The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 158: what you’re looking at

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experienced no emotion of pleasure—no inward triumph—no feeling of satisfaction. Nevertheless, such a man could not help be- coming famous to a certain extent—though he him- self sought not after fame. Asa physician he grew eminent; and he was diligent in the exercise of his professional duties, not for the sake of reputation, but because he thereby acquired ample revenues. But wherefore did this man, so frugal in his habits, so humble in his domestic economy, so completely dissevered from every pursuit which the world calls and with no family cares or claims to make him wish for riches,—wherefore, it will be asked, did such a man covet much gold? Because sums in the prusecution of his German dwarf, two feet six inches who had lived to a very advanced age: corpse, which was preserved in spirits of wine, the perseverance with which he pursued the bent of his taste, and the large outlays which were needed to gratify it. He was a man of about forty-five years of age; and from his earliest youth had given indications of this singularity of genius and disposition which with the lapse of years was destined to show such remarkable developmente. Of middle stature— thin, pale, and with a countenance that in every line and lineament denoted deep thought and con- of all beings in the world, seemed the moet likely to continue so. Yet this man, of such strange |i tastes, such profound devotion to the mysteries of science, and of such misanthropic habits, had not only loved, but still cherished in the depths of his soul the image of her who many years back had made so indelible an impression on his mind. His love had not been reciprocated: years and years had elapsed since he had seen its object—and yet his heart. No one knew that he had thus loved, save and except the being on whom that love had been bestowed: no one thought him capable of loving—and to this supposed incapacity was the circumstance of his unwedded condition assigned. ‘Yet in the solitade of his ewn study—in the secrecy of his laboratory—and even in the mystic silence and loneliness of his museum, would the memory of ‘6 ee THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 147 his love come stealing upon his mind like a per- fumed cloud over Araby’s sandy dreariness; and the bright end beautiful image which had inspired the sentiment would rise up befure his mental vision hke a mihrage of enchanting delight amidst the tracklees sands of the desert. His was a strange heart to cherish such a feeling: but it existed there nevertheless—a rose blooming on the side of » barren rock ! Such was Dr. Ferney, the eminent physician of Conduit Street. It was about nine o'clock in the evening, and the doctor was seated in his study, poring over a volume on some abstruse subject, when his footman entered to announce that a lady requested an immediate interview. The physician inquired her name—for he was not accustomed to receive visite from females at that hour: but the domestic replied that the lady had said her name was of no consequence, as she was a stranger to Dr. Ferney, but that she en- treated the favour of an audience if it were only for a few minutes. The physician accordingly bade the servant introduce the lady to the study ; and the lacquey quitted the room for the purpose. In a couple of minutes the man returned, escort- ing a lady closely veiled. The footman withdrew, y seemed to indicate a motive for disguise. The dark veil was folded thickly over her features, and she retained it with one of her hands in such a way as to keep it in its proper position, so as effectually te conceal her face. She was tall and of a finely de- veloped figure; and though from her manner she appeared somewhat agitated and nervous, yot there was in her gait and gestures a certain dignity mingled with elegance that denoted the well-bred female. Dr. Ferney knew not how it was, but a strange kind of trouble gradually stole over him—an in- these feelings gain upon the physician, that he unable to put such questions as elicit the lady’s object in visiting him; and which enveloped his presentiment slowly WB it seemed as if his comprehension e — upon his memory! The shallow reasoner and the superficial obaarver may ridicule this idea of the physician entertaining such a presentient knowledge of who his visitant © was, even before she had lifted her veil or given ut- teranse to a word: but the fact is perfectly con- aistent with the natural course of things. For there are such mystic promptings of the mind, such stra amd unaccountable foreshadowings, such truthful but inexplicable revealings; and the thoughtful portion of our readers will not dissent from tLe assertion. Has it not happenéd—aye, and @ eee eee - eee eee © eee © eee ce EES Sh Sta ee” wes ew ee OTe oe CONMUG DOO (CO