Tales and Novels Volume III Part 12

The combat now began--the spectators were silent. Clarence made an error in his first move, for his attention was distracted by seeing Belinda behind his adversary's chair. The Spaniard was deceived by this mistake into a contemptuous opinion of his opponent--Belinda changed her place--Clarence recovered his presence of mind, and convinced him that he was not a man to be despised. The combat was long doubtful, but at length to the surprise of all present, Clarence Hervey was victorious.

Exulting in his success, he looked round for Lady Delacour, from whom he expected the honours of his triumph. She had left the room, but soon she returned, dressed in the character of Queen Elizabeth, in which she had once appeared at a masquerade, with a large ruff, and all the costume of the times.

Clarence Hervey, throwing himself at her feet, addressed her in that high-flown style which her majesty was wont to hear from the gallant Raleigh, or the accomplished Ess.e.x.

Soon the coquetry of the queen entirely conquered her prudery; and the favoured courtier, evidently elated by his situation, was as enthusiastic as her majesty's most insatiable vanity could desire. The characters were well supported; both the actor and actress were highly animated, and seemed so fully possessed by their parts as to be insensible to the comments that were made upon the scene. Clarence Hervey was first recalled to himself by the deep blush which he saw on Belinda's cheek, when Queen Elizabeth addressed her as one of her maids of honour, of whom she affected to be jealous. He was conscious that he had been hurried by the enthusiasm of the moment farther than he either wished or intended. It was difficult to recede, when her majesty seemed disposed to advance; but Sir Walter Raleigh, with much presence of mind, turned to the foreigner, whom he accosted as the Spanish amba.s.sador.

"Your excellency sees," said he, "how this great queen turns the heads of her faithful subjects, and afterwards has the art of paying them with nothing but words. Has the new world afforded you any coin half so valuable?"

The Spanish gentleman's grave replies to this playful question gave a new turn to the conversation, and relieved Clarence Hervey from his embarra.s.sment. Lady Delacour, though still in high spirits, was easily diverted to other objects. She took the Spaniard with her to the next room, to show him a picture of Mary, Queen of Scots. The company followed her--Clarence Hervey remained with Dr. X---- and Belinda, who had just asked the doctor, to teach her the moves at chess.

"Lady Delacour has charming spirits," said Clarence Hervey; "they inspire every body with gaiety."

"Every body! they incline me more to melancholy than mirth," said Dr.

X----. "These high spirits do not seem quite natural. The vivacity of youth and of health, Miss Portman, always charms me; but this gaiety of Lady Delacour's does not appear to me that of a sound mind in a sound body."

The doctor's penetration went so near the truth, that Belinda, afraid of betraying her friend's secrets, never raised her eyes from the chess-board whilst he spoke, but went on setting up the fallen castles, and bishops, and kings, with expeditious diligence.

"You are putting the bishop into the place of the knight," said Clarence.

"Lady Delacour," continued the doctor, "seems to be in a perpetual fever, either of mind or body--I cannot tell which--and as a professional man, I really have some curiosity to determine the question. If I could feel her pulse, I could instantly decide; but I have heard her say that she has a horror against having her pulse felt, and a lady's horror is invincible, by reason--"

"But not by address," said Clarence. "I can tell you a method of counting her pulse, without her knowing it, without her seeing you, without your seeing her."

"Indeed!" said Dr. X----, smiling; "that may be a useful secret in my profession; pray impart it to me--you who excel in every thing."

"Are you in earnest, Mr. Hervey?" said Belinda.

"Perfectly in earnest--my secret is quite simple. Look through the door at the shadow of Queen Elizabeth's ruff--observe how it vibrates; the motion as well as the figure is magnified in the shadow. Cannot you count every pulsation distinctly?"

"I can," said Dr. X----, "and I give you credit for making an ingenious use of a trifling observation." The doctor paused and looked round.

"Those people cannot hear what we are saying, I believe?"

"Oh, no," said Belinda, "they are intent upon themselves." Doctor X----fixed his eyes mildly upon Clarence Hervey, and exclaimed in an earnest friendly tone--"What a pity, Mr. Hervey, that a young man of your talents and acquirements, a man who might be any thing, should--pardon the expression--choose to be--nothing; should waste upon petty objects powers suited to the greatest; should lend his soul to every contest for frivolous superiority, when the same energy concentrated might ensure honourable pre-eminence among the first men in his country. Shall he who might not only distinguish himself in any science or situation, who might not only acquire personal fame, but, oh, far more n.o.ble motive! who might be permanently useful to his fellow-creatures, content himself with being the evanescent amus.e.m.e.nt of a drawing-room?--Shall one, who might be great in public, or happy in private life, waste in this deplorable manner the best years of his existence--time that can never be recalled?--This is declamation!--No: it is truth put into the strongest language that I have power to use, in the hope of making some impression: I speak from my heart, for I have a sincere regard for you, Mr. Hervey, and if I have been impertinent, you must forgive me."

"Forgive you!" cried Clarence Hervey, taking Dr. X---- by the hand, "I think you a real friend; you shall have the best thanks not in words, but in actions: you have roused my ambition, and I will pursue n.o.ble ends by n.o.ble means. A few years have been sacrificed; but the lessons that they have taught me remain. I cannot, presumptuous as lam, flatter myself that my exertions can be of any material utility to my fellow-creatures, but what I can do I will, my excellent friend! If I be hereafter either successful in public, or happy in private life, it is to you I shall owe it."

Belinda was touched by the candour and good sense with which Clarence Hervey spoke. His character appeared in a new light: she was proud of her own judgment, in having discerned his merit, and for a moment she permitted herself to feel "unreproved pleasure in his company."

The next morning, Sir Philip Baddely and Mr. Rochfort called at Lady Delacour's--Mr. Hervey was present--her ladys.h.i.+p was summoned to Mrs.

Franks, and Belinda was left with these gentlemen.

"Why, damme, Clary! you have been a lost man," cried Sir Philip, "ever since you were drowned. Damme, why did not you come to dine with us that day, now I recollect it? We were all famously merry; but for your comfort, Clarence, we missed you cursedly, and were d.a.m.ned sorry you ever took that unlucky jump into the Serpentine river--d.a.m.ned sorry, were not we, Rochfort?"

"Oh," said Clarence, in an ironical tone, "you need no vouchers to convince me of the reality of your sorrow. You know I can never forget your jumping so courageously into the river, to save the life of your friend."

"Oh, pooh! d.a.m.n it," said Sir Philip, "what signifies who pulled you out, now you are safe and sound? By-the-bye, Clary, did you ever quiz that doctor, as I desired you? No, that I'm sure you didn't; but I think he has made a quiz of you: for, damme, I believe you have taken such a fancy to the old quizzical fellow, that you can't live without him. Miss Portman, don't you admire Hervey's taste?"

"In this instance I certainly do admire Mr. Hervey's taste," said Belinda, "for the best of all possible reasons, because it entirely agrees with my own."

"Very extraordinary, faith," said Sir Philip.

"And what the devil can you find to like in him, Clary?" continued Mr.

Rochfort, "for one wouldn't be so rude to put that question to a lady.

Ladies, you know, are never to be questioned about their likings and dislikings. Some have pet dogs, some have pet cats: then why not a _pet quiz?_"

"Ha! ha! ha! that's a good one, Rochfort--a pet quiz!--Ha! ha! ha! Dr.

X---- shall be Miss Portman's pet quiz. Put it about, put it about, Rochfort," continued the witty baronet, and he and his facetious companion continued to laugh as long as they possibly could at this happy hit.

Belinda, without being in the least discomposed by their insolent folly, as soon as they had finished laughing, very coolly observed, that she could have no objection to give her reasons for preferring Dr. X-----'s company but for fear they might give offence to Sir Philip and his friends. She then defended the doctor with so much firmness, and yet with so much propriety, that Clarence Hervey was absolutely enchanted with her, and with his own penetration in having discovered her real character, notwithstanding her being Mrs. Stanhope's niece.

"I never argue, for my part," cried Mr. Rochfort: "'pon honour, 'tis a deal too much trouble. A lady, a handsome lay, I mean, is always in the right with me."

"But as to you, Hervey," said Sir Philip, "damme, do you know, my boy, that our club has come to a determination to black-ball you, if you keep company with this famous doctor?"

"Your club, Sir Philip, will do me honour by such an ostracism."

"Ostracism!" repeated Sir Philip.--"In plain English, does that mean that you choose to be black-balled by us? Why, d.a.m.n it, Clary, you'll be n.o.body. But follow your own genius--d.a.m.n me, if I take it upon me to understand your men of genius--they are in the Serpentine river one day, and in the clouds the next: so fare ye well, Clary. I expect to see you a doctor of physic, or a methodist parson, soon, d.a.m.n me if I don't: so fare ye well, Clary. Is black-ball your last word? or will you think better on't, and give up the doctor?"

"I can never give up Dr. X----'s friends.h.i.+p--I would sooner be black-balled by every club in London. The good lesson you gave me, Sir Philip, the day I was fool enough to jump into the Serpentine river, has made me wiser for life. I know, for I have felt, the difference between real friends and fas.h.i.+onable acquaintance. Give up Dr. X----! Never!

never!"

"Then fare you well, Clary," said Sir Philip, "you're no longer one of us."

"Then fare ye well, Clary, you're no longer the man for me," said Rochfort.

"_Tant pis_, and _tant mieux_" said Clarence, and so they parted.

As they left the room, Clarence Hervey involuntarily turned to Belinda, and he thought that he read in her ingenuous, animated countenance, full approbation of his conduct.

"Hist! are they gone? quite gone?" said Lady Delacour, entering the room from an adjoining apartment; "they have stayed an unconscionable time.

How much I am obliged to Mrs. Franks for detaining me! I have escaped their vapid impertinence; and in truth, this morning I have such a multiplicity of business, that I have scarcely a moment even for wit and Clarence Hervey. Belinda, my dear, will you have the charity to look over some of these letters for me, which, as Marriott tells me, have been lying in my writing-table this week--expecting, most unreasonably, that I should have the grace to open them? We are always punished for our indolence, as your friend Dr. X---- said the other day: if we suffer business to acc.u.mulate, it drifts with every ill wind like snow, till at last an avalanche of it comes down at once, and quite overwhelms us.

Excuse me, Clarence," continued her ladys.h.i.+p, as she opened her letters, "this is very rude: but I know I have secured my pardon from you by remembering your friend's wit--wisdom, I should say: how seldom are wit and wisdom joined! They might have been joined in Lady Delacour, perhaps--there's vanity!--if she had early met with such a friend as Dr.

X----; but it's too late now," said she, with a deep sigh.

Clarence Hervey heard it, and it made a great impression upon his benevolent imagination. "Why too late?" said he to himself. "Mrs.

Margaret Delacour is mistaken, if she thinks this woman wants sensibility."

"What have you got there, Miss Portman?" said Lady Delacour, taking from Belinda's hand one of the letters which she had begged her to look over: "something wondrous pathetic, I should guess, by your countenance.

'_Helena Delacour_.' Oh! read it to yourself, my dear--a school-girl's letter is a thing I abominate--I make it a rule never to read Helena's epistles."

"Let me prevail upon your ladys.h.i.+p to make an exception to the general rule then," said Belinda; "I can a.s.sure you this is not a common school-girl's letter: Miss Delacour seems to inherit her mother's '_eloquence de billet_.'"

"Miss Portman seems to possess, by inheritance, by instinct, by magic, or otherwise, powers of persuasion, which no one can resist. There's compliment for compliment, my dear. Is there any thing half so well turned in Helena's letter? Really, 'tis vastly well," continued her ladys.h.i.+p, as she read the letter: "where did the little gipsy learn to write so charmingly? I protest I should like of all things to have her at home with me this summer--the 21st of June--well, after the birthday, I shall have time to think about it. But then, we shall be going out of town, and at Harrowgate I should not know what to do with her; she had better, much better, go to her humdrum Aunt Margaret's, as she always does--she is a fixture in Grosvenor-square. These stationary good people, these zoophite friends, are sometimes very convenient; and Mrs.

Margaret Delacour is the most unexceptionable zoophite in the creation.

She has, it is true, an antipathy to me, because I'm of such a different nature from herself; but then her antipathy does not extend to my offspring: she is kind beyond measure to Helena, on purpose, I believe, to provoke me. Now I provoke her in my turn, by never being provoked, and she saves me a vast deal of trouble, for which she is overpaid by the pleasure of abusing me. This is the way of the world, Clarence.

Don't look so serious--you are not come yet to daughters and sons, and schools and holidays, and all the evils of domestic life."