The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 154: what you’re looking at

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to my care. However—iet us-retum to what I was sow saying: We: were speaking of the yeung ‘who oecapies the nett chamber to-yourn. That 148 she was not above the middle stature of her sex, ber symenctry wae admirable. Buch: was: tie young lady in whose:presence Gu- young lady; ax you have: alesady been infirmed) ie|!reline Walters now found. herself: and. for a few of: high bisth—and her name: must continue to be veiled in the despest mystery. She: requires a com- panion—eome ane who will cement to pass a few hours with her each day, and wiso will. neither seek to draw from-her whe she ia, nor recognise her again. should they ever meet. hereafter in: the great and basy world withont. Poor exeature! she: feels sad and losely—for the. nurse is certeinlpy no: fitting associnate’;: and: I. have se marty things to atten d: to, that I can give her buf. little of my company. Under all these cirsumsetances I have determined to select you as: the most. genteel~mest amiable-~and most discreet. of the young females from: whem such « choice could be mads.” “I shall cheerfully undertake the duty of ren~ dering the time as agreeable as possible to. the ” said. Caroline, both flattered aad pleased as “Yoo may, then, at once asoond te her chame ber, my dear,” returned Mrs. Lindley. “ But, frark.!1—not a word to te cthersa—or they will: be- jealous; and they will likewise overwhelm you with impertinent questions whenever they see you. Let them believe that your habits have grown. more retired, and that you love to seek the solitude of your own roem.. By producing this impression upon them, you may easily pass a few. hours every day with the younp lady, and.not be observed. by the rest. Do you comprehend.me ?” “Perfectly, meiamj” answered Caraline ;>—and she then withdrew from the midwife’s parioun.. In the roum to which the girl now ascended, a beanteous: creature occupied a bed tastefully fitted up and of a more luxuriews eharacter. thaa those in tlre.other dermitones. The young lady was about eighteen. Her eyes were not particularly large, and of the deepest. viniet blue, shaded by leng jetty lashes, and capable of undergoing every variety of expression. When stormy and soul-pierving,. they appeared to be black ae night and burning with an overwhelming lustre;—and if eyes could slay, those were the orbs which might have had tite pewer to shoot forth the fiery arrows of death. Bat when beaming with love, and melting and tender, these eyes were of a purpie hue so-exquisitely soft that it seemed as if they could never assume a look of wildness and fierceuiess ~~ never menace with their vengeful glances, nor sear with their lightaing brillianoy. Her hair was of a daris brown—of such glomy richness that it seomed of a fainter and more golden hue where tie light rested upon it, and black where the shade vemianed. Her skin was of the purest— | most snowy white, save where veined with the pale | sapphire's tint : for the gentle hue of the rose which | eyes gate upon her eheeks when abe was in health, had now fled—aad yet her pallor was not ghastly vor corpse-like--no, nor even sickly, though produced by indisposition ;—neither was it insipid—but it | was interesting. And in strong contrast therewith | was the perfectly scarlet richness of her lips, which | denoted the warmth of her temperament and the ardour of her nature. The proudly rising throat, | sioping shoulders, and well-developed contours of the bust were in harmony with a very slender that thoy should: agree well tegother. .t. be my line’ entrance. instants she. stood: gaziag, upon: her in. mingled ad- mination and respect. “Come near.me—give me your hand,” said the foie patrician,, in a:Winning, tone which immediately placed: the yorng: woman: at. her. eases, and,. ad- vancing to' the bed, ale teek the pooffered hand which she pressed cordially.as. if. te imply a hope “ Yes—we will be friends,” added the lady, either divining what passed in the otiier’s mind,, or else strusk by the secae. sentiment, “ Your name: is Caroline Waltess Mrs. Lindley told: me that. she should select you . sé present. you. must not seek to know who J.am-:' but if I continue. to like you as: well asi i.do-new unde the.imfluence of a first impresaion,.L will make you. my ceafidant— .B will. keep ne secrets from. you.” Careline was: moved almost to tears by the ami- ‘able eeftnese which characterised. the. patrician’s tone, leoks, and nigmner as she thus spoke ;—and while the young woman gased on that heavenly cousttenance,, she eould mot conceive. it. possible that one so: winning; so fascinating, and.so: tender eould have connived.at the foul tragedy, which had been enacted on the night of whirlwind and of tenapest.. Nevertheless, this was-a point upon which Caro- line had resolved to satisfy‘hesself so. soon as an .oppertunity should occur. “Sit .down.by my side,.my dear friend—for so I ‘sball call you,” resumed the lady, sinking back on the pillow whenee. she had raised herself on Caro- “ Let us endeavour to console each other. You have doubtless been deceived and: betrayed by a villain, as. kb have been: you have perhape: loved as. I.have leved-—” “Oht yea—my love was a worship~an. idolatry!” exclaimed Caroline. “And now, nothing. remains for mse but-———” “ Despair or vengeanes { maormared the patri- cian,.in a tome so altered—so changed from that in which she had previously spoken, that Miss Walters etarted up in afiright; for it struck her at the in- stant that some ether voiee had breathed those ter- rible words in the room. “Yes—despair or vengeance,” echoed Caroline, the moment shesecovered her. self-poasession. “But it shall not be éhe former,” she. added gloomily : then, fearing that she had said too much, the young -woman hastened to observe, “ I was however wrong to evince such a feeling, which ean only tend to make you detest me-—-—”’ “ Detest you!” ejaculated the patrician, starting up in her couch, a wild light suddenly flashing in her : “J should despise and hate you, were you calmly and resignedly te endure the wrongs which you may have suffered:at the hands of a man! Love is the religion of the heart, Caroline,” she continued, in an impressive tone; “ it will either elevate those who cherish it, to the condition of saints—or it will hurl them, like fallen angels, into that abyas where rage the flames of vengeance and remorse, We are the fallen angels, Caroline—and like fiends should we war against those who have plunged us inte the hell of our outraged fostings, our blighted affections waist and finely proportioned limbs: for though | and our ruined hopes!” o ee Oe eo awh 8 Ea oil CONNIE MOOKS co