The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

¥ £0 ' - i ene of the Paradise Villas had they been located | about eighteen months at the time when our tale opens. But Mr. Clarendon was not now at home. Years had elapsed since he had made any effort to be reconciled to his proud relations; and, at last— } finding that his income was disproportionately small when compared with the claims that there were upon his means, especially with an augment- ing taxation and the increasing dearness of pro- visions—he had resolved to repair to Marchmont Castle in Derbyshire, and endeavour to seek an in- terview with his noble cousin, its owner. Consi- dering that his daughters had reached that age when they could take care of themselves during his temporary absence, Mr. Clarendon set out ac- cordingly; and only two days bad elapsed since his departure, when the incidents which occupied our two first chapters took place. co, : Before, however, we resume the thread of our narrative, we must pause for a few rmuments to de- ecribe Octavia and Pauline Clarendon. They were both tall, elegantly shaped, and pos- sessing a maturity of charmy which made wem seem two or three years older than they really were: for at this timg, Octavia was twenty-oné, and Pauline a month or two past nineteen. Their style of loveliness was pretty nearly the same,— except that Octavia’s hair was a rich auburn, and her sister’s a dark brown: but theit complexions were equally fair and beautiful—without apot ef olemish, and reminding the beholder of the delicate blending of the hues of the rose with the purity of the Illy. Their foreheads were high and open,—their mouths small, and with lips red and ripe as cherries —and their teeth of pearly white- ness. Their eyes were of deep blue—large and rolling, and at times expressing an involimtary ten- derness that gavé a voluptuous langour to the coun- tengnoce of these sisters. ; avia and Pauline were tall in te, as we have y observed: out we might have stated that they were above the usual height of women. Indeed, théy were fine-grown girls—and fos merely beautiful but handsome. Whom to prefer of the two, on the score of loveliness, it would have been dificult to decide: for if there were somethh more subdued and retiring in the blushing charms of Pauline,—yet it was impossible to gaze without 1 éhe tenderest emotions an the more imposing and gqgueenly beanty of Octavia, ~espepially when the Muzht, playing upon the rich redundancy of her au- burn hair, seemed to crown its glossy surface as with 9 glory}. And Octavia knew that she was beautiful: her gnit—her er carriage, all denoted a eonsmousness that she was the object of admira- tion. Nou less was Pauline gifted with,the same vealtty ;—bnsé it displayed itself leas—or rather, was mate subdped by the bashfulness attendant on a tenderer age. . ‘Fao sisters were much attached to each other, and loved their father with the sincerest affection. Though a disappointed—crushed—,nd dispirited man, he hed behaved kindly towards them; and . they fully comprehended al) the sacrifices he had scade to rear them genteclly. They accordingly repaid him with the most solicitous attention to all bis wants and wishes; and we wust mention, as a good trait in their charactcr, that they never sought PS serene ener eects’ mest | confused—or ratli to gratify their vanity by extravagance in dross. They moreover devoted so much care to the do- mestic affairs, and managed with so much economy, that no regular servant was kept: the oocasiona attendance of a char-woman was all that was needed to assist them in maintaining the tittle dwelling in the best possible order. We have enabled our readers to form a tolerably correct idea of the two young ladies who are destined to play.no inconsiderable part in our narrative, of which we now resume the continuous thread. It was verging towards eleven o’clock on the evening of Mr. Page’s adventures, when a trades- man from the neighbourhood knocked at the door of the cottage inhabited by the Clarendon family; and Octavia answered the summons. . The man left some article which had been ordered, and, having apolo- gised for calling so late, took his departure. The young lady then tripped lightly down the gravei- walk of the little garden in order to lock the front gate; and at that instant a gentleman ‘in a cloak, who had just alighted fom a hackney-coach precisely op- posite, hurried up to Miss Clarendon, saying; “ Per- mit me to step in and rest myself for a few minutes.” Had she paused for a single instant to reflect upon this request, she would have at once seen that it was of so extraordinary a nature, coming as it did from a perfect stranger and at such a time of night, that nothing but a prompt refusal could consistently and properly meet it:—but its very strangeness, and the abruptness #ifk, which it was made, so completely rm] iidered the young lady, that she held the gaté,o her fair han j,—and the gentleman, taking firis && a proof of assent, hurried into the house. ae Scarcely, however, had ha thris glided past Octavia, when she was struck with the impropriety of which she had been guilty, and hasteneil after him. On entering the villa she mechegnically closed the front door behind her; and as all this was the work of a few moments, the driver of the yellow soach did not in reality perceive which way the gentleman had so suddenly disappeared. ° Pauline was seated in the little front parlour, which was very neatly furnished, and lighted with a and the supper, consisting of a cold joint, waa table. The young lady was both astonished and alafmed when she heard the heavy steps of a man rush into the house; and she started from her ir, with an ejaculation of terror. e stranger entered the parlour and seemed im- mediately struck with the exquisite beauty of Pauline Clarendon ; and he had scarcely given utter- ance to a few words of apology for his abrupt intre- sion, when Octavia made her appearances. If the gentleman in the cloak had been seined with admiration of the younger «ister, he was now positively amazed at the queen-like loveliness of the elder: but almost instantly perceiving the awkward position in which he stood with regard to these young Jadies, and the embarrassment which they exzpe- rienced at this adventure, he hastened to give some explanation which might relieve thenr from so un- pleasant a feeling. “T am well aware, charming ladies,” he ssid, in a smooth and courteous tone and with « fgscimation of manner which almost immediately disarmed tnam of any resentment which his intrusion had excited;— “T arm well aware that my conduct must appear most rude—most ungentlemaniy— most unjustifiable in ECOMICOOOKS (SG CO