The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

re - 10 THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. English counties—to Scotland and to Ireland— and: sometimes even to Paris! Moreover, have I not assured you that I possess no near relatives who care for me, nor whose friendship you would value; but only distant kinsmen, of cold and proud dispositions—worldly-minded and selfish— whose only ideas of happiness are associated with money, and who could not be made to un- derstand or believe that I am in the enjoyment of an almost perfect felicity with a wife whose beauty and virtue constitute her only dower. Do you desire to be presented to such relatives as these? Then, in respect to the retirement in which we live, is it not the happiest mode of existence? Suppose that I took you to the mettopolis—that I there hired a fine house and gave entertain- ments,—-would you be happier if we were thus lost as it were to each other in the midst of crowded rooms, than we are when alone together in the retirement of this cottage? And think you, Ethel, that it would be pleasing to my feel- ings to behold you whirling tound in the dance with your waist clasped by some mawkish dandy, intolerable fop, or notoriotis profligate? or would you be altogether satisfied if you beheld me be- stowing my attentions on one of those modern belles who drag out a sort of artificial existence in the sickly atmosphere of fashionable society, —one of those women whose faces are enamelled with hardihood, and the freshness of whose youth, though they themselves be yet young, is for ever gone !” “Enough, enough, Alfred!” ejaculated Ethel, as she cling far more fondly than ever to her husband. “I do not wish to go into that society which you thus depict in such forcible colours! And, Oh! forgive me, my dear Alfred, for having ex- pressed doubts, or hinted at thisgivings, or seem- ing to have required explanations! But Ah!. the words that I overheard———” “Ethel,” interrupted Alfred, solemnly, “listen to me fora moment! Havel ever deceived you? Look back over the two years which have elapsed since first we met amidst, the wild and grand scenery of Dorsetshire; and tell me whether you have ever known me to give utterance to a false- hood? Will you not therefore now believe me when I declare that everything connected with the communication made by that groom was an error and a mistake ?” ‘“*T am sure that you have never deceived me, dearest husband,” answered Ethel: “every pro- mise you ever made you have fulfilled! But, Ah! I know how much you love me; and I fear —Oh! I fear that if there were anything dis- agreeable, you would do all that you could to conceal it, and you would say the most consoling things to me—and—and—out of actual kindness you might deceive me!” For an instant Alfred made an impatient ges- ture ; and then, with a quick revulsion of feeling straining his beautiful wife to his breast, he ex- claimed, ‘“ Well, well—it is natural, Ethel, that you should have been annoyed and rendered un- easy by the untoward incident which has arisen. Bot for worlds would I leave a restless suspicion floating in your mind. Itis the dearest wish of my heart that you should continue to enjoy the calm serene happiness which you have hitherto | experienced. ‘To-morrow, therefore, you shall ac- company me to London; and I will afford you the most convincing proof, not merely that the mention of the word forgery in connexion with my hame is as ridiculous as it is outrageous, but that the sources of my income are most honour- able and legitimate !” ‘“‘A thousand thanks, dearest husband, for this proposition, so kind—so considerate !” exclaimed Ethel. ‘But I will not accept it !—for it would imply suspicion and mistrust; and Oh! to sus- pect or mistrust you—no, never! never !” Alfred reflected for a few instants ; and he said to himself, ‘‘Yes—it were better that I should take this step; or else on every future occasion the slightest incident will be rendering her uneasy and mistrustful !—Yes, dearest Ethel,” he con- tinued, addressing himself to her, “it shall be as I have said! And now no more upon the sub- J ect.” | He embraced her affectionately ; and for the remainder of that evening she was as-gay and happy as her disposition was naturally wont to be; for she entertained not the slightest doubt that it was indeed an error and a mistake of some sort or another which had produced so much un- easiness. On the following day Alfred and Ethel Trevor took their seats in a postchaise procured from the Red Lion ; and they proceeded to London. Ethel had been in the metropolis before ; and therefore the spectacle of the crowded Babylon was not new to her, though it was interesting, as it must ever be to those habitually dwellers in the country, who visit it but rarely. They alighted from the vehicle at an hotel at Charing Cross; but without tarrying there longer than was necessary to obtain some tefreshment, Alfred Trevor gave his arm to Ethel and conducted her to a celebrated banking- house in the Strand. The moment they crossed the threshold, Trevor whispered to Ethel, “ Re- main here an instant :’—and he passed intoa parlour at the back part of the premises. In less than a miiiute he returned ; and again giving his arm to Ethel, he conducted her into that parlour. There a sho?'t, elderly, bald-headed gentleman was seated at a table strown with let- ters and other documents; and at once rising from his chair, he bowed politely to Ethel. “I know that your time is valuable,” said Al- fred ; “‘ and therefore I am not going to occupy it for more than two niinutes. In the first place just satisfy me—will you ?—that the cheque for one hundred and eighty guineas which I gave to Manning, the Maidstone horse-dealer, has been paid.” ‘‘No doubt of it,” answered the elderly gentle- man—and he quitted the parlour: then almost immediately returning with a huge account-book, he opened it at a particular page, and said, “‘ The cheque was presented and paid this morning. Will you have the cheque itself ?” “Oh, by no means!” answered Alfred. “Let me see? How long have I banked at your esta- blishment ? I mean I myself—individually. I am not alluding to my family——” ‘The account was first opened in your name about three years ago,” replied the elderly gentle- man. ‘‘ Have the kindness to give mea blank cheque,” said Alfred. This request was immediately complied with ; and he proceeded to fill it up at a desk which conniclooolkks.conn oO