Chapter XVI: A Ball at the D---- Palace

A ball in one of those splendid old Roman Palaces is certainly no ordinary sight. The choice pictures, the vast suite of magnificent rooms, and, last not least, the beauty and stately gracefulness of Italian ladies and handsome men, who look as if they had stepped out of pictures of Vandyck and Velasquez, can be seen nowhere else.

Lady Spendfast introduced them triumphantly to most of the remarkable people, and was good-natured enough really to enjoy the sight of the great admiration her _protégées_ excited.

It was provoking, she thought, that they would not dance, but she made up for this deprivation by dancing every set herself, and commenting with all her partners on their dresses, and on the misfortune of not being able to prevail on that _bellissima bionda_ Mrs. Chandos to dance, nor the _graciosa ragazzina, bella si e così gentile, ma un po’ preoccupata_, as some of the Roman Princes had said.

There is something very fascinating in the manners and air of old families in most countries, and, as there is perhaps less remaining of this kind of _haute noblesse_ fascination in England, one is more struck with it in other places. Norah was extremely pleased with the languid gracefulness of manner, and the kind-hearted enjoyment of a _dolce far niente_ expression in the long dark and earnest eyes of the beautiful Romans.

There was also a good sprinkling of the old French set among them, and she admired the pretty contrast of their engaging and sprightly youthful-minded looks to the more solemn grandeur and stateliness of the Italians. With the exception of a few, she did not think that the English set appeared to advantage, and she wished that her country might have been represented by some of her old acquaintances. “But then they prefer to stay at home,” was her internal comment.

Mrs. Chandos was both pleased and puzzled. She seemed to be greeted with extreme kindness by persons she had never seen before. The kind of smooth civility and reposeful expression of their faces, their slow and gliding step, formed such a striking contrast to the rough jerkiness, quick movements, and bold or defiant expression visible on even the “genteelest” among her own original set.

“Why, Norah, they don’t seem to think half so much of their own importance as--” she was going to say, “the people at our own county balls.” “There, look at that lovely creature with the diamond sort of crown. I suppose she is some great lady, yet she has such a look of humility--as if she would kneel down and wash one’s feet.”

“That she probably does when the pilgrims come; and very likely she has been attending on some poor patient at the hospital this very day, for I think she is the Princess C----, who, I know, does an immense deal of good among the poor.”

“She is the most beautiful person I ever saw,” said Mrs. Chandos. “Do you know, dear Norah, I get quite puzzled, for some of them are so like the beautiful pictures on the walls, that I seem scarcely to know which is which. I mean that the pictures there look even more alive than some of the people, and I cannot help thinking that the living people are standing in the frames--not even frames--ornaments on the wall, with real figures let into them.”

“I am very glad we came,” said Norah, who saw with great delight that Mrs. Chandos was enjoying the new impression given to her by the scene more than the evident tokens of admiration she excited.

“That is a very handsome man, too. What a splendid nation the Italian is! He has just been dancing with Lady Spendfast.”

“I think he is a Spaniard,” said Norah. “His accent was not Italian, I heard, as he passed by.”

The next moment Lady Spendfast brought him up, and introduced the handsome stranger as the Duke of Luna. He was much disappointed when he found that neither of the ladies would dance; but he persuaded Mrs. Chandos to let him be allowed to escort her into the supper-room; and another gentleman, Prince C----, to whom Norah had been before introduced, offered his arm, and she followed her mother into the supper-room. He talked to Norah very pleasantly, and then in the course of conversation asked if she was acquainted with that most fascinating English gentleman, Sir Alfred Rivers.

“Ah! you know him well, I see--pardon me, mademoiselle. It was a most strange and sad event. But I have my thoughts about it. I do not think he is lost or murdered--no, no.”

“What do you think?”

“Well, there is a certain lady who torments him; she follows him everywhere, and I fancy he wanted to get away ‘out of her clutch,’ as you call it in England.”

“Who was it?” inquired Norah. “Is she here to-night?”

“No, she is not, and--but perhaps she may be a friend of yours, so I had better hold my tongue.”

“An English lady--small, with large dark eyes, and an Italian look?”

“Just so--the very picture! She is no friend of yours? I am glad of it, for she does not show your country to advantage; and now I see that you understand his wish to get away from her--and perhaps it was the easiest way. He would have a pleasant journey on foot, perhaps, to Naples, through the Abruzzi, and he will make no end of beautiful views. What a genius he has, and what a voice!--we have no better tenor in Italy!”

“Yes, he has great genius,” said Norah, who was most grateful to Prince C---- for his hopeful ideas; but there was something in her manner that showed the tactful Italian that he had better talk to her on some other subject, so he said--

“Your young mother is very beautiful; does your father like that she should go to balls without him?”

“This is actually her first ball since she married, and he wished her to see something of foreign society.”

“That dangerous Duke of Luna admires her very much, I see.”

“Is he dangerous?--and why?”

“Because he is very handsome, and so clever, and so----”

Norah looked in the direction of his eyes, for she had been separated from her mother by the crowd at the door. She now saw that the Duke was talking most eagerly, and his splendid eyes expressed but too plainly the admiration she excited.

“Do you know him well?” inquired Norah.

“I meet him very often, and I see the what you call the ‘havoc’ he does among the young and inexperienced ladies--married ladies,” he added. “Yes, and quite young mesdemoiselles; but I see you know much more of the world, and have thought and felt very much for your age; but your mother there knows nothing at all, so I advise you to keep your kind thoughtful eye upon her. You know I am an old married man, and so can give advice. And here comes my beautiful wife, and you must allow me to introduce you to her.”

It was the lady with the diamond kind of crown, whom they had admired so much in the early part of the evening, and Norah was delighted to find that she was the Princess C----, of whom she had often heard, and also to find that she was the wife of that most agreeable Prince C----.

She could only speak Italian, but Norah was a good linguist, so they got on very well; and by way of breaking up the _tête-à-tête_ between Mrs. Chandos and the Duke of Luna, she asked to be allowed to present her mother to the Princess.

“_Con gran’ piacere_,” she said, in a most harmonious voice, and they all three went over to the other side of the table. They seemed to arrive there at the right moment, for Norah saw by the sudden movement, and the tell-tale glowing cheeks of Mrs. Chandos, that the Duke had gone too far.

“Oh, I am so glad you are come, dear Norah; pray let us go home now, we have had quite enough--have we not?”

“Yes, whenever you like; but look, here is the very lady whom you admired so much come to be introduced to you--the Princess of C----.”

Mrs. Chandos soon forgot her annoyance in the smiles and pretty-sounding words addressed to her by the Princess. She knew very little of Italian, but was able to understand those kindly-meant and beautiful words that sounded in her ears as musical as if sung by Grisi.

Meanwhile, Norah saw that the Duke de Luna’s splendid eyes looked daggers at Prince C----, and he attempted to offer his arm to Mrs. Chandos, to conduct her from the table.

“Oh! no; we are going away--are we not, Norah?” she said, as she resolutely took hold of her daughter’s arm.

“Then shall I have the honour of calling your carriage?”

“Thank you,” said Norah, who thought it better not to make a scene; “we shall be much obliged if you will.”

The Duke bowed, with a sullen look, as Norah and her companion withdrew.

“Very well done,” whispered Prince C---- in her ear--“much better not affront him. I was afraid your pretty mother was getting rather too angry. Remember, those fine gentlemen must be kept at a little distance at first, otherwise they presume on the inexperience of such a young married lady as she is. Yes, you must take her home, for I see she is getting quite hysterical, in spite of my wife’s endeavours to soothe. I see she is endeavouring to explain that we should be glad to see you all at our weekly receptions; and she has also a smaller morning one of intimate friends every Tuesday, to which we hope your father may be persuaded to come. He would meet some of our _savants_ and our great geologist, Monsignore S----, and our celebrated astronomer, Signor S----.”

Norah said she was certain her father would be delighted, if he felt well enough.

“I do not think our handsome Spanish grandee will return,” said Prince C----, after a few minutes’ conversation, “so I will go and get your carriage; or perhaps you had better both come with me to the farther room,” he added, as he saw Mrs. Chandos’s great anxiety to get home.

As they passed through the ball-room, they saw the Duke of Luna waltzing with Lady Spendfast, much to the relief of Mrs. Chandos, who was apprehensive of being handed into the carriage by the formidable Duke.