The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 255: what you’re looking at

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242° day and the hour shall come when I may choose to reveal it. It is a mystery which defies all your power of penetration, and which remains proof against all possible conjecture. When you are to see the veil torn aside—and whether you ever shall—depend entirely upon yourself. As my husband alone can you obtain the gratification of your curiosity in that respect : otherwise, the secret goes with me to the tomb! That I am worthy of becoming your wife, so far as beauty, ac- complishments, social position, and fortune are concerned, I may assert without vanity : but whe- ther—Oh ! whether you entertain such misgivings relative to my moral character——” And she lowered her voice until it was lost in the billing murmurs of thelsigses which she lavished upon him and in which she thus purposely drowned it. “My adored friend—my beauteous Unknown— my kind, generous, and affectionate nurse,” ex- claimed Florimel, wrapt in a perfect enthusiasm of devotedness and gratitude towasds the woman who appeared to make him the ide} of ber own illimi- table fondness,—“ I once more deémaased your pardon for having, though merely in imagimation, endaa- voured to penetrate your secret. I!leve you—Oh ! be assured that I love you; and I would seoner kill. myself than cause you a moment's pain. Dear friend! how affectionate are your caresses—lew ¢ender your words towards me! How can } I feel that sooner than seek to tery wherewith it suits thee to surround ‘thyself, it would be worthier far. were I‘to assist thee to the utmost of my power to maintain thy secret until the time shall come when thou may’st reveal it. Tell me, then, myoharmer—tell.me, my goddess of lovein human shape—whatcan I do to satisfy thee of my gratitude?—whset:coume can I adopt to deserve thy good opinien.and merit thine unaiter- sable friendship ?” “I will tell you, my Gabriel, witat you must do r¢o convince me of the-simeerity of all that you “have been telling me,” said the syren-stranger, _ pressing still more closely to. his bosom and his .. Cheek as she thus bent over him ; “ you must leave London for a few weeks-——” “Leave London” ejaculated the young noble- man, now vividly reminded of the fact that all his ' thoughts bad recently been fixed on the discovery . Of Pauline’s place of abode, and that the very. dis- -guise-which had led to his: present invalid condi- tien had been assumed in order to assisthim in the prosecution of; that object. . “There!” eeculated, the Unknows, with ean anoent:. of vexatien, and 5 her. partially . gelf from his embrace: “I feared——-I dreaded leat Leheuld be asking.too mach! Ob! you have ties “Bo not offended with. me, dearest!” exclaimed Florimel, folding her ones more in his arms with en enthusiastic warmth—for the efflwence of her charms and the fascinations of her language and Le nae at0.0 upon him with a power against wich | neither the moral nor physical courage to Offer any resistance. “Oh! I.am not offended with you, Gabriel [” she murmured, in a tone of the deepest pathos : “but I fear-——I- know—I.am confident that you do . not love me! You regard me only as an occasional THE MYSTERIES. playmate for voluptuous dalliance—the being who from time to time affords you a pleasing variety in your pursuit of amorous enjoyments! But, Oh! it is not thus that I wish to be loved—it is not in this light that I thought you could regard me!” And Florime! felt his cheek become moist with the tears that fell from the lady’s eyes as she still bent over him. “Ah! wretch that I am thus to torture you!” he cried, no longer master of himself. “ After all your goodness towards me, I am a demon of cruelty———” “No—no: ‘tis I who expect and exact too much,” murmured the Unknown, in a voice tremu- lous with emotion. “ We will separate, Gabriel— separate, never to meet again——” “ By heavens, this shall not be!” ejaculated the nobleman, whose feelings were worked up-to such a pitch that. le:was prepared to make any sacri- fice sconsummate any deed of rashness or folly forthe aake of the mysterieus- enchantreas who had acquired and established sueh an-immense infimenee over his soul. “Tell me what you de- mand of me, dearest. one—and I‘ ewear to accom- plish your wishes!” ‘he cried, in a voice fall of de- livious fervogr.and wild enthusiasm. “Ah! pow you are my-own dear, dear Gabriel omee more, whispered the lady, bestowing upan svimee:| him the tenderest caresses at the same time;— my gratitude forso mush love on your past?’ Afrt’ “and never, never shall you. repeut the proof of love and affection which you thus give me!” “Henceforth you shall be all on-earth to me, my invisible but cherished angel!” cried the infatuated young man. “Let us think not of the absard shackles of marriage—but be you:my mistress— the joy of my heart—bound to me. by:the tenderest of ties—as I shall remain bewad to you by the same eternal bonds *” “Qh! vew you are dictating termsto mo,” ex- claimed the lady, in a tone of gentle remonstrance, but the accents of which were full of fondness; ‘whereas ‘tis for me to prescribe certain conditions to you—at least if the promises which you ere now made me be sincere——” “Name your conditions, my well-beloved !” in- terrupted Florimel, his voice laden with the gush of enthusiastic feelings that poured forth from his soul as he strained the warm, glowing, palpitating form of that splendid creature more closely still to his own breast: “dictate your terms—and I swear by ail that is sincerest, and sweetest, and holiest in the experience of love to obey youas if you were my guardian angel—the arbitress of my destinies ! Say, then, what de you require of me? That I- should leave London for a few weeks——” “ Yee—and that you should repair:to some dis- tant town—some pleasant watering-place, for in- stance—at which you must remain to ponder over all I have ever said to you, either on this occasion of our being together or when we met last-——_” things,” whispered Florimel!. “And strange things can I perform also, my well-beleved,” responded the lady, accompanying the assurance with the tenderest caresses,—* if you will only place implicit confidence in me and act in accordance with my dictates. O Gabriel—dear Gabriel—I can save you—save you, if I choose, from you know net how much adversity !” she ex- claimed, in a tone of enthusiasm suddenly gushing ElOOO® SS