Chapter XII.
The Roaring House.
"Why, Gatty!" said I, as we plodded over the Moor, "I had no Notion you didn't live in Larkfield!"
"But we do," said she, "in Larkfield Parish. We live in the Foreign, though not in the Borough. Didn't I ever tell you that? When my Father died, we gave up our Town-House, which was twenty Pounds by the Year, and took this, which is but fifteen."
It seemed to me a lonesome Situation enough; however, a large, cheerful Family prevents any House from seeming lonely; and soon we were in a snug, well-warmed, well-lighted Room. They were all very glad to see me; Gatty's Sisters were tall, lanky Girls, nothing to compare in Point of Looks with herself; but they seemed very sociable and merry, and their Mother was a quiet, kind-spoken Woman, whom I should never have guessed for a Kinswoman, however remote, of Lady Betty's.
Gatty and I slept together, and talked a good Deal before we slept. She was quite strong and well now, but seemed more reluctant than ever to go back to Lady Betty; and I thought she seemed building on some vague Hope of getting taken by Mrs. Arbuthnot. I could see she liked her Country Home best of all, but felt she had no Right to stay.
Next Day, we took a brisk Walk over the hard frozen Ground. The Trees being leafless, and the Sky threatening Snow, I thought the Country had a dreary Look with it; but the young People were so gay that one could not be dreary in their Presence; and we came Home to our hot roast Mutton with red Noses, blue Fingers, and tip-top Spirits. We were to spend the Evening at Roaring House, which I found was where Mr. Heavitree lived. All the Afternoon the Girls were ironing clean Cuffs, and making cherry-coloured Top-knots.
Though we started at Three o'Clock, it was quite Dusk before we got to the old Farm-House; but the ruddy Light of a great Wood Fire through the Diamond-paned Casements made it look cheerfully enough. We had a hearty Country Reception at the Threshold, from Mr. Heavitree, a mighty smart, good-looking young Man, with quite the Air of a Country Gentleman; and from his Sister, Miss Clary, who was a few Years his elder, and who, I had been told as I came along, was soon to be married. There was no other Company than ourselves, except Miss Clary's Lover, and her Father the Squire, and the Village Doctor's Assistant. We spent the Evening in an old Stone Hall, with great unpainted Girders over our Heads, sundry old Brown-Bills and Bows against the Walls, and a roaring Fire on the low Hearth, which reminded me of the Name of the House. We did not want Candles for a good While; we sat about the Hearth and chatted, and had Tea, and great Slices of Plum-Cake; after that, we danced to warm our Feet, the Squire playing the Fiddle; and then we had Hide-and-Seek and Hunt-the-Slipper, to please the young Bowerbanks, and then each was called on for a Song; and after that, we told Stories of Ghosts, Murders, Robberies, hidden Treasures, and such-like, till we quite scared ourselves and one another. Then the Squire would begin one and another funny Story with, "I'll tell you what I did when I was a Boy;" and he clapped his Hands after every Song, and laughed at every Story. I never saw an old Gentleman take so hugely to young People; and when nobody was minding him, he would stand before the Fire with his Hands in his Pockets, humming "Oh, the Days when I was young!" and hem away a Sigh. We had Forfeits; and when young Mr. Heavitree was bidden, "Bow to the prettiest, kneel to the wittiest, and kiss whom he loved best," he kneeled to me, and kissed Gatty, which put her out and made her very red; and I heard her say in her quiet Way, "That's going too far." We had Turkey and Mince-Pies for Supper, and hot Elder-Wine and Toast afterwards, to fortify us, they said, against the Cold. The Squire wished he were young enough to see us Home, but since he wasn't, Jack would do as well. So Mr. Jack, that's Mr. Heavitree, went out to put on his great Coat, and came back laughing, and said the Ground was covered with Snow! And so indeed it was, but we trudged through it merrily enough. Next Day, however, the Snow fell so fast all Day, that we were kept in Doors, and Gatty worked hard at Mrs. Arbuthnot's last Apron, till she finished it. I wrote Home, it being the first Opportunity; for the Post only went out of Larkfield three Times a Week: and that was once oftener, Mrs. Bowerbank said, than when she was first married.
There was much Conjecture bestowed as to whether the Heavitrees would come in the Evening to return our Visit, according to Promise. Gatty thought they would not; all the others thought they would, and the two youngest Girls spent the best of the Morning in making Cakes. The young People came, without the Squire, and we had a pleasant Evening, but not so lively as the last, partly because the Parlour was so much smaller than the Hall, and partly because Mrs. Bowerbank was not so convivial and humorous as the Squire.
After this, came two or three Days of incessant Snow; and after the Snow, a Frost. All were glad the Snow left off falling, because we were expected at Roaring House, and Mrs. Bowerbank said she could not consent to our going if the Snow continued to fall. So we made our Preparations full early; and meantime, a Servant who had been into Larkfield and had called at the Post-Office, among other Places, (it being the principal Linen-Draper's and Tea-Grocer's of the Town,) brought Gatty a Letter from Lady Betty, which had been lying there a Day and a Half, and the Contents of which threw us all into Flurry and Dismay.
My Lady wrote, in a very few Words, by another Hand, to desire Mrs. Gatty would return to her Duties immediately, for that Madam Pompon had left.
This was a sad Blow to us all: poor Gatty could not help crying; and we all cried to keep her Company. Lady Betty would not have been much flattered, could she have seen the Reception her Letter got. "Oh, poor Gatty! poor Gatty!" resounded on all Sides; but after intermingling Kisses and Tears, she was the first to pluck up Courage, and say we were only making Things worse by grieving, and she would pack up at once, to be ready for the Morning Coach, and then think nothing more about it till the Time came. So her Sisters dispersed, to dress for our Party, and Gatty and I went up-Stairs to do the same, and pack her Box; several Times in the Course of doing which, she burst out crying; and I thought I had never beheld a Girl so loth to quit Home, nor so resolved to do her Duty.
At length we set off; and when we got to Roaring House, there was pretty much the same Thing over again, for Jokes and Laughing were exchanged for Lamentations; and the Gaiety of the Evening was completely clouded. I cannot help thinking, however, that it was Balm to Gertrude's Heart to find herself so unaffectedly sympathised with: the Squire patted her on the Shoulder several Times, and called her "poor Girl," and "dear Gatty;" Miss Clary more than once shed a Tear; and Mr. Heavitree seemed quite mute and confounded.
We prolonged our Visit as late as we could; and when we dared stay no longer, the Squire and Miss Clary insisted on adding many additional Wraps to our own; he producing some prodigious large Silk Pocket-handkerchiefs, which he tied himself over our Heads and under our Chins, like Capouchins, giving each a Kiss as a Finish; and striving moreover to persuade each of us to wear a Pair of his thick Shoes over our own, and stuff up the Difference between them with Rag and brown Paper. While urging Pen to this, his Son came in from the outer Hall, looking deadly pale; and hit his Head violently against an old Tortoiseshell-Cabinet, which he ran against without intending it.
"Measure your Distance better, Jack," says his Father, "or, what with black Eyes and red Eyes, there won't be a Pair of Eyes in the Hall worth looking at. Bless thee, Child!" very kindly to Gatty, as she stept up to bid him Good-bye. "Keep thy good Heart and good Looks, whatever thou dost;" and so, kissed her twice. Gatty dropped a Tear on his Hand; he looked at it quickly, then at her attentively; and giving her Hand a final Shake, pushed her gently away, saying, "There, go; go along; and God's Blessing go with thee."
By this Time we were all equipped. Just as Miss Clary was kissing Gatty at the Door, I noticed the Squire whisper a Word in Mr. Heavitree's Ear, which made the latter colour very much; adding to it, "You'll be a Fool, if you don't do as I say."
Now, we were all setting out from the hospitable Threshold, the Lights streaming from which illumined our Path till we reached the Gate, which Mr. Heavitree held open till we had all passed. Gatty's two younger Sisters, to show their Love and Sorrow, were each monopolizing one of her Arms and hanging upon her as they followed Joe, who was taking the Lead with a Lantern, though there was a pale Moon. Mr. Heavitree, therefore, coming up as soon as he had fastened the Gate, found me just behind the rest, and spontaneously gave me his Arm; but the next Minute, in a hurried Manner and lowered Voice said, "Dear Mrs. Patty, this once be my Friend. I've a Word to say to Gatty, and those Girls will never let me!"
I immediately said, smiling, "Trust to me;" and in another Minute had dropped his Arm and was walking off with Lucy, and in two or three Minutes more had secured Penelope too. As we walked on briskly, Pen said, "Hadn't we better stop for Gatty?" but I said, "No, she's close behind, and Mr. Heavitree wants to have a little Talk with her for the last Time." This quite satisfied the artless Girls, who soon were busy chattering about the Loss of poor Gatty, and their Fears lest she might not have a safe Journey. They pointed out to me the North Star, and Charles's Wain, and many other Stars or Planets whose Names I forget, and told me I might always know a Star from a Planet, because Stars twinkle and Planets do not. Pen even added that Sirius, the Dog-Star, is sixty Times brighter than the Sun, which I'm free to think must have been a prodigious Blunder of hers. Who can believe it? Except indeed, Children, who swallow Incredibilities without any Trouble.
Arrived at the Gate, we were surprised at Gatty's coming up to us alone; yet I am certain I had had a Glimpse of two dark Figures following us the Minute before. Directly we got in-Doors, all was Bustle. Mrs. Bowerbank was sure we must be perishing of Cold, and insisted on our going to Bed directly; and promising to send each of us a Basin of hot Gruel to eat in our Beds: Gruel well qualified with Wine, Nutmeg, and Sugar—Caudle, in Fact!
It was no bad Thing to be thus coddled and comforted like Invalids while we felt quite well; and we were soon undressing as fast as we could. All but Gatty, who came up to me when I was about half undressed, to fetch a few Things she wanted, and to tell me she was going to sleep with her Mother. This was a Surprise and Disappointment to me; I had reckoned on a good Gossip over our Gruel, and on her telling me all about Mr. Heavitree as soon as the Candle was put out. However, it seemed that the Thing had been settled, even before we started, in order that I might not be disturbed by her early Departure the next Morning; and her Box had already been carried down, and she said she wanted to spend her last Night with her Mother, so there was no more to be said. I noticed, however, as she kissed me, that her Eyelids were red with crying, but her Eyes beaming under them very bright. I said, "Good Night, but not good-bye; for I am resolved to see you off in the Morning." She said, "Oh, you must not think of it. All will be Bustle, and there will be no real Pleasure in seeing each other. I have quite got over my Trouble at going, now, and don't care at all about it." So she kissed me cheerfully, and repeated, "Good-Night and good-bye," and ran off. I was still resolved to get up in Time to see the Last of her; but I suppose the Caudle, being so strong, made me sleep heavier and later than usual; for though it was yet Dark when I got up, I found on going down Stairs that Gatty had been gone a full Hour. None of the Family had accompanied her except Joe and the Girl of all Work, who carried her Box; but Pen told me that just as she was watching Gatty out of Sight by the Light of the Lantern, some one joined them.
When Joe returned, he said their Companion had been young Mr. Heavitree, who wanted, he supposed, to be at the Beast-Market betimes, or, sure, he would not have been afoot so early. Joe added that the Snow was tremendous,—up to a Man's Knees in many Parts, and up to his Shoulders under the Banks. We thought he must be exaggerating; but, however, the poor Boy had certainly been Half his Depth in Snow himself, though he averred he had not stumbled. He said it was freezing now, and the Roads so slippery that the Horses stumbled so at every Step that they were obliged to be led—he did not believe they would make more than two Miles an Hour, and wondered when Gatty would reach London. Lucy said, "Hush," and bade him not frighten their Mother, who was just coming in; but Mrs. Bowerbank had heard it all from the Cook-Maid, and looked very grave. It turned out, that Mr. Heavitree had made Gatty go inside, and had accompanied her the first Stage. Joe's Eyes looked very round, and he said, "Oh, I wasn't to tell that; but Women will be blabbing." "Who told you not to tell, Joey?" says Lucy. "If I told you that, Miss Lucy," says he, "I should blab too." So then we sat down to Breakfast, for they were glad of the Excuse to repair their hurried Meal by keeping me Company. After that, we sat to our Needles, and Joey did Sums or pretended to do them, and drew Pictures on his Slate. Mrs. Bowerbank was a ruminative Woman of few Words, the younger Girls were rather afraid of her, and rather shy towards me, and we missed Gatty sadly. As for getting out of Doors, we were close Prisoners, and likely to be for some Days; the Weather was as bad as could be, and threatened to be worse.
