The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

<a 16 TRE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. mamely, joy at the recovery of her favourite, and gratitude towards him who now restored it. “1 know not how to express my thanks to your fordship for this attention—this kindness on your part,” she said, as she received the bird from his hands. “Iam more than adequately rewarded for so small a service by the happiness and honour of forming your acquaintance, Miss Trelawney,” re- plied the Earl, his veins tingling as if floods of ecstacy were puuring into his entire being, as he felt the touch of Venetia’s hands against his own —that momentary contact being unavoidable as she took the parrot from him. “This naughty bird,” she said, as if heedless of the Earl’s response—or rather appearing to treat it as a mere passing compliment suggested by the ordinary gallantry of fashionable life,—“this naughty bird has given your lordship a great deal of trouble, and I am very angry with him. There, sir—go back to your cage—and I shall not fail to assure myself that the door is well fastened in fature.” “It is a beautifal parrot, Miss Trelawney,” said the Earl, who had followed her to the extremity of the room where the cage stood at the open win- dow; “and it would have been a pity to lose him. Are you fond of birds?” “Yes—and of flowers—passionately,” she re- plied, still bending over the cage, so that the nobleman’s enraptured eyes had leisure and oppor- tunity to wander over the superb form which thus remained in an attitude so well adapted to display every contour and set off every grace. “And yet the birds cannot fully appreciate, while the flowers are of course inanimately unable to comprehend, all this love which you bestow upon them!” said the Earl, rendering his voice soft and plaintive. “It would really seem as if the parrot at all events was particularly ungrateful,” observed Ve- netia, now raising her head and turning her eyes towards the Earl: but instantly reverting her looks to the cage, she said, “And yet the endeavoar of the poor little being to escape, is only the reward which we selfish mortals ought to expect for our cruelty in bringing it away from its native clime, end shutting it up in this gilded prison.” “Do you consider yourself cruel, then, in keeping these birds in confinement, Miss Trelawney f asked the nobleman, scarcely able to conceal the fond ardour of the looks with which he was devouring her. “Moet certainly,” she exclaimed. “And yet I have not the courage to dispense with my favourites on that account. Besides, were I to get rid of them, they might possibly fall into the hands of others _who would not treat them so kindly as L” “Henceforth I shall hate that parrot of your's, Miss Trelawney,” said the Earl, with a look of tysterious significancy. “Hate him! and why sof she demanded, in astonishment, “ Because of his ingratitude towards you,” rejoined the nobleman, “Would that I were the parrot, to be the object of so muoh tender solicitude——” Miss Trelawney burst out laughing—and the Earl was covered with confusion. The compliment which te fancied to be so well-turned and to convey by snuendo so delicate an avowal of his love, was re- edived as a jest and treated with mirthfulnese. His pride was wounded—and, man of the world though he was, he felt quite abashed. “The idea was so excessively singular,” exclaimed Venetia, her countenance glowing with the rich car- nation that her merriment had conjured up: and, as if fatigued by the exertion of laughing, she seated herself on a sofa. “May I be permitted to explain my meaning f* said the Earl, now putting the best possible face upon the matter and forcing himself to smile. “fT think your lordship was explicit enough,” replied Venetia, with the most provoking yet charm- ing maliciousness—so that if the Earl had wished to avenge himself, he could only have done so by killing her with kisses. “ You expressed an anxiety to become a parrot-——” “ Your parrot, Miss Trelawney,” interrupted the nobleman, dropping with apparent negligence into a chair, as if he censidered that the discourse had taken a turn which wan likely to prolong it and therefore warranted him to be seated. “Well, my lord,” continued the lady, the smile which still lingered upon her lips revealing the rows of pearls within,—“you wished to be my parrot. Now you must really take me for a very vain—a very foolish—and very silly person, if you fancy that I can be pleased with such a compli- ment.” “Not for worlds would I displease you, Miss Tre- lawney !” ejaculated the Earl, with a strong accent on the first syllable of the verb. “But Iam de- lighted to find that you are sos to the or- dinary frivolities and idle gallantries of the day. It would be terrible indeed were a false diamond contained within so glorious a casket !” “Another compliment!” she exclaimed, laugh- ing. “But you will tell me when you are speaking serious] y—otherwise I shall never know.” “I am seriously—most seriously,” said the Earl, with a look of ineffable adoration, “when I declare that you are a being for whom it were elysian happiness to live and a sainted duty to die {” “But I require no one to die for me, my lord!” exclaimed Venetia, with looks of amazement and uncertainty—as if she were astonished at his words, but could scarcely believe that her ears had caught their sense aright. “Then will you bid me live fur you?” asked the Earl, with a movement as if he were about to fall at her feet. “I do not understard your ‘evdship,” she said, rising from the sofa and drawin; herself up to the full of her imposing height: but at the same time her looks were bent down; and her attitude was that of one who awaits an explanation which is in- dispensable. “ Miss Trolawney,” retursed the Earl of Curzon, likewise leaving his seat, and speaking in a voice which was fall of unfeigned emotions, — “if you know that you are beautiful and that beauty touches the heart, then can you scarcely be at a loses to comprehend the meaning of my words.” Venetia raised her eyes slowly and fixed them upon the Earl with precisely that look of haughty indignation which she had ere now practised in the mirror. But she remained silent, as if willing to assure herself ere giving verbal expression to her anger, that she was not mistaken as to tilt sense aad significancy of his speech. Sa A a a a , ena, GORMGOOOKXS a a ESTP PC EG a iii] ND eT ES TD a Ce e COMM