“How very foolish!” she exclaimed, “when nothing of the sort, I am sure, could succeed better, and when you ought to be so pleased and flattered by the general pleasure you have produced. In your place, I should be quite delighted; and then to give it all up merely because you happen at this minute to feel a little tired and exhausted, particularly when you seemed to enjoy it all so much yourself, as I am sure you did only an hour ago. What is it that has gone wrong to make you change your mind so suddenly?”
Emmeline only shook her head in reply; but encountering Pelham’s grave look, it recalled to her mind his counsels, and brushing away her tears with her hand, and forcing a smile, she said, as gaily as she could—
“Well, we need not discuss the matter at present. I will think about it; but really, now, I must drive you away, and go to bed; for I am quite knocked up; and you see fatigue has already made a fool of me, as I dare say, if the truth was told, I cried like a child to think I had eaten my cake, and that these delightful parties were over.”
Lady Saville, taking her hint, was preparing to depart, when Fitzhenry, who, on returning home, had still seen some carriages in the street, and therefore thought he could venture up stairs, entered the room. Lady Saville immediately went up to him. “Oh, Lord Fitzhenry! do second me; for I am trying to persuade your capricious, perverse wife, to give some more parties; for she says they don’t repay her for the trouble; that they exhaust her, and that she will have no more. Now have they not been particularly agreeable? and does she not play the part of lady of the revels to perfection?”
Emmeline, who, on her husband’s entrance, had walked to the further end of the room, now began busying herself with a basket of flowers, forgetting that she could no longer have any excuse for the employment. As for Fitzhenry, he too seemed rather embarrassed by Lady Saville’s direct questions; but soon recollecting himself—”I certainly think Lady Fitzhenry would do very wrong to give up what seemed to give herself, as well as every one else, so much pleasure.”
Emmeline bent over the flowers to hide her face, which was crimsoned with pique and impatience, as she repeated to herself—”What gives me so much pleasure! and that is all I have gained by my last attempt, still more to deceive him as to my real character, and real feelings. He thinks I am to be satisfied with all this noise and empty show of enjoyment; and that it will make up to the worldly fool, the insensible child, for the want of happiness!”
Lady Saville returned to her charge, begging Emmeline would at once name a day, and that she would again endeavour to secure Camporese for her.
Forced to answer, and no longer able even to pretend occupation with the flowers, she hastily composed herself; and, quietly saying she was too tired then to think of the matter, held out her hand to Lady Saville, wishing her good night.
The altered tone of Emmeline’s voice, since he had last heard it, probably struck Fitzhenry, for he hastily raised his eyes towards her. Her countenance, her manner, all was changed; the bright colour in her cheeks was gone; the smile that had played round her mouth had vanished: Pelham’s eyes too were fixed upon her, and Fitzhenry observed it. Again he glanced at them both, and then for some minutes seemed totally lost in thought, till Lady Saville, moving towards the door to go, and wishing him good night, he was roused from his reverie; he offered her his arm, and both he and Pelham went down stairs with her.
For a few minutes, Emmeline listened for Fitzhenry’s return—she almost hoped he would enquire into the cause of what he might deem her ill humour: in short, at that moment, she felt she should be glad of any opening from him that could possibly bring matters to a crisis, however painful that crisis might be; for she felt as if it was impossible to go on enduring her present existence. But, after pacing the room for some time in nervous anxiety, which increased on hearing a footstep on the stairs, she was at length obliged to give up even that hope, as Reynolds alone entered the room, and immediately after, she heard the door of Fitzhenry’s apartment close.