The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties (Volume 1 of 5)

by Fanny Burney

  CHAPTER VII

  The house of Mrs Maple was just without the town of Lewes, and theWanderer, upon her arrival there, learnt that Brighthelmstone was stilleight miles farther. She earnestly desired to go on immediately; but howundertake such a journey on foot, so late, and in the dark month ofDecember, when the night appears to commence at four o'clock in theafternoon? Her travelling companions both left her in the court-yard,and she was fain, uninvited, to follow them to the apartment of thehousekeeper; where she was beginning an apology upon the necessity thaturged her intrusion, when Selina came skipping into the room.

  The stranger, conceiving some hope of assistance from her extreme youth,and air of good humour, besought her interest with Mrs Maple forpermission to remain in the house till the next day. Selina carried therequest with alacrity, and, almost instantly returning, gave orders tothe housekeeper to prepare a bed for her fellow-traveller, in the littleroom upon the stairs.

  The gratitude excited by this support was so pleasant to the youngpatronness, that she accompanied her _protegee_ to the destined littleapartment, superintended all the regulations for her accommodation andrefreshments, and took so warm a fancy to her, that she made her a visitevery other half-hour in the course of the evening; during which sherelated, with earnest injunctions to secresy, all the little incidentsof her little life, finishing her narration by intimating, in arapturous whisper, that she should very soon have a house of her own, inwhich her aunt Maple would have no sort of authority. 'And then,' addedshe, nodding, 'perhaps I may ask you to come and see me!'

  No one else appeared; and the stranger might tranquilly have passed thenight, but from internal disturbance how she should reachBrighthelmstone the following morning, without carriage, friends, money,or knowledge of the road thither.

  Before the tardy light invited her to rise the next day, her new youngfriend came flying into the room. 'I could not sleep,' she cried, 'alllast night, for the thought of a play that I am to have a very prettydress for; and that we have fixed upon acting amongst ourselves; and soI got up on purpose to tell you of it, for fear you should be gone.'

  She then read through every word of her own part, without a syllable ofany other.

  They were both soon afterwards sent for into the parlour by Elinor, whowas waiting breakfast for Mrs. Maple, with Harleigh and Ireton. 'My deardemoiselle,' she cried, 'how fares it? We were all so engrossed lastnight, about a comedy that we have been settling to massacre, that Iprotest I quite forgot you.'

  'I ought only, Madam,' answered the stranger, with a sigh, 'to wonder,and to be grateful that you have ever thought of me.'

  'Why what's the matter with you now? Why are you so solemn? Is yournoble courage cast down? What are you projecting? What's your plan?'

  'When I have been to Brighthelmstone, Madame, when I have seen who--orwhat may await me there--'

  Mrs. Maple, now appearing, angrily demanded who had invited her into theparlour? telling her to repair to the kitchen, and make known what shewanted through some of the servants.

  The blood mounted into the cheeks of the Incognita, but she answeredonly by a distant courtsie, and turning to Elinor and Selina, besoughtthem to accept her acknowledgements for their goodness, and retired.

  Selina and Elinor, following her into the ante-room, asked how she meantto travel?

  She had one way only in her power; she must walk.

  'Walk?' exclaimed Harleigh, joining them, 'in such a season? And by suchroads?'

  'Walk?' cried Ireton, advancing also, 'eight miles? In December?'

  'And why not, gentlemen?' called out Mrs Maple, 'How would you have sucha body as that go, if she must not walk? What else has she got her feetfor?'

  'Are you sure,' said Ireton, 'that you know the way?'

  'I was never in this part of the world till now.'

  'Ha! Ha! pleasant enough! And what are you to do about money? Did youever find that purse of yours that you--lost, I think, at Dover?'

  'Never!'

  'Better and better!' cried Ireton, laughing again, yet feeling for hisown purse, and sauntering towards the hall.

  Harleigh was already out of sight.

  'Pour soul!' said Selina, 'I am sure, for one, I'll help her.'

  'Let us make a subscription,' said Elinor, producing half a guinea, andlooking round to Mrs Maple.

  Selina joined the same sum, full of glee to give, for the first time, asmuch as her sister.

  Mrs Maple clamorously ordered them to shut the parlour door.

  With shame, yet joy, the stranger accepted the two half guineas,intimated her hopes that she should soon repay them, repeated herthanks, and took leave.

  The sisters would still have detained her, but Mrs Maple peremptorilyinsisted upon breakfasting without further delay.

  The Incognita was proceeding to the housekeeper's room, for a packet ofthe gifts of Elinor, but she was stopt in the hall by Ireton, who wasloitering about, playing with his purse, and jerking and catching itfrom hand to hand.

  'Here, my dear,' he cried, 'look at this, and take what you will fromit.'

  She coldly thanked him, and, saying that the young ladies had amplysupplied her, would have moved on: but he prevented her, repeating hisoffer, and adding, while with uncontrolled freedom he stared at her,'How the deuce, with such a pretty face as that, could you ever think ofmaking yourself look such a fright?'

  She told him that she was in haste.

  'But what was the whim of it?'

  She desired him to make way, every moment of day-light being precious toher.

  'Hang day-light!' cried he, 'I never liked it; and if you will but waita few minutes--'

  Selina, here, running to call him to breakfast, he finished in awhisper, 'I'll convey you in my own chaise wherever you like to go;' andthen, forced to put up his purse, he gallantly handed his fairbride-elect back to the parlour.

  The stranger, entering the housekeeper's room, met Harleigh, whoseriously remonstrated against her walking project, offering his servantto procure her a post-chaise. The sigh of her negative expressed itsmelancholy economy, though she owned a wish that she could find somemeaner vehicle that would be safe.

  Harleigh then disappeared; but, a few minutes afterwards, when she wassetting out from the garden-gate, she again met him, and he told herthat he was going to order a parcel from a stationer's atBrighthelmstone; and that a sort of chaise-cart, belonging to a farmerjust by, would be sent for it, almost immediately. 'I do not recommend,'added he, smiling, 'such a machine for its elegance; and, if you wouldpermit me to offer you one more eligible--'

  A grave motion of the head repressed him from finishing his phrase, andhe acquainted her that he had just been to the farm, to bespeak a soberdriver, with whom he had already settled for his morning's work.

  This implied assurance, that he had no plan of following the machine,induced her to agree to the proposition; and, when the little carriagewas in sight, he expressed his good wishes that she might find theletter, or the friend, that she desired, and returned to the breakfastparlour.

  The length of the way, joined to the dirt of the roads, made her trulysensible of his consideration, in affording her this safe conveyance.

  When she arrived at the Post-office, the words, 'Oh, you are come atlast!' struck her ear, from the street; but not conceiving herself to beaddressed, they failed to catch her attention, till she saw, waiting togive her his hand, while exclaiming, 'What the deuce can have made youso long in coming?' young Ireton.

  Far less pleased than surprised, she disengaged herself from him withquickness, and enquired for the post-master.

  He was not within.

  She was extremely disturbed, and at a loss where to wait, or what to do.

  'Why did not you stay for my chaise?' said Ireton. 'When I found thatyou were gone, I mounted my steed, and came over by a short cut, to seewhat was become of you; and here you have kept me cooling my heels allthis devil of a time. That booby of a driver must have had a taste forbeing out-crawle
d by a snail.'

  Without answering him, she asked whether there were any clerk at hand,to whom she could apply?

  Oh, yes! and she was immediately shewn into an office, and followed,without any ceremony, by Ireton, though she replied not a word to anything that he said.

  A young man here received her, of whom, in a fearful voice, she demandedwhether he had any letter directed for L.S., to be left till called for.

  'You must make her tell you her name, Sir!' cried Ireton, with an air ofimportance. 'I give you notice not to let her have her letter, without areceipt, signed by her own hand. She came over with Mrs Maple of Lewes,and a party of us, and won't say who she is. 'T has a very ugly look,Sir!'

  The eye of the stranger accused him, but vainly, of cruelty.

  The clerk, who listened with great curiosity, soon produced a foreignletter, with the address demanded.

  While eagerly advancing to receive it, she anxiously enquired, whetherthere were no inland letter with the same direction?

  None, she was answered.

  Ireton then, clapping his hand upon the shoulder of the clerk,positively declared, that he would lodge an information against him, ifhe delivered any letter, under such circumstances, without a signedreceipt.

  An almost fainting distress was now visible in the face of theIncognita, as the clerk, surprised and perplexed, said, 'Have you anyobjection, Ma'am, to giving me your name?'

  She stammered, hesitated, and grew paler, while Ireton smiledtriumphantly, when the party was suddenly joined by Harleigh.

  Ireton ceased his clamour, and hung back, ashamed.

  Harleigh, approaching the stranger, with an apology for his intrusion,was struck with her disordered look, and enquired whether she were ill?

  'Ah, Sir!' she cried, reviving with hope at his sight, and walkingtowards the window, whither, wondering, he followed, 'assist me inmercy!--you know, already, that some powerful motive deters me fromnaming myself--'

  'Have I been making any indiscreet enquiry?' cried he, gently, yet in atone of surprise.

  'You? O no! You have been all generosity and consideration!'

  Harleigh, much gratified, besought her to explain herself with openness.

  'They insist upon my telling my name--or they detain my letter!'

  'Is that all?' said he, and, going to the clerk, he demanded the letter,for which he gave his own address and receipt, with his word of honourthat he was authorised to require it by the person to whom it waswritten.

  He then delivered it into her hand.

  The joy of its possession, joined to the relief from such persecution,filled her with a delight which, though beaming from all her features,she had not yet found words to express, when Ireton, whom Harleigh hadnot remarked, burst into a significant, though affected laugh.

  'Why, Harleigh! why, what the deuce can have brought you hither?' criedhe. Harleigh wished to retort the question; but would not hazard araillery that might embarrass the stranger, who now, with modest grace,courtsied to him; while she passed Ireton without notice, and left theroom.

  Each wished to follow her, but each was restrained by the other. Ireton,who continued laughing maliciously, owned that his journey toBrighthelmstone had been solely to prevail with the clerk to demand thename of the stranger, before he gave up the letter; but Harleighprotested that he had merely ridden over to offer his mediation for herreturn to Lewes, if she should miss the friend, or letter, of which shecame in search.

  Ireton laughed still more; and hoped that, from such abundant charity,he would attribute his own ride, also, to motives of as purebenevolence. He then begged he might not interfere with the following upof so charitable a purpose: but Harleigh assured him that he had neitherright, pretension, nor design to proceed any farther.

  'If that's the case,' cried Ireton, 'since charity is the order of theday, I'll see what is become of her myself.'

  He ran out of the room.

  Harleigh, following, soon joined him, and they saw the Incognita enter amilliner's shop. They then separated; Harleigh pleading business for notreturning immediately to Lewes; while Ireton, mounting his horse, withan accusing shake of the head, rode off.

  Harleigh strolled to the milliner's, and, enquiring for some gloves,perceived, through the glass-door of a small parlour, the strangerreading her letter.

  He begged that the milliner would be so good as to tell the lady in theinner room, that Mr Harleigh requested to speak to her.

  A message thus open could neither startle nor embarrass her, and he wasinstantly admitted.

  He found her pale and agitated. Her letter, which was in her hand, shehastily folded, but looked at nothing else, while she waited anexplanation of his visit.

  'I could not,' he said, 'go back to Lewes without knowing whether yourexpectations are answered in coming hither; or whether you will permitme to tell the Miss Joddrels that they may still have the pleasure to beof some use to you.'

  She appeared to be unable to speak.

  'I fear to seem importunate,' he continued, 'yet I have no intention,believe me, to ask any officious questions. I respect what you have saidof the nature of your situation, too much to desire any informationbeyond what may tend to alleviate its uneasiness.'

  She held her hands before her eyes, to hide her fresh gushing tears, butthey trickled fast through her fingers, as she answered, 'My situationis now deplorable indeed!--I have no letter, no direction from theperson whom I had hoped to meet; and whose abode, whose address, I knownot how to discover! I must not apply to any of my original friends:unknown, and in circumstances the most strange, if not suspicious, can Ihope to make myself any new ones?--Can I even subsist, when, though thusinvolved in mystery, I am as indigent as I am friendless, yet dare notsay who, nor what I am,--and hardly even know it myself!'

  Touched with compassion, he drew nearer to her, meaning, from an almostunconscious impulse of kindness, to take her hand; but feeling, withequal quickness, the impropriety of allowing his pity such amanifestation, he retreated to his first place, and, in accents ofgentle, but respectful commiseration, expressed his concern for herdistress.

  Somewhat soothed, yet heavily sighing, 'To fail finding,' she said,'either the friend, or her direction, that I expected, overwhelms mewith difficulty and perplexity. And even this letter from abroad, thoughmost welcome, has grievously disappointed me! I am promised, however,another, which may bring me, perhaps, happier tidings. I must wait forit patiently; but the person from whom it comes little imagines mydestitute state! The unfortunate loss of my purse makes it, by thisdelay of all succour, almost desperate!'

  The hand of Harleigh was involuntarily in his pocket, but before hecould either draw out his purse, or speak, she tremulously added,colouring, and holding back, 'I am ashamed to have mentioned acircumstance, which seems to call for a species of assistance, that itis impossible I should accept.'

  Harleigh bowed, acquiescent.

  Her eyes thanked him for sparing her any contest, and she thengratefully acceded to his proposal, of soliciting for her the renewedaid and countenance of the Miss Joddrels, from whom some little noticemight be highly advantageous, in securing her decent treatment, duringthe few days,--perhaps more,--that she might be kept waiting atBrighthelmstone for another letter.

  He gently exhorted her to re-animate her courage, and hoped to convinceher, by the next morning, that he had not intruded upon her retirementfrom motives of idle and useless curiosity.

  As soon as he was gone, she treated with Miss Matson, the milliner, towhom Harleigh had considerately named her as a young person known to MrsMaple, for a small room in her house during a few days; and then,somewhat revived, she endeavoured, by recollecting the evils which shehad escaped, to look forward, with better hopes of alleviation, to thosewhich might yet remain to be encountered.