A Shadow on the House OH! how dreary now seemed the House! Its Light and its Life were gone. The unseen Presence of Love no longer gladdened it, and the Shadow of Death was slowly creeping on. Violet came to pour out her Wretchedness and her Self-reproaches to me as soon as she heard what had happened. She declared she could never be happy again—she could never cease thinking of him. I told her it would be very wicked of her now, to think of him in the Way she meant, any more. For saying which, I I don’t suppose Tears are often shed over thick Slices of Bride-cake, with Sugar and Almonds an Inch deep, such as Violet and I received (tied up with such vulgar white Satin Knots!) from Mistress Glossop, now, alas! Mistress Blenkinsop. When I took it up to my Mother, she turned away her Head, and said with her gentle Smile, “You may give my Share to Dolly,—perhaps she will like it to dream upon.” I said, “I don’t believe Dolly will touch it;” however, there I was mistaken. She said, “Law, Mistress Cherry, I’m sure Mistress is very good.... I grudge the eating of it, too; for ’tis an unseemly Match, I calls it; but, there,—one don’t get such Cake as this every Day!” When I repeated this Saying to my Mistress Blenkinsop would have been glad, I fancy, to show off her young Husband on the Bridge; but she received no Encouragement; and as for Mark, who had certainly intended to pique Violet, he was now as wretched as herself, to judge from his Looks, as reported to us by one or two who had seen Something of what was going on. Happy or unhappy, he never came near us, on Business or Pleasure; and as my Father dropped the Connexion, which was more to his Loss than Mistress Blenkinsop’s, we now saw Nothing of one another. For I scarce went out at all; but now and then Mistress Benskin would let fall how she had met the Blenkinsops going to such and such a Place of Public Resort; he looking About this Time Master Armytage died. Thereby his Family sustained great Loss, not only of a kind Husband and Father, but of worldly Goods; for the Widow only got a Third of the Worth of the Business, and the Son, who was married and not very friendly with her, choosing to live on the Premises and carry on the Concern, she and her Daughters presently went into an exceeding small House in the Borough, where they opened a little Shop that did not answer very well. After a While, Violet, unused to such scant Living, was glad to come back as Shopwoman to her Brother, whose Wife had no Turn for Meantime, her younger Sister took Plain-work when she could get it; and the Benskins and Hugh Braidfoot supplied her with what they could, which she accepted gratefully; though, in her Father’s Life-time, it would have quite affronted Mistress Armytage that her Girls should set a Stitch for either of them. But Times were altered now; she was unable even to keep a Servant; and, one Day, when I looked in upon her, I noticed so many little Symptoms of Poverty, that, on repeating them to my Mother, she made When I reached her House, I found her on her Knees, scouring the Door-step with such Zeal and Noise, that I could not at first make her hear my Voice, or And just within the Door, sure enough, was Kitty standing with her Back to me, before Master Braidfoot, who was seated, with a fringed Glove in his Hand, and holding forth to her very earnestly. He had sent her a Box of Gloves to fringe, and I suppose she had not trimmed them to his Mind, for she was hanging her Head, and looking very uncomfortable. As soon as he saw me, he brought his Discourse to a Finish by saying, “Of which, more anon;” and nodding a Good-bye to me, stepped over Mistress Armytage’s Pail, and walked off. Mistress Armytage now came in, taking off her Apron in a great Bustle; and seemingly When I had nearly reached Home, I saw Mark coming along the Bridge, in a hesitating, reluctant Sort of Way. When he saw me, he stepped out more briskly, and came up, holding out his Hand. “Cherry,” said he, lowering his Voice, “my old Lady and I had almost a Tiff this Morning, because she wanted you and my Uncle to come and eat some of the first green Peas of the Season “Thank you kindly,” said I, “but my Mother is so ill, we have no Heart to go anywhere now.” “I knew it was so,” said he, looking relieved; “but you will not think me unfeeling, I hope, for putting the Question?” “Oh no, I think it very kind of you,” said I; “I take it as I know it was meant. Won’t you come in? We have seen nothing of you for a long Time.” “Thank you, not just now,” said he; “good-bye.” And walked off as if he were in a great Hurry. When I returned to my dear Mother, she said, “Cherry, I’m sure you will be amused when I tell you what I have been dreaming about,—I dreamed you were married!” “Ah, well,” said she, gently smiling, “but this was a very pretty, pleasant Dream—You were married to a Person a good Deal older than yourself, but very much to your own Mind, notwithstanding, and were living like a Lady, with Everything genteel and comfortable about you.” I smiled to cover a Sigh; and kissing her thin Hand, said, “May you live, dear Mother, to see it.” “No,” said she, “I know I shall not do that—my Time is growing very short now; but yet I shall leave you in Peace, Cherry,—I am so certain of your doing well. I don’t mean because of this foolish Dream.” “No,” said she, after a Pause, “I do not. I think there is no other Happiness equal to it, where the Parties are well assorted, and are good to the Core; but much depends upon each other, and much upon themselves; so much, that it had often been better for them they had never met.” “And as so few are good to the Core,” said I, “perhaps the Balance of Happiness may not lie on the Side you think.” “Perhaps not,” said she, “but every one hopes to be the Exception.—However,” she added, after another Pause, “these When I told her what Satisfaction the Brandy-cherries had given, she smiled quietly, and said, “The same Woman, still!—You shall take her some potted Salmon to-morrow.” I did so; but did not, this Time, find the Widow cleaning her Door-step. She had gone to Market; the Shop was empty, and I walked through it into the I wished him Joy, and said I thought he and Kitty would be very happy together. Then, setting down my Mother’s little Gift on the Table, I turned to go away. “What’s that?” said he. “Only a little potted Salmon for Mistress Armytage,” said I. “I’ll call Kitty down,” said he; and going to the Stair-foot, he called “Kitty! Kitty!” but she did not answer; and giving me a knowing Smile, he said, “I don’t think she’ll come down while we are both here.”—“I’m going,” said I; “but here comes Mistress Armytage from Market.” “Oh, then, I’m going too!” cried he, laughing and catching up his Hat. “I’ve no Mind to break the News to the Widow, so come your Then, turning to a more agreeable Subject, he sang Kitty’s Praises; and, reaching his own Door, hoped she and I should be good Neighbours. “Your Father and you must come to the Wedding-dinner,” said he; “we may not have as many good Things as the Blenkinsops had, but I fancy ’twill be a cheerfuller Dinner.” When I told my Mother the News, she took it very composedly, but I observed her Eyelids give one little, involuntary Movement, that betrayed more Surprise than she was willing to show. “Ah, my dear Mother,” thought I, “another of your little Castles in the So the Wedding took place, and my Father and I were at the Dinner, which consisted of every Nicety that Money could procure; for Mistress Armytage said that Hugh Braidfoot should have all his favourite Dishes, and she took Care to have her own, whether they corresponded or not. So there was roast Pig and pickled Salmon, Calf’s Head and green Goose, Lobster Salad and Marrow-bones, and more Sweets than I ever saw out of a Pastry-cook’s Shop. As some Things were in Season and others were not, the latter, though sweet in the Mouth, were |