"Pardon me," said Lord Albert, "I cannot."
"Did you suppose Lady Hamlet Vernon would let him do so?" whispered Lady Baskerville.
"That may be," replied Leslie Winyard, "but my life for it that is not his reason, he will not play because it is Sunday."
"Sunday, is it?" yawned Lady Ellersby; "dear me! I did not know it was Sunday."
"Leslie Winyard declares you will not play because it is Sunday, Lord Albert D'Esterre," exclaimed Mr. Spencer Newcomb.
"Whatever may be my motive, or my fancy for not playing," replied Lord Albert, "I conceive that it is at variance with the high good breeding of this circle to inquire further into the matter, though, if it will afford any satisfaction to Mr. Leslie Winyard, I have not the smallest hesitation to give to him those motives."
"I am bounden to you, my Lord," rejoined the latter, putting his hand to his heart, "but for the moment waive the honour of hearing more, being at the very crisis of the game," and so saying he turned to the card-table, and left Lord D'Esterre to the undisturbed enjoyment of his conversation with Lady Hamlet Vernon.
She first broke silence (speaking in a low tone). "How many misnomers there are in the world; this society considers itself the mode and paragon of manners and of fashion—the world par excellence; and yet the members of it are always doing or saying something to offend the feelings of each other. Why was a being like myself thrown amongst them? one who sees their falsehood and folly, and yet cannot escape from it. But on the contrary, every day as it passes seems more and more to entangle me. I possess indeed one friend, from whom I look for consolation; but he, like every one in this world, has his own troubles, and indeed I have sometimes feared, that is I fear"—she broke off abruptly as if to find a suitable expression for what she would say, then again continued after a pause—"that I did not altogether act a generous part by him; one may excite a deeper interest than one intends, for it is so soothing to a desolate heart, to find any one whom it can like, and rest upon, that it is easy to be betrayed into a conduct, that would afterwards perhaps render one obnoxious to the imputation of coquetry; the character for which of all others, I have the most decided contempt. I have not yet learnt from you, Lord Albert D'Esterre," laying particular emphasis on her words, "that firm independence of mind, which never yields under circumstances; for whatever vain disputation I may hold with myself, I find I am continually yielding to the influence of events, and floating down the tide of life, guided more by impulse, than by principle. It will perhaps be as well in the end—who knows?"
Lord Albert D'Esterre had listened with evident pain to the sophistry these words contained, and as Lady Hamlet Vernon paused, added in his most impressive manner:
"Oh! dear Lady Hamlet Vernon, I fear it will undoubtedly not be well with us in the end, if we live by chance; and we may all know, if we chuse to know, that so to live will prove our condemnation."