The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 395: what you’re looking at

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

384 wR MYSTERIES. tone: “it was to Horslydown, Sut proceed | with your name upon my lips—accompanied ty a Caroline” biessing—and God grant that you may henceforth “ During your absence a tall footman brought a | prove stronger than all the fascinations, allure- note to the house,” continued the dying gir] ;“ and I | ments, and blandishments which a refined sen- suspected that he was the same whom you had men- | suality can possibly devise or a consummate artfal- tioned in your narrative to Lord Montgomery. | ness be enabled to practise. Let me, however, Indeed, from the studious manner in which be | hasten to theend of my explanatory remarks: and averted his countenance as he delivered the note and | then, Gabriel—and then will I breathe in your ear a message, I.felt bat little doubt upon the point; | the name of her who must not any longer be an and the nature of the questions which you put to me | Unknown to you.” on your return, ratified my suspicions. The tal]| “Proceed, Caroline—proceed,” said Lord Flori- footman came back at midnight: you went away | mel, somewhat impatiently. with him—and I determined to follow. To be| “You remember that one evening, when attired brief, I succeeded in obtaining an entrance into the | in female apparel,” resumed Miss Walters, “you darkened boudoir at the same time that the unknown | were insulted in Chancery Lane and that yon took introduced you thither [” refage in a lock-up house. I was following you at “Good heavens! then you know who she is?’ | a distance—as was frequently my wont, though in- exclaimed Fiorimel, in mingled astonishment and | variably unperceived by you. You remained ia curiosity “Tell me, Caroline—who is the woman | the lock-up house; and at the expiration of am that was enabled for a season to render me the slave | hour or two I became wearied of waiting for your of her fascinations—the victim of her magic allure-| reappearance. The bailiffs follower was standing ments——” at the door; and from him ] learnt that you were “Patience Gabriel — patience —and you shall | to pass the night at the establishment, in company know everything {” said Miss Walters, who appeared | With Mrs. Fitzherbert and Lady Letitia L.de. to acquire an increase of energy as she thus pro- | Further and more particular inquiries, which I gressed in her explanations. “You doubtless re- | caused to be made, Jed to the discovery that you member the discourse which took place between | were actually sharing the same bed-chamber ith yourself and the Unknown on the occasion to which | those ladies—although of course your real sex was I am referring. She told you how passionately she | unsuspected by either the bailiff or his man. Here loved you—and the sincerity of the avowal might be | was a glorious opportunity, as I thooght, to ad- gleaned from the fervid tone in which she spoke, more | Vance another step in the working out of my re- even than from the foud ardour of her caresses.| Venge! Straitway to the West End did I repair The latter might haye arisen from sensuous | —and a note, which I hurriedly penned ‘and left at passion: but the voice received its intonation and | Carlton House, informed the Prince of Wales that its accent from a feeling that was calculated to | Lord Florimel, disguised in ‘female apparel, was survive satiety. Here, then, was another rival for | Sleeping at the sponging-house along with Mrs. me: and I found that yon were well disposed to | Fitzherbert and Lady Lade. But his Royal High- plunge head-long into the vortex of pleasure, | ness was not at home when the note was delivered ; mystery, and folly thus darkly but enchan‘ingly and I waited in the vicinity of Carlton House until opened at your feet. When completely uuder the | two in th morning to watch for his return. I fancied influence of her charms and her fascinations, yuu | it to De quite probable that if he felt outraged by were gradually drawn on to give an attcotive and | the conduct of Mrs. Fitzherbert be would at once re- even eager ear to the avowals which she made | Ppairto the lock-up house for the purpose ef detect- relative to her hope of becoming your bride. She | ing herin yourcompany: but in this lation J stipulated her conditions—eaying, ‘Make me your | erred. The Prince returned to Cariton Hotse soon wife, and I will stifle the law-suit which otherwise | after two, and did not issue forth again so speedily must inevitably rutn you in respect to fortune and | 85 1 expected. I accordingly repaired home to despotl you of your rank.’—I saw that you would | Piccadi!ly, and lay down until seven o'clock. Then yieid ; for it was easy to perceive how powerful, J retraced my way to Chancery Lane to watch the how subtle, how well applied were the syren’s fasci. | issue of the adventure. Soon after nine the nations, and how weak was your power of resist- | Duchess of Devonshire and the Countess of Des- ance. Qn quitting the house at four o'clock in the | borough arrived at the lock-up house—and a little morning, I did not fail to examine it sufficiently to | While later his Royal Highness himself made his enable me to recognise it again—-~” appearance in a plain carriage. These arrivals I “ And that house—where is it?” demanded Filo. | beheld from the window of a neighbouring coffee - rimel. “Tell me, Caroline—tell me—I am dying house, where I had taken my post. After a time, with impatience !” Lady Desborough and yourself came forth You “'Would you return to your syren-charmer ?” | entered her ladyship’s carriage: and it was evidens asked the dying young woman, in a tune of mild | from her bearing towards you that she fancied you and nfelancholy remonstrance. were really what you seemed — an elegant lady “Not for worlds !” ejaculated Florimel, with the | Or else, the Countess must be the veriest hypo- accent and manner of the firmest resolve. “It | crite in existence——” would be as impossible to entice an angel tosin,as| “No: she believed that I was Miss Plaotagenet,” for that Unknown, with all her witcheries and wiles, | observed Florimel. “But pray proceed, Caroline.” to allure me back to her arms. No—the dream is| “Well, you drove away in company with her dissolved, for ever—the spell is broken, never to | ladyship; and I followed in a hackney-coach at a be renewed—the magic influence has disappeared | distance. You repaired to Bellenden Priory-——’”® before the talisman of Pauline's virtuous love f” “ Yes,” exclaimed Florimel: “and now——” “I am rejoiced to hear youspeak thus resolutely | “Patience, Gabriel — patience,” said Caroline. —thus firmly,” said Caroline: “for I shall die' “Three days elapsed after that incident—and yuu ‘ CONNEC OOO ea te er SS