Traducción
Original
Capítulo XXIX
Varias reflexiones hechas en un baile
—lnfamáis, caballero, a esa princesa, porque no conocéis los autores que la justifican; sabed que solo amó a Ovidio como hombre de mérito y que únicamente la calumnia pudo hacer aquella amistad sospechosa. Dicho poeta reveló al grande Agripa cuanto había pasado entre él y Julia, y ciertamente nada se ve que no sea inocente en la narración que hace; insisto, pues, en tener a Julia por indiscreta, pero la miro a pesar de este defecto, como una princesa muy virtuosa.
Silven no se atrevió a contradecir a una persona que creía versada en la historia y llena de noticias recónditas ignoradas de casi todo el mundo, pero Glanville, que conocía la fuente de donde las sacaba su prima, no pudo menos de sonreírse de la facilidad con que Silven se rendía; bien es verdad que toda su erudición estaba en una carterita, donde escribía cuanto iba oyendo.
Arabela observó por las familiaridades, sonrisas, ademanes y movimientos que Tíncel conocía a todas las damas de la concurrencia y, como no dudase de que sabía sus aventuras, le pidió que se las comunicara. Muy contento el pisaverde de tener ocasión de maldecir, se la sentó al lado. A empezar iba cuando Arabela llamó a Carlota y a Glanville para proponerles una diversión más agradable que la del baile.
—Estamos en el caso –dijo– de saber las historias de algunas damas que Tíncel nos hará el favor de contarnos.
—Os protesto, prima mía –contestó Glanville– que no tendréis este entretenimiento por tan inocente como el baile.
—¿Y por qué no? No es una indiscreta curiosidad la que me lleva a pedir esta fineza al caballero, sino la esperanza de oír particularidades de importancia.
Tíncel, al ver la seriedad con que Arabela tomaba aquel asunto, se hallaba sumamente embarazado, al tiempo que Carlota se sentó a su lado, con aire muy jovial, y le pidió la historia de una que estaba bailando con maldita gracia. Tíncel respondió, con misteriosa sonrisa, que no estaba todavía pública, pero que nada se le escondía en esta casta de negocios.
—Esa señora –dijo Arabela– será sin duda vuestra conocida y la sabréis de su propia boca. p. 187
—Os aseguro, señora, que su sinceridad no llega a tanto como eso… Ha sido –continuó diciendo en voz más baja– manceba de un cierto señorito y tan bondosa que lo ha acompañado en cuantas campañas ha hecho. Por último, se casó con él en Gibraltar, de donde están recién llegados. El hermano mayor de su marido (señor titulado) lo acogió muy favorablemente, no obstante de no haber querido perdonar nunca a otro hermano suyo, porque se casó con la viuda de un oficial distinguido por su clase y mérito, y aun se sabe que conservó su resentimiento hasta la muerte que aquel valeroso militar buscó bajo los muros de Cartagena126… Observad aquella otra dama de tan afectado porte y manejo: nada la gusta, no hay cosa que merezca su atención; se viste a la francesa porque, según ella, en Inglaterra todo es ridículo, la gente es tosca, sin urbanidad y sin gracia en el modo de vestirse, y sin finura en los placeres; dice que en un país tan feo puede vegetarse, pero no vivir. Al oír esto, ¿quién no imaginará que es una mujer de forma, por la clase, por el nacimiento y por los haberes? Pues nada menos que eso, porque es hija de un mesonero de Spa y ha pasado la mitad de su vida acompañando a los transeúntes hasta los cuartos de su posada, respondiendo sumisamente a las preguntas y aguantando las proposiciones indecentes de los mal criados. Uno de los oficiales primeros del almirantazgo se enamoró de ella y la hizo su mujer; con el matrimonio se la fue la cabeza y se ha engreído tanto que la desprecian y aborrecen cuantos vienen a Bath.
—¿No os previne, prima mía, que la diversión que os proponíais sería menos inocente que el baile? Sabía yo que el Tíncel es rápido en sus narraciones.
—Os aseguro –replicó Arabela– que no sé qué pensar de estas historias, que me parecen retazos de sátira.
—Hay, no obstante, en las conversaciones de Tíncel, el mérito –dijo Glanville– de que pinta bien los asuntos despreciables, ya que no los elija dignos de alabanza.
—Yo creo –añadió Arabela– que la fealdad del vicio solo se hace reparable a los viciosos y que un alma virtuosa no ha menester verlo para detestarlo; a proporción de cómo las ideas son puras, se hace menos notable su aspecto y se pasa junto a él sin siquiera mirarlo.
—No creí haber venido al baile –dijo Carlota, fastidiada de la seriedad con que hablaba Arabela– para oír predicar sobre el vicio y la virtud… ¿Qué mal hallas en lo que Tíncel ha dicho? Me parece que sería dura cosa no poderse divertir algunas veces a costa del próximo.
—Los que gustan de esta diversión ignoran que es una ridiculez y toda ridiculez presta armas a la crítica.
—Has olvidado, prima, que el contar historias viene de ti, que nos has llamado a Glanville y a mí para oír a Tíncel.
—Verdad es eso, pero yo esperaba narraciones sólidas y no unos cuentezuelos tan odiosos como poco instructivos.
Muchas damas del baile, con curiosidad de saber lo que decía la princesa Julia, se la arrimaron. Glanville lo advirtió y, temiendo que su prima se expusiere a públicas bufonadas, pidió a su hermana que buscara algún medio para salir de allí. Carlota, aunque de mala gana, dio gusto a su hermano, fingió un dolor de cabeza y resolvió a Arabela que la acompañara a casa127, adonde las siguieron Glanville, el petrimetre Tíncel y el erudito Silven.
Chapter VIII
Some reflections very fit, and others very unfit, for an assembly-room.
“You speak in strange terms,” replied Arabella, blushing, “of a princess, who if she was not the most reserved and severe person in the world, was yet nevertheless absolutely chaste.
[152] “I know there were people who represented her partiality for Ovid in a very unfavourable light; but that ingenious poet, when he related his history to the great Agrippa, told him in confidence all that had passed between him and the princess Julia, than which nothing could be more innocent,* though a little indiscreet. For it is certain that she permitted him to love her, and did not condemn him to any rigorous punishment for daring to tell her so; yet, for all this, as I said before, though she was not altogether so austere as she ought to have been, yet she was nevertheless a most virtuous princess.”
Mr. Selvin, not daring to contradict a lady whose extensive reading had furnished her with anecdotes unknown almost to anybody else, by his silence confessed her superiority. But Mr. Glanville, who knew all these anecdotes were drawn from romances, which he found contradicted the known facts in history, and assigned the most ridiculous causes for things of the greatest importance, could not help smiling at the facility with which Mr. Selvin gave in to those idle absurdities. For notwithstanding his affectation of great reading, his superficial knowledge of history made it extremely easy to deceive him; and as it was his custom to mark in his pocketbook all the scraps of history he heard introduced into conversation, and retail them again in other company, he did not doubt but he would make a figure with the curious circumstances Arabella had furnished him with.
Arabella, observing Mr. Tinsel by his familiar bows, significant smiles and easy salutations [153] was acquainted with the greatest part of the assembly, told him that she did not doubt but he knew the adventures of many persons whom they were viewing; and that he would do her a pleasure if he would relate some of them.
Mr. Tinsel was charmed with a request which afforded him an opportunity of gratifying a favourite inclination, and seating himself near her immediately, was beginning to obey her injunctions, when she gracefully entreated him to stay a moment; and calling to Mr. Glanville and his sister, who were talking to Mr. Selvin, asked them if they chose to partake of a more rational amusement than dancing, and listen to the adventures of some illustrious persons, which Mr. Tinsel had promised to relate.
“I assure you, madam,” said Mr. Glanville, smiling, “you will find that a less innocent amusement than dancing.”p. 255
“Why so, sir?” replied Arabella. “Since it is not an indiscreet curiosity which prompts me to a desire of hearing the histories Mr. Tinsel has promised to entertain me with, but rather a hope of hearing something which may at once improve and delight me; something which may excite my admiration, engage my esteem, or influence my practice.
“It was, doubtless, with such motives as these, that we find princesses and ladies of the most illustrious rank, in Clelia and the Grand Cyrus, listening to the adventures of persons in whom they were probably as little interested as we are in these around us. Kings, princes and commanders of armies, thought it was no waste of their time, in the midst of the [154] hurry and clamour of a camp, to listen many hours to the relation of one single history, and not filled with any extraordinary events, but haply a simple recital of common occurrences. The great Cyrus, while he was busy in reducing all Asia to his yoke, heard nevertheless the histories of all the considerable persons in the camp, besides those of strangers, and even his enemies. If there was therefore anything either criminal or mean in hearing the adventures of others, do you imagine so many great and illustrious persons would have given in to such an amusement?”
After this Arabella turned gravely about to Mr. Tinsel, and told him he was at liberty to begin his recital.
The beau, a little disconcerted by the solemnity with which she requested his information, knew not how to begin with the formality that he saw was required of him; and therefore sat silent for a few moments, which Arabella supposed was to recall to his memory all the passages he proposed to relate.
His perplexity would probably have increased instead of lessening by the profound silence which she observed, had not Miss Glanville seated herself with a sprightly air on the other side of him, and directing his eyes to a tall handsome woman that had just entered, asked him, pleasantly, to tell her history if he knew it.
Mr. Tinsel, brought into his usual track by this question, answered smiling that the history of that lady was yet a secret, or known but to a very few;* “but my intelligence,” added [155] he, “is generally the earliest, and may always be depended on.”
“Perhaps,” said Arabella, “the lady is one of your acquaintances, and favoured you with the recital of her adventure from her own mouth.”
“No, really, madam,” answered Mr. Tinsel, surprised at the great simplicity of Arabella, for so he understood it. “The lady, I believe, is not so communicative. And to say the truth, I should not choose to hear her adventures from herself, since she certainly would suppress the most material circumstances.p. 256
“In a word,” said he, lowering his voice, “that lady was for many years the mistress of a young military nobleman, whom she was so complaisant to follow in all his campaigns, marches, sieges and every inconvenience of war. He married her in Gibraltar, from whence he is lately arrived, and introduced his new lady to his noble brother, by whom she was not unfavourably received. It is worth remarking that this same haughty peer thought fit to resent with implacable obstinacy the marriage of another of his brothers with the widow of a brave officer of considerable rank in the army. It is true she was several years older than the young lord; and had no fortune, but the duke assigned other reasons for his displeasure. He complained loudly that his brother had dishonoured the nobility of his birth by this alliance, and continued his resentment till the death of the young hero, who gave many remarkable proofs of his courage and fortitude upon several occasions, and died gloriously before the walls of Carthagena, [156] leaving his disconsolate lady a widow a second time, with the acquisition of a title indeed, but a very small addition to her fortune.
“Observe that gay, splendid lady, I beseech you, madam,” pursued he, turning to Arabella, “how affectedly she looks and talks, and throws her eyes around the room, with a haughty self-sufficiency in her aspect, and insolent contempt for everything but herself! Her habit, her speech, her motions, are all French; nothing in England is able to please her; the people so dull, so awkwardly polite; the manners so gross; no delicacy, no elegance, no magnificence in their persons, houses, or diversions; everything is so distasteful, there is no living in such a place. ‘One may crawl about,’ indeed, she says, ‘and make a shift to breathe in the odious country, but one cannot be said to live; and with all the requisites to render life delightful, here, one can only suffer, not enjoy it.’
“Would one not imagine,” pursued he, “this fine lady was a person of very exalted rank, who has the sanction of birth, riches and grandeur for her extraordinary pride? And yet she is no other than the daughter of an innkeeper at Spa, and had the exalted post assigned her of attending new lodgers to their apartments, acquainting them with all the conveniences of the place, answering a humble question or two concerning what company was in the town, what scandal was stirring and the like.
[157] “One of our great sea commanders going thither for his health happened to lodge at this inn; and was so struck with her charms that he married her in a few weeks, and soon after brought her to England.
“Such was the origin of this fantastic lady whose insupportable pride and ridiculous affectation draws contempt and aversion wherever she appears.”
“Did I not tell you, madam,” interrupted Mr. Glanville, “that the amusement you had chosen was not so innocent as dancing? What a deal of scandal has Mr. Tinsel uttered in the compass of a few minutes?”
“I assure you,” replied Arabella, “I know not what to make of the histories he has been relating. I think they do not deserve that name, and are rather detached pieces of satire on particular persons than a serious relation of facts. I confess my expectations from this gentleman have not been answered.”
“I think, however, madam,” said Mr. Glanville, “we may allow that there is a negative merit in the relations Mr. Tinsel has made; for if he has not shown us anything to approve, he has at least shown us what to condemn.”p. 257
“The ugliness of vice,” replied Arabella, “ought only to be represented to the vicious, to whom satire, like a magnifying glass, may aggravate every defect, in order to make its deformity appear more hideous; but since its end is only to reprove and amend, it should never be addressed to any but those who come within its correction, and may be the better for it. A virtuous mind need not be shown [158] the deformity of vice, to make it be hated and avoided; the more pure and uncorrupted our ideas are, the less shall we be influenced by example. A natural propensity to virtue or vice often determines the choice. It is sufficient therefore to show a good mind what it ought to pursue, though a bad one must be told what to avoid. In a word, one ought to be always incited, the other always restrained.”
“I vow, Lady Bella,” said Miss Glanville, “you’d make one think one came here to hear a sermon; you are so very grave, and talk upon such high-flown subjects. What harm was there in what Mr. Tinsel was telling us? It would be hard indeed if one might not divert one’s self with other people’s faults.”
“I am afraid, miss,” said Arabella, “those who can divert themselves with the faults of others are not behind in affording diversion. And that very inclination,” added she, smilingly, “to hear other people’s faults may, by those very people, be condemned as one, and afford them the same kind of ill-natured pleasure you are so desirous of.”
“Nay, madam,” returned Miss Glanville, “your ladyship was the first who introduced the discourse you condemn so much. Did not you desire Mr. Tinsel to tell you histories about the company, and asked my brother and me to come and hear them?”
“It is true,” replied Arabella, “that I did desire you to partake with me of a pleasing and rational amusement, for such I imagined Mr. Tinsel’s histories might afford. Far from a detail of vices, follies and irregularities, I [159] expected to have heard the adventures of some illustrious personages related, between whose actions, and those of the heroes and heroines of antiquity, I might have found some resemblance.
“For instance, I hoped to have heard imitated the sublime courage of a Clelia, who, to save her honour from the attempts of the impious Tarquin, leaped into the river Tyber, and swam to the other side; or the noble resolution of the incomparable Candace, who, to escape out of the hands of her ravisher, the pirate Zenadorus, set fire to his vessel with her own hands, and committed herself to the mercy of the waves. Or the constancy and affection of a Mandana, who, for the sake of a Cyrus, refused the richest crowns in the world, and braved the terrors of death to preserve herself for him.
“As for the men, I hoped to have heard of some who might have almost equalled the great Oroondates, the invincible Artaban, the valiant Juba, the renowned Alcamenes and many thousand heroes of antiquity, whose glorious exploits in war, and unshaken constancy in love, have given them immortal fame.”*
While Arabella was uttering this long speech, with great emotion, Miss Glanville, with a sly look at the beau, gave him to understand that was her cousin’s foible. p. 258
Mr. Tinsel, however, not able to comprehend the meaning of what she said, listened to her with many signs of perplexity and wonder.
Mr. Selvin in secret repined at her prodigious knowledge of history, and Mr. Glanville, [160] with his eyes fixed on the ground, bit his lips almost through with madness.
In the meantime, several among the company, desirous of hearing what the strange lady was saying so loud, and with so much eagerness and emotion, gathered round them, which Mr. Glanville observing, and fearing Arabella would expose herself still farther, whispered his sister to get her away, if possible.
Miss Glanville, though very unwilling, obeyed his injunctions, and complaining of a sudden headache, Arabella immediately proposed retiring, which was joyfully complied with by Mr. Glanville, who with the other gentlemen attended them home.