SAVILLE EXCUSED FOR HAVING HUMAN AFFECTIONS.--GODOLPHIN SEES ONE WHOM HE
NEVER SEES AGAIN.--THE NEW ACTRESS.
Saville was deemed the consummate man of the world--wise and heartless.
How came he to take such gratuitous pains with the boy Godolphin? In
the first place, Saville had no legitimate children; Godolphin was his
relation; in the second place it may be observed that hackneyed and
sated men of the world are fond of the young, in whom they recognise
something--a better something belonging to themselves. In Godolphin’s
gentleness and courage, Saville thought he saw the mirror of his
own crusted urbanity and scheming perseverance; in Godolphin’s
fine imagination and subtle intellect he beheld his own cunning and
hypocrisy. The boy’s popularity flattered him; the boy’s conversation
amused. No man is so heartless but that he is capable of strong likings,
when they do not put him much out of his way; it was this sort of liking
that Saville had for Godolphin. Besides, there was yet another reason
for attachment, which might at first seem too delicate to actuate the
refined voluptuary; but examined closely, the delicacy vanished. Saville
had loved, at least had offered his hand to--Godolphin’s mother (she was
supposed an heiress!) He thought he had just missed being Godolphin’s
father: his vanity made him like to show the boy what a much better
father he would have been than the one that Providence had given him.
His resentment, too, against the accepted suitor, made him love to
exercise a little spiteful revenge against Godolphin’s father; he was
glad to show that the son preferred where the mother rejected. All these
motives combined made Saville take, as it were, to the young Percy;
and being rich, and habitually profuse, though prudent, and a shrewd
speculator withal, the pecuniary part of his kindness cost him no pain.
But Godolphin, who was not ostentatious, did not trust himself largely
to the capricious fount of the worldling’s generosity. Fortune smiled on
her boyish votary; and during the short time he was obliged to cultivate
her favours, showered on him at least a sufficiency for support, or even
for display.
Crowded with fine people, and blazing with light, were the rooms of the
Countess of B----, as, flushed from a late dinner at Saville’s, young
Godolphin made his appearance in the scene. He was not of those numerous
gentlemen, the stock-flowers of the parterre, who stick themselves up
against walls in the panoply of neckclothed silence. He came not to
balls from the vulgar motive of being seen there in the most conspicuous
situation--a motive so apparent among the stiff exquisites of England.
He came to amuse himself; and if he found no one capable of amusing
him, he saw no necessity in staying. He was always seen, therefore,
conversing or dancing, or listening to music--or he was not seen at all.
In exchanging a few words with a Colonel D----, a noted roue and
gamester, he observed, gazing on him very intently--and as Percy
thought, very rudely--an old gentleman in a dress of the last century.
Turn where he would, Godolphin could not rid himself of the gaze; so
at length he met it with a look of equal scrutiny and courage. The old
gentleman slowly approached. “Percy Godolphin, I think?” said he.
“That is _my_ name, sir,” replied Percy. “Yours----”
“No matter! Yet stay! you shall know it. I am Henry Johnstone--old Harry
Johnstone. You have heard of him?--your father’s first cousin. Well,
I grieve, young sir, to find that you associate with that rascal
Saville--Nay, never interrupt me sir!--I grieve to find that you, thus
young, thus unguarded, are left to be ruined in heart and corrupted
in nature by any one who will take the trouble! Yet I like your
countenance!--I like your countenance!--it is open, yet thoughtful;
frank, and yet it has something of melancholy. You have not Charles’s
coloured hair; but you are much younger--much. I am glad I have seen
you; I came here on purpose; good-night!”--and without waiting for an
answer, the old man disappeared.
Godolphin, recovering from his surprise, recollected that he had often
heard his father speak of a rich and eccentric relation named Johnstone.
This singular interview made a strong but momentary impression on
him. He intended to seek out the old man’s residence; but one thing or
another drove away the fulfilment of the intention, and in this world
the relations never met again.
Percy, now musingly gliding through the crowd, sank into a seat beside
a lady of forty-five, who sometimes amused herself in making love to
him--because there could be no harm in such a mere boy!--and presently
afterwards, a Lord George Somebody, sauntering up, asked the lady if he
had not seen her at the play on the previous night.
“O, yes! we went to see the new actress. How pretty she is!--so
unaffected too;--how well she sings!”
“Pretty well--er!” replied Lord George, passing his hand through
his hair. “Very nice girl--er!--good ankles. Devilish hot--er, is
it not--er--er? What a bore this is: eh! Ah! Godolphin! don’t forget
Wattier’s--er!” and his lordship er’d himself off.
“What actress is this?”
“Oh, a very good one indeed!--came out in _The Belle’s Stratagem_. We
are going to see her to-morrow; will you dine with us early, and be our
cavalier?”
“Nothing will please me more! Your ladyship has dropped your
handkerchief.”
“Thank you!” said the lady, bending till her hair touched Godolphin’s
cheek, and gently pressing the hand that was extended to her. It was a
wonder that Godolphin never became a coxcomb.
He dined at Wattier’s the next day according to appointment: he went
to the play; and at the moment his eye first turned to the stage,
a universal burst of applause indicated the entrance of the new
actress--Fanny Millinger!