leave our readers for too lons^ a time in iofno-
ranee of the deeds^ or misdeeds, of the female
part of the Lovaine family.
When we last took our leave of Mrs. Lo-
vaine, she had just arranged with Lord Golds-
borough that he should assist Elinor with his
THE. SCHOOL OF FASHION. 265
musical talents in occasional, or, as she hoped,
in frequent morning practices.
His Lordship was not backward in keeping
his engagement; but scarcely were the morn-
ing salutations finished— the piano-forte opened
— the duet selected — Mrs. Lovaine's musical
face put on, and Elinor's cheeks well flushed,
when the door opened, and Count Povolowski
was announced.
Nothing could be more untimely than such
a visit in the eyes of Mrs. Lovaine, or a more
seasonable respite in those of her daughter.
Elinor was, as we before mentioned, far from
returning the visible penchaiit that the said
Count entertained for her; but as she had no
reason to dislike him, as his conversation was
lively and agreeable, and above all, as her
mother had been in the habit of receiving him
with marked civility, she was always glad to
VOL. I. N
366 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.
see him; moreover, as she saw no reason why
Mrs. Lovaine should like him better at Kome
%han at Spa, she had no fear of incurring her
displeasure by meeting him with the open,
good-natured manner so natural to her. She
was extremely nervous at the thoughts of sing-
ing with Lord Goldsborough, and the pleasure
she derived from the interruption he caused,
would have almost inclined her to shew un-
usual satisfaction at his visit; but Elinor was
of too placid a disposition to be very demon-
strative, and it would have been difficult for
Count Povolowski to have flattered himself that
she had evinced towards him any particular
mark of regard.
She instantly quitted the piano-forte, not
exactly comprehending the significant frowns
and winks directed to her by Mrs. Lovaine, to
shew that she wished her to remain by the
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION, 26T
in$trumeRt — and — Lord Goldsborough ; who,
having bowed with the utmost good-breeding
tp the Count, had resumed his former po-
sition, t^r Jr
Mrs. Lovaine received the Count standing ;
hoping that by appearing to look unsettled, or
9S if she was waiting for something, or in
other wordsi as if she wanted him gone, he
would have the tact to retire ; but she had yet
to learn, that there is nothing more destructive
to good breeding than love, and that in spite
of a man seeing himself de trop with the guar-
dian of his mistress^ he is very apt to prefer
not deserting his post, and leaving the field
open to a real or imaginary rival.
At last, turning to his Lordship, and ad-
dressing him in French, by way of assisting
the intruder to some idea of why his company
was not particularly desired at that moment,
n8
268 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.
Mrs. Lovaine said, " I cannot consent to be
deprived of the treat I had proposed to myself,
my dear Lord Goldsborough, in hearing that
delightful duet of Rossini's ' Ah perdona: "
Lord Goldsborough bowed.
' « It is not Rossini's, Mamma ! it is Mo-
zart's," replied Elinor : " I never tried it but
once, and indeed I cannot sing it at all."
« Comment !" exclaimed the Count, " vous
faites de la musique quelquefois a cette heure
ci ! Ah ! c'est bien mal a vous. Mademoiselle,
de m'avoir si souvent refuse le plaisir de vous
entendre chanter ! Moi ! qui aime la mu-
sique a la folic !"
Elinor assured him that this was the first
time she had ever thought of attempting a
duet, except with her master. Mrs. Lovaine
now felt that his departure was hopeless!
She was asked by Lord Goldsborough if she
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 269
was acquainted with Weber's last new air:
and upon her replying in the negative, he sat
himself down to the piano-forte, and volun-
teered its performance.
Mrs. Lovaine never had heard so pretty a
song — so delightfully sung. Elinor thanked
him; although she had derived no pleasure
(beyond that of a temporary reprieve) from
his Lordship's efforts; and the Count, whose
ears being more acute, had actually endured
pain, remained silent.
" Now then, Elinor, if Lord Goldsborough
is not tired already, let us have the duet."
There was no further excuse for delay. The
-symphony was played very ill, by Elinor's
trembling hands — both throats were cleared —
when the door again opened, and Mr. William
De Clifford and his sister were announced.
Mrs. Lovaine was by no means an ill-
270 THE SCHOOL OP FASHION.
tempered woman ; but there are few who could
view, with perfect composure, their little
artifices thus knocked on the head by such
very untoward circumstances ; and, as she rose
to receive her guests, her colour heightened,
&nd her manner was, for the moment, cold and
^nbarrassed. But Elinor, leaving Lord Golds-
boroii^i without further ceremony or apology,
jumped up from her seat, to receive Miss De
Clifford, with all the alacrity that the pleasure
of her society, and the joy of being let off her
practice, could inspire. v^ii.feJ *<>
Emily De Clifford was too quick-sighted not
to perceive, that there was less than usual
suavity in Mrs. Lovaine's manner ; and, guess-
ing that their entrance might have been an
interruption, she said, half-laughingly,
" 1 suspect I have come uninvited to a con-
cert, this morning ; but I hope our entrance
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 1^1
is not the signal for its close. Come, Miss
Lovaine, I am sure you and Lord Golds-
borough were going to perform something
together." ih'-rn^rn^-b-i'VToJi^-f vi?v
Mrs. Lovaine instantly assured Emily of the
truth of her surmises ; but Elinor gave her
friend such an imploring look, that Emily,
who knew that music was not her fort, did
not repeat the request. Lord Goldsborough
happened, at that moment, to be informing
G>unt Povolowski, in very indifferent French^
of the various merits of an English horse wi«h.
which he wished to part, and did not, there-
fore, hear this little discussion : but finding the
hour later than he had expected, and that the
Count was not indisposed to accompany him,
for the purpose of viewing the steed in ques-
tion, be took his hat, and, with assurances to
Mrs. and Miss Lovaine that he should be most
272 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.
happy to wait upon them, whenever they were
pleased to command him, quitted the room, to
the manifest annoyance of the mother, and the
almost visible relief of the daughter.
When Lord Goldsborough was actually de-
parted, and that therefore nothing more could
be made of him, the usual politeness of Mrs.
Lovaine re-appeared, and she smiled, and
talked with Miss De Clifford and her brother '
as much as ever. The young ladies never met
without rising in each other's estimation, and
their acquaintance was now rapidly ripening
into intimacy and friendship. Emily reminded
Elinor of her promise to come and visit her in
her own little studio, some morning; and a
riding expedition was proposed and settled by
William De Clifford, ere they quitted Mrs.
Lovaine's hotel. When Elinor and her mother
were left together, the contre-temp& of the
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 2%S
J ;o .looHDS Sim '>'^
morning again presented themselves to the
mind of the latter ; and though she deemed it
more prudent not to impart all her feelings
upon the subject of Lord Goldsborough, she
could not resist oiFering a few observations on
the events of the day.
. y. I must say, Elinor, that I never saw a
more forward, intrusive man, than that Polish
Count — he is always coming when he is sure
to be most in the way."
*' I always thought, Mamma^ |hat he was a
great favourite of yours !" ' ^
" Oh ! no, my love ! never that! I tolerated
him when he was less troublesome — but really
now he tries my patience too high j^^^ ^^^ ^^^
*' Why, Mamma ? He is surely very plea-
sant — at least, every body thought him so at
Rome."
" Because no pleasanter person was there, I
N 5
274 THE SCHOOL CfF FASHIOK.
suppose. He really seems to think himself very
agreeable ; for he never allovi^s any one here to
come near you but himself — I quite pity you
for such an infliction !"
" Indeed, Mamma, I think you are mis-
taken, for I am sure he talks to a great many
other people besides me ; and, moreover, he is
so very good-natured, that I cannot think him
an infliction !" y .» ,,
" I entirely disapprove of his attentions to
you, Elinor, aadi. I, do ,^ot wish jou to en-
courage him."
Elinor still denied his preference for her,
and still more any wish, on her part, to give
him encouragement. ^^^.i^^
" My dear child," said Mrs. Lovaine,
softened by these assurances, " great as must
be my anxiety at all times for your welfare, it
is certainly at this moment doubled, from the
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 275
responsibility which the absence of your Papa
imposes on me. It is, of course, my duty to do
nothing of which he would disapprove ; and
I am confident that any connexion with a
foreigner, or indeed with any one with whom
he was not acquainted, would be highly dis-
pleasing to him." '7 *^''^'
Never did Elinor feel less inclined to inter-
rupt or oppose the fulfilment of her mother's
duty. The idea of her connecting herself with
any one had never yet entered her head : for
although, if she thought at all, she probably
thought, like most other young ladies, that she
should marry at one time or other, the " when,"
or the " whom," had certainly not crossed her
mind. The very idea of matrimony made her
smile as she replied :
** Indeed, dear Mamma, I am not very
likely to form any connexion, for a long, long
276 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.
while yet, and when I do, you and Papa will
choose for me, I dare say, better than I could
ever do for myself."
Mrs. Lovaine embraced her, and heartily,
though secretly, hoped that Elinor's obedience
would some day, perhaps ere long, be put suc-
cessfully to the test.
On the following day the proposed riding
party took place. The object of the expedition
was a .small town on the confines of the Prus-
sian dominions. Its distance from Spa, and
the fineness of the weather, determined them
to dine there, and to return in the evening.
Elinor was not unmindful of her mother's
wishes respecting the Count. She had wondered
niuch to herself how she was to discourage his
attentions, because she was at a loss to remem-
ber how she ever had encouraged them ; but
the fear of displeasing her mother sharpened
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 277
her powers of perception, and she discovered
various little opportunities, in the course of the
day, of foiling his undisguised desire to be al-
ways at her side. More than once she took
advantage of a narrow road to join Lady Mel-
rose, or some other lady, when she would
otherwise have been left Ute-a-Ute with him ;
and she carefully avoided talking more to him
than to any other gentleman who chanced to
be riding with her at the same time.
After dinner the party strolled out on foot
till the horses were again in readiness, to dis-
cover (if any) the surrounding beauties of the
village. As they quitted the inn, Elinor per-
ceived the Count's intention of offering her his
arm; but she continued a conversation in which
she was engaged with Emily De Clifford, as the
company paired off, hoping that he would be
under the necessity of taking some other lady,
278 THE SCHOOL OF FASHiON.
or that some other gentleman would present
himself as her escort. In the latter hope she
was not disappointed; though her avoidance
of Count Povolowski had been conducted with
such an appearance of accident, and was so
totally free from any breach of civility or good-
nature, that it not only escaped the notice of
others, but must have appeared doubtful, even
to his own mind, whether or not it was inten-
tional ; yet there was one upon whom it was
not lost. William De Clifford had suspected
that the Count was not quite indifferent to
Elinor, and was not an unobservant witness of
her manner towards him. He never could fix
upon any deed or word on her part that justi-
fied his suspicion ; but neither had he remarked
any thing to contradict it The Count was
evidently an agreeable man. He remembered
Elinor*s blushes, when on the first day of their
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 279
acquaintance lie alluded to Povolowski's eulo-
giura of her. He was sure she was too amiable
to trifle with any body's feelings, and that she
would not therefore mislead him for the selfish
gratification of her own vanity ; and yet his so-
ciety never seemed unwelcome to her: in short,
he was determined to think Elinor all that was
amiable — was rather jealous of the Count, and
on the whole was much puzzled. Had he
known her better, he would have solved the
difficulty by recollecting that she was too young,
as yet, in the ways of the world, to do otherwise
than act either according to her own feelings at
the moment, or according to her mother's orders.
She appeared amused because she was so;
the amusement was forbidden, and her natural
delicacy, as well as the amiability of her cha^
racter, suggested the best means of obedi-
ence.
280 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.
-..'^' Emmy has no right to take possession of
Miss Lovaine in company, as well as in pri-..
vate," said Mr. William de Clifford, drawing
towards Elinor, and offering her his arm.
They were instantly followed by Lord
Goldsborough and Miss De Clifford; and the,
unfortunate Count was doomed to that sorry
-J
place in the rear, so often allotted to unfa-
voured suitors, married men, and elderly
bachelors ; where, with no other proof that
they belong to the gay couples who precede
them, than the weight of a shawl or cloak
upon their arms, they saunter unamused and
unheeded to see some sight, which is, probably,
in itself very little worth seeing.
Nor, perhaps, was the only Lion recom-
mended to them by the dirty " gargon" of the
inn, an exception to that class of sights.
'^Mais, Mofisieur ! ilfaut voir la campagne de
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 281
Monsieur ; elle est charmante, romanesque, ^^c."
induced them to direct their steps towards the
said campagtie.
The possessor of " Mon Bijou^^ (for such, in
the fondness of his heart, was the appellation
he had bestowed upon his property,) received
them with the utmost urbanit}^ Proud of the
wealth acquired by his industry, he was prouder
still of the taste he had displayed in its dis-
posal.
In front of the house a square pond, of just
such dimensions as are generally thought ab-
solutely necessary for the preservation and
comfort of ducks, served to float a miniature of
Cleopatra's barge, and to surround an oil-
cloth Grecian temple, richl}' ornamented with
designs from the Roman history. Lest, how-
ever, the votaries of the goddess in whose
honour the temple was erected should prefer
reaching the island by land, a Chinese bridge
282 THE 8CHrx>L OF FASZIION.
6f at least six feet in length, and from the bar
lustrades of which ro«e two rich pagodas, was
providefl.
Nor was the luxurious display of his taste
less visible in the half acre of parterre which
formed the hack-ground to his mansion. Small
serpentine walks leading to rustic bridges built
over dry land — straight narrow paths leading
to obelisks far broader than themselves — sta-
tues — ' pyramids — swings — gazebos — merry-
go-rounds, &:c. &:c. &c. all c^mtributed to
charm the eye, and diversify the amusements
and pursuits of their owner.
'* One might almost fancy oneVself in Eng-
land,** observed Mr. Mordaunt to Emily De
Clifford; " I have seen nothing to equal the
l)eauty of this romantic spot since tlie last time
I passed along the City Road."
Emily smiled, and said she rejoiced to find
that Cockney taste was not confined to
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 283
Cockney-land ; but Lord Goldsborough, wlio,
though not very " literate," was very " literal,*'
immediately proceeded to give his opinion
upon the various defects of taste which his
superior refinement suggested to him, as ex-
hibited by the proprietor of the gardens. He
tliought there was great ignorance in having a
Chinese bridge to communicate witli a Grecian
temple, because, as there were probably no
Chinese in the time of the Greeks, or as, at any
rate, the Greeks could never have heard of
their existence, they could not possibly have
copied their style of architecture.
Emily could scarcely refrain from smiling at
this display of his Lordsliip's taste and learn-
ing, as she glanced her eye towards her bro-
ther, who happened to be standing within
hearing, and upon whom also the remark was
not lost.
Upon Elinor's countenance the brother and
284 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.
sister sought in vain for the expression of a
similar feeling to their own. So far from ap-
pearing to have participated in their o^^^l quick
perception of the ridicule and pomp of Lord
Goldsborough's speech and manner, she looked
intently upon a pebble, which she gently, but
industriously, moved backwards and forwards
with her foot, as if unconscious of what was
passing : she w^as, however, at that moment
thinking whether it was not possible that her
mother might be mistaken in considering Lord
Goldsborough so much above par in point of
intellect, as %vell as in more solid considera-
tions. But, long before she had time to come
to any conclusion upon this subject, her medi-
tations were disturbed by their departure from
the \dlla ; and she quickly forgot, in the agree-
able conversation of William De Clifford, the
very existence of Lord Goldsborough. Never
had she spent a happier day: most of the
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION^ 285
party had been in good-humour; the ride had
been pretty, the weather pleasant, and she re-
tui-ned home in unwonted spirits to her anx-
ious parent, whose mind had been busily em-
ployed all day in settling the probable order in
which the equestrians were riding.
The satisfactory answers of Elinor respect-
ing her conduct towards the Count, and the
proofs she gave of its success, delighted Mrs.
Lovaine, who could not help exclaiming, " So,
my dear, you really avoided having him by
your side all day !" . .ii:,c,iO.: .:,,;.
" Yes, Mamma," replied EHnor, " I did just
what I thought you wished me to do, and all
without being in the least uncivil.'"
" Well, my love, and I dare say you found
Lord Goldsborough very agreeable," continued
she, no longer able to conceal her impa^
tience.
c, ." I saw no difference in Lord Goldsborough,
286 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.
my dear Mamma, Was there any reason why
I should do so ?"
" Certainly, because you had, I conclude,
some opportunity of conversing with him to-
day, as Count Povolowski chose at last to
jdlow other people to speak to you as well
as himself. Did not Lord Goldsborough
ride with you the greater part of the
day?"
" Oh dear no !" replied Elinor, who saw no
reason why his Lordship should be expected
to have bestowed so much of his precious
time and conversation upon her. He rode
very little with me; indeed, I don't know with
whom he was riding the greater part of the
day."
" And pray, my dear, where were you, that
you were so unconscious of the rest of the
party ?'*
" I was not unconscious of the movements
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 28T
of those who rode before me ; but we vfete :a
numerous cavalcade to-day, and Lord Golds-
borough was, I believe, amongst those who
were behind our party."
â– â– â– '* And of whom consisted what you call your
party?"
'''•« Oh ! the De Cliffords, Mr. Mordaunt,
Mr. Gordon, and one or two more ; and Lady
Melrose who was our chaperon. We have had
such a charming expedition ! I wish. Mamma,
you could ride ; I am sure you would have en-
joyed it to-day. Every body said it was plea-
sant, and both Mr. De Clifford and myself
agreed we never had spent so delightful a
day."
Mrs. Lovaine said but little in reply to this
glowing description of her daughter's pleasure;
her own had just been spoilt by perceiving a
total indisposition on the part of Elinor, if not
of Lord Goldsborough also, to forward her
288 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.
plan for their mutual happiness^ by remaining
perfectly indifferent to each other ; and she was
the more vexed and disappointed, as it was
evident that Elinor's obedience with respect to
the Count had not advanced the wished-for
flirtation with Lord Goldsborough, and had
made way for the dreaded one with William
De Clifford.
How to act was very difficult ; it never would
do for Elinor to have no admirers, and yet if
she was made to cut the two she had, and the
one she had not continued blind to his in-
terests, such would inevitably be her condi-
tion.
END OF VOL. I.
LOXDOX :
J. L. Cc\, Printer, Great Queen Street-
mL
V