CHAPTER XIV
MOLLY'S COUNTRY DANCE
Meantime another kind of conversation was going on, which we could nothear.
"My lord," the poet bustled up, with his cringing familiarity. "Yonderis the heiress of whom I spoke."
"Humph! She is well enough for a rustical beauty. Her shape is good,if too full for the fashion; her cheeks bespeak the dairy, and hershoulders tell of the milking pail. Why does she wear as many jewelsand charms as an antiquated duchess at a coronation? I suppose theyare real. But there are too many of them."
"They are real. I would vouch for them, my lord," he added earnestly."All that I have told you is most true. A greater heiress you will notfind in the whole country. Even with the jewels upon her she could buyup all the women in the room."
"I would make sure upon that point. They say that she has ships,lands----"
"And money. Accumulations. My lord, if you will not take my word forit--why should you?--ask her guardian. There he stands."
"The old salt now beside her, like a Cerberus of the quarter-deck? Whois the other--the fellow who danced with her--his actions like thoseof a graceful elephant? Is he one of her lovers?"
"She has no lovers. Her guardian permits none. The young lady has beenkept in the house. That man is her servant; he is nothing but a matein one of her ships. Captain Crowle would not allow a fellow of thatposition to make love to his ward."
"Humph!" said his lordship. "Bring the old man here."
The captain obeyed the summons somewhat abashed. But my lord put himat his ease. "You may retire, Mr. Semple. I would converse withCaptain Crowle." Then he turned to the captain with the greatestaffability.
"Our good friend, Mr. Semple, tells me, captain, that yonderbeauty--the toast, if I mistake not, of our young gentlemanto-night--is none other than your ward."
"At your service, my lord."
"Nay, captain. It is I who should be at her service. Frankly, she doeshonour to your town. Had we discovered Miss Molly there would havebeen no need to discuss the magical waters of the spa. May I inquireinto the name and conditions of her family?"
"As for her name, sir, it is plain Molly Miller. As for her parentage,her father was a ship owner and a merchant. Though a citizen and afree man of Lynn, he was as substantial a man as may be found in theport of London. Her mother, my first cousin, was the daughter and thegranddaughter and the sister and the cousin of men who have beencaptains in the merchant service of Lynn--for many generations. Mostof them lie at the bottom of the sea. We are plain folk, my lord, andhomely. But Providence hath thought fit to bless our handiwork,and--you see my ward before you--I hope she does not shame thecompany?"
"On the contrary, Captain Crowle, she adorns and beautifies thecompany not only with her good looks, which are singular andextraordinary, but also with her fine dress and her jewels, which havewon for her already the envy of every woman in the assembly.
"There are as many jewels in the locker as have come out of it forto-night," said the captain sturdily.
"Ay? Ay? And there are ships, I hear--many ships. Our friend Mr.Semple speaks of the lady's wealth with as much respect as he speaksof her beauty."
"He well may--Molly is the greatest shipowner of Lynn. She is alsoowner of many houses in the town and of many broad acres outside thetown. And she will have, when she marries, in addition, a fortune ofmany thousand pounds."
"She is, then, indeed, an heiress. I wish her, for your sake, CaptainCrowle, a worthy husband. But it is a grave responsibility. There arehawks about always looking for a rich wife--to restore fortunesbattered by evil courses. You must take care, Captain Crowle."
"I mean to take care."
"Perhaps among the merchants of this port." The captain shook hishead.
"Or among the gentlemen of Norfolk." The captain shook his head.
"They drink too hard--and they live too hard."
"Perhaps among the scholars and divines of Cambridge."
"They are not fit mates for a lively girl."
"Captain, I perceive that you are difficult to please. Even for yourcharming ward you must not expect a miracle in the creation of a newAdam fit for this new Eve. Be reasonable, Captain Crowle." Hislordship spoke so pleasantly and laughed with so much good nature thatthe captain was encouraged, and spoke out his mind as to an oldfriend.
"No, no, I want no miracle. I desire that my girl, who is a lovinggirl, with a heart of gold, should be wooed and married by a gentlemanwhom she will respect and honour--not a drinker nor a gambler nor aprofligate. She will bring him a fortune which is great even forpersons of quality."
My lord bowed gravely. "You are right, Captain Crowle, to entertainthese opinions. Do not change them under any temptations. One wouldonly wish that the lady may find such a mate. But, captain,remember--I say it not in an unfriendly spirit--class weds with class.Sir, they are about to begin the country dance, let us look on."
The company began to take their places.
"Captain Crowle," Lord Fylingdale pointed to the dancers, repeatinghis words: "Class weds with class--class dances with class. At thehead of the set stands Sir Harry the Evergreen. His partner is a ladyof good family. Next to them are others of good family. Those youngpeople who are now taking their places lower down are---- What arethey?"
"Two of them are the daughters of the doctor and the vicar--good girlsboth."
"Good girls, doubtless. But, Captain Crowle, not gentlefolk, andthere, I observe, your lovely ward, Captain Crowle, takes her placemodestly and last of all. Who dances with her?"
"It is young John Pentecrosse, son of our schoolmaster, mate on boardone of Molly's ships. He is her playfellow. They have been togethersince childhood."
"Perhaps he would be more. Take care, captain--take care." So heturned away as if no longer interested in the girl. But Sam Sempleremained behind.
"Sir," he said to the captain, "his lordship took particular notice ofyour ward. 'Miss Molly,' said my lord, 'is a rustic nymph dressed forthe court of Venus. Never before have I seen a face of more heavenlybeauty.' Those were his lordship's very words." But Sam Semple wasalways a ready liar.
"Ay, my lad. They are fine words; but fine words butter no parsnips.'Class weds with class,' that's what he said to me."
"Surely, captain, with such a face and such a fortune Miss Molly israised to the rank ... say, of countess. Would a coronet satisfy youfor your ward? I mean nothing"--here he glanced at the figure of hislordship. "Nothing--of course not--what could I mean? How well acoronet, captain, would become that lovely brow!"
Everybody knows that the country dance should continue until thecouple at the bottom have arrived at the top and have had their turn.Everybody knows, too, that the country dance, unlike the minuet, isjoined by the whole company, with only so much deference to rank as togive the better sort the highest places at the beginning. They weregiven this evening to the ladies of the county who could boast oftheir gentility, and, to do them justice, did boast loudly of it,comparing their own families and that of their husbands with those ofother ladies present. It seems to me, indeed, that it is better tohave no coat of arms and no grandfathers if the possession leads to somuch jealousy, backbiting, and slander. All these ladies, however,united in one point, viz, that of scorn and contempt for those girlsof Lynn who ventured to join the assembly or to walk in the gardens.They showed this contempt in many ways, especially by whispering andgiggling when one of the natives passed them. "Is it tar that onesmells so strong?" if one of the sea captain's daughters was standingnear, they would ask. Or "Madam, I think there must be an apothecary'sshop in the assembly," if it was the doctor's daughter, AmandaWorship. And at the country dance they refused to take the hand ofthese girls.
Their greatest possible insult, however, was offered to Molly. It wasa good dance tune, played with spirit--the tune they call "Hey gomad!" We moved gradually higher up. At last we stood at the top, andour turn came to end the dance.
Imagine our discomfiture at this point when the whol
e of these kindladies and their partners left their places and so broke up the dance.We were left alone at the top, while at the bottom were the other twogirls of Lynn, Victory and Amanda, with their partners.
"It's a shame!" cried Victory, aloud. "Do they call these manners?"
"Never mind," said Amanda, also aloud; "it's because you outshine themall, Molly."
But the mischief was done, and the dance was broken up.
Molly flushed crimson. I thought she would say something sharp. Nay, Ihave known her cuff and box the ear of man or maid for less, and Ifeared at this moment that she would in like manner avenge the insult.But she restrained herself, and said nothing.
Meantime, the ladies who had committed this breach of polite mannersstood together and laughed aloud, pretending some great joke amongthemselves; but their eyes showed the nature of the joke and thistriumph over a woman who, as Amanda said, outshone them all.
"Your turn will come," I said.
"I think, Jack," said my girl, quickly, "that my chair must bewaiting. The captain said that I was to go after the first countrydance."
But a great surprise awaited her and the ladies who had played herthis agreeable and diverting trick, for Lord Fylingdale steppedforward, the people falling back to make way for him. He drew himselfup before Molly and made her a profound bow. The captain walked besidehim, evidently by invitation.
"Miss Molly," he said loudly, "your worthy guardian has informed me ofyour name and quality. We wanted, in the company at the spa, to makeit complete--the heiress of Lynn. It is fitting that this borough,which is always young and flourishing, should be represented by onegraced with so many charms."
Molly curtsied with more dignity than one could have expected. Seewhat a dancing master can effect in a fortnight. "Your lordship," shesaid, "does me too much honour. The reception which I have met withfrom these ladies had not, I confess, prepared me for your kindness."
"I shall humbly ask the favour of a dance with you, Miss Molly, on thenext occasion." The fans were now all agitation; 'twas like a flutterin a dovecot. "We shall see if we shall be deserted when our turncomes." Some of the ladies hid their faces with their fan; someblushed for shame; some bit their lips with vexation; all darted looksof envy and hatred upon the cause of the open rebuke.
"Sir"--Lord Fylingdale turned severely to the master of theceremonies--"the rules of polite society should be obeyed at Lynn asmuch as at Bath and Tunbridge Wells. Look to it, sir; I request you."
So saying, he took Molly's hand, and led her to the chair outside.
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