The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 188: what you’re looking at

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ee Sd 174 cried Roxana, with all the petulance of a self- willed child—yet a child that was also innocent and good, with every intention well-meant, and with no sinister thought kept in the back-ground. “‘ [ daresay if I were to ask Mrs. Trevor to remain a little while longer with me 7 ‘Indeed, your Highness,” said Ethel, who felt that it was her duty to put an immediate end to a scene so awkward and embarrassing for the Count and Countess as well as for her own self, ‘‘nothing would afford me greater pleasure than 'to prolong the honour which I am experienc- 3 favouring me with your notice takable impatience bordering even on disgust. “They are not natural! I hate them! And you who look so frank and candid—so guileless and ingenuous, as if you could not for an instant dissemble 7 ‘““Well then,” said Ethel, with her sweetest smile, ‘let me assure your Highness in all genuine sincerity that I wish I might remain a little longer with you—but I really cannot now.” a “You will come .again?” asked Roxana, her large liquid blue eyes looking entreatingly upon Ethel. “Yes,” hastily interjected the Countess, ‘t Mrs. Trevor will do herself the honour of again paying her respects to your Highness.” Roxana made another movement of impatience at those ceremonial terms: then taking Ethel’s hand, she said emphatically, ‘‘ There shall be no paying of respects in the case; but you shall come and see me in friendship and as an equal— and it will be with the arms of friendship also that I will receive you.” She then suffered Ethel to leave the apartment, in company with the Count, who hastened to conduct Mrs. Trevor to another room, the door of which he closed—and they were now at length alone together. CHAPTER XXXVI. COUNT OLONETZ2. Ir Ethel had entered that house with a feeling of considerable curiosity and interest, this sentiment had now become immensely enhanced by the in- terview with that fair young creature whose ap- pearance, whose manners, and whose discourse were of themselves so well calculated to make an impression upon even the least sensitive mind. But when to these circumstances of interest was superadded the mysterious fact that she bore the name of Mildreda—that she had evidently been enjoined not to mention this name—and that both the Count and Countess were vexed and alarmed when in a sort of artless inadvertence and girlish carelessness she had let it fall from her tongue,—Iithel was lost in a perfect maze of wonderment, marvelling what could be the issue from the bewildering labyrinth, and whether the mystery was now to be cleared up during her in- terview with Count Olonetz. ing by the condescension of your Highness in ' ‘‘ Oh, these formal terms! these ceremonial ex- . pressions !” cried Roxana, with an air of unmis- On the other hand, the Count himself seemed THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. to feel as if he were placed more or less in a per- plexing and embarrassing position,—as if he knew not precisely how to commence the conver- sation anew, or whether he ought to begin by seeking or giving explanations. Having very courteously motioned Ethel to be seated, he re- flected for a minute or two—and then said, ‘‘ Mrs, Trevor—for by an accident I have learnt your name—you cannot have lost sight of the object for which I requested you to come hither.” ‘No, my lord,” she replied. ‘‘ I have not for- gotten the discourse which just now took place between us.” ‘Permit me first of all to inquire,” resumed the Count, “ whether you know much—anything indeed of the person calling himself Count Man- deville ?” ‘‘T informed your lordship that my acquaint- ance with him was very slight.” “True, madam !—and I have not forgotten the observation, But an acquaintance with a person may be slight,” he added, with a smile, “ though there be a thorough knowledge of the individual’s character and antecedents.” “I know scarcely anything of Count Mande- ville,” responded Ethel: ‘‘ I never saw him but once before to-day—and to speak candidly, my lord, the little I have heard concerning him was not calculated to make me desire his acquaint- ance.” ‘Then perhaps you can tell me nothing of his present proceedings ?” said the Count. ‘Qh, no, my lord—nothing !” ejaculated Ethel, almost with surprise at the question: and then she immediately added, ‘ Your lordship really seems to think that I have some greater know- ledge a ““ We will say no more of Count Mandeville for the present,” interrupted Olonetz. ‘‘ Let us speak of the other.” ‘The other ?” said Ethel, half dubiously ; for she thought it was a somewhat supercilious way of alluding to alady. ‘ Do you mean———” ‘‘T mean her who once bore the name of Mal- colm. Of course you admit knowing her ?” ‘* Yes—I have admitted it, my lord.” “Truly !” observed the Count, with a smile, * you could not very well have helped admitting it.” ‘“T searcely understand your lordship. But Ah!” she abruptly ejaculated, “if you know so much as you apparently do, why put these ques- tions to me ? In short, my lord, I know not even whether I am right to remain here to suffer my- self to be interrogate ‘. ‘‘Mrs. Trevor,” said Olonetz, fixing a cold severe regard upon her, ‘' I had formed a very favourable opinion concerning you. I am not a man accustomed to judge hastily—and perhaps not half a dozen times in my life have I put faith in first appearances. But in your case I certainly did so. I took you to be sincere and straightfor- ward—incapable of dissimulation or evasiveness ; and it was to your supposed uprightness that [ meant to appeal when I requested you to accom- pany me to this house.” ‘ Are all these reproaches addressed to me, my lord,” asked Ethel, with ill-concealed indignation, ‘‘ because I reserve to myself the right of fixing on those questions which I may choose to answer, and those which I decline to notice ?” YN Wn) COMO Colin