_The Roaring House._
"Why, _Gatty_!" said I, as we plodded over the Moor, "I had no Notion
you didn't live in _Larkfield_!"
"But we do," said she, "in _Larkfield_ Parish. We live in the Foreign,
though not in the Borough. Didn't I ever tell you that? When my
_Father_ died, we gave up our Town-House, which was twenty Pounds by
the Year, and took this, which is but fifteen."
It seemed to me a lonesome Situation enough; however, a large, cheerful
Family prevents any House from seeming lonely; and soon we were in a
snug, well-warmed, well-lighted Room. They were all very glad to see
me; _Gatty's_ Sisters were tall, lanky Girls, nothing to compare in
Point of Looks with herself; but they seemed very sociable and merry,
and their _Mother_ was a quiet, kind-spoken Woman, whom I should never
have guessed for a Kinswoman, however remote, of Lady _Betty's_.
_Gatty_ and I slept together, and talked a good Deal before we slept.
She was quite strong and well now, but seemed more reluctant than ever
to go back to Lady _Betty_; and I thought she seemed building on some
vague Hope of getting taken by Mrs. _Arbuthnot_. I could see she liked
her Country Home best of all, but felt she had no Right to stay.
Next Day, we took a brisk Walk over the hard frozen Ground. The Trees
being leafless, and the Sky threatening Snow, I thought the Country
had a dreary Look with it; but the young People were so gay that one
could not be dreary in their Presence; and we came Home to our hot
roast Mutton with red Noses, blue Fingers, and tip-top Spirits. We
were to spend the Evening at _Roaring House_, which I found was where
Mr. _Heavitree_ lived. All the Afternoon the Girls were ironing clean
Cuffs, and making cherry-coloured Top-knots.
Though we started at Three o'Clock, it was quite Dusk before we got to
the old Farm-House; but the ruddy Light of a great Wood Fire through
the Diamond-paned Casements made it look cheerfully enough. We had
a hearty Country Reception at the Threshold, from Mr. _Heavitree_,
a mighty smart, good-looking young Man, with quite the Air of a
Country Gentleman; and from his Sister, Miss _Clary_, who was a few
Years his elder, and who, I had been told as I came along, was soon
to be married. There was no other Company than ourselves, except
Miss _Clary's_ Lover, and her _Father_ the Squire, and the Village
Doctor's Assistant. We spent the Evening in an old Stone Hall, with
great unpainted Girders over our Heads, sundry old Brown-Bills and
Bows against the Walls, and a roaring Fire on the low Hearth, which
reminded me of the Name of the House. We did not want Candles for a
good While; we sat about the Hearth and chatted, and had Tea, and great
Slices of Plum-Cake; after that, we danced to warm our Feet, the Squire
playing the Fiddle; and then we had Hide-and-Seek and Hunt-the-Slipper,
to please the young _Bowerbanks_, and then each was called on for a
Song; and after that, we told Stories of Ghosts, Murders, Robberies,
hidden Treasures, and such-like, till we quite scared ourselves and
one another. Then the Squire would begin one and another funny Story
with, "I'll tell you what I did when I was a Boy;" and he clapped
his Hands after every Song, and laughed at every Story. I never saw
an old Gentleman take so hugely to young People; and when nobody was
minding him, he would stand before the Fire with his Hands in his
Pockets, humming "Oh, the Days when I was young!" and hem away a Sigh.
We had Forfeits; and when young Mr. _Heavitree_ was bidden, "Bow to
the prettiest, kneel to the wittiest, and kiss whom he loved best,"
he kneeled to me, and kissed _Gatty_, which put her out and made her
very red; and I heard her say in her quiet Way, "That's going too far."
We had Turkey and Mince-Pies for Supper, and hot Elder-Wine and Toast
afterwards, to fortify us, they said, against the Cold. The Squire
wished he were young enough to see us Home, but since he wasn't, _Jack_
would do as well. So Mr. _Jack_, that's Mr. _Heavitree_, went out to
put on his great Coat, and came back laughing, and said the Ground was
covered with Snow! And so indeed it was, but we trudged through it
merrily enough. Next Day, however, the Snow fell so fast all Day, that
we were kept in Doors, and _Gatty_ worked hard at Mrs. _Arbuthnot's_
last Apron, till she finished it. I wrote Home, it being the first
Opportunity; for the Post only went out of _Larkfield_ three Times a
Week: and that was once oftener, Mrs. _Bowerbank_ said, than when she
was first married.
There was much Conjecture bestowed as to whether the _Heavitrees_ would
come in the Evening to return our Visit, according to Promise. _Gatty_
thought they would not; all the others thought they would, and the two
youngest Girls spent the best of the Morning in making Cakes. The young
People came, without the Squire, and we had a pleasant Evening, but not
so lively as the last, partly because the Parlour was so much smaller
than the Hall, and partly because Mrs. _Bowerbank_ was not so convivial
and humorous as the Squire.
After this, came two or three Days of incessant Snow; and after the
Snow, a Frost. All were glad the Snow left off falling, because we
were expected at _Roaring House_, and Mrs. _Bowerbank_ said she could
not consent to our going if the Snow continued to fall. So we made our
Preparations full early; and meantime, a Servant who had been into
_Larkfield_ and had called at the Post-Office, among other Places,
(it being the principal Linen-Draper's and Tea-Grocer's of the Town,)
brought _Gatty_ a Letter from Lady _Betty_, which had been lying there
a Day and a Half, and the Contents of which threw us all into Flurry
and Dismay.
My _Lady_ wrote, in a very few Words, by another Hand, to desire Mrs.
_Gatty_ would return to her Duties _immediately_, for that Madam
_Pompon_ had left.
This was a sad Blow to us all: poor _Gatty_ could not help crying; and
we all cried to keep her Company. Lady _Betty_ would not have been much
flattered, could she have seen the Reception her Letter got. "Oh, poor
_Gatty_! poor _Gatty_!" resounded on all Sides; but after intermingling
Kisses and Tears, she was the first to pluck up Courage, and say we
were only making Things worse by grieving, and she would pack up at
once, to be ready for the Morning Coach, and then think nothing more
about it till the Time came. So her Sisters dispersed, to dress for our
Party, and _Gatty_ and I went up-Stairs to do the same, and pack her
Box; several Times in the Course of doing which, she burst out crying;
and I thought I had never beheld a Girl so loth to quit Home, nor so
resolved to do her Duty.
At length we set off; and when we got to _Roaring House_, there
was pretty much the same Thing over again, for Jokes and Laughing
were exchanged for Lamentations; and the Gaiety of the Evening was
completely clouded. I cannot help thinking, however, that it was Balm
to _Gertrude's_ Heart to find herself so unaffectedly sympathised with:
the Squire patted her on the Shoulder several Times, and called her
"poor Girl," and "dear _Gatty_;" Miss _Clary_ more than once shed a
Tear; and Mr. _Heavitree_ seemed quite mute and confounded.
We prolonged our Visit as late as we could; and when we dared stay
no longer, the Squire and Miss _Clary_ insisted on adding many
additional Wraps to our own; he producing some prodigious large Silk
Pocket-handkerchiefs, which he tied himself over our Heads and under
our Chins, like Capouchins, giving each a Kiss as a Finish; and
striving moreover to persuade each of us to wear a Pair of his thick
Shoes over our own, and stuff up the Difference between them with Rag
and brown Paper. While urging _Pen_ to this, his Son came in from the
outer Hall, looking deadly pale; and hit his Head violently against an
old Tortoiseshell-Cabinet, which he ran against without intending it.
"Measure your Distance better, _Jack_," says his _Father_, "or, what
with black Eyes and red Eyes, there won't be a Pair of Eyes in the Hall
worth looking at. Bless thee, Child!" very kindly to _Gatty_, as she
stept up to bid him Good-bye. "Keep thy good Heart and good Looks,
whatever thou dost;" and so, kissed her twice. _Gatty_ dropped a Tear
on his Hand; he looked at it quickly, then at her attentively; and
giving her Hand a final Shake, pushed her gently away, saying, "There,
go; go along; and GOD'S Blessing go with thee."
By this Time we were all equipped. Just as Miss _Clary_ was kissing
_Gatty_ at the Door, I noticed the Squire whisper a Word in Mr.
_Heavitree's_ Ear, which made the latter colour very much; adding to
it, "You'll be a Fool, if you don't do as I say."
Now, we were all setting out from the hospitable Threshold, the Lights
streaming from which illumined our Path till we reached the Gate,
which Mr. _Heavitree_ held open till we had all passed. _Gatty's_ two
younger Sisters, to show their Love and Sorrow, were each monopolizing
one of her Arms and hanging upon her as they followed _Joe_, who was
taking the Lead with a Lantern, though there was a pale Moon. Mr.
_Heavitree_, therefore, coming up as soon as he had fastened the Gate,
found me just behind the rest, and spontaneously gave me his Arm; but
the next Minute, in a hurried Manner and lowered Voice said, "Dear Mrs.
_Patty_, this once be my Friend. I've a Word to say to _Gatty_, and
those Girls will never let me!"
I immediately said, smiling, "Trust to me;" and in another Minute had
dropped his Arm and was walking off with _Lucy_, and in two or three
Minutes more had secured _Penelope_ too. As we walked on briskly, _Pen_
said, "Hadn't we better stop for _Gatty_?" but I said, "No, she's
close behind, and Mr. _Heavitree_ wants to have a little Talk with
her for the last Time." This quite satisfied the artless Girls, who
soon were busy chattering about the Loss of poor _Gatty_, and their
Fears lest she might not have a safe Journey. They pointed out to me
the North Star, and _Charles's_ Wain, and many other Stars or Planets
whose Names I forget, and told me I might always know a Star from a
Planet, because Stars twinkle and Planets do not. _Pen_ even added that
_Sirius_, the Dog-Star, is sixty Times brighter than the Sun, which
I'm free to think must have been a prodigious Blunder of hers. Who
can believe it? Except indeed, Children, who swallow Incredibilities
without any Trouble.
Arrived at the Gate, we were surprised at _Gatty's_ coming up to
us alone; yet I am certain I had had a Glimpse of two dark Figures
following us the Minute before. Directly we got in-Doors, all was
Bustle. Mrs. _Bowerbank_ was sure we must be perishing of Cold, and
insisted on our going to Bed directly; and promising to send each of
us a Basin of hot Gruel to eat in our Beds: Gruel well qualified with
Wine, Nutmeg, and Sugar--Caudle, in Fact!
It was no bad Thing to be thus coddled and comforted like Invalids
while we felt quite well; and we were soon undressing as fast
as we could. All but _Gatty_, who came up to me when I was about
half undressed, to fetch a few Things she wanted, and to tell me
she was going to sleep with her _Mother_. This was a Surprise and
Disappointment to me; I had reckoned on a good Gossip over our Gruel,
and on her telling me all about Mr. _Heavitree_ as soon as the Candle
was put out. However, it seemed that the Thing had been settled, even
before we started, in order that I might not be disturbed by her early
Departure the next Morning; and her Box had already been carried down,
and she said she wanted to spend her last Night with her _Mother_, so
there was no more to be said. I noticed, however, as she kissed me,
that her Eyelids were red with crying, but her Eyes beaming under them
very bright. I said, "Good Night, but not good-bye; for I am resolved
to see you off in the Morning." She said, "Oh, you must not think of
it. All will be Bustle, and there will be no real Pleasure in seeing
each other. I have quite got over my Trouble at going, now, and don't
care at all about it." So she kissed me cheerfully, and repeated,
"Good-Night and good-bye," and ran off. I was still resolved to get
up in Time to see the Last of her; but I suppose the Caudle, being so
strong, made me sleep heavier and later than usual; for though it was
yet Dark when I got up, I found on going down Stairs that _Gatty_ had
been gone a full Hour. None of the Family had accompanied her except
_Joe_ and the Girl of all Work, who carried her Box; but _Pen_ told me
that just as she was watching _Gatty_ out of Sight by the Light of the
Lantern, some one joined them.
When _Joe_ returned, he said their Companion had been young Mr.
_Heavitree_, who wanted, he supposed, to be at the Beast-Market
betimes, or, sure, he would not have been afoot so early. _Joe_ added
that the Snow was tremendous,--up to a Man's Knees in many Parts,
and up to his Shoulders under the Banks. We thought he must be
exaggerating; but, however, the poor Boy had certainly been Half his
Depth in Snow himself, though he averred he had not stumbled. He said
it was freezing now, and the Roads so slippery that the Horses stumbled
so at every Step that they were obliged to be led--he did not believe
they would make more than two Miles an Hour, and wondered when _Gatty_
would reach _London_. _Lucy_ said, "Hush," and bade him not frighten
their _Mother_, who was just coming in; but Mrs. _Bowerbank_ had heard
it all from the Cook-Maid, and looked very grave. It turned out, that
Mr. _Heavitree_ had made _Gatty_ go inside, and had accompanied her
the first Stage. _Joe's_ Eyes looked very round, and he said, "Oh, I
wasn't to tell that; but Women will be blabbing." "Who told you not to
tell, _Joey_?" says _Lucy_. "If I told you that, Miss _Lucy_," says he,
"I should blab too." So then we sat down to Breakfast, for they were
glad of the Excuse to repair their hurried Meal by keeping me Company.
After that, we sat to our Needles, and _Joey_ did Sums or pretended
to do them, and drew Pictures on his Slate. Mrs. _Bowerbank_ was a
ruminative Woman of few Words, the younger Girls were rather afraid of
her, and rather shy towards me, and we missed _Gatty_ sadly. As for
getting out of Doors, we were close Prisoners, and likely to be for
some Days; the Weather was as bad as could be, and threatened to be
worse.
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