When Adelaide returned to Ballinamoyle, she thought of the day she had spent at Bogberry Hall with the most lively pleasure; the unrefined good-natured gaiety of its inmates had seized her with so strong a grasp, that it had dragged her along with the general current of mirth, and, leading her thoughts out of their ordinary course, had, with no unwelcome violence, broken the chain of their painful associations. Her eye had early been accustomed to the animation of foreign countenances and gestures; and as she had only been acquainted with English manners in a very retired country place, it is perhaps not surprising, that she should have felt chilled by their apparent monotony, and abashed by the half-reproving look she sometimes met with; when, pausing for an instant to consider what she had done wrong, she found she had, in the earnestness of conversation, raised her hand and arm full six inches from her side, where it was arrested in its graceful action, and remanded by the blushing offender to its former quiescent station. But censure was not even thus avoided, for in the very effort to please, she had committed a second error, by moving that beautiful brow, which expressed every feeling of her heart; and her dismay, at perceiving her observer still unsatisfied, produced some other involuntary gesture still more reprehensible than the first.
She now therefore saw the Irishmen change from one leg to another, flourish their arms, rattle their watch chains, and swing their chairs, without the horror so elegant a female was bound to experience on beholding such ungraceful motions, for which no sanctioning precedent could be produced at St. James's. And she even granted absolution to the varying expression of the women's countenances, which sometimes bordered on grimace; and extended it to their voices, running through half the gamut in the changes of the most decided brogue that ever offended ears polite.
To speak seriously, she found very great amusement in observing a national character, so dissimilar to any that had ever before fallen under her observation, and which presented itself with so many comical and so many amiable traits. In every individual she had met, there was something strongly characteristic, from Moll Kelly on the strand at Dunleary, to the proprietor of Bogberry Hall; and, with the exception of Mr. Donolan, who was spoiled in an attempt at refinement, warmth of feeling and good nature seemed to be the portion of each. In order to become better acquainted with this national character, which so much interested her, she determined, during her residence at Ballinamoyle, to visit the cottages in its neighbourhood, and to cultivate the acquaintance of her friend Jarge Quin, hoping to learn from him the peculiar customs and superstitions of the country, while to the venerable Father Dermoody she applied for their explanation and origin. She did not now feel quite so much at ease in referring for information to her former cicerone, Colonel Desmond, as she had done previous to their ambiguous conversation in his brother's drawing-room: but his guarded conduct the remainder of the evening tended much to destroy her first impression; and she felt the utmost confusion, whenever those few sentences came across her mind, accusing herself of the most egregious vanity in annexing a sense to his words that he did not mean to give them; and asking herself, time after time, whether he could have perceived her mistake. However, these unpleasant ideas soon wore away, and Colonel Desmond played the part of friend so well, that she convinced herself he had not understood her; and in a short time this circumstance, which made her at first feel so embarrassed in his presence, was erased from her mind. And indeed he so dexterously availed himself of all the advantages he possessed to make his society agreeable to her, that she soon began to feel almost uncomfortable without it. He would talk to her of the scenes of her infancy; and she would then gratefully recollect the pains he had taken to teach her the English language, which she now felt of such essential advantage; and would sometimes remind him of the good-natured patience he had also shown, when he first condescended to accompany on the violin her childish performance of concertos and sonatas, and the remembrance of many an inveterately ill-timed passage afforded them now considerable diversion. There was one subject of the deepest interest, that he, and he alone, of all her associates, was master of the virtues and talents of her father; and this, in her enthusiastic filial affection, and his regrets and admiration, was inexhaustible. At first Baron Wildenheim's name was but slightly glanced at; but by degrees she could bear to hear his sentiments and his words repeated, and her heart warmly thanked the man, who had so carefully treasured them in his. Colonel Desmond's humanity and fine feeling told him exactly where to stop. He would,
"When the soft tear stole silently down from the eye,
Take no note of its course, nor detect the slow sigh;"
and the sympathy he showed in her affliction tended much to restore her mind to its wonted serenity, by gently drawing forth all those agonizing reflections and remembrances that had fled to hide themselves from human knowledge, to the most secret recesses of her heart. Under all these circumstances a penetrating observer would, perhaps, have pronounced, that if Colonel Desmond steadily pursued his present plan, it would ultimately be crowned with success. At least it is contrary to all experience, that a young woman can long continue to feel friendship alone for an unmarried man, who is in all things a lover, except in the declaration of his passion;—nay, if there is no love on either side at first, it is highly probable there will be on both at no distant period, whenever a similarity of taste, ideas, and pursuits, induces a desire of association and intimacy, which circumstances permit to be gratified. Every inexperienced female should be thoroughly aware of the high probability which exists of her bestowing her affections on the man with whom she is so situated.
The second evening after their return from Bogberry Hall, Mr. O'Sullivan's guests were assembled at tea, when they heard the sound of music in the open air; and looking out, saw a gay groupe of young men and women dressed in their best, two fiddlers playing merrily before them, one of the party carrying a pole, on which were tied small hoops covered with garlands of flowers, intermixed with finery of various sorts, and gloves cut out in white and coloured papers; after them followed the elder members of their families, and, lastly, a crowd of children. The Miss Webberlys saw, with surprise, that not one of the females of the assembly had hat or bonnet. All the young women, except the queen of the garland, wore white round caps, ornamented with some gay riband; some had open gowns of a brilliant calico, others of white linen, with a stuff petticoat, blue, yellow, red, or green, according to the fancy of the wearer; white aprons, handkerchiefs, and stockings, completed their attire. Their showy dress, rosy complexions, and animated countenances, had altogether a most lively effect.
The dress of the old women was rather different. It consisted of a white mob cap, with a black silk handkerchief brought over the crown, crossed under the chin, and tied behind; a calico gown, with a large and gaudy pattern; and, in addition to the handkerchief and apron, a white dimity bed-gown, with short sleeves, and the skirt reaching half way to their knees; with a bright scarlet cloak hanging on one arm. All the men who were not dancers wore a great coat, of the peculiar frieze of their country. In the dress of the young men there was nothing remarkable, except that each had on a showy waistcoat, or silk handkerchief, to make him look as smart as his sweetheart in her gay gown and petticoat.
Adelaide was delightedly viewing the joyous scene, when she suddenly heard Colonel Desmond's voice returning Mrs. O'Sullivan's salutation, "It's midsummer's eve," said he, addressing her, "and I could not resist coming to witness your surprise at the curious customs observed here on this night." "I should think Miss Wildenheim wouldn't be such a fool as to go trapesing out on the damp grass with such a set of vagabonds," said Mr. Webberly, who was himself confined to the sofa. Colonel Desmond's attention was too much engrossed by the sweet smiles and tones, with which Adelaide thanked him for his kind recollection of her, to notice the morose look which accompanied this observation; and he acknowledged the speaker no otherwise than by a distant bow, as the fair object of his solicitude left the room to join the rest of the party at the hall door. The crowd had by this time ranged themselves in a semicircle, in the centre of which stood the king and queen of the garland, the former carrying the pole. The rustic queen was the handsomest young girl of the country—
"Health in her motion, the wild grace
Of Pleasure speaking in her face."