The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

60 THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. ‘In a retired part of the theatre—at the back of the great mass of the crowd—stood a young man whose eyes were riveted upon the beautiful eques- trian; but not with the same gross sensual feel- ings that inspired so many others of his own sex who were at the same time devouring her with their regards. It was with the fervour of ten- derest admiration mingled with a strange pensive melancholy, that this young gentleman contem- plated Imogen Hartland. He beheld nobody but her: he seemed to be utterly isolated as it were from the rest of the assemblage—isolated by his own thoughts—unaware that he was in the vici- nage of so many of his fellow-creatures—intent only on the one object which thus absorbed all his attention. or, as the reader may have already conjectured, this young gentleman was Launcelot Osborne. All of a sudden some one Jaid a hand upon his shoulder, and said in a familiar tone, ‘‘ Well, Os- borne; my dear fellow, how are you?” Launcelot started: he was suddenly awakened as it were from a dream: he became all in a mo- ment conscious of the assemblage that was there, the brilliant gaslights that were burning, and all the circumstances by which he was surrounded. A blush overspread his countenance: but almost immediately recovering himself, he said in a some- what reserved and cold tone, ‘‘ Good evening, Mr. Casey.” “* Splendid creature—isn’t she ?” said Sylvester, sticking his glass into the socket of his right eye so as to concentrate his visual rays upon Imogen. “Stunning performance! By Jove, she’s a brick of a rider !” “'Yes—she rides admirably,” faltered Launce- lot. : ‘“‘T mean to get an introduction to her,” pur- sued Sylvester Casey, with a certain knowing self-sufficient air. “It isn’t every one however who can do that ; for she’s deuced particular, and plays the prude as well as she manages those three prads. But I’m behind the scenes to a certain extent ie “You, Mr. Casey ?” said Launcelot. “Why the devil are you so formal with me 2?” demanded Sylvester. ‘1 think we ought to drop the Mister betwixt us ; for ain’t you going to be my brother-in-law ? and isn’t it all settled ?” “‘T beg your pardon,” said Launcelot : “I was perhaps rather too ceremonious. But you were telling me that you were behind the scenes to a certain extent ?” “Of course J am,” ejaculated Sylvester, as if there ought not to have been any doubt or igno- rance on the point. ‘I tell you what, old fellow —-since circumstances place you and me on an in- timate footing together, I don’t mind letting you into a little bit of a secret: but of course you won't let out a word before my old governor—or I’m blowed if he wouldn’t keep back half my allowance !” “Well, Mr. Casey—Casey, I mean “Can’t you call me Sylvester right slap out plain at once—and I will call you Launce- lot———” ‘Well, be it so,” said Osborne, who however shrank from the coarse familiarity of the miser’s son. ‘This secret of your’s, Sylvester?” ‘You know Alice Denton is “T know her by sight and by name.” ” “Well,” rejoined Sylvester Casey, ‘ betwixt you and me and the post, I’m rather intimate in that quarter. Alice only remains at the circus just by way of a blind—it isn’t for the sake of the salary—because the ten guineas a week I allow her , “‘'You, Sylvester?” ejaculated Launcelot in as- tonishment. “Well, yes—but don’t say a word to anybody. Alice is my mistress ; and Alice is on most inti- mate terms with Mademoiselle Imogene In- deed I fancy that she and a certain Mademoiselle Rose are the only young ladies in the company that Imogen at all associates with ; and so I mean to try and get an introduction through Alice. D’ye see, Launcelot—eh ? d’y2 twig, old fellow— eh ?” } “‘ And for what object,” inquired Osborne, “ do you seek an introduction to Miss Hartland ?” “‘ Come, come, Launcelot !” ejaculated Sylvester ; “that’s rather too good! Why the deuce does a man about town get introduced to any pretty woman ? JI like Alice very much—but of course there’s no cqmparison betwixt her and her friend. And then too I'll just tell you what, Osborne,” continued Sylvester, with his most impertinent air of self-sufficiency ; “‘ it would be rather a fine thing to get hold of Mademoiselle Imogene— something to be talked about—eh? Why, it would make a fellow the object of envy on the part of every soul he met! Not, you know, that I believe in the virtue of Mademoiselle Imogene ; because it’s generally known she’s had a child— but I think since then she has kept herself un- commonly quiet——” ‘‘And do you mean,” interrupted Osborne, speaking in an altered and even hoarse voice, “that you meditate making certain overtures to Mademoiselle Imogene ?” ‘‘ Overtures?” echoed Sylvester, bending upon him a look of surprise: “and why not? You don’t think that DPve vowed eternal fidelity to Alice? Deuce a bit! Besides, a man may have two mistresses; and since Alice costs me so little-———”" “I thought you just now told me that you al- lowed her ten guineas a week ?” Sylvester coloured up to the very hair of his head ; and then endeavouring to turn off his con- fusion with a laugh, he said, “ Well, I forgot that Td let that cat out of the bag. But for heaven’s sake don’t breathe a syllable before the governor ! And now come behind the scenes, and I’ll intro- duce you to Alice.” Launcelot Osborne was on the point of giving a cold refusal, when a quick revulsion of feeling took place within him, and an indescribable im- pulse in 4 moment urged him to assent. His tem- porary hesitation was not therefore noticed by Sylvester ; and he said, “I have never been be- hind the scenes of a theatre : I should like to ac- company you.” During the latter portion of this colloquy, Mademoiselle Imogene had disappeared from the circus amidst the enthusiastic plaudits of the spec= tators ; and now the clown was performing some antics to while away a few minutes until the next phase in the equestrian proceedings should de- velop itself. Sylvester led Launcelot Osborne behind the scenes, where it was evident that the former was very well known; for he nodded COMO a Colin