Part 32 (1/2)
”Do I?--out of all question Don't you reirls wept--Grace as well as Lucy--ent to sea, boy It was all on account of the _un_gentility of the profession, if a fellow can use such a word”
I did not believe this, for I knew Grace better, to say the least; and thought I understood Lucy sufficiently, at that tio away Still, Lucy had grown froirl, since I sailed in the Crisis, into a young wos differently, now, from what she had done three years before I had not time, however, for further discussion at that moment, and I cut the matter short
”Well, Rupert, what am I to expect?” I asked; ”Clawbonny, or no Clawbonny?”
”Why, now you say the Mertons are to be of the party I suppose I shall have to go; it would be inhospitable else I do wish, Miles, you wouldrelations with some of the families on the other side of the river There are plenty of respectable people within a few hours' sail of Clawbonny”
”My father, and ed, as you call it, to get along, for the last hundred years, well enough on the west side; and, although we are not quite as genteel as the _east_, ill do well enough The Wallingford sails early in the , to save the tide; and I hope your lordshi+p will turn out in season, and not keep us waiting If you do, I shall be _ungenteel_ enough to leave you behind”
I left Rupert with a feeling in which disgust and anger were blended
I wish to be understood, eneration I never was guilty of the weakness of decrying a thing because I did not happen to possess it myself I knew my own place in the social scale perfectly; nor was I, as I have just said, in the least inclined to fancy that one ood as another I knew very well that this was not true, either in nature or in the social relations; in political axioms, any more than in political truths At the same time, I did not believe nature had created eniture fro in view all the facts, I was perfectly disposed to admit that habits, education, association, and soreat benefits, as a whole; in soree qualified, perhaps, by cases of individual injustice This last exception, however, being applicable to all things human, it had no influence on my opinions, which were sound and healthful on all these points; practical, common-sense-like, and in conformity with the decisions of the world from the time of Moses down to our own, or, I dare say, of Adam himself, if the truth could be known; and, as I have saidmemoir's, I was not disposed to take a false view of ed, at most, to the class of small proprietors, as they existed in the last century, and filled a very useful and respectable niche between the yeo the last strictly in reference to the upper class of that day Now, it struck ht very well draw the distinctions Rupert hadcared h she did If I were a less ies and notions of ordinary society producing their influence, than I had been when in command of the Crisis, in the centre of the Pacific, so was Miss Merton a less i lady, in the midst of the beauty of New York, than she had been in the isolation of Marble Land This I could feel very distinctly But Lucy's supposed defection did rieved I had always known that Lucy was better connected than I was iven Rupert and her the benefit of this advantage, as soer means; but it had never struck me that either the brother or sister would be disposed to look down upon us in consequence The world is everywhere--and America, on account of its social vicissitudes,pictures of the struggles between fallen consequence and rising wealth The last may, and does have the best of it, in the mere physical part of the strife; but in the more moral, if such a word can be used, the quiet ascendency of better manners and ancient recollections is very apt to overshadow the fussy pretensions of the vulgar aspirant, who places his claihty dollar It is vain to deny it; men ever have done it, and probably ever will defer to the past, inmuch with us, in this particular, as it is with our own lives, which have had all their greatest enjoyone days I knew all this--felt all this--and was greatly afraid that Lucy, through Mrs Bradfort's influence, and her town associations, ford, of the ford of the same line in life I deter the few days I was to reenerous intentions, the reader is not to be surprised if I found so very apt to find precisely the thing for which they look, when it is not lostere all punctual, and sailed at the proper hour
The Mertons see a fresh southerly wind in our favour, with a strong flood-tide, we actually landed at the reeable when the traveller gets on faht I never saw Emily in better spirits than she e first reached the top of the ascent that lies above the landing I had given her ot up as they could; for I observed that Rupert assisted no one As for Lucy, I was still too much vexed with her, and had been so all day, to be as civil as I ought We were soon at a point that commanded a view of the house, meadows, orchards and fields
”This, then, is Clawbonny!” exclaimed Emily, as soon as I pointed out the place to her ”Upon ford Even prettier than you represented it to be, Mr Rupert Hardinge”
”Oh! I always do justice to everything of Wallingford's, you know We were children together, and became so much attached in early life, that it's no wonder we remain so in these our later days”
Rupert was probably nearer the truth than he iard for hi pretty much reduced to habit; and certainly it had no increase froht not h I had for ”Let hiet Miss Merton, if he can,” I said to reat acquisition, I fancy, to either side”
How different was it with his father, and, I entleman turned to me, with tears in his eyes; pointed to the dear old house, with a look of delight; and then took my arm, without reference to the wants of Miss Merton, and ledearnestly of my affairs, and of his own stewardshi+p Lucy had her father's arood divine was too hter Ae three went, therefore, leading the hile Rupert took charge of E on his own man
”It is a lovely--it is a lovely spot, Miles,” said Mr Hardinge; ”and I dodown that respectable-looking, coood old-fashi+oned house, to build a new one”
”Why should I, dear sir? The house, with an occasional addition, all built in the same style, has served us a century, and may very well serve another Why should I wish for h? But, now you are a sort of a row rich, and wish to be the proprietor of a _seat_”
The tihts often crossed my mind; but I cared less for thereat object of ht had weakened by time and reflection
”What does Lucy think of the matter? Do I want, or indeed deserve, a better house?”
”I shall not answer either question,” replied the dear girl, a little saucily, I thought ”I do not understand your wants, and do not choose to speak of your deservings But I fancy the question will be settled by a certain Mrs Wallingford, one of these days Clever wos for their husbands”
I endeavoured to catch Lucy's eye, when this was said, by leaning a little forward irl turned her head in such aher face The ree, however, who took it up armth, and all the interest of a most pure and disinterested affection
”I suppose you _will_ think ofone of these days, Miles,” he said; ”but, on no account, marry a woman ill desert Clawbonny, or ould wish ood-hearted woman, indeed--no _true_-hearted woman--would ever dream of either Dear raciousafflictions--that I myself have seen, and felt, and witnessed, under these same roofs!”
This was followed by a sort of enu passages in the lives of all who had dwelt at the far--”No, no! Miles; do not think, even, ofa woman ould wish you to desert, or materially alter, Clawbonny”
CHAPTER XXIII
”If thou be'st rated by thy estih May not extend so far as to the lady”
_Merchant of Venice_
Next , I was early afoot, and I found Grace as much alive to the charypsy, and accoarden, where to my surprise, I found Lucy It looked like old tiirls Rupert alone anting to complete the picture; but, I had an intimate conviction that Rupert, as he had been at least, could never coain I was rejoiced, however, to see Lucy, and more so, just where I found her, and I believe told her as irl looked happier than she had appeared the day before, or for many previous days indeed, and I felt less apprehension than of late, concerning her having enteel_ profession than that of a merchant-captain