The Cecil Whig., 1871-03-11
THE WHITE CAMELLIA.
". AT THE OPERA.
A LONDON STORY.

A LONDON STORY.
". AT THE OPERA.
l determined to go to Maynard again,
and, luckily, on my way home 1 met him
at literary and artistic club of whice we
were both members.
He was smoking as usual and his first
remark was, "Well, old man, how goes it ?
GIVE just come from seeing her"
go! it's her again, is it?" l thought
you'd quite forgotten that affair."" he said,
laughingly.
"Then you've doomed to disappoint-
ment, my boy. I've just come from seeing
her out driving in the Park,-have seen
her several times, and it was glorious!'
"Ahi it was glorious, was it? And what
are you going to do next?'
"That's just what 1 want to know,-I
don't know what to do next Can you
advise me?"
"Throw yourself before the wheels of
her chariot, and when the heofs of her
naughty steeds are trampling out your
hearts blood, tell her how you love her." "
And Teddy, as he spoke, waved his cigar
as if the effort had been too much for him.
"Don't chaff me, please, but tell me
what I'm to do.''
Teddy, who is a capital fellow at heart,
looked serious for moment, and then
said:-
81 have it. Write to her!''
"Write to her?"
"1es."
"But I don't know her, and she II never
forgive such piece of impertinence.'
"Never mind. Risk it. He either
fears his fate too much you know the
rest,-that' S my advice. If you won't take
it, why the deuce did you ask me for it?
81 think l WILL said, musingly.
"That's right" said Teddy, encourag-
ingly. "Write and say who you are: l
wouldn't give your real name, but let her
know you re gentleman, and that if she
takes you she'll stand chance of being
Lady Harcourt some day. Say you don't
want to press matters till you can get a
formal introduction to her, and here he
stopped a moment-"ask her, if she's not
very angry with you, to be at the Opera on
some night in one week, when you'll go
every night it's open, and wear a white
camellia in your button hole. "There's s
your plan all cut and dried, and you're the
most ungratful fellow in the world if you
don't carry it out.''
l was rather staggered at the boldness of
this proposal, and went home, after having
thanked Teddy, proposing to think it over.
1t was indeed a mad scheme, not wilder,
though, than my wild search, after had
seen her photograph. And remember, l
madly, indeed, that could not be content
to wait until, by some happy occident, 1
met her in society and got introduced to
her. She might be engaged to some one
else in the interval, if even she were not
engaged already; she might even get mar
ried; and | was resolved at least to let her
know how strange and mad passion she
had inspired. A girl with such eyes, /
thought, must be romatic, and surely all
the romance of her nature would come to
my aid when she knew for how long l had
worshipped her photograph.
For two more days 1 watched her in the
Park, and then l determined to act upon
Teddy's advice. Not without some mis-
givings however, as to the romatic nature
of the proposal having any weight with
her; for on one occasion she was riding,
and was attended, not only by her father,
but by younger cavalier with whom she
seemed to be on very intimate terms, and
fancied that she was chatting him unmer-
cifully about something.
Our family were famous in old days for
acting without hesitation, when once a
course of action was decided upon, and l
letter, precisely in accordance with the
sagacious Teddy's instructions, was written
and despatched the next day. did not
give my own name, fearing Miss Vane's
indignation. Being anonymous, the letter
could do no harm if it fell into the hands
of any one who knew me. Of course she
would see me at the Opera; but thought
that, if she kept the appointment, she
would hardly be so base as to betray me.
There were four opera nights at Covent
Garden during the next week, and on one
Of these four occasions | implored her to
appear. l should be there with the white
letter-construe her attendance as sign
that she was not fatally angry with me,
and that l might seek an introduction to
her in some more Convenient and legitimate
manner.
1t was with beating heart that I took
my seat in a stall at the Opera on the first
of the appointed nights. l was absurdly
early, in my eagerness to be upon the
scene, and few persons but myself were in
the theatre. These | scanned carefully
through my opera-glass, and as the stalls
and boxes began to fill l devoted the whole
of my time to 4 scrutiny of their occupants
ICOplc near me Ill Ulle StallS must nave
wondered what made me so regardless o.
the music, and SO much on the alert wher
any newcomer appeared in the house.
was voted great barbarian, no doubt
with no soul for music, and my neighbor:
must have speculated what had brought
me to the Opera, since l had evidently MOI
come there to listen to the singing.
But my search was hopeless. l looked
in vain round the "glittering horse shoe, ,
that spread before me like rainbow.
saw many fair faces, many bright eye
bent earnestly upon the stage; golden
haired and dark haired beauties sat in snus
boxes, enthroned like queens, while atten
tive gentlemen, in irreproachable evening
dress, bent over them. But nowhere il
the great theatre could see the one fac,
that was engraven on my heart; on th'
first night, at all events, she had no
thought fit to come; and as my mint
dwclt on my disappointment, l was yer,
angry with myself for ever having takel
Teddy's advice, and having written m,
T i.