Lady Scott

“ Lady Florence, who had early in life been married to a man whom she had never loved, and whose understanding and character she could not respect, had every allurement, every charm to captivate, except that of innocence. Such a deficiency one might have hoped would have preserved a refined mind like that 33of Fitzhenry’s from her chains; but, under the influence of passion, artfully excited, and the example of the society in which he lived, he fell completely into the snare purposely laid for him, and became the slave of an artful, bewitching, and violent woman. ”

“ In short, she was again and again enjoined to consult only her own happiness and enjoyment in every thing: kind words in the mouth of any other husband; but, producing the painful conviction of her loneliness, they brought but tears into Emmeline’s eyes, when hastily pronounced by Fitzhenry, with his hand on the lock of the door, in order that he might leave her the instant they were uttered, and so escape the possibility of thanks or comment. ”

“ Fitzhenry wanted neither decision nor character. During their melancholy journey to Arlingford Hall, he had sufficiently surmounted his agitation to have decided on his conduct. He resolved to tell all to Emmeline, to let her fully enjoy the honours, the worldly advantages of the situation he thought she had in her union with him sought; to assure her he would ever endeavour to make her happy, but that she must never hope for his affections. ”

“ Benson shook her head mournfully. “God grant it indeed prove a happy day! may our beloved child be so!” and she sighed deeply.
“Why, how can you doubt she will?” said her husband; “she has every thing this world can give; rank!” (and he laid a great stress on that word,) “riches, youth; and, for a husband, a most excellent and accomplished young man, of whom every one speaks well. None of your gamblers, jockies, spendthrifts. I am sure Emmeline and ourselves are the envy of all our acquaintance. Any one might be pleased and proud to see his daughter so well married.” ”

“ For Emmeline’s heart was as yet comparatively free; an all-engrossing passion had not yet destroyed 101its happy tranquillity, and a gay, joyous laugh often showed the innocent lightness of that heart. Once, from the other end of the dinner-table, she found Lord Fitzhenry’s eyes fixed upon her, but whether it was surprise at the part she was able to take in conversation, or displeasure, perhaps even disgust, at the gaiety which had thus attracted his attention towards her, she knew not. ”

“ Emmeline looked up and smiled, to show in what good part she took what was so kindly meant.
“You are very young, my dear Lady Fitzhenry,” continued he; “very new to the world, and your own character is naturally so open, so natural,—that you are perhaps too artless. Some part we almost all must, to a degree, act in this world. We are all sometimes obliged to put a mask on our features and feelings. You know I am a diplomate by profession,” said Pelham, endeavouring to give a light turn to his advice, seeing how much at the moment his thin skinned auditor needed the mask he talked of. ”

“ Benson filled his glass to a bumper. Emmeline, who observed the smile on his face as he deliberately poured in the wine, dreaded what was coming. “I am an old fashioned old man,” said Mr. Benson, “and I love all old customs, so I must beg leave to propose a toast—My Lord and Lady Fitzhenry,” said he, bowing to them exultingly, “and may they, and may I, see many happy returns of the nineteenth of August.” ”

“ How strongly do such trifles sometimes affect us, and give us a deceitful feeling of their presence!
Lady Saville had opened the door into Fitzhenry’s room, and Emmeline had gone in with the rest, when luckily, after Miss Selina had expressed her astonishment at Lord Fitzhenry’s sleeping in the little couch bed, and had enquired of Lady Saville whether it was not very droll—a book of French caricatures attracted and fixed the attention of the whole party, and Emmeline was thus left at liberty to look at every thing in the room, and indulge in her own reflections. ”

“ Many a time, did the blood rush into Emmeline’s cheek at the allusions he 99made to their late marriage, his railleries on the honey moon, and such common hackneyed subjects, which, trifling as they are, generally possess a power of pleasing where happiness really exists, but which to her and Lord Fitzhenry were torture. She turned all this off as well as she could; sometimes almost hating herself for having already become so artful. They thus got to the end of the first day of Lord Arlingford’s visit better than she had expected. ”

“ Two people no way connected can live under the same roof mutually cold and careless, and still be perfectly good friends, for the one will think so little about the other, that, when thrown together by chance, their manners will wear the ease of indifference. But between Fitzhenry and Emmeline, this was impossible. ”

“ How little does the situation of a courted, fashionable girl, surrounded by partners and admirers, and thus at liberty to give herself every impertinent air, which a vain mind, and a selfish, unfeeling heart dictate, resemble that of the unobserved, disregarded being, who, night after night, follows some elderly, undistinguished chaperon through the regular round of London amusements, and, seated by her hour after hour in dull neglect, seems at last to become a part of the bench she rests on, till reduced, perhaps, to be even envious of its insensibility ”

“ Almost terrified at what she had done, when they met in the drawing-room before 187dinner, she looked anxiously at Fitzhenry’s handkerchief, but, when he turned towards the light, she had the satisfaction to see her own pin placed as usual, and, consequently, that he had not discovered her robbery.
To those who may be inclined to think the feelings of Emmeline on such a trifle exaggerated, we have only to say, that proving themselves never to have been in love we can no more attempt to speak to their feelings than to describe colours to a person born blind. ”

“ A true-bred Englishman would never have behaved with the civility of good breeding to a wife so forced upon him. He could never have thought it possible to have established any one in his house on the terms on which Emmeline was to be placed. But although Lord Fitzhenry looked upon the observance of English customs in a total retirement after marriage as particularly irksome, it never could make him wanting in respect, and even in kindness, to one of Emmeline’s sex. ”

“ With a pure guileless heart, and an unreproving conscience, poor Emmeline could not help fearing a quick observer of feelings in all the little daily occurrences of life.
The rest of the party that Fitzhenry had announced followed the day after. Lady Saville was what might be called agreeable in society, although more from possessing the polish and easy manner of the world, than from any decided talents or accomplishments. At first, she and her sister had, with the true impertinence of fine ladies, settled between them, that Emmeline could only be fit to laugh at ”

“ Emmeline now, nearly for the first 102time, heard herself called by her new name. Her husband, too, forced sometimes to designate and address her, called her “Lady Fitzhenry.” To hear oneself spoken to by a name so dear, that formerly one hardly dared pronounce it—to be thus reminded, each time, that we are indissolubly bound to that being we adore, is delightful. But in her husband’s mouth it was to poor Emmeline an insult. ”

“ Every thing conspired to overpower poor Emmeline: it was with difficulty she restrained her tears, and as soon as she could trust herself to walk, she left the room. But no Fitzhenry followed to ask an explanation of her conduct; and in darkness, and alone, she no longer endeavoured to stifle her feelings. Fitzhenry 194was evidently annoyed: there had been an expression of displeasure, of formal, almost ironical civility on his countenance, when forced to offer himself as her partner, that she had never seen before, and which penetrated her heart. ”

“ For, much as Emmeline might wish 90to propitiate her husband, and though even a little vanity and pique might enter into the feeling, yet she had no idea of any of the arts of coquetry, and if she now exerted all her powers of agreeableness, it was from the simple wish to make their present melancholy life pass as well as the awkward circumstances in which they were placed allowed. If she might hope in time to win her companion’s affections, she gave up, as perfectly hopeless, all attempts to captivate his imagination. ”

“ Misses are really sad nuisances in society, unless they sit quiet, and don’t trouble one; so take my advice Lady Fitzhenry. Good-nature is quite mauvais ton in London—it is a bad style to take up, and will never do. But it is impossible to sit still and moralize when Collinet is playing that waltz so delightfully; will you take a turn or two with me?”
“I will resign the honour to Miss 288Danvers,” said Emmeline, laughing—”and luckily she is just coming this way; so do the thing handsomely, and ask the poor girl, for she knows nobody here, and is dying to dance.” ”

“ Lady Saville immediately went up to him. “Oh, Lord Fitzhenry! do second me; for I am trying to persuade your capricious, perverse wife, to give some more parties; 259for she says they don’t repay her for the trouble; that they exhaust her, and that she will have no more. Now have they not been particularly agreeable? and does she not play the part of lady of the revels to perfection?”
Emmeline, who, on her husband’s entrance, had walked to the further end of the room, now began busying herself with a basket of flowers, forgetting that she could no longer have any excuse for the employment. ”

“ Benson, patting Emmeline’s cheek; “and happiness, and your good care of her, have given her such a colour, that I declare I think you must have already taught her to wear rouge, as your fine ladies do.” And Mr. Benson laughed heartily, in gaiety of heart, at his own wit. Alas! poor Emmeline’s colour was the flushed crimson of nervous agitation. Again Fitzhenry had recourse to looking out of the window at the horses and carriages, which luckily had not yet driven off.
“Ay, they are beautiful animals,” said Mr. Benson, following him; “bred here I believe; and then they are so well matched. ”

“ Lady Saville and Pelham remained the last.
“Well, my dear Lady Fitzhenry,” said the former, “I staid to the end purposely to congratulate you on the full success of your soirées; nothing could have gone off better than they have done; every one declares that nobody understands the matter so well as Lady Fitzhenry. I wonder where you learnt the art,” said she, as she looked, with a complimentary smile, into Emmeline’s face. On that face, tears were slowly, and almost unconsciously stealing 256down. “Good heavens! Lady Fitzhenry!” exclaimed Lady Saville, “what is the matter?” ”

“ Harassed and perplexed, Ernest at last took courage, and resolved to confess to 40his father the attachment he had formed abroad—his unalterable, violent, decided devotion to another. Lord Arlingford seemed breathless with anger and anxiety, and imperatively desired him to inform him who was the object of it.
Lord Fitzhenry cleared his voice, rose from his chair, paced the room, and twice, in vain, tried to speak; but at last making an effort, “she is a married woman,” he said, “Lady Florence Mostyn.” ”

“ Pelham came immediately and sat by her, evidently and purposely entering into conversation to save her from being an object of attention to the rest. The dancing went on; but Emmeline’s spirits were gone, and she took no more part in what passed around her that evening.
198“What capital fun we have had!” said Selina, as they all left the drawing-room for the night. “I am sure I could dance all day long: could not you, Lady Fitzhenry? Don’t you like dancing of all things? I am sure you must, you dance so well.” ”

“ Selina saw with mortification that nothing was to be hoped from Mr. Moore. 285But just then, a foppishly dressed young man, coming up and speaking to Emmeline, Selina’s spirits revived: she touched her arm, whispering, “Who is that? could you introduce me to him?” At first Emmeline paid no attention, but Selina’s pinches became so urgent, that she at last was obliged to say: “Lord William Vernon, will you allow me to introduce my friend, Miss Danvers, to you?” ”

“ Now, Fitzhenry, how do you defend all this?”
“I don’t pretend to defend him in any thing,” said Fitzhenry, very impatiently; “I only say, that persons with totally different feelings and characters cannot judge of each other. What would be keen suffering to one, might be none to another. I might answer you in the words of Madame de Staël—”Les gens mediocres ne cessent de s’étonner que le talent ait des besoins differens des leurs; and as for Lord Byron’s private history, neither you nor I have 228any business with it, or know any thing about it.” ”

“ Parliament met early this year, and Lord Fitzhenry signified his intention 234of being in town at its opening. The party at Arlingford, therefore, before long, dispersed different ways; and, with a heavy heart, Emmeline went to settle herself in Grosvenor-street. Young as she was, and disposed for gaiety as she had been but a few months past, she could, in her circumstances, only look to the world and to the routine of fashionable life in London with dismay. She would be thrown into a totally new society, where she had not a friend, scarcely an acquaintance. ”