"I have lost _my_ heart already."
"By Jove! won"t she make a noise in the gay world!"
"The beauty of the season."
"A prize, independent of her large for tune!"
"And doubly a prize with."
And thus the men prated of her among themselves.
The excitement at length subsided; and favoured by the obscurity of my situation, I could watch at a distance all her movements, and never tire of gazing upon that beaming face.
By some strange coincidence, I could hardly think it purely accidental, Mrs. Hepburn and her niece came up to the table upon which I was leaning.
I rose up in confusion, wondering if they would recognize me, and offered the elder lady my chair.
In my hurry and agitation, the portfolio fell from my hand, and the fine prints were scattered over the floor and table.
A general laugh arose at my expense; I felt annoyed, but laughed as loudly as the rest. Miss Lee, very good-naturedly a.s.sisted me in restoring the prints to their place, then looking earnestly in my face for a few seconds, she said--"Surely, I am not deceived--you are the gentleman who rescued me from that frightful situation in Oxford Street."
"The same," said I, with a smile.
"How delighted I am to meet you once more," she exclaimed, giving me her hand, and warmly shaking mine; "I was afraid that I should never see you again. And your name--you must tell me your name."
"Geoffrey Moncton. But, Miss Lee, do not distress me by thinking so much of a trifling service, which gave me so much pleasure."
"Trifling! do you call it? Sir, you saved my life, and I never can forget the debt of grat.i.tude I owe you. Aunt," turning to Mrs. Hepburn, "do you remember this gentleman? How often we have talked that adventure over, and wondered who my preserver was. It is such a pleasure to see him here."
The old lady, though not quite so eloquent as her niece, was kind enough in her way. Wishing to change the subject, I asked Miss Lee if she drew?
"A little."
"Let us examine these beautiful prints," said I.
I gave her a chair, and leant over her. My heart fluttered with delight. I forgot my recent mortification. I was near her, and, in the rapture of the moment, could have defied the malice of the whole world.
"I am no judge of the merits or demerits of a picture," she said, in her sweet, gentle voice. "I know what pleases me, and suffer my heart to decide for my head."
"That is exactly my case, Miss Lee. A picture to interest me, must produce the same effect upon my mind as if the object represented was really there. This is the reason, perhaps, why I feel less pleasure in examining those pictures by the ancient masters, though portrayed with matchless skill, which represent the heathen deities. With Jupiter, Mars and Venus, I can feel little sympathy, while the truthful and spirited delineations of Wilkie and Gainsborough, which have beep familiar from childhood, strike home to the heart."
Before Miss Lee could reply, Theophilus Moncton walked to the table at which we were talking. He stared at me, without deigning a word of recognition, and shook hands cordially with Miss Lee and her aunt.
"Happy to see you here, Catherine--was afraid you would be too much fatigued, after dancing all night, to give us a look in this evening.
Been admiring my prints? Splendid collection, ain"t they? By-the-by, Mr. Geoffrey, I would thank you to be more careful in handling them.
Persons unaccustomed to fine drawings, are apt to injure them by rough treatment."
A contemptuous glance was my reply, which was returned by a sidelong withering glare of hate.
"That picture, on the opposite side of the room," continued my tormentor, anxious to divert Miss Lee"s attention from me, "is a fine portrait, by Sir Thomas Lawrence. You are an admirer of his style; let us examine the picture nearer; I want to have your opinion of it."
They crossed the room. In a few seconds, a large group gathered before the picture of which Theophilus and Miss Lee formed the nucleus, and half a dozen wax-lights were held up to exhibit it to the best advantage.
Theophilus was eloquent in praising Lawrence"s style of painting, and entertained the company with an elaborate detail of all the celebrated paintings he had seen abroad; the studios he had visited, and the distinguished artists he had patronized. He could talk well, when he pleased, on any subject, and possessed considerable talent and taste for the arts; yet, I thought him more egotistical and affected than usual, when standing beside the simple and graceful Catherine Lee.
She listened to him with politeness, until the gratuitous lecture came to an end, and then quietly resumed her seat at the table by me, with whom she entered into a lively conversation.
The swarthy glow of indignation mounted to my cousin"s wan face. He drew back, and muttered something inaudibly between his shut teeth, while I secretly enjoyed his chagrin. When supper was announced I had the honour of conducting Miss Lee down stairs, leaving my cousin to take charge of the elder lady. Nor did my triumph end here. Catherine insisted on taking a seat at the lower end of the table, and I found myself once more placed by her side.
"I do detest upper seats at feasts," said she; "it exposes you to observation, while in our pleasant obscurity we can enjoy a little friendly chat. I never could understand why so many ladies quarrel so much about taking precedence of each other."
"It is only ambition in a small way," said I.
"Very small, indeed," she continued, laughing. "But tell me, why you were not at Mrs. Wilton"s large party last night?"
"Simply, because I was not invited."
"The Monctons were there, father and son. But, perhaps you mix very little in the gaieties of the town."
"Since Theophilus returned, I have been very little from home; and have become a mere cipher with my old friends. A few weeks ago, these Wilton"s courted my acquaintance, and the young men vied with each other, in paying me attention. To-night, we met as perfect strangers.
To me, the change is unaccountable. I am, however, a perfect novice in the ways of the world. Such examples of selfish meanness often repeated will render me a misanthrope."
"You must not condemn all, because you have experienced the unmerited neglect of a few," said Catherine. "Selfish, interested people are found in every community. It is a maxim with me, never to judge the ma.s.s by individuals. Many of the persons we meet with in the world do not live entirely for it, and are incapable of the conduct you deplore.
I have met with warm hearts and kind friends amid the gay scenes you condemn--young people, who like myself, are compelled by circ.u.mstances to mingle in society, while their thoughts and affections are far away."
"You have never experienced the frowns of the world," said I; "I can scarcely allow you to be a competent judge."
"I am prepared to meet them," she replied, quickly--then stopped--and sighed deeply. I looked up inquiringly.
The expression of her fine face was changed from a cheerful to a pensive cast. It was not actual sorrow which threw a shade over her clear brow, but she looked as if she had encountered some unexpected misfortune, and was prepared to meet it with resignation. She pa.s.sed her small white hand slowly across her forehead, and I thought I saw tears trembling in her eyes. My interest was deeply excited, and I loved her better for having suffered. I redoubled my attentions, and before the company rose from table, I fancied that she no longer regarded me with indifference.
From this happy dream, I too soon awoke to an agonizing consciousness of my own insignificance. A Counsellor Sabine, who had been conversing with my uncle during the greater part of the evening, beckoned me over to a distant part of the room, and I reluctantly obeyed the summons. He wanted me to settle a dispute between him and Mr. Moncton, relative to some papers, which he said had been entrusted to my care.
My place by Catherine Lee"s side was instantly filled by Theophilus.
Mrs. Hepburn, Catherine"s aunt, asked him in a low voice, which, occupied as I was with other matters, did not fail to reach my ears, who I was, and the station I held in society, and ended her remarks by pa.s.sing sundry encomiums on my person and accomplishments.
"_Accomplishments!_" repeated Theophilus, with a sneer. "I know not how he should be accomplished, Mrs. Hepburn. He is a poor clerk in my father"s office; and as to his standing in society, that is something new to me. He is a natural son of my uncle Edward"s, whom my father adopted into the family, and brought him up out of charity. I was surprised at him, an uninvited guest, daring to address his conversation to Miss Lee."
It was well for the dastard, that he was protected by the presence of ladies, and beyond the reach of my arm, or I certainly should have committed an act of violence.
I restrained my indignation, however, and appeared outwardly calm--received some instructions from the counsellor and noted them down with stoical precision. My hand did not tremble, my pa.s.sion was too terrible for trifling demonstrations. I think I could have put a pistol to his head, and seen him bleeding at my feet, without feeling one pang of remorse.
Miss Lee"s carriage was announced. I roused myself from a dream of vengeance, and offered my arm to conduct her down stairs. She cast upon me a look of sorrowful meaning, and her aunt refused my services with a distant bow.
I drew proudly back "This," I thought, "is their grat.i.tude. This is like the rest of the world."
Mrs. Hepburn gave her hand to Theophilus, and with a grin of triumph he led them out.