The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

ea . e - ao @ oa e = EEE ane @ ee GO 9 Get ets owe oe iu. aaeew ew =P os @ —_ - Rie eee . aE Bes odie aR ry fae MYSTERIES OF THR COVES. The first word I must say is a question that I have - © put,—a question that may seem precipitate, but on the respunse to which does so much of our future plans depend ?” “Paton, I understand you,” replied Lady Everton. “Tf you still think me worthy of bearing your name, you know not the happiness and joy with which I shall reccive xt!” The Marquis earried her hand to his lips, exclaim- ing, “ This is the assurance that I alone required to make me happy! And now, my dear Alez- andsina, there are two distinct alternatives which I zave to submit to your consideration. I allude to the course to be adopted in respect to our two dear children, Elisabeth and Frank. Adolphus is with them: but he knows not that they are his half- brother and sister, Is he to remain in of this secret? or is he to be made acquainted with it? Those are the alternatives.” “Oh! my decision is given at ones,” replied Lady Everton. “ Adolphus must know alil—and God grant that he may not blush for his mother! When I become your wife, how can I possibly treat as comparative strangere—es visitors~or as guests, our dear Elisabeth and Frank ? Wo, no: it were impossible! Letthe world think what it will : our children must be acknowledged. { beseech and implore that you will grant me this! Whatever shame there may be to beer, it falls not on the man =rit falls on the woman; it will not touch you—i will all become mine; and cheerfully, choorfally shall I endure jt rather than have to disavow those children who have been disavowed teo long! I see things in a very different light from that in which I beheld them some back. Tell me, then, that you will not be ashamed to qéa as your wife one whom the finger of scandal and scorn may perebance be pointed st when all the past booomes known Lady Everton had spoken thus with a wild gush- ing vehemence which prevented the Marquis from giving an immediate reply. It was a perfect torrent of feelings,—the feelings of a mother who now knew ' fo other consideration than the duty which she owed towards the children of her only love, and whom she longed to acknowledge as her own. “Tt shall all be as you desire,” answered the Mar. quis; “it is for you to decide. Oh! believe me, if "' you have strength eneugh to dare the apinion of the world, I have lived long enough to be too indepen- dent of it to sacrifice any of my own feelings to its Frank as a sister and a brother.” “ Henceforth all our ideas of happiness,” said _ Lady Everton, “shall be centred in domestic joys. | i *‘Oiat ae . -eo8r wwe If wo be blessed in our children, what care we for the world? And you will bes father to will you not?——Yes, I know you will: for after all he has undergone—efter that cruel and idscus captivity—his experience of the world must be ecir- @aumecridbed indeed, and he will require all the eames And all the care which you can bestow upon “ He shall have it,” responded the Marquis: “he shall be to me as dear as Elizabeth and Frank themselves. And let me add, my dear Alexan- drina,” he continued in a lower tone, “that the ansophisticated condition of Adolpbus’s mind—his inexperience in all worldly metters—bis ignorance of the selfish motives which sway men's aetions and opinions—end his apprecietion ef everything that is natural only, in eontradistinetion to everything that is artificial—will lead him to sympathise with e mother whose hand was sacrificed to ope when her heart was engaged to another. No: there is nut the slightest dread that Adolphus will blash when he Warns that mother’s history !” “Wheat more have we to discuss?” exclaimed Lady Everton, now all in feverish anxiety to fice away from her present abode and hasten to where she could fold her children in her arms: “when shall we depart? My preparations will soon be made: es hour—half-an-hour—e few minutes will wuffice. Oh! pray tell ma, dear Paton, that we are . to go at once! But, Oh—I fhegot!™ she suddenly | exclaimed: “you have travelled day aud night— you only arrived hese late last evening—yoy cannot undertake the journey homeward without adaguate repose. How selfish I was! But you will pardvs me—for I have became another being—yon have given me new life,—K feel young—Oh! so young, that I can endure all ” “There shall be no unnecessary delay,” responded the Marquis. “ Rest assured that I am as anxious as yourself fot the arrival of that moment when Adolphus, Elisabeth, and Frank shall be folded in your prms. Yes: it will prove a spectace that I long to gase upon. Dear Alexantirina, though changed ia appearance,” he added with a azile, “I am not soold that I need nursing. Is is now acarly three in the afternoon: if you choose to depert in an hour, let a ise be sent for from the town. Or, Perhaps, you have your own travelling- “It has been unused for years,” replied Lad Everton. “Bat we will have a sd will commense our old footnian Humphrey shall accompany us.” Having thus spoken, Lady Everton, who was wondrous contrast te her slow, measured, and thoughtful movements when arias had first bebeld her in the morning walking in the garden,— Lady Everton, we say, ia tis new state of mind, flew to the bell; and when Humphrey made his appearance, she issued her instructivas in « tone of cheerful volubility that filled the old man with de- i For the faithfal dependant had already learnt from Mrs. Jameson who the visitor was, It was about six o'clock in the evening of the second day after the incidents which we have been steod. Elisabeth, Frank, and Adolphus had not long risen from the dinner-table and retired to the ED @® bse. =» oe Gaga => on ee EY wee oe ee eee | >. a= CO IMULUG C) DOO CS (COL