The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 152: what you’re looking at

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138 i THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. remarked in a conciliatory tone, ‘‘ We know her Grace is thoroughly English in all her ideas; and we honour and respect her all the more on that account. But still 2 “But still, my dear Lady Todmorden,” inter- jected the Duchess, smiling with her wonted affability, ‘‘ you have caught a lion for this evening—and heaven knows that no one more sincerely than myself wishes you to have the full benefit of his presence !” Having thus spoken, the Duchess of Ardleigh rose from amidst the group, and passing into another room, hastened to pay her warm greeting to her friends, the Earl and Countess of Car- shalton, whom she there encountered. The two handsomest specimens of the female sex then present were the Duchess and the Countess,—the latter of whom was once the celebrated tragic actress Ellen Percy. There was now a sensation at the entrance of the ball-room, and thither Lady Todmorden pro- ceeded ; for she had a presentiment of the cause. Nor was she mistaken :—Count de Mandeville was just making his appearance. Her ladyship was most intensely anxious that he should fully come up to the mark of all that had been said or conceived of him; for she felt that the Duchess had endeavoured to throw cold water upon her system of lionizing, and she was therefore naturally anxious to render it completely success- ful. The first glance she flung upon the Count was followed by instantaneous satisfaction. He was dressed with elegance, and yet with that plainness and absence of display which indicates the well-bred person. There was an air of dis- tinction about him. Strikingly handsome he was not: but good-looking he certainly was — aye, almost up to that point at which he might be termed handsome. Then, when he smiled and displayed his brilliant teeth—and when if a voice of the most perfect masculine harmony he ad- dressed himself to Lady Todmorden, apologizing for being late—the mistress of the mansion was as delighted with her new guest as it was possible she could be. ‘Your ladyship has a brilliant assembly here this evening,” said the Count. ‘‘ There are the leading stars of fashion,” re- sponded Lady Todmorden, indicating two splendid creatures who were just visible through the open doorway of an adjoining room. ‘Indeed ?” said the Count: and he looked in that direction. “The taller one of the two, with the glossy black hair and the magnificent dark eyes, is the Countess of Carshalton. You must not make love to her, Count,” continued her ladyship, with a smile ; “for she is so devotedly attached to her husband that it would be impossible to wean away her thoughts from him even for a mo- ment.” ‘“And her companion ?” said Mandeville,— “the lady with the light brown hair and the ‘clear blue eyes?” “The Duchess of Ardleigh ?” responded Lady Todmorden. ‘Is she not beautiful ?” ‘She is very beautiful—though not so hand- some as her companion the Countess of Car- shalton And so that is the Duchess of Ard- leigh ?” continued the Count, in a musing strain. “I met her husband the other day——Ah, by the bye!” he ejaculated, with a smile—and he spoke in a tone of good-humoured jest; ‘‘ if it be not permitted to make love to the Countess, does one stand any better chance with the Duchess ?” ‘‘Go and try, and make yourself agreeable to her Grace,” said Lady Tormorden. ‘ Try ?” and the Count was evidently struck by the word, as well as by the tone and manner in which it was spoken. . ‘ Shall I tell you a little secret, Count?” asked Lady Todmorden. ‘ Listen—but mind you do not betray me. You must know that you are already exciting a sensation in our circles—every one is talking of you - ‘’ Of me ? 8) humble an individual—without pretension a ‘Don’t affect to be ignorant of it, Count!” con- tinued her ladyship, half with an air of good- humoured raillery, and half with a species of mysterious confidence. ‘‘ Before you entered the room just now, every one was speaking of you— some with praise, others with curiosity—all with interest, with only one exception.” “Ah! but that one ?” said the Count. “Can you not guess? I mean the Duchess of Ardleigh.” . ‘“‘ Oh, indeed ?—the Duchess of Ardleigh ?” “Yes: but pray do not mention what I am telling you. Indeed I shall tell you nothing more than this much,—that if you could only induce her fa bestow her hand for uw single dance, you would achieve a triumph the magnitude of which you cannot as yet comprehend.” ‘‘Indeed ?” said the Count, with an air of sud- den indifference. ‘If the Duchess of Ardleigh choose to speak lightly or contemptuously of me —as I] judge that she has done But Ah! when I bethink me,” he suddenly interrupted himself, ‘‘ her Grace is your ladyship’s guest, and it is my duty to render myself agreeable. Be kind enough to introduce me to those ladies.” ‘With pleasure :”—and Lady Tormorden con- ducted her newly arrived guest into the adjoining room, where she at once introduced him to the Duchess and the Countess. The Duchess of Ardleigh really had no inten- tion of being cool or distant to Count Mandeville, neither had she conceived any prejudice against him. On the contrary, she had heard more in his favour than she had ere now chosen to admit. But she had disliked the manner in which Lady Todmorden was in the habit of lionizing in- dividuals, and establishing as it were a particular cynosure of attraction on every occasion of giving an entertainment. For this reason only had the Duchess spoken and acted in the manner above recorded ; and she was thinking no more of the affair, when all in a moment, as she was conversing with her friend Ellen, she beheld Lady Todmorden approaching, as if in triumph, escorting the Count. “Ah!” thought the Duchess to herself, “she is determined, then, to thrust the Count upon everybody, and to hurl him at us perforce !” The consequence was that when the Count was introduced, the Duchess simply inclined her head with the most distant coldness, and turned away. Lady Todmorden bit her lip for a moment : but she was too well bred to display her rage and spite any further. As for the Count himself, he ap- oO Connicloooks Colin