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.

ee . e - oa @ 2 e e = —EE ane @ ee Ge 9 ae obs ow oe .. - aaeaew ew SESE oes —_ - ee? =~ © ae cf —Oer @ -_ * fae MYSTERIES OF THR COVES. The first word I must say is a question that I have - £0 put,—a question that may seem precipitate, but on the respunse to which does so much of our future plans depend F° “ 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 recaive rt!” 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 Alex- andsina, there are two distinct alternatives which I save to submit to your consideration. I allude to the course to be adopted in respect to oar two dear children, Eiizabeth 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 all—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 gueste, our dear Elisabeth and Frank? So, no: it were impossible! Let the 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, cheerfully shall I endure jt rather than have to disavow tise 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 perebange be pointed st when all the past becomes 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 know ' Bo 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 opinion 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. If we be blessed in our children, what care we for *‘Oiat ae . -eo8r mwa 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 ikteous captivity—his experience of the world must be cir- @aumecribed indeed, and he will require all the counsel and all the care which you can bestow upon him.” “ 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,” be continued in a lower tone, “that the ansophistjcated condition of Adolpbus’s mind—his inexperience in all worldly metters—bis ignorance of the selfish motives which away men’s actions and opinions—end his apprecietion ef everything that is natural only, in eontradistinstion to everything that is artificial—will lead him to sympathise with a 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 earns that mother’s history !” “What more have we to discuss?” exclaimed Lady Everton, now all in feverish anxiety to flee 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 suffice. Oh! pray tell me, dear Paton, that we are . to go at once! But, Oh—I fhagot!” she eyddenly exclaimed: “you have travelled day and night— you only arrived hese late last evening—yoy cannot undertake the journey homeward without adaguate repose. How selfich I was! Bat you will pardva me—for I have became another being—you have given me new life,—K feel young—Oh! so young, that I can endure all ” “There shall be no unnecessary delay,” responded the Mazquis. “~ Rest assured that I am as anxious as fot the arrival of that moment when Adolphus, Elisabeth, and Frank shall be folded in your perms. Yes: it will prove a spectacle that I st cold tuet T need naceiag Is is now nearly three in the afternoon: if you choose to depart in an hour, let a post-chaise be sent for from the town. Or perhaps, you have your own travelling- = Ti has been, unused for years,” perermennd Everton. “ Bat we will have «a will commence our journey this evening—it will take us at least some distanes towards the nearest line of railway the principality with the metropolis. Worthy Mee. Jameson and my faithful old footnian Humphrey shall accompany us.” Having thus spoken, Ledy Everton, who was fall of a feverish excitement—presenting indeed a wondrous contrast te hee slow, measured, and thoughtful movements when the Marquis had first beheld 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 instructiuns in a tone of cheerful volability that filled the old man with de- i For the faithfal dependant had already learnt from Mrs. Jameson who the viaitor was, and the many giad tidings be had brought with him into Wales; so that he was overjoyed to read in his znistress's manner a confirmation of all he had thua heard. @ @ ® . @ It was about six o'clock in the evening of the second day after the incidents which we have been relating, that a hired vehicle from a railway station approached Stamford Manor, and in a few minutes entered the grounds in the midst of which the house steod. Elisabeth, Frank, and Adolphus had not long risen from the dinner-table and retired to the QED > r= aa: Ld qe GEEEie a a iP Zp Ghee aie, on eee | >. a= CO IMULUG C) DOO CS (COL