The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 251: what you’re looking at

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

aS A ee ee oy —e ee oe ee ee es ee ee eee eee convenicnced, as was the case with those of whom we afe now writing. The consegdence of the delay waa that the party hal to progéed to the villuze inn, winch was totally distiné fom the post-houxe. As a matte: uf COUFEC ' sdme refreshmenta were ordered ; but the Viscount Delormo expressed bis annoyance at the delay, as he naturally wished to get to the end of the day's journey, for the sake of tho ladies, who he wae afraid would be frightened to pass through tho forest as evening opproached, after the draud. ful tale told by Lord Octuvian Meredith. : “ T will go and see how long these horsvs are likely to be,” said tho Baron De Maryaux. And J algo will endeavour to urge them on at the post house,” said Lord Octavian Meredith. “J beg,” observed the Baron, “ that your Jord- ship will not give yourself the trouble : the renion- strance of ove will be sullient,” “On the contrary,” caclauued Meredith, “ it they eee that we are impatient they way ;ernaps hasten their arrangements to serve us; for theso deluys are truly scandaluus, when we consider that the laws do not aduut the alternativo of uptarmuy relay elsewhere.” “And yet methinks,” urged the Barun, “ that if I were to act alone in the matter, I might with more offect use that persuasivencss which is of a golden character :"—and he smiled signitican!ly as he tapped the pocket which might be suppused to contain the puree. “By all means do as you think fit,” said Octa- vian, with accurteous bow, which wae as much as to imply that he renounced bis intention of atvum- panying the Barun. “ Yee—I think,’’ ssid the notary, “that the Baron can manago the matter very well by him- self—tho moro especially as you, wy werd, aro a foreigner, to whom the puostmuster micht not be iuclined to show any extrw#ordinary attention.” * Rest assured that I wall du my best,” said the Baron De, Margaux: and he issued trom the Foow. Immediately after the dour had closed behifid a we er - him, Octavian said tu Zoe, in & hurried whisper, ' “Engage them in conversation for a few minutes, eo that they may not think my absence strange, nor immediately remark iv.” ‘ Lady Octavian did as she was defired; and her hueband atole furth trom the apartment. “Your friend tho Baron,” said Zoo gu the Vis- count Delorme, “appears to be even wore urpa- tivut of this delay than you yourself we. Le trusta to his powers of persuasion to abrido 1t as touch as possible ” “Yor, he is a man who is not tu be imposed upon by these public functionaries,’ answered tho Viscount. “You have known theo Baron a lon, time ?” said Zoe inquiringly. “Y first met him in Madrid about three years ago,” ahewered the Viscuunt. “Iie was then en- gaged to be married tu a youny lady of great Wealth and beauty, the daughter of an uld Liualgo. { know Abt how it happencd—but the match wus suddenty broken off : a great mystet pervaded the oircudetance— and the Buron bLimself vbserved the triotest silence upon the puint. 1t was however Renee TIE MYETRRIKS OF ME COMVHT. | that he bimeelf was the author of the rupture, While at Madrid, he rendered me an essential sere vice: for one night, when returning late from a party at the residence of sume French friends in that city, I was attacked by three or four raffians, who struck me down ecneclvss, When I returned to consciousness, tho Buon was bending over me: he had saved iny life from thuse miscreants: but unfortunately he had not oome up in time tu pre. vent them from makin; off with my pocket-bouk, which was full of bank-notes. It appears they wore about to despatch me at the instant the Baron so furtunately made his appearance.” “That is a service,” suid tho notary, “ which you can never forget,” * Assuradly nut,” answered tha Viscount De- lorme. “ We afterwards met m Barcolona: for T have travelled touch in Spain, and bave visited ail the principal cities and towns. 1 resided for some tnontia In the Catalonian capital; and the Baron wis thero “during the whole time. We dwelt at tho suine hotel —and we were both aliké sufferors frum # piece of villany that wad perpetrated in the estublishiwnt.” “And what was that P” asked the notary. “Thero was somo grand ecclesiastical procession one day,” cuntigued the Viscuunt, “ which absorbed Uliversal attention. The*hotel where we resided was deserted by its inmates, who were anxious to behold the ceremony, When I returned, 1 found that my trunks had been rifled of all their valu- ubles; and a considerable number of bank notes had been taken trom one of then. But my lose was cow paratively trivial when 1 came to learn that of the Buron De Margaux. MW41e trunks had likewise been pillaged, und ho lust a sum three uF four tines greater than that of which I was plun- dered. Two or threo other puests in the same estae bhishinent wero sinularly served; aud il was there- tore ovident that the thieves had wade the best of thew time durin the proeession.” “And were they never detected?” asked the nuotary’s wite. * Never,” rephied the Viscount. ‘On several subsequent occasions [ have mot the Barun J‘e Murgaux; but there 1s one to which I must espo- clally direct your attention, as we aro conversing on the sulject. Tuo scene was at Naples; and ono day ) was invited by a turcigu friend whom | met in that city, to avcompany him tu the rehearsals al the prand theatro La Scala. Thither we accodingly repaired; and there I again met my Jmeud the Baron “De Margaux. Having listened to tho singing, we romaimwed to witness the bullet; tand a3 it was a new one, the diréctor of the theatre bad according to custom ordered the dancers to upped iu precisely the same custume which they were to wear in the evening at the public per- formance. Amongst those dancers was one of | reat counener: she came in her earmagzo—she was attended by a couplo of Iady’s-maide; and ° whether it were out of Vanity, or whether 1t were for thy purposo of consultiny the ballet-inaster as tu the effects which would be produced by bedizen- ing hetself with gems, 1 know not: all 1 can say is that this celebrated danseuse brought wth her on the oocasion & casket of the most magnificent diumonds. Soe did not however put thei on for tippdsed by his friends that he had disevvered | the telieursal ; and they were left in hér dressing. omething prejutticial tu the lady’s character, and| rvom in thé care of her priveipy) lady's maid. enw @<- es = @Weaw a Sew . LOAO© in ( 7 SS (CO)