The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 328: what you’re looking at

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

a a THE trySTLRIES i ee ee ee handsome pair scarcely noticed that a single second had elapsed since last they spoke. “Tell me, my swect Laura,” at length said the Count, toying with the glossy and fragrant trasses of her hair,—-“ tell mo what meant certain vrords which you addressed to me on that evening when I wes first blessed with your kindness. You do- clared that you could not marry me, although vou were not married—that you could not be my mis- tress, although you were not the mistress of another —and that you could not hold out any hope to me, although you were pledged to no other man.” “That language, apparently so mysterious, iseasily explained,” said Laura, forcing a deep blush into ber cheeks as she spoke, and Winding one of her snow-waite and naked arms round her lover’s neck, so that the contact of the firm warm flesh against his check sent the blood rushing through his veins in boiling currents, “TI had abandoned myself to you in a moment of caprico—no, of weakness—of passion, which I could not subdue: I had yielded to an invincible impulse, not knowing its nature, and not waiting to ask myself the question. But When you had been with me a short time, I felt that I could love you—ycs—dceply, tenderly love you; and as I fancied that, even though you protested the contrary, you could entertain no lasting affection for me, but on the other hand would soon regret any hastily and rashly-formed connexion, I was re- solved not to place my own heart in jeopardy, nor incur the risk of loving woll and then sustaining a crucl disappointment. For I feared that you ad- dressed me in an impassioned tone only because you wore labouring under tho dolirium of passing excitement and strong though evanescent feelings, Thus was it, then—for my own sake—that I spoke mystcriously to you, in order to convince you of the necessity of seeing me no more. But now, my Lorenzo—now, that you have had sereral days to reflect upon the proposal which you then made me —now that I have received such uncquivocal proofs of your love, and that I no longer fear lest you should bo acting in obedience to a sudden impulse, —-oh! now, I say, I can hesitate no longer—and I will become your wife !” ; Lhe Count of Carignano drank in tho delicious poison of her words until his very soul was intosi- cated; and loving so well as did this generous- hearted, ccnfiding young man, ho paused not for an instant to demand of himself whother ho were loving wisely, But lie was contented to risk all and cvery- thing,—happiness—honour—famc—and namec,—in this marriage upon which ho had set his mind :—he longed—ho burnt—ho craved to possess Laura alto- gether—to have her to himself ;—and he felt jealous of all the rest of tho world until the nuptial knot should have been tied. It isin this humour and in such a temperament that tho highest peer will marry an actross, who would jump at an offer to become his pensioned mistress for a fow hundreds a-year, And Lanra—what was passing in her mind2 The readers may casily conceive: and yet, lest there should be ono or two of imaginations 50 opaquo as not to be able to divino her thoughts, we will de- scribe them as succinctly as possible. She had run down tho institution of marriago when in conversation with tho Marquis of Delmour, because she knew that he was already bound in matrimonial bonds, and that she thercforo could rot become his wifo. The result was that she was . “. woaewe 325 enabled to consent to bccomo his mistress with much less apparent violation of decency, and with- out tho risk of shocking his feelings. And his mistress she would have become, as she indeed pro- mised, had not the arrival of the Count of Carignano turned her thoughts into an entirely new channel, and placed her intorests altogether ina new light. From the moment that hoannounced his title and his wealth, Laura resolved to throw the poor Marquis of Delmonr overboard and accept the proposals of the Italian noblomen. In fact, Fortune appearcd to favour Laura mar- vellously. Erc now she had beholden a coroncs at the end of a vista of some years: in hor musings, sho had said, “ Tho Marquis will be worth two hundred thousand pounds to mo: and then I may espouse a peer of high tities!” Such was her ambitions spe- culation previously to tho arrival of Lorenzo: and now, sinco he had come, she no longer need pass through the apprenticeship of mistress to one noble- man in order to become the wifo of another. No— a coronct was within her grasp: afew days—a few hours might behold her Countess of Carignano,— with a husband of whom sho could not but be proud, and not with an animated corpse bound to her side, Iicre was another triumph for Laura—another cause of glorification in the possession of those matchless charms which thus captivated so hastily and triumphed s0 effeefually. Within a few short weeks she had seen Charles Hatfield—tho Marquis of Delmour—and the Count of Carignano at hor fect. The first and last had enjoyed her favours: the second was in anticipation of them—and, in that enticipation, had paid sixty thousand pounds. To tho first sho was wedded—and their marriage was @sccret:+to the last she had consented to bo allicd —and their union would be proclaimed to all the world ! Oh! associated with all theso reflections, were triumphs—glorious triumphs for Laura Mortimer; and as those thoughts rushed through her mind, as she lay half embraced in the arms of the fond and doting Italian nobleman, the delicious rosiness of animation spread over her cheoks, and kindred fires flashed from under her long silken lashes. ‘Tow beautiful art thou, my adored onc!” ex- claimed Carignano, as he contemplated tho glorious Jovelincss of her looks: and then he pressed his lips to that mouth which was so voluptuously formed, and which rather resembled a luscions fruit than anything belonging to human shape. “Oh! how I long to call thee mine—to know tbat thou art indissolubly linked tome! Butsay—tell mo— wheu shall this happy, happy union take placo?— whon wilt thou accompany mo to the altar ?” “Let us depart for England without dolay, my dearest Lorenzo,” murmured Laura, lavishing upon him the most tonder caresses; “and there—in London—our marriage can be celebrated immedi- ately after our arrival, lave you any tie—and business on hand to retain you in Paris ?” “None in the world,” was the answer: “any even if I had, everything should give place to the accomplishment of my felicity aud the fulfilment of your wishes.”’ “Then let us take our departure as early as con- venient to-morrow morning,” said Laura. “And we shall not separate in the meantime 2?” observed the young Count, straining the syren to his breast. Or LONDON, (C(O) (C DOO SS (SO)