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 Who is that vulgar looking woman, cried Lady Sarah Stapleton,  seated next
to Sir Henry Egerton, brother?
 No less a personage than my Lady Jarvis, replied the Marquess, gravely,
 and the mother-in-law of Sir Harry and wife to Sir Timo--; this was said
with an air of great importance, and a look of drollery that showed the
marquess a bit of a quiz.
 Married! cried Lord William,  mercy on the woman, who is Egerton s
wife---he is the greatest latitudinarian amongst the ladies, of any man in
England--nothing---no nothing---would tempt me to let such a man marry a
sister of mine ---ah, thought Mrs. Wilson, how we may be deceived in
character, with the best intentions after all; in what are the open vices of
Egerton, worse than the more hidden ones of Denbigh.
These freely expressed opinions on the character of Sir Henry, were
excessively awkward to some of the listeners---to whom they were connected
with unpleasant recollections, of duties neglected, and affections thrown
away.
Sir Edward Moseley was not disposed to judge his fellow creatures harshly,
and it was as much owing to his philanthropy as to his indolence, that he had
been so remiss in his attention to the associates of his daughters-- but the
veil once removed, and the consequences brought home to him through his
child---no man was more alive to the necessity of caution on this important
particular; and Sir Edward formed many salutary resolutions for the government
of his future conduct, in relation to those, whom an experience nearly fatal
in its results, had greatly qualified to take care of themselves:---but to
resume our narrative---Lady Laura had maintained with Emily, a conversation
which was enlivened by occasional remarks from the rest of the party, in the
course of which the nerves as well as the principles of Emily were put to a
severe trial.
 My brother Henry, said Lady Laura,  who is a captain in the navy, once had
the pleasure of seeing you, Miss Moseley, and in some measure made me
acquainted with you before we met.
 I dined with Lord Henry at L--, and was much indebted to his polite
attentions in an excursion on the water, in common with a large party;
replied Emily simply.
 Oh, I am sure his attentions were exclusive, cried the sister;  indeed he
told us that nothing but the want of time, prevented his being deeply in
love---he had even the audacity to tell Denbigh, it was fortunate for me he
had never seen you, or I should have been left to lead Apes.
 And I suppose you believe him now, cried Lord William, laughing, as he
bowed to Emily.
His sister laughed in her turn, but shook her head, in the confidence of
conjugal affection, as she replied--
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 It is all conjecture, for the Colonel said he had never the pleasure of
meeting Miss Moseley, so I will not boast of what my powers could have
done---Miss Moseley, continued Lady Laura, blushing slightly at her
inclination to talk of an absent husband--so lately her lover;  I hope to have
the pleasure of presenting Colonel Denbigh to you soon.
 I think, said Emily, with a horror of deception, and a mighty struggle to
suppress her feelings,  Colonel Denbigh was mistaken in saying we never
met--he was of material service to me once, and I owe him a debt of gratitude,
that I only wish I could properly repay.
Lady Laura listened in surprise; but as Emily paused, she could not
delicately, as his wife, remind her further of the obligation, by asking what
the service was--and hesitating a moment, continued--
 Henry quite made you the subject of conversation amongst us--Lord Chatterton
too, who visited us for a day, was equally warm in his eulogiums--I really
thought they created a curiosity, in the Duke and Pendennyss, to behold their
idol.
 A curiosity that would be ill rewarded in its indulgence, said Emily,
abashed by the personality of the discourse.
 So says the modesty of Miss Moseley, said the Duke of Derwent, in the
peculiar tone which distinguished the softer keys of Denbigh s voice--Emily s
heart beat quick as she heard them---and she was afterwards vexed to remember
with how much pleasure she listened to this opinion of the duke;---was it the
sentiment?---or was it the voice?---she, however, gathered strength to answer,
with a dignity that repressed further praises,
 Your Grace is willing to devest me of what little I possess.
 Pendennyss is a man of a thousand, continued Lady Laura, with the privilege
of a married woman;  I do wish he would join us at Bath--is there no hope,
duke?
 I am afraid not, replied his Grace,  he keeps himself immured in Wales with
his sister--who is as much of a hermit as himself.
 There was a story of an inamorata in private, somewhere, cried the
Marquess;  why at one time, it was said, he was privately married to her.
 Scandal, my lord, said the Duke gravely,  the Earl is of unexceptionable
morals--andand the lady you mean, the widow of Major Fitzgerald- -whom you
knew---Pendennyss never sees her, and by accident, was once of very great
service to her.
Mrs. Wilson breathed freely again, as she heard the explanation of this
charge, and thought if the Marquess knew all---how differently would he judge
Pendennyss, as well as others.
 Oh! I have the highest opinion of Lord Pendennyss, cried the Marquess.
The Moseleys were not sorry, the usual hour of retiring, put an end to both
the conversation and their embarrassments.
CHAPTER IX.
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Forthe succeeding fortnight the intercourse between the Moseley s and their
new acquaintances increased daily. It was rather awkward at first on the part
of Emily, and her beating pulse and changing colour too often showed the alarm
of feelings not yet overcome, when any allusions were made to the absent
husband of one of the ladies. Still, as her parents encouraged the
cequaintance, and her aunt thought the best way to get rid of the remaining
weakness of humanity, with respect to Denbigh, was not to shrink from even an
interview with the gentleman himself; Emily succeeded in conquering her
reluctance; and as the high opinion entertained by Lady Laura of her husband,
was expressed in a thousand artless ways, an interest was created in her by
her affections, and the precipice over which, both Mrs. Wilson and her niece
thought, she was suspended.
Egerton carefully avoided all collision with the Moseley s. Once, indeed, he
endeavoured to renew his acquaintance with John, but a haughty repulse drove
him instantly from the field.
What representations he had thought proper to make to his wife, we are unable
to say, but she appeared to resent something--as she never approached the
dwelling or persons of her quondam associates, although in her heart she was
dying to be on terms of intimacy with their titled friends. Her incorrigible
mother was restrained by no such or any other consideration, and had contrived
to fasten on the Dowager and Lady Harriet, a kind of bowing acquaintance,
which she made great use of at the rooms.
The Duke sought out the society of Emily wherever he could obtain it; and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]