The Old English Baron: a Gothic Story

by Clara Reeve

management."

  When the noble company were all assembled, Sir Philip Harclay revivedthe subject, and besought the Lord Fitz-Owen to put an end to the workhe had begun, by confirming Edmund's happiness. The Baron rose up, andthus spoke:

  "The proofs of Edmund's noble birth, the still stronger ones of hisexcellent endowments and qualities, the solicitations of so many noblefriends in his behalf, have altogether determined me in his favour;and I hope to do justice to his merit, without detriment to my otherchildren; I am resolved to make them all as happy as my power willallow me to do. Lord Clifford has been so gracious to promise his fairdaughter to my son Robert, upon certain conditions, that I will takeupon me to ratify, and which will render my son worthy of the happinessthat awaits him. My children are the undoubted heirs of my unhappybrother, Lovel; you, my son, shall therefore immediately take possessionof your uncle's house and estate, only obliging you to pay to eachof your younger brothers, the sum of one thousand pounds; on thiscondition, I will secure that estate to you and your heirs for ever. Iwill by my own act and deed surrender the castle and estate of Lovel tothe right owner, and at the same time marry him to my daughter. I willsettle a proper allowance upon my two younger sons, and dispose ofwhat remains by a will and testament; and then I shall have done all mybusiness in this world, and shall have nothing to do but prepare for thenext."

  "Oh, my father!" said Sir Robert, "I cannot bear your generosity! youwould give away all to others, and reserve nothing for yourself."

  "Not so, my son," said the Baron; "I will repair my old castle in Wales,and reside there. I will visit my children, and be visited by them; Iwill enjoy their happiness, and by that means increase my own; whether Ilook backwards or forwards, I shall have nothing to do but rejoice, andbe thankful to Heaven that has given me so many blessings; I shall havethe comfortable reflection of having discharged my duties as a citizen,a husband, a father, a friend; and, whenever I am summoned away fromthis world, I shall die content."

  Sir Robert came forward with tears on his cheeks; he kneeled to hisfather.

  "Best of parents, and of men!" said he; "you have subdued a heart thathas been too refractory to your will; you have this day made me sensiblehow much I owe to your goodness and forbearance with me. Forgive me allthat is past, and from henceforward dispose of me; I will have no willbut yours, no ambition but to be worthy of the name of your son."

  "And this day," said the Baron, "do I enjoy the true happiness of afather! Rise, my son, and take possession of the first place in myaffection without reserve." They embraced with tears on both sides; Thecompany rose, and congratulated both father and son. The Baron presentedhis son to Lord Clifford, who embraced him, and said:

  "You shall have my daughter, for I see that you deserve her."

  Sir Philip Harclay approached--the Baron gave his son's hand to theknight.

  "Love and respect that good man," said he; "deserve his friendship, andyou will obtain it."

  Nothing but congratulations were heard on all sides.

  When their joy was in some degree reduced to composure, Sir Philipproposed that they should begin to execute the schemes of happiness theyhad planned. He proposed that my Lord Fitz-Owen should go with him tothe Castle of Lovel, and settle the family there. The Baron consented;and both together invited such of the company, as liked it, to accompanythem thither. It was agreed that a nephew of Lord Graham's, anotherof Lord Clifford's, two gentlemen, friends of Sir Philip Harclay, andfather Oswald, should be of the party; together with several of SirPhilip's dependants and domestics, and the attendants on the rest. LordFitz Owen gave orders for their speedy departure. Lord Graham and hisfriends took leave of them, in order to return to his own home; but,before he went, he engaged his eldest nephew and heir to the seconddaughter of the Lord Clifford; Sir Robert offered himself to theeldest, who modestly received his address, and made no objection to hisproposal. The fathers confirmed their engagement.

  Lord Fitz-Owen promised to return to the celebration of the marriage;in the mean time he ordered his son to go and take possession of hisuncle's house, and to settle his household; He invited young Clifford,and some other gentlemen, to go with him. The company separated withregret, and with many promises of friendship on all sides; and thegentlemen of the North were to cultivate the good neighbourhood on bothsides of the borders.

  Sir Philip Harclay and the Baron Fitz-Owen, with their friends andattendants, set forwards for the Castle of Lovel; a servant went before,at full speed, to acquaint the family of their approach. Edmund was ingreat anxiety of mind, now the crisis of his fate was near at hand; Heenquired of the messenger, who were of the party? and finding that SirPhilip Harclay was there, and that Sir Robert Fitz-Owen stayed inthe North, his hopes rose above his fears. Mr. William, attended bya servant, rode forward to meet them; he desired Edmund to stay andreceive them. Edmund was under some difficulty with regard to hisbehaviour to the lovely Emma; a thousand times his heart rose to hislips, as often he suppressed his emotions; they both sighed frequently,said little, thought much, and wished for the event. Master Walter wastoo young to partake of their anxieties, but he wished for the arrivalof his father to end them.

  Mr. William's impatience spurred him on to meet his father; as soon ashe saw him, he rode up directly to him.

  "My dear father, you are welcome home!" said he.

  "I think not, sir," said the Baron, and looked serious.

  "Why so, my lord?" said William.

  "Because it is no longer mine, but another man's home," answered he,"and I must receive my welcome from him."

  "Meaning Edmund?" said William.

  "Whom else can it be?"

  "Ah, my Lord! he is your creature, your servant; he puts his fate intoyour hands, and will submit to your pleasure in all things!"

  "Why comes he not to meet us?" said the Baron.

  "His fears prevent him," said William; "but speak the word, and I willfetch him."

  "No," said the Baron, "we will wait on him."

  William looked confused.

  "Is Edmund so unfortunate," said he, "as to have incurred yourdispleasure?"

  Sir Philip Harclay advanced, and laid his hand on William's saddle.

  "Generous impatience! noble youth!" said he; "look round you, and see ifyou can discover in this company one enemy of your friend! Leave to yourexcellent father the time and manner of explaining himself; he only cando justice to his own sentiments."

  The Baron smiled on Sir Philip; William's countenance cleared up; theywent forward, and soon arrived at the Castle of Lovel.

  Edmund was walking to and fro in the hall, when he heard the horn thatannounced their arrival; his emotions were so great that he could hardlysupport them. The Baron and Sir Philip entered the hall hand in hand;Edmund threw himself at their feet, and embraced their knees, but couldnot utter a word. They raised him between them, and strove to encouragehim; but he threw himself into the arms of Sir Philip Harclay, deprivedof strength, and almost of life. They supported him to a seat, where herecovered by degrees, but had no power to speak his feelings; he lookedup to his benefactors in the most affecting manner, he laid his handupon his bosom, but was still silent.

  "Compose yourself, my dear son," said Sir Philip; "you are in the armsof your best friends. Look up to the happiness that awaits you--enjoythe blessings that Heaven sends you--lift up your heart in gratitude tothe Creator, and think left of what you owe to the creature! You willhave time enough to pay us your acknowledgments hereafter."

  The company came round them, the servants flocked into the hall: shoutsof joy were heard on all sides; the Baron came and took Edmund's hand.

  "Rise, sir," said he, "and do the honours of your house! it is yoursfrom this day: we are your guests, and expect from you our welcome!"

  Edmund kneeled to the Baron, he spoke with a faltering voice:

  "My Lord, I am yours! all that I have is at your devotion! dispose of meas it pleases you best."

  The Baron embraced him with the greatest affec
tion.

  "Look round you," said he, "and salute your friends; these gentlemencame hither to do you honour."

  Edmund revived, he embraced and welcomed the gentlemen. FatherOswald received his embrace with peculiar affection, and gave him hisbenediction in a most affecting manner.

  Edmund exclaimed, "Pray for me, father! that I may bear all theseblessings with gratitude and moderation!"

  He then saluted and shook hands with all the servants, not omitting themeanest; he distinguished Joseph by a cordial embrace; he called him hisdear friend.

  "Now," said he, "I can return your friendship, and I am proud toacknowledge it!"

  The old man, with a faltering voice, cried out:

  "Now I have lived long enough! I have seen my master's son acknowledgedfor the heir of Lovel!"

  The hall echoed with his words, "Long live the heir of Lovel!"

  The Baron took Edmund's hands in his own:

  "Let us retire from this crowd," said he; "we have business of a moreprivate nature to transact."

  He led to the parlour, followed by Sir Philip and the other gentlemen.

  "Where are my other children?" said he.

  William retired, and presently returned with his brother and sister.They kneeled to their father, who raised and embraced them. He thencalled out, "William!--Edmund!--come and receive my blessing also."

  They approached hand in hand, they kneeled, and he gave them a solemnbenediction.

  "Your friendship deserves our praise, my children! love each otheralways! and may Heaven pour down its choicest blessings upon yourheads!"

  They rose, and embraced in silent raptures of joy. Edmund presented hisfriend to Sir Philip.

  "I understand you," said he; "this gentleman was my first acquaintanceof this family; he has a title to the second place in my heart; I shalltell him, at more leisure, how much I love and honour him for his ownsake as well as yours."

  He embraced the youth, and desired his friendship.

  "Come hither, my Emma!" said the Baron.

  She approached with tears on her check, sweetly blushing, like thedamask rose wet with the dew of the morning.

  "I must ask you a serious question, my child; answer me with the samesincerity you would to Heaven. You see this young man, the heir ofLovel! You have known him long; consult your own heart, and tell mewhether you have any objection to receive him for your husband. I havepromised to all this company to give you to him; but upon condition thatyou approve him: I think him worthy of you; and, whether you accept himor not, he shall ever be to me a son; but Heaven forbid that I shouldcompel my child to give her hand, where she cannot bestow her heart!Speak freely, and decide this point for me and for yourself."

  The fair Emma blushed, and was under some confusion; her virgin modestyprevented her speaking for some moments. Edmund trembled; he leaned uponWilliam's shoulder to support himself. Emma cast her eye upon him, shesaw his emotion, and hastened to relieve him; and thus spoke in a softvoice which gathered strength as she proceeded:

  "My lord and father's goodness has always prevented my wishes; I am thehappiest of all children, in being able to obey his commands, withoutoffering violence to my own inclinations. As I am called upon in thispublic manner, it is but justice to this gentleman's merit to declare,that, were I at liberty to chuse a husband from all the world, he onlyshould be my choice, who I can say, with joy, is my father's also."

  Edmund bowed low, he advanced towards her; the Baron took his daughter'shand, and presented it to him; he kneeled upon one knee, he took herhand, kissed it, and pressed it to his bosom. The Baron embraced andblessed them; he presented them to Sir Philip Harclay--"Receive andacknowledge your children!" said he.

  "I do receive them as the gift of Heaven!" said the noble knight; "theyare as much mine as if I had begotten them: all that I have is theirs,and shall descend to their children for ever." A fresh scene ofcongratulation ensued; and the hearts of all the auditors were too muchengaged to be able soon to return to the ease and tranquillity of commonlife.

  After they had refreshed themselves, and recovered from the emotionsthey had sustained on this interesting occasion, Edmund thus addressedthe Baron:

  "On the brink of happiness I must claim your attention to a melancholysubject. The bones of both my parents lie unburied in this house;permit me, my honoured lord, to perform my last duties to them, and theremainder of my life shall be devoted to you and yours."

  "Certainly," said the Baron; "why have you not interred them?"

  "My lord, I waited for your arrival, that you might be certified of thereality, and that no doubts might remain."

  "I have no doubts," said the Baron; "Alas! both the crime and punishmentof the offender leave no room for them!" He sighed. "Let us now put anend to this affair; and, if possible, forget it for ever."

  "If it will not be too painful to you, my lord, I would intreat you,with these gentlemen our friends, to follow me into the east apartment,the scene of my parents' woes, and yet the dawning of my better hopes."

  They rose to attend him; he committed the Lady Emma to the care of heryoungest brother, observing that the scene was too solemn for a lady tobe present at it. They proceeded to the apartment; he showed the Baronthe fatal closet, and the place where the bones were found, also thetrunk that contained them; he recapitulated all that passed before theirarrival; he shewed them the coffin where the bones of the unfortunatepair were deposited: he then desired the Baron to give orders for theirinterment.

  "No," replied he, "it belongs to you to order, and every one here isready to perform it."

  Edmund then desired father Oswald to give notice to the friars of themonastery of St. Austin, that with their permission the funeral shouldbe solemnized there, and the bones interred in the church. He also gaveorders that the closet should be floored, the apartment repaired and putin order. He then returned to the other side of the Castle.

  Preparations being made for the funeral, it was performed a few daysafter. Edmund attended in person as chief mourner, Sir Philip Harclay asthe second; Joseph desired he might assist as servant to the deceased.They were followed by most people of the village. The story was nowbecome public, and every one blessed Edmund for the piety and devotionwith which he performed the last duties to his parents.--Edmund appearedin deep mourning; the week after, he assisted at a mass for the reposeof the deceased.

  Sir Philip Harclay ordered a monument to be erected to the memory of hisfriends, with the following inscription:

  "Praye for the soules of Arthur Lord Lovele and Marie his wife, who werecut off in the flowere of theire youthe, by the trecherye and crueltieof theire neare kinnesmanne. Edmunde theire onlie sonne, one and twentieyeares after theire deathe, by the direction of heavene, made thediscoverye of the mannere of theire deathe, and at the same time provedhis owne birthe. He collected theire bones together, and interred themin this place: A warning and proofe to late posteritie, of the justiceof Providence, and the certaintie of Retribution."

  The Sunday after the funeral Edmund threw off his mourning, and appearedin a dress suitable to his condition. He received the compliments of hisfriends with ease and cheerfulness, and began to enjoy his happiness. Heasked an audience of his fair mistress, and was permitted to declarethe passion he had so long stifled in his own bosom. She gave him afavourable hearing, and in a short time confessed that she had sufferedequally in that suspense that was so grievous to him. They engagedthemselves by mutual vows to each other, and only waited the Baron'spleasure to complete their happiness; every cloud was vanished fromtheir brows, and sweet tranquillity took possession of their bosoms.Their friends shared their happiness; William and Edmund renewed theirvows of everlasting friendship, and promised to be as much together asWilliam's other duties would permit.

  The Baron once more summoned all his company together; he told Edmundall that had passed relating to his brother in-law, his exile, and thepilgrimage of Zadisky; he then related the circumstances of Sir Robert'sengagement to Lord Clifford'
s daughter, his establishment in his uncle'sseat, and his own obligations to return time enough to be present at themarriage: "But before I go," said he, "I will give my daughter to theheir of Lovel, and then I shall have discharged my duty to him, and mypromise to Sir Philip Harclay."

  "You have nobly performed both," said Sir Philip, "and whenever youdepart I shall be your companion."

  "What," said Edmund, "am I to be deprived of both my fathers at once?My honoured lord, you have given away two houses--where do you intend toreside?"

  "No matter," said the Baron; "I know I shall be welcome to both."

  "My dear Lord," said Edmund, "stay here and be still the master; I shallbe proud to be under your command, and to be your servant as well asyour son!"

  "No, Edmund," said the Baron, "that would not now be proper; this isyour castle, you are its lord and master, and it is incumbent on you toshew yourself worthy of the great things Providence has done for you."

  "How shall I, a young man, acquit myself of so many duties as will beupon me, without the advice and assistance of my two paternal friends?Oh, Sir Philip! will you too leave me? once you gave me hopes--"

  He stopped greatly affected.

  Sir Philip said, "Tell me truly, Edmund, do you really desire that Ishould live with you?"

  "As truly, sir, as I desire life and happiness!"

  "Then, my dear child, I will live and