There was in Perdita a strong element of adventurousness and
Bohemianism, which had not as yet been so fully gratified as to lose its
poignancy. A longing came over her, occasionally, to behold phases of
life that would not, in the ordinary course of things, come under her
observation. At such times she would regret that she had not been born a
gypsy--in oblivion of the fact that although, being a marquise, she
might play at vagabondage, it would not be as easy for a vagabond to
experience the sensations of a marquise. The latter has the best of it.
At this epoch of our history it so happened that Perdita fell a victim
to one of the periodical attacks in question. She wanted to do or see
something a little beyond the boundaries of conventional propriety. What
should it be? She passed in mental review all the resources of the town.
There was plenty of impropriety to be had for the taking,--that was
speedily evident; but perhaps it was the very wealth of the
opportunities that rendered the Marquise hard to suit. Her motive being
curiosity, not desperation, she did not wish to involve herself in
anything that would lay her open to social obloquy; she would not risk
her escapade being discovered by people she knew. Furthermore, there
were many aspects of the shady side of life which she had no disposition
to investigate. Between these two stools the fair explorer was in some
danger of coming to the ground: when, all at once, she made up her mind
that her requirements would be well enough satisfied by a visit to
Vauxhall.
“If enjoyment be your motto,” observes Corinthian Tom to his country
friend in the green coat and leather gaiters, “go to Vauxhall.” The
record of the many moving exploits of those three classic worthies had
not as yet been compiled; but Vauxhall was in its glory, nevertheless.
Nor could it properly be described as an improper place: improper people
were to be found there, no doubt, doing improper things; but there are
few places, good or bad, in this world, of which the same might not be
said. The trail of the serpent is everywhere; but, this being admitted,
all that respectable persons have to do is to ignore it. At all events,
numbers of the most respectable people visited Vauxhall, and were none
the less respected for doing so; but in this, as in other matters,
everything depended upon the way the thing was done. The Marquise
Desmoines, for example, might, under suitable male escort, have spent
all her evenings at Vauxhall with impunity: and that was one reason why
she had never yet been there. What she could not so safely do was to go
there alone; and it was no less an achievement than that, consequently,
that she had in view. She would wear a veil, of course, and a thick one;
and she would be attended by Madame Cabot, not so much for protection as
for convenience. But she would go to Vauxhall independent of the support
of the sterner sex; and it was only reasonable to suppose that she would
see something worth seeing before the night was out. She made her
preparations accordingly, and gave no further explanation of her purpose
to Madame Cabot than to tell her that she would require her company that
evening. Madame Cabot was not aware that such a place as Vauxhall
existed; and it was conceivable that the good lady might never realize,
even after her return, how perilous an enterprise she had accomplished.
The evening was a fine one, and Perdita, having driven to a point near
the entrance of the Gardens, and given orders to the coachman to remain
there until her return, entered the grounds with Madame Cabot. The place
was brilliant with innumerable lamps, and crowded with people. There was
a sound of music in various directions, proceeding not from German brass
bands, nor from Italian organ-grinders, but from the slim-legged
fiddlers in cocked hats, who flourished their bows and wagged their
heads beneath fan-shaped sounding-boards resplendent with gilding.
Dancing was going on in some places, the participants being ranged in
long rows facing one another, while two or more of their number
manœuvred, capered, skimmed hand-in-hand down the middle, or dodged
behind the lines, pursued by the rest in tumultuous procession.
Elsewhere professional tumblers and gymnasts performed their feats in
the centre of noisy crowds, and a meagre young lady in wrinkled tights
and short gauze skirt appeared in mid-air above the heads of the
spectators, pursuing her teetering way upon a rope depending between two
thick posts. Another person of the same sex, in a nondescript costume,
remarkable chiefly for its spangles, was causing wonder by her
affectionate familiarities with a gaunt beast which seemed to have
entered natural history on its sole responsibility, though it was only a
black bear with its hair shaved off. For those whose ambition prompted
them to draw aside the veil of futurity, there was provided a
long-bearded soothsayer in a glittering hermitage, who had spent his
leisure in committing the history of coming ages to scraps of paper,
which he disposed of at from a shilling to half-a-crown each. Around and
between these various centres of interest the crowd twisted, shifted,
elbowed, and threaded itself in and out, talking, shouting, whispering,
laughing and staring. Representatives of all classes were there: the
country squire in green coat, white corduroys and drab gaiters: young
bloods in dark blue coats, red-striped waiscoats, buckskins, hessians,
and neckcloths: others in beruffled opera dress, with black silk tights
and cocked hats: bruisers in loose brown jockeys and white-topped boots:
theatrical characters, clean-shaven, with white lamb’s-wool stockings
and blue-and-bird’s-eye kerchiefs: sharpers in rakish but threadbare
attire, their legs encased in tight pantaloons tied at the ankles, thin
shoes, and with rouge on their lank cheeks: women in bonnets like
funnels, or huge hats and feathers, with short-waisted gowns and long
gloves, stout and thin, tall and short, coquettish and timid, pretty and
ugly: a mixed and parti-colored assemblage, all come ostensibly to enjoy
themselves, and few knowing whether they were doing so or not;
altogether a comical, melancholy, absurd, pathetic, restless, aimless,
anomalous mass of human beings, illustrating the fact that between frank
barbarism, and civilization out for a holiday, the difference, such as
it is, is not in favor of the latter.
After wandering about the place, and meeting with a number of trifling
adventures, such as receiving proffers of gallantry from fashionable
gentlemen, one or two of whom she was acquainted with, little as they
suspected whose dark eyes were glancing at them behind the blue silk
veil; or being swept away unexpectedly into the whirl of a country
dance, in the course of which Madame Cabot’s bonnet became badly
demoralized; or being pressingly invited to drink beer by a hilarious
party of young men and women, whose recommendations were evidently the
outcome of experience;--after sundry vicissitudes of this kind, all of
which greatly amused the Marquise and made her laugh heartily--the two
ladies became weary of keeping their feet amidst so much jostle and
uproar, and sought out a spot where they might sit down and contemplate
the spectacle at their leisure. With this purpose they made their way to
a range of boxes or cabinets, facing upon a large open space, and
connected behind with an establishment for the supply of rack-punch and
ham sandwiches. Having rented the right of sole occupancy of one of
these boxes for the evening, they made themselves as comfortable in it
as the narrow and angular fashion of the chairs permitted. The lamps
flaring on the front of the box, left the interior in comparative
shadow; and the seclusion could be increased by drawing some flimsy red
curtains, which dangled from a brass rod across the entrance. Other
parties were in the adjoining boxes on either side, and their
conversation was indistinctly audible on the background of the
prevailing hubbub.
Perdita moved her chair into the right-hand corner, in order that she
might eke out the accommodation of her chair by leaning against the
partition. After she had remained for some time in this position, her
eyes wandering over the multiform elements of the unorganized drama
before her, she became aware that some one was speaking on the other
side of the thin boarding that separated her from the next cabinet.
Words, and parts of sentences, were here and there distinguishable: but
these would have had no interest for Perdita, had she not suddenly made
the discovery that the voice was one which she knew. Several moments
passed, however, before she was able to connect the voice, in her mind,
with the person to whom it belonged. It was a woman’s voice, rather low,
but with a penetrative quality in it: a peculiar voice, both in timbre
and intonation. Whose was it? It was, of course, impossible for Perdita
to see the speaker, unless she had gone outside for the purpose.
Possibly her curiosity might ultimately have led her to do this: but she
was saved the trouble by presently recollecting that the speaker in
question was none other than Marion Lancaster.
At first, though it surprised her, the discovery did not especially
startle the Marquise. There was nothing wonderful in Philip’s taking his
wife to see Vauxhall, although it might not be the place which a
newly-married couple of their rank and disposition would most naturally
visit. At this point, however, it occurred to Perdita, with the thrill
of a genuine sensation, that Philip could not be there. He was out of
town, having taken the coach that afternoon to St. Albans’ to meet the
Earl of Seabridge, who had written to make the appointment on a matter
of business. This Perdita happened to know, because Philip had stopped
at her house in the morning to present her with an illustrated edition
of “Iduna,” which had just come out; and had then mentioned that he was
on his way northward, and would not return before the evening of the
following day. It was the first night that he had been separated from
his wife since their marriage. That Marion should have chosen that very
night to go to Vauxhall was, therefore, fairly remarkable. For what
purpose could she have come? Was Mrs. Lockhart with her? Could Philip
have been aware of her intention?
Though the solution of these problems was none of Perdita’s business,
she nevertheless listened very intently in the hope of hearing something
that might elucidate them. It was impossible to make out anything
consecutive, the rather since what Marion said was in detached
sentences, and the replies of her companion, who was apparently a female
servant, were of a like character. The following bits of dialogue,
however, seemed to detach themselves from the medley:
“I fear he has not come,” said Marion.
“ ’Tis early yet, ma’am,” replied the other. “Maybe he ...” The rest was
inaudible.
“Be sure you tell me if you see any one I know,” Marion said after
awhile: “it must never be known....”
“No one ’ud know you, ma’am ... so you can be easy on that score.”
“...cannot stay here much longer. If he does not appear soon ... it
might come to the knowledge of my husband, and....”
Here the fragmentary sentences ceased altogether to be distinguishable,
Marion having apparently removed to another part of her box. But Perdita
had heard enough to convince her that something out of the common was
going on. Marion had come secretly to Vauxhall, taking advantage of her
husband’s absence, in order to meet some gentleman who had not yet made
his appearance. So much was evident, and it was enough to place Marion
in a light which, to say the best of it, was ambiguous. Perdita knew not
what to make of it. Though not prone to be over-charitable in her
judgments on her own sex, the Marquise was too keen a reader of
character ever to have supposed that Marion was capable of an immoral
intrigue. Yet here was certainly an intrigue, and it was difficult to
see how it could be an altogether innocent one. Perdita, in fact, made
no special effort in this direction; what puzzled her was that a woman
of Marion’s intelligence should have chosen Vauxhall, of all places in
the world, to meet a lover in. True, there is a certain kind of safety
in a crowd; and there might be particular circumstances rendering
Vauxhall a desirable trysting-place in this instance: and, in short,
there is never any accounting for affairs of this kind on logical
grounds: they are controlled by too many unknown and unknowable
conditions. A more interesting matter of speculation regarded the
identity of the man whom Marion had favored with her preference. He
could not well be handsomer than Philip, Perdita thought, or cleverer,
or, in a general way, more attractive. But, of course, Marion must be of
a different opinion. Who, then, was to her mind the superior person? The
Marquise rapidly reviewed the names and characters of the various
gentlemen with whom Marion was likely to be on confidential terms; but
one seemed about as likely as another, and none of them, to say the
truth, seemed likely at all. In the midst of her perplexity, Marion and
her attendant were heard to rise, and a minute later they came out of
their box and walked away slowly, looking about them. It was Marion,
beyond a doubt, and the attendant was a middle-aged woman in whom
Perdita fancied she recognized Mrs. Lancaster’s private maid, who had
been formerly a servant of Mrs. Lockhart.
For a moment, Perdita had an impulse to issue forth and follow them, and
see the end of the adventure. But a regard for her own dignity, as well
as a sentiment of respect for another woman’s secret, combined to
restrain her. It was enough to know that Marion had a mystery of this
kind to conceal; and possibly (such is the waywardness of the moral
sense) the revelation of that fact raised, rather than lowered, Marion
in Perdita’s esteem. That a woman of Marion’s apparently passionate
candor and simplicity should all the time be hiding so hazardous a
secret, evinced a force and depth of character that Perdita had not been
prepared for. She was a woman to be reckoned with: and the Marquise
admitted to herself with a curious smile that, with all her own keenness
and knowledge of the world, she had been totally mistaken in her
judgment of her.
And yet, after all, might not the mistake be in supposing herself to
have been mistaken? Might not Marion be the innocent victim of
appearances? Could her presence there be merely the result of a
thoughtless frolic, as was the case with Perdita herself? But against
this view was to be set the conclusive testimony of the passages of
conversation she had overheard. She had not overheard much, to be sure;
but much or little, it had been conclusive so far as it went; it had
proved that Marion came to Vauxhall to meet some man. What man? Was
there any man whom she could meet innocently? Perdita could think of
none--stay! Might it not be Merton Fillmore?
It was to the last degree improbable, and contrary to reason: but it
might nevertheless be Fillmore, and if so, the occasion of their meeting
must be business and not love: for Perdita was tolerably convinced that
she knew where Merton Fillmore’s heart was. But what business, that
could not be better discussed in Fillmore’s office, or in Marion’s
house, could there be between them? or what likelihood was there that a
man like Fillmore would go to Vauxhall on any consideration? There was
no likelihood of it. It could not be Fillmore, and yet it must be
Fillmore: Perdita wished it to be Fillmore: though whether she wished it
because of Fillmore, or because of Marion, or because of herself, she
could not perhaps have told.
This episode, be the significance and upshot of it what they might, had
loomed so large as to obscure whatever other grotesque entertainment
Vauxhall may have contained for the Marquise Desmoines; and, moreover,
the sight of Marion’s rashness had impelled her seriously to reflect
upon her own. She resolved to go home without delay; and having tied her
veil more closely about her face, and roused Madame Cabot, who had
dropped asleep in her corner of the box, with her snuff-box open on her
lap, she took that lady’s bony arm, and they went forth into the
assemblage.
Their progress was not so rapid as they could have wished. The
rack-punch and other drinkables had made the crowd more noisy and
boisterous, while the numbers had certainly not diminished. Perdita had
need of all her wits and courage to avoid getting into trouble, while
Madame Cabot was thoroughly frightened, and gave frequent vent to dismal
little shrieks and moans, which had the effect of attracting the
attention which Perdita was so anxious to avoid. All at once, in the
midst of the general turmoil, some loud cries were heard, and there was
a rush in the direction whence they proceeded. “A fight! a fight!” cried
one gentleman, pressing forward enthusiastically. “A fight?--’tis a
murder!” returned another. “ ’Tis naught but a fellow in a fit,” said a
third, who had mounted on a lamp-post. “He’s drunk! put him out, stifle
me!” exclaimed another, with the righteous indignation of inebriety.
“Come along, Jack--’tis no business of ours,” remarked a
gorgeously-attired female, seizing her companion by the arm. Meanwhile
Perdita and Madame Cabot were taking advantage of the rush of the crowd
in one direction to push their way in the other, which was comparatively
deserted. By a roundabout route they were approaching the entrance, and
had just passed a guardian of the peace, who was thoughtfully proceeding
in a direction at right angles to the scene of the disturbance, when
Perdita suddenly stopped short, much to Madame Cabot’s distress, and
fixed her eyes upon a group that was also hastening toward the gate from
another part of the grounds.
It consisted of a man and two women. The former was fashionably dressed,
had rather a dandified air, and a handsome, bright, good-humored
countenance. The lady on his arm was tall, and of a fine figure; her
face, which was uncovered, had a flush of excitement upon it, and her
eyes sparkled. Close behind the couple followed a woman who was
evidently a domestic. Perdita had no difficulty in recognizing Marion,
and that elegant poet and fascinating man of the world, Mr. Thomas
Moore. As they passed her, she gave another of her odd little smiles.
“So much for my charity!” she murmured to herself. “Poor
Philip!--allons, madame!”