The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 349: 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. He has a splendid house at Highbury; and if you wish to see him with the least possible delay, you can call there before nine to-morrow morning Unless indeed you are bolder than I, my dear, and have the effrontery to visit him at his place of business in the City.” There was a sort of mocking flippant accent in the tones of the old woman, ag well as something in her manner which showed the spiteful dispo- sition seeking to revenge itself for some disap- pointment which its own selfishness had expe- rienced. “But what did he tell you ?” asked Hester, who was in a state of feverish excitement. ‘“‘ He told me just this,—that fifty pounds used to be regularly remitted every Christmas for your benefit, until about four or five years ago when these remittances suddenly ceased. Sometimes the money was sent in the form of a bank-note in an envelope, unaccompanied by any letter—some- times the cash was left at the office by a mes- senger or porter who could give no account of his employer. As a matter of course, when the money ceased to be paid to the stockbroker, the stockbroker ceased to pay it to the school- mistress.” Hester heaved a profound sigh, and her head drooped upon her bosom. There was a silence of nearly a minute, during which the two sisters exchanged significant looks,—the younger asking by means of a glance whether the facts were just as the elder was representing them, or whether for some reason or another she was deceiving the young girl, though giving the name of the stock- broker? But the elder Miss Morphew quickly made Caroline understand that it was just as she had been explaining, and that there was no chance of making a good bargain out of the business. ‘ There is one thing that strikes me as strange!” ejaculated Hester, suddenly raising her head. _ “And what is that, my dear?” asked the elder crone, who, as she contemplated the girl’s coun- tenance, gradually began to revolve a certain idea in her mind. “It occurs to me,” pursued Hester, “ that it is a very strange thing the stockbroker'’s firm should guarantee the annual payment of the stipend to _ you without knowing by whom they were em- ployed. It does not look rational. Either this Mr. Warren must know more than he chooses to tell—or else you are deceiving me. I am forced to speak out, and if I wrong you or give you of- fence ———” “‘T will forgive you, my dear,” answered the elder of the two old women. ‘ You are wronging me. Of what use is it for me to tell you a false- hood to-night when you may ‘make inquiries for yourself to-morrow ?” “True!” said Hester, as hope once more died within her. ‘‘ As for the inconsistency which you think you have discovered in the conduct of those stock- brokers,” pursued Miss Morphew, “this present Mr. Warren assures me that the transaction was originally settled with his father, and that he himself knows not precisely what took place -at the outset. This is no doubt true, for Mr. War- ren is under thirty, and the affair itself took place —let me see—you must be past sixteen, Hester — Well, theb, it took place upwards of sixteen } achieving this success. 835 years ago. This present Mr. Warren must have been quite a boy at the time.” ‘“ But surely in an office of such a description, there must be documents — memoranda — re- cords———” “Mr, Warren assured me that there is nothing of the sort. He is enabled to speak positively on the subject, for the plain simple reason that when the remittances ceased four or five years ago, Miss Thompson wrote and begged that he would in- form her whether he possessed any clue to your parentage ? It was then that he searched amongst all the office-documents, and all the pri- vate papers left behind by his deceased father— but without success. Now, Hester, do you be- lieve me? But why should I ask, since to-morrow morning you may go and ascertain all these points for yourself ?” “Tt is useless,” murmured the young girl; “I believe you!—and all hope of discovering my parentage is at anend. But perhaps it is somuch the better!” she suddenly exclaimed, as her looks assumed that air of bold hardihood which they had of late acquired. ‘‘ What parents would like to recognise me? I was a fool to yield to the delu- sion; but I never should have done so if it had not been for Ponchard! I yielded to his per- suasiveness in suffering him to talk to you about me; and it was also in consequence of what he said that I came here to see you this evening. And a pretty meeting it is!” added the girl, with a loud reckless laugh ;—‘‘a happy state for the young pupil to meet her old governesses in!” The elder crone was well repaid by this bitter taunt for the spiteful mockery which she had ere now thrown into her own speech; and her thin lips were compressed with a rage which she had some difficulty in restraining. But she did not choose to irritate Hester Sergeant, on account of that particular idea which, as we have just now said, she was revolving in her mind. “Perhaps you would like to take something to drink, my dear?” said the younger of the two crones. “* No—yes, I will! There! fetch brandy !”— and Hester threw down half-a-sovereign upon the table; for Ponchard had been liberal to her within the last three or four days. Caroline Morphew issued forth to procure the’ liquor; and when she was gone, the elder hag, taking Hester's hand, said in a coaxing tone and with cajoling manner, ‘“ You are very pretty, my dear—a trifle too pale perhaps—but the least touch of rouge upon the cheeks would give a colour almost as good as the natural carmine of health. You have a good figure too—and pretty teeth ; and if you were to study how to smile more softly and sweetly, and also to look alittle more bashful and downcast, you might succeed wonderfully. And I and my sister will put you in the way of Come and live, therefore, with us, my dear—leave the people you are now dwelling with! Surely we have a better claim upon you than they could possibly have ?—and as I daresay it is a matter of perfect indifference to M. Pondhard where you live, as long as he can come and see you whenever he likes———But what is the matter, my dear ?” Hester had first of all abandoned her hand to the old woman because she fell into a train of thought which rendered her unconscious of what COMO YN Wn) Colin