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 A MARRIAGE 
 
 IN HIGH LIFE, 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 THE AUTHORESS OF ' FLIRTATION.^ 
 
 " I was compelled to her — but I love thee 
 By love's own sweet constraint." 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES. 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 HENRY COLBURN, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 
 
 1828.
 
 MA 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 IBOTSON AND PALMER, PRINTERS, SAVOY STREET, STRAKD.
 
 no 
 
 I 
 
 PREFACE, 
 
 The following pages, which I now 
 offer to the public, may, perhaps, not 
 attract general interest; they contain 
 merely a few passages in the history of 
 the heart and feelings of an individual 
 placed in singular and trying circum- 
 stances; but those who should recog- 
 nize beneath the feigned name of Lady 
 Fitzhenry, one whom they may remem- 
 ber to have seen in the gay scenes of
 
 IV PREFACE. 
 
 fashionable life, will probably feel some 
 interest in the events which occasioned 
 her first introduction into the world, 
 and her sudden disappearance from it. 
 
 THE EDITOR.
 
 MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 A mon avis, I'Hymen et ses Hens 
 
 Sont les plus grands, ou des maux, ou des biens ; 
 
 Point de milieu ; I'etat du manage 
 
 Est des humains le plus cher avantage. 
 
 Quand le rapport des esprits, des coeurs 
 
 Des sentimens, des gouts, et des humeurs, 
 
 Serre ces liens tissus par la nature 
 
 Que I'amour forme, et que Thonneui epure. 
 
 L'Enfant Prodiol-e, 
 
 Towards the end of a London spring, 
 that is to say, about the middle of Au- 
 gust, was married by special license, 
 
 VOL. I. B
 
 2 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 at her father's house in Harley Street, 
 Emmeline Benson to Ernest, Lord Fitz- 
 henry, only son of the Earl of Arlingford. 
 
 The ceremony was like most others 
 of its kind ; the drawing-room was 
 crowded with relations and friends on 
 both sides, dressed in congratulatory 
 smiles, and new bridal finery. 
 
 Emmeline's father, an opulent city 
 merchant and banker, appeared arrayed 
 in a complete new suit for the occasion. 
 The first gloss was not off his coat, 
 which hung stiff upon him, as if not 
 yet reconciled to the homely person to 
 which it was destined to belong, while 
 each separate bright button reflected 
 the collected company. His counte- 
 nance glowing with happiness, he busied 
 himself in attentions to his guests, pro-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 3 
 
 yoking, by his remarks, those congra- 
 tulations which flattered his pride and 
 parental fondness ; and, with bustling 
 joy, making the necessary preliminary 
 arrangements for the ceremony about to 
 take place, which was to raise his only 
 and beloved child to that elevated situ- 
 ation in life, in which it had ever been 
 the first wish of his heart to see her 
 placed, and which his partial affection 
 thought her so well fitted to grace. 
 
 Mrs. Benson's feelings seemed of a 
 less joyous nature, and sometimes, even 
 a tear started into her eye, in spite of 
 herself, when she endeavoured to smile 
 in return to the kind wishes of her 
 friends. She was too fond a mother not 
 to feel painfully the loss of her daugh- 
 ter; and that feeling was not unmixed 
 
 B 2
 
 4 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE- 
 
 with anxiety, in giving her to one of 
 whom (of late years at least) she per- 
 sonally knew but little. 
 
 All were now assembled excepting 
 the bride and bridegroom. The father 
 of the latter, apparently as much de- 
 lighted as Mr. Benson himself with the 
 intended union, being of course among 
 the company. But Lord Fitzhenry did 
 not appear! Various conjectures were 
 formed as to his absence. One person 
 declared he had observed his carriage at 
 the door of his lodgings as he had 
 passed ; another, that he was certain he 
 had seen him in a distant part of the 
 town not long before. The delay was be- 
 ginning to be awkward, and at every dis- 
 tant sound of wheels, both fathers looked 
 anxiously along the street, but in vain.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 5 
 
 Gradually the conversation of the 
 guests lowered itself into whispers, as 
 some new surmise was started with re- 
 gard to the possible cause of this strange 
 absence of the most important personage 
 at so important a moment. But even 
 these whispers died away from lack of 
 new ideas on the subject, and the now 
 total silence was only occasionally 
 broken by the rustling of the clergyman's 
 surplice, when he left his post before 
 the large family prayer-book- (laid open 
 ready at the marriage ceremony) with 
 the benevolent wish, by some common- 
 place observation, to dissipate the un- 
 pleasant feelings which seemed to infect 
 all present; or when he followed Mr. 
 Benson to the window, whither he had 
 taken up his station of observation in
 
 6 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 the hopes of being the first to give the 
 much wished-for news of the approach- 
 ing bridegroom. Poor Mrs. Benson's 
 cheeks became momentarily of a deeper 
 and deeper dye^ and she betrayed her 
 anxious agitation by the nervous twitch- 
 ing of the gold chain round her neck, 
 to which was suspended her daughter's 
 portrait, and the constant arranging of 
 her lace shawl, which she regularly each 
 time pulled off her shoulders. At last, 
 the welcome rattle of a carriage driving 
 furiously was heard. It stopped at Mr. 
 Benson's door, and in a minute Lord 
 Fitzhenry, with a flushed cheek, hurried 
 into the drawing-room. 
 
 Awkward as such an entrance must 
 naturally be, still his agitation seemed 
 even beyond what the circumstances of
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 7 
 
 the moment would have been likely to 
 produce on a young man of the world. 
 
 Lord Fitzhenry, at twenty-seven, was 
 remarkably good-looking; and on his 
 countenance and whole figure was that 
 stamp of high birth, which, even where 
 beauty does not exist, more than com- 
 pensates for its absence. The general 
 character of his countenance was that of 
 openness and good humour; but an 
 agitated, even a melancholy expression 
 now clouded it, which all noticed. 
 
 " Marriage is certainly an awful cere- 
 mony," whispered an elderly lady to 
 Mrs. Benson ; '' and 1 am glad to see his 
 lordship betraying so much feeling and 
 seriousness at such a moment. It is a 
 good sign in a young man." The poor 
 trembling mother scarcely heard the
 
 8 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 remark, nor was there much time for 
 more observation, for Mr. Benson had 
 already left the room, and in a few 
 minutes returned, leading in his daugh- 
 ter. 
 
 Emmeline was nineteen. She was 
 slightly formed, had a most winning 
 countenance, innocent laughing eyes, 
 and a delicate, fair complexion, al- 
 though now deepened into crimson, in 
 her cheeks, by the agitation of the mo- 
 ment, as w^as very apparent, even through 
 the folds of the beautiful lace veil that 
 hung all over her. 
 
 The marriage ceremony commenced 
 immediately. As it proceeded, the 
 bridegroom trembled violently. When 
 called upon to pronounce his vow, his 
 voice was scarcely audible ; and as he
 
 A MARRlAfJE IN HIGH LIFE. U 
 
 placed the ring on his bride's hand, he 
 nearly let it fall to the ground. 
 
 But all was soon finally said and 
 done — so few are the words which, once 
 read over, totally change our existence, 
 and fix our fate in life for ever! The 
 usual congratulations passed, and the 
 chaise and four, decorated with bridal 
 favours, rattled to the door. 
 
 Emmeline threw herself sobbing into 
 her mother's arms — the first sob, since 
 those of childhood, which had ever been 
 wrung from her light heart. Her proud 
 father gaily kissed her cheek, address- 
 ing her by her new title of '* Lady Fitz- 
 henry ;" then, drawing her arm within 
 his, hurried her down stairs, placed her 
 in the carriage, into which the bride- 
 groom followed, and the '* happy pair"
 
 10 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 drove off as fast as four post horses 
 could convey them. 
 
 How blank such moments are to those 
 who remain behind ! The company soon 
 separated after the usual breakfast, and 
 Mr. and Mrs. Benson were left alone. 
 
 All excitement over, the deserted mo- 
 ther's spirits then sank; mournfully she 
 paced the now silent room, and mecha- 
 nically removed from the table Emme- 
 line's work-box, which she had left 
 behind her, gazing on her name, en- 
 graven on the lid, till her tears burst 
 forth. Her distress roused Mr. Benson 
 from the trance of exultation in which 
 he had been lost as he watched the last 
 bridal carriage that had driven from the 
 door, and he kindly hastened to his 
 wife.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 11 
 
 ** Why, my good woman, crying! 
 and on such a day ! when you should be 
 so happy — for shame! for shame!" 
 
 Mrs. Benson shook her head mourn- 
 fully. *' God grant it indeed prove a 
 happy day! may our beloved child be 
 so!" and she sighed deeply. 
 
 " Why, how can you doubt she will ?" 
 said her husband; ** she has everything 
 this world can give; rank!" (and he laid 
 a great stress on that word,) '' riches, 
 youth; and, for a husband, a most ex- 
 cellent and accomplished young man, of 
 whom every one speaks well. None of 
 your gamblers, jockies, spendthrifts. T 
 am sure Emmeline and ourselves are the 
 envy of all our acquaintance. Any one 
 might be pleased and proud to see his 
 daughter so well married."
 
 12 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 Mrs. Benson again sighed, wiped 
 away her tears, and then quietly re- 
 turned to her usual avocations. 
 
 Meanwhile, Lord and Lady Fitzhenry 
 travelled on, and a few hours brought 
 them to Arlingford Hall, which, on his 
 son's marriage. Lord Arlingford had 
 given up to him, meaning to reside 
 himself at a villa at Wimbledon ; his 
 health, which had of late been very pre- 
 carious, making a near residence to 
 town advisable. 
 
 Arlingford Hall, which was in Hamp- 
 shire, had been completely repaired and 
 refurnished for the new married couple ; 
 Lord Fitzhenry having himself been 
 much there lately, superintending the 
 alterations. At least, that occupation 
 was always mentioned as an apology for
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 13 
 
 his absence from town, and for his not 
 attending more assiduously on his future 
 bride. 
 
 During the journey, Lord Fitzhenry's 
 agitation and abstraction rather en- 
 creased, and it could no longer escape 
 Emmeline's observation. His conver- 
 sation was forced ; in his manner towards 
 her he was punctiliously attentive and 
 civil — but perfectly cold and distant. 
 
 When they arrived at Arlingford, all 
 the servants were assembled in the hall 
 to receive them; a numerous and re- 
 spectable group, who, by the tears of joy 
 which some of them shed, seemed most 
 sincerely to partake in the supposed 
 happiness of their young master. One 
 of them, who stood apart from the rest, 
 even ventured to address him with par-
 
 14 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 ticular congratulation as with the fami- 
 liarity of an old friend, and to give 
 Emmeline his blessing. 
 
 ** Thank you, Reynolds, thank you," 
 said Fitzhenry hastily, as he shook the 
 old man by the hand. 
 
 Emmeline's heart was cast in nature's 
 best mould, and this simple action of 
 her husband found its way to it. She 
 smiling raised her tearful eyes to his 
 face, but the expression she there found, 
 soon made her again cast them down. 
 The scene seemed to have totally dis- 
 composed him ; and, in an awkward, 
 hurried manner, thanking the rest of 
 the servants, he led the way to the 
 drawing-room. Dinner was ordered 
 directly, and all seemed so zealous to 
 serve their young master and mistress,
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 15 
 
 that it was not long coming, but still 
 there was an awful pause. 
 
 Lord Fitzhenry walked up and down 
 the room, forced himself to speak, then, 
 suddenly, as if recollecting that some 
 degree of gallant attention was to be 
 expected from him, a bridegroom of only 
 six or eight hours, he hurried up to 
 Emmeline and helped her off with her 
 shawl ; but his manner was so odd, so 
 unlover-like, that it at last alarmed even 
 her innocent, unsuspecting mind, and 
 she timidly asked if he was not well. 
 He started at her question, and seemed 
 much embarrassed; but, after a mo- 
 ment's pause, replied, ** The journey, 
 the hurry, I suppose ; indeed, I hardly 
 know what, but something has given me 
 a dreadful headache."
 
 16 A MARRIAGE IN HIGU LIFE. 
 
 And then, as if roused by her remark 
 to a sense of the strangeness of his be- 
 haviour, he put more force upon himself, 
 showed her the public rooms, her own 
 sitting room, in which were collected 
 books, musical instruments, and every 
 possible means of amusement. In an- 
 swer to her enquiries, explained to Em- 
 meline who were her new relations that 
 hung framed on the walls; and, when 
 she admired the comfort of the house, 
 and particularly of her own boudoir, he 
 said something about hoping she would 
 be happy in it, but the phrase died 
 away in uncertain accents. 
 
 Dinner at length came to his relief; 
 he then was attention itself, but the re- 
 past could not last for ever; and, when 
 the servants had left the room, Lord
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 17 
 
 Fitzhenry's embarrassment returned 
 worse than before. Emmeline had lived 
 so little in society, and, consequently, 
 had so little the habit of general conver- 
 sation — and the six years during which 
 she and her husband had been sepa- 
 rated, had so entirely broken off the first 
 intimacy which had existed between 
 them when children, that, timid in his 
 company, and now unassisted and un- 
 encouraged by him, she felt it impos- 
 sible to keep up any thing like conver- 
 sation. It was, therefore, no small relief 
 when, after an awkwardly protracted 
 silence, she saw him leave the room. 
 
 As the door closed upon him, Emme- 
 line involuntarily fell into a reverie not 
 of the most pleasing nature. *' This is 
 all very strange!" thought she; and over
 
 18 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 her usually gay countenance a sadness 
 crept. She sighed, she hardly knew 
 why; and, when her thoughts wandered 
 back to her former happy home, her 
 parents, and their doating fondness, 
 some '' natural tears " stole down her 
 cheek, and she felt herself, as in a dream, 
 neglected and deserted. 
 
 But Emmeline was not in love; and 
 her husband's behaviour, though it as- 
 tonished her, and though she felt it was 
 not what it ought to be, did not wound 
 her heart as it otherwise would have 
 done. 
 
 Emmeline was very young, even for 
 her age. With a most superior mind and 
 character, with tender, even romantic 
 feelings, her innocence and simplicity of 
 heart were so great, and all her qualities
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 19 
 
 had as yet lain so dormant, that her cha- 
 racter was scarcely known even to herself; 
 and, to common observers, she passed 
 for a mere gay, good-humoured, pleasing 
 girl. She was, however, no common 
 character, nor what one would have sup- 
 posed the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. 
 Benson to have been. Nature sometimes 
 seems to amuse herself with playing 
 such fanciful tricks; and Emmeline's 
 natural superiority made it appear as if 
 she had been thrown into a sphere to- 
 tally different from that for which she 
 had been originally designed, and that 
 she now was only restored to her own 
 proper station, when raised, by her 
 marriage, to be the companion of Fitz- 
 henry. 
 
 To explain how such a being came to
 
 20 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 be thus passively united to a man who 
 seemed already to have repented the 
 step he had taken, it will be necessary 
 to go back a little in our narrative.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 21 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Do I entice you ? do I speak you fair ? 
 
 Or rather, do I not in plainest truth 
 
 Tell you — I do not, nor I cannot love you ? 
 
 Midsummer Night's Dream. 
 
 Lord Ar ling ford had, early in life, 
 entangled himself in pecuniary difficul- 
 ties by every species of thoughtless ex- 
 travagance, in which an expensive, 
 fashionable wife had assisted him. Her 
 fortune and health both soon declined, 
 and a consumption rapidly carried her to 
 the grave while still in the prime of life,
 
 22 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 and when her only child, Ernest, was but 
 ten years old. That which extravagance 
 began, indolence soon completed ; and 
 long before his son came of age, Lord 
 Arlingford found himself, in the language 
 of the world, to be totally ruined. 
 
 Mr. Benson had been always much 
 employed and consulted by Lord Arling- 
 ford's family in all matters relating to 
 business; and to him, in the present des- 
 perate situation of his affairs, his lordship 
 was obliged to have recourse for advice 
 and assistance. Mr. Benson had toiled 
 all his life as a merchant, and was 
 now one of the most opulent bankers 
 in London. He had an only child ; and 
 to her he meant to bequeath all his 
 wealth, provided she made a marriage 
 to his choice ; by which, he meant one in
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 23 
 
 that rank of life, which Mr. Benson, with 
 all his useful good sense, he had the folly 
 to imagine essential to human happiness. 
 Being every way an excellent man of 
 business, Mr. Benson was appointed to 
 be one of the trustees, into whose hands 
 it was now deemed necessary to consign 
 Lord Arlingford's estate; in order, if 
 possible, to retrieve his affairs, and pro- 
 tect the interests of his son. 
 
 One day, when talking over his difficul- 
 ties with his client, and when Emmeline 
 was but seven years old, Mr. Benson 
 first proposed, in the form of a joke, 
 as a means by which all might be set to 
 rights, that their children should be 
 united in marriage. He finished his 
 speech by a loud laugh ; but it was one 
 of mere agitation, for he anxiously looked
 
 24 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 into Lord Arlingford's face to see how 
 such a proposal agreed with the ancient, 
 aristocratic pride of the Fitzhenrys. 
 
 Lord Arlingford for a minute made no 
 reply ; he kept his eyes fixed on the 
 parchment he held in his hands. The 
 table before him was covered with deeds, 
 bonds, mortgages, and every awful sign 
 of the irretrievable state of his affairs ; 
 and, strange as it may appear, he caught 
 immediately at the idea, as to that which 
 alone could save him from utter ruin. His 
 answer, when at last it came, transported 
 the ambitious banker with joy ; and by 
 degrees, and by constantly treating of the 
 subject, the two fathers seemed to think 
 it was a matter they had but to settle 
 between themselves, and that there could 
 be no difficulty whatever in a scheme
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 25 
 
 which was to give to both, what they 
 both wanted. Mr. Benson's promises 
 were most liberal, and Lord Arlingford 
 subdued all the hereditary pride of his 
 feelings, and seemed quite content to 
 lay himself and his family under obliga- 
 tions to a man on whom he in return 
 conferred so much honour. 
 
 As a first step towards bringing about 
 this favourite scheme, Ernest, when at 
 home for his holidays, was constantly 
 sent to Mr. Benson's, where he was of 
 course indulged in his every boyish 
 fancy, and every species of amusement 
 imagined for him in which little Emme- 
 line could take a part. 
 
 On her birthday every year, a ball 
 was given by Mrs. Benson, which was 
 opened by her and young Lord Fitz- 
 
 VOL. I. c
 
 26 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 henry, while the two fathers looked on in 
 admiration, and declared that they were 
 born for each other. 
 
 At twenty, Fitzhenry left Oxford ; he 
 was then to remain abroad for three 
 years; and, at his return, it was settled 
 that the marriage should take place ; 
 although as yet, nothing had been said 
 on the subject to either of those most 
 concerned in the plan. 
 
 Before his departure, however, Lord 
 Arlingford thought it proper to open the 
 business to his son, and also to lay before 
 him the embarrassed state of his affairs. 
 
 Such disclosures make little impres- 
 sion on young minds, to whom, as yet 
 unacquainted either with its value or 
 want, money is but a vague sort of bles- 
 sing ; and Lord Arlingford was forced to 
 overcharge the picture to give it due
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 27 
 
 influence on his son. He talked much 
 of his own distresses, his sacrifices for 
 the sake of his dear Ernest, and, when 
 he had worked on his filial afi^ections, 
 mentioned merely as a passing thought 
 the long projected plan of his union with 
 Miss Benson. Ernest, starting, co- 
 loured, and stammered out some unde- 
 cided words. But finding no positive 
 objection mvide, Lord Arlingford pushed 
 on the affair — praised Emmeline — (then 
 only thirteen years old,) extorted from 
 Ernest first, that he thought her a fine 
 girl, and at last a sort of agreement that 
 he would think of the proposal, and, on 
 his return from abroad, marry her, and 
 make his father happy. 
 
 Mr. Benson was informed of the fa- 
 vourable progress of their scheme, which 
 
 c 2
 
 28 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 he furthered by every means in his 
 power; and Emmeline was soon taught 
 to look upon Ernest as her future hus- 
 band. On his taking leave of them be- 
 fore his departure for the Continent, he 
 kissed her smooth young cheek, ad- 
 dressing lier by the name of his little 
 wife. But neither the kiss nor the ap- 
 pellation brought even an additional 
 tinge of colour into that cheek ; although 
 she might childishly have grieved at the 
 loss of her almost only companion. 
 
 During the first months of his absence. 
 Lord Fitzhenry wrote two or three times 
 to Emmeline, once when sending her a 
 watch from Geneva, and again with a 
 chain from Venice; but he soon found 
 more interesting occupations than com- 
 posing letters for the capacity of a mere 
 child: th§ boy had grown into a man,
 
 A MARRIAGE JN HIGH LIFE. 29 
 
 and if he did not actually forget the en- 
 gagement into which his father had 
 drawn him, he allowed it but little to 
 occupy his thoughts. 
 
 Lord Fitzhenry first visited Italy ; at 
 Naples, he formed an intimacy with the 
 English minister then residing there ; 
 and, on the removal of that minister to 
 Vienna, Ernest followed him. 
 
 The three years allotted for his re- 
 sidence abroad, had already nearly 
 elapsed ; but, having acquired a taste for 
 the habits of the Continent, Ernest beg- 
 ged for longer leave of absence ; and by 
 his letters, no less than by the accounts 
 of all those who met with him, his foreign 
 life seemed so much to have improved his 
 mind and manners, that Lord Arlingford, 
 whose purely worldly character saw little 
 beyond such acquirements, agreed to his
 
 30 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 prolonging his stay ; and he was the 
 more willing to acquiesce in his son's 
 wishes, as Emmeline, scarcely yet six- 
 teen, was still in appearance and man- 
 ners so much of a child, that any con- 
 templation of her immediate marriage 
 would have been premature. 
 
 Lord Fitzhenry, at twenty-three, with 
 excellent and even superior abilities, 
 naturally noble feelings, strong sentimen ts 
 of honour, and a warmly affectionate 
 heart, wanted only those serious princi- 
 ples of conduct, which his father had 
 neither bestowed on, nor ever required 
 from him. Had Lord Arlingford been 
 asked whether or no he was an atheist, 
 he would have resented the question as 
 an affront; but, nevertheless, religion 
 had never occupied his own thoughts,-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 31 
 
 and had never in any distinct form en- 
 tered into the education of his son. The 
 companion he selected for him during 
 his residence on the Continent- was a 
 young man of considerable abilities, who 
 had been destined for the law ; but who, 
 having been early led abroad, and having 
 a decided turn for a wandering life, was 
 too happy to return to scenes in which he 
 delighted, and to give up Lincoln's Inn, 
 and studies, for which he had no relish, 
 for the existence he preferred, in present, 
 and the future chance of Lord Arlingford's 
 patronage. 
 
 Such a companion, gay and thought- 
 less as himself, was not likely to supply 
 the neglected part of Lord Fitzhenry's 
 education ; and thus, although gifted by 
 nature wilh a mind and heart formed
 
 32 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 for virtue, in its highest acceptation, 
 Fitzhenry was turned adrift on the world 
 without any help or defence against its 
 snares, except those common rules of 
 worldly honour by which men, who may 
 infringe nearly every law, human and 
 divine, fancy themselves to be guided. 
 
 At Vienna, Lord Fitzhenry became 
 acquainted with Lady Florence Mostyn, 
 and that chance acquaintance influenced 
 his whole future life and conduct. 
 
 Lady Florence, who had early in life 
 been married to a man whom she had 
 never loved, and whose understanding 
 and character she could not respect, had 
 every allurement, every charm to capti- 
 vate, except that of innocence. Such a 
 deficiency one might have hoped would 
 have preserved a refined mind like that
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 33 
 
 of Fitzhenry's from her chains ; but, un- 
 der the influence of passion, artfully ex- 
 cited, and the example of the society in 
 which he lived, he fell completely into 
 the snare purposely laid for him, and be- 
 came the slave of an artful, bewitching, 
 and violent woman. 
 
 In the intoxication of her society, 
 every thing was forgotten or disregarded. 
 In vain were his father's repeated in- 
 junctions, that he should return home ; 
 in vain his self-reproaches at losing, in 
 idleness, some of the best years of his 
 life. And it was only when alarming ac- 
 counts of Lord Arlingford's health roused 
 his better feelings, that he was induced to 
 tear himself away from Greece, whither 
 Lady Florence and her passive, accom- 
 modating husband had accompanied 
 
 c 5
 
 34 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 him ; and, in the middle of winter, to 
 set off for England with the hope and 
 promise that they would join him there 
 early in spring. 
 
 Six years had now elapsed since Lord 
 Fitzhenry had left home. His person, 
 character, manners — all had changed. 
 His ** Little Wife" was nearly forgotten ; 
 and when she did chance to cross his 
 mind, he looked upon his engagement 
 with her as a mere joke of childhood, and 
 trusted his father would do the same. 
 
 From Italy, where he found the ac- 
 counts of Lord Arlingford were still very 
 alarming, he travelled day and night to 
 make up for past negligence, and found 
 his parent on his arrival, but slowly re- 
 covering from a very dangerous illness. 
 
 Real feeling and affection broke forth
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 35 
 
 from Fitzhenry's selfish, worldly father, 
 on again beholding his son ; and behold- 
 ing him, as in truth he was, a son to be 
 proud of. 
 
 Lord Arlingford's illness, by weaken- 
 ing his nerves, had given to his manners 
 an appearance of sentiment unusual to 
 him ; and Ernest almost wondered how 
 he could have been such a monster as so 
 long to have deserted him. A constant 
 visitor in his father's sick room, he found 
 Mr. Benson. With a feeling not un- 
 mixed with remorse he warmly thanked 
 him for having supplied his place, and 
 inquired after Mrs. and Miss Benson, as 
 after old friends of his boyhood. 
 
 *' Well, quite well," said Mr. Benson ; 
 '* but Emmelineis so grown, that you will 
 hardly know her again:" however she
 
 36 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 is not altered in any way, I assure you ; 
 she has not forgotten her old playfellow ;" 
 and he looked cunningly into Fitz- 
 henry's face, to observe the effect of this 
 flattering assurance. '' You have been 
 a sad rambler. Lord Fitzhenry," he con- 
 tinued ; *' but now you are returned to 
 old England, we shall, I hope, all live 
 comfortably together ; and I am sure 
 you will be quite delighted with Emmy, 
 although perhaps she is not just like your 
 foreign madams ; but none the worse for 
 that I suspect — they don't make such 
 good wives ; and now that you have, as 
 I may say, sown your wild oats," he 
 added with a laugh, '*you will not be 
 sorry to sit down at home and enjoy a 
 little home-bred, quiet English comfort." 
 Fitzhenry saw but too plainly the drift
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 37 
 
 of all this, and he was totally at a loss for 
 an answer. His eyes, fearful of meeting 
 those of Mr. Benson, wandered round 
 the room, till they fell on a view of Na- 
 ples which hung over the chimney. The 
 sight was not favourable to the picture of 
 English happiness which Mr. Benson had 
 just been presenting to him. Hours of 
 rapture produced by the first intoxication 
 of passion, beneath an Italian sky, and 
 amid scenes calculated to enhance every 
 feeling of romantic enjoyment, rose up 
 before him in an instant, and formed such 
 a contrast to the homely, domestic com- 
 fort just held out to him, that his very 
 soul sickened at the thought ; and, mak- 
 ing some awkward sort of vague answer 
 to Mr. Benson's very pointed xemdixky he 
 abruptly left him.
 
 38 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 Ernest had expected to have found his 
 father irritated against him, in conse- 
 quence of his long absence and his fre- 
 quent excuses for not obeying his sum- 
 mons to return home. He also feared 
 that the real cause of his protracted stay- 
 might have reached England, and he 
 dreaded how much of his story, since 
 they had parted, might have been made 
 known to Lord Arlingford. But the 
 manner of his father was so perfectly kind 
 and cordial, that it reassured Ernest as to 
 his secret being as yet safe, and at the 
 same time filled his affectionate heart 
 with gratitude and self reproach. 
 
 Some days after his arrival, when 
 talking on various subjects connected 
 with the place, estate, &c.. Lord Arling- 
 ford suddenly said, '* Mr. Benson, as
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 39 
 
 soon as I am a little better, and fit for 
 visitors, you must write in my name, and 
 invite Mrs. Benson and Emmeline to 
 come here. Ernest must be impatient 
 to see his little wife.. £h, my boy ? " 
 
 Ernest did not parry this second at- 
 tack any better than the first — he started, 
 and stammered out something about 
 *' pleasure, honour." But his father did 
 not, or would not, see his reluctance to 
 touch on the subject ; he returned again 
 and again to the charge, said his happi- 
 ness, his life even, depended upon the 
 marriage ; and by the nervous irritation 
 which illness had produced, and which 
 opposition to his will increased, Ernest 
 feared he spoke truly. 
 
 Harassed and perplexed, Ernest at last 
 took courage, and resolved to confess to
 
 40 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 his father the attachment he had formed 
 abroad — his unalterable, violent, de- 
 cided devotion to another. Lord 
 Arlingford seemed breathless with an- 
 ger and anxiety, and imperatively 
 desired him to inform him who was the 
 object of it. 
 
 Lord Fitzhenry cleared his voice, rose 
 from his chair, paced the room, and 
 twice, in vain, tried to speak ; but at 
 last making an effort, '' she is a married 
 woman," he said, '' Lady Florence 
 Mostyn." The name was scarcely au- 
 dible. 
 
 ** And is that all?'' replied his father, 
 much relieved. '' Don't think you are 
 telling us any thing new ; we have heard 
 of your pranks abroad, my boy ; but you 
 will not make the worse husband for
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 41 
 
 having passed through the fire. And as 
 for your unalterable attachment, that is all 
 nonsense. So I thought, at your age, 
 with my first love ; for I had two or three 
 affairs of the sort before I was married ; 
 and, indeed, never quite forgot one of 
 my favourites." 
 
 '* But surely. Sir, with such feel- 
 ings !" 
 
 ** Feeling! stuff again," replied Lord 
 Arlingford. ^' Why really, Ernest, 
 you have learnt little of the world in 
 your travels ; I am sure any one of your 
 young friends would laugh to hear you 
 give such a reason for refusing a most 
 excellent, and, I must add, advan- 
 tageous marriage." 
 
 Although without principles, Ernest 
 was shocked at his father's levity; he
 
 42 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 was in all the heroic romance of passion ; 
 to love more than one, to plight his faith 
 to another, did not strike him as morally, 
 religiously wrong, but as sacrilege to 
 the one adored being. All he could ob- 
 tain, however, was delay, and that his 
 father would allow him some little time 
 for reflection. 
 
 Thus passed some months. Lord 
 Fitzhenry occasionally met the Benson 
 family; but Emmeline he hardly looked 
 at, hardly noticed; although, when in 
 her society, his manner towards her was 
 perfectly civil ; but it was the civility of 
 indifference; his thoughts were fixed on 
 another, and had he been asked the 
 colour of Emmeline's hair or eyes, he 
 probably could not have answered. 
 
 Spring arrived, and with it Lady Flo-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 43 
 
 rence. This event did not further Lord 
 Arlingford's plan. Fitzhenry was more 
 and more decided in his objections, and 
 in his determination not to fulfil what 
 his father called his engagement. 
 
 Many violent altercations passed be- 
 tween them, and, at last, in one of these 
 agitating scenes, Lord Arlingford was 
 seized with an apoplectic fit, and (as 
 Ernest thought) fell dead at his feet. 
 Horror-stricken, he raised him from the 
 ground; medical assistance was pro- 
 cured, and life and hope returned after 
 some days of dreadful apprehension and 
 suspense; but the impression left was 
 too strong on his mind to allow of fur- 
 ther resistance ; and, in an unguarded 
 moment, Fitzhenry, attacked on every 
 side, gave his reluctant consent to the
 
 \ 
 44 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 hated union. His father allowed him 
 no time to retract. His proposals were 
 immediately made; though not without 
 a secret hope, on Fitzhenry's part, of 
 their being rejected, which, owing to 
 the marked neglect with which he had 
 ever treated her whose hand he claimed, 
 seemed not unlikely. But, contrary to 
 his expectations, his offer w^as accepted. 
 Emmeline, as has before been stated, 
 was remarkably young and innocent for 
 her age; she had been brought up in 
 the idea that Lord Fitzhenry was to be 
 her husband; and, although without any 
 very decided preference for him, and 
 with a heart perfectly free, she had 
 looked to her marriage as to a thing of 
 course, and as to an event that was to 
 secure her happiness.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 45 
 
 His indifference, however, had not 
 escaped her observation ; and, her cheek 
 reddening with offended pride, she men- 
 tioned it to her father, when, breath- 
 less with delight, he came to announce 
 to her that Lord Fitzhenry claimed her 
 as his bride. 
 
 Mr. Benson ridiculed what he called 
 her conceit, her romance ; exaggerated 
 into compliments many a simply civil 
 thing which Fitzhenry had, or possibly 
 had not, said of her; set forth all the ad- 
 vantages of the marriage; used every ar- 
 gument which he knew her affectionate 
 deference to him would give weight to; 
 even hinted at his word being pledged, 
 till he succeeded at last in silencing her 
 doubts and scruples. The good and 
 pious Mrs. Benson too was not quite 
 free from worldly vanities; she told her-
 
 46 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 self, and she told Emmeline, that so 
 good a son must make a good husband ; 
 that it would be such a comfort to see 
 her settled in life with one whom she 
 had known since a boy, and of whom 
 she knew so much good. 
 
 At last, with something between a 
 smile and a sigh, Emmeline gave her con- 
 sent, and all was thus finally arranged : 
 
 Seven thousand a-year was firmly 
 settled on Lord Fitzhenry, and the resi- 
 due of Mr. Benson's immense property 
 promised at his death. He added like- 
 wise a few thousands of ready money for 
 plate, jewels, equipages, &c.; *'in order," 
 as he said, '' to set the young people 
 a-going." 
 
 Every one was satisfied but poor 
 Ernest. To his feelings, all this was 
 hateful ; and he was doubly shocked
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 47 
 
 when he found, during the legal details 
 into which he had now to enter, that 
 Arlingford Hall, the abode of his child- 
 hood, although it had been long in the 
 family, yet from not being entailed like 
 the rest of the property, had only been 
 saved by Mr. Benson's liberality; and, 
 that in the involved perplexity of his fa- 
 ther's affairs and the urgency of his cre- 
 ditors, all the expenses of his late elec- 
 tion had been defrayed from the same 
 source. 
 
 Sick at heart, as soon as he could ex- 
 tricate himself from lawyers and papers, 
 Ernest signified his intention of leaving 
 town, in order, as he let it be under- 
 stood, to superintend the repairs at 
 Arlingford, but, in fact, to fly to Lady 
 Florence, who was still in the country.
 
 48 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 It was their first meeting since his 
 marriage had been declared; and with 
 an unprincipled, impassioned woman, he 
 had to undergo scenes still more agoniz- 
 ing than those with his father. 
 
 Fitzhenry's love for Lady Florence 
 was far beyond her power of appreciating 
 — unable to do justice to his character, 
 she could not trust to such devotion 
 as he expressed, and as he really felt. 
 He believed that for his sake she had 
 sacrificed both honour and virtue, and 
 his whole life, his every affection, he 
 conceived would hardly repay tlie debt. 
 
 Ernest's heart was capable of love of 
 the purest, noblest kind; and, even 
 towards so unworthy an object, it par- 
 took more of the nature of his own 
 character than of her's who had inspired
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 49 
 
 it. During the period employed in pre- 
 parations for his nuptials, instead of 
 attending on his bride, Fitzhenry never 
 left Lady Florence. Her power seemed 
 strengthened by the very circumstances 
 that should have lessened it ; he accom- 
 panied her to town; and, even the 
 morning of his marriage, on her entreat- 
 ing to see him, if but for a moment, he 
 had flown to her bewitching presence. 
 
 A most violent scene ensued ; it ended 
 by a solemn vow on his part to remain 
 true to her, his first, his only love, in 
 thought, word, and deed. That Em- 
 meline should merely be the mistress of 
 his house ; that, in public, he should be- 
 have to her with perfect attention and 
 civility, but nothing more. 
 
 Hardly knowing what he did, and not 
 
 VOL I. D
 
 50 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 till long after the hour appointed for the 
 celebration of his nuptials, he left Lady 
 Florence for Mr. Benson's house. 
 Hence his flushed cheek, and his agi- 
 tated manner, the too true indications 
 of his troubled soul. 
 
 Fitzhenry had no distinct religious 
 feelings ; but still, when he heard the 
 sacred vow he was to pronounce, (and of 
 which he had never thought,) with his 
 lips still vibrating with that he had 
 pledged to Lady Florence ; no wonder 
 those lips quivered. Although no dread 
 of the anger of his God appalled his 
 mind, yet, as a man of honour, he felt 
 the atrocity of the act. Of Emmeline, 
 of the poor victim, who stood trembling 
 beside him, he hardly thought. He 
 looked upon her as a mere obedient
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 51 
 
 child without a character; perhaps, even 
 worse, an ambitious, worldly being; and 
 all his thoughts, all his compassion, 
 were bestowed on Lady Florence and 
 himself. 
 
 Fitzhenry wanted neither decision 
 nor character. During their melan- 
 choly journey to Arlingford Hall, he 
 had sufficiently surmounted his agita- 
 tion to have decided on his conduct. 
 He resolved to tell all to Emmeline, to 
 let her fully enjoy the honours, the 
 worldly advantages of the situation he 
 thought she had in her union with him 
 sought; to assure her he would ever en- 
 deavour to make her happy, but that she 
 must never hope for his affections. 
 
 Often, after an awful pause, he re- 
 solved to speak, but each time his cou- 
 
 d2
 
 52 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 rage failed him ; and finding all expla- 
 nation by word of mouth impossible, he 
 then resolved on writing to her. It was 
 to compose this letter, therefore, that, 
 after dinner, he left his bride, as has 
 before been said. 
 
 Such a letter was not easily written ; 
 and Emmeline had some time to rumi- 
 nate on her situation, before he returned. 
 At last he came. He seemed in the 
 feverish state of one who has taken a 
 desperate resolution : he hurried up to 
 Emmeline ; asked her if she was pot 
 fatigued? if he should ring for candles? 
 and then, without waiting for an answer, 
 rung the bell violently till it broke. His 
 hand shook so much, that he tried in vain 
 to tie the string together again. Emme- 
 line smiling said, she supposed she was
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. o3 
 
 more used to strings and knots, and 
 besffifed to assist him. As she took the 
 cord, her hand accidentally touched his — 
 it was icy cold. 
 
 Reynolds, the old servant, brought 
 in the candles, and asked, if his lord- 
 ship, *' if my lady," would not have any 
 supper ? any wine and water ? ** Yes, 
 some wine directly," said Fitzhenry, as 
 if hardly conscious of his demand. 
 
 When it came, he endeavoured to 
 pour out some for Emmeline ; but twice, 
 from the nervous shaking of his hand, 
 he was forced to put down the bottle. 
 
 Emmeline was really alarmed. ** Sure- 
 ly," again, she said timidly, '*you are 
 very unwell." He did not seem to heed 
 her, but drank off a large goblet of wine, 
 and then, with a steadier voice and
 
 54 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 manner said — *' I have something on my 
 mind which I must make known to you — 
 perhaps I should have done it sooner — 
 I thought it best for both of us to write 
 it," and he held out his letter—*' Take, 
 it with you into your own room," he 
 added, seeing she was going to break 
 the seal. He took up a candle, gave it 
 her, went with her to the door, put his 
 hand on the lock, and said—*' When 
 you have read this, forgive me if you 
 can ;" then hastily seizing her hand, 
 which he almost convulsively grasped, 
 he left her. 
 
 What poor Emmeline's feelings were, 
 can be better imagined than described. 
 
 In one short moment, a thousand 
 vague fears and horrors passed through 
 her mind. It was her turn now to trem-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. OO 
 
 ble, as, with the dreaded letter in her 
 hand, she hurried to her o\yn room. 
 She there found her maid, whose pre- 
 sence disconcerted her much ; but she 
 resolved to take off her gown speedily, 
 and then dismiss her. Never before, 
 she thought, had her attendant been so 
 slow and tedious. She entangled or 
 pulled every string into a knot. At 
 last, her gown off— that beautiful lace 
 gown in which her poor mother had that 
 morning, with so much pride, arrayed 
 her — all her bridal finery laid aside, 
 she told her maid she wanted nothing 
 more. 
 
 " Nothing more, my lady !" said the 
 maid astonished ; *' shall I not put up 
 your ladyship's hair? Shall I not wait 
 to take away your candle ? Mrs. Ben-
 
 56 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 son desired me to" and she stop- 
 ped short. 
 
 *' No, I want nothing," again said 
 Emmeline, in a voice she could hardly 
 command. The woman stared, busied 
 herself still some time in the room, and, 
 at length, reluctantly departed. 
 
 When she was gone, Emmeline sat 
 for several minutes with the letter in her 
 hand, before she had courage to open 
 it. At length, taking a violent resolu- 
 tion, she broke the seal, and read as 
 follows : — 
 
 ** When you have read this, you will, 
 I fear, be tempted to upbraid and curse 
 the writer ; but I act according to my 
 conscience, to my sense of honour, in 
 imparting to you what I am going to un-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 57 
 
 fold— at least, you shall not now accuse 
 me of deceiving you — I think, I trust, I 
 never have done so ; for little as you 
 have, I believe, lived in the world, still, 
 unless purposely, artfully concealed from 
 you, you must have been aware, that 
 my affections have long since been dis- 
 posed of, and that, at my return from 
 abroad, they were no longer mine to 
 bestow. 
 
 " Under such circumstances, I never 
 should have renewed the offer of my 
 hand; but parental authority, and the 
 distressing and perplexing situation in 
 which 1 found myself placed, extracted 
 from me my consent to our marriage. 
 But even in so doing, I did not attempt 
 to deceive. You cannot accuse me of 
 having, in any way, endeavoured to gain 
 
 d5
 
 58 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 your affections. You saw me as I was, 
 indifferent to you, and you were at liberty 
 to refuse me : but you were content to 
 become my wife on these terms— that is 
 to say, of bearing my name, and sharing 
 the poor advantages which rank affords. 
 ''These you still may, still shall en- 
 joy : but nothing more can I offer 
 you ; for every feeling of my soul is 
 another's — forgive me for saying so ; but 
 this is no moment for disguise of any 
 sort. To that other, I am bound by 
 every tie, every vow of affection and 
 honour. You will be shocked at hear- 
 ing such sentiments from we^from your 
 husband ; and I should consider myself 
 to be indeed the unprincipled villain you 
 may deem me, if, with such feelings, 1 
 could, for a minute, look upon you in any
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 59 
 
 Other light than that of a sister. 1 know 
 full well what love is ; and you do not, can- 
 not love me. Therefore I feel not your 
 injuries to be what they otherwise would. 
 You shall enjoy all the worldly advantages 
 you have sought in your marriage with me 
 — all the happiness which wealth— your 
 own wealth — can bestow ; and it shall be 
 my endeavour, as far as I can, to make 
 your life happy. You shall be com- 
 pletely mistress in your own house, and 
 of all your actions. Your comfort shall 
 ever be consulted ; and 1 think I can 
 venture to say for myself, that you 
 may depend on my kindness, and even 
 on my friendship ; but my affections as 
 a lover, as a husband, while the same 
 heart beats in my breast, can never be 
 yours.
 
 60 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 ** If I may venture, claiming no other 
 right of a husband, to make a reque&t, 
 it is that this subject may never, in any 
 way, directly or indirectly, after this 
 fatal day, be mentioned between us. 
 With regard to your own parents, and to 
 my father, your own good sense and 
 delicacy will, I dare say, dictate to you 
 what conduct to pursue. But if you 
 cannot agree to these, I confess humili- 
 ating terms— if you desire an immediate 
 separation, you have but to name your 
 wishes. I will tell all to the world, bear 
 all the blame, and agree to any arrange- 
 ment which you and your father may 
 choose to dictate. 
 
 ** Whatever you have to say, write im- 
 mediately, and put your letter into the 
 adjoining room. In a short time all will
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 61 
 
 be at rest in the house. I will then my- 
 self go for it. If possible, every thing 
 must be fully settled and understood 
 between us before we meet to-morrow 
 morning. 
 
 **FlTZHEXRY."
 
 62 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 My husband ! no not mine — but we were wedded ; 
 This ring was here in hallowed nuptial placed ; 
 A priest did bless it. 
 
 Elleic. 
 
 A L L those who have had trials in this world 
 —and who has not ?— must know that 
 there are moments in our life during which 
 we seem to live centuries 1 and that a few 
 hours sometimes are sufficient to rouse, 
 influence, and form a character for ever. 
 So was it with poor Emmeline ! She 
 who had never known a sorrow — she 
 who had looked to her future life as to
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 63 
 
 one scene of bright enjoyment, on a sud- 
 den saw the picture changed, and be- 
 held nothing but trials, disappointment, 
 mortification, and sorrow. She had at 
 once to decide, and on one of the most 
 important steps probably in her life, 
 without a single friend to counsel and 
 uphold her : and he, who should have 
 been that friend, that support, was the 
 one against whom she had to arm her- 
 self, and exert energies of character, of 
 which she did not even know herself to 
 be possessed. 
 
 What Fitzhenry had said was true — 
 she did not love him ; that is to say, 
 was not i?i love with him ; but she had 
 entertained a sort of girlish affection for 
 the companion of her early youth, and 
 it was impossible not to admire the hand-
 
 ^4 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 some, accomplished, informed being he 
 now was. Her innocent mind adding 
 to these prepossessions, the light in 
 which she had ever been taught to con- 
 sider him, of her future husband, gave 
 to her feelings something sacred and 
 tender, so that she had looked to her 
 union with him with stronger anticipa- 
 tions of happiness, than those which 
 mere obedience to her father's wishes 
 could have given. 
 
 Fitzhenry's letter fell from her hands, 
 and almost hysteric sobs escaped from 
 her heart. " What have I done to be so 
 cruelly used, so scorned, so upbraided!" 
 she could ftot help ejaculating ; and 
 again she seized the fatal letter. '* He 
 despises me for having trusted him ; he 
 even reproaches me for that, in which
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 65 
 
 he alone is to blame. She would leave 
 him ; leave those paltry honours which 
 he thought had been her object ; leave 
 him that wealth which had been the mo- 
 tive (she could no longer doubt it) of her 
 having been sought in marriage by him ; 
 and with the vehemence of indignant 
 feeling, she directly seized on a pen, in 
 order to demand an immediate and total 
 separation. 
 
 But scarcely had she written the first 
 word, when, with the natural timidity 
 of a young girl, she shrunk from the 
 responsibility and enterprise of so des- 
 perate a step, and from all the publicity 
 which she would, by it, draw on her- 
 self. She laid down her pen ; pressed^ 
 with both hands, her throbbing tem- 
 ples, as if to quiet their agitated pulsa-
 
 66" A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 tions ; and then, returning to the fatal 
 letter, she perused it again and again, 
 till gradually her most angry feelings 
 were calmed. She could not curse him — 
 would not upbraid him. His language 
 to her, though harsh, was so open, so 
 honourable 1 and then, with the happy 
 buoyancy of youth, and of an innocent, 
 unbroken mind—'' I will make him love 
 me yet," she thought — ** I will so consult 
 his wishes in every thing ; so play my 
 hard part, that he shall see I am not 
 the mere child, the worldly insensible 
 fool he thinks me ; he must in time love 
 me, and we shall still be happy." 
 
 This was what her feelings dictated ; 
 and this line of conduct she told herself 
 her duty to her parents required of her. 
 She would not break their hearts by let-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. U7 
 
 tins: them know how thev had been de- 
 ceived ; but, for their sakes, she would 
 submit to her fate. 
 
 Happy in having thus reconciled her 
 duties to her inclinations, she could not 
 help picturing to herself that future to 
 which, with such fortunate credulity, she 
 fondly looked, when she should have 
 overcome her husband's unfavourable 
 opinion of her, and won his affections ; 
 and, in indulging such flattering dreams, 
 Emmeline sat some time lost in thought, 
 till roused by the sound of hurried steps 
 in the adjoining room. That room was 
 Lord Fitzhenry's. 
 
 The drawing-room opened into a gal- 
 lery, the first door in which, was that of 
 Emmeline's dressing-room ; her bed- 
 room was beyond ; and beyond that
 
 68 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 again, but, having no communication 
 with Emmeline's apartment, was Lord 
 Fitzhenry's ; it had been his when a 
 boy; and that now allotted to Emme- 
 line had been his father's. 
 
 The sound of measured steps in that 
 room, like those of a person suffering 
 from impatience and anxiety of mind, 
 reminded her that she must answer her 
 husband's letter. But, what could she 
 write ? She took her pen, but for long 
 had not power to express a thought. At 
 last, not trusting herself to look a second 
 time at what she had said, she hastily 
 wrote, and folded up a paper, containing 
 the following words. 
 
 '* I will not curse, I will not upbraid 
 you ; yet I have been most cruelly used
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 69 
 
 and deceived. Your wishes shall be 
 laws to me. You need apprehend no 
 childish weaknesses or complaints on 
 my part. In time, you will learn better 
 to know her whom you have made your 
 wife. And to God alone shall I apply 
 for relief or assistance under any trial 
 that may assail me. 
 
 " Emm ELI NE." 
 
 She opened the door into the gallery 
 — all was silent. With hurried, trem- 
 bling steps, she went into the drawing- 
 room, placed her letter on a conspicuous 
 part of the table, involuntarily looked 
 round the room, as if to recall some of 
 those gay, bright anticipations with 
 which she had that day first entered it ; 
 and then, with noiseless steps, regained
 
 70 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 her own apartment. As she went to it, 
 she saw light beneath the door of Lord 
 Fitzhenry's room. Satisfied that he was 
 still up, and that he would look for her 
 letter, she closed her door, and sat 
 breathless, with flushed cheeks, to hear 
 him pass into the drawing-room for it. 
 In a little while, she heard him tread 
 softly along the gallery. At the door of 
 her room he paused — then went hastily 
 on. On his return, he again paused. 
 
 ** He listens," thought Emmeline, *' to 
 hear if all is quiet, and whether the in- 
 sensible fool whom he has made his wife 
 sleeps soundly ;" — and tears of mortifi- 
 cation again made their way down her 
 face ; again the doo^: of her husband's 
 room closed, and all was quiet. 
 
 The dawn of day found poor Emme-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 71 
 
 line in the same listening attitude in 
 which she had sat when Fitzhenry 
 passed her room — her hands clasped to- 
 gether, her eyes fixed on vacancy. She 
 was roused by the extinguishing candle 
 falling into its socket, and looked up 
 astonished to see broad day light. She 
 went to the window to throw open the 
 sash, that the fresh air might cool her 
 eyes and cheeks : in drawing up the 
 blind for the purpose, the string caught 
 the rings on her finger. She started on 
 seeing her wedding ring, and, above it, 
 the circles of diamonds, rubies, &c., the 
 presents of doating parents, and perhaps 
 envious friends, on the morning of that 
 ceremony, which was, they imagined, to 
 secure her future happiness. ** Alas !" 
 thought she, *' how they were mis- 
 taken ! "
 
 72 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 Emmeline soon felt chilled by the 
 fresh morning air. She hastily bound 
 up her loose locks, laid herself on her 
 bed, and the fatigue of her mind, (a feel- 
 ing so new to her,) procured for her the 
 rest she needed. 
 
 She awoke with that confused impres- 
 sion of distress, which the unhappy 
 know so well ; which oppresses the 
 mind even before we can clearly remem- 
 ber what occasions it. Still she was 
 refreshed by those few hours of sleep, 
 and felt better able to encounter the 
 dreaded meeting with her husband than 
 she could have thought possible. 
 
 She got up and rang for her maid. 
 From her window, she had seen Fitz- 
 henry out before the house, and she 
 hurried herself to be in the breakfast- 
 room before his return. While she was
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 73 
 
 dressing, she schooled herself in the part 
 she was to act, and resolved to meet 
 him with the unembarrassed kindness 
 of friendship. Had she had to expect 
 him o)ie minute longer, her nerves would 
 have failed her; but she saw him hurry 
 towards the house. The servants had 
 fortunately left the room. She heard 
 his footsteps on the stairs, the door 
 opened, and in he came. He was 
 deadly pale ; Emmeline went up to him, 
 — held out her hand. Hardly knowing 
 what she said, she made some remark 
 on the weather, the heat, and, without 
 pausing, in a hurried voice, asked him 
 some other indifferent questions. 
 
 Fitzhenry returned the pressure of her 
 hand, once looked in her face, appa- 
 rently with surprise ; tried to speak, 
 
 VOL. I. E
 
 74 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 and at last, in time, overcame his agita- 
 tion ; but never again did his eyes meet 
 hers, or were they even ever raised 
 towards her. He had brought into the 
 room with him some greyhounds, appa- 
 rently as subjects for conversation. 
 They fawned and jumped on their mas- 
 ter ; and the noise and bustle they made 
 — the feeding them, and Emmeline's 
 endeavours to ingratiate herself in their 
 favour, was a something to do, and a 
 relief. 
 
 During that melancholy breakfast, of 
 which neither eat, Emmeline was the 
 one who played her part the best. When 
 it was gone, Fitzhenry said, *' I have 
 some letters I must write" — and, struck 
 with the possible interpretation of his 
 own words, he coloured deeply; *' but
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 75 
 
 they will soon be written," he added 
 hastily, " and probably you too will wish 
 to write to tell your mother of your safe 
 arrival ; and," — again embarrassed, he 
 stopped short. However, in a minute, he 
 recovered himself, and said, ** The post 
 leaves at one ; after that, if the day con- 
 tinues fine, you will perhaps like to go 
 out and see the place. I don't know 
 what sort of a horsewoman you may be, 
 but I have a very docile animal, if you 
 will venture to mount him." 
 
 Emmeline, who had ridden much, 
 and thought that that species of exercise, 
 with a groom attending, would, under 
 their awkward circumstances, be better 
 than a tete-a-tete walk, directly said she 
 had no fears, and would prefer riding. 
 
 Thus they parted; and Emmeline went 
 
 E 2
 
 76 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 to her own room to write to her parents. 
 It was then that the melancholy of her 
 prospects overcame her with a bitterness 
 she had not before experienced. 
 
 She had taken her pen in her hand — 
 placed the blank paper before her ; but 
 the moment she was going to address 
 her mother, an involuntary burst of tears 
 escaped from her, and she laid her head 
 down on the table, unable to write ; for, 
 alas ! what could she write to that doat- 
 ing mother? what feelings express, but 
 those of mortification, and the anticipa- 
 tion, the conviction, indeed, of certain 
 future unhappiness to them as well as to 
 herself? Perhaps equally, if not more 
 poignant, would be the feelings of many 
 women, were they but a few years after 
 their fate in life is thus fixed, to re-peruse
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 77 
 
 the letters written during the early period 
 of their marriage, breathing nothing but 
 the belief of continued felicity and of 
 unalterable love. But no such even 
 transient dream of bliss existed to poor 
 Emmeline. Again she took her pen, 
 v/iped away the tears that had blotted 
 her paper, and, as well as she could, 
 made out a letter to satisfy her mother's 
 anxious heart. 
 
 There was no lover at her side, fondly 
 to follow each motion of her hand, each 
 thought that her pen traced, and with 
 the playfulness of overflowing love and 
 happiness, to guide that hand when, for 
 the first time, signing his name as her 
 own. 
 
 When the hour fixed on for their ride 
 arrived, Emmeline went to the appoint-
 
 78 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 ment with as cheerful a countenance as 
 she could command. Fitzhenry left it 
 to the groom to put her on her horse, 
 and never looked at her when mounted ; 
 but, otherwise, was careful of her safety ; 
 and this cold neglect on his part she at 
 the minute rejoiced at, as she had feared 
 he must have observed the trace of her 
 tears. The fresh air and a new and 
 agreeable country revived her spirits, 
 by nature at all times inclined to cheer- 
 fulness. The awkwardness and mental 
 absence of her companion also a little 
 wore oif, and, on the whole, they got 
 through the morning better than she had 
 expected. 
 
 Fitzhenry told Emmeline that his fa- 
 ther was coming to them the Wednesday 
 following, and that he had invited some
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 79 
 
 friends for the end of the week. She re- 
 joiced to hear of these arrangements ; 
 not but that her feelings towards that 
 father had much changed since the 
 truth had begun to break in upon her ; 
 but then, any third person would be 
 such a relief! 
 
 When she thought of the way in which 
 their honeymoon was to be passed — that 
 after hurrying away from town and the 
 world with all accustomed bustle — and, 
 although only married four and twenty 
 hours, they both already looked to so- 
 ciety for relief, the absurdity of their 
 situation struck her for an instant as so 
 ridiculous, that involuntarily a smile, 
 which she saw did not escape her com- 
 panion, stole over her features ; but, as 
 it faded, a deep-drawn sigh succeeded.
 
 80 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 and she averted her head, to conceal 
 from Fitzhenry, the revolution of feeling 
 which she was conscious was painted in 
 her face. A long train of reflections 
 passed through her mind, as, absorbed 
 in thought, she carelessly with her whip 
 brushed from the bushes, as she passed 
 them, the drops remaining from a late 
 shower; and so deep was her reverie, 
 (the first almost in which poor Emme- 
 line had ever been lost,) that Lord Fitz- 
 henry twice spoke to her before she 
 heard him, and when she did, the tone 
 of her voice in answer, had in it, (per- 
 haps unknown to herself,) a something of 
 repulsive coldness, unusual to her. Whe- 
 ther it so struck him or not, cannot be 
 ascertained ; but the remainder of their 
 ride was performed nearly in total silence.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 81 
 
 Emmeline at once wisely took to her 
 own occupations, and allowed her hus- 
 band to go his own way. It would be 
 often wise and prudent if even new-mar- 
 ried lovers did the same ; for, shocked as 
 they may be at the idea, even real love 
 will at last become dull and wearisome ; 
 and many a fondly devoted bride has, 
 I dare say, during the very first week, 
 often wished for her usual occupations, 
 as much as her lover has for his gun 
 and pointers. But with Lord and Lady 
 Fitzhenry, there was no form, no farce 
 of sentiment to keep up. Each felt hap- 
 pier when apart from the other; and, by 
 having many an hour for reflection, Em- 
 meline was enabled to school her mind 
 to the trials to which she felt she must 
 be exposed — trials but too likely to in- 
 
 E 5
 
 82 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 crease ; for gradually her irritated feel- 
 ings gave way. When Fitzhenry's 
 letter, and its harsh expressions of de- 
 termined indifference towards her re- 
 turned to her recollection, then her 
 offended pride enabled her to act her 
 part with spirit ; and she could talk, and 
 even laugh, with apparent gaiety, to 
 show him he had not had power to 
 wound her feelings deeply. For, amia- 
 ble as was Emmeline's disposition, 
 enough of human infirmity lurked about 
 her — enough of the ** Woman scorned," 
 to allow her a degree of pleasure in mor- 
 tifying one, who had shown so little 
 scruple in more than mortifying her. 
 
 At moments, too, her natural gaiety 
 was not to be restrained ; and when, on 
 the third evening of their residence at
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 83 
 
 Arlingford, her laughing eye caught the 
 look of astonishment in the old butler's 
 countenance, when, as he entered the 
 room, he found the supposed lovers oc- 
 cupied with their books at opposite ends 
 of the apartment, apparently as uncon- 
 scious of each other's presence as any 
 indifferent pair after a dozen years' mar- 
 riage, — she could not command the in- 
 clination to laughter that overcame her. 
 
 Lord Fitzhenry looked up astonished. 
 
 *' I am much diverted with what I am 
 reading," said Emmeline, to account for 
 her sudden burst of mirth, (colouring at 
 the same time, with the consciousness of 
 her departure from truth,) although per- 
 haps not sorry of an opportunity of show- 
 ing him, that even in his society, when 
 so totally neglected by him, and after all
 
 84 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 he had said and done to depress her 
 spirits, she was still disposed to cheer- 
 fulness. 
 
 *' May I ask what book you are read- 
 ing, that I may benefit also by the enter- 
 tainment," replied her husband. 
 
 '' Perhaps you would not be equally 
 amused by it," said she. '* Sometimes 
 little things tickle our fancy, without 
 our being able to say why ; and much 
 depends on the humour we are in." 
 
 Lord Fitzhenry looked a little discon- 
 certed, and Emmeline could not be so 
 generous as to regret it. 
 
 But in his society, she soon ceased 
 to show either spirit or triumph ; soon 
 forgot to be angry. The mildness of 
 his manners, the charm of his conver- 
 sation, when sometimes for a little he
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 85 
 
 seemed to forget their peculiar situation, 
 and to give way to his natural habits and 
 disposition, soon won upon Emmeline, 
 and, with a sigh, she thought, *' How 
 she could have loved him !" When gal- 
 lopping on before her, and when certain 
 she should not be observed, her eyes 
 were fixed on his manly, graceful figure, 
 and she admired the ease, and inde- 
 scribable elegance (if one may use a word 
 so degraded) of all his actions. 
 
 There is something in the manners 
 and conversation of an intelligent man of 
 the world, which it is impossible ade- 
 quately to describe, — which, without 
 being either information or wit, pleases 
 more than either. It is, perhaps, the 
 art of giving to each subject no more 
 than its due proportion of time and
 
 86 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 thought, which prevents conversation 
 from becoming tedious, and hinders any 
 idea, however serious, from weighing too 
 heavily on the mind. Fitzhenry pos- 
 sessed this art in a superlative degree ; 
 and Emmeline, to whom such conversa- 
 tion was almost totally new, and who 
 by nature was formed to appreciate every 
 refinement, was powerfully captivated 
 by it. And, added to this, there was a 
 certain foreign gallantry of manner> Cthat 
 among her father's acquaintance she had 
 certainly never experienced,) and a ha- 
 bit of attention to women, which, in 
 Fitzhenry, was so strong, that his beha- 
 viour, even to Emmeline, partook of it — 
 to her, whom he never looked at, nor 
 apparently noticed. 
 
 The whole plan of his present life, the
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 87 
 
 footing upon which he meant Lady Fitz- 
 henry and himself to live together, was, 
 perhaps of foreign growth. A true-bred 
 Enoflishman would never have behaved 
 with the civility of good breeding to a 
 wife so forced upon him. He could 
 never have thought it possible to have 
 established any one in his house on the 
 terms on which Emmeline was to be 
 placed. But although Lord Fitzhenry 
 looked upon the observance of English 
 customs in a total retirement after mar- 
 riage as particularly irksome, it never 
 could make him wanting in respect, and 
 even in kindness, to one of Emmeline's 
 sex. His will once made known, — told, 
 as it had been, very plainly and de- 
 cidedly, — there was nothing more to 
 settle between them, and he behaved to
 
 88 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 her with that sort of general observance 
 and attention due from a man to a 
 woman. 
 
 In short, he could not help being agree- 
 able, although differing so cruelly from 
 the animated, enthusiastic Fitzhenry, 
 known to his friends. 
 
 Perhaps such conduct was more cal- 
 culated to excite despair than even ap- 
 parent dislike would have been to one, 
 who, like Emmeline, aimed at winning 
 his love ; but, quick as she was, her 
 inexperience prevented her from being 
 aware, that these attentions of civility 
 were paid by him from mere force of 
 habit ; she therefore gave way to the 
 charm which daily captivated her, and 
 did not always suspect that those words 
 on which her ear delighted to hang, and
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 89 
 
 which sometimes even wore the sem- 
 blance of gallantry, were uttered by him 
 generally in total absence of mind, with 
 his thoughts fixed on another. 
 
 Who that other was, Emmeline no 
 longer doubted. Something she recol- 
 lected having heard of Lord Fitzhenry's 
 admiration for Lady Florence Mostyn, 
 when abroad ; but he had then been 
 so long out of England, Emmeline's 
 thoughts were little occupied about him, 
 and the intelligence had made but slight 
 impression on her young mind. Now, 
 putting various circumstances together, 
 she could no longer doubt that Lady 
 Florence was her favoured riv^al, if in- 
 deed a rival she could be called, where 
 there was no competition. 
 
 For, much as Emmeline might wish
 
 90 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 to propitiate her husband, and though 
 even a little vanity and pique might enter 
 into the feeling, yet she had no idea of 
 any of the arts of coquetry, and if she 
 now exerted all her powers of agree- 
 ableness, it was from the simple wish 
 to make their present melancholy life 
 pass as well as the awkward circum- 
 stances in which they were placed al- 
 lowed. If she might hope in time to 
 win her companion's affections, she gave 
 up, as perfectly hopeless, all attempts to 
 captivate his imagination. And that very 
 feeling made her more at ease, and 
 therefore more agreeable than she could 
 otherwise have been. On all general 
 subjects, Fitzhenry was more than will- 
 ing to converse. The publications of 
 the day opened a wide field for discus-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 91 
 
 sion. It was neutral ground, on which 
 they could meet and parley. There was 
 a peculiar liveliness, and originality in 
 all he said, which Emmeline was not 
 only able to appreciate, but, by taking up 
 his ideas with quickness, to encourage 
 fresh remarks, and even improve upon 
 them. The merits of Sir Walter Scott, 
 Miss Edge worth, and Southey, were all 
 thoroughly commented upon. Lord By- 
 ron came too near home, and, as if 
 by mutual consent, they always avoided 
 him and his writings. 
 
 One evening — the last they now had 
 to pass alone — Emmeline had somehow 
 wandered in her conversation to Italy ; 
 but she immediately observed a cloud of 
 recollections darken her husband's brow, 
 and, making rather an awkward retreat.
 
 92 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 she resumed the book she was reading, 
 and which had given rise to her unlucky 
 remark; and never took her eyes from it 
 till the usual time for retiring to her own 
 room. Fitzhenry had also remained si- 
 lent ; but the moment she moved, he 
 started up as if roused from a reverie, 
 lit her candle for her and wished her 
 good night, hoping the slight headache 
 she had complained of would be better 
 next day. The tone of his voice was 
 so agreeable, the expression of his 
 countenance so mild, that she felt with 
 Juliet, 
 
 " Parting is such sweet sorrow, 
 That I could say good night till it be morrow." 
 
 When she reached her own room, un- 
 conscious of what she did, she leant her 
 head on her hand, and stood thus for
 
 A MARHTAOE IN HIGH LIFE. 93 
 
 some time at the chimney-piece, on 
 which she had placed her candle, lost 
 in thought. Had she been asked what 
 those thoughts were, perhaps she could 
 not have defined them ; but at length, a 
 deep sigh escaped her as she ejaculated 
 to herself '* How pleasant he is ! and if so 
 to me, whom he dislikes, despises, what 
 must he be to her, to whom his whole 
 mind and heart are laid open ? With me 
 it is almost impossible to avoid forbidden 
 subjects — Italy, I see, I must never touch 
 upon. Not only the present but the past 
 belongs to Lady Florence ; / am only 
 connected with the future in his mind, 
 and a future to which he looks with dis- 
 like and dread." 
 
 The next day was th^t on which they 
 expected Lord Arlingford ; and Emme-
 
 94 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 line, when she met her husband at break- 
 fast, was concerned to see that all those 
 miserable, agitated feelings, which had 
 apparently much subsided, had now re- 
 turned worse than ever. During that 
 meal, he was so hurried, so abstracted, 
 that when after it was over, he had 
 placed himself at the window to read 
 the newspaper, she ventured to go up 
 to him, and purposely said something 
 about his father's arrival, hoping that she 
 might dispel the anxiety which seemed 
 to oppress him, by showing him how 
 little Lord Arlingford's presence would 
 add to her awkward feelings. She 
 therefore, to open the subject, asked at 
 what time he thought he would arrive. 
 
 Fitzhenry, without taking his eyes off 
 the paper, said he did riot expect him
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 95 
 
 till dinner-time — there was a pause, Em- 
 meline not knowing well how again to 
 begin— at length, Fitzhenry himself broke 
 the silence by saying, '' Had you not 
 better write to Mr. and Mrs. Benson, and 
 propose their making us a visit here soon? 
 You will probably be anxious to meet 
 them before long." 
 
 ** Thank you very much," exclaimed 
 Emmeline, quite moved by the kindness 
 of his proposal, and feeling as if she could 
 have seized with affection on the hand 
 that rested on the edge of the window 
 near her. For a minute, the temptation 
 was strong; her breath came quick, and 
 the blood rushed into her cheeks. But 
 those cruel words in Fitzhenry's letter, 
 *' my affections can never be yours," 
 flashed like lightning across her mind,
 
 96 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 and prevented her from forgetting her- 
 self. Still lost in thought, there she 
 stood. It seemed as if he felt the awk- 
 wardness of the moment, and made a 
 motion to go. *' Perhaps then you will 
 give me a frank for my father," she said 
 timidly, and wishing to detain him. 
 
 ** Certainly, with pleasure ;" and he 
 sat down to the table to write it. As he 
 gave it her, his hand trembled. Again 
 Emmeline's better judgment failed her — 
 again her feelings, unused to conceal- 
 ment, got the better of her prudence. 
 Sorry to observe his excessive pertur- 
 bation, and wishing as far as she could 
 to alleviate it, while taking the frank 
 from his hand, and without raising her 
 eyes from the writing, she said in a tre- 
 mulous voice, *' Don't distress yourself —
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 97 
 
 indeed you may trust nie." Alas ! these 
 words had the direct contrary effect from 
 what she had meant and hoped. Fitz- 
 henry started up, and hurried out of the 
 room. 
 
 ** What have I done !" thought poor 
 Emmeline, as the door closed upon him. 
 *' I have forgotten my promise, broken 
 my word — I have displeased him!" and 
 she sank on the chair he had quitted. 
 She hoped he would return ; but he did 
 not come. She then thought she would 
 write to him, but, fortunately, nothing 
 which she could express, satisfied her feel- 
 ings ; and, at length, she resolved that 
 she would rather try and make him forget 
 one unguarded word, by never referring 
 to it, and never again so offending. 
 
 Sadly she retired to her own sitting- 
 
 VOL. 1. V
 
 98 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 room, and saw no more of Fitzhenry, till, 
 at their usual hour for riding, a servant 
 came and told her the horses were ready, 
 and that my lord was at the door waiting 
 for her. Emmeline hurried down stairs. 
 She dared not even look at her husband, 
 for the wish to please had begun already 
 to make her timid ; but, by the tone of his 
 voice, she soon judged that all anger at 
 least, if ever entertained against her, was 
 gone. He even exerted himself more than 
 usual to talk on indifferent subjects. 
 
 Lord Arlingford arrived to dinner — 
 Emmeline met him with the cordiality 
 of a daughter. He seemed in high spirits, 
 delighted with her, with the improve- 
 ments in the house, with every thing. 
 Many a time, did the blood rush into 
 Emmeline's cheek at the allusions he
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 99 
 
 made to their late marriage, his railleries 
 on the honey moon, and such common 
 hackneyed subjects, which, trifling as 
 they are, generally possess a power of 
 pleasing where happiness really exists, 
 but which to her and Lord Fitzhenry 
 were torture. She turned all this off as 
 well as she could ; sometimes almost 
 hating herself for having already become 
 so artful. They thus got to the end of 
 the first day of Lord Arlingford's visit 
 better than she had expected. The father 
 and son had much to look at, much to 
 talk over about the place, plantations, &c. 
 and after the first two days, their party 
 was enlarged by some young men, friends 
 of Fitzhenry. 
 
 Emmeline now found her task com- 
 paratively easy ; she was of course the 
 
 f2
 
 100 A UARSIAGE IX mCH LIFE. 
 
 object of much attention with all her 
 new guests ; all were anxious to please 
 her, and to court her acquaintance as 
 Lord Fitzhenry's wife ; all, too, seemed 
 surprised at finding Emmeline Benson, 
 the banker's daughter, the agreeable, 
 intelligent, and perfectly well-bred per- 
 son which, in truth, she was. 
 
 At first, timidity made her feel em- 
 barrassed in her new situation ; but that 
 soon wore off, and, naturally gay, her 
 spirits rose with the gaiety and lively 
 conversation of those around her. She 
 could not be indifferent to the flattering 
 attentions paid her; and, to her own 
 surprise, Emmeline soon found herself 
 at her ease, and happy. For Emmeline s 
 heart was as yet comparatively free ; an 
 all-engrossing passion had not yet de-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 101 
 
 stroyed its happy tranquillity, and a gay, 
 joyous laugh often showed the innocent 
 lightness of that heart. Once, from the 
 other end of the dinner-table, she found 
 Lord Fitzhenry's eyes fixed upon her, 
 but whether it was surprise at the part 
 she was able to take in conversation, or 
 displeasure, perhaps even disgust, at the 
 gaiety which had thus attracted his at- 
 tention towards her, she knew not. But 
 that look — although his eyes were imme- 
 diately withdrawn on meeting hers — had 
 power instantly to check her mirth ; and 
 her neighbour scarcely recognised in the 
 absent, silent person that now sat be- 
 side him, the gay companion, who, a 
 few minutes before, entered so readily 
 into all his ideas, 
 
 Emmeline now, nearly for the first
 
 102 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 time, heard herself called by her new 
 name. Her husband, too, forced some- 
 times to designate and address her, called 
 her *' Lady Fitzhenry.'* To hear oneself 
 spoken to by a name so dear, that form- 
 erly one hardly dared pronounce it — to 
 be thus reminded, each time, that we 
 are indissolubly bound to that being we 
 adore, is delightful. But in her hus- 
 band's mouth it was to poor Emmeline 
 an insult. It only seemed to cast her 
 further from him, and remind her of the 
 distant footing of mere form on which 
 they lived, on which they were ever to 
 live ; for *' Emmeline," the name which 
 when a child she had so often heard him 
 pronounce, when she cared not for the 
 endearing intimacy of the aj)penation, 
 now never passed his lips.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 103 
 
 She now saw him but h'ttle, and never 
 alone ; for he never came into her own 
 sitting-room, and seldom into the draw- 
 ing-room, except at those hours, when he 
 was certain of finding some of the rest 
 of the party there also. She felt that 
 since they had had society in the house, 
 she had rather lost than gained ground 
 with him, and she now regretted the 
 week they had spent tete-^-tete, much 
 as she had wished it over at the time, 
 as then they were compelled to have some 
 sort of intercourse together. 
 
 Gradually, Emmeline's abstraction in- 
 creased, and her spirits changed ; for, 
 almost unconscious to herself, when in 
 Fitzhenry's society, her thoughts and 
 attention were entirely occupied by him. 
 The most flattering compliments that
 
 104 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 gallantry could suggest, had sometimes 
 to be twice repeated to her, and were 
 at last received with a vacant smile ; for 
 if she caught the distant tone of Fitz- 
 henry's voice, she heard nothing else ; 
 and if, during the day, he had more than 
 usually spoken to her, or paid her some 
 attention of mere civility, her spirits rose 
 even beyond their natural level, and thus 
 gave to her manner at times an appear- 
 ance of caprice far from her nature.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 105 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 '* Unhappy Psyche ! soon the latent wound 
 
 The fading roses of her cheek confess, 
 
 Her eyes bright beams in swimming sorrows drown'd. 
 
 Sparkle no more with life and happiness, 
 
 Her parents' fond exulting heart to bless." 
 
 It was now about six weeks since the 
 fatal day on which Lord and Lady Fitz- 
 henry were married. His feelings to- 
 wards her, to all appearance, remained 
 the same ; but, with Emmeline, the hap- 
 piness which depends on insensibility 
 was gone. 
 
 r5
 
 106 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 Business had hitherto always prevent- 
 ed Mr. and Mrs. Benson from accepting 
 the invitation to Arlingford Hall; but 
 their visit was now fixed to take place 
 as soon as the present company in the 
 house were gone. Emmeline respected 
 her father, and dearly loved her mother ; 
 but still she had by nature so nice a tact, 
 that she was soon aware that herself, as 
 well as Lord Fitzhenry, would be better 
 pleased that they should not fall into a 
 set and style of society which they could 
 not suit, and which would not suit them. 
 
 Emmeline rather dreaded her mother's 
 visit, dreaded the quick eye of tender 
 affection, and the gossip of servants. 
 '' But," thought she, " this visit once 
 over, 1 have nothing more to dread ; all 
 will then go on smoothly — smoothly and
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 107 
 
 sadly to me," she added. '' But I will 
 hope a time may come when he will care 
 for me — already I think he is used to my 
 society; at least, he does not dislike it, 
 for I am no longer a constraint to him — 
 I must be patient." And with a deep- 
 drawn sigh, she turned over the leaves 
 of her as yet unopened music-books, and 
 sat down to practise some of her father's 
 favourite songs, which since her marriage 
 she had neglected ; for Fitzhenry had 
 never asked her to play or sing, and, unso- 
 licited, she had not had sufficient courage. 
 Since Lord Arlingford had been with 
 them they had dined late, and cards and 
 conversation had filled up the evenings. 
 At length, the day came on which Mr. 
 and Mrs. Benson were expected. Em- 
 meline's heart beat thick the whole of it,
 
 108 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 and her eye was on the road which led 
 to the house, her ear watching for every 
 sound all the morning, although it was 
 impossible they could arrive till late in 
 the day. Fitzhenry sent his horses to 
 meet them at the last stage, watched for 
 their arrival, was at the door of the house 
 to receive them, helped them out of the 
 carriage, and himself conducted them up 
 to Emmeline's room. There, for a few 
 minutes, he left them to fold to their 
 hearts their beloved child. For it was 
 not a scene that he wished to witness, or 
 in which he felt, circumstanced as they 
 were, he had any part to play. 
 
 Emmeline's feelings were worked up 
 to the utmost. Joy, fear, a thousand 
 confused ideas conspired to weaken her 
 nerves, and she fell quite overcome into
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 109 
 
 her mother's arms. It was some time 
 before she could compose herself. But 
 agitation at that moment was so natural, 
 that it seemed to cause no astonishment, 
 nor raise any suspicions. 
 
 '*MyowndearErameline!" exclaimed 
 Mrs. Benson, as she kissed her again and 
 again, ** how happy I am to see you once 
 more, and to see you, as I trust I do, 
 everyway so happy;" and she looked 
 round with complacency on the refined 
 comfort of her room. 
 
 Emmeline pressed her mother's hand, 
 she could not speak, and with difficulty 
 forced a smile. 
 
 *' And how well my lord looks," said 
 her father: *' the last time I saw him, on 
 your wedding-day you know, Emmy — 
 Lady Fitzhenry, I mean; I beg your lady-
 
 110 A MARRIAGE IxN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 ship's pardon," said he, chuckling, while 
 making her a formal bow in order to pass 
 off for wit, what was in fact the real 
 overflowings of his vanity at her newly- 
 acquired rank :---'* on that day, the nine- 
 teenth of August, eighteen hundred and 
 twenty-three^ I did not like his looks at 
 all. I really was afraid he was not well ; 
 but I was told it was natural agitatioru 
 ^o\y I can't for my life conceive why a man 
 is to look red and yellow and melancholy 
 on the happiest day of his life. I dare 
 say I did not when I was married to my 
 good woman there— Eh, Mrs. B. ?— How- 
 ever, now a wholesome country life, and 
 true domestic English happiness, you 
 know, my Lady Fitzhenry, seem to have 
 made quite another man of him. 
 Emmeline tried again to smile.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. Ill 
 
 *' It was SO good of him," continued 
 Mr. Benson, ** to press us so often to 
 come — but it was impossible sooner; 
 business must be attended to — my old 
 saying, you know ; — and then the kind- 
 ness of sending his horses for us, although 
 I dare say there were plenty to be had 
 at the inn ; but still your old father liked 
 very much to be brought to Arlingford 
 Hall in a manner in triumph, driven by 
 two postilions in the handsome old Fitz- 
 henry livery, with the coachman on be- 
 fore to show the way, although I suppose 
 the drivers knew it quite well ; but it did 
 not signify, I liked all that, egad I did — 
 and I am not ashamed to own it. And 
 then, thought I, a man so full of pretty 
 attentions to his father-in-law, must 
 make a good husband to my dear girl."
 
 112 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 Luckily a kiss of rapture, which he then 
 imprinted on that dear girl's face, saved 
 the necessity of a reply. 
 
 By this time, Fitzhenry again made 
 his appearance, apologizing for his ab- 
 sence under the plea of having had some 
 orders to give his coachman. 
 
 '* No apology, my lord," said the ex- 
 cellent old citizen, seizing his hand, 
 vi^hich he heartily shook; ** I consider 
 myself at home here ; you and Emme- 
 line are one, you know, and it would be 
 hard indeed if I did not feel at home in 
 my daughter's house." 
 
 Fitzhenry endeavoured to say some- 
 thing in return, but failed, and as a 
 retreat from observation, walked to the 
 window. 
 
 '' She is a dear, good little girl, this
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 1 13 
 
 daughter of mine — is she not, my lord ?" 
 continued Mr. Benson, patting Emrae- 
 line's cheek ; •'* and happiness, and your 
 good care of her, have given her such a 
 colour^ that I declare I think you must 
 have already taught her to wear rouge, as 
 your fine ladies do." And Mr. Benson 
 laughed heartily, in gaiety of heart, at 
 his own wit. Alas ! poor Emmeline's 
 colour was the flushed crimson of nervous 
 agitation. Again Fitzhenry had recourse 
 to looking out of the window at the 
 horses and carriages, which luckily had 
 not yet driven off. 
 
 ** Ay, they are beautiful animals," said 
 Mr. Benson, following him ; *' bred here 
 I believe; and then they are so well 
 matched. I have been admiring them all 
 the way here. Do you ever drive them
 
 114 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 yourself? though woz^ I suppose Emmeline 
 has taken the reins into her own hands — 
 Eh, Lady Fitzhenry?" 
 
 '' This will never do," thought Emme- 
 line ; her heart sank within her, and to 
 put an end to the present trying moment, 
 she proposed showing her mother her 
 room ; she trusted that her father's exu- 
 berant spirits would before long vent 
 themselves, and at any rate, separately, 
 both she and Fitzhenry could better bear 
 such attacks. So leaving her father and 
 husband together, she went out of the 
 room with Mrs. Benson. The house — 
 her apartment — the view from the win- 
 dows — the attentions of the old house- 
 keeper who, in a rustling silk gown, 
 came to make her reverence and offer 
 her services, all delighted the latter.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 115 
 
 They had much to talk of, aunts, uncles, 
 cousins to enquire after, and Emmeline's 
 spirits became more composed. 
 
 At length, it was time to dress for 
 dinner, and Emmeline retired to her 
 own room. But when there, alone, her 
 head sank on her hand ; and a shiver of 
 unhappiness — (I write only to those \vho 
 have hearts, and to all such these sensa- 
 tions are but too well known) — the cold 
 deserted shiver of unhappiness crept over 
 her frame — '* Oh ! mine is a hard fate !" 
 thought she, '' to have eternally a part to 
 act, a secret to conceal, with one, for one, 
 whose heart is for ever closed to me." 
 
 The sight of her father and mother had 
 revived all the affections and associations 
 of Emmeline's early youth ; and, dis- 
 appointed in all her dreams of happiness.
 
 116 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 the mad, the desperate thought of con- 
 fessing her real situation, of leaving Fitz- 
 henry and Arlingford for ever, and return- 
 ing to her parents, crossed her mind. 
 But a feeling which every day was gain- 
 ing ground in her heart, almost unknown 
 to herself, made her, the next minute, 
 start with horror at the thought; and, 
 almost terrified at the idea of the irre- 
 trievable step which in a moment of 
 hopeless depression she might have been 
 tempted to take, she resolved that she 
 would keep her word with her husband, 
 conceal and bear all, and trust to time 
 and heaven. 
 
 Emmeline cooled her burning eyelids, 
 rang for her maid, and dressed for dinner. 
 Fitzhenry was perfect in his manner and 
 attentions to Mr. and Mrs. Benson. He
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 117 
 
 seemed instinctively to know how to 
 please the former; sent for the oldest 
 wine out of the cellar for him, filled his 
 snufF-box on purpose, bore with his bad 
 jokes, adapted his conversation to him, 
 asking him questions — the replies to 
 which perhaps he never listened to — 
 but which gave the appearance of seek- 
 ing information from him ; and, in the 
 gratitude of her heart for all this kind- 
 ness, when she ventured to raise her 
 eyes on her husband's handsome, manly 
 countenance, smiling in goodnature on 
 her parents, Emmeline wondered how 
 the idea of leaving him, betraying him, 
 ever could have entered her mind, and 
 she thought that to live with so amiable 
 a being, on any terms, would be hap- 
 piness.
 
 118 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 As soon as the servants had left the 
 dining-room, Mr. Benson filled his glass 
 to a bumper. Emmeline, who observed 
 the smile on his face as he deliberately 
 poured in the wine, dreaded what was 
 coming. ''I am an old fashioned old 
 man," said Mr. Benson, '* and I love all 
 old customs, so I must beg leave to pro- 
 pose a toast — My Lord and Lady Fitz- 
 henry," said he, bowing to them exult- 
 ingly, '* and may they, and may I, see 
 many happy returns of the nineteenth of 
 August." , 
 
 Emmeline coloured, and fixed her 
 eyes on the table before her. 
 
 '* This is the happiest day of my life 
 I believe," continued Mr. Benson, '' not 
 even excepting my own wedding-day; 
 my heart had been so long set on seeing
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 119 
 
 my Emmy happily settled as your wife ; 
 and I must congratulate myself, as well 
 as you, my Lord, at its having at last 
 come to pass. For you too have had it 
 long in your head, or I am much mis- 
 taken," added Mr. Benson, nodding sig- 
 nificantly to Lord Fitzhenry. *' Well 
 do I remember, when Emmy was not 
 above so high, your calling her your 
 little wife, and saying you had a right to 
 kiss her, when you took leave of us, on 
 going abroad. I warrant you have not 
 forgot that any more than myself." 
 
 And in the exuberance of his joy, he 
 again held out his hand to his son-in-law. 
 Emmeline dared not look up to see how 
 her husband stood this trial ; her heart 
 beat so violently that she felt as if its 
 pulsations must be heard during the
 
 J 20 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 dead silence, which for an instant fol- 
 lowed Mr. Benson's speech. 
 
 Lord Fitzhenry was the first to break 
 it ; and, hastily drinking off his glass, 
 as he bowed in return to Mr. Benson, 
 *' You will find this wine very good,. I 
 think," said he ; " it is some which a 
 friend of mine brought me from Madeira, 
 and has never been in a wine-merchant's 
 hands." 
 
 *' Yes, indeed, most excellent," re- 
 plied Mr. Benson, '* and I hope by this 
 time next year I may drink some of it, to 
 the health of a little heir to the family." 
 On poor Emmeline's cheek, a deadly 
 paleness so rapidly succeeded the deep 
 crimson of a minute before, that it caught 
 even Mr. Benson's eye, who, although 
 not quick at observing such dumb indi-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 121 
 
 cations of feeling, was sorry to have 
 distressed her, though he hardly guessed 
 how he had done so. His spirits were 
 elevated by the exultation of the mo- 
 ment, and the *^ excellent wine" beyond 
 his usual hilarity— and even beyond his 
 control. 
 
 '* Come, come, Emmy,'" said he, 
 smiling on her — *' I meant no offence : 
 but you know such things often, indeed 
 I may say commonly do happen, as peo- 
 ple having little boys and little girls 
 after they are married ; and I hope you 
 may have a little boy some of those days, 
 that's all ;" and he winked his eye face- 
 tiously at Lord Fitzhenry. 
 
 The latter however was, as well as 
 Emmeline, examining the pattern of the 
 China-plate before him; so that poor 
 
 VOL. I. G
 
 122 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 Mr. Benson meeting with no encourage- 
 ment from any one, was forced to 
 change the subject of conversation, and 
 Emmeline soon proposed to her mother 
 to leave the dining-room. 
 
 Mrs. Benson took no notice of what 
 had passed ; and Emmeline gradually re- 
 covered herself, although, on the gen- 
 tlemen joining them, she found it im- 
 possible to encounter her husband's 
 eyes, and, hastily getting up, she went 
 to the pianoforte. At first, her hand 
 trembled, but a feeling of pride steadied 
 it; and on her father asking for one 
 of his old favourite songs, she com- 
 plied. 
 
 Fitzhenry gradually approached her, 
 and when she had finished singing — 
 '' That is very beautiful," said he, '' You
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 123 
 
 have never before indulged me with any 
 music." 
 
 '* No!" replied Mr. Benson, *' that is 
 a great shame, when I paid I don't know 
 
 what to a Signor what do you call 
 
 him ? for teaching her. She can sing 
 you any of your fine bravuras; but a 
 plain English song, for my money ; it is 
 worth all your Italian airs, for there is 
 some sense, some meaning in that, but, 
 as for your foreign nonsense, one can't 
 understand what the words are about ; 
 no one can make head or tail of them." 
 
 Emmeline could not help smiling; and, 
 looking up, her eyes met Fitzhenry's. 
 He too smiled, and smiled so kindly on 
 her that, for an instant, she fancied 
 there was affection, even fondness in 
 their expression. 
 
 g2
 
 124 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 '' Perhaps," said he, ** you will never- 
 theless indulge me with one of the un- 
 meaning songs Mr. Benson complains 
 of." 
 
 Emmelinesang one of Rossini's. Fitz- 
 heniy sat down by the pianoforte op- 
 posite to her, his head leaning on his 
 hand ; and, at first, he looked attentively 
 at her, but when the song was over, he 
 seemed so lost in thought as to have to- 
 tally forgot the singer. He said no- 
 thing ; suffered her to leave the instru- 
 ment without making any attempt at 
 detaining her, and soon after left the 
 room. 
 
 On his return, he proposed a game at 
 whist ; Emmeline had early learnt it to 
 make up her father's party, so a card- 
 table was rung for. Of course, Mr. and
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 125 
 
 Mrs. Benson were to play together, and 
 many cruel things were said about not 
 parting husband and wife, &c. But 
 Fitzhenry's behaviour that evening had 
 been to Emmeline (in spite of his dis- 
 regard of the song he had asked for) an 
 additional draft of love, and she bore all 
 most bravely, for she felt it was for him 
 she was bearing it ; she did not venture 
 to observe him while all this was pass- 
 ing, but by the tone of his voice, he 
 seemed to endure these trials with pati- 
 ence and unruffled temper. 
 
 Mr. Benson and his wife won every 
 game, for their adversaries knew little 
 of what was going on, trumping and 
 taking each other's tricks with the most 
 perfect mutual indifference. But Mr. 
 Benson only exulted in his superior play,
 
 126 A x\IARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 as chuckling, he put his daughter's 
 money into his pocket, and he retired to 
 bed in high good humour. 
 
 The next morning, after breakfast, 
 Fitzhenry took Mr. Benson to show him 
 the farm, stables, &c. and Emmeline and 
 her mother were left together. Mrs. 
 Benson for some time fidgetted about the 
 room, giving dry laconic answers to all 
 Emmeline's observations, which she knew 
 well, was a s^ymptom of her working her- 
 self up to say something unusual, and she 
 dreaded what it might be. At length, 
 Mrs. Benson came up to her daughter, 
 and folding her to her heart, as she 
 
 printed a fond kiss on her forehead 
 
 V.;Well, my ^eai* child," she said, '' I 
 trust I See you as happy as heart— as 
 even my foolish heart can wish ?"
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 127 
 
 '' How can you doubt it ?" answered 
 Emmeline, greatly embarrassed by so 
 direct a question. *' You see bow kind, 
 how excellent he is" — and to avoid her 
 mother's anxious gaze, she stooped down 
 to caress an old poodle of Fitzhenry's 
 that had lately established himself in 
 her room. " Speak, Tiber," said she to 
 the dog — *' Have we not a most kind 
 master?" 
 
 There was a pause, but Mrs. Benson 
 returned to the charge. 
 
 " I find you live quite fashionahlij , in 
 separate apartments. I must say I think 
 that is a silly new fangled refinement 
 which I don't approve of at all, and I 
 hope it is no fancy of yours ?" 
 
 Emmeline coloured deeply. — '' Lord 
 Fitzhenry," she replied, '* had so long
 
 128 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 lived abroad, was so used to foreign cus- 
 toms, that she did not wonder he liked 
 to adopt them at home." 
 
 *' But, Lord Fitzhenry was not a mar- 
 ried man abroad, I presume ?" said Mrs. 
 Benson, forcing a laugh. 
 
 Emmeline forced one too, but her lip 
 quivered, tears came into her eyes, and 
 again she was obliged to stoop and coax 
 the dog. 
 
 " By the bye, Emmeline," said Mrs. 
 Benson, after a moment's silence, *' I 
 have brought you your work-box which 
 you left in Harley-street; I wonder you 
 did not miss it, for I suppose you have 
 a good deal of time to yourself now, 
 and are more alone than you used to be 
 with us ?" 
 
 ** All women must be a good deal
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 129 
 
 alone when they leave home," replied 
 Emmeline, with as steady a voice as she 
 could command, — " for the occupations 
 and amusements of men are so differ- 
 ent, particularly in the country." 
 
 '' Then you are chiefly by yourself," 
 said Mrs. Benson, hastily, as if catching 
 at the confession, as something she was 
 seeking for. 
 
 '' Oh dear no, I go out riding with 
 some of the gentlemen nearly everyday." 
 
 '' Oh, you do, do you ?" said Mrs. 
 Benson; '* and Lord Fitzhenry, does he 
 go too ?" 
 
 *' Yes, generally." 
 
 ** I thought he had not," said Mrs. 
 Benson rather vacantly, and appearing 
 to be engaged in some ruminations of her 
 own. 
 
 G 5
 
 130 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 Emmeline took advantage of the mo- 
 mentary pause that followed, to start 
 a new subject of conversation. She 
 trusted, that when her mother saw how 
 perfectly good humoured and indulgent 
 Lord Fitzhenry was to her ; in all things 
 allowing her to be her own mistress, as 
 well as mistress of his house, that the 
 doubts and suspicions which she saw 
 had been raised in her mind, either by 
 her own observations, or her maid's gos- 
 sipping reports, would subside. For, as 
 Emmeline suspected, this conversation 
 had, in fact, been brought on by some 
 stories which Mrs. Benson had already 
 heard. Her maid and Emmeline's were 
 old acquaintance ; and what maid or mis- 
 tress can help talking over her neigh- 
 bour's affairs ? The truth was, that Mrs.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 131 
 
 Brown, the old housekeeper, and Susan, 
 Emmeline's maid, (now promoted to 
 Mrs. Jenkins,) had already quarrelled ; 
 for the latter soon began to throw 
 out hints, which Mrs. Brown, think- 
 ing herself bound to stand up for 
 her master, resented violently ; so that 
 by the time Mrs. Benson arrived, 
 Mrs. Jenkins and Mrs. Brown were 
 open enemies; and the former lost no 
 time in securing on her side her 
 old companion Warren — Mrs. Benson's 
 maid. 
 
 As soon, therefore, as they had swal- 
 lowed their tea, at which solemn and 
 important ceremony Mrs. Brown had 
 presided in all the pomp of housekeeper 
 civility, the two friends retired; and 
 while Mrs. Benson's clothes were ar-
 
 132 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 ranged in the drawers by the maid, Jen- 
 kins, with many a sigh over poor Miss 
 Emmeline, and many an exaggera- 
 tion, gave an account of the dreadful 
 way in which Lord and Lady Fitzhenry 
 lived together, and of my Lord's shame- 
 ful neglect of her. *' In short," she 
 ended with saying, '' things are come to 
 such a pitch, that Mrs. Brown and I are 
 scarce on speaking terms, and I am, as 
 you see, very distant even with Mr. 
 Reynolds. People must see what they 
 does see, except those people who wo'nt 
 see, and I am quite resolved on one 
 thing — which is, to be as uppish as pos- 
 sible both with Mrs. Brown and Mr. 
 Reynolds till I see my lord behave bet- 
 ter to my lady. I am but a servant, 
 certainly ; but I can't for a]l that, help
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 133 
 
 thinking it a very strange thing the way 
 they go on." 
 
 *' And what does Mrs. Brown say to 
 this ? " enquired her auditor. 
 
 *' Oh she says, forsooth, that it is all 
 my vulgar notions, and because I have 
 not been used to quality." 
 
 ** Quality, indeed ! " echoed her 
 friend. ** Fine airs, upon my word. 
 Miss Emmeline was as good as Lord 
 Fitzhenry any day in the year, I am 
 sure. I should like to know who had 
 the most money, and the best of the 
 bargain ? Poor thing ! she is much 
 changed ; and when she said to me, 
 * How do you do, \yarren ? ' I could 
 plainly see that all was not right between 
 her and Lord Fitzhenry. You know / 
 was always against the match."
 
 134 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 The conversation was here interrupted 
 by the entrance of Mrs. Brown, who 
 came to enquire whether any thing was 
 wanted in the rooms. 
 
 '* Nothing ma'am, thank you," said 
 Warren dryly, endeavouring to throw 
 into her manner that dignity which Jen- 
 kins said she was determined to keep up 
 till Lord Fitzhenry was a better husband, 
 and which Warren, as her sworn ally, 
 thought it right to adopt also. And 
 then pretending to be busily occupied, 
 she took no notice of Mrs. Brown. 
 Warren's behaviour was so different from 
 what it had been when they had parted 
 at the tea table, that the consequential 
 housekeeper guessed directly to whose 
 influence the change was owing. She 
 said nothing; but settling the shawl that
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 135 
 
 was pinned on her shoulders, and cast- 
 ing an angry glance at Jenkins, she 
 bustled out of the room, saying, she 
 would send the housemaid to attend upon 
 thera ; and resolving to be revenged on 
 the two friends. 
 
 " You have affronted Mrs. Brown 
 finely," said Jenkins, as soon as she 
 had, with somewhat of a jirk, closed the 
 door after her; ** but I am glad of it, for 
 really that is the only way to mend mat- 
 ters, and I feel it my duty to my lady, 
 to quarrel in a manner with Mrs. Brown, 
 though, as far as T am myself concerned, 
 I am, as you know, the most good 
 naturedest of people, and willing to 
 live in peace and harmony with every 
 
 one." 
 
 ** That you are," replied Mrs. War-
 
 136 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 ren ; for, at that moment, she thought it 
 good policy to forget, as well as Mrs 
 Jenkins did, the many regular pitched 
 battles they had fought, when the latter 
 was simple Susan, and nominally under 
 Warren's controul. 
 
 The result of this conversation was a 
 mysterious and sorrowful expression on 
 Warren's countenance when she at- 
 tended her lady, Mrs. Benson, at bed- 
 time ; and a significantly melancholy 
 tone of voice when she said, *' I hope 
 you find Lady Fitzhenry pretty well, 
 ma'am ? " 
 
 '* Quite well," said Mrs. Benson. 
 '* She has not been ill that I know of. 
 Susan does not say she has been unwell, 
 does she ? " 
 
 '' Oh no ; Mrs. Jenkins says her lady-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 137 
 
 ship's health is wonderfully good, con- 
 sidering," replied AYarren. 
 
 ** Considering what ? said Mrs. Ben- 
 son, turning quickly round, and looking 
 her in the face, '* What do you mean by 
 comidering ? " 
 
 '* / mean ? dear me, how should / 
 mean any thing ? " 
 
 " Why, you speak as if you did mean 
 something; and I desire if you know any 
 thing about Emmeline's health, that you 
 will tell me." 
 
 ** La, ma'am ! there is nothing the 
 matter with Miss Emmeline as I know 
 of, only I thought perhaps she might 
 not be so lively-like as she used to be, 
 living so much alone." 
 
 *' What do you mean by alone ? I 
 suppose Lord and Lady Fitzhenry are
 
 138 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 as much together as other married peo- 
 ple are ? I don't expect he sits all day 
 at home with her, any more than Mr. 
 Benson does with me." 
 
 *' I believe you will find it is very 
 different from you and my master," said 
 Warren, with a significant sigh. 
 
 " What can you mean by all this ? " 
 said Mrs. Benson, alarmed. 
 
 '* Why, I mean, ma'am, that Miss 
 Emmeline, (Lady Fitzhenry, that is to 
 say,) is always alone." 
 
 " Always alone V repeated Mrs. Ben- 
 son ; ** really Warren I don't know what 
 you would be at — and I don't believe 
 you know yourself." 
 
 " Yes, ma'am," said Warren, bridling 
 up ; '* and I only say what I know to be 
 true. Lord Fitzhenry sleeps in his own
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 139 
 
 room alone all night, and Lady Fitzhenry 
 sits in her room alone all day ; and, if 
 that is living like a married pair, I don't 
 know what a married pair is." 
 
 *^ Who tells you all this nonsense ? " 
 said Mrs. Benson, angrily, and yet wish- 
 ing to hear more. 
 
 ** Why, Mrs. Jenkins, to be sure, 
 ma'am. She says, that my lord quar- 
 relled with my lady on their very wed- 
 ding-day — for that she herself heard 
 high words between them and doors 
 shut in a passion-like — and ever since 
 that terrible scene — which Jenkins can 
 swear to — they have continued to live 
 in this strange way. For my part, I don't 
 think if I was Mrs. Jenkins I would re- 
 main in so unpleasant a family, although 
 to be sure all is in very high style, and
 
 140 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 the housekeeper's room as good as many 
 ladies'drawing-rooms, with a nice Turkey 
 carpet ; but still all can't be right. How- 
 ever, I should be sorry to tell tales and 
 make mischief; but you know, ma'am, 
 you forced me to speak, otherwise I am 
 sure I should have held my tongue about 
 it all to my dying day, for I am sure I 
 would not for all the world make you 
 uneasy, ma'am." 
 
 '* Well, I desire you will hold your 
 tongue to every body else," said Mrs. 
 Benson gravely, *' and bid Susan come 
 to me to-morrow morning." 
 
 Susan told her story, heightening the 
 picture as much as she could ; and, after 
 all this, it will not be wondered at that 
 Mrs. Benson endeavoured to discover 
 the truth from Emmeline. Her answers.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 141 
 
 her praises of Fitzhenry, staggered her ; 
 and, as Emmeline had anticipated, the 
 appearance of perfect good humour on 
 the part of her husband, often even of 
 gallant attention towards her, made 
 Mrs. Benson think the whole was no 
 more than the common gossip of ser- 
 vants ; and, at any rate, she had too 
 much good sense to endeavour to pry 
 into matrimonial secrets and arrange- 
 ments, which her daughter did not seem 
 to wish to have noticed ; so, resolving 
 to be very watchful, she said no more. 
 
 A day or two after, several of the 
 neighbours, who had been invited, came 
 to Arlingford. Mr. and Mrs. Benson 
 were of course delighted on seeing the 
 deference and court paid to their daugh- 
 ter; and the bustle occasioned by the vi-
 
 142 A MARRIAGE IN HFGH LIFE. 
 
 sitors, the driving about in the morning, 
 viewing the country, and returning visits, 
 occupied Mrs. Benson's time, if not her 
 thoughts, so entirely, that she and 
 Emraeline being seldom alone together, 
 the latter v^as spared any more distress- 
 ing conversations. 
 
 At the end of about a week, Mr. Ben- 
 son received letters which obliged him 
 to return immediately to town on some 
 mercantile business. *' But," said he, 
 casting a doubtful, enquiring look on Lord 
 Fitzhenry, ** I need not carry off my 
 good lady wife, if you will give her 
 house-room a little longer, and I can 
 perhaps return for her ; or, at any rate, 
 I think I may by this time trust her to 
 travel alone, whatever other husbands 
 may" — winking his eye at Emmeline.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIOH LIFE. 143 
 
 Lord Fitzhenry directly expressed 
 great pleasure in Mrs. Benson prolong- 
 ing her visit, and then, after a moment's 
 pause, added, *' Indeed it will be par- 
 ticularly kind to Lady Fitzhenry if she 
 will, for I myself shall be obliged to leave 
 home in a day or two." 
 
 Emmeline gave a start, and involun- 
 tarily looked up towards her husband. 
 For an instant their eyes met ; but, as if 
 by mutual consent, both were instantly 
 withdrawn. *' He catches at the first 
 opportunity to leave me," thought she. 
 " Glad his penance is over." 
 
 Whither he was going, Fitzhenry never 
 said, and Emmeline dared not ask ; in- 
 deed, she hardly knew whether, during 
 his absence, he would expect her to write 
 to him; and therefore, if even under that 
 pretext she could venture to enquire. 
 
 VOL. I. G 12
 
 144 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 On the day settled for his departure, 
 when the carriage was ready at the 
 door, he came into the drawing-room to 
 take leave. Mrs. Benson was there with 
 Emmeline. 
 
 '' If there come any letters for me," 
 said he, ''I have desired Reynolds to 
 send them to the house in town, and 
 I shall leave word there to have them 
 forwarded." Still he said nothing about 
 her writing to him. He staid some time 
 in the room, seemingly uncertain what 
 to do or say, or how to take leave of 
 her. At length, apparently summoning 
 courage for a disagreeable effort, he 
 walked hastily up to Mrs. Benson, 
 shook hands with her, came up to Em- 
 meline and did the same, adding, in 
 rather a low voice, '* I shall be glad
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 145 
 
 to hear from you ; '' and, not waiting 
 for any answer, he hurried out of the 
 room. 
 
 It was the first time their hands had 
 ever met since that morning after their 
 marriage, when she had herself offered 
 hers to Filzhenry in token of forgiveness 
 and goodwill. Since then, now nearly 
 two months, her sentiments towards him 
 had taken a totally different character ; 
 her face blushed crimson ; but he, whose 
 slightest touch had thus thrilled to her 
 heart, and had power to raise that 
 blush, almost before the '' eloquent 
 blood " had reached her cheek, was 
 already gone. 
 
 From the window she sadly saw him 
 drive off; whither and to whom he was 
 going, she could not doubt. 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 146 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 Several days passed, and she heard 
 nothing from him ; at last, a letter, 
 franked Fitzhenry, was put into her 
 hands ; she opened it hastily — her heart 
 beating with emotion — but it merely 
 enclosed a printed one from some trades- 
 person in London, applying for her cus- 
 tom. In a fit of vexation, almost of 
 anger, she was nearly throwing the whole 
 into the fire, when some writing on one 
 of the flaps of the cover caught her 
 attention, and she found these words. 
 
 *' The longer Mrs. Benson can stay 
 with you the better; I believe I shall 
 not be home for a fortnight. Should she 
 not be able to remain, perhaps you had 
 bette r go and pay your father a visi ; 
 and I will let you know when I am
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 147 
 
 likely to be at Arlingford again; but 
 now, and always, do whatever you your- 
 self like best. I hope soon to hear you 
 are well. 
 
 ** Yours, 
 
 **FlTZHEXRY." 
 
 ** So you have got a letter from your 
 husband," said Mrs. Benson; ** and a 
 fine thick packet. I hope he is well? " 
 
 *' Quite well," said Emraeline, sadly. 
 
 ** What news does he give? what has 
 he been about?" 
 
 ** News ? " repeated Emmeline, ab- 
 sently — 
 
 ** Yes ; I mean — what does he say ? " 
 
 '' Say? oh, nothing." 
 
 ** What ! nothing in all that quantity 
 of paper and writing ? Lord, child ! 
 
 H 2
 
 148 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 you are quite in a dream" — and Mrs. 
 Benson took off her spectacles, and her 
 eyes from the newspaper she was read- 
 ing, and fixed them attentively on her 
 daughter. This roused her from her 
 reverie, and suddenly recollecting her- 
 self, she said, '' Oh yes, I forget ; he 
 says, he can't come home yet, and we 
 had better go to Charlton to my father 
 till his return." 
 
 " Well, I think that will be a very 
 good plan," said Mrs. Benson : '* some 
 business, I suppose, detains him." 
 
 ** I suppose so," echoed Emmeline. 
 
 Mrs. Benson still kept her eyes fixed 
 on Emmeline, and both remained for 
 some time in silence and abstraction. 
 Again all her former doubts and suspi- 
 cions returned to her mind ; and when
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 149 
 
 she looked on her absent, dejected 
 daughter, who still sat gazing on the let- 
 ter in her hand, she almost resolved to 
 speak to her, and force herself into her 
 confidence. But though with little of the 
 outward refinement of the world, Mrs. 
 Benson had great delicacy of feeling, as 
 well as excellent sense : she felt that when 
 she was not called upon to give advice, or 
 to reprehend what was wrong, she had no 
 business to interfere between her daugh- 
 ter and her husband ; and indeed, here, 
 what could she say ? Emmeline was cer- 
 tainly changed ; she was no longer the 
 gay, light-hearted being she used to be, 
 but apparently her husband behaved per- 
 fectly well to her ; at least nothing had 
 ever passed, that Mrs. Benson could have 
 named as a proof of unkindness ; and
 
 150 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 as for Emmeline, she was to him gentle- 
 ness — acquiescence itself ; but still, 
 Mrs. Benson could not help feeling 
 that all was not right, although she 
 could not perhaps have given any po- 
 sitive reason for her suspicions. How 
 she longed to bid her confide to her 
 every feeling, every care of her heart, 
 as in days of yore, when she hushed 
 her young sorrows to rest on her bosom, 
 and kissed away her childish tears ! 
 But when a mother resigns her darling 
 child to him who is to be the arbiter 
 of her future destiny, she loses, in a great 
 measure, that dear prerogative of affec- 
 tion. Mrs. Benson, feeling this, wisely 
 forbore ; and the next day, without any 
 thing more passing between them on 
 the subject, they set off together for
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 151 
 
 Charlton, where Mr. Benson had, since 
 Lady Fitzhenry's marriage, chiefly re- 
 sided. 
 
 When there, Emmeline wrote to her 
 husband. There is something so private, 
 so sacred, in a letter — we can, in writing, 
 express so much, which, either from 
 shyness, or emotion, we cannot bring 
 ourselves to say by word of mouth, that 
 Emmeline longed to give way to her 
 inclinations, and pour out on the paper 
 her feelings towards him ; but she felt 
 that the utterance of one word which 
 could in any way be interpreted into an 
 allusion to her painful situation, would 
 be breaking her agreement ; and she 
 merely told him of her journey and her 
 safe arrival ; glad of having even such 
 uninteresting subjects to treat of, and
 
 152 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 that to Fitzhenry! to whom she could 
 have written volumes ! 
 
 In about ten days she got an answer ; 
 it had no date : (his letters to her never 
 had beyond the post town on the frank.) 
 In it, he named the day for his return to 
 Arlingford. Two days previous to it, 
 notwithstanding Mrs. Benson's remon- 
 strances, and her father's railleries, Em- 
 meline would return home. *' He might 
 possibly arrive," she thought to herself; 
 ** something might bring him back be- 
 fore the day he had fixed upon, and she 
 was resolved on departure/' 
 
 But, exactly the contrary happened 
 from what she had anticipated ; that day 
 passed in anxious but vain expectation ; 
 and the next — and the next. At length, 
 on the fourth, Reynolds, with a counte-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 153 
 
 nance expressive of the share he had 
 taken in the disappointment, put a letter 
 into her hand, with the well-known, 
 well-beloved signature of Fitzhenry. 
 And it did not, this time, merely enclose 
 a printed petition, but was from himself. 
 He said in it, that the unexpected ar- 
 rival of his friend Mr. Pelham, (the 
 minister at Vienna,) had detained him 
 in town, as he had waited till he could 
 accompany him to Arlingford, which he 
 now hoped he should be able to do in 
 a couple of days. Mr. Moore, his for- 
 mer travelling companion, would also 
 come with him, and they would soon be 
 followed by his cousin. Lady Saville, 
 her husband, and sister. Emmeline had 
 just seen Lady Saville, when she had 
 paid a visit of form to the Benson family, 
 
 H 5
 
 154 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 on the match being declared ; and on the 
 wedding-day she was present at the 
 ceremony.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 155 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 As t'other day my hand he seized, 
 My blood with thrilling motion flew : 
 Trembling all o'er, like one ill pleased, 
 Perhaps I from his hold withdrew. 
 T'was fear alone — he read me wrong — 
 Had he retained my hand, ere long 
 He had felt its pressure too. 
 
 Gay. 
 
 Two tedious solitary days were still to 
 be passed before Emmeline expected 
 Fitzhenry at Arlingford. Being secure, 
 that she had the house all to herself 
 she felt a strong inclination to go into 
 his room, which she had never yet en-
 
 156 A aMARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 tered. It would be, she thought, the 
 next best thing to seeing himself. 
 Treading softly, as if fearful he might 
 hear her, she put her hand on the lock- 
 looked round to see if she was observed, 
 and then hastily turned it. The door was 
 locked. 
 
 The noise she made brought a house- 
 maid out of an adjoining room '* The 
 
 door is locked my lady : when my lord 
 went away, he desired the housekeeper 
 to keep the key, but I will step to Mrs. 
 Brown and fetch it, if your ladyship 
 wants any thing." 
 
 ** Oh no, it is of no consequence," 
 said Emmeline, colouring deeply, as if 
 detected in some crime. 
 
 Emmeline was the most single-hearted 
 of beings. She had not sufficient pre-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 157 
 
 sence of mind to think of any excuse 
 for wishing to go into her husband's 
 room ; and with a feeling of awkward- 
 ness, almost of shame, she returned to 
 her own. Disappointed, and dispirited, 
 she knew not what to turn to ; and for 
 the first time in her life, felt it impossi- 
 ble to occupy herself; the day appeared 
 endless, and her time, an insupportable 
 weight. As she wandered about her 
 own room, her eyes fell on a petition 
 she had had from a poor man residing 
 on the estate, whose house and mill had 
 been nearly destroyed by fire. He lived 
 a few miles off, and Emmeline deter- 
 mined to enquire of Reynolds about him, 
 and, glad to have found an object, to ride 
 to his abode in order to see what could 
 be done for the family — rather ashamed 
 of herself for having allowed her mind
 
 158 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 to be SO entirely engrossed by one sub- 
 ject, that she had totally forgotten this 
 petition^which she had received while at 
 Charlton. 
 
 Emmeline went into the dining-room 
 and summoned Reynolds. In this room 
 hung a picture of Fitzhenry, painted at 
 the time of his leaving school, when a 
 boy about sixteen. It was much less 
 handsome than he now was ; his cha- 
 racter was not then, as now, marked on 
 his countenance, giving it that look of 
 manly openness, and yet of feeling, for 
 which it was so remarkable; but, (as 
 the eyes looking out of the picture seemed 
 to smile on the beholder,) it was so agree- 
 able to Emmeline to gaze on it, that, 
 lost in thought, she forgot entirely what 
 brought her there. How long she had 
 remained, she knew not, but on turning
 
 A MARREAOE IN HIGH LIFE. 159 
 
 round she saw Reynolds in the room 
 quietly waiting her orders. 
 
 *' Did you ring, my lady," said the 
 old man, with a benevolent smile. 
 
 *' Oh yes," said Emmeline, rather 
 embarrassed. *' But at this moment I 
 have forgotten ." 
 
 ^' Ah, many a time have I forgot my- 
 self looking at that picture," answered 
 Reynolds. '* It was considered an ex- 
 cellent likeness when it was done ; it 
 was just when we left Eton." 
 
 '* Why, were you there with Lord 
 Fitzhenry ?" 
 
 ''Oh yes!" my lady, I have been 
 with my Lord ever since he was seven 
 years old ; Lord Arlingford did not like 
 to have nursery-maids about him, so I 
 had entire charge of him — went with
 
 160 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 him to school, to Oxford, and then 
 abroad; so no wonder I love him, I may 
 say as my son. I hope no offence," 
 added he, tears starting into his eyes. 
 
 " What, you were abroad with him ?" 
 said Emmeline, hastily catching at the 
 word; why she did not know, except 
 that it seemed always as if that word 
 contained the history of her husband's 
 life and affections. 
 
 *' Yes, my lady, I was in Italy and 
 at Vienna with him. I was three years 
 abroad, and then, when he returned 
 again to Italy .... (he paused) — I 
 felt I was too old to begin again ; I 
 thought some younger servant would 
 suit my lord better, and I begged leave 
 to come home ; and though certainly it 
 was not my place, yet I tried hard to
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 161 
 
 persuade my lord to come home too ; for 
 I own I thought little good would come 
 of living so much out of one's own 
 country — people get a love for rambling, 
 never can settle, and learn bad foreign 
 ways ." 
 
 And again he stopped short, as if he 
 feared he might already have said too 
 much. Emmeline longed to hear more, 
 and yet she also thought perhaps she had 
 allowed him to go too far ; and making 
 no comment on what he had said, she 
 hastily ejaculated — '* Oh ! I remember 
 now what I rung for. I want to know 
 where that man of the name of Rawlins 
 now lives, who wTote me this petition, 
 and if you know any thing about him, 
 and what can be done for him." 
 
 " Rawlins whose mill was burnt ^
 
 162 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 Oh yes ! my lady, I know him very 
 well, but all that is settled. My lord, to 
 whom he also applied, wrote to me to 
 find him employment, and to give him 
 and his family, for the present, a cottage 
 that chanced to be vacant^ and he also 
 desired me to give the wife some allow- 
 ance weekly till they had a little reco- 
 vered themselves, and till he could see 
 what more could be done for them, for 
 they are honest industrious people, and 
 my lord is so good. I have his letter 
 somewhere about me, if your ladyship 
 would like to see it," added Reynolds, 
 searching in a large pocket-book, in 
 which among heaps of bills and papers 
 he at last found it, and gave it to Em- 
 meline. 
 
 Her heart overflowed towards her
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 163 
 
 husband. '* How good I how kind he 
 is ! thought she, and she ahnost added, 
 ** kind to every one but me." 
 
 The letter said nothing more than 
 what Reynolds had repeated ; but still, 
 even to see his hand-writing was agree- 
 able. She was just going to return it 
 to him, when on the other side of the 
 page, a postcript and her own name 
 caught her eye, and with a beating 
 heart, she continued : — 
 
 ** I hope you have attended to those 
 alterations in the greenhouse which 
 Lady Fitzhenry wished to have made — 
 and desire the groom to exercise her 
 horse properly for her before her return, 
 for when I last rode him he was much 
 too spirited." 
 
 Emmeline read and re-read these few 
 words expressive of care and thought
 
 164 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 for her, till she exaggerated their mean- 
 ing far beyond their original import, and 
 on them built many a visionary castle 
 of future happiness. She mounted her 
 horse, and many an additional caress 
 and kind word she addressed to the ani- 
 mal, now that it was connected in her 
 mind with Fitzhenry, and with the first 
 expression of interest about herself that 
 had ever escaped him. She found the 
 Rawlins family overflowing with grati- 
 tude, and offering up prayers for her 
 husband, in which it cannot be doubted 
 she most heartily joined. 
 
 Buoyed up by all these exhilarating 
 feelings, she had almost forgotten her real 
 situation, and the terms on which she and 
 this beloved Fitzhenry lived ; and in 
 these flattering dreams, the two inter- 
 vening days quickly passed, and that on
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 165 
 
 which she was to expect him at last ar- 
 rived. The whole of the morning was 
 spent in restless anticipations of happi- 
 ness, picturing to herself their meeting, 
 fancying what he would say to her, how 
 he would look at her, till she actually 
 heard his carriage drive up to the door. 
 With a beating heart she flew to the 
 window, and her delighted eye caught 
 the first glance of the face she loved. 
 
 His two friends were with him, and 
 all three entered the room together. 
 Emmeline was so overjoyed at seeing 
 him again after a month's separation — 
 (a century in love's calculation of time,) 
 that fearful of expressing too much, she 
 remained as if spell-bound in her place. 
 Fitzhenry came up to her, but his man- 
 ner was, if possible, more cold, more
 
 166 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 embarrassed than ever. How unlike 
 the meeting that she had indulged her- 
 self in acting over and over in her own 
 mind ! He introduced his two compa- 
 nions to her. Mr. Pelham had one of 
 those calm but expressive countenances 
 which directly obtains our interest ; and 
 when he held out his hand to Em- 
 meline, claiming the friendship of his 
 friend's wife, the interest seemed reci- 
 procal. Indeed, his look of anxious 
 curiosity when presented to her, would 
 have been embarrassing, had not his 
 manner been marked with a peculiar 
 appearance of kindness. 
 
 Very different was the impression 
 made on Emmeline by Mr. Moore. Al- 
 though he looked clever and lively, she 
 shrunk at once from him; the glance of
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 167 
 
 his eye had something penetrating and 
 satirical which she dreaded. With a 
 pure guileless heart, and an unreproving 
 conscience, poor Emmeline could not 
 help fearing a quick observer of feel- 
 ings in all the little daily occurrences 
 of life. 
 
 The rest of the party that Fitzhenry 
 had announced followed the day after. 
 Lady Saville was what might be called 
 agreeable in society, although more from 
 possessing the polish and easy manner 
 of the world, than from any decided 
 talents or accomplishments. At first, 
 she and her sister had, with the true im- 
 pertinence of fine ladies, settled be- 
 tween them, that Emmeline could only 
 be fit to laugh at ; and they anticipated 
 no little amusement in quizzing the
 
 168 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 banker's daughter. But when they 
 found her, as even they were them- 
 selves obliged to allow, quite on a 
 par with themselves, perfect in man- 
 ners, and in fact possessing the outward 
 good breeding of the world, although 
 free from that falsehood and selfishness 
 which so often destroys its charm, they 
 changed their tone, and resolved they 
 would patronize her, declaring, ** she 
 was quite a person to be brought for- 
 >vard." And they soon, found real 
 pleasure in her society and conversa- 
 tion. 
 
 Some of the county neighbours, with 
 whom Lady Saville was previously ac- 
 quainted, joined the party, and the 
 house was quite full. This, Emmeline 
 plainly saw was now Fitzhenry's plan of
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 169 
 
 life when forced to be at Arlingford ; 
 and she was compelled with a sigh to 
 own it was the best for them both ; for 
 in so numerous a society of course they 
 were necessarily apart, and any cold- 
 ness was little remarked. She could 
 not help being aware that the distance 
 between them, and the awkwardness of 
 their manner, had rather encreased than 
 worn off. And could it be otherwise ? 
 Two people no way connected can live 
 under the same roof mutually cold and 
 careless, and still be perfectly good 
 friends, for the one would think so little 
 about the other, that, when thrown toge- 
 ther by chance, their manners would 
 wear the ease of indifference. But be- 
 tween Fitzhenry and Emmeline, this 
 was impossible. Both entirely en-
 
 170 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 grossed by one feeling, which was to be 
 concealed from the other, they had no 
 po'mt de reunion, no neutral ground on 
 which to meet ; and the more poor Em- 
 meline's affections became engaged, the 
 more — and she felt conscious of it her- 
 self — the more timid and cold her 
 manner grew towards her husband, and 
 that of course reacted on Fitzhenry's. 
 He evidently too was now much out of 
 spirits, and looked ill. Mr. Moore's 
 gaiety seemed too much for him; he ral- 
 lied him too much on his gravity, and on 
 his lately acquired married importance, 
 as he called it, appearing to Emmeline 
 purposely to take pleasure in tormenting 
 him. 
 
 Mr. Pelham seemed the friend he pre- 
 ferred, and yet, after their being long
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 171 
 
 together, Fitzhenry always appeared 
 more than usually abstracted and de- 
 jected. Mr. Pelham too was the person 
 who seemed to pay the most attention, 
 and to take the greatest interest in her- 
 self. She fancied, indeed, that he 
 watched them both ; but it was always 
 with such a kind, compassionate, benig- 
 nant look, that she did not, as with 
 Mr. Moore, shrink from his scrutiny. 
 
 The winter was now far advanced ; 
 hunting and shooting kept the gentlemen 
 almost entirely out of doors, and Em- 
 meline and her female companions were 
 generally all the morning left to them- 
 selves. One rainy day, on which it was 
 impossible for them to leave the house, 
 and when Lady Saville had run through 
 or yawned over every novel and review 
 
 I 2
 
 172 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 in the drawing-room, she proposed, for 
 the sake of exercise, to go all over the 
 house. " I have never yet even been 
 admitted into your sanctum sanctorum, 
 Lady Fitzhenry, pray let me go." 
 
 *' Oh ! pray do," echoed a young lady, 
 starting up from a table at which she had 
 been seated the whole morning, with 
 most laudable industry engaged in work- 
 ing a purse, and endeavouring to make 
 a hearts-ease out of invisible blue and 
 yellow beads. ''Do let us go; it will get 
 us through this dull morning so nicely ; 
 and really without Mr. Moore and the 
 battledoor and shuttlecock, one don't 
 know what to do with oneself." 
 
 Emmeline, always wishing to be 
 obliging, led the way to her apartment. 
 
 *' How comfortable ! how pretty !" all
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 173 
 
 exclaimed. *' Did you fit up this room 
 yourself?" enquired Lady Saville. Em- 
 meline answered, that she found it as it 
 was when she first came to Arlingford. 
 *' What a delightful, gallant husband!" 
 said Lady Saville. '' Now that was his 
 foreign education ; all men should be 
 sent abroad before they marry, to be 
 properly drilled ; it improves them won- 
 derfully." Poor Emmeline could not 
 quite assent to this observation. 
 
 *' Oh! dear, dear Lady Fitzhenry!" 
 said the purse-making young lady, (by 
 name Miss Selina Danvers,) flying up 
 to her and seizing her hand with ecsta- 
 tic fondness, ** I have the greatest pos- 
 sible favour to ask of you ; pray, pray 
 grant it — it is to let me see your wed- 
 ding-dress ; I shall be more obliged to 
 you than I can express."
 
 174 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 *' There is nothing remarkable to see," 
 said Emmeline, coldly, not feeling the 
 smallest wish to behold, or have dis- 
 cussed, what brought back so painfully 
 to her mind the day on which she 
 wore it. 
 
 " That is really being very modest," 
 said Lady Saville, *' for it was beautiful, 
 and, moreover, you looked remarkably 
 pretty in it ; and I own I was rather pro- 
 voked at my worthy cousin Fitzrhenry's 
 excessive stupidity or bashfulness, for I 
 don't think he ever looked at you. 1 
 never saw a man appear so completely 
 stupified, and put out as he was at his 
 marriage ; and when I wished him joy, 
 he stared, and looked as silly and sheep- 
 ish as possible. Love certainly had upon 
 him the direct contrary effect from what 
 it had on Cymon."
 
 A .AJARRFAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 175 
 
 '* Dear, how odd !" exclaimed Miss 
 Danvers *' But who is Mr. Cymon, and 
 what did it do to him ? Now don't laugh 
 at me so, one can't know every body ; 
 and I don't go every year to London as 
 you do." 
 
 This new scent about Cymon, however, 
 could not put the wedding finery out of 
 Selina's head, and she teazed poor Em- 
 meline till she obtained from her a re- 
 luctant consent that her maid and the 
 gown should be rung for ; and soon the 
 whole paraphernalia was exhibited with 
 pride and pomp by Mrs. Jenkins. 
 
 Miss Seiina went into ecstasies at each 
 separate flower and flounce, and putting 
 the veil over her head, she flew to the 
 glass to look at herself. *' What a beauty 
 it is!" she exclaimed. ** Dear, how I
 
 176 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 should like to be married ! one looks so 
 interesting in a lace gown and veil. 
 Lady Fitzhenry, were you very much 
 frightened at the ceremony? did you 
 cry ? For my part, I don't think I should 
 be able to keep my countenance for 
 laughing." 
 
 *' At what?" demanded Lady Saville. 
 
 '* Oh ! I don't know at what, in parti- 
 cular ; but I think it would be so odd for 
 me to be married." 
 
 *' Why should it be more odd to you 
 than any one else ?" rejoined Lady Saville. 
 
 " Oh ! I can't tell, only because I think 
 it would be so droll — but I should like 
 it of all things — and then the new chaise- 
 and-four, and the favours, and driving 
 off in such a bustle, and all the people 
 in the street staring at one; and one's
 
 A MARRrAGE IN HIGH LFFE. 177 
 
 wedding-ring, and one's new name ; it 
 would all be so charming. If I was you, 
 Lady Fitzhenry, I think I should have 
 rung the bell the minute I was married, 
 to have had the pleasure of hearing the 
 servant say, ' Yes, my Lady' Oh! I have 
 another great favour to ask," continued 
 Miss Selina, who had by this time satis- 
 fied her curiosity about the gown and 
 veil ; ** do let me see your picture of 
 Lord Fitzhenry." 
 
 Emmeline assured her she had none 
 to show her. 
 
 ** No? Dear, how odd! I thought when 
 people were married, they had always 
 their picture painted in miniature as a 
 thing of course, and I had even settled 
 beforehand how oum should be done — 
 I all in clouds and thin drapery by Mrs. 
 Mee, you know, and he in armour." 
 
 J 5
 
 178 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 '' And who is the he whose costume 
 you have already fixed upon ?" enquired 
 Lady Saville. 
 
 ^* Oh! I don't know; whoever I may 
 chance to marry. But, Lady Fitzhenry, 
 how did it happen that you had no minia- 
 tures done ? for yours was a regular mar- 
 riage, was it not ? Every body delighted, 
 and jewels and plate, and all that sort of 
 thing; and then Lord Fitzhenry is so 
 handsome. Lady Saville, don't you think 
 Lord Fitzhenry is the most beautiful man 
 you ever saw, and the most agreeable ?" 
 
 '' Why I don't know how far I may 
 venture to answer that question. What 
 would Sir George say?" replied Lady 
 Saville, laughing. 
 
 '' Oh ! Sir George is very tall and good 
 looking too, and dresses himself very 
 well ; but still he does not put on his
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 179 
 
 neckcloth near so well as Lord Fitz- 
 henry ; and after all, the neckcloth is the 
 principal thing in a man, and Lady Fitz- 
 henry is certainly the most fortunate of 
 people; but she takes her good luck 
 very quietly, I must say — not even to 
 have talked of her wedding gown ! was 
 it not strange ?" 
 
 By this time every thing was tho- 
 roughly admired, examined, and de- 
 scanted upon in Emmeline's room, and 
 many a question put to her, which she 
 found rather difficult to answer. 
 
 ' ' Well, where do we proceed to next ?" 
 said Lady Saville, going out into the gal- 
 lery. '' What room is this ?" pointing to 
 Ernest's. 
 
 '' Oh! that is Lord Fitzhenry's," an- 
 swered Emmeline hastily; '' we had bet- 
 ter not go there."
 
 180 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 " Why not?" enquired Lady Saville. 
 
 *' He may be engaged with business," 
 replied Emmeline, conscious she was co- 
 louring. 
 
 ** Engaged ? why you know he is out 
 hunting twenty miles off; but at any 
 rate, we may knock and demand admis- 
 sion." And she knocked at the door. 
 No sound was to be heard, and she turned 
 the lock. '* Why I really believe, Lady 
 Fitzhenry," continued she, " you are 
 afraid of going in, for fear of finding all 
 my worthy cousin's former cheres amies 
 hanging round the room on pegs, like 
 Blue-beard's wives." 
 
 At this sally, Miss Danvers laughed 
 violently. *' I am dying to go in. — Dear 
 tady Saville, pray, pray open the door; 
 I am sure we shall find something odd." 
 
 Emmeline could think of no further
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH UFE. 181 
 
 reason to give for not entering ; and, in 
 truth, felt rather glad of the opportunity 
 so forced upon her to visit that room 
 where Fitzhenry had passed and still 
 passed so many hours of his life. A per- 
 son's apartment is certainly the next best 
 thino^ to their society, and even ranks in 
 the gratification of our feelings before a 
 letter ; we seem to be admitted into all 
 their occupations, even into their very 
 thoughts. Then the little things belonging 
 to them scattered about identify them so 
 much to us. Every one must have expe- 
 rienced this when going into the room 
 that has been inhabited by some dear 
 friend immediately after their depar- 
 ture ; the pens they have used still ly- 
 ing wet on the table, the books they had 
 been reading — a glove, or handkerchief
 
 182 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 forgotten. How strongly do such trifles 
 sometimes affect us, and give us a de- 
 ceitful feeling of their presence ! 
 
 Lady Saville had opened the door into 
 Fitzhenry's room, and Emmeline had 
 gone in with the rest, when luckily, 
 after Miss Selina had expressed her 
 astonishment at Lord Fitzhenry's sleep- 
 ing in the little couch bed, and had en- 
 quired of Lady Saville whether it was 
 not very droll— a book of French carica- 
 tures attracted and fixed the attention of 
 the whole party, and Emmeline was thus 
 left at liberty to look at every thing in the 
 room, and indulge in her own reflections. 
 
 There was the table at which he 
 wrote, the chair on which he sat, and 
 she placed herself in it. On the ta- 
 ble, among a confusion of parliamentary
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 183 
 
 papers, pamphlets, bills, &c. was a vo- 
 lume of Petrarch, lying open, as if 
 lately read, and by it the cover of a 
 letter recently torn open. It was di- 
 rected to Fitzhenry, and in a woman's 
 hand. On the seal, were the words— 
 ** Tout on rie?r— words that said vo- 
 lumes to poor Emmeline's heart. She 
 tried to make out the post-mark, but it 
 was so blotted over that she could only 
 decypher the date, which convinced her 
 it had been that very day received! 
 With a sort of shudder she threw it 
 down again, and, getting up from her 
 seat, her eye was attracted by two 
 drawings that hung over the chimney- 
 piece — they were evidently views in 
 Italy and Greece. In both these, were 
 the same two figures : below one of
 
 184 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 the drawings, these lines from Lord 
 Byron were written :— 
 
 '' Sweet Florence! those were pleasant times 
 When worlds were staked for ladies eyes. 
 Had bards as many realms as rhymes, 
 Thy charms might raise new Anthonies. 
 
 " Though fate forbids such things to be. 
 Yet, by thine eyes and ringlets curled, 
 I cannot lose a world for thee. 
 But would not lose thee for a world." 
 
 Beneath the other drawing, was a 
 Greek inscription. They were slight 
 sketches, and the figures were small; 
 one of them had an air of Fitzhenry 
 not to be mistaken by her who knew 
 his every look and gesture. The other 
 was a female figure. Emmeline's eyes 
 were rivetted on the drawings; she could 
 not doubt who, and what they repre-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE, 185 
 
 sented; some days of peculiar enjoy- 
 ment, some tender moments were thus 
 recalled, and poor Emmeline's spirit 
 groaned within her. 
 
 On the mantle-piece, lay Fitzhenry's 
 pencil-case, pocket-book, and several of 
 those sort of trifles that seem so inti- 
 mately connected with the person to 
 whom they belong. Emmeline had a 
 gratification in taking them in her hand, 
 and examining them minutely : at last, 
 she found a small turquoise brooch 
 which she had often observed in his 
 neck-handkerchief; it had apparently 
 been originally meant for a woman's 
 ornament. Emmeline had on one al- 
 most exactly similar. The temptation 
 to exchange them was too strong to be 
 resisted — with trembling fingers she un- 
 did her own pin; but again carefully
 
 186 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 examined Fitzhenry's, for fear of his de- 
 tecting the exchange. At the back of 
 his, in small letters, she saw *' Firenze," 
 but they were almost worn away ; her 
 courage however nearly failed her, 
 although she thought she might con- 
 trive to scratch something on her own 
 broach to resemble the inscription, 
 but, just at that minute. Lady 
 Saville, who had finished her book of 
 caricatures, and looked at every thing in 
 the room, coming up, proposed their 
 proceeding to the rest of the house — 
 Emmeline almost started with the em- 
 barrassment of guilt: she had no time 
 for further doubt, she hastily threw 
 down on the marble-slab her own 
 brooch, and carried off her husband*s. 
 
 Almost terrified at what she had done, 
 when they met in the drawing-room be-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 187 
 
 fore dinner, she looked anxiously at 
 Fitzhenry's handkerchief, and, when he 
 turned towards the light, she had the 
 satisfaction to see her own pin placed as 
 usual, and, consequently, that he had not 
 discovered her robbery. 
 
 To those who may be inclined to 
 think the feelings of Emmeline on such 
 a trifle exaggerated, we have only to 
 say, that proving themselves never to 
 have been in love we can no more attempt 
 to speak to their feelings than to describe 
 colours to a person born blind. 
 
 Delighted and elated with her prize, 
 poor Emmeline's spirits rose above their 
 now usual state, and when, after dinner, 
 Lady Saville declared she w^anted ex- 
 ercise to get rid of a headache, and 
 proposed dancing, Emmeline readily 
 forwarded her wish and offered her
 
 188 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 service as musician. Every one will- 
 ingly acquiesced, and they soon made 
 up a quadrille. Fitzhenry and Mr. Pel- 
 ham were the only two who did not join 
 in the dance, but continued standing 
 over the fire, seemingly engaged in very 
 earnest conversation. When the qua- 
 drille was ended, Emmeline played a 
 waltz ; this was still less to be resisted, 
 and the whole party immediately swung 
 round the room. 
 
 *' I can play a waltz," said Mrs. Dan- 
 vers, the purse-making young lady's 
 mother, who had just then entered the 
 room — ** I can't bear to see you. Lady 
 Fitzhenry, labouring at the pianoforte, do 
 let me play who can do nothing else; 
 and do you go and join the dancers." — 
 And she insisted on Emmeline resigning 
 her post.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 189 
 
 All were engaged : there was no 
 one left to waltz with. Emmeline was 
 young ; by nature gay, she liked dancing 
 as all gay young people do. The music, 
 the sight of others dancing, all had re- 
 vived her former love for the amuse- 
 ment, and, not liking to deprive any one 
 else of her partner, she set off alone 
 after the rest. Unsupported, and lately 
 out of practise, she soon grew giddy, 
 the room turned round, she knew not 
 where she went, and, to save herself 
 from falling, she caught hold of some- 
 thing she had run against, putting her 
 other hand over her eyes till the dizzi- 
 ness had gone off. When it had sub- 
 sided, still keeping her hold, she looked 
 up to see where she was. 
 
 It was her husband's arm she had 
 hold of.
 
 190 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 She could scarcely check a scream 
 of alarm which burst from her on seeing 
 what she had done: she hastily with- 
 drew her hand, her flushed cheek turn- 
 ing deadly pale. Fitzhenry was looking 
 at her attentively, but with apparent 
 surprise, and indeed, even apparent dis- 
 pleasure. 
 
 The whole occurrence, which did not 
 occupy above a minute, had been mis- 
 taken by the dancers. They thought she 
 was proposing to him to waltz with her, 
 and Mr. Moore hastily said, '* That is 
 right, Lady Fitzhenry ; make that lazy 
 fellow dance. No one waltzes so well 
 or was so fond of it; and it is too ridicu- 
 lous his giving himself already the airs 
 of an old married man ! " 
 
 *' Lord and Lady Fitzhenry dance to- 
 gether! Oh! that will be charming,"
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 191 
 
 exclaimed Miss Selina, clapping her 
 hands in foolish ecstasy. 
 
 " Come, come along, Fitzhenry," re- 
 joined Mr. Moore : *' don't be bashful ; 
 ask Lady Fitzhenry in proper form to 
 do you the favour of dancing with you." 
 
 ** Certainly," said Ernest, rather em- 
 barrassed : '* certainly — with pleasure, 
 
 if Lady Fitzhenry wishes 1 mean, 
 
 if she will waltz with me, and can get 
 no better partner." 
 
 '• Oh ! I never meant that — I was only 
 
 giddy ," said Emmeline, hardly 
 
 knowing what she said or did. The 
 other waltzers stopped. *' Now, Lady 
 Fitzhenry, we will follow you/' said the 
 persecuting Mr. Moore. Any further 
 explanation or objection was impossi- 
 ble : waltz together they must — and 
 Fitzhenry put his arm round her.
 
 192 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 All those who talk of the waltz as of a 
 dance possessing no other attraction, no 
 more interest than that of any other, 
 and owing the ill name it bears merely 
 to a cry raised against it by prejudice 
 in a country w^here as yet it is but newly 
 introduced^ have never waltzed with him 
 or her they love ; for then their own feel- 
 ings would answer, and silence them. 
 
 Emmeline felt her husband's arm 
 round her waist ; her hand was clasped 
 in his, and his breath played on her 
 forehead. Her feelings almost overcame 
 her! Her heart beat so violently that she 
 could hardly breathe, and again her head 
 turned round. 
 
 Fitzhenry, as Mr. Moore had said, 
 was an excellent waltzer — he had waltzed 
 much at Vienna, where his intimacy with 
 Lady Florence had commenced by her
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 193 
 
 teaching him this very dance. Without 
 any seeming effort, he bore along Em- 
 meline's slight form — for already she 
 could hardly support herself. She fan- 
 cied he pressed her more closely to him 
 — it could, alas ! be only fancy ; but quite 
 overcome, and complaining of faintness, 
 she begged him, in a scarcely audible 
 voice, to stop. He immediately with- 
 drew his arm, took her to a chair, and 
 seeing her really near fainting, fetched 
 her a glass of water. 
 
 Every thing conspired to overpower 
 poor Emmeline : it was with difficulty 
 she restrained her tears, and as soon as 
 she could trust herself to walk, she left 
 the room. But no Fitzhenry followed to 
 ask an explanation of her conduct ; and 
 in darkness, and alone, she no longer 
 endeavoured to stifle her feelings. Fitz- 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 194 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 henry was evidently not pleased : there 
 had been an expression of displeasure, 
 of formal, almost ironical civility on his 
 countenance, when forced to offer him- 
 self as her partner, that she had never 
 seen before, and which penetrated her 
 heart. And then, though mere common 
 compassion had made him assist her 
 when unwell, yet it was almost beyond 
 his usual coldness to allow her to leave 
 the room alone, careless of what had 
 affected her, or whether she had reco- 
 vered or not. 
 
 It was impossible to endeavour to ex- 
 plain herself before others, and Fitz- 
 henry now carefully avoided their ever 
 being tete-a-tete, '* Thus ends," thought 
 Emmeline, ** the vain dream — the last 
 hope of ever winning him ! Indifference 
 is growing into dislike; and soon we
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 195 
 
 shall be more than total strangers to 
 each other." 
 
 As she uttered these words, a gentle 
 knock at the door made her heart beat. 
 It could only be him — and in an instant 
 passing to the most delightful anticipa- 
 tions, with a trembling voice, she gave 
 leave to enter. The door opened: but even 
 through the darkness of the room, she soon 
 saw her mistake, for it was merely Lady 
 Saville who came to enquire after her. 
 
 ** My dear Lady Fitzhenry," said she, 
 ** I fear you are not well, so I ventured 
 to come and doctor you a little." 
 
 ** Oh! it is nothing," replied Emme- 
 line, with difl&culty restraining fresh tears 
 of disappointment : *' I have not waltzed 
 lately, and it made me very giddy, that 
 is all." 
 
 ** And perhaps you should not have 
 
 K 2
 
 196 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 waltzed now," added Lady Saville; *'for 
 really you have not been looking well 
 lately ; we have all remarked it. You 
 overfag yourself with your constant en- 
 deavours to amuse our good country 
 neighbours, and with those long rides 
 which you will take, for I am sure you 
 are not strong." 
 
 Emmeline, wishing to avoid all con- 
 versation on the subject of her looks and 
 health, conscious that both had suffered 
 from herJoss of happiness, hastily got up, 
 declaring she was quite recovered ; and, 
 after bathing her eyes and temples with 
 some cold water, she proposed returning 
 to the drawing-room. 
 
 ** But are you quite sure you are well 
 enough ?" said Lady Saville—'' had you 
 not better lie down a little, for you still 
 look pale."
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 197 
 
 Emmeline insisted on going. 
 
 ** Well, I understand your not liking 
 to make a fuss and excite enquiries ; for 
 one's friends will teaze one so with reme- 
 dies : so if you are really able, come 
 along, lean on me;" and she drew Em- 
 meline's arm within hers. 
 
 When they entered the room, Fitz- 
 henry went up to them : hoped Emmeline 
 was quite recovered, and brought a chair 
 for her ; but all was done in cold civility, 
 and no more passed. Mr. Pelham came 
 immediately and sat by her, evidently 
 and purposely entering into conversation 
 to save her from being an object of at- 
 tention to the rest. The dancing went 
 on ; but Emmeline^s spirits were gone, 
 and she took no more part in what 
 passed around her that evening.
 
 198 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 *' What capital fun we have had !" 
 said Selina, as they all left the 
 drawing-room for the night. I am sure 
 I could dance all day long: could not 
 you, Lady Fitzhenry? Don't you like 
 dancing of all things ? I am sure you 
 must, you dance so well." 
 
 Emmeline absently answered — '' I 
 have liked it, but it is a taste that soon 
 goes off." 
 
 " Soon, indeed !" said Mrs. Danvers, 
 who had been playing the waltzes and 
 quadrilles to them for the last hour, *' if it 
 is already gone with you : why you talk 
 as if you were an old woman. Lady 
 Fitzhenry. I don't think it is many 
 months since I saw you apparently 
 enjoying the amusement as much as 
 any one — indeed, not many minutes."
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 199 
 
 Emmeline, vexed at her forgetful- 
 ness, did not answer. She saw her hus- 
 band's eyes were fixed upon her ; and, 
 anxious to put an end to so disagree- 
 able an evening, wishing them all 
 good night, she hastened into her own 
 room. 
 
 When there, she found that the 
 brooch — the precious brooch, was miss- 
 ing. She dared not tell her maid of her 
 loss, for fear that any enquiry after it 
 would lead to a discovery of her theft ; 
 but, as soon as she was gone, and all 
 quiet in the house, Emmeline examined 
 every part of her own room, of the gallery, 
 and of the drawing-room ; but all in 
 vain. Tired and annoyed, she was at last 
 obliged to give up the search, trusting 
 that daylight would betray its hiding 
 place.
 
 200 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 It grieved her not a little, tho' 
 
 She seemed it well to beare. 
 
 And thus she reasons with herself — 
 
 ' Some fault perhaps in me, 
 
 ' Somewhat is done, that so he doth : 
 
 ^ Alas ! what may it be ? 
 
 * How may I winne him to myself? 
 ' He is a man, and men 
 
 * Have imperfections ; it behoves 
 
 * Me pardon nature then. ' 
 
 The Patient Countess. 
 
 The next morning, before her maid 
 came to her, Emmeline renewed her 
 search, but with as little success as on 
 the night before. It delayed her dress- 
 ing ; and when she entered the break-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 201 
 
 fast-room^ all were assembled — Mr. 
 Moore coming in at an opposite door at 
 the same minute. 
 
 ** Who owns a turquoise pin ?" said 
 he, in a loud, sententious voice, as he 
 approached the breakfast table, *' with 
 some mysterious, and, I conclude, very 
 sentimental letters at the back." 
 
 Fitzhenry, who was reading the news- 
 paper, instantly laid it down. He felt 
 for his brooch, and forgetting that he 
 had not put on any that morning, ex- 
 claimed, at the same moment with 
 Emmeline — '* I do!" Both looked at 
 each other, and coloured. 
 
 ** Well, I never knew such a pattern 
 pair," said Moore ; *^they have so con- 
 scientiously every thing in common, 
 that they have but one brooch between 
 
 K 5
 
 202 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 them, and I suppose wear it alternately. 
 Pin of my pin — brooch of my brooch," 
 added he, laughing : ** without the help 
 of Solomon, I really don't know how to 
 decide the matter between you, for it is 
 quite a law case in his line, and much 
 beyond me." 
 
 *' Pray give it me," said Emmeline, 
 in a low voice, inexpressibly annoyed. 
 
 ** The brooch is mine," said Fitz- 
 henry, holding out his hand for it, and 
 apparently not much less discomposed. 
 
 ** Hold, if you please," said Moore; 
 **I have not studied the law, up three 
 pair of stairs in Lincoln's Inn, and 
 poured over musty books for nothing. I 
 must have proofs and witnesses before I 
 adjudge the disputed prize. Let us call 
 into court the letters at the back, they
 
 A ilARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 203 
 
 may throw some light on the subject — 
 Let me see," continued he, putting on 
 his nose the spectacles of one of the com- 
 pany, and affecting an important, legal 
 tone, '* Fi is very easily distinguished, 
 but what the deuce is it that comes be- 
 tween that and z e, which are plainly the 
 letters at the end. F i looks a little as 
 if it really did belong to one Lord Fitz- 
 henry, I must own ; (if he is so unsenti- 
 mental as to wear his own name next 
 his heart ;) but even under that extra- 
 ordinary supposition, I can't turn z e 
 into r yhy any trick of law or logic — so 
 I am still at a loss ; for do what I will, I 
 cannot, with these letters, speW^dek, or 
 Jidelita, or any of those pretty words." 
 
 Emmeline said no more; she tried to 
 busy herself with the breakfast-things,
 
 204 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 but poured out every thing wrong, and 
 made all sorts of strange mistakes. Fitz- 
 henry got up, and went to Mr. Moore. 
 
 *' Come, Moore, no more of this non- 
 sense ; give me the brooch, and Lady 
 Fitzhenry and I can afterwards settle to 
 which of us it belongs." 
 
 *' As lord of the manor, I suppose 
 you claim all stray goods," rejoined 
 Moore ; '' otherwise I must say yours is 
 a most despotic measure, and a little 
 like the lion in the fable." 
 
 At this. Miss Danvers, who had been 
 some time tittering, burst into an immo- 
 derate fit of laughter. 
 
 *' How droll Mr. Moore is !" she ex- 
 claimed : *' pray. Lord Fitzhenry, let me 
 look at this brooch ; there is such a fuss 
 about it that it must be something very
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 205 
 
 extraordinary, and I am sure I could 
 make out the letters," said she, looking 
 significantly at Moore, *' for I know all 
 sorts of mottos, and sentiments, and those 
 kind of things, for brooches, and brace- 
 lets, and purses, and seals," — and she 
 held out her hand for the brooch. 
 
 '* It is not worth looking at," said Fitz- 
 henry, coldly, as he put it into his 
 pocket. 
 
 '' I think the lion is a little gruff," 
 whispered the young lady to her neigh- 
 bour at the breakfast-table, and again 
 laughed violently at what she imagined 
 to be wit. 
 
 " Well," she continued, ** I give notice, 
 that when I marry, I mean to have my 
 own way, and be my own mistress, and 
 not be so submissive as Lady Fitzhenry.
 
 206 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 I shall have as many brooches as I please, 
 given me by whom I please ; for I sus- 
 pect," added she, significantly, '' there is 
 some story about this brooch — some mys- 
 tery we none of us know ; but I am de- 
 termined I will find it out: it is just the 
 sort of thing I like — and see how Lady 
 Fitzhenry blushes — I am getting near 
 the mark, I suspect." 
 
 ''Don't rattle on so foolishly, Selina," 
 said her mother, trying to check her 
 talkative daughter. 
 
 " That is what mamma always says," 
 retorted Miss Danvers, pettishly, and 
 looking round for support in her denial 
 of the charge of folly. '* Mamma never 
 lets me speak, which is very hard, for 
 I am sure I am saying no harm," 
 added she, addressing Mr. Moore,
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 207 
 
 whom she seemed to have dubbed her 
 champion. 
 
 " I never presume to contradict mam- 
 mas," answered he ; *' otherwise I should 
 say that such a mouth could never utter 
 any thing which it would not be agree- 
 able to hear." 
 
 The young lady giggled, and, encou- 
 raged by the compliment, went on — 
 
 ** Pray, Mr. Moore, seriously, as you 
 are a lawyer, will you tell me, have 
 husbands a right by law to read all their 
 wives' letters, as well as seize on their 
 naughty brooches 1 Lady Fitzhenry, 
 does Lord Fitzhenry read all your let- 
 ters ?" 
 
 *' I should think he w^ould be sorry 
 to take the trouble," said Emmeline, 
 forced to reply to so direct a question,
 
 208 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 although from the quickness with which 
 one silly idea chased another in Se- 
 lina's mind, she seldom required any 
 answer. 
 
 " Why ? have you a great many cor- 
 respondents ? I do so like correspon- 
 dents, don't you ? and to get letters all 
 crossed^ and written under the seal, and 
 every where ; is it not delightful ? I 
 have so many friends I doat upon, that 
 there is not a day I don't write two or 
 three long letters, and tell them every 
 thing I feel and think ; and then it passes 
 away the morning so well; don't it, 
 Mr. Moore ?'' 
 
 *' Why, I really cannot boast of as 
 many confidential friends, or as much 
 capacity of heart as you seem to be 
 blessed with," said he ; "and, moreover.
 
 A MARK [AGE IN HIGH LIFE. 209 
 
 I have nothing to confide ; so that I fear 
 a very small note would contain all my 
 feelings and thoughts." 
 
 ** Dear, how shocking! and how odd! 
 I have so many charming friends, to 
 whom 1 have so much to say, that I 
 could write to them for ever; and then, 
 when we have nothing particular to tell, 
 we suppose ourselves people in a novel, 
 and so carry on a story, you know, under 
 feigned names : mine is Celestina." 
 
 *' It must be very interesting; and 
 may I ask," continued Moore, " who is 
 the hero worthy of such a heroine ? " 
 
 *' Oh, that I won't tell," said Miss 
 Danvers, slyly — **that is a secret; but, if 
 you choose to guess, I will tell you when 
 you are wrong. So far I will go ; but 
 I won't allow of any questions about tall
 
 210 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 and short, and fat and thin, and that sort 
 of thing.'' 
 
 Here all laughed ; and Selina, quite 
 satisfied that it was at her wit, glanced 
 round the table with an eye of triumph, 
 till, encountering Fitzhenry's grave, pre- 
 occupied countenance^ which, plainly 
 showed that he had not joined in the 
 applause, the said : " Ah, Lord Fitz- 
 henry is still thinking of his brooch, 
 and of that blush of Lady Fitzhenry's, 
 which seems to stick in his throat." 
 
 ** I am sure you are very good to take 
 so much interest in what concerns us," 
 replied Fitzhenry, dryly. 
 
 " Oh no, it is not good at all ; for it 
 is my greatest amusement to find out 
 every body's little secrets, and I am 
 determined I will get at the bottom of
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 211 
 
 this somehow." After a pause, she ad- 
 dressed Emmeline. " By the bye, now 
 I recollect, you were very busy poking 
 about all Lord Fitzhenry's things in his 
 room, yesterday morning ; but what that 
 may have to do with all this, I can't 
 just now make out." 
 
 Fitzhenry looked up astonished, and his 
 eyes were fixed on Emmeline's crimson 
 cheek ; but, though he looked at her 
 attentively for a few minutes, he said 
 nothing ; and, by this time, the frowns 
 from Mrs. Danvers had become so re- 
 peated, and so decided, that they at last 
 succeeded in checking the exuberant 
 loquacity of the lively Selina. 
 
 An awkward silence ensued ; every 
 one seemed disconcerted, and Fitzhenry,
 
 212 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 for the first time, to Emraeline's observ- 
 ation, appeared totally out of humour. 
 He soon got up from the breakfast-table, 
 and left the room. 
 
 It was a thoroughly wet day ; even the 
 gentlemen could not go out— and, to pass 
 the morning. Lady Saville proposed 
 practising some songs, in which one of 
 them took a part. Poor Emmeline, who 
 could not rally her spirits at all, felt 
 little inclined to sing — but she complied, 
 till at length, fatigued and harassed, she 
 gave up her place at the pianoforte to 
 Selina, and went to her own room. 
 There on the table she found a note ad- 
 dressed to her, in Fitzhenry^s hand- 
 writing. She trembled as she opened 
 it— it contained her own brooch, and 
 these words : —
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 213 
 
 *' I return you, what I suppose to be 
 yours; how it came into my possession, 
 I know not. I have kept to my promise 
 — I do all in my power to promote your 
 happiness— do then the same by me, and 
 respect feelings which I have honestly 
 confessed to you. 
 
 ** FiTZHEXllY." 
 
 Emmeline read this over and over, 
 scarcely knowing what the latter words 
 could refer to ; so perfectly innocent 
 did she feel of any infringement of their 
 agreement, and so satisfied that she had 
 never, directly or indirectly, to him or 
 others, hinted at her cruel situation. 
 However, at last, calling to mind the way 
 in which Selina had that morning so 
 provokingly entertained the company 
 with her silly remarks, she felt convinced.
 
 214 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 in spite of Fitzhenry's well-known con- 
 tempt for the person who made them, 
 that they had raised suspicions in his 
 mind of her having taken advantage of 
 his absence to invade his apartment, and 
 pry into his secrets ; perhaps had even 
 led him to imagine that she had stolen 
 his favourite brooch with the foolish in- 
 tention of wantonly tormenting him. 
 
 Wounded tenderness, and offended 
 pride, alternately wrung her heart. To 
 clear herself was impossible, without 
 confessing feelings, which she could not 
 bring herself to avow to one who evi- 
 dently despised and abhorred her. In 
 total despair at the cruelly unfavourable 
 light in which untoward circumstances 
 always placed her before him, whom it 
 was the first, almost the only wish of her
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 215 
 
 heart to conciliate and please, poor Em- 
 meline wept in bitterness of soul. 
 
 Some explanation on her part, how- 
 ever, was absolutely necessary, but it 
 was long before she could resolve on 
 what to say. At length, entering into no 
 particulars, she wrote merely these words, 
 
 '' You do me great injustice, and to- 
 tally mistake me : explanation, how- 
 ever, is impossible — indeed, would pro- 
 bably be only uninteresting and irksome 
 to you, and therefore I shall not attempt 
 
 any." 
 
 ** Emmelixe." 
 
 How to give this to Fitzhenry unno- 
 ticed was the next difficulty, without the 
 risk of a Utt-a-teU interview, which in 
 the present nervous and irritated state
 
 2J6 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 of her feelings, she had no courage to 
 seek. She heard him in his room, which 
 joined to hers, and there he remained 
 all the morning alone. 
 
 With her note concealed in her hand, 
 and with tell-tale eyes, Emmeline joined 
 the party at the usual hour of luncheon, 
 in case her absence might create sur- 
 prise. Mr. Pelham's attention was soon 
 attracted towards her. 
 
 *' I fear you have not yet recovered your 
 waltzing of last night," said he kindly, as 
 if to account for her disordered appear- 
 ance, which no one could help observing: 
 *' you have still a headache I am sure, 
 and I am not surprised at it. When you 
 give balls, you should put out your stoves ; 
 I wonder how any of the dancers could 
 stand the heat of the room last night : a
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 217 
 
 walk would do you good ; I think it is 
 clearing up ; will you let me accompany 
 you ? " 
 
 Emmeline feeling, in spite of her endea- 
 vours, that tears still forced themselves 
 into her eyes, and aware that ^he was not 
 quite in a fit state to make the agreable to 
 her company, readily agreed. The fresh 
 air revived and composed her, and, by 
 degrees, her usual spirits returned. Pel- 
 ham first talked on indifferent subjects. 
 At length, some improvement in the 
 place which he was observing, brought 
 in Fitzhenry's name, when, after a mo- 
 ment's pause, he said — *' I see my friend 
 Fitzhenry has no patience with that poor 
 silly girl, Miss Danvers. I have often 
 lectured him on the subject of his want 
 of toleration for folly, and of the way 
 
 VOL. I. L
 
 218 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 that he is apt to take things that should 
 only be laughed at, au grand serieiLv, It 
 is the fault of all grave, substantial cha- 
 racters like his ; and he allows trifles to 
 go too deep with him. To be sure, the 
 poor Selinais a fool, cmnme on en voit peu ; 
 but it is not necessary to attend to her, 
 and I should be almost tempted with 
 regard to her, to give you the same ad- 
 vice as to Fitzhenry, not any way to 
 notice the nonsense that flows from her. 
 There are some people who can make 
 themselves important in society only 
 by teazing others ; and if they once 
 find out this power, they never let it rest 
 unemployed. I am very impudent I 
 think," added Pelham, *' in presuming 
 to give you advice ; but, as the friend 
 of Fitzhenry, I feel that I have a sort
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 219 
 
 of established right to lecture even 
 you." 
 
 Emmeline looked up and smiled, to 
 show in what good part she took what 
 was so kindly meant. 
 
 '* You are very young, my dear Lady 
 Fitzhenry," continued he ; '^ very new to 
 the world, and your own character is 
 naturally so open, so natural, — that you 
 are perhaps too artless. Some part we 
 almost all must, to a degree, act in this 
 world. We are all sometimes obliged 
 to put a mask on our features and feel- 
 ings. You know I am a diplomate by 
 profession," said Pelham, endeavouring 
 to give a light turn to his advice, seeing 
 how much at the moment his thin skinned 
 auditor needed the mask he talked of. 
 '* Fitzhenry has been much used to the 
 
 l2
 
 220 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 world— to women of the world," con- 
 tinued he, with a quick, embarrassed 
 manner. '* Perhaps you are too much 
 without art, for him to believe you art- 
 less, paradoxical as this may sound. In 
 short, as you are destined to live in a 
 wicked, unfeeling world, I could, I be- 
 lieve, wish you to be a little more wicked 
 and unfeeling yourself." 
 
 At this moment, Fitzhenry, with his 
 gun and dogs, appeared at a little dis- 
 tance, and when he saw them, came 
 towards them. It was fortunate, for it 
 would have been difficult for Pelham and 
 Emmeline to have extricated themselves 
 from the conversation in which they were 
 engaged ; for, vague as it might have 
 appeared to any third person, those con- 
 cerned both feared they had gone too
 
 A MARRIAGE IX HIGH LIFE. 221 
 
 far ; the one, in what he had said, the 
 other, in what she had listened to. 
 
 As Fitzhenry approached, Emmeline 
 resolved she would endeavour to exert 
 that degree of self-control which Pel- 
 ham recommended, and a feeling of 
 offended pride, and of injustice towards 
 her on Fitzhenry 's part, enabled her to 
 succeed. She drew her bonnet over her 
 face, and though her heart beat, and at 
 first her voice trembled, she forced her- 
 self to speak on indifferent subjects, as 
 if nothing had past, or rather, as if what 
 had passed, had not had power to wound 
 her ; and, taking an opportunity when 
 Peiham was a yard or two behind, she 
 held out her note to Fitzhenry. For a 
 minute, he seemed reluctant to take it ; 
 but the next, received it from her hand.
 
 222 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 and putting it hastily within his waist- 
 coat, immediately began talking with 
 Pelham about the view he was then 
 looking at. 
 
 When they met at dinner-time, Fitz- 
 henry's manner to her was as usual; 
 bat the party was so large; that they 
 could have little intercourse. In the 
 evening, to avoid any possibility of the 
 waltzing scene of the preceding night, 
 Emmeline immediately took out her 
 work, about which she pretended to be 
 particularly interested, and left the rest 
 of the party to provide for their own 
 amusement. 
 
 She and Fitzhenry still appeared to 
 be the objects of Mr. Moore's particular 
 observation, and for that purpose, seating 
 himselfby Emmeline,*' I hope LadyFitz-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 223 
 
 henry," said he, '' you have forgiven me 
 for not proving myself a better advocate 
 for you this morning ; but really Fitz- 
 henry's frowns were so very eloquent and 
 conv'mcing, that I could say no more on 
 the subject." 
 
 '' And you need not say more now," 
 answered Fitzhenry, rather impatiently, 
 without taking his eyes from the Review 
 he was reading ; ** that foolish affair is 
 settled ; we have both our own, and both 
 are satisfied." 
 
 *' Alas !" thought Emmeline, *' how 
 much he is mistaken V 
 
 Moore looked at them alternately with 
 an air of incredulity. '* Well, you are 
 strange mysterious people,'' said he; 
 " but if you are content, I am sure so 
 am I ; " and, laying his hand on the first
 
 224 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 book he saw, and which proved to be 
 Childe Harold, he read some lines of it 
 aloud. 
 
 " Are you a great admirer of Lord 
 Byron, Lady Fitzhenry ?" said he. 
 
 '' Of course," replied Emmeline, forcing 
 a smile. 
 
 " Of course of his poetry," continued 
 Moore ; ** but I hope not of his sen- 
 timents : his descriptions of scenery are 
 beautiful, and sometimes those of feeling 
 and affection ; but when he comes to 
 paint his own dark^ venom-spitting 
 mind, he is hateful ; and it always pro- 
 vokes me, that he should feel the beau- 
 ties of nature so deeply, and not be the 
 better for that feeling. Have you ever 
 been in Italy, Lady Fitzhenry ?" 
 
 ^ No, never," said Emmeline shortly,
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 225 
 
 not much liking to get on such tender 
 ground. 
 
 '^ I should have sworn you had ; I have 
 heard you talk as if you knew all Italy 
 by heart ; and you have in your compo- 
 sition, that suavity of mind and temper, 
 which the sun, the air, the beauteous 
 scenes of Italy, the dark blue of its seas 
 give. I should have been ten times 
 more detestable than I am, had I not 
 passed so much of my life in the pure, 
 soft atmosphere of Italy. I don't know, 
 by the bye, that my friend Fitzhenry 
 there proves my doctrine true ; I don t 
 think he has benefited much by such 
 education ; vide the pin affair. But I 
 suppose it is only the effect of change 
 of climate, and that the cold, dark fogs 
 of this country, have again contracted
 
 226 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 his heart, and made it selfish and En- 
 glish." 
 
 Fitzhenry said nothing, and appa- 
 rently was engrossed by his book. Mr. 
 Moore continued. ** Many a battle Fitz- 
 henry and I have had about Lord Byron 
 — I wonder what side you would take. 
 I never can feel for his imaginary woes. 
 What the deuce is the matter with the 
 fellow ? what does he want ? He has 
 had every thing this world can give. All 
 the fools and fine ladies running after 
 him, and paying him court a Venvi fun 
 de V autre; and yet he went grumbling 
 and whining about, despising, and turn- 
 ing up his nose at us all, who are ten 
 times better than himself. He chose, 
 too, to hate and ill-treat his wife, after 
 he had insisted, almost against her own
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 227 
 
 will, or at least against her judgment, 
 to marry her, and she an heiress, into 
 the bargain. This was to be a new dis- 
 tress; and on this he begun, de plus belle, 
 to grumble and whine, and moreover to 
 blackguard. Now, Fitzhenry, how do 
 you defend all this?" 
 
 ** I don't pretend to defend him in 
 any thing," said Fitzhenry, very impa- 
 tiently ; '* I only say, that persons with 
 totally different feelings and characters 
 cannot judge of each other. What 
 would be keen suffering to one, might 
 be none to another. I might an- 
 swer you in the words of Madame de 
 Stael — " Les gens mediocres ne cessent de 
 sHonner que le talent ait des besoins dif- 
 ferens des leurs ; and as for Lord Byron's 
 private history, neither you nor I have
 
 228 A MARRIAGE IN HICH LIFE. 
 
 any business with it, or know any thing 
 about it." 
 
 *'The deuce we don't?" said Moore, 
 '* many thanks, par parenthese, for your 
 pretty compliment to me, an siijet de la 
 7nediocrite; but we will let that pass : 1 
 am well used to such from you," said he, 
 laughing; " but I cannot give up so qui- 
 etly Lord Byron, who certainly has had 
 the bad taste (to say no worse) to take 
 pains to tell us all what a villain he is, 
 so that few of us can be ignorant of his 
 private history." 
 
 Fitzhenry said nothing; and resuming 
 his book, turned away, as if the light 
 hurt his eyes. 
 
 '' Lady Fitzhenry, don't you agree 
 with me about Lord Byron," continued 
 the indefatigable Moore.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 229 
 
 " I believe not," said Emmeline with 
 a tremulous voice — *' I should not — I 
 think no one can, or should presume to 
 judge of the feelings, hardly of the situ- 
 ation and conduct of another." An in- 
 voluntary sigh finished the sentence ; 
 fortunately it escaped her neighbour's 
 ear, as he was hastily turning over the 
 leaves of the book^ reading a line here 
 and there. 
 
 '' // faut pourtant etre juste,'' said 
 Moore; '' and, to give the devil his due, 
 Lord Byron is in truth a most delightful 
 poet. We all find that he describes 
 our own thoughts and feelings, which 
 we have not had the wit to put into 
 rhyme ourselves. Here is a pretty 
 specimen of sing-song sentiment, for 
 instance : —
 
 230 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 ' Florence^ whom I will love as well 
 As ever yet was said or sung, 
 (Since Orpheus sang his spouse from hell,) 
 Whilst thou art fair, and I am young ; 
 
 * Sweet Florence, those were pleasant times 
 When worlds were staked for ladies eyes ; 
 Had bards as many realms as rhymes. 
 Thy charms might raise new Anthonies. 
 
 * Though fate forbids such things to be, 
 Yet, by thine eye and ringlets curled, 
 I cannot lose a world for thee, 
 
 But would not lose thee for a world.' 
 
 Prudent vows those, making them to 
 depend on his own youth, and his fair 
 one's beauty. What think you of that 
 moral sentiment, Lady Fitzhenry?" 
 
 Emmeline dared not speak ; she feared 
 a double meaning might be given to 
 whatever she said ; but the crimson oil
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 231 
 
 her cheeks betrayed how well she knew 
 the lines. Fitzhenry, for an instant, 
 looked up — his face was scarcely less 
 suffused than hers, and hastily rising 
 from his seat, he left the room. 
 
 **Alas!" thought Emmeline, *' again 
 he will accuse me of braving him ; of 
 purposely wounding his feelings !" and it 
 was with difficulty she could conceal 
 from Mr. Moore how much he had dis- 
 composed her. 
 
 The next day, when she went through 
 the gallery, the door of Fitzhenry's room 
 chanced to be open, and as her eyes 
 eagerly wandered into it, she observed 
 that the two drawings had disappeared 
 from over the chimney. What this meant, 
 she could but too well guess : she plainly 
 saw that he suspected her of meanly
 
 232 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 endeavouring to pry into his feelings, 
 and to trace each thought inimical to 
 herself, with a view (perhaps he con- 
 cluded) to gain at least the power of tor- 
 menting him, when hopeless of obtain- 
 ing any other. '* Oh, Fitzhenry !" 
 thought she, ** will the time ever come, 
 when you will know me better, and learn 
 to do me justice?" 
 
 <fP
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 233 
 
 C HAPTER VII. 
 
 Call ye the city gay ? its revels joyous ? 
 — They may be so to you ; for ye are young 
 (Belike) and happy. She is young in years. 
 But often in mid-spring will blighting winds 
 Do Autumn's work : and there is pain of heart 
 That doth the work of time ; can cloud the brow. 
 And pale the cheek, and sober down the spirit. 
 This gewgaw scene hath fewer charms for her. 
 Than for the crone, who, numbering sixty winters, 
 Pronounceth it all folly. — Wonder not 
 'Tis left thus willingly. 
 
 Old Play. 
 
 Parliament met early this year, and 
 Lord Fitzhenry signified his intention
 
 234 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 of being in town at its opening. The 
 party at Arlingford, therefore, before 
 long, dispersed different ways; and, 
 with a heavy heart, Emmeline went to 
 settle herself in Grosvenor-street. 
 Young as she was, and disposed for 
 gaiety as she had been but a few 
 months past, she could, in her circum- 
 stances, only look to the world and to 
 the routine of fashionable life in London 
 with dismay. She would be thrown 
 into a totally new society, where she 
 had not a friend, scarcely an acquaint- 
 ance. Had Fitzhenry been to her what 
 he ought, how proudly would she, at 
 her lover's side, have shown herself to 
 an admiring world, as the being he had 
 chosen. But this was not the situation 
 of Emmeline, and she shrunk with a
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 235 
 
 feeling of apprehension from the tumult 
 in which she would be left deserted and 
 solitary. 
 
 She foresaw, too, that a London life 
 would necessarily throw her and her 
 husband more apart; for, little as she 
 saw of him in the country', yet still 
 in the course of the day she was cer- 
 tain of being in his society and of 
 hearing his voice, although seldom now 
 addressed in conversation to herself. 
 In town, it would be easier for him to 
 avoid her, and she much feared he 
 would take advantage of the opportu- 
 nities offered. 
 
 And Emmeline was right in her conjec- 
 tures. Under pretence of business, and 
 attendance at the House of Commons, 
 he was so constantly from home, that
 
 236 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 they rarely met. Their hours, too, were 
 different ; breakfast was no longer a 
 certain moment for meeting ; for, as it 
 would now have obliged them to a daily 
 tete-a-tete^ it was brought to them in 
 their separate apartments. During the 
 morning, therefore, it was only by acci- 
 dent that they were ever together. Fitz- 
 henry rarely dined at home, except when 
 there was company ; and, of course, liv- 
 ing so much apart, Emmeline did not 
 even know what his evening engage- 
 ments were ; and often they met by 
 chance, for the first time, during forty- 
 eight hours, in some distant place of 
 amusement. If then he chanced to give 
 her a look of kind recognition, poor 
 Emmeline went home with her spirits 
 raised, resolving to improve the advan-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 237 
 
 tage she fancied she had gamed ; but 
 again, forty-eight hours passed in the 
 same manner, and, perhaps, if then 
 again they accidentally met, he would 
 scarcely notice her. 
 
 Thus deserted, she saw she must 
 submit to endeavour to make to herself 
 an independent existence ; but it was 
 a vain attempt when every thought, 
 every feeling was with him. Lady 
 Saville had offered herself as Emme- 
 line's chaperon, on her first entry into 
 the world of London society, and she 
 could no^l have had a better compa- 
 nion; for Lady Saville had just feeling 
 enough to enable her to perform all 
 her social duties without a shadow of 
 blame, and even in her own set to 
 obtain the character of being remark-
 
 238 A MARRUGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 ably goodnatured; — but she had none 
 of those refined sentiments, which 
 could lead her to read and detect 
 the emotions of Emmeline's heart. 
 Pre-occupation of mind, variation of 
 spirits and complexion, on a look 
 or word ; all such symptoms of a 
 stricken heart she attributed to mere 
 physical causes ; sometimes rallying 
 Emmeline on her vapeurs, but gene- 
 rally too much amused and occupied 
 herself to doubt her companion being 
 equally so. Had that companion's 
 heart been gay and free as it was but 
 a few months back, what attractions 
 the world, into which she was now, for 
 the first time, introduced, might have 
 had for her ! 
 
 Emmeline's beauty had much im-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 239 
 
 proved since her marriage, and even by 
 her loss of happiness ; for, in the place 
 of the mere expression of youthful joy 
 and good-humour, was a look of senti- 
 ment, almost of languor, over her whole 
 countenance and person, that added 
 inexpressibly to its charm, and gave 
 additional effect to her own peculiarly 
 bright smile, when it was sometimes 
 for a moment recalled. 
 
 As Fitzhenry's wife, she first at- 
 tracted attention ; and, with pleasing 
 manners, rank, riches, youth, and 
 beauty at once to recommend her, she 
 was soon sought for, admired, and 
 courted ; and had she been willing to 
 take advantage of the universal cry in 
 her favour, Emmeline might, with little 
 or no trouble on her part, have been
 
 240 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 raised to that envied distinction, ob- 
 tained no one knows how, or why, of 
 being the fashion. For the world is 
 so capricious and wayward in its pre- 
 ferences, that it often greets beings like 
 Lady Fitzhenry (from circumstances re- 
 gardless of its favour) with those win- 
 ning, gracious smiles, which it perversely 
 withholds from others most indefatigable 
 in their efforts to obtain them. Witness 
 the anxious and fatiguing labours of so 
 many candidates for its patronage, their 
 eternal struggles to grasp at what con- 
 stantly escapes them, if for a moment 
 they pause to take breath, or relax the 
 little hold they have secured. 
 
 When individuals are blamed for either 
 too much or too little love of the world, 
 the different welcome it bestows seems
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 241 
 
 little considered. How little does the 
 situation of a courted, fashionable girl, 
 surrounded by partners and admirers, 
 and thus at liberty to give herself every 
 impertinent air, which a vain mind, and 
 a selfish, unfeeling heart dictate, resem- 
 ble that of the unobserved, disregarded 
 being, who, night after night, follows 
 some elderly, undistinguished chaperon 
 through the regular round of London 
 amusements, and, seated by her hour 
 after hour in dull neglect, seems at 
 last to become a part of the bench she 
 rests on, till reduced, perhaps, to be 
 even envious of its insensibility ; yet 
 the same enlivening music plays to 
 both ; the same bright lights are cast 
 on both, and the same glittering, buzz- 
 ing crowd surrounds them; but ques- 
 
 VOL. I. M
 
 242 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 tion them, after their night's dissipation, 
 as to the entertainment at which they^ 
 were both present, and how different 
 will be their accounts of the same scene 
 — of what is called the gay world ! of 
 all worlds the most melancholy to 
 those who are not gay. 
 
 And Emmeline, in spite of her general 
 popularity, was among that number : 
 how far she might equally have re- 
 sisted its snares, and despised its plea- 
 sures,^, had there been corresponding 
 joy within, we cannot pretend to say ; 
 but, as it was, the first transient amuse- 
 ment produced by novelty, very soon 
 went off, leaving her mind wearied 
 and depressed, and, at any time, in 
 the gayest scene, the sight of Fitz- 
 henry at a distance, in the crowd of a
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE, 243 
 
 ball-room, or at the opera, had power 
 instantly to dispel every feeling of en- 
 joyment ; and then, totally regardless of 
 what passed around her, or of the flatter- 
 ing compliments addressed to her, her 
 eyes were rivetted to the spot where 
 he was, busied in the eager examination 
 of those near him, in search of that 
 form, those features, which had capti- 
 vated him; and often when she had 
 observed him engrossed in conversa- 
 tion with any woman, or even when 
 merely paying the common attentions 
 of civility, breathless with agitation, 
 she has enquired who the favoured 
 being was, as if in strange eagerness 
 *' most to seek what she would most 
 avoid;" but still Lady Florence never 
 
 K 2
 
 244 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 appeared ; her dreaded name was never 
 mentioned. 
 
 Although now, to all appearance, 
 totally deserted b}^ her husband, still 
 he kept strictly to his engagement 
 with her. Every possible indulgence 
 and pleasure which money could give, 
 were hers ; and in such outward at- 
 tentions he even seemed occupied about 
 her. The horse she rode at Arlingford, 
 although formerly his favourite hunter, 
 was now considered as entirely hers, and 
 without her even expressing a wish on 
 the subject, had been brought to town 
 for her exclusive use ; he had himself 
 secured a box at the opera for her, 
 after having ascertained in what part 
 of the house she would prefer it ; and.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 245 
 
 on their first arrival in town, he had 
 again repeated his desire, that she 
 should ask any and every one she 
 liked to the house. In short, she was 
 again and again enjoined to consult only 
 her own happiness and enjoyment in 
 every thing : kind words in the mouth 
 of any other husband ; but, producing 
 the painful conviction of her loneliness, 
 they brought but tears into Emmeline's 
 eyes, when hastily pronounced by Fitz- 
 henry, with his hand on the lock of the 
 door, in order that he might leave her 
 the instant they were uttered, and so 
 escape the possibility of thanks or com- 
 ment. 
 
 Wishing, however^ to show that she 
 was sensible of his intended kindness, in 
 the liberty he gave, and with a last faint
 
 246 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 hope, that by making his home agree- 
 able, she might entice him to be more 
 with her, Emmeline determined to en- 
 deavour to collect society at her house. 
 She took a favourable moment to inform 
 Fitzhenry of her intention, and of the 
 nights for which she had made the invi- 
 tations. He seemed much to approve of 
 the plan, but said nothing as to his own 
 attendance. 
 
 On the day appointed for the first 
 party, Emmeline, as was generally now 
 the case, dined alone. During her soli- 
 tary repast, she made firm resolutions 
 that she would act upon the advice Pel- 
 ham had given her at Arlingford — put that 
 mask on her feeling's which he recom- 
 mended, and adopt those manners of the 
 world that he said Fitzhenry admired.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 247 
 
 Emmeline had a sort of natural tact on 
 all such subjects; and, had she been 
 in the habit of doing the honours of her 
 own house, during her whole life, she 
 could not have acquitted herself better. 
 All were delighted with her, and with 
 the evening's amusement. It was not 
 till towards the close of it, that Fitz- 
 henry appeared. Long had poor Em- 
 meline's eyes anxiously wandered to- 
 ward the door, watching for his en- 
 trance; and when at last he came, it 
 was not without difficulty that she con- 
 tinued to perform her gay part with 
 spirit ; but a momentary break in what 
 she was saying — a rapid beating of her 
 heart, and the deepened colour in her 
 cheek, alone betrayed her agitation at 
 his presence.
 
 248 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 He came up to her ; remarked how 
 well the rooms were lighted ; compli- 
 mented her on the disposal of the furni- 
 ture — on her arrangement of the flowers : 
 and, in return^ the poor hypocrite played 
 her part well. She carelessly asked 
 his opinion as to the placing of the 
 lamps and the pianoforte. Even at- 
 tempted at rallying him on his absence ; 
 and to all appearance no two people 
 could be on an easier footing. 
 
 The company were by this time be- 
 ginning to clear away. As they dis- 
 persed, Emmeline eagerly looked around 
 for Fitzhenry. She thought he had no- 
 ticed her more than usual, and she de- 
 termined to follow up this little fancied 
 success, by assuming a careless gaiety, 
 which she certainly did not feel, but
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 249 
 
 which she sometimes believed she would 
 do well to adopt. When, therefore, she 
 had performed her last act of civility to 
 her last guest, she hurried back to the 
 spot where she had left him. But he 
 too had disappeared. Alone she paced 
 the now silent, empty rooms, lost in 
 thought, and totally forgetful of the late- 
 ness of the hour, until at length, the 
 entrance of Reynolds rousing her from 
 her trance, she hastily retired into her 
 own room — but not to sleep. — Various 
 thoughts agitated her mind : sometimes 
 even hope, Calbeit of late not a usual 
 visitor,) forced itself in : Fitzhenry had 
 certainly smiled on her ; he had ap- 
 peared pleased ; had even seemed to 
 take interest in her attempt, and she de- 
 termined to persevere, 
 
 M 5
 
 250 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 Emmeline counted the days to her 
 next party, as a school-girl does those to 
 her first ball ; for, on its success she again 
 built flattering expectations for the future 
 — expectations which perhaps to herself 
 were hardly to be defined. '* But at all 
 events, I shall certainly see him," she 
 thought, as with most excuseable care 
 and anxiety she endeavoured to improve, 
 to the best advantage, those personal at- 
 tractions which nature had bestowed 
 upon her. But in vain she decked her 
 hair with the freshest flowers ; in vain 
 she listened for, and anxiously watched 
 the result of, each loud knock at her 
 door. Every one she had asked, flew 
 to her invitation, (such is the power of 
 novelty in London,) all but hijn for whom 
 the whole had been prepared.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 251 
 
 Disheartened and dispirited, poor Eni- 
 meline almost resolved on seeking some 
 pretext for putting off altogether her 
 third entertainment ; but a good hu- 
 moured word of recognition from her 
 husband, as they met in the lobby of the 
 opera-house, the Tuesday before, again 
 made her yield to the natural buoyancy 
 of her disposition ; and Fitzhenry, hav- 
 ing asked Pelham and the Savilles to 
 dine with him on the day appointed for 
 her party, his presence seemed thus se- 
 cured. All now, therefore, appeared 
 propitious to Emmeline. Fitzhenry him- 
 self was, on that day, evidently more 
 disposed for cheerfulness than he had 
 been of late ; and the smallness of their 
 party at dinner, obliging them to more 
 intercourse than they had had for long,
 
 252 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 Emmeline gave way to the exhilaration 
 of spirits belonging to youth and hope, 
 and, her cheeks again bright with the 
 flush of enjoyment, she bore her part in 
 the conversation with unusual liveliness. 
 Emmeline was aware of this herself, and 
 could not, moreover, help indulging in 
 the flatterhig idea, that even Fitzhenry 
 had (at least for that once) thought her 
 agreeable. With a step made still more 
 light than usual by the innocent exulta- 
 tion of the moment, she gaily bounded up 
 to the drawing-room with Lady Saville, 
 to make the necessary preparations for 
 the expected company. Knowing how 
 much Fitzhenry liked music, she had 
 collected all the best Italian singers ; 
 and, with her companion, Emmeline was 
 still occupied in arranging the lights and
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 253 
 
 instruments, when Pelham and Sir 
 George Saville joined them, but not 
 Fitzhenry. Coffee came ; still he did 
 not appear. Half fearful of what she 
 might learn, but not able to bear the 
 suspense any longer, she at length, with 
 an anxious look, enquired whether he 
 was gone out. 
 
 "Oh no!" replied Pelham; ** he is 
 only answering a letter which he has 
 just received ; he will be here directly." 
 
 A flash of her own bright smile in- 
 stantly re-illumined her features ; and 
 afterwards, in the middle of one of 
 Camporese's beautiful songs, it glanced 
 again over her countenance, for she saw 
 Fitzhenry enter the room, and, for an 
 instant, caught his eyes fixed upon her. 
 But the song over, and after the ge-
 
 254 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE, 
 
 neral stir and bustle that usually fol- 
 lows, she looked for him in vain. The 
 crowd was now every minute thicken- 
 ing, and with difficulty Emmeline forced 
 herself to. address to each those com- 
 mon-place remarks which always equally 
 weary those who make them, and those 
 to whom they are made. She restlessly 
 went from room to room on some excuse 
 to herself as well as others, but her 
 search was vain — he was gone ! 
 
 At once the bright scene totally 
 changed ! although the music was beau- 
 tiful, and the buzz of gaiety and happi- 
 ness went round. Poor Emmeline, 
 alone in the scene of enjoyment which 
 she had herself created, was wretched. 
 Gladly she at length saw her visitors 
 depart, and the rooms gradually become
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 255 
 
 empty ; for her spirits, which had been 
 so unusually excited, were totally ex- 
 hausted, and her only object now was, 
 the conclusion of that evening to which 
 she had looked with such bright expec- 
 tation. Lady Saville and Pelham re- 
 mained the last. 
 
 "Well, my dear Lady Fitzhenry," 
 said the former, '* I staid to the end 
 purposely to congratulate you on the 
 full success of your soirees; nothing 
 could have gone off better than they 
 have done ; every one declares that no- 
 body understands the matter so well as 
 Lady Fitzhenry. I wonder where you 
 learnt the art," said she, as she looked, 
 with a complimentary smile, into Em- 
 meline'sface. On that face, tears were 
 slowly, and almost unconsciously steal-
 
 256 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 ing down. ** Good heavens! Lady 
 Fitzhenry !" exclaimed Lady Saville, 
 ** what is the matter ?" 
 
 ** Nothing," said Emmeline, provoked 
 at her weakness : " but however well 
 I may do the honours of ray house, it is 
 a fatigue to which I am new, and per- 
 fectly unequal. I have had a bad head- 
 ache all day ; and I find the trouble of 
 being agreeable so much greater than 
 the reward, that however delightful my 
 parties may be, I shall attempt them no 
 more." 
 
 Poor Emmeline spoke in the impa- 
 tient tone of vexation and disappoint- 
 ment — a tone so unusually heard from 
 her lips, that Lady Saville looked at her 
 astonished. 
 
 ** How very foolish !" she exclaimed,
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 257 
 
 " when nothing of the sort, I am sure, 
 could succeed better, and when you 
 ought to be so pleased and flattered by 
 the general pleasure you have produced. 
 In your place, I should be quite de- 
 lighted ; and then to give it all up 
 merely because you happen at this 
 minute to feel a little tired and ex- 
 hausted, particularly when you seemed 
 to enjoy it all so much yourself, as I 
 am sure you did only an hour ago. 
 What is it that has gone wrong to make 
 you change your mind so suddenly?" 
 
 Emmeline only shook her head in re- 
 ply; but encountering Pelham's grave 
 look, it recalled to her mind his coun- 
 sels, and brushing away her tears with 
 her hand, and forcing a smile, she said, 
 as gaily as she could —
 
 258 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LiFB. 
 
 ** Well, we need not discuss the mat- 
 ter at present. I will think about it ; 
 but really, now, I must drive you away, 
 and go to bed ; for I am quite knocked 
 up; and you see fatigue has already 
 made a fool of me, as I dare say, if the 
 truth was told, I cried like a child to 
 think I had eaten my cake, and that these 
 delightful parties were over." 
 
 Lady Saville, taking her hint, was 
 preparing to depart, when Fitzhenry, 
 who, on returning home, had still seen 
 some carriages in the street, and there- 
 fore thought he could venture up stairs, 
 entered the room. Lady Saville imme- 
 diately went up to him. *' Oh, Lord 
 Fitzhenry ! do second me ; for I am 
 trying to persuade your capricious, per- 
 verse wife, to give some more parties ;
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 259 
 
 for she says they don't repay her for the 
 trouble ; that they exhaust her, and 
 that she will have no more. Now have 
 they not been particularly agreeable ? 
 and does she not play the part of lady 
 of the revels to perfection ?" 
 
 Emmeline, who, on her husband's 
 entrance, had walked to the further end 
 of the room, now began busying herself 
 with a basket of flowers, forgetting that 
 she could no longer have any excuse 
 for the employment. As -for Fitzhenry, 
 he too seemed rather embarrassed by 
 Lady Saville's direct questions; but 
 soon recollecting himself — ** I certainly 
 think Lady Fitzhenry would do very 
 wrong to give up what seemed to give 
 herself, as well as every one else, so 
 much pleasure,"
 
 260 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 Emmeline bent over the flowers to 
 hide her face, which was crimsoned 
 with pique and impatience, as she re- 
 peated to herself — '' What gives me so 
 much pleasure! and that is all I have 
 gained by my last attempt, still more 
 to deceive him as to my real character, 
 and real feelings. He thinks I am to be 
 satisfied with all this noise and empty 
 show of enjoyment ; and that it will 
 make up to the worldly fool, the insen- 
 sible child, for the want of happniess !" 
 
 Lady Saville returned to her charge, 
 begging Emmeline would at once name 
 a day, and that she would again endea- 
 vour to secure Camporese for her. 
 
 Forced to answer, and no longer able 
 even to pretend occupation with the 
 flowers, she hastily composed herself;
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 261 
 
 and, quietly saying she was too tired 
 then to think of the matter, held out 
 her hand to Lady Saville, wishing her 
 good night. 
 
 The altered tone of Emmeline's voice, 
 since he had last heard it, probably 
 struck Fitzhenry, for he hastily raised 
 his eyes towards her. Her countenance, 
 her manner, all was changed ; the bright 
 colour in her cheeks was gone ; the 
 smile that had played round her mouth 
 had vanished : Pelham's eyes too were 
 fixed upon her, and Fitzhenry observed 
 it. Again he glanced at them both^ and 
 then for some minutes seemed totally 
 lost in thought, till Lady Saville, moving 
 towards the door to go, and wishing 
 him good night, he was roused from his 
 reverie ; he offered her his arm, and
 
 262 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 both he and Pelham went down stairs 
 with her. 
 
 For a few minutes, Emmeline listened 
 for Fitzhenry's return — she almost hoped 
 he would enquire into the cause of what 
 he might deem her ill humour : in short, 
 at that moment, she felt she should be 
 glad of any opening from him that could 
 possibly bring matters to a crisis, how- 
 ever painful that crisis might be ; for she 
 felt as if it was impossible to go on en- 
 during her present existence. But, after 
 pacing the room for some time in nervous 
 anxiety, which increased on hearing a 
 footstep on the stairs, she was at length 
 obliged to give up even that hope, as 
 Reynolds [alone entered the room, and 
 immediately after, she heard the door of 
 Fitzhenry's apartment close.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 263 
 
 Convinced that she had now done all 
 she could ; that she had battled with her 
 fate as much as possible; and, seeing 
 that every exertion and endeavour to 
 please and win him, only seemed to cast 
 her further from him, she resolved to 
 give over the vain struggle, and for her 
 own sake, at least, endeavour in reality 
 to be the frivolous, heartless being he 
 thought her. And thus, in a sort of des- 
 peration, flying from herself, and from a 
 cheerless home, which only reminded her 
 of her blighted youth and hopes, she fol- 
 lowed Lady Saville to every dissipation 
 that was proposed. The last, and appa- 
 rently the gayest, at every amusement ; 
 bright with false smiles and false colours ; 
 poor Emmeline endeavoured to conceal, 
 beneath excited spirits, an aching heart :
 
 264 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 but the labour was such, that it allowed 
 of no respite. One day left to herself, 
 her own sad reflections again rushed back, 
 and with increased acuteness — all her 
 disappointed, withered feelings, the suf- 
 fering present, and the cheerless future, 
 pressed upon her soul. To pause in the 
 mad career of dissipation was therefore 
 impossible. She danced, she laughed, 
 she talked. All shyness, all feeling even, 
 seemed to have vanished, and her eyes 
 sparkled with that feverish dazzle, so 
 unlike the bright sunshine of happiness, 
 but so often mistaken for it by a thought- 
 less, uninterested observer. How falsely 
 do those of the world mutually pass sen- 
 tence on each other ! Meeting, perhaps, 
 merely in the gay resorts of fashion, each 
 ndividual attributes to the other that
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 26o 
 
 worldliness and frivolity which belongs 
 to the scene, but which they apply to 
 the character — and how false such judg- 
 ments are, those may declare, who by 
 peculiar circumstances, or duty of some 
 sort, are drawn into such amusements, 
 when from natural disposition and taste 
 they may be particularly little suited to 
 enjoy them. 
 
 Emmeline's looks, health, even tem- 
 per, all seemed to suffer from the life 
 she now led. Often, after an evening of 
 apparent gaiety, on her return home, 
 she was so agitated, and so ill, that 
 many a night it was only by laudanum 
 that she obtained rest. Jenkins repeat- 
 edly observed how *' My Lady " was 
 changed ; that she never now seemed to 
 know her own mind ; that she would 
 
 VOL. I. N.
 
 266 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 often dress for an evening's amusement, 
 and then, when the time came, dismiss 
 her carriage, and flinging herself, in all 
 her finery, on her bed, would cry bitter- 
 ly; till, like a child, she fell asleep 
 from mere fatigue ; and then, next 
 morning, she would laugh at what she 
 called her nervous folly, and begin again 
 her life of hurry and laborious amuse- 
 ment. 
 
 But poor Emmeline, made for better 
 things, felt humbled at herself. Was 
 this the life that a rational, accountable, 
 immortal being should lead? Alas! was 
 this the end of all those dreams of hap- 
 piness which illume the mind, and warm 
 the heart of youth ? Worn out in body 
 and spirits, Emmeline longed for Arling- 
 ford and quiet; and looked forward with
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 267 
 
 something like pleasure to Easter, when 
 she concluded Fitzhenry would propose 
 going there. 
 
 Amid all those who now buzzed and 
 fluttered around her, one friend always 
 followed her steps with interest, one 
 friend she always met with real pleasure. 
 That friend was Pelham. Although he 
 never, since the conversation at Arling- 
 ford, had in the most distant manner 
 alluded to the estrangement between 
 her and her husband, yet she could 
 plainly perceive, that he was well aware 
 of their real situation ; and she could not 
 help also observing, that, of late, Pelham 
 and Fitzhenry were less cordial together 
 than formerly, although both seemed still 
 anxious, when they met, to carry on the 
 farce of friendship. But Pelham came 
 
 N 2
 
 268 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 much less often to their house than he 
 used to do, and generally at those hours 
 when Fitzhenry was most likely to be 
 from home. This Emmeline every way 
 regretted, she always had felt as if he 
 was a link between them, and she had 
 even vaguely imagined that he might 
 some day have been the means of uniting 
 them ; and, besides the dispiriting con- 
 viction that thus, one by one, every hope 
 to which she clung gave way, she could 
 not help feeling painfully aware that it 
 was Pelham's partiality to her, which 
 had estranged her husband from him. 
 
 One evening at Almacks, Lady Saville, 
 with whom she had gone, being engaged 
 dancing, Emmeline had sought a refuge 
 from the heat and crowd in the tea- 
 room, and Pelham had followed her.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIQH LIFE, 269 
 
 Half serious, half jesting, he was attack- 
 ing her upon the life she now led, and 
 upon the impossibility of ever seeing her 
 quietly, and the eternal hurry of pleasure 
 and spirits in which he always found 
 her. 
 
 '* Why I only do like others," said 
 Emmeline, with forced gaiety. 
 
 '* Perhaps so," replied Pelham. ** But 
 you are not like those others whom you 
 imitate and follow. I am sure that all 
 this dissipation cannot satisfy i/awr mind, 
 cannot make you happy." 
 
 ** Perhaps not," said Emmeline, her 
 forced «mile fading from her lips ; for 
 happiness was a word which always 
 grated on her heart, and sounded harsh 
 in her ears. 
 
 ** But what can I do? — ilfaut hurler
 
 270 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 avec les loups,'" added she, again endea- 
 vouring to resume her gaiety. 
 
 *' This assumed levity cannot take me 
 in," continued Pelham. '' I am certain 
 it is impossible but that all this frivolity 
 and fatigue must wear out both your 
 mind and body. How different you were 
 at Arlingford ! how little you then seemed 
 to anticipate pleasure from what you now 
 enter into so warmly !" 
 
 These were all home truths, which 
 Emmeline could not answer, and she 
 merely stammered out, that she had now 
 no choice. 
 
 '* Indeed!" replied Pelham, warmly. 
 '* You wrong your friends when you say 
 that." 
 
 *' My friends?" repeated Emmeline, 
 sadly, '* I have no friends to " and
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 271 
 
 she stopped short, her own words, rous- 
 ing from the bottom of her heart painful 
 feelings, which she in vain endeavoured 
 to smother by dissipation; and which, 
 by hiding them from others, she hoped 
 to forget herself. She averted her head 
 from Pelham, and fixed her tearful eyes 
 on the ground. 
 
 Apparently fearful of going too far, 
 Pelham was also silent ; he looked at her 
 with melancholy interest ; he could not 
 help observing how greatly she was al- 
 tered, how much she had lost of the 
 graceful roundness of her form, and how 
 evidently 
 
 " Concealment, like a worm in the bud. 
 Fed on her damask cheek." 
 
 At that minute, Fitzhenry suddenly 
 entered the room, and, hastily coming up
 
 272 A MARRFAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 to Pelham, ** I have been looking for you 
 this half hour," said he ; *' I want to 
 speak to you for a minute." 
 
 Fitzhenry had spoken these words so 
 quick that it was not till he ended, that 
 the preoccupied look of his auditor 
 seemed to strike him ; his eyes glanced 
 from him to Emmeline, and there re- 
 mained fixed. His sudden entrance had 
 brought the blood into her face, but could 
 not dispel from it the traces of emotion 
 which were very evident; and there 
 was a contrast between the expression 
 of her countenance, the listless neglect 
 of her whole person, and the glittering 
 trappings in which she was attired, that 
 must have struck and interested any one ; 
 and which arrested her husband's atten- 
 tion so forcibly, that Emmeline blushed 
 still deeper beneath his gaze.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 273 
 
 This seemed to rouse him from the 
 sort of dream in which he appeared to 
 be lost; and suddenly turning to Pelham, 
 '* I stopped at your house, and there 
 learnt you were here ; I had no idea you 
 ever honoured such places with your pre- 
 sence when you could possibly help it. " 
 
 ** Sometimes, when the spirit moves 
 me," answered Pelham, carelessly. *' But 
 what is it you have to say to me ?" 
 
 *' I have a message to you from the 
 Speaker, with whom I have been dining," 
 said Fitzhenry, as if suddenly recollect- 
 ing his errand, and he drew Pelham aside 
 for a minute. Emmeline then ventured 
 to raise her eyes upon her husband, and 
 could not help, with a sort of melancholy 
 pride, comparing him to those around 
 him, and exulting in his superiority of 
 « X 5
 
 274 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 look, air, and manner. When his con- 
 versation with Pelham was over, he again 
 turned towards Emmeline, and again his 
 eyes were rivetted on her. 
 
 ** You have left off dancing, I think. 
 Lady Fitzhenry," said he, as if he thought 
 it necessary to say something, and hardly 
 knew what ; '* I thought you had liked it. 
 Pelham, do you ever dance now ?" 
 
 ** It is some time since I was guilty of 
 any thing so frisky," he replied. ** I 
 should be afraid I might be thought not 
 behaving myself with proper diplomatic 
 gravity ; but as for Lady Fitzhenry , I must 
 say that, in her, it is pure laziness, and 
 therefore most reprehensible, for I have 
 myself heard many a humble application 
 made to her during this last half hour." 
 
 '' We take to ourselves the rigfht to be
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 275 
 
 fanciful and capricious, you know/' said 
 Emmeline, trying to smile. 
 
 ** Yes, and caprice is sometimes the 
 only thing women are steady to," replied 
 Fitzhenry ;]while an expression of satirical 
 displeasure seemed to curl his handsome 
 
 lip. 
 
 Emmeline felt she no way deserved 
 that severe remark, and indeed hardly 
 thought he ever noticed her enough even 
 to observe the faults she might have. 
 But in his manner, just then, he was alto- 
 gether so unlike Jiimself, and had so 
 much the appearance of offended ill 
 humour, that she would have thought 
 something particularly disagreeable had 
 just passed between the two friends, 
 except that she saw Pelham was, as 
 indeed he was always, perfectly mild and 
 composed.
 
 276 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 At that moment a very pretty woman, 
 dressed in the height of Parisian fashion, 
 came into the room; and, after ac- 
 knowledging Mr. Pelham with a fami- 
 liar bow, addressed Fitzhenry. 
 
 *' How basely you have deserted me, 
 and forgotten our engagement. I have 
 been looking for you every where. The 
 
 waltz is nearly over." 
 
 " Ten thousand pardons," said Fitz- 
 henry rather embarrassed : '' I am 
 quite ashamed, but really I had entirely 
 forgotten." 
 
 " That does not mend the matter 
 much," answered she, laughing, and 
 glancing at Emmeline. ** You have, I 
 think, already forgotten your foreign gal- 
 lantry;" and, taking the arm he offered, 
 they both went into the dancing-room. 
 
 '* Who is that?" said Emmeline
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 277 
 
 eagerly, as she followed them with her 
 eyes. 
 
 *' It is Mrs. Osterley," replied Pel- 
 ham. ** She is a Vienna acquaintance 
 of ours, and just returned from abroad." 
 
 Emmeline again breathed ; but, com- 
 plaining of the heat of the tea-room, 
 got up and went towards the door. 
 Mr. Pelham smiled on her in compas- 
 sion as he drew her arm within his, 
 and suffered her to lead him which way 
 she chose, and they soon found them- 
 selves among the crowd of waltzers. 
 Fitzhenry was then dancing with Mrs, 
 Osterley, and when they stopped, it was 
 close by Emmeline; though an inter- 
 vening waltzing pair, also pausing in 
 their giddy labours, hid her entirely from 
 their view. 
 
 " Who was that you were talking to
 
 278 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 in the tea-room when I went to claim 
 you so inconsiderately?" said Mrs. 
 Osterley to her partner. 
 
 ** Don't you know?" answered he, 
 rather embarrassed by the question, or 
 rather by the manner in which it was 
 put; ** it was Lady Fitzhenry." 
 
 ** Lady Fitzhenry! your wife! you 
 surprise me ! what a very pretty woman 
 she is ! I had heard her so differently 
 described ; she is an uncommonly inte- 
 resting looking person, vraiment je vous 
 enfais mon compliment.'' 
 
 Fitzhenry bowed ; and Emmeline 
 could see that the mantling blood had 
 tinged even his forehead. 
 
 *' And from what I further heard," 
 continued his gay companion, looking 
 archly in his face, '* I should have 
 thought you were the last man to have
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 279 
 
 been detected in a flirtation with your 
 wife; though really, now I have seen 
 her, I do not wonder she should have 
 made you a little volage'' 
 
 '* I had gone in search of Pelham," 
 said Fitzhenry, coldly, apparently much 
 disconcerted by her remark. 
 
 *' Oh! is that the way of it?'' re- 
 torted Mrs. Osterley laughing : "■ well, 
 I really cannot pity you ; it is but fair 
 play, for you richly deserve it. But 
 is Pelham really at last caught? Well, 
 I shall be truly curious to become ac- 
 quainted with the piece of perfection 
 who has had power to overcome his 
 impenetrable insensibility — pray do in- 
 troduce me to your wife,'' And she again 
 laughed more heartily than before. 
 
 Fitzhenry did not, as she seemed to 
 have expected, join in the laugh; and.
 
 280 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 with a smile of contempt, she added, 
 ** Surely you don't think it incumbent 
 upon you to play the English husband 
 and be angry, for that would be taking 
 a very unnecessary degree of trouble, 
 I should think." 
 
 Luckily, Pelham's attention had, during 
 this conversation, been attracted another 
 way, so that Emmeline had gently with- 
 drawn her arm, and the crowd had soon 
 divided them. Disgusted with Mrs. 
 Osterley's levity, and fearful that Fitz- 
 henry might perceive her, she drew back, 
 although she would have given much to 
 have heard his answer. She soon again 
 saw them in the giddy round, and went 
 to a seat which she observed to be un- 
 occupied. 
 
 She had not been there long, before 
 Miss Selina Danvers flew up to her, with
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 281 
 
 ecstasy in her looks, and a perfect par- 
 terre of flowers in her head, and seizing 
 her hand vehemently, *' Well, my dear 
 Lady Fitzhenry, here I am ! actually at 
 Almacks! and all owing to you, I am 
 sure, I am more obliged to you than I can 
 express. What an enchanting place it is ! 
 But only think how abominably those 
 odious lady patronesses have behaved ! 
 After all, mamma has no ticket ! Did you 
 ever hear any thing like it ? It is quite 
 atrocious. I really thought I should have 
 died with anxiety when we came to 
 Willis's room this morning to hear our 
 fate ; and my heart sank within me when 
 I saw how full the street was of carriages, 
 for we got into a regular string just like 
 a ball — so delightful ! We were there full 
 an hour and a half waiting, but I am sure
 
 282 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 it was well worth while, and I really 
 believe 1 screamed with joy when I saw 
 my ticket ; but, as I said before, there 
 was none for mamma ; so then we had to 
 drive all over the town to find a chaperon 
 for me to go with ; at last we went to 
 Lady Coddrington, and only think ! she 
 had got one for herself, and none for her 
 daughter ! Did you ever hear any thing 
 so shocking ! And she was so cross and 
 sulky about it at first, that she said she 
 would not go ; but by abusing the lady 
 patronesses, we got her into good- 
 humour, and she agreed to take me ; 
 but, between ourselves, she is a very 
 disagreeable chaperon ; for out of spite, 
 I suppose, because her ugly daughter 
 could not get a ticket, she won't try and 
 get me a partner ; and, odious woman, she
 
 \ MARRIAOE IN HIO^ LIFE. 283 
 
 came so late that the evening is already 
 more than half over. I suppose you 
 know all the men here, Lady Fitzhenry, 
 don't you?" 
 
 ** Very few dancers," said Emmeline, 
 not feeling at all inclined to press Selina 
 on any of her acquaintance. 
 
 **Dear! there is Mr. Moore!" ex- 
 claimed the young lady, already in a 
 flutter of expectation ; *' and I do be- 
 lieve he is coming this way ; and we 
 danced constantly together at Arlingford, 
 you know." 
 
 That was true ; but dancing and divert- 
 ing himself with the simple Selina at 
 Arlingford^ and selecting her as his part- 
 ner at Almacks, were two very different 
 things ; and after making her a distant, 
 chilling bow, Mr. Moore sat down on the 
 other side of Emmeline. Poor Selina's
 
 284 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 countenance fell. Moore went on talk- 
 ing, sotto'voce, to Emmeline, till Selina 
 could bear it no longer. 
 
 ** Dear, Mr. Moore ! how come you not 
 to be dancing ? I thought you liked it of 
 all things !" 
 
 •* I may ask you the same question," 
 returned he. 
 
 ** Oh no, perhaps nobody has asked 
 me," answered Selina, pettishly. 
 
 '* That is quite impossible ; I will not 
 suppose any thing so disgraceful to the 
 taste and judgment of all the smart 
 young gentlemen I see here," added he, 
 carelessly, and then returned to his af- 
 fectedly interesting conversation with 
 Emmeline, who listened apparently quite 
 unworthy of the honour conferred on her. 
 Selina saw with mortification that no- 
 thing was to be hoped from Mr. Moore.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 285 
 
 But just then, a foppishly dressed young 
 man, coming up and speaking to Emme- 
 line, Selina's spirits revived : she touched 
 her arm, whispering, *' Who is that? 
 could you introduce me to him?" At 
 first Emmeline paid no attention, but Se- 
 lina's pinches became so urgent, that she 
 at last was obliged to say: '* Lord Wil- 
 liam Vernon, will you allow me to intro- 
 duce my friend, Miss Danvers, to you? " 
 For a minute, an expression of dis- 
 pleasure animated Lord William's un- 
 meaning countenance : he made Selina 
 a slight bow with his head, as he took a 
 hasty survey of her person ; and after say- 
 ing something very uninteresting about 
 the heat of the room, to Emmeline, and 
 enlarging on the merits of a newly pur- 
 chased cabriolet-horse, to Moore, he 
 walked away.
 
 286 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 Poor Selina bit her lip in vexation, 
 and finding she did not thrive at all in 
 her present situation, jumped up to see 
 what could be done v^ith her cross cha- 
 peroriy whom she had spied in conversa- 
 tion with a gentleman at the opposite 
 side of the room. 
 
 *' How in the name of wonder came 
 Miss Danvers here ? " exclaimed Moore, as 
 soon as she had left them — '* what could 
 possess the lady patronesses to give her 
 a ticket?" 
 
 ** I applied for one for her," answered 
 Emmeline. 
 
 '* I think that was rather a work of 
 supererogation on your part," continued 
 Moore. ** You surely are not going to 
 hamper yourself with that girl : you soon 
 frightened away Vernon, trembling for his 
 newly acquired dignity in the hierarchy
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 287 
 
 of fashion; and I must give you notice, if 
 you take to introducing Miss Selina Dan- 
 vers about, even you, even Lady Fitz- 
 henry, charming as she is, will be voted a 
 bore. What business has that sort of girl 
 here ? and how can she be so unreason- 
 able as to expect to be asked to dance ? 
 it is perfect nonsense — she had much bet- 
 ter stick to her Hampshire county ball ; 
 there she may play un grand role. Misses 
 are really sad nuisances in society, un- 
 less theysit quiet, and don't trouble one ; 
 so take my advice Lady Fitzhenry. Good- 
 nature is quite mauvais ton in London — it 
 is a bad style to take up, and will never 
 do. But it is impossible to sit still and 
 moralize when Collinet is playing that 
 waltz so delightfully ; will you take a 
 turn or two with me ?" 
 
 '* I will resign the honour to Miss
 
 288 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 Danvers," said Emmeline, laughing — 
 *' and luckily she is just coming this 
 way; so do the thing handsomely, and 
 ask the poor girl, for she knows nobody 
 here, and is dying to dance." 
 
 '* Oh, if you are really serious, I am 
 off," said Moore, and hastily seizing his 
 hat, which he had hid under the seat 
 in preparation for his waltz with Lady 
 Fitzhenry, he hurried away. 
 
 Although little inclined to merriment, 
 Emmeline could not help laughing — the 
 smile on her countenance caught Pel- 
 ham's eye, and he came up to her to en- 
 quire what had amused her. Emmeline 
 told Selina's sad tale. 
 
 '' Poor thing!" said Pelham. '* But 
 this is a new character Moore has taken up, 
 I think, for he set out much more wisely, 
 with the determination to enjoy every
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 289 
 
 amusement that came in his way, pro- 
 fessing openly a love for dancing and 
 gaiety of every kind : but fashion, or 
 what is called, in its slang, being fine, is 
 so catching a disease that none can escape . 
 It has taken the place of the small-pox ; 
 and I think it would be a good plan if 
 we could be inoculated for it, so as to se- 
 cure having it mildly, and of the best 
 sort. I don't know how you manage to 
 be ichat and ichere you are in the world 
 without it ; but pray don't follow Moore's 
 advice on the subject — let us have one 
 specimen of a good-natured London fine 
 lady. By the bye, I too have some ad- 
 vice to give you, which is, not to make 
 up to that Mrs. Osterley : she was reck- 
 oned at Vienna a tres mauvaise langue, 
 and was always making tracasseries. 
 VOL I. o
 
 290 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 She has a gay, and apparently an 
 artless manner, which at first takes one 
 in. Fitzhenry never liked her, so you 
 need not be acquainted with her; and 
 I should really counsel you to avoid 
 her. 
 
 There was little necessity to give 
 Emmeline that caution : what she had 
 already heard, had not prepossessed her 
 in Mrs. Osterley's favour in any way ; 
 but at that minute, the two people of 
 whom they were talking came up. 
 
 ** Mrs. Osterleybegsto be introduced 
 to you, Lady Fitzhenry," said her hus- 
 band, with an evident painful embarrass- 
 ment of manner. Emmeline got up, 
 and returned the salutation, though with 
 a coldness which she could not over- 
 come, but which did not seem at all to
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 291 
 
 discompose the person to whom it was 
 addressed. 
 
 " As an old friend of Lord Fitz- 
 henry's," continued Mrs. Osterley, *' I 
 feel I have a right to claim acquaintance 
 with you, and I trust you will allow me 
 to endeavour to improve it." And she 
 seated herself by Emmeline, who again 
 bowed in silence ; for never before had 
 she felt so totally at a loss for some of 
 those usual phrases which mean nothing, 
 but which fill up the awkward pause, apt 
 to take place after a first introduction ; 
 and Fitzhenry no way helped her. He 
 appeared to be completely discomposed ; 
 and, under pretence of seeing an acquain- 
 tance, removed to a distance. Mrs. Os- 
 terley finding Emmeline did not speak, 
 continued : — 
 
 o 2
 
 292 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 "It is SO long since I have been in 
 England, that I hardly know any one : 
 quite a new set and generation have 
 started up ; and my English acquaint- 
 ances are merely those whom I have 
 known abroad — by the bye, Mr. Pelham, 
 are the Mostyns in town ? " 
 
 " I believe they have left it," said he, 
 coldly. 
 
 „ Of course you know them," con- 
 tinued Mrs. Osterley to Emmeline — 
 " Mr. Mostyn is so particular a friend 
 of Lord Fitzhenry's." 
 
 '^ No, I have never met them," an- 
 swered Emmeline, commanding her 
 voice as well as she could, though she 
 felt her face was to a great degree be- 
 traying her feelings. 
 
 " You surprise me," continued her
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 293 
 
 tormenter. ** But I suppose you and my 
 friend Lord Fitzhenry have been rural- 
 izing, and sentimentalizing alone in the 
 country, a la mode Anglaise, since your 
 marriage, and I cannot wonder at either 
 of you preferring that to the most agree 
 able society," added she, with a compli- 
 mentary smile. '^ After Easter, I suppose 
 every body will be in town ; and I trust 
 Lady Florence will then return among 
 the number, for I really feel quite in a 
 strange country. I am now so little 
 used to the forms, and cold, stiff propri- 
 eties of English ways, that, to tell the 
 truth, I find London very dull and stu- 
 pid, and was really delighted to-night, 
 when I saw Lord Fitzhenry, to talk over 
 delightful foreign days with him. Mr. 
 Pel ham, don't you find English society
 
 294 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 much changed for the worse ? I think 
 my country folks are pleasanter any 
 where than in their own land ; for, here 
 they directly put on their native buck- 
 ram again, and are so prodigiously good 
 and proper, that there is no living with 
 them." 
 
 ^ I can't agree with you," replied Pel- 
 ham. " I am so stupid, as to like them 
 better at home : abroad, they are too 
 apt to cast off some of the restraints 
 which the opinions of their own country 
 oblige them to submit to, without adopt- 
 ing those of the nations they visit. In 
 short, the case is the same with manners 
 as with religion ; — they cease to be pro- 
 testants without becoming catholics; and 
 they take advantage of the usual laxity 
 of morals and principles of other coun-
 
 f 
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 295 
 
 tries, without acquiring that outward 
 decorum of manner, which at least pre- 
 vents such conduct from offending the 
 innocent; without, in short, adopting 
 that excusable hypocrisy, which a French 
 author so justly calls r hommage que le vice 
 rend a la vertu, an English woman rarely 
 ceases to be virtuous, without becoming 
 coarse; a foreigner may understand le 
 metier better, but my own opinion is — 
 that there are few of my countrywomen 
 much the better for a long residence on 
 the continent." 
 
 ^' The present company always ex- 
 cepted, of course," said Mrs. Osterley, 
 bowing to him. " Mr. Pelham is no 
 complimenter, as I dare say you find, 
 Lady Fitzhenry ; for I believe you have 
 the pleasure of being intimately ac- 
 quainted with him."
 
 296 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 Fortunately for Emmeline, a new 
 waltz just then began ; and Fitzhenry^ 
 to make up for his former negligence, 
 came again to claim Mrs. Osterley as 
 his partner, although seemingly against 
 his will. As they went away together, 
 Emmeline heard her say to Fitzhenry — 
 
 " I am not sure I admire your Lady 
 Fitzhenry so much on nearer view as I did 
 at first sight. She is terrihlY Ef2g lis h ; so 
 cold and distant — and I see already she 
 dislikes me for being the reverse ; et cjm 
 je nai pas Vhonneur de lui plaire.^^ 
 
 What Fitzhenry replied, Emmeline 
 did not hear ; and, as it was now late, 
 and that she was wearied both in body 
 and mind, she begged of Pelham to ask 
 for her carriage, desiring him to tell 
 Lady Saville she would send it back for 
 her, if she had not ordered her own.
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 297 
 
 They crossed the room in silence : 
 poor Emmeline taking one last look of 
 Fitzhenry, as he was still waltzing with 
 Mrs. Osterley. 
 
 " That is a spiteful little devil," said 
 Pelham, who well knew whither Emme- 
 line's eyes had wandered ; " and I again 
 advise you to keep clear of her ; she 
 hates both Fitzhenry and me ; for, the 
 truth is, she tried to turn both our heads 
 alternately, and succeeded with neither : 
 Fitzhenry had too much good taste to be 
 taken in by any thing so glaring." 
 
 Emmeline made no comment, but 
 sighed deeply. Her sigh was echoed 
 by one close to her ; and, turning round, 
 she saw poor Selina, cloaked up to her 
 ears, following her hard-hearted cha- 
 peron down the stairs which she had so
 
 298 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 lately mounted in such glee ; the even- 
 ing to which she had looked forward 
 so long, with so much ecstasy, already 
 over — and having to her been produc- 
 tive of nothing but mortification and 
 disappointment. 
 
 '* Good night. Lady Fitzhenry," said 
 she, sadly : — '* for you see I am going: 
 but I am sure I don't care ; there is no- 
 body here one knows, and though it is 
 a ball, nobody will dance: it is the 
 oddest thing I ever saw. However, it is 
 very well to come once, just to be able 
 to say one has been at Almacks, for that 
 sounds well ; but I declare I think it 
 the stupidest place I ever was at, and I 
 wonder how people can make such a fuss 
 about it." 
 
 The loud welcome cry of ^ Lady Fitz-
 
 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 299 
 
 henry's carriage stops the way," pre- 
 vented any more of Selina's peevishness 
 being heard, and Emmeline returned to 
 her solitary home. But harmless, un- 
 presuming, and innocent as she was, in 
 absenting herself, she had left her cha- 
 racter behind her ; and from that even- 
 ing, (thanks to Mrs. Osterley,)all London 
 talked of and laughed at the decided af- 
 fair between Lady Fitzhenry and Mr. 
 Pelham ; each narrator telling his own 
 story, and inventing such facts as each 
 found wanting to render it plausible. 
 Emmeline, however, lost nothing in the 
 good opinion of the fashionable world by 
 this report, which was treated, by some, 
 as an excellent joke; by others, as a 
 thing of course ; and many of those who 
 thus carelessly discussed the matter,
 
 300 A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. 
 
 and at once deprived poor Emmeline of 
 her good name, might have ended their 
 remarks, if they had had honest con- 
 sciences, with Lady Saville's first words 
 of praise to Emmeline : '^ She is really 
 quite on a par with ourselves." 
 
 END OF VOL I. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 IBOTSON AND PALMER, PRINTERS, SAVOY STREET, STRAND.
 
 ERRATA TO VOL. I. 
 
 Page 23, after which, dele Mr. Benson (in some Copies.) 
 Page 43, for the impreision left was too strong on his mind, 
 
 read the impression left on his mind was too strong. 
 Page 58, fov from your husband ; and I should, read but I should. 
 Page 75, for the post leaves at one, read the post leaves this 
 
 place at one. 
 Page 81, for / dare say, read probably. 
 Page 100, for at her ease, read at ease. 
 
 Page 106, for nothing more to dread, read nothing more to fear. 
 Page 107, for Emmeline's heart beat thick, read quick. 
 
 Page 113, after all thetcay, dele here. 
 
 Page 145, after two months, insert j^a^r. 
 
 Page 155, after secure, dele the comma. 
 
 Page 159, for had entire, Ted.d had the entire. 
 
 Page 161, for rung read rang. 
 
 Page 169, for would think, read will think. 
 
 lb. — for would wear, read will wear. 
 
 Page 187, for handkerchief and when, read but when. 
 
 Page 194, for not pleased, read annoyed. 
 
 Page 264, for ndividual, read individual.
 
 POPULAR NOVELS 
 
 JUST PUBLISHED BY 
 
 HENRY Ci)LBURN, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 
 
 1. FLIRTATION. Third Edition. In 3 vols. 
 postSvo. 11. lis. 6d. 
 
 " Flirtation " is not merely the title, but the prevailing genius of this 
 novel; as indeed it ought to be. The noble authoress follows her sub- 
 ject, and never wanders from it ; every incident is metamorphosed into 
 it. How redolent of flirtation is every chapter ! What an entireness of 
 subject pervades every line ! Flirtation on the part of men ; flirtation 
 on the part of women ; flirtation abroad ; nirtation at home ; flirtation 
 in low life, and in high life ; flirtation among the single, and among the 
 married ; private flirtation, and public flirtation ; and many phases more 
 than we have room to enumerate of the same vice. If this picture 
 should fail in reforming the male coquets who indulge in it, we enter- 
 tain confident hopes that the fair will listen to her Ladyship's exhort- 
 ations, and be taught to renounce so dangerous a pastime."— New 
 MoNTHL\ Magazine. 
 
 2. PELHAM; or, the ADVENTURES of a 
 GENTLEMAN. 3 vols, post 8vo. 11. lis. 6d. 
 
 "A complete gentleman, who, according to Sir Fopling, ought to 
 dress well, dance well, fence well, have a genius for love-letters, and an 
 agreeable voice for a chamber."— Ether age. 
 
 3. AT HOME. By the Author of '' English 
 Fashionables Abroad." 3 vols, post 8vo. 11. lls.Gd. 
 
 4. ENGLISH FASHIONABLES ABROAD. 
 In 3 vols, post 8vo. 11. lis. 6d. 
 
 " In the article of young ladies, unlike all other national manufactures, 
 our exports considerably exceed our imports. Gentlemen may travel to 
 study laws and politics, artists may travel to improve themselves, but 
 few girls leave their home, except on speculation."— Introduction. 
 
 This text is amusingly illustrated and exemplified by the author of this 
 work, who has given some sketches of speculating aunts, flirting daugh- 
 ters, and manoeuvring mothers, that will startle some of our fashionable 
 Anglo-Italians.
 
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