The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 238: what you’re looking at

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Cd ture of the feeling, yet does it experience and ap- preciate its luxury. Of whom was Angela thinking? and had she settled herself thus to think of some one P or had his image stolen insensibly and unconsciously into her mind? Yes—it was so. For when the soul has become an elysium of love, it does not at once purposely and deliberately light iteelf up with the silver lamps which shed a soft and perfumed lustre around ; but gradually and of ite own accord, as if by magic power, does the gentle flood of roseate light pour in, to reveal the image which the heart has enshrined there. Thus was it with Angela. Her pationt ad fallen off to sleep the young maiden had at first taken her embroidery; but feeling a disinclination for it—she scarcely knew why—she had taken a book :—then, still without knowing why, she eould not settle her attention upon its pages; and thus she had abandoned em- broidery—ehe had abandoned }ook--end gradually fell into a certain train of thought, which, ae we before observed, had for her a certain serene and sweet luxury, greater than either the recreation of embroidery or book. Young Cupid, the God of Love, though but a mere boy, is not without the most cunning expe- rience: he knows fyll well the nature of every heart with which be bas to deal. Into that which is characterized by strong passions, and belongs to a fervid and glowing temperament, he sometimes rushes precipitately, confident of being enabled to take the citadel by storm, without resistance, and enthrone himaclf in empire there. In the heart, too, where the feelings, though untainted by sen- suousnees, are nevertheless susceptible as the sen- sitive plans and move to the alightest touch—or as the Kolian harp, whieh acknowledges the sway of the slightest sephyr,—therein hkewise does young Cupid frequently alight with a sudden giving no warning of his approach. ll this con- stitutes what is called love at first sight: but it is not always tho most permanent. For an empire that is easily won, sooner or later satiates ita con- queror with the very glory of his triumph: and so does young Cupid sometimes. vanish away from certain hearts as sbruptly as he entered them. ' But very different is it with that heart where the feelings lie deep—where modesty, and innocence, and artlesences constitute barriers preventing them from being too accessible to tender influences, and yet properly sensitive in respect to all generous sympathies,—-where the passions he still deeper down, kept in subjection by the seme defences, and beyond the reach of undue provocatives. Into such | ' a heart as this young Cupid cannot plunge head- Jong: he cannot take it by storm. Were he to make tue endeavour, his presence would ahock in- stead of pleasing : he would be recoiled fram as an insolent intruder; and with drooping wings would be compelled to turn in humiliation away. Full well does Cupid know all this; and therefore, with characteristic cunning, he enters stealthily and silentty—he makes no noise—he breathes not a ayllable—no, not even the name of him on whose part he comes: he flutters not his wings—hce twangs not his bow—he proceeds gradiently and cautiously, like an army that enters by surprise into the midst of a fortalice in the depth of night. Then—even when the entry is made and the ad- taission is obtained—Cupid goes not ronghly on, as a man pushes his way through « dense forest, rudely thrusting aside the boughs and snapping perhaps some of the branches: but he proceeds as one makes his way through a parterre of flowers in a lovely garden, gently and delicately picking his path amidst-the floral beauties, eo as to trample upon none—to break none—nor so much oe bruise a single slender stalk, nor to shake gained the depth of such a heart as this, young Cupid still plays a prudential part: he does not raise a shout—proclaim a name—eet up an image —and gall upon that heart’s feelings to fall down in worship at onee. No—he does not immediately make his vibrate softly and gently, as the leaves of a grove are faintly waved by the first kissing and wooing of the ing breese. Thus is it by gradual steps and blow that Cupid makes his presence known in the heart to whose depths he pelied eo stealthily to enter. mit to herself that she had caught the name of the idol which young Cupid, in soft and gentle whisperings, was calling upon her to worship! And that image—was it not the image of Francis Paton P But let us return to the thread of our nar- tative. Madge Somers slept; and Angela Deveril was seated in that room which the woman had occupied ever since the ing when Chiffin’s knife dealt her a blow which had so nearly proved bound, | fatal. The reader has learnt, from certain com- munications made by Lad visitor at Lady Macdonald’s house in Cavendish Square; and frequent also were the visits which her ladyship and Florina paid to Angela at the villa. The closest intimacy—the sweet intimacy of sistere—had sprung up between the c Florina and the ravishing Angela: while Lady love for William Deveril’s beauteous sister. JHE MYSTERTES OF THE COURT. 231: COMMUC DOO CS (COL