The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 28: what you’re looking at

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ad TB MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. and as uninterruptedly as possible. The only subject on which she sought occasional information from her brother and brother-in-law, was the welfare ef her children. Years on. In 1889, Eliza- beth being then of age, her ladyship received the intelligence that she had married the Marquis of Villebelle; and it was a source of ification to her to find that one wish she had formally expressed was thus fulfilied by the bestowal of a noble name wpon her daughter. But some time afterwards she was plunged into affliction by the intelligence that this daughter had separated from her husband and wee living irregularly. Then came the news of Frank’s death ——” “ All dae, interjetted the Marquis, “for the of stifling her future inquirice relative to her children, by making her believe that one was dead and the other unworthy her consideration. And now tell me, Mrs. Jameson, in what frame of mind her ladyship’s existence has been “With the exception of those two causes for deep affliction—and which, thank heaven, in a few minutes will be dispelled—her ladyship has expe- rienced a degree of mental tranquillity which, if not altogether natural, has at least saved her health and her person likewise from the ravages of a bitter anguish. I do not think, my lord, that the tone of her mind Aas bees altogether natural: it may be described as a calmness both death-like and giacial ; —it has preserved her from excitement and irri- tability—but I fear that if Providence had not sent you hither now, with all these happy tidings, she would gradually sink down into idiotic apathy. She seldom speaks; and when she does, itis with a strange coldness, —-a coldness that it does one harm to feel the influence of. She seldom reads and never works: but she either sits in the drawing- room gazing from the window—or else wanders in the garden, or about the neighbourhood, in a kind of dull listless mood. Nevertheless, there are moments of activity with her; and these are when dispensing her charities: for her jointure is far more than suffices for the maintenance of the establish- ment in this Larites the country where everything is so cheap; and she expends large sums in doing good. Her benevolence has rendered her an uni- versal favourite as well as an object of great in- terest; bat I believe that most in the district fancy the poor lady is not altogether right in her intellects. Alas! they know not her story as you and I know it, my lord——But I think that we have no need for farther discourse—and certainly mo necessity for dwelling upon mournful topics. Shall I go and prepare her ladyship to see you? shall I break to her the intelligence that her son Adolphus lives—that Frank aleo lives and that Elisabeth is worthy of her love ?” “ Yee—go—go quickly, my good woman,” said the Marquis of Hagiedean, all his agitation reviving at the thogzht that in a few minutes he would again behold the countenance of her whom he had loved for upwards of thirty years. “TI go, my lord,” replied Mrs. Jameson, eheorfully. “But one word more. What may I tell her of ! Adolphus? Oonsider the questions that a mother is sure to ask——"” “I comprehend you—I understand you full well,” exclaimed the Marquis. “Tell her that he is a fine is proud. Bat more;—there are other tidings with which you may giadden her poor heart! Tell her that her daughter Elisabeth is one of the hand- somest women of whom Engiand can boast; and that Frank is a youth of an almost fabulous beauty. Go and tell her all this—and I will await you here.” Mrs. Jameson hurried from the room, her coum- tenance beaming with brighter smiles than it had worn for many and many a long day, to execute the pleasing task which she had in hand. - CHAPTER XC. THE INTERVIBW. Iw consequence of what the worthy old house- keeper had said with regard to Lady Everton's personal appearance, the reader is prepared to learn although her ladyship was now forty-six years of age, she might have easily passed herself off as little more than forty. There was no colour upon her cheeks—but the cheeks themselves were not sunken nor hollow: the lustre of her eyes was subdued—but then, in her earlier years it had been so bright that thie mitigation of their brilliancy had only softened and not dimmed them. Her hair, of raven darkness, had so far resisted the ravages of time and the withering influence of sorrow, as to be only touching on the commencement of a change— and this to be detected only by a tire-woman when attending the duties of her ladyship’s toilet. Her teeth were remarkably well preserved, and helped to ward off the aspect of advancing years. Her figure, as already stated, had retained its fine pro- portions; and the uprightnese of her gait, together with a certain statuesque carriage of the bust and head, which was natural (o her, gave her an air of mingled dignity and grace which contributed to sus- tain her right to be pronounced a fine handsome woman. Such was Lady Everton—euch the object of the Marquis ef Eagledean’s visit iato Wales—such the appearance which she was anon to present before him. But, Ah! ifinstead of being destined to meet this still handsome and attractive woman, he had been doomed to find her a withered, emaciated, shrivelled creature—with cavern-like eyes, silvered hair, and toothless mouth,—=still, still would he have experienced for her the same love—the same sympathy: because Ais was no sensual now —it was a chaste and holy affection, feoding iteelt upon the memorios of the past, and sanctified by tho existence of two beings who were the pledges of that love. We need hardly inform the reader that during Mrs. Jameson’s absence from the room where the Mar quis remained, he experienced an indescribable agitation—e surging-up of a variety of emotions— at the pruspect of so speedily meeting the mother lof those children. About half-an-hour elapsed,— | an interval that was short enough for worthy Mrs. Jameson to break to her ladyship the varied pieces of agreeable in ce she had to impart—bus tall handsome young man of whom she will be. rire :iemeeanuaiins te | COLL (C DOO CS (GO)