"I-I can"t tell, Sir."
And then I addressed myself to Madame Duval, with such a pretended earnestness, that he was obliged to be silent.
As he cannot but observe the great change in my situation, which he knows not how to account for, there is something in all these questions, and this unrestrained curiosity, that I did not expect from a man who, when he pleases, can be so well-bred as Sir Clement Willoughby. He seems disposed to think that the alteration in my companions authorises an alteration in his manners. It is true, he has always treated me with uncommon freedom, but never before with so disrespectful an abruptness. This observation, which he has given me cause to make, of his changing with the tide, has sunk him more in my opinion than any other part of his conduct.
Yet I could almost have laughed when I looked at Mr. Smith, who no sooner saw me addressed by Sir Clement, than, retreating aloof from the company, he seemed to lose at once all his happy self-sufficiency and conceit; looking now at the baronet, now at himself; surveying, with sorrowful eyes, his dress; struck with his air, his gestures, his easy gaiety, he gazed at him with envious admiration, and seemed himself, with conscious inferiority, to shrink into nothing.
Soon after, Mr. Brown, running up to us, called out, "La, what, i"n"t Miss Polly come yet?"
"Come," said Mr. Branghton; "why, I thought you went to fetch her yourself, didn"t you?"
"Yes, but I couldn"t find her;-yet I daresay I"ve been over half the garden."
"Half? but why did not you go over it all?"
"Why, so I will: but only I thought I"d just come and see if she was here first."
"But where"s Tom?"
"Why, I don"t know; for he would not stay with me, all as ever I could say: for we met some young gentlemen of his acquaintance, and so he bid me go and look by myself; for he said, says he, I can divert myself better another way, says he."
This account being given, away again went this silly young man; and Mr. Branghton, extremely incensed, said he would go and see after them himself.
"So, now", cried Madame Duval, "he"s gone too! why, at this rate, we shall have to wait for one or other of them all night!"
Observing that Sir Clement seemed disposed to renew his enquiries, I turned towards one of the paintings, and, pretending to be very much occupied in looking at it, asked M. Du Bois some questions concerning the figures.
"O! Mon Dieu!" cried Madame Duval, "don"t ask him; your best way is to ask Mr. Smith, for he"s been here the oftenest. Come, Mr. Smith, I dare say you can tell us all about them."
"Why, yes, Ma"am, yes," said Mr. Smith: who, brightening up at this application, advanced towards us with an air of a.s.sumed importance, which, however, sat very uneasily upon him, and begged to know what he should explain first: "For I have attended," said he, "to all these paintings, and know every thing in them perfectly well; for I am rather fond of pictures, Ma"am; and, really, I must say, I think, a pretty pictures is a-a very-is really a very-is something very pretty-"
"So do I too," said Madame Duval; "but pray now, Sir, tell us who that is meant for," pointing to a figure of Neptune.
"That!-why, that, Ma"am, is,-Lord bless me, I can"t think how I come to be so stupid, but really I have forgot his name;-and yet, I know it as well as my own too:-however, he"s a General, Ma"am, they are all Generals."
I saw Sir Clement bite his lips; and, indeed, so did I mine.
"Well," said Madame Duval, "it"s the oddest dress for a general ever I see!"
"He seems so capital a figure," said Sir Clement, to Mr. Smith, "that I imagine he must be Generalissimo of the whole army."
"Yes, Sir, yes," answered Mr. Smith, respectfully bowing, and highly delighted at being thus referred to, "you are perfectly right;-but I cannot for my life think of his name;-perhaps, Sir, you may remember it?"
"No, really," replied Sir Clement, "my acquaintance among the generals is not so extensive."
The ironical tone of voice in which Sir Clement spoke entirely disconcerted Mr. Smith; who again retiring to an humble distance, seemed sensibly mortified at the failure of his attempt to recover his consequence.
Soon after, Mr. Branghton returned with his youngest daughter, who he had rescued from a party of insolent young men; but he had not yet been able to find the eldest. Miss Polly was really frightened, and declared she would never go into the dark walks again. Her father, leaving her with us, went in quest of her sister.
While she was relating her adventures, to which n.o.body listened more attentively than Sir Clement, we saw Mr. Brown enter the room. "O, la!" cried Miss Polly, "let me hide myself, and don"t tell him I"m come."
She then placed herself behind Madame Duval, in such a manner that she could not be seen.
"So Miss Polly is not come yet!" said the simple swain: "well, I can"t think where she can be! I"ve been looking, and looking, and looking all about, and can"t find her all I can do."
"Well, but, Mr. Brown," said Mr. Smith, "sha"n"t you go and look for the lady again?"
"Yes, Sir," said he, sitting down; "but I must rest me a little bit first. You can"t think how tired I am."
"O fie, Mr. Brown, fie," cried Mr. Smith, winking at us, "tired of looking for a lady! Go, go, for shame!"
"So I will, Sir, presently; but you"d be tired too, if you had walked so far: besides, I think she"s gone out of the garden, or else I must have seen something or other of her."
A he, he he! of the t.i.ttering Polly, now betrayed her, and so ended this ingenious little artifice.
At last appeared Mr. Branghton and Miss Biddy, who, with a face of mixed anger and confusion, addressing herself to me, said, "So, Miss, so you ran away from me! Well, see if I don"t do as much by you some day or other! But I thought how it would be; you"d no mind to leave the gentlemen, though you run away from me."
I was so much surprised at this attack, that I could not answer her for very amazement; and she proceeded to tell us how ill she had been used, and that two young men had been making her walk up and down the dark walks by absolute force, and as fast as ever they could tear her along; and many other particulars, which I will not tire you with relating. In conclusion, looking at Mr. Smith, she said, "But to be sure, thought I, at least all the company will be looking for me; so I little expected to find you all here, talking as comfortably as ever you can. However, I know I may thank my cousin for it!"
"If you mean me, Madam," said I, very much shocked, "I am quite ignorant in what manner I can have been accessary to your distress."
"Why, by running away so. If you"d stayed with us, I"ll answer for it Mr. Smith and M. Du Bois would have come to look for us; but I suppose they could not leave your ladyship."
The folly and unreasonableness of this speech would admit of no answer. But what a scene was this for Sir Clement! his surprise was evident; and I must acknowledge my confusion was equally great.
We had now to wait for young Branghton, who did not appear for some time; and during this interval it was with difficulty that I avoided Sir Clement, who was on the rack of curiosity, and dying to speak to me.
When, at last, the hopeful youth returned, a long and frightful quarrel ensued between him and his father, in which his sisters occasionally joined, concerning his neglect; and he defended himself only by a brutal mirth, which he indulged at their expense.
Every one now seemed inclined to depart,-when, as usual, a dispute arose upon the way of our going, whether in a coach or a boat. After much debating, it was determined that we should make two parties, one by the water and the other by land; for Madame Duval declared she would not, upon any account, go into a boat at night.
Sir Clement then said, that if she had no carriage in waiting, he should be happy to see her and me safe home, as his was in readiness.
Fury started into her eyes, and pa.s.sion inflamed every feature, as she answered, "Pardi, no-you may take care of yourself, if you please; but as to me, I promise you I sha"n"t trust myself with no such person."
He pretended not to comprehend her meaning; yet, to waive a discussion, acquiesced in her refusal. The coach-party fixed upon, consisted of Madame Duval, M. Du Bois, Miss Branghton, and myself.
I now began to rejoice, in private, that at least our lodgings would be neither seen nor known by Sir Clement. We soon met with a hackney-coach, into which he handed me, and then took leave.
Madame Duval having already given the coachman her direction, he mounted the box, and we were just driving off, when Sir Clement exclaimed, "By Heaven, this is the very coach I had in waiting for myself!"
"This coach, your honour!" said the man; "no, that it i"n"t."
Sir Clement, however, swore that it was; and presently, the man, begging his pardon, said he had really forgotten that he was engaged.
I have no doubt but that this scheme occurred to him at the moment, and that he made some sign to the coachman, which induced him to support it; for there is not the least probability that the accident really happened, as it is most likely his own chariot was in waiting.
The man then opened the coach-door, and Sir Clement, advancing to it, said "I don"t believe there is another carriage to be had, or I would not incommode you; but, as it may be disagreeable to you to wait here any longer, I beg you will not get out, for you shall be set down before I am carried home, if you will be so good as to make a little room."