The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 310: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYMBEEIES. The younggir! had not retired to’ rest. Seated at 2 table, on ‘which her elbow rested—and with her Sead supported ‘languidly upon her hand—she had n book before her; but, though her eyes were fixed upon it, dhe evidently was not reading. Her entire attitude as well as the on of her countenance denoted deep thought. “She was’ plunged in a pro- found reverie: the subject of her meditations was not of-a ‘joyous Aescription—~for.on each pale cheek a tear "ia the ‘feeble rushlight. She had not as yet made the dlightest preparation for retiring to rest. Her hair was still in the graceful bands in which she wore it, and in Which arrapge- ment it set off ‘her ‘intellectually beautiful and sweetly pendive countenance. Her deep ynourning dress displayed the dazzling lexion to its greatest. advantage, and ‘Jikewige de- veloped the perfect symmetry of ther sy]ptilde form, For several minutes did the royal voluptuary can- templste his mtended victim by means of the key- hole; anid the longer he upon her, the more ardently G4 he burn to passess her. And that she wonld ‘his pray beyand all : ty of saivation or rescue, he did not doubt: well aware was he that every chamber in this de- partment of the milliner’s establishment was so skil- fully and artfully that no screams to which the tougue might give-vent {n-one room cotild ba | she heard in anpther. ‘Beeides, even if it were not s0, the, inmates of Mrs. Brace’s abode were not of a cha- racter likely to afford the succour which even the acutest lamentation. or the most rending entiptica might implore. And with truth 414 we observe that the reverie of Cauttila Morton was fer from felicitous: for she did entertain evaplclons not only with re to the respectabifity of Mrs. Braod’s establishment, but likewise con the good ‘faith and sincerity of the milliner herself. The incidents of the pre- ceding Sunday evening had opened the eyes of the young girl, artless and confiding as dhe was. The attempt of the guest, whom she only. knew as Mr. Harley, to kiss her hand bad shocked her for the moment; and the indignant glance which she threw upon him expressed all the dignity of her maidenhood smarting under an insult. But on re- tiring to her own chamber, the suspicion already engendered in her mind kindled into the worst fears; and her sleepless pillow was moistened with the arphan’s bitter weeping. No wonder was it, then, that Mrs. Brace had since Observed an al- teration in her manner ;—and now—on this ‘Wed. nesday night on which we find her planged in deep thought at that midnight hour, and ia the solitude of her own room—she is déliberating -what course she ought to puraue, Alas! algs!~-now is ft that the poor girl expe- riences all the loneliness of her position in the world, Her parents have been anatched away from her: abe has not a relative, to her knowledg apon the face of the earth. Like the keen an cutting blast. of December blowing upon the naked fairness of her com- |’ wardly relgned amongst the yonng ‘ladies led her to regard them with a sisterly affectian. She was therefore at : first compleraly bappy—or rather. as happy as a maiden who so -revently lost’ her parents could poysibly hope to be. But.suddenly the film ‘fell'from her eyes—the vel} was‘torn rndely away and one litzie incident shrew all her ideas and sentiments respecting the hapse pnd its in- msgtes ‘into another channel. Beotiving as it were new ‘intuitions, she new recognised the imprepricty of Mrs. Brace’s qoninet in sending her with a note to Lord Florime!: and she remembered how in- tently the eyes of Mr. Harley were fixed upon her af supper on the Sunday evening. In spite of her urity—in spite df her urtlesspess—in spite of her ignorance on many matters, the malden had ob- tained a giimmering of the truth; and the exercise ofher reason soon davaloped her cpmprchensive facujties to an extent sufficient to uce the con- viction that the milliger moiiitated anything rather thao a mother’s towards her. part tows ‘Behold her, then, seated ‘in the solitude of ‘her chamber, anid st tiis midnight ‘hour, revolving is» her imagination ‘the hes} meang of quitting Mrs. Bracdés establishment as soon as possible. Gid not ike to reveal with abruptness the motive which promptad her to take so decigive a ; for thought within “herself that <ff'her sugpicians should: happen to’ be ynfounded ‘in eee to the milliner, how grieved she would be at having pro- claimed them. And yet she myst make up ber mind speetlily—it-was a matter aditittiag not of Gdlay—and all timidity or hesitation mast be can- quered in order to accomplish @ duty. Capifila, then, determined to quit the house on fhe ensuing morning: already had she apted with weakness in remaining there three whole dsys after the ind- dent of Sunday evening t Such were the thoughts occypying her.jmagina- tion,-when a sound, as if the handle of fhe dopr were turning, fell upon her eags. ‘She started from her seat—the dopr qpened— and Mr. Harley stood before her A scream burst from the maiden’s Tips : then, the first feeling of terror ng away fn a mament, the warm blood of in tion surged up to her cheeks— her brow—her very ears! “ Adorable girl,” exclaimed the ‘Prince, extend- ing his arma towards her,—“‘look not thus angrily upon me! “Blame got me—blame your beauty which possesses irresist#ble faspinations.” The tamporary.courege with which anger had armed ‘the orphan, abandoned her suddenty as these words fall upon her ears with the effect df-a shock; ard sinking upon a seat, she burst’ iote tears. ‘My Gearest Camilla,” exclaimed the Prince. closing the door behind him,“ this is hut ¢ sorry reception which you give me. Hear me, my engel —hear me declare that I adore you—that ‘Tf will never cease to love you—that I will do afl I can to render yon happy. Come—pernitt me to kiss Sho |. away the tears from #hose beauteous pyes——" “Begone, sir” ejaculated the maiden, a burning sense of outrage resgoring to her the courage which she had lost. “Begone, sir™ she cried, starting from the chair and pointing towards the door. 4 One word, Camilla—only one word” said the Prince, quite. prepared for this opposifion to ith desi form of the shivering mendicant, comes the piercing , and icy sense of her utter isolation to the heart of { the young orphan girl. | In Mrs. Brace she had hoped to find a mother. Pure, Innocent, unsuspicious, and confiding, she | beheld a matronly kindness in the woman’s man- { ner which speedily won her naturally warm and in- experienced heart. The rigid decorum which ou- ECOMICOOOlKS.CO ©)