CHAPTER LXVII. In which a Tragedy is acted, and two more are begun
James Wolfe, Harry's new Colonel, came back from America a few weeksafter our Virginian had joined his regiment. Wolfe had previously beenLieutenant-Colonel of Kingsley's, and a second battalion of the regimenthad been formed and given to him in reward for his distinguishedgallantry and services at Cape Breton. Harry went with quite unfeignedrespect and cordiality to pay his duty to his new commander, on whom theeyes of the world began to be turned now,--the common opinion being thathe was likely to become a great general. In the late affairs in France,several officers of great previous repute had been tried and foundlamentably wanting. The Duke of Marlborough had shown himself no worthydescendant of his great ancestor. About my Lord George Sackville'smilitary genius there were doubts, even before his unhappy behaviour atMinden prevented a great victory. The nation was longing for militaryglory, and the Minister was anxious to find a general who might gratifythe eager desire of the people. Mr. Wolfe's and Mr. Lambert's businesskeeping them both in London, the friendly intercourse between thoseofficers was renewed, no one being more delighted than Lambert at hisyounger friend's good fortune.
Harry, when he was away from his duty, was never tired of hearing Mr.Wolfe's details of the military operations of the last year, about whichWolfe talked very freely and openly. Whatever thought was in hismind, he appears to have spoken it out generously. He had that heroicsimplicity which distinguished Nelson afterwards: he talked frankly ofhis actions. Some of the fine gentlemen at St. James's might wonder andsneer at him; but amongst our little circle of friends we may be sure hefound admiring listeners. The young General had the romance of a boy onmany matters. He delighted in music and poetry. On the last day of hislife he said he would rather have written Gray's Elegy than have won abattle. We may be sure that with a gentleman of such literary tastes ourfriend George would become familiar; and as they were both in love, andboth accepted lovers, and both eager for happiness, no doubt they musthave had many sentimental conversations together which would be veryinteresting to report could we only have accurate accounts of them. Inone of his later letters, Warrington writes:
"I had the honour of knowing the famous General Wolfe, and seeing muchof him during his last stay in London. We had a subject of conversationthen which was of unfailing interest to both of us, and I could not butadmire Mr. Wolfe's simplicity, his frankness, and a sort of gloriousbravery which characterised him. He was much in love, and he wantedheaps and heaps of laurels to take to his mistress. 'If it be a sin tocovet honour,' he used to say with Harry the Fifth (he was passionatelyfond of plays and poetry), 'I am the most offending soul alive.' Surelyon his last day he had a feast which was enough to satisfy the greediestappetite for glory. He hungered after it. He seemed to me not merelylike a soldier going resolutely to do his duty, but rather like a knightin quest of dragons and giants. My own country has furnished of late achief of a very different order, and quite an opposite genius. I scarceknow which to admire most. The Briton's chivalrous ardour, or the morethan Roman constancy of our great Virginian."
As Mr. Lambert's official duties detained him in London, his familyremained contentedly with him, and I suppose Mr. Warrington was sosatisfied with the rural quiet of Southampton Row and the beautifulflowers and trees of Bedford Gardens, that he did not care to quitLondon for any long period. He made his pilgrimage to Castlewood, andpassed a few days there, occupying the chamber of which he had oftenheard his grandfather talk, and which Colonel Esmond had occupied as aboy and he was received kindly enough by such members of the family ashappened to be at home. But no doubt he loved better to be in London bythe side of a young person in whose society he found greater pleasurethan any which my Lord Castlewood's circle could afford him, though allthe ladies were civil, and Lady Maria especially gracious, and enchantedwith the tragedy which George and Parson Sampson read out to the ladies.The chaplain was enthusiastic in its praises, and indeed it wasthrough his interest and not through Mr. Johnson's after all, that Mr.Warrington's piece ever came on the stage. Mr. Johnson, it is true,pressed the play on his friend Mr. Garrick for Drury Lane, but Garrickhad just made an arrangement with the famous Mr. Home for a tragedy fromthe pen of the author of Douglas. Accordingly, Carpezan was carried toMr. Rich at Covent Garden, and accepted by that manager.
On the night of the production of the piece, Mr. Warrington gave anelegant entertainment to his friends at the Bedford Head, in CoventGarden, whence they adjourned in a body to the theatre; leaving only oneor two with our young author, who remained at the coffee-house,where friends from time to time came to him with an account of theperformance. The part of Carpezan was filled by Barry, Shuter was theold nobleman, Reddish, I need scarcely say, made an excellent Ulric, andthe King of Bohemia was by a young actor from Dublin, Mr. Geoghegan, orHagan as he was called on the stage, and who looked and performed thepart to admiration. Mrs. Woffington looked too old in the first act asthe heroine, but her murder in the fourth act, about which great doubtswere expressed, went off to the terror and delight of the audience. MissWayn sang the ballad which is supposed to be sung by the king's page,just at the moment of the unhappy wife's execution, and all agreed thatBarry was very terrible and pathetic as Carpezan, especially in theexecution scene. The grace and elegance of the young actor, Hagan, wongeneral applause. The piece was put very elegantly on the stage by Mr.Rich, though there was some doubt whether, in the march of Janissariesin the last, the manager was correct in introducing a favouriteelephant, which had figured in various pantomimes, and by which one ofMr. Warrington's black servants marched in a Turkish habit. The othersate in the footman's gallery, and uproariously wept and applauded atthe proper intervals.
The execution of Sybilla was the turning-point of the piece. Her headoff, George's friends breathed freely, and one messenger after anothercame to him at the coffee-house, to announce the complete success ofthe tragedy. Mr. Barry, amidst general applause, announced the play forrepetition, and that it was the work of a young gentleman of Virginia,his first attempt in the dramatic style.
We should like to have been in the box where all our friends were seatedduring the performance, to have watched Theo's flutter and anxietywhilst the success of the play seemed dubious, and have beheld theblushes and the sparkles in her eyes, when the victory was assured.Harry, during the little trouble in the fourth act, was deadlypale--whiter, Mrs. Lambert said, than Barry, with all his chalk. Butif Briareus could have clapped hands, he could scarcely have made morenoise than Harry at the end of the piece. Mr. Wolfe and General Lamberthuzzayed enthusiastically. Mrs. Lambert, of course, cried: and thoughHetty said, "Why do you cry, mamma? I you don't want any of them aliveagain; you know it serves them all right"--the girl was really as muchdelighted as any person present, including little Charley from theChartreux, who had leave from Dr. Crusius for that evening, and MissLucy, who had been brought from boarding-school on purpose to be presenton the great occasion. My Lord Castlewood and his sister, Lady Maria,were present; and his lordship went from his box and complimentedMr. Barry and the other actors on the stage; and Parson Sampson wasinvaluable in the pit, where he led the applause, having, I believe,given previous instructions to Gumbo to keep an eye upon him from thegallery, and do as he did.
Be sure there was a very jolly supper of Mr. Warrington's friends thatnight--much more jolly than Mr. Garrick's, for example, who made but avery poor success with his Agis and its dreary choruses, and who musthave again felt that he had missed a good chance, in preferring Mr.Home's tragedy to our young author's. A jolly supper, did we say?--Manyjolly suppers. Mr. Gumbo gave an entertainment to several gentlemenof the shoulder-knot, who had concurred in supporting his master'smasterpiece: Mr. Henry Warrington gave a supper at the Star and Garter,in Pall Mall, to ten officers of his new regiment, who had come up forthe express purpose of backing Carpezan; and finally, Mr. Warringtonreceived the three principal actors of the tragedy, our family partyfrom the side box, Mr. Johnson and his ingenious friend
, Mr. Reynoldsthe painter, my Lord Castlewood and his sister, and one or two more. MyLady Maria happened to sit next to the young actor who had performed thepart of the King. Mr. Warrington somehow had Miss Theo for a neighbour,and no doubt passed a pleasant evening beside her. The greatestanimation and cordiality prevailed, and when toasts were called, LadyMaria gaily gave "The King of Hungary" for hers. That gentleman, who hadplenty of eloquence and fire, and excellent manners, on as well as offthe stage, protested that he had already suffered death in the course ofthe evening, hoped that he should die a hundred times more on the samefield; but, dead or living, vowed he knew whose humble servant he evershould be. Ah, if he had but a real crown in place of his diadem ofpasteboard and tinsel, with what joy would he lay it at her ladyship'sfeet! Neither my lord nor Mr. Esmond were over well pleased with thegentleman's exceeding gallantry--a part of which they attributed, nodoubt justly, to the wine and punch, of which he had been partaking veryfreely. Theo and her sister, who were quite new to the world, were alittle frightened by the exceeding energy of Mr. Hagan's manner--butLady Maria, much more experienced, took it in perfectly good part. Ata late hour coaches were called, to which the gentlemen attended theladies, after whose departure some of them returned to the supper-room,and the end was that Carpezan had to be carried away in a chair, andthat the King of Hungary had a severe headache; and that the Poet,though he remembered making a great number of speeches, was quiteastounded when half a dozen of his guests appeared at his house the nextday, whom he had invited overnight to come and sup with him once more.
As he put Mrs. Lambert and her daughters into their coach on the nightprevious, all the ladies were flurried, delighted, excited; and you maybe sure our gentleman was with them the next day, to talk of the playand the audience, and the actors, and the beauties of the piece, overand over again. Mrs. Lambert had heard that the ladies of the theatrewere dangerous company for young men. She hoped George would have acare, and not frequent the greenroom too much.
George smiled, and said he had a preventive against all greenroomtemptations, of which he was not in the least afraid; and as he spoke helooked in Theo's face, as if in those eyes lay the amulet which was topreserve him from all danger.
"Why should he be afraid, mamma?" asks the maiden simply. She had noidea of danger or of guile.
"No, my darling, I don't think he need be afraid," says the mother,kissing her.
"You don't suppose Mr. George would fall in love with that painted oldcreature who performed the chief part?" asks Miss Hetty, with a toss ofher head. "She must be old enough to be his mother."
"Pray, do you suppose that at our age nobody can care for us, or that wehave no hearts left?" asks mamma, very tartly. "I believe, or I maysay, I hope and trust, your father thinks otherwise. He is, I imagine,perfectly satisfied, miss. He does not sneer at age, whatever littlegirls out of the schoolroom may do. And they had much better be backthere, and they had much better remember what the fifth commandmentis--that they had, Hetty!"
"I didn't think I was breaking it by saying that an actress was as oldas George's mother," pleaded Hetty.
"George's mother is as old as I am, miss!--at least she was when we wereat school. And Fanny Parker--Mrs. Mountain who now is--was seven monthsolder, and we were in the French class together; and I have no ideathat our age is to be made the subject of remarks and ridicule byour children, and I will thank you to spare it, if you please! Do youconsider your mother too old, George?"
"I am glad my mother is of your age, Aunt Lambert," says George, in themost sentimental manner.
Strange infatuation of passion--singular perversity of reason! At someperiod before his marriage, it not unfrequently happens that a manactually is fond of his mother-in-law! At this time our good Generalvowed, and with some reason, that he was jealous. Mrs. Lambert made muchmore of George than of any other person in the family. She dressed upTheo to the utmost advantage in order to meet him; she was for evercaressing her, and appealing to her when he spoke. It was, "Don'tyou think he looks well?"--"Don't you think he looks pale, Theo,to-day?"--"Don't you think he has been sitting up over his books toomuch at night?" and so forth. If he had a cold, she would have liked tomake gruel for him and see his feet in hot water. She sent him recipesof her own for his health. When he was away, she never ceased talkingabout him to her daughter. I dare say Miss Theo liked the subject wellenough. When he came, she was sure to be wanted in some other part ofthe house, and would bid Theo take care of him till she returned. Why,before she returned to the room, could you hear her talking outside thedoor to her youngest innocent children, to her servants in the upperregions, and so forth? When she reappeared, was not Mr. George alwaysstanding or sitting at a considerable distance from Miss Theo--except,to be sure, on that one day when she had just happened to drop herscissors, and he had naturally stooped down to pick them up? Why was sheblushing? Were not youthful cheeks made to blush, and roses to bloom inthe spring? Not that mamma ever noted the blushes, but began quite anartless conversation about this or that, as she sate down brimful ofhappiness to her worktable.
And at last there came a letter from Virginia in Madam Esmond's neat,well-known hand, and over which George trembled and blushed before hebroke the seal. It was in answer to the letter which he had sent home,respecting his brother's commission and his own attachment to MissLambert. Of his intentions respecting Harry, Madam Esmond fullyapproved. As for his marriage, she was not against early marriages. Shewould take his picture of Miss Lambert with the allowance that was to bemade for lovers' portraits, and hope, for his sake, that the young ladywas all he described her to be. With money, as Madam Esmond gatheredfrom her son's letter, she did not appear to be provided at all, whichwas a pity, as, though wealthy in land, their family had but littleready-money. However, by Heaven's blessing, there was plenty at home forchildren and children's children, and the wives of her sons should shareall she had. When she heard more at length from Mr. and Mrs. Lambert,she would reply for her part more fully. She did not pretend to say thatshe had not greater hopes for her son, as a gentleman of his name andprospects might pretend to the hand of the first lady of the land; butas Heaven had willed that her son's choice should fall upon her oldfriend's daughter, she acquiesced, and would welcome George's wife asher own child. This letter was brought by Mr. Van den Bosch of Albany,who had lately bought a very large estate in Virginia, and who was boundfor England to put his granddaughter to a boarding-school. She, MadamEsmond, was not mercenary, nor was it because this young lady washeiress of a very great fortune that she desired her sons to pay Mr. Vand. B. every attention. Their properties lay close together, and couldHarry find in the young lady those qualities of person and mind suitablefor a companion for life, at least she would have the satisfaction ofseeing both her children near her in her declining years. Madam Esmondconcluded by sending her affectionate compliments to Mrs. Lambert, fromwhom she begged to hear further, and her blessing to the young lady whowas to be her daughter-in-law.
The letter was not cordial, and the writer evidently but half satisfied;but, such as it was, her consent was here formally announced. Howeagerly George ran away to Soho with the long-desired news in hispocket! I suppose our worthy friends there must have read his news inhis countenance--else why should Mrs. Lambert take her daughter's handand kiss her with such uncommon warmth, when George announced thathe had received letters from home? Then, with a break in his voice, apallid face, and a considerable tremor, turning to Mr. Lambert, he said:"Madam Esmond's letter, sir, is in reply to one of mine, in which Iacquainted her that I had formed an attachment in England, for which Iasked my mother's approval. She gives her consent, I am grateful to say,and I have to pray my dear friends to be equally kind to me."
"God bless thee, my dear boy!" says the good General, laying a hand onthe young man's head. "I am glad to have thee for a son, George. There,there, don't go down on your knees, young folks! George may, to be sure,and thank God for giving him the best little wife in all England. Yes,my dear, except
when you were ill, you never caused me a heartache--andhappy is the man, I say, who wins thee!"
I have no doubt the young people knelt before their parents, as was thefashion in those days; and am perfectly certain that Mrs. Lambert kissedboth of them, and likewise bedewed her pocket-handkerchief in the mostplentiful manner. Hetty was not present at this sentimental scene, andwhen she heard of it, spoke with considerable asperity, and a laugh thatwas by no means pleasant, saying: "Is this all the news you have to giveme? Why, I have known it these months past. Do you think I have no eyesto see, and no ears to hear, indeed?" But in private she was muchmore gentle. She flung herself on her sister's neck, embracing herpassionately, and vowing that never, never would Theo find any one tolove her like her sister. With Theo she became entirely mild and humble.She could not abstain from her jokes and satire with George, but he wastoo happy to heed her much, and too generous not to see the cause of herjealousy.
When all parties concerned came to read Madam Esmond's letter, thatdocument, it is true, appeared rather vague. It contained only a promisethat she would receive the young people at her house, and no sortof proposal for a settlement. The General shook his head over theletter--he did not think of examining it until some days after theengagement had been made between George and his daughter: but now heread Madam Esmond's words, they gave him but small encouragement.
"Bah!" says George. "I shall have three hundred pounds for my tragedy. Ican easily write a play a year; and if the worst comes to the worst, wecan live on that."
"On that and your patrimony," says Theo's father.
George now had to explain, with some hesitation, that what with payingbills for his mother, and Harry's commission and debts, and his ownransom--George's patrimony proper was well-nigh spent.
Mr. Lambert's countenance looked graver still at this announcement, buthe saw his girl's eyes turned towards him with an alarm so tender, thathe took her in his arms and vowed that, let the worst come to the worst,his darling should not be balked of her wish.
About the going back to Virginia, George frankly owned that he littleliked the notion of returning to be entirely dependent on his mother.He gave General Lambert an idea of his life at home, and explained howlittle to his taste that slavery was. No. Why should he not stay inEngland, write more tragedies, study for the bar, get a place, perhaps?Why, indeed? He straightway began to form a plan for another tragedy.He brought portions of his work, from time to time, to Miss Theo and hersister: Hetty yawned over the work, but Theo pronounced it to be stillmore beautiful and admirable than the last, which was perfect.
The engagement of our young friends was made known to the members oftheir respective families, and announced to Sir Miles Warrington, ina ceremonious letter from his nephew. For a while Sir Miles saw noparticular objection to the marriage; though, to be sure, consideringhis name and prospects, Mr. Warrington might have looked higher. Thetruth was, that Sir Miles imagined that Madam Esmond had made someconsiderable settlement on her son, and that his circumstances were morethan easy. But when he heard that George was entirely dependent on hismother, and that his own small patrimony was dissipated, as Harry's hadbeen before, Sir Miles's indignation at his nephew's imprudence knew nobounds; he could not find words to express his horror and anger at thewant of principle exhibited by both these unhappy young men: he thoughtit his duty to speak his mind about them, and wrote his opinion to hissister Esmond in Virginia. As for General and Mrs. Lambert, who passedfor respectable persons, was it to be borne that such people shouldinveigle a penniless young man into a marriage with their pennilessdaughter? Regarding them, and George's behaviour, Sir Miles fullyexplained his views to Madam Esmond, gave half a finger to Georgewhenever his nephew called on him in town, and did not even invite himto partake of the famous family small-beer. Towards Harry his unclesomewhat unbent; Harry had done his duty in the campaign, and wasmentioned with praise in high quarters. He had sown his wild oats,--heat least was endeavouring to amend; but George was a young prodigal,fast careering to ruin, and his name was only mentioned in the familywith a groan. Are there any poor fellows nowadays, I wonder, whosepolite families fall on them and persecute them; groan over themand stone them, and hand stones to their neighbours that they may dolikewise? All the patrimony spent! Gracious heavens! Sir Miles turnedpale when he saw his nephew coming. Lady Warrington prayed for him as adangerous reprobate; and, in the meantime, George was walking the town,quite unconscious that he was occasioning so much wrath and so muchdevotion. He took little Miley to the play and brought him back again.He sent tickets to his aunt and cousins which they could not refuse, youknow; it would look too marked were they to break altogether. So theynot only took the tickets, but whenever country constituents came totown they asked for more, taking care to give the very worst motivesto George's intimacy with the theatre, and to suppose that he and theactresses were on terms of the most disgraceful intimacy. An augustpersonage having been to the theatre, and expressed his approbationof Mr. Warrington's drama to Sir Miles, when he attended his R-y-lH-ghn-ss's levee at Saville House, Sir Miles, to be sure, modified hisopinion regarding the piece, and spoke henceforth more respectfully ofit. Meanwhile, as we have said, George was passing his life entirelycareless of the opinion of all the uncles, aunts, and cousins in theworld.
Most of the Esmond cousins were at least more polite and cordial thanGeorge's kinsfolk of the Warrington side. In spite of his behaviour overthe cards, Lord Castlewood, George always maintained, had a liking forour Virginians, and George was pleased enough to be in his company. Hewas a far abler man than many who succeeded in life. He had a good name,and somehow only stained it; a considerable wit, and nobody trusted it;and a very shrewd experience and knowledge of mankind, which made himmistrust them, and himself most of all, and which perhaps was the barto his own advancement. My Lady Castlewood, a woman of the world, worealways a bland mask, and received Mr. George with perfect civility,and welcomed him to lose as many guineas as he liked at her ladyship'scard-tables. Between Mr. William and the Virginian brothers there neverwas any love lost; but, as for Lady Maria, though her love affair wasover, she had no rancour; she professed for her cousins a verygreat regard and affection, a part of which the young gentlemen verygratefully returned. She was charmed to hear of Harry's valour in thecampaign; she was delighted with George's success at the theatre; shewas for ever going to the play, and had all the favourite passages ofCarpezan by heart. One day, as Mr. George and Miss Theo were taking asentimental walk in Kensington Gardens, whom should they light uponbut their cousin Maria in company with a gentleman in a smart suit andhandsome laced hat, and who should the gentleman be but his MajestyKing Louis of Hungary, Mr. Hagan? He saluted the party, and left thempresently. Lady Maria had only just happened to meet him. Mr. Hagan camesometimes, he said, for quiet, to study his parts in Kensington Gardens,and George and the two ladies walked together to Lord Castlewood's doorin Kensington Square, Lady Maria uttering a thousand compliments to Theoupon her good looks, upon her virtue, upon her future happiness, uponher papa and mamma, upon her destined husband, upon her paduasoy cloakand dear little feet and shoe-buckles.
Harry happened to come to London that evening, and slept at hisaccustomed quarters. When George appeared at breakfast, the Captainwas already in the room (the custom of that day was to call all armygentlemen Captains), and looking at the letters on the breakfast-table.
"Why, George," he cries, "there is a letter from Maria!"
"Little boy bring it from Common Garden last night--Master Georgeasleep," says Gumbo.
"What can it be about?" asks Harry, as George peruses his letter with aqueer expression of face.
"About my play, to be sure," George answers, tearing up the paper, andstill wearing his queer look.
"What, she is not writing love-letters to you, is she, Georgy?"
"No, certainly not to me," replies the other. But he spoke no word moreabout the letter; and when at dinner in Dean Street Mrs. Lambert said,"So you met somebody walking with the
King of Hungary yesterday inKensington Gardens?"
"What little tell-tale told you? A mere casual rencontre--the King goesthere to study his parts, and Lady Maria happened to be crossing thegarden to visit some of the other King's servants at Kensington Palace."And so there was an end to that matter for the time being.
Other events were at hand fraught with interest to our Virginians. Oneevening after Christmas, the two gentlemen, with a few more friends,were met round General Lambert's supper-table; and among the company wasHarry's new Colonel of the 67th, Major-General Wolfe. The young Generalwas more than ordinarily grave. The conversation all related to the war.Events of great importance were pending. The great minister now in powerwas determined to carry on the war on a much more extended scale thanhad been attempted hitherto: an army was ordered to Germany to helpPrince Ferdinand, another great expedition was preparing for America,and here, says Mr. Lambert, "I will give you the health of theCommander--a glorious campaign, and a happy return to him!"
"Why do you not drink the toast, General James!" asked the hostess ofher guest.
"He must not drink his own toast," says General Lambert; "it is we mustdo that!"
What? was James appointed?--All the ladies must drink such a toast asthat, and they mingled their kind voices with the applause of the restof the company.
Why did he look so melancholy? the ladies asked of one another when theywithdrew. In after days they remembered his pale face.
"Perhaps he has been parting from his sweetheart," suggeststender-hearted Mrs. Lambert. And at this sentimental notion, no doubtall the ladies looked sad.
The gentlemen, meanwhile, continued their talk about the war and itschances. Mr. Wolfe did not contradict the speakers when they said thatthe expedition was to be directed against Canada.
"Ah, sir," says Harry, "I wish your regiment was going with you, andthat I might pay another visit to my old friends at Quebec."
What, had Harry been there? Yes. He described his visit to the placefive years before, and knew the city, and the neighbourhood, well. Helays a number of bits of biscuit on the table before him, and makesa couple of rivulets of punch on each side. "This fork is the Isled'Orleans," says he, "with the north and south branches of St. Lawrenceon each side. Here's the Low Town, with a battery--how many guns wasmounted there in our time, brother?--but at long shots from the St.Joseph shore you might play the same game. Here's what they call thelittle river, the St. Charles, and a bridge of boats with a tete du pontover to the place of arms. Here's the citadel, and here's convents--everso many convents--and the cathedral; and here, outside the lines to thewest and south, is what they call the Plains of Abraham--where a certainlittle affair took place, do you remember, brother? He and a youngofficer of the Rousillon regiment ca ca'd at each other for twentyminutes, and George pinked him, and then they jure'd each other anamitie eternelle. Well it was for George: for his second saved his lifeon that awful day of Braddock's defeat. He was a fine little fellow, andI give his toast: Je bois a la sante du Chevalier de Florac!"
"What, can you speak French, too, Harry?" asks Mr. Wolfe. The young manlooked at the General with eager eyes.
"Yes," says he, "I can speak, but not so well as George."
"But he remembers the city, and can place the batteries, you see, andknows the ground a thousand times better than I do!" cries the elderbrother.
The two elder officers exchanged looks with one another; Mr. Lambertsmiled and nodded, as if in reply to the mute queries of his comrade: onwhich the other spoke. "Mr. Harry," he said, "if you have had enough offine folks, and White's, and horse-racing----"
"Oh, sir!" says the young man, turning very red.
"And if you have a mind to a sea voyage at a short notice, come and seeme at my lodgings to-morrow."
What was that sudden uproar of cheers which the ladies heard in theirdrawing-room? It was the hurrah which Harry Warrington gave when heleaped up at hearing the General's invitation.
The women saw no more of the gentlemen that night. General Lambert hadto be away upon his business early next morning, before seeing anyof his family; nor had he mentioned a word of Harry's outbreak on theprevious evening. But when he rejoined his folks at dinner, a look atMiss Hetty's face informed the worthy gentleman that she knew what hadpassed on the night previous, and what was about to happen to the youngVirginian. After dinner Mrs. Lambert sat demurely at her work, MissTheo took her book of Italian Poetry. Neither of the General's customaryguests happened to be present that evening.
He took little Hetty's hand in his, and began to talk with her. Hedid not allude to the subject which he knew was uppermost in her mind,except that by a more than ordinary gentleness and kindness he perhapscaused her to understand that her thoughts were known to him.
"I have breakfasted," says he, "with James Wolfe this morning, and ourfriend Harry was of the party. When he and the other guests were gone, Iremained and talked with James about the great expedition on which he isgoing to sail. Would that his brave father had lived a few months longerto see him come back covered with honours from Louisbourg, and knowingthat all England was looking to him to achieve still greater glory!James is dreadfully ill in body--so ill that I am frightened forhim--and not a little depressed in mind at having to part from the younglady whom he has loved so long. A little rest, he thinks, might have sethis shattered frame up; and to call her his has been the object of hislife. But, great as his love is (and he is as romantic as one of youyoung folks of seventeen), honour and duty are greater, and he leaveshome, and wife, and ease, and health, at their bidding. Every man ofhonour would do the like; every woman who loves him truly would buckleon his armour for him. James goes to take leave of his mother to-night;and though she loves him devotedly, and is one of the tenderest womenin the world, I am sure she will show no sign of weakness at his goingaway."
"When does he sail, papa?" the girl asked.
"He will be on board in five days." And Hetty knew quite well who sailedwith him.
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