The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 360: what you’re looking at

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

nS ee ee Pe wt -—a/e a CO een el we! © awreees MANS phe ee @awes tk NYO Ie ae 5 Carer and bear her to bis own carriage, was the work of tho pext few moments,—during which e Angelique and ber male accomplice thought it best to beat a retreat,—the infamous woman having hastily slipped a couple of sovereigns into the cab- man’s band, The cruwd had passed round towards the huudsome carriage to which Christina was now consigned: 20 opposition was therefure offered to the flight of the Frenchwoman and her accom- plice,—whu, we may as well observe, was her own footman, dresggl {n plain clothes. Lord Octavian Meredith's egumpage drove off; and the crowd re- mained toe question the cabman as to the meaning of these proceedings : but he, apprahenaive of un- plousant consequences ou his own accvunt, vowed and protested be knew nothing more than that he had been hailed a short way off by the party, and that the young girl had apperontly stepped inte the vehicle without any reluctance on ber own sida Mranutimesthe young Ssobleman’s eyuipage was rolkng away towards the Regont’s Park ; and his arm suppurted the inanimate fur uf the beloved Chrisuna. What unexpected happiness for the aduring Octavian! Would the reader believe us uf wi were to profess ignorance as to whother ho im- printed a kiss upon ber cheek P - it were contrary ty all huowleige of human pature to suppose that he abstained. Yet though they wero alone to- gether inside the carriage, and she was unconscious of what was passing, --it was with the purest deli- cacy he sustained her inantuate form: he did not press it with pussionate vehemence in bis aruss:— lus lowe for the beautvous Christina was wudeed of a holy character, apart from his position as the husband of another, which alone rendered that love unduly | And now we may reswiue the throad of our nar? rative at the punt where we mterrupted it to give the preeeding explananons, Christina and Lord Octavian were alune together in the apartaunent,— wits avuted us af traustixed upon the chair-—he dandiae et her, bending slightly duwn, and brentisngy imquiries tenderly respectful, as tu whether she elt better. “My ford,” she answered, slowly recoverjng her self-possresion, “ Ul have te thank you for the ervice you bave rendered we, Lf cannot compre- hend the mening of the outrage whieh dragged tiv frow wy hemes wor can £ concave who were ily perpetraturs. Bur that is of little consequence pow, since 1 am idebted to your lurdabip fur my safety,” “ Rust assured, Miss Ashton,” responded Mere- dith, hastening to ert himself altogether right an her estitaation wath reyard ty one punot whieh be fel might need an explanatery word, “that af L had kvewn where you dwelt, [ siould have at wnce conveyed you thither: but I never knew— I was aever told ———aud—and—I never dared to ask !" “With « renewed erpressieon of my thauks to your lurdabip,” ead Christina, mang frow leer seat, “f wil? Bow take my departure :"—then, as a sudden thought atruck her, ehu added, “ May I request that ohe of the dumestica be desired to fetch a vehicle to take me to my hurme ?” “ My carriage is at your service,’ replied Mere- dith, who comprebended the meaning Ya una's request. “Hesitate net te make uae of it: =e ay yen eee oa Geeta pep qua Tie ies ww ry ave < 2a eo we.t erwes Be gr eS = = ue sa = ~’ ARTES utedinw SE see ei deel a aicitdenh wien wees for most suleomaly do I pledge my word that I will not inquire of the dumasiins who are in abe tendance upon it, where you dwall."' Christina liked not the arrangement: bat abe dared not fling anuther insult at the young noble. man by rejecting it~which would have been tase tamount to an expression of mistruat in respect te tho pledge he had just yiven her. Sho thorefure- said with modest bavhiulness, “I will avail myself of your lurdsbip’s kindness.” “O Christina!” suddenly exclaimed Moredith, carried completely away by his fuclings of deruted love and ardent admiration, as be gaxed upen the beautiful bemy who stood before him,—“ where- fore thus cold and distant? wherefore so frevaing in your manner? My God: will you not bestow onv kind look upon wo, Christina ?” e “My lord,” abo said, with a calm dignity, “you will not ungenerously avail yoursylf of tho paiuful and embarrassing position into which circeum- atances have thrown me-——"" “© Christina, one word !—-only uno word!” he vebowently cried. “Is ita ain to love you? ie it a orime to concontrate all my hopes of happiness in this world upon one idva—the klea that you may yot be my own adored and chorished wito f* “My lord, I cannot—TI will not listen to this lauguago!” exolaimod Christina; “it is un inault tu Zoe—an gusult tu myself!’'~-and she moved towards the dvor, “ Now,” omed Meredith, “if you depart in ane ger, you will leave mo ao truly wretched that I shall do sumething desperate! Yes—by heaven, Christina—-—” “Oh, thiy threat which you havo held aut be- fore!" wero tho wildly uttered words that thrilled from Christiua’s ips; and she pressed her hand in anguish and bewilderment to her brow, “Christina, Lam not indifferent to you," ex- claimed Octavian, in a voice of cxultant joys “tell me, tol) me that Lam not indiffurant! -tell we that you will hve for mo, as [ am leaving tor you-~——fue ake cannet live! Ob, speak to mg |— fur Ciud’s sake speak to me!” Hie aunk ot her leot—~bLe wised one of hor hunds —the other was prussed against her brow: he was abeyt ia convey the former ty hin lipg— but with a puatcheP it from bimi—and the next metant the duur elused beland her. Moredith dared not fol. low: he felt allin a moment that it would indeed be flagrantly insulting to the puro mind of Chris- ting, if he were thus far tu forget lumeelf. Ie stuk upon @ seut--buriad his countenance in his hands—and gave way to his agitated reflec tiaus. . Meanwhile Mise Ashtun had passed out into the ball, where she tuund Jessie and the other maid. wervant. Her cars caught no folluwing footsteps | aud she therefore comprehended that tho delcavy of Meredith's feelmgs had prevailed over the atrengti of lis passion, She hestated not to linger ivr a few moments in the hall, while Jesup Chiles hastened ty feteh one of hor own bunnete and shawls tu lend the young Iady. Then—heaving my the meautive decided nut to avail herself of the carriaye, for fear that in sumac insensate moment Octavian should forget the pledge which ho had givun--sho bastened away on fdot. She was some overtaken by an gtapty cab, which she entereds ed ed COMM (C PRS 1: ESET Key yterdeins EES Gri, Def aarp pR gy oe Enea sian ein ein SPR INTE OER ae “ORIN, THR MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. oan Gagne tor, PE pS NOG b | | | | | | | | | udden and vehement effort” she. r ¥ | , | | | € wer SS CO