The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 66: what you’re looking at

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

that he had made any impression upon the mind of tly s charming young lady: no ond suspected her love—-neither her fathér nor her handmaids. The natural purity of her thoughts, blended with her maidenly dignity, had prevented her from betray- ing the secret by even the slightest siga whereby iove had not existed many months in her heart; that resthotio character in which the ancient Greeks | | | | | | @hd yet it was already profoundly rooted—it had entertwingg iPbelf, so to speak, with every fibre of: her being. But it was a love entirely of the senti- ment, and not of the sense—a love which was | ‘strictly a sentiment, and not a passion—ua love of believed, byt the mere mesition of whieh only pro- | *vokes the sue8r of scepticism in this more worldly. | minded and practical age. Nor do we oursolves | believe that such love is often found. It is the: lost paradise of the soul, of which few are now | permitted to obtain a glimpse—much less to ree ceive an infusion of its puro and holy hight intv the sanctuary of their hearts. Yot such a lovo as that wa? Zoe's; and she cherished it without ever dreuining of aught beyond. The vory iden of its realization would have seemed to her a thought tinctured with grossness, if emanating from ldb- sl and not inspired by an avowal on the part of its object. {faving thus sufficiently introduced Miss Ar- m¢taye to our readers, wo may pursue the thread of our narrative. ,It was, as wo lave already suid, between threo and four o'clock in the afternoan, that Zoe, having quitted her boudoir, took her e sent in the drawing-room to await the presence of any visitor or Visitress who might happen to call. Her fatber had been with her fur about half-an- hour: she had played to him on the ano and tho harp; and he had looked over bor portfolio of drawings. Not that he had the faintest idea of music, nor ¢ ightest taste in a pictorial or ar- tistic sande: b chose to affect a very great fondness for tho8® elegant accomplishments in which his daughter cxcelled--while he cordially detested the course of reading to which she was particularly devoted. Me had only lett hor at the time of which we are writing, to speak to some one on business who had called a6 the mausion in the Regent’s Park: for though he had ustensibly retired from commercial affairs by giving up his counting-house in the City, he nevertheicas con- tinued ina sort of private manner his financial enterprises by advancing loans on good security. eaannnrc cee a eS aC crease case i echenrnonseeipisbiesilibeenmasiiielintahar THE MYSTERIES OF THE CORT, “ A WA LER BP LER Gpy epee WREs tani pee eC ST PY the sontiment of Jove is 0 often wont to reveal | the immense relyet quebions bordered with’ ; iteclf. At the time of which we are writing, Zoe's | fringes and having long tassela hkovwise of gal: Bt) a 1 - _ ry 4 books which you might group about roe renee at your having those poor-lookuy volun ic agee in the drawing-rvom.” ° atin ot “T will put them out of eight, dear ¥ Sal at once rejoiued, “if you abject to theme! nad - she hastenad to thrust the books under “Tf you don’t like the tales and 4 those rulumes,” continued Mr. 4rm vai ee x unk c a . r towards the trumpory works in thvir th binding that lay upon the table, “it is quite | fashionable, you kpow, to have the Jast now noyal - lying by your side. I have often begged you, my dear Zoe, to road faghionable novels: they improve the teste, and furnish idess for conversation in. gompany.” | “ Boally, my dear father,” replied Zoe, who however scldom contradicted or remanatrated against the displays of her sire’s false notions and vulgar taste in such mattora, “I do not think that these fashiunable novels of which you spoak, Gat in any way afford improvemont for the mind or manners; and as for the convergation, heaven help those who think of drawing their inspirations from atich sources [”’ Mr. Ariytage was about to reply, when an eqni- paige dashed up to the front of the bone: and lastening to the window, he oxclaimed, “It is my friend the Duke of Marehmont.” He thon sat down and took up a book; so that bo inight have the air of one who «id not put himaci’ out of the wey for even a ducal visitar, but would receive him with as littly oxcitement and ag little Guttering of pride ge if he wero the humblest of acquaintaness. But he waa nof destined to receive the visit af all om the prague occasion: for when one of his footinon, - ~batbited, by the bye, in a livery resplendently gorgeous,— made his appearance ju the drawing-roum, 1b was nut to aunounce the Duko, but simply to request Mr. Armytage to step down, ag his e had a word to aay to him but begged to be excused alighting from bis carriage as he was iy a hurry to keep an appointment elsewhere. For a mo- ment » :cowl of displeasure appeared upon the features «6 Mr. Armytage, as if he felt that he was reeciviug ihe treatmont of a plebcian at the hands of a patrician imigeasurably bis superior: but the next moment, as a recollection flushed to his mind, his countenance recovered its wonted cold equg- nimity—and he sped down stare. * “No doubt,” he thought to bimgelf, ag he thus Having transacted whatsoaver business it was | hastened forth to the Duko’s carrigge, “ March. that had called him away, Mr. Armytago returued | mont has come to tell me something gbout the to the drawing room, where Zoe i the interval ; afar 1 apoke to bim of a few days back. brought from she boudoir. e * What are you reating therr, my love?” he inguired, Jeaning over the back of the sofa, which was drawn awny from the wall so as to be near one of the eentre-tables. *Cowper’s Poems,” responded Zoe, looking up at ber father with & sweet glance, in which there was an amiable recation: tor she evidently foresaw the observ that would next come from his laps. “« How absurd,” Ge exclaimed, “to waste your fime over that sentimental nonsonse. And really, Zoe, when there are so many elegantly bound \ | had taken up one of the bovks which sho had | { | >) The Duke was alone inside the carriage; and as Armytage burricd up $0 the window, the foot- mau who had descended from behind to knock at the front door, stouud back @ pace or two so us not to have the air of Letening to whateoever might be said. “1 just called to tell you, Armytage,” said the Duke, in a low voice, “that L have been enabled to manage that little business about which you called on me the other day. Whet say you, to Lord Octavian, Meredith, youngest son af the. Marquis of Peashuret *” . | Mr. Armytage , refigcted deeply for @ . fow minutes, without making any t : er a ¢ NOG SS