Part 13 (2/2)
”'No, not a governess, Miss Mannering,' replied the Colonel, somewhat sternly, 'but a young lady from whose excellent example, bred as she has been in the school of adversity, I trust you may learn the art to govern yourself. '
”To answer this was trenching upon too dangerous ground, so there was a pause.
”'Is the young lady a Scotchwoman, papa?'
”'Yes'--dryly enough.
”'Has she much of the accent, sir?'
”'Much of the devil!' answered my father hastily; 'do you think I care about a's and aa's, and i's and ee's?--I tell you, Julia, I am serious in the matter. You have a genius for friends.h.i.+p, that is, for running up intimacies which you call such'--(was not this very harshly said, Matilda?)--'Now I wish to give you an opportunity at least to make one deserving friend, and therefore I have resolved that this young lady shall be a member of my family for some months, and I expect you will pay to her that attention which is due to misfortune and virtue.'
”'Certainly, sir.--Is my future friend red-haired?'
”He gave me one of his stern glances; you will say, perhaps, I deserved it; but I think the deuce prompts me with teasing questions on some occasions.
”'She is as superior to you, my love, in personal appearance, as in prudence and affection for her friends.'
”'Lord, papa, do you think that superiority a recommendation ?--Well, sir, but I see you are going to take all this too seriously; whatever the young lady may be, I am sure, being recommended by you, she shall have no reason to complain of my want of attention.--(After a pause)--Has she any attendant? because you know I must provide for her proper accommodation, if she is without one.'
”'N-no-no-not properly an attendant--the chaplain who lived with her father is a very good sort of man, and I believe I shall make room for him in the house.'
”'Chaplain, papa? Lord bless us!'
”'Yes, Miss Mannering, chaplain; is there anything very new in that word ? Had we not a chaplain at the Residence, when we were in India?'
”'Yes, papa, but you were a commandant then.'
”'So I will be now, Miss Mannering--in my own family at least.'
”'Certainly, sir--but will he read us the Church of England service?'
”The apparent simplicity with which I asked this question got the better of his gravity. 'Come, Julia,' he said, 'you are a sad girl, but I gain nothing by scolding you.--Of these two strangers, the young lady is one whom you cannot fail, I think, to love--the person whom, for want of a better term, I called chaplain, is a very worthy, and somewhat ridiculous personage, who will never find out you laugh at him, if you don't laugh very loud indeed.'
”'Dear papa, I am delighted with that part of his character. -- But pray, is the house we are going to as pleasantly situated as this?'
”'Not perhaps as much to your taste--there is no lake under the windows, and you will be under the necessity of having all your music within doors.'
”This last coup de main ended the keen encounter of our wits, for you may believe, Matilda, it quelled all my courage to reply.
”Yet my spirits, as perhaps will appear too manifest from this dialogue, have risen insensibly, and, as it were, in spite of myself. Brown alive, and free, and in England! Embarra.s.sment and anxiety I can and must endure. We leave this in two days for our new residence. I shall not fail to let you know what I think of these Scotch inmates, whom I have but too much reason to believe my father means to quarter in his house as a brace of honourable spies; a sort of female Rozencrantz and reverend Guildenstern, one in tartan petticoats, the other in a ca.s.sock. What a contrast to the society I would willingly have secured to myself! I shall write instantly on my arriving at our new place of abode, and acquaint my dearest Matilda with the further fates of--her
”Julia Mannering.”
CHAPTER XIX.
Which sloping hills around enclose, Where many a beech and brown oak grows, Beneath whose dark and branching bowers, Its tides a far-fam'd river pours, By nature's beauties taught to please, Sweet Tusculan of rural ease!-- Warton.
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