LADY ZELVIA ELLRINGTON
One evening Albion was invited to the house of Earl Cruachan, where
was a large party assembled. Among the guests was one lady apparently
about twenty-five or twenty-six years of age. In figure she was very
tall, and both it and her face were of a perfectly Roman cast. Her
features were regularly and finely formed, her full and brilliant
eyes jetty black, as were the luxuriant tresses of her richly-curled
hair. Her dark glowing complexion was set off by a robe of crimson
velvet trimmed with ermine, and a nodding plume of black ostrich
feathers added to the imposing dignity of her appearance.
Albion, notwithstanding her unusual comeliness, hardly noticed her
till Earl Cruachan rose and introduced her to him as the Lady Zelvia
Ellrington.
She was the most learned and noted woman in Glass Town, and he was
pleased with this opportunity of seeing her.
For some time she entertained him with a discourse of the most lively
eloquence, and indeed Madame de Staël herself could not have gone
beyond Lady Zelvia in the conversational talent; and on this occasion
she exerted herself to the utmost, as she was in the presence of
so distinguished a man, and one whom she seemed ambitious to please.
At length one of the guests asked her to favour the company with
a song and tune on the grand piano. At first she refused, but on
Albion seconding the request rose, and taking from the drawing-room
table a small volume of poems opened it at one by the Marquis of
Tagus. She then set it to a fine air and sang as follows, while she
skilfully accompanied her voice upon the instrument:—
I think of thee when the moonbeams play
On the placid water’s face;
For thus thy blue eyes’ lustrous ray
Shone with resembling grace.
I think of thee when the snowy swan
Glides calmly down the stream;
Its plumes the breezes scarcely fan,
Awed by their radiant gleam.
For thus I’ve seen the loud winds hush
To pass thy beauty by,
With soft caress and playful rush
’Mid thy bright tresses fly.
And I have seen the wild birds sail
In rings thy head above,
While thou hast stood like lily pale
Unknowing of their love.
Oh! for the day when once again
Mine eyes shall gaze on thee;
But an ocean vast, a sounding main,
An ever howling sea,
Roll on between
With their billows green,
High tost tempestuously.
This song had been composed by Albion soon after his arrival at the
Glass Town. The person addressed was Marina. The full rich tones
of Lady Zelvia’s voice did ample justice to the subject, and he expressed
his sense of the honour she had done him in appropriate terms.
When she had finished the company departed, for it was then rather
late.