"Why, Ma'am, they are very constant. We have much entertainment from
Colonel Manners and Mr de la Giffardière--especially the latter."
"I can believe that," said she, laughing again. "His spirits grow more
boisterous daily. Mama says an hour of his company is like a walk in a
high wind. But you know how we all value and respect him. What a contrast
to poor Colonel Digby!"
"I imagine, Ma'am, that Colonel Digby too is recovering his spirits a
little under our united kind treatment. He was even observed in a
melancholy smile yesterday," said I.
Her Royal Highness smiled with a soft meaning kindness on Miss Burney,
whose eyes were fixed on the floor. This convinced me, if I had needed
conviction, that the Queen intended the allusion she had made to Colonel
Digby, and there had been a something in her tone, indescribable but
audible, which indicated disapproval. I considered myself that the man had
quite as much encouragement as he needed if his intentions were serious. I
could not make him out. There were times when I saw a growing interest in
Miss Burney, and he indeed haunted her parlour; yet was I assured that in
London he was assiduous in waiting on Miss Gunning--a young lady with
every advantage of fortune, beauty, and connection. I own the thought
sometimes occurred to me that he might be that most despicable of
characters--a male flirt. I had thoughts sometimes also of a word of
warning to Miss Burney, but was restrained by fear of her displeasure.
Two days later Colonel Manners and Colonel Digby waited on us to tea, Mr
de la Giffardière following. Colonel Digby wore his Vice-Chamberlain's
uniform, being to wait on the Queen, and a very handsome sight he made,
adding all the advantages of birth and breeding to extreme good looks.
Miss Burney, with a pleasure she could not conceal, found the conversation
turn to "Evelina," Colonel Manners praised it in his gay light-hearted
way, and declared its special glory in his eyes to be the character of
Captain Mirvan. He asserted it was that which gave rise to the suspicion
that the author was a man, since a lady could scarcely be supposed capable
of drawing a portrait of such vulgarity in such bold strokes. I now saw
Miss Burney wavering whether to receive this as compliment or insult, when
immediately Colonel Manners, whom no awe can check, broke out into
Dibdin's song, applying it, as it were, to Captain Mirvan:--
I've a spanking wife at Portsmouth Gates,
A pigmy at Goree.
An orange-tawny up the Straits,
A black at St. Lucie.
Thus whatsomedever course I bend
I lead a jovial life--
Miss Burney rose indignantly, and the more so as Mr de la Giffardiere, who
could never resist the absurd, was applauding vehemently, and even Colonel
Digby smiling. She cast one awful glance upon the offender, and was
quitting the room, when Colonel Digby threw himself in front of the door.
"Miss Burney shall not deprive us of the happiness of her company without
a word of entreaty," said he, fixing his eyes upon hers, "My friend
Manners would be the first to deplore having offended the delicacy of any
lady, and especially that lady whose genius created Captain Mirvan. But
Miss Burney will condescend upon forgiveness when she hears he has been
sharing His Majesty's barley water after a day's hunting. It always goes
to his head with most boisterous results."
It was drolly said, indeed, though with his usual languor, and no other
intervention would have stopped the exit. She graciously consented to
return to her seat, and Colonel Manners immediately and absurdly fell on
his knees before her, offering to kiss her shoe like the Pope's, if she
would but pardon him.
"Alas, I was compelled to drink the barley water, Ma'am. I think it right
to be civil to the King, though Heaven knows a violent drink like that is
not what one should prefer after a hard day's hunting. I had chose
something milder, had it been in my power."
She smiled faintly, and Colonel Digby, visibly to please her, uttered a
very handsome praise of "Cecilia," specially dwelling on the chapter of
the Opera Rehearsal. Her eyes followed his every movement. I perceived but
too well the growing interest, and pitied the poor lady were her feelings
to be deeply engaged; for I believed he turned his melancholy to as good
account with others as with herself. I could not but note how his visits
to her were made at times when he could almost count upon finding her
alone. If his intentions were serious, all was well. Otherwise I could not
approve it.
"Miss Burney is so evidently the Muse of Comedy," cried Mr de la
Giffardière, "that I wonder you, Manners, and you, Digby, do not fear her
ironic pen. What if she record this scene in the third volume, for which
all the world attends! There are only two persons who will emerge with
grace--Miss P. and myself. We tread on awful ground with a lady so
gifted."
Mrs. Schwellenberg now made her appearance, and the talk changed, with
Colonel Manners gravely enquiring after the health of her pet frogs, and
the gentlemen shortly after left, a circumstance not very pleasing to her.
"What for they always--what you call--run away when I come?" she cried. "I
like it not. Or if he stay,--that Colonel Manner,--he sleep! Sleeps he
with you, Miss Burney? He sleep always with me. It is not to bear!"
We could not forbear laughing, and it was goodhumouredly taken.
The cloud of fearful blackness which was to overshadow the nation soon
broke upon us in His Majesty's illness. I had for some time suspicion that
all was not well. It was his habit to talk with most condescending
frankness to all whom he trusted, and I, as an old servant, had the
happiness to be thus honoured. It could, therefore, be no secret to me
that his mind was often agitated in the highest degree about public
matters, and to my thinking had never recovered its tone since the
disasters with regard to his American colonies. His outward fortitude was
astonishing at the time of the rebellion; but it preyed inwardly and
undoubtedly was the first and most galling link in the chain of misfortune
which surrounded him from private and public sources. I have been told on
high authority that the falling of the largest diamond from the Crown on
the Coronation Day was a prognostic which His Majesty supposed awfully
fulfilled when those rebellious colonies broke away from his sceptre.
It is not in my power, as it would not be my duty, to give an account of
circumstances which involved the whole nation in mourning when it beheld
the reason of its Monarch eclipsed. Be mine rather the female task to
describe how it affected the celebrated lady who is the subject of these
notes.
All then was confusion, and the habits of the Royal family so intermitted,
whether at Windsor or Kew, that those attached to the household came and
went as they pleased, although the strictest inquisition followed all that
was allowed to pass outside the walls, lest reports adverse to His
Majesty's health should reach the party of the Princes, his sons, who
caught eagerly at any facts they might distort in a way to gain the
Regency for the dissolute Prince of Wales, and cast the Queen completely
into his power. It so happened that one day I was seated to my knotting
behind the Japan screen in the parlour apportioned by the Prince to Her
Majesty at Kew. My knotting had fallen on my knee as I gazed pensively at
the prospect of oaks and beeches in all their verdure, when I heard
voices, and Her Majesty and the Princess Royal entered, talking earnestly
as if continuing a conversation.
"Mama, I do indeed think the news is true, and if so you will desire that
we should soon give Colonel Digby joy. It is not absolutely certain--"
Here I stepped forth from behind the screen, curtseying deeply. The notion
in my mind was that Colonel D. had announced his coming engagement with
Miss Burney. He had visited her sedulously during the King's illness, and,
I might add, somewhat in defiance of Her Majesty's hints to that lady, and
had brought his little son more than once to visit her--a step which could
not but appear very particular.
The Queen saw me advance with her usual gracious composure, and the
Princess greeted me charmingly. She wore a morning _négligée_
embroidered all over with roses, and looked what she was--the Rose of
England.
"You have appeared at an opportune moment, Miss P.," said Her Majesty.
"The matter in hand is one where I rely on your discretion. Princess
Royal, inform Miss P. of what you have heard."
She took her seat, and the sweet Princess, standing behind her mother's
chair, related to me with her own artless candour that she had heard, from
a source which she did not give, though unimpeachable, that an engagement
subsisted or shortly might subsist between Colonel Digby and Miss Gunning,
and she thought--she feared--
Here she hesitated in the most pleasing manner. I now fully understood,
but it became me to remain silent and hear the Queen's pleasure. My
beloved Queen spoke presently and even--marvellous to relate--with a touch
of the gentle archness which so adorned her before His Majesty's
all-overshadowing malady. Her fortitude was astonishing.
"My good Miss P., you have heard the Princess Royal, and I am full sure
the announcement you expected was of a kind far nearer home. Am I wrong?"
I hurriedly said I had indeed expected and hoped--Her Majesty would
pardon my confusion. I scarce knew what I was saying, for it rushed on my
mind that, if this were true, the effect on Miss Burney's health and
spirits might be serious--his attentions having been so public.
"I have noticed and heard how frequent Colonel Digby's visits to her have
been," continued Her Majesty; "and if this has reached me, it is certain
that others must have felt his attentions to be particular. I cannot
acquit him."
"Nor I, Ma'am," I cried eagerly, and interrupted myself in such a breach
of etiquette. She proceeded composedly:--
"I believe Colonel Digby is frequently with Miss Burney. You have the same
impression, Princess Royal?"
The fair Princess softly murmured that she had. I could not but suspect
Mrs Schwellenberg the informant, nor yet blame her. All must depend upon
the colouring given.
"Colonel Digby's confidential favour with us all disappoints me the more
in the course he has taken," continued the Queen. "There has been a touch
of something insincere. And I have heard also that the poor Schwellenberg
is left entirely to herself while these visits take place. I thought this
hard and so dropped a hint to Miss Burney, which I failed not to see was
resented. Have you, my good Miss P., observed anything of this?"
Catching the encouraging eye of the Princess, I ventured to say I was not
wholly a stranger to the fact that Mrs Schwellenberg felt herself somewhat
dropped out in these visits, so agreeable to the gentleman. Miss Burney I
alluded not to.
"Another hint I offered," proceeded the Queen, "when my hair was dressing
one night, and I was informed the Schwellenberg was very unwell and needed
company, but found Miss Burney was engaged as usual with Colonel Digby. I
asked Miss Burney, without leading up to the subject, whether he had been
here. She coloured very high and admitted it and, on further questioning,
displayed a knowledge of all his movements which I own surprised me,
especially on her complaining of the want of variety here--a fact that
made any visitor welcome, as she told me."
"Can it be possible, Ma'am," I cried, "that at this time of universal
sorrow, Miss Burney should so far forget the cruel facts as to reproach--"