Letitia Elizabeth Landon

“ Lady Anne, with whom long knowledge of the world often supplied the place of sense, was too guarded to admit her disappointment, and calmly replied, "Mr. Glentworth is only a very old friend of the family."
"Not so very old," said Lady Penrhyn, with a malicious smile; "I should rather say much too young to be trusted with so many girls—you will have them all in love with him."
"I trust," answered Lady Anne, with a quiet air of security, "that my girls have been too well brought up to think of such nonsense as falling in love." ”

“ It is want of money that keeps Louisa wasting her best days in fruitless hopes, that will leave her with a step as sad, and a cheek as pale, as that of her elder sister. It is want of money that will fall over Helen and Georgiana like a curse: they will go into society only to repress every warm and kindly feeling—to dread the approach of affection, unless it takes what is called an eligible shape. ”

“ Palmer observed; a duchess might delight in it; every thing is so clean without, and so good within: such beautiful carpets and rugs to match! such handsome chiffoniers, and elegant books! it does one good to look at them; and Louisa herself, the prettiest thing of all; her bright hair in bands, and altogether such a sweet coiffure! How very lovely she is!"
"And how good!" chimed in Helen; "she understands the necessity for care, and the duties of a wife, and she does so love her husband—you can't think!" ”

“ Every day Mary felt more and more disinclined to exertion, and Louisa had a heart filled with those sweet fancies, over which we delight to muse alone. She was expecting just a few lines of welcome—one of those letters which we are fain to read by ourselves, and whose charm belongs to the loveliest dream that haunts even youth.
Helen, Georgiana, and Isabella, soon crossed the street, ran up stairs, without waiting to be announced, and found themselves in Mrs. Palmer's drawing room. ”

“ I cannot imagine why I should be so unlucky as to have so many girls; it is really too provoking."
"I wonder what Uncle Frank is like?" said Isabella.
"I fancy him," replied Georgiana, "in a brown coat and wig."
"I dare say," continued Lady Anne, "that he has got all sorts of odd ways and habits; but you must none of you mind them. He is now rich enough to have a style of his own. Be sure you contrive to let him know that we usually dine early—I want him to acquire a habit of spending his evenings here; but a dinner every day would be too much of a good thing—we should be ruined in a week." ”

“ I was only anxious that, as you declared you were not the lover of one of my girls, people, in general, should not consider you as such; you know the world has no sympathy with romantic friendships; it does not understand them."
"Perhaps," said Mr. Glentworth, "the world might not approve of a man of my age assuming the character of lover to one of your young and pretty daughters."
"Your age!" exclaimed Lady Anne; "what does a lover's age matter? who thinks of a person's age under such circumstances?" ”

“ Mary's was the very nature to put forth all its strength and beauty under the fostering influence of affection—she was a delicate flower that needed sunshine to unfold its brightest colours, and bring forth its sweetest breath. She had been living in a fairy world, which her own heart supplied with poetry. The least selfish of human beings, the advantages of a union with Lord Allerton had never crossed her mind, unless it were to think of how delightful it would be to have her sisters staying with her. ”

“ Palmer was their good genius in common life, while Amenaide was the fairy that led them through the charmed regions of romance, and of music. It was curious to mark the attraction that invariably seems to exist between opposite natures. Helen, the most enthusiastic, the most highly-toned of the family, was the favourite with the practical and sober-minded Mrs. Palmer; while Isabella, the more shrewd, sensible, and firm, was the favourite with the romantic and pensive stranger—and devotedly was her attachment repaid. ”

“ Helen, whose chief ideas of comfort and kindness were taken from the Palmers, said nothing: as wise a plan as can well be pursued in all cases of domestic disagreement.
The faint line of light that trembles on the dusky horizon of London now became visible, the road soon became a street, the wilderness of houses closed round them, and the whole party sank into silence. Lady Anne was too cross to talk, Mary was sad with that weight which was perpetual at her heart, and Helen was quite tired. Louisa was secretly the best satisfied of the party, for Louisa was in love ”

“ But I frankly confess, that, with my habits and ideas, though I could put aside luxuries, I could not endure to marry without my wife had some prospect of the comfort and refinement of that rank in life to which we have both been accustomed."
"I must tell you," exclaimed Lord Penrhyn, "that you need not look to any thing from me. I would not, if I could, help a young man who thinks of marrying."
"And, pray, who is the young lady?" asked his sister.
"Louisa Granard," replied her brother, who could scarcely have named any one more displeasing. ”

“ Either marry a well-informed, religious woman, or a tractable, well-disposed girl, whom you may instruct. Marry soon; but be careful in choosing, and avoid, as you would the fang of the serpent, that class of married women who seek to charm the senses of young, unpractised men, for their mere pride of conquest."
"Married women, father?" cried Frederic, whose very soul was absorbed in his anxiety to catch every venerated word.
"Yes, my son; avoid them, tremble when you approach them; guard poor Arthur also, he is handsome and thoughtless. ”

“ The two younger girls were in the rumble, the French maid and page on the coachbox, and Lady Anne and her three eldest daughters inside, to say nothing of imperials, boxes, parcels, and last, but not least, the dog, the only over-petted and over-fed thing in his mistress's possession.
"Never were any girls so stupid as you are," exclaimed Lady Anne, when, after many vain attempts at conversation, her daughters had sunk into silence. "Mary never has any thing to say; and I think you are all growing like her. Do take care, Louisa; if you lean back, you will spoil your bonnet." ”

“ What shall we do when you go away?—At least," added she, in a subdued tone, "we shall never forget your kindness." But the effort at forced composure was too much for the young and unpractised girl—her voice became inaudible, and she burst into tears.
"My going is still uncertain," said Mr. Glentworth, trying to soothe her with the utmost kindness.
"Ah!" exclaimed she, "how much happier we have been since you came—how much we owe to your kindness! I had no idea that life could be so pleasant till we knew you;" and again poor Isabella's voice failed. ”

“ In the mean time, poor Sarah stood aghast; there she was alone with three girls apparently dying; but when nine and ten o'clock struck, and no Mademoiselle Virginie appeared, her alarm was at its height: at that moment came the appalling discovery that the silver spoons were missing also.
Sarah could bear no more: the very extremity of her distress suggested a consolation. Her sister had lived for some time as housemaid with a lady on the opposite side of the street. She was married, and living in the country; but Sarah now recalled all that she had heard her say of Mrs. Palmer's goodness. ”

“ Glentworth had called expressly to communicate his marriage. "I may," said he, "have done a foolish thing in marrying such a mere girl, but I do it with a firm belief, that it is her happiness I have chiefly consulted."
"Isabella is deeply attached to you," replied Mrs, Palmer; "and she is not only a pretty, but a very good girl, and naturally serious and thoughtful. You dwell too much on your age; a man at seven and thirty is in the prime of life." ”

“ Glentworth was anxious to gratify even every caprice of his betrothed; and, if she had them not, he invented them for her. For the first time, Lady Anne felt almost fond of her daughter when she saw her jewel-box. There is certainly a great deal of delusion in marriage, as far as the lady is concerned: it is not only the lover of which she suddenly becomes possessed, but of white satin, white silk, white lace, "rings, bracelets, and carkanets," such as never crossed even the visions of her girlhood. ”

“ Away went her obedient niece; and Lord Allerton, a little annoyed at the duet being interrupted, stood turning over some loose music. "It is very provoking," said the countess, laughing, "that Rotheles is more often right than I am. He is much more quick-sighted in affairs of the heart. I will not tell you all the handsome things that he has been saying about you. Still, Lord Allerton, you have kept me a little too much in the dark, for Henrietta is to me as if she were a child of my own." Before her marriage, Lady Rotheles would have said, "like a sister." ”

“ Even among the most experienced and discriminating of men, she rarely allowed the élite of the high-born or distinguished to escape her temporary allurements, so that she was the absolute horror, alike of the designing, whose baits she rendered nugatory, and the innocent attached ones, whose expectations she blighted, and whose young hearts were lacerated by the perfidy of those whom she misled. Of course she was a dangerous woman, from whom many would shrink, and certainly not one to whom Lady Anne could for a moment commit her daughters, either on the score of friendship, or example. ”

“ Lady Penrhyn was telling me last night that you had a very fair chance of Lord Casilda."
"A man old enough to be my grandfather," cried Louisa; "I must tell you once for all, I will marry no one but Charles Penrhyn; we will wait any time that you may think proper, if——."
"You may wait for ever," interrupted Lady Anne. "I will shut you up on bread and water, rather than that you should marry him. I am sure never had any body such wicked and undutiful children."
This was too much. Louisa burst into tears, and left the room. ”

“ Lord Allerton is that almost impossibility to manage—a young man who has been a good match from his cradle. He looks upon himself as the point of attack to every mamma and daughter who come within ear or eyeshot. His love for Mary Granard has taken him quite by surprise, and he is still reluctant and suspicious of so novel a feeling. Once let his attention be drawn to Lady Anne's manœuvres, and once let him suppose that Mary is a party to them, and the game is in our own hands. ”

“ Palmer, good-humouredly, "you young ladies would choose, if left to yourselves."
"I can tell you," answered Isabella; "a lover for Helen must be a pale, pensive, dark young man. He must be given to fits of abstraction, and have something mysterious about him. Had we lived in the time of the Peninsula war, her heart could not have stood a week's siege from a young officer who wore his arm in a sling. As to how they were to have existed afterwards, they would, at least Helen would, never have thought it worth a moment's consideration. ”

“ Palmer had known what it was to lose life's dearest connexion; and the soft cadence with which Lady Anne alluded to her feelings as a widow awakened all the sympathy of his generous nature, and he eagerly cried out,
"You will do very well, my lady, very well indeed. I will send you in a couple of dozen of capital sherry, fit for the dons, and some hermitage, by no means to be sneezed at; any thing will do for dancing misses and masters; but, in every party, there are some people who know what's what." ”

“ Never was house so admired and praised as Louisa's, and never husband so lauded as hers, when her emotion had passed by, and her tongue resumed its function; and if she could have given just such a partner, such a house, and such prospects as her own to each sister, she would have been satisfied that the world contained no other being so happy, save Isabella, who, in helping all, had a right to be happier than any. ”

“ Glentworth looked what he was, amazed, and Lady Anne went on.
"You are not a marrying man," this was said with some still lurking hope that it might bring from him a declaration completely the reverse of her own, but it was heard in acquiescing silence. "Now every body," continued Lady Anne, "is not aware of this fact, and your being so constantly seen with my girls leads to the supposition that you must be attracted by one or other of them. I am constantly being asked which of the Misses Granard is to be Mrs. Glentworth?" ”

“ Helen felt the truth of this observation too decidedly to contradict it, and only replied by a sigh; and after walking some time in silence, Georgiana said, in a hesitating voice—
"Helen, could you like the marquis? He is not so very old, and he is really agreeable, and undoubtedly there are advantages in wealth and rank. One can have many pleasures, and do a great deal of good with money. Now if you think you could, perhaps we might all be satisfied, for I am sure a sensible man of his description, when he knows both, would prefer you." ”

“ For Helen there is a yet darker doom; her imagination exaggerates every suffering; her keen feelings cannot lie dormant—she needs to love and be loved; amusement never can be to her the sole business of life—she requires to be interested. What can a future, where love is not, offer to her?" She paused, for her eyes had filled with tears, and, to conceal them, she stooped over her work.
"You do not," said Mr. Glentworth, after a brief pause, "speak of your elder sisters, or of yourself."
"Alas!" replied Isabella, "you must have perceived that Mary is heart and spirit-broken ”

“ The more Helen was pleased, the more was she grieved that her sister did not share that pleasure; and her artless expressions on this subject, together with her observations on the performance, pleased Lord Meersbrook very much, and he began to think her actually prettier than either of her sisters, though the dazzling brilliancy of complexion possessed both by Louisa and Georgiana flung all others into the shade. ”

“ I have no patience to think of a fellow poorer than even Charles Penrhyn!
"But were she his wife, she would not die—she would be healthy and happy, like Louisa—how shocking!—a living disgrace is worse than a dead one, for the dead are soon forgotten and constantly forgiven."
At the moment when Lady Anne's soliloquy had reached this consolatory conclusion, the Marquess very affectionately wished her good-night, adding, "that, on the morrow, he should call to inquire after the fair Georgiana." ”