CHAPTER XXXIII. Contains a Soliloquy by Hester
Martin Lambert's first feeling, upon learning the little secret whichhis younger daughter's emotion had revealed, was to be angry with thelad who had robbed his child's heart away from him and her family. "Aplague upon all scapegraces, English or Indian!" cried the Colonel tohis wife. "I wish this one had broke his nose against any doorpost butours."
"Perhaps we are to cure him of being a scapegrace, my dear," says Mrs.Lambert, mildly interposing, "and the fall at our door hath somethingprovidential in it. You laughed at me, Mr. Lambert, when I said sobefore; but if Heaven did not send the young gentleman to us, who did?And it may be for the blessing and happiness of us all that he came,too."
"It's hard, Molly!" groaned the Colonel. "We cherish and fondle and rear'em: we tend them through sickness and health: we toil and we scheme:we hoard away money in the stocking, and patch our own old coats: ifthey've a headache we can't sleep for thinking of their ailment; ifthey have a wish or fancy, we work day and night to compass it, and 'tisdarling daddy and dearest pappy, and whose father is like ours? and soforth. On Tuesday morning I am king of my house and family. On Tuesdayevening Prince Whippersnapper makes his appearance, and my reign isover. A whole life is forgotten and forsworn for a pair of blue eyes, apair of lean shanks, and a head of yellow hair."
"'Tis written that we women should leave all to follow our husband. Ithink our courtship was not very long, dear Martin!" said the matron,laying her hand on her husband's arm.
"'Tis human nature, and what can you expect of the jade?" sighed theColonel.
"And I think I did my duty to my husband, though I own I left my papafor him," added Mrs. Lambert, softly.
"Excellent wench! Perdition catch my soul! but I do love thee, Molly!"says the good Colonel; "but, then, mind you, your father never did me;and if ever I am to have sons-in-law----"
"Ever, indeed! Of course my girls are to have husbands, Mr. Lambert!"cries mamma.
"Well, when they come, I'll hate them, madam, as your father did me; andquite right too, for taking his treasure away from him."
"Don't be irreligious and unnatural, Martin Lambert! I say you areunnatural, sir!" continues the matron.
"Nay, my dear, I have an old tooth in my left jaw, here; and 'tisnatural that the tooth should come out. But when the toothdrawer pullsit, 'tis natural that I should feel pain. Do you suppose, madam, thatI don't love Hetty better than any tooth in my head?" asks Mr. Lambert.But no woman was ever averse to the idea of her daughter getting ahusband, however fathers revolt against the invasion of the son-in-law.As for mothers and grandmothers, those good folks are married over againin the marriage of their young ones; and their souls attire themselvesin the laces and muslins of twenty-forty years ago; the postillion'swhite ribbons bloom again, and they flutter into the postchaise, anddrive away. What woman, however old, has not the bridal favours andraiment stowed away, and packed in lavender, in the inmost cupboards ofher heart?
"It will be a sad thing, parting with her," continued Mrs. Lambert, witha sigh.
"You have settled that point already, Molly," laughs the Colonel. "Had Inot best go out and order raisins and corinths for the wedding-cake?"
"And then I shall have to leave the house in their charge when I go toher, you know, in Virginia. How many miles is it to Virginia, Martin? Ishould think it must be thousands of miles."
"A hundred and seventy-three thousand three hundred and ninety-one andthree-quarters, my dear, by the near way," answers Lambert, gravely;"that through Prester John's country. By the other route, throughPersia----"
"Oh, give me the one where there is the least of the sea, and yourhorrid ships, which I can't bear!" cries the Colonel's spouse. "I hopeRachel Esmond and I shall be better friends. She had a very high spiritwhen we were girls at school."
"Had we not best go about the baby-linen, Mrs. Martin Lambert?" hereinterposed her wondering husband. Now, Mrs. Lambert, I dare say, thoughtthere was no matter for wonderment at all, and had remarked some verypretty lace caps and bibs in Mrs. Bobbinit's toy-shop. And on thatSunday afternoon, when the discovery was made, and while little Hettywas lying upon her pillow with feverish cheeks, closed eyes, and apiteous face, her mother looked at the child with the most perfect easeof mind, and seemed to be rather pleased than otherwise at Hetty's woe.
The girl was not only unhappy, but enraged with herself for havingpublished her secret. Perhaps she had not known it until the suddenemotion acquainted her with her own state of mind; and now the littlemaid chose to be as much ashamed as if she had done a wrong, and beendiscovered in it. She was indignant with her own weakness, and brokeinto transports of wrath against herself. She vowed she never wouldforgive herself for submitting to such a humiliation. So the young pard,wounded by the hunter's dart, chafes with rage in the forest, is angrywith the surprise of the rankling steel in her side, and snarls andbites at her sister-cubs, and the leopardess, her spotted mother.
Little Hetty tore and gnawed, and growled, so that I should not like tohave been her fraternal cub, or her spotted dam or sire. "What businesshas any young woman," she cried out, "to indulge in any such nonsense?Mamma, I ought to be whipped, and sent to bed. I know perfectly wellthat Mr. Warrington does not care a fig about me. I dare say he likesFrench actresses and the commonest little milliner-girl in the toy-shopbetter than me. And so he ought, and so they are better than me. Why,what a fool I am to burst out crying like a ninny about nothing, andbecause Mr. Wolfe said Harry played cards of a Sunday! I know he is notclever, like papa. I believe he is stupid--I am certain he is stupid:but he is not so stupid as I am. Why, of course, I can't marry him.How am I to go to America, and leave you and Theo? Of course, he likessomebody else, at America, or at Tunbridge, or at Jericho, or somewhere.He is a prince in his own country, and can't think of marrying a poorhalf-pay officer's daughter, with twopence to her fortune. Used not youto tell me how, when I was a baby, I cried and wanted the moon? I ama baby now, a most absurd, silly, little baby--don't talk to me, Mrs.Lambert, I am. Only there is this to be said, he don't know anythingabout it, and I would rather cut my tongue out than tell him."
Dire were the threats with which Hetty menaced Theo, in case hersister should betray her. As for the infantile Charley, his mind beingaltogether set on cheese-cakes, he had not remarked or been moved byMiss Hester's emotion; and the parents and the kind sister of course allpromised not to reveal the little maid's secret.
"I begin to think it had been best for us to stay at home," sighed Mrs.Lambert to her husband.
"Nay, my dear," replied the other. "Human nature will be human nature;surely Hetty's mother told me herself that she had the beginning of aliking for a certain young curate before she fell over head and ears inlove with a certain young officer of Kingsley's. And as for me, myheart was wounded in a dozen places ere Miss Molly Benson took entirepossession of it. Our sons and daughters must follow in the way of theirparents before them, I suppose. Why, but yesterday, you were scolding mefor grumbling at Miss Het's precocious fancies. To do the child justice,she disguises her feelings entirely, and I defy Mr. Warrington to knowfrom her behaviour how she is disposed towards him."
"A daughter of mine and yours, Martin," cries the mother, with greatdignity, "is not going to fling herself at a gentleman's head!"
"Neither herself nor the teacup, my dear," answers the Colonel. LittleMiss Het treats Mr. Warrington like a vixen. He never comes to us, butshe boxes his ears in one fashion or t'other. I protest she is barelycivil to him; but, knowing what is going on in the young hypocrite'smind, I am not going to be angry at her rudeness."
"She hath no need to be rude at all, Martin; and our girl is goodenough for any gentleman in England or America. Why, if their ages suit,shouldn't they marry after all, sir?"
"Why, if he wants her, shouldn't he ask her, my dear? I am sorry wecame. I am for putting the horses into the carriage, and turning theirheads towards home again."
But mamma fondly said, "Depend on it
, my dear, that these matters arewisely ordained for us. Depend upon it, Martin, it was not for nothingthat Harry Warrington was brought to our gate in that way; and that heand our children are thus brought together again. If that marriage hasbeen decreed in Heaven, a marriage it will be."
"At what age, Molly, I wonder, do women begin and leave offmatch-making? If our little chit falls in love and falls out again, shewill not be the first of her sex, Mrs. Lambert. I wish we were on ourway home again, and, if I had my will, would trot off this very night."
"He has promised to drink his tea here to-night. You would not take awayour child's pleasure, Martin?" asked the mother, softly.
In his fashion, the father was not less good-natured. "You know, mydear," says Lambert, "that if either of 'em had a fancy to our ears, wewould cut them off and serve them in a fricassee."
Mary Lambert laughed at the idea of her pretty little delicate earsbeing so served. When her husband was most tender-hearted, his habitwas to be most grotesque. When he pulled the pretty little delicate ear,behind which the matron's fine hair was combed back, wherein twinkleda shining line or two of silver, I dare say he did not hurt her much. Idare say she was thinking of the soft, well-remembered times of her ownmodest youth and sweet courtship. Hallowed remembrances of sacred times!If the sight of youthful love is pleasant to behold, how much morecharming the aspect of the affection that has survived years, sorrows,faded beauty perhaps, and life's doubts, differences, trouble!
In regard of her promise to disguise her feelings for Mr. Warrington inthat gentleman's presence, Miss Hester was better, or worse if you will,than her word. Harry not only came to take tea with his friends, butinvited them for the next day to an entertainment at the Rooms, to begiven in their special honour.
"A dance, and given for us!" cries Theo. "Oh, Harry, how delightful! Iwish we could begin this very minute!"
"Why, for a savage Virginian, I declare, Harry Warrington, thou art themost civilised young man possible!" says the Colonel. "My dear, shall wedance a minuet together?"
"We have done such a thing before, Martin Lambert!" says the soldier'sfond wife. Her husband hums a minuet tune; whips a plate from thetea-table, and makes a preparatory bow and flourish with it as if itwere a hat, whilst madam performs her best curtsey.
Only Hetty, of the party, persists in looking glum and displeased. "Why,child, have you not a word of thanks to throw to Mr. Warrington?" asksTheo of her sister.
"I never did care for dancing much," says Hetty. "What is the use ofstanding up opposite a stupid man, and dancing down a room with him?"
"Merci du compliment!" says Mr. Warrington.
"I don't say that you are stupid--that is--that is, I--I only meantcountry dances," says Hetty, biting her lips, as she caught her sister'seye. She remembered she had said Harry was stupid, and Theo's drollhumorous glance was her only reminder.
But with this Miss Hetty chose to be as angry as if it had been quite acruel rebuke. "I hate dancing--there--I own it," she says, with a tossof her head.
"Nay, you used to like it well enough, child!!" interposes her mother.
"That was when she was a child: don't you see she is grown up to be anold woman?" remarks Hetty's father. "Or perhaps Miss Hester has got thegout?"
"Fiddle!" says Hester, snappishly, drubbing with her little feet.
"What's a dance without a fiddle?" says imperturbed papa.
Darkness has come over Harry Warrington's face. "I come to try my best,and give them pleasure and a dance," he thinks, "and the little thingtells me she hates dancing. We don't practise kindness, or acknowledgehospitality so in our country. No--nor speak to our parents so,neither." I am afraid, in this particular usages have changed in theUnited States during the last hundred years, and that the young folksthere are considerably Hettified.
Not content with this, Miss Hester must proceed to make such fun ofall the company at the Wells, and especially of Harry's own immediatepursuits and companions, that the honest lad was still further pained ather behaviour; and, when he saw Mrs. Lambert alone, asked how or inwhat he had again offended, that Hester was so angry with him? The kindmatron felt more than ever well disposed towards the boy, after herdaughter's conduct to him. She would have liked to tell the secretwhich Hester hid so fiercely. Theo, too, remonstrated with her sister inprivate; but Hester would not listen to the subject, and was as angry inher bedroom, when the girls were alone, as she had been in the parlourbefore her mother's company. "Suppose he hates me?" says she. "I expecthe will. I hate myself, I do, and scorn myself for being such an idiot.How ought he to do otherwise than hate me? Didn't I abuse him, call himgoose, all sorts of names? And know he is not clever all the time. Iknow I have better wits than he has. It is only because he is tall, andhas blue eyes, and a pretty nose that I like him. What an absurd fool agirl must be to like a man merely because he has a blue nose and hookedeyes! So I am a fool, and I won't have you say a word to the contrary,Theo!"
Now Theo thought that her little sister, far from being a fool, wasa wonder of wonders, and that if any girl was worthy of any prince inChristendom, Hetty was that spinster. "You are silly sometimes, Hetty,"says Theo, "that is when you speak unkindly to people who mean you well,as you did to Mr. Warrington at tea to-night. When he proposed to us hisparty at the Assembly Rooms, and nothing could be more gallant of him,why did you say you didn't care for music, or dancing, or tea? You knowyou love them all!"
"I said it merely to vex myself, Theo, and annoy myself, and whipmyself, as I deserve, child. And, besides, how can you expect such anidiot as I am to say anything but idiotic things? Do you know, itquite pleased me to see him angry. I thought, ah! now I have hurt hisfeelings! Now he will say, Hetty Lambert is an odious little set-up,sour-tempered vixen. And that will teach him, and you, and mamma, andpapa, at any rate, that I am not going to set my cap at Mr. Harry. No;our papa is ten times as good as he is. I will stay by our papa, and ifhe asked me to go to Virginia with him to-morrow, I wouldn't, Theo. Mysister is worth all the Virginians that ever were made since the worldbegan."
And here, I suppose, follow osculations between the sisters, andmother's knock comes to the door, who has overheard their talk throughthe wainscot, and calls out, "Children, 'tis time to go to sleep."Theo's eyes close speedily, and she is at rest; but ob, poor littleHetty! Think of the hours tolling one after another, and the child'seyes wide open, as she lies tossing and wakeful with the anguish of thenew wound!
"It is a judgment upon me," she says, "for having thought and spokescornfully of him. Only, why should there be a judgment upon me? I wasonly in fun. I knew I liked him very much all the time: but I thoughtTheo liked him too, and I would give up anything for my darling Theo. Ifshe had, no tortures should ever have drawn a word from me--I would havegot a rope-ladder to help her to run away with Harry, that I would,or fetched the clergyman to marry them. And then I would have retiredalone, and alone, and alone, and taken care of papa and mamma, and ofthe poor in the village, and have read sermons, though I hate 'em, andwould have died without telling a word--not a word--and I shall diesoon, I know I shall." But when the dawn rises, the little maid isasleep, nestling by her sister, the stain of a tear or two upon herflushed downy cheek.
Most of us play with edged tools at some period of our lives, and cutourselves accordingly. At first the cut hurts and stings, and down dropsthe knife, and we cry out like wounded little babies as we are. Somevery very few and unlucky folks at the game cut their heads sheer off,or stab themselves mortally, and perish outright, and there is an endof them. But,--heaven help us!--many people have fingered those ardentessagittas which Love sharpens on his whetstone, and are stabbed, scarred,pricked, perforated, tattooed all over with the wounds, who recovered,and live to be quite lively. Wir auch have tasted das irdische Glueck;we also have gelebt and--und so weiter. Warble your death-song, sweetThekla! Perish off the face of the earth, poor pulmonary victim, if sominded! Had you survived to a later period of life, my dear, you wouldhave thought of a sentiment
al disappointment without any reference tothe undertaker. Let us trust there is no present need of a sexton forMiss Hetty. But meanwhile, the very instant she wakes, there, tearingat her little heart, will that Care be, which has given her a few hours'respite, melted, no doubt, by her youth and her tears.