CHAPTER XI.
OUR GUEST QUITS US AS NOT BEING HOSPITABLE ENOUGH.
Beatrix's departure took place within an hour, her maid going with herin the post-chaise, and a man armed on the coach-box to prevent anydanger of the road. Esmond and Frank thought of escorting the carriage,but she indignantly refused their company, and another man was sent tofollow the coach, and not to leave it till it had passed over HounslowHeath on the next day. And these two forming the whole of LadyCastlewood's male domestics, Mr. Esmond's faithful John Lockwood cameto wait on his mistress during their absence, though he would havepreferred to escort Mrs. Lucy, his sweetheart, on her journey into thecountry.
We had a gloomy and silent meal; it seemed as if a darkness was over thehouse, since the bright face of Beatrix had been withdrawn from it. Inthe afternoon came a message from the favorite to relieve us somewhatfrom this despondency. "The Queen hath been much shaken," the note said;"she is better now, and all things will go well. Let MY LORD CASTLEWOODbe ready against we send for him."
At night there came a second billet: "There hath been a great battle inCouncil; Lord Treasurer hath broke his staff, and hath fallen never torise again; no successor is appointed. Lord B----receives a great Whigcompany to-night at Golden Square. If he is trimming, others are true;the Queen hath no more fits, but is a-bed now, and more quiet. Be readyagainst morning, when I still hope all will be well."
The Prince came home shortly after the messenger who bore this billethad left the house. His Royal Highness was so much the better for theBishop's liquor, that to talk affairs to him now was of little service.He was helped to the Royal bed; he called Castlewood familiarly by hisown name; he quite forgot the part upon the acting of which his crown,his safety, depended. 'Twas lucky that my Lady Castlewood's servantswere out of the way, and only those heard him who would not betrayhim. He inquired after the adorable Beatrix, with a royal hiccup in hisvoice; he was easily got to bed, and in a minute or two plunged in thatdeep slumber and forgetfulness with which Bacchus rewards the votariesof that god. We wished Beatrix had been there to see him in his cups. Weregretted, perhaps, that she was gone.
One of the party at Kensington Square was fool enough to ride toHounslow that night, coram latronibus, and to the inn which the familyused ordinarily in their journeys out of London. Esmond desired mylandlord not to acquaint Madam Beatrix with his coming, and had the grimsatisfaction of passing by the door of the chamber where she lay withher maid, and of watching her chariot set forth in the early morning. Hesaw her smile and slip money into the man's hand who was ordered to ridebehind the coach as far as Bagshot. The road being open, and the otherservant armed, it appeared she dispensed with the escort of a seconddomestic; and this fellow, bidding his young mistress adieu with manybows, went and took a pot of ale in the kitchen, and returned in companywith his brother servant, John Coachman, and his horses, back to London.
They were not a mile out of Hounslow when the two worthies stopped formore drink, and here they were scared by seeing Colonel Esmond gallop bythem. The man said in reply to Colonel Esmond's stern question, that hisyoung mistress had sent her duty; only that, no other message: she hadhad a very good night, and would reach Castlewood by nightfall. TheColonel had no time for further colloquy, and galloped on swiftly toLondon, having business of great importance there, as my reader verywell knoweth. The thought of Beatrix riding away from the danger soothedhis mind not a little. His horse was at Kensington Square (honest Dappleknew the way thither well enough) before the tipsy guest of last nightwas awake and sober.
The account of the previous evening was known all over the town earlynext day. A violent altercation had taken place before the Queen inthe Council Chamber; and all the coffee-houses had their version of thequarrel. The news brought my Lord Bishop early to Kensington Square,where he awaited the waking of his Royal master above stairs, and spokeconfidently of having him proclaimed as Prince of Wales and heir tothe throne before that day was over. The Bishop had entertained on theprevious afternoon certain of the most influential gentlemen of thetrue British party. His Royal highness had charmed all, both Scots andEnglish, Papists and Churchmen: "Even Quakers," says he, "were at ourmeeting; and, if the stranger took a little too much British punch andale, he will soon grow more accustomed to those liquors; and my LordCastlewood," says the Bishop with a laugh, "must bear the cruel chargeof having been for once in his life a little tipsy. He toasted yourlovely sister a dozen times, at which we all laughed," says the Bishop,"admiring so much fraternal affection.--Where is that charming nymph,and why doth she not adorn your ladyship's tea-table with her brighteyes?"
Her ladyship said, dryly, that Beatrix was not at home that morning;my Lord Bishop was too busy with great affairs to trouble himself muchabout the presence or absence of any lady, however beautiful.
We were yet at table when Dr. A---- came from the Palace with a look ofgreat alarm; the shocks the Queen had had the day before had acted onher severely; he had been sent for, and had ordered her to be blooded.The surgeon of Long Acre had come to cup the Queen, and her Majesty wasnow more easy and breathed more freely. What made us start at the nameof Mr. Ayme? "Il faut etre aimable pour etre aime," says the merryDoctor; Esmond pulled his sleeve, and bade him hush. It was to Ayme'shouse, after his fatal duel, that my dear Lord Castlewood, Frank'sfather, had been carried to die.
No second visit could be paid to the Queen on that day at any rate; andwhen our guest above gave his signal that he was awake, the Doctor, theBishop, and Colonel Esmond waited upon the Prince's levee, andbrought him their news, cheerful or dubious. The Doctor had to go awaypresently, but promised to keep the Prince constantly acquainted withwhat was taking place at the Palace hard by. His counsel was, and theBishop's, that as soon as ever the Queen's malady took a favorable turn,the Prince should be introduced to her bedside; the Council summoned;the guard at Kensington and St. James's, of which two regiments were tobe entirely relied on, and one known not to be hostile, would declarefor the Prince, as the Queen would before the Lords of her Council,designating him as the heir to her throne.
With locked doors, and Colonel Esmond acting as secretary, the Princeand his Lordship of Rochester passed many hours of this day, composingProclamations and Addresses to the Country, to the Scots, to the Clergy,to the People of London and England; announcing the arrival of the exiledescendant of three sovereigns, and his acknowledgment by his sister asheir to the throne. Every safeguard for their liberties, the Church andPeople could ask, was promised to them. The Bishop could answer for theadhesion of very many prelates, who besought of their flocks and brotherecclesiastics to recognize the sacred right of the future sovereign, andto purge the country of the sin of rebellion.
During the composition of these papers, more messengers than one camefrom the Palace regarding the state of the august patient there lying.At mid-day she was somewhat better; at evening the torpor again seizedher, and she wandered in her mind. At night Dr. A---- was with us again,with a report rather more favorable: no instant danger at any rate wasapprehended. In the course of the last two years her Majesty had hadmany attacks similar, but more severe.
By this time we had finished a half-dozen of Proclamations, (the wordingof them so as to offend no parties, and not to give umbrage to Whigs orDissenters, required very great caution,) and the young Prince, who hadindeed shown, during a long day's labor, both alacrity at seizing theinformation given him, and ingenuity and skill in turning the phraseswhich were to go out signed by his name, here exhibited a good-humor andthoughtfulness that ought to be set down to his credit.
"Were these papers to be mislaid," says he, "or our scheme to come tomishap, my Lord Esmond's writing would bring him to a place where Iheartily hope never to see him; and so, by your leave, I will copy thepapers myself, though I am not very strong in spelling; and if they arefound they will implicate none but the person they most concern;" andso, having carefully copied the Proclamations out, the Prince burnedthose in Colonel Esmond's handwriting: "And
now, and now, gentlemen,"says he, "let us go to supper, and drink a glass with the ladies. MyLord Esmond, you will sup with us to-night; you have given us of latetoo little of your company."
The Prince's meals were commonly served in the chamber which had beenBeatrix's bedroom, adjoining that in which he slept. And the dutifulpractice of his entertainers was to wait until their Royal guest badethem take their places at table before they sat down to partake of themeal. On this night, as you may suppose, only Frank Castlewood and hismother were in waiting when the supper was announced to receive thePrince; who had passed the whole of the day in his own apartment, withthe Bishop as his Minister of State, and Colonel Esmond officiating asSecretary of his Council.
The Prince's countenance wore an expression by no means pleasant; whenlooking towards the little company assembled, and waiting for him, hedid not see Beatrix's bright face there as usual to greet him. He askedLady Esmond for his fair introducer of yesterday: her ladyship only casther eyes down, and said quietly, Beatrix could not be of the supper thatnight; nor did she show the least sign of confusion, whereas Castlewoodturned red, and Esmond was no less embarrassed. I think women have aninstinct of dissimulation; they know by nature how to disguise theiremotions far better than the most consummate male courtiers can do. Isnot the better part of the life of many of them spent in hiding theirfeelings, in cajoling their tyrants, in masking over with fond smilesand artful gayety, their doubt, or their grief, or their terror?
Our guest swallowed his supper very sulkily; it was not till the secondbottle his Highness began to rally. When Lady Castlewood asked leave todepart, he sent a message to Beatrix, hoping she would be present at thenext day's dinner, and applied himself to drink, and to talk afterwards,for which there was subject in plenty.
The next day, we heard from our informer at Kensington that the Queenwas somewhat better, and had been up for an hour, though she was notwell enough yet to receive any visitor.
At dinner a single cover was laid for his Royal Highness; and the twogentlemen alone waited on him. We had had a consultation in the morningwith Lady Castlewood, in which it had been determined that, should hisHighness ask further questions about Beatrix, he should be answered bythe gentlemen of the house.
He was evidently disturbed and uneasy, looking towards the doorconstantly, as if expecting some one. There came, however, nobody,except honest John Lockwood, when he knocked with a dish, which thosewithin took from him; so the meals were always arranged, and I believethe council in the kitchen were of opinion that my young lord hadbrought over a priest, who had converted us all into Papists, and thatPapists were like Jews, eating together, and not choosing to take theirmeals in the sight of Christians.
The Prince tried to cover his displeasure; he was but a clumsydissembler at that time, and when out of humor could with difficultykeep a serene countenance; and having made some foolish attempts attrivial talk, he came to his point presently, and in as easy a manneras he could, saying to Lord Castlewood, he hoped, he requested, hislordship's mother and sister would be of the supper that night. Asthe time hung heavy on him, and he must not go abroad, would not MissBeatrix hold him company at a game of cards?
At this, looking up at Esmond, and taking the signal from him, LordCastlewood informed his Royal Highness* that his sister Beatrix was notat Kensington; and that her family had thought it best she should quitthe town.
* In London we addressed the Prince as Royal Highness invariably, though the women persisted in giving him the title of King.
"Not at Kensington!" says he; "is she ill? she was well yesterday;wherefore should she quit the town? Is it at your orders, my lord, orColonel Esmond's, who seems the master of this house?"
"Not of this, sir," says Frank very nobly, "only of our house in thecountry, which he hath given to us. This is my mother's house, andWalcote is my father's, and the Marquis of Esmond knows he hath but togive his word, and I return his to him."
"The Marquis of Esmond!--the Marquis of Esmond," says the Prince,tossing off a glass, "meddles too much with my affairs, and presumeson the service he hath done me. If you want to carry your suit withBeatrix, my lord, by blocking her up in gaol, let me tell you that isnot the way to win a woman."
"I was not aware, sir, that I had spoken of my suit to Madam Beatrix toyour Royal Highness."
"Bah, bah, Monsieur! we need not be a conjurer to see that. It makesitself seen at all moments. You are jealous, my lord, and the maid ofhonor cannot look at another face without yours beginning to scowl. Thatwhich you do is unworthy, Monsieur; is inhospitable--is, is lache, yes,lache:" (he spoke rapidly in French, his rage carrying him away with eachphrase:) "I come to your house; I risk my life; I pass it in ennui; Irepose myself on your fidelity; I have no company but your lordship'ssermons or the conversations of that adorable young lady, and you takeher from me, and you, you rest! Merci, Monsieur! I shall thank youwhen I have the means; I shall know to recompense a devotion a littleimportunate, my lord--a little importunate. For a month past your airsof protector have annoyed me beyond measure. You deign to offer me thecrown, and bid me take it on my knees like King John--eh! I know myhistory, Monsieur, and mock myself of frowning barons. I admire yourmistress, and you send her to a Bastile of the Province; I enter yourhouse, and you mistrust me. I will leave it, Monsieur; from to-night Iwill leave it. I have other friends whose loyalty will not be so readyto question mine. If I have garters to give away, 'tis to noblemen whoare not so ready to think evil. Bring me a coach and let me quit thisplace, or let the fair Beatrix return to it. I will not have yourhospitality at the expense of the freedom of that fair creature."
This harangue was uttered with rapid gesticulation such as the Frenchuse, and in the language of that nation. The Prince striding up and downthe room; his face flushed, and his hands trembling with anger. He wasvery thin and frail from repeated illness and a life of pleasure. EitherCastlewood or Esmond could have broke him across their knee, and inhalf a minute's struggle put an end to him; and here he was insultingus both, and scarce deigning to hide from the two, whose honor it mostconcerned, the passion he felt for the young lady of our family. My LordCastlewood replied to the Prince's tirade very nobly and simply.
"Sir," says he, "your Royal Highness is pleased to forget that othersrisk their lives, and for your cause. Very few Englishmen, please God,would dare to lay hands on your sacred person, though none would everthink of respecting ours. Our family's lives are at your service, andeverything we have except our honor."
"Honor! bah, sir, who ever thought of hurting your honor?" says thePrince with a peevish air.
"We implore your Royal Highness never to think of hurting it," says LordCastlewood with a low bow. The night being warm, the windows were openboth towards the Gardens and the Square. Colonel Esmond heard throughthe closed door the voice of the watchman calling the hour, in thesquare on the other side. He opened the door communicating with thePrince's room; Martin, the servant that had rode with Beatrix toHounslow, was just going out of the chamber as Esmond entered it, andwhen the fellow was gone, and the watchman again sang his cry of "Pastten o'clock, and a starlight night," Esmond spoke to the Prince in a lowvoice, and said--"Your Royal Highness hears that man."
"Apres, Monsieur?" says the Prince.
"I have but to beckon him from the window, and send him fifty yards, andhe returns with a guard of men, and I deliver up to him the body of theperson calling himself James the Third, for whose capture Parliamenthath offered a reward of 500L., as your Royal Highness saw on our ridefrom Rochester. I have but to say the word, and, by the heaven that mademe, I would say it if I thought the Prince, for his honor's sake, wouldnot desist from insulting ours. But the first gentleman of England knowshis duty too well to forget himself with the humblest, or peril hiscrown for a deed that were shameful if it were done."
"Has your lordship anything to say," says the Prince, turning to FrankCastlewood, and quite pale with anger; "any threat or any insult, withwhich you would like to end t
his agreeable night's entertainment?"
"I follow the head of our house," says Castlewood, bowing gravely. "Atwhat time shall it please the Prince that we should wait upon him in themorning?"
"You will wait on the Bishop of Rochester early, you will bid him bringhis coach hither; and prepare an apartment for me in his own house, orin a place of safety. The King will reward you handsomely, never fear,for all you have done in his behalf. I wish you a good night, andshall go to bed, unless it pleases the Marquis of Esmond to call hiscolleague, the watchman, and that I should pass the night with theKensington guard. Fare you well, be sure I will remember you. My LordCastlewood, I can go to bed to-night without need of a chamberlain." Andthe Prince dismissed us with a grim bow, locking one door as he spoke,that into the supping-room, and the other through which we passed, afterus. It led into the small chamber which Frank Castlewood or MONSIEURBAPTISTE occupied, and by which Martin entered when Colonel Esmond butnow saw him in the chamber.
At an early hour next morning the Bishop arrived, and was closeted forsome time with his master in his own apartment, where the Prince laidopen to his counsellor the wrongs which, according to his version, hehad received from the gentlemen of the Esmond family. The worthy prelatecame out from the conference with an air of great satisfaction; he was aman full of resources, and of a most assured fidelity, and possessed ofgenius, and a hundred good qualities; but captious and of a most jealoustemper, that could not help exulting at the downfall of any favorite;and he was pleased in spite of himself to hear that the Esmond Ministrywas at an end.
"I have soothed your guest," says he, coming out to the two gentlemenand the widow; who had been made acquainted with somewhat of the disputeof the night before. (By the version we gave her, the Prince was onlymade to exhibit anger because we doubted of his intentions in respectto Beatrix; and to leave us, because we questioned his honor.) "But Ithink, all things considered, 'tis as well he should leave this house;and then, my Lady Castlewood," says the Bishop, "my pretty Beatrix maycome back to it."
"She is quite as well at home at Castlewood," Esmond's mistress said,"till everything is over."
"You shall have your title, Esmond, that I promise you," says thegood Bishop, assuming the airs of a Prime Minister. "The Prince hathexpressed himself most nobly in regard of the little difference of lastnight, and I promise you he hath listened to my sermon, as well as tothat of other folks," says the Doctor, archly; "he hath every great andgenerous quality, with perhaps a weakness for the sex which belongs tohis family, and hath been known in scores of popular sovereigns fromKing David downwards."
"My lord, my lord!" breaks out Lady Esmond, "the levity with whichyou speak of such conduct towards our sex shocks me, and what you callweakness I call deplorable sin."
"Sin it is, my dear creature," says the Bishop, with a shrug, takingsnuff; "but consider what a sinner King Solomon was, and in spite of athousand of wives too."
"Enough of this, my lord," says Lady Castlewood, with a fine blush, andwalked out of the room very stately.
The Prince entered it presently with a smile on his face, and if he feltany offence against us on the previous night, at present exhibited none.He offered a hand to each gentleman with great courtesy. "If all yourbishops preach so well as Doctor Atterbury." says he, "I don't know,gentlemen, what may happen to me. I spoke very hastily, my lords, lastnight, and ask pardon of both of you. But I must not stay any longer,"says he, "giving umbrage to good friends, or keeping pretty girls awayfrom their homes. My Lord Bishop hath found a safe place for me, hardby at a curate's house, whom the Bishop can trust, and whose wife is sougly as to be beyond all danger; we will decamp into those new quarters,and I leave you, thanking you for a hundred kindnesses here. Where ismy hostess, that I may bid her farewell; to welcome her in a house of myown, soon, I trust, where my friends shall have no cause to quarrel withme."
Lady Castlewood arrived presently, blushing with great grace, and tearsfilling her eyes as the Prince graciously saluted her. She looked socharming and young, that the doctor, in his bantering way, could nothelp speaking of her beauty to the Prince; whose compliment made herblush, and look more charming still.
The History of Henry Esmond, Esq., a Colonel in the Service of Her Majesty Queen Anne Page 43
