The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom — Complete
with a moderate fortune, which it will always be in your own power to
improve, or tied for life to a monied man whom she detests, cursing her
hard fate, and despising that superfluity of wealth, in spite of which
she finds herself so truly wretched.”
The old gentleman seemed to be startled at this observation, which was
reinforced by Renaldo’s saying, that he would, moreover, enjoy the
unutterable pleasure of giving happiness to a worthy man, whose
gratitude would co-operate with his love, in approving himself a
dutiful son, as well as an affectionate husband. He then represented
the family disquiets and dismal tragedies produced from such mercenary
and compulsive matches, and, in conclusion related the story of Don
Diego and his daughter, which when the merchant heard, he started up
with marks of terror in his countenance, and, throwing up the casement,
called upon Valentine with great vociferation. This was the name of his
daughter’s admirer, who no sooner heard the summons than he flew to the
spot from whence it came, and the merchant, without any further
preamble, seizing his hand, joined it with that of Charlotte, saying,
with great trepidation, “Here, take her, in the name of God, and thank
this honourable company for your good fortune.”
The lovers were transported with exquisite joy at this sudden
determination in their favour. Valentine, having kissed the hand of his
mistress with all the eagerness of rapture, and acknowledged the
merchant’s generosity, paid his respects to the ladies with a very
polite address, and with demonstrations of uncommon gratitude and
sensibility, thanked the gentlemen, and the Count in particular, for
their good offices, to which he attributed the happiness he now
enjoyed. While Serafina and Madam Clement caressed the amiable
Charlotte, the rest of the company congratulated her admirer upon his
choice and success, though the clergyman could not help reprehending
him for profaning the sacerdotal habit.
Valentine heartily asked pardon for having given such cause of offence,
and hoped he should be forgiven, as it was a disguise which he thought
absolutely necessary for the execution of a scheme upon which his
happiness depended. He then, at the request of Renaldo, unfolded the
mystery of the hearse, by giving them to understand that Charlotte’s
father having got inkling of their mutual passion, had dismissed his
clerk, and conveyed his daughter to a country-house in the
neighbourhood of London, in order to cut off their correspondence;
notwithstanding these precautions they had found means to communicate
with each other by letters, which were managed by a third person; and
his rival being very importunate in his solicitations, they had
concerted the expedient of the hearse, which he provided and conducted
through a road contiguous to the end of the merchant’s garden, where
Charlotte, being apprised of the design, waited for its approach, and
embarked in it without hesitation. Valentine thought himself
sufficiently screened from discovery by his disguise, but he was
unfortunately met by a servant of the family, who recollected his
features, and immediately gave the alarm, upon which the father and his
friends took horse, and pursued them by two different roads, until they
were overtaken at this place.
He had scarce finished this short relation, when his rival, bluntly
entering the apartment, with an handkerchief tied round his eye,
committed Valentine to the charge of a constable, who attended him, by
a warrant from a justice of the peace in that neighbourhood, and
threatened to prosecute the merchant on an action of damages for the
loss of an eye, which he said he had sustained in his service. The
company endeavoured to appease this citizen, by representing that his
misfortune was no other than a common inflammation, nor was it owing to
malice aforethought, but entirely to the precipitate passion of an
incensed young man, who, by the bye, acted in his own defence. At the
same time the merchant promised to make any reasonable satisfaction,
upon which the other demanded an obligation, importing that he would,
in ten days from the date, bestow upon him his daughter in marriage,
with a portion of fifteen thousand pounds, or, in case of failure, pay
him double the sum.
The merchant, exasperated at this extravagant demand, told him flatly
he had already disposed of his daughter to Valentine, who, he believed,
was a much more deserving man, and that he was ready to wait upon the
magistrate who had granted the warrant, in order to give bail for his
future son-in-law. This was a mortifying declaration to the plaintiff,
though he condoled himself with the hope of being a gainer by the loss
of his eye, and now the pain was over would have been very sorry to
find his sight retrieved. The old gentleman, Joshua, and Renaldo
accompanied the prisoner to the house of the justice, where he was
immediately admitted to bail. Upon their return Valentine shifted his
dress, and they supped together with great cordiality and mirth,
maintained at the expense of the discarded lover.
After supper Don Diego walked a minuet with Madam Clement; for whom, by
this time, he had contracted an extraordinary degree of affection.
Valentine had the honour to dance with the incomparable Serafina, whose
beauty and attractions dazzled the eyes of the new-comers, and struck
her bashful partner with awe and confusion; and Melvil presented his
hand to the agreeable Charlotte, who performed so much to the
satisfaction of her father, that he could not help expressing his joy
and pride. He praised God for throwing him in the way of our company,
and engaged the clergyman to unite the young couple, after having
appointed a day for the ceremony, and invited all present to the
wedding. The evening having been insensibly consumed in these
avocations, and the night pretty far advanced, the ladies withdrew
without ceremony; and the retreat of Serafina filled Renaldo’s breast
with tumult and emotion; his blood began to flow in impetuous tides,
his heart to beat with redoubled vigour and velocity, while his eyes
seemed to flash with more than human splendour. Now his imagination
began to anticipate with the enthusiastic rage of an inspired sibyl; he
was instantaneously transported from the conversation, and every nerve
was braced to such a degree of impatience, that human nature could not
long endure the tension.
He, therefore, having withstood the impulse about a quarter of an hour,
at length gave way to his impetuosity, and, springing from his friends,
found himself in a dark passage, at the farther end of which he
perceived Madam Clement coming out of a chamber with a light, which, at
sight of him, she set down, and vanished in a moment. This was the star
that pointed to his paradise; he hailed the signal, entered the
apartment, and, like a lion, rushing on his prey, approached the
nuptial bed, where Serafina, surrounded by all the graces of beauty,
softness, sentiment, and truth, lay trembling as a victim at the altar,
and strove to hide her blushes from his view—the door was shut, the
light extinguished—he owned his lot was more than mortal man could
claim.
Here let me draw the decent veil that ought to shade the secret
mysteries of Hymen. Away, unhallowed scoffers, who profane, with idle
pleasantry or immodest hint, these holy rites; and leave those happy
lovers to enjoy, in one another’s arms, unutterable bliss, the
well-earned palm of virtue and of constancy, which had undergone the
most severe refinement. A more deserving pair night’s curtain shrouds
not in its dark extent.
The thoughts of Renaldo’s felicity threw a damp on the spirits of
Valentine, who saw the term of his probation protracted a few days
longer, and could not help wishing in his heart that he had achieved
the adventure which would have abridged his expectation, though at the
expense of the old gentleman’s displeasure. He filled a bumper to the
health of the bride and bridegroom, and throwing up his eyes with marks
of admiration, exclaimed, “How happy is the Count! alas! five days
longer must I rein my impatience!” “It is but reasonable, you rogue,
that your betters should have the start of you,” said the merchant, who
did him justice in the glass, and counselled him to drown his
impatience with good claret. The youth followed his advice, and it was
late before the company retired to rest.
These citizens, however, resolved to seize an opportunity of rallying
the new-married couple, according to custom, and with that view arose
early in the morning, on the supposition of finding them still asleep;
but they were not a little surprised, when they entered the
breakfasting room, to see Renaldo, and his amiable bed-fellow, already
dressed, and awaiting to do the honours of the house. The old gentleman
would fain have cracked a joke upon their extraordinary despatch, but
he was so much overawed by the dignity and tamed by the sweetness of
Serafina’s carriage, that he durst not give utterance to his
conception; and Valentine stood silent and abashed, as in the presence
of a superior being. After breakfast these gentlemen and Charlotte
again expressed their sense of the obligations they owed to this happy
family, repeated their invitation, and, taking leave, returned to
London in a coach that was provided overnight.
Our friends being thus left to themselves, Don Diego turned towards
Melvil: “Now,” said he, “that I have yielded to the impatience of your
love, as well as to the eagerness of my own desire to make you happy, I
must beg leave to interrupt, for a little while, the stream of your
mutual pleasure, and propose a melancholy excursion, which, however,
will not be wholly void of enjoyment. I have too long delayed the
performance of my duty at Antonia’s grave—let us spend the forenoon in
that pious pilgrimage—I will drop a few tears to the memory of that
excellent woman, and never afterwards shall my friends be troubled with
my grief.”
The proposal being universally approved, they set out for the place,
which had oft been visited by the gentle Serafina, who conducted her
father to a black marble stone, which Renaldo had ordered to be laid
over the grave; and, as he kneeled to kiss the monument, he perceived
this plain inscription in the Spanish tongue:—Antonia de Zelos primera
en todo lo que es ser bueno, y sin segundo en todo lo que fue ser
desdichado, quedad con Dios! that is, Antonia de Zelos, unmatched in
virtue, and unequalled in misfortune, adieu! “O faithful record!” cried
the Castilian, smiting his breast, while his tears distilled upon the
marble, “thy goodness was the gift of Heaven, but thy misfortunes were
derived from the guilt of Don Diego; yet his sorrow shall expiate his
offence, and his penitence find favour in the sight of Heaven! Rest,
rest, ill-fated virtue!—eternal peace shall guard thy tomb, and angels
minister to thy unspotted shade; nor shall thine ashes lie in dark
obscurity here will I raise a monument, more suited to thy excellence
and name.” Serafina melted with filial tenderness; nor were the rest
unmoved at this affecting scene, which Don Diego did not quit without
reluctance.
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
THE LONGEST AND THE LAST.
The nature of this visit had softened every heart, and saddened every
countenance; and they walked in solemn silence to the other side of the
church-yard, in order to regain their carriages; when, at the turning
of the stile, they saw a young woman, in wretched attire, running out
of a poor habitation, wringing her hands in all the agony of despair.
Notwithstanding the distraction in her countenance, and the meanness of
her apparel, she discovered a regularity of features, and a delicacy of
air, which did not at all correspond with the misery of her equipage.