The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 221: what you’re looking at

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

BZ of tu-day——Oh! Christina, you would heve awekened me from a dream—you would have aroused me to my senses! But no, no—you did it not! I told you that I lowed you—you knew it—T]I even went so far as to deoclage that all my hopes of happiness were concentrated in the idea the one idea that you might yet become my own adored and cherished wife; and you did not tell me that you loyed another! It is truo that you answered me with what methought was a becom- in~ maiden dignity—and I loved you all the more cenderly for it. But still ther8 was something in your manner, Christina, which at that: time bade ue hope——” “No, my lord—no!” vehemently interrupted the young rfaiden, who had hitherto listened with the reader may conceive how much distress and anguish of mind to that long and passionately de- livered speech, which was full of accusations that her senee of maidenly propriety would not permit her to explain away. . “Qhb, but it was so, Christina!” exclaimed Mere- dith, terribly excited. “ But if not then, what o last night? Think you that when tho firet word of allusion to this maddening, despairing love of mine had fallen from my lips,—think you, I ask, whether my speech would nat have been checked if you, with that candour which I[ fancied you to possess, had at once told me that you loved an- otherP Oh! Christina, it was not well of you. My God! bow much have I suffered on your ac- count !—and to be rewarded thus! If you loved me not, it was your duty to prociaim that fact. Tu keep it back, was to bid me hope! It was worse, —it was playing the part of a coquette |—it was heartless—it was wrong!” Overwhelmed with these reproaches — half- believing them to be just so long as Meredith remained under his present impressions in respect to the circumstances of hey being seen with Cap- tain Stanley—balf. resentful, om the other hand, at the bitter accusations thus hurled against her— yearning to explain everything, yet daring not to pronounce the words “I do not love another,” fer fear they should be taken as theeavowal of “TI love you,”— distressed and bewildered—wanting to say something, yet knowing not what to say—anxious to fly from the spot, yet transfixed there by the power of her feelings,—Christina keant against a tree for support; and the tears flowed thick and fast from her eyes. : “Oh! now you weep,” exclaimed Meredith. * ‘Weep on, false-hearted girl! An hour ago every tear you are at present shedding would ha-e fallen like a drop of molten lead upon my heart, and I should have gone mad with grief! But now it does me good to see you weep, and to know that I have wrung those tears from your eyes! Ah, I envy not the man who will conduct you to the altar, deceiver that you are! Until withiu the hour that is passing, I would haVe staked my soul on your candour—your truthfulneso! My God, bow I should have been deceived! It would have been selling this soul of mine to Satan—and you, perfidious girl, the cause} Ah, though I am marriced—and it was asa married man that I Gared love you, Christina—you know not the heart with which you have trifled, and which you have broken! ‘Yet I will not curse you——No! ten thousand times no! 1 bless you, Christina |—and weirs THE MYSTEBIRS OF THE UOURT. may God grant you with annther ali that happi- ness which, if circumstances permitted, it would have been my pride and joy te easure you !” The young notleran made ea hasty movement as if to turn absuptly away. Christina, on her part, made a movsinent as if about tu apeak: but she could not give utterance toa word. (fis excite- ment was moderating into a profound mournful- ness: her distrees and anguish of mind were rising into a terrible excitement. * Yet one word more!” he said, for an instant arresting his own steps; “and I have done! For- give me that I blamed you—pardon me that lL reproached you! I have been too vehement—too impetuous! I was wrong, Obristina, — I was wrong! But my feelings hurried me away. Once more—and for the ‘ast time, do I pray heaven to award you its blessing! Yces—may you be happy and blest !” With these words Lord Octavian disappeared from Christina’s presence. She started forward : his name was at the very tip of her tongue: she was about to call him back: but with such an eflort of fortituge as only the purest-minded and most virtuous being could have commanded under such circumstances, she rostrained herself—the name was not spoken—and he reappeared so¢ in her presence. . “Yes—it is better as ite is,” thought Christina to herself. ‘‘ Let him fancy that I love another! —it will all the more easily wean him from that infatuation which has well nigh produced such fatal effects upon the amiable Zoe!”’ And now, in a frame of mind that was fraught with a marvellous calmness—with all the pious resignation of a self-sacrificing, self-martyrieing spirit—Christina Ashton re-entered the villa. Lord Octavian Meredith hastened homeward, riding as if he were a madman mounted upon a mad steed. On gaining the more frequented parts of the town, he dashed amidst the vehicles with a recklessness which made every one who peleld him think fhat he was intoxicated with wine. Nevertheless, he reached his home ia safety. Springing from his horse, he tossed the bridle to the domestic, who was half astonished and half frightened at his master’s appearance: but Meredith saw not the effect which his strangely wild excite- ment produced. He rushed into the huuse : he sum- moned his valet, and gave immediate ordors for his clothes to be packed up and for the carriage to be got in readiness, as he intended to start by the night train for Dover. The valet was as astonished as the other domestic had been; and yet he knew his master too well to suppose for an instant that he had been drinking. He therefore thought that some sudden calamity, or else some serious indis- cretion, must have driven Lord Octavian Meredith to the resolve of this precipitate departure. In order to lead Octavian, if possible, into conversa- tion, the valet inquired, with every appearance of - completest deference, whether his lordsbip did not intend to ee Mr. Armitage before he took his de- parture ? “ No—it is not necessary :” replied Meredith petulantiy. “I will leave a note, to be sent to him to-morrow. Hasten you to get everything in readiness: prepare your own things likewise, for you will accompany me.” Having thus spoken, Octavian bastwned to the q , eee COLUM LOAO© SS (CO)