The Absentee Part 4

'Why, Terry, you know more about books than I should have suspected,'

said Lord Clonbrony.

'Nor you would not have suspected me to have such a great acquaintance among the G.o.ddesses neither, would you, my lord? But, apropos, before we quit, of what material, think ye, was that same Venus's famous girdle, now, that made roses and lilies so quickly appear? Why, what was it, but a girdle of sterling gold, I'll engage?--for gold is the only true thing for a young man to look after in a wife.'

Sir Terence paused, but no applause ensued.

'Let them talk of Cupids and darts, and the mother of the Loves and Graces. Minerva may sing odes and DYTHAMBRICS, or whatsoever her wisdoms.h.i.+p pleases. Let her sing, or let her say she'll never get a husband in this world or the other, without she had a good thumping FORTIN, and then she'd go off like wildfire.'

'No, no, Terry, there you're out; Minerva has too bad a character for learning to be a favourite with gentlemen,' said Lord Clonbrony.

'Tut--Don't tell me!--I'd get her off before you could say Jack Robinson, and thank you too, if she had fifty thousand down, or a thousand a year in land. Would you have a man so d-d nice as to balk when house and land is a-going--a-going--a-going!--because of the enc.u.mbrance of a little learning? I never heard that Miss Broadhurst was anything of a learned lady.'

'Miss Broadhurst!' said Grace Nugent; 'how did you get round to Miss Broadhurst?'

'Oh! by the way of Tipperary,' said Lord Colambre.

'I beg your pardon, my lord, it was apropos to a good fortune, which, I hope, will not be out of your way, even if you went by Tipperary. She has, besides L100,000 in the funds, a clear landed property of L10,000 per annum. WELL! SOME PEOPLE TALK OF MORALITY, AND SOME OF RELIGION, BUT GIVE ME A LITTLE SNUG PROPERTY. But, my lord, I've a little business to transact this morning, and must not be idling and indulging myself here.' So, bowing to the ladies, he departed.

'Really, I am glad that man is gone,' said Lady Clonbrony. 'What a relief to one's ears! I am sure I wonder, my lord, how you can bear to carry that strange creature always about with you--so vulgar as he is.'

'He diverts me,' said Lord Clonbrony, 'while many of your correct-mannered fine ladies or gentlemen put me to sleep. What signifies what accent people speak in that have nothing to say--hey, Colambre?'

Lord Colambre, from respect to his father, did not express his opinion, but his aversion to Sir Terence O'Fay was stronger even than his mother's; though Lady Clonbrony's detestation of him was much increased by perceiving that his coa.r.s.e hints about Miss Broadhurst had operated against her favourite scheme.

The next morning, at breakfast, Lord Clonbrony talked of bringing Sir Terence with him that night to her gala. She absolutely grew pale with horror.

'Good heavens! Lady Langdale, Mrs. Dareville, Lady Poc.o.c.ke, Lady Chatterton, Lady D--, Lady G--, his Grace of V--; what would they think of him? And Miss Broadhurst to see him going about with my Lord Clonbrony!'--It could not be. No; her ladys.h.i.+p made the most solemn and desperate protestation, that she would sooner give up her gala altogether--tie up the knocker--say she was sick--rather be sick, or be dead, than be obliged to have such a creature as Sir Terence O'Fay at her gala.

'Have it your own way, my dear, as you have everything else!' cried Lord Clonbrony, taking up his hat, and preparing to decamp; 'but, take notice, if you won't receive him you need not expect me. So a good morning to you, my Lady Clonbrony. You may find a worse friend in need, yet, than that same Sir Terence O'Fay.'

'I trust I shall never be in need, my lord,' replied her ladys.h.i.+p. 'It would be strange, indeed, if I were, with the fortune I brought.'

'Oh! that fortune of hers!' cried Lord Clonbrony, stopping both his ears as he ran out of the room; 'shall I never hear the end of that fortune, when I've seen the end of it long ago?'

During this matrimonial dialogue, Grace Nugent and Lord Colambre never once looked at each other. Grace was very diligently trying the changes that could be made in the positions of a china-mouse, a cat, a dog, a cup, and a Brahmin, on the mantelpiece; Lord Colambre as diligently reading the newspaper.

'Now, my dear Colambre,' said Lady Clonbrony, 'put down the paper, and listen to me. Let me entreat you not to neglect Miss Broadhurst to-night, as I know that the family come here chiefly on your account.'

'My dear mother, I never can neglect any deserving young lady, and particularly one of your guests; but I shall be careful not to do more than not to neglect, for I never will pretend what I do not feel.'

'But, my dear Colambre, Miss Broadhurst is everything you could wish, except being a beauty.'

'Perhaps, madam,' said Lord Colambre, fixing his eyes on Grace Nugent, 'you think that I can see no farther than a handsome face?'

The unconscious Grace Nugent now made a warm eulogium of Miss Broadhurst's sense, and wit, and independence of character.

'I did not know that Miss Broadhurst was a friend of yours, Miss Nugent?'

'She is, I a.s.sure you, a friend of mine; and, as a proof, I will not praise her at this moment. I will go farther still--I will promise that I never will praise her to you till you begin to praise her to me.'

Lord Colambre smiled, and now listened, as if he wished that Grace should go on speaking, even of Miss Broadhurst.

'That's my sweet Grace!' cried Lady Clonbrony. 'Oh! she knows how to manage these men--not one of them can resist her!'

Lord Colambre, for his part, did not deny the truth of this a.s.sertion.

'Grace,' added Lady Clonbrony, 'make him promise to do as we would have him.'

'No; promises are dangerous things to ask or to give,' said Grace. 'Men and naughty children never make promises, especially promises to be good, without longing to break them the next minute.'

'Well, at least, child, persuade him, I charge you, to make my gala go off well. That's the first thing we ought to think of now. Ring the bell! And all heads and hands I put in requisition for the gala.'

CHAPTER III

The opening of her gala, the display of her splendid reception-rooms, the Turkish tent, the Alhambra, the paG.o.da, 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 pa.s.sed on, her ladys.h.i.+p 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 ladys.h.i.+p 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; establis.h.i.+ng 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 fas.h.i.+on, and the admiration of the whole world, Lady Clonbrony was, for her hour, as happy certainly as ever woman was in similar circ.u.mstances.

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 pa.s.sed in his own mind.

'Miss Broadhurst, Colambre! all the Broadhursts!' said his mother, wakening him, as she pa.s.sed 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 pa.s.sive, 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 paG.o.da, 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 paG.o.da. 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 ladys.h.i.+p,' 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 pa.s.sed by.