MOLLY'S COUNTRY DANCE
Meantime another kind of conversation was going on, which we could not
hear.
"My lord," the poet bustled up, with his cringing familiarity. "Yonder
is the heiress of whom I spoke."
"Humph! She is well enough for a rustical beauty. Her shape is good,
if too full for the fashion; her cheeks bespeak the dairy, and her
shoulders tell of the milking pail. Why does she wear as many jewels
and charms as an antiquated duchess at a coronation? I suppose they
are real. But there are too many of them."
"They are real. I would vouch for them, my lord," he added earnestly.
"All that I have told you is most true. A greater heiress you will not
find in the whole country. Even with the jewels upon her she could buy
up all the women in the room."
"I would make sure upon that point. They say that she has ships,
lands----"
"And money. Accumulations. My lord, if you will not take my word for
it--why should you?--ask her guardian. There he stands."
"The old salt now beside her, like a Cerberus of the quarter-deck? Who
is the other--the fellow who danced with her--his actions like those
of a graceful elephant? Is he one of her lovers?"
"She has no lovers. Her guardian permits none. The young lady has been
kept in the house. That man is her servant; he is nothing but a mate
in one of her ships. Captain Crowle would not allow a fellow of that
position to make love to his ward."
"Humph!" said his lordship. "Bring the old man here."
The captain obeyed the summons somewhat abashed. But my lord put him
at his ease. "You may retire, Mr. Semple. I would converse with
Captain Crowle." Then he turned to the captain with the greatest
affability.
"Our good friend, Mr. Semple, tells me, captain, that yonder
beauty--the toast, if I mistake not, of our young gentleman
to-night--is none other than your ward."
"At your service, my lord."
"Nay, captain. It is I who should be at her service. Frankly, she does
honour to your town. Had we discovered Miss Molly there would have
been no need to discuss the magical waters of the spa. May I inquire
into the name and conditions of her family?"
"As for her name, sir, it is plain Molly Miller. As for her parentage,
her father was a ship owner and a merchant. Though a citizen and a
free man of Lynn, he was as substantial a man as may be found in the
port of London. Her mother, my first cousin, was the daughter and the
granddaughter and the sister and the cousin of men who have been
captains in the merchant service of Lynn--for many generations. Most
of them lie at the bottom of the sea. We are plain folk, my lord, and
homely. But Providence hath thought fit to bless our handiwork,
and--you see my ward before you--I hope she does not shame the
company?"
"On the contrary, Captain Crowle, she adorns and beautifies the
company not only with her good looks, which are singular and
extraordinary, but also with her fine dress and her jewels, which have
won for her already the envy of every woman in the assembly.
"There are as many jewels in the locker as have come out of it for
to-night," said the captain sturdily.
"Ay? Ay? And there are ships, I hear--many ships. Our friend Mr.
Semple speaks of the lady's wealth with as much respect as he speaks
of her beauty."
"He well may--Molly is the greatest shipowner of Lynn. She is also
owner of many houses in the town and of many broad acres outside the
town. And she will have, when she marries, in addition, a fortune of
many thousand pounds."
"She is, then, indeed, an heiress. I wish her, for your sake, Captain
Crowle, a worthy husband. But it is a grave responsibility. There are
hawks about always looking for a rich wife--to restore fortunes
battered by evil courses. You must take care, Captain Crowle."
"I mean to take care."
"Perhaps among the merchants of this port." The captain shook his
head.
"Or among the gentlemen of Norfolk." The captain shook his head.
"They drink too hard--and they live too hard."
"Perhaps among the scholars and divines of Cambridge."
"They are not fit mates for a lively girl."
"Captain, I perceive that you are difficult to please. Even for your
charming ward you must not expect a miracle in the creation of a new
Adam fit for this new Eve. Be reasonable, Captain Crowle." His
lordship spoke so pleasantly and laughed with so much good nature that
the captain was encouraged, and spoke out his mind as to an old
friend.
"No, no, I want no miracle. I desire that my girl, who is a loving
girl, with a heart of gold, should be wooed and married by a gentleman
whom she will respect and honour--not a drinker nor a gambler nor a
profligate. She will bring him a fortune which is great even for
persons of quality."
My lord bowed gravely. "You are right, Captain Crowle, to entertain
these opinions. Do not change them under any temptations. One would
only wish that the lady may find such a mate. But, captain,
remember--I say it not in an unfriendly spirit--class weds with class.
Sir, they are about to begin the country dance, let us look on."
The company began to take their places.
"Captain Crowle," Lord Fylingdale pointed to the dancers, repeating
his words: "Class weds with class--class dances with class. At the
head of the set stands Sir Harry the Evergreen. His partner is a lady
of good family. Next to them are others of good family. Those young
people who are now taking their places lower down are---- What are
they?"
"Two of them are the daughters of the doctor and the vicar--good girls
both."
"Good girls, doubtless. But, Captain Crowle, not gentlefolk, and
there, I observe, your lovely ward, Captain Crowle, takes her place
modestly and last of all. Who dances with her?"
"It is young John Pentecrosse, son of our schoolmaster, mate on board
one of Molly's ships. He is her playfellow. They have been together
since childhood."
"Perhaps he would be more. Take care, captain--take care." So he
turned away as if no longer interested in the girl. But Sam Semple
remained behind.
"Sir," he said to the captain, "his lordship took particular notice of
your ward. 'Miss Molly,' said my lord, 'is a rustic nymph dressed for
the court of Venus. Never before have I seen a face of more heavenly
beauty.' Those were his lordship's very words." But Sam Semple was
always a ready liar.
"Ay, my lad. They are fine words; but fine words butter no parsnips.
'Class weds with class,' that's what he said to me."
"Surely, captain, with such a face and such a fortune Miss Molly is
raised to the rank ... say, of countess. Would a coronet satisfy you
for your ward? I mean nothing"--here he glanced at the figure of his
lordship. "Nothing--of course not--what could I mean? How well a
coronet, captain, would become that lovely brow!"
Everybody knows that the country dance should continue until the
couple at the bottom have arrived at the top and have had their turn.
Everybody knows, too, that the country dance, unlike the minuet, is
joined by the whole company, with only so much deference to rank as to
give the better sort the highest places at the beginning. They were
given this evening to the ladies of the county who could boast of
their gentility, and, to do them justice, did boast loudly of it,
comparing their own families and that of their husbands with those of
other ladies present. It seems to me, indeed, that it is better to
have no coat of arms and no grandfathers if the possession leads to so
much jealousy, backbiting, and slander. All these ladies, however,
united in one point, viz, that of scorn and contempt for those girls
of Lynn who ventured to join the assembly or to walk in the gardens.
They showed this contempt in many ways, especially by whispering and
giggling when one of the natives passed them. "Is it tar that one
smells so strong?" if one of the sea captain's daughters was standing
near, they would ask. Or "Madam, I think there must be an apothecary's
shop in the assembly," if it was the doctor's daughter, Amanda
Worship. And at the country dance they refused to take the hand of
these girls.
Their greatest possible insult, however, was offered to Molly. It was
a good dance tune, played with spirit--the tune they call "Hey go
mad!" We moved gradually higher up. At last we stood at the top, and
our turn came to end the dance.
Imagine our discomfiture at this point when the whole of these kind
ladies and their partners left their places and so broke up the dance.
We were left alone at the top, while at the bottom were the other two
girls of Lynn, Victory and Amanda, with their partners.
"It's a shame!" cried Victory, aloud. "Do they call these manners?"
"Never mind," said Amanda, also aloud; "it's because you outshine them
all, Molly."
But the mischief was done, and the dance was broken up.
Molly flushed crimson. I thought she would say something sharp. Nay, I
have known her cuff and box the ear of man or maid for less, and I
feared at this moment that she would in like manner avenge the insult.
But she restrained herself, and said nothing.
Meantime, the ladies who had committed this breach of polite manners
stood together and laughed aloud, pretending some great joke among
themselves; but their eyes showed the nature of the joke and this
triumph over a woman who, as Amanda said, outshone them all.
"Your turn will come," I said.
"I think, Jack," said my girl, quickly, "that my chair must be
waiting. The captain said that I was to go after the first country
dance."
But a great surprise awaited her and the ladies who had played her
this agreeable and diverting trick, for Lord Fylingdale stepped
forward, the people falling back to make way for him. He drew himself
up before Molly and made her a profound bow. The captain walked beside
him, evidently by invitation.
"Miss Molly," he said loudly, "your worthy guardian has informed me of
your name and quality. We wanted, in the company at the spa, to make
it complete--the heiress of Lynn. It is fitting that this borough,
which is always young and flourishing, should be represented by one
graced with so many charms."
Molly curtsied with more dignity than one could have expected. See
what a dancing master can effect in a fortnight. "Your lordship," she
said, "does me too much honour. The reception which I have met with
from these ladies had not, I confess, prepared me for your kindness."
"I shall humbly ask the favour of a dance with you, Miss Molly, on the
next occasion." The fans were now all agitation; 'twas like a flutter
in a dovecot. "We shall see if we shall be deserted when our turn
comes." Some of the ladies hid their faces with their fan; some
blushed for shame; some bit their lips with vexation; all darted looks
of envy and hatred upon the cause of the open rebuke.
"Sir"--Lord Fylingdale turned severely to the master of the
ceremonies--"the rules of polite society should be obeyed at Lynn as
much as at Bath and Tunbridge Wells. Look to it, sir; I request you."
So saying, he took Molly's hand, and led her to the chair outside.