The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 354: what you’re looking at

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

a | ee THS MYSTERIES GF THE COURT. 941 Gecree that you should choose a husband from _ amidst the present circle of your acquaintance, CHAPTER CLIL ° your choice would fall upon RoBert Stanley? Yes ; -~you do not deny that it would be so! Let him £28 MAIDENS BRIDGE. therefore stady to win your affections: let bim : not depart hence with the idea that there is no | [9 is along time since we spoke of the beantifal "hope for him! Tell me, sweet Christina, that it | Isabella Vincent, othepwise then by casual mention shall be as I now suggest;—and if the result} of her name. We must sow say afew words con. should prove in accordance with my expectations, | cerning her proceedings since she inherited the no secret shall be kept from bim—all the past | rast domains and riches of the Lascelles funily. shall be candidly confeséed—~and I have much| The reader caanoct have forgotten how eminently misread his character if the revelation will alter | she deserved that epithet beautijied which we have his sentiments towards you.” just applied to her—or how ali. worthy ché was to Christina reflected profdundly for some few | become the bride of the youthfal wearer of the moments; and then stfe said,—her countenance | Marchmont coronet. With a countenance that had brightening up with the resolve at which she had | exceeding sweetness of expression as well os fault- arrived,—“I see, my beloved brother, that you j less regularity of features—with the deep bive eyes wish me to pursue a partioular course; and I will | full of candeur and innocence, and shaded by their not throw a damp upon your own spirits by re- | thickly fringing leshee—with the brilliant trea- fusing compliance. When you entered this room | sparency of héy complexion, and the coftest tint of just now, you found me thoughtful. J was giving | the rose upon her cheeka-—and with the rich abun- way to regret--I may even add to semorse— | dance of the glossy dark brown hair showering in that a sentiment should have ever entered my | myriad ringlets upon her shoulders, che was indeed heart ——.” e . a being whom it was bliss to contemplate. When “ Of that, dearest sister,” interrupted Christian, | first we introduced her upon the «stege of our ‘we will speak no more! But on the other point, | story, there was & cartain eoft pensivences and what is your decision?” holy melancholy, so-to speak, apon Isebelia’s coun: “Captain Stanley,” replied Christina, “is all} tenance: but this expression hed now well high manly trankness, and must be dealt with in the | passed away—for naught bad she to war her hap- same spirit. If a hope must be encouraged in| piness. In «worldly point of view her's was a his mind, let him know the whole truth at once. | brilliant position; for she had domains and wealth But tell him, Ohristian—tell him,” added the | of her own, and she was about to be allied to ane young maiden, “that never did I willingly listen | who possessed still lerger domains and still greater to the language of love from Lord Octavian’s lips | wealth, and who could place a ducal coronet apon —that the sense of duty was ever paramount in| her brow. In the feelings of her own heart she my mind—and that never for a single instant did | was likewise blest: for she was to espouse him he receive encouragement, by look, word, or deed, | whom she had so fondly end faithfully loved ; and op my part. And now go to him at once !” she had the satisfaction of beholding the once ob- The brother again embraced the sister; and he | scure Christian Ashton now elevated to one of the hurried from her boudoir. He sought Captain | loftiest pedestals to which human ambitidn could Stanleye the explanations which be gave were} aspire to ascend. Looking back but for a eom- frank and complete. The young: officer now com- | paratively short space of time, Ieabella bebeld her- prehended wherefore Obristina had refused him | self a poor and humble dependant pea her upcle’s without at the time entering ifto explanations of | Jounty, inhabiting an obscure lodging, and ep- » her own accord and with her own lips: he under- | parently withéut a friend in the whole world. "| etood likewise why Ohristian bad himeelf appeared | Under such circumstances was it that she had first to hesitate when in the library his assent was | known him who was shortly to lead her to the altar. asked that he (Stanley) might psy his addresses to | She had, be@me rich before fortune smiled upon his sister. him ;” and her love had existed the eame :—not for Every exulting hope was resuscitated im the] @ single instant bad she hesitated to assure tho e Beart of the young officer; and he warmly ex- | poor and dependent Christian thas her chiofest joy pressed his gratitude for Christian’s intervention | in inhegiting wealth was that she might be en- on his behalf. The young Duke was not mistaken | abled to bestow it all upon him; and thus the in the estimate he had formed of his friend’s cha- | deepest gratitude bad become biended with the racter and disposition: for Robert Stanley expe- | love which he experienced for her. Then when rienced no diminution of his love for Christina | fortune suddenly showered its choideat gifte upon after all he had just heard. The young ‘Duke re- | Obristian’s bead, how rejoiced—Oh! how un- turned to his sister, who had remained in her | feignedly rejoiced was our young hero at hia ability boudoir; and with joy expressed upon his coun- | to prove that he was deserving of all thet love tenance, be exclaimed, “I have now every hope | which Icabelle had cberished for him. Thus, never that I shall at no distant time behold you the | had the day fixed for the bridal of any young couple approached under more auspicious circum: heide of Robert Stanley !” . stances: but before we arfive at the description of that bridal, it is neeessary to mention a few in- cidents of an anterior date. — . Isabella was at Ramsgate when the intelligenes reached her that the death of her cousin the young Earl of Lascelles and of her sunt, the Countess, ¢ her in possession of all the had wealth of the family to whioh she belonged. She ECOMMICOOOKS.EO