The Curate and the Rector; a domestic story

Front matter

miss bmii.i eleonoha's VISIT TO the cottage of ekxts THE BLACKSMITH.— P. 62. THE CURATE AND THE RECTOR. % gomesiix §$loxv. BT ELIZABETH STRUTT, AUTHOE OF " CHANCES AND CHANGES," "DOMESTIC EESIDENCE IN SWITZEBLAND,'* etc. etc. etc. " The great and small but rarely meet On terms of amity complete/' — Cowfee. LONDON: EOUTLEDGE, WAENE, & E0UTLEDGE, FAERINGDON STREET; NEW YORK: 66, WALKER STREET. 1859. CONTENTS. 1. THE EQUESTRIAN AND THE PEDESTRIAN page 1 2. THE CURATE'S JOURNAL 7 3. PARENTAL ADMONITIONS 11 4. THE CURATE'S JOURNAL 15 5. A SCENE AT THE " ROEBUCK" 19 6. THE CURATE'S JOURNAL 31 7. WHO CAN HE BE ? 38 8. THE CURATE'S JOURNAL 42 9. MORE GOSSIP 49 10. THE CURATE'S JOURNAL . . 54 11. THE WORLDLY AND THE ROMANTIC 59 12. THE CURATE'S JOURNAL 66 13. PERPLEXITIES 68 14. THE CURATE'S JOURNAL 71 15. AN UNEXPECTED RENCONTRE 73 16. THE CURATE'S JOURNAL 82 17. THE DINNER FROM THE " ROEBUCK " 90 18. A LOTE-

LETTER 96

19. THE RECTOR IN HIS MAGISTERIAL CAPACITY 106 20. THE CURATE'S JOURNAL 118 21. THE RECITATION 123 22. THE CONFESSION I32 23. AN INVESTIGATION 139 24. THE CURATE'S JOURNAL 149 25. COLLEGE BILLS AND THEOLOGICAL ARGUMENTS 157 26. THE CURATE'S JOURNAL 172 27. THE HERMITAGE WITHOUT A HERMIT 176 28. THE CURATE'S JOURNAL 184 29. THE CURATE'S JOURNAL CONTENTS. IV 30. NEW ARRANGEMENTS VaQe 196 31. THE CURATE'S JOURNAL 202 32. THE FIRST PRESENT 214 33. THE CURATE'S JOURNAL 221 34. PROS AND CONS 224 35. THE CURATE'S JOURNAL 234 36. RECOGNITIONS AND EXPLANATIONS 239 37. A RETROSPECT 255 38. LA DAME DE SOCIETY 271 39. INCIDENTS AT HARROGATE 276 40. FRENCH LEAVE 298 41. THE ELOPEMENT 303 42. THE LOST ONE FOUND 318 43. COURTSHIP 339 44. CONSTERNATION AT THE " ROEBUCK" 346 45. DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND 359 46.

Chapter II. The Curate's Journal

Received of Doctor Plufty, the sum of twenty-five pounds, being my half-year's stipend, due the tenth of last month. I ought to have applied for it before, but it is always so painful to me to ask for money, and I thought it possible the doctor might, as he generally has done, send it — most likely it had escaped his memory. The morning was fine when I set off ; a brisk wind during the night had dried the causeway, which was very fortunate, for in a walk of eleven miles, a slip back every three or four steps makes a great deal of difference. The sun shone brightly ; a light hoar-frost had sprinkled the red berries of the hawthorn ; the air was bracing, and everything looked cheerful. I felt in good spirits, and full of hope. As I went along I repeated to myself, for the hundredth time, the form of words in which I would ask the doctor to raise my salary ; I persuaded myself he would not object to so reasonable a request, after nineteen years' and four months' service on my part to his predecessor and himself; and I pleased myself with the thought of getting winter gowns for my daughters, which, poor things, they greatly want ; and, perhapsa coat for myself, which I could have a bargain, as it has been worn a little time.

Whilst I was indulging in these speculations, a dashing young fellow passed me at a full canter, and by a sudden start of his horse (a beautiful creature it was), splashed me from head to foot — it was unlucky, but he could not help it. The stockings which Margaret had sat up darning last night till eleven o'clock, and my coat which Lucy had brushed before I set out, so vigorously that I was forced to tell her to desist, or she would not leave a morsel of nap upon it, were covered with mud ; by dint, however, of scraping and rubbing, and letting it dry, and then rubbing again and scraping, I was tolerably presentable when I got to the Rectoiy — but it damped me. The doctor, moreover, was engaged " on business of importance," the footman said ; and this kept me waiting so long in a room without a fire that the healthy glow I had felt from my walk began to change to a cold fit that made my teeth chatter in my head.

The groom was walking a fine blood-horse up and down before the window, with a cloth over it that it might not get chilled. I saw in a moment it was the same animal that had splashed me on the road, and I waited impatiently for the young man who had ridden it to make his appearance, as I imagined it must be he with whom the doctor was so particularly engaged. I was mistaken, however, for whilst I was yet anxiously watching the horse and groom, the bell rang, and the servant came to tell me that the doctor would see me. Alas ! my spirits and my courage had fled ; I was shown into the back drawing-room ; the doctor was seated in his large library chair ; the table near him was covered with books in splendid bindings, among which was a magnificent polyglot Bible in red morocco; and a massive silver inkstand occupied the Gentre.

I could not help looking at my shoes, for I was afraid they might dirty the carpet. I always feel oppressed in the presence of the doctor, especially in his own house — he looks, to me, bigger there than anywhere else. He received me, I thought, with even less than his usual courtesy — it might be my fancy, or something might have discomposed him, for he appeared flushed ; whatever it was, however, he did not ask me to sit down — in fact, he seemed in haste to get rid of me. He paid me my twenty-five pounds, counting it twice over, because he thought, the first time, he had given me a pound too much, took my receipt, and then looked at me as much as to say, " I believe there is nothing more to settle between us." How my heart beat ! my tongue seemed to cleave to the roof of my mouth, and my forehead was covered with a cold damp, which, nevertheless, relieved the faintness that was fast coming over me.

" Is there any thing else you wish to say, Mr. Slender 1 " inquired the doctor. The tone of his voice sounded a little more con ciliatory than at first, and I took courage — for when I thought of my daughters, I reproached myself for my cowardice — to say that I wished to throw myself on his consideration, for some moderate addition to my salary, as, in the present state of things, I found it scarcely possible to live on so very small an income, with the decent appearance which it became a clergyman to make. In an instant I saw the helplessness of my appeal, and would have given half of what I had just received to have had the words back again. The doctor's countenance clouded over, and became redder still, like the sun in a fog. " So very small an income ! " Mr. Slender, said he, throwing his head back, and elevating his eyebrows, and staring at me with such an expression of surprise as really put me out of countenance.

" I don't know what you mean ! very odd language, I think, to use to, me; you talk of appearances, I should be glad to know what appearances you have to keep up compared with mine — yes, sir, mine, which are incumbent and unavoidable. Sir, you don't know what you are talking about. When I consider what claims I have upon me, I think I am extremely liberal ; more so, indeed, than I ought to be, in giving you, of my own free will, a salary of fifty pounds a year, when I could get a dozen young men, before next Sunday, who would be thankful to do the duty for forty." " And I, sir," I replied, " should have been thankful, per haps, for forty, when I was a young man, or even now, if I had not a family." " Yours can scarcely be called a family, Mr. Slender ; you have only two girls, I believe ; no sons to maintain at col lege, as I have, at a great expense."

" True, sir, but my daughters are no longer children ; they are fast approaching to womanhood. Margaret is eighteen, and Lucy " " That is all in your favour, Mr. Slender," interrupted the doctor ; " they ought now to be able to get a living for themselves." I was going to reply, but he arose. "Mr. Slender," said he, "I am particularly engaged to-day;" and, indeed, as he spoke I heard the clattering of knives and forks, and the young ladies laughing and talking to some visitors in the next room, — " and therefore I cannot enter, just now, into any further particulars respecting your affairs ; indeed, it only rests with yourself to determine whether it will be agreeable to you" (agreeable, what a word !) " to do the duty of Creykedale for forty pounds per annum, or not — for I really, do not, now that I come to consider the thing seriously, think it just to my family to give more.

You will, if you please, give me your decision within the week, and I shall act accordingly." He bowed as he spoke, and put his hand upon the bell. I bowed too, and departed ; but I thought I could not have understood him aright, so terrible did his words sound in my ears. I was thunderstruck. I had always found him stately, and somewhat cold ; but never before did I see him so haughty, so disdainful. It must be " some enemy hath done this." He did not even ask me to stay dinner, which he always used to do. I had counted on the invitation, for I had left home fasting ; it was so early for my poor Margaret, I was unwilling she should leave her bed this cold weather before daylight, to prepare my breakfast. I was faint and weary, and had eight miles to go back ; and the day, too, had changed, and a drizzling mist began to obscure all the country, which, at sunrise, had looked so cheerful and so pleasant.

I bought a roll at a baker's, at the end of the village, and ate it a3 I went along ; but it was with difficulty I could get it down, for, when I thought of the future, my heart seemed to die within me. Shame on thee, Thomas ! Is it not that, like him whose name thou bearest, thou art weak of faith, and canst only believe what thou seest with thy carnal eyes? Hast thou not a Father who carest for thee in the heavens ? Has not that Father said, " Trust in the Lord, and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed ? " Ah ! let me be thankful for what remains to me. What if my rashness had lost me my office entirely ! If it be as the doctor says, that so many could live respectably upon forty pounds a year, why, I must try and do the same, though it does not allow two shillings a day to feed and clothe three persons, besides fuel and little incidental expenses.

But is there not the promise of Him who clothes the lilies of the field ? — He who giveth " to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry." And besides, perhaps we shall be able to retrench in some small matters. Alas ! the doctor little thinks how hardly we live, even at present ; if lie did, surely he would not thus add to my anxieties for the future. " Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us ; for we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud."

Chapter III. Parental Admonitions

Mr. Slender had, at least, the consolation, on his return home, of finding smiling faces and the kettle boiling. Margaret, his eldest daughter, who, with her sister Lucy, had already taken tea at one o'clock, as a succedaneum for something more substantial, now strove to give an additional relish to this second edition of the same, by remarking how refreshing it was. Whilst the curate and his daughters were thus contented to sip the cups "Which cheer, but not inebriate," Dr. Plufty was sticking his fork under the wing of a pheasant that had succeeded the giblet soup, the fish, and the saddle of mutton ; his better half was at the same time claiming preference for a dish of macaroni, au gratin ; and Miss Emily Eleonora, with an abstracted air, was sentimentally facilitating the union, sanctioned from time immemorial by the wise, of hot apple tart and custard.

The family party had received an addition since the morning; it was, however, only the family addition of the son and heir, who had turned his horse's head from Trinity towards Gormanton, on the speculation of gaining a still more famous appetite than that for which he was famous already. The substantials, the relishes sweet and savoury, and the finale of cheese and celery, being despatched in due rotation, the appearance of the dessert served as a signal for the recommencement of the ephemeral topics which had been interrupted by the analysis of more solid things. " And so Clement Courtney called this morning," said the incipient Reverend Augustus Middleton Plumtree Plufty. " Yes ; and he stayed so long — indeed, he generally does," returned Mrs. Plufty, looking complacently towards her eldest daughter, — "that he was afraid he should scarcely be back in time for dinner at Thornton Hall."

" Then, sure enough, his fears were rightly founded," rejoined her son, " for I met him myself, not two hours ago, in an exactly opposite direction, viz., going to Barnwell." " To Barnwell ? How very odd ! — when he said he was in such a hurry ? " exclaimed Miss Plufty. " How very mysterious ! " exclaimed Miss Emily Eleonora. " How very improper ! " remarked Mrs. Plufty. " It is not at all odd," said Mr. Augustus Middleton Plumtree Plufty, " for the players are there, and some con founded pretty girls there are among them : there is a little vixen of a Jewess, that plays tragedy — it would do your heart good to see her stab herself in " Roxalana ;" — and as to its being mysterious, Miss Emily, Courtney, at any rate, makes no mystery of it, for he goes to Barnwell every day of his life, and sometimes three times a day ; I have met him on the road as often myself."

" Then you must have been going there as often, by your own account," said Doctor Plufty, " and that, you must allow, is not very proper — for you, at any rate ; it is nothing very creditable even to Mr. Courtney, who is a man of large in dependent fortune ; in you, Augustus, who have your fortune to make, it is the height of imprudence." " I stand corrected," said the representative elect, with an air of the utmost deference ; for he had certain bills in his pocket, for the receipts to which he had to rely on his father's good humour. " Nay, my dear boy," said the doctor, " I do not want to be hard upon you. I do not look for old heads upon young shoulders ; but it is my duty to tell you, as a parent, aud as a person of no inconsiderable degree of weight, that we of the Established Church live in argumentative and disputa tious times, when our comforts are looked upon with an evil and grudging eye, our rights contested, and even our useful ness disputed ; therefore it is doubly incumbent on us to keep up appearances, and give no room for the criticisms of the illiberal, or the liberal, as the demagogical fault-finders of the present day arrogantly choose to style themselves."

" I understand, sir — ' assume a virtue though you have it not ;' that's just what Shirley says so well in ' Hamlet : ' and, by-the-by, he does that part capitally ; he would be as great in it as Macready if he would not be so pedantic, and persist in playing it in such an abominably rusty suit, pieced, too, at the elbows, because he will have it, forsooth, that as Shakspeare makes the Prince of Denmark speak of his customary suit of solemn black, it could not be a new suit, — nay, most probably was absolutely an old one, from his holding, on account of ' his weakness and his melancholy,' but little intercourse with his tailor." " I dare say Mr. Shirley has very good reasons for his commentary," said the doctor, seizing the finest bunch of grapes on the plate, and then politely handing the re mainder to his wife ; " but, remember, Augustus, you have two very important duties to perform in society — that of the gentleman, and that of the divine ; and it is incum bent on you not to compromise either the one or the other by any of your outward actions or associates.

The world, Augustus, will judge of you by your connections and your success ; and if you do not get forward you will only have yourself to blame, for you must do me the justice to acknowledge that I have always given you the best advice, and never set you any bad example of familiarity with inferiors." " Nor am I familiar with them, sir," said Augustus, " if by inferiors you mean decidedly vulgar people — snobs, like farmers' sons, and shopkeepers, or would-be gentlemen on small means ; but some people are privileged from the nature of their pursuits — a bang-up bruiser, for instance ; we all know the first peer of the realm will talk with him, walk with him, and dine with him, and clap him on the back ; and a player, too, has generally something taking, something of the gentleman about him, — a good one, I mean, like Shirley ; he could not act Ranger so well as he does if he had not."

" So much the worse," said Doctor Plufty ; " it makes him all the more dangerous companion ; an unprofitable one he is sure to be : it is not by such intimacies, Augustus, you can ever hope to get on in the Church ; you ought, at your time of life, to be looking to the future ; you ought to study the characters of the young noblemen about you, and pin yourself to the sleeve of some one or other of them, who may have it in his power to give you a lift in the way of preferment ; you should fall into his views, and adopt his tastes, and make yourself first agreeable, and gradually necessary to him. There's Lord Orville, for instance, you know his father, the Earl of Maltravers, is an influential man ; now, if you were to study him thoroughly, and play your cards well, I might be Dean of E — one day or other ; and I fancy you would all think that a very pretty thing."

" I have studied him, and tried him, too," said Augustus, " and for a term or two we got on very well together ; but he was quite altered in the long vacation ; he cut us all when he came back ; and it's singular enough that his most intimate associate, just now, sub rosd, is this very Shirley you are angry with me for being acquainted with." " Why as to that, I am not positively angry," said the doctor, in a softened tone, " I only advise you to be cautious, my dear boy ; but if Lord Orville be really intimate with the young man, he must, as you say, be respectable — that is, he must have something of the gentleman about him, — and it is extraordinary the influence such sort of people sometimes acquire over their betters." " I am sure Shirley has great influence over Lord Orville," said Augustus: "indeed, I think sometimes he must be something more than he appears to be, or Orville never would be going to him at all hours as he does."

" Is this Mr. Shirley married ? " asked Mrs. Plufty. " I believe he is, but I do not know exactly ; at any rate, his wife does not act." " Well, my son," said Dr. Plufty, " I do not wish to cast any unnecessary restraint upon you, I trust you have pru dence enough to keep yourself out of mischief ; and as to Lord Orville, it will be as well for you not to talk about his intimacy with this Mr. Shirley, for some people might think that if I was aware of it I ought to give the Vice-Chancellor some intimation of the matter." " Oh, no, pray don't, then, talk about it, Augustus," ex claimed Miss Emily Eleonora ; " for the players will, perhaps, be sent away if you do, and I want to see the ' Bride of Abydos,' and I should like to see Mr. Shirley too — what kind of a looking young man is he ? — has he dark eyes ? is he tall t " " You promised to bring Lord Orville here, Augustus," interrupted Miss Plufty, in a reproachful tone, " and you never have."

" Yes, it is thoughtless of you not to bring him," said Mrs. Plufty, " it might be an advantage to your sisters." "It is not for want of thought," the Cantab replied, some what testily. " I have asked him often enough, but I tell you he has shut himself up all this term, and goes no where." And so saying he rose to ring for his horse. The ladies adjourned to the drawing-room, and the doctor resigned himself to his accustomed " sweet restorer, balmy sleep."

Chapter IV. The Curate's Journal

Certainly my Margaret is an angel ! — her mind is yet more lovely than her body — I am not worthy to be her father. Young as she is, she is more truly wise, and much more really religious than I am. I had not the resolution, last night, to tell my daughters of the unfortunate result of my day's expedition : this morning I took courage to break it to them. At first my Margaret's countenance was saddened, but it recovered its serenity in a few minutes, and she said, in a tone of voice which vibrated to my heart, it sounded so like her dear mother's, " I am afraid it made you very unhappy, my dear father, did it not ? " " It did, my Margaret, but I must bear it." " You must, and I know you will bear it as you ought ; " and she looked in my face with such an earnest and en treating expression, that I felt ashamed at her setting me the example of fortitude, in place of my giving it to her.

" I hope I shall, my dear child," I replied, " but I own I shrink from the prospect of our miseries and anxieties — I know not how we shall be able to exist. We are already in want of almost everything, and in debt into the bargain ; and now, with the deduction of one-fifth of my poor stipend, we shall scarcely be able to procure the actual necessaries of life. Alas ! where can we look for support under such an unexpected trial ? " " There ! my dear father," she said, pointing upwards, and looking like a seraph. My lively little Lucy ran to me, at these words, and seat ing herself on my knee, threw her arms round my neck, and kissed me. " I have something to tell you," said she : " I dreamed last night that it was New- Year's Day, and that the king came to see us here at Creykedale, in this very house — only think what an honour !

He got off his horse, and walked right in, and said he was come to dine with us ; — you may well laugh — you may think we were in a fine taking at having nothing to offer him, but he said he had brought plenty of good things with him ; then I thought they were all brought in upon golden dishes, and the trum pets played all the while in the streets — it was so grand ! But now comes the best of all. I thought they brought in a fine velvet cap for you, papa, for a new-year's gift ; it was such an odd shape, high and pointed, like the bishop's in Gough's great book of ' Sepulchral Monuments.' The king put it on your head himself, and you looked so droll in it, I could not help bursting out alaughing, and then Margaret was angry with me, and that vexed me so that I awoke and now, papa, is it not a very odd dream 1 I am sure some thing lucky will happen from it."

" Dreams, Lucy," said I, " are delusions." " Nay, but papa," said she, " sometimes they come from heaven, we read of them in the Bible." I had no answer to make to this remark ; indeed, I am not without faith myself in dreams. This Lucy's I insert in my journal because it may be intended, in the mercy of the Giver of all good, as a consolation to me under my present circumstances ; and as such I receive it. It would indeed be remarkable if any fortunate event should occur to us by New- Year's Day ! Certainly much less than a visit from the king, or a bishop's mitre would suffice to make us happy. I have been very busy all the day with my accounts. It is well for me I was not brought up to commerce, for I can not bear figures. All my debts are now paid, thank God ! except the bill with the grocer: I doubt not he will wait for a little longer, for when Margaret went to speak to him a fortnight since, he told her he should be sorry if she made herself uneasy about it.

I have paid the butcher five pounds, being his account from last February — ten months, — it is not out of the way for three persons ; the baker, four pounds for six months ; three pounds for coals, nearly burnt out, I am sorry to say ; two pounds for the shoemaker, his last year's bill — I wish I could make my own, it would be amusing in the winter evenings ; five shillings to the brewer, for a cask of small beer ; fifteen to the linen-draper ; two shillings for stationery ; and two more for my share of the Cambridge Chronicle, which comes to two-pence per week; making in the total fifteen pounds four shillings ; there remain, then, out of the twenty-five I received the day before yesterday only nine pounds sixteen shillings. It is vain now for me to think of the coat, and yet I have great need of it ; to be sure it is not new, but it is very respectable ; perhaps, however, Goosegab will let me have it, a few months hence, at the same price, if he does not find a purchaser for it meanwhile.

My poor Margaret has still more need of a gown than I have of a coat ; my heart aches when I see her, poor child, going about the house in a gingham frock this piercing weather. Lucy is better off, for her sister robs herself of her best things for her, under pretence that they are too small for herself. Certainly I ought to give up the newspaper — this vexes c me ; it is such a treat to have it at my own fireside on a Saturday evening. Creykedale is so out of the way of everything that is passing ; — not that I care for that, as far as concerns myself, but, as Cowper says — - "'Tis pleasant, through the loophole of retreat, To look upon this Babel of a world," particularly in such stirring times as these. I shall never now hear how the poor Poles go on. Last Newmarket races Lord Squanderpelf, who had only come of age the week before, lost five thousand pounds to the Marquis of Holdfast, who is reckoned the richest man now on the turf.

It is curious to see how exactly the words of Scripture, taken in a more literal sense, may be applied to things of this world. " To him that hath shall be given:" Here is a man with a hundred thousand a year, aud he gains five thousand pounds in five minutes ; here am I, with fifty pounds a year, and, in the twinkling of an eye, I am deprived of one-fifth of my whole income. " From him that hath little, shall be taken away even that which he hath." But what a base and low interpretation am I putting on holy things ! Shame on me — shame on me, thus to give way so soon again to a murmuring spirit ! I fear there is something more in my heart than I have yet searched out, at the bottom of all this fretfulness and caring for trifles. I fear resentment against Doctor Plufty lurks within, and causes the irritation of feeling which takes many shapes, because I dare not look steadily upon it in its own native and undisguised deformity.