The Virginians
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CHAPTER LXXXII. Miles's Moidore
Little Miles made his appearance in this world within a few days of thegracious Prince who commands his regiment. Illuminations and cannonadingsaluted the Royal George's birth, multitudes were admitted to see himas he lay behind a gilt railing at the Palace with noble nurses watchingover him. Few nurses guarded the cradle of our little Prince; nocourtiers, no faithful retainers saluted it, except our trusty Gumboand kind Molly, who to be sure loved and admired the little heir of mypoverty as loyally as our hearts could desire. Why was our boy not namedGeorge like the other paragon just mentioned, and like his father? Igave him the name of a little scapegrace of my family, a name whichmany generations of Warringtons had borne likewise; but my poor littleMiles's love and kindness touched me at a time when kindness and lovewere rare from those of my own blood, and Theo and I agreed that ourchild should be called after that single little friend of my paternalrace.
We wrote to acquaint our royal parents with the auspicious event, andbravely inserted the child's birth in the Daily Advertiser, and theplace, Church Street, Lambeth, where he was born. "My dear," says AuntBernstein, writing to me in reply to my announcement, "how could youpoint out to all the world that you live in such a trou as that inwhich you have buried yourself? I kiss the little mamma, and send aremembrance for the child." This remembrance was a fine silk coverlid,with a lace edging fit for a prince. It was not very useful: the priceof the lace would have served us much better, but Theo and Molly weredelighted with the present, and my eldest son's cradle had a cover asfine as any nobleman's.
Good Dr. Heberden came over several times to visit my wife, and see thatall things went well. He knew and recommended to us a surgeon in thevicinage, who took charge of her; luckily, my dear patient needed littlecare, beyond that which our landlady and her own trusty attendant couldreadily afford her. Again our humble precinct was adorned with thegilded apparition of Lady Castlewood's chariot wheels; she brought a potof jelly, which she thought Theo might like, and which, no doubt, hadbeen served at one of her ladyship's banquets on a previous day. Andshe told us of all the ceremonies at court, and of the splendour andfestivities attending the birth of the august heir to the crown; Ourgood Mr. Johnson happened to pay me a visit on one of those days whenmy lady countess's carriage flamed up to our little gate. He was not alittle struck by her magnificence, and made her some bows, which weremore respectful than graceful. She called me cousin very affably, andhelped to transfer the present of jelly from her silver dish into ourcrockery pan with much benignity. The Doctor tasted the sweetmeat, andpronounced it to be excellent. "The great, sir," says he, "are fortunatein every way. They can engage the most skilful practitioners of theculinary art, as they can assemble the most amiable wits round theirtable. If, as you think, sir, and, from the appearance of the dish,your suggestion at least is plausible, this sweetmeat may have appearedalready at his lordship's table, it has been there in good company. Ithas quivered under the eyes of celebrated beauties, it has been tastedby ruby lips, it has divided the attention of the distinguished company,with fruits, tarts, and creams, which I make no doubt were like itselfdelicious." And so saying, the good Doctor absorbed a considerableportion of Lady Castlewood's benefaction; though as regards the epithetdelicious I am bound to say, that my poor wife, after tasting the jelly,put it away from her as not to her liking; and Molly, flinging up herhead, declared it was mouldy.
My boy enjoyed at least the privilege of having an earl's daughter forhis godmother; for this office was performed by his cousin, our poorLady Maria, whose kindness and attention to the mother and the infantwere beyond all praise; and who, having lost her own solitary chancefor maternal happiness, yearned over our child in a manner not a littletouching to behold. Captain Miles is a mighty fine gentleman, and hisuniforms of the Prince's Hussars as splendid as any that ever bedizeneda soldier of fashion; but he hath too good a heart, and is too true agentleman, let us trust, not to be thankful when he remembers that hisown infant limbs were dressed in some of the little garments which hadbeen prepared for the poor player's child. Sampson christened him inthat very chapel in Southwark, where our marriage ceremony had beenperformed. Never were the words of the Prayer-book more beautifully andimpressively read than by the celebrant of the service; except atits end, when his voice failed him, and he and the rest of the littlecongregation were fain to wipe their eyes. "Mr. Garrick himself, sir,"says Hagan, "could not have read those words so nobly. I am sure littleinnocent never entered the world accompanied by wishes and benedictionsmore tender and sincere."
And now I have not told how it chanced that the Captain came by his nameof Miles. A couple of days before his christening, when as yet I believeit was intended that our firstborn should bear his father's name, alittle patter of horse's hoofs comes galloping up to our gate; andwho should pull at the bell but young Miles, our cousin? I fear he haddisobeyed his parents when he galloped away on that undutiful journey.
"You know," says he, "cousin Harry gave me my little horse; and I can'thelp liking you, because you are so like Harry, and because they'realways saying things of you at home, and it's a shame; and I havebrought my whistle and coral that my godmamma Lady Suckling gave me, foryour little boy; and if you're so poor, cousin George, here's my goldmoidore, and it's worth ever so much, and it's no use to me, because Imayn't spend it, you know."
We took the boy up to Theo in her room (he mounted the stair in hislittle tramping boots, of which he was very proud); and Theo kissed him,and thanked him; and his moidore has been in her purse from that day.
My mother, writing through her ambassador as usual, informed me ofher royal surprise and displeasure on learning that my son had beenchristened Miles--a name not known, at least in the Esmond family. Idid not care to tell the reason at the time; but when, in after years,I told Madam Esmond how my boy came by his name, I saw a tear roll downher wrinkled cheek, and I heard afterwards that she had asked Gumbomany questions about the boy who gave his name to our Miles--our MilesGloriosus of Pall Mall, Valenciennes, Almack's, Brighton.