The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 298: what you’re looking at

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

a @ ae a] exizaum THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT, “ Offended me—no, Stephanie! you have not offended me!” he said, forcing himself to give a single caress for the dosens she lavished upon him ; and then he suddenly repulsed hér, as if the kiss which he had bestowed was an act of treason towards Augusta Chesterfield. Thus did he prove himself more scrupulously on behalf of his mistress who was than on behalf of his beautiful wife there present, doing her best to demon- strate the love she bore him ! “‘ Jules, wherefore repulse me ?”’ she murmured, with a loak of such deprecating tenderness that his conscience was emitten. ‘“ What have I done to grieve or annoy you? You assure me that you are not offended with me; and yet I perceive the Tell me what I can do to convince you that it was unintentional on my pert.” “Really, my dear Stephanie, you are most un- reasonable,” said the Viscount. “Pray sit down and think no more of what I have said—what I have done——’” “ But if you be angry with me, Jwes?”’ she ob- served, as she meekly resumed her chair. ; “Angry —no!” he cried, almost petulantly. “Wherefore should you persist in saying that I am angry? Really, Stephanie, I must henceforth be very guarded over my looks and my words that the least thing thus brings tears to your e es.” “Do you not know, Jules,” she continued, still weeping, “how much I love you? and will you be so cruel as to upbraid me for being sorry when I think I have given you offence, or when I fail to please you? I wish—I wish, Jules, that you would understand me better !” “Stephanie, I understand you full well,” the Viscount hastened to respond: “but we have been married two years, and are no longer lovers: we are husband and wife.” “ No longer lovers P” she ejaculated, as if a new light had suddenly been flung in upon her mind: then, as the tears gushed forth anew from her e added, “Ob, I had hoped and thought Ould always be lovers, and that we should not cease to exist as such because our hands were united at the altar.” “ See, Stephanie,” ejaculated the Viscount, “ how unreasonably—I might almost say, how foolishly you talk. And it is because these ideas which you have just expressed, rule your actions like- wise, that I may perhaps seem a little impatient towards you. At the slightest word weep— —you frequently give me hints that I'am absent from home—and in the Presence of friends your conduct is too You do not seem to know how to draw the proper distinction between the bearing which lovers adopt towards each other, ont that which husband and wife ought to main- Hite we I only know, Jules,” was the unsophisticated answer of the beautif ul Viscountess, while her heart swelled with emotions,—thopgh she now contrived by a powerful effort to keep back her tears, fe to give her husband renewed offence, —*“TI only know that I love you; and I obey the dictates of my own heart in all my conduct towards you.” “But do you not see, Stephanie,” resumed her husband, “that a man cannot always remain tied | i | wards his beautiful and affectionate wife: 293 to his wife’s apron-string. When we are together, I do my best to render you happy and con- tented——’”’ “Yes—when we are together,” she murmured, without the slightest intention of conveying a re- monstrance or a reproach, but merely giving audi- ble expression to her own unsophisticated thoughts : for the idea that was uppermost in her mind, was that she had no earthly happiness save and except in the society of her husvand, and that she could wish him to be always with her. ‘Now, look how you answer me!” he cried, with a sudden start and gesture of impatience. “If I make a simple observation, your reply 1 is @ remonstrance—an upbraiding—a taunt——” “ Good heavens, Jules, what s construction you put upon my words!” she exclaimed, an expression of anguish upon her countenance, and her hands clasped in despair. “I did not mean it—no, I did not mean it! Why will yoy thus take offence, dear Jules, where none was iftended P” “But, Stephanie, these scenes are little calcu- lated to render ny home happy. And,” added the Viscount, greedily clutching at any excuse which might satisfy his conscience for his treatment to- 6é and— and—it is really no wonder that I should some- times stay out longer than [I otherwise in- tended——”” “Oh!” she ‘“‘now I have learnt the fatal truth at last! Yes, yes—I all along sus- pected it! Nay, more—I was convinced of it! It is Twho make your home wretched—it is I who drive you from it!—and yet heaven knows that I would make any sacrifice to keep you with me! I am miserable when you are absent: and therefore it would be madness on my part wilfully to force you to remain away.” With these words, the unhappy young lady covered her countenance with her bands, and burst into a fresh paroxyem of anguish. Her bosom was convulsed with sobs; and if the most dreadful calamity had just alighted upon her head, it was impossible for her to be more afflicted. In the midst of this scene a domestic in a splendid livery entered the room, bearing the morning’s letters and newspapers upon a silver salver. Tho Viscount snatched them up in a petulant manner: wiile Stephanie, quickly removing her fair white hands from her face, leant over her plate to conceal her tears from the lacquey. “See how you disgrace me!” ejaculated her husband, when the servant had retired and the gilded door had closed behind him. “Now I shall acquire the reputation of ill-treating you. That fellow will go amongst the other servants and say how he found you in tears.” “Forgive me, Jules—pray forgive me, my dearest husband | I see that I am always in the wrong———” “There you are again, with your reproaches !” interrupted the Viscount. “You mean me to understand that Tam in the wrong—that I treat you cruelly “ Good heavens!’”” murmured the unfortunate Viscountess, now wringing her hands in despair; “‘what am I to do—what am I to say, to convince you that I had no such intention? Ah, Jules, if you could only read my heart, as God now reads it + (COL (C DOO CS (COL