A Book For The Young by Sarah French

S >> Sarah French >> A Book For The Young

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

"Mighty fine and heroic, to be sure! Is it not a pity Mr. Mortimer
isn't hidden somewhere to hear you, as he was when you sung, and
pretended not to know he was listening. He could see through it,
though, as well as we did; and let, me tell you, artful as you are,
that he is not a bird to be caught with chaff. But there's your money,
so give me a receipt." This, she no sooner received than off she
started.

Helen, who had, with difficulty, restrained her tears, now gave way to
her feelings, and thus relieved her over-charged heart. At this
moment, Mrs. Cameron came in, and having heard all that had passed,
said:

"Never mind, my dear child, we must all be tried, some way or other,
and even this cruel heartless woman could not vex you thus did not God
permit her to do so; we have all, yes, the very best of us, proud,
rebellious hearts, that need chastisement; and it is not for us to
choose, how it is to be done. God knows best; meet it, therefore, my
dear, humbly, as from _Him_, and not _man_; all will yet come right.
You are a good girl; still Helen dear, you need, as we all do, the
chastening of the Almighty, for we every one of us, come short, and
'when weighed in His balance, are found wanting,'"

A few days after this, Henry, who had been out fishing, came in, with
his basket full of trout."

"Look there, Helen," said he, "what do you think of that? There's
trout for you?"

"Why, Henry dear, are you already so expert at fishing?" asked his
sister.

"No," replied Henry, "but a gentleman joined me, and we angled
together. See, what beautiful flies he has given me! He caught three
fish to my one, but he would make me take all. Oh, he's a real nice
fellow. He has hired Mr. Bently's hunting lodge for the season, and
says I may go with him, whenever I please, if you will let me.

"Whenever it does not interfere with your studies, Henry, but you must
mind and not be troublesome to him."

"I'll take care of that; but I forgot to tell you, I met Mrs. Sherman,
as I was coming home, and she wants you to go to tea there, and Susan
is to come down and stay with Fanny."

Mrs. Sherman had seen Mrs. Cameron, and learnt from her the cruel
manner in which Mrs. Falkner had behaved, and kindly desired to have a
chat with Helen, in order to soothe and strengthen her mind, and; if
it were possible, render her less vulnerable to these shafts of
malice. After they had, for some time, discussed the matter:

"Now," said Mrs. Sherman, "let us forget all unpleasantries, and give
me one of your nice songs; I wonder where the Doctor is? he promised
to be in to tea; but, I suppose, he has taken it where he is
detained."

Helen sat down, and played and sang. At length, the Doctor's voice was
heard in the passage; but Mrs. Sherman insisted on her going on, and
held up her finger, as her husband entered, in token of silence. The
Doctor sent Mrs. Sherman to the parlour door, where stood Mr.
Mortimer; when Helen had finished, she turned and saw him. He bowed
and went across to her, and expressed his pleasure in meeting her
again, in such a frank off-hand manner, that our heroine, if such she,
may be called, soon lost all feeling of embarrassment, and went on
playing and singing and the evening passed imperceptibly away. When
the Doctor escorted Helen home, Mr. Mortimer accompanied them to the
gate, leading to the cottage and took his leave.

Their meeting at Dr. Sherman's was entirely the result of accident.
Mr. Mortimer had been on friendly terms at the house ever since he had
been in the neighbourhood, but as both the Doctor and his wife
concluded he was engaged to Miss Falkner, they never thought to ask
him, when Helen was expected, and so tenacious was he, not to win her
affections, till assured he could make her his, that he carefully
assumed an indifference he was far from feeling. He pitied her
position; which he saw was a trying one; and he greatly admired the
way she acquitted herself in it. He gained a great insight into her
character, in his conversations with Henry, who, entirely off his
guard, was very communicative. The following letter, however, from Mr.
Mortimer to an old friend, will best elicit his views and opinions:

"MY DEAR EMMERSON,

"I promised to let you know where I brought up, and here I am,
domiciled in a pretty little country village, where Bently has
property, and I have hired his snug hunting lodge, and, in the mind
I am in, I shall remain the next six months, that is, if when the
term for renting this said lodge expires, I can find a place to
which I can bring my sister Emily, Here there is hardly room enough
for myself and Philips, who is still my factotum, valet, groom, and
I know not what besides; however, he is content, and so am I.
Heartily sick of town, and its conventualities, and tired of being
courted and feted, not for _myself_, but my _fortune_, I care not,
if I never see it again. I am weary, too, of 'single blessedness,'
and yet afraid to venture on matrimony; why is it so few are happy,
who do? There is some grand evil somewhere; but where? 'Aye there's
the rub.' I look narrowly into every family I visit, especially,
the newly married ones, and I see the _effect_, but not the
_cause_. Now, _one_ cannot be without the _other_, we well know. I
fear I expect too much from the other sex, and begin to think there
is more truth than poetry in your observation, that I 'must have a
woman made on purpose for me,' for I certainly do want to find one
very different from most that I have yet seen.

"Travelling between London and Bath, I met my father's old friend
and college chum, Falkner, who finding I had no settled plans,
persuaded me to take Bently's hunting lodge, which is in the
vicinity of his villa. Falkner is a worthy good creature, whom I
should give credit for a great deal of common sense, were he not so
completely under the dominion of his wife, a perfect Xantippe; by
the bye, I think, however wise he might be in some respects, that
Master Socrates was a bit of a goose, particularly if, as history
maintains, he did, he knew what a virago he was taking. But,
however deficient in her duty as a wife, Mrs. Falkner goes to the
other extreme, and overacts her part as a mother; but I am very
ungrateful in thus animadverting on her behaviour, for you must
know, she has singled out your humble servant as a most especial
favourite; and though _she does not wish her girls married_, takes
right good care to let me know that she thinks the woman who gets
me, will be lucky; and that, much as she would grieve to part from
one of her daughters, yet, were an eligible chance to offer, she
would throw no obstacles in the way. I do verily believe she has
discarded a little girl who taught her daughters music, solely for
fear I should fall in love with her; and certainly, she is as far
superior to the Misses Falkner as she well can be, both in
attainments and personal attractions. I am so afraid of coming to a
hasty conclusion, but own myself greatly prepossessed in her
favour. She has been well and carefully brought up; I have watched
her in church, and have marked an unaffected devotion, which I have
seen carried to the sick and suffering poor around her. She has
lost both parents, and now by her talents, supports an orphan
brother and sister. The former, an intelligent interesting boy of
thirteen, is a frequent companion of mine, and if I can, without
wounding the delicacy of the sister, I trust to be of some future
service to him. I have, indirectly, and, perhaps, you will say,
unfairly questioned the boy, and all tells in her favour; now, here
it must be genuine. Miss Willoughby plays and sings like a Syren;
but then, so does many a pretty trifler. Beauty and accomplishments
are very well to pass an evening away; but in a companion for life,
_far more_ is required; much more than these must _I_ find in a
woman, ere I venture to ask her to be mine. I am heartily tired of
my present life; it is a lonely stupid way of living; living! I
don't live, I merely vegetate! I have no taste for dissipation;
neither have I any great predilection for field sports.

"Miss Willoughby is, I think, far superior to the generality of her
sex, but she shall never have an idea of my partiality, till I am
thoroughly persuaded she can make me happy; for although she may
not come up to my standard of female perfection, she is far too
amiable and too forlorn to be trifled with; and, therefore, I will
not try to win her affections, till I know I can reciprocate them.
With regard to the Falkners, I will be guarded. I respect the old
man sincerely, and his family; farther, deponent sayeth not. He is
the beau ideal of a country squire, and I think you will like him!
They are all remarkably civil, and I must, for many reasons, keep
up an intercourse, or give room elsewhere of having my plans
suspected, The whole village, I believe have given me to one of the
Falkners. I do not wish even the worthy Dr. Sherman and his
excellent wife to suspect that I feel more than a common interest
in their protegee. I wish you would come down for a month, I think
you would like this part of the country, and I am sure you and Mr.
Falkner would get on together. Neither have I the slightest doubt,
but you would be pleased with the Shermans; they are gems, perfect
gems, in their way. And as to Miss Willoughby,--but come and judge
for yourself. You are engaged, or I might not, perhaps, be so
pressing.

"Just as I was concluding this, a letter was brought by the mail,
from a distant relative, who is just returned from India. It was
hastily written, and sent off while the ship was laying in the
Downs, requesting me, if possible, to meet him at Deal. So I am off
for a short time, and will write to you directly I return. Till
when, farewell.

"Ever faithfully yours,

"GEORGE."

Every meeting increased Helen's respect for Mr. Mortimer; she often
met him at Dr. Sherman's, but it seemed always the result of chance,
nor had she the slightest idea that he felt for her other, than the
esteem of a friend. The village gave him to one of the Misses Falkner,
and Helen took it for granted it was so. She rather regretted it, as
she thought him too good, and feared they could, neither of them,
appreciate his worth. She occasionally met the Falkners at Dr.
Sherman's, when the eldest young lady always took care to monopolize
him, which, for reasons of his own, he readily fell into. When he took
leave to go to Deal, Helen could not help fancying there was a
tenderness and peculiarity in his tone, as he addressed her, and yet
she thought she must be mistaken, and that it was only his natural
friendly warmth of manner, for she had none of that silly vanity, that
leads many girls to fancy, because a man is kind and attentive, he
must be in love.

She missed him greatly, for latterly he had accompanied her in her
songs, and supplied her with music and books; still, all was done
under the mask of friendship, and duplicates of these little presents
were generally procured for Falkner Villa. Also, Henry, too, was sadly
at a loss for his companion; all his out door amusements seemed to
have lost their interest, and he began to look anxiously for the time
proposed for his return. A room was prepared both for Mr. Mortimer,
and his cousin, at Mr. Falkner's. On his return, however, he preferred
going to his own quarters, leaving Sir Horace Mortimer, his relative,
to the hospitalities of Falkner Villa.

Sir Horace Mortimer's stay with them, opened a fresh field for Mrs.
Falkner's speculations, and not being either so fastidious or
clear-sighted as his cousin George, Sir Horace, at one time, bid fair
to set the former an example.

They were all assembled at Dr. Sherman's a few nights after Mr.
Mortimer's return, when Sir Horace was introduced, to Helen. He almost
started, but said nothing; however his eyes were so completely riveted
on her, that he became quite absent--in short, his fixed gaze became
painful. Dr. Sherman was, during the evening, called to the door, when
he received a parcel from London, carriage paid, which the man said he
had promised to place in the Doctor's own hand. The worthy man
wondering from whom it could possibly come, retired to his own room
and opened it. It contained Mrs. Willoughby's portrait and the pocket
book; the latter he locked up carefully; the former he was carrying to
Helen: who being engaged with Mrs. Sherman in the adjoining room, he
showed it to Sir Horace Mortimer, with whom he had just been
conversing about Helen, and her orphan charge.

"Can it be possible," said he "or do my eyes deceive me?"

The Doctor looked inquiringly, but Sir Horace said no more. At last he
went up to the Doctor, and asked if Helen was expecting the arrival of
the miniature? Dr. Sherman replied, she knew it was safe, but was
quite uncertain when it might arrive.

"Then my dear sir, would you trust me with it till to-morrow morning?
when I will restore it at an early hour," I would not ask, but for
very particular reasons, connected it may be, of much moment to that
dear girl: if as I strongly suspect, I have seen that miniature
before, there is a secret and very minute spring, which I could not
well ascertain without my glasses. Believe me, my dear Doctor, I have
very cogent reasons for my request, and I feel no common interest in
Miss Willoughby: but we are attracting the notice of those people I am
staying with, who are not at all friendly disposed towards her; in
fact, they have done all in their power to prejudice me against her.

The Doctor marvelled much at the request; but readily acceeded to
it--and then both he and Sir Horace Mortimer, joined in the general
conversation.

When the little party broke up, Sir Horace Mortimer undertook to be
Helen's escort, and offered her his arm. Miss Falkner having come with
him, quietly took the other. When they reached Helen's abode, which
was in the way to Falkner Villa, at parting, Sir Horace requested
permission to call and see her at an hour he named next day, and she
promised to be ready.

"Will you send your young brother for me? I have heard much of him;
and must make his acquaintance."

"Oh," said Miss Falkner, "we are going to call at the cottage
to-morrow, and I will be your guide. We have long been intending to
pay a visit to Miss Willoughby, mamma is anxious to apologize for some
little misunderstanding." Helen tried to speak, but her words could
find no utterance, in reply to the impertinent speech of Miss Falkner,
but shaking Sir Horace warmly by the hand, she bowed and went into her
home.

At breakfast Miss Falkner told her mother, that as Sir Horace
Mortimer, had made an appointment to visit Miss Willoughby; they could
avail themselves of his escort, and go with him. This I beg leave to
say, though apparently the thought of the moment, was a _preconcerted_
proposition: but one which Sir Horace declared impossible! as he had
particular business with Miss Willoughby, at which none but Dr.
Sherman, and Mrs. Cameron could be present. This was spoken so
decidedly, that no further opposition was made to his wish to go
alone.

But both mother and daughters were sadly puzzled. Conjecture was rife
among them the whole morning: at last they came to the conclusion that
he had made up his mind to propose for Helen--it must be so, else why
Dr. Sherman and Mrs. Cameron present?--this point, therefore, was
settled--at least with the Falkners, of her acceptance of him, a rich
East Indian, oh there could be no doubt of that. And the elder Miss
Falkner could breathe again, since she was free to captivate Mr.
George Mortimer, with whom she was desperately in love. Thus do vain
and silly people jump at conclusions and thus is half the business of
a country town, or village, settled without any concurrence, or even
knowledge of those most concerned.

The request of Sir Horace Mortimer set Helen wondering, and certainly
deprived her of some hours sleep. His peculiar manner and his ardent
gaze, too, recurred to her mind, as she lay thinking on the subject.

She was completely puzzled, he was a perfect stranger whom she had
never before seen, nor he her, what could it mean? Would not some have
concluded he was in love with her, but a man old enough to be her
father! Such an idea never entered her head: in fact she could make no
probable guess, so she determined to make a virtue of necessity, and
wait quietly, till he came. Early the next day, she sent for Mrs.
Cameron, and told her of the appointment Sir Horace had made, and as
she thought it more than probable, the Falkners might accompany him,
as they spoke of doing so over night, she wished her friend to be with
her. But we have already seen that Sir Horace had decidedly expressed
his determination to go alone. Mrs. Cameron was equally perplexed with
Helen, as to his object. She thought perhaps he had mistaken Helen's
likeness, to some one he was attached to in his early years, and
applying her favorite well-founded maxim and belief in an over-ruling
Providence, made up her mind, that however the mistake might be; it
would end in the orphans finding a sincere friend in the Baronet or
the rich Nabob, as the people termed him.

Whatever were the surmises of Sir Horace Mortimer, he was perfectly
satisfied with the result of his private examination of the miniature
for he exclaimed to himself, "God be praised! it must indeed be so,"
saying this, he put it in his pocket, and joined the Falkner family at
breakfast, where the conversation before related, took place.

On his way to Helen's, he met his cousin, and they walked on together.
At length Sir Horace Mortimer asked, "George, my boy do you not begin
to think of marrying; it is in my opinion, high time you should--let
me see; you must be eight and twenty, why you are losing time sadly,
take care I don't get spliced first, as sailors say."

"Why sir, they do say Maria Falkner has certainly made a conquest of
you."

"They do, do they: its very kind of them to settle so important a
point for me. Do you approve the match."

"I think there are many who would make you happier."

"Miss Willoughby, for instance!" said Sir Horace.

"Miss Willoughby! sir."

"Yes, Miss Willoughby, George, what objection? Should I be the first
old man, who has married a young girl? and made her happy too. I
intend to make her a proposal to-day."

"You! sir; you surely don't mean what you say!"

"But I do, though; I was never more in earnest in my life. But, eh,
George! what is the matter? you change colour. You don't want her
yourself? You know you can't marry her and Miss Falkner too."

"I marry Miss Falkner? Never; I would sooner be wedded to--"

"Hold! my boy; I know the workings of that wayward heart of yours,
better than you think; and, therefore, let us understand each other;
at any rate, let me be clearly understood, when I say, that unless you
make up your mind to marry Helen Willoughby, I shall."

"But, my dear Sir Horace, though I greatly admire and esteem her far
beyond any woman I ever saw. Yet I am,----" and he paused.

"You are what? Shall I tell you? You are so very fastidious, that you
are refining away your happiness, like anything but a sensible man.
You don't expect perfection, do you? The long and the short of the
matter, is this: in your haste to answer my letter from the Downs, you
sent me, by mistake, a confidential epistle, which you had intended
for some intimate friend. Not having any signature, I went on reading
it, nor till you adverted to my arrival off Deal, was I aware who was
the writer. It was a lucky _contre temps_, it gave me a better insight
into your views and character, than years of common intercourse could
have done. I admire your principles, though I think you carry them a
little too far. Now don't blame me, as I again repeat, you omitted
your name at the end. So no more nonsense, my lad; 'screw up your
courage to the sticking point,' and go, and propose for the girl at
once. You must do it, I tell you, or I disinherit you, and give her
every penny; and, as I before said, myself into the bargain. But I am
off to Sherman's and thence, to Miss Willoughby, where I shall expect
you in an hour, so you had best be on the alert. You will not be the
first young man who has been outwitted by an old one, so mind." Saying
this, he left his young relative, who was not, however, very tardy in
following advice so consonant to his own wishes.

It may be thought George Mortimer was too particular, but be it
remembered, it was a most honorable feeling that led to his
deliberation; viz., the firm resolve not to win Helen's, affections,
and then leave her. No, he nobly resolved first to learn the state of
his own feelings; and well would it be if many others would act
equally generous. But no! however men decry beauty, they are all its
slaves, and it ever wins a willing homage from them. They are won by
the attractions of a pretty face, and are in consequence, most
particular in their attentions to its possessor; who is thus singled
out, and in all probability, is subject to the jokes of her friends
till from so constantly hearing, she is beloved, she believes it to be
so, nor awakes from her dream, till she sees herself supplanted by a
newer or prettier face. This is a crying evil: a bad state of things;
and in regretting it, we must not lay the blame wholly on the opposite
sex. There is doubtless too much credulity in the ladies, but this
credulity would be greatly diminished, were they more frequently met
and treated as rational beings, and they would much sooner become so:
for they would have an object in it. How much would the state of
society be improved, could there be a little reform on the side of
each sex. Let the man, as the superior, commence; he will find his
young female friends, beings capable of more than the small talk, with
which they are too generally amused; and I think they will soon be
better prepared for sensible conversation; and then let the ladies on
their part be a little more sceptical in believing the flattery and
adulation of the men, and not fancy every gentleman, who is friendly
and attentive in perhaps merely a general way, in love with her. As in
everything else, there are exceptions, here I only speak of
generalities, and I trust not with acerbity. A very little of mutual
effort, would bring about a great improvement in these matters. The
_young_ have great influence on the _young_, particularly in the
formation of character, and well for those who exercise it
beneficially.

When Sir Horace Mortimer went into the cottage, he had hardly shaken
hands than he asked Helen her mother's maiden name.

"Brereton," she replied.

"Brereton?" said he "not Anna Brereton, for she married a Lieutenant
Bateson; am I wrong then, after all?"

"Papa changed his name," said Helen, "on receiving some, property,
which we afterwards found he had no claim to."

"Then, my beloved girl, in me you behold your uncle William. You have
heard your mother speak of me."

"Oh, yes, frequently! she always said, had you been at home, you would
have brought about a reconciliation with grand-papa."

"Do you ever see or hear of your Aunt Elinor; she was engaged when I
went away, to a Mr. Selwyn, and it was thought to be a good match."

Helen told him she had received two letters from Mrs. Selwyn.

"Which two letters I must see, for I suspect she has slighted you. As
to you, my dear Mrs. Cameron, what can I ever say to you and your
worthy brother, or the kind Mrs. Sherman, I meant to have had the
Doctor with me; but just as we were leaving his door, he was called
away to somebody taken suddenly ill. Helen, there is your mother's
portrait, which was taken for me, but I sailed before it was
completed. I gave the order myself and a pattern; Sherman received it
last night, and this led to my discovering you. Though I was much
struck when I first saw you, by your strong likeness, to your mother,
I never expected, to see any of you."

"But why, dearest uncle have we heard, nothing of you for so long a
time?"

"That my child is a long story, which time will not allow me to go
into now: you shall have it some of these days; as I see George
coming, whom I desired to follow me here, as I recommended him to
consult you about his proposing to Miss Falkner."

"Me!" said Helen, "consult _me_?" and she colored deeply.

"Why not, you are second or third cousins; and he has a great opinion
of your judgement."

"Well sir," said the Baronet to Mr. Mortimer, as he entered, "the hour
has not yet expired: however you have given me time to tell Helen, how
nearly she and I are related, for her mother was my own sister!"

"Is it possible!" cried the astonished George.

"Yes, and I told her you were coming to consult her upon several
matters." As he spoke this, he stole his hat and slipped off giving a
significant look at Mrs. Cameron, who followed the old gentleman to
the garden, and there learnt what he had gleaned from George
Mortimer's letter, to Mr. Emmerson, viz., that he was much attached to
Helen--and added he had no doubt but they should soon have a job for
Mr. Montgomery, to marry them.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8