The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 70: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 69 having become Miss Farefield’s companion for the present, he had no right to trent her with s reserve or coolness that eould not fail to be shortly noticed by other couples lounging or sitting in the ball- room; and notwithstanding all eiroumstances, he saw that he was bound to treat her at least with a show of external courtesy and politences. “Do yeu prefer to remain seated here, Miss Farefield f” he inquired, not knowing what else CHAPTER C. THE CONSERVATORY. Mus. Dawisor remained in conversation with Ledy Baxondale— Mr. Denison hastened to receive some : | to say: “or would you rather walk a little P’ “I am perfectly well contented,” she ded, “ to do whiehever Mr. Paten thinks fit:“—and as she thus speke, in a tone of mingled reproach and who, fike himself, did not dance, and fell into con. | arehness, she accentusted Ms name. versation with “The quadrille ie about to commenes,;” he said: Frank and Juliana entered the ball-room. The | “shall we stand up and take our ps of their position: but each was inspired with very from these which animated the other. On the one hand Frank merely wished to Juliana was already acquainted, the medium of Mr. Hawkshaw or Mr. itien: but if not, it known, so far as he regard to his father’s incognito. should have been accomplished, no farther intercourse between them: fer although Frank could not so suddenly fling off the spells which the lady’s beauty and fascinations had cast upon him, vet wag he firmly tescived not to suffer himself to be betrayed into any weakness. On the other hand, Juliana felt that she had a dificalt and delicate course to parsue. She had no longer ing, that Frank’s social position was indeed greatly s and she was most anxious to learn whether he would now constitute a matoh sufficiently eligible to warrant her in jilting Mr. Hawkshaw. If 20, she i dearmenta, as to flatter herself that she need only bring them all into full play in order to reduce him to the condition of a suppliant at her feet. Neverthe- lees, with all her natural effron all her spint of intrigue—with all her worldly-minded cal- culating disposition, she could not help feeling em- barraseed and awkward during the first few minutes they were thus thrown together on the present occasion. Moreover, her pride would not suffer her to be the first to break the silence which still reigned between them ; and there was aleo a certain amount of rancour and bitterness in her mind at the test to whieh young Paton had so ingeniously put her. Frank likewise ienced all the aewkwardness of this silence; and if he did not immediately speak, % was that he knew not how to commence the con- Versation. He more than half ha Placed himeelf in such a n. He began to comprehend that fit. was his own littl® pride and boyish vanity, more than anything else, that had all along urged him te be present at this ball; and he felt somewhat humiliated in his own eyes—lessened in his own conesit—diminished in his own opinion, at the thought that he should have been guilty of ouch weakness. But econ he began to reflect that i “With plessuré. Are you fond of dancing?” “Perhaps,” he rejoined, in a eold ironical tone, “you meant to ask me whether I could dance You forget, Mies Fareficld, that I was well educated and trained at Southampton, before circumstances reduced me to a menial condition.” “This observation on your My. Paton,” she replied, in a voice that trem as if her feelings were indeed much hurt, “is most ungenesous and uncalled for. When I asked you if you were foud of dancing, I meant no more than would have been - intended by yoerself, had you put the dame question tome. I think, Mr. Paton, if you will condessend to tax your memory, you will find that while you were as yet in ignorance of your parcatage, I ex- pressed the conviction thet your birth was infinitely to your condition at the time.” ‘True murmured Frank: end the recollection that Juliana Aad epoken nothing but the exact truth, struck him with a feeling savouring of re- morse for the coolness which he himself was now main towards het: moreover, he felt that he had been unjust in the harsh rebule he had adminis- tered—a rebake, too, which according to her assur- ance she had s0 little deserved. “'Yeo—it is indeed true that I thus spoke to you at the time,” she said, perceiving that therd was a change in his countenance, and the fecling which hed produced it. “Had i not been my convietion that you ware of gentle birth, never, | never--—But I ought not to be speaking thus! After what took place yesterday, I presume that I am to consider everything to be at an end between: tos P* _——_ —a =_ “ Miss Farefield,” answered Frank, again reeover- | ing the perfect mastery over himeelf, “I have a few words of explanation to address te you: but it ts impossible they can be spoken in this ball-room. | For your sake, much more than fr mine, the greatest discretion must be used. When the dance is over, if you will favour me with a few minutes’ attention, we may perhaps find an opportunity to epeak in that conservatery which opens from the adjoining apartment.” The quadrille now commenced ; and Juliana, per- ceiving at a glance that Mr. Hawkshaw was nut amongst the lookers-on in the ball-room, rasolved to play off all the artillery of her charms upon Francie Paton—but at the same time not to do this in a manner that should be noticed by the gucets generally: for if in the long run she should either lose Frank, or else eeme to the conclusion that Mr. Hawkshaw was the preferable match, she did not ore OE aes - ne ee -_ -— 7 > (COL ( 5 DOO CS (COL