CHAPTER XIII

TheHonourableJohnYates,thisnewfriend,hadnotmuchtorecommendhimbeyondhabitsoffashionandexpense,andbeingtheyoungersonofalordwithatolerableindependenceandSirThomaswouldprobablyhavethoughthisintroductionatMansfieldbynomeansdesirable.Mr.Bertram’sacquaintancewithhimhadbegunatWeymouth,wheretheyhadspenttendaystogetherinthesamesociety,andthefriendship,iffriendshipitmightbecalled,hadbeenprovedandperfectedbyMr.Yates’sbeinginvitedtotakeMansfieldinhisway,wheneverhecould,andbyhispromisingtocomeandhedidcomeratherearlierthanhadbeenexpected,inconsequenceofthesuddenbreaking-upofalargepartyassembledforgaietyatthehouseofanotherfriend,whichhehadleftWeymouthtojoin.Hecameonthewingsofdisappointment,andwithhisheadfullofacting,forithadbeenatheatricalpartyandtheplayinwhichhehadborneapartwaswithintwodaysofrepresentation,whenthesuddendeathofoneofthenearestconnexionsofthefamilyhaddestroyedtheschemeanddispersedtheperformers.Tobesonearhappiness,sonearfame,sonearthelongparagraphinpraiseoftheprivatetheatricalsatEcclesford,theseatoftheRightHon.LordRavenshaw,inCornwall,whichwouldofcoursehaveimmortalisedthewholepartyforatleastatwelvemonth!andbeingsonear,toloseitall,wasaninjurytobekeenlyfelt,andMr.Yatescouldtalkofnothingelse.Ecclesfordanditstheatre,withitsarrangementsanddresses,rehearsalsandjokes,washisnever-failingsubject,andtoboastofthepasthisonlyconsolation. Happilyforhim,aloveofthetheatreissogeneral,anitchforactingsostrongamongyoungpeople,thathecouldhardlyout-talktheinterestofhishearers.Fromthefirstcastingofthepartstotheepilogueitwasallbewitching,andtherewerefewwhodidnotwishtohavebeenapartyconcerned,orwouldhavehesitatedtotrytheirskill.TheplayhadbeenLovers’Vows,andMr.YateswastohavebeenCountCassel.“Atriflingpart,”saidhe,“andnotatalltomytaste,andsuchaoneasIcertainlywouldnotacceptagainbutIwasdeterminedtomakenodifficulties.LordRavenshawandthedukehadappropriatedtheonlytwocharactersworthplayingbeforeIreachedEcclesfordandthoughLordRavenshawofferedtoresignhistome,itwasimpossibletotakeit,youknow.Iwassorryforhimthatheshouldhavesomistakenhispowers,forhewasnomoreequaltotheBaron—alittlemanwithaweakvoice,alwayshoarseafterthefirsttenminutes.ItmusthaveinjuredthepiecemateriallybutIwasresolvedtomakenodifficulties.SirHenrythoughtthedukenotequaltoFrederick,butthatwasbecauseSirHenrywantedtheparthimselfwhereasitwascertainlyinthebesthandsofthetwo.IwassurprisedtoseeSirHenrysuchastick.Luckilythestrengthofthepiecedidnotdependuponhim.OurAgathawasinimitable,andthedukewasthoughtverygreatbymany.Anduponthewhole,itwouldcertainlyhavegoneoffwonderfully.” “Itwasahardcase,uponmyword”and,“Idothinkyouwereverymuchtobepitied,”werethekindresponsesoflisteningsympathy. “Itisnotworthcomplainingaboutbuttobesurethepoorolddowagercouldnothavediedataworsetimeanditisimpossibletohelpwishingthatthenewscouldhavebeensuppressedforjustthethreedayswewanted.Itwasbutthreedaysandbeingonlyagran