by Fanny Burney
CHAPTER XXVI
The shock given to Ellis by this scene of apparent detection anddisgrace, prevented not Mr Tedman from exulting at a mark of preference,which he considered as a letting down to what he called the quality. Heordered his footman to see Miss safe to her lodging; and regretted thathe could not take her to it in his own coach, 'which I would certainly,my dear, do,' he said, 'but for the particularity of my darter, who willnever consent to the most minimus thing in the world, but what shethinks will be agreeable to the quality.'
Ellis passed the rest of the day in the most severe inquietude,ruminating upon the ill effects that would probably result from anattack which she had been so little able to parry. Vainly she expectedMiss Arbe, from whom alone she had any hope of support; and theapprehension of being forsaken even by her professed patroness, made thethought of appearing before Lady Kendover grow seriously formidable: butall fears were trifling compared to the consternation with which theyterminated, when, the next day, while fancying that every sound wouldprove the chaise of Miss Arbe, hour after hour passed, without anycarriage, any message; and, finally, the night closed in by thereception of a note from the steward of Lady Kendover, to demand theaccount of Miss Ellis, as Lady Barbara Frankland did not purpose to takeany more lessons.
The abruptness of this dismission, and the indelicacy of sending itthrough a domestic, were not more offensive to the feelings of Ellis,than the consequences to be expected from such a measure of hostility,were menacing to her present plan of existence.
She was still deliberating in what manner to address some sort ofself-justification to Lady Kendover, when a similar note arrived fromthe butler of Lady Arramede.
The indignant sensations which these testimonies of utter contemptexcited in Ellis, were embittered by every kind of perplexity. She hadnot courage to present herself to any other of her scholars, whileuncertain whether she might not meet with treatment equally scornful;and in this state of depression and panic, she rejoiced to receive avisit, the following morning, even from Miss Bydel, as some mark offemale countenance and protection.
Yet the opening to this interview seemed not very propitious: MissBydel, instead of ascending the stairs, as usual, seated herself withMiss Matson, and sent for Ellis; who obeyed the call with extreme illwill, conscious how little fit for a milliner's shop, was either whatshe might be called upon to say, or what she might be constrained tohear.
Miss Bydel failed not to take this opportunity of making sundryenquiries into the manner in which Ellis passed her time; whom she saw;whither she went; what sort of table she kept; and what allowance shemade for the trouble which she gave to the servants.
'Well, my dear,' she cried, 'this is but a bad affair, this business ofthe day before yesterday. I have been to Mrs Maple, and I have workedout the truth, at last; though nobody would believe the pains it cost mebefore I could sift it to the bottom. However, the most extraordinarypart is, that when all came to all, she did not tell me who you were!for she persists she don't so much as know it herself!'
The surprise of the milliners, and the disturbance of Ellis, were alikeunheeded by Miss Bydel, whose sole solicitude was to come to the point.
'Now the thing I principally want to know, my dear, is whether this istrue? for though I would not for ever so much doubt Mrs Maple's word,this is such a prodigious old thing, that I can't give it the leastcredit.'
Ellis, in much confusion, besought that she would have the goodness towalk up stairs.
'No, no; we are very well here; only be so kind as to let me know whyyou make such a secret of who you are? Every body asks me the question,go where I will; and it's making me look no better than a fool; to thinkI should be at such an expence as to hire a harp for a person I knownothing of.'
Affrighted at the effect which this display of her poverty, anddetection of its mystery, might produce upon her hostess, Ellis wasagain entreating for a _tete a tete_, when Mr Riley, descending fromhis room to pass through the shop, exclaimed, 'Ah ha! the Demoiselle?Why I had never the pleasure to meet you down here before, Ma'am?'
'Well, if this is not the gentleman who told us all those odd thingsabout you at the concert!' cried Miss Bydel: 'I should not be sorry tospeak a word or two to him myself. You were one of the passengers, Ithink, Sir, who came over in the same boat with Mrs Maple? And gladenough you must have been to have got back; though I suppose you wereonly there upon business, Sir?'
'Not a whit, Madam! not a whit, faith! I never make bad better. I makethat a rule. I always state the worst, that is to say the truth, in myown case as well as in my neighbour's.'
'Why then pray, Sir, if it's no secret,--what might be the reason ofyour going over to such a place?'
'Curiosity, Madam! Neither more nor less. I was agog to know what thosefamous Mounseers were about; and whether there were any Revolutionreally going forward amongst them, or not. For I used often to thinkthey invented tales here in England, basking by their own fire-sides,that had not an atom of truth in them. I thought so, faith! But I paidfor my scepticism! I was cast into prison, by Master Robertspierre, ademon of an attorney, that now rules the roast in France, withoutknowing what the devil it was for; while I was only gaping about me, tosee what sort of a figure Mounseer would make as a liberty boy! But Ishall be content to look after my own liberty in future! I shall, faith.So one's never too old to learn; as you may find yourself, Madam, ifyou'll take the trouble to cross the little canal, on a visit to MasterRobertspierre. He'll teach you gratis, I give you my word, if you have afancy to take a few lessons. He won't mind your age of a fig, any morethan he did mine; though I imagine you to be some years my senior.'
'I don't know what you may imagine, Sir,' said Miss Bydel; 'but youcan't know much of the matter, I think, if you have not seen myregister.'
'Nay, Ma'am, you may just as well be my junior, for any knowledge I haveabout it. Women look old so much sooner than men, that there is nojudging by the exteriour.'
'Well, Sir, and if they do, I don't know any great right you have tocall them to account for it.'
'Bless me, Sir!' cried Miss Matson, 'if you knew Miss Ellis all thistime, why did you ask us all so many questions about her, as if you hadnever seen her before in your life?'
'Why I never had! That's the very problem that wants solving! Though Ihad spent a good seven or eight hours as near to her as I am to you, Inever had seen her before!'
'Oh! you mean because of her disguise, I take it, Sir?' said Miss Bydel;'but I heard all that at the very first, from Miss Selina Joddrel; butMiss Elinor told us it was only put on for escaping; so I thought nomore about it; for Mrs Maple assured us she was a young lady of familyand fashion, for else she would never, she said, have let her act withus. And this we all believed easily enough, as Mrs Maple's own nieceswere such chief performers; so that who could have expected such a turnall at once, as fell out the day before yesterday, of her proving to besuch a mere nothing?'
Ellis would now have retired, but Miss Bydel, holding her gown, desiredher to wait.
'Faith, Madam, as to her being a mere nothing,' said Riley, 'I don'tknow that any of us are much better than nothing, when we sift ourselvesto our origin. What are you yourself, Ma'am, for one?'
'I, Sir? I'm descended from a gentleman's family, I assure you! I don'tknow what you mean by such a question!'
'Why then you are descended from somebody who was rich without eithertrouble or merit; for that's all that your gentleman is, as far asbelongs to birth. The man amongst your grand-dads who first got themoney, is the only one worth praising; and he, who was he? Why some onewho baked sugar, or brewed beer, better than his neighbours; or whoslashed and hewed his fellow-creatures with greater fury than they couldslash and hew him in return; or who culled the daintiest herbs for thecure of gluttony; or filled his coffers with the best address, inemptying those of the knaves and fools who had been set together by theears. Such, Ma'am, are the origins of your English gentlemen.'
'That, Sir, is as people take things. Bu
t the most particular part ofthe affair here, is, that here is a person that we have got in the verymidst of us, without so much as knowing her name! for, would you believeit, Miss Matson, they tell me she had no name at all, till I gave herone? For I was the very first person that called her Miss Ellis! And sohere I have been a godmother, without going to a christening!'
Miss Matson expressed her surprise, with a look towards Ellis thatvisibly marked a diminution of respect; while one of the young women,who had fetched Ellis a chair, at the back of which she had beencourteously standing, now freely dropt into it herself.
'But pray, Sir, as we are upon the subject,' continued Miss Bydel, 'giveme leave to ask what you thought of this Miss we don't know who, at thebeginning.'
'Faith, Madam, I had less to do with her than any of them. TheDemoiselle and I did not hit it off together at all. I could never gether to speak for the life of me. Ask what I would, she gave me noanswer. I was in a devil of an ill humour with her sometimes; but I hopethe Demoiselle will excuse that, I was so plaguy qualmish: for when aman with an empty stomach can't eat but he turns sick, nor fast, but hefeels his bowels nipt with hunger, he is in no very good temper of mindfor being sociable. However, the Demoiselle must know but little ofhuman nature, if she fancies she can judge before breakfast what a manmay be after dinner.'
They were here broken in upon by the appearance of Mr Tedman, who,gently opening the shop-door, and carefully closing it again before hespoke or looked round, was beginning a whispering enquiry after theyoung music-maker; when, perceiving her, he exclaimed, 'Mercy me, why,where were my eyes? Why, my dear, I never hapt to light upon you in theshop before! And I often pop in, to buy me a bit of ribbon for mypig-tail; or some odd little matter or other. However, I have callednow, on purpose to have a little bit of chat with you, about thatconsort of music that we was at the day before yesterday.'
Miss Bydel, in a low voice, enquired the name of this gentleman; and,hearing that he was a man of large fortune, said to Ellis, 'Why you seemto be intimate friends together, my dear! Pray, Sir, if one may ask sucha thing, how long may you and this young person have known one another?'
'How long, Ma'am? Why I'd never sate eyes upon Miss a fortnight ago! Butshe's music-learner to my darter. And they tell me she's one of thebest, which I think like enough to be true, for she tudles upon themwires the prettiest of any thing I ever heard.'
'And pray, Sir, if you have no objection to telling it, how might shecome to be recommended to you? for I never heard Miss Arbe mentionhaving the pleasure of your acquaintance.'
'Miss Arbe? I don't know that ever I heard the lady's name in my life,Ma'am. Though, if she's one of the quality, my darter has, I make smalldoubt, for she sets great store upon knowing the names of all thequality; put in case she can light upon any body that can count themover to her. But the way I heard of this music-miss was at thebook-shop, where my darter always makes me go to subscribe, that ournames, she says, may come out in print, with the rest of the gentry. Andthere my darter was put upon buying one of those tudeling thingsherself; for she heard say as a young lady was come over from France,that learns all the quality. So that was enough for my darter; forthere's nothing the mode like coming from France. It makes any thing godown. And 'twould be a remarkable cheap job, they said, for the younglady was in such prodigious want of cash, as one Miss Bydel, herparticular friend, told us in the shop, that she'd jump at any price;put in case she could but get paid. So, upon that--'
The narration was here interrupted by Sir Lyell Sycamore, who, havingcaught a glimpse of Ellis through the glass-door, entered the shop witha smile of admiration and pleasure; though, at sight of Mr Tedman, itwas changed into one of insolence and derision. With a careless swing ofhis hat, and of his whole person, he negligently said, that he hoped shehad caught no cold at the concert; or at least none beyond what thecakes, the bread and butter, or the negus, of her gallant and liberaladmirer, had been able to cure.
Mr Tedman, much affronted, mumbled the gilt head of his cane; Ellisgravely looked another way, without deigning to make any answer; andRiley exclaimed, 'O, faith, if you expect a reply from the Demoiselle,except she's in a talking humour, you'll find yourself confoundedly outin your reckoning! You will, faith! Unless you light upon something thathappens to hit her taste, you may sail from the north pole to the south,and return home by a voyage round the world, before she'll have beenmoved to squeeze out a syllable.'
The young Baronet, disdaining the plain appearance, and rough dialectand manners of Riley, nearly as much as he despised the more civilgarrulity and meanness of Tedman, was turning scoffingly upon his heel,when he overheard the latter say, in a low voice, to Ellis, 'Suppose wetwo go up stairs to your room, to have our talk, my dear; for I don'tsee what we get by staying down with the quality, only to be made gameof.'
Highly provoked, yet haughtily smiling, 'I see,' said the Baronet, 'forwhose interest I am to apply, if I wish for the honour of a privateaudience!'
'Well, if you do,' said Mr Tedman, muttering between his teeth, 'it'sonly a sign Miss knows I would not misbehave myself.'
Sir Lyell, now, not able to keep his countenance, went to the other endof the shop; and pitched upon the prettiest and youngest of MissMatson's work-women, to ask some advice relative to his cravats.
Mr Tedman, in doubt whether this retreat were the effect of contempt, orof being worsted, whispered to Ellis, 'One knows nothing of life, as onemay say, without coming among the quality! I should have thought, put incase any body had asked me my opinion, that that gentleman was quitebehind hand as to his manners; for I'll warrant it would not be takenwell from me, if I was to behave so! but any thing goes down from thequality, by way of politeness.'
'Sir Lyell Sycamore,' said Miss Bydel, who was as hard, though not asbold as himself, 'if it won't be impertinent, I should be glad to knowhow you first got acquainted with this young person? for I can't makeout how it is so many people happen to know her. Not that I mean in theleast to dive into any body's private affairs; but I have a particularreason for what I ask; so I shall take it as a favour, Sir Lyell, ifyou'll tell me.'
'Most willingly, Ma'am, upon condition you will be so kind as to tellme, in return, whether this young lady is under your care?'
'Under my care, Sir Lyell? Don't you know who I am, then?'
A supercilious smile said No.
'Well, that's really odd enough! Did not you see me with Mrs Maple atthat blind harper's concert?'
'Faith, Madam,' cried Riley, 'when a man has but one pair of eyes, youelderly ladies can't have much chance of getting a look, if a young lassis by. The Demoiselle deserves a full pair to herself.'
'Why yes, Sir, that's true enough!' said Mr Tedman, simpering, 'theyoung lady deserves a pair of eyes to herself! She's well enough to lookat, to be sure!'
'If she has your eyes to herself, Sir,' said Sir Lyell, contemptuously,'she must be happy indeed!'
'She should have mine, if she would accept them, though I had anhundred!' cried Riley.
Ellis, now, was only restrained from forcing her way up stairs, throughthe apprehension of exciting fresh sneers, by an offered pursuit of MrTedman.
'Don't mind them, my dear,' cried Miss Bydel; 'I'll soon set them right.If you have any naughty thoughts, gentlemen, relative to this youngperson, you must give me leave to inform you that you are mistaken; forthough I don't know who she is, nor where she comes from, nor even somuch as what is her name; except that I gave her myself, without in theleast meaning it; still you may take my word for it she is a person ofcharacter; for Mrs Maple herself, though she confessed how the youngwoman played upon her, with one contrivance after another, to ferretherself into the house; declared, for positive, that she was quite tooparticular about her acquaintances, to let her stay, if she had not beena person of virtue. And, besides, Sir Lyell, my young Lord Melbury--'
At this name Ellis started and changed colour.
'My young Lord Melbury, Sir Lyell, as young lords will do, offered tomake her
his mistress; and, I can give you my word for it, shepositively refused him. This his young lordship told to Mr Ireton, fromwhom I had it; that is from Mrs Maple, which is the same thing. Is itnot true Mrs Ellis? or Mrs something else, I don't know what?'
The most forcible emotions were now painted upon the countenance ofEllis, who, unable to endure any longer such offensive discourse,disengaged herself from Miss Bydel, and, no longer heeding Mr Tedman,hurried up stairs.
Sir Lyell Sycamore stared after her, for a few minutes, with mingledsurprise, curiosity, admiration, and pique; and then loitered out of theshop.
Riley, shouting aloud, said the Demoiselle always amused him; andfollowed.
Mr Tedman, not daring, after the insinuations of Sir Lyell, to attemptpursuing the young _music-maker_, produced a paper-packet, consisting ofalmonds, and raisins, and French plums; saying, 'I intended to pop thesenice things upon that young Miss's table, unbeknown to her, for asurprise; for I did not like to come empty handed; for I know your younghousekeepers never afford themselves little dainties of this kind; so Ipoked together all that was left, out of all the plates, after desert,yesterday, when we happened to have a very handsome dinner, because ofcompany. So you'll be sure to give her the whole, Mrs Matson. Don'tleave 'em about, now! They are but tempting things.'
Miss Bydel remained last; unable to prevail upon herself to depart,while she could suggest a single interrogatory for the gratification ofher curiosity.