The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 319: what you’re looking at

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

1 a, ps | owe ee Se ee es eee, a ene teeter ce = =e - ah TUTE WYITRRIRG Tis voune lady walked alone in the garden, Wrap al up in va mournful reverie, She could not hetp Unoking of William Deveril, notwithstanding ali iney clfurts to banish his image from her mind. Nothing hyd come to her knowledge to alter her Suspicions concerning him. She still had ev reason to believe that he was living improperly with. Angela Vivaldi, the opera-dancer; and the circum- stance was shill regarded by her as a corroboration of Lady Saxondale’s story of his improper conduct. Mer brother [Lareld, bo it rememberqd, bad never suspeeted her love for Deveril. At the time be en- gonttered the young artist isauing from the garden- mute oof his funt’s house in Cavendish Square, ho knew not that there had been an interview between hin and his eistee—he fancied that Deveril was ‘thore inerely for tho purpose of secking an opportu- nity of giving somo explanations to Lady Mac- donald in refereneo to the tale in circulation with revard to himself and Lady Saxondale. ‘Therefore, Harold had no idea of Florina’s love for Deveri) ; aut Mlorina herself had not chosen to mitke volun- tury confession thereof. Deeply, deeply had sho been afflicted at the intelligence of the Huel: most prufuund indead was her sorrow, amounting almost to anguish, when 1¢ was firat rumoured that Deveril had been killed ——and killed too by her own bro- ther! Tho misery she thgn felt, and the difficulty ah had at the time in veiling her feelings from those around her, had shown hor most nnmistak- nhly the real state of her heart,—to the effect that, norwithstanding all she believed j injurious to Deveril, his imaze still retained a too” powerful hold upon her alfections. And that it was so, had spoedily received a farthor corfoberation ia the sudden thrill af wild delight that she felt, blended for the mo- ment even with a atill wilder hope, when the intel- ligenve had reached her that attor all Deveri) was not dead but merely wountied : and day after day had she watched the newspapers for a line indicative of his stulc, Tho duel having created a great sensa- tion, in Consequence of the aristocratio rank of one af the principals, the public journala had devoted more than ordinary attention to it,—the stato of Mw Deveril’s health being daily chronicled until he wis pronounced convalescent. By these means Florinu had been duly infurmed in respect to the | details of Deveril's progress towards recovery; and | atl the various phases of foeling through which she | such was thus led, convinced the lady that her happiness Was more profoundly wrapped up in this love of her's than she could have supposed after the | pre iofs. she Had received of Deveril's 8 presumed. Erie’ | Gbopves tilelity. e We have thus, at a rapid glance, filled up the peer expla lesly’s. sentiments | there. and feelings from the period of the duel until the } gen interval in respect to the young time of which we are apeaking; and now. we behold her walking “in tie garden of Saxondalg Castle, plunged into a profound and melancholy reverie. She saw that Mr. Hawkshaw was paying his OF THR COotRr. " eT thus to doom her to” becomeethe wite of suca a being, she felt in her own boart thu she never could consent to so tremendous a scif-sacrifice. Oh! if Deveril “had proved all sho at one time hoped ant fanciod!——-but no: that dream of bliss was gone bry —that vision of happiness appearod to have fled tor aver |! After wandering slowly and mournfully about-the gardens for upwards of an hour, Florina seated her- eelf in an arbour, at the extremity of the avenue where Lady Saxondale and Lord Harold had roamed together the evening before. The gun was ascend- ing towards its meridian—tho heat out of the shade wag stifling: but there, beneath that umbrageous canopy, 8 grateful freshness prevailed. “Che arbour was situated close by a line of low palings which bounded tho garden; and boyond stretched tho wide park with ite groups of stately trees and the decr frisking on their carpet of verdure. A. silence, broken only by the warblings of the birds, reigned afotind: but Florina’s soul imbibed not solace nor peace¢rom this serenity. “Alaa” she aaid, giving audible expression to her thoughts, “mine is an unhappy destiny; and dismal indeod 18 the prospect f my life. Oh! for an instant what radiant happiness appeared to be shining around mé: I felt as if I were experiencing the glories of another sphere. It is hard—too hari to have seon the storm-clouds gather suddenly over the brightness of that heaven, and all my hopes wither away.as flowers in a pestilential blight. Ah, William Deveril! wherefore did { over lave thee? wherefore was I doomed to expericnee thy treachery ?” . _ “No, Florina~no! By heaven, I am incapable of treachery !” Such were tho words, in the manly meloily of a well-known voice, that suddenly sounded upon her ears: atyl the next instant William Deveril was at her fool, \ For & moment Florina sat astoundad: thor al, ruptly rising with a sudden recovery of all her maiden ‘dignity, sho was about to move away from tho Spot, when Deveril cried in a’ tone of anguished excitement, “ Hear me, I besgech you—even it’ you eondawa me afterwards! Iam innocent—as there is ast eternal God above ua, I am innocent "” Florina stoud: rivetted tothe spot Therc was such a depth of sincerity in the youth’s tone anil looks —his fine black eyes shone, too, with an ex- ae of such frankness and candour, that she nee would ba indeed hard hos to hear him. And a ee there was the hope—the suddenly ex- ~bhat he Right powibly be enabled to bis eat aad more than this too— ey sotdinary beauty of his persor,, Galicat vesting by the effects of tho duel, 90 0 that a had not the heart éo tear herself away; She became pale and agitated, struggling to maintain a dignified reserve, yct ex- periencing a melting tenderness of the soul which sourt to Juliana ; and she supposed that the latter | increased every moment. ved him in return. This belief teflded to sadden “You will hear me!” aaid, Deveril, rising from her even still’ more deeply : for she reflected that | the one knee dh which he had Dent; “and upon others were heppy in their love, while she whs miscrable. look forward to her alliance with Edmund Saxon- | With the utmost abhorrenco did she sway gour good whatsoever terms we way part, I shall at least take with me!” “Ts this possible?” asked Florina, in a trpmulous dale; and though she had not tho courage to tell voice, while her heart fluttered like an imprisoned her aunt that it was equivalent to a death-sentence /‘bird. ry ee eee eee, ee wee: eee: - wee eee = Pewee, ow een enero eeneeerinain re eee ee ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)