The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 34: what you’re looking at

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ee - gO A a po eee ee Te sa “oe et ee eey — . © ~~ em ———— Dp —— ae, enw. nee Oe See Wre* CP aarere. -6 THE MYSTERTES OF THE CNTR. am on the subject, for fear of wounding her feelings : but ne secretly resulved that if these scenes were yenewed, HBeriram's visit to Oaklands should be eut very speedily short. Gn the following morning, at breakfast, there was tho same cold restraint— the same distant formality, between the Duchess and Bertram Vivian. When the amusements of the day were bout to be sctiled, tha Duchess proposed a riding- +e y amongst other recreations: whereupon Bor- tram, on beirfy invited by the Duke to join it, excused himself on the plea of having letters to write. In the afternoon, when there was to bea boating party on the splendid piece of ornamental water in the neighbourhood of the mansion, Ber- tram beBged to be excused from joining it, as bis phyaician bad recommended horee-exercive and ho could not dispense with bis daily mde. The guesta were astonished, He would not ride when they rode; but he now chuse to ride when they did not. The dinner was marked by the same sort of conduct: the evening passed in a sunilar manner ; and the effect of all this was to throw a species of damp upon the spirits of the guests. The Duke bimself nuw became cold and distant to Bertram ; and not choosing to deign any farther disceurse with him on the topie, resulved to speak to his wite. “ Eliza,” he said, when they had retired to their chamber, “it is tinpossible 1 can conceal from my- self the strange—1 maf even call it the rude and uneourteous manher in which my nephew behaves towerds you.” For a moment the Dachess trembled from head to foot: but her agitation escaped her fin bard's notice. Then, almost instantaneously reeavering her preeence of mind, she said in her serene cali vuier, “T have nothing to complain of in Mr. Vivian’s treatment.” Agan wes the Duke syatten with the thought that his favoursble construction must be the true one—that Bertram was resolved his conduct should be merely respectful, and nothing more— thnt Eliza understood bis meaning, appreciated it, and was not merely eatirfied, but pleased. Tho Duke therefore suid no more: but he thought Within his own heart that this self-imposed re straint would necessarily be matigated ito a little more gemal cordiality in (he course of a few daye. Thy next three or four days, however, passed in precisely the same manner; and it became evi- dent that Bertram absolutely avowed the Duchess as much as he possibly could. Lf when ire the drawing-room, a movement was mide by the guests which threatened to leave him alone with Biza, he would obruptly quit the apartment. Tle had ceased to cgnduct ber to the ainnes-table: he placed himsg}f (and some thought, stuciionsly ao) as far from her as possible. biv.eeli’ direct to her, unless absolutely obiiged ; and then his tones were chillingly glacial. demeanour on the other hand begun to grow cvi- dently distressed, notwithstanding ul! her efforts to maifitain a dignified compose. The truth i, it was an ordeal that was wearirg Ler out: she could not support ft. All ber love for Bertraun | ivian was revived with ite full pristine power: indeed, it had never been exten. | and gmderness. é gues it bad given place to resigvatun whe — (was preciscly what ib ought to be,” He never addressed | ‘cere. but merely that it had a different modo of Her | no more—it Lad Furmained . Oe ST oy as it were lulled and aubdued by che > de- minion of self-control during the yells W. had elapved aince, by the contents of har rain dvik, she had discovered that he was aliv ‘bea. Bertrafhh himself, in all tne hving, Ge beauty, again appeared in het presence, thas lve was inspired with fulleat vitality once mdi | Mo be with himn—to behold him often and ofte #her all the rest thought that her cyos gaséd | where—to breathe the same al mosphore —to Kéar the melting music of his voice, at times pouting forth its eloquence a3 if m goldeh tones —to know that she might have been Ais after all, if no due plicity and deceit had sacrificed hor— and what was more still, to have the inward conviction that ha loved her even now aa much us ever he had luved befure,—Oh ! ail thie constituted an ordeal fraurht with anguish that was ineffablo, with tortures that were harrowing, with an affliction the polgnahry of wluch was cracifying ! The Duke of Marchmont waa bewildered. Ad one time he thought one thing-—at another time another. Now his conjectures wore favourable to his nephew: the next moniont they became quite the reverse. He felt os if a seene were passing around him whieh he could not understand—-aa if there were some strange myatery to tho reading of which be possessed no possible clue. That things could not go on thus, ho felt persuaded: but how was he to interfere ? how was he to treat with im. portance a matter which in reality might have no importance at all? Lt he mado up his mind to gprnk ty his nephew, Bertram at obee took the Wuihiative of the diuecourae, but guile on some othor subjects onc all lis oxpreasious were moat dutiful and affectionate towards his tele, Thus the Dake would go away froin him, leaving uneaid all be bed meant tosny. If he apoke to hie wife when thes were alone together, Kize still dechied that there was nothing in M¥. Bertram's conduet of whieh she had tu make the slighteat complaint; and Ba even added in an unguarded moment, “that ié The Duke put quite a different eonstruction on ber worda frow that which they ought to have borne; ard giver > hey erethit for a delicacy of fecling which thou. carried to an extreme, was vet in the rigl.¢ direction, he embraced her with all bia wxerlous fordnegs. elt was in tho midst of theso circurmetancos, that Lord Clandon arrived at Oahliunde on the protalaed visit, The brothera had not met since they sepa rated more than three years back at that very kame mansion, after the death of the late Matyuis of Vivinndalo— that death which by altering their father’s position at the time, bad led to their reeall from colicge. Bertram precipitated himavlf into Jlugh’s amma; and if the joy of the latter wert less exuberant, it was hot considered the less gine 1 Vemonstration, the “lgpesitions o; the two being not competely alike, Lod Clandon waa all eors ‘diel cuurtcry and respecttul friendlieas towards the Duchess: his ’ameanour appeared to cisely what it aught from a relative of hia age to one of bers. Thus the presence of Lord Clanton wt Outlands threw out, by the éffert of eont the cold reserve and ylacial formality of Bettrénd into atui stronger relief. Lord Clandou hai not been half-an-hour on thié COMM le ed ee ee Se a —- SS LS TS A a ESA ts Se a ROT TET ae, -” as PC TOTTI LTT ea - « ewe eee Ee - NOG on bes ire eee _ ies » ied © ~ e SS