The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 327: what you’re looking at

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$14 in the evening. Now, Mrs. Baines, pen, ink, and paper, if you please, and draw the cartaig a little.” The housekeeper hastened to obey these in- structions; and Doctor Copperas proceeded to write the prescription, observing as he did so, “that he felt convinced he was about to adopt the very same treatment which that eminent and re- markable man Doetor Thurston would have re- commended had he been called in.” Having concleded his Esculapian hieroglyphies, he turned towards the bed, saying in a bland tone of inguiry, “ And now, what is the name of my interesting patient ?” At the inetant that the doctor began the first words of his question, the damsel’s cheeks were colourless aa alabaster: but ecarcely had the final syllables fallen from his lips, when all the blood in her veins seemed to rush to her countenance, suf- fusing it with the deepest crimson. “Ah! my dear child,” cried Mrs. Baines, “ if the Doetor has said anything indiscreet, do not annoy yourself. God knows you can bear no more excitement! I am sure when you were brought home here at three o'clock this morning, in such a state of exhaustion that you could not speak, and your very reason seemed to be abandoning you -———But, heavens!” ejaculated the housekeeper, suddenly interrupting herself as a fresh torrent of tears now gushed out from the poor girl’s eyes: “ what ails you, my dear child—what ails you?” The damsel could however give no response, even if she wished to do so: her voice was lost in deep aud suffocating sobs ;—but looking up with an expression of ineffable gratitude epon her coun- tenance, she took Mrs. Baines’s hand and pressed it to her lips. “There, there,” said Doctor “Jam afraid I said something indiscreet: bat I would not wound the poor girl's feelings for the world. As for the prescription, I have made it out in the name of Miss Smth, which by the bye is the name that in similar circamstences is invariably adopted oY that ornament of the profession, Doctor Thars- n.”” Doctor Copperas now took his leave; and when ho was gone Mrs. Baines addressed the invalid in the kindest and most endearing manner that she could possibly adopt: for the housekeeper was indeed an exoellent-hearted and worthy woman; and though in the service of a master renowned for his dissipated habits and rakish conduct, she herself was of unimpeachable respectability. “Now, my dear girl,” she said, bending over the couch and whispering with soothing softness of tone in the invalid’s ear, “you have some secret grief which is gnawing at your very heart's core. I do not ask you to tell me what it is: bat I do ask you to tell me if there is anything that can be Gone to alleviate it. Should you choose to trust me, you would find that I would go fifty miles to serve you, but not raise a finger to injure you. I saw plain enough that you did not like to mention your name; but I am sure that if there is any harm attached thereto, it is not you yourself who have brought the stain upon it. No—there is in- pocenese in your looks—the candonr of purity upon yoer brow—Ahi and the manner in which you Bow regard me proves that I am rihé in believ- ing you tobe the dear good girl I hoped and THR MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. wished the first instant I saw you. Bat even if you had done anything wrong, there is forgiveness to be obtained. Oh! now I see again, by that deprecating look so softly earnest, that it is aot so. No—you are all that is good—I am certain youare. Tell me, then, dear child, what can be done for you: and recollect that my master owes youso deep a debt of gratitude, there is no trouble he woald shan and mo expense he would spare to render you a service and lighten your heart of the load of affi iction.” “My kindest, best friend,” exclaimed the in- valid, throwing her arms around the neck of the good housekeeper, “I will tell you everything. Yes—I will tell you all: and thea you will oom- prehend wherefore I am unhappy—why I am tor- tured with a devouring suspense—and also why I hesitated to mention a name which nevertheless, God knows, has never been disgraced by sme. But Oh! before I commence my narrative—iet me beg of you—let me implore you to grant me a boon ——” “Speak, dear child !” exclaimed the housekeeper: “what is it?” “Will you procure me a newspaper of to-day ?” said the fair stranger in a low soft tone, as if she even hesitated to solicit so trifling a favour. “In a moment,” cried Mrs. Baines: and disap- pearing from the room for a short time, she re- turned with a morning journal, saying, “Sir Dou- gles always takes this newspaper, and therefore it was handy in the house at the moment.” But while she was thus speaking, the invalid, with a sudden acoéss of frenzied excitement, had snatched—or indeed, rather torn the journal from the matron’s hand; and sitting up in the bed, as if that feverish excitement had nerved her with sudden strength, she ran her eye over the columns with the breathless suspense and ex un certainty of one who is about to behold the clear- lag up ef a matter of life or death. “Thank God F* she exclaimed, “ he is safe [” Then, as if this sudden acquirement of a cer- tainty and abrupt term to a harrowing sus- pense, were to be followed by a re-action propor- tionately strong and painfal, she fell back in a state of utter prostration alike of mind and body. Mrs. Baines hastened to administer a. cordial and apply other restoratives: but hours elapsed, and evening was drawing its veil of obscurity over the hemisphere, before the invalid had so far re- covered as to be enabled to converaeagain. Then with only a few brief words of preface, to the effect that she yearned to unboeom the seorets that lay heavy upon her soul, the poor girl poured forth her revelatians to the friendly ear of the matron. s m * * * s % e + ~ e Two hours later—indeed, at about nine o'cloek that same evening—Mrs. Baines and Sir Douglas Huntingdon were closetted together in earnest de. liberation. “ Ariadne Varian,” said the Baronet, repeating the words several times. “ How prettily the name sounds: it is really most appropriate for such a charming creagure. Do you kauw, Mrs. Baines, that I really feel —— But no matter,” he exelaimed, suddenly interrupting himself. “ Ah! sir, 1 know what you were going to say,” observed the housekeeper: “and really if you CONIC OOO Ss