FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127  
128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   >>   >|  
t all the court balls, plotted to be invited to a costume fete, and expended the tactics of a campaign to get asked to some grand chateau honoured by august presence. Still Her Majesty had not yet sent for Lady Bardolf. She was still very good friends with Lord Masque, for he had social influence, and could assist her; but as for poor Tadpole, she had sadly neglected him, his sphere being merely political, and that being no longer interesting. The honest gentleman still occasionally buzzed about her, slavering portentous stories about malcontent country gentlemen, mumbling Maynooth, and shaking his head at Young England. Tadpole was wont to say in confidence, that for his part he wished Sir Robert had left alone religion and commerce, and confined himself to finance, which was his forte as long as he had a majority to carry the projects which he found in the pigeon-holes of the Treasury, and which are always at the service of every minister. Well, it was at Lady Bardolfs ball, close upon midnight, that Tancred, who had not long entered, and had not very far advanced in the crowded saloons, turning his head, recognised his heroine of the morning, his still more recent correspondent, Lady Bertie and Bellair. She was speaking to Lord Valentine. It was impossible to mistake her; rapid as had been his former observation of her face, it was too remarkable to be forgotten, though the captivating details were only the result of his present more advantageous inspection. A small head and large dark eyes, dark as her rich hair which was quite unadorned, a pale but delicate complexion, small pearly teeth, were charms that crowned a figure rather too much above the middle height, yet undulating and not without grace. Her countenance was calm without being grave; she smiled with her eyes. She was for a moment alone; she looked round, and recognised Tancred; she bowed to him with a beaming glance. Instantly he was at her side. 'Our second meeting to-day,' she said, in a low, sweet voice. 'How came it that we never met before?' he replied. 'I have just returned from Paris; the first time I have been out; and, had it not been for you,' she added, 'I should not have been here to-night. I think they would have put me in prison.' 'Lady Bardolf ought to be very much obliged to me, and so ought the world.' 'I am,' said Lady Bertie and Bellair. 'That is worth everything else,' said Tancred. 'What a pretty carriage you have!
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127  
128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Tancred

 
Bertie
 

Bellair

 

Tadpole

 

Bardolf

 

recognised

 
pearly
 
charms
 

crowned

 

undulating


countenance

 

height

 

middle

 

complexion

 

figure

 
captivating
 

details

 
forgotten
 

remarkable

 

observation


result

 

present

 

unadorned

 
advantageous
 

inspection

 

delicate

 

prison

 

obliged

 
pretty
 

carriage


returned

 

Instantly

 
glance
 

beaming

 

smiled

 

moment

 
looked
 
meeting
 

replied

 

mistake


sphere
 

neglected

 

political

 

social

 

influence

 

assist

 

longer

 
interesting
 

stories

 
portentous