Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

and with all the tortuous diversifications for which my deaf ear stood open, commenced by an appeal to Duty's threadbare plea, and the desire not to meddle-absolutely, audaciously declaring that intrude she would not, save under an awareness of my simplicity. "So!" was my ironic response. On saying no more,

she proceeded, that the person known by the appellation of Van Bommel had besieged her with overtures. A pause: your friend remaining still Monosyllabical: for Justice, my dear, should be satisfied with nothing short of the utmost want of lenity. It was not mine to make the crooked path of so deceptive a confidence facile. "The person," she blushingly renewed, "had made her liberal offers." ("So"-was all that bridled wrath permitted itself and here her tones became almost imperceptible), "for her interest with the Heiress under Mr. Pecker's care."-Then, produced a note said to be written by the deceiver, to substantify, she said, "a caution only offered with bitter reluctance." Mute as marble I sate: while Sophie added, that "she had reason to believe the person had no occupation more authentic than participancy in gaming; and had, alone, been attracted to attentiveness-(here, again, confusion resumed its sway) by reports of opulence."-Then ceased: reluctant to meet scrutiny. I replied not : but waved her departure: and remained stiffened. Though foreseen the shock afforded materials for crowding contemplation. Thought precipitated itself on thought-absorption on absorption. whirled and when the Peckers entered, I was found in a state of lethargic concentration, which originated the truest terror. Pressed to explain, I eluded; wept, I apprehend; and then the over-wrought nerves of Nature claiming part-feeling gushed free, and I fell prostrate into the arms of that Heart of Oak, my brother-in-law !

I

**** And so they credited at Wailford that I had partaken of the Theatre on Sunday, and Miss Podd, true to her gall, triumphed over your Diana as a fallen star!-Reciprocate on the credulity of those whose malignancy waited but till we should trip on the Continent. To the Play I did not go on that Sunday. The relaches of the Journals ("our Advertisements," my dear!) will assure you that the Theatre was put off, consequently to Mademoiselle Rachael's illness, owing to too serious an indulgence in corneilles, which are here dressed very rich with oil; and, they say, she eats to an excess. Women of her class, my dear, are generically alike: Rapacious, vulgar, and abandoned to the dic

The familiar of

tates of Impropriety!-The Males the same. Lady Tallboys and herself have arrived at Aix: but whatever be their eagerness to associate, it shall be discrowned with success. Fond and foolish may your Diana be: a Woman, dear!-as she was, ere Publicity had set its seal on her faltering efforts to ameliorate Tinglebury-but weakly compliant; never. When to

lead, she knows and will. Among other miscreants of the place, Mrs. Pecker certifies to having detected the voice of her Bridget loud in mirth, with a partner "moustache'd like a Pard"-to her not cognizant-Lady Highborough's butler having never crossed her path. It is by them that the vulgar assault of the person called Van Bommel has been invented: if the Niblets are white of all participation in the affair. They were at Liege, we happen to know, at the Jubilee there ready, doubtless, to do Babylon's bidding, and to dance before her Årk **** were the mummery ever so stupendous! Mrs. N., as I have opened to you, was ever the more frolicsome, the more corrupt the cause. What so natural, then, as their participatory sympathy? With their notorious rancour against every one whose purity has not bowed the knee. Methinks I hear you ask, what explanation gave The Serpent whether any-when thus unmasked! None, dearest. My care it has ever been to evade discussions of which my unworthy self has ever been the object: and every woman, it is observed in Hannah More's "Anastasius can, whenever she pleases, by assuming a monumental frigidity, alienate the most vivid audacity. The iceberg was not more unyielding than I. Courtesy, the while, prevailing in tact. For had Mr. Pecker's valuable life been even suspended in peril, for my poor self! * ** O no!-I am no Boadicea

"To lip my lovers to defiance fierce!"—

(as Mr. Isaac Taylor, the Gresham Professor, and brother of the admirable Jane, says, in "Edward the Fair.") The individual was gracious enough to accept an enigmatical demeanour, and vanished. Our attendant's part in the baleful transaction, and the hopes she may herself have reposed on the Impostor, were in some points explicited by the remark she dropped to Mr. Pecker, "That if he discovered Miss Rill was no heiress, Molestation would fall to the ground."-Sophie was already to have been dismissed this inevitably accelerates. We have been deceived as to her French, which Mr. Pecker's theory authenticates him

:

in assuring us is impure. Her uselessness to our Sister's simple desires, constitutes a further cogency, and the difficulties she has cast in the way of our Brother's disposition of his Bells, which having answered their purpose, and proving expensive, he was desirous of disposing of, to any travelling party, are the crowning coup d'œuvre. We shall part with her too, however, with ostensible tranquillity. True Christians, my dearest friend * Whatever befall us, let us be faithful to our sweetness !

Enough, however, of these egotismal trifles! Pass they like bubbles; only confided to you for your elucidation, should the Nibletts' venom penetrate ears at home (the Podds and others how willing!) Released from myself, my pen shall prattle of foreign parts. I was enthusiastic to see the relics at Aix. For you know, dearest, my weakness; have smiled at my appropriation of the 'kerchief with which the dying Napoleon wiped his lips, the faithful Madame Campan weeping near-when he cried "Accursed England!"-a malediction how agreeably nugatory, we know. You have sympathised in the pocket of Mrs. Fry, which, confided to the turncocks of Newgate, on her initiatory visit, has found its way to my little horde. And is it not to you I owe H.R.H. Prince Albert's pen, when answering our Sovereign's proposals, he announced his desires as modest, and pleaded for his father's ancient hound accompanying him, to share his state? So the relics were to be seen, coute que bien. Not, however, without difficulties. Mr. Pecker's connection with the "fiery furnace" prohibited his allowing one iota of his money or mine finding such an outlet. We know, unhappily, how the Sovereign of these realms (I mean, you know, England) lost estimation with all true Christians, by her outrageous benefaction to the Scarlet Lady of Cologne. Unfinished may it ever remain! I am, dear Mrs. Pecker, the same simple creature everywhere-and "seeing little," she says, "in sight-seeing" could not be animated into a participation of my curiosity. "Nobody but Diana," she says, (don't you hear her ?) "would leave a comfortable room to go and stand in a cold church, after rags and bones, and jewellery there's no buying." Thus discouraged, it seemed probable that I might leave Aix without eventual enjoyment of its main feature. But a woman's desires, dear Mrs. Rustler, have been past control, ever since "Juno drank the Indian Pearl"-WE, as you know, rarely give up. A letter to the clerical authorities, mentioning my scruples, was in progress: and distinguishing antiquitarian

* *

*

* *

desire from Papistical acquiescence. But ere Mr. Pecker could satisfy himself in translating my poor plea (Sophie's assistance in this case being precluded by delicate secrecy), another vista presented itself: and even as a last resource in slaking her appetite for knowledge, your Diana, dear, is not one, who would in semblance stoop to sue the Tiara! Inquiry developed a private exhibition of the Relics, awarded to Lady Tallboys. Eager, no doubt, to compound for her * * by Jesuitical submission. As an adjunct to her party, was not agreeablebut alternative was none and after a few civil reciprocities, the goal of my wishes was reached and I accompanied her party sans cognita: I hope not uselessly-and who it would elude mortification, and the deposit of dignity-that futile thing? To remember my sacrifices at Tinglebury consoled me, Mr. Pecker held aloof-as in position bound-" relying," he said, "on my graphic tongue, to paint for him what his principle declined to witness."* Discretion at Wailford, too, will oblige us. We have used every effort to keep the visit out of the German papers. The Developists would never let Tinglebury hear the last of what is strictly a romantic, and by no means a religious pilgrimage. Place, dearest friend! has little to do with a Christian temper. When Lady Salisbury rode her white ass into Jerusalem, did that constitute piety? No; still less Miss Podd's fulminatory ebullitions in her catechising class. Most guardedly, too, did I arm myself with tracts: those destructive of Roman Catholicism preferred, which I judged might, by alert ingeniousness, be covertly concealed, among the relics-to behold the light, when, who can say ? Too solicitously watched was I, however, to succeed in the destined insinuations-so repeating to myself

*The Editor, vehemently accused by certain parties, supposed to be connected with "The Fiery Furnace "--of setting down in malice worse than Miss Rill ever wrote, must once more defend himself. While he confesses, out of respect for sacred things, to having omitted her texts-he has not garbled her text. He believes that all who have had much experience of the Englishwoman abroad, will find little difficulty in believing in Miss Rill's reserves, economies, and curious inconsistencies: whether as acquiescing in Sunday play-going, or availing herself of a subterfuge to deny the charge, or thrusting herself into strange (nay doubtful) society, when a sight is to be seen, cheap. Where such meannesses are confined to those who are always mean, it would be of small consequence-but it is vexatious to see how even our gentlemen and gentlewomen, are apt, virtually, to confound foreign travel with " a lark."

"Dagon is no more," which, fortunately, I possess by heart, and assuming a determinate severity of aspect, I startled myself, and entered upon the repulsive examination.

*

*

* *

I despair to convey what I beheld. The hunting-horn of Charlemagne, I assured myself, was not genuine and Mr. Pecker's valuable counsels having prepared me that the race of guides and cicisbeos make a trade of purposely disseminating erroneous information, I felt it my duty to step forward and rectify Lady Tallboys, whose credulity, I observed, abandoned her as a prey to the undigested fabrications of our conductor. I assured her of the fact, that what we saw was principally plated ware, that art having been invented at Munich by Henry the Fowler-a famous minstrel on whose tomb, as we know, were spaces left that Ladies might drink out of his grave! More enlightened, we: dearest Mrs. Rustler !-The relics from Holy Writ, I bade her observe, were collaterally deficient in authentication: citing such * and also from "Peeps passages from into Prophecy," as might satisfy, that I bandied not words with levity. I trust my efforts were crowned. "Madam," said she, with a deep and gratified air of conviction, "you must be very learned." I disclaimed: mentioning merely what had been accomplished at Tinglebury- accompanied by a little appropriate selection, which I pressed on her acceptance: having returned into my former sphere of distribution. The impression was obvious, they * * nor least emphatic, as a testification, was the manifest displeasure of the handsome Ausonian, her companion. I thought it my duty to respond to his ill-concealed derision by corresponding glances. Not for the world, my dear, shall one of Edom fancy, for an instant, that your friend is susceptible of allurement! I ached for Lady T. as we parted. Perchance we may meet again in this howling wilderness.—Mr. Pecker, I am allowed to subjoin, has kindly approved my assiduities. WE must not be backward in stepping forward!

*

A few miscellaneous notices elucidatory of German life, shall close this long epistolary communication: wrung from my pillow. What say you, dearest Mrs. Rustler, to the young collegians of Germany wandering along the high-ways, and soliciting alms ? Can we be proud enough of our Oxford and Cambridge, thus contrasted? Mr. Pecker says that never before was he aware of the inexpressible beauty of Alma Matrix. The yet more vaunted beverages of the Rhine, are no less reprehensible. He will not

« AnteriorContinuar »