The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 349: what you’re looking at

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

J36 Parliamen$: but having been compelled to visit India, he had at the time given up his senatonal duties, and since hie return from the Hast hard found no opportunity of resuming them. When the party assembled at Oaklands, Captain Stanley began to think that the time had now arrived when he might with propriety afford indi- cations that he aspired to Christina’s hand. The nuptials of the young Duke were approsching— the period for mourning was expiring—there was gaiety at the ducal country seat sand Stanley con- sidered that it was no longer necessary to veil bis feelings towards Christina so studiously as he had hitherto done. Be it understood that he was utterly unacquainted with everything that had | passed between herself and Lord Octavian Mere- dith: he knew not that her affections had ever been in the slightest.degree engaged ; and though he had aa yet no reasen to flatter higiself that he had made any impression. upon ber heart, be overs theless imagined the field to be fairly open for ac honourable courtehip. Ha reflected, howevey, that a lady of Christéfia’s renk—the sister of a Dake— miglit well aspire to 9 lofty alliance; and that both she and her might look forward to the time when am aristocratic noronets might by mar- riage grece: bes brows. Bat on the other hand Robert Stanley likewise knew’ that Obrisfina had no ambition; and that where she fixed her effeo- tions, she would bestow her hand: He was like- wise aware that her brother would consult her hap- piness rather than her interests in @ more worldly sense; and thus he had 20 fear that his addresses would be repudiated on the ground that Lady Obristina Vivian aimed at a loftier alliance. It was on the aecond morning after the arrival of the party at Osklands, that Christina rose early and rambled forth. by herself in the grounds. The spring season was yielding te the warmer influence of summer: nature was all, dmiling eround ber : the spacious gardene were embellished with the choicest floral beauties=—the birds were cerolling blithely in the treae—the fountains were catchip in their crystal jets the beams of the orient sul. The dew was still the grav: there was a eweet freshness in the air; and the young lady felt her epirite rise ae she passed through those beau- tedits grounds belonging to the imofeng domain that owned the lordship of her brother. Proceed- ing beyond the gardens, she entered the fields—edd inseneibly continued her ramble fartber than she had intended when first setting out. Presently she reached a stile, at which point she halted to survey the undulating landscape that lay beyond --when all of a sudden so strange a figure emerged from behind the hedge that Lady Christina was startled, and almost offrighted. This was a tall woman whose emaciated frame was wrapped in the rage of beggary. In reality she was not forty years of age :ebut she looked at least fifty—so terrible were the ravages which houseless wanderings, care, misery, aud priyation had made upon her. She was emaciated to such a that there seemed to be naught but skin upon her bones: her cheeks had fallen in—her eyes ware deeply set in their cavernuus sovkets— and her hair was griasled. In respect to garments «if were rags could be sv denominated—they wer3 But therm was not only misery expressed in the juss eufficient for the purposes of deceney. | THY MYSTERIES OF THE OOURT. appearance of this creature ; there was also a cer- tain wildness of look which bespoke incipient maa- ness or else a desperation. But there was atill in her dark eyes a remnant of the light whieb bad belonged to them in other days s—and when, on so suddenly etarting up from bebind the hedge, she flung her glances on Christina, there was some- thing which eppeared so threatening in them that it was no wonder if the young lmiy felt still more frightened than she even was at first. Christina flung e look around ; she was at a con- siderable distance from the mansion ; and no other human being but this horrible woman was within sight. Christina was smitten with the sdread of being exposed to the fury of some dangerous lunatio; and though by no means inclined to childish terrors, yet sne could not help wishing that she bad not wandered so far from home. It was however asemuch from charitable motives as from this feeling of apprehension that Christina hastily thrust her hand into her pocket to draw forth her* purse ; and taking thence two or three pieces of silver, she proffered them to the woman. But,in so déing she showed that her purse con- tained gold as well: and on raising her looks to» wards the wretched stranger’s countenance, her fears were all revived or rather most poignantly enhanced at the manner in which the woman was now surveying her. “You belong to that proud mansion,” said the woman; “and you are Lady Christina Vivian. You kaow not how much both you and your brother are indebted to me for the recovery of your rights. But if you did know it, you would not offer me—or at least you ought not to offer me those miserable silver coins when your purse con- tains so much gold |” “Who can you possibly be,” asked Obristina in astonishment, “that you in any way contributed to the results of which you have spoken? ‘Show me that you really did what you proclaime-——” “ Ah, I spoke-foolishly |” ejaculated the woman : “it is not for me to tell you wholIam. But by my appearance you can judge enough,” she con- tinued, with deep concentrated bitterness, “ tos understand that Iam not amongst the fortunate ones of this life. For months past I have endured sufficien$ misery to crush the very life out of me,— a misery eo great that if ite amount were divided ameugst a dosen different people, the proportion would atill be intolerable for each! ‘How oftes think you, y~ung lady, that within those months of which I am speaking I have closed my eyes in rest beneath a sheltering roof? How often, think you, that I have sunk down exhausted beneath hedges or hayetacks—or dragged myself painfully through’ fields or along roade the live-long night ? And during the whole winter how much frightful wretchedness do you think has been mine? But no matter! You rich and great ones think little of the sufferings of your fellow-creatures-———” “This is not altogether true,” answered Chris- tina, gently and compassionately. “I can with- out the imputation of vanity or unmerited self. applause declare that never has either my brother or myself become aware of a case of distress with- out alleviating it.” ° “Then give me that gold!” cried the woman sharply, —“ that gold which is in your purse! You never knew a case of distress so bitter as mine! ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)