Byron: The Last Phase Part 32

The next day Lady Byron replied in writing as follows: 'I shall obey your wishes, and fix the earliest day that circ.u.mstances will admit for leaving London.'

Consequently she quitted London on January 15, 1816. Soon after Lady Byron's arrival at Kirkby, her mother drew from her some of the circ.u.mstances of her misery. Lady Byron then told her mother that she believed her life would be endangered by a return to her husband. She expressed an opinion that Byron was out of his mind, although he seemed competent to transact matters connected with his business affairs. Lady Noel, naturally, took her daughter's part entirely, and went to London to seek legal advice. During her stay in London, Lady Noel saw Augusta Leigh and George Byron, who agreed with her that every endeavour should be made to induce Byron to agree to a separation. She also consulted Sir Samuel Romilly, Sergeant Heywood, Dr. Lushington, and Colonel Francis Doyle, an old friend of the Milbanke family. They all agreed that a separation was necessary. It was perhaps a very natural view to take of a marriage which had run its short course so tempestuously, but there were no grounds other than incompatibility of temperament upon which to base that conclusion.

'Nothing had been said at this time,' says Lord Lovelace, 'by Lady Byron of her suspicions about Augusta, except, apparently, a few incoherent words to Lady Noel, when telling her that Lord Byron had threatened to take the child away from her and commit it to Augusta's charge.'

Byron, says Lord Lovelace,[61] 'was very changeable at this time, sometimes speaking kindly of his wife--though never appearing to wish her to return--and the next hour he would say that the sooner Lady Byron's friends arranged a separation, the better.'

This statement is a fair example of the manner in which Lord Lovelace handles his facts and doc.u.ments. Mr. Hobhouse, who was in a position to know the truth, has recently shown that Byron was very anxious for his wife's return, was indeed prepared to make great sacrifices to attain that object, and resolutely opposed the wishes of those persons who tried to arrange a legal separation. It was not until Lady Byron herself reminded him of a promise which he had once made to her that, 'when convinced her conduct had not been influenced by others, he should not oppose her wishes,' that he consented to sign the deed of separation. He had done enough to show that he was not afraid of any exposure which might have affected his honour, and was willing, if necessary, to go into a court of law, but he could not resist the pet.i.tion of his wife.[62] It is also extremely improbable that Byron should, 'towards the end of January, have spoken of proposing a separation himself,' in view of the letters which he wrote to his wife on February 5, and February 8 following.[63]

On February 2 Sir Ralph Noel, under legal advice, wrote a stiff letter requiring a separation. Byron at that time positively refused to accept these terms. The whole affair then became publicly known. Every kind of report was spread about him, and especially the scandal about Augusta was noised abroad by Lady Caroline Lamb and Mr. Brougham. There can be no doubt whatever that Byron heard of this report, and paid very little attention to it. He found out then, or soon afterwards, how the scandal arose.

Lady Byron's relations were bent on arranging an amicable separation.

Should Byron persist in his refusal, it was intended to inst.i.tute a suit in the Ecclesiastical Court to obtain a divorce on the plea of adultery and cruelty. There is reason to believe that a charge of adultery could _not_ have been substantiated at that time.

Meanwhile, Lady Byron, who had lately acquired some doc.u.ments, which were unknown to her when she left her husband on January 15,[64] came to London on February 22, and had a long private conversation with Dr. Lushington.

She then showed him two packets of letters which Mrs. Clermont had abstracted from Byron's writing-desk. Lady Byron received those letters some time between February 14 and 22, 1816. One packet contained missives from a married lady, with whom Byron had been intimate previous to his marriage. It appears that Lady Byron--whose notions of the ordinary code of honour were peculiar--sent those letters to that lady's husband, who, like a sensible man, threw them into the fire. Of the other packet we cannot speak so positively. It probably comprised letters from Augusta Leigh, referring to the child Medora.[65] Such expressions as 'our child'

or 'your child' would have fallen quite naturally from her pen under the circ.u.mstances. It is easy to imagine the effect of some such words upon the suspicious mind of Lady Byron. By Mrs. Clermont's masterful stroke of treachery, strong presumptive evidence was thus brought against Augusta Leigh. The letters undoubtedly convinced Dr. Lushington that incest had taken place, and he warned Lady Byron against any personal intercourse with Mrs. Leigh. He at the same time advised her to keep her lips closed until Augusta had of her own free will confessed; and pointed out to Lady Byron that, 'while proofs and impressions were such as left no doubt on _her_ mind, _they were decidedly not such as could have been brought forward to establish a charge of incest, in the event of Lady Byron being challenged to bring forward the grounds of her imputation_.'[66]

From that moment all Lady Byron's wiles were employed to extract a confession from Augusta Leigh, which would have gone far to justify Lady Byron's conduct in leaving her husband. Soon after this momentous interview with Dr. Lushington, an ugly rumour was spread about town affecting Mrs. Leigh's character.

Lord Lovelace says:

'When Augusta's friends vehemently and indignantly resented such a calumny, they were met with the argument that _Lady Byron's refusal to a.s.sign a reason for her separation confirmed the report_, and that no one but Augusta could deny it with any effect.'

This, by the nature of her agreement with Byron, was impossible, and Mrs.

Clermont's treachery held her in a vice.

During January and February, 1816, Lady Byron, who strongly suspected Mrs.

Leigh's conduct to have been disloyal to herself, wrote the most affectionate letters to that lady.

'KIRKBY MALLORY.

'MY DEAREST A.,

'It is my great comfort that you are in Piccadilly.'

'KIRKBY MALLORY, '_January 23, 1816_.

'DEAREST A.,

'I know you feel for me as I do for you, and perhaps I am better understood than I think. You have been, ever since I knew you, my best comforter, and will so remain, unless you grow tired of the office, which may well be.'

'_January 25, 1816._

'MY DEAREST AUGUSTA,

'Shall I still be your sister? I must resign my rights to be so considered; but I don't think that will make any difference in the kindness I have so uniformly experienced from you.'

'KIRKBY MALLORY, '_February 3, 1816_.

'MY DEAREST AUGUSTA,

'You are desired by your brother to ask if my father has acted with my concurrence in proposing a separation. He has. It cannot be supposed that, in my present distressing situation, I am capable of stating, in a detailed manner, the reasons which will not only justify this measure, but compel me to take it; and it never can be my wish to remember unnecessarily those injuries for which, however deep, I feel no resentment. I will now only recall to Lord Byron's mind his avowed and insurmountable aversion to the married state, and the desire and determination he has expressed ever since its commencement to free himself from that bondage, as finding it quite insupportable, though candidly acknowledging that no effort of duty or affection has been wanting on my part. He has too painfully convinced me that all these attempts to contribute towards his happiness were wholly useless, and most unwelcome to him. I enclose this letter to my father, wishing it to receive his sanction.

'Ever yours most affectionately, 'A. I. BYRON.'

'_February 4, 1816._

'I hope, my dear A., that you would on no account withhold from your brother the letter which I sent yesterday, in answer to yours written by his desire; particularly as one which I have received from himself to-day renders it still more important that he should know the contents of that addressed to you. I am, in haste and not very well,

'Yours most affectionately, 'A. I. BYRON.'

'KIRKBY MALLORY, '_February 14, 1816_.

'The present sufferings of all may yet be repaid in blessings. Do not despair absolutely, dearest; and leave me but enough of your interest to afford you any consolation, by partaking of that sorrow which I am most unhappy to cause thus unintentionally.

'_You will_ be of my opinion hereafter, and at present your bitterest reproach would be forgiven; though Heaven knows you have considered me more than a thousand would have done--more than anything but my affection for B., one most dear to you, could deserve. I must not remember these feelings. Farewell! G.o.d bless you, from the bottom of my heart.

'A. I. B.'

It is only fair to remind the reader that, when these letters were written, Lady Byron had not consulted Dr. Lushington. We are inclined to think that the last letter was written on the day when she received Mrs.

Clermont's 'proofs.' Meanwhile, Augusta, unconscious that an avalanche of scandal threatened to sweep her reputation into an abyss, was catching at every straw that might avert a catastrophe. Her thoughts turned to Hodgson, whose n.o.ble character, sound common-sense, and affection for Byron, were undoubted. It was possible, she thought, that the ruin and destruction which she dreaded for her brother might be averted through the advice and a.s.sistance of an honourable man of the world. In that wild hope the following letters were written:

'13, PICCADILLY TERRACE, '_Wednesday, February 7, 1816_.

'DEAR MR. HODGSON,

'Can you by _any means_ contrive to come up to Town? Were it only for _a day_, it might be of the most essential service to a friend I know you love and value. There is too much fear of a separation between him and his wife. No time is to be lost, but even if you are _too late_ to prevent that happening _decidedly_, yet it would be the greatest comfort and relief to me to confide other circ.u.mstances to you, and consult you; and so if _possible_ oblige me, if only for _twenty-four_ hours. Say not _a word_ of my summons, but attribute your coming, if you come, to business of your own or chance. Excuse brevity; I am so perfectly wretched I can only say,

'Ever yours most truly, 'AUGUSTA LEIGH.

'It is probable I may be obliged to go home next week. If my scheme appears wild, pray attribute it to the state of mind I am in. Alas! I see only _ruin_ and _destruction_ in _every_ shape to one most dear to me.'

Hodgson at once responded to this appeal by taking the first stage-coach to London, where the next letter was addressed to him at his lodgings near Piccadilly:

'How very good of you, dear Mr. Hodgson! I intend showing the letter to B., as I _think_ he will jump at seeing you just now, but I _must_ see you first; and how? I am now going to Mr. Hanson's from B. I'm afraid of your meeting people here who _do no good_, and would counteract yours; but will you call about two, or after that, and ask for _me_ first? I shall be home, I hope, and _must_ see you. If I'm out ask for Capt. B.

'Yours sincerely, 'A. L.'

'_Friday evening, 9 o'clock._

'DEAR MR. HODGSON,