CHAPTER VIII.
Such were the facts circumstantially communicated by Sarah. Theyafforded to Constantia a theme of ardent meditation. The similitudebetween her own destiny and that of this unhappy exile could not fail tobe observed. Immersed in poverty, friendless, burdened with themaintenance and nurture of her father, their circumstances were nearlyparallel. The catastrophe of her tale was the subject of endless butunsatisfactory conjecture.
She had disappeared between the flight of Baxter and the dawn of day.What path had she taken? Was she now alive? Was she still an inhabitantof this city? Perhaps there was a coincidence of taste as well asfortunes between them. The only friend that Constantia ever enjoyed,congenial with her in principles, sex, and age, was at a distance thatforbade communication. She imagined that Ursula Monrose would proveworthy of her love, and felt unspeakable regret at the improbability oftheir ever meeting.
Meanwhile the dominion of cold began to be felt, and the contagiousfever entirely disappeared. The return of health was hailed with raptureby all ranks of people. The streets were once more busy and frequented.The sensation of present security seemed to shut out from all hearts thememory of recent disasters. Public entertainments were thronged withauditors. A new theatre had lately been constructed, and a company ofEnglish Comedians had arrived during the prevalence of the malady. Theynow began their exhibitions, and their audiences were overflowing.
Such is the motley and ambiguous condition of human society, such is thecomplexity of all effects, from what cause soever they spring, that nonecan tell whether this destructive pestilence was on, the whole,productive of most pain or most pleasure. Those who had been sick andhad recovered found in this circumstance a source of exultation. Othersmade haste by new marriages to supply the place of wives, husbands, andchildren, whom the scarcely-extinguished pestilence had swept away.
Constantia, however, was permitted to take no share in the generalfestivity. Such was the colour of her fate, that the yellow fever, byaffording her a respite from toil, supplying leisure for the acquisitionof a useful branch of knowledge, and leading her to the discovery of acheaper, more simple, and more wholesome method of subsistence, had beenfriendly, instead of adverse to her happiness. Its disappearance,instead of relieving her from suffering, was the signal for the approachof new cares.
Of her ancient customers, some were dead, and others were slow inresuming their ancient habitations, and their ordinary habits.Meanwhile two wants were now created and were urgent. The seasondemanded a supply of fuel, and her rent had accumulated beyond her powerto discharge. M'Crea no sooner returned from the country than he appliedto her for payment. Some proprietors, guided by humanity, had remittedtheir dues, but M'Crea was not one of these. According to his ownrepresentation, no man was poorer than himself, and the punctual paymentof all that was owing to him was no more than sufficient to afford him ascanty subsistence.
He was aware of the indigence of the Dudleys, and was thereforeextremely importunate for payment, and could scarcely be prevailed uponto allow them the interval of a day for the discovery of expedients.This day was passed by Constantia in fruitless anxieties. The ensuingevening had been fixed for a repetition of his visit. The hour arrived,but her invention was exhausted in vain. M'Crea was punctual to theminute. Constantia was allowed no option. She merely declared that themoney demanded she had not to give, nor could she foresee any period atwhich her inability would be less than it then was.
These declarations were heard by her visitant with marks of unspeakablevexation. He did not fail to expatiate on the equity of his demands, themoderation and forbearance he had hitherto shown, notwithstanding theextreme urgency of his own wants, and the inflexible rigour with whichhe had been treated by _his_ creditors. This rhetoric was merely theprelude to an intimation that he must avail himself of any lawful means,by which he might gain possession of _his own_.
This insinuation was fully comprehended by Constantia, but it was heardwithout any new emotions. Her knowledge of her landlord's charactertaught her to expect but one consequence. He paused to observe whateffect would be produced by this indirect menace. She answered, withoutany change of tone, that the loss of habitation and furniture, howeverinconvenient at this season, must be patiently endured. If it were to beprevented only by the payment of money, its prevention was impossible.
M'Crea renewed his regrets that there should be no other alternative.The law sanctioned his claims, and justice to his family, which wasalready large, and likely to increase, required that they should not berelinquished; yet such was the mildness of his temper and his aversionto proceed to this extremity, that he was willing to dispense withimmediate payment on two conditions. First, that they should leave hishouse within a week, and secondly, that they should put into his handssome trinket or movable, equal in value to the sum demanded, whichshould be kept by him as a pledge.
This last hint suggested an expedient for obviating the presentdistress. The lute with which Mr. Dudley was accustomed to solace hissolitude was, if possible, more essential to his happiness than shelteror food. To his daughter it possessed little direct power to please. Itwas inestimable merely for her father's sake. Its intrinsic value was atleast equal to the sum due, but to part with it was to bereave him of agood which nothing else could supply. Besides, not being a popular andsaleable instrument, it would probably be contemptuously rejected by theignorance and avarice of M'Crea.
There was another article in her possession of some value in traffic,and of a kind which M'Crea was far more likely to accept. It was theminiature portrait of her friend, executed by a German artist, and setin gold. This image was a precious though imperfect substitute forsympathy and intercourse with the original. Habit had made this picturea source of a species of idolatry. Its power over her sensations wassimilar to that possessed by a beautiful Madonna over the heart of ajuvenile enthusiast. It was the mother of the only devotion which hereducation had taught her to consider as beneficial or true.
She perceived the necessity of parting with it, on this occasion, withthe utmost clearness, but this necessity was thought upon withindescribable repugnance. It seemed as if she had not thoroughlyconceived the extent of her calamity till now. It seemed as if she couldhave endured the loss of eyes with less reluctance than the loss of thisinestimable relic. Bitter were the tears which she shed over it as shetook it from her bosom, and consigned it to those rapacious hands thatwere stretched out to receive it. She derived some little consolationfrom the promises of this man, that he would keep it safely till she wasable to redeem it.
The other condition--that of immediate removal from the house--seemed atfirst sight impracticable. Some reflection, however, showed her that thechange might not only be possible but useful. Among other expedients fordiminishing expense, that of limiting her furniture and dwelling to thecheapest standard had often occurred. She now remembered that the houseoccupied by Monrose was tenantless; that its antiquity, its remote andunpleasant situation, and its small dimensions, might induce M'Crea, towhom it belonged, to let it at a much lower price than that which he nowexacted. M'Crea would have been better pleased if her choice had fallenon a different house; but he had powerful though sordid reasons fordesiring the possession of this tenement. He assented therefore to herproposal, provided her removal took place without delay.
In the present state of her funds this removal was impossible. Mereshelter would not suffice during this inclement season. Without fuel,neither cold could be excluded, nor hunger relieved. There was nothingconvertible into money but her lute. No sacrifice was more painful, butan irresistible necessity demanded it.
Her interview with M'Crea took place while her father was absent fromthe room. On his return she related what had happened, and urged thenecessity of parting with his favourite instrument. He listened to hertale with a sigh. "Yes," said he, "do what thou wilt, my child. It isunlikely that any one will purchase it. It is certain that no one willgive for it what I gave; but thou may'st try.
"It
has been to me a faithful friend. I know not how I should have livedwithout it. Its notes have cheered me with the sweet remembrances of oldtimes. It was, in some degree, a substitute for the eyes which I havelost; but now let it go, and perform for me perhaps the dearest of itsservices. It may help us to sustain the severities of this season."
There was no room for delay. She immediately set out in search of apurchaser. Such a one was most likely to be found in the keeper of amusical repository, who had lately arrived from Europe. She entertainedbut slight hopes that an instrument scarcely known among her neighbourswould be bought at any price, however inconsiderable.
She found the keeper of the shop engaged in conversation with a lady,whose person and face instantly arrested the attention of Constantia. Aless sagacious observer would have eyed the stranger with indifference.But Constantia was ever busy in interpreting the language of featuresand looks. Her sphere of observation had been narrow, but her habits ofexamining, comparing, and deducing, had thoroughly exhausted thatsphere. These habits were eminently strong with relation to this classof objects. She delighted to investigate the human countenance, andtreasured up numberless conclusions as to the coincidence between mentaland external qualities.
She had often been forcibly struck by forms that were accidentally seen,and which abounded with this species of mute expression. They conveyedat a single glance what could not be imparted by volumes. The featuresand shape sunk, as it were, into perfect harmony with sentiments andpassions. Every atom of the frame was pregnant with significance. Insome, nothing was remarkable but this power of the outward figure toexhibit the internal sentiments. In others, the intelligence thusunveiled was remarkable for its heterogeneous or energetic qualities;for its tendency to fill her heart with veneration or abhorrence, or toinvolve her in endless perplexities.
The accuracy and vividness with which pictures of this kind presentedthemselves to her imagination resembled the operations of a sixth sense.It cannot be doubted, however, that much was owing to the enthusiastictenor of her own conceptions, and that her conviction of the truth ofthe picture principally flowed from the distinctness and strength of itshues.
The figure which she now examined was small, but of exquisiteproportions. Her complexion testified the influence of a torrid sun; butthe darkness veiled, without obscuring, the glowing tints of her cheek.The shade was remarkably deep; but a deeper still was required to becomeincompatible with beauty. Her features were irregular, but defects ofsymmetry were amply supplied by eyes that anticipated speech andpositions which conveyed that to which language was inadequate.
It was not the chief tendency of her appearance to seduce or to melt.Hers were the polished cheek and the mutability of muscle, which belongto woman, but the genius conspicuous in her aspect was heroic andcontemplative. The female was absorbed, so to speak, in the rationalcreature, and the emotions most apt to be excited in the gazer partookless of love than of reverence.
Such is the portrait of this stranger, delineated by Constantia. I copyit with greater willingness, because, if we substitute a nobler stature,and a complexion less uniform and delicate, it is suited with the utmostaccuracy to herself. She was probably unconscious of this resemblance;but this circumstance may be supposed to influence her in discoveringsuch attractive properties in a form thus vaguely seen. Theseimpressions, permanent and cogent as they were, were gained at a singleglance. The purpose which led her thither was too momentous to be longexcluded.
"Why," said the master of the shop, "this is lucky. Here is a lady whohas just been inquiring for an instrument of this kind. Perhaps the oneyou have will suit her. If you will bring it to me, I will examine it,and, if it is complete, will make a bargain with you." He then turned tothe lady who had first entered, and a short dialogue in French ensuedbetween them. The man repeated his assurances to Constantia, who,promising to hasten back with the instrument, took her leave. The lute,in its structure and ornaments, has rarely been surpassed. Whenscrutinised by this artist it proved to be complete, and the pricedemanded for it was readily given.
By this means the Dudleys were enabled to change their habitation, andto supply themselves with fuel. To obviate future exigences, Constantiabetook herself once more to the needle. They persisted in the use oftheir simple fare, and endeavoured to contract their wants, andmethodize their occupations, by a standard as rigid as possible. Shehad not relinquished her design of adopting a new and more liberalprofession, but though, when indistinctly and generally considered, itseemed easily effected, yet the first steps which it would be proper totake did not clearly or readily suggest themselves. For the present shewas contented to pursue the beaten track, but was prepared to benefit byany occasion that time might furnish, suitable to the execution of herplan.