The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

not have suspected its robust proportions to proceed from any other cause than the vigorous health of girlhood: but the experienced eye would have in- stantly perceived that she was far advanced in the way to become a mofher, and that unnatural meaus of compression had been adopted to conceal her ashame up to the present moment. She blushed deeply as she removed‘ her cloak ;~— for she observed that Mrs. Lindley had at the sante instant put on her spectacles agzin, and wat onee more surveying her with earnest attention. “Sit down, my sweet child,® said Mts. Brace: “remember that this is to be your home for the nest two or three months——” “Hush!” murmured Mrs. Lindley, taking offher giasses, and raising her forefinger significantly : “net 20 loud "—then, addressing herself to Caroline, she said, “Your excellent nistress desire you to coa- sider this house your home, until you are in @ con- dition to leave it again ;—and I cordially reiterate’ the assurance. Cheer up, therefore, Miss Walters — and Jet me observe a smile upon your pretty face.”’ “Yes—pray smile, Carry,” exclaimed Mrs. Brace. "You will soon be reconciled to your new abode— and next Sunday evening I will come and pass an hour or two with you.” “You are very—very kind,” murnntred the young girl, with difficnlty subduing a violent outburst of grief: for, im spite of all the soothing words that fd! upon her ears, she had never felt -more completely friendless—lonely—and desolate in her life. “Have you many inmates at present!” inquired Mrs. Brace of the woman to whose care the unhappy Misa Walters was thus consigned. “Four or five,” was tha answer. “The place is never altogether empty, you Lnow,® she added, with that subdued chuckling laugh which Caroline shud- dered to hear. “And of course Miss Walters will find com- panions in them ft” said Mrs. Brace, interrogatively. “In all save one,” responded Mrs. Lindley, now sinking her tone to ‘the lowest whisper. *But, hush! —what noise was that? I thought I heard the shutters creak——” “No—it was only the hackney-coach moving! s little outside,” observed: Mrs. Brace. “You were saying that there.is one lady at present in your house——” “Hush! not so loud !—walls have ears? inter- posed the woman, nervously. “But the fact is that I have beneath my roofs young lady in reference to whom the utmost precaution and secrecy are requi- gite,—a young lady of high birth——hush! what noise was. that ?—the hackney-coach again——and she never quits herown room. Ah! ‘tis a sad affhir —asad afinir, by all that I can learn—and that: ig little enough. Such a sweet creature, too—of orm heavenly beauty-—But there is that horrid nc in——” “It is nothing—I can assure you if is noffing,” - Observed Mrs. Brace, impatiently, “Hush! not so loud !” resumed Mrs. Lindley. “ As I was saying, the-young lady in question is thi only one in whom Miss Walters will noé ffid a com- i0n.”” _ _“ At all events, you will not be wRhout suciaty, * Cavoline,” said Mrs. Brace, rising from her seat. }t .* And now, my dear girl, I must leave you—fos YF need not declare that my time is very, very valaable- __ seat ab present” ‘tures formed a comtaation of cherms.and-disphiyed' ‘avariety of loveliness enchanting todSchelé, Phere, 78i “But you will come and see ine soon f” exolaimed' net’s arms, and kissing her with tit fervour witich' seemed to imply that the poor forlorn creatare knew ' oe embracing her only friend, es come and see-you ofte—-very often, my dear Carvline,” said Mrs. Brace;—end kaving. retarned her caresses with tn afftctionnte warmth— or, at least, with a great dispixy of tender féeling— the fashionable milliner gentty- herself! from the artus of the poor girl who clung to Ner-with! the tenaciousness of & distracted At length Me. Brace, having sacceeded‘in getting: away from ‘her; hurriedly took her departure: and: Caroline Walters found herself alone in that gleemy apartment with the Mrowre! SCENES AT MRS. BRACES ESTABLIGEMERE. Ir was about nine otlock when Mts. Brave reache® her abodé in Pall Mall; and repairing to her own! private parlour—the one thas we have described in & previous chapter—she threw off her cloak and bonnet, and sammoned Harriet to her presente. To her inquiries whether the letter had beer duly sent to Mr. Meagiles, and whether the ovok had'pro- vided a succalent repastfor Mr. Hurivy she received satisfactory repfies; and Te- freshed herse:f with a glaswof the finest Mad¢ira, after her journey to Mrs. Lindley‘’s gloomy resi- dence, she proceeded to the large roonr wher the young ladies of her establishment were aeeustemed to take their meals. This apartment was well farnishod, and lighted by a chandelier suspended to the ceiling. A'good fire blazed on the hearth ;—the table was spread with a quantity of plate ; and the eleven or twelve beautiful young women who were seattered ‘about conversing fo groups, enhanced the cheerful appear < ance of the scene. We have before stated that these ravishing esca: indeed, ali admirers of ‘whatecever-: might have found their tastes and stately youtg woman, with digni@ed. lok and imposing demeanour, — the ayiph-like' fgure and the volntile disposition, the sient’; pale, ang. interesting girl, with. pensive counttesiines aut? basis. ful manners,—the stoat, robust, and‘ fall-prepor. tfoned hourt; with-s exuberanve of charms,—the eoal-black hair and the lestwous dark eyes,_—_the fiaxen ringlets and the smeltieg azure | orbs, the chesnut locks and the eyed of hasel,—- the gidwidy suburn treases and the eyepof dark blué, —the Roman countenanee, denoting strong passions, le of aes * At foe nip sae =a2 | supper wer served Up. GORMGOOOKXS {