"I can"t tell my son a lie," said the widow. It had been put silently into the letter-box two days previous to their departure from the Temple, and had been brought to Mrs. Pendennis by Martha. She had never seen f.a.n.n.y"s handwriting, of course; but when the letter was put into her hands she knew the author at once. She had been on the watch for that letter every day since Pen had been ill. She had opened some of his other letters because she wanted to get at that one. She had the horrid paper poisoning her bag at that moment. She took it out and offered it to her brother-in-law.
"Arther Pendennis, Esq.," he read in a timid little sprawling handwriting, and with a sneer on his face. "No, my dear, I won"t read any more. But you who have read it may tell me what the letter contains--only prayers for his health in bad spelling, you say--and a desire to see him? Well--there"s no harm in that. And as you ask me--"
Here the Major began to look a little queer for his own part, and put on his demure look--"as you ask me, my dear, for information, why, I don"t mind telling you that--ah--that--Morgan, my man, has made some inquiries regarding this affair, and that--my friend Doctor Goodenough also looked into it--and it appears that this person was greatly smitten with Arthur; that he paid for her and took her to Vauxhall Gardens, as Morgan heard from an old acquaintance of Pen"s and ours, an Irish gentleman, who was very nearly once having the honour of being the--from an Irishman, in fact;--that the girl"s father, a violent man of intoxicated habits, has beaten her mother, who persists in declaring her daughter"s entire innocence to her husband on the one hand, while on the other she told Goodenough, that Arthur has acted like a brute to her child. And so you see the story remains in a mystery. Will you have it cleared up? I have but to ask Pen, and he will tell me at once--he is as honourable a man as ever lived."
"Honourable!" said the widow with bitter scorn. "Oh, brother, what is this you call honour? If my boy has been guilty, he must marry her. I would go down on my knees and pray him to do so."
"Good G.o.d! are you mad?" screamed out the Major; and remembering former pa.s.sages in Arthur"s history and Helen"s, the truth came across his mind that, were Helen to make this prayer to her son, he would marry the girl: he was wild enough and obstinate enough to commit any folly when a woman he loved was in the case. "My dear sister, have you lost your senses?" he continued (after an agitated pause, during which the above dreary reflection crossed him); and in a softened tone, "What right have we to suppose that anything has pa.s.sed between this girl and him? Let"s see the letter. Her heart is breaking; pray, pray, write to me--home unhappy--unkind father--your nurse--poor little f.a.n.n.y--spelt, as you say, in a manner to outrage all sense of decorum. But, good heavens! my dear, what is there in this? only that the little devil is making love to him still. Why, she didn"t come into his chambers until he was so delirious that he didn"t know her. What-d"you-call-"em, Flanagan, the laundress, told Morgan, my man, so. She came in company of an old fellow, an old Mr. Bows, who came most kindly down to Stillbrook and brought me away--by the way, I left him in the cab, and never paid the fare; and dev"lish kind it was of him. No, there"s nothing in the story."
"Do you think so? Thank Heaven--thank G.o.d!" Helen cried. "I"ll take the letter to Arthur and ask him now. Look at him there. He"s on the terrace with Mr. Warrington. They are talking to some children. My boy was always fond of children. He"s innocent, thank G.o.d--thank G.o.d! Let me go to him."
Old Pendennis had his own opinion. When he briskly took the not guilty side of the case, but a moment before, very likely the old gentleman had a different view from that which he chose to advocate, and judged of Arthur by what he himself would have done. If she goes to Arthur, and he speaks the truth, as the rascal will, it spoils all, he thought. And he tried one more effort.
"My dear, good soul," he said, taking Helen"s hand and kissing it, "as your son has not acquainted you with this affair, think if you have any right to examine it. As you believe him to be a man of honour, what right have you to doubt his honour in this instance? Who is his accuser?
An anonymous scoundrel who has brought no specific charge against him.
If there were any such, wouldn"t the girl"s parents have come forward?
He is not called upon to rebut, nor you to entertain an anonymous accusation; and as for believing him guilty because a girl of that rank happened to be in his rooms acting as nurse to him, begad you might as well insist upon his marrying that dem"d old Irish gin-drinking laundress, Mrs. Flanagan."
The widow burst out laughing through her tears--the victory was gained by the old general.
"Marry Mrs. Flanagan, by Ged," he continued, tapping her slender hand.
"No. The boy has told you nothing about it, and you know nothing about it. The boy is innocent--of course. And what, my good soul, is the course for us to pursue? Suppose he is attached to this girl--don"t look sad again, it"s merely a supposition--and begad a young fellow may have an attachment, mayn"t he?--Directly he gets well he will be at her again."
"He must come home! We must go off directly to Fairoaks," the widow cried out.
"My good creature, he"ll bore himself to death at Fairoaks. He"ll have nothing to do but to think about his pa.s.sion there. There"s no place in the world for making a little pa.s.sion into a big one, and where a fellow feeds on his own thoughts, like a dem"d lonely country-house where there"s nothing to do. We must occupy him: amuse him: we must take him abroad: he"s never been abroad except to Paris for a lark. We must travel a little. He must have a nurse with him, to take great care of him, for Goodenough says he had a dev"lish narrow squeak of it (don"t look frightened), and so you must come and watch: and I suppose you"ll take Miss Bell, and I should like to ask Warrington to come.
Arthur"s dev"lish fond of Warrington. He can"t do without Warrington.
Warrington"s family is one of the oldest in England, and he is one of the best young fellows I ever met in my life. I like him exceedingly."
"Does Mr. Warrington know anything about this--this affair?" asked Helen. "He had been away, I know, for two months before it happened; Pen wrote me so."
"Not a word--I--I"ve asked him about it. I"ve pumped him. He never heard of the transaction, never; I pledge you my word," cried out the Major, in some alarm. "And, my dear, I think you had much best not talk to him about it--much best not--of course not: the subject is most delicate and painful."
The simple widow took her brother"s hand and pressed it. "Thank you, brother," she said. "You have been very, very kind to me. You have given me a great deal of comfort. I"ll go to my room, and think of what you have said. This illness and these--these emotions--have agitated me a great deal; and I"m not very strong, you know. But I"ll go and thank G.o.d that my boy is innocent. He is innocent. Isn"t he, sir?"
"Yes, my dearest creature, yes," said the old fellow, kissing her affectionately, and quite overcome by her tenderness. He looked after her as she retreated, with a fondness which was rendered more piquant, as it were, by the mixture of a certain scorn which accompanied it.
"Innocent!" he said; "I"d swear, till I was black in the face, he was innocent, rather than give that good soul pain."
Having achieved this victory, the fatigued and happy warrior laid himself down on the sofa, and put his yellow silk pocket-handkerchief over his face, and indulged in a snug little nap, of which the dreams, no doubt, were very pleasant, as he snored with refreshing regularity.
The young men sate, meanwhile, dawdling away the sunshiny hours on the terrace, very happy, and Pen, at least, very talkative. He was narrating to Warrington a plan for a new novel, and a new tragedy. Warrington laughed at the idea of his writing a tragedy? By Jove, he would show that he could; and he began to spout some of the lines of his play.
The little solo on the wind instrument which the Major was performing was interrupted by the entrance of Miss Bell. She had been on a visit to her old friend, Lady Rockminster, who had taken a summer villa in the neighbourhood; and who, hearing of Arthur"s illness, and his mother"s arrival at Richmond, had visited the latter; and, for the benefit of the former, whom she didn"t like, had been prodigal of grapes, partridges, and other attentions. For Laura the old lady had a great fondness, and longed that she should come and stay with her; but Laura could not leave her mother at this juncture. Worn out by constant watching over Arthur"s health, Helen"s own had suffered very considerably; and Doctor Goodenough had had reason to prescribe for her as well as for his younger patient.
Old Pendennis started up on the entrance of the young lady. His slumbers were easily broken. He made her a gallant speech--he had been full of gallantry towards her of late. Where had she been gathering those roses which she wore on her cheeks? How happy he was to be disturbed out of his dreams by such a charming reality! Laura had plenty of humour and honesty; and these two caused her to have on her side something very like a contempt for the old gentleman. It delighted her to draw out his worldlinesses, and to make the old habitue of clubs and drawing-rooms tell his twaddling tales about great folks, and expound his views of morals.
Not in this instance, however, was she disposed to be satirical. She had been to drive with Lady Rockminster in the Park, she said; and she had brought home game for Pen, and flowers for mamma. She looked very grave about mamma. She had just been with Mrs. Pendennis. Helen was very much worn, and she feared she was very, very ill. Her large eyes filled with tender marks of the sympathy which she felt in her beloved friend"s condition. She was alarmed about her. Could not that good--that dear Dr.
Goodenough cure her?
"Arthur"s illness, and other mental anxiety," the Major slowly said, "had, no doubt, shaken Helen." A burning blush upon the girl"s face showed that she understood the old man"s allusion. But she looked him full in the face and made no reply. "He might have spared me that," she thought. "What is he aiming at in recalling that shame to me?"
That he had an aim in view is very possible. The old diplomatist seldom spoke without some such end. Doctor Goodenough had talked to him, he said, about their dear friend"s health, and she wanted rest and change of scene--yes, change of scene. Painful circ.u.mstances which had occurred must be forgotten and never alluded to; he begged pardon for even hinting at them to Miss Bell--he never should do so again--nor, he was sure, would she. Everything must be done to soothe and comfort their friend, and his proposal was that they should go abroad for the autumn to a watering-place in the Rhine neighbourhood, where Helen might rally her exhausted spirits, and Arthur try and become a new man. Of course, Laura would not forsake her mother?
Of course not. It was about Helen, and Helen only--that is, about Arthur too for her sake, that Laura was anxious. She would go abroad or anywhere with Helen.
And Helen having thought the matter over for an hour in her room, had by that time grown to be as anxious for the tour as any schoolboy, who has been reading a book of voyages, is eager to go to sea. Whither should they go? the farther the better--to some place so remote that even recollection could not follow them thither: so delightful that Pen should never want to leave it--anywhere so that he could be happy. She opened her desk with trembling fingers and took out her banker"s book, and counted up her little savings. If more was wanted, she had the diamond cross. She would borrow from Laura again. "Let us go--let us go," she thought; "directly he can bear the journey let us go away.
Come, kind Doctor Goodenough--come quick, and give us leave to quit England."
The good Doctor drove over to dine with them that very day. "If you agitate yourself so," he said to her, "and if your heart beats so, and if you persist in being so anxious about a young gentleman who is getting well as fast as he can, we shall have you laid up, and Miss Laura to watch you; and then it will be her turn to be ill, and I should like to know how the deuce a doctor is to live who is obliged to come and attend you all for nothing? Mrs. Goodenough is already jealous of you, and says, with perfect justice, that I fall in love with my patients. And you must please to get out of the country as soon as ever you can, that I may have a little peace in my family."
When the plan of going abroad was proposed, it was received by that gentleman with the greatest alacrity and enthusiasm. He longed to be off at once. He let his mustachios grow from that very moment, in order, I suppose, that he might get his mouth into training for a perfect French and German p.r.o.nunciation; and he was seriously disquieted in his mind because the mustachios, when they came, were of a decidedly red colour.
He had looked forward to an autumn at Fairoaks; and perhaps the idea of pa.s.sing two or three months there did not amuse the young man. "There is not a soul to speak to in the place," he said to Warrington. "I can"t stand old Portman"s sermons, and pompous after-dinner conversation. I know all old Glanders"s stories about the Peninsular war. The Claverings are the only Christian people in the neighbourhood, and they are not to be at home before Christmas, my uncle says: besides, Warrington, I want to get out of the country. Whilst you were away, confound it, I had a temptation, from which I am very thankful to have escaped, and which I count that even my illness came very luckily to put an end to." And here he narrated to his friend the circ.u.mstances of the Vauxhall affair, with which the reader is already acquainted.
Warrington looked very grave when he heard this story. Putting the moral delinquency out of the question, he was extremely glad for Arthur"s sake that the latter had escaped from a danger which might have made his whole life wretched; "which certainly," said Warrington, "would have occasioned the wretchedness and ruin of the other party. And your mother and--and your friends--what a pain it would have been to them!" urged Pen"s companion, little knowing what grief and annoyance these good people had already suffered.
"Not a word to my mother!" Pen cried out, in a state of great alarm.
"She would never get over it. An esclandre of that sort would kill her, I do believe. And," he added, with a knowing air, and as if, like a young rascal of a Lovelace, he had been engaged in what are called affaires de coeur, all his life; "the best way, when a danger of that sort menaces, is not to face it, but to turn one"s back on it and run."
"And were you very much smitten?" Warrington asked.
"Hm!" said Lovelace. "She dropped her h"s, but she was a dear little girl."
O Clarissas of this life, O you poor little ignorant vain foolish maidens! if you did but know the way in which the Lovelaces speak of you: if you could but hear Jack talking to Tom across the coffee-room of a Club; or see Ned taking your poor little letters out of his cigar-case, and handing them over to Charley, and Billy, and Harry across the messroom table, you would not be so eager to write, or so ready to listen! There"s a sort of crime which is not complete unless the lucky rogue boasts of it afterwards; and the man who betrays your honour in the first place, is pretty sure, remember that, to betray your secret too.
"It"s hard to fight, and it"s easy to fall," said Warring gloomily. "And as you say, Pendennis, when a danger like this is imminent, the best way is to turn your back on it and run."
After this little discourse upon a subject about which Pen would have talked a great deal more eloquently a month back, the conversation reverted to the plans for going abroad, and Arthur eagerly pressed his friend to be of the party. Warrington was a part of the family--a part of the cure. Arthur said he should not have half the pleasure without Warrington.
But George said no, he couldn"t go. He must stop at home and take Pen"s place. The other remarked that that was needless, for Shandon was now come back to London, and Arthur was ent.i.tled to a holiday.
"Don"t press me," Warrington said, "I can"t go. I"ve particular engagements. I"m best at home. I"ve not got the money to travel, that"s the long and short of it--for travelling costs money, you know."
This little obstacle seemed fatal to Pen. He mentioned it to his mother: Mrs. Pendennis was very sorry; Mr. Warrington had been exceedingly kind; but she supposed he knew best about his affairs. And then, no doubt, she reproached herself, for selfishness in wishing to carry the boy off and have him to herself altogether.
"What is this I hear from Pen, my dear Mr. Warrington?" the Major asked one day, when the pair were alone and after Warrington"s objection had been stated to him. "Not go with us? We can"t hear of such a thing--Pen won"t get well without you. I promise you, I"m not going to be his nurse. He must have somebody with him that"s stronger and gayer and better able to amuse him than a rheumatic old fogy like me. I shall go to Carlsbad very likely, when I"ve seen you people settle down.
Travelling costs nothing nowadays--or so little! And--and, pray, Warrington, remember that I was your father"s very old friend, and if you and your brother are not on such terms as to--to enable you to--to antic.i.p.ate your younger brother"s allowance, I beg you to make me your banker, for hasn"t Pen been getting into your debt these three weeks past, during which you have been doing what he informs me is his work, with such exemplary talent and genius, begad?"
Still, in spite of this kind offer and unheard-of generosity on the part of the Major, George Warrington refused, and said he would stay at home.
But it was with a faltering voice and an irresolute accent which showed how much he would like to go, though his tongue persisted in saying nay.
But the Major"s persevering benevolence was not to be baulked in this way. At the tea-table that evening, Helen happening to be absent from the room for the moment, looking for Pen who had gone to roost, old Pendennis returned to the charge and rated Warrington for refusing to join in their excursion. "Isn"t it ungallant, Miss Bell?" he said, turning to that young lady. "Isn"t it unfriendly? Here we have been the happiest party in the world, and this odious selfish creature breaks it up!"
Miss Bell"s long eyelashes looked down towards her teacup: and Warrington blushed hugely but did not speak. Neither did Miss Bell speak: but when he blushed she blushed too.
"You ask him to come, my dear," said the benevolent old gentleman, "and then perhaps he will listen to you----"
"Why should Mr. Warrington listen to me?" asked the young lady, putting the query to her teaspoon seemingly and not to the Major.
"Ask him; you have not asked him," said Pen"s artless uncle.
"I should be very glad, indeed, if Mr. Warrington would come," remarked Laura to the teaspoon.