The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 29: what you’re looking at

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6 hineself to endure the excitement of his stirred-up feslings. At length the door opened. Eagerly did he glance towards it: but only the housekeeper appeared. Her countenance was beaming with gatisfaction and joy; and the Marquis at least gathered thence the assurance that the glad tidings revealed to Lady Everton, had prodaced no evil effects, Mrs. Jameson beckoned him to follow; and she led the way towards a drawing-room, at the threshold of which she stopped abort for a moment. “ My lord,” she said, in a low whispering voice, “JT shall go no farther: you will enter there alone.” ° Thus speaking, she opened the door. Oh! at that instant the Marquis of Eagledean felt himself young again——aye, felt as if twenty years had been struck off the sum of his existence—felt as if a vew life were rejuvencecent in his veins! He srang forward—the door closed behind him—a cry uf joy reached his ears—a form flew to meet him, quicker than he himeelf was advancing; and the THE MYSTERING OF THE COURT. E in happiness again: and sweet gmniles which played upon the lips of all i E ; j : i ig “for I could not have hoped that there a] Th i to alter my career upon earth,—-some new my destiny which was as yet then, so often as I found myself i fancies as these, I endeavoured to banish them from H Hi ing influence of death. Ah! that was an awful state of feeling: and yet there was a depth of tran- quillity in it—en unnatural calm in which my senses were steeped. Had J given way to outbursts of beloved one of other times—the beloved one too of | anguish and all the wildness of a terrible excite- the present moment—was clasped in his arms, Years of auguish—years of hopeless sorrow—years of sepatation were all compensated for in these first few moments of eestatic joy. It may seem strange to speak thus of that old man of mxty and that woman of forty-six: but their hearts had becume young again—their memories travelled backward to the joys and delights of by-gone times. Thus the outpourings of their rapture were as fervid and as enthusiastic as if it were a meeting of two youthful lovers. There was a whole world of bliss concen- trated in that first embrace ae er hae ie ardont and ite eestacy, ite blies and its intoxication, for those of advanced years as well as for the young. A few minutes afterwards we may behold them seated together upon a sofa, their hande locked in a firm clasp—their looks rivetted upon each other. Then the Marquis saw that Mrs. Jameson had spoken truly when she represented how compara- tively slight was the alteration which had taken place in the personal appearance of Lady Everton. Gradasky a mourntal feeling stote into the hears of Lord ; and as a long-drawn sigh rose up to his lips and half found vent ere he could stifle it, Lady Everton said in a low deep voice, “ Paton, there is yet a cloud upon your happiness.” “Do you not find me much Alexandrina —QOh, very much changed?” he asked : «do you not | ment, you would not have seen me as you see me now: you would have found me a haggard, wretched, withered thing. But I abandoned my- self not to those torrents of feeling—those frenzied outbursts of emotion. Hope appeared to be dead within me, save and except during thase occasional intervals when the fanciful vagaries of which I have spoken, would rise up in my miad. But the general tenour of my existence for some years past may be described as the long, long death of torpor of the senses which is experienced whgmone knows that there is navght left in the world to crave for, However, this day has suddenly changed all that !—it has given me back happiness—it has filled me with new joy—it has lifted up my eoul from the depths of the sepulchre where it was benumbed—it has inspired me with fresh vitality, and with a renovated confidence iu the world and in heaven |” And again, as she spoke, did Lady Everton lavish caresses upon the Margaois of Kagledean; and he aleo felt that this was a day of indescribable happi- ness for him. They ant together for more than an hour, talking of their feelings rather than of the cireumstances | upon the plans which they had to discuss and execute. They spoke of Adolphus—of Elizabeth — see that I have grown old, while you have cecaped and of Frank; and the tender mother made the Marquis give her the most life-like description which words could frame of the personal appearance of each of those beloved children of her's. “And now, my cear Paton,” she ssid, at length recollecting the ravages of time P” “Hush, Paton—epeak not thus of yourself to me,” said ber ladyship, still in a soft voice, and looks of ineffable tenderness. “I behold you now through the medium of a faithful memory; I behold you only in the light of that love which I havo ever borne you, and which never has been impaired by circumstance or by time. If you find me less changed than you expected, I rejoice——Oh! I re- joice unfeignedly: for even now it is sweet to hear the of admiration from your lips.” With these words Lady Everton threw her arms around the neck of the Marquis of Eagledcan, and embraced him with as much fervour—with as much fund admiration, os if a long, long interval of yoars had not changed him nor him old. The sa.lness fled away from his countenanee—he smiled must think of the future as well as of the present and the past. You can full well that I yearn to fold those dear ones in my arms—that this solitude has suddenly become hateful to me—thet I long to fly hence end seek the spot where dwpil the objects of my love. Tell me, Paton—tell me,—when you came hither this morning, hed you any fixed plan to propose? any project to suggest P” “My dear Alexandrina,” be answered, “can you not perceive at a glance how much apo yourself? You bid me talk to you of the fatura (GO) iC C) DOO CS (COL