She looked upon my uncle, who bit his lip; and looked upon Mr. Solmes, who rubbed his cheek; and shaking her head, Good, dear creature, said she, be calm. Let me ask you, If something would have been done, had you been more gently used, than you seem to think you have been?
No, Madam, I cannot say it would, in this gentleman"s favour. You know, Madam, you know, Sir, to my uncle, I ever valued myself upon my sincerity: and once indeed had the happiness to be valued for it.
My uncle took Mr. Solmes aside. I heard him say, whispering, She must, she shall, still be yours.--We"ll see, who"ll conquer, parents or child, uncles or niece. I doubt not to be witness to all this being got over, and many a good-humoured jest made of this high phrensy!
I was heartily vexed.
Though we cannot find out, continued he, yet we guess, who puts her upon this obstinate behaviour. It is not natural to her, man. Nor would I concern myself so much about her, but that I know what I say to be true, and intend to do great things for her.
I will hourly pray for that happy time, whispered as audibly Mr. Solmes.
I never will revive the remembrance of what is now so painful to me.
Well, but, Niece, I am to tell you, said my aunt, that the sending up of the keys, without making any conditions, has wrought for you what nothing else could have done. That, and the not finding any thing that could give them umbrage, together with Mr. Solmes"s interposition--
O Madam, let me not owe an obligation to Mr. Solmes. I cannot repay it, except by my thanks; and those only on condition that he will decline his suit. To my thanks, Sir, [turning to him,] if you have a heart capable of humanity, if you have any esteem for me for my own sake, I beseech you to ent.i.tle yourself!--I beseech you, do--!
O Madam, cried he, believe, believe, believe me, it is impossible. While you are single, I will hope. While that hope is encouraged by so many worthy friends, I must persevere. I must not slight them, Madam, because you slight me.
I answered him only with a look; but it was of high disdain; and turning from him,--But what favour, dear Madam, [to my aunt,] has the instance of duty you mention procured me?
Your mother and Mr. Solmes, replied my aunt, have prevailed, that your request to stay here till Monday next shall be granted, if you will promise to go cheerfully then.
Let me but choose my own visiters, and I will go to my uncle"s house with pleasure.
Well, Niece, said my aunt, we must wave this subject, I find. We will now proceed to another, which will require your utmost attention. It will give you the reason why Mr. Solmes"s presence is requisite--
Ay, said my uncle, and shew you what sort of a man somebody is. Mr.
Solmes, pray favour us, in the first place, with the letter you received from your anonymous friend.
I will, Sir. And out he pulled a letter-case, and taking out a letter, it is written in answer to one, sent to the person. It is superscribed, To Roger Solmes, Esq. It begins thus: Honoured Sir--
I beg your pardon, Sir, said I: but what, pray, is the intent of reading this letter to me?
To let you know what a vile man you are thought to have set your heart upon, said my uncle, in an audible whisper.
If, Sir, it be suspected, that I have set my heart upon any other, why is Mr. Solmes to give himself any further trouble about me?
Only hear, Niece, said my aunt; only hear what Mr. Solmes has to read and to say to you on this head.
If, Madam, Mr. Solmes will be pleased to declare, that he has no view to serve, no end to promote, for himself, I will hear any thing he shall read. But if the contrary, you must allow me to say, that it will abate with me a great deal of the weight of whatever he shall produce.
Hear it but read, Niece, said my aunt--
Hear it read, said my uncle. You are so ready to take part with--
With any body, Sir, that is accused anonymously, and from interested motives.
He began to read; and there seemed to be a heavy load of charges in this letter against the poor criminal: but I stopped the reading of it, and said, It will not be my fault, if this vilified man be not as indifferent to me, as one whom I never saw. If he be otherwise at present, which I neither own, nor deny, it proceed from the strange methods taken to prevent it. Do not let one cause unite him and me, and we shall not be united. If my offer to live single be accepted, he shall be no more to me than this gentleman.
Still--Proceed, Mr. Solmes--Hear it out, Niece, was my uncle"s cry.
But to what purpose, Sir! said I--Had not Mr. Solmes a view in this?
And, besides, can any thing worse be said of Mr. Lovelace, than I have heard said for several months past?
But this, said my uncle, and what Mr. Solmes can tell you besides, amounts to the fullest proof--
Was the unhappy man, then, so freely treated in his character before, without full proof? I beseech you, Sir, give me not too good an opinion of Mr. Lovelace; as I may have, if such pains be taken to make him guilty, by one who means not his reformation by it; nor to do good, if I may presume to say so in this case, to any body but himself.
I see very plainly, girl, said my uncle, your prepossession, your fond prepossession, for the person of a man without morals.
Indeed, my dear, said my aunt, you too much justify all your apprehension. Surprising! that a young creature of virtue and honour should thus esteem a man of a quite opposite character!
Dear Madam, do not conclude against me too hastily. I believe Mr.
Lovelace is far from being so good as he ought to be: but if every man"s private life was searched into by prejudiced people, set on for that purpose, I know not whose reputation would be safe. I love a virtuous character, as much in man as in woman. I think it is requisite, and as meritorious, in the one as in the other. And, if left to myself, I would prefer a person of such a character to royalty without it.
Why then, said my uncle--
Give me leave, Sir--but I may venture to say, that many of those who have escaped censure, have not merited applause.
Permit me to observe further, That Mr. Solmes himself may not be absolutely faultless. I never head of his virtues. Some vices I have heard of--Excuse me, Mr. Solmes, I speak to your face--The text about casting the first stone affords an excellent lesson.
He looked down; but was silent.
Mr. Lovelace may have vices you have not. You may have others, which he has not. I speak not this to defend him, or to accuse you. No man is bad, no one is good, in every thing. Mr. Lovelace, for example, is said to be implacable, and to hate my friends: that does not make me value him the more: but give me leave to say, that they hate him as much. Mr.
Solmes has his antipathies, likewise; very strong ones, and those to his own relations; which I don"t find to be the other"s fault; for he lives well with his--yet he may have as bad:--worse, pardon me, he cannot have, in my poor opinion: for what must be the man, who hates his own flesh?
You know not, Madam; You know not, Niece; all in one breath. You know not, Clary;
I may not, nor do I desire to know Mr. Solmes"s reasons. It concerns not me to know them: but the world, even the impartial part of it, accuses him. If the world is unjust or rash, in one man"s case, why may it not be so in another"s? That"s all I mean by it. Nor can there by a greater sign of want of merit, than where a man seeks to pull down another"s character, in order to build up his own.
The poor man"s face was all this time overspread with confusion, twisted, as it were, and all awry, neither mouth nor nose standing in the middle of it. He looked as if he were ready to cry: and had he been capable of pitying me, I had certainly tried to pity him.
They all three gazed upon one another in silence.
My aunt, I saw (at least I thought so) looked as if she would have been glad she might have appeared to approve of what I said. She but feebly blamed me, when she spoke, for not hearing what Mr. Solmes had to say.
He himself seemed not now very earnest to be heard. My uncle said, There was no talking to me. And I should have absolutely silenced both gentlemen, had not my brother come in again to their a.s.sistance.
This was the strange speech he made at his entrance, his eyes flaming with anger; This prating girl, has struck you all dumb, I perceive.
Persevere, however, Mr. Solmes. I have heard every word she has said: and I know of no other method of being even with her, than after she is yours, to make her as sensible of your power, as she now makes you of her insolence.
Fie, cousin Harlowe! said my aunt--Could I have thought a brother would have said this, to a gentleman, of a sister?
I must tell you, Madam, said he, that you give the rebel courage.
You yourself seem to favour too much the arrogance of her s.e.x in her; otherwise she durst not have thus stopped her uncle"s mouth by reflections upon him; as well as denied to hear a gentleman tell her the danger she is in from a libertine, whose protection, as she plainly hinted, she intends to claim against her family.
Stopped my uncle"s mouth, by reflections upon him, Sir! said I, how can that be! how dare you to make such an application as this!
My aunt wept at his reflection upon her.--Cousin, said she to him, if this be the thanks I have for my trouble, I have done: your father would not treat me thus--and I will say, that the hint you gave was an unbrotherly one.