LETTER XXVIII
MR. LOVELACE[IN CONTINUATION.]
We had hardly dined, when my coachman, who kept a look-out for CaptainTomlinson, as Will. did for old Grimes, conducted hither that worthygentleman, attended by one servant, both on horseback. He alighted. Iwent out to meet him at the door.
Thou knowest his solemn appearance, and unblushing freedom; and yet canstnot imagine what a dignity the rascal assumed, nor how respectful to himI was.
I led him into the parlour, and presented him to the women, and them tohim. I thought it highly imported me (as they might still have somediffidences about our marriage, from my fair-one's home-pushed questionson that head) to convince them entirely of the truth of all I hadasserted. And how could I do this better, than by dialoguing a littlewith him before them?
Dear Captain, I thought you long; for I have had a terrible conflict withmy spouse.
Capt. I am sorry that I am later than my intention--my account with mybanker--[There's a dog, Jack!] took me up longer time to adjust than Ihad foreseen [all the time pulling down and stroking his ruffles]: forthere was a small difference between us--only twenty pounds, indeed,which I had taken no account of.
The rascal has not seen twenty pounds of his own these ten years.
Then had we between us the character of the Harlowe family; I railedagainst them all; the Captain taking his dear friend Mr. John Harlowe'spart; with a Not so fast!--not so fast, young gentleman!--and the likefree assumptions.
He accounted for their animosity by my defiances: no good family, havingsuch a charming daughter, would care to be defied, instead of courted: hemust speak his mind: never was a double-tongued man.--He appealed to theladies, if he were not right?
He got them on his side.
The correction I had given the brother, he told me, must have aggravatedmatters.
How valiant this made me look to the women!--The sex love us mettledfellows at their hearts.
Be that as it would, I should never love any of the family but my spouse;and wanting nothing from them, I would not, but for her sake, have goneso far as I had gone towards a reconciliation.
This was very good of me; Mrs. Moore said.
Very good indeed; Miss Rawlins.
Good;--It is more than good; it is very generous; said the widow.
Capt. Why so it is, I must needs say: for I am sensible that Mr.Lovelace has been rudely treated by them all--more rudely, than it couldhave been imagined a man of his quality and spirit would have put upwith. But then, Sir, [turning to me,] I think you are amply rewarded insuch a lady; and that you ought to forgive the father for the daughter'ssake.
Mrs. Moore. Indeed so I think.
Miss R. So must every one think who has seen the lady.
Widow B. A fine lady, to be sure! But she has a violent spirit; andsome very odd humours too, by what I have heard. The value of goodhusbands is not known till they are lost!
Her conscience then drew a sigh from her.
Lovel. Nobody must reflect upon my angel!--An angel she is--some littleblemishes, indeed, as to her over-hasty spirit, and as to her unforgivingtemper. But this she has from the Harlowes; instigated too by that MissHowe.--But her innumerable excellencies are all her own.
Capt. Ay, talk of spirit, there's a spirit, now you have named MissHowe! [And so I led him to confirm all I had said of that vixen.] Yetshe was to be pitied too; looking with meaning at me.
As I have already hinted, I had before agreed with him to impute secretlove occasionally to Miss Howe, as the best means to invalidate all thatmight come from her in my disfavour.
Capt. Mr. Lovelace, but that I know your modesty, or you could give areason--
Lovel. Looking down, and very modest--I can't think so, Captain--butlet us call another cause.
Every woman present could look me in the face, so bashful was I.
Capt. Well, but as to our present situation--only it mayn't be proper--looking upon me, and round upon the women.
Lovel. O Captain, you may say any thing before this company--only,Andrew, [to my new servant, who attended us at table,] do you withdraw:this good girl [looking at the maid-servant] will help us to all we want.
Away went Andrew: he wanted not his cue; and the maid seemed pleased atmy honour's preference of her.
Capt. As to our present situation, I say, Mr. Lovelace--why, Sir, weshall be all untwisted, let me tell you, if my friend Mr. John Harlowewere to know what that is. He would as much question the truth of yourbeing married, as the rest of the family do.
Here the women perked up their ears; and were all silent attention.
Capt. I asked you before for particulars, Mr. Lovelace; but youdeclined giving them.--Indeed it may not be proper for me to beacquainted with them.--But I must own, that it is past my comprehension,that a wife can resent any thing a husband can do (that is not a breachof the peace) so far as to think herself justified for eloping from him.
Lovel. Captain Tomlinson:--Sir--I do assure you, that I shall beoffended--I shall be extremely concerned--if I hear that word elopingmentioned again--
Capt. Your nicety and your love, Sir, may make you take offence--but itis my way to call every thing by its proper name, let who will beoffended--
Thou canst not imagine, Belford, how brave and how independent the rascallooked.
Capt. When, young gentleman, you shall think proper to give usparticulars, we will find a word for this rash act in so admirable alady, that shall please you better.--You see, Sir, that being therepresentative of my dear friend Mr. John Harlowe, I speak as freely as Isuppose he would do, if present. But you blush, Sir--I beg your pardon,Mr. Lovelace: it becomes not a modest man to pry into those secrets,which a modest man cannot reveal.
I did not blush, Jack; but denied not the compliment, and looked down:the women seemed delighted with my modesty: but the widow Bevis was moreinclined to laugh at me than praise me for it.
Capt. Whatever be the cause of this step, (I will not again, Sir, callit elopement, since that harsh word wounds your tenderness,) I cannot butexpress my surprise upon it, when I recollect the affectionate behaviour,to which I was witness between you, when I attended you last. Over-love,Sir, I think you once mention--but over-love [smiling] give me leave tosay, Sir, it is an odd cause of quarrel--few ladies--
Lovel. Dear Captain!--And I tried to blush.
The women also tried; and being more used to it, succeeded better.--Mrs.Bevis indeed has a red-hot countenance, and always blushes.
Miss R. It signifies nothing to mince the matter: but the lady above asgood as denies her marriage. You know, Sir, that she does; turning tome.
Capt. Denies her marriage! Heavens! how then have I imposed upon mydear friend Mr. John Harlowe!
Lovel. Poor dear!--But let not her veracity be called into question.She would not be guilty of a wilful untruth for the world.
Then I had all their praises again.
Lovel. Dear creature!--She thinks she has reason for her denial. Youknow, Mrs. Moore; you know, Miss Rawlins; what I owned to you above as myvow.
I looked down, and, as once before, turned round my diamond ring.
Mrs. Moore looked awry, and with a leer at Miss Rawlins, as to herpartner in the hinted-at reference.
Miss Rawlins looked down as well as I; her eyelids half closed, as ifmumbling a pater-noster, meditating her snuff-box, the distance betweenher nose and chin lengthened by a close-shut mouth.
She put me in mind of the pious Mrs. Fetherstone at Oxford, whom Ipointed out to thee once, among other grotesque figures, at St. Mary'schurch, whither we went to take a view of her two sisters: her eyes shut,not daring to trust her heart with them open; and but just half-rearingher lids, to see who the next comer was; and falling them again, when hercuriosity was satisfied.
The widow Bevis gazed, as if on the hunt for a secret.
The Captain looked archly, as if half in the possession of one.
Mrs. Moore a
t last broke the bashful silence. Mrs. Lovelace's behaviour,she said, could be no otherwise so well accounted for, as by the illoffices of that Miss Howe; and by the severity of her relations; whichmight but too probably have affected her head a little at times: adding,that it was very generous in me to give way to the storm when it was up,rather than to exasperate at such a time.
But let me tell you, Sirs, said the widow Bevis, that is not what onehusband in a thousand would have done.
I desired, that no part of this conversation might be hinted to myspouse; and looked still more bashfully. Her great fault, I must own,was over-delicacy.
The Captain leered round him; and said, he believed he could guess fromthe hints I had given him in town (of my over-love) and from what had nowpassed, that we had not consummated our marriage.
O Jack! how sheepishly then looked, or endeavoured to look, thy friend!how primly goody Moore! how affectedly Miss Rawlins!--while the honestwidow Bevis gazed around her fearless; and though only simpering with hermouth, her eyes laughed outright, and seemed to challenge a laugh fromevery eye in the company.
He observed, that I was a phoenix of a man, if so; and he could not buthope that all matters would be happily accommodated in a day or two; andthat then he should have the pleasure to aver to her uncle, that he waspresent, as he might say, on our wedding-day.
The women seemed all to join in the same hope.
Ah, Captain! Ah, Ladies! how happy should I be, if I could bring my dearspouse to be of the same mind!
It would be a very happy conclusion of a very knotty affair, said thewidow Bevis; and I see not why we may not make this very night a merryone.
The Captain superciliously smiled at me. He saw plainly enough, he said,that we had been at children's play hitherto. A man of my character, whocould give way to such a caprice as this, must have a prodigious valuefor his lady. But one thing he would venture to tell me; and that wasthis--that, however desirous young skittish ladies might be to have theirway in this particular, it was a very bad setting-out for the man; as itgave his bride a very high proof of the power she had over him: and hewould engage, that no woman, thus humoured, ever valued the man the morefor it; but very much the contrary--and there were reasons to be givenwhy she should not.
Well, well, Captain, no more of this subject before the ladies.--Onefeels [shrugging my shoulders in a bashful try-to-blush manner] that oneis so ridiculous--I have been punished enough for my tender folly.
Miss Rawlins had taken her fan, and would needs hide her face behind it--I suppose because her blush was not quite ready.
Mrs. Moore hemmed, and looked down; and by that gave her's over.
While the jolly widow, laughing out, praised the Captain as one ofHudibras's metaphysicians, repeating,
He knew what's what, and that's as high As metaphysic wit can fly.
This made Miss Rawlins blush indeed:--Fie, fie, Mrs. Bevis! cried she,unwilling, I suppose, to be thought absolutely ignorant.
Upon the whole, I began to think that I had not made a bad exchange ofour professing mother, for the unprofessing Mrs. Moore. And indeed thewomen and I, and my beloved too, all mean the same thing: we only differabout the manner of coming at the proposed end.