The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 190: what you’re looking at

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176 THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. ful face—but only as a father might gaze upon the face of a beloved daughter; and with a kind smile he said, ‘‘ Now let us sit down once more, and see if we can understand each other. Do you mind trying ?” ‘‘No, my lord,” answered Ethel, touched by the old man’s altered bearing towards her, “IT do really think that there is something to be cleared up!”—and then, after a pause, and with a deep mysterious look, she “added, hesitatingly and diffidently, “Think you, my lord, that we are both alluding to the same person ?” “Oh, as for that,” cried the Count, with another smile, ‘it is impossible there can be any mistake !” ‘And I should think so too, my lord,” said Ethel, again renouncing as preposterous and ridiculous a certain idea which had floated vaguely and dimly in her brain. Even if you could have no certitude on the point,”, continued his lordship, “I myself am utterly beyond doubt. Now, listen! It seems that you know how Miss Malcolm and I met at Constantinople. Well, that- was between fifteen and sixteen years ago. I never saw her again till yesterday ' “ Yesterday, my lord 2” said Ethel dubiously. ‘““Yes—TI repeat yesterday., I was in Regent Street—on foot at the time. Tran against Count de’ Mandeville —as he calls himself: we were speaking on certain matters, when all in a moment an exclamation burst from his lips. ‘By heaven, there she is!’ he cried; and she was appearing round a corner as he spoke. There she stood, transfixed for nearly a minute; and thus I hada full opportunity of surveying her. I confess that I had somewhat forgotten her since we met in Constantinople : but sixteen years make differences in personal appearances as well as in memories. However, there she was! Mandeville pointed her out to me; and even after she had vanished as it were from our view, her image remained strongly imprinted on my mind. I ran after her—but she was nowhere to be seen. I must confess that for the first time in my life I was so completely taken aback by the suddenness of that unexpected ap- pearance—lI was so entirely riveted to the spot— that she escaped from me as it were before I even thought of accosting her. As for Mandeville, he had of course his own good reasons for not caring to meet her——” “‘My lord,” interrupted Ethel, who had hitherto listened with breathless attention: ‘‘that lady— that female whom you saw yesterday 4 ‘¢'Well,” ejaculated the Count, ‘‘ was she not the same whom I again beheld to-day—just now —not an hour ago—in Cork Street—and yourself and Mandeville in her company ?” Ethel sank back in her chair, like one who was overpowered with consternation and dismay ; and she gazed with a species of fearful, awe-felt, bewil- dered vacancy upon Olonetz. That idea which had already undergone so many fluctuations—so many transitions from light to darkness, and from darkness to light—now appearing suddenly to flame up into a blaze potent enough to illumine the whole mystery. ‘‘Good heaven, what ails you, madam?” asked the Count, frightened at her appearance. ‘“ You are ill | will summon assistance !” ‘““No, my lord—no,” said Ethel. “T thank eet you—I am better:” and she raised herself up in her seat again. ‘‘But that lady whom you saw at Constantinople, between fifteen and sixteen years ago ? “Now I will tell you something strange, madam,” interrupted the Count. “It did strike me that Miss Malcolm, when I knew her by that name at Constantinople, had dark eyes and hair —whereas this woman’s hair and eyes are lighter. Ah! is it possible,” he exclaimed, ‘‘ that there can be any error—any mistake?” He looked bewil- dered fora moment—then he reflected profoundly —and then he said, ‘No, it is impossible! there is no mistake !” At this moment the door opened; and a fine tall man, of very distinguished appearance, and ‘whose age might be about forty, entered the room. He was fashionably dressed, but with perfect good taste; and he carried a riding-whip in his hand, as if he had just come from taking exercise on horseback. His hair was of light brown: his whiskers, of a vivid auburn at the roots, darkened towards the extremities: his moustache was lighter still than his ‘whiskers, and had the points curled inward towards the corners of the lips. He had large blue eyes, a very high forehead, and well-arched brows. -He’ was well made, and of a firmly knit frame, but with a perfect symmetry of proportions. He entered the room without knocking, and without apology—moreover with only a slight in- clination of the head, somewhat partaking of the off-hand condescending familiarity of a nod,,in acknowledgment .of the profoundly respectful salutation made to him by the Count. His eyes immediately settled upon Ethel, to whom he bowed most courteously, and whom he at once regarded with an air of unmistakable interest. Yet there was nothing bold nor insolent—much less of a libertine character in his looks; it was with a respectful interest and admiration that he contemplated her, and also as if he had previously heard her spoken of in a manner which had im- pressed him favourably with her. “Your Imperial Highness,” said Count Olo- netz, in a manner which was coldly significant, though perfectly respectful, ‘‘I am engaged at present a “Is this lady Mrs. Trevor?” asked the Grand Duke—for no less a personage was the individual whom we are now introducing to our readers; and it may be easily supposed that Ethel started when she thus abruptly and unexpectedly found herself the object of such an inquiry. “Yes, my lord,” responded Olonetz, with an- other bow: ‘‘this lady is so named. Has your Highness any particular reason i “What? for asking who she is?” said the Duke. ‘‘ Yes—certainly I have. Roxana——” “Ah!” —and the ejaculation faintly escaped the Count’s lips. It might be either an expression of relief experienced on account of some cause of ° apprehension being suddenly removed; or it might have been in surprise at the mention of the name of the youthful Princess, in connexion with the Duke's appearance there at the moment and his inquiries concerning Mrs. Trevor. “Roxana,” pursued the Grand Duke, not heed- ing that faintly uttered ejaculation from the Count’s lips, “has just been telling me that she experienced very great pleasure from your society COMO etd YN Wn) Colin