The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 247: what you’re looking at

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que; 234 which she wiped away the tears which the recital of her parent’s history drew from her eyes: and Christian, taking her band, pressed it tenderly. “I do not remember my father,” continued the young maiden, in a soft plaintive voice: “he died when I was only three years old. You may easily suppose that the widow of a lieutenant in the army did not find herself very happily placed in a pecuniary sense. It was for my sake—for the sake of her orphan child—that she wrote imploring letters to her aunt and her brother, beseeching their forgiveness and their succour. I regret to say that so far as forgiveness was concerned, their hearts were closed against her: but her brother the Earl consented to make her an allowance of three hundred pounds a-year. This was at least some consolation to my poor mother : for she knew that her child whom she loved so tenderly, would be beyond the reach of want, and that she would likewise be enabled to give me a good education. It was in Lincolnshire that my father died; and it was there that my mothe? continued to dwell. I was educated, until thé agé of fourtteb, under her immediate supervisiot: she Would Hot send me to a boarding-school—ahe ould not consent to seperate even for & smglé Hey frot the only oy of her heart! It was when f had obtattited age of fourteen, that this fond and affestionaté parent of mine was seized with an idiness which speedily threatened to prove fatal. Ah, Christian!” con- tinued Ieabella, in a voice so low ahd tremulous that it was scarcely audibié; “never, never can I forget the scene at my mother’s death-bed! It often steals upon imé during the day—and comes back to me in dreante by night: bethinks that I feel the last fond pressare of her Ariaé now around my neck—the last kiswes she iauprtitted upoh my cheeks—and thé tears too mm bathed thew cheeks of mine! Théeh i¢ wes hat she told nv! Bev her own past 5 arid amidst sonvalsing sobs informed mé that I should be left im the World dependent upon an uncle whom £ had fevér wed. But I must observe that when her indisposition had first threatened grave consequences, the had written to the Earl of Lascelles, {mploring him % send her the assurance that her daughter—#o soon to become an orphan—would not be itegiveted. The Earl wrote back to say he would look after my welfare; and thus my poor mother’s death-bed was not one of unmitigated affliction: she had still the hope that her brother’s promise would be fulfilled on behalf of myself. And while breathing this hope, and invoking heaven's chvicest blessings upon my head, that dear mother of mine surrendered up her spirit into the hands of the Eternal !” Here Isabella again paused; and Christian gently said, “ Do not continue your narrative now : if afflicts you too much.” “Yes—I will complete it, Christian,” she an- swered : “for it is a tale which must be some day told to your ears. You may well conceive that the task is a painful one; but being entered upon, it is better to achieve it than to be compelled to renew it at a future period.” Christian recognised the truth of the sweet maiden’s remarks; and she continued in the fol- lowing manner :— “I wrote to my uncle the Earl of Lascelles, to inform him of my poor mother’s death: he re- mitted me money, and bade me, when the funeral THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. secured me a home beneath the roof of a highly respectable family, whom he named. Conceive my distress when I thus learnt that I was an ob- ject of no sympathy with my titled relative—bat merely a being for whom he felt himself bound to make an eleemosynary provision so that I should not starve! Instead of hastening in per- son to bestow a paternal protection on the poor orphan of so tender an age, he bade me journey up to London by myself: I was not even to find @ home beneath his own roof—but was to be cousigned to the care of strangers. Ah! Chris- tian! my first experience of the world was thas sad enough.” | “Do not weep, sweetest Isabella!” whi our y hero, as he now pressed her hand to his lips. “VFortune’s aspect has changed towards you —atri you are differently situated now.” Teabella threw upot love? a look of bashfel tetiderness; and she contiitied Ber narrative. “I arrived in Londoi— proceeded at once to the house of the fey. Mr. Hickman—by whoth, as weil as by ne ladied OF his family, I was kindly recéivéd. Mis. Hickitan took am early ppportunity to make imé understattd that in con- versatton Weford stratwers I Wat not to claim re- lationship wit® We Barl of Laswell es, nor on any fecount wae FE to speak of the circumstances of my mother’s hi “ Doubtless thre Wai tomtewhat achamead of his conduct towards his deceased sister ?” rewarkéd Christian: “ahd hence that injanction of Seereey and silenee conveyed throagh the mediua of those to whose care he had otttrasted P bevel “That was the conjecture Which I also formed at the time,” réjoined Isabella; “aed I have no —* ne the time one, f fengafihed in the —during whi ¥ wad well treated, ard os Mr. Hickman had déughtérs of iy own age, and a governess to instradt ther, my education was com- pleted ander thé same tutelage. But Mr. Hick- man died stiddenly ; atid a8 he left his family but indifferently provided for, they had to go abroad, to dcdept A home that was offered them at the hoasé of Myre. Hickman’s brother, who was a mer: chant or banker—I know not exactly which—re- siding on the Continent. The departure took place hurriedly after the funeral; and as I could not of course accompany them under such eircum- stances, 1t became necessary to find me another home. That was the first occasion on whieh I ever beheld the person who then called himself Mr. Gibson. He informed me that he was the Far! of Lascelles’ confidential agent, and that he was empowered to provide for me temporarily, until my uncle should make up his mind in respect to other arrangements. Everything was done if a hurry; and by Mrs. Hickman’s recommendation, a lodging was procured for me in the house of het was over, come up to London, where he had deceased husband's clerk—where, Christian,” added . Isabella, with a soft blush, “ we first met.” There was another pressure of the hand on the part of the enamoured youth; and he observed, “ But the change from a residence with a genteel family to the abode of those coarse vulgsr peo “Ido not think it was altogether my aneic’s fault,” interrapted Imbella: “and I will presmily (GO) AACE DOO Col