But, before entering on the subject, let me first satisfy the anxiety of your faithful bosom with respect to my father's legacy.All the accounts, I am happy to tell you, are likely to be amicably settled; but the exact amount is not known as yet, only I can see, by my brother's manner, that it is not less than we expected, and my mother speaks about sending me to a boarding-school to learn accomplishments.Nothing, however, is to bedone until something is actually in hand.But what does it all avail to me? Here am I, a solitary being in the midst of this wilderness of mankind, far from your sympathising affection, with the dismal prospect before me of going a second time to school, and without the prospect of enjoying, with my own sweet companions, that light and bounding gaiety we were wont to share, in skipping from tomb to tomb in the breezy churchyard of Irvine, like butterflies in spring flying from flower to flower, as a Wordsworth or a Wilson would express it.
We have got elegant lodgings at present in Norfolk Street, but my brother is trying, with all his address, to get us removed to a more fashionable part of the town, which, if the accounts were once settled, I think will take place; and he proposes to hire a carriage for a whole month.Indeed, he has given hints about the saving that might be made by buying one of our own; but my mother shakes her head, and says, "Andrew, dinna be carri't." From all which it is very plain, though they don't allow me to know their secrets, that the legacy is worth the coming for.But to return to the lodgings;- -we have what is called a first and second floor, a drawing-room, and three handsome bedchambers.The drawing-room is very elegant; and the carpet is the exact same pattern of the one in the dress- drawing-room of Eglintoun Castle.Our landlady is indeed a lady, and I am surprised how she should think of letting lodgings, for she dresses better, and wears finer lace, than ever I saw in Irvine.But I am interrupted.-I now resume my pen.We have just had a call from Mrs.and Miss Argent, the wife and daughter of the colonel's man of business.They seem great people, and came in their own chariot, with two grand footmen behind; but they are pleasant and easy, and the object of their visit was to invite us to a family dinner to-morrow, Sunday.I hope we may become better acquainted; but the two livery servants make such a difference in our degrees, that I fear this is a vain expectation.Miss Argent was, however, very frank, and told me that she was herself only just come to London for the first time since she was a child, having been for the last seven years at a school in the country.I shall, however, be better able to say more about her in my next letter.Do not, however, be afraid that sheshall ever supplant you in my heart.No, my dear friend, companion of my days of innocence,--that can never be.But this call from such persons of fashion looks as if the legacy had given us some consideration; so that I think my father and mother may as well let me know at once what my prospects are, that I might show you how disinterestedly and truly I am, my dear Bell, yours,RACHEL PRINGLE.
When Miss Isabella Tod had read the letter, there was a solemn pause for some time--all present knew something, more or less, of the fair writer; but a carriage, a carpet like the best at Eglintoun, a Hussar officer, and two footmen in livery, were phantoms of such high import, that no one could distinctly express the feelings with which the intelligence affected them.It was, however, unanimously agreed, that the Doctor's legacy had every symptom of being equal to what it was at first expected to be, namely, twenty thousand pounds;--a sum which, by some occult or recondite moral influence of the Lottery, is the common maximum, in popular estimation, of any extraordinary and indefinite windfall of fortune.Miss Becky Glibbans, from the purest motives of charity, devoutly wished that poor Rachel might be able to carry her full cup with a steady hand; and the Rev.Mr.Snodgrass, that so commendable an expression might not lose its edifying effect by any lighter talk, requested Mr.Micklewham to read his letter from the Doctor.
