Chapter vi.
Mrs Deborah is introduced into the parish with a simile. A shortaccount of Jenny Jones, with the difficulties and discouragementswhich may attend young women in the pursuit of learning.
Mrs Deborah, having disposed of the child according to the will of hermaster, now prepared to visit those habitations which were supposed toconceal its mother.
Not otherwise than when a kite, tremendous bird, is beheld by thefeathered generation soaring aloft, and hovering over their heads, theamorous dove, and every innocent little bird, spread wide the alarm,and fly trembling to their hiding-places. He proudly beats the air,conscious of his dignity, and meditates intended mischief.
So when the approach of Mrs Deborah was proclaimed through the street,all the inhabitants ran trembling into their houses, each matrondreading lest the visit should fall to her lot. She with stately stepsproudly advances over the field: aloft she bears her towering head,filled with conceit of her own pre-eminence, and schemes to effect herintended discovery.
The sagacious reader will not from this simile imagine these poorpeople had any apprehension of the design with which Mrs Wilkins wasnow coming towards them; but as the great beauty of the simile maypossibly sleep these hundred years, till some future commentator shalltake this work in hand, I think proper to lend the reader a littleassistance in this place.
It is my intention, therefore, to signify, that, as it is the natureof a kite to devour little birds, so is it the nature of such personsas Mrs Wilkins to insult and tyrannize over little people. This beingindeed the means which they use to recompense to themselves theirextreme servility and condescension to their superiors; for nothingcan be more reasonable, than that slaves and flatterers should exactthe same taxes on all below them, which they themselves pay to allabove them.
Whenever Mrs Deborah had occasion to exert any extraordinarycondescension to Mrs Bridget, and by that means had a little souredher natural disposition, it was usual with her to walk forth amongthese people, in order to refine her temper, by venting, and, as itwere, purging off all ill humours; on which account she was by nomeans a welcome visitant: to say the truth, she was universallydreaded and hated by them all.
On her arrival in this place, she went immediately to the habitationof an elderly matron; to whom, as this matron had the good fortune toresemble herself in the comeliness of her person, as well as in herage, she had generally been more favourable than to any of the rest.To this woman she imparted what had happened, and the design uponwhich she was come thither that morning. These two began presently toscrutinize the characters of the several young girls who lived in anyof those houses, and at last fixed their strongest suspicion on oneJenny Jones, who, they both agreed, was the likeliest person to havecommitted this fact.
This Jenny Jones was no very comely girl, either in her face orperson; but nature had somewhat compensated the want of beauty withwhat is generally more esteemed by those ladies whose judgment isarrived at years of perfect maturity, for she had given her a veryuncommon share of understanding. This gift Jenny had a good dealimproved by erudition. She had lived several years a servant with aschoolmaster, who, discovering a great quickness of parts in the girl,and an extraordinary desire of learning--for every leisure hour shewas always found reading in the books of the scholars--had thegood-nature, or folly--just as the reader pleases to call it--toinstruct her so far, that she obtained a competent skill in the Latinlanguage, and was, perhaps, as good a scholar as most of the young menof quality of the age. This advantage, however, like most others of anextraordinary kind, was attended with some small inconveniences: foras it is not to be wondered at, that a young woman so wellaccomplished should have little relish for the society of those whomfortune had made her equals, but whom education had rendered so muchher inferiors; so is it matter of no greater astonishment, that thissuperiority in Jenny, together with that behaviour which is itscertain consequence, should produce among the rest some little envyand ill-will towards her; and these had, perhaps, secretly burnt inthe bosoms of her neighbours ever since her return from her service.
Their envy did not, however, display itself openly, till poor Jenny,to the surprize of everybody, and to the vexation of all the youngwomen in these parts, had publickly shone forth on a Sunday in a newsilk gown, with a laced cap, and other proper appendages to these.
The flame, which had before lain in embryo, now burst forth. Jennyhad, by her learning, increased her own pride, which none of herneighbours were kind enough to feed with the honour she seemed todemand; and now, instead of respect and adoration, she gained nothingbut hatred and abuse by her finery. The whole parish declared shecould not come honestly by such things; and parents, instead ofwishing their daughters the same, felicitated themselves that theirchildren had them not.
Hence, perhaps, it was, that the good woman first mentioned the nameof this poor girl to Mrs Wilkins; but there was another circumstancethat confirmed the latter in her suspicion; for Jenny had lately beenoften at Mr Allworthy's house. She had officiated as nurse to MissBridget, in a violent fit of illness, and had sat up many nights withthat lady; besides which, she had been seen there the very day beforeMr Allworthy's return, by Mrs Wilkins herself, though that sagaciousperson had not at first conceived any suspicion of her on thataccount: for, as she herself said, "She had always esteemed Jenny as avery sober girl (though indeed she knew very little of her), and hadrather suspected some of those wanton trollops, who gave themselvesairs, because, forsooth, they thought themselves handsome."
Jenny was now summoned to appear in person before Mrs Deborah, whichshe immediately did. When Mrs Deborah, putting on the gravity of ajudge, with somewhat more than his austerity, began an oration withthe words, "You audacious strumpet!" in which she proceeded rather topass sentence on the prisoner than to accuse her.
Though Mrs Deborah was fully satisfied of the guilt of Jenny, from thereasons above shewn, it is possible Mr Allworthy might have requiredsome stronger evidence to have convicted her; but she saved heraccusers any such trouble, by freely confessing the whole fact withwhich she was charged.
This confession, though delivered rather in terms of contrition, as itappeared, did not at all mollify Mrs Deborah, who now pronounced asecond judgment against her, in more opprobrious language than before;nor had it any better success with the bystanders, who were now grownvery numerous. Many of them cried out, "They thought what madam's silkgown would end in;" others spoke sarcastically of her learning. Not asingle female was present but found some means of expressing herabhorrence of poor Jenny, who bore all very patiently, except themalice of one woman, who reflected upon her person, and tossing up hernose, said, "The man must have a good stomach who would give silkgowns for such sort of trumpery!" Jenny replied to this with abitterness which might have surprized a judicious person, who hadobserved the tranquillity with which she bore all the affronts to herchastity; but her patience was perhaps tired out, for this is a virtuewhich is very apt to be fatigued by exercise.
Mrs Deborah having succeeded beyond her hopes in her inquiry, returnedwith much triumph, and, at the appointed hour, made a faithful reportto Mr Allworthy, who was much surprized at the relation; for he hadheard of the extraordinary parts and improvements of this girl, whomhe intended to have given in marriage, together with a small living,to a neighbouring curate. His concern, therefore, on this occasion,was at least equal to the satisfaction which appeared in Mrs Deborah,and to many readers may seem much more reasonable.
Miss Bridget blessed herself, and said, "For her part, she shouldnever hereafter entertain a good opinion of any woman." For Jennybefore this had the happiness of being much in her good graces also.
The prudent housekeeper was again dispatched to bring the unhappyculprit before Mr Allworthy, in order, not as it was hoped by some,and expected by all, to be sent to the house of correction, but toreceive wholesome admonition and reproof; which those who relish thatkind of instructive writing may peruse in the next chapter.