A Lady of England 16
Had they not so responded, had they insisted on having her with them
still wherever they went, Charlotte would have given way. Hers was a high
ideal of filial submission; and though she had reached an age when she
had a right to an independent opinion, yet obedience to them ranked in
her mind before the necessity to decide for herself, in a question where
opinions might so greatly differ. If they desired her to go, she would
go. If the matter were left to herself, she would be on the safe side in
all cases which seemed to her dubious, and would remain at home.
There is little or nothing in her letters of that date bearing on this
subject; but the above seems to have been her manner of regarding it.
While feeling the need to draw for herself some line of demarcation
between things expedient and things inexpedient, she does not appear
to have fallen into the error, so common amongst really earnest and
excellent people, of counting that the line which she rightly drew for
herself must of necessity be the only right line for everybody else. Such
a view leads to many a harsh and un-Christian judgment. What is dangerous
for one may not be perilous for another, who is differently constituted.
What is needless for one may be an absolute duty for another, who is in
quite a different position. Probably Charlotte saw this. It is worth
remarking that, while she kept aloof from many entertainments out of
the house, she never, either then or in later years, refused to join in
home-parties, or failed to do her utmost to entertain the guests. There
was nothing morbid or repellent about the development of her sense of
duty.
TO MISS D. LAURA TUCKER.
‘_July 12, 1848._
‘You are my lovely, loving, and lovable Laura; a Diamond among
gems, and a Rosebud among flowers. Why do you mention so often
the mere handwriting of your letters? Do you think that I see
anything in them but the kindness of her who has, in the midst
of all her engagements, found so much time to devote to me? My
own Mother too--how very good to me she has been! I am grateful
to her for all her most kind endeavours to set my mind quite at
ease on the subject of the poor little Robins....
‘We have taken it into our heads that, what between music and
teaching and writing and visiting, _you_ may have more work on
your hands than may suit your taste. Under this idea, Fanny,
like a dear Quixote as she is, formed a grand plan of rushing
up to town on Thursday by coach with uncle Charlton, who
happened to be coming, and turning you off the music-stool, or
snatching the spelling frame from your delicate hand instanter.
‘But I opposed this double-quick march for several reasons,
which I hope you may think cogent. In the first place, I hope
that you are not _so_ hard-worked that it would be too much
for you for a few days more to go on with only the assistance
of the fair Sibella and Clara. 2ndly, The country seems really
doing sweet Fan good. She told me yesterday that she did not
know when she had felt so well. I too am perfectly well. 3rdly,
I think at your full table on Friday our room would be better
than our company. 4thly, We are engaged to take tea with Mrs.
Edgecombe on that day. 5thly, For Fanny to start off by coach
and me to follow by fly, would appear to me both an extravagant
and extraordinary procedure. So, after all these reasons, I
thought that we had better fix on Saturday for the day of our
departure, until I heard that Aunt _must_ come up to Town on
Monday. She offered to take us up with her, but as it would of
course be more agreeable to her to come with _us_, I think that
we shall find ourselves in dear old Portland Place on Monday
morning.
‘I am so much obliged to dearest Mamma for her kind intention
of taking me to Thalberg’s splendid Concert on Monday. It would
really give me more pleasure if I might present my ticket to
dear Fanny Lanzun, who has been all kindness and attention to
us. You know how we wished that _one_ of our family might hear
Jenny Lind. Now I can hear through your ears; and none of the
Lanzuns have had that treat, you know.’
TO MISS D. L. TUCKER.
‘_Oct. 13, 1848._
‘Many thanks for your last sweet note to me, and kind consent
to fill my place.... I do hope that you may not find teaching
the wearisome task which I sometimes do. Perhaps Aunt Laura
may succeed better in fixing the attention of her little
pupils. At all events, _I_ am grateful to you for undertaking
the trouble. You are dear to a sister’s heart, sweet Laura, and
I hope that you are one of the blessings for which I am _not_
unthankful....
‘I had two delightful games of chess yesterday with my dear
Father.... What an awful state Vienna is in! Is not the murder of
Count Latour dreadful?’
TO THE SAME.
‘_Oct. 10, 1849._
‘Another sweet note from my darling Laura. I am rich in letters
to-day, for I have received three such nice ones.
‘Yesterday evening I spent about an hour at the piano. I did
not, however, sing any of your especial songs. I began one
day--‘The world is so bright’--but my heart and voice failed,
because you were away. However, I daresay that I shall try
again this evening. How it would cut up my music, were you to
go to any great distance, for most of my favourite songs are
yours. How I have enjoyed hearing you sing them.... Farewell,
sweet Laura. I must go and hear my children their lessons. I
hear their little feet and voices above me.’
CHAPTER VI
A.D. 1847-1850
GRAVITY AND FUN
Though verging now on her thirtieth year, Charlotte Tucker was still
unknown to the public as an Author. If the initials A. L. O. E. existed
in her mind as a future possibility, they had at least not yet appeared
upon any printed page.
From time to time, however, her pen was busy; still in the old line
of comic or tragic plays, for home amusement. In 1847 she wrote _The
Castle of Sternalt; a Tragedy in Two Acts_; belonging to the Cavalier
and Roundhead period of England’s history. In that same year she also
accomplished _Grimhaggard Hall; a Farce in Two Acts_--not historical,
but highly comic. After which came apparently a gap of two or three
years; and in 1850 she wrote, _Who Was The Witch? a Drama in Three
Acts_--historical again, belonging to the days of the Saxons and of King
Harold, half comic, half tragic.
It does not appear from these three plays that her gift in the dramatic
line had made any marked advance during the ten years or more which had
elapsed since first she launched out in this direction. Probably an
entirely different mode of life from hers, a less sheltered existence,
a more extensive knowledge of human nature in its countless phases, is
an absolute necessity to such development. There is in them much latent
power, however unequal and undeveloped, whether it be of the grave or
of the sparkling and humorous description. The following quotation from
the _Castle of Sternalt_ will give an idea of her tragic style at that
period. Ravensby, the hero, is a Cavalier, imprisoned and condemned to
death on a false charge of murder.
ACT IV.--SCENE I.
A DUNGEON.
RAVENSBY.
‘Th’ intensity of grief destroys itself.
The torturer beholds his Victim stretched
Unconscious, pain itself o’ercome by pain.
Fate dooms me now to death; last punishment
Which mortal can inflict,--and yet I feel
There’s mercy in the doom. Thus to live on
Were lingering martyrdom; it were to die
By inches, drain my heart’s blood drop by drop.
One flash ends all! O Clara, when my soul
Hath ceased to suffer, can it cease to love?
Methinks, when quitting Earth, ’twill still retain
Her image, who was more than Earth to me!
It is a portion of my being, twined
With every thought and feeling; thou wilt weep,
My Clara; thou canst not believe him false
To faith and friends, who is so true to thee.
Gazing into the uncorrupted depths
Of thy pure feelings, thou wilt judge of mine.
When all denounced me, thou wert still my friend
When all forget, thou wilt remember still!
_Enter AGNES._
AGNES, _aside_.
I ne’er have feared the eye of mortal man,
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