The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 307: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. éust and the arms bare almoat to the shoulders. She had arranged her hair in massive bands, with a few tresses hanging down behind from the knot . in which ite chief luxuriance was gathered at the back of the well-shaped head; and a camelia set | off its glossy darkness with a strik'ng effect. The aim upon which she was bent imparted a height- ened animation to her countenance; and her eyes shone with even more then their wonted fires. She had resolved to conquer—and that speedily too; and she was already flushed as it were with the foretaste of anticipated triumph. Now, as the Hon. Miss Forefuid was decidedly the female star of the assemblage at the Denisons’, and as Mr. Hawkshaw was the most important in- dividual amongst the younger portion of the male guests, it was quite nataral that he should give hie arm to Juliana to escort her from the drawing-room course sat next to her at table. She put forth all the powers of her conversation to charm him;.and this she did without the slightest be- trayal of studied effort. Well knowing what his favourite topice were, she skilfully, but in a manner that seemed perfectly natural, turned the discourse thereon. She seemed to enter into the spirit ot the exhilarating sports of the field—gave him to understand that she wished she lived altogether in the country—and was even astonished at the dex- terity with which she acquitted herseli when speak- ing of racing, and hunting, and steeple-chasing. Until this evening those topics were Juliana’s utter aversion: she had fancied that every sporting character emelt of the stables, and was totally unfit for the roseate light and perfumed atmosphere of drawing-rooms. But now she appeared to enter with enthusiasm into all thet pertained to the sporting world; and skilfully catching hints from the remarks-which Mr. Hawkshaw himself made, she expanded them into lengthened disquisitions of - her own. Her was evidently charmed. The more she talked, the became his interest in her conversation; and presently he found huniself gasing upon her with a rapture that he had never known in woman’s presence before. New feelings appeared t6 be taking life in his heart; and as ho | contemplated her fuse and her form, the conviction gradually grew upon him that he had never beheld wonted joviality, they began dropping merry good-natured hints to the effect that he mus? to the dining-room; and he of | chord racter, Mr. Hawkshaw resolved that he would not throw bimeelf m the way of Juliana again, let tually ensnared into those aspirations against which he had hitherto maintamed his heart in such periect inaccessibility. Therefore, on enter- ing the drawing-room, wich was spacious, end where by this time most of the guests who were invited to the ball (having arrived since dinner) were assembled, Mr. Hawkshaw ilounged abeut amongst them, endesvouring to assume an easy un- constrained air: but as he stood conversing first with one acquaintance, then with another, he caugut himself falling into fits of abstraction, and his eyes unconsciuusly wandering to where the Hon. Miss Bareald way seated amonget somo ladies im another part of the On her ade, ehe perfectly well comprehended what was passing in Mr. Hawkshaw's mind. With- out appearing to obeerve him, she nevertheless kept her eyes almost cunstantly fixed upon him from beneath the shade of the long dark fringes. She noticed bis moods of abstraction—-she bebeld his looks wandering towards her--and she hkewwe per- anything so beautiful as those features or 90 superbly | ceived that every time he lounged about, he halted symmetrical as that shape. When he looked at her aquiline profile he fancied that she ap the greatest advantage: but when | nearer and nearer to where she was seated. Thus thus to she had no difficulty in penctrating the hind of bent her | struggle that was going on within him; and with a looks upon him and he gased on her full face, catch- | secret glow of triumph she felt the conviction that ing all the glorious power of her eyes, he thought |; he was enmared. that she was etill more beautiful thus. Presently the band, which had been procured The dinner passed over—the ladies withdrew to | from Lincoln to attend upon the occasion, struck the drawing-room—and the gentlemen remained to | up its swelling harmony as a signal for the dancing eit a little longer over their wine. For the firsttime | to commence. A young nobleman, of high rank in his life Mr. Hawkshaw neither appeared to enjoy | | but wretchedly affected manners, advanced and re- the wine nor to mingle in the discourse that was quested the honour of Juliane’s han.i for the first taking plece around him. His thoughts were all quadrille: but well aware that Mr. Hawkshaw did concentrated on the splendid creature who had not dance, she was about to refuse on the plea of charmed him during the hour of dinner, and who headache—when it suddenly occurred! to her that only so recently left his side. It seemed to him as in the mazes of the dance she would be afforded an if some new ard hitherto unknown influence had opportunity of displaying her fine form to ite ut- been shed upon him: he longed for the summuns to most advantage. Besides, if Hawkshaw wore really the drawing-room to arrive that he might once more smitten—ae she had no doubt he was—it would ware an oppurtunity of bebulding and conversing pique his jealousy to beliold her the companion © CORNICE Oe CO