The Lady of Lynn

by Walter Besant

  CHAPTER IX

  SENT TO THE SPA

  At the outset, though the pump room was full every morning and thegardens and long room in the evening were well attended, the spalacked animation. The music pleased, the singers pleased, the colouredlamps dangled in chains between the branches and pleased. Yet thecompany was dull; there was little noise of conversation, and no mirthor laughter; the family groups were not broken up; the people lookedat each other and walked round and round in silence; after the firstround or so, when they had seen all the dresses, the girls yawned andwanted to sit down.

  The master of the ceremonies exerted himself in vain. He had hoped somuch and promised so much that it was sad to see him standing in frontof the orchestra and vainly endeavouring to find couples for theminuet. How should they dance a minuet when there were no leaders tobegin? And where were the gentlemen? Most of them were at the tavernor the cockpit, drinking and cockfighting, and making bets. What wasthe use of calling a country dance when there were none to stand upexcept ladies and old men? Mr. Prappet, in a blue silk coat andembroidered waistcoat, hat under arm, and flourishing his legs as afencing master flourishes his arms, fell into despondency. "I make noprogress, Mr. Pentecrosse," he said. "I cannot begin with the beaux ofthe town; they are nautical or rustical, to tell the truth, and theyare beneath the gentry of the county. If I begin with them none of thegentry will condescend either to dance with them or to follow them,and so the character of the assembly will be gone. We must obey thelaws of society. We want rank, sir. We want a leader. We want two orthree people of fashion, otherwise these county families, none of whomwill yield precedence to any other, and will not endure that oneshould stand up before the other, will never unbend. They are jealous.Give me a leader--a nobleman--a baronet--a lady of quality--and youshall see how they will fall in. First, the nobility, according torank; after them, the gentry; then the town degrees must be observed.But, in order to observe degrees, sir, we must have rank among us. Atpresent we are a mob. An assembly in the polite world should be likethe English Constitution, which, Mr. Pentecrosse, consists of Lordsand Commons--Ladies, and the wives and daughters of commoners."

  To me it was amusing only to see the people in their fine dressesmarching round and round while the music played, trailing their skirtson the floor, swinging their hoops, and handling their fans; for thelack of young men, talking to the clergy from the cathedrals and thecolleges, and casting at each other glances of envy if one was betterdressed, or of scorn when one was worse dressed than themselves.

  "As for the men, Jack," said Captain Crowle, "I keep looking about me.I try the pump room in the morning, the ordinary at dinner, thetaverns after dinner. My lad, there is not one among them all who isfit to be mated with our Molly. Gentlemen, are they? I like not themanner of these gentlemen. They are mostly young, but drink hardalready. If their faces are red and swollen at twenty-five, what willthey be at forty? My girl shall marry none of them. Nor shall shedance with them. She shall stay at home."

  In fact, during the first week or two after the opening of the spa,Molly remained at home and was not seen in the long room or in thegardens.

  The town was nearly full, many of the visitors having to put up withmean lodgings in the crazy old courts, of which there are so many inLynn, when the first arrival from London took place. It was that of aclergyman named Benjamin Purdon, Artium Magister, formerly of TrinityCollege, Cambridge. He was a man of insignificant presence, his figurebeing small and thin, but finely dressed. His head was almost hiddenby a full ecclesiastical wig. Apparently he was between forty andfifty years of age; he looked about him and surveyed the company withan air of superiority, as if he had been a person of rank. He spokewith a loud, rather a high voice; his face was pale and his hands,which he displayed, were as white as any woman's, on one finger hewore a large ring with a stone on which were carved three graces, orGreek goddesses, standing in a row. To some the ring was astumbling-block, as hardly in accordance with the profession of adivine. "Art," however, he was wont to say, "knows nothing of Eve'sapple and its consequences. Art is outside religion;" and so forth.Fustian stuff, it seems to me, looking back; but at that time we werecarried away by the authority of the man.

  He came to us down the river by a tilt boat from Cambridge, andaccepted, contentedly, quite a humble lodging, barely furnished with achair and a flock bed. "Humility becomes a divine," he said, in ahigh, authoritative voice. "The room will serve. A coal fire and anopen window will remove the mustiness. Who am I that I should demandthe luxuries of Lucullus? The Cloth should daily offer an example. Wemust macerate the flesh." He was thin, but he certainly practised notmaceration. "We must subdue the body. To him who meditates a hovelbecomes a palace. There is an ordinary, you say, daily at the'Crown'--At two shillings? For the better subjugation of the carnalappetite it should have been one and sixpence. Nevertheless, I haveheard of the green goslings of Lynn. Perhaps I shall now be privilegedto taste them. There were excellent ruffs and reeves when I was atcollege that came to the market-place from the fens in the May time.You have a Portuguese trade I am told--in wine, I hope, otherwise weare not likely to get anything fit for a gentleman to drink. It is,indeed, little that I take; were it not for my infirmities, I shouldtake none. Your port, I hope, is matured. More sickness is caused bynew wine than by any other cause. Give me wine of twenty years--butthat is beyond hope in this place. If it is three, four, or five yearsold, I shall be fortunate beyond my expectation." He did not say allthese fine things at once, or to one person; but by bits to hisbrother clergyman, the vicar of St. Margaret's; to Captain Crowle, tothe mayor, to the landlady of the Crown Inn, to the ladies in the longroom. "You see me as I am, a poor scholar, a humble minister of thechurch--_servus servorum_, to use the style and title of the Pope; onewho despises wealth." Yet his cassock was of thick silk and his bandswere laced. "I live in London because I can there find, when I wantit, a lectureship for my preaching, and a library--that of SionCollege--for my reading, study, meditation, and writing. I leavebehind me, unfinished, my work--my _magnum opus_--forgive theinfirmity natural to man of desiring to live in the memory of men. Iconfess that I look forward with pleasure to future fame: my 'Historyof the Early Councils' will be a monument--if I may be permitted so tospeak of it--a monument of erudition. I come here by order of myphysician. Ladies, this sluggish body, which gives us so much trouble,must be kept in health (as well as in subjection) if we would performthe tasks laid down for us. The waters which I am about to drink will,under Providence, drive away those symptoms which have made myfriends, rather than myself, anxious. As for me, what cause have I foranxiety? Why should I not be ready to lay down pen and book, and teachno more?"

  He was, perhaps--though we must allow a good deal to hisprofession--too fond of preaching. He preached in the morning at thepump room. Holding a glass of water to the light, he discoursed on themarvels of Providence in concealing sovereign remedies under the guiseof simple water, such as one may find in any running brook to allappearance, and yet so potent. He would preach in the gardens. Hewould show the piety of his character even when taking supper--a coldchicken and a bottle of Lisbon--in an alcove beside the dancingplatform. In this way he rapidly acquired a great reputation, and drewafter him every day a following of ladies; there are always ladies whodesire nothing so much as pious talk on matters of religion with onewho has a proper feeling for the sex, and is courteous andcomplimentary, deferent and assiduous, as well as learned, pious, andeloquent. The good man, for his part, was never tired of conversingwith these amiable ladies, especially with the younger sort; but Ibelieve there were jealousies among them, each desiring the wholeundivided man for herself, which is not uncommon even among ladies ofthe strictest profession in religion.

  It was presently learned that Mr. Purdon had offered to take theservices at St. Nicholas for a few weeks in order to enable the curateto attend the bedside of a parent. He undertook this duty withoutasking for any fee or pay, a fact which greatly increased hisreputation. He co
ntinued the morning services, now held in awell-filled church, and delivered a sermon on Sunday morning. Neverbefore had the good people who sat in the church heard discourses ofso much eloquence, such close reasoning, such unexpectedillustrations; with passages so tender and so pathetic. The womenwept; the men cleared their throats; the sermons of his reverence drewafter him the whole company, except those who spent their Sundaymorning at the tavern, and also excepting the clergymen of thecathedrals and the colleges. These, for some reason, looked upon himwith distrust.

  Among those who thus regarded him was the vicar of St. Margaret's, theRev. Mark Gentle. He was, to begin with, the very opposite of theother in all respects. He lived simply, drinking no wine; he was asilent man, whose occasional words were received with consideration;he was a great scholar, with a fine library. His discourses were notunderstood by the congregation, but they were said to be full oflearning. He did not make himself agreeable to the ladies; he nevertalked of religion; he never spoke of his own habits or his ownlearning. He was a tall spare man with a thin face and a long nose, ofthe kind which is said to accompany a sense of humour; and he hadsometimes a curious light in his eye like the flash of a light in thedark.

  "The Reverend Benjamin Purdon," he said, with such a flash, "interestsme greatly. He is a most learned person--indeed, he says so, himself.I quoted a well-known passage of a Greek tragedy to him yesterday, andhe said that his Hebrew he left behind him when he came into thecountry. We must not think that this proves anything. A man's ear maybe deceived. I offered him the use of my library, but he declined.That proves nothing, either, because he may not wish to read atpresent. I hear that the women weep when he preaches; and that provesnothing. Sir, I should like the opinion of Sion College, which is acollection of all the rectors and vicars of the city churches, as tothe learning of this ecclesiastic. He is, doubtless, all that heproclaims himself. But, after all, that means nothing. We shallprobably learn more about him. Whatever we learn will, we mayconfidently expect, redound to his credit, and increase hisreputation."

  This he said in my presence, to my father. "I know not," he replied,"how much this learned theologian professes, but humility is not oneof his virtues. I offered, meeting him in the Herb Market yesterday,to show him the school as a venerable monument erected for the sake oflearning three hundred years ago. 'Pedagogue!' he answered. 'Know thyplace!' So he swept on his way, swelling under his silken cassock."

  Captain Crowle, however, with many others, was greatly taken with him."Jack," he said, "the London clergyman shames our rusticity. Learningflows from him with every word he speaks. He makes the women cry. Heis full of pious sentiment. If we have many visitors so edifying, thisdiscovery is like to prove for all of us the road to heaven as well asthe means of wealth."

  Alas! the road to heaven seldom, so far as I understand, brings thepilgrim within reach of the means of wealth. But this the captaincould not understand, because he had been amassing wealth for hisward, not for himself, and therefore knew not the dangers of thepursuit.

  The Reverend Benjamin Purdon was only a forerunner. He was followed bythe rest of the company--the delectable company--brought together forour destruction. I would not willingly anticipate the sequel of thesearrivals among us, but there are moments when I am fain to declare arighteous wrath. As for revenge--but it would be idle to speak ofrevenge. When a man has taken all that he can devise or procure in theway of revenge--bodily pain, ruin, loss of position, exposure,everything--the first injury remains untouched. This cannot be undone;nor can the injury be atoned by any suffering or any punishment.Revenge, again, grows more hungry by what should satisfy it; revengeis never satisfied. Revenge has been forbidden to man because hecannot be trusted. It is the Lord's. In this case it was the Lord whoavenged our cause, and, I believe, turned the injury into a blessing,and made our very loss a ladder that led to heaven.

  A day or two after Mr. Purdon's arrival came a carriage and fourcontaining a very fine lady indeed, with her maid and her man. Shedrove to the Crown, the people all looking after her. A large coat ofarms was emblazoned on the door of her carriage, with a coronet andsupporters; her man was dressed in a noble livery of pale green withscarlet epaulettes. A little crowd gathered round the door of theCrown while the footman held the door open and the lady spoke with thelandlord.

  "Sir," she said, inclining her head graciously and smiling upon thecrowd, "I have been directed to ask for thy good offices in procuringa lodging. I am a simple person, but a body must have cleanliness androom to turn about."

  "Madam," said the landlord, "there is but one lodging in the townwhich is worthy of your ladyship. I have, myself, across themarket-place, a house which contains three or four rooms. These Iwould submit to your ladyship's consideration."

  This was an excellent beginning. The lady took the rooms at the rentproposed and without haggling; there were two bedrooms, for herselfand her maid, and one room in which she could sit; the man foundlodgings elsewhere. It appeared from his statement that his mistresswas none other than the Lady Anastasia, widow of the late LordLangston, and sister of the living Earl of Selsey. It was, therefore,quite true, as Sam Semple had announced, that persons of quality werecoming to the spa.

  The Lady Anastasia, at this time was about twenty-six years of age, orperhaps thirty, a handsome woman still, though no longer in the firstflush of her beauty. Her dress, as well as her manner, proclaimed thewoman of fashion. I confess that, as a simple sailor, one who couldnot pretend to be a gentleman and had never before seen a woman ofrank, much less conversed with one, I was quite ready, after she hadhonoured me with a few words of condescension and kindness, to becomeher slave. She could bear herself with the greatest dignity and evenseverity, as certain ladies discovered who presumed upon her kindnessand assumed familiarity. But while she could freeze with a frown andhumiliate with a look, she could, and did, the next moment subdue themost obdurate, and disarm the most resentful with her gracious smileand with her voice, which was the softest, the most musical and themost moving that you can imagine. She had been a widow for two orthree years, and, having now put off the weeds, she was rejoicing atthe freedom which the world allows to a young widow of fortune and ofrank.

  You may be sure that the news of her arrival was speedily spreadthrough the town. On the first night Lady Anastasia remained in herlodgings; but the ringers of St. Margaret's gave her a welcome withthe bells, and in the morning the horns saluted her with a tune and aflourish under her windows. To the ringers she sent her thanks, withmoney for a supper and plenty of beer, and to the horns she sent out asuitable present of money, also with thanks.

  Later on, a deputation, consisting of the mayor in his robes and hisgold chain, accompanied by the aldermen in their gowns, the vicar inhis cassock and gown, the doctor in his best velvet coat and hisbiggest wig, and Captain Crowle in his Sunday suit of black cloth,waited on the Lady Anastasia. They marched along the street from thetown hall, preceded by the beadle in his green coat with brass buttonsand laced hat, carrying the borough mace, all to do honour to thisdistinguished visitor.

  They were received by the lady reclining on the sofa. Beside her stoodher maid in a white apron and a white cap. At the door stood her manin his green livery--very fine. As for the Lady Anastasia's dress, Iwill attempt on another occasion a more particular description.Suffice it to say that it was rich and splendid. The reception whichshe accorded to the deputation was most gracious and condescending, inthis respect surpassing anything that they had expected. They looked,indeed, for the austerity and dignity of rank, and were received bythe affability which renders rank wherein it is found, admired andrespected. Indeed, whatever I shall have to relate concerning thislady, it must be acknowledged that she possessed the art of attractingall kinds of people, of compelling their submission to her slightestwishes and of commanding their respectful affection. So much I mustconcede.

  The mayor bade her welcome to the spa. "Madam," he said, "this townuntil yesterday was but a seaport, and we ourselves for the
most partmerchants and sailors. We are not people of fashion; we do not callourselves courtiers; but you will find us honest. And we hope that youwill believe in our honesty when we venture, with all respect, todeclare ourselves greatly honoured by this visit of your ladyship."

  "Indeed, worshipful sir, and reverend sir--and you, gentlemen, I amgrateful for your kind words. I am here only in the pursuit of health.I want nothing more, believe me, but to drink your sovereignwaters--of which my physician speaks most highly--and when my healthallows me, to attend your church."

  "We hope to offer your ladyship more than the pump room," the mayorcontinued. "We have devised, in our humble way, rooms for theentertainment of the company with music and gardens, and we hope tohave an assembly for dancing in the long room. They are not suchentertainments as your ladyship is accustomed to adorn, but such asthey are, we shall be deeply honoured if you will condescend to jointhem. You will find the gentry, and their ladies, of the county andothers not unworthy of your ladyship's acquaintance."

  "Sir, I accept your invitation with great pleasure. These gaietiesare, indeed unexpected. I look forward, gentlemen, to making theacquaintance, before many days, of your ladies as well."

  So she rose and dropped a curtsey, while her man threw open the doorand the deputation withdrew.

  The doctor remained behind.

  "Madam," he said, "you have been ordered--advised--by your physicianto try the waters of our spa. Permit me, as the only physician of thetown, an unworthy member of that learned college, to take charge ofyour health during your stay. Your ladyship will allow me to feel yourpulse. Humph! It beats strong--a bounding pulse--as we of theprofession say. A bounding pulse. To be sure your ladyship is in theheyday of life, with youth and strength. A bounding pulse. Some of mybrethren might be alarmed as at febrile indications; they would bleedyou--even _ad plenum rivum_--forgive the Latin. For my own part Ilaugh at these precautions. I find in the strength of the pulsenothing but the ardour of youth. I see no necessity for reduction ofstrength by blood letting. Your ladyship will perhaps detail thesymptoms for which this visit to the spa was ordered."

  The lady obeyed.

  "These symptoms," said the doctor, "are grave. As yet they aremenacing only. Nature has given warning. Nature opens her book so thatwe who know her language may read. We meet her warnings by sharpaction. Your ladyship will, therefore, while continuing the courserecommended by my learned brother, take one glass of the water daily;in the morning, before breakfast, fasting. Each dose must containseven ounces and six drachms. I shall have the honour to visit yourladyship daily, and we will regulate the treatment according to theoperation of the water."

  "And must I give up the innocent pleasures offered me by your friends,doctor? Surely, you will not be so cruel."

  "By no means, madam. Partake of all--of all--in moderation. Cards aregood, if you like them. Dancing, if you like it--with your symptomsyou must, above all things, nourish the body and keep the mind incheerfulness."

  The doctor withdrew and proceeded to relate to the pump room someparticulars, with embellishments, of his interview with the LadyAnastasia.

  "Nothing," he said, "can be imagined more gracious than her manner. Itis at once dignified and modest. 'I trust myself entirely to yourhands,' she said. What an example to patients of lower rank! 'I relyentirely on your skill and knowledge,' she added. It should be alesson for all. I confess that it is gratifying even though thecompliment was not undeserved, and the confidence is not misplaced. Wemay look for her ladyship in the long room this evening. I hope topresent to her many of the ladies of the company. It is a great thingfor the visitors and patients of the spa, that this accession of rankand fashion has arrived. Her beauty will prove more attractive to thegentlemen than the cockpit and the tavern; her manners and her dresswill be the admiration of the ladies. She will lead in the dance, shewill be queen of the spa. The widow of the right honourable the LordLangston, the daughter and the sister of the right honourable the Earlof Selsey"--he rolled out the titles as if he could not have too muchof them or too many--"has come among us. We will restore her to healthby means of our spa; she will instruct our young folk in the mannersof the polite world."

  In the evening the lady came to the long room soon after the musiccommenced. Mr. Prappet, bowing low, invited her to honour the eveningby dancing a minuet. He presented a gentleman, the son of a Norfolksquire, who, with many blushes, being still young, led out this lady,all jewels, silk, ribbons, and patches, and with such grace as hecould command, performed the stately dance of the fashionableassembly.

  "HE PRESENTED A GENTLEMAN, THE SON OF A NORFOLKSQUIRE."]

  This done, the master of the ceremonies presented another gentleman,and her ladyship condescended to a second dance--after which sheretired and sat down. The first gentleman then danced with anotherlady; the second gentleman succeeded him, and dance followed dance.Mr. Prappet presented to Lady Anastasia those of the ladies whobelonged to the gentry, and she was presently surrounded by a court orcompany, with whom she discoursed pleasantly and graciously. The spahad found a leader; the assembly was no longer frigid and constrained;everybody talked and everybody laughed; the family groups were brokenup; none of the younger gentlemen deserted the assembly for thecockpit; and when the country dance began and Lady Anastasia led,dancing down the middle, taking hands and freely mixing with ladieswho had no pretensions to family, being perhaps the daughters ofmerchants, and those in Lynn itself, the barriers were broken down,and without setting themselves apart on account of family pride, thewhole company gave itself up to pleasure. When the music ceased, therewas a run upon the supper tables, and you could hear nothing but thedrawing of corks, the clicking of knives and forks, the music ofpleasant talk, and the laughter of girls. When, at midnight, the LadyAnastasia called for her chair, a dozen young gentlemen sprang up toescort her home, walking beside the chair to her lodgings, and bowinglow as she ran up the steps of her house.

  The next arrival from London was a person of less consequence. He wasquite an old gentleman, who was brought, it appeared, by easy stagesin a post-chaise. The roughness of the road, especially towards theend, had shaken him to such an extent that he was unable even to getout of the chaise, and was carried into the house, where they foundhim a lodging and put him to bed. His man told the people that thiswas Sir Harry Malyns, a baronet and country gentleman, whose life waswholly devoted to the pleasures of town. Those who had seen thewithered old anatomy carried out of his carriage laughed at thethought of this ancient person still devoted to the pleasures of thetown. "Nay," said the varlet, grinning, "but wait till you see himdressed. Wait till he has passed through my hands. You think he is athis last gasp. Indeed, I thought so myself when I gave him his sackposset and put him to bed, but he will recover. Sir Harry is not soold but he can still bear some fatigues." And, indeed, you may imaginethe surprise of those who had seen him the day before, when, abouteleven o'clock in the forenoon, Sir Harry came out of the house andwalked along the street. In place of a decrepit old man they saw themost gallant and the most bravely dressed beau that you can imagine.He appeared from the back and from either side--where his face was notvisible--a young gentleman in the height of fashion. To be sure therewas a certain unsteadiness of gait, and if his foot struck against anuneven piece of pavement you might perceive his knees knockingtogether and his legs beginning to tremble. But he rallied bravely,and went on. He carried his hat under his arm, a coloured cane dangledfrom his right wrist, his left hand carried a gold snuffbox with alady painted on the outside. He walked with an affected step, such aswe call mincing, and when he came to the pump room he entered it uponhis toes, with his knees bent and his arms extended. For an example ofthe manners which mean nothing but affectation and pretence, there wasno one at the spa who could compare with old Sir Harry.

  The pump room was tolerably full of people who came in the forenoon totalk. Sir Harry, pretending not to observe the curiosity with which hewas regarded, introduced himself to a gentleman by means o
f hissnuffbox. "Sir," he said, "have we any company at the spa?" He lookedround the room as if disdainfully. "Fine women, of course, we have.Norfolk is famous for fine women and fat turkeys; but as for company?"

  "Sir, we have many of the country gentry of Norfolk and Lincolnshire;we have divines from the cathedral cities, and scholars fromCambridge."

  "But of company--such as a gentleman may call company?"

  "Why, sir," said the other, himself a plain gentleman of Norfolk, "ifyou are not satisfied with what you see, you had better find someother place for your exalted society."

  "Pray, sir, forgive me. I am but recently arrived from London. Nodoubt the assembly is entirely composed of good families. I am myselfbut a country gentleman and a simple baronet. I used the word companyin a sense confined to town."

  "Well, sir, since you are no better than the rest of us, I may tellyou that we have among us a certain lady of rank--the Lady AnastasiaLangston----"

  "Pray, sir, pray--excuse me. Not a 'certain' Lady Anastasia. If youhave the Lady Anastasia, you have, let me tell you, the very pearl ofhighest fashion. If she is here, you are indeed fortunate. One womanof her beauty, grace, wealth, rank, and goodness is enough to make thefortune of the spa. Bath worships her; Tunbridge prays for her return;there will be lamentation when it is known that she has deserted theseplaces for the newly discovered waters of Lynn."

  "Indeed, sir, we ought to feel greatly honoured."

  "You ought, sir. Your ladies of Norfolk will learn more from her, asconcerns the great world and the world of fashion, in a week than theycould learn at the assembly of Norwich in a year. The Lady Anastasiacarries about with her the air which stamps the woman of the highestfashion. She walks like a goddess, she talks like an angel, and shesmiles like a nymph--if there are such nymphs, woodland or oceannymphs--who wear hoops, put on patches, build up headdresses, andbrandish fans."

  There was another whose arrival from London caused no ringing of bellsand salutations by the horns. This was a certain Colonel Lanyon, whowore the king's scarlet, having served and received promotion in theking's armies. He was about forty years of age; a big, blusteringfellow who rolled his shoulders as he walked along and took the wallof everybody. He began, as he continued, by spending his time in thecard room, at the cockpit, at the badger drawing, bull baiting, horseracing, cudgel playing--wherever sport was going on or betting to bemade. He drank the hardest, he played the deepest, he swore theloudest, he was always ready to take offence. Yet he was tolerated andeven liked, because he was good company. He sang songs, he toldanecdotes, he had seen service in the West Indies and in many otherplaces, he had passed through many adventures; he assumed, andsuccessfully, the manner of a good sportsman--free with his money, whoplayed deep, paid his debts of honour at once, and expected to be paidin like manner. Now the gentlemen of Norfolk esteem a good sportsmanabove all things, and readily pass over any little faults in a man whopleases them in this respect. As for the ladies, the colonel made noattempt to win their good graces, and was never seen either in thelong room or the gardens or the assembly.