by Jane Austen
Adieu, dearest of friends. May the next gouty attack be more favourable. And may you always regard me as unalterably yours
S. Vernon
Letter 40
LADY DE COURCY TO MRS VERNON
Parklands
My dear Catherine,
I have charming news for you, and if I had not sent off my letter this morning, you might have been spared the vexation of knowing of Reginald's being gone to town, for he is returned, Reginald is returned, not to ask our consent to his marrying Lady Susan, but to tell us that they are parted forever! He has been only an hour in the house, and I have not been able to learn particulars, for he is so very low, that I have not the heart to ask questions; but I hope we shall soon know all. This is the most joyful hour he has ever given us, since the day of his birth. Nothing is wanting but to have you here, and it is our particular wish and entreaty that you would come to us as soon as you can. You have owed us a visit many long weeks. I hope nothing will make it inconvenient to Mr Vernon, and pray bring all my grandchildren, and your dear niece is included of course; I long to see her. It has been a sad heavy winter hitherto, without Reginald, and seeing nobody from Churchill; I never found the season so dreary before, but this happy meeting will make us young again. Frederica runs much in my thoughts, and when Reginald has recovered his usual good spirits (as I trust he soon will), we will try to rob him of his heart once more, and I am full of hopes of seeing their hands joined at no great distance.
Your affectionate mother
C. De Courcy
Letter 41
MRS VERNON TO LADY DE COURCY
Churchill
My dear Madam,
Your letter has surprised me beyond measure. Can it be true that they are really separated - and for ever? I should be overjoyed if I dared depend on it, but after all that I have seen, how can one be secure? And Reginald really with you! My surprise is the greater, because on Wednesday, the very day of his coming to Parklands, we had a most unexpected and unwelcome visit from Lady Susan, looking all cheerfulness and good humour, and seeming more as if she were to marry him when she got back to town, than as if parted from him for ever. She stayed nearly two hours, was as affectionate and agreeable as ever, and not a syllable, not a hint was dropped of any disagreement or coolness between them. I asked her whether she had seen my brother since his arrival in town - not as you may suppose with any doubt of the fact - but merely to see how she looked. She immediately answered without any embarrassment that he had been kind enough to call on her on Monday, but she believed he had already returned home - which I was very far from crediting.
Your kind invitation is accepted by us with pleasure, and on Thursday next, we and our little ones will be with you. Pray heaven! Reginald may not be in town again by that time!
I wish we could bring dear Frederica too, but I am sorry to add that her mother's errand hither was to fetch her away; and miserable as it made the poor girl, it was impossible to detain her. I was thoroughly unwilling to let her go, and so was her uncle; and all that could be urged, we did urge. But Lady Susan declared that as she was now about to fix herself in town for several months, she could not be easy if her daughter were not with her, for masters, etc. Her manner, to be sure, was very kind and proper - and Mr Vernon believes that Frederica will now be treated with affection. I wish I could think so too!
The poor girl's heart was almost broke at taking leave of us. I charged her to write to me very often, and to remember that if she were in any distress, we should be always her friends. I took care to see her alone, that I might say all this, and I hope made her a little more comfortable. But I shall not be easy till I can go to town and judge of her situation myself.
I wish there were a better prospect than now appears, of the match, which the conclusion of your letter declares your expectation of. At present it is not very likely.
Yours etc.
Catherine Vernon
CONCLUSION
This correspondence, by a meeting between some of the parties and a separation between the others, could not, to the great detriment of the Post Office revenue, be continued longer. Very little assistance to the state could be derived from the epistolary intercourse of Mrs Vernon and her niece, for the former soon perceived by the style of Frederica's letters, that they were written under her mother's inspection, and therefore deferring all particular enquiry till she could make it personally in town, ceased writing minutely or often.
Having learnt enough in the meanwhile from her open-hearted brother, of what had passed between him and Lady Susan to sink the latter lower than ever in her opinion, she was proportionably more anxious to get Frederica removed from such a mother, and placed under her own care; and though with little hope of success, was resolved to leave nothing unattempted that might offer a chance of obtaining her sister-in-law's consent to it. Her anxiety on the subject made her press for an early visit to London; and Mr Vernon, who, as it must have already appeared, lived only to do whatever he was desired, soon found some accommodating business to call him thither. With a heart full of the matter, Mrs Vernon waited on Lady Susan, shortly after her arrival in town; and she was met with such an easy and cheerful affection as made her almost turn from her with horror. No remembrance of Reginald, no consciousness of guilt, gave one look of embarrassment She was in excellent spirits, and seemed eager to show at once, by every possible attention' to her brother and sister, her sense of their kindness, and her pleasure in their society.
Frederica was no more altered than Lady Susan; the same restrained manners, the same timid look in the presence of her mother as heretofore, assured her aunt of her situation's being uncomfortable, and confirmed her in the plan of altering it No unkindness however on the part of Lady Susan appeared. Persecution on the subject of Sir James was entirely at an end - his name merely mentioned to say that he was not in London; and in all her conversation she was solicitous only for the welfare and improvement of her daughter, acknowledging in terms of grateful delight that Frederica was now growing every day more and more what a parent could desire.
Mrs Vernon surprised and incredulous, knew now what to suspect, and without any change in her own views, only feared greater difficulty in accomplishing them. The first hope of anything better was derived from Lady Susan's asking her whether she thought Frederica looked quite as well as she had done at Churchill, as she must confess herself to have sometimes an anxious doubt of London's perfectly agreeing with her.
Mrs Vernon encouraging the doubt, directly proposed her niece's returning with them into the country. Lady Susan was unable to express her sense of such kindness; yet knew not from a variety of reasons how to part with her daughter; and as, though her own plans were not yet wholly fixed, she trusted it would ere long be in her power to take Frederica into the country herself, concluded by declining entirely to profit by such unexampled attention. Mrs Vernon however persevered in the offer of it, and though Lady Susan continued to resist, her resistance in the course of a few days seemed somewhat less formidable.
The lucky alarm of an influenza, decided what might not have been decided quite so soon. Lady Susan's maternal fears were then too much awakened for her to think of anything but Frederica's removal from the risk of infection. Above all disorders in the world, she most dreaded influenza for her daughter's constitution. Frederica returned to Churchill with her uncle and aunt, and three weeks afterwards Lady Susan announced her being married to Sir James Martin.
Mrs Vernon was then convinced of what she had only suspected before, that she might have spared herself all the trouble of urging a removal, which Lady Susan had doubtless resolved on from the first. Frederica's visit was nominally for six weeks; but her mother, though inviting her to return in one or two affectionate letters, was very ready to oblige the whole party by consenting to a prolongation of her stay, and in the course of two months ceased to write of her absence, and in the course of two more, to write to her at all.
Frederica was therefore fixed
in the family of her uncle and aunt, till such time as Reginald De Courcy could be talked, flattered and finessed into an affection for her - which, allowing leisure for the conquest of his attachment to her mother, for his abjuring all future attachments and detesting the sex, might be reasonably looked for in the course of a twelve-month. Three months might have done it in general, but Reginald's feelings were no less lasting than lively.
Whether Lady Susan was, or was not happy in her second choice - I do not see how it can ever be ascertained - for who would take her assurance of it, on either side of the question? The world must judge from probability. She had nothing against her, but her husband, and her conscience.
Sir James may seem to have drawn an harder lot than mere folly merited. I leave him therefore to all the pity that anybody can give him. For myself, I confess that I can pity only Miss Manwaring, who coming to town and putting herself to an expense in clothes, which impoverished her for two years, on purpose to secure him, was defrauded of her due by a woman ten years older than herself.
FINIS
THE WATSONS
THE FIRST winter assembly in the town of D. in Surrey1 was to be held on Tuesday October the thirteenth, and it was generally expected to be a very good one; a long list of country families was confidently run over as sure of attending, and sanguine hopes were entertained that the Osbornes themselves would be there.
The Edwards' invitation to the Watsons followed of course. The Edwards were people of fortune who lived in the town and kept their coach; the Watsons inhabited a village about three miles distant, were poor and had no close carriage; and ever since there had been balls in the place, the former were accustomed to invite the latter to dress dine and sleep at their house, on every monthly return throughout the winter.
On the present occasion, as only two of Mr Watson's children were at home, and one was always necessary as companion to himself, for he was sickly and had lost his wife, one only could profit by the kindness of their friends; Miss Emma Watson who was very recently returned to her family from the care of an aunt who had brought her up, was to make her first public appearance in the neighbourhood;2 and her eldest sister, whose delight in a ball was not lessened by ten years' enjoyment, had some merit in cheerfully undertaking to drive her and all her finery in the old chair to D. on the important morning.
As they splashed along the dirty lane Miss Watson thus instructed and cautioned her inexperienced sister. -
'I dare say it will be a very good ball and among so many officers, you will hardly want partners. You will find Mrs Edwards' maid very willing to help you, and I would advise you to ask Mary Edwards's opinion if you are at all at a loss, for she has very good taste. - If Mr Edwards does not lose his money at cards, you will stay as late as you can wish for; if he does, he will hurry you home perhaps - but you are sure of some comfortable soup. - I hope you will be in good looks -. I should not be surprised if you were to be thought one of the prettiest girls in the room, there is a great deal in novelty. Perhaps Tom Musgrave3 may take notice of you - but I would advice you by all means not to give him any encouragement. He generally pays attention to every new girl, but he is a great flirt and never means anything serious.'
'I think I have heard you speak of him before,' said Emma. 'Who is he?'
'A young man of very good fortune, quite independent, and remarkably agreable, a universal favourite wherever he goes. Most of the girls hereabouts are in love with him, or have been. I believe I am the only one among them that have escaped with a whole heart, and yet I was the first he paid attention to, when he came into this country, six years ago; and very great attention indeed did he pay me. Some people say that he has never seemed to like any girl so well since, though he is always behaving in a particular way to one or another.' - 4
'And how came your heart to be the only cold one?' - said Emma smiling.
'There was a reason for that' - replied Miss Watson, changing colour. - 'I have not been very well used, Emma, among them, I hope you will have better luck.'
'Dear sister, I beg your pardon, if I have unthinkingly given you pain.'
'When first we knew Tom Musgrave,' continued Miss Watson without seeming to hear her, 'I was very much attached to a young man of the name of Purvis, a particular friend of Robert's, who used to be with us a great deal Everybody thought it would have been a match.'5
A sigh accompanied these words, which Emma respected in silence - but her sister after a short pause went on - 'You will naturally ask why it did not take place, and why he is married to another woman, while I am still single. - But you must ask him - not me - you must ask Penelope. - Yes Emma, Penelope was at the bottom of it all. - She thinks everything fair for a husband; I trusted her, she set him against me, with a view of gaining him herself, and it ended in his discontinuing his visits and soon after marrying somebody else. - Penelope makes light of her conduct, but I think such treachery very bad. It has been the ruin of my happiness. I shall never love any man as I loved Purvis. I do not think Tom Musgrave should be named with him in the same day.'
'You quite shock me by what you say of Penelope -' said Emma. 'Could a sister do such a thing? - Rivalry, treachery between sisters! - I shall be afraid of being acquainted with her - but I hope it was not so. Appearances were against her -'
'You do not know Penelope. - There is nothing she would not do to get married - she would as good as tell you so herself. - Do not trust her with any secrets of your own, bike warning by me, do not trust her; she has her good qualities, but she has no faith, no honour, no scruples, if she can promote her own advantage. - I wish with all my heart she was well married. I declare I had rather have her well-married than myself.'
'Than yourself! - Yes I can suppose so. A heart, wounded like yours can have little inclination for matrimony.'
'Not much indeed - but you know, we must marry. - I could do very well single for my own part - A little company, and a pleasant ball now and then, would be enough for me, if one could be young forever, but my father cannot provide for us, and it is very bad to grow old and be poor and laughed at. - I have lost Purvis, it is true but very few people marry their first loves. I should not refuse a man because he was not Purvis. - Not that I can ever quite forgive Penelope.'
Emma shook her head in acquiescence.
'Penelope however has had her troubles - 'continued Miss Watson - 'she was sadly disappointed in Tom Musgrave, who afterwards transferred his attentions from me to her, and whom she was very fond of; but he never meant anything serious, and when he had trifled with her long enough, he began to slight her for Margaret, and poor Penelope was very wretched -. And since then, she has been trying to make some match at Chichester; she won't tell us with whom, but I believe it is a rich old Dr Harding, uncle to the friend she goes to see; - and she has taken a vast deal of trouble about him and given up a great deal of time to no purpose as yet - When she went away the other day she said it should be the last time. - I suppose you did not know what her particular business was at Chichester - nor guess at the object that could take her away, from Stanton just as you were coming home after so many years absence.'
'No indeed, I had not the smallest suspicion of it. I considered her engagement to Mrs Shaw just at that time as very unfortunate for me. I had hoped to find all my sisters at home; to be able to make an immediate friend of each.'
'I suspect the doctor to have an attack of the asthma,6 - and that she was hurried away on that account - the Shaws are quite on her side. - At least I believe so - but she tells me nothing. She professes to keep her own counsel; she says, and truly enough, that "too many cooks spoil the broth". -'
'I am sorry for her anxieties,' said Emma, ' - but I do not like her plans or her opinions. I shall be afraid of her. - She must have too masculine and bold a temper. - To be so bent on marriage - to pursue a man merely for the sake of situation - is a sort of thing that shocks me; I cannot understand it. Poverty is a great evil, but to a woman of education and feeling it ought not, i
t cannot be the greatest - I would rather be a teacher at a school (and I can think of nothing worse) than marry a man I did not like.'
'I would rather do anything than be a teacher at a school -' said her sister. 'I have been at school, Emma, and know what a life they lead you; you never have. - I should not like marrying a disagreable man any more than yourself, - but I do not think there are very many disagreable men; - I think I could like any good humoured man with a comfortable income. - I suppose my aunt brought you up to be rather refined.'
'Indeed I do not know. - My conduct must tell you how I have been brought up. I am no judge of it myself. I cannot compare my aunt's method with any other person's, because I know no other.'
'But I can see in a great many things that you are very refined. I have observed it ever since you came home, and I am afraid it will not be for your happiness. Penelope will laugh at you very much.'
'That will not be for my happiness, I am sure. - If my opinions are wrong, I must correct them - if they are above my situation, I must endeavour to conceal them. - But I doubt whether ridicule, - Has Penelope much wit?'
'Yes - she has great spirits, and never cares what she says.'
'Margaret is more gentle I imagine?'
'Yes - especially in company; she is all gentleness and mildness when anybody is by. - But she is a little fretful and perverse7 among ourselves. - Poor creature! she is possessed with the notion of Tom Musgrave's being more seriously in love with her, than he ever was with anybody else, and is always expecting him to come to the point. This is the second time within this twelve-month that she has gone to spend a month with Robert and Jane on purpose to egg him on, by her absence - but I am sure she is mistaken, and that he will no more follow her to Croydon now than he did last March. - He will never marry unless he can marry somebody very great; Miss Osborne, perhaps, or something in that style. - '