The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 91: what you’re looking at

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ghe at present bestrides, 5, |.) .. he sun bas risen—light has broken with f : | her of her male garments; and Lady Bess was by 78 ° e THE MYSTERIES OF THE, COURT. a a eT TE delicious, with just a sufficient freshness of breeze to cool down the perspiration of the flying animal, and to heighten into the richest zlow the bloom upop its rider's cheeks. She felt a buoyancy of spisits and a lightness of heart such as she bad nover experienced before. Thoughalways of a free, and jovial, and careless disposition, yet now her happiuess was a delirium—a whirl of bliss—an eostacy. Tho blood ran like lightnipg ia her veins; and from time to time her merry laugh rang through the air like a peal of ailver bells, as she thought of the glorious feat of outwitting the two keen and cunning lawyors. . oe Now the town of Dartford is reached: she somewhat relaxts the speed of her horse, 60 as not to excite suspicion, should any Joiterer’ or early riser be about, by dashing through the street at toof tremendous a gacé. “But scarcely are the lini of the sleeping town cleared, when away she flics again along the well-beaten:toad. Now she has a glimpse of the Thames as it winds its way past Greenhithe—then. she loses sight of it again; but in a few minutes more she obtalné 4. fullor view of the broad and ample flodd as she passes over an eminenog near Northflest. - On- ward still, with an unrelaxing speed, the dark chesnut fllee—Gravosend ig reached—agnin slic checks the noble shimal fu his carser—but not. a. soul appears in the atrest, and in a few minutes more she dashes up to the front of the Dascing Bear. She looks at hor watoh—'tla, four o'clock —and she is exultant ! Coe At the same moment that she springs from her ateed tho stable door of the public-houge is thrown open, and Israel Patch comes forth lemiling another horse ready oaparisoned. Ef not quite so elegant in its appearance asthe darkchesnhut, therelay-courser is but little inferior, and gives promise of ho mean ospacity for the work that ia to be done. Few and rapid are the words which pasa between Lady Bess and Israel Patch ; and the moment her.own steed is condycted into the stable, she bids him bring her forth a draught of ale—a command whith he loses natime to obey. The amazon drinks but a portion of the tankard’s foams contents: then springing upon the fresh teed, a’ ay ahe filesagaid. “Twenty-nine miles honce to Boughton,” she exclaims aloud; “and I must do the distance within o few minutes of two hours! Yese—it can be donv—it shall be done!” she ories with en‘ hancing exultation, aa she is now well asgured of the capabilities and powers of the steed whioh gradual step upon the earth, and breathed the breath of life into the hitherto pulseless veins of slumber-locked creation. The orb of day breaks out in glory upon the world—nature is wakering: from her, tranbe—byt all the night-dews remain upon ber breast;\jke sparkling gems on the bosom of an Oriental sultena arobied ‘by the break. of morning from the voluptuous cushions whergon . sho has reposed. | ye ‘The loveliness of the scone—the freshness ofthe mormn—the gay caroling of the birda—the myraid tiny volces'in which the insect world was speaking —all had the effect of elevating Lady Bess's spirits to the higheat point. Onward speeds the horse— by heaven! she begins to think that its powers, its onergies, its action are all equal to those of her own gallant dark chesnut! Now she reins him in l, NTE put the masogling; for 4 moment to walk him through e road-side pond—and twice she leaped down to wash his mouth with a bunch of long grass damp with the pearly dew. He seome to recognise these atten- tiong—to know that he is made much of—and also to be aware that he had’a duty to perform in retury, Yes—for a specific task is set—-that good steed must be at Boughton ere the hand of his ridor$ watch marks the hour ofaix. On,.on, then—there is not an. instant to lose!—on, on! Ah! the goal 1s in view—there is the tall sizn- poat—and@ in a few moment# more the panting steed halts in front of the Red Dragon. Again does Lady Beas logk at her watch ; bravo! it still wants ten minutes to six o'clock ! | At the public-hoige which sho has fiow reacheda fresh horde isin readiness. .The man Dean has not neglected themessagedeliveredthrough the agency of the cdrriét-pigedn. A few rapid words aro ux+ changed — another sip of ale n—and away apeeds Lady Bess on the’last atago of her journoy. VinetoerPmiles aré before her—it will takean hour ‘and a quartér to accomplish that distance; but she will enter Dover 4 few minutes afterseveng’clock! Away she spesds—four miles are soon dashed over—and then shé reachesthe outskirts of Can- terbury. Butas atthis hour many persons are astir atid slie does fot cliose to court observation, she ‘makes aslightcircuit s0as toavoid passing through the place altogether. She knows all that part of tht country well—each lane, each turning ; and in ‘dtew minutes does she emerge upon tho higt: road again on tho furthermost outskirts of Canterbury. The telay-steed whioh she obtained at the Hed Dragon was equal to the former—equal too us near ‘as might be to her own; end thus she gallops on like the wind, Without impedimont—but in ex- ultation, in almost frenzied joy—in a perfect de- liriam of delight--is mile after mile passed over;— and nowat leugth thetowering heightaand gloomy tortali¢e of Dover Castle ‘break upon her view. _“ Harvah! hurrah!" her voice rings outein swelling harniony to the breeze that already seems fresh with the salt taste derived from the sea. ‘ Dover is reached: she looks at bor watqh again ——it ig ton mihutes past seven! She has riddon from. the nortifern outskirts of London in fiva houtsand as half! Immedia ee on her arrival at the Admirals Head, Lady Bess,was hurried up-stuirs by Kate Marshall and her sistera to a bed-chamber; and there the three young women embraced her in the enthasiusm of admiration for the feat which sho had performed. ‘They then assisted to disapparel no. means sorry.to stretch Ker stiff and wearlod limba in the ootnfortable couch. Kate sat down by the.bed-side, and explained to ber the stratagem witch hér father had adopted the monient tho carrier-bird brought the despatch upwards of foar hours previously. Oiie of her sisters hastened down ateirs. to procure breaktast for the iotrepid traveller; while eee bustled about to irments ont of the way, and substitute for them a female garb which Kate's wardrole furnished; and as the elder Miss Mar- shel) was nearly as possible of the same height and@igure as Lady Beas, there was no fear of the raiment proving unsuitable. The bottle of me- dicine which had been procured from Mr. Hood's assistdat,.was emptied, and then conspiciously q 1 . q a STGrenaeeme, 4% ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)