CHAPTER XCV.

THE LONGESTAFFE MARRIAGES.

In another part of Suffolk, not very far from Bungay, there was a

lady whose friends had not managed her affairs as well as Ruby's

friends had done for Ruby. Miss Georgiana Longestaffe in the early

days of August was in a very miserable plight. Her sister's marriage

with Mr. George Whitstable was fixed for the first of September, a

day which in Suffolk is of all days the most sacred; and the combined

energies of the houses of Caversham and Toodlam were being devoted

to that happy event. Poor Georgey's position was in every respect

wretched, but its misery was infinitely increased by the triumph

of those hymeneals. It was but the other day that she had looked

down from a very great height on her elder sister, and had utterly

despised the squire of Toodlam. And at that time, still so recent,

this contempt from her had been accepted as being almost reasonable.

Sophia had hardly ventured to rebel against it, and Mr. Whitstable

himself had been always afraid to encounter the shafts of irony with

which his fashionable future sister-in-law attacked him. But all that

was now changed. Sophia in her pride of place had become a tyrant,

and George Whitstable, petted in the house with those sweetmeats

which are always showered on embryo bridegrooms, absolutely gave

himself airs. At this time Mr. Longestaffe was never at home. Having

assured himself that there was no longer any danger of the Brehgert

alliance he had remained in London, thinking his presence to be

necessary for the winding up of Melmotte's affairs, and leaving

poor Lady Pomona to bear her daughter's ill-humour. The family at

Caversham consisted therefore of the three ladies, and was enlivened

by daily visits from Toodlam. It will be owned that in this state of

things there was very little consolation for Georgiana.

It was not long before she quarrelled altogether with her sister,--to

the point of absolutely refusing to act as bridesmaid. The reader may

remember that there had been a watch and chain, and that two of the

ladies of the family had expressed an opinion that these trinkets

should be returned to Mr. Brehgert who had bestowed them. But

Georgiana had not sent them back when a week had elapsed since the

receipt of Mr. Brehgert's last letter. The matter had perhaps escaped

Lady Pomona's memory, but Sophia was happily alive to the honour

of her family. "Georgey," she said one morning in their mother's

presence, "don't you think Mr. Brehgert's watch ought to go back to

him without any more delay?"

"What have you got to do with anybody's watch? The watch wasn't given

to you."

"I think it ought to go back. When papa finds that it has been kept

I'm sure he'll be very angry."

"It's no business of yours whether he's angry or not."

"If it isn't sent George will tell Dolly. You know what would happen

then."

This was unbearable! That George Whitstable should interfere in her

affairs,--that he should talk about her watch and chain. "I never

will speak to George Whitstable again the longest day that ever I

live," she said, getting up from her chair.

"My dear, don't say anything so horrible as that," exclaimed the

unhappy mother.

"I do say it. What has George Whitstable to do with me? A miserably

stupid fellow! Because you've landed him, you think he's to ride over

the whole family."

"I think Mr. Brehgert ought to have his watch and chain back," said

Sophia.

"Certainly he ought," said Lady Pomona. "Georgiana, it must be sent

back. It really must,--or I shall tell your papa."

Subsequently, on the same day, Georgiana brought the watch and chain

to her mother, protesting that she had never thought of keeping them,

and explaining that she had intended to hand them over to her papa

as soon as he should have returned to Caversham. Lady Pomona was now

empowered to return them, and they were absolutely confided to the

hands of the odious George Whitstable, who about this time made a

journey to London in reference to certain garments which he required.

But Georgiana, though she was so far beaten, kept up her quarrel with

her sister. She would not be bridesmaid. She would never speak to

George Whitstable. And she would shut herself up on the day of the

marriage.

She did think herself to be very hardly used. What was there left in

the world that she could do in furtherance of her future cause? And

what did her father and mother expect would become of her? Marriage

had ever been so clearly placed before her eyes as a condition of

things to be achieved by her own efforts, that she could not endure

the idea of remaining tranquil in her father's house and waiting

till some fitting suitor might find her out. She had struggled and

struggled,--struggling still in vain,--till every effort of her mind,

every thought of her daily life, was pervaded by a conviction that

as she grew older from year to year, the struggle should be more

intense. The swimmer when first he finds himself in the water,

conscious of his skill and confident in his strength, can make his

way through the water with the full command of all his powers. But

when he begins to feel that the shore is receding from him, that his

strength is going, that the footing for which he pants is still

far beneath his feet,--that there is peril where before he had

contemplated no danger,--then he begins to beat the water with

strokes rapid but impotent, and to waste in anxious gaspings the

breath on which his very life must depend. So it was with poor

Georgey Longestaffe. Something must be done at once, or it would be

of no avail. Twelve years had been passed by her since first she

plunged into the stream,--the twelve years of her youth,--and she was

as far as ever from the bank; nay, farther, if she believed her eyes.

She too must strike out with rapid efforts, unless, indeed, she would

abandon herself and let the waters close over her head. But immersed

as she was here at Caversham, how could she strike at all? Even now

the waters were closing upon her. The sound of them was in her ears.

The ripple of the wave was already round her lips; robbing her of

breath. Ah!--might not there be some last great convulsive effort

which might dash her on shore, even if it were upon a rock!

That ultimate failure in her matrimonial projects would be the same

as drowning she never for a moment doubted. It had never occurred

to her to consider with equanimity the prospect of living as an old

maid. It was beyond the scope of her mind to contemplate the chances

of a life in which marriage might be well if it came, but in which

unmarried tranquillity might also be well should that be her lot. Nor

could she understand that others should contemplate it for her. No

doubt the battle had been carried on for many years so much under the

auspices of her father and mother as to justify her in thinking that

their theory of life was the same as her own. Lady Pomona had been

very open in her teaching, and Mr. Longestaffe had always given a

silent adherence to the idea that the house in London was to be

kept open in order that husbands might be caught. And now when they

deserted her in her real difficulty,--when they first told her

to live at Caversham all the summer, and then sent her up to the

Melmottes, and after that forbade her marriage with Mr. Brehgert,--it

seemed to her that they were unnatural parents who gave her a stone

when she wanted bread, a serpent when she asked for a fish. She had

no friend left. There was no one living who seemed to care whether

she had a husband or not. She took to walking in solitude about the

park, and thought of many things with a grim earnestness which had

not hitherto belonged to her character.

"Mamma," she said one morning when all the care of the household

was being devoted to the future comforts,--chiefly in regard to

linen,--of Mrs. George Whitstable, "I wonder whether papa has any

intention at all about me."

"In what sort of way, my dear?"

"In any way. Does he mean me to live here for ever and ever?"

"I don't think he intends to have a house in town again."

"And what am I to do?"

"I suppose we shall stay here at Caversham."

"And I'm to be buried just like a nun in a convent,--only that the

nun does it by her own consent and I don't! Mamma, I won't stand it.

I won't indeed."

"I think, my dear, that that is nonsense. You see company here, just

as other people do in the country;--and as for not standing it, I

don't know what you mean. As long as you are one of your papa's

family of course you must live where he lives."

"Oh, mamma, to hear you talk like that!--It is horrible--horrible!

As if you didn't know! As if you couldn't understand! Sometimes I

almost doubt whether papa does know, and then I think that if he did

he would not be so cruel. But you understand it all as well as I do

myself. What is to become of me? Is it not enough to drive me mad

to be going about here by myself, without any prospect of anything?

Should you have liked at my age to have felt that you had no chance

of having a house of your own to live in? Why didn't you, among you,

let me marry Mr. Brehgert?" As she said this she was almost eloquent

with passion.

"You know, my dear," said Lady Pomona, "that your papa wouldn't hear

of it."

"I know that if you would have helped me I would have done it in

spite of papa. What right has he to domineer over me in that way? Why

shouldn't I have married the man if I chose? I am old enough to know

surely. You talk now of shutting up girls in convents as being a

thing quite impossible. This is much worse. Papa won't do anything to

help me. Why shouldn't he let me do something for myself?"

"You can't regret Mr. Brehgert!"

"Why can't I regret him? I do regret him. I'd have him to-morrow if

he came. Bad as it might be, it couldn't be so bad as Caversham."

"You couldn't have loved him, Georgiana."

"Loved him! Who thinks about love nowadays? I don't know any one who

loves any one else. You won't tell me that Sophy is going to marry

that idiot because she loves him! Did Julia Triplex love that man

with the large fortune? When you wanted Dolly to marry Marie Melmotte

you never thought of his loving her. I had got the better of all that

kind of thing before I was twenty."

"I think a young woman should love her husband."

"It makes me sick, mamma, to hear you talk in that way. It does

indeed. When one has been going on for a dozen years trying to do

something,--and I have never had any secrets from you,--then that you

should turn round upon me and talk about love! Mamma, if you would

help me I think I could still manage with Mr. Brehgert." Lady Pomona

shuddered. "You have not got to marry him."

"It is too horrid."

"Who would have to put up with it? Not you, or papa, or Dolly. I

should have a house of my own at least, and I should know what I had

to expect for the rest of my life. If I stay here I shall go mad,--or

die."

"It is impossible."

"If you will stand to me, mamma, I am sure it may be done. I would

write to him, and say that you would see him."

"Georgiana, I will never see him."

"Why not?"

"He is a Jew!"

"What abominable prejudice;--what wicked prejudice! As if you didn't

know that all that is changed now! What possible difference can it

make about a man's religion? Of course I know that he is vulgar, and

old, and has a lot of children. But if I can put up with that, I

don't think that you and papa have a right to interfere. As to his

religion it cannot signify."

"Georgiana, you make me very unhappy. I am wretched to see you so

discontented. If I could do anything for you, I would. But I will not

meddle about Mr. Brehgert. I shouldn't dare to do so. I don't think

you know how angry your papa can be."

"I'm not going to let papa be a bugbear to frighten me. What can he

do? I don't suppose he'll beat me. And I'd rather he would than shut

me up here. As for you, mamma, I don't think you care for me a bit.

Because Sophy is going to be married to that oaf, you are become so

proud of her that you haven't half a thought for anybody else."

"That's very unjust, Georgiana."

"I know what's unjust,--and I know who's ill-treated. I tell you

fairly, mamma, that I shall write to Mr. Brehgert and tell him that

I am quite ready to marry him. I don't know why he should be afraid

of papa. I don't mean to be afraid of him any more, and you may tell

him just what I say."

All this made Lady Pomona very miserable. She did not communicate her

daughter's threat to Mr. Longestaffe, but she did discuss it with

Sophia. Sophia was of opinion that Georgiana did not mean it, and

gave two or three reasons for thinking so. In the first place had she

intended it she would have written her letter without saying a word

about it to Lady Pomona. And she certainly would not have declared

her purpose of writing such letter after Lady Pomona had refused her

assistance. And moreover,--Lady Pomona had received no former hint of

the information which was now conveyed to her,--Georgiana was in the

habit of meeting the curate of the next parish almost every day in

the park.

"Mr. Batherbolt!" exclaimed Lady Pomona.

"She is walking with Mr. Batherbolt almost every day."

"But he is so very strict."

"It is true, mamma."

"And he's five years younger than she! And he's got nothing but his

curacy! And he's a celibate! I heard the bishop laughing at him

because he called himself a celibate."

"It doesn't signify, mamma. I know she is with him constantly. Wilson

has seen them,--and I know it. Perhaps papa could get him a living.

Dolly has a living of his own that came to him with his property."

"Dolly would be sure to sell the presentation," said Lady Pomona.

"Perhaps the bishop would do something," said the anxious sister,

"when he found that the man wasn't a celibate. Anything, mamma, would

be better than the Jew." To this latter proposition Lady Pomona

gave a cordial assent. "Of course it is a come-down to marry a

curate,--but a clergyman is always considered to be decent."

The preparations for the Whitstable marriage went on without any

apparent attention to the intimacy which was growing up between Mr.

Batherbolt and Georgiana. There was no room to apprehend anything

wrong on that side. Mr. Batherbolt was so excellent a young man,

and so exclusively given to religion, that, even should Sophy's

suspicion be correct, he might be trusted to walk about the park with

Georgiana. Should he at any time come forward and ask to be allowed

to make the lady his wife, there would be no disgrace in the matter.

He was a clergyman and a gentleman,--and the poverty would be

Georgiana's own affair.

Mr. Longestaffe returned home only on the eve of his eldest

daughter's marriage, and with him came Dolly. Great trouble had been

taken to teach him that duty absolutely required his presence at his

sister's marriage, and he had at last consented to be there. It is

not generally considered a hardship by a young man that he should

have to go into a good partridge country on the 1st of September, and

Dolly was an acknowledged sportsman. Nevertheless, he considered that

he had made a great sacrifice to his family, and he was received by

Lady Pomona as though he were a bright example to other sons. He

found the house not in a very comfortable position, for Georgiana

still persisted in her refusal either to be a bridesmaid or to speak

to Mr. Whitstable; but still his presence, which was very rare at

Caversham, gave some assistance: and, as at this moment his money

affairs had been comfortably arranged, he was not called upon to

squabble with his father. It was a great thing that one of the girls

should be married, and Dolly had brought down an enormous china dog,

about five feet high, as a wedding present, which added materially

to the happiness of the meeting. Lady Pomona had determined that she

would tell her husband of those walks in the park, and of other signs

of growing intimacy which had reached her ears;--but this she would

postpone until after the Whitstable marriage.

But at nine o'clock on the morning set apart for that marriage, they

were all astounded by the news that Georgiana had run away with Mr.

Batherbolt. She had been up before six. He had met her at the park

gate, and had driven her over to catch the early train at Stowmarket.

Then it appeared, too, that by degrees various articles of her

property had been conveyed to Mr. Batherbolt's lodgings in the

adjacent village, so that Lady Pomona's fear that Georgiana would not

have a thing to wear, was needless. When the fact was first known

it was almost felt, in the consternation of the moment, that the

Whitstable marriage must be postponed. But Sophia had a word to say

to her mother on that head, and she said it. The marriage was not

postponed. At first Dolly talked of going after his younger sister,

and the father did dispatch various telegrams. But the fugitives

could not be brought back, and with some little delay,--which made

the marriage perhaps uncanonical but not illegal,--Mr. George

Whitstable was made a happy man.

It need only be added that in about a month's time Georgiana returned

to Caversham as Mrs. Batherbolt, and that she resided there with her

husband in much connubial bliss for the next six months. At the end

of that time they removed to a small living, for the purchase of

which Mr. Longestaffe had managed to raise the necessary money.