The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 79: what you’re looking at

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» eee :—_0__—_—_—_—_0_02800—0— SS adventure! I cannot tell it you all now. THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. did than ev rer; and his air of diplomacy hung about him with a truly awful effect. Whon asked which soup, he would prefer, he gave the domestic Juch. an overwholining gaze that the unfortunate srootman wished tho floor would open and swallew him up: but when pointedly asked by Lady Saxondale which part of the turbot he preferred, he looked as if he thought there was‘a design to ontrap him into some snare or take an advantage of him. In this way his lordship helped to render the ceremonials of the ' dinner-tablo inore coldly ceremonious still, and the formalitics moro icily formal. As for Lady Saxon- cale, sho did the lionours of the table with the dig- valet Alfred, despite , his cleverncagy, was quite wu hat do you meanP Did he not put ™ on the true ssent P” “ Ab this very moment,” returned Saxondale, am | am 43 {Qnorant as ever I*was of theabode of Signore Vivaldi,” @ . “Then she docs not live at the place to which Alfrod followed ler ?’ obscrved Lord Harold, with unfeigned surprise. “I¢ wae not she whom Alfred followed at all. But mind, it was not poor Alfred's fault; and so I donot blame him ‘The jady whom he did follow, is nificd grage and well-bred courtesy becoming her | just of the same height as Angolet—and whon rank, ane also hér'position as mistress of the house: but despito all her -effofts to throw a veil over the thoughts that were agitating within hor brain, there were nevertheless moments when the.keen eye of Juliana could detect a sudden exprsasion of anguish flitting over her mother's proud countanance; and she likewise noticed the almost preterhuman effort which on those occasions her ladyship exerted to rise | d dominant as it were abovo the internafagony that was torturing her. More than ever, therefore, was Juliana’s curiosity oxcited; and in the secret depths. of her own mind did she resolve by some means or another to penctrat# the mystery. Tt was not till pa&t nine o'clock thgt the ladies | withdrew to the drawing-room, and the gentlemen were left at tablo to drink a few more glasses of wing cre summoned to partake of coffec, Thank heaven! the disgusting and bestial systom of sitting for hours over the wine after the ladivs have retirod, has of late yoars beon rapbily falling into desuet ude, | wrote the prettiest, Inglish habits in this respect yielding to the civily- ing influences of French examples. But still, ab dinner-partios, the gentlemen persist in femaining a little whilo to enjoy a jovial glass until coffee be | served up in ¢ho drawing-room ; and so i¢. was upon the present occasion.” Mr. Marlow, glad to be re- lieved from the shackles of thogo formalities which had hitherto prevailed, began “ta rattle away with his wonted volubility, and quite alarmod Lord Pe. tersficld by suddenly asking that nobleman which his lordship preferred, generally epoaking, the French or Rhenish wines? The cautious diplomatist gave Mr. Marlow an awful look, as if he shrewdly sus- pected the cunning lawyer meant to take some ad- vantage of him by so pointed # queshon: ten in rravo and solomn tones, he announced that i6 was a wrapped up in a cloak and veiled, might in the hurry of the moment be easily taken for the Signora.” “Then who in hosvon’ s namo fas she?” asked Staunton, acarcely knowing whether to believe his young ffichd’s rtory or not. “You know—at loast by sight — Mademoiselle d'Alembert P” “ What, Emily Archer? of courso I do—and 80 do e dosen others." * Tan’t she 4, splendid creature ?” asked Saxon- dale, his ear not having caught Staunton’s last words nor his eye having noticed the somewhat sar- castic smile which appedred on his friend’s lip. “ Having been disappointed in my hope of meoting Angela, if was an immense consolation to fall in with Emily Archer ag a substitute. Well, to be bricf, che and [ have made certain arrangements together ; and this morning, after breakfast, sho sweetect, and genteelest little billet in the world, telling her friend Mr. Walter that she thanked him for all ‘past kindnesses, but was compelled by circumstances to give him his dis- missal.’”’ tion ?’” asked Staunton: and as Baxondale nodded an aflirmativa, he immediately added, “‘ Of courge you have abandoned your: Jove-campaign in respect to Signora Viv “Oh, cortainly! Miss Archer edpulated ‘that as one of the conditions——” « And therefore you will not consider it treacher- ous or unfair on*my part if I teke u up the pur- suit whigh you have thus renounced " continued Staunton. . “By all means do #0,” rejolued Edmund. “Tam subject whieh, considering the rival interests that so woll pleased with Miss Emily - it eae with no existed in reapect to wines betfreen France and ; greet pang I abandon my: (ser many, he could not posaibly be expected to give ‘And now. I wish you good luck the Signora. th af you ar an opinion upon, until he had examined all the most | taking in hand.” - recent parjiamentary, documents beating on the point. the very stability of existiig jeopardized by hazarding too rash an opinion on such a grave and important subject. — Tord Saxondale and Lord Harold Staunton" who. had hitherto been separated during the dinner, now took advantage of the comparative freedom which | the withdrawal of the ladies pertaitted; and gotting . together they began to chat in a low tone upon | aflairs interesting only to themselves, “Well, how have you got on with the beauteous Angela?” asked Lord Harold. 0 * Not at all,” waa the response. “ But sulh an /Your | There was 9, passing smile upon Lord Harold’s Indeed, his lordship more than: hinted that | countenance, whish seemed, to imply that le thought ‘might be, Edmund a very great fool for his + but as at this ! moment Lord Pétersfield addressed. soms particular question to Saxondale, the latter did’ not. notice Staunton’ s look. Soon afterwards the gentlemen proceeded to the , drawing-room where coffee was sérved round; and , then the whole magnificent miite of state-apartments '-was thrown open for the. dance. Oarriages kept rolling up to «the doors of Saxondale House, depo- iting their aristocratic burdens, and then rushing away again to make room for fresh arrivals : so that by ten 0’ the brilliantly-lighted rooms wore thronged with an almost Lountless company ; and e you have taken her under your pritec- LOAO© (C©) SS (CO)