The Argosy — page 370: what you’re looking at

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

Extracts from the Diary of a Young Lady. 349 straight from the door to my chair. He had not given himself time to look for me or see me. Hecame at once. And then we talked, and another day was added to my life, which now consisted of three. He told me of his disappointment when he called at our house at Westbeed to introduce himself to my father, and he found that we had left. He was only in England for a few days then. He was in the army, and intended to sell out, but his regiment being ordered on service he could not leave with honour, and it was only now he was able to do so. He intended now to settle at home. He looked happier, I thought, than when I had first met him; the expression of extreme sweetness was still in his face, but the melancholy tinge yet mingling with it was less, I thought, than it had been. It was a perfect evening. Oct. 1st.—I am engaged to be married to Sir Marcus Gray. My father is delighted and everybody thinks it charming. How can they help doing so? Was there ever such a marriage before? Ever such a man as he? ever such a lucky girl as IP Papa laughs, and says I view all through rose-coloured glasses. He quietly informs me that Iam in love. He declares it is an excellent match for his little Lucy, but that Sir Marcus is quite as fortunate as Iam. He is, he admits, good and religious, which, he informs me further, ninety-nine young men out of a hundred are wot. We are to be married very soon; as soon as I can get my trous- seau ready. And the reason why the engagement is only to be a few weeks’ is this: Papa for some time now has not been very well. There is nothing seriously wrong—my dear, dear father! Ah! what should I do if there were P—but he has had advice, and the doctor tells him that though there is nothing serious, there is that amiss which might become serious if it were not taken in time. So he is to go away and have complete change of climate for a whole year. A long sea voyage is said to be the best thing for him, so he is going to Uncle George in Australia, and Fred’s regiment is ordered out there just now. I think that is what made papa fix on Australia, for he and Fred and Amy will sail together immediately after my marriage. Oct. 2oth.—I write very seldom in my journal now. Iam too busy. I have to be trying on dresses and choosing pretty things half the day. A baronet’s bride, I find, requiresa much handsomer trousseau than a captain’s ; and papa isso kind and generous. ‘Then Marcus takes upa great deal of my time, and I grudge every minute almost, now, I am away from papa. I neither read nor write. I think I am the idlest girl in England, and yet I never have one moment to myself. Nov. 7th.—I have been married a week to-day! It does seem wonderful. And soon I dare say I shall feel as if I had always been married, and as if the wonderful thing is that once I was Lucy Lee, not Lucy Gray. Marcus is all I ever believed him and a great deal more. What a happy girl lam. My life is a poem from morning till night _and from night till morning, and the deep happiness is that Marcus is CORNICLOO Ss (CO)