Attired1 in unusually sober colours, floating in an atmosphere of chastened, matronly dignity, she had shown herself this evening, thought Lord Verney, quite worthy2 to be his mother's daughter-in-law.
"Monstrous3 dull," Lady Flyte called the pretty widow's demeanour.
Beyond a gavotte with Lord Verney, she had not danced, but sat for half-an-hour on the chair next to Lady Maria, who presented her with the vision of a shoulder-blade which had seen better days, and an impenetrability of hearing which baffled even Kitty's undaunted energy.
When Verney had tucked her up in her sedan she insisted upon the young peer allowing her to proceed home unescorted.
"Indeed," said she, "I pray you, nay4, I order you. People talk so in this giddy place, and have you not your aged5 aunt to wait upon? I am sure," said Mistress Kitty piously6, "that your dear mother would wish it thus."
He submitted. He had no doubt that his mother would indeed entirely7 concur8 with such sentiments, and blessed his Kitty for her sweet reasonableness.
"Good-night, then," she said, thrusting her pretty face out of the window with a very tender and gentle smile.
"Good-night," he replied, with his young, gracefully-awkward bow.
She fully9 expected to hear his footstep pursue the chairman, for she had not been able to refrain from throwing her utmost fascination10 into that parting look. But nothing broke the silence of the parade save the measured slouching tramp of the bearers.
At once disappointed and relieved, she threw herself back in her seat.
"What, not a spark left," said she, "of the fine flame 'twas so easy to kindle11 this morning! 'Tis the very type of the odious12 British husband. Let him be but sure of you, and the creature struts13 as confident of his mastery as the cock among his hens. Lord!" she shuddered14, "what an escape I have had! We women are apt to fancy that very young men are like very young peas, the greener, the tenderer, the better; whereas," said the lady, with a sigh, "they are but like young wine, crude where we look for strength, all head and no body, and vastly poor upon the palate."
She sighed again, and closed her eyes, waiting for the moment of the impending15 catastrophe16 with a delicate composure.
In truth, Mr. O'Hara conducted the performance with so much brio as to convince Mistress Bellairs that he must have had previous experience of the kind.
At the dark appointed corner the two muffled17 individuals who, each selecting his own astonished chairman, enlaced him with overwhelming brotherly affection, seemed such thorough-paced ruffians in the dim light, that Mistress Kitty found it quite natural to scream—and even had some difficulty in keeping her distressful18 note down to the pitch of necessary discretion19.
And her heart fluttered with a sensation of fear, convincing enough to produce quite a delightful20 illusion, when she found herself bodily lifted out of her nest and rapidly carried through the darkness in an irresistibly21 close and strong embrace.
"Oh, oh, oh!" cried the lady, in a modulated22 sequence of little shrieks23.
"Merciful heavens!" she thought to herself, with a great thump24 of the heart, astonished at her ravisher's silence, "what if it should be someone else after all?"
But the next instant the rich brogue of a tender whisper in her ear dispelled25 all doubt.
"You've forgotten the scratches, my darling," said O'Hara, as he laid her preciously upon the cushions of the chaise.
Here Mr. Mahoney and his comrade—which latter bore a curious resemblance in build and gait to one of the sporting Marquis's own celebrated26 gladiators—came running up to take their seats. In leaped O'Hara—the coachman lifted his whip, and the team that Phoebus might have envied started up the length of Milsom Street in style.
*****
The chairmen, drawing their breath with some difficulty after their spell of strangulation, stared in amazement28 at the clattering29 shadow as it retreated up the steep street; and then back, and in fresh amazement, at the yellow guinea which had been pressed, and now glinted, in the palm of their hands.
Presently a simultaneous smile overspread their honest countenances30.
"A queer go," said the first, easing and readjusting his necklace. "Lud, the little madam did squeak31!"
"I'd let them all squeak at the same price," said the other, pocketing his coin, and resuming his place in rear of the sedan. "But come, Bill, we must go report this 'orrible crime. Rabbit me!—what's that?"
A blood-curdling wail32 had risen out of the night, from his very elbow it seemed. It circled in frightful33 cadence34, and died away in ghost-like fashion.
"'T—'tis but a sick cat, I hope," stammered35 the first chairman, and dived for the chair-poles in marked hurry.
"O—o—o—o," moaned the voice, "oh, my mistress!" There was a flutter, a patter, and: "Merciful heavens, you wretches36!" cried Mistress Bellairs's devoted37 woman, emerging like a gust38 of wind from the blackest shadow of Bond Street and falling upon the nearest chairman with a well-aimed flap of her shawl, followed up by a couple of scratches. "Wretches, monsters, you've let my mistress be carried away! Oh heavens, my unhappy mistress!" cried Lydia, and rent the night with her cries.
*****
Mistress Kitty's chair had no sooner left the precincts of the Assembly Rooms when my Lady Standish's post-chaise came clattering round the corner.
Lord Verney, who was just about to go in again, arrested by curiosity, turned to wonder at a visitor who arrived in so unwonted a conveyance39. Recognising Lady Standish he was somewhat abashed40 and somewhat disconcerted, but felt he could do no less than advance through the crowd of foot and chair men and offer his hand.
"O, pray, Lord Verney," said she in a strenuous41 whisper, "conduct me to your aunt, for I have great need of her help and counsel. Take me to her at once," said the poor lady, in ever-increasing agitation42.
They passed through the elegant throng43, she unconscious alike of recognition, comment, or titter, he feeling to his boy's marrow44, the sensation created by her travelling gear and distraught appearance.
"Would I were back at Verney Hall," thought he, and found that this wish had been long gathering45 in his heart.
No need of an ear-trumpet for Lady Maria now. The dowager recovered her powers of hearing with almost miraculous46 celerity.
"Oh, Lady Maria!" said Lady Standish, holding out both her hands. And incontinently she burst into tears. "Oh, Lady Maria, Sir Jasper has left me, I am in sad trouble! I'm told he has gone to Devizes. I must follow him. You are my mother's oldest friend; will you give me the support of your company and protection?"
There was quite a buzz in the interested circle. Lady Maria nodded round, charmed with the situation; bristling47 with delighted curiosity, she was more like Mistress Kitty's cockatoo than ever.
"Poor young thing, poor young thing," she said, patting Lady Standish's hand; "your mother's oldest friend, quite so—quite right and proper to come to me. And so Sir Jasper's left you; so Sir Jasper's gone; and with whom, my dear?"
Lady Maria fondly believed that she spoke48 these last words in a gentle aside; but never had her sepulchral49 bass50 resounded51 more sonorously52. Lady Standish's faint cry of shocked disclaimer was, however, completely drowned in the fresh rumour53, lacerated by shrill54 feminine shrieks, which now arose in the vestibule of the Assembly Rooms and rapidly advanced.
"My Lord Verney! My mistress! Where is my Lord Verney?" wailed55 the distraught Lydia, who thoroughly56 enjoyed her r?le.
A hundred voices took up the cry; the astounding57 news passed from group to group: "The pretty widow has been carried off!" "Mistress Bellairs has been abducted58!" And then, in counter clamour and antiphone: "and my Lady Standish is looking for Sir Jasper!"
Meanwhile, before Lord Verney, dumb and suffocating59 under a variety of emotions, Lydia wringing60 her hands and with the most thrilling notes of tragic61 woe62 (as nearly copied from Mistress Susanna Cibber as she could remember), narrated63 her tristful tale.
"He flung my unhappy mistress, swooning and shrieking64, into the chaise. And 'Drive like the devil,' cries he in a voice of thunder to the coachman. 'I'll flay65 you with your own whip and hang you to your own shaft,' says he, 'if you're not in Devizes before midnight!'"
"Devizes!" cried Lady Standish with a scream. Hanging on Lydia's utterance66, every word of which confirmed the awful suspicion that had entered her heart, she now could no longer doubt the real extent of her misfortune.
"Oh, Lord Verney, save my mistress!" Lydia's pipe dominated the universal chorus with piercing iteration.
And now Lady Maria's bass struck in again.
"What did I say?" cried she triumphantly67. "Nevvy, you'd better go to bed! you're well out of her. Julia, my dear, don't faint, we can catch them at Devizes yet. Someone tell that wench to stop that screeching68! Julia, come! You've got the chay, I understand. Fortunately, my house is near; we shall just call for Burrell and make him ride behind with his blunderbuss. Child, if you faint I wash my hands of the whole affair. We'll nip them, I tell you, if you'll only brisk up."
"I won't faint," said Lady Standish setting her teeth.
*****
Lord Verney suddenly awoke to the fact that he had been grievously injured, and that he was in a towering passion. Spluttering, he demanded vengeance69 of gods and men. Post-chaise, ho, and pistols, forthwith! "My sword!" cried he, feeling for the blade which, however, according to the regulations enforced by the immortal70 Master of the Bath Ceremonies, was absent from its natural post on his noble hip27 in this polite assembly.
"Come with me," cried Captain Spicer, clapping his patron on the shoulder in a burst of excitement. "I'll stand to you, of course, lad! You'll want a witness. Gad71!" exclaimed the amiable72 Captain, "we'll have Sir Jasper's liver on the spit before crow of cock!"
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1
attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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piously
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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concur
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| v.同意，意见一致，互助，同时发生 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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kindle
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| v.点燃，着火 | |
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odious
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| adj.可憎的，讨厌的 | |
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struts
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| （框架的）支杆( strut的名词复数 )； 支柱； 趾高气扬的步态； （尤指跳舞或表演时）卖弄 | |
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14
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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15
impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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distressful
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| adj.苦难重重的，不幸的，使苦恼的 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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irresistibly
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| adv.无法抵抗地，不能自持地；极为诱惑人地 | |
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22
modulated
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| 已调整[制]的，被调的 | |
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shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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24
thump
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| v.重击，砰然地响；n.重击，重击声 | |
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25
dispelled
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| v.驱散，赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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hip
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| n.臀部，髋；屋脊 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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29
clattering
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| 发出咔哒声（clatter的现在分词形式） | |
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30
countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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31
squeak
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| n.吱吱声，逃脱；v.（发出）吱吱叫，侥幸通过；（俚）告密 | |
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32
wail
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| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
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33
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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cadence
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| n.（说话声调的）抑扬顿挫 | |
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35
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
wretches
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| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
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37
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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38
gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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39
conveyance
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| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
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40
abashed
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| adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
strenuous
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| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
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42
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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43
throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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44
marrow
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| n.骨髓；精华；活力 | |
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45
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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46
miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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48
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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49
sepulchral
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| adj.坟墓的，阴深的 | |
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50
bass
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| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
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51
resounded
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| v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音 | |
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52
sonorously
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| adv.圆润低沉地；感人地；堂皇地；朗朗地 | |
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53
rumour
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| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
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54
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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55
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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56
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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57
astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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58
abducted
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| 劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展 | |
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suffocating
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| a.使人窒息的 | |
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60
wringing
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| 淋湿的，湿透的 | |
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61
tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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62
woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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63
narrated
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| v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64
shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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65
flay
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| vt.剥皮；痛骂 | |
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66
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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67
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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68
screeching
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的现在分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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69
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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70
immortal
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| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
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71
gad
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| n.闲逛；v.闲逛 | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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