Vivian Grey Part 13

"All people have their oddities, Miss Gusset. I am sure the Marchioness is not aware how she tries my patience about that little wretch Julie. I had to rub her with warm flannels for an hour and a half before the fire this morning; that is that Vivian Grey's doing."

"Who is this Mr. Grey, Miss Graves?"

"Who, indeed! Some young man the Marquess has picked up, and who comes lecturing here about poodles and parrots, and thinking himself quite Lord Paramount, I can a.s.sure you. I am surprised that the Marchioness, who is a most sensible woman, can patronise such conduct a moment; but whenever she begins to see through him the young gentleman has always got a story about a bracelet, or a bandeau, and quite turns her head."

"Very disagreeable, I am sure."

"Some people are so easily managed! By-the-bye, Miss Gusset, who could have advised Mrs. Million to wear crimson? So large as she is, it does not at all suit her. I suppose it's a favourite colour."

"Dear Miss Graves, you are always so insinuating. What can Miss Graves mean; eh! Dr. Sly?"

A Lord Burleigh shake of the head.

"Cynthia Courtown seems as lively as ever," said Miss Gusset.

"Yes, lively enough; but I wish her manner was less brusque."

"Brusque, indeed! you may well say so. She nearly pushed me down in the Hall; and when I looked as if I thought she might have given me a little more room, she tossed her head and said, 'Beg pardon, never saw you!'"

"I wonder what Lord Alhambra sees in that girl?"

"Oh! those forward misses always take the men."

"Well," said Miss Graves, "I have no notion that it will come to anything; I am sure, I, for one, hope not," added she, with all a Toadey's venom.

"The Marquess seems to keep a remarkably good table," said the physician. "There was a haunch to-day, which I really think was the finest haunch I ever met with; but that little move at dinner; it was, to say the least, very ill-timed."

"Yes, that was Vivian Grey again," said Miss Graves, very indignantly.

"So you have got the Beaconsfields here, Miss Graves! nice, unaffected, quiet people."

"Yes, very quiet."

"As you say, Miss Graves, very quiet, but a little heavy."

"Yes, heavy enough."

"If you had but seen the quant.i.ty of pineapples that boy Dormer Stanhope devoured at our fete champetre! but I have the comfort of knowing that they made him very ill; eh! Dr. Sly?"

"Oh! he learnt that from his uncle," said Miss Graves; "it is quite disgusting to see how that Vivian Grey encourages him."

"What an elegant, accomplished woman Mrs. Felix Lorraine seems to be, Miss Graves! I suppose the Marchioness is very fond of her?"

"Oh, yes; the Marchioness is so good-natured that I dare say she thinks very well of Mrs. Felix Lorraine. She thinks well of everyone; but I believe Mrs. Felix is rather a greater favourite with the Marquess."

"O--h!" drawled out Miss Gusset with a very significant tone. "I suppose she is one of your playing-up ladies. I think you told me she was only on a visit here."

"A pretty long visit, though, for a sister-in-law, if sister-in-law she be. As I was saying to the Marchioness the other day, when Mrs. Felix offended her so violently by trampling on the dear little Julie, if it came into a court of justice I should like to see the proof; that's all.

At any rate, it is pretty evident that Mr. Lorraine has had enough of his bargain."

"Quite evident, I think; eh! Dr. Sly? Those German women never make good English wives," continued Miss Gusset, with all a Toadey's patriotism.

"Talking of wives, did not you think Lady Julia spoke very strangely of Sir Peter after dinner to-day? I hate that Lady Julia, if it be only for petting Vivian Grey so."

"Yes, indeed, it is quite enough to make one sick; eh! Dr. Sly?"

The doctor shook his head mournfully, remembering the haunch.

"They say Ernest Clay is in sad difficulties, Miss Gusset."

"Well, I always expected his dash would end in that. Those wild harum-scarum men are monstrous disagreeable. I like a person of some reflection; eh! Dr. Sly?"

Before the doctor could bow his usual a.s.sent there entered a pretty little page, very daintily attired in a fancy dress of green and silver.

Twirling his richly chased dirk with one tiny white hand, and at the same time playing with a pet curl which was picturesquely flowing over his forehead, he advanced with ambling gait to Miss Gusset, and, in a mincing voice and courtly phrase, summoned her to the imperial presence.

The lady's features immediately a.s.sumed the expression which befitted the approaching interview, and in a moment Miss Graves and the physician were left alone.

"Very amiable young woman Miss Gusset appears to be, Dr. Sly?"

"Oh! the most amiable being in the world; I owe her the greatest obligations."

"So gentle in her manners."

"O yes, so gentle."

"So considerate for everybody."

"Oh, yes! so considerate," echoed the Aberdeen M.D.

"I am afraid, though, she must sometimes meet with people who do not exactly understand her character; such extraordinary consideration for others is sometimes liable to misconstruction."

"Very sensibly remarked, Miss Graves. I am sure Miss Gusset means well; and that kind of thing is all very admirable in its way; but, but--"

"But what, Dr. Sly?"

"Why, I was merely going to hazard an observation, that according to my feelings, that is, to my own peculiar view of the case, I should prefer some people thinking more about their own business, and, and, but I mean nothing."

"Oh, no, of course not, Dr. Sly! You know we always except our own immediate friends, at least when we can be sure they are our friends; but, as you were saying, or going to say, those persons who are so very anxious about other people's affairs are not always the most agreeable persons in the world to live with. It certainly did strike me that that interference of Miss Gusset's about Julie to-day was, to say the least, very odd."

"Oh, my dear madam! when you know her as well as I do, you will see she is always ready to put in a word."

"Well! do you know, Dr. Sly, between ourselves, that was exactly my impression; and she is then very, very, I do not exactly mean to say meddling or inquisitive; but, but you understand me, Dr. Sly?"

"Perfectly; and if I were to speak my mind, which I do not hesitate to do in confidence to you, Miss Graves, I really should say that she is the most jealous, irritable, malicious, meddling, and at the same time fawning, disposition that I ever met with in the whole course of my life, and I speak from experience."

"Well, do you know, Dr. Sly, from all I have seen, that was exactly my impression; therefore I have been particularly careful not to commit myself to such a person."

"'Ah! Miss Graves! if all ladies were like you' O--h!"