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diff --git a/34968-8.txt b/34968-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..219896b --- /dev/null +++ b/34968-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4110 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Mystery and Confidence, Vol. 2, by Elizabeth Pinchard + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Mystery and Confidence, Vol. 2 + A Tale + +Author: Elizabeth Pinchard + +Release Date: January 15, 2011 [EBook #34968] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MYSTERY AND CONFIDENCE, VOL. 2 *** + + + + +Produced by Mark C. Orton and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + MYSTERY + AND + CONFIDENCE: + + + _A TALE._ + + BY A LADY. + + IN THREE VOLUMES. + + + VOL. II. + + + + LONDON: + PRINTED FOR HENRY COLBURN, + PUBLIC LIBRARY, CONDUIT-STREET, HANOVER-SQUARE, + AND SOLD BY GEORGE GOLDIE, EDINBURGH, + AND JOHN CUMMING, DUBLIN. + + 1814. + + + + B. CLARKE, Printer, Well-Street, London. + + + + + MYSTERY + AND + CONFIDENCE. + + + + +CHAP. I. + + ----To mourn because a sparrow dies, + To rave in artificial ecstasies, + Laments how oft her wounded heart has bled, + And boasts of many a tear she never shed. + + MISS MORE'S POEM ON SENSIBILITY. + + +The next day being Sunday, Lady St. Aubyn, attired in the most elegant +undress, and attended by the Earl, made her appearance at the church: +the expensive lace veil which shaded her fair face, and hung loosely +below her waist, prevented the gazing of those around her from being +too oppressive. The neighbouring families certainly had heard that Lord +St. Aubyn had married a young person of a rank in life much inferior to +his own, for secretly as every thing had been conducted, as no one could +tell the name or family of his bride, such, at least, were the +conjectures of those who knew him; yet, in spite of the prejudices which +had been excited against her, the elegance of her form, and the modest +composure of her demeanour, in a great measure overcame it, and all who +were entitled, by their situation in life, to visit at the Castle, +determined to do so; some prompted by mere curiosity, and some by less +unworthy motives. The three or four following days, therefore, brought +Ellen many visitors, and her own intuitive sense of propriety, added to +the few general directions St. Aubyn had given her, and with the +advantageous support his respectful attention gave her, prevented her +appearing at all awkward; and these visits, which she had so greatly +dreaded, passed over with less pain than she had expected. + +Amongst their first visitors were Sir William and Miss Cecil; the former +of whom was a mere common-place character, whom, if you did not happen +to see for sometime, you would be apt to forget you had ever seen at +all; but the fine countenance of Laura, her expressive features, and the +bright black eyes which animated them, charmed Ellen, who had never seen +any woman before so pleasing: yet Laura was not strictly beautiful, and +at this time the lustre of her fine eyes was dimmed by the melancholy +which pervaded her mind, for she said her little invalid was so much +indisposed, and so weak, she would not have left her to go any where +else; but she wished so very much to be introduced to Lady St. Aubyn she +could not resist the temptation. + +The very elegant manner in which she spoke, the clearness of her +articulation, and sweetness of her voice, were strikingly agreeable; and +St. Aubyn afterwards said that a few years before she had a gaiety of +manner, enlivened by wit of a superior nature, with so much playfulness +of expression, that by many people she was considered as merely a lively +girl, and a little satirical; but time and misfortune had softened what +at times might have been too severe in her opinions, had improved and +mellowed her fine judgment, and given a pensive sweetness to her +manners, which was occasionally relieved by flashes of her former gaiety +and ready repartee. St. Aubyn shewed her a particular and most +respectful attention, and told Ellen she would be charmed with Miss +Cecil's drawings, which were the very finest he ever saw, except from +the hands of a professed artist. He then, with a smile, addressed a few +words to Laura in an undertone, to which she replied: "Oh, pray, my +Lord, do not expose my juvenile follies: I might have done such things +when we were mere children together, but I hope you think me wiser now!" + +"The world," said he, "has perhaps made us both graver since the days +you speak of; and that, in the eyes of many, will doubtless give us +credit for an increase of wisdom; but believe me, my fair friend, I have +lost so little of the romance of youth (if such you choose to term it), +that I must hope you do not neglect the pleasing talent to which I +alluded, and of which you must allow Lady St. Aubyn to judge: I assure +you she has a great taste for poetry, and perhaps one day or other may +follow your example, and court the Muses in her turn." + +"Ah, my Lord!" said Laura, smiling and colouring: "I see you are +determined not to keep my secret." "Tell me, Ellen," said St. Aubyn, +"can you see any reason why Miss Cecil should wish to make a secret of +her having succeeded very happily in some elegant little poetical +compositions?" "No, indeed," replied Ellen: "it surely is a gift to be +rather proud than ashamed of." "Ah, my dear Lady St. Aubyn, if you could +conceive the illiberal prejudice of some minds, you would not wonder at +my dislike to having these trifling attempts spoken of. A lady I knew, +who was eminently gifted in that way, and indeed an excellent +prose-writer also, was, from circumstances, obliged to be less +scrupulous than I have been; and if you could have heard the things I +have witnessed, when she entered or left a room, you would be amazed: +while she, gentle, unassuming, and even timid, judging candidly of every +one, unwilling to see faults, and detesting personal satire, had not the +most remote idea of the severe and uncandid remarks she excited." + +Ellen was really astonished at this account, as much as she was pleased +with the spirit and grace with which it was delivered; and St. Aubyn +said to her with an expressive smile, "You see, Ellen, our friend Ross +had more reason than we were willing to allow him for _certain +prohibitions_. However," added he, "I will not relinquish the hope that +Miss Cecil will soon see how little she has to fear from any +observations of such a nature from _you_." "I see it already," said Miss +Cecil with quickness: "one glance at Lady St. Aubyn would convince the +most incredulous that nothing but sweetness and candour can lodge in +such a temple." + +She then looked at her watch, and saying she had much exceeded her time, +and Juliet would expect her, departed with her father, who had been +deeply engaged in giving Doctor Montague a long account of a +county-meeting, which had been held for some public purpose a few days +before. They had scarcely driven from the door, when Miss Alton was +announced; and as she entered, St. Aubyn whispered to Ellen--"Now you +will see a character quite new to you." Then rising hastily, he crossed +the room to meet the lady, exclaiming, "Heavens! my dear Miss Alton, how +enchanted I am to see you look so well! You really improve every day, at +least every year: for I believe it is at least that time since I saw you +last." "Oh, my Lord," answered the lady in an affected tone, but in a +voice the natural sharpness of which all her efforts failed to soften; +"you flatter--don't try to make me vain. Lord bless me, you men have no +mercy on us poor young women: but will you not introduce me to your +Lady?" + +Ellen, who at the distance from whence she had first seen this visitor +imagined that she really was young and handsome, was astonished as she +approached, to find in the white frock, sash, ringlets, and little +straw hat of a girl, a woman apparently between fifty and sixty; and who +vainly attempted to conceal, by a quantity of _rouge_ and a slight veil +thrown over her face, the ravages which time had made in her +countenance. Her spare figure gave her some resemblance to youthful +slightness; but when near, the sharp bones, and angular projections of +her face and person, sufficiently proved, that slender appearance was +the result of lean old age, instead of girlish delicacy. In spite of the +advanced season, she was clad so lightly, that she still shivered from +the impression of the keen breeze which had assailed her as she crossed +the Park, and gladly accepted a seat by the comfortable fire, though +affecting to conceal her sufferings under an air of gaiety and ease. + +St. Aubyn (who had known her many years, and had been from a boy +accustomed to divert himself with her foibles, though he really felt a +degree of regard for her, as, in spite of her oddities, she was not +without a mixture of good qualities), after having introduced her to his +bride, seated himself by her, and began to talk to her in a strain of +such marked flattery, as really alarmed Ellen, who thought Miss Alton +would certainly be offended; but her enormous vanity prevented her from +perceiving that he was merely laughing at her, and she grew every moment +more ridiculous. At last, turning to Ellen, she said in a pathetic tone, +"Oh, my dear Madam, you cannot conceive how I have felt for you these +two days! I declare I have not been able to sleep for thinking of you, +and really have shed tears to imagine what a tax you have been paying: +how you must have been fatigued by receiving such a succession of +visitors! but every one must have some trouble. There is my dear friend, +Mrs. Dawkins, the best of women--sweet woman, indeed--there she is +lamenting at home such a vexation!" "What is the matter?" said St. +Aubyn, laughing, for he knew what sort of misfortunes Mrs. Dawkins and +her friend Miss Alton generally lamented with so much pathos: "has she +lost her little French dog, or has the careless coachman scratched the +pannels of her new carriage?" "Oh, you sad man! how can you make a jest +of the dear soul's uncommon sensibility? To be sure she has the +tenderest feelings. She often says to me, 'my dear Alton, what should I +do without you: you are the only person who can really feel for the +misfortunes of a friend.' Sweet woman!" + +"Well, but," said St. Aubyn, "you were going to tell us what has +happened to this _amiable friend_ of your's." + +"Nay, I will tell Lady St. Aubyn, she looks all softness and +sensibility: but you are so wicked, you make a jest of every thing. Do +you know, my dearest Lady St. Aubyn, just as poor Mrs. Dawkins was +coming to make you a visit, this morning, nay, she was actually dressed, +and had one foot on the step of the carriage, _I_ was in it, for she was +so kind as to say she would bring me; so I thought, as I was to come +with her, I need not put on a pelisse, or shawl, for you know they spoil +one's dress. But I can't say but that it was rather cold walking, as I +was at last obliged to do, for _just_ as she put her foot upon the +step----" "What happened?" interrupted St. Aubyn, laughing still more at +the emphatic manner in which poor Alton told her distressing +story.--"Did she fall down and break her leg, or did the horses run away +and carry off her kid slipper?"----"Now only hear him; did you ever see +such a teasing creature: well, I am glad _I_ have not the task of +keeping you in order; I don't know what even the sweet Countess will do +with you." + +This piece of self-congratulation threw St. Aubyn into a violent fit of +laughing, in which even the grave Doctor Montague joined, and Ellen +could hardly resist, though the fear of quite affronting her guest put a +check upon her risibility. + +"Well," said St. Aubyn, at last recovering himself a little, "but what +really did happen to poor Mrs. Dawkins?" + +"Nay, I protest I won't tell you, you wicked creature; I will tell Lady +St. Aubyn some other time, for you do not deserve to hear any thing +about it." + +"Oh, yes, do, my dear Alton, tell, for really I am in great pain for +poor Mrs. Dawkins, who has been standing so long with one foot upon the +step: don't leave her in so dangerous a situation any longer."----"Well, +then, if I must tell--at that moment up came a servant on horseback, to +say her sister, Mrs. Courtenay, was on the road to her own house, in her +way from Buxton, and would, with a whole train of children and servants, +dine at her house to-day; and as they were coming directly, she was +actually obliged to defer her visit to your Ladyship till to-morrow; and +she was so sorry, and I am sure so was I, for I was obliged to walk here +after all." + +"Well, but," said Lord St. Aubyn, "notwithstanding this terrible shock +to her feelings, she might have sent the carriage with _you_."----"Aye, +so she might, to be sure; but poor dear soul, she was put in such a +bustle she never thought of it; some people don't think----dear me, if I +had a carriage of my own, I should be happy to make it useful to my +friends, and not let them go broiling on foot two or three miles in warm +weather or splashing through the mud in the middle of winter."----"I +believe you," said St. Aubyn; for with all her foibles, he knew Miss +Alton was really good-natured, and willing to do a kind action. + +"Well, my dear Miss Alton, if you will favour us with your company, and +dine with us, Lady St. Aubyn will, I am sure, be happy to send you home +in her carriage; and I promise you, if the Prince himself was to make us +a visit, that should not prevent your having it." + +Ellen joined in this invitation, to which the happy Miss Alton readily +assented; and Ellen found her, after a little while, a more tolerable +companion than she expected. + +Miss Alton's particular passion was for being with people who lived in +style; if they had a title so much the better; and as she would do any +thing to make herself useful, and knew how to pay those little +attentions which every body likes, she generally made herself agreeable, +or so necessary, that she had admittance at almost all the houses of +consequence in the neighbourhood. The entrè of St. Aubyn Castle was the +height of her ambition. St. Aubyn's mother, who lived much in the +country, had been in the habit of receiving Miss Alton, when she was a +girl, on familiar terms: the old Lady was fond of needle-work, and +Alton assisted in filling up the groundwork of carpets, rugs, &c. with +the most patient good humour; or was at any time ready to make up a +whist or quadrille table; so that in those days she was very often a +week or two together at the Castle, where St. Aubyn, at his vacations, +had been accustomed to meet her, and to divert himself with her foibles, +though he had always retained a degree of regard for her, a felicity +which the death of the old Countess deprived her of, and she had never +since ceased to regret; for though her other connections were +respectable, they were not so high in fortune or consequence as the St. +Aubyns, and great was her joy to find herself once more an invited guest +at the Castle. + +Amongst her other friends, as her narrow income by no means permitted +her to return their civilities in kind, she yet was always well +received, for there was nothing she would not do to oblige: one Lady +would send her in her carriage, if not well enough to go herself, to +inquire the character of a servant; another would express a wish, in her +hearing, for some game, or fruit, for a dinner party, and Miss Alton +would set out the next morning "to try her luck," as she termed it, by +calling at some of the higher sort of houses, where she was acquainted, +and _wishing_ she knew where to get a hare, or a pine-apple (according +to which was wanted), "to oblige a friend to whom she owed a great many +favours," the good natured hearer generally, if possible, was willing to +oblige "poor Alton;" or if she did not succeed there, she would tramp a +mile or two farther, and at worst could fairly boast what pains she had +taken, even if they were not successful. + +In London, if a notable friend wanted a cheap trimming, or to match a +silk or lace, yet did not like to go about to little shops herself, +Alton would take a hackney coach, or walk if the weather permitted, and +never rest till she had obtained the thing in question. + +By these and similar means she had made a great many high acquaintance, +and _eked_ out a small income by visits, sometimes a little too long, to +each in turn.----She had thus acquired some amusing anecdotes, and was +far from an unpleasing companion, especially when no male beings came in +her way; but when with men, vanity and affectation took such full +possession of her, that she became completely ridiculous. This Lady St. +Aubyn had an opportunity of seeing: when two or three gentlemen happened +to call before dinner, her whole manner changed, and she became really +absurd: her voice was softened----her head leant on one shoulder----a +tolerably white hand and arm displayed in every possible attitude, and +she behaved, in every respect, like a very silly affected girl; but when +they were gone, she was again tolerably conversable, and St. Aubyn, +ceasing to play upon her foibles, and turning the conversation to such +topics as were most likely to shew her to advantage, the afternoon and +evening passed pleasantly enough. Nor was St. Aubyn sorry to familiarise +Ellen, by degrees, to company, or to do the honour of his table, before +they should be obliged to receive the neighbouring families at dinner, +many of whom he knew (especially two or three ladies who had unmarried +daughters) would be eagerly looking out for any little omission in her, +while Miss Alton was so delighted with the good things before her +(certainly being _un peu gourmande_) with the beautiful new service of +china, rich plate, &c. &c. that she never thought of her entertainers, +except to express her pleasure in their kindness and attention: and they +sent her home in the evening perfectly happy, and eager to tell dear +Mrs. Dawkins what a delightful day she had spent, how happy the Earl +was to see her, what a _sweet woman_ the Countess was, what fine china! +what a dessert! what an elegant new carriage! &c. &c. + + + + +CHAP. II. + + Yet once again farewell, thou minstrel harp, + Yet once again forgive my feeble sway, + And little reck I of the censure sharp, + May idly cavil at an idle lay. + Much have I owed thy strains on life's long way, + Through secret woes the world has never known, + When on the weary night dawn'd wearier day, + And bitterer was the grief devour'd alone. + + W. SCOTT. + + +The next month was past in receiving and returning visits; and the most +pleasing among them was a sociable day passed at Rose-Hill, the seat of +Sir William Cecil. Miss Cecil promised, if Juliet, who now for some time +had been tolerably well, should continue so, that Ellen should see her; +though she very seldom admitted any company: "But I have said so much of +you," said Laura, "that she is quite anxious to see you; and I am +particularly anxious to familiarize her to you, both as it will I am +sure give her pleasure, and facilitate our being often together." +Accordingly, after dinner, when they left the gentlemen, Miss Cecil led +Lady St. Aubyn to Juliet's apartment. + +Never had Ellen seen so interesting a being: this fair creature, now +about fifteen, was a perfect model of beauty and symmetry; though so +slightly formed, she appeared, "like a fairy vision, or some bright +creature of the element:" her cheeks were faintly tinged with a hectic +blush; her eyes were of the most dazzling brightness; her lips like +coral; and her teeth of pearly whiteness; her fair hair was covered with +a fine lace cap, and her fragile form enveloped in a large shawl. + +"My love," said Laura, "here is Lady St. Aubyn, who is so good as to +come and see you." + +Juliet extended her white hand, and said in a voice of peculiar +harmony, fixing at the same time her sparkling and penetrating eyes on +Ellen's face, as if she wished to read her heart in her countenance, +"Laura says she loves you already, and I am sure _I_ shall." The simple +naïvetè of her voice and manner went to the heart of Ellen, who could +not help embracing her tenderly, while she felt the tears start to her +eyes at seeing one so young and lovely in a state of health so +precarious. + +After a little more conversation, Ellen put her hand accidentally on a +small book which lay half concealed by one of the pillows of Juliet's +couch, and said with that native politeness which ever prevented her +from doing any thing rude or intrusive, "May I look at the subject of +your studies?" "Yes," said Juliet, with an angelic smile, "If you +please." Ellen opened the book. It was in a character totally unknown to +her. "Do you read Greek?" asked the fair Juliet, with a simplicity and +absence of design which proved her question was serious; and this +interrogation, which would from most people to a young woman be +absolutely ridiculous, from Juliet appeared merely a natural wish to +know whether her new friend was as able as herself to read the book she +held in her hand; for strange as it may appear, it was a copy of the New +Testament in Greek; and Juliet read it as easily as if it had been +English. + +"My dear Juliet," said Laura, "few females make that language their +study; I conclude, therefore, Lady St. Aubyn does not know it any more +than myself." "Oh, I wish you both did," said Juliet: "if you could but +know the delight I feel from reading the Scripture in its original +language!--If I live till next summer I hope the Hebrew Bible will be as +familiar to me as that book is now." + +It is impossible for language to do justice to the perfect innocence and +artlessness with which she spoke: she seemed to think her own wonderful +attainments no more extraordinary than other girls do of being able to +read a newspaper, or work a handkerchief: not a trace of affectation or +pedantry was visible in her manner: she had a childishness of voice and +tone that singularly contrasted with the subjects on which she spoke; +for Laura, willing to let Ellen see what a wonderful creature she was, +led her to speak of astronomy; and a celestial globe happening to be on +a table before her, led her by degrees to display her extraordinary +knowledge in that science--of the dimensions and motions of the heavenly +bodies, their distances from the sun and from each other, &c. all of +which she explained in the clearest and most perspicuous manner, making +such happy allusions to the poets who have touched on the subject, and +illustrating it by such apt comparisons, as shewed her imagination was +as brilliant, as the calculations she readily made proved her memory +was accurate. + +Lady St. Aubyn, who had at every leisure hour since her marriage been +engaged in studying this and other interesting subjects of useful +knowledge, could in some degree appreciate the value and extent of this +sweet girl's extraordinary acquirements, and was lost in admiration of +her abilities, and the industry with which, notwithstanding her ill +health, she had cultivated them. + +This happened to be a day in which Juliet was unusually well, for in +general she declined all conversation, and spent most of her time in +studying the Scriptures, in devotional exercises, and promoting every +plan which her health would permit her to join in for the relief of the +poor; for her early piety and extensive charity were as remarkable as +her other attainments were wonderful: but this day she was so well, that +at Laura's solicitation, in which Ellen earnestly joined, she placed +herself at a chamber organ that stood in her apartment, which she +touched with great taste and science; and was at last prevailed on to +accompany it with a voice of the most angelic sweetness. + +She sung only sacred music, and now delighted Ellen with "Angels ever +bright and fair;" and, "I know that my Redeemer liveth:" and while her +pure lips poured forth these exquisite specimens of musical inspiration, +the soft and pious expression of her heavenly countenance, for ever +fixed and hallowed them in the remembrance of her hearers. + +To Ellen she seemed hardly a being of this world, and her young and +enthusiastic heart was melted with the tenderest love for one so very +far superior to any thing she could have imagined. + +From this day the St. Aubyns and Cecils spent a great part of their time +together, and the highly polished manners of Miss Cecil, her excellent +judgment, and fine taste, were extremely advantageous to Lady St. +Aubyn. Without losing her natural grace and sweet simplicity, she +gradually acquired more of that style which marks both the woman of +fashion and the possessor of intellectual knowledge; even her beauty +improved with the encreased intelligence of her mind, and the serenity +of her heart; for now for the first time she felt entirely happy; +scarcely a cloud overshadowed her. + +St. Aubyn was every day more tender and attentive, and every day +expressed himself more pleased and delighted with his choice. Those +starts of agitation and gloom which on their first acquaintance had +appeared in him so frequently, were now very seldom seen. He received +frequent letters from Spain, which he told Ellen were from his friend +the Marquis of Northington, who was there in a diplomatic situation, and +was engaged in seeking a person, by means of his extensive connections +on the Continent, who alone could unravel some mysterious circumstances +of the most material consequence to _him_. "But when found," said St. +Aubyn, one day when he had by degrees been led to speak on this +subject--"when found, if ever that should happen, I know not that he +will be prevailed on to disclose what I have every reason to believe he +alone can tell. He is a villain!"----(and St. Aubyn's frame shook with +the agitation of smothered rage) "and may from motives of fear or +revenge add to the other injuries he has done me, by withholding that +information which alone can secure _my fame_, perhaps _my life_." + +He had never before spoken so much or so calmly on this interesting +subject; and seeing that Ellen listened with great anxiety, and that at +his last words she trembled and turned pale, he added: + +"Fear not, my love: for your dear sake I will take every necessary +precaution; and should I find the enemy, who has long, though most +unjustly, threatened to revenge on me an act, horrible indeed, but of +which I was not the author----should I find him still determined on +vindictive measures, I will for a time pass over to the Continent, till +some accommodation can be effected. At all events, my Ellen, remember +you have promised to _believe me innocent_. In the course of the next +summer, this enemy (who, alas! and that is not the least hardship in my +wayward fate, ought by every tie to look upon me as a friend and father) +will be in England, and I shall perhaps be able to clear his mind from +those evil impressions with which an unfortunate chain of circumstances +have stampt it----impressions received in early youth, and which he has +ever since cherished, and brooded over with the most determined +resentment." + +At this juncture, when St. Aubyn seemed for the first time inclined to +open his whole heart to his wife, and to disclose to her a story in +which she was so deeply interested, they were interrupted by a servant, +who announced Mrs. Dawkins, and her tender friend Miss Alton, who came +armed with a whole catalogue of sympathetic feelings and notes of +admiration of all kinds to entertain Lady St. Aubyn. + +Many were the disasters which had happened since they saw her last: +horses had been lame, servants impertinent, showers of rain had fallen +at the most unlucky moments, even a dinner had been spoilt which had +cost a whole week's preparation, by the cook's inattention in +over-roasting the venison; in short, all the minor evils of life had set +themselves in array against the peace of poor Mrs. Dawkins: and even the +sympathizing Miss Alton could hardly keep pace with lamentations +sufficient for such a doleful list of distresses. She fought her way, +however, as well as she could, and where words failed her, shrugs, +sighs, and the whole artillery of gesticulation, were employed in their +stead. + +What then became of poor Ellen, who could at best only sit "with sad +civility and an aching head," amid this alternate din of complaint and +compassion? But Mrs. Dawkins was pre-determined to like and be pleased +with every thing the lovely Countess did or omitted to do, and construed +the silence and acquiescence with which she heard every thing into the +kindest attention and most obliging concern for the troubles of her +friends. + +The entrance of a sandwich tray fortunately gave some pause to this +melancholy duet; and the excellent hot-house fruits, rich cake, &c. +seemed to arrive in good time to refresh both ladies after so much +exertion. At last they took their leave, but the moment for confidence +was past; indeed, St. Aubyn, in no humour for trifling, had made his +escape at one door, as they entered at the other: of course, the +conversation was not then resumed. + +Not to interrupt the course of the narrative, we omitted in the proper +place to notice that Lord and Lady St. Aubyn had, immediately on their +arrival at the Castle, written letters of explanation to Powis and +Joanna, and he permitted Mr. Ross to publish what he alone knew the real +rank and title of the person Ellen had married. + +We will not pretend to describe the astonishment excited by this +intelligence amongst the inhabitants of Llanwyllan: the honest and +unaspiring Powis declared he would much rather Ellen had married a man +nearer her own rank in life, for he was afraid, poor dear child, she +would be bewildered amongst such fine people, and in such a great house: +for his part, even if he were able to travel so far, he should not like +to go to such a grand place as she described the Castle to be; besides, +he was afraid they would be ashamed to see such a rough, ignorant fellow +as he was among their fine company: and if Ellen was above calling him +father, he should wish himself in the grave. + +The tears started in his eyes at the painful idea, and the good Ross +could hardly dissipate his apprehensions of being forsaken by his only +child, by reminding him of her excellent qualities and tender affection +for him, and of the kindness with which Lord St. Aubyn had treated him +through the whole of his acquaintance. + +Mrs. Ross was in ten times a greater bustle than ever; she could not +rest till she had told the surprizing news to every one she met, and at +intervals she scolded Mr. Ross heartily for not letting her into the +secret, as if she were not as worthy to be trusted as any body else for +secrecy and prudence; "she that had been a mother to Ellen, was no +gossip, and minded nothing but her own business!" but when he reminded +her that even Ellen, deeply as she was interested, was not permitted to +know it, she could not but acknowledge she had no great right to expect +to be better informed. + +As to Joanna, with the natural vanity of youth, she was elated beyond +measure at the idea of her dear Ellen's being a _real lady_, and the +hope of visiting her one day or other in her fine castle, and seeing all +her beautiful things, while Mrs. Ross made no doubt Ellen had a dress +for every day in the week, and her caps trimmed with fine lace; then she +laughed at the recollection of having once "scolded Ellen for putting on +her best white gown when she expected Mr. Mordaunt, as we called him, +and now I should not wonder if she wears as good in a morning!"--"Dear +mother," said Joanna, who, from the slight view she had of what she +fancied the world, when she went with St. Aubyn and Ellen to Carnarvon, +imagined herself better instructed in fashionable matters--"dear mother, +I daresay she does not wear such gowns at all; I should not wonder if +her maid had as good: I am sure I saw a lady's maid on a travelling +carriage at Carnarvon much better dressed than either of us." "Well, +bless me, what will the world come to," said Mrs. Ross, "when such folks +as those wear white gowns and flappits!" Alas, poor Mrs. Ross! could she +have seen some ladies' maids!-- + +All these things Joanna told Ellen in a letter the longest she had ever +written, and greatly was St. Aubyn diverted with the simplicity of their +ideas. The good Ross wrote to St. Aubyn, and expressed his high +satisfaction at the very just and honourable manner in which he had +performed all his engagements respecting Ellen, and requested to hear +from time to time whatever might arise concerning those important +circumstances which the Earl had done him the honour to confide to him. + +"What can we do for these very good people, my dear Ellen?" said St. +Aubyn: "they have no wants nor wishes beyond their present possessions. +If I send them any articles of luxury, or the means of encreasing their +present expenses, I know not that I should render them happier. I could +easily procure a valuable living for Mr. Ross, and told him so; but he +assured me nothing should induce him to leave his present flock, and +that he had not a wish to rise to a higher sphere, or for any thing in +the world, but a few more books; and for those I have sent an order to +my bookseller, requesting they may be immediately forwarded to +Carnarvon. I shall also enclose to Ross a larger payment for my good old +landlady and cook, dame Grey, than I thought it prudent to make while we +remained at Llanwyllan. Is there any thing else my Ellen can think +of?"--"There are," answered Ellen, in a low voice, "some very poor +people at Llanwyllan, that Joanna and I used to be as kind to as we +could. I should like, if you approve of it, to send Joanna a little +money for their use." "By all means, send whatever you think proper, and +as often as you please; never consult me, but do all that your kind and +generous heart prompts you to do on all occasions--think also if there +is any thing Mrs. Ross and Joanna would be pleased to have. You must be +a better judge of their wishes than I can be."--He then took out his +pocketbook, and gave her notes to a large amount, telling her, with a +smile, that her expences were so small, he should forget he had a wife +if she were not a little more profuse. "Well, but Ellen," said St. +Aubyn, "surely this is not all you have to ask for the friends of your +youth! don't make me fancy either that you are forgetful, or _think more +than you choose to express for some of them_." "My dear Lord, what do +you mean?" said Ellen, a little startled by the manner in which he +spoke, "Nay, don't be alarmed," replied St. Aubyn, with a smile, "_I_ +was thinking of one certainly not so much in _my_ favour as he ought to +be in _your's_, for he deprived me once of your society for a whole day, +for which, and some certain pangs and anxieties, I cannot quite forgive +him." "I cannot guess who you mean." "Is that really true?" "Most +perfectly so." "Certainly," said St. Aubyn, "I can only mean Charles +Ross." "Oh poor Charles!" exclaimed Ellen: "I really had quite forgotten +him." + +"Now that was excessively ungrateful," said St. Aubyn, laughing, "for I +dare engage he has not forgotten you: well, are you still enough his +friend to wish to do him service?" + +"Certainly," said Ellen: "I shall always feel a regard for him, though +just at that moment I was not thinking of him: but what service can I +do him, my Lord?" + +"If _you_ give him your interest with me, I may, perhaps, try, and most +likely shall succeed, in getting him promotion. Should you wish this to +be done?" + +"Oh, yes, indeed," replied Ellen, animated and sparkling with the +pleasing idea of serving her early friend, and of the joy his promotion +would give his parents and sister, "nothing could give me more +pleasure." + +"Not too much of that bright colour and sparkling eye, though, Ellen," +said St. Aubyn, half in jest, half gravely: "I shall be jealous." + +"You have so much reason!" + +"Well, be cautious, I am in that point a Turk, and bear no rival _near_ +the throne." + +Ellen, half vexed, would have said something, but embracing her +tenderly, he stopt her by saying, "Not a word, my love, I am perfectly +satisfied," and left her a little disconcerted, and half fearing that +she had disturbed or displeased him. + +In the familiar intercourse which now took place between Miss Cecil and +Lady St. Aubyn, the former shook off her reserve, and imparted to Ellen, +not indeed all the particulars of her early disappointment, but that she +had endured the most painful trials that the perfidy and inconsistent +conduct of one sincerely loved could inflict; yet dignified on this, as +on every other subject, she never expatiated upon it, or said any thing +disrespectful of the author of her sufferings: though she never fully +explained the cause of her separation from her unworthy lover, it was +understood, that a full conviction of his bad conduct, and that his +address to her had chiefly been induced by mercenary motives, had +induced her to discard him, and to resist all his subsequent entreaties +to be forgiven. + +One day, when Lord St. Aubyn and Sir William Cecil were engaged at a +great public dinner in the neighbourhood, Ellen had the pleasure of +dining tête-à-tête with her agreeable friend: they had spent two hours +in Juliet's apartment, who every time they met gained more and more on +Ellen's affections, and was become excessively attached to her, when the +sweet girl, feeling fatigued, said she would lie down for an hour, and +then she should be well enough to enjoy their company at tea, which she +requested they would take in her apartment; they went therefore to pass +this hour in Miss Cecil's dressing-room, who, opening a writing-desk to +shew Ellen a drawing she had just finished, undesignedly displayed to +the quick eye of Lady St. Aubyn a little book, marked "Manuscript +Poetry." + +"Your own," said Ellen, laying her hand on it playfully, "or extracts?" +"Why," returned Laura, "as Lord St. Aubyn thought proper to betray a +secret which he learnt when we were children together, I will not deny +that little volume contains some insignificant attempts of my own." + +"Oh let me see some of them, pray do," said Ellen: "assure yourself I +will make no ill use of your confidence. I really am quite delighted +with this opportunity, for I have long wished to see some specimens of +your talents in this way." Thus urged, Laura allowed her to read two or +three of the little poems contained in the volume, and at her earnest +request, permitted her afterwards to have copies of the two following + + + ELEGIAC STANZAS. + + Athwart the troubled bosom of the night, + Low heavy clouds in awful grandeur sweep; + And, in the solemn darkness of their flight, + Serve but to wrap the world in calmer sleep; + Save those sad eyes, which only wake to weep; + And give the dreary hour to meditation deep. + + Those eyes perceive, as slow the clouds divide, + One star, whose tremulous but brilliant ray + Might serve the uncertain wand'rer's steps to guide, + And cheer his bosom till the dawn of day; + Who trembling else, and lost in black dismay, + Wearied and wild, might rove and perish on the way. + + Even such a star, so fair and so benign, + When o'er the soul dark clouds of sorrow lour, + Is Hope; whose tranquil rays serenely shine, + Brightening the horrors of each dreary hour; + Smiling when youth prepares the fancied flower, + And when in age it feels misfortune's blighting power. + + Oh, thou bright star! still grateful shalt thou find + The heart so often cheer'd by thy mild ray: + I will not call thee faithless and unkind, + Nor with ingratitude thy smiles repay, + Because thou hast not, like the glorious day, + Power to dispel the dark, and drive the clouds away. + + Gild but those clouds till brighter suns arise; + Checkering with thy fair light life's troubled stream; + And oft unwearied shall these wakeful eyes, + Watching the progress of thy doubtful beam, + Shine even in tears; and, closing, still shall seem + Sooth'd by thy gentle ray in every peaceful dream. + + + EPISTLE TO LADY DELAMORE, + + ON RETURNING TO ROSE-HILL. + + From those rain scenes, where fancied pleasure reigns; + From crowds that weary, and from mirth which pains; + From flattering praises, from the smiles of art, + Sweet to the eye but faithless to the heart; + From guilt which makes fair innocence its prey, + Sighs but to blast, and courts but to betray; + From these I fly, impatient to caress + All lovely Nature in her fairest dress. + Oh, sweet retirement! Oh! secure retreat + From all the cares and follies of the great! + Here lavish Nature every charm bestows, + In softness smiles, in vivid beauty glows! + Here May presents each blossom of the spring, + And balmy sweetness falls from Zephyr's wing. + Yet while I stray, in tranquil quiet blest, + Fond mem'ry presses at my anxious breast; + And as I rove 'mid scenes so justly dear, + Remembrance wakes the tributary fear! + The mental eye perceives a sister's form, + And even these peaceful shades no longer charm. + "Yes!" I exclaim, "'twas here she lov'd to stray, + Smiling in beauty, innocently gay! + Oft by yon streamlet, in the echoing vale, + Her voice would swell upon the evening gale, + Charm from the care-fraught bosom half its woes, + And hush the wounded spirit to repose!" + While these delightful hours I thus retrace, + And dwell on every recollected grace, + Thy sister's soul, my Agatha, forgets + That _thou_ art blest in that which _she_ regrets; + Forgets that pleasure crowns thy happy hours, + And fond affection strews thy path with flowers; + Anxious thy way with rose-buds to adorn, + And from those buds remove each lurking thorn. + Ah! selfish heart, lament thy loss no more, + Nor thus thy recollected bliss deplore; + Content thyself to know thy sister blest, + And calm the plaintive anguish of thy breast! + Be still serenity thy future state; + Far from the pomps and perils of the great; + Unnotic'd, quiet, shall thy peace ensure, + Peace, when the world forgets thee, most secure. + --Yet, yet, my Agatha, affection swells + The trembling heart where thy lov'd image dwells; + Still bids me look to thee for all that cheers + In lengthen'd life, and blesses ling'ring years: + My spirit, form'd a _social_ bliss to prove, + Dares but to hope it from thy future love. + Deceived by him on whom it most relied, + Pierced in its fondness, wounded in its pride-- + Yet, yet, while throbbing through each shatter'd nerve, + Disclaims to thee the veil of low reserve; + Owns all its weakness, will each thought confide, + And what it dares to feel, disdains to hide; + Owns, though no more the storms of passion rise, + That from the thought of selfish bliss it flies, + Still feels whate'er had once the power to charm, + Faithful affection, sensitive alarm; + But from the pangs which once it felt relieved, + No more will trust where once it was deceived; + To thee alone will look for future joy, + And for thy bliss each anxious wish employ: + Absorbed in thee, and in thy opening views, + Its pains, its pleasures, nay its being lose: + One we will be, and one our future cares, + Our thoughts, our hopes, our wishes, and our prayers. + + LAURA. + +With both these little pieces Ellen was perhaps more pleased than their +intrinsic merit warranted; but we naturally look with a partial eye on +the performances of those we love. After looking over several other +poetical attempts, and some beautiful drawings, they returned to +Juliet's apartment, where they spent a delightful evening; for Juliet +seemed materially mending, and Laura's spirits rose in proportion. + +Thus, and in similar pleasures, passed the time till the beginning of +March, varied indeed by the occasional visits of the neighbouring +families. One day, after a long solicitation, the St. Aubyns, Cecils, +and some more of the most fashionable people near them, dined with Mrs. +Dawkins, where they also met her tender friend and shadow, Miss Alton, +who this day, for the first time in her life, was destined to offend +that _sweet woman_, Mrs. Dawkins; for charmed to find herself seated on +a sofa between "her _dearest_ Lady St. Aubyn," and that _most +delightful_ man, General Morton, a veteran officer in the neighbourhood, +at whom it was supposed Miss Alton had long _set her cap_, as the phrase +is, she attended not to the hints, shrugs, and winks of her friend, who, +not keeping a regular housekeeper, and being extremely anxious for the +placing her first course properly, wished Miss Alton just to slip out +and see it put on table: but vain were her wishes; and the cook, finding +no aid-de-camp arrive, after waiting till some of the dishes were +over-dressed, and others half cold, was obliged to act as +commander-in-chief, and direct the disposition of the table herself; in +which, not having clearly understood her mistress's directions (for in +fact her anxiety to have all correct made them vary every half hour), +she succeeded so ill, that when, after all her fretting and fuming, poor +Mrs. Dawkins was told dinner was on table, that unfortunate Lady had +nearly fainted at perceiving, when she entered the dining-room, that +half the articles intended for the second course were crowded into the +first, and roasted, ragoued, boiled, fried, sweet and sour, were jumbled +together, in the finest confusion imaginable! + +"This is all _your_ fault," said Mrs. Dawkins, in a low voice, but with +the countenance of a fury, to poor Alton: "you could not _stir_ to see +it put down;" and pushing rudely by her, she left her staring with +surprize, and wondering what had made the dear soul so very angry: but +when she saw the blunders which were so obvious in the arrangement of +the table, and recollected her own negligence (for in fact she had +promised to see it set down), she was in her turn quite shocked. + +Insupportable was the delay and confusion in putting down this second +course; even curtailed as it was, Mrs. Dawkins's servants were not +perfectly _au fait_ at such things, and at last Lord St. Aubyn gave a +hint to his own man, who waited behind his chair to assist, which he did +so effectually, that every thing was soon placed as by magic, and the +rest of the dinner and dessert passed over tolerably well. After dinner, +the ladies retired to the drawing-room, and listened, with their usual +patience, to fresh lamentations from Mrs. Dawkins, and renewed +sympathies on the part of Miss Alton, who sought, by even increasing her +usual portion of _tender sensibility_, to regain her wonted place in +Mrs. Dawkins's good graces; but that lady continued so haughty and +impracticable, that poor Alton came at last with _real_ tears, to +complain to the good-natured Ellen and Laura of her hard fate, and the +impossibility, do all she could, of pleasing some people; and they +really were so sorry for her vexation, that when Lady St. Aubyn's +carriage was announced, she rescued her from the visible unkindness of +Mrs. Dawkins, by desiring to have the pleasure of setting her down, and +made her quite happy again, by asking her to meet a small party at the +Castle the next day, which, as it was understood to be rather a select +thing, and confined to those most intimate there, assured Miss Alton a +renewed importance with Mrs. Dawkins and all her friends, as she should +have much to tell, which they could by no other possibility know any +thing about. + + + + +CHAP. III. + + Sweet Juliet, that with angels dost remain, + Accept this latest favour at my hands, + That living honour'd thee, and being dead, + With funeral praises do adorn thy tomb. + + ROMEO AND JULIET. + + +The day was now fixed at the distance of a week for the removal of the +St. Aubyns to London. Ellen lamented much the impossibility of having +Laura Cecil with her, who would have been such a support to her in a +situation so new; but nothing could be urged on that point, as it was +impossible she could leave Juliet, who appeared sometimes better +sometimes worse, but always patient, gentle, and pious to a degree that +was really angelic. + +Ellen felt sincerely grieved to leave her, and proposed that she should +be removed to London for better advice, but found this expedient had +been before resorted to, and Doctor B----'s advice frequently renewed by +letters since, and that it was thought the air of London did not agree +with her. The weather now, for the time of year, the second week in +March, was remarkably mild; and the medical man in attendance on Juliet, +who had now been for some days tolerably free from the low fever which +generally hung about her, permitted her to go out once or twice in a +garden chair, for the benefit of the air: the returning verdure of +spring seemed, for a time, to revive her: but whether the exertion was +too much, or some unobserved change in the atmosphere affected her +delicate frame, could not be known; but she was suddenly seized with one +of those attacks of fever which had so frequently brought her to the +brink of the grave; and on the day before that fixed for Ellen's leaving +Northamptonshire, a note from Laura announced that the life of this +admirable young creature was despaired of. + +"She is perfectly sensible," added the afflicted sister; "the dear angel +retains all her usual pious composure; she wishes to see you. Could you, +dear Lady St. Aubyn, without being too much affected, come to her?" + +Ellen, bursting into tears, put the note into St. Aubyn's hand, saying, +"Oh, my dear Lord; let me go--pray let me go directly!" + +"Be less alarmed, be more composed, my dearest love," replied he, after +glancing over the contents, "or I cannot consent to your going. I wish +it had not been asked." + +"Oh, indeed, dear St. Aubyn, I am quite composed, quite easy; but I +shall suffer much more in not seeing the dear, dear creature once again, +than even by witnessing this sudden and most unexpected change." + +"Well, my love, we will go together; but do not be too much alarmed; she +may yet recover: Laura's fears may outrun the occasion: Juliet has often +been very ill before; but we will go: they will both, I know, be pleased +at your coming." + +He then ordered the carriage, which was soon ready; and half an hour +brought them to Rose-hill. Ellen was immediately shewn to Juliet's room: +by the bed-side sat Laura: her cheeks, lips, and whole countenance, were +the colour of monumental marble; not a tear fell from her eyes; not a +sigh heaved her bosom; but the woe, the deep expressive woe which marked +every feature, no language could describe: she rose, and advanced a few +steps to meet Ellen, grasping her hand with one which the touch of death +could alone have rendered colder; her lips moved, but no articulate word +broke the mournful silence. + +Ellen turned pale, shuddered, and looked ready to faint; Miss Cecil +made a sign to an attendant, who, bathed in tears, stood near her: she +placed a chair for Lady St. Aubyn, and brought her a few drops in some +water; she wept, and was relieved. + +"Oh, why did I send for you!" said Laura, in a low tone, and speaking +with difficulty; "I fear it is too much." + +"Don't be frightened, my Lady," said the nurse: "Miss Juliet is a little +easier; she is dozing." + +In a few minutes Juliet moved and spoke, but so faintly, her voice could +hardly be distinguished. In an instant Laura was on her knees beside +her, and catching the imperfect sounds, replied in a voice which +betrayed not the anguish of her soul, "Yes, my love, she is here--will +you see her?" + +Then turning to Ellen, she motioned her to approach. Ellen rose, and +went to the bed-side; she looked on Juliet, and saw that sweet angelic +countenance, slightly flushed, and looking as composed as ever; and +ignorant of the appearances of disease, fancied her better, and was, in +some measure, comforted. Juliet faintly articulated a few words, +expressive of the pleasure she felt in seeing Ellen, and would have said +more, but the nurse, for the sake of all, interposed, and requested that +Miss Juliet might not be allowed to speak much. With difficulty she held +out her feeble emaciated arms to Ellen, who tenderly embraced her, and +half dissolved in tears, retired to the window, whither she drew Miss +Cecil. Still the wretched Laura shed no tear; and the deep grief, +impressed on her fine countenance, was much more painful to the beholder +than the loudest expressions of sorrow could have been. + + "Give sorrow vent: the grief which does not speak + Whispers the o'er-fraught heart, and bids it break!" + +"For heaven's sake, my dearest Laura," said Ellen, "endeavour to take +comfort; surely she is better--she will recover!" + +Laura only shook her head; and the nurse approaching, said, "Indeed, +Madam, Miss Cecil will kill herself; she has not had her clothes off +these two nights, nor has the slightest refreshment passed her lips this +day." + +"Oh! talk not to me of rest or food," cried Laura, "I can partake of +neither." + +Ellen most tenderly urged her to take something; but pressing her hands +upon her heart, she replied, "Oh no, oh no--I could not; indeed I could +not. Go," she added, "my dear friend--go, this is no place for you; +nothing but the request of ----; nothing but _her_ request should have +induced me to send for you." + +"But now I _am_ here," said Ellen, "surely you will allow me to stay; I +may be of use to you; of comfort to dear dear Juliet." + +In vain she urged. Laura sacrificed all selfish considerations, and +insisted on her returning home, promising to send to her should Juliet +wish to see her again; and St. Aubyn, anxious for her, now sent to +request his wife would come: she therefore embraced her friend, and +looking once more on the departing saint, who now again lay heavily +dozing, she lifted up her hands and eyes to heaven, and, with another +shower of tears, left the room. + +St. Aubyn was rejoiced to find her disposed to accompany him home, +though she complained bitterly that Laura would not let her stay. + +"Laura," said he, "judges as she always does, wisely, and acts kindly: +you could be of no real service, and your being here would be highly +improper; you must not think of it." + +Two days of the greatest anxiety now passed, and at the end of that time +the fair and lovely Juliet breathed no more: her last moments were +attended by consolation so powerful, and hopes so celestial, as might +well have taught the worldly "how a Christian could die!" + +For many days Laura was confined to her bed, and it was feared she would +follow her sister to the grave; but by degrees she shook off the excess +of her sorrow, and for her father's sake endeavoured to recover from the +dreadful shock she had received. + +Sir William Cecil, who had long been convinced that Juliet would not +live many months, was more easily consoled. The St. Aubyns of course had +delayed their journey to London on this event; and finding that Sir +William Cecil was disposed to make an excursion to Bath, which his gouty +habit indeed rendered almost necessary, they endeavoured to prevail on +Laura to come to them at St. Aubyn Castle for a short time, and then go +with them to London. From this proposal, especially the latter part, she +for some time shrunk, and wished to be allowed to remain at Rose-hill +alone: but that her friends would not permit: and Sir William having +arranged to go to Bath at the same time with a neighbouring family, and +to be in the same house with them, Laura was at length prevailed on to +remove to the Castle, and from thence, after a short stay, to accompany +her friends to London, where they promised her an apartment exclusively +her own, and that she should see no other till she herself wished it. + +"Yet why," said she, "my dearest Lady St. Aubyn, why should I burden you +with one so powerless to add to your comforts, or partake your +pleasures?" + +"Is not that an unkind question?" said Ellen; "or do you really believe +me insensible to the gratification of soothing your mind, and supporting +your spirits? Whenever you will permit me, I will be your visitor in +your apartment; whenever my company would be irksome, I will leave you +to yourself, provided I do not find you the worse for the indulgence." + +All was therefore thus arranged, and Miss Cecil, Lord and Lady St. Aubyn +in one carriage, and Miss Cecil's maid, and Ellen's talkative but +faithful Jane, in another, with out riders, &c. in great style left +Northamptonshire, and arrived the next evening at the Earl's magnificent +house in Cavendish-square.--Lady St. Aubyn's first care was to select +such an apartment for the mournful Laura as would make her easy, and +free from restraint; and having conducted her to it, she told her she +was entirely mistress there, and never should be interrupted unless she +chose it. + +Ellen, who had made several little attempts in verse since she had seen +those of Miss Cecil, now soothed her sorrow for the loss of the sweet +Juliet by a few stanzas, which, when she thought her able to bear them, +she gave to Laura, who was gratified by this little tribute to her +loved, lamented sister's memory. + + + ELEGIAC STANZAS. + + How mourns the heart, when early fades away + The opening promise of a riper bloom; + When youth and beauty, innocently gay, + Sink in the silent ruin of the tomb! + + Oh, thou pure spirit! which in life's fair dawn, + Arose superior to that childish frame, + (Fair tho' it was) from which thou art withdrawn, + To that bright Heaven from whence thy beauty came. + + Sweet Juliet! happily releas'd from care, + Which future years perhaps had bade the prove; + A heart so tender, and a form so fair, + Ill with the perils of the world had strove! + + Thy heart expanding at affection's voice, + How had it borne in native kindness warm, + To check the rapid fire of youthful choice, + And dread deceit beneath the loveliest form! + + To thee were graces so benignly given, + A soul so tender, and a wit so rare; + A love of harmony, as if kind Heaven + Had bade thee for an early bliss prepare. + + Long shall the heart which lov'd thy dawning grace, + The pensive mem'ry of each charm retain; + Thy winning manners studiously retrace, + And dwell anew on each harmonious strain. + + Nor shall that heart to present scenes confine + Its views and wishes; but with worthier care, + Seek to preserve an innocence like thine, + And humbly hope thy happiness to share. + + + + +CHAP. IV. + + To such how fair appears each grain of sand, + Or humblest weed as wrought by nature's hand! + A shell, or stone, he can with pleasure view.-- + ----See with what art each curious shell is made: + Here carved in fret-work, there with pearl inlaid! + What vivid th' enamel'd stones adorn, + Fair as the paintings of the purple morn! + + S. JENYNS. + + +The arrival of the St. Aubyns in London opened a wide field for +conjecture and conversation in the fashionable world. It was known, for +St. Aubyn's haughty relations had not failed to publish it, that he had +married a young woman far inferior to him in rank, and absolutely +without fortune. It was also known that she was uncommonly beautiful; +and great anxiety, mixed with no small share of ridicule, was excited by +her expected _debut_; but the modest Ellen was in no haste to afford the +starers and sneerers so rich a treat: she merely went to a few morning +exhibitions, attended only by her Lord, for the first fortnight of her +stay in town; and indeed St. Aubyn hoped, notwithstanding her present +distance and displeasure, to induce his aunt, Lady Juliana Mordaunt, to +chaperon Ellen to some of the public places, being fully sensible what +an advantage it would be to her to be so supported: he therefore +acquiesced in her wishes, till he could bring about this desirable +arrangement, and allowed his wife to spend most of her evenings at home. + +Several ladies had however called on Lady St. Aubyn, some of whom had +left their cards, and others she had seen. Most of these visits she had +returned; but one of those, who had shewn the greatest desire to see +more of Lady St. Aubyn--indeed, a distant relation of the Earl's, she +had not been yet to see. + +One morning Lord St. Aubyn said he would go with her to see the museum +of an old friend of his, who lived at Knightsbridge, who was a great +collector of every thing rare and curious, particularly shells, +pictures, and gems. "He is quite a character," added he: "but I will not +anticipate your surprize: we can go there early. I told him we would go +to-day, or to-morrow; and after we have been there, you can call on Lady +Meredith, who gave herself a trouble so extraordinary, as actually to +alight from her carriage and make you a personal visit." + +"You will go with me?" + +"Pardon me, my love, that is not necessary, and you really must learn to +_go alone_, and not depend so much on me." + +"I hope her Ladyship may not be at home." + +"Indeed, my love, I hope she may; for dissimilar as they are in every +respect, my aunt, Lady Juliana, spends a great deal of her time there. +She is so fond of finding fault, and differing in opinion from others, +that I really believe she goes to Lady Meredith's chiefly for the +pleasure of lecturing her, who is so indifferent to the opinion of any +one, that she does not think it worth while to be at the trouble of +resenting the sharp things Lady Juliana says to her." + +"What a strange motive for being intimate with any one." + +"Strange enough: but when you see more of the world, you will discern +that affection is not the only bond of union between those who call +themselves friends." + +"I think I have seen that already in Mrs. Dawkins and Miss Alton." + +"True: convenience, the wish of finding a patient _hearer_, accident, +the want of a more pleasing companion, are amongst the numerous +inducements which form what we are pleased to call friendship. Nay, I +once heard a good lady say she was sure a family she mentioned had +proved themselves _real friends_ to her, for they had sent her a _large +plumcake_[A]." + + [A] A fact. + +Ellen laughed at this curious definition of friendship. + +"Well," said St. Aubyn: "but to return to Lady Meredith. I hope she may, +by reporting well of you to Lady Juliana, induce her to become more +friendly towards us: you know how anxious I am to have you in her good +graces--not, believe me, on account of her immense fortune, but because, +with all her pride and stiffness, she has a warm heart and excellent +qualities, and would be to you a most valuable friend; so pray do your +best to please Lady Meredith." + +"Very well: but will you tell me the most likely way to succeed?" + +"I am afraid it will be difficult: she will think you too handsome, +unless indeed she intends soon to have a large party." + +"How is it possible _that_ should have any thing to do with the matter?" + +"Why, Lady Meredith's great ambition is to outshine all her competitors +in the number and fashion of those collected at her routes; and as +sometimes, in spite of her charms, and the lustre of her abundant +jewels, there are some obstinate animals who will be uncivil enough to +recollect they '_have seen them before_,' consequently become rather +weary of them, and desert her for some newer belle. Lady Meredith may +think you (so new to the world, and so beautiful) a desirable +reinforcement, and may therefore honour you with an invitation: pray +accept it, if she does, and take great pains at your toilette to-day: +for my friend, Mr. Dorrington, is a great admirer of beauty, and will +shew you his fine collection a great deal more readily if he admire +your's, particularly if he should fancy you like a bust he has of the +_bona Dea_ (at least he gives it that name, though it is so mutilated, +he confesses he does not exactly know for what or whom it was designed), +which he almost idolizes." + +Ellen hastened to obey, but she wished herself at Castle St. Aubyn, for +she had not liked the little she had seen of Lady Meredith, and she +shrunk from the idea of this formidable morning visit. Conquering her +fears, however, as well as she could, and looking uncommonly beautiful, +she rejoined her Lord. Her milliner had just sent home a most elegant +and expensive morning dress, bonnet, and cloak, all of the finest +materials, and in that delicate modest style, which she always chose, +and was to her peculiarly becoming. St. Aubyn thought he had never seen +her look so well, and gave great credit to Madame de ---- for consulting +so admirably the natural style of her beauty, as to embellish, without +overloading it. The barouche was at the door: she had therefore only +time to say "farewell" to Laura, and stepping hastily in, half an hour +brought them to Mr. Dorrington's. + +As the carriage stopt at the house, the figure of a fine old man with +grey hair caught the eye of Lady St. Aubyn: he was at the instant +ascending the steps to knock at the door, and was so meanly dressed, +that she supposed him a mendicant, or at least extremely poor, and her +ready hand sought her purse, intending to give relief to the infirm +looking old man. What then was her surprize, when, just as she stretched +out her hand for that purpose, the old man, looking into the carriage, +and seeing Lord St. Aubyn, advanced, and taking off his hat with the +most courtly air imaginable, displayed a fine commanding forehead, +expressive eyes, and a contour of countenance so admirable, as, once +seen, could never be forgotten. + +"Ah! my dear St. Aubyn," he exclaimed, "how rejoiced I am to see you! I +am really happy that I returned in time to receive you: as you did not +say positively you would come to-day, it was all a chance; but come, do +me the favour to alight: I have just succeeded in making the finest +purchase--a shell, a unique: you shall see it." + +By this time St. Aubyn had alighted, and giving his hand to Ellen, +introduced her to this extraordinary man. Nothing could be more polished +than his address, nothing more elegant than the grace with which he +received her, or more spirited than the little compliment he made St. +Aubyn on his happiness, and the beauty of his lady. + +Whoever looked at Mr. Dorrington, when his shabby old hat was removed, +must instantly see the man of sense and superior information: whoever +heard him speak, heard instantly that it was the voice and enunciation +not only of a gentleman, but of one who had lived in the very highest +circles; and yet his appearance, at first, would have led any one to +suppose him, as Ellen did, in absolute poverty. He led the way into his +favourite apartment, indeed the only one he ever inhabited, except his +bed-chamber; and into neither would he ever suffer any one to enter +unless he was with them. No broom, nor brush of any kind, ever disturbed +the sacred dust of this hallowed retirement: in the grate, the +accumulated ashes of _many months_ remained; the windows were dimmed +with the untouched dirt of years: and nothing but the table on which his +slender meals were spread (for his temperance in eating and drinking +were as remarkable as his singular neglect of personal attire), and two +or three chairs for the reception of occasional visitors, were ever +wiped. In one of these he seated the astonished Ellen, who gazed around +her at treasures, the value of which exceeded her utmost guess. A +handsome cabinet with glass doors contained a variety of curious gems, +vases, and specimens of minerals: some invaluable pictures stood leaning +against the walls: heaps of books in rich bindings, which Ellen +afterwards found were either remarkable for their scarceness, or full of +fine prints, lay scattered around. + +"Now, my Lord," said Mr. Dorrington, "I will shew you and Lady St. Aubyn +my new purchase: I said it was unique, but it is not exactly so: I have +another of the same sort; but these are the only two in the world: I +think this is a little, a very little finer than that I had before; I +bought it at ****'s sale, and gave a monstrous price for it; but I was +determined to have it: it was the only thing in his collection I +coveted." + +He then displayed his new purchase, and descanted for some time on its +various beauties; and seeing Ellen really admired it, pleased also with +her beauty and sweetness, he proceeded to shew her his collection, and +even those rare articles which never appeared but to particular +favourites, saying she was "_worthy to admire them_." Some beautiful +miniatures particularly pleased her, and he was delighted that she +seemed to understand their value. He also produced some fine illuminated +missals, and explained every thing with so much grace and perspicuity as +quite delighted her. + +Two hours fled swiftly in examining these wonders, and even then they +had not seen half, but promised to visit him another day. He told Lady +St. Aubyn he should be at her command at any time; and then most +politely attending her to her carriage, he with a courteous bow took his +leave. + +On their way home, St. Aubyn told Ellen that the extraordinary man they +had just left had for many years led a life of dissipation, by which he +reduced a large fortune almost to nothing; but that having once, in +consequence of his extravagance, been obliged to sell a collection +still finer than that he now had, he had determined to gratify his +passion for _virtu_, without the risk of again ruining himself, and +therefore denied himself every thing but the bare necessaries of life; +and was, consequently, enabled to purchase rare articles at any price, +and to outbid other collectors, who had different demands on part of +their incomes. He kept no man, and but one female servant; and St. Aubyn +said, that when he had called on him a few days before, he found him in +a storm of rage with this poor servant-girl, for having dared, while he +was engaged with some company in his sitting-room, to brush out his +bed-chamber, in the door of which he had, _par miracle_, left the +key.--"And I am sure, Sir," said the girl, crying, "I never touched +nothing but that great wooden man" (meaning a layman which always stands +in Mr. Dorrington's room), "that's enough to frighten a body; and he I +only just moved, for master never won't have nothing like other people; +and I thought if he brought the gentlefolks in his bed-room, as he +sometimes will, it was a shame to see such a place, and such a dirty +table cover; so I was only just going to make it a little tidy, and I +never broke nothing at all." + +"I comforted the poor girl," said St. Aubyn, "by giving her a trifle, +and advised her by no means to provoke her master, by presuming to touch +a brush in his rooms again without order: and she promised me she would +in future be contented with cleaning her own kitchen and passages--'And +never touch nothing belonging to master's rooms, nor any of them +outlandish things, that be all full of dust, and enough to breed moths +and all manner of flies all over the house.'----And I think," said he, +laughing, "she appears to have kept her promise very exactly." + + + + +CHAP. V. + + ---- So perfumed, that + The winds were love-sick with it. + ---- She did lie + In her pavilion, cloth of gold. + + ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA. + + +Lady St. Aubyn set down the Earl in Cavendish Square, and proceeded +alone to the house of Lady Meredith in Portland Place. A carriage which +appeared to be in waiting drove from the door to make way for her's, by +which Ellen guessed Lady Meredith had company. To the inquiry whether +her Ladyship were at home, she was answered in the affirmative, and +requested to walk up stairs. Ellen was now tolerably well accustomed to +magnificent houses; but there was something in the style of this +different from any thing she had yet seen: the hall was not only warmed +by superb stoves, but bronze figures, nearly as large as life, stood in +different attitudes in every corner, and all bearing censers or urns, in +which costly aromatics perpetually burnt, diffusing around a rich but +almost overpowering perfume. As she ascended the staircase she found +every possible recess filled with baskets, vases, &c. full of the most +rare and expensive exotics, which bloomed even amidst the cold winds of +March, with nearly as much luxuriance as they would have done in their +native climes; for every part of this mansion was kept in a regular +degree of heat by flues passing through the walls and beneath the floors +communicating with fires, which were not visible: when, on the other +hand, the weather became warm, the cambric sun-blinds at every window +were kept perpetually moistened with odoriferous waters, by two black +servants, whose whole employment it was to attend to this branch of +luxury; indeed, to luxury alone the whole mansion appeared to be +dedicated. The floors were not merely covered, but carpetted with +materials, whose softness and elasticity seemed produced by a mixture of +silk and down: the sofas, ottomans, &c. were not merely stuffed, but +every one had piles of cushions appertaining to it, filled with +eider-down, and covered with the richest silks or velvets. To the +presiding goddess of this superb temple Lady St. Aubyn was presently +introduced. In her boudoir Lady Meredith sat, or rather lay, not on a +chair or sofa, but on piles of cushions, covered with the finest painted +velvet. Her majestic, though somewhat large figure, appeared to great +advantage in the studied half-dress in which she now appeared; yet there +was something in her attitude, in the disposal of her drapery, from +which the modest eye of Ellen was involuntarily averted. Her dress was +of the finest and whitest muslin that India ever produced, and clung +around her so closely as fully to display the perfect symmetry of her +form: the sleeves were full, and so short, they scarcely descended below +the shoulder, which not the slightest veil shaded from the beholder's +gaze, while the delicate arms thus exposed were decorated with rows of +what she called undress pearls: they were of an extraordinary size and +beauty, and were formed into armlets and bracelets of fanciful but +elegant fashion: two or three strings, and a large Maltese cross of the +same, were the only covering of her fair bosom, and a few were twisted +loosely amongst her dark but glossy and luxuriant hair. At her feet sat +a lovely little girl about four years old, with a low hassock before +her, on which she was displaying the contents of one of mamma's caskets +of jewels, as well amused as the great Potemkin himself could have been +by arranging his diamonds in different figures on black velvet; a +favourite entertainment of that extraordinary man. + +On one side of Lady Meredith sat a gay young officer in the uniform of +the guards, and on the other a stiff formal looking old lady in a dress +somewhat old fashioned, but more remarkable for being excessively neat +and prim: she had a sour contemptuous look, and her stays and whole +figure had the stiff appearance of a portrait of the last century. She +levelled her eye-glass at Ellen, as she followed the servant who +announced her into the room, and with an emphatic _humph!_ (not unlike +poor Mrs. Ross's) let it fall again as if perfectly satisfied with one +look, and not feeling any wish to repeat it; yet repeat it she did, +again and again, and, as if the review displeased or agitated her, her +countenance became still more and more sour. In the meantime Lady +Meredith half rose from her cushions, and holding out her hand, +languidly said:-- + +"My dear Lady St. Aubyn, how good you are to come and see me! I am +delighted I happened to be at home. Andrew," (to the servant, who, +having placed a chair, was retiring) "don't give Lady St. Aubyn that +shocking chair: bring a heap of those cushions and arrange them like +mine: do rest on them, my dear creature; you must be fatigued to death." + +"Excuse me," said Ellen, smiling with modest grace; "I am not accustomed +to such a luxurious seat, and prefer a chair." + +"Do you really? Is it possible!" exclaimed the languishing Lady, sinking +back again as if the exertion of speaking had been too much for her. +"Well, I should absolutely die in twelve hours if I might not be +indulged in this delicious mode of reposing." + +"Nonsense!" said the stiff old lady, in no very conciliating tone; "how +can you be so ridiculous: pray how do you manage when you sit six or +eight hours at pharo, or go to the Opera--you have none of those silly +things there?" + +"Oh, as to pharo, dear delightful pharo, that keeps me alive, prevents +my feeling fatigued even when my unfortunate feet cannot command so much +as a poor little footstool; and as to the Opera, I wonder your Ladyship +asks, for you know very well, my box, and the cushions belonging to it, +are stuffed with eider-down, like these," and she sunk still more +indolently on her yielding supporters. "Apropos of the Opera," added +she; "have you obtained a box there, Lady St. Aubyn?" + +"No," replied Ellen: "Lord St. Aubyn had one offered to him, but as it +is so late in the season, and our stay in town will not be long, I +begged him to decline it." + +Lady Meredith here exchanged a smile of contempt with the officer, which +seemed to say "how rustic that is!" then half yawning she said:-- + +"Oh, but indeed that was very wrong: what can a woman of fashion do +without a box at the Opera? I am sure, from all I have heard of the +former Lady St. Aubyn, for I had not the honour of knowing her, she +would not have lived a month in London without one." + +"Very likely," said the old lady, "but for all that _I_ think _this +young person_ quite in the right, and as to the late Lady St. Aubyn, I +am sure _she_ was no pattern for any body, and I wonder, Lady Meredith, +you will name her in my hearing." + +"I beg your Ladyship's pardon," replied Lady Meredith; "I forgot." + +"Well, no matter; don't say any more." + +To paint Ellen's surprize would be difficult: the odd epithet this +strange lady had applied to her, "_this young person_," the allusions to +the late countess, of whom she never heard without an indescribable sort +of emotion, and the suspicion she now entertained that her ungracious +neighbour was Lady Juliana Mordaunt, all conspired to overpower her; +and the heat of the apartment, the strong smell of perfumes from immense +China jars, with which the room was ornamented, completed it; in short, +though wholly unaccustomed to such sensations, she had nearly fainted. +The young officer, who had long been watching her interesting and lovely +countenance, saw her change colour, and said hastily:-- + +"The lady is ill." + +"What's the matter, child?" said the old lady; and rising hastily, she +untied her bonnet and the strings of her mantle, which, falling aside, +discovered enough of her figure to render her situation obvious. + +"So!" exclaimed the old lady; but whether the interjection expressed +surprize, pleasure, or what other sensation, was not easy to discover. +"Do, Colonel Lenox, exert yourself so much as to open the door and ring +for a glass of water: the air of this room is enough to kill any body." + +"Pardon me," said Ellen, the colour returning to her cheeks and lips, +"I am sorry to give so much trouble; I am much better." + +"That's well," said the old lady. By this time the water was brought; +Ellen drank some, and quite recovered, begged leave to ring for her +carriage. + +"Don't go yet, child," said the old lady; "perhaps you may be ill +again." + +"No: pray don't go yet," said Lady Meredith, who all this time had been +holding a smelling bottle to her own nose, affecting to be too much +overcome to do any thing for the relief of her visitor. "You have +frightened me enormously; stay a little to make me amends; besides, you +still tremble and look pale: are you subject to these faintings?" + +"Not in the least," said Ellen. "I believe the heat of the room overcame +me." + +"No wonder," said the old lady; "it is a perfect stove, and enough to +unstring the nerves of Hercules, especially when aided by the powerful +scent of those abominable jars." + +"Oh, my dear sweet jars," cried Lady Meredith; "now positively you shall +not abuse them; any thing else you may find what fault you please with, +but my sweet jars I cannot give up:--have you ever read Anna Seward's +poetical recipe to make one?" + +"Not I," replied her friend in an angry tone, "nor ever desire it; all +the poetry in the world should never induce me to fill my rooms with +such nonsense." + +During this conversation, the little girl, who had tired herself with +looking at the jewels and trinkets, rose from her cushion, and said:-- + +"Pretty mamma, dress pretty Miranda in these," holding up some fine +emeralds. + +"No indeed, child: go to Colonel Lenox, and ask him to adorn you; I +cannot take so much trouble." + +"No, Miranda won't; Miranda go to pretty, sweet, beautiful lady;" and +she went to Ellen, who, admiring the lovely little creature, kissed her, +and indulged her by putting the shining ornaments round her little fair +neck and arms, and twisting some in the ringlets of her glossy hair. + +"Now I beautiful," said the child, looking at herself. "Is not Miranda +pretty now, mamma?" + +"Yes, my love, beautiful as an angel: come and kiss me, my darling." + +The child, climbing up the load of cushions, laid her sweet little face +close to her mother's and kissed her. + +"Is not she a beauty and a love?" said the injudicious mother to the +Colonel, clasping the little creature to her bosom, with an air more +theatrical than tender. He whispered something, in return to which she +replied with affected indignation, "Oh, you flattering wretch, _that_ +she is, and a thousand times handsomer; but she will never know what[B] +her mother was, for before she is old enough to distinguish, I shall +either be dead or hideous, and then she will hate me." She heaved a deep +sigh, and looked distressed at the idea, which the child perceiving, +fondly twined her little arms round her mother's neck, and answered:-- + +"No, dear mamma, Miranda always love you, you so beautiful." + + [B] It is said that the once lovely Lady C----, when on her + death-bed, lamented to a friend sitting by her, that her + little boy, then in the room, _would never know what a + beautiful creature his mother was_. "She feels the + ruling passion strong in death!" + +"See," said the old lady, "the effect of your lessons; you teach her to +love nothing but beauty, and if you were to lose your good looks, she +would of course cease to care any thing about you." + +"Yes, that is exactly what I dread." + +"Then why do you not endeavour to prevent it, by giving her more +reasonable notions? If she is led to suppose beauty and fine dress the +only claims to affection, if she is never taught that virtue and an +affectionate heart can alone ensure unfading esteem, she will grow up a +mere frivolous automaton, and probably throw herself away on the first +coxcomb with a handsome face and red coat she meets with." + +The Colonel coloured, laughed, and bowed. + +"Nay," said the old lady, "if you choose to apply the character to +yourself, with all my heart, settle it as you please; but, I suppose, +all red coats are not mere coxcombs." + +Lady Meredith and the Colonel laughed, but did not appear entirely +pleased even with this half apology. + +"Well, but," said Lady Meredith, "what, Ma'am, would you have me do with +Miranda? Can I prevent the child from observing that beauty is +universally admired?" + +"That," said Colonel Lenox, with a bow, "would indeed be impossible +while with _you_." + +The old lady shrugged up her shoulders, with a sour contemptuous frown, +and said:--"Then put her into a better school." + +"A school!" replied Lady Meredith, half screaming; "what, would you have +me send the dear creature from me? No, my only darling, thou shalt never +leave me." + +"Pshaw!" exclaimed the old lady, with even encreasing sourness; "well, +if fashion absolutely demands this _extraordinary_ degree of tenderness, +for very good mothers _have_ sent their children to school before now, +at least, do get the child a rational and sensible governess, and let +her employ herself in something better than admiring your jewels, or +even your beauty, all the morning.--Ah! I wish," said she, turning +abruptly to Ellen, "I wish she had such an instructress as _your Miss +Cecil_." + +Ellen's surprise at this sudden address from one with whom not even the +ceremony of introduction had passed, yet who seemed to know her and all +her concerns so well, almost deprived her of the power to reply; she +rallied her spirits, however, and said, that any mother might think half +her fortune well bestowed, could it purchase such a preceptress: "But," +added she, "such excellent qualities as Miss Cecil possesses, are rarely +to be met with in any rank of life: my experience of character has, +indeed, been very limited, but Lord St. Aubyn says, for elegance of +manners, sweetness of temper, and strength of mind, her equal will +hardly ever be found." + +The blended modesty and spirit with which she spoke appeared to please +the old lady, who, with an approving nod, again took up her eye-glass, +and viewed Lady St. Aubyn from head to foot, though she saw that the +steadfast gaze embarrassed and covered her with blushes. + +Lady Meredith said something to the old lady in so low a tone, that the +word "introduce" was alone audible, to which she replied with some +tartness: "No, I can introduce myself." + +Ellen now once more rose to depart, and Lady Meredith detained her +another minute, to mention a large party she intended having in about +three weeks, for which she said she should send Lady St. Aubyn a ticket; +and requested her to tell St. Aubyn he might come also, "For I hear," +she said, "you always are seen together." + +"So much the better," muttered the old lady, who seemed, however, to be +speaking aside, so no one took any notice of her. She rose when Ellen +left the room, and returned her graceful courtesy with a not ungracious +bend, and bade her good morning with an air more conciliating than she +had shewn on her entrance. + +On relating the particulars of this visit to her Lord, Lady St. Aubyn +found there was no doubt the old lady she had seen was Lady Juliana +Mordaunt: he made her repeat the conversation that had passed, and when +she told him that the old lady had made use of the disrespectful term, +"_this young person_," in speaking of her, he coloured excessively, and +execrating his aunt's pride and impertinence, told his wife she ought to +have quitted the room immediately. He smiled when Ellen mentioned Lady +Juliana's attention and kindness on her fainting, and said, "That is so +like her: her warm heart thaws the ice of her manners when she sees any +one ill or distrest." + +When Ellen repeated the mention which had been made in the course of +conversation of the late Lady St. Aubyn, he changed colour, and said, +"Well, Ellen, were you not surprized? You did not, I believe, know--you +never heard I had been married before." + +"Pardon me, my Lord, I was previously acquainted with that +circumstance." + +"You knew it!--from whom? Where did you hear it?" + +"From Miss Cecil, from Miss Alton, accidentally." + +"And were they not astonished you had not heard it before?" + +"I had heard it before from Mrs. Bayfield, the day after we went to +Castle St. Aubyn." + +"From Mrs. Bayfield--she told you of it?--She told you--What, Ellen, did +she tell you more?" + +"Nothing, my Lord, but that your lady was young and beautiful, and died +abroad." + +"And why did you never mention the subject before? Why this reserve, my +love?" + +"Because I thought as you never told me of it yourself, you would rather +the subject were not mentioned." + +"Dear creature!" said St. Aubyn, sighing. "I have always had reason to +admire the excellence of your judgment and the delicacy of your +sentiments. Believe me, Ellen, I withhold from you only those things +which I think will give you pain to know. Our acquaintance commenced +under such singular circumstances, that I had hardly opportunity to tell +you this before we were married, and in fact, that name, that +recollection is so hateful to me, is connected with so many painful +ideas, that I cannot bear to recall, to dwell upon it! Why that tear, my +love--are you dissatisfied with me?" + +"No, dearest St. Aubyn: whatever you do, appears to me wisest and best +to be done--but I was pitying--I was thinking----" + +"Whom were you pitying?--Of what was my Ellen thinking?" + +"Pitying a woman, who, having once possessed your love, lost it so +entirely, as to render her very name unpleasant to you. Thinking--ah, +heaven!--thinking--should such ever be _my_ lot!" + +She paused, struggling with a sudden gush of tears, and sobs which +almost choaked her. + +"Impossible, impossible!" exclaimed St. Aubyn, clasping her to his +bosom: "you will never deserve it, never bring disgrace and dishonour on +my name, and blast with misery the most acute, the best years of my +life!--Agitate not yourself, my best love, with these frightful ideas. +Ah, had the hapless Rosolia been like thee!--but oh! how different were +her thoughts and actions!----No more of this, compose yourself, my love, +and tell me what more passed with this strange proud woman." + +After a few moments, Ellen recovered enough to repeat the remainder of +the conversation, with the result of which he appeared very well +pleased, and prophesied from the latter part of it they should soon be +on good terms with Lady Juliana Mordaunt, an event for which he appeared +so anxious, that Ellen could not fail to wish it also; and, indeed, that +lady's good sense and just sentiments had made a very favourable +impression on her mind, though her manners were so sour and repulsive. + +This day Miss Cecil dined with her amiable friends, as they had no other +company; indeed, except by a few gentlemen, their dinner hour had +generally passed uninterrupted, Ellen not being yet sufficiently +acquainted with any ladies to mix with them in dinner parties. The +report of St. Aubyn's male friends had, however, been so favourable +towards her, as to incline Lady Meredith to wish a more intimate +acquaintance, and to attract so much youth, beauty, and grace to her +evening parties, while Lady Juliana was pleased to hear that she +possessed qualities in her eyes far superior, namely, modesty, talents, +and a demeanor towards her husband equally delicate and affectionate. + +After dinner, St. Aubyn having some engagement, left the fair friends +alone, and they enjoyed a long and confidential conversation. + +From Laura, Lady St. Aubyn learnt that Lady Juliana was well known to +her, and that in spite of her austere and forbidden manners, and the +pleasure she undoubtedly took in contradicting almost every thing she +heard, she was yet a woman of good sense, and would most certainly, +could her esteem be once engaged, prove to Ellen a steady and valuable +friend: "Especially," added Laura, "should any thing happen to Lord St. +Aubyn, for she is his only near relation to whom he could confide the +future interests, either of his wife or child; and young and beautiful +as you are, my dear Ellen, no doubt St. Aubyn thinks such an additional +support would be highly desirable for you." Seeing she was deeply +affected, for Ellen now believed she could discern the cause of St. +Aubyn's anxiety for her being on good terms with his aunt, and connected +it with the painful circumstances he had told her were hanging over him, +Laura now added, with a pensive smile, "Nay, my dear friend, do not be +distressed. I have of late thought so much of mortality, I was not +sensible how much you would be pained by the suggestion; but certainly, +St. Aubyn will not leave you a moment the sooner for my hinting the +possibility of such an event." + +Ellen endeavoured to shake off the painful ideas which forced themselves +upon her, and asked Miss Cecil if she had known much of the former +Countess. "Not very much," said Laura: "she was very handsome, but the +character of her beauty was so different from yours, that I have often +wondered how St. Aubyn came to _choose_ two so different; though, +indeed, I believe I should hardly say choose, for Lady Rosolia de +Montfort was not so much his choice as that of his relations--at least, +I believe he would never have thought of her as a wife if they had not." + +"Who was she? Do tell me a little about her: I am quite a stranger to +all particulars." + +"I know little more than I have told you, except that she was the only +daughter of the late Earl de Montfort, a distant relation of Lord St. +Aubyn's. Lord de Montfort, during the life of his elder brother, went to +Spain in a diplomatic situation, and there married the daughter of the +Duke de Castel Nuovo: this marriage with an English protestant, was, for +a long time, opposed by the lady's relations: but, at length, moved by +fear and compassion for her, whose attachment threw her into a lingering +disease, which threatened her existence, they consented on one +condition, namely, that the sons of the marriage should be educated +Roman Catholics, and on the death of their father, be placed with their +maternal grandfather, while they permitted the daughters to be brought +up in the Protestant religion, hoping, perhaps, that the influence of a +mother over females might ultimately bring them also over to her faith: +but the Countess died young: one son and one daughter were her only +children, the boy some years younger than his sister: they both remained +with their father (who soon after his marriage became Earl de Montfort), +sometimes in Spain, sometimes in England, till the marriage of Lady +Rosolia with Lord St. Aubyn, though she was frequently his mother's +guest, both in London and at St. Aubyn Castle, where the young Edmund +also often spent some time: he was a very fine and amiable boy, and +excessively attached to his sister. + +When Lord de Montfort died, the son was claimed by his maternal +grandfather, and Lord and Lady St. Aubyn went to Spain with him, where +she died: report spoke unfavourably of her conduct during her abode on +the Continent; indeed, in England, the gaiety of her manners, especially +after the death of Lord St. Aubyn's mother, approached more nearly to +the habits of foreign ladies than those of England. It was said, that +while abroad, Lord St. Aubyn was involved in many unpleasant +circumstances by her behaviour: certain it is, that on his return, he +appeared overwhelmed with melancholy, which was the more extraordinary, +as it was well known they had not lived on very affectionate terms even +before they had quitted this country." + +"And what became of her brother: where is the young Lord de Montfort?" +asked Ellen. "He has remained ever since in Spain," replied Laura; "but +as he will very soon be of age, he must then, I suppose, return to +England to take possession of his estates, of which Lord St. Aubyn is +the guardian." + +"Oh," thought Ellen, "is it to his return St. Aubyn looks with so much +apprehension and dismay? What! O! what is the strange mystery in which +this story seems to be involved?" + + + + +CHAP. VI. + + "Within 'twas brilliant all, and light, + A thronging scene of figures bright: + It glowed on Ellen's dazzled sight, + As when the setting sun has given + Ten thousand hues to summer's even; + And from their tissue fancy frames, + Ærial knights and fairy dames." + + LADY OF THE LAKE. + + +The next morning, Ellen, who felt a little fatigued from the various +circumstances of the day before, some of which had considerably agitated +her spirits, declined going out; and after breakfast retired to her own +dressing-room; Laura, at the same time, going to her's, having letters +to write to her father and some other friends. + +Lady St. Aubyn was soon surrounded by her favourite books, some maps, a +drawing she was finishing, and all those resources with which she now +knew so well how to fill up her time. In one corner stood an elegant +harp, on which Ellen had been taking lessons, and had made a +considerable proficiency; in another sat her faithful Jane busy at her +needle, at which she was very expert; and Ellen detesting to see any one +idle, kept her generally employed either in fine work, or making linen +for the poor, to seek out, and relieve whom, was one branch of Jane's +business. A simple, though graceful taste, regulated the ornaments and +furniture of this favourite retirement; no velvet cushions, no +overwhelming perfumes, were met with here; all was elegant, but all was +modest, and generally useful: a small bookcase, a porte-feuille, a +netting box, shewed that its inhabitant loved to be employed. + +By a cheerful fire this fair inhabitant was now seated: the modesty of +her demeanor, the delicacy of her dress, were such as suited one, who, +though young, and even girlish, was a wife, and likely to be a mother; +the toût-ensemble, in short, was a perfect contrast to the figure, +dress, and apartment of the luxurious Lady Meredith. A complete silence +prevailed (for Jane had learned when her lady chose, which as now was +sometimes the case, to have her in her apartment, to be quiet), and had +lasted at least half an hour, when a step was heard in the anti-room; +and a footman knocking at the door, Jane opened it, and the servant +requested her to tell her lady that----A voice behind interrupted him, +by saying, "You need not trouble yourself, Sir; I know my way, and shall +announce myself." Ellen rose, and looked surprised, for visitors were +never shewn to this room: still more was she amazed when she saw the +sharp countenance and stiff figure of the old lady she now supposed to +be Lady Juliana Mordaunt, who, pushing by the man, gave him one of her +express nods, and said, "You may go, Sir."--She then advanced, and +seeing Jane, who rose and stared at this extraordinary visitant, she +said, with another nod to Ellen, "So, you make your maid work at her +needle: I am glad of it; but send her away now, for I want to talk to +you." Ellen seeing that Jane hesitated to leave her with this stranger, +whom the poor girl began to believe was deranged, told her to go to her +own room, and she, gathering up her work, very readily obeyed; though +she went to the housekeeper and told her she thought they had better +both go and stay in the anti-room, for she really believed a mad-woman +was gone into her Lady's dressing-room. "Nonsense!" said the +housekeeper: "I saw the lady go up: it is my Lord's aunt, Lady Juliana." +This intelligence quieted Jane, who really was under some fears for +Ellen, to whom she was become tenderly attached. + +In the meantime, Lady Juliana seeing that Ellen continued standing, +said--"Sit down, child, and don't be frightened." Ellen gladly obeyed, +for she could not help feeling a little agitated by Lady Juliana's +strange mode of visiting. + +The old lady looked round the room, and after a moment's pause, +said--"Why, you are an unfashionable young woman, I see; work, books, +maps, and the furniture remaining nearly as it was seven years ago! +What, has nobody told you, child, the whole house ought to be new +furnished?" + +"Indeed, Ma'am, if they had, I should have paid no attention to them," +said Ellen. "I must, indeed, be a strange ungrateful creature, if the +magnificent furniture of this house was not more than equal to my +wishes." + +"So much the better, I am glad of it," returned Lady Juliana.--"Do you +know me?" she added, turning in her usual abrupt manner to Ellen. + +"I believe--I think I can guess." + +"Oh, I suppose you told St. Aubyn you had met with a cross, +disagreeable old woman at Lady Meredith's, and he told you it must have +been his aunt, Lady Juliana Mordaunt." + +"Indeed, Madam," said Ellen, blushing a little at a statement so near +the truth. + +"Nay, don't tell lies, child," bluntly replied the old lady. "I hate +flattery; besides, your countenance won't let you. I know what I am, +which is more than every body can say. And do you generally spend your +mornings in this manner?" + +"Generally, unless my Lord wishes me to go any where with him." + +"And what do you do in the evening?" + +"Lord St. Aubyn, Miss Cecil, and myself, sit together: we net or work, +while he reads to us, unless Miss Cecil is sufficiently in spirits to +give us some music." + +"And have you no idea, child, how ridiculous the fashionable people +think all this?" + +"I am sorry for it." + +"But will you persist in the same plan?" Ellen smiled. + +"And do you mean to go on in this way all the time you are in town?" + +"Not exactly perhaps. I am to see a little more of the public places; +but my Lord wished me to wait till----" + +"Till what? You may as well tell me, for I see you have an old-fashioned +way of speaking your thoughts." + +"It is true, your Ladyship sees in me one so little accustomed to the +habits of the great world, that I have not yet learned to dissemble: +will you permit me to say, and not be displeased, that Lord St. Aubyn +anxiously wished to procure a chaperon, whose sanction should be +unexceptionable--in short, Lady Juliana Mordaunt." + +"I believe you are a little flatterer after all," said Lady Juliana, +relaxing into a smile. "With all your talk of sincerity, I hardly +believe St. Aubyn thought of me at all; and how, if he did, he could +fancy I should ever get the better of the shock he gave my pride, call +it prejudice if you will, by marrying _you_--for I love plain-dealing, +child. I don't know but it is all over now--I like you; and if you will +continue as modest and unaffected as you are now, keep your neck and +arms covered, and bring your Lord an heir, that these de Montforts may +not succeed to his title, I will love you, and do all I can to assist +and support you." + +Seeing that Ellen blushed at the last hint, she added,--"Nay, you need +not blush, though I like to see you can: for I promise you, it was +observing the probability of such an event that did more to reconcile me +to you than all your beauty and merit could have done; so take care of +yourself, and don't disappoint me; and now, my dear, kiss me, and call +me _aunt_ whenever you please." + +Ellen modestly and gracefully bent to receive the old Lady's embrace, +and at that instant St. Aubyn opened the dressing-room door, and found +the two people he loved best in the world in each other's arms, with +tears of tenderness on the cheeks of both. + +"What do I see!" he exclaimed.--"Is it possible!" + +"Yes," said Lady Juliana, "it is very possible you see a foolish old +woman, who loves you too well not to love one so dear to you, and so +worthy of being loved." + +St. Aubyn respectfully and affectionately kissed the hand she gave him, +and clasping Ellen in his arms, exclaimed, "My dearest Ellen, how happy +has all this made me!" + +"Come, don't hurry her spirits with your raptures," said Lady Juliana. +"She is a good girl, and we shall be very happy together, I dare say. +But I find, Sir, you have been waiting for me, of all people, to +chaperon your Lady about to all the fine places: I have had enough of +them, and at my time of life I do not know any business I have at +operas, balls, and plays: however, to oblige you and _my niece_, I will +go wherever you wish me. I do not think she is one who will tire me to +death: I shall dine with you to-day, and if you choose to let one of +your people go to Drury-lane, and inquire if there are places, we may +hear the oratorio to-night." + +Charmed with this speech, for St. Aubyn knew his aunt well enough to be +sure if she had not been thoroughly pleased with Ellen, she would +neither have called her niece, nor have staid to dine with them, he most +readily accepted the kind offer. + +They dined rather earlier than usual, that they might be in time for the +opening of the oratorio, which Ellen was anxious to hear. Laura Cecil, +in compliment to Lady Juliana, dined with them, and was quite delighted +to see the affection, and even respect, with which she treated Lady St. +Aubyn: for Lady Juliana was not a person to do things by halves; and +having once conquered her own prejudices, was determined to give her +niece all the consequence in her power with every other person, and +would have been extremely angry with any one, who had dared to treat her +with half the contempt she herself had done the day before. Once a +friend, she was a friend for life, unless the object of her affections +proved really undeserving, and then she hated with as much warmth as she +had loved. + +Miss Cecil could not be persuaded to go with them to the theatre; and +indeed Ellen was afterwards glad of it, for many of the songs were those +which the sainted Juliet used to sing with so much sweetness and +expression: and exquisitely as they were now performed, yet Ellen still +felt something wanting. The soul that used to animate the eyes of +Juliet, while she sung, was not there. The lips that had breathed those +sacred strains, were so pure, so hallowed, that all the wonders of voice +and science, now lavished for her entertainment, could not compensate to +Ellen's mind for the pang she felt in recollecting that those eyes, +those lips, were closed for ever. + + "Mute was the music of her tuneful breath, + And quenched the radiance of her sparkling eyes." + +After this evening, Ellen's engagements became more frequent; but she +was never seen in public, except with Lady Juliana, and seldom without +her Lord. In vain did fashion dictate, or ridicule assail: the sly +glance, the pointed sarcasm, alike were vain: she knew herself safe, her +reputation secure, with protectors so respectable; yet there was nothing +obtrusive or formal in St. Aubyn's attention to his lovely wife: he was +neither inseparable from her side, or incapable of attention to any +other lady, or expecting Ellen never to speak to any other gentleman. +But it was obvious, without being intrusive, that each was the first +object of the other, and that their mutual honour and happiness were the +most interesting care of both. + +Hence no bold and disgusting flattery assailed the ears of Ellen; no +forward flirting woman dared dispute with her the heart of St. Aubyn; so +pure, so spotless was her character, that, raised as she had suddenly +been to a rank which might easily excite the envy of those who thought +they had a better claim to it, not even the bold license of the age we +live in had dared to breathe one syllable against her. + +Thus passed the time till the latter end of April, which was the period +fixed for Lady Meredith's famous fête, about which all the great world +was going mad. The persons who were invited were expected to wear +masquerade dresses, and the house appeared in masquerade, as well as +the company. The whole had been new furnished in a fanciful style, and +at an enormous expence, for this one evening; and her Ladyship's own +dress was literally covered with jewels: she wore the habits and +ornaments of an eastern beauty, and her attire was exactly copied from +that Lady M. W. Montague describes for the fair Fatima, only, if +possible, still more rich and splendid; and, if possible, still more +calculated to display as well as to adorn the figure. No words can do +justice to the magnificence and splendour of the whole entertainment: +the Bow-street officers at the door, and Mr. G---- and his men serving +ices and other refreshments in a room fitted up to represent a casino at +Naples, with a panorama view of its beautiful bay, &c. gave it all the +characteristics of a modern fête; and the number of gay dresses, shining +decorations, lights, and music, made the whole appear to Ellen more like +a palace in a fairy tale than any thing "which the earth owns." She +wore a black domino, but with a very fine set of diamonds, which Lady +Juliana had given her the night before: amongst them was a sort of +coronet, or chaplet, set to represent sprigs of jessamine and small vine +leaves, in commemoration of that which St. Aubyn had woven of those +simple materials the day he discovered to her his real rank; for Lady +Juliana had heard the whole story, and was much pleased with that little +incident. + +Their party consisted of Lord and Lady St. Aubyn, Lady Juliana, and Sir +Edward Leicester, a particular friend of St. Aubyn's, a very amiable +young man, who appeared much charmed with Laura Cecil, and paid her +great attention, whenever he had an opportunity of being with her. They +spent a very agreeable evening: it concluded with a splendid supper, at +which all the company appeared unmasked, and the super-eminence of Lady +St. Aubyn's beauty was allowed by all. + +A few nights after this, Lord and Lady St. Aubyn, Lady Juliana, Lady +Meredith, and her favourite beau, Colonel Lenox, went to the Opera: the +entertainment for the evening happened to be the beautiful opera of +Artaserse. Ellen, lost in delight at the superb stage decorations, the +exquisite beauty of the music, and the interest of the story, which, by +the help of the action, and having read it in English, she understood +very well, was scarcely sensible of any thing around her, till the scene +in which Arbace is accused of the murder of the king. Turning then to +speak to St. Aubyn, who sat behind her, she saw him pale, agitated, and +trembling: "What is the matter?" asked she, in a voice of alarm; but +pressing his hand on her arm, he said, in a low voice, "Be silent--do +not notice me." + +At that moment the voice of the singer, who performed Arbace, in the +most pathetic tone, breathed out, "Sono Innocente," to which Artaserse +replies: + + Ma l'apparenza O Arbace + T'accusa ti condanna! + +A stifled sigh, almost amounting to a groan, from St. Aubyn, met the ear +of Ellen. Recovering himself a little, he whispered--"Remember, Ellen, +_and I too am innocent_!" + +In spite of the precaution with which he spoke, Lady Meredith turned, +and asked him if he were unwell. + +"I have a violent head-ache," he replied, forcing himself to appear more +composed. + +"You look pale, indeed, my Lord," returned Lady Meredith: "and Lady St. +Aubyn seems quite overcome with this pathetic scene." + +She spoke of the opera, but a crimson flush spread over St. Aubyn's +face, and complaining of the intolerable heat, he rose, and went out of +the box. + +"Bless me!" said Lady Juliana: "what is the matter?" + +"Only Lord St. Aubyn complains of the head-ache," said Lady Meredith. + +"Oh, I know what it is," answered Lady Juliana: "my nephew hates to be +disturbed when he is attending to music; and I suppose you, Lady +Meredith, have been talking to him, as you always do at the Opera." + +Lady Meredith only laughed; and St. Aubyn returning soon after, nothing +more passed. When the opera was over, and St. Aubyn and Ellen were alone +in the carriage, he still appeared so restless and agitated, that Ellen +could not resist addressing to him a few words, indicative of curiosity, +if not of alarm. For a time he evaded her tender inquiries; but, at +length, grasping her hands with an action expressive of the utmost +emotion, he again repeated his former words: "Remember, Ellen, oh, +remember that I too am innocent!" + +"I know it, I am sure of it," she returned: "but why thus confide by +halves? Why torture yourself and me by these mysterious hints?" + +"Ah, why indeed!" said he: "I ought to have more command of myself: but +that scene--that fatal instrument of a horrid deed!--Appearances how +false, yet how convincing!" + +"To me," she replied, "appearances are not and never shall be any thing, +when opposed to your single assertion, to my confidence in your +integrity." + +"A thousand thousand thanks," he replied, "for the sweet assurance! +Soon, too soon, perhaps, you will be tried!" + +"Demanding so much reliance, so much implicit _confidence_ from his +wife, under such _mysterious_ conduct, was St. Aubyn willing, if called +upon, to grant an equal share to her?" + + + + +CHAP. VII. + + Think'st thou I'll make a life of jealousy, + To follow still the changes of the moon + With fresh surmises?--No; to be once in doubt + Is to be resolv'd---- + I'll see before I doubt; what I doubt prove. + + OTHELLO. + + +After the scene at the Opera, which effectually destroyed her pleasure +there, Lady St. Aubyn felt for some days not at all disposed to enter +into the gay parties which were offered for her amusement: a gloom hung +over her, and she had a weight on her spirits, which in some degree +affected her health. Some one says, "A belief in _presentiment_ is the +favourite superstition of feeling minds;" and Ellen was certainly not +entirely free from it. Lady Juliana and Miss Cecil perceived the effect +without knowing the cause; and supposing it to be merely a temporary +indisposition, persuaded her to remain quietly at home for a day or two; +but finding the nervous sort of depression under which she laboured was +encreased by indulgence, they imagined a moderate share of amusement +might remove it; and prevailed on her to take places at Covent-Garden, +to see Mrs. Jordan in a favourite comedy. + +Laura did not yet shew herself in public; Ellen therefore went to the +play with only St. Aubyn and Lady Juliana. They were joined there by two +or three gentlemen, and amongst them Sir Edward Leicester, who, between +the acts, made so many inquiries for Miss Cecil, and spoke so highly of +Lady St. Aubyn's "charming friend," as convinced her he took a deep +interest in all that concerned Laura. This gave real pleasure to Ellen, +who thought so well of Sir Edward, as to wish he might succeed in +rendering the prepossession mutual. They were all extremely well pleased +with the play. Who, indeed, that ever saw Mrs. Jordan act was +otherwise? And Lady Juliana was rejoiced to see Ellen quite as cheerful +as usual. They did not choose to stay the farce, and finding at the end +of the play the carriage was in waiting, left the box. Lady Juliana +being rather timid, and not very alert in getting into a carriage, St. +Aubyn gave her his arm, and requested Sir Edward would take care of Lady +St. Aubyn. + +As they were crossing the lobby, a gentleman accidentally trod on +Ellen's train, and entangled it in his spur, by which she was detained +half a minute before it could be disengaged. He begged her pardon, and +passed on. St. Aubyn and his aunt not perceiving the circumstance, had +advanced some steps before the Countess and Sir Edward. At that moment +two or three young men pushed rather rudely by them; and Sir Edward +extending his hand, said, "Take care, gentlemen, you incommode the +lady." + +One of them turned round, and looking in Ellen's face, exclaimed: + +"By heaven 'tis she! 'tis Ellen Powis!" + +Lady St. Aubyn starting at the name, cast her eyes upon him, and +instantly recognized Charles Ross: but before she could speak to him, as +she was preparing to do in a friendly manner, he stamped violently, and +with a countenance where the utmost rage was expressed, and a dreadful +oath, exclaimed: + +"Is this the villain that has undone thee?--But where, then, is that +accursed Mordaunt? Ah, Ellen! abandoned, miserable girl, art thou, then, +so lost already?" + +Pale, gasping for breath at this shocking language, Ellen clung more +closely to the arm of Sir Edward, and faintly articulated, "For God's +sake let me pass!" + +"What do you mean, Sir?" said Sir Edward, fiercely: "Are you +intoxicated, or mad? How dare you insult this lady!" + +"And how dare you, Sir," answered Charles, approaching in a menacing +attitude, "after seducing her from her friends, and from those who loved +her, to look me in the face?" + +"Madman!" replied Sir Edward, pushing him aside with one hand, while +with the other he supported the now almost fainting Ellen. "Gentlemen, I +request you will secure him till I place this lady in her carriage, and +then I am ready to give him any explanation he may wish for." + +Some of the gentlemen, who by this time surrounded them, knowing +Charles, said to him: "Come away, Ross; you are very wrong: at any rate, +this quarrel shall go no farther." + +At this moment St. Aubyn, having placed his aunt in the carriage, +wondering at Ellen's delay, returned to seek her; and astonished at +what he beheld, exclaimed: + +"For heaven's sake, what is the matter? My love, what makes you look so +pale? Has any one dared to insult you?" + +"Oh! you are there, Sir, are you," said Charles: "I know you: I saw you +once, and then foretold what has happened: you are the man who must give +me satisfaction." + +"Pshaw! he is mad, quite mad," cried Sir Edward; "pay no attention to +him; he knows not what he talks of." + +The by-standers began to be of the same opinion; and, indeed, his +rageful countenance, and the violence of his gesticulations, with the +apparent inconsistency of his words, rendered the idea extremely +probable; they therefore forcibly held him, and said: "Pass on, +gentlemen, and take care of the lady: we will prevent him from following +you;" while Ross's friends, supposing either that the wine they knew he +had drank had affected him, or that some sudden frenzy had seized him, +were amongst the foremost to secure him, especially as a gentleman who +now came up said the gentleman and lady were the Earl and Countess of +St. Aubyn: but Charles was too outrageous to hear that or any thing +else, and called after them aloud, stamping with fury, and swearing +terribly: + +"Mean, detestable cowards, come back. I am not mad. Give up that +wretched girl: let me take her to her father--to mine, who loved her. +Mordaunt, vile, hateful Mordaunt! to you I call--Come back, I say!" + +St. Aubyn turned, and but that Ellen hung half-fainting on him, he would +have obeyed the summons; for he knew that name was addressed to him, and +easily guessed who the supposed madman was, and how the mistake which +caused his insults might have arisen; but Sir Edward said, "You shall +not go back, St. Aubyn, he is mad; or if not, it belongs to me to +chastise him." + +"Is it not Charles Ross?" said St. Aubyn to Ellen. + +"Yes," she faintly replied; "but do not go back; he is certainly out of +his senses." + +By this time they had reached the carriage, and putting her into it, he +shut the door; and saying, "Wait a moment, be not alarmed, I must speak +to him," he ran back again, Sir Edward following. + +Ross having, as soon as they were out of sight, disengaged himself from +the by-standers, was hastening with frantic violence to overtake them: +when he saw the two gentlemen, he advanced and said: + +"You have thought proper, then, to come back; but what have you done +with that unfortunate girl?" + +"For the sake of your father, Mr. Ross," said St. Aubyn, "for now I +know you, I will be patient and tell you." + +"What can you tell me more than I already know?" cried Ross, +interrupting him with angry vehemence. "Can you deny that you have +seduced her whom I loved better than my own soul? Did you not bring her +with you to London? I know it all, Sir: the woman where you lodged found +you out. She saw how you had deceived my gentle, innocent Ellen." + +"What words are these!" exclaimed St. Aubyn, haughtily. "Whence arises +so vile an error?" + +"Villain!" exclaimed Charles, with wild impetuosity, "deny not your +crimes, but give me the satisfaction of a gentleman." + +"You do not act like one," said St. Aubyn: "but here is my card; I am +always to be found, and will give you whatever satisfaction you may +require." + +He threw a card with his address to Charles, who hastily gave St. Aubyn +one of his. + +"It shall not be," said Sir Edward. "I was the first insulted: this +affair is mine." + +"Settle it as you please," said Charles: "come one or both, I am ready." + +"Very well," said St. Aubyn; "to-morrow we shall be at your service. +Come, Sir Edward; Ellen will be terrified to death." They hastened on; +and Ross rudely pushing aside those around him, left the theatre. + +St. Aubyn and Sir Edward now went as quickly as possible, where they +found the Countess, half-fainting, in the arms of Lady Juliana. + +"For God's sake," said the latter, as they opened the door, "what is the +matter? What have you been doing? Could you find no time or place to +quarrel in but in the presence of this poor girl?" + +"For heaven's sake, Madam," said St. Aubyn, after having ordered the +servants to drive on, "do not talk in that manner. Am I so regardless +of this dear creature's comfort, or so prone to quarrel, that I should +seek it at such a time as this?" + +He then made Ellen lean on him, and soothed her with the most +affectionate and tender expressions. + +"Oh," said she, reviving; "is he gone? Dear St. Aubyn, tell me, are you +safe, has he hurt you?" + +"No--no, my love; be composed, all is over; he is gone away satisfied." + +"Satisfied!" replied she; "what could he mean? Do you think he is mad, +or is it the effect of wine, or some mistake?" + +"I know not," said St. Aubyn, hastily; "but be at rest--he is gone--we +shall hear no more of him." + +"Oh, are you sure--are you quite sure? Dear Lady Juliana, tell me: may I +depend upon it? You said something about a duel." + +"I talked like a fool, then, if I did," replied Lady Juliana; "but I do +not remember any thing of it." + +"A duel--ridiculous!" said St. Aubyn, pretending to laugh. "I assure +you, Ellen, all is over; pray be composed; there is nothing to fear." + +Lady Juliana knew better, but terrified for Ellen, she affected to +believe what St. Aubyn said, and between them, they contrived completely +to deceive the Countess, who, ignorant of the usages of the world, and +not knowing all that had passed, was easily misled. She composed her +mind, therefore, in the hope that all was well, though she still +trembled, and was so much fluttered, that Lady Juliana, after going home +with her, waited till she had seen her in bed; and desiring she might be +kept perfectly quiet, she returned to the drawing-room, and endeavoured +to learn from St. Aubyn and Leicester what had happened, and what was +likely to be the result: but she vainly chid or interrogated either: +both persisted in the story that Ross had apologized, and all was over. + +Rather better satisfied, though not fully convinced, Lady Juliana soon +after left them, determined however to keep a little watch upon the +actions of her nephew, with whose temper she was too well acquainted to +suppose such a business would be passed over without farther notice. + +St. Aubyn gave Ellen such assurances that nothing more would arise from +this affair, that, tired out with the agitation she had undergone, she +soon fell into a profound sleep, and awakened in the morning perfectly +refreshed and composed. At St. Aubyn's request, however, she remained +later than usual in bed. Laura Cecil sat by her side, and gave her her +breakfast, after which she appeared so entirely well, that no objection +was made to her rising. + +In the meantime St. Aubyn had received, at his breakfast-table, the +following note:-- + + My Lord, + + I find by the card you gave me last night, that the name of + _Mordaunt_ was only assumed to conceal the blackest designs and + most detestable perfidy. + + If you do not mean to plead your privilege, I demand a meeting + with you on Wimbolton Common to-morrow morning at seven + o'clock, when I hope to wash out my wrongs, and those of the + injured Ellen, in the blood of a villain. + + I shall bring pistols and a friend. + + CHARLES ROSS. + + _Eight o'Clock, Wednesday morning._ + +To this St. Aubyn returned the following answer:-- + + Sir, + + I shall be at the place appointed at the time you mention. Sir + Edward Leicester will be with me. + + ST. AUBYN. + +After dispatching this laconic reply, the Earl went to Ellen's +dressing-room. Laura had just left her; Jane only was with her: at the +moment he entered, Ellen was reading a note, which, when she saw him, +she hastily folded together, and put within the bosom of her morning +dress: she seemed a little agitated, and the tears stood in her eyes, +but hastening to meet him, she said:-- + +"My dear St. Aubyn, they told me you were gone out." + +"No, my love," said St. Aubyn, a little surprized at the hasty manner in +which she spoke; "but I am going out soon." + +"Shall you take the barouche or the chariot?" + +"Neither; I shall walk to Sir Edward Leicester's: but why; are _you_ +going out?" + +"Yes--by and bye; I think a little air will do me good." + +"Had you not better keep quiet? You know my aunt particularly requested +you would do so; she will be here soon: do not go till you have seen +her, nor then unless she advises it." + +"But I assure you, my Lord, I am perfectly well, and I am sure a little +air will be of service." + +"Well, do as you please," said St. Aubyn, a little surprized at her +adhering so determinately to her idea of going out; for, in general, +half a word from him guided her; "but you will not go alone?" + +"Oh--no, Laura will go with me." + +"Very well, my love; don't fatigue yourself. Where are you going?" + +"I don't know exactly: I want to do some shopping." + +St. Aubyn then wished her good-morning, and repeating his request that +she would take care of herself, left her. + +The real fact was this--Jane, who was Ellen's almoner, and brought to +her knowledge many cases of distress, of which she would otherwise have +been ignorant, had the night before, while her lady was at the play, +received a petition from an officer's widow, who stated herself to be +living in a small lodging in ---- Street; that she had several children, +of whom the youngest was an infant not a month old, born under +circumstances of the most acute distress, a few months after its father +had fallen in the field of battle; the eldest, a girl of sixteen, in a +deep decline: these circumstances, she said, prevented her from waiting +herself on Lady St. Aubyn, of whose goodness she had heard much from an +old blind lady, her neighbour, whom, in fact, Ellen had supported for +some time past, and whom she had visited two or three times with Jane +only. + +Ellen, warm-hearted and benevolent, was extremely anxious to see this +unfortunate family: Jane had given her the letter just before St. Aubyn +came into her room, and fearing if she declared her purpose he would +oppose it, lest her health should be injured by the emotion she must +necessarily feel from the sight of this unhappy mother and her children, +she concealed the letter, and did not exactly tell him why she wished so +much to go out, though aware that she must appear unusually +pertinacious; but she had set her heart with all the fervor of youth on +her object: above all, she desired to see the poor little infant, for +Ellen, always fond of children, had, since she knew herself likely to +become a mother, felt a peculiar interest in young children, and +ardently wished to see and provide for one who had so many claims to +the compassion of a tender heart; and having really some purchases to +make, she gave without consideration _that_ as her only motive for going +out. Never before had she departed for an instant from the singular +sincerity of her character, and the perfect confidence which she reposed +in her husband; dearly did she soon repent of having done so now. + +On asking Laura to go with her, she unexpectedly declined it, having a +bad head-ache, and tried to persuade Ellen not to go herself, but to +send Jane, and go some other time: but Ellen was so unusually fixed on +her point, and her imagination was so impressed with the idea of the +_poor little infant_, that, for a wonder, she was not to be prevailed +on; and fearing, lest Lady Juliana should come and prevent her, she +ordered the carriage directly, and set out. + +She drove first to ---- Street, where she found the distrest family in +all the poverty and affliction which had been described to her--the +unfortunate mother, still weak, and scarcely able to support herself, +obliged to act as nurse, not only to the infant, but to her eldest +daughter, who, pale and languishing, seemed ready every moment to +breathe her last, while two or three other children were playing in the +room, distracting by their unconscious noise the poor invalids. + +The tender and compassionate Ellen felt her heart opprest at this +melancholy sight, and hastened as much as possible to relieve it: she +held herself the baby in her arms, while she sent Jane to seek a nurse +for the poor girl, and to the woman of the house where they lodged, to +whom she spoke herself; and requested she would take charge of the other +children, till the mother was more able to do so. She gave the widow an +ample supply of money to procure every thing necessary for her herself +and family, and after promising to send a physician to attend the poor +girl, and kissing the baby, she departed, followed by thanks and +blessings, "not loud but deep," and went to see the poor old blind lady, +who, always delighted to hear her sweet voice and kind expressions, +detained her as long as she could. + +Returning home, rejoicing in the good she had done, feeling herself +animated by the purest pleasure, and quite well in health, Ellen +suddenly recollected that she was close by the street where Mrs. Birtley +lived, with whom she had lodged the first time she was in London; and +she thought she would just stop at the door, and ask for the book she +had left there, for which Jane had, as she said, always forgotten to +call: it was that very volume of Gray which Mordaunt had given her, and +as his first gift she was really anxious to recover it. Meaning merely +to stop at the door, and send Jane in for it, she pulled the check, and +ordered the coachman to drive down that street, and stop at No. 6, and +told Jane for what purpose she was going. + +"Oh, my Lady," said the talkative girl, "I shall be rejoiced that Mrs. +Birtley should see you in all your grandeur: she will be surprized after +all she had the impertinence to say." + +"Indeed," said Ellen, "I never thought of that: she will wonder to see +me under such a different appearance, and perhaps say something in the +hearing of the servants. I will not go." + +"Oh, my Lady," answered Jane, "she need not know who you are: only ask +for the book, and come away directly: she will not know a bit the more +what your Ladyship's real name is; and I suppose she is not enough +amongst the grand people to know the livery or carriage." + +"True," said Ellen: "well, you shall go in and ask for the book, but do +not explain any thing to her." + +"Oh, no, indeed, my Lady," said Jane; "so far from it, I shall enjoy +seeing her puzzle----" + +While they spoke, the carriage stopped at the door of Mrs. Birtley. +Ellen, who half repented having come, sat back in the carriage, and told +Jane to go in and ask for the book, and not to say she was there, for +she would not alight: but notwithstanding Ellen's caution, Mrs. Birtley, +having been drawn to the window by seeing such an elegant equipage stop +at her door, caught a glimpse of her as the footman opened the door of +the chariot for Jane to alight, came to the side of the carriage, and +with civility asked her if she would not walk in. Ellen, feeling more +and more the absurdity of which she had been guilty in coming to the +door of a woman who she knew entertained of her a doubtful opinion, and +to whom she could not explain herself, coldly declined the offer; but +the coachman said he feared the horses would not turn very well, as the +street was rather narrow, and that it would be better if her Ladyship +pleased to alight for a moment, lest she should be alarmed. + +Mrs. Birtley stared at the "_Ladyship_" as much as she had done at the +_coronetted carriage_ and fine horses; for she was not quite so ignorant +of _grand people_, as Jane, in the plenitude of her own newly-acquired +knowledge, had supposed her. + +Ellen, vexed at her own folly in coming thither, was now obliged to get +out of the carriage; and several people passing by, staring first at the +carriage, and then at Ellen, she thought it would be better to go for an +instant into the house. Mrs. Birtley shewed her into the parlour, and +requesting she would be seated, added, "My lodger is gone out, and will +not, I suppose, be back till dinner-time: he is generally out all the +morning. I believe he knows something of you, Ma'am." + +"Of me!" repeated Ellen, surprized. + +"Yes, Ma'am: for when he came here about a week ago, he saw, by +accident, that book Mrs. Jane has in her hand; and some writing there +was in it seemed to put him into a great passion. He made me tell him +how I came by the book, and asked me a thousand questions about you: +what was the name of the gentleman you came with, if you were young and +handsome, and I don't know what; and I believe what I told him put him +into a great rage, for he stampt and swore like a madman." + +Ellen, vexed and astonished, sorry she had come there, and feeling a +certain dread of she hardly knew what stealing over her, now turned +extremely pale; and Jane exclaimed, "Oh, my Lady will faint: get some +water!" + +"Your _Lady_! Why she is Mrs. Mordaunt, is not she, _or calls herself +so_?" asked Mrs. Birtley with some contempt. + +"Don't stand there asking questions," said the impatient Jane: "but +fetch some water. Lord, I wish we were at home: if my Lady should be +ill, how Lady Juliana will scold, and my Lord." + +"Grant me patience," said Mrs. Birtley, as she left the room to fetch +some drops and water: "the girl makes me mad with her Lords and Ladies. +Poor fool, I suppose they have imposed upon her too finely." + +Not one minute had she been gone, when Ellen finding herself better, and +not meaning to wait Mrs. Birtley's return, and farther questions, had +risen, and by Jane's help almost reached the door to go to the carriage, +which through the window she saw drawing up, when that door opened, and +Charles Ross entered the room: amazed beyond the power of words to +describe, he saw her standing--saw Ellen in his apartment! And +forgetting every thing but that he had once dearly loved her, he rushed +towards, and would have caught her in his arms, but she evaded his +grasp; and catching hold of Jane (who, frightened, gave a sudden +scream), said, "He here! Oh, how I am terrified!" + +"Terrified, Ellen!" he wildly repeated: "_once_ you were not terrified +by my appearance." + +"No, Sir," she replied, with as much spirit as she could assume: "for +once I should have expected friendship and protection, not insult." + +"Ah, wretched girl!" he exclaimed: "once you deserved and wished for my +friendship and protection; but now, that fine gaudy carriage, this +elegant dress, the jewels, in which I saw you last night, all tell a +dreadful tale--all speak of your shame, of your ruin." + +"Of my shame! of my ruin! what, oh, what do you mean?" + +"Aye, what indeed!" said the enraged Jane: "let my Lady pass, +impertinent fellow, and don't stand there talking in that insolent +manner. Do, my Lady, let me call the footmen. I wish my Lord was here: +he would soon teach you better manners." + +"Cease, Jane," said Ellen, shaking like a leaf: "cease this shocking +altercation. Of your insulting language, Mr. Ross, I know not the +meaning: it is well for you Lord St. Aubyn does not hear you thus +address his wife." + +"His wife! his wife! Is it possible? Have I wronged both him and you? +Stay, Ellen, a moment, for heaven's sake--for St. Aubyn's--for my +father's: you know not the mischief one word of explanation may +prevent." + +She stopped, she turned: he seized her hands to detain her. Oh, +unfortunate Ellen! + +At that moment St. Aubyn himself entered the room. He rushed impetuously +forward, exclaiming, "Dissembling woman! Was it for this you left your +home--to meet this villain--to come to his very lodging in search of +him?" + +"Oh, no! oh, no!" sobbed Ellen, as she sunk at his feet in a swoon so +deep, so death-like, that it seemed as if her life had left her. + +"Oh, you have killed my Lady!" cried Jane: "my dear Lady! Oh, my Lord, +we came here for a book, and not----" + +"Peace, peace!" sternly interrupted St. Aubyn: "I will not hear a word. +Is she dead?" + +"Oh, Lord, I hope not! How can your Lordship talk so shockingly? Oh, +Mrs. Birtley, for God's sake help my Lady--call assistance!" + +Between them they raised her: for Charles, confounded, shocked, and half +distracted, dared not, and St. Aubyn, gloomy, cold, and stern, would not +assist her. At length returning life mantled on her cheek, and her first +incoherent words were, "St. Aubyn, dear St. Aubyn, save me!" + +St. Aubyn, somewhat calmer, and fearing he might have been too rash, +struggled with the jealous pangs which rent his heart, and approaching +her, said, "How is it, Ellen--are you better?" + +"Yes, better, my love; but sick, oh, sick at heart!" + +"Compose yourself; all is well." + +A little revived, she looked up, but was too languid to discern the +expression of his countenance, which contradicted the kindness of his +words; for St. Aubyn felt there was much, very much to be explained, +before she could be to him again the Ellen she had been--if, indeed, the +perfect confidence he once felt in her could ever be restored; yet +fearing quite to destroy her, he constrained himself. Mrs. Birtley, now +convinced how unjust had been her suspicions, and Jane, eagerly +endeavoured to explain how Lady St. Aubyn came to be there; but +motioning with an air of proud dignity to them to be silent, he said, +"Enough, I am satisfied!" But his gloomy looks contradicted his words, +and turning to Ross, he said, in a low voice, "You and I, Sir, shall +meet again." Then, with Jane's assistance, he raised Ellen, and lifting +her into the carriage, and putting Jane in, followed himself. + +"Home!" fiercely exclaimed St. Aubyn, and home they went; but oh, to a +home how different from that of the day before! + + + + +CHAP. VIII. + + "Good friend, go to him; for by this light of Heaven + I know not how I lost him. Here I kneel:-- + If e'er my will did trespass 'gainst his love, + Either in discourse or thought, or actual deed; + Or that mine eyes, mine ears, or any sense, + Delighted them in any other form-- + Comfort, forswear me!--unkindness may do much; + And his unkindness may defeat my life, + But never taint my love." + + OTHELLO. + + +Silent and gloomy was the ride homewards. St. Aubyn, bridling with +difficulty the jealous rage which consumed him, sat leaning against one +side of the carriage, veiling his eyes with his hand, that they might +not for an instant fall on Ellen, who, hardly supporting herself with +Jane's help, shed no tears, though grief and vexation heaved her bosom +with sighs, which almost burst it; for now her recollection was +restored, the dreadful words in which St. Aubyn first addressed her rung +in her ears, and swelled her heart with anguish. + +At length they reached Cavendish-Square, and were met in the hall by +Lady Juliana, whose pride, at first, wounded by Ellen's being from home +when she arrived, had, at length, given way to feelings of alarm at her +long absence; but when she saw her lifted from the carriage, pale, +trembling, and half-dead, terrified and astonished, she vainly demanded +an explanation alternately from St. Aubyn and the frightened Jane; her +nephew passing her hastily, and in silence, went into his study, and +instantly shut and fastened the door. There he meant to consider with +himself what part it became him to take, and how to elucidate this +extraordinary event. + +Ellen, throwing herself into Lady Juliana's arms, exclaimed, "Oh! my +dearest madam, let me die at once, for my Lord is angry with me!" + +"Die!" cried Lady Juliana, struggling with a thousand terrors; +"Nonsense! for what? Do you suppose no man was ever angry with his wife +before? You are so unused to it, it seems strange to you, but you may +assure yourself few wives would think it so extraordinary." + +By this time they had reached Ellen's dressing-room, where, having +placed her on a sofa, and given her some restoratives, Lady Juliana +said, "But what is all this about--what offence have you committed?" + +"Oh! madam, I know not; but it is too true, St. Aubyn has said such +words to me, such words as I never thought to hear from him!" + +"What is the meaning of all this?" said Lady Juliana, turning to Jane. +"Speak, girl, if you have not quite lost your senses, or do not wish +that I should lose mine, and tell me where your lady has been, and what +has happened." + +Jane, now, as well as the confusion she was in would let her, repeated +the adventures of the morning to Lady Juliana, the visit to the +officer's widow, and the old blind lady; and lastly, why they went to +Mrs. Birtley's: "And it was I," she said, "that persuaded her Ladyship +to go to that disagreeable Mrs. Birtley's--out of pride, I own it--it +was out of pride, that she might see what a grand place I had got, and +that _my_ lady was not the sort of person that cross old woman fancied +she was; and her Ladyship would not even have alighted or gone into her +trumpery parlour, if the horses had not been so frightful, and the +coachman said, says he, "my Lady had better alight, for the horses--" + +"Grant me patience!" said Lady Juliana: "this girl's tongue is enough to +distract me! Well, and when you were in her trumpery parlour, as you +call it, what happened then? Was Lord St. Aubyn angry that you went +there?" + +"Oh! no, my Lady, not for that; but the instant after we went in, and +while Mrs. Birtley was chattering about the book, and about her lodger +(and to be sure there never was such another chattering woman in the +world, and looking at my lady from head to foot, so saucy-like, I was +quite in a passion with her), I saw my lady turn pale, and thinking she +was going to faint, I made Mrs. Birtley go for some water, for I knew +well enough how your Ladyship would scold if _my_ Lady was to be ill, +and so I told Mrs. Birtley." + +"Will this tale ever have an end?" cried the impatient Lady Juliana. + +"Well, my Lady, and so just as Mrs. Birtley was gone for the water, and +we were got up to go away, in came a young man: I believe, for my part, +he was quite mad, not indeed that I am any particular judge of mad +people, for I remember the first day your Ladyship came here I +thought--but I believe I had better not tell _that_;--however, this +young man _was_ mad for certain, for the moment he saw my Lady, he ran +to her, and seemed as if he was going to catch her in his arms. I +screamed, and when her Ladyship said she was terrified, he quite raved, +and called her names, and said something about her shame, and her being +ruined, and her jewels, last night, and I don't know what." + +"And who, for Heaven's sake, was this man?" asked the astonished Lady +Juliana. + +"Oh, it was Ross! Charles Ross!" sobbed Ellen; "and St. Aubyn came in +while he was speaking to me, and said I came there to meet him, to his +very lodgings; and then I fainted quite away." + +"So, so, so!" repeated Lady Juliana; "a pretty piece of work! I see what +this mistake will end in! But stay; surely it is not too late: I will go +to St. Aubyn." + +"Yes, go to him, Madam, for Heaven's sake go to him, and explain it to +him. Assure him I could not have an idea that Charles Ross lodged at +Mrs. Birtley's. Oh! how cruel to be obliged to make this explanation: +can St. Aubyn really think so ill of me? Yet, surely, surely he will be +undeceived--this is only a momentary start of passion!" + +Lady Juliana shook her head, for she knew St. Aubyn's temper; and how +hardly he would endure to hear even her on such a subject; yet, if he +would but condescend to hear what the servants, who attended the +Countess in this unfortunate excursion, what this Mrs. Birtley would +say, their stories would doubtless confirm that of Ellen; for of the +truth of that story Lady Juliana had not the smallest doubt; but she +knew how St. Aubyn's pride would revolt, and his delicacy be hurt, by +the necessity of interrogating such people on the conduct of his wife. + +She felt herself indeed angry with Ellen for the childish impatience +which had taken her out in the morning, after the fright of the night +before had rendered repose so desirable, and for going to Mrs. +Birtley's at all; but she could easily forgive a folly apparently of so +little importance, since it was quite impossible for Ellen to have +foreseen the chain of circumstances which followed, and involved her in +so much distress. + +How St. Aubyn happened to go to the same place, no one could guess; it +appeared, indeed, extremely unlikely that he should have done so; but, +as singular coincidences no less singular do sometimes occur, though +their rarity makes us call them improbable, unless they arise within our +own immediate knowledge. + +The real truth was this: St. Aubyn, recollecting that Charles Ross had +said the night before, "_the woman where you lodged found you out_," had +determined to ascertain, from this woman herself, what she had told +Ross, and how she had dared to speak of him and Ellen in such terms; and +to explain who her Mr. and Mrs. Mordaunt really were, that no farther +slander, even in Mrs. Birtley's narrow circle, might attach to the +purity of Lady St. Aubyn's character, had walked thither from Sir Edward +Leicester's, with whom he had sat some time, arranging the particulars +of their intended meeting with Charles Ross the next morning; there, to +his utter astonishment, he found Lady St. Aubyn's carriage in waiting; +and inquiring of the servants where she was, was answered, in that +house, meaning Mrs. Birtley's. + +"And Miss Cecil?" + +"No, my Lord; Miss Cecil did not come out with my Lady, only Mrs. Jane." + +St. Aubyn recollected Ellen's apparent agitation in the morning; the +letter he had found her reading, and which she so hastily concealed; her +having said Laura would go with her; yet she had come with only her +maid, a young ignorant girl, come to the very house where he believed +Ross was residing; that Ross, of whom, though almost unknown to +himself, some secret jealousy had always lurked in his heart. + +All these circumstances rose at once to his memory; and, without waiting +to knock or ring, the door standing open, he rushed hastily into the +parlour, where the first object that struck his sight was his wife, his +beloved, his adored Ellen, while her hand was held by the man on earth +he most detested, the man who but the night before had insulted her and +outraged him! What could he think? Was it wonderful that the fury which +swelled his heart broke into words of reproach and anger? Was it not +rather wonderful he could so far command himself, so far reflect, as to +return with her apparently calm, and that he did not at once cast from +him a woman who must have appeared so ungrateful and insincere? + +Lady Juliana having with the aid of Miss Cecil and Jane put Ellen to +bed, would have retired to seek her nephew, leaving Laura shocked, +astonished, and grieved, remaining with her friend; but seeing the flush +of fever on her cheek, and an unusual brilliancy in her eyes, they sent +without delay to the family physician, who, after asking a few +questions, and learning the Countess had been alarmed, and was then +under the influence of terror for her lord, who, Laura whispered to him, +they feared was meditating a duel with a gentleman who had insulted Lady +St. Aubyn, the doctor shook his head, and said if her mind were not +quieted immediately, he would not be answerable for the consequences: +she had, he said, every symptom of an alarming fever, and that if she +were not soothed, and kept quiet, the worst event might be expected both +to herself and the unborn babe. + +Alarmed beyond measure, Lady Juliana now ran to seek St. Aubyn. With +some difficulty she prevailed on him to grant her admittance, and with +still greater, to hear what she had to say. She repeated the whole story +Jane had told her: he shook his head, was silent, but not convinced. She +saw his incredulity, and with some hesitation proposed to interrogate +the men servants who went out with their lady as to the real cause of +her alighting at Mrs. Birtley's. He started indignantly from the idea; +but Lady Juliana assuring him she could ask in such a way as should give +them no suspicion why they were questioned, he at last consented, and +ringing the bell, she ordered the coachman to be sent to her. + +"John," said she, "your lady has been frightened at something or other +this morning during her absence from home. Were the horses restive?" + +"No, my Lady: the horses went as quiet as lambs to ---- Street, where we +stopped while my Lady went into a house, I believe to see a poor family, +as her Ladyship does sometimes; and then we went to the poor old blind +lady's, that Mrs. Jane says her Lady maintains; and after that we went +to another house, where my Lady said she would not alight, and told Mrs. +Jane to make haste and get the book, for she would not stop an instant; +but I was afraid to turn the carriage with her Ladyship in it, the +street being very narrow just there, and a dray standing at the house +opposite, for fear the horses should prance a little, which my Lady is +always afraid of; and so I begged her just to alight a minute while I +turned, which she seemed not to like to do, but the old lady of the +house coming out and persuading her, she said she would get out for a +minute, and the people staring at her as she stood on the pavement, she +went into the house, and I believe something or somebody frightened her, +for as I drew up to the door, which was not directly, for the horses +were a little unruly, I saw a young man go into the parlour where my +Lady was waiting, and a minute after, I heard Mrs. Jane scream; and I +was going in, and so was James, but just as I was getting off my box, +and Richard was standing at the head of the horses, my Lord came up, and +afterwards I found my Lady had fainted away." + +"Then your Lady had only been there a short time?" + +"Not above ten minutes I am sure, Madam, and as Mrs. Jane screamed when +the gentleman went into the parlour, I think he must have frightened +her." + +"Very well, John: I was afraid it was the horses, and if so, Lady St. +Aubyn should never have gone with them again." + +"Oh, no, my Lady, the horses are quiet enough, poor things, only that +narrow street made me think my Lady had better alight." + +The man then retired, and Lady Juliana said:--"Well, St. Aubyn, are you +now satisfied?" + +"Not quite; all this might have been contrivance and art." + +"How is it possible you can think so! Did you ever see the slightest +trace of either in Ellen?" + +"Yes, to-day. Why did she tell me Laura was going with her? Why conceal +where she was going?" + +"Laura lamented just now not having gone out with Ellen, as she +requested on account of a bad head-ache: as to Ellen's not telling you +where she was going, that arose from a fear lest you should prevent, +what, with the natural impatience of youth, she had set her heart upon. +But if you still doubt, let us inquire of this woman, this +Mrs.----what's her name?--the mistress of the house where you lodged: +she can tell what Lady St. Aubyn's errand was there, and why she +alighted." + +"Good God! Madam," said St. Aubyn, peevishly, "would you have me go +about collecting evidences whether I ought to believe my wife +blameless, or the most deceitful of women?" + +"Yes I would," replied Lady Juliana, warmly, "if you can suspect her; if +such modesty, such guileless sincerity, and purity of words and manners +as I never before saw in woman, have no power to convince you: if you +can set against them all this one unlucky accident, for I am sure it is +no more, you ought to do every thing, seek every body who can give you +information. Good God! to what purpose is it, as to this world, that a +woman should lead the purest and most unspotted life, if one equivocal +appearance can drive all confidence, all reliance, from the heart which +ought to know her best!" + +Touched by this generous warmth, St. Aubyn began to feel convinced he +had gone too far: he knew how penetrating Lady Juliana was, how much she +had been prejudiced against Ellen, and how cautiously she would have +observed, ere she had given to her an affection and confidence so +tender: he called to mind many "a proof of recollected love," of native +modesty, of the strictest principles in his wife, and began deeply to +repent his jealous rashness; but suddenly recollecting the note he had +seen in her hands, and the haste with which she had concealed it, he +hastily said:--"But the letter! What letter was that I found her +reading?" + +"What letter?" asked Lady Juliana. + +"One I found her reading this morning, just before she went out; she +seemed agitated, and had tears in her eyes, and as I entered, she put it +into the fold of her morning dress." + +"And there," said Lady Juliana, eagerly, "I found it, when we undressed +her just now: I have not opened it; here it is." She drew it from her +pocket. St. Aubyn recollected it to be the same, and opened it with +trembling hands. It was, as has been stated, from the officer's widow +to Jane, entreating her good offices with her lady, and describing her +own distress, agreeing exactly with what Ellen and her maid had told +Lady Juliana, and she had repeated to St. Aubyn. Such a corroboration of +her story he could resist no longer; but shocked, alarmed, and ashamed, +he hastily said: + +"I have injured her! Oh! can she ever forgive me!" + +"It's well," said Lady Juliana with some asperity, for his jealous +obstinacy had vexed her--"it's well if you have not killed her and your +child too. God defend me from such rash, headstrong people, that can +make no distinction between a _Rosolia_ and an _Ellen_: poor girl, she +has paid dear I am afraid for her dream of happiness, and being "perched +up in a glittering greatness, wearing a golden sorrow!" + +"For God's sake, Madam, no more reproaches," said St. Aubyn, angrily: +"she has not suffered alone; but let me go to her; let me implore her +to forgive me. Ah! can I ever forgive myself!" + +"Indeed, nephew, I shall do no such thing, unless you will promise me +there shall be no fighting with that mad Ross, who I wish had been a +thousand miles off before he had come here to drive us all as mad as +himself." + +"We will talk of that, hereafter: perhaps he will apologize; at any +rate, let us go now to Ellen, and try if I can sooth her spirits, and +calm her wounded mind." + +But Ellen by the time he reached her was in no condition to hear him: +delirium had seized her, and the scene at the Opera dwelling on her +mind, on which it had made a powerful impression, connected, though +wildly, with the late untoward events, she exclaimed just as he entered +the room, "Remember, St. Aubyn, remember Arbace--_and I too am +innocent_?" then in low tones she imitated the recitative which had +taken such hold on her imagination; and sung in a sweet and plaintive +voice "Sono Innocente!" St. Aubyn, combining these words with all the +interesting ideas connected with them, with the generous assurances +Ellen had so often given him, that no appearances should ever shake her +faith in _his_ integrity and honour, assurances which he had so ill +repaid, was overwhelmed with grief and remorse: he put aside the +curtain, and kneeling by the bed-side, said in the tenderest accents: + +"Ellen, my love, my injured Ellen, will you not hear, will you not +forgive me?" + +"So you are come at last," said she, turning her head quickly towards +him: "go to your son, my good friend, and tell him he has cruelly +insulted me; that I am St. Aubyn's _wife_, not the wretch he calls me: +why, you know, Mr. Ross, you married us, and my father and Joanna were +present: then what does Charles mean by talking of my _shame_ and +_ruin_?" + +"Oh, Heavens! she raves," exclaimed St. Aubyn; "my cruelty has +destroyed her!" + +"Take away the bloody sword," screamed Ellen. "I tell you Arbace did +_not_ murder him; no, nor yet St. Aubyn: nothing shall ever make me +believe St. Aubyn guilty:--I promised him;--he says he is innocent; +enough, my love, enough, Ellen will _never doubt you_!" and again she +breathed in plaintive cadences the pathetic "Sono Innocente." + +"She will die! she will die!" wildly exclaimed St. Aubyn, starting up: +"run for more help! fetch all the physicians in London. Oh! have I lived +to this!" + +"You will kill her indeed," said Laura, "if you are not quiet: leave her +to us. Doctor B---- will again be here in a few minutes: he says if she +can but be quiet, can but be made to understand, all is well; she will +recover; but indeed, my Lord, you must leave her now." + +"No, Laura, I will not go; I will sit here without speaking; but should +she recover her senses, if only for a minute, it will I know comfort +her to see me here." + +This Laura could readily believe, and therefore made no further +objection; but Doctor B---- arriving soon after, comforted them all with +the assurance, that though the Countess's fever at present ran high, he +had great hopes that perfect quietude, and the medicines he had ordered, +would, in all probability, do much for her, especially, aided as they +were by youth and an excellent constitution, and that he saw no +immediate danger. He strictly enjoined, however, that her chamber might +be kept as still as possible, and that at most only two persons should +remain there: he entreated St. Aubyn and Lady Juliana to retire, and +having prevailed on them to do so, he told Miss Cecil he wished her to +be as much as possible one of Lady St. Aubyn's attendants. + +"As to Lady Juliana," said he, "she is so very anxious and restless; +she will only disturb our fair patient: you, my dear Miss Cecil, I +perceive have that happy self-possession, joined with gentleness and +activity, which alone can make a good nurse; your voice too is +particularly calculated to sooth and persuade a sick person:--you may +smile, but believe me, few know how many qualifications are requisite to +form a good superintendent of a sick bed, and amongst them I have always +found a soft but distinct articulation one of the most considerable. +Think only how a nervous patient is what is emphatically called +_worried_ by a droning, discontented voice, or alarmed by too loud a +tone, or sudden question. I assure you I have often seen weak persons +thrown into a fever by these apparently trifling causes; let me, +therefore, beg Miss Cecil will take upon herself the task of replying to +any questions the Countess may ask, but in as few words as possible: the +moment reason returns, sooth her mind by every assurance that the +danger she so much feared is over. I shall see Lord St. Aubyn before I +quit the house, and place before him the evil to be dreaded, should he +pursue this unfortunate business any farther." + + + + +CHAP. IX. + + Doubt shall for ever quit my strengthen'd heart, + And anxious jealousy's corroding smart: + Nor other inmate shall inhabit there, + But soft belief, young joy, and pleasing care. + + PRIOR'S HENRY AND EMMA. + + +The medicines ordered by her skilful physician had so salutary an +effect, that towards midnight Ellen fell into a quiet sleep, from which +every thing favourable might be expected. Lady Juliana was therefore +prevailed on to retire to bed, Miss Cecil, Jane, and the housekeeper, +sitting up with Lady St. Aubyn, the two latter in the anti-chamber. But +Lady Juliana was far from being satisfied, notwithstanding the +assurances of St. Aubyn that all was at an end between him and Ross: she +knew him too well to believe he would pass over insults so marked; and +her watchfulness had convinced her no apology from Ross, in writing or +otherwise, had been received. Sir Edward Leicester, too, had called once +or twice in the course of the day; and though she had tormented him and +her nephew, by resolutely remaining in the room in defiance of the hints +St. Aubyn gave of wishing to be alone with his friend, yet she overheard +a few words, that more and more convinced her a duel was intended. She +left orders, therefore, to be called by day-break; and unable to prevail +on St. Aubyn to go to bed, wearied and exhausted by emotions, which, at +her time of life, she could ill support, she at length left him to +himself. + +Determined as he was to meet Ross in the morning, and avoiding +reflections, which, though he felt how decisive they were against the +practice of duelling, he yet thought came too late. St. Aubyn's frame +was shaken by various sensations. Recollection of the past, and terror +for the future, hung heavily upon him; yet not for himself he feared: +but should any thing amiss happen to him, what would become of Ellen--of +Ellen, whom he should leave upon a bed of sickness, which, then he felt +convinced, would be to her the bed of death! + +"And was it for this," he exclaimed, as he paced his study, "for this I +drew her from her native shades, where, happy and contented, but for me +she might have blossomed still. Oh! little, my Ellen, hast thou had +cause to rejoice in that elevation which doubtless many have envied +thee. Too often have I been to thee the mysterious cause of sorrow and +anxiety. Perhaps I shall have been also the cause of thine untimely +end." + +The idea so dreadfully shook him, he dared no longer think, lest it +should quite unman him; but determined to look upon her once more, he +took the taper, which burnt beside him, and, with light steps, passed to +her apartment. In the anti-room he found the housekeeper and Jane both +sleeping in their chairs: all was profoundly still, and he began to fear +Ellen was left without a wakeful guard; but at the sound of his +footsteps, almost noiseless as they were, and the approaching light, for +the bed-room door was open for air, Laura Cecil stole to meet him: she +motioned to him to be silent, and advancing a few steps into the +anti-room, said, in the lowest whisper, "For heaven's sake, Lord St. +Aubyn, why this--why are you not retired to rest?" + +"Ah, Laura! dear, kind Laura," he exclaimed, grasping her hand, "how +could I rest, while that injured, perhaps that murdered angel lies +suffering thus, and through my fault, through my accursed, headlong +jealousy!" + +"Deeply, indeed," said Laura, "do I lament that appearances should have +thus misled you, my Lord, and am indeed astonished at it: had you but +waited one hour, ere you so harshly condemned, from me you might have +learned her perfect innocence: she pressed me to go with her this +morning, which my having a bad head-ache prevented: she told me where +she was going, shewed me the letter she had received, detailed her kind +plans for relieving the poor widow, and mentioned not having explained +her intentions to you, lest you should prevent her going; and she wished +so much, she said, to see the _poor little infant_; certainly she did +not mention any intention of going to that fatal house where you found +her, and which, I am assured, she never thought of till passing the top +of the street she recollected the book she so much valued, and which I +one day heard her tell Jane to call for; but all this is now unavailing: +let me beg you to retire: should the murmur of our voices disturb her, I +shall indeed greatly lament it." + +"Oh, let me look upon her--once more let me see her! Will she die? Is it +possible she may recover?" + +"It is very possible, almost certain, from her sleeping so quietly, if +you do not disturb her: but think, if she should awake and see you, at +this strange hour, with those distracted looks!" + +"Yet I must see her _now_--yes, Laura, I must venture all; for how do I +know if I shall ever see her more!" + +"For heaven's sake, what do you mean? Surely, surely you do not think +of--you are not meditating----" + +"No matter what," said he hastily; "I must see her _now_." + +Laura shrunk back astonished and dismayed; but feeling that he would not +be contradicted, she again, with light steps, approached the bed; where, +in a profound sleep, the effect of opiates, lay Ellen, "fair lily, and +whiter than her sheets;" and but that in the stillness of night her +quick short breathings were distinctly heard, it could hardly have been +known she lived. + +Laura then beckoned St. Aubyn to approach, which he did with trembling +steps, and shaded by the curtain, gazed wistfully upon her. Overcome by +the touching spectacle of youth, beauty, and innocence, in a few hours +almost destroyed by his rash jealousy, the tears now ran down his manly +cheeks; and hardly could he restrain the groans which heaved his bosom, +while Laura's eyes streamed at the affecting sight before her. At that +moment Ellen moved a little, and they both retreated, that if she opened +her eyes she might not see them; but she still slept; and only murmuring +"dear St. Aubyn," and a few inarticulate words, she was again silent. + +Again St. Aubyn asked Laura if it were possible she could recover, and +she assured him that Ellen already looked better than she had done an +hour before; and at last, after he had knelt and imprinted a soft kiss +on one of her hands, which lay on the counterpane, and lifted up his +heart to heaven, in silent prayer for her recovery, he was prevailed on +to quit the room. + +The rest of the night St. Aubyn spent in settling some papers, and +adding a few lines to his will, all of which he locked into a drawer, +and sealing up the key, directed it to Lady Juliana. + +At day-break his valet, according to order, came to him. To this +confidential servant St. Aubyn explained the cause of his going from +home so early, and left the pacquet for Lady Juliana in his care, to be +delivered to her, should he not return in safety. He then sent to +inquire of Jane for her lady, and had the happiness of hearing a +favourable account of her. St. Aubyn then set off, attended only by one +servant, to the house of Sir Edward Leicester, whose carriage was at the +door, and they instantly proceeded to Wimbledon, where, on the spot +marked in Charles Ross's letter, they alighted; and telling the coachman +to draw off, and wait at a place they pointed out to him, the two +friends walked up and down some time, expecting Ross. + +In about ten minutes they saw him approaching, but alone: St. Aubyn just +touched his hat, and said, "Mr. Ross, where is your friend?" + +"My Lord," said Ross, in a firm tone, "I am here, not to fight, not to +double the injuries you have already received from me, but to make every +concession you can desire. I have brought no friend with me; I trust my +honour and my life implicitly in your hands. Are you prepared to hear my +explanation?--if not, I am ready to stand your fire." + +"I know not, Sir," said St. Aubyn, haughtily, "what has caused this +sudden alteration in your sentiments: this meeting was at your own +request; and the insults you bestowed on Lady St. Aubyn yesterday make +me as desirous of it now as you were when you appointed it." + +"Yet, my Lord," said Sir Edward, "hear Mr. Ross: if this affair can be +accommodated without bloodshed, I think myself called upon to insist it +shall be so." + +St. Aubyn bowed with a lofty air to Ross, and said:-- + +"Well, Sir, your explanation if you please." + +Ross now entered into a long detail of the circumstances which had +misled him, stated his fears of St. Aubyn under the name of Mordaunt, +when he first saw him at Llanwyllan; that no letters from thence had +reached him on the station where he had remained for the last half year, +till, about a month before his ship had come home, and he had been +ordered to London to receive a promotion as unexpected as it was +welcome; that he happened to lodge at Mrs. Birtley's, and by chance, +finding the volume of Gray Lady St. Aubyn had left there, he recognized +the initials "C. F. M. to E. P." in the first page, which the words +"Dear Llanwyllan," written in another, confirmed. The answer Mrs. +Birtley made to his impatient questions had convinced him who the Mr. +and Mrs. Mordaunt she spoke of were: this woman had given him also such +accounts as led him to believe they were not married, and hence his mad +insulting conduct at the theatre had arisen. He next repeated so +accurately every word that had passed between him and Ellen, and +described their mutual astonishment at meeting so unexpectedly in such a +natural manner, that had St. Aubyn doubted before, he could have done so +no longer. + +"Yet," said Ross, "convinced as I now was how wrong I had been, I could +not prevail on myself to apologize to one whom I confess I hated, for he +had robbed me of the only woman I ever loved; yet she had never, even in +the happy hours of our youth, given me the slightest hope of ever +obtaining more than the affection of a sister from her, and even that +seemed at times more the effect of habit than choice; for rough and +unpolished, my manners repulsed, and choleric and hasty my temper, +alarmed the gentle Ellen; yet I still flattered myself, time, and the +retired situation in which she lived preventing her extraordinary beauty +from being known, might have done much for me; but from the moment Mr. +Mordaunt was known to her, I easily perceived that hope was at an end; +and now I had only to desire that I might fall by the hand of the man +who had raised her to that greatness. I could have done no more than +wish for her; I therefore determined to keep my engagement for this +morning. But yesterday it came to my knowledge that the promotion +intended for me had been granted to the solicitations of Lord St. Aubyn. +Struck, ashamed at the base ingratitude of my conduct, I resolved at +length to make every explanation, every concession. I have done so, and +now, my Lord, it rests with you to accept this apology: if you refuse +it, I am ready to stand your fire, for never will I lift my hand in a +cause so unjust, and against a man, who, without my knowledge, had so +generously befriended me." + +"I told you before, Mr. Ross," said St. Aubyn, "that for your excellent +father's sake I would overlook that in you which in another man I would +instantly have resented. I am not of a vindictive spirit, and the +practice of duelling, though I have in some measure been forced to +countenance it, is against my principles. You are at liberty, Sir, to +retire; I am satisfied." + +"I dare not, my Lord," said Ross, "attempt to offer any thanks for the +kindness you intended me in my professional career; still less can I +consent to profit by it: I have not deserved it at your hands, and +declining the promotion offered to me, I shall return to my ship, and +leave England as soon as possible, and I hope for ever." + +St. Aubyn's generous spirit was moved by this renunciation. + +"That promotion, Mr. Ross," he replied, "was sought for you at the +request of Lady St. Aubyn, who had not forgotten the friend of her +childhood, and in hopes of gratifying your most worthy father, from +whom, as well as from your mother and sister, both my wife and myself +have experienced much kindness and friendship: I must therefore request +you will not renounce it. + +"At this moment Lady St. Aubyn is extremely ill, in consequence of the +alarming scene to which your mistake and my rashness gave rise: should +this illness prove fatal," (and his lips quivered with emotion as he +spoke), "never more must you and I meet again! Should she recover, as I +hope and trust she will, I am so perfectly satisfied with the +explanations I have received, that I shall not be sorry to see your +early acquaintance renewed: for the present we part as friends." + +Then bowing, he took Sir Edward's arm, and hastened to his carriage, +leaving Ross overwhelmed with shame and remorse for the treatment he +had given to a man so generous. + +On reaching Cavendish Square he found Lady Juliana in the utmost alarm; +for missing him when she arose, and hearing at how early an hour he had +left the house, she had immediately suspected his errand abroad: she had +sent to Sir Edward Leicester's, and learned from the servants that their +master and Lord St. Aubyn had gone out together. Still more and more +alarmed, Lady Juliana paced from room to room in dreadful agitation, not +knowing whither to send or what to do. Soon after eight o'clock, Laura +sent a note by Jane to Lady Juliana, saying Lady St. Aubyn was awake, +that the delirium had totally subsided, but had left her so extremely +weak and low she could hardly speak to be heard, but was anxious to see +her and Lord St. Aubyn, whose affectionate inquiries she had heard of +with much delight, and was prepared to see him with composure, and +without recurring to the past. To trust herself near Ellen, agitated as +she was, Lady Juliana knew was impossible; she therefore ordered Jane to +say, that having sat up almost the whole night, neither the Earl nor +herself was up, but in an hour or two they would be with her; then +assuring the girl that the unfortunate misunderstanding of the day +before was perfectly explained, she charged her not to drop a hint of it +amongst the servants, which Jane readily promised, and faithfully +performed. + +Soon after this, Doctor B. called, and to him Lady Juliana communicated +her fears on St. Aubyn's account: he entreated she would not go near the +Countess till her spirits were quieter, and by no means to let any ill +tidings reach her, should such arrive: then visiting the sick room, he +rejoiced to find his young and lovely patient out of danger, though +extremely weak. The excellence of her constitution, assisted by his +skill, had triumphed over the disease, and if no new alarm occurred, he +doubted not her perfect recovery: leaving strict and repeated orders +that no one should be admitted at all likely to hurry her spirits, he +left her, and as he passed down the staircase, was rejoiced to see St. +Aubyn enter safe and well. The Earl hastened to him with the most eager +inquiries for his patient, and listened to his favourable accounts with +thankful joy. + +"As to Lady Juliana, my good Lord," said the physician, "she is scarcely +in her senses; you have frightened her almost to death: come, let me +have the pleasure of leading you to her, and telling her at the same +time how much better our fair patient is, after which I would advise you +both to take some repose, for your countenance tells me you have not had +much rest last night, and I promise you, you must not go to Lady St. +Aubyn with those pale and haggard looks." + +The joy of Lady Juliana at seeing St. Aubyn return safe and unhurt was +extreme, and was still increased when he owned to her candidly where he +had been, and the satisfactory explanation he had received from Ross, +which so completely put an end to this untoward affair for ever. + +In the afternoon, St. Aubyn, promising to be as composed as possible, +was permitted to see Ellen for a few minutes. Both forbore to speak of +what had passed, for both felt they could not endure to recur to it; but +the warmth and unaffected tenderness of his manner assured her that all +suspicion had been effaced from his mind; while the affectionate +softness of her's proved to St. Aubyn that his unkindness was forgiven. + +In a very few days Ellen was pronounced convalescent, though her +remaining weakness, and Lady Juliana's precautions, confined her to her +dressing-room: there, by slow degrees, she learned from her +affectionate Laura all the circumstances which had led to Charles Ross's +mistake, and that of St. Aubyn, nor could she help acknowledging that +appearances had been in both instances against her: relieved however by +having all her anxieties removed, and by a full though affecting +explanation with St. Aubyn, who gave her the tenderest assurances that +every jealous disposition was for ever removed from his mind, she now +rapidly recovered: but as the weather was now becoming very warm, and +she had had no great reason to delight in London, she earnestly +requested to be allowed to return to Castle St. Aubyn; and the advice of +her medical attendants coinciding with her wishes, the request was +easily granted. + +Before she left London, however, she, with her Lord, paid another visit +to the officer's widow and her interesting family, and so arranged for +them as to ensure them a neat residence a little way out of town, and +the certain means of comfortable subsistence for the present; for it was +her intention, with St. Aubyn's permission, to form a school, and other +useful institutions, in the neighbourhood of the Castle, in which she +hoped to render the widow a service, as well as gratify herself, by +placing her at the head of the village seminary. She also visited Mr. +Dorrington again, and spent a delightful hour amongst his treasures; +then leaving her P. P. C. for Lady Meredith, and some other slight +acquaintances, she joyfully left London on her way to Northamptonshire, +accompanied by the Earl (more tenderly attached than ever), Lady +Juliana, and Miss Cecil, Sir Edward Leicester promising to pay them a +visit very soon. + +Delighted indeed was Ellen once more to breathe the pure air of the +country; and as they passed the little inn where they had stopped on +their former journey from town, and caught a distant glimpse of the +farm-house where he had told her his real name and rank, she tenderly +pressed St. Aubyn's hand, and with a soft tear on her cheek, reminded +him of the circumstance. + +"Ah, my Ellen," he said, "much have we both suffered since that +interesting moment, but never more, through fault of mine, shall you +shed another tear, save such as now glitter in your eyes--tears of +tenderness and affection." + + + + +CHAP. X. + + She feels it--'tis her son! with rapture wild, + Bath'd in warm tears, from soft sensations prest. + She clasps him to her cheek, her lip, her breast, + And looks with eye unsated on her child. + He knows her, sure!--Sure, answering rapture his, + Leave her at least the visionary bliss! + Lo! his clear eye to her's responsive speaks, + And lo! his little mouth, that wistful seeks + Warm from her lip to suck the sweet o'erflowing kiss. + She hears the silent call--how quickly hears + A mother's heart. + + SOTHEBY'S OBERON. + + +Arrived at the Castle, Ellen once more began to breathe; her colour and +appetite returned, and she speedily recovered her strength, and thought +she had never been so happy: her Lord's renewed, and even encreased +affection, Lady Juliana's sincere attachment, and the pleasing society +of Laura Cecil, who remained her guest (Sir William being in Scotland +with Lord and Lady Delamore), left her scarcely any thing to wish. + +This little party received a very agreeable addition about a week after, +by the arrival of Sir Edward Leicester, whose continued attentions to +Miss Cecil seemed not ill received by her. + +Soon after their return to Castle St. Aubyn, letters from Mr. Ross and +Joanna arrived, filled with thanks and rejoicings for the promotion of +Charles. They said not a word, nor seemed to know any thing of the late +transactions; and Lord and Lady St. Aubyn were glad he had not revealed +them. It appeared, that through St. Aubyn's interest, he had been made +Lieutenant, and honoured with the command of a small frigate, and was +gone to cruize in the Mediterranean. At this latter circumstance Ellen +was not sorry; for she could not wish, after what had passed, to see +Charles Ross again at present. Every thing, therefore, seemed now smooth +before her; and though sometimes her thoughts would wander to the +former mysterious expressions of St. Aubyn, and recollecting that the +time he appointed for their elucidation was arrived, yet as she heard no +more of it, and he seemed to have lost those fits of gloom, which even +from the commencement of their acquaintance had been obvious in him, she +hoped all was passed over, and determined by no ill-timed curiosity to +revive painful ideas in his mind. But she yet fully knew not St. Aubyn, +except when thrown off his guard by any sudden emotion: his command over +his spirits and features was wonderful; and no one who saw him composed, +cheerful, and even gay, could have suspected what at times passed in his +mind, nor to what unpleasant scenes he now looked forward. Not even Lady +Juliana knew what reason he had to think of the future with +apprehension, though with much of what had formerly befallen him she +certainly was acquainted. + +The families round the Castle paid every polite attention to Lady St. +Aubyn on her return: many, who had been absent when she was there +before, now visited her; and though for the present she declined +entering into large parties, every one seemed rejoiced to see her once +more amongst them. Not the least delighted was Miss Alton, who with +unfading charms, and exhaustless professions of regard, came eagerly to +greet the charming Countess's return, to rejoice in her perfect +recovery, and to assure her how much she had suffered at hearing she was +ill in London. + +"And oh! my dear Lady St. Aubyn," said she, "think how shocked I was to +hear some rude wretch had annoyed you at the theatre, and that your +excellent lord had like to have fought a duel about it. Oh! how thankful +I am that these frightful scenes did not more materially injure your +valuable health, and that you are returned to us, if possible, more +beautiful than ever." + +"And who, my dear Miss Alton," said Laura, who alone retained composure +enough to answer her (for this familiar recurrence to scenes so painful +had greatly disturbed Lady St. Aubyn and Lady Juliana), "who told you +all this wonderful story?" + +"Oh, it was a cousin of mine, who happened to be coming out of the +playhouse just as it happened, and wrote me word of it; and that the +gentlemen had exchanged cards: so you see I had pretty good authority." + +"Yes," replied Lady Juliana, with her usual asperity, "and no doubt made +pretty good use of it. Pray, Ma'am, did you think it necessary to send a +man and horse round the neighbourhood with this amusing piece of +intelligence; or were you contented with your own personal exertions?" + +"Dear Lady Juliana, I am sure I thought no harm; I only just mentioned +it----" + +"To every one who would hear you, no doubt. If, at least, you had spared +us the recital, it would have been quite as delicate, and more +consistent with your _tender feelings_ for Lady St. Aubyn." + +Poor Miss Alton, quite shocked to find she had given such offence to the +old lady, of whom she stood in great awe, vainly attempted to rally her +spirits, and soon after took her leave, earnestly wishing Lady Juliana +had staid in London; for she foresaw the entré of the Castle would not +be so easily granted to her now as it had been when only the +kind-hearted Countess presided; and trembling, lest, if she were not +more cautious in future, she should not be admitted to see the little +stranger when it arrived, and take cake and caudle in Lady St. Aubyn's +apartment. + +"See," said Lady Juliana, drawing herself up, "see, my dear, the +consequence of admitting such low, uneducated people to any degree of +intimacy! This gossipping woman would not have ventured to hint at what +had passed, had you kept her at a proper distance: but the easy +impudence of such people in these degenerate times astonishes me. In the +days of the Countess of St. Aubyn, my mother, _she_ would scarcely have +spoken to such a sort of person as this Miss--what do you call her?" For +when Lady Juliana felt proud or indignant, she had a great knack of +forgetting any name which had not a title tacked to it; though no one +remembered more accurately those which had. + +"Ah!" thought Ellen, "how with pride so overbearing could I ever have +hoped to be myself exempted from this general censure of such sort of +persons! How fortunate I may think myself, to have overcome a prejudice +of such long standing." + +In the society of a few agreeable neighbours, and the ever-pleasing +conversation of Laura, the time passed serenely till the end of August: +yet there were moments when gloom seemed again to steal over the +features of St. Aubyn. His foreign letters arrived more frequently, but +appeared to give him no satisfaction. With Ellen he studiously avoided +all conversation on the subject of his anxiety: for he dreaded, in her +present state, the least alarm, and delayed by every means in his power +the apparently fast approaching crisis of his fate, till her safety +should have been secured. + +At length, after some hours of uneasy watching, and the most painful +anxiety, Lady Juliana announced to him the birth of a _son_, who, +notwithstanding all the alarms his mother had undergone in London, +seemed likely as well as herself to do well. Lady Juliana was in +raptures at this event, to which she had so long looked forward with +impatience. Nothing that money could procure was wanting to decorate +either the infant or the chamber where he lay, which, as well as that of +the Countess, had been entirely new furnished in the most superb and +commodious manner at her expence, Lady Juliana having insisted on paying +for every thing prepared, even to the elegant cradle lined with quilted +white satin; and not even Lady Meredith had softer cushions than those +on which the infant heir reposed. + +St. Aubyn, charmed with the lovely little creature, and to see its +mother safe, appeared as if he had no wish ungratified, and left no +tender attention unpaid which might ensure his Ellen's health and +comfort. As she approached towards convalescence, Laura Cecil was her +constant and most delightful companion, and well knew how to cheer and +adorn the hours which were necessarily given to the quietude of her own +apartments. The infant was rather delicate though healthy; but safe in +its mother's fostering cares it strengthened every day, without those +cares---- + + Ah! what avails the cradle's damask roof, + The eider bolster, or embroidered woof, + Oft hears the gilded couch unpitied plains, + And many a tear, the tassel'd cushion stains! + No voice so sweet attunes his cares to rest, + So soft no pillow as his mother's breast! + Thus charm'd to sweet repose, when twilight hours + Shed their soft influence on celestial bowers, + The cherub, Innocence, with smile divine, + Shuts his white wings, and sleeps on beauty's shrine. + + DARWIN. + +Incessantly anxious about the babe, Lady St. Aubyn could not soon permit +it to be removed from her apartments, it lay therefore with its nurse in +a smaller room within that where Lady St. Aubyn slept. + +It was about six weeks after this event, so interesting to all parties, +had taken place, and Ellen had for some time been returned to the +society of her own family, that one day, just as they had finished +dinner, St. Aubyn was told two gentlemen in a chaise and four had just +arrived, and requested to speak to him immediately. He changed colour, +but conquering his purturbation, desired they might be shewn into his +study, and he would go to them. "Who are they?" said Lady Juliana. "I +did not know, nephew, you expected any company." "Perhaps," said St. +Aubyn, evading her questions, "they may not remain here an hour, perhaps +till to-morrow morning." He hastily left the room, and Ellen was +convinced these strangers were the persons at whom St. Aubyn had often +hinted as connected with the mystery which hung around him: she +trembled, and felt dismayed, but endeavoured to be as composed as +possible. In a few minutes after St. Aubyn had left the room, Mr. +Mordaunt was sent for; and as he had been some time an invalid, St. +Aubyn desired a carriage might be dispatched to bring him to the Castle. +Ellen passing soon after up stairs to the nursery, crossed him in the +hall, followed by his assistant with a quantity of papers and +parchments: they bowed, and went into the study. "Oh, I know now," said +Lady Juliana, who was with her, "who St. Aubyn has with him: it is I +suppose Lord De Montfort, and his guardian and tutor, Mr. O'Brien, a +Catholic priest, who has the entire management of the young man, and +will I suppose now have the entire direction of his estates, which have +till now been under the care of my nephew, who was appointed by his +father's will the young Earls guardian, as far as related to his English +property, till he should be twenty-four, though his Catholic relations +have had the care of his person. Rejoiced shall I be when St. Aubyn has +finally concluded all his concerns with that family. Heaven knows they +have given him trouble enough already! and this young man I know hates +him. I don't suppose he will stay an hour after the accounts are +settled, indeed he would not have come at all, only Mordaunt having all +the affairs in his hands, and being too unwell to go from home, it was I +conclude necessary: this I know, if these people stay here to-night, I +shall remain in my own room." + +Ellen carefully and anxiously attended to all she said, yet this +discourse gave her no clue by which to unravel the mysterious speeches +of St. Aubyn. After spending an hour in the nursery, both ladies +returned to the drawing-room, and sent a servant to know if coffee +should be carried into the study, or if Lord St. Aubyn and his guests +would join the ladies. Orders were given for tea and coffee in the +study; and Lady Juliana could not restrain her curiosity enough to +refrain asking who was with Lord St. Aubyn: from the servant she +learned that the party consisted of his Lordship, Mr. Mordaunt, his +clerk, and two strange gentlemen, one elderly, the other young, and +apparently in ill health. This confirmed her surmises, and soon after +tea, not wishing to see Lord De Montfort, should he make his appearance, +she retired to her own room, leaving Ellen and Laura together, with a +strict injunction to the former not to be kept up too late. + +Ellen's anxiety made her somewhat silent; and Laura, never very +talkative, easily fell into her present humour, so that for some time +very little conversation passed between them. Laura was netting, and +Ellen attempting a drawing; but her hand was unsteady, and her attention +divided, therefore finding she should not succeed, she threw down her +pencil, and listened in silence to a loud equinoxial wind, which howled +around, and shook with "murmur not unlike the dash of ocean on his +sounding shores" the ancient trees which grew near the mansion. A +chilling sensation insensibly stole upon her, and at length, to break +the melancholy silence of the apartment, rather than that she wished to +speak, she said, "'Tis a rough night, and cold." + +"Yes," said Laura; and they both drew nearer the fire. + +"Do you know Lord De Montfort?" asked Ellen. + +"I have seen him when a boy," replied Laura, "and think I should know +him again, though six or seven years make a great alteration at his +age." + +"Was he handsome?" + +"Yes, but not so much so as his sister." + +"Is he like her?" + +"A little, but of a darker complexion: her's was a clear lively brown; +dark hazle eyes, full of spirit, and indeed at times of scorn, a Grecian +nose, full lips, the upper one curled a little, which gave a haughty air +to her countenance; Edmund was thinner, paler, and his eyes had a +softer look." + +"Edmund is his name?" + +"He has a long list of names, according to the Spanish custom; but his +sister always called him Edmund, which was his father's." + +"I wonder whether we shall see him?" + +"Of course,--I suppose so," said Laura, with some surprize: "it is too +late for him to quit the Castle to-night, and he will without doubt pay +his compliments to you before he departs." + +"I think," replied Ellen, "from what Lady Juliana said just now, that +St. Aubyn and Lord De Montfort are not on very good terms, that made me +doubt whether he would stay the night." + +"It may be so," said Laura, "yet unless they are decidedly at enmity, +the young man cannot avoid seeing you." + +Soon after the supper tray was brought into the room, and on its being +announced to the gentlemen, St. Aubyn came to the library, accompanied +by Mr. Mordaunt and Mr. O'Brien, the latter of whom he introduced to the +ladies. St. Aubyn looked pale, and his manners had lost some of its +usual composure. O'Brien was a grave, respectable old man, of Irish +extraction, but bred in a convent abroad, and speaking English but +imperfectly. + +"I will return to the study," said St. Aubyn, "and see once more if I +can persuade Lord De Montfort to take some refreshment. You remember De +Montfort, Miss Cecil?--He is my other guest, but he pleads fatigue, and +disinclination to see any one, and will not be prevailed on to take even +a glass of wine. I will once more endeavour to induce him to join you." + +"Indeed, my Lord," said Ellen, "I hope he will: if he be fatigued, he +must the more need refreshment." + +"My love," said St. Aubyn, "will you have the goodness to order beds to +be prepared for Lord De Montfort and Mr. O'Brien. They remain here this +night." + +He then left the room, and Ellen ringing the bell, desired Mrs. Bayfield +might be sent to her dressing-room, whither a few minutes after she went +herself to give orders respecting the beds. As she passed the study +door, which was not quite close, she distinctly heard St. Aubyn say:-- + +"For Heaven's sake, De Montfort, be persuaded; do not wrong me so +cruelly! Why condemn me on mere appearances?" + +Ellen passed hastily on, and heard St. Aubyn close the door with some +violence, warned perhaps by the light she carried that some one might +overhear him. + +In her dressing-room she met Mrs. Bayfield, and was instantly struck +with her pale countenance and agitated appearance. + +"My good Bayfield," said Ellen, "I sent for you to request you would see +chambers prepared for the strange gentlemen; but you look ill, pray go +to bed: Jane shall go with the housemaids and see that all is right." + +"I am not ill, my Lady," said Mrs. Bayfield; "but a glimpse I caught of +Lord De Montfort just now, and the tone of his voice, reminded me of so +many painful events--" + +She paused, sighed, and the tears ran down her cheeks as she added: + +"I wish he had not come here; I wish he was gone back to Spain; I cannot +bear to see him." + +"His likeness to your late lady affects you perhaps, my good friend?" +said Ellen. + +"Oh, no, Madam; it is not that; he is like her to be sure; but it is not +_that_. I feel so uneasy when I see him.--He does not love my Lord; and +yet he used to love him. But forgive me, Madam; I forget myself: will +your Ladyship please to give your orders now?" + +"I will leave all to your care, my good Bayfield. I suppose the +gentlemen will like to be near each other: the two chambers at the end +of the gallery where I sleep (those next to that your Lord sleeps in at +present, I mean) will suit them best, I think: see that they have good +fires, for it is cold to-night: the wind is really alarming." + +"Your Ladyship had better take another shawl round your shoulders: the +staircase is cold." + +Ellen thanked her careful old friend, and returned to the company. + + + END OF VOL. II. + + B. CLARKE, Printer, Well Street, London. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mystery and Confidence, Vol. 2, by +Elizabeth Pinchard + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MYSTERY AND CONFIDENCE, VOL. 2 *** + +***** This file should be named 34968-8.txt or 34968-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/9/6/34968/ + +Produced by Mark C. Orton and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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