"Are you not afraid of coming near me?" said Gatty smiling, as I kissed her.
"Oh no! Our Time came long ago; no Danger of Infection here! But, dear Gatty, we have been in such Suspense about you! Have you not been ill?"
"No, I have been mercifully preserved—James told me you had sent to inquire how I was getting on; and as Lady Betty is a good deal softened towards me just now, I had not much Difficulty in prevailing with her to let me come out for a few Hours, and I thought I would put your Fears at rest by coming to you."
Finding she could stay, we made her remove her damp Cloak and Calash, and take an early Dish of Tea with us. We had a long Fireside Chat; and my Mother at length going up to my Father, who had slept long, Gatty became more unreserved with me, and I soon drew from her all that had happened.
It appeared that Mr. Heavitree had proposed to her during their Walk from Roaring House; but she then considered herself engaged for the Time to Lady Betty, so as she could not in Honour nor Justice draw back; and therefore she would not hear of giving up her Journey to Town, though she promised to give Lady Betty Notice that she should leave her Service as soon as her Ladyship was suited. On the following Day, when they journeyed together, Mr. Heavitree renewed his Suit, and obtained from her that she would quit Lady Betty at the very earliest Day she decently could; after which they talked over their Prospect of mutual Happiness with great Satisfaction, till the Coach overturned. When Gatty reached Town and found Lady Betty in the Small-Pox, she was a good deal astounded, not being quite clear whether she were exempt from it or not; however, she thought her Duty lay plainly before her, and embraced it with as good a Grace as she could. Being her Ladyship's sole Attendant, her Post was arduous; however, she filled it so as to secure very thorough Satisfaction, though very little Gratitude; Lady Betty being one of those who think Gold can requite any Amount of Obligation; at least, as far as the Lower Orders are concerned. And what Amount of Gold, then, had my Lady bestowed on the young Creature who, under Providence, had saved her Life at the Risk of her own? An Annuity? A Purse full of Guineas? No such Thing! An old Gold Snuff-Box, presented to her Ladyship's Grandfather by the obscure Members of some forgotten Corporation! A Thing of no earthly Consideration to her Ladyship; though Gatty guessed that if sold by the Ounce, it might fetch her seven or perhaps ten Guineas.
But Lady Betty was in a dreadful Way about her Face—all marked and seamed; and her fine Complexion quite gone! And though, Gatty said, 'twas hoped when the Redness had gone off, that she would not look so bad, yet the Disorder had left an Impress of Ordinariness, of Commoness behind it, as is not unfrequent, that went sadly against the Stomach of my Lady. And when I said I should have thought that a Personage who set such Store by herself, would have been blinded by Self-prepossession, to any falling off, Gatty said 'twas quite the other Way; for her Ladyship was so well acquainted with every good Point about her, that she was Lynx-eyed to the smallest Deficience, and more intolerant of it than any indifferent Party could be. Whereby it befel that she was ready to dash into Pieces every Looking-glass in the House, and would have them covered up, and would only sit in a Chamber artfully darkened, and would not for the Present let any Man get Sight of her, nor even any of her favourite female Friends, though she was quite well enough to receive them, so much dreaded she their spreading disparaging Reports. She meant to go down to some Watering-place where she was unknown, and there lead a hermetical Life directly the Weather was fine enough; having a Notion that the Sea Air would take off the Redness. Meanwhile, she kept Gatty on hard Duty all Day long, playing Picquet and reading Novels; and Gatty said she only wished they were in some Language she did not understand, for she feared so much trashy Reading must impair her Mind in spite of her Repugnance to it. And when my Lady had Nothing better to do, she abused Gatty for not tying her Hands when she was worst at all Hazards, rather than let her tear at her Face like as one would hackle Flax; averring it would have been better to die than to live such a Fright. However, Gatty said she knew that had not been her Ladyship's Mind at the Time, and she did not consider that she should have been borne out in it. She said she had now learnt at last the Value of Lap-dogs and Parrots, for they helped to divert Lady Betty from her mortifying Reflections more than Anything else. And there was this Good gained, that my Lady now always made her begin and end the Day with reading Prayers and a Chapter; and though she did not seem to attend much, yet Nobody knew but some good Word might make itself heard at last.
Having thus relieved her Mind, Gatty was inclined to hear of our own Affairs while we were taking Tea. She was very sorry to hear of my Father's sad Accident; and, learning from Prue that he would be very glad to shake Hands with her if she did not mind going into his sick-Chamber, where he was now promoted to an easy Chair by the Fire, she stepped up to him with me, and enlivened him for Half-an-Hour with her cheerful Talk. Of course he rallied her about Mr. Heavitree,—that was to be expected,—but she took it very bravely, and gave him back Quip for Crank; yet all so modest and innocent-spoken, as the Jest of a Girl like Gatty was certain to be. And somehow, by Way of Lady Betty, she got round, quite naturally, to Something serious, about Life and Death, Judgment and Eternity, that my Father took better of her than he would have done from us, and that left us all with our Minds in a State of serious Composedness.
