The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

9 > NE pee. yy eee, 2 HMw Leper eh lg lL m=s “No, no, Elisa!” ejaculated Vivian, with fev. J you wil'ully faithless, I have been polntediy rigid ish quickness: “it yas no oversight—it was the | and reserved in my manner -— my heaet. wae all-powerful, unseen, unknown, but irresistible in- | reality bursting. I could have thrown aygedt fluence of which you have spoken. The finger of | your feet, imploring your purdon—I oow heaven wasin it! It was decreed that the evi- | cried outfin the strong voice of ny agony: denoes of my constancy, my fidelity, my unperished | have melted into tears and wept like a ohild, Bat | and imperishable love, should survive your father | you ask me what 1 will do? I will romain yok & —that those evidences should not cunstitute a (| few daya, until the Duke shall have procured secret to die with him—but that they should exist {me the promed diplomatio situ tion im some fers t8 meet yoyr eyes, and convince you that Bertram | off land—the farther off, the better: and then, ivian Was trua td his plight !” Khiaa, we will part———to meet no more |” “And do you etill mean to reproach me P"' asked | The Duchess gave no response. She took Eliza, in tones that were acarcely audible, while | Vivian’s arm; and they walked on together ‘ the tears rained down her cheeks. “It is cruel, | through a shady avenue towards the house. She Bertram—it is unkind--after all the explanations | would fain have urged hia prompt departure: ehe _ i have gigen you. Methought that you were ere; trombled lest, after this interview, there should be now satialied of- of—my own imperishable love, ! a change in their demeanour towards each other, when you saw that’ I carmed your ring nest to/so marked and pointed as to excile attention. mv heart ?” | But how could she express a wish to hurry him “ Eliza, I have wronged you!” exclaimed | awny ? how could she utter the word which waa to Vivian, who throughout this long ard painful in. j; muke bim precipitate the mument when he would terview had been moved by a thousand different bid farewell to her fur ever? Sho could not and conflicting inpulees. “ Pardon—forgive me! | ae had not the heart to do ao: while on the My conduct has not only been unkind: it is! other hand, she felt so firm in the rectitude of her brutal —cowardly—base! You have been a vietim | awn principlea-—so stroug in the aense of that duty —I see it all May heaven have mercy upoy us | which she owed to her husband —that she did not both !” even insult. herself by thinking of the necessity of “And now, Bertram,” asked Eliza, at length | avoiding tetnptation. | coming to the question which she had foresvan| They entered the mansion; and Eliza at once mist be put, “what is to bo done? how will you | retired to her own bauduir -thore to reflect, in aet P” solitude and without restraint, upon all that “What mean youP” he demanded abruptly, a} had taken place and there, perhaps, to weep wild joy Bashing in bis eyes. “ Would youn-——” | likewise over hur sad, sad Jot which might have ‘“ Bertram, Bertram!’ almost shricked forth | been so dallerent ! Eliza, as she read what was passing in his mind, “No! -there is one sacrifice [ cannot make for you; and this is the sacrifice of my duly to my husband. I would lay down my fife for you: but not for worlds would I prove faithless to the vowa of duty, constancy, and obodience which J pledged to him whose name I bear !” “Eliza, forgive me— pardon we—I beseech; THar evening, when a domostic entered the you!” said Bertram, in a tune and with a look of | drawing-room to annuunce that dinner was served deepest, moxt humiliating contrition. “Jf furan] up, Bertram hastened forward to escort the instaut I yielded to the wild—the thrilling-- the | Duchess of Marchtoont tu the banqueting-room-~-- impossible hope which flashed to iny mind, it was; an ac! of courtesy which for sonte days he bad not that I could deliberately insult the purity of | ceased co perferm. Aud now, loo, 1¢ was all the your character. No, no! beaven forbid that L! more wurked, inasmuch as it was the place of his should prove a villain- that I should brand myself elder brother, Lord Clandon, tu perform (hut aere- as a wrelch No, no—1 wall nut!” ingnial olfice. But the Duke was pleased when bo H@ seized the hand of the Duchess as he thus; beheld the incident; and he flung a siznifirant look enthusiastically spoke, and pressed it with convub | upon Lord Clandon, os much as to bid bim observe sive violence. ° that the Duchess and Bertram were already get- ‘Bertram,’ she said, in a low soft wuice, as she j ting upon a little more friendly fuottng, so that gently disengaged her hand, “again I ask you: the eloments cf discord might be expected suon what you will do, now that tho interview which | to disappear from the bosom of the family. was inevitable has taken place? You must not, Wertram sat next to the Duchess at dinner; remain bere. and though a cumplete change bad taken place in * “And I cAnnot leave all in a moment!” guickly | his mind towards her —though he now regarded responded Vivian. ‘Take my arm ict us slowly | her aa a victiin who still loved him, and not as a return tu the mansion. For a few days, Eliza, | wilfully faithless one who had cessed to love —hbe Otemngaiiee CHAPTER VII. TUR @HADY aVENUX. must I linger here: it would excite the strangest thoughts if I w@re to depart preetpitately.” “ And I have been half afraid, Bertram,” mur- mured the Duchess, “that strange thoughts havo already been excited by your demcanour towards me,”’ “Oh, I havé been half mad!” he ejaculated. “I have known not what todo. When coldest aud most distant towards you—when, had a sutlicent power of self-coptrul not te ahow by hiseandact any abrupt alteration in hie feelings. He was now to all outward appearance, courteoualy polite, and nothing more,—courteously polite aud profoundly, respectful. Still that’ puliteness,— evidencing iteelf in the thousand. little attennons which the circumetances of tho dinnerdable en- able « gentleman to manifost towards @ lady noxt believing | to whom he is placed,—was a considerable advanse- ¢t inning niece EEERNTRCASAPRT ms cameceeenaiareIsO. -~+-iainnerii ee ASP tS OSS tI SARC PS ENED NOG SS CO