The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 391: what you’re looking at

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

CEE A TAL LL CO I TT LS SE errr a an me pe er nc aa NT I ES NS ae 37/8 Now, Theodore, lose no time but be off. I sup- pore you will permit me to remain hero until eo ewes See eS es Se your return 7” “JT am rejoiced thut yon purpose to do so,” responded the yonng man: and there wos 2 world of meaning in the look which he threw upon the Barouel---for it was as much as to Hay, “] am not afraid to leave-you alone with my sister: for 1 know that however guy your life may have heen, you experieh¢ce too generous a feeling and too great a respect for her to east upon her even a glance tainted with im- purity.” The young man accordingly lurried away, and the. Buronet was now left alqne with Ariadne Varian. “You can take up ‘your work like,” said Huntingdon; “ while I sit talk to you.” The damsel gladly availed herself of this permission : for it was with sowne degree of con- fusion and with a fluttezing heart, that she thus found Herself alone with the Baronct. She accordinely took up the work which sho had ere now thrown aside—and it was in every respect a relicf to be enakled to bend down her eyes upon it. “ Now, Miss Vurian,” resumed the Baronet, after abrief pause, “ tellric whether you approve of this agrangement which Lhave made for your brother ? Ido not know whether I have in- formed him accurately as to the amount of incomo which he is to expect in the situation laced at his disposal. It may be a trifle more ; ut lam very certain it is not less. Mr.Chapman would have taken him into his establishment in London if I bad chosen ; but considering all the circumstances of the past, I thought it better that 'I'heodore should go abroad—at ail events for afew years. I am well aware how deeply he feels the past: Lut.nll the poignant momory therpof will bo cffaced when he shall have had @ fuli opportunity of what the world ealls reirgeving his good nage. Of course knowing everything as Ldo, I may speak thus candidly to you: and now you ynderstaiud the reasons which have induced me to procure him this situation abroad.” : ‘Sir Douglas Huntingdon, I feel and ap- preciate the delicacy of your conduct even more if possible than its ‘yenerusity :’—and the damsel’s sweet azure eyes were raised for a moment with a look of heartfelt gratitude; and then they fell again upon her work: but for trutli’s sake we are bound to say that the stitches she was now makimg were not very regular, nor such as she herself would have approved of had her thoughts been Jess con- if you cre and fnsed and more concentrated in her occupa-' Lion. * And now you must tell me, Miss Varian,” restined the Baronet, “ whother you yourself will like tv go abroad 7’ ‘Oh! L would go to the enda of the carth in company with that dear brother,” she ex- claimed, ‘“‘ who has been so, kind to me!” *Humph!?’ said the Baronet. “‘Thoe ends of the enrth- ch? Then you are fully preparcd to leave ingland? But you do not answer fhe. Of conrse you could not prefer, as a matter of choice, to leave your native Jund for so° long a peried’ And yet Ido not suppose ou have any particniar tic to bind you to ondona?”’ ‘ “1 hope,” said Arindne, in a voice whieh roved how deeply she was struggling to keep down the emotions that were rising up in her throut,—‘ that you will permit me to sce your TUK MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. __ a Sa B68 eee eee -_ == kind housekeeper, Mrs. Baints, before I leave: for I never can forget her goodness to me whilo I was at your hduse.”’ ** Most certainly—you hal] see Mrs. Baines.” answered the Baronet. ‘‘ By the bye, Ipcan tell you, an aneedcto that will illnstratg the rooduers of that execllent) woman’s chartel or, and prove how t®tally free from selfishness is her disposttion. Io must however preface it by informing you that a fortnight ago T ealled upon Lady Sackville at Carlton House. It was the very day before she left it for good—and she then gave me to understand that she meant to tgrnovera few leaf. On that occasion I frankly confessed that I had formed a precisely similpr determination ;— and now that I recollect, it was on that samo afternoon I came up to call ne you. 1 think if I remember arjght, that 1 meant to make you a confidante of my rctrolve, and even coysult you in the matter: but I know not what humopr 4% was which seemed upda me, inducing me to postpone nll discourse upon the subject. When ['eglled upon you again ihe other das, it was with the snme injent: but your brother was here all ihe time—and so I did not choose to make you my confidante or to ask yoyr advico on that occasion. And now for my anecdote about Mrs. Baines. Ag I was leaving home this morning, I told her that I had somcthing of Importance to whisper in her ear. You should have scen how pravo and serious the old Jady suddenly became: her heir had qnite a diplo- matic mysteriousness abuutit. ‘She was evi-: dently s0 proud of befng admitted into my contidence and entrngted with my secrets. I began by reminding her ihat for the lnat few months | had grown quite steady, and had become » modol of temperance and frugality in my hahbits—-that I had renounced the so- cloty of all my former companions, and had Icarned to hate dissipation as munch as, J] am sorry to say, I once loved it. Mrs. Baines was pleased to speak in torms of cordial ap- proval, and with o motherly kind of infcrest too, relative to my altered conduct. ] then came to the point, and ask her if she did not think that I should do well to marry—— Ah! you have dropped your, work! £ ermit me.” Ariadne ‘had indeed let. her work fell: and as she stooped it pick it up, her checks, which were burning with blushes, fer a moment came in contact with the cheek of Sir Douglas Huntingdon, whd had also stopped for the saine purpore. She however was the first to shutch up theSsvork, over which her head was immediately bent nuch lower than before—as if she were trying hard to conceal her coun- tenance as much as possible. “Well,” continued the Haronet, not taking any notice—at leart in words— of that transient coninct of hia cheek against her’s,—‘ on ask- ing Mrs. Baines’s advice relative to marriuge, sho at onee declared it was the best step I coula possily take ; and she reminded me that of her own accord she had volunteered similar advice some moths ago. I bade her observe that if a Tady Huntingdon were introduced into my household, her authority as hourckeeper might perhaps be diminished: but she at once de- elured that she woulfl risk «uch an eventuulity as that. In short, the worthy woman assured ene it was her conviction that my happiness’ would be best consulted by means of marriage ; and thatéf the lady on whom J might fix did not wish to retain a lfousekeeper, ste (Mrs. Baines) COMMU O) LDOC cS) CO