Volume I Part 9 (1/2)
Leonora retired (continued the lady) about six in the morning, but not to rest. She tumbled and tossed in her bed, with very short intervals of sleep, and those entirely filled with dreams of the equipage and fine clothes she had seen, and the b.a.l.l.s, operas, and ridottos, which had been the subject of their conversation.
In the afternoon, Bellarmine, in the dear coach and six, came to wait on her. He was indeed charmed with her person, and was, on inquiry, so well pleased with the circ.u.mstances of her father (for he himself, notwithstanding all his finery, was not quite so rich as a Croesus or an Attalus).--”Attalus,” says Mr. Adams: ”but pray how came you acquainted with these names?” The lady smiled at the question, and proceeded. He was so pleased, I say, that he resolved to make his addresses to her directly. He did so accordingly, and that with so much warmth and briskness, that he quickly baffled her weak repulses, and obliged the lady to refer him to her father, who, she knew, would quickly declare in favour of a coach and six.
Thus what Horatio had by sighs and tears, love and tenderness, been so long obtaining, the French-English Bellarmine with gaiety and gallantry possessed himself of in an instant. In other words, what modesty had employed a full year in raising, impudence demolished in twenty-four hours.
Here Adams groaned a second time; but the ladies, who began to smoke him, took no notice.
From the opening of the a.s.sembly till the end of Bellarmine's visit, Leonora had scarce once thought of Horatio; but he now began, though an unwelcome guest, to enter into her mind. She wished she had seen the charming Bellarmine and his charming equipage before matters had gone so far. ”Yet why,” says she, ”should I wish to have seen him before; or what signifies it that I have seen him now? Is not Horatio my lover, almost my husband? Is he not as handsome, nay handsomer than Bellarmine?
Aye, but Bellarmine is the genteeler, and the finer man; yes, that he must be allowed. Yes, yes, he is that certainly. But did not I, no longer ago than yesterday, love Horatio more than all the world? Aye, but yesterday I had not seen Bellarmine. But doth not Horatio doat on me, and may he not in despair break his heart if I abandon him? Well, and hath not Bellarmine a heart to break too? Yes, but I promised Horatio first; but that was poor Bellarmine's misfortune; if I had seen him first, I should certainly have preferred him. Did not the dear creature prefer me to every woman in the a.s.sembly, when every she was laying out for him? When was it in Horatio's power to give me such an instance of affection? Can he give me an equipage, or any of those things which Bellarmine will make me mistress of? How vast is the difference between being the wife of a poor counsellor and the wife of one of Bellarmine's fortune! If I marry Horatio, I shall triumph over no more than one rival; but by marrying Bellarmine, I shall be the envy of all my acquaintance. What happiness! But can I suffer Horatio to die?
for he hath sworn he cannot survive my loss: but perhaps he may not die: if he should, can I prevent it? Must I sacrifice myself to him? besides, Bellarmine may be as miserable for me too.” She was thus arguing with herself, when some young ladies called her to the walks, and a little relieved her anxiety for the present.
The next morning Bellarmine breakfasted with her in presence of her aunt, whom he sufficiently informed of his pa.s.sion for Leonora. He was no sooner withdrawn than the old lady began to advise her niece on this occasion. ”You see, child,” says she, ”what fortune hath thrown in your way; and I hope you will not withstand your own preferment.” Leonora, sighing, begged her not to mention any such thing, when she knew her engagements to Horatio. ”Engagements to a fig!” cried the aunt; ”you should thank Heaven on your knees that you have it yet in your power to break them. Will any woman hesitate a moment whether she shall ride in a coach or walk on foot all the days of her life? But Bellarmine drives six, and Horatio not even a pair.”--”Yes, but, madam, what will the world say?” answered Leonora: ”will not they condemn me?”--”The world is always on the side of prudence,” cries the aunt, ”and would surely condemn you if you sacrificed your interest to any motive whatever. Oh!
I know the world very well; and you shew your ignorance, my dear, by your objection. O' my conscience! the world is wiser. I have lived longer in it than you; and I a.s.sure you there is not anything worth our regard besides money; nor did I ever know one person who married from other considerations, who did not afterwards heartily repent it.
Besides, if we examine the two men, can you prefer a sneaking fellow, who hath been bred at the university, to a fine gentleman just come from his travels. All the world must allow Bellarmine to be a fine gentleman, positively a fine gentleman, and a handsome man.”--”Perhaps, madam, I should not doubt, if I knew how to be handsomely off with the other.”--”Oh! leave that to me,” says the aunt. ”You know your father hath not been acquainted with the affair. Indeed, for my part I thought it might do well enough, not dreaming of such an offer; but I'll disengage you: leave me to give the fellow an answer. I warrant you shall have no farther trouble.”
Leonora was at length satisfied with her aunt's reasoning; and Bellarmine supping with her that evening, it was agreed he should the next morning go to her father and propose the match, which she consented should be consummated at his return.
The aunt retired soon after supper; and, the lovers being left together, Bellarmine began in the following manner: ”Yes, madam; this coat, I a.s.sure you, was made at Paris, and I defy the best English taylor even to imitate it. There is not one of them can cut, madam; they can't cut.
If you observe how this skirt is turned, and this sleeve: a clumsy English rascal can do nothing like it. Pray, how do you like my liveries?” Leonora answered, ”She thought them very pretty.”--”All French,” says he, ”I a.s.sure you, except the greatcoats; I never trust anything more than a greatcoat to an Englishman. You know one must encourage our own people what one can, especially as, before I had a place, I was in the country interest, he, he, he! But for myself, I would see the dirty island at the bottom of the sea, rather than wear a single rag of English work about me: and I am sure, after you have made one tour to Paris, you will be of the same opinion with regard to your own clothes. You can't conceive what an addition a French dress would be to your beauty; I positively a.s.sure you, at the first opera I saw since I came over, I mistook the English ladies for chambermaids, he, he, he!”
With such sort of polite discourse did the gay Bellarmine entertain his beloved Leonora, when the door opened on a sudden, and Horatio entered the room. Here 'tis impossible to express the surprize of Leonora.
”Poor woman!” says Mrs Slipslop, ”what a terrible quandary she must be in!”--”Not at all,” says Mrs Grave-airs; ”such s.l.u.ts can never be confounded.”--”She must have then more than Corinthian a.s.surance,” said Adams; ”aye, more than Lais herself.”
A long silence, continued the lady, prevailed in the whole company. If the familiar entrance of Horatio struck the greatest astonishment into Bellarmine, the unexpected presence of Bellarmine no less surprized Horatio. At length Leonora, collecting all the spirit she was mistress of, addressed herself to the latter, and pretended to wonder at the reason of so late a visit. ”I should indeed,” answered he, ”have made some apology for disturbing you at this hour, had not my finding you in company a.s.sured me I do not break in upon your repose.” Bellarmine rose from his chair, traversed the room in a minuet step, and hummed an opera tune, while Horatio, advancing to Leonora, asked her in a whisper if that gentleman was not a relation of hers; to which she answered with a smile, or rather sneer, ”No, he is no relation of mine yet;” adding, ”she could not guess the meaning of his question.” Horatio told her softly, ”It did not arise from jealousy.”--”Jealousy! I a.s.sure you, it would be very strange in a common acquaintance to give himself any of those airs.” These words a little surprized Horatio; but, before he had time to answer, Bellarmine danced up to the lady and told her, ”He feared he interrupted some business between her and the gentleman.”--”I can have no business,” said she, ”with the gentleman, nor any other, which need be any secret to you.”
”You'll pardon me,” said Horatio, ”if I desire to know who this gentleman is who is to be entrusted with all our secrets.”--”You'll know soon enough,” cries Leonora; ”but I can't guess what secrets can ever pa.s.s between us of such mighty consequence.”--”No, madam!” cries Horatio; ”I am sure you would not have me understand you in earnest.”--”'Tis indifferent to me,” says she, ”how you understand me; but I think so unseasonable a visit is difficult to be understood at all, at least when people find one engaged: though one's servants do not deny one, one may expect a well-bred person should soon take the hint.”
”Madam,” said Horatio, ”I did not imagine any engagement with a stranger, as it seems this gentleman is, would have made my visit impertinent, or that any such ceremonies were to be preserved between persons in our situation.” ”Sure you are in a dream,” says she, ”or would persuade me that I am in one. I know no pretensions a common acquaintance can have to lay aside the ceremonies of good breeding.”
”Sure,” said he, ”I am in a dream; for it is impossible I should be really esteemed a common acquaintance by Leonora, after what has pa.s.sed between us?” ”Pa.s.sed between us! Do you intend to affront me before this gentleman?” ”D--n me, affront the lady,” says Bellarmine, c.o.c.king his hat, and strutting up to Horatio: ”does any man dare affront this lady before me, d--n me?” ”Hark'ee, sir,” says Horatio, ”I would advise you to lay aside that fierce air; for I am mightily deceived if this lady has not a violent desire to get your wors.h.i.+p a good drubbing.” ”Sir,”
said Bellarmine, ”I have the honour to be her protector; and, d--n me, if I understand your meaning.” ”Sir,” answered Horatio, ”she is rather your protectress; but give yourself no more airs, for you see I am prepared for you” (shaking his whip at him). ”Oh! _serviteur tres humble_,” says Bellarmine: ”_Je vous entend parfaitment bien_.” At which time the aunt, who had heard of Horatio's visit, entered the room, and soon satisfied all his doubts. She convinced him that he was never more awake in his life, and that nothing more extraordinary had happened in his three days' absence than a small alteration in the affections of Leonora; who now burst into tears, and wondered what reason she had given him to use her in so barbarous a manner. Horatio desired Bellarmine to withdraw with him; but the ladies prevented it by laying violent hands on the latter; upon which the former took his leave without any great ceremony, and departed, leaving the lady with his rival to consult for his safety, which Leonora feared her indiscretion might have endangered; but the aunt comforted her with a.s.surances that Horatio would not venture his person against so accomplished a cavalier as Bellarmine, and that, being a lawyer, he would seek revenge in his own way, and the most they had to apprehend from him was an action.
They at length therefore agreed to permit Bellarmine to retire to his lodgings, having first settled all matters relating to the journey which he was to undertake in the morning, and their preparations for the nuptials at his return.
But, alas! as wise men have observed, the seat of valour is not the countenance; and many a grave and plain man will, on a just provocation, betake himself to that mischievous metal, cold iron; while men of a fiercer brow, and sometimes with that emblem of courage, a c.o.c.kade, will more prudently decline it.
Leonora was waked in the morning, from a visionary coach and six, with the dismal account that Bellarmine was run through the body by Horatio; that he lay languis.h.i.+ng at an inn, and the surgeons had declared the wound mortal. She immediately leaped out of the bed, danced about the room in a frantic manner, tore her hair and beat her breast in all the agonies of despair; in which sad condition her aunt, who likewise arose at the news, found her. The good old lady applied her utmost art to comfort her niece. She told her, ”While there was life there was hope; but that if he should die her affliction would be of no service to Bellarmine, and would only expose herself, which might, probably, keep her some time without any future offer; that, as matters had happened, her wisest way would be to think no more of Bellarmine, but to endeavour to regain the affections of Horatio.” ”Speak not to me,” cried the disconsolate Leonora; ”is it not owing to me that poor Bellarmine has lost his life? Have not these cursed charms (at which words she looked steadfastly in the gla.s.s) been the ruin of the most charming man of this age? Can I ever bear to contemplate my own face again (with her eyes still fixed on the gla.s.s)? Am I not the murderess of the finest gentleman? No other woman in the town could have made any impression on him.” ”Never think of things past,” cries the aunt: ”think of regaining the affections of Horatio.” ”What reason,” said the niece, ”have I to hope he would forgive me? No, I have lost him as well as the other, and it was your wicked advice which was the occasion of all; you seduced me, contrary to my inclinations, to abandon poor Horatio (at which words she burst into tears); you prevailed upon me, whether I would or no, to give up my affections for him; had it not been for you, Bellarmine never would have entered into my thoughts; had not his addresses been backed by your persuasions, they never would have made any impression on me; I should have defied all the fortune and equipage in the world; but it was you, it was you, who got the better of my youth and simplicity, and forced me to lose my dear Horatio for ever.”
The aunt was almost borne down with this torrent of words; she, however, rallied all the strength she could, and, drawing her mouth up in a purse, began: ”I am not surprized, niece, at this ingrat.i.tude. Those who advise young women for their interest, must always expect such a return: I am convinced my brother will thank me for breaking off your match with Horatio, at any rate.”--”That may not be in your power yet,” answered Leonora, ”though it is very ungrateful in you to desire or attempt it, after the presents you have received from him.” (For indeed true it is, that many presents, and some pretty valuable ones, had pa.s.sed from Horatio to the old lady; but as true it is, that Bellarmine, when he breakfasted with her and her niece, had complimented her with a brilliant from his finger, of much greater value than all she had touched of the other.)
The aunt's gall was on float to reply, when a servant brought a letter into the room, which Leonora, hearing it came from Bellarmine, with great eagerness opened, and read as follows:--
”MOST DIVINE CREATURE,--The wound which I fear you have heard I received from my rival is not like to be so fatal as those shot into my heart which have been fired from your eyes, _tout brilliant_. Those are the only cannons by which I am to fall; for my surgeon gives me hopes of being soon able to attend your _ruelle_; till when, unless you would do me an honour which I have scarce the _hardiesse_ to think of, your absence will be the greatest anguish which can be felt by,
”Madam,
”_Avec toute le respecte_ in the world,
”Your most obedient, most absolute _Devote_,