5. CHAPTER V.
Containing some matters which may affect, and others which may
surprize, 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 distrest Isabella
disposes of her wedding-ring.
Here the book dropt 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
surprized 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 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 intreat 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 live, 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. Show 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. Show me
where she is."- At which last words the door flew open, and in came
Squire Western, with his parson and a set of myrmidons at his heels.
How miserable must have been the condition of poor Sophia, when
the enraged voice of her father was welcome to her ears! Welcome
indeed it was, and luckily did he come; for it was the only accident
upon earth which could have preserved the peace of her mind from being
for ever destroyed.
Sophia, notwithstanding her fright, presently knew her father's
voice; and his lordship, notwithstanding his passion, knew the voice
of reason, which peremptorily assured him, it was not now a time for
the perpetration of his villany. Hearing, therefore, the voice
approach, and hearing likewise whose it was (for as the squire more
than once roared forth the word daughter, so Sophia, in the midst of
her struggling, cried out upon her father), he thought proper to
relinquish his prey, having only disordered her handkerchief, and with
his rude lips committed violence on her lovely neck.
If the reader's imagination doth not assist me, I shall never be
able to describe the situation of these two persons when Western
came into the room. Sophia tottered into a chair, where she sat
disordered, pale, breathless, bursting with indignation at Lord
Fellamar; affrighted, and yet more rejoiced, at the arrival of her
father.
His lordship sat down near her, the bag of his wig hanging over
one of his shoulders, the rest of his dress being somewhat disordered,
and rather a greater proportion of linen than is usual appearing at
his bosom. As to the rest, he was amazed, affrighted, vexed, and
ashamed.
As to Squire Western, he happened at this time to be overtaken by an
enemy, which very frequently pursues, and seldom fails to overtake,
most of the country gentlemen in this kingdom. He was, literally
speaking, drunk; which circumstance, together with his natural
impetuosity, could produce no other effect than his running
immediately up to his daughter, upon whom he fell foul with his tongue
in the most inveterate manner; nay, he had probably committed violence
with his hands, had not the parson interposed, saying, "For heaven's
sake, sir, animadvert that you are in the house of a great lady. Let
me beg you to mitigate your wrath; it should minister a fulness of
satisfaction that you have found your daughter; for as to revenge,
it belongeth not unto us. I discern great contrition in the
countenance of the young lady. I stand assured, if you will forgive
her, she will repent her of all past offences, and return unto her
duty."
The strength of the parson's arms had at first been of more
service than the strength of his rhetoric. However, his last words
wrought some effect, and the squire answered, "I'll forgee her if
she wull ha' un. If wot ha' un, Sophy, I'll forgee thee all. Why
dost unt speak? Shat ha' un! d--n me, shat ha' un! Why dost unt
answer? Was ever such a stubborn tuoad?"
"Let me intreat you, sir, to be a little more moderate," said the
parson; "you frighten the young lady so, that you deprive her of all
power of utterance."
"Power of mine a--," answered the squire. "You take her part then,
you do? A pretty parson, truly, to side with an undutiful child!
Yes, yes, I will gee you a living with a pox. I'll gee un to the devil
sooner."
"I humbly crave your pardon," said the parson; "I assure your
worship I meant no such matter."
My Lady Bellaston now entered the room, and came up to the squire,
who no sooner saw her, than, resolving to follow the instructions of
his sister, he made her a very civil bow, in the rural manner, and
paid her some of his best compliments. He then immediately proceeded
to his complaints, and said, "There, my lady cousin; there stands
the most undutiful child in the world; she hankers after a beggarly
rascal, and won't marry one of the greatest matches in all England,
that we have provided for her."
"Indeed, cousin Western," answered the lady, "I am persuaded you
wrong my cousin. I am sure she hath a better understanding. I am
convinced she will not refuse what she must be sensible is so much
to her advantage."
This was a wilful mistake in Lady Bellaston, for she well knew
whom Mr. Western meant; though perhaps she thought he would easily
be reconciled to his lordship's proposals.
"Do you hear there," quoth the squire, "what her ladyship say? All
your family are for the match. Come, Sophy, be a good girl, and be
dutiful, and make your father happy."
"If my death will make you happy, sir," answered Sophia, "you will
shortly be so."
"It's a lye, Sophy; it's a d--n'd lye, and you know it," said the
squire.
"Indeed, Miss Western"' said Lady Bellaston, "you injure your
father; he hath nothing in view but your interest in this match; and I
and all your friends must acknowledge the highest honour done to
your family in the proposal."
"Ay, all of us," quoth the squire; "nay, it was no proposal of mine.
She knows it was her aunt proposed it to me first.- Come, Sophy, once
more let me beg you to be a good girl, and gee me your consent
before your cousin."
"Let me give him your hand, cousin," said the lady. "It is the
fashion now-a-days to dispense with time and long courtships."
"Pugh!" said the squire, "what signifies time; won't they have
time enough to court afterwards? People may court very well after they
have been a-bed together."
As Lord Fellamar was very well assured that he was meant by Lady
Bellaston, so, never having heard nor suspected a word of Blifil, he
made no doubt of his being meant by the father. Coming up,
therefore, to the squire, he said, "Though I have not the honour, sir,
of being personally known to you, yet, as I find I have the
happiness to have my proposals accepted, let me intercede, sir, in
behalf of the young lady, that she may not be more solicited at this
time."
"You intercede, sir!" said the squire; "why, who the devil are you?"
"Sir, I am Lord Fellamar," answered he, "and am the happy man whom I
hope you have done the honour of accepting for a son-in-law."
"You are a son of a b--," replied the squire, "for all your laced
coat. You my son-in-law, and be d--n'd to you!"
"I shall take more from you, sir, than from any man," answered the
lord; "but I must inform you that I am not used to hear such
language without resentment."
"Resent my a--," quoth the squire. "Don't think I am afraid of such
a fellow as thee art! because hast got a spit there dangling at thy
side. Lay by your spit, and I'll give thee enough of meddling with
what doth not belong to thee. I'll teach you to father-in-law me. I'll
lick thy jacket."
"It's very well, sir," said my lord, "I shall make no disturbance
before the ladies. I am very well satisfied. Your humble servant, sir;
Lady Bellaston, your most obedient."
His lordship was no sooner gone, than Lady Bellaston, coming up to
Mr. Western, said, "Bless me, sir, what have you done? You know not
whom you have affronted; he is a nobleman of the first rank and
fortune, and yesterday made proposals to your daughter; and such as
I am sure you must accept with the highest pleasure."
"Answer for yourself, lady cousin," said the squire, "I will have
nothing to do with any of your lords. My daughter shall have an honest
country gentleman; I have pitched upon one for her- and she shall ha'
un.- I am sorry for the trouble she hath given your ladyship with all
my heart." Lady Bellaston made a civil speech upon the word trouble;
to which the squire answered- "Why, that's kind- and I would do as
much for your ladyship. To be sure relations should do for one
another. So I wish your ladyship a good night.- Come, madam, you must
go along with me by fair means, or I'll have you carried down to the
coach."
Sophia said she would attend him without force; but begged to go
in a chair, for she said she should not be able to ride any other way.
"Prithee," cries the squire, "wout unt persuade me canst not ride in
a coach, wouldst? That's a pretty thing surely! No, no, I'll never let
thee out of my sight any more till art married, that I promise
thee." Sophia told him, she saw he was resolved to break her heart. "O
break thy heart and be d--n'd," quoth he, "if a good husband will
break it. I don't value a brass varden, not a halfpenny, of any
undutiful b-- upon earth." He then took a violent hold of her hand;
upon which the parson once more interfered, begging him to use gentle
methods. At that the squire thundered out a curse, and bid the parson
hold his tongue, saying, "At'nt in pulpit now? when art a got up there
I never mind what dost say; but I won't be priest-ridden, nor taught
how to behave myself by thee. I wish your ladyship a good night. Come
along, Sophy; be a good girl, and all shall be well. Shat ha' un,
d--n me, shat ha' un!"
Mrs. Honour appeared below-stairs, and with a low curtesy to the
squire offered to attend her mistress; but he pushed her away, saying,
"Hold, madam, hold, you come no more near my house." "And will you
take my maid away from me?" said Sophia. "Yes, indeed, madam, will I,"
cries the squire: "you need not fear being without a servant; I will
get you another maid, and a better maid than this, who, I'd lay five
pounds to a crown, is no more a maid than my grannum. No, no, Sophy,
she shall contrive no more escapes, I promise you." He then packed
up his daughter and the parson into the hackney coach, after which
he mounted himself, and ordered it to drive to his lodgings. In the
way thither he suffered Sophia to be quiet, and entertained himself
with reading a lecture to the parson on good manners, and a proper
behaviour to his betters.
It is possible he might not so easily have carried off his
daughter from Lady Bellaston, had that good lady desired to have
detained her; but, in reality, she was not a little pleased with the
confinement into which Sophia was going; and as her project with
Lord Fellamar had failed of success, she was well contented that other
violent methods were now going to be used in favour of another man.