The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

a i re ae ER paella. de or Arena AERA Prem <n4 = 20 THR MYSTERINS OF THE COURT. addressed to the Duke. To this second letter a kind response was likewise roturned by his Grace, —accompamed by an invitation to Oaklands, And | Elisa knew that thia letter was received —and that | felt he # thie invitation was given. The answer cdine, to | (voung man of Apollo-like beauty. the effect that the writer would be at Oaklands in the afternoon of the following day. That afternoon came. The Duke and his wife were alone together in the drawing-ruom : for it so happened that all thd guests were out riding se enters GR p= cee ee Se eoggie «) beautiful befure. And Bertram Vivian himself ~how looked, how He was now in his twenty-fourth year—@ His hair clus.’ ‘tered in raven curls of exceeding richness about that high marble forehead where Genius sat en- throned: his tall sleader figure was masculine symmetry itself. But he too was deadly paie: yes to the Duke's eye was no agitation on ‘hig pact or walking i in the grounds, enjoying the beauty of | visible. But how different to the eyes of Eliza! that autumnal season. A very close vbserver--if | The glanee—the one glanee-~which she had dared such a one had been present — might have noticed ; throw upon him, made her aware in an instant that that the cheeks of the Duchess were paler than | he was a prey iv a deep, silent, inward agitation, even their wont,—- paler because that animation of) as tremendous and as excruciating as that which she = Ee EE ee a aaa the complexion which had survived the fading of | felt herself: the natural carnation tint, was temporarily dead. | ened into a completo whiteness. And such an observer, too, would perchance have seen that there was a strange light in the lurge dark eyes. The Duke however perceived uot all this: for Kliza seemed busily occupied in the contempla- tion of a number of magnificent prints which one of the guests had brought from London a day or two previously. The Duke was standing in one of the bay-windows of the drawing-roum, which commanded a view of the carriage-road; for he was in expectation of the promised arrival. It was about four o’clock on thos particular afternvon, that a post-chnise dashed up to the grand entrance of Oaklands; and the Duke ex- claimed, “ Here he is! More thau three years have elapsed since Jast I saw him.” Eliza remained occupied with the printes-—but turning them over more rapidly than at first. The Duke went on making observations relative tu the individual who had just arrived-—but it acarecly seemed as if. the Duchess heard them: for she gave no responses. In afew minutes footsteps were heard approaching the door: that door was thrown open—and a domestic announced, “ The Hon. Mr. Bertram Vivian.” CHAPTER V. BURTRAM VIVIAN. Kiss, rose from bor seat; and the Duke took her hand to present her to her relative,—that relative whom he fancied she had never in her hie seen before—but alas! whom she had known 80 well and loved so tenderly. She was white aa a shect ; and her death-like pallor was rendered all the more visible by the half-mourning garb that she aeore. Her raven batr, arranged in massive bands, threw out as it were the colourless countenance in ite purest marble relicf: her lipsevere of the hue of ashes: but there was a strange light glistening in her eyes, as ehe bowed to Bertram Vivian. Then there was a quick revulsion of feeling within her, —pangs of inefable anguish shooting in rapid suc- and she saw too that nutwithefanding his air of outward composure, there was someth ng about him almost bordering upon terror which her eye alone could detect. Doubtless he feared lest allin a morent the adamantine bonds of tensely nerved prudence and preterhuman self-control wherewith he and she had fortified themselves, should be snapped asunder, as Samson broke the Philistine bonds—-and that there might ensue @ wild scene of agony, flooding tears, and convulsive soba, in whech they would both be lost. But when Bor- train beheld hor 50 completely the mistress of her- self, that feeling of terror passed away in an ine stant; aud with a coldly courteous dignity, he re- furned her salutation. “ Bertram, my dear nephew,” exclaimed the Duke, hastening to embrace hin; “welcome to Qahlands! Welcome—doubly welcome—all the nore that 1 have not scen you since that shocking but false report of your loss But, Eliza dearest, yuu niust at least give my younger nephew as Lind a greoting as you bestowed upon the elder one when first you met a year back.” For the Duke remembered that when Eliza and Lord Clandon had thus met, she graciously prof- fered hitn her hand, giving him at the same time wovds of welcome. But now to Bertram no hand wax stretched forth—no syllable was spoken. * Weleume to Onklands, Mr. Vivian,” said kcliza, am a voice which he knew to be unna- turully calm, but which struck the Duke as only being strangely and unaccountably chilling: as the surne tine alf® proffered ber hand, which Bar- tram just held for a moment. Aymn had a revulsion of feeling taken place Within her: she wag again all marbie—and it was a hand cold as that of the dead which Bertram thus touched. ‘“And ao, my dear nephew,” said tle Duke, “you only returned from St. Petersburgh a few Gays back? By the bye, how was it that when you came from the United States last June twelvemonth, you did not take Londpn in your way to see your relatives and your friends, ere proceeding to St. Petersburgh P” “You are aware, uncle,” responded Bertram, “that when I obtained leave of absgnce from my post in America, it was my purpose to pass a fow cession through ber heart; and while her fortitude | months in England. But on arriving at Liver- was, wifficient to prevent any outburat of that woe --any ebullition of tha harrowing agony—it had the effect on the Sher hack of sending up the heo- tic hues of excitemant fy*ber cheeks; so that her pool 1 received an official d tch, anno that 1 was appointed First Attaché to the Em bassy at St. Petersburgh; and the itive orders were that I was to proceed thither ‘without a mo- busband, as he L wich qgoud satisfaction ment’s delay. I did eo.” upon hit young wife, ~eineae “ Weil, well,” said the Duke, “ there is notmng Bertram, ‘thought ‘that she had never seemed | NOG SS