The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 96: what you’re looking at

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| few minutes back. Advancing i ee ay =e — THR MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. march of evente,—accosted the Squire; and clutch- | Saxondale, Juliane, and Lord Harold Staunton, ing him by the arm, said, “‘ My dear Hawkebaw, I, when in the nobleman who was thus ushered inta hope your friend will no} keep us waiting? You know how punctual I am: it now wants five minutes ¢o twelve.” “You can ge and put on your robes, my dear sir,” responded the Squire: “for I will that 4s the clock stzikes twelve, the friend whom I expect will be here.” “ Good and well,” said the elorgyman: and with &@ very important air he jawed ferth from the room. “In a fow minutes, my dear Juliana,” whispered the Squire, “our hande will be united. Tell me— do you feel ag I da upom thie happy and solema occasion F” “Do the epithets you have wed typify your feelings, my dear George?’ i lady, with another tender look, " Yeo—I am indeed happy: how ean I be otherwise? But you hare not told ane who” “And is your mother happy likewise?” asked Hawkshaw. “ But ne doubt of it! Who. knows bat that she ie even happier than yourself?” “Happier than I ?”. whispered Juliana, thinking the remark aingwaer: but when she saw that the Squire’s countenance only its wonted frankaces of geod-hamour, she smiled, observing, “What could be the meaning of that remark you have just matic P” “Simply this, my dear girl—that your mother has passed through the same ceremony before.” “Ahi I comprehend,” observed Juliana, laugh- ing. “But you have not as yot told me who it is you expect.” “And so you really expetience a happiness withr out alloy?” quickly resumed the Squire, who ap- peared not to notices that renewal of a question which still remained unanswered. “Is it not the most irsportant occasion of one’s life?” “Yes: and hence that certain degree of so- lemnity,” replied Juliana, “which mingles with the happiness of one’s thoughts.” ___' Chastening that happiness without subduing At this moment the clergyman re-entered the room, dressed im his canonieals; and glancing quickly around, he perceived no addition to the compeny whom he had left when he went forth a straight up to the Squire, he said, “Your friend is not come yet, Hawkshaw.” be have you told me,” said Juliana, “who is,” But ere the Squire had time to utter a syllable af to either of the remarks thus addressed to him, the cook over the entrance of the castle began to prociaim the hour of noon—the door of the apartment was thrown wide open—and the footman announced in a loud voica, “The Marquis of Kagledean {” CHAPTER CV. HEB RESULT. Tum reader may conecive faz more easily than we ean possibly deseribe the affect produced upen Lady eee. . — a - - ~—st ae — oe ee 8 Ae-*——— eee ee = their presence, they recoguised Mr. Gunthorpe. The mother and daughter felt a vague terror seise upon them, shoeting thraugh then, indeed like an onxcrneisting pang: bat Lord Harold was struck downright dismay. All the iudignities which Sip tmiie Bed ummteidl ob is toml sho be to fancied him to be plain Mr. Gunthorpe, rushed to his rnind ; and he was patalysed+~rendered motion- levs ac a statue! Mr. Denison, starting up from his chair, rushed forward to acise the hand of the Marquis; and those two old friends etehanged warm bus inquired the young | Lord of hands: but from the circumstance of this intro» daction, it became clearly apparent to the lookars- un, that if the Marquis was really the friead whom Mr. Hawkshaw expected, they were af all events strangers to each other until now. Mre. Denison the elder, ber son, end her deugiter-in-law, had been admitted into the secret of all this; and they now: exchanged significant looks. But the four bridemaids, Lotd Black- water, and Sir John Knightley, as well as the were almost completely at a lose te understand why the appearance of the Marquis could be so very far from agreeable to Lady Sazen- dale, Juliana, and Lord Harold, as it evidently wan. Of course they knew that Lord Hasold was that nobleman’s nephew : but they could scarezly conceive that euch a marriage bad been resolved upon with- out the consent of the Marquis. The only ex- planation they could possibly fall upon in the way of conjecture, was that the facte wore the reverse- that the Marquis had woe eee previously informed of the not approve of it--and that he came to prevent it. Eyt then, why should Hawkshaw, her ladyship’s intended son-in- law, have played euch a seemingly pesfidious part in reference to this axpected guest whom he him- self confeseed to have invited ? Lord Harold Staunton, quickly recovering his presence of mind, and resolying to put a good face upon the matter, now hastened up to his unele, when the greetings between thet nobleman, Denison, and Hawkshaw, wore over; aud he made a movement as if to embrace his relative. But the Marquis, bending upon him a stern look, said, Nicanight ont enniht Neeedine Ae viersd pest metube rsa know whether it be as a dutiful and obedient nephew that I am to welcome you—or whether you will persevere in your own course, despite whatecever counsel or commands J may give ?’” Lord Harold was taken completely aback by this mode of address: his effrontery suddenly aban- doned him—and he stood still, gasing in speech- less bewilderment upon the Marquise; so that the scene was rapidly deepening in interest to all the lookere-on. Meanwhile a suddea idea had flashed to the brain of Juliana—that brain which daring the first mo- mente after the appearance of Lord Eagiedeaa, was racked with the most excruciating fortures. Gliding from her seat to the epot where Lady Saxondale bad stood up from her ows when the door waa firab wan «OC me vwrew ef @ -_ ae rb ee EE» (COL ( 5 DOO CS (COL