The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 176: what you’re looking at

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

| cc —weee == oe a a ee er eae ingen wags om ee ey ee eee @nr= sa _ em NS ar OT THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. * Alas! poor gir), " eatd Jocelyn, deeply touched by this narrative. “You know my reasons for re- maining i&-doors to-day—indeed until the letter which I bear from England shall be safe in tho hands of the Princess——” “You are ‘afraid of being seen and. recognized by any one attached to the household of her Royal Highness ; the” result of which knowledge of your presence in Geneva would only be to cause the multiplication of all imaginable precautions to ward off the approach of any friendly-disposed person to the presence of the Princess.” * Yes—those are the reasons which induce me to remain in the heuse to-day,” said Jocelyn: “but to-night, so soon as it is dusk, I will issue forth and institute the necessary inquiries relative to the individual who bore the name of Thomp- son.” “ And you will also do well to calleat the other lodgiug and see that poor girl,” said Mrs. Roberts. “ She may probably tell you even*more than she told me, concerning the villany, the perfidy, and the proflizacy of ber seducer. But now that I be- think me,” she suddenly exclaimed, “there can be no need for me to exhibit the slighte.t want of confidence towards you, since you have placed such full trust in me. 1 will therefore tell you my real name—likewise that ofthe perfigious noble- man who has been the author of my unhappiness and who under the name of Jr. Smith-——" * But here Mrs. Roberts was interrupted by the entrance of Dr. Maravelli, who burst somewhat ' abruptly into the rvom, cn his return from the visit ieee (GEE een “ie ig ee EE ee ee oO i A a a TE ene 4 eile Ain i ay eee SE pee. to which he had been summoned. “Now, my, dear madam,” he exclaimed, “ you will have‘a companton at last. I thought it im- possible that my establishment could remain much longer with only one lady-lodger. Amother wiil be here presently, recommeuded to me also from the very same hotel where I had the honour of first forming your acquaintance. I have explained to her that I have a gentleman lodging in my house,” added the doctor, turning towards Loftus as he thus spoke: “and she has made no objection.” “I am glad for your*sake, madam,” said our hero, addressing himself to Mrs. Roberts, “that you will thus have a companion.” “And a very agreeable one, too, I fancy,” eied- | Dr. Maravelli. “She is a fellow-countrywaman of yours;-a thorough lady—beautiful in person, fas- cinating in manvers, and with one of the sweetcst voices I ever heard in my lite.” ° * At all events you are drawing a charming pic- ture, doctor,” said Mrs. Roberts, forcing herself to emile: fur she never chose to appear too un- happy in Maravelli’s presence. Perhaps you will have the kindness, my dear madam,” continued the doctor, ‘‘to receive the lady when she comes, I think it always bettgr that a stranger should be met in the first instapce by one of her own sex—and that they should also be left alone together for a few hours, 20 that they may become well acquainted and get on a friendly hind of footing with each other, Perhaps therefore, madam, he added, “you and Mrs. Montague—for that is the name the lady chooses to be known by— will pass the remainger of the day glone together in the drawivg-room; while Mr. Loftus and I take our dinner and wine tée-d-iéle, as we did yesterday at the village-ina.” eee PS SSE 16% The suggestions of Dr. Maravelli were at once agreed to; and Jocelyn was accordingly prevented for the remainder of that day from finding an opportunity of renewing his private convers tion with Mrs, Roberts. The interval till dinner-tine he passed in his own chamber, read ng some bookg which the doctor lent him; and when at five in the evening he was summoned to the dining rou, he learnt from the physician that Mrs. Montague had duly arrived, accompanied by her lady's-maid, in the course of the afternoon, and that she was with Mrs. Roberts in the drawing-room. Loftus sat an hour with the doctor at table, and. then returned,to his bouks to while away another teres hours uvtil it was dusk. This was at about nine o’clock, at which hour he issued forth from Dr. Maravelli’s establishment, to institute certa‘n inquiries necessary fur the carrying out of his mission with regiwrd to the Princess of Wales. * * es ° & o * « r % r re & In the meantime —and very short'y after Jocelyn had left Mrs. Roberts in the drawing-room, in the forenoon, according to the sugyestion of Dr. Maravelli—the new lodger, Mrs. Montague, ar- rived at the establishment aud was received by the physiasan. She was accompauied by her lady’s- maid, and was evidently of rauk and distincti n, as she was assuredly of great personal beauty. In none of these particulars had the doctor at all exarperated. Mavolta, being likewise in attendance, at once escorted Mrs. Montague to the drawiug-room: but the moment she threw open the door and the eyes of the new-coming Engl:sh lady encountered those of Mra. Roberts wh» had risen from her seat to receive her, each started with the suddenne-s of an amazed recognition. Mavolta did not observe what thus passed, but closing the door behind Mrs. Montague, left ber and. Mrs, Reberts alone together. Ts it possible?” exclaimed one, « “And I also ask is it possible?” cried tho other. Then there was a pause—a ’ yery awkward pause of urfwards of a minute, during which the two ladies evidently knew not exactly what course to pursue towards each other. But at lencth Mrs. Ruberie advanced, extending her hand, and saying, * We meet under circumstances thut should quench alt hostile fecliug.” “ Agreed,” returned Mrs, Moniagae, and they shook hands gecording:y. But here we must leave then, fur the present, to diseuss their several grievances, compare notes oF their plans~and in a word indulge in those recipreeal outpourings of confidence which were so natural with two femalea in their condition. . a CHAPTER CLIT. THE VIEBH ERS OF MEN, Havine ergaged a flaere, or vehicle anawering m description to a London hackney-coach, Jocelyn procecded in the first instance to the own Hall, where he made inquiries relative to the lodging which a certain Mr. Thompson, ap English gentle. ij: " = See 2 ee \ ED Wet 9 res eer eames 2 eee. om. dee ee oe — === =. em al ETE ae —ns pee Se awe ow =u a -— 2 ae eee ee ee ee og ee eee ECOMNIE OG O) cS) CO