Vellenaux A Novel - Edmund William Forrest (7 ebook reader txt) 📗

Good Old October Ale And Mighty Flagons Of

That Cider For Which Devonshire Is So Justly Celebrated. During The

Evening There Was A Dance And Supper In The Servants' Hall,  To Which

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Many Of The Small Farmers With Their Wives,  Sons And Daughters,  Had Been

Invited,  And A Right Jovial Time They Had Of It. Dancing,  Songs,  Scenes

From The Magic Lantern,  Hunt The Slipper,  Blind Man'S Buff,  Kissing

Under The Mistletoe,  And Many Other Christmas Gambols Were The Order Of

The Evening,--And,  If One Might Judge From The Bursts Of Mirth And

Laughter That Prevailed,  This Was Very Much To The Satisfaction Of All

Present.

 

The Worthy Baronet,  Attended By Edith And Arthur,  Visited His Work

People During The Dinner In The Great Barn,  Addressing Words Of Welcome

And Kindness To All,  Nor Did He Absent Himself From The Merry-Makings In

The Servants' Hall.

 

"Attention,  Form A Line There!" Shouted Old Bridoon,  The Lodge Keeper,

Who Was The Sir Oracle Of The Hour,  And Had Seated Himself In a Large

Arm Chair Beside The Enormous Fireplace,  Wherein The Yule Logs Burnt

Brightly,  Darting Out Forked Flames Of Blue,  Yellow,  And Crimson,  And

Sending Forth Great Showers Of Sparks Up The Huge Old-Fashioned Chimney

Like Fire-Works On A Gala Night.

 

"Make Way There For The Brigadier And His Handsome Aides-De-Camp." The

Sharp Eye Of The Old Campaigner Had Caught Sight Of The Party From The

Drawing Room,  Which Had Halted In The Door Way And Was Looking On Highly

Amused At The Merry Groups That Were Footing It Bravely,  And With

Untiring Energy Through The Mazes Of Irish Jigs,  Scotch Reels And

English Country Dances. On Entering,  The Mirth Ceased For A Moment Out

Of Respect To Sir Jasper. "Go On,  My Good Friends,  We Came To Witness,

Not To Put A Stop To Your Amusement," Said The Baronet,  As He Took A

Seat In The Chimney Corner,  Supported By Edith And Arthur. The Dancing

Was Again Resumed In about Half An Hour,  And The Party Rose To Retire.

Here Reynolds,  The Old Butler,  Presented His Master With A Magnum Of His

Favorite Port,  Which The Old Gentleman Tossed Off,  Wishing Them All A

Merry Christmas. This Was The Moment For Which Bridoon Had Been Waiting;

He Rose And Proposed The Health Of Sir Jasper,  Miss Edith,  And Master

Arthur,  And Said,  "When Lying Wounded On The Bloody Field Of Salamanca

Little Did I Think That I Should Live To Enjoy So Many Years Of Peace

And Comfort In Such Snug Quarters As Is Now Provided For Me By My Old

Commander And Benefactor,  God Bless Him," Then Addressing Arthur He

Said,  "Master Arthur,  It Does My Old Heart Good To Know That You Have

Entered Her Majesty'S Service. You Are A Good Swordsman,  A Bold Rider

('And The Best Shot In The Country,' Put In The Head Game-Keeper),  No

Mean Qualifications," Continued He,  "For A Light Dragoon; And I Feel

Certain You Will Turn Out As Fine A Soldier As The Colonel,  Your

Father,--I Drink To His Memory And Your Success." Whereupon The Veteran

Raised A Massive Tankard Of Sparkling Cider To His Lips And Took A

Mighty Draught,  Which Laudable Example Was Immediately Followed By All

The Men Present. The Baronet And His _Proteges_ Then Left The Hall.

 

There Was Open House To All Comers Until After The New Year,  And In This

Way Christmas Had Been Kept Up In That Part Of Devonshire From Time

Immemorial.

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But The Great Event Of The Season To The Upper Tandem Of Vellenaux,  And

Its Vicinity Was The Approaching Twelfth-Night Ball. Sir Jasper Had

Given _Carte Blanche_ To His Niece To Do As She Pleased On The Occasion

And She Did So Accordingly.

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Great Was The Excitement And Preparation Going On Among Those Invited To

Participate In The Coming Festivities. Of All The Places In The County,

Vellenaux Was Considered The Most Suitable For The Purpose Of A Fancy

Dress Ball. There Had Not Been Anything Of The Kind Within A Circuit Of

Fifty Miles,  For At Least As Many Years. The Grand Old Hall,  With Its

Banners And Knightly Armour Of Different Periods,  The Magnificent

Apartments Filled With Curiously Carved Antique Furniture,  Ancient

Mirrors And Embroidered Tapestries,  All Of Which Would Harmonize With

The Costumes Of Those Who Would Figure About For The _Nonce_. Of Course

The Characters To Be Assumed Were To Be Kept A Secret Until They

Appeared In The Ball Room. Edith Entered With Enthusiasm Into All The

Arrangements Necessary On The Occasion,  And Was Materially Assisted By

The Good Taste And Judgment Of Arthur,  To Whom She Turned For Counsel

When At Fault As To The Grouping Of Statuary Or Position Of Pictures,

And The _Toute Ensemble_ Of The _Salle-A-Manger_.

 

The Spacious Old Picture Gallery With Its Gothic Windows Of Stained

Glass Was Fitted Up As The Dancing Hall. The Statuary Armour,  Banners,

And Ancient Weapons Of Past Generations Had Been Brought From The Hall

And Placed In different Positions Along The Oak Pannelled Walls,  While

Large Bunches Of Dark Green Holly With The Bright Scarlet Berries,

Peeping Out Here And There Was Hung Between The Antique Pictures Of

Brave Knights And Fair Dames,  Ancestors Of The Coleman Family,  That

Seemed To Look Down From Their Massive Frames Upon The Fantastic Scenes

Below. The Oaken Floor Was Covered With A Cloth,  Figured To Represent A

Tesselated Pavement. At The Upper End A Dais Had Been Erected,

Surmounted By An Antique Chair Of State,  With Several Others Of The Same

Description,  But Smaller On Each Side. The Orchestra Was In a Small

Gallery That Crossed The Hall At The Lower End,  The Whole Brilliantly

Illuminated By Three Massive Chandeliers,  The Adjoining Apartments Were

Arranged As Refreshment And Supper Rooms.

 

The Ball Was Opened With A Triple Set Of Quadrilles. The Top Set,

Nearest To The Dais Or Place Of Honour,  Was Composed As Follows: Sir

Jasper As The Fine Old English Gentleman In doublet And Trunk Hose,  With

Edith,  Looking Very Lovely,  As The Lady Rowena; Their _Vis A Vis_ Being

Julia Barton,  In The Character Of Mary Stuart,  Attended By Arthur,

Dressed As A Light Dragoon Of The Period. The Side Couples Were,  Kate

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Cotterell,  Bewitchingly Pretty,  In The Costume Of Rebecca The Jewess,

Assisted By Tom Barton As The Famous Robin Hood. Emily Barton

Represented,  With Very Good Effect,  Maid Marion,  Under The Escort Of

Young Snaffle Of The Lancers,  Who Rode Over From The Nearest Garrison

Town To Captivate Some Stray Heart By Personating Young Lochinvar. The

Other Two Sets,  Figuring In costumes As Handsome As They Were Varied,

Were Made Up Of The Youth And Beauty Of The Neighbourhood,  With The

Exception Of The Bottom Couple Of The Last Set; Here,  Mrs. Fraudhurst

Appeared,  Gorgeously Attired,  As Sarah,  Duchess Of Marlborough,  With No

Other For Her Partner Than Ralph Coleman In The Garb Of Mephistopheles.

At The Conclusion Of The First Quadrille,  The Baronet Seated Himself In

The State Chair,  With His Old Friends On Either Side,  For Their Dancing

Days Like His Own Was Now As A Thing Of The Past,  But Looking On With

Inward Satisfaction At The Gay Assembly,  Until The Memories Of Their Own

Youthful Days Rose Pleasantly Before Them,  The Rare Old Wines Of The

Choicest Vintage,  From The Well-Stored Cellars Of Vellenaux Aiding To

Keep Up These Associations,  As Waltzes,  Polkas,  Mazourkas,  Followed In

Rapid Succession. Nor Was The Supper The Least Agreeable Feature Of The

Entertainment,  For Country Life,  And Country Exercise,  Equestrian And

Pedestrian,  Over The Frozen Earth,  Were Wonderful Auxiliaries To The

Appetite,  And Both Old And Young Did Ample Justice To The Good Things

That Were Provided For Them.

 

The Duchess And Mephistopheles Kept Watchful Eye On Edith And Arthur,

But Their Joyous Light-Heartedness,  And That,  Too,  On The Eve Of His

Departure,  Convinced The Two Conspirators That All Was Going On As

Satisfactorily As They Could Desire. After Supper,  Sir Roger De Coverly,

The Triumph,  And Other Old-Fashioned Country Dances Were Introduced,

Followed By Questions,  Answers And Forfeits,  And Other Twelfth-Night

Games,  Which Were Entered Into With Such Spirit And Animation,  That

Showed How Thoroughly They Were Enjoyed By Those Who Participated

Therein,  And It Was Universally Allowed By All Present To Be The Most

Charming Thing Of The Kind They Had Ever Attended,  And The Grey Dawn Of

Day Appeared On The Eastern Horizon Ere The Last Vehicle Drove Away From

The Hospitable Mansion Of Sir Jasper Coleman.

 

On The Afternoon Of The Following Day,  Arthur Was To Leave Vellenaux

For Southampton En Route For The East. He Had Put Off His Leave Takings

Until The Last Moment,  And He Now Entered His Patron'S Private Library

To Say Farewell. The Parting Was More Like What Might Have Been Expected

Between A Kind Father And A Favourite Son. "Remember,  Arthur," Said The

Kind Old Baronet,  In conclusion,  "That,  Should Your Regiment Be Suddenly

Ordered Home,  It Will Always Afford Me The Greatest Pleasure To Receive

You Here Whenever The Duties Of Your Position Will Admit Of Your

Visiting Us." Here He Shook Him Cordially By The Hand,  Placing As He Did

So,  A Draft On A Calcutta House For Three Thousand Rupees.

 

Hastily Ascending The Grand Staircase,  Carlton Made His Way To The

Drawing Room. His Adieu To Mrs. Fraudhurst Was Courteous And Polite,  But

There Was No Exhibition Of Kindly Feeling Or Sympathy Evinced By Either.