Barford Abbey Part 6

I even fancied the beautiful pair stood before me, whose hands he is represented joining. It is much to be regretted so fine a piece should be hid from the world.--Why should not _this_ be proportion? The _other_ portraits which your Ladyship has drawn, are even allowed by Reynolds to be masterly.--Let me therefore entreat, next time he comes to the Lodge, my favourite may _at least_ have a chance of being called from banishment.

The Dean was almost discouraged from proceeding on his journey, by hearing of your Ladyship's absence, and the death of Mrs. Whitmore.--He was no stranger to what concern'd me, tho' I could be scarce an inhabitant of Hillford-Down at the time _he_ left it.--I suppose his information was from Mr. Jenkings; I could see them from the window deep in discourse, walking in the Bowling-Green, from the moment the Dean got out of his chaise till dinner.

The latter expressed infinite satisfaction when I joined them; looking with such stedfast tenderness, as if he would trace on my countenance the features of some dear friend.--His sincere regard for Mr. and Mrs.

Whitmore, and the grat.i.tude he owes your Ladyship, must make him behold me with a favourable eye, knowing how greatly I have been distinguish'd by the two latter.

He had a stool put into his chaise; a.s.suring us we could fit three conveniently--We came from the last inn together, and are to travel so the remainder of the journey.

After your Ladyship's strict commands, that I look on Brandon-Lodge as my home, I shall make it such the few days I stay in Oxfordshire;--and have presumed on your indulgence, to request Mr. Jenkings will do the same.--The Dean's visit is to Mr. Gardener, which will be happy for me, as that Gentleman's house is so near the Lodge.--I hope to see the tops of the chimneys this evening.--

My heart would jump at the sight, if I expected your Ladyship to meet me with open arms.--Extatic thought!--unfit to precede those disappointments which must follow thick on one another. Can there be greater!--to pa.s.s the very house, once inhabited by--O my Lady!--Heaven!

how will your and her image bring before me past happy scenes!

If this is the Dean's voice, he is got up, early. The horses putting to, and scarce five o'clock! Here comes a messenger, to say they are ready.

So rest my pen, till; I again take it up at Brandon-Lodge.

_Brandon-Lodge_.

I never saw such general joy as appeared through the village at sight of the Dean.--The first person who espy'd him ran with such speed into every house, that by the time we reached Mr. Gardener's gate, the chaise was surrounded by a hundred people.--Mr. and Mrs. Gardener stepping out, were saluted by the Dean. What, our old friend! cried they.--What, our old friend!--Good G.o.d!--and Miss Warley too!--This is a joyful surprize, indeed! and would have taken me out by force, if I had not persisted in going to the Lodge.--Your Ladyship is enough acquainted with these good people, to know they would part with any thing rather than their friends.--I have not yet seen Miss Gardener: she was gone on a walk with Miss West and Miss Conway.

The Dean showered a thousand marks of regard on all around him;--the meanest not escaping his notice.--In this tumult of pleasure I did not pa.s.s unregarded.--Your Ladyship and Mrs. Whitmore still live in their hearts; the pure air of Hillford-Down will not mix with the cold blast of ingrat.i.tude.

May the soft pillow I am going to repose on, shut not out from my mind the load of obligations which rest on it!--The remembrance is balm to my soul, either in my sleeping or waking hours.

Nine o'clock.

Scarce out of my bed half an hour!--How have I over-slept myself! Mrs.

Bennet has prevailed on Mr. Jenkings to have some breakfast.--Good, considerate woman!--indeed, all your Ladyship's domestics are good and considerate.--No wonder, when you treat them so very different from _some people_ of high rank. Let those who complain of fraud, guilt, negligence, or want of respect from their dependants, look in here;--where they will see honesty, virtue, and reverence attend the execution of every command.--Flowers must be planted before they can take root.--Few, very few endeavour to improve an uncultivated soil, notwithstanding how great the advantage is to the improver.

I last night receiv'd pleasure inexpressible, by sending for the servants to acquaint them of your Ladyship's returning health; and feasted on the satisfaction they expressed.--In a moment all the live creatures were brought.--I am satisfied, my Lady, if any of them die in your absence, it must be of fat.--My old acquaintances Bell and Flora could hardly waddle in to pay their compliments; the parrot, which used to squall the moment she saw me, is now quite dumb; shewing no mark of her favour, but holding down her head to be scratched;--the turtle-doves are in the same case.--I have taken the liberty to desire the whole crew might be put to short allowance.

John said, he believed it was natural for every thing to grow fat here; and was much afraid, when I saw the coach-horses, I should p.r.o.nounce the same hard sentence against them, desiring orders to attend me with the carriage this morning.--I told him my stay would be so short, I should have no time for an airing.

The gardener has just sent me a blooming nosegay; I suppose, to put me in mind of visiting his care, which I intend, after I have acquainted your Ladyship with an incident that till this moment had escaped my memory.--The Dean, Mr. Jenkings, and myself, were drinking a cup of chocolate before we sat out from the inn where I had been so much hurried, when captain Risby sent in his name, desiring we would admit him for a moment. His request being a.s.sented to, he entered very respectfully, said he came to apologize for the rudeness he was guilty of the last night.--The Dean and Mr. Jenkings presently guessed his meaning; I had been just relating the whole affair, which I was pleased to find did not disturb their rest.--I a.s.sured Captain Risby, far from deeming his behaviour rude, I was obliged to him for his solicitude in sending a servant to my chamber. He said he had not been in bed, determining to watch our setting out, in hopes his pardon would be sealed:--that to think of the accident he might have occasioned, gave him great pain.

Pardon me, Madam, addressing himself to me; and you, Sir, to Mr.

Jenkings; if I ask one plain question: Have _you_, or at least has not _that Lady_, relations out of England? I have a friend abroad--I have heard him say his father is still living;--but then he has no sister;--or a certain likeness I discover would convince me.

Undoubtedly he took me for Mr. Jenkings's daughter:--what he meant further I cannot divine.

Mr. Jenkings reply'd, You are mistaken, Sir, if you think me the father of this Lady.--The chaise driving up that moment to the door, he shook him by the hand, and led me towards it; the Captain a.s.sisting me in getting in.

I wish I could have satisfied my curiosity.--I wish I had known to whom he likened me.--Perhaps his eyes misinformed him--perhaps he might have taken a cheerful gla.s.s after the last night's encounter:--yet he resembled not a votary of Bacchus;--his complexion clear;--hair nicely comb'd;--coat without a spot;--linen extremely fine and clean.--But enough of him.--Here comes the Dean, walking up the avenue escorting a party of my old acquaintances.

Adieu! dearest honour'd Lady, till my return to Hampshire.

F. WARLEY.

LETTER XIV.

The Honourable GEORGE MOLESWORTH to LORD DARCEY.

London.

_Was every any thing so forgetful, to bring no other clothes here but mourning?_

Really, my Lord, this favours a good deal of the matrimonial stile. Was you, commenced Benedict, I should think you had received lessons from the famous L----, who takes such pains with his pupils, that those whose attendance is frequent, can, in, the s.p.a.ce of three months after the knot is tied, bring their wives to hear patiently the words--_forgetful,--ridiculous,--absurd,--pish--poh_,--and a thousand more of the same significant meaning.--I hear you, my Lord:--_it is true_, I am in jest; and know you would scorn to say even a peevish thing to a wife.

Why fret yourself to a skeleton about an absence of eight days?--How could you suppose she would let you go into Oxfordshire?--Proper decorums must be observed by that s.e.x.--Are not those despicable who neglect them?--What would you have said, had she taken Edmund with her?--Don't storm:--on reflection you will find you had no greater right to expect that indulgence.

I have this morning had a letter from d.i.c.k Risby, that unfortunate, but worthy cousin of _mine_, just returned from the West-Indies to take on him the command of a company in Lord ----'s regiment. What a Father his!--to abandon _such_ a son.--Leave him to the wide world at sixteen,--without a shilling, only to gratify the pride and avarice of his serpent daughter,--who had art sufficient to get this n.o.ble youth disinherited for her waddling brat, whose head was form'd large enough to contain his mother's mischief and his own.--In vain we attempted to set aside the will:--my brother would not leave England whilst there remained the least hopes for poor Risby.

I always dreaded d.i.c.k's going abroad, well knowing what a designing perfidious s.l.u.t his sister was, from her very infancy.--Her parents drew down a curse by their blind indulgence:--even her nurse was charg'd not to contradict her; she was to have every thing for which she shewed the least inclination.

Lord Eggom and myself being near of an age with our cousins, were sometimes sent to play with them in their nursery; and, though boys of tolerable spirit, that vixen girl has so worried us by her tyrannic and impatient temper, that we have often pet.i.tioned, at our return home, to be put to bed supperless.--If sweet-meats were to be divided, she would cry to have the whole; the same in regard to cards,--sh.e.l.ls,--money, or whatever else was sent for our entertainment.--When she has pinched us black and blue,--a complaint to her mother has been made by d.i.c.k, who could not bear to see us so used, though he was obliged to take such treatment himself, the only redress we should receive was--Poh! she is but a baby.--I thought you had all known better than to take notice of what _such_ a _child_ as Lucy does--Once, when this was said before her, me flew at me, and cry'd, I will pinch again, if I please;--papa and mamma says I shall,--and so does nurse; and I don't mind what any body else says.--I waited only for my revenge, till the two former withdrew; when sending the latter for a gla.s.s of water, I gave _Miss_ such a glorious tacking, as I believe she has never tasted the like before or since.--In the midst of the fray, I heard nurse running up, which made me hasten what I owed on _my own_ account, to remind her of the _favours_ she had conferred on Lord Eggom and her brother.--If such a termagant in her infant state,--judge what she must be at a time of life when her pa.s.sions are in full vigour, and govern without controul!--I have just shewn the method of rearing this diabolical plant, that you may not wonder at its productions.--I shall see justice overtake her, notwithstanding the long strides she is making to escape.

d.i.c.k will be in town with us most part of the winter:--I have wrote him to that purpose, and mention'd your name. He will rejoice to see you:--I have often heard him regret your acquaintance was of so short standing.--Bridgman set out for York the day before I arrived; his servants inform me he is not expected back this three weeks.

I like our lodgings vastly; but more so as the master and mistress of the family are excessively clean and obliging; two things so material to my repose, that I absolutely could not dispense patiently with either.--This it was which made me felicitous about taking a house; I am now so happily situated, I wish not to have one in town whilst I remain a batchelor. Heaven knows how long that will be!--Your nonpareil has given me a dislike to all my former slight prepossessions.

Lady Elizabeth Curtis!--I did once indeed think a little seriously of her:--but _such_ a meer girl!--Perhaps the time she has spent in France, Germany, and the Lord knows where, may have changed her from a little bewitching, smiling, artless creature--to a _vain, designing, haughty_,--I could call a coquet by a thousand names;--but Lady Elizabeth _can_-not, _must_ not be a coquet.--Cupid, though, shall never tye a bandage over my eyes.--The charms that must fix me are not to be borrow'd;--I shall look for them in her affection to her relations;--in a condescending behaviour to inferiors;--above all, when she offers up her first duties.--If she shines here, I shall not follow her to the card-table, or play-house:--every thing must be right in a heart where duty, affection, and humility, has the precedence.

The misfortune of our s.e.x is this: when taken with a fine face, we enquire no further than, Is she _polite?_--Is she _witty?_ Does she _dance_ well?--sing well?--in short, _is_ she fit to appear in the _Beau Monde_; whilst good sense and virtues which const.i.tute real happiness, are left out of the question.

How does beauty,--politeness--wit,--a fine voice,--a graceful movement, charm!--But how often are we deceiv'd by them.--An instance of which I have lately seen in our old friend Sir Harry. No man on earth can pity that poor soul more than I do; yet I have laughed hours to think of his mistake. _So mild--so gentle_--said he, George, a week before his marriage, I should have said _execution_,--it is impossible to put her out of humour.--If I am not the happiest man breathing, it must be my own fault.

What was my astonishment when I call'd on him in my way to town, and found this mild _gentle mate_ of his, aided by a houseful of her relations, had not only deprived him of all right and authority in the _Castle_, but almost of his very speech!

I dropt in about one, told the Baronet I came five miles out of my way for the pleasure of saluting his bride, and to drink a bottle of claret with him.--He was extremely glad to see me; and ventured to say so, _before_ I was introduced to the _Ladies_:--but I saw by his sneaking look, no such liberty must be taken in _their_ presence.--My reception was gracious enough, considering all communication is cut off between him and his former acquaintance.

Scarce was I seated, before the old Dowager asked me, if her daughter had not made _great_ alterations in the little time she had been at the Castle.

_Alterations_, Madam! I reply'd;--upon my honour, they are _so_ visible, no person can avoid being struck with them.--How could your father and mother, Sir Harry, bear to live in such an wood? looking and speaking disdainfully.--He smiled obsequious--hemm'd--trembled, and was silent.--I hope, continued she, not to see a tree remaining near this house before the next summer.--We want much, Mr. Molesworth, turning to me with quite a different look and voice, to have the pleasure-ground laid out:--but really her Ladyship has had so much to set in order _within doors_, that it has taken off her attention a good deal from what is necessary to be done _without_.--However, Sir, you shall see our design; so, my dear, speaking to her daughter, let Sir Harry fetch the plan.

It is in my closet, returned her Ladyship, and I don't chuse to send _him_ there;--but I'll ring for Sally.

I had like that moment to have vow'd a life of celibacy--I saw him redden;--how could he avoid it, if one spark of manhood remain'd?

The indignation I felt threw such a mist before my eyes, that when the plan was laid on the table, I could scarce distinguish temples from clumps of shrubs, or Chinese seats from green slopes.--Yet this _reptile_ of a husband could look over my shoulder, hear the opinion of every one present, without _daring_ to give his own.

I was more out of patience at dinner.--Bless me, says her Ladyship, how _aukward_ you are when I _bid_ you cut up any thing!--the mother and daughter echoing, _Never_ was there _such_ a carver as _Sir Harry!_--Well, I vow, cry'd the latter, it is a strange thing you will not remember, so often as I have _told you_, to lay the meat handsome in the dish.

Good G.o.d! thought I, can this man live out half his days?--And, faith, if I had not drank five b.u.mpers of Madeira, I could not have stood the sight of his fearful countenance.