Newton Forster

by Frederick Marryat

  Chapter XXVII

  "But Adeline determined Juan's wedding In her own mind, and that's enough for woman; But then with whom? There was the sage Miss Redding, Miss Raw, Miss Flaw, Miss Showman and Miss Knowman, And the two fair co-heiresses Giltbedding. She deem'd his merits something more than common. All these were unobjectionable matches, And might go on, it well wound up, like watches." BYRON.

  The young Lord Aveleyn returned to the hall of his ancestors, exchangingthe gloomy cockpit for the gay saloon, the ship's allowance forsumptuous fare, the tyranny of his messmates and the harshness of hissuperiors for adulation and respect. Was he happier? No. In this world,whether in boyhood or riper years, the happiest state of existence iswhen under control. Although contrary to received opinion, this is afact; but I cannot now stop to demonstrate the truth of the assertion.

  Life may be compared to a gamut of music: there are seven notes from ourbirth to our marriage; and thus may we run up the first octave--milk,sugar-plums, apples, cricket, cravat, gun, horse; then comes the wife, a_da capo_ to a new existence, which is to continue until the wholediapason is gone through. Lord Aveleyn ran up his scale like othersbefore him.

  "Why do you not marry, my dear Frank?" said the dowager Lady Aveleyn,one day, when a thick fog debarred her son of his usual pastime.

  "Why, mother, I have no objection to marry; and I suppose I must, one ofthese days, as a matter of duty: but I really am very difficult toplease; and if I were to make a bad choice, you know a wife is not likethis gun, which will _go off_ when I please."

  "But still, my dear Frank, there are many very eligible matches to bemade just now."

  "I do not doubt it, madam, but pray who are they?"

  "Why, Miss Riddlesworth--"

  "A very pretty girl, and I am told a large fortune. But let me hear theothers first."

  "Clara Beauchamp, well connected, and a very sweet girl."

  "Granted also, for anything I know to the contrary. Have you more onyour list?"

  "Certainly. Emily Riddlesdale; not much fortune, but very highlyconnected indeed. Her brother, Lord Riddlesdale, is a man of greatinfluence."

  "Her want of money is no object, my dear mother, and the influence ofher brother no inducement; I covet neither. I grant you that she is avery nice girl. Proceed."

  "Why, Frank, one would think that you were a sultan with hishandkerchief. There is Lady Selina Armstrong."

  "Well, she is a very fine girl, and talks well."

  "There is Harriet Butler, who has just come out."

  "I saw her at the last ball we were at--a very pretty creature."

  "Lady Jemima Calthorpe."

  "Not very good-looking, but clever and agreeable."

  "There is Louisa Manners, who is very much admired."

  "I admire her very much myself."

  "Well, Frank, you have exhausted my catalogue. There is not one I havementioned who is not unexceptionable, and whom I would gladly embrace asa daughter-in-law. You are now turned of forty, my dear son, and mustmake up your mind to have heirs to the title and estates. I am, however,afraid that your admiration is so general, that you will be puzzled inyour choice."

  "I will confess to you, my dearest mother, that I have many yearsthought of the necessity of taking to myself a wife, but have never yethad courage to decide. I admit that if all the young women you havementioned were what they appear to be, a man need not long hesitate inhis choice; but the great difficulty is, that their real tempers anddispositions are not to be ascertained until it is too late. Allow thatI should attempt to discover the peculiar disposition of every one ofthem, what would be the consequence?--that my attentions would beperceived. I do not exactly mean to accuse them of deceit; but a womanis naturally flattered by perceiving herself an object of attraction;and when flattered, is pleased. It is not likely, therefore, that theinfirmities of her temper (if she have any) should be discovered by aman whose presence is a source of gratification. If artful, she willconceal her faults; if not so, there will be no occasion to bring them tolight. And even if, after a long courtship, something wrong should bediscovered, either you have proceeded too far in honour to retract, or areso blinded by your own feelings as to extenuate it. Now, it is only theparents and near relations of a young woman who can be witnesses to herreal character, unless it be, indeed, her own maid, whom one could notcondescend to interrogate."

  "That is all very true, Frank; but recollect the same observations applyto your sex as well as ours. Lovers and husbands are very differentbeings. It is quite a lottery on both sides."

  "I agree with you, my dear mother; and, as marry I must, so shall it bea lottery with me--I will leave it to chance, and not to myself: then,if I am unfortunate, I will blame my stars, and not have to accusemyself of a want of proper discrimination." Lord Aveleyn took up a sheetof paper, and, dividing it into small slips, wrote upon them the namesof the different young ladies proposed by his mother. Folding them up,he threw them on the table before her, and requested that she wouldselect any one of the papers.

  The dowager took up one.

  "I thank you, madam," said Lord Aveleyn, taking the paper from her hand,and opening it--"'Louisa Manners.' Well, then, Louisa Manners it shall be;always provided that she does not refuse me. I will make my first advancesthis very afternoon--that is, if it does not clear up, and I can take outthe pointers."

  "You surely are joking, Frank?"

  "Never was more serious. I have my mother's recommendation, backed byfate. Marry I must, but choose I will not. I feel myself desperately inlove with the fair Louisa already. I will report my progress to you, mydear madam, in less than a fortnight."

  Lord Aveleyn adhered to his singular resolution, courted, and wasaccepted. He never had reason to repent his choice; who proved to be asamiable as her countenance would have indicated. The fruits of hismarriage was one son, who was watched over with mingled pride andanxiety, and who had now arrived at the age of fifteen years.

  Such was the history of Lord Avelyn, who continued to extend hisfriendship to Edward Forster, and, if he had required it, would gladlyhave proffered his assistance, in return for the kindness which Forsterhad shown towards him when he was a midshipman. The circumstancesconnected with the history of the little Amber were known to LordAveleyn and his lady; and the wish of Forster, that his little chargeshould derive the advantage of mixing in good female society, was gladlyacceded to, both on his account and on her own. Amber would often remainfor days at the mansion, and was a general favourite, as well as anobject of sympathy.

  But the growth of their son, too rapid for his years, and which broughtwith it symptoms of pulmonary disease, alarmed Lord and Lady Aveleyn;and, by the advice of the physicians, they broke up their establishment,and hastened with him to Madeira, to re-establish his health. Theirdeparture was deeply felt both by Forster and his charge; and beforethey could recover from the loss, another severe trial awaited them inthe death of Mrs Beazely, who, full of years and rheumatism, wasgathered to her fathers. Forster, habituated as he was to the old lady,felt her loss severely: he was now with Amber, quite alone; and it sohappened that in the following winter his wound broke out, and confinedhim to his bed until the spring.

  As he lay in a precarious state, the thought naturally occurred to him,"What will become of this poor child if I am called away? There is notthe slightest provision for her: she has no friends, and I have not evenmade it known to any of my own that there is such a person inexistence." Edward Forster thought of his brother, the lawyer, whom heknew still to be flourishing, although he had never corresponded withhim; and resolved that, as soon as he was able to undertake the journey,he would go to town, and secure his interest for the little Amber, incase of any accident happening to himself.

  The spring and summer passed away before he found himself strong enoughto undertake the journey. It was late in the autumn that Edward Forsterand Amber took their places in a heavy coach for the metropolis, andarrived without accident on the day or
two subsequent to that on whichNicholas and Newton had entered it on foot.