Vivian Grey/Volume 1/Chapter 2.7
CHAPTER VII.
EARLY RISING.
When Vivian retired to his room, he found a notellette on his dressing-case, which contained two lines. They were as follows:—"A walk on the Terrace before breakfast, is the fashion at Château Desir." The esprit of the note sufficiently indicated the authoress, even if the perfumed paper, and the diminutive French gem, with its piquant and peculiar motto, had allowed him, for an instant, to hesitate.
In spite of his travelling, and his champagne, and his sound sleep, Vivian rose early, and was on the Terrace at a most reasonable hour, at least for him: Mrs. Felix Lorraine was already there.
"I congratulate Mr. Grey," said the lady as she extended him a finger, "on being an early riser. Nothing is so vulgar as getting up late, Oh! what a pretty morning gown that is! and how nice your hair curls! and that velvet stock! why I declare you're quite a taste in costume? but it does not set quite right. There, that's better," said Mrs. Lorraine, adjusting the stock for him, "not much beard yet, I see; you must take care to have one before you're a—privy counsellor."
"I rejoice," said Vivian, "that I can in return sincerely compliment you on your own good taste in costume. That buckle is, of course, fresh from Berlin, or—Birmingham—it's all the same, you know, at least at Howell and James's; and of all things in the world, what I most admire, are your black velvet slippers! But, where s the Marquess?"
"Oh! we 're not very early honoured with the presence of the Marquess of Carabas in his own house."
"Why, what do you mean?"
"Oh! I mean nothing, except that the future minister never rises till noon—bad habits, Mr. Grey, for a man of business!"
"Bad habits, indeed! we must endeavour to cure him, now that he's going, as you say, to be a man of business."
"Oh, certainly! cure him by all means. He 'U give you, I don't doubt, plenty of occupation. I advise you regularly to reform the whole house. Your influence is so great, that you can do any thing with the Marquess. Well, I hope he'll behave better in future, for the Castle will be full in a few days. There are the Courtowns coming, and Sir Berdmore and Lady Scrope, and the Beaconsfields—all next week; and crowds of all sorts of people, whose names I forget, pawns in the great game of chess, which is to be played by Vivian Grey, Esq. and the most noble the Marquess of Carabas—against all England. There, there's the breakfast bell; I hope your appetite's good."