Avigilanthandhad,asusual,keptthefirealiveandthelamptrimmed;andtheroom,withitsrowsandrowsofbooks,itsbronzeandsteelstatuettesof"TheFencers"onthemantelpieceanditsmanyphotographsoffamouspictures,lookedsingularlyhome–likeandwelcoming.
AshedroppedintohisarmchairnearthefirehiseyesrestedonalargephotographofMayWelland,whichtheyounggirlhadgivenhiminthefirstdaysoftheirromance,andwhichhadnowdisplacedalltheotherportraitsonthetable.
Withanewsenseofawehelookedatthefrankforehead,seriouseyesandgayinnocentmouthoftheyoungcreaturewhosesoul'scustodianhewastobe.
Thatterrifyingproductofthesocialsystemhebelongedtoandbelievedin,theyounggirlwhoknewnothingandexpectedeverything,lookedbackathimlikeastrangerthroughMayWelland'sfamiliarfeatures;andoncemoreitwasborneinonhimthatmarriagewasnotthesafeanchoragehehadbeentaughttothink,butavoyageonunchartedseas.
ThecaseoftheCountessOlenskahadstirredupoldsettledconvictionsandsetthemdriftingdangerouslythroughhismind.
Hisownexclamation:"Womenshouldbefree—asfreeasweare,"strucktotherootofaproblemthatitwasagreedinhisworldtoregardasnon–existent.
"Nice"women,howeverwronged,wouldneverclaimthekindoffreedomhemeant,andgenerous–mindedmenlikehimselfweretherefore—intheheatofargument—themorechivalrouslyreadytoconcedeittothem.
Suchverbalgenerositieswereinfactonlyahumbuggingdisguiseoftheinexorableconventionsthattiedthingstogetherandboundpeopledowntotheoldpattern.
Butherehewaspledgedtodefend,onthepartofhisbetrothed'scousin,conductthat,onhisownwife'spart,wouldjustifyhimincallingdownonherallthethundersofChurchandState.
Ofcoursethedilemmawaspurelyhypothetical;sincehewasn'tablackguardPolishnobleman,itwasabsurdtospeculatewhathiswife'srightswouldbeifheWERE.
ButNewlandArcherwastooimaginativenottofeelthat,inhiscaseandMay's,thetiemightgallforreasonsfarlessgrossandpalpable.
Whatcouldheandshereallyknowofeachother,sinceitwashisduty,asa"decent"fellow,toconcealhispastfromher,andhers,asamarriageablegirl,tohavenopasttoconceal?
Whatif,forsomeoneofthesubtlerreasonsthatwouldtellwithbothofthem,theyshouldtireofeachother,misunderstandorirritateeachother?
Hereviewedhisfriends'marriages—thesupposedlyhappyones—andsawnonethatanswered,evenremotely,tothepassionateandtendercomradeshipwhichhepicturedashispermanentrelationwithMayWelland.
Heperceivedthatsuchapicturepresupposed,onherpart,theexperience,theversatility,thefreedomofjudgment,whichshehadbeencarefullytrainednottopossess;andwithashiverofforebodinghesawhismarriagebecomingwhatmostoftheothermarriagesabouthimwere:adullassociationofmaterialandsocialinterestsheldtogetherbyignoranceontheonesideandhypocrisyontheother.
Asbecamethehigh–priestofform,hehadformedawifesocompletelytohisownconveniencethat,inthemostconspicuousmomentsofhisfrequentlove–affairswithothermen'swives,shewentaboutinsmilingunconsciousness,sayingthat"Lawrencewassofrightfullystrict";andhadbeenknowntoblushindignantly,andaverthergaze,whensomeonealludedinherpresencetothefactthatJuliusBeaufort(asbecamea"foreigner"ofdoubtfulorigin)hadwhatwasknowninNewYorkas"anotherestablishment."
ArchertriedtoconsolehimselfwiththethoughtthathewasnotquitesuchanassasLarryLefferts,norMaysuchasimpletonaspoorGertrude;butthedifferencewasafteralloneofintelligenceandnotofstandards.
Inrealitytheyalllivedinakindofhieroglyphicworld,wheretherealthingwasneversaidordoneoreventhought,butonlyrepresentedbyasetofarbitrarysigns;aswhenMrs.Welland,whoknewexactlywhyArcherhadpressedhertoannounceherdaughter'sengagementattheBeaufortball(andhadindeedexpectedhimtodonoless),yetfeltobligedtosimulatereluctance,andtheairofhavinghadherhandforced,quiteas,inthebooksonPrimitiveManthatpeopleofadvancedculturewerebeginningtoread,thesavagebrideisdraggedwithshrieksfromherparents'tent.
Theresult,ofcourse,wasthattheyounggirlwhowasthecentreofthiselaboratesystemofmystificationremainedthemoreinscrutableforherveryfranknessandassurance.
Shewasfrank,poordarling,becauseshehadnothingtoconceal,assuredbecausesheknewofnothingtobeonherguardagainst;andwithnobetterpreparationthanthis,shewastobeplungedovernightintowhatpeopleevasivelycalled"thefactsoflife."
Hedelightedintheradiantgoodlooksofhisbetrothed,inherhealth,herhorsemanship,hergraceandquicknessatgames,andtheshyinterestinbooksandideasthatshewasbeginningtodevelopunderhisguidance.
(ShehadadvancedfarenoughtojoinhiminridiculingtheIdylsoftheKing,butnottofeelthebeautyofUlyssesandtheLotusEaters.)
Shewasstraightforward,loyalandbrave;shehadasenseofhumour(chieflyprovedbyherlaughingatHISjokes);andhesuspected,inthedepthsofherinnocently–gazingsoul,aglowoffeelingthatitwouldbeajoytowaken.
Butwhenhehadgonethebriefroundofherhereturneddiscouragedbythethoughtthatallthisfranknessandinnocencewereonlyanartificialproduct.
Andhefelthimselfoppressedbythiscreationoffactitiouspurity,socunninglymanufacturedbyaconspiracyofmothersandauntsandgrandmothersandlong–deadancestresses,becauseitwassupposedtobewhathewanted,whathehadarightto,inorderthathemightexercisehislordlypleasureinsmashingitlikeanimagemadeofsnow.
Therewasacertaintritenessinthesereflections:theywerethosehabitualtoyoungmenontheapproachoftheirweddingday.
Buttheyweregenerallyaccompaniedbyasenseofcompunctionandself–abasementofwhichNewlandArcherfeltnotrace.
Hecouldnotdeplore(asThackeray'sheroessooftenexasperatedhimbydoing)thathehadnotablankpagetoofferhisbrideinexchangefortheunblemishedoneshewastogivetohim.
HecouldnotgetawayfromthefactthatifhehadbeenbroughtupasshehadtheywouldhavebeennomorefittofindtheirwayaboutthantheBabesintheWood;norcouldhe,forallhisanxiouscogitations,seeanyhonestreason(any,thatis,unconnectedwithhisownmomentarypleasure,andthepassionofmasculinevanity)whyhisbrideshouldnothavebeenallowedthesamefreedomofexperienceashimself.
Suchquestions,atsuchanhour,wereboundtodriftthroughhismind;buthewasconsciousthattheiruncomfortablepersistenceandprecisionwereduetotheinopportunearrivaloftheCountessOlenska.
Herehewas,attheverymomentofhisbetrothal—amomentforpurethoughtsandcloudlesshopes—pitchforkedintoacoilofscandalwhichraisedallthespecialproblemshewouldhavepreferredtoletlie."HangEllenOlenska!"
Hecouldnotreallyseewhyherfateshouldhavetheleastbearingonhis;yethedimlyfeltthathehadonlyjustbeguntomeasuretherisksofthechampionshipwhichhisengagementhadforceduponhim.
TheLovellMingottshadsentoutcardsforwhatwasknownas"aformaldinner"(thatis,threeextrafootmen,twodishesforeachcourse,andaRomanpunchinthemiddle),andhadheadedtheirinvitationswiththewords"TomeettheCountessOlenska,"inaccordancewiththehospitableAmericanfashion,whichtreatsstrangersasiftheywereroyalties,oratleastastheirambassadors.
TheguestshadbeenselectedwithaboldnessanddiscriminationinwhichtheinitiatedrecognisedthefirmhandofCatherinetheGreat.
AssociatedwithsuchimmemorialstandbysastheSelfridgeMerrys,whowereaskedeverywherebecausetheyalwayshadbeen,theBeauforts,onwhomtherewasaclaimofrelationship,andMr.SillertonJacksonandhissisterSophy(whowentwhereverherbrothertoldherto),weresomeofthemostfashionableandyetmostirreproachableofthedominant"youngmarried"set;theLawrenceLeffertses,Mrs.LeffertsRushworth(thelovelywidow),theHarryThorleys,theReggieChiversesandyoungMorrisDagonetandhiswife(whowasavanderLuyden).
Thecompanyindeedwasperfectlyassorted,sinceallthemembersbelongedtothelittleinnergroupofpeoplewho,duringthelongNewYorkseason,disportedthemselvestogetherdailyandnightlywithapparentlyundiminishedzest.
Forty–eighthourslatertheunbelievablehadhappened;everyonehadrefusedtheMingotts'invitationexcepttheBeaufortsandoldMr.Jacksonandhissister.
TheintendedslightwasemphasisedbythefactthateventheReggieChiverses,whowereoftheMingottclan,wereamongthoseinflictingit;andbytheuniformwordingofthenotes,inallofwhichthewriters"regrettedthattheywereunabletoaccept,"withoutthemitigatingpleaofa"previousengagement"thatordinarycourtesyprescribed.
NewYorksocietywas,inthosedays,fartoosmall,andtooscantinitsresources,foreveryoneinit(includinglivery–stable–keepers,butlersandcooks)nottoknowexactlyonwhicheveningspeoplewerefree;anditwasthuspossiblefortherecipientsofMrs.LovellMingott'sinvitationstomakecruellycleartheirdeterminationnottomeettheCountessOlenska.
Mrs.LovellMingottconfidedthecasetoMrs.Welland,whoconfidedittoNewlandArcher;who,aflameattheoutrage,appealedpassionatelyandauthoritativelytohismother;who,afterapainfulperiodofinwardresistanceandoutwardtemporising,succumbedtohisinstances(asshealwaysdid),andimmediatelyembracinghiscausewithanenergyredoubledbyherprevioushesitations,putonhergreyvelvetbonnetandsaid:"I'llgoandseeLouisavanderLuyden."
TheNewYorkofNewlandArcher'sdaywasasmallandslipperypyramid,inwhich,asyet,hardlyafissurehadbeenmadeorafootholdgained.
AtitsbasewasafirmfoundationofwhatMrs.Archercalled"plainpeople";anhonourablebutobscuremajorityofrespectablefamilieswho(asinthecaseoftheSpicersortheLeffertsesortheJacksons)hadbeenraisedabovetheirlevelbymarriagewithoneoftherulingclans.
People,Mrs.Archeralwayssaid,werenotasparticularastheyusedtobe;andwitholdCatherineSpicerrulingoneendofFifthAvenue,andJuliusBeauforttheother,youcouldn'texpecttheoldtraditionstolastmuchlonger.
FirmlynarrowingupwardfromthiswealthybutinconspicuoussubstratumwasthecompactanddominantgroupwhichtheMingotts,Newlands,ChiversesandMansonssoactivelyrepresented.
Mostpeopleimaginedthemtobetheveryapexofthepyramid;buttheythemselves(atleastthoseofMrs.Archer'sgeneration)wereawarethat,intheeyesoftheprofessionalgenealogist,onlyastillsmallernumberoffamiliescouldlayclaimtothateminence.
"Don'ttellme,"Mrs.Archerwouldsaytoherchildren,"allthismodernnewspaperrubbishaboutaNewYorkaristocracy.
Ourgrandfathersandgreat–grandfatherswerejustrespectableEnglishorDutchmerchants,whocametothecoloniestomaketheirfortune,andstayedherebecausetheydidsowell.
Oneofyourgreat–grandfatherssignedtheDeclaration,andanotherwasageneralonWashington'sstaff,andreceivedGeneralBurgoyne'sswordafterthebattleofSaratoga.
NewYorkhasalwaysbeenacommercialcommunity,andtherearenotmorethanthreefamiliesinitwhocanclaimanaristocraticoriginintherealsenseoftheword."
Mrs.Archerandhersonanddaughter,likeeveryoneelseinNewYork,knewwhotheseprivilegedbeingswere:theDagonetsofWashingtonSquare,whocameofanoldEnglishcountyfamilyalliedwiththePittsandFoxes;theLannings,whohadintermarriedwiththedescendantsofCountdeGrasse,andthevanderLuydens,directdescendantsofthefirstDutchgovernorofManhattan,andrelatedbypre–revolutionarymarriagestoseveralmembersoftheFrenchandBritisharistocracy.
TheLanningssurvivedonlyinthepersonoftwoveryoldbutlivelyMissLannings,wholivedcheerfullyandreminiscentlyamongfamilyportraitsandChippendale;theDagonetswereaconsiderableclan,alliedtothebestnamesinBaltimoreandPhiladelphia;butthevanderLuydens,whostoodaboveallofthem,hadfadedintoakindofsuper–terrestrialtwilight,fromwhichonlytwofiguresimpressivelyemerged;thoseofMr.andMrs.HenryvanderLuyden.
Mrs.HenryvanderLuydenhadbeenLouisaDagonet,andhermotherhadbeenthegranddaughterofColonelduLac,ofanoldChannelIslandfamily,whohadfoughtunderCornwallisandhadsettledinMaryland,afterthewar,withhisbride,LadyAngelicaTrevenna,fifthdaughteroftheEarlofSt.Austrey.
ThetiebetweentheDagonets,theduLacsofMaryland,andtheiraristocraticCornishkinsfolk,theTrevennas,hadalwaysremainedcloseandcordial.
Mr.andMrs.vanderLuydenhadmorethanoncepaidlongvisitstothepresentheadofthehouseofTrevenna,theDukeofSt.Austrey,athiscountry–seatinCornwallandatSt.AustreyinGloucestershire;andhisGracehadfrequentlyannouncedhisintentionofsomedayreturningtheirvisit(withouttheDuchess,whofearedtheAtlantic).
Mr.andMrs.vanderLuydendividedtheirtimebetweenTrevenna,theirplaceinMaryland,andSkuytercliff,thegreatestateontheHudsonwhichhadbeenoneofthecolonialgrantsoftheDutchgovernmenttothefamousfirstGovernor,andofwhichMr.vanderLuydenwasstill"Patroon."
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