The Argosy — page 133: what you’re looking at

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

118 A Capriccio. Rebecca's fan came down on my shoulder with an energy that denoted an increased delight and agitation on her part. ‘“Ah, my dear, there he is,” she whispered eagerly. ‘‘ Now, did you ever see such a well-favoured, gallant young fellow before? Hold up your head, dear Celia, and do not drop your fan about in such an awkward way. Wave it gently; wave it gently.” Before I had accomplished this delicate feat, Lord Everril joined us and expressed his pleasure at seeing us again. ‘And now, Miss Celia, may I have this dance ?” he asked, after having spoken a little with Aunt Rebecca: ‘for are you very deeply engaged—as indeed you must be?” “Engaged? No,” I replied. ‘‘We know nobody here, Aunt Rebecca and I, and nobody knows us.” ‘Ah! We will soon remedy that,” he said, leading me away, ‘for I have already been asked by several people if I could tell them the name of the young lady in white.” “Yes, I know,” said I, looking disconsolately at my old-fashioned clinging skirts; ‘“‘we must look very—odd—amongst all these beautiful people in their beautiful dresses. But all the same it is very rude of them to stare and make remarks.” Lord Everril laughed, and answered, with an amused glance at my doleful face: ‘‘ Why, do you not know that it is the charms that “4 he paused, muttering something to himself about ‘folly to be wise,” then went on in a more careless voice: ‘‘ Well, they can say nothing but good of you. And your gown is ravishing. We do not often see the unpainted lily here ; and as for me, I prefer the flower in its native purity to the gaudy counterfeit that cannot bare its face to daylight. Shall we dance?” We danced, then talked, then danced again, and once more talked, until I suddenly remembered Aunt Rebecca, and bethought me that she might be vexed and lonely if I stayed away so long. But Lord Everril assured me that he had seen her deep in reminiscences with an old friend whom she had not met for years; so I willingly con- tinued to dance, and presently allowed my companion to lead me out on to the balcony. ‘The great ever-wakeful town lay before us, all twinkling with lights, and looking something like that marvellous city of which I had dreamed before I came to London to find, like Dick Whittington, that my El Dorado is but an enormous, foggy and unromantic town after all. “So this is your first flight into the world?” asked Lord Everril, after I had said something of this. ‘ Tell me about your home.” ‘TI have told you all. Are you not tired of hearing? We lead such quiet lives. But, oh! if you knew what happy times we have together ; we and the boys, and Madge, and Dick Somers,” “ Who is Dick Somers ? ” ‘Dick ? He is our greatest friend. In all our merry times it is Dick who makes us most merry and happy.” COMMICELOOOKS.E@