"I thought not. I suspected that there was a tw-tw-tw.a.n.g in your English that looked foreign, but I know your face quite well."
The Duke bowed again.
"Pretty rooms, these," said Purvis, with his gla.s.s to his eye; "what a d-d-deal of money they must have cost! They "re going it fast, these Onslows."
"Indeed!" said the Prince, who only half understood the remark.
"I know it," said Scroope, with a confidential wink. "Their butcher se-se-serves us, and he won"t give anything till they have sent their orders; and as for wine, they drink Bordeaux in the servants" hall.
I don"t know what you have, but a d-d-deuced sight better than ever I get."
"Good wine, however, can be had here, I hope," said the Duke, blandly.
"Yes, if you sm-sm-smuggle it," said Scroope, with a knowing cackle; while, to add poignancy to the remark, he nudged the Prince with his elbow. "That"s the only way to have it. The st-stupid Government sees nothing."
"Is that the case, sir?" asked the Prince, with a degree of interest he had not manifested before.
"To be sure it is. My sister Zoe never pays duty on anything; and if you like your c-c-cigars cheap, just t-t-tell me, that "s all. The G-G-Grand-Duke never got a sixpence of my money yet, and if I kn-know myself, he never shall."
"Do you bear him any grudge, sir, that you say this so emphatically?"
"No; not at all. They tell me that he"s good-hearted, although somewhat we-weak in the a-a-attic story," and here Scroope tapped his forehead significantly, "but that "s in the family. My sister Zoe could tell you such st-stories about them you "d die of laughing; and then there "s Jekyl takes them off so well! It"s c-c-capital fun. He gives a dia-dia-dialogue between the Grand-Duke and the Pope"s Nuncio that"s better than a farce."
How far Mr. Purvis might have been carried in his zeal to be agreeable there is no saying, when Lady Hester came up, with Kate leaning on her arm.
"This gentleman claims acquaintance with you, Miss Dalton," said she, haughtily.
"Oh, to be sure, she knows me; and I have a letter from her her fa-father," said Purvis, drawing forth a packet like a postman"s.
"Miss Dalton would prefer being seated, sir," said Lady Hester, while she motioned towards another part of the room.
"Yes, yes, of course; we"ll find out a snug co-corner somewhere for a chat. Just take my arm, will you? Let us get away from all these great "Dons," with their stars and crosses." And, without waiting for Kate"s reply, he drew her arm within his own, and set out in that little shuffling trot which he always a.s.sumed when he fancied he had business on hand.
The ridicule of being a.s.sociated with such a companion would at any other moment have overwhelmed Kate Dalton with shame; but now, whether from the few words which Lady Hester had whispered in her ear, whether the fact of his unauthorized appearance, or whether it were the dread of some greater disgrace to follow, she actually felt a sense of relief in the continuous flow of twaddle which he kept up as they pa.s.sed down the room.
"Who was that smiled as we pa.s.sed?" asked he.
"Prince Midchekoff."
"Oh, that was he, was it? You must introduce me."
"Not now, pray, not now; at any other time," cried she, in perfect terror.
"Well, but don"t forget it. Zoe would never forgive me if I told her that I lost the op-op-opportunity; she wants to know him so very much."
"Of course, at another time," said Kate, hurrying him along with increasing speed.
"Who"s he?" asked Purvis, as a tall and stately personage bowed blandly to Kate.
"The Austrian Minister."
"Not the fellow that st-st-strangled the Emperor? Oh, I forgot; he was a Russian, wasn"t he? They got him down and ch-ch-choked him, ha, ha, ha!
There "s a man with a red moustache, so like the fellow who sells the boubou-bouquets at the Casciui."
"A Hungarian magnate," whispered Kate.
"Is he, though? Then let"s have another look at him. He has as many gold chains about him as a shop on the Ponte Vecchio. Zoe would like him, he "s so odd."
At last, but not without great efforts, Kate succeeded in reaching a small chamber, where two others already were seated, and whose figures were undistinguishable in the obscurity of a studiously shaded lamp.
"Isn"t it strange, she never asked for Zoe?" said Purvis, as he took his seat on a sofa; "not to inquire for a person sick under her own r-r-roof?"
"Lady Hester is not acquainted with Mrs. Ricketts."
"Well, but sh-sh-she ought to be. Zoe made a party for her, a d-d-d-iner party, and had Hagg-Haggerstone and Fogla.s.s, and the rest of them. And after all, you know, they are only b-bankers, these Onslows, and need n"t give themselves airs."
"You have a letter for me, Mr. Purvis? Will you pardon my impatience--"
"Yes, to be sure. I "ve a letter, and an enclosure in it, too; at least, it feels crisp like a note, a bank-note; that "s the reason you "re impatient. Perhaps the re-reremittance was long a-coming, eh?"
Kate made no reply to this speech, but her cheek grew scarlet as she heard it.
Purvis, meanwhile, spread his packet of papers before him, and began his search for Dalton"s letter.
"No, that ain"t it; that"s from Fogla.s.s, all about Norwood, and his N-N-Newmarket affair. That "s a letter from Lord Gullston"s valet, with such a droll ac-account of the whole family. Zoe recom-mended him; and the poor fellow "s very grateful, for he writes about all that goes on in the house. Lady G., it seems, has the temper of a f-f-fiend. Well, don"t be im-impatient; I"ll find your father"s letter in a minute. He writes such a cr-cr-cramp old hand, one should detect it at once. I ta-take it that he "s a bit of a character, the old gen-gentleman. I "m sure he is; but what have I done with his letter? Oh, here it is! here it is! and "with haste" written on the corner, too."
Kate caught the letter impatiently, and, without any thought for Purvis or the place, tore it open at once. In doing so, the enclosure fell to the ground without her perceiving it; and, stranger still, it escaped the attention of Purvis; but that worthy man, not exactly venturing to read over her shoulder, had established himself directly in front, where, with his double eye-gla.s.s, he scanned every change in her features during the perusal.
"All well at home, I hope, eh? How she changes color," muttered he to himself. "n.o.body ill; n.o.body dead, eh?" asked he, louder. "It must be something serious, though; she "s trembling like ague. Let me give you a chair, that is, if I can f-find one in this little den; they "ve got nothing but d-divans all round it." And he hurried forth into the larger salon in search of a seat.
It was not without considerable trouble to himself and inconvenience to various others that he at last succeeded, and returned to the boudoir with a ma.s.sive arm-chair in his hands. But what was his dismay to find that Miss Dalton had made her escape in the mean while? In vain did he seek her through the salons, which now were rapidly thinning; the distinguished guests having already departed.
A stray group lingered here and there, conversing in a low tone; and around the fires were gathered little knots of ladies m.u.f.fled and cloaked, and only waiting for the carriages. It was like a stage, when the performance was over. Scarcely deigning to notice the little man, who, with palpable keenness of scrutiny, pursued his search in every quarter, they gradually moved off, leaving Purvis alone to tread the "banquet-hall deserted." The servants, as they extinguished the lights, pa.s.sed and repa.s.sed him without remark; so that, defeated and disappointed, he was obliged at last to retire, sorrowfully confessing to his own heart how little success had attended his bold enterprise.
As he pa.s.sed along the galleries and descended the stairs, he made various little efforts to open a conversation with some one or other of the servants; but these dignified officials responded to his questions in the dryest and shortest manner; and it was only as he reached the great gate of the palace that he chanced upon one courteous enough to hear him to the end in his oft-repeated question of "Who was th-th-that with the large st-st-star on his breast, and a wh-wh-white beard?"
The porter stared at the speaker, and said respectfully, "The signor probably means the Archduke?"
"Not the Archduke Fr-Fr-Fr--"
"Yes, sir," said the man; and closed the heavy door after him, leaving Purvis in a state of astonishment, and as much shame as his nature permitted him to feel. Neither upon himself nor his sensations have we any intention to dwell; and leaving him to pursue his way homeward, we beg to return once more within those walls from which he had just taken his departure.
If Lady Hester"s grand company had gone, the business of the evening was by no means over; on the contrary, it was the hour of her night receptions, and now the accustomed guests of those favored precincts came dropping in from theatres, and operas, and late dinners. These men of pleasure looked jaded and tired, as usual; and, except the little tinkling sounds of Jekyl"s small treble, no other voice sounded as they walked along the corridors.
[Ill.u.s.tration: 426]
When they entered Lady Hester"s boudoir, they found that lady recounting to Midchekoff the whole circ.u.mstances of the morning"s adventure, a recital which she continued without other interruption than a smile or a nod, or a little gesture of the hand to each of the new arrivals as he came in. If the lady"s manner was devoid of all ceremony, that of the gentlemen was less ceremonious still; for they stretched themselves on divans, rested their legs upon chairs, and stood back to the fire, with a degree of careless ease that bespoke them thoroughly at home, Jekyl, perhaps, the only one present who mingled with this freedom a certain courteous respect that no familiarity made him ever forget.
"And they are still here?" asked the Prince. "Actually in the house at this moment?"