The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 52: what you’re looking at

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

en epee re elses ei seer naapseh-ysharesntnepcnns-yercese-=yustewsmene she had brought with her those memorials of her, with you over those momorials of the mother who deceased mother, which, through Chridtian, | died in your infancy! You love and revere her Me ted oxpressed a wich to behold? ‘+ Yea’ auawered our heroine, with a tone awd. look of tender sadness, as she produced a small casket of ogiontal workmanship, and which was one of the nutmerous gifts eke h&d received from the Princess of Indetabad. Mr. Redolfffe took the casket from her hand— and opened it with ‘as reverential en air as the twins themeclves could have displayed when pro- ecoding to the contemplation of memorials that so intimately eoncerned themselves. Firat hoe drew forth a long trees of raven hair—-a tress which we have described in an earlier ohapter of this narra- tive as ope that must have constitated part of a luxuriant mass which might havo formed the glory of a queen—eye, or the envy ef a queen !— and while he surveyed it with a long and earnest attention, the brother and sister ,instinctively wound their arms about each other's neck, and pressed each other's hand, as they exchanged looks of unspeakable fondness. Then Mr. Red- oliffe drew forth from the casket a beautiful gold watch of delicace fashion and exquisite urkmac- eh.p; and as he contemplated it, the tears trickled down bis cheeks. “ He feals for us,” whispered Christian to his sister: “this excellent “kind-hearted man—the most generous beneiactor we have ever knowg— feels for our orphan condition.” “ Yes—-Mr. Redcliffe can appréciate,” responded Ohristina, “ the feeliiigs with which you and I, dear brother, have been wont to gaze for hours and hours on the memorials of a mother who was enatched from us ere we had intelligence to com- prehend her loss {” OCiement Redcliffe now. opened another little packet which be took from the casket; and this packet contained two rings. Que has-been already described as a wedding-ring: the other, likewise a lady’s, was of no considerable value but of ex- qguisite workmanship. And now Mr. Redcliffe proceeded to the window with these two rings; and as he contemplated them, his back was turned to- wards the orphans. There he remained for at least five minutes—motionless as a statue—with his‘eyes evidently riveted upon the rings; and the orphans did not approach him. They still felt persuaded that in the goodness of his heart he was deeply touched gn their account, while surveying these relics of their long dead mother. ® It was altogether a soene of the most pathetic interest; and the tears were trickling down the beautifally handsome face of Obristian and the sweetly beau- tiful countenance of Ohristina. Mx. Redcliffe at length turned slowly away from the window. His complexion, which has been dlesoribed as being made up of sallowness bronzed with the sun, now appeared of a dead white: his face was.indeed g pale. That cold stern look wizich he habitually wore, and which was almost saturnine, chilling the beholder who-was’ unacous- tomed to it—bad totally disappeared, and wes sue- ‘seeded by.one of the melenckoly: but wes a mourdfulness that had eomethiag awfully meleum in &. Hoe advanced towards tho twins; end duking their bands -he valid, mm a vowe that wes ,wercaly audible, “My dear children-—for 22 euch | ween te dank upon you henssferth-—d-eun weep ® it} wamely, he as thetr memor ! never fail thus to cherish—thus to cling to itle-for it is sweet to think ofa de parted parent who is now a saint in heaven !” At the same moment the same idea struck the twins ;—Timultencously too ‘were their looks bens | in eager * inquiry upon Mr. Rodcliffe’s countenance : their samo moment to precively the same words. “Our mother--did you kuow her ?” Mr. Redoliffe turned acide—raised his hand to his brow—and for an instant seemed to stagger as if under the influence of a hurticane of memuries dweoping through his brain. The orphass wateh8d him with a still more geze—e still more anxious interest than before: for they felt as if they stood upon the threshold of hitherto unanti- cipated revealings. “'Yes—-I knew her,” slowly responded Mer. Redcliffe, again turning towards the brother and ister: “I inew your poor mother! It is this circumstance, my dear children, which inspires me with so vivid an interest on your behalf —— Bat you must ask me no questions at present—[I ean tell you, nothing more yet! The time may shortly come when———But do not press me now { Above all things, brvathe not a eyllable elsewhere of what has takey place between us! Let it be sufficient for you to know that in me you have found one who will watch over your interests— who will study your welfare—and who will be unto you both as a friend, a ian, and @ father |” Mr. Redcliffe folded the twins in his arms, and wept over them. They knolt at his feet, murmur- ing forth in broken voives the expressions of thvir gratitude: for it was sweet indeed—Ah, it was sweet for this youthful brother and sister to pos- sess the friendship, ye guardianship, and the love of one who had known their mother! Eo raised them up from their kneeliag posture: again he embraced them both; and then ‘elocking the casket, bo said to Ohristins, “Keep you these valuables, my dear girl, with the most seduious care !~—koep them, I say, not merely as the memo- vials of your deceased mother, but as objects which may sooner or later prove of importance in another sense.” » “Will you keep them for us?” asked both the twins, speaking as it were in the same breath. Mr. Redcliffo reflected for a monmnt: and then ho said, “ Yes, I will keep them!—but I hopo and trust it will only be for a short while that I may thus feel it safer to take charge of these valuables —and then shall they bo restored unto you. Ask me nothing more now—and let us turn the eon- versation upon other subjects.” ' up the casket in Mr. Reictiffe hastened to look a@ secure place ; arf -the remainder ‘ef the day was passed by himself and the orphans with that affvo- tionate and friendly intercourse which uaturally followed the scenes that had taken place, and the new light in which they respevtively stocd— thoy as the gratehd recipients of his ‘aon hia ‘bounty. lips gave utterance at the | een SpE ee ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)