Containing an Evening Assembly at Bellair House.
SEATED on an ottoman in the octagon library, occasionally throwing a glance at her illuminated1 and crowded saloons, or beckoning2, with a fan almost as long as herself, to a distant guest, Lady Bellair received the world on the evening of the day that had witnessed the strange rencontre between Henrietta Temple and Ferdinand Armine. Her page, who stood at the library-door in a new fancy dress, received the announcement of the company from the other servants, and himself communicated the information to his mistress.
‘Mr. Million de Stockville, my lady,’ said the page.
‘Hem!’ said her ladyship, rather gruffly, as, with no very amiable3 expression of countenance4, she bowed, with her haughtiest5 dignity, to a rather common-looking personage in a gorgeously-embroidered waistcoat.
‘Lady Ionia Colonnade6, my lady.’ Lady Bellair bestowed7 a smiling nod on this fair and classic dame8, and even indicated, by a movement of her fan, that she might take a seat on her ottoman.
‘Sir Ratcliffe and Lady Armine, my lady, and Miss Grandison.’
‘Dear, good people!’ exclaimed Lady Bellair, ‘how late you are! and where is your wicked son? There, go into the next room, go, go, and see the wonderful man. Lady Ionia, you must know Lady Armine; she is like you; she is one of my favourites. Now then, there all of you go together. I will not have anybody stay here except my niece. This is my niece,’ Lady Bellair added, pointing to a young lady seated by her side; ‘I give this party for her.’ ‘General Faneville, my lady.’ ‘You are very late,’ said Lady Bellair. ‘I dined at Lord Rochfort’s,’ said the general bowing.
‘Rochfort’s! Oh! where are they? where are the Rochforts? they ought to be here. I must, I will see them. Do you think Lady Rochfort wants a nursery governess? Because I have a charming person who would just suit her. Go and find her out, General, and enquire9; and if she do not want one, find out some one who does. Ask Lady Maxbury. There, go, go.’
‘Mr. and Miss Temple, my lady.’
‘Oh, my darling!’ said Lady Bellair, ‘my real darling! sit by me. I sent Lady Ionia away, because I determined10 to keep this place for you. I give this party entirely11 in your honour, so you ought to sit here. You are a good man,’ she continued, addressing Mr. Temple; ‘but I can’t love you so well as your daughter.’
‘I should be too fortunate,’ said Mr. Temple, smiling.
‘I knew you when you ate pap,’ said Lady Bellair, laughing.
‘Mrs. Montgomery Floyd, my lady.’
Lady Bellair assumed her coldest and haughtiest glance. Mrs. Montgomery appeared more gorgeous than ever. The splendour of her sweeping12 train almost required a page to support it; she held a bouquet13 which might have served for the centre-piece of a dinner-table. A slender youth, rather distinguished14 in appearance, simply dressed, with a rose-bud just twisted into his black coat, but whose person distilled15 odours whose essence might have exhausted16 a conservatory17, lounged at her side.
‘May I have the honour to present to your ladyship Lord Catchimwhocan?’ breathed forth18 Mrs. Montgomery, exulting19 in her companion, perhaps in her conquest.
Lady Bellair gave a short and ungracious nod. Mrs. Montgomery recognised Mr. and Miss Temple. ‘There, go, go,’ said Lady Bellair, interrupting her, ‘nobody must stop here; go and see the wonderful man in the next room.’
‘Lady Bellair is so strange,’ whimpered Mrs. Montgomery, in an apologetical whisper to Miss Temple, and she moved away, covering her retreat by the graceful20 person of Lord Catchimwhocan.
‘Some Irish guardsman, I suppose,’ said Lady Bellair. ‘I never heard of him; I hate guardsmen.’
‘Rather a distinguished-looking man, I think,’ said Mr. Temple.
‘Do you think so?’ said Lady Bellair, who was always influenced by the last word. ‘I will ask him for Thursday and Saturday. I think I must have known his grandfather. I must tell him not to go about with that horrid21 woman. She is so very fine, and she uses musk22; she puts me in mind of the Queen of Sheba,’ said the little lady, laughing, ‘all precious stones and frankincense. I quite hate her.’
‘I thought she was quite one of your favourites, Lady Bellair?’ said Henrietta Temple rather maliciously23.
‘A Bath favourite, my dear; a Bath favourite. I wear my old bonnets24 at Bath, and use my new friends; but in town I have old friends and new dresses.’
‘Lady Frederick Berrington, my lady.’ ‘Oh! my dear Lady Frederick, now I will give you a treat. I will introduce you to my sweet, sweet friend, whom I am always talking to you of. You deserve to know her; you will taste her; there, sit down, sit by her, and talk to her, and make love to her.’
‘Lady Womandeville, my lady.’
‘Ah! she will do for the lord; she loves a lord. My dear lady, you come so late, and yet I am always so glad to see you. I have such a charming friend for you, the handsomest, most fashionable, witty25 person, quite captivating, and his grandfather was one of my dearest friends. What is his name? what is his name? Lord Catchimwhocan. Mind, I introduce you to him, and ask him to your house very often.’
Lady Womandeville smiled, expressed her delight, and moved on.
Lord Montfort, who had arrived before the Temples, approached the ottoman.
‘Is the duchess here?’ enquired26 Henrietta, as she shook hands with him.
‘And Isabella,’ he replied. Henrietta rose, and taking his arm, bid adieu to Lady Bellair.
‘God bless you,’ said her ladyship, with great emphasis. ‘I will not have you speak to that odious27 Mrs. Floyd, mind.’
When Lord Montfort and Henrietta succeeded in discovering the duchess, she was in the conservatory, which was gaily28 illuminated with coloured lamps among the shrubs29. Her Grace was conversing30 with cordiality with a lady of very prepossessing appearance, in whom the traces of a beauty once distinguished were indeed still considerable, and her companion, an extremely pretty person, in the very bloom of girlhood. Lord Montfort and Henrietta were immediately introduced to these ladies, as Lady Armine and Miss Grandison. After the scene of the morning, it was not easy to deprive Miss Temple of her equanimity31; after that shock, no incident connected with the Armine family could be surprising; she was even desirous of becoming acquainted with Miss Grandison, and she congratulated herself upon the opportunity which had so speedily offered itself to gratify her wishes. The duchess was perfectly32 delighted with Lady Armine, whose manners were fascinating; between the families there was some connection of blood, and Lady Armine, too, had always retained a lively sense of the old duke’s services to her son. Henrietta had even to listen to enquiries made after Ferdinand, and she learnt that he was slowly recovering from an almost fatal illness, that he could not endure the fatigues33 of society, and that he was even living at an hotel for the sake of quiet. Henrietta watched the countenance of Katherine, as Lady Armine gave this information. It was serious, but not disturbed. Her Grace did not separate from her new friends the whole of the evening, and they parted with a mutually expressed wish that they might speedily and often meet. The duchess pronounced Lady Armine the most charming person she had ever met; while, on the other hand, Miss Grandison was warm in her admiration34 of Henrietta Temple and Lord Montfort, whom she thought quite worthy35 even of so rare a prize.
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1
illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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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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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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haughtiest
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| haughty（傲慢的，骄傲的）的最高级形式 | |
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colonnade
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| n.柱廊 | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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dame
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| n.女士 | |
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9
enquire
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| v.打听，询问；调查，查问 | |
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10
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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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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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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13
bouquet
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| n.花束，酒香 | |
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14
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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distilled
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| adj.由蒸馏得来的v.蒸馏( distil的过去式和过去分词 )；从…提取精华 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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conservatory
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| n.温室，音乐学院；adj.保存性的，有保存力的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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exulting
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| vi. 欢欣鼓舞，狂喜 | |
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20
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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musk
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| n.麝香, 能发出麝香的各种各样的植物，香猫 | |
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maliciously
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| adv.有敌意地 | |
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bonnets
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| n.童帽( bonnet的名词复数 )；（烟囱等的）覆盖物；（苏格兰男子的）无边呢帽；（女子戴的）任何一种帽子 | |
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witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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odious
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| adj.可憎的，讨厌的 | |
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gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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29
shrubs
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| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
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30
conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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31
equanimity
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| n.沉着，镇定 | |
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32
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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33
fatigues
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| n.疲劳( fatigue的名词复数 )；杂役；厌倦；（士兵穿的）工作服 | |
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34
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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35
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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