The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 279: what you’re looking at

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266 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. acquainted her with everything that had occurred. new situation: nor did he for the present think Our young hero visited his sister Christina, and | therefore immediately take any step to procure a | He displayed so much grief at this sudden and of leaving his lodging in the vicinage of the Earl's erue] separation from Isabella Vincent—he spoke | mansion. He had plenty of ready money; and as so fervidly of the love which he cherished towards | his habite were frugal and inexpensive—his only her—and declared with such passionate vehemence | extravagance consisting in the nicety and almost that his happiness was entirely centred in that | elegance of his apparel—he could subsist for some beauteous and charming creature, that Christina | time on the resources which he bad in hand. But from her brother’s words and manner aequired s | how to obtain the interview with Isabella? This somewhat deeper reading into the mysteries of her | was the difficulty. For several days after he left own heart; and she could now less than ever mis- | the Eari’s employment, he vainly busied himself take the feelimg which she herself entertained , in meditations spew the best means to carry cut towards Lord Ostesiun Meredith. But she did: his view. Miess than once he thought ef be- her best to console aad encourage her brother; amd | seeching Losd Oussond’s good offices: for it was perhaps with thi amiable im view, sho ( evident to Christime that the yousg nobleman was spoke more cheerfally of the hope whick @ faithful far from uanfavewruble to the love-suit whieh had love might entertam than was pesfectly consistent . brought about so dametrous a extastrophe is the with the misgivings she secretly experienced om | summes-housr. But yet he applied not to behalf of Christtan’s paesion. Few she could not | Ado help seeing thas #% was indeed most unlikefy the | Earl of Lascelles would ever consent to bestow his niece upon an ebseure yoong man totallg depen- dent on hie ows indastey for his bread, Bevertheless, as wo have gmt observed — Christina—witk the kindest metives—spoke cheermgly to her brother; and he went away from that interview comforted, and with a sense ie the meonsebiis the Countess of Lascelles and Ler Osmond had teem particalarly om their gueed, for fear lest the oh} nobleman’s suvpicivas should be revived. Noevertielem, Ethel continued to escupy thous séparate aparfments whask wo have on @ former occasion desusibed ; ancl on 4 variety of pretests she avoided a return to the matrnsodal of reviving hope. As ke wended his way bach fo- _ plored Christian’s departure feom the mansion, as wards his lodgings in Kensington, he %i% himself gradually falling inte those dey-dreams in which youthful lovers age wont to iadalge; and his thoughts flowed in something like the following channel :— , his presence: there had caused # diversiow in re- spect to Isabella which had thrown the i noblemas and Ethel constantly together. Now, | nee that catastrophe in the sammer-houses, Iss- ‘belks acd beem almost constantly with the Countess; “Who can fell whet the fature may have is! eed Oemend began to despair of aguim cnjoying store for me? Heaven has often blessed the lowes | Ethel’s of those whose prospects at the outest wess even society alone. Ae far thie Earl himeelf,—he had been w bevwil- darker than mine. Ah! if Ecould but obtam one! dered by the incidenta which led to Clsistian’s more interview with Isabella—f we could ance dismissal, that for several days he knew ; somrmary more exchange vows and protestations of eternal | not how @» act or what to think. That his eon fidelity—I should feel ler: my mind woukS | snd his sieso were sot lovers, as he had all become moze settied—and I should heave s better | alomp Gettered himself, had suddenly been made heart to search after fresh enrployment. But as it; apguvent: that Christias and Isabella must have is, I feel at & bes how to ast: I cms fix my been far more together than he had supposed, was thoughts upon mothing decisive. Ok, you! to see her once more—to recervé from her aweet lips the assurance that under no circumstances of per- suasion or coercion will she ever become anoéies’s, —this indeed were happiness! with fondest and brightest hope, I could battle with the world; and if industry and integrity ever throve by their own unsssisted resources, I would assuredly carve ous a position for myself. And who can tell but that the day will come when I may secure a competency, and thus feel myself justified in conducting Isabella to the altar? Our wants would be limited: a neat little rural habi- tation would suffice: and however humble its aspect, yet tho light of love would gild the interior as if it were a splendid saloon, and impart a richer bloom to the flowers festooning outside. And we should be so happy—Oh, so happy !—and Isabella | | likewise evident: and that therefore Osmond must have been the companion of the Countess m the evening walks im the garden, was a natural de- | duatioms fiom those premises. Thus the old Earl Then, inepinedd | was agitated with renewed suspicion: but a feel- ing of mingled pride and shame prevented him from again touching on the subject with his valet e, and likewise from teking any deuumwe should again become an exile from. the. house. As length Lord Osmond wae determized te dp ing to bring abous a change in aflame. His mad infatuation towarde his youthful and lovely mother-in-law would not permit him te remain | any longer #0 completely on hie guard, nor t tolerate the almost complete severance ftom her | which Ieabella’s presence in her ladyehip’s apart- ' mente nesessitated. He spoke te Makepeace: bet would never regret her uncle’s palatial man-/the valet could say nothing more than that the sion.” Sach reflections as these—which, as the reader sealme of dream-land—wrapped the soul of the _ Earl maintained a striet silence with regard to ' Feeent events. may perceive, were borrowed from the fanciful | One morning—about ten days after Christian's | abrupt dismissal from the housze—Lord Osmond enthusiastic Christian in a species of ecstacy: but | paid him a second visit a¢ his lodgings. We hav the pivot, be i¢ observed, on which the whole ! already said that our bero had more than once be- vision tarned, was the idea of first of ali obtain- | thought himself of seeking the ing a parting interview with Imbeila. He did not | good offices towards obtaining an in one etmnn anal young nobleman’ © > > er aie ee ee COMMIC DOO Col