The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 216: what you’re looking at

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

Fe mete enemas Nap 202 — tain quarters. It is for this reason that Count Olonetz displayed so much readiness to discover your abode that your mother might communicate with you. I live with Lady Langport—she is my friend, my benefactress—and I am here to implore that you will lose no time in seeking the mother whose arms will be extended to welcome you.” Once more Mildred reflected: and then she said in accents that were again softened, ‘‘ You spoke of two portraits ?” “Yes, I have told you where I saw one: it is in your mother’s Album. The other 2 ‘“‘ Ah! the other?” said Mildred eagerly. ‘The miniature so beautifully framed ?” “I know not whether I ought to reveal this secret,” said Ethel musingly. ‘And yet——” ‘Speak !” interjected Mildred, “ unless you would have all my suspicions revive again !” “A mother has a right to know that her daughter sometimes thinks of her,’ continued Ethel, still musing audibly. “Ah! what do you mean?” exclaimed Mil- dred. ““T mean that I yesterday beheld the miniature in the possession of your daughter, the Princess Roxana.” A gleam of joy flashed over Mildred’s handsome countenance, as she exclaimed, ‘‘It is well! the old nurse fulfilled her promise! But Ah! my daughter has been taught to deem me dead !” ‘But she cherishes the memory of her mother,” said Ethel eagerly. “It is a wonder,” cried Mildred fiercely and savagely, “that they have not taught her to hate, loathe, and abominate me!” ‘‘Calm yourself,” said Ethel, ‘and let us return to the more important subject of our discourse. Have I now succeeded in convincing you that no treachery is intended, but all affectionate kind- ness ?” ‘If you had seen so much of the world’s horrible perfidy, dissimulation, and duplicity as I have,” interrupted Mildred, ‘you would be suspicious, and you would even now fail to be fully con- vinced! For tteachety — especially when that treachery is Russian—can assume garbs which look so much like an honest vesture that the most experienced may be deceived !” ‘“‘T too have had my trials,” said Ethel mildly and mournfully, as she thought of her false mar- riage; “‘and yet in the presence of all the testimony which I have adduced for your contemplation, I should have long ago been convinced !” “T tell you,” said Mildred, almost with the curtness of a retort, ‘‘I am not even convinced yet! But I shall accompany you.” | She put on her bonnet and shawl, and followed Ethel downstairs. They issued from the house together; and Ethel led the way into Golden Square. “There is the equipage,” she satd. ask the coachman to whom it belongs.” Mildred smiled contemptuously, saying, ‘‘ Do you think that if Russian treachery were at work, it would forget to put into the mouths of these lacqueys the particular words that ought to be repeated in case of any questions being ad- dressed to them ?” The immediate vicinage of the carriage was “ You can Sy cease to be an object of dread or annoyance in cer- | THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. now reached; and ejaculations of wonder burst from the lips of the coachman and footman as their eyes settled upon Mildred’s countenance. “They see the likeness!” hastily whispered Ethel. “Very likely,” answered Mildred calmly. “I shall be better able to judge of all these things presently ;"—-and thus speaking, she at once entered the carriage. Ethel placed herself by Mildred’s side; and as the footman remained at the door waiting for orders, she simply said, ‘‘ Home.” “Now, Mrs. Trevor,” said Mildred, as the equi- page drove rapidly through Golden Square, “ if all this be true that you have told me and every- thing turns out to be straightforward and proper, I shall feel myself infinitely indebted to you. But if, on the other hand, I am once more to be ren- dered the victim of persecution and conspiracy, look out for yourself! At the very first evidence of treachery I will fly at you as if I were a tiger- cat—I will tear out one at least, if not both of those beautiful hazel eyes of your’s—I will dash some of those pearls of teeth down your throat— and I will otherwise mar your beauty with seams and scars that you shall carry to your grave!” ‘*Good heavens, this is very dreadful!” mur- mured Ethel, with a cold shudder. ‘‘ Shall we stop at once, while I alight from the cattiage ?” asked Mildred. “Why so?” cried Ethel. ‘‘ Because you have still a last chance, if it be really a conspiracy. Tell me the truth—let me go—and I will leave your beauty unspoilt.” ‘‘T have told you nothing but the truth,” said Ethel firmly, and even warmly. ‘I must beg of you not to make use of such dreadful language.” “Tf you had been twice exiled to Tobolsk, and twice been compelled to make your escape,” said Mildred,—“‘ and if you had had to deal with the wretches whose perfidies twined their snake-like coils around me,—if you had encountered, I say, such monsters in human form as these, you would be suspicious, and suspicion would make you use . dreadful language likewise!” ‘Alas! it may be so!—it must be so!” said Ethel: and then a long silence ensued. Mrs. Trevor reclined back in the carriage; but Mildred was all vivacity, restlessness, and watch- fulness—her eyes were incessantly darting their glances out of the windows, or else concentrating their looks upon Ethel’s countenance as if to fathom the uttermost depths of her soul. Thus the time passed on, and the outskirts of London were reached. Now Mildred began to look about even more intently and anxiously than before, if possible; but when her regards settled on Ethel’s countenance, that beautiful face afforded not the slightest ground for strengthening her suspicions. ‘The beginning of the lane leading down to Hen- don Court was now reached; and Mildred, break- ing a long silerice, said, ‘‘ This is a lonely neigh-- bourhood.” “It is beautiful and picturesque,” ‘responded Ethel. ‘““What is this place?” demanded Mildred, as the mansion gradually revealed itself from amidst the trees that more than half embowered it. ‘That is Hendon Court.” ‘What! and is it to that gloomy-looking mass of dingy red brick, with those prison-like win- YN Wn) COMO Colin