The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 375: what you’re looking at

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

874 peoplo her dreams. The night which she thus passed was restless, troubled, and disturbed; and when she awoke in the morning, it was with an aching head and careworn looks. The Marquis of Villebelle rose at a somewhat early hour, and descended to walk in the garden before breakfast. Juliana saw him from the win- dow of her own bed-chamber, thus sauntering along the gravel-walks and amusing himeelf with the contemplation of the floral beauties profusely scattered about. She caught herself sighing as she envied the lot of her sister, who was married to a nobleman that lay under no political ban— who in a very short time had himself up, by his own merits and talents, from complete ob- security to a high diplomatic position—and whose personal appearance was infinitely superior to that of her own husband the Coynt de Toledo. While she was thus way to her reflec- tions, and performing her toilet, she heard the sounds of a horse’s hoofs approaching along the road; and again hastening to the window, she in a few moments perceived that it was her husband. She waved her kerchief in token of welcome; and | hasten - he answered the salutation in a similar manner. At that instant she caught sight of Villebelle, who was in the front garden ; and she noticed that he flung rapid glances from the horseman who had stopped at the gate, up to the window where she was thus waving her kerchief. Then the Marquis ad- vanced hurriedly towards thas gate, just as the Count de Toledo alighted ; and it struck Juliana, as well as she could judge from the distance of about twenty yards, that there was a startling recognition be- tween her brother-in-law and her husband. Was it possible they had met before, and that the Mar. ly quis could have forgotten the Count’s name? or had the Count borne some other denomination when they had thus previously encountered each other ? Juliana remained at the window gazing forth ; the Marquis and her husband stood conversing for 6 few moments; and while the groom hastened forth to take charge of the horse, they walked away together along one of the shady avenues jn the garden. Assuredly, thought Juliana to herself, they must have met before; and now they were probably conversing on past occurrences familiar to them both. But she nevertheless considered it strange and unkind that her husband did not at once come up to embrace her. In a few more minutes the Marquis and the Count emerged from the shady avenue, and ap- proached the cottage. They entered together: Juliana heard them both ascend the stairs: the Marquis passed into the chamber which himself and Constance had occupied,—the Count entering that where Juliana was dressing. He clasped her in his arms, and seemed more fervid than ever in the caresses which he bestowed upon her. When these cndearments were over, and she had leisure to contemplate him, ahe was struck with his pallid and careworn looks: but he hastened to assure her that he had ridden throughout the whole of the past night in order to rejoin her again as soon as possible. Then he renewed his caresses, and ap- peared so happy in their reunion that she could not at once begin to question him on those various points concerning which she had made up her mind to solicit the most candid as well as the com- pletest explanations. THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. * And so accident has thrown your brother-in- law and sister in your way?” said the Count. “The Marquis and I have met before. It was some time back—in my father’s life-time—and ere I succeeded to my title.” This explanation, given in her husband’s wanted off-hand manner, produced an indescribable relief im Juliana’s mind. She saw at once that he was all he had represented himself to be: or else Ville- belle could not ere now have recognised him as such ;—for that he had done go, she naturally jn- ferred from the fact of their walking and convers- ing together ; and moreover her husband woyld not give her an assurance which the Marquis could presently disprove. “By the bye,” continued the Count, “ your brother-in-law has been telling me of hig adyon- ture in Catalonia ” “Ah!” ejaculated Juliana, as q recollection etruck her: “perhaps it was the terrible Ramon de Collantes and his formidable band who way- laid you on that ocogsion when you were wounded ?”” ‘ Very bable,” answered the Count. “ Bug , end finish yr toilet, dearest Juliana: for the Marquis and Marchiqness purpose to take their leave immediately after breakfast. I myself —to speak candidly—am go exhausted with my night's travel, that I shall lie down and take a little repose. If I see not hia lordship again ere his departyre, make my beat excyses.” Juliang descended to the parlour where the breakfast-table waa spread, where sbe found the Marqujs and Marchioness awaiting her pre- sence. Constance at once threw into her sister’g arms; and Juljang was for a moment sur- rised at the offusian of grief which convulsed the Marchioness, She wept and sobbed bitterly: but Julians thought to that it wes quite 9 natural outpourjng of Constance’s affectionate dis- position at the flea of so after being so brief a space together. Presently the Marchionees grow more osm : but she looked very pale, and even i seemed much desponding. The Marquig himself had a certain air of restraint which he endeavoured to shake off: but he could not. Juliana’s keen glance and wide experience of human nature convinced her that there was something on his mind; and now she likewise coupled the grief of Constance with this suspicion. She herself grew restless and un- easy; and there was a sort of vague terror hanging upon her soul. “You knew my husband befare f”’ she said to uppermost in her thoughts. “Yes: we have met before,” responded the Marquis. “And he was not then the Count of Toledo?” said Julians. “ He was not then the Count of Toledo,” an- swered the Marquis, repeating her words in # man- ner which struck ber as still more si than even his constrained air had previously “ There is something gtrange about you, Etienne!” she exclaimed, unable to control her feelings; “and something strange about you like- wise, Constance !” “Constance,” the Marquis hastened to observe, COMMUC DOO CS (COL