The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 195: what you’re looking at

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

THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. 181 ‘‘ And were you well pleased to revisit England on the present occasion ?” asked Ethel. “Oh, yes! Ihave already told you that I en- tertained the most pleasing reminiscences of my former sojourn in this country—I am very fond of England and of the English people : I like them much better,” she added, in a lower tone and with a more serious look, than such cold, for- mal, ceremonial, stately people as the old Count and Countess. They seem to worship me as a goddess at one moment, and to do all they can to coerce and annoy me the next. Only think! I cannot go to the English Court—I must not re- ceive visits openly—because I am here under an incognito! . This is diplomatic etiquette !” added Roxana, with a look of contempt and disgust as she pouted her beautiful coral lips. ‘ But never mind !” she added, smiling, and thus uncon- sciously displaying two rows of pearly teeth which embellished that sweet mouth of youthful freshness ; ‘‘ I have made your acquaintance—I ought to say I have formed your friendship—and I do not now care if no other English lady comes near me.’ . You are very kind, dear Princess, to say SO. “Do not say kind! I only tell you what I feel. I dare say you think me a strange, wild, impulsive creature: and perhaps you wonder how I can be so giddy, and laugh, and show so much cheerfulness, when it might be supposed that all I know of the sorrowful past ought to be hanging as a dark cloud upon my mind? But no doubt I was naturally from the very first of a gay and lively disposition ; and then too, my mind and temper were formed, so to speak, before I was old enough to catch up any of those whispers which floated around me and which gave me an insight into the past. Moreover, let it be borne in recolleetion that such little knowledge as I do possess on those subjects, came to me gradually —never with a shock: the details stole into my comprehension by degrees; and thus the natural liveliness of my disposition has survived the or- deal.” “Oh, this is easily to be understood,” said Ethel. “ And God grant, my dear Princess,” she added solemnly, “that naught will ever occur to mar this innocent cheerfulness on your part; nor to sadden a disposition which heaven itself has imbued with the pure and ingenuous bliss that angels themselves enjoy !” Roxana seized Ethel’s hand and carried it to her lips. There was a pause, during which the young lady and the youthful Princess contem- plated each other with that affectionate earnest- ness which belonged to a friendship that was already sincere though of such recent growth. At length, Roxana, bending her beauteous head towards Ethel, and speaking in a very low voice, said, “‘ I see that you already love me very much —as I also love you! It appears to me as if we had known each other for a long—long time! I have told you all my secrets except one i “Except one?” repeated Ethel, with a smile and a look expressive of renewed interest. ‘““Yes—I have one more secret—the greatest of all!” continued Roxana, with an air of such artless, sweet ingenuous confidence that shelooked more irresistibly interesting than ever. ‘ Not even my father entertains the remotest idea that I am in possession of this secyet! As for the old Count and Countess—heaven help me if they were to know it! I should never hear the last of it ! 9? “Then this secret must be a very important one,” said Ethel. ‘‘ Pray do not think of reveal- ing it to me, dear Princess, without the calmest deliberation and forethought.” ‘Not reveal it to you? Why, you would not betray it!” “Betray it? Heaven forbid! Nothing that ever comes in sweet confidence from those lips of your’s, dear Princess, shall be revealed by me!” “T knew that such was your disposition,” said Roxana. ‘And now listen to me, my dear friend. You know I have two or three times mentioned an old nurse—Dame Ladoiska as she was called ” ‘The one who brought you in her arms from Siberia,” interjected Ethel. ‘‘The same. Well,” pursued the Princess, ‘this good nurse died between four or five years ago—that was soon after I left the Count and Countess and went to live with my father, at the time when he was restored to the Imperial favour. When on her death-bed, the worthy Ladoiska took an opportunity of saying something par- ticular to me. She told me that she had brought away with her from Siberia, and had ever since preserved, a miniature portrait of my poor mother i “A portrait of your mother ?” éjaculated Ethel, with increasing curiosity. ‘“Yes—a portrait of my poor mother,” resumed Roxana. ‘The good dame said that she had all along intended to bequeath it into my keeping — but that I must treasure it in secret—I must never let my father, nor indeed any one know that I possessed it ‘“‘ And yet you are telling me this great secret, dear Princess ?” “Oh! because I feel as if I could have no secrets from you! No—I will conceal nothing from you! I long to possess your friendship! There is something—I. know not what—which attracts me towards you. But, Ah! I have already conjectured it must be your sweet looks and the goodness which shines in your eyes! In your bosom therefore, dear Ethel, all my thoughts shall be poured forth. And now let me give you the crowning proof of this friendship —this love of mine. Stay one moment !” The volatile young Princess sprang up from her seat by Ethel’s side; and she bounded across the room—light as a fawn —graceful as a fairy— her well-shaped feet and beautifully rounded ankles moving glancingly as it were over the thick carpet which her steps scarcely seemed to touch. A door at the extremity shut her out from the view of Ethel for a few instants: but during those few instants Mrs. Trevor experienced a strange agitation —a feeling that resembled a presentiment —a forecasting of something important or wildly romantic. She felt indeed as if she were standing on the threshold of some stupendous revelation. The door at the extremity again opened; and the youthful Princess came bounding forward, with something in her hand. It was a miniature portrait, beautifully painted in water colours, and so well preserved in the frame and glass that en- closed it that none of the vividness of that colour- ing was dim. YN Wn) COMO Colin