PLAYING WITH FIRE
I have now something more than a narrow escape to relate; for though I
did really escape, yet it was not without a dreadful accident, and some
injury. It was also the occasion of my changing my place of residence
and style of living. All, however, shall be told in proper order.
Lady Flora, having learned my name from the address of the letter I
had received, took a sudden fancy to have it engraved upon a little
gold bracelet. When the bracelet was sent home she fastened it upon my
wrist, but it dropped off once or twice, being rather too large, so we
drove to the jeweller’s house, which was near Charing Cross, and there
it was fastened to my wrist by rivets, so that it could not be taken
off at all. This was what Lady Flora desired.
On returning through the Haymarket my mamma recollected, as we passed
the Opera House, that she had still never seen the dancing there, on
account of her sleeping; and at the same time I, for my part, only
recollected my narrow escape. But the loss of the opera dancing made
Lady Flora only think the more about it, and about dancing; and when
we arrived at home she ran to her mamma, and begged to be taken to
Willis’s Room--in fact, she wanted to dance herself at ‘Almack’s,’ and
to take me with her, as no doubt there would be many other dolls in
the room, with whom, after mutual satisfactory introductions, I could
associate.
Lady Flowerdale said she was afraid that Lady Flora, being not yet
nine years of age, was too young to be taken to ‘Almack’s’; she could,
however, take her to the Duchess of Guineahen’s ball, which was to be
given next month. This greatly pleased Flora, and meantime she resolved
to take an extra lesson in dancing of Madame Michaud, in order to be
the better prepared for the ball.
I was present at all the lessons of dancing, and saw Madame Michaud
seated with her gold snuff-box, tapping upon the lid to keep time, and
taking an immense pinch of snuff when Lady Flora danced well, and a
still more immense pinch when she danced badly, besides scolding the
young man who played the violin, as if it had been his fault.
Another thing, however, and a still more important one, was to be done,
before this ball occurred, and this was to get ready the ball-dresses.
A message was immediately sent to a celebrated milliner in Piccadilly,
to come immediately and take orders for ball-dresses, for Lady Flora
and her doll.
During all the time these dresses were being made, my mamma was so
impatient and restless that it was quite an unhappiness to see her. I
often thought what a pity it was she had not learned to make dresses
herself, her mind would then have been employed, and she would have
been so much more comfortable. Oh, how different was the happy day I
spent among the poor little milliners when Ellen Plummy and Nanny Bell
sat under the tent made of a sheet, to make me a frock and trousers!
How happy were they over the work, and how impatient and cross was Lady
Flora, who had no work to do! Her mind was so disturbed that she was
quite unable to attend to any of her lessons; she insisted, however,
upon her governess giving me lessons instead, by placing the pen in my
hand, and directing it till I had copied several pages of a book. By
this means I learned to write,--the governess was employed,--and my
mamma said it was the same as if she took her usual lessons.
At last the dresses came home. They were beautiful, and both exactly
alike. They were made of the thinnest white gauze, to be worn over
very full petticoats of the same white gauze; so that they set out
very much, and looked very soft and fleecy. They were trimmed with an
imitation of lily of the valley, made in white satin and silver. The
trousers were of white satin, trimmed with gauze.
Now there was such a trying on and changing, and proposals for
alterations, and sending all back to the milliner’s, and having all
back again two hours afterwards, to try on once more in case they
really did not need alteration.
The day of the ball was rather cold and windy; so that, although it
was the month of August, a fire was ordered in the nursery, and in
Lady Flora’s bedroom, lest she might take cold. Towards evening the
dresses were all laid out ready to put on; but when my mamma saw them,
she could not wait, and insisted upon being dressed, although it was
five hours before the time. In two hours and a half she was ready;
and then I was dressed, which occupied an hour more. Still there was
a long time to wait; so Lady Flora took me in her arms, and began to
dance from room to room,--that is, from the nursery to her bedroom,
from one fireplace to the other. In doing this she observed that each
time she turned, her full, gauze frock gave the fire a puff, so that
a blaze came; and as she was amused by it, she went each time nearer,
and whisked round quicker in order to make the blaze greater. ‘Oh, Lady
Flora!’ cried her maid, ‘pray take care of your dress; you go too near;
wait till I run and fetch the fire-guards.’
Away ran the maid to fetch the fire-guards; and while she was gone
Lady Flora determined to dance for the last time still nearer than
ever to each fire before she whisked round. The very next time she did
it she went just the least bit too near; the hem of her frock whisked
against the bars--and her frock was in a blaze in a moment!
She gave a loud scream and a jump, and was going to run, when most
fortunately her foot caught one corner of a thick rug, and down she
fell. This smothered the blaze, but still her clothes were on fire; and
she lay shrieking and rolling and writhing on the floor.
Up ran the nursery maid, and when she saw what had happened, she began
screaming too--and up ran the page, and when he saw what had happened
he fell down upon his face with fear and confusion--and up ran the very
tall footman, and the instant he looked into the room, and smelled
the fire, he ran away again as fast as possible--and then up ran the
countess herself, and she ran straight to her child, and rolled the
thick rug all round her, and carried her in her arms to her own room.
Physicians and surgeons were sent for, and all the burned things were
taken off, and thrown on one side. Among these I lay; my beautiful
dress was all black tinder; but I was not really much burned, nor was
Lady Flora. A few weeks might cure her, though the scars would always
remain, and spoil her prettiness; but what could cure me? I was so
scorched and frizzled that the paint which was on my skin had blistered
and peeled off. I was quite black. No notice was taken of me; and in
the confusion I was carried out of the room, with the rest of the
burned rags, and thrown by one of the servants, in her haste, out of a
back window.
How I escaped utter destruction, in this dreadful fall, I cannot think;
unless it was owing to my being wrapped all round in singed clothes, so
that I fell softly. I had nearly fainted with fear, when the flames
first caught my dress; but when the housemaid threw open the window to
fling me out, my senses utterly forsook me.
I fell over a low wall, into a passage leading towards some stables.
In the course of a few minutes I recovered my sense, but only to
experience fresh alarm! A fine large Newfoundland dog, who was just
passing, thought somebody had thrown him a broiled bone; so he caught
me up in his mouth, and away he ran with me, wagging his tail.
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