The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 145: what you’re looking at

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

a = wee ce. . | 2-@p"—em __e oe ee ew oe igo ., = oe PS ee te 7 oo. og SS Eee ee oo Ee eee or vinenst, 6 ee ee Smee | on 132 THE MYSTESIES OF THE COURT. ealloctlon fl ashed to her mind, bringing hope aling I coyld hear of nothinty of thosort. I inquired als with it ; and she said in an excited tune, “ But did you aftcr that Englishman, whose namo I dare not mene pot tell me ero now that you would be almost justi- | tion: for I resolved if I could hear of him, to seek fied in declaring yourself to be unmarricd? What! him-out and ascertain if my wife wore atill'dlive. Inoant you by that averment? what did it signify P ! All I could howevor learn was that tho individual Td ee __ ee 9 ee Gere se eee eee oo ' whatam 1 to understand? Speak, speak, Etionno ! ; ‘alluded to was on tho Contimcnt, but that his — -o = Pe ee ee, eee _ ee © le ee ee eee eee a a ee ee You know not what torturing suspense I at: this ; whereabouts was not known. I thereforo naturally moment enduro: “for all my happiness hangs upon | concludod that gome fresh circumstances had trans- the next word that may fall from your lips? , “Twill soon explain myself, dear Constance,” re- plied the Mar juis, his countenance brightening up sorncwhat, or at all events losing a portion of the melancholy cloud which had boen hanging upon it. But ere I mako known the meaning of those words pired to induco tho lady to discard the name and title she had obtained by hor marriage .with mo; and it was under thig belief, sweet Constanco, that Ivonturod to breathe my tale of love and whisper my hopes in your ears. Am I s0 deeply to blame? Oh! if'you had been less beautifal, léss fascinating, which I spoke just now, and of which you have re- | less fond, leas affectionate, I: micht have yiclded to minded me, it is necessry I should enter into a few more particulars respecting myself. For you must not think, Constance, that the largo sum of money which I reecivyod in such a manner and for such a service, made me happy., No, no—far from it! It was tho utter doesporation of ty circumstances which induced mo to render that service and take the reward. Iouwven knows that by gaturo I am not mean, nor mercenary, nor dishonourable. No- thar of tho reckless adventurer is there in my character! I was the creature of circumstances : it Was iu imper lous fiecossity that ruled mo. But when it was all ovtr, I folt as if I hag committed a crime and done # dishonourable action; and within twenty-four hours of that solomn mockery which rave mmo a wife and her dower, but deprived me of the former and mado me unhappy with tho latter, I sperl to the hotel to return the monoy and insist upon steps being taken for the annulment of the marringe. But the Englishman and his companions had gone |! Tn order to banish the unpleasant reflections which now haunted me by day and by night, T embarkod in commercial speculations, not so much in the hope of iucretsing my means as of amusing my mind. For three or four years they progressed favourably enough: but at length a sudden punie paralysed all | the calmness of reflection—I might havo bowed toa sense of duty—I might have smothcrod this passion of mine when it was as yot a nascent flame. But I adored you—I adoro you still—I shall adoro you over, #¥en though at the expiration of this inter- view wo part to tnoot no more!” — “But the meaning of those words, Eficnno ?” 6e-epe= 2 a ew, = murinured Constance, profoundly moved, and her | heart fluttering with hope alid suspense: “ toll me, tell me, what did they sienify? For I sce that there is yet somathfng loft untold—something that war- ranted you to declare that you would not bo alto- gether unjustificl in representing yourself as a single man ?” “To that explanation I now come,” rosponded the Marquis, whose arm had onco moro engirdlod Miss Fareficld’s waist, and from which she did not withdraw. “ Within tho last throe wecks I met her whom [have been compelled to regard and to speak of as my wife——” “ “Ah! then you know that she is alivo? and you havo seen hf&r?” oxclaimed Constance, in accents | expressive of disappointment and sorrow. *Yos—I have scon her; and when I tell yoy.tho result of our mecting you tay not perhaps look thus distressed. I will not pause to explain hinder my schemes, and tho failufe of a bank threatened | what circumstances it was that L inet her: sullice it me with ruin, Day and night did I toil to disen- | to say that we did thus meet three woeks ago —und tanvle my affairs from tho vortex of difficulty and | our recognition was omediate and mutual. Jt was embarrassment in which they were plunged ; and I in the environs of London that I thus encountered succeeded so far that I paid my liabilities with ; her. honownble exactitude, and found a surplus of a few hundrods of pounds remaining for my own use. She was elogantly dressed, and had the ap- pearance of being in tho most comfortable circum- stances. It was rather in a tone of raillery and a Sick of commercial pursuits and financial sfocula- | kind of good-humoured jocularity that sho spoke, tions, [came over to England. * Then was it, deareat | I asked hor if she had over borne my namo in the Constance, that I became acquainted with you ; and | presence of the world? and sho assured mo she had us fo know*yon 3s tu love yur, I learnt to love you | not. T next asked her if she considerod she had any fondly! Ob, Ineed not tell you over, again how | claim upon mo as a husband ? to which she likewise deeply L love you! That IT was wrong, cruelly | answered in tho nagative.—‘ Now, understand me,’ situated as I am, to whisper the tale of love in your | she said; ‘I do pot wish to intorfere with you, and ears, there can Be no doubt: but this love‘which I | I prosume that you do not intend to interfere with entertain for you beea:nc Andispensable to my hap- | me.. The nocossity which compellod mo marry pines —it rave mo & now existence—and it seemed | you was of a transient character: the purpose was tu prumiso felicity for the future, Could I resign | soryed on tho instant; and if we could now unmarry it —coujd I abandon this dream of bligs ? Besides, ; ourselves I should be full willing.’—These words during the interval which had then elapsed since my | sent a thrill of joy to my heart. Sho observod my iiarringo—that fatal, that cursed marriago,—I had never seen my wifo—never heard of her—could not even learn what had become of her—and had never even caught tho faintest whisper to tho offect that ticre waa a being in the world bearing the name of the Marehionoss of Villobolle. secute inquiries in London to ascertain if such a lady were known in the circles of fashion: but to iny joy | A RES + ey Se gee ss a - —- = Oegip) Ge ae oon emotion, and .went.on to say, ‘Although we are such strangers to each ¢ 2 i; ; and although I consequently know so little of ou; yet you may “reat assurod that what trifling &fount of fecling I do experience in tho matter, is rathor of a friendly character than Secretly did I pro- | otherwise; and I think by your manner there is something you would wish at my hands. If so, speak ; me hesitate mot. Do you want money ?’—~ © ete eo eee eee ee, Ge eee = a ort Aen a a a -- ae SETS pa. Sa Ee ae COMIC OOS ier SS (CO)