The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 194: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

180 TIIK YOUNG DUCHESS ; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. mind of the Princess brooding upon anyeparticular point to which she herself had directed her atten- tion ;—“ the fact is as you have stated it; and thus at that tender age of only a twelvemonth, you were borne amidst the eternal snows of Siberia, for thousands of miles, to the Russian capital ?” “Yes. And now, dear Ethel,” proceeded the Princess, in a low soft melancholy voice, ‘‘ you would doubtless ask me of my poor mother? Think you that she could survive the terrible blow which she had sustained ? Her husband torn from her, and separated from her child! No —she sank under the weight of these calamities ! It is however“a consolation to know that she was not persecuted during the short time that she did survive those fearful incidents. She was taken into the house of the Governor of Tobolsk; and there she was treated with all possible considera- tion. There too she died!” ‘You have given me a most interesting narra- tive, dear Princess,” said Ethel: “it is also a longer one—more collected in its form, and more consecutive in its details, than I could have ex- pected at the outset, when you began by inform- ing me that you knew so little, and that the vague ideas which you did possess concerning the past were merely the results of whispers that had floated around you.” “Oh! can you not understand,” exclaimed Roxana, “that to my mind the history is a meagre and disjointed one—lacking a thousand de- tails of interest ?—a mere skeleton which it would require so much in the form of substantial ex- planation to fill up! The history of so much love and so much misfortune belonging to one’s parents, must naturally possess a vivid interest for the child! And that interest involves an ardent curi- osity to know everything. But with me this curi- osity is not permitted to be gratified. For in- stance, fain would I learn to what family my poor mother belonged. Perhaps that family may be in distress ; and I, who am rich, might alle- viate their affliction. But no! not even the name of that family has come within the scope of my knowledge! Ah, and what is more—I am not permitted to speak of the past :’—and then sink- ing her voice to the lowest whisper, the Princess added, ‘ Although I was christened Roxana Mil- dreda, I am only permitted to sign one name, Roxana.” ‘‘Then, I suppose, Princess,” said Ethel, in a subdued tone—for it was a deep mysterious con- fidence which appeared to be establishing itself between herself and the beauteous Roxana,—‘“ [I presume that Mildreda was the Christian name of your mother ?” “‘ Yes,” answered the Princess. ‘‘ But I have no doubt that because my poor mother was of a humble family and of obscure position, and be- cause it was held that she had no right to marry a scion of the Imperial House of Romanoff—it was for this reason, no doubt, that anything which was in any way connected with her must be suppressed, exterminated, cast into oblivion, buried in profound silence, annihilated if possible ! And therefore, you saw just now how angry and how frightened the old Count and Countess were when in a moment of inadvertence I mentioned the forbidden name.” ‘*-Yes—I noticed it,” said Ethel. ‘ Is—is is and she half hesitated to put the question,—" is Mildreda a veritable Russian name? is it common in your country ?” “Ah, I do not know,” cried the Princess : and then she reflected for nearly a minute. ‘“ Well, now you mention it, I do not think I ever heard the name breathed from the lips except in con- nexion with my poor mother or myself.” “In English we call the name Mildred,” said Ethel: “but even with us it is by no means a common one.” ‘‘ No more is that of Ethel either,” interjected Roxana. ‘But Ah, my dear friend! when I think of it,” she continued, with a half suppli- cating, half frightened look, ‘‘you must be sure and keep silent with regard to all these things I have been telling you. My dear father never speaks to me of the past: from his lips I have never learnt any of these details. Indeed I am con- vinced he does not suspect I know even as much as I really do. As for the old Count and Countess, they have no idea that I have picked up so many facts concerning my past history; and they would be excessively angry and annoyed if they thought that I touched upon the subject at all.” ‘You may rely upon my discretion, dear Prin- cess,” answered Ethel. “Oh, I knew that I could fully trust you!” exclaimed Roxana: ‘‘ your looks tell me so!” ‘‘ Have you dwelt long,” asked Ethel, “ with the Count and Countess of Olonetz ?” “ “Oh, they were for a long time my guardians, so to speak,” replied Roxana. ‘I will tell you how it was. After my father returned from Siberia in the custody of the Imperial Guards, bearing me with him, he naturally found himself in disgrace at Court, and he was ordered to go and take the command of a division of the army at Moscow. That was really a punishment, and also a prisonage—although the Emperor did not ot course choose to brand a scion of his family with a disgrace more signal or a chastisement more flagrant. But that ptnishment lasted for some years—during which I was placed under the guardianship of Count and Countess Olonetz, who had just returned from the Embassy at Con- stantinople. Then the Count was appointed to the ministry of Foreign Affairs, so that he fixed his abode at St. Petersburgh ; and thus for a few years I was brought up in the capital. After- wards he came as Ambassador to England. Then it was that I visited England also ; and for three years my education was principally superintended by English governesses. On our return to St. Petersburgh, my father, having in the meanwhile been restored to the Imperial favour, took me to live with him. Thus a few more years passed away—which brings down my narrative to the present period. I need only add that Count Olonetz was charged the other day with a special and secret mission to the British Court; and it was deemed advisable—I know not exactly for what diplomatic reason—that an Imperial Prince should accompany him. My father was fixed upon for this particular service. But he does not come with the state and pomp of a Russian Grand Duke: he is here under the incognito of Count Simarova; and I, my dear Ethel,” added the Princess, laughing, ‘ought according to the strictest rules of etiquette to be only known to you as the Viscountess Roxana.” COMO YN Wn) Colin