But she was with those to whom speech is not indispensable for
discourse; who could reciprocate ideas without uttering or hearing a
syllable; and to whose penetrating acumen words are the bonds, but not
the revealers of thoughts.
They saw, and understood her conflict; and by their own silence shewed
that they respected hers, and its latent cause.
And when, after a long pause, ashamed of their patience, she would have
expressed her sense of its kindness, they would not hear her apology.
“Do not hurry your spirits in your answer, my dear Miss Burney,” said
Mrs. Delany; “pray take your own time: Mr. Smelt, I am sure, will wait
it.”
“Certainly he will,” said Mr. Smelt; “he can wait it even till
to-morrow morning; for he is not to give his answer till to-morrow
noon.”
“Take then the night, my dear Miss Burney,” cried Mrs. Delany, in a
tone of the softest sympathy, “for deliberation; that you may think
every thing over, and not be hurried; and let us all three meet here
again to-morrow morning at breakfast.”
“How good you both are!” the Memorialist was faintly uttering, when
what was her surprise to hear Mr. Smelt, who, with a smile, interrupted
her, say: “I have no claim to such a panegyric! I should ill execute
the commission with which I have been entrusted, if I embarrassed
Miss Burney; for the great personage, from whom I hold it, permitted
my speaking first to Miss Burney alone, without consulting even Dr.
Burney; that she might form her own unbiassed determination.”
Where now was the hesitation, the incertitude, the irresolution of
the Memorialist? Where the severity of her conflict, the pang of
her sundering wishes? All were suddenly dissolved by overwhelming
astonishment, and melted by respectful gratitude: and to the decision
of Dr. Burney all now was willingly, and with resolute and cheerful
acquiescence, referred.
Dr. Burney felt honoured, felt elated, felt proud of a mark so
gracious, so unexpected, of personal partiality to his daughter; but
felt it, perforce, with the same drawbacks to entire happiness that so
strongly had balanced its pleasure with herself. Yet his high sense
of such singular condescension, and his hope of the worldly advantage
to which it might possibly lead; joined to the inherent loyalty that
rendered a wish of his Sovereign a law to him, checked his disturbance
ere it amounted to hesitation. Mutually, therefore, resigned to a
parting from so honourable a call, they embraced in tearful unison
of sentiment; and, with the warmest feelings of heart-felt and most
respectful—though not unsighing—devotion, Dr. Burney hastened to Mr.
Smelt, with their unitedly grateful and obedient acceptance of the
offer which her Majesty had deigned to transmit to them through his
kind and liberal medium.