ady selina had succeeded in making “a most eligible marriage” for one of her nieces, but she speedily discovered that she had by no means effected her chief object, that of securing a home for herself. “i am married to louisa, and not to her family,” said sir mordaunt, not long after the wedding, and his conduct to his wife’s relations accorded with the spirit of his words.
lady selina was bitterly disappointed and deeply wounded. the failure of her most cherished project preyed on her spirits, and probably shortened her life. the base ingratitude of mankind, the emptiness of all earthly hopes, became the constant topic of her conversation. but though she could rail against the world in her hours of depression, it was still her most cherished idol. dagon might be broken, its fair proportion and beauty all destroyed, but the mutilated stump was enthroned on its pedestal of pride, to be honoured and worshipped still!
“arabella, my dear,” said lady selina, as one morning she appeared in the breakfast-room at a late hour, wrapped in her dressing-gown, and shivering as if with cold—“arabella, my dear, i feel so ill, that i wish that you would write and ask the doctor to call.”
arabella was seated at her desk. she had not risen on the entrance of her aunt, nor did she think it in the least necessary to bear her company at her lonely meal. lady selina, with a shaking hand, helped herself to some tea, but left the cup unemptied, its contents were so bitter and cold.
“i suppose,” said arabella carelessly, without looking up from her writing, “that you’ll not go to the countess’s to-night?”
“i fear i am not equal to the effort, though i was very anxious to be there.”
“then, when the note goes to the doctor, william can take one at the same time to lady praed, to ask her to chaperon me to the concert.”
“if you wish it,” replied the lady faintly. “would you be so good, my dear, as to close that window? the cold seems to pierce through my frame.”
“cold! nonsense, aunt! how can you talk of cold on such a grilling morning as this? if i were to keep the window shut we should be stifled, there’s not a breath of air in this hot, narrow street.”
lady selina was too weak and languid to dispute the point with her niece; she only sighed, shivered, and drew her wrapper closer around her.
the day was a long, weary one to lady selina; she spent it chiefly in peevish complainings, to which the only listeners were her medical man and her maid. towards evening, however, she rallied; and arabella was surprised on descending to the drawing-room, to await the arrival of lady praed, to find lady selina there, also ready attired for the concert. what mocking brilliancy appeared in the diamonds which gleamed beside those ghastly and withered features! how ill the robe of amber satin beseemed the shrunken form that wore it! the painful incongruity, however, did not attract the attention of arabella.
“i wish, aunt, that you knew your own mind,” she said impatiently to lady selina; “if you were determined to go yourself, there was no need to ask a favour of lady praed. i really don’t see now how we are to manage; we have not ordered our own carriage, and there will not be room in hers for three. my new dress will be crushed to a mummy!” and the young lady shook out the rustling folds with a very dissatisfied air.
whether in consideration to arabella’s moire antique, or (as is more probable) from feeling herself, when the moment for decision arrived, quite unable to go to the party, lady selina, on lady praed’s calling for her niece, finally determined on remaining behind. arabella did not conceal her satisfaction, and passed her evening gaily amongst a fashionable throng, without giving even a thought to the poor invalid, except when inquiries concerning her health were made as a necessary form, and answered with careless unconcern.
it was midnight when arabella returned. the servant, as she entered the house of her aunt, addressed her with the words, “her ladyship has not yet gone to her room.”
“not gone to rest yet! that’s strange!” cried arabella; and with rather a quickened step she proceeded at once to the room in which she had left lady selina.
the candles had burned down to their sockets; the light of one had died out, and only a curling line of dark smoke issued from the fallen wick; the other cast around its dull, yellow light, revealing to the eye of arabella a scene which even her proud, cold spirit could not contemplate without a sensation of horror.
a form still sat upright in its high-backed, cushioned chair,—a form attired in amber satin, and adorned with magnificent gems; but the ghastly hue of death was on the brow, the glaze of death on the dull, fixed eye, the hand hung down motionless and stiff. arabella uttered a faint cry, for the first glance was sufficient to reveal to her the terrible truth—she was gazing on the corpse of lady selina!
