbole of the +expression. + +“Sir!” said Oakley, surprised in his turn; and then checking himself, +he added, “I can only repeat, that my great desire has for some time +past been to be in it.” + +“I’m sure I shall be most happy to see you there, and so will my +Fanny,” moving to depart. + +“Who?” enquired Oakley, completely puzzled. + +“Fanny, my Fanny--Mrs. Wilcox. I dare say you can see her in the garden +from this window,” drawing aside the blind, and disclosing for the +first time, to Oakley’s horror, a staring half-finished bright brick +tenement upon a rising knoll, only half a mile from him. + +“Upon my word you are right, sir; Wilcox House is a very fine object +for you from hence. I thought of calling it Wilcox Abbey, for the +stable has a high narrow window in it, but _House_ sounds more snug and +substantial. Oh yes, I declare that will be delightful for you: you +can distinguish Mrs. Wilcox in her yellow gown among the roses. You’ll +excuse me, sir, I’ve not let her wear a green gown since the election. +You’ll excuse me,--I’m glad to see it’s all ‘forget and forgive,’ and +that we shall always be as neighbourly as if nothing had happened. We +are almost within _hail_, and quite within _call_,--you understand the +difference.” + +With this he took his leave, smirking and bowing, and so much pleased +with the reception given him in the early part of his visit, as to +be unconscious of the sudden change in Oakley’s deportment at the +concluding discovery he had made as the captain began his last speech, +the course of which he would have doubtless interrupted immediately, +had there not been something so painfully ludicrous in the situation, +that he felt his tongue tied at the moment. + +Long after his visitor had left the room, and even after he had, with +much effort and no slight fear, restored himself to his new saddle, +and departed, Oakley continued gazing with uncontrolled disgust at +the obtrusive expanse of red brick before him; and it was no pleasant +part of his reflections, that this he might have prevented if he had +not chosen, without any adequate ground, to suspect Mr. Gardner of +intending to deceive him. Now he would gladly have given five times +the sum to be able to toss it, brick by brick, into the river; but +from what he had seen of the situation in life and manners of his late +visitor, it was evident that this would not now be so easy, and that +the captain would probably consider one of the great advantages of a +long purse, the power of boasting that he was above being bought out; +and that, if he once found how galling his late acquisition was, the +idea of elbowing a grandee would add much to the value of the property +in his eyes. + +Still, as he walked from window to window, there it was, staring him +full in the face; he felt it impossible to bear this, and therefore +abandoning his good intentions of propitiating his constituents, +which had so unfortunately been baulked when he was prepared to put +them into practice, he determined, as the season was advanced, and +parliament about to meet, to start for London. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + Oh that I knew he were but in by the week! + How I would make him fawn, and beg, and seek, + And wait the season, and observe the times, + And shape his service wholly to my behests. + + SHAKSPEARE. + + +A similar concurrence of circumstances had brought up to the metropolis +most of the other individuals, in whom it is hoped the reader is +interested. Germain had not returned to Latimer, after having +accompanied his lordship to see his Derby horse. He was not yet quite +reconciled to the new footing upon which he must be prepared to +meet Lady Latimer; and as her treatment of him had left that feeling +of vague dissatisfaction which is exactly the state when any new +excitement is most welcome, he had been very much amused with all Lord +Latimer had let him into, of the mysteries of the training-stable: and +having been allowed to be present at a most satisfactory trial of the +Derby horse, he had eagerly accepted Lord Latimer’s offer to let him +stand half of his bets upon him; and upon coming to town, had backed +him himself to a large amount, and in his usual sanguine disposition, +began to reckon what he might win upon him as part of the available +funds of the season. + +If he had ever thought much upon such a subject, he might sometimes +have been rather uneasy as to the state of his finances. The election, +though Lord Latimer and several others had literally fulfilled their +engagement of sending up all the votes they could influence, free of +expense to him, had nevertheless been a heavy drain upon his resources; +and there was more truth than Lady Flamborough had been willing to +believe in Major Sumner’s story, that he had forestalled much of his +ready money at Paris during his minority. + +Among the few people already come to town upon his first arrival, he +found Lady Flamborough and her daughter, Lady Jane, who had been taken +up by her mother at Latimer on her way to town. This was a time of the +year peculiarly favourable to Lady Flamborough’s manœuvring--no bustle +or distraction, and her house really a resource to those who happened +accidentally to be in town. Amongst them, too, were such fine subjects +as young men driven up from hunting by the weather, when every thing +is frozen but their hearts--then such fine opportunities afforded to +ripen real flirtations, or give a colourable appearance to incipient +ones, by nightly parties in private boxes to the play. But though Lady +Flamborough did not on that account desist from her customary attempts +to attract all she could, yet the object of her particular pursuit +certainly was Germain. On this, however, as on former occasions, she +found her daughter by no means a ready assistant. Nature had gifted +Lady Jane with both delicacy and judgment, which were equally _de trop_ +when she was desired to forward some of her mother’s schemes. + +Upon her first introduction to Germain, she had been inclined to view +him with a favourable eye, as a pleasant, unaffected young man; and had +his attentions then been directed towards her, it is probable they +might not have been unwelcome: but she had seen him, as she had seen +many others, dazzled by the brilliancy of her sister’s beauty, and +forgetting every body else in his exclusive devotion to her. Though she +knew that this would end as she had seen more than one other affair of +the same kind, yet it prevented her from thinking any more about him +till they next met after the election at Latimer. There, the humorous +manner in which he had sometimes conspired with her to thwart Mr. +Starling, had established a sort of confidential understanding between +them; and though his still obvious attentions to her sister made her +view him in no other light than as an agreeable acquaintance, yet it +certainly was with pleasure she heard of his arrival in London--a +feeling that would have been more conspicuous in her welcome to him, +had she not been afraid of the inferences her mother would immediately +draw, and the schemes she would immediately found upon any reciprocal +cordiality at first meeting. + +A few days afterwards, when at breakfast with her daughters, Lady +Flamborough said, “Pray, Jane, how long is it since you have taken a +dislike to Mr. Germain?” + +“What makes you ask that, mamma? I am not conscious of any such +feeling.” + +“Then I must say you were most pointedly rude to him last night.” + +“Indeed! I listened to all his remarks most attentively, and answered +all his questions most categorically, even when I had rather have +listened to the play.” + +“No; what I mean is, that when he offered to call the carriage and get +your shawl, you in the mean time accepted old Lord Chelsea’s arm, and +when Germain returned, he found you thus occupied.” + +“Well but, mamma, if Mr. Germain, instead of being an easy _insouciant_ +acquaintance, was the most captious of lovers, he never could be +jealous of old Lord Chelsea.” + +“All I know is, when he came jumping up the stairs, he ran against Lord +Chelsea and nearly knocked him over, for the poor old lord is not very +steady upon his legs; and as soon as he saw who it was he was handing, +it was evident he was very much disappointed, and indeed so confused, +that you might have observed he huddled all our shawls upon you, and my +fur tippet into the bargain.” + +“Well, but if I did discompose a young gentleman, I delighted an old +one. Poor Lord Chelsea! he is never so happy as when he is, as he +thinks, protecting a young lady; and with all the ridicule of his +tottering gallantry, he is really so good-natured, and what is no small +merit in an old beau, so uniformly cheerful, that I could never bear to +affront him by refusing his proffered assistance.” + +“All this would be very well, if it was merely a matter of indifference +between the two: but I suppose you have no thoughts of marrying Lord +Chelsea?” + +“Not exactly,” said Lady Jane, smiling. + +“And I suppose you don’t mean to say the same of Mr. Germain?” + +“Exactly, mamma.” + +“And what, may I ask, is your objection to him?” + +“That is not the question, my dear mamma. Even _you_ don’t mean me to +propose to him, and he doesn’t mean to propose to me.” + +“But I think he does. Why did he fasten himself to the back of your +chair all the night, where he could not see a bit of the play, whilst +there were front places vacant? Or why is he in town at all now, +instead of being at Latimer? Indeed, even Fitzalbert said, that last +time he was there, he did all in his power to thwart Mr. Starling in +his attempts to make up to you--and I can assure you, I sometimes think +that all the attention he paid to Louisa arose from his liking to you.” + +“That never occurred to me, certainly,” said Lady Jane; “but even if it +is the case, he ought to furnish me with some _double_ of himself, to +whom alone can I be obliged to acknowledge my sense of his favourable +opinion.” + +“Well, I must say, I think it very ungrateful of you,” observed Lady +Flamborough, provoked at the apparent impossibility of bringing Lady +Jane seriously to the point. “Caroline shows much more good sense and +respect for my experience in these matters; and both of you know that +there is nothing I dislike so much as your making any advances to men; +therefore you might trust to my opinion. You may recollect, Jane, how +much I lectured you at Boreton against encouraging Major Sumner.” + +Lady Jane could have replied, that there might have been other reasons +for this, besides the mere impropriety of the act; but she prudently +checked herself, and handed her mother her replenished tea-cup without +further reply, while Lady Flamborough continued. + +“There’s Caroline, you see, succeeded in persuading Sir Gregory +Greenford not to return to Melton till after he had accompanied us to +the play last night. How did he take leave of you, my dear?--did he +mention any time for his return?” + +“Oh, yes! he said he should see me on Monday if he was _alive_; for +that Fencer, and five other famous hunters, were for sale that day at +Tattersall’s.” + +“Ay! then I suppose we shall have your brother Flamborough up too. I +am afraid it will be impossible ever to make any thing of him: he is +not the least improved in his taste since, as a little boy, he used +to steal the napkins that were laid for dinner, to make horse-cloths +for his poney, that he might ride round the field like a groom at +exercise. He is now near twenty, and if he would ever show himself in +good society, who knows but Miss Stedman, old Stedman’s only child +and heiress, who is coming out this year, might take a fancy to him? +And it would be very convenient, for certainly your poor father was +unaccountably careless, and left his property terribly embarrassed.” + +The young ladies had nothing to say in defence of their brother, and +were perhaps not a little relieved that their mother’s schemes were no +longer exclusively confined to them: and the conversation dropped. + +The winter passed over--the season advanced--and London rapidly filled. +The playhouses were no longer ‘the thing,’ and even the exclusive +attraction of the opera (that pet preserver of flirtations) was broken +in upon by engagements of various kinds. Parliament too had met, and +necessarily occupied both Germain and Oakley much. Not that they +entered into their duties by any means with equal avidity. Germain +executed the business of his constituents faithfully and punctually, +because he considered himself bound to do so; but it was by no means +an occupation of first-rate interest to him. He was always easily led, +and was unfortunately much _recherché_ in a very agreeable society, the +members of which always preferred a dinner to a debate, thinking that +they could not live without the one, but that they might vote without +the other. He therefore was in the frequent habit of _pairing_ till ten +o’clock--a practice founded on a compromise of conscience, which makes +a man satisfied at voting on a question of which he knows nothing, +provided one on the other side is equally ignorant. Upon his return, he +would attempt sometimes to force his attention to a speech for a couple +of hours, and wonder he did not understand the reply to an argument +which he had not heard. + +Nor was this all: it was not only that he often felt distracted with +the recollections of the early and convivial part of the evening, but +the anticipation of the excitement with which it was to conclude, +often gave a sense of tedium to the course of a sometimes dull, always +unnecessarily protracted debate. When a man does not know whether, +before the night is over, a shake of the dice or a shuffle of the +cards may not, without any reason at all, make a difference to him +which he shall feel for years, he is not in the frame of mind most +favourable for digesting a train of abstruse reasoning in which he can +have no immediate interest. No possible combination of numbers that +the division can produce, will excite a care in one pre-occupied with +the simple difference between eleven and deuce-ace. And this it was, I +am sorry to own, which often made Germain’s parliamentary career less +interesting to him than he had anticipated. + +Not so Oakley. To him the House was all in all. That it was a ready +excuse for avoiding that society which otherwise his situation in the +world might have forced upon him, was an additional recommendation +in his eyes. He entered into all its proceedings with an intense +interest to be expected from the singleness of his feelings. He had, +upon sundry occasions, taken part in its deliberations with credit to +himself. The earnest sincerity with which he spoke had never failed +to win attention, though some of his opinions were reckoned rather +extraordinary, or what in party slang is called _crotchetty_. The +excitement he here experienced, absorbed for the time that discontent, +with which his experience of the world had tainted him, and for the +moment he thus forgot the anguish and self-reproach caused by his own +conduct upon the occasion of his most recent disappointment--a feeling +which, however, never failed to accompany him upon his return home. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + ----His addiction was to courses vain, + His companies unlettered, rude, and shallow, + His hours filled up with riots, banquets, sports; + And never noted in him any study, + Any retirement, any sequestration + From open haunts and popularity. + + SHAKSPEARE. + + +“Almack’s is sadly gone off this year,” said a lady whose single +subscription was out. “I shan’t go there any more.” + +I only believed the last part of what she said. I should have been +sorry to have found the first true; for in spite of the murmurs +of turbulent spirits, who describe it as a sort of a female Holy +Alliance, conspiring to as absolute a dominion over the persons, +as their male prototypes did over the minds of mankind, there is no +comparison either as to the disinterestedness or benefit of the two +institutions. Dr. Paley (an odd authority about Almack’s) says of +civil government, that obedience to it must be founded on one of three +things--prejudice, reason, or self-interest. Now as to one of these, +reason, perhaps, like Joseph Surface’s honour, we had better ‘leave it +entirely out of the question:’ but I shall be satisfied if I can ground +obedience to this petticoat republic upon the other two, as a majority +of the doctor’s three elective foundations. Prejudice is rather a +question for the past than the future; but that Almack’s has such a +proscription in its favour, is attested sufficiently in the shoals of +little three-cornered applications which, on every succeeding Monday, +for seasons past, have drifted down St. James’s Street--the answers +to which have been anxiously expected by rank, fashion, and beauty. +But that self-interest is concerned in its perpetuity, I think I shall +have no difficulty in proving, as much among many who never entered its +walls, as from its regular frequenters. To the latter it must certainly +be preferable to be sure, at least one night in the week, of meeting in +a room where there is elbow-room to dance and be seen, than to spend +one half of the evening jammed fast upon some ladder-like staircase, +and the rest in hunting from house to house the somebody who is hunting +them elsewhere. + +But what a blessing it is to the papas and elders of families whose +abomination is a ball! It enables them to satisfy their daughters with +a few seven shillings’ worth of gaiety, whereas otherwise they must +each in turn have been turned out of their house because their wives +were “at home,”--have probably been kept in town till after their hay +was cut and their turnips sown, waiting for a night, and the next +morning be condemned to sit grumbling over the bills in a study that +still bore traces of having acted the part of supper-room the night +before. + +“But then,” say the opponents of Almack’s, “such a foolish fuss as +is made about tickets, and such a ridiculous favour in granting +them!” If this is so, depend upon it, it is in that more than either +the cheapness or convenience of the institution that its attraction +consists. Difficulty of access can make even dullness desired--and +exclusion would give a fictitious value to the amusements even of the +Escurial. The court is in most countries the criterion of society; but +for many years in England the patronesses of Almack’s have been the +ladies commissioners for executing the office of court. + +Such as it is, with all its exaggerated pretensions and demerits, +it was attended upon the last night of the first set by most of the +persons whom the reader of these pages would expect to find there. +Lady Latimer had not previously appeared any where since her arrival +in town. She had remained at Latimer quietly during the last few +weeks, the interval between the breaking up of the members of the last +_battue_ at the close of the shooting season, and their departure for +London, being the only break in upon Lord Latimer’s otherwise unceasing +round of boundless hospitality. This short period of repose had in this +instance been unwelcomely intruded upon by his man of business, who +begged to press upon his consideration the increasing difficulty he +found in supplying funds for this unlimited expense. + +But Lord Latimer never either would or could understand how a man of +his rent-roll could be embarrassed. “Besides, his Whisker colt would +win the Derby, and that would be ten thousand more than usual this +year.” As his communications with his lady were never frequent or +detailed, he had at least the good taste to take care that those he +did make should not be disagreeable. He therefore hinted nothing about +the disorder of his circumstances, and she remained unconscious of any +difficulties of the kind. + +Lady Latimer had not met Lady Boreton since they separated before the +election. But as her manner towards that lady had always been rather +civil than cordial, she had no difficulty, particularly as she was on +the winning side, in being just as glad to see her as usual; and if +Lady Boreton on her side felt any coolness, she did not think Almack’s +the right place to show it. + +“Is Miss Mordaunt still with you?” said Lady Boreton, wishing to start +an indifferent subject. + +“No,” replied Lady Latimer; “she left me some months since, on +account of illness in her family, and I have since been unable to +hear any thing of her, though I have written several times to the +place I thought she lived at. By the by, perhaps, as it is in his +neighbourhood, your friend Mr. Oakley might be able to give me some +information about her. Is he here?” + +“No--this is not exactly in his line. He is probably attending his duty +at the House. I see Mr. Germain _is_ here.” And the patriotic lady was +content at thus far hinting her opinion of the mistake the county had +made in its choice between the two candidates. + +“It is certainly very noisy here,” said Lady Flamborough, from a seat +under the orchestra, where she had established herself with her two +daughters. “Can you see, Jane, who that is Mr. Germain is talking to, +there on the other side of the opposite rope?” + +“I can only see the top of her head; but it looks to me like Lady +Singleton’s eternal coral comb.” + +“I can’t stand this noise any longer,” said Lady Flamborough; and +accordingly, when it had entirely ceased at the end of the quadrille, +and the fall of the ropes left a free passage across the room, she made +the best of the way across, steering by Lady Singleton’s coral comb. +Her ladyship she found stationary where she expected; but Germain was +flown. She was in despair. Again seating herself between her girls on +the nearest sofa, her quick eye caught the figure of Germain strolling +listlessly that way between the hind sofa and the wall. + +“You’d better sit up there behind, Jane, and leave room for Lady +Boreton here. I am very anxious to speak to Lady Boreton.” + +This succeeded perfectly; for though Lady Boreton seemed to have much +more to say to her than she had to Lady Boreton, yet she had still +opportunity to observe, whilst apparently listening attentively, that +Germain made a full stop behind that part of the back sofa where she +had posted Lady Jane, and seemed, in spite of his position blocking up +the passage, not the least inclined to move. + +“I have been telling Flamborough,” said Fitzalbert, coming up to Lady +Flamborough, “that he ought to have Smith to cut his hair. He has come +here with a head like a stable-boy’s.” + +“Is that your son?” said Lady Boreton. “I never saw him before. What is +his turn? Is he literary?” + +Lady Flamborough hesitated how to answer this query, but Fitzalbert +replied for her: “Oh yes! very. He made a book _upon the Oaks_ last +year.” + +“A pastoral poem, I presume,” said Lady Boreton, to whom he spoke in +enigmas. + +“Not exactly: a modern eclogue,” said Fitzalbert, laughing; and here +the subject of the conversation joined them. At the same moment the +music struck up, and Lady Flamborough’s eyes glistened with pleasure as +she saw Lady Jane working her way through the defile of the sofa, led +by Germain. But her happiness was short-lived. They were met by young +Lord Flamborough, who said: “Oh, by the by, Germain, you are a member +of ----’s Club. I wish you would just go there, and help to make a +ballot for me, for I am up to-night.” + +“But I am just going to dance with your sister. Afterwards I will go, +if there is still time.” + +“But there won’t be time; and I’ve just got the number if you’ll go; +and I’m sure Jane don’t care about dancing with you--she’ll find plenty +of partners here.” + +“Flamborough, for shame,” said his mother half aside: “what does it +signify to you to belong to ----’s Club? I am sure you are just as well +without being a member of it.” + +“But I am not just as well without it,” said he; “for it would be +somewhere to pass my evenings, without the bore of staying at home, or +the trouble of dressing.” + +“You had better go, if you don’t much dislike it,” whispered Lady Jane +to Germain, “for if you don’t we shall never hear the last of it at +home. A wilful child, you know--and that’s what he is--must have his +way.” + +So pressed, Germain’s good-nature urged him to go, accompanied by +Fitzalbert, whose prophetic spirit, as to the future situation in the +world of a noble minor with a large rent-roll, prevented his openly +showing all the contempt he felt for young Lord Flamborough: but as he +descended the stairs with Germain, he broke out--“A most unlicked cub, +indeed. This comes of boys playing at men without first learning the +game.” + +And so ended Lady Flamborough’s hopes for the evening. Neither +Fitzalbert nor Germain returned. The fact was, that as the result of +the ballot produced only _one white ball_ out of _twelve_, it was +impossible that they could both have played their young friend fair; +and though from the openness and good-nature of Germain’s character it +was next to impossible that he should be suspected of such treachery, +yet it was an awkward state of things for any of the party to have to +explain, where the odds were just eleven to one against your being +believed. So they determined to stay where they were, and sit down to +_écarté_, an arrangement that was mutually agreeable, and peculiarly +advantageous to Fitzalbert. + +At last, at three o’clock, all hopes of their re-appearance having been +lost by Lady Flamborough, she had her carriage called. “Home,” yawned +out her ladyship to the sleepy footman, and “Home” was repeated to the +no less sleepy coachman; and it was expressed through the medium of the +whip to the more sleepy horses. + +Lady Flamborough drew up the side-window. This is a moment of the +four-and-twenty hours most dreaded by young ladies who are in the +habit of suffering under maternal lectures; the only protection upon +such an occasion being the actual presence of a good match, who has +incautiously accepted the offer to be set down: otherwise the drive +home is the opportunity most usually taken by the chaperon, (whose +temper has not been improved by the tedium of the last few hours,) +to comment upon awkwardnesses committed or oversights observed; to +expatiate upon the encouragement of “detrimentals,” or the slight of +good parties; to inveigh against the sin of having said too much; to +inquire into the misfortune of having danced so little. + +It was a part of the evening to which both Lady Caroline and Lady +Jane, but particularly the latter, always looked forward with horror. +But in this instance they felt safe. Their brother had been the great +delinquent, and accordingly Lady Flamborough began: “I must say, you +behaved very ill, Flamborough, in quite spoiling the evening by sending +away Mr. Germain and Fitzalbert.” + +“I am sure there were enough people left there without them. I know I +wish there had been one less, and that’s myself. I don’t know why you +made me come. I hardly knew a woman there, except old Lady Marsden, who +used to come to my father’s; and she asked me how my little poney was, +as if I was a child still.” + +“I am sure you behave very like one,” said his mother, who here broke +off the conversation, not wishing to prolong the dispute at the +imminent risk of losing the little influence she still possessed over +him. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + Is all the counsel that we two have shar’d, + The sisters’ vows, the hours that we have spent, + When we have chid the hasty-footed time + For parting us,--Oh! and is all forgot? + + SHAKSPEARE. + + +When the name of Miss Mordaunt was mentioned to Lady Latimer casually +at Almack’s by Lady Boreton, she really felt at the moment more +uneasiness as to the fate of her young friend, than would have been +believed by any who saw the radiant smile of conscious beauty with +which she received the next passing acquaintance. A London spring +is not the season best calculated for the cultivation of the softer +sympathies of our nature, which flourish rather in shade and solitude, +and are parched up beneath the scorching sunshine of the ball-room. Yet +often in the course of the evening did Lady Latimer, while watching the +gay groupes, amongst which she saw none so fair, wonder what could have +become of Helen Mordaunt. + +Little did she think how near her in local position, but how estranged +by change of circumstances, her former protégée at that moment was! + +It was almost within sound of the merry music, the highest notes of +which came upon her ear, mingled with the oaths of drunken coachmen, +and the frequent lashing of whips, that Helen Mordaunt sat in her +solitary lodging, endeavouring to eke out a scanty subsistence, by +protracting even to that late hour, such work as candlelight did +not prevent her from executing. Her difficulties had latterly much +increased. It has been mentioned that Dorothy had taken upon herself to +exercise the right of placing a veto on the choice of many humbler, but +cheaper, and equally convenient lodgings, with which Helen would have +been well contented. But though her choice had been at last consulted, +this had not prevented her from soon finding as many faults with that +which had been taken, as if she had been the unwilling party, and she +took a very inconvenient mode of justifying herself from the imputation +of unfounded caprice, by being very soon laid up with a really severe +fit of rheumatism. This is an infliction which never improves any +temper; but upon Dorothy its effects were dreadful. It required Helen’s +almost angelic patience to bear with her mingled ebullitions of pain +and passion. The disorder not only prevented Dorothy from lending her +that small assistance which, considering herself always more in the +light of a duenna, than an attendant, she had ever attempted, but it +made her conceive that she had a constant claim upon Helen’s attention +to all those alternate complaints about herself, and lectures to her +young mistress, which, now that she was bodily disabled, formed her +sole occupation. London was her never-failing theme of abuse. + +“It was but to be expected that I should lose my precious health; I, a +sober well-conditioned body when I came, God forgive me! to such a sink +of iniquity! What with the draughts down the streets, and the damp, +and fog, and bad air--no one could live in it but by drunkenness, and +debauchery; and that I should have been over-persuaded by a foolish +girl, that’s like enough to go the way she should not!” + +Much of this was often muttered to herself, or so interspersed with +groans, that Helen did not feel obliged to take any notice of it, +which she knew from experience of her old nurse’s character, had she +done, would only have made bad worse. She was often inconveniently +interrupted in her own work, by piteous requests, that she would alter +the position, or make some other attempt to alleviate the pain of the +sufferer. + +She had also other annoyances, arising from disappointments. With +the sanguine expectations of youth, she had never doubted that those +talents and accomplishments, which had always met with the ready +encomiums of frivolous equals, when only exercised by her for her own +amusement, would be eagerly purchased, when offered for sale for her +support. The repose of a constant residence in the country, and the +habits of occupation thus engendered, had caused her much to excel in +all sorts of fancy-work, and any little specimens, whether of drawing, +or some other device, which had been casually observed at Boreton Park, +had always been the theme of unqualified admiration; for at that time +it would have been treason against good taste, not to admire any thing +that had been touched by the fair hands of Miss Mordaunt. But when, in +the full confidence of the impression thus created, she completed some +articles of the same kind, with infinite care, and offered them to a +shopwoman at the bazaar, who retailed toys and trinkets, she tossed +them slightingly over, saying, “Very pretty, I dare say; not that I’m +much a judge of these things myself; but I’ll tell you what, they +won’t do. The ladies have taken to this sort of thing themselves, and +there’s an end to employment for the like of you; for though I dare say +it would be as great a charity as any, if I was to give you, my young +woman, half what they get for theirs, yet I should be out of pocket +by it, for nobody will buy those sort of things, unless all the world +knows they’re doing a charity. However, if you like to leave them here, +you may, and then they’ll be seen, you know; and if I can get any thing +for them, why, I’ll account to you, that’s all;--and as you seem an +ingenious sort of body, if you could hit upon something new, such as +has never been seen, why, I’d make it worth your while to have puzzled +it out a bit.” + +Disheartened by the reception of her first effort, yet having no +resource, Helen left them as desired, and returned home with the vague +hope of being able to invent something which should have the charm +of novelty, and therefore be more attractive. This, trifling as the +resource may seem, occupied her more than if it had been the mere +labour of the fingers in which she was engaged, and therefore prevented +her from reflecting so incessantly upon the dreariness of her situation. + +At length, having succeeded, as she thought, in producing several +little fancy articles of different descriptions, which had some novelty +in their design, she again returned with them to the same stand in the +bazaar. She was more favourably received than the first time, and she +observed that the things she had then left had disappeared. “A friend +of hers,” the woman said, “after she had been tired to death of every +thing there, had, at length, consented to take them cheap, as part of +the stock she must get in, for a new shop at a distant watering-place, +before the next season;” and with this she handed over to Helen a +poor pittance, which was certainly not what she ought to have got for +them, but, at the same time, more than Helen, discouraged by her first +accounts, had latterly expected them to produce. The woman was more +liberal in her remuneration for some of those last brought, with one or +two of which she was particularly pleased, and desired Helen to keep +herself incessantly employed, in as many exact repetitions of the same +articles as she could execute, to be furnished in as short a time as +possible. + +It was in this tedious mechanical labour that Helen had been without +intermission engaged, even to the late hour mentioned above. Her +spirits were completely exhausted, and her health began to suffer +under confinement, to which she was so little accustomed, and the +atmosphere, too, of the rooms, which Dorothy regulated by her own +rheumatism, was often oppressively close. Having, at length, finished +her task, so as to be able to take it to the bazaar the next day, she +threw up the window for air; and as the chill night wind rushed into +the apartment, it brought with it the confused noise of the bustle +below, and the often-repeated cry of “Lady Latimer’s carriage,” struck +upon Helen’s ear. As she listened, past times and changed circumstances +rushed upon her recollection. + +“How differently,” thought she, “have the last few hours been passed +by Lady Latimer, and by one who, but some short weeks since, she would +never have allowed to be considered as other than her equal in every +thing--the partner in all her pleasures--concurrent in taste--and +alike even in dress!” And with this, came across her the recollection +of the unlucky ball-dress of the election night, and all the mischief +that had been caused by the colour of a ribbon--“and can she then so +soon have forgotten me?” + +She could just distinguish the carriage which she knew contained +her friend, and as its rumbling sound slowly died away in the +distance,--“Even so,” thought she, “has all trace of her she formerly +loved, faded away from her mind!” + +But a moment’s reflection served to banish this morbid idea as unjust +to her friend. How could she tell that Lady Latimer was in any respect +changed, or even cooled towards her? The estrangement, such as it +was, had all been her own doing. “My very silence alone is an unfair +reproach to her, and a treason to our former friendship. What right +had I to suppose her other than sincere, in those kindly feelings she +has so often expressed? There was nothing of brilliancy in my former +state which could of itself have captivated her. Why should I imagine +that my present forlorn condition, so calculated to excite sympathy, +should produce, on the contrary, alienation or estrangement?” + +It was not so easy to act upon this conviction as to entertain it. +Delay had very much aggravated the difficulties of explanation. How +was it possible that she could now present herself to Lady Latimer’s +notice, without giving some reason why she had not, at an earlier +period of her distress, made that application which seemed to arise +so naturally out of their former connexion? It would now be more than +ever necessary to enter into painful details respecting her family, +and to sacrifice the memory of her who was no more, or to submit to +a suspicion as to her own motives in adopting her present doubtful +mode of life, which could no otherwise be accounted for than by +acknowledging that _somewhere_ there existed cause for concealment. +For a moment the thought crossed her mind that Lady Latimer never had +known, and now never could know, her of whom she would have to speak; +and that therefore no injury could be inflicted by confiding to her +the truth. “But shall not _I_ know of whom I am speaking; and even in +hinting at her frailty, how could I bear to recall the fond expression +of that mild blue eye that never looked reproach upon me?” + +The result of her reflections was the determination to rise as early +as possible the next morning, and to carry all her little productions +to the bazaar the moment it was open. It was indeed early. The streets +were still empty--the windows still closed. The doors were only just +opened: and no spirits were stirring, except the Undines of the front +steps, who were sporting their usual morning water-works. Many of +them stopped for a time their twirling mops, whilst they followed +Helen with a stare, in which admiration was blended with a certain +difficulty in reconciling something in her air and appearance, with the +disadvantageous moral construction, which naturally arose from their +rarely seeing any one, at that early hour, at once good-looking, and +looking good. + +As Helen, in hurrying abruptly on, turned a corner, she almost ran +against two gentlemen who were standing in earnest conversation, +and in whom, to her no small dismay, she recognized Fitzalbert and +Germain. Though she had passed them, before she was aware of this, and +at first she hoped unobserved by them, yet she soon became conscious +she was followed, and she fancied known. She was somewhat reassured +as to this last point, by hearing one say to the other, “A beautiful +figure, by Jove!” in an audible whisper, just as they passed her. They +then slackened their pace, and seemed determined that she should pass +them again. She drew her veil closer and thicker over her face, and +attempted to walk steadily by. She at first hoped and believed that +they were no longer following, but soon again she heard them close +behind, and talking in French to each other, evidently about her, +though not so pointedly as to have been remarked by one ignorant of +that language, which they no doubt supposed her to be. She could not +bear the idea of being known, which she had no doubt would be the case, +if she was traced to the bazaar; she therefore turned from it, sharp +round a corner, in the direction of her own home, hurried her pace by +degrees even to a run, and never looked behind till she reached her own +door. + +When she made this sharp turn, Germain held her other pursuer back +by the arm, saying: “No, this will never do; it will be too marked; +besides, I am sure you are mistaken, and that we are a real annoyance +to her.” + +“Admirably acted, that’s all: and indeed so successfully, that even _I_ +feel my curiosity excited. Time was that the glimpse of a well-turned +ancle, whether cased in silk or worsted, would have led me over half +the stiles in the country; but one lives to learn, and experience has +taught me this, that every woman who studiously conceals her face, has, +depend upon it, derived from Dame Nature, very sufficient reasons for +so doing. However, she is the best goer I ever saw--that I will say for +her. I have a great mind to try whether she’ll last.” + +“Stop! it’s past eight o’clock, and you’re not exactly in a hunting +dress for such a wild-goose chase”----pointing to his Almack’s costume +of the evening before, in which they had played all night. + +“That’s very true--so good night to you, and good morning to her.” + +Helen meanwhile rushed up stairs to her own apartment, threw herself +upon the sofa, crouching like a hunted hare; and whilst her heart beat +violently against her breast, listened anxiously for the dreaded sounds +of pursuit: and though a few minutes reassured her upon this point, +in vain she attempted throughout the day to regain her accustomed +composure. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + Behold this ring, + Whose high respect, and rich validity, + Did lack a parallel. + + SHAKSPEARE.--_All’s Well that ends Well._ + + You look upon that sleeve; behold it well.-- + O, all you gods!--O pretty, pretty pledge! + Nay, do not snatch it from me; + He that takes this, must take my heart withal. + + SHAKSPEARE.--_Troilus and Cressida._ + + +The morning after Almack’s, Lady Flamborough called rather early upon +Lady Boreton, not from any great wish she felt to see her ladyship, but +from a prospective inclination to repeat her visit in the summer to +Boreton Hall. + +A dowager’s summer and autumn are apt to hang a little heavy on her +hands. A watering-place is rather an expensive resource; she can’t +bespeak plays and patronise balls for nothing; and, after all, she +is often of the same opinion as the manager, or the master of the +ceremonies, that “_Le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle._” Then, as to +a trip to the Continent, a pretty precocious girl may sometimes be +married before the age at which she would be “out” in England. But +neither Lady Caroline nor Lady Jane were quite so green as to require +to be forced forward; and to lose a London season would be, in their +case, a dangerous experiment. Lady Flamborough had been very much +pleased with the party she last met at Boreton; and though nothing had +actually occurred in consequence, much had then been put in train. +She had certainly some difficulty as to the adverse part that many of +her connexions and relatives had since taken at the election; but +she had been glad to observe, the night before, that Lady Boreton did +not appear to retain any unpleasant feelings on this head. She was +prepared too, this morning, to introduce a topic which might afford +an opportunity of descanting on the pleasures of the visit, without +recalling the troubles of the election. She therefore began: + +“Who do you think is come to town this morning? Henry Seaford, my +cousin, Lord Waltham’s third son. You know, he was intended for the +_diplomatique_; but, at nineteen, he wanted to marry a _figurante_ +at Naples, so his father very properly determined he should go into +the church. And Lord Waltham certainly has been very kind to him ever +since; and has just got him a capital living in a beautiful hunting +county, and so he is come up from the place where he has been upon +probation. And whom do you think he has been telling us about? You +remember that girl, who was a sort of _protégée_ of Louisa’s, and whom +you were kind enough to invite to that delightful party we had at +Boreton? My girls always say, they never were so happy. You know who +I mean; Miss ----. It was a strange fancy of Louisa’s. I told her, I +thought it was taking a great liberty with you: however, Fitzalbert +cried her up, so every body admired her. Miss Melville was it?--No, +Mordaunt.” + +“Miss Mordaunt, to be sure,” said Lady Boreton; “A very pretty pleasant +girl. What of her?” + +“Why, Seaford says, she’s left quite a beggar. Her mother died when he +first came there; and she’s gone no one knows where. It’s a great pity! +To be sure, she had a very neat taste in dress, and might make a very +good lady’s maid; only, I can’t bear pretty ladies’ maids; they are +always looking over one’s shoulders at themselves in the glass.” + +It so happened, that Oakley just at this time came in to make a morning +visit to Lady Boreton. He was very much out of spirits, having seen +that morning by his agent’s accounts, that Helen’s annuity had never +been claimed. This had made him very uneasy; he determined himself to +leave town to examine into the cause; and had therefore called on Lady +Boreton previous to his departure, to arrange some county business with +her, which it was impossible that he could leave unsettled. It will +have been observed that, to use a vulgar phrase, there was “no love +lost” between him and Lady Flamborough. + +He was therefore rather disconcerted, at finding her there; and she, +on her part, abruptly concluded her visit on account of his coming in; +but, as it was impossible with her well-practised eye for incipient +flirtations, that his former attentions to Helen Mordaunt could have +entirely escaped her observation, she said rather maliciously, just as +she went out: “Indeed, my dear Lady Boreton, any thing one could do +to get her in a decent line, would be quite a charity for her, poor +thing! It is shocking to think of the temptations to which she may be +exposed; for she certainly was rather pretty. You had better talk it +over with Mr. Oakley; he is a governor of so many of those charitable +institutions. The Magdalen, is it? No; that is not exactly what I mean: +however, I’ll leave you to settle it all with him. Good morning.” + +When Lady Boreton explained to Oakley that it was Helen Mordaunt +of whom they had been speaking, he turned as pale as death; and had +her ladyship not been engrossed in many projects on which she had +long wished to consult him, she could not have avoided observing his +emotion. It was in vain, however, that she attempted to command his +attention, whilst she expounded to him several joint-stock schemes, in +which she was then anxiously engaged. “You must take a hundred shares +in this, Mr. Oakley, it is the best of all. It is called the ‘Joint +Stock Staff of Life Company.’ You know there is nothing in which one +is so shamefully abused as in the London bread. Well, we propose to +bake in one immense oven, and the dough is to be kneaded by steam. +Fitzalbert says, that if the dandies must go into the city for money, +they had better give up fishmonger’s companies, and go into the _best +bread_ society, where they will be very much _kneaded_. Very good +that, Mr. Oakley.” + +But even this appeal did not force from Oakley an unconscious smile at +Fitzalbert’s execrable pun, much less rouse him from his abstraction; +though he rose mechanically, at Lady Boreton’s desire, to examine +the model of the oven. In showing it off, Lady Boreton’s wrist got +entangled in the machinery, and her bracelet broke and fell to the +ground. Oakley stooped to pick it up, hardly knowing what he was doing, +till his eye accidentally glancing upon that which he held in his hand, +his attention instantly became riveted, whilst Lady Boreton went on +indefatigably explaining that at which he was no longer pretending to +look. The bracelet was made of hair, and irresistibly reminded him of +one he had seen Helen Mordaunt, at Boreton, making of her own hair for +Lady Latimer: it had been of a peculiarly ingenious manufacture, lately +invented at Paris, and had not been previously known in this country; +he remembered too being struck, at the time, with the admiration +the company then bestowed on the workmanship; and not a little +disgusted at the frivolity which could single out this, of all Helen’s +accomplishments, the most to admire. + +That which he now held in his hand, was of the same fashion, the same +plaiting; and could he have believed it, he would almost have said, the +same hair. + +Lady Boreton, having finished her unheeded lecture on machinery, +offered to take the bracelet away. “Oh, thank you, Mr. Oakley, the +clasp is broken, I perceive. Bazaar goods never last.” + +But Oakley was unwilling thus to part with it, and offered himself to +take it there to be repaired; thinking that, by that means, he might +perhaps obtain a clue to the discovery of Helen. + +Lady Boreton looked not a little surprised at such an offer on his +part, as it was a civility quite out of his usual line; but she +nevertheless accepted his services. + +Oakley hastened out of the house, went direct to the bazaar, and found +out the stall mentioned by Lady Boreton; but, once there, he almost +omitted his commission, and entirely forgot the explicit direction he +had received as to the new setting, in the eagerness of his enquiries +about the person from whom it had been procured. The shopwoman, having +still some pretensions to good looks herself, gave not an over partial +account of the personal appearance of her, the mere description of whom +seemed to blind her hearer to the more obvious charms before him; but +even from her account, Oakley extracted enough to convince him that it +was Helen herself. + +“You will oblige me with her direction,” said he. There was a strange +expression, which was meant for propriety, on the shopwoman’s +countenance, as she replied, “that indeed she knew nothing at all about +her--that her goods were brought there for sale, and she paid honestly +for them; but, as to any thing further than in the way of business, she +knew nothing about her, nor she didn’t desire.” + +“But I have to order another bracelet similar to this,” said Oakley, +restraining himself: “when are you likely to see her again, as there is +some hurry about it?” + +“Oh, if it’s for that, sir,” said the woman, “I expected her here this +morning; but I’m afraid she may have been a bit idle. Perhaps some +other gentleman has been asking after her,” added she, meaning to look +sly; but she checked herself, on seeing nothing in Oakley’s face which +made it, on any account, expedient for her to do so. + +“I think it is impossible that she should miss coming to-morrow +morning; and she’s very early when she does come.” + +Having, at length, extracted this piece of information, Oakley +departed; and the shopwoman muttered, as he went out: “I should have +guessed as much: it is always your demure-looking ones who are the +worst.” + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + You remember + The daughter of this lord? + Admiringly; my high-repented blames, + Dear sovereign, pardon to me. + All is whole; + Not one word more of the consumed time. + Let’s take the instant by the forward top, + For on our quick’st decrees + The inaudible and noiseless foot of time + Steals ere we can effect them. + + SHAKSPEARE. + + +The succeeding night Oakley passed in the House of Commons, and was +surprised to find it impossible to fix his attention, as usual, to the +course of a long and interesting debate. Returning from thence after +day-break, he took his station at once where he could command from +a distance the entrance to the bazaar. He had, as might have been +expected from the earliness of the hour, some time to wait: but at +length he beheld a figure in black slowly, almost timidly, advancing: +a single glance sufficed to convince him it was the object of his +search. There was a hesitation in her step, and an embarrassment in +her deportment, caused by the narrow escape of being recognised, +experienced by her the day before, which seemed to call for support +and assistance; and, but that he felt unequal to command his feelings +sufficiently for a meeting in the open streets, he would have rushed +forward to offer her his protection. As she returned from the bazaar, +he followed at a distance, and traced her to her lodging, but hesitated +to enter after her. + +Helen’s situation was now more than ever distressing. The day before +she had received, through a relation of old Dorothy’s in the city, +where, to prevent discovery, all her letters were sent, a communication +from Mr. Seaford, to state, that having been promoted to a better +living, he was obliged to give up her house, the last quarter for +which, paid in advance, was just out. This rendered it almost +indispensable for her to give up her present expensive lodging; but old +Dorothy’s state, crippled and helpless with rheumatism, seemed to make +the proposal of it for the present impossible; as even, had she been in +health, she was sure it was a point that would not have been carried +without a contest. Independent of the regard which long habit had made +her feel for the old woman, her protection was too necessary to the +respectability of her present situation to be lightly dispensed with. +The shopwoman, too, not having found the novelty of her last batch of +fancy articles so attractive as she had expected, had made a favour of +taking even those she had just finished, and had confined any further +orders to another bracelet similar to the broken one which she said had +been ordered by the gentleman who brought the lady’s to be repaired. + +This bracelet, purchased by Lady Boreton at the bazaar, had been a +single experiment of the kind, attempted by Helen in her endeavour to +produce something new; and doubtful of success, she had sacrificed a +lock of her own hair to see whether it would answer. What was now to +be done? At first she thought of purchasing some hair as nearly as +possible of the same colour as her own, of which to make it; little +guessing that such a substitute would have made all the difference to +the person by whom it was ordered. Then again, the expense of such a +purchase was such as the present state of her funds could ill afford; +and she determined to sacrifice some more of her own beautiful locks. + +As she loosed her long and luxuriant hair of matchless brown, a passing +feeling of pardonable vanity interposed to check her hand, but she had +almost subdued it with the reflection, “Is this a time for pride of +person?”--when at the moment the door opened, and Oakley once again +stood before her, unexpected and unushered. + +Far different, however, was the first impression made upon him by +Helen’s appearance now and upon the last occasion, when that fine hair, +which now flowed unconfined, about to be sacrificed to her necessities, +had, dressed with consummate art, been to him offensively blended with +his adversary’s colours. Now the splendid robe of gala gaiety had been +exchanged for a simple dress of the deepest mourning. + +It is said, that few are seen for the first time in mourning without +their beauty being apparently enhanced, and of this few Helen was not +one. Confinement and suffering had somewhat blanched her cheek, but +the more depressed and humiliated she appeared, the more unworthy did +Oakley think himself of her; and this feeling for the time overpowered +him. Helen, on her part, was for an instant kept silent by a mixture of +sensations which she would have been unable to analyse, and unwilling +at all to attribute to their true source. This it was that at first +imparted a tremulousness to her voice as she said: “I am sure you need +only be told, that this room is mine, and recollect that I am alone and +unprotected, to see at once the impropriety of this intrusion.” + +“Forgive me one moment, and I will explain--but to see you thus +degraded--in a situation so unworthy of you--” + +“Degraded,” said she, “I can never feel but by some fault of my own; +and however at variance my present situation may be with that in which +you last beheld me, it was then, not now, that I was misplaced. For +none can know better than you, that a forlorn and destitute orphan, +with no kindred claims of any kind, can best by her own exertions +escape reproach.” + +“And it is my brutality,” exclaimed Oakley, “which has made you think +so but too justly--how you must hate me!” + +“No, indeed,” said she, “such an idea is unjust, alike to all your +former kindness, and to my grateful sense of it. Neither of these is to +be effaced by an injury inflicted in a momentary burst of passion.” + +As she said this, even these kind words failed of imparting that +consolation to Oakley which he derived from an object which +accidentally met his eye. Strange, and trivial, and apparently +unworthy of observation, at such a moment, was that from whence he, +nevertheless, imbibed comfort. + +A volume of Byron’s works was open upon the table before him. Byron was +a genius peculiarly suited to excite admiration in a person of Oakley’s +disposition. He well remembered, during the days of his acquaintance +with Helen, that he had often repeated passages to her of that author, +with whom she was then unacquainted, as Mrs. Mordaunt’s secluded +mode of life had confined her reading principally to the standard +classics of the language, in all of which she was perfectly well read. +“Even, then, in her present embarrassments, she has remembered my +recommendations, and cultivated my tastes,” thought he; “this is not +the conduct of indifference or dislike.” So ingenious is a lover in +extracting encouragement from apparently the most unlikely sources! As +soon, therefore, as she had finished, he addressed her with somewhat +more of confidence: “Talk not of my services; they are nothing; but let +me hope----” + +“Pardon me,” said Helen, interrupting him; “I have said that I did not +consider my present situation degrading; but I am not insensible to +its peculiar disadvantages; not the least of which is, that it lays +me painfully open to groundless suspicion. My character must remain +unblemished; ’tis all I have; and the continuance of this interview----” + +“I see it,” said Oakley. “No, I will not again aggravate your +misfortunes; but say, at least, that you forgive me.” + +“That I do, as freely as would that Christian spirit to whom the injury +was done. Had she even known your recent offence, she would still have +died as she did--almost her last breath murmuring a blessing on your +name. Her end was that of a person whose former errors, such as they +were, had, by separating her from this world, the better prepared her +for the next. And that I, her daughter, who so revered and adored her, +should be obliged to consider her.--But this is a subject on which I +cannot bear to think, much less to speak. As far as you were to blame, +most heartily do I forgive you. God bless you, Mr. Oakley!” + +“I cannot leave you, even till a better opportunity of saying all I +wish, unless you will allow me again to restore what I consider as +your legal provision.” + +“Do not ask this. I cannot quite forget as well as forgive, if I have +that constantly to remind me; and I would fain learn to think of you +with unmixed gratitude for all your kindness to the orphan girl. Any +other proof of my forgiveness----” + +“There is one proof which I would, yet dare not ask. Oh, Helen! might +I but hope that you would allow me, by devoting my life to your +happiness, to insure my own--that you would, as mine, consent to share +with me that situation in the world which should be yours by right! +I hardly know what I am saying; but this I know, that I cannot live +without you. Helen, for God’s sake, look up--speak to me.” + +When Oakley’s meaning first broke on Helen’s mind, the flash of +excitement, even before the words were uttered, dispelled all traces of +languor and suffering from her previously pale cheek. Her eye, for an +instant, glistened with a peculiar brightness till dimmed with tears; +when, hiding her face in her hands, and dropping it on the table, she +sobbed hysterically. The sudden revulsion had been too much for her +shattered spirits. While Oakley hung anxiously over her, she had time +to recover from this involuntary weakness, which she soon did so far as +to say: “No, no, no: I feel that this cannot, must not be.” + +“Why? wherefore?” exclaimed Oakley, passionately: “who can dare to +object, if you allow me to hope?” + +“No,” said Helen; “it is a connexion every way unworthy of you; and I +cannot allow that your generous nature, excited by the idea of injury +inflicted, and softened by pity, should give to a passing predilection, +an influence upon your fate which, in cooler moments, your judgment +would regret.” + +“Believe me, Helen, you now wrong me for the first time.” + +“Let me entreat you to hear me,” said she; “I have hardly powers for my +task, even if I may attempt it without interruption. If I have you to +contend against as well as myself, it will be impossible. I will not +deny that in the day-dreams of my solitude, the thought of this has +often occurred; but I have convinced myself of its impossibility.” + +Oakley was again about to protest against such a conclusion; but the +imploring look with which she met his attempt silenced him, and he +listened with breathless attention, whilst she continued:-- + +“That your character has been no uninteresting one to me, I fear my +recent weakness has but too plainly shown; but the more I have thought, +(and I have had leisure for reflection,) the more convinced I have +become, that yours is a disposition which would be rendered peculiarly +unhappy by an unequal match.” + +“But how unequal, except that I am every way unworthy of you?” + +“Nay, is not my present situation open to misconstruction and reproach? +You, yourself, called it degradation; and though my own feelings would +not so acknowledge it, yet I cannot deny that it will be so considered +in the eyes of the world.” + +“But there is not a man living that feels more contempt than I do for +the opinion of that knot of knaves and fools which calls itself the +world.” + +“That it would not force you to bow before its worthless idol, I +can well believe; but prone as your nature is to distrust, even of +yourself, how can you answer that you could be proof against the +galling, though groundless taunts of the malicious?” + +“But how can this affect you?” + +“Simply thus; for I will not remind you that you cannot always command +yourself. Your regret for what once passed, is too sincere for that to +be necessary; but, for your happiness, it behoved you to have chosen +one already known and acknowledged by the world; and, must I add, one +of unblemished birth?” + +Her voice faltered a little as she said this; but she continued: +“My present line of life is one that I have adopted from the purest +motives, and as the only way to extricate myself from difficulties; +but my reasons were of a nature which evaded explanation. How, then, +could you bear the thousand misinterpretations to which, should it be +known, it may expose me? Nay, are you even sure that you could always +steel your _own mind_ against suspicion?” + +As Helen uttered these words, Oakley’s brow became suddenly clouded, +whilst hideous visions, like the confused creations of the nightmare, +crowded past him. But with an effort he succeeded in banishing them; +and answered emphatically: “Suspect you, Helen? No, by Heaven, +impossible!” + +Having once allowed her to finish all her objections, he became more +earnest in his entreaties and protestations. It was not to be expected +that she should long resist herself as well as him. She had thought it +her duty to state why she feared for his happiness. Having done this, +I hope that the reader will not like her the less for having been too +much of a woman, and too little of a heroine to attempt more. Indeed, +she could not help flattering herself, from the proof of unbounded +confidence he had just given, that her influence over him would be such +as to overcome his constitutional failing. Upon one point, however, she +was resolute: that, till the expiration of her mourning, they should +meet no more. Nothing should be declared, nor ought it to be considered +by him in the light of an engagement. + +“The home of my childhood being at present vacant, I will return there; +and shall now have no scruple in again accepting that which we used to +receive from my----from the person whose property you have inherited.” + +As she said this, a noise as of one moving with difficulty, +accompanied with much groaning and coughing, was heard in the next +room. This was caused by Dorothy’s efforts to raise herself in +consequence of hearing a man’s voice. At length, in answer to her +repeated calls upon her name, Helen opened the door, whereupon the old +woman, seeing Oakley and Helen, screamed out--“A man in Miss Mordaunt’s +room! I ought to have known it would come to this, though I could never +have believed it of her.” + +“This gentleman,” said Helen calmly, “is Mr. Oakley, Lord Rockington’s +heir.” + +“So much the worse; he comes of a bad sort, and I doubt for a bad end.” + +“You need not have feared suspicion,” said Oakley to Helen, smiling; +“such a duenna would have been a sufficient antidote to the doubts +even of a Spaniard: but I think her faithful apprehensions merit +confidence; and that she at least should be an exception to the silence +on the subject of our engagement which you prescribe.” + +To this Helen consented, and Dorothy was quite satisfied upon hearing +that at the expiration of the mourning, she was to resign her anxious +care of her young mistress into the hands of a husband, in the person +of Mr. Oakley. + +As soon as Helen was deprived of the delight of Oakley’s presence, +was relieved from the torrent of Dorothy’s questions, and had reason +to reflect on the change in her future fate, which the last two +hours had produced, she indulged fondly in unmixed anticipations of +happiness. The doubts of Oakley’s disposition, which had been formed +in the sadness of solitude, and which she thought it her duty to +state, had lost their influence when she had ceased to urge them; and +she now rather reproached herself with coldness and ingratitude in +having so distrustfully received the passionate declaration of the most +disinterested attachment. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + ----This thou tell’st me; + But saying thus, instead of oil and balm, + Thou lay’st in every gash that love hath given me, + The knife that made it. + + SHAKSPEARE. + + +“Don’t you think Lady Jane Sydenham a most delightful girl?” said +Germain to Fitzalbert, as they were breakfasting together at the house +of the former. + +“_You_ do--which is more to the purpose,” answered Fitzalbert. “Did I +not always say it would be so? I shall set up for a prophet; for did +I not also foresee that you would first fancy Lady Latimer?--but that +wouldn’t do. No, no; she had too much to lose, and like many of our +fair countrywomen, however fond of flirting, she was not likely to run +any such risk _pour vos beaux yeux_.” + +“I think,” said Germain, recollecting what had been said at Boreton, +“Lady Latimer rather wants heart.” + +“Well, nobody can accuse you of that except when it’s in _hand_, as +they say of a newspaper. However, I’m very glad that it’s likely to be +so. You and the Latimers will make a snug coterie together. It will be +the very thing for me. I only hope that ass Greenford won’t marry Lady +Caroline--that would be too great luck for Lady Flamborough; besides, +Sir Gregory is not exactly the sort of fellow one would present with +the fee-simple of one’s society. I let him out my acquaintance on +short leases--and he sometimes pays heavy fines for renewal,” he added, +half to himself, as he walked towards the window, doubting whether it +was prudent to acknowledge so much. + +Any further confidences of this kind, even if he had been imprudent +enough to hint them, were prevented by the entrance of Oakley. Since +his reconciliation with Helen, he had begun to think that he had never +been sufficiently indulgent to the natural defects in the character of +his early friend, who, on his part, had always been very patient under +the much more annoying faults to which Oakley himself was subject. He +had met Germain, accidentally, the day before, and the first advances +he had then made to a reconciliation, had been at once received with +that cordiality which Germain’s good-natured and placable disposition +would have led one to expect. Oakley had felt much happier since this +interview had taken place; and his present visit was intended, not only +as a further peace-offering, but as an advance towards renewed intimacy. + +This amiable temper of mind was a little ruffled by finding Fitzalbert +there. It is impossible to conceive any two men who had a more +thorough dislike of each other. Fitzalbert, to be sure on his side, +was a pococurante in every thing, and scarcely troubled his head +about Oakley, when he was not, as he called it, oppressed with his +presence; but it was observed that when that was the case, his jokes +flowed less naturally, and there was more sharpness, and less ease in +his conversation. Oakley had a thorough contempt for the character of +Fitzalbert, joined to a certain dread of his satire, which did not +the less exist, because he would never have acknowledged it, even to +himself. + +Fitzalbert prepared to evacuate upon this irruption of his enemy. “Then +you are not for tennis this morning, eh, Germain?” said he. A strange +idea, at the instant, occurred to him, and he afterwards said that he +could not account by what chain of thought it first struck his fancy. +“By the by,” he added, “do you remember that devilish fine girl we gave +chase to yesterday morning--I always thought I had seen her before. +Who do you think I really believe it was? You remember Helen Mordaunt, +who used to live with Lady Latimer. It was stupid of me not to know +her at once. There is no mistaking that air and figure when once seen. +The light springy walk too! Nobody knew what had become of her. I +always heard she was of a low family. Who knows but she may be very +come-at-able?” + +This was said carelessly, and with no other object than to annoy +Oakley; and with the view of watching its effect, he advanced towards +the mirror over the chimney-piece, and whilst still speaking, and +apparently examining Germain’s dinner-engagements, which stuck round +the frame, he stole a glance in the glass. But the impending storm +which he saw on Oakley’s brow, was so much more formidable and +threatening than he had expected, that his retreat was like that of +a man who has no objection to admire a tempest from a distance, but +is not prepared unnecessarily to expose himself to its violence. He +therefore wished Germain an abrupt good morning; at the same time, +however, whistling “Di tanti palpiti,” with the most successful +precision. + +He had descended the stairs, and finished the tune, before Oakley had +recovered from his astonishment, or had decided in what way he could +most successfully annihilate him. He then seized Germain’s hand with +appalling earnestness, saying, “Tell me, for God’s sake, what is this +frightful story that puppy has been alluding to? Helen Mordaunt, and +Fitzalbert,--what can they possibly have in common? Did he follow +her?--did they speak?” + +Germain, not having been informed of Oakley’s engagement to Helen, +was, on his side surprised at his vehemence, but readily explained +that on the previous morning he had been dragged on by Fitzalbert, in +pursuit of a woman, whose figure had struck him, but it had never for +an instant occurred to him, that it could be Miss Mordaunt, and his +ignorance, as to whether it was or was not, was a sufficient answer to +the other question, whether there had been any communication between +them. + +“True! true!” said Oakley; “what a fool I am to mind the idle +insinuations of a coxcomb like that! Still he certainly used to be very +attentive to her at Boreton.” + +“You have not told me,” said Germain, “whether you have any particular +reason for wishing to find her out, but if you have, now that +Fitzalbert has mentioned the likeness, I have no doubt that it was she +we saw yesterday morning, and her anxiety to avoid us, confirms me in +the idea.” + +“Yes, I believe, so far the conceited fool was right; but I may as well +confide to you at once my precious secret; for, to say the truth, I +shall never be quite happy till Helen is again safe under your friend, +Lady Latimer’s protection; and you must arrange this.” + +This proposal, on the part of Oakley, to re-unite Helen with Lady +Latimer, was principally intended to show the extent of his repentance +for his offence on the memorable night of the quarrel, which had +originated in his wanton attack on that lady’s character; but though he +was hardly aware of it himself, this good intention was not a little +accelerated in action, by an anxious uneasiness at what Helen might +be exposed to, in her present unprotected situation. He communicated, +without alluding to their quarrel, his discovery of Helen, her distress +since the death of her mother, and their present engagement. Whilst +Germain rejoiced in the happiness of his friend, he began seriously to +turn over in his mind the intention of being equally happy with Lady +Jane. + +“And now,” said Oakley, “one word upon the credit of our old +friendship. Public report spreads too widely to be entirely without +foundation, that you are dreadfully embarrassed. I once told you, +that whatever ready money I could command, and that is not a little, +should be at your service; and you have not so entirely forgotten me, +as to think that I ever made an offer which I did not mean should be +accepted.” + +“A thousand thanks!” replied Germain, not a little touched at this +revival of former kindness, “but at present, I am in no want; for next +week, when Lord Latimer’s colt wins the Derby, I shall sack twenty +thousand.” + +“Or lose----?” inquired Oakley, shaking his head. + +“Oh! nothing to signify; and besides, he can’t lose. I know all about +him.” + +“Well, we shall see; or rather, you will _see_ and I shall _hear_--for +nothing should tempt me there.” + +When Oakley, having left Germain, returned homewards, he in vain +attempted to banish from his recollection the offensive tone in which +Fitzalbert had mentioned Helen. He tried to persuade himself that, even +if it was done purposely to annoy him, circumstanced as he was, it was +impossible openly to resent it, and therefore to allow him to succeed +in his object, was giving an unnecessary triumph to his enemy. + +Yet, in spite of these suggestions of his better reason, he could not +get over the disagreeable impression it had left behind--he could not +endure that Fitzalbert should ever have presumed to look at Helen for a +moment even in passing, with that feeling, which he had dared to avow +had induced him to follow her in the open streets. The intolerably +confident expression of countenance with which he had pronounced her +_come-at-able_, was ever obtruding itself on his recollection, and +rankling at his heart. Was it to be borne, that he should always be +subject, without redress, to similar insults? If the last were repeated +in its recent shape, he felt resolved, that not even his desire to +put off the declaration of his engagement till Helen was creditably +settled, should prevent his inflicting summary punishment on the spot. + +But this was not all he had to fear, when even the announcement of +his intended marriage should secure him from the repetition of such +conversation in his hearing. He dreaded lest Fitzalbert, having once +ascertained that he was right, in supposing that it was Helen whom +he had seen in such a doubtful situation, should take a thousand +circuitous ways of hinting disadvantageous constructions upon her +conduct, the effect of which might meet his eye, without reaching +his ear; and that, being unable to trace this home to him on whom +his suspicions rested, or to make Fitzalbert answerable for the +contemptuous curl upon another man’s lip, he should be left entirely +without redress. There was much of morbid feeling in all this; but +it was in Oakley’s nature for such things to give him uneasiness; +and after torturing himself in vain, the only practical, though +not rational conclusion at which he arrived, was to take the first +opportunity of fastening a quarrel upon Fitzalbert. + +Meanwhile, Germain gave himself up without alloy to agreeable +anticipations. That Lord Latimer’s horse should win the Derby, he +looked upon to be as certain as that Lady Jane would accept him. There +had certainly not been much romance in the attachment of the two; +but there was much that was just as likely to tend to their mutual +happiness. There was a buoyancy in Germain’s spirits, which it seemed +to be impossible for circumstances to depress. There was a sunshine in +his mind, which imparted a glowing light to all that it touched, which +was peculiarly attractive to a girl of Lady Jane’s cheerful, but not +thoughtless turn. Her natural good sense certainly led her to perceive +that Germain’s facility of temper caused him to be much too easily led, +but at the same time she saw that he was most in the power of those +with whom he lived the most, and this conviction was rather consolatory +as to the advantages a wife might derive from that circumstance. + +Certain it is, that though Lady Flamborough still manœuvred as +if there were difficulties to be overcome, yet she experienced as +little real unwillingness, as she showed open opposition to the +arrangement--that while she, Caroline, and two others, went inside the +carriage, Jane and Germain should share the barouche-box down to Epsom. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + Look, what a horse should have he did not lack, + Save a proud rider on so proud a back. + + * * * * * + + What recketh he his rider’s angry stir? + What cares he now for curb, or pricking spur? + + SHAKSPEARE. + + +“We could not make a House: it is the day of the Derby,” said a +treasury-hack to Oakley, as he met him in Parliament-street. And that +is not the only house by many thousands that is on that day deserted. +Private, as well as public concerns give way to the all-engrossing +excitement of the moment; though there are many who do not know, and +still more who do not care what “the Derby” means, whether it is a wild +beast, a giant, a house, or a horse. There never was any expedition +on which every one of the hundred thousand goes so entirely, because +the other 99999 do so. To be sure, whatever other advantages they may +derive from it, all have that of receiving in full the “price of a +king’s ransom, a peck of March dust,” which, our climate being apt to +be in arrear, is usually paid at two months after date, and is just due +about this time, with its usual accompaniments of a hot sun and a cold +wind. + +Upon this occasion, however, the weather was more than usually +propitious, and as for Lady Flamborough--no bustle bewildered, no +dust blinded, no sun dazzled her watchful eyes, as she marked the +proceedings on the barouche-box. She thought she could not be +deceived, for there was a more than usual animation in Germain’s +profile; and there was a peculiar tinge on the little she could catch +of Jane’s delicate cheek, as it was turned away from him. + +She was right; the proposal had been made, and accepted. It may be +objected to Germain’s discretion, that he chose rather a public +opportunity for his declaration; but his is no singular case. Secluded +woodbine bowers are not to be found from March to August; and less +favourable moments have sometimes sufficed; and though it was by no +means a sentimental journey on which they were bound, yet in their +present position, they might at least be said to be elevated above the +rest of the world. + +Arrived at the course, the business of the morning obliged Germain, +even after what had just passed between him and Lady Jane, to leave +her, to attend to his own immediate interests. Upon entering the +paddock where the horses were parading, it was easy for him to +distinguish Lord Latimer’s, from the crowd which surrounded him, and +moved across to meet him again, as he walked round. He was indeed a +noble animal; but from the enthusiastic encomiums passed upon him, +one would have imagined that his like had never been foaled. “Capital +legs!” cried one; “how well he steps!”--and another, “What thighs and +houghs?”--“Depth in the girth!”--“Never saw such a shoulder!”--“And +such a pretty blood-like head too!” All these agreeably greeted +Germain’s ear, as he mingled with the crowd. + +“And what’s that washy looking animal with a white tail?” asked Lord +Latimer. + +“Mr. Snooks’s chestnut colt, by Woeful.” + +“What will any body take about Snooks?” said Germain. + +“I’ll take forty to one,” said Snooks himself, who was watching his +horse. + +“I’ll bet you twenty thousand to five hundred,” said Germain. “I can’t +hear of Snooks’s winning the Derby:” he added, aside to Lord Latimer. + +The bell now rung for saddling, and Germain prepared to return to +Lady Jane; but in the anxious confusion of the moment, and amid the +labyrinth of carriages which had collected since he left her, this was +no easy task. As he was endeavouring to guess his way through, he was +suddenly brought to by a whole carriage-full of the Misses Luton. “Oh, +Mr. Germain, do just stop and tell us all about it; we were never here +before. Does Lord Latimer ride himself?--and who do you think will +win?”--“I hope pink will; it will be so pretty to see it before the +rest.”--“I wish you would make us a lottery; but you mus’n’t win it +yourself.” + +Whilst Germain, suffering under this untimely infliction, was +good-humouredly complying, Lord Latimer came galloping up, his face as +white as a sheet, and seizing hold of Germain’s arm, so as to make him +drop all the Misses Luton’s lottery-tickets, whispered in his ear, “He +canters quite short; he is dead lame!” + +Germain, muttering an unintelligible apology to the young ladies, +spurred his horse after him, and was soon in the centre of the betting +ring, endeavouring to hedge some of his money; but it was too late. If +there had previously been any doubt, the anxious face with which he +offered to bet against the horse, would have prevented any odds being +taken about him, and from first favourite, he was soon at a hundred to +one. + +Germain was obliged to submit to his fate, and patiently await the +result. He attempted to console himself with thinking that the horse +upon inspection did not seem so lame, and hoping that he might not run +much the worse. He waited near the top of the hill to see them pass. +Lord Latimer’s was well in front; and the jockey seemed comfortable +about him. As Germain scampered across in a fearful crowd of stumbling +horses and tumbling riders, he could not keep his eye constantly fixed +upon the race, but at the last corner, Lord Latimer’s yellow jacket was +decidedly leading, and the space between him and the others appeared +increasing. Still, as he looked again, that gap between him and the +rest was occupied by a single horse, rode in pink. He could not +recollect whose colour that was. At this time a man without hat or wig, +and holding tight by the mane, crossed Germain’s path, just grazed +against him in passing, and dropped off his horse. This interrupted +his view for an instant; when he looked again, the pink jacket had +decidedly gained upon the yellow. + +He had now reached the brow of the middle hill, and pulling up his +horse, could see more distinctly: they were neck and neck. The struggle +was tremendous, from the distance to the winning post. He fancied he +could sometimes see a line of pink behind the yellow jacket which was +nearest to him; sometimes he feared that a pink stripe appeared in +front. Undistinguishably linked together, they both vanished behind the +crowd, and he was left in uncertainty. + +He hastened down the hill, to learn the result: and his ready ear +caught the name of Lord Latimer rising above the other murmurs of the +multitude. He passed close to Lady Jane; she actually trembled with +anxiety, but her countenance lighted up brilliantly, as a gentleman +passing at the time said, “Lord Latimer, I should think.” + +Germain got nearer: “Lord Latimer, I believe,” cried a second. + +He advanced, and met Fitzalbert returning. He just gasped out, “Who’s +won?” + +“Snooks, by a head.” + +“Who told you so?” + +“The judge.” + +And all doubt was at an end! + +Fitzalbert having cantered on, Germain was again left to his own +thoughts. He was at first quite bewildered at the extent of the +unlooked-for disappointment. With his usual sanguine turn, he had +always looked upon Lord Latimer’s winning the Derby as next to a +certainty; and had actually calculated upon the money he was thus to +win, as part of his available resources. For some time, therefore, he +did not call to mind the extent of his misfortune; but of this he was +soon to be reminded in no agreeable manner. He slowly turned his horse +towards the hill, and with a parched mouth, aching head, burning cheek, +and shivering back, prepared to look as if he did not care at all about +it. + +When he had just magnanimously made up his mind to the effort, his +resolution was called into play, by hearing “Mr. Germain! Mr. Germain!” +repeated by a voice which, such was the present confusion in his head, +he did not at first recollect, till looking up, he beheld Mrs. Wilcox +and some others in a gorgeous carriage, which had been built upon her +marriage. + +Though the lady was actively engaged in tearing asunder the leg of a +cold turkey, she found leisure to address Germain: “What a delightful +jaunt it is! You were quite right, Mr. Germain, when you used to tell +me of the pleasure of a trip to Epsom; but you don’t know you must wish +me joy about the race. Mr. Snooks is my Wilcox’s first cousin, and +he has let me win twenty pounds with him. Would you believe it, Mr. +Germain, some foolish person betted him twenty thousand to--I don’t +know how little--just before the race?” + +This painfully recalled to Germain’s recollection who that foolish +person had been, and added not a little to his difficulties; but Fanny +heeded not the effect of what she said. + +“Only think--we were just as near losing poor Mr. Snooks as he was +near losing the race. Some awkward fellow ran plump up against him, and +knocked him off his horse. I hope you don’t feel much shook, sir?” she +added, turning to a figure who was leaning back in the carriage, his +head wrapped in a pocket-handkerchief, whom Germain had no difficulty +in recognising at the same time for the clumsy cavalier whom he had +unhorsed, as well as for the individual with whom he had made the +unlucky bet. + +This was too much for endurance, and wishing the party as much joy as +he could spare, he rode in quest of his own friends. Lady Flamborough +he found also engaged in the interesting occupation of luncheon, though +in somewhat less ravenous a scramble than Wilcox and Co. Lady Jane +he could easily perceive looked uneasy and distressed; and she took +the first opportunity of saying to him, in an under-tone: “You have +lost--_much_ I’m afraid.” + +“Dreadfully,” he muttered in reply. + +“Well, never mind,” said she. “I care not, but--” she added in an +earnest manner, “pray make light of it to mamma, if she mentions the +subject. You have no idea of the mischief it may do.” + +“I ought not to deceive her, nor indeed you. I cannot yet recollect the +extent of my ruin.” + +“You will not be obliged, I trust, to sell your estates; and for +temporary embarrassment, however great, those who have known you best +have long been prepared.” + +“Indeed, ’tis very true! But how should you have known it?--not from +Lady Flamborough?” + +“No; she would not have believed it even if she had heard it. No +matter how I learned it: but it is as well,” added she, faintly +smiling, “that it should not now have come upon me by surprise, and +that you should know it was not in ignorance of this that I allowed you +this morning to put your own construction upon my silence.” + +“You are too good, too considerate, to recollect at such a moment how +much I stood in need of such a consolation;” and he was proceeding +with more vehemence than the opportunity permitted, though not than +the occasion warranted, to protest the warmth of his attachment, when +interrupted by Fitzalbert, who, having sought out the carriage in +pursuit of some wine and water, cried out: “Is that Germain? By the by, +Germain, how came you and Latimer to make such a mistake as to back +such a beast as that colt of his? I never saw such a rip in my life. +He has no fore-legs, and his action is dead slow--any one might have +seen that.” + +At any other moment Germain would have been rather amused at the +different opinion given of the same animal before and after the race; +but being now completely jaded and dispirited, he had not a repartee +left in him, and instantly attended to Lady Flamborough’s desire to +find the horses and prepare for their return to London. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + Poor honest lord, brought low by his own heart! + My dearest lord, blest, to be most accursed, + Rich, only to be wretched;--thy great fortunes + Are made thy chief afflictions. Alas, kind lord! + He’s flung in rage from this ungrateful seat + Of monstrous friends; nor has he with him to + Supply his life, or that which can command it. + I’ll follow and inquire him out; + And ever serve his mind with my best will. + + SHAKSPEARE. + + +Lady Jane had no opportunity in the course of that evening of +explaining to her mother the interesting communication that had passed +between her and Germain upon the barouche-box, and the next morning +at breakfast Lady Flamborough took the subject into her own hands, +saying: “I really think Mr. Starling a very agreeable man, with a very +proper horror of gambling. I have asked him to dinner to-day; and I +hope, Jane, that you will be prepared to treat him more civilly than +you are in the habit of doing. I could hardly believe at first all he +told me last night about Mr. Germain, but every one I asked since has +confirmed it. He is, I should think, irretrievably ruined. He has, it +appears, been dreadfully involved all this year, and his last losses +will make his former creditors clamorous. I can’t help thinking how +lucky it is that you always showed a proper unwillingness to encourage +his attentions. I own in that you were more clear-sighted than I was +myself, and I applaud your prudence.” + +“Your praise, my dear mamma, you will be sorry to hear, is singularly +ill-timed:” and she then proceeded to detail the proposal and +acceptance of the morning before; for which, however, Lady Flamborough +was well prepared, though she had thought it expedient to affect +ignorance. + +“Singularly indiscreet, indeed, you foolish girl! but of course it was +all conditional--to depend upon my approbation--and to be at once at an +end if I withheld my consent.” + +“There was no such stipulation. You had never given me to understand +that there could be any doubt about that which seemed to you the first +object in life.” + +“But I tell you, he is a ruined man--won’t have it in his power to make +a settlement for years; and if he was to marry now, he would have a +grown-up family while his estate was still at nurse. Your own opinion, +I am sure, my dear Jane, must be altered by what you now hear, which of +course you could never have expected.” + +“Excuse me; it so happened that in a round-about way, through an old +servant, I was perfectly aware that Mr. Germain was an embarrassed man, +and therefore was perfectly prepared for what has happened, when I +accepted him.” + +Lady Flamborough looked at her daughter for a moment, perfectly +puzzled, and endeavouring to find out whether she could be in earnest. + +“Well, you are the strangest child I ever knew: this must be mere +contradiction; and that you should prefer such a shatterbrained +spendthrift to Mr. Starling, who is just as agreeable a companion, and +of whom all the world speaks well----” + +“You must be aware, my dear mamma, that even if I were disposed to +agree with all the world, the time is past when there could be any use +in discussing their comparative merits.” + +“I don’t know that; you can’t mean to consider this engagement any +longer binding?” + +“But indeed I do. I should as soon consider a change in worldly +circumstances as a reason for deserting my duty if actually married, as +for forfeiting my word when once pledged.” + +“Well, I see there is no use in arguing with you at present: in a +little time you will think better of these things; but let me remind +you, that there is no use either in being rude to Mr. Starling, or in +proclaiming an engagement to which I will never consent.” + +“It is not a subject that I am likely to mention, unless questioned +by some one that has a right to do so, particularly as I must of +course wait patiently for your consent; but as to not being rude to +Mr. Starling, if you mean by that, leading him to understand that his +attentions are welcome, that is what I never did, and am not likely now +to begin.” + +“Upon my word, Jane, your conduct to me is worse than Louisa’s ever +was; for she never would have thought of making such a connexion as +this.” But this was a quarter from which also Lady Flamborough was +shortly to experience unexpected mortification. + +Lady Latimer’s fête at the beginning of June was one to which the world +of fashion had for several days looked forward with expectations of +unrivalled pleasure. Nor were they disappointed--every body was there +who ought to have been present, and no one who ought not. The house +was one of the best in London, and the lovely Mistress of the Revels +never looked more beautiful, or seemed more happy. At last, even the +favoured few who had remained there to talk over those who had not +that privilege, had departed, and Lady Latimer, being left quite +alone, remembered, for the first time, that his lordship had not been +there all the evening. There had been, it is true, a House of Lords +that night; but this was an hour quite beyond peerage constitutions. +Upon inquiry, she found that Lord Latimer had been some time at home, +and had retired to his study below. Not a little inclined to reproach +him for his neglect, she hurried through the brilliant wilderness, +where countless candles shone but upon senseless hangings, and pushing +open his study door, found Lord Latimer sitting by the light from a +single flat candlestick, crunching a biscuit, sipping wine and water, +and surrounded by papers, of which the shape was too long, and the +handwriting too round, for any one to suppose them of an agreeable +nature. + +Lady Latimer, hardly observing how he was occupied, cried out: +“Latimer, you stupid man! you have no idea what you have lost. It +was much the most perfect thing of the season. Fitzalbert positively +insists upon my giving another.” + +“Then, I presume, Fitzalbert positively means to pay for it.” + +“What do you mean?--are you dreaming?” + +“Sit down, Louisa, I have much that I can no longer avoid telling you. +I am a very bad hand though, even at talking business, much more at +managing it; but the short of the matter is, that there must be an end +of ball-giving, and many other follies besides. The infernal tool who +lent me above two hundred thousand pounds, has been sent for by his +master before his time, obeyed the summons, died, and has left me to +pay his executor instantly. I could as soon pay the national debt. +To-morrow there will be an execution in the house.” + +Whilst Lady Latimer, breathing thick and painfully with the surprise, +listened to this concise but sufficiently explanatory statement, a +confused chaos of the favourite images of all she was about to lose, +crowded into her mind. The matchless splendour of her universally +admired equipage--the studied comforts of her crowded boudoir--the +numberless varieties of her unrivalled wardrobe--the recent éclat of +her much-praised fête--and all the other incidental expenses which +had always furnished so many opportunities for the exercise of her +acknowledged taste--were for ever gone. + +Lord Latimer continued: “If I had even had any ready money to keep +them at bay--but this unlucky Derby has left me without a shilling at +present.” + +When she heard this, her resolution was taken, and removing, one after +another, her splendid diamonds from her neck and hair, she said, +eagerly, “Would this, and this, and this, be of any use? If so, take +them, and use them as you like.” + +“No, my dear, generous Louisa, upon no account would I think of that,” +said Lord Latimer, much touched with her liberal proposal; “besides, +if for no other reason, it would avail nothing--they would be known +at once, and the rumour of our distress would bring a hundred other +harpies upon us. No, there is nothing for it, but to retire into the +country together for a time.” + +“To Peatburn, I hope!” said Lady Latimer,--“dear Peatburn; if you would +but go there with me again, I think I could almost reconcile myself to +any thing. Say it shall be Peatburn,” said she, hanging over him, and +kissing his forehead. + +“I think it would be rather cold at Peatburn as yet,” said he, “but we +will see about it. For the present, a friend has lent me his villa at +Wimbledon, where I mean to go to-morrow.” + +Accustomed, as Lord Latimer had long been, to think with indifference +of his wife, it was impossible to view, entirely without emotion, that +beautiful figure bending anxiously over him, and eagerly pressing upon +his acceptance those splendid jewels which, within an hour, she had so +highly prized as exciting the admiration of hundreds. Though the long +dormant feeling which this sight revived, was not strong enough to make +him jump at the idea of an immediate retreat to Peatburn Lodge, at +the very commencement of a cold June, it nevertheless opened to him an +unexpected source of consolation in his distresses. + +Lord Latimer had been but too accurate in his prognostics of the coming +storm. His embarrassments once known, a torrent of unexpected claims +broke in upon him. It was a few days after the conversation mentioned +above, that Germain returned to town. He had been engaged, almost ever +since his last losses, upon a remote property of his, endeavouring +to sell some land, and making the best arrangement he could of his +affairs, and the most prompt settlement of the more pressing demands; +for, though he never doubted the sincerity of Oakley’s offer to +accommodate him with any money he might want, yet he was very unwilling +to lay himself under an obligation which he could not help fearing +would not tend to the permanence of their friendship. + +Upon arriving in London, as it was not till the evening that he could +meet his man of business at his chambers, Germain strolled, as a +matter of course, to Lord Latimer’s house, not having heard what had +happened. Raising his eyes instinctively to the windows, he was much +amazed to see them stuck all over with bills, and the truth at once +rushed upon his mind. The door was open: he entered without asking +any question, and was met by a demand of a shilling for a catalogue. +The sad reverse conveyed by this little incident struck him forcibly. +The entrance within those walls had always been one of the few things +which money could not purchase. Fashion, caprice, or prejudice, might +all occasionally have exercised an undue influence in the choice of +its inmates; but in vain would the man of mere wealth have attempted +to edge in more than his card--and now a shilling’s worth of catalogue +laid it open to every one. + +The doors were all placed ajar, and he made his way, without +impediment, straight to Lady Latimer’s boudoir. “And here,” thought he, +“where hardly any were allowed to penetrate, and the favoured few who +were, yielded so entirely to her powers of fascination, that criticism +would have been impossible, and admiration unavoidable--here now must +all her little whims and fancies be exposed to the stupid stare, or +contemptuous wonderment of the vulgar!” + +The course of his meditations was interrupted by the free entrance, +among others, of Captain and Mrs. Wilcox, who were both very busy +with catalogues, and pencils, marking intended purchases. The captain +addressed him. + +“Pretty pickings here, sir, for those that have the ready. I am sorry +though, that my lord should have smashed.” + +“I thought at first,” said Mrs. Wilcox, “that they had huddled all the +furniture of the house into this room, but I find that it was always so +crowded.” + +“Her ladyship ought to have been the wife of an upholsterer,” continued +the captain. + +“Poor lady! she certainly must have been very silly,” exclaimed Mrs. +Wilcox. + +“And is it come to this,” thought Germain, “that Lady Latimer should be +the object of the contemptuous pity of Mrs. Captain Wilcox!” + +“Oh, look here, Wilcox!” said the lady, “I must have this ‘_chaise +long_,’ as the French call it.” + +“Why, my dear, once down you’d never be able to get up again:” an +apprehension which seemed not improbable, judging by the figure of his +wife, at present not improved by temporary circumstances of a family +nature. + +“However,” said Mrs. Wilcox, “I’ll soon show you.” + +But Germain could not bear to remain to witness the experiment. It +seemed little less than sacrilege to him, that Lady Latimer’s own chair +in her favourite corner, where her delicate form had so lately reposed, +should be condemned to groan beneath the weight of Mrs. Wilcox. + +Not a little distressed at the sad reverse he had just unexpectedly +witnessed, and to the misery of which his own difficulties made him +peculiarly sensible, he hastened to quit the house, and hurried +towards that part of the town where he was to find his lawyer. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + Oft have I heard of you, my Lord Biron, + Before I saw you; and the world’s large tongue + Proclaims you for a man replete with mocks, + Full of comparisons and winding flouts, + Which you on all estates will execute, + That lie within the mercy of your wit. + + SHAKSPEARE. + + +It was on the same day that Germain had been thus employed on his +return to town, that Oakley was dining alone in the coffee-room of ---- +Club. The time of probation fixed by Helen had almost expired, and he +ventured to look forward to the immediate reward of his patience. + +There was another table laid for three in another part of the room, +but those who were expected to occupy it had not arrived when he began +his solitary meal. His back was turned towards their table, and their +entrance taking place during a pause in his own dinner, when he was +agreeably anticipating his future prospects, and apparently occupied +with the evening paper, he did not turn round to remark who came in. + +They talked in rather an under-tone, but with that quick ear which one +has for his own name, he thought he heard his repeated in a whisper, +and presently after, in the same voice, that of Miss Mordaunt. He +turned hastily round, and opposite to him, sitting between two other +gentlemen, he beheld Fitzalbert, and, as he fancied, with the same +intolerably insolent expression of countenance which had disgusted him +at Germain’s. He longed immediately and openly to notice it, but the +mere mention of a name presented no tangible ground of offence. + +Sir Gregory Greenford was one of Fitzalbert’s companions; the other was +an officer on the eve of departure to join his regiment in Portugal. +They now conversed together in a louder tone, and the subject was +Germain and his losses. Fitzalbert spoke slightingly of him, and +mentioned rather boastfully the sums he had himself won of him in the +course of the year. + +Oakley could bear this no longer, and turning round, said: “I believe, +Mr. Fitzalbert, you consider yourself as much Germain’s friend as I am; +but my idea of that character would be rather to relieve his distress +than to ruin him first, and ridicule him afterwards.” + +This was in itself not an over-conciliatory address, and Oakley had +condensed into his delivery of it all his long-suppressed dislike of +Fitzalbert, who, on his side, answered very coolly: + +“The very natural distinction between having more money than you know +how to spend, and spending more money than you know how to get.” + +He then continued talking on the same subject to his two companions, +saying: “As to Germain, no Mentor could have saved him six months: I +never saw any one so devotedly determined to lose.” + +“Better to lose like Germain, than win like some others!” audibly +ejaculated Oakley; but at the same moment the waiter was asking +Fitzalbert’s orders as to what claret he would choose. He therefore did +not catch the words, and here the matter might have rested, but for +Sir Gregory Greenford, who furnished another proof that a fool is the +surest mischief-maker, by saying to the military gentleman: “That’s +meant as a cut at Fitz, I think.” + +The military gentleman looked grim, and shook his head. Fitzalbert’s +attention was thus called to what had passed, and he turned towards +Oakley: “If you did me the honour to address any thing further to me, +Mr. Oakley,” said he, “I have to regret that the more interesting +occupation of choosing my claret prevented my hearing it. I am now +perfectly at leisure.” + +“I don’t feel myself bound to repeat what you found it convenient not +to hear.” + +“If you mean that I myself should have regarded it as not of the +slightest consequence, you are quite right; but as those gentlemen seem +to attach some importance to it, I must request Sir Gregory to tell +me what it was you said, and then I shall know whether it is worth my +while to require you either to repeat or retract it.” + +Sir Gregory gave it word for word, and so repeated, it certainly +seemed to convey an insinuation which might have been missed when +originally spoken. Fitzalbert’s cheek reddened with indignation at the +idea of being suspected of foul play, of which he was quite incapable, +though sufficiently ready to avail himself of what are called “fair +advantages.” + +“Mr. Oakley,” said he, “your words certainly mean to impute something +to somebody, as even you, I suppose, are not Utopian enough to conceive +the mere act of winning to any amount, worse than losing, independent +of some disgrace attached to the manner of doing so. As this sentiment +followed immediately after a lecture on friendship with which you were +kind enough to favour me, I feel myself bound to ask, what under other +circumstances I certainly should not have conceived possible, whether +you meant any allusion to me?” + +“I stated my opinion generally; you may apply it particularly where you +know it to be best deserved.” + +“Excuse me, sir; it is not a riddle you have given me to guess, but +an accusation you have hazarded: and either to support or retract it, +since you have presumed to call my character in question, you must be +now prepared.” + +“I am not prepared to think such a subject worth any further trouble,” +replied Oakley. + +There was much in all this, and in what followed, like what occurs in +most quarrels of a similar description, which both parties would have +been at once ashamed and surprised at, had it been shown to them in +writing on the following morning, and which is therefore very little +worth commemorating. It is sufficient to state, that it led to the +application of words which are rarely uttered, and still more rarely +retracted. The inevitable result must have been guessed. A meeting was +arranged for the next morning, and in this instance the time and place +were rather unusually fixed by the two principals, who felt too much +mutual animosity to allow the intervention of any other parties to +delay the settlement of so important a point. + +Fitzalbert immediately dispatched a note to Lord Latimer, desiring +to see him on particular business, without mentioning what it was. +The military friend, who had dined with him, was to set out that very +night to join his regiment in Portugal; and Fitzalbert was not at +all desirous to trust the arrangement of so serious an affair to Sir +Gregory Greenford. + +Oakley, on his part, his habits being little gregarious, was rather +at a loss for a second, even had he been aware of Germain’s return +to London; and his having been innocently enough the cause of +the immediate quarrel would have put him out of the question. He +accidentally met a casual House of Commons acquaintance in the streets, +and not having any one with whom he was more intimate, to whom he could +apply, he asked and obtained of him a promise to accompany him in the +morning to Wimbledon. + +When Lord Latimer received Fitzalbert’s note, he hastened up to town +immediately, and repaired straight to the Club, where he found his +friend still awaiting him. Upon its being mentioned to him with whom +the quarrel was, he at first positively declined having any thing to +do with it, and that, he said, for reasons of a private nature which +had been mentioned to him in confidence that day, but which had no +reference whatever to Fitzalbert. + +“But,” said Fitzalbert, “hear at least the whole case, and then say, +whether you think I am in a situation in which you are prepared to +desert me.” + +When the quarrel was detailed to Lord Latimer from the beginning, +the unprovoked nature of the attack inferred from Oakley’s words by +Fitzalbert, and the odious imputation upon his honour which had been +first insinuated and afterwards maintained, was fairly submitted to his +consideration, he shook his head, and said, “Certainly no concession +can originate with you.” After thinking a little, he continued: “And +you are really anxious that I should be your second in this affair?” + +“I consider it as of the highest possible importance. I told +Greenford, who was present at the time, that I had written to you +for that purpose, and should you decline, the most disadvantageous +constructions will be put upon my conduct.” + +“Well,” said Lord Latimer, “allow me but another hour to act as a free +agent on my own account, and then, if you still require me, of course I +will not disappoint you.” + +It was with a heavy heart, and very faint hopes of success, that Lord +Latimer went direct from the Club to Oakley’s house. + +Since the Latimers had retired to their friend’s villa at Wimbledon, +they had of course been much alone, and habits of confidence had +revived between them. Within the last two days, they had been joined +by Helen. Lady Latimer felt it impossible to conceal from her husband +the delight she felt at the happy prospects of her friend; and she +obtained permission to communicate them at once to him, particularly as +this seemed to be a very good opportunity for at once putting an end to +the foolish coolness between him and Oakley, which had continued ever +since the election. + +Lord Latimer was delighted with what he heard; for even amidst so many +other pursuits he had not been before insensible to Helen’s merits, and +the good sense and good feeling which she showed in her conversations +with Lady Latimer on the subject of their present distresses had +confirmed his former very favourable impression. He therefore had, that +very evening, readily undertaken, at Lady Latimer’s request, to ride +up on the morrow, the day of the expiration of Helen’s mourning, to +London, to extend a friendly hand to Oakley, and bring him down with +him to see his betrothed bride, a distinction which, they none of them +doubted, would at once make Oakley forget any soreness he might once +have felt towards a now-welcome ambassador. + +As Lord Latimer slowly walked towards Oakley’s, in vain endeavouring to +make up his mind as to how he was to execute the difficult task with +which he had charged himself, the sad contrast between his present +business, and the happy mission on which he expected to have been sent, +oppressed him heavily, and of the still more melancholy catastrophe to +which it might lead he could not bear to think. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + I thank you, gracious lord, + For all your fair endeavours; and entreat + Out of a new-sad soul, that you vouchsafe + In your rich wisdom, to excuse, or hide + The liberal opposition of my spirits, + If over-boldly I have borne myself + In the converse of breath. + + SHAKSPEARE. + + +Lord Latimer had much difficulty in obtaining admittance to Oakley. +The servants said that their master had returned home, but had retired +to his library, and given directions that he should not be disturbed. +However, upon Lord Latimer’s insisting that they should take in his +name, this was at length done; and very shortly afterwards he was +ushered into the library--a long, low, gloomy-looking apartment, at one +end of which Oakley was seated, busily engaged in writing. He rose to +receive Lord Latimer, and, motioning him to a chair, said: “I presume, +my lord, that you come on the part of Mr. Fitzalbert--if so, and there +is any thing else to arrange, you will oblige me by communicating with +my friend, Mr. Sandford.” + +“You mistake: it is on my own part I come, and it is with yourself that +I wish to communicate.” + +“I own you surprise me: perhaps then some other time will answer your +purpose: at present I am engaged on very particular business.” + +“It is on that very business that I wish to speak to you.” + +“That can hardly be--uninvited by me, unauthorized by the other +party----” + +“My character,” said Lord Latimer, avoiding a direct answer, “does not +often lead me to undertake the management of other people’s concerns; +on the contrary, I oftener neglect even my own: but, at the risk of +being reckoned officious, I cannot allow this affair to proceed further +without doing my utmost to prevent it. It is a very foolish business, +Mr. Oakley.” + +“Allow me to ask you, my lord, from whom you have derived the account +of this foolish business?” + +“From Mr. Fitzalbert.” + +“Then you can hardly expect me to agree with you in an opinion of it +which you derive from such a source.” + +“You have not lived much in the world, Mr. Oakley; I have; and +nobody who knows me will suspect that if I thought your honour at all +concerned in the prosecution of this affair, I would put any impediment +in the way of it; rather would I do all in my power to bring it as +speedily as possible to its inevitable conclusion: but I cannot think +it necessary that you should bind yourself down to maintain a few hasty +words spoken in a moment of irritation, and probably without very +accurately weighing their import.” + +“But this is not exactly the case. Circumstances led me irresistibly +to give my real opinion of Mr. Fitzalbert. It is not often in the +intercourse of society that one is called to do so of any man; but +having chosen to avail myself of an opportunity in this instance, I +certainly shall not retract it. And having said thus much, I think, my +lord, it cannot be unexpected by you, if I ask what has so suddenly +given your lordship an interest in my concerns?” + +“I thought you might have guessed the source of that interest, which +undoubtedly must otherwise appear extraordinary. Lady Latimer has a +friend, Mr. Oakley, at present staying with us, on whose account I +hoped to-morrow to have seen you on a different footing, having been +deputed to announce to you the termination of her mourning. If you ask +what it is that brings me here now, it is anxiety for her happiness, +which I would not see wantonly hazarded.” + +“That is a part of the subject on which I have endeavoured to avoid +thinking,” said Oakley, after a deep sigh. + +“And why so? Were the quarrel unavoidable, I should be the last person +to bring forward this or any other topic which might unman you; but I +cannot endure that rather than own yourself in the wrong, when you most +undoubtedly are so, you should run the risk of rendering her miserable +for life, who has already had sorrows enough.” + +Lord Latimer stopped--and there was a long pause of anxious expectation +on his part, and an evident agitation on that of Oakley, who, at +length, in a softened tone inquired: “What then is the course which you +recommend?” + +“It is a state of things which appears to me to offer no alternative: +the same line of conduct which, if I was already acting for Fitzalbert, +as I perhaps shall be, I should then deem satisfactory to him, is +the only one which, in sincere goodwill, I should recommend to you +to adopt--to disclaim most distinctly any allusion to him in the +discreditable insinuations you let fall, and to apologize for those +hasty expressions which afterwards gave a colour to such an application +of your words.” + +“That is quite out of the question!” Oakley warmly exclaimed; “humble +myself before him?--Never!” + +“It is certainly not pleasant to own one’s self in the wrong, but it is +better than to continue so--knowing and not acknowledging it. The fault +originated with you.” + +“But I do not consider myself to have been in the wrong. What I said of +Fitzalbert is what I really think.” + +“On what grounds do you rest that opinion? Have you any proofs?” + +“Proofs?--not perhaps any positive facts--but besides the enormous sums +lost by Germain within a year, of which Fitzalbert has won by much the +largest portion----” + +“That will not do,” interrupted Lord Latimer, provoked at Oakley’s +attempting to draw an inference which he thought so monstrous: “you +yourself must perceive at once there is no argument in that.” + +“Well, perhaps not. I do not mean to insist upon it; but to come to the +point at once--whether I was thoroughly justified in saying what I did +without some proof which I could bring forward, it is now useless to +discuss. Confirmed and credited or not, my opinion still remains the +same; and to say that I did not mean Mr. Fitzalbert in what I said, is +a falsehood to which I never will stoop, and therefore----” + +“One moment--will it alter your opinion, and consequently your conduct, +if I state to you, that having known Fitzalbert all my life as fond of +play and generally successful, I give you my honour I believe him to +be incapable of any thing ungentlemanlike?” + +“That is a point which I had rather not discuss with you. It is a test +by which you must excuse me if I decline to try my opinion. It is +sufficient that if I were to attempt to say I did not mean any attack +upon Fitzalbert, my look would belie my words, and I should degrade +myself without being believed. This being the case, I have only to +return you my most sincere thanks for your kind intentions, reminding +you at the same time that there can be no use in pressing the matter +further.” + +At this hint Lord Latimer slowly and unwillingly rose to depart, +saying: “I am very sorry, Mr. Oakley, that we part thus: when next we +meet I shall probably be employed by Fitzalbert. I would enter into no +engagement till I had endeavoured to accommodate matters on my own +responsibility. Having failed in this, and feeling that Fitzalbert has +been subjected by you to odious imputations upon his character, which +I utterly disbelieve, I cannot, without gross injustice, refuse to +accompany him. When there, it will be my endeavour to keep the door +open for accommodation to the last moment, hoping that you may see +reason to alter your unfortunate determination; and then I shall accept +that as satisfactory to Fitzalbert, which I beg leave earnestly to +repeat to you as the best advice I can give as a gentleman and a man of +the world.” Oakley shook his head, but parted with Lord Latimer with +more cordiality than an hour before he would have thought it possible +he could have felt towards him. + +When Lord Latimer returned to the Club, he communicated to Fitzalbert +his vain attempt to bring Oakley to reason, without, however, dwelling +fully upon the obstinacy he had shown. “Oh!” said Fitzalbert, “I don’t +desire the man’s life; only let him make me an explicit apology before +Sir Gregory Greenford, who was present, and write by the first Lisbon +mail to my friend, the major, who is off for Portugal, to say that he +has done so, and I am satisfied; but he must unsay every word of it, or +by the powers that made him, I shall certainly shoot him!” + +Lord Latimer shuddered as he recollected the consummate skill of the +person who said this. + +When Oakley was left to himself, it was in vain that he endeavoured to +banish from his mind those considerations which had been pressed upon +his attention by Lord Latimer. His attempts to do so were considerably +impeded by his finding it impossible even to satisfy himself with +his own conduct in the affair. He had been so long accustomed to view +Fitzalbert personally with dislike, and to think of his character +with distrust, that in his own opinion he had set him down as little +better than a sharper. But in vain he now attempted to fix upon any +ostensible grounds for such an imputation--and was he to risk his own +life, and attempt that of his adversary, in the obstinate support of a +mere suspicion? This was a state of things to which he could not look +forward with satisfaction, and yet the alternative was one which he +could never adopt--to be forced to assert that he meant no allusion +to Fitzalbert in those insinuations which he felt that those who had +heard him must still remain convinced could bear no other construction, +and which, had they been in themselves doubtful, had been rendered +more obvious by the angry altercation which followed. And was he +then to submit to be branded in the eyes of the world as one who had +maliciously hazarded groundless accusations, and afterwards wanted +courage to support them? + +This last consideration was conclusive; and though he could not +contemplate the situation in which he had placed himself without some +self-reproach, as well as uneasiness, he no longer had any doubts as to +the inevitable course he must pursue. + +Neither of the principals passed so restless a night as Lord Latimer. +He could not at all combat his melancholy forebodings as to how +different a day the morrow might prove to those he had left behind at +Wimbledon, from that which they fondly anticipated. His mind always +required some object of interest to occupy it, and during his present +pecuniary difficulties, and his consequent retirement from those gay +scenes whose excitement had always been at his command, his attention +had been much engrossed by the unexpected prospects of Helen, for whom +he felt a sincere regard. + +When he received Fitzalbert’s note, guessing the sort of business +on which he was summoned, he had made his own affairs, at that time +naturally requiring much of his attention, an excuse for going to town, +stating that he should not return till the morning. + +“And then, mind,” said Lady Latimer, “I shall not forgive you unless +you bring Mr. Oakley back with you.” Helen said nothing; but the +expression of her countenance as Lady Latimer said this, still recurred +to him every time he attempted to compose himself to sleep. + +Wimbledon Common had been mentioned between Oakley and Fitzalbert, +as the appointed place of meeting. Heavily the morning dawned which +was to light them on their cheerless way. The air was cold and chill, +and a fog, unusually thick for the time of year, gathered round their +carriages, and almost impeded their progress. Little communication +passed between Oakley and Mr. Sanford. The latter was always rather +afraid of Oakley; and embarrassed at the task he had undertaken, which +he had only accepted from not knowing how to refuse, and which Oakley +would never have asked of him but from accidentally meeting him, and +not knowing how, at such short notice, to procure another second. + +Fitzalbert was much more amusing than Lord Latimer, yet the flow of +his fun was not so natural as usual; for, even to the coolest, it +is no exhilarating destination. “The last time I was up at this +unconscionable hour it was just such another foggy morning. I was at +your place then, by the bye--Peatburn. It rather interfered with my +_shooting_ then too.” + +Lord Latimer not making any attempt to muster even a smile at this +misplaced pleasantry, Fitzalbert relapsed into silence, and occupied +himself in watching the progress of the fog, which slowly rolled away +as they approached the higher ground to which they were bound. Arrived +there, both parties left their carriages, and proceeded on foot to +a more retired part of the heath. As Fitzalbert strode on before, +Lord Latimer stopped a little for Oakley, who was following with Mr. +Sandford, and once more addressed him. “I wish you would allow me to +think, Mr. Oakley, that you have better considered what I suggested +last night. It is not by any means too late.” + +“Any thing that you may have now to communicate to me, my lord, had +better be addressed through my friend, Mr. Sandford; but if he makes +any appeal to me, I should certainly say that I did not come here to +be bullied, and that any interruption, or hesitation, at this moment, +unless on some fresh ground, must certainly have that appearance.” + +Lord Latimer looked at Mr. Sandford, but he could see no attempt, on +his part, at any opening for further negociation, and as they had now +reached the ground, he could only hope that, after the first fire, the +renewed attempts he then determined to make at explanation, might be +more successful, as the idea of misconstruction, as to his motives, +which seemed to influence Oakley’s conduct, would then no longer have +the same weight. + +Fitzalbert had been led to expect, from what Lord Latimer told him +the evening before, that Oakley, in his cooler moments, would see the +unjustifiable nature of the imputations he had ventured, and he was +therefore more exasperated at the obstinacy with which he appeared now +to defend them. + +It was arranged by Lord Latimer, with the concurrence of his coadjutor, +that to avoid premeditation, the parties should not face each other +till a given signal--that they should then immediately level their +pistols and fire. + +At the given signal, Oakley turned round, and stretched forth his arm +steadily, but with what accuracy of aim was never known. Fitzalbert, +upon facing his adversary, raised his hand with apparent carelessness, +but, as it proved, with too fatal precision, for almost within the +same second of time in which the instrument of death reached the level +of his unerring eye, Oakley staggered and fell. + +All the parties, among whom was a surgeon, who had been brought down on +purpose, hastened to his assistance. As soon as Oakley could speak, the +first person he addressed was Fitzalbert. + +“You had better go--I feel you had--but first, before these +gentlemen--you could do no otherwise than you did. The blame was +entirely my own--most heartily do I forgive you.” + +It was some time before the medical gentleman thought it safe to +move Oakley at all, as the ball appeared to be in the immediate +neighbourhood of the lungs; but when a litter was procured, as it +was highly important that he should be carried as short a distance +as possible, they attempted to remove him to Lord Latimer’s villa at +Wimbledon. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + Speak, is’t so? + If it be so, you have wound a goodly clue; + If it be not, forswear’t; howe’er, I charge thee, + As heaven shall work in me for mine avail, + To tell me truly. + + SHAKSPEARE. + + +Lady Latimer and Helen had that morning, after breakfast, been talking +over the future prospects of the latter. + +“I only hope, my dear Helen,” said Lady Latimer, “that you may be as +happy as you deserve to be. The doubts I have expressed as to some +parts of Mr. Oakley’s character, have only been stated that you might +early correct their evil tendency, not from any desire to take from +the value of your very promising prospects; and now, having said thus +much, for my letter-writing; for before post-time, I trust, one may +announce it as certain.” + +Soon after Lady Latimer had retired at one door, Lord Latimer came in +at the other. Helen’s back was turned towards him, and he advanced +hastily to her, evidently mistaking her for Lady Latimer; for, upon +perceiving who it was, he shrunk back with an expression which did not +escape her observation, and immediately conveyed a foreboding of some +evil tidings to her. + +“Where is he?--will he not come?” she abruptly enquired; though it was +the first time that the subject of Oakley had escaped her lips to the +ears of Lord Latimer. + +In the course of a complicated intercourse with the world, +Lord Latimer had, of course, often been placed in situations of +embarrassment and difficulty, but he had never felt so unequal to any +thing, as to the painful task of having to break to the interesting +orphan-girl before him the sudden overthrow--the utter extinction--of +all her fond hopes and brilliant expectations. He could only stammer +out: “He is, I believe, in the house.” + +“Where? Why not here?” she anxiously asked. + +“He is hurt--rather--I fear; but, I trust, not very much.” + +A servant came in, whose manner was evidently confused and disturbed, +and before Lord Latimer could motion him to silence, he said: “The +doctor, my lord, must see you again immediately.” + +Lord Latimer could not but feel partially relieved by this momentary +escape from his difficult duty. He said: “I will return immediately, +Miss Mordaunt, and you shall know all--but compose yourself--I trust +there is still hope,”--and he hastily left the room. + +“Hope!” cried Helen, bewildered. “Good God! what has happened?” + +The idea that first suggested itself was of a fall from his horse, or +some other accident in coming down; forth at there should have been +a quarrel--a duel--and yet that he should be there, was an idea that +with no apparent probability could have presented itself. A few moments +she waited Lord Latimer’s return in a state of trembling anxiety, +when, no longer able to bear the agonizing suspense, she staggered +to the stairs. At the head of the first flight there was a half-open +door, through which, she fancied she heard Lord Latimer’s voice in low +and earnest conversation. She succeeded in reaching that door. It +opened into a dressing-room, but there was no longer any one in it. +Opposite to that, through which she had entered, there was another door +closed--they must have disappeared through that--and Oakley must be +there. Endeavouring to compose her scattered spirits, she retired to +the open window, gasping for breath, and overcome with apprehension. +Whilst she remained here, half hid by the falling curtains, Lord +Latimer and the surgeon came through from the inner room without seeing +her. + +“No hope, my lord, no hope!” said the medical man: “he may linger a few +hours longer; but he is mortally wounded.” + +“Poor Helen!” said Lord Latimer, and they passed on. + +She made an attempt to stop them, and enquire further, but the words +died away on her lips. She then determined to enter Oakley’s apartment, +and with her own eyes learn the worst; a moment of irresolution and +maiden modesty succeeded. “This is no time for such considerations,” +thought she. Endeavouring to gather strength for this great effort, +she leant, in passing, against the back of an arm-chair, when, with +freezing horror, she perceived that one side of it was wet with blood. +Revolting from thence, her eye wandered unconsciously to the table, +where the pistols had been carelessly thrown, and the whole dreadful +catastrophe rushed at once upon her mind. + +When, by the exertion of the most extraordinary self-command, she had +so far recovered as to attempt entering Oakley’s room, she beheld him +stretched on the bed, his eyes half closed, his countenance, which was +naturally pale, but little altered. She glided in so softly, that he +was not at first conscious of her entrance. She dropped gently on her +knees by the side of his bed, and taking his hand in hers, bathed it +with her tears. + +“Helen, sweet Helen!” murmured Oakley, and words of comfort were rising +to his lips; but when he looked at the orphan-girl, and recollected +that he was all in all to her, the half-formed phrase of consolation +choked him, as he felt that such attempt would be a mockery to the +desolation of her heart, and he could only feebly and indistinctly +repeat: “Poor--poor Helen!” + +He never spoke more: and when Lord Latimer, a few minutes afterwards, +entered the apartment, having, in vain, sought Helen elsewhere, he +found her senseless on the dead body of her lover; and when returning +consciousness brought a knowledge of the events that had blasted +her happiness for ever, the distraction that followed, rendered her +recovery from that death-like swoon, a thing which it was doubtful +whether her friends durst rejoice at. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +CONCLUSION. + + Our revels now are ended; these our actors, + As I foretold you, were all spirits, and + Are melted into air, into thin air. + + SHAKSPEARE. + + +By Oakley’s will, which bore the date of the evening before the duel, +and in framing which, he had been engaged when visited by Lord Latimer, +his immense property was divided between Helen and Germain. To Miss +Mordaunt, was left Rockington Castle, (where his interview with her +father had taken place,) and all his other detached property of every +description. To Germain he bequeathed, with many kind expressions of +regard, the fine estate of Goldsborough Park and its appendages. + +After a time, Helen retired to Rockington Castle, where she soon found +ample employment of a tranquil nature, best suited to the state of her +feelings, in restoring the deserted dwellings, which now disfigured +that property, to their former cheerful condition; and it was not long +before she felt to a certain degree consoled, in the active exercise of +that Christian charity and universal benevolence, which brought with it +its own reward, in the striking contrast it furnished to the withering +influence of her father’s misanthropy. + +Fitzalbert had hurried abroad the very morning of the duel, and +returned, after a time, much changed in character and sobered in +spirits, by the sad remembrance which, in spite of every effort to +suppress it, would rise again every day, almost every hour,--that he +had deprived a fellow-creature of life. + +Lady Flamborough remarked, even during the very first days when people +were still talking of the duel, that, in spite of all his foibles, +Germain had always been her favourite. Need it be added, that she had +been the first to learn the settlement of the Goldsborough Park estate? + +Fortune seemed at this time to favour all her ladyship’s schemes; +for Sir Gregory at length made up his mighty mind to propose to Lady +Caroline. It need hardly be added that he obtained the lady, though he +did not at the same time obtain her fortune of ten thousand pounds, +which he was obliged to transfer to his new brother-in-law, Lord +Latimer. For though his lordship had been obliged to sell off all +his stud, yet, in other hands, the yearling colt, against which Sir +Gregory had so rashly not only hazarded an opinion, but betted ten +thousand pounds, won the produce stakes in a canter--and this windfall +was very welcome to Lord Latimer, who was at the time economising +abroad. + +Mr. and Lady Jane Germain retired to Goldsborough Park for the +honeymoon, and afterwards passed much of their time at that delightful +place. If there was any drawback to Germain’s enjoyment of it, it +certainly arose from the unfortunate propinquity of Wilcox House. He +was but too often in the habit of seeing in the person of the idol of +his boyish fancy, the mistress of that mansion, a perpetual memento of +the fallibility of human taste. However, he managed so far to outlive +his feelings on this subject, as to go very satisfactorily through the +duties of neighbourhood; and at the annual dinner there, to which he +and Lady Jane were always invited, he regularly availed himself, as a +signal for their departure, of the moment when Mrs. Wilcox (no longer +able, even in honour of her guests, to resist her daily afternoon doze) +was stretched at full length on the identical _fauteuil_ which she had +purchased at Lady Latimer’s sale. + +The political changes which have lately occurred, have made Lady +Boreton acquiesce very readily in Germain’s continuing a member for the +county, as there no longer exists any substantial difference between +them. + +In domestic affairs, if Germain has not yet learned to think for +himself, he at least allows Lady Jane the exclusive privilege of +thinking for him--a custom in which he is countenanced by many more +worthy men than would choose to acknowledge it: and by whatever +private arrangement such a happy result is produced, it is undoubtedly +to be desired, that those who are to pass their lives together, should +somehow concur in the suitable and timely alternate application of +those two most important monosyllables-- + + YES AND NO. + + + FINIS. + + + LONDON: + IBOTSON AND PALMER, PRINTERS, SAVOY STREET, STRAND. + + + + +Transcriber note + + + Spelling and punctuation errors have been corrected. + + Italics have been enclosed in underscores. + + Small capitals have been capitalised. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77720 *** |