The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 143: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ee ad 186 ‘ TITHE MYSTERIES OF LONDON, word Hartley, and his ship will return in a few months to England. This most unexpected suc- cession to title and wealth, will smooth down all the difficulties which my mother has hitLerto inter- posed in the way of her daughter’s happiness; and who knows, Julia,’ added the marquis, smiling, ‘but that the two marriages may bo celebrated at the Bame time ?’/—' God grant that they may! oxclaimed the young milliner, with a strange emphasis; then, immediately afterwards she observed, ‘ For, beliove me, I have your sister’s happiness most sincorcly at heart.—' I shall not fail to tell Careine all you say,’ returned the marquis; ‘and she will bo pro- pared to love you the more tenderly. And now, dear Julia,’ he added, rising to depart, ‘ I must bid you farewoll for the present. The next time I call I shall give you due notice boforehand, so that you may have littlo Iarry here to seco mo, But permit me, bofore I depart, to request you to divest your- self by degrees of the business and occupations which linvo accumulated upon you. To speak plainly, you need receive no more work from any person; and you will permit my solicitor, Mr. Richardson, to supply you monthly with such sums aS you may require for your expenditure.’—All this was said by Lord Wilmington in so delicato yet tender 2 manner, that it increased Julia’s attach- ment to him, as well as her high esteem of his cha- racter; and they parted, more than ever pleased With each other, “Tu the afternoon, Julia was sitting at her work, pondoring upon all that had occurred, and scarcely able yet to convince herself that she was not a prey to some delusive vision, when Lady Carolinoe’s maid called with a note fiom her mistress, In this billet the fair patrician said, ‘ Aiy brother has told me all, dearest Julia; and believe me when I assure van, that tewillaford me wrfeigned delight to hail you as a ister. Never, never can I forget all your goodness towards min the hour of any bitter extremitu. But, for heaven's sake’ quard well my secret’ This in- junction, however, Inced scarcely give vou. And yet, there is one thing which now affects me; Us ts shall you not blush to acknowledge ME as your sister- in-law, since you are acquainted with my disgrace? My heart tells me that you commiserate and sympathize : butmy fears-—Oh' until Lreceive from youan assurance that may calm them—those fears are truly painfidl 1'— The gencrous Julia hastened to pen a reply, convey- ing in the tenderest terms the assurance Solicited ; and, having ascertained that the young lady was pro- yressing rapidly towards complete convalescence, she dismissed the maid with the Ietter entrusted to her, Three weeks, however, clapsed bofore Lady Caroline was sufficiently recovered to call upon hor friend Julia; aud then she came alone—for her mo- ther’s heart yearned to visit her child. Under the influence of this feeling, sho was moved to tears when sho learnt that every alternate day Miss Mur- ray had madc it a point to call at Mrs. Portor’s resi- dence and assure herself that the poor babo was duly eared fur. ‘This is another proof of your goodness, Julia!’ exclaimed Gady Caroline, falling upon her friend’s neck and weeping with mingled gratitude and joy. ‘They presently procecded together to the good woman's abode; and the young mother was charmed to find her child thriving to her heart’s best satisfaction. On the following day Lindy Caroline revisited Julia; but this time it was in company with her brother the Marquis ;— and little Harry was at home tosee them, You may suppose that the party wasabappy one; and it gave tho nobleman ineffable delight to observe that his sister and his intended wife were on the best pos- sible terms with cach other. But lie little suspected the tremendous secret that had thus cemented their friendship ;—and it cost poor Julia many a pang when she reflected that she was compelled to retain any secret atall from the knowledge of the generous man who reposed such confidence in her! There was howerer no help for it;—and yet Julia felt as if she were acting with blameable duplicity in veiling 2 circumstanco which for her friend’s sako, she would novertheless rather die than reveal; and after her noble visitors had taken their departure, she did not oxperionce that amount of happiness which, with her present brilliant prospects, sho knew she ought to enjoy. “IT must not dwell upon this portion of my nar. rative, Lict us suppose five months to havo passed away; during which period the marquis had been constant in his visits to Julia, but always in the company of his sister. So delicate was his be- haviour in respect to the reputation of his intended bride, that he avoided every chance of compromis- ing her; and although the neighbours saw a gentle- man, whose name they did not know, call] three times a-week upon the beautiful milliner, they never boheld him repair thither alone, Thus thero was no scope for scandal; and Julia’s conduct was always so circumspect as to prove a comploto anti- dote tocalumny. I shonld observo that during the fivo months mentioned, the attachment subsisting between the pair increased, and warmed into the most ardent love; and I must not forgot to state that Juady Carolino visited her child at Nes, Porter's house as frequently as she was able. Dut Julia seldom failed to call there every alternate day; and thus the rearing of the poor infant was strictly watched by its mother, and that mother's bosom friend. Sometimes Harry accompa- nied his sister in her walk to Mrs, Porter’s cottage; but the little fellow was always made to wait in one room while Julia was shown the baby in another —and thus the real motive of her visits there was unsuspected by him, Not that sho feared he would reveal any thing which he was enjoined to keep secret; but Julia belioved—and rightly be- liceved—that it was alike more prudent and delicate to leave him in total ignorance of the object which took her to the cottage, Thus time woro on, as I have already mentioned; and now I must romark that in compliance with tho wishos of Lord Wil- mington, Julia had by this time altogether ceased to receive work; but instead of drawing on the funds placed at her disposalin the hands of Mr, Richardson, she subsisted upon the sa ings which she had been enabled to accumulate. I mention al} these Jittle circumstances, to afford you as good an idea as I can convoy of the excel) onco of her dispo- sition, arid the total absence of selfishness from her character. In fact, theo more the marquis saw of her, the more ecnamoured of hor did he become, and the greater grew his admiration of her amiable qualities. It was therofore with joy the most un- teipned that he at length considered himself justified in fixing the day for tho bridal; and this ccremoy’y was sotticd to tako place precisoly on the completion of the six months from tho hour iu which he had offered her his hand. “While Julia was ocenpied in preparing her own wodding-dress, the Marquis busied himself in rendoy = — = ee ee: EConnicloooks (CO)