The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 156: what you’re looking at

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

._ SHE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “Tle embassy is on its way home—Petersfield is in Paris—or rather, I believe he also must have loft this morning: for we have parted company.” “ And you are on your way to England, I sup- pose P” said Lord Harold. “eT am here for a day or two: I rather took a fansy to the place—there is some partridge-shooting in the neighbourhood—and as I have nothing better to do, I thought I would kill time e little et Bean- vais.” ' “Do tell me, Harold,” said Lord Saxondale, draw- ing his friend a little further up the court-yard, “ all about those affairs that took place at the castle some six or seven weeks back.” “What! are you not thoroughly acquainted with re it possible you have not heard every- “1 only learnt this much,” replied Edmund — “that you were going to marry my mother, aad a certain Mr. Hawkshaw was to marry Juliana—but that the Marquis of Eagledean, who had suddenly arrived from Italy, came at the very nick of time, and took you away; and that Hawkshaw learnt something which induced him to break off the match with Juliana. That is all I know.” “And this something in respect to your sister,” said Lord Harold, eyeing Edmund in a peculiar manner,—“ do you really mean to tell me——” “That I know nothing about it. Upon my honour | I do not; and I wish you would tell ms. I dare | ! { Ona -anEs CED es ED SER © Gree @ ow say, continued Edmund, in his wonted flippant manner, “that she flirted with somebody elsee—or some such nonsense of that kind.” “‘ Flirted indeed !” echoed Staunton: “she had done something more than flirt. The exposure was terrific: I never ssw anything like it. Why, my dear Edmund, your sister is in the family-way.” “The deuce?” ejaculated the young nobleman. “But Hawkshaw——” “No—not by him: and this part of the secret I don't know myself, But trae enough it was—and Juliana did not deny it.” “ But in respect to yourself, Harold ?—lI was per- fectly astounded when I first learnt that you intended to marry my mother; and then I laughed heartily at the idea of one with whom I had had so many . gay frolics, becoming my father-in-law. nice father-in-law you would have made! But was | | Saxondale, “has your uncle married ?” it true that your old uncle arrived suddenly ?”’ “Suddenly indeed! He had been in England for | | some time. Would you believe it ?—that Mr. Gun- thorpe and the Marquis of Kagledean were one snd the same 149 affair at Saxondale Castle. Bruges is @ precious dull pace and so I went to Boulogne the other day: hiking that still less, I thought I would come on by short stages to Paris. And here you find me od my way thither.” “And do you really intend to turn over a new leaf and be steady P” inquired Saxondale, with a mischievous smile. “I don’t know what the devil to do,” responded Staunton. “I feel like a wandering spirit. You see, Tam completely dependent on my uncle; and I must at all events try to be as steady as possible —for I have no doubt he will watch me from a distance. Would you believe it?—that scoundrel Alfred——~” “Your valet? I thought he was such e fellow—such @ prize—such a valuable domestic.” “The villain ! ‘he was @ SPY upon my actions—he told my uncle ev “Indeed! I should not have thought he could have proved so treacherous. Of course he is not with you any longer ?” “Ob, no—my uncle rewarded him, and he is gone into another situation. But I have something more to tell you: this uncle of mine has recently married.” “What? to Married!" exclaimed Saxondale. cut you out of the title and estates.” ‘I hope and trust that such will not be the case,” answered Staunton, a shade coming over his coun- tenance. “I could endure anything but that. But is it possible that you are so ignorant of all the things that have taken place ?———have you not heard from your mother or sister ?” “ Not a line—not a syllable. They are nob likely to write tome. The little I heard about the affairs down in Lincolnshire, was from Lord Petersfield, who had a letter from Malton; and his lordship, you know, is not oper communicative upon any sub- ject. But what have you to tell me ” “That young Francis Paton——” “Ah! the page that my mother once had af Saxondale House ?” “ The very same. He is none other than my unclo’s son: illegitimate of course—or else it would be at once a blow to my hopes. And there isa Pray sno," inquired What a daughter too——” “ Theee ere wonders ! “The mother of his two illegitimate children— Lady Everton that was.” “ And now, tell me wherefore this uncle of your's should have been so terribly averse to your marriage person.” For a few moments Edmund looked astounded: | with my mother P” and then bursting out into a fit of laughter, he eaid,-| “TI suppose he had not forgotten the fun we had | with him in Jermyn Street-——and how nicely we did him out of those five thonsand pounds? But has he sent you to travel for the benefit of your health, that we thus meet upon the Continent ?”’ “That is precisely what be has done,” responded Harold. “He ordered me to come abroad with a moderate allowance—on probation for a year; and of I behave well and don’t run into debt, or get into any scrapes, he will make mea handsome allowance. So you see,” added Staunton, with an ironical smile, «IT am om my best behaviour. I have been at Bruges in Belgium for some weeks past for the Marquis sent me abroed immediately after that Eww agape aa py Cap enw <Email, — ~- “I think, Edmund,” answered Lord Harold Staunton, his countenance becoming serious, “ that this is really too delicate a point for me to touch upon with Lady Saxondale’s son. But by the bye, do you happen to know where your mother and sister aro?—for I believe that they left England immediately after the eventa in Lincolnshire—and it was rumoured they went, to take up their abode at some out of the way place in Ireland.” “Very far from it,” Sazondale: “ for they are somewhere in France—but where I cannot say. All I know is, that Malton told Lord Peters- field sv in the letter of which I have already en.” “In France?” ejaculated Staunton: then in an ne eel (COL (C DOO CS (COL