As this meeting took place at a period of the day when the mercantile portion of the town and others are generally occupied in their daily avocations, we remained in undisturbed possession of the parlour, and during our tete-a-tete she proceeded in the most unreserved manner to acquaint me with the history of her early life and present singular situation.'
Her father was a small fanner in Bedfordshire, and in consequence of her being an only child she had been reared with the most indulgent tenderness; as she advanced in years her extraordinary beauty became the theme of conversation in the surrounding neighbourhood. She had scarcely completed her fifteenth year when death deprived her of a doating mother; a few months after which Lady C-h, having occasion to call upon the farmer on some particular business, was so struck with the peculiar beauty of the blooming Delia that she immediately requested of her father that he would allow her to enter her ladyship's establishment in the quality of attendant upon her own person; the farmer, feeling himself almost alone in the world, considered the present opportunity a most favourable one as it might afford his daughter the means of providing for herself should she unfortunately be deprived of his protection, as she had already been of her tender mother's.
We may also pardon the vanity of a fond parent if, as he gazed upon his lovely child, now rapidly ripening into splendid womanhood, he entertained a momentary hope that her charms might ultimately procure her a husband from amongst the numerous slips of fashion who were so frequently in the habit of visiting at her ladyship's noble mansion; he therefore gratefully accepted the proffered kindness, and in a few days Delia was settled in her new abode in G-s-r Square.
Charmed by the novelty of her situation and constantly flattered by the compliments which her increasing loveliness daily extorted from the numerous dashing friends of her mistress, it is not surprising that she felt perfectly happy, and notwithstanding the offers of a certain nature which were privately tendered her, her virtue was superior to the temptation and she rejected them all with the utmost disdain.
She had been installed in her situation for about six months when Lord P-, the eldest son of her ladyship, arrived in town from the university where he had long been pursuing his studies to spend the vacation at the mansion of his illustrious ancestors. He was now in the eighteenth year of his age; the rich glow of manly beauty painted his healthy cheeks and his mind was well stored with every accomplishment which constitutes the perfect gentleman. He instantly became captivated by the all-conquering charms of our lovely lady's maid, and at every opportunity would he pour the most ardent professions of mighty love into her youthful ears, accompanied with many liberal offers of splendid settlement would she only consent to make him happy; but although not absolutely insensible to the perfections of the noble youth, yet as he never hinted or mentioned a word of marriage, and she well knew that if in the ardour of his protestations such an offer had ever escaped his lips it would have been neither prudent, or in fact possible for him to have realized such a promise, unless by destroying the high expectations of his family and thereby incurring their everlasting displeasure, she therefore with honest firmness rejected every offer and turned a deaf ear to his vows of love. At length, however, he became so very importunate that she was reduced to the necessity of threatening to acquaint his mother with his conduct in order to escape from his dangerous addresses.
This succeeded for a time in allaying the fury of his amorous fire and Delia once again believed herself secure. A few weeks passed, and the family having accepted an invitation to fulfil which they must for at least two days be absent from home, the butler determined to avail himself of the circumstance, and enjoy the society of his friends when Miss Delia was of course invited to join the party. The supper was a splendid one, and sparkling bumpers were afterwards circulated freely; in short, "high life below stairs" was here performed to the letter, the principal characters by the parties themselves. Contrary to her usual custom, Delia suffered herself to be persuaded to take a few glasses of wine, but shortly after, feeling sensible of their effects, she wished the company goodnight, and repairing to her own apartment instantly retired to bed, and in a few moments her beautiful eyes were closed in sleep.
Fain would I draw the curtain of oblivion across the closing scene of this eventful night, but having pledged myself to a plain unvarnished statement of facts I will fulfill that promise to the utmost.
Whether the butler had been bribed to ply the intended victim to her master's lust with wine, or whether he had drugged it for his purpose, I cannot tell; nor will I attempt to describe the horrors of that victim's mind when suddenly she found herself fast locked in the lewd embrace of her young master!
She would have shrieked, but her voice was choked with the furious rapidity of his kisses; in vain she struggled; the advantage he had gained ere she was sensible of his vile design rendered her efforts ineffectual; with the impetuous rage of mad desire he pursued those advantages, and rudely removing every impediment that barred his road to bliss he revelled in delights the gods themselves might envy.
With the strong hand of brutal violence he plucked the fairest rose that ever bloomed on virtue's sacred tree; and while his victim lay supine, oppressed with fear and agony insupportable, robbed her of a treasure which the combined fortunes of his wealthy kindred could never more restore.
For a long time every attempt to calm her lacerated feelings was in vain; her convulsive sobbing seemed like to burst her troubled bosom, while the tears in one continuous stream rolled down her lovely cheeks, now glowing with a crimson blush of shame and indignation; he continued to implore forgiveness for his crime, urging the violence of his love in extenuation; he assured her of his eternal constancy and promised, should circumstances occur, of which he told her he had but
little doubt to render his ability equal to his desire, he would gladly repair the injury by making her his wife; he entreated her to consider the utter impossibility of recalling what had taken place and the folly of giving way to unavailing grief-by vows like these he at length succeeded in soothing the sorrows of the ruined fair one and finally, with her own consent, the intimacy was renewed.
And now all sense of shame, fear or anger was lost in the pleasures of the moment and as the young lord lay luxuriously between the legs of the little fifteen-year-old lady's maid, her innately passionate temperament came into play, and stripping herself entirely naked she strove by every means in her power to assist the passage of his long and aristocratically slender prickle as it pushed its delighted way into the rosy "garden" and passed throbbing to the innermost recesses of her little young body.
Notwithstanding his every argument to the contrary, enforced by many burning references to the pleasures of their late encounter, she determined to leave the house without delay; and as shame prevented her from meeting any member of the family, she penned a letter to her mistress, giving as a reason for her sudden departure the illness of her father; and before the family returned she had removed to apartments taken for her by her seducer, who continued his visits of seeming affection for nearly six months, when after remaining in anxious expectations for three tedious days she received a letter containing a bank note for one hundred pounds and a statement that, having been compelled, in compliance with the wishes of his mother, to select the hand of a young lady, he had availed himself of the present method of bidding her an eternal farewell, advising her with the enclosed sum to endeavour to get into some way of business as he could not, consistently with honour to his intended bride, continue an intimacy of such a nature as that which had so long existed between them.
It was a long time before she recovered from the shock which this unfeeling letter inflicted, but when she did her first resolve was to remove immediately to less expensive lodgings, fully determined to lead a virtuous life and gain a living by honest industry. But a stranger, as she was, in the midst of a populous city like London, to whom could she apply? And even if successful in hearing of a situation, to whom could she refer for a character? She could not think of sending them to Lady C-, after quitting her service so abruptly.
Nothwithstanding the strictest economy her little capital was gradually diminishing, and to what could she have recourse when it was entirely exhausted? At length she determined upon writing her father, explaining to him without disguise her unfortunate situation and trusting to his parental feeling for pity and forgiveness. But how can I describe her grief and horror when upon inquiry she learned that her father had died suddenly and insolvent, the sale of his effects having been insufficient to satisfy his creditors.
She now felt herself entirely destitute, and after much consideration determined to apply at one of those establishments where they profess themselves both able and willing, for a trifling consideration, to procure situations for servants of every description; and should she be so fortunate as to hear of anything likely to suit her, be it ever so laborious, it was her resolve candidly and truly to relate to the master or mistress the story of her sufferings, trusting to their humanity to rescue her from destruction.
She accordingly waited upon the office keeper, who, upon the payment of half a crown, informed her that he believed he knew of a situation at that very moment which would exactly meet her wishes; her only employment, should she succeed in her application, would be to wait upon an elderly gentleman and his daughter; that she would in fact be considered as a member of the family, "and," he added with an arch look, "should you be lucky enough to please the old gent-who was once a schoolfellow of mine-it will be the making of you. And, by the by, I have no doubt but the mention of my name, which you are at perfect liberty to use, will be considered as a sufficient recommendation; in which case you may enter on your service immediately."
Thanking the friendly office keeper for his disinterested kindness, she received the direction and without further delay proceeded on her mission.
After walking for nearly an hour, she arrived at the house, and while her heart swelled high with hope knocked at the door, which was instantly opened by a middle-aged woman of rather forbidding aspect, her whole appearance bespeaking her to belong to that laborious class termed charwomen, who may at any time be hired for a day or longer, in the absence of a regular servant.
On inquiring for Miss B-she was answered in a strong Irish brogue,
"And is it the young mistress you're speaking of? Och! then, just be sitting there awhile and I'll be after bringing ye to the fore in a jiffy, me darlin'."
She ascended the stairs and shortly returning continued in the same strain.
"Ye'll jist mount them stairs, and ye'll see thecreature herself. Faith, and it's no bad quarters ye'll be getting, an ye can manage to palaver the mistress."
Delia, following the woman's direction, entered a neat drawing room and beheld a young lady of exquisite form seated on a sofa, engaged in poring over the contents of a volume she held in her hand; but as she raised her head at thesound of the opening door, what was Delia's surprise when her astonished eyes rested on the well-known features of one of her most intimate playfellows in infant days-the daughter of a poor cottager formerly in the employment of her late father!
She started a few paces back and exclaimed involuntarily, "Good God! is it possible? Do I really behold Rebecca T-?"
"Delia L-s!" cried the other as the book fell from her hands. "Heavens! how is it that I see you here? But tarry not a moment, fly from this hateful spot; for should the arch destroyer once behold those dazzling charms you are lost!"
And as Delia was about to speak, she placed her hand upon her mouth to prevent reply and continued: "Waste not the precious moments in useless inquiries, which now I cannot answer; in a few minutes he will be here-tell me only where you can be found and I will shortly pay you a visit."
Having obtained the necessary directions, she almost thrust the astonished Delia down stairs in her anxiety to see her once more safely in the street; this done, the door was quickly closed and Delia, pondering on the singular behaviour of her old acquaintance, was slowly and sorrowfully proceeding towards her humble lodgings; she had scarcely turned the corner of the street, however, when someone touched her shoulder; upon turning her head she beheld a most benign looking old gentleman, apparently between sixty and seventy years of age; he was very respectably attired in a suit of black, wore powder, and his general appearance was that of a clergyman of the established church.
He begged pardon for the liberty he had taken but begged to inquire if he was mistaken in his belief that she was the same person who had a minute before quitted the house, No. 29, in the next street. Upon her answering in the affirmative he informed her that he was the owner of the house, and having from some distance perceived her leaving it he had hastened to overtake her, and he now very politely begged she would inform him to what circumstance he was indebted for the intended honour of such a visit.
As she gazed upon his venerable countenance, so different in appearance from what her alarmed imagination had pictured from the few words which had fallen from Rebecca in alluding to him, she found it impossible to reconcile the idea of the reverend looking gentleman before her being the arch destroyer from whose sight her friend had appeared so very anxious to conceal her. She even began to suspect the motives of the latter and that she might have some secret object in view in thus preventing their meeting, so greatly was she interested by the respectful, nay, almost paternal, look with which he regarded her while speaking.
After truly stating to him the motive with which she had sought his house that morning (concealing only the singular recognition between herself and his reputed daughter), he expressed his regret that one so young and beautiful should be reduced to a state of servitude so much beneath her deserts; adding that it was quite evident nature had intended her for a very different sphere of life; for his own part, he was satisfied that she had seen better days and begged so earnestly that she would acquaint him with the story of her misfortunes that shame alone prevented her from fully gratifying his curiosity; again and again did he solicit her full confidence, urging, as a reason, that when he knew all it might probably be in his power to procure for her a situation more worthy of her acceptance than the humble one that she had that day applied for.
Delia at length permitted him to accompany her home, determined to hide nothing from so benevolent a man, but by a candid acknowledgment of her real situation endeavour to prove herself worthy of the generous friend whom-she was now fully persuadedHeaven had sent to her relief.
He listened with the greatest attention and absolutely shed tears as she related the cause and manner of her ruin. He called upon Heaven to pour forth its direst vengeance on the head of the cruel despoiler who could have the heart to abandon one so young, so innocent, and so lovely. Moved by his tears and the interest he appeared to take in her misfortunes, she endeavoured in her turn to soothe the violence of his emotions; and as he called her his dear suffering child, allowed him to take what he termed a fatherly salute; he now insisted on sending the landlady for some refreshment; and a cold fowl and ham, with two bottles of wine, were procured from a neighbouring tavern, of which, as he said, for the purpose of preventing her from thinking that he was actuated by any immoral motive, the landlady was invited to partake.
After upwards of two hours had been passed in cheerful conversation he rose to depart, begging that he might be allowed to repeat his visit on the following day, which being granted he took his leave, the landlady escorting him downstairs; but, to the surprise of Delia, half an hour elapsed ere he left the house; and it was evident that he had been, during the whole of that period, in earnest conversation with the gratified hostess, who returned to Delia with eyes beaming with delight.
"Well," she exclaimed, "here's a friend indeed! You may thank your lucky stars-he has desired me to let you want for nothing and has given me this five pound note to meet any present emergency; and this excess of feeling upon his part, he has just informed me with tears in his eyes, arises from the extraordinary likeness you bear to a dearly beloved daughter, of whom he was deprived by death some four years ago; so striking, he says, is the resemblance that he could almost imagine that Heaven had restored his lost child to bring peace and happiness once again to the heart of a bereaved father."
Early on the following morning she was visited by Rebecca, who, anxious to account for her apparent want of feeling towards the friend of her infancy, hastened to give the requisite explanation. It appeared that Mr. B. had first beheld her at the village school when she had scarcely entered into her fourteenth year; he was frequently in the habit of calling and questioning the children and evinced much satisfaction at their gradual improvement; he seemed more particularly struck with Rebecca and having at various times made her several trifling presents, she, as might be expected from a girl of such tender age, could not conceal the pleasure she derived whenever she saw him coming.
But how great was her astonishment, on one Sunday afternoon while sitting with her father in their humble cottage, to see Mr. B" accompanied by an elderly lady, crossing the little garden which fronted their abode.
"There, my dear," said he, addressing the lady as they entered, "there, my dear, this is my little favourite; what do you think of her? I hope you'll acknowledge that I have done her no more than justice in the description I have given."
The lady, whom he now introduced as his wife, replied with a smile,
"Well, indeed, if she be as good as she is pretty I should say you certainly have not. Come hither, child, what say you-should you like to quit the country to live with me in London?"
Rebecca curtsied, and frankly replied, "Yes, ma'am, if my father pleases."
Mr. B. then proceeded to explain: He had been greatly attracted towards Rebecca from the time he had first beheld her, in consequence of the extraordinary resemblance which she bore to an only daughter (this was, in fact, his usual mode of accounting for his singular attachments), and hearing of her father's extreme poverty he had spoken of his intentions to his wife, whom he had at last prevailed upon to accompany him in order that she might judge for herself; the result, he was happy to say, was perfectly satisfactory-and should it meet with his (the father's) approbation, she might prepare herself to accompany them to London in the following week, where she would be in every respect treated as their own child.
The old lady herself seconded her husband's desires and painted the advantages that the dear child would derive from the proposed arrangements in such glowing colours that the delighted parent, thinking that his daughter's fortune was made forever, hesitated not in giving his permission, in consequence of which Rebecca was soon installed in her new habitation as the adopted daughter of the wealthy Mr. and Mrs. B.
The young girl was at first delighted at a change so greatly for the better, but could not refrain from expressing her astonishment at the secluded manner in which Mrs. B. seemed to live. This, she was informed, was entirely owing to the bad state of her health and that it was enjoined by her medical adviser that she should confine herself as much as possible to her own apartment. Such being the case, Rebecca and her protector generally took their meals together; once in every day she was allowed to visit the invalid, with whom she stayed for about an hour; the old lady always received her with the greatest kindness and never failed at parting to impress upon her mind the importance of her doing all in her power to retain the affection of Mr.
B. by striving continually to please him and to study carefully all his little peculiarities. He, in the meantime, continued to behave towards her with the most devoted affection, and each evening upon the removal of the tea equipage he would endeavour to improve her in reading and writing; he would occasionally seek to divert her by reading to her some amusing story, which by degrees assumed a rather voluptuous character, so much so, indeed, that without knowing why she would feel her young cheeks glow with the blush of confusion as she listened to the amatory descriptions rather too vividly explicit. At other times he would sit gazing at her for several minutes exclaiming, as to himself, "How lovely, how very like!" Then, seizing her in his arms, he would seat her upon his knee and almost stifle her with kisses. One evening he, by accident, discovered that she had a small mole underneath her left breast. Wonderful similitude! so had his dear departed child; and this was a sufficient excuse for frequently uncovering her youthful bosom in order that he might kiss and finger the beloved spot which so strongly reminded him of his lost daughter.
But he was all a cheat. He had never been married-never had a child; the hypocritical old beldame who resided with him had been once a well-known procuress whom he paid to assist him in his nefarious practices, and by their united efforts too often fatally succeeded in their diabolical designs. Thus, in the present instance, he so artfully proceeded by imperceptible degrees to undermine the virtue of the artless Rebecca that ere she had become sensible of her danger she had nothing left to grant, or he to ask. Her innocence thus destroyed, she was easily persuaded to keep her father in ignorance of her fall. The vile assistant was rewarded and dismissed; and the degraded girl consented to be introduced to her neighbours as the daughter of the man who had so cruelly abused her confidence.
At this tender age (she had not yet completed her eighteenth year) had the once innocent girl consented to become a pander to the lusts of this hoary-headed miscreant, who having long been satiated with the charms of his young victim had repeatedly threatened to cast her forth upon the world if she refused to assist him in luring fresh victims to his frightful lair, and as she had no home save that of her betrayer, for shame and guilt would for ever prevent her from returning to her father, she determined to avoid the horrors of more general prostitution by reluctantly becoming his agent.
The office keeper was liberally rewarded for directing any young or beautiful girl to his house, where she was introduced to the supposed daughter: an appointment was then made with the intended victim and the rest may be conceived.