Belmour: A Modern Edition

Chapter 3

✦ 22 ✦ Eliza, simpering with delight on her pupil.—It was, indeed, not easy to view her but through the medium of partiality— her faults were those of youth, partaking of the various follies by which it was surrounded, and her native mirth, good nature , and excellent disposition, were yet unsullied by a single self-reproach—she never meant to offend, or knew offence in others but by name—she had hitherto seen the world in all the gayest colours of spring, and had only read of wintry blasts in the fictitious pages of a novel. Chapter 3 about a week passed without any other occurrence than the arrival of Lord Fenmoss and Mr. Saunter, two fashionable admirers of Lady Clementina, who, finding their time hang heavily on their hands, as the town began to grow empty from the approach of a general election, claimed a slight invitation from the earl, to visit him in the country. One morning, the rest of the company having gone out in various carriages to enjoy a view of the sea, of which the earl was particularly fond, and which was best seen from a distant part of his domain, Belmour alone had remained at home, reading in his room, intending to follow them on horseback. Having finished his book, he went downstairs to replace it in the library. The door happened to be open; he walked thoughtfully on without looking before him, and was half way up the long gallery which contained the books, before he perceived, that there were persons at the other end. Imagining that they were strangers come to see the castle, he was retiring with precipitation, when he saw the rector come towards him, bowing and making a thousand ✦ 23 ✦ excuses for the “intrusion,” which he had “ventured to make, thinking,” he said, “that all the family were gone out to take the air, having seen so many of the earl’s carriages pass through the village that morning.”—At the same time that he saw the rector, Belmour’s eye caught a glimpse of the person with him, whom he immediately knew to be the same, whose figure he had indistinctly seen in the garden. Her extreme beauty, and the softness and dignity of her countenance kept him for some time in silent admiration. When he had a little recovered from his surprise, he desired that the rector would present him.— The young stranger had remained on the same spot without advancing; and when Belmour came up to her; he thought he saw a half smile on her lips, which she immediately checked, that seemed at first to indicate some former acquaintance, or recollection—yet he was very sure, he never had elsewhere seen her. After the usual compliments of presentation were over, she seemed disposed to take her leave, and was retiring towards the door, when the rector interposed, saying, “Sure, Miss, you will not now run away—my lord can tell you the names of the portraits, about which you were so curious.”—Belmour, who on seeing her going, had immediately despaired of finding any possible excuse to retain her, offered himself with eagerness as a conductor, to show her anything she might think worthy of notice in the castle—adding, that “the portraits in question , which she saw over the bookcase, were family portraits merely, and perhaps might be uninteresting to her.—Some of the later heads, indeed,” he said, “were by good masters.”—“O lord!”—exclaimed the rector, interrupting him, “your lordship ’s quite mistaken—it was these portraits brought Miss to the castle—thought I never should have got her to come—till last night she by chance lit on the catalogue, explanation, and little history, begun in I don’t know what king’s reign, and so downwards—your lordship knows—telling the portraits one by one, of all your ancestors.—The book fell off the shelf, as ✦ 24 ✦ my wife opened the corner cupboard—whip Miss here picked it up, and I thought we never should have got her to supper;— though I don’t see why she gave herself so much trouble to read, for the moment she saw a name, she knew all about it better than our book could tell her.—This morning she was for coming to the castle, whenever I was sure the family were all out.”—“Well, sir,” interrupted the young stranger, distressed at...