CHAPTER LVIII
Relieved, nevertheless, through whatever means effected, by aseparation, Juliet, with her speechless, though far from mute companion,went forth to seek some obscure walk. But her purpose was defeated bythe junction of a little spaniel, to which Bijou attached himself, witha fondness so tenacious, that her utmost efforts either to disengagethem, or to excite both to follow her, were fruitless; Bijou would notquit the spaniel; nor the spaniel his post near the mansion.
Not daring to go on without her troublesome little charge, the approachof a carriage made her hasten to a garden-seat, upon which, though shecould not be hidden, she might be less conspicuous.
The carriage, familiar to her from having frequently seen it at MissMatson's, was that of Sir Jaspar Herrington. Not satisfied, though shehad no right to be angry, at the so measured politeness which he hadshewn her the preceding day, when further notice would have softened hermortifying embarrassment, she was glad that he had not remarked her inpassing.
She heard him enquire for Mrs Ireton's party, which he had promised tojoin; but, affrighted at the sound of the citadel, he said that he wouldalight, and wait upon some warm seat in the grounds.
In descending from his chaise, one of his crutches fell, and abonbonniere, of which the contents were dispersed upon the ground, sliptfrom the hand of his valet. It was then, and not without chagrin, thatJuliet began further to comprehend the defects of a character which shehad thought an entire composition of philanthropy and courtesy. Hereviled rather than scolded the servant to whom the accident hadhappened; and treated the circumstances as an event of the firstimportance. He cast an equal share of blame, and with added sharpness,upon the postilion, for not having advanced an inch nearer to thestone-steps; and uttered invectives even virulent against the groom,that he had not come forward to help. Angry, because vexed, with allaround, he used as little moderation in his wrath, as reason in hisreproaches.
How superficially, thought Juliet, can we judge of dispositions, wherenothing is seen but what is meant to be shewn! where nothing ispronounced but what is prepared for being heard! Had I fixed my opinionof this gentleman only upon what he intended that I should witness, Ishould have concluded that he had as much urbanity of humour as ofmanners. I could never have imagined, that the most trifling ofaccidents could, in a moment, destroy the whole harmony of his temper!
In the midst of the choleric harangue of the Baronet, against which noone ventured to remonstrate, the little dogs came sporting before him;and, recollecting Bijou, he hastily turned his head towards the personupon the garden-seat, whom he had passed without any attention, anddiscerned Juliet.
He hobbled towards her without delay, warmly expressing his delight atso auspicious a meeting: but the air and look, reserved and grave, withwhich, involuntarily, she heard him, brought to his consciousness, whatthe pleasure of her sight had driven from it, his enraged attack uponhis servants; which she must unavoidably have witnessed, and of whichher countenance shewed her opinion.
He stood some moments silent, leaning upon his crutches, and palpablydisconcerted. Then, shrugging his shoulders, with a half smile, but apiteous look, 'Many,' he cried, 'are the tricks which my quaint littleimps have played me! many, the quirks and villainous wiles I owethem!--but never yet, with all the ingenuity of their malice, have theyput me to shame and confusion such as this!'
Rising to be gone, yet sorry for him, and softened, the disapprobationof Juliet was mingled with a concern, from her disposition to like him,that made its expression, in the eyes of her old admirer, seem somethingnearly divine. He looked at her with reverence and with regret, but madeno attempt to prevent her departure. To separate, however, the dogs, orinduce the spaniel to go further, she still found impossible; and, notdaring to abandon Bijou, was fain quietly to seat herself again, upon agarden-chair, nearer to the house.
Sir Jaspar, for some minutes, remained, pensively, upon the spot whereshe had left him; then, again shrugging his shoulders, as if bemoaninghis ill luck, and again hobbling after her, 'There is nothing,' hecried, 'that makes a man look so small, as a sudden self-conviction thathe merits ridicule or disgrace! what intemperance would be averted,could we believe ourselves always,--not only from above, but by oneanother, overhead! Don't take an aversion to me, however! nor suppose meworse than I am; nor worse than the herd of mankind. You have but seenan old bachelor in his true colours! Not with the gay tints, not withthe spruce smiles, not with the gallant bows, the courteous homage, theflowery flourishes, with which he makes himself up for shew; but withthe grim colouring of factious age, and suspicious egotism!'
The countenance of Juliet shewing her now to be shocked that she hadgiven rise to these apologies, that of Sir Jaspar brightened; and,dragging a chair to her side, 'I came hither,' he cried, 'in the fairhope to seize one of those happy moments, that the fates, now and then,accord to favoured mortals, for holding interesting and dulcetdiscourse, with the most fascinating enchantress that a long life,filled up with fastidious, perhaps fantastic researches after femaleexcellence, has cast in my way. Would not one have thought twas someindulgent sylph that directed me? that inspired me with the idea, andthen seconded the inspiration, by contriving that my arrival should takeplace at the critical instant, when that syren was to be found alone?Who could have suspected 'twas but the envious stratagem of some imp ofdarkness and spite, devised purely to expose a poor antiquated soul,with all his infirmities, physical and moral, to your contempt andantipathy?'
Peering now under her hat, his penetrating eyes discerned so entire achange in his favour, that he completely recovered his pleasantry, hisquaint archness, and his gallantry.
'If betrayed,' he continued, 'by these perfidious elves, where may apoor forlorn solitary wight, such as I am, find a counsellor? He has nobosom friend, like the happy mortal, whose kindly star has guided him toseek, in lively, all-attractive youth, an equal partner for melancholy,all revolting age! He has no rising progeny, that, inheritors of hisinterests, naturally share his difficulties. He has nothing at hand butmercenary dependents. Nothing at heart but jealous suspicion of others,or secret repining for himself! Such, fair censurer! such is the naturalstate of that unnatural character, an old bachelor! How, then, when notupon his guard, or, in other words, when not urged by some outwardobject, some passing pleasure, or some fairy hope,--how,--tell me, inthe candour of your gentle conscience! how can you expect from sodecrepit and unwilling a hermit, the spontaneous benevolence of youth?'
'But what is it I have said, Sir,' cried Juliet smiling, 'that makes youdenounce me as a censurer?'
'What is it you have said? ask, rather, what is it you have not said,with those eyes that speak with an eloquence that a thousand tonguesmight emulate in vain? They administered to me a lesson so severe,because just, that, had not a little pity, which just now beamed fromthem, revived me, the malignant goblins, who delight in drawing me intothese scrapes, might have paid for their sport by losing their prey! Butwhat invidious little devils ensnare me even now, into thissuperannuated folly, of prating about so worn out an old subject, when Imeant only to name a being bright, blooming, and juvenile--'
The recollection of his nearly complete neglect, the preceding day, inpresence of Mrs Ireton, and her society, again began to cloud thecountenance of Juliet, as she listened to compliments thus reserved forprivate delivery. Sir Jaspar soon penetrated into what passed in hermind, and, yet again shrugging his shoulders, and resuming the sorrowfulair of a self-convicted culprit, 'Alas!' he cried, 'under what pitifulstar did I first begin limping upon this nether sphere? And what foulfiend is it, that, taking upon him the name of worldly cunning, hasfashioned my conduct, since here I have been hopping and hobbling? Iburned, yesterday, with desire to make public my admiration of the fairflower, that I saw nearly trampled under foot; and I should haveconsidered as the most propitious moment of my life, that in which I hadraised its drooping head, by withering, with a blast, all the sickly,noxious surrounding weeds: but those little devils, that ne
ver leave mequiet, kept twitching and tweaking me every instant, withrepresentations of prudence and procrastination; with the danger ofexciting observation; and the better judgement of obtaining a littleprivate discourse, previous to any public display.'
Not able to divine to what this might be the intended prelude, Julietwas silent. Sir Jaspar, after some hesitation, continued.
'In that motley assembly, you had two antique friends, equally cordial,and almost equally admiring and desirous to serve you; but by differentmeans,--perhaps with different views! one of them, stimulated by thelittle fairy elves, that alternately enlighten and mislead him, notseeing yet his way, and embarrassed in his choice of measures, was lyingin wait, cautiously to avail himself of the first favourable moment, forsoliciting your fair leave to dub himself your knight-errant; theother, urged solely, perhaps, by good-nature and humanity, with an happyabsence of mind, that precludes circumspection; coming forward in yourdefence, and for your honour, with unsuspecting, unfearing,untemporising zeal. Alas! in my conscience, which these tormentinglittle imps are for ever goading on, to inflict upon me somedisagreeable compliment, I cannot, all simple as he is, but blush toview the intrinsic superiority of the unsophisticated man of nature,over the artificial man of the world! How much more truly a malecharacter.'
Looking at her then with examining earnestness, 'To which of theseantediluvian wights,' he continued, 'you will commit the gauntlet, thatmust be flung in your defence, I know not; either of us,--alas!--mightbe your great grandfather! But, helpless old captives as we are in yourchains, we each feel a most sincere, nay, inordinate desire, to breakthose fetters with which, at this moment, you seem yourself to beshackled. And for this I am not wholly without a scheme, though it isone that demands a little previous parleying.'
Juliet positively declined his services; but gratefully acknowledgedthose from which she had already, though involuntarily, profited.
'You cannot, surely,' he cried, 'have a predilection for your presentspecies of existence? and, least of all, under the galling yoke of thisspirit-breaking dame, into whose ungentle power I cannot see you fallenwithout losing sleep, appetite, and pleasure. How may I conjure you intobetter hands? How release you from such bondage? And yet, this pale,withered, stiff, meagre hag, so odious, so tyrannical, so irascible, buta few years,--in my calculation!--but a few years since,--had all theenchantment of blithe, blooming loveliness! You, who see her only in herdecline, can never believe it; but she was eminently fair, gay, andcharming!'
Juliet looked at him, astonished.
'Her story,' he continued, 'already envelopes the memoirs of a Beauty,in her four stages of existence. During childhood, indulged, in everywish; admired where she should have been chidden, caressed where sheshould have been corrected; coaxed into pettishness, and spoilt intotyranny. In youth, adored, followed, and applauded till, involuntarily,rather than vainly, she believed herself a goddess. In maturity,--ah!there's the test of sense and temper in the waning beauty!--in maturity,shocked and amazed to see herself supplanted by the rising bloomers; tofind that she might be forgotten, or left out, if not assiduous herselfto come forward; to be consulted only upon grave and dull matters, outof the reach of her knowledge and resources; alternately mortified byinvoluntary negligence, and affronted by reverential respect! Such hasbeen her maturity; such, amongst faded beauties, is the maturity ofthousands. In old age,--if a lady may be ever supposed to suffer thelittle loves and graces to leave her so woefully in the lurch, as topermit her to know such a state;--in old age, without stores to amuse,or powers to instruct, though with a full persuasion that she is endowedwith wit, because she cuts, wounds, and slashes from unbridled, thoughpent-up resentment, at her loss of adorers; and from a certainperverseness, rather than quickness of parts, that gifts her with thesublime art of ingeniously tormenting; with no consciousness of her owninfirmities, or patience for those of others; she is dreaded by the gay,despised by the wise, pitied by the good, and shunned by all.'
Then, looking at Juliet with a strong expression of surprise, 'What Willo'the Wisp,' he cried, 'has misled you into this briery thicket ofbrambles, nettles, and thorns? where you cannot open your mouth but youmust be scratched; nor your ears, but you must be wounded; nor stir aword but you must be pricked and worried? How is it that, with the mostelegant ideas, the most just perceptions upon every subject thatpresents itself, you have a taste so whimsical?'
'A taste? Can you, then, Sir, believe a fate like mine to have anyconnexion with choice?'
'What would you have me believe, fair AEnigma? Tell me, and I willfashion my credulity to your commands. But I only hear of you with MrsMaple; I only see you with Mrs Ireton! Mrs Maple, having weaker parts,may have less power, scientifically, to torment than Mrs Ireton; butnature has been as active in personifying ill will with the one, as artin embellishing spite with the other. They are equally egotists, equallywrapt up in themselves, and convinced that self alone is worth livingfor in this nether world. What a fate! To pass from Maple to Ireton, wasto fall from Scylla to Charybdis!'
The blush of Juliet manifested extreme confusion, to see herselfrepresented, even though it might be in sport, as a professionalparasite. Reading, with concern, in her countenance, the pain which hehad caused her, he exclaimed, 'Sweet witch! loveliest syren!--let mehasten to develope a project, inspired, I must hope, by my bettergenius! Tell me but, frankly, who and what you are, and then--'
Juliet shook her head.
'Nay, nay, should your origin be the most obscure, I shall but thinkyou more nearly allied to the gods! Jupiter, Apollo, and such likepersonages, delighted in a secret progeny. If, on the contrary, insparkling correspondence with your eyes, it is brilliant, but has beenclouded by fortune, how ravished shall I be to twirl round the wheels ofthat capricious deity, till they reach those dulcet regions, wherebeauty and merit are in harmony with wealth and ease! Tell me, then,what country first saw you bloom; what family originally reared you; bywhat name you made your first entrance into the world;--and I will turnyour champion against all the spirits of the air, all the fiends of theearth, and all the monsters of the "vast abyss!" Leave, then, to such asneed those goaders, the magnetism of mystery and wonder, and trust,openly and securely, to the charm of youth, the fascination ofintelligence, the enchantment of grace, and the witchery of beauty!'
Juliet was still silent.
'I see you take me for a vain, curious old caitiff, peeping, peering andprying into business in which I have no concern. Charges such as theseare ill cleared by professions; let me plead, therefore, by facts.Should there be a person,--young, rich, _a la mode_, and not ugly; whoseexpectations are splendid, who moves in the sphere of high life, whocould terminate your difficulties with honour, by casting at your feetthat vile dross, which, in fairy hands, such as yours, may be transmutedinto benevolence, generosity, humanity,--if such a person there shouldbe, who in return for these grosser and more substantial services,should need the gentler and more refined ones of soft society, mildhints, guidance unseen, admonition unpronounced;--would you, and couldyou, in such a case, condescend to reciprocate advantages, and theirreverse? Would you,--and could you,--if snatched from unmeritedembarrassments, to partake of luxuries which your acceptance wouldhonour, bear with a little coxcomical nonsense, and with a largerportion, still, of unmeaning perverseness, and malicious nothingness? Ineed not, I think, say, that the happy mortal whom I wish to see thuscharmed and thus formed, is my nephew Ireton.'
Uncertain whether he meant to mock or to elevate her, Juliet simplyanswered, that she had long, though without knowing why, found Mr Iretonher enemy; but had never forseen that an ill will as unaccountable as itwas unprovoked, would have extended so far, and so wide, as to spreadall around her the influence of irony and derision.
'Hold, hold! fair infidel,'--cried Sir Jaspar, 'unless you mean to giveme a fit of the gout.'
He then solemnly assured her, that he was so persuaded that herexcellent understanding, and uncommon intelligence, united, in rarejunctio
n, with such youth and beauty, would make her a treasure to arich and idle young man, whose character, fluctuating between good andbad, or rather between something and nothing, was yet unformed; that, ifshe would candidly acknowledge her real name, story, and situation, heshould merely have to utter a mysterious injunction to Ireton, that hemust see her no more, in order to bring him to her feet. 'He acts but apart,' continued the Baronet, 'in judging you ill. He piques himselfupon being a man of the world, which, he persuades himself, he manifeststo all observers, by a hardy, however vague spirit of detraction andcensoriousness; deeming, like all those whose natures have not akindlier bent, suspicion to be sagacity.'
Juliet was entertained by this singular plan, yet frankly acknowledged,after repeating her thanks, that it offered her not temptation; andcontinued immoveable, to either address or persuasion, for any sort ofpersonal communication.
A pause of some minutes ensued, during which Sir Jaspar seemeddeliberating how next to proceed. He then said, 'You are decided not tohear of my nephew? He is not, I confess, deserving you; but who is?Yet,--a situation such as this,--a companion such as Mrs Ireton,--anychange must surely be preferable to a fixture of such a sort? What,then, must be done? Where youth, youth itself, even when joined tofigure and to riches, is rejected, how may it be hoped that age,--ageand infirmity!--even though joined with all that is gentlest inkindness, all that is most disinterested in devotion, may be renderedmore acceptable?'
Confused, and perplexed how to understand him, Juliet was rising, underpretence of following Bijou; but Sir Jaspar, fastening her gown to thegrass by his two crutches, laughingly said, 'Which will you resist moststoutly? your own cruelty, or the kindness of my little fairy friends?who, at this moment, with a thousand active gambols, are pinning,gluing, plaistering, in sylphick mosaic-work, your robe between theground and my sticks; so that you cannot tear it away without leavingme, at least, some little memorial that I have had the happiness ofseeing you!'
Forced either to struggle or to remain in her place, she sat still, andhe continued.
'Don't be alarmed, for I shall certainly not offend you. Listen, then,with indulgence, to what I am tempted to propose, and, whether I amimpelled by my evil genius, or inspired by my guardian angel--'
Juliet earnestly entreated him to spare her any proposition whatever;but vainly; and he was beginning, with a fervour almost devout, anaddress to all the sylphs, elves, and aeriel beings of his fancifulidolatry, when a sudden barking from Bijou making him look round, heperceived that Mrs Ireton, advancing on tiptoe, was creeping behind hisgarden-chair.
Confounded by an apparition so unwished, he leant upon his crutches,gasping and oppressed for breath; while Juliet, to avoid the attack ofwhich the malevolence of Mrs Ireton's look was the sure precursor, wouldhave retreated, had not her gown been so entangled in the crutches ofSir Jaspar, that she could not rise without leaving him the fragmentthat he had coveted. In vain she appealed with her eyes for release; hisconsternation was such, that he saw only, what least he wished to see,the scowling brow of Mrs Ireton; who, to his active imagination,appeared to be Megara herself, just mounted from the lower regions.
'Well! this is really charming! Quite edifying, I protest!' burst forthMrs Ireton, when she found that she was discovered. 'This is a sort ofintercourse I should never have divined! You'll pardon my want ofdiscernment! I know I am quite behind hand in observation and remark;but I hope, in time, and with so much good instruction, I may becomemore sagacious. I am glad, however, to see that I don't disturb you MissEllis! Extremely glad to find that you treat your place so amiablywithout ceremony. I am quite enchanted to be upon terms so familiar andagreeable with you. I may sit down myself, I suppose, upon the grass,meanwhile! 'Twill be really very rural! very rural and pretty!'
Juliet now could no longer conceal her confined situation, for, pinionedto her place, she was compelled to petition the Baronet to set her atliberty.
The real astonishment of Mrs Ireton, upon discovering the cause andmeans of her detention, was far less amusing to herself, than that whichshe had affected, while concluding her presumptuous _protegee_ to be avoluntary intruder upon the time, and encroacher upon the politeness ofthe Baronet. Her eyes now opened, with alarm, to a confusion so unusualin her severe and authoritative brother-in-law; whom she was accustomedto view awing others, not himself awed. Suggestions of the mostunpleasant nature occurred to her suspicious mind; and she stood as ifthunderstruck in her turn, in silent suspension how to act, or what nextto say; till Selina came running forward, to announce that all thecompany was gone to look at the Roman Catholic chapel; and to enquirewhether Mrs Ireton did not mean to make it a visit.
If Sir Jaspar, Mrs Ireton hesitatingly answered, would join the party,she would attend him with pleasure.
Sir Jaspar heard not this invitation. In his haste to give Juliet herfreedom, his feeble hands, disobedient to his will, and unable to secondthe alacrity of his wishes, struck his crutches through her gown; andthey were now both, and in equal confusion, employed in disentanglingit; and ashamed to look up, or to speak.
Selina, perceiving their position, with the unmeaning glee of a childishlove of communication, ran, tittering, away, to tell it to MissBrinville; who, saying that there was nothing worth seeing in the RomanCatholic chapel, was sauntering after Mrs Ireton, in hopes of findingentertainment more congenial to her mind.
The sight of this lady restored to Mrs Ireton the scoffing powers whichamazement, mingled with alarm, had momentarily chilled; and, as MissBrinville peeringly approached, to verify the whisper of Selina,exclaiming, 'Dear! what makes poor Sir Jaspar stoop so?' his lovingsister-in-law answered, 'Sir Jaspar, Miss Brinville? What can Sir Jaspardo? I beg pardon for the question, but what can a gentleman do, when ayoung woman happens to take a fancy to place herself so near him, thathe can't turn round without incommoding her? Not that I mean to blameMiss Ellis. I hope I know better. I hope I shall never be guilty of suchinjustice; for how can Miss Ellis help it? What could she do? Wherecould she turn herself in so confined a place as this? in so narrow apiece of ground? How could she possibly find any other spot for repose?'
A contemptuous smile at Juliet from Miss Brinville, shewed that lady'sapprobation of this witty sally; and the junction of Mrs Maple, whoseparticipation in this kind of enjoyment was known to be lively andsincere, exalted still more highly the spirit of poignant sarcasm in MrsIreton; who, with smiles of ineffable self-complacency, went on, 'Thereare people, indeed,--I am afraid,--I don't know, but I am afraidso,--there are people who may have the ill nature to think, that thecharge of walking out a little delicate animal in the grounds, did notimply an absolute injunction to recline, with lounging elegance, upon aneasy chair. There are people, I say, who may have so littleintelligence as to be of that way of thinking. 'Tis being abominablystupid, I own, but there's no enlightening vulgar minds! There is nomaking them see the merit of quitting an animal for a gentleman;especially for a gentleman in such penury; who has no means torecompense any attentions with which he may be indulged.'
Juliet, more offended, now, even than confused, would willingly havetorn her gown to hasten her release; but she was still sore, from thetaunts of Mrs Ireton, upon a recent similar mischief.
They were presently joined by the Arramedes; and Mrs Ireton, secure ofnew admirers, felt her powers of pleasantry encrease every moment.
'I hope I shall never fail to acknowledge,' she continued, 'howsupremely I am indebted to those ladies who have had the goodness torecommend this young person to me. I can never repay such kindness,certainly; that would be vastly beyond my poor abilities; for she hasthe generosity to take an attachment to all that belongs to me! It wasonly this morning that she had the goodness to hold a private conferencewith my son. Nobody could tell where to find him. He seemed to havedisappeared from the whole house. But no! he had only, as Mr Loddardafterwards informed me, stept into the Temple, with Miss Ellis.'
Sir Jaspar now, surprised and shocked, lifted up his eyes; but theirqui
ck penetration instantly read innocence in the indignation expressedin those of Juliet.
Mrs Ireton, however, saw only her own triumph, in the malicious simpersof Miss Brinville, the spiteful sneers of Mrs Maple, and the haughtyscorn of Lady Arramede.
Charmed, therefore, with her brilliant success, she went on.
'How I may be able to reward kindness so extraordinary, I can't pretendto say. I am so stupid, I am quite at a loss what to devize that may beadequate to such services; for the attentions bestowed upon my son inthe morning, I see equally displayed to his uncle at noon. Though thereis some partiality, I think, too, shewn to Ireton. I won't affirm it;but I am rather afraid there is some partiality shewn to Ireton; forthough the conference has been equally interesting, I make no doubt,with Sir Jaspar, it has not had quite so friendly an appearance. Theopen air is very delightful, to be sure; and a beautiful prospect helpsto enliven one's ideas; but still, there is something in completeretirement that seems yet more romantic and amicable. Ireton was soimpressed with this idea, as I am told; for I don't pretend to speakfrom my own personal knowledge upon subjects of so much importance; butI am told,--Mr Loddard informs me, that Ireton was so sensible to theadvantage of having the honours of an exclusive conference, that he notonly chose that retired spot, but had the precaution, also, to lock thedoor. I don't mean to assert this! it may be all a mistake, perhaps.Miss Ellis can tell best.'
Neither the steadiness of innate dignity, nor the fearlessness ofconscious innocence, could preserve Juliet from a sensation of horrour,at a charge which she could not deny, though its implications were falseand even atrocious. She saw, too, that, at the words 'lock the door,'Sir Jaspar again raised his investigating eyes, in which there wasvisibly a look of disturbance. She would not, however, deign to make avindication, lest she should seem to acknowledge it possible that shemight be thought culpable; but, being now disengaged, she silently, anduncontrollably hurt, walked away.
'And pray, Ma'am,' said Mrs Ireton, 'if the question is not tooimpertinent, don't you see Mr Loddard coming? And who is to take care ofBijou? And where is his basket? And I don't see his cushion?'
Juliet turned round to answer, 'I will send them Madam, immediately.'
'Amazing condescension!' exclaimed Mrs Ireton, in a rage that she nolonger aimed at disguising: 'I shall never be able to shew my sense ofsuch affability! Never! I am vastly too obtuse, vastly too obtuse andimpenetrable to find any adequate means of expressing my gratitude.However, since you really intend me the astonishing favour of sendingone of my people upon your own errand, permit me to entreat,--if it isnot too great a liberty to take with a person of your unspeakablerank,--permit me to entreat that you will make use of the same vehiclefor conveying to me your account; for you are vastly too fine a lady fora person so ordinary as I am to keep under her roof. I have no suchambition, I assure you; not an intention of the kind. So pray let meknow what retribution I am to make for your trouble. You have taken vastpains, I imagine, to serve me and please me. I imagine so! I must beprodigiously your debtor, I make no doubt!'
'What an excess of impertinence!' cried Lady Arramede.
'She'll never know her place,' said Mrs Maple: ''tis quite in vain totry to serve such a body.'
'I never saw such airs in my life!' exclaimed Miss Brinville.
Juliet could endure no more. The most urgent distress seemed light andimmaterial, when balanced against submission to treatment so injurious.She walked, therefore, straight forward to the castle, for shelter,immediate shelter, from this insupportable attack; disengaging herselffrom the spoilt little boy, who strove, nay cried to drag her back;forcing away from her the snarling cur, who would have followed her; anddecidedly mute to the fresh commands of Mrs Ireton, uttered in tones ofperemptory, but vain authority.