Memoirs of Miss Sidney Biddulph: Extracted from her own Journal, and now first published — John Shaqi
Memoirs of Miss Sidney Biddulph: Extracted from her own Journal, and now first publishedSheridan, Frances Chamberlaine
General
Memoirs of Miss Sidney Biddulph: Extracted from her own Journal, and now first published
Sheridan, Frances Chamberlaine
English fiction -- 18th century
This little incident convinces me that Mr Faulkland is of too warm a
temper; yet I am not alarmed at the discovery; you know I am the very
reverse; and I hope in time, by gentle methods, in some measure to
subdue it in Mr Faulkland. His own good sense and good nature must
incline him to wish it corrected. My brother says, he has often lamented
this vice of his nature to him, and said he had taken infinite pains to
get the better of it; and had so far succeeded, that he seldom was
surprized by it, but on very sudden and extraordinary occasions; such
as, I suppose, he looked upon this to be, which I have related.
We passed the day delightfully at Kensington, and did not return to town
till late. I think I have got cold, as we walked a long time in the
gardens.
_July 13_
I have got an ugly sore throat; my mother insists on my being let blood;
I am afraid of alarming her by complaining, though I had very little
rest all night. Mr Faulkland came early this morning to enquire after my
health: my mother told him I was not well. How tenderly dejected were
his looks, when I came into the room. Sir George made him stay to
breakfast; he scarce tasted any thing; he was quite cast down. My
brother rallied him (I thought it unreasonable) on the chance he had the
day before of losing his wife. Mr Faulkland answered, I wish I had
followed the first motion of my thoughts, and discharged that wicked
fellow a month ago. Sir George said, as it happened, there had been no
harm done; but he thought Mr Faulkland would do well to dismiss such an
insolent rogue from his service. He has saved me that trouble, said Mr
Faulkland, he has dismissed himself; but took care to first to rob me.
To rob you! we all repeated in the same breath. Yes, said Mr Faulkland:
I told him, after I got home, that he was to deliver up such things as
he had in his charge to my own man, as I meant to discharge him in the
morning. He made me no reply, for he was a sullen fellow; but when the
family were asleep, he contrived to pick the lock of a bureau in my
dressing room, where I sometimes keep money. I believe what induced him
to it was, his having seen me yesterday morning, when I was going to
ride (a precaution which I generally use), put my pocket book into this
place, and I suppose he concluded there were bank notes in it, for he
took _that_ (I presume without staying to examine it) and all the money
he could find besides, and very cleverly made his escape out of a back
window, which was found open this morning.
My mother lectured Mr Faulkland a little, for suffering a servant,
whose fidelity he was not sure of, to see where he deposited his money;
which, she said, might prove a temptation to one, who was _not_ so ill
inclined as this man. Mr Faulkland acknowleged it was careless in him;
but said, in his justification, he had been accustomed to very honest
people about him, which rendered him less suspicious.
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