Madame Vernet

Chapter I

Many years ago, no matter how many, there was a most unromantic-looking house in that most unromantic of localities, Leadenhall Street. The upper part of this house looked gloomy enough, with its straight narrow windows, and its discoloured white blinds, always drawn down ; indeed there were but few signs of its being inhabited at all, till your attention was called to the bustling shop below — there quite a different aspect was given to everything by the brisk trade carried on, for ' Pelby's Italian Warehouse ' was one ofthe most important places thereabouts, and VOL. I. B the same name had been on the door-posts as long as ' the oldest inhabitant ' of Leaden hall Street could remember, for the shop had descended from father to son without alteration for many generations. The mania for plate-glass fronts had not then begun, and old Pelby's shop was as dingy a looking place as can well be imagined : still captains of ships bound to every clime flocked to this place for their cabin-stores ; for it was well known that the dried meats, tongues, hams, pickles, and preserves, that were purchased from Pelby's, kept better during a long voyage than when procured from any other house in the trade ; so there was always a sort of celebrity attached to the old place which did not fail to rapidly increase its profits.

Old Pelby was a short, stout man, with very little hair on his head, but in looking at him you had the idea of its all having gone down to the lower part of his cheeks ; for there his whiskers were very bushy and now very grey ; he had a receding forehead, and small bright black eyes ; he looked as if he had always been the same, you could not separate his present appearance from him, or think he could ever be apart from his counter and white apron, so completely was he identi fied with them. He always, too, stood nearly in the same place, calling first to one boy, and then to another, to bring this, or take that, but though thus stationary, everyone in the shop knew that his little sharp eyes saw at a glance everything that was going on. There was only one part of his business he was unequal to, and that was keeping the accounts carried on at the little enclosed desk at one side of the shop.

Yes, it must be confessed Mr. Pelby could not keep accounts, and therefore that depart ment was trusted to a clerk. b2 Education had not been quite so generally diffused or so easy to obtain in Charles Pelby's boyhood as in our time, so neither himself nor his equally industrious wife was able to manage the accounts of their prosperous trade, although they were the sole means of its success. Mrs. Pelby, good soul ! could pickle ancl preserve by the hogsheadful, and though she could scarcely write her own name legibly, it was to her unremitting care that the fine flavoured tongues and hams owed their far-famed excellence. It was a dark November night, and a dense fog covered all London, such a fog as is seldom seen in any other part of England. There was but little business doing, and old Pelby had just ordered the boys to close the shop, when a hackney-coach stopped at the door.

Mr. Pelby wondered what sort of a customer was coming at so unseasonable an hour, but of course he never moved an inch from his usual standing place. A young man alighted from the coach, and entered the shop; he was very tall, rather handsome, and exceedingly dark, with black eyes and hair ; he smiled as he put out his hand to Mr. Pelby, saying, with a slightly foreign accent, ' Plow do you do, sir ? ' Pelby looked hard at him. ' Really, sir, you have the advantage of me, I don't know you.' ' I was not considered a stranger in this house thirteen or fourteen years ago,' said the young man ; ' have you really forgotten Leoni Rivoli ? ' ' Why ! God bless my soul ! Leo ! Why how you have gro — altered I mean.' ' Well, I suppose a man on the verge of thirty does not retain much of the look he had at half that age, but still I hope I am not too much altered to claim my old acquaintance with you and Mrs. Pelby, who I hope is well.' ' Who is that ? ' said Mrs. Pelby, hurrying out from the small parlour behind the shop, and almost before she looked at him, began hugging and kissing Rivoli, much to the amusement of the boys who were putting up the shutters. ' Well, see there now,' says Pelby, ' if these women don't beat the world for knowing any young thing they have once had the care of.

Why, wife, I didn't know him.' ' Not know him,' said she ; ' no, nor more should I, now I come to look at him, why how handsome he is, and how tall, but I knew his voice the moment I heard it, it fairly went through me ; but come in, Leo, my b„oy — Lor' bless me, I musn't call you so now though ! Where have you been all these years ? But come in, come in ! ' ' This is, indeed, like coming to a home,' said the young man, and his fine dark face lighted up with pleasure, as he stood sub missively allowing himself to have his large shawl taken off his neck by Mrs. Pelby. 'There sit down, you seem mortal tired,' said the old lady. ' You must have some thing to eat,' and she busied herself by heaping on the table everything in the way of eatables she could lay her hands on. ' Are you married, Leo ? ' then glancing at his mourning dress, she checked herself, saying, ' but come, eat now, and tell us about yourself by-and-by.' ' I was right to come here in my trouble, I am sure,' said Rivoli — a shade of sadness passing over his face. ' Where else could I have found so true a welcome ? ' ' Oh ! we'll have no trouble to-night,' says Pelby, who was busying himself in setting out the table with the most extraor dinary shaped black bottles, evidently containing liquors that had never passed through the Custom House. ' Is these here boxes to come in ? ' said a rough-headed lad, putting his head in at the parlour-door. ' To be sure they are, you stupid fool,' said his master; then turning to Rivoli, inquir ingly, he said — ' You mean it, don't you ? ' ' I will indeed gladly accept your offer of hospitality for to-night at any rate,' was the reply, ' for my plans are scarcely formed for the future.

I am like a ship which has lost her anchor, and you can well believe how thankful I feel at the prospect of such safe and pleasant harbourage.' ' That's right ! that's right,' said both his entertainers; while they endeavoured to show him how welcome he was, by piling his plate full of eatables. ' And how well you both look after all these years, I should have known you anywhere,' said Rivoli ; then suddenly starting up, he asked — ' But where's the baby ? ' ' The baby ! ' says Mrs. Pelby, laughing. ' Why you forget Kitty is almost fifteen ; but she's at school. We can't have her in Leadenhall Street,' says the mother, looking very sorrowful; 'leastways, the doctors say so.' ' Is she so delicate then ? ' asked Rivoli. ' No ! ' said Pelby, ' she isn't. I won't believe it. She has cheeks like roses.

Oh, she's such a beauty, Leo ! ' Rivoli had no doubt they both thought this of their only child (born when they had given up all hopes of ever having one so near and dear to them, to inherit their hard-earned wealth). Yes, she must be a beauty in their eyes, though she might inherit her father's turned-up nose and ferret-looking eyes; but then she might be like her mother, and though Mrs. Pelby was now an old woman, she still bore traces of having in her youth been something very pleasant to look on. The principal topic of conversation to-night, however, was this their darling, and poor Rivoli was heartily glad when the lateness of the hour put a stop to their wonderful descrip tions of Kitty's cleverness and beauty, and retirement for the night was proposed. After a sound sleep in the little room that had been occupied by him at intervals years before, Rivoli arose, and went down-stairs to join his friends at their morning meal, and was soon busy in answering numerous anxious questions put to him by them. ' I am come to England,' said Rivoli, ' under very different circumstances to those which brought me here so long ago — then a happy boy with the brightest prospects before me — now, a man who must, by his own energies, earn himself a livelihood.

I must get a situation of some sort.' 'A situation!' said old Pelby, looking astonished. ' Yes ! I have a few pounds that will help me on till I find some respectable employ ment,' said Rivoli ; ' but till I make another home. I could not resist coming to my old one here.' ' Quite right too, Leo,' said Mrs. Pelby ; but the old folks were lost in amazement to hear of his present position ; for during the boy's former stay in England — where he had been sent for education — his father was re ported to be a man of great wealth, and the liberality for his son's expenses used to sur prise them, for while at school nothing was denied the boy that money could purchase. What could have brought about this great change ? ' I cannot now tell you all the misfortunes that so suddenly dragged my poor father down,' said Rivoli, sadly. ' Many of them are too painful to speak of.

I would gladly forget them altogether if I could ; he was, however, the dupe of a great villain, and in the bitter struggle to right himself with society, his health gave way. I believe his heart was broken ; he died, however, some months ago, leaving me friendless and almost penniless.' ' Poor Leo ! poor boy ! ' said Mrs. Pelby, putting her white apron to her eyes — ' I am so glad you came to us ! ' ' Yes,' said Rivoli. ' In my overwhelming trouble I could think of no place of refuge but my old home here in England, and so I came. ' But what on earth will you do Vwas old Pelby's next remark, for he could only see before him the highly-indulged, refined, and well-educated schoolboy, whom they had always looked upon as growing up to the inheritance of unheard-of wealth ; therefore he could not realize such a man drudging on to get a living. ' Why, I must work,' said Rivoli ; ' better men than myself have to do so, and surely in this great city something can be found for me to do.

I have had some experience in the shipping trade; and then my being master of the Italian language as well as the French will surely be of some use to me.' ' Aye, it would be for a schoolmaster,' said old Pelby ; ' but for what else ? ' ' Well, I must try that, rather than starve,' answered Rivoli, laughing ; ' but I have no fear — I will live, and live honestly.' ' Well done,' said Mrs. Pelby, brightening up, now that she saw Rivoli more cheerful. ' Oh ! he's sure to do, Pelby. Why shouldn't he?' Pelby shook his head, however, and seemed to think it was a bad job altogether. Rivoli was obliged to hurry off to the docks, to get the remainder of his luggage cleared out ; for he had, for economy's sake, come over in a small trading vessel ; he was absent all the day therefore, and throughout the whole time of his being away, Mrs. Pelby was of little or no use, though it was Satur day, and she was always expected on that day to lend a helping hand in the shop.

She was, however, continually making her escape into the little parlour, and there sitting down and repeating to herself — ' Poor Leo ! poor boy ! what will he do?' It is wonderful to notice how long full grown men — aye, and middle-aged ones, too, — continue to be called ' boys,' in loving par lance, by those who have had to do with them in their youth. ' What will he do ? ' she went on. ' What can he do ? but, then, he's so clever ! too clever ! What can be done ? ' Pelby stood as usual on his one spot all day; but he, too, looked gloomy aud ab stracted.

At length the day closed, the shutters were put up, the one female servant and the shop boys were ordered to bed ; supper was over, and Pelby sat with his usual glass of gin and-water before him. ' He's late,' said he, looking up at his wife, as if he knew that her thoughts as well as his own were on Rivoli. ' Poor Leo ! poor boy ! ' she began. ' I'm afraid that — ' but before she made any fur ther observation, she heard Rivoli's well remembered quick rap at the door, which she hurried to open, and let in their new inmate out of the pouring rain. ' I am very sorry I am so late,' he said to .Mrs. Pelby, as they stood in the darkened shop, while he shook the wet from his clothes ; ' but after I was done at the Custorn House and was coming home, whom do you think I met?' 'Who?' ' Why, Mr. Marden, that used to come here So often years ago: I knew him directly; but, of course, he did not remember me till I introduced myself.' ' Come in, you two, can't you ? ' said old Pelby. ' What do you stay talking out there in the cold for ? ' ' And so you met Marden ? ' continued he, addressing Rivoli, as he came into the parlour. ' Yes ; and a lucky meeting it was for me,' was the answer ; ' he has offered me a situation.' ' Like his imp'udenee ! ' said Mrs. Pelby. ' Now, I thought it very kind of him, knowing I wanted one,' said Rivoli. ' Then did you tell him so ? ' said Pelby. ' Of course I did,' said the astonished Rivoli, for he could not make out why this piece of information was taken in such a spirit by his friends ; but he went on — ' he has offered me a clerkship at a hundred a-year.

I am to let him know to-morrow whether I accept it or not.' ' Then write and say you won't,' said Pelby. ' That's right ! ' said Mrs. Pelby—' their clerk, indeed ! stuck-up things ! I can't abide them ! ' Now, it must be told that Mrs. Pelby, notwithstanding her pleasant looks, was a woman who always had a grievance, and when she could find nothing else to worry herself about, she always fell back on ' them Mardens,' as she always called them ; they had formerly been on very friendly terms, but of late there was but little of the old feeling left; for Mr. Marden (who was a wholesale grocer), after losing his first wife, had married a second one, and this lady c VOL. I. bringing her husband a few hundred pounds in the way of dowry, thought herself rather above such plodding folks as the Pelbys ; in fact, was rather ' stuck up,' as Mrs. Pelby termed it.

So, had it not been for the close intimacy of Kitty Pelby and Ellen Marden, who were at the same school, the acquaint ance would have ceased altogether ; at pre sent, the greatest pleasure of the two families seemed the continual watching for some op portunity to find fault. ' A hundred a-year, indeed ! ' said Pelby, going on with the conversation. ' I'll give you that] much, Rivoli, and keep you well into the bargain. I do want a clerk, but I should never have thought of asking you to sit down among us here. I havn't the im pudence of Marden, who, of late, thinks he can carry all before him.' 'Ay,' said Mrs. Pelby, 'they're fairly off their heads since that woman came with her money, but they'll soon be through it with their extravagant ways.' ' Well ! ' says Pelby, looking hard at Rivoli, ' is it a bargain ? ' ' Yes, and with thanks,' said the young man, rising and taking Pelby's hand; he looked pleased though agitated at this un expected offer. 'I will do my duty to you as a son, sir; you have ever shown kindness towards me, and treated me more like one than a stranger.' ' Oh Pelby ! ' said the old lady, going across the room and giving her husband a hearty kiss, 'you have made me so happy. Poor Leo ! how could he have been com fortable with " them Mardens ? " c2

Chapter II

So Rivoli was again a dweller in the old house in Leadenhall Street, where many happy hours of his youth had been spent. It is true that his proud spirit would some times shrink within him, when he thought of his changed position, but then this great reverse of fortune was more easy to bear here, among comparative strangers, than in his own land where he had occupied so different a station ; he knew too that it was but for a time, as there was every chance of some considerable residue being left of his father's wealth, after a few years had passed, and his present tangled affairs could be brought to some sort of order ; so he looked on his present annoyances, as things that would pass away, and he was more glad to earn what would be the means of living, with the Pelbys, than anywhere else.

Rivoli was a wonderfully energetic man; whatever he undertook to do, into that one thing he threw all his powers, and he was determined to show here in this case, how much he could do — it is true he had beeu engaged as clerk only — but he soon so mixed himself up with the whole of the business, that Pelby, as he stood in his usual place, would gape with wonder to see the amount of work that Rivoli could get through in the course of the day. ' Well, he do get through business surely,' said Pelby to his wife, speaking of Rivoli ; ' he's as clever at it as if he had been born to it.' ' Yes,' answered Mrs. Pelby, ' them Mar dens had a miss in not having him,' and she gave a low chuckling laugh as she thought how they themselves had secured this prize. ' Why the boys and all do twice as much work since he came, and as for myself,' said the old man, ' he seems to leave me nothing to do.' 'And how grand he has made the shop look, too! and what do you think he was talking of yesterday ? ' said Mrs. Pelby. ' What ? ' said her husband. ' Why he said he should speak to you about taking this room into the shop; he said then it would be one of the finest premises in Leadenhall Street.' ' And so it would,' said Pelby, ' but where could we sit then ?

That will never do.' 'Well, he said the large room upstairs ought to be made nice and handsome before Kitty comes to stay at home, and that you and I ought to rest ourselves more from business now we are getting old.' ' Well I never ! if he don't beat the world for planning,' said the old man, and he thought within himself how grateful rest was becoming to him. ' I think Kitty would be all the better for living up-stairs, mind you,' says Mrs. Pelby ; ' and as for myself, I am sure I cannot work as I used to do, these rheumatics trouble me sadly.' ' We must see about it,' said her husband ; ' but it will cost a lot of money; to be sure the business increases so fast that we do want more room.' Thus Rivoli was gradually gaining an ascendency over the old folks, though they did not know it; all he proposed was generally acceded to, and, truth to say, all his plans for extending the business succeeded ; the trade had gone on in the same 'jog-trot' way for years, no new plans were ever formed, but now there seemed to be new life put into it, and the increase of profits soon showed that such exertions only were wanting to make their amount almost double what it was before Rivoli's coming.

Christmas was fast approaching, and Kitty's coming home from school was the standing subject of conversation with Mrs. Pelby, whenever she could get hold of Rivoli, in fact he was almost bored to death, with descriptions" of Kitty's looks and Kitty's ac complishments, for there was not one known but Kitty had acquired it, by Mrs. Pelby's account. Rivoli, however, looked upon her coming home as rather an interruption to their routine of every-day business, and thought she would be sadly in the way, or out of place in the old house, if she was as fine a lady as her mother represented her. ' Is Kitty to come home with " them Mar dens? ' ' was the abrupt question from Mrs. Pelby to her husband one morning when it was drawing very near to the time of Kitty's return. ' Well, I suppose so,' said Pelby. ' When is she coming ? ' 'The day after to-morrow.' ' Well, you see, the Mardens always take a carriage for Ellen, and they give our Kitty a seat in it, and bring her home.' This ex planation was addressed to Rivoli. ' Yes,' said Mrs. Pelby, ' and charge you for half the hire of the carriage : that's one of their ways of looking grand.

I should like to know why our Kitty can't have a carriage sent for her ! ' 'But who's to go with it? I'm sure I shan't,' said Pelby. ' People would stare to see me starting off in a carriage ; why they'd think I had gone mad ! ' ' Then I'll go, if you like,' said Mrs. Pelby; • only I don't much like talking to that prim schoolmistress. I don't mind it when she comes here for her bill; but in her own house, I take it, she's very grand.' In fact, poor Mrs. Pelby felt her own want of education when she came in contact with such persons as Miss Penrose ; and she had natural sensibility enough to know that her mistakes in grammar, and her small vulgari ties, would often heighten the colour in pretty Kitty's cheeks. The girl loved her old parents very dearly, still, her education and associates had lifted her above them ; and though she often reproached herself with this feeling when it came, yet it would come, and she could not help it. ' Let Rivoli go with you,' said the old man. ' I should think he could do the talking for you : he can talk to anyone, let alone Miss Penrose.' Rivoli laughed, and bowed his acknowledg ments for the implied compliment, and said he would have great pleasure in accompanying Mrs. Pelby to Highgate.

So it was settled that a carriage should be hired, and strict orders were given to Rivoli by Mrs. Pelby that he should secure one quite as handsome and nice as ' them Mardens.' In the most healthy and beautiful part of Highgate Miss Penrose's school was situated; and as Rivoli drove Mrs. Pelby, in a smart phaeton, along the crisp, frosty road, on this fine December morning, he thought what a different atmosphere the poor girl would breathe when she came to live in Leadenhall Street. ' It's a beautiful place, isn't it?' asked Mrs. Pelby, as they drove up the hill. ' It's no wonder Kitty is so much better here than in our smoky home ; but when she leaves school we must take her out of town now and then. She has always a headache at Leadenhall Street.' ' I don't wonder at it, coming from this pure air,' said Rivoli. 'It is a charming place indeed !

Is this the house ? ' ' Yes ; ring the bell, and ask for Miss Pelby. I am sure she will be ready, for she knows I am coming for her this morning. I don't want to go in.' Rivoli rang the bell, and a prim servant girl opened the large hall-door, then took a key from behind it, and came slowly down the row of pavement to the gate, which she unlocked. ' We have come for Miss Pelby,' said Rivoli. ' Yes, sir. Will you walk in ? ' ' No, I cannot leave the horse. Tell her that her mamma is in the carriage, and waits for her.' 'But tell her I'm all right,' said Mrs. Pelby, calling out from the carriage. The girl smiled, and so did Rivoli. ' She might be frightened if they told her I couldn't get out of the carriage,' said the thoughtful mother, speaking to Rivoli. ' But here she is.' And as she spoke, a lovely, slim, fair girl, with her gipsy-hat hanging at the back of her head, as the wind and her luxuriant hair had displaced it, came rushing down the path towards the carriage, and almost jumped into Mrs. Pelby's arms.

She hid her beautiful face in a close embrace for a few minutes, and looked up presently at hearing the voice of Miss Penrose, who had followed her slowly down the path. 'Miss Pelby! How very impetuous you are ! You would not have lost much time if you had walked quietly down the garden ; at any rate it would have been more ladylike ! ' ' But not so nice, dear Miss Penrose,' said the blushing girl ; ' and I have been six months away from my dear mother ; and she never came for me herself before — and — ' That will do, my dear,' said the lady governess, holding up her finger. ' Your mamma will not think it your usual style, I hope.' ' It's a very good style I think, ma'am. I suppose the girl may be glad to see her mother?' ' Certainly, Mrs. Pelby. But there is always a fear of young ladies getting into too demon strative a style.

Will you alight, madam ? ' ' No, thank'ee ; I want to get home again,' was the short reply from Mrs. Pelby. 'Then I will see that Miss Pelby's trunks are carried out. Good morning, madam.' And with a sweeping curtsy Miss Penrose returned to the house, with the same majestic walk that she left it. ' Well, I never see such an old frump in my life,' said Mrs. Pelby, looking after Miss Penrose. ' But, Lor' ! here's Leo, Kitty. I never thought of him. Why, Leo, here's Kitty. Isn't she a darling ? ' And the girl was again hugged in her mother's fat arms. The young man took off his hat, and bowed low, with the elegance of a courtier, at least so thought the now blushing Kitty, for her mother ran on with her praises of her as fast as her tongue could give them utterance. At last Kitty, placing her small hand play fully over her mother's mouth, said — ' My boxes are in the carriage now, mother ; shall we start ? ' Rivoli smiled as he again prepared to drive them home, though he felt rather sorry for the girl's confusion, thinking his presence partly the cause of her embarrassment ; but as he sat with his back to them all the way home he could hear Kitty's merry laugh, which assured him that her late confusion had entirely passed away.

MADAME VERNET. And now Kitty was at home, to the great delight of the old folks ; indeed, it was some thing beautiful to see the grand and all absorbing love that they felt for the girl. She was to them the concentration of all their hopes of happiness. She it was for whom they had toiled for years without once feeling that the toil was irksome, for it was to enrich her. She was their mainspring of existence, and their lives went on only as their love for their daughter moved it. Nothing could go on well with them but in reference to her future. Their own comfort had been sacrificed for years by parting with her, but real love cares not for such sacrifices. Though they had but little power to estimate the learning their child seemed so anxious to acquire, still they saw that the pursuit of it would add to her happiness, and they were satisfied.