Authors: George W. M. Reynolds,James Malcolm Rymer
now
trust my tongue with epithets.
Good morning, my lord."
And the Earl of Warrington walked proudly from the room.
On the following day a cabinet council was held at the Home
Office.
THE FORGER AND THE ADULTERESS
IT was evening; and Lady Cecilia Harborough was seated alone in
the drawing-room of the house which she and her husband occupied in Tavistock
Square.
A cheerful fire blazed in the grate: the lamp upon the table
diffused a soft and mellow lustre through the apartment.
Lady Cecilia's manner was pensive: a deep shade of
melancholy overspread her countenance; and at times her lips quivered, and her
bosom heaved convulsively.
She was evidently attempting to struggle with feelings of a
very painful nature.
"Slighted - neglected - perhaps despised!" she at
length murmured. "Oh! what an indignity! To have yielded myself up
entirely to that man - and now to be cast aside in this manner! For months past
have I observed that his conduct grew more and more cool towards me ;- his
visits became less frequent ;- he made appointments with me and did not keep
them;- he remonstrated with me for what he called my extravagances, when I
asked him for money! Ah! how I endeavoured to close my eyes to the truth :- I
forced myself to put faith in his excuses for absence - I compelled myself to
be satisfied with his apologies for not keeping his engagements. Fool that I
have been! Had I reproached - wept - stormed - and quarreled, as other women
would have done, he would yet be my slave : but I was too pliant - too easy -
too docile - and he has ended by contemning me! I wanted spirit - I was
deficient in courage - I practised no artifice. I should have refused him my
favours when he was most impassioned; I should have tantalised him - acted with
caprice - set a high value upon the pleasures which he enjoyed in my arms. Oh!
it is cruel - cruel! I have been the pensioned-harlot of that man! He commanded
the use of my person as he would that of the lowest prostitute in the street. I
was too cheap - too willing - too ready to meet him half way in the dalliance
of love! I caught a fine bird - and by leaving his cage open, have allowed him
an opportunity to fly away! The indignity is insufferable! For weeks I had not
asked him for a shilling - for weeks I had not spoken to him on the subject of
money. And now - to-day - when I require a hundred guineas for urgent matters,
to be refused! to be denied that paltry sum! Oh! it is monstrous! And not to
come himself to explain,- but to send a cool note, expressing a regret that the
numerous demands he has had upon him lately render it impossible for him to
comply with my request! A worn-out excuse - a wretched apology! And for him,
too, who absolutely rolls in riches! I never could have believed it. Even now
it appears a dream! Ah! the ungrateful monster! It is true that he has supplied
me at times in the most generous manner, - that he redeemed my jewels for me a
second time, some months ago, when Rupert played me that vile trick by
plundering me during my absence ;- but, alas! the jewels have returned to their
old place - and who is to redeem them
now
?"
Lady Cecilia paused, and compressed her lips together.
She felt herself slighted - perhaps for some rival :
and whose sufferings are more acute than those of a neglected woman who
experiences mental pangs more poignant?
Lady Cecilia felt herself degraded. She now comprehended
that she had been made the instrument of a heartless libertine's pleasures; and
that he coolly thrust her aside when literally satiated with her charms.
This was a most debasing conviction - debasing beyond all
others, for a patrician lady!
Never did she seem so little in her own estimation: she felt
polluted;- she saw that she had sold
herself for gold: she remembered
how willingly, how easily she surrendered herself on the first occasion of her
criminality ; and she despised herself, because she felt that Greenwood
despised her also!
She had no virtue - but she had pride.
The highest bidder might enjoy her. person, so voluptuous
was she by nature - so ready also was she to make any sacrifice to obtain the
means of gratifying her extravagance.
Love with her was not a refinement - it was a sensuality.
Still she had her pride - her woman's pride; for even the
most degraded courtesan has
that
; and it, was her pride
that was now so deeply wounded.
She knew not what course to pursue.
Should she endeavour to bring Greenwood back to her arms?
Or should she be revenged?
If she resolved upon the former, what wiles was she to adopt
- what artifices to employ?
If she decided upon the latter, what point in her neglectful
lover was vulnerable - what weapon could she use?
A woman does not like to choose the alternative of
vengeance, because such a proceeding implies the absence of all hope and of all
power of recalling the faithless one.
And yet what was Lady Cecilia to do? That refusal of the
money which she had requested, appeared expressive of Mr. Greenwood's
determination to break of the connexion.
In that case nothing remained to her but vengeance.
Such were her thoughts.
Her reverie was interrupted by the sudden entrance of her
husband Sir Rupert Harborough. His face was flushed with drinking - for he had
dined, with his friend Chichester, at a tavern; and his cares had forced him to
apply with even more than usual liberality to the bottle.
He threw himself into a chair opposite to bit wife, and
said, "Well, Cecilia, I have got very bad news to tell you."
"Indeed, Sir Rupert?" she said, in a tone which
signified that she also had her annoyances, and would rather not be troubled
with his.
"I have, on my honour! " cried the baronet.
"In fact, Cecilia, I must find a thousand pounds to-morrow by twelve
o'clock."
Lady Cecilia only laughed ironically.
"You make merry, madam, at my misfortunes," said
Sir Rupert; "but I can assure you that the present is no laughing
matter."
"And I unfortunately have no more diamonds and
jewellery for you to rob me of," returned the lady.
"No, Cecilia - but you are my wife; and the disgrace
that falls upon your husband would redound on yourself."
"Oh! if you be afraid of rusticating in the Queen's
Bench prison for a season, I would advise you to make yourself easy on that
head; because —"
"Because what, Cecilia?"
"Because I can assure all your friends and
acquaintances that you are merely passing the winter in Paris."
"Ridiculous!" cried the baronet impatiently.
"Not so ridiculous as you imagine," returned Lady
Cecilia. " You are accustomed, you know, to leave home for weeks and
months together."
"Lady Cecilia, this is no time for either ill-feeling
or sarcasm. If we have no love for one another, at least let us sit down and
converse calmly upon the urgency of our present situation."
"
Our
situation? " ejaculated
Cecilia.
"Yes -
ours
," repeated the baronet
emphatically. " In one word, Cecilia, can you possibly raise a thousand
pounds?"
To a person who had not the means of obtaining oven the
tenth part of that sum, and who had herself been disappointed that very evening
in her endeavour to procure a hundred guineas, the question put by the baronet
appeared in so ridiculous a light, that - in spite of her own annoyances - Lady
Cecilia threw herself back in her chair, and burst into a loud and hearty
laugh.
Sir Rupert rose and paced the room in an agitated manner;
for he was totally at a loss what course to pursue. His only hope was in his
wife; and yet he knew not how to break the fatal news to her.
"My God! Cecilia," he exclaimed, after a pause,
during which he resumed his seat, "you will drive me mad!"
"You have become very sensitive of late, Sir Rupert;
and yet I was not aware that you were so weak-minded as to tremble upon the
verge of insanity. Certainly your conduct has never led me to suppose that you
were over sane."
"My dear Cecilia, cease this raillery, in the name of
every thing sacred," cried the baronet. " I tell you that ruin hangs
over me - ruin of the most fearful nature - ruin in which your own name, as
that of my wife, will be compromised —"
"Then tell me at once what you dread, and I will tell
you whether I can assist you; for I know perfectly well that you require me to
do something."
"Do not ask me what it is, Cecilia; but say - can you
procure from any quarter -
from any quarter
, mind - a thousand pounds?"
"Absurd! Sir Rupert," answered the lady. "I
have no means of helping myself at this moment - much less of providing so
large a sum to supply your extravagance. This is a debt of honour, I presume -
a debt contracted at the gambling table."
"No - it is far more serious than that, Cecilia; and
you must exert yourself. If I do not have that amount by twelve to-morrow, the
consequences will be most fatal. I know you can borrow the money for me - you
have resources, no matter where or how - I ask no questions - I do not wish to
pry into your secrets —"
"You are really very considerate, Sir Rupert. You do
not wish to pry into my secrets: but you would not hesitate to pry into my
drawers and boxes, if you thought there was any thing in them worth
taking."
And as she uttered these words, a smile of superb contempt
curled her vermilion lips.
Sir Rupert was maddened by this behaviour on the part of his
wife; and with difficulty could he restrain his feelings of rage and hatred.
"Madam," he exclaimed, " I ask you to throw
aside your raillery, and converse with me - for once - in a serious manner.''
"I am willing to do so, Sir Rupert," answered
Cecilia; " but you really appear to be joking me yourself. You speak in
enigmas about the ruin that hangs over you and will involve
me,
- you refuse to entrust me with
more of your secret than is necessary to serve as a preface for your demand ;-
and that demand is a thousand pounds! A thousand pounds are required in a few
hours of a person who has no diamonds to pledge - no friends to apply to
—"
"Stay, Cecilia," cried the baronet. "You
cannot be without friends. For a year past you have beau well supplied with
funds - you have redeemed your diamonds twice - you have satisfied many of on
creditors - the servants' wages
and the rent have been regularly paid —"
"And all this has been done without the contribution of
one shilling on the part of my husband towards the household expenses,"
added Lady Cecilia.
" I am glad you have mentioned that point,"
exclaimed Sir Rupert: " it proves that you have friends - that perhaps
your father and mother assist you in private,- in a word, that you have some
resources. Now what those resources may be, I do not ask you: all I require is
assistance - now - within a few hours-before twelve to-morrow."
"Even if I could raise the sum you require," said
Cecilia, "I would not think of giving it to you without knowing for what
destination it was intended."
"And can you procure the sum, if I reveal to you - if I
tell you —"
"I promise nothing," interrupted Lady Cecilia
drily.
"But you will do your best?" persisted the baronet
"I will do nothing without being previously made aware
of the real nature of your difficulties."
"I will then keep you in the dark no longer. The cause
of my embarrassment is a bill of exchange, for a thousand pounds, now lying in
Greenwood's hands, and due to-morrow."
"That is but a simple debt; and, methinks, Sir Rupert,
that your acquaintance with bills is not so slight as to render you an alarmist
respecting the consequences."
"Were it only a simple matter of debt, I should care
but little," said Sir Rupert, still compelled to support the biting
raillery of his wife: "but unfortunately - in an evil hour - I know not
what demon prompted me at the moment —"
"Speak, Sir Rupert - tell me the truth at once,"
cried Lady Cecilia, now really alarmed.
"I say that in an evil hour - in a moment of
desperation - in an excess of frenzy - I committed a forgery!"
"A forgery!" repeated Lady Cecilia, turning deadly
pale. " Ah! what a disgrace to the family - what shame for me —"
"I told you that my ruin would redound upon yourself,
Cecilia. But there is more yet for you to hear. The acceptance that I forged
—"
"Well?"
"Was that of Lord Tremordyn —"
"My father!"
"And now you know all. Can you assist me?"
"Sir Rupert, I have no means of raising one tenth part
of the sum that you need to cover this infamous transaction."
"And yet you seemed to say that if I told you the
nature of my difficulties —"
"I was curious to learn your secret; and as you
appeared resolved to keep it from
me
, I thought I would see if there
were no means of wheedling it out of
you
."
"And you therefore have no hope to give me?" said
the baronet, in a tone of despair.
"None. Where could I raise one thousand pounds? how am
I to obtain such a sum? It is for you either to pacify Mr. Greenwood, or to
throw yourself at my father's feet and confess all."
"Mr. Greenwood is resolute; and you know that your
father would spurn me from his presence. So far from me being able to help
myself, it is for you to help me. Perhaps Mr. Greenwood would listen to your
representations; or else Lord Tremordyn would accord to you what he would never
concede to me."
"You cannot suppose that I can have any influence upon
Mr. Greenwood," began Lady Cecilia. " and as for —"
"On the contrary," said Sir Rupert, fixing his
eyes in a significant manner upon his wife's countenance; I have every reason
to believe that your influence over Mr. Greenwood is very great; and I will now
thank you to exercise it in my behalf."
"What do you mean, Sir Rupert?" exclaimed Cecilia,
a deep blush suffusing her face, and her eyes sinking beneath her husband's
expressive look.
"Do not force me to explanations, Cecilia,"
returned the baronet. "I know more than you imagine - I have proofs of
more than you fancy I could even suspect. But of that no matter: relieve me
from this embarrassment - and I will never trouble you about