ay by day Louisa regained her strength, and day by day old tastes and impressions revived, and she more eagerly anticipated the time when she should be able to plunge again into a vortex of light amusements. She was still, indeed, courteous, almost affectionate to Clemence, retaining a grateful sense of the kindness which had so tenderly nursed her through a distressing illness. A pretty token of remembrance was received by her step-mother on the anniversary of Clemence’s birth-day, accompanied by a few lines expressive of grateful regard. But Lady Selina was gradually resuming her influence over the convalescent; and Arabella was her constant companion. The secession of Louisa to “the enemy’s side” was an event not to be suffered by either. Arabella spoke bitterly against Clemence in the presence of her sister, not altogether sparing even the memory of Captain Thistlewood; but this had no effect beyond that of annoying Louisa. Lady Selina worked more cautiously and surely. Gradually she commenced raising anew the wall of prejudice, which had been swept away as by a flood from the mind of her niece. She did not deny Clemence’s merit, but she depreciated it—praised her kindness, but cast suspicion on its motives; and by many a covert allusion to “Mrs. Effingham’s extraordinary conduct on the day of the accident,” tried to convert the gratitude of Louisa into a totally opposite feeling. The world, from which the young girl had for a time been separated by her illness, like a magnet possessed more and more attraction the nearer she approached to it again. The Bible, though not entirely neglected, was often laid aside for the novel; and gossip about the fashions, a new dress, or a new acquaintance, was readily welcomed by Louisa as a substitute for serious thought. Her conscience was no longer dead, but its voice was drowned in other sounds; the terrors which had oppressed her were melting away like a dark, dissolving view, into new bright tints; and when the sick-room was exchanged for the drawing-room, Louisa seemed to have left behind her most of the serious resolves and solemn impressions which had owed their birth only to fear.
Not contented with her insidious endeavours to alienate from Clemence the affection which she had won, Lady Selina employed all her art in throwing difficulties in the way of replacing Mademoiselle Lafleur. Her own education, though not more solid, had been conducted on more fashionable principles than that of Mrs. Effingham; and Lady Selina had little difficulty in making it appear even to her brother-in-law that she was far better qualified than the youthful step-mother to choose an instructress for his children. If Clemence deemed that she had met with a lady whose high character, experience, and knowledge were likely to render her services valuable, Lady Selina at once detected some defect of manner, education, or age, which would render it perfectly out of the question to receive her as governess in Belgrave Square. The earl’s daughter appeared, by Mr. Effingham’s tacit consent, to reserve to herself a power of negativing every proposition which did not please her; and it was evident to Clemence that this power would never lie dormant in her hands. The young wife, too timid to court opposition, too diffident to maintain her own opinion boldly, except in cases where conscience was concerned, gave great advantage to an adversary well versed in the tactics of the world, and by no means scrupulous in making use of its weapons.
The small property of Captain Thistlewood, amounting, clear of needful expenses, to less than a hundred pounds per annum, had by his death reverted to his niece; but the money would not for some months be available, and in the meantime Clemence, the wife of the opulent banker, was annoyed by petty pecuniary embarrassments. Her expenses had been regulated with the strictest economy since her first and only visit to Madame La Voye; but necessary expenditure on mourning, however simple, had involved her again in difficulties, which harassed without seriously distressing. Clemence shrank with invincible reluctance from applying for money to her husband, who had so recently generously taken upon himself the debt which she had so thoughtlessly incurred. Nor could Clemence conscientiously apply to her own private use even a fraction of the large sums appropriated to household expenses; she looked upon herself as her husband’s steward, and scrupulously acted as such. It thus happened that, in the midst of luxury and plenty, the young mistress of that superb mansion found her purse drained of its last shilling. The consequences of her excessive liberality and thoughtless expenditure on first coming to London clung to her still; and it did not lessen her chagrin to suspect that Lady Selina was aware of her little difficulties, and secretly rejoiced in the embarrassments into which she herself had helped to lead an inexperienced girl.
One afternoon towards the end of January, Mr. Marsden, the clergyman of the parish, paid a visit in Belgrave Square. He was a man who laboured faithfully in his vocation; and though his manner might be ridiculed, and his sermons criticised, his character always commanded respect. Lady Selina usually brought out for his benefit her most choice religious phrases. When he feelingly congratulated the pale Louisa on her deliverance from danger and her recovery from illness, her aunt chimed in with such admirable observations on the uncertainty of life and the necessity for constant readiness for death, as raised the lady in the eyes of the clergyman. He was proportionately disappointed to mark Clemence’s apparent coldness on the subject; for her truthful nature could not show approval of sentiments, however true, which she knew to be uttered by the lip of hypocrisy.
The object of Mr. Marsden’s visit was to lay before his rich parishioners the pressing necessities of his poor. The winter was a very severe one. Behind the magnificent mansions of the aristocracy, want pined and sickness languished. He had come from the garret of the widow, the loathsome crowded dwellings of the indigent; he pleaded the cause of the orphan, and of those who had no certain shelter from the piercing cold, even in a season so inclement.
La............