Volume Ii Part 9 (2/2)

The d.u.c.h.ess of Tyrconnel warmly embraced with tender and intense affection her old, her once young, her still kind-hearted friend, while their tears, united, trickled down in comminglement on the cheeks of each beloved friend; while Adelaide, whose heart was ever responsive to every impulse of affection or affliction, wept a flood of tears. This transport of joy and tears having pa.s.sed the d.u.c.h.ess d'Aremberg strongly pressed, with the kindest and most affectionate solicitation, that her early friend and her G.o.ddaughter should, during their sojourn at Brussels, make the palace d'Aremberg their home, where they would be as free from restraint as if the residence were their own. But the d.u.c.h.ess of Tyrconnel declined in terms of the deepest grat.i.tude, at the same time in the tone of firm determination. Her Grace said that they should be often together, and that every day, if possible, during her stay, accompanied by Adelaide, they would have the pleasure of pa.s.sing a large portion of their time with the d.u.c.h.ess d'Aremberg.

Upon being made acquainted that the d.u.c.h.ess had taken a house in the _Rue Ducale_, and that the Ladies Let.i.tia and Lucy, and Sir Patricius Placebo, had accompanied her in her journey, matters were so far compromised by an invitation being made and accepted of, that on that same day the entire party should dine within the hospitable walls of the palace d'Aremberg.

While the two old friends were in deep converse the young Duke d'Aremberg entered the apartment, and was formally introduced by his amiable mother to the d.u.c.h.ess of Tyrconnel and to Lady Adelaide.

The Duke d'Aremberg was a few years elder than our heroine. He was remarkably handsome, tall in person, and martial in appearance, well made, and much admired for the symmetry of his form. His deportment was dignified and graceful, as free from _hauteur_ as it was devoid of conceit and affectation. His eye-brows were dark, his eyes hazel, which sparkled with intelligence. His complexion was, however, rather saturnine; and in person as well as in visage, he much resembled the portrait of his ill.u.s.trious grandfather, which hung in the d'Aremberg palace, as drawn by the inimitable hand of Vand.y.k.e, of which a fine engraving by Earlom has been handed down to posterity. The same characteristic melancholy too which had predominated in the expression of countenance in his grandsire prevailed likewise in the lineaments of the grandson; but withal mildness and intelligence of expression gave an intense tone of interest to the manly and open expression of his visage, which was in sooth the index of his truly n.o.ble heart. He was generous, he was brave, and accomplished as he was learned: hence it is unnecessary to say that he was most agreeable and affable in his manners. He was truly beloved by all his dependants, as he was courted by his a.s.sociates, and respected and adored by his friends.

The d.u.c.h.ess and Lady Adelaide remained about two hours at the palace d'Aremberg, and then returned to their house in the _Rue Ducale_ to attire for dinner. At a few moments before three o'clock punctually they returned to the palace. Two, or even so early as one o'clock, was then the usual hour of dinner upon the continent; but in compliment to her friends it was postponed until the third hour. The Earl of Aylesbury and his countess, who was his second wife, and his son, Lord Eyrecourt, were the only guests invited, and they had first arrived.

We must here trespa.s.s a few words on our reader, briefly to say what he may perchance not be already acquainted with. The n.o.ble peer here noticed was Thomas, the second Earl of Aylesbury. He had rallied around King James upon the event of the Prince of Orange having embarked troops for England. But when King James withdrew himself from Whitehall, in order to embark for France, Lord Aylesbury was one of the twenty-five peers who signed the declaration applying to the Prince of Orange to rescue the country from ”popery and slavery.” He subsequently, however, took a different part, having been implicated or accused in an attempt to restore the abdicated monarch to his throne and realm, in consequence of which accusation his Lords.h.i.+p was committed a prisoner to the tower of London by order of Queen Mary, the consort of William III., at the time that William was in Ireland. The charge or accusation was for having consulted and conspired how to restore King James. His countess, the Lady Elizabeth, was so afflicted at her lord's confinement, that she died in childbirth, when the month following her husband, the Earl, was admitted to bail.

His Lords.h.i.+p afterwards obtained leave of King William to reside at Brussels; and a year or two previous to this period he secondly married Charlotte, Countess of Sannu, of the ancient and n.o.ble house of Argenteau, in the Duchy of Brabant, by whom he had a daughter, Charlotte Maria,[32] an infant at this time of about twelve months old.

[32] Lady Charlotte Maria Bruce was married to the Prince of Houre, one of the princes of the empire, by whom she had a large progeny.

The Earl of Aylesbury[33] was a n.o.bleman _de La Vieille cour_ of the most polished manners. Every thing he said or did was done with a peculiar grace and ease. He had read much, and remembered with judicious advantage what he had read. He abounded in amusing anecdotes, had seen much of the world, and had read men as well as books.

[33] One of the handsomest fountains in Brussels, which stands in _le grand Sablon_, was erected by the munificence of the above-mentioned Earl of Aylesbury. Its appearance is that of a Sarcophagus, ascended by three steps; the water flows from a brazen head, surmounted by the arms and coronet, into a marble bason beneath. It is surmounted by a figure of Minerva, bearing a medallion containing the busts of Lord Aylesbury and his countess, with three figures, one supporting the medallion, one as a river G.o.d, and the third blowing the trumpet of fame. The following is the inscription:--”_Cette fontaine a ete construite par les liberalites du Comte d'Aylesbury, pair de la Grande Bretagne, et reconnoissance du long et agreable sejour qu'il a fit dans cette ville_,” &c. The figures are executed by Jacques Berge, a celebrated sculptor.

However, it cannot be denied that he was at times stately in his deportment; and he never appeared at his own dinner-table, even when none were present but his own family, unless in a full court-dress costume, with the appendices of star and ribbon, which made many to suspect that a deep affection for aristocracy was rooted in his breast.

The countess was low in stature as she was in mind. Her figure, however, though small, was pa.s.sing well; her complexion sallow; her eyes dark and lively. She possessed more envy than good-nature, more pa.s.sion than sense, and more pertness than pride. Her chief, and probably only recommendations, were the ancient n.o.bility of her family and the largeness of her fortune, two qualifications that rarely, if ever, bestow happiness upon the marriage state.

Lord Eyrecourt was the only surviving offspring of the deceased countess, and heir apparent to the earldom of Aylesbury. He was confessedly a finished _pet.i.te maitre_--the daily slave of his barber, perfumer, tailor, and looking-gla.s.s. To Monsieur Jasmin, his perfumer, in the _Rue Madelaine_, he had lately paid the enormous sum of six hundred ducats, being his bill for the last year for lotions, perfumes, cosmetics, &c.

His Lords.h.i.+p never appeared abroad until close upon the hour of dinner, ”for,” he averred, ”it would be vastly supersingular, and besides extremely vulgar in him, to be seen abroad before the sun had fully mounted the meridian, and the world had become well warmed!”

Lord Eyrecourt was, in verity, a strange and singular model of a man, and, to use his own favourite expression--”Odds my life, my person and accomplishments are supersingular, and not to be matched!” His Lords.h.i.+p was in height about five feet five, with brawny shoulders and arms, a bronzed visage, that seemed resolved to outstare the world in confidence; his cheeks were meantime of that roseate hue that the scandalous chronicle of the times reported that they fully owed their blooming radiance to the cosmetics of Monsieur Jasmin. His neck was short, and bull-modelled; and this self-supposed Adonis finished his form by thighs and legs of elephantine shape and form. In London he had obtained the _soubriquet_, or nick-name, of ”The Pocket Hercules,” which t.i.tle followed him to Brussels. ”_Voila, mi Lor Hercule, de la poche!--bah! ha, ha!_” has been often repeated within his Lords.h.i.+p's hearing.

When this _great_ man in his own eyes, did condescend to speak, he lisped most miraculously; and his whole mien and manner were in complete variance with nature and simplicity.

It was marvellous strange, but true, that this misshapen model of mortality in his own eyes really fancied himself the handsomest man of the day, whether in England, France, or Belgium, the true and most redoubtable Antinous of the age! and he fondly fancied that every dame who set eye upon his irresistible charms, immediately became irretrievably enamoured! so prepossessing and fascinating did he behold himself reflected in the mirror of egotism and vanity. His lords.h.i.+p was peculiarly fond of repeating this, his much favourite pa.s.sage, from Ma.s.singer:

”I re-refine the court, and civilize Their barbarous natures. I have in a table, With curious punctuality set down, To a hair's breadth, how low a new stamped courtier May vail[34] to a country gentleman, and by Gradation, to his merchant, mercer, draper, &c.”

[34] ”May vail,” that is, ”May bow.”

The dinner at the palace d'Aremberg was magnificent, and pa.s.sed off with a good deal of good-humour, and some laughter at the expense of Lord Eyrecourt. The Lady Adelaide this day made a double conquest,--of the Duke d'Aremberg, who became deeply captivated with her beauty and accomplishments; and of Lord Eyrecourt, who declared that it was vastly supersingular that at last the barb of Cupid rankled in his bosom, and that he was in a fair way of being caught in the toils of matrimony!

The ensuing morning, at an early hour, Lord Eyrecourt presented himself in the _Rue Ducale_, where the love-struck Lord loud and l.u.s.tily rang at the door of the palace of Tyrconnel. The d.u.c.h.ess happened at the time to be looking out from the front window, and observed to Lady Adelaide, ”See, my love, who now approaches this mansion; I foresaw, my dear daughter, all this, and that during his presence the last evening, that you had made a deep and firm impression, aye, and conquest to boot, of this self-sick Adonis. So I pray that you see him, and hearken to his most precious proposals, for such you will find to be the object of this his matutinal visit; which said intended proposals I know to a certainty thou wilt reject. Hence I entertain no apprehensions whatever, sweet daughter of mine, in this perilous _rencontre_,” said the d.u.c.h.ess, smiling; ”for I well know that all his matrimonial propositions thou wilt firmly reject. I shall just in due and stately form receive him, and then retire to my cabinet, whence I can with facility overhear all the ridiculous rhapsodical speeches of this painted popinjay. Do you, notwithstanding, my dear daughter, hear him with a sufficient sum of due patience, meet respect, and with all becoming attention and grat.i.tude; for any man offering his hand to a fair lady is ent.i.tled, by all the rules and achievements of the courts of chivalry, love, and courtesy, to a meet and becoming audience. But be brief as thou canst; and the sooner that with due distant and becoming politeness, he were despatched it were all so much the better, and then we shall fully have an end to all his _fariboles mal appliques_.”

”Fear not,” said the Lady Adelaide, ”my dearest mother, my fullest obedience.”

Here another loud and l.u.s.ty pull at the hall-bell announced an arrival, when almost immediately Lord Eyrecourt was announced, and ushered in by the footman in waiting. His Lords.h.i.+p, with much grimace, and a smirking visage withal, made two low bows on his _entre_, and advanced with a gait which was a halting attempt between a _cha.s.se_ and a _pirouette_.

But although this was all self sufficiently done, it was truly and practically the tramp and gait of an elephant, if indeed we could for a moment suppose that mighty creature could stalk on his hind legs; but in other respects ”the half-reasoning” quadruped of Africa was every way the superior of the animal who now made his approach.

”Good-morrow to your Grace,” lisped forth this conceited popinjay.

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