LI E) RARY OF THE UN IVERSITY Of ILLINOIS Return this book on or before the Latest Date stamped below. University of Illinois Library ;. mi L161 — H41 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. VOL. I. LONDON : PRIVIED BY SAMUEL BENTLEY, Bangor House, Shoe Lane. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE, THE SISTERS. BY ELLEN WALLACE. Why very well then — I hope here be truths. Measure for Measure. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 1840. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://www.archive.org/details/clandestinemarri01wall 3f cJL (V CO THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. CHAPTER I. I know her spirits are as coy and wild As haggards of the rock. Much Ado about Nothing. *' Aunt Parr," said Fanny, looking up suddenly from her work, will you tell me why ^ you never married ?" ** If aunt Parr had not been the kindest aunt \ m the world, she might have felt a little angry at this question — scolded, or looked cross, r^. perhaps ; as it was, she smiled on her little --niece, and said quietly, " Will you tell me , THE CLANDESTINE MARRIGAE. 153 Fanny clung to Mr. Mapleton's arm for protection, as she had often done before; when her giddiness had subjected her to her father's displeasure. " I am sure, papa, I didn't mean" — she began. " Didn't mean what ? — didn't mean to make a simpleton of yourself, to show your confound- ed power, that your sex are so fond of ? What could it signify to you whether Nugent got into Parliament or not? He was out of his senses to ask your consent in such a matter, and to abide by it! — Why, Mapleton, here's a girl who has had an education good enough, as times go — has learned music, and dancing, and French, and what not, and has never been per- verted by having a governess in the house with her, and yet has not the sense to come to a rational decision upon the simplest topic, or rather to refrain from the ridiculous triumph of seeing how much she can induce a sensible man to play the fool ! "" H 5 154 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE, Mr. Mapleton, holding fast by Fanny's hand, was about to intercede for her, but the Gene- ral was too voluble for him, " He will repay her for it, one day, that 's a comfort. I advise her to make the best of her time, for the more she tyrannises now, the less power she will have by and by. Ay, you will find to your cost, madam, that you have not made him bear with your caprices for no- thing. Once let him get you in his power, and see if he does not treat you as you de- serve !" Fanny began to cry. Mr. Mapleton told the General that she was very young, no other palliative for her conduct occurring to him at the moment. The General seemed to think it a very insufficient plea. " Young ! A young hussy ! 1 11 tell you what it is, she is beside herself at the match ; her head is turned at the prospect of the esta- blishment she is to be mistress of; and you THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 155 must see that she has become so vain of late, she seems scarcely in her right wits !" " No ! " cried Fanny, her eyes sparkling through her tears; " all the wealth Captain Nugent possesses could not purchase my re- spect — the loss of all his possessions would not take from it. Rich as he may be, I accept him with reluctance as great, as if he was a beggar ! " " Accept him with reluctance or not,*" said the General, " but accept him you shall ; and in the mean time, I advise you, for your own sake, to treat him with common civility." He left the room. Fanny hid her face in her hands, and burst into a passion of tears. " O Mr. Mapleton ! " she said, " they are all against me, aunt Parr and all." " Then, Fanny," he replied, " rely only on yourself; look well into your own heart, act not from impulse, but from principle — from 156 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. conviction. Be no longer a weak girl, but decide, and stand by your decision like a brave woman." Perhaps he feared to say more, where he felt that he was too much interested ; for he stopped abruptly, and when Fanny looked up, she was alone. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 157 CHAPTER IX. Base minded they who want intelligence ; For God himself for wisdom most is praised, And men to God thereby are nighest raised. Spenser. One morning the young ladies were sitting working and gossiping in the breakfast-room, the gentlemen being all gone out shooting; and Miss Denham, seated a little apart from the rest, was trying to read. It chanced that her book was on a subject requiring some attention, which she found it impossible to bestow in the midst of the in- cessant chatter of her companions. Fanny, it is true, hardly joined in it ; but she listened, and laughed, and gave fair pro- mise, that when she should have been a little 1.58 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. longer accustomed to that kind of conversation, she would be very well able to bear her part. The Misses Thornhill, and a Miss Ford, who had stepped in to pay a morning visit, kept up, however, a very lively dialogue without her aid. They had two or three important matters to discuss. They could not decide whether Mr. Franklin looked best in a brown or a claret coat ; they had not made up their minds whe- ther Mr. Mapleton deserved to be called hand- some or not ; and they were uncertain of the influence which a full uniform would have upon Captain Nugent's beauty, for beautiful they all pronounced him to be. During their argument. Miss Denham fell into a reverie concerning the education of wo- men . — what part of it was so radically defec- tive or injurious as to cause such a woful mis- application of their powers, such ill-regulated thoughts. It was not, that they were not sup- plied with sufficient knowledge ; because she THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 159 had no opinion of the knowledge which is ac- quired by compulsion, and forgotten at once, or at the best learned reluctantly, and there- fore imperfectly. She believed that less of opportunity is needful for the acquirement of desired knowledge than is often suppos- ed ; a woman who has been taught to read, write, and cipher, holds in her hand the key to every science, every branch of learning. She doubted if it was wise in any station to do more than enable a woman to help herself to knowledge if she wished for it. Something important must have been omitted in the case of the Thornhills and hundreds like them, to occasion their grievous frivolity. They had received as much moral instruction as was customary, and report spoke favourably of their kindness to their poor neighbours, and of their general behaviour in serious matters. But they could not conceal from the com-, monest observer their inordinate vanity^ and the impatience with which they looked for- 160 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. ward to marriage as the summum bonum. She wished that women could value the ad- miration of the other sex at its exact worth ; or failing that, that they could be convinced their visible efforts to attain it defeated their own end. She was not long allowed to pursue her mu- sings ; for Sarah came up to her to ask where she bought her bonnet, which after a little reflection, she was able conscientiously to in- form her ; and then Emma, in her odd, blunt way, without any preliminary remarks, called out to her, — "I say, do you think I shall ever be married ?" *' To answer you with certainty,**^ replied Miss Denham, " I must first ask you a ques- tion which would otherwise be very ill-bred." " Oh ! never mind ! What is it?" said Emma. " Have you any fortune ! '"* " Yes, Uncle Brown left Sarah and me " — " Excuse me ; the amount is not important, — you have money, and you may be married if THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 161 you will. I do not say when you will, nor to whom you will, but married you undoubtedly may be." " La ! how nice ! '* *' Why so ? I have not said you may be loved," said Miss Denham, with some of the abruptness which was occasionally apparent in her manner; but she added with great sweet- ness, " Miss Thornhill's own reflections will suggest to her, that the highest destiny of a woman, to win and retain the affections of a deserving man, must be the result of qualities which money cannot purchase, and for the want of which no wealth can compensate." Both the Thornhills laughed, and Miss Ford did all she could to help yawning. " Do you know," said Emma, " that Mr. Mapleton says you are beautiful." Fanny felt angry, and ashamed of herself for the feeling ; what right had she to be en- vious of Miss Denham for possessing Mr. Ma- pleton's good opinion, yet she could not help 162 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. wishing that it had been Captain Nugent in- stead, who had so expressed his admiration. But Miss Denham did not seem at all grati- fied by the intelligence ; she rose, and went in search of a book. " Oh ! do stop and talk to us," cried Emma. " I suppose Miss Denham prefers a book to our conversation ; it is not very flattering," sneered Miss Thornhill. " Commend me to those ingenious people who contrive to make your next movement, whatever it may be, awkward by their remarks." Miss Denham knew not whether to go or stay. Fanny settled the point by pulling her into the large arm chair into which she had coiled herself. " You can't deny that Mr. Mapleton ad- mires you vastly," said Emma, pertly. *' The old quiz gets quite animated when you come near him ; and I have heard him say all sorts of flattering things about you. He vowed you THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 163 had the most intellectual eyes he ever saw — full of poetry, or something ; think of that, when nobody else can get so much as the ghost of a compliment from him ! " " He does me honour," said Miss Denham, coldly. " I wish he had said half as much of me,'' said Fanny. " So do I ! " said Sarah, smiling malici- ously. Miss Denham wondered if this was the con- versation she was expected to prefer to Bul- wer's Rienzi ; just come out, too. She sighed, and resigned herself. " Now just tell me. Miss Denham — " Em- ma began. " Speak, sad brow, and true maid," inter- posed Fanny. " Tell me, if i\Ir. Mapleton was to propose to you, would you accept him ? " " Pardon me if I say that is a question which you ought not to ask, nor I to answer," 164 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. said Miss Denham, coldly ; but the bright blush that mantled on her cheeks showed how keenly she felt the impertinence. " For shame, Emma ! " cried Fanny. Emma exulted ; it was her delight to make any one blush. Out on the man who can make such a boast ! — but for the woman Sarah sneered : no, there is a word to de- scribe her vulgar laugh. Shall I lose caste altogether, if 1 say that she sniggered ? " Why, really. Miss Denham," she said, " one sees what all this must come to, this profound admiration on both sides. It might not be amiss to get up your reply ; it might save you some trouble when the time came." Disgust was eloquently painted on Miss Denham's face, as she replied, " If you ima- gine that this style of conversation is agreeable to me, I beg you will undeceive yourself with- out loss of time." "Oh! yes — yes — of course, we under- stand," said Sarah, ironically. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 165 *' Perhaps,*' said Miss Ford, " we can hardly expect Miss Denham to make any confessions at so early a stage of the proceedings." "What proceedings, and with whom?"' asked Miss Denham, haughtily. Miss Ford quailed beneath her eye. " Why, between you and Mr. Mapleton," cried Sarah, boldly. " Are you not somewhat ashamed. Miss Thornhill, to make unauthorised use of the name of any gentleman in connection with any lady ? Is there not to be some reserve, some modesty among us, even when we are alone?"" " And who, or what is Mr. Mapleton, I won- der, that one is not to mention his name ! " exclaimed Sarah. " Don't speak a word against Mr. Maple- ton,'" cried Fanny ; " he is the cleverest man in the world, and the kindest too." " Miss Thornhill is quite right," said Miss Denham, " in supposing that it would have been equally improper to have made use of the name of any other person in the same way."" 166 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. Perhaps it was very well for the peace of all parties that the gentlemen were seen coming up the sloping lawn that reached to the house, with dogs and gamekeepers, and well-filled bags. The Misses Thornhill were out on the terrace in a moment, carrying with them Miss Ford, under pretence of showing her a curious gera- nium. It might just possibly have done them some good if they had heard the remarks which passed among the gentlemen, as they descried the fair creatures coming leisurely for- ward to meet them. Mr. Franklin pointed them out to Mr. Denham, and asked him if he meant to take pity upon the poor Emma who had besieged him so vigorously for the last few days. Mr. Denham laughed heartily, and requested to know if Mr. Franklin supposed him to be out of his senses, that he should marry a girl who was ready to throw herself at the head of any man who could keep a carriage for her ; and such a dowdy as she was, too ! THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 167 Mr. Franklin swore at her thick ankles ; but vowed at the same time that the other one with the black brows was worse, and that she persecuted Mr. Mapleton to that degree, that he must give in sooner or later. Mr. Denham offered to bet a pair of gloves that she would not succeed ; he would not risk more than half a crown upon the jade. Mr. Franklin took the bet, and went to tell Mr. Mapleton of it ; who solemnly promised that if he won, he would keep him in gloves for the term of his natural life. There was a great deal of laughing among the gentlemen at this, and as soon as they came within speaking dis- tance the young ladies were very anxious to know what had made them all so merry. Mr. Franklin accounted for his mirth by relating an old jest out of a newspaper. Mr. Mapleton went directly into the house; and Mr. Denham in a low voice denied to Emma that he had laughed at all, and went on to gather her a nosegay which he requested she 168 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. would wear at dinner, accompanying every fresh flower that he put into her hand with the most extravagant nonsense that man could utter. Fanny and Miss Denham remained alone. Don't mind her,'''' said Fanny, looking towards the window ; " why shouldn't you admire Mr. Mapleton ? — I am sure I do, with all my heart." Miss Denham could not but fancy that Mr. Mapleton had more to do with Fanny's heart than she herself imagined ; and she was a bystander, and therefore proverbially skilled in reading the game of life. She said that it was certainly foolish to mind the remarks of silly people — but they were just the remarks she always did mind. Wise remarks might be disagreeable, but they could be useful ; whereas from silly observations you reaped nothing but the vexation. She thought it was a bad habit to jest on the subject of love and marriage, partly because they were not THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 169 jesting subjects, and partly because it was very injurious for girls to think of nothing else. Fanny thought it was a vulgar habit; but she wished to know why Miss Denham objected to it : she supposed girls mostly wished to be married. " Then," said Miss Denham, " they by no means wish for a positive good, but in many cases a great and lasting evil. Now it does not speak well for their sense to desire in the abstract so uncertain a thing ; and this habit induces girls to angle for the admiration, if not for the hand, of every eligible man they meet with. This is another proof of want of sense ; for although every sensible woman will prize the good opinion of men of talent and high character, the admiration of most men is be- stowed upon qualities for which a woman has little reason to esteem herself. They admire cowardice, they admire ignorance, they admire trifling, they admire an elaborate toilet (to produce which, more time, thought, and money VOL. I. I 170 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. are expended than most women have any right to spare) ; they admire high attainment in accom- plishments, though they know it has been pur- chased by the sacrifice of most important duties ; they admire ill-temper, if it is prettily dis- played, and not directed against themselves; they admire what they cannot respect, and women unluckily would rather be admired even a little, than respected very much. " You think, then," said Fanny, colouring a little, " that a love of admiration is wrong?" " Injurious, I do think it, particularly a love of personal admiration. It grows with what it feeds on, so that after a time, nothing but the grossest flattery can satiate the restless cravings of vanity. You know the lines — " No flattery, prince ; it is the death of virtue ; Who gives it, is of all mankind the lowest, Save he who takes it." " And it is not more true," said Fanny, " that it mocks the meat it feeds on ; for I am sure nothing is more unsatisfactory than flattery." ■V THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 171 " Yes, to you who have begun to acquire a taste for better things : and that is the inva- luable use of literature to a woman ; for as it gives her a taste for the acquirement of know- ledge, and the society of intelligent people, it makes her independent of all paltry encomiums ; she cannot prize the approbation bestowed upon her face, when she knows the comparative value and duration of mental attainments." " Besides,'' said Fanny, « Mr. Mapleton says it is wrong to neglect the cultivation of our faculties." " And so it is," replied Miss Denham, *« God has made a beautiful world, and has given to certain men the power of producing beautiful works ; but yet so httle natural love have we for the beautiful, that unless our minds are instructed to perceive and appreciate the wonders of Nature and art, we remain wholly ignorant of them — thus one great faculty is marred for want of use.'' " Shocking!" said Fanny. I 2 y 172 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. " We deny ourselves much pleasure through our ignorance," continued Miss Denham, *' but we also limit our sphere of usefulness. People who have not their bread to earn, have still great duties to perform. And though history or ethics may not seem to have much connection with the daily business of life, yet it is by the exercise they afford to a young woman's mind, that she is enabled to come to a right decision upon more practical subjects." " Go on !" said Fanny ; " tell me more uses for learning, that I may know what to say to the Thornhills when they try to persuade nie to be a fool/' " There is another benefit to be derived from it," repHed Miss Denham, " which I wonder does not suggest itself to these girls. It is evi- dent, that their sole aim is to be married. Does it never occur to them that it is essential for a mother to be well-informed, in order to inform her children, and to retain a salutary influence over them when they are grown up ? THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 173 Are they desirous that their sons should look upon them with contempt or disgust? I do not use the cant expression ' well educated;' because a woman may have been driven through a round of accomplishments and languages, without deriving the least advantage from the process. I mean that she should have studied and thought for herself. They would probably answer me, that they would never be reduced to the disgrace of being too poor to huy educa- tion for their children ; but what taught lesson can be so effectual in forming a child s mind, as the constant habit of hearing intelligent and sensible conversation, of being gradually, in- sensibly trained to a desire for knowledge by its mother ? I need not remind you that the mothers of almost all our distinguished men have been superior women/' " That fact, alone,"' said Fanny, " might make women more careful of their own edu- cation.*' " But is it so?" said Miss Denham : " do 174 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. you not see girls in our station, for the most part, waiting about until they shall be married, as if their youth were an idle ten minutes before dinner, instead of diligently storing their minds then, lest they should not have time or facilities to do so afterwards ? Still more do they neglect the education of the heart. They think only of themselves — they make no sa- crifices, they exercise no self-command, and they enter upon the most complicated and diffi- cult career, that of a wife, guiltily unfitted for performing the least of their duties. I grant that if they love, they learn ; but it is a rare thing, love, depend upon it." Fanny blushed — how much had love to do with her marriage ? She hastened to change the subject, and asked why, " as beauty was a gift of God, she might not value it as highly as talent ? " " God has given to men," replied Miss Den- ham ; "the power to be good, and the power to be wise; but both results are only to be THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 175 obtained by great exertion : now, do you not think it is natural to prize that for which we strive, above that which is ours without effort ?" " To be sure," said Fanny. " Luncheon is ready, young ladies," said Mr. Mapleton, coming in at the moment, " and Captain Nugent is waiting for Fanny's com- mands." '* And I say," cried Fanny, catching hold of his hand, " we have been talking so much sense, we two, that you would have been astonished." " Hardly, at Miss Denham," he replied. " It would be a charity, indeed, if Miss Den- ham would put a little reason into your head." " That is what I have been trying to do," said Miss Denham, '* but in so large a dose, that I am afraid it will go in at one ear and out at the other — the fate of all large doses of advice." " Dr. South, and his sermon, to wit," said Fanny. 176 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. " That is the way she always announces one of her tales," said Mr. Mapleton, laughing ; " what do we know about Dr. South and his sermon." " Why, when Queen Anne said, ' she wished he had had time to make it longer,' he replied, * that if he had had time he would have made it shorter.' " The conversation at luncheon was as edify- ing as usual. Miss Denham wondered that the people themselves did not get tired of making such silly remarks, and laughing at them. Her great amusement was to observe how completely Mr. Mapleton managed to avoid being drawn into gossip with Sarah Thornhill. " I thought," said Sarah faintly to him, " that you never went out shooting." «' Who I .?" said Mr. Mapleton, who was busily selecting a plate of ripe mulberries for Miss Parr. «' Yes, I think you said so ; I suppose this lovely morning tempted you to begin." THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 177 " No," said Fanny, " he had eaten up all his own books, and he did not like to begin upon papa's, lest they should be missed ; so he went out shooting, to keep him out of harm's way." " A delightful amusement, is it not?" said Sarah to Mr. Franklin. " What 's delightful ? '* he asked abruptly, not being by any means distinguished for the courtesy of his manners. " Such an interesting pursuit shooting is ! " she went on to say ; " my brother Henry is so dotingly fond of it — he does nothing else all the season. Edwin is very fond of it, too, only he has no time. Do you know, Henry brought home five-and-twenty birds the first day." " Bagged five-and-twenty brace !" Mr. Franklin echoed, eating with prodigious fer- vour. " Oh ! not five-and-twenty brace,^ said Miss Thornhill, who wanted the delicate perception I 5 178 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. to be aware that her neighbour cared not one straw for the information she was doling out to him — only five-and- twenty birds ; and Lord H says he is the best shot of his age he ever saw. We are very intimate with Lord H ; he is very fond of music. Edwin has a very fine voice; Lord H prefers it to IvanhofiTs. " Lord H ! hem ! " muttered Mr. Frank- lin ; who knew that Lord H bore about the worst character of any nobleman in Eng- land ; but then he was a Lord ! He could get better music at the Thornhills' than he could anywhere in his neighbourhood ; and when he did not care to be at the trouble of going to London for it, he honoured the Thornhills with a visit, which would have been refused with contempt by almost any gentleman in the county. " It is impossible to exist without music, in the country," said Sarah ; " don't you think so?" THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 179 " Have some of this?" was all Mr. Frank- lin's reply, as he plunged a spoon into a dish of jelly before him. Captain Nugent wished to know if Fanny would walk after luncheon. She had not the least idea — she had not given it a thought — it was too much trouble to decide — he should settle for her. He looked delighted, and said, " as it was so very fine he thought that she could not do better." " No, it was too hot," she found out on a sudden. " Well then, would she prefer riding?" " Did he not see that must be worse, this broiling day ?" " Should he read to her in the summer- house ?" " No, she had taken a dislike to books for the present." " Oh ! do walk, love," said Emma, implor- ingly, hoping to secure a beau to herself, if that plan were decided on. 180 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. " Well, I don't know," said Fanny ; " but where can we walk to ?" " The road to Copsley is very shady," said Captain Nugent. *' Yes, and that way we meet all the stage coaches, and get covered with dust," exclaim- ed Fanny. " Well, but on the heath, near Brindlesham ; there is always a breeze over those downs." " Yes, and not a tree to be seen," cried Fanny. " But with your parasol," urged Captain Nugent ; " and see, it is clouding over al- ready." *' Why then, it will rain, and we shall be wet through," said she, turning away. At this moment she caught Mr. Mapleton's eyes fixed upon her with a look of displeasure, almost, she feared, of contempt ; so she turned back to Captain Nugent with a most gracious smile, and reminded him that " as his mother was expected that afternoon, it would be hard- THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 181 ly right to walk, lest they should be out when she arrived." At this piece of sudden consideration, the Captain snatched her hand and pressed it to his lips, before she had time to extricate it ; and Mr. Mapleton gave her such an approving glance as she passed him, that she could think of nothing else for hours to come. 182 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. CHAPTER X. Her only fault, and that is faults enough, Is that she is intolerably curst. Taming of the Shrew, It was dusk, and the party at the Hall were collected in the drawing-room before dinner, waiting the arrival of their guests. Fanny and Captain Nugent were seated at a window, which the former had insisted upon having unbarred and uncurtained, that she might hear, for seeing was out of the ques- tion, the first approach of the carriage. Fanny was a notable fidget, — all spoiled children are. " That is the sound of wheels," she said. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 183 pushing open the window ; the air blew in, Captain Nugent shut it, quickly down again. " Why did you shut it, when I wanted to listen ? " she cried. " I was afraid you would take cold." " Recollect," she said, " that if I do not like your mother, I retract." The Captain laughed ; partly from having fine teeth, and partly from a conviction that it must take agreat deal to make ayoung lady reject him. " How long they are on the road ! " said Fanny. " What is it o'clock ?" The Captain held his watch to the fire-light. " Half past seven." " Only that ? Oh, do something ! Play or sing, to make the time pass." A guitar was lying near. Captain Nugent took it up, and began preluding. " Why, you do play ! " cried Fanny, asto- nished, " and you never told me of it." He sang her a Venetian air ; Tamburini himself had not a more faultless intonation. 184 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. "Oh! the delicious song !**** cried Fanny; sing it again ! '* He obeyed, of course. Mr. Mapleton was a little behind the couch on which Miss Denham was sitting. She look- ed up when the song began, and then bent down her stately head again with an expression of indifference. Every movement she made was expres- sive, from the fine quiet turn of her throat, to the accidental lifting up of one of her marble hands. " You were thinking of Philip of Macedon," he said in a low voice. She started. " Of his reproof to Alexander ? Are you a necromancer, Mr. Mapleton ? " " Not quite ; but it is plain you do not like men to be musicians." " Oh ! in reason ; but sometimes, like Phi- lip, I wonder they are not ashamed of playing so well." Fanny and Captain Nugent were flirting at a great rate. He was tuning the guitar, and THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. l8o Fanny playfully trying to put the strings out of tune. While she raised her eyes archly to his face, and laughed at his perseverance, he looked down on her, delighted with her nonsense. Mr. Mapleton grew out of all patience. " How cursedly vain she has become of late ! " said he, hastily. " O Mr. INIapleton ! what a word ! " said Miss Denham. " What a true one ! " he replied. " Ah ! " cried Fanny, throwing down the guitar; " there is my peacock ! He is walk- ing under the window, all over my flower-bed ! Oh dear ! " '- Stay,*" said Captain Nugent, holding her back ; " you are not going after it yourself?"'' '* I am, I tell you ; let me go ! " " This cold night ! let me ring for the servants." " No, they will drive it, and hurt it ; nobody shall touch it but me." 186 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. " Indeed you are very unwise, and it can do no mischief at this time of year." " No ? O my dahlias ! and the chinaasters, I tell you!" " But let me —" She escaped from him, and ran out of the room. Everybody was in a bustle. The Ge- neral started out of his easy chair half awake, and swore, as was sometimes his habit, when he learned what was the matter ; Captain Nu- gent snatched down his cloak from the hall, and ran after. It was some minutes before he could find her, as it was quite dark, and it was not until they had lodged her pet in the poul- try-yard, that she consented to return to the house. As they hurried into the hall, a carriage drove up to the door, the steps were flung down, a young man sprang out, and assisted a majestic lady to alight. Fanny stood muf- fled in the large cloak, fairly taken by sur- prise ; her satin shoes stained with the black THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 187 mould of the flower-beds, and her long hair, from which the comb had fallen in her race, hanging dishevelled over her figure. A pretty condition she was in, to be introduced to her haughty-looking mother-in-law ! Mrs. Nugent, after embracing the Captain, turned round coldly enough, and said with indifference, " There 's Henry somewhere." Henry came forward, and greeted his bro- ther with great warmth. Mrs. Nugent took up her glass, and stared hard at Fanny. It was with a pride that her disordered toilet could not diminish, that Captain Nugent extri- cated Fanny from the folds of his cloak, and presented her to his mother. " Miss de Lacy ! I am perfectly asto- nished!" was her pleasant reception of the news. Fanny courtesied slightly and offered no explanation respecting her appearance ; but when Henry Nugent, vath a manner at once 188 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. graceful and diffident, said, in a voice of re- markable sweetness, that he needed no intro- duction to a lady with whom his brother's let- ters had rendered him already familiar, she suffered her beautiful lips to unbend into a smile, and told him in confidence that she had been hunting her peacock, but that she had not time now to stay and tell him the particu- lars, because she must run and dress for dinner. She then flew upstairs, and left the Captain to introduce his relatives to the rest of the party. "What a frivolous little creature!" ex- claimed Mrs. Nugent, rustling her satin pelisse as she sailed into the drawing-room. " What an angel \" whispered Henry to his brother. " But really, ma*am, what do you think of her.?" asked the Captain, who had obtained an entrance into his mother's dressing-room, as her maid was determining the final pose of her silvery toque. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 189 ^' Oh ! don't ask me, Frederic!" said Mrs. Nugent, looking full in the glass. "Isn't she beautiful?" pursued her son, leaning on her chair. " Rather pretty for an undistinguished coun- try girl," said Mrs. Nugent, coldly ; " 1 used to think you a good judge of beauty; but I suppose yout mind is made up." " Made up !" echoed the Captain in dismay. " Oh ! I suppose so," said Mrs. Nugent, rising with an injured air : '' come, don't let us keep the people down stairs waiting for dinner. Give me your arm, unless you wish to wait on the stairs until your Dulcinea makes her ap- pearance ! " Captain Nugent, looking very much morti- fied, escorted his mother down stairs ; and she joined the company with a heroic aspect ; as if it was a great merit to make people uncom- fortable. Nobody ever took a more intense pleasure in saying disagreeable things than Mrs. Nugent 190 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. — it would have been really cruel to have deprived her of it. In the evening, as she was seated by the General, she took occasion to remark how very short Miss de Lacy was. '' Oh ! very," said the General, absently : he evidently cared nothing about it. This was enough to put the good lady out of temper, as she meant her observation to annoy him. Captain Nugent was standing near. " People think her so, at first," said he, " because her figure is so slight and sylph-like ; but in reality she is rather tall than otherwise." " I beg your pardon, Frederic," said his mother, stiffly. Fanny came up at the moment. " What was that last song you gave us. Miss de Lacy ?" inquired Mrs. Nugent. *« ' Vivi tu^'' " replied Fanny, sitting down by her side. *' Oh ! I did not hear a word of it ; but I THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 191 believe it is the fashion for young ladies not to speak the words of their songs — one never bears them." " It is a very bad fashion, then," said Fanny, laughing. " I suppose you never had any good instruc- tion," pursued Mrs. Nugent. '' Never," replied Fanny, cheerfully ; " that is a pleasure I propose to myself the first opportunity.''' " Hem ! it is almost a pity, I think, to exhi- bit, before you have been properly trained to it!" " Quite a pity," replied Fanny, " except to those who are content with hearing me in my present imperfect state." " I have often heard Frederic say," conti- nued Mrs. Nugent, " that there was nothing he detested so much as amateur singing of every description, and that nothing would ever induce him to marry a woman who performed on any instrument." 192 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. If Fanny had been seriously attached to Captain Nugent, she might have been very much vexed at this announcement ; as it was, she could scarcely help laughing. " How comes it, Captain Nugent,'"* said she, looking up archly at him, " that you sing yourself, since you have such a horror of ama- teurs; were you ever intended for the stage?"*' Mrs. Nugent sat choking with horror and indignation; a Nugent intended iov the stage ! it was past a jest ! The Captain tried to laugh off his vexation, and whispered to Fanny that whatever might have been his previous opinions, her heavenly voice had long ago made a convert of him. Mrs. Nugent then began to review the com- pany. " Frederic," said she, " who is that Mr. Mapleton ? Is he connected with the Mapletons, of Mapleton Lodge ? " «' I don't think he is," said her son. " Then who, in the name of goodness is he ?^^ cried the Lady, "General de Lacy introduced THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 193 him as one of his most distinguished friends, and said he need only mention his name to make me acquainted with him. Of course, I took it for granted that he was of some high family." " The great barrister, you know,"'' said her son. " Great Heaven !" exclaimed Mrs. Nugent, casting up her eyes ; " a man who lives by his wits !" " By his unrivalled intellect, madam V^ ex- claimed Fanny, with flashing eyes. " Oh ! pardon me : I was not aware you had so near an interest in the gentleman," said Mrs. Nugent : ** I hope my son admires your enthusiasm," she added, bitterly. "I do ! " said Captain Nugent, with more energy than he usually employed. Fanny almost loved him for saying so. Mrs. Nugent scowled at them both. " Who is that girl on the ottoman, laughing with that young man .?" she pursued. VOL. I. K 194 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. " That is Miss Emma Thornhill," replied Fanny. " A friend of yours ? " " Don't say a friend!'' whispered Captain Nugent. " Oh ! is there a mystery ? don't let me inter- fere ! " said Mrs. Nugent, sourly. " The young lady is an acquaintance of mine," said Fanny, " and Captain Nugent did not wish me to bestow on her a title, which I think," said she, (with a pretty smile, and something of a blush,) " he did not consider her quite deserving of." " Loveliest ! " exclaimed Captain Nugent, bending over her with devoted admiration. " Upon my word, the young ladies of the present day have a tolerable opinion of them- selves!" cried Mrs. Nugent, trying to look Fanny into atoms. '* One of them, at least, has cause," said the Captain, pressing Fanny's hand. Before Mrs. Nugent had been three days at THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 195 the hall, she had contrived, by dint of a little ingenuity, to say something disagreeable to every one in the house, from the General, down to the housemaid who came to light her fire in the morning. There was not a creature who would not have been delighted at her departure, but unluckily that sort of person is always a fix- ture. She was intolerably lazy, too ; and, for an indolent person, it was quite extraordinary the number of things she required. It was a standing jest among the gentlemen, that if they met each other hunting over the house for any- thing, they w^ere sure to know it was for Mrs. Nugent. " What are you looking for ?" " Mrs. Nugent's bag." ** Have you seen the Persian footstool ? " " No : who wants it ? " " Mrs. Nugent." When she was alone with the ladies she was quite as unsparing of her directions, and w^ould call Miss Denham from her drawing to fetch K 2 196 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. her scissors, or Fanny from the piano to look for her smelling-bottle, without the slightest hesitation. Nothing hurt her feelings so much as to hear any one praised — she could scarcely forgive it. The General seriously offended her one day by calling Miss Denham a fine girl. '' A^ery plain," Mrs. Nugent thought : " lady- like, but sadly plain." The General could not agree with her : *' Who could be plain, with those eyes ? " " Grey eyes," Mrs. Nugent believed. The General went on to assure her that she had great powers of conversation, and was very highly accomplished. She did not see what business young ladies had to be so learned ; ill her opinion Miss Denham was rather pedan- tic, for " she was poring over an enormous book the other day, which she found on in- quiry to be a volume of Calderon : she did not see the use of young people's reading Spanish plays, and those sort of things !" THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 197 Then she called across the room, and '' trou- bled Miss Denham to look for her worsted work.""* There was one delightful circumstance to those connected with this lady : in many cases, whatever you did, was quite sure to be wrong ; therefore you could act as you pleased, without any reference to her whims. Captain Nugent, who knew his mother pretty well, never saw Fanny doing penance by her side, without contriving by some excuse or other to draw her away. One morning, Mrs. Nugent had been holding forth to her for a considerable time on the importance of people of family marrying into families as good as their own, and boasting more than enough of the antiquity and splendour of her own genealogic tree ; and poor Fanny had been wistfully looking out of the window at the bright morning that was so wearily passing away, when Captain Nugent came in, and begged Fanny to take a few turns with him 198 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE, on the terrace before luncheon, — she would find it quite chilly riding, if she did not get warm with walking first. '' Miss de Lacy was in the midst of a very interesting conversation with me," said Mrs. Nugent, shutting her mouth up firmly. '* Yes, my dear mother, but such a bright morning — I thought." " Oh ! pray let Miss de Lacy decide," said Mrs. Nugent. Fanny, afraid of offending the stately lady, said she would remain with her, and Captain Nugent went away, looking very disconsolate. " Not very flattering to my son," said Mrs. Nugent, bitterly. Fanny gained experience, and took her own way next time, seeing that in such cases only one party was discontented ; before, both had been equally vexed. There was one thing in which Mrs. Nugent really provoked the General. Fanny's picture was finished, and the whole THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 199 party were enchanted with it — even Cap- tain Nugent vowed that it was as perfect as the original. Mrs. Nugent '* could not see the slightest resemblance — it was a very vul- gar, awkward looking thing, hut, not in the least like Miss de Lacy ;" the tone of her voice implying, that seeing it was vulgar and awkward, it was rather remarkable that it did not resemble Miss de Lacy. The General made the usual remark, that it was strange how people differed about like- nesses ; but that every one, without exception, had been quite astonished at Mr. H 's success. " Mr. H ! oh ! no wonder, then ! " said Mrs. Nugent, with contempt. " I believe he is one of the first artists of the day — is he not. Miss Denham ?" said the General. Miss Denham believed that Mr. H was generally considered a very graceful and successful portrait-painter. " If he had a fault. 200 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. it was, that he idealized his portraits too much. She had never before heard him charged with vulgarity/' Mrs. Nugent deigned no reply ; she merely repeated^ as those sort of people always do, that the picture was in horrid taste, very vul- gar, and so forth ; but no wonder, as Mr. H had painted it. Happily Mr. H had left the Hall, and thus was spared one out of the thousand annoy- ances that are heaped on portrait-painters by the undiscerning or the malicious, until they have wrunfj from the world at laroje an acknow- led^ment of their indisputable fame. The kind world being ever too eager to crush the first dawnings of genius, by contempt or neg- lect ; and often, it is to be feared, succeeding in its endeavour, where the quality of the mind i« too frail and delicate for the precious fruit to ripen, unaided by indulgence or applause. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 201 CHAPTER XL For revels, dances, masks, and merry hours Forerun fair love, strewing her v^^ay with flowers. Loves Labour Lost. Fanny and Henry Nugent soon became excellent friends. She escorted him about the park, — showed him her pets, her garden, her boat, her books ; sang to him as long as he liked; talked to him, walked with him, and one day actually told him to take her into dinner. He already began to call her " Fan- ny," when his mother was not by, and never seemed so happy as when he was by her side. Captain Nugent took it all in good part; S02 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. he was very fond of his brother, and de- lighted to see that Fanny paid him so much attention. Sometimes, indeed, he broke up their conferences rather abruptly, telling Henry that he was an unconscionable fel- low, and that upon his honour he should not engross Miss de Lacy in that way : on which occasions Henry took refuge with Miss Denham. Emma Thornhill had announced her inten- tion of screaming, if he ever came near her with that frightful hunchback ; for which re- mark she was repaid by Miss Denham with a look of scorn, that it would be rather diffi- cult to coin into words. But Henry Nugent, whose perceptions were painfully acute, knew well who to avoid, and at a glance singled out those who seemed indif- ferent to his personal defects; and with Miss Denham, her brother, and Mr. Mapleton, he displayed powers of conversation that some- times astonished himself. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 203 Henry Nugent, like most persons who la- bour under any personal defect, was passion- ately fond of animals. He had an immense Sierra INIorena dog, that followed him every- where, and always slept in his room, a very common and dirty practice with young men. Elshender, in the exquisite tale of " The Black Dwarf," was not more attached to his goats, than Henry to his magnificent and faithful Leon. Fanny, who had taken a great fancy to the creature, never rested till she obtained permision for Leon to take up his residence in any room where his master might be ; libra- ry, drawing-room, breakfast-room, gallery, all were lawfully placed at the disposal of the Spanish stranger ; the only dog in the house, except her own Blenheim. Mrs. Nugent was very much disgusted ; but Fanny, having coaxed into acquiescence the three potentates who had a right to mur- mur, the housekeeper, her father, and aunt Parr, cared nothing for Mrs. Nugent's bitter 204f THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. looks or words, although she was lavish of both. Perhaps this circumstance, more than anything else, raised Fanny to the rank of a divinity in Henry Nugent's opinion. " I say, Henry," said Fanny, stealing up to him, as he sat reading, with Leon's paws on his knees, " listen to me : I have a scheme in my head." *' What is it ? anything I can do ? " " Promise me you will not tell your mo- ther ? " " I will not, indeed." " Well, I am going to beg Papa to give a great ball." '' And shall you succeed ? " " Oh ! yes. I shall teaze him into it, some- how or other." *' Well, I shall like to see you dance." " Ah ! you will see dancing, then," said Fanny, laughing ; '' but what fun it will be ! and next to that, will be the fun of seeing Mr. Mapleton dance ; I mean to make him." THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 205 " If you can,*" said Henry. " Nonsense ; now do you stay there till I come back, and then we will talk it all over." " I will bet you what you like you don't succeed ! " said Henry Nugent. " Done ! " cried Fanny, running back to shake hands upon it. " A pair of gloves ! " said Henry. " What is all this ? " said the Captain, com- ing up to them at the moment. " A wager ! Don't tell him, Henry, till I come back," said Fanny, as she left the room. " What success .f^" asked Henry, a moment after, when she returned. " I shall wear your gloves at the ball," said Fanny ; " so take care to get them ready. I hope, Captain Nugent, you like dancing, for cards are to go out to-day for our ball." " The first dance with you ? " he asked. " Hem, — yes," said Fanny. '* Now that 206 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. it is settled, now you may go and tell every one about it."" *' Oh ! is this true, dear ? " cried Emma Thornhill, running up to Fanny, — *' this lovely news?" *' Quite true," said Fanny. " Only think how delightful ! but, dear, you must mind to have plenty of beaux at the ball ; a ball without beaux never goes off well." " You may be sure I shall take no trouble about it ; somebody else will manage every- thing," said Fanny. " Is there no nice regiment near ? " said Emma; "those dear officers do so enliven everything ! " " I don't know," said Fanny ; " ask Cap- tain Nugent." The Captain could not tell, upon his honour. " A delightful amusement dancing is ! "' said Sarah to Mr. Franklin. " Do you think so ? I hate it ! " he replied, in his usual blunt way. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 207 The two sisters soon went up into their dress- ing-room, to write to their milliners, and talk over the expected benefits of the ball. Most likely somebody would be struck with them before the evening was over ; what with their dress and their dancing, they could not fail to make some resplendent conquest. " Has any one engaged you for the first dance ? " asked Sarah. " No," said Emma, " I wish they had ; I gave the Captain a broad hint, as I was com- ing up stairs." " And I said all I could to Mr. Franklin," replied Sarah : " but I can make nothing of the man ; I never saw such a block in my life!" However, they partly consoled themselves by writing to their milliners in the most mov- ing terms, as we understand. We have not been able to procure the originals of these letters, but tlie copies before us present such a mixture of ignorance and pert familiarity. 208 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE, that we think there is hardly a doubt of their being malicious forgeries. " There is only one thing which distresses me/' said Fanny to Captain Nugent ; " and that is — no, I won't tell you." " Oh, do ! perhaps I can do away with it." " Well then, all the milliners now are bless- ing Papa for giving this ball ; whereas it was all my doing. I was the cause, and they don't know it." " Shall I ride round to every milliner within ten miles, and set them right ? " said the Cap- tain, as soon as he could speak for laughing. "Yes, do, and — oh! hush!" said Fanny, seeing that Mrs. Nugent had just entered the room. " So ! Miss de Lacy, your father is going to give a ball, I hear. It is very strange that in these days people, especially young people, cannot be satisfied with quiet and rational amusements, but must be for THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 209 ever seeking the most expensive and injurious pleasures ?" So saying, Mrs. Nugent sat down with a very indignant air, and after asking for a screen, and a footstool, and the Morning Post, repeated " that she could not imagine what made people so fond of dancing ! — she had not danced these twenty years !" 210 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE, CHAPTER XII. Her part it is, and her professed skill The stage with tragic buskins to adorn, Spenser. Everybody knows that nothing on earth throws a house into such confusion as a ball, unless it be private theatricals. A room must be cleared for dancing, and all the furniture must go somewhere, and all the other rooms are turned and perverted from their lawful uses to serve for refreshment-rooms, card-rooms, re- ceiving-rooms, and Heaven knows what. There was plenty of talking and bustling about these arrangements, and anything that gives people an object in the country is a blessing. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 211 A little while after she had gained her fa- ther's consent, and fortunately before the in- vitations were written, Fanny took it into her head that this ball should be a fancy ball, so that intimation was added to the notes before they were despatched, and then she made known her will to Mr. Mapleton. " Very well, it did not concern him; he should be very much gratified to see the young people in costume : what did she mean to wear ? " " That is not at all to the point," repli- ed Fanny ; " the question is about your dress, for have one you must. Shall I choose it ?" He begged her not to deceive herself; he was quite past the age for those things ; he should dress as he always did. '* Oh ! that was nonsense, he should be a Hamlet — no, there were always so many Ham- lets at those balls ; he should be a Turk, or a Chinese ; or, — no, he should be some character 212 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. to give him the trouble of keeping it up, she liked to give him trouble." " I believe you do," said he, " and every- body else ; I give you warning, that when you are a little older, you will be a second Mrs. Nugent." '' Don't be horrid," said Fanny ; " but you must have something ; even Papa will be in uniform ; you shall be in i/our uniform, you shall have a gown on ; and (with a scream of delight), and a wig ! " '' No, I cannot, my things are in town." " Then write for them,'' said Fanny, push- ing the inkstand near him. " Well, if I must make a fool of myself," said he, taking up a pen ; " what dress am I to write for ? of course I cannot appear in my gown." " Now, that is very nice and kind of you, if you would be so good, — if you would not mind, — to dress up as Mad Tom ?" " Now, Fanny, do you suppose I intend to THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 213 appear garnished with rosemary, like a roast lamb of the olden time ? " *' Well then, Malvolio ; no, you shall be Coriolanus ; no, Sam Weller ; no, Meg Mer- rilies ! Oh ! I vow you shall ; how very funny you would look in a bonnet and a plaid petticoat." " There; 1 have written my order, while you have been guessing. I might have waited all day while you were fixing how I could look the greatest simpleton.'' " Oh ! let me see ! What have you written for ? Give me the note ! " *' Don't flatter yourself," said he, quietly sealing his despatch. No persuasions on her part could get him to tell her what dress he had decided on. It was very provoking, but she was forced to suspend curiosity. She was very gracious to Captain Nugent on the occasion, and after several tete-d'ietes on the subject, she agreed to open the ball 214 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. with him in a bolero ; she even consented, without much opposition, to wear the Anda- lusian costume, and to permit him to do the same. Every morning after breakfast they flew off" to the billiard-room to practise by themselves. Fanny learned the dance very quickly, un- der his tuition. She danced more lightly than a fairy ; but with such a foot, as the captain told her, it was no wonder ; and he vowed she ought to thank him for suggesting the casta- nets, since the black ribbons so adorned her little white fingers. She loved dancing, and therefore was willing to rehearse as often as he pleased ; although she often told him that she did not think he had any business in the world to dance as well as he did ; and that with regard to the foot, she knew it was small, and, therefore, she would save him the trouble of telling her so. The evening before the grand event, the party were for the most part chatting over the THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 215 fire, anticipating the pleasures of the next day ; and so wiling away the time until the packages which they had ordered from town should arrive by the coach. Mr. Mapleton, and Miss Denham from taste, and poor Henry Nugent from compulsion, were sitting apart from the circle. Mr. Maple- ton reading, and Henry and Miss Denham discussino^ the merits of Madame Schroeder Devrient. While he talked, he employed himself in pulling everything out of Miss Denham's drawing-box which happened to be near, and scattering about the pencils, files, and chalks, as men and children invariably do, when they get anything into their hands. Henry Nugent wished to know if Miss Den- ham thought Schroeder plain ? " Oh ! decidedly so ; she was sorry to confess it of a woman of genius, but she could not think otherwise. She had not a feature that was tolerable ; and her complexion was so Ger- 216 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. man — eyes, hair, face, all of one straw colour. And her face and form wanted the high finish which one is apt to ascribe to persons of refined intellect. Was it not strange that she had never in her life seen a man of genius who was what you would call ordinary-looking, whereas almost all the women of genius she had seen were plain undistinguished-looking women.*" '' But, then, so much less beauty was toler- able in a man than in a woman," Henry thought. '* So little is requisite in either case, where there is anything better," said Miss Denham : " the moment Schroeder begins to speak, to feel, were she as beautiful as a Venus it would add nothing to her triumphs — the eloquence of her tones and gestures is so entire, so startling, that her beauty would be overlooked, did she possess it. There is a completeness in her acting that I never met with in any woman's performance — she does not content herself with assuming great energy at certain moments, in order to THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 217 surprise her audience : every word and look belongs to her character, until it becomes an illusion to gaze on her, while her gestures pre- sent a series of the most beautiful and classic designs, which it would require a Grecian sculptor to seize and to perpetuate." " Yes," said Henry Nugent, *' it is sculpture opposed to painting : even the wildest passions in her performance are refined, subdued, ideal- ized. How infinitely greater than the merely imitative efforts of some actors — greater, I think, than Malibran — in Fidelio, which is the only part in which I have seen them both." " Yes, Malibran excelled in giving a sur- prisingly vivid representation of certain mo- ments : she was wonderfully graphic. She startled you with the natural and intense expression of her passion — and people love that, above all higher excellence : you see it daily in painting. An accurate portrait, if it be only a deceptive resemblance of a fan, or VOL. I. L ^18 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. a necklace, or a drop of water, is esteemed by the many, before the most ideal and exalting efforts of art. Malibran is to Scliroeder what Kean is to Macready, Rubens to Raphael : — the glowing and forcible delineation of common feeling, against the divine, the poetical, the intellectual conceptions which blend with the realities portrayed, and raising them in the first instance above our sympathies, finish by raising our sympathies to them." As she talked, she had been sketching roughly on a bit of paper; a group from the prison scene: she did not perceive that Emma was looking over her shoulder. '' Well, my dear," she whispered, "you have got two beaux now. Mercy ! how you have been flirting ! Are you not afraid old Fusby will be jealous?" looking towards Mr. Maple- ton, who was still reading. " I do not know what you mean, Miss Thorn- hill,"" said Miss Denham, looking full, and I confess it, very sternly, into Emma's face. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 219 «' Don't you ?" said Emma, pertly. '' What's this, my love ? " As she spoke, she snatched up the little sketch, and ran off with it to the rest of the company. Henry Nugent started from his chair, his eyes flashing, to go in pursuit of the drawing. '^ No, no — pray do not trouble yourself," said Miss Denham quietly : " I dare say when they have done with it they will return it — there is no hurry;" and she coolly employed herself in putting her pencils back into her drawing-box. Henry muttered certain cabalistic sounds regarding Miss Emma's impertinence. She was amusing, or trying to amuse the party around her by her criticisms upon the sketch. «« La ! what a funny thing ! One leg of this man is shorter than the other, and the boy has only one eye and three fingers to both hands — and shoes, has he ? I don't see the shoestrings : and it would puzzle a philosopher L 2 220 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. to know what it is all about, or why the boy should sit on the ground just by the man's feet, unless it was before chairs were invented ! " These profound remarks were interspersed with long fits of vulgar laughter from herself and Sarah. " I say, Emma," said Miss Thornhill, " do you see a very strong likeness to somebody, in the face of the man ?" *' That I do," said Emma, " a very remark- able likeness, and no wonder." This discovery was fresh food for mirth to both sisters. Miss Denham scarcely seemed to hear them, Henry Nugent was working up into a passion, but did not know exactly how to give vent to it. At this moment, Mr. Mapleton, who had appeared quite absorbed in his book, walked up to Emma, and quietly took the drawing out of her hands, saying quietly, — " Allow me. Miss Thornhill. You can scarcely hesitate to resign it, you who want THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 221 powers of mind even to comprehend such a sketch ; judge then what powers are requisite to produce it." Emma coloured violently, but contented her- self with making faces at him as he turned away. Miss Denham was almost too confused to make her thanks audible. Henry Nugent was delighted beyond mea- sure at Emma's defeat. " A pert shrew ! " he said, " to make a dis- play of her pitiful ignorance, by ridiculing the attainments of her superiors ! " " Hush ! she will hear you," said Kate. " I don't care," he replied ; '' I hope she does. On my word, if she was a chamber- maid her fellow-servants would be ashamed of her." A loud ring at the bell, caused almost every- body in the room to start up — it announced the arrival of the dresses. Miss Denham laughed, and pointed them out to Henry. 222 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE, " All in attitudes ! Oberon's horn could not have had a more striking effect ! " '* Don"*! you go to see what the milliners have done for you ? " he asked. '' No, indeed ! " she replied, " I have no notion of paying such deference to my apparel — it may find its way into my room without my escort." " Fanny, however, claimed Miss Denham's opinion of her choice, and carried her off to her dressing-room. Henry Nugent meanwhile fell into a reverie concerning the length of Miss Denham''s eye- lashes. He admired her, not because she was eloquent and just in her remarks; not because she valued and employed her time ; not because she had cultivated a beautiful art with unusual success; he admired a certain digni- fied and unstudied grace in her manner ; the earnest and flexible expression of her counte- nance, and the distinguished simplicity of her dress. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 223 I would impress upon my sex, in every pos- sible way, the imperative obligation they are under, to inform their minds — to think, as well as to acquire — but not as a means of obtaining general admiration : they must have a higher object, and they will meet a higher reward. 224 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. CHAPTER XIII. For there never yet was fair woman, but she made mouths in a glass. King Lear. Come, musicians, play ! A hall, a hall ! give room and foot it, girls ! Romeo and Juliet. When Henry Nugent went up to his room that evening, he found the bed covered with the gorgeous robes of a cardinal. He had not sent for any dress, and he told his servant to inquire whether some one in the house was not disappointed in an expected costume. No, everybody had a dress ; and the box containing the robes was particularly directed to him. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 225 He tried on the dress, and was not a little pleased with his appearance. Concealing the unfortunate defect of his figure, it seemed formed to display the intellectual and re- fined expression of his face. He began to wish that he could really be a cardinal. I cannot undertake to record how very slowly the next day crept away ; how people longed for luncheon, and longed for dusk, and longed for dinner ; and teazed all the sober busy people with asking what it was o'clock, instead of looking at the timepiece just before them ; and how they fidgetted into the ball-room, and back into the drawing- room, and through the library back into the bail-room again. Miss Denham sighed and shut her drawing- box ; Mr. Mapleton sighed and laid down his book, — it was very hard that those persons who cared least about the ball, should be the most annoyed at it before it came. Mr. Mapleton and Miss Denham sat down L 5 226 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. on the opposite sides of the fire-place, looking very dismal. " I wish this day was over," said Mr. Ma- pleton. " So do I," said Miss Denham. " So do I, and be d d to it !" said Mr. Franklin, who did not love fancy-balls, nor the preparations for them. Then Mr. Denham came in to ask his sister questions about gloves and ribbons for his costume. Then in came Fanny and her lover, Castanet in hand. They had just been trying their dance in the ball-room. Fanny wanted pink ribbons to her castanets, and the Cap- tain was trying to dissuade her from taking off the black ones lest she should not be able to replace them. All he could say was to no purpose, she began to pull them off. Mr. Mapleton got up, and took the cas- tanets out of her hands, saying to Captain Nugent, THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 227 '' I wonder you ever attempt to reason with that child,— it is quite thrown away upon her." Fanny was in a great rage ; she declared she would not dance a step without the pink ribbons ; and then flung herself out of the room into the conservatory. The Captain sat down and patiently employed himself in trans- ferring the pink ribbons to the castanets, and when he had finished his task, he went in search of Fanny, with the most penitent face in the world, as if he had been committing a great offence against her, instead of humouring her unpardonable whims, " What dress have you ordered ?" said Miss Thornhill, smiling sweetly upon Mr. Mapleton. " I really don*t recollect," said he. " What I haven't you ordered one ? " cried Sarah. " Not ordered a dress !" screamed Emma. " I am not so unhappy,** said he : "I wrote for a dress." 228 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. " What, have they disappointed you ?** cried Sarah. "No; I wish they had," he replied shortly. " Why, then, what is it ?" asked Emma= " I have not examined it." " And suppose it don't fit you." " I dare say I shall find plenty of people to keep me in countenance." " What a figure you will look ! "" " That I shall." "I'm going to be a sultana!" said Miss Thornhill looking very grand. " Ay, indeed ! " " I mean to be a broom-girl," said Emma. Mr. Mapleton (accidentally) glanced down at her feet. "O lord! O lord!" ejaculated Mr. Frank- lin hiding his face in his handkerchief. It was a happy moment for the party when they all went up to dress. I have no hesitation in saying that it might THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 229 have been worth five hundred pounds to Sir David Wilkie to see the two Thornhills mop- ping and mowing before the glass while their toilet was in progress. To say that it was the dress of a broom- girl in which Emma was attired, would be a stretch of courtesy that I am not prepared to use. She wore a petticoat of dark blue silk, because the milliner had assured her that stuff would be " so mean for a lady."" She wore a jacket of green silk, like the upper half of a riding habit ; and disdaining the pretty little Bavarian cap, she had her head dressed as usual, with the addition of an enormous bou- quet of roses ; she persisted in wearing white satin shoes, and white kid gloves, with this anomalous costume. Sarah put on a red turban, and a blue jacket, and a yellow petticoat, and a pink pair of drawers, and a green gauze sash ; and then she called herself a sultana ; and both, their toilet finished, approached and retired 230 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. from their glass, turned, twisted, courtesied and smirked, in the most grotesque manner, " to see," as they phrased it, " how their things became them." Fanny was soon down stairs. She cer- tainly could not have hit upon a dress that would more have adorned her rare and delicate beauty. The close black velvet bodice dis- closed the perfect symmetry of her form, and contrasted well with the brilliant fairness of her complexion. The pale blue skirt of rich silk was curtailed enough to give to view the most peerless foot and ancle in the world. A single carnation graced her hair, after the Spanish fashion, gleaming like a crimson star from the transparent folds of her black lace veil. Her whole dress was richly trimmed with black lace. When she went into the drawing-room, she found Mr. Mapleton sitting reading just where she left him. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 231 " Oh ! that everlasting book ! " she exclaimed : *' and you have not dressed yet ?" " Plenty of time ; not a soul come yet,'* he replied, cutting more leaves open. " And are you going to read all you have cut when you ought to be making your toilet, and getting up pretty speeches to say to the ladies to-night : you will make no conquests else, I promise you." " Who, I ? I thought you knew that was quite out of my way," said he, reading on. "Come, don't read!" said Fanny, "the fiddlers are here, and there is a harp and a little piano — such a little sharp one ! I went into the ball-room just now, and played upon it." " You must always be in some mischief! I suppose you went across the floor, and rubbed the chalk flowers off" ! " *' No ! I didn't — for I walked all round the room on the benches." 232 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. " What, before the fiddlers, as you please to call them?" " No, Mr. Crosspatch, for they were at dinner in the kitchen; and meanwhile, having finished dressing before anybody else, I had a fancy to try that tiny piano." He looked up as she spoke, not having noticed her dress before ; and so long and earnestly did he keep his eyes fixed upon her, that for the first time in her life she felt em- barrassed by his gaze. She tried to laugh off her confusion. " Now, Mr. Mapleton, what spiteful thing are you going to say ? It is all to no purpose, because I see that in your heart, you think I look very pretty — that is, rnj/ dress.'''' " I do think that you look ver}' pretty," said he, with emphasis ; " that is, as you say, your dress." She blushed more deeply than before: he threw aside his book and left the room. Soon after the company began to assemble. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 233 As Fanny had predicted, there was a good store of Hamlets — no less than four youths made their appearance in the customary suit of solemn black, with their eyes duly turned up : Fanny wondered if they meant to keep their eyes so all the evening ; particularly while they were dancing quadrilles. Fanny and Captain Nugent stood in a recess at the end of the drawing-room, drawing general attention from their very striking appearance, and their graceful and gorgeous costume. " How glad I am,'' said Fanny, as a very absurd group entered the room, that it is not my business to receive the people. I never could help laughing in their faces. Do look at that girl's head-dress ! " " That is a turban, I presume," said Captain Nugent, having recourse to his eye-glass, like most far-sighted young men — " No ! is it ? Miss Thornhill, I declare." '' I really did not know her," said Fanny, " it is strange how dress alters people." 234 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. " Franklin ! " exclaimed Captain Nugent, as a man in a genuine Persian costume passed by — '* your sultana is arrived !" " My sultana ! " said Mr. Franklin, stopping short. " Lord ! Miss de Lacy — well, really, I never ! — '' He means,"" said Captain Nugent, " that he never saw you looking so very, very beautiful.'' '' Nonsense/' said Fanny, turning away her head. " And you really don't look badly, Nugent," said the complimentary Mr. Franklin ; " that green velvet jacket of yours." " Never mind my jacket — look at your sul- tana : there 's a turban for you ! " "Why, it is Miss Thornhill!'' said Mr. Franklin, disappointed. " Well, it is decidedly your duty to engage her for the first quadrille — her dress makes it indispensable." " No, is it ?" said Mr. Franklin, reluctantly. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 2S5 " You cannot help yourself, my dear fellow, so be off; there, she is waiting for you." '' So she mai/ wait : I don't see why I should ask her. I can't dance in these slippers — I can't dance at all. Miss de Lacy, will you dance with me when you have finished that bolero with Nugent.?" '' What ! in those slippers ! " said Fanny, archly. *' You are caught there, Franklin," said Captain Nugent, laughing. " Well, never mind — do !" pursued Mr. Franklin. <« Very well," said Fanny, highly amused. '' You are very good, I am sure," said Cap- tain Nugent, " to grant a suit so preferred. But as the people seem to have finished their coffee, will you allow me to — " " Oh ! look — what a magnificent Vandyke !" "Ah!" cried Fanny, springing forward, " it is Mr. Mapleton ; I knew he would be better dressed than any one — he always does 286 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. ever}'thing better than anybody else ; does he not, now ?" Captain Nugent smiled. " Don't you mean to be jealous, Frederic?" said Henry Nugent, coming up at the moment. " Who I ? — hardly," replied the Captain. Fanny felt herself colour painfully : she turned the subject. " He is a good boy to wear those robes," she said, turning to Captain Nugent ; " and they suit him, don't they ?" " I think they do," he replied. " Then you sent for them, you little angel !" said Henry, seizing her hand. " And if I did, don't pinch my fingers for it !" said Fanny, laughing. " I have a great mind to be jealous oi you, Henry, I can tell you," said the Captain, as he led Fanny away to the ball-room. He has no cause, thought Henry bitterly ; and wrapping his gorgeous robes around him he sat down, with that achinsj and desolate sense of THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. S37 loneliness which will sometimes oppress even the most favoured among those who suffer from any personal defect. The ball-room was soon thronged with dancers. Captain Nugent proudly led Fanny forth — the music sounded, and they ad- vanced, in all the grace and animation of this most delightful dance. The room was hushed, and when the bolero was finished, and the music ceased, a buzz of admiration, distinct and sweet, broke forth from every side. The young men crowded round to pay their compli- ments ; and as Fanny stood by the side of Captain Nugent, blushing and smiling, and breathless with excitement, she presented a most bewitching picture of» graceful diffidence. Mr. Mapleton stood aloof, and sighed to see her so surrounded. Fanny missed him, and looking round, she caught a glimpse of his dignified figure leaning over Miss Denham's chair. Then the crowd shut him out, and she turned wearily from the 238 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. circle of her admirers, and gave her hand to Mr. Franklin, who claimed her for the next quadrille. '' How well Miss Denham looks to-night," said he, in a pause of the dance. '' She is dressed after Lady Jane Grey in Leslie*'s picture — and her brother, you see, after Dudley — beautiful dresses both.'' " Very," said Fanny. " She is an uncommonly fine girl : I would ask her to dance if she was not so blue — I really would ! " " How very kind ! "*' said Fanny. " To tell you a secret," pursued Mr. Frank- lin ; " I think our learned friend, over there, is not a little epris with the Lady Jane. Fanny started : she had whispered it to her- self, but to hear it stated by another, was ter- rible ; and she could not make out why she was so horror-struck — she was all confusion. '' No, do you ? " she stammered out. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 239 '• Yes, I do ; and I tell you what, Nugent and I have a bet of it." " So certain ! " exclaimed Fanny. " I mean how very odd !— let me sit down ; I am tired." " You do look pale,"' said he, leading her to a seat — " let me fetch you an ice V Her head swam — she took it, not knowing what it was, and put it away without tasting it, a moment after. " That bolero was too much for you," said Mr. Franklin, anxiously. *' Yes, it was," replied Fanny, turning still paler. " I am afraid you are ill," said he, throwing up the window : " let me call." " Oh ! no one ! " said Fanny, hastily ; " if you do," she added, with a woman's readiness, " they will send me to bed like a child, and I shall have no more dancing and pleasure — I am well now." As she spoke, some one shut the window 24:0 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. behind her — she turned to thank him — it was Mr. Mapleton. " You should not be so imprudent/' said he gently ; " you are heated with dancing." " It was my fault," said Mr. Franklin ; *' but I really thought she would faint." " What, tired already ?" said Mr. Mapleton, sitting down by her side ; " you will never do for a fine lady." " I was not tired, but the room was so hot," said Fanny, without lifting up her eyes. " If you will sit here quietly for a little while," said he, " you will be rested ; and I do not think you will find the room warm then." " Don't let me detain you," said she. She addressed her speech to Mr. Mapleton, but he did not seem to take it. Mr. Franklin replied : " Well, I leave }'ou in good hands. Is there any thing I can get for you ? " *' Nothing, thank you,"'' said Fanny. " A glass of w^ater,"" said Mr. Mapleton. ^ THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 241 " You are not yet accustomed," said he, as he gave it to her, " to the intoxicating voice of public applause ; which I know well to be more overpowering than hot rooms, or the most intense physical exertion." " It was not that, either," replied Fanny, sadly. At this moment. Captain Nugent who had been in the card-room, hurried up to her, was shocked to hear that she had been tired, feared he should have to answer for it, hoped she was better, and engaged her for the next quadrille. " Why don't you dance ?"" asked Sarah of Mr. Franklin. " I don't like,'' he replied. " You know you ought," said Emma. " Why .^ Do you want a partner?" he asked. " Yes, very much." " Shall I find you one ?" " If you can." VOL. I. M 24^2 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. " Well, there 's Smith. Here, Smith." One of the Hamlets made his appearance. " Allow me to introduce you, — Miss Emma Thornhill, Mr. Smith ; next quadrille. Make me thankful," he exclaimed, dropping into a seat, as Mr. Smith led off Emma, carrying her brooms for her all through the quadrille. " Miss Denham," said Mr. Mapleton, mak- ing his way to the recess where she was sit- ting, " there is a most singular character in the other room ; nobody can make out whe- ther she is a genuine or a feigned Hindoo. She is just arrived, but no one knows to what party she belongs ; will you come and see her ? " " WiUingly,'"* said she, accepting his arm. " Does not she speak to any one ? " " Not a word ; she turns her large black eyes about, but she does not seem to have the least idea of what is going on." They reached the ante-room at last; al- though the whole company had thronged to THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 243 see the lion of the evening, an unexpected lion too, and therefore, doubly interesting. Under the chandelier in the centre of the room, there stood a slight and elegant Hindoo girl, robed in a long drapery of white muslin, with broad gold stripes. Her complexion was the darkest olive ; her features high and chiselled ; her whole figure a model of flexible and delicate beauty. She wore em- broidered slippers, but no stockings, and her slight ancles were spanned with circles of pure gold. She stood with the most perfect apathy in the midst of the admiring circle, and seemed entirely unconscious of the comments that passed around her ; only now and then she raised her lustrous eyes, that seemed scarcely able to dart their glances through the long fringes that surrounded them. There were questions and answers passed respecting her without end ; but no information was gained from them, and at last the com- M 2 244 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. pany were compelled to return to the ball room, while one of the gentlemen was depu- ted to escort the beautiful stranger to a seat, and offer her refreshments of all kinds. The dancing went on with fresh vigour. Fanny was flying round the room with Cap- tain Nugent, in a galopade. " Why don't you dance. Miss Denham ? '*' asked Sarah, who was standing near her, sul- lenly waiting for a partner. " I never galopade," replied Miss Denham. " Do you mean to dance the next qua- drille ?" she asked. " That depends upon circumstances," said Miss Denham. " Have you been dancing much ?" " Not a step as yet,"' she replied quietly. "" But if you have refused, you know you cannot dance with any one else," said Sarah, maliciously. *' And if I have not refused? how then?" asked Miss Denham, with provoking coolness. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 245 " Oh ! " said Sarah, " I could not suppose you had not been asked ! "" — and she sneered. The quadrille was forming ; somebody was presented to Sarah, and "hoped for the honour of her hand." As she gave it, she turned, and eyed Miss Denham with triumph. Miss Denham saw, and felt the look. She was left as she had been before — unno- ticed. Girls with no beauty, no manners, no birth, no intelligence, were sought and esteemed be- fore her. This, in itself, would have given her no concern, but she was made to feel the awk- wardness of neglect, by the annoying remarks of her acquaintance ; and though she made no effort to attract the attentions of the other sex, it was because she looked on them, not as a fa- vour to be withheld or bestowed at their plea- sure, but as the indisputable right of every well-bred woman. While she was thinking of these things, Mr. 246 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. Mapleton, who had seen Miss ThornhilPs sneer, and guessed its cause, approached her, and begged that she would do him the favour to dance the next quadrille with him. She opened her eyes in astonishment ; Fanny had so often rallied him about his never dan- cing, and had even dared him to undertake a quadrille, she thought he must be jesting ; but he stood composedly waiting her answer, with every appearance of being very much in earnest. " You do me honour," said she, rising, and giving him her hand. He could not have conducted a queen to her station with more proud respect. Miss Thornhill was sadly vexed ; first, to see that Miss Denham had found a partner, and next, that instead of making any blunders, as she fondly hoped he would, Mr. Mapleton went through the dance with an ease and dignity that drew all eyes upon him. It would by no means have diminished her vexation, if she had THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 247 heard the first words he spoke to Miss Denham during the quadrille. He would have done himself the honour of sooner endeavouring to obtain Miss Denhanti as a partner, but he had entirely forgotten the in- tricacies of the dance, and he was obliged to refresh his memory by looking on before he ventured to commit himself by joining in it. So he had literally learned the quadrilles again for the pleasure of dancing with her. If she had not had a very strong head, she would certainly have thought him desperately in love with her. But Miss Denham had a strong head. Mr. Mapleton did not attempt to dance any more that evening ; and though by some strange accident, almost every gentleman in the room came to solicit Miss Denham's hand afterwards, she declined them all, and content- ed herself with looking on for the rest of the evening. Fanny seemed to be in the most buoyant 248 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. spirits ; she danced and laughed, and it must be owned, flirted more than enough. When they went to supper, the lovely In- dian was missing. She was a great benefactress to the ball, for she furnished them with an endless topic of conversation. How such a beautiful creature could have escaped from a crowded ball-room, un perceived by the gentle- men, will not astonish those who notice with what perfect apathy the most brilliant beauties are received in modern societies. And yet there is not much beauty in the world — there certainly is not much perception of beauty; the little that there is finds no appreciation : if there were more it would be wasted. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 249 CHAPTER XIV How atfection grew To this, I know not. Ion. And learning too, not usual with women. Great Duke of Florence. I BELIEVE some people contend that there is no love but love at first sight; that es- teem and liking may be of gradual growth. but that genuine love is kindled by a single glance. I think Shakspeare somewhere quotes from Marlowe, " Who ever loved, that loves not at first sight V and he has illustrated this idea in the most glorious love-song that ever thrilled from a poet's lyre : but in fine contrast, he has M 5 250 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. painted in Desdemona a love as deep, as tender, and more enduring, — a love not born like Juliet's of a single festival, but gently and unconsciously ripened by long and fami- liar intercourse, and fed with tales of chivalry and war. Thus, both kinds exist in nature ; yet I believe that in either case a moment reveals the state of the heart ; some trifle, a tone, a look, a flash of thought, discloses to the " stricken deer," her unsuspected feelings. When Fanny shut herself into her own room that night, her head echoed the airs of the musicians; waltzes and quadrilles chased each other through her brain ; she was too much exhausted to think, and it was not until she woke in the morning that she considered over the events of the ball. The first thing she remembered when she opened her eyes, was that Mr. Mapleton had danced with Miss Denham, — he who never danced, who never icoidd dance, who could THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 251 not be persuaded to walk through a quadrille with any one else, had gone through a set with Miss Denham. And why was she so miserable, so frightened when Mr. Franklin jested on Mr. Mapleton's attachment ? she who was engaged herself, she who was a child to Mr. Mapleton, — she knew he thought her so. Oh, no ! she did not mean to tell herself that she was in love with him. She lay still, trying to arrange her thoughts, to define what she felt — her mind a wilderness. Only one thing seemed clear; she could not, and she would not marry Captain Nugent. That was fixed — that she would determine on ; but, what reason could she assign for her change ? She liked iiim very much ; she should be sorry never to see him again ; but did she love him ? no ; that she could easily settle, — not at least as she did some other people, her papa for instance. She fancied people ought to love their husbands better than any 252 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. one else. She would ask aunt Parr. True, aunt Parr was always praising Captain Nu- gent, but yet, Fanny hoped, she would tell her the truth. Aunt Parr always paid her niece a visit in the morning before she was up. She was very anxious to know how Fanny did after her dissipation. She was sure Fanny had better have her breakfast in bed, she looked feverish ; and aunt Parr smoothed aside the bright masses of hair which escaped from under her nightcap, and, after looking at her niece's unquiet face for some moments, she hoped " Captain Nugent would not patronise balls much." " Aunt I " cried Fanny, catching hold of Miss Parr's hand, " aunt, about Captain Nu- gent ; I hope it is not all quite settled." " Fanny !" exclaimed aunt Parr. " Because," said Fanny, going on very fast, " I am sure, aunt, very sure I shall never love him ; he is very well for a mere acquain- THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 253 tance ; but O aunt Parr ! I can't marry hira, and I won't P and here her courage gave way, and she burst into tears. " Have you quarrelled with him, Fanny ?" " No, aunt," said Fanny wiping her eyes, " not since that quarrel about the gunpowder that he wouldn't get me." " Oh ! that is past and gone," said aunt Parr taking heart. " Yes, aunt," said Fanny firmly ; her mind seemed made up. "My dear Fanny — break off the match ! impossible !" exclaimed her aunt. " I don't know what impossible means," said Fanny ; " I never found anything so." " Your papa will never hear of it." " He must : I will tell him myself," said Fanny boldly. " Such an advantageous match !" exclaimed aunt Parr folding her hands. " What right has he," cried Fanny pas- sionately, " to give me away if I retract my 254f THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. own consent, or what right have I to accept the hand of Captain Nugent for his wealth alone? It seems to me, aunt Parr,^*" she added in a calmer voice, " that I have a clearer sense of right and wrong in this matter than papa has." Aunt Parr was thoroughly frightened, and she looked so. " My dearest child," she exclaimed, " your papa would never consent to your breaking off this match. He would be offended beyond measure by your only proposing such a thing.'* Fanny looked rather frightened in her turn. " And what objection can you have to Cap- tain Nugent ?" continued her aunt. " None, aunt, except that I don't really care for him." " He is very excellent." " Oh, yes !" " And very amiable." « Well." THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 255 " And handsome." " Why, rather." " And so rich r "That's no merit." " And he loves you devotedly ; he would break his heart if you rejected him." Fanny was but a child ; she opened her eyes and almost believed this. " He is very sensitive ; I am sure he would never get over it," said aunt Parr. Fanny wiped her eyes. " Quite sure," continued her aunt, desirous of making an impression. Fanny sobbed aloud. " And I am sure," pursued her aunt, looking earnestly in her face, '* at your age, you can have no previous attachment." Fanny with burning cheeks protested over and over again that she had not. Aunt Parr very wisely left her immediately, to make breakfast. Fanny was effectually silenced. 256 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. Why, if she broke off the match, people might suspect that she was so foolish as to love some one who did not care for her, — and who could they fix upon but Mr. Mapleton ? No ! they should never say that of her ; she would marry any one first ; she would die first ! So she lay down again, and cried until they brought up her breakfast. " Will they ever have done talking of this ball, do you think ?" said Henry Nugent to Miss Denham, about an hour after breakfast, which hour had been employed by the Thorn- hills in an active discussion concerning some of the costumes. " Why, they have about one hundred more dresses to talk over, so you must be patient," replied Miss Denham. " How busily you are drawing !" said Henry. " I never can settle to anything the day after a ball." " Don't you think the next day is worse ?" THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 257 said Kate; " but indeed I fancied it was only waltzers who complained of that unsettled feeling." " And you never waltz ?" " Oh, never." " On principle ?" " Why partly ; but more in conformity to the prejudice against it." "And you like it?'' " Oh, so much ! it is a delightful dance." " I am rather surprised that Miss Denham should pa}^ so much deference to the opinions of society." " Ohj pardon me ! it is to the customs of society alone that I accede. I preserve my opinions in all their integrity." " But why observe its customs?" " I am sorry that I cannot be very logical on this interesting occasion. I know no better than to say, that I think every one has a right to his or her opinion of the sense or folly of a custom ; but that in return for the 25S THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. benefits of social intercourse, he ought to obey the rules of his society whatever he thinks of them. He should sacrifice his own fancy to the convenience of others ; because it is evi- dent that, but for such submission to some common standard, no society could exist ; a loss that would involve greater evils than I have time to enumerate. See I" she cried, stopping short, and pointing to Mr. Franklin, who stood before her with large fixed eyes, and open mouth, " there is something so mon- strous in a woman's attempting to give a rea- son for anything she says, that I have nearly frightened this gentleman into a paralytic fit."" Mr. Franklin stammered as he retreated, " 'Pon my life. Miss Denham, you are so very learned, that, egad ! you would puzzle the whole bench of bishops !" Miss Denham drew in silence for a long time. At last she spoke as if unconsciously. " No," she said, " I was right in this. I will not yield to society in this matter ; it is a question of principle, not of taste." THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 259 Henry Nugent seemed waiting for an ex- planation. " I mean," she said, " that whether I shall learn or not ; whether I shall act upon con- viction or not ; whether I shall dare to reason or not ; these are questions with which society has nothing to do. I have a right to read, to think, to improve myself; if these things are strange, and they are so, they place me in a false position ; it is that others should acquire, not that I should refrain. They look on me as a vampire, a thing craving for for- bidden food, not because I know more than I ought, but because other women know too little." " This ought not to be ; it is unfair : but the feeling is gradually disappearing," said Henry. " Yes ; in select literary coteries in town, things may be different ; but how do you find them in the country ?'''' " Oh, very bad, to be sure,^"" said Henry, glancing at the Thornhills. ' 260 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. " Thei/ are not very bad," said Miss Den- ham ; '* they are very average specimens of 'young ladies:"* and while such are admired, depend upon it, you will rarely find any better/' " Miss Denham proves to us — " Henry began. "Oh, now pray, no compliments!" Miss Denham replied ; " ' you know, none so well, none so well as you,' that there is nothing men cannot sooner forgive in a woman than a disposition for study. She may be ignorant to fatuity, — proud, stupid, ill-tempered, vain, — anything, all, rather than ' blue :' and the reason is, not that you think she will injure herself by such a propensity ; but you are rather afraid it will interfere with her house- hold skill, that she will not be so diligent a servant to you." " Exculpate me from such a feeling,**"* said Henry earnestly, " and I am ready to admit the justice of your general remark." "Oh, you are an exception," said she coldly THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 261 enough ; for she did not like the expression of his voice, and of his deep dark eyes bent upon her ; she thought they denoted admira- tion. What business had he to admire her ? Mr. Mapleton came up to look at her draw- ing, and while he was praising it, Fanny en- tered, looking pale and vexed, and angry, as soon as she saw him hanging over Miss Den- ham's chair. Everybody crowded round her to say how sorry they were that she was tired, and how they hoped she would soon recover from her fatigue. Mr. Mapleton, in the midst of these speeches, pushed a chair towards her, an arm chair that she always especially praised in cases of weariness, and then went back to Miss Denham's drawing. Fanny therefore would not thank him, but sat down, bowing very coldly to Mrs. Nugent, who was throned in state at the other end of the room. " I hope you spent a pleasant evening, Miss de Lacy," said Mrs. Nugent. 262 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. " Very much so, thank you, ma'am." " I expected that you would be dreadfully tired." " Oh, 1 am not tired in the least," cried Fanny, trying to look brisk. " Young people are always so unwilling to acknowledge it," returned Mrs. Nugent. Fanny pouted : she wished to join the party round Miss Denham's table ; they seemed talk- ing of something very amusing, — Philip Van Arteveldte. Fanny began to think that Miss Denham was a flirt after all ; — she was looking up at Mr. Mapleton, asking his opinion about Adriana. He had none, or next to none to give. He held her as a thing enskyed and sainted ; and therefore felt no interest, no un- certainty about her. She had no nice little foibles like Clara, " God help her for a pes- tilent little fool!" he was half in love with Clara. " You cannot urge the same objection against Elena," said Mr. Denham. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 26S " No, but I feel still less interest in her. If she had fallen once, poor thing, one could have felt compassion for her ; but a woman in the habit of falling, like a stumbling horse, is an unworthy and unreclaimable piece of goods : and Van Arteveldte felt the sort of regard for her that she deserved — very trifling, indeed." " I hope you admire the description of the famine at Ghent," said Miss Denham. " I know nothing in modern poetry,"" he replied, " so strongly written, so true in des- cription, so full of pathos and poetic feeling — nothing that so entirely brings before your eyes the scene described. The gaunt ghastly father, watching beside the wasted corpses of his beautiful children, forms one of the most tender, and at the same time terrible pictures since the old days of poetry." " What a scene it would be for a painting ! " said Henry Nugent. " For Retzsch," answered Miss Denham. " Have you never attempted It ?^^ 264f THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. " Why, no ; not all of it. I once made a study of the dead children." " From life ?" asked Henry, looking fright- ened. " Yes, from living children — children asleep. Did you think I sate painting from dead bodies ? That would require stronger nerves than I possess.'^ " I didn't know," said Henry. " It is impossible to know what young ladies will not do when they become artists, and that sort of thing," said Mrs. Nugent, an- grily. " I have even heard of their drawing naked figures ! " " Oh ! dear me !" said aunt Parr. " They must have a great love for the art, those young ladies," said Mr. Mapleton, drily. " I think you are not quite so enthusiastic. Miss Denham — you — " he continued, turning over the leaves of her sketch-book — you seem to have a strong partiality for draperies." " Thank you,'"* said Miss Denham, " I THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 265 should have found it difficult to have parried so very general an attack." Fanny felt extremely angry — everybody seemed talking with Miss Denham : it was true that Captain Nugent was sitting beside her, but what was that ? He had not a word to say for himself that was worth hearing. He was to drive her out that morning. She had promised him ; his carriage was at the door — he hoped she remembered. She was just in the humour to remember such a promise : so she rose directly, although Mrs. Nugent assured her that Frederic knew nothing about driving, and that they would be sure to meet with some dreadful accident before they reached home. As Fanny did not seem much affected by this warning, Mrs. Nugent began to recount all the accidents which had ever occurred to her son — beginning with a narrative of his overturning a wheelbarrow when he was a schoolboy, which contained some new-mown VOL. I. N 266 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. grass, and one of the gardener's children ; and finishing with the capsize of a pleasure-boat off the Isle of Wight, in which it appeared, after all, that the wind was more to blame than Captain Nugent. '' Are you afraid that my mother's predic- tion will come true ? " said Captain Nugent as they swept out of the park-gates. "Afraid? oh, no! — drive faster," cried Fanny ; " the fresh air will blow away my headach — faster still ! '' She laughed merrily as he complied with her directions. *' What would Mrs. Nugent say, now ? '* she exclaimed. " It was a terrible calumny to say I could not drive : now, was not it ? See how I will clear that gate," said the Captain. They were dashing down hill at a great rate. At the foot of the hill there was a sharp turning, where an awkward sign-post stood out into the road. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 267 They flew round — the wheel missed the post by a hand's breadth — the very thing to make a man desperate for the rest of the drive. " Where are we going ? " said Fanny, almost out of breath. " I want to show you the archway at Ash- burn. You said the other day you had never seen it : such a fine bit of Gothic architecture; at least, so your friend, Mr. Mapleton, says — I know nothing about it." " Ashburn — is that Lord Ashburn's place ?" " Yes ; do you know him ? " " Only by name — he is very proud, and exclusive." " Well, the loss is his. Has he any family ?" " Two or three sons, and a daughter, I be- lieve." If Mrs. Nugent had heard Fanny make such a reply as this, she certainly would have tried, even then, to break off the match. Tivo or three sons ! and some uncertainty about the daughter N 2 ^268 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. of an Earl ! Why the peerage would have decided the point in an instant — her ignorance was appalling ! ''Now, is not this pretty ? " said Captain Nugent, as they wound along the grey wall shaded with gnarled oaks that enclosed Ash- burn Park. " You can see the old tall turrets of the house, here and there among the trees. Now — between those fading beeches." Fanny looked and admired — she liked the old broken wall very much, with the ivy creep- ing in between its disjointed stones. The Captain could not agree about the stones — they fell out, and covered the road — and they jolted the carriage, and lamed the horses : at the same time he drove over them as fast as he possibly could. " There is the archway — what do you think of it ?" asked Captain Nugent. " Ah ! " screamed Fanny. One of the beautiful grey stones, a little larger than the rest, had come in contact with THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 269 the wheel — the wheel flew off, and the carriage was overturned. Neither of them was hurt — the servant escaped likewise. Fanny sat down on a bank and laughed heartily. " Well ! I never thought Mrs. Nugent a true prophet before," she exclaimed. Captain Nugent protested, " He had never done such a thing in his life ! And it was not his driving, now, that was in fault — only those stones/' Fanny pointed to the broken carriage, and laughed on. " But how were they to get home.? It was so awkward breaking down in a lane so far from any town ! Lord Ashburn's was close at hand ; true — but then they did not know Lord Ashburn — they could not intrude — what were they to do ?" The servant had nothing to say : he looked very dismally. Fanny proposed that they should walk home. Captain Nugent was certain that 270 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. she could not accomplish it. She was just as positive that she could. In the midst of their dilemma, the arch- way-gates were thrown open, and a lady in a green velvet riding-dress, followed by five or six gentlemen, rode proudly forth. She was beautiful — very young, and very slight, with eyes so brilliant that in the gloom of the archway, they glittered like gems. The moment she saw the state of the carri- age, she urged her horse forward and address- ed Fanny. " I hope you are not much hurt," she said. " Pray come into Ashburn and rest, while I send people to see about your carriage. I am Lady Anne Beaumont ; and you are Miss de Lacy." Fanny, all astonishment, expressed her thanks. Captain Nugent added his. " Oh ! you, of course," said her ladyship, the grave courtesy of her first manner giving place to her natural liveliness, " your civil THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 271 things go for nothing. Miss de Lacy, I will show you the way," and springing from her saddle she threw the reins to one of her cavaliers. She drew Fanny's arm through her own, and set off towards the house : then remem- bering her train, she half-turned to the group of horsemen. " Go away about your business, all of you ; don't let me see anything of you till dinner- time. You," she added, nodding to Captain Nugent, " you may come with us." Fanny wished to know what was to become of the carriage. Lady Anne assured her that it was not her business to be troubled with such things ; that she had not the least idea, in fact — but her people should see about that ; — she was only delighted that the accident had occurred close to their house, since it gave her the introduc- tion she had long wished for, to Miss de Lacy. 272 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. Captain Nugent was anxious to know how her ladyship had recognized Fanny. She laughed and played with his curiosity for some time, and then owned that she had been present at the ball last night. " Oh ! the Hindoo ! " cried Fanny. " Just so ; I never was more amused ; never more successful in my life ; I was dying to see you, and, therefore, made my way in dis- guise, like a princess of the old time. Oh ! what a number of plain, pretty things I did hear of myself 1" cried her ladyship, laughing at the recollection. " Now I am going to order luncheon for you," said she, ringing the bell : " mind, I look upon this as a call, and I shall come and return it accordingly." Fanny expressed her delight at the pros- pect of becoming better acquainted with her ladyship. When the carriage was mended and they were on their way home, she begged to know THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 273 of Captain Nugent what they should say to his mother, to account for their long absence, and he declared that they had only to mention Lady Anne Beaumont's name, and her wrath would cease in a moment. He made good his assertion as soon as they reached home. Mrs. Nugent began to be asto- nished that they were so late, to suppose they had met with some accident ; it quite exceeded her expectations that they had returned at all. Oh ! she concluded so ! They had es- caped injury for once ; next time we should see what would happen. As soon as the Captain mentioned the as- sistance which Lady Anne Beaumont had so kindly afforded them, she brightened up. Very kind — very obliging of her ladyship, — a very old family the Ashburns. Sir Cosmo Beau- mont was made a Baron in Henry the Second's time ; the Earldom was of comparatively re- cent date. Was her ladyship very young ? She had not heard of her in town. N 5 274f THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. *' Very young," cried Fanny ; '^ and the most beautiful little creature in the world." '' Not quite," whispered Captain Nugent. " And she is coming to see me," said Fanny. " I am glad to hear it. I hope you will profit by the acquaintance," said Mrs. Nugent, rising. " Frederic, oblige me by looking for my fla9on. Miss de Lacy, have you happened to see my handkerchief ? Thank you : — you will find it almost time, I think, to dress for dinner. Henry, I wish you would gather me a bouquet immediately ; it is quite a charity, I think, to give you something to do." " Don't stir a foot ! " cried Fanny, as soon as Mrs. Nugent had left the room. " I will send one of the servants for her nosegay, it is beginning to rain !" " No, I don't mind the rain — I will go," said Henry Nugent. " Then come with me into the conservatory, and we will gather it together, so that the fault THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 275 may rest between us ; for of course, it will be very badly made," said Fanny, laughing ; and she closed the glass-door against Captain Nu- gent, as he was about to follow and assist at the task. 276 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. CHAPTER XV. Kath. For my part, trust me I value mine own worth at higher rate 'Cause you are pleased to prize it mean time, my hopes are Preserved secure, in having you a friend. Perkin Warbeck. The Thornhills had made one or two at- tempts, for propriety's sake, to leave the Hall, and Lady Southam had come several times to fetch away Miss Denham ; but both pro- positions had been overruled by the General. They were to stay till the week before the wedding. Miss Denham was to be one brides- maid and Lady Ann Beaumont had condescend- ed to become the other. She had taken a great fancy to Fanny, in the few visits they had in- THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 277 terchanged, and was gracious enough to pro- mise that she would spend a few days with the bride elect, Fanny was terribly frightened at the pros- pect of having to entertain my Lady Anne. The Thomhills were delighted ; thinkincr how they should boast to their acquaintance of their intimacy with her ladyship. Mrs. Nu- gent was very lofty and elated, and Miss Den- ham did not seem to think about the matter. On the morning that her ladyship was ex- pected, Fanny happened to come down earlier than usual, and she went into the library to look for a book. She saw Miss Thomhill, standing at the glass door which led into the conservatory, as if she was intently observing something which was passing within. " Good morning I "* said Fanny. " Ah ! ^ cried Sarah, looking round ; " how you startled me I but, oh ! my dear, if you have any wish to see a downright love-scene, come here." 278 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. " Love-scene ! " said Fanny, coming towards the glass-door, and then drawing back — " no ! I will not listen." " Oh ! but you must ! " cried Sarah, seizing her arm in her iron-grasp, and pulling her for- ward ; " why, my dear, it is between old Ma- pleton, and your pretty, precise Miss Den- ham ; and you can't hear, you can only see — come ! " Fanny was drawn to the window against her will. Miss Denham was standing with her back to them, bending over a camelia, whose waxen leaves she was plucking unconsciously with her " fine fingers ; " and Mr. Mapleton, lean- ing against the wall, by her side, was speaking with great earnestness ; Fanny thought with some emotion. Fanny struggled. " Let me go ! It is not fair to spy them — I will go ! " But Miss Thornhill kept her hold. " Oh ! very well," said Fanny, and she rap- THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 279 ped directly against the glass. Sarah let go her arm, and ran away, conscience-stricken. " Good morning, Mr. Mapleton," said Fanny, throwing open the door ; " it is breakfast-time, or it ought to be — how early you are ! " He looked round with perfect composure, and came to speak to her. Miss Denham lin- gered to pick up the leaves she had gathered : the exertion heightened her colour. " I have been committing sad havoc here," said she, quietly, holding out her hand with the fragments in it to Fanny; " but I have a bad habit, while talking, of pulling things to pieces. Fanny was puzzled ; she thought it an odd way of alluding to their conversation, which seemed to have been of so interesting a nature. " I never asked you if you liked flowers,'* said Fanny. " Is it possible that two young ladies could live together in a house for a week,'* said Mr. 280 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. Mapleton, and not have found out whether each liked flowers, and music, and Walter Scott, and canary birds ?'''' " Don't be ridiculous ! " said Fanny. Miss Denham wondered a little at the style of address which Fanny usually employed to Mr. Mapleton. " And do you love flowers ? " repeated Fanny. " Yes, our own wild flowers," replied Miss Denham ; " flowers with which one feels a kind of sympathy ; I never could make myself fond of these formidable greenhouse produc- tions, with their long Greek names; partly, I believe, because our old poets never talked about them. I have an especial love for vio- lets, both for their own sweet sakes, and also because I cannot help fancying that Shak- speare had a peculiar fondness for them." Mr. Mapleton repeated as if to himself — Daffodils, That come before the swallow dares, and take The winds of March with beauty : THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 2S1 Miss Denham, in self-defence, continued the passage : — " Violets dim, But sweeter than the lids of Juno's eyes Or Cytherea's breath. I need not allude to the well-known men- tion of The sweet South, That breathes upon a bank of violets. Stealing and giving odour. And Ophelia, even in her madness, misses them as the choicest treasures of the fields : — ' I would give you some violets, but they withered all when my father died.' " " Byron mentions them prettily in a chorus of his,*' said ^Ir. Mapleton, " Nor midst the roses, e'er forget The virgin, virgin violet. But, come," he added, " if it really is break- fast-time, I am old bachelor enough to like to be punctual." He had been oratherinor some Russian violets from a long box that stood on a shelf near 282 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. him, and as he passed her, he gave them to Miss Denham without saying a word. She laughed, and took them. Fanny lingered behind, and when they were gone, she sat down on the steps, and cried heartily. " What could he mean by ' old bachelor ?* and he never gave me any violets ; all to Miss Denham, and she accepted them. Oh ! it is all settled between them ; I see it, and he will never care for me any more. I dare say he will never come and stay here when he is mar- ried."" Here she burst into a fresh passion of tears, and then remembering that she had to appear at breakfast, she endeavoured to mend matters, by rubbing her eyes diligently with her pocket handkerchief. As soon as she was composed enough to make her appearance, she went to the break- fast-room; and Captain Nugent meeting her, " was afraid she was suffering from a head- ach," to which she readily acknowledged. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 283 Mrs. Nugent said, " It was no wonder, since Fanny had persisted in reading yesterday morning, long after she had told her that it was not advisable for young people to stoop so much." Fanny, sitting down in a great pet, said she was sure reading never hurt her head. Mrs. Nugent remarked, that it was singu- lar how obstinate young people always were in refusing the advice of their elders; but it was very well — they must take their own course; she should not wonder if Miss de Lacy went into a decline in consequence of her mania for stooping! Captain Nugent ventured a smile towards Fanny at this remark, which incensed Mrs. Nugent very much. " Oh ! if my son likes to encourage it, it is all very well, — he must take the consequences. Things are very different before marriage and after ; it is vastly pretty to be an invalid, but he will find a sick wife a terrible burden." 284 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. Here she made a feint of looking for her pocket handkerchief, as if the picture of their future misery was too vivid. Fanny blushed, and Captain Nugent dared to laugh, and told Fanny that he already per- ceived symptoms of decline in a brilliant co- lour which came and went rapidly — was it a hectic ? But Fanny, who had never been used to the least contradiction, was not disposed to bear with patience the reproaches with which her mother elect favoured her. "She's a disagreeable thing!" she said, low, to Captain Nugent, who was collecting whatever he thought she might want at break- fast, before her plate — " and I won ""t fetch her footstool, or her bag, or anything that she may want ! that I won 't, as long as I live." " No, donH ! " said he, laughing. Miss Denham was sitting by her brother; Mr. Mapleton, at the other side of the table, was talking gravely to aunt Parr. He was THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. ^85 very different from Captain Nugent, Fanny thought ; he was always beside her, teazing her to death, whereas Mr. Mapleton didn't seem to know that Miss Denham was in the room. " You were up early, Miss Denham," said Miss Thornhill, sneeringly. " Exactly at eight, my usual time," Miss Denham answered. " I wonder what you do with yourself till breakfast !" said Sarah, touching Emma, to give point to her remark. " If it is a fine morning, I generally walk."" " Alone, Miss Denham?" said Sarah, in so pointed a manner as to draw attention to her question. "Alone? yes, generally," said Miss Den- ham, wondering to what this cross-examining should lead. " And when you don''t walk ? "" asked Sarah, looking at Mr. Mapleton. " 1 read, for the most part."*' 2S6 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. Sarah was at a loss for one instant, and then proceeded. " It is very delightful, isn't it, to read any favourite book, with a companion whose tastes are similar to our own ? " " I cannot agree with you," said Miss Den- ham ; " I greatly prefer solitude, with a fa- vourite author." " Dear me," cried Sarah, " how you must have been punished this morning !" " Not at all," said Miss Denham ; " I have not been reading, and I was not alone." " In the conservatory, I mean," said Miss Thornhill. Miss Denham received this additional re- mark with perfect coolness. " Perhaps," said Mr. Mapleton, *' you do not know that Miss Denham is a proficient in botany — she gave me some useful hints this morning on the subject." " Oh ! I have no doubt," replied Sarah, " that Miss Denham knows everything — I THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 287 never could see the use of such a vast deal of learning." " I dare say not," replied Mr. Mapleton ; "young ladies are very willing to convince themselves that their deficiencies are subjects for congratulation.'' Sarah looked sulky at this — but she did not care to encounter Mr.Mapleton in a war of words. After breakfast, Miss Denhan went up stairs to put on her bonnet and shawl to walk in the avenue. When she came down, she found the two Thornhills lying in wait for her in the library, through which she had to pass on her way out. Now, though she was annoyed at being stopped by these young ladies, she never sup- posed that with two or three gentlemen in the room, they would proceed to annoy her on the subject of Mr. Mapleton. " Well, and when is it to be ? " cried Sarah, with a joyful air that ill concealed her dis- appointed feelings — " when is it to be ? " 288 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. " Ah ! when is the happy day ? '' screamed Emma. " Am I to give you joy," said Sarah, " or is that to be reserved for the gentleman ? " " May I be bridesmaid ? " said Emma. " I hope you mean to send cake and gloves/* cried Sarah. *' Oh ! and favours — silver favours !" said Emma. The gentlemen unfortunately were standing round the fire reading the papers, and there- fore seemed quite unconscious of what was going on. This teazed the Thornhills, because it would have been rather more embarrassing to Miss Denham if they had taken notice. She merely replied, '' When I know to what you refer, I shall be most happy to sa- tisfy your curiosity ; at present I am going to walk." She passed them coldly, and left the room. Then both the Thornhills indulged in a long THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 289 and hearty laugh. Mr. Denham hastily rose and followed his sister. " Well done, Miss Denham ! " exclaimed Mr. Franklin, looking up from his news- paper. " What do you mean ?'' inquired Emma. " Why, I think she has a very ladylike manner of answering impertinent questions — and if she was not so blue, I '11 be hanged if I wouldn^t— " He seemed not to have quite made up his mind as to the alternative, for he stopped short — and the Thornhills retired in some confusion. Mr. Denham overtook his sister in the avenue, where she was walking up and down at a very unromantic rate. " What do these girls mean, Kate ?" said he; "is it possible that you have had an offer?" " And never told you ? *' replied Miss Den- ham, raising her clear eyes to his face. " Don't VOL. T. o 290 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. look SO very reproachful, my dear Albert — there is some misunderstanding.'^ " But how could they presume ? " said Mr. Denham. " Modern young ladies find no difficulty in presuming," said Miss Denham ; " but I can explain Miss Thornhill's remarks to you in a moment. She has been endeavouring to engross Mr. Mapleton's attention for some time past ; she fancies that he has bestowed rather too much of it upon me, and she re- sents it by trying to annoy me with her vul- gar jests." " But she seemed to know certainly that you had received no offer." " Well, then," said Miss Denham, " she must have overheard this morning more than she had any business to overhear. I must tell you all about it, I see, or you will never rest, so walk farther into the park with me, to be out of the way of these same Thorn- hills, and you shall have the whole history. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 291 Ever since I have been here, for some reason or other, partly because I received very little general attention " " That 's your own fault, Kate," interposed Mr. Denham. " I know it," said Miss Denham laughing ; " if I chose to beg for it, I might have as much as my neighbours; but not having it, however, Mr. Mapleton from courtesy ex- erted himself to talk to me. As he is re- markably silent in company generally speak- ing, this attracted Miss Sarah's notice. We got on very well together, but I am sure never dreamed even of a flirtation. Then at the ball he danced with me, which was a great act of condescension ; because he saw that no one else asked me, and perhaps he thought I was not altogether inferior to all the other young ladies, and therefore ought not to be singled out for a marked slight. Well — lately Mr. Mapleton has been more decided in his attention to me than before; indeed, except 292 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. to Miss Parr, he has hardly addressed a word to any one in the house but myself; at the same time that his manner expressed nothing beyond a friendly interest. Now I, with my usual penetration," continued Miss Denham smiling, " discerned the reason of this marvel- lous politeness : he did not like to trust him- self too much in the society of the fair Fanny, and therefore occupied every moment of his time in conversing with some one else. The Thornhills would hardly do, and I was his only resource. I felt secure that he was able to interpret my manner correctly, and there- fore did not care to put a stop to his assi- duities. All would have been well but for those odious Thornhills. They made him think that he had gone too far, and pitied me to him for the attachment I had allowed my- self to form ; at the same time they allowed that he had given me reason to think it was reciprocal ; and Sarah — you cannot call her out, my dear Albert, so I do not mind telling THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 293 you — Sarah actually wrote a letter apparently addressed by me to my grandmamma, stating my feelings at length, and directed, as if by mistake, to Mr. Mapleton. Such a letter ! — it made me blush to read it, as I did this morn- ing." Mr. Denham stopped her here, to make some asseverations respecting Sarah, which I think, upon the whole, I had better not write down. '' Don't swear, dear Albert, but let me go on. Mr. Mapleton did me the justice to believe the letter at once a forgery. He gave me credit, really, for grammar and spelling; but it awakened him to a sense of his heinous flirtations ; so having resolved to make the amende honorable^ he followed me this morn- ing into the conservatory, and there in good set terms, made me an offer of his hand — his heart he said nothing about." " Now, Kate, I rather wonder you refused him." o S 294 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. " Ignorant ! '' said Miss Denham laughing, " do you suppose a woman accepts a man she does not like, or likes a man who cares nothing for her ? I certainly was for the moment a little puzzled, till I recollected the Thornhills, and all they had been used to say about my flirting with him/' " And then—" " Why, I said, that the unexpected offer he had done me the honour to make was so much above my deserts, that it would give me pain to decline it ; I had much rather forget that it had ever been made." " Very good," said her brother. " That I should have reason to reproach myself with coquetry or indiscretion, had I not some cause to think that the Misses Thornhill had given him a false account of my feelings ; that I respected the motives which had led to this declaration, but I begged to assure him that he was under a mistake. And so I brought him to confession. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 295 He said, that without a knowledge of my feelings, he had been led to his present step by the sense of what was due to me from his am- biguous conduct. Then I pressed to know if I had wronged the Thornhills by my suspi- cions ; and he owned that Sarah had been troublesome, and then showed me the letter which he believed to be hers : I knew the handwriting in an instant. Thereupon he be- gan to say a great many civil things of me, and to me, in the midst of which I could not help laughing, and, asking what would have become of him if I had said 'yes' instead of * no,' just now. He smiled against his will, and then pretending to look grave, said, ' he should then have obtained a great and un- deserved happiness." " *' So he would, a very great happiness," in- terposed her brother. '^ Well, you may suppose after all this candour, we settled to be the best friends in the world ; and he concluded by entreating 296 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. me always to continue my acquaintance with Fanny, in whom he said he felt a paternal interest, and whose future path he thought was strewed with cares and dangers — through all which my wise head was to assist her." " Do you know, Kate," said Mr. Denham, " if the little beauty was not going abso- lutely to be married to Captain Nugent, I should fancy that she was attached to Mr. Maple ton." " So should I," said Miss Denham ; " and whether it is so or not, I have a great idea that Mr. Mapleton is just a little attached to her." " I wonder, by the by, Kate," said her bro- ther, " if you will ever marry .?" " I think not," she replied ; " but the whir- ligig of time brings about stranger things than that." " When you do, Kate, I shall go into a mo- nastery." " Albert, for shame ! But now, having talk- THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 297 ed myself cold, I mean to go into the house and thaw myself.'* When she reached the library, she found no one there but Fanny and Mr. Mapleton. Fanny was sitting on a sofa, crying, Mr. Mapleton holding her hand. Miss Denham hurried up to them. " Dear Fanny ! " she exclaimed ; "" what is the matter ? " " He 's going away to-day ! " sobbed Fanny, pointing to Mr. Mapleton as the offending par- ty, while she hid her face on the cushions. " But, my dear Fanny," said Mr. Mapleton ; " now, above all times, it cannot signify to you whether I go or stay." " It does though ! " she cried. " And really I have business." " Putitoif!" " I cannot ; you know I would do so other- wise, if you wished it." " And I do," she cried, sobbing more vehe- mently than before. 298 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. Miss Denham tried to interpose, but in vain. *' I want him to stay : why can't he ? — Once he stayed a whole fortnight longer, because I teazed him ; once — and now he won't ! " " But, my child, I had not then a client pressing to see me, and consult me before the courts opened." " You are very unkind; but I know your ' business."* You are going away to be mar- ried." " Am I, Miss Denham?" said Mr. Ma- pleton. " I cannot pretend to say, but I should ra- ther think not," replied Miss Denham : " you have a very single look. " There, Fanny ! " " Stay, then ! " " Indeed I cannot." She cried again. " Oh ! Fanny ! Those beautiful eyes ! " said Mr. Mapleton, as he watched her inde- fatigable exertions to rub them out. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. S99 " You don't care for them," was the reply ; " you don't care for me, — you hate me." " Hate you, Fanny ! " said Mr. Mapleton, gently. Miss Denham thought there was very little hatred in the look he fixed upon her. " Dear Fanny,*" said she, " you see Mr. Mapleton would remain, if he possibly could — do be calm." Fanny, without attending to her, went on sobbing and summing up all Mr. Mapleton's offences. " He called me a child, about the castanets ! He is a wretch ! Oh ! oh ! oh ! " " How can you be so wayward ? " said Mr. Mapleton. " He never danced with me at the ball — not one dance ! " " My child, I danced with no one, except Miss Denham, who did me the honour — '' " Very well — and not with me." " I confess it; but I will dance with you next time ; now, directly, if you like it ! " 300 THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. He took her hand, and attempted to lead her out. Miss Denham fairly laughed ; Fanny joined against her will, and then relapsed. '* And this morning," with a burst of tears, " no violets, no Russian violets ! He was so spiteful, he gave them all to you, Miss Den- ham ! '' " That teas a fault ! " said Mr. Mapleton, glancing at Miss Denham ; " but come with me now, and we will gather all that are left. Come, pretty one. Why, what a spoiled, frac- tious pet it is ! — There, hold your hand : now, how many will you have ? " " Well, this may not be love," said Miss Denham to herself, as she left them at the door of the conservatory ; " but if it is not, I am not half so good a theorist in such matters as I took myself to be ! " END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. I-OVDON ; PniXTED BY SAMUEL BENTLEY, /l/i / Bangor Honse, Shoe Lane. f '^ #