The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 154: what you’re looking at

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to my care. However—iet us-retum to what I was sow ssying We:-= were speaking of the yeung ‘who oecapies the nett chamber to-yourn. That 148 she was not above the middle stature of her sex, her symenctry wae admirable. Buch: was: tie young lady mn whose:prosence Gu- young lady; ax you have: alcsady been infirmedj ie|!reline Walters now found. herself: and. for a few of: high bisth—and her name: must contmue te veiled in the despest mystery. She: requires a com- panion—eome ane who will cement to pass a few hours with ber each day, and wiso will: neither seek to draw from-her whe she ia, nor recognise her again. should they ever meet. hereafter in: the great and basy world withont. Poor eveature! she: feels sad and lowely—for the. nurse is certesnlp no: fitting associnate:;: and: I. have se marty things to atten d: to, that [ can give her but. little of my company. Under all these cirsumsetances I have determined to select you as: the most. genteel~mest amiable~and most discreet. of the young females from: whem such « choice could be mads.” “I shall cheerfully undertake the duty of ren~ dering the time as agreeable as possible to. the ” said. Caroline, both flattered aad pleased at “You may, then, a once asoond te her chame ber, my dear,” retarned Mrs. Lindley. “ But,. frark.!—not a word to te cthersa—or they will: be- jealous; and they will likesise overwhelm you with intpertinent questions whenever they see you. Let them believe that your habits have grown. more retired, and that you love to seek the solitude of your own roem.. By producing this impression epon them, you may easily pass: a few. hours every day with the yuunp lady, and.not be observed. by the rest. Do you comprehend.me ?” “Perfectly, matam\” answered Caraline ;—and she then withdrew from the midwife’s parioun.. In the roum to which the girl now ascended, a beanteous: creature occupied a bed tastefully fitted up and of a more luxuriews eharacter. thaa those in The young lady was about eighteen. Her eyes were not particularly large, and of the deepest. violet blue, shaded by leng jetty lashes, and capable of undergoing every variety of expression. When stormy and soul-pierving,. they appeared to be black ae night and burning with an overwhelming lustre;—and if eyes could slay, those were the orbs which might have had tite pewer to shoot forth the fiery arrows of death. Bat when beaming with love, and melting and tender, these eyes were of a purple hue so-exquisitely soft that it seemed as if they could never assume a look of wildness and filercetiess ~- never menace with their vengeful glances, nor sear with their lightaing brillianoy. Her hair was of a daris brown—of suck glomy richness that i¢ seemed of a fainter and more golden hue where tie light rested upon it, and black where the shade vemiained. Her skin was of the purest— | most snowy white, save where veined with the pale | sapphire’s tint : for the gentle hue of the rose which gate upon her cheeks when abe was in health, had now fled—aad yet her pallor was not ghastly vor corpse-like--no, nor even sickly, though produced by indisposition ;—neither was it insipid—but it | was interesting. And in strong contrast therewith | was the perfectly scarlet richness of her lips, which denoted the warmth of her temperament and the | ardour of her nature. The proudly rising throat, sioping shoulders, and well-developed contours of ' the bust were in harmony with a very slender that thoy should: agree well tegother. .t. be my ‘Shall call you,” resumed the lady, sinking the pillow whenee. she had raised herself on Caro- line’ entrance. be | instants she.steod: gaziag upon: her. in. mingled ad- mination and respect. “Come near.me—give me your hand,” said the foie patrician,, in a:Winning tone which immediately placed: the yorng:woman: at. her. eases, and,. ad- vancing to the bed, ale teek the pooffered hand which she pressed cordially.as. if. te imply a hope “ Yes-—we will be friends,” added the lady, either divining what passed in the otlier’s mind,, or else strusk by the secae. sentiment, “ Four name is Caroline W altess Mrs. Lindley told: me that. she should select you . As present. you. must mot seek to know who J.am-:' but if I continue. to like you as:well asi i.do-new unde the.imfluence of a first impresaion,.L will make you. my ceafidant— .D will. keep ne secrets from. you.” Careline was: moved almost to tears by the ami- able softnese.which characterised. the. patrician’s tone, leeks, and nigmner as she thus spoke ;—and while the young. wowan gased on that heavenly countenance, she eould not conceive. it. possible that one so: winning; so fascinating, and.so: tender eould have connived.at the foul tragedy, which had been enacted on the night of whirlwind and of tempest.. Nevertheless,, this was-a point upon which Caro- line had resolved to satisfy‘hesself so. soon as an .oppertunity. should occur. “Sit .down.by my side,.my dear friend—for so I ing back dn “ Let us endeavour to console each other. You have doubtless been deceived and: betrayed by a villain, as. kh have been: you have perhaps: loved as. I-have loved” “Oht yea—my love was a worship~an. idolatry!” exclaimed Caroline. “And now, nothing. remains for use but-———"” “ Despair or vengeanes {” marmared the patri- cian,.in a tome so altered—so changed from that in which she had previously spoken, that Miss Walters started up in afinght; for it struck her at the in- stant that some ether voiee had breathed those ter- rible words in the room. “Yes—despair or vengeance,” echoed Caroline, the moment shesecovered her. self-poasession. “But it shall not be éhe former,” she. added gloomily: then, fearing that she had said too much, the young -woman hastened to observe, “ I was however wrong to evince such a feeling, which ean only tend to make you detest me——” “ Detest you!” ejaculated the patrician, starting up in her couch, a wild light suddenly flashing in her eyes: “I should despise and. hate you, were you calmly and resigaedly te endure the wrongs which you may have suffered:at the hands of a man! Love is the religion of the heart, Caroline,” she continued, in an impressive tone; “ it will either elevate those who cherish it, to the condition of saints—or it will hurl them, like fallem angels, into that abyas where rage the flames of vengeance and remorse, We are the fallen angels, Caroline—and like fiends should we war against those who have plunged us inte the hell of our outraged feslings, our blighted affections waist and finely proportioned limbs: for though '.and our ruined hopes!” o ee. Oe ei aeRO oil COMIC OOO XS co