The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 267: what you’re looking at

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TE and a woman—both of about middle age, their appearance evidently the master and d “the little inn—came forth with a lan- conversation took place between these the muleteers; and then one af the » approaching the vehicle, opened the made signs for Miss Marshall to descend. innkeeper and his wife saluted her with as courtesy as it was in their nature to display, testified their readiness to con- Tutte petek partaken of some at the previous halting-place,— ahe intimated by signs as well as she was able that she was in « hurry to proceed: whereupon the ting to their own cattle, and then was meant, and felt sadly perplexed. Oh! if she could but converse with these people in their own language, so as to ascertain how long she was to make up her mind to be delayed: but she could not giean this information—and her only resource was to conjecture that the journey might be re- newed at the expiration of an hour or two, when the mules had enjoyed rest and bait. She accord- ingly followed the innkeeper and his wife into the house, where ahe was shown to a room on the ground-floor; and without any sign or intimation from herself, a young servant-woman began to spread the table for supper. Spain is notorious for the indifferent accommo- cod ini Binds of hice are af tho very worst and poorest description. The one where Miss Marshall now found herself, was decidedly no ception to the Geo The room was only ted by a single candle, and wore the most poverty-stricken appearance, without even the re- commendation of cleanliness as a set-off against its sordid aspect and poor accommodation. A few ricketty chairs, a rude table, and a dilapidated side-board, constituted the furniture : while a few fu was no drapery to the window; and two of the panes being broken, were stopped up with rags stuffed through,—recourse not even being had to the expedient of pasting paper over the apertures. Kate sat down, dispirited and uneasy. She liked not this halt in so lonely a place: she could not prevent her previous suspicions from reviving in her mind: for she felt almost convinced that the high road had been deviated from—-and the longer ahe reflected on this circumstance, the more ominous did it appear. By the light of the lan- tern when she first descended from the vehicle, she had observed the countenances of the inn- keeper and his wife; aud they were not over pre- possessing. She now studied the features of the attendant who was spreading the table. This was a girl of about eighteen—decidedly pretty—but with one of those countenances whigh are too in- expressive, too quiet and reserved, to afford much indication of the individual’s character. She was attired in a very homely manner, but yet with a certain degree of neatness: her figure was light and graceful ; and the short petticoats revealed all THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. the lower pert of her symmetrical limbe. the skirt of her dress did not descend below the middle of the swell of the leg,—thus completely displaying the well-turned ankles. She walked with steps of elastic firmness—carried her head and shoulders well—and, altogether, in personal appearance, was far from uninteresting. She eaid not a word,—probably having been already in- formed that the lady-guest was a foreigner and spoke not the Spanish tongue: but every now and then she fixed her dark eyes with an apparent curiosity upon Miss Marshall. The viands which the gir] placed upon the table, were by no means caloulated to provoke an appe- tite; and indeed Kate was in no humour to touch fare; and when the supper was over, the mistress of the inn made her ap Her coun- tenance was very much flushed—she had a strange vacant look—and for the first few moments, Kate cover the cause of the woman’s excitement : smell of her breath and her unsteady movements showed that she was considerably under the in- fluence of liquor. Disgusted beyond Mise Marshall recoiled from the woman's but the latter was too far inebriated to notice the sentiment of loathing which her presence thus in- spired. Taking up the candle, she beckoned Kate to follow her: but as Miss Marshall hesitated— not exactly understanding what this new proceed- ing meant—the woman made signs to show that she purposed to conduct her to a bed-chamber. Kate was now more than ever a prey to un- pleasant misgivings, when she found it was in- tended that she should pase the night at that lonely inn in the depth of a forest. She issued from the room; and ing to the place which had already been pginted out to her as the stable, found the muleteers attending to their animals by the light of a lantern suspended to the roof. She pointed to the mules, and then to the chaise which remained standing in front of the hostelry: but There | the drivers gave her to understand, as well as they were able, that it was their mtention to pass the night at the i inn. She assumed & peremptory air, flections. Her mind was still fall of miegivings : but with her natural courage, she endeavoured to reason herself out of them. She had already received experience to the effect that the roade were bad, and the posting-arrangemente for travele ling wretchedly incomplete, in Spain :—might it a SN Sia aan aaa a i ee (COL (C DOO CS (COL