Yesterday Mr. Smith carried his point of making a party for Vauxhall,
consisting of Madame Duval, M. Du Bois, all the Branghtons, Mr. Brown,
himself,--and me!--for I find all endeavors vain to escape anything
which these people desire I should not.
There were twenty disputes previous to our setting out; first as to the
_time_ of our going: Mr. Branghton, his son, and young Brown, were for
six o'clock, and all the ladies and Mr. Smith were for eight;--the
latter, however, conquered. Then as to the _way_ we should go: some were
for a boat, others for a coach, and Mr. Branghton himself was for
walking; but the boat at length was decided upon. Indeed, this was the
only part of the expedition that was agreeable to me; for the Thames was
delightfully pleasant.
The garden is very pretty, but too formal; I should have been better
pleased had it consisted less of straight walks, where
"Grove nods at grove, each alley has its brother."
The trees, the numerous lights, and the company in the circle round the
orchestra make a most brilliant and gay appearance; and had I been with
a party less disagreeable to me, I should have thought it a place formed
for animation and pleasure. There was a concert, in the course of which
a hautbois concerto was so charmingly played that I could have thought
myself upon enchanted ground, had I had spirits more gentle to associate
with. The hautbois in the open air is heavenly.
Mr. Smith endeavored to attach himself to me, with such officious
assiduity and impertinent freedom that he quite sickened me. Indeed, M.
Du Bois was the only man of the party to whom, voluntarily, I ever
addressed myself. He is civil and respectful, and I have found nobody
else so since I left Howard Grove. His English is very bad; but I prefer
it to speaking French myself, which I dare not venture to do. I converse
with him frequently, both to disengage myself from others and to oblige
Madame Duval, who is always pleased when he is attended to.
As we were walking about the orchestra, I heard a bell ring; and in a
moment Mr. Smith, flying up to me, caught my hand, and with a motion too
quick to be resisted, ran away with me many yards before I had breath to
ask his meaning; though I struggled as well as I could to get from him.
At last, however, I insisted upon stopping. "Stopping, ma'am!" cried he,
"why, we must run on, or we shall lose the cascade!"
And then again he hurried me away, mixing with a crowd of people, all
running with so much velocity that I could not imagine what had raised
such an alarm. We were soon followed by the rest of the party; and my
surprise and ignorance proved a source of diversion to them all which
was not exhausted the whole evening. Young Branghton, in particular,
laughed till he could hardly stand.
The scene of the cascade I thought extremely pretty, and the general
effect striking and lively.
But this was not the only surprise which was to divert them at my
expense; for they led me about the garden purposely to enjoy my first
sight of various other deceptions.
About ten o'clock, Mr. Smith having chosen a _box_ in a very conspicuous
place, we all went to supper. Much fault was found with everything that
was ordered, though not a morsel of anything was left, and the dearness
of the provisions, with conjectures upon what profit was made by them,
supplied discourse during the whole meal.
When wine and cyder were brought, Mr. Smith said, "Now let's enjoy
ourselves; now is the time, or never. Well, ma'am, and how do you like
Vauxhall?"
"Like it!" cried young Branghton; "why, how can she help liking it? She
has never seen such a place before, that I'll answer for."
"For my part," said Miss Branghton, "I like it because it is not
vulgar."
"This must have been a fine treat for you, Miss," said Mr. Branghton;
"why, I suppose you was never so happy in all your life before?"
I endeavored to express my satisfaction with some pleasure; yet I
believe they were much amazed at my coldness.
"Miss ought to stay in town till the last night," said young Branghton;
"and then, it's my belief, she'd say something to it! Why, Lord, it's
the best night of any; there's always a riot,--and there the folks run
about,--and then there's such squealing and squalling!--and there, all
the lamps are broke,--and the women run skimper-scamper--I declare, I
would not take five guineas to miss the last night!"
I was very glad when they all grew tired of sitting, and called for the
waiter to pay the bill. The Miss Branghtons said they would walk on
while the gentlemen settled the account, and asked me to accompany them;
which however I declined.
"You girls may do as you please," said Madame Duval, "but as to me, I
promise you, I sha'n't go nowhere without the gentlemen."
"No more, I suppose, will my _cousin_," said Miss Branghton, looking
reproachfully towards Mr. Smith.
This reflection, which I feared would flatter his vanity, made me most
unfortunately request Madame Duval's permission to attend them. She
granted it; and away we went, having promised to meet in the room.
To the room, therefore, I would immediately have gone: but the sisters
agreed that they would first have a _little pleasure_; and they tittered
and talked so loud that they attracted universal notice.
"Lord, Polly," said the eldest, "suppose we were to take a turn in the
dark walks?"
"Ay, do," answered she; "and then we'll hide ourselves, and then Mr.
Brown will think we are lost."
I remonstrated very warmly against this plan, telling them it would
endanger our missing the rest of the party all the evening.
"O dear," cried Miss Branghton, "I thought how uneasy Miss would be,
without a beau!"
This impertinence I did not think worth answering; and quite by
compulsion I followed them down a long alley, in which there was hardly
any light.
By the time we came near the end, a large party of gentlemen, apparently
very riotous, and who were hallooing, leaning on one another, and
laughing immoderately, seemed to rush suddenly from behind some trees,
and meeting us face to face, put their arms at their sides and formed a
kind of circle, which first stopped our proceeding and then our
retreating, for we were presently entirely enclosed. The Miss Branghtons
screamed aloud, and I was frightened exceedingly; our screams were
answered with bursts of laughter, and for some minutes we were kept
prisoners, till at last one of them, rudely seizing hold of me, said I
was a pretty little creature.
Terrified to death, I struggled with such vehemence to disengage myself
from him that I succeeded, in spite of his efforts to detain me: and
immediately, and with a swiftness which fear only could have given me, I
flew rather than ran up the walk, hoping to secure my safety by
returning to the lights and company we had so foolishly left; but before
I could possibly accomplish my purpose, I was met by another party of
men, one of whom placed himself directly in my way, calling out,
"Whither so fast, my love?"--so that I could only have proceeded by
running into his arms.
In a moment both my hands, by different persons, were caught hold of,
and one of them, in a most familiar manner, desired when I ran next to
accompany me in a race; while the rest of the party stood still and
laughed. I was almost distracted with terror, and so breathless with
running that I could not speak; till another, advancing, said I was as
handsome as an angel, and desired to be of the party. I then just
articulated, "For Heaven's sake, gentlemen, let me pass!"
Another, then rushing suddenly forward, exclaimed, "Heaven and earth!
what voice is that?"
"The voice of the prettiest little actress I have seen this age,"
answered one of my persecutors.
"No,--no,--no,--" I _panted_ out, "I am no actress--pray let me
go,--pray let me pass--"
"By all that's sacred," cried the same voice, which I then knew for Sir
Clement Willoughby's, "'tis herself!"