The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

. ee . Ee was ees, — . ieee ~- 4 54 of Lords, and being asked whithor he Yee going, he would not immediately reply—it wis posalble be might be on his way to the one e or the othpr—but he would not pledge hi fact be would rather not compromise himself by ¢he assurance that it was so—many things might happen in the interval. Indeed, Lord Petersfleld had a holy abhorrence of all downright questions, and never could give a prompt or straightforward answer. He even once, when accosted at a party and asked if he were not Lord Petersfield, looked positively dismayed at such a pointed question, replying that-he did not exactly know-—he had not considered upon it—be would rather not com- promiece himself—he might be Lord Peterafield—. it was possible—ut stilb no man ought to be called upon to answer ip.'‘a hurry a query of. such grave personal importance. Nay, it was oven whispered that when his lordship (who married late in life, conducted’ his intended to the altar, and was asked “ whether he Would take that woman to be his wife,” his countenance grew awfully grave and his looks profoundly solemn, while he assuted the clergyman thit he was not prepared to speak decidedly upon the point—-he did not like to compromise himself—and had a very particular aversion to such pointed queries. Such was Lefd Petersfield, one of Lady Saxon- dale’s guests ow the occasion of which we are writing. Mr. Marlow, _Edmund'8 other guardian (of the firm of Marlow and Malton), was also invited; and a very different person he was from his colleague in the trusteeship. €or precisely as Lord Petersfield was slow, pompous, and heavy, was the solicitor quick in action, glib in speech, and volatile in motion. When the door was thrown open and his name was announced, he rushed in allin a flurry, just as if ,he were late for an important case coming on before the Judges at Westminster; and in the space.of three minutes he would talk more than Lord Petersfield ever gpoke in three years. A quick succession of gnests-soon followed the arrival of Lord Petersfieldgand Mr. Marlow,— —Lords and Ladies, Right Honourables and Ho- nourables—in short, a brilliant company to the numberof fifty: for this was. very grand dinner- party that Lady Saxondale was giving on «the present occasion. Lord Harold was amongst the guests: but it- was. not till the very last minute, and just as Lady Sexondale was. begifining to despair, that Edmund made his appearance. ° . It wag,now just five minutes past seven o'clock, and Lady Saxondalt, who liked to very punctual, felt happy as she glanced aroun and rapidly counted to herself all the guests who were present, saw that thelr number was com- plete. That elegeht-looking page whom we have | especially noticed in a preceditg chapter, now eu- tered the. room, and gliding nolseleasly over the thick carpet, approached his noble mistregs, who, fancying that he came merely to receive the usual order to serye dinner up atonce, noddedin a significant manner to that effect. But it appeared that the page’s object in accosting Lady Saxon- dale at the moment was of ‘nother kind: for he bent down and whispered, “ Please, my lady, a wolan is waiting in the hall to speak to your ladyship upon very important business.” “Did you not give her a propor: | axswer ?” asked Lady Sayondale, in a low tone, yi with 4 ( an angry look, es «if she thought the page had nofdone his duty. “J assured the woman,” was the whispered response, “ that your ladgship would sce no one now ; but she desired me to ssy that she must ha@e an interview # only forea minute, without delay g00, for she has got to be quite at the other end of London by nine o’olock. Please, my lady, those are the woman's own words.” . Lady,Saxondale seomed struck by an astonish- ment not unmingled with fismay at this intellj- gence, and for s moment she hesitated how to act—murmuring to herself,“ Who can it possibly be?” Then suddenly making up her mind, she sald, “Go and show the woman into the parlour down staira, and -I will come to her ina moment.” None of the guests overheard this rapid and brief colloquy between hereladyship and the page: nor was the emotion of the former, on re- ceiving so insolent a messege, observed by any one presenfin the drawing-room, savo hor elder daughter Jullana—and this young lady's atten- tion was only drawn to the incident ®y tho cir- cumstance that from under her long eye-lashes she was bendfhg stealthy and sidelong glances towards the beautiful page the whole time that he wasin the room. ‘hus was it that Juliana was led to observe that something had trans- pired to vex and alarfh her mother: but though suddenly animated with a deep curiosity to learn what it was, she.did not dare follow ber parent from the room for the purpose. Lady Saxondale, with a gracious apology to those guests who were seated near her for her being compelled to leave them for an instant, quitted the apartment, and proceeded down stairs to the room where the obtrusive visitross was waiting té ase her. Her ladyship remained absent for about a quarter of' an hour, during which in- terval Juliana was puszling herself to conjecture what on earth it could be that had thus evidently © troubled her mother. Atthe expiration of thattimo Lady Saxondale returned to the drawing-room - and etill from beneath her long dark lashes did Juliana intently watch her mother’s countenance She at once saw that it was pale, and bore the traces of very recent agitation—enagitation, too, which was evidently still heaving within her ladyship’s bos6m, but all outward appearance of which she was endeavouring with & mighty effort to conceal. Returning to her seat, she at once entered with high-bred ease and graceful courtesy into the topic of the conversation that was going on around her; but in the tones of hor mother’s voice the keen and cunning Juliana per- ceived the evidences of that inward trouble which ‘she had already observe! reflected in her ‘looks. Dinner was announced; and the: aristocratic throng proceéded to th8 banquetting-room, which presented a mngniGoont appearauce to tho eyo. It was comptetely flooded with the dazsling lightshed from two lustres cachcontalnting at leastforty wox- candles; the table literally groaned beneath the massive services of plate; and twenty domestics in gorgeous liveries were in.attendance. The dinner eoansacd off as all such banquets in high life usually do—that is to say, heavily,—all realenthusiasm of feeling and true sense of enjoyment being weighed down and chilled by the petrifying influence of forsnality. 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