The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 308: what you’re looking at

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

fC Geen Ce eS ee eS eee | EE ef ae a Se SG. eae ote ° eee ee eee ee | 6 toe PER, © oy ree nny wee THB MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. Sas — ey age . ° 206 tiko to. know wat that letter contained which I ! families in Lincolnshire. The father and mother receivat yesterday morning, re-directed from Park Bano Pr” - | Dd Lady Saxondale hesitated for a momént-—and then said, “Yes.” | 7 4: "+ Tt was from Consthiace,” Replied Juliana, “She and, the Marquis were married in Paris, ‘and at once proceeded on their-way to. Madrid, where be has obtained a good diplomatic oppoinsmied ae Whether Lady Saxondale would have given any response to this information, we kiow not: for at the moment the door opened, and 4 domestic en- brought over from Gainsborough. Her ladyship, ‘at once recognizing the handwriting ‘of, Mt. ‘Matlow, opened it: but she had not read many linés before a look of annoyance gathered ypon: hor features. She howover commanded her feelings; and quickly eompesed her countenance: then, having perused tlio letter, she folded it up and continie® her brapg- fast. Juliana daw that it was spmething unpigesant | which the epistlo contained: bat as. her’ mother gave no explanation, sho did not scek it—the une derstanding being tleat they each other’s affairs. . Co After breakfast Lady Saxondal@ shut herself up in her own chamber, and pondered long and pain- fully upon Mr. Marlow’s letter. It contained,® as ®the reader has no doubt suspected, an eccount of Mr. Gunthorpe’s visit: and the lawyer requested her ladyship to send him her jnstructions within a week. Lady Safondale was ono who seldom de- layed in making up her mind how to act: but in this instance she could not resolve so speedily. She saw that the present dilomma was an awkward one: for sho was terribly frightened lest Lord Harold Staunton, either through vengeance or remorse, should seek out Deveril and make him acdnainted | wilh all the circumstances wigch had impelled hisn into provoking the young artist to 4 duel. [farmed with that evidence, Deveril could erush her iv a court of justico: but without it, he could not well prove bis ‘vaso against her. Sho now regretted having made an ehomy¢’ Lord Harvld Staunton, even though her honofir must have been sacrificed in order to purchaso his frivudship. The result of Lady Saxondale’s deliberation was a resolve. to pro- pitiate Lord Harold and ensure his ellence. But inasmuch as she could not well ipvite an unmarricd young man on a visit by himself to Saxondalo Castle, she resolved to send a pressing invitation to Lady Macdonald to pass a few weeks in Lincoln- shire, and bring Lord Harold arid. Lady Fiorina | with her. She accordingly wrote by. that very day’s post to this effect; and sho likewise despatched.a letter to Mr. Marlow, repelling with much virtuous indignation what sho termed “the black calumnies invented by Deveril against her,” but promised to give him farther instructions in a few days. ' In the evening Lady Saxondale aud Julians, both elegantly dressed, and both looking grandly beauti- ful, entered the carriage, and were borne to the mansion of Mr. and ‘Mrs. Denison, which was about two miles distant from tho Castle. Thero was 4 dinnor-party at the Denisons’ on this occasion —to be followed by a ball, at which all the sur- rounding nobility and gentry, with their wives and | ,writing. The ball-dress that she wore displayed the ‘glowing magnificonce of her charms—the superb daughters, were to be present. The Denisons wero one of the richest and belonged to one of the oldaat ? must now were advanced in life, and had several sons and daughters, nearly all of whom were married and settled in different parts of the county. They were of*course all: present on this occasion. Amongst the’ other guests was Squiro Hawkshaw, whose name has been already mentioned, and whom we v specially introduce to our reaclers. He was'a. tall, well-made man, about six-and- thirty years of age, and a good spcvimen ot tho ‘modern class of “ country gentlemen,” so far as his personal appearance’ went:. for ho had nothing of | the coarse manners and .roystering’ vulgarity of tho squirearcliy of the old achool. Ho was however of a. jovial disposition, hone% and frank-hearted ; with @ countenance not positively handsome, but - open and good-humoured, and impressing an vb- sorver with thé conviction that ho was a thoroughly straight-forward and well-meaning mag. His fea- tures were large—his forehcad very high—and he posshssed a remarkably fine head of brown hair. His manners were good, but neither elegant nor ‘polished: there was ‘hothing vulgar.in them, but at the samo time thoy would scarcely havo suited. the exquisite fastdiousness of the West End of | London. -His leugh was too loud and merry for the delicate nerves of tho mere femalo crentures of fashion; and yet such was its unalloyed good humour, that only such croatures could have wished 16 to bo more subdued. He dressed well, but not With the extreme nicety of a lounger in Hydo Park or the other faghionaBle resorts of the motropulis ; and ho was certainly much more at home with malé companions who could aanverse upon horscs, and dogs, and field-sports genorally, than at a whi:t- table as the, partner of an old dowager with tur- baned head and pursed-up mouth. Mr.. George, Hawkshaw’ was a very rich man. The Hall—as bis: residence was denominated—was | one ot the finest country-seata in Lincolnsbire; and he maintained a numerous establishment of do- mestics. How it was that ho had not as yet mar- ried, no one exactly knew—unless it were, in general torms, that he was not a marrying man. Many,a mother however could conscientiously lay her land upon her heart and afilrm that if ono of her daughters had not become “ Mrs. Hawkshaw of the Hall,” it was for. no want of manauvring on her part; and all thé. marriageablo young ladies rounil about could with oqual*sincerity satisfy their con- scienees that they had dono their best to cnsnare _ Such was the individual whom the Hon. Miss Juliana: Farefield had selooted in her own rind ag her-future husband. Jpliana reasoned with herself that if the powe? of her charns and tho influence of her fascinations had failed to procure her a hus- band in the metropolitan cireles of fashion, during the six years that had clapsed since sho lirst came out at sixteen, they wero by no meaus likcly to ex- perience failure whon their artillery was played off againat the heart of a country squiro; and slic felt proudly: conscioys of the fact that im all Lincoln- shaxé there was nota young laily of such splendid attractions as her csyn. ‘Indoed, never had Juliana appeared to greater ativantage than on the evening of which we are ECOMRniclacae (CO)