CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
MONIMIA'S HONOUR IS PROTECTED BY THE INTERPOSITION OF HEAVEN.
With that complacency and fortitude which were peculiar to herself, thishapless stranger resisted all those artful temptations. Her sustenancewas barely such as exempted her from the guilt of being accessory to herown death; her drink was the simple element. She encouraged no discoursebut that which turned upon the concerns of her immortal part. She neverwent abroad, except in visits to a French chapel in the neighbourhood;she refused the proffered assistance of our adventurer with equalobstinacy and politeness, and with pleasure saw herself wasting towardsthat period of mortality which was the consummation of her wish. Yet hercharms, far from melting away with her constitution, seemed to triumphover the decays of nature. Her shape and features still retained thatharmony for which they had always been distinguished. A mixture ofmajesty and sweetness diffused itself in her looks, and her feeblenessadded to that soft and feminine grace which attracts the sympathy, andengages the protection of every humane beholder. The associates thusbaffled in their attempts to excite her ideas of pleasure, again shiftedtheir plan, and resolved to attack this forlorn beauty on the side offear and mortification.
Our adventurer became less frequent in his visits, and more indifferentin his language and deportment; while Madam la Mer gradually relaxed inthat complacency and respect with which she had hitherto behaved towardsher fair lodger. She even began to drop hints of disapprobation andreproach against this pattern of innocence and beauty, and at length grewbold enough to tell her, that her misfortunes could be attributed tonothing but her own obstinacy and pride; that she had been at great painsto disoblige the only person who was able and willing to raise her abovedependence; and that, if his protection should be withdrawn, she must beexposed to the utmost extremity of distress.
These insinuations, instead of producing the desired effect, inflamed theindignation of Monimia, who, in a most dignified style of rebuke, chidher for her indelicacy and presumption, observing, that she could have notitle to take such freedoms with lodgers, whose punctuality and regulardeportment left her no room to complain. Notwithstanding this animatedreply, she underwent the most deplorable anguish, when she reflected uponthe insolence of this woman, from whose barbarity she had no resource;and, seeing no other possibility of redress than that of appealing to thegood offices of Fathom, she conquered her reluctance so far, as tocomplain to him of Madam la Mer's incivility.
Pleased with this application, he gave her to understand, with verylittle ceremony or preamble, that it wholly depended upon herself whethershe should continue to be wretched, or be delivered at once from all hercares and perplexity; that, notwithstanding the disdain with which shehad treated his addresses, he was still ready to lay himself and hisfortune at her feet; and that, if she should again reject thedisinterested proposal, the whole world and her own conscience wouldcharge upon herself whatever calamities she might be subjected to in thesequel. Interpreting into a favourable hesitation her silence, which wasthe result of wrath and amazement, he proceeded to throw himself at herfeet, and utter a romantic rhapsody, in the course of which, laying asideall that restraint which he had hitherto preserved, he seized herdelicate hand, and pressed it to his lips; nay, so far did he forgethimself on this occasion, that he caught the fair creature in his arms,and rudely ravished a kiss from those lips which he had beforecontemplated with the most distant reverence of desire.
Having thus broken down the fences of decorum, and being heated withtransport, he, in all probability, would have acted the part of youngTarquin, and violated by force that sacred shrine of honour, beauty, andunblemished truth, had not the wrath kindled by such an unexpectedoutrage inspired her with strength and spirits sufficient to protect hervirtue, and intimidate the ruffian who could offer violence to suchperfection. She broke from his detested embrace with surprising agility,and called aloud to her landlady for assistance; but that discreet matronwas resolved to hear nothing, and Fathom's appetite being whetted to amost brutal degree of eagerness, "Madam," said he, "all opposition isvain. What you have refused to my entreaties, you shall yield to mypower; and I am determined to force you to your own advantage."
So saying, he sprung towards her, with the most savage and impiousintent, when this amiable heroine snatching up his sword, which lay upona by-table, and unsheathing it instantaneously, presented the point tohis breast, and, while her eyes glanced with intolerable keenness,"Villain!" cried she, "the spirit of my father animates my bosom, and thevengeance of Heaven shall not be frustrated." He was not so muchaffected by his bodily danger, as awestruck at the manner of her address,and the appearance of her aspect, which seemed to shine with somethingsupernatural, and actually disordered his whole faculties, insomuch thathe retreated without attempting to make the least reply; and she, havingsecured the door after his departure, sat down to ponder upon thisshocking event.
Words are wanting to describe the accumulated horrors that tookpossession of her mind, when she thus beheld all her presaging fearsrealised, and found herself at the mercy of two wretches, who had nowpulled off the mask, after having lost all sentiments of humanity.Common affliction was an agreeable reverie to what she suffered, deprivedof her parents, exiled from her friends and country, reduced to the brinkof wanting the most indispensable necessaries of life, in a foreign land,where she knew not one person to whose protection she could haverecourse, from the inexpressible woes that environed her. She complainedto Heaven that her life was protracted, for the augmentation of thatmisery which was already too severe to be endured; for she shuddered atthe prospect of being utterly abandoned in the last stage of mortality,without one friend to close her eyes, or do the last offices of humanityto her breathless corse. These were dreadful reflections to a young ladywho had been born to affluence and splendour, trained up in all theelegance of education, by nature fraught with that sensibility whichrefines the sentiment and taste, and so tenderly cherished by herindulgent parents, that they suffered not the winds of Heaven to visither face too roughly.
Having passed the night in such agony, she rose at daybreak, and, hearingthe chapel bell toll for morning prayers, resolved to go to this place ofworship, in order to implore the assistance of Heaven. She no sooneropened her chamber door, with this intent, than she was met by Madam laMer, who, after having professed her concern for what had happenedovernight, and imputed Mr. Fathom's rudeness to the spirit ofintoxication, by which she had never before seen him possessed, sheendeavoured to dissuade Monimia from her purpose, by observing, that herhealth would be prejudiced by the cold morning air; but finding herdetermined, she insisted upon accompanying her to chapel, on pretence ofrespect, though, in reality, with a view to prevent the escape of herbeauteous lodger. Thus attended, the hapless mourner entered the place,and, according to the laudable hospitality of England, which is the onlycountry in Christendom where a stranger is not made welcome to the houseof God, this amiable creature, emaciated and enfeebled as she was, musthave stood in a common passage during the whole service, had not she beenperceived by a humane gentlewoman, who, struck with her beauty anddignified air, and melted with sympathy at the ineffable sorrow which wasvisible in her countenance, opened the pew in which she sat, andaccommodated Monimia and her attendant. If she was captivated by herfirst appearance, she was not less affected by the deportment of her fairguest, which was the pattern of genuine devotion.
In a word, this good lady, who was a merchant's widow in opulentcircumstances, was inflamed with a longing desire to know and befriendthe amiable stranger, who, after service, turning about to thank her forher civility, Madam Clement, with that frankness which is the result oftrue benevolence, told her, she was too much prepossessed in her favourto let slip this opportunity of craving her acquaintance, and ofexpressing her inclination to alleviate, if possible, that afflictionwhich was manifest in her looks.
Monimia, overwhelmed with gratitude and surprise at this unexpectedaddress, gazed upon the lady in
silence, and when she repeated hertenders of service, could make no other reply to her goodness, than bybursting into a flood of tears. This was a species of eloquence whichdid not pass unregarded by Madam Clement, who, while her own eyes werebedewed with the drops of sympathy and compassion, took the lovely orphanby the hand, and led her, without further ceremony, to her own coach,that stood waiting at the door, whither they were followed by Mrs. laMer, who was so much confounded at the adventure, that she made noobjections to the proposal of the lady, who handed her lodger into thecarriage; but retired, with all possible despatch, to make Fathomacquainted with this unforeseen event.
Meanwhile the agitation of Monimia, at this providential deliverance, wassuch as had well-nigh destroyed her tender frame. The blood flushed andforsook her cheeks by turns; she trembled from head to foot,notwithstanding the consolatory assurances of Madam Clement, and, withoutbeing able to utter one word, was conducted to the house of that kindbenefactress, where the violence of her transports overpowered herconstitution, and she sunk down upon a couch in a swoon, from which shewas not easily recovered. This affecting circumstance augmented thepity, and interested the curiosity of Madam Clement, who concluded therewas something very extraordinary in the case of the stranger, to producethese agonies; and grew impatient to hear the particulars of her story.
Monimia no sooner retrieved the use of her faculties, than lookingaround, and observing with what humane concern her new hostess wasemployed in effecting her recovery, "Is this," said she, "a flatteringillusion of the brain? or am I really under the protection of somebeneficent being, whom Heaven hath inspired with generosity to rescue anhapless stranger from the most forlorn state of misery and woe?" Hervoice was at all times ravishingly sweet; and this exclamation waspronounced with such pathetic fervour, that Madam Clement clasped her inher arms, and kissing her with all the eagerness of maternal affection,"Yes," cried she, "fair creature, Heaven hath bestowed upon me an heartto compassionate, and power, I hope, to lighten the burden of yoursorrows."
She then prevailed upon her to take some nourishment, and afterwards torecount the particulars of her fate; a task she performed with suchaccuracy and candour, that Madam Clement, far from suspecting hersincerity, saw truth and conviction in every circumstance of her tale;and, having condoled her misfortunes, entreated her to forget them, or atleast look upon herself as one sheltered under the care and tuition of aperson whose study it would be to supply her want of natural parents.This would have been an happy vicissitude of fortune, had it not arrivedtoo late; but such a sudden and unlooked-for transition not onlydisordered the faculties of poor Monimia's mind, but also overpowered theorgans of her body, already fatigued and enfeebled by the distresses shehad undergone; so that she was taken ill of a fever that same night, andbecame delirious before morning, when a physician was called to herassistance.
While this gentleman was in the house, Madam Clement was visited byFathom, who, after having complained, in the most insinuating manner thatshe had encouraged his wife to abandon her duty, told her a plausiblestory of his first acquaintance with Monimia, and his marriage at theFleet, which, he said, he was ready to prove by the evidence of theclergyman who joined them, and that of Mrs. la Mer, who was present atthe ceremony. The good lady, although a little staggered at the genteelappearance and engaging address of this stranger, could not prevail uponherself to believe that she had been imposed upon by her fair lodger, whoby this time had given too convincing a proof of her sincerity;nevertheless, in order to prevent any dispute that might be prejudicialto the health or recovery of Monimia, she gave him to understand, thatshe would not at present enter upon the merits of the cause, but onlyassure him, that the young lady was actually bereft of her senses, and inimminent danger of her life; for the truth of which assertions she wouldappeal to his own observation, and the opinion of the physician, who wasthen employed in writing a prescription for the cure of her disease.
So saying, she conducted him into the chamber, where he beheld thehapless virgin stretched upon a sick-bed, panting under the violence of adistemper too mighty for her weakly frame, her hair dishevelled, anddiscomposure in her looks; all the roses of her youth were faded, yet allthe graces of her beauty were not fled. She retained that sweetness andsymmetry, which death itself could not destroy; and though her discoursewas incoherent, her voice was still musical, resembling those featheredsongsters who warble their native wood-notes wild.
Fathom, as upon all other occasions, so on this, did behave like aninimitable actor; he ran to the bedside, with all the trepidation of adistracted lover; he fell upon his knees, and, while the tears rolleddown his cheeks, imprinted a thousand kisses on the soft hand of Monimia,who regarding him with a lack-lustre and undistinguishing eye, "Alas!Renaldo," said she, "we were born to be unhappy." "Would to Heaven,"cried Ferdinand, in a transport of grief, "the wretch Renaldo had neverbeen born! that is the villain who seduced the affection of thisunfortunate woman. I admitted the traitor into my friendship andconfidence, relieved him in his necessities; and, like the ungratefulviper, he hath stung the very bosom that cherished him in his distress."Then he proceeded to inform Madam Clement how he had delivered that sameRenaldo from prison, maintained him afterwards at a great expense, and atlength furnished him with a sum of money and proper credentials tosupport his interest at the Court of Vienna.
Having finished this detail, he asked the physician's sentiments of hiswife's distemper, and being told that her life was in extreme jeopardy,begged he would use his utmost endeavours in her behalf, and even madehim a tender of an extraordinary fee, which was refused. He also thankedMadam Clement for her charity and benevolence towards a stranger, andtook his leave with many polite professions of gratitude and esteem. Hehad no sooner quitted the house, than the physician, who was a humaneman, and a foreigner, began to caution the lady against his insinuations,observing, that some circumstances of the story concerning Renaldo were,to his particular knowledge, contrary to truth; for that he himself hadbeen applied to for letters of recommendation in behalf of Count Melvil,by a Jew merchant of his acquaintance, who had supplied the younggentleman with money sufficient for his occasions, in consequence of aminute inquiry he had made into the character of Renaldo, who was, by allreports, a youth of strict honour and untainted morals.
Madam Clement, thus cautioned, entered into deliberation with her ownthoughts, and, comparing the particulars of this account with those ofMonimia's own story, she concluded that Fathom was the very traitor hehimself had described; and that he had, by abusing the confidence ofboth, effected a fatal breach between two innocent and deserving lovers.She accordingly looked upon him with horror and detestation; butnevertheless resolved to treat him with civility in the meantime, thatthe poor young lady might not be disturbed in her last moments; for shehad now lost all hopes of her recovery. Yet the fever abated, and in twodays she retrieved the use of her reason; though the distemper hadaffected her lungs, and she was in all appearance doomed to linger a fewweeks longer in a consumption.
Fathom was punctual in his visitation, though never admitted into herpresence after the delirium vanished; and he had the opportunity ofseeing her conveyed in a chariot to Kensington Gravel Pits, a place whichmay be termed the last stage of many a mortal peregrination. He nowimplicitly believed that death would in a few days baffle all his designsupon the unfortunate Monimia; and foreseeing that, as he had ownedhimself her husband, he might be obliged to defray the expenses incurredby her sickness and burial, he very prudently intermitted in his visits,and had recourse to the intelligence of his auxiliary.
As for Monimia, she approached the goal of life, not simply withresignation, but with rapture. She enjoyed in tranquillity theconversation of her kind benefactress, who never stirred from herapartment; she was blessed with the spiritual consolation of a worthyclergyman, who removed all her religious scruples; and she congratulatedherself on the near prospect of that land of peace where sorrow is notknown.
At length Mrs. la Mer gav
e notice to our adventurer of this amiable younglady's decease, and the time fixed for the interment. Upon which thesetwo virtuous associates took possession of a place from whence theycould, unperceived, behold the funeral. He must have a hard heart, who,without an emotion of pity, can see the last offices performed to a youngcreature cut off in the flower of youth and beauty, even though he knowsnot her name, and is an utter stranger to her virtues. How callous thenmust the soul of that wretch have been, who, without a symptom of remorseor concern, saw the sable hearse adorned with white plumes, as emblems ofMonimia's purity, pass before him, while her incomparable merit stoodfull in his remembrance, and he knew himself the wicked cause of heruntimely fate!
Perfidious wretch! thy crimes turn out so atrocious, that I half repentme of having undertaken to record thy memoirs; yet such monsters ought tobe exhibited to public view, that mankind may be upon their guard againstimposture; that the world may see how fraud is apt to overshoot itself;and that, as virtue, though it may suffer for a while, will triumph inthe end; so iniquity, though it may prosper for a season, will at last beovertaken by that punishment and disgrace which are its due.