_Coke Clifton to Guy Fairfax_
_London, Dover Street_
I will curse no more, Fairfax. Or, if curse I do, it shall be at my own
fatuity. I will not be the dilatory, languid, ranting, moralizing
Hamlet of the drama; that has the vengeance of hell upon his lips and
the charity of heaven in his heart. I will use not speak daggers--
Fairfax, I am mad!--Raging!--The smothered and pent-up mania must
have vent--What! Was not the page sufficiently black before?--I am
amazed at my own infatuation! My very soul spurns at it!--But 'tis
past--Deceitful, damned sex!--Idiot that I was, I began to fancy myself
beloved!--I!--Blind, deaf, insensate driveler!--Torpid, blockish,
brainless mammet!--Most sublime ass!--Oh for a bib and barley sugar,
with the label _Meacock_ pinned before and behind!--
Fairfax, I never can forgive my own absurd and despicable
stupidity!--Marriage?--What, with a woman in whose eye the perfect
impression and hated form of a mean rival is depicted?--In colours
glowing hot!--Who lives, revels, triumphs in her heart!--I marry
such a woman?--I?--
'I had rather be a toad,
And live upon the vapour of a dungeon,
Than keep a corner in the thing I love
For other's use.'
I am too full of phrensy, Fairfax, to tell thee what I mean: but she
has given me another proof, more damning even than all the former, of
the gluttony with which her soul gorges. Her gloating eye devours him;
ay, I being present. Nay, were I this moment in her arms, her arms
would be clasping him, not me: with him she would carouse, nor would
any thing like me exist--Contagion!--Poison and boiling oil!--
Never before was patience so put to the proof--My danger was extreme.
With rage flaming in my heart, I was obliged to wear complacency,
satisfaction and smiles on my countenance.
The fellow has determined to ship himself for America--Would it were
for the bottomless pit!--And had you beheld her panic?--St. Luke's
collected maniacs at the full of the moon could not have equalled
her!--'Twas well indeed her frantic outrage was so violent, or I had
been detected and all had been lost--As it was I half betrayed
myself--the fellow's eye glanced at me. However it gave me my cue; and,
all things considered, I afterward performed to a miracle. Her own
enthusiastic torrent swept all before it, and gave me time. She was in
an ecstasy; reasoning, supplicating, conjuring, panting. I, her
friends, the whole world must join her: and join her I did. It was the
very relief of which hypocrisy stood in need. I entreated this
straight-backed youth, stiff in determination, to condescend to lend a
pitying ear to our petitions; to suffer us to permeate his bowels of
compassion, and avert this fatal and impending cloud, fraught with
evils, misery, and mischief--
But marry no!--It could not be!--Sentence was passed--He had been at
the trouble to make a pair of scales, and knew the weight to a scruple
of every link in the whole chain of cause and effect--Teach him,
truly!--Advise him!--Move him!--When? Who? How?--At last compliance,
willing to be royally gracious, said, Well it would consider--Though
there was but little hope--Nothing it had heard had any cogency of
perscrutation--But, in fine, it would be clement, and consider.
Do you not see this fellow, Fairfax? Is he not now before your eyes? Is
he not the most consummate--? But why do I trouble myself a moment
about him?--It is her!--Her!--
Nor is this all. Did that devil that most delights in mischief direct
every concurring circumstance, they could not all and each be more
uniform, more coercive to the one great end. This poor dotterel, Sir
Arthur, is playing fast and loose with me. He has been at his
soundings--He!--Imbecile animal!--Could wish there were not so many
difficulties--Is afraid they cannot be all removed--Has his doubts and
his fears--Twenty thousand pounds is a large sum, and Mrs. Clifton is
very positive--His own affairs much less promising than he
supposed--Then by a declension of hems, hums, and has, he descended
to young Mr. Henley--A very extraordinary young gentleman!--A very
surprising youth!--One made on purpose as it were for plum-cake days,
high festivals, and raree show!--A prodigy!--Not begotten, born or bred
in the dull blind-man's-buff way of simple procreation; but sent us on
a Sunday morning down Jacob's ladder!--Then for obligations to him,
count them who could!--He must first study more arithmetic!--And as
for affection it was a very wayward thing--Not always in people's
power--There was no knowing what was best--The hand might be given and
the heart be wanting--And with respect to whether the opinions of the
world ought to be regarded, good truth he knew not. Marry! The world
was much more ready to blame others than to amend itself: and he had
been almost lately persuaded not to care a fico for the world. But for
his part he was a godly Christian, and wished all for the best. He had
faith, hope, and charity, which were enough for one.
Do not imagine, Fairfax, the poor dotard would have dared to betray
himself thus far, had not I presently perceived his drift and wormed
him of these dismal cogitations of the spirit. He beat about, and
hovered, and fluttered, and chirped mournfully, like the poor
infatuated bird that beholds the serpent's mouth open, into which it is
immediately to drop and be devoured. However, having begun, I was
determined to make him unburden his whole heart. If hereafter he can
possibly find courage to face me, in order to reproach, I have my
lesson ready. 'Out of thy own mouth will I judge thee, sinner.'
Gangrened as my heart is, I still find a satisfaction in this self
convalescence. The lady of mellifluous speech shall suborn no more; no
more shall lull me into beatific slumbers. I have recovered from my
trance, and what I dreamed was celestial I will demonstrate to be mere
woman.
From his own lips I learn that this insolent scoundrel received a visit
from the Count de Beaunoir, which was intended for me: and, out of
tender pity to my body, lest, God 'ild us, it should get a drilling, he
did bestow some trifle of that wit and reason of which he has so great
a superflux upon the Count, thereby to turn aside his wrathful ire.
I heard the gentleman tell his tale, and tickle his imagination with
the remembrance of his own doctiloquy, with infinite composure; and,
whenever I put a question, took care first to prepare a smile. Every
thing was well, better could not be.
With respect to _Monsieur le Comte_, I'll take some opportunity to
whisper a word in his ear. It is not impossible, Fairfax, but that I
may visit Paris even within this fortnight. Not that I can pretend to
predict. They shall not think I fly them, should any soul among them
dare to dream of vengeance. I know the Count to be as vain of his
skill in the sword as he is of his pair of watch strings, his
Paris-Birmingham snuff-box, or the bauble that glitters on his finger.
I think I can give him a lesson: at least I mean to try.
My mother's health declines apace. I know not whether it may not
shortly be necessary for me to visit her. The loss of her will afflict
me, but in all appearance it is inevitable, and I fear not far distant.
Once more, Fairfax, should you again fall in company with the Count,
and he should give himself the most trifling airs, assure him that I
will do myself the honour to embrace him within a month at farthest
from that date, be it when it will.
Adieu.