Page:The Castle of Wolfenbach - Parsons - 1854.djvu/252

 son so much justice in his education. Every one was charmed with him; and Lord Delby was received with all the respect due to his rank and merit.

As both the Countess Berniti and her daughter were silent respecting the Count, the others were equally cautious not to name him, lest they might say more than Matilda chose to have known; and there being no opportunities for private conversation, the Marchioness earnestly wished to be in the country, that they might enjoy a few uninterrupted teté-à-tetés.

At the appointed time they all quitted Vienna, and arrived at the Countess's villa.

They were just seated at the dinner table when the Count De Bouville's name was announced. The Marchioness gave a cry of joy, the knife and fork dropped from Matilda's hand, and it was with difficulty she kept her seat when he entered the room.

The Marquis introduced him to the strangers as his particular friend: as they had never heard his name mentioned, they received him with the politeness due to that recommendation only: but when he advanced to Matilda she changed colour, and trembled so violently as to attract her mother's observation, although she was too attentive just then to speak, for the Count's agitations were visibly greater than her's; he bowed upon her hand and said a few words, but they were not intelligible. The Marquis hurried him though the rest of the company, and then placed him between Lord Delby and himself, saying, "Now, if you please, let us have our dinner; I put a negative to all compliments and questions for this hour to come—'tis plain we are all very glad to see each other."

In consequence of this seasonable order the conversation became general, and the Count and Matilda had time to recover themselves. She wondered indeed no one asked for his lady, nor that she appeared to be of the party. He cannot help being a little confused, thought she, and did not expect to find