The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 33: what you’re looking at

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

| | | uD ee =Gaby © 20 addressed to the Duke THE MYSTERIES - To this second letter a kind response was likewise returned by his Grace, —accompanied by an invitation to Oaklands. And Eliza knew that this letter was received—and that this invitation was given. The answer came, to the effect that the writer would be at Oaklands in the afternoon of the following day. That afternoon came. The Duke and his wife were alone together in the drawing-room : for it so happened that all the guests were out riding or walking in the grounds, enjoying the beauty of that autumnal season. A very close observer—if such a one had been present—might have noticed that the cheeks of the Duchess were paler than even their wont,—paler because that animation of the complexion which had survived the fading of the natural carnation tint, was temporarily dead- ened into a complete whiteness. And such an observer, too, would perchance have seen that there was a strange light in tho large dark byes. The Duke however perceived not all this: for Eliza seemed busily occupied in the contempla- tion of a number of magnificent prints which one of the guests had brought from London a day or two previously. The Duke was standing in one of tho bay-windows of the drawing-room, which commanded a view of the carriage-road; for he was in expectation of the promised arrival. It was about four o'clock on this particular afternoon, that a post-chaise dashed up to the grand entrance of Oaklands; and the Duke ex- claimed, “Here he is! More than three years have clapeed since last I saw him.” Eliza remained occupicd with the printe—but turning them over more rapidly than at first. The Duke went on making observations relative to the individual who had just arrived—but it scarcely seemed as if the Duchess heard them: for she gave no response. Inafew minutes footeteps were heard approaching the door: that door was thrown open—and a domestic announced, “The Hon. Mr. Bertram Vivian.” CHAPTER V. BBETRAM VIVIAN. Exrsa rose from her seat; and the Duke took her hand to present her to her relative,—that relative whom he fancied she had never in her life seen before—but alas! whom she had known so well and loved so tenderly. She was white as a sheet; and her death-like pallor was rendered all the more visible by the half-mourning garb that she wore. Her raven hair, arranged in massive bands, threw out as it were the colourless countenance in its purest marble relief: her lips were of the huo of ashes: but there was a strange light glistening in her eyes, as she bowed to Bertram Vivian. Then there was a quick revulsion of feeling within her, — pangs of ineffable anguish shooting in rapid suc- cession through her heart ; and whilo her fortitude was sufficient to prevent any outhurst of that woe —any ebullition of that ing agony—it had the effect on the other hand of sending up the hec- tic hues of excitement to her checks; so that her husband, as he glanced with proud satisfaction upon his young wife, while intruducing her to OF THE COURT. Bertram, thought that she had never seemed “0 beautiful before. And Bertram Vivian himself—how looked, how felt he? He was now in his twenty-fourth year—a young man of Apollo-like beauty. His hair clus- tered in raven curls of exceeding richness about that high marble forehead where Genius sat en- throned: his tall slender figure was masculine symmetry iteelf. But he too was deadly pale: yet to the Duke’s eye was no agitation on his part visible. But how different to the eyes of Eliza! The glance—the one glance—which she had dared throw upon him, made her aware in an instant that he was a prey to a deep, silent, inward agitation, as tremendous and as excruciating as that which sho felt herself: and she saw too that notwithstanding his air of outward composure, there was something about him almost bordering upon terror which her eyc alone could detect. Doubtless he feared lest allin a moment the adamantine bonds of tensely nerved prudence and preterhuman self-control wherewith he and she had fortified themselves, should be snapped asunder, as Samson broke the Philistine bonds—and that there might ensue a wild scene of agony, flooding tears, and convulsive sobs, in which they would both be lost. But when Ber- tram beheld her so completely the mistress of her- self, that feeling of terror passed sway in an in- stant; and with a coldly courteous dignity, he re- turned her salutation. “Bertram, my dear nephew,” exclaimed the Duke, hastening to embrace him; “welcome to Oaklands! Welcome—doubly welcome—all the more that I have not seen you since that shocking but false report of your loss But, Eliza dearest, you must at least give my younger nephew as kind a greeting as you bestowed upon the elder one when first you met a year back.” For the Duke remembered that when Eliza and Lord Clandon had thus met, she graciously prof- fered him her hand, giving him at the same time words of welcome. But now to Bertram no hand was stretched forth—no syllable was spoken. * Welcome to Oaklands, Mr. Vivian,” ssid Eliza, in a voice which ke knew to be unna- turally calm, but which strugk the Duke as only being strangely and unaccountably chilling: at the same timo she proffered her hand, which Ber- = just held for a moment. - Again had a revulsion of feeling taken place within her: she was again al] marble—and it was a hand cold as that of the dead which Bertram thus touched. ‘“‘And so, my dear hew,” said the Duke, ‘you only returned from St. Petersburgh a few Gays backP By the bye, how was it that when you came from the United States last June twelvemonth, you did not take London in your way to see your relatives and your friends, ere to St. Petersburgh r” “You are aware, uncle,” Bertram, “that when I obtained leave of absence from my post in America, it was my purpose to pass a few months in England. But on arriving at Liver- pool I received an official despatch, announcing that I was appointed First Attaché to the Em bassy at St. Petersburgh; and the positive ordors were that I was to proceed thither without a mo- ment’s delay. I did so.” “ Well, well,” said the Duke, “thore is nothing (COL (C DOO CS (COL