Envy will be a science when it learns the use of the microscope.
When leaves fall and flowers fade, great people are found in their
country-seats. Look!--that is Montfort Court,--a place of regal
magnificence, so far as extent of pile and amplitude of domain could
satisfy the pride of ownership, or inspire the visitor with the respect
due to wealth and power. An artist could have made nothing of it. The
Sumptuous everywhere; the Picturesque nowhere. The house was built in
the reign of George I., when first commenced that horror of the
beautiful, as something in bad taste, which, agreeably to our natural
love of progress, progressively advanced through the reigns of succeeding
Georges. An enormous fafade, in dull brown brick; two wings and a
centre, with double flights of steps to the hall-door from the
carriagesweep. No trees allowed to grow too near the house; in front, a
stately flat with stone balustrades. But wherever the eye turned, there
was nothing to be seen but park, miles upon miles of park; not a
cornfield in sight, not a roof-tree, not a spire, only those /lata
silentia/,--still widths of turf, and, somewhat thinly scattered and
afar, those groves of giant trees. The whole prospect so vast and so
monotonous that it never tempted you to take a walk. No close-
neighbouring poetic thicket into which to plunge, uncertain whither you
would emerge; no devious stream to follow. The very deer, fat and heavy,
seemed bored by pastures it would take them a week to traverse. People
of moderate wishes and modest fortunes never envied Montfort Court: they
admired it; they were proud to say they had seen it. But never did they
say--
"Oh, that for me some home like this would smile!"
Not so, very, very great people!--they rather coveted than admired.
Those oak trees so large, yet so undecayed; that park, eighteen miles at
least in circumference; that solid palace which, without inconvenience,
could entertain and stow away a king and his whole court; in short, all
that evidence of a princely territory and a weighty rent-roll made
English dukes respectfully envious, and foreign potentates gratifyingly
jealous.
But turn from the front. Open the gate in that stone balustrade. Come
southward to the garden side of the house. Lady Montfort's flower-
garden. Yes; not so dull!--flowers, even autumnal flowers, enliven any
sward. Still, on so large a scale, and so little relief; so little
mystery about those broad gravel-walks; not a winding alley anywhere.
Oh, for a vulgar summer-house; for some alcove, all honeysuckle and ivy!
But the dahlias are splendid! Very true; only, dahlias, at the best, are
such uninteresting prosy things. What poet ever wrote upon a dahlia!
Surely Lady Montfort might have introduced a little more taste here,
shown a little more fancy! Lady Montfort! I should like to see my
lord's face if Lady Montfort took any such liberty. But there is Lady
Montfort walking slowly along that broad, broad, broad gravel-walk; those
splendid dahlias, on either side, in their set parterres. There she
walks, in full evidence from all those sixty remorseless windows on the
garden front, each window exactly like the other. There she walks,
looking wistfully to the far end ('t is a long way off), where, happily,
there is a wicket that carries a persevering pedestrian out of sight of
the sixty windows into shady walks, towards the banks of that immense
piece of water, two miles from the house. My lord has not returned from
his moor in Scotland; my lady is alone. No company in the house: it is
like saying, "No acquaintance in a city." But the retinue is full.
Though she dined alone she might, had she pleased, have had almost as
many servants to gaze upon her as there were windows now staring at her
lonely walk with their glassy spectral eyes.
Just as Lady Montfort gains the wicket she is overtaken by a visitor,
walking fast from the gravel sweep by the front door, where he has
dismounted, where he has caught sight of her: any one so dismounting
might have caught sight of her; could not help it. Gardens so fine were
made on purpose for fine persons walking in them to be seen.
"Ah, Lady Montfort," said the visitor, stammering painfully, "I am so
glad to find you at home."
"At home, George!" said the lady, extending her hand; "where else is it
likely that I should be found? But how pale you are! What has
happened?"
She seated herself on a bench, under a cedar-tree, just without the
wicket; and George Morley, our old friend the Oxonian, seated himself by
her side familiarly, but with a certain reverence. Lady Montfort was a
few years older than himself, his cousin: he had known her from his
childhood.
"What has happened!" he repeated; "nothing new. I have just come from
visiting the good bishop."
"He does not hesitate to ordain you?" "No; but I shall never ask him to
do so."
"My dear cousin, are you not over-scrupulous? You would be an ornament
to the Church, sufficient in all else to justify your compulsory omission
of one duty, which a curate could perform for you."
Morley shook his head sadly. "One duty omitted!" said he. "But is it
not that duty which distinguishes the priest from the layman? and how
far extends that duty? Whereever there needs a voice to speak the word,-
not in the pulpit only, but at the hearth, by the sick-bed,--there should
be the Pastor! No: I cannot, I ought not, I dare not! Incompetent as
the labourer, how can I be worthy of the hire?" It took him long to
bring out these words: his emotion increased his infirmity. Lady
Montfort listened with an exquisite respect visible in her compassion,
and paused long before she answered.
George Morley was the younger son of a country gentleman, with a good
estate settled upon the elder son. George's father had been an intimate
friend of his kinsman, the Marquess of Montfort (predecessor and
grandsire of the present lord); and the marquess had, as he thought,
amply provided for George in undertaking to secure to him, when of
fitting age, the living of Humberston, the most lucrative preferment in
his gift. The living had been held for the last fifteen years by an
incumbent, now very old, upon the honourable understanding that it was to
be resigned in favour of George, should George take orders. The young
man, from his earliest childhood thus destined to the Church, devoted to
the prospect of that profession all his studies, all his thoughts. Not
till. he was sixteen did his infirmity of speech make itself seriously
perceptible: and then elocution masters undertook to cure it; they
failed. But George's mind continued in the direction towards which it
had been so systematically biased. Entering Oxford, he became absorbed
in its academical shades. Amidst his books he almost forgot the
impediment of his speech. Shy, taciturn, and solitary, he mixed too
little with others to have it much brought before his own notice. He
carried off prizes; he took high honours. On leaving the University, a
profound theologian, an enthusiastic Churchman, filled with the most
earnest sense of the pastor's solemn calling,--he was thus
complimentarily accosted by the Archimandrite of his college, "What a
pity you cannot go into the Church!"
"Cannot; but I am going into the Church."
"You! is it possible? But, perhaps, you are sure of a living--"
"Yes,--Humberston."
"An immense living, but a very large population. Certainly it is in the
bishop's own discretionary power to ordain you, and for all the duties
you can keep a curate." But the Don stopped short, and took snuff.
That "but" said as plainly as words could say, "It may be a good thing
for you; but is it fair for the Church?"
So George Morley at least thought that "but" implied.
His conscience took alarm. He was a thoroughly noble-hearted man, likely
to be the more tender of conscience where tempted by worldly interests.
With that living he was rich, without it very poor. But to give up a
calling, to the idea of which he had attached himself with all the force
of a powerful and zealous nature, was to give up the whole scheme and
dream of his existence. He remained irresolute for some time; at last he
wrote to the present Lord Montfort, intimating his doubts, and relieving
the Marquess from the engagement which his lordship's predecessor had
made. The present Marquess was not a man capable of understanding such
scruples. But, luckily perhaps for George and for the Church, the larger
affairs of the great House of Montfort were not administered by the
Marquess. The parliamentary influences, the ecclesiastical preferments,
together with the practical direction of minor agents to the vast and
complicated estates attached to the title, were at that time under the
direction of Mr. Carr Vipont, a powerful member of Parliament, and
husband to that Lady Selina whose condescension had so disturbed the
nerves of Frank Vance the artist. Mr. Carr Vipont governed this vice-
royalty according to the rules and traditions by which the House of
Montfort had become great and prosperous. For not only every state, but
every great seignorial House has its hereditary maxims of policy,--not
less the House of Montfort than the House of Hapsburg. Now the House of
Montfort made it a rule that all admitted to be members of the family
should help each other; that the head of the House should never, if it
could be avoided, suffer any of its branches to decay and wither into
poverty. The House of Montfort also held it a duty to foster and make
the most of every species of talent that could swell the influence or
adorn the annals of the family. Having rank, having wealth, it sought
also to secure intellect, and to knit together into solid union,
throughout all ramifications of kinship and cousinhood, each variety of
repute and power that could root the ancient tree more firmly in the
land. Agreeably to this traditional policy, Mr. Carr Vipont not only
desired that a Vipont Morley should not lose a very good thing, but that
a very good thing should not lose a Vipont Morley of high academical
distinction,-a Vipont Morley who might be a bishop. He therefore drew up
an admirable letter, which the Marquess signed,--that the Marquess should
take the trouble of copying it was out of the question,--wherein Lord
Montfort was made to express great admiration of the disinterested
delicacy of sentiment, which proved George Vipont Morley to be still more
fitted to the cure of souls; and, placing rooms at Montfort Court at his
service (the Marquess not being himself there at the moment), suggested
that George should talk the matter over with the present incumbent of
Humberston (that town was not many miles distant from Montfort Court),
who, though he had no impediment in his speech, still never himself
preached nor read prayers, owing to an affection of the trachea, and who
was, nevertheless, a most efficient clergy man. George Morley,
therefore, had gone down to Montfort Court some months ago, just after
his interview with Mrs. Crane. He had then accepted an invitation to
spend a week or two with the Rev. Mr. Allsop, the Rector of Humberston; a
clergyman of the old school, a fair scholar, a perfect gentleman, a man
of the highest honour, good-natured, charitable, but who took pastoral
duties much more easily than good clergymen of the new school--be they
high or low-are disposed to do. Mr. Allsop, who was then in his
eightieth year, a bachelor with a very good fortune of his own, was
perfectly willing to fulfil the engagement on which he held his living,
and render it up to George; but he was touched by the earnestness with
which George assured him that at all events he would not consent to
displace the venerable incumbent from a tenure he had so long and
honourably held, and would wait till the living was vacated in the
ordinary course of nature. Mr. Allsop conceived a warm affection for the
young scholar. He had a grand-niece staying with him on a visit, who
less openly, but not less warmly, shared that affection; and with her
George Morley fell shyly and timorously in love. With that living he
would be rich enough to marry; without it, no. Without it he had nothing
but a fellowship, which matrimony would forfeit, and the scanty portion
of a country squire's younger son. The young lady herself was dowerless,
for Allsop's fortune was so settled that no share of it would come to his
grand-niece,--another reason for conscience to gulp down that unhappy
impediment of speech. Certainly, during this visit, Morley's scruples
relaxed; but when he returned home they came back with greater force than
ever,--with greater force, because he felt that now not only a spiritual
ambition, but a human love was a casuist in favour of self-interest. He
had returned on a visit to Humberston Rectory about a week previous to
the date of this chapter; the niece was not there. Sternly he had forced
himself to examine a little more closely into the condition of the flock
which (if he accepted the charge) he would have to guide, and the duties
that devolved upon a chief pastor in a populous trading town. He became
appalled. Humberston, like most towns under the political influence of a
great House, was rent by parties,--one party, who succeeded in returning
one of the two members for Parliament, all for the House of Montfort; the
other party, who returned also their member, all against it. By one half
the town, whatever came from Montfort Court was sure to be regarded with
a most malignant and distorted vision. Meanwhile, though Mr. Allsop was
popular with the higher classes and with such of the extreme poor as his
charity relieved, his pastoral influence generally was a dead letter.
His curate, who preached for him--a good young man, but extremely dull-
was not one of those preachers who fill a church. Tradesmen wanted an
excuse to stay away or choose another place of worship; and they
contrived to hear some passages in the sermons--over which, while the
curate mumbled, they habitually slept--that they declared to be
"Puseyite." The church became deserted; and about the same time a very
eloquent Dissenting minister appeared at Humberston, and even professed
Church folks went to hear him. George Morley, alas! perceived that at
Humberston, if the Church there were to hold her own, a powerful and
popular preacher was essentially required. His mind was now made up. At
Carr Vipont's suggestion the bishop of the diocese, being then at his
palace, had sent to see him; and, while granting the force of his
scruples, had yet said, "Mine is the main responsibility. But if you ask
me to ordain you, I will do so without hesitation; for if the Church
wants preachers, it also wants deep scholars and virtuous pastors."
Fresh from this interview, George Morley came to announce to Lady
Montfort that his resolve was unshaken. She, I have said, paused long
before she answered. "George," she began at last, in a voice so
touchingly sweet that its very sound was balm to a wounded spirit, "I
must not argue with you: I bow before the grandeur of your motives, and I
will not say that you are not right. One thing I do feel, that if you
thus sacrifice your inclinations and interests from scruples so pure and
holy, you will never be to be pitied; you will never know regret. Poor
or rich, single or wedded, a soul that so seeks to reflect heaven will be
serene and blessed." Thus she continued to address him for some time, he
all the while inexpressibly soothed and comforted; then gradually she
insinuated hopes even of a worldly and temporal kind,--literature was
left to him,--the scholar's pen, if not the preacher's voice. In
literature he might make a career that would lead on to fortune. There
were places also in the public service to which a defect in speech was no
obstacle. She knew his secret, modest attachment; she alluded to it just
enough to encourage constancy and rebuke despair. As she ceased, his
admiring and grateful consciousness of his cousin's rare qualities
changed the tide of his emotions towards her from himself, and he
exclaimed with an earnestness that almost wholly subdued his stutter,
"What a counsellor you are! what a soother! If Montfort were but less
prosperous or more ambitious, what a treasure, either to console or to
sustain, in a mind like yours!"
As those words were said, you might have seen at once why Lady Montfort
was called haughty and reserved. Her lip seemed suddenly to snatch back
its sweet smile; her dark eye, before so purely, softly friend-like,
became coldly distant; the tones of her voice were not the same as she
answered,--
"Lord Montfort values me, as it is, far beyond my merits: far," she added
with a different intonation, gravely mournful.
"Forgive me; I have displeased you. I did not mean it. Heaven forbid
that I should presume either to disparage Lord Montfort--or--or to--" he
stopped short, saving the hiatus by a convenient stammer. "Only," he
continued, after a pause, "only forgive me this once. Recollect I was a
little boy when you were a young lady, and I have pelted you with
snowballs, and called you 'Caroline'." Lady Montfort suppressed a sigh,
and gave the young scholar back her gracious smile, but not a smile that
would have permitted him to call her "Caroline" again. She remained,
indeed, a little more distant than usual during the rest of their
interview, which was not much prolonged; for Morley felt annoyed with
himself that he had so indiscreetly offended her, and seized an excuse to
escape. "By the by," said he, "I have a letter from Mr. Carr Vipont,
asking me to give him a sketch for a Gothic bridge to the water yonder.
I will, with your leave, walk down and look at the proposed site. Only
do say that you forgive me."
"Forgive you, cousin George, oh, yes! One word only: it is true you were
a child still when I fancied I was a woman, and you have a right to talk
to me upon all things, except those that relate to me and Lord Montfort;
unless, indeed," she added with a bewitching half laugh, "unless you ever
see cause to scold me, there. Good-by, my cousin, and in turn forgive
me, if I was so petulant. The Caroline you pelted with snowballs was
always a wayward, impulsive creature, quick to take offence, to
misunderstand, and--to repent."
Back into the broad, broad gravel-walk, walked, more slowly than before,
Lady Montfort. Again the sixty ghastly windows stared at her with all
their eyes; back from the gravelwalk, through a side-door into the
pompous solitude of the stately house; across long chambers, where the
mirrors reflected her form, and the huge chairs, in their flaunting
damask and flaring gold, stood stiff on desolate floors; into her own
private room,--neither large nor splendid that; plain chintzes, quiet
book shelves. She need not have been the Marchioness of Montfort to
inhabit a room as pleasant and as luxurious. And the rooms that she
could only have owned as marchioness, what were those worth to her
happiness? I know not. "Nothing," fine ladies will perhaps answer.
Yet those same fine ladies will contrive to dispose their daughters to
answer, "All." In her own room Lady Montfort sank on her chair; wearily,
wearily she looked at the clock; wearily at the books on the shelves, at
the harp near the window. Then she leaned her face on her hand, and that
face was so sad, and so humbly sad, that you would have wondered how any
one could call Lady Montfort proud.
"Treasure! I! I! worthless, fickle, credulous fool! I! I!"
The groom of the chambers entered with the letters by the afternoon post.
That great house contrived to worry itself with two posts a day. A royal
command to Windsor--
"I shall be more alone in a court than here," murmured Lady Montfort.