The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 225: what you’re looking at

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

ER Ee a erty ere. 218 “Nover in my life did 1 behold so beauteous a creature as Miss aura Mortimer, an Inglish lady whom I met at the soirée last evening, Whiata pity itis that sho cannot talk Trench: how sweet would our language sound when wafted by such a melodious voice! It is, however, fortunate that J myself understand the English tongue, or ] should have been debarred tho pleasure of exchanging a sylable with that houri, Hourt! Mahommed never dreamt of such a glorious creature! IJfer hair is of the richest brown that [ over saw—glossy, Inxu- riant, and shining: her forchead is of a height and width deserving to sustain q queenly dindem; and her eyes, large and brilliant, are of a dark grey when looked into attentively, but seem to bo of a deeper hue to the casual observer, Then her teeth—never wore beheld such pearls! But her form—her figure —oh, it were impossible to find words to describe the charms of that magnificent shape! <A critic, having the ancient models of classic female beauty in his mind, would perhaps pronounce her bust to be in proportions too voluptuons: but let him con- template that graceful slope of the shoulders—the arching of the swan-like nccu—the fine expansion of the chest—the perfect roundness of the bosom—the just symmetry of the waist—and the dazcling white- ness of the charms revealed by the low corsage of the evening toilotte—let the admirer of ancient models behold all this, and he will soon confers that he would have nothing changed in the cantours of Laura Mortimer’s figure. Oh! rhe was indeed hea- venly in her clegant, but tacteful atjire; and the lustre of her exes ontvded the brillianey of her dia- monds. But, in additi¢n to her faultless beauty, ethere is about ber an air of virgin freshness that indicates a mind pure and untainted ; though, at the sane time, it is «easy to peresive that Lanra Morti- mer is no inexperienced girl, She fe,an the con- trary, a young woman of fine datelleet, proud soul, and independent spirit energetic, without tring macculine—firm, vet endawed with all the natural roftness of her eex. That her passions are stron and her disposition even sensual, you may read in her cyes and In the lineaments of her aquiline countenance ;—but that an honest pride enables her to put 8 curb upon her ardent imagination, is equally certain, Ifappy will be the man who shall win so inestimable a prize!” “Tounderstand,’” snother enthusiastic admirer would observe, “that she is possecerd of a fine pro- perty. Herdeceaced father, 1am told, was a wealthy nabob; and she expects her mother shortly to join her in Paris. Lhe old lady has pone to England to make certain transfers from the Jritish to the French funds, in behatfof her daughter, Miss Mor- timer is decidedly the most charming creature that ever burst thus suddenly upon the dazzled sight of the fashionable world In Paris. Ol! how I envy the professor of music who gives her Jessons, and the artist who is painting her portrait! Never could I grow weary of contemplating that splendid coun- tennnee, or of Jistening to that voico ro full of melody t" In a word, within a very few days from the time when she took the handsome suite of apartments in the Rue Monthabor, Laura beeame the topic of conversation amongst all the nobles and gentte- men, Irench or forcign, in the fashionable quarters of Paris; and those who heard the praiscaso lavishly bestowed upon her by the envied few that lind al- ready formed her acquaintance, longed to be pre- conted to this goddess of benuty! ed PHE MYSTERIES OF LONDON. Onc danger she incurred—and of this sho was sensible: it consisted in the fact that the persons belonging to the hotel where sho and Charles Hat- field had at first put up, and likewise the British chaplain and his clerk, were aware that sho was married! But she calculated that the chances of detection er exposure at their hands were very in- significant and scarcely worth a thought: for even though any of the parties alluded to should mect and recognise her, they would believe themselves to bo mistaken in respect to the identity of Laura Mortimer with Perdita Hatfield. Besides, Paris was avery large city; and months might elapse before such 2 meoting or recognition took place; and in the meantime she hoped to have so successfully conducted her intrigues as to be able to return to Jingland in complete Independence of her couven- tion with Mr. Hatfield, Ie was on the sixth morning after Laura had taken up her abode in the Rue Monthabor that she sawa paragraph in Galiqnant’s Messenger, the Eng- lish journal published in Paris, announcing that VisSovercign Vlighness the Grand Dake of Castel- cfealn, who had just succeeded to that lofty rank In consequences of his father-in-law’s demise, had arrived on tho preeeding evening in the French capital, on his way to [taly. he article, in the usnal fulsome manner, stated that his Sovercipn Highness intended to remain one day in Paris, in order to have a private Interview with the King o! the French; and the journalist proceeded to give a list of the noblemen and gentlemen composing the suite of the Grand Duoke. In that category there was one English name j;—and that mame was CHARLES HATIIELD ! “Charles Hatheld 1" exclaimed Lanra,in astonish- ment, and scarcely able to believe the evidence of her own eyes; but a second reference to the para- graph assured her that she had Indeed made no mistake, "Ah! Teomprebend,” she murmured to bersotf, as she Iaid the paper upon the breakfast table, at which she was seateds ‘ this is the course that his stern father has adopted in order to throw him amidet new ceenes, and remove him afar from the meridiau of London as well as from that of Paris! eds to be sent into a species of ostracism in Italy, until be shall have been weaned from the lingering affection he entertains for mes” Thus reasoning within herself, Laura roso from the sofa whereon she had been reclining, and ap- proached a mirror, on whose bright and polished surface sho beheld the glorious reflection of her countenance,—that countenance which was now radiant with the triumph that filled her soul, “Yes,” she murmured to herself, as she still continued to surrey her image in the glass,—“ his father is afraid that he will yet fly back tomy arms —-afratd that the magic of my beauty may once more draw him within the sphere of its influence 1” AS these thoughts pacsed through her brain, her cout was filled with an ineffable exultation ;—for she marked the flashing of her fine eyes, and tho daz- zling brilliancy of the teoth that appeared like pearls set between two rubies,—marked also the glow & rich carnation on her checks, in such striking con. trast to tho alabaster shoulders and swelling bosom whiter than Parian marble, and which, according to a habit produced by the natural soluptuousness of her temperamont, were purposely left more than half exposed even when she was alone;—all those beauties—her own transcendent beauties—sho be- COA GIOOKS (SO)