_September 25_
Mr Arnold has so many advocates here, that his interest cannot fail of
being promoted. Mrs Vere admires him; the Dean commends him; my mother
praises him; lady Grimston extols him to the skies. No one is silent,
but the young girl that I mentioned to you before; she only colours and
hangs down her head when he is spoken of. I really begin to fear that
the poor thing loves him; but he never made any addresses to her, and I
hope does not suspect it.
Things are now gone so far, that my mother and lady Grimston talked to
day of settlements. Mr Arnold receives but twelve hundred pounds a year
from his estate; his brother's widow, as I have already told you, having
a jointure upon it of three hundred pounds a year. She lives intirely in
London, and is, I am told, a very imprudent woman, and not at all
esteemed by the family. The elder Mr Arnold and she were married several
years, but never had a child; the last two years of his life his wife
and he lived separate, her conduct having given room for some
suspicions, very injurious to her husband's honour.
The Arnold estate was originally a very considerable one, but has been
dissipated by the extravagance of the successive possessors. What
remains, however, is quite clear, and is likely to be kept so by the
good management of the present owner. His late brother was exceedingly
remiss in his affairs, and spent most of his time in London; and if it
had not been for Mr Arnold, the mansion-house would have fallen to the
ground; but his brother lent it to him, and he kept it in repair for his
own use, as he is fond of the place: though he has a pretty house in
Kent, belonging to another estate of about three hundred pounds a year,
which came to him by his mother, for he is the son of a second marriage.
And this, till his brother's death, was the whole of his income; but he
is so good an oeconomist, that he always made a genteeler figure on his
three hundred pounds a year, than his brother did on twelve.
My mother, who you know is integrity itself, thinks that I ought not to
have more settled on me than the widow of Mr Arnold's brother had, whose
fortune was superior to mine. Mr Arnold makes a much handsomer proposal;
lady Grimston is for laying hold of it. The Dean was for striking a
medium. I do not care how they settle it; but I fancy my mother will
have her own way in this.
She purposes going to town next week, that the wedding--(bless me!
whose wedding is it that I am talking of so coolly?) well--that it may
be celebrated in her own house. This to be sure will send Sir George
directly out of it. I cannot help it; I am born to give, and to receive
vexation.
Mr Arnold speaks of taking a house in London, where my mother is to have
an apartment whenever she chuses to be in town. This is a pleasing
circumstance to me; and she likewise proposes our being sometimes with
her at Sidney-castle. That is a prospect which loses much of its charms,
by the reflection that my dear Cecilia is not there.
_October 1_
All preliminaries are settled. There has been a fuss with parchments
this week past. My mother has carried her point, in regard to the
jointure; and has made choice of that little estate in Kent to be
settled on me, as it is a complete three hundred pounds a year, detached
intirely from the rest, and has a pretty house on it. This was all she
would accept of, though, to do Mr Arnold justice, he would have been
much more liberal; but, my mother says, a single woman, bred in
retirement as I have been, who cannot live on that, does not deserve to
live at all; adding, that as the estate was already subject to one
jointure, and the widow so young a woman; if it should be also my
misfortune to become one early, a great part of the fortune would be
swallowed by dowagers, and the heir not have enough to support his rank.
_October 2_
This morning my mother, lady Grimston, the Dean, and Mr Arnold (who is
the idol of them all) took a rumbling together in the old coach, by way
of taking the air, in a dusty road; and what do you think was the result
of their deliberations in this jaunt? Why truly lady Grimston, proud of
her handy-work, would needs see it accomplished; and nothing will serve
her, but I must be married at her house. My mother opposed it at first,
but the Dean seconded the proposal, that he might have (as he expressed
himself) the satisfaction of contributing _himself_ to make Mr Arnold
happy; and Mr Arnold (audaciously expecting, I suppose, that this would
hasten the ceremony) joined his intreaties so effectually, that my
mother was obliged to yield.
What a tormenting old woman is this lady Grimston! I hoped, at least,
for the respite of a month, by getting to London. I thought first to
have delayed the time of our going to town, and then to have faddled
away a good while longer under pretence of preparations; though there is
but little room for that now, as all my fineries, destined I thought to
another purpose, are lying quietly in my trunks at home. But then one
might have contrived many little occasions of delay. There was a house
to be fixed upon, and I had twenty things to do, and, as my mother says,
many things fall out between the cup and the lip. But all my
expectations are blown away, and I have but one poor fortnight given me
to recollect my scattered thoughts, when they are all to be centered in
Mr Arnold. I am not merry, my Cecilia, but I am determined not to appear
sad; neither am I so; I hope I have no reason.
My mother purposes writing again to Sir George, to desire his presence
at my marriage. I hope he will behave respectfully to every one here, if
he should come.
_October 5_
Mr Arnold has writ to town, to bespeak a new chariot; he will do nothing
in regard to the house, till I am on the spot to please myself. I intend
sending Patty to town, to bring me down my bridal trappings.
Mr Arnold has given some necessary orders for the new decking of his
person, as well as some of the apartments in the old mansion-house,
which seem a little to want refurnishing; most of the goods having been
inhabitants there since the time of his great grandfather.
_October 9_
My mother's last letter to Sir George has produced the following answer,
which he sent by Patty, when she returned down here with my cloaths.
Madam,
I am sorry I cannot accept of the invitation you favour me with,
to be present at my sister's nuptials. Some affairs in Wiltshire
require my immediate attendance; and I had settled matters before
I received your summons, so as to set out as on this day. I wish
you all imaginable satisfaction in your new son-in-law; and my
sister abundance of happiness in her spouse.