The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 193: what you’re looking at

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183 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. tience you must not take it as unkind,” responded having given vent to that ejaculation, he fell into a Lord Harold Staunton: “for I was thinking at the profound reverie. moment of all that had passed between that lady and myself.” ‘Then it is really a settled love affair,” obeerved Edmund. “But I suppose you mean to tell me all about it after showing me the letter: besides which, you and I never have any secrets from each | other-——” A wkex had now elapeed since Florina’s dream of “Oh no, never!” ejaculated Staunton. “ Only bliss had been so cruelly destroyed by the tale she on the present occasion I have nothing to tell. had heard and the discovery she herself had made Have you amused yourself?” he inquired, en- relative to William Deveril. That tals from the lips deavouring to turn the conversation into another of Lady Saxondale naturally seemed to the channel. maiden to be fully corroborated by what she had “Yes, uncommonly well. I have had such fun seen at the villa near the Regent's Park; and she with some of the ues: they have endeavoured could come to no other conclusion than that Deveril to find out who I am, but cannot for the life of them. was a depraved, profligate, and unprincipled young My sisters are here—they are dressed as Maids of man. No doubt lingered in her mind upon this Honour in the time of Louis XIV: but my mother point: she would have hoped if there had been room is not. I did not much think she would come—and for hope—but there was none: she would still have the girls have just told me that she has shut herself furnished him with an opportunity of explaining up in her apartment at home im a fit of the sullens, his condact—but she felt that there could be or something of the sort. But come, let us go into toexplain. That he was living with the eminent the refreshment room and seize an opportunity of ballet-dancer was clear beyond the of getting some wine without standing the chance of doubt; and with this proof of his depravity it was CHAPTER XXXIX THE GARDERX. who we are.” “ Willingly,” answered Lord Harold, giad that he had thus escaped at least for the present from far- | ther questioning on the part of Lord Saxondale. We need not dwell] any longer upon the incidents, pleasures, or details of the masqued ball at Harcourt House. Suffice it to say that at two o'clock in the morning the supper-rooms were thrown open; and then it was expected—as indeed it was necessary for the purpose of partaking of the banquet—that all the guests ehould remove their masks. This was done ; and infinite was the amusement produced by the revelation of countenances that now took place. But Lord Harold Staunton did not wait for the an- nouncement of supper; and retired at an hour so early as to astonish and almost disgust Lord Saxon- dale, who declared his intention to remain until the end : but his friend pleaded sudden and severe in- lady. He was more infatuated with that mysterious being than it seemed possible for one of his reckless and dissipated character to become, and more than he himself could account for. When he retired to rest, sleep did not soon visit his eyes; and when it pro- . A letter was brought up by his valet Alfred a about half-past nine o'clock, and the ad- | he was thus planged into the d impossible any longer to suspect the truth of Lady Saxondale’s narrative. Fiorina wrestled with all her strength against the grief which she experienced ; but the shock hed been so rude, the disappointment was 60 severe, that she could not help feeling it most deeply—most keenly. . Her aunt Lady Macdonald, not for an instant sus- disposed ; and the young lady did not contradict the supposition. At the eame time she declared that she was not sufficiently an invalid to require the at- tendance of the family physician, bat that in a few days she should be héreelf again. The greater por- tion of the week was passed by Florina in the soli- tude of her own apartments,—but not with her ivory-painting nor her music. Ali the implements connected with the former did she place out of sight, inasmuch as they reminded her of him from whom she had learnt the art; and as for her music, she was not in spirite to enable her to play enliven- ing airs, and was already too sad to practise melan- choly ones. It was a long and anxious week for poor Florina : often and often did the tears flow down her cheeks—often and often too was her bosom con- vulsed with sobs ! . But during that week, had Deveril made no at- tempt to communicate with her? The reader will recollect that when he called at the house on the same day as Lady Saxondale, the door had boen shut in his face, and he was dismissed with the in- timation that his services were no longer required, but that he was to send in his account. At firet he thought that Lady Macdonald had discovered what had taken place between himeelf and Florina: and eepest despondenry. drees of which was written in the same disguised | But on the following day he learnt from otber - female hand as the billet he had shown to Lord | sources how Lady Saxondale had been propagating -note for one thousand envelope was written a name! Harold Staunton as that name met his eye-—the name of the lady’s enemy with whom he was to seek a dispute: and then, the letter he perceived at | the most odious calumnies concerning him; and he now at once understood the motive of the treat- | ment which he had received at Ledy Macdouald’s house in Cavendish Square. He thereupon ad- dressed a letter to Macdonald, stating that the tongue of slander had been busy at work to injure him, and beseeching an oppurtunity to ev- (CO DOO j i ( | (CO