The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 99: what you’re looking at

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

RI EI CO GTI CTE ETE, LD qn, “ Pardon — pardon, dearest lady,” murmured the Earl, straining her to hia breast. : *Q God! whoare you?” she cried with a faint shriek ;—and, tearing herself from his arms, she ap- peared to fall back upon the opposite stat in a state of utter annibilation. The nobleman fell upon his knees in the carriage and took her hand, which was abandoned to him as if by one in a dream or in a mood of utter listlese- ness. He pressed it to his lipe—and he felt that it was warm, although it trembled not nor indicated any emotion on the part of its owner. But that she had not fainted, he could tell by its soft warm con- | Earl tact; and moreover he heard the low but quick and stifling manner of her respiration. The interior of the vehicle was dark as pitch: but by all that we have just explained, the Earl judged that the lady must have failen into that state cf mingled despair and bewilderment which occasions a total help- lessness. “Pardon me, adorable woman—pardon me!” he exclaimed, throwing as much tender entreaty as pos- sible into that manly tone which he no longer sought to disguise. “It is true that Lord Florimel kneels not at your feet: but he who has taken his place and now implores your compassion—your forbearance— your mercy, is as honourable aman. And what is more, I may without vanity declare that in personal appearsnce I am not deficient in some of nature’s bounties. Whether my manners are those of a vul- garian or a gentleman, I leave you to jadge;—and as for my rank, it is even superior to that of Lord Florimel, But if you would ask me whether I can appreciate as well as he the full amount of that hap- piness which is to be enjoyed in your society,—if you should entertain any c\isgiving with regard to the obedience I may be di ,.¥ed to pay to the terms and conditions you will impose upon me,—and if you doubt the prudence of trusting yourself to a stran- ger under oircumstances so strange,—Oh! I beseech you to be reassured on those points—I implore you to place your confidence in me—and you will render me the happiest as well as the most devoted of mortals !”” As Lord Montgomery was giving utterance to this impassioned address, he gradually drew himeelf in closer contact with the lady who was half-sitting and half-reclining on the seat: he leant softly towards her—he passed his left arm gradually round her form, still retaining her hand clasped in his right,— and he at length approached his own countenance to her burning cheek. Then at last he felt her whole frame vibrate:—and drawing her still more closely towards him, he ventured to fasten his lips to her's For a few moments she appeared to abandon her- self to the ecstatic feelings with which tHat long and sensuous kiss inspired her; but, as if all in a mo- ment awakening to a full sense of her position with a stranger and toa keen appreciation of the infamous trick which had been played upon her, she started from the Earl's embrace and repulsed him violently, exclaiming in a tone profoundly troubled, * Who are ou f” y “I am a friend of Lord Florimel, dear lady,” was the response delivered in a voice of tender appeal and mournful entreaty; “and | happened to be at his house when the masquerade-ticket and the do- mivo arrived. The conversation which eusued, sed him to narrate the adventure of love and mys- tery that happened to him fifteen months ago ; and THE MYSTERIES. when he declared that his engagement to the Hoa Miss Pauline Clarendon would not permit him te keep the appointment so unmistakably signified through the mediam of the masquerade-ticket and the blae domino, the idea struck me that if he were so stoical as to refuse the bliss of heaven I would at least make a desperate effort to secure that en- joyment for myself.” “ And was he privy to your imposture!—did he lend himself to your treachery t” demanded tho lady, in a low deep tone which afforded no indication of the feeling that she now entertained towards the —neither encouraging him in hope nor yet confirming him in despair: and as the darkness of the tomb prevailed in the vehicle, he had no means of judging her emotions save by her voice, which thus suddenly ceased to be an index. * No, lady,” he said, in answer to her questions: “Lord Florimel is utterly ignorant of my present proceeding—and I hope to God that he will remain so. Intimate as Tam with him, it was easy for me to obtain possession of this blue domino; and [ trusted to my own prudence and your kindness for the rest. And will you not believe me when I assure you that, although I have not seen your {features and am never likely to obtain a glimpes of them, yet that I already love you with an ardour— oh! with an ardour which would make me under. take any enterprise and dare any peril to render you a setvice—while not even the temptation of a so- vereign crown should induce me to do you harm Permit me, then, to love you, my un known—permit me to be thy slave, thou being se fall of mystery! For the graces of thy form have captivated my heart and ravished my senses~—and I already picture to myself a countenance of cor responding beauty. Without therefore even behold- ing that countenance, I can love thee well—oh ! wall —dear lady: for 1 can paint in imagination those features whioh I deem fit and suitable for one pos- sessing so noble a form —and thus my happiness will be complete! Will you, then, scorn such a love as this?—vwill you reject a passion so earnest, so tender, and se profound? No: bat you will pardon me for anything savouring of treachery thes there may have been in my condact—you will for- give me for the imposture which I practised ia order to obtain this introduction to thee? For my imagination was so inflamed by the narrative which I received from the lips of Lord Florimel, that I was absolutely tortured with an ing ouri- osity to form thine acquaintance—yes, and mad- dened with a b desire to obtain thy love! My crime, then, has to adore thee from: hear- say — to worship thee on account of ali I heard concerning thee from another ;—and surely there is something delicately flattering and touchingly complimentary io all this, whroh weuld disarm even the most imperious and haughiy woman of her.in- dignation, Speak, lady—oh! speak—and tell me what I am to expect: but remember that this pes- sion which I now experience is stronger than my- self—and terrible indeed would prove ite disap- pointment and its despair |” At the moment when Earl Montgomery cem- menced this long address, the lady had withdrawn herself altogether from the slightest eoptact with him: not a portion of her oriental garb touched his blue demino—at least so fas as she could pre- vent such contiguity in the total darkness of the AOOLK (COLUM