The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 310: what you’re looking at

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

THR MYWSEBIES. The young girl had not retired to'rest. Sexted at 2 table, on ‘which her elbow rested—and with her Sead supported ‘languidly upon her hand—she had n book before her; but, though her eyes were fixed upon it, she evidently was not reading. Her entire attitude as well as the ion of her countenance denoted deep thought. “She was’ plunged in a pro- found reverie: the subject of her meditations was not of-a joyous fescription—~for.on each cheek a tear ‘ia the feeble rushlight. She had not as yet made the clightest prensration for retiring to rest. Hier hair was still in the graceful bands in which she wore it, and in Which arrapge- ment it set off ‘her ‘intellectually beautiful and sweetly pendive countenance. Her deep mourning dress displayed the dazzling lexion to its greatest. aflvantage, and ‘likewise de- veloped the perfect symmetry of ‘her sy]ptilde form, For several minutes did the royal voln can- templete ‘his intended victim by means of the key- hole; and the longer ardently G4 he hurn to passess her. And that abe wonld ‘his prey beyond all ty of salvation or reucue, he did not doubt : well aware was he that every chamber in this de- partment of the milliner’s establishment gas so skil- fully and artfully that no screams to which the tougue might give-vent in-one room caotild ba | she heard in another. Beeides, even if it were not s0, the, inmates of Mrs. Brace’s abode were not of a cha- racter Ikely to afford the succour which even the acutest lamentation. or the most rending entiptica might implore. And with truth 414 we observe that the reverie of Cautitila Morton was far from felicitous: for she did entertain suspicions not anly with re to the respectabifity of Mrs. Braod’s establishment, but likewise con the good ‘faith and sincerity of the milliner herself. The incidents of the pre- ceding Sunday evening had opened the eyes of the young girl, artless and confiding as dhe was. The attemp: of the gueat, whom she only. knew as Mr. Harley, to kiss her hand bad shocked her for the moment; and the indignant glance which she threw upon him expressed all the dignity of her maidenhood smarting under an insult. But on re- tiring to her own chamber, the suspicion already engendered in her mind kindled into the worst fears; and her sleepless pillow was moistened with the arphan’s bitter weeping. No wonder was it, then, that Mrs. Brace had since Observed an al- teration in her manner ;—and now—on this ‘Wed. nesday night on which we find her plunged in deep thought at that midnight hour, and in the solitude of her own room—she is déliberating what course she ought to puraue, Alas! algs!~-now is ft that the poor girl expe- riences all the loneliness of her position in the world, Her parents have been anatched away from her: she has not arelative, to her knowledg apon the face of the earth. Like the keen an cutting blast. of December blowing upon the naked fairness of her com- |’ wardly relgned amongst the yonng ‘ladies Jed her to regard them with a sisterly affectian. She was therefore at : first completely bappy—or rather as happy as a maiden who 80 -revently lost’ her parents could poysibly hope to be. But suddenly the film ‘fell'from her eyes—the vel] was‘torn rndely away and one little Incident shrew all her ideas and sentiments respecting the hapse pnd its in- mstes ‘into another channel. Beotiving as it were new intuitions, she new recognised the imprepricty of Mrs. Brace’s qondnet in sending her with a note to Lord Florime!: and she remembered how in- tently the eyes of Mr. Harley were fixed upon her af supper on the Sunday evening. In spite of her urity—in spite df her urtlesspess—in spite of her ignorence on many matters, the malden had ob- tained a giimmering of the truth; and the exercise ofher reason soon davdloped her cpmprchensive facujties to an extent sufficient to uce the con- viction that the milliger meditated ayything rather thao a mother’s towards her. part tows ‘Behold her, then, seated ‘in the solitude of ‘her chamber. anid st tiis midnight ‘hour, revolving is her imagination ‘the hes} meang of quitting Mrs. Bracds establishment as soon as possible. Gid not Kke to reveal with abruptness fhe motive which promptad her to take so decisive a atop, for thought within herself that <ff'her sugpicians should happen to’ be unfounded ‘in renpect to the milliner, how grieved she would be at having pro- claimed them. And yet she myst make up ber mina speedlily—it:- was a matter admitting pot of Gdlay—and all timidity or hesitation mast be can- quered in order to accomplish @ duty. Capiila, then, determined to quit the house on fhe ensuing morning: already had she apted with weakness in remaining there three whole dsys after the ind- dent of Sunday evening ! Such were the thoughts occypying her.jmagina- tion,-when a sound, as if the handle of fhe dopr were turning, fell upon her eags. ‘She started from her seat—the dopr qpened— and Mr. Harley stood before her’ A scream burst from the maiden’s Tips : then, the first feeling of terror ng away in a mament, the warm blood of in tion surged up to her cheeks— her brow—her very ears! “ Adorable girl,” exclaimed the ‘Prince, extend- ing his arma towards her,—“look not thus angrily upon me! “Blame uot me—blame your beauty which possesses irresist#ble faspinations.” The tamporary.courege with which anger had armed ‘the orphan, sbaddonéd her suddenly as these words fall upon her ears with the effect df-a shock; ard sinking upon a seat, she burst’ into tears. ‘My Gearest Canrifis,” exclaimed the Prince. closing she door behind him,“ this is hut ¢ sorry reception which you give me. Hear me, my angel —hear me declare that I adore you—that f will never cease to love you—that I will do afl I can to render you happy. Come—pernitt me to kiss Sho |. away the tears from #hose beauteous pyes——" “Begone, sir! ejaculated the maiden, a bursiog sense of outrage resgoring to her the courage which she had lost. “Begone, sir™ she cried, starting from the chair and pointing towards the door. 4 One word, Camilla—only one word’ said the Prince, quite. prepared for this opposifion to ith desires, form of the shivering mendicant, comes the piercing , and icy sense of her utter isolation to the heart of { the young orphan girl. | In Mrs. Brace she had hoped to find a mother. Pure, Innocent, unsuspicious, and confiding, she | beheld a matronly kindness in the woman’s man- | ner which speedily won ber naturally warm and in- experienced heart. The rigid decorum which ou- ECOMICOOOlKS.CO ©)