The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties (Volume 1 of 5)Burney, Fanny
History
The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties (Volume 1 of 5)
Burney, Fanny
France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799 -- Refugees -- Fiction; Historical fiction; Refugees -- Fiction; War stories
Meantime, most of the other inhabitants of the house, were engaged by
studying their parts for the intended representation, which so
completely occupied some by choice, and others by complaisance, or
necessity, that no visit or excursion was made abroad, till several days
after their arrival at Lewes. Mrs Maple then, with her whole party,
accepted an invitation to dine and spend the evening with the family of
their principal actress, Miss Arbe; but a sudden indisposition with
which that lady was seized after dinner, forced them home again early in
the evening. Their return being unexpected, the servants were all out,
or out of the way, but, entering by a door leading from the garden,
which they found open, they were struck with the sound of music. They
stopped, and distinctly heard a harp; they listened, and found that it
was played with uncommon ability.
''Tis my harp!' cried Selina, 'I am sure of that!'
'Your harp?' said Mrs Maple; 'why who can be playing it?'
'Hist! dear ladies,' said Harleigh; ''tis some exquisite performer.'
'It must be Lady Kendover, then,' said Mrs Maple, 'for nobody else comes
to our house that plays the harp.'
A new movement was now begun; it was slow and pathetic, and played with
so much taste and expression, though mixed with bursts of rapid
execution, that the whole auditory was equally charmed and surprized;
and every one, Mrs Maple herself not excepted, with uplifted finger
seemed to beseech attention from the rest.
An Arpeggio succeeded, followed by an air, which produced, alternately,
tones sweet, yet penetrating, of touching pathos or impassioned
animation; and announced a performer whom nature had gifted with her
finest feelings, to second, or rather to meet the soul-pervading
refinements of skilful art.
When the voice ceased, the harp was still heard; but some sounds made by
an involuntary, though restrained tribute of general approbation,
apparently found their way to the drawing-room, where it was played; for
suddenly it stopped, the instrument seemed hastily to be put away, and
some one was precipitately in motion.
Every body then hastened up stairs; but before they could reach the
landing-place, a female figure, which they all instantly recognized for
that of the unknown young woman, glided out of the drawing-room, and,
with the quick motion of fear, ran up another flight of stairs.
'Amazing!' cried Mrs Maple, stopping short; 'could any body have
credited assurance such as this? That bold young stroller has been
obtruding herself into my drawing-room, to hear Lady Kendover play!'
Harleigh, who had contrived to be the first to enter the apartment, now
returned to the door, and, with a smile of the most animated pleasure,
said, 'No one is here!--Not a creature!'
His tone and air spoke more than his words, and, to the quick
conceptions of Elinor, pronounced: This divine singer, whom you were all
ready to worship, is no other than the lonely Wanderer whom you were all
ready to condemn!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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