The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 317: what you’re looking at

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

——_——— ant. THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “Well, il this is not the most extraordinary thing I ever knew in my life,” exclaimed the clerk who had recognized Lady Saxondale, and who having dried the blotch of ink upon the letter, was now examining the address. “What's extraordinary ?” ““ Why, that her ladyship should have such ea cor- respondent as this. Just read the address: it really doesn’t sound at all aristocratic. Mr. Solomon Patch, the Billy Goat, Agar Town, St. Pancras, London. " “Oh! very likely it’s some old servant of her ladyship’s,” observed Smith carelessly; “or perhaps some one who has applied to her for charity. Who knows?” | “Tt looks uncommon'‘like as if it was written in a feigned hand,” observed the clerk who had picked it up from the inkstand; and he still continued to scrutinizo it. “I think we know her ladyship’s | peared writing here pretty well; and if this isn’t ber’s dis- guised in this manner, ‘then T am‘a;fool and an idiot. You see, Mr. Deveril,” he continded, “we clerks in the postroffice are ‘0 accustomed to all kinds of writing that we have great experience in such matters.” “Now,” interrupted Smith, “I am sure Mr. Deveril does not want to hear a lecture upon this subject.” ‘‘The letter,” continued the clerk, heedless of his colleague’s interruption, “is not sealed, you see, with the usual armorial bearings, but with a plain stamp—the top of a pencil-case, I should say. I wonder her ladyship should havy comp to put it.in ‘he post herself.” “Tam ready, Mr. Degeril, and at your service!” observed Smith: “for I am sure you must be gatting tired of this long talk about nothing.” The young clerk of the post-office and William Deveril accordingly issued forth together; and pro- ceeding to the hotel where the latter had taken up his quarters, they entered a vehicle which he had ordered to bo got in readiness; and away they sped towards Saxondale Castle. Deveril was more interested 3 in the little incident . which had just oceurred, than his compsnion had fancied he could possibly be.. Having a deeper in- sight into Lady Sexondale’s character than either of the clerks in the post-office, he had even been more struck by the circumstance than the one who. himself had appeared to think it extraordinary. He knew enough of London to be aware that Agar ‘Town was a quarter of no fery good repute; and the description which had recently appeared in the newspapers of the horrible murder in the barge, and which Devéril had happened to read at the time, had contained particular allusions to the no- toriously bad characters who infested that ‘place [t was therefore by no means surprising that Deveril should think it sfrange for Lady Saxondale to have a correspondent thero; and the evidently furtive manner in which, with her own hand, she ‘nad borne the letter to the post,—es well as the dis- juised writing which the clerk had detected,— served t0 strengthen the young gentiéman’s sus- picions that it was not altogether for a very correct or harmless purpose that a proud gnd titled lady, as fastidious as sho was brilliant, should address a letter to an individual at the sign of the Billy Goat in Agar Town! But although Deverjl men. (zoned not the subjeet of his thoughts to his com- Nee ri : panion Mr. Sent he did not tho les continue to ponder t On. Castle, William Deveril intimated to his new ac- ©] quaintance that he did not wish to approach too near with the vehicle, so ¢; te become the object of particular notice on the part of any of its inmates—~ but that ho was merely desirous of viewing the edilice from a suitable distance, and.of obtaining a glimpse of the grounds. Mr. Smith thought that he was somewhat too particular, as there could be no possi- ble harm in strangers approaching close up to the buildifig ; and he morever intimated that a fee tu the servants would procure Deveril an inspection of the old tapestry-rooms, the chapel, and the othor curiosities of the baronial edifice. But Doveril do- clined to avail himgelf of the suggestion, and ap- red to be content with merely making the circuit of the castle and pleasure-grounds, except on that sidecmhere thé river flowed by, washing the very foot of the wells, so that no pne could pass that way. Having thus far gratified his curiosity, as Mr. Smith was led to suppose, Deveril returned to the vehicle, accompanied by his new¢friend; and they retraced their way to Gainsborough. On the road they met Lady Saxdhdale’s carriage returning from town: but as hor ladyship was reclining back ‘ the’time, Deveril both believed and hoped that she had not observed Aim, as he indeed had not caught a glimpse of her countenance. urn we now to the castle, where in the mean- time Mr. Hawkshaw had called; and inasmuch es Juliana had dropped,a hint to Florina that he was paying his court to her, the young lady dis- creetly left the Hon. Miss Farefield a full opportu. {nity af rambling alone with the Squire in the gar- dens. We need scarcely say that Juliana failed not to develop the ‘requisite fascinations to rivet the shackles which she had alseadv sudceeded in throwing around M¥. Hawkehaw’s heart. But although this gentleman was madly and enthusiastically in love with Juliana, he naturally conceived that a court- ship of but a fow days was not sufficient to warrant him in makitig a psoposal. It ie true that he had been acquainted with Miss Farciicld for some years: indeed he had known her ever since she was a girl; but i¢ was only from the date of the Denisons’ party three.or four days back, that he had beon led to regard her with such admiration. Not being over well versed in love-matters, Mr. Hawkshaw had looked into.a few novels to see how the heroes and heroines conducted their ‘affairs of the heart ; and the result was that he found himself rather Bewildered how'to act.'“For in one novel he per- ceived thatthe hero and heroine fell desperately in love with cach other the .instant they met—that in Jess than half-an-hour the former was on his krides a6'the feet of the latter—and that a /pas- sionate avowal of love was followed by the tenderest embraces: while in anotker romance the amorous ‘ewain sighed, an& serenaded, and fluttered bash- fully about the object of his love for a whole year without daring tg confess his passion. - The result however of Mr. Hawkshaw’s researches in books, was to lead him to the conclusion that ho should at least ellow a month to elapse ere he proclaimed himself a suitor for Juliana’s hand. The yeung lady, on her side, would fain have brought matters more precipitately to a orisis: but she was ite ¢. QE ees 1 ee ee nee , the neighbourhood of Saxondale ' COMIC OOO© SS (CO)