Camilla | Page 9

she cried, 'and I am sure my uncle will do anything in the
world to help you.'
'O Camilla,' she answered, 'I have disobeyed mamma! and I did not
mean it in the least--but I have forgot all her commands!--She charged
me not to let Eugenia stir out from Cleves, because of the small
pox--and she has been already at Beech Park--and now, how can I tell
the poor little thing she must not go to the fair?'
'Don't vex yourself about that,' cried Camilla, kindly kissing the tears
off her cheeks, 'for I will stay behind, and play with Eugenia myself, if
my uncle will drive us back to Beech Park; and then all the rest may go
to the fair, and take us up again in the way home.'

With this expedient she flew to the coach, charging the two boys who
with great curiosity had ridden to the bank side, and listened to all that
had passed, to comfort Lavinia.
'Lionel,' cried Edgar, 'do you know, while Camilla was speaking so
kindly to Lavinia, I thought she looked almost as pretty as your
cousin?' Lionel would by no means subscribe to this opinion, but Edgar
would not retract.
Camilla, jumping into the carriage, threw her arms around the neck of
her uncle, and whispered to him all that had passed. 'Poor innocent little
dear!' cried he, 'is that all? it's just nothing, considering her young age.'
Then, looking out of the window, 'Lavinia,' he said, 'you have done no
more harm than what's quite natural; and so I shall tell your mamma;
who is a woman of sense, and won't expect such a young head as yours
to be of the same age as hers and mine. But come into the coach, my
dear; we'll just drive as far as Northwick, for an airing, and then back
again.'
The extreme delicacy of the constitution of Eugenia had hitherto
deterred Mrs. Tyrold from innoculating her; she had therefore
scrupulously kept her from all miscellaneous intercourse in the
neighbourhood: but as the weakness of her infancy was now promising
to change into health and strength, she meant to give to that terrible
disease its best chance, and the only security it allows from perpetual
alarm, immediately after the heats of the present autumn should be
over.
Lavinia, unused to disobedience, could not be happy in practising it:
she entreated, therefore, to return immediately to Cleves. Sir Hugh
complied; premising only that they must none of them expect him to be
of their play-party again till after dinner.
The coachman then received fresh orders: but, the moment they were
communicated to the two boys, Lionel, protesting he would not lose the
fair, said he should soon overtake them, and, regardless of all
remonstrances, put spurs to his horse, and galloped off.

Sir Hugh, looking after him with great alarm, exclaimed, 'Now he is
going to break all his bones! which is always the case with those young
boys, when first they get a horseback.'
Camilla, terrified that she had begged this boon, requested that the
servant might directly ride after him.
'Yes, my dear, if you wish it,' answered Sir Hugh; 'only we have but
this one man for us all, because of the rest staying to get the ball and
supper ready; so that if we should be overturned ourselves, here's never
a soul to pick us up.'
Edgar offered to ride on alone, and persuade the truant to return.
'Thank you, my dear, thank you,' answered Sir Hugh, 'you are as good a
boy as any I know, but, in point of horsemanship, one's as ignorant as
t'other, as far as I can tell; so we may only see both your sculls
fractured instead of one, in the midst of your galloping; which God
forbid for either.'
'Then let us all go together,' cried Indiana, 'and bring him back.'
'But do not let us get out of the coach, uncle,' said Lavinia; 'pray do not
let us get out!'
Sir Hugh agreed; though he added, that as to the small pox he could by
no means see it in the same light, for he had no notion of people's
taking diseases upon themselves. 'Besides,' continued he, 'she will be
sure to have it when her time comes, whether she is moped up or no;
and how did people do before these new modes of making themselves
sick of their own accord?'
Pitying, however, the uneasiness of Lavinia, when they came near the
town, he called to the footman, and said, 'Hark'ee, Jacob, do you ride on
first, and keep a sharp look out that nobody has the small pox.'
The fair being held in the suburbs, they soon arrived at some straggling
booths, and the coach, at the instance of