DIANA AND ELIZA.
On the morning following the events just narrated, Mrs. Arlington was
seated at breakfast in a sweet little parlour of the splendid mansion
which the Earl of Warrington had taken and fitted up for her in Dover
Street, Piccadilly.
It was about eleven o'clock; and the Enchantress was attired in a
delicious _deshabillé_. With her little feet upon an ottoman near the
fender, and her fine form reclining in a luxurious large arm-chair, she
divided her attention between her chocolate and the columns of the
_Morning Herald_. She invariably prolonged the morning's repast as much
as possible, simply because it served to wile away the time until the
hour for dressing arrived. Then visits received, filled up the interval
till three or four o'clock, when the carriage came round to the door. A
drive in the park, or shopping (according to the state of the weather)
occupied the time until six or seven. Then another toilet in preparation
for dinner. In the evening a _tête-à-tête_ with the Earl of Warrington,
who had, perhaps, arrived in time for dinner,--or a visit to a theatre,
the Opera, or a concert,--and to bed at midnight, or frequently much
later.
Such was the routine of the Enchantress's existence.
The Earl of Warrington behaved most liberally towards her. On the first
day of every month he enclosed her a cheque upon his banker for two
hundred guineas. He supplied her cellar with wine, and frequently made
her the most splendid presents of jewellery, plate, cachmeres, &c. The
furniture for her mansion had cost fifteen hundred pounds; and all the
bills were paid in her name. She was not extravagant, as women in her
situation usually are; and therefore, so far from incurring debts, she
saved money.
We cannot say that the Earl of Warrington positively _loved_ her. His
first affections in life had experienced such a blight, that they might
almost be said to have been interred in the grave of defeated hopes and
aspirations. He could therefore never _love_ again. But he _liked_ Mrs.
Arlington; and he had every reason to believe that she was faithful to
him. He was charmed with her conversation and her manners: he saw in her
a woman who gave herself no airs, but, on the contrary, exerted herself
in every way to please him;--she never attempted to excite his jealousy,
nor affected gusts of passion merely for the sake of asserting her
independence or of proving the hold which she possessed over him;--and
in her society he forgot the cares of politics (in which he was
profoundly interested) and all those other little annoyances, real or
imaginary, to which every one in this world is subject, be his condition
never so prosperous!
And Diana _was_ faithful to him. She was a woman naturally inclined to
virtue:--circumstances had made her what she was. She looked upon the
Earl of Warrington as a benefactor; and, although she did not actually
_love_ him more than he loved her, she _liked_ him upon pretty nearly
the same principles that he liked her. Her vanity was flattered by
having captivated and being able to retain a handsome man, whose wealth
and high rank rendered him an object of desire on the part of all ladies
situated as was Diana;--she moreover found him an agreeable companion,
kind, and indulgent;--and thus their _liaison_ continued upon a basis
which nothing appeared to threaten, nor even to weaken.
They never spoke of love in reference to their connection. The earl was
never upon his knees at the feet of his mistress; nor did he repeat vows
of constancy and fidelity every time he saw her. She acted on the same
principle towards him. There was a great amount of real friendship and
good feeling between those two;--but not an atom of mawkish
sentimentality. The earl could _trust_ Diana: he consulted her upon many
of his plans and proceedings, whether in regard to his political career
or the management of his estate; and she invariably tendered him the
advice which appeared most consistent with his interests. He therefore
placed the fullest confidence in her;--and hence have we seen her
carrying out all his generous plans with reference to Eliza Sydney.
But to continue.
Mrs. Arlington was seated at breakfast, as we have before stated, when a
servant entered and informed her that Miss Sydney requested a few
minutes' conversation with her. Diana immediately ordered Eliza to be
admitted.
"Pardon this early and unceremonious visit, my dear friend," said Eliza,
affectionately grasping the hand that was stretched out to welcome her.
"I am always at home to you, Eliza," answered the Enchantress. "But how
pale you are! Come--sit down here--close by me--and tell me in what way
I can be of service to you."
"My dear friend," continued Eliza, "I have a secret to reveal to
you--and a deed of infamy to narrate----"
"Oh! you alarm me, Eliza! Has any harm happened to yourself?"
"No, thank heavens! The compunction of one man saved me from disgrace
and ruin. But read this--it will explain all."
With these words, Eliza handed to Mrs. Arlington the letter which
Stephens had thrust under the stair-carpet at the villa on the preceding
evening.
Diana perused the letter with attention; and a flash of indignation
animated her fine countenance, as she thus made herself acquainted with
the atrocious plot contrived by Greenwood against the honour of Eliza
Sydney.
"Such is the villany of George Montague!" cried Diana at the termination
of the perusal of that letter.
"Forgive me, dearest friend," said Eliza, taking the hand of Mrs.
Arlington and pressing it between her own;--"forgive me if I have kept
back one secret of my life from your knowledge. That George Montague--I
once loved him!"
"You!" exclaimed Mrs. Arlington in surprise.
"Yes, Diana--I once loved that man--before the fatal exposure which led
to my imprisonment;--but he behaved like a villain--he endeavoured to
take advantage of my affection;--and I smothered the feeling in my
bosom!"
"Oh! you did well--you did well thus to triumph over a passion which
would have been fatal to your happiness;--for never would your hopes
have been fulfilled--with honour to yourself," added Mrs. Arlington,
sinking her voice almost to a whisper.
"Alas! you are right! I stood upon the brink of a precipice--I
escaped;--but Montague, or Greenwood,--whichever he may choose to call
himself,--pursues me with a view of accomplishing my dishonour."
"The crimes of that man are unlimited, and his perseverance is
unwearied," said Diana.
"What plan can I adopt," demanded Eliza, "to escape his machinations?
What system can I pursue to avoid his persecution? Conceive my affright
when upon awaking this morning, I remembered that I had not retired to
bed last evening of my own accord--that I could think of nothing that
had occurred since supper-time! Then I found that the bell-rope in my
sleeping-room was cut, and that a weapon which I have been in the habit
of keeping beneath my pillow ever since I first dwelt in the villa, had
disappeared! Oh! I was alarmed--I shuddered, although it was broad
day-light, and every thing was calm and silent around. At length I
summoned the servant--and she entered, bearing a letter which she had
discovered a few moments before beneath the stair-carpet. That letter is
the one you read ere now;--and it explained all. Tell me--tell me,
Diana, how am I to avoid the persecution, and combat the intrigues of
this man?"
"Alas! my dear friend," replied Mrs. Arlington, after a few minutes'
consideration, "I know of no effectual method save that of leaving
London."
"And if I leave London, I will leave England," said Miss Sydney. "But I
can do nothing without the consent of him to whom I am under such deep
obligations."
"You mean the Earl of Warrington," observed Mrs. Arlington. "I admire
the sentiment of gratitude which animates you. The earl will do all he
can to forward your views and contribute to your happiness. You shall
pass the day with me, Eliza; here at least you are safe;--and I will
immediately write a note to the earl, and request him to call upon me
without delay."
"His lordship will be perhaps annoyed----"
"Fear nothing, Eliza. I will see the earl in another room. And let not
this disinclination to meet you on his part, cause you pain: you well
know the motive of his conduct. The memory of your mother----"
"I am well aware he can have no antipathy towards me, on my own
account," interrupted Eliza; "else he could not have acted towards me in
a way which claims all my gratitude!"
Mrs. Arlington dispatched the note to Lord Warrington, and then hastened
to dress to receive him.
In an hour the earl arrived.
He and Mrs. Arlington were then closeted together for a considerable
time.
It was four o'clock when the nobleman took his departure, and Diana
returned to the room where she had left Eliza Sydney.
"The Earl of Warrington," said the Enchantress, whose countenance was
animated with joy, "has listened with attention to the tale of atrocity
which I have related to him in respect to George Montague Greenwood. His
lordship and myself--for he does me the honour to consult me--have
debated upon the best means of ensuring your tranquillity and safety;
and we have decided that you had better quit England for a time. The
perseverance of that bold bad man, backed by his wealth, may succeed in
effecting your ruin--you yourself remaining innocent of guilty
participation! The earl has recommended Italy as the country most likely
to please you--and the more so because he himself possesses a charming
villa in the State of Castelcicala."
"How kind of his lordship!" exclaimed Eliza, tears of gratitude starting
into her eyes.
"Some years ago," continued Diana, "the earl set out upon a continental
tour, and passed two years at Montoni, the capital of the Grand Duchy of
Castelcicala. So charmed was he with that delightful city, that he
purchased a small estate in the suburbs, with the idea of spending the
summer from time to time amidst Italian scenery and beneath an Italian
sky. The idea has, however, been displaced by others arising from new
occupations and fresh interests; and for a long period has the villa at
Montoni remained uninhabited, save by an old porter and his wife. The
house is situate upon the banks of the river which flows through
Montoni, and commands the most delicious views. That villa is to be your
residence so long as it may be agreeable; and the earl will make
arrangements with his London bankers so that your income may be
regularly paid you by their agents at Montoni. His lordship has moreover
instructed me to supply you with the necessary funds for your travelling
expenses."
"Oh! my dearest friend, how can I ever testify my gratitude----"
"Not a word--not a word!" interrupted Mrs. Arlington, playfully closing
Eliza's lips with her hand. "The earl conceives that he is performing a
duty, sacred to the memory of his deceased uncle, in thus caring for
you, who are the offspring of that uncle's daughter; and, on my part,
Eliza--on my part, it is a pleasure to do you a service. But I have not
yet finished. The earl has gone straight to Richmond, to call upon a
certain Count Alteroni--a noble exile from the Grand Duchy of
Castelcicala--with whom it appears the earl was acquainted in Italy. His
object is to obtain for you a few letters of introduction to some of the
best families of Montoni, so that you may not want society."
"I shall live in so retired a manner," said Eliza, "that this additional
act of kindness was scarcely necessary."
"The earl will have his own way; and perhaps those letters may prove
useful to you--who can tell?" exclaimed Mrs. Arlington. "But I must
observe that I cannot think of parting with you any more until you leave
England altogether. In three or four days the necessary preparations for
your journey will be completed: meantime you must remain here as my
guest. The earl himself recommended this step; that is," added Mrs.
Arlington, "if my house be agreeable to you, and my society----"
"Oh! how can you entertain a doubt on that head?" cried Eliza, embracing
Diana with the most grateful fervour. "Ah! it is but a few hours since I
said how happy I should be to call you by the endearing name of
_Sister_!"
"And would you not blush, Eliza, to call me your sister?" said Mrs.
Arlington, in a tone deeply affected.
"Blush to call you my sister!" exclaimed Miss Sydney, as if she repelled
the idea with indignation: "Oh! no--never, never! You are the most
noble-hearted of women, and as such, I love--I revere you!"
"We will then be sisters in heart, although not in blood," said Diana,
warmly returning her friend's embrace; "and perhaps our affection
towards each other will be more sincere than that existing between many
who are really the offspring of the same parents."
Mrs. Arlington gave directions to her servants that she was not "at
home" to a soul, save the Earl of Warrington; and the ride in the
park--the shopping--the theatre in the evening--all were sacrificed by
Diana to the pleasure of Eliza's society.
Miss Sydney dispatched a note to the villa at Upper Clapton, announcing
her intention of staying a few days with Mrs. Arlington. In the evening,
Louisa, who had just returned from the journey on which the fictitious
letter written by Stephens had sent her, made her appearance in Dover
Street, with clothes, &c. for her mistress, and she then received
instructions relative to the intended departure for the Continent.