CHAPTER ii.
A SURPRIZE.
Lady Margaret's town house was in Soho Square; and scarcely had Ceciliaentered it, before her desire to speed her departure, made her senda note to each of her guardians, acquainting them of her arrival, andbegging, if possible, to see them the next day.
She had soon the two following answers:
_To Miss Cecilia Beverley,----These November_ 8, 1779. Miss,--Receivedyours of the same date; can't come tomorrow. Will, Wednesday the10th.--Am, &c., Jno. Briggs.
Miss Cecilia Beverley
_To Miss Beverley_.
Mr Delvile has too many affairs of importance upon his hands, to makeany appointment till he has deliberated how to arrange them. Mr Delvilewill acquaint Miss Beverley when it shall be in his power to see her.
St James's-square, _Nov_ 8.
These characteristic letters, which at another time might have divertedCecilia, now merely served to torment her. She was eager to quit town,she was more eager to have her meeting with Mr Delvile over, who,oppressive to her even when he meant to be kind, she foresaw, now hewas in wrath, would be imperious even to rudeness. Desirous, however,to make one interview suffice for both, and to settle whatever businessmight remain unfinished by letters, she again wrote to Mr Briggs,whom she had not spirits to encounter without absolute necessity, andinforming him of Mr Delvile's delay, begged he would not trouble himselfto call till he heard from her again.
Two days passed without any message from them; they were spent chieflyalone, and very uncomfortably, Mr Monckton being content to see littleof her, while he knew she saw nothing of any body else. On thethird morning, weary of her own thoughts, weary of Lady Margaret'sill-humoured looks, and still more weary of Miss Bennet's parasiticalconversation, she determined, for a little relief to the heaviness ofher mind, to go to her bookseller, and look over and order into thecountry such new publications as seemed to promise her any pleasure.
She sent therefore, for a chair, and glad to have devised for herselfany amusement, set out in it immediately.
Upon entering the shop, she saw the Bookseller engaged in closeconference with a man meanly dressed, and much muffled up, whoseemed talking to him with uncommon earnestness, and just as she wasapproaching, said, "To terms I am indifferent, for writing is nolabour to me; on the contrary, it is the first delight of my life, andtherefore, and not for dirty pelf, I wish to make it my profession."
The speech struck Cecilia, but the voice struck her more, it wasBelfield's! and her amazement was so great, that she stopt short to lookat him, without heeding a man who attended her, and desired to know hercommands.
The bookseller now perceiving her, came forward, and Belfield, turningto see who interrupted them, started as if a spectre had crossed hiseyes, slapped his hat over his face, and hastily went out of the shop.
Cecilia checking her inclination to speak to him, from observing hiseagerness to escape her, soon recollected her own errand, and employedherself in looking over new books.
Her surprize, however, at a change so sudden in the condition of thisyoung man, and at a declaration of a passion for writing, so opposite toall the sentiments which he had professed at their late meeting inthe cottage, awakened in her a strong curiosity to be informed of hissituation; and after putting aside some books which she desired to havepacked up for her, she asked if the gentleman who had just left theshop, and who, she found by what he had said, was an Author, had writtenanything that was published with his name?
"No, ma'am," answered the Bookseller, "nothing of any consequence; heis known, however, to have written several things that have appeared asanonymous; and I fancy, now, soon, we shall see something considerablefrom him."
"He is about some great work, then?"
"Why no, not exactly that, perhaps, at present; we must feel our way,with some little smart _jeu d'esprit_ before we undertake a great work.But he is a very great genius, and I doubt not will produce somethingextraordinary."
"Whatever he produces," said Cecilia, "as I have now chanced to see him,I shall be glad you will, at any time, send to me."
"Certainly, ma'am; but it must be among other things, for he does notchuse, just now to be known; and it is a rule in our business never totell people's names when they desire to be secret. He is a little outof cash, just now, as you may suppose by his appearance, so instead ofbuying books, he comes to sell them. However, he has taken a very goodroad to bring himself home again, for we pay very handsomely for thingsof any merit, especially if they deal smartly in a few touches of thetimes."
Cecilia chose not to risk any further questions, lest her knowledge ofhim should be suspected, but got into her chair, and returned to LadyMargaret's.
The sight of Belfield reminded her not only of himself; the gentleHenrietta again took her place in her memory, whence her variousdistresses and suspences had of late driven from it everybody butDelvile, and those whom Delvile brought into it. But her regard forthat amiable girl, though sunk in the busy scenes of her calamitousuncertainties, was only sunk in her own bosom, and ready, upon theirremoval, to revive with fresh vigour. She was now indeed more unhappythan even in the period of her forgetfulness, yet her mind, was nolonger filled with the restless turbulence of hope, which still morethan despondency unfitted it for thinking of others.
This remembrance thus awakened, awakened also a desire of renewing theconnection so long neglected. All scruples concerning Delvile had nowlost their foundation, since the doubts from which they arose were bothexplained and removed: she was certain alike of his indifference toHenrietta, and his separation from herself; she knew that nothing wasto be feared from painful or offensive rivalry, and she resolved,therefore, to lose no time in seeking the first pleasure to which sinceher disappointment she had voluntarily looked forward.
Early in the evening, she told Lady Margaret she was going out foran hour or two, and sending again for a chair, was carried toPortland-street.
She enquired for Miss Belfield, and was shewn into a parlour, where shefound her drinking tea with her mother, and Mr Hobson, their landlord.
Henrietta almost screamed at her sight, from a sudden impulse of joyand surprize, and, running up to her, flung her arms round her neck,and embraced her with the most rapturous emotion: but then, drawingback with a look of timidity and shame, she bashfully apologized forher freedom, saying, "Indeed, dearest Miss Beverley, it is no wantof respect, but I am so very glad to see you it makes me quite forgetmyself!"
Cecilia, charmed at a reception so ingenuously affectionate, soonsatisfied her doubting diffidence by the warmest thanks that she hadpreserved so much regard for her, and by doubling the kindness withwhich she returned her caresses.
"Mercy on me, madam," cried Mrs Belfield, who during this time hadbeen busily employed in sweeping the hearth, wiping some slops upon thetable, and smoothing her handkerchief and apron, "why the girl's enoughto smother you. Henny, how can you be so troublesome? I never saw youbehave in this way before."
"Miss Beverley, madam," said Henrietta, again retreating, "is so kind asto pardon me, and I was so much surprised at seeing her, that I hardlyknew what I was about."
"The young ladies, ma'am," said Mr Hobson, "have a mighty way ofsaluting one another till such time as they get husbands: and thenI'll warrant you they can meet without any salutation at all. That's myremark, at least, and what I've seen of the world has set me upon makingit."
This speech led Cecilia to check, however artless, the tenderness ofher fervent young friend, whom she was much teized by meeting in suchcompany, but who seemed not to dare understand the frequent looks whichshe gave her expressive of a wish to be alone with her.
"Come, ladies," continued the facetious Mr Hobson, "what if we were allto sit down, and have a good dish of tea? and suppose, Mrs Belfield,you was to order us a fresh round of toast and butter? do you think theyoung ladies here would have any objection? and what if we were to havea little more water in the tea-kettle? not forgetting a little more teain the teapot
. What I say is this, let us all be comfortable; that's mynotion of things."
"And a very good notion too," said Mrs Belfield, "for you who havenothing to vex you. Ah, ma'am, you have heard, I suppose, about my son?gone off! nobody knows where! left that lord's house, where he mighthave lived like a king, and gone out into the wide world nobody knowsfor what!"
"Indeed?" said Cecilia, who, from seeing him in London concluded he wasagain with his family, "and has he not acquainted you where he is?"
"No, ma'am, no," cried Mrs Belfield, "he's never once told me wherehe is gone, nor let me know the least about the matter, for if I did Iwould not taste a dish of tea again for a twelvemonth till I saw him getback again to that lord's! and I believe in my heart there's never suchanother in the three kingdoms, for he has sent here after him I dare saya score of times. And no wonder, for I will take upon me to say he won'tfind his fellow in a hurry, Lord as he is."
"As to his being a Lord," said Mr Hobson, "I am one of them that lay nogreat stress upon that, unless he has got a good long purse of his own,and then, to be sure, a Lord's no bad thing. But as to the matter ofsaying Lord such a one, how d'ye do? and Lord such a one, what do youwant? and such sort of compliments, why in my mind, it's a mere nothing,in comparison of a good income. As to your son, ma'am, he did not gothe right way to work. He should have begun with business, and gone intopleasure afterwards and if he had but done that, I'll be bold to say wemight have had him at this very minute drinking tea with us over thisfireside."
"My son, Sir," said Mrs Belfield, rather angrily, "was another sort ofa person than a person of business: he always despised it from a child,and come of it what may, I am sure he was born to be a gentleman."
"As to his despising business," said Mr Hobson, very contemptuously,"why so much the worse, for business is no such despiseable thing. Andif he had been brought up behind a counter, instead of dangling afterthese same Lords, why he might have had a house of his own over hishead, and been as good a man as myself."
"A house over his head?" said Mrs Belfield, "why he might have had whathe would, and have done what he would, if he had but followed my advice,and put himself a little forward. I have told him a hundred times to asksome of those great people he lived amongst for a place at court, for Iknow they've so many they hardly know what to do with them, and it wasalways my design from the beginning that he should be something of agreat man; but I never could persuade him, though, for anything I know,as I have often told him, if he had but had a little courage he mighthave been an Ambassador by this time. And now, all of a sudden, to begone nobody knows where!"--
"I am sorry, indeed," said Cecilia, who knew not whether most to pity orwonder at her blind folly; "but I doubt not you will hear of him soon."
"As to being an Ambassador, ma'am," said Mr Hobson, "it's talking quiteout of character. Those sort of great people keep things of that kindfor their own poor relations and cousins. What I say is this; a man'sbest way is to take care of himself. The more those great people see youwant them, the less they like your company. Let every man be brought upto business, and then when he's made his fortune, he may walk with hishat on. Why now there was your friend, ma'am," turning to Cecilia, "thatshot out his brains without paying any body a souse; pray how was thatbeing more genteel than standing behind a counter, and not owing ashilling?"
"Do you think a young lady," cried Mrs Belfield warmly, "can bear tohear of such a thing as standing behind a counter? I am sure if my sonhad ever done it, I should not expect any lady would so much as look athim, And yet, though I say it, she might look a good while, and not seemany such persons, let her look where she pleased. And then he has sucha winning manner into the bargain, that I believe in my heart there'snever a lady in the land could say no to him. And yet he has such aprodigious shyness, I never could make him own he had so much as askedthe question. And what lady can begin first?"
"Why no," said Mr Hobson, "that would be out of character another way.Now my notion is this; let every man be agreeable! and then he may askwhat lady he pleases. And when he's a mind of a lady, he should lookupon a frown or two as nothing; for the ladies frown in courtship as athing of course; it's just like a man swearing at a coachman; why he'snot a bit more in a passion, only he thinks he sha'n't be minded withoutit."
"Well, for my part," said Mrs Belfield, "I am sure if I was a younglady, and most especially if I was a young lady of fortune, and allthat, I should like a modest young gentleman, such as my son, forexample, better by half than a bold swearing young fellow, that wouldmake a point to have me whether I would or no."
"Ha! Ha! Ha!" cried Mr Hobson; "but the young ladies are not of thatway of thinking; they are all for a little life and spirit. Don't I sayright, young ladies?"
Cecilia, who could not but perceive that these speeches was levelled atherself, felt offended and tired; and finding she had no chance of anyprivate conversation with Henrietta, arose to take leave: but whileshe stopped in the passage to enquire when she could see her alone, afootman knocked at the door, who, having asked if Mr Belfield lodgedthere, and been answered in the affirmative; begged to know whether MissBeverley was then in the house?
Cecilia, much surprised, went forward, and told him who she was.
"I have been, madam," said he, "with a message to you at Mr Monckton's,in Soho-Square: but nobody knew where you was; and Mr Monckton came outand spoke to me himself, and said that all he could suppose was that youmight be at this house. So he directed me to come here."
"And from whom, Sir, is your message?"
"From the honourable Mr Delvile, madam, in St James's-Square. He desiresto know if you shall be at home on Saturday morning, the day afterto-morrow, and whether you can appoint Mr Briggs to meet him by twelveo'clock exactly, as he sha'n't be able to stay above three minutes."
Cecilia gave an answer as cold as the message; that she would be inSoho-Square at the time he mentioned, and acquaint Mr Briggs of hisintention.
The footman then went away; and Henrietta told her, that if she couldcall some morning she might perhaps contrive to be alone with her, andadded, "indeed I wish much to see you, if you could possibly do me sogreat an honour; for I am very miserable, and have nobody to tell so!Ah, Miss Beverley! you that have so many friends, and that deserve asmany again, you little know what a hard thing it is to have none!--butmy brother's strange disappearing has half broke our hearts!"
Cecilia was beginning a consolatory speech, in which she meant togive her private assurances of his health and safety, when she wasinterrupted by Mr Albany, who came suddenly into the passage.
Henrietta received him with a look of pleasure, and enquired why hehad so long been absent; but, surprised by the sight of Cecilia, heexclaimed, without answering her, "why didst thou fail me? whyappoint me to a place thou wert quitting thyself?--thou thing of fairprofessions! thou inveigler of esteem! thou vain, delusive promiser ofpleasure!"
"You condemn me too hastily," said Cecilia; "if I failed in my promise,it was not owing to caprice or insincerity, but to a real and bittermisfortune which incapacitated me from keeping it. I shall soon,however,--nay, I am already at your disposal, if you have any commandsfor me."
"I have always," answered he, "commands for the rich, for I have alwayscompassion for the poor."
"Come to me, then, at Mr Monckton's in Soho-Square," cried she, andhastened into her chair, impatient to end a conference which she sawexcited the wonder of the servants, and which also now drew out fromthe parlour Mr Hobson and Mrs Belfield. She then kissed her hand toHenrietta, and ordered the chairmen to carry her home.
It had not been without difficulty that she had restrained herself frommentioning what she knew of Belfield, when she found his mother andsister in a state of such painful uncertainty concerning him. But herutter ignorance of his plans, joined to her undoubted knowledge of hiswish of concealment, made her fear doing mischief by officiousness,and think it wiser not to betray what she had seen of him, till betterinformed of his own views and intentions
. Yet, willing to shorten asuspence so uneasy to them, she determined to entreat Mr Monckton wouldendeavour to find him out, and acquaint him with their anxiety.
That gentleman, when she returned to his house, was in a state of mindby no means enviable. Missing her at tea, he had asked Miss Bennet whereshe was, and hearing she had not left word, he could scarce conceal hischagrin. Knowing, however, how few were her acquaintances in town,he soon concluded she was with Miss Belfield, but, not satisfied withsending Mr Delvile's messenger after her, he privately employed onein whom he trusted for himself, to make enquiries at the house withoutsaying whence he came.
But though this man was returned, and he knew her safety, he still feltalarmed; he had flattered himself, from the length of time in which shehad now done nothing without consulting him, she would scarce even thinkof any action without his previous concurrence. And he had hoped, by alittle longer use, to make his counsel become necessary, which he knewto be a very short step from rendering it absolute.
Nor was he well pleased to perceive, by this voluntary excursion,a struggle to cast off her sadness, and a wish to procure herselfentertainment: it was not that he desired her misery, but he was earnestthat all relief from it should spring from himself: and though far fromdispleased that Delvile should lose his sovereignty over her thoughts,he was yet of opinion that, till his own liberty was restored, he hadless to apprehend from grief indulged, than grief allayed; one couldbut lead her to repining retirement, the other might guide her to aconsolatory rival.
He well knew, however, it was as essential to his cause to disguise hisdisappointments as his expectations, and, certain that by pleasingalone he had any chance of acquiring power, he cleared up when Ceciliareturned, who as unconscious of feeling, as of owing any subjection tohim, preserved uncontrolled the right of acting for herself, howeverdesirous and glad of occasional instruction.
She told him where she had been, and related her meeting Belfield, andthe unhappiness of his friends, and hinted her wish that he could beinformed what they suffered. Mr Monckton, eager to oblige her, wentinstantly in search of him, and returning to supper, told her he hadtraced him through the Bookseller, who had not the dexterity to parryhis artful enquiries, and had actually appointed him to breakfast inSoho-Square the next morning.
He had found him, he said, writing, but in high spirits and good humour.He had resisted, for a while, his invitation on account of his dress,all his clothes but the very coat which he had on being packed up andat his mother's: but, when laughed at by Mr Monckton for stillretaining some foppery, he gaily protested what remained of it shouldbe extinguished; and acknowledging that his shame was no part of hisphilosophy, declared he would throw it wholly aside, and, in spite ofhis degradation, renew his visits at his house.
"I would not tell him," Mr Monckton continued, "of the anxiety of hisfamily; I thought it would come more powerfully from yourself, who,having seen, can better enforce it."
Cecilia was very thankful for this compliance with her request, andanticipated the pleasure she hoped soon to give Henrietta, by therestoration of a brother so much loved and so regretted.
She sent, mean time, to Mr Briggs the message she had received from MrDelvile, and had the satisfaction of an answer that he would observe theappointment.