The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 224: what you’re looking at

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

IN — RO A ee NIE se Te PC RS OES Cees G2 GEE © oan Giie quae: as =e THE MYSTERIES OF THE OOURT. to obtain a few minutes’ private discourse with Tsabella. The thought of separating from her had led him to the sudden comprehension of the feel- ing which he entertained on her behalf: he saw that it was not a mere friendly interest: a secret voice, whispering in his goul, told him that it was love. But how obtain a private interview with Teabella ?—and even if he succeeded, what did he purpose to say? He knew not; and yet he felt how impossible it was for him to go elsewhere without exchanging another syllable with that beauteous creature. He sat with his door sjar, in _ the hope that he might hoar her issue forth from the front parlour,—in which case he would go and meet her in the passage at any riek. Butno: the opportunity served not—the time passed—and at ten o’clock he heard Miss Vincent ascending to her own chamber, Mrs. Chubb closely tullowing. Christian passed an almost sleepless night: he rose early in the morning—and at nine o'clock was compelled to sally forth and search for another lodging before he proeeeded to Mivart’s Hotel to enter upon his day’s duties. He was not long in finding suitable apartments: he gavo a reference to Mrs. Chubb, and intimated that he should take possession of the rooms in the evening. Then, with a heavy heart, he repaired to the hotel; but during the hours that he was engaged in his avo- cations, he was abstracted, and performed them only in a sort of mechanical manner. | At five he retraced his way to Mr. Chubb’s, wondering whether he should be enabled to obtain & fow minutes’ interview with Isabella,—in which | u case he was more than half resolved to throw him- self at her feet and avow his love: for if had now assumed all the pure passion and chaste fervour of romance. But as he entered the street, he beheld a carriage, with livery servants in attendance, standing at the door of the parish clerk’s house : a man came out, leading Isabella by the hand—and that man was the same with the sinister counte- nance, whom Christian had seen on the preceding day. He assisted Isabella to enter the carriagé,— he himself tmmediately ‘afterwards ascending © the box, and. taking his seat as a ial or de- pendant by the side of the fat, gorgeously liveried, powdered coachman. The equipage drove away in the contrary direction from that whence Christian was advancing ; and he ‘stopped short, smitten with grief, as well as with a bewilderment amountin almost to dismay. Isabella was gone: she had not observed dhim—or if she did notice his pre- sence in the street, she had not dared bestow dven a parting look upon him:—she was gone, and she was borne away under circumstances which only added to the mystery already enveloping her. She had taken her departure in a splendid equipage ; and the man who had come to fetch her, was evidently a menial. If Christian's soul were sus- ceptible of any consolation under this infliction, it was to be found in the fact that his mind was re-| b lieved from the apprehension that the sinister. looking ‘individual was in any way connected by the bonds of kinship with the beautiful Isabella. For nearly a minute did the youth stand in the street, a dozen yards distant from the spot where the carriage had just driven off: he felt as if a dreadful calamity had suddenly overtaken him—as if a guif had abruptly opened, separating him from the object of his love. At length he moved 211 slowly onward to the parish-clerk’s house: Mrs. Chubb hereelf answered his summons at the front- door, and begged him to step into the parlour. ‘Well, Mr. Ashton,” she exclaimed, “hero's a pretty business! I’ve lost the young lady and the uinea a week that was paid for her board and ging—and all through you!” “Through me?” ejaculated our young hero: put his cheeks became the colour of scarlet—for he elé as if the keen eyes of the landlady were penetrating to the inmost recesses of his heart. “Yes, to be sure—through you, Mr. Ashton !” she repeated: “leastways, on your account. I hadn’t ought to have took you unbeknown to that there Mr. Gibson.” | _ “And who is Mr. Gibson ” inquired Christian, who now thought he might possibly hear some. thing in respect to the mystery which had ap- peared to envelope the object of his love. : “Why, Mr. Gibson is the person who put Miss Vincent with me and paid for her board and lodg- ing.’ “And how long had Miss Vincent been with you P” ' © Not more than three months, or s0,” rejoined Mrs. Chubb; “and it is wery wexing that she should have gone like this. But who on earth she can be, I hayen’t no more idea than the man in the moon {" “But i¢ surely was not this Mr, Gibson’s own e “In course not !—or else he wouldn’t have got the box. To think that Miss Vincent, who lived here for a guinea a week, should have had a carriage eent to fetch her away-——” “And where is she going to?” interrupted Christian, his heart palpitating with suspense as he awaited the reply. | “ Ah! that’s quite unbeknown to me,” responded Mrs. Chubb. “Mr. Gibson was always precious close; and Miss Vincent herself never said a word about any relations or friends that she might have. But I always thought that there was some little mystery about the young lady. She lived for a long time with Mr. Hickman—our clergyman that was; and when he died it was through his widow’s recommendation that Mr. Gibson put Miss Vincent with us—Chubb, you see, being parish-clerk.” “And how long did Miss Vincent live in the man’s family ?”’ asked Christian. “Very nigh two year,” rejoined Mrs. Chubb. “She was fourteen years old when she was fust put in Mr. Hickman’s family. She was in dee mourning — for her mother had just died; and did hear it whispered that she was a lady of title —but I don’t know how true it may be, for Miss Vincent never spoke to me about her family. And to tell you the truth, when Mr. Gibson put her here, he hinted that she was somewhat peculiarly bitiwated, and that me and Chubb was never to other her with no questions.” _ “Then it would appear that this Mr. Gibson was only the agent for some one else?’ remarked Christian : “and this some one else is evidently the person, whether gentleman or lady, to whom the earriage iteelf belongs. he hésitatingly inquired, “by saying that it was through me you have lost her ?”’—and as Christian put the question, he felt a sad, sad tightening at the heart. Cc t But what did you mean,” © (GO) an (C DOO Col