Duty and Inclination/Chapter 3
CHAPTER III.
"By thee inspired, O Virtue, age is young,
But when youth's living bloom reflects thy beams,
Resistless on the view thy glory streams,
Love, wonder, joy, alternately alarm,
And beauty dazzles with angelic charm."
The day of the fête champêtre at last arrived, that happy day which had been anticipated with so much delight. The sun's animating beams irradiated every object, when the sisters, with smiling satisfaction, ascended the carriage which was to convey them to the hospitable mansion of Sir Charles and Lady Valpée. It was situated in a beautiful romantic dell, seven miles from the Villa of the De Brookes. The lofty trees by which it was embowered rendered it almost impervious to the sight, till, on a nearer approach, it suddenly appeared at the termination of an extensive vista.
As the sisters drew to the door, they were met by Sir Charles and his son, who had returned from rambling over their grounds, with the view of inspecting the preparations which had been made, and to see that all was in readiness, previous to the night's festivity. They were just in time to hand from the carriage their young visitors. Sir Charles, with that urbanity which ever graced his words and actions expressed himself most happy to see them, and at the same time lamented the absence of the General and their mother. He then turned to his son, and introduced him by saying, "Frederic, I think you will now feel some regret that your constant College avocations have prevented you from being earlier made acquainted with the Misses De Brooke."
Mr. Valpée bowed respectfully; there was a seriousness in his manner, but it was not unmixed with affability; his smile was most engaging when he said, "Indeed, sir, I sincerely feel how great has been my loss; but I reap some satisfaction in being aware that the more I become acquainted with the Misses De Brooke, the more I shall estimate my present happiness."
Sir Charles was a member of parliament, and of large independent fortune, which had, in gradual succession, descended to him from a long Line of respectable ancestry. Lady Valpée was also possessed of fortune, as well as connections; but notwithstanding these advantages, it was her many attractions which had preponderated over Sir Charles in his estimation of her. Dignified in his conduct, commanding respect and affection, he was, equally with his consort, formed for the charms of domestic life; and each auspicious year, as it flowed gently on, still found them blest. Ostentatious parade, or pride of birth, were equally repugnant to their generous feelings. It had been the lot of this amiable pair to lose their eldest son; but as if to solace their misfortune, and repay them for the tender cares lavished upon him, the infant Frederic (named after his maternal grandfather), then their only heir and treasure, thrived apace, and in his progression to youth, yielded the promise of those virtues, and that soundness of understanding, which gained him many flattering encomiums, and especially from the learned preceptors under whom he pursued his studies. His person was good, about the middle size; his low straight brow denoted contemplation, whilst his easy closing lip portrayed benevolence; a cool dispassionate judgment seemed to mingle in the expression of his countenance with some more yielding quality; sentiments held in subjection to the dictates of reason. The amiable disposition of the mother harmonized in him with the noble principles of the father, forming at once a character such as by the wise and good is ever justly esteemed and admired.
Sir Charles had proposed making a little circuit for the amusement of the ladies about the grounds, and, with a polite attention, Valpée offered to conduct them, happy to seize upon such a resource, the sisters having been left to him for entertainment. Possessing a natural gravity, and in the habit of concentrating his thoughts by study, he spoke but little. The conversation, therefore, was chiefly supported by Oriana, whose characteristic was gaiety. She combined ready wit with playful repartee; and not easily abashed, she was, though so young, ever mistress of herself. The desire to please and fascinate the amiable Valpée, though unacknowledged to herself, predominated over her feelings; her remarks were in consequence animated, her manners sprightly, and notwithstanding the attractions of her person, were far from being such as to excite lively and sudden impressions; yet endowed with the power of recommending herself by the means of her various accomplishments, she succeeded in engaging and fixing the attentions of those around her.
A few gentlemen inhabiting the neighbourhood had been invited to dinner, and the first who arrived was Douglas: he advanced with fashionable ease into the middle of the circle, and after making his salutations to Lady Valpée and her friends, his penetrating and acute glances rested upon Rosilia, whose modest eye, unable to encounter so searching a scrutiny, sank abashed to the ground.
His admiration was ardent, but the visible pain it gave the object might have suggested the necessity of constraining it: having suffered a few minutes to elapse, he drew near, and addressed her in tones of the most insinuating softness.
After the circle was complete, the dinner being announced, he led her to the table, and had the happiness of securing a seat by her side.
Between the hours of nine and ten the carriages began to roll down the long and brilliantly illuminated avenue. The company alighting, passed beneath a canopy, and from thence into the hall, where they were conducted between double rows of pillars of the Corinthian order, encircled with variegated lamps, and wreaths of evergreens interspersed with the scarlet clusters of the barberry and the white blossom of the laurustinus and arbutus. From the hall they passed into a saloon of an octagon shape, the compartments of which exhibited to the gratified sight transparencies, designed and executed by eminent artists. At the entrance of the adjoining room the engaging lady Valpée received her guests. The decorations of the ball room displayed incomparable taste, beauty, and elegance; light silk draperies adapted to the season decorated the spacious windows. The opposite side opened into a conservatory, containing a choice collection of exotics, whose vivid hues were heightened by the reflected rays of light which fell upon them from the innumerable lamps around. Near the conservatory, which led to the lawn and shrubbery, was erected a temporary orchestra for the musicians. The aromatic perfumes emitted from the flowers, the luminous appearance of every object, the exhilarating charms of music, all conspired to delight and captivate; all was pleasure, all enchantment! The company was numerous; every family and person in the neighbourhood, including the distance of many miles, distinguished either by rank, beauty, or fashion, had assembled.
Among the belles none excited more attention than the youthful sisters. It was not the outward feature which gave to them their principal attraction; it was mind, which finely harmonized with the external shape; it was the light of soul which illuminated their countenances, and displayed in each the particular qualifications a bountiful Providence had assigned them. Oriana, easy, gracious, and unobtrusive, discovered so much intelligence with the playfulness of her vivacity, as proved her to be no less sensible than she was brilliant. Her sister, the young Rosilia, was nevertheless the most distinguished; for as a beautiful bud unfolds its tender leaves, and scatters fragrance around, so Rosilia, blooming in the full perfection of youthful loveliness, was encompassed by graces enchanting to the sight. The many amongst the other sex admired her appearance only, acknowledging she possessed attractions even superior to beauty, yet were indifferent as to the source whence they sprung; it was by the nicely appreciating few her mental endowments were duly estimated; those who could read in the ever-varying roses of her cheek the language of innocence and sincerity; and in her sweet, pensive, but eloquent expression the refined sensibility of her soul; in her retired but graceful manners the taste and elegance of her sentiments: these, her characteristic charms, were the more enhanced by the modest drapery, which, though it might seem to cast them into shade, still by its soft effect rather heightened than obscured their lustre.
It may be supposed that Douglas, so extremely solicitous to unburthen his heart to Rosilia, sought to paint upon every occasion the impression she had made upon it from the first moment he had beheld her, by night and by day her image haunting him: but his phrases were hasty and unintelligible, so much did he feel the restraint imposed by the presence of so many around him; and thus, though far from rendering himself comprehensible to Rosilia, who was inclined more to suppose him under the influence of his accustomed gallantry, yet an involuntary agitation took possession of her, which however was soon relieved by the exhilarating effects of the music as it resounded through the apartment, and which reminded Valpée it was time to make choice of a lady with whom to open the ball. Not supposing it necessary to make distinctions of rank, but yielding to the preference he felt, he offered his hand to Oriana, who, flattered by an attention so agreeable, her heart fluttered with delight when led to the top of the apartment.
Douglas then followed with Rosilia; short had been his opportunity of conveying to her the nature of his sentiments, yet he conceived he had said quite sufficient to explain himself; and as it occurred to him that he had not met with the slightest repulse, his sanguine imagination interpreting the smiles which then illumined the countenance of Rosilia into a tacit approbation of his suit, he yielded himself to a train of rapturous sensations; no longer oppressed, his brow no longer clouded, imposing and brilliant he was himself again. The flow of spirits natural to youth upon such occasions, tended in some degree to suppress the painful diffidence which had at first prevailed over Rosilia; nevertheless the beauty, grace, the enchanting motion of her person as she glided down the dance, might not have so much excited the homage of her beholders, had not all her movements attested the charms of innocence, imaged by the wreath of lilies with which she had confined her dark and playful ringlets. Douglas could scarcely keep pace with her airy movements, notwithstanding he displayed that ease and grace for which the Scotch are so particularly famed. His person was commanding, his appearance dazzling, but to these advantages he united a sort of freedom such as the guileless Rosilia could neither understand nor admire. With such a man it was doubtless the external charms of Rosilia which had at first captivated his fancy; nevertheless it was a latent ray of virtue in him, too frequently slumbering, but never finally extinct, which had effectually riveted his chains, and Which so devoutly, caused him to seek for the fulfilment of his wishes by a speedy alliance.
The dance being over, the sisters were led by their partners through the conservatory, which being crowded by the groups passing to and fro, Rosilia, who was behind, got accidentally separated from her party, and for the space of some minutes unable to advance, she lost sight of her sister and Valpée.
Resolved to profit by so favourable a circumstance, with a ready finesse, under pretence that he had seen her party, Douglas contrived to draw Rosilia towards that side which appeared the least frequented. Fearing he had been deceived, she would have turned; but he, encouraged by the persuasion with which he had been so recently impressed, of his being a favoured lover, endeavoured to divert her attention by saying, “How delightful is the night! how pleasant are these gentle breezes! how preferable to the intense heat of the room we have left!”
Occupied solely by the wish of meeting her sister, Rosilia could only repeat, in accents denoting her inquietude, "Do you really think they have taken this direction?"
"Why, why", exclaimed he, "should you be thus uneasy and impatient? why do you wish to deprive me of these few minutes of happiness, moments so precious to me as these? Oh Rosilia! Rosilia! it is impossible for you to conceive how much I love you! It is impossible for you to have any conception of the degree in which this heart adores you!" at the same time raising her trembling hand, and pressing it with transport to his throbbing bosom, bursting sighs escaped him.
The impassioned energy accompanying his words and actions could not fail of alarming the timid girl: he fixed upon her his enraptured gaze; he contemplated her lovely countenance irradiated by the glowing hue of the surrounding lamps; he would have strained her to his bosom; but no thought, no emotion could he read there, save the chaste fear, the innocent terror which the extravagant ardour of his manner had awakened. Those pure rays of virtue illumining her countenance tended instantaneously to abate that phrensy of passion, that vehemence of feeling, the place, the time, the occasion had conspired to augment. The irregularity of his thoughts had vanished, his scattered reason was recalled, and he felt afraid of trusting himself any longer alone with the bewitching maid.
"Rosilia, my sweet girl," said he, "why are you thus fearful? are you uncomfortable at being this little time alone with me?" Tenderness and respect then exclusively filled his breast, feelings almost new to him, Rosilia being the first he had met with of her sex who really seemed bent upon shunning his importunities. Taking her hand, he gently placed it under his arm; nor did she withdraw it; for as it was his passionate tones and gestures which had before alarmed her, his softened tones produced far different sensations; such power has human accent to betray human feeling, whereby all can be either warned or guided by it, even the most credulous, the most simple.
As Douglas approached the house he continued to pour forth the effusions of his heart, but his language breathed not of flattery, nor did he mention how short was the time he expected to remain in England, conceiving it might present an idea of precipitation to her mind, and rather retard than advance his plans; these being, first to secure her affections, and secondly, to press for an immediate marriage.
The winding path in its circuit led them towards a grove, in the midst of which was a beautiful fountain; around it a party had assembled, at once to enjoy its refreshing coolness, and to admire its glittering sprays ascending in air, then falling into the reservoir below.
The thoughts of Douglas were too much occupied to attend to the effects of art, however striking in its embellishments of nature. It was otherwise with Rosilia; in silent admiration she contemplated the crystal drops, which as they were thrown into the air reflected the various hues of the rainbow. Her attention however was soon diverted by the voice of her sister, to whom she instantly hastened, and who expressed as much joy as herself at their again meeting, after their accidental separation of a few minutes.
Upon their entering the house and the ball room, they found the dancing had recommenced. Douglas was desirous of again securing the hand of Rosilia, but was prevented by Sir Charles suddenly stepping up, and introducing her to a young baronet who had solicited the honour of dancing with her. Douglas therefore was under the mortifying necessity of resigning her to Sir Howard Sinclair, contenting himself in being a silent spectator during the interval; and felt happy to find, that as she joined the dance but late, the lower sets were rapidly retreating; and Rosilia, fearing to be made conspicuous, being amongst some of the last couples to lead off, requested of her partner to allow her to retire. He would have engaged her for the next set, but Rosilia declined under the plea that she had given her promise to another. Sir Howard still kept by her side, begging permission to conduct her to a seat, when, within the circle nearest to her, she perceived him whose lofty and striking stature it seemed impossible to overlook. The thoughtful pensiveness of his mien and attitude denoted a mind absorbed by some inward and powerful sentiment; but as soon as his eye caught that of Rosilia, its spiritual and bright lustre recalled him to himself; delighting in the occasion of being near her he was anxious to rejoin the festive throng.
Thus the dance continued until the break of day made itself distinguished over the illuminations of art. The supper had intervened; the table, spread with sumptuous elegance, had displayed every luxury the season could produce.
The company having dispersed, the sisters retired to the room prepared for them. Oriana was soon wrapt in slumber, Rosilia not so quickly; the fascinating and novel impressions which had almost exclusively possessed her, whilst surrounded by the brilliant circle, then favoured by the quiet that had succeeded to the late festivity, now gave way to silent, yet possibly more perturbed reflections. The voice of Douglas, his actions, every word he had uttered, still vibrated on her ear, still floated over her fancy, giving birth to ideas vague and undefined. What did his language mean to convey? What the interpretation she was to give it? Might he be the one destined by Providence to become her future husband? Inclination might prompt the idea, but the suggestions of her reason opposed it; her heart throbbed with emotions never before experienced; a tender, delicate, and timid fear overwhelmed her; entirely subdued, she sank upon her pillow and wept!