‘come,’ said mr. rigby, when coningsby was somewhat composed, ‘come with me and we will see the house.’
so they descended once more the private staircase, and again entered the vestibule.
‘if you had seen these gardens when they were illuminated for a fête to george iv.,’ said rigby, as crossing the chamber he ushered his charge into the state apartments. the splendour and variety of the surrounding objects soon distracted the attention of the boy, for the first time in the palace of his fathers. he traversed saloon after saloon hung with rare tapestry and the gorgeous products of foreign looms; filled with choice pictures and creations of curious art; cabinets that sovereigns might envy, and colossal vases of malachite presented by emperors. coningsby alternately gazed up to ceilings glowing with color and with gold, and down upon carpets bright with the fancies and vivid with the tints of aubusson and of axminster.
‘this grandfather of mine is a great prince,’ thought coningsby, as musing he stood before a portrait in which he recognised the features of the being from whom he had so recently and so strangely parted. there he stood, philip augustus, marquess of monmouth, in his robes of state, with his new coronet on a table near him, a despatch lying at hand that indicated the special mission of high ceremony of which he had been the illustrious envoy, and the garter beneath his knee.
‘you will have plenty of opportunities to look at the pictures,’ said rigby, observing that the boy had now quite recovered himself. ‘some luncheon will do you no harm after our drive;’ and he opened the door of another apartment.
it was a pretty room adorned with a fine picture of the chase; at a round table in the centre sat two ladies interested in the meal to which rigby had alluded.
‘ah, mr. rigby!’ said the eldest, yet young and beautiful, and speaking, though with fluency, in a foreign accent, ‘come and tell me some news. have you seen milor?’ and then she threw a scrutinizing glance from a dark flashing eye at his companion.
‘let me present to your highness,’ said rigby, with an air of some ceremony, ‘mr. coningsby.’
‘my dear young friend,’ said the lady, extending her white hand with an air of joyous welcome, ‘this is lucretia, my daughter. we love you already. lord monmouth will be so charmed to see you. what beautiful eyes he has, mr. rigby. quite like milor.’
the young lady, who was really more youthful than coningsby, but of a form and stature so developed that she appeared almost a woman, bowed to the guest with some ceremony, and a faint sullen smile, and then proceeded with her perigord pie.
‘you must be so hungry after your drive,’ said the elder lady, placing coningsby at her side, and herself filling his plate.
this was true enough; and while mr. rigby and the lady talked an infinite deal about things which he did not understand, and persons of whom he had never heard, our little hero made his first meal in his paternal house with no ordinary zest; and renovated by the pasty and a glass of sherry, felt altogether a different being from what he was, when he had undergone the terrible interview in which he began to reflect he had considerably exposed himself. his courage revived, his senses rallied, he replied to the interrogations of the lady with calmness, but with promptness and propriety. it was evident that he had made a favourable impression on her highness, for ever and anon she put a truffle or some delicacy in his plate, and insisted upon his taking some particular confectionery, because it was a favourite of her own. when she rose, she said,—
‘in ten minutes the carriage will be at the door; and if you like, my dear young friend, you shall be our beau.’
‘there is nothing i should like so much,’ said coningsby.
‘ah!’ said the lady, with the sweetest smile, ‘he is frank.’
the ladies bowed and retired; mr. rigby returned to the marquess, and the groom of the chambers led coningsby to his room.
this lady, so courteous to coningsby, was the princess colonna, a roman dame, the second wife of prince paul colonna. the prince had first married when a boy, and into a family not inferior to his own. of this union, in every respect unhappy, the princess lucretia was the sole offspring. he was a man dissolute and devoted to play; and cared for nothing much but his pleasures and billiards, in which latter he was esteemed unrivalled. according to some, in a freak of passion, according to others, to cancel a gambling debt, he had united himself to his present wife, whose origin was obscure; but with whom he contrived to live on terms of apparent cordiality, for she was much admired, and made the society of her husband sought by those who contributed to his enjoyment. among these especially figured the marquess of monmouth, between whom and prince colonna the world recognised as existing the most intimate and entire friendship, so that his highness and his family were frequent guests under the roof of the english nobleman, and now accompanied him on a visit to england.
