Duty and Inclination/Chapter 25
CHAPTER IV.
"No more with affection shall memory blending,
The wonted delights of our childhood retrace,
When pride steels the bosom, the heart is unbending,
And what would be justice appears a disgrace."
Byron.
Thus far the matrimonial scheme so zealously contemplated by Mr. and Mrs. Blake in favour of their son had been successful; and the father was about demanding of the General the accomplished Oriana for his daughter-in-law, when, at so important a crisis of bright and flattering expectation to all parties, so untoward was their destiny, that suddenly clouds began to darken and deform the fair prospect that had arisen so cheering to their view.
It chanced that amongst the numerous votaries of fashion and pleasure who were assembled to partake of the gaieties of the place, Mrs. Arden, accompanied by her husband, had come, as their custom was, to spend a month or two during the spring season at Bath.
The General had at different intervals maintained a correspondence with his sister, which, on either side, had not been deficient in professions of mutual affection, and, on the part of Mrs. Arden, a kind interest for the welfare of her nieces. Previous to the appointment of De Brooke in Ireland, she had ever acted in concert with Sir Aubrey; but at that period to have softened her father's displeasure against her brother might have been beyond her power. The sanguine temper of De Brooke and his generous disposition inclined him to hope the best, and to put the most favourable construction on the proceedings of his sister.
But the period had now arrived which was to put her sincerity to the test, and to prove what were the genuine sentiments of her heart. Residing in the same town, thought the General, by her display of opulence, her splendid equipage and sumptuous style of living commanding the attention of the public, on the tenor of her conduct, as regards my family, will depend its elevation or its fall. From the many inquiries her letters had contained respecting his daughters, it was natural for him to suppose she would rejoice upon an occasion being presented of forming their personal acquaintance, and of receiving them at her house; but he resolved that unless they were to be accompanied by their mother, she should never have that gratification: however fatal had been the circumstances connected with his clandestine marriage, time, together with the approved and known worth of the partner whom, under such powerful incitements and interesting circumstances, he had selected, combined also with the publicity which he had given to his marriage, was certainly sufficient to do away the past, and elicit for the future sentiments towards him of greater philanthropy and brotherly love.
With these reflections he embraced the earliest opportunity of paying his sister a visit, when, if his reception was not so cordial as he might have desired, it was not such, however, as to provoke his displeasure. Having, since her union with Mr. Arden, learnt the art of dissembling, it was not difficult for her to assume a sort of demeanour and routine of expression in which the natural feelings had no share: add to this the constant habit of submitting her opinions to the rule of her husband's, who, as a man remarkable for acute perceptions, was highly respected and considered by her as an oracle of wisdom, he became the complete guide and arbiter of her most minute decisions.
The result of this conformity was an almost total extinction of the affection, at no time immoderate in degree, she had hitherto entertained for her brother, whose fraternal feelings, on the other hand, had suffered no abatement from absence or time, being only suspended in consequence of her past neglect, and the uncertainty of her future conduct relative to his family. For the sight of her was well calculated to renew the pleasing memory of early years; her only brother, and she his only sister, when living under the roof of his honoured and respected mother, they naturally felt an interest in each other, the greater in proportion as it was undivided.
It cannot be doubted, however, that in her case new connexions and associations had gone far to obliterate the old, when even De Brooke's mind continued to be chiefly occupied with the same train of ideas that had mingled themselves with the first impressions which the news of his sister's arrival had awakened. Full of anxious concern, therefore, on a subject that still lay nearest his heart, he would have given utterance to his wishes, but forbore to do so, supposing that on such a point it rested more with his sister to be the first to mention, viz. that of the introduction to her of his wife and daughters. Finding, however, that she remained perfectly silent on that head, after a due interval he took his leave, retiring from her house more depressed in spirits than when he entered it; nor did he think proper, under existing circumstances, to renew his visit, until Mr. Arden had in his turn made his call upon him.
Frequently the General met him in public, when he never failed to join his promenade, and to enter with him on topics of conversation. Happening on one of these occasions to approach near the house of De Brooke, he was induced to enter, and the General conducted him into the room where his daughters were engaged in pursuing their morning's avocations. Oriana was practising at her harp, on which her powerful and brilliant execution struck forcibly on his ear, and he could not refrain from expressing his admiration. Rosilia's beautiful assemblage of drawings, as displayed before him, again called forth his praise, notwithstanding it was a part of his character to be usually slow in making obliging commendations. The intercourse between the two families extended no further; though both frequenting the same public circles of amusement, Mrs. Arden and Mrs. De Brooke were never seen in each other's company, nor were they ever seen to meet at private parties; giving rise to the animadversions of a vain and invidious world, rarely sympathising with neglected virtue, but ever flowing on with the stream of prosperity and grandeur.
The select and respectable acquaintance that had before attached themselves to Mrs. De Brooke, began by degrees to drop their visits, and often to her courteous rencontre gave but an ungracious return. Amongst those whose slights were the most apparent and surprising to her were Mr. and Mrs. Blake, with whom coldness, indifference, almost disdain, had assumed the place of that excessive cordiality, attention, and respect which had so lately marked their behaviour towards the family of De Brooke.
To what might a change so sudden be attributed, if not to the unjust obloquy thrown upon this deserving family, arising from the unmerited neglect of them by the Ardens, a circumstance well calculated to fix the observation of the curious, and to provoke the aspersions of censure and envy? It was their unfortunate presentation at Bath, their fastidious disdain, which had blasted the blooming hopes of the delighted parents, anxious for the prosperity of their lovely and beloved children, at the moment when they were anticipating their introduction into those circles of which they were born to be the pride and the ornament.
Not the eldest only could the General have advantageously placed in the bands of matrimony, but, in despite of her extreme youth, the younger also; a man of fashion and of fortune would have paid homage to her merits, and would have solicited her hand in marriage, had he not been withheld from so doing by the persuasions of his friends, in consequence of the evil reports propagated to the discredit of the mother, and the discordance reigning between families so nearly related.
Injured as he was, and tracing his disappointment to the true source, the General was hurried on by a too great precipitation to knock at Mr. Arden's door, who not happening to be at home, he demanded admittance to his sister. Finding himself alone with her, he began, whilst in the heat of anger, to reproach her, as the author of his grievances.
He laid before her the expectations and hopes, especially those having relation to his eldest daughter, which she had been the means of frustrating: "Before you made your appearance in Bath," said he, "my wife was courted and respected, beloved and esteemed; but now, her acquaintance, dropping off by degrees, will soon neglect her altogether. My daughter might have formed an advantageous settlement but for you; it is you whose unaccountable reserve towards their mother—nay, frown not—has been the cause of ruining her fortunes, and not hers only, but those of your other niece, little expecting and as little deserving to find in their aunt envy of their happiness, enmity against their peace.
"For my own part, and that of my wife, we may place ourselves above it; but for those dear objects of our continual solicitude, to see them, whilst rising into maturity and favour and merited admiration, so early subjected to the frowns of oppression and contumely of the world, makes my heart bleed! And if to have laid waste the prospects of my unoffending children be now a subject of triumph, I pray that such unnatural exultation may speedily turn to remorse of conscience and self-upbraidings for the unworthiest, most unlooked for, and most unpardonable cruelty."
Big with indignant feeling, Mrs. Arden heard her brother vent against her the bitterness of his soul, when, endeavouring to modify the tone of her voice, as she had before successfully moderated that of her agitated feelings, she replied: "Brother, forbear your reproaches, let me beseech you; you will find it more reasonable to do so, when I assure you the conduct you so vehemently complain of has been adopted by the express injunctions of my father, who has forbidden me, under pain of his lasting displeasure, to hold intercourse with any part of your family."
"But, my dear sister," expostulated De Brooke, "can your heart accede to such a prohibition? Would it not be more amiable in you to seek to soften the harshness of him who enjoined it,—I will not call him father?" "Can it be possible, brother," returned she, "you should so far forget yourself as to suppose your sway over me should supersede that of my father, and prevail upon me to act in direct contradiction to his commands? No, believe me, I never shall!" "Which is at once to tell me," resumed De Brooke with impetuosity, "that you mean to spurn at us, and crush beneath your feet every rising hope and fair prospect of my children."
"If such," continued she, "is the construction you put upon my actions, I cannot alter them; you are at liberty to think as injuriously of me as you please. My father is prejudiced against your wife; he is resolved never to acknowledge her as a part of his family; it is therefore certainly not for me to do so. As far as your daughters are concerned they claim my pity; and I should be glad to have it in my power of being serviceable to them."
"My daughters," ejaculated the General, "are all that a parent can desire! and who has formed them such but their mother? Who has watched over their tender infancy but their mother—who has set them examples and lessons of virtue but she? Ought they then in justice to be preferred, and rank above her in esteem?—the greatest breach of justice would it be: and never shall they outstep that virtuous woman, who merits so much at their hands; nature and common feeling forbid it." "All that you observe," replied Mrs. Arden, "seems no doubt very plausible, according to your own conception of the thing, but it will not advance her in my father's estimation—her birth and quality so inferior to what he might have expected in your wife."
"Her birth and quality!" re-echoed the General, his eyes flashing fire; "if, when the daughter of an honest country vicar, she was not your equal, now, assuredly, as my wife, she takes precedence above you, in whatever circle you may chance to meet." During this ill-judged speech of De Brooke, the injured pride and mortification it provoked in Mrs. Arden were never to lose their impression.
To be placed, in the sphere of fashion, below the level of one so inferior to her as she considered Mrs. De Brooke, born and bred in rank and amid splendour, the daughter and favoured child of the highly distinguished Sir Aubrey,—gathering at length her suspended articulation, she exclaimed, "'Tis from my father I take my degree; 'tis as the daughter of the great, the wise, the respected Sir Aubrey I receive suffrage. And far from having (as your insidious remark would convey) sunk my name or birth in my marriage with Mr. Arden, his fortune confers upon me greater dignity, as the daily homage of the world may testify." With this, rising, she made a motion towards the door, but turning suddenly, she added, "If such, brother, are to be your future conferences with me, I must beg your visits may not be frequent, as they can effect no good result whatever to yourself, but materially tend to the injury of my health, unaccustomed to such disturbances." Having so said she again seated herself; and the General, suppressing further invective, hastily seizing his hat, withdrew.
After this dispute the General and Mrs. Arden carefully avoided, during a period of several weeks, all occasion of meeting; but it chanced one day that the former, whilst walking with his daughters on either side of him, came accidentally in front of Mr. and Mrs. Arden. Never having before seen her nieces, curiosity induced Mrs. Arden to stop and accost her brother. Oriana, having thrown aside her veil, more particularly fixed her attention, whom, by her lesser stature, having heard that her sister had outgrown her, she recognised as the elder; and who, according to the accounts given by her father, might be reputed amongst the most accomplished of her sex. Of a delicate constitution, the dazzling whiteness of her complexion, animated by a slight carnation, in addition to an intelligence and vivacity of expression peculiarly her own, struck forcibly upon the notice of her beholder.
The General having answered as reservedly as was possible, passed on, being determined not to gratify her by an introduction to his daughters, although it was evident his sister had lingered for the purpose. "'Twas my sister,—Mrs. Arden—your aunt," said the General, as they continued their walk. "Indeed?" replied Oriana; "was she truly Mrs. Arden?" her heart throbbing at the recollection of the look of approval bestowed upon her.
Rosilia's heart throbbed also, but with different emotions; the words, "my sister, your aunt," sunk instinctively within her, creating a softened impulse there to the filial and sisterly tie—she possessed another closely allied, related, according to the degrees of consanguinity.
From that time the thoughts of Mrs. Arden, though frequently directed towards the children of her brother, became still more so. Nature had implanted kindly feelings within her, which, however circumstances might seem to smother them, yet at certain moments forcibly predominated. The desire she had often felt to see her nieces had then been gratified, though but in part as regarded Rosilia, yet sufficiently to draw from her eulogiums to her advantage. Thus prepossessed in their favour, gladly would she have promoted a further acquaintance: her bosom secretly yearned for her brother's children—her kindred, her own blood.
How different was the sentiment awakened for them to that experienced for the nieces of her husband; to whom, forbearing to express the full extent of what she felt, she merely said, how happy it would make her to become better known to her nieces! But this remark, ere it fell from her lips, Mr. Arden had prepared himself to combat. His own family and pecuniary interests urged him to take a part in keeping asunder the former breach between Sir Aubrey and his son; for notwithstanding the largeness of his own personal revenue, and the abundant stores he had amassed from his professional labours, it was ever one of his most urgent desires to add to it, on his wife's side, as great an accumulation as he could. Having nephews in his brother's family, supplying to him the place of heirs, and equally as attached to them, and as ambitious of their interests, as if they had sprung to him in direct succession, no bounds were set to the fortunes with which he wished to enrich them; unwarrantably aiming to grasp at that which, in justice, truth, and honour, ought to have descended through his wife to her own surviving relations.
In consequence of this ruling motive, it may be easily conceived he was never deficient in those arguments or persuasions that could in any way tend to influence Mrs. Arden in taking part with her father against her brother and his family. Thus, whenever the friendly feelings of benevolence and humanity gained admittance to her heart, he as instantly endeavoured to stifle them by an appeal, subtle and artful, such as, "And what would Sir Aubrey say? you surely would not wish to act in opposition to your father! see what he writes!" unfolding the letter ever at hand in his waistcoat pocket. "Have nothing to say to them, neither the daughters nor the mother; if you notice the one the other will come next."
"Never," hastily interrupted Mrs. Arden, "never shall I forget what I owe to my father with respect to Mrs. De B., or oppose his just resentment on the score of my brother's marriage. However," said she, softening her tones, "his daughters, poor things, will you not allow that, innocent as they are, they might claim our pity? Highly educated, brought up also in morality and virtue, might they not merit something at our hands?"
The taciturn air of disdain that passed over the brow of Mr. Arden as his wife endeavoured to raise her nieces in his estimation was rebuke sufficient, and caused her in the next moment to add, "However, blameless as may be my brother's children, you are doubtless perfectly right in your judgment, Mr. Arden, of how I should conduct myself towards them, and I shall therefore be guided entirely by your decision."
Shortly after this conversation, the season for the Bath festivities having elapsed, amongst the votaries of fashion taking their flight to London were Mr. and Mrs. Arden. The General having taken his house at Bath for a year, the term had not yet expired; but as the period appointed for the Inquiry was drawing near, he again took leave of his family, to pursue the route leading to the place of his embarkation for Ireland.
In the meanwhile, Mrs. De Brooke, though forsaken by the worldly and all such as followed in the train of wealth and ostentation, was yet rewarded by retaining a few of those congenial friends that knew how to appreciate her merit, and afford a solace to her leisure hours, which otherwise might have passed tediously in the absence of the General.