The Sedgeborough World: a novel

Front matter

VOL. I. St Nobel. By A. FAREBROTHER. IN TWO VOLUMES.— VOL.' I. There's a divinity that shapes our ends, Rough hew them how we will. LONDON: SAMUEL TINSLEY, 34, SOUTHAMPTON ST., STRAND. 1872. [AU Rights of Translation and Reproduction reserved.] £ "3rttcatc THIS AND WHATEVER WORK I MAY DO IN THE FUTURE GTfl S?cr WHO, THOUGH NOW REMOVED FROM THIS WORLD OF SORROW, STILL IS, AS SHE EVER HAS BEEN, THE MOTIVE POWER OF ALL MY WORK ; AND WITH HER NAME I JOIN THAT Of &nt WHO HAS SHARED ALL MY LESSONS AND EXPERIENCES.

Chapter I

" The curtains see Dividing. She is there." It was said by every one in Sedgeborough that Florence Aylrner was appallingly intellectual. This was thought most amusing by her own family, and no one supposed that as she laughed at it herself she was in the least pained. But what we possess we either overrate or undervalue ; and while ordinary girls heard of her with envy, Florence would have given much to have been considered an ordinary girl, and to have escaped the charge of being intellectual. r. It was a source of never-failing wonder to her how it came about that the charge was made. She listened with amazement to the witticisms, lively talk, and delicatelyworded sarcasms which fell naturally from the lips of other women, and felt their authors inspired her with a certain dread. Yet she saw these sought after and courted on all sides, while she, who was never sarcastic or severe, was avoided by most men and women of her own age.

The only solution of the problem at which she could arrive was, that she could never speak without seriously meaning what she said, and involuntarily led conversation to literary subjects. She envied the talent which enabled others to talk for hours in lively and amusing strains, and all about nothing. For her own part, she found after a conversation with any one, she had always given and drawn forth thought; while her mother, and her sister Lois, a girl still in the school-room, would not in the same time have penetrated beneath the surface, and would have been pleasant and amusing without having said anything which could be remembered afterwards. Florence was painfully aware that it is a great mistake to treat of a serious sub ject in general conversation, and yet time after time she fell into the mistake, and constantly exposed the woefid ignorance of her interlocutor, much to their mutual con fusion.

Thus it was she gained the reputation of being appallingly intellectual. She was not accomplished, like other girls who were yet called commonplace, and of whom no one was afraid. She could neither play nor sing a note — music, indeed, was often a positive pain to her. She had learnt to draw to please her father, who wished her to do something like other women ; but then not even the most partial critic could call her drawings more than tolerable. She declared that some day she would fall from her pinnacle, and be found out to be a pitiful pretender, and then she would be treated with ignominy, ' ' which will be very hard, as I am sure it is no pleasure to me to be placed up here," she said woefully. Her elder sister, Lizzie, laughed when she heard this ; for she was perfectly satisfied in her own mind that Florence would never be proved to be a --pitiful pretender," and believed even more implicitly than others in her sister's intellectual powers.

From her face alone Florence would have gained the character of being intellectual. It was a beautiful face. When seen in repose you thought you would wish her never to move ; but when she smiled you wished the smile would always remain. The smile, however, was fleeting as it was sweet. It came apparently to provoke a desire to see it again. Her face was oval, while the dark blue eyes were full of thought and depth; and if you have seen Gruido's Magdalene, you know the colour and the beauty of the hair, which was allowed to fall low over the broad forehead. She was about five feet nine inches in height, and moved with a serene grace and dignity, of which she was all un conscious. The white, well-shaped, rather large hands, were indicative of a character somewhat devoid of practical activity or mechanical power.

When Florence was twelve, Mrs. Aylmer engaged a lady as governess to her children, whose sole delight was in scientific and philo sophical studies. She had been attracted by Florence at once, and had devoted herself to the cultivation of an intellect which would, she believed, repay her by sympathy and comprehension. Up to this time Florence had not been strong, and was much confined to the house ; and when the general work of lessons was over, Miss Frost would proceed to effect the proposed cultivation by reading with her on subjects of which the generality of women are almost ignorant. The strain put on her mind dming the day would often leave Florence exhausted and worn out in the evening, when, nevertheless, she had to appear in the drawing-room and take the part of a woman in conversation.

Mrs. Aylmer had doubted the advisability of this method of education, but had hesitated so long before taking steps to put an end to it, that finally these steps were never taken. But as Florence's mind was strong and healthy, this over-exertion did not leave the evil effects that might have been anticipated, and now, at the age of eighteen, she was quite capable of being a companion to Miss Frost, who still remained as governess to Lois. Florence's claims to being considered in tellectual were, therefore, these: — She could read and speak German and French fluently, and was well read in the classical and modern literature of both countries, as well as in that of her own ; for Mrs. Aylmer had herself directed her daughter's English studies, which no one was better qualified than she to do.

Florence moreover could have passed a fair examination in Greek and Latin. Her historical studies had left her mind a blank as to dates; but the social and political conditions of the different nations were familiar to her ; and I would beg of you only to think how pleasant it would be if we could only say the same. She was well versed in the theories main tained by the different philosophical teachers of ancient and modem times, from Thales to Comte; and, above all, she could have enlightened you as to the undulatory theory of light, radiation, the colour and structure of the sky, and the polarization of its light, — and would have found pleasure in so doing. I fear had. her godfathers and godmothers inquired into her religious doctrines, they would hardly have been satisfied. She could not say more of the Apostles' Creed than the first clause ; but she did say that clearly, firmly, and truthfully, — so truthfully, indeed, that any weakening of her faith would have darkened the world to her.

In her mind, moreover, might have been found the ele mental constituents of all true religion — reverence, awe, truth, and love. There were some people, who were nearly enough related to have a right to be dis agreeable, who told Mrs. Aylmer that she had brought up her family badly, and that, having sown the wind, she must expect to reap the whirlwind. Mrs. Aylmer had borne all such prophecies with wonderful cquanimity, being secretly well satisfied with her own progeny. Her eldest son, Sydney, had done well at school, and had now gained golden opinions at Oxford, where he had just taken a good fellowship. Mr. Aylmer, who had always declared that Sydney was too fond of re finements and subtleties ever to do much, was obliged to admit that -he had every cause for satisfaction. Sydney had wished to study medicine, but his father, who seldom interfered with the tastes and wishes of his children, put a direct veto on this. •* He would not have any son of his a dirty drug-maker."

" The noblest profession there is," mur mured Sydney ; but he was young then, and submitted, which he would not have done had he been called on to decide the question now that he was two-and-twenty years of age. He was of a naturally inde pendent disposition, and none of his people knew much of his plans, occupations, or thoughts. He wrote to his mother when he had anything of importance to say, and prided himself on these short notes being direct and to the point. He was not inti mate with any of his sisters, as he looked upon women as curious and unsatisfactory phenomena. But since they were evils necessary to the conditions of life, he would have inculcated on them the old nursery rhyme — Speak when you are spoken to, Do as you are bid ; Shut the door after you, And you'll never be chid.

The women-kind, therefore, belonging to him did not at all conform to his ideas of what was suitable ; and having found it vanity and vexation of spirit to endeavour to teach them their true position in the scheme of creation, he avoided them gene rally when at home. For Lizzie, indeed, he had some regard, ** for she had pretensions to good sense, and an idea, though indis tinct, of the fitness of things," and he would condescend to notice her occasionally, as a sign of his approval. He thought Florence a monstrosity; and as for Lois, she should be kept in the nursery, and be put on a course of bread and water till the sharp edge was taken off her tongue. At all this his mother smiled, and thought he ** was young enough yet, poor boy ; but he would be bitten more severely than others when his time came."

For Mrs. Aylmer looked on falling in love as a disease which all men must have sooner or later, as their dogs have distemper. Her daughter Lizzie Mrs. Aylmer also felt to be very satisfactory. She was not clever, it is true, "but then, poor thing, she is so sensible." Mrs. Aylmer could rely on her to be always ready at the right moment, and always to say the right thing. She could entertain all the dull and commonplace people, such as heavy young men, from whom Mrs. Aylmer's brightest sallies could not draw forth a spark, and who, when turned over to Lizzie, were metamorphosed into very pleasant, agreeable companions. More over, though Lizzie's features were by no means classical or delicately chiselled, her rich brown hair, fair face, and bright cheeks, made her look quite pretty. She had a sweet voice also, and had learnt enough music to be able to play simple accompaniments to her singing on the piano.

Lois was most like her mother of any of her children in face and character, although her mental capabilities would never equal those of Mrs. Aylmer. Lois was thirteen years of age, was dark-haired, dark-eyed, and vivacious, to whom Miss Frost found it a vain attempt to endeavour to teach what she had taught Florence, She declared that Hegel's theories were --lunatic," that she could have invented better herself; and as for the Institutes of Metaphysics, they were all full of egoism, and she had enough of that without it being brought into her lessons. On the other hand, Huxley and Spencer might be very well-meaning and very in teresting for those who understood their writings — she could not, that was all ; and as for Newton's apple, she believed it would have fallen to the ground without any law of gravitation, -- for you see it grew ripe, and then — why it fell, of course."

She liked reading -- in moderation, you know," as long as she read about things of which she could afterwards talk with effect; for she could not bear to be ignorant on any subject which was talked of in her presence, and had always something to say — whether that something was sensible or not, might be a question. Notwithstanding her contempt for Hegel, she was unwittingly a disciple of his, in so far that she believed that whatever she thought must be true. She would, for instance, give forth opinions on subjects of which she had never heard before, with an ** it stands to reason, you know," — which generally proved to be very convincing to the uninitiated. The other remaining child, Charles, a boy of eight, had as yet shown no particular talent, except one for dirtying himself and his clothes on every occasion.

It is true he had hinted with mysterious gravity, that probably when he grew to be a man he might become a butler where two foot men were kept, and was exceedingly hurt when this confidence was not treated with the consideration it deserved. It was Mrs. Hamilton, the wife of her eldest brother, who had told Mrs. Aylmer most clearly, that she thought she was bringing up her family ill. '■No child of mine should speak until it is spoken to, before coming to years of dis cretion ; nor should she mix freely in society, as yours do, Evelyn," she had said. -' But then, you see," replied Mrs. Aylmer with spirit, "my girls are not to be intro duced into London society and make great marriages." *- 1 really think you should take them to London." -- Nonsense, Cornelia, you know as well as I that we could not afford it, and would not care about it if we could."

"I suppose you could not; but it is a pity." •'I don't see that. My girls will have very pleasant society in Sedgeborough, and as' much of it as will be good for them. I am afraid when you have succeeded in getting into London society, you will be hardly repaid for your ' pains. At least, all the Londoners that I have seen — and, thank heaven, they have been few ! — have either been most ordinary people, or so heartily tired of themselves and everybody else, that I could have jumped like a school-girl when I got away from them." "Well, my dear Evelyn, as you say, you have met few of them. But it is the way you let your girls speak to you that I think is not wise. Perhaps it is the fashion among you Sedgeborough folks." -* As my girls are rational, I treat them like rational beings ; course all girls could not be treated in the same way," she said, with meaning.

" Lois is becoming a regular little vixen," — and Mrs. Hamilton laughed. She and Mrs. Aylmer never hesitated to use to each other any words that might occur to them; and when it suited her humour, no woman could speak with such unblushing insolence as Mrs. Hamilton. She would, however, have found many people to agree with her as to the way Mrs. Aylmer allowed her daughters to speak to her. She was much more like their sister, and when she spoke sharply to them, thought nothing of receiving a sharp reply. She did not deny that they had all quick and excitable tempers ; but then it was her theory that a storm of thunder and lightning clears the air, and to be "liable to it" occasionally was, to her mind, infinitely preferable to living with a smouldering volcano. "Poor Dick," she said, thinking of her brother, "I would not be in his place for worlds."

Mr. Aylmer was a lawyer by profession, and was considered a most able man. He was very silent when at home, and though VOL. i. c fond of his children, and proud of them, he left their management entirely to his wife. Therefore, the whole responsibility of their education fell upon her. " And I am sure I have a handful with you all," she said. "Only mamma, dear," said Lois, "like a wise woman, you don't attempt to keep us in hand."

Chapter II

" Their tongue is a sharp sword." " Thought is the soul of act * * * * * * * and incorporeally affects The world producing deeds, but not by deeds." - * How provoking ! Here is a letter from your Aunt Cornelia, saying she is coming to town this afternoon, will call here, and hopes to find some of us at home," said Mrs. Aylmer, impatiently, one afternoon on which she and her two eldest daughters were engaged to go to her mother-in-law's. " Oh ! mamma, take Lois with you, if Miss Frost will spare her, and let me stay at home," cried Florence; "we have been living in such a whirl of gaiety lately, I shall be quite glad of the holiday. I don't think Aunt Cornelia will stay long." "It is very provoking. Cornelia's visits are like angels' only so far as they are few and far between ; she always manages to time them badly.

There are to be some very pleasant people at the old lady's." - ' I assure you, mamma, I shall feel quite grateful to Aunt Cornelia, if she will only not stay long. I don't think, after all, that more than an horn's talk will be endurable about Mr. So-and-So, who is so charming, and is second son of a second son of a noble lord, or perhaps only of some honourable baronet." "You are becoming quite sarcastic, Flo rence," laughed Lizzie. " If you go on this way, you will soon show some of that appal ling intellect about which we have all heard." -' Shall I go, then, mother," said Florence, rising, " and ask Miss Frost to spare Lois to go with you?" ** Yes ; and remember you must ask your aunt to stay. Say how much pleasure it would give me to see her, as I am sure I never could be so unblushing as to say it myself." -* And so you ask me to be unblushing for you ?

No, I thank you," answered Florence, smiling, as she left the room. The school-room was up stairs, and when Florence came in, Lois was being examined in the history of Bysantium. Miss Frost granted leave for her to go with her mother, at which she collected her books gleefully, declaring that she was convinced "good, kind Miss Frost would not regret this, for she, Lois, was sure it would be much better for her to listen to her grandmother's expe riences and wisdom, than to learn about * dreadful, shocking women like the Empress Irene.' " This outburst did not draw a smile from the governess's face, and Florence laughingly bade her sister be gone, and be silent, and drawing a low chair to the fire, said, " I intend to enjoy the luxury of an idle aftenoon." "Luxury?" questioned Miss Frost. "I hoped you might intend to read with me."

Miss Frost spoke in low tones, but her voice was hard and grating. She was a woman whose appearance was called, even by her best friends, " unfortunate." Her complexion was swarthy, pallid, and unhealthy, while the shape of her face was square, from the square broad forehead to the square broad chin. Nature, moreover, seemed to have forgotten to give her a nose, until she had only sufficient material left to form an excuse for one, which hardly rose above the surface. Her teeth were large and prominent, being placed in her gums at long irregular inter vals, so that when her lips were closed her mouth was distorted. Her hair was black and cut short, giving no relief to the shortcomings of her face, while her thick eye brows ran across in straight lines. But it was her eyes which beggared description.

They were large in size, and, if they had any pretensions to colour, it was to a faint green, much of the white being shown be neath and at each side of the pupil. It always seemed as though she were looking at you through a mist of thought, and from a world far removed from yours. It must be admitted that her face was as intellectual and striking as it was unprepossessing. Mr. Aylmer's daily prayer was, that Lois might be emancipated from the school-room, and Miss Frost dismissed. It was enough to make a man cut his throat, he said, to be forced to live with such an appearance, — her eyes and teeth haunted him : he saw them in his business-room, and he saw them in the dark watches of the night. "Good heavens!" he once exclaimed to his wife ; " what have I clone to deserve such a fate ?" " As what?" she inquired, in surprise.

"As to be forced to live in the house with such an object." Miss Frost's manners were cold, almost repellent; and people said of her, "She is an embodied Intellect, not a woman." But Florence could have told a different tale. She knew that Miss Frost's love was difficult to win ; but, when once won, that no trials, however severe, would weaken its intensity. She had no affections which could be rightly or easily given away to all comers, for she knew too well that strangers were repelled by her for them to be any thing but repellent to her. But for the one or two whom she did love, it would be no extravagance to say that she would go through fire and water for them. Florence rose from her seat. "What a reproof," she said. "I know though how I shall get into favour again ; " and going to the bookcase, she brought out a new work by Helmholtz.

" I shall read this to you," she continued. She had not, however, been allowed to read much before a servant came to tell her that Mrs. Hamilton was in the drawing-room. Helmholtz was put away hastily, for Florence knew that her aunt was a terrible person for any one lower than a countess to keep waiting. " My dear Florence, how well you look !" was the greeting she received ; "it was really good of Evelyn to leave me the slower of her flock. What ! not forgotten to blush yet, though you have come out ? Well, have the good folks of Sedgeborough been gay? Come, and tell me all about it." Mrs. Hamilton was a tall, handsome woman, who appeared hardly more than thirty years of age. She was usually much admired, but her features were hard, and seemed as though they had been cut out of wood. She was a woman who had never known what it was to blush, and who allowed the principles of truth to be no inconvenience to her.

She would have quite despised her self, had she allowed herself to be restrained by anything so petty. * ' How do you like being a come-out young lady?" she continued, sitting beside Florence, and surveying her in a cool, leisurely way, as from an eminence. " How did Agatha enjoy her season last year?" asked Florence. *- Oh ! immensely. Do you mean to say we have not met since we went to London last year ? How strange !" " Not very strange, I think. We were abroad all last summer, and you seldom come here. By the bye, mamma was obliged to go out; but she told me to tell you she hoped you would stay." ' - Quite impossible ! I have only come for a little indispensable shopping. I must be home this evening by seven o'clock, in time to dress for dinner. What do you say to coming out now, and giving me the help of your taste in my purchases?"

Florence rose with alacrity. She believed it would be infinitely preferable to go out shopping than to be shut up in the house with her Aunt Cornelia for a long tete-k tete. "You have not told me how you liked your balls," went on Mrs. Hamilton, as soon as they were out. " I never dance ; so I don't go to balls." ** Not dance ? What 's that for ? Religious notions?" " I do not like it." " Perhaps you did not find the partners Sedgeborough could afford all that could be wished?" "I have never been to a ball ; but I should think men danced as well in Sedgeborough as anywhere else." " Should you ? You have had so much experience, you know." " Well, I have not noticed any deformity about them, which would prevent their dancing well ; but perhaps that may be from my Sedgeborough eyes." And Florence hated herself for having answered her aunt pettishly.

" It is a pity you could not go to London. Now you must tell me what milliners' shops you patronize, and what sort of wares they keep. Are they any way tolerable ?" Florence thought her mother would have said, " Oh, well enough for us good folks of Sedgeborough. I wonder you did not tele graph to London or Paris for. what you wanted." She contented herself, however, with replying that she would take her aunt to the best shops, such as they were. It was late before Mrs. Hamilton was satis fied with the goods shown her, and when Florence left her at the station, she was heartily and thoroughly tired of what she had hoped would prove a holiday. She had just time to prepare for dinner at seven. As they waited in the drawing-room for the guests to arrive, Mrs. Aylmer questioned Florence as to how she had enjoyed herself.

" Oh ! mamma, she says I am the flower of your flock, and am to, pay her a long visit soon," said Florence, and her face was very woeful. " Well, you shall have Ernest Stuart to take you to dinner," laughed her mother. " His sister's brother must be clever, so I hope you may be rewarded by a pleasant evening." "I don't think even being his sister's brother could redeem a curate from unin terestingness," said Lizzie. The arrival of their friends here put an end to further talk ; and a few minutes after Florence was going down to the dining-room with Mr. Stuart. "You have just returned home, have you not?" she asked, to begin a conversation which she expected, from what she could judge from the gravity of his expression, would not be of the most lively. *- Yes ; I came from London three days ago."

" I suppose it is very dull at this time of year." " London is never dull ; at least, not to me ; but, then, I suppose the place where a man's work is, must always be the most interesting to him. The same as her home is never dull to a woman." " I am afraid the correctness of that last generalization, at least, might be disputed." " Yes, I suppose I was wrong, or we should not have so many women who seek relief from ennui in the pleasures of society. I have myself met so few of these, and so thoroughly believe in the home-loving, home keeping woman being the true type of her sex, that, for the moment, I had forgotten their existence." " There are many women who find the greatest pleasure in mixing in society, and to whom the exclusiveness of an entirely do mestic life would be very irksome.

A man is not supposed to be satisfied with merely domestic interests, and I do not see why a woman should, who by nature is even more socially inclined." " Have you got on that weighty subject — the comparative merits of the two sexes — Miss Florence ? Pray speak louder, that we may have the benefit of your observations. Mrs. Aylmer, may I beg that you will call for silence ? Miss Florence Aylmer is going to be kind enough to speak to us." Mr. Carrick, a cousin of Mr. Aylmer's, who was often in the house, and who said this, was seated opposite Florence, and had been listening to her for some time. Notwith standing some disadvantages of personal appearance, his quiet self-possession and com posure under all circumstances, and the consideration with which he expressed him self, did not fail to carry weight.

" It only is, mamma, that Mr. Carrick wants there to be silence, that he may be heard talking," said Florence, when appealed to. " We are waiting to hear you talk, Mr. Carrick, now that you have silenced us," said a Miss Cadogan. " Really, Mrs. Aylmer, I feel so distressed, you can't think, that I should have caused Miss Cadogan to be silent. I know what a restriction it must be. Pray, beg her to speak on, since Miss Florence Aylmer will not give us the benefit of her learning, after all." "You think I like talking?" asked Miss Cadogan. " I know you do," he replied, laughing a little. "You are . interrupting general conversation, Mr. Carrick ; so I beg you will either be silent, or confine your attention to your next neighbour," said Mrs. Aylmer. "But, when my next neighbour will have none of my attention, it is rather hard.

Miss Scott, do you hear ? Mrs. Aylmer says you are to attend to me, and not to Captain Legrand. It is all Mr. Aylmer's fault, that we have gone wrong, for talking to his left hand neighbour." After this interlude, general conversation began again. But Florence, for one, felt VOL. i. d the second beginning more difficult than the first. " Does yom sister Anne still attend the lectures on Comparative Philology this year ?" she asked. "No; I am glad to say, she has given them up. She had no time — her other work was much more important." "Do you think so? Do you not think that the cultivation of a talent must always be important ? " "I do not see of what importance a more thorough knowledge of Comparative Philology could be to her ; but, at any rate, the value of her other work was such as far to outweigh any it might have."