The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 152: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COU RT. refined than everything which met his view. The apartment flooded with light-—the rich furniture -—the crimson draperies——the brilliant mirrors— the wine-sparkling in the deoanters~+the fruit in the dishes of cut ginss and in china baskets—and the ravishing loveliness of the four young women who were to be his companions at the festival,— all combinell to elevate his spirits and win him away from certain sombre reflections which had been hanging upon his soul ere he sought the present scene. The atmosphere of the apart- ment was warm and perfumed, but without a sickly opprees vences : the brilliant light was reflected. in the eyes of the four charmers—it made their teeth gleam like pearis--their lips have the vivid semblance of wot coral; it dis- played the daszling transparency of their com- plexione to' the utmost advantage—it shed a richer gloss on their naturally shining air. “Come; my dear Marchmont,” said Lettice, “and let me‘sit on ove side of you.” . “ And I,” said the young Irish girl, “on the other.” “ But Marchmont loves to be at his ease,” cried the sprightly Armantine: and she bounded from the room,—in a few minutes returning with a flowered silk dressing-gown, the produc- tién of which elicited peals of merry laughter frora herself and her companions. “Come,” exid Linda, the German girl, “ off with the coat and on with the dressing-gown! It makes you look so much as if you felt your- self at home.” “ Have your own way,” said the Duke. “ And now to table, you merry Trompe. They sat down : the champagne quickly began te cirvalate—laughter pealed like silver bells stound—the Duke felt himself gay—he forgot whatecever cares had been troubling him—he plunged headlong as ft were into the vortex of pleasure, in order to drown his recolleo- tions. Be it understood that the young women were''not merely well educated, but accom- plished likewise. They had belonged to genteel families, from whose bosom they were | beguiled away by the infamous agents of the | still more infamous Madame Angelique; and if there were at any time remorseful feelings in their coals, they were comperiee to atifie them as well as they could; for th cf felt that they had entered upon a ‘career whence there was nO on. But they were accomplHshed, we ony : they all had good conversational powers —end the discourse became as eparkling as the wine which gave it zest. After a while, when the whole party wore exhilarated, they got up |. and danced; and the Duke abandoned himeelf with a sort of wild frenzy to the hilarious pro- céeding. Were he a youth of eighteen or twenty, he could not have entered more completely into lly fun and frolic. At length, when exhausted with waltzing and romping, he threw himself upon & ober and the champagne-glasses were filled agai .* Leng liveeuch gniety as our's!” cried March- mont, lifting up his glass in one hand, while the other arm encireled the splendid shape of the gorgevusly handsome Lettice. “ Oh, for ever such galety as this!” exclaimed Linda, who had likewise thrown herself upon a seat; and as she held her glass up, she watched 139 the eparkling of the wine ere she conveyed it to her sensuously breathing lips. “That wicked Marchmont has whirled me round so,” cried the Irish girl, “ that he has tired mo out and she threw herself upon a foot- “ Moisten your lips with fruit,” said Armantine, as ahe sped to the table; and quickly returning with a china basket containing melon, pine-apple, oranges, apples, pears, and grapes, she placed it on the carpet at the Duke’s feet. Then, likewise seating herself upon a footstool, she listened while Marchmont and Lettice eang together a Baecchanalian English song. Whata scene of luxurious enjoyment, blended with the ravishments of feminine beauty, was that for the pencil of an artist! , It was past one in the morning when Maroh- mont thought of taking his departure. He placed " under one of the fruit-disbes a sum of. money in bank-notes, aa a mark of his liberality towards the charming companions of his reveal; and then he drew Lettice aside into a window-recese, where he conversed with her for a few minutes in a low tone of voice. The other three girls chatted to- gether at the opposite extremity of the room: they heard not what pessed between Marchmont — and Lettice Rodney—neither. did they seek to catch a single word. They wereall on the friend- liest terms with oneanother: they had no jealousy. Their exquisite beauty ensured to them all an equal amount of favour on the part of their aris- tocratic patrons; and being girls of good edaca- tion—~feeling too at times their loss and degraded position, they knéw how useless it was to aggra- vate it by petty contentions amongst theniselves. The conversation between the Duke and Loettice | terminated: the nobleman embraced all four one after another, and then took his departure. a] CHAPTER XXVILI. COVENT GARDEN. Om the following day Christian Ashton was ea- ‘gaged, as usual, in the forenoon, attending to his ducal emmpicyer's correspondence ; and when it was terminated, he rose to withdraw from the library ; but Marchmont said, “ Sit down again, Christian : I wish to speak to you.” , The youth resumed his ohair, and prepared to listen attentively to whatsoever might. be ad- dressed to him. “I think, Christian,” continued his Grace, “that you are happy and comfortable in your present situation—and that inasmoch as your . welfare is looked after by me, you yourself are willing and anxious to give me every possible | ‘gatisfaction.” ' “Tt is my duty, go long ss I eat your Grace's bread,” responded the youth—thus avoiding tho nécessity of telling a fkisehood by the assertion ‘that he was happy in the Duke’s employment. ° “I expected no less-from your lips,” continued Marchmont. ¥ There is a little service which you will have to render me. To-morrow I go with her Grace to Oaklands: but you will not follow until ‘the early part of next week. Youu will thus have a little holiday, and plenty of opportunities to see (SOL