_The Imprudence of Prudence._
"I never heard tell of such a Thing in my Life!" cried I, breathlessly.
"Ah, I knew you'd say so," said _Prudence_, lapsing into Tears. "It was
so very silly."
"Silly? Wicked! Such a Mockery! You don't call it a real Marriage, I
hope!"
"Oh dear, no. But if you were in my Place, you wouldn't consider
yourself at Liberty to marry another?"
"I can't fancy myself in your Place, _Prudence_! I would not have done
such a Thing for the World! Certainly, I could not consider myself
free! Nor _him_ secure! Fleet Marriages, I know, are binding in Law;
but there's no Religion in them. Have you got a Certificate?"
"Oh yes, a License, and a Certificate, and a Crown Stamp that cost a
Guinea; and a Ring--"
"That cost Two-pence! All of a Piece with the Rest. I never knew such a
Jumble in all my Life! Never!"
"It was great Folly--"
"You know, _Prue_, what Mr. _Fenwick_ told us Folly is synonymous with
in Scripture--_Sin_. 'The Foolishness of Fools is Folly'--He told us
that was the same as 'the Foolishness of Fools is _Sin_.'"
"Oh, _Patty_, don't trample upon me, now I'm down. I've vexed enough
about it, already. That is, I've vexed about what you, and _Mother_,
and _Father_, would think of it; for I must say, I'm glad to be secure
of _Tom_ against he next comes Home--"
"You might have been secure of him already; if his Love was worth
Anything, which I can readily believe it to be. You might have trusted
him."
"I might; and he me. It was only the Folly of a Moment."
"Ah, _Prue_, how often has the Folly of a Moment been the Ruin of a
Life! This Man was a Clergyman, I suppose?"
"Oh yes, no doubt of that. He was a Reverend Mr. _Sympson_, of some
College, _Cambridge_, and late Chaplain of the Earl of _Rothes_. So he
said."
"That's well put in."
"Well, he looked quite respectable, and you know there are many Clergy
within the Rules. Don't be too suspicious, _Patty_."
"Why, haven't I good Reason to be, _Prue_? Only it's all too late,
now--Oh dear me!" And I groaned heavily.
"Yes, it's all too late now," said _Prue_ rapidly, "and I meant no
Harm, and we must make the best of it, and I feel a great Load off my
Mind, now I've told _you_--"
"Why, you've only shifted it from your own Mind to mine! I don't feel
at all obliged to you!"
"Well, perhaps poor _Mother_ might say the same; so we had better not
tell her."
"Oh, _Prue, Prue_! how one Sin leads to another! The Case is quite
different. She has a _right_ to her Child's Confidence."
"Why, _you_ don't tell her Everything, do you?"
"What have I ever concealed?"
"That you care about Mr. _Fenwick_."
The Blood rushed to my Face, though we were in the Dark. "That's quite
another Matter," said I. "You don't know that I care for him."
"Oh _Patty_! how _can_ you say so?"
"At all Events, he has never shown me any decided Preference that would
justify me, as a modest young Woman, in letting his Name escape my
Lips. You know, _Prudence_, how different the Cases are. Certainly, if
my dear _Mother_, who is all Kindness and Truth, were to think fit to
speak to me on that or any similar Subject, I might blush, I might shed
a Tear, I might feel very uncomfortable, but I should answer her with
perfect Sincerity."
"Ah _Patty_! you are very good--And I am very bad--"
"Nay, I won't hear you say that of yourself. You have certainly been
very, very foolish."
"And 'the Foolishness of Fools is Sin.'" Here she again wept.
"Well, _Prue_, if it _be_ so, still we know what is to be done."
"What? Oh, tell me!"
"'I will arise, and go unto my Father, and will say unto him--'"
"Oh, not to my _Father_!"
"'To my _Mother_, and will say unto her, _Mother_, I have....'"
My own Tears here burst forth. I believe they, and the few Words of
the Text I had cited proved the best Eloquence; for in an Instant
_Prue_ was clinging to me, choking in Tears, and saying, "I will! I
will!"
Overcome by our Emotions, we said no more till we slept, I holding her
to my Heart, full of Love and Pity, though perturbed beyond Expression
at her Conduct.
My _Father_ requiring so much of our Care, it was seldom that we were
all three together; however, the next Day, after he had dined with more
Comfort to himself than usual, he folded his Hands together and said,
"Thank GOD for my good Dinner! And now I'll have a Nap, and you may all
go down Stairs till I pull the Bell."
Some trifling Affair prevented my immediately joining my _Mother_ and
_Sister_. When I went into the Parlour, I found _Prue_ had just screwed
her Courage to the Point of Confession. "_Mother_," she was saying,
"I've done so wrong--" and began to cry.
"What is it, _Prue_?" said my _Mother_ gently, who was blanching
Almonds.
"Say first, _Mother_, that you'll forgive me--"
"Nay, let me first hear what I have to forgive. I am not such a very
unforgiving Person, Child, am I?"
"No indeed, _Mother_!" kissing her Hand. "But oh! I don't know what
you'll say! I'm engaged to _Tom_!"
"I guessed as much long ago," said my _Mother_ coolly.
"You did!"
"Yes--you were very poor Secret-keepers, _Prue_; clumsy Adepts in
Concealment! I guessed, ever since he went, that that Glass Ring was a
Love-token."
_Prue_ blushed very deeply. "Ah," said she, fluttering, and looking
with downcast Fondness on the slighted Bauble, "it _is_ a Love-token,
indeed, _Mother_! and even more than that."
"What more?" said my _Mother_ quickly. _Prudence_ was silent.
"You don't mean, _Prudence_," with some Agitation in her Tone, "that
it's a Wedding Ring?"
"What if it were, dear _Mother_?" (faltering)--"Should you be very
angry?"
"I should be angry and hurt--deeply hurt!"
"Ah--" _Prue_, who was kneeling beside my _Mother_, turned her Head
aside and looked into the Fire.
"Speak, _Patty_!" said my Mother, much perturbed, "and tell me if you
can--since your _Sister_ will not--Has there been a Marriage?"
"A Fleet-Marriage, or Something of that Sort," said I, reluctantly.
"A Fleet-Marriage?" cried my _Mother_, holding up her Hands, and
sinking back in her Chair.
"_Mother! Mother!_ hear me," cries _Prue_, casting her Arms across
my _Mother's_ knees and looking up at her. "We parted at the
Church-door,--House-door, I mean; we knew we were only engaged; we did
not look on it as a regular Marriage,--only as binding us together a
little--it was the Thought of a Moment--_Tom_ proposed it first--"
"I suppose so," said my _Mother_, with a Tone of infinite Scorn; "but
I little thought that a Daughter of mine could be so persuaded. Oh
_Prue, Prue_! I never could have believed it of you! No Wonder you have
gone about sighing and hanging your Head--it has been your only Act of
Grace."
_Prue_, humiliated beyond Expression at these Reproaches, was crying
silently--"Don't tell my _Father_," at length said she.
"Certainly I shall not," said my _Mother_, still chafed. "I should
be quite ashamed of mentioning such a disgraceful Transaction to
him--worthier of a _Wapping_ Sailor than of his Brother's Son--Mate to
a respectable Merchant Vessel. A Thing only done by the Lowest of the
Low--"
"And a few of the Highest of the High," put in I.
"Who thereby reduce themselves to an ignominious Level with the Lowest
of the Low," persisted my _Mother_. "It ought to be put down by Act
of Parliament! It _will_ shortly, I understand from Dr. _Elwes_, who
was speaking of the Abuse a little While ago, little thinking that a
Culprit stood in his Presence. I never could have believed it of _Tom_!
never have supposed that he could so abuse a Mother's Confidence, and
sail off, leaving Dissimulation and Discord behind him--he that used to
say 'he couldn't bear to put People to the least Inconvenience!'"
At the Recurrence to this old Catch-Word of his, _Prue_ and I could
neither of us help bursting out laughing. My _Mother_, quite against
her Will, was obliged to laugh too. At this Moment, the Door opened;
and who should come in but _Gatty_!
I sprang towards her, while _Prue_, with a brief Word in passing, took
the Opportunity to escape.
"Are you not afraid of coming near me?" said _Gatty_ smiling, as I
kissed her.
"Oh no! _Our_ Time came long ago; no Danger of Infection here! But,
dear _Gatty_, we have been in such Suspense about you! Have you not
been ill?"
"No, I have been mercifully preserved--_James_ told me you had sent
to inquire how I was getting on; and as Lady _Betty_ is a good deal
softened towards me just now, I had not much Difficulty in prevailing
with her to let me come out for a few Hours, and I thought I would put
your Fears at rest by coming to you."
Finding she could stay, we made her remove her damp Cloak and Calash,
and take an early Dish of Tea with us. We had a long Fireside Chat;
and my _Mother_ at length going up to my _Father_, who had slept long,
_Gatty_ became more unreserved with me, and I soon drew from her all
that had happened.
It appeared that Mr. _Heavitree_ had proposed to her during their Walk
from _Roaring House_; but she then considered herself engaged for
the Time to Lady _Betty_, so as she could not in Honour nor Justice
draw back; and therefore she would not hear of giving up her Journey
to Town, though she promised to give Lady _Betty_ Notice that she
should leave her Service as soon as her _Ladyship_ was suited. On the
following Day, when they journeyed together, Mr. _Heavitree_ renewed
his Suit, and obtained from her that she would quit Lady _Betty_ at
the very earliest Day she decently could; after which they talked over
their Prospect of mutual Happiness with great Satisfaction, till the
Coach overturned. When _Gatty_ reached Town and found Lady _Betty_ in
the Small-Pox, she was a good deal astounded, not being quite clear
whether she were exempt from it or not; however, she thought her Duty
lay plainly before her, and embraced it with as good a Grace as she
could. Being her _Ladyship's_ sole Attendant, her Post was arduous;
however, she filled it so as to secure very thorough Satisfaction,
though very little Gratitude; Lady _Betty_ being one of those who
think Gold can requite any Amount of Obligation; at least, as far as
the Lower Orders are concerned. And what Amount of Gold, then, had my
_Lady_ bestowed on the young Creature who, under Providence, had saved
her Life at the Risk of her own? An Annuity? A Purse full of Guineas?
No such Thing! An old Gold Snuff-Box, presented to her _Ladyship's_
Grandfather by the obscure Members of some forgotten Corporation! A
Thing of no earthly Consideration to her _Ladyship_; though _Gatty_
guessed that if sold by the Ounce, it might fetch her seven or perhaps
ten Guineas.
But Lady _Betty_ was in a dreadful Way about her Face--all marked
and seamed; and her fine Complexion quite gone! And though, _Gatty_
said, 'twas hoped when the Redness had gone off, that she would not
look so bad, yet the Disorder had left an Impress of Ordinariness, of
Commoness behind it, as is not unfrequent, that went sadly against
the Stomach of my _Lady_. And when I said I should have thought that
a Personage who set such Store by herself, would have been blinded by
Self-prepossession, to any falling off, _Gatty_ said 'twas quite the
other Way; for her _Ladyship_ was so well acquainted with every good
Point about her, that she was Lynx-eyed to the smallest Deficience, and
more intolerant of it than any indifferent Party could be. Whereby it
befel that she was ready to dash into Pieces every Looking-glass in the
House, and would have them covered up, and would only sit in a Chamber
artfully darkened, and would not for the Present let any Man get Sight
of her, nor even any of her favourite female Friends, though she was
quite well enough to receive them, so much dreaded she their spreading
disparaging Reports. She meant to go down to some Watering-place where
she was unknown, and there lead a hermetical Life directly the Weather
was fine enough; having a Notion that the Sea Air would take off the
Redness. Meanwhile, she kept _Gatty_ on hard Duty all Day long, playing
Picquet and reading Novels; and _Gatty_ said she only wished they were
in some Language she did not understand, for she feared so much trashy
Reading must impair her Mind in spite of her Repugnance to it. And
when my _Lady_ had Nothing better to do, she abused _Gatty_ for not
tying her Hands when she was worst at all Hazards, rather than let her
tear at her Face like as one would hackle Flax; averring it would have
been better to die than to live such a Fright. However, _Gatty_ said
she knew that had not been her _Ladyship's_ Mind at the Time, and she
did not consider that she should have been borne out in it. She said
she had now learnt at last the Value of Lap-dogs and Parrots, for they
helped to divert Lady _Betty_ from her mortifying Reflections more than
Anything else. And there was this Good gained, that my Lady now always
made her begin and end the Day with reading Prayers and a Chapter; and
though she did not seem to attend much, yet Nobody knew but some good
Word might make itself heard at last.
Having thus relieved her Mind, _Gatty_ was inclined to hear of our
own Affairs while we were taking Tea. She was very sorry to hear
of my _Father's_ sad Accident; and, learning from _Prue_ that he
would be very glad to shake Hands with her if she did not mind going
into his sick-Chamber, where he was now promoted to an easy Chair
by the Fire, she stepped up to him with me, and enlivened him for
Half-an-Hour with her cheerful Talk. Of course he rallied her about
Mr. _Heavitree_,--that was to be expected,--but she took it very
bravely, and gave him back Quip for Crank; yet all so modest and
innocent-spoken, as the Jest of a Girl like _Gatty_ was certain to be.
And somehow, by Way of Lady _Betty_, she got round, quite naturally, to
Something serious, about Life and Death, Judgment and Eternity, that my
_Father_ took better of her than he would have done from us, and that
left us all with our Minds in a State of serious Composedness.
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