Lady Louisa

“ Lady, I love!—I love a maid of humble birth—Louisa Miller is her name, the daughter of a music-master. (LADY MILFORD turns away pale and greatly agitated.) I know into what an abyss I plunge myself; but, though prudence bids me conceal my passion, honor overpowers its precepts. I am the criminal—I first destroyed the golden calm of Louisa's innocence—I lulled her heart with aspiring hopes, and surrendered it, like a betrayer, a prey to the wildest of passions. ”

“ Clemence would fain accompany them to London, for her heart yearns over Louisa, and the very praise so lavishly bestowed upon Sir Mordaunt by Lady Selina excites misgivings in the step-mother’s breast. Prudential motives and other obstacles, however, prevent Clemence from accomplishing her wish.
We shall glance for a moment at Louisa, as she stands before a pier-glass in the drawing-room of her aunt, trying on her bridal veil and wreath of white orange-blossoms. A milliner is adjusting the spray which is to fall on the fair girl’s graceful neck. ”

“ Louisa. If you have the least sense of fear for yourself, or regard for me, I beg we may return to Lady Walton's.
Lady. No, no, I tell you I ordered William at the back gate, that he might conduct us through the paddock to our carriage; you know we might have been whole hours getting through the crowd the other way—do be a little patient, hav'n't I as much reason to be alarmed as yourself?
Louisa. Yes, but you have not the apprehension I have; I don't know why, but I am terrified beyond description. ”

“ Louisa readily complied with this advice, not only because she imagined it might be of service for the recovery of her health, but also as it furnished her with a pretence for leaving mrs. C----ge's house, to which she was determined to return no more as a boarder. The good woman with whom she had lodged at first recommended her to a friend of her's at Windsor, where she immediately went, and was very kindly received.
CHAP. IV.
Louisa becomes acquainted with a lady of quality, part of whose adventures are also related, and goes to travel with her. ”

“ Everything went on just as convention—whose mouth-piece for the moment happened to be Lady Ryder—desired; just as Louisa surmised that everything would; the letters of congratulations; the stately visits from and to Lord Radclyffe, Luke's uncle; the magnificent diamond tiara from the latter; the rope of pearls from Luke; the silver salvers and inkstands and enamel parasol handles from everybody who was anybody in London society. ”

“ But she had a sense of peace, a feeling that whatever happened she could endure. To herself it seemed that she had reached the andante passages in her symphony, after having lived through the scherzo, and she sighed and stretched herself in her new-found peace. Thank God she had some money. She would never be so driven for it as Bronson Alcott's girls out in Concord. Poor Louisa, just her age, washed and baked and sewed all day. She had even hired out as a servant and wrote feverishly in odd moments anything that would sell, it hardly mattered what. ”

“ Palmer observed; a duchess might delight in it; every thing is so clean without, and so good within: such beautiful carpets and rugs to match! such handsome chiffoniers, and elegant books! it does one good to look at them; and Louisa herself, the prettiest thing of all; her bright hair in bands, and altogether such a sweet coiffure! How very lovely she is!"
"And how good!" chimed in Helen; "she understands the necessity for care, and the duties of a wife, and she does so love her husband—you can't think!" ”

“ Those who have all their lives been accustomed to a cheerful and happy home, can scarcely understand the extent to which domestic tyranny is sometimes carried. But for her sister's affection, Louisa's life would have been unbearable. To hear Lady Anne's expressions, a stranger would have supposed that her daughter had committed some disgraceful act, whose very mention ought to be reprobated. To these reproaches Lady Penrhyn added her sneers, and Lord Casilda his attentions, till Louisa began to think that run away she must in her own defence. ”

“ The place could not be made endurable by fifty such people, much less two—both poets and both radicals—no, no, the stain is indelible; but, where people have no mark, they soon become forgotten. Louisa has consigned herself to oblivion, so I shall not vex myself with thinking of her. ”

“ If Louisa did not know the ways of good society, Miss Fidelia knew as little about the ways of the world in which she was now living, and Louisa was often of great use to her in that respect. A disagreeable thing happened to the young lady about this time. Her father had sent for a beautiful new chess from Schwerin for a birthday-present for her; Alberta gave her a summer-hat, and Bertha, a shawl. ”

“ Lady Penrhyn was telling me last night that you had a very fair chance of Lord Casilda."
"A man old enough to be my grandfather," cried Louisa; "I must tell you once for all, I will marry no one but Charles Penrhyn; we will wait any time that you may think proper, if——."
"You may wait for ever," interrupted Lady Anne. "I will shut you up on bread and water, rather than that you should marry him. I am sure never had any body such wicked and undutiful children."
This was too much. Louisa burst into tears, and left the room. ”

“ G. H. came to the H.'s. Didn't like her as well as Miss H.; too sharp and full of herself; insisted on talking about religion with Emerson, who glided away from the subject so sweetly, yet resolutely, that the energetic lady gave it up at last.
[1877.–Short-sighted Louisa! Little did you dream that this same Roberts Bros. were to help you to make your fortune a few years later. The "Sketches" never made much money, but showed me "my style," and taking the hint, I went where glory waited me.–L. M. A.]
July. ”

“ She tried it with the Duchess of Beltshire and Lady Skiddaw, and they fled. I've done my best to make her see her mistake—I've said to her again and again: 'Just let yourself go, Louisa'; but she keeps up the humbug even with me—I believe she keeps on being queenly in her own room, with the door shut.
"The worst of it is," Mrs. ”

“ It was, certainly, better that Louisa should have found a home with people of character, though such people, than have been taken by Charles Penrhyn to a lodging-house. Her daughter had, at least, shown a sense of propriety which would establish her mother's character as a woman who had inculcated the strictest decorum. ”

“ Never was house so admired and praised as Louisa's, and never husband so lauded as hers, when her emotion had passed by, and her tongue resumed its function; and if she could have given just such a partner, such a house, and such prospects as her own to each sister, she would have been satisfied that the world contained no other being so happy, save Isabella, who, in helping all, had a right to be happier than any. ”

“ But even if you do, the chances are greatly against you. The first impression, which is of the greatest importance, will be gone off—very likely he may be taken up with some one else." Louisa secretly wished that he might.
"Besides, in Brighton he saw you every day; in London you can only meet now and then. If any one desirable comes in the way, the chance of Sir Henry must not be allowed to interfere. I would therefore advise you, Louisa, not to think much about him." Louisa could very safely promise that she would not. ”

“ Clara was saying, with an air of great satisfaction.
"She does look like a fashionable young lady, but somehow I miss my little Rose, for children dressed like children in my day," answered Aunt Plenty, peering through her glasses with a troubled look, for she could not imagine the creature before her ever sitting in her lap, running to wait upon her, or making the house gay with a child's blithe presence.
"Things have changed since your day, Aunt, and it takes time to get used to new ways. But you, Jessie, surely like this costume better than the dowdy things Rose has been wearing all summer. ”

“ We are not like you, expecting a husband at dinner-time, who will sit with us all the evening."
"Well, my love, that is all very true," replied Louisa, colouring with the consciousness of being a great monopolist; "but I cannot help fearing more pain will arise to you eventually than the pleasure is worth; and I trust, that when mamma has once received us, she will allow you to come here frequently, as you are not afraid of a long walk; and if she cannot spare the page to attend you, I can send William, and dear Charles himself can drive you home in his cab ”

“ Every day Mary felt more and more disinclined to exertion, and Louisa had a heart filled with those sweet fancies, over which we delight to muse alone. She was expecting just a few lines of welcome—one of those letters which we are fain to read by ourselves, and whose charm belongs to the loveliest dream that haunts even youth.
Helen, Georgiana, and Isabella, soon crossed the street, ran up stairs, without waiting to be announced, and found themselves in Mrs. Palmer's drawing room. ”

“ She helps her mother to perform the sacred duty of placing a tablet on Colonel May's grave, and the dear old lady recognizes that her life has gone down into the past, and says, "This isn't my Boston, and I never want to see it any more." 266
Louisa was at this time engaged in writing for "St. Nicholas" and "The Independent."
The return of the young artist, happy in her success, brings brightness to the home-circle. In the winter of 1875 Miss Alcott takes her old place at the Bellevue, where May can have her drawing-classes. She was herself ill, and the words, "No sleep without morphine!" ”

“ Russell’s concern I can say nothing more than that he professes a great desire (the which I do not at all doubt) that he and every one else has to gain one who is so desirable in all respects.’
Desirable indeed, for Lady Vaughan was young, beautiful, intellectual, wealthy, of a most gentle and loving disposition, and possessing a fund of unassuming piety. There was no disparity in the marriage, for William Russell was her equal, we might almost say her counterpart, with the exception of fortune, he being a second son at the time of his marriage. ”

“ It is scarcely necessary to add, that Lady Anne was so very obliging as to stay and partake the scalloped oysters and negus of her neighbours; but it is, so to say, that Mrs. Palmer, although the most artless of human beings, in the exercise of a sound understanding and a kind heart, so wound round the self-love of the offended mother, that she obtained Louisa's forgiveness, a promise of receiving herself and husband the following week, and a permission that they should consider the projected entertainment as the medium of presenting them to the world in a respectable point of view. ”

“ Webster would offer to have the wedding breakfast at the Court. It was almost certain that as Dixon was coachman, he would have the loan of the carriage; and she would be driven to the church that day for all the world just like a lady, and half the village would turn out to see her married. And then Tom's large, reproachful eyes, with their expression of dumb pain, stared at her out of the brilliant picture which her imagination conjured. Poor Tom! ”

“ "Nicely, thank you, Mr. Laurence. But I am not Miss March, I'm only Jo," returned the young lady.
"I'm not Mr. Laurence, I'm only Laurie."
"Laurie Laurence, what an odd name."
"My first name is Theodore, but I don't like it, for the fellows called me Dora, so I made them say Laurie instead."
"I hate my name, too, so sentimental! I wish every one would say Jo instead of Josephine. How did you make the boys stop calling you Dora?"
"I thrashed 'em."
"I can't thrash Aunt March, so I suppose I shall have to bear it." And Jo resigned herself with a sigh. ”

“ Oh, don't I wish I could manage things for you as I do for my heroines! You're pretty enough and good enough already, so I'd have some rich relation leave you a fortune unexpectedly. Then you'd dash out as an heiress, scorn everyone who has slighted you, go abroad, and come home my Lady Something in a blaze of splendor and elegance." ”

“ Penrhyn, aware that she should not see Helen again until that hour when she would be called in the morning, and which in her kindness she would make a late one.
Our evils are not unfrequently attended with good. Louisa did not appear to need the lesson, for she was a happy wife, and an excellent one; but the close observation of what her sisters had to go through at this time (when Lady Anne's ambition and exhilaration caused her to appear to strangers, despite her sad state, a most charming person) made her own home appear a perfect paradise, and her husband a beneficent angel. ”

“ Surely never was one young maiden made the centre of so many matrimonial speculations as the Lady Arabella. All kinds of husbands, of all countries, grades, religions, and ages, were selected for her; plots and schemes for the aggrandisement of the plotters, laid, while the unconscious object was still playing with the doll we saw at Hardwicke Hall. ”

“ Watching passing events, he soon made up his mind, that it was impossible to rise without the help of the all-powerful Buckingham. Fortunately for our wary Welshman, an opportunity soon offered to ingratiate himself into the Duke’s good books. The handsome courtier was a suitor for the hand of the beautiful heiress, Lady Catherine Manners, but her father, the Earl of Rutland, considered Buckingham ‘an upstart,’ and the lady was a strict Roman Catholic, and moreover much scandalised by her lover’s reputation as a man of gallantry. ”