The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 344: what you’re looking at

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

e =_——— ee -_——om | — meee eg Sy “a Aebee owrwewe 2 ets eees 2 ee . the gushing erhotions of the heart, Her inanners, | brief, ‘no one could satisfacwurily acecunt for the pete CS eg, op a a oe THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. Qu taee GPS? Gabe! © oe ee ee ey ee ddl Fe a. —o ee ree Tr. b- le 3 my though alightly reserved, and always preperly dig-! eoolness subsisting betwoon this couple; and it was nified, Were affable and unaffected; she was a.lady ! supposed that not even the dumestics themselves whgm everybody possessing » kind heart, eeuld not (gomo of whom had boon for years in lis lordsiup’s help liking, and ar.und vgiom there was a species of mysterious interest? investing her as with a halo. a We have said that Lady Onstlemaine was beauti- ful;‘and while wo aroethus intgoducing her to our ' readers, we nay as well pause tor a few minuley longer to describe her wore accurately. She was of medium stature, hat fincly made—uniting rivhness of proportions with an admirable symmetry.” Tho superb slope and form of her shoulders, tho lonst thing rounded, but not toemar the uprightness of her figure, suited well the fullness of the bust, the contours of which were set off Ia « noble relief by the thinness of the waist. Her air was of a dark brown, with porhaps the slightest tingo of auburn in it; so that it shone with a more volvoty gloss in the lustre of a drawing-room, oe when the synbcoame rested upon it. Her eyos were notJarge, but dark, ' and with their natural fires somewhat subdued tnto ' suftaess by the gcéheral air of melancholy which per- a ee ee re re ee oe eo ee ee a ae: ae oe ———_ == @ ome a we 2 ee ee | OU | ape ow, a Ye vaded her look. Lier noso was quite straight— hor inouth small and rich: her chin could not be called rounded, but was. just sufficiently eloygated to render her countenance a perfect oval. Her teeth were white and faultlessly even; and there wis an cxcceding ‘beauty and sweetness, though mingled with melancholy, in ‘her smile. There was a certain languor about her at times—yet not the languor of voluptuousness. *In the eyo of the liber- tine hor beauty might,—on account of this very air of languor, combined with the richness of her charms,—appear to be of a sensugus typo: bat the closer and more dolicate observer could not fail to perceivo that this Ignguor on her part was that of a soft pervasive melancholy which influchceg her en- tire ‘being. e We should add to tho above explanations, that Priscilla—the Christian namo of this lady—had been marricd about seven yegr3 to Lord Castle. maine. She had therefore bech conducted to tho altar when she -was unly sixteen; and those who knew the Earl and his bride at the timo, aflirmed that it was entiroly a love-match, snd that they experienced an undoubted affection for each other. But, as already stated, fur thefast three or four years a change appeared to have come over ong or both of them ;,aad during this intorval they had not only vecupied distinct chambers, but likewise separats wings of the spacious mansion. What could be the causo of this coolness between a husband and wife whose rnatrimonial career commenced undor such smiling auspices P No ono could conjecture: for even4in a sphere where the tongue of scandal was ever ready to catch up tho faintest whisper of de- traction, and give currency, to it wif exagrerations growing as it passed from lip tu lip~yet not an aspersion had been thrown out against the moral purity of Lady Castlomaine. Some had supposod that her husband’s tempor was of a wost untur- tunate kind, although the had the good taste and a manly diguity sufficient to conceal it, before the world: but othera would object that ¢ho natural sweetness and amiability of Priseiila’s disposition, would lead her to bend and adapt herself to any in- firmity of temper un her husband’s part. To be _—____} _.,-- service) could solve the mystery. The reader has now obtained as great an insight as we ure af present enabled tov alford, into tia gharacteras and eircumstances of th: Kart and Countess of Castlomaine; and it was by (he side of this nobleman that Dr. Ferney found himself seated in the carriage at about threo o'clock im tise morning, be not having been in bel the whuie night. For several minuics after they had entered the vehiclo, there was a profound silence. ‘The physician could not help fedling, or at least suspect. ing, that there was something more than usually, singular in the Earl’s look and waaner on comms to felch him; and thiy idea was strengthened in iis mind when so ‘many minutes elapsed aul yet his lordship volunteered no more spevilic explanation than he had: already hinted at a3 the w-tive for fetching him. On the other hand, the Kari himself appearede to be buried 10 profound roverie ; and though by the twilizh¢ of dawn tho ductor could porloctly woll discern the countenance of |iis noble companion,—yet, as usual, he couid trees yo index to his thoughts upon his handsyme but inserulable countenance. ® ‘How long is i¢ since you saw Lady Casile- maing?” inquired: the Earl, at length breaking silence, “sot abruptly, but in u siow, deep, and messured voiag. ° “Ag nearly a8 I can recollect, my lord, it must have been two months,” resjpnded the physician. “And was it to preseribo for hor ladysbip then, that you aaw her?” asked tho nobloman. -*“No—I think not, my lord. If you remomber, it was you yourself, who were unwell at tbo tine.” ee tee ee oe ee oe = oe 2 > eee ee eee ee oe ee = See mie eww ee SS | “To be sure do recollect. Then it is possibly yume months—three or four,” added the Lr, — “since you last visited her ladyship profession- -ally 2” : “It must be’at least for so long a period as your lordship has namod,” replied Dr. Ierncy. The Earl of Castlemaine mado jw turthey romark at the moment; but falling back in the carriage, bo folded his arms over his breast and appeared to sink into a moody reverie. Ho was a man of dark complexion, with coal black air, and eyes to match; and thus there was sofnething that might alunost be termod terrible in the aspect of that countenance when thus clouded with inscrutable tfouriiss The doctor eyed him furtively, and could not help think ing that there waa something wrefiz, and which had caused hidiself to be thus hurriedly fetched by the Karl in porson, and at such an hour. Perhaps any other individual save Dr. Fornoy would have — put direct queries upon these pvints—or at least . have inquired what ailed her lndyship: but the physician had not tho slightest particie of worldly curiusity in bis composition —at the sume time that his feelings Were of so delicate a nature that under such circumstances as the present,he did not evan choose to appear inquisitive where no spontaneous explanation was’at ouce vulunteered. Tho carriage rolled on; aud the Karl of Castle maine continuod wrapped up in silence and im- penetrable gluom. His bruws, which were naturaily high-archod, were contracted,—thus giving @ scuwk ey Oe a Ee =: = a | seers + Gwe, hee aegis 62908 GEE wwe COMIC OOS 7 SS (CO)