even then, did it in the least civil manner and most
cursory style possible. 'Ho! Lady Clonbrony!—didn't know you were in
England!—When did you come?—How long shall you stay in town!—Hope,
before you leave England, your Ladyship and Miss Nugent will give us
a day?' A DAY!—Lady Clonbrony was so astonished by this impudence of
ingratitude, that she hesitated how to TAKE IT; but Miss Nugent, quite
coolly, and with a smile, answered, 'A DAY!—certainly—to you, who gave
us a month!'
'Admirable! Now comprehend perfectly why Mrs. Dareville declines
insulting Miss Nugent's friends in her presence.'
Lord Colambre said nothing, but thought much. 'How I wish my mother,'
thought he, 'had some of Grace Nugent's proper pride! She would not then
waste her fortune, spirits, health, and life, in courting such people as
these.'
He had not seen—he could not have borne to have beheld—the manner in
which his mother had been treated by some of her guests; but he
observed that she now looked harassed and vexed; and he was provoked
and mortified by hearing her begging and beseeching some of these saucy
leaders of the ton to oblige her, to do her the favour, to do her the
honour, to stay to supper. It was just ready—actually announced. 'No,
they would not—they could not; they were obliged to run away—engaged
to the Duchess of Torcaster.'
'Lord Colambre, what is the matter?' said Miss Nugent, going up to him,
as he stood aloof and indignant: 'Don't look so like a chafed lion;
others may perhaps read your countenance as well as I do.'
'None can read my mind so well,' replied he. 'Oh, my dear Grace!'
'Supper!—supper!' cried she; 'your duty to your neighbour, your hand to
your partner.'
Lady Catharine, as they went downstairs to supper, observed that Miss
Nugent had not been dancing, that she had kept quite in the background
all night-quite in the shade.
'Those,' said Lord Colambre, 'who are contented in the 'shade are
the best able to bear the light; and I am not surprised that one so
interesting in the background should not desire to be the foremost
figure in a piece.'
The supper room, fitted up at great expense, with scenery to imitate
Vauxhall, opened into a superb greenhouse, lighted with coloured lamps,
a band of music at a distance—every delicacy, every luxury that
could gratify the senses, appeared in profusion. The company ate and
drank—enjoyed themselves—went away—and laughed at their hostess.
Some, indeed, who thought they had been neglected, were in too bad
humour to laugh, but abused her in sober earnest; for Lady Clonbrony had
offended half, nay, three-quarters of her guests, by what they termed
her exclusive attention to those very leaders of the ton, from whom
she had suffered so much, and who had made it obvious to all that they
thought they did her too much honour in appearing at her gala. So
ended the gala for which she had lavished such sums; for which she had
laboured so indefatigably; and from which she had expected such triumph.
'Colambre, bid the musicians stop; they are playing to empty benches,'
said Lady Clonbrony. 'Grace, my dear, will you see that these lamps are
safely put out? I am so tired, so WORN OUT, I must go to bed; and I am
sure I have caught cold too! What a NERVOUS BUSINESS it is to manage
these things! I wonder how one gets through it, or WHY one does it!'
Chapter IV
*
Lady Clonbrony was taken ill the day after her gala; she had caught cold
by standing, when much overheated, in a violent draught of wind, paying
her parting compliments to the Duke of V—, who thought her a bore, and
wished her in heaven all the time for keeping his horses standing. Her
ladyship's illness was severe and long; she was confined to her room for
some weeks by a rheumatic fever, and an inflammation in her eyes. Every
day, when Lord Colambre went to see his mother, he found Miss Nugent
in her apartment, and every hour he found fresh reason to admire this
charming girl. The affectionate
cursory style possible. 'Ho! Lady Clonbrony!—didn't know you were in
England!—When did you come?—How long shall you stay in town!—Hope,
before you leave England, your Ladyship and Miss Nugent will give us
a day?' A DAY!—Lady Clonbrony was so astonished by this impudence of
ingratitude, that she hesitated how to TAKE IT; but Miss Nugent, quite
coolly, and with a smile, answered, 'A DAY!—certainly—to you, who gave
us a month!'
'Admirable! Now comprehend perfectly why Mrs. Dareville declines
insulting Miss Nugent's friends in her presence.'
Lord Colambre said nothing, but thought much. 'How I wish my mother,'
thought he, 'had some of Grace Nugent's proper pride! She would not then
waste her fortune, spirits, health, and life, in courting such people as
these.'
He had not seen—he could not have borne to have beheld—the manner in
which his mother had been treated by some of her guests; but he
observed that she now looked harassed and vexed; and he was provoked
and mortified by hearing her begging and beseeching some of these saucy
leaders of the ton to oblige her, to do her the favour, to do her the
honour, to stay to supper. It was just ready—actually announced. 'No,
they would not—they could not; they were obliged to run away—engaged
to the Duchess of Torcaster.'
'Lord Colambre, what is the matter?' said Miss Nugent, going up to him,
as he stood aloof and indignant: 'Don't look so like a chafed lion;
others may perhaps read your countenance as well as I do.'
'None can read my mind so well,' replied he. 'Oh, my dear Grace!'
'Supper!—supper!' cried she; 'your duty to your neighbour, your hand to
your partner.'
Lady Catharine, as they went downstairs to supper, observed that Miss
Nugent had not been dancing, that she had kept quite in the background
all night-quite in the shade.
'Those,' said Lord Colambre, 'who are contented in the 'shade are
the best able to bear the light; and I am not surprised that one so
interesting in the background should not desire to be the foremost
figure in a piece.'
The supper room, fitted up at great expense, with scenery to imitate
Vauxhall, opened into a superb greenhouse, lighted with coloured lamps,
a band of music at a distance—every delicacy, every luxury that
could gratify the senses, appeared in profusion. The company ate and
drank—enjoyed themselves—went away—and laughed at their hostess.
Some, indeed, who thought they had been neglected, were in too bad
humour to laugh, but abused her in sober earnest; for Lady Clonbrony had
offended half, nay, three-quarters of her guests, by what they termed
her exclusive attention to those very leaders of the ton, from whom
she had suffered so much, and who had made it obvious to all that they
thought they did her too much honour in appearing at her gala. So
ended the gala for which she had lavished such sums; for which she had
laboured so indefatigably; and from which she had expected such triumph.
'Colambre, bid the musicians stop; they are playing to empty benches,'
said Lady Clonbrony. 'Grace, my dear, will you see that these lamps are
safely put out? I am so tired, so WORN OUT, I must go to bed; and I am
sure I have caught cold too! What a NERVOUS BUSINESS it is to manage
these things! I wonder how one gets through it, or WHY one does it!'
Chapter IV
*
Lady Clonbrony was taken ill the day after her gala; she had caught cold
by standing, when much overheated, in a violent draught of wind, paying
her parting compliments to the Duke of V—, who thought her a bore, and
wished her in heaven all the time for keeping his horses standing. Her
ladyship's illness was severe and long; she was confined to her room for
some weeks by a rheumatic fever, and an inflammation in her eyes. Every
day, when Lord Colambre went to see his mother, he found Miss Nugent
in her apartment, and every hour he found fresh reason to admire this
charming girl. The affectionate
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