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Capítulo XVIII
Historia de la inglesa Groves
—Poco tiempo ha –dijo Moris– que estoy sirviendo a mi señora, pero creo que sé bien todas las circunstancias de su vida; piensa que las ignoro: este es el segundo viaje que hace de esta especie.
—Hacedme la narración con método: es inútil decirme que Groves ha hecho dos viajes antes de instruirme del motivo porque los ha hecho. Empezad diciéndome quiénes son sus padres.
—Su padre fue un gran negociante que dejó al morir muchísimos bienes. Su madre, a quien tocaron la mitad de ellos, quedó tan rica que el duque de..., viudo algunos años hacía*, no se desdeñó de obsequiarla. Dio oídos, por vanidad, a dicho señor y se casó con él antes de espirar el tiempo de la viudez fijado por las leyes de la decencia. Mi ama, que entonces tenía doce años, pasó con su madre a una casa de campo del duque y se educó con los hijos de este, que tenían casi la misma edad; era muy soberbia, nunca quiso doblegarse a las debidas consideraciones y se dio a aborrecer; las hijas del duque eran modestas, agradables, reservadas y prudentes; gustaba mi ama de diversiones ruidosas, se disfrazaba con frecuencia de hombre y se moría por los ejercicios varoniles. Estas diferencias de caracteres fueron un continuado origen de discordias. La duquesa, ciega por su hija, la permitía correr incesantemente por los bosques y campiñas y exponer su hermosa cara a la aspereza del sol, de la lluvia y del viento, dejándola tomar, con aquel género de vida, inclinaciones no convenientes a su sexo. Conoció la madre su yerro cuando la dijeron que su hija daba oídos a un cazador y que la acompañaba siempre que montaba a caballo.
—Hay gran diferencia –interrumpió Arabela– entre escuchar a un joven en el sentido que decís o verse precisada a escucharlo por circunstancias particulares; supongo que este último caso es el de vuestra señora, porque no es posible que una mujer bien nacida se descomponga hasta ese punto.
—Sea como quiera, señora, la duquesa creyó que la prudencia aconsejaba no dejarla más salir y este medio no la salió bien: mi ama se inclinaba tanto al amor, que convirtió en amante suyo a su maestro de escribir.
—La aventura es de admirar, pero no sin ejemplo: no ha mucho tiempo que un hombre de distinción se disfrazó de jardinero para estar a la vista de la hija de un señor de quien estaba enamorado; estas cosas suceden cada día.
—Pues, señora, este de quien hablo no había hecho jamás otra cosa que enseñar a escribir. Mi señora, prendada locamente de su persona, disponía lo necesario para escaparse con él cuando se descubrió el enredo: echaron de casa al maestro y a la señora la enviaron a Londres, donde, desatendida por su madre, se encontró dueña de sus acciones a los diez y seis años de su edad: ved aquí el origen de sus desgracias. p. 80
—Pues yo insisto en creer que el maestro de escribir era un hombre de calidad porque hay muchos ejemplos que justifican mi opinión; aguardo, en lo sucesivo, verlo representar papeles diferentes.
—Yo, señora, repuso Moris, nunca más he oído hablar de sus amores, pero sé que vive y que continúa enseñando a escribir.
—No pueden creerse las cosas que ofenden a la verisimilitud; más natural es suponer que viaja actualmente por las provincias de Inglaterra buscando el objeto de su amor.
—Si hubiera tenido gana de ver a mi señora bien sabía que estaba en Londres y le era facilísimo el ir a verla, pero discurro que nunca ha pensado en ello.
—Hay acaecimientos cuya explicación es difícil, no hay duda; acaso le hicieron creer que su amada lo había desterrado de su presencia, acaso también estaba celoso... Los celos son inseparables del amor: no hubo pasión más pura que la que tuvo Artamenes a Mandana y, no obstante, aquel príncipe se enfureció por una sospecha mal fundada44...
Moris escuchaba como una boba las observaciones de Arabela y continuó su narración: p. 81
—Mi ama fue a parar a casa del padre de su camarera, que era un mercader perseguido por sus acreedores y allí se estableció. Sus bienes, como ya os dije, eran muchos y allí apuró sus extravagancias y disipó sin tino: toda la casa de su huésped vivía a expensas suyas, alimentaba una caterva de parásitas, que así oí decir que se llamaban; jugaba muy fuerte y no se perdonaba ninguna de las superfluidades dispendiosas invenciones del lujo. Inútil es que yo os la retrate, pues os ha parecido hermosa aun habiendo perdido su primera lozanía; se presentó en la corte con esplendor, el rey la tuvo por digna de sus miradas y las mujeres, por venganza, dijeron que no solamente no era cosa si no que el único mérito que tenía para agradar a S. M. era el de un cierto aire alemán. Mi señora, ensoberbecida con el voto del soberano, aumentó sus ridiculeces: se hizo llamar la hija del duque de... y nunca más habló de su padre. Súpose, no obstante, quién era y se dijeron mil bufonadas sobre su nacimiento; aunque admirada en la corte, no hizo en ella conquistas: ninguno se quería aventurar a casarse con una señorita cuyo genio e inclinaciones no prometían atractivo alguno para un marido. Liwenton, hermano del conde de..., fue el único que la obsequió: tenía bella persona, hablaba bien y agradaba a las mujeres por un exterior bondoso, que era efecto del arte45. Mi ama se envaneció de ello y bastaron para perderla algunos meses de trato; rindiose a unos juramentos mil veces quebrantados. Su oculto manejo tuvo consecuencias que no pudo ocultar a su criada favorecida; aconsejáronla que se fuese a una casa de campo y siguió el consejo. Liwenton la iba a ver, pero raras veces: se disculpaba con el temor de que no la descubriesen, pero la verdad era que no la echaba menos. Parió mi señora un niño muerto y tres semanas después volvió a Londres más hermosa que nunca, y Liwenton también a la continuación de su íntimo trato; este tuvo las mismas consecuencias que el primero. El mercader en cuya casa estableció su domicilio cometió la indignidad de divulgar su estado y su amante la bajeza de jactarse públicamente de sus favores. Mi ama protestó que Liwenton la había dado solemnemente palabra de casamiento; él lo negó y dijo, además, que, como la conquista había sido tan fácil, no era menester recurrir al perjurio. ¡Qué ciego es el amor! Continuó mi señora amando a aquel hombre abominable y nunca permitió que se hablase mal de él en su presencia. Adelantaba su embarazo y fue menester volver al campo, pero el desorden de sus negocios se lo impedía; viose precisada a recurrir a uno de sus tíos (rico negociante) quien pagó sus deudas y se apoderó de sus negocios hasta que tuviese más edad. Forzada, pues, mi ama a vivir con cien libras esterlinas al año, se vino a este país donde parió una niña que Liwenton tuvo la inhumanidad de quitarla, sin darla parte de sus intenciones. El hermano del caballero en cuya casa posaba, prendado de su hermosura y acaso de lo mucho que aguarda de su madre, ha cerrado los ojos sobre la irregularidad de su vida y ha casado con ella. El matrimonio todavía está secreto porque se ha hecho sin el consentimiento del tío, pero su marido ha ido a Londres a noticiárselo y hay apariencia de que, a su vuelta, la llamarán públicamente la señora Barnet.
Chapter V
The history of Miss Groves, interspersed with some very curious observations.
“Though, madam,” said Mrs. Morris, “I have not been long in Miss Groves’s service, yet I know a great many things by means of her former woman, who told them to me, though my lady thinks I am ignorant of them; and I know that this is her second trip into the country.”
“Pray,” interrupted Arabella, “do me the favour to relate things methodically; of what use is it to me to know that this is your lady’s second trip, as you call it, into the country, if I know not the occasion of it? Therefore, begin with informing me, who were the parents of this admirable young person.”
“Her father, madam,” said Mrs. Morris, “was a merchant; and, at his death, left her a large fortune, and so considerable a jointure to his wife that the duke of …, being then a widower, was tempted to make his addresses to her. Mrs. Groves was one of the proudest women in the world; and, this offer flattering her ambition more than ever she had reason to expect, she married the duke after a very short courtship; and carried Miss Groves down with her to …, where the duke had a fine seat, and where she was received by his grace’s daughters, who were much about her own age, with great civility. Miss Groves, madam, was then about twelve years old, and was educated [105] with the duke’s daughters, who in a little time became quite disgusted with their new sister; for Miss Groves, who inherited her mother’s pride, though not her understanding, in all things affected an equality with those young ladies, who, conscious of the superiority of their birth, could but ill bear with her insolence and presumption. As they grew older, difference of their inclinations caused perpetual quarrels amongst them; for his grace’s daughters were serious, reserved and pious. Miss Groves affected noisy mirth, was a great romp, and delighted in masculine exercises. The duchess was often reflected on for suffering her daughter, without any other company than two or three servants, to spend great part of the day in riding about the country, leaping over hedges and ditches, exposing her fair face to the injuries of the sun and wind; and, by those coarse exercises, contracting a masculine and robust air not becoming her sex and tender years. Yet she could not be prevailed upon to restrain her from this diversion till it was reported she had listened to the addresses of a young sportsman, who used to mix in her train when she went upon those rambles, and procured frequent opportunities of conversing with her.”
“There is a great difference,” interrupted Arabella, “in suffering addresses, and being betrayed into an involuntary hearing of them, and this last, I conceive to have been the case of your lady; for it is not very probable she would so far forget what she owed to her own glory, [106] as to be induced to listen quietly to discourses like those you mention.”
“However, madam,” resumed Mrs. Morris, “the duchess thought it necessary to keep her more at home; but even here she was not without meeting adventures, and found a lover in the person who taught her to write.”
“That, indeed, was a very notable adventure,” said Arabella, “but it is not strange that love should produce such metamorphoses. It is not very long ago that I heard of a man of quality who disguised himself in a poor habit, and worked in the gardens of a certain nobleman, whose daughter he was enamoured with; these things happen every day.”p. 93
“The person I speak of, madam,” said Mrs. Morris, “was never discovered to be anything better than a writing master; and yet, for all that, Miss was smitten with his fine person, and was taking measures to run away with him, when the intrigue was discovered, the lover dismissed, and the young lady, whose faulty conduct had drawn upon her her mother’s dislike, was sent up to London, and allowed to be her own mistress at sixteen, to which unpardonable neglect of her mother she owes the misfortunes that have since befallen her.”
“Whatever may be the common opinion of this matter,” interrupted Arabella again, “I am persuaded the writing master, as you call him, was some person of quality, who made use of that device to get access to his beautiful mistress. Love is ingenious in artifices; who would have thought that, under the name of Alcippus, [107] a simple attendant of the fair Artemisa, princess of Armenia, the gallant Alexander, son of the great and unfortunate Antony, by Queen Cleopatra, was concealed, who took upon himself that mean condition for the sake of seeing his adored princess? Yet the contrivance of Orontes, prince of the Massagetes, was far more ingenious and even dangerous; for this valiant and young prince happening to see the picture of the beautiful Thalestris, daughter of the queen of the Amazons, he fell passionately in love with her; and, knowing that the entrance into that country was forbid* to men, he dressed himself in women’s apparel; and, finding means to be introduced to the queen and her fair daughter, whose amity he gained by some very singular services in the wars, he lived several years undiscovered in their court. I see, therefore, no reason to the contrary, but that this writing master might have been some illustrious person, whom love had disguised; and I am persuaded,” added she, smiling, “that I shall hear more of him anon, in a very different character.”
“Indeed, madam,” said Mrs. Morris, whom this speech of Arabella had extremely surprised, “I never heard anything more about him than what I have related; and, for what I know, he continues still to teach writing, for I don’t suppose the duchess’s displeasure could affect him.”
“How is it possible,” said Arabella, “that you can suppose such an offence to probability? In my opinion, it is much more likely that this unfortunate lover is dead through despair; or, perhaps, wandering over the world in search [108] of that fair one who was snatched from his hopes.”
“If it was his design to seek for her, madam,” resumed Mrs. Morris, “he need not have gone far, since she was only sent to London, whither he might easily have followed her.”p. 94
“There is no accounting for these things,” said Arabella, “perhaps he has been imposed upon, and made to believe that it was she herself that banished him from her presence. It is probable too that he was jealous, and thought she preferred some one of his rivals to him. Jealousy is inseparable from true love, and the slightest matters imaginable will occasion it; and what is still more wonderful, this passion creates the greatest disorders in the most sensible and delicate hearts. Never was there a more refined and faithful passion than that of the renowned Artamenes for Mandana; and yet this prince was driven almost to distraction by a smile, which he fancied he saw in the face of his divine mistress, at a time when she had some reason to believe he was dead; and he was so transported with grief and rage that though he was a prisoner in his enemy’s camp, where the knowledge of his quality would have procured him certain death, yet he determined to hazard all things for the sake of presenting himself before Mandana, and upbraiding* her with her infidelity; when, in reality, nothing was farther from the thoughts of that fair and virtuous princess, than the lightness he accused her of; so that, as I said before, it is not at all to be wondered at if this disguised lover of your lady was driven to despair by suspicions as groundless, perhaps, as those of [109] Artamenes, yet not the less cruel and tormenting.”
Mrs. Morris, finding Arabella held her peace at these words, went on with her history in this manner:
“Miss Groves, madam, being directed by her woman in all things, took up her lodgings in her father’s house, who was a broken tradesman, and obliged to keep himself concealed for fear of his creditors. Here she formed her equipage, which consisted of a chair, one footman, a cook and her woman. As she was indulged with the command of what money she pleased, her extravagance was boundless. She lavished away large sums at gaming, which was her favourite diversion; kept such a number of different animals for favourites that their maintenance amounted to a considerable sum every year. Her woman’s whole family were supported at her expense; and, as she frequented all public places, and surpassed ladies of the first quality in finery, her dress alone consumed great part of her income. I need not tell you, madam, that my lady was a celebrated beauty. You have yourself been pleased to say that she is very handsome. When she first appeared at court, her beauty and the uncommon dignity of her person, at such early years, made her the object of general admiration. The king was particularly struck with her; and declared to those about him that Miss Groves was the finest woman at court. The ladies, however, found means to explain away all that was flattering in this distinction. They said Miss Groves was clumsy, and it was her resemblance to the unwieldy German [110] ladies that made her so much admired by his majesty. Her pride and the quality airs she affected were the subject of great ridicule to those that envied her charms. Some censures were maliciously cast on her birth; for, as she was always styled the duchess of …’s daughter, a custom she introduced herself, she seemed to disclaim all title to a legal father. Miss Groves, as universally admired as she was, yet made but very few particular conquests. Her fortune was known to be very considerable, and her mother’s jointure was to descend to her after her death. Yet there was no gentleman who would venture upon a wife of Miss Groves’s taste for expense, as very few estates to which she could pretend would support her extravagance. The honourable Mr. L…, brother to the earl of …, was the only one amidst a crowd of admirers, who made any particular address to her. This gentleman was tolerably handsome, and had the art of making himself agreeable to the ladies, by a certain air of softness and tenderness, which never failed to make some impression upon those he desired to deceive.
“Miss Groves was ravished with her conquest, and boasted of it so openly that people who were acquainted with this gentleman’s character, foreseeing her fate, could not help pitying her.p. 95
“A very few months’ courtship completed the ruin of poor Miss Groves. She fell a sacrifice to oaths which had been often prostituted for the same inhuman purposes; and became so fond of her betrayer that it was with great [111] difficulty he could persuade her not to give him, even in public, the most ridiculous proofs of her tenderness. Her woman pretends that she was ignorant of this intrigue till Miss Groves growing big with child, it could no longer be concealed; it was at length agreed she should lie in at her own lodgings, to prevent any suspicions from her retreating into the country; but that scheme was overruled by her woman’s mother, who advised her to conceal herself in some village not far from town till the affair was over.
“Miss Groves approved of this second proposal, but took advantage of her shape, which, being far from delicate, would not easily discover any growing bigness, to stay in town as long as she possibly could. When her removal was necessary, she went to the lodgings provided for her, a few miles distant from London. And, notwithstanding the excuses which were framed for this sudden absence, the true cause was more than suspected by some busy people, who industriously enquired into her affairs.
“Mr. L… saw her but seldom during her illness. The fear of being discovered was his pretence; but her friends easily saw through this disguise, and were persuaded Miss Groves was waning in his affections.
“As she had a very strong constitution, she returned to town at the end of three weeks. The child was dead, and she looked handsomer than ever. Mr. L… continued his visits, and the town to make remarks of them. All this time the duchess never troubled herself about the conduct of this unfortunate [112] young creature; and the people she was with had not the goodness to give her any hint of her misconduct and the waste of her fortune. On the contrary, they almost turned her head with their flatteries, preyed upon her fortune, and winked at her irregularities.
“She was now a second time with child. Her character was pretty severely handled by her enemies. Mr. L… began openly to slight her, and she was* several thousand pounds in debt. The mother and sisters of her woman, in whose house she still was, were base enough to whisper the fault she had been guilty of to all their acquaintances. Her story became generally known: she was shunned and neglected by everybody, and even Mr. L…, who had been the cause of her ruin, entirely abandoned her, and boasted openly of the favours he had received from her.
“Miss Groves protested to her friends that he had promised her marriage, but Mr. L… constantly denied it; and never scrupled to say, when he was questioned about it, that he found Miss Groves too easy a conquest to make any perjury necessary. Her tenderness, however, for this base man was so great that she never could bear to hear him railed at in her presence; but would quarrel with the only friends she had left if they said anything to his disadvantage. As she was now pretty far advanced with child, she would have retired into the country, but the bad condition of her affairs made her removal impossible. In this extremity she had recourse to her uncle, a rich merchant in the city, who, having taken all the necessary precautions [113] for his own security, paid Miss Groves’s debts, carrying on, in her name, a lawsuit with the duchess, for some lands which were to be put into her hands when she was of age, and which that great lady detained. Miss Groves, being reduced to live upon something less than a hundred a year, quitted London, and came into this part of the country, where she was received by Mrs. Barnet, one of her woman’s sisters, who is married to a country gentleman of some fortune. In her house she lay in* of a girl, which Mr. L… sent to demand, and will not be persuaded to inform her how, or in what manner, he has disposed of the child.p. 96
“Her former woman leaving her, I was received in her place, from whom I learnt all these particulars. And Miss Groves having gained the affections of Mr. Barnet’s brother, her beauty and the large fortune which she has in reversion has induced him, notwithstanding the knowledge of her past unhappy conduct, to marry her. But their marriage is yet a secret, Miss Groves being apprehensive of her uncle’s displeasure for not consulting him in her choice. Her husband is gone to London, with an intention to acquaint him with it; and, when he returns, their marriage will be publicly owned.”