THE DOWAGER;

OR

THE NEW SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL.

CHAPTER I.

was bound to keep the family dower-house in substantial repair, but not to consult the whims of the incumbent. The Countess, it is true, In one of the streets of the fashionable might, out of the four thousand a year jointure part of London, (by calling it Upper Gros- assigned her by her husband's will, have very venor Street, we may set at nought the well afforded a portico to her door, and new curiosity of the public,) stood, some years fangled balconies above, after the fashion of the ago, a first-rate specimen of the old-school resi- majority of her neighbors. But she could not dences; having over its five narrow drawing- bear the idea of increasing, by a doit, the value room windows, keystones of Portland stone of Lord Delmaine's property. She was only a funereal-looking vases of the same material, tenant for life; and though taking care to make ranged along the parapet masking the upper her tenancy a long one, was equally careful story-while a venerable jessamine tree in the that not a brick or stone of her laying, should area, completely clothed the basement. For remain as a post obit memorial of her reign in half a century it had not varied so much as the the old mansion in Upper Grosvenor Street. shaping of the dwarf canvass blinds of the di- From all this it may be inferred, that her ning room; and for half a century, it had been Ladyship's dower was paid the dower-house of the Countess Dowager of Delmaine.

by an unlineal hand, No son of hers succeeding.

Apparently, the neighborhood prided itself in the quaint air of respectability of the old Lady Harriet Doyle had espoused, at sevenmansion; for among the advantages pointed teen, a widower, whose eldest son was two out, as enhancing the value of the opposite years her senior; and who, despite the charm house when purchased, upon his marriage, by of youth and beauty, by which she contrived to young Lord Gransden, was that of being so eli make and keep the old Earl her slave, cordially gibly situated as to be overlooked by that much detested both her and the offspring who alienrespected personage, the Dowager Lady Del- ated from him the affections of his father. No maine; while a very tolerable rent had actual- sooner, however, had the young Lady Delmaine ly been refused by a fashionable house-agent favored him with a brother and two sisters, from a speculator desirous of setting up an up- than the sudden death of the Earl promoted holsterer's shop next door, on the plea that such him to the enjoyment of the family estates, a derogation would be a downright insult to hampered by the large jointure aforesaid, and the Countess Dowager. It is true, the proprie the payment of ten thousand pounds each to tor of the house resented the rejection, as arising the younger children.

No. 34.

solely from the agent's apprehensions of rival- This contingency was not likely to stimulate ship from the new-comer; but certain it is, that, his regard for his father's second family. For by custom immemorial, the whole street looked he was now himself the father of a son so nearup with a certain degree of deference to ly the contemporary of his younger brother, that at his own death, twenty years afterwards, The motive which retained the old stone the young Lord Delmaine, and his uncle, John vases on the parapet, and the keystones over Chichester, celebrated their coming of age by the narrow window-cases, was not, however, one and the same festival, at Chichester Hall. any aversion to innovation on the part of the It was by this grandson of her husband, a Dowager. She would have been pleased to man now fifty years of age, that her Ladyship's see her quizzical house rejuvenized, to keep jointure had been, for the last thirty years, pace with the modern elegance displayed by grudgingly paid. During his father's life-time, Lord Gransden. But this did not enter into the he had heard constant abuse lavished on the views of the present Earl of Delmaine, who Dowager, as a cunning schemer, by whom the

dotage of her husband had been beguiled out the wings. But, unluckily, the round fair face, of a provision for herself and her children fatal so lovely in childhood, had never progressed to the interests of the Delmaine estate; and into becoming manliness of feature. The same had begun by looking with a longing eye upon round, unmeaning blue eyes, which had been the dower house, as a charming residence for charming at six years old, were silly at fifty; his own mother, and in process of time, on his and the pink cheeks and snub nose of poor Chimother's decease, as a very suitable one for chester, who rejoiced in the nickname of Johnny, himself. In the rare visits paid by his Lord- were rendered yet more absurd by the flaxen ship to the Dowager and his aunt, Lady Meliora wig, wherewith he chose to replace the Antinous Chichester, the latter was too astute not to de- curls of his boyhood. tect the eye of her grand-son-in-law wandering This simplicity of feature, combined with the over the premises, as if devising what altera- vagueness of countenance often to be observed tions he would make on coming to the proper- in deaf people, gave him the air of being halfty; and the Dowager, in the prime of life when witted. Yet many of the cleverest men of the this surmise first entered her head, had vowed clubs had expressed an opinion, that Johnny within herself that her age should be doubled, was not near so great a goose as he chose to be before the wishes of the Earl were accomplish- considered; and that half his deafness, and all ed. Providence so far favored her views, that his dullness, were assumed, in order to escape now, in her seventy-third year, she enjoyed bet- being made a partizan in quarrels, and an agent ter health than the son of her step-son, who was in manœuvres. just twenty years younger.

For Lady Delmaine was a woman whose activity in these respects brought her as near the discovery of perpetual motion as can well be imagined. Not even time, the universal tamer, had worn down her exuberance of animal spirits. Nothing escaped her observation; nothing was safe from her intermedling.

Lord Delmaine still continued his periodical visits, as if determined to ascertain with his own eyes how much longer his patience was to be put to the proof. But his scrutiny was directed rather to the countenance of the Dowager than the aspect of her house; and it was mortifying enough to perceive, that while her When any novice about town was desirous consoles and girandoles grew old fashioned, and of learning who was who, or what was what, dilapidations were perceptible in every quarter they were sure to be referred to the Dowager. of the mansion, the health of the old lady re-"Ask Lady Delmaine," or "Lady Meliora Chimained unbroken. She was as fresh as a rose; chester will be able to tell you," saved a every tooth perfect, every faculty unimpaired; world of explanation to persons better emwhile he was becoming a mumbler, and had ployed. Want of occupation, in short, had long exhibited the complexion of an apple in made a gossip of her; but the Dowager might, the receiver of an exhausted air-pump. It was perhaps, have remained merciful and inoffenquite clear, even to himself, that the Dowager sive in her gossipping, but for the detestation was determined to see him out.

in which she found herself held by her step-son The present Earl had married later in life and his descendants. To know ourselves groundthan his two predecessors; and his son, Lord lessly hated, is a bad school for the heart; and Chichester, had only lately come into parlia- just as mistrust and persecution call forth the ment. One daughter, Lady Charlotte Chiches- incipient ferocity of the brute creation, the ter, a pretty, but affected girl of nineteen, com- Dowager, on finding all her words and action3 pleted his family; and as the Earl was himself misrepresented by the Earl and Countess of an only child, no further incumbrances than Delmaine, became gradually illiberal and spiteJohn Chichester and his two sisters impover- ful.

ished the family estate. It had been auginent- For a lapse of years, John Chichester, a poped, indeed, by his prudent marriage with an ular, agreeable young man about town, had heiress; and, altogether, there was little excuse labored in vain to moderate her colloquial vifor the avidity with which, like the clerk of an vacity, and modify her powers of invention; insurance office, he came prying into the Dow- and till the marriage of her elder daughter, ager's state of health. The Earl owed more Lady Mary Chichester, one of the most charmrespect to his grandfather's widow, if only out ing women of her day, with Mr. Morison Langof regard to his early friendship with her son, ley, Member of Parliament for one of the northhis uncle John. But John Chichester was not ern counties, Lady Delmaine had been too the man to resent the offence. Though he still much engrossed by her domestic affairs to busy lived, and, contrary to custom, with the Dow- herself with those of other people. But as time ager, he took no part in her defence or her of wore away, and the handsome Dowager, who fences. Exceedingly deaf, the old bachelor ex- had refused such an infinity of offers, ceased to isted in a visionary world; in peace and charity be courted on her own account or on that of her with the one whose rumors reached him so pretty daughter, while in the peevishness of faintly, and consequently uninvolved in the Lady Meliora, who, being marked with the feuds fermenting among the other members of smallpox, was overlooked by the world matrithe Chichester family. monial-Lady Delmaine gradually progressed There was something, indeed, in the aspect into a manufacturer and retailer of scandals; of John Chichester, rendering it difficult to con- and Johnny Chichester took upon himself to nect the idea of dissension with the proprietor become as deaf as a post.

of so good-humored a countenance. He had The nearest objects of interest to the Dowbeen in his time a beautiful child-the model ager, (for her antipathy to the Delmaine family of artists—a mamma's darling—a cupid, minus was a thing apart,) were her Grosvenor street

1

neighbors. Lady Delmaine's neighbors at num- hopeless single blessedness, trying by spiteful bers thirty-three and thirty-five, were compar- insinuations to disgust others with themselves atively out of favor, for she was forced to rise and the world. from her seat to ascertain who rang at their She had great influence with her mother. She bells or knocked at their doors; whereas the could persuade the Dowager into anything exvisiters of Lord and Lady Gransden at number cept a rupture with Johnny, whom Lady Melifour, of Sir Henry Windsor at number five, and ora despised as a blockhead, having gone General and Mrs. Knox at number six, lay im- through life without an object, an opinion, or a mediately under review. She could guess, by predilection; who was neither to be taunted long habit, and the liveries of the footmen into a dispute, nor thwarted into seeking an esbringing notes, the exact nature of their corres-tablishment of his own.

pondence; knew precisely what mammas were "I can't think why it is, my dear," Lady Memaking up for their daughters to the rich bach- liora's gay friend, Mrs. Crouch, would sometimes elor baronet; could connect the number of say to her, "that you take so much pains to set knocks about Christmas time at the General's Lady Delmaine against your brother. Mr. Chidoor, with the profusion of elegant bonnets and chester seems a thoroughly harmless, insignifiturbans worn the preceding season by his young cant person. He never has a word to say wife; while as to the Gransdens, between the against any one; never asserts a will of his multitude of cabriolets, britskas, chariots, and own." landaus, crowding their doors with visiters, they were a providence to the idle moments of ship's reply. "I only assert him to be the the Dowager. greatest bore in the world. Nothing is more tiresome than a single man perpetually hanging on upon a set of women."

From the instant, however, that the daily hubbub of the fashionable world commenced, Lady Delmaine's drawing room was too full of

"Do I accuse him of either?" was her Lady

"In that case," observed Mrs. Crouch, who

her own guests to admit of retaining her post never allowed an opportunity to escape of sayof observation. Her fellow-prattlers, who came ing amiable things to her amiable friend, “in to seek or impart information, engrossed her that case, my dear, you ought to determine Latime till the Dowager coach rolled to the door, dy Delmaine to make Mr. Chichester such an to enable her to circulate through the town the allowance as would enable him to set up a serich gleanings of her morning; and after setting parate establishment. Johnny Chichester is Johnny down at his club, and trying to pick a one of the most popular creatures with whom quarrel with him on the road for the stolid si- I am acquainted; never in want of engagelence in which he sat listening to some miracu- ments, either for London or the country." lous tale or in edited anecdote, she would rum- "And much profit they are to him, deaf ble off to her dowager confederacy, (or, as as he is !" cried Lady Meliora, careful to avoid Johnny Chichester called it, the new school for dwelling on the subject of an allowance to her scandal,) and fuse and confuse in the ever-ready brother out of an income, the savings of which crucibles of old Lady Dearmouth, or the gay were marked as her own. "He never has a widow of Admiral Crouch, the rich ore she had word to tell us on his return from even the gathered. To the houses of the latter, in Har-pleasantest party."

66

ley-street, and of the former, in Park Place, the Johnny is not communicative, I admit," refat old coach-horses seemed to amble without plied Mrs. Crouch, But if he hears nohint from bit or thong. thing-"

All the season long, the Dowager was in daily habits of communication with these and fifty others who, like herself, could-conjecture no enquiry more interesting than "any thing new?" -and no answer worthy attention that was not prefaced with "Oh, yes!--I have got a famous story for you!"

66

If he hears nothing, and since he says nothing, he might certainly just as well reside alone, and neither increase the trouble of our establishment, nor form a restraint upon our social circle."

But though neither Mrs. Crouch nor Lady Dearmouth, nor any other of Lady Delmaine's Lady Delmaine had not the pretext for spite intimate associates, cared a rush whether Johnand envy that might have been pleaded by La- ny Chichester were or were not retained as the dy Meliora. In her youth, she had been singu- inmate of the dowager, Lady Meliora's plans larly handsome; through life, blameless and met with steady though quiet opposition from prosperous. But Lady Meliora Chichester was her sister. Lady Mary Langley, who dearly really malicious. Disappointments of one kind loved her brother, and was convinced that the or other had put her thoroughly out of conceit respectability of his family was concerned in with her fellow-creatures. She had been a his continuing to reside with them in Upper pretty girl-almost as pretty as Lady Mary; Grosvenor-street, invariably met the hints of the when lo! just as she attained to womanhood, Dowager by an assertion of the impossibility of the small-pox had distorted her fair features; the dismemberment of the family. and it might almost be supposed her temper Lady Mary dreaded the thought of disunion also, since it was not till she grew ugly that in every shape. Her own home was a manpeople discovered her faults and disposition. sion of peace; and she trusted, with the ferBut from that epoch no one, not even her mo- vency of the good, who have a knack of trustther, was deceived as to the nature of her dis- ing, that at some later period, Lady Delmaine position; and as Lady Meliora had no attrac- might be induced to adopt more serious habits tions of fortune to make the world forget she of life. Her two children, the tardy blessings was cross and disfigured, she had remained in of a marriage, to perfect the happiness of

which they alone were wanting, used vainly to check upon that idle spirit of gossipping, that represent to their mother the improbability of dreadful taste for scandal, in which Lady Dearsuch a change, and could scarcely resist rallying mouth, Mrs. Crouch, Sir Jacob Appleby, and her on the disappointment visible in her coun- others of their clique, are incessantly indulgtenance, when she discovered that the mornings ing."

66

of the Dowager were still devoted to scandal, "Come, come, mother, admit that la chere and her evenings to cards. grandmaman and my aunt are the worst of My dearest mother, at her age, what would the set; and that half the absurd stories curyon have?" cried Augustus, a lively young fel- rent in society, may be traced back to the malow, who having distinguished himself at col-nufactory of the Dowager Lady Delmaine?" lege, had a somewhat too favorable opinion of "Hervey d'Ewes calls grandmamma's house his abilities; and was beginning to hint that the scandal factory," observed Cecilia; "and the country considered its representation too my aunt Meliora the mistress of the scandalheavy for a man of his father's years and would mint."

fain see him abdicate in favor of a younger "Because her Ladyship's coinage is of so member of the family. "What amusement deep a die?" cried Augustus, with a laugh. would the two ladies find, were their coterie "Do not jest on such a subject, my dear broken up?" children!" said Lady Mary, with a heavy sigh. I never expressed a wish, my dear Augus- "I have known such painful, such fatal consetus, to see my mother estrange herself from quences result from idle reports put into circusociety, which, from long habit, is essential to lation in the mere wantonness of a gossip's her comfort. All I desire is that she should be leisure, that I tremble when I hear the subject surrounded with a circle more to the taste of treated with levity, more especially by those my brother, who has been forced to associate who are dear to me." through life with a set of persons most uncongenial to a man of his benevolent mind. Johnny's inclinations ought to be in some degree consulted in the choice of their society." "What can it signify to a man who is stone deaf, whether he associate with Peter or Paul, -rational men or women, or gossipping dowagers?" retorted her son.

You must allow, Augustus," interposed his sister, "that my uncle is quite a different person when he comes down to Langley Park, from what we find him on our return to town, after spending the winter among these people."

Johnny is in better health, and hears better in the country. I have seen him enjoy himself, and even distinguish himself in conversation with my father's political associates."

66

And you have heard papa say how highly my uncle was thought of at Oxford ?"

"Yes, John Chichester certainly left a name at Christchurch," said Augustus Langley, drawing up at the recollection.

"And how much was expected from him on his first entrance into life?""

"I must say that, in general, the Dowager's scandals are of a very inoffensive milk-andwater character," said Augustus, more by way of solace to his mother to whom her children were devotedly attached, than in advocacy of Lady Delmaine.

"No scandals are inoffensive!" said Lady Mary, vexed at his persisting. "A pebble armed by a sling becomes a deadly missile; and the most trivial rumors may become of vital import to a human destiny.”

CHAPTER II.

LADY Gransden was a very pretty woman of two-and-twenty, who, after three years' marriage, had scarcely exhausted the delight of hearing herself hailed a viscountess; the husband through whom the distinction was derived, being what is technically called "the man of her choice."

The phrase, interpreted, meant only that the second daughter of Mr. Oakham of Hanbury Park, had refused a Captain in the Guards, and a younger brother with good expectations, before she joyfully accepted the hand of Lord Gransden; a good-natured, well-looking young man, who, being the only unmarried young nobleman in the county, was of course an object of idolatry to all its young ladies.

"Since which, thanks to natural indolence The Oakham girls had been somewhat strictand a moderate competence, he has sunk into ly brought up by an excellent mother; who had a nonentity," added Augustus. no fault but the very natural Pygmalion-like

"My dear boy, do not attempt to sit in judg-weakness of being desperately in love with her ment upon your uncle! He has higher quali- performances. She, of course, considered the ties and capacities than it is easy for you to handsome Viscount and his handsome seat at appreciate," said Lady Mary, gravely. Gransden Hall, as a tribute due to the merits

I don't doubt it. But I cannot see why of her charming Laura; and the energy with Johnny's qualities and capacities, as you call them, are to drive the whist-table out of his mother's drawing room, or to compel Lady Meliora to make a bontire of her visiting list," retorted Augustus.

which she enforced this upon her girl, tended, perhaps, to fortify the genuine filial affection of Lady Gransden, and to render the gentle flatteries of home essential to her happiness, even when commanding, in after-life, the more splendid homage of society.

You declared that Lady Medwyn kept a whist score with all the young men of the new club; and that Mrs. Maddington kept no score at all, but dipped into every body's purse as coolly as she had already done into her husband's estates."

Unluckily, they all took too much pride: the well put my children into the Foundling Hospirecollection of Laura's triumph being ever up. tal at once, as keep them at nurse down at permost. They bored their neighbors with Ashford Castle, which I never visit from one Lady Gransden's house in town; Lady Grans- year's end to another; nay, that I keep a list den's villa at Boxhill; Lady Gransden's seat in of their names in my pocket-book, lest they -shire; Lady Gransden's court dresses, should altogether escape my memory." opera box, picture in the exhibition, and favor "My dear, dear La-" at court. It might have been supposed there "You added that my sister Harriet was fifty had never been a Viscountess before, and that times worse than myself: inasmuch as she not there was no other pretty woman in the peer- only contrived to forget her children, but her age. All that Lady Gransden wrote to them husband, who, however, was not so much to be was repeated. All she said, did, or thought, pitied, since he managed to console himself became a matter of laudation; and when Lord with the pretty Marchioness." Gransden, who in his bachelor days had been a "My dearest La-” determined sportsman, took a hunting-box close to Melton the winter following his marriage, and Laura in her correspondence with her mother made a passing remark upon the state of female society there which never ought to have reached beyond the walls of the drawing-room of Hanbury Park, Mrs. Oakham was so rash in "Nay, but I must be heard!" cried Laura, thanking God, in the ears of the whole neigh unable longer to repress her emotion. "I said borhood, for "the excellent principles of her none-no-not one of these things!—I know daughter, which would secure the young Vis- nothing of such charges, and am incapable of countess from corruption, even in the midst of inventing them. I must have been lost to all the dissolute set into which she had been madly delicacy of mind-all womanly feeling-before introduced by her Lord!"-the story soon I could have strung together such a catalogue transpired; and Lady Delmaine and Lady of infamies. On my word of honor, dear Lady Meliora Chichester, who happened to be staying Sophia-'not guilty !" in the neighborhood, took care, on their return "I never thought you were, my dear," reto London, to publish flourishing variations on plied her cavalier companion, " or I should not the theme. Lady Gransden's impertinent ani- come in this frank manner to unburthen my madversions afforded a topic in all their morn- budget. No! You probably said something ing visits,—more especially to such persons as not particularly civil of us; that we were a had friends or connections among the Melton frivolous, flirting set, or something of that sort,

set.

(if not true to the letter, certainly not altogether false,) and this has been magnified by an enemy into the slander I have detailed to you." "But at my age, what enemy can I have!" exclaimed Lady Gransden, in despair.

66

Nothing could have been more unfortunate for a bride, who had her own way to make in the fashionable world!-London was not particularly pleased with Lord Gransden for marrying an obscure country Miss, instead of one Why your age in itself creates a host!of the hundred of Ladyships it had placed at Do you think that such women as myself, Lady his disposal; and on finding that the new Lady Medwyn, Mrs. Maddington, and one or two Gransden had the audacity to set herself up as others who find it convenient to dress our a prude, in judgment upon its ways of going bandeaux with pommade fixatoire of a dye as on, and to find fault with the fair creatures dark as the Newgate Calendar, lest others whose follies are its boast, there was every should perceive, as clearly as our waiting maids probability that the young Viscountess would that our raven black is turning to chinchilla— undergo sentence of ostracism, on the very do you think we can forgive you the hair and threshold of the grand monde. complexion of sweet eighteen?"

"So, my dear Lady Gransden!" cried the "Or the awkward manners of unformed handsome Lady Sophia Ashford, the first time eighteen!" demanded the Viscountess, with a they met in town-"I hear you say we are all smile. shocking people at Melton;-the men bears, and the women unbearable !—Oh, fie, my dear! I did not think you so ill-natured!-You are much too young and too pretty to be censorious."

Rely upon it, you have loads of enemies," resumed Lady Sophia; "and that one or other of them has done you this ill turn. However, don't make yourself miserable. I believe the storm is blowing over. At first, the Countess, "To whom did I ever utter any thing of the and one or two of the others were furious, and kind?" cried Lady Gransden, with indignation. wanted to have a meeting of the club called on "Ay, there's the rub!-To some particular the subject, to insist, through Lord Gransden, friend, who does not appear to be particularly upon a public retraction. But at last they bediscreet. You said, it seems, that the dear gan to remember that " plus on remue le fumier, Countess and her sister were irretrievable gam- plus il infecte, and wisely determined to keep blers; and that Flora would be as bad as either, quiet, and forget what their resentment would if she did not find more amusement in her bil- alone cause other people to bear in mind." lets-doux than her betting-book."

"I shall certainly not be presented on Thurs"My dear La—” day!" exclaimed Lady Gransden, down whose "You said," continued Lady Sophia, not cheeks tears of mortification were forcing their choosing to be interrupted, "that I might as way. "I will not go out this season!"