On the same night that Sybil was encountering so many dangers, thesaloons of Deloraine House blazed with a thousand lights to welcomethe world of power and fashion to a festival of almost unprecedentedmagnificence. Fronting a royal park, its long lines of illumined windowsand the bursts of gay and fantastic music that floated from its wallsattracted the admiration and curiosity of another party that wasassembled in the same fashionable quarter, beneath a canopy not lessbright and reclining on a couch scarcely less luxurious, for they werelit by the stars and reposed upon the grass.
"I say, Jim," said a young genius of fourteen stretching himself uponthe turf, "I pity them ere jarvies a sitting on their boxes all thenight and waiting for the nobs what is dancing. They as no repose."
"But they as porter," replied his friend, a sedater spirit with theadvantage of an additional year or two of experience. "They takes theirpot of half-and-half by turns, and if their name is called, the linkwhat they subscribe for to pay, sings out 'here;' and that's the waytheir guvners is done."
"I think I should like to be a link Jim," said the young one.
"I wish you may get it," was the response: "it's the next best thing toa crossing: it's what every one looks to when he enters public life, buthe soon finds 'taint to be done without a deal of interest. They keepsit to themselves, and never lets any one in unless he makes himself verytroublesome and gets up a party agin 'em."
"I wonder what the nobs has for supper," said the young one pensively."Lots of kidneys I dare say."
"Oh! no; sweets is the time of day in these here blowouts: syllabubslike blazes, and snapdragon as makes the flunkys quite pale."
"I would thank you, sir, not to tread upon this child," said a widow.She had three others with her, slumbering around, and this was theyoungest wrapt in her only shawl.
"Madam," replied the person whom she addressed, in tolerable English,but with a marked accent, "I have bivouacked in many lands, but neverwith so young a comrade: I beg you a thousand pardons."
"Sir, you are very polite. These warm nights are a great blessing, but Iam sure I know not what we shall do in the fall of the leaf."
"Take no thought of the morrow," said the foreigner, who was a Pole; hadserved as a boy beneath the suns of the Peninsula under Soult and foughtagainst Diebitsch on the banks of the icy Vistula. "It brings manychanges." And arranging the cloak which he had taken that day out ofpawn around him, he delivered himself up to sleep with that facilitywhich is not uncommon among soldiers.
Here broke out a brawl: two girls began fighting and blaspheming; a manimmediately came up, chastised and separated them. "I am the Lord Mayorof the night," he said, "and I will have no row here. 'Tis the like ofyou that makes the beaks threaten to expel us from our lodgings." Hisauthority seemed generally recognized, the girls were quiet, but theyhad disturbed a sleeping man, who roused himself, looked around him andsaid with a scared look, "Where am I? What's all this?"
"Oh! it's nothin'," said the elder of the two lads we first noticed,"only a couple of unfortinate gals who've prigged a watch from acove what was lushy and fell asleep under the trees between this andKinsington."
"I wish they had not waked me," said the man, "I walked as far as fromStokenchurch, and that's a matter of forty miles, this morning to seeif I could get some work, and went to bed here without any supper. I'mblessed if I worn't dreaming of a roast leg of pork."
"It has not been a lucky day for me," rejoined the lad, "I could notfind a single gentleman's horse to hold, so help me, except one what wasat the House of Commons, and he kept me there two mortal hours and saidwhen he came out, that he would remember me next time. I ain't tasted nowittals to-day except some cat's-meat and a cold potatoe what was givenme by a cabman; but I have got a quid here, and if you are very low I'llgive you half."
In the meantime Lord Valentine and the Princess Stephanie of Eurasbergwith some companions worthy of such a pair, were dancing a new Mazurkabefore the admiring assembly at Deloraine House. The ball was in thestatue gallery illumined on this night in the Russian fashion, whichwhile it diffused a brilliant light throughout the beautiful chamber,was peculiarly adapted to develop the contour of the marble forms ofgrace and loveliness that were ranged around.
"Where is Arabella?" enquired Lord Marney of his mother, "I want topresent young Huntingford to her. He can be of great use to me, but hebores me so, I cannot talk to him. I want to present him to Arabella."
"Arabella is in the blue drawing-room. I saw her just now with Mr Jermynand Charles. Count Soudriaffsky is teaching them some Russian tricks."
"What are Russian tricks to me; she must talk to young Huntingford;everything depends on his working with me against the Cut-and-Come-againbranch-line; they have refused me my compensation, and I am not going tohave my estate cut up into ribbons without compensation."
"My dear Lady Deloraine," said Lady de Mowbray. "How beautiful yourgallery looks to-night! Certainly there is nothing in London that lightsup so well."
"Its greatest ornaments are its guests. I am charmed to see Lady Joanlooking so well."
"You think so?"
"Indeed."
"I wish--" and here Lady de Mowbray gave a smiling sigh. "What do youthink of Mr Mountchesney?"
"He is universally admired."
"So every one says, and yet--"
"Well what do you think of the Dashville, Fitz?" said Mr Berners to LordFitzheron, "I saw you dancing with her."
"I can't bear her: she sets up to be natural and is only rude; mistakesinsolence for innocence; says everything which comes first to her lipsand thinks she is gay when she is only giddy."
"'Tis brilliant," said Lady Joan to Mr Mountchesney.
"When you are here," he murmured.
"And yet a ball in a gallery of art is not in my opinion in good taste.The associations which are suggested by sculpture are not festive.Repose is the characteristic of sculpture. Do not you think so?"
"Decidedly," said Mr Mountchesney. "We danced in the gallery at Matfieldthis Christmas, and I thought all the time that a gallery is not theplace for a ball; it is too long and too narrow."
Lady Joan looked at him, and her lip rather curled.
"I wonder if Valentine has sold that bay cob of his," said Lord Milfordto Lord Eugene de Vere.
"I wonder," said Lord Eugene.
"I wish you would ask him, Eugene," said Lord Milford, "you understand,I don't want him to know I want it."
"'Tis such a bore to ask questions," said Lord Eugene.
"Shall we carry Chichester?" asked Lady Firebrace of Lady St Julians.
"Oh! do not speak to me ever again of the House of Commons," she repliedin a tone of affected despair. "What use is winning our way by units?It may take years. Lord Protocol says that 'one is enough.' That Jamaicaaffair has really ended by greatly strengthening them."
"I do not despair," said Lady Firebrace. "The unequivocal adhesion ofthe Duke of Fitz-Aquitaine is a great thing. It gives us the northerndivision at a dissolution."
"That is to say in five years, my dear Lady Firebrace. The country willbe ruined before that."
"We shall see. Is it a settled thing between Lady Joan and MrMountchesney?"
"Not the slightest foundation. Lady Joan is a most sensible girl, aswell as a most charming person and my dear friend. She is not in ahurry to marry, and quite right. If indeed Frederick were a little moresteady--but nothing shall ever induce me to consent to his marrying her,unless I thought he was worthy of her."
"You are such a good mother," exclaimed Lady Firebrace, "and such a goodfriend! I am glad to hear it is not true about Mr Mountchesney."
"If you could only help me, my dear Lady Firebrace, to put an end tothat affair between Frederick and Lady Wallington. It is so silly, andgetting talked about; and in his heart too he really loves Lady Joan;only he is scarcely aware of it himself."
"We must manage it," said Lady Firebrace, with a look of encouragingmystery.
"Do, my dear creature; speak to him; he is
very much guided by youropinion. Tell him everybody is laughing at him, and any other littlething that occurs to you."
"I will come directly," said Lady Marney to her husband, "only let mesee this."
"Well, I will bring Huntingford here. Mind you speak to him a greatdeal; take his arm, and go down to supper with him if you can. He is avery nice sensible young fellow, and you will like him very much I amsure; a little shy at first, but he only wants bringing out."
A dexterous description of one of the most unlicked and unlickable cubsthat ever entered society with forty thousand a year; courted by all,and with just that degree of cunning that made him suspicious of everyattention.
"This dreadful Lord Huntingford!" said Lady Marney.
"Jermyn and I will intefere," said Egremont, "and help you."
"No, no," said Lady Marney shaking her head, "I must do it."
At this moment, a groom of the chambers advanced and drew Egremontaside, saying in a low tone, "Your servant, Mr Egremont, is here andwishes to see you instantly."
"My servant! Instantly! What the deuce can be the matter? I hope theAlbany is not on fire," and he quitted the room.
In the outer hall, amid a crowd of footmen, Egremont recognized hisvalet who immediately came forward.
"A porter has brought this letter, sir, and I thought it best to come onwith it at once."
The letter directed to Egremont, bore also on its superscription thesewords. "This letter must be instantly carried by the bearer to MrEgremont wherever he may be."
Egremont with some change of countenance drew aside, and opening theletter read it by a lamp at hand. It must have been very brief; but theface of him to whom it was addressed became, as he perused its lines,greatly agitated. When he had finished reading it, he seemed for amoment lost in profound thought; then looking up he dismissed hisservant without instructions, and hastening back to the assembly, heenquired of the groom of the chambers whether Lord John Russell, whom hehad observed in the course of the evening, was still present; and he wasanswered in the affirmative.
About a quarter of an hour after this incident, Lady Firebrace said toLady St Julians in a tone of mysterious alarm. "Do you see that?"
"No! what?"
"Do not look as if you observed them: Lord John and Mr Egremont, inthe furthest window, they have been there these ten minutes in the mostearnest conversation. I am afraid we have lost him."
"I have always been expecting it," said Lady St Julians. "He breakfastswith that Mr Trenchard and does all those sorts of things. Men whobreakfast out are generally liberals. Have not you observed that? Iwonder why?"
"It shows a restless revolutionary mind," said Lady Firebrace, "that cansettle to nothing; but must be running after gossip the moment they areawake."
"Yes," said Lady St Julians. "I think those men who breakfast out or whogive breakfasts are generally dangerous characters; at least, I wouldnot trust them. The whigs are very fond of that sort of thing. If MrEgremont joins them, I really do not see what shadow of a claim LadyDeloraine can urge to have anything."
"She only wants one thing," said Lady Firebrace, "and we know she cannothave that."
"Why?"
"Because Lady St Julians will have it."
"You are too kind," with many smiles.
"No, I assure you Lord Masque told me that her Majesty--" and here LadyFirehrace whispered.
"Well," said Lady St Julians evidently much gratified, "I do not think Iam one who am likely to forget my friends."
"That I am sure you are not!" said Lady Firebrace.
Book 5 Chapter 8