CHAP. II. In which is opened a very black design against I REMEMBER a wise old gentleman, who used This was exemplified in the conduct of Lady Bellaston, who, under all the smiles which she wore in her countenance, concealed much indignation against Sophia; and as she plainly saw that this young lady stood between her and the full indulgence of her desires, she resolved to get rid of her by some means or other; nor was it long before a very favourable opportunity of accomplishing this presented itself to her. from the eyes of her lover, of what passed within his bosom; nay, though he did not make any open declaration of his passion, yet many of his expressions were rather too warm, and too tender, to have been imputed to complaisance, even in the age when such complaisance was in fashion; the very reverse of which is well known to be the reigning mode at present. Lady Bellaston had been apprized of his lordship's visit at his first arrival, and the length of it very well satisfied her that things went as she wished, and as, indeed, she had suspected, the second time she saw this young couple together. This business she rightly, I think, concluded, that she should by no means forward, by mixing in the company while they were together; she, therefore, ordered her servants, that when my lord was going, they should tell him she desired to speak with him, and employed the intermediate time in meditating how best to accomplish a scheme, which she made no doubt but his lordship would very readily embrace the execution of. Lord Fellamar (for that was the title of this young nobleman) was no sooner introduced to her ladyship, than she attacked him in the following strain: "Bless me, my lord, are you here yet? I thought my servants had made a mistake, and let you go away; and I wanted to see you about an affair of some importance." 66 The reader may be pleased to remember, that when Sophia was thrown into that consternation at the playhouse, by the wit and humour of a set of young gentlemen who call themselves the Indeed, Lady Bellaston," said he, "I don't town, we informed him, that she had put her- wonder you are astonished at the length of my self under the protection of a young nobleman, visit; for I have staid above two hours, and I who had very safely conducted her to her chair. did not think I had staid above half a one."This nobleman, who frequently visited Lady "What am I to conclude from thence, my Bellaston, had more than once seen Sophia there lord?" said she; "the company must be very since her arrival in town, and had conceived a agreeable which can make time slide away so very great liking to her; which liking, as beau- very deceitfully."-" Upon my honour," said ty never looks more amiable than in distress, he, "the most agreeable I ever saw. Pray tell Sophia had, in this fright, so increased, that me, Lady Bellaston, who is this blazing star he might now, without any great impropriety, which you have produced among us all of a sudbe said to be actually in love with her. den?""What blazing star, my lord?" said she, affecting a surprise." I mean," said he, "the lady I saw here the other day; whom I had last night in my arms at the playhouse; and to whom I have been making that unreasonable visit."-" O, my cousin Western!" said she. "Why, that blazing star, my lord, is the daughter of a country booby squire, and hath been in town about a fortnight, for the first time." It may easily be believed, that he would not suffer so handsome an occasion of improving his acquaintance with the beloved object as now of fered itself to escape, when even good breeding alone might have prompted him to pay her a visit. The next morning, therefore, after this accident, he waited on Sophia, with the usual compliments, and hopes that she had received no harm from her last night's adventure. As love, like fire, when once thoroughly kindled, is soon blown into a flame, Sophia in a very short time completed her conquest. Time now flew away unperceived; and the noble lord had been two hours in company with the lady, before it entered into his head that he had made too long a visit. Though this circumstance alone would have alarmed Sophia, who was somewhat more a mistress of computation at present, she had indeed much more pregnant evidence, VOL. I. "Upon my soul," said he, "I should swear she had been bred up in a court; for, besides her beauty, I never saw any thing so genteel, so sensible, so polite."—" O, brave!" cries the lady; "my cousin hath you, I find."-" Upon my honour," answered he, "I wish she had; for I am in love with her to distraction."-"Nay, my lord," said she, "it is not wishing yourself very ill neither, for she is a very great fortune. I assure you she is an only child, and her father's estate is a good L. 3000 a-year."-" Then I can assure you, madam," answered the lord," I 2 D think her the best match in England." "Indeed, my lord," replied she, "if you like her, I heartily wish you had her.' ." If you think so kindly of me, madam," said he, " as she is a relation of yours, will you do me the honour to propose it to her father?"-" And are you really, then, in earnest?" cries the lady, with an affect ed gravity." I hope, madam," answered he, 66 you have a better opinion of me, than to imagine I would jest with your ladyship in an affair of this kind." "Indeed, then," said the lady, "I will most readily propose your lordship to her father; and I can, I believe, assure you of his joyful acceptance of the proposal. But there is a bar, which I am almost ashamed to mention; and yet it is one you will never be able to conquer. You have a rival, my lord; and a rival who, though I blush to name him, neither you, nor all the world, will ever be able to conquer."-" Upon my word, Lady Bellaston," cries he, "you have struck a damp to my heart, which hath almost deprived me of being.' "Fie, my lord!" said she; "I should rather hope I had struck fire into you. A lover, and talk of damps in your heart! I rather imagined you would have asked your rival's name, that you might have immediately entered the lists with him." "I promise you, madam," answered he, "there are very few things I would not undertake for your charming cousin. But, pray, who is this happy man?" "Why he is," said she, "what, I am sorry to say, most happy men with us are, one of the lowest fellows in the world. He is a beggar, a bastard, a foundling; a fellow in meaner circumstances than one of your lordship's footmen."—" And is it possible," cried he, "that a young creature, with such perfections, should think of bestowing herself so unworthily?""Alas! my lord," answered she, " consider the country. The bane of all young women is the country. There they learn a set of romantic notions of love, and I know not what folly, which this town and good company can scarce eradicate in a whole winter."-" Indeed, madam," replied my lord," your cousin is of too immense à value to be thrown away. Such ruin as this must be prevented."- -"Alas!" cries she, "my lord, how can it be prevented? The family have already done all in their power; but the girl is, I think, intoxicated, and nothing less than ruin will content her. And, to deal more openly with you, I expect every day to hear she is run away with him."-"What you tell me, Lady Bellaston," answered his lordship, " affects me most tenderly, and only raises my compassion, instead of lessening my adoration of your cousin. Some means must be found to preserve so inestimable a jewel. Hath your ladyship endeavoured to reason with her?"-Here the lady affected a laugh, and cried, "My dear lord, sure you know us better than to talk of reasoning a young woman out of her inclinations? These inestimable jewels are as deaf as the jewels they wear. Time, my lord, time is the only medicine to cure their folly; but this is a medicine which I am certain she will not take; nay, I live in hourly horrors on her account. In short, nothing but violent methods will do."—"What is to be done?" cries my lord: "What methods are to be taken? Is there any method upon earth?-Oh, Lady Bellaston! there is nothing which I would not undertake for such a reward.”—“ I really know not," answered the lady, after a pause; and then, pausing again, she cried out, Upon my soul, I am at my wit's end on this girl's account.If she can be preserved, something must be done immediately; and, as I say, nothing but violent methods will do. If your lordship hath really this attachment to my cousin, (and, to do her justice, except in this silly inclination, of which she will soon see her folly, she is every way deserving,) I think there may be one way-Indeed it is a very disagreeable one, and what I am almost afraid to think of. It requires great spirit, I promise you."-"I am not conscious, madam," said he, "of any defect there; nor am I, I hope, suspected of any such. It must be an egregious defect indeed, which could make me backward on this occasion."-" Nay, my lord," answered she, "I am so far from doubting you, I am much more inclined to doubt my own courage; for I must run a monstrous risk. In short, I must place such a confidence on your honour, as a wise woman will scarce ever place in a man on any consideration." In this point, likewise, my lord very well satisfied her; for his reputation was extremely clear, and common fame did him no more than justice in speaking well of him. "Well, then," said she," my lord, I-I vow I can't bear the apprehension of it.-No, it must not be. At least, every other method must be tried.-Can you get rid of your engagements, and dine here to-day? Your lordship will have an opportunity of seeing a little more of Miss Western. I promise you we have no time to lose. Here will be nobody but Lady Betty, and Miss Eagle, and Colonel Hamsted, and Tom Edwards. They will all go soon; and I shall be at home to nobody. Then your lordship may be a little more explicit. Nay, I will contrive some method to convince you of her attachment to this fellow." My lord made proper compliments, accepted the invitation, and then they parted to dress; it being now past three in the morning, or, to reckon by the old style, in the afternoon. CHAP. III. A further explanation of the foregoing design. THOUGH the reader may have long since concluded Lady Bellaston to be a member, and no inconsiderable one, of the great world, she was in reality a very considerable member of the little world; by which appellation was distinguish ed a very worthy and honourable society, which not long since flourished in this kingdom. Among other good principles upon which this society was founded, there was one very remarkable; for as it was a rule of an honourable club of heroes, who assembled at the close of the late war, that all the members should every day fight once at least, so it was in this, that every member should, within the twenty-four hours, tell at least one merry fib, which was to be propagated by all the brethren and sisterhood. Many idle stories were told about this society, which, from a certain quality, may be, perhaps not unjustly, supposed to have come from the society themselves; as, that the devil was the president, and that he sat in person, in an elbow-chair, at the upper end of the table. But, upon very strict inquiry, I find there is not the least truth in any of those tales; and that the assembly consisted in reality of a set of very good sort of people, and the fibs which they propagated were of a harmless kind, and tended only to produce mirth and good humour. Edwards was likewise a member of this comical society. To him, therefore, Lady Bellaston applied, as a proper instrument for her purpose, and furnished him with a fib, which he was to vent whenever the lady gave him her cue; and this was not to be till the evening, when all the company but Lord Fellamar and himself were gone, and while they were engaged in a rubbers at whist. To this time, then, which was between seven and eight in the evening, we will convey our reader; when Lady Bellaston, Lord Fellamar, Miss Western, and Tom being engaged at whist, and in the last game of their rubbers, Tom received his cue from Lady Bellaston, which was, "I protest, Tom, you are grown intolerable lately. You used to tell us all the news of the town, and now you know no more of the world than if you lived out of it." Mr Edwards then began as follows: "The fault is not mine, madam; it lies in the dulness of the age, that doth nothing worth talking of.O, la! though, now I think on't, there hath a terrible accident befallen poor Colonel Wilcox. Poor Ned!-You know him, my lord; every body knows him: Faith! I am very much concerned for him." "What is it, pray?" says Lady Bellaston. "Why, he hath killed a man this morning in a duel, that's all." His lordship, who was not in the secret, asked gravely, whom he had killed? To which Edwards answered, "A young fellow, we none of us know. A Somersetshire lad, just come to town; one Jones, his name is: a near relation of one Mr Allworthy, of whom your lordship, I believe, hath heard.-I saw the lad lie dead in a coffee-house. Upon my soul, he is one of the finest corpses I ever saw in my life." Sophia, who had just began to deal as Tom had mentioned that a man was killed, stopped her hand, and listened with attention, for all stories of that kind affected her; but no sooner had he arrived at the latter part of the story, than she began to deal again; and, having dealt three cards to one, and seven to another, and ten to a third, at last dropped the rest from her hand, and fell back in her chair. The company behaved as usual on these occasions. The usual disturbance ensued, the usual assistance was summoned, and Sophia at last, as it is usual, returned again to life, and soon after was, at her earnest desire, led to her own apartment; where, at my lord's request, Lady Bellaston acquainted her with the truth, attempted to carry it off as a jest of her own, and comforted her with repeated assurances, that neither his lordship nor Tom, though she had taught him the story, were in the true secret of the affair. There was no farther evidence necessary to convince Lord Fellamar how justly the case had been represented to him by Lady Bellaston. And now, at her return into the room, a scheme was laid between these two noble persons, which, though it appeared in no very heinous light to his lordship, (as he faithfully promised, and faithfully resolved too, to make the lady all the subsequent amends in his power by marriage,) yet many of our readers, we doubt not, will see with just detestation. The next evening at seven was appointed for the fatal purpose; when Lady Bellaston undertook that Sophia should be alone, and his lordship should be introduced to her. The whole family were to be regulated for the purpose; most of the servants dispatched out of the house; and for Mrs Honour, who, to prevent suspicion, was to be left with her mistress till his lordship's arrival, Lady Bellaston herself was to engage her in an apartment as distant as possible from the scene of the intended mischief, and out of the hearing of Sophia. Matters being thus agreed on, his lordship took his leave, and her ladyship retired to rest, highly pleased with a project of which she had no reason to doubt the success, and which promised so effectually to remove Sophia from being any future obstruction to her amour with Jones, by means of which she should never appear guilty, even if the fact appeared to the world; but this she made no doubt of preventing, by huddling up a marriage, to which she thought the ravished Sophia would easily be brought to consent, and at which all the rest of her family would rejoice. But affairs were not in so quiet a situation in the bosom of the other conspirator. His mind was tossed in all the distracting anxiety so nobly described by Shakespeare: Between the acting of a dreadful thing Like a phantasma, or a hideous dream: CHAP. IV. By which it will appear how dangerous an advocate a Lady is, when she applies her eloquence to an ill purpose. Though the violence of his passion had made him eagerly embrace the first hint of his design, especially as it came from a relation of the lady, WHEN Lady Bellaston heard the young lord's yet when that friend to recollection, a pillow, had scruples, she treated them with the same displaced the action itself in all its natural black dain with which one of those sages of the law, colours before his eyes, with all the consequences called Newgate solicitors, treats the qualms of which must, and those which might probably conscience in a young witness. "My dear lord,” attend it, his resolution began to abate, or rather, said she, "you certainly want a cordial. I must indeed, to go over to the other side; and after send to Lady Edgely for one of her best drams. a long conflict, which lasted a whole night, be--Fie upon it! have more resolution. Are you tween honour and appetite, the former at length prevailed, and he determined to wait on Lady Bellaston, and to relinquish the design. Lady Bellaston was in bed, though very late in the morning, and Sophia sitting by her bedside, when the servant acquainted her that Lord Fellamar was below in the parlour; upon which her ladyship desired him to stay, and that she would see him presently: but the servant was no sooner departed than poor Sophia began to entreat her cousin not to encourage the visits of that odious lord (so she called him, though a little unjustly) upon her account. "I see his design," said she;" for he made downright love to me yesterday morning; but as I am resolved never to admit it, I beg your ladyship not to leave us alone together any more, and to order the servants, that, if he enquires for me, I may be always denied to him." "La! child," says Lady Bellaston," you country girls have nothing but sweethearts in your head; you fancy every man who is civil to you is making love. He is one of the most gallant young fellows about town, and, I am convinced, means no more than a little gallantry.-Make love to you, indeed! I wish with all my heart he would; and you must be an arrant mad-woman to refuse him." "But as I shall certainly be that mad-woman," cries Sophia, "I hope his visits shall not be intruded upon me." "O, child," said Lady Bellaston, "you need not be so fearful. If you resolve to run away with that Jones, I know no person who can hinder you." Upon my honour, madam," cries Sophia, your ladyship injures me. I will never run away with any man; nor will I ever marry contrary to my father's inclinations." Well, Miss Western," said the lady, "if you are not in a humour to see company this morning, you may retire to your own apartment; for I am not frightened at his lordship, and must send for him up into my dressing-room." Sophia thanked her ladyship, and withdrew; and presently afterwards Fellamar was admitted up stairs. frightened by the word rape? or are you apprehensive-Well, if the story of Helen was modern, I should think it unnatural: I mean the behaviour of Paris, not the fondness of the lady, for all women love a man of spirit. There is another story of the Sabine ladies; and that, too, I thank heaven, is very ancient. Your lordship, perhaps, will admire my reading; but I think Mr Hooke tells us, they made tolerable good wives afterwards. I fancy, few of my married acquaintance were ravished by their husbands."-" Nay, dear Lady Bellaston," cried he, "don't ridicule me in this manner.' "Why, my good lord," answered she, "do you think any woman in England would not laugh at you in her heart, whatever prudery she might wear in her countenance? You force me to use a strange kind of language, and to betray my sex most abominably: but I am contented with knowing my intentions are good, and that I am endeavouring to serve my cousin: for I think you will make her a good husband notwithstanding this; or, upon my soul, I should not even persuade her to fling herself away upon an empty title. She should not upbraid me hereafter with having lost a man of spirit; for that his enemies allow this poor young fellow to be." Let those who have had the satisfaction of hearing reflections of this kind from a wife or a mistress, declare whether they are at all sweetened by coming from a female tongue. Certain it is, they sunk deeper into his lordship than any thing which Demosthenes or Cicero could have said on the occasion. Lady Bellaston perceiving she had fired the young lord's pride, began now, like a true orator, to rouse other passions to its assistance. “My lord,” says she, in a graver voice, “ you will be pleased to remember, you mentioned this matter to me first; for I would not appear to you in the light of one who is endeavouring to put off my cousin upon you. Fourscore thousand pounds do not stand in need of an advocate to recommend them."-" Nor doth Miss Western," said he, " require any recommendation from her fortune; for, in my opinion, no woman ever had half her charms." Yes, yes, my lord," replied the lady, looking in the glass, "there have been women with more than half her charms, I assure you: not that I need lessen her on that account. She is a most delicious girl, that's certain; and within these few hours she will be in the arms of one who surely doth not deserve her, though, I will give him his due, I believe he is truly a man of spirit."-"I hope so, madam," said my lord; "though I must own he doth not deserve her; for, unless heaven or your ladyship disappoint me, she shall within that time be mine." Well spoken, my lord," answered the lady; "I promise you no disappointment shall happen from my side; and within this week, I am convinced, I shall call your lordship my cousin in public." The remainder of this scene consisted entirely of raptures, excuses, and compliments, very pleasant to have heard from the parties, but rather dull when related at second hand. Here, therefore, we shall put an end to this dialogue, and hasten to the fatal hour when every thing was prepared for the destruction of poor Sophia. But this being the most tragical matter in our whole history, we shall treat it in a chapter by itself. CHAP. V. Containing some matters which may affect, and others which may surprise, the Reader. THE clock had now struck seven, and poor Sophia, alone and melancholy, sat reading a tragedy. It was the Fatal Marriage; and she was now come to that part where the poor distressed Isabella disposes of her wedding ring. Here the book dropped from her hand, and a shower of tears ran down into her bosom. In this situation she had continued a minute, when the door opened, and in came Lord Fellamar. Sophia started from her chair at his entrance; and his lordship advancing forwards, and making a low bow, said, "I am afraid, Miss Western, I break in upon you abruptly." -"Indeed, my lord," says she, "I must own myself a little surprised at this unexpected visit." "If this visit be unexpected, madam," answered Lord Fellamar," my eyes must have been very faithless interpreters of my heart, when last I had the honour of seeing you: for surely you could not otherwise have hoped to detain my heart in your possession, without receiving a visit from its owner." Sophia, confused as she was, answered this bombast (and very properly I think) with a look of inconceivable disdain. My lord then made another and a longer speech of the same sort. Upon which Sophia, trembling, said, "Am I really to conceive your lordship to be out of your senses? Sure, my lord, there is no other excuse for such behaviour."—" I am, indeed, madam, in the situation you suppose," cries his lordship; "and sure you will pardon the effects of a frenzy which you yourself have occasioned; for love hath so totally deprived me of reason, that I am scarce accountable for any of my actions."-" Upon my word, my lord, said Sophia, "I neither understand your words nor your behaviour."-" Suffer me then, madam," cries he, " at your feet to explain both, by laying open my soul to you, and declaring that I doat on you to the highest degree of distraction. O, most adorable, most divine creature! what language can express the sentiments of my heart!"-"I do assure you, my lord,” said Sophia, "I shall not stay to hear any more of this."- -"Do not," cries he, " think of leaving me thus cruelly. Could you know half the torments which I feel, that tender bosom must pity what those eyes have caused." Then fetching a deep sigh, and laying hold of her hand, he ran on for some minutes in a strain which would be little more pleasing to the reader than it was to the lady; and at last concluded with a declaration, that if he was master of the world, he would lay it at her feet. Sophia, then, forcibly pulling away her hand from his, answered, with much spirit, "I promise you, sir, your world and its master I should spurn from me with equal contempt." She then offered to go; and Lord Fellamar, again laying hold of her hand, said, "Pardon me, my beloved angel, freedoms which nothing but despair could have tempted me to take. Believe me, could I have had any hope that my title and fortune-neither of them inconsiderable, unless when compared with your worth-would have been accepted, I had, in the humblest manner, presented them to your acceptance.—But I cannot lose you; by heaven! I will sooner part with my soul. You are, you must, you shall be only mine."—" My lord," says she," I entreat you to desist from a vain pursuit; for, upon my honour, I will never hear you on this subject.-Let go my hand, my lord; for I am resolved to go from you this moment; nor will I ever see you more."-"Then, madam," cries his lordship, "I must make the best use of this moment; for I cannot, nor will I live without you."-" What do you mean, my lord?" said Sophia; "I will raise the family." "I have no fear, madam," answered he, " but of losing you; and that I am resolved to prevent, the only way which despair points to me. He then caught her in his arms; upon which she screamed so loud, that she must have alarmed some one to her assistance, had not Lady Bellaston taken care to remove all ears. But a more lucky circumstance happened for poor Sophia: another noise now broke forth, which almost drowned her cries; for now the whole house rang with, “Where is she? D-n me, I'll unkennel her this instant. Shew me her chamber, I say. Where is my daughter? I know she's in the house, and I'll see her if she's above ground. Shew me where she is.' |