CHAPTER III.
He resided in New York some time before he took up his abode inPhiladelphia. He had some pecuniary concerns with a merchant of thatplace. He occasionally frequented his house, finding, in the societywhich it afforded him, scope for amusing speculation, and opportunitiesof gaining a species of knowledge of which at that time he stood inneed. There was one daughter of the family, who of course constituted amember of the domestic circle.
Helena Cleves was endowed with every feminine and fascinating quality.Her features were modified by the most transient sentiments, and werethe seat of a softness at all times blushful and bewitching. All thosegraces of symmetry, smoothness, and lustre, which assemble in theimagination of the painter when he calls from the bosom of her nataldeep the Paphian divinity, blended their perfections in the shape,complexion, and hair of this lady. Her voice was naturally thrilling andmelodious, and her utterance clear and distinct. A musical education hadadded to all these advantages the improvements of art, and no one couldswim in the dance with such airy and transporting elegance.
It is obvious to inquire whether her mental were, in any degree, on alevel with her exterior accomplishments. Should you listen to her talk,you would be liable to be deceived in this respect. Her utterance was sojust, her phrases so happy, and her language so copious and correct,that the hearer was apt to be impressed with an ardent veneration of herabilities, but the truth is, she was calculated to excite emotions morevoluptuous than dignified. Her presence produced a trance of the sensesrather than an illumination of the soul. It was a topic of wonder howshe should have so carefully separated the husk from the kernel, and heso absolute a mistress of the vehicle of knowledge, with so slendermeans of supplying it: yet it is difficult to judge but from comparison.To say that Helena Cleves was silly or ignorant would be hatefullyunjust. Her understanding bore no disadvantageous comparison with thatof the majority of her sex; but when placed in competition with that ofsome eminent females or of Ormond, it was exposed to the risk ofcontempt.
This lady and Ormond were exposed to mutual examination. The latter wasnot unaffected by the radiance that environed this girl, but her truecharacter was easily discovered, and he was accustomed to regard hermerely as an object charming to the senses. His attention to her wasdictated by this principle. When she sung or talked, it was notunworthy of the strongest mind to be captivated with her music and herelocution: but these were the limits which he set to his gratifications.That sensations of a different kind never ruffled his tranquillity mustnot be supposed, but he too accurately estimated their consequences topermit himself to indulge them.
Unhappily the lady did not exercise equal fortitude. During a certaininterval Ormond's visits were frequent, and the insensibly contractedfor him somewhat more than reverence. The tenor of his discourse waslittle adapted to cherish her hopes. In the declaration of his opinionshe was never withheld by scruples of decorum, or a selfish regard to hisown interest. His matrimonial tenets were harsh and repulsive. A womanof keener penetration would have predicted from them the disappointmentof her wishes, but Helena's mind was uninured to the discussion oflogical points and the tracing of remote consequences. His presenceinspired feelings which would not permit her to bestow an impartialattention on his arguments. It is not enough to say that his reasoningsfailed to convince her: the combined influence of passion, and anunenlightened understanding hindered her from fully comprehending them.All she gathered was a vague conception of something magnificent andvast in his character.
Helena was destined to experience the vicissitudes of fortune. Herfather died suddenly and left her without provision. She was compelledto accept the invitations of a kinswoman, and live, in some sort, a lifeof dependence. She was not qualified to sustain this reverse of fortunein a graceful manner. She could not bear the diminution of her customaryindulgences, and to these privations were added the inquietudes of apassion which now began to look with an aspect of hopelessness.
These events happened in the absence of Ormond. On his return he madehimself acquainted with them. He saw the extent of this misfortune to awoman of Helena's character, but knew not in what manner it might beeffectually obviated. He esteemed it incumbent on him to pay her a visitin her new abode. This token at least of respect or remembrance his dutyappeared to prescribe.
This visit was unexpected by the lady. Surprise is the enemy ofconcealment. She was oppressed with a sense of her desolate situation.She was sitting in her own apartment in a museful posture. Her fancy wasoccupied with the image of Ormond, and her tears were flowing at thethought of their eternal separation, when he entered softly andunperceived by her. A tap upon the shoulder was the first signal of hispresence. So critical an interview could not fail of unveiling the truestate of the lady's heart. Ormond's suspicions were excited, and thesesuspicions speedily led to an explanation.
Ormond retired to ruminate on this discovery. I have already mentionedhis sentiments respecting love. His feelings relative to Helena did notcontradict his principles, yet the image which had formerly beenexquisite in loveliness had now suddenly gained unspeakable attractions.This discovery had set the question in a new light. It was of sufficientimportance to make him deliberate. He reasoned somewhat in the followingmanner:--
"Marriage is absurd. This flows from the general and incurableimperfection of the female character. No woman can possess that worthwhich would induce me to enter into this contract, and bind myself,without power of revoking the decree, to her society. This opinion maypossibly be erroneous, but it is undoubtedly true with respect toHelena, and the uncertainty of the position in general will increasethe necessity of caution in the present case. That woman may exist whomI should not fear to espouse. This is not her. Some accident may causeour meeting. Shall I then disable myself, by an irrevocable obligation,from profiting by so auspicious an occurrence?"
This girl's society was to be enjoyed in one of two ways. Should heconsult his inclination there was little room for doubt. He had nevermet with one more highly qualified for that species of intercourse whichhe esteemed rational. No man more abhorred the votaries oflicentiousness. Nothing was more detectable to him than a mercenaryalliance. Personal fidelity and the existence of that passion of whichhe had, in the present case, the good fortune to be the object, wereindispensable in his scheme. The union was indebted for its value on thevoluntariness with which it was formed, and the entire acquiescence ofthe judgement of both parties in its rectitude. Dissimulation andartifice were wholly foreign to the success of his project. If the ladythought proper to assent to his proposal, it was well. She did sobecause assent was more eligible than refusal.
She would, no doubt, prefer marriage. She would deem it more conduciveto happiness. This was an error. This was an opinion, his reasons forwhich he was at liberty to state to her; at least it was justifiable inrefusing to subject himself to loathsome and impracticable obligations.Certain inconveniences attended women who set aside, on these occasions,the sanction of law; but these were imaginary. They owed their force tothe errors of the sufferer. To annihilate them, it was only necessary toreason justly; but allowing these inconveniences their full weight andan indestructible existence, it was but a choice of evils. Were theyworse in this lady's apprehension than an eternal and hopelessseparation? Perhaps they were. If so, she would make her electionaccordingly. He did nothing but lay the conditions before her. If hisscheme should obtain the concurrence of her unbiased judgement he shouldrejoice. If not, her conduct should be influenced by him. Whatever wayshe should decide, he would assist her in adhering to her decision, butwould, meanwhile, furnish her with the materials of a right decision.
This determination was singular. Many will regard it as incredible. Noman it will be thought can put this deception on himself, and imaginethat there was genuine beneficence in a scheme like this. Would the ladymore consult her happiness by adopting than by rejecting it? There canbe but one answer. It cannot be supposed that Ormond, in stating thisproposal, acted with all the impartia
lity that he pretended; that he didnot employ fallacious exaggerations and ambiguous expedients; that hedid not seize every opportunity of triumphing over her weakness, andbuilding his success rather on the illusions of her heart than theconvictions of her understanding. His conclusions were specious butdelusive, and were not uninfluenced by improper biases; but of this hehimself was scarcely conscious, and it must be at least admitted that heacted with scrupulous sincerity.
An uncommon degree of skill was required to introduce this topic so asto avoid the imputation of an insult. This scheme was little in unisonwith all her preconceived notions. No doubt the irksomeness of herpresent situation, the allurements of luxury and ease which Ormond hadto bestow, and the revival of her ancient independence and security, hadsome share in dictating her assent.
Her concurrence was by no means cordial and unhesitating. Remorse andthe sense of dishonour pursued her to her retreat, though chosen with aview of shunning their intrusions; and it was only when the reasoningsand blandishments of her lover were exhibited, that she was lulled intotemporary tranquillity.
She removed to Philadelphia. Here she enjoyed all the consolations ofopulence. She was mistress of a small but elegant mansion. She possessedall the means of solitary amusement, and frequently enjoyed the companyof Ormond. These however were insufficient to render her happy. Certainreflections might, for a time, be repressed as divested of their sting,but they insinuated themselves at every interval, and imparted to hermind a hue of rejection from which she could not entirely relieveherself.
She endeavoured to acquire a relish for the pursuits of literature, bywhich her lonely hours might be cheered; but of this, even in theblithsomeness and serenity of her former days, she was incapable;--much more so now when she was the prey of perpetual inquietude. Ormondperceived this change, not without uneasiness. All his efforts toreconcile her to her present situation were fruitless. They produced amomentary effect upon her. The softness of her temper and her attachmentto him would, at his bidding, restore her to vivacity and ease, but theillumination seldom endured longer than his presence and the novelty ofsome amusement with which he had furnished her.
At his next visit, perhaps, he would find that a new task awaited him.She indulged herself in no recriminations or invectives. She could notcomplain that her lover had deceived her. She had voluntarily anddeliberately accepted the conditions prescribed. She regarded her owndisposition to repine as a species of injustice. She laid no claim to anincrease of tenderness. She hinted not a wish for a change of situation;yet she was unhappy. Tears stole into her eyes, and her thoughtswandered into gloomy reverie, at moments when least aware of theirreproach, and least willing to indulge them.
Was a change to be desired? Yes; provided that change was equallyagreeable to Ormond, and should be seriously proposed by him: of thisshe had no hope. As long as his accents rung in her ears, she evendoubted whether it were to be wished. At any rate, it was impossible togain his approbation to it. Her destiny was fixed. It was better thanthe cessation of all intercourse, yet her heart was a stranger to allpermanent tranquillity.
Her manners were artless and ingenuous. In company with Ormond her heartwas perfectly unveiled. He was her divinity, to whom every sentiment wasvisible, and to whom she spontaneously uttered what she thought, becausethe employment was pleasing; because he listened with apparentsatisfaction; and because, in fine, it was the same thing to speak andto think in his presence. There was no inducement to conceal from himthe most evanescent and fugitive ideas.
Ormond was not an inattentive or indifferent spectator of thoseappearances. His friend was unhappy. She shrunk aghast from her ownreproaches and the censure of the world. This morbid sensibility he hadendeavoured to cure, but hitherto in vain. What was the amount of herunhappiness? Her spirits had formerly been gay; but her gaiety wascapable of yielding place to soul-ravishing and solemn tenderness, aftersedateness was, at those times, the offspring not of reflection but ofpassion. There still remained much of her former self. He was seldompermitted to witness more than the traces of sorrow. In answer to hisinquiries, she, for the most part, described sensations that were gone,and which she flattered herself and him would never return; but thishope was always doomed to disappointment. Solitude infallibly conjuredup the ghost which had been laid, and it was plain that argument was noadequate remedy for this disease.
How far would time alleviate its evils? When the novelty of hercondition should disappear, would she not regard it with other eyes? Bybeing familiar with contempt, it will lose its sting; but is that to bewished? Must not the character be thoroughly depraved before the scornof our neighbours shall become indifferent? Indifference, flowing from asense of justice, and a persuasion that our treatment is unmerited, ischaracteristic of the noblest minds; but indifference to obloquy,because we are habituated to it is a token of peculiar baseness. This,therefore, was a remedy to be ardently deprecated.
He had egregiously overrated the influence of truth and his owninfluence. He had hoped that his victory was permanent. In order to thesuccess of truth, he was apt to imagine that nothing was needful butopportunities for a complete exhibition of it. They that inquire andreason with sufficient deliberateness and caution must inevitablyaccomplish their end. These maxims were confuted in the present case. Hehad formed no advantageous conceptions of Helena's capacity. Hisaversion to matrimony arose from those conceptions; but experience hadshown him that his conclusions, unfavourable as they were, had fallenshort of the truth. Convictions, which he had conceived her mind to besufficiently strong to receive and retain, were proved to have made noother than a momentary impression. Hence his objections to ally himselfto a mind inferior to his own were strengthened rather than diminished.But he could not endure the thought of being instrumental to hermisery.
Marriage was an efficacious remedy, but he could not as yet bringhimself to regard the aptitude of this cure as a subject of doubt. Theidea of separation sometimes occurred to him. He was not unapprehensiveof the influence of time and absence in curing the most vehementpassion, but to this expedient the lady could not be reconciled. He knewher too well to believe that she would willingly adopt it. But the onlyobstacle to this scheme did not flow from the lady's opposition. Hewould probably have found upon experiment as strong an aversion to adoptit in himself as in her.
It was easy to see the motives by which he would be likely to be swayedinto a change of principles. If marriage were the only remedy, thefrequent repetition of this truth must bring him insensibly to doubt therectitude of his determinations against it. He deeply reflected on theconsequences which marriage involves. He scrutinised with the utmostaccuracy the character of his friend, and surveyed it in all its parts.Inclination could not fail of having some influence on his opinions. Thecharms of this favourite object tended to impair the clearness of hisview, and extenuate or conceal her defects. He entered on theenumeration of her errors with reluctance. Her happiness, had it beenwholly disconnected with his own, might have had less weight in thebalance, but now, every time the scales were suspended, thisconsideration acquired new weight.
Most men are influenced in the formation of this contract, by regardspurely physical. They are incapable of higher views. They regard withindifference every tie that binds them to their contemporaries, or toposterity. Mind has no part in the motives that guide them. They choosea wife as they choose any household movable, and when the irritation ofthe senses has subsided, the attachment that remains is the offspringof habit.
Such were not Ormond's modes of thinking. His creed was of tooextraordinary a kind not to merit explication. The terms of thiscontract were, in his eyes, iniquitous and absurd. He could not thinkwith patience of a promise which no time could annul, which pretended toascertain contingencies and regulate the future. To forego the libertyof choosing his companion, and bind himself to associate with one whomhe despised; to raise to his own level whom nature had irretrievablydegraded; to avow and persist in his adherence to a falsehood, palpableand loathsome to h
is understanding; to affirm that he was blind, when infull possession of his senses; to shut his eyes and grope in the dark,and call upon the compassion of mankind on his infirmity, when hisorgans were in no degree impaired, and the scene around him was luminousand beautiful,--was an height of infatuation that he could neverattain. And why should he be thus self-degraded? Why should he take alaborious circuit to reach a point which, when attained, was trivial,and to which reason had pointed out a road short and direct?
A wife is generally nothing more than a household superintendent. Thisfunction could not be more wisely vested than it was at present. Everything in his domestic system was fashioned on strict and inflexibleprinciples. He wanted instruments and not partakers of hisauthority,--one whose mind was equal and not superior to the cogentapprehension and punctual performance of his will; one whose characterwas squared with mathematical exactness, to his situation. Helena, withall her faults, did not merit to be regarded in this light. Herintroduction would destroy the harmony of his scheme, and be, withrespect to herself, a genuine debasement. A genuine evil would thus besubstituted for one that was purely imaginary.
Helena's intellectual deficiencies could not be concealed. She was aproficient in the elements of no science. The doctrine of lines andsurfaces was as disproportionate with her intellects as with those ofthe mock-bird. She had not reasoned on the principles of human action,nor examined the structure of society. She was ignorant of the past orpresent condition of mankind. History had not informed her of the one,nor the narratives of voyagers, nor the deductions of geography of theother. The heights of eloquence and poetry were shut out from her view.She could not commune in their native dialect with the sages of Rome andAthens. To her those perennial fountains of wisdom and refinement weresealed. The constitution of nature, the attributes of its author, thearrangement of the parts of the external universe, and the substance,modes of operation, and ultimate destiny of human intelligence, wereenigmas unsolved and insoluble by her.
But this was not all. The superstructure could for the present bespared. Nay, it was desirable that the province of rearing it should bereserved for him. All he wanted was a suitable foundation; but thisHelena did not possess. He had not hitherto been able to create in herthe inclination or the power. She had listened to his precepts withdocility. She had diligently conned the lessons which he had prescribed,but the impressions were as fleeting as if they had been made on water.Nature seemed to have set impassable limits to her attainments.
This indeed was an unwelcome belief. He struggled to invalidate it. Hereflected on the immaturity of her age. What but crude and hasty viewswas it reasonable to expect at so early a period? If her mind had notbeen awakened, it had proceeded, perhaps from the injudiciousness ofhis plans, or merely from their not having been persisted in. What waswanting but the ornaments of mind to render this being all that poetshave feigned of angelic nature? When he indulged himself in imaging theunion of capacious understanding with her personal loveliness, hisconceptions swelled to a pitch of enthusiasm, and it seemed as if nolabour was too great to be employed in the production of such acreature. And yet, in the midst of his glowings, he would sink intosudden dejection at the recollection of that which passion had, for atime, excluded. To make her wise it would be requisite to change hersex. He had forgotten that his pupil was a female, and her capacitytherefore limited by nature. This mortifying thought was outbalanced bynature. Her attainments, indeed, were suitable to the imbecility of hersex; but did she not surpass in those attainments, the ordinary rate ofwomen? They must not be condemned, because they are outshone byqualities that are necessarily male births.
Her accomplishments formed a much more attractive theme. He overlookedno article in the catalogue. He was confounded at one time, andencouraged at another, on remarking the contradictions that seemed to beincluded in her character. It was difficult to conceive theimpossibility of passing that barrier which yet she was able to touch.She was no poet. She listened to the rehearsal without emotion, or wasmoved, not by the substance of the passage, by the dazzling image, orthe magic sympathy, but by something adscititious; yet, usher her uponthe stage, and no poet could wish for a more powerful organ of hisconceptions. In assuming this office, she appeared to have drank in thevery soul of the dramatist. What was wanting in judgement was suppliedby memory, in the tenaciousness of which she has seldom been rivalled.
Her sentiments were trite and undigested, but were decorated with allthe fluences and melodies of elocution. Her musical instructor had beena Sicilian, who had formed her style after the Italian model. This manhad likewise taught her his own language. He had supplied her chieflywith Sicilian compositions, both in poetry and melody, and was contentto be unclassical, for the sake of the feminine and voluptuous graces ofhis native dialect.
Ormond was an accurate judge of the proficiency of Helena, and of thefelicity with which these accomplishments were suited to her character.When his pupil personated the victims of anger and grief, and pouredforth the fiery indignation of Calista, or the maternal despair ofConstantia, or the self-contentions of Ipsipile, he could not deny thehomage which her talents might claim.
Her Sicilian tutor had found her no less tractable as a votary ofpainting. She needed only the education of Angelica to exercise aspotent and prolific a pencil. This was incompatible with her condition,which limited her attainments to the element of this art. It wasotherwise with music. Here there was no obstacle to skill, and here theassiduities of many years in addition to a prompt and ardent genius, sether beyond the hopes of rivalship.
Ormond had often amused his fancy with calling up images of excellencesin this art. He saw no bounds to the influence of habit, in augmentingthe speed and multiplying the divisions of muscular motion. The fingers,by their form and size, were qualified to outrun and elude the mostvigilant eye. The sensibility of keys and wires had limits; but theselimits depended on the structure of the instrument, and the perfectionof its structure was proportioned to the skill of the artist. Onwell-constructed keys and strings, was it possible to carry diversitiesof movement and pressure too far? How far they could be carried was meretheme of conjecture, until it was his fate to listen to the magicalperformances of Helena, whose volant finger seemed to be self-impelled.Her touches were creative of a thousand forms of _piano_, and ofnumberless transitions from grave to quick, perceptible only to earslike her own.
In the selection and arrangement of notes there are no limits toluxuriance and celerity. Helena had long relinquished the drudgery ofimitation. She never played but when there were motives to fervour, andwhen she was likely to ascend without impediment, and to maintain for asuitable period her elevation, to the element of new ideas. The lyricsof Milton and of Metastasio she sung with accompaniments that nevertired, because they were never repeated. Her harp and clavichordsupplied her with endless combinations, and these, in the opinion ofOrmond, were not inferior to the happiest exertions of Handel and Arne.
Chess was his favourite amusement. This was the only game which heallowed himself to play. He had studied it with so much zeal andsuccess, that there were few with whom he deigned to contend. He wasprone to consider it as a sort of criterion of human capacity. He whohad acquired skill in this _science_ could not be infirm in mind; andyet he found in Helena a competitor not unworthy of all his energies.Many hours were consumed in this employment, and here the lady wassedate, considerate, extensive in foresight, and fertile in expedients.
Her deportment was graceful, inasmuch as it flowed from a consciousnessof her defects. She was devoid of arrogance and vanity, neitherimagining herself better than she was, and setting light by thosequalifications which she unquestionably possessed. Such was the mixedcharacter of this woman.
Ormond was occupied with schemes of a rugged and arduous nature. Hisintimate associates and the partakers of his confidence were imbued withthe same zeal and ardent in the same pursuits. Helena could lay no claimto be exalted to this rank. That one destitute of this claim shouldenjoy the privil
eges of his wife was still a supposition trulymonstrous. Yet the image of Helena, fondly loving him, and a model as heconceived of tenderness and constancy, devoured by secret remorse, andpursued by the scorn of mankind,--a mark for slander to shoot at, and anoutcast of society,--did not visit his meditations in vain. The rigourof his principles began now to relent.
He considered that various occupations are incident to every man. Hecannot be invariably employed in the promotion of one purpose. He mustoccasionally unbend, if he desires that the springs of his mind shouldretain their full vigour. Suppose his life were divided between businessand amusement. This was a necessary distribution, and sufficientlycongenial with his temper. It became him to select with skill hissources of amusement. It is true that Helena was unable to participatein his graver occupations: what then? In whom were blended so manypleasurable attributes? In her were assembled an exquisite and deliciousvariety. As it was, he was daily in her company. He should scarcely bemore so if marriage should take place. In that case, no change in theirmode of life would be necessary. There was no need of dwelling under thesame roof. His revenue was equal to the support of many householdestablishments. His personal independence would remain equallyinviolable. No time, he thought, would diminish his influence over themind of Helena, and it was not to be forgotten that the transition wouldto her be happy. It would reinstate her in the esteem of the world, anddispel those phantoms of remorse and shame by which she was at presentpersecuted.
These were plausible considerations. They tended at least to shake hisresolutions. Time would probably have completed the conquest of hispride, had not a new incident set the question in a new light.