Rosa Lambert — page 392: what you’re looking at

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

ROSA LAMBERT he made no avowal from the lips. At length, he one afternoon informed me that in consequence of the intended absence of his diplomatic employer (whose name, by the bye, he never happened to mention) for the next three or four days, he should be entirely his own master; and as the weather had set in very fine, he asked me if I would be offended were he to propose an excursion to the Talbot Hotel at Richmond? I accepted the invitation; and he could scarcely contain his delight, On the following day he came to fetch me according to appointment; and we proceeded to Richmond. He ordered the best dinner that the hotel could provide—and also the choicest wines. I could not help for a moment reproaching myself at having put him to all this expense—for I knew that his means were limited: but he was so happy that I speedily forgot this little regret, and aban- doned myself to the pleasure of the entertainment. It was indeed a complete change of scene after the life I had been leading; and I was in better spirits than on any occasion since the melancholy death of my last protector. To confess the truth, it was not until the next day that I returned to my lodgings; and Ferdinand Bentley had in the interval been rendered completely happy. This was an amour indulged in without the slightest selfishness, in a pecuniary sense, on my part: it was of the same nature as that which I had maintained with Claudius Sydenham, when under the protection of old Lord Alfreton. Thus a few more weeks passed; and all the time that Ferdinand could spare from his avocations he* passea with me. The people of the house where I resided, were by no means particular; and there was consequently no restraint upon us. ferdinand was warm-hearted and affectionate: he wished to make me presents; but on the very first occasion that he offered me a gift, I said to him very seriously, “ You have in all frankness told me how you are situated—and if you make the slightest encroachment on your limited means for any such purpose, I will not see you again.” But in the meanwhile my own pecuniary re- sources were drawing to an end; and, as the reader may suppose, it was only by the strictest economy that I had thus managed to make three hundred pounds last me for ten months. It became ab- solutely necessary that I should take some step to- wards the replenishment of my purse: but I could not induce myself to make away with any of the valuable jewellery which I possessed. Besides, I did not care sufficiently for Ferdinand Bentley to resolve upon any important sacrifices in order to retain him as my paramour. I thought of writing to Alvanly and asking him for assistance: but in the first place I recollected he had told me, when we met at Broadstairs, that he had lost a great deal of money by ill-advised railway speculations ; and in the second place, I said to myself, “ Even if I did borrow a few hundred pounds, they would not last for ever; and when gone, I should have to seek a new protector. This step I may therefore as well take at once.” It happened just at this time, that the death of a relation in Scotland compelled Ferdinand Bentley to leave London in order to accompany his father to be present at the funeral ; and his absence was to last about ten days. He embraced me warmly - mee ee —_———- ee ee ee FR te ee a 38] at parting,—declaring that it would seem an age until we should meet again ; and thus we separated. I missed his society much for the first two or three days—and could not make up my mind to adopt any step towards the execution of my purpose. But at length, after serious reflection, 1 decided on availing myself of the present opportunity to break off my amour with Ferdinand, and obtain a new position. I had such confidence in the power of my beauty—though I was now within a few months of the completion of my twenty-eighth year —that I knew I had only to frequent places of fashionable resort for a few days consecutively, in order to accomplish my aim. | The first place that I decided upon thus visiting, was the Zoological Gardens in the Regent’s Park. It was on a Saturday, when the band of the Guards was accustomed to play at three o’clock in the after- noon ; and the attendance was numerous, as well as consisting of persons of rank and fashion. But the principal attraction, as it turned out, was the presence of an oriental personage, attended by his suite. This individual, as I gleaned from a conver- sation which I overheard, was named Mirza Mohammed Khan; and as an Envoy Plenipo- tentiary from the King or Shah ot Persia, he had been for some months in England, conducting the purposés of his important diplomatic mission. I furthermore learnt that he was enormously rich —that his native rank was equivalent to that of a Prince in our country—and that he had come to England with a numerous suite. The mansion provided by the British Government for his re- ception was in Portman Square: but for his private comfort and seclusion he had hired a hand- some villa at St. John’s Wood, in the near neigh- bourhood of the Regent’s Park. CHAPTER LII. THE PERSIAN PRINCE. I MYSELF experienced some curiosity to behold his Highness Mirza Mohammed Khan; and with that sentiment I almost forgot the object which had brought me to the Zoological Gardens. ‘The weather was superb,—the sun shining brightly: the aspect of the whole scene, with the well-dressed gentlemen and elegantly apparelled dadies, roaming about the beautifully laid-out grounds, was de- lightful to the eye. I myself was arrayed in a tasteful and most becoming manner,—my toilet being replete with elegance, and having nothing gaudy about it ; and I knew moreover that I looked exceedingly beautiful. I was never in the enjoy- ment of better health; and the gaiety of the scene put me in the most cheerful spirits. I soon per- ceived, too, as I passed amidst the numerous com- pany, that I was the object of no inconsiderable attention ; and several gentlemen appeared inclined to take special notice of me—but they did not suit my fancy, and I gave them no encouragement. Besides, as I have already said, my principal feel- ing now was one of curiosity im respect to the Persian Ambassador. At length there was a visible sensation on the part of the assemblage; and in a few minutes I perceived the object of all this interest advancing EORMIE OOO KS