CHARLES'S INTERVIEW WITH HIS STEPFATHER.--HIS SUDDEN DEPARTURE FROM
WREXHILL.
There were moreover other ladies to be encountered, most of whom, as the
vicar well knew, would not hear of his brilliant nuptials with pleasure;
but this was a matter of small moment. The benevolent attentions he had
bestowed upon them were chiefly for the purpose of ensuring popularity
and acquiring influence,--and these were now too much at his command for
him to experience the slightest anxiety from the fear of losing them.
The remembrance of the three Misses Richards was indeed rather heavy
upon him; especially from the circumstance of Miss Mary's having
accidentally seen him kiss Miss Louisa, which he happened to do, in the
little shrubbery behind their cottage, upon occasion of a serious
discourse which they had been holding together upon the nature and
influence of especial grace. Little Mary, who was purity and simplicity
personified, firmly believed, in her very innocent heart, that this
caress could only be given by such a gentleman as Mr. Cartwright as the
ratification of a treaty of marriage; and had accordingly not only
alluded to Louisa's happy prospects herself, but had fully persuaded her
sister Charlotte likewise to believe that this blessed union would be
the result of the vicar's soft attentions to them all. So that upon a
smart discussion with their mother upon the sin of works, when matters
had gone so far as to induce the young lady to declare that she
considered the door of her mother's house as nothing less than a type of
the gates of hell, she had, in relating the scene of this praiseworthy
combat to their apostle, ventured these remarkable words:
"There is sorrow and sin in dwelling under the roof of the scorner; but
when dear Louisa has quite consented to all your wishes, Mr. Cartwright,
her bowels will yearn towards her sisters, and you will both of you draw
us out of the way of temptation under the shelter and the shadow of your
wing."
The only reply which the vicar made to this speech was the utterance of
a fervent blessing.
He now remembered with considerable satisfaction the cautious tendency
of this reply, and, upon the whole, thought that there was no occasion
to fatigue his spirits by making these young ladies a private visit to
announce his change of condition, as in the case of Mrs. Simpson. He
therefore turned from the widow's door, after the pause of a moment on
her threshold, during which these thoughts were rapidly but healthily
digested, leaving him, that is to say, neither loaded with remorse, nor
fevered by anxiety.
Upon this occasion, for some reason or other, connected perhaps with
that tranquillity of mind in his lady which it was so unquestionably his
duty to guard, the Vicar of Wrexhill had not made use of his carriage
and servants. He walked therefore back to the Park, and met Charles
Mowbray coming through the lodge gates, as he entered them.
The young man touched his hat, and was walking on; but the vicar stopped
him.
"Where are you going, my dear Charles?" said he. "It is getting quite
late; you will not have time for a walk before dinner--it is almost
dark. You know my habits are those of great punctuality."
"I shall never interfere with those habits, sir. It is probable that I
may not return to dinner."
"Indeed!--we shall be very sorry to lose you. Where are you going, then,
my dear boy?"
Charles hesitated. His heart seemed to swell in his bosom at this
questioning; and though, in fact, he had strolled out without any idea
of absenting himself at dinner, something like a spirit of rebellion
induced him to answer, "To Sir Gilbert Harrington's, sir."
"Good evening, then. Let me bespeak your ear for half an hour in my
library to-morrow morning, between the hours of eleven and twelve."
Charles bowed, but uttered not a word, and proceeded towards Oakley,
inwardly muttering "_his library_!"
He entered the mansion of his old friends without an apology, but stated
the cause of his visit as it really was.
"I could not bear to be examined by him as to where I was going, and
when I was coming; and rather to prove my independence, than for any
other reason, I am come to you. Can you forgive this?"
"Ay, truly can we," replied the old lady; "and be sure to do the same
next time, Charles. It makes me sick to think of this species of
paternal admonishing."
"I am to be lectured for my impatience under it, as I suspect; for he
bade me meet him in _his library_ to-morrow morning."
"His library! Scoundrel!" exclaimed Sir Gilbert through his closed
teeth.
"Shall I obey the mandate, Sir Gilbert?" said Charles. "Or shall I take
no notice of it?"
"The question seems an easy one to answer, Charles?" replied the
baronet; "and had I been to answer yesterday morning, I should have said
without hesitation,--set fire to the library, and stifle him in it like
a weazel as he is, rather than come at his call. But I have taken it
into my head since, that our test game will be to keep things soft and
smooth for a while. So wait upon him, Master Charles, in your father's
library, and hear all he has got to say; and don't turn yourself out of
the house; and don't spit upon him if you can help it. But I hope he
won't sit in poor Mowbray's chair!"
In consequence of this counsel, Charles did wait upon the vicar in his
father's library at the appointed hour, and took what comfort he could
from perceiving that he was not seated in that lamented father's chair,
but had ensconced himself in a newly-invented fauteuil of surpassing
softness, which he had caused to be brought from the drawing-room for
his especial comfort.
"You have not kept me waiting, and I commend you for it, my son. May he,
in whom I trust, lead you in his own good time to be all that your pious
mother can wish to see you. Sit down, Charles--pray sit down."
Poor Charles!--the whole scene was purgatory to him; but his courage did
not forsake him: and instead of running out of the room, as he felt
terribly tempted to do, he sat down opposite to his stepfather,
determined to hear every thing he had to say.
"I think, Charles, that the pious nature of your mother, awakened as it
has of late been, must by this time be so sufficiently known to you all,
as to prevent the possibility of your mistaking her motives for marrying
the second father, in whose presence you are now placed. Her motives
have been of the holiest kind, and never, probably, did any person
perform a more acceptable service than she did when, placing her hand
within mine before his altar, she resigned that power over her children,
which maternal weakness rendered almost nugatory, to one who is too
strong in the Lord to permit any human feelings or motives ever to make
him swerve from that course which he is taught to believe the best. It
would be a very shining pleasure to me if your thankfulness for this
most merciful dispensation were at this very moment to impel you to
kneel down on one of these cushions;--of such there are always
sufficient, and to spare, in the dwellings of the chosen:--I wish, I
say, that even now I could see you fall down before me to give thanks
for having sent to you and to your sisters one of his own, as your
guide and protector through the pitfalls of this life, and to usher you
with favour into his presence in the life to come. I would willingly see
you thus grateful for manifest mercies,--but I shall not insist upon it
at this moment, for I know, Charles, how different have been the paths
in which your teachers have hitherto led you."
The vicar here paused; but as there was no point in his harangue to
which Mowbray could have replied in the spirit which his friend had
recommended to him, he resolutely kept silence.
"The time will come," resumed the vicar, "the time _shall_ come, when
your knees, young man, shall be less stubborn. But it is time that I
unfold to you the business upon which I wished to speak when I permitted
your attendance in this apartment. You have been led, doubtless by the
active machinations of the devil, to turn your sinful thoughts towards
that profession which, beyond all others, has made Satan its patron and
its saint. In one word, you have thought of going into the army; and it
is to inform you that I shall not permit this dreadful sin to be
committed by one of my family, that you are now before me. Open not your
mouth, young man, in defence of the God-abandoned set to whom you would
wish to belong: my ears must not be profaned by any words of such
abhorrent tendency. Instead of speaking yourself, hear me. My will is,
that you return to College, there to prepare yourself for ordination. I
utter this command with a conscience void of offence; for though your
awful deficiency in religion is well known to me, I have confidence in
the Lord, and in the power he will give me to work a change: and
moreover, I know to what bishop I shall lead you for ordination; thereby
securing to myself the consolation of knowing that no human learning
will enable you to be received within the pale that we are strengthening
around us, and within which none shall be admitted (if we can help it)
but the regenerate and adopted, or such as we of the evangelical church
may choose to pledge ourselves shall become so. As to the manner and
amount of your future income, I shall take the arrangement of it
entirely into my own hands, reserving to myself the power of varying
your allowance from time to time, as shall seem good. You may have a few
days' holidays here if you wish it, in honour of your mother's marriage;
after which I will give you ten pounds for your journey and other
contingent expenses, and permit you to employ such tradesmen at Oxford
as I shall point out, for such necessaries as it is proper I should
furnish you with. Their bills must be forwarded to Mr. Corbold, who, for
the present, I shall probably continue as my agent; and when I have duly
examined them, they shall be paid. Your College expenses I shall also
order to be transmitted to him, and through him to me.--I must now
dismiss you, for I have letters to write.--Be careful in passing these
windows, if you please, not to approach them too closely. This room is a
favourite apartment of mine, and I must not be interrupted or annoyed in
it in any way. Remember this, if you please. Good morning."
During the whole of this very trying interview Mowbray had not uttered a
single word. He knew that if he opened his lips, the indignation that
burned at his heart would burst forth with a vehemence he should no
longer be able to control. He felt his heart throb, and every pulse so
fiercely keeping time to it, that he was terrified at himself, and
fearful lest the tide of passion that worked thus fearfully within him
should drive him to do, or even to say what he might repent, he hastened
from the room, leaving Mr. Cartwright very comfortably persuaded that
the eloquence which had been bestowed on him, if it sometimes failed in
converting those who heard him to his doctrine, was of a nature well
calculated to enforce his authority; a species of success which perhaps
satisfied him better still.
The unfortunate Charles took refuge in Helen's dressing room from the
storm that raged in his bosom. He longed to hear the gentle voice of his
sister with as much eagerness as one panting in fever longs for a cool
breeze or a refreshing stream; and when he entered the room and found it
unoccupied, he felt as if that misfortune were greater than all which
had fallen upon him before.
In a state of the most pitiable depression of spirits he seated himself
most forlornly on a _chaise longue_ that stood in a recess as far as
possible from the windows, and there, resting his head on the side of
it, and covering his face with his hands, he remained for a considerable
time perfectly immoveable, and quite as miserable as his worst enemy
could wish.
At length the door opened, and a female entered. Charles sprang forward
to meet her, and very narrowly escaped encircling Miss Torrington in
his arms. She drew back, certainly, but hardly with so sudden a movement
as that of Mowbray, who, colouring and stammering in extreme confusion,
said as he retreated to his former place, "I beg your pardon: I came
here to look for Helen."
"And so did I, Mr. Mowbray: I cannot think where she has hid
herself.--But you do not look like yourself, Charles. Has Mr. Cartwright
been speaking to you? I heard him tell his wife that he had desired you
to meet him in the library."
"In his library, Miss Torrington; pray call it as he does _his_
library--But what a fool am I to care thus for a word! It is his
library; the man says right. But what then is poor Helen? what is Fanny?
what am I?"
His features expressed such terrible agony of mind, that Rosalind almost
felt afraid to leave him, and stood at some distance from him as he sat,
with her looks riveted upon his face and her eyes overflowing with
tears.
"Tell me, dear Charles," she said, "what is it that has happened to you?
I will go and seek Helen, and bring her to you in a moment. Only tell me
before I go if any new thing has happened to make us all more miserable
than we were. Is it not common cause, Mr. Mowbray? For Heaven's sake
tell me what has befallen you!"
"It is not common cause, Miss Torrington," he replied with bitterness.
"My situation is, I heartily hope, without a parallel; and as none can
share my wretchedness, as none can relieve it, it were better, I
believe, that none should know it."
"That is not the language of friendship, Mr. Mowbray. Were poor Helen
here, I trust you would not answer her inquiries so harshly."
"Harshly? If so, I have been very wrong. Forgive me.--Could you have
heard the language this man held to me,--could you have seen him
enthroned in my poor father's library, and heard him tell me that when I
passed before the windows I must take care not to approach too
nearly,--oh, Rosalind! could you have heard all this, you would not
wonder if I answered even madly to any questions asked."
Rosalind stood silently before him when he had ceased to speak, her
hands tightly clasped, and her eyes riveted on the ground. "I will ask
you but one question more," said she after a long pause.
"And what is that, Miss Torrington?"
"_Miss Torrington!_" said she, muttering between her teeth. "Alas!--how
madly have I acted! and how difficult is it to retrace a wrong step once
taken!"
She trembled violently; so violently, that she was obliged to support
herself by leaning on the back of a chair which stood near her. Charles
Mowbray's head again rested on the sofa, and his eyes were hid from her.
She felt that he saw her not, and this perhaps it was which gave her
courage to proceed in the task she had determined to perform; but her
breast heaved almost convulsively, and her mouth became so parched that
it was with difficulty she could articulate these words: "I learn from
Sir Gilbert Harrington, Mr. Mowbray that--I have the power--of making
him my guardian"--
"Thank Heaven!" exclaimed Charles, interrupting her; "I thank Heaven for
it, Miss Torrington.--You may then escape, and immediately, from this
place of torment. This will indeed help me to bear it better."
He spoke the last words more composedly, but again buried his face on
the sofa.
"But think you, Mr. Mowbray, I would leave Helen here?"
"I fear you will have no power to take her," he replied.
"Not I--but you. Oh! Mr. Mowbray!--Charles! Charles!--will you not
understand me? Will you spare me this agony? No? you will not. But I
have deserved it all, and I will bear it. Charles Mowbray!--it is I who
would now lay my fortune at your feet. Oh! do not answer me as I once
answered you! Charles Mowbray, will you take me for your wife!"
"No, by Heaven!" he exclaimed, falling on his knees before her. "Poor
Rosalind! dear, generous, devoted friend! And for her sake, then--for my
dear Helen's sake, you would submit to be my wife--_my wife!_--an
outcast, penniless, insulted beggar!--No, Rosalind; by Heaven, no! I
would rather perish in the lowest state of human wretchedness than so
abuse your noble nature. But do me justice, noble Rosalind; let there on
one point at least be some equality between us. Believe that I love
you,--and that with a strength of passion of which, as I think, your
unawakened heart has yet no power to judge. But should you, Rosalind,
ever learn what it is to love, then do me justice, and know how dear was
honour to my soul when I adored but could refuse you."
He seized her dress and pressed it to his lips; and, then rising from
his knees, he darted out of the room, without daring to trust his eyes
to look at her.
Had Mowbray's state of mind been somewhat less miserable--had the
buoyant spirit given to him by nature been less completely crushed by
the galling interview of the morning, it is probable that his memory
might have suggested to him some circumstances in the hours passed
heretofore with Rosalind, which might have raised some blessed hope upon
his mind as to the motive and feelings that had led her to act as she
had done. But, as it was, no such light from heaven fell upon him. In
simplest sincerity he believed that she had rejected his suit because
she did not love him, and that she had now offered to become his wife
solely for Helen's sake, and in the generous hope of saving her by
giving to him the power of offering her a home.
With this conviction, he determined to spare her the embarrassment and
himself the torture of meeting again. With all the feverish hurry of
impatient suffering, he instantly sought his mother; informed her of Mr.
Cartwright's wish that he should return to Oxford, and of his own desire
to comply with this immediately.
There was something in the suddenness of this unresisting obedience that
seemed to startle her. She applauded his resolution, but seemed to wish
that for some short time, at least, he should delay the execution of it.
But on this point he was immoveable; and as Mr. Cartwright appeared well
pleased that so it should be, he succeeded in so hastening the
arrangements for his departure that within twenty-four hours he had left
the house, and that without having again seen Rosalind. The greater part
of this interval, indeed, was passed at Oakley, where his reiterated
assurances that he should be much, very much happier at Oxford than at
home, were accepted in excuse for the suddenness of his departure. Sir
Gilbert, indeed, had so well read Rosalind's heart, and so confidently
did he anticipate his speedy and even triumphant return, that both
himself and his lady, who as usual was wholly in his confidence, saw him
depart without regret, and uttered their farewells with a cheerfulness
that grated sadly on the feelings of the poor exile.