The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 172: what you’re looking at

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

158 few months; and I had every reason to be grati- fied with his straightforward conduct as well as with my pecuniary position. “My recovery was slow: the winter had set in—and it was impossible that weak and feeble as I was, I could undertake a journey from St. Petersburgh. I therefore yielded to the represen- tations of Dr. Nevel, the physician to whom I have before alluded ; and I abandoned all thoughts of leaving the Russian capital at that season. I however dreaded the effect which would be pro- duced upon the mind of Mildred, and what a dis- appointment it would be when she learnt that for another six months her desire of visiting England must be postponed. But to my joy—and I must also add to my amazement, Mildred received the intelligence with the most perfect good-humour ; she threw her arms round my neck, declaring that she could be happy anywhere with me, and im- ploring that I would not on her account precipi- tate a journey which might cause a relapse in my delicate condition. I wept tears of delight at this affectionate demonstration on Mildred’s part ; and Dr. Nevel, who entered the room at the time, passed some high compliments on her filial devo- tion and obedience. ‘‘Nevel was a man past sixty years of age: he was one of the most celebrated practitioners in St. Petersburgh, and was much patronised by the Russian Aristocracy. He had never attended at our house until the day when my husband was stricken with apoplexy; and then he was hurriedly sent for, his abode being nearer than that of the medical man who was wont to visif us. Thus, having once gained a footing in the house, Dr. Nevel was requested by Mildred to attend upon me: and so soon as I recovered the faculty of appreciating the circumstances in which I was placed, I felt deeply grateful that one so talented in his profession, so amiable in his manners, and so paternal in his conduct should become our friend as well as our physician. “Time passed on: the winter was wearing away,—that long Russian winter of whose severity people in England can have no conception !—and my recovery was slow but sure. Months had elapsed during which nothing was said of a visit to England—unotil at length I one day casually observed to Mildred that we might soon think of making our preparations for leaving St. Peters- burgh altogether. She begged me not to think of hurrying, but to recover my health completely ; and she added that for her part she felt herself to be so entirely Russian, that she did not on mature reflection care whether she ever quitted a country wherein she almost considered herself to be natur- alised. JI was somewhat astonished at this dis- course when I recollected her anxiety to visit England a twelvemonth back: but still I thought that she might be speaking with a kind considera... tion on my behalf. I think it must have been at about the period of which I am now speaking, that the portrait of my daughter was taken in water-colour ‘by uw lady who had formerly been her drawing preceptress, and who occasionally called to see her old pupil. The likeness was perfect: but, alas! little did I think at the time when those beautiful features were being deline- ated, there was so sad a fate in store for my un- fortunate Mildred ! “Dr. Nevel was a married man; but he had no THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. children. His wife seemed to be just as gmiable, good-tempered, and well-meaning as he himself was. She called upon me when I became conva- lescent, and thenceforth was a frequent visitress at the house. She professed to have taken a very great fancy for Mildred ; and at this I was well pleased, inasmuch as I looked upon it as a change of scene for her to be enabled to visit the phy- sician’s wife. I encouraged her to pass her time with Madame Nevel as much as she thought fit ; and her visits to that lady accordingly became - more frequent and longer. Months had now elapsed—indeed nearly an entire year since I had crossed the threshold of my dwelling; and one forenoon I took it into my head to indulge myself with a drive in a droshky, or hired carriage. It was the warmest and most cheerful day that had yet succeeded that long gloomy night of winter : I felt in good spirits—and I thought to myself how surprised the Nevels would be if I were to make my appearance suddenly at their house and pay my respects on thus going abroad again for the first time! And Mildred too, who I knew had gone as usual to see Madame Nevel,—Oh! I pic- tured to myself the delight the dear girl would experience on beholding me ushered into the phy- sician’s drawing-room! Invalids—or rather, I should say, persons who have just recovered from long illnesses, frequently entertain little caprices of this kind,—childish whims which when in a stronger frame of mind they would possibly dis- eard as ridiculous. Well, to be brief, I took my seat in the droshky, being well wrapped up with warm furs ; and having made a short tour through the principal streets, I was just on the point of ordering the equipage to be driven to Dr. Nevel’s, when I was suddenly struck by the idea that I beheld Mildred leaning upon the arm of a gentle- man, and looking lovingly up into his counte- nance, as they both turned into a bazaar close by. I was so astounded that I sank back in the vehicle, which had just stopped in front of that bazaar in obedience to the check-string which the driver held and which I had pulled. While he dismounted from his seat, a thousand thoughts flashed through my brain. Could it possibly have been Mildred? or could I have been mistaken ? But if it were she, who was the person escorting her ? That he was tall, slender, and distinguished- looking, I had perceived at a glance; but I had not obtained more than a transient glimpse of his countenance, and did not think that I should be enabled to recollect him again. That the lady— whether Mildred or not—was gazing up with un- mistakable tenderness into his face at the time, was a deeply-seated conviction in my mind. The driver of the droshky asked me three or four times what my instructions were, before I could so far gather my ideas or regain my _self-possession as to be enabled to give him a response. I then desired him to let me alight; and I rushed rather than walked into the bazaar, the folding- doors of which at once closed behind me as I had seen them abruptly close behind her whom I had taken for Mildred and her companion. The bazaar was a spacious one, and consisted of three storeys. I rapidly made the tour of each floor: there were crowds of people, and in some in- stances it was almost with rudeness that I forced a passage amidst them. I beheld no Mildred— no one at all answering her description. There COMO YN Wn) Colin