Japhet In Search Of A Father Part 1 by Frederick Marryat (unputdownable books TXT) 📕

There Could Not Be A Greater Proof Of My Madness Than My Venturing To

Attack A Lady Of Forty Upon The Irregularities Of Her Youth,  And To

Question Her Upon A Subject Which Had Been Confided But To Two Or Three,

And She Imagined Had Been Long Forgotten: But This Never Struck Me; All

Considerations Were Levelled In My Ardent Pursuit. I Walked Through The

Streets At A Rapid Pace,  The Crowd Passed By Me As Shadows,  I Neither

Saw Nor Distinguished Them; I Was Deep In Reverie As To The Best Way Of

Breaking The Subject To Her Ladyship,  For,  Notwithstanding My Monomania,

I Perceived It To Be A Point Of Great Delicacy. After Having Overturned

About Twenty People In My Mad Career,  I Arrived At The Door And

Knocked. My Heart Beat Almost As Hard Against My Ribs With Excitement.

"Is Her Ladyship At Home?"

"Yes,  Sir."

I Was Ushered Into The Drawing-Room,  And Found Her Sitting With Two Of

Her Nieces,  The Misses Fairfax.

"Mr Newland,  You Have Been Quite A Stranger," Said Her Ladyship,  As I

Walked Up To Her And Made My Obeisance. "I Did Intend To Scold You Well;

But I Suppose That Sad Affair Of Poor Major Carbonnell'S Has Been A

Heavy Blow To You--You Were So Intimate--Lived Together,  I Believe,  Did

You Not? However,  You Have Not So Much Cause To Regret,  For He Was Not A

Very Proper Companion For Young Men Like You: To Tell You The Truth,  I

Consider It As A Fortunate Circumstance That He Was Removed,  For He

Would,  By Degrees,  Have Led You Into All Manner Of Mischief,  And Have

Persuaded You To Squander Your Fortune. I Did At One Time Think Of

Giving You A Hint,  But It Was A Delicate Point. Now That He Is Gone,  I

Tell You Very Candidly That You Have Had An Escape. A Young Man Like

You,  Mr Newland,  Who Could Command An Alliance Into The Highest,  Yes,

The Very Highest Families--And Let Me Tell You,  Mr Newland,  That There

Is Nothing Like Connection--Money Is Of No Consequence To You,  But

Connection,  Mr Newland,  Is What You Should Look For--Connection With

Some High Family,  And Then You Will Do Well. I Should Like To See You

Settled--Well Settled,  I Mean,  Mr Newland. Now That You Are Rid Of The

Major,  Who Has Ruined Many Young Men In His Time,  I Trust You Will

Seriously Think Of Settling Down Into A Married Man. Cecilia,  My Dear,

Show Your Tambour Work To Mr Newland,  And Ask Him His Opinion. Is It Not

Beautiful,  Mr Newland?"

"Extremely Beautiful,  Indeed,  Ma'Am," Replied I,  Glad At Last That Her

Ladyship Allowed Me To Speak A Word.

"Emma,  My Dear,  You Look Pale,  You Must Go Out Into The Air. Go,

Children,  Put Your Bonnets On And Take A Turn In The Garden,  When The

Carriage Comes Round I Will Send For You."

The Young Ladies Quitted The Room. "Nice Innocent Girls,  Mr Newland;

But You Are Not Partial To Blondes,  I Believe?"

"Indeed,  Lady Maelstrom,  I Infinitely Prefer The Blonde To The

Brunette."

"That Proves Your Taste,  Mr Newland. The Fairfaxes Are Of A Very Old

Family--Saxon,  Mr Newland. Fair-Fax Is Saxon For Light Hair. Is It Not

Remarkable That They Should Be Blondes To This Day? Pure Blood,  Mr

Newland. You,  Of Course,  Have Heard Of General Fairfax,  In The Time Of

Cromwell. He Was Their Direct Ancestor--An Excellent Family And Highly

Connected,  Mr Newland. You Are Aware That They Are My Nieces. My Sister

Married Mr Fairfax."

I Paid The Misses Fairfax The Compliments Which I Thought They Really

Deserved,  For They Were Very Pretty Amiable Girls,  And Required No

Puffing On The Part Of Her Ladyship; And Then I Commenced. "Your

Ladyship Has Expressed Such Kind Wishes Towards Me,  That I Cannot Be

Sufficiently Grateful,  But,  Perhaps,  Your Ladyship May Think Me

Romantic,  I Am Resolved Never To Marry,  Except For Love."

"A Very Excellent Resolve,  Mr Newland; There Are Few Young Men Who Care

About Love Now-A-Days,  But I Consider That Love Is A Great Security For

Happiness In The Wedded State."

"True,  Madam,  And What Can Be More Delightful Than A First Attachment? I

Appeal To Your Ladyship,  Was Not Your First Attachment The Most

Delightful--Are Not The Reminiscences Most Lasting--Do You Not,  Even

Now,  Call To Mind Those Halcyon Days When Love Was All And Every Thing?"

"My Days Of Romance Are Long Past,  Mr Newland," Replied Her Ladyship;

"Indeed I Never Had Much Romance In My Composition. I Married Lord

Maelstrom For The Connection,  And I Loved Him Pretty Well,  That Is,

Soberly,  Mr Newland. I Mean,  I Loved Him Quite Enough To Marry Him,  And

To Obey My Parents,  That Is All."

"But,  My Dear Lady Maelstrom,  I Did Not Refer To Your Marriage With His

Lordship; I Referred To Your First Love."

"My First Love,  Mr Newland; Pray What Do You Mean?" Replied Her

Ladyship,  Looking Very Hard At Me.

"Your Ladyship Need Not Be Ashamed Of It. Our Hearts Are Not In Our Own

Keeping,  Nor Can We Always Control Our Passions. I Have But To Mention

The Name Of Warrender."

"Warrender!" Shrieked Her Ladyship. "Pray,  Mr Newland," Continued Her

Ladyship,  Recovering Herself,  "Who Gave You That Piece Of Information?"

"My Dear Lady Maelstrom,  Pray Do Not Be Displeased With Me,  But I Am

Very Particularly Interested In This Affair. Your Love For Mr Warrender,

Long Before Your Marriage,  Is Well Known To Me; And It Is To That Love,

To Which I Referred,  When I Asked You If It Was Not Most Delightful."

"Well,  Mr Newland," Replied Her Ladyship,  "How You Have Obtained The

Knowledge I Know Not,  But There Was,  I Acknowledge,  A Trifling

Flirtation With Edward Warrender And Me--But I Was Young,  Very Young At

That Time."

"I Grant It,  And Do Not,  For A Moment,  Imagine That I Intend To Blame

Your Ladyship; But,  As I Before Said,  Madam,  I Am Much Interested In The

Business."

"What Interest You Can Have With A Little Flirtation Of Mine,  Which Took

Place Before You Were Born,  I Cannot Imagine,  Mr Newland."

"It Is Because It Took Place Before I Was Born,  That I Feel So Much

Interest."

"I Cannnot Understand You,  Mr Newland,  And I Think We Had Better Change

The Subject."

"Excuse Me,  Madam,  But I Must Request To Continue It A Little Longer. Is

Mr Warrender Dead,  Or Not? Did He Die In The West Indies?"

"You Appear To Be Very Curious On This Subject,  Mr Newland; I Hardly Can

Tell. Yes,  Now I Recollect,  He Did Die Of The Yellow Fever,  I Think--But

I Have Quite Forgotten All About It--And I Shall Answer No More

Questions; If You Were Not A Favourite Of Mine,  Mr Newland,  I Should

Say That You Were Very Impertinent."

"Then,  Your Ladyship,  I Will Put But One More Question,  And That One I

Must Put,  With Your Permission."

"I Should Think,  After What I Have Said,  Mr Newland,  That You Might Drop

The Subject."

"I Will,  Your Ladyship,  Immediately; But,  Pardon Me,  The Question--"

"Well,  Mr Newland--?"

"Do Not Be Angry With Me--"

"Well?" Exclaimed Her Ladyship,  Who Appeared Alarmed.

"Nothing But The Most Important And Imperative Reasons Could Induce Me

To Ask The Question" (Her Ladyship Gasped For Breath,  And Could Not

Speak),  I Stammered,  But At Last I Brought It Out. "What Has Become

Of--Of--Of The Sweet Pledge Of Your Love,  Lady Maelstrom?"

Her Ladyship Coloured Up With Rage,  Raised Up Her Clenched Hand,  And

Then Fell Back In Violent Hysterics.

     I Repair The Damage,  And Make Things Worse--Plot And

     Counterplot--Tim Gains A Watch By Setting Watch Upon His Tongue.

I Hardly Knew How To Act--If I Called The Servants,  My Interview Would

Be At An End,  And I Was Resolved To Find Out The Truth--For The Same

Reason,  I Did Not Like To Ring For Water. Some Vases With Flowers Were

On The Table; I Took Out The Flowers,  And Threw The Water In Her Face,

But They Had Been In The Water Some Time,  And Had Discoloured It Green.

Her Ladyship'S Dress Was A High Silk Gown,  Of A Bright Slate Colour,  And

Was Immediately Spoiled; But This Was No Time To Stand Upon Trifles. I

Seized Hold Of A Glass Bottle,  Fancying,  In My Hurry,  It Was _Eau De

Cologne_,  Or Some Essence,  And Poured A Little Into Her Mouth;

Unfortunately,  It Was A Bottle Of Marking Ink,  Which Her Ladyship,  Who

Was Very Economical,  Had On The Table In disguise. I Perceived My

Error,  And Had Recourse To Another Vase Of Flowers,  Pouring A Large

Quantity Of The Green Water Down Her Throat. Whether The Unusual

Remedies Had An Effect Or Not,  I Cannot Tell,  But Her Ladyship Gradually

Revived,  And,  As She Leant Back On The Sofa,  Sobbing,  Every Now And

Then,  Convulsively,  I Poured Into Her Ear A Thousand Apologies,  Until I

Thought She Was Composed Enough To Listen To Me.

"Your Ladyship'S Maternal Feelings," Said I.

"It'S All A Calumny! A Base Lie,  Sir!" Shrieked She.

"Nay,  Nay,  Why Be Ashamed Of A Youthful Passion; Why Deny What Was In

Itself Creditable To Your Unsophisticated Mind. Does Not Your Heart,

Even Now,  Yearn To Embrace Your Son--Will Not You Bless Me,  If I Bring

Him To Your Feet--Will Not You Bless Your Son,  And Receive Him With

Delight?"

"It Was A Girl," Screamed Her Ladyship,  Forgetting Herself,  And Again

Falling Into Hysterics.

"A Girl!" Replied I,  "Then I Have Lost My Time,  And It Is No Use My

Remaining Here."

Mortified At The Intelligence Which Overthrew My Hopes And Castle

Buildings,  I Seized My Hat,  Descended