'Perhaps dear Rosy will make a good marriage,' simpered the fond and foolish mother.
'Perhaps, madam,' interposed Mr. Bonham sternly, 'she may learn something what ought to come after marriage but never before. How would you like to hear of her bolting off to London with one of those swells who perhaps is married already, and her returning to you in about twelve months, neglected, sick and heartbroken, with a baby in her arms? Now listen to me, Mrs. Fielding,' continued Mr. Bonham, gazing attentively into the good dame's horror-stricken face, 'I am not too old to have my fancies. Moreover, my daughter will soon be married and off my hands, and I have no one else to interfere with me.'
With this introduction, the model gentleman proposed a scheme of his own, namely that Rosa should be placed in a first-rate school in the neighbourhood of London; that all the expenses, including her equipment, should be borne by him; and that in twelve or eighteen months, if Rosa had been well behaved and steady, and had improved in body and mind, as there was every reason to suppose she would, he, the speaker, would make her Mrs. Bonham, and mistress of Rutsden Lodge.
This grand proposition fairly took away the good old lady's breath, and there is no doubt her reply would have been a ready acceptance of Mr. Bonham's proposition but then there appeared old Fielding and the whole story had to be commenced over again.
He did not receive Mr. Bonham's offer as enthusiastically as his wife had done; but he owned at the same time the risk that Rosa ran in her present situation; and in plain blunt speech detailed how Susan Shuffle-bum had been seen behind a hayrick with her legs over young Squire Rootlepole's back.
'And I suppose, missus,' continued the worthy man, 'I needn't tell ye what he was a-doing to her; and Harriette Heavely went a-walking in Snugcroft woods with one of the danged soger officers, and when she got home her white petticoats was all green with damp grass, and she was so sore between her thighs that she has not been able to walk rightly since. But still, Master Bonham, although your proposal would take our Rosa out of the way of danger; leastways out of a good deal, for a young good-looking lass is never to stay quite out of danger; yet I don't quite like the girl brought up above her station. She'll maybe look down on her old father and mother, and maybe she'll be looked down upon and made to feel the difference by them that's born of better families.'
This sensible speech of Fanner Fielding's was combated pretty sharply by the other two parties to the conversation; the old woman being anxious to see her daughter made a rich lady, and loth to miss the present chance; and Mr. Bonham continuing to urge that his being almost entirely without relations and that his daughter being about to be married, would place Rosa in a far different and much more pleasant situation than is usually the case under such circumstances.
He even went on to say that although Fielding had a right to deal as he liked with regards to his own daughter, yet he considered it would be almost sinful for him to throw away such a good chance to have her well educated and married, and that too in the fear of the Lord. Half badgered to death between the pair of them-the old farmer yielded a reluctant consent, upon which Mr. Bonham and Mrs. Fielding went at once into matters of detail with regard to preparation of outfit and so on.
One thing was determined upon, that the matter might not be talked about more than was absolutely necessary; Mr. Bonham in particular to conceal his philanthropic schemes from his daughter Eliza, lest peradventure she had been addicted to wrath. And Farmer Fielding thought that the less said about Rosa until she appeared as Mrs.
Bonham the better.
We do not intend to weary our readers as to matters of outfit, suffice it to say that Mrs. Trabb was in high glee and began to think that Mr.
Bonham, what with his missionary zeal on behalf of the sweet Fukkumite savages, and his philanthropic intentions regarding Rosa's welfare was going to make her fortune. Certainly she never had had two such orders in one twelvemonth, much less in one week. One remark of hers to Mr. Bonham is worthy of notice.
With the natural sharpness of a woman and a widow to boot, she took it for granted that Mr. B would like to know some particulars about the undergarments she had been furnishing for his pretty protegee, and after expatiating for about an hour or so about silk stockings, cotton stockings, chemises, night-dresses, petticoats, and the Lord only knows what besides, she concluded with: 'And I quite remember your sensible remarks Mr. Bonham, about those trousers made for those converted cannibals. Miss Rosa's are much finer of course, and prettier altogether, but they are equally convenient, they are quite open back and front.'
This remark was made with a good deal of emphasis and meaning; but the venerable philanthropist merely replied, without moving a muscle of his face: 'You are quite right, Mrs. Trabb, and have acted very judiciously; one never knows what may be required in case of emergency!'
It was reported to a few friends and neighbours that Rosa was offered a situation in London as a nursery governess and that as Mr. Bonham was going to town on business he had kindly offered to convey the young lady thither in his own carriage; being, as he said, altogether safer and pleasanter for a young unprotected girl than the public conveyance.
This excuse passed currently enough, and if some of the envious or captious neighbours shook their heads and said Old Bonham was a sly fox, what business was it of theirs, after all?
Rosa enjoyed the ride immensely. Her guardian, as she took to calling nun, was so kind and so affectionate (the fact was that he kept kissing her a great many times, and much more warmly than there was any occasion for) that she considered herself a very fortunate girl. And then he took such an interest in minor matters, he wanted to know how Mrs. Trabb had executed his orders-with regard to her wardrobe-and in his anxiety to know if everything was nice and proper, actually commenced to investigate Rosa's underclothing. He expressed his opinion that the petticoats would do; but that the outer one was hardly fine enough, but that defect could be repaired in London; his researches became more interesting when the chemise was put upon its trial.
'And now, Rosa darling,' said the ancient voluptuary, 'let me see if Mrs.
Trabb has obeyed my orders about your trousers, I told her to have them made a certain way or you were to wear none at all.
'Oh, dear me, Mr. Bonham,' exclaimed Rosa, who all this time had been dutifully holding up her clothes to facilitate her guardian's exploration, 'you will make me ashamed of myself!'
'Not at all, my dear girl,' was the reassuring reply, 'it is my duty to see that you have everything nice and proper, and your duty to submit to the inquiry; so put your graceful right leg over my left shoulder.'
Trembling and blushing, the innocent girl, fancying that it was not quite right and yet not knowing very well how to refuse, did as she was requested and made a splendid exposure of her secret parts immediately.
'Ha!' exclaimed Bonham, 'I see that Mrs. Trabb has not neglected her duty; your trousers are well open in front certainly, though for the sake of seeing your thighs I would have preferred no trousers at all. But your cunt shows very nicely-golden hair, I see-not quite as much as you will have in twelve months, but a very fair show for a young girl of sixteen, — and very nice lips.'
Here the moral gentleman inserted the first two fingers of his right hand in Rosa's tender orifice, at which the poor girl could not help an exclamation and making some slight appearance of resistance. On this her companion remarked: 'As you are going to be married to me in twelve or eighteen months, my lovely Rosa, I regard you already as my wife, morally speaking, and if the jolting of this carriage will allow, I will give you a practical proof of it.'