Rosa Lambert — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

— + 58 ROSA LAMBERT. lt for there was no possibility of judging by the countenances,—all present, with the single excep- tion of the lady of the house, being masked or closely veiled. A gentleman, dressed in some rich fancy costume, came and solicited my hand: I ac- cepted the offer ; and separating from Mr. Alvanly, stood up with my partner in the dance. A few minutes afterwards L observed Gustavus place him- self with a lady as our vis-a-vis ; and the quadrille commenced, My partner—who, as far as I could judge, was a middle-aged man—was agreeable enough in his conversation, which, without an effort, he rendered of that sparkling and lively character which was fitted for the occasion. He of course made not the slightest attempt to dis- cover who I was: nor did he drop a hint who he himself might be. When the quadrille was over, we promenaded two or-three times round the room, with the others who had ‘been dancing ; and then he conducted me to a seat,—where I was almost immediately joimed by Gustavus. I was about to ask him a certain question, when another masque came and invited me for the next quadrille,; ——and, to be brief, I danced four or five consecu- tively with different partners, until I felt both heated and weary. The rooms indeed had by this time become almost suffocating in their tempera- ture, notwithstanding the precautions for -ventila- tion, the fragrance of the flowers, and the ;perfume from the vases: so that the guests began ‘to desert the saloons and descend into ‘the grounds. Mr. Alvanly offered to conduct me thither; and as the rumour now circulated that there were to be fireworks, the whole company made for the open air. As Alvanly was leading me ‘towards the centre of the spacious grounds, where ‘the fireworks were to be let off from the interior of an elegantly fashioned Chinese pagoda hung with myriads of lamps,—I recollected the question which so many times for an hour past I had meant to put to him, but for which I had as yet found «no opportunity. “Tell me, Gustavus,” T said, as we drew a little apart from the throng of masques pressing on to- wards the pagoda,—“ tell me, had you not some particular motive, beyond the bare thought of affording me pleasure, in bringing me hither ?” “What motive could I have had, except the one you specify ?’—and yet methought there was something in his accents which justified my sus- picion. “Tt seemed so singular,” I responded, “that. you should have brought me to the house Ear] of Eveleigh’s sister.” | “Jt is a mere coincidence. The other day, when you were telling me about the antiquated Karl’s overtures,’ continued Gustavus, “I sud- dqnly recollected that I had reecived the Mar- chioness of Sudbury’s card of invitation; and therefore I thought I would bring you.” “And do you suppose,” I asked, “that Lord Eveleigh and his family are here ?” * My dear girl,” exclaimed Alvanly, “how can I possibly answer the question? IL have not sufli- cient penctration to see through all these disguises. This however I do know—that the Countess of Eveleigh and the rest of the family, who were down in the eountry, eame up to London a day or two back; and it might be im order to be present on this occasion. But what coes it matter to you, of the a ae eddies of a whirlpool. ran as if for my life. Rose? No one can penetrate your disguise one whit more than we can penetrate the others.” I was not altogether satisfied by what Gustavus said: methought there was a certain assumed levity and artificial indifference in the tone of his observations; and the suspicion that he really had some ulterior motive, lingered in my mind. I was about to question him farther, when there was a sudden explosion of fireworks, accompanied by a general rush towards the pagoda from the roof of which this grand pyrotechnic illumination burst forth. Hilarious gaiety—a wild delight— seemed to have taken possession of the hundreds thronging around. These grown-up people—many no doubt of mature years, and some evidently far advanced in age,—all appeared to have become children once more: but still above all, the tone and temper of good breeding and courteous pro- priety were universally apparent. Volley after volley of fireworks went up: the effect was really splendid, as the combustibles burst inthe air high over-head, scattering about seintil- Jations of all prismatic hues. Thus for a quarter of an hour the pyrotechnic exhibition was most. satisfactory and entertaining—until a misadventure that might have been of a more serious character, occurred. <A firework, instead of whirling straight up into the air to a considerable height, ascended but a short distance, and that obliquely—and then fell in the midst of the crowded assemblage. The effect produced was precisely as if a bomb-shell had suddenly fallen amongst the company: con- fusion and dismay prevailed—shrieks of terror burst forth from the ladies—cries and ejaculations of alarm from the lips of the gentlemen; and si- multaneously therewith, there was a general rush from the immediate point where the rocket had fallen. Upwards of .a ‘thousand persons were there gathered at the time; and the crowd ‘bursting away from a central point, the entire mass was agitated, broken up, and flung into confusion as if im the Numbers were thrown down—cries and shrieks redoubled: those on the outskirts hurried off in every direction—and as there was a tremendous rush in the very point where I and Gustavus were standing at the mo- ment, we were separated—we were thrust asunder indeed as suddenly and as violently as if a troop of mad bulls had dashed between us. I was seized with a panic terror; I fancied that flames would burst forth all around—that the ladies’ dresses must be inevitably set ina blaze. I Tripping over the tendrils of some creeping plant that twined beyond the border of a parterre, I fell headlong. Three or four ladies who were close at my heels, fell like- wise: it was a wild scramble—and when I sprang to my fect again, my veil and my mask had been torn off in the turmoil. I rushed madly on, the terror arising from the rocket haying all in an instant yielded to one produced by another cause. I was unmasked—unveiled: my countenance was exposed—it was possible I might be recognised— and I remembered how urgent had been Mr. Alvanly’s instructions that I should keep myself well disguised. Wildly Llooked around: the com- pany were still flying in every direction—for alk that I have described was the work of but afew moments. Ah! what did I see before me upon the grass? A garment! It was.a gray domino, i wi 7 ae 4 - ~*~ ~ . id : + “> ’ ‘ 1 \