LETTER XXI
EVELINA IN CONTINUATION I HAVE a volume to write of the adventures of yesterday. In the afternoon,-at Berry Hill I should have said the evening, for it was almost six o"clock,-while Miss Mirvan and I were dressing for the opera, and in high spirits from the expectation of great entertainment and pleasure, we heard a carriage stop at the door, and concluded that Sir Clement Willoughby, with his usual a.s.siduity, was come to attend us to the Haymarket; but, in a few moments, what was our surprise to see our chamber door flung open, and the two Miss Branghtons enter the room! They advanced to me with great familiarity, saying, "How do you do, Cousin?-so we"ve caught you at the gla.s.s!-well, I"m determined I"ll tell my brother of that!"
Miss Mirvan, who had never before seen them, and could not at first imagine who they were, looked so much astonished, that I was ready to laugh myself, till the eldest said, "We"re come to take you to the opera, Miss; papa and my brother are below, and we are to call for your grand-mama as we go along."
"I am very sorry," answered I, "that you should have taken so much trouble, as I am engaged already."
"Engaged! Lord, Miss, never mind that," cried the youngest; "this young lady will make your excuses I dare say; it"s only doing as one would be done by, you know."
"Indeed Ma"am," said Miss Mirvan, "I shall myself be very sorry to be deprived of Miss Anville"s company this evening."
"Well, Miss, that is not so very good-natured in you," said Miss Branghton, "considering we only come to give our cousin pleasure; it"s no good to us; it"s all upon her account; for we came, I don"t know how much round about to take her up."
"I am extremely obliged to you," said I, "and very sorry you have lost so much time; but I cannot possibly help it, for I engaged myself without knowing you would call."
"Lord, what signifies that?" said Miss Polly, "you"re no old maid, and so you needn"t be so very formal: besides I dare say those you are engaged to a"n"t half so near related to you as we are."
"I must beg you not to press me any further, for I a.s.sure you it is not in my power to attend you."
"Why, we came all out of the city on purpose: besides, your grand-mama expects you;-and, pray, what are we to say to her?"
"Tell her, if you please, that I am much concerned,-but that I am pre-engaged."
"And who to?" demanded the abrupt Miss Branghton.
"To Mrs. Mirvan,-and a large party."
"And, pray, what are you all going to do, that it would be such a mighty matter for you to come along with us?"
"We are all going to-to the opera."
"O dear, if that be all, why can"t we go altogether?"
I was extremely disconcerted at this forward and ignorant behaviour, and yet their rudeness very much lessened my concern at refusing them. Indeed, their dress was such as would have rendered their scheme of accompanying our party impracticable, even if I had desired it; and this, as they did not themselves find it out, I was obliged, in terms the least mortifying I could think of, to tell them.
They were very much chagrined, and asked where I should sit.
"In the pit," answered I.
"In the pit," repeated Miss Branghton; "well, really, I must own, I should never have supposed that my gown was not good enough for the pit: but come, Polly, let"s go; if Miss does not think us fine enough for her, why to be sure she may choose."
Surprised at this ignorance, I would have explained to them, that the pit at the opera required the same dress as the boxes; but they were so much affronted they would not hear me; and, in great displeasure, left the room, saying, they would not have troubled me, only they thought I should not be proud with my own relations, and that they had at least as good a right to my company as strangers.
I endeavoured to apologize, and would have sent a long message to Madame Duval: but they hastened away without listening to me; and I could not follow them down stairs, because I was not dressed. The last words I heard them say were, "Well, her grandmama will be in a fine pa.s.sion, that"s one good thing."
Though I was extremely mad at this visit, yet I so heartily rejoiced at their going, that I would not suffer myself to think gravely about it.
Soon after, Sir Clement actually came, and we all went down stairs. Mrs. Mirvan ordered tea; and we were engaged in a very lively conversation, when the servant announced Madame Duval, who instantly followed him into the room.
Her face was the colour of scarlet, and her eyes sparkled with fury. She came up to me with a hasty step, saying, "So, Miss, you refuses to come to me, do you? And pray who are you, to dare to disobey me?"
I was quite frightened;-I made no answer;-I even attempted to rise, and could not, but sat still, mute and motionless.
Everybody but Miss Mirvan seemed in the utmost astonishment; and the Captain rising and approaching Madame Duval, with a voice of authority, said, "Why, how now, Mrs. Turkey-c.o.c.k, what"s put you into this here fl.u.s.ter?"
"It"s nothing to you," answered she, "so you may as well hold your tongue; for I shan"t be called to no account by you, I a.s.sure you."
"There you"re out, Madame Fury," returned he; "for you must know, I never suffer anybody to be in a pa.s.sion in my house, but myself."
"But you shall," cried she, in a great rage; "for I"ll be in as great a pa.s.sion as ever I please, without asking your leave: so don"t give yourself no more airs about it. And as for you Miss," again advancing to me, "I order you to follow me this moment, or else I"ll make you repent it all your life." And, with these words, she flung out of the room.
I was in such extreme terror, at being addressed and threatened in a manner to which I am so wholly unused, that I almost thought I should have fainted.
"Don"t be alarmed, my love," cried Mrs. Mirvan, "but stay where you are, and I will follow Madame Duval, and try to bring her to reason."
Miss Mirvan took my hand, and most kindly endeavoured to raise my spirits. Sir Clement, too, approached me, with an air so interested in my distress, that I could not but feel myself obliged to him; and, taking my other hand, said, "For Heaven"s sake, my dear Madam, compose yourself: surely the violence of such a wretch ought merely to move your contempt; she can have no right, I imagine, to lay her commands upon you, and I only wish that you would allow me to speak to her."
"O no! not for the world!-indeed, I believe,-I am afraid-I had better follow her."
"Follow her! Good G.o.d, my dear Miss Anville, would you trust yourself with a mad woman? for what else can you call a creature whose pa.s.sions are so insolent? No, no; send her word at once to leave the house, and tell her you desire that she will never see you again."
"O, Sir! you don"t know who you talk of!-it would ill become me to send Madame Duval such a message."
"But why," cried he, (looking very inquisitive,) "why should you scruple to treat her as she deserves?"
I then found that his aim was to discover the nature of her connection with me; but I felt so much ashamed of my near relationship to her, that I could not persuade myself to answer him, and only intreated that he would leave her to Mrs. Mirvan, who just then entered the room.
Before she could speak to me, the Captain, called out, "Well, Goody, what have you done with Madame French? is she cooled a little? cause if she ben"t, I"ve just thought of a most excellent device to bring her to."
"My dear Evelina," said Mrs. Mirvan, "I have been vainly endeavouring to appease her; I pleaded your engagement, and promised your future attendance: but I am sorry to say, my love, that I fear her rage will end in a total breach (which I think you had better avoid) if she is any further opposed."
"Then I will go to her, Madam," cried I; "and, indeed, it is now no matter, for I should not be able to recover my spirits sufficiently to enjoy much pleasure any where this evening."
Sir Clement began a very warm expostulation and intreaty, that I would not go; but I begged him to desist, and told him, very honestly, that, if my compliance were not indispensably necessary I should require no persuasion to stay. He then took my hand, to lead me down stairs; but the Captain desired him to be quiet, saying he would "squire me himself, "because" he added, (exultingly rubbing his hands) "I have a wipe ready for the old lady, which may serve her to chew as she goes along."
We found her in the parlour, "O you"re come at last, Miss, are you?-fine airs you give yourself, indeed!-ma foi, if you hadn"t come, you might have staid, I a.s.sure you, and have been a beggar, for your pains."
"Heyday, Madam," cried the Captain, (prancing forward, with a look of great glee) "what, a"n"t you got out of that there pa.s.sion yet? why then, I"ll tell you what to do to cool yourself; call upon your old friend, Monseer Slippery, who was with you at Ranelagh, and give my service to him, and tell him, if he sets any store by your health, that I desire he"ll give you such another souse as he did before: he"ll know what I mean, and I"ll warrant you he"ll do"t for my sake."
"Let him, if he dares!" cried Madame Duval; "but I shan"t stay to answer you no more; you are a vulgar fellow;-and so, child, let us leave him to himself."
"Hark ye, Madam," cried the Captain, "you"d best not call names; because, d"ye see, if you do, I shall make bold to shew you the door."
She changed colour, and saying, "Pardi, I can shew it myself," hurried out of the room, and I followed her into a hackney-coach. But, before we drove off, the Captain, looking out of the parlour window, called out "D"ye hear, Madam, don"t forget my message to Monseer."
You will believe our ride was not the most agreeable in the world; indeed, it would be difficult to say which was least pleased, Madame Duval or me, though the reasons of our discontent were so different: however, Madame Duval soon got the start of me; for we had hardly turned out of Queen Ann Street, when a man, running full speed, stopt the coach. He came up to the window, and I saw he was the Captain"s servant. He had a broad grin on his face, and panted for breath. Madame Duval demanded his business: "Madam," answered he, "my master desires his compliments to you, and-and-and he says he wishes it well over with you. He! he! he!-"
Madame Duval instantly darted forward, and gave him a violent blow on the face; "Take that back for your answer, sirrah," cried she, "and learn not to grin at your betters another time. Coachman, drive on!"