Tales and Novels, vol 6 | Page 7

and down the room.
"Colambre, won't you let us have your judgment--your _teeste_?" said
his mother.
"Excuse me, ma'am--I have no taste, no judgment in these things."
He sometimes paused, and looked at Mr. Soho, with a strong
inclination to--. But knowing that he should say too much if he said any
thing, he was silent; never dared to approach the council table--but
continued walking up and down the room, till he heard a voice which at
once arrested his attention and soothed his ire. He approached the table
instantly, and listened, whilst Miss Nugent said every thing he wished
to have said, and with all the propriety and delicacy with which he
thought he could not have spoken. He leaned on the table, and fixed his
eyes upon her--years ago he had seen his cousin--last night he had
thought her handsome, pleasing, graceful--but now he saw a new
person, or he saw her in a new light. He marked the superior
intelligence, the animation, the eloquence of her countenance, its
variety, whilst alternately, with arch raillery, or grave humour, she
played off Mr. Soho, and made him magnify the ridicule, till it was
apparent even to Lady Clonbrony. He observed the anxiety lest his
mother should expose her own foibles; he was touched by the
respectful, earnest kindness--the soft tones of persuasion with which
she addressed her--the care not to presume upon her own influence--the
good sense, the taste, she showed, yet not displaying her
superiority--the address, temper, and patience, with which she at last
accomplished her purpose, and prevented Lady Clonbrony from doing
any thing preposterously absurd, or exorbitantly extravagant.

Lord Colambre was actually sorry when the business was ended--when
Mr. Soho departed--for Miss Nugent was then silent; and it was
necessary to remove his eyes from that countenance on which he had
gazed unobserved. Beautiful and graceful, yet so unconscious was she
of her charms, that the eye of admiration could rest upon her without
her perceiving it--she seemed so intent upon others as totally to forget
herself. The whole train of Lord Colambre's thoughts was so
completely deranged, that, although he was sensible there was
something of importance he had to say to his mother, yet when Mr.
Soho's departure left him opportunity to speak, he stood silent, unable
to recollect any thing but--Grace Nugent.
When Miss Nugent left the room, after some minutes' silence, and
some effort, Lord Colambre said to his mother, "Pray, madam, do you
know any thing of Sir Terence O'Fay?"
"I!" said Lady Clonbrony, drawing up her head proudly; "I know he is a
person I cannot endure. He is no friend of mine, I can assure you--nor
any such sort of person."
"I thought it was impossible!" cried Lord Colambre, with exultation.
"I only wish your father, Colambre, could say as much," added Lady
Clonbrony.
Lord Colambre's countenance fell again; and again he was silent for
some time.
"Does my father dine at home, ma'am?"
"I suppose not; he seldom dines at home."
"Perhaps, ma'am, my father may have some cause to be uneasy about--"
"About?" said Lady Clonbrony, in a tone, and with a look of curiosity,
which convinced her son that she knew nothing of his debts or
distresses, if he had any. "About what?" repeated her ladyship.

Here was no receding, and Lord Colambre never had recourse to
artifice.
"About his affairs, I was going to say, madam. But, since you know
nothing of any difficulties or embarrassments, I am persuaded that none
exist."
"Nay, I cawnt tell you that, Colambre. There are difficulties for ready
money, I confess, when I ask for it, which surprise me often. I know
nothing of affairs--ladies of a certain rank seldom do, you know. But,
considering your father's estate, and the fortune I brought him," added
her ladyship, proudly, "I cawnt conceive it at all. Grace Nugent, indeed,
often talks to me of embarrassments and economy; but that, poor thing!
is very natural for her, because her fortune is not particularly large, and
she has left it all, or almost all, in her uncle and guardian's hands. I
know she's often distressed for odd money to lend me, and that makes
her anxious."
"Is not Miss Nugent very much admired, ma'am, in London?"
"Of course--in the company she is in, you know, she has every
advantage. And she has a natural family air of fashion--Not but what
she would have got on much better, if, when she first appeared in
Lon'on, she had taken my advice, and wrote herself on her cards Miss
de Nogent, which would have taken off the prejudice against the
Iricism of Nugent, you know; and there is a Count de Nogent."
"I did not know there was any such prejudice, ma'am. There may be
among a certain