The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 339: what you’re looking at

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

=e qeeoe « =a minutes, when a hired cab burs up to tho pate; and in tho clear star-light Lord Harold recognized Edinund Saxondalo in the individual who alightell. He waited till he saw him enter the villa, and then, opening the garden-gate as nuiselessly as pos- sible, he stole round to the back part of the house. Through the kitchen-window he perceived the ovok, the housemaid, and the soubrette, seated together at supper,—the groum and coachman not living } in the house. Now, from cortain antecedent circum- stances, it was well known to these domestics that Lord Harold had been on very intimate terms with Miss Emily Afcher: and they therefore were not particularly surprised when they saw him enter the kitchen and place his finger to his lip, as much as to imply that they wore to be silent. Then, beckon- ing the soubrette out into the back garden, he thrust a fow guineas into her hand, say ing, “You must manage to get me stoalthily up-sta 5 fo your mistress’s chamber.” “ But his lordship is hero,” responded the’ young lady’s-maid, though not refusing to take the money. “I know it, my dear girl,” replied Harold, tap- ping her upon the check. “I mot him just now in tho road, and hetold me that he was only going to stay half-an-hour. ‘You know very well it is all right. So do not hesitate.” “Oh, Lam suro that I have no objection, my lord !” rejoined the soubrette : “and ono thing is very certain—that missus likes you infinitely better than Lord Saxondale. She has told me so 4. hundrec times over.” “Of course—I know it well. now do not delay ; but cuntrive to introduce me as stealthily.as you can,” urged the nébleman. © Como then,” said the soubretts, who delighted in being the confidante of an intrigue. * You will have to pass through the kitchen, you know.” “Never fear. The other servants will not tell his lordship,” added Staunton, affecting to laugh merrily, as if it were a capital joke. ‘Besides, I aball put a golden soal upon each of their lips as I pass through.” “Ah! you put soals on lips, my lord f”’ said the soubeectte, surveying him archly. “ Yca—liko this,” ho replied, throwing his arm round her waist and kissing her. “ O fie, my lord—I did not mean that,” said the girl; yet it was preciscly what she did mean, and what she sought: then, as she arranged her ¢o- quettish cap, she addod, “ @ome quickly, since so it is to be.” Shé now led the way back again into the kitchen, where Harold,threw a sovereign into the lap of the housemaid and another into that of the cook, both of whom were highly delighted at this: proof of his generosity. The sowbrette conducted him cautiously up the staifs; and as they passed the drawing-room door on tho first landing, it struck ‘them both that high words were being exchanged between Edmund Saxondale and Miss Archer. In consequence of this altercation there was all tho less chance of his footateps being overheard; and he was safely eacorted by the soubrette to the exqui- sitely furnished chamber of the danseuse. Therb the wax-candles were lighted ; and Harold, seating himself on an ottoman at the foot of the bed, said in @ whispering voice, “I can make myself comfort- able here for the present.” a: gages = a en THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. —o eS ae Od eee Gee. . oes Tha soubrette throw upon ‘upon hita a picked look, and issued from the room. The moment Hardld was aloho, ho commenced a search in all Miss Archer’, boxes, drawers, and cupboards, for tho masquerade. dress,—treading Lowever upon tiptoe as lightly as he could, and conductitg his proceedings as noisie lossly as possible. Moanwhile what was taking place in the drawirg- rooii P The redder is well aware that Edmund Saxondale possessed a vefy bad temper—one of those tempers, indoed, that may be doacribed as of a ridsty spiteful kind; and if ever ho had anything to annoy him, he was accustomef to vent his wrath upon the firat person that he thought,he might make his victim in this respect. Now, he had been dining with three or four dissipated young men at an hotel at the West End; and happening to have afew words’ of dispute with one of them, he had been maultéd in a nianner which, were he possesséd of proper spirit, he would have resonted signally. ut not having the courage to risk a duel, he had quitted the compariy’in a pet—had thrown himself into a cab—and in an execrable temper, had reachod Evergreen Villa. On catering the drawing-room 2 where Emily was seated, he at once sgid, “ Well, Ido think you might show a little more pleasure at sosing me.” “What do yort mean?” demanded the danseuse, who, having made up her mind to break with Lord Saxondale, was neither in a mood to put up with hia ill-humour, nor_yet altogether disploased at finding a motive ready made for quarrelling. “Do you suppose that I am going to rush from the sola aud thraw myself into your arms ?” e“ At all evonts, you noedn’t treat mo so cool as you do. What the deuce do [ havo a mistress for, unless it is to make horself acrocable ?” “And pray what dq I honour you with my favour fr, unless it is that me are tu mako your- self agi€eable to ma?” “Why; you ungrateful fins, you!” ejaculated Saxondale: “I have dgne everything for you. What did you posdess when I took you from that beggarly Mr. Walter? how,Snuch wero your jowols worth P how was your house furnisMed? what sort of an equipage had you? how much money did he allow your” “You mean paltry follow,” cried Emily, her hand: some coutitenance Ayphing with an anger that was utterly unfeigned ; ‘how dare you reproach mo with these gifts which I so richly deserve? Why, there aré plenty of young men who would be re- joiced to tum themselves for such as Iam. An actress or A dansense has not established her famo ‘till she hes sent half-a-dosen lovers into the Bench or through the Insolvents’ Court.” " Well, I can tell you very candidly, I don’t mcan to ruin myself for you—and so that’s all about it. How do I know that you are faithful to me? How do I know, I gxy?”—and Lord Saxondale looked spitefully at hts mistress: for what he had just thrown out as a taunt, rebounded back to his mind with all‘the violence of a suspicion. “J am sure,” responded Emily Archer, contemp- tuously, 41 am not going to offer you any proof of my fidelity, even if I could.” “ Bocause you know that you can’t,” retorted Edmund, “Hah!” he suddenly ejaculated : and stooping “down, he picked up a gentleman's kid ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)