The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 33: what you’re looking at

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

20 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. qe: ——aaZ® “If my happiness were consulted, Harold, in this matter,” rejoined Florina, the tones of her voice now flowing in that clouded contralto which is ever so touchingly expressive of a deep pathos, “the sooner the engagement were broken of the better.” “Pooh, nonsense, Filo!” returned Lord Harold angrily. “You know it will be a brilliant thing for you . “ At all events we will not discuss the question again—nor here,” interrupted Lady Florina, as tears started forth upon the long dark lashes of her superb blue eyes; but she instantancously wiped them away. ** Now, in a few nrinutee,” sald Lord Saxondale, turning again towards his intended, “we shall have the fair debutante. I just now learnt that the reports which have appeared in the news- papers are not a bit exaggerated: and this fs a wonder—for the journals do lie so confoundedty. But I am told that in the present case there was really no scope for lying in to the beauty of this Signora Vivaldi who fs to appear for the first time to-night.” “ Did you receive that in ce from the friends in a neighbouring box, to whom you and Haroid went to speak a few words?”—and as Lady Fiorina put this question, there was a gleam of contempt in her looks end a tinge of sarcasm fn her accents, as ff she guessed full well whither the two young noblemen had really been : but the next moment resuming her wonted serene yet somewhat pensive sweetness of look, as if she felt it was actually beneath her even to appear to notice the circumstance in the most distant man- ner, she observed, “ How crowded the house is! It is atways well filled: but to-night-———” “ Perfectly insufferable!” remarked Lord Saxondale. “There will be a fine crash on go- ing out presently: and that will be rare and amusing.” “Indeed, with your lordship's permission,” eaid Fiorina, quietly,“ we will wait till the crush is over ere we take our " “Just as you like, Flo,” Edmund, with a display of familiarity so filppant as to border upon impudence even on the part of an ac- “ Yor, I shall prefer it,” said the young lady, the carnation deepening upon her cheeks. “The house is indeed famously crowded,” re- sumed her intended. ‘‘ Won't she have a brillant reception !” he exelaimed, in allusion to Signora Vivaldi, the new dansewe who was to make her first appearance there that‘evening. “My sisters will be mad to think they didn’t come.” * And why are they not here to-night ?” asked Florine. “It was remiss on my part not to in- quire before.” “Oh! that’s explained in a very few words,” responded Edmand. ‘In the first place you must know that my lady mother abominates operas and all that kind of thing; and as she and I hada little tiff thie morning, she was less in a humour than ever to come here to-night. Then Juliana was unwell—and so Constance stayed at home to keep them both company.” I am sorry to hear that you had any words with Lady Saxondale,” remarked Florina, in a serious and even reproachful tone. “Why, it was all her fault,” answered the young nobleman. ‘She will persist in treating me ww 6 wetter ee Que ee Gee ma oar Eme eee ote Sree feitecee 0 ew -2 ae E> OEE ee. Geer eben egnieee~weeweses -eeeeese Hike a child; and I don't chooses to stand it. Bo whenever she gives herself airs, I always let her know I am not tied to herapron-strings. In fact, I told her pretty plainly this morning that she must not take upon herself to lecture me any more, as I am resolved not to pat up with it. Bus what made her particularly savage, was becanse I bad occasion to remind her that the rank and the wealth were all on the male side of the family, and that she herself was originally nothing more than a poor country person’s daughter.” * You do not mean me to believe that you really spoke thus to your mother ?” said Fiorina, looking up at her intended with mingled surprise @ud sorrow; for perhaps the poor girl thought that he who would treat a parent in such amanner, was not likely to be over particular how coarsely and cruelly he behaved towards a wife. “Indeed but I did though,” replied Edmund, with a malignant chuckle, as if it were something to congratalate himself upon; “ and because old Mabel interfered I threatened to bundle her neck and crop out of the house. But,ah! whom do I see down there in the pit?”—and as he thus spoke he thrust his quiezing-giass into the socket of his eye, screwing up his face so as to retain it there without the necessity of holding it with his hand. Fiorina mechanically glanced in the direction towards which Edmund's looks were bent; and as she at once recognised the individual who had attracted his notice, the colour deepened to s richer hue upon hercheeks. At the same instant she her fan, which sho hastily stooped to to pick ap; and a very close observer—had there been one near-—might bave fancied that it was in _ the confusion of suddenly excited feelings she thus dropped the fan, or else did it purposely asa pretext for hiding her emotions. “ Well, I never knew that the steady and hard- working Mr. William Deveril was a frequenter of operas,” continued Lord Saxondale. “Upon ary word, teaching drawing and music must be very profitable things now-a-days, when they enable their professors to appear in handsome costume at Her Majesty's Theatre. By the by, Deveril has given you drawing-leassons—has he not ** He haa,"answered Florine, who, having taken her bouquet from the parapet of the box, was now bending over it apparently in deep contemplation of the flowers that composed the nosegay: but suddenly raising her head, she observed, ‘‘ Since that new style of painting on ivory with fast colours was introduced from Italy a year or two ago, great many young ladies have gone to echool again go far as that beautiful art is con- cerned; and I have been among the number. That is to say, I have taken a few lessons from Mr. Deveril; and I believe your sisters are doing the same at the present time ?” “ That's how I came to know the fellow,” re- marked Saxondale contemptuously. ‘Bat, by Jove! only look at his impudence! He hag actually bowed to us.” The young aristocratic coxcomb tarned round disdainfully, not choosing to notice the reapectful salutation of a drawing-master; bat Mr. Deveril was more than recompensed for the insolent youth’s conduct, by the graceful acknowledgment of his bow which he received from Lady Florina CONNEC MOO SS COMM