The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 187: what you’re looking at

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

00 era AT aa > Ee 174 Agatha, Emma, and Julia exchanged quick glances with each other, to imply their fear that sontething was wrong: but these Jooks were so swiftly interchanged, that they were uot noticed by either the Princess or Bergami. . Her Royal Highness now placed herself on one of the elegant garden-seats, made of iron and painted greeu, which were ranged at intervals along the walks.” Agatha stood on her right hand: Emma, Juisa, and Bergarm took their stations behind their yvyal mistress, Nothing was how said duriug the couple of minutes which elapsed ere the page re- appeared, escorting the visitress thither, But during that brief interval her Royal Highness once more perused the note which she still held in her hand; while Agatha hastily collected all her ideas and puinmoued all her presence of mind to her aid—for bhe felt convinced that some scene requiriug no ordinary artifice, ingenuity, and duplicity was now at hand. e The moment the page was again seen advancing, all eyes were fixed upon the lady who accompanied him; and Agatha as well as her sisters at once per- ceived that every chance of being enabled to throw upon her the slur of a begging-letter impostresa was gone, For she was not only handsomely dressed in half mourning; but her whole appearance indicated the well-bred, elegant lady in good circumstances. On approachinz the Princess, she raised her veil and revealed a handsome countenance whose beauty was enlanced at the moment by the glow which the excitement she now expezieuced conjured up to her cheeks. ‘Lhe Princess instantaneously fancied that those features were not altogether unknown to her; but beyond this she had no defined and positive sisters, they were totally unacquainted with her: but the guick glances they flung upon her as she accosted their royal mistress, seemed intended to pierce Ler through and through. The page, having conducted the visitress into the presence of the Priucess Caroline, withdrew to a distance, beyoud eurshot, so as to be ready to show her out again from the garden when the interview should be énded. ‘Tne lady made a courtly obeisance as she appruached the Princé:s, aud then sto:.d waiting to be spoken to before she herself ventured 10 breathe «word. Indeed, her whoie manner, conduct, and bearing at once proved tuat she was accustomed to the etiquette of 1uyal circles. “i have read your note, madam, with the greatest attention and interest,” began the Prin- Cuss, with a voice and mien alike &ffatle and cheouraging, “You say that you have a letter 2”, “In the first place, may it please your Koyal Higiness,” said Apatha, advancing a step or two, “this iady will be kind enough to gu through the usual furmanuty aud give me her card, that L may present it ty your Royal Highness.” “ Most cheerfully will I do so at once,” answered the Jady ina mild but firm voice, “provided that the meniion of my uame may not in any way pre- judice the object of my mission :"—and here her large dark eyes were swept rapidly over the thirce ladies-in-walting, Whom she no doubt at once per- evived to be sisters, and thence perhaps guessed whu they were. “Your card, wadan?” said Ayatha, somewhat hoperiously, “ No straugeris allowed tu exchange Se ETS A EEG TS SS Se a a Se ga ae SE CE ees, = . 2 oa it Eg I Aa ae MN FR EN Ns Pets 4 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. recollection of the lady. As for Agatha and her words with her Royal Highness until the name has been duly announced and the presence of the iudi- vidual approved of.” a “ May it please gour Royal Highness,” said the lady, “to read tha letter of which I am the bearer ?”—and she raised her hand to.the bosom of her dress to draw forth the despatch she alluded to. f “Midam, your card?” repeated Agatha, now speaking more imperiously than before, and ex- tending her hand to roceive the card whica she thus demanded in a way that shuwed she would take no refusal. “Yes,” said the Princess, herself beginning to think there was something suspicivus in the lady refusiug to give her name: “ you must announce who you are; and I promise that whatever name it may be, the avowal shail nut in avy way prejudice you— though I am at a loss to conceive huw yuu should entertain such an idea, provided it be a name which you gan make known without a blush.” But as the Princess thus spoke, a blush did arise, aud quickiy too, upon the cheeks of the lady; which Ajatha, instantly perceiving, Failed not to take advantage of. * This la ly evidently dares not reveal her name,” she said. “Jt will be much better for her to with- draw at once:’ —and this hint, mtended indeed as a cummand, was accowpanied by an imperious ;res- ture of the hand, ‘ Now, in real truth, Agatha as senior lady-in- ” waiting, was only performing her duty by insisting ou the name being given or on the lady’s prompt withdrawal, Tue lady herself seemed to kuow this full well; and as the Princess remdined silent, allowing the affair to take its proper course, she said, “1 crave pardon for this hesitation and delay ou my part. Here is my card.” “ Lady Prescott,” said Ayatha as she glanced at the card which was now handed to her: then, asa sudden reminiscence struck her, she turned tuwurds the Princess and whispered, “This lady is not a fit character to be here, Your Ioyal Highness will doubtless remember that amongst the hist of th: se who were present at the piivate theatricals at Carlton House last Decem|ser——” « Ah! to be sure—I remember !” said her Reyal Highwese: “the name of Lady Prescott wus ainong-t them. « Bat is not this aiso the name of one of the ladies belonging to the Queen’s house- hold 2” . ‘“ Tt is so, Madam,” replied Agatha; then in a still lower and more impressive tone, she added, “‘rhis lady comes from the camp of your Royal High- hess’s enemies,” At this moment Emma bent down her head over the Princess’s shoulder, and said in a whisper, “ Lady Prescott is io longer in the Queen’s household. I rernember reading in the newspaper of her resigna- tion some moxths ago, and of her being succeeded by Miss Arbuthnot.” * T think also,” superadded Agatha, who had just been taking another brief but piercing survey of Lady Prescott,— I think that if her ladyship be not privately married, she at least ought to be.” “ Yes,” observed the Princess, now fixing her eyes also with sleadfastness upon Lady Prescott: beyond all doubt she ought to be married. But, Oh! the English Court—and those private theatri- A OE a ee RE OS GE a Ee ES, | AE ls oo a OE Ee a ECOMNIE OG OY < S) CO