CHAPTER XV.
When Eastwood was told by Mr. Campbell what were Mrs. Meridith'sintentions towards his child, and that she had really adopted her as herown, he scarcely knew whether to lament or rejoice at it. "It is true,"said he, "I don't deserve the comfort of her society, but I had allowedmyself to hope, that if she was spared, my latter days would have madeup to her my past conduct: but Mrs. Meridith and you have the greatestclaim to her," added he with a sigh. "You have performed a parent'spart; I only bore the name."
Mr. Campbell then related Mrs. Meridith's history, and that Anna'sattention seemed absolutely necessary to make her forget her griefs."Long may she be preserved to us," continued he, "but I have often heardher say, that at her death this adopted daughter should be the mistressof Rosewood; and of whom can she learn the duties of such a situation sowell as from her present instructress?"
Eastwood remained silent, and his mind seemed agitated with a variety ofemotions. "Setting interest aside," said he, "my duty and my gratitudewould not allow me, to take her from such a home: but Mrs. Meridith mustnot be incumbered with me because she has taken my daughter; and yet Ishould like to witness her goodness, and to live where I could have suchexamples before me as you and her. Oh! had I not forfeited every claimto your friendship, I might have been still an inhabitant of this quietvillage, and blessed as you are with a wife and family about me."
"Spare these self recriminations, my dear brother," said Campbell, "theyare only painful to yourself and me; if you think you could like thesituation, you might return to the farm you left."
"Oh, no! not that," returned Eastwood, "the remembrance would be toopainful; besides, I am too ignorant of farming, and too old to learn: mybrother, likewise, has a claim upon me."
"And a very great one," replied Campbell; "but I suppose him to beindifferent where you settle, so you do not return to your formerhabits. What think you of your first profession? I should imagine thatstudy and practice would make it easy to you."
"I have always thought of returning to that," said Eastwood, "wheneverbusiness was talked of; and, did I know of any opening, should be gladto accept it."
"If you allow me to advise you," resumed Campbell, "it would be toenter into partnership with some one already established."
This was certainly the best plan, and it was agreed that they would talkfarther on the subject another day; in the mean time Mr. Campbell was tomake inquiries, and Mrs. Meridith was informed of their intention.
It met with her and Anna's concurrence, who only hoped a situation mightbe found not very distant from them; and, agreeable to her wishes, Mr.Campbell soon heard of a medical man in very good practice at L--,who was desirous of taking a partner who was a few years younger thanhimself.
Eastwood readily accepted the proposal; the money which he was toadvance was agreed on, and this was all he would accept from his brother(who was made acquainted by letter of all that had passed), as his shareof their father's property; intending, if he was successful in his newundertaking, to repay it him, as a small return for his kindness inreceiving and supporting him during his illness.
Till this was settled, Mrs. Meridith's house was his home; and Annahad frequent opportunities of observing that her father possessedboth talents and genius, which not even the wretched way in which hehad spent great part of his life could obliterate. He, had receiveda liberal education, both from the wish of his parents to give theirchildren that which themselves had felt the want of, and the favourof his instructor, who admired his abilities, and hoped that theywould have led him to greater things than his father intended. But,notwithstanding these advantages, Eastwood had to begin the world whenbetween forty and fifty years old; because he did not properly valuethem at the first. The praises his abilities obtained, gave him a highopinion of himself, but this did not keep him from the most odiousvices; he suffered his inclination to shine in company, and to appeargreater than he really was: till finding that he was not so highlythought of by others as by himself, he sunk into the opposite extreme,and had it not been for the reflections occasioned by a severe illness,and the subsequent occurrences, he would have remained a disgraceinstead of a benefit to society, and among the lowest and vilest of hisfellow creatures, instead of filling the place for which his educationhad fitted him.
In the evening before he left Rosewood to go to his new situation,Mrs. Meridith put an hundred pound note into Anna's hands. "I need nottell you what to do with it, my child," said she; "I hope it will bewell bestowed, and we shall then have the pleasure of seeing a fellowcreature restored to society."
Anna in trembling accents thanked her kind benefactress, and hastened topresent it to her father as Mrs. Meridith's gift.
"I want words to thank her," said he, "but it is too much: do you thinkI dare be trusted with such a sum?"
"I hope so, my father," replied Anna, "and double that, had I it to giveyou."
"Oh! my child, money is not what I want," said he; "do you think I amnow entering on business with a view to obtain it? No: but from a wishof employment, and of being useful to my fellow creatures. Every thingelse is useless to me now you are provided for; and oh! my Anna, howamply! What a friend have you found in Mrs. Meridith! May you and I beever grateful to her."
In the course of the next year, Anna, with her father and their kindfriend Mrs. Meridith, visited Hull, and were introduced to her uncle,whom they found what the former had described, an industrious andbenevolent man, plain in his manners, but an honour to the station hefilled: and on their return to Rosewood, Mrs. Meridith celebratedAnna's coming of age with all the festivity incident to the occasion.
The poor were feasted, and the bells were rung, but Anna's heart wasnot vainly elated by the scene; the recollection of her birth, and herfather's past life, checked her rising pride; while the calm sedatenesswhich sat on her uncle's brow, and the propriety of the sentiments heuttered, together with her father's humility, and earnest desire torender his latter days more serviceable to mankind, taught her the justvalue of this world's good; and from Mrs. Meridith (whose benevolenceentered into every plan she proposed, and every action of her life,) shelearnt duly to appreciate it; but as the means of assisting others, or,in other words, as she had often told her when a child, "the way to behappy ourselves is to add to the happiness of others, not to take fromit."
In a few years she married a gentleman who was a distant relation ofMrs. Meridith's, and whose fortune was equal to her own; and that ladyand her father had the pleasure of seeing her fulfil the duties of awife and mother, as the education she had received allowed them toexpect.
Mrs. Meridith lived to an advanced age, and Anna never forgot theattention that was due to her, and which she hoped to receive from herown children when she most needed it.
Her father never entirely recovered his health; but his character, whichto him was far more desirable, was perfectly retrieved; and he diedlamented by many who experienced his attention, and was pleased with hissociety.
Bella and Syphax both died before Mrs. Meridith was taken from theworld; and Betsey continued Anna's servant after she was married.
Mr. and Mrs. Campbell lived some years after the marriage of theirniece, and had the satisfaction of seeing their three eldest daughtershappily married, and settled in the neighbouring villages. Williaminherited the farm after his father's death, and John became an eminentlawyer; while a younger brother was brought up under Mr. Eastwood'scare, and supplied his place at his death.
THE END.
LONDON:PRINTED BY COX AND BAYLIS,GREAT QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN'S-INN-FIELDS.