by Fanny Burney
CHAPTER XXVII
The retreat sought by Ellis, from a recital as offensive to her ear asit was afflicting to her heart, was not long uninterrupted: Miss Arbe,next, made her appearance. Gravely, but civilly, she lamented thedisturbance at the concert; paradingly assuring Ellis that she shouldhave called sooner, but that she had incessantly been occupied inendeavours to serve her. She had conversed with every one of herscholars; but nothing was yet quite decided, as to what would be theresult of that strange attack. Poor Mrs Maple, to whom, of course, shehad made her first visit, seemed herself in the utmost distress; onemoment repining, that she had suffered her charity to delude her intocountenancing a person so unknown; and another, vindicating herselfwarmly from all possible imputation of indiscretion, by the mostpositive affirmations of the unblemished reputation of Miss Ellis; andthese assertions, most fortunately, had, at length, determined MissBydel to support her, for how else, as she justly asked, should she getthe money repaid that she had advanced for the harp?
'And Miss Bydel,' continued Miss Arbe, 'like all other old maids, is soprecise about those sort of particulars, that, though she has not thesmallest influence with any body of any consequence, as to any thingelse, she is always depended upon for that sort of thing. We must not,therefore, shew her that we despise her, for she may be useful enough;especially in letting you have the harp, you know, that we may stillenjoy a little music together. For I can make her do whatever I pleasefor the sake of my company.'
Ellis had long known that the civilities which she owed to Miss Arbe,had their sole motive in selfishness; but the total carelessness ofgiving them any other colour, became, now, so glaring, that she couldwith difficulty conceal the decrease either of her respect or of hergratitude.
Miss Arbe, however, was but little troubled with that species ofdelicacy which is solicitous to watch, that it may spare the feelings ofothers. She continued, therefore, what she had to offer, hurrying tocome to a conclusion, as she had not, she declared, three minutes tostay.
If Lady Kendover, she said, could be brought over, every body wouldfollow; not excepting Lady Arramede, who was obliged to be so great aniggard, in the midst of her splendid expences, that she would be quiteenchanted to renew her daughter's lessons, with so economical amistress, if once she could be satisfied that she would be sustained byother persons of fashion. But Lady Kendover, who did not wait to be led,protested that she could by no means place her niece again under thetuition of Miss Ellis, till the concert-scene should be explained.
Miss Arbe then asked whether Ellis would give it any explanation.
Ellis dejectedly answered, that she could offer no other, than thatnecessity had forced her to disguise herself, that she might make herescape.
'Well but, then, people say,' cried Miss Arbe, 'now that your escape ismade, why don't you speak out? That's the cry every where.'
Ellis looked down, distressed, ashamed; and Miss Arbe declared that shehad not another moment at present, for discussion, but would call again,to settle what should be done on Monday. Meantime, she had brought somenew music with her, which she wished to try; for the time was sounaccountable, that she could not make out a bar of it.
Ellis heartily felicitated herself upon every occasion, by which shecould lessen obligations of which she now felt the full weight, and,with the utmost alacrity, took her harp.
Miss Arbe here had so much to study, so many passages to pick out, andsuch an eagerness to practise till she could conquer their difficulties,that she soon forgot that she had not a moment to spare; and two hoursalready had been consecrated to her improvement, when intelligence wasbrought that Mr Tedman's carriage was come for Miss Ellis.
'You must not accept it for the world!' cried Miss Arbe. 'If, at themoment people of distinction are shy of you, you are known to cultivateamongst mechanics, and people of that sort, it's all over with you.Persons of fashion can't possibly notice you again.'
She then added, that, after the scene of the preceding day, Miss Ellismust make it a point to let the first house that she entered be that ofsomebody of condition. She might go amongst trades-people as much as shepleased, when once she was established amongst persons of rank; fortrades-people were so much the best paymasters, that nobody could beangry if artists were partial to them; but they must by no means takethe lead; nor suppose that they were to have any hours but those thatwould not suit other people. As she could not, therefore, re-commenceher career at Lady Kendover's, or at Lady Arramede's, she must try toget received at Miss Sycamore's;--or, if that should be too difficult,at the Miss Crawleys, who would object to nothing, as they cared fornobody's opinion, and made it a rule to follow nobody's advice. And thisthey took so little pains to hide from the world, that their countenancewould not be of the least service, but for their living with SirMarmaduke, who was scrupulosity itself. This being the case, joined totheir extreme youth, they had not yet been set down, as they mustnecessarily be, in a few years, for persons of no weight, and ratherdetrimental than advantageous to people of no consequence. At present,therefore, Ellis might safely make her court to them, as she couldalways drop them when they became dangerous, or of no use. And just nowshe must snap at whoever and whatever could help to bring her again intocredit. And the Miss Crawleys, though each of them was as wilful as aspoiled child, as full of tricks as a schoolboy, and of as boisterousmirth as a dairy-maid, were yet sisters of a baronet, and born of a verygood family; and therefore they would be more serviceable to her thanthat vulgar Miss Tedman, even though she were an angel.
Ellis listened in silent, and scarcely concealed disdain, to theseworldly precepts; yet Miss Tedman was so utterly disagreeable, and thesneers of Sir Lyell Sycamore had added such repugnance to her distasteof the civilities of Mr Tedman, that she did not attempt opposing thedictatorial proceedings of Miss Arbe; who gave orders, that the coachmanshould be told that Miss Ellis was indisposed, and sent her compliments,but could not wait upon Miss Tedman till the next week.
She then again went on with her unacknowledged, but not less, to hertutress, laborious lesson, till she was obliged to hasten to hertoilette, for her dinner-engagement; leaving Ellis in the utmost alarmfor her whole scheme; and tormented with a thousand fears, becauseunable to fix upon any standard for the regulation of her conduct.
The next day was Sunday. Ellis had constantly on that day attendeddivine worship, during the month which she had spent at Brighthelmstone;and now, to a call stronger than usual for the consolation which itmight afford her, she joined an opinion, that to stay away, in herpresent circumstances, might have an air of absconding, or ofculpability.
She was placed, as usual, in a pew, with some other decent strangers, bya fee to the pew-opener; but she had the mortification to find, when theservice was over, that the dry clear frost, of the latter end of March,which had enabled her to walk to the church, was broken up by a heavyshower of rain. She had been amongst the first to hurry away, in thehope of escaping unnoticed, by hastening down the hill, on which thechurch is built, before the higher ranks of the congregation left theirpews; but, arrived at the porch, she was compelled to stop: she wasunprovided with an umbrella, and the rain was so violent that, withoutone, she must have been wet through in a minute.
She would have made way back to the pew which she had quitted, to waitfor more moderate weather; but the whole congregation was coming forth,and there was no re-passing.
She was the more sensibly vexed at being thus impeded, from findingherself, almost immediately, joined by Sir Lyell Sycamore; whoseeagerness to speak to her by no means concealed his embarrassment inwhat manner to address, or to think of her. He was making, variousoffers of service; to find the pew-opener; to give her a seat toherself; to fetch her a chaise from the nearest inn; or an umbrella fromhis own carriage; when Mrs and Miss Brinville, who hurried from theirpew, the instant that they saw the Baronet depart, cast upon them looksof such suspicious disdain, that he deemed it necessary, though hesmiled and appeared gratified by their undisguised pique, to w
alk onwith them to their carriage; whispering, however, to Ellis that heshould return to take her under his care.
Ellis, extremely shocked, could not endure to remain on the same spot,as if awaiting his services; she glided, therefore, into a corner, closeto the door; hoping that the crowd, which incommoded, would at leastprotect her from being seen: but she had not been stationed there amoment, before she had the unwelcome surprise of hearing the words,'Why, Mr Stubbs, if here is not Miss Ellis!' and finding that she hadplaced herself between young Gooch, the farmer's son, and Mr Stubbs, theold steward.
'Good now, Ma'am,' the young man cried, 'why I have never seen you sincethat night of our all acting together in that play, when you out-toppedus all so to nothing! I never saw the like, not even at the real play.And some of the judges said, you were not much short of what they be atthe grand London theatre itself. I suppose, Ma'am, you were pretty wellused to acting in France? for they say all the French are actors ordancers, except just them that go to the wars. I should like to know,Ma'am, whether they pop off them players and fidlers at the same ratethey do the rest? for, if they do, it's a wonder how they can get 'em togo on acting and piping, and jiggetting about, and such like, if theyknow they are so soon to have their heads off, all the same. You couldnot get we English now to do so, just before being hanged, or shot. Butthe French a'n't very thoughtful. They're always ready for a jig.'
'I am sorry I had no notice of seeing you here to day, Ma'am,' said MrStubbs, 'for if I had, I would have brought my bit of paper with me,that I've writ down my queries upon, about raising the rents in thoseparts, and the price that land holds in general; and about a purchasethat I am advised to make.--'
'But I should like much to know, Ma'am,' resumed Gooch, 'whether it's atruth, what I've been told at our club, that your commonest soldier inFrance, when once he can bring proof he has killed you his dozen or so,with his own hand, is made a general upon the spot? If that's the case,to be sure it's no great wonder there's so much blood shed; for suchencouragement as that's enough to make soldiers of the very women andchildren.'
'Why, I am told, the French have no great head,' said Mr Stubbs, 'exceptfor the wars; and that's what makes the land so cheap; for, I am told,you may buy an estate, of a thousand or two acres, for an old song. Andthat's the reason I am thinking of making a purchase. The only point is,how to see the premises without the danger of crossing the seas; and howto strike the bargain.'
Ellis, thus beset, was not sorry to be joined by Mr Scope, who, thoughmore formal and tedious than either of the others, was a gentleman,spoke in a lower tone of voice, and attracted less attention.
'I am happy, Ma'am,' he said, 'to have met with you again; for I havewished for some time to hold a little discourse with you, relative tothe rites practised abroad, as to that Goddess of Reason, that, as I amcredibly informed, has been set up by Mr Robert-Spierre. Now I shouldwish to enquire, what good they expect to accrue by proclaiming, oneday, that there is no religion, and then, the next day, making a new oneby the figure of a woman. It is hardly to be supposed that such sort offickleness can serve to make a government respectable. And as to so manyfemales being called Goddesses of Reason,--for I am assured there aresome score of them,--one don't very well see what that means; the ladiesin general,--I speak without offence, as it's out of their line,--notbeing particularly famous for their reason; at least not here; and Ishould suppose they can hardly be much more so in that light nation. ThePagans, it is true, though from what mode of thinking we are now at aloss to discover, thought proper to have Reason represented by a female;and that, perhaps, may be the cause of the French adopting the samenotion, on account of their ancient character for politeness; though Icannot much commend their sagacity, taken in a political point of view,in putting the female head, which is very well in its proper sphere,upon coping, if I may use such an expression, with the male.'
This harangue, which Mr Stubbs and young Gooch, though too respectful tointerrupt, waited, impatiently, to hear finished, might have lastedunbroken for half an hour, if Miss Bydel, in passing by with herbrother, to get to her carriage, had not called out, 'Bless me, MrScope, what are you talking of there, with that young person? Have youbeen asking her about that business at the blind harper's concert? Ishould be glad to know, myself, Miss Ellis, as I call you, what youintend to do next? Have any of your scholars let you go to them again?And what says Miss Arbe to all this? Does she think you'll ever get thebetter of it?'
Mr Bydel, here, begged his sister to invite Mr Scope to take a place inthe carriage.
Young Gooch, then, would have renewed his questions relative to thegenerals, but that, upon pronouncing again her name, Mr Tedman, who,with his daughter, was passing near the porch, to examine whether theycould arrive safely at their carriage, called out, 'Well, if you are nothere, too, my dear! Why how will you do to get home? You'll be draggledup to your chin, if you walk; put in case you haven't got your umbrella,and your pattens. But I suppose some of your quality friends will giveyou a lift; for I see one of 'em just coming. It's Miss Ellis, themusic-maker, Ma'am,' added he, to Lady Arramede, who just then came outwith Miss Arramede; 'the young girl as teaches our darters the musics;and she'll spoil all her things, poor thing, if somebody don't give hera lift home.'
Lady Arramede, without moving a muscle of her face, or deigning to turntowards either the object or the agent of this implied request, walkedon in silent contempt.
Mr Tedman, extremely offended, said, 'The quality always think they maybehave any how! and Lady Arrymud is not a bit to choose, from the worstamong them. And even my own darter,' he whispered, 'is just as bad asthe best; for she'd pout at me for a month to come, put in case I was toride you home in our coach, now that the quality's taken miff at you.'
During this whisper, which Ellis strove vainly to avoid hearing, andwhich the familiar junction of young Gooch, who was related to MrTedman, rendered more observable, she had the mortification of beingevidently seen, though no longer, as heretofore, courteouslyacknowledged, by all her scholars and acquaintances. Miss Sycamore, thehardiest, passed, staring disdainfully in her face; Mrs Maple, the mostcowardly, and who was accidentally at Brighthelmstone, pretended to havehurt her foot, that she might look down: the Miss Crawleys screamed out,'The Ellis! The Ellis! look, The Marmaduke, 'tis The Ellis!' SirMarmaduke, turning back to address Miss Arbe, said, with concern, 'Is itpossible, Madam, 'tis The Ellis, the elegant Ellis, that can join suchlow company?' Miss Arbe shrugged her shoulders, crying, 'What can one dowith such people?' Lady Kendover's eyes kept carefully astraight-forward direction; while Lady Barbara, whom she held by onehand, incessantly kissed the other at Ellis, with ingenuous andundisguised warmth of kindness; an action which was eagerly repeated bySelina, who closely followed her ladyship.
Ireton, who brought up the rear, quitted the group, to approach Ellis,and say, 'I am, positively, quite confounded, my dear Miss Ellis, at themischief my confounded giddiness has brought about. I had not an idea ofit, I assure you. I merely meant to play upon that confounded queerfellow, Riley. He's so cursed troublesome, and so confounded free, thatI hate him horribly. That's all, I assure you.'
Ellis would make no answer, and he was forced to run after Selina.
The rain being, now, much abated, the congregation began to disperse,and Mr Tedman was compelled to attend his daughter; but he recommendedthe young music-maker to the care of his cousin Gooch; whose assistanceshe was declining, when she was again joined by Sir Lyell Sycamore,with a capacious umbrella, under which he begged to be her escort.
She decidedly refused his services; but he protested that, if she wouldnot let him walk by her side, he would follow her, like an Indian slave,holding the umbrella over her head, as if she were an Indian queen.
Vexed and displeased, and preferring any other protection, she addressedherself to old Mr Stubbs, who still stood under the porch, and beggedhim to have the kindness to see her home.
Mr Stubbs, extremely flattered, complied. The other candidates va
inlyopposed the decision: they found that her decree was irrevocable, andthat, when once it was pronounced, her silence was resolute. Mr Stubbs,nevertheless, had by no means the enjoyment that he expected from thisdistinction; for Ellis had as little inclination as she had spirit, toexert herself for answering the numerous enquiries, relative to landsand rents, which he poured into her ears.
