The Seamstress; or, The White Slave of England — page 76: what you’re looking at

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

THE SEAMSTRESSY. &9 gentle Mary was unable to restrain her feelings ;— | there anything that may not be remedied or coun- and bursting into tears, she threw herself into | teracted. I therefore beseech your Grace to subdue her father’s arms. The Duke wept also: but he | all unnecessary excitement and hear me patiently.” said the kindest and most reassuring things to} “I will do so, Clementine,” said the Duke of console his afflicted daughter;—and when they | Belmont. ‘“ And now proceed.” were both somewhat tranquillised, he asked her “Some time ago, my lord,” resumed the abigail, whether she had not received a letter from the Earl | —“it was about the middle of January,—indeed, of Mostyndale. now that I recollect, on the forenoon of the very The young lady unhesitatingly drew forth the | day on which that sad occurrence took place in the billet from her bosom, and presented it to the Duke, | conservatory -——” who opened it with trembling fingers and pro-| “Well, well—you need not allude to that!” ex- ceeded to scan its contents with looks full of trouble | claimed the Duke, sitting uneasily in his chair. and apprehension. But no sooner had hereached| “ No further allusion is necessary, my lord,” that passage which recorded the solemn pledge | observed Clementine: “but having once fixed the whereby Lord Mostyndale bound himself to his | special date, I may at once inform your Grace that engagement with Lady Mary Melcombe so long as | on the particular forenoon just mentioned, a young it should be her wish for it to remain unbroken, the | dressmaker called at the mansion. To do her Duke of Belmont’s countenance suddenly lighted | justice, she is sweetly beautiful and looks innocent up with an expression of joy;—and snatching his | and medest enough.. Well, my lord, I this day saw daughter to his breast, he cried in a tone of fervid | the Marquis of Arden and that same girl in come gratitude, ‘Despair not, my beloved Mary—despair | pany together.” not: for you shall yet be Countess of Mostyndale— “Ts this all you have to tell me, Clementine ?” despite the wretch Collinson !” exclaimed the Duke, his countenance suddenly But the young lady heard not the concluding | lowering with displeasure. ‘I am well aware that words of her father’s ejaculation: for, overpowered | young men will be young men—that is to say, they by the delight with which the first portion of it | cannot be expected to prove immaculate ;—and I do so suddenly inspired her, she had fainted in his | not pretend to interfere with my son’s pursuits, so arms. long as they reflect no disgrace upon the ancient family to which he belongs and the illustrious name which he bears.’ “ But your Grace has not heard me to the end,” said Clementine, undismayed by the species of rebuff which she had just experienced. “If this were a ; mere passing affair of gallantry, I should not have Ir was between nine and ten o’clock in the evening | attempted to constitute myself a spy upon the Mar- of the same day on which the last mentioned occur- { quis of Arden’s actions—much less undertake to CHAPTER XXI. THE NOBLEMAN AND THE FEMME-DE-CHAMBRE. rences took place; and again do we find the Duke | perform the part of tale-bearer. But as I am firmly of Belmont alone in the library. His eyes were | convinced that there is far more in the affair than a fixed upon a book which lay open before him;—but | transitory passion——” his thoughts were far apart from the contents ofthe | “ What on earth do you mean, Mademoiselle ?” volume that he seemed to be perusing. Presently | cried the Duke, his naturally pale cheeks now flush- a low knock at the door caught his ear;—and, in | ing with indignation. ‘‘Do you intend me to un- obedience to his summons to enter, Mademoiselle | derstand that the son and heir of the Duke of Bel- Clementine glided into the room. mont has any idea of marrying a dressmaker P” The Duke started with a nervous trepidation: “JT think so, my lord,’ was Clementine’s un- for it immediately struck him that this visit must | abashed and cool reply. have some connexion with the Duchess—inasmuch “No: it is impossible!” exclaimed the nobleman, as it was quite unusual for her Grace’s female | striking his clenched fist upon the volume that was dependants to become the bearers of any messages | spread open upon the table. to him, this duty devolving upon the pages of the | ‘Then, if your Grace be so well satisfied on that household. ‘Therefore, when the Frenchwoman | head,” observed Clementine, with the same unvary- made her appearance, he naturally conceived that | ing placidity of tone and manner, “I can have her object was of a private and confidential cha- | nothing more to say :—and she turned to leave the racter. room. “Your Grace will pardon me for the liberty Iam! “Stop!” cried the Duke. “It may be as well to taking,” said Clementine, whose air and manner | look a little deeper into the matter.” were full of mystery: “ butit is absolutely necessary “Such, at least, is my humble and deferential I should be favoured with your lordship’s attention | opinion,” remarked Clementine as she turned again for a few minutes.” towards her ducal master. “ Proceed, Clementine,” exclaimed the Duke.| “Be pleased, then, to explain yourself more fully, “Ts it concerning her Grace——”’ Mademoiselle,” he said. “No, my lord,” was the prompt interjection.| ‘I was about to inform your Grace,” she accord- ‘‘ But my purpose closely regards your Grace’s son, | ingly, resumed, “that as I was proceeding along the Marquis of Arden.” Regent Street this morning, to execute a few com- “What of him?” demanded the Duke, impatiently. | missions for her ladyship, I observed the Marquis of “Speak !” Arden arm-in-arm with a young woman whom I “There is nothing that will suffer any additional | instantaneously recognised to be the seamstress I harm by contemplating the matter coolly and tran- | had once seen in this house.” quilly,” continued the femme-de-chambre: “nor ig| ‘“Arm-in-arm with a dressmaker in Regent EE CoORnniclookKks (C()