The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

a ee een THE MYSTERIES. should: mals auch improvements to their toilette. as she. allaged to be suitable far the reception of a guest who was evidently accustomed to move in the best society; and Pauline, though more indifixrent in the mattes than her sister, readily assented. They ac- assumed their. : Octavia or Pauline appeared to the present occasion. The wantoning also over the rich contours that aba theix firm, plump, and well-rounded busts. The glance of an.experienced eye would have how- ever shown that Octavia had devoted more care than Panline to her toilette. The younger sister was satis- fied. when the mirror told ber that she looked es well as ever.she did in her best apparel: bat Octavia had studied to excel on this special occasion. Never had she bastowed so much pains upon thst glorious auburn hair which in its warm and sunny hues seamed to indicate the ardent nature of her tempera- ment: never had she stood so long befgre the glass to admire those deep blue eyes which now seemed melting with voluptuous languor;—and never had she before thought of observing which smiles im- parted the sweetest expreasion to her moist red lips, or set eff ber brilliant teeth to the greatest advantage. She felt proud and happy in the consciousness of transcendent loveliness; and as she cast a slow, lin- gering look over her entize form as it was reflected in the long mirror, her cheeks flushed with exulta- tion and her neck arched superbly as if in anticipa- tion of some triumph which her charms were des- tined to achieve. Apd now behold the two sisters seated in the front pariouz, one.on either side of the cheerful fire that blanes in the grate The curtains are drawn over the table is.spsead with the tea-things, which give an air of such pesiest domesticity to the scene that a prince, hadi he boon provont, would have glaily scoepted the invitation of those beantifal girls to join them in the humble meal. Pauline was whiling amay the time with a ro- mange: Octavia was abaorbed in her rs These went however by.no means disagreeable : for with the sanguine disposition characteristic of her age and her inexperience, abe had fallen into a trein of thought which gradually le her on to a chaiow- fog forth of her own views of fighsfol-eeatie- building upon the sro of the Ting agp eoming of Mr Hatley bad ln be handsome ele- meant and wes even: tated withbemelf for having al- lomad the.sigh, to fallow the reminiscence, yet at the | 1 agxt indent she plunged again inte a delicions egupeesnneiqee—t reverie, wherein her girlish bashfulness ga e way to a yielding softness and a dreamy veluptacw, bese. Suddenly a loud knock at the frent-door startled .Pauline from her hook and Octavia from ht r medi- tations; and the latter awoke to what appean d to be a guilty conscionsness of having made him « bo was now about to enter, the hero of her thoughts. Again did the blood rush to her checks; and the -warm glow, not having had time to ebb away er: Mr. Harley was ushered into the room, oversprend her Sent EES SDEE SUE @ SERENES out ion. Mr. Harley pressed Pauline’s hand with a friendly cordiality : but so enraptured was he by the blushing and voluptuous charms of Octavia, that he carried her hand hastily to his lips and imprinted apon it a fervent kiss. So sudden was this movement that Octavia had not time to resist, even if she had pos- sessed the inclination; and so rapidly was it accem- plished, that Pauline did not observe it. A tide of happiness appeared to rush in to the elder sister's soul: it seemed to her as if she had unexpectedly and all in a moment experienced the realization of a delicious dream ;—and indescribable sensations of bliss came over her like a warm glow, as if she had just quafied a goblet of champagne. Mr, Harley was a thorough man of the world, and deeply versed in all the mysteries and intricacies of the human heart. But especially was he an able anatomist of the female mind, which he could dissect and comprehend in an instant. The emotions ex- perienced by Octavia were not lost upon him: he perceived and deciphered them almost as soon as they had sprung into existence ;—and he saw in a moment that he was not indifferent to her. She had not withdrawn her hand—ehe had uttered no ejacu- lation when he pressed it to hie lipe—nor had she resented his conduct. The blush that snffused he cheeks, was indicative of a deep and burning joy— and not an evidence of indignation ;—and Mr. Harley knew by the melting voluptuousness which beamed in her eyes, and by the profound heaving of her “We have to thank you, Mfr. Harley,” said this, young ad, her boson palpating with the sab siding of her emotions, even as the swell remains on “Amere trifle—not wurthy of your acceptance,” interrupted tha visitor; “but it consisted of the only things I could heap together in a hurry, for the purpose of proving that you were not absent from my ithoyghte—es pos, indeed, never can be,” be added in a low and hasty whisper aside to Octavia, and with strong emphasis.on the pronoun. “But I pre- mised you certain explanations,” he continued almous im » percel TTT pe, —CCOTLAMTIRELEX DO) CO