Part 8 (1/2)
This conversation being finished, Lady Muskerry went away in great haste, to endeavour to learn some news of her partner Those ere acco very heartily at this visit, when Lord Muskerry paid the Miss Hamilton aside: ”Do you know,” said he, ”whether there is to be any ball in the city tomorrow?” ”No,” said she; ”but why do you ask?” ”Because,” said he, ”I areat preparations of dress I know very well she is not to be at the masquerade: that I have taken care of; but as the devil is in her for dancing, I a so all st the citizens, at some private party, I should not much mind it”
They satisfied hi diss they had to prepare for the next day, Miss Ha, when in came Miss Price, one of the maids of honour to the duchess This was just what she ishi+ng for: This lady and Miss Blague had been at variance some time, on account of Duncan, whom Miss Price had draay from the other; and hatred still subsisted between these two divinities
Though the maids of honour were not nominated for the masquerade, yet they were to assist at it; and, consequently, were to neglect nothing to set thee Miss Haloves of the saue, which she made a present of to her rival, with a few knots of the same riband, which appeared to have been made on purpose for her, brown as she was
Miss Price returned her a thousand thanks, and pro thee me if you do,”
said Miss Hamilton, ”but if you mention that such a trifle as this coive you; but,” continued she, ”do not go and rob poor Miss Blague of the Marquis Brisacier, as you already have of Duncan: I know very well that it is wholly in your power: you have wit: you speak French: and were he once to converse with you ever so little the other could have no pretensions to hiue was only ridiculous and coquettish: Miss Price was ridiculous, coquettish, and so conificence at this masquerade The company were all met except the Chevalier de Grammont: every body was astonished that he should be one of the last at such a time, as his readiness was so remarkable on every occasion; but they were still th appear in an ordinary court-dress, which he had worn before The thing was preposterous on such an occasion, and very extraordinary with respect to hiest and best powdered peruke ih for any other purpose, was not at all proper for this entertain immediately took notice of it: ”Chevalier,” said he, ”Termes is not arrived then?” ”Pardon me, sire,” said he, ”God be thanked!” ”Why God be thanked?” said the king; ”has anything happened to him on the road?” ”Sire,” said the Chevalier de Grammont, ”this is the history of er” At these words the ball, ready to begin, was suspended: the dancersa circle around the Chevalier de Gra ht to have been here, according to e of my impatience all this day, when I found he did not coo he arrived, splashed all over fro as if he had been excommunicated 'Very well, Mr Scoundrel,' said I, 'this is just like you, you must be waited for to the very last minute, and it is a miracle that you are arrived at all' 'Yes, faith,' said he, 'it is a : I had the finest suit in the world made for you, which the Duke de Guise hi'
'Give it me then, scoundrel,' said I 'Sir,' said he, 'if I did not e but work day and night, I am a rascal: I never left them one moment: 'And where is it traitor?' said I: 'do not stand here prating, while I should be dressing' 'I had,' continued he, 'packed it up, ht, and folded it in such a manner, that all the rain in the world could never have been able to reach it; and I rid post, day and night, knowing your impatience, and that you were not to be trifled with' 'But where is it?' said I 'Lost, sir,' said he, clasping his hands 'How! lost,'
said I, in surprise 'Yes, lost, perished, sed up: what can I say more?' 'What! was the packet-boat cast away then?' said I 'Oh! indeed, sir, a great deal worse, as you shall see,' answered he: 'I ithin half a league of Calais yesterday reater haste; but, indeed, they say very true, that nothing is like the highway; for I got into a quicksand, where I sunk up to the chin' 'A quicksand,' said I, 'near Calais?' 'Yes, sir,'
said he, 'and such a quicksand that, the devil takebut the top of my head when they pulled et him out; but the portmanteau, where I had unfortunately put your clothes, could never be found: it round'
”This, sire,” continued the Chevalier de Graentleiven me of it I should certainly have killed hi Miss Ha your Majesty immediate advice of the quicksand, that your courierswas ready to split his sides with laughing, when the Chevalier de Gra the discourse, ”apropos, sire,” said he, ”I had forgot to tell you, that, to increaseout of my chair, by the devil of a phantom in masquerade, ould by all means persuade me that the queen had commanded me to dance with her; and as I excused ed me to find out as to be her partner, and desired me to send hiive orders about it; for she has placed herself in ah Whitehall However, I must tell you, that it is worth while to see her dress; for she auze and silver tissue about her, not to mention a sort of a pyramid upon her head, adorned with a hundred thousand baubles”
This last account surprised all the assembly, except those who had a share in the plot The queen assured them, that all she had appointed for the ball were present; and the king, having paused some minutes: ”I bet,” said he, ”that it is the duchess of Newcastle” ”And I,” said Lord Muskerry, co up to Miss Hamilton, ”will bet it is another fool; for I a was for sending to knoho it was, and to bring her in: Lord Muskerry offered himself for that service, for the reason already mentioned; and it was very well he did so Miss Ha very well that he was not one much farther than she intended, if the Princess of Babylon had appeared in all her glory
The ball was not very well executed, if oneas they danced only slow dances; and yet there were as good dancers, and as beautiful women in this assembly, as were to be found in the whole world: but as their nureat, they left the French, and went to country dances When they had danced soht fit to introduce his auxiliaries, to give the others a little respite; the queen's and the duchess's entlemen
Then it was that they were at leisure to take notice of Miss Blague, and they found that the billet they had conveyed to her on the part of Brisacier had its effect: she was more yellow than saffron: her hair was stuffed with the citron-coloured riband, which she had put there out of complaisance; and, to inform Brisacier of his fate, she raised often to her head her victorious hands, adorned with the gloves we have before mentioned: but, if they were surprised to see her in a head-dress that made her look more wan than ever, she was very differently surprised to see Miss Price partake with her in every particular of Brisacier's present: her surprise soon turned to jealousy; for her rival had not failed to join in conversation with hi before; nor did Brisacier fail to return her first advances, without paying the least attention to the fair Blague, nor to the signs which she was tor herself to make him, to inform him of his happy destiny
Miss Price was short and thick, and consequently no dancer, the Duke of Buckinghaht Brisacier forward as often as he could, ca, to dance with Miss Blague, without knoas then passing in this nymph's heart: Brisacier excused himself, on account of the conteht that it was herself that he despised; and, seeing that he was engaged in conversation with herwhat she was doing Though her indignation and jealousy were sufficiently remarkable to divert the court, none but Miss Hamilton and her accomplices, understood the joke perfectly: their pleasure was quite complete; for Lord Muskerry returned, still more confounded at the vision, of which the Chevalier de Graiven the description He acquainted Miss Hamilton, that it was Lady Muskerry herself, a thousand times more ridiculous than she had ever been before, and that he had had an iet her home, and place a sentry at her chamber door
The readeron these trifling incidents; perhaps he ht We will therefore pass to others
Everything favoured the Chevalier de Grammont in the new passion which he entertained: he was not, however, without rivals; but, what is a great deal more extraordinary, he ithout uneasiness: he was acquainted with their understandings, and no stranger to Miss Ha her lovers, the h the least professedly so, was the Duke of York: it was in vain for him to conceal it, the court was too well acquainted with his character to doubt of his inclinations for her He did not think it proper to declare such sentiments as were not fit for Miss Hamilton to hear; but he talked to her as reat assiduity As hunting was his favourite diversion, that sport eenerally ued; but Miss Hamilton's presence revived him, when he found her either with the queen or the duchess There it was that, not daring to tell her of what lay heavy on his heart, he entertained her hat he had in his head: telling her iving her accounts of broken legs and ar adventures; after which, his eyes told her the rest, till such time as sleep interrupted their conversation; for these tender interpreters could not help so
The duchess was not at all alar sincere, and hich she used to divert herself, as far as respect would adhness had an affection and esteeraciously than on the present occasion
The two Russells, uncle and nepheere two other of the Chevalier de Grauished hie and fidelity in the civil wars His passions and intentions, with regard to Miss Hanificence only appeared by halves in those gallantries which love inspires It was not long since the fashi+on of high crowned hats had been left off, in order to fall into the other extree, resolved to keep a medium, which made him remarkable: he was still more so, by his constancy for cut doublets, which he supported a long time after they had been universally suppressed; but, asthan all, was a certain mixture of avarice and liberality, constantly at ith each other, ever since he had entered the list with love
His nepheas only of a younger brother's fah he was under the necessity of attending to his uncle for an establishet his estate, he could not avoid his fate Mrs Middleton showed hiree of preference; but her favours could not secure him from the charreeable in it, if he had but left it to nature; but he was formal in all his actions, and silent even to stupidity; and yet rather more tiresome when he did speak
The Chevalier de Graaged hi other designs, or conceiving other hopes, than to render hih his passion was openly declared, no person at court regarded it otherwise than as a habit of gallantry, which goes no farther than to do justice to merit
His monitor, Saint Evre, that, besides an iretted those hours which he bestowed on play; that he no longer sought after those long and agreeable conversations they used to have together; and that this new attachment everywhere robbed him of himself: