ABSTRACT
If the lady of the house was unfeeling and insolent, the master of it was all goodness, humanity, and consideration. His softness of temper, which had been the cause of his consenting to make himself miserable, now induced him to bear with calmness the humours and caprices of a woman he could neither love nor esteem, but who, having given him her fortune, he thought entitled to his gratitude, and, having put herself into his power, to his complaisance. As the slightest contradiction produced passionate retort, tears, and reproaches, he seldom contradicted her at all; but when they totally differed in their ideas, he went quietly his own way, and avoided the pain of altercation by not consulting her. This method, however, was not without its inconveniences; for she always suspected that he was engaged in something which she was not to know, and sometimes artfully discovered that he had assisted a friend by a loan, or forgiven his rent to a tenant in distress. On these occasions she failed not to declaim, with great energy, against the cruelty and injustice of Mr. Eversley, who had, she said, no more honour than honesty to give away hers, and her children’s property – for she had two girls, both amiable copies of their mamma. It happened that one of these unfortunate discoveries had been made on the day when Althea was first to appear at the table of her host. Mrs. Eversley, who had seen her only once before, received her with a scowling countenance, and hardly spoke to her. She looked indeed very lovely in her deep mourning; a circumstance which was alone sufficient to excite the displeasure of Mrs. Eversley, and to this cause her husband imputed the unusual degree of ill-humour with which she seemed disposed to entertain him and his guests. He affected, however, to take no notice of it, but, with his usual easy good-humour, endeavoured to carry on the common table conversation with a gentleman who chanced to be present; occasionally addressing himself to Althea, but oftener to his wife. The lady sometimes answered with a sullen monosyllable, sometimes not at all; while her anger becoming more ungovernable, from the sort of necessity to restrain it which she thought her husband had purposely imposed upon her by the presence of another stranger, she sat 35swelling, and fanning herself with great violence. The day was a remarkably warm one, in the beginning of September, and the stranger, who was but little acquainted with the family history, observed that it was unusually hot; adding, very innocently, ‘I am afraid, Ma’am, you find yourself very much incommoded.’ – ‘That I do, indeed, Sir – I am incommoded; – and I am astonished how I bear things as I do – I am sure it is a mercy that I have strength to go through it.’ – ‘My dear Rebecca,’ said Mr. Eversley mildly, and affecting to misunderstand her, ‘I am very sorry you are unwell; but do not let us trouble our friends with our maladies – I hope you will soon be better.’
