CHAPTER XII.
The following morning the young people arose early, and were surprised tofind Mrs. Harewood also stirring; her amiable, affectionate heart promiseditself a treat, in witnessing the sweet emotions of Matilda, on hearingthe joyful tidings of her mother's arrival; nor was she disappointed--thedelighted girl manifested all the rapture of which her warm susceptibleheart was capable; and on hearing her mother slept in the crimson room, washastily bending her steps to the chamber, thus named from the colour of thebed.
"But, my dear, it is yet early; your mamma was much fatigued with her longjourney from Falmouth: is it not a pity to disturb her, especially as shehas already seen and kissed you, although she would not awake you?"
Matilda stopped--"I do _so_ wish to see mamma," said she, "and to hear herspeak! but then to awake her for my own pleasure would be selfish, as Iused to be--I won't be selfish."
"That's right, my dear--you are now proving yourself trulyaffectionate--you are preferring mamma to yourself."
"But I may just stand at the door and listen to her breathing, and so waittill she moves."
"Certainly, my dear."
Away flew Matilda, happiest of the happy; and she had scarcely been tenminutes on her station when Mrs. Hanson's bell rang, and Matilda instantlyopened the door, in silent but delightful expectation.
"Is my daughter awake?" said the fond mother.
"Oh, yes, yes, dear mamma, I am here!" cried she, springing to theoutstretched arms of her loved parent, who, in embracing her joyfully,yet felt solicitude mingle with her joy, from the consciousness that herearthly happiness was centred in this single object, and that upon herfuture conduct rested the peace of both.
Mrs. Hanson did not rise for some hours, and her daughter breakfasted withher, and spent the time principally in making inquiries after their oldfriends in Barbadoes, so that Mrs. Hanson had no opportunity of observinghow her daughter was looked upon in the family, and on this eventful day,the ball in the evening was naturally the subject uppermost on Matilda'smind, so that there was yet no development of her real improvement.
At length Mrs. Hanson arose; her maid came in to dress her, and whilst thistook place, the mother beheld with delight the improvement which had takenplace in her darling's person, which was taller, and considerably betterformed, as she had cured herself of stooping, and all her motions indicatedsprightliness and agility.
Whilst Mrs. Hanson congratulated herself on this appearance, Zebby tappedat the door, and, on being admitted, said, with a very long face anddoleful accent--"Oh dear, Missy, very bad ting have happened; de millinerhave sentee home Miss Ellen new frock, and no sentee yours. She say shecannot makee till next week, because she very busy for little girls thatlosee their mamma, and must have blackee clothes to-morrow day."
Mrs. Hanson's heart sunk, and she felt as if her pleasure for this day atleast was over, for she fully expected to see Matilda fly into a rage withthe messenger, the milliner, and indeed all the house; and she couldscarcely believe her own senses, when Matilda replied calmly--"Well, Zebby,it cannot be helped, and it does not signify much; I am sure Mrs. Harewoodwill excuse my want of a new dress on this occasion. To be sure, I shouldhave liked to look the same as dear Ellen; but how can I think of such atrifling disappointment, when I remember it was caused by those unhappychildren, who are now mourning for their mamma?"
So saying, she turned, and eagerly threw her arms round a mother, who, inthe course of her whole life, had not embraced her with equal satisfaction;but before she had time to express her pleasure, and injure her who causedit, by the exaggerated praise which sprung to her lips, Matilda had rundown stairs, just to peep at Ellen's new dress, speak of the delight sheexperienced in having gained her mother's society, and consult MissCampbell as to the frock she must substitute for the one intended to beworn; and when Mrs. Hanson was left alone, she almost fancied that theforegoing scene was a kind of drama, which had been introduced for thepurpose of surprising and pleasing her.
But observation confirmed her hopes, and justified her happiness. Shedescended at dinner-time, and was introduced to the children of the family,who, although little seen among so large a party, yet won her regard, fromthe unaffected kindness and ease with which they treated her daughter; andshe observed, with approbation, that Matilda and Ellen were dressed exactlyalike; the latter having declined wearing the frock bought for her, sinceher friend's could not be procured. Mrs. Hanson could not fail to loveEllen, in whose countenance the good temper, modesty, and sensibility whichcharacterized her, were strongly expressed; but she had not much time tocomment upon it, for the young party were now coming in, and attentionwas in some degree divided. In a short time dinner was announced, and thecompany, about thirty in number, were soon commodiously arranged round thehospitable table.
Mrs. Harewood had thought it right to disperse her own family among herguests, in order that they might pay proper attention to those near them,as by that means she hoped that none of the invited would be neglected; andaccording to this arrangement, which was made the preceding day, Matildatook the place appointed for her, which happened to be at some distancefrom her mamma, who sat, of course, next to Mrs. Harewood. In the bustle ofso large a party, Mrs. Hanson could scarcely observe even her daughter atthe beginning of the meal; but when the second course came in, she saw withsome pain a large dish of custards placed exactly before Matilda; and onone of the company observing she had never seen such a noble dish ofcustards before, Mrs. Hanson said--"Matilda is remarkably fond of them; Iam sorry they are so near her, for they are not wholesome."
"We seldom have such things on that account," said Mrs. Harewood; "but Imust own I think them well placed, because Matilda can help her friendsto them with ease."
These words drew the attention of the young ones, and Matilda soon receivedso many plates to supply, that there appeared little probability of hersharing in the feast. Edmund was near her, and gladly receiving hismother's approving smile, he secured one for Matilda, which he put uponher plate just before the last was demanded.
Ellen was equally busy distributing tarts near the bottom of the table. Thefootman brought her a custard, which he said Miss Hanson had sent for her.
"She is very good," said Ellen, "but I had rather take a jelly, if she willexcuse my returning it."
The happy mother perceived that Matilda had sent Ellen the very custardwhich Edmund's kindness had ensured for _her_. Delicious tears sprang toher eyes; she perceived that Matilda was indeed a different creature; thatshe had not only conquered a disgraceful propensity, but acquired a habitof generous attention to others, of which there was at one period no hopesin her character.
The dancing now commenced, and the West Indian acquitted herself with greatpropriety; for although she did not perform so well as the greater part ofthe company, yet she was never awkward; and when at a loss for the figure,she listened with modesty, and obeyed with precision the rules laid down toher. Many of the party now assembled were amiable and obliging, but in solarge a number, some were of course present, whose manners were lessagreeable: but as Matilda considered herself one of the family, so shedeemed it her duty to partake their cares, and render every person as happyas possible. She neither suffered rudeness to disturb her temper, norawkwardness to excite her contempt; her conduct, under every temptation ofthis nature, was uniformly marked by self-command, modesty, and civility.
There was in this young party two Master Eustons, who, happening to bericher and a little older than the rest of the party, thought themselvesentitled to quiz all around them at some times, and lord it over them atothers. On their first coming into the room, they sought out Matilda, asa proper companion for them, because they had heard her named as a greatWest-Indian heiress; but when they saw her a modest, unassuming girl, theyrather shunned her, as not being likely to enter into their sports. Theseboys would not have been voluntarily chosen as companions for his own bysuch a careful and observant father as Mr. Harewood, but they were thenephews of an old fri
end of his, and were then on a visit to their uncle,who would have felt himself neglected if Mr. Harewood had not invitedthem; and as, that gentleman very justly observed to his excellent lady,his children must necessarily mix with the world, both at school andelsewhere, it was desirable that they should do it sometimes under the eyeof those kind parents, who might teach them how to distinguish what wasgood, and lead them, from general company, to choose particular society.
There was also a young lady who wished to render herself the particularcompanion of Matilda, for the same reason the Eustons had done, because sheconsidered her the most wealthy child in the place; and from her person,and the elegance she observed in her mamma's dress and manners, sheconcluded that in a few years she would be the most dashing. It isastonishing how soon the eye of even a child can discriminate, in thatparticular which has been rendered the sole subject of its studies and thegrand object of its wishes; so that people who pique themselves upon beingmen of the world, or women of fashion, are rivalled in all their boastedknowledge and discernment by young creatures, whose faculties they may deemvery inefficient, and which are indeed so in all the higher requisites ofmind and the attainments of knowledge.
The parents of Miss Holdup, the young lady in question, had acquired alarge fortune, but were both called, at a very early period, from theenjoyment of it; and this their only child was placed, by the will of herfather, under the sole guardianship of his solicitor, a man of integrityand of large fortune, and without any children of his own; so that thelittle girl had apparently every blessing her desolate situation demanded,for kindness was accorded to her in the family, as an orphan, without arival, and her fortune was well secured by the skill of her guardian.
But, alas! false judgment and mistaken indulgence rendered this situationtotally subversive of her improvement and her happiness; the lady to whosecare she was immediately consigned was a vain and dissipated woman, who hadno greater pleasure than in spending the fortune, laboriously acquired byher industrious spouse, in all the various amusements the metropolispresents to the idle and extravagant part of the community; and althoughshe was what is generally termed a very good-natured woman, yet the momenther schemes of diversion or expense were thwarted, she could be as pettish,sullen, or even vulgar and violent, as the lowest servant. She piquedherself on being a woman of family, and when little Miss Holdup came intoher household, the first care she took with her was to eradicate, as far aspossible, the memory of her parents, and all their former connections, fromher mind.--"My dear child, now you are, by great good fortune, got into agentleman's family, remember you must never mention those creatures in thecity your mamma used to visit. I must have no cheese-factor cousinsintroduced at my table; no, nor even the great linen-draper's daughter thatgave you the doll; you have money enough to buy dolls of your own, and musthave no more concern with those kind of people now."
"But," said the child, "I suppose I may talk about Miss Turner and hersister Anne, because they nursed me through the measles, and my father saidI must always be grateful--I suppose he meant thankful, ma'am, for theirkindness."
"Who are they, child? if they are decent people, it alters the caseentirely."
"They are not decent people," said the child, pettishly; "they are verygenteel people, and dress quite beautifully, and have a country-house,where I have played many a time; and they have a fine instrument, and morebooks than you have, and I love them dearly."
"But who are they, my dear?"
"Why, to be sure, they are their father's daughters, Mr. Turner, the greatbaker; every body knows Mr. Turner's shop, I suppose."
The lady was distressed. She began a speech, endeavouring to prove, thatalthough gratitude was very good in its place, yet, when it was advisableto forget its object, then it was no longer good, but foolish, andimproper, and unfashionable; but she checked herself in the midst of thisexordium, by recollecting that the intellects of her pupil were unequal toall investigation, but that her inclination, youth, and temper could bemore easily wrought upon. She began to load her with finery, take her tothe play, though she fell asleep in the second act, speak of her in her ownhearing as a wit and a beauty, shake her head knowingly whenever her cityconnections were alluded to; and therefore it was no wonder that in a shorttime the child forgot the friends she had loved, grew ashamed of theparents she had honoured, learnt to prattle on subjects of which she knewnothing, and to affect all the premature airs of a woman, with more thanthe usual ignorance of a child, as children are now usually instructed.
Perhaps a womanized child of this description is the most disagreeablething in existence, and is rendered only the more so, from any talent ornatural acuteness it may happen to possess, since that never fails to givea spice of sin to what would otherwise be mere folly. The thinking mindshudders at the airs of infantine coquetry and malicious sneers, which aremerely ludicrous to another stander-by; but how any person can be eitherindifferent to such a waste and perversion of human nature, or behold itwith pleasure, is inconceivable. Mrs. Thornton was, however, so far thedupe of her own folly, that she conceived Miss Holdup the finest child shehad ever known, and a decisive proof of her own talents for education. Itwas true, she had lavished upon her all her stores of information, in thesame way that, agreeably to her own notions of dress and pleasure, she hadexpended upon her sums which her husband thought prodigious; and the resultof both had been to make her what might be truly called a grand seriouspantomime, or an artificial curiosity, for nature was completely banishedher composition.
"Look at my lovely ward," she would exclaim, in rapture; "how totallydifferent she is from any other child! she will never be mistaken for oneof the lower order!"
True; but neither could she be mistaken for a gentlewoman: the appearanceof the child was that of a figurante, ready equipped for her part at theopera; for, although in her twelfth year, she wore trowsers and petticoatsthat did not reach to her knees; they were, it is true, trimmed with themost costly Mechlin, formed by the most tasteful milliner; but as her shapewas by no means graceful, and her mode of life, by harassing her into punyill health, kept her wretchedly thin, she resembled at a distance a smallwindmill about to be set in motion; and when near her, it was impossiblenot to believe that her clothes had been stripped to the middle, for thesake of washing her bony shoulders perfectly clean.
But, alas! the interior was more naked, or dressed in some parts merelyfor exhibition: the poor child knew the steps of the last new dance andthe name of new music; she could finger a little, and knew a few words ofFrench from the vocabulary; but to the history of her country she was aperfect stranger, and, what was far worse, was ignorant of all religion,all duties. When she was out of temper, which was an increasing evil asshe grew up, she was told only that it "spoiled her face;" if she wereguilty of gluttony, she was warned against injuring her shape; but the realmotive of good action, the foundation of pure principles, the necessity ofself-control, were utterly unknown to her; she never saw them acted upon,nor heard them explained.
Such was the girl who now, with a bustling parade of affection, singled outMatilda as the only child whom she thought worthy of her patronage, andwhom she intended to win and to use, when it suited her, in the very sameway that ladies of twice her age so frequently make their selection offriends in the acquaintance of an hour.
Miss Holdup was disappointed in perceiving that Matilda did not act as ifshe were much pleased, or much flattered, by her partiality; but this sheimputed to pride, and being very proud herself, she concluded that, on alittle farther acquaintance, it would only render them better friends.Besides, she observed that Ellen was at present the dearest friend ofMatilda; and although she considered this a degrading choice, yet she hadpatience to wait, and cunning enough to aid, the time when Matilda shouldsee the superiority of such a girl as herself to poor Ellen, whom sheconcluded to be simple, because she perceived her to be modest and mild.
In the blithesome round of gaiety inspired by dancing, designs and airs ofall kinds were for a
time forgotten, and the sprightly movements of thefeet kept pace with the hilarity of heart which banishes, for a time, allthose unnatural combinations which disgrace the ingenuous breast of earlylife; but when a pause was given for the purpose of refreshment, variouslittle parties were formed for conversation, and Miss Holdup contrived tomonopolize Matilda, in a way that was painful to Ellen, disrespectful tothe rest of the party, and embarrassing to her who was thus singled out;who became, with some, an object of envy, because the most fashionable girldistinguished her; with others, one of contempt, for the same reason. Itwill be readily conceived that Miss Holdup was never insignificant: whereshe did not attract admiration, she never failed to excite contempt: andas the party were, of course, for the most part amiable and well-educatedchildren, whom Mr. and Mrs. Harewood held up as examples to their own, sothe greater number, by many, regarded this young lady as a weak, ridiculousgirl, whose appearance excited surprise and disgust, and whom nothing butgood manners could prevent them from laughing at; and Matilda felt herselfinvolved, from her union with her, in that kind of snare which, of allothers, was the most galling to her, as from her very cradle she couldnever endure to be laughed at.
Mrs. Harewood perceived, from the expression of her countenance, that shelaboured under very considerable vexation, and she was at times afraidthat, by some irritating expression or haughty toss, Matilda would tarnishthe honours of the day, by giving a pang to the heart of that fond andstill happy parent, whose eyes were continually bent upon her, but whowished to see her act on the present occasion, without those influences hermore immediate presence was likely to inspire. While with all the anxietyof a true friend, this good lady watched Matilda, a quick rattling soundwas heard against the windows, and Matilda, a little surprised by thesound, and desirous of escaping the tedious and affected conversation ofMiss Holdup, inquired what it was that she heard.
"Quiz the West Indian," said the younger Euston; "she never saw it hailbefore."
With a very grave face, the elder immediately came up to her, and told herit was raining comfits--"If you please," said he, "you may see them throughthe windows, for it is not dark, though the moon is clouded."
Matilda went eagerly to the window, for she was curious to observe aphenomenon entirely new to her. She soon perceived thousands of littleballs, that fell as hard as stones, lying on the ground and the windowframes, and she was desirous of examining them further; but just as she wasturning to make inquiries of her friend Edmund, young Euston interruptedher, by saying--"Well, Miss Hanson, you now see the comfits; would you liketo taste them? if you please, I will get you a spoonful."
"I should like to have a few certainly," replied she, "and will feelobliged to you to procure me some of them."
"Hush, hush!" said the young ones to each other, all desirous to see howMatilda would look, many merely from that love of play which is inherent attheir age, others from a malicious spirit which is too frequently blendedwith a passion for fun. Mr. Harewood apparently took no notice, but hehovered about them, and had the satisfaction of hearing several girlscondemn the Eustons, and profess an intention of saving Matilda fromswallowing the cold hailstones.
"You may be easy," said Edmund, as they stood consulting together on thesubject, when in ran the youth with eagerness, crying--"Here is a spoonfulof beautiful comfits; now open your mouth and shut your eyes--that is theway to taste them in perfection."
"Thank you, sir; I do not want to eat them; I know they must be snow, somekind of condensed snow, or ice, and I wished to examine them."
"Snow! how you talk!--it never snows in July."
"It never snows at all in my country--of course I know little about it; butunless Edmund assures me to the contrary, I shall certainly conclude thatthese little balls are frozen rain-drops, of the same nature with snow."
"You are perfectly right, Matilda," said Edmund, "and you have quizzed yourquizzers very completely."
"Miss Hanson has studied natural philosophy," said a young lady,sneeringly, being one of those who sought Miss Holdup's acquaintance. "Ialways thought that young ladies in the West India islands studied physicalsubjects more than any other."
"Physical subjects!" exclaimed several of the party; "how very strange astudy! what a very singular thing for girls to think of!"
"I think you are quite mistaken," said Ellen, with more spirit than wasusual to her; for, although she could not conceive that there was any harmin the study, she saw plainly that some spleen was intended againstMatilda, and she loved her too dearly, to stand by whilst any wound wasinflicted which her interference might avert. Though the most gentle andunoffending in her nature, yet she was capable of warm and activefriendship, and, of course, was not a little astounded and hurt when theyoung lady replied--"Surely, Miss Harewood, you cannot be ignorant that allour great medical practitioners torture and kill animals, for the purposeof ascertaining the nature of diseases, and, in many cases, undoubtedly forthe purpose of learning how much suffering bodies of a certain size andtexture are capable of enduring? Now I don't doubt, Miss Hanson, being sowise in other matters, can tell you exactly how much pain is necessary tokill a slave, how many stripes a child can endure, and how long hunger,beating, and torturing, may be applied without producing death; and provethat in case they do destroy a few blackies, that don't signify, if theycan afford to buy more."
"Well, and suppose Miss Hanson did kill some of those creatures," criedMiss Holdup, "she can afford to buy more; at least, her mamma can, which ismuch the same; though to be sure, 'tis a fine thing to be independent. Formy part, I think there is ten times more said about those filthy negroesthan signifies: dear me! they are not to compare to my Frisky; 'tis themost angelic creature of a dog! worth fifty blacks any day, unless, to besure, they were in handsome liveries."
Matilda had suffered in every nerve while the first lady spoke, but thedefence of the second hurt her ten times more, as it appeared to indicate ahardness of heart, a daring to make light of a most solemn subject, and oneto which she had given much serious thought, and she hastily plucked awaythe arm Miss Holdup had taken, and would have retired, but she was hemmedin by a circle, and could not escape. The young lady replied to heradvocate, in a fawning voice--"Ah, dear Miss Holdup! you are fond ofdefending any body you take a fancy for; but I am certain, if you werereally on the spot, you could not bear to _see_ those things your _new_friend has been in the habit of _doing_. I am told, mere children amusethemselves in Barbadoes with sticking pins into the legs of littlechildren, dropping scalding sealing-wax upon their arms, and cutting linesand stars in their necks with knives and scissors."
"Yes," added one of the Eustons, "and the most delicate ladies are waitedupon by naked slaves, whose bare backs are probably bleeding from therecent effects of a sound whipping, inflicted, probably, because Missy'sdolly had fallen, and broken her nose, out of Missy's own hands."
"Shocking creatures!"--"Dreadful wretches!"--"Wicked creatures!"--"Howterrible!"--"How abominable!" were exclamations naturally uttered on everyside, and those who, on Matilda's innocent triumph, had in the firstinstance pressed around her, now withdrew from her side, shrinking as fromsomething monstrous and loathsome in nature; and such was the bustle andconfusion between those who were eager to inquire, and those who were moreeager to inform, that the few who endeavoured to divert attention from thesubject, or insist upon the pictures presented being overcharged, could notbe heard.
Matilda, overwhelmed with burning blushes, was utterly unable to articulatea syllable, much less to stem the torrent which, in accusing her country ingeneral terms, was aimed at her in particular: her conscience accused herof many crimes, which, though far removed from atrocity like this, were yetutterly unjustifiable, and, as she now believed, might have led to theutmost limits of tyranny, cruelty, and oppression; and all she felt orfeared in her own conduct, seemed to rise to her memory, and stampconscious guilt on her expressive features; and while thus labouring underthe torments of a wounded spirit, the Eustons, rejoicing in her confu
sion,pointed it out as a certain proof of her conscience upbraiding her, and afresh volley of crimes and accusations were poured forth. It was in vainthat Edmund attempted to be heard, and that Charles challenged every one tofight in her behalf, and that Ellen, with distressed vociferation and tearsgushing into her eyes, kept again and again exclaiming--"It is _not_true--I am sure it is not; there are many good people in the West Indies,and nobody can be so wicked in the wide world. You tell these tales onpurpose to make us ill--fie! fie!"
The agonized countenance of Ellen, by presenting a striking contrast to itsusual expression of mild benevolence, told Mr. Harewood it was time for himto interfere. He had, for some minutes, hovered near, perceiving some kindof conspiracy, and thinking that his presence would be less observed thanthat of either of the ladies; and at his near approach, the aggrieved,accused, discomfited Matilda, whose eyes had been long cast on the ground,ventured to look up; for although she had a considerable general feelingof awe for Mr. Harewood, yet she had the most perfect reliance on hisjustice and kindness; and ashamed and conscious of past error as she nowwas, she yet felt assured of his protection and mercy.
The moment her eye met his, she felt all her hopes confirmed; and in thejoy and exultation it gave her, she acquired strength to burst through thecrowd; rushing forward, she sought refuge in his arms, and laid her burningcheek on the kind hand he extended towards her.
Ellen, at this moment, was, for the first time, attended to, as she criedout, with still stronger pathos--"Dear papa, I am so glad you are here! foryou will tell us the _truth_--you will convince every body, that people inthe West Indies do not torture their poor slaves for nothing but their ownwicked pleasure."
"My dear little advocate, as I have never been in the West Indies, I haveno right to contradict such evidence as has been brought forward byrespectable witnesses."
A cry of exultation began to pass the lips of the Euston party; but theywere silent, as Mr. Harewood began to speak again.
"I am the more inclined to think these cruelties may sometimes take placein our islands, because I have myself witnessed similar effects in thiscountry, where the barbarians who practised them were much curtailed intheir power, and proved rather the disposition than the actual treatmentof which you speak towards their unhappy victims."
"Indeed!" exclaimed they, with anxious curiosity, pressing nearer to thespeaker.
"Yes," added Mr. Harewood, raising his voice, and assuming a seriousaspect, "I have this very evening heard words applied to the heart of anunoffending individual, more painful than the lash, and seen looks directedagainst her, more torturing than any of the hateful operations you havementioned; and I have not the least hesitation in saying, that those whocould thus treat an amiable fellow-creature, and one who, as a stranger,is thrown upon their kindness, and entitled at least to their politeness,would, if they had the power, wound the body also, and might, by hardeningtheir hearts against the claims of humanity, in a short time become capableof every possible enormity."
An awful silence, strikingly contrasted with the late lively dance andits following conversational bustle, now sat on every tongue; theself-convicted were ashamed of their conduct, the doubtful satisfied, andthe friendly delighted; and desirous of stamping an important lesson, inthe moment of awakened feeling and intelligence, Mr. Harewood continued tosay--"Human nature, alas! is full of bad propensities; and when situationand the power of indulgence strengthen them, no wonder that man becomesselfish first, then hard-hearted, and lastly, even ferocious towardsothers. When, enlightened by education and taught by religion, he risesfrom this state of barbarity, and becomes not only civilized, but humane,gentle, condescending, and charitable, he merits great praise, for he hasachieved great labour--he has conquered great difficulty; the very angelsin heaven rejoice over him; and this child, this blushing, trembling,self-condemning, but self-corrected child, has done this. Look up, my dearMatilda! let who will sneer at you, I am proud of you; and there is not oneperson present who would not honour themselves, if they could secure yourfriendship. I was the first to correct you, nor will I ever flatter you;but I will always protect and defend you, so long as you continue to meritthe high regard I now feel for you."
The sweetest tears she had ever shed now ran down the cheeks of Matilda,as Mr. Harewood pronounced this eulogy; and it will be easily conceived,that all the really good and sensible part of the company eagerly soughtto soothe her spirits, and convince her of their regard, while her latetormentors either slunk away, as much ashamed as they were despised, orby an ingenuous confession of error, paved the way for returning esteem.
Miss Holdup arrogated to herself great praise for having defended what shecalled the right side; and so delighted was poor Ellen with every body andevery thing which favoured her young friend, that she began to take a greatfancy to the silly affected girl, merely because she thought that she lovedMatilda; but Matilda herself felt that her severest pang had arisen fromthe very defence thus adopted; and while she thanked Miss Holdup for hergood wishes, she yet shrank more than ever from forming an intimateacquaintance with one whom she considered as little better than anautomaton figure on which fine clothes might be hung, and whose tongue hadbeen taught to move, for the purpose of repeating the silly gibberish whichill-formed women repeat to uninformed children, in order to render them asstupid, proud, and silly as themselves.
On the following day, the party were naturally the subject of conversation,and Mrs. Hanson had great pleasure in finding that the bedizened doll, whohad been so decidedly her daughter's companion the evening before, was byno means her chosen one, that distinction being reserved for Ellen only,whose kind heart would have been almost broken, had she imagined such apartiality indeed reciprocal, but who was as free from jealousy of MissHoldup, as she was full of confidence in Matilda.
Mrs. Harewood on this occasion remarked, that she had never seen two girlsmore likely to form a mutual and lasting friendship than Ellen and Matilda,because they were likely mutually to benefit each other, since they would,she trusted, possess the same good principles and dispositions, but eachhaving a character of her own, would become serviceable to the other.Matilda had more discrimination and firmness than Ellen, who, on her part,had a forbearance, patience, and gentleness, which nature as well as habithad in a degree left her friend but poorly provided with; but she said itwould not be surprising if their mutual affection and reciprocal admirationshould, in time, ingraft the virtues of each upon the other, and she hopedto see Matilda as meek as Ellen, and Ellen as firm and energetic asMatilda.
Barbadoes Girl: A Tale for Young People Page 12