The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 245: what you’re looking at

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

a eesseeneeenesnenerscts ft 238 actually before me, I cannot treat it otherwise than by the supposition that its hero must have escaped from a lunatic-asylum.” “Sane in all other respects,” responded the young Frenchman, “I may indeed be goaded to madness by the passion with which you have in- spired me. Now listen! That very attitude of goddess-like indignation which you just now as- sumed—that very aspect of ire which, with the mien of the Olympian Queen, you put on—have only exhibited your incomparable charms in a new phase, and rendered me more completely your slave. Aye!” he added, with a sort of fever of exultation, “TI could consent to endure taunts— ecorn—even the direst outpourings of your wrath, so long as you do but allow me to remain in your presence.” “ And pray,” demanded Mrs. Chesterfield, “ who is the sudacious } individual who is persecuting me thus ?” “T am the Viscount de Chateauneuf,” he re- sponded: “and J may without vanity add that I belong to one of the oldest and wealthiest families of France.” “ Most sincerely do I ” immediately ob- sorved Mrs. Chesterfieid, “ that you have parents who will keep a watchful supervision over you ?”’ “My have long been dead,” rejoined the Viscount: “they perished when I] was a child.” “But you have you have relations,” continued the lady, “who may take care of you? —for heaven knows that you require their atten- tive watching.” “J am my own master,” he answered: “and no one has the power to exercise the slightest control over me.” “TI should not have thus remained in discourse with you,” observed Mrs. Chesterfield, “did I not roally believe that your intellects were alightly unhinged. But if there be no ground for such compassionate feeling on my part, then for the same reason there existe no apology for your can- duct ; and I beseech——-nay, I command that you leave me without further molestation.” “Ob! madam, reject me not thus!” exclaimed the Vieccunt, “ Yes—I am mad—my intellects are unsettlod—have your own way—anything— everything you wish or choose to suspect, so long as you permit me to be near you! Iam not one of those vain and ptuous libertines who fancy that they have merely to fling their looks upon a woman in order to captivate her: but the blaze of your beauty burst as it were upon me with a power that was irresistible. I feel towards you as never to Would that this were a land of slavery, that I evuld be your slave !” “Now, my Lord Viscount de Chateauneuf,” said Mrs. Chesterfield, with a coolness which if not actually supercilious, was at least sulflicient to damp the ardour and even provoke tho irritation of the nobleman if he really did not love her as passionately as he had proclaimed,—* you raust confess that you are carrying the romance of the present proceeding to a point at which it Lesumes ludicrously unnatural and preposterous. 1 might — indeed, perhaps I ought—to exhibit more anger: but with that impression upon my mind, I really have not the heart to visit your any woman did I foel before——* THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. silly presumption with any severer evidence of my displeasure—and hope that you will now at once pursue your own path.” “No, lady. By heaven!” he “if love could be chased out of the heart by bitter words, your’s would have had that effect. It is not however so with me. I have suddenly entered into a new state of being: I feel as if I had a certain duty to perform,—a duty towards myself, —a duty for the assurance of my own happiness; and it ehall be accomplished! I care not at what sacrifice nor at what risk: it is my destiny—end I will fulfil it. No: I will not leave you! By heaven, you shall not remain indifferent to me! My conduct shall be ht with a perseverance that will compel you to it as most serious, and not to stigmatize it as sillinces. Yop may invoke the aid of the law against me—you may consign me to a prison: but you cannot con- quer the feelings of my heart. The term for my release must come: and then would I follow you - all over the world—I would find you out, wherever your place of concealment—-I would tear you away from tho midst of your family—from the embrace of father and mother———aye, even from the arms of a husband———By heaven, lady! you shall be mine—and I swear it !” Mrs. Chesterfield’s countenance gradually grew profoundly serious; and then, mingling with that seriousness, was a certain degrce of trouble, as the i Frenchman went on speaking. She looked anxiously around as if to see if succour were nigh: but no one appeared—and they were in the depth of the wood. “And is it a French nobleman—a French gen- tleman—e man of honour and of chivalrous mind who thus addresses me?” she asked, her frame trembling visibly. “Suppose, sir, that I do really possess a husband who is devoted to me, and who being absent, places the firmest reliance and the fullest trust in the honour and purity of his wife, —would you compromise me with him ?” “Have you not already gleaned sufficient from my words,” exclaimed the Viscount, “to be con- vinced that you are speaking to a man whous excess of passion has goaded to frenzy? and what will not such a desperate man do? Compromise you with your husband! What docs a woman require, but tho love of a man—a love which is a worship and an adoration? That love shall you have from me. Rest assured that it will far transcend any amount of love with which your husband can regard you. And, Oh! if he be absent—if for s single day—ea single hour—he could consent to separate himsclf from such a being as you, it is that he loves you not with one tithe of the fond ardour that my devotednces would display !”’ “ And do you seriously reficct, M. de Chatcau- neuf, ” asked Mrs. Chesterfield, ber dark cycs resting earnestly upon his flushed and excited countenance, “that your words are fraught with a sovereign insult to a virtuous woman? Once more, sir, will you suffer me to depart? I wish for no scene—no exposure—nothing to compromise either of us in the more frequented parts of this resort ; and therefure do I counsel you to take ons path, and leave me free to choose another. For this reason also I do not abruptly break away from you ; because I will not provoke you to hang upon ne 2 I » (GO) iC 5 DOO CS (COL