The Lost Lady of LoneSouthworth, Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte
General
The Lost Lady of Lone
Southworth, Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte
Fiction
The recognition was mutual, instantaneous and complete. Yet both were
gravely self-possessed, and addressed each other as if they had never met
before.
Then the banker called the attention of the young lady by his side:
"My daughter."
She raised her eyes and saw before her the idol of her secret worship,
knowing him by his portrait at Lone. She paled and flushed, while her
father, with old-fashioned formality, was saying:
"My daughter, let me introduce to your acquaintance, Mr. John Scott of
the _National Liberator_. You have read and admired his articles
under the signature of Justus, you know!--Mr. Scott, my daughter, Miss
Levison."
Both bowed gravely, and as they looked up their eyes met in one swift
and swiftly withdrawn glance.
And before a word could be exchanged between them the doors were thrown
open and the butler announced:
"My lady is served."
"Sir Lemuel, will you give your arm to Lady ----, and allow me to take
Miss Levison in to dinner?" said the noble host, drawing the young lady's
hand within his arm.
"Mr. John Scott" took in Lady Belgrave.
At dinner Miss Levison found herself seated nearly opposite to the young
marquis. She could not watch him, she could not even lift her eyes to his
face, but she could not chose but listen to every syllable that fell from
his lips. It was the cue of some of the leading politicians present to
draw out this young apostle of the reform cause. And of course they
proceeded to do it.
The young journalist, modest and reserved at first, as became a disciple
in the presence of the leaders of the great cause, gradually grew more
communicative, then animated, then eloquent.
Among his hearers, none listened with a deeper interest than Salome
Levison. Although he did not address one syllable of his conversation
to her, nor cast one glance of his eyes upon her, yet she hung upon his
words as though they had been the oracles of a prophet.
If the high ideal honor and reverence in which she held him, could have
been increased by any circumstance, it must have been from the sentiments
expressed, the principles declared in his discourse.
She saw before her, not only the loyal son, who had sacrificed himself
to save his father, but she saw also in him the reformer, enlightener,
educator and benefactor of his race and age.
Of all the men she had met in the great world of society, during the
three years that she had been "out," she had not found his equal, either
in manly beauty and dignity, or in moral and intellectual excellence.
_His_ brow needs no ducal coronet to ennoble it! _His_ name
needs no title to illustrate it. The "princely Hereward!" "If all the men
of his race resembled him, they well deserved this popular soubriquet.
And whether this gentleman calls himself Mr. Scott or Lord Arondelle,
I shall think of him only as the 'princely Hereward.'" mused Salome, as
she sat and listened to the music of his voice, and the wisdom of his
words.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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