The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 229: what you’re looking at

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Qustenaae, ~ Aud teil 1ae, Kanily, wo none of the young ladies connected with the Opera, and who are under the protection of gentlemen, manage to save fF” “ Not one ont of one hundred ever does,” was the roply. “The truth is, what they got at one time frou the doating foolishness of some of their-ad® mirers, they themselves lavish at another time. in their own infatuated folly upon penniless lovers. But this strain of conversation is a mournful one forme. I tell you what it does, Harold—it makes me think of the future: and thet is something I do abled to live in a handsome house, keep my carriage, and be surrounded with evory luxury: but when my | ; beauty begins to wane——-Ah! then it will be very different! Now, this is the reflection which some- times creeps in upon. my mind, and saddéns me deeply—devply. Yes, it steals in like a #pectre at a festival,—steals in, I say, even at those times when I have everything to make me happy: it comes like the gust of an ice-wind: penetrating into the warm and perfumed atnospliore ‘of « brilliattly- lighted saloon. Do you comprehend ma?” “Ido, Emily,” responded Harold. “ But surely it is your fault that there should be.a cause for this apprehension P You have :many opportunities of saving while you are young: and beautiful and courted: why do you nob avail yourself of them P” . “Ah! why—why—it is sq easy to ask that ques- tion why! Ask the drunkard, when racked. with the headache after his. night's: debAuch,. why -he. ; and if he answer traly. does not reform h he will say it is because he bas not-the mora! cour- age. Why, for instance, do you not reform pour Labite? why. are you extravagant, and wild, and | taken always in debt? Now you see I am speaking plaigly: but it is not to offend you—merely to make your own conduct ecrvo as an illustration to account for mine. . Ihave got into certain habits. of extravaganve, and cannot get out of them. © If:I have a whim it must bé gratified, provided I have| . the means; and therefore I can scarcely hope ever | to save continuously and puf by a store for the future. I am saving now, as I have told you: bat if you, for instance, wanted money at this moment, | I would give you all my savings—because I like you.” “Youu are a good girl, my dear. Emily,” ro- sponded Harold, bostowing “pon her another em- brace. “ But. if I have been questioning you in this way, it wis not for the purpose of ascortain- ing your-means with a view of self-appropriating. them. I return you my thanks all the same.” . . ‘Well, the ‘conversation has taken a. tura: to make me rather dull,” said. Raily, starting up from the sola: “let ug go and ovalk in the garden. - The fresh air and. the Sowers will cheer and enliven. we— at least they wikt-bave this effect upon me. You do sfot know hetr'fond women in my positibn are of}. yardens, and flowers; andthe ‘country. And § fore,” eho*added with: @ smile, “it cannot bes | that our testes are-ubferly pervaded grave | milan 6 along with:our morals... - Thus-speaking, with all. ber wointed mischievous’ archnoss and roguish gaiety, the handsome dansonse. _ the 0 way into the garden. 0 @ Wana the not like to think of. I know that.as long as I am/ | young, and handsome, and attractive, I shall be en-. THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. CHAPTER ATVI. 72 GameackryG OY THE WARDRODE-ROOM. , | preceding « scene “was taking p t | Evergreen Ville, all London was ringing with the news of a frightful crime committed during the past | night ih a barge moored in that part of the canal | which intersects Agar Town. It sppeared that at a | semewhat carly hour that morning, a couple of Exsise-offleers, in consequence of ceftain informa- tion received, had proceeded to pay a visit to that meee but on descending the hatchway into the little cabin, they: were horrified on beholding that , a, ee has-been already described to the = n lay on one side of the cabin, ) ghtfully beaten —" smashed y} ; and a minuter y aearoheabowed that the wretchel Viotiin’s. none : list: boon bitten completely off and ‘was lying at-¢ little distance., On the other side of the cabin :lay. the bargeman’s wife, who. had evi- dently been murdered by a stab in the breast; and as if nothing. should be wanting to complete this tragedy of horrprs, the infant child had been smo- theeda in the. blood. which had poured from ite wi}. : fortunate mother. Such.'was the acsount which was now horrifying ‘all. London: but from the flying rumours which prevailed, it did not appear that suspicion attached iteelf to any’ person or persons. The deed seemed to bo. shrouded ih.'a dark-myatery. There were all the evidences of a fearful strugglo having taken place in the cabin ; but the murderer or snur- derers had left «no trace ‘that might affurd a clue to their. discovery. . Nevertheless, the must ‘activo officers of the detective force were already. on tivw alert ‘to endéavour. to find some circumstances that should placd'them oitthe right scent. Brith was tho narrative which young Lord Saxon- dale heard from®somo tradesman. whose shop he entered to maké « purchase in the vicinage of Dark Tane.. Thence he proceeded home, and straightway ascended to the drawing-room where his mother usually sat. Her ladyship was there, apparently Sb cions an a book, but in reality thinking over in ber mist’ Sh and’scrious subjects which agitated She was just in one of those humours when the preéstice of Edmund was intolerable to her—for what reason she herself best knew. She didnot therefore say anything to encourage him to | vetnain in the room; and he accordingly resolved to avail hixiself of this’ “Opportunity to pursue the search: for whieh “come. Having ascertained that his sistere were in their own apgrt- ment—and thus: finding the cosst to be clear—he ascended to his mother’s private chambers. ‘An chem row b Farnisleed boudoir opened into the | j and“‘beyond this was the drok he-room' whats her. p’s dresses and ‘of apparel were kept. If any of the maid-. servants bad: been in the rooms. at the time, Lord . Secenals we prepared with some excuse: but as he-found no one there, the necessity did not griso for displaying his ingenuity in that respect. It naturally struck’ him that if hie mother had such good reasons as he supposed her to have, for put GOR GOOOKS (CO)