Barford Abbey Part 25

LETTER XLIV.

Miss DELVES to the same.

_Barford Abbey_.

Lost my heart _again!_--Be not surpriz'd, Madam; I lose and find it ten times a day;--yet it never strays from Barford Abbey.--The last account you had from me it was b.u.t.ton'd inside Mr. Morgan's hunting-frock:--since that, it has been G.o.d knows with whom:--sometimes wrapt in a red coat;--sometimes in a blue;--sometimes in a green:--but finding many compet.i.tors flew to black, where it now lies snug, warm, and easy.--Restless creature! I will never take it home again.

What think you, Madam, of a _Dean_ for a son-in-law?

What do I think? you say.--Why the gentlemen of the church have too much sense and gravity to take my madcap off my hands.--Well, Madam, but suppose the Dean of H---- now you look pleas'd.--Oh, the Dean of _H----!_ What the _Dean_, Bessy, that Lady Mary used to talk of:--the _Dean_ that married Mr. and Mrs. Powis.

As sure as I live, Madam, the _very_ man:--and _to-morrow,--to-morrow at ten_, he is to unite their lovely daughter with Lord Darcey.--Am I not _very_ good,--_extremely_ good, _indeed_, to sit down and write,--when every person below is solacing themselves on the approach of this happy festival?

I would suffer shipwreck ten times;--ten times would I be drove on uninhabited islands, for such a husband as Lord Darcey.--Miss Powis's danger was only imaginary, yet _she_ must be _so_ rewarded.--Well, she _shall_ be rewarded:--she _ought_ to be rewarded:--Lord Darcey shall reward her.

But is it not _very_ hard upon your _poor_ girl, that _all_ the young smarts we brought down, and _that_ which we found _here_, should have dispos'd of their hearts?--_All_;--even Lord Hallum,--_he_ who used to boast so much of freedom,--now owns he has dispos'd of his.--

But to whom?--Aye: that's a question.--

They think, perhaps, the _old_ stuff will do well enough for poor me!--Thanks to my genius, I can set my cap at any thing.

Why there's something tolerable in the sound of a Dean's Lady--Let me see if it will do.--"The _Deans's_ coach;--the _Dean's_ servants."--Something better this than a plain _Mr._

Here comes Miss Powis. Now shall I be forc'd to huddle this into my pocket.--I am resolv'd she shall not see the preferment I have chalk'd out for myself.--No, no; I must be secret, or I shall have it taken from me.

_This_ Miss Powis,--_this_ very dutiful young Lady, that I used to have set up for a pattern,--_now_ tells me that I _must_ write no more; _that_ you will not expect to hear from me 'till the next post.--If I _must_ take Miss Powis's advice in everything;--if I _must_ be guided by _her_;--you know _who_ said this, Madam;--why then there is an end of my scribbling for this night.--But remember it is not _my_ fault.--No, indeed, I was sat down as sober sedate as could be.--Quite fit for a Dean's Lady?--Yes;--quite fit, indeed.--Now comes Lady Elizabeth and Lady Sophia.--Well, it is impossible, I find, to be dutiful in this house.

Thursday, twelve o'clock at noon.

Bless my soul! one would think I was the bride by my shaking and quaking! Miss Powis is--Lady Darcey.--Down drops my letter:--Yes, dear Madam, I see you drop it to run and tell my father.

I may write on _now_;--I may do what I will;--Lord and Lady Darcey are _every_ thing with _every_ body Well as I love them, I was not present at the ceremony:--I don't know why neither.--Not a soul but attended, except your poor foolish girl--At the window I stood to see them go, and never stirr'd a step 'till they return'd.--Mr. Molesworth gave her away.--I vow I thought near as handsome as the bridegroom.--But what signifies my thinking him handsome?--I'll ask Lady Elizabeth by and bye what she thinks.--Now for a little about it, before I ature myself with implements of destruction.--The Dean is not quite dead yet; but if he live out this day,--I say, he is invulnerable.

Let us hear no more of yourself:--tell us of Lord and Lady Darcey

Have patience, Madam, and I will,

Well, _their_ dress?--Why _their_ faces were dress'd in smiles of love:--Nature's charms should always take place of art.--You see with what order I proceed.

Lord Darcey was dress'd in white richly lac'd with gold;--Lady Darcey in a white lutestring negligee nounc'd deep with a silver net;--no cap, a diamond sprig; her hair without powder; a diamond necklace and sleeve-knots;--bracelets set round with diamonds; and let me tell you, her jewels are a present from my first Adorable;--on the knowledge of which I discarded him.--No, no, Mr. Morgan; you are not a _jewel_ of yourself neither.--Lady Darcey would have wore quite a morning dishabille, if the vain old Gentleman had not requested the contrary:--so forsooth, to humour him, we must be all put out of our way.

There they are on the lawn, as I hope to live, going to invite in Caesar.--Only an old dog, Madam, that lives betwixt this house and the steward's.

Lady Elizabeth and Mr. Molesworth, Lady Sophia and Captain Risby,--Oh, I long to be with you!--throw no more gravel to my window.--I _will_ be dutiful;--in spite of your allurements, I _will_.

I left them in the library, inspecting a very charming piece, just brought from Brandon Lodge, done by the hand of Lady Mary Sutton.--Upon my word, they have soon conn'd it over:--but I have not told you it is the portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Powis;--my dear Dean too joining their hands.--

G.o.d defend me! there he is, hopping out.--I wish he had kept within.--Why, Sir, I should have been down in a moment: then we might have had the most comfortable tete-a-tete.

Seriously, Madam--now I am _really_ serious--can you believe, after beholding Lord and Lady Darcey, I will ever be content with a moderate share of happiness?--No, I will die first.--To see them at this instant would be an antidote for indifference.--Not any thing of foolish fondness:--no; that will never be seen in Lord and Lady Darcey.--Their happiness is not confin'd:--we are all refreshed by it:--it pours forth from their homes like streams flowing from a pure terrain.--I think I said I could not go to church:--no, not for the world would I have gone:--I expected Miss Powis would be crying, fainting, and I know not what.--Instead of all this fuss, not a tear was shed.--I thought every body cried when they were married:--those that _had_, or had _not_ cause.--Well, I am determin'd to appear satisfied, however, if the yoke is a little galling.

How charming look'd Miss Powis, when she smil'd on Lord Darcey!--On Lord Darcey? On every body I mean.--And for him--But I must forget his air,--his words,--his looks, if ever I intend to say love, honour, and obey.--Once I am brought to say love,--honour and obey will slide off glibly enough. I must go down amongst them. Believe me, Madam, I shut myself up to write against intreaties,--against the most persuasive eloquence.

This is the day when the Powis family are crown'd with felicity.--I think on it with rapture.--I will set it down on the heart of your dutiful and affectionate

E. Delves.

LETTER XLV.

Miss Delves to the same.

_Barford Abbey_

Surely I must smell of venison,--roast beef, and plumb-puddings.--Yes, I smell of the Old English hospitality.--_You_, Madam, have no tenants to regale so;--are safe from such troubles on my account.--Will you believe me, Madam, I had rather see their honest old faces than go to the finest opera ever exhibited.--What think you of a hundred-and-seven chearful farmers sitting at long tables spread with every thing the season can afford;--two hogsheads of wine at their elbows;--the servants waiting on them with a.s.siduous respect:--Their songs still echo in my ears.

I thought the roof would have come down, when Lord and Lady Darcey made their appearance.--Some sung one tune,--some another;--some paid extempore congratulations;--others that had not a genius, made use of ballads compos'd on the marriage of the King and Queen.--One poor old soul cried to the Butler, because he could neither sing or repeat a verse.--Seeing his distress, I went to him, and repeated a few lines applicable to the occasion, which he caught in a moment, and tun'd away with the best of them.

Lord and Lady Hampstead are so delighted with the honest rustics, that they declare every Christmas their tenants shall be regal'd at Hallum Grove.

What can one feel equal to the satisfaction which arises on looking out in the park?--Three hundred poor are there feasting under a shed erected for the purpose;--cloath'd by Sir James and Lady Powis;--_so_ clean,--_so_ warm,--_so_ comfortable, that to see them at this moment, one would suppose they had never tasted of poverty.

Lord Darcey has order'd two hundred guineas to be given amongst them,--that to-morrow might not be less welcome to them than this day.

For my part, I have only two to provide for out of the number;--a pretty little boy and girl, that pick'd me up before I came to the shed.--The parents of those children were very good, and gave them to me on my first application.

Here comes Mrs. Jenkings.--_Well_, what pleasing thing have you to tell me, Mrs. Jenkings?

Five hundred pounds, as I live, to be given to the poor to-morrow from Lady Mary Sutton.--

What blessings will follow us on our journey! I believe I have not told you, Madam, we set out for Faulc.u.m Park on Monday.--_Not_ to stay:--no, I thank G.o.d we are _not_ to stay.--If Lord and Lady Darcey were to inhabit Faulc.u.m Park, yet it would not be to _me_ like Barford Abbey,--Barford Abbey is to be their home whilst Sir James and Lady Powis live.

Lord Hallum wants me to walk with him.--Not I, indeed:--I hate a _tete-a-tete_ with heartless men.--On second thoughts, I will go.

Oh Madam! out of breath with astonishment!--What think you:--I am the confidante of Lord Hallum's pa.s.sion;--with permission too of the earl and countess.--Heavens! and can you guess, Madam, who it is he loves?--Adieu, my _dear,--dear_ Dean!--Need I say more?--Will you not spare the blushes of your happy daughter,

E. DELVES.

FINIS.