The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 159: what you’re looking at

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

18 THE MYSTERIES often too—that when young man and a young wo- ' man have been introduced to each other for the first there has arisen immediately and at once in their soal the instinctive feeling that they were for each other P—and this recognition of ideal that each had formed relative to a fu- been thus mutual and there | Se secret depths den feeling of liking or aver- Sion between the twe, and the conviction that they have been predestined to exercise a powerful influ- ence for good or for evil upon each other. We might multiply such illustrations to an endless subject. Doubtless the lady herself observed the trouble and agitation which thus caine over the physician: for she at length broke silence by saying, “Ts it, possible that you already suspect who I am ?”” “ Ah, that voice!” ejaculated Dr. Ferney: and for nearly a minute he seemed overpowered by the emotions which those flute-like sounds excited still more strongly and vividly within him. Slowly did the lady speak again; and now she said, “ Yes, Dr. Ferney—I am that same Mrs. Smith who lodged with your mother nineteen years ago, and who———- But I need say no more to recall = to your i “No, no—for I had not forgotten you! it was I could have forgotten you!” exclaimed the physician, with a singular vehemence. “Nine- teen years have passed, you say? Yes—I know it —I have those years with perhaps a preaier exactitude than yourself But pardon me,” obeerved, suddenly interrupting himself; “you mast think that I am talking y Pp” The lady did indeed think so: at all events she was astonished to hear him speak in those fervid accents, and give utterance to sach words, the rea- son and meaning of which however she could not fail to understand. For at the far beck date which had been mentioned—namely, nineteen years ago— she had been aware that Ferney loved her: she knew at the time that she was the object of his en- thusiastic adoration: but she could not possibly suppose that this love of his had survived the lapee of time, and that at the expiration of so long a . period she should hear him speak and behold him look in a manner which indicated that the flame of rr onesie bed not been extinguished within “You do not answer ms,” he said after a brief pause. “Ie it possible that I have offended you P” OF THE COURT. claimed the lady, now proffering him her right hand, but still retaining the veil carefully folded over her countenance with the left. “Madam,” said Dr. Ferney, as he took that proffered hand and pressed it in his own, which trembled violently, “I am rejoiced that I have not offended you. It is not my fault if I have thought of you often and often—yes, very, very often— during the long interval that has elapsed aince last we met. Thee I was young—and not wrinkled, nor emaciated, nor care-wurn in looks, with hard study and unwearied pursuance of the lights of science, as I am sow! So that you must find me much altered? Though not many years past the prime of life, yet am I prematurely old——But you,” he suddenly exclaimed, “cannot be so much altered as Iam? And yet you conceal your coun- tenance! Wherefore do you remain thus closely veiled? But no matter. I see before me that countenance as I beheld it in the glory of its beauty nineteen years ago; and if on raising that veil you were to reveal a face as much marred by the ravages of time as mine is, yet should I not behold it as it may now appear, but as I first saw it and as my memory has treasured it up.” “Is it possible,” murmured the lady, evidently agitated and bewildered, “that you have thus con- tinued to think of me during this long interval of time P”” ‘tion; but after along pause, which seemed to be filled with deep and mournful reflections, he said im a low voice, “I never loved any one save you !” “And have you never once seen me—nor even fancied that you have seen me, since we parted at your mother’s residence nineteen years ago ?”’ asked the lady: and through the deep folds of the veil her eyes seemed to shine brightly as they were fixed with keenest scrutiny upon the countenance of the physician. “No—not once,” answered Dr. Ferney. “Do you reside in London? or have you occasionally visited the metropolis? But pardon me—I was wrong to ask those questions. From the past I am well aware that circumstances of mystery attend upon you-though heaven knows that sooner than breathe a word from my lips calculated to do you an injury, I would lay down my life to render you a service !” “ Generous-hearted man!” exclaimed the lady, once more proffering him her hand. “Little did I expect such a reception! Methought that my image must have long years ago passed out of your memory, and that though perhaps you might now and then think of one circumstance which you cannot very well have forgotten, yct that it was regarded as a mere straw floating upon the great ocean of the past, and without importance or power sufficient to add one single ripple to your pathway over the waters of life.” “ Not eo—not so,” responded Dr. Ferney, as ho pressed the lady's hand between both his own. “The feeling that I experienced for you when you dwelt so many years back beneath my mother’s roof—that mother who is long since dead—has never faded away from my heart. I may tell you this now, because I am an old man and my words ,can have little influence upon you or your desti- “No, no: how eould you give me offence?” ex- | nies.” EEE ER (CO