The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 198: what you’re looking at

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184 is evidently some strange mystery or misunder- standing between us.” “ Well, then, madam,” continued the Count, “let us endeavour to get upon the right track; and in order to do so, let us start from the be- ginning. The late Mr. Malcolm, of St. Peters- burgh, who died in the year 1824, left a daughter named Mildred behind him.” ‘‘ He did,” answered Lady Langport, somewhat faintly. ‘‘And you tell me that you are that daughter ? —that you were Mildred Malcolm ?” ‘““The same,” rejoined Lady Langport: but her tone grew fainter still. “Then, madam, all I can say is,” exclaimed Count Olonetz abruptly, ‘that there must have been éwo Mildred Maicolms!” “Two Mildred Malcolms ? mean, my lord?” ‘* Yes—I mean two !—one with dark hair and eyes—and that is yourself: the other with brown hair and blue eyes—and that is the one whose proceedings in the world have commanded my attention.” “Two Mildreds? My God! what does this mean?” murmured Lady Langport, now quiver- ing violently; so that her trembling was seen de- spite all the layers of corsets and casings of gar- ments which enveloped her form. ‘‘ Brown hair and blue eyes? Just heaven! Butno! no! no! it is impossible! The Neva ‘Ah! what say you?” cried the Count, catch- ing at the word: “the Neva? Yes, to be sure! the accident on the Neva in the year 1825? That was the very time when ” ‘“ When what? when what?” demanded Lady Langport. ‘ But what is it that you can possibly mean ?” “What is it that you mean?” asked the Count, fixing his keen -eyes scrutinizingly upon Lady Langport; for all her increasing trouble was dis- cerned by him—not a single alteration of her countenance passed unnoticed. ‘So faras I my- self,’ he continued, ‘can have any reference to make to that terrible accident on the Neva, is to mark it as the date when a particular arrest was effected. But now I bethink me, madam—I re- member you told me at Constantinople that your mother perished on the occasion of the acci- dent ?” ‘‘An arrest? Whatmeéans your Excellency ?” —and it was in a quick feverish tone that Lady Langport spoke. The Count reflected for a few instants; and then he said, ‘‘Yes—I may as well be explicit to this little extent.—-The arrest, madain, to which [ allude, was that of a young lady, who was identified beyond all possibility of doubt, so that there could have been no mistake. Besides, subsequent circumstances corroborated the fact of that identity “My God! what do you mean?” cried the wretched woman, in a broken voice; for she felt as if the glare of a tremendous light were about to burst upon her, with blinding, searing effect. ‘The arrest of a young lady ?” “Yes,” answered Count Olonetz, steadily and decisively ; ‘“‘ the arrest of a certain Mildred Mal- colm, the daughter of the deceased merchant—no matter who you yourself might have been, or how you could have been a Mildred Malcolm also !” What do you ! eB = THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. The wretched woman now clasped her hands and sank back like one annihilated in her seat; for the glare of light had indeed blazed in upon her. It was like the flame of a volcano environing her: it was as one terrific glare of lightning, searing her eye-balls. Her daughter had not been swal- lowed up in the depths of the Neva: she had been arrested and carried off! Perhaps she yet lived! It was a wonder that Lady Langport’s senses did not abandon her: but no doubt that for the retention of her consciousness she was indebted somewhat to that habit of self-command which she had so long experienced, and to her constant state of mental preparation to receive any evil tidings without suffering them to have the effect of a shock. Thus, immense though the effect was which the Count’s words produced upon her, it was still less than it might have been if she were less prepared by the habits of her strange life to encounter the blow. ‘‘Madam,” said Olonetz, ‘I have evidently told you something that affects you deeply. How will you now account to me for the fact that Mildred Malcolm was arrested on this particular occasion while you have persisted that you your- self were that same Mildred Malcolm?” ‘“‘For God’s sake do not question me, my lord,” moaned the unhappy woman: ‘‘do not question me, I implore you!—-but tell me how this hap- pened—why Mildred was arrested—whither she was borne? ‘Tell me, in short, everytming that you know!” “Madam,” interrupted Count Olonetz, rising from his seat and speaking with severity, ‘‘I will tell you nothing more so long as you continue to envelope yourself in a mystery which begins to savour of a fraud—a cheat!—though heaven only knows for what earthly purpose!” - ‘Be not harsh—be not cruel with me!” cried Tiady Langport, clasping her gloved hands en- treatingly. ‘‘Oh you know not the agony of suspense which at this instant is rending my heart !” - “Tt may be so, madam,” interrupted the Count coldly; ‘‘but I have placed a seal upon my lips. If I were to give utterance to another word on that topic, I might be trenching on State secrets.” ‘““ State secrets, my lord ?” repeated the wretched woman, with an agonized and bewildered air. ‘““Yes— State secrets,” repeated the Count. ‘“‘ Madam, my time is precious. It is sufficient for me to know that you are not—and never were —the Miss Malcolm who But no matter!” ‘‘T conjure your Excellency,” cried Lady Lang- port, sinking upon her knees, ‘‘to have mercy on me, and give me some further explanations! | Qh, I will be candid! I thought that Mildred was dead—that she was swallowed up in the waters of the Neva ‘Ah, then, madam, you confess yourself to be an impostress?” said the Count sternly and severely. ‘ Rise—rise, I command you! By heaven, I scarcely know whether the matter ought to end here: for now that I bethink me, I always heard that the Malcolms of St. Petersburgh were very rich—and as we know that Mr. Malcolm assuredly died in 1824, and you have told me that the Widow Malcolm perished in the accident on the Neva in the following year—why, then, COMO YN Wn) Colin