Part 3 (2/2)
”Very well, I thank you.”
”And the Earl?” I could not enquire after her family; that must be taken as an impertinence-a reference to her father, the Duke of Wilborough-who had believed me a potential blackmailer, and very nearly threatened me with a court of Law.
”Oh, Swithin is in his usual roaring health,” she said carelessly. ”Nothing ever ails him, you know-he is disgustingly stout, unless one requires him to do what he does not like. But you, Miss Austen! How long has it been since we have met, I wonder?”
”Very nearly ten years.”
”And you have not altered in the slightest,” she said warmly, if untruthfully. ”But I observe you are in mourning. May I offer my sympathy? A near relation, I collect?”
A lesser woman might have uttered unforgivable things at such a moment-A paramour, perhaps? You are come into someone else's ill-gotten gains, I collect? But she did not condescend to lash me. I do not think I should have been so benevolent, were our positions exchanged.
”My sister, Mrs. Henry Austen,” I said with difficulty.
”The Comtesse de Feuillide?” The shock in her voice was audible as she gave Eliza her French t.i.tle-how Eliza would have revelled in the notice! ”I am am sorry to hear it. I recollect her a little from our meeting in Bath-she was the gayest of creatures.” sorry to hear it. I recollect her a little from our meeting in Bath-she was the gayest of creatures.”
”Indeed.”
”Well.” Desdemona inclined her head, and held out her hand; for a fleeting instant, there was something of the Gentleman Rogue in her look, a flash of the satiric in her eye. She was as well aware as I, how magnanimous she was being.
I took her hand, and curtseyed.
”Now that we have sc.r.a.ped our disreputable acquaintance,” she told me, ”I hope we shall no longer be strangers-in Brighton, at least. It is a town for easy manners, you know. Do you make a long visit?”
”But a fortnight, I believe.”
”And you are lodged...?”
”At the Castle.”
”Excellent! So perfectly to hand!” She reached into her reticule and offered me her card. ”Swithin has taken a house for us on the Marine Parade, tho' he is hardly ever there. I shall hope to find you in my drawing-room one morning, Miss Austen.”
And with that she pa.s.sed on, to bespeak of Miss Jennings the latest verses of Lord Byron, the name of which she had forgot, but which her friend Lady Oxford a.s.sured her were most extraordinary.
7 The first edition of The first edition of Pride and Prejudice Pride and Prejudice, published by Thomas Egerton in January 1813, was acknowledged as having been written ”by the Author of Sense and Sensibility”-which had been written anonymously ”by a Lady.” Later newspaper advertis.e.m.e.nts transposed these words as: ”by Lady A-.,” which gave rise to much speculation regarding the ident.i.ty of the supposedly n.o.ble auth.o.r.ess Sense and Sensibility”-which had been written anonymously ”by a Lady.” Later newspaper advertis.e.m.e.nts transposed these words as: ”by Lady A-.,” which gave rise to much speculation regarding the ident.i.ty of the supposedly n.o.ble auth.o.r.ess.-Editor's note.
CHAPTER SIX
Encounter at the Camp SAt.u.r.dAY, 8 MAY 1813 1813.
BRIGHTON, CONT.
”WHAT DO YOU THINK, JANE?” MY BROTHER EXCLAIMED as I perused the fas.h.i.+on plates of as I perused the fas.h.i.+on plates of La Belle a.s.semblee La Belle a.s.semblee, the latest edition of which was in considerable request among the patrons of Donaldson's. It was clear from the exquisite modes draped on the impossibly tall ladies represented by the artist's brush that I was fortunate in being obliged to wear black; not even the hundred and forty pounds I have earned from Sense and Sensibility Sense and Sensibility-much less the hundred and ten Mr. Egerton gave for the copyright of P&P P&P-should purchase a wardrobe suitable for Brighton. Spring fas.h.i.+ons ran to jonquil c.r.a.pe, Nakara silk-a pearly shade ideally suited to a lady of my colouring, and which I guessed had been exactly the hue the Countess of Swithin was wearing-and apple green. Slippers were beaded and embroidered to match; pelisses of white jaconet, falling just to the knee, were b.u.t.toned over gowns; and a profusion of frills graced hemlines this season, which had risen above the ankle to reveal patterned stockings patterned stockings!
”Jane,” Henry repeated, somewhat more stringently this time, and I set down La Belle a.s.semblee La Belle a.s.semblee, only to see it immediately taken up by the lady on my left.
”What is it?” I asked with pardonable crossness.
”The Regent.”
I glanced about me wildly. ”In Donaldson's?”
”Good G.o.d, no. In Brighton Brighton. Lord Moira informs me that the Prince came down from London but two days ago, and already intends a Reception at the Pavilion this evening. We are both to go!”
”But would it be entirely proper? Recollect that we are in deepest mourning-”
”Piffle! I should not like to be seen dancing at an a.s.sembly, Jane-but the crush of the Pavilion on Reception evenings is akin to that of Picadilly Circus; one may meet the world there, and be jostled about in the greatest discomfort, in an attempt to pay homage to the Crown.”
”Little as I admire the Regent, I cannot think that Eliza would forgo such an opportunity,” I admitted doubtfully.
”She should be wild to see the Pavilion-and all the quizzes who frequent it-and moreover, should already have secured the cards of invitation herself; for you know she was a little acquainted with Prince Florizel, as he was known in his elegant youth. But I have had our cards expressly from Colonel McMahon-he is the Regent's private secretary.”
”The gentleman in buff and blue, I collect?”
”All of the Regent's intimates sport that livery. McMahon had only to hear my praise from Lord Moira's lips, to beg the honour of our presence. Do consider, Jane! The notice of the Regent! What a spur to my banking concerns!”
”-Or a possible run on them. That gentleman's pockets are perpetually to let; and you should be bankrupt in little more than a week, did his notice prove too great.”
Impervious to caution, Henry merely grinned. ”Our retiring Jane, amidst the Carlton House Set! How Mamma should stare!”
”She should suffer palpitations,” I corrected, ”and utter a vulgarity. She cannot help but do so-which is the spur, no doubt, to her daughter's deplorable novels.”
”Who dares to say that your books are vulgar?” Henry demanded, momentarily diverted.
”The proprietress of Donaldson's,” I returned dejectedly. ”She abused Pride and Prejudice Pride and Prejudice as mercenary, Henry, and not fit to spring from a lady's pen.” as mercenary, Henry, and not fit to spring from a lady's pen.”
”As to that,” he drawled, slipping my arm through his and leading me towards the door, ”you should hate far worse to learn it was called dull dull, and that n.o.body of consequence could look into it without yawning. You must know by now, Jane, that your books are all the crack! You ought to be in high gig! I have half a mind to bring you into Fas.h.i.+on-see if you do not hear P&P P&P spoken of, at the Pavilion this evening!” spoken of, at the Pavilion this evening!”
”Henry,” I said, in a voice heavy with suspicion, ”you are not going to puff off my consequence puff off my consequence before McMahon and his ilk, are you?” before McMahon and his ilk, are you?”
”Puff off-! Where do you learn such cant expressions, Jane?”
”From my vulgar mother,” I rejoined calmly, ”and my fas.h.i.+onable brother. Promise you will not expose the secret of my authors.h.i.+p. I have a dread of its being generally known.”
Henry cast up his eyes to Heaven. ”I cannot think why. I should be proud as a peac.o.c.k, had I done anything half so clever!”
”And I should as soon ride bareback at Astley's Amphitheatre as admit to publication! Were my ident.i.ty known, I could not walk at liberty through the village of Chawton! I should be suspected as a spy at every dinner table, every a.s.sembly-and I should never be so frank, Henry, in my expressions; or so faithful a depicter of the world and its follies. Anonymity accords me freedom to speak as I find-and I cherish freedom above all else!”
”Lord knows you have had little enough of it,” he answered soberly. ”Very well-I promise to guard your secret. Tho' it shall go hard with me! Do you not apprehend, Jane, that your whole family is bursting to boast of your accomplishments-that we are all devilish proud proud of you?” of you?”
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