Sure I am foolish soft-heart'd

[the_comfortable_courtesan]

When I go to bed, I tell Docket that even do I sleep sweet and peacefull, she must wake me betimes the morn. Docket looks not delight’d at this order, for believes sleep most extreme restorative and excellent for the complexion. One morn waking early, says I, will not, I confide, turn me into a hag.

So I am up and dresst and at my breakfast when Sebastian K- comes call as bidden.

I pour him coffee and desire him go help himself to anything he should care for, and thank him very much for coming. He says very pretty that he is ever at my service, Lady B-.

I then say to him that he may have heard that, after some while behaving very erratick, Mr W- Y- the poet has gone vanish. He says he had not heard this latest matter, but indeed has not been seen in his wont’d haunts. 'Twas suppos’d he was lying-up after his excesses, or perchance gone to some spaw to take the waters.

I therefore disclose to him the intelligence I have of Mr Y-'s present whereabouts. Really, he cannot remain there, he will be murder’d for whatever he has on him, or mayhap crimpt aboard some ship. But I have a notion that there are those at present look for him, either over matters of debts of honour, or to go about making a challenge for some insult he has offer’d while intoxicate, and while I daresay he deserves everything that may come to him, I would not bring down the hounds upon him while he is in such state.

Might you, Mr K-, says I, go find him in this hovel and convey him somewhere – I apprehend that there are premises of your family enterprizes about the docks – where he might be kept secure while he sobers up?

Why, he says, 'tis little enough to do for one that has been of such service to ‘em.

(Indeed, from the way he looks upon me, I do not think I go turn into a hag.)

He then says he will not delay but be about the matter at once, makes me a leg, and departs.

Sure I am glad to have got this already under hand, and am about to turn my mind to consideration of the matter of the elopement, when Hector shows in Sandy, that looks quite exceeding Calvinistickal upon me.

I pour him some coffee, while remarking to Hector that I should desire some fresh, and as I hand it to him he looks at me as if John Knox had some particular commination upon coffee.

Sit down, says I, and drink your coffee, I have no doubt that ‘tis lack of that substance gives you to frown so.

Sandy glowers, and says, that just outside my door he encounter’d Mr Sebastian K- coming from it –

Sure, says I, I wisht to speak to him betimes before he went about the docks – oh! I cry, you cannot suppose that I had took him to my bed? Really, Mr MacD-, I am quite extreme wound’d at such a suspicion.

Why, says Sandy, sitting down and looking a very little more amiable, have you not remarkt on how much he has improv’d and that in particular, his travels have convey’d a deal of polish? And, indeed, has he not been gaping upon you these several years? Is he not ever ready to perform some service for Lady B-?

Why, says I, 'tis all entire true. But are there not many excellent young fellows that are in similar case? Did I go show kind to 'em all should have little time for aught else, and I am like to suppose that there would be quarrels and brangles among 'em, for they are young men. And would be about making jealous scenes over matters of agreeable romps, 'twould be most exceeding ennuyant.

Comes Hector with fresh coffee and more muffins.

O, I go on, perchance 'twould provide some matter of the merchant to secure his treasure, but all would be anticipating that Milord would be issuing challenges quite wholesale, or at least going administer the cut, sure, my dear, 'twould be quite unanswerable.

But, o bello scozzese, I have some most exceeding remarkable intelligence to convey to you that may distract your mind from acting the Othello - or even, I add, the unprovok’d jealousy of Leontes -

I go open to him the matter of Mr W- Y- and what I have contriv’d.

Why, says Sandy, 'twill provide an immediate expedient, and sure one should greatly like to sober him up and then go enquire what he thought he was about –

Indeed, says I, one should very much like to know that, for I am like to think that he is a tool that will turn in the hand of Mr R- O- and that may be considerable to our advantage. But I have been considering over what one might do with him to hold him safe –

Sandy remarks that he would be well-adviz’d to leave the country, at least for some while, and I concur, only saying that 'tis foolish soft-heart’d in me I daresay but I had rather not that 'twas as some crimpt hand on shipboard.

I wonder, says I, whether he might be persuad’d to go seek his fortune in the Americas –

Sandy of a sudden laughs and says that the dear sibyl regards the Unit’d States as some rubbish-heap where she may dispatch any she likes not.

O, says I with a pout, I have no particular dislike to Reynaldo di S-, but think it entire prudent that he goes some good distance from Naples.

Why, cries Sandy, that is it! Sure you are on such terms with the Contessa that she would permit you to put the poet in some secure chamber in her house –

Oh, I cry in response, indeed, for she is a Neapolitan noblewoman and I am like to suppose their Embassy would express considerable offence was the likes of Mr R- O- to endeavour go poke his nose in there. And, says I, why should he not go to Boston with Reynaldo?

Because he has, I daresay, spent all his money upon opium and bang - that I think is the same thing as gunja - and probably gin as well, and would not be able to afford the fare or have the means to support himself once there?

Sure, says I, I confide that our set might get up a collection just to be rid of him. Indeed I would pay not to have to listen to his effusions.

We look at one another and altho’ is still a deal of a way to go with this plan, 'tis very gratifying to have a plan in place.

Sandy smiles and apologizes very civil for his jealous fit, and then says that the matter of the special licence for the Marquess is entire under hand.

Good, says I, I think I have a stratagem for part of the business already, but there are still matters to be about.

We both sigh, for indeed this is all a deal of business upon hand when there are also all the demands of the Season.

We take a very amiable farewell, and I go to my pretty desk to indite a little note for the Reverend Mr L- so that he will not be surpriz’d by a wedding party. I then turn to the rest of my correspondence, for do I not address at least some part of it, 'twill come a day when I am quite overwhelm’d and discover’d under a pile of letters.

In the afternoon I take Hector with me to go to O- House.

When I am admitt’d, I am told that the Marquess is in his study. I shall not be long, says I, looking severe and cold.

'Tis prudent at this moment to give the impression that I go take my congé from my task of advizing the Marquess upon his domestick establishment. So I go to his study, where he is about occupying himself with the fine specimen cabinet that has been supply’d.

I may not stay long, says I, for must seem as if I join in the general horror of Society over the shocking bad ton you have manifest’d.

The Marquess gives a little smile and says, he sees entirely that must be so, but dares say I wish to apprize him of how he should play out the comedy.

'Tis so, says I, you should quit Town quite at once, well, within the next day or so, and 'twould be prudent not to give out where you are going, but – can you trust Plender in the matter – have him go grumble among the rest of the household that he had thought he was coming into a fine gentleman’s establishment, a Town house, a country estate, not having to follow his master into the wilds among savages.

I understand, I continue, that you have an entire standing invitation to go visit the S-s upon the Admiral’s estate in Hampshire?

Indeed, he says, and the Admiral himself has second’d the invitation. I am a little concern’d, however, he goes on, whether Lady J- may not be there? I am entire sure she supposes me quite the epitome of all male wretches at present.

Hah, says I, had some thought to that myself, but at present she is entire too occupy’d in re-establishing proper practices among the philanthropick set and between that and the demands of the Season I think it most exceeding unlike she will find the time to go into Hampshire within the next se’ennight or so.

And of course, says I, you must take your special licence with you.

I smile at him and say, courage!

He looks at me and says, how can he feel aught else, with matters in Lady B-'s capable hands?

O, poo, says I, there is still one matter not yet put into play, but I will be about it as soon as maybe.

And then I turn upon my heel and stalk out of the study with a harsh expression, calling to Hector to say let us be gone as soon as we can, I do not wish remain in this place.

Comments

[nenya_kanadka]

I love the acting! Sure C- is very good at it when stage fright is not an issue.