I never heard in my life, said the countess, such a fine character of any
mortal, as he gave you. He told me of his engagements to go abroad as
the very next day. He highly extolled the lady for whose sake,
principally, he was obliged to go abroad; and he spoke as highly of a
brother of hers, whom he loved as if he were his own brother; and
mentioned very affectionately the young lady's whole family.
'God only knows,' said he, 'what may be my destiny!--As generosity, as
justice, or rather as Providence, leads, I will follow.'
After he had generously opened his heart, proceeded the countess, I asked
him, If he had any hope, should the foreign lady recover her health, of
her being his?
'I can promise myself nothing,' said he. 'I go over without one selfish
hope. If the lady recover her health, and her brother can be amended in
his, by the assistance I shall carry over with me, I shall have joy
inexpressible. To Providence I leave the rest. The result cannot be in
my own power.'
Then, sir, proceeded the countess, you cannot in honour be under any
engagements to Miss Byron?
I arose from my seat. Whither, my dear?--I have done, if I oppress you.
I moved my chair behind hers, but so close to hers, that I leaned on the
back of it, my face hid, and my eyes running over. She stood up. Sit
down again, madam, said I, and proceed--Pray proceed. You have excited
my curiosity. Only let me sit here, unheeded, behind you.
Pray, madam, said Mrs. Reeves, (burning also with curiosity, as she has
since owned,) go on; and indulge my cousin in her present seat. What
answer did Sir Charles return?
My dear love, said the countess, (sitting down, as I had requested,) let
me first be answered one question. I would not do mischief.
You cannot do mischief, madam, replied I. What is your ladyship's
question?
Has Sir Charles Grandison ever directly made his addresses to you, my
dear?
Never, madam.
It is not for want of love, I dare aver, that he has not. But thus he
answered my question: 'I should have thought myself the unworthiest of
men, knowing the difficulties of my own situation, how great soever were
the temptation from Miss Byron's merit if I had sought to engage her
affections.'
[O, Lucy! How nobly is his whole conduct towards me justified!]
'She has, madam,' (proceeded the countess, in his words,) 'a prudence
that I never knew equalled in a woman so young. With a frankness of
mind, to which hardly ever young lady before her had pretensions, she has
such a command of her affections, that no man, I dare say, will ever have
a share in them, till he has courted her favour by assiduities which
shall convince her that he has no heart but for her.'
O my Lucy! What an honour to me would these sentiments be, if I deserved
them! And can Sir Charles Grandison think I do?--I hope so. But if he
does, how much am I indebted to his favourable, his generous opinion!
Who knows but I have reason to rejoice, rather than to regret, as I used
to do, his frequent absences from Colnebrook?
The countess proceeded.
Then, sir, you will not take it amiss, if my son, by his assiduities, can
prevail upon Miss Byron to think that he has merit, and that his heart is
wholly devoted to her.
'Amiss, madam!--No!--In justice, in honour, I cannot. May Miss Byron be,
as she deserves to be, one of the happiest women on earth in her
nuptials. I have heard a great character of Lord D----. He has a very
large estate. He may boast of his mother--God forbid, that I, a man
divided in myself, not knowing what I can do, hardly sometimes what I
ought to do, should seek to involve in my own uncertainties the friend I
revere; the woman I so greatly admire: her beauty so attracting; so
proper therefore for her to engage a generous protector in the married
state.'
Generous man! thought I. O how my tears ran down my cheeks, as I hid my
face behind the countess's chair!
But will you allow me, sir, proceeded the countess, to ask you, were you
freed from all your uncertainties--
'Permit me, madam,' interrupted he, 'to spare you the question you were
going to put. As I know not what will be the result of my journey
abroad, I should think myself a very selfish man, and a very
dishonourable one to two ladies of equal delicacy and worthiness, if I
sought to involve, as I hinted before, in my own uncertainties, a young
lady whose prudence and great qualities must make herself and any man
happy, whom she shall favour with her hand.
'To be still more explicit,' proceeded he, With what face could I look up
to a woman of honour and delicacy, such a one as the lady before whom I
now stand, if I could own a wish, that, while my honour has laid me under
obligation to one lady, if she shall be permitted to accept of me, I
should presume to hope, that another, no less worthy, would hold her
favour for me suspended, till she saw what would be the issue of the
first obligation? No, madam; I could sooner die, than offer such
indignity to both! I am fettered, added he; but Miss Byron is free: and
so is the lady abroad. My attendance on her at this time, is
indispensable; but I make not any conditions for myself--My reward will
be in the consciousness of having discharged the obligations that I think
myself under, as a man of honour.'
The countess's voice changed in repeating this speech of his: and she
stopt to praise him; and then went on.
You are THE man, indeed, sir!--But then give me leave to ask you, as I
think it very likely that you will be married before your return to
England, Whether, now that you have been so good as to speak favourably
of my son, and that you call Miss Byron sister, you will oblige him with
a recommendation to that sister?
'The Countess of D---- shews, by this request, her value for a young lady
who deserves it; and the more, for its being, I think, (excuse me, madam)
a pretty extraordinary one. But what a presumption would it be in me, to
suppose that I had SUCH an interest with Miss Byron, when she has
relations as worthy of her, as she is of them?'
You may guess, my dear, said the countess, that I should not have put
this question, but as a trial of his heart. However, I asked his pardon;
and told him, that I would not believe he gave it me, except he would
promise to mention to Miss Byron, that I had made him a visit on this
subject. [Methinks, Lucy, I should have been glad that he had not let me
know that he was so forgiving!]
And now, my dear, said the lady, let me turn about. She did; and put one
arm round my neck, and with my own handkerchief wiped my eyes, and kissed
my cheek; and when she saw me a little recovered, she addressed me as
follows:
Now, my good young creature, [O that you would let me call you daughter
in my way! for I think I must always call you so, whether you do, or not]
let me ask you, as if I were your real mother, 'Have you any expectation
that Sir Charles Grandison will be yours?'
Dear madam, is not this as hard a question to be put to me, as that which
you put to him?
Yes, my dear--full as hard. And I am as ready to ask your pardon, as I
was his, if you are really displeased with me for putting it. Are you,
Miss Byron? Excuse me, Mrs. Reeves, for thus urging your lovely cousin:
I am at least entitled to the excuse Sir Charles Grandison made for me,
that it is a demonstration of my value for her.
I have declared, madam, returned I, and it is from my heart, that I think
he ought to be the husband of the lady abroad: and though I prefer him to
all the men I ever saw, yet I have resolved, if possible, to conquer the
particular regard I have for him. He has in a very noble manner offered
me his friendship, so long as it may be accepted without interfering with
any other attachments on my part: and I will be satisfied with that.
A friendship so pure, replied the countess, as that of such a man, is
consistent with any other attachments. My Lord D---- will, with his
whole soul, contribute all in his power to strengthen it: he admires Sir
Charles Grandison: he would think it a double honour to be acquainted
with him through you. Dearest Miss Byron, take another worthy young man
into your friendship, but with a tenderer name: I shall then claim a
fourth place in it for myself. O my dear! What a quadruple knot will
you tie!
Your ladyship does me too much honour, was all I could just then reply.