Barford Abbey Part 19

Exalted goodness! said he,--approaching her with rapture: take my heart;--do with it as you please;--it is devoted to your generosity.

Well then, said she, I command _it_,--I command _it_ instantly to be laid open before me.--_Now_ let it speak,--_now_ let it declare if I am not the bar to its felicity:--if--

No, my good angel, interrupted he, dropping on his knees,--and pressing her hand to his lips;--I see it is through you,--through you only,--I am to expect felicity.

Before Lady Mary could prevail on Mr. Powis to arise, Sir James, whom they did not expect,--and who they thought was retir'd for the night, came in quest of his snuff-box;--but with a countenance full of joy retir'd precipitately, bowing to Lady Mary with the same reverence as if she had been a molten image cast of his favourite metal.

In this conversation I have been circ.u.mstantial, that you might have a full view of the n.o.ble, disinterested Lady Mary Sutton:--you may gather now, from whence sprang her unbounded affection for the incomparable, unfortunate Miss Powis.

You will not be surprised to find a speedy marriage took place between Mr. Powis and Miss Whitmore, to which none were privy but the Dean of H----, who perform'd the ceremony,--Lady Mary,--Mrs. Whitmore (the mother of Mrs. Powis),--Mr. and Mrs. Jenkings.--Perhaps you think Lady Powis ought to have been consulted:--I thought so _too_; but am _now_ convinc'd she would have been the wretchedest woman in the world, had she known her son acting diametrically opposite to the will of his father in so material a point.

To put it out of the power of every person intrusted with this momentous secret to divulge it,--and to make Mr. Powis perfectly easy,--each bound themselves at the altar where the ceremony was perform'd, never to make the least discovery 'till Mr. Powis thought fit to declare his marriage.

What an instance have I given you of _female_ friendship!--Shew me such another:--our s.e.x are a test of _their_ friendships.

How many girls have I seen,--for ever together arm in arm,--whispering their own, perhaps the secrets of all their neighbours;--when in steps a young fellow of our cloth,--or any other, it signifies not the colour,--and down tumbles the tottering basis.--Instead of _my dear_ and _my love_, it is _sly creature, false friend_, could any one have thought Miss Such-a-one possess'd of so much art?--then out comes intrigues, family-affairs, losses at cards,--in short, every thing that has been treasur'd up by two industrious fair ones seven years before.

Don't think me satyrical:--I am nice;--_too_ much so, perhaps.--The knowledge of _such_ as const.i.tute this little narrative, and _some_ other minds like _theirs_, has made me rather _too_ nice, as I said before;--a matter of little consequence, as I am situated.--Can I look forward to happy prospects, and see how soon the fairest felicity is out of sight?--This afflicted family, Molesworth, has taught me to forget,--that is, I ought to forget.--But no matter;--never again let me see Lady Sophia;--never lead me a second time into danger:--she is mortal; like Miss Powis.--Lord Darcey! poor Lord Darcey!

If recollection will a.s.sist me, a word or two more of Mr. and Mrs.

Powis.

Lady Sophia--the deuce is in me! you know who I mean;--why write I the name of Lady Sophia?--upon my honour, I have given over all thoughts of that divinity--Lady Mary I should have said, a few months after the nuptials of her friends, wrote to Mr. Powis, who was then at Barford Abbey, an absolute refusal, in consequence of a preconcerned plan of operation.--Immediately after this, she set out with Mrs. Powis for London, whose _situation_ made it necessary for her to leave Hillford Down.

You will suppose, on the receipt of this letter, how matters were at the Abbey:--Sir. James rav'd; even Lady Powis thought her son ill us'd; but, in consideration of their former intimacy, prevail'd on Sir James never to mention the affair, though from this time all acquaintance ceas'd between the families.

In order to conceal the marriage, it was inevitable Mr. Powis must carry his wife abroad;--and as he intended to travel before the match was thought of with Lady Mary,--his father now readily consented that he should begin his tour.--This furnish'd him with an excuse to go immediately to town,--where he waited 'till the angel that we all weep for, made her appearance.

But what, you ask, was Mrs. Powis's excuse to leave England, without being suspected?--Why, I'll tell you: by the contrivance of Lady Mary, together with Mrs. Whitmore, it was believ'd she had left the world;--that she died in town of a malignant fever;--that--but I cannot be circ.u.mstantial--Miss Powis, after her parents went abroad, was brought down by Lady Mary, and consign'd to the care of her grandmother, with whom she liv'd as the orphan child of some distant relation.

Whilst Mr. and Mrs. Powis were travelling through Italy, he apply'd to his friend the Lord-Lieutenant,--and by _that_ interest was appointed to the government of ----. It was here my acquaintance with them commenc'd: not that I suspected Miss Glinn to be Mrs. Powis, though I saw her every day.--_Glinn_ was a name she a.s.sum'd 'till she returned to England.--A thousand little circ.u.mstances which render'd her character unsuspected, I want spirits to relate.--Suffice it to say,--the death of Mrs.

Whitmore;--a daughter pa.s.sing on the world for an orphan;--and the absence of Lady Mary Sutton;--made them resolve to hazard every thing rather than leave their child unprotected.--Alas! for what are they come home?

Nothing is impossible with a Supreme Being.--Lord Darcey _may_ recover.--But why this ray of hope to make the horrors of my mind more dreadful?--He is _past_ hope, you say.--

RISBY.

LETTER x.x.xIII.

The Honourable George Molesworth to Richard Risby, Esq;

_Dover_.

Risby, I am lifted above myself!--I am overcome with surprise!--I am mad with joy!--Is it possible!--can it be!--But Lord Darcey's servant has swore it;--yes, he has swore, a letter directed in Miss Powis's _own_ hand, lay on the counter in a banker's shop where he went to change a bill: the direction was to Lady Mary Sutton:--he has put many for the same Lady into the post-office.--I _run_, I _ride_ or rather _fly_ to town.

You may jump, you may sing, but command your features before the family.--Should it be a mistake of John's, we kill them twice.

If I live to see the resurrection of our hopes, John shall be with you instantly.--On second thought, I will not dispatch this, unless we have a bless'd certainty.

Molesworth.

LETTER x.x.xIV.

The Honourable George Molesworth to the same.

_London_.

Are you a mile from the Abbey, d.i.c.k?--Are you out of sight,--out of hearing?--John, though you should offer to kill him, dare not deliver letter or message 'till you are at a proper distance.

Miss Powis lives!--Restore peace within the walls.--As I hope to be pardon'd for my sins, I have seen, I have spoke to her.--She lives!--Heavenly sound! it should be convey'd to them from above.--She lives! let me again repeat it.--Proclaim the joyful tidings:--but for particulars have patience 'till I return to the man, to the friend my life is bound up in.--I have seen him in every stage. Brightest has he shone, as the taper came nearer to an end.--The rich cordial must be administered one drop at a time.--Observe the caution.

Molesworth.

LETTER x.x.xV.

Captain Risby to the Honourable George Molesworth.

_Barford Abby_.

Well, Molesworth,--well--I can go no farther;--yet I _must;--John_, poor faithful _John_, says I _must_;--says he shall be sent back again.--But I have lost the use of my fingers:--my head bobs from side to side like a pendulum. Don't stamp, don't swear: they have a few drops of your cordial more than I intended.--It operates well.--I long to administer a larger potion.--Could you see how I am shifted--now here--now there--by the torrent of joy, that like a deluge almost drives reason before it;--I say, could you see me, you would not wonder at the few unconnected lines of

Yours,

Risby.

LETTER x.x.xVI.

The Honourable GEORGE MOLESWORTH to RICHARD RISBY, Esq;

_Dover_.

Darcey bears the joyful surprise beyond imagination:--it has brought him from death to life.--