She could forgive herself, she said, for every thing but her insults upon the admirable lady at Rowland"s, since all the rest was but in pursuit of a livelihood, to which she had been reduced, as she boasted, from better expectations, and which hundred follow as well as she. I did not ask her, by whom reduced?
At going away, she told me, that the old monster"s bruises are of more dangerous consequence than the fracture; that a mortification is apprehended, and that the vile wretch has so much compunction of heart, on recollecting her treatment of Miss Harlowe, and is so much set upon procuring her forgiveness, that she is sure the news she is to carry her will hasten her end.
All these things I leave upon thy reflection.
LETTER XX
MR. BELFORD, TO ROBERT LOVELACE, ESQ.
SAT. NIGHT.
Your servant gives me a dreadful account of your raving unmanageableness.
I wonder not at it. But as nothing violent is lasting, I dare say that your habitual gaiety of heart will quickly get the better of your phrensy; and the rather do I judge so, as your fits are of the raving kind, (suitable to your natural impetuosity,) and not of that melancholy species which seizes slower souls.
For this reason I will proceed in writing to you, that my narrative may not be broken by your discomposure; and that the contents of it may find you, and help you to reflection, when you shall be restored.
Harry is returned from carrying the posthumous letters to the family, and to Miss Howe; and that of the Colonel, which acquaints James Harlowe with his sister"s death, and with her desire to be interred near her grandfather.
Harry was not admitted into the presence of any of the family. They were all a.s.sembled together, it seems, at Harlowe-place, on occasion of the Colonel"s letter, which informed them of the lady"s dangerous way;* and were comforting themselves, as Harry was told, with hopes that Mr. Morden had made the worst of her state, in order to quicken their resolutions.
* See the beginning of Letter II.
It is easy to judge what must be their grief and surprise on receiving the fatal news which the letters Harry sent in to them communicated.
He staid there long enough to find the whole house in confusion; the servants running different ways; lamenting and wringing their hands as they ran; the female servants particularly; as if somebody (poor Mrs.
Harlowe, no doubt; and perhaps Mrs. Hervey too) were in fits.
Every one was in such disorder, that he could get no commands, nor obtain any notice of himself. The servants seemed more inclined to execrate than welcome him--O master!--O young man! cried three or four together, what dismal tidings have you brought?--They helped him, at the very first word, to his horse; which, with great civility, they had put up on his arrival; and he went to an inn, and pursued on foot his way to Mrs.
Norton"s; and finding her come to town, left the letter he carried don for her with her son, (a fine youth,) who, when he heard the fatal news, burst out into a flood of tears--first lamenting the lady"s death, and then crying out, What--what would become of his poor mother!--How would she support herself, when she should find, on her arrival in town, that the dear lady, who was so deservedly the darling of her heart, was no more!
He proceeded to Miss Howe"s with the letter for her. That lady, he was told, had just given orders for a young man, a tenant"s son, to post to London, and bring her news of her dear friend"s condition, and whether she should herself be encouraged, by an account of her being still alive, to make her a visit; every thing being ordered to be in readiness for her going up on his return with the news she wished and prayed for with the utmost impatience. And Harry was just in time to prevent the man"s setting out.
He had the precaution to desire to speak with Miss Howe"s woman or maid, and communicated to her the fatal tidings, that she might break them to her young lady. The maid herself was so affected, that her old lady (who, Harry said, seemed to be every where at once) came to see what ailed her! and was herself so struck with the communication, that she was forced to sit down in a chair.--O the sweet creature! said she, and is it come to this?--O my poor Nancy!--How shall I be able to break the matter to my Nancy?
Mr. Hickman was in the house. He hastened in to comfort the old lady-- but he could not restrain his own tears. He feared, he said, when he was last in town, that this sad event would soon happen; but little thought it would be so very soon!--But she is happy, I am sure, said the good gentleman.
Mrs. Howe, when a little recovered, went up, in order to break the news to her daughter. She took the letter, and her salts in her hand. And they had occasion for the latter. For the housekeeper soon came hurrying down into the kitchen, her face overspread with tears--her young mistress had fainted away, she said--nor did she wonder at it--never did there live a lady more deserving of general admiration and lamentation, than Miss Clarissa Harlowe! and never was there a stronger friendship dissolved by death than between her young lady and her.
She hurried, with a lighted wax candle, and with feathers, to burn under the nose of her young mistress; which showed that she continued in fits.
Mr. Hickman, afterwards, with his usual humanity, directed that Harry should be taken care of all night; it being then the close of day. He asked him after my health. He expressed himself excessively afflicted, as well for the death of the most excellent of women, as for the just grief of the lady whom he so pa.s.sionately loves. But he called the departed lady an Angel of Light. We dreaded, said he, (tell your master,) to read the letter sent--but we needed not--"tis a blessed letter! written by a blessed hand!--But the consolation she aims to give, will for the present heighten the sense we all shall have of the loss of so excellent a creature! Tell Mr. Belford, that I thank G.o.d I am not the man who had the unmerited honour to call himself her brother.
I know how terribly this great catastrophe (as I may call it, since so many persons are interested in it) affects thee. I should have been glad to have had particulars of the distress which the first communication of it must have given to the Harlowes. Yet who but must pity the unhappy mother?
The answer which James Harlowe returned to Colonel Morden"s letter of notification of his sister"s death, and to her request as to her interment, will give a faint idea of what their concern must be. Here follows a copy of it:
TO WILLIAM MORDEN, ESQ.
SAt.u.r.dAY, SEPT. 9.
DEAR COUSIN,
I cannot find words to express what we all suffer on the most mournful news that ever was communicated to us.
My sister Arabella (but, alas! I have now no other sister) was preparing to follow Mrs. Norton up, and I had resolved to escort her, and to have looked in upon the dear creature.
G.o.d be merciful to us all! To what purpose did the doctor write, if she was so near her end?--Why, as every body says, did he not send sooner?-- Or, Why at all?
The most admirable young creature that ever swerved! Not one friend to be with her!--Alas! Sir, I fear my mother will never get over this shock.
--She has been in hourly fits ever since she received the fatal news. My poor father has the gout thrown into his stomach; and Heaven knows--O Cousin!--O Sir!--I meant nothing but the honour of the family; yet have I all the weight thrown upon me--[O this cursed Lovelace!--may I perish if he escape the deserved vengeance!]*
* The words thus enclosed [] were omitted in the transcript to Mr.
Lovelace.
We had begun to please ourselves that we should soon see her here--Good Heaven! that her next entrance into this house, after she abandoned us so precipitately, should be in a coffin.
We can have nothing to do with her executor, (another strange step of the dear creature"s!)--He cannot expect we will--nor, if he be a gentleman, will he think of acting. Do you, therefore, be pleased, Sir, to order an undertaker to convey the body down to us. My mother says she shall be for ever unhappy, if she may not in death see the dear creature whom she could not see in life. Be so kind, therefore, as to direct the lid to be only half-screwed down--that (if my poor mother cannot be prevailed upon to dispense with so shocking a spectacle) she may be obliged--she was the darling of her heart!
If we know her well in relation to the funeral, it shall be punctually complied with; as shall every thing in it that is fit or reasonable to be performed; and this without the intervention of strangers.
Will you not, dear Sir, favour us with your presence at this melancholy time? Pray do--and pity and excuse, with the generosity which is natural to the brave and the wise, what pa.s.sed at our last meeting. Every one"s respects attend you. And I am, Sir,
Your inexpressibly afflicted cousin and servant, JA. HARLOWE, JUN.
Every thing that"s fit or reasonable to be performed! [repeated I to the Colonel from the above letter on his reading it to me;] that is every thing which she has directed, that can be performed. I hope, Colonel, that I shall have no contention with them. I wish no more for their acquaintance than they do for mine. But you, Sir, must be the mediator between them and me; for I shall insist upon a literal performance in every article.
The Colonel was so kind as to declare that he would support me in my resolution.
LETTER XXI
MR. BELFORD, TO ROBERT LOVELACE, ESQ.
SUNDAY MORN. EIGHT O"CLOCK, SEPT. 10.
I staid at Smith"s till I saw the last of all that is mortal of the divine lady.
As she has directed rings by her will to several persons, with her hair to be set in crystal, the afflicted Mrs. Norton cut off, before the coffin was closed four charming ringlets; one of which the Colonel took for a locket, which, he says, he will cause to be made, and wear next his heart in memory of his beloved cousin.