The opening of her gala, the display of her splendid reception-rooms, the Turkish tent, the Alhambra, the pagoda, formed a proud moment to Lady Clonbrony.Much did she enjoy, and much too naturally, notwithstanding all her efforts to be stiff and stately, much too naturally did she show her enjoyment of the surprise excited in some and affected by others on their first entrance.
One young, very young lady expressed her astonishment so audibly as to attract the notice of all the bystanders.Lady Clonbrony, delighted, seized both her hands, shook them, and laughed heartily; then, as the young lady with her party passed on, her ladyship recovered herself, drew up her head, and said to the company near her--'Poor thing! I hope I covered her little NAIVETE properly? How NEW she must be!'
Then, with well-practised dignity, and half-subdued self-complacency of aspect, her ladyship went gliding about--most importantly busy, introducing my lady THIS to the sphynx candelabra, and my lady THAT to the Trebisond trellice; placing some delightfully for the perspective of the Alhambra;establishing others quite to her satisfaction on seraglio ottomans; and honouring others with a seat under the statira, canopy.Receiving and answering compliments from successive crowds of select friends, imagining herself the mirror of fashion, and the admiration of the whole world, Lady Clonbrony was, for her hour, as happy certainly as ever woman was in similar circumstances.
Her son looked at her, and wished that this happiness could last.
Naturally inclined to sympathy, Lord Colambre reproached himself for not feeling as gay at this instant as the occasion required.
But the festive scene, the blazing lights, the 'universal hubbub,' failed to raise his spirits.As a dead weight upon them hung the remembrance of Mordicai's denunciations; and, through the midst of this Eastern magnificence, this unbounded profusion, he thought he saw future domestic misery and ruin to those he loved best in the world.
The only object present on which his eye rested with pleasure was Grace Nugent.Beautiful--in elegant and dignified simplicity--thoughtless of herself--yet with a look of thought, and with an air of melancholy, which accorded exactly with his own feelings, and which he believed to arise from the same reflections that had passed in his own mind.
'Miss Broadhurst, Colambre! all the Broadhursts!' said his mother, wakening him, as she passed by, to receive them as they entered.Miss Broadhurst appeared, plainly dressed--plainly, even to singularity--without any diamonds or ornament.
'Brought Philippa to you, my dear Lady Clonbrony, this figure, rather than not bring her at all,' said puffing Mrs.Broadhurst;'and had all the difficulty in the world to get her out at all, and now I've promised she shall stay but half an hour.Sore throat--terrible cold she took in the morning.I'll swear for her, she'd not have come for any one but you.'
The young lady did not seem inclined to swear, or even to say this for herself; she stood wonderfully unconcerned and passive, with an expression of humour lurking in her eyes, and about the corners of her mouth; whilst Lady Clonbrony was 'shocked,' and 'gratified,' and 'concerned' and 'flattered' and whilst everybody was hoping, and fearing, and busying themselves about her--'Miss Broadhurst, you'd better sit here!'--'Oh, for Heaven's sake!
Miss Broadhurst, not there!' 'Miss Broadhurst, if you'll take my opinion;' and 'Miss Broadhurst, if I may advise--'
'Grace Nugent!' cried Lady Clonbrony--'Miss Broadhurst always listens to you.Do, my dear, persuade Miss Broadhurst to take care of herself, and let us take her to the inner little pagoda, where she can be so warm and so retired--the very thing for an invalid.Colambre! pioneer the way for us, for the crowd's immense.'
Lady Anne and Lady Catharine H--, Lady Langdale's daughters, were at this time leaning on Miss Nugent's arm, and moved along with this party to the inner pagoda.There was to be cards in one room, music in another, dancing in a third, and, in this little room, there were prints and chess-boards, etc.
'Here you will be quite to yourselves,' said Lady Clonbrony; 'let me establish you comfortably in this, which I call my sanctuary--my SNUGGERY--Colambre, that little table!--Miss Broadhurst, you play chess? Colambre, you'll play with Miss Broadhurst--'
'I thank your ladyship,' said Miss Broadhurst, 'but I know nothing of chess, but the moves.Lady Catharine, you will play, and I will look on.'
Miss Broadhurst drew her seat to the fire; Lady Catharine sat down to play with Lord Colambre; Lady Clonbrony withdrew, again recommending Miss Broadhurst to Grace Nugent's care.After some commonplace conversation, Lady Anne H---, looking at the company in the adjoining apartment, asked her sister how old Miss Somebody was, who passed by.This led to reflections upon the comparative age and youthful appearance of several of their acquaintance, and upon the care with which mothers concealed the age of their daughters.Glances passed between Lady Catharine and Lady Anne.
'For my part,' said Miss Broadhurst, 'my mother would 'labour that point of secrecy in vain for me; for I am willing to tell my age, even if my face did not tell it for me, to all whom it may concern.I am past three-and-twenty--shall be four-and-twenty the 5th of next July.'
'Three-and-twenty! Bless me! I thought you were not twenty!'
cried Lady Anne.
'Four-and-twenty next July!--impossible!' cried Lady Catharine.
'Very possible,' said Miss Broadhurst, quite unconcerned.
'Now, Lord Colambre, would you believe it? Can you believe it?'
asked Lady Catharine.
