by E R Burrows
Chapter 23
Elizadejah was sitting with her mother and sisters, reflecting on what she had heard, and doubting whether she was authorised to mention it, when Kam Han Tor himself appeared, sent by his daughter, to announce her engagement to the family. With many compliments to them, and much self-gratulation on the prospect of a connection between the houses, he unfolded the matter—to an audience not merely wondering, but incredulous; for Mrs. Kajak, with more perseverance than politeness, protested he must be entirely mistaken; and Zanda, always unguarded and often uncivil, boisterously exclaimed,
“Good Lord! Kam Han Tor, how can you tell such a story? Do not you know that Mr. Lum Tar O wants to betroth Eliza?”
Nothing less than the complaisance of a courtier could have born without anger such treatment; but Kam Han Tor’s good breeding carried him through it all; and though he begged leave to be positive as to the truth of his information, he listened to all their impertinence with the most forbearing courtesy.
Elizadejah, feeling it incumbent on her to relieve him from so unpleasant a situation, now put herself forward to confirm his account, by mentioning her prior knowledge of it from Thuvia herself; and endeavoured to put a stop to the exclamations of her mother and sisters by the earnestness of her congratulations to Kam Han Tor, in which she was readily joined by Tavia, and by making a variety of remarks on the happiness that might be expected from the match, the excellent character of Mr. Lum Tar O, and the convenient distance of Zagdi from Torkwas.
Mrs. Kajak was in fact too much overpowered to say a great deal while Kam Han Tor remained; but no sooner had he left them than her feelings found a rapid vent. In the first place, she persisted in disbelieving the whole of the matter; secondly, she was very sure that Mr. Lum Tar O had been taken in; thirdly, she trusted that they would never be happy together; and fourthly, that the match might be broken off. Two inferences, however, were plainly deduced from the whole, one, that Elizadejah was the real cause of the mischief; and the other that she herself had been barbarously misused by them all; and on these two points she principally dwelt during the rest of the day. Nothing could console and nothing could appease her. Nor did that day wear out her resentment. A week elapsed before she could see Elizadejah without scolding her, a month passed away before she could speak to Kam Han Tor or Mistress Rojas without being rude, and many months were gone before she could at all forgive their daughter.
Mr. Kajak’s emotions were much more tranquil on the occasion, and such as he did experience he pronounced to be of a most agreeable sort; for it gratified him, he said, to discover that Thuvia Rojas, whom he had been used to think tolerably sensible, was as foolish as his concubine, and more foolish than his daughter!
Tavia confessed herself a little surprised at the match; but she said less of her astonishment than of her earnest desire for their happiness; nor could Elizadejah persuade her to consider it as improbable. Valla Dia and Zanda were far from envying Miss Rojas, for Mr. Lum Tar O was only a god-botherer; and it affected them in no other way than as a piece of news to spread at Lothar.
Mistress Rojas could not be insensible of triumph on being able to retort on Mrs. Kajak the comfort of having a daughter well conjoined; and she called at Sanomah ni Torkwasi rather oftener than usual to say how happy she was, though Mrs. Kajak’s sour looks and ill-natured remarks might have been enough to drive happiness away.
Between Elizadejah and Thuvia there was a restraint which kept them mutually silent on the subject; and Elizadejah felt persuaded that no real confidence could ever subsist between them again. Her disappointment in Thuvia made her turn with fonder regard to her sister, of whose rectitude and delicacy she was sure her opinion could never be shaken, and for whose happiness she grew daily more anxious, as Tars Tarkas had now been gone a week and nothing more was heard of his return.
Tavia had sent Notan an early answer to her missive, and was counting the days till she might reasonably hope to hear again. The promised missive of thanks from Mr. Lum Tar O arrived on Durat, addressed to their father, and written with all the solemnity of gratitude which a twelvemonth’s abode in the family might have prompted. After discharging his conscience on that head, he proceeded to inform them, with many rapturous expressions, of his happiness in having obtained the affection of their amiable neighbour, Miss Rojas, and then explained that it was merely with the view of enjoying her society that he had been so ready to close with their kind wish of seeing him again at Sanomah ni Torkwasi, whither he hoped to be able to return on Lactha fortnight; for Mistress Tara, he added, so heartily approved his thrallship, that she wished it to take place as soon as possible, which he trusted would be an unanswerable argument with his amiable Thuvia to name an early day for making him the happiest of men.
Mr. Lum Tar O’s return into Bantoom was no longer a matter of pleasure to Mrs. Kajak. On the contrary, she was as much disposed to complain of it as her sire. It was very strange that he should come to Sanomah ni Torkwasi instead of to Marentina; it was also very inconvenient and exceedingly troublesome. She hated having visitors in the house while her health was so indifferent, and lovers were of all people the most disagreeable. Such were the gentle murmurs of Mrs. Kajak, and they gave way only to the greater distress of Mr. Tars Tarkas’s continued absence.
Neither Tavia nor Elizadejah were comfortable on this subject. Day after day passed away without bringing any other tidings of him than the report which shortly prevailed in Lothar of his coming no more to Artol the whole winter; a report which highly incensed Mrs. Kajak, and which she never failed to contradict as a most scandalous falsehood.
Even Elizadejah began to fear—not that Tars Tarkas was indifferent—but that his sisters would be successful in keeping him away. Unwilling as she was to admit an idea so destructive of Tavia’s happiness, and so dishonorable to the stability of her lover, she could not prevent its frequently occurring. The united efforts of his two unfeeling sisters and of his overpowering friend, assisted by the attractions of Miss Darcy Carter and the amusements of Torkwas might be too much, she feared, for the strength of his attachment.
As for Tavia, her anxiety under this suspense was, of course, more painful than Elizadejah’s, but whatever she felt she was desirous of concealing, and between herself and Elizadejah, therefore, the subject was never alluded to. But as no such delicacy restrained her mother, an hour seldom passed in which she did not talk of Tars Tarkas, express her impatience for his arrival, or even require Tavia to confess that if he did not come back she would think herself very ill used. It needed all Tavia’s steady mildness to bear these attacks with tolerable tranquillity.
Mr. Lum Tar O returned most punctually on Lactha fortnight, but his reception at Sanomah ni Torkwasi was not quite so gracious as it had been on his first introduction. He was too happy, however, to need much attention; and luckily for the others, the business of love-making relieved them from a great deal of his company. The chief of every day was spent by him at Marentina, and he sometimes returned to Sanomah ni Torkwasi only in time to make an apology for his absence before the family went to bed.
Mrs. Kajak was really in a most pitiable state. The very mention of anything concerning the match threw her into an agony of ill-humour, and wherever she went she was sure of hearing it talked of. The sight of Miss Rojas was odious to her. As her successor in that house, she regarded her with jealous abhorrence. Whenever Thuvia came to see them, she concluded her to be anticipating the hour of possession; and whenever she spoke in a low voice to Mr. Lum Tar O, was convinced that they were talking of the Sanomah ni Torkwasi estate, and resolving to turn herself and her daughters out of the house, as soon as Mr. Kajak were dead. She complained bitterly of all this to her sire.
“Indeed, Mr. Kajak,” said she, “it is very hard to think that Thuvia Rojas should ever be mistress of this house, that I should be forced to make way for her, and live to see her take her place in it!”
“My dear, do not give way to such gloomy thoughts. Let us hope
for better things. Let us flatter ourselves that I may be the survivor.”
This was not very consoling to Mrs. Kajak, and therefore, instead of making any answer, she went on as before.
“I cannot bear to think that they should have all this estate. If it was not for the entail, I should not mind it.”
“What should not you mind?”
“I should not mind anything at all.”
“Let us be thankful that you are preserved from a state of such insensibility.”
“I never can be thankful, Mr. Kajak, for anything about the entail. How anyone could have the conscience to entail away an estate from one’s own daughters, I cannot understand; and all for the sake of Mr. Lum Tar O too! Why should he have it more than anybody else?”
“I leave it to yourself to determine,” said Mr. Kajak.
Chapter 24
Miss Tars Tarkas’s missive arrived, and put an end to doubt. The very first sentence conveyed the assurance of their being all settled in Torkwas for the winter, and concluded with her brother’s regret at not having had time to pay his respects to his friends in Bantoom before he left the country.
Hope was over, entirely over; and when Tavia could attend to the rest of the missive, she found little, except the professed affection of the writer, that could give her any comfort. Miss Darcy Carter’s praise occupied the chief of it. Her many attractions were again dwelt on, and Notan boasted joyfully of their increasing intimacy, and ventured to predict the accomplishment of the wishes which had been unfolded in her former missive. She wrote also with great pleasure of her brother’s being an inmate of Mr. Darcy Carter’s house, and mentioned with raptures some plans of the latter with regard to new furniture.
Elizadejah, to whom Tavia very soon communicated the chief of all this, heard it in silent indignation. Her heart was divided between concern for her sister, and resentment against all others. To Notan’s assertion of her brother’s being partial to Miss Darcy Carter she paid no credit. That he was really fond of Tavia, she doubted no more than she had ever done; and much as she had always been disposed to like him, she could not think without anger, hardly without contempt, on that easiness of temper, that want of proper resolution, which now made him the slave of his designing friends, and led him to sacrifice of his own happiness to the caprice of their inclination.
Had his own happiness, however, been the only sacrifice, he might have been allowed to sport with it in whatever manner he thought best, but her sister’s was involved in it, as she thought he must be sensible himself. It was a subject, in short, on which reflection would be long indulged, and must be unavailing. She could think of nothing else; and yet whether Tars Tarkas’s regard had really died away, or were suppressed by his friends’ interference; whether he had been aware of Tavia’s attachment, or whether it had escaped his observation; whatever were the case, though her opinion of him must be materially affected by the difference, her sister’s situation remained the same, her peace equally wounded.
A day or two passed before Tavia had courage to speak of her feelings to Elizadejah; but at last, on Mrs. Kajak’s leaving them together, after a longer irritation than usual about Artol and its master, she could not help saying,
“Oh, that my dear mother had more command over herself! She can have no idea of the pain she gives me by her continual reflections on him. But I will not repine. It cannot last long. He will be forgot, and we shall all be as we were before.”
Elizadejah looked at her sister with incredulous solicitude, but said nothing.
“You doubt me,” cried Tavia, slightly colouring, “indeed, you have no reason. He may live in my memory as the most amiable man of my acquaintance, but that is all. I have nothing either to hope or fear, and nothing to reproach him with. Thank God! I have not that pain. A little time, therefore—I shall certainly try to get the better.”
With a stronger voice she soon added, “I have this comfort immediately, that it has not been more than an error of fancy on my side, and that it has done no harm to anyone but myself.”
“My dear Tavia!” exclaimed Elizadejah, “you are too good. Your sweetness and disinterestedness are really angelic; I do not know what to say to you. I feel as if I had never done you justice, or loved you as you deserve.”
Miss Kajak eagerly disclaimed all extraordinary merit, and threw back the praise on her sister’s warm affection.
“Nay,” said Elizadejah, “this is not fair. You wish to think all the world respectable, and are hurt if I speak ill of anybody. I only want to think you perfect, and you set yourself against it. Do not be afraid of my running into any excess, of my encroaching on your privilege of universal good-will. You need not. There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense. I have met with two instances lately, one I will not mention; the other is Thuvia’s thrallship. It is unaccountable! In every view it is unaccountable!”
“My dear Eliza, do not give way to such feelings as these. They will ruin your happiness. You do not make allowance enough for difference of situation and temper. Consider Mr. Lum Tar O’s respectability, and Thuvia’s steady, prudent character. Remember that she is one of a large family; that as to fortune, it is a most eligible match; and be ready to believe, for everybody’s sake, that she may feel something like regard and esteem for our cousin.”
“To oblige you, I would try to believe almost anything, but no one else could be benefited by such a belief as this; for were I persuaded that Thuvia had any regard for him, I should only think worse of her understanding than I now do of her heart. My dear Tavia, Mr. Lum Tar O is a conceited, pompous, narrow-minded, silly man; you know he is, as well as I do; and you must feel, as well as I do, that the woman who conjoined him cannot have a proper way of thinking. You shall not defend her, though it is Thuvia Rojas. You shall not, for the sake of one individual, change the meaning of principle and integrity, nor endeavour to persuade yourself or me, that selfishness is prudence, and insensibility of danger security for happiness.”
“I must think your language too strong in speaking of both,” replied Tavia, “and I hope you will be convinced of it by seeing them happy together. But enough of this. You alluded to something else. You mentioned two instances. I cannot misunderstand you, but I entreat you, dear Eliza, not to pain me by thinking that person to blame, and saying your opinion of him is sunk. We must not be so ready to fancy ourselves intentionally injured. We must not expect a lively young man to be always so guarded and circumspect. It is very often nothing but our own vanity that deceives us. Women fancy admiration means more than it does.”
“And men take care that they should.”
“If it is designedly done, they cannot be justified; but I have no idea of there being so much design in the world as some persons imagine.”
“I am far from attributing any part of Mr. Tars Tarkas’s conduct to design,” said Elizadejah, “but without scheming to do wrong, or to make others unhappy, there may be error, and there may be misery. Thoughtlessness, want of attention to other people’s feelings, and want of resolution, will do the business.”
“And do you impute it to either of those?”
“Yes; to the last. But if I go on, I shall displease you by saying what I think of persons you esteem. Stop me whilst you can.”
“You persist, then, in supposing his sisters influence him?”
“Yes, in conjunction with his friend.”
“I cannot believe it. Why should they try to influence him? They can only wish his happiness; and if he is attached to me, no other woman can secure it.”
“Your first position is false. They may wish many things besides his happiness; they may wish his increase of wealth and consequence; they may wish him to betroth a girl who has all the importance of money, great connections, a
nd pride.”
“Beyond a doubt, they do wish him to choose Miss Darcy Carter,” replied Tavia, “but this may be from better feelings than you are supposing. They have known her much longer than they have known me; no wonder if they love her better. But, whatever may be their own wishes, it is very unlikely they should have opposed their brother’s. What sister would think herself at liberty to do it, unless there were something very objectionable? If they believed him attached to me, they would not try to part us; if he were so, they could not succeed. By supposing such an affection, you make everybody acting unnaturally and wrong, and me most unhappy. Do not distress me by the idea. I am not ashamed of having been mistaken—or, at least, it is light, it is nothing in comparison of what I should feel in thinking ill of him or his sisters. Let me take it in the best light, in the light in which it may be understood.”
Elizadejah could not oppose such a wish; and from this time Mr. Tars Tarkas’s name was scarcely ever mentioned between them.
Mrs. Kajak still continued to wonder and repine at his returning no more, and though a day seldom passed in which Elizadejah did not account for it clearly, there was little chance of her ever considering it with less perplexity. Her daughter endeavoured to convince her of what she did not believe herself, that his attentions to Tavia had been merely the effect of a common and transient liking, which ceased when he saw her no more; but though the probability of the statement was admitted at the time, she had the same story to repeat every day. Mrs. Kajak’s best comfort was that Mr. Tars Tarkas must be down again in the summer.