Venetia

  CHAPTER XII.

  When Lady Monteagle discovered, which she did a very few hours afterthe mortifying event, where Lord Cadurcis had dined the day on whichhe had promised to be her guest, she was very indignant, but hervanity was more offended than her self-complacency. She was annoyedthat Cadurcis should have compromised his exalted reputation by sopublicly dangling in the train of the new beauty: still more that heshould have signified in so marked a manner the impression which thefair stranger had made upon him, by instantly accepting an invitationto a house so totally unconnected with his circle, and where, had itnot been to meet this Miss Herbert, it would of course never haveentered his head to be a visitor. But, on the whole, Lady Monteaglewas rather irritated than jealous; and far from suspecting that therewas the slightest chance of her losing her influence, such as it mightbe, over Lord Cadurcis, all that she felt was, that less lustre mustredound to her from its possession and exercise, if it were obviousto the world that his attentions could be so easily attracted andcommanded.

  When Lord Cadurcis, therefore, having dispatched his poem to Venetia,paid his usual visit on the next day to Monteagle House, he wasreceived rather with sneers than reproaches, as Lady Monteagle, withno superficial knowledge of society or his lordship's character,was clearly of opinion that this new fancy of her admirer was to betreated rather with ridicule than indignation; and, in short, as shehad discovered that Cadurcis was far from being insensible to mockery,that it was clearly a fit occasion, to use a phrase then very much invogue, for _quizzing_.

  'How d'ye do?' said her ladyship, with an arch smile, 'I really couldnot expect to see you!'

  Cadurcis looked a little confused; he detested scenes, and now hedreaded one.

  'You seem quite distrait,' continued Lady Monteagle, after a moment'spause, which his lordship ought to have broken. 'But no wonder, if theworld be right.'

  'The world cannot be wrong,' said Cadurcis sarcastically.

  'Had you a pleasant party yesterday?'

  'Very.'

  'Lady ---- must have been quite charmed to have you at last,' said LadyMonteagle. 'I suppose she exhibited you to all her friends, as if youwere one of the savages that went to Court the other day.'

  'She was courteous.'

  'Oh! I can fancy her flutter! For my part, if there be one characterin the world more odious than another, I think it is a fussy woman.Lady ----, with Lord Cadurcis dining with her, and the new beauty for aniece, must have been in a most delectable state of bustle.'

  'I thought she was rather quiet,' said her companion with provokingindifference. 'She seemed to me an agreeable person.'

  'I suppose you mean Miss Herbert?' said Lady Monteagle.

  'Oh! these are moderate expressions to use in reference to a personlike Miss Herbert.'

  'You know what they said of you two at Ranelagh?' said her ladyship.

  'No,' said Lord Cadurcis, somewhat changing colour, and speakingthrough his teeth; 'something devilish pleasant, I dare say.'

  'They call you Sedition and Treason,' said Lady Monteagle.

  'Then we are well suited,' said Lord Cadurcis.

  'She certainly is a beautiful creature,' said her ladyship.

  'I think so,' said Lord Cadurcis.

  'Rather too tall, I think.'

  'Do you?'

  'Beautiful complexion certainly; wants delicacy, I think.'

  'Do you?'

  'Fine eyes! Grey, I believe. Cannot say I admire grey eyes. Certainsign of bad temper, I believe, grey eyes?'

  'Are they?'

  'I did not observe her hand. I dare say a little coarse. Fair peoplewho are tall generally fail in the hand and arm. What sort of a handand arm has she?'

  'I did not observe anything coarse about Miss Herbert.'

  'Ah! you admire her. And you have cause. No one can deny she is a finegirl, and every one must regret, that with her decidedly provincialair and want of style altogether, which might naturally be expected,considering the rustic way I understand she has been brought up (anold house in the country, with a methodistical mother), that sheshould have fallen into such hands as her aunt. Lady ---- is enough tospoil any girl's fortune in London.'

  'I thought that the ---- were people of high consideration,' said LordCadurcis.

  'Consideration!' exclaimed Lady Monteagle. 'If you mean that they arepeople of rank, and good blood, and good property, they are certainlypeople of consideration; but they are Goths, Vandals, Huns, Calmucks,Canadian savages! They have no fashion, no style, no ton, no influencein the world. It is impossible that a greater misfortune could havebefallen your beauty than having such an aunt. Why, no man who has theslightest regard for his reputation would be seen in her company. Sheis a regular quiz, and you cannot imagine how everybody was laughingat you the other night.'

  'I am very much obliged to them,' said Lord Cadurcis.

  'And, upon my honour,' continued Lady Monteagle, 'speaking merely asyour friend, and not being the least jealous (Cadurcis do not supposethat), not a twinge has crossed my mind on that score; but still Imust tell you that it was most ridiculous for a man like you, towhom everybody looks up, and from whom the slightest attention isan honour, to go and fasten yourself the whole night upon a rusticsimpleton, something between a wax doll and a dairymaid, whom everyfool in London was staring at; the very reason why you should not haveappeared to have been even aware of her existence.'

  'We have all our moments of weakness, Gertrude,' said Lord Cadurcis,charmed that the lady was so thoroughly unaware and unsuspicious ofhis long and intimate connection with the Herberts. 'I suppose it wasmy cursed vanity. I saw, as you say, every fool staring at her, andso I determined to show that in an instant I could engross herattention.'

  'Of course, I know it was only that; but you should not have goneand dined there, Cadurcis,' added the lady, very seriously, 'Thatcompromised you; but, by cutting them in future in the most markedmanner, you may get over it.'

  'You really think I may?' inquired Lord Cadurcis, with some anxiety.

  'Oh! I have no doubt of it,' said Lady Monteagle.

  'What it is to have a friend like you, Gertrude,' said Cadurcis, 'afriend who is neither a Goth, nor a Vandal, nor a Hun, nor a Calmuck,nor a Canadian savage; but a woman of fashion, style, ton, influencein the world! It is impossible that a greater piece of good fortunecould have befallen me than having you for a friend.'

  'Ah, mechant! you may mock,' said the lady, triumphantly, for she wasquite satisfied with the turn the conversation had taken; 'but I amglad for your sake that you take such a sensible view of the case.'

  Notwithstanding, however, this sensible view of the case, afterlounging an hour at Monteagle House, Lord Cadurcis' carriage stoppedat the door of Venetia's Gothic aunt. He was not so fortunate asto meet his heroine; but, nevertheless, he did not esteem his timeentirely thrown away, and consoled himself for the disappointmentby confirming the favourable impression he had already made in thisestablishment, and cultivating an intimacy which he was assured mustcontribute many opportunities of finding himself in the societyof Venetia. From this day, indeed, he was a frequent guest at heruncle's, and generally contrived also to meet her several times inthe week at some great assembly; but here, both from the occasionalpresence of Lady Monteagle, although party spirit deterred her fromattending many circles where Cadurcis was now an habitual visitant,and from the crowd of admirers who surrounded the Herberts, he rarelyfound an opportunity for any private conversation with Venetia.His friend the Bishop also, notwithstanding the prejudices of LadyAnnabel, received him always with cordiality, and he met the Herbertsmore than once at his mansion. At the opera and in the park also hehovered about them, in spite of the sarcasms or reproaches of LadyMonteagle; for the reader is not to suppose that that lady continuedto take the same self-complacent view of Lord Cadurcis' acquaintancewith the Herberts which she originally adopted, and at first flatteredherself was the just one. His admiration of Miss Herbert had becomethe topic of general conversation; it could no longer
be concealed ordisguised. But Lady Monteagle was convinced that Cadurcis was not amarrying man, and persuaded herself that this was a fancy which mustevaporate. Moreover, Monteagle House still continued his spot of mostconstant resort; for his opportunities of being with Venetia were,with all his exertions, limited, and he had no other resource whichpleased him so much as the conversation and circle of the brightgoddess of his party. After some fiery scenes therefore with thedivinity, which only led to his prolonged absence, for the profoundand fervent genius of Cadurcis revolted from the base sentiment andmock emotions of society, the lady reconciled herself to her lot,still believing herself the most envied woman in London, and oftenashamed of being jealous of a country girl.

  The general result of the fortnight which elapsed since Cadurcisrenewed his acquaintance with his Cherbury friends was, that he hadbecome convinced of his inability of propitiating Lady Annabel, wasdevotedly attached to Venetia, though he had seldom an opportunityof intimating feelings, which the cordial manner in which she everconducted herself to him gave him no reason to conclude desperate; atthe same time that he had contrived that a day should seldom elapse,which did not under some circumstances, however unfavourable, bringthem together, while her intimate friends and the circles in which shepassed most of her life always witnessed his presence with favour.