She then led me aside and said, "I must beg your pardon, Valerie, I did
not--"
"Nay," replied I, interrupting her, "I was too hasty and too proud."
"You are a good kind-hearted girl, Valerie--but let us say no more about
it. Now introduce me to your friends."
I did so. Madame Bathurst was most gracious, and appeared very much
struck with Adele Chabot, and entered into conversation with her, and
certainly Adele would not have been taken for a French teacher by her
appearance. There was something very aristocratic about her. While
they were in converse, a very gentlemanlike man raised his hat to Madame
Bathurst, as I thought, and passed on. Adele coloured up, I observed,
as if she knew him, but did not return the salute, which Madame Bathurst
did.
"Do you know that gentleman, Mademoiselle Chabot?" inquired Caroline.
"I thought he bowed to you, and not to aunt."
"I have seen him before," replied Adele, carelessly, "but I forget his
name."
"Then I can tell you," added Madame Bathurst, "It is Colonel Jervis, a
very fashionable man, but not a very great favourite of mine, not that I
have any thing to accuse him of, particularly, except that he is said to
be a very worldly man."
"Is he of good family?" inquired Adele.
"Oh, yes, unexceptionable on that point; but it is time for me to go.
There it my party coming down the walk. Caroline, dear, I will call
upon you to-morrow at three o'clock, and then we will make our
arrangements."
Madame Bathurst then bade adieu to Mr Selwyn, and the rest, saying to
me, "_Au revoir_, Valerie."
Shortly afterwards, we agreed to leave. As Mr Selwyn was returning to
Kew, I would not accept the offer of his carriage to take Caroline and
me to London, the glass-coach, round as a pumpkin, would hold six, and
we all went away together.
I was very much pleased at thus meeting with Madame Bathurst, and our
reconciliation, and quite as much so for Caroline's sake; for, although
she had at first said that she would write to her aunt, she had put it
off continually for reasons which she had never expressed to me. I
rather think that she feared her aunt might prove a check on her, and I
was, therefore, very glad that they had met, as now Madame Bathurst
would look after her.
During the evening, I observed that Adele and Caroline had a long
conversation _sotto voce_. I suspected that the gentleman, at whose
appearance she had coloured up, was the subject of it. The next day
Madame Bathurst called, and heard a detailed account of all that had
passed from Caroline and from me since we had parted. She said that as
Caroline was put to the school by her father, of course she could not
remove her, but that she would call and see her as often as she could.
She congratulated me upon my little independence, and trusted that we
should ever be on friendly terms, and that I would come and visit her
whenever my avocations would permit me. As there were still three weeks
of the holidays remaining, she proposed that we should come and pass a
portion of the time with her at a villa which she had upon the banks of
the Thames.
She said that Caroline's father and mother were down at Brighton, giving
very gay parties. Having arranged the time that the carriage should
come for us on the following day, she kissed us both affectionately, and
went away.
The next day we were at Richmond in a delightful cottage _ornee_; and
there we remained for more than a fortnight. To me it was a time of
much happiness, for it was like the renewal of old times, and I was
sorry when the visit was over.
On my return, I found a pressing invitation for Caroline and me to go to
Kew, and remain two or three days; and, as we had still time to pay the
visit, it was accepted; but, before we went Adele came to see us, and,
after a little general conversation, requested that she might speak to
me in my own room.
"Valerie," said Adele, as soon as we were seated, "I know that you think
me a wild girl, and perhaps I am so; but I am not quite so wild as I
thought myself, for now that I am in a critical position, I come to you
for advice, and for advice against my own feelings, for I tell you
frankly, that I am very much in love--and moreover--which you may _well_
suppose, most anxious to be relieved from the detestable position of a
French teacher in a boarding-school. I now have the opportunity, and
yet I dread to avail myself of it, and I therefore come to you, who are
so prudent and so sage, to request, after you have heard what I have to
impart, you will give me your real opinion as to what I ought to do.
You recollect I told you a gentleman had followed me at Brighton, and
how for mere frolic, I had led him to suppose that I was Caroline
Stanhope, I certainly did not expect to see him again, but I did three
days after I came up from Brighton. The girl had evidently copied the
address on my trunk for him, and he followed me up, and he accosted me
as I was walking home. He told me that he had never slept since he had
first seen me, and that he was honourably in love with me. I replied
that he was mistaken in supposing that I was Caroline Stanhope; that my
name was Adele Chabot, and that now that I had stated the truth to him
he would alter his sentiments. He declared that he should not, pressed
me to allow him to call, which I refused, and such was our first
interview."
"I did not see him again until at the horticultural fete, when I was
talking to Madame Bathurst. He had told me that he was an officer in
the army, but he did not mention his name. You recollect what Madame
Bathurst said about him, and who he was. Since you have been at
Richmond, he has contrived to see me every day, and I will confess that
latterly I have not been unwilling to meet him, for every day I have
been more pleased with him. On our first meeting after the fete, I told
him that he still supposed me to be Caroline Stanhope, and that seeing
me walking with Caroline's aunt had confirmed him in his idea, but I
assured him that I was Adele Chabot, a girl without fortune, and not, as
he supposed a great heiress. His answer was that any acquaintance of
Madame Bathurst's must be a lady, and that he had never inquired or
thought about my fortune. That my having none would prove the
disinterestedness of his affection for me, and that he required me and
nothing more. I have seen him every day almost since then; he has given
me his name and made proposals to me, notwithstanding my reiterated
assertions that I am Adele Chabot, and not Caroline Stanhope. One thing
is certain, that I am very much attached to him, and if I do not marry
him I shall be very miserable for a long time," and here Adele burst
into tears.
"But why do you grieve, Adele?" said I, "You like him, and he offers to
marry you. My advice is very simple,--marry him."
"Yes," replied Adele, "if all was as it seems. I agree with you that my
course is clear; but, notwithstanding his repeated assertions that he
loves me as Adele Chabot, I am convinced in my own mind that he still
believes me to be Caroline Stanhope. Perhaps he thinks that I am a
romantic young lady who is determined to be married _pour ses beaux
yeux_ alone, and conceals her being an heiress on that account, and he
therefore humours me by pretending to believe that I am a poor girl
without a shilling. Now, Valerie, here is my difficulty. If I were to
marry him, as he proposes, when he comes to find out that he has been
deceiving himself, and that I am not the heiress, will he not be angry,
and perhaps disgusted with me--will he not blame me instead of himself,
as people always do, and will he not ill-treat me? If he did, it would
break my heart, for I love him--_love_ him dearly. Then, on the other
hand, I may be wrong, and he may be, as he says, in love with Adele
Chabot, so that I shall have thrown away my chance of happiness from an
erroneous idea. What shall I do, Valerie? Do advise me."
"Much will depend on the character of the man, Adele. You have some
insight into people's characters, what idea have you formed of his?"
"I hardly can say, for when men profess to be in love they are such
deceivers. Their faults are concealed, and they assume virtues which
they do not possess. On my first meeting with him, I thought that he
was a proud man--perhaps I might say a vain man--but, since I have seen
more of him, I think I was wrong."
"No, Adele, depend upon it you were right; at that time you were not
blinded as you are now. Do you think him a good-tempered man?"
"Yes, I firmly believe that he is. I made a remark at Brighton: a child
that had its fingers very dirty ran out to him, and as it stumbled
printed the marks of its fingers upon his white trousers, so that he was
obliged to return home and change them. Instead of pushing the child
away, he saved it from falling, saying, `Well, my little man, it's
better that I should change my dress than that you should have broken
your head on the pavement.'"
"Well, Adele, I agree with you that it is a proof of great good temper."
"Well, then, Valerie, what do you think?"
"I think that it is a lottery; but all marriages are lotteries, with
more blanks than prizes. You have done all you can to undeceive him, if
he still deceives himself. You can do no more. I will assume that he
does deceive himself, and that disappointment and irritation will be the
consequence of his discovery that you have been telling the truth. If
he is a vain man, he will not like to acknowledge to the world that he
has been his own dupe. If he is a good-hearted man, he will not long
continue angry; but, Adele, much depends upon yourself. You must
forbear all recrimination--you must exert all your talents of pleasing
to reconcile him to his disappointment; and, if you act wisely, you will
probably succeed: indeed, unless the man is a bad-hearted man, you must
eventually succeed. You best know your own powers, and must decide for
yourself."
"It is that feeling--that almost certain feeling that I shall be able to
console him for his disappointment, that impels me on. Valerie, I will
make him love me, I am determined."
"And when a woman is determined on that point, she invariably succeeds
in the end, Adele. This is supposing that he is deceiving himself,
which may not be the case, Adele, for I do think you have sufficient
attractions to make a man love you for yourself alone; and recollect
that such may be the case in the present instance. It may be that at
first he followed you as an heiress, and has since found out that if not
an heiress, you are a very charming woman, and has in consequence been
unable to resist your influence. However, there is only one to whom the
secrets of the heart are known. I consider that you have acted
honourably, and if you choose to risk the hazard of the die, no one can
attach blame to you."
"Thank you, Valerie, you have taken a great load off my heart. If you
think I am not doing wrong, I will risk every thing."
"Well, Adele, let you decide how you may, I hope you will prosper. For
my part, I would not cross the street for the best man that ever was
created. As friends, they are all very well; as advisers in some cases
they are useful; but, when you talk of marrying one, and becoming his
slave, that is quite another affair. What were you and Caroline talking
about so earnestly in the corner?"
"I will confess the truth, it was of love and marriage, with an episode
about Mr Charles Selwyn, of whom Caroline appears to have a very good
opinion."
"Well, Adele, I must go down again now. If you wish any advice at any
future time, such as it is, it is at your service. You are making `A
Bold Stroke for a Husband' that's certain. However, the title of
another play is `All's Well that Ends Well.'"
"Well, I will follow out your playing upon plays, Valerie, by saying
that with you `Love's Labour's Lost.'"
"Exactly," replied I, "because I consider it `Much Ado About Nothing.'"
The next day, Lionel came to bid me farewell, as he was returning to
Paris. During our sojourn at Madame Bathurst's, he had been down to see
his uncle, and had been very kindly received. I wrote to Madame
d'Albret, thanking her for her presents, which, valuable as they were, I
would not return after what she had said, and confided to Lionel a box
of the flowers in wax that I was so successful in imitating, and which I
requested her to put on her side table in remembrance of me. Mr Selwyn
sent the carriage at the time appointed, and we went down to Kew, where
I was as kindly received as before.
What Adele told me of the conversation between Caroline and her made me
watchful, and before our visit was out I had made up my mind that there
was a mutual feeling between her and young Mr Selwyn. When we were
going away, this was confirmed, but I took no notice. But, although I
made no remark, this commencement of an attachment between Caroline and
him occupied my mind during the whole of our journey to town.
In Caroline's position, I was not decided if I would encourage it and
assist it. Charles Selwyn was a gentleman by birth and profession, a
very good-looking and very talented young man. All his family were
amiable, and he himself remarkably kind-hearted and well-disposed. That
Caroline was not likely to return to her father's house, where I felt
assured that she was miserable, was very evident, and that she would
soon weary of the monotony of a school at her age was also to be
expected. There was, therefore, every probability that she would, if
she found an opportunity, run away, as she stated to me she would, and
it was ten chances to one that in so doing she would make an unfortunate
match, either becoming the prey of some fortune-hunter, or connecting
herself with some thoughtless young man.
Could she do better than marry Mr Selwyn? Certainly not. That her
father and mother, who thought only of dukes and earls, would give their
consent, was not very likely. Should I acquaint Madame Bathurst? That
would be of little use, as she would not interfere. Should I tell Mr
Selwyn's father? No. If a match at all, it must be a runaway match,
and Mr Selwyn, senior, would never sanction any thing of the kind. I
resolved, therefore, to let the affair ripen as it might. It would
occupy Caroline, and prevent her doing a more foolish thing, even if it
were to be ultimately broken off by unforeseen circumstances. Caroline
was as much absorbed by her own thoughts as I was during the ride, and
not a syllable was exchanged between us till we were roused by the
rattling over the stones.
"My dear Caroline, what a reverie you have been in," said I.
"And you, Valerie."
"Why I have been thinking; certainly, when I cannot have a more
agreeable companion, I amuse myself with my own thoughts."
"Will you tell me what you have been thinking about?"
"Yes, Caroline, provided you will be equally confiding."
"I will, I assure you."
"Well, then, I was thinking of a gentleman."
"And so was I," replied Caroline.
"Mine was a very handsome, clever young man."
"And so was mine," replied she.
"But I am not smitten with him," continued I.
"I cannot answer that question," replied Caroline, "because I do not
know who you were thinking about."
"You must answer the question as to the gentleman you were thinking of,
Caroline. I repeat that I am not smitten with him, and that his name is
Mr Charles Selwyn."
"I was also thinking of Mr Charles Selwyn," replied Caroline.
"And you are not smitten with him any more than I am, or he is with
you?" continued I, smiling, and looking her full in the face.
Caroline coloured, and said, "I like him very much from what I have seen
of him, Valerie; but recollect our acquaintance has been very short."
"A very proper answer, my dear Caroline, and given with due maidenly
decorum--but here we are; and there is Madame Gironac nodding to us from
the window."
The next day, Caroline went back to Mrs Bradshaw's, and I did not see
her till the music-lesson of Wednesday afterwards. Caroline, who had
been watching for me, met me at the door.
"Oh! Valerie, I have a great deal to tell. In the first place, the
establishment is in an uproar at the disappearance of Adele Chabot, who
has removed her clothes, and gone off without beat of drum. One of the
maids states that she has several times seen her walking and talking
with a tall gentleman, and Mrs Bradshaw thinks that the reputation of
her school is ruined by Adele's flight. She has drunk at least two
bottles of eau-de-Cologne and water to keep off the hysterics, and is
now lying on the sofa, talking in a very incoherent way. Miss Phipps
says she thinks her head is affected."
"I should think it was," replied I. "Well, is that all?"
"All! why, Valerie, you appear to think nothing of an elopement. All!
why is it not horrible?"
"I do not think it very horrible, Caroline; but I am glad to find that
you have such correct ideas on that point, as it satisfies me that
nothing would induce you to take such a step."
"Well," replied Caroline, quickly, "what I had also to communicate is,
that I have seen my father, who informed me that on their return from
Brighton in October, they expect that I will come home. He said that it
was high time that I was settled in life, and that I could not expect to
be married if I remained at a boarding-school."
"Well, and what did you say?"
"I said that I did not expect to be married, and I did not wish it; that
I thought my education was far from complete, and that I wished to
improve myself."
"Well?"
"Then he said that he should submit to my caprices no longer, and that I
should go back in October, as he had decided."
"Well?"
"Well, I said no more, and he went away."
Having received all this intelligence, I went up stairs. I found Mrs
Bradshaw crying bitterly, and she threw herself into my arms.
"Oh, Mademoiselle Chatenoeuf!--the disgrace!--the ruin!--I shall never
get over it," exclaimed she.
"I see no disgrace or ruin, Mrs Bradshaw. Adele has told me that a
gentleman had proposed marriage to her, and asked my advice."
"Indeed!" exclaimed Mrs Bradshaw.
"Yes."
"Well, that alters the case; but still, why did she leave in this
strange way?"
"I presume the gentleman did not think it right that she should marry
out of a young ladies' establishment, madam."
"Very true: I did not think of that."
"After all, what is it? Your French teacher is married--surely that
will not injure your establishment?"
"No, certainly--why should it?--but the news came upon me so abruptly,
that it quite upset me. I will lie down a little, and my head will soon
be better."
Time went on; so did the school. Miss Adele, that was, sent no
wedding-cake, much to the astonishment of the young ladies; and it was
not till nearly three weeks afterwards that I had a letter from Adele
Chabot, now Mrs Jervis. But, before I give the letter to my readers, I
must state, that Mr Selwyn, junior, had called upon me the day before
Caroline went to school, and had had a long conversation with her, while
I went out to speak with Madame Gironac on business: further, that Mr
Selwyn, junior, called upon me a few days afterwards, and after a little
common-place conversation, _a l'anglaise_, about the weather, he asked
after Miss Caroline Stanhope, and then asked many questions. As I knew
what he wished, I made to him a full statement of her position, and the
unpleasant predicament in which she was placed. I also stated my
conviction that she was not likely to make a happy match, if her husband
were selected by her father and mother; and how much I regretted it, as
she was a very amiable, kind-hearted girl, who would make an excellent
wife to anyone deserving of her. He thought so, too, and professed
great admiration of her; and having, as he thought, pumped me
sufficiently, he took his leave.
A few days afterwards, he came upon some pretended message from his
father, and then I told him that she was to be removed in October. This
appeared to distress him; but he did not forget to pull out of his
pocket a piece of music, sealed up, telling me that, by mistake,
Caroline had left two pieces of music at Kew, and had taken away one
belonging to his sister Mary; that he returned one, but the other was
mislaid, and would be returned as soon as it was found; and would I
oblige him so far as to request Miss Stanhope to send him the piece of
music belonging to his sister, if she could lay her hand upon it?
"Well, I will do your bidding, Mr Selwyn," replied I; "it is a very
proper message for a music-mistress to take; and I will also bring back
your sister's music, when Caroline gives it me, and you can call here
for it. If I am out, you can ask Madame Gironac to give it to you."
Upon which, with many thanks and much gratitude for my kindness, Mr
Selwyn withdrew.
Having made all this known to the reader, he shall now have the contents
of Adele's letter.