It may well be imagined what effect a story like this would produce, on the mind of Olivia: corroborated as it was, though not proved in every incident, by the circ.u.mstances which she herself had witnessed from the crescent, by those which she gathered on enquiry from other people, by her own experience of my rash impetuosity, and these all heightened by the conjectures of an active imagination, and a heart not wholly uninterested. She hoped indeed that I had not actually killed two men: but she had the most dreadful doubts.
The impression it made upon her did not escape the penetration of the aunt; and she determined to quit Bath, and take Olivia with her, the very next day. Terrified by the possibility that the predictions of Hector and Andrews should be fulfilled, Olivia ventured secretly to instruct her maid to search the book in the pump room, and find my address, and afterward to send her with the twenty-pound bank-bill: hoping that this temporary resource might have some small chance of preventing the fatal consequences which she feared.
Had they returned to London, by the aid of Miss Wilmot and Mary, she might have made further enquiries: but the cautious aunt directed her course to Scarborough.
I was excessively reduced by the fever. According to the physician and apothecary, my life had been in extreme danger; and eight weeks elapsed before I was able to quit Bath. The expences I had incurred amounted to between eight and nine and twenty pounds. I was fully determined to bestow the ten pounds I had originally intended on Clarke. Thus, after distributing such small gifts among the servants as custom and my notion of the manners of a gentleman demanded, the only choice I had was, either to sell my cloaths, or, with four and sixpence in my pocket, to undertake a journey to London on foot.
I preferred the latter, sent my trunk to the waggon, returned for the last time to my lodging, inclosed a ten pound note in a letter, in which I expressed my sense of the worth of Clarke, and my sorrow for the evil I had done him, and, sending it by the maid-servant, I followed, and watched her to his dwelling.
CHAPTER V
_The pain of parting: The prospect before me: Poor men have their affections and friendships_
During my recovery, I had conversed freely on my own affairs, with Clarke and his wife. They gradually became acquainted with my whole history; and discovered so much interest in the pictures I drew, and entered so sympathetically and with such unaffected marks of pa.s.sion into all my feelings, that I found not only great ease but considerable delight, in narrating my fears, hopes, and mishaps.
Clarke had a strong understanding; and was not entirely illiterate.
His wife was active, cleanly, and kind. Their children were managed with great good sense: the three eldest were put out, two to service, and the other an apprentice; and, large as their family was, they had, by labour and economy, advanced a considerable step from the extreme poverty to which such persons are too often subject.
When I went to take leave of them, I could perceive, not only that they were both very much affected, but that Clarke had something more on his imagination. He had a great respect for my gentility, and learning; and was always afraid of being too familiar. At some moments, he felt as it were the insolence of having fought with me: at others a gleam of exultation broke forth, at his having had that honour. He had several times expressed an earnest wish that he might be so happy as to see me again; and, when I a.s.sured him that he should hear from me, his feelings were partly doubt, and partly strong delight.
Just as I was prepared to bid them farewell, he gave a deep sigh; and said "he thought he should soon come to London. He wished he knew where I might be found, and, if he should leave the country, it would be a great favour done him if he might but be allowed to come and ask me how I did. If I would allow him that honour, it would make his heart very light. He had been many years in his present employ; and perhaps his master would be sorry, if he were to leave him; but he had given him fair notice. At one time, he did not believe he ever should have left him; but he thought now he should be much happier in London."
His tone was serious, there was a dejectedness in his manner, and with it, as was evident, much smothered emotion in his heart. I was affected; and taking his hand, earnestly a.s.sured him that, if ever fortune should smile on me, I would not forget what had happened at Bath. His parting reply was, "G.o.d be with you, wherever you go!
Perhaps you may see me again sooner than you think for."
This was the temper in which we took leave, previous to my sending the maid with the ten-pound note: and, as I pa.s.sed within sight of his door, I felt the regret of quitting a human being whose attachment to me was manifestly so strong and affectionate. But I had no alternative; and I pursued my road.
Winter was advancing: the weather was rainy: the roads were heavy. The cloudy sky sympathised with the gloom of the prospect before me. I had wasted my patrimony, quarrelled with my protectors, renounced the university, had no profession, no immediate resource, and had myself and my mother to provide for: by what means I knew not.
The experience of Wilmot seemed to prove how precarious a subsistence the labours of literature afford; and Wilmot was indisputably a man of genius.
I had not quite concluded against the morality of the practice of the law: but I remembered, in part, the objections of Turl; and they were staggering. Had it been otherwise, where would have been the advantage? I had entered of the Temple: but I had neither the means of keeping my terms nor the patience to look forward, for precarious wealth and fame, to so distant a period.
All this might have been endured: but Olivia?--Where was she?--Perhaps, at that moment, the wife of Andrews!--Or if not, grant she were never to be his, she never could be mine. Yet mine she must be! Mine she should be! I would brave the despotism of her odious enslavers! I would move heaven and earth! I would defy h.e.l.l itself to separate us!
Such were the continual conflicts to which I was subject: and, while the fogs of despondency rose thick and murky around me, with them continually rose the _ignis fatuus_ of hope; dancing before my eyes, and encouraging me step after step to follow on.
Considering how wild and extravagant the desires of youth are, it is happy for them that they calculate so ill; and are so short-sighted.
Their despair would else be frequently fatal.
I did not forget, as a supposed immediate means of relief, that my pamphlet against the Earl and the Bishop was printed; and I thought the revenge more than justifiable: it was a necessary vindication of my own honour and claims. I was indeed forty pounds in debt: twenty to Belmont; and twenty more to I knew not whom: though I suspected, and partly hoped partly feared, it was Olivia. I hoped it, because it might be affection. I feared it, lest it should be nothing more than pity; for one whom she had known in her childhood, but whom, now he was a man, she might compa.s.sionate; but must contemn. To have been obliged even to Olivia, on these terms, was worse than starving. Such were my meditations through the day; which was a little advanced when I left Bath.
I was eager to perform my journey, and had walked at a great rate. A little before twilight, I heard a distant call, two or three times repeated. At last, I turned round, saw a hat waving, and heard my own name.
I stopped; and the person approached. It was Clarke. I was surprised; and enquired the reason of his following me. He was embarra.s.sed; and began with requesting I would go a little slower, for he had run and walked till he was half tired, and he would tell me.
Clarke was an untaught orator. He had very strong feelings; and a clear head; which are the two grand sources of eloquence. "You know,"
said he, "how much mischief I have done you; for it cannot be denied.
I struck you first, and knocked you down when you _was_ off your guard. I set every body against you. I refused to shake hands with you, over and over, when you had the goodness to offer to forgive me.
And, last of all, you may thank me for the fever; which brought you to death"s door. You forgave me this, as well as the rest. But that was not all. That would not content you. Because I had been used ill, without any malice of yours, nothing would satisfy you but to strip yourself of the little _modic.u.m_ that you had, and give it to me. So that, I am sure, you have hardly a shilling to take you up to London.
And, when you are there, you are not so well off as I am: you have no trade. I can turn my hand to twenty things: you have never been used to hard work; and how you are to live G.o.d Almighty knows! For I am sure I cannot find out; though I have been thinking of nothing else for weeks and weeks past."
"Why should you suppose I have no money?"
"Because I am sure of it. I asked and found out all that you had to pay. The servants too told me how open-hearted you _was_; so that you had given away all you had. Shame on "em for taking it, say I! You are not fit to live in this world! And then to send me ten pounds, who have a house and home, and hands to work! But I"ll be d.a.m.ned if I keep it!"
"Nay but, indeed you must."
"I will not! I will not! I would not forswear myself for all the money in the world! And I have sworn it, again and again. So take it! Nay, here, take it!--If you don"t, I"ll throw it down in the road; and let the first that comes find it; for I"ll not forswear myself. So pray now, I beg, for G.o.d"s sake, you will take it!"
I found it was in vain to contend with him: he was too determined, and had taken this oath in the simplicity of his heart, that it might not be possible for him to recede. I therefore accepted the money: but I endeavoured, having received it to satisfy his oath, to persuade him to take a part of it back again. My efforts were fruitless. "He had three half crowns," he told me, "in his pocket; which would serve his turn, till he could get more: and he had left five guineas at home; so that there was no fear his wife and children should want."
Happy, enviable, state of independance! When a man and his wife and family, possessed of five guineas, are so wealthy that they are in no fear of want!
Having complied, because I found, though I could equal him in bodily activity, I could not vanquish him in generosity, I requested him to return to the place we just had pa.s.sed through, and take up his lodging.
He replied, "To be sure he was a little tired; for he had set out a good hour after me, and I had come at a rare rate. Not but that he could keep his ground, though I was so good a footman; but that it did not become him to make himself my companion."
"Companion!" said I. "Why are not you going back to Bath?"
"No: I have taken my leave of it. I shall go and set up my rest in London. I have not been sharking to my master. I thought of it some time since, and gave him fair notice; and more than that, I got him another man in my room; which is all he could demand: and I hope he will serve him as honestly as I have done."
"What, would you forsake your wife and children?"
"Forsake my wife and children!"
[There was a mixed emotion of indignant sorrow and surprize in his countenance.]
"I did not think, Mr. Trevor, you could have believed me to be such a base villain."
"I do not believe it! I never could believe it! I spoke thoughtlessly.
I saw you were too happy together for that to be possible."
"Forsake my dear Sally, and our Bill, and Bet, and ----? No! I"d sooner take up my axe and chop off my hand! There is not another man in England has such a wife! I have seen bad ones enough; and, for the matter of that, bad husbands too. But that"s nothing. If you will do me the favour, I should take it kind of you to let me walk with you, and keep you company, now night is coming on, to the next town; and then you may take some rest, and wait for the stage in the morning.
I shall make my way; and find you out, I suppose, fast enough in London."
"Are you then determined to go to town?"
"Yes: it is all settled. I told Sally; and she did cry a little to be sure: but she was soon satisfied. She knows me; and I never in my life found her piggish. G.o.d be her holy keeper!"
"Why then, come along. We"ll go together. If I ride, you shall ride: if you walk, so will I."
"Will you? G.o.d bless you! You know how to win a man"s heart! There is not so good or so brave a fellow, I mean gentleman, upon the face of the earth, d.a.m.n me if there is! I beg your pardon! Indeed I do! But you force it out of one! One can"t remember to keep one"s distance, with you. However, I will try to be more becoming."