The Absentee [102]
jealous!--Oh, it is too late now--besides, you cannot be jealous, for you never loved.'
'I never loved Miss Broadhurst, I acknowledge.'
'There was the advantage Sir Arthur Berryl had over you--he loved, and my friend saw it.'
'She was clear-sighted,' said Lord Colambre.
'She was clear-sighted,' repeated Miss Nugent; 'but if you mean that she was vain, and apt to fancy people in love with her, I can assure you that you are mistaken. Never was woman, young or old, more clear-sighted to the views of those by whom she was addressed. No flattery, no fashion, could blind her judgment.'
'She knew how to choose a friend well, I am sure,' said Lord Colambre.
'And a friend for life too, I am sure you will allow and she had such numbers, such strange variety of admirers, as might have puzzled the choice and turned the brain of any inferior person. Such a succession of lovers as she has had this summer, ever since you went to Ireland--they appeared and vanished like figures in a magic-lantern. She had three noble admirers--rank in three different forms offered themselves. First came in, hobbling, rank and gout; next, rank and gaming; then rank, Very high rank, over head and ears in debt. All of these were rejected; and, as they moved off; I thought Mrs. Broadhurst would have broken her heart. Next came fashion, with his head, heart, and soul in his cravat--he quickly made his bow, or rather his nod, and walked off, taking a pinch of snuff. Then came a man of gallantry, but,' whispered Miss Nugent, 'there was a mistress in the wood; and my friend could have nothing to do with that gentleman.'
'Now, if she liked the man, interrupted Lord Clonbrony, 'and I suppose she did, for all women, but yourself, Grace, like men of gallantry, Miss Broadhurst was a goose for refusing him on account of the mistress; because she might have been bought up, and settled with a few thousand pounds.'
'Be that as it may,' said Miss Nugent; 'my friend did not like, and would not accept, of the man of gallantry; so he retired and comforted himself with a copy of verses. Then came a man of wit --but still it was wit without worth; and presently came "worth without wit." She preferred "wit and worth united," which she fortunately at last found, Lord Colambre, in your friend, Sir Arthur Berryl.'
'Grace, my girl!' said her uncle, 'I'm glad to see you've got up your spirits again, though you were not to be bridesmaid. Well, I hope you'll be bride soon--I'm sure you ought to be--and you should think of rewarding that poor Mr. Salisbury, who plagues me to death, whenever he can catch hold of me, about you. He must have our definitive at last, you know, Grace,'
A silence ensued, which neither Miss Nugent nor Lord Colambre seemed willing, or able, to break.
Very good company, faith, you three!--One of ye asleep, and the other two saying nothing, to keep one awake. Colambre, have you no Dublin news? Grace, have you no Buxton scandal? What was it Lady Clonbrony told us you'd tell us, about the oddness of Miss Broadhurst's settling her marriage? Tell me that, for I love to hear odd things.'
'Perhaps you will not think it odd,' said she. 'One evening --but I should begin by telling you that three of her admirers, beside Sir Arthur Berryl, had followed her to Buxton, and had been paying their court to her all the time we were there; and at last grew impatient for her decision.'
'Ay, for her definitive!' said Lord Clonbrony. Miss Nugent was put out again, but resumed--
'So one evening, just before the dancing began, the gentlemen were all standing round Miss Broadhurst; one of them said, "I wish Miss Broadhurst would decide--that whoever she dances with to-night should be her partner for life; what a happy man he would be!"
'"But how can I decide?" said Miss Broadhurst.
'"I wish I had a friend to plead for me!" said one of the suitors, looking at me.
'"Have you no friend of your own?" said Miss Broadhurst.
'"Plenty of friends," said the gentleman.
'"Plenty!--then you must be a very happy man," replied
'I never loved Miss Broadhurst, I acknowledge.'
'There was the advantage Sir Arthur Berryl had over you--he loved, and my friend saw it.'
'She was clear-sighted,' said Lord Colambre.
'She was clear-sighted,' repeated Miss Nugent; 'but if you mean that she was vain, and apt to fancy people in love with her, I can assure you that you are mistaken. Never was woman, young or old, more clear-sighted to the views of those by whom she was addressed. No flattery, no fashion, could blind her judgment.'
'She knew how to choose a friend well, I am sure,' said Lord Colambre.
'And a friend for life too, I am sure you will allow and she had such numbers, such strange variety of admirers, as might have puzzled the choice and turned the brain of any inferior person. Such a succession of lovers as she has had this summer, ever since you went to Ireland--they appeared and vanished like figures in a magic-lantern. She had three noble admirers--rank in three different forms offered themselves. First came in, hobbling, rank and gout; next, rank and gaming; then rank, Very high rank, over head and ears in debt. All of these were rejected; and, as they moved off; I thought Mrs. Broadhurst would have broken her heart. Next came fashion, with his head, heart, and soul in his cravat--he quickly made his bow, or rather his nod, and walked off, taking a pinch of snuff. Then came a man of gallantry, but,' whispered Miss Nugent, 'there was a mistress in the wood; and my friend could have nothing to do with that gentleman.'
'Now, if she liked the man, interrupted Lord Clonbrony, 'and I suppose she did, for all women, but yourself, Grace, like men of gallantry, Miss Broadhurst was a goose for refusing him on account of the mistress; because she might have been bought up, and settled with a few thousand pounds.'
'Be that as it may,' said Miss Nugent; 'my friend did not like, and would not accept, of the man of gallantry; so he retired and comforted himself with a copy of verses. Then came a man of wit --but still it was wit without worth; and presently came "worth without wit." She preferred "wit and worth united," which she fortunately at last found, Lord Colambre, in your friend, Sir Arthur Berryl.'
'Grace, my girl!' said her uncle, 'I'm glad to see you've got up your spirits again, though you were not to be bridesmaid. Well, I hope you'll be bride soon--I'm sure you ought to be--and you should think of rewarding that poor Mr. Salisbury, who plagues me to death, whenever he can catch hold of me, about you. He must have our definitive at last, you know, Grace,'
A silence ensued, which neither Miss Nugent nor Lord Colambre seemed willing, or able, to break.
Very good company, faith, you three!--One of ye asleep, and the other two saying nothing, to keep one awake. Colambre, have you no Dublin news? Grace, have you no Buxton scandal? What was it Lady Clonbrony told us you'd tell us, about the oddness of Miss Broadhurst's settling her marriage? Tell me that, for I love to hear odd things.'
'Perhaps you will not think it odd,' said she. 'One evening --but I should begin by telling you that three of her admirers, beside Sir Arthur Berryl, had followed her to Buxton, and had been paying their court to her all the time we were there; and at last grew impatient for her decision.'
'Ay, for her definitive!' said Lord Clonbrony. Miss Nugent was put out again, but resumed--
'So one evening, just before the dancing began, the gentlemen were all standing round Miss Broadhurst; one of them said, "I wish Miss Broadhurst would decide--that whoever she dances with to-night should be her partner for life; what a happy man he would be!"
'"But how can I decide?" said Miss Broadhurst.
'"I wish I had a friend to plead for me!" said one of the suitors, looking at me.
'"Have you no friend of your own?" said Miss Broadhurst.
'"Plenty of friends," said the gentleman.
'"Plenty!--then you must be a very happy man," replied