The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

TWE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. Si “ And now, dear sister, that you have at length learned what love is,” continued Frank, “tell me, does it not constitute a new oxistence? is it not a paradise in itself ? doses it not seem to transport one, as it were, into another state of bengf Oh, you who bus so short a time back were almost boast- ing that your heart was inaccessible to love———why, I do really believe thaf all along, from the very first moment you ever beheld your handsome Chris- toval in the Catalonian hilis, you really loved him: that is to say, the germs of love were engendered in your heart—but the ciroumstances not being con- mained ag i+ were latent, unknown, unsuspected— bat not the less surely implanted there; and it only vequired a change of circumstances, such as thoes under which you and Don Diego recently met, to evoke these germs of love into active vitality and a recognised existence.” “There may be some truth in what you say, Frank,” observed Elizabeth, in a subdued voice: “yee—there may be |”-—aad for a few moments she reflected profoundiy upon the idea whick he had suggested: then, suddenly raising her magnificent dark eyes which had been bent downward, che ex- claimed with her wonted blitheness, “Come, Frank, we must hasten and dress for dinner. The De- haere pate ene end It will bo a happy part The brother and sister oped back to the mansion ; and it was indeed a happy party which was ga- thered in the eplendid drawing-room at about six o'clock. William Deveril, who had seen Frank in his page's livery at Saxondale House, could not help thinking that handsome as he had looked then, he appeared to far greater advantage in his present elegant eveuing costame; and ho shook hands with him in a manner so ingennously cordial and warm, that it was as much es to imply the words, “ We ere bosom friends from thig moment.” Angela,—who, in s plain white dress, looked vaviehingly beaatiful,—was heartily weloomed by Lady Everton; and she was soon on the moet party. Soon after eight o'clock the Marquis of Eagledoan and William Deveril entered the whiob was if readiness, and which drove away ia the di- rection of Agar Town. “And so Hlovina and Angela at onve beeame as affectionate as two sisters,” observed the Marquis, to some conversation which hed already taken between himeclf and William Deveril in the course of the evening. “ Angela was delighted with Fiorina,” answored eur herg: “indeed, how could she be otherwise? for the heart which is all amiable and pure, is eer- tain to love « being who ts hereelf amiah\ty and puri “No doubt of it,” said the Marquis. “I was eonvineed they would immediately experience a fondnees for one another. Florina was already mach prepossessed in favour of your sister, and af eourse Angelia was equally prepared to love the object of your affection. But Lady Macdonald—what think you of her “ Her ladyship was most amiable,” replied Wil- lam. “Altogether, both Angela and myself had every cause to be pleased and flattered by the visit. We are to dine in Cavendish Square the ‘day after to-morrow.” “T know it: for we are to be there to mest you,” replied hie lordship. “Lady Everton will in the meanwhile have become Marchtoness of Eagie- dean. _, Blisabeth and Adolphus will also be of the “And Vrank--your amiable son Frank ?* aske4 William. : tell you more partiewere another tame, By tho bye, I thought I had something to communiocte, whish ps is of morgor less consequence: but whether 1¢ will prove eo, we shall esc. Phat woman whom you rescued from drowning, and who is to call at your residence in the evening of the 2lst of this month, at nine o’clock——=is i¢ not so P”’ “Yes, my lord: it was in the evening of the 21st of July that she gave the appointment that day _ month, hour for hour——Oh! I have not for- gotten it: and often and often dv I ask myself what secret she may have to reveal? or whether it were not all the outpouring of a half-erased braie ?” “ No—l do net think so,” interrupted the Marquis. “rom the partioulars you narrated to me, I am inclined to anticipate that she will really have some- thing of importance to communicate. But I was about to tell you something more cencersing her. It happesed that this afierncon my daughter Elise- beth had a conversation with me on certain matters regarding Frank, end in the coarse of wimst took oceurred at Saxondale House during the last fow rences, were certein vigita, paid under very mys- texrious circumstances te Lady Sanondale, by a women presissly anewering the description of that same person whom you rescued from the River Trent.” “ Ah! then deabtiess she was on her way at the time to pay a visit to the Castle,” exelaimed William Deveril. “i recollect that she spoke a great deal of Ledy Saxrondala. How peremapterily she - manded what I was doing in thet and bow strangely she tdid me that if f impself hed been. to the Castle, it was somewhat important she should know it] I remember also that whea I told her I had never set foes in Sarondale Oastic in my life, cho gave vent to such singuler ojaculationa, and looked at me with an expression of countenance that I never can forget. I besought her to explain herself: I told her that she was torturing me cruelly ——that by her leoks and her language sho was piling “p mystery upon mystery: and yet she would act relieve me from suspense. But this was not all. When I spake of those uvertares which Lady Bax. (COL (C DOO CS (COL