The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 283: what you’re looking at

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

— a apne ew 21% better endeavour to conquer their unhappy pas- sion. She appeared to recover mych if not all of that firmtess of purpose which had at first stood ber in such good stead, and enabled her to struggle tor a time against the wiles of temptation. Adol- puue—though feeling it was despair, if not death, to sever himself from the adored and worshipped Ethel—was nevertheless led by a sense of duty to make this atonement for his sin—however tardy, and however slight in comparison with the sin itself; and in a note penned in response to that of the Countess, be assured her that be would lose no time in stating to his father that he intended to travel upon the Continent. As for Isabella,—she likewise penned a note; and it was to Christian Ashton. In terms of suit- able maiden modesty—but still properly tender and affectionate after all that had passed between them—she besought bim not to make any further attempts to see her until she could receive his visite with her unole’s full concurrence. She assured him that never would she prove faithless to the troth that she had pledged—and that if it ,Were written in the book of destiny that they were not born for each other, yet that never would she bestow her hand where her heart was not likewise given. Thus tho letter—though containing a fiat of complete severance for the present, and heaven alone could tell for how long a period—was never- tholess precisely such an one as became a young lady of the strictest purity of principle, and which a right-minded youth such as Christian Ashton could not possibly regard without feeling that it raised her more highly than ever in his estima- tion. In pursuance of the solemn promisé given to the Countess of Lascolles, and of that sense of duty to which he was awakened, Lord Osmond sought an opportunity of conversing alone with the Karl. This was a few days after the incidents ro- Jated in the previous chapter; and the interview took place in the library. “ My dear father,” began Adolphus, “ I come to request your permission for my temporary absence from home.” “ Well, it’s very ptoper in you to request my permission,” responded the Earl: “ there is nothing like obedienge. I think I have often told you that I was a very obedient gon. Indeed, it was one of my virtues. I recollect that I never ventured on the ice after my dear father, the late Ear!, ordered me to keep off it--——which, by the bye, was on the occasion when I fell through and was so nearly drowned that I was six hours in a atate of aus- pended animation. But about this absence of your’s—where are you going tof” “I purpose, my dear father, to travel on the Continent for a year or two———” “There is certainly nothing like treyelling,” re- merked the Earl; “as indeed my book will show when it is published. I question however if you will pick up enough in Europe to fill two large volumes: for travels are nothing at all without lions, and bears, arid crocodiles, and snakes. Why, would you believe it, the moment Mr. Bentley, the publisher-—-—he is Publisher in Otdinary to ber Majesty, you know, although I certainly never had the honour of meeting with any book bearing her Mnjesty’s name on the title page——— However, as I was about to state, the moment Mr. Bentley ad- Pees Grenneiieth EEE 97o—SEUETS Nw we EE ey ees oe w~~we os eee oe eee THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. ee ie vertised ‘a forthcoming work of travels by the Right Honourable the Earl of Lascetles’,—al- though, by the bye, there was not a line written at the time—I was waited upon by an old gentle. man who offered me his literary assistance. I asked him for his qualifications; and I think he said he had written three voyages to the North Pole, eleven round the world, six travels in China, three into the heart of Africa, four to the Rocky Mountains, and about fifty others to different parte of the earth, including six or seven ascents up Mont Blanc, and about seventeen shipwrecks.” “But my dear father,’ oxclaimed Adolphus, “this man was an impostor! A little calculation would show that a dozen lives would not suflice for so much travelling and voyaging.” “God bless your soul!” cried the Earl, “the worthy gentleman had never been out of England in his life: or else how could he possibly have found time to write the books at all? They were all composed at the British Museum, and published under an infinite variety of names and titles. Why, this good gentleman who came to me, as I am telling you, was a Culosial Bishop—an Officer in the East India Company’s Service~a Subaltern - = ee eee ee Ee oe ees ee ee eee ee el ea Unattached—an Old Naval Officer—a Lady of — Rank—an Oxonian—au Ktonian—a Missionary 40 the South Sea Islands—a Trader to Hudson’s Bay —and heaven only knows what! But you will fancy the answer I gave him. Of course I told him that the Earl of Lascelles did not want a hodge-podge dished up for him—but that they were my own personal experiences, ‘adventures, and impressions that I was about to give to the world. I only mention all this to let you see that if you do travel, you could gasily have a book confectioned for you on your return.” “ But, my dear father, I do not want to write 4 book,” replied Lord Osmond,“ much less to have one written for me.” “Well, well—overy one to his taste!” said the Earl, complacently atroking his wrinkled chin, as much as to imply that it was Ais taste, and his pride too, to become an illustrious ornament of the literary world. ‘“ However,” he continued, “I have not the slightest objection that you should take a tour on the Continent during your honey- moon.” “My honeymoon?” ejaculated Adolphus, in a sort of dismayed amasement—but rather at the unexpected mention of such words than because he waa at a loss to comprehend them; for, on the contrary, he could not help at once suspecting at what the Earl was driving. “To be sure—the honeymoon!” repeated his lordship, staring fixedly in the young nobleman’s countenance. “And it is a very odd thing that at the moment you entered the library I was about to send for you. But there are strange coinci- dences at times. I remember once when I was at Eton, I was just going to take up a big stone to shy at a boy’s head, when be picked up one and suddenly threw i¢ at me with sach force he nearly knocked my eye out. .But as I was about to say, I was just on the point of sending for you, Adot- phus, to have a very serious conversation with you. In « word, you must marry Isabella off-hand; and we'll fix this day week for the nuptials.” “But, my dear father,” etied Lord Osmond, “ this is impoenbie ! ELOOO© <-— ~— = se = ~— se | : | | | | | | SS