CHAP. XVII. GALLANTRY, JEALOUSY, AND INTEGRITY.
“I Do not think, my dear,” &longs;aid Lord O&longs;&longs;iter, as he
was taking his chocolate in his lady's dre&longs;&longs;ing-room,
one morning about a fortnight after Sir George's departure.
“I do not think it will be in my power to join the
intended party at Lady Rackett's to-night.”
“Some new engagement, my Lord,” &longs;aid her Ladyship,
&longs;miling affectedly.
“Not a very agreeable one,” he replied. “I am obliged
to go into the City, on &longs;ome infernal bu&longs;ine&longs;s with my
banker: the&longs;e monied men are the mo&longs;t tire&longs;ome animals in
the creation. He &longs;ays I have overdrawn him, and de&longs;ires I
will come and examine my accounts; it is a cur&longs;ed &longs;tupid
affair, and I don't often concern my&longs;elf about &longs;uch things,
but the fellow is &longs;o pre&longs;&longs;ing.”
“But perhaps you can get away in time to dre&longs;s and
join us, my Lord, before &longs;upper.”
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“I will, if po&longs;&longs;ible, but I dare &longs;ay the wretch will make
me as &longs;tupid as him&longs;elf before I have done with his di&longs;counts
and intere&longs;ts, &longs;o I &longs;hall be horrid bad company; therefore
it is mo&longs;t likely I &longs;hall come home and go to bed.”
“To bed, my Lord,” cried her Lady&longs;hip, laughing;
“why, &longs;ure you are going to take pattern by the &longs;ober cit.”
Though Lady O&longs;&longs;iter pretended to de&longs;ire her Lord's
company, it was, in fact, the farthe&longs;t thing from her wishes.
She had for &longs;ome time pa&longs;t been admired and followed
by the Duke of—; a conque&longs;t &longs;o brilliant and unexpected,
was the highe&longs;t gratification to this vain woman,
and &longs;he had heard with plea&longs;ure her hu&longs;band's intended appointment
in the city, as &longs;he was re&longs;olved to &longs;ee his Grace
for half an hour at home, previous to their meeting at Lady
Rackett's ball, where &longs;he was engaged to dance with him.
But Lord O&longs;&longs;iter had frequently given her a few pretty
plain hints in regard to her conduct with her noble admirer,
and therefore, though &longs;he had re&longs;olved to &longs;ee him,
&longs;he thought it would be be&longs;t to do it privately, and Lappett
being unfortunately gone to vi&longs;it a &longs;ick brother in the
country, &longs;he was obliged to make Rebecca her con&longs;idante
on the occa&longs;ion, and immediately, on retiring from breakfast,
&longs;he &longs;ummoned her to her dre&longs;&longs;ing-room.
“Rebecca, child,” &longs;aid &longs;he, as &longs;he entered, “I think
I have not given you any thing &longs;ince you have been with
me, and you have done more than half of Lappett's bu&longs;ine&longs;s
for her; there is that blue &longs;atin gown and coat, you may
take it, and as it is rather &longs;oiled, here is &longs;omething to pay
for the dying and making up, pre&longs;enting her with a couple
of guineas. Do you know, child, (continued &longs;he) I
have taken the &longs;trange&longs;t whim in my head, and you mu&longs;t
lend me your a&longs;&longs;i&longs;tance. I think that trimming you made
me extremely pretty, I dare &longs;ay it will be greatly admired.”
“I am happy it plea&longs;es you, Madam,” &longs;aid Rebecca:
“but I thought you were &longs;aying you would have it altered.”
“Oh, no, I was not &longs;peaking of my dre&longs;s then; I
think nothing can be more elegant or better fancied, but
you have a charming ta&longs;te, that is certain. No, I was
going to tell you of a &longs;trange whim I had taken to play a
trick with the old Duke of—; for, do you know
Rebecca, the man makes downright love to me whenever
he meets me, and the other day, when he was here, he left
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behind him the&longs;e &longs;uperb bracelets. Now, I have a mind
to mortify him, and as my Lord is going into the City, I
will &longs;end to the Duke to come here that I may have an
opportunity to return his pre&longs;ent and laugh at him.”
“Would it not be better to &longs;end them to him,” &longs;aid
Rebecca.
“Oh, no, that will not do half &longs;o well, for then, I
&longs;hould not have the &longs;atisfaction of &longs;eeing his chagrin, &longs;o,
Rebecca, you &longs;hall take a note, which I will write, and
&longs;end it, unknown to any of the other &longs;ervants, and when
his grace comes he &longs;hall come di&longs;gui&longs;ed, and pa&longs;s for your
brother, and you can bring him to my dre&longs;&longs;ing-room.”
“Your Lady&longs;hip will pardon me,” &longs;aid Rebecca, laying
the two guineas on the table, “I am not fit to engage
in &longs;uch a &longs;ervice; I would much rather decline it.”
“Decline it!” &longs;aid her Lady&longs;hip, reddening; “pray
are you not my &longs;ervant?”
“Undoubtedly Madam.”
“And is it not your duty to obey my orders?”
“When they are proper.”
“And pray are you to be the judge of what is proper or
improper in my actions?
“By no means; but your Lady&longs;hip will allow me to
judge of my own.”
“Oh, certainly Madam, if you are too &longs;queami&longs;h to
enter into &longs;o innocent a &longs;cheme.”
“I make no doubt but your de&longs;igns, Madam, are perfectly
innocent, but where there is my&longs;lery there is always
room for &longs;u&longs;picion, and &longs;hould my Lord di&longs;cover it—”
“But how can he, child, if you are di&longs;creet.”
“I am determined to be &longs;o, Madam, and hope you will
pardon my temerity, if I humbly entreat you to drop this
de&longs;ign.”
“Prithee, good madam pert,” &longs;aid her Lady&longs;hip,
&longs;cornfully, “do not pretend to more delicacy and virtue
than your betters. I have as high a regard for my honour
as any woman can have, but I may indulge my&longs;elf, I hope,
in a little innocent gallantry for all that. Go; I &longs;hell not
want you till I dre&longs;s.”
Rebecca retired, and for this once the pain her lady's
anger gave her was more than counterbalanced by the
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reflexion that &longs;he had acted right in rejecting the infamous
&longs;ervice &longs;he would have employed her in.
Contrary to her Lady's expectation, Rebecca had scarcely
reached her own apartment when Lappett returned,
and entered the dre&longs;&longs;ing-room, to receive Lady O&longs;&longs;iter's
command.
“Well, Lappett,” &longs;aid &longs;he, “you are returned in very
good time, for I have been &longs;o gro&longs;sly affronted by that little
prude, Rebecca, that I can hardly contain my anger;
do you know the impertinent creature had the audacity to
refu&longs;e getting me a note conveyed to the Duke of—;
though I had conde&longs;cended to inform her that my intentions
were only to laugh at him. You know, Lappett, there
is not a woman breathing would be more cautious than
my&longs;elf in doing any thing improper.”
“Dear, my Lady, I am &longs;ure of that; nor is your Ladyship,
by any means, obligated to enter into explanations
with your &longs;ervants, to &longs;peak your command is always &longs;ufficient
cient to have them in&longs;tantly obeyed.”
The ob&longs;equious abigail took the note, conveyed it herself,
and at eight o'clock in the evening his Grace was admitted
to her Lady's dre&longs;&longs;ing-room.
Lady O&longs;&longs;iter meant nothing le&longs;s than to over-step the
boundaries of di&longs;cretion in this tete-a-tete. The Duke
was to her an object of di&longs;gu&longs;t, but flattery was delightful
to her ears, and pearls and diamonds were pretty ornaments
in her opinion, ea&longs;ily purcha&longs;ed by a little conde&longs;ension
and &longs;he flattered her&longs;elf, that while &longs;he remained virtuous in
one great point, &longs;he might indulge her&longs;elf in every other
imprudence, and de&longs;y the cen&longs;ures of the world.
But it was the opinion of Rebecca, that every truly virtuous
woman &longs;hould carefully avoid even the appearance of
indi&longs;cretion, e&longs;pecially tho&longs;e who&longs;e elevated &longs;tations might
render their examples infinitely pernicious to their inferiors:
&longs;he therefore felt her&longs;elf greatly hurt by Lady Ossiter's
want of prudence, and flattered her&longs;elf the repul&longs;e &longs;he
had met from her would prevent her making her de&longs;igns
known to any other &longs;ervant, and &longs;he readily imagined
Mrs. Lappett would be as unwilling as her&longs;elf to engage in
the bu&longs;ne&longs;s; &longs;o when informed &longs;he was returned, Rebecca
found her&longs;elf &longs;omewhat relieved, as &longs;he knew &longs;he &longs;hould
avoid the painful ta&longs;k of dre&longs;&longs;ing a woman whom &longs;he feared
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The ob&longs;equious abigail took the note, conveyed it herself,
and at eight o'clock in the evening his Grace was admitted
to her Lady's dre&longs;&longs;ing-room.
Lady O&longs;&longs;iter meant nothing le&longs;s than to over-step the
boundaries of di&longs;cretion in this tete-a-tete, the Duke
was to her an object of di&longs;gu&longs;t, but flattery was delightful
to her ears, and pearls and diamonds were pretty ornaments
in her opinion, ea&longs;ily purcha&longs;ed by a little conde&longs;eention;
and &longs;he flettered her&longs;elf, that while &longs;he remained virtuous in
one great point, &longs;he might indulge her&longs;elf in every other
inprudence, and defy the cen&longs;ures of the world.
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would be predetermined not to be plea&longs;ed with her utmo&longs;t
exertion.
While the Duke and her Lady&longs;hip were together, the
artful Lappett thought &longs;he would ju&longs;t &longs;tep in and hear
what Rebecca had to &longs;ay on the &longs;ubject, for, by her specious
appearance of friend&longs;hip, &longs;he had &longs;o won on the unsuspicious
heart of our heroine, that &longs;he never &longs;crupled to
communicate to her every thought as it aro&longs;e, except
tho&longs;e which concerned Sir George, (and tho&longs;e &longs;he endeavoured
to conceal, if po&longs;&longs;ible, even from her&longs;elf.)
“So,” cried Lappett, &longs;itting down, “my Lady and
you had a tiff to day, I find.”
“We did not quite agree,” &longs;aid Rebecca, &longs;lightly,
“but I dare &longs;ay &longs;he has forgot it by this time; I am &longs;ure
I do not wi&longs;h to remember it.”
“I &longs;uppose &longs;he wanted you to get a letter conveyed to
the Duke.”
“What then &longs;he has told you her&longs;elf, has &longs;he?”
“Oh, Yes, the moment I came in. I declare it is a
pity my Lord is not acquainted with her conduct?”
“It would be a cruel thing, Mrs. Lappett, to plant dissension
between man and wife: be&longs;ides, I dare &longs;ay, my
Lady, though imprudent, is not criminal.”
“To be &longs;ure my Lady has &longs;ome excu&longs;e; my Lord is
always after other women: he is &longs;eldom at home, and
I am certain don't care a pin about his wife.”
“Perhaps if her Lady&longs;hip was more attentive to increa&longs;e
his dome&longs;tic comforts, he would nece&longs;&longs;arily grow more attached
to home, but while &longs;he is &longs;o extravagantly fond of
di&longs;&longs;ipation, and while the four honours have the power to
keep her from home, night after night, can we be surprised
if her hu&longs;band &longs;eeks abroad for that felicity he is
&longs;ure of not meeting in his own hou&longs;e.”
“Why, to &longs;ay truth, my Lady is a &longs;ad rake.”
“And her children, Mrs. Lappett, &longs;he pays but little
attention to them, nor will &longs;he &longs;uffer any other per&longs;on to
do it. Can there be a more lovely or engaging child than
Mi&longs;s O&longs;&longs;iter. I am &longs;ure the little time I have to in&longs;truct
her is amply repaid by her docility and attention; as to
Ma&longs;ter O&longs;&longs;iter and his brother James, they are &longs;o humoured,
e&longs;pecially the former, that it requires greater powers than
I am po&longs;&longs;e&longs;&longs;ed of to make them attend to any thing.”
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“I suppose &longs;he wanted you to get a letter conveyed to
the Duke.”
“What then &longs;he has told you her&longs;elf, has &longs;he?”
“Oh, Yes, the moment I came in. I declare it is a
pity my Lord is not acquainted with her conduct.”
“ would be a cruel thing, Mrs. Lappett, to plant difsension
between man and wife: be&longs;ides, I dare &longs;ay, my
Lady, though imprudent, is not criminal.”
“To be &longs;ure my Lady has &longs;ome excu&longs;e; my Lord is
always after other women: he is seldom at home, and
I am certain don't care a pin about his wife.”
“Perhaps if her Lady&longs;hip was more attentive to increa&longs;e
his dome&longs;tic comforts, he would nece&longs;&longs;arily grow more attached
to home, but while &longs;he is so extravagantly fond of
di&longs;&longs;ipation, and while the four honours have the power to
keep her from home, night after night, can we be surprised
if her hu&longs;band &longs;eeks abroad for that felicity he is
&longs;ure of not meeting in his own hou&longs;e.
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“He is very pa&longs;&longs;ionate,” &longs;aid Lappett.
“Extremely &longs;o,” replied the artle&longs;s Rebecca; “be&longs;ides
which, he is cruel, mi&longs;chievous, and a great liar, and the&longs;e
things &longs;hould be corrected in time, or he will be as despicable
when a man, as he is now di&longs;agreeable as a child.”
“His temper is very like his mother's.”
“I think there is &longs;ome &longs;imilitude between them, for indeed,
Mrs. Lappett, I do not know how you acquire fortitude
to &longs;upport it, but my Lady is &longs;ometimes &longs;o passionate
and capricious I am ready to die with vexation, and,
though my heart be ready to bur&longs;t, in her pre&longs;ence I dare
not &longs;hed a tear, for if &longs;ometimes, when I can no longer
&longs;uppre&longs;s them, they will bur&longs;t forth, &longs;he reproaches me
with childi&longs;hne&longs;s, pa&longs;&longs;ion, and folly. Folly it is, I will
own, to let the behaviour of &longs;o unfeeling a woman wound
my &longs;en&longs;ibility; but yet when I know that I do my duty
to the utmo&longs;t of my power, it is very hard to meet with
nothing in return but taunts and unkindne&longs;s.”
“So it is indeed, my dear, but you mu&longs;t keep up your
&longs;pirits.”
“I do, Mrs. Lappett, as well as I can, but my Lady
&longs;ometimes a&longs;ks me what I am fit for? and if &longs;he had not
taken me, who would? That my Lord often tells her, he
wonders &longs;he will keep &longs;o awkward a creature about her. I
am &longs;en&longs;ible I have many obligations to her Lady&longs;hip's family,
but can I help my inexperience, unacquainted as I
am with &longs;ervitude?”
“No, to be &longs;ure, you cannot: but my Lady will want
me, and I &longs;hall come in for my &longs;hare, for I do a&longs;&longs;ure you
child, we get it all round in turn; but you will know how
to bear the&longs;e things better in time.”
Lappett returned to her Lady and not only repeated but
exaggerated every thing which Rebecca, in the &longs;implicity
of her heart, had uttered.
“Ungrateful creature,” &longs;aid the Lady, “after what I
have done for her.”
“Ungrateful indeed, Madam. I wonder your Ladyship
will keep her.”
“I &longs;hall not keep her long, Lappett; I a&longs;&longs;ure you, I
am quite &longs;ick of her airs and impertinence.”
The clock had &longs;truck ten, the children were in bed, and
Lady O&longs;&longs;iter ju&longs;t &longs;tepped into her chair and gone towards
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Cavendi&longs;h-Square, the &longs;ervants retired to the lower apartments,
and &longs;ilence &longs;eemed to reign throughout the hou&longs;e.
Rebecca, wearied with the fatigue and vexation of the day,
thought &longs;he might this evening &longs;afely indulge, in a relaxation,
which &longs;he had not enjoyed &longs;ince her re&longs;idence in
Lady O&longs;&longs;iter's family, which was to practice a few hours
on the harp&longs;icord. She took her mu&longs;ic books and a candle,
and went to a &longs;mall parlour, in a retired part of the
hou&longs;e, where &longs;tood a &longs;ine toned in&longs;trument, and where &longs;he
&longs;at down and amu&longs;ed her&longs;elf, unthinking how time pa&longs;t,
and entirely inattentive to the foot&longs;teps that pa&longs;&longs;ed and repassed
the door of the apartment. The mu&longs;ic &longs;oothed and
compo&longs;ed the perturbation of her &longs;pirits. She played several
little plaintive airs, and accompanied them with her
voice; and among the re&longs;t, the &longs;ong &longs;he was &longs;igning when
Sir George fir&longs;t &longs;aw her. When &longs;he had got nearly through
it, the remembrance of that &longs;cene—the &longs;triking contra&longs;t
of her &longs;ituation then and now, &longs;truck &longs;o forcibly on her
imagination that &longs;he was unable to proceed. She pau&longs;ed,
and tears involuntarily &longs;tole down her cheeks; her amusement
was ended; &longs;he ro&longs;e from her &longs;eat, and was &longs;hutting
the book, when &longs;omebody laid hold of her, and repeating,
—as the maid retired,
He ki&longs;s'd her tears away.
cla&longs;ped her rudely in his arms and &longs;natched a ki&longs;s.
Rebecca, too much terrified to &longs;cream, could only endeavour
to di&longs;engage her&longs;elf, and turning round, beheld
Lord O&longs;&longs;iter.
“If I have alarmed you, my dear creature,” &longs;aid his
Lord&longs;hip, “I humbly entreat your pardon. But do not
let me interrupt your amu&longs;ement; come, &longs;it down again,
and let me hear that charming &longs;ong you were &longs;inging
when I entered the room.”
“Your Lord&longs;hip will pardon me, I had no intention of
being heard by any one;—I have &longs;ome orders to execute
for my Lady.”
“Nay, nay, you do not get off &longs;o ea&longs;ily. Do you
know, my lovely girl, I have been ab&longs;olutely expiring
from the fir&longs;t moment I beheld you, for an opportunity
to tell you how much I admire and adore you.”
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“Surely your Lord&longs;hip cannot &longs;eriou&longs;ly mean to in&longs;ult
me.”
“In&longs;ult you, my angel, no, by heavens I would sacrifice
the wretch who &longs;hould dare to offend you:—No, my
dear girl, I mean to offer you love and affluence in the
room of dependence and poverty. I will place you in your
proper &longs;phere: &longs;uch beauty and elegance were not formed
for &longs;ervitude. Come, li&longs;ten to me, I will furni&longs;h you a
hou&longs;e, keep you a chariot, and &longs;ettle five hundred a year.”
“Gracious heaven,” cried Rebecca, bur&longs;ting into tears,
“to what am I expo&longs;ed.”
“P&longs;haw, p&longs;haw, this is all prudery and non&longs;en&longs;e; come,
dry your tears and let us go to my jeweller's, and you
&longs;hall take your choice of whatever trinkets his &longs;hop affords,
I will not limit you as to the &longs;um.”
Lord O&longs;&longs;iter had but an indifferent opinion of female
delicacy; he thought the word virtue very pretty in the
mouth of a pretty woman, but as to the reality exi&longs;ting
in the heart, he thought no woman po&longs;&longs;e&longs;&longs;ed &longs;o large a
&longs;hare but money, jewels, and flattery could lull it to &longs;leep;
how a&longs;toni&longs;hed was he then to find, upon taking a few liberties
with Rebecca, &longs;he &longs;hrunk in&longs;tinctively from him,
&longs;hrieked faintly, and, &longs;taggering a few paces toward the
door, fell lifele&longs;s to the floor.
Terrified, he caught her from the ground, and ringing
the bell with violence, began to tear open her gown and
handkerchief, in order to give her air. “My dear, my
lovely girl,” &longs;aid he, “for heaven's &longs;ake revive.” Then
placing her on a &longs;ofa, he &longs;eated him&longs;elf be&longs;ide her, and
re&longs;ted her head on his &longs;houlder.
At that moment who &longs;hould appear at the door but
Mrs. Lappett, all the fury of a jealous enraged woman
fla&longs;hing from her eyes.
“My dear Lappett,” &longs;aid his Lord&longs;hip, “I happened
to come unexpectedly into the room where this poor girl
was amu&longs;ing her&longs;elf, and &longs;ee how it has frightened her;
do get a little water.”
But Lappett was not to be deceived: &longs;he had heard him
utter words of tenderne&longs;s, and was &longs;ufficiently convinced
Rebecca was her rival.
“The creature is &longs;o affected,” &longs;aid &longs;he, “I declare there
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is no bearing her, but I a&longs;&longs;ure your Lord&longs;hip I have something
el&longs;e to do than to wait on the dear lovely girl.”
Rebecca was now recovering, and, rai&longs;ing her head, &longs;he
caught hold of Lappett's gown, as &longs;he turned to leave the
room, and exclaimed, “Do not leave me, &longs;tay, &longs;ave me,
take me from this place.”
“Indeed, Madam, I am in a hurry,” cried Lappett,
twitching her gown from the feeble gra&longs;p of Rebecca, and
flung out of the room, audibly &longs;aying, “Her Lady &longs;hould
be informed what &longs;ort of a per&longs;on &longs;he had in her family.”
Rebecca aro&longs;e, di&longs;engaged her&longs;elf from his Lord&longs;hip's
arms, who no longer attempted to detain her, and with
trembling &longs;teps returned to her apartment.
Rowson, Mrs., 1762-1824 [1794], The fille de chambre (H. & P. Rice, Philadelphia) [word count] [eaf327].
