by Fanny Burney
CHAPTER II
Upon reaching the British shore, while Mrs Maple, her niece, the elderlylady, and two maid-servants, claimed and employed the aid of thegentlemen, the Incognita, disregarding an offer of Harleigh to returnfor her, darted forward with such eagerness, that she was the first totouch the land, where, with a fervour that seemed resistless, sherapturously ejaculated, 'Heaven, Heaven be praised!'
The pilot, when he had safely disembarked his passengers, committed thecharge of his vessel to a boy, and, abruptly accosting the stranger,demanded a recompence for the risk which he had run in saving her life.
She was readily opening her work bag to seek for her purse, but the oldsea officer, approaching, and holding her arm, gravely asked whether shemeant to affront him; and, turning to the pilot, somewhat dictatoriallysaid, 'Harkee, my lad! we took this gentlewoman in ourselves; and I haveseen no reason to be sorry for it: but she is our passenger, and notyour's. Come to the inn, therefore, and you shall be satisfied,forthwith, for her and the rest of us, in a lump.'
'You are infinitely good, Sir,' cried the stranger, 'but I have noclaim--.'
'That's your mistake, gentlewoman. An unprotected female, provided she'sof a good behaviour, has always a claim to a man's care, whether she beborn amongst our friends or our foes. I should be ashamed to be anEnglishman, if I held it my duty to think narrower than that. And a manwho could bring himself to be ashamed of being an Englishman, would findit a difficult solution, let me tell you, my good gentlewoman, todiscover what he might glory in. However, don't think that I say this toaffront you as a foreigner, for I hope I am a better Christian. I onlydrop it as a matter of fact.'
'Worthy Admiral,' said Mr Harleigh, now joining them, 'you are not, Itrust, robbing me of my office? The pecuniary engagement with the pilotwas mine.'
'But the authority which made him act,' returned the officer, 'wasmine.'
A bright smile, which lightened up the countenance of the Incognita,again contrasted her white teeth with her dingy complexion; whiledispersing the tears that started into her eyes, 'Fie upon me!' shecried, 'to be in England and surprised at generosity!'
'Gentlewoman,' said the Admiral, emphatically, 'if you want any help,command my services; for, to my seeming, you appear to be a person of asright a way of thinking, as if you had lisped English for yourmother-tongue.'
He then peremptorily insisted that the boat's company should dischargethe pilot, without any interference on the part of the lone traveller,as soon as it had done with the custom-house officers.
This latter business was short; there was nothing to examine: not atrunk, and scarcely a parcel, had the hurry and the dangers of escapehazarded.
They then proceeded to the principal inn, where the Admiral called allthe crew, as he styled the party, to a spacious room, and a cheeringfire, of which he undertook the discipline.
The sight of this meanly attired person, invited into the apartment bothby the Admiral and Mr Harleigh, with a civility that seemed blind to hershabby appearance, proved so miraculous a restorative to Mrs Maple,that, rising from a great chair, into which, with a declaration that shewas half dead from her late fright and sickness, she had thrown herself,she was endowed with sudden strength of body to stand stiffly upright,and of lungs to pronounce, in shrill but powerful accents, 'Pray, MrHarleigh, are we to go on any farther as if we were to live all ourlives in a stage coach? Why can't that body as well stay in thekitchen?'
The stranger would hastily have retired, but the Admiral, taking hersoftly by the shoulder, said, 'I have been a commanding officer the bestpart of my life, Gentlewoman; and though a devil of a wound has put meupon the superannuated list, I am not sunk into quite such a fairweather chap, as to make over my authority, in such a little pitifulskiff's company as this, to petticoat government;--though no man has abetter respect for the sex, in its proper element; which, however, isnot the sea. Therefore, Madam,' turning to Mrs Maple, 'this gentlewomanbeing my own passenger, and having comported herself without any offenceeither to God or man, I shall take it kind if you will treat her in amore Christian-like manner.'
While Mrs Maple began an angry reply, the stranger forced herself out ofthe apartment. The Admiral followed.
'I hope, gentlewoman,' he was beginning, 'you won't be cast down, orangry, at a few vagaries--' when, looking in her face, he saw acountenance so gaily happy, that his condolence was changed into pleasedastonishment. 'Angry!' she repeated, 'at a moment such as this!--amoment of so blessed an escape!--I should be the most graceless ofwretches, if I had one sensation but of thankfulness and joy!'
'You are a very brave woman,' said the Admiral, 'and I am sorry,'looking at her tattered clothing, 'to see you in no better plight:though, perchance, if you had been born to more glitter without, youmight have had less ore within. However, if you don't much like thevapouring of that ancient lady, which I have no very extraordinaryliking to myself, neither, why stay in another room till we have donewith the pilot; and then, if I can be of any use in helping you to yourfriends, I shall be glad to be at your service. For I take it forgranted, though you are not in your own country, you are too good awoman to be without friends, as I know no worse sign of a person'scharacter.'
He then joined his fellow-voyagers, and the stranger went on to enquirefor the master of the house.
Sounds from without, that seemed to announce distress, catching, soonafter, the attentive ear of Harleigh, he opened the door, and perceivedthat the stranger was returned to the passage, and in evident disorder.
The sea officer briskly advanced to her. 'How now!' he cried,'disheartened at last? Well! a woman can be but a woman! However, unlessyou have a mind to see all my good opinion blown away--thus!--in awhiff, you won't think of drooping, now once you are upon Britishground. For though I should scorn, I hope, to reproach you for not beinga native born, still, not to be over-joyed that you can say, Here I am!would be a sure way to win my contempt. However, as I don't take upon meto be your governor, I'll send your own countryman to you, if you likehim better,--the pilot?'
'Not for the universe! Not for the universe!' she eagerly cried, and,darting into an empty room, with a hasty apology, shut the door.
'Mighty well, indeed!' said Mrs Maple, who, catching the contagion ofcuriosity, had deigned to listen; 'so her own countryman, the onlyperson that she ought to belong to, she shuts the door upon!'
She then protested, that if the woman were not brought forth, before thepilot, who was already paid and gone, had re-embarked, she should alwaysbe convinced that she had lost something, though she might not find outwhat had been taken from her, for a twelve-month afterwards.
The landlord, coming forward, enquired whether there were anydisturbance; and, upon the complaint and application of Mrs Maple, wouldhave opened the door of the closed apartment; but the Admiral andHarleigh, each taking him by an arm, declared the person in that room tobe under their protection.
'Well, upon my word,' cried Mrs Maple, 'this is more than I could haveexpected! We are in fine hands, indeed, for a sea officer, and anAdmiral, that ought to be our safe-guard, to take part with our nativeenemy, that, I make no doubt, is sent amongst us as a spy for ourdestruction!'
'A lady, Madam,' said the Admiral, looking down rather contemptuously,'must have liberty to say whatever she pleases, a man's tongue being asmuch tied as his hands, not to annoy the weaker vessel; so that, let hercome out with what she will, she is amenable to no punishment; unlessshe take some account of a man's inward opinion; in which case she can'tbe said to escape quite so free as she may seem to do. This, Madam, isall the remark that I think fit to make to you. But as for you, MrLandlord, when the gentlewoman in this room has occasion to consult you,she speaks English, and can call you herself.'
He would then have led the way to a general retreat, but Mrs Mapleangrily desired the landlord to take notice, that a foreigner, of asuspicious character, had come over with them by force, whom he ought tokeep in custody, unless she would tell her name and business.
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The door of the apartment was now abruptly opened by the stranger, whocalled out 'O no! no! no!--Ladies!--Gentlemen!--I claim yourprotection!'
'It is your's, Madam!' cried Harleigh, with emotion.
'Be sure of it, Gentlewoman!' cried the old officer; 'We did not bringyou from one bad shore to another. We'll take care of you. Be sure ofit!'
The stranger wept. 'I thought not,' she cried, 'to have shed a tear inEngland; but my heart can find no other vent.'
'Very pretty! very pretty, indeed, Gentlemen!' said Mrs Maple; 'If youcan answer all this to yourselves, well and good; but as I have notquite so easy a conscience, I think it no more than my duty to informthe magistrates myself, of my opinion of this foreigner.'
She was moving off; but the stranger rushed forth, and with anexpression of agonized affright, exclaimed, 'Stay! Madam, stay! hear butone word! I am no foreigner,--I am English!'--
Equal astonishment now seized every one; but while they stared from herto each other, the Admiral said: 'I am cordially glad to hear it!cordially! though why you should have kept secret a point that makes asmuch for your honour as for your safety, I am not deep enough todetermine. However, I won't decide against you, while I am in the darkof your reasons; though I own I have rather a taste myself for thingsmore above board. But for all that, Ma'am, if I can be of any use toyou, make no scruple to call upon me.'
He walked back to the parlour, where all now, except Harleigh, assembledto a general breakfast, of which, during this scene, Riley, for want ofan associate, had been doing the honors to himself. The sick lady, MrsIreton, was not yet sufficiently recovered to take any refreshment; andthe young man, her son, had commanded a repast on a separate table.
Harleigh repeated to the stranger, as she returned, in trembling, to herroom, his offer of services.
'If any lady of this party,' she answered, 'would permit me to say a fewwords to her not quite in public, I should thankfully acknowledge such acondescension. And if you, Sir, to whom already I owe an escape thatcalls for my eternal gratitude, if you, Sir, could procure me such anaudience--'
'What depends upon me shall surely not be left undone,' he replied; and,returning to the parlour, 'Ladies,' he said, 'this person whom we havebrought over, begs to speak with one of you alone.'
'Alone!' repeated Mrs Maple, 'How shocking! Who can tell what may be herdesigns?'
'She means that we should go out to hold a conference with her in thepassage, I suppose?' said Mrs Ireton, the sick lady, to whom thedispleasure raised by this idea seemed to restore strength and speech;'or, perhaps, she would be so good as to receive us in the kitchen? Hercondescension is really edifying! I am quite at a loss how I shall shewmy sense of such affability.'
'What, is that black insect buzzing about us still?' cried her son, 'Whywhat the deuce can one make of such a grim thing?'
'O, it's my friend the demoiselle, is it?' said Riley; 'Faith, I hadalmost forgotten her. I was so confoundedly numbed and gnawn, betweencold and hunger, that I don't think I could have remembered my father, Idon't, faith! before I had recruited. But where's poor demoiselle?What's become of her? She wants a little bleaching, to be sure; but shehas not bad eyes; nor a bad nose, neither.'
'I am no great friend to the mystical,' said the Admiral, 'but Ipromised her my help while she stood in need of my protection, and Ihave no tide to withdraw it, now that I presume she is only in need ofmy purse. If any of the ladies, therefore, mean to go to her, I beg totrouble them to carry this.' He put a guinea upon the table.
'Now that she is so ready to tell her story,' said Elinor, 'I amconfident that there is none to tell. While she was enveloped in themystical, as the Admiral phrases it, I was dying with curiosity to makesome discovery.'
'O the poor demoiselle!' cried Riley, 'why you can't think of leavingher in the lurch, at last, ladies, after bringing her so far? Come, lendme one of your bonnets and your fardingales, or what is it you call yourthings? And twirl me a belt round my waist, and something proper aboutmy neck, and I'll go to her myself, as one of your waiting maids: Iwill, faith!'
'I am glad, at least, niece Elinor, that this once,' said Mrs Maple,'you are reasonable enough to act a little like me and other people. Ifyou had really been so wild as to sustain so glaring an impostor----'
'If, aunt?--don't you see how I am scalding my throat all this time torun to her?' replied Elinor, giving her hand to Harleigh.
As they re-entered the passage, the stranger, rushing from her room witha look the most scared and altered, exclaimed, that she had lost herpurse.
'This is complete!' cried Elinor, laughing; 'and will this, too,Harleigh, move your knight-errantry? If it does--look to your heart! forI won't lose a moment in becoming black, patched, and pennyless!'
She flew with this anecdote to the breakfast parlour; while thestranger, yet more rapidly, flew from the inn to the sea-side, where shecarefully retraced the ground that she had passed; but all examinationwas vain, and she returned with an appearance of increased dismay.
Meeting Harleigh at the door, his expression of concern somewhat calmedher distress, and she conjured him to plead with one of the ladies, tohave the charity to convey her to London, and thence to help her on toBrighthelmstone. 'I have no means,' she cried, 'now, to proceed unaided;my purse, I imagine, dropt into the sea, when, so unguardedly! in thedark, I cast there--' She stopt, looked confused, and bent her eyes uponthe ground.
'To Brighthelmstone?' repeated Harleigh; 'some of these ladies residenot nine miles from that town. I will see what can be done.'
She merely entreated, she said, to be allowed to travel in their suite,in any way, any capacity, as the lowest of attendants. She was soutterly reduced by this dreadful loss, that she must else beg her way onfoot.
Harleigh hastened to execute this commission; but the moment he namedit, Elinor called out, 'Do, pray, Mr Harleigh, tell me where you havebeen secreting your common sense?--Not that I mean to look forit!--'twould despoil me of all the dear freaks and vagaries that givezest to life!'
'Poor demoiselle!' cried Riley, throwing half a crown upon the table,'she shall not be without my mite, for old acquaintance sake.'
'What! has she caught even you, Mr Cynical Riley?' cried Elinor; 'you,who take as much pleasure in lowering or mortifying yourfellow-creatures, as Mr Harleigh does in elevating, or relieving them?'
'Every one after his own fashion, Miss Nelly. The best amongst us has aslittle taste for being thwarted as the worst. He has, faith! We allthink our own way the only one that has any common sense. Mine, is thatof a diver: I seek always for what is hidden. What is obvious soonsurfeits me. If this demoiselle had named herself, I should never havethought of her again; but now, I'm all agog to find her out.'
'Why does she not say who she is at once?' cried Mrs Maple. 'I givenothing to people that I know nothing of; and what had she to do inFrance? Why don't she tell us that?'
'Can such a skin, and such a garb, be worth so much breath?' demandedIreton, taking up a news-paper.
Harleigh enquired of Mrs Ireton, whether she had succeeded in herpurposed search, of a young woman to replace the domestic whom she hadleft in France, and to attend her till she arrived at her house in town.
'No, Sir,' she answered; 'but you don't mean, I presume, to recommendthis vagabond to be about my person? I should presume not; I shouldpresume you don't mean that? Not but that I should be very sensible tosuch a mark of distinction. I hope Mr Harleigh does not doubt that? Ihope he does not suspect I should want a proper sensibility to such anhonour?'
'If you think her a vagabond, Madam,' replied Harleigh, 'I have not aword to offer: but neither her language nor her manners incline me tothat opinion. You only want an attendant till you reach your family, andshe merely desires and supplicates to travel free. Her object is to getto Brighthelmstone. And if, by waiting upon you, she could earn herjourney to London, Mrs Maple, perhaps, in compassion to her pennylessstate, might thence let her share the conveyance of some of her peopleto Lewes, w
hence she might easily find means to proceed.'
The two elderly ladies stared at each other, not so much as ifexchanging enquiries how to decline, but in what degree to resent thisproposition; while Elinor, making Harleigh follow her to a window, said,'No, do inform me, seriously and candidly, what it is that urges you totake the pains to make so ridiculous an arrangement?'
'Her apparently desolate state.'
'Now do put aside all those fine sort of sayings, which you know I laughat, and give me, instead, a little of that judgment which you so oftenquarrel with me for not giving to you; and then honestly tell me, canyou really credit that any thing but a female fortune-hunter, wouldtravel so strangely alone, or be so oddly without resource?'
'Your doubts, Elinor, are certainly rational; and I can only reply tothem, by saying, that there are now and then uncommon causes, which,when developed, shew the most extraordinary situations to be but theirmere simple effect.'
'And her miserable accoutrement?--And all those bruises, or sores, andpatches, and bandages?--'
'The detail, I own, Elinor, is unaccountable and ill looking: I candefend no single particular, even to myself; but yet the whole, theall-together, carries with it an indescribable, but irresistiblevindication. This is all I can say for befriending her.'
'Nay, if you think her really distressed,' cried Elinor, 'I feel readyenough to be her handmaid; and, at all events, I shall make a point todiscover whom and what she may be, that I may know how to value yourjudgment, in odd cases, for the future. Who knows, Harleigh, but I mayhave some to propose for your decision of my own?'
The Admiral, after some deliberation, said, that, as it was certainlypossible that the poor woman might really have lost her purse, whichhe, for one, believed to be the simple truth, he could not refuse tohelp her on to her friends; and, ringing for the landlord, he orderedthat a breakfast should be taken to the gentlewoman in the other room,and that a place should be secured for her in the next day's stage toLondon; for all which he would immediately deposit the money.
'And pray, Mr Landlord,' said Mrs Maple, 'let us know what it was thatthis body wanted, when she desired to speak with you?'
'She asked me to send and enquire at the Post-office if there were anyletter directed for L.S., to be left till called for; and when she heardthat there was none, I thought, verily, that she would have swooned.'
Elinor now warmly united with Harleigh, in begging that Mrs Maple wouldlet her servants take charge of the young woman from London to Lewes,when, through the charity of the Admiral, she should arrive in town. MrsMaple pronounced an absolute negative; but when Elinor, not lessabsolutely, declared that, in that case, she would hire the travellerfor her own maid; and the more readily because she was tired to death ofGolding, her old one, Mrs Maple, though with the utmost ill will, wasfrightened into compliance; and Elinor said that she would herself carrythe good news to the Incognita.
The landlord desired to know in what name the place was to be taken.
This, also, Elinor undertook to enquire, and, accompanied by Harleigh,went to the room of the stranger.
They found her standing pensively by the window; the breakfast, whichhad been ordered for her by the Admiral, untouched.
'I understand you wish to go to Brighthelmstone?' said Elinor.
The stranger courtsied.
'I believe I know every soul in that place. Whom do you want to seethere?--Where are you to go?'
She looked embarrassed, and with much hesitation, answered, 'To ... thePost-office, Madam.'
'O! what, you are something to the post-master, are you?'
'No, Madam ... I ... I ... go to the Post-office only for a letter!'
'A letter? Well! an hundred or two miles is a good way to go for aletter!'
'I am not without hopes to find a friend.--The letter I had expectedhere was only to contain directions for the meeting.'
'O! if your letter is to be personified, I have nothing more to say. Aman, or a woman?--which is it?'
'A woman, Madam.'
'Well, if you merely wish to go to Brighthelmstone, I'll get youconveyed within nine miles of that place, if you will come to me, at MrsMaple's, in Upper Brooke-street, when you get to town.'
Surprise and pleasure now beamed brightly in the eyes of the stranger,who said that she should rejoice to pass through London, where, also,she particularly desired to make some enquiries.
'But we have no means for carrying you thither, except by the stage; andone of our gentlemen offers to take a place in it for you.'
The stranger looked towards Harleigh, and confusion seemed added to herembarrassment.
Harleigh hastily spoke. 'It is the old officer,--that truly benevolentveteran, who wishes to serve you, and whose services, from the noblenessof his character, confer still more honour than benefit.'
Again she courtsied, and with an air in which Harleigh observed, withrespect, not displeasure, her satisfaction in changing the object ofthis obligation.
'Well, that's settled,' said Elinor; 'but now the landlord wants yourname, for taking your place.'
'My place?--Is there no machine, Madam, that sets off immediately?'
'None sooner than to-morrow. What name am I to tell him?'
'None sooner than to-morrow?'
'No; and if you do not give in your name, and secure it, you may bedetained till the next day.'
'How very unfortunate!' cried she, walking about the room.
'Well, but what is your name?'
A crimson of the deepest hue forced its way through her dark complexion:her very eyes reddened with blushes, as she faintly answered, 'I cannottell my name!'
She turned suddenly away, with a look that seemed to expect resentment,and anticipate being abandoned.
Elinor, however, only laughed, but laughed 'in such a sort' asproclaimed triumph over Harleigh, and contempt for the stranger.
Harleigh drew Elinor apart, saying, 'Can this, really, appear to you soridiculous?'
'And can you, really, Harleigh, be allured by so glaring an adventurer?a Wanderer,--without even a name!'
'She is not, at least, without probity, since she prefers any risk, andany suspicion, to falsehood. How easily, otherwise, might she assume anyappellation that she pleased!'
'You are certainly bewitched, Harleigh!'
'You are certainly mistaken, Elinor! yet I cannot desert her, till I amconvinced that she does not merit to be protected.'
Elinor returned to the stranger. 'You do not chuse, then, to have yourplace secured?'
'O yes Madam!--if it is impossible for me to attend any lady to town.'
'And what name shall you like for the book-keeper? Or whatinitials?--What think you of L.S.?'
She started; and Harleigh, again taking Elinor aside, more gravely said,'Elinor, I am glad I am not--at this moment--my brother!--for certainlyI could not forbear quarrelling with you!'
'I heartily wish, then,' cried she, with quickness, 'that,--at thismoment!--you were your brother!'
Harleigh, now, addressing the stranger, in whose air and manner distressseemed palpably gaining ground, gently said, 'To save you any furthertrouble, I will take a place in my own name, and settle with thelandlord, that, if I do not appear to claim it, it is to be made over tothe person who produces this card. The book-keeper shall have suchanother for a check.'
He put into her hand a visiting ticket, on which was engraven MrHarleigh, and, not waiting for her thanks, conducted Elinor back to theparlour, saying, 'Pardon me, Elinor, that I have stopt any furtherenquiries. It is not from a romantic admiration of mystery, but merelyfrom an opinion that, as her wish of concealment is open and confessed,we ought not, through the medium of serving her, to entangle her intothe snares of our curiosity.'
'Oh, you are decided to be always right, I know!' cried Elinor,laughing, though piqued; 'and that is the very reason I always hate you!However, you excite my curiosity to fathom her; so let her come to me intown, and I'll take her under my own care, if only to judge yo
urdiscernment, by finding out how she merits your quixotism.'
Harleigh then returned to the young woman, and hesitatingly said,'Pardon my intrusion, but--permit me, as you have so unfortunately lostyour purse-'
'If my place, Sir,' hastily interrupted the stranger, 'is taken, I canrequire nothing else.'
'Yet--you have the day to pass here; and you will with difficulty existmerely upon air, even where so delightedly you inhale it; and MissJoddrel, I fear, has forgotten to bring you the little offering of yourveteran friend; therefore--'
'If he has the infinite goodness to intend me any, sir, permit, atleast, that he may be my only pecuniary creditor! I shall want noaddition of that sort, to remember,--gratefully and for ever! to whom itis I owe the deepest obligation of my life!'
Is this a house-maid? thought Harleigh; and again he rejoiced in theperseverance with which he had supported her; and, too much respectingher refusal to dispute it, expressed his good wishes for her welfare,and took leave; yet would not set out upon his journey till he had againsought to interest the old officer in her favour.
The guinea was still upon the tea-table; but the Admiral, who, in thefear of double dealing, had conceived some ideas to the disadvantage ofthe Incognita, no sooner heard that she had declined receiving anysuccour except from himself, than, immediately softened, he said that hewould take care to see her well treated.
Harleigh then drove after the carriage of Mrs Maple and Elinor, who werealready on their way to London.