The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

50 TH! MYSTHRIES OF THE COURT. spoke my father, Mr. Hawkshaw; ahd I came down to Gainsborough. For itis in the town of Gains- borough, at this moment, that for a few days the lady of whom I speak is staying: she is there on a temporary visit to some elderly relatives, who, though not so well off in the werld as her own family, are nevertheless highly respectable.” The reader will perosive, in the latter portion of Frank’s speech, those ingeniously contrived vari- ations from the real circumstances of his story, which, while they did not impair the general truth of the narrative, were perfectly sufficient to conceal the identity of his heroine with Juliana Fare- field. “ Having arrived in Gainsborough,” he continued, “TI dressed inyself in this humble apparel which you see, and appeared hefore Re young lady. I adopted the course which my mended. But ppon the details of the scene which ensued I cannot dwell farther than to give you the briefest outline possible. Would you believe it, Mr. Hawkshaw? she refused to bestow upon me her hand—but she shamelessly proposed to make me her pensioned paramour! She said that she would marry—she would contract a brilliant alliance —one that would give her riches; and that though she would take a husband’s name, yet that my image alone should rule in het heart. I scorned her proposition—I repudiated it with loathing and horror. I fled from her pesetice. Cruelly excited, I wandered out of the town, along the, bank of the river, not knowing fior caring whither I went.” “ And it was under such aire stances as these, that I met you?” observed "Hawkshaw, deeply a sther had recom- Juliana hity, virtue, and excellence. She has been reared by an affectionate mother—a woman of strong mind, and who knew how to perform her duty to her . children. The object of your love is handsome, you . aay: 60 is the object of mine—grandly handsome !— _ but therein is the only point of similitade between \the two. Ah! whata tale of shameless profligacy . have you revealea tome. Thank heaven, you have been discreet and delicate enough not to mention , that lady’s name: for if by chance I ever met her in society, I could not possibly help testifying the ‘contempt and abhorrence with which her conduct ‘has inspired me. You have indeed experienced a | most fortunate escape; and instead of being down- - cast and unhappy, you ought to be cheerful and | gigd.” Frank sighed—but made no answer: the image of had been too deeply impressed upon his : heart to be affaced all in a moment; and he wished that she were far leas beautiful than she was! The conversation was interrupted by the entrance of a footman, to announce that the groom had re- turned from Gainsborough, accompanied by Mr. Paton’s valet, who had brought his master’s luggage with him. “ Now, my young friend,” said the Squire, whea the footman had withdrawn, “I do not intend to part with you s0 easily as perhaps you may imagine. You must at jeast give me two or three days of ourcompany here. You need not go near Gains- ugh—the residence of your faithless one : but I will do the beat I can to amuse you. There is to be a grand ball at some friends of mine—the Denisons’ to-morrow evening: and I shall be delighted to sympathising with Frank’s affliction. “Ah, my | introduce yuu. You will meet all the nobility and poor young friend! you had indeed enough upon your mind at the moment; and yet you could so generously bestow your niinistrations upon me ! You will forgive me offers ——”’ ee . “¥orgive you, Mr. Hawkshaw!” ejaculated the youth: “how can you address me in these ternisP Shall I ever forget yout generosity P You fancied me poor—you offered to give mo a start in life—it was most kind, most noble! For the present there are circumstances which induce my father to preserve an incognito before the world—he has a nephew to reclaim: but rest assured that when the moment comes that there is no longer any heed fdr pre- serving this mystery, I shall write to you from London—I shall tell you who he is—he himself will write to you—and he will thank you for your kind- ness towards his son, He bears one of the ptoudest names of the British aristocracy: and well assured am I that you, Mr. Hawkshaw, whenever you visit Be natrope lis, will be a welcome guest at his “I shall be delighted, Mr. Paton,” returned the Squire, “to renew in London at some future period the acquaintance that has commenced thus singu- larly between us in Lincolnshire. And perhaps I shall have the pleasure of seeing you again before long: for, as I just now hinted, I am about to change my bachelor condition for the marriage state : and after the nuptial ceremony I shall repair with my bride to London. Ah, my young friend! how different is she whom I shall soon lead to the altar, from the heartless creature of whom you have been speaking! The object of my affection is all amiabi- fot having made seiemme | gentry of the neighbourhood, with their families. Do not say nay/ Would you pine and mope for the sake of a worthless woman P Come, Mr. Paton, take my advico—seck rational pleasure and recreation, as the best means of driving her image from your — memory.” | _ Frank had drank half-a-dosen glasses of wine ; and his spirits were already somewhat cheered. He thought the Squire’s advice sound and good. It was not merely his wish, but also his duty, to triumph over the unfortunate attachment which he had formed. He had moreover received such kind hospitality from Mr. Hawkshaw, that he did not feel himself justified in running away the first thing in the morning. And now, another idea flashed to his mind. He had parted from Juliana, leaving her with the impression that he was indeed the poor humble and obscure youth he had represented him- self to be: he regretted that he had not tarried at least long enough to make her aware that it was not really under such circumstances he had sued for her hand—but that he was merely putting her affection to the test. He did not wish to expose her to the world: but his own sense of pride would. not suffer him to leave her under the impression. that it was a poverty-stricken, homeless, broken- down youth whom she had rejected. And again, too—so long as she laboured under that umpression, she might fancy that he had been only influenced by selfish motives in endeavouring to win as a wife the elder daughter of the proud and magnificent Lady Saxondale. He could not endure the thought of being deemed thus selfish—thus cgotistical; and therefore did the idea suddenly spring up in hig TT TC TT CTI If TC TC eta, COMMUC DOO CS (COL