The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 197: what you’re looking at

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

THE YOUM«¢: DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. 183 arrival in London. A friend of mime—Lady Bel- | grave—called upon me this afternoon; and in the course of conversation she happened. to mention the fact that a Russian Plenipotentiary I:xtraor- dinary arrived three or four days ago on a special mission. I asked the name, little thinking that it would prove to be one so familiar to my ears. Con-’ ceive my astonishment when the Countess of Bel- grave mentioned the name of Count Olonetz. I was at once seized with a curiosity that could not rest until it gratified itself: I determined to call without delay upon your Excellency. I besought Lady Belgrave to bring me into London in her carniage—for I live a little way in the country: she assented—and I am here.” Count Olonetz bowed. He was still lost in thought: but he bad nevertheless so far regained his self-possession as to decide upon remaining a listener for the present, so long as her ladyship chose to speak and be explanatory. ‘A nobleman of your keen perception,” re- | sumed Lady Langport, “‘ can scarcely fail to com- prehend in what sense my curiosity is excited. We are in England, my lord: and here,” she | added, with a smile, ‘‘ you are no longer danger- ous. Our laws rob the fiercest foreign lions of | their claws when they come amongst us. Indeed, I knew that you were in England some few years ago as Russian Ambassador: but then I did not perhaps possess quite so much courage as I do now—I thought you might still be formidable— and therefore I came not near you. But now 1 have grown braver. Indeed, my lord, I should | not hesitate to appeal to the Home Secretary for protection against you if I thought you had the | slightest intention of renewing the treacherous design which you harboured against me at Con- stantinople in the year 1831.” Again the Count bowed: but he remained silent; and Lady Langport continued in the ensuing strain :— ‘What I wish you to tell me, my lord, is why you conceived that treacherous plot to which I have just alluded ? What was your motive for making me the object of so dark and bitter a per- secution ? How had I been unfortunate enough to offend your Excellency ? or how had I in- curred the displeasure of the Russian Government, supposing that you were merely the instrument of its vindictive wrath at the time? The mys- tery was to me impenetrable then : it has remained | so ever since. Heaven be thanked! your dire intent oozed out by certain means, which IJ shall assuredly never betray; and I was warned in time to enable me to escape from the hideous | danger that threatened me. Now, my lord, you understand wherefore I have called upon you, and the nature of the explanations which I ex- pect from the lips of your Excellency.” ‘‘Madam,” replied the Count, “there is indeed a grave mystery—but it is one into which I myself , scarcely know how to penetrate. Let me however | take some steps towards unravelling the skein of | difficulties, embarrassments, and complications. You are assuredly the Miss Malcolm to whom I was presented at the British Embassy at Constan- tinople. That is beyond a doubt. But now per- mit me to ask whether you really told me the truth when on that particular evening you see | Ihave a good memory you suffered me to un- derstand that you were the only daughter of the deceased Mr. Malcolm, merchant of St. Peters- burgh ?” Lady Langport started — an uneasy feeling seized upon her—it was her turn to become be- wildered: but regaining her self-possession she said, ‘‘ Why do you ask this question, my lord ?” ‘Will your ladyship allow me to inquire,” con- tinued the Count, ‘‘ whether your father left two daughters behind him.” Lady Langport was astonished at the question, and painfully perplexed, inasmuch as she always dreaded that anything which she could not pre- cisely comprehend at the moment, must bear reference to the stupendous secret which she cherished and concealed. She did not immedi- ataly reply: but after a minute’s reflection, she fancied there could be no possible harm in say- ing, ‘“‘My father left but one danghter behind him.” ‘‘And you mean me to understand,” said the ' Count, “that you are this daughter ?” Lady Langport looked aghast for a moment: and then she hurriedly said, ‘‘ Yes, yes!—you know that I must be! I told you so at Constan- tinople! Why should you doubt it ?” ‘Ah! and you told me other things at Con- stantinople,” pursued Olonetz. ‘‘ You said that you had travelled many thousands of miles in your time ” ‘“‘And it was the truth that I told you,” inter- jected Lady Langport. ‘“‘ And yet it was that very observation on your part,” rejoined the Count, ‘“‘ which served to con- vince me that you were But no matter! There is a mistake, madam!” he added vehe- mently; ‘“‘ and you evidently are no¢ the person for whom I took you!” It was almost a scream which burst from Lady Langport’s lips, as the terrible throught struck her that her secret was at length known—even if it had not previously been—to Count Olonetz, and that the conviction had burst upon him that she, the mother of Mildred, had for years been playing the part of Mildred ‘herself ! ! ‘‘Madam,” resumed Count Olonetz, “if you were not the Miss Malcolm for whom I took you —and it is now quite clear that you were not—a fearful mistake would have been committed if you had been stealthily carried off that time from Constantinople. Now that I have given you this assurance, you can all the more readily believe me when I declare that I harbour no sinister de- sign against you. Home Minister: I pledge you the word of a nobleman and a gentleman that even if I had the power to effect your extradition from this country, I would not do it. You are altogether the wrong person in one sense——and yet you are the Miss Malcolm of St. Petersburgh !” “This is most bewildering !” said Lady Lang- port, who began to breathe more freely, as the Count made no positive nor pointed allusion to her secret. ‘“‘Bewildering indeed!” he said, as he now mentally reviewed all that had previously taken place betwixt himself and Mrs. Trevor. ‘“ Again,” he muttered to himself, “ it seems to be a play of cross purposes! Madam,” he continued, turn- ing towards her ladyship, “it is a point on which I should like to set myself right.” ‘‘And I also,” said Lady Langport; “for there You need not appeal to your . oO COMO Colin