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A Love Story, a novel by A Bushman |
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Volume 2 - Chapter 5. The East Indian |
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_ Volume II Chapter V. The East Indian
From Rome and our care-worn travellers, let us turn to Mrs. Vernon's drawing-room at Leamington. An unforeseen event suddenly made a considerable change in the hopes and prospects of our fair friend Julia. One warm summer's morning--it was on the very day, that the brothers, with Acme, were sailing close to the Calabrian mountains, and the latter was telling her ghost story, within view of the sweet village of Capo del Marte--one balmy summer's morning, the Miss Vernons were seated in a room, furnished like most English drawing-rooms; that is to say, it had tables for trinkets--a superb mirror--a Broadwood piano--an Erard harp--a reclining sofa--and a woolly rug, on which slept, dreamt, and snored, a small Blenheim spaniel. Julia had a mahogany frame before her, and was thoughtfully working a beaded purse. The hue of health had left her cheek. Its complexion was akin to that of translucent alabaster. The features wore a more fixed and regular aspect, and their play was less buoyant and quick changing than heretofore. Deep thought! thus has been thy warfare for ever. First, thou stealest from the rotund face its joyous dimples; then, dost thou gradually imprint remorseless furrows on the anxious brow. A servant entered the room, and bore on a salver a letter addressed to Miss Vernon. Its deep black binding--its large coat of arms--bespoke it death's official messenger. Julia's cheek blanched as she glanced over its first page. Her sisters laid down their work, and looked towards her with some curiosity. Julia burst into tears. "Poor uncle Vernon!" Her sisters seemed surprised at the announcement, but not to participate in Julia's feelings on the occasion. One of them took up the letter, which had fallen to the ground, and the two read its contents. "How very odd!" said they together, "uncle has left you Hornby, and Catesfield, and almost all the property!" "Has he?" replied Julia, "I could not read it all, for however he may have behaved to mamma, I ever found him good and kind; and had always hoped, that we might have yet seen him with us once more. Poor old man! and the letter says a lingering illness--how sad to think that we were not with him to soothe his pillow, and cheer his death bed!" "Well!" said one of the sisters reddening, "I must say it was his own fault. He would not live with his nearest relations, who loved him, and tried to make his a happy home--but showed his caprice then, as he has now. But I will go up stairs, and break it to mamma, and will tell her you are an heiress." "An heiress!" replied Julia, with heart-broken tone! "an heiress!" The tear quivered in her eye; but before the moisture had formed its liquid bead, to course down her pallid cheek; a thought flashed across her, which had almost the power to recal it to its cell. That thought comprised the fervency and timidity--the hopes and fears of woman's first love. She thought of her last meeting with Sir Henry Delme: of the objections which might now be removed. A new vista of happiness seemed to open before her. It was but for a moment. The blush which that thought called up, faded away--the tear trickled on--her features recovered their serenity--and she turned with a sweet smile to her sisters. "My dear--dear sisters! it is long since we have seen my poor uncle. "Affection's ties may have been somewhat loosened. They cannot--I am sure--have been dissolved. "Do not think me selfish enough to retain this generous bequest. "It may yet be in my power, and it no doubt is, to amend its too partial provisions. "Let us be sisters still--sisters in equality--sisters in love and affection." Julia Vernon was a very noble girl. She lived to become of age, and she acted up to this her resolve. And, now, a few words as to the individual, by whose death the Miss Vernons acquired such an accession of property. The Miss Vernons' father had an only and a younger brother, who at an early age had embarked for the East, in the civil service. He had acquired great wealth, and, after a residence of twenty-five years in the Bengal Presidency, had returned to England a confirmed bachelor, and a wealthy nabob. His brother died, while Mr. Benjamin Vernon was on his passage home. He arrived in England, and found himself a stranger in his native land. He shouldered his cane through Regent Street, and wandered in the Quadrant's shade;--and in spite of the novelties that every where met him--in spite of cabs and plated glass--felt perfectly isolated and miserable. It is true, his Indian friends found him out at the Burlington, and their cards adorned his mantelpiece--for Mr. Benjamin Vernon was said to be worth a plum, and to be on the look out for a vacancy in the Directory. But although these were indisputably his Indian friends, it appeared to Mr. Vernon, that they were no longer his friends of India. They seemed to him to live in a constant state of unnatural excitement. Some prided themselves on being stars in fashion's gayest circle--others, whom he had hardly known, were fathers--for their families were educating in England---he now found surrounded by children, on whose provision they were wholly intent. These were off at a tangent, "to see Peter Auber, at the India House," or, "could not wait an instant; they were to meet Josh: Alexander precisely at two." And then their flippant sons! taking wine with him, forsooth--adjusting their neckcloths--and asking "whether he had met their father at Madras or Calcutta?" This to a true Bengalee! Nor was this all! The young renegades ate their curry with a knife! Others, from whom he had parted years before, shook hands with him at the Oriental, as if his presence there was a matter of course; and then asked him "what he thought of Stanley's speech?" Now, there are few men breathing, who have their sympathies so keenly alive--who show and who look for, such warmth of heart---who are so chilled and hurt by indifference--as your bachelor East Indian. The married one may solace himself for coldness abroad, by sunny smiles at home;--but the friendless bachelor is sick at heart, unless he encounter a hearty pressure of the hand--an eye that sparkles, as it catches his--an interested listener to his thousand and one tales of Oriental scenes, and of Oriental good fellowship. Mr. Benjamin Vernon soon found this London solitude--it was worse than solitude--quite insupportable. He determined to visit his brother's widow, and left town for Leamington. The brother-in-law felt more than gratified at the cordial welcome that there met him. His heart responded to their tones of kindness, and the old Indian, in the warmth of his gratitude, thought he had at length discovered a congenial home. He plunged into the extreme of dangerous intimacy; and was soon domiciled in Mrs. Vernon's small mansion. It is absurd what trifles can extinguish friendships, and estrange affection. Mr. Vernon had always had the controul of his hours--loved his hookah, and his after-dinner dose. His brother's widow was an amiable person, but a great deal too independent, to humour any person's foibles. She liked activity, and disliked smoking; and was too matter-of-fact in her ideas, to conceive that these indulgences, merely from force of habit, might have now become absolute necessities. Mrs. Vernon first used arguments; which were listened to very patiently, and as systematically disregarded. As she thought she knew her ground better, she would occasionally secrete the hookah, and indulge in eloquent discourse, on the injurious effects, and waste of time, that the said hookah entailed. Nor could the old man enjoy in peace, his evening slumber. One of his nieces was always ready to shake him by the elbow, and address him with an expostulatory "Oh! dear uncle!" which, though delivered with silvery voice, seemed to him deuced provoking. For some time, the old Indian good-naturedly acquiesced in these arrangements; and was far too polite at any time to scold, or hazard a scene. Mrs. Vernon was all complacency, and imagined her triumph assured. Suddenly the tempest gathered to a head. Bachelor habits regained their ascendancy; and Mrs. Vernon was thunderstruck, when it was one morning duly announced to her, that her brother-in-law had purchased a large estate in Monmouthshire, and that he intended permanently to reside there. Mrs. Vernon was deeply chagrined. She thought him ungrateful, and told him so. At the outset, our East Indian was anxious that his niece Julia, who had been by far the most tolerant of his bachelor vices, should preside over his new establishment; but the feelings of the mother and daughter were alike opposed to this arrangement. This was the last rock on which he and his brother's widow split; and it was decisive. From that hour, all correspondence between them ceased. Arrived in Wales, our nabob endeavoured to attach himself to country pursuits--purchased adjoining estates--employed many labourers--and greatly improved his property. But his rural occupations were quite at variance with his acquired habits. He pined away--became hypochondriacal--and died, just three years after leaving Mrs. Vernon, for want of an Eastern sun, and something to love. _ |
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