Pride and Principle CHAPTER 5.
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The rebuke which Mrs. Pimlico gave Helen for her lack of lady-like composure, instead of producing the desired effect, only caused a more violent, though different kind of excitement. On leaving the presence of her mother and aunt, she retired to her room, and there gave way to a fit of weeping, which agitated her whole frame. It was fully an hour afterwards, before she could so command her feelings as to venture to make her appearance. And even then, marks of tears were upon her cheeks, and her face wore a sober, subdued expression. She found her aunt alone in the parlor.
"I promised myself so much happiness, dear aunt!" she said, with a trembling voice, and suffused eyes, "in seeing you again. But the last hour has been one of the most wretched in my whole life. My mother's doctrine may be true, but if it is, I, for one, cannot live up to it. Such violence to my feelings would kill me. Tenderly do I love my mother, and often do I feel like throwing myself into her arms, and shedding tears of affection upon her bosom--but I dare not do this. Nothing would offend her more than such a lack of decorum, as she would call it."
To this, Mrs. Goodwin hardly knew what to reply. She did not think it right openly to condemn the mother's unhealthy notions of the external conduct to her child; and yet, she felt it to be her duty to impart some strength to one who saw the truer way, and wished to walk in it, and who looked up to her eagerly for words of encouragement. Before she had time to reply, Mrs. Pimlico entered. A few minutes after, visitors came in. They were a Mr. and Mrs. Glanville, who stood among the first in the most accomplished and intelligent circles in the city. They had a son and daughter, both of age, and both favorites in society. The son was a very handsome young man, and a thorough gentleman both exteriorly and interiorly. Mrs. Pimlico had often thought of him as the man of all others, whom she would rather see the husband of Helen. And she had not scrupled to use all the little arts in her power, to draw Albert Glanville's attention towards her daughter. Helen's lack of true refinement, annoyed her particularly on this account. Albert was a thorough-bred gentleman, and could not, of course, tolerate, for a moment, vulgarity in a wife. And yet, it could not be concealed. Helen was extremely vulgar, and remained so in spite of all Mrs. Pimlico's efforts to give her social polish.
When Mr. and Mrs. Glanville were announced, Mrs. Pimlico was, at least internally, much disturbed. They were people of social rank, and thorough good-breeding--while Mrs. Goodwin was only a common woman; and yet she must, of necessity, introduce her to them, and as her sister-in-law. This she did, with the manner that befit a lady, and soon an interesting conversation was entered into with Mrs. Goodwin, whose intelligence, sweet temper, and sound sentiments, charmed both of the visitors. How they were affected by the presence of Helen's Aunt Mary, their conversation on leaving the house will indicate.
"Really," said Mr. Glanville, with warmth, "that Mrs. Goodwin is a charming woman. It is a rare treat to meet such a one, so different from your cold, artificial ladies, of whom Mrs. Pimlico is the representative."
"You express my own thoughts precisely," Mrs. Glanville replied. "How simple, and yet how charming are her manners! There is a summer warmth about them. And her face--did you ever see a countenance which expressed so much? It was ever varying to the play of her thoughts and feelings, and gave peculiar force and charm to her animated conversation. I could not help marking the contrast between her and Mrs. Pimlico--the peculiar calm, lifeless manner of the latter never appeared to me in such an unfavorable light. She is a well-bred lady. But Mrs. Goodwin is one by nature."
"Mrs. Goodwin is the aunt with whom Helen has lived for the last few years, I believe?"
"Yes. And what is more, her character is evidently formed upon her model, rather than her mother's. Did you not observe with what a pleased interest she listened to her aunt's conversation, and how coldly and strangely she looked at her mother when she spoke?"
"I did observe something of the kind. And no wonder. There was substance in form in what was uttered by the one--and form without substance in what was uttered by the other."
"A just distinction, indeed," remarked Mrs. Glanville. "Glad am I, that we have not a preponderance in our best circles of such artificial women as Mrs. Pimlico; who are, at best, the mere apes of good-breeding, of which they talk so much. Women who estimate the standing and worth of another, by the way she uses her knife and fork; the peculiar manner in which she enters a room; or by her use of the words street-door instead of front-door or, going to a party, instead of attending a party. Deviations in these unimportant matters are outrages against social etiquette, and considered offences heinous enough to exclude anyone from their charmed social circle."
"No doubt, then, Mrs. Pimlico esteems you a very vulgar woman," Mr. Glanville said, smiling, "for you asked her if she would attend the concert next week."
"Did I, indeed! How unfortunate! I am really afraid I shall lose social standing!"
"And worse than that, you were so much of an American as to say cotillion, instead of quadrille!"
"True! So I did! Well, I trust to be forgiven this time, if I mend my manners in future. I must be more on my guard. I find no difficulty in being kind and considerate towards all I meet, for then I act as I feel. But I cannot always remember the finer shades of arbitrary observances; though to sin against these is esteemed, by far too many, much worse than to pick a pocket!"
Mr. Glanville smiled at this remark, and then changed the subject.
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