The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

r nanan ta = eee = RS ea I a CE PT TES LEAS STP SCI ESM SI 5 mm AI I TS a ne A, aang Teeeeneaser* Se I _ THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 61 had been expecting, made her heart flutter once it is not in my nature to plant « dagger in such 8 more, and afforded her not the leisure for the | heart aseyour’s!”” moment to hold any conversation with her de-{ “Clement,” murmured Indora, “these words pendant, She hastily bade Segoonah introduce | from your lips ihfuse en unknown happiness into Mr. Redcliffe; and the ayah’s eyes—thoee burn- | my soul |” ing, brilliant,"haunting eyes—flasligd forth strange | “Yet listen to me again,” resumed Redcliffe, fires as she turned to execute the bidding of her | still retaining her hand in his own. “The powér mistress. Dyring her tempurary absence, Queen | of loving as [ once loved—another———" and his Indora composed her countenante as well as she | voice faltered——-=“is dead within me. But if, all was able: but i¢ was difficult indeed for cne of her | other circumstances apart, you can accept the fine feelings and affectionate nature thus to put hand of one who will esteem and oherish you— off even transiently the traces of that sorrow which ! who will laviah upon you all that tenderness whioh the intelligence of her father’s death had excited | your own long-enduring love so much merite,—if in her bosom. | You ean be cuntented with an affectionate friend- Mr. Redcliffe entered; and Sagoongh, having ' ship which in itself will be a real love,—then, In- ushered him 1n, immediately withdrew from the dora, you may claim me as ® husband.” apartment. We should ubserve that the incidents: Tears trickled down the lady’s cheeks —for ber heart was full of ineffable emotions: the words she would have spoken died upon her lips —but to those lips she pressed Clement Redcliffe’s hand. “Listen to me again, Indora,” he cuntinued, “You are beautiful — the handsomest of living women! You rotain too all the first freshness, of your youth—the jettiness of your hair will not for years to come be streaked with grey-—dor the lustre of your eyes be dimmed. But how different is it With me! Though still in my prime, so far as years are concerned, yet am [ we are relating occurred some days after that, interview between Mr. Redcliffe and the twins, when he inspected the memorials of their departed mother; and on this particular evening Christina ' dimself deeply moved. had gone to pasa a few hours with ber brother Christian at Mrs. Macaulay’s, Sagoonah was not therefore afraid of being detected whila listening at the door of the apartwnent—and she did Jisten. Mr. Redcliffe entered, as we have said; and at once taking the hand of the Queen—though he as yet knew not that she veas aught more than a: ‘prematurely old. My hair is streaked with groy Princess still—he sari, “ Has your Highness re- flected well on the note which I sent you the otifr | —— and Oh! if the sorrows, the afflictions, aad morning by Christian Ashton P” . the wretohedaess I have endured be taken into ace «1 have reflected,” auswered Indora, in a tremu- ' count, it were no marvel if I were buwed down as lous voice, with downoast looks, and with blushing though it were with an intolerable burden !”’ countenance: “and yet there was no need fur it~; “Continue not thus, Clement!” interrupted In- because—because my love could know no change— | dora, pressing his hand to ber bosom and then to it ie immutable !} 1¢ is immortal!” | her lips. “As I have assured you before, I repeat “Then, Indora, Iam hore,” resumed Mr. Rod- the assurance now—that I only behold ia you the cliffe, ‘“‘ to fulfil tne pledge which I gave you when idol of my own imagination. I see you as you last we met within these walls. I told you that I | were when first I learnt to love you in the far-off had a self-imposed mission to fulfil, and to inves. ' city of Inderabad; agd, Oh! I shall ever loveryou! tigate circumstances which were enveloped in Though all in an instant your hair were to turn doubt and mystery. In a word, before I dared , white, and your form were to be bowed, and you think of love again, it was needful that I should ; were to present the appearance of old age’s de- ascertain the fate of one who——” ' orepitude, [ should love you—Ohb, I shuuld love “No more!” interrupted the Queen; “I know ' you jyst the same! And think you, Clement, that all {” “ AllP” echoed Mr. Redcliffe. “ Yos—it must be so—or else you would never have gane——~” there not gratitude mixed up with this love of mine? Think you I can be unmindful that it was you who were the preceptor of my childlioud “Ale| you know that I went thither?” ejacu-|—who taught me whatecever accomplishments [ lated Indora, at once penetrating his thoughts. possess~and what is more,” added Indora avlemaly, “ Yeos—but let*me explain presently,"seaid Mr.| and in the fervour of a grateful piety, “ who in- Redcliffe. “Tell me, Indora—how did you learn everything——"’ “And I also will explain presently!” rejoined the eastern lady. “First let us speak of that which is nearest to us—and dearest at least to me. You have discovered that she whom you sought is no more——is it not soP is it not that which you would have me understand ?” “Tt is,” answered Redcliffe. “And now listen to me, Indora. No man can be insensiblé of the boundless—the illimitable love whioh egou have borne for me; and it is impussible I can repay it with ingratitude. Qn the former occasions when we met within these walls, I spoke—and perhaps spoke harshly—of my long, long detention in your royal father’s capital: but chat [ have forgotten— or at least forgiven. I know that you love me, Indors; you bave given many, many proofs of it —and it is not in my nature——no, by heaven! ® structed me in the sublime truths of Obristianity ? Or again, think you that I am unmindful of how you introduced the arts and sciences of oivilization into my father’s Kingdom—how you taught bim liberal and enlightened policy—and how by virtue of your lessons he was enabled to advance his people to the Sighest point of prosperity and hap- piness? No, Olechent—I have forgotten naught of all these things; and thus you see how fervid gratitude is interwoven with my love !” Never had Indora seemed more eminently beau- tiful than while thus giving expression to those eloquent outpouringe which flowed from her very heart. There was something sublime as well as eomething ineffatly touching in her loveliness at that moment—something grand and pathetio— splendid, and at the same time indescribably inte- resting, in her looks. Redcliffe would bave been something lees or something more than man if he LOAO© SS (CO)