The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 204: what you’re looking at

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

_ ‘ a eee a i a oh a te ee ee eee ee ET a aa SC a FE Sg a reg THE MYSTERIES OF TH! COURT. ° 191 dark fringe of her eye-lide, on the calm, pensive, | fom Mr. Loftus, who, a* you are we'! aware, learnt and mournful features of the Baron, she thought to | all par ticulars concernins you trom your sister herself, “Oh! if I could but conquer him with the | Mary ia Eugland. For these reasons, ther fore— artillery of my fascinations—if I could but enmesh | I mean, viewing you as the instruments that a him in the web of my seductive dnarea—we should | hideous system-of traiuiag rendered pliant and be saved, we should be saved!” a ductile with a sort of plastic art to the purposes of And as this thought sent'a thrill of hope through | the arch-fienda who are in Englnand—both Mr. her entire frarye—rousing at the sane time some of | Lottus and myself are inclined to hold that there that natural passion which had sunk sluggish and | is some little extenuatiop for you. At all evenis, almost dead uoder the weight of recent h»rror—a | this 14 the mercifal and compassionate view whien tint of the fled carnation came bick to her checks. | Mr. Lottus has thought fit to take of the whole Bergami noticed this—noticed also the quick and | tenour of your conduct; and I do not wish to dijf-r s.delong glance which she had flung apyn him— {from him. Th-ref>re was it that I commenced by and felt some suspicion of the trath arising in his | spraking of atonement——” mind. For Jocelynehad yiven him some insight} “Ah! show us whit atonement we could maize,” into the Circean bland'shments and Syren wilea fsaid Emmy, the words coming apparent y eclo:hed which the sisters had practised towards himself in | ina gush of fervid feelings froia the heart, “and Paris: and thus he was not a'tozerher unprepared | you know not how cheerfully we will follow for any such display of feminine seductiveness | your comman:s {” that might pe aimed at his own hears. “ Yes—and grimtefully top,” said Agatha, with a Young ladies,” ke said, without appeariug to | voice into which she likewise threw as much {eel- notice what wa have just descfibed, “it is necos- | iug as possible. sary that I should have a few minutes’ conversa-| “1f we could only live the last few months over tion with you upon a paintul—most paigful sub- | again,” added Julia, “ai this would out happen!” ject. I did not choose tv couvey to you through | “ Most sincerely do I hope,” continued Bergami, Mrs. Ranger a'l thit I wi-sh-d to say; because [| “that these avermeuts of contrition come from was fearful that she might not deliver my messaye | the depths of your hearts! But it is not to ime that aright—or that if she did, she might attempt to ; you skould say ali this; it is not to me that you are digsuade you from acting im accordanae therewith, | to promise atonement. It is to Mr. Loftus—that Hence my object in seeking this interview; and | young tnan who is as generous as you have re- we who hava so often roamed along the hauks of | preseuted lim to be base—who is as noble-hearted Lake Leman as friends, while attending upow our | as you have depicted him to be depraved — who royal mist: e.s, must nuw tread in the saine steps | is as high-principled as you have painted hin pro- with far different feelings. Lest we should be ob- | fligate and dissolute,—it vw to him, I say, that you served we will not remain stauding in this parti- | mest repeat all you are now saying to me! In- cular spot: ge will walk a litse way slong the | deed, Mrs. Ranger has na doubt informed you thore—and I beg y8u will give me zone earnest | taat Mr. Loftus requires an interview with you attention.” this night, Jo you feel disposed to visit him at The party accordingly turned away fet the ; Dr. Maravetli’s house jetty, and began following the course of the lake’a| “ Maraveili’s ?” ejaculated Agatha, in a voica of margin. Agatha and Julia walked on Bergam?’s | unteizned horror, as she thought ot the dead riz bt hand, and Emma on his left: but we need ! child—her child—which was there, tencath that hardly state that he did not offer them his arm. | roof! ares The sisters were however still more cheered by hia { =“ Yes—at Dr. Maravelli's.” respon led Beran : words than they had previuusly been by his looks: | “and not only at ins house, @ut hkewise at the for what he had said s@emed uttered iu sorrow | solemn hour of midmght! All three of vou must rather than in anger, and in a tone of deep lament | be th8re—not ore must remain away upon ary rather than of harsh | upbraiding. pretence. Do you understand me?—and go you “You are aware,” he continued, “that I Muveg agree ?" seen Mr, Loftus? Mrs. Ranger has po doubt tod | “Ohl yes—we accept ever ything that fatls from you so; and from hia lips have 1 heard many, your lips, as if frow the arbiter of our destiny ‘” many painful things, ludeed, if all ggud feeling be | exclaimed Bimma, stul in thit tervid tone of feel- not extinguished within you—and at your age 1; | ing which she Knew so well how to assume, “ For cau scarcely believe 1¢ possible that you are so j my par t, | swear to be there !” thoroughly inured to crime as to be ableto con-; “And fF also,” sail Julia, “if it will ensure us template its paths backward without remorse, and | mercy and forbearance at the hands of Mr. Loftus forward without foar——” and yourself,”’ “No, no—we are uot so bad as all that!” cried | <‘hen assuredly I can iot hesit ite to daclare in Emma, suddenly catesing him by the acm, while | the affirmat: ve likewisc,” added Agativa,in a fuint her bosom appeared to be wrung with convulsive | vice. e sobs. * itis un /erstood then,” sald Bergami; “and J “God grant that whas you say may be true!” | warn you asainst any hesita'ien or any neglect in exclaimed Bergami: “but you must all three feel, | fulfiling the pledge whico you have all three given. if you feel anythiag at a'l, that aa immens) atone- | Ye will zo «lone through the silenee of the night ment is required for the misdeed whereof you have | there are no dangers to apprehend --and ye doubt- been guilty. That you could not have aaturally | less know the way thither. Do not attempt to fl become ev wickid—so very very wicked—is cer- | from Geueva: 1 warn you that such an endeavour tain, and that therefore you have been, rer. dered go | will prove incifectual—for J would have you pur- Mo «=O by a shocking course of training, is equally posi- | sucd iz auindious'y—browrht back - and merci- tive. Indeed, that such was the case I havo hewd lessly handed over to punishment !”’ an or aa LDOC COMMU O) <S CO