City and Suburb

Front matter

CITY AND SUBURB. BY F. G. TRAFFORD, AUTHOR OF " THE MOORS AND THE FENS," AND " TOO MUCH ALONE." IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. II. LONDON : CHARLES J. SKEET, PUBLISHER, 10, KING WILLIAM STREET, CHARING CROSS. 1861. CONTENTS. Page.' I. Ruby's Troubles. . . . . . 1 II. Mosquitos. 25 III. Wooing and Winning. 44 IV. Opinions Differ 72 V. Marrying 91 VI. Still Life 107 VH. Explanations 121 VIII. Brother and Sister 141 IX. Bartholomews 154 X. New Home 174 XI. Mr. and Mrs. Perman 188 XII. Life at Marsh Hall .209 XIII. A New Dignity. ...... 225 XIV. My Lady • . 247 XV. My Lady in Seclusion. . . . . . 264 XVI. Alan's Invention .280

Chapter I

ruby's troubles. It was August once again. The same sun which that time last year had shone on the figure of the man who was coming to London to make his fortune, streamed a suffocating blaze along the city streets, and poured its beams through the windows of Alan's house in Laurence Pountney Lane. He had not made his fortune yet — heaven help us ! fortune is not to be had in London for the asking. The sun has spared a few rays before now for gilding the pauper funeral of many a man who entered Babylon with brighter prospects than Alan. It is a sadly disap pointing chase that run after fortune, more especially to those who run too fast at first. Out of breath, they are fain in the end to crawl wearily aside, into the grave or the workhouse, without VOL. II. B so much as touching the skirts of her garments ; whilst the indomitable patience of their wiser fellows eventually charms the goddess, who lingers for their coming.

If men could but think so, it seems to me, the bride is hardly worth the wooing : certainly not worth breaking one's heart about. But, spite of my opinion, she will be wooed by some who win, and wooed by many an one whom she will laugh to scorn and leave behind in the morass of disappointment till the end of the chapter. Yet, take heart, oh reader ! she is not to be had for the asking — but she may be won by waiting. Great things are to be had for waiting — and it should be so, for of all human virtues, that of patience is the most difficult to carry into practice. Have patience, and you shall triumph ; wait, and honour will be thrust upon you • enter her service in youth, and when grey headed greatness will mate with you. Oh ! most true and yet most mournful of all mocking promises is that which declares that " Whatsoever you desire in youth ye shall receive in age."

And ever thus is the promise kept : to the letter — not in the spirit. Ever thus — " Keeping them to the ear :" breaking them to the sense, fortune beguiles her favourites with hopes that bear fruit only in the winter of age, or in the desolate temple once filled with the idols that manhood has cast from him. Yes, boy, the apples you cannot reach now shall be yours hereafter, when they will taste in your mouth as dust and ashes. Ye shall have horses when ye are bedridden ; wealth, when you know on how little a man may be happy ; houses, when those you would have had lived in them are dead and gone; lands, when you are about entering upon that leasehold of six feet by three, of which you can be called but a tenant at will, with all posterity for your landlord. Ye shall marry, to wish you were divorced; have children, to stand waiting for your shoes ; be exalted, to know how happy are those of low estate ; be courted by society, when you have learnt how hollow and false a thing society is.

It is true — the boy's boat you longed for, to watch sailing across the sea of life, shall be given to the man who is straining his eyes across the ocean of eternity ; banquets shall be served to which the heart can bring no joyful guests ; the marriage feast shall be spread for the soul's funeral. There is nothing which we inordinately desire in youth, that shall not be given to us in age — when it is valueless. God's gifts come to us free and unexpected : but the good things we covet come to us with a curse. In the sweat of our brows we labour for them, in sorrow we receive our wages. We desired — we possess, but the gifts we slighted and rejected will never be proffered to us more. The laurel is bound round locks grey with trouble ; the sceptre is placed in the trembling hand of age ; there b is purple and fine linen for the rouged and wrinkled dame ; there are orders and crosses to lie on the cold heart, that thought such baubles were more valuable than its blood.

There was a promise — there is a fulfil ment. There is the fair outside — but darkness within. The bride is won, and she turns out not worth the wooing ; and when the height of our desires is climbed, we sit down and look through blinding tears at the happy valleys, and the modest homes, and the devoted hearts that we passed by with ringing laughter and thoughtless scorn, in the days that shall be for us — no more. Work and wait — there is nothing ye work for, that if you are content to wait for likewise shall not be yours. Fortune's smiles are not to be had in a day nor a month — but she smiles after years. Alan had not achieved fortune yet, but he was working — and rest assured that his was a nature which knew how to wait also. And she was to be his eventually — he had travelled to London to meet her, and it was destined that in the hereafter of his life he should meet her — but not her alone.

And yet, though he worked and waited, he was often weary ; though he had that consciousness of being on the road to success which carries a man triumphantly past many a milestone, still he could not but think the journey long, the highway tedious. For there are two opposing principles in a man of energy — one which urges on — one which retards ; the will which is strong to the world — the heart which is weak to himself. It is for this reason that what are called hopeful people, scarcely ever succeed in anything ; they mistake their hopes for their will, and are strong just so long as their hopes remain undaunted. A man who fears himself can never have his courage shaken by the rebuffs of others ; he knows the danger, but he feels the might and power of his own will, the strength of which he tests every hour of his life in conflicts with his own heart.

The true hero is not he who cannot realize death, and who dashes on the enemy's guns, confident that they will not harm him — but rather that man, who having calculated the possibilities, and feeling that death is most probably in store for him, nevertheless girds up his loins with the courage, not of unconsciousness, but of determination, and prepares him for the fight. Of the latter stamp was Alan Ruthven. No child was he, playing with edge tools, unaware of their sharpness ; but a man, who, having seized the weapons, was not going to relinquish them because his hands were weary and bleeding. For twelve months he had been drawing, writing, and talking engineering, for eleven hours a day, and when he came home for the night, and closed his doors on the outer world, he had sat down, not to rest, but to read for six hours more ; except at meals, he rarely saw his family.

Sunday was the only day in all the week he ever walked or conversed with any one, save Ina, who, since Ruby wearied of the early-rising move ment, managed to get up at unearthly bours, as that young lady declared, like a " darling." Breakfast accordingly, at which guardian and ward were usually tete-a-tete, was the time when Mr. Ruthven told Ina what was " going on," and how he was progressing ; and it was with no small concern that his auditor found, as week after week slipped away, that whilst his expenses continued undiminished, his returns were not more than half sufficient to pay for the necessaries of the day. Every week he was compelled to draw some portion of the sum he had set apart for capital. He had exhausted the amount originally put aside to pay for travelling, furnishing and household expenses; and though he was not above doinganything — drawing for engineers or making up a set of books — still money, as is usual in such cases, came in very slowly and went out very fast.

But yet he did not despair ; he was serving a very rapid, anxious, expensive apprenticeship, which he believed would ultimately prove beneficial, and besides, as he said, " There was no use in fretting about to-morrow, when the day always brought suffi cient trouble with it for itself." " When our capital is reduced to nil, we must then reduce our expenses somehow," he said, in answer to a remark from Ina; "but I think, before that time arrives, I shall be getting in more money. Meanwhile I would rather go on as we are. I think Ruby is mana ging very well indeed, and, unless absolutely necessary, I should not wish her to retrench further." Ina held her peace. She had her own opinion on the subject of Ruby's good management. But as that young lady kept the details of her housekeeping to herself, and made no complaints concerning shortness of money, it was only by a few signs and tokens, un mistakeable to a feminine eye, that Ina guessed trouble was coming.

Primarily Ruby always went shopping alone, when she did go shopping ; but as a rule, she wrote her orders, and dispatched these little missives by the hands of her servant. Secondly, she — hitherto the most untidy and disorderly of human beings — kept her bills together in one box, which she locked carefully after depositing her accounts in it, no account that went in being ever brought out again. Thirdly, man delighted her not, nor woman neither ; she did not seem happy in the house, and she was not happy out of it ; she eschewed those streets where lived the tradespeople with whom she dealt ; in deed, so many thoroughfares were closed in this way, that Ina could not but speculate on the probability of their becoming altogether prisoners in Laurence Pount ney Lane. Fourthly, she was silent — a certain sign of trouble — and she was cross to an extent which induced Murray and Lorine to dispense, when practicable, with her society.

The only time she ever seemed to recover her spirits, was when in the company of Miss Augusta Perman, and this was only a seeming recovery, as Ina understood perfectly. From all these trifles Miss Trenham gathered that Ruby's monetary affairs were coming to a crisis, and she every day expected a reve lation on the subject. And at last it came, though not precisely in the form she had expected, on that August day on which I open this second volume of my story — came when Alan was at Tottenham, and Murray and Lorine gone to Rich mond, in this wise. " I wish, Ina, you would sometimes shut the door when you come into the room," said Ruby, queru lously, from her nest among the sofa pillows ; and in compliance with this gentle remonstrance, Ina retraced her steps from the window, near which she had taken up her position, and shut the door.

" One can't say a word in this house without the chance of its being overheard," pursued Miss Ruth ven. " No, that is a great drawback to small houses," acquiesced Ina. " One must either dispense with servants or else with secrets. I should not have left the door open, only it is so warm." And Ina drew her work-table towards her, and having threaded her needle, was about commencing operations, when Ruby spoke again. " I wish, Ina, you could persuade yourself to be idle occasionally. I never can talk to anybody who is sewing. I .am wearied to death of seeing you putting your needle in and pulling it out again." " Do you really want to talk to me, Ruby V asked her friend. " Of course I do — who else have I got to talk to ?" enquired the beauty, pettishly adding in a still more irritated tone, as Ina put aside her work and replaced needle and thimble in her box, " Why can't you speak to me ? for mercy's sake, don't sit there like a statue !"

"Well, then, what do you want to talk to me about V inquired Ina. " I want to tell you something, if you will come a little nearer, so that I need not have to call out at the top of my voice. Sit here," she continued, putting an ottoman at her side. " Now, I think Margaret is much too expensive a servant for us." " I think she is," said Ina. " And I have been considering whether we ought not to get rid of her," pursued Ruby. " If you do not think you can afford to keep her, decidedly you ought," responded Ina. "Then you agree with me, I had better give her notice to-day ?" " I suppose to-day would be as good as any other day for doing so," answered Ina. " She has never seemed to me suitable for the place, and she is expensive — there can be no doubt of that." " Then while we are alone we will have her down," exclaimed Ruby, with excessive promptitude : and the unsuspecting servant was had down accordingly.

" Margaret," began Miss Ruthven, and Ina listened, little thinking of all that commencement was to bring forth — " Margaret, I purpose making some alterations in the housekeeping, and find that, for the present, I shall not be able to^ afford so expensive a servant as yourself; I think a less experienced person will be competent to do all we require, and I should be glad, therefore, if at the end of the month you would look out for another place. Of course, I shall be very glad to give you a character. I have no fault to find with you, except that I think a different servant would be more suitable to our circumstances." Ina could not but watch the two faces of mistress and maid. Ruby speaking quickly and nervously, with the colour coming and going in her face, whilst the servant stood perfectly still, looking a little surprised certainly, but with no other expression visible on her countenance, till Ruby had finished, when a dangerous look in her eyes warned Ina of what was coming.

" I always thought, miss/' she said, " that the place was not suitable for me." "What on earth did you stay in it for then?" queried Ruby. "Why, mis3, though it was a very different sort of situation to any I had ever been used to, still I did not like to leave a mistress without any cause of complaint. I never was in any house before where there was not a full set of servants, and I shall never take a single-handed situation again !" " I suppose the situation you will take must depend, to a certain extent,on the sort you can get," retorted Miss Ruby, with more warmth than discretion. "Oh! there is no fear about that, miss!" replied the servant, who was now mistress of the position. " I can always get a place : but I am sorry I did not know you wished to change last week, for a relative of my own could have put me in a situation at twenty pounds a year, with a word from herself — and that would have saved my requiring a character."

" As for that, I will give you a character any time," said Ruby. " I am sure I am very much obliged, miss, but I never mean to go into a house of business again, and no lady would take me from one." If the woman had struck Ruby it could not have produced a more instantaneous effect. The blood poured in a tide to her face, her breath came quick and short, and Ina could scarcely credit the fact, that at least she saw Alan's sister not in a pet, not cross, but in a downright fury. " Do you dare to say," she panted out, " that I am not a lady ? that any lady in the land would object to take a servant from me ? Do you think because we are living now in poverty, that we have ceased to be Ruthvens ? Do you imagine — " " Leave the room, Margaret," said Miss Trenham decidedly, and when the woman hesitated there was something in the way Ina rose and pointed to the door which caused her to yield at once.

" I am sure I am very sorry, miss," she began, as she laid her hand on the lock. "Leave the room," repeated Ina, and the door closed behind her. Then Ruby fell back into her nest, crying as if her heart would break, and Ina, sitting down beside her, took the poor weak creature in ber arms and tried to comfort her. " My love, my darling," she said, and such a flood of pity rose in the stronger nature, that her eyes were tearful as she spoke, " you are surely not so foolish as to care for the opinion of a woman like that. There are people who will always judge by externals alone, and rate a person's standing by the clothes they wear, and the carriages they keep, and the servants they can afford. An uneducated low-born man without refinement, or manners, or goodness, would be more a gentle man in that woman's eyes, if he could keep a couple of horses and a few servants, than the highest in the land if he were on foot.

Wealth is their only standard, and if you try to be measured by them, you must stoop. But, surely, surely, Ruby, you a Ruthven would not give up the consciousness of your birth for all the wealth in London ; any one may make money, but it re quires generations to make blood." " Well, I don't know, Ina ; on the whole, I don't see what good blood is without money," sobbed Ruby. " I never heard of people being able to live on their family, and if one has money one can get on very com fortably without ancestors. If I had been rich now, would that woman have presumed — " " Possibly not," interposed Ina ; " but, as I said before, you must stoop before you can be measured by her standard: do not fret yourself about her, Ruby, I wish you would cease crying ; you make me quite miserable." " Oh, but, Ina, if you could only guess how miserable, how utterly wretched I am ; I feel our changed position frightfully ; no one treats me as I used to be treated, — the very tradesmen speak as if we were com mon business people— but why need I tell you this ? you don't care a straw, Ina, how I am treated, you know you don't :" and she broke out again crying passionately.

" Ruby, what is the matter— what do you mean ?" asked Ina, who saw there was something more than temper in the foregoing ebullition; "tell me, Ruby, what do you mean ?" " Why, you know, Ina, you have lost a great deal of money by us, and though you are so good and kind, and considerate, still it is only natural — " " Oh, Ruby, stop," said Ina, and she put her hand across her eyes, as if she was in some sharp pain. It was but an instant before she looked up again, much paler than ordinary, but in that instant, she had seen light, and the light had shown her — herself. -'Ruby," she began, and there was a something wonderfully touching in the way she knelt down beside the sofa, twining her arms round poor beauty, as she spoke ; " Ruby, you have hurt me dreadfully, you have misjudged me cruelly ; from the time I heard that money was gone, till now, I have never grieved over it, never wished it back but for your sakes ; all the money on earth could not repay, if it must come to a money ques tion between us, all the love and trust, and kindness, I have had from you and yours.

If your father used part of my fortune, he only used it as he did the fortunes of his own children. He was mistaken, but it is not for us to blame him. I have never thought about that money, Ruby, unless indeed to wish I had it to make you more comfortable." Somewhere I have said that truth was as much as part and parcel of the Ruthvens as their features. It was born with them — a rare dower. The hardest victory for a man to achieve is to tell the truth without increase or diminution on every occasion of life. But to the Ruthvens, and in the Ruthvens in this particular, I include Ina, the truth was no trouble, and if one or other of them said I did or I did not, the rest would as soon have thought of questioning their existence as of doubting the fact. Thus it was, that when Ina declared she had never thought about the money, Ruby received her words as gos pel, and laying her head on her friend's shoulder, said — " What is it then, Ina ? have I offended you —are you angry with me ? — You are changed, oh !

I am sure you are." " I am changed," answered Miss Trenham, speaking slowly, and thoughtfully, " but I did not know it till you told me. I am very sorry, Ruby, if that change in myself has made me seem changed towards you ; I think you know, I hope you do, that next to Alan you have no truer friend on earth than I," " And I could not do without you," returned Ruby, with another shower of tears, " and more especially now, for I am so very miserable, I — " " Hush, dear," interrupted Ina, "there is some one coming up higher than the office — listen." " Who in the world can it be ?" said Beauty, " it is somebody for us to a certainty, and my hair is all any how, and my eyes are red — pull down the blinds a little, Ina ;" and having issued this rapid direction, she seized a bottle of Cologne, and retreating to her stronghold among the pillows, commenced bathing her forehead with the perfume, just as the door opened, and Miss Augusta Perman entered.

" Good morlilg, youlg ladies," was her salutation, then catching sight of Ruby's employment, she exclaimed : " Goodless, what is the matter, you are lot ill I hope." " No," answered Ruby, rising and greeting her visitor ; " no, not ill, but I have got a headache, and the va pours. Miss Trenham and I were left to keep each other company to day, and I have been whiling away the time, vexing her and myself too for that matter. But pray sit down, my headache will be gone in a minute." " I am sure I hope it may," said Augusta, good-na turedly ; " does Loldol agree with you ?" " Yes, I think so ; we are all of us very well — we are sound sleepers, and have good appetites ;" here Ruby tripped over a little sigh : " we are quite as well as ever we were at home." " I falcy you require a little more chalge," returned the visitor, looking round at Ina, who had hitherto taken no part in the conversation ; " do lot you agree with me, Miss Trelham V " Perfectly, if you can tell me of any place where the inhabitants never have headaches nor the vapours."

" Ah, you are too clever for me," said Miss Au gusta. " You klow there is lo place so healthy but there are some people sick il it, but still a chalge evel to a bad air is better thai lo chalge at all ; our doctor told me so oily last week, aid he is exceedilgly clever, oh ! amazilgly clever, Miss Trelham, I wish you klew him, j-ou would just suit each other." " Scarcely, I think," answered Ina, laughing, " if he persisted in trying to mend my constitution with a change to bad air. I think, Miss Perman, you must have been wanting to go to some dreadfully unhealthy place, and that the doctor was too polite to oppose your design." " Lo, ildeed," replied Miss Augusta with great nai vete. " I oily waited to rul dowl ilto Devolshire, but Johl would lot let me — lot evel whel the doctor said I waited chalge, but I am sure I ought lot to grumble, for he is the best brother that ever lived, aid I dol't klow that he ever refused to let me go to aly place be fore."

Which testimony in favour of John Perman was re ceived by Ruby with a polite smile, and by Ina in silence. Ina was waiting to hear more. " I have come, Miss Ruthvel," pursued Augusta, " to ask you the greatest possible favour, will you gralt it ?" vol. ii. c " Certainly, if I can," answered Ruby, pausing for a moment in her eau-de-cologne experiments. "Oh! you cal, aid I am so much obliged to you," cried Augusta, exultingly. " But let me hear what it is," queried Ruby, and Ina listened curiously for her reply. " I wait you to drive back with me to The Upases, it is such a lovely afterlool, aid I am sure a sight of the coultry would do you good, I should have beel so dis appoilted if you had refused me, but low you have pro mised, aid there is lo escape." " But I really do not think, Miss Perman, that I can possibly fulfil this promise," said Ruby, gravely.

" My brother, as I have frequently told you, does not like us to visit, circumstanced as we are at present." "But he is comilg for diller," interposed Miss Au gusta. " He is out at Tottelham, with ulcle, you klow, aid he is to dde with us to day ; that is why I came ; I thought it would be so lice. It is so hot il towl, aid so cool in the coultry, aid we shall have such a lice drive. Do pray put ol your bollet, please do." And Miss Au gusta grew quite pathetic in her entreaties, as she laid her hand on Ruby's arm to add emphasis to her words. " I should be very glad indeed," said that young lady, "but I cannot do anything without Alan's permission." "But he is comilg to dile with us himseh0," said Miss Augusta. " Yes, but that is business," persisted Ruby. " Aid yours would be, if lot a pleasure to you, at least, such a pleasure to all of us that I am sure you could lot be so cruel as to disappoilt us.

We wait you and Miss Trelham so much," added Augusta, remembering that, hitherto, she had not included Ina in her invitation. " I am very much obliged for your kindness," said Ina, " but it would be quite impossible for me to go." "But why?" pleaded Miss Augusta. " First, because Mr. Ruthven does not wish us to visit, and second, because I myself do not wish to visit," answered Miss Trenham with a smile. " Oh ! you obstilate," cried the visitor, shaking her hand encased in a canary-coloured glove playfully at Ina; " I klow there is lot the slightest use talking to you, but Miss Ruthvel, I really callot go away without you. I should be miserable thilkilg about your headache, which I klow the fresh air would cure : you mope too much il the house, I am certail you do." " I think so too," acquiesced Ruby, whose head was beginning to ache again, and whose thoughts reverted to her dialogue with the servant.

" It is lot good for aly persol to stay il the house coltilually ; and you do lot walk so much as you used." " No," answered Ruby, thinking of the closed thoroughfares. " Aid whel your brother is ddilg with us, what posc sible objectiol could he have ?— it would be so lice. You calt thilk how beautiful our gardel is low, and you are fold of flowers ; the carriage is waitilg for us, and we shall be out there il half al hour, do come — please do." " You are very kind, and I almost think I might go," said Ruby, turning an appealing glance towards Ina, whose eyes answered back — no. " Aid I quite thilk you will be goodlatured," replied Augusta, the autumn fruits in her bonnet literally qui vering with her excitement ; " low do put ol your bollet, there's a duck." And Miss Augusta fairly put her arms round the duck and lifted her from her chair.