Whether Alfred's study was pamphlet, newspaper, or magazine, he could
never contrive to discern the print by any light but that of the window,
or rather glass door, at which we left him standing on the morning on
which he first discerned the fleeting semblance of a fair vision in the
adjoining garden. The glass door was generally half open, a muslin blind
drawn half down across it, and the eyes of the student, like those of
the naughty child in the pictures of bold Harry, just visible over the
top of his book.
On such occasions one of his sisters would often glide behind him, and
startling him with a loud burlesque sigh, exclaim, "She is not there
to-day." "Nonsense!" Alfred would say, rising. "This is a very well
written thing," he added one morning, throwing his book on a table.
"What is it about, Alfred?" asked Madeline archly. He took up the book
again to examine it before he could answer the question; "I declare he
can't tell," she cried, "without looking at the top of the page;" a
general burst of laughter followed, from which Alfred escaped into the
garden. He had long since made it his business to ascertain that Lady
Palliser and her daughter inhabited the next villa; but few, very few
indeed, and "far between," had been the glimpses of his beauteous
enslaver which his late studious habits and love of good light had
procured for him.
Lady Caroline appeared to be conscious that the garden was exposed to
the view of their neighbours, and was therefore timid about entering it;
or, when she did so, as on the first occasion noticed, it was only to
pluck a flower, for she seemed fearful of remaining in it for a moment.
This morning, however, both mother and daughter had appeared on the lawn
and with bonnets on, which, combined with the early hour, had caused
Alfred to suspect them of an intention of visiting the walks; and his
consequent anticipations of a possible meeting, had, we must confess,
made him rather absent.
He now called in at the window to his sisters to know if they were not
yet ready, assuring them that the band had played several tunes, and
that they would be late.
"Don't you know that the Duke of Gloucester has arrived?" he continued,
"did you not hear the joy bells yesterday evening? He is so punctual to
seven, that the fashionables are always early when he is here."
This remonstrance had the desired effect; final arrangements were
quickly completed and the party set forth.
On entering the Montpelier walk, Alfred beheld, quite near and coming
towards them, Lady Palliser and her daughter, in company with the duke,
and attended by two or three of his grace's aides-de-camp.
Alfred saw that Lady Caroline perceived and recognised him, for she
coloured instantly, but looked as if she did not know whether she ought
to acknowledge him or not; while he was so much startled and confounded,
that he had not presence of mind to look for a recognition. Lady
Palliser happened to be conversing with his grace, and did not see him.
He passed, therefore, unacknowledged by either lady.
The next turn, the next and the next again, he was determined to manage
matters better, and accordingly kept a regular look out for the duke's
party, but they were nowhere to be seen; it was evident they had been
going off the walk at the time he met them.
How dull the whole gay scene became the moment this conviction reached
him! How irksome the frivolity of every body's manner; while all the
world, seeming to have made the discovery simultaneously with himself,
kept telling each other as they passed that the duke was gone, just as
if it was done on purpose to torment him.
In vain did Miss Salter, every time he encountered the party, address
Lady Flamborough by her title, in an unnecessarily loud tone, to
endeavour to draw his attention by showing him what exalted company she
was in. Every effort was thrown away upon him, as well as all the extra
finery sported this day on purpose for the duke. Little did his grace
think how many husbands and fathers he had caused to grumble. As for
poor Lady Whaleworthy, in her loyal zeal to make herself fit company for
royalty, she actually crowned herself with the gold tissue turban which
she wore at Mr. Salter's dinner; so that with this and her everlasting
crimson velvet pelisse, to which she had added a gold waist-band for the
occasion, she was altogether as fine as the hammer cloth of a lord
mayor's coach.
Lady Flamborough trusted more to her natural attractions; these she
displayed for the great occasion with a liberality which certainly did
succeed in calling forth a remark from his grace, though by no means a
complimentary one.
The new bonnets sported this morning would require the calculating boy
to count them; and as for shoes, many a simple-hearted girl fresh from
the country, submitted to hours of actual torture, in order that the
Duke of Gloucester might go back to London convinced that she had very
small feet.