The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 358: what you’re looking at

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

ge GA a eG eT gg RT Ce ET ee As | ears <i SDN I IIT I RE NT eer ala A eae ip iP IS TET at TE TE TE CII SEN Saas al fd My mn Ra aoe yt ww .ch aE a TUE MYSTRRIES OF THE COTRT. | heif-an-bour she was oocupied with her thoughls ing togethen in the garden attached % the villa at Bayewater. A long pause hed fullowed some oun- warsation on intellectual topics; her Highness fell into a reverie; and Christina was almost eas soon absorbed ia her own separate thoughts. At length | Indora, suddenly arousing herself from her train | of meditation, observed in a kind tone, “I am truly glad other situation: I hope he will be comfortable in it. But reet asqured, my dear Christina, that if he had not succeeded in thus employing himeelf, I should have devised the means to do something for him.” “YT know and deeply appreciate all your lady- abip’s guudness,” answered our young and beautiful heroine. “You gave us both a signal proof of your generous sympathy on our bohalt, when your ladsship bade me psofler a sum of monty for Christian’s we——" “And he declined it,” observed the Princess; “because hi had been provident and had a peeu- niary resource of hie own. That circumatance raised him higher than ever in ty estimation. I feel convinced that he will do well: and you have a right to be proud of such e@ brother.” “We are indced devotedly attached to each other,” responded Christina. Being twins—our orphan condition hkewiso—the reliance which we had to place iv each other———” “J understand it all,” said the Princess. “Those Circumstances have eumbined to strongthen and enhance the love of brother and sister which natu- rally subsisted between you. And I am piad of thia opportunity of giving you the assurauce, my dear young friced, that should circumstances soon transpire to induce me to return to my native jand, it shali be my care to place yuu in a position that wajl render you independent for the future.” Christina was melted to tears by this ovidence of generosity and good feeling on the part of the Jadiun lady; and warmly but tremulously she ex- pressed her gratitade. Almust immediately afler- wards thy Princess entered the house: but Chris. trna lingered in the garden to ramble there a httlo while longer; fur the crening was beautifal—and she was inoue of those moods wien ate wishud to be alone with her own thoughts, The reader will not be surprised if when thus alone the image of her beloved fricud Zoe rose up in her mind; and that by o very natural association, it likewise con- jured up Lord Octavian Murvdith to her thoughts. t will be remembered that the young inaiden bad alreaily so far analysed her feelings ae to be un- able tu repel the conviction that Octavian was not alt.gether indifferent to her: but she was over doing her best and striving her hasdest to expel his image from her mind. Indeed, she never cyo- templated it fixedly: the immaealate purity of her eoul would not suffer her meatal vision to dweil with passionate inteutness upon that image under exiting circumstances. Yet she could nut alto. gether prevent it from often and often floating vaguely ia her mind: for with ail ber inugcence-— wath all her’anxioty to martyrive her own feelings whens she found them passing intu a forbidden channel—she could not exercise a complete puwor over ber volition. Christina remained im the garden, as wp have eaid, after tho Princess had quitted the evening of which we are writing; and for seariy oS wengee that your brother has obtained an- | areal aa au ae Pe ote, oe a Ce et ea aa An a oes eR ER MRO RR LE, ERE oeet yea ie te ieee "le ieye v etaieneabent 347 i Tagny a. t Presently when near that fence which has alteady been so often mentioned as overlovkiug a contiguome | field—she thought she heard a sudden rustth awonget a dense knot of erargresns on one side the gravel-walk where her delicate feet were trepd- ing. Fora moment she waa startled by the cir cumatance: but the next instant recovering her self-poaseasion, she cunjectured it must havo bean the rush of a cat—for there waa not a suilldiens breese thus tv agitate tho fcliags, Sho thought to herecif, as some tale recently told her by the Princess sprang up in ber memory, that if she was in that enstern lady's native Jand, she would in a moment have fled wildly sway from the spot, leat some monatrons reptile should auddenly fing forth ite hideous cvile around her, or lest” some savage animal should epring forth upon ber. — She could not help thanking heaven for baving made her tho uative of a land whose climate, though so much maligned, rendors it impossible for such causes of terror to exist: but Httle suspected abe for an instant that where no monstrous enake * can conceal its slimy folds, and where no savage animal car bide itelf in ambush, a human being with scarcely lees treacherous intent may find a lurking place. And so it was on the prosent ooga- aion: fur acarcely had Christina turned to leave the snut whero a sudden alarm had for an instant arrested ber atops,—whon she was pounced upon by a mas whu darted forth from asmidet the evore greevs. So abrupt was the occurrence--so fright. fully quick did it seem to follow upon those ideas of the serpent and the wild beast which had just been filttiug through her mind—that it over. whelmed her with torror; insomush that the vory ery which rose up to hor lips, was cheakad at tho moment it was about to burst forth—and she lost all consciousnene, Sudden as was that attack—saddenly too as she sank into a swoun—with an equal euddeunocas was she made aware, when startled back to life, thas somo viotent altercation was taking place, She was insidé 6 common cab: a mun was sented next to her—a woman with» thick voiMppasite. The vehicle had stupped ; and the cabioan waa venting his abuse apr the cuachman of andther equipage, A glance from the window showed Christina that this scone was taking place close by the Oxford Strevt entrance tu Hydo Park. It was duubtiess the auddon shock which the cab suatainod on coming into collision with the other vebicle, that had startled Christina back to consciousness. That other vehiclo was a private carrisgo, the conchman of winch wae throwing the blamo of the collision upon the cabman,—while the latter reoriminated ina rouch coarser style; and with a horrible im- precaution he demanded ty know who was to pay — wee ee = Sr ee ee ml — wa ~~ ew oe ~—eee—e om wwe 6 ope Aes Sw Seer TE Wo ey, bim for his bruken shaft? For the first few mo- | ments all this appeared to Christina ty be nothing but a dream—an illusion which was more or less sustained by the duskiness of tho hour and the obscurity which therefore prevailed inside the eab. But the conviction of the scene's reality avon struck har mind: the man was on her jeff hand-—the veiled woman was opposite—tho strect lamps were glaring un either sido—the alterdation was taking’ place close by. “Sit down, Mise!” said tho woman vehemently, as Christina in wild nffright was about to lower (C Oe ee NOG SS