CHAPTER LIII. Where we remain at the Court End of the Town
George Warrington had related the same story, which we have just heard,to Madame de Bernstein on the previous evening--a portion, that is, ofthe history; for the old lady nodded off to sleep many times duringthe narration, only waking up when George paused, saying it was mostinteresting, and ordering him to continue. The young gentleman hem'd andha'd, and stuttered, and blushed, and went on, much against his will,and did not speak half so well as he did to his friendly little auditoryin Hill Street, where Hetty's eyes of wonder and Theo's sympathisinglooks, and mamma's kind face, and papa's funny looks, were applausesufficient to cheer any modest youth who required encouragement for hiseloquence. As for mamma's behaviour, the General said, 'twas as good asMr. Addison's trunk-maker, and she would make the fortune of any tragedyby simply being engaged to cry in the front boxes. That is why we chosemy Lord Wrotham's house as the theatre where George's first piece shouldbe performed, wishing that he should speak to advantage, and not as whenhe was heard by that sleepy, cynical old lady, to whom he had to narratehis adventures.
"Very good and most interesting, I am sure, my dear sir," says MadameBernstein, putting up three pretty little fingers covered with a lacemitten, to hide a convulsive movement of her mouth. "And your mothermust have been delighted to see you."
George shrugged his shoulders ever so little, and made a low bow, as hisaunt looked up at him for a moment with her keen old eyes.
"Have been delighted to see you" she continued drily, "and killed thefatted calf, and--and that kind of thing. Though why I say calf, I don'tknow, nephew George, for you never were the prodigal. I may say calf tothee, my poor Harry! Thou hast been amongst the swine sure enough. Andevil companions have robbed the money out of thy pocket and the coat offthy back.
"He came to his family in England, madam," says George, with some heat,"and his friends were your ladyship's."
"He could not have come to worse advisers, nephew Warrington, and so Ishould have told my sister earlier, had she condescended to write to meby him, as she has done by you," said the old lady, tossing up her head."Hey! hey!" she said, at night, as she arranged herself for the rout towhich she was going, to her waiting-maid: "this young gentleman's motheris half sorry that he has come to life again, I could see that in hisface. She is half sorry, and I am perfectly furious! Why didn't helie still when he dropped there under the tree, and why did that youngFlorac carry him to the fort? I knew those Floracs when I was at Paris,in the time of Monsieur le Regent. They were of the Floracs of Ivry. Nogreat house before Henri IV. His ancestor was the king's favourite.His ancestor--he! he!--his ancestress! Brett! entendez-vous? Give me mycard-purse. I don't like the grand airs of this Monsieur George; and yethe resembles, very much, his grandfather--the same look and sometimesthe same tones. You have heard of Colonel Esmond when I was young? Thisboy has his eyes. I suppose I liked the Colonel's because he loved me."
Being engaged, then, to a card-party,--an amusement which she nevermissed, week-day or Sabbath, as long as she had strength to hold trumpsor sit in a chair,--very soon after George had ended his narration theold lady dismissed her two nephews, giving to the elder a couple offingers and a very stately curtsey; but to Harry two hands and a kindlypat on the cheek.
"My poor child, now thou art disinherited, thou wilt see how differentlythe world will use thee!" she said. "There is only, in all London, awicked, heartless old woman who will treat thee as before. Here is apocket-book for you, child! Do not lose it at Ranelagh to-night. Thatsuit of yours does not become your brother half so well as it sat uponyou! You will present your brother to everybody, and walk up and downthe room for two hours at least, child. Were I you, I would then go tothe Chocolate-House, and play as if nothing had happened. Whilst you arethere, your brother may come back to me and eat a bit of chickenwith me. My Lady Flint gives wretched suppers, and I want to talk hismother's letter over with him. Au revoir, gentlemen!" and she went awayto her toilette. Her chairmen and flambeaux were already waiting at thedoor.
The gentlemen went to Ranelagh, where but a few of Mr. Harry'sacquaintances chanced to be present. They paced the round, and met Mr.Tom Claypool with some of his country friends; they heard the music;they drank tea in a box; Harry was master of ceremonies, and introducedhis brother to the curiosities of the place; and George was even moreexcited than his brother had been on his first introduction to thispalace of delight. George loved music much more than Harry ever did;he heard a full orchestra for the first time, and a piece of Mr. Handelsatisfactorily performed; and a not unpleasing instance of Harry'shumility and regard for his elder brother was, that he could even holdGeorge's love of music in respect at a time when fiddling was votedeffeminate and unmanly in England, and Britons were, every day, calledupon by the patriotic prints to sneer at the frivolous accomplishmentsof your Squallinis, Monsieurs, and the like. Nobody in Britain is proudof his ignorance now. There is no conceit left among us. There is nosuch thing as dulness. Arrogance is entirely unknown... Well, at anyrate, Art has obtained her letters of naturalisation, and lives here onterms of almost equality. If Mrs. Thrale chose to marry a music-masternow, I don't think her friends would shudder at the mention of her name.If she had a good fortune and kept a good cook, people would even go anddine with her in spite of the misalliance, and actually treat Mr. Piozziwith civility.
After Ranelagh, and pursuant to Madam Bernstein's advice, Georgereturned to her ladyship's house, whilst Harry showed himself at theclub, where gentlemen were accustomed to assemble at night to sup, andthen to gamble. No one, of course, alluded to Mr. Warrington's littletemporary absence, and Mr. Ruff, his ex-landlord, waited upon him withthe utmost gravity and civility, and as if there had never been anydifference between them. Mr. Warrington had caused his trunks andhabiliments to be conveyed away from Bond Street in the morning, and heand his brother were now established in apartments elsewhere.
But when the supper was done, and the gentlemen, as usual, were about toseek the macco-table upstairs, Harry said he was not going to playany more. He had burned his fingers already, and could afford no moreextravagance.
"Why," says Mr. Morris, in a rather flippant manner, "you must have wonmore than you have lost, Mr. Warrington, after all is said and done."
"And of course I don't know my own business as well as you do, Mr.Morris," says Harry sternly, who had not forgotten the other's behaviouron hearing of his arrest; "but I have another reason. A few monthsor days ago, I was heir to a great estate, and could afford to losea little money. Now, thank God, I am heir to nothing." And he lookedround, blushing not a little, to the knot of gentlemen, his gamingassociates, who were lounging at the tables or gathered round the fire.
"How do you mean, Mr. Warrington?" cries my Lord March, "Have you lostVirginia, too? Who has won it? I always had a fancy to play you myselffor that stake."
"And grow an improved breed of slaves in the colony," says another.
"The right owner has won it. You have heard me tell of my twin elderbrother?"
"Who was killed in that affair of Braddock's two years ago! Yes.Gracious goodness, my dear sir, I hope in heaven he has not come to lifeagain?"
"He arrived in London two days since. He has been a prisoner in a Frenchfort for eighteen months; he only escaped a few months ago, and left ourhouse in Virginia very soon after his release."
"You haven't had time to order mourning, I suppose, Mr. Warrington?"asks Mr. Selwyn very good-naturedly, and simple Harry hardly knew themeaning of his joke until his brother interpreted it to him.
"Hang me, if I don't believe the fellow is absolutely glad of thereappearance of his confounded brother!" cries my Lord March, as theycontinued to talk of the matter when the young Virginian had taken hisleave.
"These savages practise the simple virtues of affection--they are barelycivilised in America yet," yawns Selwyn.
"They love their kindred, and they scalp their enemies," simpers Mr.Walpole. "It's not Christian, but natural.
Shouldn't you like to bepresent at a scalping-match, George, and see a fellow skinned alive?"
"A man's elder brother is his natural enemy," says Mr. Selwyn, placidlyranging his money and counters before him.
"Torture is like broiled bones and pepper. You wouldn't relish simplehanging afterwards, George!" continues Horry.
"I'm hanged if there's any man in England who would like to see hiselder brother alive," says my lord.
"No, nor his father either, my lord!" cries Jack Morris.
"First time I ever knew you had one, Jack. Give me counters for fivehundred."
"I say, 'tis all mighty fine about dead brothers coming to life again,"continues Jack. "Who is to know that it wasn't a scheme arranged betweenthese two fellows? Here comes a young fellow who calls himself theFortunate Youth, who says he is a Virginian Prince and the deuce knowswhat, and who gets into our society----"
A great laugh ensues at Jack's phrase of "our society."
"Who is to know that it wasn't a cross?" Jack continues. "The young oneis to come first. He is to marry an heiress, and, when he has got her,up is to rise the elder brother! When did this elder brother show? Why,when the younger's scheme was blown, and all was up with him! Who shalltell me that the fellow hasn't been living in Seven Dials, or in acellar dining off tripe and cow-heel until my younger gentleman wasdisposed of? Dammy, as gentlemen, I think we ought to take notice of it:and that this Mr. Warrington has been taking a most outrageous libertywith the whole club."
"Who put him up? It was March, I think, put him up?" asks a bystander.
"Yes. But my lord thought he was putting up a very different person.Didn't you, March?"
"Hold your confounded tongue, and mind your game!" says the noblemanaddressed: but Jack Morris's opinion found not a few supporters in theworld. Many persons agreed that it was most indecorous of Mr. HarryWarrington to have ever believed in his brother's death: that therewas something suspicious about the young man's first appearance andsubsequent actions, and, in fine, that regarding these foreigners,adventurers, and the like, we ought to be especially cautious.
Though he was out of prison and difficulty; though he had his aunt'sliberal donation of money in his pocket; though his dearest brotherwas restored to him, whose return to life Harry never once thought ofdeploring, as his friends at White's supposed he would do; though Mariahad shown herself in such a favourable light by her behaviour duringhis misfortune: yet Harry, when alone, felt himself not particularlycheerful, and smoked his pipe of Virginia with a troubled mind. It wasnot that he was deposed from his principality; the loss of it never oncevexed him; he knew that his brother would share with him as he wouldhave done with his brother; but after all those struggles and doubtsin his own mind, to find himself poor, and yet irrevocably bound to hiselderly cousin! Yes, she was elderly, there was no doubt about it. Whenshe came to that horrible den in Cursitor Street and the tears washedher rouge off, why, she looked as old as his mother! her face was allwrinkled and yellow, and as he thought of her he felt just such a qualmas he had when she was taken ill that day in the coach on their roadto Tunbridge. What would his mother say when he brought her home, and,Lord, what battles there would be between them! He would go and live onone of the plantations--the farther from home the better--and have afew negroes, and farm as best he might, and hunt a good deal; but atCastlewood or in her own home, such as he could make it for her, what alife for poor Maria, who had been used to go to court and to cards andballs and assemblies every night! If he could be but the overseer of theestates--oh, he would be an honest factor, and try and make up for hisuseless life and extravagance in these past days! Five thousand pounds,all his patrimony and the accumulations of his long minority squanderedin six months! He a beggar, except for dear George's kindness, withnothing in life left to him but an old wife,--a pretty beggar, dressedout in velvet and silver lace forsooth--the poor lad was arrayed in hisbest clothes--a pretty figure he had made in Europe, and a nice end hewas come to! With all his fine friends at White's and Newmarket, withall his extravagance, had he been happy a single day since he had beenin Europe? Yes, three days, four days, yesterday evening, when he hadbeen with dear dear Mrs. Lambert, and those affectionate kind girls, andthat brave good Colonel. And the Colonel was right when he rebuked himfor his spendthrift follies, and he had been a brute to be angry as hehad been, and God bless them all for their generous exertions in hisbehalf! Such were the thoughts which Harry put into his pipe, and hesmoked them whilst he waited his brother's return from Madame Bernstein.
The Virginians Page 53
