My brother, I believe, thought us too solemn; the occasion indeed
required it: but his fears for Mr Faulkland made him wish to give the
scene a livelier turn.
Come, sister, said he, let us not defer the happy event for which we are
now met, we have no time to waste in ceremony. You remember what our
mother used to say, 'Many things fall out between the cup and the lip.'
My brother rose off his chair as he said this. Mr Warner taking the
hint, approached, and took me by the hand, Let _me_, said he, to Mr
Faulkland, have the happiness of bestowing this best of Creatures on the
man that I think _best_ deserves her.
Mr Faulkland made no reply; but in taking the hand that my kinsman put
into his, his looks spoke the rapture that swelled his heart; though I
saw he put a constraint upon himself, and endeavoured to assume a
deportment suitable to the important and solemn occasion.
After the indissoluble knot was tied, my brother desired Mr Faulkland to
retire with him into the next room for a few minutes.
I concluded it was in order to press his departure, and to prevail on
him to submit to going without me.
This I found afterwards was the subject of their conversation.
They returned to us in about a quarter of an hour, Mr Faulkland's
countenance less embarrassed than it was at going out of the room. On
their entering, Mr Price took his leave. My brother addressed Mr Warner
and me. Faulkland, said he, is convinced of the necessity there is for
his immediately withdrawing from England, and he is determined to depart
from hence at three o'clock to-morrow morning; for I would by no means
have him leave London by day-light, as we know not who may be on the
watch to trace his steps. He has consented that you, sister, should
remain behind till Mr Warner's affairs will permit him to conduct you
over. In the mean time, Master Faulkland is to be brought from Ireland;
and if you should not be ready to depart before his arrival, you may
take him over with you to Holland.
Mr Faulkland seemed rather to _suffer_ my brother to make this
explanation for him, than to assent chearfully to it. Mr Warner and I
however laid hold of it, and immediately entered into discourse on the
subject of our domestic concerns, and the measures proper to be observed
on so critical an occasion.
Mr Faulkland joined in the conversation with the utmost composure; and
to my unspeakable joy, seemed perfectly settled and collected in his
mind. I thought indeed he appeared a little constrained, and that he
seemed to keep a constant guard over himself, lest he should betray any
symptom of a too much heated imagination: but my kinsman afterwards
observed with pleasure to me, that this denoted nothing more than a
consciousness in Mr Faulkland of the unhappy wandering that had before
so much alarmed us all; and into which he was sure there was not the
least danger of his relapsing, as his heart was now perfectly at ease.
Mr Faulkland told us he had letters to write to Ireland, which he would
dispatch, that he might have nothing to interrupt the few short hours we
had to pass together in the evening.
Mr Warner said he had business to do that called him away, but that he
would return after dinner: and my brother (that Mr Faulkland might be
quite undisturbed) proposed my going home with him, and that we should
come back together in the afternoon.
Mr Faulkland did not object to this, and I went with Sir George.
We returned early in the afternoon to Mr Faulkland. As my brother had
let his friend into our secret, we passed up stairs without any notice
being taken of us.
Mr Faulkland had writ two letters; one of them very long, to Mr Bond,
which he gave my brother to read, but I know not the contents of it. The
other was to that careful honest servant whom he had mentioned to us,
with orders to bring over Master Faulkland with all convenient speed,
and put him into Sir George's hand.
Mr Warner but just called in upon us in the evening, he said he had been
making the necessary preparations for Mr Faulkland's journey; and that
having resolved himself to attend him as far as Harwich, he would, at
the hour appointed call on him in a coach, which should carry them a few
miles out of town, where the horses were to wait for them.
Worthy, compassionate, and generous kinsman, how I love you for the
honest warmth of your heart!
My brother and Mr Faulkland had a great deal of discourse about the
necessary measures that were to be taken by us all; and we passed the
evening in a kind of chastened satisfaction, which could not arise to
happiness from the near prospect we had of parting.
About ten o'clock my brother took an affectionate leave of his friend,
he excused himself from accompanying him on his journey, on account of
Lady Sarah's not being well.
To see _such_ a parting, would at another time have deeply affected me,
but my own hour of separation drew near. It came, and Mr Warner punctual
to his time, hurried Mr Faulkland almost by force into the coach, and
drove off with him.
I threw myself into a chair which he had ordered for me, and was carried
home. I went not to bed; but had recourse to my pen. God preserve my
dear fugitive; I can do nothing but weep.
_July 2_
My mind was too much unsettled yesterday to dictate any thing coherent.
I am now, thank heaven, more composed. Sir George and Lady Sarah have
been with me during the greatest part of the day; both kind and
consoling. My brother seems to have all his former affection for me
revived in his heart; he is indeed charmed with my justice, as he calls
it. Lady Sarah, who at the bottom of her heart is no way concerned about
this event, affects however to think as her husband does, and commends
me for my generosity.
I feel myself easier in proportion as I think Mr Faulkland gets farther
out of the reach of danger. Sir George says by this time he may be on
his voyage.
I shall certainly wait till the child arrives, in order to take him
with me. My two little girls will be fond of such a brother, for he is
a charming boy.
My brother flatters me with a possibility at least of Major Smyth's
recovering; and if so, he says that Mr Faulkland may stand his trial for
the other accident, as he is in hopes Smyth will not persist in his
villainy so far as to add perjury to his other crimes.
I have but little expectations of justice from so bad a man, but I would
not discourage my friends in their endeavours to comfort me.
_July 3_
Mr Warner is returned from Harwich, after having seen Mr Faulkland safe
on board the packet, and even under sail for Holland.
What a benevolent heart has this good relation of mine! Indeed I dearly
love and respect him. His return has revived my spirits, and I begin to
lose my fears. He brought me a short letter from Mr Faulkland; short it
is, but his heart speaks in every syllable of it. I will not give you
the contents, my Cecilia, you will think it too extravagant, too
romantic, for a husband to write so to his wife.
_July 6_
I long, yet dread to hear accounts from Ireland. I fear that wretched
Smyth is dead. No mail has arrived from thence these eight days.
Contrary winds they tell me detain the packets on the other side very
often for a fortnight together. If that be so, how fortunate was Mr
Faulkland in seizing on a lucky hour for his departure from the Irish
shore.
I suppose Mr Bond's family, whom he must have rendered very unhappy,
particularly the daughter, are all now his implacable enemies; and are
tormenting themselves in being detained from the pursuit of their
vengeance. But let them come now when they will, he is far out of the
reach of his foes.
I would it were possible for my Cecilia, to arrive in England before my
departure for Holland. Indeed, my dear, I shall not be sorry if I am
detained from Mr Faulkland, till I have the happiness of first embracing
you, as our separation may be afterwards of a long continuance. I shall
wait for the arrival of Master Faulkland, and who knows what adverse
winds may detain him till your return. O! that I may pass though it be
but one day, with the dear companion of my youth before we are again
divided!
I will not send this packet off, till I am ready to depart from
England, as that will be closing an important period of my life. What
would I give that my dearest friend would come, and instead of this
tedious narrative which I have written, receive the account from my own
lips! If my wishes should not be granted in this, cannot you make
Holland your way home? Mr Faulkland purposes staying at the Hague till I
go to him.
_July 9_
Cecilia! have I been a murmurer at the decrees of providence? have I
been an impious repiner when heaven has poured down its wrath upon my
head? if not, why am I marked out for divine vengeance? before I lose my
senses, or my life, for both I cannot retain, hear the last act of your
friend's tragic story.
My brother called on me this day; he gave me a letter directed to Mr
Faulkland, which came under a cover to him. Read it, said he, it is from
Ireland, and may contain something material for us to know.
It was from the honest servant Mr Faulkland left behind him. See what he
says, and then tell me if I ought to live any longer.
'Honoured Sir,
'I have the happiness to send you a piece of good news, which made
me wish for wings to have flown over to you with it.
'My lady, Heaven be praised, is not dead, nor so much as hurt. I
am thankful for this, Sir, on your account, not her's.
'I don't know what possessed the people at Mr Bond's, to tell me
she was dead; the mistake, to be sure, was occasioned by the great
confusion the family were thrown into, and indeed, from what I
myself saw, I was sure she was actually dead.
'Major Smyth lived 'till the surgeon came; but had been speechless
for two or three hours, and died whilst his wound was probing.
'My lady had only fallen into a fit, and the major having bled
prodigiously, she received a great deal of his blood upon her
linen, and as he afterwards contrived to throw himself on the bed,
which was at some distance from the place where she had fallen, it
gave occasion to Mrs Bond (who was herself the first person that
entered the room, after the sad accident) on finding my lady lying
senseless, pale, and bloody, on the floor, to suppose she had been
killed.
'This alarm ran through the family, and was confirmed to me by
every one in it, as we servants soon quitted the chamber; and the
major himself said, that you had discharged one of the pistols at
your lady, and the other at him.
'I returned to Mr Bond's in the morning, after you were gone off,
to enquire whether Major Smyth was alive or not; he was just then
dead.
'The waiting-maid informed me, that my lady, to their great
surprize, was recovered, having only been in a fainting fit, which
held her above an hour, without her shewing any signs of life; and
that she had fallen from one to another 'till morning: and she
farther said (begging your honour's pardon) it would be no great
matter if she had died in one; for she believed it was for no good
she went into the major's room at that time of the night.
'I staid about the house all the day to pick up what intelligence
I could from the servants. Young Mr Bond, with two or three men,
went to your house, and not finding you there, I suppose, rode in
pursuit of you; but, Heaven be praised, you have escaped their
hands.
'The waiting-maid, who is a very civil young woman, told me, in
the evening, that my lady, being come a little to herself (though
I believe not in her right mind) was informed of the major's
death; at which she was so exceedingly terrified, that finding
herself ill besides, she confessed the whole truth of the matter,
and proved, that the major died with a lie in his mouth: so that I
hope Mr Bond's family will not be so spiteful as to prosecute the
affair any farther.
'My lady was sent home directly in the chariot, as they could not
bear the sight of her any longer in the house. She takes on
mightily; but we all bless ourselves, that she is alive.
'I shall make bold to inclose this, according to your order, to
Sir George Bidulph; and as soon as I receive your commands about
Master, shall make no delay in this unlucky place. I am.
'Honoured Sir,
'Your dutiful and obedient servant,
'FREDERICK HILDY.'
_June 26_
Adieu, my Cecilia, adieu; nothing but my death should close such a scene
as this.
Here, to the editor's great disappointment, Mrs Arnold's interesting
story broke off; that unhappy lady not having continued her journal any
farther.
But as this seemed to be one of the most affecting periods of her life,
his curiosity induced him to enquire of the gentleman from whom he
received those papers whether he could give him any farther light into
her story; as he thought it not improbable that he might have learned,
from his mother, some other particulars relating to her.
His friend told him, that he knew his mother had drawn up a narrative of
the subsequent remarkable events in the life of Mrs Arnold, at the
request of a particular friend; that he had once heard it read; but, as
he was then a boy, it made but little impression upon him; that
afterwards, when he wanted to have his curiosity gratified, his mother
told him, she could not find the manuscript, and feared it was lost.
However, he said, he would search her papers and, if he recovered it, it
should be at his service.
After some time, the gentleman informed the editor, that he had made the
strictest scrutiny into his mother's papers, and could find nothing
relative to the subject of Mrs Arnold, excepting a few loose sheets,
which seemed to have been the foul copy of the beginning of her
narrative; and, at the same time, put them into his hands.
These the editor offers to the publick, as he received them, without any
alteration or addition.
CECILIA'S NARRATIVE, &c.