The Midnight Queen [96]
young lady, struck by his good looks, had
conceived a rash and inordinate attack of love at first sight,
and was about to offer herself to him and discard Sir Norman for
ever. From this speculation, the sweet voice aroused him.
"You have told me who you are. Now, do you know who I am?"
"I hope so, fairest Leoline. I know you are the most beautiful
lady in England, and to-morrow will be called Lady Kingsley!"
"I am something more," said Leoline, holding his hand between
both hers, and bending near him; " I am your sister!"
The Earl of Rochester's page must have had good blood in his
veins; for never was there duke, grandee, or peer of the realm,
more radically and unaffectedly nonchalant than he. To this
unexpected announcement he listened with most dignified and
well-bred composure, and in his secret heart, or rather vanity,
more disappointed than otherwise, to find his first solution of
her tenderness a great mistake. Leoline held his hand tight in
hers, and looked with loving and tearful eyes in his face.
"Dear Hubert, you are my brother - my long-unknown brother, and I
love you with my whole heart!"
"Am I?" said Hubert. "I dare say I am, for they all say we look
as much alike as two peas. I am excessively delighted to hear
it, and to know that you love me. Permit me to embrace my new
relative."
With which the court page kissed Leoline with emphasis, while she
scarcely knew whether to laugh, cry, or be provoked at his
composure. On the whole, she did a little of all three, and
pushed him away with a halt pout.
"You insensible mortal! How can you stand there and hear that
you have found a sister with so much indifference?"
"Indifferent? Not I! You have no idea how wildly excited I am!"
said Hubert, in a voice not betokening the slightest emotion.
"How did you find it out, Leoline?"
"Never mind! I shall tell you that again. You don't doubt it, I
hope?"
"Of course not! I knew from the first moment I set eyes on you,
that if you were not my sister, you ought to be! I wish you'd
tell me all the particulars, Leoline."
"I shall do so as soon as I am out of this; but how can I tell
you anything here?"
"That's true!" said Hubert, reflectively. "Well, I'll wait.
Now, don't you wonder how I found you out, and came here?"
"Indeed I do. How was it, Hubert?"
"Oh, well, I don't know as I can altogether tell you; but you
see, Sir Norman Kingsley being possessed of an inspiration that
something was happening to you, came to your house a short time
ago, and, as he suspected, discovered that you were missing. I
met him there, rather depressed in his mind about it, and he told
me - beginning the conversation, I must say, in a very excited
manner," said Hubert, parenthetically, as memory recalled the
furious shaking he had undergone - "and he told me he fancied you
were abducted, and by one Count L'Estrange. Now I had a hazy
idea who Count L'Estrange was, and where he would be most apt to
take you to; and so I came here, and after some searching, more
inquiring, and a few unmitigated falsehoods (you'll regret to
hear), discovered you were locked up in this place, and succeeded
in getting in through the window. Sir Norman is waiting for me
in a state of distraction so now, having found you, I will go and
relieve his mind by reporting accordingly."
"And leave me here?" cried Leoline, in affright, "and in the
power of Count L'Estrange? Oh! no, no! You must take me with
you, Hubert!"
"My dear Leoline, it is quite impossible to do it without help,
and without a ladder. I will return to Sir Norman; and when the
darkness comes that precedes day-dawn, we will raise the ladder
to your window, and try to get you out. Be patient - only wait
an hour or two, and then you will be free."
"But, O Hubert, where am I? What dreadful place it this?" .
"Why, I do
conceived a rash and inordinate attack of love at first sight,
and was about to offer herself to him and discard Sir Norman for
ever. From this speculation, the sweet voice aroused him.
"You have told me who you are. Now, do you know who I am?"
"I hope so, fairest Leoline. I know you are the most beautiful
lady in England, and to-morrow will be called Lady Kingsley!"
"I am something more," said Leoline, holding his hand between
both hers, and bending near him; " I am your sister!"
The Earl of Rochester's page must have had good blood in his
veins; for never was there duke, grandee, or peer of the realm,
more radically and unaffectedly nonchalant than he. To this
unexpected announcement he listened with most dignified and
well-bred composure, and in his secret heart, or rather vanity,
more disappointed than otherwise, to find his first solution of
her tenderness a great mistake. Leoline held his hand tight in
hers, and looked with loving and tearful eyes in his face.
"Dear Hubert, you are my brother - my long-unknown brother, and I
love you with my whole heart!"
"Am I?" said Hubert. "I dare say I am, for they all say we look
as much alike as two peas. I am excessively delighted to hear
it, and to know that you love me. Permit me to embrace my new
relative."
With which the court page kissed Leoline with emphasis, while she
scarcely knew whether to laugh, cry, or be provoked at his
composure. On the whole, she did a little of all three, and
pushed him away with a halt pout.
"You insensible mortal! How can you stand there and hear that
you have found a sister with so much indifference?"
"Indifferent? Not I! You have no idea how wildly excited I am!"
said Hubert, in a voice not betokening the slightest emotion.
"How did you find it out, Leoline?"
"Never mind! I shall tell you that again. You don't doubt it, I
hope?"
"Of course not! I knew from the first moment I set eyes on you,
that if you were not my sister, you ought to be! I wish you'd
tell me all the particulars, Leoline."
"I shall do so as soon as I am out of this; but how can I tell
you anything here?"
"That's true!" said Hubert, reflectively. "Well, I'll wait.
Now, don't you wonder how I found you out, and came here?"
"Indeed I do. How was it, Hubert?"
"Oh, well, I don't know as I can altogether tell you; but you
see, Sir Norman Kingsley being possessed of an inspiration that
something was happening to you, came to your house a short time
ago, and, as he suspected, discovered that you were missing. I
met him there, rather depressed in his mind about it, and he told
me - beginning the conversation, I must say, in a very excited
manner," said Hubert, parenthetically, as memory recalled the
furious shaking he had undergone - "and he told me he fancied you
were abducted, and by one Count L'Estrange. Now I had a hazy
idea who Count L'Estrange was, and where he would be most apt to
take you to; and so I came here, and after some searching, more
inquiring, and a few unmitigated falsehoods (you'll regret to
hear), discovered you were locked up in this place, and succeeded
in getting in through the window. Sir Norman is waiting for me
in a state of distraction so now, having found you, I will go and
relieve his mind by reporting accordingly."
"And leave me here?" cried Leoline, in affright, "and in the
power of Count L'Estrange? Oh! no, no! You must take me with
you, Hubert!"
"My dear Leoline, it is quite impossible to do it without help,
and without a ladder. I will return to Sir Norman; and when the
darkness comes that precedes day-dawn, we will raise the ladder
to your window, and try to get you out. Be patient - only wait
an hour or two, and then you will be free."
"But, O Hubert, where am I? What dreadful place it this?" .
"Why, I do