The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 157: what you’re looking at

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

% 144 temptation beyond my reach. But wherefore do you attach so much importance to these trivial details ?—-of what avail is the fate of a paltry blue domino to you ?” . “ Because I wish to study all the points of your character, my Gabriel,” was the ready response ; “and there are no better means than by thus pur- suing a thread of explanations connected with the tender passion. I now perceive, therefore, that you are fervently devoted to Miss Pauline Claren- don, and that you would have remained faithful +o her image had she not outraged you by her un- ‘ounded suspicions. I even see that rather than trust entirely to your own strength of mind in your late course of allegiance to that lady, you adopted the prudential plan of destroying the garment which might even at the last moment nave proved an irresistible temptation. Think you, then, my dear Gabriel, that I am unmindful of all the truths which these little incidents teach me concerning your character? No: I shall trea- sure them up—lI shall ponder upon them—and they will instruct me how to know you better and understand you thoroughly in the long run. . And now answer me one question which, being so very trivial, I must candidly attribute to its right source —indeed, to no loftier feeling than a mere passing sentiment of curiosity.” , “Speak, lady—put your question and I will an- swer it, if possible,” said the young nobleman. “ Are you certain that the blue domino was de- stroyed ?” inquired the lady. “Do you feel quite convinced that the servant to whom you entrusted the commission, performed it faithfully ?” “I am morally certain that such was the case,” retarned Florimel: “but 1 cannot undertake to affirm that the point is beyond all doubt. At the same time I recollect full well that I ordered my black page—a new dependant recently introduced | into my service—to destroy the blue domino; - and he could have no possible object in disobey- ing my orders. But surely some motive more im- portant than a transitory curiosity, has dictated these questions ”” “ No—I can assure you, my dear Gabriel ——” At this moment the carriage stopped ;—and the lady, hastily throwing a scarf over Florimel’s head, tied it round his neck in such a manner that it could not possibly shift, mach less come off, of its own accord. “You mean me to accompany you, then, dearest, # to the boudoir of darkness, love and mystery ” he murmured in a tone tremulous with varied feelings, | —the hope of pleasure struggling against a senti- ¥ ment of remorse—the consciousness of approach- ing elysiam warring with the pangs which a sense of the deepest perfidy towards Pauline excited in his soul, “Yes—I mean to introdnce you thither once more,” answered the lady, in her soft dulcet tones : “that is to say, if you be agreeable to accompany me,” she added, with a sudden accent of restraint. “Oh! do not coubt it, my charming and ador- able friend,” exclaimed Florimel. “The net has ensnared me—I am a prey to the most irresistible of fascinations—the spell of the enchantress is upon me—and I yield, I yiell! Alas, poor Pan- Gne he marmared, his \oic : suddenly sinking to an Inaudible note as these iast words were thrown ap from his very heart, despite of himself. THE MYSTERIES. At this instant the door of the vehicle was opened by the tall footman—and the lady, having covered her own face with a thick black veil, assisted Lord Florimel to alight. She then unfastened a door ia « garden-wdil; and while the footman, having» shat up the carriage again, was re-ascending to his seat behind, Rao slipped from underneath the ve- hicle and glided rapidly and noiselessly as a snake into the shade of that garden-wal!. The vehicle drove quickly away : while the lady and Lord Flori- mel passed into the garden, the former stopping for an instant to fasten the door behiad them. AS @ matter of course Rao was unable to follow through that means of ingress to the enclosure. But he unhesitatingly clambered up the wall the moment the garden-door was closed ;—and in the twinkling of an eyé he stood upon the other side. Then, cautiously and noiselessly threadiag his way amongst the maze of evergreens which thronged the grounds and thus favoured his progress, he was enabled by the partial moonlight to keep in view. his master and the lady as they proceeded along a gravel-walk, the latter holding the former by the hand and acting as guide. Little leisure had Rao to contemplate the build- ing which stood in the midst of the grounds whither he had thus audaciously introduced himself: for in about a couple of minutes the lady and Fiori- mel paused at a low door belonging to that spacious edifice. At this moment a cloud suddenly obscured the moon—throwing all that portion of the bnilding into the deepest shade. With a boldness equalled only by the readiness of wit and the presence of mind that prompted the proceeding, Rao glided forward—crept rapidly and noiselessly along the wall—and reached the immediate vicinity of the low door just at the instant that the lady opened it. “Now give me your hand once more, Gabriel,” said the Unknown; “and I will lead you to that chamber whicn you yourself have denominated as the boudoir of darkness, love, and mystery.” Rao failed not te catch this observation: in- deed, he was standing close by the lady as she ut- tered it—and the word “darkness,” as applied to the boudoir, instantaneously confirmed him in the design which he had already formed and which he was indeed now waiting to into execution. This was nothing less than to follow the lady and the nobleman to the very end and issue of their adventure; and when he heard enough to satisfy him that the chamber whither they were about to re- pair was veiled in darkness, he was more resolute than ever in making the attempt already con- ceived. The opportunity was at hand! For the door stood open—all was dark within—and the lady had turned round towards Florimel as she addressed to him the observation last chronicled. The'moon was totally concealed at that moment—the young noble was blindfolded—and over the countenance of the lady herself did a black veil hang, thus deepening even for her the obscurity which wrapt all things beneath the overhanging wall of the edifice. Every circumstance was therefore favour. able at that particular instant for Rao’s scheme ; —and, with the serpent-like property of rapid and noiseless gliding which seemed peculiar to him, the sable youth slid in a stooping posture over the (COU (C DOO (CO