East Lynne | Page 9

man lounged into the room. He
was deemed handsome, with his clearly-cut features, his dark eyes, his
raven hair, and his white teeth; but to a keen observer those features
had not an attractive expression, and the dark eyes had a great knack of
looking away while he spoke to you. It was Francis, Captain Levison.
He was grandson to the old lady, and first cousin to Mrs. Vane. Few
men were so fascinating in manners, at times and seasons, in face and
in form, few men won so completely upon their hearers' ears, and few
were so heartless in their hearts of hearts. The world courted him, and
society honored him; for, though he was a graceless spendthrift, and it
was known that he was, he was the presumptive heir to the old and rich
Sir Peter Levison.
The ancient lady spoke up, "Captain Levison, Lady Isabel Vane." They
both acknowledged the introduction; and Isabel, a child yet in the ways
of the world, flushed crimson at the admiring looks cast upon her by
the young guardsman. Strange--strange that she should make the
acquaintance of these two men in the same day, almost in the same

hour; the two, of all the human race, who were to exercise so powerful
an influence over her future life!
"That's a pretty cross, child," cried Mrs. Levison as Isabel stood by her
when tea was over, and she and Mrs. Vane were about to depart on
their evening visit.
She alluded to a golden cross, set with seven emeralds, which Isabel
wore on her neck. It was of light, delicate texture, and was suspended
from a thin, short, gold chain.
"Is it not pretty?" answered Isabel. "It was given me by my dear
mamma just before she died. Stay, I will take it off for you. I only wear
it upon great occasions."
This, her first appearance at the grand duke's, seemed a very great
occasion to the simply-reared and inexperienced girl. She unclasped the
chain, and placed it with the cross in the hands of Mrs. Levison.
"Why, I declare you have nothing on but that cross and some
rubbishing pearl bracelets!" uttered Mrs. Vane to Isabel. "I did not look
at you before."
"Mamma gave me both. The bracelets are those she used frequently to
wear."
"You old-fashioned child! Because your mamma wore those bracelets,
years ago, is that a reason for your doing so?" retorted Mrs. Vane.
"Why did you not put on your diamonds?"
"I--did--put on my diamonds; but I--took them off again," stammered
Isabel.
"What on earth for?"
"I did not like to look too fine," answered Isabel, with a laugh and a
blush. "They glittered so! I feared it might be thought I had put them on
/to look/ fine."

"Ah! I see you mean to set up in that class of people who pretend to
despise ornaments," scornfully remarked Mrs. Vane. "It is the
refinement of affectation, Lady Isabel."
The sneer fell harmlessly on Lady Isabel's ear. She only believed
something had put Mrs. Vane out of temper. It certainly had; and that
something, though Isabel little suspected it, was the evident admiration
Captain Levison evinced for her fresh, young beauty; it quite absorbed
him, and rendered him neglectful even of Mrs. Vane.
"Here, child, take your cross," said the old lady. "It is very pretty;
prettier on your neck than diamonds would be. You don't want
embellishing; never mind what Emma says."
Francis Levison took the cross and chain from her hand to pass them to
Lady Isabel. Whether he was awkward, or whether her hands were full,
for she held her gloves, her handkerchief, and had just taken up her
mantle, certain it is that it fell; and the gentleman, in his too quick
effort to regain it, managed to set his foot upon it, and the cross was
broken in two.
"There! Now whose fault was that?" cried Mrs. Levison.
Isabel did not answer; her heart was very full. She took the broken
cross, and the tears dropped from her eyes; she could not help it.
"Why! You are never crying over a stupid bauble of a cross!" uttered
Mrs. Vane, interrupting Captain Levison's expression of regret at his
awkwardness.
"You can have it mended, dear," interposed Mrs. Levison.
Lady Isabel chased away the tears, and turned to Captain Levison with
a cheerful look. "Pray do not blame yourself," she good-naturedly said;
"the fault was as much mine as yours; and, as Mrs. Levison says, I can
get it mended."
She disengaged the upper part of the cross from the chain as she spoke,

and clasped the latter round her throat.
"You will not go with that thin string of gold on, and nothing else!"
uttered Mrs. Vane.
"Why not?" returned Isabel. "If people say