The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 328: what you’re looking at

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

ee Se te eee nn er te ee a 2HE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY, a PN how the woman was affected through some cause or another. However, it soon passed—she snatched up her bundle and went on.” ‘‘ And what is there strange or peculiar in this incident?” asked the Ambassador. ‘ Oh, but I see you have not finished? Continue.” ‘‘It was this same woman, my lord, who met his Imperial Highness, and told him that the ap- pointment was to stand over until to-morrow night at the same hour.’’ ‘You heard therefore all that passed ?” ‘To be sure, my lord. Were not those your Ixcellency’s instructions? No sooner had I found that the Grand Duke and the woman were talking together, than I stole along the ledge of the para- pet, and was speedily crouched down close by where they were carrying on their discourse. There was a good deal of beating about the bush between them: the woman seemed to have been enjoined to adopt a special caution—she wanted a pass-word —his Imperial Highness was evidently agitated, and perhaps had forgotten it. However, the wo- man delivered her message at last—and they separated.” ‘Have you anything more to tell?” inquired the Ambassador. . “One other little incident, my lord. Your Excellency must understand that Michael and the two others on that same side of the bridge, had crept along the ledge close behind mie, so that we might be all in readiness to act according to circumstances: because if Ivan Zadouski had made his appearance, we should have obeyed your Excellency’s ordeits by waiting until he had separated from his Imperial Highness, when we should have waylaid and seized upon him. How- ever, he came not; and after the Grand Duke had left the woman, Michael again whispered something to me about Zadouski. I had no doubt on that occasion that as he incautiously spoke too loud the name met the woman’s ear; and she was evidently stricken with dismay and astonishment. I was resolved to have a good look at her, in order that I might know her again on some future occa- sion; and I accordingly raised myself up from the ledge, and gazed at her for a moment between the granite balusters or pillars of the parapet. I think,” continued Nicholas with a passing smile, “that I was as unguarded in that action as Michael had previously been in his whisperings ; for there can be no doubt that the woman caught a glimpse of my face, and frightened enough she was.” “Well enough she might be!” interjected the Ambassador. ‘* Another moment, my lord,” resumed Nicholas, “and I was gliding along the ledge, with Michael and the others; for some one had come up to the spot at the instant P ‘You mean where the woman was standing 2?” “Yes, my lord: and I thought that in case she should explain the nature of her fears and bid him look over the parapet, it would be better for us to get out of the way in order that her alarm should be set down to mere fancy—which no doubt was the case.” ‘“You were indeed incautious in showing your- self, Nicholas,” said the Ambassador, somewhat sternly; ‘‘as Michael was equally unguarded in speaking so loud.” T thought it better your Excellency should be made acquainted with every detail of what really did happen :’—and Nicholas spoke penitentially. “Tam not chiding you, my good fellow—nor do I mean to upbraid you,” resumed the Count, “for you invariably tell me the truth, and if you commit an error you confess it—though seldom indeed is it that either you yourself or Michael are at fault. But though I purpose not to blame you, yet I cannot help deploring this want of caution. If that woman were frightened, and if she fancied herself watched, she might go and tell Ivan Zadouski some tale to prevent him from keeping the appointment to-morrow night.” ‘‘T hope, my lord,” answered Nicholas, hanging down his head, “ that nothing so vexatious will result from the indiscretion displayed by Michael and myself.” ‘* Let us hope so,” added the Ambassador: and with a sign he then dismissed the man from his presence. —— ey CHAPTER LX. EDWARD WALPOLE. Ir was ten o’clock in the morning which followed the night whereof we have been writing; and a plain carriage—drawn however by a pair of ex- cellent horses—stopped at the door of a house in Hanover Square. From that carriage a short, thin, bustling individual alighted; and as_ the front door was opened by a genteel-looking page resplendent in a new livery, the gentleman ex- claimed, ‘‘ I neéd not ask whether your master is at home at this hour ?” ‘‘'Yes, sir—master’s at breakfast,” was the young menial’s response. ‘Shall I announce you, Mr Seymour?” — “Not necessary! Y can announce myself :”’— and the bustling visitor at once sprang up the staircase three steps at a time, as if he were over- whelmed with business and was therefore com- pelled to live in an incessant state of activity and excitement. He burst into a handsomely furnished room, where a young man in a flowered silk dressing- gown was seated at a well-spread breakfast table. His age might have been about twenty—a year more or less, it was not very easy to determine; for his countenance, somewhat pale, at first struck the beholder as being very juvenile, until a closer inspection discerned a degree of intelligence which seemed to belong to maturer experiences. He was good-looking, with dark brown hair curling naturally, large blue eyes, and a well-formed mouth. He was tall, slender, and well made; his appearance was sufliciently genteel — but there was nothing actually distinguished nor fashionable about it — much less any of that West End dandyism which is so largely affected by “young men about town.” Books were lying scattered about on the sofa and the side tables ; and if their title-pages had been referred to, it would be seen they belonged to the graver rather than the lighter class of literature. He flung from his hand the morning newspaper as Mr. Seymour entered the room; and springing from his chair, the young man rushed forward to give his visitor a welcome which had something more YN Wn) COMO Colin