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Chapter 17
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✦ 154 ✦ sidered as real blessings.”—Belmour sighed—“And does Mrs. Courtenay think me happy?” continued he.—“I sincerely wish you to be so,” said she, with much warmth and eagerness.—“I thank you,” said he, pressing her hand, which he continued to hold till she gently withdrew it.—They were now again at the door of her house.—“The night is charming,” said Belmour, still hoping to prolong their walk.—“It is, indeed, but it is late,” said Emily, “good night, and till tomorrow, farewell.”—“Good night then,” repeated Belmour, bowing respectfully, after he had conducted her to the door.—“O! could such moments of delight be continued to me!” said he to himself—“but they are passed, never to return! yet still will they be dear to my latest recollection!”—He again walked across the meadow—again returned to the house—all was silent—the moon now sunk apace, and a light, which then appeared at the window of his own house, and Bertram, whom he saw stretching his head out of it, as it seemed in expectation of him, reminded him, that it was time to retire. Chapter 17 the day following was, on Lady Clementina’s part, wholly occupied by preparations for the ball, in which she also engaged Emily so much, that Belmour had less opportunity of seeing her than usual; but when in the evening they met in the parlour at Lady Clementina’s, dressed and ready to set out, Belmour, accustomed as he was to Emily’s beauty, whose native charms required indeed no ornament, was beyond measure struck with her appearance, and gazed at her for some time, with so much surprise and delight, that he was recalled, ✦ 155 ✦ by a rising blush on her cheek, to the recollection, that he must not longer indulge in his admiration.—He immediately turned to Lady Clementina, who stood ready to receive his share of praise.—“Never did I see anything so beautiful and so brilliant as your dresses.”—“Have I not done wonders?” said Lady Clementina; “and look here at her head,” turning Emily round, “I thought I never should have made her consent , to wear this diamond bandeau of mine, which so prettily unites these feathers; is it not charming? We are both, as you see, dressed exactly alike.”—“Charming! indeed,” repeated Belmour—and nothing certainly could exceed the elegance of their appearance. Belmour too, who was so much more dressed than usual, had heightened the accustomed grace of his fine figure—in short, when the group arrived in the ball-room, which Melford by no means disgraced, being what is called an uncommonly pretty man, all eyes were fixed on them; but after the dancing began, Emily and Belmour alone seemed to attract the attention of the company; they both danced inimitably, and the admiration they excited, was buzzed about in a manner, which they could not fail to hear.—Belmour was in a state of enchantment, which nearly made him forget all prudence— thus to hear his name joined to that of Emily, with such expressions of applause and admiration, overpowered his sense with ecstasy and delight. The room grew extremely crowded, and he had ceased to attend to distinguish the by-standers; when, just as he got to the bottom of a dance, he was surprised, and by no means agreeably, at seeing St. Fort among the lookers on, and Barnvelt by his side. St. Fort waited till Belmour came pretty close to him, and then advancing a step, with something like a sneer on his countenance , said—“This I did not expect! how long have you been returned to England?”—Belmour answered him so coldly, that [34.228.213.183] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 10:10 GMT) ✦ 156 ✦ Emily was struck with his manner, and, laughing, said in a whisper , “Pray, tell me who that is? some person, I am sure, that you dislike.”—Belmour smiled; “You are not wrong,” said he, naming St. Fort.—St. Fort was then no more thought of by them, till, seated at supper, they saw him placed precisely opposite to them at a narrow table. His eyes, during the supper, were fixed on Emily, with a freedom of admiration, that bordered upon impertinence; then on Belmour, first with a look of inquiry, and then of certainty. All this escaped not Emily’s quickness, but evidently distressed her; the degree of gayety and ease, which the amusements of the evening, admirably conducted, had naturally...