XI
Wherein Lady Peggy is condemned to be
hanged, and sets forth, attended by the
clergy, for the gallows.
Although Sir Percy had cheerfully foretold for Kennaston the roseate picture of Lady Diana’s “Yes” crowning the young poet’s somewhat diffident suit with untold happiness, the fact was quite other. Her Ladyship, on the day of Mr. Brummell’s party to Ivy Dene, having overheard the Honorable Dolly Tarleton, in the library, laying six to four to Lady Biddy O’Toole, that their host’s daughter was “only waiting for the beautiful young poet’s asking, to jump into his arms immediately,” did, with such sudden change of demeanor from sweets to sours, languishing eyes to averted looks, smiles to pouts, corner chats to open flouts, put her lover into a state of mind, the like of which he presently described, as only he could, in a copy of verses, which the next night at White’s were pronounced to be, indeed, “the masterpiece of one whose heart pants, whose whole being’s but at the beck and call of her who wears a smocked petticoat, ogles with a witching eye, and should be vain that so much genius lays itself at her feet, to wit, Lady D——a W——n.”
For, taking immediate fright at his Lady’s coldness, Kennaston had ordered a post-chaise from the Brookwood Arms, and without a word of farewell to Lady Diana, save that embodied in an ode, “To Chloe When Unkind,” which her woman found pinned to Her Ladyship’s cloak when she was putting it on her shoulders the following morning, had gone to town, and just in time at the White Horse to be haled into Mr. Brummell’s party for breakfast, and to learn of the adventure with Tom Kidde, the valor of Sir Robin McTart, and the absence of that young gentleman, as also Sir Percy, from the board.
When Lady Diana’s woman hooked her mistress’s cloak about her ’twas at five o’clock in the morning, and of the party at the Castle every lady’s woman was performing the same office, adding hood over curls and puffs, and sticking the finest of cambric pocket-napkins into their mistress’ hands by the half dozens; for ’twas easily seen that such early rising could be for no other cause than to go forth to bathe their Ladyships’ faces in the May-dew; the which, when gathered from little copses and shadowy nooks before the sun had yet shone upon’t, was warranted to enhance that beauty which was already evident, and to create those charms which, alas! are occasionally lacking.
Lady Diana spelled out her lover’s verses as best she could, tripping from door to door, and calling her young companions from their mirrors; sending a footman and a page to summon the gallants who were to accompany them in their expedition, and laughing heartily as she made out more from a footman than from Kennaston’s muse that he had betaken himself to town rather than longer incur her displeasure and her frowns.