GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF THE MOST INTERESTING OF THE SILVERTON
LOCALITIES--A RENCONTRE NOT UNEXPECTED.--A SUCCESSFUL MANOEUVRE.
After uttering a few of those expressions which, by a very remarkable
sort of superstition, most nations of the civilized world hold to be a
relief under vexation, Miss Martha Compton resumed the bonnet and
parasol which she had but recently laid aside, and without consulting
either mother or sister, who were occupied in a reperusal of Miss
Betsy's epistle, she sallied forth, and deliberately took her way in a
direction leading towards the barracks, which were situated close by the
turnpike that marked the entrance to the town.
Let it not be supposed, however, that the young lady had any intention
of entering within the boundary of that region, whose very name is
redolent to all provincial female hearts as much of terror as of joy;
she had no such desperate measure in her thoughts. Nor was there need
she should; for between the curate's dwelling and the barrack-yard there
was a three-cornered open space, planted with lime trees, displaying on
one side some of the handsomest shops in the town, among which were the
pastry-cook's and the circulating library, (both loved resorts of idle
men,) and beneath the trees a well-trodden, a _very_ well-trodden walk,
rarely or never without some lounging red coat to enliven its shade.
When it is added, that in this open space the band played morning and
evening, all the world will be aware that if not the centre, it was
decidedly the heart of Silverton, for to and from it the stream of human
life was ever flowing, and all its tenderest affections were nourished
there.
Being by necessity obliged to pass along this walk, or the pavement
which skirted the road beside it, Miss Martha Compton had no occasion
whatever to enter the barrack-yard, or even to approach its enclosure,
in order to ensure meeting, within the space of any given hour before
mess-time, any officer she might wish to see.
There was at this particular epoch much of constancy in the feelings of
the fair Martha; for though she had parted from Captain Tate only
three-quarters of an hour before, it was Captain Tate, and Captain Tate
only, that she now wished to see. Nor did she long wish in vain. When
her tall person, straight ankles, and flashing eyes first entered upon
the "High Street Parade," Captain Tate was swallowing the fourth
spoonful of a raspberry ice; but, ere she had reached the middle of it,
he was by her side.
"Oh! Captain Tate!" she exclaimed, with heightened colour and brightened
eyes, ... "I did not expect to see you again this morning.... I thought
for certain you would be riding with the colonel, or the major, or some
of them."
"Ah! Miss Martha!... You don't know what it is to be ordered from
quarters where ... you don't know what it is to be torn heart and soul
and body asunder, as I shall be in a few days, ... or you would not fancy
one should be riding out of town, as long as one had the power of
staying in it!"
"Oh dear!... you won't mind it, I'm sure ... you will like Plymouth
quite as well ... or perhaps better than you do Silverton: ... we shall
all remember you longer than you will remember us."
"Do not say so!... do not say so!... beautiful Martha!--you cannot think
it."
"I'm sure I do," responded the young lady, with a very distinct sigh.
It was exceedingly wrong in Captain Tate (yet all his family and
intimate friends declared that he was as worthy a fellow as ever
lived)--it was exceedingly wrong in him to offer his arm to Miss Martha
the moment he heard this sigh; for in fact he was engaged to be married
to his cousin, and the marriage ceremony was only deferred till he
should be gazetted as a major; yet he scrupled not, as I have related,
to offer his arm, saying in a very soft, and even tender accent,--
"I know it is not the etiquette of dear, quiet little Silverton, for
the officers to offer their arms to the young ladies; but just at the
last ... at such a moment as this, not even the Lord Mayor of the town
himself could think it wrong."
This reasoning seemed quite satisfactory, for Miss Martha's arm was
immediately placed within his.
"It is very true, as you say, Captain Tate; the last time does make a
difference. But it will be very dull work for you going to Smith's shop
with me; ... and I must go there, because mamma has sent me."
"Dull!... Oh! Miss Martha, do you _really_ think that any place can be
dull to me where you are?"
"How do I know, Captain Tate?... How can any girl know how much, or how
little."
"Good heaven!... we are at the shop already!" said the Captain,
interrupting her.... "How such dear moments fly!"
Miss Martha answered not with her lips, but had no scruple to let her
fine large eyes reply with very intelligible meaning, even though at
that very moment she had reached the front of the counter, and that Mr.
Smith himself stood before her, begging to know her commands. Her arm,
too, still confidingly hung upon that of the stylish-looking young
officer; and there certainly was both in her attitude and manner
something that spoke of an interest and intimacy between them of no
common kind.
A few more muttered words were exchanged between them before the
draper's necessary question met any attention whatever, yet in general
the Miss Comptons were particularly civil to Mr. Smith, and at length,
when she turned to answer him, she stopped short before she had well
pronounced the words "mull muslin," saying with an air of laughing
embarrassment, and withdrawing her arm,--
"Upon my word and honour, you must go, Captain Tate.... I can no more
buy anything while you stand talking to me than I can fly."
"Did not you promise me?" said the Captain reproachfully, and not
knowing what in the world to do with himself till it was time to dress.
"Yes, I know I did," she replied; "but the truth is," ... and she
pressed both her hands upon her heart, and shook her head ... "the thing
is impossible.... You must leave me, indeed!... we shall meet to-night
at the Major's, you know ... farewell!..." and she stretched out her
hand to him with a smile full of tender meaning.
The Captain looked rather puzzled, but fervently pressed her hand, and
saying "_Au revoir_ then!" left the shop. The young lady looked after
him for a moment, and then, turning to Mr. Smith with a look, a sigh,
and a smile not at all likely to be misunderstood, said,--
"I suppose, Mr. Smith, you have heard the news about me?... There never
was such a place for gossip as Silverton."
Mr. Smith smilingly protested he had heard nothing whatever about her,
but added, with very satisfactory significance, that he rather thought
he could guess what the news was, and begged very respectfully to wish
her joy of it.
"You are very kind, Mr. Smith; I am sure it is the last thing I
expected ... so much above me in every way.... And now, Mr. Smith, I
want to speak to you about the things that must be bought. I am sure you
are too neighbourly and too kind to put difficulties in my way. It is a
very different thing now, you know, as to what I buy; and I am sure you
will let me have quite on my own account, and nothing at all to do with
papa, a few things that I want very much at the present moment."
Miss Martha looked so handsome, and the whole affair seemed so clear and
satisfactory, that Mr. Smith, careful tradesman as he was, could not
resist her appeal, and declared he should be happy to serve her with
whatever articles she might choose to purchase.
Her dark eyes sparkled with the triumph of success; she had often felt
her own powers of management swelling within her bosom when she
witnessed the helpless despondency of her father, or listened to the
profitless grumbling of her mother, upon every new pecuniary pressure
that beset them; and it is not wonderful if she now believed more firmly
than ever, that much suffering and embarrassment might very often be
spared, or greatly alleviated, by the judicious exercise of such powers
as she felt conscious of possessing.
As a proof that her judgment was in some measure commensurate with her
skill, she determined not to abuse the present opportunity by
contracting a debt which it would be quite impossible for her father to
pay; so, notwithstanding all the tempting finery with which the
confiding Mr. Smith spread the counter, she restrained her purchases to
such articles as it might really have endangered all their schemes of
future conquest to have been without, and then took her leave, amidst
blushes and smiles, and with many assurances to the gently-facetious
shopkeeper, that let her be where she would, she should never forget his
obliging civility.
It was a moment of great triumph for Martha when Mr. Smith's man
arrived, and the huge and carefully packed parcel was brought up to the
chamber where Mrs. Compton and her daughters sat at work.
"What in the world is this?" exclaimed the mother, seizing upon it. "Is
it possible that her letter was only a joke, and that the little fright
has actually sent you some dresses at last?"
"It is much more likely, I fancy, that I have coaxed Mr. Smith into
giving us a little more credit. It can all be paid off by a little and a
little at a time, you know; and at any rate, here are some very pretty
dresses for the fete, besides about three pounds' worth of things that
we really could not do without any longer."
"And do you really mean, Martha, that you have got Smith to send in all
these beautiful things on credit?"
"I do indeed, mamma."
"Was there ever such a girl!... Only look, Sophy, at this lovely muslin!
Why, it will wash, and make up again with different trimmings as good as
new for a dozen regiments to come!... Oh! you dear clever creature,
what a treasure you are!... I wish to God I had trusted all to you from
the first, and not tired myself to death by walking over to that stingy
little monster ... but, tired or not, we must cut these dear sweet
dresses out at once. Nancy Baker must come in and make the bodies, and
we must set to, girls, and run the seams ... and a pleasure it will be
too, God knows!... I have worked at turning and twisting old gowns into
new ones till I have hated the sight of an ironing box and a needle; but
this is another guess sort of a business, and I shall set about it with
a right good will, I promise you."
And so she did, and the dresses went on prosperously, as well as
everything else connected with the officers' fete; and when the
wished-for, but dreaded day arrived, in which so many farewell sighs
were to be sighed, and so many last looks looked, and so many
scrutinizing glances given, as to what might be hoped for from the
flirtations of the ensuing year, the sun shone so brightly as evidently
to take part with the new-comers, permitting not one single cloud to
sympathise with those who were about to depart.
Of all the beauties assembled at this hybrid festival, none appeared to
greater advantage than the Misses Compton. Their dresses were neither
dirty nor faded, but exceedingly well calculated to set off their charms
as favourably as their mother herself could have desired. Captain Tate,
after dancing his last dance with Martha, pointed her out with some
feeling of triumph to one of the new arrivals as the girl upon whom he
had bestowed the largest share of his regimental gallantries; but he was
far from imagining, as he did so, how very much better she had contrived
to manage the flirtation than himself. She had made it the means of
clothing herself and sister from top to toe, while to him it had been
very costly in gloves, ices, eau de cologne, and dancing-pumps.