Elizabeth Sibthorpe Pinchard

“ Did you not bring her with you to London? I know it all, Sir: the woman where you lodged found you out. She saw how you had deceived my gentle, innocent Ellen."
"What words are these!" exclaimed St. Aubyn, haughtily. "Whence arises so vile an error?"
"Villain!" exclaimed Charles, with wild impetuosity, "deny not your crimes, but give me the satisfaction of a gentleman."
"You do not act like one," said St. Aubyn: "but here is my card; I am always to be found, and will give you whatever satisfaction you may require." ”

“ Oh! can she ever forgive me!"
"It's well," said Lady Juliana with some asperity, for his jealous obstinacy had vexed her—"it's well if you have not killed her and your child too. God defend me from such rash, headstrong people, that can make no distinction between a Rosolia and an Ellen: poor girl, she has paid dear I am afraid for her dream of happiness, and being "perched up in a glittering greatness, wearing a golden sorrow!" ”

“ Seeing that Ellen blushed at the last hint, she added,—"Nay, you need not blush, though I like to see you can: for I promise you, it was observing the probability of such an event that did more to reconcile me to you than all your beauty and merit could have done; so take care of yourself, and don't disappoint me; and now, my dear, kiss me, and call me aunt whenever you please." ”

“ Dawkins and her friend Miss Alton generally lamented with so much pathos: "has she lost her little French dog, or has the careless coachman scratched the pannels of her new carriage?" "Oh, you sad man! how can you make a jest of the dear soul's uncommon sensibility? To be sure she has the tenderest feelings. She often says to me, 'my dear Alton, what should I do without you: you are the only person who can really feel for the misfortunes of a friend.' Sweet woman!" ”

“ Jane shall go with the housemaids and see that all is right."
"I am not ill, my Lady," said Mrs. Bayfield; "but a glimpse I caught of Lord De Montfort just now, and the tone of his voice, reminded me of so many painful events—"
She paused, sighed, and the tears ran down her cheeks as she added:
"I wish he had not come here; I wish he was gone back to Spain; I cannot bear to see him."
"His likeness to your late lady affects you perhaps, my good friend?" said Ellen.
"Oh, no, Madam; it is not that; he is like her to be sure; but it is not that. ”

“ Sir Edward Leicester, too, had called once or twice in the course of the day; and though she had tormented him and her nephew, by resolutely remaining in the room in defiance of the hints St. Aubyn gave of wishing to be alone with his friend, yet she overheard a few words, that more and more convinced her a duel was intended. She left orders, therefore, to be called by day-break; and unable to prevail on St. Aubyn to go to bed, wearied and exhausted by emotions, which, at her time of life, she could ill support, she at length left him to himself. ”

“ Is it possible!" exclaimed the languishing Lady, sinking back again as if the exertion of speaking had been too much for her. "Well, I should absolutely die in twelve hours if I might not be indulged in this delicious mode of reposing."
"Nonsense!" said the stiff old lady, in no very conciliating tone; "how can you be so ridiculous: pray how do you manage when you sit six or eight hours at pharo, or go to the Opera—you have none of those silly things there?" ”

“ Birtley should see you in all your grandeur: she will be surprized after all she had the impertinence to say."
"Indeed," said Ellen, "I never thought of that: she will wonder to see me under such a different appearance, and perhaps say something in the hearing of the servants. I will not go."
"Oh, my Lady," answered Jane, "she need not know who you are: only ask for the book, and come away directly: she will not know a bit the more what your Ladyship's real name is; and I suppose she is not enough amongst the grand people to know the livery or carriage." ”

“ Aubyn found there was no doubt the old lady she had seen was Lady Juliana Mordaunt: he made her repeat the conversation that had passed, and when she told him that the old lady had made use of the disrespectful term, "this young person," in speaking of her, he coloured excessively, and execrating his aunt's pride and impertinence, told his wife she ought to have quitted the room immediately. He smiled when Ellen mentioned Lady Juliana's attention and kindness on her fainting, and said, "That is so like her: her warm heart thaws the ice of her manners when she sees any one ill or distrest." ”

“ Why, Lady Meredith's great ambition is to outshine all her competitors in the number and fashion of those collected at her routes; and as sometimes, in spite of her charms, and the lustre of her abundant jewels, there are some obstinate animals who will be uncivil enough to recollect they 'have seen them before,' consequently become rather weary of them, and desert her for some newer belle. ”

“ Juliet extended her white hand, and said in a voice of peculiar harmony [Pg 23] , fixing at the same time her sparkling and penetrating eyes on Ellen's face, as if she wished to read her heart in her countenance, "Laura says she loves you already, and I am sure I shall." The simple naïvetè of her voice and manner went to the heart of Ellen, who could not help embracing her tenderly, while she felt the tears start to her eyes at seeing one so young and lovely in a state of health so precarious. ”

“ Aubyn complains of the head-ache," said Lady Meredith.
"Oh, I know what it is," answered Lady Juliana: "my nephew hates to be disturbed when he is attending to music; and I suppose you, Lady Meredith, have been talking to him, as you always do at the Opera."
Lady Meredith only laughed; and St. Aubyn returning soon after, nothing more passed. When the opera was over, and St. Aubyn and Ellen were alone in the carriage, he still appeared so restless and agitated, that Ellen could not resist addressing to him a few words, indicative of curiosity, if not of alarm. ”

“ At last, turning to Ellen, she said in a pathetic tone, "Oh, my dear Madam, you cannot conceive how I have felt for you these two days! I declare I have not been able to sleep for thinking of you, and really have shed tears to imagine what a tax you have been paying: how you must have been fatigued by receiving such a succession of visitors! but every one must have some trouble. There is my dear friend, Mrs. Dawkins, the best of women—sweet woman, in [Pg 11] deed—there she is lamenting at home such a vexation!" ”

“ Aubyn and the frightened Jane; her nephew passing her hastily, and in silence, went into his study, and instantly shut and fastened the door. There he meant to consider with himself what part it became him to take, and how to elucidate this extraordinary event.
Ellen, throwing herself into Lady Juliana's arms, exclaimed, "Oh! my dearest madam, let me die at once, for my Lord is angry with me!" [Pg 160]
"Die!" cried Lady Juliana, struggling with a thousand terrors; "Nonsense! for what? Do you suppose no man was ever angry with his wife before? ”

“ Ross, you married us, and my father and Joanna were present: then what does Charles mean by talking of my shame and ruin?"
"Oh, Heavens! she raves," exclaimed [Pg 178] St. Aubyn; "my cruelty has destroyed her!"
"Take away the bloody sword," screamed Ellen. "I tell you Arbace did not murder him; no, nor yet St. Aubyn: nothing shall ever make me believe St. Aubyn guilty:—I promised him;—he says he is innocent; enough, my love, enough, Ellen will never doubt you!" and again she breathed in plaintive cadences the pathetic "Sono Innocente."
"She will die! she will die!" ”

“ Aubyn, angrily: "she has not suffered alone; but let me [Pg 176] go to her; let me implore her to forgive me. Ah! can I ever forgive myself!"
"Indeed, nephew, I shall do no such thing, unless you will promise me there shall be no fighting with that mad Ross, who I wish had been a thousand miles off before he had come here to drive us all as mad as himself."
"We will talk of that, hereafter: perhaps he will apologize; at any rate, let us go now to Ellen, and try if I can sooth her spirits, and calm her wounded mind." ”

“ Aubyn, bridling with difficulty the jealous rage which consumed him, sat leaning against one side of the carriage, veiling his eyes with his hand, that they might not for an instant fall on Ellen, who, hardly supporting herself with Jane's help, shed no tears, though grief and vexation heaved her bosom with sighs, which almost burst it ”

“ Aubyn: whatever you do, appears to me wisest and best to be done—but I was pitying—I was thinking——"
"Whom were you pitying?—Of what was my Ellen thinking?" [Pg 100]
"Pitying a woman, who, having once possessed your love, lost it so entirely, as to render her very name unpleasant to you. Thinking—ah, heaven!—thinking—should such ever be my lot!"
She paused, struggling with a sudden gush of tears, and sobs which almost choaked her. ”

“ Nay, I will tell Lady St. Aubyn, she looks all softness and sensibility: but you are so wicked, you make a jest of every thing. Do you know, my dearest [Pg 12] Lady St. Aubyn, just as poor Mrs. Dawkins was coming to make you a visit, this morning, nay, she was actually dressed, and had one foot on the step of the carriage, I was in it, for she was so kind as to say she would bring me; so I thought, as I was to come with her, I need not put on a pelisse, or shawl, for you know they spoil one's dress. ”

“ Birtley, having been drawn to the window by seeing such an elegant equipage stop at her door, caught a glimpse of her as the footman opened the door of the chariot for Jane to alight, came to the side of the carriage, and with civility asked her if she would not walk in. Ellen, feeling more and more the absurdity of which she had been guilty in coming to the door of a woman who she knew entertained of her a doubtful opinion, and to whom she could not explain herself, coldly declined the offer ”

“ Aubyn?"
"No," replied Ellen: "Lord St. Aubyn had one offered to him, but as it is so late in the season, and our stay in town will not be long, I begged him to decline it."
Lady Meredith here exchanged a smile of contempt with the officer, which seemed to say "how rustic that is!" then half yawning she said:—
"Oh, but indeed that was very wrong: what can a woman of fashion do without [Pg 87] a box at the Opera? I am sure, from all I have heard of the former Lady St. Aubyn, for I had not the honour of knowing her, she would not have lived a month in London without one." ”

“ It is impossible for language to do justice to the perfect innocence and artlessness with which she spoke: she seemed [Pg 25] to think her own wonderful attainments no more extraordinary than other girls do of being able to read a newspaper, or work a handkerchief: not a trace of affectation or pedantry was visible in her manner: she had a childishness of voice and tone that singularly contrasted with the subjects on which she spoke; for Laura, willing to let Ellen see what a wonderful creature she was, led her to speak of astronomy ”

“ Miranda go to [Pg 91] pretty, sweet, beautiful lady;" and she went to Ellen, who, admiring the lovely little creature, kissed her, and indulged her by putting the shining ornaments round her little fair neck and arms, and twisting some in the ringlets of her glossy hair.
"Now I beautiful," said the child, looking at herself. "Is not Miranda pretty now, mamma?"
"Yes, my love, beautiful as an angel: come and kiss me, my darling."
The child, climbing up the load of cushions, laid her sweet little face close to her mother's and kissed her.
"Is not she a beauty and a love?" ”

“ The Colonel coloured, laughed, and bowed.
"Nay," said the old lady, "if you choose to apply the character to yourself, with all my heart, settle it as you please; but, I suppose, all red coats are not mere coxcombs."
Lady Meredith and the Colonel laughed, but did not appear entirely pleased even with this half apology.
"Well, but," said Lady Meredith, "what, Ma'am, would you have me do with Miranda? Can I prevent the child [Pg 94] from observing that beauty is universally admired?"
"That," said Colonel Lenox, with a bow, "would indeed be impossible while with you." ”

“ Some of the gentlemen, who by this time surrounded them, knowing Charles, said to him: "Come away, Ross; you are very wrong: at any rate, this quarrel shall go no farther."
At this moment St. Aubyn, having placed his aunt in the carriage, wondering at Ellen's delay, returned to seek [Pg 132] her; and astonished at what he beheld, exclaimed:
"For heaven's sake, what is the matter? My love, what makes you look so pale? Has any one dared to insult you?" ”

“ St. Aubyn, charmed with the lovely little creature, and to see its mother safe, appeared as if he had no wish ungratified, and left no tender attention unpaid which might ensure his Ellen's health and comfort. As she approached towards convalescence, Laura Cecil was her constant and most delightful companion, and well knew how to cheer and adorn the [Pg 212] hours which were necessarily given to the quietude of her own apartments. The infant was rather delicate though healthy; but safe in its mother's fostering cares it strengthened every day, without those cares——
Ah! ”

“ No, my only darling, thou shalt never leave me."
"Pshaw!" exclaimed the old lady, with even encreasing sourness; "well, if fashion absolutely demands this extraordinary degree of tenderness, for very good mothers have sent their children to school before now, at least, do get the child a rational and sensible governess, and let her employ herself in something better than admiring your jewels, or even your beauty, all the morning.—Ah! I wish," said she, [Pg 95] turning abruptly to Ellen, "I wish she had such an instructress as your Miss Cecil." ”