Pall Mall-his dressing-room was one mirror-his sofas pink satin-his taste was as perfect in beauty as it was in perfume-his box at the opera exhaled every evening a varying atmosphere; it was not the night of Medea or Otello, but that of the heliotrope or the esprit des violettes; -he talked of building a rival Regent Street with his invitation cards-and actually took a cottage "all of lilies and roses" at Richmond, as fitting warehouse for his pink and blue notes, "sweets to the sweet," and drove even Mr. Delawarr out of his patience and politeness, by asking who was prime minister. But, alas, for the vanity of human enjoyment! we grow weary of even our own perfection. About July, fashion took a shade of philosophy-friends became weary, we mean wearisome pleasures stale-pursuits unprofitableand Lorraine decided on change; he was resolved to be natural, nay, a little picturesque; all that remained was the how, when, and where. He thought of the lakes-but they are given up to new-married couples, poets, and painters; next, of the Highlands-but a steam-boat had profaned Loch Lomond, and pic-nics Ben Nevis: of Greece he had already had a campaign, in which he had been robbed of every thing, from his slippers to his cimeter-and had returned home, leaving behind his classical enthusiasm, and bringing back with him an ague. He took up the Gazetteer in desperation for a Sortes, and laid it down delighted and decided next day he set off for Norway. In his mind the imagination was as yet the most prominent feature; it made him impetuous-for the unknown is ever coloured by the most attractive hues; it made him versatile for those very hues, from their falsehood, are fleeting, and pass easily from one object to another; it made him melancholy-for the imagination, which lives on excitement, most powerfully exaggerates the re-action; but, like a fairy gift, it threw its own nameless charm over all he did-and a touch, as it were, of poetry, spiritualised all the common-places of life. His was a character full of great and glorious elements, but dangerous; so alive to external impressions, so full of self-deceit-for what deceives us as we deceive ourselves? To what might not some dazzling dream of honour or of love lead? It was one that required to be subdued by time, checked by obstacles, and softened by sorrow; afterwards to be acted upon by some high and sufficient motive to call its energies into action and then, of such stuff nature makes her noblest and best. As yet his life had, like that of the cuckoo, known "No sorrow in its song, No winter in its year." His beauty had charmed even his stately lady-mother into softness; and he was the only being now on earth whom his brother loved. Young, noble, rich, gifted with that indefinable grace which, like the fascination of the serpent, draws all within its circle, but not for such fatal purposewith a temper almost womanly in its affectionate sweetness -with those bold buoyant spirits that make their own eagle-wings,--what did Edward de Lorraine want in this world but a few difficulties and a little misfortune? CHAPTER VII. "Un bal! il fallait de grandes toilettes." Mémoires sur Josephine. 66 Midnight revels-on their mirth and dance intent, THE boudoir was a very pretty boudour; the curtains at the window were rich rose colour, the paper a pale pink, and the fire-place like the altar of hope--one sparkling blaze. On the mantel-piece two alabaster figures supported each a little lamp, whose flame was tinted by the stained flowers; some china ornaments, purple and gold, and a vase filled with double violets, were reflected in the mirror. On the one side was a stand of moss roses, on the other a dressing-table, and a glass à la Psyche, over whose surface the wax tapers flung a soft light, worthy of any complexion, even had it rivalled the caliph Vathek's pages, whose skins were fair as the enamel of Frangistan." In short, it was one of those becoming rooms which would put even a grace in additional good humour.-By the by, what a barbarous, what an uncharitable act it is, of some people to furnish their rooms as they do, against all laws of humanity as well as taste! We have actually seen rooms fitted up with seagreen, and an indigo-coloured paper: what complexion could stand it? The most proper of becoming blushes would be utterly wasted, and perhaps at the most critical 66 moment. Mrs. Fergusson never would let her daughters visit at Lady Carysfort's, on account of the unabated crimson of her walls and furniture: as she justly observed, the dancers looked like ghosts. For ourselves, when we furnish our rooms, we have decided on a delicate pink paper; it lights up well, and is such a relief to the foreground of whites, reds, and blue. The hangings, &c. certainly of French rose: windows are favourite seats; and who knows how much may be effected in a tête-à-tête, by the crimson shade of the curtain flitting over a fair cheek à propos? But we are patriotic people, and write treatises for the Society of Useful Knowledge. Emily Arundel stood by the dressing-table. The last curl of her dark hair had received its last braid of pearls; the professor of papillotes had decided, and she quite agreed with him, that à la Calypso best suited with her Grecian style of feature. The white satin slip, over which floated the cloud-like gauze, suited well with the extreme delicacy of her figure; and the little snow-slipper would not have disgraced the silver-footed Thetis, or Cinderella herself. The bouquet de rois shed its last tears on the cambric parsemés de lis-and Emily turned from her glass with that beau idéal of all reflections, "I am looking my very best !" "Really, Emily, you are very pretty," said Lady Alicia, when she entered the drawing-room. Emily quite agreed with her. The carriage soon whirled them to Lady Mandeville's; a proper length of time elapsed before they penetrated the blockade of coaches; a most scientific rap announced their arrival, and Emily's heart went quicker than the knocker. The old song says, of pleasure, should be added. But soon admiration was the only active faculty. The noble staircase was lined with the rarest greenhouse plants; she might have gone through a whole course of botany before they arrived at the drawingroom, for two quadrilles and three waltzes were played while they stood on the stairs. As they entered, an opening in the figure of the dance gave a transient view of nearly the whole length of the apartments. It was a brilliant coup d'œil: mirrors, like the child's nursery-song, "up to the ceiling, and down to the ground," reflected an almost endless crowd-the graceful figures "in shining. draperies enfolded," the gay wreaths round the heads of the young, the white waves of feathers on their seniors-the silver light from the moon-like lamps flashed back from bright gems and brighter eyes; the rich decorations-alabaster vases, their delicate tracery like the frost-work of winter filled with the flowers of summer-the sweep of the purple curtains—the gold mouldings, and a few beautiful pictures-while all terminated in a splendidly illuminated conservatory. We Emily had plenty of time to "sate herself with gazing," -for Lady Alicia quietly seated herself on a sofa, and seemed to trust to fate about finding either hostess, or partner for her protégée, who at last began to think the mere spectator of pleasure ought to be a philosopher. have heard of the solitude of the wide ocean, of the sandy desert, of the pathless forest; but, for a real, thorough, and entire knowledge, far beyond Zimmerman's, of the pleasures of solitude, commend us to a young damsel doomed to a sofa and female society, while quadrille after quadrille is formed in her sight, and the waltzes go round, like stars with whose motions we have nothing to do. The crowd was now beginning rapidly to disperse: true, there was more space for the pas seul; but fatigue had quenched its spirit-curls showed symptoms of straightness -the bouquets had lost their freshness, and so had many a cheek. At this moment Lady Mandeville came up; and a shade, the least in the world, on the brow of her young visitor showed a discontent which, in her heart, she thought such a chaperone as Lady Alicia might well justify. Never was kindness more gracious in its courtesy than her's. 66 Captain St. Leger, Miss Arundel ;" and the next minute Emily prepared smile and step: one at least was thrown away; her partner, strong in the consciousness of coat, curls, and commission, the best of their kind, deemed it risking the peace of the female world unnecessarily to add other dangers to those so irresistible. During le Pantalon he arranged his neckcloth; l'Eté, drew his fingers through his curls; la Poule, he asked if she had been that morning in the Park; during la Pastorelle prepared for his pas seul; and during la Finale, recovered the trouble of dancing, gave his arm, and, as the carriage was announced, handed her into it. "A ball is not always the comble de bonheur" to papas, says the author of the Disowned; to their daughters either," could have added Emily Arundel.. 66 nor CHAPTER VIII. "And music too-dear music, which can touch Beyond all else the soul that loves it much."-MOORE, "YOUR destiny is in her hands," ay, utterly: the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge does not depend more on its encyclopædia, Mr. Brougham-the new tragedy on Macready-the balance of Europe on the Duke-none of these are so utterly dependent as a young lady on her chaperone. She may be a beauty--but the Medicean herself would require announcing as Venus: we all see with other people's eyes, especially in matters of taste. She may be rich-but an heiress, like a joint-stock company, requires to be properly advertised. She may be wittybut bon-mots require to be repeated rather than heard for a reputation; and who is to do this but a chaperone ?-That being of delicate insinuations, of confidential whispers, of research in elder brothers, of exclusiveness in younger ones -she of praises and partners for her own protégée, of interruptions, ifs, and buts, for others. But, as Ude says of a forcemeat ball, “il faut un génie pour cela," and to that Lady Alicia made no pretentions. Evening after evening Emily stepped into the carriage with all the slowness of discontent, and flung off robe and wreath on her return with all the pettishness of disappointment. In the mean time her uncle was quite edified by her letters she spoke with such regret of the country, with its simple and innocent pleasures, how different to the weariness which attended London dissipation; she was eloquent on the waste of time, the heartlessness of its pursuits; she anticipated with so much delight her return to the friends of her youth, that they scarcely knew whether to be most enchanted with her affection or her sense. What a foundation mortified vanity is for philosophy! The Opera was the only place where she had experienced unmixed gratification: from her first glance at its magnificent outline-its sea of white waving plumes, with many a bright eye and jewelled arm shining like its meteors, its beautiful faces, seen in all the advantage of full dressfull dress, which, like Florimel's magic girdle, is the true best of beauty--to the moment when she lingered to catch |