Tales and Novels Volume V Part 42

Lord Glis...o...b..ry came up to tell them that Miss Strictland was ready.

"Mr. Vivian," cried his lordship, "will you hand Julia into the carriage?--Julia, Mr. Vivian is offering you his services."

Vivian, as he attended Lady Julia, had so much respect for her feelings, that, though he had been waiting with extreme impatience for an opportunity _to say a few words_, yet now he would not speak, but handed her along the gallery, down the staircase, and across the great hall, in profound silence. She seemed sensible of this forbearance; and, turning to him at a moment when they could not be overheard, said, "It was not from unkindness, Mr. Vivian, I refused to see you again, but to convince you that my mind is determined--if you have any thing to say, I am ready to hear it."

"Is there nothing to be hoped from time?" said Vivian. "Your father, I know, has hopes that----All I ask is, that you will not make any rash resolutions."

"I make none; but I tell _you_, for your own sake, not to cherish any vain hope. My father does not know my mind sufficiently, therefore he may deceive you; but I will not.----I thought, after the manner in which I spoke to you yesterday, you would have had too much strength of mind to have rendered this repet.i.tion of my sentiments necessary.----Attach yourself elsewhere as soon as you can.--I sincerely wish your happiness.

Miss Strictland is waiting.--Farewell!"

She hurried forward to the carriage; and, when she was gone, Vivian repented that he had seen her again, as it had only given them both additional and fruitless pain.

What pa.s.sed during some succeeding days at Glis...o...b..ry Castle he scarcely knew; no trace remained in his mind of anything but the confused noise of people, who had been talking, laughing, and diverting themselves in a manner that seemed to him incomprehensible. He exerted himself, however, so far as to write to Russell, to implore his forgiveness, and to solicit a return of his friendship, which, in his present state of unhappiness, was more necessary to him than ever. When he had finished and despatched this letter, he sunk again into a sort of reckless state, without hope or determination, as to his future life.

He could not decide whether he should go to his mother immediately on leaving Glis...o...b..ry, or to Mr. Russell, or (which he knew was the best course he could pursue) attend his duty in parliament, and, by plunging at once into public business, change the course of his thoughts, and force his mind to resume its energy. After altering his determination twenty times, after giving at least a dozen contradictory orders about his journey, his servant at last had his ultimatum, _for London_--the carriage to be at the door at ten o'clock the next morning. Every thing was ready at the appointed hour. Breakfast over, Vivian waited only to pay his compliments to Lady Glis...o...b..ry, who had breakfasted in her own apartment. Lady Sarah, with a manner as formal as usual, rose from the breakfast-table, and said she would let her mother know that Mr.

Vivian was going. Vivian waited half an hour--an hour--two hours. Lady Glis...o...b..ry did not appear, nor did Lady Sarah return. The company had dispersed after the first half-hour. Lord Glis...o...b..ry began to believe that the ladies did not mean to make their appearance. At length a message came from Lady Glis...o...b..ry.--"Lady Glis...o...b..ry's compliments to Mr. Vivian--her ladyship was concerned that it was out of her power to have the pleasure of seeing Mr. Vivian, as she was too much indisposed to leave her room.--She and Lady Sarah wished him a very good journey."

Vivian went up to his room for his gloves, which he missed at the moment when he was going. Whilst he was opening the empty drawers one after another, in search of his gloves, and, at the same time, calling his servant to find them, he heard a loud scream from an adjoining apartment. He listened again--all was silent; and he supposed that what he had heard was not a scream: but, at that moment, Lady Sarah's maid flung open his door, and, running in with out-stretched arms, threw herself at Vivian's feet. Her sobs and tears prevented his understanding one syllable she said. At last she articulated intelligibly, "Oh, sir!--don't be so cruel to go--my lady!--my poor lady! If you go, it will kill Lady Sarah!"

"Kill Lady Sarah?--Why I saw her in perfect health this morning at breakfast!"

"Dear, dear sir! you know nothing of the matter!" said the maid, rising, and shutting the door: "you don't know what a way she has been in ever since the talk of your going--fits upon fits every night, and my lady, her mother, and I up holding her--and none in the house knowing it but ourselves. Very well at breakfast! Lord help us! sir. How little you know of what she has suffered! Lord have mercy upon me! I would not be a lady to be so much in love, and left so, for any thing in the whole world. And my Lady Sarah keeps every thing so to herself;--if it was not for these fits they would never have knowed she cared no more for you than a stone."

"And, probably you are quite mistaken," said Vivian; "and that I have nothing to do with the young lady's illness. If she has fits, I am very sorry for it; but I can't possibly----Certainly, you are quite mistaken!"

"Lord, sir!--mistaken! As if I could be mistaken, when I know my lady as well as I know myself! Why, sir, I know from the time of the election, when you was given to her by all the country--and to be sure when we all thought it would be a match directly--and the Lord knows what put it off!--I say, from that time, her heart was set upon you. Though she never said a word to me, or any one, I knew how it was, through all her coldness--And to be sure, when you was in Lon'on so much with us, all the town said, as all the country did afore, that to be sure it was to be a match--But then that sad affair, with that artfullest of women, that took you off from all that was good, and away, the Lord knows where, to foreign parts!--Well! to be sure, I never shall forget the day you come back again to us!--and the night of the ball!--and you dancing with my lady, and all so happy; then, to be sure, all were sarten it was to be immediately----And now to go and break my poor lady's heart at the last--Oh, sir, sir! if you could but see her, it would touch a heart of marble!"

Vivian's astonishment and dismay were so great, that he suffered the girl, who was an unpractised creature, to go on speaking without interruption: the warmth of affection with which she spoke of her lady, also, surprised him: for, till this instant, he had no idea that any one could love Lady Sarah Lidhurst; and the accounts she gave of the lady's sufferings not only touched his compa.s.sion, but worked upon his vanity.

"This cold, proud young lady that never loved none before, to think,"

as her maid said, "that she should come to such a pa.s.s, as to be in fits about him. And it was her belief that Lady Sarah never would recover it, if he went away out of the castle this day."

The ringing of a bell had repeatedly been heard, whilst Lady Sarah's maid was speaking; it now rang violently, and her name was called vehemently from the adjoining apartment. "I must go, I _must_ go!--Oh, sir! one day, for mercy's sake! stay one day longer!"

Vivian, though he had been moved by this girl's representations, was determined to effect his retreat whilst it was yet in his power; therefore he ran down stairs, and had gained the hall, where he was shaking hands with Lord Glis...o...b..ry, when my Lady Glis...o...b..ry's own woman came in a great hurry to say, that her lady, finding herself a little better now, and able to see Mr. Vivian, begged he would be so good as to walk up to her dressing-room.

Vivian, with a heavy heart and slow steps, obeyed; there was no refusing, no evading such a request. He summoned all his resolution, at the same time saying to himself, as he followed his conductor along the gallery, "It is impossible that I can ever be drawn in to marry Lady Sarah.--This is a concerted plan, and I shall not be so weak as to be the dupe of so gross an artifice."

Lady Glis...o...b..ry's maid showed him into her lady's dressing-room and retired. Lady Glis...o...b..ry was seated, and, without speaking, pointed to a chair which was set opposite to her. "So! a preparation for a scene,"

thought Vivian. He bowed, but, still keeping his hat in his hand, did not sit down:--he was extremely happy to hear, that her ladyship found herself something better--much honoured by her permitting him to pay his respects, and to offer his grateful acknowledgments to her ladyship before his departure from Glis...o...b..ry.

Her ladyship, still without speaking, pointed to the chair. Vivian sat down, and looked as if he had "screwed his courage to the sticking place." Lady Glis...o...b..ry had sometimes a little nervous trembling of her head, which was the only symptom of internal agitation that was ever observable in her; it was now increased to a degree which Vivian had never before seen.

"Are you in haste, sir, to be gone?" said Lady Glis...o...b..ry.

"Not if her ladyship had any commands for him; but otherwise, he had intended, if possible, to reach town that night."

"I shall not delay you many minutes, Mr. Vivian," said her ladyship.

"You need not be under apprehension that Lady Glis...o...b..ry should seek to detain you longer than your own inclinations induce you to stay; it is, therefore, unnecessary to insult her with any appearance of haste or impatience."

Vivian instantly laid down his hat, and protested that he was not in the slightest degree impatient: he should be very ungrateful, as well as very ill-bred, if, after the most hospitable manner in which he had been received and entertained at Glis...o...b..ry Castle, he could be in haste to quit it. He was entirely at her ladyship's orders.

Lady Glis...o...b..ry bowed formally--was again silent--the trembling of her head very great--the rest of her form motionless.

"I have sent for you, Mr. Vivian," said she, "that I might, before you leave this castle, set you right on a subject which much concerns me.

From the representations of a foolish country girl, a maid-servant of my daughter, Lady Sarah Lidhurst, which I have just discovered she has made to you, I had reason to fear that you might leave Glis...o...b..ry with very false notions----"

A cry was heard at this moment from the inner apartment, which made Vivian start; but Lady Glis...o...b..ry, without noticing it, went on speaking.

"With notions very injurious to my daughter Sarah; who, if I know any thing of her, would rather, if it were so ordained, go out of this world, than condescend to any thing unbecoming her s.e.x, her education, and her family."

Vivian, struck with respect and compa.s.sion for the mother, who spoke to him in this manner, was now convinced that there had been no concerted plan to work upon his mind, that the maid had spoken without the knowledge of her lady; and the more proudly solicitous Lady Glis...o...b..ry showed herself to remove what she called the false impression from his mind, the more he was persuaded that the girl had spoken the truth. He was much embarra.s.sed between his good-nature and his dread of becoming a sacrifice to his humanity.

He replied in general terms to Lady Glis...o...b..ry, that he had the highest respect for Lady Sarah Lidhurst, and that no opinion injurious to her could be entertained by him.

"Respect she must command from all," said Lady Glis...o...b..ry; "_that_ it is out of any man's power to refuse her: as to the rest, she leaves you, and I leave you, sir, to your own conscience."

Lady Glis...o...b..ry rose, and so did Vivian. He hoped that neither her ladyship nor Lady Sarah had any cause----He hesitated; the words, _to reproach, to complain, to be displeased_, all came to his lips; but each seemed improper; and, none other being at hand to convey his meaning, he could not finish his sentence: so he began another upon a new construction, with "I should be much concerned if, in addition to all my other causes of regret in leaving Glis...o...b..ry Castle, I felt that I had incurred Lady Glis...o...b..ry's or Lady Sarah's displea--disapprobation."

"As to that, sir," said Lady Glis...o...b..ry, "I cannot but have my own opinion of your conduct; and you can scarcely expect, I apprehend, that a mother, such as I am, should not feel some disapprobation of conduct, which has----Sir, I beg I may not detain you--I have the honour to wish you a good journey and much happiness."

An attendant came from an inner apartment with a message! from Lady Sarah, who was worse, and wished to see her mother--"Immediately!--tell her, immediately!"

The servant returned with the answer. Vivian was retiring, but he came back, for he saw at that moment a convulsive motion contract Lady Glis...o...b..ry's face: she made an effort to walk; but if Vivian had not supported her instantly, she must have fallen. She endeavoured to disengage herself from his a.s.sistance, and again attempted to walk.

"For G.o.d's sake, lean upon me, madam!" said Vivian, much alarmed. With his a.s.sistance, she reached the door of the inner room: summoning all the returning powers of life, she then withdrew her arm from his, and pointing back to the door at which Vivian entered, she said, "That is your way, sir."

"Pardon me--I cannot go--I cannot leave you at this moment," said Vivian.

"This is my daughter's apartment, sir," said Lady Glis...o...b..ry, stopping, and standing still and fixed. Some of the attendants within, hearing her ladyship's voice, opened the door; Lady Glis...o...b..ry made an effort to prevent it, but in vain: the chamber was darkened, but as the door opened, the wind from an open window blew back the curtain, and some light fell upon a canopy bed, where Lady Sarah lay motionless, her eyes closed, and pale as death; one attendant chafing her temples, another rubbing her feet: she looked up just after the door opened, and, raising her head, she saw Vivian--a gleam of joy illumined her countenance, and coloured her cheek.

"Sir," repeated Lady Glis...o...b..ry, "this is my daughter's----"

She could articulate no more. She fell across the threshold, struck with palsy. Her daughter sprang from the bed, and, with Vivian's a.s.sistance, raised and carried Lady Glis...o...b..ry to an arm-chair near the open window, drew back the curtain, begged Vivian to go to her father, and instantly to despatch a messenger for medical a.s.sistance. Vivian sent his own servant, who had his horse ready at the door, and he bid the man go as fast as he could.

"Then you don't leave Glis...o...b..ry to-day, sir?" said the servant.

"Do as I order you--Where's Lord Glis...o...b..ry?"

His lordship, with the newspapers and letters open in his hand, came up--but they dropped on hearing the intelligence that Vivian communicated. His lordship was naturally humane and good-natured; and the shock was greater, perhaps, to him, from the sort of enmity in which he lived with Lady Glis...o...b..ry.

"I dread to go up stairs," said he. "For G.o.d's sake, Vivian, don't leave me in this distress!--do order your carriage away!----Put up Mr.

Vivian's carriage."

Lady Sarah's maid came to tell them that Lady Glis...o...b..ry had recovered her speech, and that she had asked, "if Mr. Vivian was gone?"

"Do come up with me," cried Lord Glis...o...b..ry, "and she will see you are not gone."

"Here's my lord and Mr. Vivian, my lady," said the girl.

Then, turning to Lady Glis...o...b..ry's woman, she added, in a loud whisper, "Mr. Vivian won't go to-day."