THE BENGAL TIGER TAKEN IN THE TOILS, WHICH PROMISE A SPEEDY END TO
MINE--I KINDLY PERMIT MY FATHER TO INSIST UPON THE MARRIAGE THAT I HAVE
SET MY HEART UPON.
I found my father, who had now completely recovered from his accident,
walking up and down the room in a brown study. He did not speak to me
until after dinner, when he commenced with asking some questions
relative to Cecilia de Clare. I replied, "that I intended, if he did
not want the carriage, to call there to-morrow with Mr Harcourt."
"Is she very handsome?" inquired he.
"Very much so, sir. I do not think I ever saw a handsomer young person.
Yes, I do recollect one."
"Who was that?"
"A young lady with whom I was slightly acquainted, when living in the
country."
"I have been thinking, my dear boy, that with the competence which you
will have, it is right that you should marry early: in so doing you will
oblige your father, who is anxious to see his grandchildren before he
dies. My health is not very good."
I could not help smiling at this pathetic touch of the old `Governor's,'
who, if one could judge from appearances, was as strong as a lion, and
likely to last almost as long as his dutiful son. Moreover, his
appetite was enormous, and he invariably finished his bottle every day.
I did not, therefore, feel any serious alarm as to his health; but I
nevertheless replied, "Matrimony is a subject upon which I have never
thought,"--(ahem! a De Benyon never tells an untruth!)--"I am very young
yet, and am too happy to remain with you."
"But, my dear boy, I propose that you shall remain with me--we will all
live together. I do not intend that we shall part. I really wish,
Japhet, you would think seriously of it."
"My dear father, allow me to observe, that at present I am not in a
situation to support a wife, and I should be sorry to be a tax upon you,
at your age: you require many comforts and luxuries, and I presume that
you live up to your income."
"Then, my dear fellow, you are under a great mistake. I can lay down
one hundred thousand pounds on the day of your marriage, with any lady
whom I approve of, and still not spend half my remaining income."
"That, sir," replied I, "certainly removes one difficulty, at the same
time that it proves what a generous and indulgent father I am blessed
with; but, sir, with such a fortune, I have a right to expect that the
lady will also bring a handsome addition. Miss de Clare is engaged, I
believe, to Mr Harcourt, or I might have made strong interest in that
quarter."
"Something, my dear boy; but a moderate fortune now-a-days is all that
we expect with wives, and the best wives are those who are not born to
too much wealth; still she should bring something; but tell me, Japhet,
who is that young lady whom you thought handsomer than Miss de Clare?"
"A Miss Temple, sir."
"Temple--it is a very good name. I think girls brought up in the
country make the best wives."
"They do, sir, most certainly: they are more domestic, and make their
husbands more content and happy at home."
"Well, my dear boy, I have mentioned the subject, and wish you would
think of it. You will please me much."
"My dear father, I shall be most happy to obey in everything else, but
in so serious a point as uniting myself for life, I think you must allow
that a little discretionary power should be given to a son. All I can
say is this, show me a young person who is eligible, and if I find that
I can love her, I will not refuse to obey your wishes."
"Well, sir, do as you please," replied my father very angrily; "but I
think, sir, when I desire you to fall in love, it is your duty to obey."
"Suppose I was to fall in love with a person you did not like, would you
allow me to marry her?"
"Most certainly not, sir."
"Then, sir, is it reasonable to expect me to marry without being in
love?"
"I did not marry for love, sir."
"No," replied I, forgetting myself a little; "and a pretty mess you made
of it."
"I did," rejoined my father in a rage, "by begetting an undutiful,
good-for-nothing, graceless, insolent, ungrateful son."
"My dear father, I was not aware that I had a brother."
"I mean you, sir."
"To prove to you how unjust you are, sir, and how little I deserve what
you have called me, I now promise you to marry as soon as you wish."
"Thank you, my boy, that's kind of you; but I will say that you are a
comfort and a treasure to me, and I bless the day that brought you to my
arms. Well, then, look about you."
"No, sir, I leave it all to you; select the party, and I am willing to
obey you."
"My dear boy! Well, then, I'll talk the matter over with Mr Masterton
to-morrow," and the general shook me warmly by the hand.
The next day I picked up Harcourt, and proceeded to Park Street. A note
from him had informed them of our intended visit, and other visitors had
been denied. "All has been explained, Cecilia," said I, after the first
greeting: "I was very wrong, and very foolish."
"And made me very miserable. I little thought that you, Japhet, would
have made me cry so much; but I forgive you for it, as I would a
thousand times as much more. Now sit down and tell us all that has
happened since you left us."
"Not yet, my dear Cecilia. You, as well as I, owe a reparation to poor
Harcourt, whom, I think, you have treated cruelly. You were about to
answer a question of vital moment when I broke in upon you, and you have
since kept him in a state of cruel suspense for more than three weeks,
refusing him an answer until he brought me into your presence. An hour
of such suspense must be dreadful, and before we sit down, I wish
everyone should feel comfortable and happy."
"It was not altogether to stimulate Mr Harcourt to bring you back,
which induced me to refuse to answer his question, Japhet. I considered
that your return had rendered it necessary that it should be deferred
until I saw you. I have not forgotten, Japhet, and never forget, what I
was when you rescued me; and when I think what I might have been had you
not saved me, I shudder at the bare idea. I have not forgotten how you
risked, and nearly lost your life in Ireland for my sake--neither has my
mother. We are beholden to you for all our present happiness, and I am
eternally indebted to you for rescuing me from ignorance, poverty, and
perhaps vice. You have been more, much more, than a father to me--more,
much more, than a brother. I am, as it were, a creature of your own
fashioning, and I owe to you that which I never can repay. When, then,
you returned so unexpectedly, Japhet, I felt that you had a paramount
right in my disposal, and I was glad that I had not replied to Mr
Harcourt, as I wished first for your sanction and approval. I know all
that has passed between you, but I know not your real feelings towards
Mr Harcourt: he acknowledges that he treated you very ill, and it was
his sincere repentance of having so done, and his praise of you, which
first won my favour. And now, Japhet, if you have still animosity
against Mr Harcourt--if you--"
"Stop, my dear Fleta, I will answer all your questions at once." I took
Harcourt's hand, and placed it in hers. "May God bless you both, and
may you be happy!"
Cecilia threw her arms round me and wept; so did everybody else, I
believe. It was lucky for Harcourt that I was in love with Susannah
Temple. As soon as Cecilia had recovered a little, I kissed her, and
passed her over to her right owner, who led her to the sofa. Lady de
Clare and I went out of the room on important business, and did not
return for a quarter of an hour. When we returned, Cecilia went to her
mother and embraced her, while Harcourt silently squeezed my hand. We
then all sat down, and I gave them an account of all that had passed
during my second excursion--how I had nearly been hanged--how I had gone
mad--how I had turned Quaker and apothecary--which they all agreed, with
what had happened to me before, made up a very eventful history.
"And, Japhet, if it be a fair question about one so fair, was that Miss
Temple who was at church with you yesterday?"
"It was."
"Then, Cecilia, if ever she appears in the same circle, except in my
eyes, your beauty will stand in some danger of being eclipsed."
"How can you say except in your eyes, Mr Harcourt," replied Cecilia,
"the very observation proves that it is eclipsed in your eyes, whatever
it may be in those of others. Now, as a punishment, I have a great mind
to order you away again, until you bring her face to face, that I may
judge myself."
"If I am again banished," replied Harcourt, "I shall have, a second
time, to appeal to De Benyon to be able to come back again. He can
produce her, I have no doubt."
"And perhaps may, some of these days, Cecilia."
"Oh! do, Japhet. I will love her so."
"You must wait a little first. I am not quite so far advanced as you
and Harcourt. I have not received the consent of all parties, as you
have to-day. But I must now leave you. Harcourt, I presume you will
dine here. I must dine with my `Governor.'"
On my return, I found that the table was laid for three, and that the
general had asked Mr Masterton, from which I augured well. Masterton
could not speak to me when he arrived, but he gave me a wink and a
smile, and I was satisfied.
"Japhet," said my father, "you have no engagement to-morrow, I hope,
because I shall call at Mr Masterton's on business, and wish you to
accompany me."
I replied, that "I should be most happy," and the conversation became
general.
I accompanied my father the next day to Lincoln's Inn; and when we went
up, we found Mr Masterton at the table with Mr Cophagus, and Susannah
sitting apart near the window. "The plot thickens," thought I. The
fact was, as I was afterwards told by Mr Masterton, he had prevailed
upon Cophagus to pretend business, and to bring Susannah with him, and
appointed them a quarter of an hour before our time. This he had
arranged, that the general might see Miss Temple, as if by accident; and
also allow me, who, my father supposed, was not aware of Miss Temple
being in town, to meet with her, What a deal of humbug there is in this
world! Nothing but plot and counterplot! I shook hands with Cophagus,
who, I perceived, had, notwithstanding his wife's veto, put on his blue
cotton net pantaloons and Hessian boots, and he appeared to be so tight
in both, that he could hardly move. As far as I could judge, his legs
had not improved since I had last seen them in this his favourite dress.
"Mr De Benyon, I believe that you have met Miss Temple before," said
Mr Masterton, winking at me. "In Berkshire, was it not? Miss Temple,
allow me to introduce General De Benyon."
I went up to Susannah, who coloured and trembled at the sight of my
father, as I expressed my hope that she had been well since we last met.
She perceived that there was some planned scheme, and was so puzzled
that she said nothing. My father then spoke to her, and after a short
time took a chair, and seated himself close to her. I never knew her
make herself so agreeable. He asked her where she was staying, and when
he heard that it was with Mr Cophagus, he said that he should have the
pleasure of calling upon Mr Cophagus, and thank him for his kind
information relative to me. Shortly afterwards Cophagus took his leave,
and Susannah rose to accompany him, when my father, hearing that they
had walked, insisted upon putting Miss Temple down in his carriage. So
that Mr Cophagus had to walk home one way, and I the other.