chapter 3.
the duke returns
a sort of scrambling correspondence had been kept up between the young duke and his cousin, lord st. maurice, who had for a few months been his fellow-traveller. by virtue of these epistles, notice of the movements of their interesting relative occasionally reached the circle at fitz-pompey house, although st. maurice was scanty in the much-desired communications; because, like most young englishmen, he derived singular pleasure from depriving his fellow-creatures of all that small information which every one is so desirous to obtain. the announcement, however, of the approaching arrival of the young duke was duly made. lord fitz-pompey wrote and offered apartments at fitz-pompey house. they were refused. lord fitz-pompey wrote again to require instructions for the preparation of hauteville house. his letter was unanswered. lord fitz-pompey was quite puzzled.
‘when does your cousin mean to come, charles?’ ‘where does your cousin mean to go, charles?’ ‘what does your cousin mean to do, charles?’ these were the hourly queries of the noble uncle.
at length, in the middle of january, when no one expected him, the duke of st. james arrived at mivart’s.
he was attended by a french cook, an italian valet, a german j?ger, and a greek page. at this dreary season of the year this party was, perhaps, the most distinguished in the metropolis.
three years’ absence and a little knowledge of life had somewhat changed the duke of st. james’s feelings with regard to his noble relatives. he was quite disembarrassed of that panglossian philosophy which had hitherto induced him to believe that the earl of fitz-pompey was the best of all possible uncles. on the contrary, his grace rather doubted whether the course which his relations had pursued towards him was quite the most proper and the most prudent; and he took great credit to himself for having, with such unbounded indulgence, on the whole deported himself with so remarkable a temperance. his grace, too, could no longer innocently delude himself with the idea that all the attention which had been lavished upon him was solely occasioned by the impulse of consanguinity. finally, the young duke’s conscience often misgave him when he thought of mr. dacre. he determined, therefore, on returning to england, not to commit himself too decidedly with the fitz-pompeys, and he had cautiously guarded himself from being entrapped into becoming their guest. at the same time, the recollection of old intimacy, the general regard which he really felt for them all, and the sincere affection which he entertained for his cousin caroline, would have deterred him from giving any outward signs of his altered feelings, even if other considerations had not intervened.
and other considerations did intervene. a duke, and a young duke, is an important personage; but he must still be introduced. even our hero might make a bad tack on his first cruise. almost as important personages have committed the same blunder. talk of catholic emancipation! o! thou imperial parliament, emancipate the forlorn wretches who have got into a bad set! even thy omnipotence must fail there!
now, the countess of fitz-pompey was a brilliant of the first water. under no better auspices could the duke of st. james bound upon the stage. no man in town could arrange his club affairs for him with greater celerity and greater tact than the earl; and the married daughters were as much like their mother as a pair of diamond ear-rings are like a diamond necklace.
the duke, therefore, though he did not choose to get caged in fitz-pompey house, sent his page, spiridion, to the countess, on a special embassy of announcement on the evening of his arrival, and on the following morning his grace himself made his appearance at an early hour.
lord fitz-pompey, who was as consummate a judge of men and manners as he was an indifferent speculator on affairs, and who was almost as finished a man of the world as he was an imperfect philosopher, soon perceived that considerable changes had taken place in the ideas as well as in the exterior of his nephew. the duke, however, was extremely cordial, and greeted the family in terms almost of fondness. he shook his uncle by the hand with a fervour with which few noblemen had communicated for a considerable period, and he saluted his aunt on the cheek with a delicacy which did not disturb the rouge. he turned to his cousin.
lady caroline st. maurice was indeed a right beautiful being. she, whom the young duke had left merely a graceful and kind-hearted girl, three years had changed into a somewhat dignified but most lovely woman. a little perhaps of her native ease had been lost; a little perhaps of a manner rather too artificial had supplanted that exquisite address which nature alone had prompted; but at this moment her manner was as unstudied and as genuine as when they had gambolled together in the bowers of malthorpe. her white and delicate arm was extended with cordial grace, her full blue eye beamed with fondness, and the soft blush that rose on her fair cheek exquisitely contrasted with the clusters of her dark brown hair.
the duke was struck, almost staggered. he remembered their infant loves; he recovered with ready address. he bent his head with graceful affection and pressed her lips. he almost repented that he had not accepted his uncle’s offer of hospitality.
