Sybil, or the Two Nations Part 53

In the meantime Lord Valentine and the Princess Stephanie of Eurasberg with some companions worthy of such a pair, were dancing a new Mazurka before the admiring a.s.sembly at Deloraine House. The ball was in the statue gallery illumined on this night in the Russian fashion, which while it diffused a brilliant light throughout the beautiful chamber, was peculiarly adapted to develope the contour of the marble forms of grace and loveliness that were ranged around.

"Where is Arabella?" enquired Lord Marney of his mother, "I want to present young Huntingford to her. He can be of great use to me, but he bores me so, I cannot talk to him. I want to present him to Arabella."

"Arabella is in the blue drawing-room. I saw her just now with Mr Jermyn and Charles. Count Soudriaffsky is teaching them some Russian tricks."

"What are Russian tricks to me; she must talk to young Huntingford; everything depends on his working with me against the Cut-and-Come-again branch-line; they have refused me my compensation, and I am not going to have my estate cut up into ribbons without compensation."

"My dear Lady Deloraine," said Lady de Mowbray. "How beautiful your gallery looks to-night! Certainly there is nothing in London that lights up so well."

"Its greatest ornaments are its guests. I am charmed to see Lady Joan looking so well."

"You think so?"

"Indeed."

"I wish--" and here Lady de Mowbray gave a smiling sigh. "What do you think of Mr Mountchesney?"

"He is universally admired."

"So every one says, and yet--"

"Well what do you think of the Dashville, Fitz?" said Mr Berners to Lord Fitzheron, "I saw you dancing with her."

"I can't bear her: she sets up to be natural and is only rude; mistakes insolence for innocence; says everything which comes first to her lips and thinks she is gay when she is only giddy."

"'Tis brilliant," said Lady Joan to Mr Mountchesney.

"When you are here," he murmured.

"And yet a ball in a gallery of art is not in my opinion in good taste.

The a.s.sociations which are suggested by sculpture are not festive.

Repose is the characteristic of sculpture. Do not you think so?"

"Decidedly," said Mr Mountchesney. "We danced in the gallery at Matfield this Christmas, and I thought all the time that a gallery is not the place for a ball; it is too long and too narrow."

Lady Joan looked at him, and her lip rather curled.

"I wonder if Valentine has sold that bay cob of his," said Lord Milford to Lord Eugene de Vere.

"I wonder," said Lord Eugene.

"I wish you would ask him, Eugene," said Lord Milford, "you understand, I don't want him to know I want it."

"'Tis such a bore to ask questions," said Lord Eugene.

"Shall we carry Chichester?" asked Lady Firebrace of Lady St Julians.

"Oh! do not speak to me ever again of the House of Commons," she replied in a tone of affected despair. "What use is winning our way by units?

It may take years. Lord Protocol says that 'one is enough.' That Jamaica affair has really ended by greatly strengthening them."

"I do not despair," said Lady Firebrace. "The unequivocal adhesion of the Duke of Fitz-Aquitaine is a great thing. It gives us the northern division at a dissolution."

"That is to say in five years, my dear Lady Firebrace. The country will be ruined before that."

"We shall see. Is it a settled thing between Lady Joan and Mr Mountchesney?"

"Not the slightest foundation. Lady Joan is a most sensible girl, as well as a most charming person and my dear friend. She is not in a hurry to marry, and quite right. If indeed Frederick were a little more steady--but nothing shall ever induce me to consent to his marrying her, unless I thought he was worthy of her."

"You are such a good mother," exclaimed Lady Firebrace, "and such a good friend! I am glad to hear it is not true about Mr Mountchesney."

"If you could only help me, my dear Lady Firebrace, to put an end to that affair between Frederick and Lady Wallington. It is so silly, and getting talked about; and in his heart too he really loves Lady Joan; only he is scarcely aware of it himself."

"We must manage it," said Lady Firebrace, with a look of encouraging mystery.

"Do, my dear creature; speak to him; he is very much guided by your opinion. Tell him everybody is laughing at him, and any other little thing that occurs to you."

"I will come directly," said Lady Marney to her husband, "only let me see this."

"Well, I will bring Huntingford here. Mind you speak to him a great deal; take his arm, and go down to supper with him if you can. He is a very nice sensible young fellow, and you will like him very much I am sure; a little shy at first, but he only wants bringing out."

A dexterous description of one of the most unlicked and unlickable cubs that ever entered society with forty thousand a year; courted by all, and with just that degree of cunning that made him suspicious of every attention.

"This dreadful Lord Huntingford!" said Lady Marney.

"Jermyn and I will intefere," said Egremont, "and help you."

"No, no," said Lady Marney shaking her head, "I must do it."

At this moment, a groom of the chambers advanced and drew Egremont aside, saying in a low tone, "Your servant, Mr Egremont, is here and wishes to see you instantly."

"My servant! Instantly! What the deuce can be the matter? I hope the Albany is not on fire," and he quitted the room.

In the outer hall, amid a crowd of footmen, Egremont recognized his valet who immediately came forward.

"A porter has brought this letter, sir, and I thought it best to come on with it at once."

The letter directed to Egremont, bore also on its superscription these words. "This letter must be instantly carried by the bearer to Mr Egremont wherever he may be."

Egremont with some change of countenance drew aside, and opening the letter read it by a lamp at hand. It must have been very brief; but the face of him to whom it was addressed became, as he perused its lines, greatly agitated. When he had finished reading it, he seemed for a moment lost in profound thought; then looking up he dismissed his servant without instructions, and hastening back to the a.s.sembly, he enquired of the groom of the chambers whether Lord John Russell, whom he had observed in the course of the evening, was still present; and he was answered in the affirmative.

About a quarter of an hour after this incident, Lady Firebrace said to Lady St Julians in a tone of mysterious alarm. "Do you see that?"

"No! what?"

"Do not look as if you observed them: Lord John and Mr Egremont, in the furthest window, they have been there these ten minutes in the most earnest conversation. I am afraid we have lost him."

"I have always been expecting it," said Lady St Julians. "He breakfasts with that Mr Trenchard and does all those sorts of things. Men who breakfast out are generally liberals. Have not you observed that? I wonder why?"

"It shows a restless revolutionary mind," said Lady Firebrace, "that can settle to nothing; but must be running after gossip the moment they are awake."