CHAPTER LVII.
An answer so little expected, from one whose dependent state had been sofreely discussed, caused a general surprize, and an almost universaldemand of who the young person might be, and what she could mean. Thefew words that had dropt from her had as many commentators as hearers.Some thought their inference important; others, their mysterysuspicious; and others mocked their assumption of dignity. Tears startedinto the eyes of Lady Barbara; while those of Sir Jaspar were fixed,meditatively, upon the head of his crutch; but the complacent smile ofadmiration, exhibited by Mr Giles, attracted the notice of the wholeassembly, by the peals of laughter which it excited in the MissCrawleys.
With rage difficultly disguised without, but wholly ungovernable within,Mrs Ireton would instantly have revenged what she considered as the mostheinous affront that she had ever received, by expelling its authorignominiously from her house, but for the still sharpened curiosity withwhich her pretentions to penetration became piqued, from the general cryof 'How very extraordinary that Mrs Ireton has never been able todiscover who she is!'
When Juliet, therefore, conceiving her removal from this mansion to beas inevitable, as her release from its tyranny was desirable, madeknown, as soon as the company was dispersed, that she was ready todepart; she was surprised by a request, from Mrs Ireton, to stay a dayor two longer; for the purpose of taking care of Mr Loddard thefollowing morning; as Mrs Ireton, who had no one with whom she couldtrust such a charge, had engaged herself to join a party to see ArundelCastle.
Little as Juliet felt disposed to renew her melancholy wanderings, hersituation in this house appeared to her so humiliating, nay degrading,that neither this message, nor the fawning civilities with which, attheir next meeting, Mrs Ireton sought to mitigate her late asperity,could prevail with her to consent to any delay beyond that which wasnecessary for obtaining the counsel of Gabriella; to whom she wrote adetailed account of what had passed; adding, 'How long must I thus wastemy time and my existence, separated from all that can render themvaluable, while fastened upon by constant discomfort and disgust? Ofriend of my heart, friend of my earliest years, earliest feelings,juvenile happiness,--and, alas! maturer sorrows! why must we thus besundered in adversity? Oh how,--with three-fold toil, should I revive bythe side of my beloved Gabriella!--Dear to me by every tie of tenderrecollection; dear to me by the truest compassion for her sufferings,and reverence for her resignation; and dear to me,--thrice dear! by thesacred ties of gratitude, which bind me for ever to her honoured mother,and to her venerated, saint-like uncle, my pious benefactor!'
She then tenderly proposed their immediate re-union, at whatever cost offatigue, or risk, it might be obtained; and besought Gabriella to seeksome small room, and to enquire for some needle-work; determining toappropriate to a journey to town, the little sum which she might have toreceive for the long and laborious fortnight, which she had consigned tothe terrible enterprize of aiming at amusing, serving, or interesting,one whose sole taste of pleasure consisted in seeking, like Strife, inSpenser's Fairy Queen, occasion for dissension.
With the apprehension, however, of losing, the desire of retaining heralways revived; and now, as usual, proved some check to the recreationsof spleen, in which Mrs Ireton ordinarily indulged herself. Yet, even inthe midst of intended concession, the love of tormenting was sopredominant, that, had the resolution of Juliet still wavered, whetherto seek some new retreat, or still to support her present irksomesituation, all indecision would have ceased from fresh disgust, at thesneers which insidiously found their way through every effort atcivility. What had dropt from Mr Giles Arbe, relative to the bank-notes,had excited curiosity in all; tinted, in some, with suspicion, and, inMrs Ireton, blended with malignity and wrath, that a creature whom shepleased herself to consider, and yet more to represent, as dependentupon her bounty for sustinence, should have any resources of her own.Nor was this displeasure wholly free from surmises the most disgraceful;though to those she forbore to give vent, conscious that to suggest themwould stamp with impropriety all further intercourse with their object.And a moment that offered new food for inquisition, was the last toinduce Mrs Ireton to relinquish her _protegee_. She confined hersarcasms, therefore, when she could not wholly repress them, to obliqueremarks upon the happiness of those who were able to lay by privatestores for secret purposes; lamenting that such was not her fate; yetcongratulating herself that she might now sleep in peace, with respectto any creditors; since, should she be threatened with an execution, herhouse had a rich inmate, by whom she flattered herself that she shouldbe assisted to give bail.
Already, the next morning, her resolution with regard to her nephew wasreversed; and, the child desiring the change of scene, she gavedirections that Miss Ellis should prepare herself to take him in chargeduring the excursion.
But Juliet was now initiated in the services and the endurance of anhumble companion in public; she offered, therefore, to amuse and towatch him at home, but decidedly refused to attend him abroad; and herevident indifference whether to stay or begone herself, forced MrsIreton to deny the humoured boy his intended frolic.
Little accustomed to any privation, and totally unused todisappointment, the young gentleman, when his aunt was preparing todepart, had recourse to his usual appeals against restraint orauthority, clamourous cries and unappeasable blubbering. Juliet, towhose room he refused to mount, was called upon to endeavour to quiethim, and to entice him into the garden; that he might not hear thecarriage of his aunt draw up to the door.
But this commission the refractory spirit of the young heir made itimpossible to execute, till he overheard a whisper to Juliet, that shewould take care, should Mr Loddard chuse to go to the Temple, to placethe silk-worms above his reach.
Suddenly, then, he sprang from his consolers and attendants, to runforward to the forbidden fruit; and, with a celerity that made itdifficult for Juliet, even with her utmost speed, and longer limbs, toarrive at the spot in time to prevent the mischief for which she saw himpreparing. She had just, however, succeeded, in depositing the menacedinsects upon a high bracket, when a footman came to whisper to her thecommands of his lady, that she would detain Mr Loddard till the partyshould be set off.
Before the man had shut himself out, Ireton, holding up his finger tohim in token of secresy, slipt past him into the little building; and,having turned the key on the inside, and put it into his pocket, said,'I'll stand centinel for little Pickle!' and flung himself, loungingly,upon an arm chair.
Confounded by this action, yet feeling it necessary to appearunintimidated, Juliet affected to occupy herself with the silk-worms; ofwhich the young gentleman now, eager to romp with Ireton, thought nomore.
'At last, then, I have caught you, my skittish dear!' cried Ireton,while jumping about the little boy, to keep him in good humour. 'I havehad the devil of a difficulty to contrive it. However, I shall makemyself amends now, for they are all going to Arundel Castle, and you andI can pass the morning together.'
The indignant look which this boldness excited, he pretended not toobserve, and went on.
'I can't possibly be easy without having a little private chat with you.I must consult you about my affairs. I want devilishly to make you myfriend. You might be capitally useful to me. And you would find youraccount in it, I promise you. What sayst thee, my pretty one?'
Juliet, not appearing to hear him, changed the leaves of the silk-worms.
'Can you guess what it is brings me hither to old madam my mother's? Itis not you, with all your beauty, you arch prude; though I have a greatenjoyment in looking at you and your blushes, which are devilishlyhandsome, I own; yet, to say the truth, you are not--all together--Idon't know how it is--but you are not--upon the whole--quite exactly tomy taste. Don't take it ill, my love, for you are a devilish fine girl.I own that. But I want something more skittish, more wild, moreeccentric. If I were to fix my fancy upon such symmetry as you, I shouldbe put out of my way every moment. I should always be thinking I hadsome Minerva tutoring,
or some Juno awing me. It would not do at all. Iwant something of another cast; something that will urge me when I amhippish, without keeping me in order when I am whimsical. Somethingfrisky, flighty, fantastic,--yet panting, blushing, dying with love forme!--'
Neither contempt nor indignation were of sufficient force to preservethe gravity of Juliet, at this unexpected ingenuousness of vanity.
'You smile!' he cried; 'but if you knew what a deuced difficult thing itis, for a man who has got a little money, to please himself, you wouldfind it a very serious affair. How the deuce can he be sure whether awoman, when once he has married her, would not, if her settlement be toher liking, dance at his funeral? The very thought of that would eithercarry me off in a fright within a month, or make me want to live forever, merely to punish her. It's a hard thing having money! a deucedhard thing! One does not know who to trust. A poor man may find a wifein a moment, for if he sees any one that likes him, he knows it is forhimself; but a rich man,--as Sir Jaspar says,--can never be sure whetherthe woman who marries him, would not, for the same pin-money, just aswillingly follow him to the outside of the church, as to the inside!'
At the name of Sir Jaspar, Juliet involuntarily gave some attention,though she would make no reply.
'From the time,' continued Ireton, 'that I heard him pronounce thosewords, I have never been able to satisfy myself; nor to find out whatwould satisfy me. At least not till lately; and now that I know what Iwant, the difficulty of the business is to get it! And this is what Iwish to consult with you about; for you must know, my dear, I can neverbe happy without being adored.'
Juliet, now, was surprised into suddenly looking at him, to see whetherhe were serious.
'Yes, adored! loved to distraction! I must be idolized for myself,myself alone; yet publicly worshiped, that all mankind may see,--andenvy,--the passion I have been able to inspire!'
Suspecting that he meant some satire upon Elinor, Juliet again fixed hereyes upon her silk-worms.
'So you don't ask me what it is that makes me so devilish dutiful all ofa sudden, in visiting my mamma? You think, perhaps, I have some debts topay? No; I have no taste for gaming. It's the cursedest fatiguing thingin the world. If one don't mind what one's about, one is blown up in amoment; and to be always upon one's guard, is worse than ruin itself. SoI am upon no coaxing expedition, I give you my word. What do you thinkit is, then, that brings me hither? Cannot you guess?--Hay?--Why it isto arrange something, somehow or other, for getting myself from underthis terrible yoke, that seems upon the point of enslaving me. My neckfeels galled by it already! I have naturally no taste for matrimony. Andnow that the business seems to be drawing to a point, and I am calledupon to name my lawyer, and cavilled with to declare, to the uttermostsixpence, what I will do, and what I will give, to make my wife merryand comfortable upon my going out of the world,--I protest I shudderwith horrour! I think there is nothing upon earth so mercenary, as ayoung nymph upon the point of becoming a bride!'
'Except,--' Juliet here could not resist saying, 'except the man,--youngor old,--who is her bridegroom!'
'O, that's another thing! quite another thing! A man must needs takecare of his house, and his table, and all that: but the horridest thingI know, is the condition tied to a man's obtaining the hand of a youngwoman; he can never solicit it, but by giving her a prospect of hisdeath-bed! And she never consents to live with him, till she knows whatshe may gain by his dying! Tis the most shocking style of making lovethat can be imagined. I don't like it, I swear! What, now, would youadvise me to do?'
'I?'
'Yes; you know the scrape I am in, don't you? Sir Jaspar's estate, incase he should have no children, is entailed upon me; and, in case Ishould have none neither, is entailed upon a cousin; the heaviest dogyou ever saw in your life, whom he hates and despises; and whom I wishat old Nick with all my heart, because I know he, and all his family,will wish me at the devil myself, if I marry; and, if I have children,will wish them and my wife there. I hate them all so heartily, that,whenever I think of them, I am ready, in pure spite, to be tied to thefirst girl that comes in my way: but, when I think of myself, I am takenwith a fit of fright, and in a plaguey hurry to cut the knot off short.And this is the way I have got the character of a male jilt. But I don'tdeserve it, I assure you; for of all the females with whom I have hadthese little engagements, there is not one whom I have seriously thoughtof marrying, after the first half hour. They none of them hit my fancyfurther than to kill a little time.'
The countenance of Juliet, though she neither deigned to speak nor toturn to him, marked such strong disapprobation, that he thought properto add, 'Don't be affronted for little Selina Joddrel: I really meant tomarry her at the time; and I should really have gone on, and "buckledto," if the thing had been any way possible: but she turns out such aconfounded little fool, that I can't think of her any longer.'
'And was it necessary,--' Juliet could not refrain from saying, 'toengage her first, and examine whether she could make you happyafterwards?'
'Why that seems a little awkward, I confess; but it's a way I haveadopted. Though I took the decision, I own, rather in a hurry, withregard to little Selina; for it was merely to free myself from thereproaches of Sir Jaspar, who, because he is seventy-five, and does notknow what to do with himself, is always regretting that he did not takea wife when he was a stripling; and always at work to get me into theyoke. But, the truth is, I promised, when I went abroad, to bring himhome a niece from France, or Italy; unless I went further east; and thenI would look him out a fair Circassian. Now as he has a great taste forany thing out of the common way, and retains a constant hankering afterBeauty, he was delighted with the scheme. But I saw nothing that woulddo! Nothing I could take to! The pretty ones were all too buckish; andthe steady ones, a set of the yellowest frights I ever beheld.'
'Alas for the poor ladies!'
'O, you are a mocker, are you?--So to lighten the disappointment to SirJaspar, I hit upon the expedient of taking up with little Selina, whowas the first young thing that fell in my way. And I was too tired to bedifficult. Besides, what made her the more convenient, was her extremeyouth, which gave me a year to look about me, and see if I could do anybetter. But she's a poor creature; a sad poor creature indeed! quite toobad. So I must make an end of the business as fast as possible. Besides,another thing that puts me in a hurry is,--the very devil would have itso!--but I have fallen in love with her sister!--'
Juliet, at a loss how to understand him, now raised her eyes; and, notwithout astonishment, perceived that he was speaking with a grave face.
'O that noble stroke! That inimitable girl! Happy, happy, Harleigh! Thatfellow fascinates the girls the more the less notice he takes of them! Itake but little notice of them, neither; but, some how or other, theynever do that sort of thing for me! If I could meet with one who wouldtake such a measure for my sake, and before such an assembly,--I reallythink I should worship her!'
Then, lowering his voice, 'You may be amazingly useful to me, my angel,'he cried, 'in this new affair. I know you are very well with Harleigh,though I don't know exactly how; but if,--nay, hear me before you lookso proud! if you'll help me, a little, how to go to work with the divineElinor, I'll bind myself down to make over to you,--in case ofsuccess,--mark that!--as round a sum as you may be pleased to name!'
The disdain of Juliet at this proposition was so powerful, that, thoughshe heard it as the deepest of insults, indignation was but a secondaryfeeling; and a look of utter scorn, with a determined silence towhatever else he might say, was the only notice it received.
He continued, nevertheless, to address her, demanding her advice how tomanage Harleigh, and her assistance how to conquer Elinor, with an airof as much intimacy and confidence, as if he received the most cordialreplies. He purposed, he said, unless she could counsel him to somethingbetter, making an immediate overture to Elinor; by which means, whetherhe should obtain, or not, the only girl in the world who knew how tolove, and what love meant, he should, a
t least, in a very summary way,get rid of the little Selina.
Juliet knew too well the slightness of the texture of the regard ofSelina for Ireton, to be really hurt at this defection; yet she was notless offended at being selected for the confidant of so dishonourable aproceeding; nor less disgusted at the unfeeling insolence by which itwas dictated.
An attempt at opening the door at length silenced him, while the voiceof Mrs Ireton's woman called out, 'Goodness! Miss Ellis, what do youlock yourself in for? My lady has sent me to you.'
Juliet cast up her eyes, foreseeing the many disagreeable attacks andsurmises to which she was made liable by this incident; yet immediatelysaid aloud, 'Since you have thought proper, Mr Ireton, to lock the door,for your own pleasure, you will, at least, I imagine, think proper toopen it for that of Mrs Ireton.'
'Deuce take me if I do!' cried he, in a low voice: 'manage the matter asyou will! I have naturally no taste for a prude; so I always leave herto work her way out of a scrape as well as she can. But I'll see youagain when they are all off.' Then, throwing the key upon her lap, hesoftly and laughingly escaped out of the window.
Provoked and vexed, yet helpless, and without any means of redress,Juliet opened the door.
'Goodness! Miss Ellis,' cried the Abigail, peeping curiously around,'how droll for you to shut yourself in! My lady sent me to ask whetheryou have seen any thing of Mr Ireton in the garden, or about; for shehas been ready to go ever so long, and he said he was setting off firston horseback; but his groom is come, and is waiting for orders, and noneof us can tell where he is.'
'Mr Ireton,' Juliet quietly answered, 'was here just now; and I doubtnot but you will find him in the garden.'
'Yes,' cried the boy, 'he slid out of the window.'
'Goodness! was he in here, then, Master Loddard? Well! my lady'll be ina fine passion, if she should hear of it!'
This was enough to give the tidings a messenger: the boy darted forward,and reached the house in a moment.
The Abigail ran after him; Juliet, too, followed, dreading the impendingstorm yet still more averse to remaining within the reach and power ofIreton. And the knowledge, that he would now, for the rest of themorning, be sole master of the house, filled her with such horrour, ofthe wanton calumny to which his unprincipled egotism might expose her,that, rather than continue under the same roof with a character sounfeelingly audacious, she preferred risking all the mortifications towhich she might be liable in the excursion to Arundel Castle.
Advanced already into the hall, dragged thither by her turbulent littlenephew, and the hope of detecting the hiding-place of Ireton, stood thepatroness whom she now felt compelled to soothe into accepting herattendance. Not aware of this purposed concession, and nearly as muchfrightened as enraged, to find with whom her son had been shut up, MrsIreton, in a tone equally querulous and piqued, cried, 'I beg you athousand pardons, Ma'am, for the indiscretion of which I have beenguilty, in asking for the honour of your company to Arundel Castle thismorning! I ought to make a million of apologies for supposing that ayoung lady,--for you are a lady, no doubt! every body is a lady,now!--of your extraordinary turn and talents the insupportableinsipidity of a tete a tete with a female; or the dull care of abantling; when a splendid, flashy, rich, young travelled gentleman,chusing, also, to remain behind, may be tired, and want some amusement!'Twas grossly stupid of me, I own, to expect such a sacrifice. You, who,besides these prodigious talents, that make us all appear like a set ofvulgar, uneducated beings by your side; you, who revel also, in theluxury of wealth; who wanton in the stores of Plutus; who are accustomedto the magnificence of unaccounted hoards!--How must the whole detail ofour existence appear penurious, pitiful to you!--I am surprised how youcan forbear falling into fits at the very sight of us! But I presume youreserve the brilliancy of an action of that _eclat_, for objects betterworth your while to dazzle by a stroke of that grand description? I musthave lost my senses, certainly, to so ill appreciate my owninsignificance! I hope you'll pity me! that's all! I hope you will haveso much unction as to pity me!'
If, at the opening of this harangue, the patience of Juliet nearlyyielded to resentment, its length gave power to reflection,--whichusually wants but time for checking impulse,--to point out the many andnameless mischiefs, to which quitting the house under similar suspicionsmight give rise. She quietly, therefore, answered, that though toherself it must precisely be the same thing, whether Mr Ireton were athome or abroad, if that circumstance gave any choice to Mrs Ireton, shewould change her own plans, either to go or to stay, according to thedirections which she might receive.
A superiority to accusation or surmize thus cool and decided, no soonerrelieved the apprehensions of Mrs Ireton by its evident innocence, thanit excited her wrath by its deliberate indifference, if not contempt:and she would now disdainfully have rejected the attendance which, themoment before, she had anxiously desired, had not the little master ofthe house, who had seized the opportunity of this harangue to make hisescape, caught a glimpse of the carriage at the door; and put an end toall contest, by stunning all ears, with an unremitting scream till heforced himself into it; when, overpowering every obstacle, he obligedhis aunt and Juliet to follow; while he issued his own orders to thepostilion to drive to Arundel Castle.
Even the terrour of calumny, that most dangerous and baneful foe tounprotected woman! would scarcely have frightened Juliet into thisexpedition, had she been aware that, as soon as she was seated in thelandau, with orders to take the whole charge of Mr Loddard, the littledog, also, would have been given to her management. 'Bijou will like totake the air,' cried Mrs Ireton, languidly; 'and he will serve toentertain Loddard by the way. He can go very well on Miss Ellis's lap.Pretty little creature! 'Twould be cruel to leave him at home alone!'
This terrible humanity, which, in a hot day, in the middle of July, castupon the knees of Juliet a fat, round, well furred, and over-fed littleanimal, accustomed to snarl, scratch, stretch, and roll himself about athis pleasure, produced fatigue the most pitiless, and inconvenience themost comfortless. The little tyrant of the party, whose will was law tothe company, found no diversion so much to his taste, during the shortjourney, as exciting the churlish humour of his fellow-favourite, bypinching his ears, pulling his nose, filliping his claws, squeezing histhroat, and twisting round his tail. And all these feats, far fromincurring any reprimand, were laughed at and applauded. For whom didthey incommode? No one but Miss Ellis;--and for what else was Miss Ellisthere?
Yet this fatigue and disgust might have been passed over, as localevils, had they ceased with the journey; and had she then been atliberty to look at what remains of the venerable old castle; to visitits ancient chapel; to examine the genealogical records of the longgallery; to climb up to the antique citadel, and to enjoy the spaciousview thence presented of the sea: but she immediately received orders togive exercise to Bijou, and to watch that he ran into no danger: thoughSelina, who assiduously came forward to meet Mrs Ireton, withoutappearing even to perceive Juliet, officiously took young Loddard incharge, and conducted him, with his aunt, to a large expecting party,long arrived, and now viewing the citadel.