The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 122: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES. ’ the pearly tears which still stood upon her cheeks, shone lustrous as the dew-drops on the pome- granate, oo. “Had Gabriel remained trae to his plight and faithful to the solemn promises which he ao profusely breathed Dy nee ina dom low tame pause, and now speaking in a w tone—— “mine would have proved a lot fraught with a hap- piness which no power of language can describa But, alas!” she exclaimed, in a voice denoting a sudden and irresistible self-abandonment to the full tide of bitter affliction, while she pressed her hand forcibly upon her bosom as if to silence the beatings of her heart,—“ alas! that dream of bliss has now been destroyed — the vision has fled, never to re- turn.” “Oh! speak not thus despondingly, my dearest Pauline,” said the generous-hearted i “Let me become the peace-maker between you——” “No, my kind friend—thaé may not be,” inter- rupted the young lady, her voice and manner sud- denly resuming their wonted firmness. “The bond which linked our hearts is for ever broken—and nothing can restore my confidence in Gabriel. I loved him not for his fortune nor his title: I loved him for himeelf alone—and after all that occurred last night, there is an end of everything between us. But I have not yet explained to your Grace the ter- mination of my adventures and how I came to seek the protection and security of your abode. On leaving the theatre, I remembered that I had not informed the people at the fancy-dress warehouse that I should return to lay aside my masquerading attire and re- sume my own garb; and I kuew that it was then too late to disturb the mistress of the shop. I accord- ingly entered a vehicle and ordered the coachman to drive me to a respectable hotel. But I was already the object of an infamous conspiracy set on foot by that royal profligate to whom my poor sister is in- debted for her ruin,” added Pauline, with exceeding bitterness of tone and great excitement of manner. “What! the Prince dared to parsecute you 2” @aculated the Duchess of Devonshire, who, in spite of her own levity of conduct and deficiency of virtuous principle, was shocked at the idea which Pauline’e words had engendered in her mind. “Yee—his Royal Highness dared to make me the object of his tender persecution,” responded the young lady, still speaking in a tone of bitterness; “and, in pursuance of the intrigues which he had set on foot to ensnare me, I was taken to the in- famous dwelling of Mrs. Brace the milliner, instead of to a respectable hotel.” “Qh! this is really too bad!’ exclaimed Geor- Giana, in no affected tone of indignation. “ He ought to have remembered that you were the sister of one who was already too deeply afflicted on his account.” “The fature Sovereign of these realms knows | Qeither generosity nor remorse,” said Pauline, em-> phatically ; “ and despite of my representations—my teproaches—my entreaties, he would have ruined ] me——Oh ! iny God! he would have ruined me,” she cried, shuddering all over at the recollection of the tremendous danger in which she had been in- volved,—“had not my screams brought assistance. I escaped from his arms—-I escaped from the house “and throwing myself into a vebicle which hap- pened to be passing through the Square at the mo- ment, I ordered the coachman to take me to a dwelling where I knew that friendelip would afford 100 mea secure asylum. And that dwelling is Devon- shire House.” “Where you are truly welcome, Pauline,” ex- claimed the Duchess, in a compaessionating tone. “Iam grieved that I was not at home last night when you arrived: for perhaps the solace which a sincere friend might have proffered, would not have proved unwelcome. On returning from Lady Dewhurst’s, at whose residence his Grace and my- self had passed the evening, I was amazed to hear that you had come to pay Devonshire House so unexpected a visit—and I hurried hither to as- certain whether anything unpleasant had occurred. Bat you were sleeping so soundly——.” “Ah! my kind friend, I was exbausted in mind and body,” exclaimed Pauline, the tears once more starting forth upon her long lashes ;—“ and I slept profoundly, it is true —- but my slambers were haunted with hideous dreams. However, I must strive to combat against the sorrow which now weighs upon me like an almost intolerable burthen, and beneath which all my energies, mental and physical, seem to bend.” “ And you will not permit me to act as a peace- maker between my faithless cousin Florimel and | yourself?” said the splendid Georgiana, in a tone which testified how cheerfully she would undertake the task of pacification. _ “No—never |” replied Pauline, with a resolate manner. “A thousand, thousand times do I thank your Grace for this generous desire to interfere in my bebalf: but, although I can never cease to love Lord Florimel, yet I dare not risk the utter and total wreck of my peace of mind by becoming the wife of aman who makes solemn pledges so lightly and breaks them so easily. Your Grace will there- fore confer an infinite favour upon me by pressing that point no more. And now,—as I wish to with- draw myeelf altogether from the possibility of re- ceiving either visits or letters from Lord Fiorimel —and as I am likewise anxious to seek that secla- sion which may shield me against any fresh perse- cutions that his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales may possibly think fit to inestitate with regard to me,—I purpose to retire with my unfor- tanate sister to some quiet neighboyrhood, where I may pase my time in ministering to the cure of her wounded spirit and surrounding her with con- | eolations when the restoration of her intellects will render such solace needful.” “ And in what manner, my dear Pauline,” asked the Duchess, “can I assist your views in this respect ?”’ “ By adding pecuniary succour to the gene- rous aid your Grace has already afforded me,” was the response. “I wiJl not apply to my father: but I do not hesitate to solicit this boon at your hands, because I feel so much confidence in your 5 “Enough, my dear Pauline,” interposed the Duchess of Devonshire. “If you were to act otherwise than in this spirit of affectionate reliance, I should have been deeply grieved. And now tell me where you would like to fix your abode 7” “Previously to my father’s removal to Caven- dish Square,” answered Paaline, “we resided in a pretty little house on a terrace dalled Paradise Villas, in the Edgeware Koad. For upwards of eighteen months did we dwell there; and I feel some secret and anascountable impulse urging me DOO SS (CO iin