The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 265: what you’re looking at

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

254 that she was a wanderer, either voluntary or out- east, from the paternal home; and touched by her exceeding beauty—of which he had retained a vivid impression, though not one particle of real love did he experience for her—he longed to poes- sess her as a mistress. Approaching her, he said in the most harmo- nious accents of his naturally fine voice, “ Finette, do you not know me P”’ For an instant the young dameel started as if suddenly stung by a sorpent lurking amidst the grass whereon she sat; and her dark oyes swept their looks hastily over De Margaux’s form. At the same time an expression, which appeared to be that of terror, flitted acrose her features: but it was instantaneously succeeded by a smile; and springing up from her seat, she ejaculated with an air of mingled astonishment and joy, “ Good heavens, sir! is it you P” “Yes, dearest Finette,” responded De Mar. gaux; “it is I who have never ceased to love you !’’-—and he threw his arm round her waist. “Oh, if this were true !” she ejaculated, quickly disengaging herself, and springing back a pace or two as if for the purpose of studying his counte- nance well, that she might know whetber she dared confide in him. ' «Yes, Finette—it is true!’ exclaimed De Mar- gaux. “Tell me—does the assurance give you pleasure? Have you been looking for me FP” “Yes!” cried the young dameel, giving an affirmative in her turn. “Oh! I have wandered and wandered so far and so wearily!” “It is, then, as I thought!” cried De Margaux. “You were not angry with me, Finette, that I fled eo precipitately on that memorable ight-—” “ Angry with you?” she ejaculated. “Oh, no! In one sense, I rejoiced that you succeeded in effecting your escape—though in another sense I was very, very sad——”’ “ Ah, I comprehend you, dearest Finette!” said the villain, assuming a lock of the deepest tender- ness, while he took her hand which she abandoned to him. “ You were sad because I was compelled to fly alone and that you were unable to accompany meP Ah! my dear Finette, I have been truly wretched on your account! I have pictured to my- self all kinds of horrors—your father’s indignation —his brutal treatment of youo——” “TI remained not to encounter it,” anewered Finette: “he would havo killed me if I had stayed! I fled from home—I have wandered about ” “ And you confess, dearest girl, that you onter- tained the hope of falling in with me?” said De Margaux. “Oh!” exclaimed Finette, her countenance lighting up with a sudden animation; “if I had not entertained this hope, I could not have sup- ported myself under the sense of such terrible calamities! Yes—ob, yes! I have longed to fall in with you!” “Dear, dear Finette!”—and De Margaux atrained her to his breast. “Dearest Finette, how fT love you !” “ But you?” she said, again disengaging herself from his arms, “were you veritably and truly happy thus to fall in with me?” “Can you possibly doubt it” exclaimed De Margaux. “Shall I tell you wherefore I assumed THE MYSTERIES OF THE COUBT. this disguise? It was not so much to assist in eventually effecting my escape from the pursuit set after me, as to carry out a desperate purpose which I had formed. It was my intention to dare every- thing on your account—to retracemy way—yes, at any risk, no matter how great-———” “ Oh, then, you really love me?” cried Finette, & joyous expression appearing upon her eounte- nance: “and you were coming in search of me?” ‘‘ "Yes! And now that we have met, dearest one,” said De Margaux, “ it shall be to part no more! Will you not give me a similar assur- anoe P” Finette looked up with her beautiful bleck eyes into the villain’s countenance for a moment: then she suddenly cast her glances downward—and while a blush suffused her cheeks, sho murmured, “ Bat you will make me your wife ?” “ Oh, assuredly!” exclaimed De Margaux; “ I will fulfil every promise I made to you at the time! Ah, by the bye, did those people at the gaol en- deavour to set you against me? did they vilify me in your hearing ? did they———” “ My feelings were too bewildered with mingled joy and grief, as I have already explained to you,” answered Finette, “to enable me to attend to anything which was said at the time. The rest of that night I passed at our quarters in the prison: but very early in the morning I gathered togetber my fow jowels and my little sevinge—three or four hundred francs—and I fied.” “And those jewels? and those savings?” said De Margaux, inwardly chuckling at the intelli- gence he had just received, and resolving to cut the society of the strolling players with the least possible delay in order to make Finette his sole companion. “My jewels and my money,” responded the young dameel, “are at a little lodging which I have taken in the town. Oh! I have been very economical, I can assure you! for I did not know how long it might be before——”” “‘ Before you and I encountered each other again f” said De ux: “is if not so? Ah, that tell-tale blush, my sweet Finette! Well, you have husbanded your resources; and it is so much the better. We will fly away together at onoe ! We will proceed into Switzerland : and there the priest shail join our hands in maerriagg, Whea will you come, dearest? when will you be ready to set off °” “Ob! if I thought you would be always kind and good to me,” said Finette,—‘‘that you would always speak ae gently and as fondly as you are apeaking now ad | “Can you possibly distrust me? can you doubt my love?’ asked De Margaux, taking her hand and gasing with passion upon her countenance,— but with a passion most sensuously different from that which his words appeared to express. “T believe you—Oh, I believe you!” exclaimed Finette. “It will take me an hour to complete my little preparations——” “And then you will rejoin me P” cried De Mar- gaux. “ And where ie there a better spot for oar next meeting than this very one where we have been so happily brought together? I will await you here, Finetto. Need I hint, dearest girl, af the necessity of observing the utmost caution P You will not breathe a syllable to a soul——" ee OE Eee, es, ee Ee — $e eet COMME OOO SS} (CO