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 THE 
 
 GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 BT 
 
 A LADY OF RANK. 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 
 VOL. L 
 
 LONDON : 
 HENRY COLBURN, PUBLISHER, 
 
 GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 
 
 1838.
 
 LONDON : 
 
 STEWART AND MURRAY, 
 
 OLD BAILEY.
 
 
 THE 
 
 GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Kind, and true-hearted, bold, and gay, and gallant. 
 But lacking one especial thing, discretion — 
 What is to him the base and sordid gold. 
 When hawk, or hound, or beauty lead him on. 
 
 Old Play. 
 
 " You have no humanity, Ellen," said Edward 
 Glanville to his sister, half raising himself from 
 the sofa on which he was stretched ; — '* you 
 have not common feeling, — nobody ever has, for 
 my troubles. I will bear it no longer. I tell you 
 
 VOL. I. B
 
 Z THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 I am in the mood for mischief. Take that em- 
 broidery frame out of the way, or I shall put 
 my foot through it." 
 
 " Oh ! for mercy's sake ! do any thing but 
 that," said Ellen, a gay laughing girl of fif- 
 teen ; " it is Elizabeth's. Now, Edward dear, 
 be quiet, and tell me what is the matter." 
 
 " Very well, child ; come here, and you shall 
 hear all about it; bring a chair for yourself 
 close by me, only take care, for your life, not 
 to disturb my attitude. Do not move the 
 article of furniture which supports my left 
 leg." 
 
 " Now, Edward, do not run on so, but tell 
 me, can I do any thing to help you ?" 
 
 "Any thing! yes, every thing; only just 
 get me a hunter." 
 
 ** A hunter ! oh, Edward ! and where in the 
 wide world am I to get you a hunter ?" 
 
 ** There are six in the stables, doing nothing 
 but eating their heads off; and my father — you
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 6 
 
 will scarcely believe it, Ellen — but my father has 
 never thought of offering me one, though three 
 several times at breakfast this morning I 
 thanked Heaven audibly that the frost was 
 gone, and that the hounds met at Hornsey. 
 Some people have no consideration. I almost 
 think he said something of younger sons, and 
 expensive habits. But this moping life will 
 never do — my spirits will not stand it. I will 
 go back to Brighton and my own hunters to- 
 morrow.'* 
 
 " Your own hunters ! I had no idea," said 
 Ellen, thoughtfully, " that, with an allowance 
 of four hundred pounds a-year, you would find 
 it possible to keep hunters of your own." 
 
 Edward laughed. 
 
 ** Poor Ellen ! I dare say I find it possible to 
 do many other things, of which you have no idea, 
 and then I find it quite impossible to do with- 
 out them. I did try, upon my honour; but I 
 wasted away for want of exercise, shut up in 
 b2
 
 4 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 those infernal barracks. And now, my dear 
 girl, lose no more time, but go to my father, 
 and say, in your prettiest manner, that you see 
 poor Edward is longing to hunt this morning, 
 only he is shy about asking for a horse, and 
 so on — you know the sort of thing. I will 
 wait here till you come back. And kiss me, 
 Ellen, before you go. You are a good girl, and 
 pretty withal, and you know it is better to be 
 pretty than good. There's morality for you ! 
 given after Elizabeth's most approved manner." 
 
 In half an hour Ellen was standing at the 
 window watching Edward mount, and gallop 
 across the park. Her father sighed, as he 
 marked the fond, proud look she cast towards 
 him. 
 
 " So Edward has carried his point," said 
 Elizabeth, with something of a smile ; but 
 neither the sigh nor the smile accorded with 
 Ellen's feelings; and casting one deprecating 
 look at her sister, she left the room.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. O 
 
 It was three years from this time, that at her 
 father's house in Grosvenor-square, I again 
 saw Lady Ellen Glanville. Brilliant in smiles 
 and beauty, she was seated on an ottoman, 
 gaily talking and laughing with those who 
 surrounded her. Suddenly an expression of 
 pain, almost of fear, passed over her counten- 
 ance, her voice faltered, and she suddenly 
 paused. 
 
 The change did not last ; the next moment 
 she was conversing with greater spirit than 
 before. 
 
 " So Frederick Percival has been making a 
 brilliant speech to-night," — said Charles Dal- 
 rymple, in his thin wiry voice. '* Was it on the 
 rail-road question?" 
 
 " On the rail-road question !" interrupted 
 Edward Glanville, ** my dear fellow, it is only 
 you who can be brilliant upon the rail-road 
 question ; and no wonder, with the prospect of 
 having your park cut in two. But I am sorry
 
 b THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 to hear this of Percival ; he will shine as a poli- 
 tician, and be lost to society." 
 
 " He is not lost to-night ; I had a glimpse of 
 him just now ; had not you, Lady Ellen?'* and 
 Lord Raymond, as he asked the question, fixed 
 his dark keen eyes upon her. 
 
 Ellen was spared the trouble of answering, 
 for Percival at that moment approached her. 
 There was a little restless looking girl seated 
 beside Ellen, who, for the last half-hour, had 
 been vainly trying to obtain what she con- 
 ceived a due share of attention. 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Percival ! " she began, the mo- 
 ment he was within speaking distance ; '^ how 
 glad I am you are come : we have heard and 
 talked of nothing but your success. I have 
 been dying to wish you joy !" and Miss Beau- 
 mont moved nearer to Ellen, so as to leave him 
 a vacant space on the ottoman beside herself; 
 but he, giving her a look which plainly said, 
 " what possible claim have you to my society V
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. / 
 
 passed her hastily, and, after a moment's hesi- 
 tation, held out his hand to Lady Ellen. 
 
 " To-night," — he said, as he bent towards 
 her, — " to-night, will you not meet me cor- 
 dially ? When all are congratulating me, have 
 not you one kind word for me ?" 
 
 " I do congratulate you," said Ellen, as for 
 an instant she lightly placed her hand in his ; 
 " I can fancy, and almost envy, the pleasure of 
 your feelings — the pleasure of complete success. 
 But I must not sit idly here, and leave my 
 father to receive all those people. Edward, will 
 you take me to him ?" and rising, she passed 
 her arm through her brother's. 
 
 " You need not envy me now," said Percival, 
 the deep low tone of his voice almost sinking to 
 a whisper as he drew back to let her pass. 
 
 ** Let me go with you. Lady Ellen," cried 
 Miss Beaumont; " I ought to look for mamma; 
 I wonder where she is likely to be ? Lord Ray- 
 mond, have you seen mamma?"
 
 8 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 Lord Raymond, feeling that his arm waa 
 likely to be put in requisition, had made a skil- 
 ful retreat. 
 
 " Why, how odd ! Lord Raymond was here 
 just now. Oh! there is Mr. Douglas. How 
 do you do, Mr. Douglas ? We are trying to 
 make our way into the next room ; but I never 
 saw such a crowd ; I cannot conceive how we 
 are to get through the doorway ;" and she with- 
 drew her arm from Ellen, who continued quietly 
 to advance. 
 
 •' Yes, I hate a crowd ; I wonder you try — " 
 Mr. Douglas answered in an absent tone. 
 
 In despair. Miss Beaumont rejoined Ellen. 
 " How could you leave me, dear Lady Ellen? 
 I fell in with that dreadful Mr. Douglas — so 
 tiresome and absent — if he once joins me, I can 
 never get rid of him ; I had such difficulty to 
 shake him off. Mr. Glanville, it is all your fault 
 for hurrying your sister so." 
 
 " He shall take charge of you now,'' said
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. y 
 
 Ellen ; " for I must go and say a word to the 
 Dalrymplesj Elizabeth will not stay much 
 longer." 
 
 *' I should be delighted to make myself of 
 use, Miss Beaumont ; but there are Mrs. 
 Beaumont and your sisters, eagerly looking out 
 for you, so your search is happily ended. 
 Elien," whispered Edward, as he hastily re- 
 treated, " see if I do not revenge myself upon 
 you for this." 
 
 Eliza Beaumont, who had pertinaciously 
 turned her back upon her mother, from the mo- 
 ment she caught a glimpse of her, was now 
 obliged to seat herself by her sisters ; but she 
 found consolation in wondering they did not 
 seem more amused ; she thought it a delightful 
 party. Lady Ellen, she said, had insisted upon 
 their keeping together — Lord Ray mond, Mr. Per- 
 cival. Captain Glanville, and many more, had 
 devoted themselves to her ; and if she had not 
 been afraid that they were waiting for her to go 
 B 5
 
 10 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 home, she should never have prevailed upon 
 herself to leave the ottoman in the next 
 room. 
 
 " Have you seen the Harrisons here ?" Miss 
 Beaumont roused herself to ask ; and upon 
 being answered in the negative, she added, 
 with an air of great relief, " I am very sorry, 
 they will be so mortified ; for, you know, 
 mamma, they have always tried to make out, 
 that they were more intimate with Lady Ellen 
 than we are." 
 
 *' Yes, mamma, and John Harrison calls Lord 
 Lindsay, Lindsay, behind his back ; which he 
 does not dare do to his face ; for Richard, who 
 has never thought of trying such a thing, watched 
 when they were together.'' 
 
 " And I cannot make out," added Eliza, 
 " why they all affect to say ' Mr. Glanville.' I 
 looked in the army list the other day, and he is 
 decidedly a Captain." 
 
 Lady Elizabeth was now joined by Ellen.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 11 
 
 This was her first appearance in the world 
 since her marriage ; a most satisfactory event 
 to herself, to Ellen, and above all, to Edward 
 Glanville, — who passed much more of his time 
 at home, now Ehzabeth had ceased to be an 
 inmate there. She was older than Edward, and 
 had continued to treat him as a boy, and as 
 nobody, long after he claimed and found, every 
 where but at home, a place of some importance 
 in society. When, at last, frequent reports of 
 his popularity forced Elizabeth to allow his 
 social existence, his extravagance, his dissipa- 
 tion, his coxcombry, were the constant themes 
 of her discourse. His wit provoked, his sarcasms 
 disconcerted her, and by degrees, a feeling 
 had arisen between them, as nearly akin to 
 dislike, as could be allowed to exist in what 
 was called a very united family. Then Ed- 
 ward spoiled Ellen by his foolish admiration 
 for her, and Ellen positively worshipped 
 Edward, and did all she could to humour his
 
 12 THE GLANVILLK FAMILY. 
 
 follies, as if he had not too many already. In 
 short, Elizabeth disapproved very decidedly of 
 the way in which affairs were now managed 
 in her father's house ; she wished that Lindsay 
 would return and put things on a different 
 footing. 
 
 Once or twice she had herself tried to insi- 
 nuate to Lord Mordaunt, that Ellen was too 
 young to be allowed such complete indepen- 
 dence ; and that Edward ought not to be encou- 
 raged to spend so much of his time in London ; 
 but she had failed in making any impression. 
 
 A long and useful life was passed, and Lord 
 Mordaunt, now at the verge of extreme old age, 
 with failing strength of mind and body, shrank 
 from hearing or understanding any thing that 
 would disturb all that is left to the aged to 
 enjoy — the peace and contentment of home. 
 
 When he was asked for his consent to Eliza- 
 TDeth's marriage with Charles Dalrymple, if he 
 wondered at her choice of one whom he
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 13 
 
 considered without exception as the most tire- 
 some young man that he had ever admitted to 
 his dinner-table, he was satisfied that Eliza- 
 beth must be the best judge, as to whether his 
 intrinsic worth, and his ten thousand pounds 
 a-year, would compensate for passing her life 
 in his society, for treating him in public as a 
 superior, and at home, as a reasonable being. 
 Ellen was not so tolerant ; her brother-in-law, 
 with his eternal questions, and fidgets, and 
 affronts, bored and irritated her, and all her 
 consideration for Elizabeth was required to 
 make her support his society, without showing 
 her impatience. 
 
 This evening, though Elizabeth received her 
 greeting most graciously, Ellen instantly saw 
 that something was wrong with him, and 
 accordingly, the two sisters had scarcely 
 settled into conversation, when his head was 
 protruded between them. 
 
 " Elizabeth, my love, I beg pardon for inter-
 
 14 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 rupting you, but I wish to take this opportunity 
 to ask your sister about my mother's card. 
 We have some reason, Ellen, to believe, your 
 porter must have mislaid my mother's card. 
 She called here ten days ago, immediately 
 upon her arrival in London, and as her visit has 
 never been returned, she imagines it has not 
 been made known." 
 
 Ellen felt dreadfully guilty. Every day she 
 had carefully written old Mrs. Dalrym- 
 ple's name at the head of a list of visits, 
 and every day had found or made some fresh 
 excuse for deferring the evil hour. She now 
 hastily expressed her contrition, and her inten- 
 tion of going the next morning ; and again 
 turning to Elizabeth, found amusement in lis- 
 tening to her remarks on the various indivi- 
 duals about them. But though entertaining, 
 Elizabeth's conversation was always a doubtful 
 enjoyment to Ellen : it never seemed to express 
 her own feelings and opinions, but to be directed
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 15 
 
 against those of the person she was conversing 
 with. 
 
 She would show an interest in Ellen's com- 
 munications, which, in spite of former reso- 
 lutions, would lead her on to talk, um'eserv- 
 edly, of all that most interested her ; and it was 
 only when left dispirited and comfortless, that 
 Ellen would discover the latent sting which 
 lurked in Elizabeth's replies. 
 
 Tliis evening her spirits were not high, and 
 she felt unequal to the covert warfare in which 
 she soon discovered she was engaged ; and it 
 was with a feeling of relief that she found her- 
 self addressed by Lord Raymond. " I have 
 come to you for intelHgence, Lady Ellen. A 
 new beauty who has made her appearance 
 here to-night; so very new, that nobody can 
 tell her name ; and so very beautiful, that every 
 body is asking for it. Now, can you enlighten 
 me?" 
 
 " If she cannot, Edward probably can," in-
 
 16 
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 terposed Elizabeth : *• I did not know, Ellen 
 that the Howards were acquaintances of yours." 
 
 Ellen was not obliged to hear. " You can 
 only mean Miss Rivers. I know no more of her 
 than that she is a niece of the Howards, who 
 asked leave to bring her. When they were an- 
 nounced, I hurried to receive them, fearing that 
 she might feel awkward at having come un- 
 invited ; but she received my common-place as- 
 surances of pleasure at seeing her, as nothing 
 more than her due. I never saw a manner more 
 self-possessed. There was something almost 
 contemptuous in the calmness with which she 
 stood, while that pretty little Mrs. Howard over- 
 whelmed me with apologies and flatteries. She 
 is certainly very beautiful, but she looks alarm- 
 ing." 
 
 " In other words, you dislike what you have 
 seen of her, and do not wish to see more. When 
 any body says to me, ' I am afraid of you,' I 
 only look upon it as a civil manner of insinuat-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 17 
 
 ing, ' 1 dislike your society.' There are not 
 many who frighten me, but it would be un- 
 pleasant to me to live much with those who do. 
 Yet there is one who certainly improves upon 
 me, and whose acquaintance I feel anxious to 
 cultivate : but Frederick Percival's manner is 
 not encouraging." 
 
 " I have known him so very long, so very in- 
 timately,'* answered Ellen, slightly colouring, 
 ** I hardly know what effect it may have upon a 
 stranger. I believe it may appear reserved, for 
 I have heard others make the same complaint. 
 But during the many years his family have been 
 abroad, our house has almost been his home. 
 I should as soon expect to find reserve in Ed- 
 ward, as in him. Lately, indeed, we have seen 
 less of him ; he is too much immersed in poli- 
 tics to have time to bestow on his friends." 
 
 " And to-night," said Lord Raymond, " he 
 has made a decided step, in a career which 
 must prove a brilliant one. I was in the
 
 18 
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 house when he spoke. I never heard a 
 more convincing torrent of eloquence. You 
 can hardly fancy the enthusiasm with which it 
 was received. May I venture to add, that were 
 mine the happiness of knowing you so long, 
 and so intimately," — he repeated her words with 
 a slight emphasis — '*upon such an occasion I 
 should have dared hope to be more warmly con- 
 gratulated." 
 
 " We understand each other," Ellen answered, 
 coldly ; and raising her eyes, she met those of 
 Percival, fixed upon her with an expression of 
 sadness, from which she positively shrank. 
 Almost involuntarily she pronounced his name ; 
 and in an instant he was at her side. 
 
 Lord Raymond, though he quitted her, still hn- 
 gered near. He saw the deepening interest of their 
 conversation ; the grave earnestness with which 
 Percival addressed her; the quivering of her 
 beautiful lip, as in broken sentences she seemed 
 to answer him. He saw her emotion grow stronger
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 19 
 
 still — he almost fancied that tears were falling 
 from beneath the long dark lashes, which now 
 drooped, till they rested on her cheek. Percival 
 rose, and stood before her. 
 
 " She loves him," thought Lord Raymond — 
 " and now he is entreating her to be calm ; to 
 conceal the emotion he has caused. She loves 
 him — and he may be worthy of her ; but, oh God ! 
 can his love be any thing like mine?" 
 
 Lord Raymond had lingered till he felt 
 he had no right to linger longer. The 
 rooms were almost deserted. He was re- 
 called to recollection and activity, by Eliza 
 Beaumont's request that he would just be so 
 very good as to ask if their carriage was there. 
 " 1 told you that you might trust to me to find 
 somebody to get us away," she said triumph- 
 antly to her sisters, as Lord Raymond de- 
 scended the stair-case. '* Good night, Mrs. 
 Howard ; we are only waiting till Lord Ray- 
 mond tells us that the carriage is ready. Yes,
 
 20 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 Richard, by all means accept Mrs. Irvine's 
 offer of a lift home ; Lord Raymond will take 
 care of us." 
 
 *' Is that your carriage they are calling, Lady 
 Elizabeth, or is it Lord Raymond telling us ours 
 is ready ?'' 
 
 " My dears," interrupted Mrs. Beaumont, 
 ** have you got your shawls ? That civil, red- 
 haired, out of livery man, has been to tell me 
 that our carriage has drawn off, but that we 
 may still walk to it; — here, take my arm, Eliza; 
 stick close behind us, Maria and Anne — there ; 
 we shall manage very well." 
 
 *' I am afraid Lord Raymond will be hunting 
 for us," said Eliza, as they drove off, at the 
 very moment it would have appeared, upon a 
 reasonable calculation. Lord Raymond had 
 fairly arrived at his own home. 
 
 Percival too, was gone ; and Ellen and her 
 brother were left together. " It is not very late, 
 Ellen," he said, drawing her towards him ; " I
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 21 
 
 will Stay a little while, and let us talk these 
 people over." 
 
 "Not to-night — dearest Edward! — not to- 
 night; come early to-morrow; I am so tired now 
 — so very, very tired ! " — and she rested her 
 head upon his shoulder. 
 
 " Then, God bless you, my darling Ellen ! 
 but what is the matter ? why, your cheek is wet 
 with tears! what is the matter?" he repeated, as 
 he caught the sounds of her suppressed sobs. 
 " Speak to me, Ellen ; I dare say that Elizabeth 
 has been saying something particularly dis- 
 agreeable ; tell me what is vexing you ?" 
 
 •' Nothing, Edward, nothing ! " she answered, 
 half smihng through her tears; " I am only 
 very tired, and quite worn out with being plea- 
 sant. Come and ride with me to-morrow ; and 
 now, good night!"
 
 22 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 CHAPTER II, 
 
 "There's nothing like a modicum of civil malice, 
 between dear, kind, good-natured friends.'' 
 
 "And little things, seem great to little men." 
 
 " It will be but kind, my dears, for some of us 
 to go and see the Harrisons to-day. As they 
 were not asked themselves, they will like to 
 hear how the Mordaunt party went off last 
 night." 
 
 This was Mrs. Beaumont's first address 
 to her two eldest daughters, when they made 
 their appearance the next morning in the
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 23 
 
 drawing-room ; where the drained tea-pot, the 
 silent urn, and the Uttered table-cloth, gave 
 tacit, but feeling evidence, that the orthodox 
 hour of breakfast was past. 
 
 *' How wretchedly uncomfortable !" said Maria, 
 advancing towards the bell; " I do wish that 
 Harding could any-how be taught, that when 
 we do not appear so soon as the others, we 
 must have something to eat when we do 
 come." 
 
 " Stay, young ladies, I will have no ringing 
 for any thing more," Mr. Beaumont said, look- 
 ing up from his Morning Post. *' There was a 
 very good family breakfast at ten, a very good 
 family hour, and those who cannot be down for 
 it, must take what they can get." 
 
 " There, Miss Maria, that's all you have got 
 by giving yourself airs about breakfast," said 
 her youngest brother, who was at home for the 
 holidays. 
 
 " How disagreeable boys are !" was Maria's
 
 24 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 answer, aside to Eliza, as she seated herself at 
 the comfortless looking table; "and Charles, 
 I tell you once for all, that I will not have the 
 hot crumb from your rolls put in my plate 
 every morning — there is no wit in it." 
 
 *' Yes, there is though, because it makes you 
 so cross," said Charles, as he ran out of the 
 room. 
 
 " Well, girls, have you got nothing to tell ? 
 no news? no scandal?" said their father, again 
 looking up from his paper. " Is Frederick 
 Percival still assiduous about the fair Ellen ? 
 and how will the courteous old lord make up 
 his mind to that?" 
 
 " The courteous old lord strikes me as hav- 
 ing no mind left to make up," answered Maria, 
 sharply. " I declare he positively twaddles. 
 We sate close by him half the evening, and 
 he never seemed to find out that we were in the 
 room ; and when at last I touched his elbow 
 and asked him how he was, he answered, quite
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 25 
 
 well, and delighted to see his old neighbour, 
 Mrs. Harrison, and her daughters." 
 
 *' Poor Maria ! so he took you for Kate 
 Harrison," said her brother Richard, with a 
 loud laugh, as he left the room to commence 
 his daily irksome walk to Lincoln's Inn. 
 
 " I do think that loud laugh of Richard the 
 most odious thing/' said Maria to her mother. 
 " I wish, mamma, you would tell him of it." 
 
 " Well, but Maria," said Eliza, '' I am sur- 
 prised to hear that Lord Mordaunt did not 
 know you — he was so very civil to me — quite 
 put himself out of the way to step forward, 
 and ask me how I did. As to Mr. Percival 
 and Lady Ellen, I do not think much of that 
 — they took scarcely any notice of each othei^ — 
 he seemed more inclined to talk to me than 
 to her." 
 
 " Now, Eliza," interrupted Maria, " nobody 
 but you could have fancied that. When we 
 came away, I never saw a more decided look- 
 
 VOL. I. c
 
 26 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 ing business. But they seemed very unhappy. 
 I suspect that Lord Mordaunt will not give his 
 consent." 
 
 ^' Yet he might do worse/' said her father. 
 '* They say old Percival's affairs are coming 
 round, and that he will soon return to England, 
 and reside on his own property. But even if 
 his ruin should be irretrievable, Frederick must 
 eventually inherit from that rich curmudgeon 
 of an uncle, who has stood aloof during all 
 their distresses. And, in the meantime, he is 
 one who will make himself a station in the 
 world. His speech last night will bring him 
 into notice. I think it over liberal, and wrong- 
 headed. Like all very young men, he is bit 
 by the political economists ; but that is the po- 
 pular line, and will tell for his advancement." 
 
 These last words were pronounced in a man- 
 ner which was meant to be eminently sarcastic ; 
 for Mr. Beaumont prided himself upon being 
 an old Tory of the old school. All the Beau-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 27 
 
 monts always had been Tories, and he flattered 
 himself that he was a thorough Beaumont : so 
 he was a member of the Conservative Club ; set 
 himself against every thing in the shape of pub- 
 lic improvement ; was called a sterling capital 
 old fellow, by '* all the Beaumonts,'' who ral- 
 lied round him ; and was illiberal and narrow- 
 minded to his heart's content. 
 
 At this moment the door was thrown open, 
 and Mr. John Harrison and the Miss Harrisons 
 were announced. After the buzz of dear Ma- 
 ria's and dear Kate's was over, Mrs. Beaumont 
 began upon the subject nearest her heart. 
 
 " How is your mother, to-day, Kate ? We 
 were just going to inquire after her, for we were 
 afraid, as we did not see any of you last night, 
 that something must be the matter at home." 
 
 '* Last night !" repeated Kate, " I forget 
 
 what there was, last night. Oh ! I remember — 
 
 one of those large Mordaunt parties. I hate 
 
 them ; do not you ? Lady Ellen says, they al- 
 
 c2
 
 28 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 ways give one or two of them in the year, just 
 to clear off her visiting list, and they are a 
 sad mixture. However, next Wednesday we 
 shall go, and I hope have the pleasure of meet- 
 ing you. There is ' very small,' and * very early,' 
 at the corner of the cards this time ; so it will 
 be select and good." 
 
 This was a dreadful blow. The Beaumonts 
 had no card, and in their lives never had had 
 one, with " small and early" at the corner ; and 
 Mrs. Beaumont, feeling herself fairly defeated, 
 made a hasty attempt to change the subject ; 
 but Julia Harrison took it up, and pertinaci- 
 ously pursued it. 
 
 " We shall meet you, of course. I would 
 not miss going for the world, it will be so very 
 interesting^." 
 
 " And why should it be so very interesting ?" 
 asked Mrs. Beaumont, jesuitically avoiding to 
 notice the first part of the sentence. 
 
 "Why! is it possible?" exclaimed Kate,
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 29 
 
 '* that you have not heard of the marriage ? John ! 
 only think, they have not heard of the mar- 
 riage ! Well, I wonder that Lady Ellen did not 
 tell you. Mamma and I are going there to 
 congratulate. So very extraordinary that she 
 should not have let you know about it. You 
 will be so surprised." 
 
 The Beaumonts had nothing left for it, but 
 to look dignified and uninterested. Eliza, in- 
 deed, hazarded something about Frederick Per- 
 cival and Lady Ellen, but was immediately 
 silenced by — 
 
 *' Oh, no, not that old story ! I do not be- 
 lieve there is any thing in that. Well, I sup- 
 pose we must tell you. Lord Lindsay is going 
 to be married to Miss Spencer, Lord Raymond's 
 sister. It was all settled at Paris, and both 
 the families are delighted. Lord Lindsay is on 
 his way hence, with old Lady Raymond and 
 his Jiancee; and 1 suppose we shall see them 
 together next Wednesday, You will be sure
 
 30 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 to go, will not you V added Julia, who was 
 dying to know whether they were asked. 
 
 " And it is positively settled and declared ?" 
 asked Eliza, with something of a pang : for 
 though Lord Lindsay had never seemed to per- 
 ceive her existence, he was unmarried and a 
 neighbour, and did to dream about when she 
 was in the country. 
 
 " To be sure it is," said John Harrison. " I 
 had this morning a letter from Lindsay — (Ma- 
 ria pressed Eliza's foot under the table) — and 
 you can give rae, for your authority, that the 
 marriage is settled." 
 
 This was a bold stroke of John's; for the letter 
 simply related to a horse-dealing transaction, 
 and was written in a dry, business-like manner, 
 without the slightest allusion to the marriage — 
 which he had accidentally heard the night before 
 at the Travellers. For, like all family mys- 
 teries, it had been talked over, commented 
 upon in every possible view of the subject, any
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 31 
 
 where, and every where, but at Mordaunt 
 House. Indeed, so positive had been Lord 
 Lindsay's injunctions of secrecy, till he had 
 received a propitious answer from some rich 
 uncle or cousin of his intended bride, it was 
 only that morning Lord Mordaunt had felt 
 himself at liberty to mention the fact to Ellen ; 
 and Charles Dalrymple was, at that very mo- 
 ment, fretting up and down Elizabeth's draw- 
 ing-room, in a positive fever of offended dignity. 
 A note had arrived from his mother, full of 
 congratulations upon an event, of which she 
 naturally concluded he and Elizabeth would 
 have had the earliest information. He was 
 really distressed how to answer her. How 
 could he own, situated as he was in the family, 
 that no communication had been sent ? It 
 showed a want of confidence in Lord Mor- 
 daunt, a want of consideration in Ellen, that 
 was quite unpardonable. What would Eliza- 
 beth advise him to answer? Under the circuni-
 
 32 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 stances, would it not be better to deny the 
 whole affair ? 
 
 But as there seemed to be no doubt of the 
 truth of the report, Elizabeth, over whom her 
 husband's fusses always had a calming effect, 
 said his mother would probably not believe him. 
 
 '* True, he had never thought of that. He 
 was really placed in a most extraordinary po- 
 sition;" — and his small peevish mouth actually 
 quivered with agitation. 
 
 " Had we not better walk to Grosvenor- 
 square," suggested Elizabeth, " and see my 
 father ? and you. can send word to your mother, 
 that we will call upon her in our way back.'' 
 
 After some demur as to whether, under the 
 circumstances of the case, he could take such 
 a step without degradation, he consented, and 
 was somewhat mollified upon finding Ellen 
 actually employed in writing to Elizabeth, and 
 hearing her reiterated assurances, that she had 
 herself been only an hour in possession of the
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 33 
 
 intelligence. After suggesting to her the ex- 
 pedience of an early official communication to 
 his mother, he announced his intention of pro- 
 ceeding to her himself — a proposition which 
 was eagerly seconded by Elizabeth ; and the 
 two sisters were left to talk the matter over in 
 peace. 
 
 ** And papa, Ellen — what does he say to this 
 marriage of Lindsay's ? does it satisfy him V 
 
 " Yes, I believe so ; he likes the connexion, 
 and all we hear of Mary Spencer is very satis- 
 factory. But you know how papa considers 
 Lindsay. I really believe the person does not 
 exist upon the earth, whom papa would think 
 good enough for him ; and he would certainly 
 prefer the lady's having a little more money. 
 But I have done my best to comfort him 
 about that ; for though we talk so pathetically 
 of our poverty, I suspect that it is only talk. 
 My uncle, who knows all about papa's affairs, 
 c5
 
 34 THi aLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 says, that it is a fancy of Lindsay's, and that it 
 is a pity he wearies papa about nothing." 
 
 '* I beheve," answered Elizabeth, " that 
 Lindsay was frightened, and with some reason, 
 at Edward's extravagance. His debts have been 
 twice paid already; and Lindsay was of opinion 
 that it would have been more prudent, and in 
 fact, kinder to Edward, to have let him suffer 
 a little for his follies, instead of encouraging 
 him to persevere in them." " 
 
 *' There was no encouragement I If you knew 
 all, Elizabeth, you would not say so. Edward 
 was extravagant — I neither deny it, nor defend 
 it ; but if Lindsay did but know, as I do, how 
 much kindness can do with Edward, he would 
 not risk driving him, by severity, from all those 
 who can influence him to good. Dear, dear 
 papa ! how thankful I felt to him, that he with- 
 stood all the unkind influence that was used. 
 And Edward — even you, Elizabeth, will own.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 35 
 
 that you have heard no reports of his extrava- 
 gance since." 
 
 " Not of his extravagance!" answered EUza- 
 beth, with one of her meaning smiles, which 
 made Ellen feel uncomfortable, she could 
 scarcely have said why ; but she resolutely 
 refrained from asking any question ; and Eliza- 
 beth, after pausing for encouragement, con- 
 tinued without it 
 
 " Are not the Howards new acquaintances 
 of yours? Mrs. Howard once made strong 
 efforts to draw me into an intimacy ; but, from 
 the very first, I made a point of repelling her 
 advances. I had not the vanity to suppose 
 that she was actuated by the simple wish of 
 enjoying my society ; she is too pretty, and too 
 much used to be told so, to content herself with 
 that. You are probably aware, that Edward 
 almost passes his life at her home; and Mr. 
 Dalrymple tells us that he hears at Boodle's — " 
 
 " If you are going to repeat to me any ill-
 
 36 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 natured reports about Edward, spare me, 
 Elizabeth !" interrupted Ellen, with a spirit she 
 always shewed when he was attacked ; " though 
 as the reports Mr. Dalrymple picks up at 
 Boodle's are probably about some of our an- 
 cestors, I do not know why I should mind. 
 And now will not you come down to papa ? he 
 will expect you to wish him joy."
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 37 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Lord Angelo is precise ; 
 Stands at a guard with envy ; scarce confesses 
 That his blood flows, or that his appetite 
 Is more to bread than stone. 
 
 Measure for Measure^ 
 
 *' Say, is this love, or only phantasy 1" 
 
 Even the most intimate friends and associates 
 of the Glanville family, though habitually 
 thrown into the society of Lord Lindsay, felt 
 his presence always chill them, as that of a 
 stranger. He had certainly great natural ta- 
 lents, and his mind was highly cultivated ; but 
 either from pride or shyness, he spoke but little 
 — he seemed determined to keep even his know- 
 ledge to himself. Cold, stern, and unimpas-
 
 38 THi: .LANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 sioned, both in acti'^?^" and in manner, what- 
 ever sins Lord Lindsay may have committed, 
 whatever pain inflicted by his words, he was 
 at least spared the possibility of reproaching him- 
 self with rashness, or momentary inadvertence ; 
 for all was the result of previous calculation. 
 No event, however unforeseen, no appeal, how- 
 ever energetic, could draw him from the line of 
 conduct he had determined to pursue. However 
 difficult it might be to understand his character 
 from cursory observation, it became clear to 
 those who studied it, that selfishness, unre- 
 strained, hardened selfishness, had blighted, and 
 eventually destroyed, all that might have been 
 noble and good. 
 
 Over his father his influence was unbounded. 
 Years had reversed the relative positions of 
 father and son: for aged and feeble himself. 
 Lord Mordaunt, in any difficulty or uncertainty, 
 gladly availed himself of the cool judgment and 
 decision of one who, whatever his faults, had
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 39 
 
 never failed in duty towards him. Edward, too, 
 however unlike him in disposition, was proud 
 of his brother, though but little of intiaiacy sub- 
 sisted between them. Lord Lindsay was at 
 college, when Edward first left his home for 
 school. At fifteen he had joined his regiment ; 
 and when, in after Hfe, they occasionally met at 
 their father's house, Lord Lindsay's unbending 
 manner did net encourage confidence. Yet in 
 Edward's wildest moments, (and in those days 
 he was wild with youth and spirits, and ungovern- 
 able happiness) one word of advice or blame 
 from his brother would calm and check him. 
 But that word was seldom spoken: it might 
 bring on scenes and explanations, of which Lord 
 Lindsay had an insupportable horror: it was 
 only by the cold sarcasm of his manner that 
 he ever signified his displeasure. 
 
 Yes, Edward was wild, extravagant, and 
 impetuous. He had many faults which, in 
 early life, a mother's watchfulness, a mother's
 
 40 THE GTLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 influence, might have eradicated ; but she died 
 shortly after Ellen's birth ; and Edward, with- 
 out one fixed principle to guide him, was early- 
 thrown into a life of temptation and excitement. 
 Those who remembered him, when, after three 
 years absence, he first returned to Mordaunt 
 Castle, so frank and affectionate in manner, so 
 quick and brilliant in conversation, thought they 
 had never before met with one so formed to 
 attract and delight ; and when this opinion of 
 him was openly and warmly expressed — 
 
 "True," answered old Lord Mordaunt, "he 
 is a handsome affectionate boy; but to a younger 
 son, who must trust for advancement in life to 
 his own steadiness, are not the shining qua- 
 lities you admire, a misfortune rather than an 
 advantage?" 
 
 The question might seem a harsh one ; but 
 " time gave it a deep answer." 
 
 Meanwhile, there was one who could see no 
 fault in Edward j who could listen to no forebod-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 41 
 
 ing of future ill to him. Child as he was, Ellen 
 was the constant companion of his amusements ; 
 the confident of all his early troubles. He would 
 go with her to coax her old French governess 
 into giving her holiday after holiday, that 
 they might set off for the day, on some far 
 expedition together; and the old lady, who 
 doated upon " ce cher jeune capitaine Edouard," 
 would shake her head and try to look grave, 
 and wish that miledi Ellen would be as studi- 
 ous and pos^e as miledi EHzabeth; and then 
 she would pack up their luncheon, and little 
 Ellen's cloaks, in the poney-phaeton, and ar- 
 range Edward's fishing-tackle, and ejaculate 
 over the artificial flies of her own invention ; 
 and when they were out of sight, she would 
 potter back into the house, with something 
 between a grunt and a sigh, to watch the 
 clouds, and hope the children would not get 
 into mischief. 
 
 An intimate of the family saw her one day
 
 42 
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 Standing near the window which looked on the 
 lawn. There was evidently something to be seen 
 that was interesting, and that it was amusing 
 too, might be guessed, from the involuntary 
 shaking of her shoulders. 
 
 '^ Well, Mrs.Renardin," was the friendly greet- 
 ing, " what are you so busy about, that you cannot 
 turn round to say a word to an old acquaintance?" 
 
 " Ah ! pardon Monsieur, mais regardez done 
 ces enfants. C'est qu'ils sont fous, vraiment 
 fous; et ce mechant Capitaine Edouard, qui 
 m'a promis d'avoir bien soin de Ledi Ellen, 
 parce quelle porte une si jolie robe ce matin. 
 Ah ! je le gronderai bien, je ne rirai pas, je ne 
 rirai pas," added the old lady, shaking her head 
 at him, and laughing till she was forced to sit 
 down in an old-fashioned arm-chair, which Ed- 
 ward and Ellen in early days had joined their 
 pocket-money to buy for her. 
 
 A glance from the window shewed that there 
 was good cause both for her provocation and
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 43 
 
 amusement. Percival, then staying there for the 
 long vacation, was walking first, carrying his own 
 and Edward's gun ; Edward followed, heavily 
 laden with the birds they had killed ; and Ellen 
 closed the procession, dragging after her, with 
 difficulty, two enormous hares ; " la jolie robe " 
 giving evident signs that a hedge, or a ploughed 
 field, had been no impediment to her devotion 
 in her cailino;. 
 
 The clattering of feet was heard upon the 
 stairs, and Ellen, relieved from her burthen by 
 Percival, bounded into the room. For a mo- 
 ment she stood at the door, glancing through 
 her shining ringlets with an air, half bashful, 
 half assured, while Edward, with his pocket- 
 handkerchief to his eyes, gravely advanced to 
 the old lady, and deposited his birds in her lap. 
 
 " Ah ! raechant," she began ; but Ellen's 
 arms were round her, and Edward's mock con- 
 trition grew vociferous, and Percival's voice was 
 heard petitioning for leave to enter, and, as
 
 44 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 usual, Mrs. Renardin allowed herself to be 
 pacified, and to listen to the adventures '^ the 
 children " had to tell. 
 
 Those were happy days. Another year, and 
 time had done its usual work ; and hearts 
 which seemed too light and bounding for any 
 shadow to overcast, 
 
 " Sunk low with sorrow, or beat quick with pain." 
 
 Edward's imprudence had already involved 
 him in difficulties, which, after many struggles, 
 Ellen prevailed upon him to confess to his 
 father. Then followed scenes of remonstrance, 
 and late repentance, and resolutions of amend- 
 ment, too soon forgotten. 
 
 Ellen saw Lord Mord aunt's deep vexation, 
 Lord Lindsay's cold displeasure, and sank under 
 Edward's errors and unhappiness as if they were 
 her own. He rejoined his regiment, and Ellen 
 wept at parting as she had never wept before. 
 
 " Oh, Edward, be good and prudent now — 
 for my sake, dearest, if not for your own."
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 45 
 
 He pressed her to his heart, and soothed and 
 comforted her; but it could not be — the past 
 had taught her to fear for the future, and her 
 feehngs of security were gone, and for ever. 
 
 There was another parting, too. Young as 
 Frederick Percival was, his talents had al- 
 ready brought him into notice, and he had 
 scarcely left college when he was called upon 
 to take an active part in the politics of the day. 
 His family were shortly expected to return to 
 England. For the first time, for some years, 
 he left Mordaunt Castle, without any definite 
 moment being fixed for his return. He loved 
 Ellen, with all the warm devotion of a first 
 early love ; and now the avowal of that love was 
 made ; and all he felt, and all he dared to hope, 
 was rapidly poured forth. His father's ruined 
 fortunes would be retrieved. He felt he had 
 that within him, which would work his way to 
 fortune and to fame. 
 
 " Only give me hope, Ellen, only tell me
 
 46 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 that when the day shall come, when I shall dare 
 demand you from your father, you will not turn 
 from me. We are both so young ; a few years 
 may pass, and we shall yet have a long life 
 of happiness before us. Ellen, do not turn 
 from me; speak to me, love, and let the re- 
 collection of words of kindness and encourage- 
 ment be my consolation in this long absence." 
 
 These words were spoken : Ellen only saw 
 Frederick's unhappiness — Frederick, whom she 
 had loved as another brother. Unhesitatingly she 
 gave him the assurance of affection he pleaded 
 for; unhesitatingly promised that Edward only 
 should be told of all that had passed between 
 them. Had Ellen considered the solemn nature 
 of the engagement she was entering into, she 
 would have paused; but she was yet a child in 
 feelings and in years ; she had no mother to 
 check or guide her ; small wonder, then, and 
 yet smaller blame, that at such a moment her 
 better judgment failed her.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 47 
 
 ^' I am so glad that he is happy and satisfied 
 now," she thought, when she found herself 
 alone. " But why should he have doubted my 
 affection ? we have never had a quarrel ; and 
 who have I ever seen that I could care for, like 
 him and Edward ? In time, I suppose, like every 
 body else, I must marry ; and when Frederick 
 gets money enough, if papa does not object — 
 and I hardly see how he can — for he is always 
 telling Edward that he wishes he was as steady 
 as Frederick — it will be better that we should 
 marry one another, than two strangers, that 
 we know nothing about now." And having 
 arrived at this conclusion, she ran out of the 
 house to feed her chickens. 
 
 It was some months after that a letter from 
 Edward, enclosmg one from Percival, roused 
 her to a fear that she had acted wrong and 
 rashly. It was the first that she had ever re- 
 ceived from Frederick : she had positively re- 
 fused to correspond with him unknown to her
 
 48 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 father ; and he, respecting her scruples, had 
 not pressed her to do so. He now only wrote 
 to tell her of his acceptance of an office, which, 
 though small, gave an opening for future ad- 
 vancement. He recalled to her their parting 
 words ; he warmly repeated his assurances of 
 attachment ; his reliance on her sympathy in 
 his sanguine views for the future. There was a 
 devotion in his expression that almost startled 
 Ellen. Since they parted, he seemed to have 
 thought of her alone : his hopes, his fears, had 
 all centred in her; and for the first time she 
 doubted whether the affection she felt for him 
 could satisfy such feelings. 
 
 The season was come, when they were to leave 
 Mordaunt Castle, and she was to make her first 
 appearance in the London world. Frederick 
 would again be a constant visitor at their house. 
 '* Do not laugh at me, dearest Edward," she 
 wrote to her brother, " when I tell you that I 
 am almost frightened at the thought of seeing
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 49 
 
 him again. I feel now that the fear of making 
 him unhappy led me into promising what was 
 very, very wrong. Day after day we must meet 
 — we have always met; but deeper thoughts and 
 feelings will be ours. If papa knew all, I should 
 be happy, as I used to be — for, indeed I am 
 often unhappy now, when I think I keep any 
 thing secret from him. But Frederick begs me 
 so earnestly to wait another year, when he says 
 he trusts his father will return, relieved from all 
 his difficulties, and then he will ask papa to con- 
 sent to our marriage, and tell him how long we 
 have loved each other. You know I have 
 always loved Frederick ; — only sometimes I 
 wish that he were less grave, and more like you ; 
 for the thought of seeing you never frightens 
 me, my darling Edward." 
 
 The London season passed, unmarked by any 
 event but Elizabeth's marriage ; another season 
 was now come, and Ellen felt that the crisis of 
 her fate was approaching. Frederick had not 
 
 VOL. I. »
 
 60 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 deceived her; already he was advanced to a si- 
 tuation where eloquence and talents such as his 
 had field for display. Lord Mordaunt spoke 
 of him with pride and affection ; Lord Lindsay, 
 in his letters, mentioned him with increasing 
 consideration, as one of the most rising young 
 men of the day. Charles Dairy mple constantly 
 plied him with cards of invitation to dinner, and 
 almost as constantly apologized to himself and 
 his guests for the empty chair, which he felt as- 
 sured that nothing but Frederick's devotion to 
 the good of his country, could prevent him from 
 occupying. And Ellen! — none could suspect 
 how deep was her interest in his success. With 
 the fear of betraying their engagement — with her 
 self-condemnation for the rashness with which 
 she had formed it — she almost shrank from his 
 society; even Elizabeth's manner was warm 
 compared to hers ; and the Beaumonts, who in 
 direct contradiction to the Harrisons, had a I-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 51 
 
 ways declared that the intimacy would end in a 
 marriage, were completely puzzled. 
 
 But Frederick, from whom she could not con- 
 ceal her secret agitation, who knew her motives 
 for reserve, was satisfied. He saw her surrounded 
 by admirers; but jealousy itself could have 
 found no cause for distrust. He saw that her 
 spirits were unequal, and rejoiced that the time 
 was come, when the mystery that weighed upon 
 them might be done away with. 
 
 There was one who had sometimes suspected 
 that a deeper feeling than appeared subsisted be- 
 tween them. Lord Raymond watched Ellen, 
 with the anxious watchfulness of one whose 
 every hope of happiness would be wrecked in the 
 confirmation of his suspicions. Firmly, though 
 gently, she had repressed the avowal of a love, 
 which seemed to him a part of his existence : yet 
 still he lingered near her. He saw that, though 
 free and unembarrassed with all others, her eye 
 sank beneath the passing glance of Frederick, 
 d2 
 
 UBRARV 
 
 ;i;«;;iT.onamo.s
 
 52 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 her voice faltered as she named him. In vain he 
 tried to turn from the conviction that her love was 
 his ; and when, at her father's house, he witnessed 
 the agitation she could no longer conceal, his 
 heart sank, as he felt there was no hope for 
 him.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 53 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Is there a tear, a human tear. 
 From passion's dross refined and clear : 
 'Tis that which pious fathers shed, 
 Upon a duteous daughter's head. 
 
 See 
 
 TT. 
 
 " Let me answer some of these letters, papa," 
 said Ellen, as she pressed her lips to her father's 
 forehead. "You have written quite enough; 
 more than is good for you. Now make over these 
 congratulations to me, and you will see how 
 prettily you will feel happiness, and satisfaction, 
 and gratitude ; and how there never was such a 
 son as Lindsay has been, nor such a daughter-
 
 54 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 in-law as Mary will be. You will let me try 
 to be of some use to you to-day, will not you ? 
 for since we came to town I have been quite 
 idle, and good for nothing.*' 
 
 " You have been amusing yourself, my child, 
 but you have not neglected your old father; no 
 daughter-in-law can be to me what you are, my 
 darling Ellen." 
 
 The tears started into Ellen's eyes, and as she 
 knelt by her father's chair, she fondly raised 
 them to his. " Then it would grieve you, papa, 
 to part with me, as you have parted with Eliza- 
 beth?" 
 
 " Not if it were for your happiness, my child 
 — and yet," he laid his wrinkled hand upon her 
 shining hair, " perhaps it is an old man's selfish 
 thought ; but I would wish to keep you a little 
 longer with me ; a little longer," he repeated, 
 half unconsciously, " and then our earthly part- 
 ing may be spared." 
 
 " Oh ! I will never leave you, papa, never.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 55 
 
 never!" burst from Ellen's lips. The next mo- 
 ment she was startled by a well-known knock 
 at the door : she was calmed at once. " It is 
 Frederick, I believe — yes, I heard his voice." 
 
 " Then I must make him over to you, as well 
 as my letters/' said Lord Mordaunt : " go to 
 him, love, in the drawing-room ; I am too tired 
 to see him now." 
 
 Ellen obeyed, and as her father kissed and 
 fondly blessed her, her resolution was taken; 
 but she slowly ascended the stairs to the draw- 
 ing-room, and when Frederick advanced to meet 
 her, she vainly tried to still the beatings of her 
 heart. " If he should think me cold — if I should 
 give him pain," she thought, and it was a relief 
 to her that his first words should be of her bro- 
 ther's marriage; but her answers were uncon- 
 nected, and her manner hurried and ill at ease. 
 Frederick stopped, and looked at her. " There 
 is something in this marriage which distresses 
 you, Ellen !"
 
 56 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY, 
 
 " No, Frederick, no; but I wished to ask 
 you, I wished to consult you." She hid her 
 burning face in her hands. " Oh ! that I had 
 courage to say all I ought, all I wished, that I 
 knew what was right and best to do !" 
 
 " And is there any thing that you can fear to 
 say to me, my own Ellen ? yes, my very own. 
 I dare call you so now ; the time is come when 
 there need be no concealment from any one, 
 much less from each other. Your fears, your 
 wishes must be mine : as the friend and com- 
 panion of your childhood, I might hope to share 
 them ; as the accepted lover, — may I not say so, 
 Ellen? I claim them as my right. But, hear 
 me first, dearest. I have so much to say, such 
 happiness to speak of; and it was but last night 
 that the very congratulations showered on me 
 were distasteful, because one loved voice feared 
 to utter them, and I reproached you with cold- 
 ness; you, my kindest, truest Ellen. In the 
 few hurried lines that I sent you this morning, I
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 57 
 
 told you that the time was come when I should 
 dare ask you of your father, I will not enter 
 on particulars now ; but keep these letters, love. 
 You will see how high an office is offered to me, 
 and how much my uncle, who left me to make 
 my own way in the world, now proposes to do 
 for me. Ellen, you have been my guardian 
 angel : if it had not been for your dear sake, I 
 should last year have accepted that situation 
 abroad ; and now what brighter prospects are 
 before me !" 
 
 " And it was for my sake that you refused it, 
 Frederick ? Oh ! why did you not tell me ? 
 why did I not know of the new tie that bound 
 me to you ? We have been so parted — I have 
 sometimes thought of our engagement as a 
 dream." 
 
 " But we shall be parted no more, Ellen. 
 Lord Mordaunt has always shewn me the kind- 
 ness of a father — he will not now refuse to accept 
 
 d5
 
 58 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 Ellen scarcely heard his words, but it was of 
 him she thought ; and when next she spoke, her 
 voice was tremulous and low. " Dear Frede- 
 rick, what devotion you have shewn to me — what 
 sacrifices you have made. Such feelings are 
 thronging on me now, but I cannot speak them. 
 How deeply I feel your affection, it must be the 
 endeavour of my future life to shew. But my 
 father ! Frederick, it was of him I wished to 
 speak ; he would consent, but I cannot, indeed 
 I cannot leave him now. It was this I wished 
 to tell you, but I feared to hurt you : I am 
 sure that you will understand me, and feel as I 
 do. When you came, 1 was kneeling by his 
 side, meaning to tell him all, but I could not ; 
 he seemed to guess my thoughts, and spoke so 
 despondingly of himself, so reluctantly of part- 
 ing with me. No, I cannot leave him to return 
 alone to Mordaunt Castle. Lindsay says that 
 Mary is not strong enough to bear a winter in 
 England, and that they mean to pass it in Italy.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 59 
 
 Edward's leave of absence will be over, and 
 your office will keep you in London. Papa will 
 have but me, dear Frederick, till spring, when 
 Lindsay returns ; you will not wish me to leave 
 him?'' 
 
 " I will strive not to wish it, Ellen ; but to 
 wait another year in my solitary home ! that 
 home which I was proud to think I had to offer 
 you ! You talk of the sacrifices I have made ! 
 this will be the greatest." 
 
 " It will be a sacrifice to both," Ellen strove 
 to say, but her words were scarcely audible, and 
 a pause, which was growing painful to her, was 
 only broken by the entrance of Edward, who 
 hastily exclaimed, *' I have brought you a fu- 
 ture connection, Ellen ; but what is become of 
 him? Already I have wasted ten whole mi- 
 nutes persuading him to come in. He could 
 not presume — he would not for the world — he 
 was afraid of intruding — and so on : he exhibited 
 a great deal of superfluous modesty. Where
 
 60 THE GLANVILLB FAMILY. 
 
 are you, Raymond? It is too late to escape 
 now, — come in man, and let us all sit down and 
 wish one another joy. But, bless me, Ellen ! 
 how is this ? do you let in young gentlemen of 
 a morning, and I not here to act as chaperon ? 
 This is a proceeding which I cannot sanction ; I 
 shall go and talk the matter over with Eliza- 
 beth. It is really what Dalrymple would call a 
 most unprecedented and unfortunate occurrence, 
 that this should have happened upon Raymond's 
 first introduction into the family, when I should 
 wish him to think well of us. Look at him ; 
 there he stands at the door, positively half 
 shocked to death.'* 
 
 Edward's assertion was scarcely exaggerated. 
 All Lord Raymond's fears of the preceding 
 evening seemed at once confirmed ; Percival 
 could only be there as a declared and accepted 
 lover ; he was, indeed, an intruder, unexpected 
 and unwelcome. For a moment he meditated 
 making a hasty retreat ; then he felt it would be
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 61 
 
 ridiculous, and rallying, he advanced and ad- 
 dressed Ellen in what might be termed a good 
 set speech, the words pleasure and honour being 
 particularly audible. He was interrupted by a 
 laugh from Edward. 
 
 " Well done, Raymond ! no one but Sir 
 Charles Grandison could not have got through 
 it so well, except, perhaps, old Lord Har- 
 greaves, who picked up his breeding from 
 the Prince de Ligne, Louis XIV., or some 
 of those historical models of politeness. 
 I have never seen a manner to equal yours. 
 Percival, you know, has the run of the 
 house ; if he would only employ my tailor, he 
 would be looked upon quite as a second me." 
 
 " Do not mind Edward, Lord Raymond," 
 said Ellen, " I never listen to him when he is 
 in one of his wild moods; there is no other 
 way of reducing him to silence. I want you to 
 tell me a great deal about your sister — Mary, as 
 I am learning to call her. Though I never had
 
 62 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 a brother married before, I know that is a right 
 thing to do ; but I do not intend to follow far- 
 ther the usual routine of sisters-in-law, who 
 begin with an engouement, and end with a 
 jealous dislike. From the first, I will hand- 
 somely abdicate every pretence to influence 
 over Lindsay, (which is very much like a queen 
 abdicating a kingdom she never possessed) and 
 I will not insist upon Mary's adopting all our 
 prej udices, or upon her loving all our friends, 
 and employing all our trades-people. She shall 
 be allowed, too, to shew an unnatural preference 
 for her own family, from which she has never 
 been separated a day, over ours, into which she 
 will be suddenly transported. And now, tell me, 
 will all this be likely to satisfy her ? will she be 
 able to take up with us in return ? She has lived 
 so very much abroad, I dare say she will think us 
 exceedingly ill dressed ?" 
 
 Lord Raymond laughed. " Poor Mary ! she 
 will be too much frightened when she first
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 63 
 
 comes among you all, to think of the pattern of 
 your gown, or even of Edward's waistcoat." 
 
 " My dear Raymond, don't calumniate your 
 sister ; she never could overlook such a waist- 
 coat as this ; it is only just arrived straight from 
 Lyons, the fruits of a little venture I sent out 
 on purpose. She will never see Lindsay in such 
 a one. Ellen, I say, can you fancy Lindsay 
 in love ?" 
 
 " If she cannot, I can," said Percival. " He 
 will be in love in a steady gentlemanlike sort of 
 way, — exacting for Lady Lindsay, from the very 
 moment she becomes Lady Lindsay, the same 
 degree of consideration he expects for Lord 
 Lindsay; and taking as a matter of course, that 
 all her opinions originate in his. He will be 
 twice as happy as he has been. Through life he 
 has spoiled himself: now, Raymond, he will 
 have your sister to spoil him too." 
 
 " And Mary will spoil him to his heart's con- 
 tent," said Lord Raymond;" she never seems
 
 64 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 to have any will but that of those she lives with 
 — any wish but to please them ; — she will wor- 
 ship Lindsay, content if he will only let her love 
 him ; — and to you, Lady Ellen, she will cling 
 for advice, and affection, and support in her new 
 situation ; for she is prepared to think you all 
 that is ' wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best/ 
 Mary is by nature so humble and timid, you 
 must not judge her till you know her well, and 
 then I am sure I need not dread your opinion of 
 her. How she ever ventured to fall in love with 
 such a formidable personage as Lindsay, or how 
 he ever condescended to distinguish her, I own, 
 puzzles me." 
 
 " Well, but, Percival," rejoined Edward, "you 
 say that you can fancy Lindsay in love. Now, 
 don't be solemn and grave, but give us the pic- 
 ture you have drawn of him in your mind's eye. 
 I could not get through breakfast this morning 
 for laughing, to think of him, aux petit soins. 
 For three days I would, — yes, Ellen, — I really
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 65 
 
 would submit to be a woman, for the pleasure 
 of having Lindsay in love with me. What 
 freaks I would indulge in ! — how he should be 
 kept on the trot, to satisfy all my innocent little 
 fancies ! — what a life of nursery gardens and 
 jewellers' shops I would lead him! — and if ever 
 he worked himself up to be sentimental, I would 
 be seized with a violent love of dancing, and in- 
 sist upon teaching him to dance the Mazourka. 
 Think of the pride and pleasure of making Lind- 
 say dance!" and quite overcome by the image, 
 Edward, flinging himself back in an arm-chair, 
 overthrew an easel which supported a large pic- 
 ture Ellen was copying. Both Raymond and 
 Percival darted forwards to her assistance, but 
 not before her arm was severely sprained in the 
 attempt to arrest its descent. She turned very 
 pale, but rallied almost immediately, as she 
 heard Edward's vehement self-reproaches for 
 his heedlessness ; and disengaging herself from 
 Percival, who, now completely off his guard,
 
 66 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 was pouring out fears and inquiries with very 
 much the tone of one who had the best right to 
 care for her safety, — she tried to turn their 
 attention from herself to the picture. 
 
 "Edward, if that Titian is the worse for 
 its fall, we must fly the country together. Now 
 I am punished for my rashness in having bor- 
 rowed it. What poor Mr. Graham would feel, 
 if he could only see it lying there on its face, 
 and not one of us with courage to raise it ! 
 Lord Raymond, — Frederick, — you who are un- 
 concerned spectators, take the first look, and 
 break to us gently the condition it is in." 
 
 " Unconcerned !" repeated Lord Raymond, 
 as he mechanically stooped and restored the 
 uninjured picture to its original position. But 
 it was of no inanimate object he thought, — and 
 Ellen, who had studiously avoided looking to- 
 wards him, tried vainly not to understand all 
 that the tone of that single word conveyed. 
 
 " You are hurt more than you say, Ellen,"
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 67 
 
 said Edward, looking at her ; " you shall send 
 us all off, and establish yourself on the sofa, and 
 make old Madame Renardin descend from the 
 upper regions, and bandage your wrist scienti- 
 fically. But what have we here? — a barouche 
 full of Beaumonts ! — they see me ; but never 
 mind. Percival — rush to the head of the stairs, 
 and call out to the porter — Not at home." 
 
 "Oh! impossible, Edward! if they have 
 seen you ; — remember, they are country neigh- 
 bours, and papa is very particular about them," 
 said Ellen. 
 
 *' Fly, Percival, fly !" repeated Edward ; 
 " and trust me, Ellen, to get you out of the 
 scrape; but keep out of sight, all of you;" and 
 he threw open the windows. 
 
 " Ah, Mrs. Beaumont, how do you all do ? 
 — not the worse for last night's dissipation, I 
 hope ? Miss Eliza Beaumont, this is really kind 
 of you, — you are come to call upon me, 
 of course."
 
 68 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 Eliza's answer was drowned in the noise of a 
 passing dray-cart ; but that it was alarmingly 
 compliant, might be gathered from the addi- 
 tion which Mrs. Beaumont felt called upon to 
 make. 
 
 '* You brought that upon yourself, Mr. Glan- 
 ville, for supposing such a thing to be possible. 
 — Be quiet, Eliza, I don't approve of those kind 
 of jokes, they are bad style." These last 
 words were uttered in a rapid aside, and she 
 immediately resumed her colloquy with Ed- 
 ward. " You know very well what our errand 
 here must be, — to have the pleasure of wishing 
 Lady Ellen joy on the happy event just de- 
 clared." 
 
 *'And you call it a happy event to me, a 
 younger brother ! Oh, Mrs. Beaumont ! I had 
 expected better things from your friendship ; 
 but it is very inconsiderate of Ellen not to be in 
 the way to receive congratulations. Where
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 69 
 
 can she be ? Do you happen to have been to 
 the Harrisons?" 
 
 ** No," answered Mrs. Beaumont, instantly 
 taking the alarm ; " but we are going straight 
 from here. I saw some of the family this morn- 
 ing, and understood they were coming here; 
 but perhaps they were expecting Lady Ellen 
 there. Good morning, Captain Glanville; we 
 will not keep you standing at the open window. 
 Pray offer our good wishes to Lord Mordaunt. 
 — John, drive to Mrs. Harrison's. Eliza, I wish 
 you would lean back quietly, like your sisters, — 
 you have bent my bonnet by poking forwards so." 
 
 *' Mamma, I was only answering Captain 
 Glanville ; he had evidently a great deal more 
 he wanted to say to me, if we had not driven 
 away in such a hurry." 
 
 " And mamma," added Maria ; " I think it 
 a mistake to follow Lady Ellen to the Harrisons. 
 They will be so pleased, that we should find her 
 sitting there "
 
 70 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 "Nonsense, my dear, — the Harrisons called 
 upon us last ; I should have gone there to-day at 
 all events, and Lady Ellen may not be there 
 after all. What a very selfish young man Mr. 
 Glanville must be, to speculate upon his poor 
 brother's death, and to wish him not to marry." 
 
 *' That WQ.S a joke, mamma,*' said Eliza. 
 " Mamma always will take things in such a 
 matter-of-fact way/' — she whispered to Anne, 
 who only answered by a silent shrug of her 
 shoulders. She was the youngest of the three, 
 and but just come out; and when her eldest 
 sisters were present, seldom committed herself 
 by uttering an opinion. 
 
 " Now that's what I call cleverly done of me," 
 said Edward, after watching them till they were 
 out of sight; "and at no decided expense of 
 truth, — an economy seldom met with in this 
 precious world we live in, and praiseworthy in 
 a person given to what is called wanton expen- 
 diture. Do not look grave, Ellen; I am a
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 71 
 
 model of prudence now. These very gloves I 
 am now drawing on, I paid ready money for 
 this morning ; and no such thing as a single 
 
 knock is ever heard at my door " He was 
 
 interrupted by Percival, who, as he took leave, 
 said something of returning in the evening, if the 
 house should be up in time, to inquire after 
 Ellen. Edward promised to come back to 
 dinner, and looked at his sister, as if he ex- 
 pected her to second his invitation to Lord 
 Raymond to join them ; but she was silent, and 
 with only one serious parting look he too left 
 her.
 
 72 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Suspicion, entering with a serpent's fang. 
 
 Poisons the healthj mind. A jaundiced eye 
 
 Henceforth will look upon each trifling act. 
 
 And turn it into evil. 
 
 Look on her, mark her well, — he but about 
 
 To say, she is a goodly lady, and 
 
 The justice of your hearts will thereto add — 
 
 ^Tis pity she^s not honest — honourable. 
 
 Winter's Tale. 
 
 Three mornings passed without any farther 
 tidings from Lindsay ; the fourth brought a 
 letter, announcing his arrival for the follow- 
 ing day. The concluding sentence delighted 
 Edward ; it related entirely to Miss Spencer, — 
 her beauty, — her singular attractions, and the 
 great advantage that Ellen would derive from 
 the society of such a companion. It was alto-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 73 
 
 gether a very lover-like sentence. Edward 
 thought that he could trace a proper degree of 
 exaggeration, both in sentiments and expres- 
 sions ; — with all his practice, he had seldom run 
 off anything better himself; — he had now 
 well-founded hopes of seeing Lindsay really and 
 servilely in love. 
 
 He and Ellen were dawdling over the lun- 
 cheon table, in momentary dread of the ap- 
 pearance of Charles Dalrymple, who was 
 inflicting a dutiful visit upon poor Lord Mor- 
 daunt, when Elizabeth walked into the room, 
 unaccompanied by her husband. 
 
 '♦ My dear Elizabeth," said Ellen, " have 
 you been down stairs with papa? they only 
 told me that Mr. Dalrymple was with him, or I 
 should have joined you long ago." 
 
 " Mr. Dalrymple was there," said Elizabeth ; 
 *' but I could not persuade him to come up to 
 you. Hearing, Edward, that you were in the 
 house, he expected that you might perhaps 
 
 VOL. I. C
 
 74 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 take the trouble to walk down stairs to see 
 him : that you should walk the length of three 
 streets, is an honour we have long ceased to 
 hope for." 
 
 " Now, Elizabeth, this is very unfair. I 
 spend all my idle moments at your door ; but 
 your man has a spite against me, — he will 
 not let me in, and he will not mention my 
 visits. I have long looked upon myself as a 
 very ill-used man, that Dalryraple should 
 have returned so few of them, — for I am very 
 punctilious about these small matters myself." 
 
 " Very," said Ellen, laughing. 
 
 *' The world belies you much, if it is at 
 my door your idle moments are spent," pur- 
 sued Elizabeth. '' I have heard that there is 
 one in Park Lane, through which you do not 
 find it so difficult to make an entrance." 
 
 " What ! at my httle friend, Mrs. Howard's ? 
 Yes, I do go there most days, — I confess to that. 
 She is a very nice pretty little woman ; with her
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 75 
 
 black sparkling eyes, and white glittering teeth ; 
 and I am glad you happened to mention her. It 
 reminds me that I meant to ask you to leave a 
 card upon her. It would be very well taken, for 
 she knows very few people in London.'' Hav- 
 ing given Elizabeth this encouraging assurance, 
 Edward coolly resumed his occupation, of 
 swallowing plovers' eggs. 
 
 "Thank you," said Ehzabeth indignantly; 
 " but I have not the smallest inclination to find 
 myself a component part of the Howard set. I 
 was astonished to see them here the other 
 night. After all, who are the Howards ? and 
 why are we all to be forced into an acquaintance 
 with them?" 
 
 *' Who are the Howards ! Faith you puzzle 
 me now," said Edward. " Ellen, dear; put 
 these things out of my reach : I cannot stop eat- 
 ing them. Who are the Howards ? that is such 
 a difficult question. Who is any body ? Who 
 are the Glanvilles ? Who are the Dalrymples, 
 e2
 
 76 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 but just their ownselves? They must have 
 had fathers and mothers like other people, 
 I suppose. Every body must be somebody. 
 As to forcing you into an acquaintance with 
 them, Elizabeth, I assure you I have no plot of 
 that kind ; but I thought that you would find 
 her an acquisition at your dinner parties ; — she 
 is pleasant and lively, and would help them off 
 amazingly.'' 
 
 " And are you to run up an intimacy with 
 these people, Ellen?" said Elizabeth, not deign- 
 ing to answer him. 
 
 '* Am I, Edward V said Ellen. 
 
 '* That will depend entirely upon yourself. 
 I half promised to take you to see them some 
 morning, and came here now to ask you to walk 
 there with me. They were so kind to me, when 
 
 I was quartered at I , I am anxious to 
 
 shew them some civility. Have you any objec- 
 tion to go with me?" 
 
 Ellen looked timidly at Elizabeth, who reso-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 77 
 
 lutely kept silence ; but there was an expres- 
 sion of cold irony on her countenance, which 
 was anything but encouraging. 
 
 " My dear Ellen/' Edward added, half im- 
 patiently, — " if there were any reason against 
 your making their acquaintance, can you ima- 
 gine I should propose taking you there V* 
 
 Ellen immediately left the room to prepare 
 for the walk ; and Edward, launching out upon 
 another subject, contrived to keep the conversa- 
 tion till the servant announced the arrival 
 of Elizabeth's carriage, into which, with much 
 civility, and more satisfaction, he handed her, 
 and saw her drive off. 
 
 Ellen joined him, looking so fresh, — so bril- 
 liant, — it was with a feeling of natural pride 
 that he drew her arm through his. He enjoyed 
 the evident admiration she excited, when they 
 walked together ; and she was neither ignorant 
 of, nor unelated by it. 
 
 It is all nonsense to talk of the unconscious-
 
 78 
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 ness of admiration : no beautiful woman is, or 
 can be unconscious of it : none but a cold 
 woman can be indifferent to it. There must be 
 something satisfactory to her in finding that the 
 first impression she makes upon her fellow-crea- 
 tures is a pleasing one, — that she has only to 
 cultivate favourable prepossessions, — not to fight 
 her way against coldness or prejudice. Some 
 plodding people, in unwonted moments of 
 enthusiasm, have found themselves wishing 
 that Heaven had made them great politicians, or 
 great heroes, or great orators. I should have 
 been content had Heaven made me a great 
 beauty: and I would have ruled politicians, 
 and heroes, and orators too. 
 
 Now Elizabeth was gone, Edward's fit of 
 reserve vanished, and he at once began to talk 
 to Ellen of the origin of his intimacy with the 
 Howards. When upon a visit to them some 
 months before, he had been confined to his 
 room from illness, — the consequence of a ne-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 79 
 
 glected fall, while hunting. Had he been at 
 home, he could not have been nursed with 
 greater kindness. The visit, which was to have 
 lasted a few days, was necessarily prolonged 
 for as many weeks. Their house was within 
 a short distance of the town where his regi- 
 ment was quartered ; and when upon his reco- 
 very he rejoined it, a visit to Howard Lodge 
 was a constant resource to him in his daily 
 rides. He did not know what absurd notions 
 Ehzabeth had got in her head about Mrs. 
 Howard. She was a very good little woman, — 
 doating upon her husband, who was a virtuous 
 bore ; and upon her children, who were little 
 unfledged monsters. At first he was afraid she 
 was too domestic for him to endure; but he 
 found that the cares of a family had failed to 
 crush her natural gaiety and cleverness. She 
 would fearlessly tell him of his faults, and 
 laugh at his follies, — and ridicule his over-re- 
 finements; and from her he bore this well.
 
 80 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 He was amused by her originality, and grateful 
 for the interest she evidently felt for him. She 
 had never lived in that artificial world of 
 fashion, where the opinions of the few govern 
 despotically those of the many. 
 
 In the beginning of their acquaintance, she 
 puzzled Edward, by meeting his frequently re- 
 peated assertions, — "Everybody thinks this," 
 — *• Everybody does that,'' — by the simple 
 questions, " But what do you think ? Why 
 should you do as they do ?" He grew ashamed 
 of answering that he had adopted the ready- 
 made opinions — that he had followed the path 
 chalked out for him by others. While he was 
 at Howard Lodge, he actually learned to think 
 and act for himself. 
 
 *^ And Miss Rivers—?" Ellen asked. 
 
 ** Harriet Rivers was not there. I never saw 
 her till the other day," was the only answer she re- 
 ceived; but the tone of his voice was constrained. 
 
 Ellen's next question was unheard, and he
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 81 
 
 fell into a state of abstraction,— which, follow- 
 ing her usual rule, of waiting for confidence, not 
 pressing for it, she did not interrupt, till they 
 arrived at the Howards' door. 
 
 They were instantly admitted, and Elizabeth 
 would have trembled, could she have witnessed 
 the air of pleasure and alacrity with which the 
 very servant preceded Edward to the drawing- 
 room, and how the black eyes of the lady sit- 
 ting there sparkled at their approach. 
 
 "There, — that will do, — go, dears, — go!'' 
 said Mrs. Howard, turning her children out at 
 one door, as her visitors entered at the other. 
 "'Now Richard's himself again.' What a re- 
 lief—just as I was set in for a hard morning's 
 work at their infant minds." 
 
 Ellen said something civil about wishing to be 
 allowed a sight of them. 
 
 " No, Lady Ellen, — you are very kind, — but 
 I will not inflict so great a punishment upon 
 us both, as to call them back. I hope that I 
 e5
 
 82 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 am not an unnatural mother; but I own I 
 do think that when visitors — especially plea- 
 sant visitors— are in my room, children, even 
 my own children, are better out of it. Little 
 chattering torments ! drowning all one's best re- 
 marks, and listening to all they are not meant 
 to hear. I remember my own childhood, and 
 the childhood of all my small contemporaries, 
 — now grown up into valuable members of 
 society, like myself. We lived among nurses 
 and nursery-maids, — wore muslin spencers, — 
 ate nothing for dinner but shoulders of mutton, 
 — and once a year, for a treat, were taken out 
 in the carriage. Now children talk, dress, 
 feed, visit hke little men and women. We all 
 served a long apprenticeship before we were 
 admitted to the full privileges of society ; and I 
 cannot submit to be jostled out of them by in- 
 fants who can scarcely speak their sovereign 
 wills articulately." 
 
 " Bless me ! " said Edward j *^ what has
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 83 
 
 happened ? Poor Charles and Betsy ! what 
 have they done, that all your maternal feehngs 
 are thus turned to bitterness and gall ? — or has 
 that little lump of original sin, my god-child, 
 knocked down his nurse with the rattle I gave 
 him yesterday?" 
 
 '' I was not speaking of my own children — 
 I play the tyrant with them, and keep them in 
 their proper places — I only warn you gene- 
 rally, that this juvenile influence increases 
 alarmingly, and that if a stand is not made 
 against it, society will be spoiled. At this mo- 
 ment I have a note in my hand from a lady, 
 an intimate friend, who, for many years, has 
 been pressing us to pay her and her husband a 
 visit of some weeks. At last I succeeded in 
 persuading Mr. Howard to make the exertion 
 of moving, and wrote to offer ourselves for 
 three days. I promised him an answer, full of 
 rapture and gratitude. Here it is. She is 
 very sorry that it should be so — the only three
 
 84 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 days we could spare — but her little boys are at 
 home for the holidays, and she has made a 
 rule to receive no company then, as she finds it 
 disturbs their enjoyment, and all the servants 
 are wanted to play at cricket with them — any 
 other time she would be charmed — and so on. 
 Now I appeal to you. Lady Ellen, is not this an 
 alarming state of things V 
 
 '* It is, indeed," said Ellen, laughing : *' and, 
 now I recollect, I had this afternoon sad con- 
 firmation of the truth of your fears. Lady 
 Hamilton was to have taken me a drive ; she 
 just now sent to make her excuse, as her own 
 coachman was not well, and she did not like to 
 deprive her children of theirs, and make them 
 miss their usual airing.'^ 
 
 " The children's coachman ! and the eldest 
 of them not five years old ! I meet them every 
 day walking in the park, looking like little ex- 
 tinguishers, in velvet pelisses, made by Mara- 
 dan, their carriage following, and a tall foot-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 85 
 
 man behind them. Well, it is a wise world 
 we live in ! I will say no more about it — I will 
 not go on ' raveUing out the weaved-up follies ' 
 of others — while you, Mr. Glanville, are ravel- 
 ling out what I mean to be the sleeve of Charly's 
 frock. It is clear that we cannot meddle with 
 what does not belong to us without doing 
 mischief. Give me the sleeve, and let me set 
 to work, and feel that I am doing something 
 useful." 
 
 Miss Rivers at this moment opened the door. 
 Upon seeing visitors, she seemed inclined to 
 retreat; but her aunt stopped her, and asked, 
 whether she was still so confused by all the 
 new faces she had seen the night before, as to 
 have forgotten Lady Ellen ? 
 
 " Having once seen Lady Ellen, I am in 
 no danger of forgetting her," was Harriet's an- 
 swer ; and slightly returning her bow and smile, 
 she walked to the other end of the room, 
 seated herself at her embroidery frame, and
 
 86 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 bending over her work, seemed unconscious of 
 any other claim upon her attention. The few 
 words she had uttered might have been com- 
 plimentary, but there was something in their 
 tone which repelled Ellen. She repressed the 
 gay answer that was rising to her lips, and 
 once more settled, that Miss Rivers was very 
 cold, and very disagreeable, and that she never 
 could hke her. 
 
 Mrs. Howard, who was evidently proud of 
 her niece, made several attempts to induce her 
 to join in the conversation, but it was not to 
 be. The replies she received were as short as 
 civility could make them. 
 
 Miss Rivers scarcely raised her eyes from 
 her employment, and was clearly determined to 
 hazard no remark of her own. *' She is only 
 very stupid," thought Ellen ; but the intellec- 
 tual expression of the beautiful profile she 
 glanced at, making that conclusion unsatis- 
 factory, she wisely determined to think no
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 87 
 
 more upon the subject. Five minutes after, 
 her attention was awakened by an incident, 
 which, to say the least of it, was puzzling. 
 
 She had risen to take leave, and while list- 
 ening to Mrs. Howard's parting civilities, she 
 had almost unconsciously fixed her eyes upon 
 a pier-glass opposite, which gave her a view of 
 Harriet Rivers. Edward had sauntered towards 
 her, and was bending down, as if to admire 
 her work. Suddenly he gave a glance towards 
 the part of the room where Ellen was stand- 
 ing — her back was towards him. 
 
 These same pier-glasses are dangerous ar- 
 ticles of furniture. They are the most arrant 
 spies and tell-tales in the world, and so revenge 
 themselves upon those who dare forget their exist- 
 ence. Even to their devotees, who day by day 
 consult them, their cold surfaces can shadow 
 forth unpleasant truths. The destroying hand 
 of Time, the ravages of grief, the convulsions 
 of anger — have they not all been reflected
 
 88 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 there, and startled the victims, who, in that 
 momentary gaze, have woke to a full percep- 
 tion of their power ? 
 
 Ellen, though, had no cause for quarrel with 
 them. She had never yet found fault with the 
 tale they had told her ; why should she start 
 now, and with a look of deep vexation turn 
 away ? She had seen — she could not be mis- 
 taken — a letter, a sealed letter in Edward's 
 hand. It was hastily placed upon the frame, 
 and as hastily concealed by some work which 
 Harriet threw over it. One glance of bright, 
 blushing intelligence she gave him, and was 
 again steadily employed, to all appearance the 
 same cold, unimpassioned being as before. 
 
 All had passed in a moment, but it was a 
 moment which gave Ellen thoughts for many a 
 bitter hour. That Edward should deceive her — 
 Edward, who, whatever were his other faults, 
 she had always considered as the truest, the 
 frankest, of human beings ! she could not bear
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 89 
 
 the thought. — " I never saw Harriet Rivers 
 till yesterday;" these were his very words; and 
 yet a mutual understanding subsisted between 
 them, a clandestine correspondence was esta- 
 blished ! That look ! that letter ! For a mo- 
 ment, as the only natural or satisfactory way of 
 settling her mind, Ellen persuaded herself she 
 had fancied both ; but no ! she had seen them 
 too plainly. Elizabeth was right ; the Howards 
 were not people with whom she should form an 
 intimacy ; Edward ought not to have taken her 
 there. Then Elizabeth's insinuations respect- 
 ing Mrs. Howard occurred to her. Could the 
 letter have been meant for her ? and Miss 
 Rivers, was she the ready and convenient con- 
 fidante ? 
 
 Ellen's imagination had never reached to 
 such a pitch of depravity before, and she 
 positively reproached herself for letting such 
 thoughts come into her head ; and about 
 Edward too ! what could have come over her?
 
 90 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 She would tell him what she had seen, and 
 ask for an explanation ; it would be the easiest 
 thing in the world to do ; and so she looked up 
 to begin, and then she found her throat was 
 dry, and her voice would sound constrained, 
 and her heart began to beat so fast, she had no 
 breath for a long sentence. But as he looked as 
 if he expected she should say something, she 
 did say, " What a pretty horse that is ! " And 
 he answered, " Just the sort of horse all women 
 admire, with a long back, and a long tail, and 
 an ugly head." And with this very satisfactory 
 conclusion to their walk, they reached home, 
 and Edward left her.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 91 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Not the least amusing traits of English provincial 
 
 society, are the modifications which we daily meet with 
 
 amid the squirearchy of England, of the Border feuds, or, 
 
 - to write more classically, the envying, hatred, and malice 
 
 of the Montagues, and Capulets of county rivalship. 
 
 Views of English Life and Manners. 
 
 Wednesday arrived; a day of deep humilia- 
 tion to the Beaumonts, of modest triumph to 
 the Harrisons. Lord Lindsay was known to 
 be in London. John happened to be passing 
 through Grosvenor Square at the very moment 
 when a travelling carriage and four drove up to 
 the door ; he guessed directly that it must be 
 Lindsay, shook hands with him, and thought 
 that he looked uncommonly well; but he was in
 
 92 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 a hurry to see his father, which was very 
 natural; so there was no time for conversation, 
 otherwise John would have wished him joy on 
 his marriage. However, there would be oppor- 
 tunity enough for that in the evening, now it 
 was certain that he would be at the party. 
 
 All this was communicated to the Beaumonts 
 by Kate Harrison, who had walked to Baker 
 Street early, in the hope, as she told them, of 
 hearing that the much-wished-for invitation 
 had arrived. Two days before, when the matter 
 seemed growing desperate, it had been thought 
 better that the mortifying truth should be told ; 
 and nothing could be more friendly than the 
 excess of sympathy which the Harrisons had 
 shown. 
 
 Every member of the family had repeatedly 
 declared that they were particularly vexed it 
 should have happened on this Wednesday, as it 
 was very likely to be the best party of the 
 season. Julia constantly agreed with EUza, — in
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 93 
 
 very much the tone with which mad people are 
 soothed, — that it was undoubtedly a mistake; 
 that it was impossible to suppose, though cer- 
 tainly it looked like it, that Lady Ellen could 
 mean to leave them out upon such an occasion. 
 Mrs. Harrison was not wanting in her consola- 
 tions to Mrs. Beaumont. If they were not asked 
 this Wednesday, they might rely upon it they 
 would be some other ; she had constantly ob- 
 served, that there was a something, a sort of 
 smart look about Kate and Julia, which made 
 people anxious to have them at their small 
 parties; and, after all, if every body were asked, 
 they would no longer be small. 
 
 Even Mr. Harrison put out a good natured 
 word, as he passed through his daughters' 
 room, in his way to attend a Westminster 
 meeting. 
 
 " So, young ladies, you hear that these foolish 
 girls have persuaded me to go to this affair at 
 Mordaunt House to-night, that I may have a
 
 94 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 sight of my Lord Lindsay's fair choice. Ah ! 
 Miss Eliza, when you are sitting snugly at 
 home, you may pity an old fellow like me, kept 
 till day-light from his comfortable nest/' 
 
 *^ Then I wonder you go," was Maria's kind 
 remark. 
 
 To all this Eliza had but one answer : — she 
 was sure that it was a mistake ; perhaps they 
 had not meant to ask all the family again ; but 
 knowing, as Lady Ellen must, how very much 
 Captain Glanville preferred talking to her, it 
 was not very likely that she should be left out ; 
 she almost doubted whether it would not be 
 better to go ; it would spare Lady Ellen all the 
 trouble of making apologies. That idea, how- 
 ever, met with no encouragement ; and, to do 
 Maria justice, she vehemently exclaimed against 
 such a prostration of dignity, as going un- 
 asked. 
 
 " After all," said Eliza, as she shook hands 
 with Kate, preparatory to her departure, " I
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 95 
 
 do not much care; this party will be very much 
 like any other, though we have talked our- 
 selves into thinking it of consequence. I am 
 only sorry for them when they find out what a 
 mistake they have made — they will be so 
 shocked — in fact/' with a deep sigh, " I do not 
 care at all." 
 
 " Come, come. Miss, that's too good to pass," 
 said Charles, looking up from his holiday task ; 
 " when we all know that you have sat with the 
 door ajar, for the last week, and have rushed to 
 the head of the stairs whenever there was a ring, 
 in hopes of smelling out an invitation." 
 
 " What vulgar expressions boys do pick up 
 at school !" said Eliza. 
 
 " Yes ; and what provocations boys are at 
 all times!" added Maria. 
 
 *^ It is very true, though, for all that," per- 
 sisted Charles; " so do not be taken in, Kate." 
 
 " There now, look; only do look !'' exclaimed 
 Eliza ; *' there is a Mordaunt servant crossing
 
 96 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 the street; I know the livery; I think it is 
 John, the one who always goes behind the 
 carriage; there — he is coming straight to our 
 house; and he has got a card in his hand; — now 
 listen — yes — there is the ring ; I knew that we 
 were meant to be asked all the time ; you know 
 I said it was a mistake, — I am glad that the 
 card is come, just to prove that I was right." 
 
 " And now," said Maria to Kate, whose 
 countenance was visibly clouded ; " you will be 
 able to carry home the gratifying inteUigence 
 you came for." 
 
 "Yes; and I will mention how philosophi- 
 cally Eliza bears this sudden rise of good for- 
 tune." 
 
 In the mean time, the house-door had been 
 heard to open — shut — the Mordaunt servant 
 had been seen to re-cross the street without the 
 card ; and Eliza was secretly wondering why 
 Harding, who knew her anxiety, did not make 
 his appearance.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 97 
 
 " Now, I will take compassion on you," said 
 Charles, '* I will do the good-natured thing by 
 you, though you do not deserve it ; I see that 
 you are dying to have the card in your own 
 possession; I will run and fetch it." 
 
 ** Do; that's a good boy; we will go early, 
 I think, Eliza," said Maria. " I shall like to 
 see the Raymonds make their entrees." 
 
 At this moment Charles was heard on the 
 stairs laughing violently. 
 
 '' I wish, Charles," said Eliza, with secret 
 misgiving, '* that you would make haste, and 
 shut the door, and not make such a noise." 
 
 " Oh I it will be the death of me," answered 
 Charles ; '* such a cut up — such a defeat — 
 why, you poor neglected creatures, the card is 
 only for Dick : look — Mr. Richard Beaumont." 
 
 " Well, put down the card quietly, cannot 
 you ?" said Maria : ** in a small London house 
 boys are really quite unbearable." 
 
 " It is not my fault if Lady Ellen does not 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 98 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 choose to ask you," returned Charles, '* so you 
 need not be so snappish." 
 
 *' Good-bye," said Kate, " I am very sorry for 
 this disappointment; but, at all events, Eliza, 
 it must be a satisfaction to you to know, that 
 you are not staying at home in consequence of 
 a mistake." 
 
 " I am glad she is gone ! " exclaimed Maria. 
 " I am so tired of her eternal talking about that 
 stupid party. If her head is so turned that she 
 can speak of nothing else, she had better stay 
 at home. I am quite determined that I will not 
 dsk a single question about it to-morrow, just 
 to show that I think it of no consequence." 
 
 Eliza agreed with her, that would be the 
 best thing to do: still, when she found, the 
 next morning, that her mother was going to 
 walk to Hailey Street, she thought it as well to 
 go with her, and see how they all looked. It 
 was a great relief to her to find that Maria did 
 not mean to accompany them, after having so
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 99 
 
 rashly seconded the determination to maintain 
 their dignity at the expense of their curiosity ; 
 she felt that her presence would have been a 
 restraint; for, after all, she must own she was 
 anxious to know how the evening went off. 
 
 The Harrisons were quite ready, with or 
 without encouragement, to give her any infor- 
 mation. It had been altogether a very brilliant 
 affair — much the most brilliant they had ever 
 seen in that house. They had arrived very 
 early. Mrs. Harrison had counted but four 
 shawls and two cloaks in the room down stairs. 
 She had wanted to wait there a little, but John 
 had said, *' so intimate as they were with the 
 family, that would be ridiculous ;" so they went 
 up stairs; and very lucky it was they did, for 
 the very next party who came in were the Ray- 
 monds. Lord Lindsay had evidently been 
 dining with them, for they all came together ; 
 Miss Spenser leaning upon his arm. She dis- 
 appointed them sadly — pretty — ^just pretty^ 
 F 2
 
 100 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 that was all. John had been quite vexed to see 
 how his friend Lindsay had thrown himself 
 away. Her manner, — but, in fact, she had no 
 manner, she was so shy and frightened. When 
 the old lord came forward, in his old-fashioned 
 way, and took her hand and kissed it, she 
 seemed ready to sink into the earth ; and then 
 Lady Ellen made her come and stand by her, 
 and introduced Mr. Percival to her, just as if 
 he were one of the family; so that marriage 
 would probably soon be settled, if it were not 
 already. 
 
 John thought that, considering his friendship 
 with Lindsay, Lady Ellen might as well have 
 introduced him too ; but, at times, she certainly 
 showed a strange want of consideration. Kate 
 had overheard Mr. Dalrymple observe the 
 same thing to Lady Elizabeth, as Lady Ellen 
 brushed past old Mrs. Dalrymple, without 
 seeming to see her. 
 
 Lady Elizabeth looked very fine and dis-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 101 
 
 agreeable, as usual. When Julia, only by way of 
 saying something civil, told her how pretty 
 they all thought Miss Spencer, she answered 
 quite in a sneering way, '* Of course, all people 
 going to be married look very pretty ; you have 
 said the right thing about her :" — just as if Julia 
 had no opinion of her own ! so insolent ! 
 
 Mr. Glanville was flirting most abominably 
 with that little Mrs. Howard. Mrs. Harrison 
 thought it very odd of Lady Ellen to ask her 
 and her grand-looking niece, — people nobody 
 seemed to know. She did not think that Lady 
 Elizabeth looked very pleased to see them. 
 Eliza could not believe what Mrs. Harrison 
 said of Captain Glanville. It was his way to 
 talk only to married women : except to her- 
 self, she did not believe he ever spoke to any 
 of the young ladies about the world ; — and cer- 
 tainly, the Wednesday before, when she was 
 there, he did not seem to remember that Mrs.
 
 102 
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 Howard was in the room ; so she did not sup- 
 pose that there was much in that. 
 
 Lord Lindsay was pronounced to be very 
 much in love, and travelled across the room to 
 fetch Miss Spenser a glass of lemonade ; and 
 when she complained of the heat, threw open 
 a window himself — it was a great deal for him 
 to do. There was no doubt that he would 
 make an excellent husband. 
 
 Lord Raymond had puzzled them all. He 
 looked absolutely bored and annoyed with the 
 whole business. When Mr. Percival called to 
 him to come and join them, he answered quite 
 shortly, that he had rather be excused from 
 obtruding upon a family party; and instead of 
 laughing, when Edward said that he forgot they 
 were all brothers-in-law, or something like it, 
 he looked quite gloomy, threw himself upon a 
 sofa, and hardly spoke to any body all the 
 evening. It was very odd, such a great mar-
 
 THE GLA.NV1LLE FAMILY. 103 
 
 riage as it was for his sister. He must be dif- 
 ficult, indeed, if he were not pleased with it. 
 
 " And now, Maria,'' said Eliza, after having 
 given her, in this condensed form, all the in- 
 formation she had gathered in the course of 
 her visit, *' I have made an immense discovery. 
 I am sure that there is something particular 
 going on about Kate Harrison. I do believe 
 there is a flirtation.'' 
 
 " And what on earth can make you fancy 
 such a thing as that?" exclaimed Maria. " I 
 do not believe one word of it. You cannot sus- 
 pect anybody of having fallen in love with 
 Kate!" 
 
 *' It does seem very odd, to be sure; — 
 but they have been out a great deal lately, at 
 little odd out-of-the-way parties, in a set we 
 know nothing of — quite below ours ; and I sus- 
 pect they are cooking up a marriage for Kate. 
 She said that she was bored at Mordaunt 
 House last night — that she had rather have
 
 104 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 been at Mrs. Bernard's, in Russell-square. 
 Now that, you know, was so strange, there 
 must have been a reason for it. By-the-bye, 
 we must scrape acquaintance with that woman 
 somehow. She is always giving little dances. 
 If the Harrisons were not so jealous of our 
 knowing their friends, they would introduce 
 us ; but all the useful ones they keep to them- 
 selves.'' 
 
 " Well, but about Kate ?" interrupted Maria ; 
 " is that the only reason you have for thinking 
 that she has something going on?" 
 
 " Oh ! no, — all through the visit there were 
 jokes and allusions, which I could not under- 
 stand, and they all seemed to refer to Kate 
 — why she liked going to one place, and why 
 she did not like going to another ; and when 
 she declared that she would stay at home to- 
 night — for the others are actually to be out 
 again, the third night running, which is much 
 more than we should like to do — John said,
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 105 
 
 quite loud, ' So he will not be there — is that it, 
 Kate V And Julia told him very sharply, not 
 to talk nonsense. If it had not been true, she 
 would not have minded. I wonder who it can 
 be — somebody, probably, who has never seen 
 us/' 
 
 '* I do not believe there is anybody so utterly 
 devoid of taste. I am sure I should be very 
 glad if there were — so anxious as Kate and 
 Julia are to be married. But I cannot believe 
 it ; they only wanted to make you think so. 
 You know you are very easily taken in, Eliza. 
 If I had been there, I would have shewn that I 
 saw through them ; but they would not have 
 tried that sort of trick upon me.'' 
 
 Maria had very early been self-elected as the 
 clever one of the family. For a time her sisters 
 had made faint struggles to maintain some- 
 thing like equality ; but Maria's unaffected 
 surprise, when they ventured to form a different 
 opinion from herself, was so great — her retorts 
 f6
 
 106 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 to anything like contradiction so bitter — her 
 belief that every thing in the family was car- 
 ried on through her advice was so sincere — 
 they soon felt the uselessness of trying to deny 
 a superiority so well established. 
 
 Even Mr. and Mrs. Beaumont had adopted 
 Maria's views of herself. They constantly 
 declared that she was all in all to them — that 
 they could not get on without her. Maria 
 well understood the art of making the most of 
 the superficial knowledge and the few accom- 
 plishments she possessed. Her sisters never 
 dreamed of coming forward in competition with 
 her. 
 
 In short, perseverance and assertion, which 
 will carry most points in the world, had done 
 their duty by Maria, and she was wholly 
 established in the Beaumont set, as the clever 
 Miss Beaumont, and altogether a most supe- 
 rior young woman. 
 
 Anne, who had been silently copying music
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 107 
 
 at the other end of the room, now ventured to 
 join in the conversation. 
 
 *' I should not wonder/' she timidly began, 
 *' if what Eliza suspects should be true. Kate 
 always looks so happy now." 
 
 '' My dear Anne/' said Maria, '' how can 
 you possibly be qualified to judge upon the 
 subject — you, who have only been out twice in 
 the world ? It is too ridiculous — you had bet- 
 ter not talk about what you can know nothing 
 of. You will only expose yourself." 
 
 '* I only meant to say, Maria/' rejoined 
 Anne, looking ready to cry, and resuming her 
 employment, " that Kate looks very happy 
 sometimes." 
 
 ** Well, you have said that once already. 
 You have got into a way of being so positive 
 and contradictory, it is quite unpleasant; and 
 then you look red and angry if any body ven- 
 tures to disagree with you. You must really, 
 Anne, try to control your temper a little.
 
 108 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 There can be no conversation when you are 
 constantly contradicting every thing every body 
 says." 
 
 " She was agreeing with me " — a mixture of 
 gratitude and justice compelled Eliza to begin ; 
 but she was stopped by a look from Maria, 
 who, in a dignified aside, begged she would 
 not encourage Anne in her faults. She then 
 pronounced that it was time to dress, and the 
 two younger sisters, after exchanging a look, 
 followed her out of the room.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 109 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 " Women, born to be controlled, 
 Stoop to the forward and the bold. 
 Man's beau ideal of the softer sex. 
 Is gentle meekness, sweet simplicitj.'' 
 
 The day fixed for Lindsay's marriage was fast 
 approaching, and Ellen's time was completely 
 devoted to the service of her future sister-in- 
 law. At first, she too had been disappointed 
 in her appearance. Her countenance had 
 a pretty gentle expression, that was all 
 — as Elizabeth said. In a room full of Miss
 
 110 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 Browns and Miss Jenkins's, Mary would 
 not have looked out of her place. There 
 was nothing remarkable about her. She was 
 very shy too — very difficult to get on with. 
 She scarcely spoke, except when Lindsay was 
 in the room : then she would smile sweetly, 
 and agree with all he said. Even if she 
 gathered courage to address any one else, she 
 would glance towards him with the air of a 
 frightened child, who is doubtful if it is not 
 saying something wrong. 
 
 Ellen sate and wondered how Lindsay could 
 be satisfied with such a companion — how he, 
 who might have chosen from among the fair- 
 est and the greatest, had fixed upon one who 
 had so little striking or attractive about her. 
 When she heard him talk of consulting Mary 
 about this, of taking her opinion about that, 
 she hoped that he really believed that she 
 had one to offer, and could scarcely refrain 
 from smiling at the careless manner in whieb
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. Ill 
 
 he submitted their future arrangements to her 
 ready approval. She could only suppose that 
 he found something gratifying, in having a 
 sort of moral slave, whom he might depend 
 upon, for assuring him that all he thought, and 
 said, and did, was right. Still, much as men 
 delight in having their natural superiority 
 acknowledged, he surely might have ventured 
 to assert his over a less humble subject. 
 
 A few days' farther intimacy sufficed to con- 
 vince Ellen that she had done Mary injustice. 
 There was certainly something graceful in 
 every thing she did. Her hands and feet were 
 the smallest and prettiest that ever were seen. 
 As her fear of Ellen wore off, she grew more 
 open and animated. Once or twice, when some 
 of Edward's wild remarks had startled her 
 into a laugh, she looked like a different crea- 
 ture. 
 
 Ellen was touched too at the unaffected 
 humility with which she spoke of her happy
 
 112 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 prospects — of the kindness with which she had 
 been received by his family. 
 
 ''You cannot tell/' she said one morning, 
 when she and Ellen were left together, *' what 
 I felt when I began to beUeve it possible that 
 Lord Lindsay could distinguish me. It was 
 at Madam d'Enville's that I first met him. 
 Mamma used to go there almost every evening. 
 I believe it was against the rules of the society 
 to admit any unmarried women ; but as I was 
 une etrangere, an exception was made in my 
 favour, and there T sat by the corner of the ecarte 
 table, listening to the conversation that went on 
 round me. Oh ! how sleepy I sometimes used 
 to be. There was old Madam de Jarnac, who 
 had long stories about her sainted martyr, the 
 Due de Berri ; and Mons. de Cornice, who re- 
 cited petits vers of his own composing — all end- 
 ing in compliments to the Dame de la Maison. 
 There was the Comte de Bedmar, who had 
 once made a tour in Scotland, and who always
 
 THE GLANVILLE Fv\MILY. 113 
 
 talked to mamma, about celte belle ville d'Edin- 
 bourgh, where we had never been. There were 
 Madame de Balzac, with her little dog — 
 Mons. de Saltzer, with his long white hair, and 
 his young wife. There were more too, some 
 very clever, I believe ; at least I could not un- 
 derstand half that they talked about." 
 
 " And for that reason you settled that they 
 were clever. How good-natured of you," said 
 Ellen. *' But, Lindsay, — tell me when you first 
 made acquaintance with him, and how it was 
 all settled? Did he fall in love at first 
 sight ?^^ 
 
 " Oh ! no, he was there very often, before 
 he seemed to find out that I was in the room ; 
 but he talked a great deal to mamma, and I 
 listened to him, till I forgot all those tiresome 
 French people. I have lived so little in Eng- 
 land, it was such a pleasure to hear all he said 
 about it. He saw how attentive I was ; and 
 when mamma went back to ecarte, he talked
 
 114 
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 on to me — sometimes about dear Raymond ; 
 but generally about himself. How proud I was 
 that he should take the trouble." 
 
 Ellen could not help smiling. 
 
 " But I want to know, Mary, when he first 
 began to talk to you about yourself?" 
 
 " I scarcely know. I do not think that he 
 ever did much. But one evening^, after he had 
 described Mordaunt Castle to me, and the sort 
 of life he liked to lead there, and had told me 
 how many months of the year he meant to 
 pass in London, and how many in the country, 
 — he went on to say, that it had always been 
 his intention to marry before he was thirty — 
 that he thought, with his prospects, he ought 
 to do so; and then he asked me, whether I 
 approved of the life he had been describing ? 
 And then he said little more to me : but the 
 next day he spoke to mamma, and told her 
 that I was just the sort of wife he should wish 
 for — my disposition seemed to coincide so en-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 115 
 
 tirely with his ; and mamma was delighted — so 
 then every thing was settled." 
 
 " You had no doubts, Mary ? you were quite 
 prepared for this declaration of Lindsay's?" 
 
 " No, indeed ; if once or twice the thought 
 had crossed me, I was ashamed of my own pre- 
 sumption. As to doubts ! Lady Ellen, — you who 
 know how perfect Lindsay is, how can you 
 think that I doubted, when I was told that I 
 could contribute to his happiness?" 
 
 Ellen had no more to ask ; she understood 
 the whole affair at last. Lindsay had acted 
 with his usual judgment. Having settled that 
 the time was come when he should marry, he 
 had chosen a wife who could in no way inter- 
 fere with his comfort, and might possibly con- 
 tribute to it. She would not be gay when he 
 meant her to be grave ; she would not talk 
 when he required her to be silent; she would 
 not even look handsome, if he wished her not 
 to be admired ; still, as Lady Lindsay, she
 
 116 
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 would be gay enough, sensible enough, and 
 pretty enough to be generally approved of, 
 whenever he judged it necessary to advance her 
 from her negative position, and allow her to 
 take an active part in society. 
 
 Their tete-a-t^te was interrupted by the 
 entrance of Charles Dalrymple. It was an un- 
 usual hour for him to pay a visit ; and Ellen 
 felt sure that something must be amiss. He 
 solemnly shook hands with her; bowed formally 
 to Mary; rejected the vacant place on the sofa; 
 drew in a small cane-chair, and sat down upon 
 the edge of it, with his knees pressed together, 
 his elbows stuck to his sides, his hands clasped, 
 his mouth pinched, and his eyes half closed. 
 His whole attitude expressed the extent of his 
 wrongs ; it seemed to say that while the storm 
 was raging within, all should be calm and con- 
 strained without. 
 
 Upon Mary the effect was utterly thrown 
 away ; she did not consider herself as a party
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 117 
 
 concerned in his visit, so she sat placidly de- 
 voted to her tent-stitch, assiduously counting the 
 threads. 
 
 Ellen made two or three attempts at conver- 
 sation, which met with no encouragement; and 
 she was beginning to wonder how the visit 
 would end, when Edward walked into the room. 
 
 Since the day that they had walked together 
 to Mrs. Howard's, she had seen less of him 
 than usual ; but whether because he was occu- 
 pied about his own affairs, or simply that he 
 was bored with the preparations for Lindsay's 
 marriage, she could not tell. Whenever he did 
 come, she fancied his spirits forced, and he had 
 occasional fits of abstraction which were not 
 natural to him. His manner to herself was 
 kind and affectionate as ever; but each seemed 
 to feel there were subjects of deeper interest 
 than those they talked of, which neither cared 
 to approach. Ellen thought of his early ex- 
 travagance, and trembled as she feared he
 
 118 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 might have involved himself in fresh difficulties. 
 His liaison too, with the Howards, amazed her 
 - she could not make it out. 
 
 He made no secret of his daily visits there. 
 Once or twice Ellen had asked him questions 
 about Miss Rivers, in hopes of getting an 
 answer that would explain the mystery of the 
 letter ; but he persisted in talking of her as one 
 whose beauty lie admired, but with whom he 
 was scarcely acquainted ; and when she ven- 
 tured, half laughingly, to wonder whether Mr. 
 or Mrs. Howard were indebted to him for such 
 constant attentions, he only answered by refer- 
 ring her to Ehzabeth. Ellen could do no more. 
 By this time she knew enough of human nature to 
 be aware, that in such matters, uncalled-for in- 
 terference does more harm than good. 
 
 At one time she had determined, if possible, 
 to break oflf all acquaintance with the Howards; 
 but it seemed as if, by some fatality, she was 
 always to meet them. Into whatever house she
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 119 
 
 went, there was Mrs. Howard and her niece be- 
 fore her. Harriet's beauty had been their pass- 
 port into society; and Mrs. Howard's popularity 
 was soon very decided. She had, in perfection, 
 the art of saying agreeable things to every 
 body: if it were flattery, it was certainly the 
 most natural flattery that ever won the heart 
 and soothed the vanity of the listener. After 
 all, instead of expressing more than she felt, she 
 merely suppressed half; — all that was disagree- 
 able she kept to herself. She had her reward, 
 not only in being liked almost as soon as known, 
 but in thinking much better of her fellow-crea- 
 tures than they deserved : — by never talking of 
 their faults, she almost forgot that they had 
 any. 
 
 Ellen wished that she could feel more charit- 
 ably ; but she did not know how it was — she 
 positively disliked them all. She really recoiled 
 from the sight of little Mrs. Howard, flying 
 about, full of smiles and vivacity ; Miss Rivers
 
 120 
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 receiving the homage of her many worshippers, 
 with the air and manner of an empress ; and 
 Mr. Howard, fat and complacent, taking up 
 the space which might have been better filled 
 by a worse man : for worth, mere simple worth, 
 is sadly thrown away in a room full of people, 
 met together for no other purpose than to amuse 
 and outshine each other. 
 
 She had seriously considered whether she 
 could avoid asking them to her second party ; 
 but the matter had been set at rest by Edward, 
 who informed her that she need take no trouble 
 about it, as he had told them the day for which 
 it was fixed, and that she would expect them. 
 He seemed so persuaded Ellen would be 
 delighted to have them, that she had not had 
 the heart to undeceive him. Besides, she had 
 some curiosity to see him again in their society, 
 and could foresee no other opportunity. It 
 was strange; but since they had appeared in the 
 London world, Edward had quite retired from
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 121 
 
 it. He suddenly professed to be bored to death 
 with everything in the shape of wholesale 
 society. But from his father's house he could 
 not absent himself; and, as the Harrisons had 
 reported, that evening he devoted himself 
 entirely to Mrs. Howard. 
 
 Ellen was quite provoked with him. As to 
 Elizabeth, she could afford to be merciful u 
 their talking so much together was very wrong, 
 but it proved that her opinion was very right. 
 She took the consolatory line with Ellen, and 
 told her that though this history of Edward's 
 was the talk of the room, there was no use in 
 fretting about it ; — having brought the acquaint- 
 ance upon herself, she must now make the best 
 of it. 
 
 Once, and but once, while Mrs. Howard was 
 speaking to a passing acquaintance, Ellen had 
 seen Edward lean across and address a few 
 earnest words to Harriet Rivers. The answer 
 was evidently but a single monosyllable, and 
 
 VOL. I. G
 
 1^2 
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 then a warning glance was directed towards 
 Elizabeth, who was standing near. Ellen did 
 not envy Miss Rivers her feelings, — she co- 
 loured so painfully when she perceived she was 
 observed ; — she could not pity her either, — she 
 deserved to be made to feel uncomfortable, — 
 she was undoubtedly playing a double part. 
 %Ellen had no patience with her. 
 
 Upon Edward's mind the events of the even- 
 ing had evidently made no unpleasing impres- 
 sions. He was now in wild spirits, — everything 
 was prospering with him. He had taken the 
 most dehghtful ride ; — he had fallen in with all 
 the people he wished to see ; — they had all said 
 pleasant things to him ; — he was going to dine 
 with a man who gave the best dinners in Lon- 
 don ; and he was now come to pass a comfort- 
 able hour with Ellen. '* So now," he said, lay- 
 ing his hand encouragingly upon the shoulder 
 of his brother-in-law, — *' now let us be merry, 
 Charles, my jolly fellow."
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 123 
 
 ' Charles, my jolly fellow/ emitted a little 
 sour laugh, which did not promise great things 
 in the way of merriment ; but Edward ral- 
 lied on, encouraged by Ellen's rejoinders, and 
 Mary's smiles, till at length he hit upon the 
 spring which unlocked the fountain of Charles 
 Dalrymple's grief. 
 
 " And now, Ellen, give me a little domestic 
 information. I choose to consider Mary above 
 minding having the question asked before her, 
 and I will word it very prettily. Does the day 
 on which we are all to witness the confirmation 
 of Lindsay's happiness, still continue fixed for 
 the 18th V 
 
 " I am obliged to you, Edward, really 
 obhged to you," interposed Mr. Dalrymple, 
 " for sparing me the mortification of asking 
 that question myself I, individually, had no 
 reason to suppose that the 18th was even talked 
 of. I assure you, I felt not a little awkward 
 yesterday, when my mother asked me how soon 
 G 2
 
 124 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 the happy event would take place, — to have to 
 answer, * ray dear madam, not the slightest inti- 
 mation of the time fixed, has been made to me.' 
 She lifted up her hands and eyes in astonish- 
 ment. For the last five days, I have had my 
 cards of invitation ready written for a large 
 dinner it is incumbent upon me to give; but I 
 have refrained from sending them out ; for I 
 felt, Ellen, that your sister would consider it 
 due to appearances, however late the notice, to 
 join the family circle upon such an occasion. 
 I might have fixed upon the very day for my 
 own party." 
 
 " Surely,'' said Ellen, " Elizabeth was pre- 
 sent when we discussed all this the other 
 day." 
 
 " Lady Elizabeth might have been in the 
 room ; so probably were Lady Hamilton, Mrs. 
 Douglas, and forty others. I heard of no par- 
 ticular reference being made to Lady Elizabeth 
 or myself. From general report, I merely ga-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 125 
 
 thered that a day was fixed, and that the near 
 connections of both famihes were to be asked. 
 For some days I have made it my business to 
 contradict this rumour. It cannot be true, I 
 have constantly asserted. It is impossible to 
 believe that in such a case my mother can be 
 pointedly omitted." 
 
 Mary, as if she feared that Ellen and Edward 
 must be quite overcome by the just severity ot 
 the attack, now looked up to make a diversion 
 in their favour. **And how is Mrs. Dalrym- 
 ple?" she inquired with an expression of great 
 interest. " I am delighted to hear that she 
 feels strong enough to venture out.'' 
 
 " I thank you. Miss Spencer, for the inquiry, 
 — except a heavy cold, from which she suffered 
 about a fortnight ago, when she first settled in 
 town, I can pronounce her perfectly well." 
 
 "But surely," persisted Mary, hoping to 
 soothe him by her sweetness, — " surely you had 
 better persuade the dear old lady to stay at
 
 126 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 home. I understand from Edward, that for 
 some years she has only been fit to sit by the 
 fireside." 
 
 Mr. Dalrymple reddened with anger. ** I 
 profess myself totally at a loss to understand 
 Edward's meaning. If the assertion was made 
 in joke, he must excuse my remarking that 
 Mrs. Dalrymple is no fit subject for a joke; — if 
 in earnest, there will be sufficient refutation in 
 my simple assertion, that in our own county, 
 where the family mansion is situated in the 
 midst of a most gentlemanly neighbourhood, 
 she has upon her book a list of fifty visits, out 
 of which, nineteen are dining visits, subject of 
 course to a moon.*' 
 
 While Mary was repeating the last words to 
 herself, and was trying, in her ignorance of a 
 country neighbourhood, to make out what influ- 
 ence the moon could have upon Mrs. Dalrymple's 
 dinner, Edward stifled his laughter, and pro- 
 tested it was only with reference to her heavy
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 127 
 
 cold, that he hinted at her sitting over the fire. 
 He then hastened to change the subject; and 
 turning to Ellen, told her that he was afraid it 
 was quite out of his power to stay in town till 
 the 18th ; he must rejoin his regiment almost 
 immediately. 
 
 " How very unfortunate !" said Ellen. '* I am 
 sure that papa will be annoyed at your absence. 
 I understood that you had leave for the next 
 six weeks. What has made this sudden 
 change ? Try, Edward, if you cannot contrive 
 to stay till after the marriage." 
 
 " I must go, love ! it is positively necessary 
 that I should be at Liverpool by Friday." 
 
 Edward looked confused, and drew Ellen 
 towards him while he spoke, as if to beseech 
 her forbearance. Lindsay's entrance to report 
 progress about his new carriages, was evidently 
 a relief to him. Charles Dalrymple was soothed 
 by being consulted about the colour of the 
 linings, and hastened home to Elizabeth, to beg
 
 128 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 her not to worry, as she would the next morning 
 be duly served with an invitation to the wedding 
 dinner. Lord Lindsay and Mary walked off 
 together to Lady Raymond's. Edward went 
 to prepare for his engagement ; and Ellen was 
 left alone.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 129 
 
 CHAPTER Vllt. 
 
 What fearful, and what curious mysteries, 
 Involve themselves in those strange histories. 
 Which to its own researches unrevealed. 
 Are deep within the human heart concealed. 
 
 MS. Poem. 
 
 For the next five minutes Ellen indulged in 
 what has been termed " the luxury of thought ;" 
 an expression, the application of which is not sel- 
 dom particularly foolish. Happiness is active and 
 communicative ; no very happy person has time 
 or inclination to sit still and think ; and if he 
 had, five minutes spent in the enjoyment of this 
 g5
 
 130 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 same "luxury," even when following immediately 
 the fulfilment of the brightest scheme of happi- 
 ness the human mind has ever formed, throws 
 some faint shades upon the picture, which 
 deepen with every succeeding moment of in- 
 activity, till the slumberer awakes from his 
 reverie, a fresh instance of the truth of the 
 assertion, that 
 
 ** Wake, where'er he may, 
 Man wakes to care and evil." 
 
 Ellen was roused by the sound of a passing 
 footstep, and, with a repugnance which is 
 always most strongly felt by the most idle, to 
 be found alone in a room doing nothing, she 
 turned to the table and took up the newspaper. 
 Percival's name, in the leading paragraph, was 
 the first thing that caught her eye. It was 
 written by no friendly hand ; but while inveigh- 
 ing bitterly against the party of which he now 
 formed an important member, even an adver- 
 sary could not deny him the praise due to
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 131 
 
 talents, high and unquestionable. She turned 
 to another side ; again she met with the same 
 name, " Mr. Percival now rose ;" she glanced 
 down the column ; — " cheering !" '* great cheer- 
 ing !" " loud and enthusiastic cheering, from all 
 parts of the house ! " 
 
 *' And have I no enthusiasm, — no feeling," 
 thought Ellen. *' How proud, — how grateful I 
 ought to be, that this gifted being should stoop 
 to share every thought with one so unworthy ; 
 that he should devote the truest affection to 
 
 one " Another name now caught her eye ; 
 
 and the current of her thought was changed. 
 
 ^' Lord Raymond is returned to his house in 
 Brook Street, from his seat in Hertfordshire.'' 
 
 '' I cannot go out to-night," was the determi- 
 nation that followed. " Elizabeth must go 
 to Almack's without me. They will both be 
 there ; and I am so tired, so weary of all 
 
 these well-dressed people's faces 1 am so 
 
 weary of myself — talking to them as if I
 
 132 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 should care if I were never to see one of their 
 faces again; — laughing with them, as if one new 
 idea were ever coined in their clock-work 
 minds. I sometimes really think they are 
 worked by machinery, or they could not all so 
 exactly say the same things upon the same 
 subjects. This evening I will be spared the 
 sound and sight of them. How comfortable 
 papa and I shall be together I " 
 
 The composition of her note to Elizabeth was 
 rather difficult. It was mortifying for one who 
 had just finished a soliloquy against all that was 
 common-place, to be reduced to plead a head- 
 ache as her iexcuse. However, while she wrote, 
 she pressed her hand to her forehead, till she 
 was almost persuaded it was the truth. She did 
 not send her note till she had procured and en- 
 closed a ticket for one of the Miss Dalrymples. 
 Elizabeth was blessed with four very ugly 
 sisters-in-law, whom she was often called upon 
 to chaperon.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 133 
 
 Mr. Dalrymple's wrath, at her defalcation, 
 was something mollified by this attention. Still, 
 he could not but think it a very strange pro- 
 ceeding. She appeared perfectly well when he 
 was in Grosvenor Square; and Mrs. Dalrymple, 
 who was dining with her son and daughter-in- 
 law, assured them that it was very unnatural in 
 a young person of eighteen or nineteen, — which 
 was Lady Ellen ? — to be so indifferent about balls ; 
 they might trust her experience, there was some 
 reason for it. This was supposed to be the 
 shrewdest remark that old Mrs. Dalrymple 
 ever made. 
 
 In the meantime Ellen was looking forward 
 to a quiet evening, with feelings of real enjoy- 
 ment. 
 
 Lord Mordaunt, though easily fatigued in 
 general society, could still apparently be in- 
 terested in many of the passing events of the 
 day. The apathy of age was slowly creeping 
 upon him; but often the tact and shrewdness of
 
 134 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 his remarks, when his attention was fairly en- 
 gaged, would astonish those who, judging from 
 the sunk, changeless expression of the still fine 
 countenance before them, had fancied that the 
 mind was sunk and darkened too. Ellen's love 
 for her father stopped little short of adoration ; 
 she thought that no such perfect character had 
 ever yet been seen upon this earth. His 
 courteous manners to his equals; his considerate 
 kindness to his inferiors; his fond affection for 
 his children ; — never had she known them fail; 
 and now, as she sat working or reading by his 
 side, she felt that the hours passed in striving to 
 minister to his comfort and amusement were 
 the happiest that she could know. 
 
 The time was come when irrational people 
 get up from dinner, and rational people go to 
 bed. Not that it is necessarily a sign of 
 rationality to go to bed early ; but it is an ap- 
 proved form of expression, which ought not to 
 become obsolete, it is so useful to the numerous
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 135 
 
 class of idlers who, their time being burthen- 
 some to themselves and others, give relief to 
 both, and almost fancy they perform a moral 
 action, by retiring early to their pillows. 
 
 Ellen listened to the rolling of the carriages, 
 as a traveller under shelter listens to the beat- 
 ings of a storm. She knew the feverish, excited 
 feelings, with which many were hastening to 
 this place of amusement ; the flat, jaded spirits, 
 with which yet more would return ; and she 
 congratulated herself that this evening at least, 
 nothing could happen to disturb her tran- 
 quillity. 
 
 " We have seen little of Frederick lately," 
 said Lord Mord aunt ; ''but, I trust, when we 
 are settled again at Mordaunt Castle, he will be 
 able to extricate himself from all this political 
 turmoil, and stay with us for a time. It seems 
 long since he has been there, as an in- 
 mate." 
 
 " It does, indeed," Ellen answered, and she
 
 1(36 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 spoke from her very heart ; she felt as if she 
 had lived a long life since then. 
 
 Her father was struck by the tone of her 
 voice, and pursued the subject. '* I sometimes 
 fear that Frederick's life is more confined than 
 can be quite good for him. He is very young 
 to be brought so forward; and I doubt whether, 
 at his age, it is quite an advantage to have ac- 
 quired so high a reputation. He will find diffi- 
 culty in acting up to all that will be expected 
 from him ; and I know no man, who would feel 
 any thing like disappointment more keenly 
 than Frederick." 
 
 "He would feel keenly!" Ellen said, and 
 again she paused. 
 
 '* Under these circumstances we must try 
 and becontent for the present to have but little 
 of his society. I sometimes wonder how he 
 contrives to be here as often as he is. I hope, 
 Ellen," continued Lord Mordaunt anxiously, 
 " that you do not think that Frederick neglects 
 us,"
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 137 
 
 *' That he neglects us — oh, no ! no ! I am 
 not so unjust; I have only sometimes feared 
 that he might think — that he might fancy — that 
 we neglected him/' 
 
 Poor Lord Mordaunt looked aghast at such 
 a charge. *' My dear Ellen, what a strange 
 idea ! surely Frederick cannot wait to be pressed 
 to come to a house which was so long a home 
 to him? I would not, for the world, that he 
 should be considered such a stranger, as to 
 make a particular invitation necessary." 
 
 " I did not mean to say that, papa. I ought 
 not to have said we neglect him ; I was think- 
 ing of myself when I spoke," said Ellen, blush- 
 ing deeply. " Since we came to London, I 
 have been so constantly in society, so occupied 
 in various frivolous ways, he must think me 
 heartless, trifling, every way unlike the Ellen 
 he knew at Mordaunt Castle.*' 
 
 *' You are not changed, my Ellen — Frede- 
 rick cannot so misjudge my child. Neither
 
 138 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 your head, nor your heart have been spoiled 
 by admiration. Never have you neglected one 
 duty, to follow your own amusement. This 
 very evening have you not sacrificed it, to stay 
 at home and listen to an old man's talk?" 
 
 Ellen moved to the footstool at her father's 
 feet, and rested her forehead on his hand — ** It 
 is no sacrifice — I am happier here." 
 
 '* My Ellen," said Lord Mordaunt anxiously, 
 " I trust that there is no misunderstanding be- 
 tween you and Frederick. Dear as Lindsay 
 and Edward are to me, they are scarcely more 
 dear than he is. I would not have parted with 
 him when I did, had I not felt that I hazarded 
 his happiness by keeping him with me. Sepa- 
 rated from his own family, his affections had 
 no resting-place but with us. Child as you then 
 were, already they centered upon you. Nay, 
 do not start — you could not guess it, love — I 
 question whether he even owned it, to himself. 
 But I know Frederick's character well. Though
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 139 
 
 he may appear cold and calm, Edward's feel- 
 ings are not more impetuous than his, and cer- 
 tainly not so deep. What was then a boyish 
 fancy, would have ripened into an attachment, 
 which might have cramped his energies, and 
 overshadowed his future years. You ha3"then 
 no opportunity of comparing him with others. 
 In ignorance and innocence, you would have 
 encouraged this hopeless love — every way 
 hopeless, for Frederick was almost a beggar. 
 His fortunes have changed since then ; but I 
 am most thankful," Lord Mordaunt added, 
 complacently, " that I acted as I did. I have 
 saved Frederick from the misery he would 
 have felt, if, having once fancied himself pre- 
 ferred, he had seen your affections gained by 
 another.'' 
 
 Ellen did not raise her head, but almost in- 
 articulately she repeated the word — '* Another!" 
 
 *' And is it not so, my Ellen ; or can Lindsay 
 be mistaken? Has Lord Raymond not de-
 
 140 
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 clared that he loves you ? or does he love you 
 in vain?" 
 
 " In vain, in vain — Lord Raymond does not, 
 must not, love me," said Ellen, in a voice 
 almost choked by agitation ; for every word 
 her father had spoken smote upon her heart. 
 " His love would be vain, indeed, papa," she 
 continued, more calmly. " I shall be better 
 when I have told you all — when I have your 
 forgiveness for this concealment. I am en- 
 gaged — I have been long engaged to Frederick." 
 
 The words were spoken, and Ellen felt as if 
 her fate were more surely fixed than ever. Her 
 father heard her story. His ready forgiveness, 
 his warm approval followed. Again, and again, 
 he pressed her to his heart, and prayed that 
 God might bless his child — and Ellen's tears 
 flowed silently, and she prayed in silence too. 
 Soon she looked up and smiled, as she told her 
 father that he must not hope to get rid of her 
 yet — that for many months she could not think
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 141 
 
 of leaving him. Frederick would not wish her 
 to do so, till Lindsay and Mary should return. 
 
 " It is most kind of him," Lord Mordaunt 
 said. " The days that yet remain to me on 
 earth are few. It would have grieved me to 
 have parted with all my children. But, hark ! 
 there is some one come. I trust it is Frederick 
 — I long to greet him as my son." 
 
 " Oh ! could I have been spared that meet- 
 ing to-night," thought Ellen ; " but, perhaps, 
 it is better ; in a few moments he will know 
 that we have my father's consent — that my 
 fate is irrevocably joined with his. If I have 
 decided wrong, may God forgive me !" 
 
 It was not Frederick. The door opened, 
 and Lord Raymond was announced. He had 
 left the party at his mother's house, expecting 
 to find Lord Mordaunt alone. His meetings 
 with Ellen lately had given him more pain than 
 pleasure, and he returned to London, deter- 
 mined to avoid her as much as the present cir-
 
 142 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 cumstances of the two families would allow. 
 Mr. Dalrymple had met him in the morning, 
 and told him, with his own peculiar felicity of 
 expression, that Lady Elizabeth was to afford 
 his fair sister-in-law the benefit of her ma- 
 tronly protection at Almacks. 
 
 Lord Raymond, therefore, tried to feel baf- 
 fled and provoked, when he found Ellen quietly 
 established by her father's side. There she 
 sate, in her simple muslin dress, looking more 
 like a thing of heaven than earth, — so soft and 
 transparent was her beauty. In a moment she 
 suppressed all outward signs of agitation ; and 
 the studied coldness with which he addressed 
 her, melted away at the first low tones of that 
 sweet voice. They talked fluently on indif- 
 ferent subjects, till Lord Mordaunt, in the exu- 
 berance of his content, could not resist an 
 allusion to Eilen's situation, which he felt secure 
 could only be understood by himself and her. 
 
 " You were surprised to find Ellen here.
 
 THE GLA^VILLE FAMILY. 143 
 
 Lord Raymond ; and I assure you, that we 
 were surprised when you walked in just now. 
 We had partly expected Frederick Percival ; 
 but, I suppose, he is hard at work as usual. 1 
 ought to be proud that such a gay young man 
 should give up his evening to me ; and so I am 
 both proud and glad of such an interruption. 
 But Ellen and I have not been silent — have we, 
 Ellen ? After dinner she read loud to me last 
 night's debate, and I find she is grown quite a 
 keen politician. Frederick would have been 
 flattered, if he could have seen the interest 
 with which she followed up his arguments, and 
 I could not even get her to finish the answer to 
 them." 
 
 *' I am afraid, papa," said Ellen, laughing, 
 •' that you will not give Lord Raymond much 
 notion of the depth of my pohtical knowledge ; 
 but I begin to believe, that in all cases it is 
 best to hear only one side, it saves so much 
 mental trouble."
 
 144 THE GLANVILLE FAMITY. 
 
 *' In the present case, at least, you acted 
 kindly towards Percival's rival," Lord Ray- 
 mond answered with bitterness. *' He could have 
 found no impartial judge in you." 
 
 " I own it," answered Ellen coldly ; " and 
 surely it is natural that the words of one, 
 whose character I have long known and ad- 
 mired, should have more weight with me than 
 those of a comparative stranger," 
 
 *' True, most true, it were madness to think 
 otherwise — even a rival must feel, that Perci- 
 val is worthy of all the sentiments he excites. 
 He must be presumptuous, indeed, who could 
 hope to equal him." 
 
 Lord Raymond having uttered these words, 
 rose abruptly, and took leave. 
 
 "That is a very pleasant young man ; but he 
 seems to have strong political feelings, and the 
 other way from ours," said Lord Mordaunt, 
 who perceived that he was discomposed. *' My 
 dear Ellen, you must be careful as to what you
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 145 
 
 say before him. I have a great objection to hear 
 any woman talked of as eager about politics ; 
 though to be sure, in your situation it would be 
 excusable." 
 
 How little do ^the keenest observers know 
 of what is passing in their fellow-creatures 
 minds! 
 
 VOL. r.
 
 146 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 He was a cold, good, honourable man, 
 
 Proud of his birth, and proud of every thing ; 
 
 A goodly spirit for a state divan, 
 
 A figure fit to walk before a king. 
 
 Byron. 
 
 I sometimes almost think that eyes have ears"; 
 
 Thus much is sure, that out of ear-shot things 
 Are, somehow, echoed to the pretty dears. 
 
 Of which 1 can't tell whence their knowledge springs. 
 'Tis wonderful how oft the sex have heard 
 
 Long dialogues, which passed without a word. 
 
 Bykon. 
 
 Before she went to-bed that night, Ellen 
 wrote a few Unes to Frederick. It was more 
 for the satisfaction of her own mind than his. 
 He could not tell what was the real feeling 
 which had so long made her shrink from ob- 
 taining her father's sanction to their attach-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 147 
 
 rnent. He could not know — be must never 
 know — ^how painful were the tears she had 
 shed, as she bitterly lamented the rashness of 
 their early engagement. But if ever for a 
 moment the thought had crossed her, that it 
 was not yet too late — that one word to Frede- 
 rick would restore her to liberty — that her en- 
 gagement was known but to him and Edward, 
 and that they would never betray her, — the 
 next, she shrank with horror from such selfish- 
 ness. Recollections of her early days came over 
 her as a dream. 
 
 *' Those few and happy days, when all things smil'd 
 
 On her, a sinless and unthinking child ; 
 
 And friendly faces all round her shone, 
 
 And every voice breath'd friendship's sweetest tone ; 
 
 Nor knew she then a kinder friend than him." 
 
 Nor then, nor now ; — and he gave his happi- 
 ness into her keeping — and she accepted the 
 charge, and she would not, must not betray it. 
 The path of her duty was straight before her. 
 H 2
 
 148 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 In tears, and humility of spirit, she had prayed 
 for strength to follow it; and even now she 
 could hope, that in doing what she judged to 
 be right, she should bring peace, not only to his 
 home, but to her own heart. 
 
 There was one, of whom she must not think, 
 who would suffer for her sake ; but she was 
 guiltless there. Never had she, by one un- 
 guarded look or word, given encouragement to 
 Lord Raymond ; and now, though as so many 
 months must elapse before her marriage, she 
 had agreed with her father that it should not 
 be yet announced, she determined, at the ear- 
 liest opportunity, to confide to him the secret 
 of her engagement. She actually shivered at 
 the thought of doing so; but she felt it would 
 be right and honourable, and she should have 
 strength for that — the kindest thing that could 
 be done for him. And then in a few weeks she 
 would leave London for Mordaunt Castle, and 
 all would be well. They would not meet again
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 149 
 
 till she was the wife — she trusted, the happy 
 wife, of Frederick Percival. 
 
 The next morning, when she entered the 
 drawing-room, she was startled to find Frederick 
 already there. He had been with Lord Mor- 
 daunt. In few but heart-felt words, he gave 
 Ellen an account of their interview. His voice 
 faltered as he spoke of the old man's kindness, 
 when, without one reproach for the past, he 
 received and blessed him as a son. 
 
 The long and unreserved conversation which 
 followed, did much towards calming Ellen's 
 mind. In the world, Frederick was reckoned 
 proud and uncommunicative : but the world 
 was wrong ; as it may safely be pronounced in 
 three-fourths of the judgments it forms: and 
 the characters of those it does not understand, 
 it invariably condemns. Frederick was only 
 shy. He had seldom time to mix in general 
 society. He was not au courant of the light 
 topics of the day ; and a feeling of inferiority
 
 150 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 would come over him, among a set of people 
 whose minds were never formed to cope with 
 his ; and he, whose eloquence night after night 
 was the envy and admiration of hundreds, 
 shrank from the lightest sneer of the veriest 
 trifler in the room. But with Ellen, who had 
 long known every feehngof his heart, — who had 
 sense to understand, and sympathy to give to 
 his pursuits, — all reserve vanished ; and as he laid 
 before her every fear and hope that had agitated 
 him — associating her in all his plans for the fu- 
 ture — consulting her as a friend — submitting 
 to her slightest wish — she felt that, had she 
 betrayed his confidence, had she proved false 
 to one so trusting, she could never have known 
 a happy hour more. 
 
 It was long after he left her, before she could 
 bring down her thoughts to a level with the 
 ordinary business, or, more properly speaking, 
 amusements of the day. She was engaged to 
 dine early with the Dairy mples, and to go with
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 151 
 
 them to the play. Charles Dalrymple, upon 
 finding that it was what he called a fashionable 
 piece, had waved his original objection to ap- 
 pearing at the minor theatres, and had even gone 
 the length of taking a public box, next to one, 
 which he had ascertained in the morning, was 
 secured in Lady Hamilton's name : that settled 
 the business — he felt sure that he could not be 
 wrong. He had been two or three times to 
 Grosvenor Square, to impress upon Ellen the 
 expediency of her being punctual; for as he 
 truly observed, if they were not there at the 
 beginning, they could not know the beginning 
 of the plot. Accordingly at half-past five 
 Ellen arrived, and found Lord Raymond, Per- 
 cival, and Edward already assembled; but 
 there were evident signs of another being 
 expected. 
 
 Mr. Dalrymple walked from the clock to the 
 window, from the window to the bell, and then 
 again to the clock ; and he looked at Elizabeth
 
 152 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 for leave to ring, and then restrained him- 
 self, and observed that it was customary to 
 wait for a lady ; and then he made another cir- 
 cuit, and said how disagreeable it was to be 
 kept waiting ; all sorts of strange people would 
 get into their box, and they would lose all 
 chance of finding out the plot ; and then again 
 he made a decided step towards the bell, and 
 at that critical moment a carriage was heard to 
 stop, and to Ellen's utter astonishment, Miss 
 Rivers was announced. 
 
 " Get dinner directly !" Mr. Dalrymple 
 called out, before she could enter the room ; a 
 delicate species of reproach, which all fidgetty 
 gentlemen indulge in towards the delinquent 
 who has kept them waiting five minutes beyond 
 the hour named. EHzabeth rose, and in her 
 most gracious manner advanced to meet and re- 
 assure Miss Rivers, who, however, even under 
 the trying circumstance of being too late, re- 
 tained all her usual self-possession.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. ]53 
 
 Frederick was not less surprised than Ellen 
 at seeing her there. He had long been slightly 
 acquainted with the Howards, and had occa- 
 sionally met Harriet in their society. The 
 evening she made her appearance in Grosvenor 
 Square, he said a few words to Elizabeth, ex- 
 pressive of his admiration for her beauty, and 
 had only been answered by her indignant asto- 
 nishment at Ellen's having invited people who, 
 notwithstanding Edward's strange wish to bring 
 them forward, she ought to have felt would be 
 quite deplaces in such a party. The next time 
 that they came it was worse still. Elizabeth 
 had not patience to look at Edward's way of 
 going on with Mrs. Howard; and as to Miss 
 Rivers, no degree of beauty could excuse the 
 airs she gave herself; — she was regularly im- 
 pertinent. And now, here she was, sitting in 
 Elizabeth's own arm-chair, undergoing a course 
 of hopes and fears about heat and open win- 
 H 5
 
 154 THE GLAKVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 dows — petted — shawled — foot-stooled ! What 
 could it all mean ? 
 
 The explanation was in truth simple enough. 
 Elizabeth generally lived in a state of disgust 
 with half the world, for its blindness in not 
 appreciating her merits. She was clever, cer- 
 tainly, though owing to her exaggerated view 
 of her own powers, she said more foolish 
 things in one week, than a really foolish person 
 would in a year. Her sarcastic, overbearing 
 manner was not likely to make her popular. 
 The world was equally blind about her looks. 
 Because she was tall, and had a profusion of 
 dark hair, she was convinced that she was 
 handsome ; but she had never met with any- 
 thing hke general admiration. Indeed there 
 were people who reckoned her actually plain ; 
 and even the Dalrymples, in all the first enthu- 
 siasm in forming so high a connexion, — when 
 they wrote their circulars to announce the 
 marriage, were content, by general agreement.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 155 
 
 to describe her as having a fine figure, with a 
 decided air of fashion — which, the exulting 
 Charles frequently observed, was the great 
 thing after all. 
 
 It was in all sincerity that Elizabeth thought 
 herself only too clever for the world in which 
 she lived — which was almost exclusively com- 
 posed of poor trifling idiots, unable to under- 
 stand her. 
 
 That Ellen was beautiful, she could not deny; 
 but taking her altogether, she was decidedly 
 inferior to herself: still there she was, courted, 
 caressed, admired wherever she appeared. 
 Insensibly, she grew to look upon all Ellen^s 
 intimate friends and acquaintance as her per- 
 sonal enemies. Ellen was often amused at 
 hearing Elizabeth declaim against the personal 
 and mental defects of people, whom she scarcely 
 knew by sight. *' But are you acquainted with 
 them, Elizabeth ?" she in some very flagrant 
 cases had ventured to say. " 1 1 no indeed ; I
 
 156 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 would not know them for the world. It is not 
 my way to have violent fits of engouement for 
 every body who says a civil word to me." 
 
 Their reprobation was not however hopeless ; 
 —a little neglect to Ellen — a little attention to 
 herself,— and a change came over the spirit of 
 her dream ; — they were pleasant after all ; — 
 she meant to see a great deal of them ; and she 
 did so, till they gave some fresh wound to her 
 vanity; and then her original opinion was right, 
 and they were dismissed. She had no shame 
 in her inconsistencies, and Ellen submitted to 
 them with the best grace she could. 
 
 Mrs. Howard and Miss Rivers had at first 
 been particularly obnoxious to Elizabeth. They 
 were friends of Edward's, and must be pro- 
 possessed in Ellen's favour. Mrs. Howard 
 made no exertion to be introduced to her. Be- 
 fore she had even heard the sound of her voice, 
 Elizabeth pronounced her to be a foolish, tire- 
 some little woman. She could not guess what
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 157 
 
 was meant by calling Harriet handsome. She 
 had done her best — she had tried very hard — 
 but she really could not see it. Soon she found 
 reason entirely to change her opinion : she never 
 changed it without reason. Miss Rivers, so far 
 from being inclined to make up to Ellen, seemed 
 rather to avoid her ; and Mrs. Howard was 
 fairly worn out with saying pretty things, 
 which made so little impression; — she really 
 admired Lady Ellen too much to abuse her; 
 but she felt baffled in her attempt to be inti- 
 mate, and gave it up in despair. 
 
 It was at this crisis, that Elizabeth, the night 
 before, had met them at Almack's. The room 
 was crowded, and she looked round in vain for 
 a seat. Charles was in agonies : his mother 
 had strictly charged him to remember the deli- 
 cacy of Lady Elizabeth's situation, and how 
 adviseable it was that she should not be over- 
 fatigued. 
 
 Mrs. Howard, seeing how matters were, in-
 
 158 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 sisted upon giving up her seat to her. The 
 heart must be hard indeed, which does not feel 
 gratified for such a sacrifice, in such an ex- 
 tremity. Elizabeth's was quite softened ; and 
 five minutes after, Charles Dalrymple was trot- 
 ting across the room, to tell Mrs. Howard that 
 there was now a vacant seat next Elizabeth, 
 which his sister was keeping for her. For the 
 second time that evening, Mrs. Howard's ap- 
 pearance brought relief to Elizabeth. She was 
 now able to despatch her husband, and sister- 
 in-law, to walk about the room together. It was 
 very deadening to the spirits, and irritating to the 
 nerves, to have poor ugly Margaret sticking by 
 her side the whole evening — her eyes fixed, and 
 her mouth open, as if ready to catch any partners 
 that would drop in ; but they all passed by ; 
 her silent resignation was very provoking. 
 
 Mrs. Howard was flattered by such unlooked- 
 for graciousness ; and began to say acceptable 
 things with all her might. She admired Eliza-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 159 
 
 beth's gown — the way in which she had 
 dressed her fine dark hair — consulted her as 
 to the expediency of giving a ball — trusted 
 that they might depend upon her presence and 
 support — and envied her established position in 
 society. Elizabeth had never met with a more 
 fascinating little woman ; she no longer won- 
 dered that she was so generally liked ; and 
 there was something touching in her anxiety 
 for her niece's amusement, who certainly, when 
 dancing and animated, was very handsome : 
 she was tall, and Elizabeth owned that she ad- 
 mired tall people ; — she often wished that Ellen 
 was a little taller. Upon the whole, she deter- 
 mined to make Mrs. Howard happy, and to 
 take up Miss Rivers ; so now she was her friend 
 and nothing was too good for her — not even the 
 vacant place in the play-box, or her own arm- 
 chair. 
 
 Edward had witnessed the rise and pro- 
 gress of this intimacy the preceding evening.
 
 160 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 Though in general little apt to spare Elizabeth 
 upon any of these sudden changes, he had his 
 own reasons for being silent now. It was with 
 unfeigned pleasure that he welcomed Harriet 
 upon her entrance; and as he leaned over Eli- 
 zabeth's chair, he seemed to be making himself 
 equally agreeable both to her and her new 
 friend. 
 
 In the meantime, Mr. Dalrymple could not 
 be more anxious for the announcement of dinner 
 than was Ellen. Lord Raymond had placed 
 himself beside her, and seemed anxious, by the 
 gentleness of his manner, to atone for the aspe- 
 rity he had shewn the night before. Frederick, 
 as was his habit in general society, kept aloof : 
 he was quietly seated at the other end of the 
 room, turning over the pages of a review. Can 
 that be the accepted lover of Ellen Glanville ? 
 thought Lord Raymond, as he saw him fairly 
 settle into a paper upon the actual state of 
 public affairs. Impossible ! If he is in love
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY, 161 
 
 with anything, it can only be with the speaker 
 and mace. And with renewed spirits, he gave 
 himself up to the charm of the present moment. 
 Lord Raymond had never yet owned his love 
 to Ellen. A secret consciousness told him that 
 it would be repelled. But every hour passed in 
 her society, betrayed the intensity of his feeUng. 
 No word she had ever spoken was forgotten. 
 No smile, no sigh of hers passed unheeded. No 
 thought half uttered, no feeling half betrayed, 
 were ever lost to him ; and even now, as his 
 eye sought hers, she shrank from him, as she 
 too surely felt that she was dearer to him 
 than aught else this world contained. 
 
 *' For life hath moments when a glance — 
 (If thought to sudden watchfulness he stirred) 
 A flush — a fading cheek, — perchance 
 A word, — less, less — the cadence of a word. 
 Lets in our gaze the mind's deep veil heneath, — 
 Thence to hring haply knowledge, fraught with death. 
 Even thus, what never from his lips was heard, 
 Broke on her soul." 
 
 Ellen's colour varied — her calmness was for-
 
 162 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 saking her. Suddenly rising, she walked across 
 the room to Frederick. " Is that the paper, of 
 which you were speaking to me?" she said. 
 
 He looked up surprised, " Did I? perhaps I 
 might. I forgot that we had talked upon so 
 grave a subject. But though you will not find 
 the title attractive, there are some splendid 
 passages;" and pointing out one, he placed the 
 book in her hand. 
 
 We are strange creatures certainly. 
 
 The observation is not a very new one : — but 
 there is nothing quite new under the sun ; and 
 the value of a remark entirely depends upon the 
 a propos of its introduction. Words, which we 
 have repeated ourselves, and have heard repeated 
 for ever, strike us with all the force of novelty, 
 as some occurrence, passing before our eyes, ac- 
 tually constrains us to exclaim, what thousands 
 have exclaimed before, and will exclaim again. — 
 Let us repeat then — we are strange creatures. 
 
 There sat Lord Raymond, his eyes sparkling
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 163 
 
 with pleasure, his heart beating with hope ; and 
 why ? Because she, Ellen, ' the lady of his 
 love,' when he was doing his utmost to make 
 himself agreeable to her, had turned from him, 
 left him, and walked across the room to speak 
 to one whom, but the evening before, because 
 she had mentioned him in terms of simple 
 kindness, he had envied and disliked, as most 
 men will envy and dislike a successful rival. 
 He would have said that it was Ellen's con- 
 sciousness that worked the change; that she 
 would not have betrayed so much, had he been 
 quite indifferent to her. It may be suspected 
 that he was only very bilious the evening before, 
 and was particularly well now. It is never 
 enough considered how much the goodness of our 
 digestion has to do with our mental judgment. 
 
 And there sat Ellen, her cheek supported 
 by a hand and arm scarcely less white than the 
 satin dress she wore. Poor Ellen ! there she 
 sat, a perfect picture of quiet, youthful beauty, 
 a book open before her, on which every thought
 
 164 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 seemed to be intent, while her breath came 
 short, and every pulse quivered with agitation, 
 as she thought of the final blow this decided 
 avoidance of his society must have given to 
 Lord Raymond's hopes. She really dreaded the 
 effect it might produce during the remainder of 
 the day. 
 
 And there stood Frederick, whose being's 
 end and aim was to make the happiness oV 
 Ellen; there he stood, between these two agita- 
 ted beings, without a care for the present, with- 
 out a doubt for the future, unconsciously acting 
 the part of Calista, ' Spectatress of the mis- 
 chiefs he had made/ 
 
 Once more be it said, certainly we are strange 
 creatures. 
 
 " Do you think, my love, that these servants 
 are aware that we expect no one else?'* said the 
 master of the house, after having two or three 
 times opened a crack of the door, which led into 
 the dining-room, and discovered nothing more 
 exhilarating than a broad expanse of table-cloth.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 165 
 
 Elizabeth only answered by a nod, and a look 
 which said plainly, ** don't be fussy." 
 
 Another minute and a half elapsed. " It wants 
 but ten minutes to six," he said, in a chafed tone; 
 but no sympathy followed ; as usual, all the people 
 in the room were thinking of what interested 
 themselves most, and in none of their minds 
 did dinner happen to be the first object. 
 
 This was more than Mr. Dalrymple could 
 bear. He gave a violent pull to the bell; thereby 
 irritating the cook, and hindering the butler, 
 who was in the very act of bringing up the 
 soup, which now, in pure spite, he left below, 
 while he came, with an unconscious air, to ask 
 what was wanted. 
 
 At last Mr. Dalrymple, looking round with a 
 face into which he meant to throw an air of 
 open hospitality, was able to congratulate his 
 guests upon being fairly seated at dinner, and to 
 beg them to eat as fast and talk as little as they 
 could, or they should be late. The last injunc- 
 tion was utterly thrown away.
 
 166 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 Miss Rivers, as if determined to puzzle Ellen, 
 now threw off her reserve, and appeared the 
 gayest of the gay. She laughed with Edward, 
 appealed to Elizabeth, addressed Frederick with 
 all the ease of an old acquaintance, and at last 
 petrified Ellen, by charging her with reserve, 
 and a determination not to make her acquaint- 
 ance. This was too much ; Ellen had made all 
 the advances in the first instance, and had been 
 resolutely repelled. Without being very vain, 
 she could not but think that her society was 
 likely to prove a greater advantage to Miss 
 Rivers, than Miss Rivers's to her. She could 
 scarcely submit to this affectation of equality ; 
 it chilled her more completely than ever. How- 
 ever, conversation went on brilliantly ; the niece 
 performed to perfection the part that Edward 
 had assigned to the aunt ; she helped off Eliza- 
 beth's dinner amazingly.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 167 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 How curious is the contemplation of the human mind 
 in all its strange varieties; its loftiness and its mean- 
 nesses ; the shades and grades which separate the base 
 from the noble, the fool from the sage. 
 
 Anon. 
 
 Every thing turned out as could be wished. 
 The Dalrymples arrived full five minutes before 
 the overture began. Lady Hamilton was al- 
 ready there; and, as Charles had calculated, 
 they might very well be supposed to belong to 
 her party. He was congratulating himself 
 upon his own excellent management, when his
 
 168 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 attention was attracted to the next box on the 
 other side, by what is emphatically called a 
 nudge, from a very well-pointed elbow, followed 
 up by a cheerful exclamation of " Well, this is 
 luck ! here we all are, a set of friends got to- 
 gether. I always say that a public box is worth 
 forty private ones ; it does give one a chance of 
 seeing somebody. Captain Glanville," con- 
 tinued Eliza Beaumont, " you do not see who 
 you have got for neighbours ;" and, to Mr. Dal- 
 rymple's infinite horror, she stretched her arm 
 across him, to shake hands with Edward. The 
 corners of his mouth worked peevishly, when 
 he turned round and discovered one unbroken 
 expanse of Beaumonts. He agreed with Eliza- 
 beth in thinking them a forward presuming 
 family — very difficult to keep at a distance ; 
 but Miss Eliza Beaumont's present behaviour 
 surpassed any thing he had believed possible. 
 It was exceedingly distressing that they should 
 be settled next to him.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 169 
 
 In the back row sat Mr. and Mrs. Beaumont, 
 with Charles between them ; in the next were 
 Maria, Eliza, and Anne ; and in the front, with 
 heads curled like mops, and bright pink sashes, 
 were ranged four chubby pets, the sweepings of 
 the nursery, to whose existence, except upon 
 harlequin farce-nights, Maria did not intend 
 to give publicity for the next ten years. As it 
 was, she quite agreed with Eliza, that it would 
 be pleasanter to stay at home, than to go in 
 that tiresome way, without the possibility of 
 having any body with them worth speak- 
 ing to. 
 
 She had once or twice suggested that it would 
 be adviseable to take but two children at a 
 time. But Mr. Beaumont upon this point was 
 unpersuadable. When he went to the expense 
 of a play-box, it was that his whole family 
 might be amused. He thought it a respect- 
 able thing to see a large family-party at the 
 play. When he was a child himself, his father 
 
 VOL. I. I
 
 170 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 used to take all his children every year to 
 Astley's and Covent Garden. It was a good 
 ancient custom, which he should not drop — it 
 was a part of the old regime ; and he did not 
 think the better of Richard for refusing to be 
 of their party ; it betrayed something of the 
 foolish finery of a very young man. 
 
 As it was inevitable, Maria and Eliza sub- 
 mitted with becoming resignation to this waste 
 of time. That anybody ever went to the play, 
 for the mere purpose of seeing the play, had 
 never entered their imaginations. 
 
 " Well done. Miss Eliza," said Charles, 
 in a schoolboy's whisper, which is seldom 
 strictly confidential ; " you're a quick hand at 
 finding out friends, before friends find out you. 
 Don't claw the poor fellow into our box ; he 
 seems well enough pleased where he is." 
 
 " Not so loud, my dear boy, for mercy's sake. 
 These little jokes are better kept for home." 
 
 This maternal admonition so far quieted
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 171 
 
 Charles, that he contented himself for the next 
 quarter of an hour by sticking out his tongue, 
 shrugging up his shoulders, and imitating the 
 restless motion of Eliza's head ; in which little 
 innocent antics he was encouraged by Maria, 
 who was thoroughly exasperated at having two 
 sisters between her and the scene of interest. 
 
 A diversion was, however, at hand. An ex- 
 clamation of Anne's, called her attention to a 
 private box, on the other side of the house. It 
 was occupied by John Harrison, in the charac- 
 ter of chaperon, and his two sisters. Her 
 eyes were scarcely directed towards it, when 
 the door opened, and a young man entered. 
 John instantly rose, and seemed to be press- 
 ing him to take his place in front — a thing 
 John was not likely to do, unless there were 
 good reasons for it. 
 
 Maria knew at once, as well as if she had 
 been told, that the stranger must have taken 
 the box himself, and invited the Harrisons to 
 I 2
 
 172 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 join him ; and of course he had a right to the 
 best place in his own box. He declined it, 
 however, and seated himself behind Kate ; and 
 after that, nothing but the back of Kate's head 
 was to be seen; while John and Julia leaned 
 forward, as if they felt that they must be de- 
 pendant upon one another for amusement. 
 Maria could no longer doubt — this was confir- 
 mation, indeed, of Eliza's surmises — there, too 
 surely, sate Kate and Kate's lover. 
 
 The alarm was instantly given to the rest 
 of the family. Who — what could he be? 
 What on earth could possess him to fall in 
 love with Kate ? He must fancy that she had 
 money ? 
 
 Maria was quite sure that it would never 
 end in a marriage. She was only vexed that 
 John and Julia should be fancying that they 
 were puzzled by what was going on. Anne 
 thought him good-looking. The others could 
 not conceive what he meant — they could not
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 173 
 
 abide his bushy hair — he decidedly looked vul- 
 gar and underbred. 
 
 '' If we could catch anything half as good, 
 bushy head and all, to fall in love with one of 
 us," said Charles, *' we would not let him go 
 again in a hurry." 
 
 *' Hush, my boy," interrupted his mother, 
 " you must not be rude to your sisters. I own 
 I do feel a little vexed that my old friend, 
 Mrs. Harrison, should have been so very close 
 with me. I make it a rule never to appear 
 curious J but I did ask her this morning, 
 whether either of the girls had anything going 
 on ? and she answered, that as long as they 
 were amused, she never troubled her head 
 about anything else : which was very deceit- 
 ful ; for you may be sure that she has been 
 cooking up this with all her might. And now, 
 I recollect, I pressed her to take a play-box to- 
 night, and she said that Mr. Harrison would 
 not think it worth while ; and good reason too,
 
 174 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 when she lets her daughters go about with 
 their brother, and their brother's friend. How- 
 ever, I shall be heartily glad if anything 
 happen to please her. She may have more 
 troubles than we know of. There was that 
 boy, who went to sea. I suspect there was 
 some awkward mystery about him. She looked 
 very blank upon it, poor woman !" And Mrs. 
 Beaumont, as a good christian should, sighed 
 heavily over the woes of fat, prosperous Mrs. 
 Harrison. 
 
 Certainly, if all the woes that Mrs. Beau- 
 mont fancied and prophesied for her, ever 
 came to pass, Mrs. Harrison would not be fat 
 and prosperous long. Sometimes she feared 
 that Mr. Harrison's fortune was hurt by his 
 speculations ; or John, she was credibly in- 
 formed, had taken to play at Crockford's; or 
 Julia's high temper was a sad worry ; or their 
 radical connexions were doing the credit of the 
 family no good. It was not to be wondered at
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 175 
 
 that Mrs. Harrison should feel. Still, as she ob- 
 served, it was better to appear to know nothing 
 of what was intended to be concealed — and 
 she was not curious, — so she only asked every 
 disagreeable question she could think of, every 
 time they met. 
 
 The curtain was now drawn up, and Mrs. 
 Yates discovered in the character of Victo- 
 rine. 
 
 '* We must all be silent now, and try to find* 
 out the plot," Mr. Dalrymple said perempto- 
 rily to Eliza, after having directed three or four 
 very sour looks into the interior of the box, — 
 which, in the first fervour of the Harrison tur- 
 moil, had been utterly thrown away. 
 
 " Oh, to be sure," said Eliza. '* Captain 
 Glanville, would you, just for one moment, lend 
 me your bill?" 
 
 Edward, who was delighted at his brother- 
 in-law's discomfiture, immediately handed it to 
 her ; at the same time begging that any remark
 
 176 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 she might have to make, she would forward 
 through her next neighbour. 
 
 The inhabitants of London are not a play- 
 going population. Many are too busy — more 
 are too idle — some cannot bear to eat their din- 
 ners early — others detest being kept from their 
 beds so late — the grave will not countenance 
 any thing pronounced so wicked — the gay will 
 not sacrifice their hours to any thing that lasts 
 so long — the rich can afford more costly amuse- 
 ments — the poor cannot afford to amuse them- 
 selves at all — and each and all want something 
 new. 
 
 Moreover, in the present age, the comedies of 
 real life are so broad, the tragedies so deep, crimes 
 are so startling, and immorality so little disguised, 
 that we read and hear daily of ridicules, of griefs, 
 of guilt, which surpass all that can be brought 
 before us on the stage. So the idle and the 
 trifling go about panting for something that 
 will give^hem fresh sensations. Heaven help
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 177 
 
 them ! — they would be grateful to be made to 
 feel pain, rather than to go on not feeling any 
 thing. 
 
 Victorine really was original, and for three 
 whole hours of mortal life it raised emotions, 
 enough to satisfy the most fastidious. Never 
 was there a brighter picture than the first 
 scene displayed, of innocent love and humble 
 happiness. But Victorine was beautiful and 
 fair, and the temptations which cross the path 
 of such were crowding thick upon her. Con- 
 scious of the integrity of her feehngs, in the 
 pride and gaiety of her heart, she awakens the 
 jealousy of her lover, and allows him to part 
 from her in sorrow and in anger. Alone, she 
 is startled at the ambitious thoughts which are 
 gaining possession of her mind. She grieves for 
 the pain she has wantonly inflicted, and before 
 she retires to her homely bed, kneels and prays 
 that the daughter may be blessed and strength- 
 ened, for the sake of that virtuous mother, 
 I 5
 
 178 . THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 whose pride she had been in life, and comforter 
 in death. 
 
 The scene is changed, and, surrounded by 
 every luxury that wealth can give, Victorine is 
 discovered in her splendid, guilty home. Then 
 follows her meeting with him, who, loving and 
 beloved, was yet forsaken— his sad, yet proud 
 disdain — his malignant rejection of her prof- 
 fered benefits. He leaves her, and in the first 
 frantic moments of grief and remorse, she tears, 
 destroys, and tramples on, the gorgeous rewards 
 of her infamy. Then comes the soothing flat- 
 teries of her false friends — the forced and 
 heartless gaiety of her coarse unprincipled 
 associates. She overvalues the extent of her 
 power, and by the reckless insolence of her 
 words, fatally offends her titled lover, who 
 casts her out, forlorn and friendless, upon the 
 world. 
 
 The first act was over, and there was time to 
 think, and time to talk.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 179 
 
 *' Mr. Dalryraple," said Eliza, "just touch 
 Captain Glanville's elbow for me. Captain 
 Glanville," she continued, as, with a look of 
 utter disgust, Charles gently complied, — " I 
 say, how did you like that scene ? — Well, how 
 odd — he does not hear. That disagreeable Miss 
 Rivers seems to have a talking fit to-night. 
 How does she happen to be here with you ?" 
 
 " Lady Elizabeth is in the habit of forming her 
 own parties," Charles answered very formally ; 
 " and Miss Rivers is generally allowed to be 
 very beautiful, and an ornament to any society. 
 She gave us the pleasure of her company at 
 dinner; and if, instead of looking on the stage, 
 she has for the last ten minutes preferred to 
 carry on conversation in a subdued tone, with 
 those who seem ready to converse with her, 
 she has shewn great propriety of judgment. 
 The last was not a scene for young ladies to 
 comment upon — it had better have been omitted 
 altogether."
 
 180 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 ''Well," answered Eliza, after having in- 
 formed Anne, in a whisper, that Mr. Dalrym- 
 ple was a regular ninny, and would not give her 
 a moment's peace, — *' I did not see what was 
 the harm of it ; I thought it very amusing. 
 Though Miss Rivers may be all you say, I sus- 
 pect that Captain Glanville is not particularly 
 well pleased with all she is saying. She seems 
 to be one of those people, who think to make 
 themselves pleasant by saying unpleasant 
 things. He turned red, and all manner of 
 colours, just now." 
 
 Edward certainly was looking annoyed ; and 
 Miss Rivers was looking, as those will look who 
 have ventured upon a topic which they imme- 
 diately feel they had better have left alone. 
 
 " Am I asking an impertinent question ?" she 
 had said ; " or is what I heard last night true, 
 and your sister going to be married to Lord 
 Raymond ?" 
 
 Edward's answer was an abrupt and decided
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 181 
 
 denial; but he glanced uneasily towards Ellen. 
 Lord Raymond was speaking to her with that 
 earnest expression of look and tone, which are so 
 natural to those who love, and so useful to those 
 who would be thought to do so. 
 
 Ellen's answer seemed to be a playful con- 
 tradiction, as, turning round, she called upon 
 Frederick to take her part ; and then she under- 
 took to enlighten him about different points in 
 the play, which had puzzled him almost as 
 much as Charles Dalrymple : for like all deeply- 
 reasoning men, he was very often puzzled by 
 trifles. He was so much in the habit of search- 
 ing for reason and consistency, that he insisted 
 upon having them, where neither was to be 
 found. 
 
 All men, more or less, have this propensity ; 
 and it is partly owing to it that women are 
 found to be their best advisers, where immediate 
 decision is necessary. By contenting them- 
 selves with going little beyond the surface.
 
 ]82 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 they seize at once all views of a question ; and 
 in the ordinary affairs of life, nine times out of 
 ten, their judgment will be right; while a man, 
 by examining into every possible result of good 
 and evil, makes up his mind, to his complete sa- 
 tisfaction, as to what is the best step to take, at 
 the very time when the opportunity for taking 
 any is gone by. 
 
 In the meantime, Maria was keeping a very 
 sharp look out upon the proceedings in the Harri- 
 son box. There was a moment of relief, when 
 the man with the bushy head was seen to get up, 
 open the door, and disappear. Perhaps he saw 
 somebody opposite, whose society he preferred. 
 But no ! he returned almost immediately, with 
 a second play-bill for Kate's own use. He cer- 
 tainly treated her with marked distinction. 
 
 Julia Harrison was delighted to see so many 
 pair of Beaumont eyes constantly turned that 
 way. Next to having a lover of her own, sitting 
 behind her chair, she could fancy no greater
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 183 
 
 luck than seeing them there. " You know, 
 John," she said ; " that if it had not been for me, 
 we should not have been here at all. Kate never 
 would have got courage to ask Mr. Butler to 
 take a box for us. Now, I should not the least 
 wonder if he were to propose to night. I rec- 
 kon that I shall have made this marriage 
 entirely." 
 
 If she were only allowed to play a principal 
 part, either as confidante or promoter, Julia 
 could support with rare good humour the pros- 
 perity of even her best friends, and nearest rela- 
 tives. When it came upon her in the shape 
 of a surprise, she did not positively resent it, 
 but she very much doubted whether it was 
 genuine. Her consent to their feeling happy 
 was easily purchased. She was far from being 
 unconscionable in her demands. It required 
 but little to enable her to persuade herself, and 
 to try to persuade others, that she was the 
 aider and abettor of all the events that were
 
 184 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 passing round her ; and she was very tenacious 
 of having her privilege invaded. If a whole 
 society were eagerly discussing the reigning in- 
 terest of the day, JuUa felt like a bookseller 
 whose copyright had been pirated : she had been 
 the first person who had mentioned the subject : 
 she could not look upon it as general property. 
 No true friendship was ever formed, unless she 
 had introduced the parties to each other. No 
 dispute was talked of, in which she had not 
 done her best to reconcile the enemies. Her 
 right of property extended to most public 
 events. The Battle of Waterloo, to be sure, 
 was fought before her time ; but she shared in 
 the general joy. When it appeared that Cap- 
 tain Ross and his crew were not frozen up in 
 ribs of ice, or swallowed hke oysters by Polar 
 bears, she had an additional fact to mention, 
 which she knew must interest her hearers, — she 
 had first seen the paragraph in the papers. 
 But all her former feats were nothing compared
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 185 
 
 to her having persuaded Kate to put on her 
 pink gauze, the very evening that they made 
 acquaintance with Mr. Butler. He asked the 
 lady of the house to introduce him; and by 
 Kate's own confession, his first words were ad- 
 miration of her dress — that first caught his eyes. 
 His attentions were soon so decided, that Mrs. 
 Harrison set about an inquiry as to his family 
 and circumstances. Both were satisfactory ; — his 
 father a rich merchant ; he, an only son, and a 
 junior partner in the house. Mrs. Harrison 
 saw them all set off to the play with great 
 satisfaction. 
 
 Again, the curtain drew up, and the scene 
 was changed indeed. Years have passed away; 
 and Victorine, no longer beautiful, but grace- 
 ful even in poverty and degradation, appears as 
 the half-starved mistress of an empty lodging- 
 house. Again fortune seems faintly to smile 
 upon her ; her rooms are taken by one whom 
 she had known in better days; but he is
 
 186 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 robbed and roughly treated by one of her 
 former associates, and his ruffian companion, 
 who had forcibly entered her house, to conceal 
 themselves from the pursuits of justice. Some 
 of the stolen property is found upon her. In 
 vain she asserts her innocence. She throws 
 herself at the feet of the officer who is to convey 
 her to prison : he is the forsaken lover of her 
 youth. Maddened with grief and shame, she 
 rushes from him, — the river is at hand,— one 
 shriek is heard, as she bursts from the hold of 
 him who would detain her, and the waters close 
 above her. 
 
 ^'I am afraid that Lucy will be frightened, 
 and set up a roar," Mrs. Beaumont whispered 
 to her husband, at this moment, when every 
 body was wrapped in agonised attention ; *' and 
 I cannot get the girls to attend to me. Mr. 
 Dalrymple, will you be good-natured enough 
 to lean forward, and tell my little girl that it 
 is only make-believe water, — nothing but an
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 187 
 
 old carpet, — so the poor lady is not really 
 drowned." 
 
 Mr. Dalrymple did as he was told, and 
 even patted the little innocent on the head ; in 
 fact, he was himself very grateful to Mrs. Beau- 
 mont for the intelligence. 
 
 Again the scene was changed to the humble 
 garret where Victorine earned her bread in 
 poverty and peace. All is as we saw it first. 
 The unfinished work,— -the wooden chairs,— 
 the unadorned dressing table, — the humble bed. 
 Who is it lying there, disturbed and restless in 
 her sleep? who, starting, calls for mercy — 
 springs forward and sinks upon the ground ? 
 Nothing but sobs and convulsive gasps are 
 heard. Soon the sufferer raises her head — 
 looks wildly round — her countenance changes 
 from terror — despair — to doubt — to ecstacy. 
 The light ringing laugh of happiness is heard. 
 She runs to the glass ; it is herself she sees — 
 still young — still beautiful. She touches the
 
 188 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 inanimate things around her — all real — all 
 substantial. She clasps her tiny hands, and 
 laughs, and doubts, and laughs again. She is 
 gay and restless as a child. The voice of her 
 lover is heard at the door — his jealousy has 
 flown— this is their wedding-day. A joyful 
 cry bursts from her, — "Oh, goodness me! 
 how happy I am !" Again her sweet wild 
 laughter sounds through the house. Victorine 
 has been punished for her ambitious thoughts : 
 she has been the victim of — a dream! 
 
 " Well, to be sure, this is very extraor- 
 dinary," said Mr. Dalrymple ; " a very odd, 
 puzzling kind of plot ; but I think I made it out. 
 Elizabeth, my love, I will explain it to you." 
 
 '* I thank youj but I understand it per- 
 fectly." 
 
 Charles was too much elated with his own 
 ingenuity, to be so easily put off: " Ellen, do 
 you understand the trick upon which the piece 
 turns ?"
 
 THE GLANVfLLE FAMILY. 189 
 
 Ellen did not hear him ; her face was buried 
 in her hands ; that cry of happiness was still 
 ringing in her ears, and she could scarcely re- 
 press the words that were ready to burst from 
 her lips, '' Oh ! that I were dreaming too ! that 
 I could wake, and find that I am free ! " 
 
 Lord Raymond seemed to guess her very 
 thoughts. " Can you envy her?" he gently 
 said. ** Lady Ellen, can you even guess that 
 there are moments of discouragement and un- 
 happiness, when the reality seems dark indeed, 
 — when it would be bliss — actual bliss — if we 
 could throw from us as dreams the sad fore- 
 bodings of our waking thoughts ?" 
 
 " I can," Ellen answered ; " who, that lives, 
 cannot? Perhaps those whose lot is cast 
 among the happy and the prosperous are 
 most subject to such fruitless longings. The 
 poor and the afflicted are actively engaged, 
 striving with their poverty and their woes. 
 One small speck appears in the bright scene
 
 190 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 before us ; and we gaze, till we fancy it a dark 
 cloud that is to overshadow our future exist- 
 ence, and shrink from the prospect we have 
 created for ourselves." Ellen spoke before the 
 excitation of her feelings had subsided ; and 
 when she found that Frederick was intently 
 listening to her, she trembled at the interpreta- 
 tion he might give to her words. 
 
 *' But with you, Ellen," he said, *' such feel- 
 ings cannot last. The weak and the misjudging 
 only can be long overpowered by shadows of 
 their own creation," 
 
 " I think, Ellen," remarked Mr. Dalrymple, 
 who had only caught some words of what was 
 passing, " that you are rather apt to be 
 frightened at a dark cloud. When I joined you 
 and Edward out riding yesterday, you insisted 
 upon returning home immediately, because you 
 said it was going to be a storm. I rode a full 
 hour after you went, and scarcely remember a 
 finer afternoon."
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 191 
 
 Lord Raymond and Percival laughed so 
 heartily at the guileless simplicity of this 
 speech, that Mr. Dahymple was persuaded he 
 had said a good thing without knowing it, and, 
 to Ellen's great relief, took the conversation en- 
 tirely under his own management. She was 
 never more convinced of the truth of the asser- 
 tion, that every thing living has its use — even a 
 talking fool. 
 
 Elizabeth now confessed that she was tired, 
 and ready to go home. She had felt rather 
 neglected for the last ten minutes. Her new 
 friend was so very much absorbed talking to 
 Edward, that she began to doubt whether she 
 should eventually prefer her to every body 
 else. 
 
 Ellen had no doubt as to her own feelings on 
 the subject : she recoiled from her more than 
 ever. It was not her fault that she overheard 
 the few words Miss Rivers addressed to Edward, 
 as he was assisting her to put on her cloak.
 
 192 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 " You o'o, then, in two days. Remember, Mr. 
 Glanville, that I expect your eternal gratitude 
 for my good offices.'' 
 
 Edward's answer did not reach her; she 
 could only guess at it from Harriet's rejoinder. 
 " Impossible ! there could be no suspicion." 
 
 Altogether, Ellen had a great deal to think of 
 that night; and she was glad to find herself in 
 the solitude of her own room. 
 
 The Beaumonts staid till the end of all 
 things. Eliza's enjoyment suddenly grew very 
 great. Edward, after taking Miss Rivers to 
 the carriage, came back to see the beginning of 
 the farce, and allowed Eliza to talk to him in- 
 cessantly, during the ten minutes he remained. 
 
 To Maria the evening had been particularly 
 unpleasant; and the close of it surpassed all 
 the rest. As she followed her father and 
 mother through the crowd, with little Andrew 
 tugging at one hand, and Susy at the other, 
 they fell in with the Harrison party. Kate
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 193 
 
 passed them in all her glory, with only a shy, 
 conscious sign of recognition ; but John and 
 Julia were overflowing with cordiality. John 
 even offered his vacant arm to Anne; who 
 looked like a culprit as she accepted it, after 
 having suggested the expediency of his offering 
 it to Maria ; to which he wittily answered, that 
 she played to such perfection the part of Medea 
 rushing off the stage with her two children, he 
 could not break in upon such a picture. 
 
 '* We have been quite amused at your do- 
 mestic party,'* Julia said to Eliza ; '* it was 
 almost as good as the play to us. I wish that 
 I had time to tell you all the good things that 
 Mr. Butler said about it." 
 
 " Oh ! do tell us; who is Mr. Butler?" said 
 Eliza. 
 
 " Is not he the man," asked Maria, " who 
 was refused by Miss Percy one week, and by 
 Sophy Harding the next? and who went about 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 194 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 all last year trying to find somebody to marry 
 him?" 
 
 " No/' answered Julia; *'you are confusing 
 him with Mr. Bulkley, who, you know, you 
 used to ask to your house three times a-week, to 
 come and sing with you. I had settled that he 
 must be in love with one of you ; and it was 
 quite a blow to me when I heard of his attach- 
 ment to Sophy Harding. — But, good night, — 
 you see I am waited for ;" and with a very sig- 
 nificant look towards Kate, she walked off; and 
 the Beaumonts were soon comfortably packed 
 up in the family coach.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 195 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 The brothers met 
 
 Unlike had been their life, unlike the fruits 
 Of different tempers, studies, and pursuits, 
 
 Crabbe. 
 She had dreamed 
 Of Love, as his first likeness seemed ; 
 But tidings of joung Raymond's fate, 
 Wakened her from her dream too late. 
 
 L.E. L. 
 
 Edward had promised Ellen that his last day 
 in London should be devoted to her. There 
 was much that he wished to say to her before 
 his departure ; and he was anxious to find her 
 alone ; but though he was with her early the 
 next morning, and though Ellen was as anxious 
 as he could be to pass their last few hours 
 k2
 
 196 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 quietly and comfortably together, two were 
 already gone, which, to both of them, had ap- 
 peared like four. One interruption had suc- 
 ceeded another, till, upon the entrance of Lady 
 Raymond, with a long list in her hand of the 
 articles of Mary's trousseau, which Ellen was to 
 hear discussed in detail, Edward, in despair, 
 seized his hat, and made his escape, promising 
 to return to dinner; and poor Ellen resigned 
 herself to her fate, wondering whether it ever 
 entered the heads of her many connections, as 
 they talked to her by the hour of all their 
 various interests, that there might be times when 
 both her head and her heart felt full, almost to 
 bursting, of her own. 
 
 Edward walked slowly away, with no very 
 defined idea as to where he was proceeding. He 
 had been to the Howards, even before he had 
 seen Ellen, and he had promised to return 
 there in the evening. It would be preposterous 
 to go there now. He knew that he must even-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 197 
 
 tually pay a farewell visit to the Dalryraples. 
 If he had a decided object, that was it ; but, in 
 the mean time, he sauntered on in exactly the 
 contrary direction. 
 
 Eliza Beaumont was in the habit of saying 
 that she delighted in talking to Captain Glan- 
 ville, because he was so handsome. There 
 were others in the world, of more consequence 
 than Eliza, who were, perhaps, of the same 
 opinion, though they did not express it. How- 
 ever that may have been, he was certainly very 
 gentleman-like ; he was even very distinguished 
 looking; a phrase, by the bye, which might 
 perhaps be better expressed in French, but that 
 the English one is quite expressive enough. 
 At this moment there was an expression upon 
 his countenance, which was seldom seen there, 
 — that of deep and settled thought. No com- 
 mon observer could have said whether the 
 subject of his rumination was pleasing or 
 painful to him ; but it was quite evident that
 
 198 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 London, in June, overflowing with carriages, 
 and dray-carts, and dust, and busy human 
 life, might, for any thing he knew to the 
 contrary, have been a green field by the side 
 of a lake. He was busy with the world within. 
 He did indeed, mechanically, three or four times, 
 raise his hand to his hat; from whence it 
 might be supposed, he had caught some passive 
 bow, or smile, directed to him ; but his mere bodily 
 perceptions were certainly not enough under his 
 own command to enable him to say by whom. 
 
 At the entrance of St. James' Street he fell in 
 with Lindsay, in his way to some of the trades- 
 people employed in preparations for his mar- 
 riage. He asked Edward to accompany him ; 
 and the two brothers continued their walk 
 together. Lord Lindsay was unusually com- 
 municative; and they discussed the merits of his 
 horses, his plate, and even the setting of the 
 future Lady Lindsay's jewels. Upon all these 
 points he seemed to think Edward's opinion
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 199 
 
 worth having. Edward's spirits rose ; consider- 
 ing what a formidable person Lindsay was, and 
 how little they were in the habit of being to- 
 gether, he really felt very much at his ease, and 
 was rather proud that he should be considered 
 worth consulting about any thing. He had a 
 persuasion that he appeared to very little ad- 
 vantage in his brother's society; he was haunted 
 by a depressing conviction that Lindsay thought 
 much more ill of him than he deserved. 
 
 The horses were seen and duly admired; a 
 suggestion of Edward's, about the form of a 
 branch candlestick, was adopted. Nothing now 
 remained to inspect, but the re-setting of the 
 family diamonds ; and, as that was of little im- 
 mediate importance to himself, Lindsay deter- 
 mined to wait till Mary was able to go and 
 judge for herself, and allowed the conversation 
 to turn on general subjects. Edward was ac- 
 tually engaged in a very animated account of 
 the private history of an Italian singer, who
 
 200 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 was then making a great sensation, when they 
 came within sight of Lady Raymond's house. 
 
 '* You dine there to-day, of course/' said 
 Edward, interrupting himself; *' and as I leave 
 London early to-morrow, we must part here." 
 
 " You really go, then ? Under all the cir- 
 cumstances it is certainly the wisest thing 
 you can do ; but I own, that when Ellen told 
 me that such was your intention, I was in- 
 credulous.'* 
 
 ** And why should you have doubted it ? 
 Why, if you had the slightest curiosity on the 
 subject, could you not have applied to me to 
 know ? I confess, Lindsay," said Edward, red- 
 dening, '* that I do not understand you." 
 
 '* It is not my way to interfere unnecessarily 
 in the arrangements of any one,'' Lord Lindsay 
 answered coldly ; " but you must be aware, that 
 your intimacy with the Howard family has 
 given rise to various reports — whether true or 
 false I have certainly neither the right nor the
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 201 
 
 wish to ask. But, as I believe that Miss 
 Rivers is entirely without fortune, for fear of 
 any misapprehension, I think it best to mention, 
 that my father has not the power at present, 
 even if he had the indination, to increase your 
 allowance. You must remember, that a heavy 
 sum was expended not three years ago, to 
 clear off' your debts, and my marriage has en- 
 tailed many necessary expenses, which it may 
 be inconvenient to meet. My father's income 
 is considerably less than the world gives it 
 out ; in fact, he is very far from rich.'' 
 
 Edward thought of the horses and the plate 
 he had just seen. They certainly did not be- 
 tray the poverty of which his brother spoke; 
 and he could not suspect him of imprudence. 
 His own he had never attempted to defend ; 
 but he felt that Lindsay's recurrence to it now 
 was harsh and uncalled-for. 
 
 As if to escape any reply, Lord Lindsay held 
 out his hand, and took leave of Edward ; which 
 K 5
 
 202 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 operation he performed with exactly as much 
 warmth, as if they were to meet again the next 
 hour. 
 
 There is always something characteristic in 
 the manner of shaking hands. A stiff cold 
 person is stiff and cold to his fingers' ends. 
 The last five minutes had totally overthrown 
 Edward's equanimity. He had smiled almost 
 scornfully when Lindsay alluded to his mar- 
 riage with Harriet Rivers ; and now he strode 
 on rapidly, as it became a man to do who felt at 
 war with himself and all his fellow-creatures. 
 There are moments of inward strife, when one 
 unkind word from one single individual will 
 overwhelm us, as if the universal condemnation 
 of the universe were concentrated on our de- 
 voted heads. 
 
 His visit to the Dalrymples, however, was 
 conscientiously paid. He was quite in the 
 humour for self-inflicted mortification. He even 
 submitted to Charles Dalrymple's suggestion,
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 203 
 
 of leaving a card at old Mrs. Dalrymple's 
 door. 
 
 Ellen could not but be struck by Edward's 
 gravity when they met at dinner. He exerted 
 himself to talk of what was likely to interest his 
 father ; but he started abruptly from one sub- 
 ject to another, and shewed too clearly that his 
 mind was ill at ease. 
 
 Lord Mordaunt generally retired for an hour's 
 rest after dinner, and Ellen determined, as soon 
 as they should be left together, to do her ut- 
 most to break through Edward's fit of reserve. 
 But for the first five minutes her courage failed 
 her ; and Edward, with his arm resting on the 
 chimney-piece, and his eyes fixed on the car- 
 pet, seemed to be sunk into his deepest state 
 of abstraction. 
 
 Ellen could not suffer this to go on. 
 
 " And is this the way that our last evening 
 is to be spent?" she said. ** Edward, I cannot 
 put up with this silence. I insist upon your
 
 204 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 saying something to me, and upon your listen- 
 ing to three words out of ten, when I speak to 
 you. Come and sit down here by me, instead 
 of standing there in one attitude, looking at the 
 carpet.'* 
 
 Edward obeyed 5 but Ellen's prospects did 
 not improve. He took her hand between both 
 of his, and leaning forward, rested his forehead 
 upon them, and hid his face from her sight. 
 
 '^ Are you well, dear Edward ?" Ellen asked 
 timidly. 
 
 " Yes j" and that seemed to be the full ex- 
 tent of the answer she was to have. 
 
 Certainly, where a man chooses to be im- 
 penetrable, there is nothing in nature so hard 
 to subdue. You may make way into a rock 
 with gunpowder — you may get at the bottom 
 of the sea in a diving-bell — but no invention 
 has yet been found to get at a man's thoughts, 
 if he chooses to keep them to himself. Thumb- 
 screws and iron boots have been tried, and
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMllV. 205 
 
 failed. If any thing could succeed, it would 
 be the soft persuasive tones of a woman's 
 voice — of such a voice as Ellen's. She was not 
 baffled yet. Though he seemed determined to 
 make no call upon her for sympathy in his 
 concerns, it was but natural to expect that 
 he should shew some for her. So, though but 
 little apt to talk of herself at any time, and 
 particularly disinchned to do so now, she 
 began at once upon the subject which he 
 might reasonably suppose to be nearest her 
 heart. 
 
 *' We have hardly met, Edward, since papa 
 gave his consent to my marriage with Frede- 
 rick, and you are the only person who can 
 wish me joy ; for we have settled it is to remain 
 a secret for the present.'' 
 
 '* I do wish you joy, dearest - from my 
 very soul. Ellen, love — I trust you will be 
 happy;" and Edward drew her towards him, 
 and pressed her to his heart. '* I suppose,"
 
 206 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 he added, after a moment's pause, " that it 
 would be unpleasant to let your engagement be 
 known, so many months before your marriage ; 
 and yet I do not quite approve of this secresy. 
 If I were going to stay on here, to give you 
 the benefit of my prudent care, — you may 
 smile, Ellen, but I can be prudent for you, — I 
 would not repeat now what may worry you ; 
 but it is better you should be aware that 
 your marriage to Raymond is very generally 
 reported ; and when I saw his manner to you 
 yesterday evening, I can hardly wonder that it 
 should be so. Oh ! Ellen, do not start and 
 look so pale. You are not to blame for this 
 — you, who have no thought but for Percival. 
 But tell me, has it never struck you that Ray- 
 mond loves you better than is consistent with 
 his future peace?" 
 
 " It has," Ellen answered. " To you, I will 
 not attempt to deny it ; but it frightens me to 
 hear that my name has been joined with his.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 207 
 
 I have strove so hard — I have done my very 
 utmost to shew, that for his love I can make 
 no return. Edward, you do not suspect that 
 for a moment I could have been heartless 
 enough to give him encouragement. You, who 
 know that I am no longer free, cannot think so 
 ill of me. I could not bear that." 
 
 Edward was surprised at the emotion she 
 shewed, and assured her again and again that 
 he had not meant to cast the shadow of blame 
 upon her. 
 
 " It was but for Raymond's sake I spoke. 
 You are now necessarily much thrown together, 
 and your ways are so kind and gentle, Ellen, that 
 till he knows positively that you are engaged 
 to another, he will not cease to hope. It is for 
 him only that I fear. Even were you the 
 heartless coquette none could ever think you, 
 Percival is too generous and confiding to have 
 the slightest mistrust. But if, for a moment, 
 he could suppose that another were preferred
 
 208 THE GLAKVILLE FAMlLV. 
 
 to him, he would resign you, though his heart 
 were to break in the effort." 
 
 " Frederick's happiness is dearer to me than 
 my own. I should be a wretch indeed, if I 
 failed in securing that. Edward, I would give 
 worlds, that Lord Raymond and I had never 
 met, or that we were never to meet again ; and 
 we shall part soon, and all will then be well. 
 But, in the meantime, what would you have 
 me do ? I cannot be colder than I have been 
 already. I cannot be unkind.'^ 
 
 '* I know that you cannot," said Edward, 
 smiling; " and even if you could, he might be 
 perverse enough to love you still. I wish that 
 he knew positively of your engagement." 
 
 " Then tell him of it for me," Ellen answered 
 eagerly. 
 
 " You forget, I go to-morrow ; and it will be 
 better that you should do it yourself. He de- 
 serves that you should treat him as a friend ; 
 and though it is all right and fair that Perci-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 209 
 
 val's merits should blind you to those of every 
 body else, I can assure you, that as the world 
 goes, there are not many Raymonds to be 
 found in it. No, no, tell him yourself, and 
 throw in a few soothing words, upon the recol- 
 lection of which he may live, till he falls in 
 love with another; which we may hope in the 
 course of time he will do — the sooner the bet- 
 ter for your comfort, Ellen." 
 
 Ellen tried to look as if this suggestion made 
 her very comfortable, and now thought it quite 
 time to carry the war into the enemy's country. 
 
 " Edward," she said, *' you have talked to 
 me a great deal about myself, and I have heard 
 all you had to say, and have answered all your 
 questions ; and I will do all you wish ; and now 
 listen to me. There was a time, when if you 
 were troubled, you used to come to me for 
 comfort, or at least for sympathy ; and I think 
 that I have never failed you. Yet you are un- 
 happy now, and I do not know what disturbs
 
 210 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 you. Dear, dear Edward, trust me once more, 
 and let us be what we have been to each 
 other.'' 
 
 *' You are what you have ever been to me, 
 Ellen. I have no friend so loved as you. 
 There is no secret that concerns myself alone, 
 which I would keep from you. But this ! — it 
 would be worse than useless. The time may 
 come, when I shall call upon you for more than 
 sympathy — for active kindness and support to 
 one who is dearer to me than life. In the 
 meantime be satisfied that I am not unhappy. 
 I am only — what, to be sure, is almost worse — 
 undecided." 
 
 " And cannot I help to decide you ? — who is 
 she that is dearer to you than life ? — No, you 
 shall not tell me, if you do not wish it. I will 
 guess, and talk on as if you had done so. My 
 poor Edward, I see it all now ; and I fear it 
 would be most imprudent. You have no money, 
 and "
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 211 
 
 " Money ! ah, there it is. Money, or rather 
 the want of money, has been my bane through 
 life. Do not be shocked, Ellen; but I am 
 quite convinced that money is the hinge upon 
 which all our happiness turns. It is something 
 tangible — there can be no delusion in that. 
 With your hands and your pockets full of those 
 little white and yellow things called money, 
 you can purchase happiness, as surely as any 
 other commodity. You may shake your head ; 
 but I am only saying candidly, what every 
 body feels, more or less. Ask the beggar in 
 the streets — the debtor in his prison — the old 
 and the weak who dig for their daily bread, 
 till their graves are dug for them, — ask them, 
 what on this earth they most covet, — and they 
 will tell you — money. For want of it, all the 
 affections of life, if they still retain any, are 
 sources of added bitterness. And the rich — 
 their dearest ties are broken — their nearest re- 
 lations die, and the luxuries of life close over
 
 212 
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 their losses, and they are comforted ; but re- 
 duce them to poverty, and every hour they will 
 miss some lost comfort, and they will pine 
 away their lives, sighing for their lost money.'' 
 
 " I do not agree with you,*' Ellen began ; 
 but it was not her turn yet. 
 
 " No, I dare say not," interrupted Edward. 
 " You have never known what it is to be 
 balked in every turning of Hfe for want of money. 
 I have kept to the last, the most harrowing 
 case of all — that of younger brothers. They 
 must not look for amusement out of doors, be- 
 cause they cannot afford to pay for it ; nor 
 think of leading domestic lives — for how are 
 they to feed their wives and children ? and if 
 for a few months they forget their miserable 
 conditions, and allow themselves a few scanty 
 necessaries, they get into difficulties, from which 
 they only escape at the expense of being 
 schooled, reproached, and distressed for the rest 
 of their lives."
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 213 
 
 Edward felt better after having spoken the 
 last sentence ; it bore very hard upon Lord Lind- 
 say ; and we all know, that when somebody has 
 said an annoying thing to us, which, for some 
 reason^ at the moment, we have put up with in 
 silence, there is great relief in talking at the 
 offending individual, and his provoking theories, 
 for the rest of the day. 
 
 "Poor fellows ! theirs is a heart-rending case 
 indeed, particularly when, as sometimes hap- 
 pens," said Ellen, smiling, ** their views of the 
 necessaries of life are rather extended. Per- 
 haps, as you say, I am not a fair judge, having 
 never felt either the privations, or the temp- 
 tations, that the want of money can bring. 
 Yes ; once I did, — when I longed to help you, 
 and could not. But of one thing I am certain; — 
 there are struggles, and severe ones too, which 
 the more or the less of money has nothing to do 
 with." 
 
 ** I wish I could have one of them then,
 
 214 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 for the novelty of the thing/' replied Ed- 
 ward. 
 
 '' But after all/' Ellen asked, " is it quite 
 impossible that you should make up enough to 
 live upon, now that you are grown so prudent? 
 Is Harriet Rivers quite without fortune?" 
 
 " Harriet Rivers ! again Harriet Rivers ! and 
 you, Ellen, too, are fancying that ! I tell you, 
 that if Harriet Rivers had as many thousand 
 pounds as I have miserable shillings, she is the 
 very last woman I could marry. But ask me 
 no more ; already I have said too much.'* 
 
 Ellen's wish to hear more no longer existed, 
 A sickening conviction came over her, that she, 
 for whom Edward bespoke her support and kind- 
 ness, was one with whom, but for his sake, she 
 could hold no communion — one who, when she 
 should wake from the madness of that infatua- 
 tion which was leading her to break through 
 the sacred ties of home, to brave guilt in the 
 sight of heaven, and infamy on earth, would be
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 215 
 
 beyond all the comfort she could offer : between 
 them there could be no feeling in common. 
 
 Edward seemed to be unconscious of the 
 train of thought he had awakened ; and after a 
 short silence, he added : " Dear Ellen, I must 
 once more repeat, that if this mystery were only 
 mine, it should no longer be a mystery to you ; 
 or if advice could help me, to you only would I 
 apply for it. But no advice can be of service 
 here — none can judge for me, in what is simply 
 a ease of feeling:." 
 
 "And of principle?" asked Ellen. But 
 Lord Mordaunt's entrance precluded the possi- 
 bility of an answer, and she was left more per- 
 plexed and dissatisfied than ever. There was 
 only one source of satisfaction left; but that was 
 some comfort to her: Edward would be gone 
 the next day — there could be no catastrophe 
 yet. 
 
 He remained now but a short time longer. 
 He spoke to his father of his hopes of being
 
 216 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 able to pay a short visit to Mordaunt Castle, 
 in the course of the shooting season ; promised 
 Ellen that he would write often ; embraced her 
 affectionately; and departed to fulfil his engage- 
 ment to the Howards.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 217 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Wlien he would smile, 
 
 'Tis like the gleaming of December's sun ; 
 
 And when he frowns — St. Anne ! I tremble for jou. 
 
 Kennedy. 
 
 ^Tis done — the last bright gem is set 
 On Eva's sparkling coronet ; 
 A soil on her rich veil appears — 
 Unsuiting here — and it is tears, 
 
 L.E.L. 
 
 It was Lord Lindsay's wedding day. As 
 Charles Dalrymple had portended, all the con- 
 nexions of both families were invited, and car- 
 riages were rolling rapidly in the direction of 
 St. George's church ; and Mary stood before 
 the glass, arrayed in all her bridal splendour. 
 Ellen had placed the wreaths of orange flowers 
 upon her head, and was arranging, in graceful 
 
 VOL. I. h
 
 218 
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 folds, the long rich veil which was to hide the 
 tears, and blushes, and tremors of the bride. 
 And Mary stood hke a statue, and submitted 
 to be decorated, as a necessary part of the pro- 
 ceedings of the day ; but there were as strong 
 emotions gathering within, as it was in the 
 power of her soft and loving nature to feel. 
 
 Her mother stood before her, and gazed upon 
 her with all a mother's pride ; but not with pride 
 alone. Recollections of former years came over 
 her. She remembered, as if it were but yesterday, 
 thedavvning of^er bridal morning, when ^er heart 
 beat high with tenderness and fear, and she 
 too was surrounded by admiring friends, and 
 was beloved, and young, and beautiful. But 
 her marriage had not been happy ; and though 
 she had grieved, in agony of heart, over the un- 
 timely death of the father of her children, he 
 had hved long enough to teach her how bitter 
 can be the feelings of a neglected, yet still loving 
 wife. And now her heart sank within her, as
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 219 
 
 she looked upon her gentle child, and thought 
 that such a trial might be reserved for her. 
 Lord Lindsay^s manner was cold and stern. Oh ! 
 would he make her happy ? How should she 
 bear to part with her darling Mary, the comfort 
 of her years of widowhood? 
 
 But why recount the fears and misgivings 
 which all mothers, even worldly and ambitious 
 mothers, must feel, when the hour is come that 
 those awful, binding vows are spoken, from 
 which, even if they entail regret and misery, 
 there is no fitting absolution but death. 
 
 Mary's eyes were fixed upon her mother's, 
 and as she watched her saddened countenance, 
 she clasped her hand in hers, and pressed it 
 closely to her beating heart; thereby not a little 
 endangering the effect of the last touches 
 which Mrs. Robson, Ellen's able coadjutrix in 
 the task of decoration, was assiduously em- 
 ployed in giving to her appearance. In fact, 
 she felt that this was the most important day of 
 l2
 
 220 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 her life, as well as of Miss Spencer's; for if, owing 
 to any failure on her part, her young mistress 
 did not look her best on the day of her mar- 
 riage, there would be no use in her looking any 
 how, ever after. 
 
 For some time Mrs. Robson bore these little 
 ebullitions of filial tenderness with exemplary 
 patience; but after having twice submitted in 
 silence to the sudden bursting away of a pin, 
 which she was in the act of applying to secure 
 some scientific arrangement, she could stand 
 it no longer ; and after casting a withering look 
 at the agitated mother's offending hand and arm, 
 she broke forth — 
 
 "Miss Spenser, — ma'am, — would you be 
 kind enough to keep still ; and if my lady 
 would be good enough to stand a little far- 
 ther off, I should be better able to judge of the 
 effect. Slop — ril get your ladyship a chair, — . 
 but we must keep in mind there's no time to 
 be lost. I was quite in consternation just now, 
 thinking that I heard my lord's foot on the stairs.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 221 
 
 coming to hurry you oflf, ma'am. But, to be sure, 
 he's in no hurry to be giving you away — for he's 
 universally allowed to be the best and fondest 
 of brothers; — quite a pattern; and, I dare 
 say," continued the zealous attendant, who was 
 beginning to grow sentimental herself, '* that 
 he will be fit to hang himself for want of you, 
 all the rest of this blessed day. Oh ! what a 
 jerk was there; — why could not you have 
 asked me, Miss Spencer, to reach your pocket 
 handkerchief? There's that fall of blonde all 
 to wrongs again. I should like to know what 
 were Madam Carson's ideas, wiien she put it 
 on in that fashion. She must have thought, 
 sure enough, that the gown was meant for 
 some old fat dowager duchess. For my part, 
 I never could see why ladies prefer the make 
 of those French women. — A stitch there, you 
 think. Lady Ellen ? Well, there does seem sense 
 and reason in that ; and if it is not making too 
 free, I should like to compliment your lady- 
 ship on your own appearance. That white
 
 222 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 embroidered silk is a sweet rich thing indeed 
 — quite fit for a bride — which your ladyship 
 soon will be, I make no doubt. But, save 
 us all ! I keep running on ; and, sure as fate, 
 there are Newman's greys, and the yellow 
 jackets, coming up the street, and we not 
 got off to church yet; and, I dare to say, 
 my new lord 's waiting at the door as impatient 
 as he can be. If you'll believe me, Lady Ellen, 
 I never got a good look at him till yesterday, 
 and a fine stately looking gentleman he is. 
 There'll be a great crowd, no doubt ; and it is 
 not often they'll see such a couple. — Indeed, 
 indeed, my lady, you must stand still. Now, 
 isn't that funny enough, that I should be call- 
 ing her my lady before she is married ? But it 
 comes of my doing it down stairs two or three 
 times yesterday, just to show Mr. Johnson how 
 natural it would sound. You'll be very careful 
 of that clasp, if you please. Lady Ellen; it 
 would be a bad omen indeed, and his lordship
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 223 
 
 might take it as a slight, if the bracelet with 
 his hair was to drop off. Now, I think we're 
 finished. Will you take a good look, my lady, 
 and tell us if every thing is right?" 
 
 " Ah ! poor thing ! ^' whispered the old wait- 
 ing woman to Ellen, " she's thinking how lonely 
 she will be when we are gone — and very 
 natural." 
 
 The next moment Mary was at her mother's 
 feet, and she clasped her arms about her neck, 
 and kissed away the tears that were rolling 
 down her cheeks ; and she found voice to 
 speak of her happiness — her love — her confi- 
 dence in Lindsay; for, instinctively, she felt 
 that such assurances were the best comfort that 
 she could offer. 
 
 During this scene, Robson's agony was very 
 great. Except that it would have been a sin 
 and a shame to be angry with any body on 
 their wedding-day, she could really have been 
 angry with Mary. " As sure as I stand here,"
 
 224 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY^ 
 
 she almost screamed, *' the wreath and the veil 
 will get pushed out of their places. I cannot 
 think, not I, what has come over my lady. One 
 would think that she was going to Miss 
 Spencer's funeral. Lady Ellen ! you who have 
 influence, will you interfere ? Why there's she, 
 in almost as great an agitation as the others. 
 Oh, my lord ! I beg your pardon, I did not see 
 that you were standing behind my back; you're 
 a special deliverance indeed. I am sure that 
 your lordship will never approve of this way of 
 going on ; Miss Spencer's eyes will be as red as 
 a ferret's." 
 
 Lord Raymond was, as Robson had pro- 
 nounced him to be, the best and fondest of 
 brothers ; yet it was with an effort that 
 he turned his immediate attention to Mary. 
 Another form stood between her and him. 
 Robson's address, however, recalled him to the 
 existing state of things. He gently withdrew 
 Mary from her mother's arms, and whispered
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 225 
 
 that it was time. *' I was afraid that this 
 would have come too late," he said, as he 
 placed something in her hand. Mary received 
 it with a meaning smile: — ** You will wear this 
 for our sakes, Ellen ;" and she advanced 
 towards her with a bracelet, which she at- 
 tempted to clasp upon her arm ; but at that 
 moment her hand was not very steady, and 
 Lord Raymond did it instead. " For i/our 
 sake she will," he said ; and there was some- 
 thing of melancholy reproach in his tone, which 
 thrilled to Ellen's heart; for involuntarily she 
 had drawn back at the word '* our." " It is 
 Mary's present," he continued; ** you will not 
 refuse it from a sister." 
 
 '* No; certainly not," Ellen replied ; " I am 
 too glad to call her such, to refuse her any thing ; 
 but I was so startled by the magnificence of 
 the present, I lost all power of thanking her. I 
 never possessed any thing so splendid before." 
 
 It was certainly a splendid composition of 
 l5
 
 226 
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 diamonds, and emeralds, and massive gold ; 
 such a composition as gentle ladies love to 
 wear — for it was ornamental, and a bracelet, and 
 few had such to clasp upon their arms. Yet, 
 had any thing so weighty been made of iron, 
 and rivetted on the leg of a rough felon, the sight 
 of it would have half broken the philanthropic 
 Howard^s heart ! 
 
 But it was not upon the diamonds and 
 emeralds that Ellen's attention was fixed ; 
 there was more to attract in the simple 
 date which was engraved upon the clasp — 
 ''June 18, 18—." That was all— the year 
 was omitted, which was very careless. Ellen's 
 colour changed at the sight of it; and when 
 she looked up, the flush upon Lord Raymond's 
 cheek was deeper than that upon her own. 
 " It is this day, Mary's wedding-day," he said, 
 hastily. 
 
 '* Yes ; and for the sake of that day, I shall 
 value it, and sometimes wear it ; but not too
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY, 227 
 
 often ; only when I want to look particularly 
 grand and fine. This simple chain, your first 
 gift, Mary, shall ensure my daily remembrance 
 of you.'* 
 
 Lord Raymond sighed, and Ellen turned 
 away. The same recollection was in their 
 minds. On the day to which Charles Dalrym- 
 ple had referred, as that on which he and 
 Elizabeth had met with such scandalous treat- 
 ment, in not being duly informed of the time 
 fixed for the wedding, Lord Raymond had been 
 present at the discussion ; and when the 
 eighteenth was mentioned, " Oh! let it be that," 
 he said, in a low voice to Ellen; " already that 
 day is consecrated — it is the anniversary of that 
 on which we first met — ' a white and blessed 
 day' to me." 
 
 Ellen heard as though she heard him not; 
 but the words had made an impression then, 
 and now they seemed again to sound in her ear; 
 and she knew that it was not Mary's wedding-
 
 228 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 day alone that the bracelet was meant to com- 
 memorate. To refuse it altogether, she thought, 
 would betray too great consciousness ; but she 
 trusted that, taken by surprise as she was, she 
 had done her utmost to mark that it was only 
 as Mary's gift she accepted it. Still she 
 wished that such a thing had never been 
 thought of. She was very sure that every body 
 would guess that there was something mysteri- 
 ous in the date. It was very odd ; though the 
 letters were so small, they were very conspicu- 
 ous ; they had twice caught her eye, as she and 
 Lady Raymond slowly followed the others down 
 stairs. 
 
 " Now, it's my belief," Mr. Johnson said to 
 Mrs. Robson, as the carriage drove away, 
 *' that we shall soon have another wedding. I 
 have always been remarkable for transmitting 
 dumb looks into words; and there was one of 
 your young lord's, as he handed my young lady 
 into the coach, that was not looked for nothing.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 229 
 
 And if that come to pass, a most beautiful bride 
 she will be/' 
 
 There was an emphasis upon the word she, at 
 which Mrs. Robson's zealous soul took fire. 
 " I am very ambiguous/' she answered tartly, 
 " as to who you mean by your lady. I thought 
 we were both in the same service, and served 
 the same lady; but it seems that ray ideas want 
 mending. I am surprised, Mr. Johnson, when 
 there was a real bride in French blonde to look 
 at, that you should have nothing better to do 
 than to set up brides in the air. Miss Spencer's 
 looks have never been sneezed at ; and you may 
 take my word for it, now she's Lady Lindsay, 
 she'll be reckoned a perfect beauty." 
 
 " As my poor judgment goes, not so perfect a 
 one as my Lady Ellen. You will excuse my 
 saying so, but I cannot all at once divest myself 
 of the old establishment. My lord's choice 
 must, of course, be mine ; and my new lady has 
 a very lady-like presence, and seems to have
 
 230 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 most lady-like ways, and I have no doubt that 
 we shall agree very well together; and, con- 
 sidering how long my lord and I have lived 
 together in the single state of liberty, it is not of 
 every one I would say that. Still there is a 
 something — a sort of jeriessi/ cwor — about Lady 
 Ellen, that hits my taste more : — and taste is 
 every thing, you know, Mrs. Robson." 
 
 " I know no such thing, Mr. Johnson ; and I 
 don't know what you mean by your jemssy 
 cwors, I am content with speaking my mother- 
 tongue, and do not pick up expressions from my 
 betters. Perhaps it will not be too much trouble 
 for your jenessy worship to come and help carry 
 down the imperial: my share of the packing's 
 done. It will not be my fault if things are not 
 ready. And would you be so very condescend- 
 ing, as to see to the proper spreading out of my 
 cloak on the dicky behind. If we do not look to 
 our own comforts, nobody will look for us, and 
 we have twenty miles to go together. My poor
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 231 
 
 lady ! how she will feel, losing me and her 
 daughter all at once. A great sacrifice she has 
 made of me, indeed ; and I don't half like the 
 looks of the young thing she has taken." 
 
 *' And I do, forty times better than yours, old 
 quiz!" was Johnson's thought, as he followed 
 her up stairs, with a proper share of submission; 
 though he was very seriously distressed when 
 he considered what a dowdy figure she would 
 look, sitting by his side on the dicky. 
 
 There was bidden to that wedding but one 
 person besides the immediate connections of the 
 two families : and he an old friend of the Mor- 
 daunts. Ellen, with her own bright smile, had 
 bid him come ; and never yet, to that bright 
 smile, had he refused any thing. Considering 
 the awful melancholy of the ceremony, the feel- 
 ings of that friend were less harassed than might 
 have been expected. He foreboded no positive 
 evil from this marriage. As Lord Raymond had 
 said, Mary was the sort of soft-hearted creature,
 
 232 THE GLANVILLE FAMILT. 
 
 who would be content to worship Lindsay, if he 
 would only let her do so; and there was nobody 
 likely to submit to such humble adoration with 
 better grace. Still the reflections of that friend, 
 during the solemn ceremony, were any thing 
 but hopeful ones. Not but what Lady Lind- 
 say's fate promised to be as happy as that of 
 most other married women's. She would pro- 
 bably be sick and uncomfortable during one half 
 of her life, — nursing and teachings the other; 
 for she was certain to take the domestic line. 
 If her sons should turn out dull and cloudy, she 
 must work and plot to set them forward in life ; 
 if wild and unmanageable, she must weep such 
 tears as mothers only shed. If her daughters 
 should be ugly and awkward, she must keep 
 them the unwilling inmates of a home, from 
 which they will be longing to escape; if beauti- 
 ful and graceful, they will marry and be lost to 
 her. To her husband she must be, as she this 
 moment vows, a loving, true, obedient wife;
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 233 
 
 and she will be blessed indeed if he should 
 prove a faithful, true, though exacting husband. 
 Still her life will pass in a round of useful duties ; 
 and her old age will not be lonely; and she has 
 a house and establishment of her own, and a 
 name and station in society ; and she is a 
 wife, and can but be a widow — never, what all 
 such happy wives and mothers mention in 
 whispered tones of pity, a contented, or dis- 
 contented, old maid. 
 
 Notwithstanding the distinguished appear- 
 ance of the bride, it was difficult not sometimes 
 to forget her in looking at Ellen. She stood be- 
 side her aged father, in her brilliant blooming 
 youth ; and as she saw the tremulous motion of 
 his lip, when his eye rested on his son, she drew 
 his arm through hers, and he seemed to lean 
 heavily on his slight and beautiful support. 
 
 All events, all changes, whether they be for 
 good or evil, bring matter for painful agitation 
 to " the old and stricken in years." They have
 
 234 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 learnt the lesson which life is meant to teach, 
 that every situation has its own draw-backs. 
 Their own powers of active enjoyment are ex- 
 pended, and they tremble at the rashness of 
 those they love, as they see them extending the 
 circle of their interests and their pleasures, — leav- 
 ing fresh space for trouble and sorrow to enter. 
 Frederick Percival too was there. He stood 
 with folded arms on the other side of Ellen, 
 and the proud expression of his noble coun- 
 tenance softened, as his gaze was fixed upon 
 her. As the service proceeded, that gaze 
 grew still more tender ; and when the impres- 
 sive tones of the Bishop of had ceased, 
 
 and all had gathered round to congratulate the 
 bride, Frederick stooped and took Ellen's hand, 
 and said a few whispered words ; and then, 
 even if multitudes had not confessed it before, 
 it must have been felt that his was 
 
 " A voice, whose simplest tone 
 Thrilled with a maoric all its own :" —
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 235 
 
 for its effect upon Ellen was magical indeed. 
 The colour faded from her cheek, and she 
 glanced almost wildly towards the altar. The 
 bride and bridegroom were gone ; but Lord 
 Raymond was still standing there. 
 
 *' Let us go," she said hurriedly. " I must 
 see the last of Mary." 
 
 As she spoke, she disengaged her hand from 
 Percival, and the bracelet fell at her feet. Lord 
 Raymond sprang forward, and again clasped it 
 on her arm. 
 
 " It was I who first placed it there. Oh ! 
 never again let it be displaced by him." 
 
 These words were rapidly uttered, and were 
 meant for no ear but Ellen's ; but it seemed 
 that they did not reach her. She took Frede- 
 rick's arm, and joined the others in the vestry, 
 where Lady Lindsay, for the last time, was 
 signing her maiden name. 
 
 Lord Lindsay, to whom all leave-taking was 
 irksome, as likely to degenerate into a regular
 
 236 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 scene, cut the matter very short ; and five 
 minutes after, Johnson and Robson, New- 
 man's greys, and the yellow jackets, were seen 
 making rapid progress towards Lord Raymond's 
 seat in Hertfordshire. 
 
 All the assistants were assembled at a break- 
 fast in Grosvenor Square, which was as heavy 
 and languid an affair as might have been ex- 
 pected, where the component parts of the so- 
 ciety consisted of individuals brought toge- 
 ther from necessity, not choice. Many of the 
 Spencer family Ellen had never seen before ; 
 and though she did her utmost to rush into 
 acquaintance with them at once, she made 
 little more of them than making them all eat 
 and drink. 
 
 Lady Elizabeth was remarkably grand and 
 supercilious; but she had an old maiden aunt of 
 Lady Lindsay's sitting on one side of her, and a 
 boy cousin on the other, upon whom her super- 
 ciliousness was utterly thrown away, they
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 237 
 
 were both so busily employed in eating choco- 
 late sugar-plums. 
 
 Mr. Dairy m pie was suffering very much 
 under a heavy accumulation of small fidgets. 
 He was fidgetty about keeping out his horses 
 so long — fidgetty, because he had not been re- 
 gularly introduced to all the new connections 
 — fidgetty, because Lindsay had most unac- 
 countably forgotten to take the slightest notice 
 of him, and Ellen said nothing about expecting 
 to see him and Elizabeth at dinner : — for he had 
 reckoned upon dining as well as breakfasting in 
 Grosvenor Square. 
 
 That old and valued friend we have spoken 
 of, was a little discomfited himself. Five-and- 
 tvventy years before, he had admired Lady Ray- 
 mond most violently and hopelessly: — it could 
 scarcely have been otherwise than hopelessly ; 
 for he was very poor, not too good-looking, and 
 never opened his lips in general society. This 
 morning he had reckoned upon handing her in
 
 238 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 to breakfast ; but she went home before it began — 
 to cry, probably, because she had achieved the 
 principal object of her life, — an excellent mar- 
 riage for her daughter. 
 
 Then he missed his favourite Edward. He 
 liad not been prepared for his absence, and 
 augured ill from his having changed all his 
 plans, and hurried out of town just two days 
 before his brother's marriage. It did not seem 
 natural, and it distressed him very much ; — 
 for he really seemed to love the boy the belter 
 for his very follies : they kept his fears and his 
 imagination continually on the stretch ; and 
 every body loves best the thing they fear for; or, 
 perhaps, nobody takes the trouble to fear but 
 for the thing they love. 
 
 He was uneasy too about his other favourite, 
 Ellen, and her two young supporters, Lord Ray- 
 mond and Frederick Percival. He could not 
 make out to his satisfaction what they were all 
 at. By the laws of the land Ellen could not
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 239 
 
 marry them both; yet, as far as he could judge, 
 both were very much bent upon marrying her. 
 Frederick seemed to have thrown off the shy- 
 ness natural to him, and to be talking with 
 great animation ; and Lord Raymond's laugh 
 was loud and frequent, quite unlike his usual 
 lausch : and it seemed forced. Then it ceased 
 altogether, and there came the sound of a heavy 
 sigh. 
 
 " You have lost your beautiful bracelet, Lady 
 Ellen," Miss Margaret Dalrymple screamed 
 out in an agony. 
 
 " No," Ellen, answered quietly, " I have 
 only taken it off and put it away."
 
 240 TBE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 CHAPTER XIIL 
 
 I had forgotten — but must not forget — 
 
 An orator, the latest of the session, 
 Who had delivered well a very set 
 
 Smooth speech, his first and maidenlj transgression. 
 
 Don Juan. 
 
 Ambition, how art thou travestied, when 
 
 Suggesting petty arms to little men ; 
 
 Bent upon some poor triumph — shewing off. 
 
 And gaining nothing save the witling's scoff. 
 
 Anon. 
 
 " Here's an invitation for some of you, girls," 
 said Mrs. Beaumont, handing an open note to 
 Maria, who had no sooner read it than she 
 tossed it on the table with an air of sovereign 
 contempt. 
 
 *' I shall not go for one ; you may do as you 
 please, Eliza." 
 
 That Eliza was likely to do without Maria's
 
 THE OLANVILLE FAMILY. 241 
 
 permission, which only conveyed to her that, 
 by not pleasing to do as Maria did, she should 
 displease her very much indeed. 
 
 " Read it loud, my dear," said her mother ; 
 ^^ that is, if you can. Mrs. Harrison's hand 
 alters sadly. I am afraid, poor woman, that 
 her eyes are beginning to fail." 
 
 " I can read it very well, mamma," replied 
 Eliza, who was very impatient to get the mat- 
 ter well settled. 
 
 ** My Dear Mrs. Beaumont, 
 
 " Mr. Harrison had an early visit from your 
 husband and son this morning, on their way 
 to the City, and they have kindly promised to 
 dine with us. I understand from Mr. Beau- 
 mont, that you are expecting your sister, Mrs. 
 Humphries, to pass the evening with you, 
 and that we must not expect the pleasure of 
 seeing you ; but, perhaps, you will spare us one 
 of the girls. We have two or three people to 
 
 VOL. I. M
 
 242 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 dinner^ — Mr. and Lady E. Dalrymple among 
 
 them. 
 
 '* Yours sincerely, 
 
 '* J. Harrison." 
 
 '' I suppose, though she does not seem to 
 contemplate the possibility, that * the girls ' 
 may be allowed an opinion of their own on the 
 subject,*' said Maria, ** and I have no notion of 
 going anywhere as a mere stop-gap. It is 
 quite evident that their original party has 
 failed, and that we are only asked to fill up." 
 
 Eliza felt that she had a very difficult part 
 to play. She must not make the prospect too 
 tempting, or Maria might take into her head 
 to sacrifice her pride, and go. Still, as she was 
 very much bent upon accepting the invitation 
 herself, she must make a tolerable case of it. 
 A little gentle contradiction too might be of 
 use— it would infallibly irritate Maria, and in- 
 duce her to cling more closely to her original 
 decision.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 243 
 
 '* It does look a little like what you say, in- 
 deed/' she answered. •' I was sure, as I read 
 the note, that you would understand it in that 
 light. Still, I dare say that they meant the 
 invitation kindly. The Dalrymples dine there, 
 you see." 
 
 " They meant to shew off, and nothing else. 
 Can anything on earth be more absurd, than 
 thinking it an honour to have that proud Lady 
 Elizabeth, and her tiresome, silly husband ? 
 You may be certain, too, that they will have 
 Mr. Butler there, that we may see how atten- 
 tive he is to Kate ; and he is the sort of man I 
 should particularly object to meet; he really 
 looks too vulgar." 
 
 " Then," said Eliza, with an air of resigna- 
 tion, ** if you will not go, I suppose that I 
 must. It is quite sure, that papa will make a 
 point of having one of us with him." 
 
 ** If you had rather not, Eliza, you had bet- 
 ter let me," said Anne, actually panting at 
 m2
 
 244 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 her own temerity. " I should hke it very much 
 indeed." 
 
 '* Nobody doubts that," Maria rejoined. 
 " You have been wild after the Harrisons, ever 
 since John offered you his arm at the play; but 
 you are rather too young, child, to put your- 
 self forward in the dining way; besides, Eliza 
 is actually dying to go. 1 saw that from the 
 very first, only she likes to make a merit of 
 every thing she does." 
 
 The point being settled in this amiable man- 
 ner, nothing more remained to be said ; and 
 upon the whole, Eliza thought that she had 
 carried it very cheaply. 
 
 The Beaumonts found a very large party 
 assembled, when they arrived in Harley Street. 
 There was something in the look of it, which 
 gave instant promise of a grand, heavy, hot 
 dinner — a regular turbot-and-lobster-sauce af- 
 fair. When the Harrisons gave dinners, they 
 took great pains that the company should
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 245 
 
 be well assorted. People have different ideas 
 upon that subject. Some get together guests, 
 who know each other well — live in the same 
 set — have the same political opinions — and 
 know pretty well before-hand, every word 
 the others are going to utter. These din- 
 ners the world have agreed to call the plea- 
 santest. Others ask five or six individuals, 
 who have a great reputation for cleverness, to 
 meet each other, and are surprised to find that 
 extreme dullness is the result — never dreaminor 
 that those who are clever by profession, parti- 
 cularly dislike opening their lips in a society 
 of which they are not the sole presiding deity. 
 Others, again, open their visiting books, and 
 ask, at hazard, all those to whom they think it 
 necessary and expedient to give a dinner. At 
 their tables individuals, not upon speaking 
 terras — virulent pohtical adversaries — the man 
 who has challenged the other man to fight a 
 duel — the woman who has taken away the
 
 246 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 other woman's character, — all run a great chance 
 of meeting. These dinners may, by chance, 
 turn out amusing, and sometimes give London 
 something to talk about for a week. 
 
 The Harrisons assorted according to a me- 
 thod of their own. Once a year they asked all 
 their most distinguished acquaintances, — the 
 most distinguished in any way, for any thing, 
 — for rank, fashion — wealth — authorship — 
 stock-jobbing — radicalism. Their ideas as to 
 what constituted a distinguished dining indi- 
 vidual were very extended. 
 
 On this day, the Dal rym pies were the repre- 
 sentatives of rank and fashion. Although 
 Elizabeth talked of it for a fortnight before- 
 hand, as a bore and a condescension, she ra- 
 ther liked a dinner at the Harrisons ; she was 
 sure to be made much of there ; every word she 
 uttered had its due weight. They passed six 
 months of the year, in a substantial red-brick 
 house, within a mile of Mordaunt Castle ; and
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 247 
 
 Elizabeth could look back to a time in their 
 lives, when she and Ellen considered it some- 
 thing of a treat to go and drink tea there, 
 in a homely kind of way. It was pleasant 
 to shew herself among them now, in all the 
 powerful grandeur of a rich married woman. 
 
 As to Charles, he liked the fuss of dining out 
 anywhere. He sometimes wondered that they were 
 not invited to dine out oftener. Still he had his 
 grievance. Ellen had been asked to meet them, 
 and had sent her excuse, because she was en- 
 gaged at the Hamiltons. Now he had an idea 
 that Ellen lived in what he called the very 
 highest set, and was very much the fashion. 
 He read over her cards of invitation, and won- 
 dered, and wondered again, why Elizabeth, 
 with himself as an appendage, did not receive 
 the same. She visited at the same houses, and 
 he was very particular about leaving his own card. 
 He had happened to be calling at Grosvenor 
 Square, when the Harrison invitation arrived,
 
 248 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 and hurried home to tell Elizabeth that Ellen 
 meant to meet them. It was, therefore, a 
 personal affront to him, that before she had 
 finally committed herself, by writing her accept* 
 ance, a rescue came, in the shape of a note 
 from Lady Hamilton, whose house was one of 
 the pleasantest in London. Ellen was unpar- 
 donable for preferring being amused out of 
 his society, when she had the alternative of 
 being bored in it. It was quite absurd that she 
 could not give up her fine friends for one single 
 evening. 
 
 The Beaumonts, as Mafia had discovered, 
 were only asked to fill up. Mr. Roach, the 
 ponderous-looking member for the county of 
 
 , was 'obliged to attend the House upon a 
 
 corn-law motion ; and the great artist, Mr. 
 Trigge, who had married the great genius. Miss 
 Dawson, had been suddenly summoned to the 
 country house of his most hberal patron. The 
 Beaumonts were common-place, to be sure,, to
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 249 
 
 be admitted to the crack dinner of the year ; 
 but there was no awkwardness about asking 
 them at a few hours' notice ; and, as Mrs. Har- 
 rison observed, though Richard never said much, 
 his loud laugh sounded cheerful, and would 
 fill up the gaps, if conversation should flag. 
 
 Mr. Butler of course was there : every 
 meeting now was a crisis : his proposal might 
 be listened to any moment, and not be consi- 
 dered premature. Then there was an East 
 India director; a young radical of great pro- 
 mise ; a German attache ; and a lank-haired in- 
 dividual, in spectacles, evidently an author. 
 
 Though Elizabeth did not know one of them 
 by name or sight, they were soon enlightened 
 as to her being the great lady of the plot. She 
 would have been flattered could she have heard 
 John point her out to Mr. Butler, as *'the sister 
 of my intimate friend, Lindsay." She sate at 
 the head of the table, between Mr. Harrison 
 and the director, in a very condescending mood. 
 M 5
 
 *260 THiS GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 Kate and Mr. Butler were also satisfactorily 
 settled next to each other; though Eliza as- 
 serted, when she gave an account of the dinner 
 at home, that he had been very much struck 
 by her, and would have offered her his arm, if 
 Kate had not cut in, and made it impossible. 
 The promising young radical was particularly 
 pleased at being in company with a " lady" — 
 any body — any thing; and Mr. Harrison, 
 whose system it was to hate the aristocracy in 
 general, was only the more devoted to his own 
 particular exceptions. 
 
 The first course was over, and Mrs. Harrison 
 said to herself, for the twentieth time, that the 
 dinner was going off well. Julia and the young 
 radical, — Eliza and the German attache, — kept 
 up a gentle murmur of conversation. Kate and 
 Mr. Butler were more than the world, — they 
 were dinner to each other ; — they looked and 
 talked too much to eat. Richard's laugh 
 at John's jokes was very hilarious. John him-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 251 
 
 self was a little vexed that he should be at 
 fault, when Richard asked for an account of 
 the weddino; : he was oblised to confess that he 
 had not been there. " I do assure you, my 
 dear fellow," he said, confidentially, '^ that I 
 am glad it was so. It was a sad business. I 
 look upon Lindsay as utterly lost to me. No 
 wives, you know, can tolerate their husbands' 
 former friends." And then, being anxious to 
 change the conversation, he addressed himself 
 across the table to Mr. Beaumont. 
 
 *' Well, sir, and what is your opinion of 
 young Horrock's maiden speech? In our set 
 we consider it as a first-rate effort." 
 
 " Then our opinions differ. I read, or rather, 
 glanced my eye over it, and blushed for the 
 flippant impertinence of so young a man." 
 
 " Come, sir, confess," said the rising radical, 
 **you would have admired his eloquence more, 
 if he had spoken in favour of existing abuses, 
 instead of against them. But these are not
 
 252 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY, 
 
 times when such can quietly be allowed to exist. 
 The people ! — the enlightened people " 
 
 "The enhghtened idiots!' interrupted Mr. 
 Beaumont, in a tone of strong indignation. 
 " Tut, man, you do not know what you are 
 talking about — how should you at your age? 
 It is enough to make one sick with disgust, to 
 hear a parcel of boys, just come from school, 
 spouting out their crude nonsense in the same 
 walks where Pitt and Burke have spoken be- 
 fore them. If my old friend Horrocks were 
 alive, it would half break his heart to hear his 
 son praised by a set of levellers and radicals, 
 bent upon doing away with all existing con- 
 stitutions,'' 
 
 ** Particularly with httle snug West Indian 
 sinecures," said the radical, with a provoking 
 smile. 
 
 '^ Old Beaumont has met with his match," 
 whispered Mr. Harrison to EHzabeth ; " he will 
 not parry that in a hurry. My young friend
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 253 
 
 has hit the right nail on the head there. It is 
 not often that I am mistaken in my judgment 
 of character ; and you may take my word for 
 it, he has that in him which may make him 
 the most distinguished man of his day." 
 
 " Indeed !" said EHzabeth, ** le desagrement 
 de sa physionomie doime de grandes idees des qua- 
 lites quon ?ie connait pas." 
 
 " I thought that you would agree with me," 
 he answered, looking very much puzzled and 
 delighted. 
 
 In the meantime the argument was raging 
 at the other end of the table. Young Horrocks, 
 who was not much to any body when it began, 
 was now alternately a demi-god or a monster. 
 Mr. Harrison was beginning to look red and rest- 
 less, and evidently only waited for an opening 
 to throw himself into the thick of the fire. 
 
 Mr. Beaumont soon gave that, by asserting, 
 that no man of property, in his right senses, 
 would allow a radical to cross his doors. From
 
 254 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 that moment the chance of coming to any thing 
 like a right understanding grew hopeless : each 
 talked on as loud as he could, without listen- 
 ing to one word uttered by his opponent. 
 
 " Oh ! John, John," said Mrs. Harrison, re- 
 proachfully, ** did not I beg you before dinner 
 to keep clear of politics. You know when it 
 comes to that, that your father and Mr. Beau- 
 mont cannot keep their tempers." 
 
 John answered by a shrug, and Richard's 
 laugh grew nervous and convulsive. The at- 
 tache was delighted. The present scene would 
 fill many pages of his note-book, under the 
 head '* Political Enthusiasm." 
 
 Dessert was now on the table ; still the argu- 
 ment went on. Young Horrocks had faded 
 from the scene — Mr. Harrison was haranguing 
 at one end of the table, upon pensions and 
 sinecures — Mr. Beaumont at the other, upon 
 spoliation and vested rights. 
 
 It is said, that when the elements are raging
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 255 
 
 round a sinking ship, the hoarse whisper of 
 the captain can be distinguished amidst the 
 roaring of the storm. Certain it is that, at 
 this moment, the small voice of Charles Dal- 
 rymple made itself heard, asking for infor- 
 mation : 
 
 " Pray, what are vested rights?'* 
 Mr. Beaumont stopped to enlighten him. 
 Mr. Harrison joined in, to make the explana- 
 tion clearer. They grew dry and business-like, 
 and perfectly agreed in their views. This 
 brought on a lull, and gave them time to get 
 calm. Mr. Harrison took an hospitable turn, 
 passed the wine, and was afraid that Lady 
 Elizabeth could not have been very much 
 amused by their little discussion. 
 
 Mr. Beaumont wiped his forehead, drew a 
 long breath, and said civil things to Mrs. Har- 
 rison, about the good looks of her daughter 
 Kate. The young radical again devoted him- 
 self to Julia, and congratulated her upon pos-
 
 256 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 sessing such liberal principles ; for she had ad- 
 vanced two or three propositions of her own, 
 which he naturally inferred were on his side 
 of the question. As they were perfect non- 
 sense, it was fortunate that nobody had thought 
 of listening to them. As to Kate and Mr. 
 Butler, they were still looking and talking. 
 Not one syllable of what had passed had ever 
 reached their ears. They were only glad that 
 the others seemed to have so much to say, be- 
 cause they could talk to each other without 
 being overheard. 
 
 Elizabeth leant back in her chair, feeling 
 both stunned and bored by the noise ; and 
 when the East India director said something 
 across her to Mr. Harrison, she actually yawned 
 in his face. The others talked, without much 
 thinking what they were saying. They were 
 busy revolving in their minds all the pro- 
 voking things their adversaries had advanced 
 during the debate, and were inwardly groaning
 
 THE GLA.NV1LLE FAMILY. 257 
 
 over the lamentable want of presence of mind 
 which had prevented them from giving in re- 
 turn many sharp retorts, which now struck 
 them as ehgible. 
 
 Under these circumstances, Mrs. Harrison's 
 signal for retiring was eagerly attended to. At 
 the same time she cast an emphatic look to- 
 wards John, which he answered by a nod. The 
 look plainly expressed — '* Do, for mercy's sake, 
 keep your father and Mr. Beaumont quiet." 
 
 " Mamma, you will not forget to make out 
 what you can about Lady Ellen," Julia whis- 
 pered to her mother, before she withdrew to 
 the other end of the room, to join Eliza and 
 Kate in a deeply confidential communication 
 about Mr. Butler. 
 
 But a great deed remained to be done before 
 Mrs. Harrison thought herself privileged to 
 ask for information. Elizabeth was to be im- 
 plored to put her feet upon the sofa — No, was 
 not she accustomed to that ? — Then a foot-
 
 268 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 stool — Mrs. Harrison must insist upon that. 
 Lady Elizabeth must not refuse to take the ad- 
 vice of an old motherly person like her. It 
 put her in mind of old times to have her among 
 them again. She was sadly disappointed not 
 to have Lady Ellen too ; and that put her in 
 mind — might she take the liberty to ask, if any 
 of the reports about Lady Ellen were true ? 
 
 '* Reports! What reports ?" Elizabeth had 
 never heard any. 
 
 " Was that possible ? Then, of course, there 
 could be no truth in them ; and I suspected as 
 much," Mrs. Harrison added ; " for we heard 
 one thing one day, and another, another. First, 
 Mr. Percival — then, Lord Raymond — then, 
 Mr. Percival again. It made it very difficult 
 to know what to believe." 
 
 " Is Ellen, then, supposed to be going to be 
 married to one, or both of them ?" Elizabeth 
 asked. 
 
 ** To both of them ! Oh, my dear Lady
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 259 
 
 Elizabeth, that is so like you," said Mrs. Har- 
 rison, growing shy and frightened ; for she 
 stood very much in awe of Elizabeth's sarcastic 
 manner. " Kate, my dear, what was it you 
 heard the other night about Lady Ellen? 
 Those girls have better heads than mine for 
 news." 
 
 *' It was I who told you, mamma," answered 
 Julia, importantly. " It was to me it was 
 said. Mrs. Dillon, you know, she it was who 
 told me, that Lady Ellen's marriage to Mr. 
 Percival was declared, absolutely declared. 
 Maria Beaumont was standing near me at the 
 time, and I would not tell her, because I knew 
 that she would be so triumphant." 
 
 *' And did Mrs. Dillon also tell you that 
 Ellen's marriage was declared, absolutely de- 
 clared to Lord Raymond ?" persisted Elizabeth. 
 
 " No, not Mrs. Dillon ; but two or three 
 others talked of it as very likely to be. Mr. 
 Sturton, I know, for one, said, ^ So there is
 
 260 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 going to be a double connection between the 
 Mordaunt and Raymond families !" 
 
 " I wish that I could get into the Sturton 
 and Dillon set. They seem to be very cunning 
 people, with great inventive powers," said 
 Elizabeth. 
 
 ** Mrs. Dillon is a very superior woman in- 
 deed," Mrs. Harrison answered eagerly, "and 
 gives a great many balls. I am sure that she 
 would be delighted to have the pleasure of be- 
 ing introduced to you." 
 
 *' I do assure you, Lady Elizabeth," said 
 Julia, colouring a little for her mother's sim- 
 plicity, " they were not the only people who 
 talked of these reports. I heard of them in 
 all corners of the room. I began at last to 
 think that Lady Ellen must be going to be 
 married to somebody." 
 
 '* I do not wonder that you came to that 
 conclusion, if she were going to be married at 
 all," answered Elizabeth.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 261 
 
 " But as vou seem to think that there is no 
 truth in all this, I will nnake a point of saying 
 so every where," said Julia, who was very 
 anxious to have her authority to quote one way 
 or the other; but in this she was baffled by 
 Elizabeth. 
 
 '* I have never thought on the subject. There 
 is no knowing what I may think when I set 
 about it. But have you no other news to tell 
 me ? Surely Ellen cannot be the only person 
 whose affairs interest Mrs. Dillon. Let me 
 hear all her news — all her scandal, if she had 
 any," 
 
 This v^as a delightful opening. Eliza, who 
 was getting a little tired of hearing '* all the 
 particular things which must mean something," 
 said by Mr. Butler, took the opportunity to 
 join the others. 
 
 Kate followed. It was much the same 
 to her where she was : every minute must be 
 wasted till the gentlemen came up. She
 
 262 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 wished that Mr. Beaumont had not been asked, 
 he always made them sit so long. 
 
 There was no fear that conversation would 
 languish now. Elizabeth had anecdotes with- 
 out end poured out upon her; some containing 
 exaggerated details of facts totally without 
 interest at the time they happened ; others af- 
 fecting the characters of the most respectable of 
 her acquaintance. No doubt was entertained 
 of their truth — no doubt could be entertained ; a 
 lady who knew had said this — an authority that 
 could not be named, might be quoted for that. 
 Many things which had passed before Ehza- 
 beth's eyes, which had been spoken in her 
 hearing, and had faded from her recollection, 
 she found had been talked over and commented 
 upon for months, in the set to which the Harri- 
 sons were confined. Her unfeigned astonish- 
 ment at some of the charges she heard, went for 
 little ; her denials for less. Of course she stood 
 up for her caste, and, after all, the Harrisons
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 263 
 
 had opportunities of assuring themselves that 
 what they advanced was true: they knew (by 
 sight) some of the individuals of whom they 
 talked. 
 
 It is the fashion to speak of the higher 
 classes, as if the clause in the catechism which 
 warns against " evil speaking, lying, and 
 slandering," were directed solely to them. Now, 
 whatever their other vices may be, these are 
 certainly not the most prevalent; these abound 
 much more in the class immediately below them. 
 As they have none higher than themselves, they 
 have none to envy ; they have no temptation to 
 depreciate those whom they cannot equal. 
 There are individual cases, to be sure, of private 
 pique, and clashing interests, and treacherous 
 friends. Where human creatures congregate 
 together, there will be malice, hatred and strife ; 
 but these evil passions, when they do arise in 
 ill-regulated minds, are at least confined to the 
 offending objects immediately about them ; they
 
 264 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 never dream of extending them beyond their 
 own peculiar circle. Mr. Brown might talk 
 evening after evening to Mrs. Smith ; and Mrs. 
 Smith's damacred character, and Mr. Smith's 
 wilful blindness, could be nothing to them. But 
 not only have the anxious friends of the Smiths 
 and the Browns to watch over their wicked 
 ways, but they have also friends who, being- 
 invited once a year to Lady A.'s parties, or 
 Lady B.'s breakfasts, are able to say how 
 shameful it is to see Mr. C. standing by Lady 
 D.'s chair, and talking, actually talking to her, 
 in spite of that paragraph in the Age which 
 could only mean them ; and they can shake 
 their heads mournfully over that pretty little 
 Mrs. E., who they understand comes out con- 
 stantly by herself, while her husband is at 
 Crockford's, and who therefore must come to 
 harm sooner or later ! 
 
 No; it is not in what is called the great 
 world, that malignant tales of scandal are
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 265 
 
 originated, — there is literally not time to com- 
 pose them. Minor events crowd too quickly 
 on each other. Trace them, and they will be 
 found to have taken their source in some ob- 
 scure country neighbourhood, or some cockney 
 coterie, where they have been talked over, and 
 added to, for months before they burst into 
 light. 
 
 " And what were all those stories, my dear, 
 that we heard about Mrs. Howard and Miss 
 Rivers ?" Mrs. Harrison took advantage of a 
 pause to ask ; as, she said, she had not so good 
 a head for news as the girls. 
 
 ** Nothing, mamma, nothing," Julia answered, 
 at the same time darting a look of consternation 
 towards Kate. " They were all nonsense, — there 
 was not a word of truth in them, you know." 
 
 ''Surely that cannot deter 3/02/ from repeat- 
 ing them," Lady Elizabeth said encouragingly. 
 *' I forget them quite, — do not you, Kate V* 
 said Julia. 
 
 VOL. I. N
 
 266 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 *^ I do not think I ever heard them/' an- 
 swered Kate. 
 
 " Dear me^ girls, what memories you have !" 
 said their mother. '* What will they be at my 
 age ? You must remember surely — something 
 about the aunt and the niece being in love with 
 the same person, and about his making up to 
 both of them at the same time. Such a strange, 
 shocking history ! Who can he be ? I shall 
 think of his name presently. He is somebody 
 we all know, — that I am sure of. Let me see : 
 it was after the last party at Mordaunt House 
 that we all talked of it. Oh—" and Mrs. 
 Harrison broke off, and coloured crimson. 
 
 " You remember now V asked Elizabeth 
 calmly. 
 
 An awkward pause followed. Kate and 
 Julia had actually lost their breaths with agita- 
 tion, during their mother's efforts of memory : 
 it was something, that in the triumph of having 
 caught it, they were spared the shock of hear-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 267 
 
 ing Mr. Glanville's name come out at once. As 
 it was, nothing remained to be done but to start 
 a fresh subject of conversation as soon as pos- 
 sible ; so of course nobody could think of any- 
 thing to say. Eliza Beaumont, upon principle, 
 kept a dignified silence : it was right that she, 
 who had always claimed Edward as her pro- 
 perty, should feel aggrieved. Altogether it was 
 a bad business, — a conversational mess. Kate 
 was not the only person who was glad when the 
 gentlemen came up. 
 
 The Dalrymples did not remain much longer; 
 and Mrs. Harrison was left to ejaculate, and 
 wonder, and lament at her ease. " After all," 
 she said, ** her manner was not a bit more stiff 
 and difficult to understand after I said this 
 than it was before ; perhaps she did not make 
 out at last who I meant." But this was a for- 
 lorn hope, in which nobody could encourage 
 her. 
 The Beaumonts staid long enough for Eliza 
 n2
 
 268 
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 to see Kate and Mr. Butler sit down with great 
 apjDarent interest to the study of some prints, 
 at a little table, which really looked placed for 
 the very purpose, at the farthest end of the 
 room. She once or twice suggested to Julia, 
 that Mr. Butler looked her way, as if he ex- 
 pected that she would join them : but upon this 
 point Julia was quite unpersuadable : she was 
 sure that they were much happier without her. 
 
 " So there is a regular plot against the poor 
 man, and he must propose, whether he like it 
 or not," said Maria Beaumont, after Eliza had 
 poured out, at home, her narration of the events 
 of the evening. 
 
 " Harrison will get himself into a scrape, some 
 of these days, if he carries his radical notions so 
 far. I could not help hinting as much to him, 
 this evening," said Mr. Beaumont, who 
 thought it as well to prepare his wife for the 
 account of the discussion, which must eventually 
 reach her.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 269 
 
 She instantly took the alarm. *' I hope, my 
 dear, that you did not get into one of your 
 violent arguments with him.'' 
 
 '* Oh, no, my dear ! nothing but a little 
 skirmish." 
 
 *' Nothing but a little skirmish!" repeated 
 Richard, and his laugh was loud and pro- 
 longed. 
 
 " Did Mrs. Harrison say anything about 
 David ? Have they heard from him since he 
 sailed?" 
 
 '* She never mentioned him, mamma." 
 "Ah! I dare say not: it must be a sore 
 subject. Poor woman ! it must be hard work 
 to give grand dinners when her head is full of 
 domestic troubles;" and, again sighing deeply, 
 Mrs. Beaumont lighted her hand-candlestick 
 and waddled off to bed.
 
 270 THE GLANVILLE FA.MILY. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 " DiflFerent it is true. 
 But having all the self-same ends in view ; 
 To raise their own importance, and impress 
 A sense on others of their littleness ; 
 To search for tender places, and when found, 
 Wound to the quick, and shew they meant to wound." 
 
 BVRON. 
 
 Poor Lady Elizabeth ! It was difficult to see 
 her without pitying her ; and yet perhaps the 
 pity was as uncalled-for as Mrs. Beaumont's 
 for Mrs. Harrison. 
 
 It is true, Lady Elizabeth had her faults, and
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 271 
 
 plenty of them ; — but so had many others, who 
 were less unpopular than she was. It was in 
 the style of her faults that she was unfortunate, 
 if such an expression may be used. She was in- 
 tolerant, and proud, and conceited. Now, con- 
 ceit and pride it is not in human nature to for- 
 give; which is very strange ; for in general the 
 forgiveness would be mutual. However, it was 
 not for that she was to be pitied. Conceit, if 
 there is enough of it, is not an uncomfortable 
 possession ; for it sets all attempts to mortify it 
 at defiance. But to have Charles Dalrymple 
 as her inseparable companion ; to have him there 
 — always there — fretting — fidgetting — ques- 
 tioning — doubting — never seeing anything in 
 the right light — quite incompetent to under- 
 stand a joke — always talking — never convers- 
 ing — it was terrible to think of: she really loas 
 to be pitied. 
 
 Perhaps something of the same conviction 
 was in Elizabeth's mind, as she leant back in 
 the carriage, after having escaped from the
 
 272 
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 Harrison dinner. She had a great deal she 
 wanted to say, and nobody near worth saying 
 it to. There were two or three points upon 
 which she would have been glad to ask her 
 husband what to think ; but then she had a 
 husband who was sure to think wrong; and 
 she should set him off questioning and wonder- 
 ing ; and she was too sleepy to bear that. The 
 fact was, though it would have been quite be- 
 neath her to allow the Harrisons to suppose 
 that they had it in their power to say anything 
 that could startle or interest her, she had been 
 very much startled and interested by their in- 
 telhgence about Ellen. Not that she believed a 
 syllable of her marriage being settled, with 
 either Lord Raymond or Mr. Percival; but 
 still her eyes were opened to possibilities, which 
 had never struck her before. 
 
 She had been so used, in past years, to see 
 Frederick Percival much more constantly with 
 the family than he was now, it had never once 
 entered her mind that he could be particularly
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 273 
 
 devoted to Ellen ; and as to Lord Raymond, 
 when she had seen him in Ellen's society, she 
 would have said that his manner was particu- 
 larly cold. Considering the connection be- 
 tween the two families, she had sometimes won- 
 dered that he was not to be found oftener in 
 Grosvenor Square. To be sure, he might be 
 there, at times when she was not ; — the world 
 might have reason for what it said : sometimes 
 it had, though not often. 
 
 She was conscious that Ellen was not apt to 
 talk confidentially to her, and perhaps a little 
 conscious that she did not deserve that she 
 should do so. In fact, nobody ever is con- 
 fidential, but upon an understanding that they 
 are to be listened to, sympathised with, and 
 advised, exactly in the manner they themselves 
 think best. Sometimes it requires great tact 
 to find out what that is ; but it can be done, 
 and is done by confidantes of the first order. 
 Lady Elizabeth had this tact, but she made 
 N 5
 
 274 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 a bad use of it ; — she never could resist saying 
 the very thing which was most Ukely to grate 
 against the little unexpressed feelings which 
 wanted encouragement. She knew that it was 
 very wrong, and not good policy ; but she 
 could not help that. It was her way of amus- 
 ing herself. But what amuses some people, 
 annoys others : that was her case, and Ellen's ; 
 so Ellen kept all that was interesting to her- 
 self. 
 
 As to the reports about Edward, they were 
 unpleasant, and EUzabeth meant to give Ellen 
 the full benefit of hearing them ; but as far as 
 she herself was concerned, she saw no use in 
 worrying about them. It would be so inconve- 
 nient, just as she was in the first stage of a pro- 
 mising friendship, to listen to anything hkely 
 to disturb it. Mrs. Howard and Harriet Rivers 
 had been with her that very morning, and made 
 themselves particularly pleasant; they seemed 
 to be just as happy when talking to her, as they
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 275 
 
 were when talking to Edward. All, therefore, 
 that was said about them was thorough scan- 
 dal; and now that Edward had left London, 
 even that would die away. That she had ever 
 fancied anything of the kind herself, had to- 
 tally escaped her recollection; — at least she was 
 determined not to recollect it ; which comes to 
 the same end. 
 
 The next morning she set off early, on a 
 voyage of discovery to Grosvenor Square. She 
 did not give Ellen the advantage of knowing 
 what she had heard ; but she talked of Frederick 
 Percival — wished he would marry — thought 
 it would improve him if he had a wife — she 
 was at all events sure that he would be the 
 happier for it. Very likely — Ellen thought. 
 
 " In fact," said Elizabeth, " I am rather tired 
 of him, as he is now : are not you ? We have 
 all said all we have got to say about his clever- 
 ness, and his eloquence, and his high character, 
 and so on. It is tiresome to go on for ever,
 
 276 
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 praising a person for the same thing. I wish 
 he would take up a new character now — do 
 not you ?" 
 
 " No," Ellen answered, laughing : ^' I cannot 
 say that his high character the least hurts me ; 
 and I cannot flatter you with the hope that a 
 wife will wish to change it, or that he will 
 marry a woman who could wish it changed. 
 No ; whatever her other feelings may be, the 
 wife of Frederick Percival cannot but feel proud 
 of his virtues and his talent." 
 
 ''You are very eloquent about him, Ellen. 
 If I did not know the terms you are upon, I 
 should almost fancy it possible that you were 
 to be the proud wife yourself. Not that I think 
 it would particularly suit you to be a politi- 
 cian's wife. In fact, 1 always think it must be 
 a miserable situation to hold. She must have 
 so many lonely hours. What with his office, 
 and the House, she can hardly ever see her hus- 
 band \ and when he does come home, his head
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 277 
 
 must be too full of political affairs, to talk to 
 her." 
 
 ** Let us hope that he might think her rea- 
 sonable enough to talk to as a companion, and 
 trustworthy enough to confide in as a friend." 
 
 '* Oh ! poor creature ! she would be worse off 
 than ever then ! the peace of her life would be 
 utterly gone, unless she were to give up all her 
 friends, and deny herself to all her acquaintance. 
 If any pubhc secret were to become known, 
 — and all secrets public and private are known, 
 — she would be supposed to have betrayed it, 
 either by her words, or by her looks; — for she 
 must never look low, when she is low ; or 
 happy, when she is happy. It would be very 
 impolitic.'^ 
 
 " But he would not be always in office pro- 
 bably; and his wife might be happy, whatever 
 he might be, when he was in opposition.'' 
 
 " Happy ! and he otherwise ! Not if she 
 were a good wife. And she would have to re-
 
 278 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 trench too ; — which is always disagreeable. No ! 
 though you know, Ellen, I am often preaching 
 to you in favour of your marrying early, for 
 yours is a peculiar situation — so independent ! 
 I own I am glad that you and Frederick never 
 took it into your heads to fall in love with one 
 another. You have had an escape there." 
 
 Elizabeth now paused for Ellen's confession, 
 if she had one to make; but none came. Upon 
 the whole, it was rather a disappointment to 
 her. She was quite sincere in wishing Ellen to 
 marry. She was as tired of hearing of her ad- 
 mirers, as of Frederick's eloquence. Their 
 marriage would not be by any means an over- 
 powering event. People would of course say 
 that they had always foreseen it, and that it was 
 the most natural thing in the world ; and after 
 that, little more remained to be said about it. 
 Frederick would have neither time nor inclination 
 to mix much in general society, and Ellen was 
 not likely to go out without her husband.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 279 
 
 Elizabeth's position in the world would, in fact, 
 be higher than hers ; and now that she had 
 taken the precaution beforehand of shewing 
 Ellen that she should consider her as anything 
 but an object of envy, she was perfectly easy 
 as to the event. 
 
 But her marriage with Lord Raymond would 
 be a very different affair. There was no deny- 
 ing the melancholy fact; he was decidedly the 
 greatest j>am in London. And such a man too ! 
 Not a fault to be found with him. He was not 
 only generally allowed to have every good 
 quality under heaven, but every shining one 
 too. 
 
 For the present, Elizabeth saw no use in 
 letting Ellen know that it was even surmised 
 that such a briUiant lot could be hers. If even- 
 tually the surmise should prove true, like any 
 other trial in life, it must be borne with be- 
 coming philosophy. In the mean time, she had 
 a few words to say about him, which Ellen, by
 
 280 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 producing a letter from Lady Lindsay, gave her 
 an opportunity of introducing. 
 
 " Poor little good thing! she does all her rap- 
 tures very nicely/' was Elizabeth's observation 
 after having read it ; '* and I dare say that she 
 is very happy. She probably does not under- 
 stand Lindsay well enough to be afraid of him; — 
 which is a mercy. By-the-bye, I have a plan 
 for Lord Raymond. I do not see why he should 
 not marry Harriet Rivers." 
 
 " He ! Lord Raymond marry Harriet Rivers? 
 impossible ! Elizabeth, you cannot be serious." 
 
 '* And why not? why should it be impossible? 
 Is he in love with any body else?" 
 
 '* He has never spoken three words in his life 
 to Miss Rivers, has he?" said Ellen, returning 
 Elizabeth's question by another. 
 
 " Oh yes; he met her at my house the other 
 morning, and talked a great deal to her; and, 
 you know, he was amazingly struck by her 
 beauty the night she made her appearance here ;
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 281 
 
 and he said again that morning, how very 
 striking it was. I really think it a promising 
 speculation, and I am sure that I should rejoice 
 at it. She is such a delightful girl, when you 
 know her as well as I do." 
 
 Ellen suspected that she knew her better, but 
 she did not say so ; and, when Elizabeth pro- 
 ceeded to relate what absurd thincrs Mrs. 
 Harrison had said about Edward, she did not 
 seem particularly amused by them : — " I re- 
 member that you fancied something of the kind 
 about Mrs. Howard/' she said gravely. 
 
 " Yes; but that was quite a fancy. She is an 
 excellent little woman ; not the least likely to 
 get into that sort of scrape. It was all the 
 fault of Edward's manner. He never can talk to 
 any body for ten minutes, without committing 
 them." 
 
 Elizabeth's visit was finished now. To be 
 sure she had not made out much as to the state 
 of Ellen's affections; but she could go away
 
 282 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 with the comfortable conviction, that for the 
 next five minutes at least, her reflections would 
 not be too bright. She had always an un- 
 pleasant consciousness pressing upon her own 
 mind ; the consciousness of being married to a 
 fool — a quiet manageable one — but still a fool. 
 Now it was particularly disagreeable to be the 
 only person with a grievance ; so she felt re- 
 lieved when she had done her best to provide 
 one or two for other people. This is a very 
 common feeling, but nobody owns to it. 
 
 On one point Elizabeth miscalculated : she 
 might have talked on for ever about Lord Ray- 
 mond and Frederick, without making the slightest 
 impression upon Ellen. She had deep feelings 
 of her own concerning them, into which Eliza- 
 beth could not penetrate. But the reports 
 about Edward made her thoroughly uncomfort- 
 able. Not that she suffered her thoughts to 
 dwell for a moment upon what Mrs. Harrison 
 called her " strange shocking history." Still
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 283 
 
 there certainly was a mystery about his intimacy 
 with the Howards, and she was sorry to find 
 that it was talked of in any way. She dreaded 
 hearing that they were on the point of leaving 
 London, and returning to Howard Lodge; which 
 would again bring them into daily intercourse 
 with Edward. 
 
 It was still early when Elizabeth left her. It 
 could do Edward no good to sit down and 
 worry about him; so Ellen put on her bonnet, 
 and set off to take a walk in the Park, before 
 the day should grow oppressively hot. It was 
 an hour at which she felt pretty sure of meet- 
 ing nobody she knew ; and, in spite of the tall 
 footman behind her, and the brown grass 
 crackling beneath her feet, and the atmosphere 
 simmering with incipient heat and dust, air and 
 exercise did wonders for her. Her thoughts 
 grew freer — fresher ; life no longer seemed like 
 the dark maze of troubles she had considered it 
 but a few minutes before ; she felt that to exist
 
 284 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 was something; she even smiled, as recollec- 
 tions came over her of many such early walks, 
 that she and Edward had taken together. In 
 short, she was young, and her bright hour was 
 upon her. She had no reason to give for the 
 change; but so she felt; and hers was the 
 season for feeling, not for reasoning. 
 
 As she crossed Park Lane, on her way home, 
 she looked towards the Howard-house. We are 
 very apt to look curiously at the outside of the 
 habitation which shelters those who interest us, 
 either pleasantly or unpleasantly ; and yet the 
 dirty red bricks, and faded window-blinds, have 
 seldom any intelligence to give. The only food 
 for speculation that met Ellen's eyes, was a 
 hack -cabriolet standing at the door. The 
 driver sat upon the steps, with his head leaning 
 against the iron rails, in the attitude of sleep ; 
 the horse stood with his head drooping, and his 
 ears lying back, as if he were bored as well as 
 tired. It was evident that they had been wait-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 285 
 
 ing there a long time. " Who was it likely to 
 have brought? Probably somebody on busi- 
 ness with Mr. Howard ; or a master to teach 
 
 the children ; or ." Ellen's speculations were 
 
 cut short: — the door opened, and Edward darted 
 from the house into the cabriolet; the driver 
 jumped into his seat; the skeleton of a horse 
 raised its head, pricked up its ears, and gal- 
 loped off at a pace which threatened to place 
 many valuable lives in jeopardy ; and Ellen, re- 
 covering from the violent start she had given, 
 blushing for the half-smothered exclamation' 
 she had uttered, quietly pursued her way. 
 
 Nobody could have guessed that she had just 
 caught a glimpse of a favourite brother, whom 
 she had every reason to hope and believe was 
 at least two hundred miles off. It must be a 
 desperate case indeed, that can lead a well- 
 dressed person to shew any thing like violent 
 emotion in the streets of London. Ellen even 
 heard and answered rationally a few words that
 
 286 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 Lord Raymond addressed to her, as he turned 
 into Grosvenor Gate for an early ride. She could 
 not help fancying that he too had seen Edward, 
 his manner was so grave; but, to be sure, it was 
 often that now. 
 
 This was destined to be a morning of adven- 
 tures. Two little children, with their nursery- 
 maid, were walking before her: — '* Look, 
 Charlie; look ! " said the eldest, — " what a great 
 dog ! is not he a beauty ?'* and she pointed to a 
 Newfoundland dog, which had that moment 
 been set at liberty by the servant who was 
 leading him. The boy watched his obstreper- 
 ous delight with considerable mistrust. '' I 
 don't like him," he answered ; and he caught his 
 nurse's gown, and clung to her for protection. 
 
 " Oh fie ! Master Charles, you a boy, and 
 afraid ; why, there's your sister walking on by 
 herself. Come, let me see you run after her, 
 and behave hke a man." 
 
 " Cecy is bigger than I am," said the boy,
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 287 
 
 pouting his little lip. Nevertheless he loosened 
 his grasp, and did as he was told. The lesson 
 was given at an unfortunate moment. The 
 huge animal, his heart evidently overflowing 
 with general benevolence, leaped upon him, and 
 he fell violently on the pavement. Ellen waited 
 with some trepidation for the cry that would 
 follow, but there was no sound. " That's a 
 good boy not to cry," said the nurse, bustling 
 after him ; " get up, dear, and tell us where the 
 nasty beast has hurt him." 
 
 The child was still lying on the pavement, to 
 all appearance lifeless. She tried to raise him 
 in her arms, but there was neither sense nor 
 motion. The dog, as if sensible of the mischief 
 he had done, crouched by his little victim, and 
 tried to hck his face. " Call him off, man ; 
 call him off!" screamed the woman frantically. 
 My God, he is dead ! — he is killed !" and With 
 that utter want of self-command which is so 
 common in the lower classes, who are not used,
 
 288 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 like their betters, to live " a life of seeming," 
 she sank down on the pavement beside him, 
 and helplessly wrung her hands. 
 
 Ellen looked at the lifeless picture of childish 
 beauty before her, and her heart sickened as she 
 thought of the parents whose treasure would be 
 restored to them thus. Not a minute had yet 
 elapsed, since she had been listening to the tones 
 of his young voice, — so sudden had been the ca- 
 tastrophe ; but a crowd had already gathered 
 around, and Ellen felt that something must be 
 done. She begged one of the most respectable 
 persons near her, to run for a doctor ; and find- 
 ing it impossible to draw any thing like an intel- 
 lioent answer from the nurse, she addressed her- 
 self to the little girl, and asked her name. 
 
 " Cecy Howard ; and I shall be four years 
 old to-morrow. Why does nurse cry so? and 
 why don't Charley speak ?" and the poor child 
 looked frightened and bewildered. 
 
 " I know your mamma, Cecy \ and you shall
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 289 
 
 lake me to her, will you ? Nurse and Charley 
 will come too/' Ellen then having directed her 
 footman to follow slowly with the still uncon- 
 scious boy and his distracted attendant, set off 
 on her melancholy errand, of breaking to Mrs. 
 Howard the calamity which had befallen her. 
 
 " Can I be of no assistance?" said Lord Ray- 
 mond, hastily joining her; I have heard all that 
 has happened ; only tell me, can I be of any 
 use?" Ellen shook her head. '* It was by 
 mere chance that I turned my horse's head in 
 this direction," he said, as if he felt that an 
 apology was necessary for his presence ; *' and 
 then, seeing the crowd, I galloped towards it, 
 fearing — I know not what. You must let me 
 take care of you." 
 
 Ellen did not refuse his offered arm ; for, 
 overcome by the scene she had witnessed, and 
 dread of that which she had yet to encounter, 
 she trembled violently, and could hardly sup- 
 port herself. Lord Raymond looked at her 
 
 VOL. I. o
 
 290 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 compassionately, — " Had you not better leave 
 the task of preparation to me? I can see 
 Howard, — I will do all that is necessary, — this 
 has been such a trying morning to you/* Then, 
 after a moment's hesitation, he added, " Could 
 I have been mistaken, or was it Edward whom 
 I saw?" The tears which stood in Ellen's 
 eyes were answer enough ; and she attempted 
 no other. " Dear, dear Lady Ellen, this once 
 let me speak to you as a friend, and do not 
 shrink from me. Listen to me as if I were 
 Edward himself, or," he added with a troubled 
 smile — ^' Frederick Percival. If this sudden 
 appearance of Edward's has given you anxiety ; 
 if you fear some evil in this mystery ; tell me if 
 there is no possible way in which I can be of 
 service to you, or rather to him. He is too gene- 
 rous to resent the interference of a friend ?" 
 
 " He would feel your kindness as I do," 
 Ellen answered ; " and, indeed, I am most 
 grateful. But nothing can be done; I do not
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 291 
 
 even know where he is to be found. Say 
 nothing of having seen him ; it would only make 
 papa unhappy." 
 
 She spoke hurriedly, for they had reached Mr. 
 Howard's house. He was out, the servant said ; 
 and so was Miss Rivers. Ellen had no choice 
 but to seek Mrs. Howard herself. Even at that 
 moment the thought crossed her mind, that five 
 minutes sooner she would have found Edward 
 there; and how would he have felt? 
 
 One word sufficed to rouse the mother's fears. 
 The sounds of feet and voices were heard in the 
 hall ; and the wailing tones of a woman's voice. 
 Who, that has been struck with sudden cala- 
 mity, does not remember, with dreadful distinct- 
 ness, every sight and sound of that fearful mo- 
 ment, when we feel that the hand of Heaven 
 has fallen upon us, and know not what blessing 
 has been brought low ? 
 
 Mrs. Howard neither shrieked nor trembled ; 
 but she knelt breathlessly by the sofa on which 
 o2
 
 292 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 they had laid her lifeless boy, *' Hush, woman — 
 hush !'' she said to the nurse, whose grief was 
 still vociferous, ** you frighten me — you frighten 
 him — he is not dead. I tell you it is impossi- 
 ble — that clock has not struck since he was 
 playing here, and laughing joyously. My dar- 
 ling, speak to me" — and she snatched him from 
 Ellen, who was chafing his temples, and covered 
 him with passionate kisses, and pressed him to 
 her heart, as if he could catch life from thence. 
 *' Speak to me," she said imploringly to Ellen, 
 — *' tell me that he will not die ! Why does 
 not any body try to help me? — send for his 
 father — Oh ! my God, he is not here ! — he is 
 in the country, and it was I who persuaded 
 him to go." 
 
 These words brought painful convictions to 
 Ellen, that Edward's visit had been expected 
 byUier, and that it was to be concealed from 
 her husband. Yet when she saw her increas- 
 ing agony, as the minutes went slowly by, and
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 293 
 
 her child gave no sign of returning animation, 
 as she listened to her prayers for mercy — such 
 prayers as in the hour of trial will burst even 
 from the hearts of those who have revelled in 
 blessings, and returned no worship — she felt 
 that her heart could not be depraved — that she, 
 who so doated upon her children, could never 
 contemplate forsaking their own and their 
 father's home, and bringing down shame and 
 disgrace upon their names. 
 
 A carriage now drove up to the door, and 
 Ellen, in the hope that it brought medical as- 
 sistance, eagerly advanced, and leant over the 
 staircase ; but she was disappointed, it was 
 Harriet Rivers who spoke. 
 
 '^ Is Mr. Glanville gone ?" were the first 
 words she uttered. 
 
 Ellen again retreated to the room she had 
 just quitted, and was almost immediately fol- 
 lowed by Miss Rivers. Her face was colour- 
 less, and her tears fell fast, as she looked at
 
 294 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 the fixed and death-like features of her little 
 favourite; but she spoke words of hope and 
 comfort to the grieving mother, and thanked 
 Ellen, with the warmest gratitude, for the kind- 
 ness she had shewn. It was very provoking 
 that she never would appear in the same 
 character two days together. Ellen, who in 
 the plenitude of her dislike had settled that 
 she was artificial and unfeeling, was quite 
 thrown out by this natural display of emotion, 
 which did not prevent her from thinking of 
 every thing that was possible and proper to be 
 done. She soothed and scolded the nurse into 
 silence and usefulness — sent off the carriage in 
 quest of an eminent surgeon^and despatched 
 an express to recall Mr. Howard. Where he 
 was gone did not appear. 
 
 " My poor, poor aunt! what a shock this has 
 been to her ! What would she have done 
 without you ? For I imagine that you must 
 have found her here alone ?"
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 295 
 
 She waited for the answer to her question 
 in evident trepidation — an answer by which 
 Ellen would unconsciously convey to her much 
 valuable information. Ellen felt that such was 
 her reasoning, and scorned the character which 
 at such a time could bring into play such 
 ready artifice and presence of mind. She was 
 now able again to dislike her very comfortably. 
 
 Ellen began to feel as if she had no business 
 to remain there longer ; but real anxiety for 
 the surgeon's opinion induced her to linger on. 
 It was favourable, though guarded. She waited 
 long enough to see the child exhibit some faint 
 signs of returning animation, and to hear the 
 mother gasp out her gratitude and joy. She then 
 returned home with an almost hopeless expecta- 
 tion that she might find that Edward had been 
 to seek her. But she heard no tidings of him ; 
 and two days afterwards she received a letter 
 from him, dated from the town where his regi- 
 ment was stationed, compassionating himself for
 
 296 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 leading the dullest life to which mortal man 
 had ever been condemned, and making no 
 mention of the small variation in it, which his 
 journey to London might be supposed to have 
 afforded. 
 
 Ellen began to think that there were two 
 Edward Glanvilles in the world.
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 297 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 She had a union of rare qualities — 
 
 A mind of manly volume — calm and clear — 
 
 Softened by feminine simplicity ; 
 
 Of a free speech from very guilelessness — 
 
 A brave, confiding, loving, constant spirit. 
 
 Siege of Antwerp. 
 
 " A solemn coxcomb, sir, 
 A fellow who will discourse an infinite deal of nothing." 
 
 Ellen felt rather uncomfortable, at having in- 
 voluntarily betrayed to Lord Raymond her fears 
 about Edward. She had determined only to con- 
 verse with him so long as she could keep conver- 
 sation confined to the most general topics ; and 
 now she had done something very hke giving him 
 her confidence, upon a subject of pecuhar inte- 
 od
 
 298 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 rest to her ; at least she had done the next thing 
 to it, by begging hina to keep silence on what he 
 had seen. She was very anxious for the hour 
 to arrive when Frederick usually paid his daily 
 visit ; and when at last he came, she at once 
 related to him all the events of the morning, 
 all the reports which she had heard respecting 
 Edward's intimacy with the Howards, and her 
 own distrust of Harriet Rivers. 
 
 It was satisfactory to find that she could say 
 all this to Frederick ; for nothing could have in- 
 duced her to talk so openly to Lord Raymond, 
 of her own opinions and sentiments. She was 
 now very much satisfied with herself; and what 
 was still more to the purpose, she was very 
 much comforted by all that Frederick said in 
 return. 
 
 He had lost sight of the Rivers' family for 
 some years ; but as a boy he had known them 
 intimately. Mr, Rivers was a Liverpool mer- 
 chant, and his own family property was within
 
 THE QLANVILLE FAMILY. 299 
 
 a few miles of Liverpool. The Percivals had 
 never been rich ; and when the increasing ex- 
 penses of an increasing family made it impossi- 
 ble for them to remain longer on " their own 
 and their father's land," there had been some 
 talk of letting their house to Mr. Rivers — it 
 would be pleasanter than seeing it pass into 
 the hands of a stranger. But at the very time 
 that they finally decided to leave England, they 
 heard of the total ruin of Mr. Rivers. 
 
 Frederick forgot the particulars; he only knew 
 that Mr. Rivers was supposed to have behaved 
 with the strictest honour — that the demand of 
 every creditor was satisfied— and that he now 
 lived with his family in a small cottage, not far 
 from their former residence. 
 
 Frederick was about nineteen when all this 
 happened. He was the pride and hope of his 
 father's life, whose final determination to re- 
 side abroad for some years, was brought about 
 by finding that it was only by that measure he
 
 300 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 should be enabled to meet the necessary ex- 
 penses which Frederick's education at college 
 would entail. He, as well as the rest of his 
 family, was often with the Rivers', during this 
 time of confusion and distress ; and he then 
 saw a great deal, and heard yet more, of Clara 
 Seton ; — for she was not then married to Mr. 
 Howard. She had been early left an orphan, 
 and resided almost entirely with Mr. Rivers, 
 who was her guardian. Frederick well remem- 
 bered the high terms in which Mrs. Rivers 
 always mentioned her. His own mother too 
 was constantly talking of her good sense, her 
 exertions, her affection for the family who had 
 adopted her. It seemed the most natural thing 
 in the world that Mr. Howard, Mrs. Rivers's 
 brother, should fall in love with her the instant 
 he saw her, and marry her as soon as she would 
 allow him to do so. In that part of the world 
 he was considered a very superior kind of man, 
 rather lively than otherwise. Our ideas of a
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 301 
 
 superior kind of man, are very much modified 
 when we are two hundred miles from London. 
 
 Frederick thought too highly of Edward to 
 suppose, that for his own selfish gratification 
 he would risk destroying the happiness and 
 respectability of such a woman, or repay Mr. 
 Howard's kindness by such base ingratitude. 
 He also thought so highly of Mrs. Howard, as 
 to be certain, that if there were the slightest 
 truth in the reports of his being in love with 
 her, she would never allow him to be so con- 
 stantly at her house. He was a little staggered 
 when Ellen told him how positively Edward 
 had denied that Miss Rivers was the object of 
 his frequent visits : it was a fact which rather 
 threw him out. He had thought it very natu- 
 ral that Edward should fall in love with such 
 beauty, and be shy of owning that he was 
 going to wed with such poverty ; — that to all his 
 other imprudences, he was about to add the 
 most irretrievable of all — an imprudent mar-
 
 302 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 riage ; and in this case there were family rea- 
 sons, which Frederick did know, though Ellen 
 did not, which would make such a step pecu- 
 liarly injurious to Edward's future prospects. 
 Edward, however, was not very apt to look to 
 the future. Perhaps he thought that Lord Lind- 
 say looked enough for both. He was mistaken 
 there — Lord Lindsay only looked for one, and 
 that one was himself. 
 
 Frederick was now very much puzzled to 
 find a satisfactory reason for Edward's appear- 
 ance in Park Lane ; and on the very day too 
 that Mr. Howard was absent. He had been 
 wondering why Ellen seemed so seriously fret- 
 ted about it. The worst he foresaw was one of 
 those hopeless, eternal attachments, which, it 
 might be reasonably expected, a few months 
 would put an end to. Edward would rave, and 
 Harriet would cry; but they could not rave 
 and cry for ever. Harriet's family would never 
 be mad enough to hear of such a marriage,
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 303 
 
 when they came to inquire into the state of 
 Edward's affairs, and should find that a few 
 fagg-ends of debts were all that he had to pro- 
 duce. It was at least not likely that any ef- 
 forts would be made to secure him. But Mrs. 
 Howard — if he were to commit himself there, 
 it would be every way ruin ; and though Frede- 
 rick had been proving, for the last half hour, 
 that such a result was not possible, he felt that 
 as the world goes, nothing unfortunately could 
 be more so. True, Mrs. Howard was all that 
 he had said when he knew her; but she, 
 who at eighteen was a sensible affectionate 
 girl, might at twenty-five be an unhappy, un- 
 loving wife. Mr. Howard was so very fat and 
 complacent; and some people are really irri- 
 tated by unchanging fat and complacency. 
 And then there was Edward, generous, warm- 
 hearted, popular, and so on. But Frederick 
 doubted whether his notions upon some points 
 were remarkably strict, and he might be led
 
 304 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 on by love, perhaps by vanity, and the want 
 of excitement still more likely, till the peace 
 and happiness of both should be wrecked. Men 
 do a great many foolish and wicked things 
 themselves, and persuade others to do foolish 
 and wicked things also, from the love of ex- 
 citement. It would save a prodigious deal of 
 crime and misery, if they would contrive to fill 
 up their idle moments, like women, by counting 
 threads, and passing their needles through a 
 piece of canvass. 
 
 All these after-reflections Frederick kept to 
 himself. He was decidedly of opinion that it 
 was a case in which interference could do no 
 good ; so he was glad that he had made the best 
 of it to Ellen. He could give her no new lights 
 about Miss Rivers, she was so very young at 
 the time of which he had been speaking. He 
 remembered her as a beautiful petted girl of 
 twelve or thirteen, from whom the troubles of 
 her family were as much kept as possible ; be-
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 305 
 
 cause, as her mother said, it was hard to darken 
 so young a mind with regrets for luxuries to 
 which she must henceforth be a stranger; or 
 teach her to view, as one of privation, the lot to 
 which she was destined. Frederick had been 
 to Mrs. Howard's house several times before 
 Ellen came to town this season ; but the aunt 
 had talked more to him than the niece; he did 
 not think her very easy to get on with. 
 
 They were now interrupted by the entrance 
 of Charles Dalrymple. He was certainly a 
 most attentive brother-in-law. There was no 
 hour of the day which Ellen felt was securely 
 her own, he was so much in the habit of divid- 
 ing them with her. When he had sat with her 
 for an hour in the morning, she could not, with- 
 out presumption, flatter herself that her Charles 
 Dalrymple bit of the day was done; his knock 
 at the door might again, in the afternoon, sound 
 to her as " a dreadful note of preparation" for 
 such another infliction. She actually fancied
 
 306 
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 there was something in his knock, quite differ- 
 ent from any other person's knock — character- 
 istic and tiresome. And then she resented 
 having to pay so dearly for the calculation 
 which induced Ehzabeth to marry a man whose 
 society bored her. She could not but suspect 
 that when he was puzzled himself, or Elizabeth 
 was puzzled what to do with him, she invented 
 some message which would take him to Gros- 
 venor Square, and give him over to Ellen for an 
 hour or two. 
 
 She was not to flatter herself though, that 
 she was his first object this morning. He 
 came in quest of Frederick. He had already 
 been to his house and had missed him ; 
 and it would have been most distressing, most 
 embarrassing, if he had not met him now. In 
 fact, he was walking about in the character of a 
 legislator and a patriot. " I will talk to you 
 presently, my dear Ellen," he said, slightly 
 waving her aside with his hand ; " but I have a
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 307 
 
 little real business to discuss with Percival, and 
 that I fancy will hardly be in your way/' 
 
 Ellen felt very poor and mean indeed, as, with 
 a look of mock humility that almost made Perci- 
 val laugh, she sat down to her drawing", till her 
 brother-in-law should again think her compe- 
 tent to take part in the conversation. 
 
 *' You are aware," he began, addressing him- 
 self to Frederick, •' that to-morrow the import- 
 ant measure will be brought forward, and I am 
 anxious to know what is the line you mean to 
 take." 
 
 Frederick was exceedingly puzzled to know 
 what was the important measure to which he 
 alluded, — Reform — Slavery — Irish Church — 
 English Church, — all these words ran rapidly 
 through his brain ; but these were questions 
 that were either settled or unsettled to the 
 country's satisfaction : some said the first — 
 some the last. There will be dififerent opinions 
 about every thing ; and they can all be proved
 
 308 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 to be right and wrong. Frederick would have 
 a speech to make upon a pet little measure of 
 his own, which he was rather anxious that 
 Ellen should hear; but he did not suspect Mr. 
 Dalrymple of knowing any thing about that. 
 He cast a distressed look towards Ellen, which 
 she only answered by a shake of her head ; for 
 she had no information to give. 
 
 " I am ashamed to confess/' said Frederick 
 at last, '' that I do not know what is the mea- 
 sure to which you allude." 
 
 ** Good heavens ! how extraordinary ! is it 
 possible that you are not aware that it comes 
 on to-night? Surely the fact was mentioned 
 in the three letters and most of the printed 
 papers I sent." 
 
 "It! — what? you really must be a little more 
 explicit," Frederick said, growing impatient; for 
 he began to recollect that his minutes were too 
 precious to throw away. He had forgotten that 
 while he talked to Ellen, and perhaps it might
 
 THE GLA>'VILLE FAMILY. 309 
 
 not have struck him now, if Charles had not 
 
 been standing exactly between her and him. 
 " You surely received my letters! — you surely 
 
 read the papers! — you examined the little map?" 
 
 asked Charles in a tone of increasing anxiety ; 
 
 " your view of the subject cannot be different 
 
 from mine?" 
 
 That Charles had any view upon any subject, 
 
 it yet remained for Frederick to discover; but 
 
 the little map threw a ray of light upon the 
 
 business. 
 
 " Oh ! the petition about the rail-road, which 
 
 is likely to pass through your Linden property, 
 
 — that is presented to-night, is it?" 
 
 " It has nothing on earth to do with the 
 Linden property. In my second statement, I 
 particularly mentioned that it was the Rankin 
 farms which were likely to be injured. However, 
 we will say no more on the subject," Charles 
 answered, while his thin lips grew thin- 
 ner, and his whity-brown complexion turned
 
 310 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 whily red. *^ It seems to me that this business 
 does not come within your powers ; it requires 
 great nicety of mind to take in the details. I 
 had ventured to hope, that as a friend of the 
 family, you would have exerted yourself to 
 understand what so nearly concerns its interests. 
 Perhaps it will be better to leave the whole 
 affair in the hands of Mr. Trevor, our county 
 member. I have been with him every day for 
 the last fortnight, and he told me, yesterday, 
 that he saw no necessity for hearing more on 
 the subject ; so he is prepared." 
 
 " Yes/' Frederick said, " it would perhaps 
 be better to leave it with him ;" but he ap- 
 prehended little more would pass than ordering 
 the petition to lie on the table. 
 
 *' Pardon me ; you seem not to be aware of 
 the importance of the business. My baihff, 
 who lives within two miles of my own residence, 
 would actually hear the noise of the train of 
 carriages, if he were to sit with his windows
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY^ 311 
 
 open. But let us talk about other things. — 
 Ellen, is the basket you are painting in the 
 boy's hand, full of oranges, or apples?" 
 
 It was now Frederick's turn to be set aside. 
 Indeed Charles's opinion of his talents was 
 considerably shaken. It was but natural to 
 make the change ; so he ran on with a string of 
 questions to Ellen, and took no more notice of 
 Frederick than if he had not been in the room. 
 Ellen did not feel the distinction quite as grate- 
 fully as she ought. 
 
 Before he took leave, Frederick asked 
 whether there would be any chance of her 
 coming to the ventilator the next day — he 
 thought it likely to be rather an amusing night ; 
 " to say nothing," he added with a smile, " of 
 the family interest which will come under 
 discussion.'^ 
 
 This moUified Charles ; it was impossible he 
 could guess that Frederick simply feltr he should 
 speak well, and wished Ellen to hear him.
 
 312 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 There are other people in the world, cleverer 
 than Charles Dalrymple, who habitually fancy 
 that others speak from their motives, and act 
 for their interests. It is not an unpleasant de- 
 lusion, but a delusion it almost always is. 
 
 "I have already/' Charles said, ''taken 
 measures to obtain an order for Lady Elizabeth, 
 finding that my mother apprehends no evil 
 from the exertion, if her stay is not prolonged. 
 I make no doubt of my success, as I under- 
 stand that Mr. S is very particular about 
 
 giving them to all those immediately interested 
 in what is going on.'' 
 
 Ellen at once acceded to Frederick's wish. 
 Lord Mordaunt would again have pronounced 
 her a keen politician ; but she had her own sus- 
 picions that she was rather bored than other- 
 wise in the dark roof of the House of Commons, 
 — her head poked through a hole, breathing 
 bad air, with women talking violent nonsense 
 beside her, and men talking violent sense be- 
 neath. Still it was a satisfaction to her to go
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 313 
 
 anywhere, where Frederick must be her first 
 and only object. Perhaps she felt that it was 
 a right preparation for undertaking, what Eli- 
 zabeth called, the miserable situation of a poli- 
 tician's wife. 
 
 A loud knock was now heard at the door, 
 and Frederick made his escape. 
 
 *' It has struck four/' said Ellen, trying to 
 quiet her brother-in-law's nerves, for he looked 
 fidgetty ; *' and I told them to let in nobody 
 after that, as I have persuaded papa to take a 
 drive with me." 
 
 Charles, who had stolen stealthily to the 
 window to reconnoitre, ran nimbly towards the 
 bell, and pulled it with energy. " It is Lady 
 Hamilton, Ellen. Of course you do not wish 
 her to be denied. If the porter has any sense, 
 he will guess that ring meant something. Xo 
 — the foolish fellow has sent her away. What 
 idiots servants are, always doing just what 
 they are told, and your carriage waiting there! 
 
 VOL. I. p
 
 314 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 She must have known you were at home." He 
 turned round, looking so seriously distressed that 
 Ellen, though half laughing, and half provoked 
 at not being allowed to manage her own visitors, 
 did her best to comfort him. 
 
 '^ She is the last person likely to mind ; she 
 knows that papa often drives at this hour, and 
 that I never keep him waiting.'^ 
 
 " Oh ! of course. Lady Elizabeth would do 
 the same thing in such a case. Lady Elizabeth 
 would not stand more in awe of Lady Hamilton 
 than you do. But you know she only sent her 
 card to our house instead of calling, and I 
 should have been glad of an opportunity to let 
 fall in conversation, that Lady Elizabeth had 
 herself been at her door. If you had consi- 
 dered a little, Ellen, you would have remem- 
 bered that I wished to meet Lady Hamilton. 
 It would be just as easy for her to call in 
 Brook-street as here." 
 
 Ellen had no time to settle whethei it would
 
 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 315 
 
 be easy or difficult for Lady Hamilton to call in 
 Brook-street ; though judging from Charles's 
 statement, it was the last. He now looked very 
 much discomposed, and shewed no intention of 
 moving; so Ellen's drive with Lord Mordaunt 
 was evidently considered of no consequence. 
 
 By way of making a graceful retreat, she 
 said that she must treat him as she had treated 
 Lady Hamilton, and not allow him to make her 
 late. She could not have said a more flatter- 
 ing thing ; his self-complacency was immedi- 
 ately restored ; he gave Lord Mordaunt his arm 
 to the carriage, handed Ellen into it, and 
 having ascertained that they were only going 
 to drive in the park, he stepped into it himself, 
 allaying any fears Ellen might have entertained 
 for his dignity and comfort, by assuring her, 
 that he did not the least mind sitting back- 
 wards. It was a sad blow to the comfort of 
 both father and daughter ; but Lord Mordaunt 
 leant back with his eyes shut, and left Ellen,
 
 316 THE GLANVILLE FAMILY. 
 
 like a devoted daughter as she was, to receive 
 the constant volley of small questions and re- 
 marks that Charles fired across. She really 
 felt indignant when Elizabeth kissed her hand 
 to them, as she returned from her comfortable 
 solitary -drive. 
 
 END OF VOL. 
 
 ■ STEWART AND MURRAY, PRINTERS, OLD BAILEY.
 
 3 0112 045857601 
 
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