The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 336: what you’re looking at

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

rR @ @-eaP= THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. $25 “Do tell me what you are saying in this under- tone—I cannot hear you. Speak out, Emily. Are not you and I old friends? Come, Saxondale will be returning—and do let us settle this little business at once. Fetch me down the dress, there's a dear girl; and here is the little gift which I have taken the liberty to offer you.” * ¥ thank you, my dear Lord Harold,” responded the ballet-dancer, with mock affability, and affecting to bow very courteously: “but I think that the secret I possess, and the truth of which is corro- berated by the masquerado-garb, is worth a little more than five hundred guineas.” “Nonsense, Emily! What does it prove, after all ?”° “It proves this,” returned the dansouse: “ that there is a certain story come to my knowledge, in which the heroine is a lady who wore a particular dress at a particular ball. Now, suppose inquiries are instituted amongst the West End milliners— can it not be ascertained who made this dress? and ean it not be proved that it was made for Lady Saxondale? Thus, even if her son should refuse to corroborate my averment that he found the dress in a box belonging to his mother, the ownership of that dress can be brought home all the same to her ladyship.” “ But is it possible, Emily, that your views have taken a mereenary turn?” cried the young noble- man. “By what right, Lord Harold Staunton,” ox- claimed Miss Archer, her spirit flaming up, “do you address me m such terms as these? Duubtiess yow have your own selfish interests in wishing to hush up an affair to which at the time you would have scarcely hesitated to give the fullest publicity. Woll, then, that secret is worth a fortune to me :"— and she looked him full in the face, her large dark eyes expressing the firmest decision. ‘‘Name the sum that you require,” said Lord Harold, with difficulty concealing the bitter vexation and spite that he experienced at the turn the affair had taken; and he inwardly cursed his own folly for having given it such an air of impurtance in the first instance. and candidly that the sooner I can rid myself alto- gether of him, the better. What I shall get from Lady Saxondale for keeping her secret, will be more gained in s dsy than I should get out of Edmund for a year.” “Ah!” ejaculated Harold: “then your views in- deed soar high P “They are proportionate to the importance of the secret for the knowledge of which I am in- debted to you :”—-and Miss Archer gave an ironical laugh. “Yes,” she added, still in the same vein; “and my obligation is still greater to your lordship: for you have taught mo the importance of that secret which I had ail along regarded as being of no more value than any other piece of gossip of ecanda!.”’ “Now, Emily, once for all listen to me,” said Harold, feeling that his positiun was an awkward one. “I have the command of some little money at present; and if you will state your terms, I shall» perhaps be enabled to meet theom—which will save you a journey into Lincolnshire, besides the un- pleasantness of such a negotiation personally oan- ducted.” “You must indeed be very rich all of a sudden, my lord,” responded Emily, “if you can mest my terms, as you phrase it. Perhaps you have five thousand pounds at your banker's P” “Am I to understand, Miss Archer,” asked Lord Harold, almost aghast, “that you entertain such an exorbitant notion ?” “Why all this trifling? wherefore exchange so — many words?” cried the danseuse. “ Have I not given you to understand, as pointedly though as politely as I could, that I wished to be alone? But if you require a positive answer from me, I will tell you at once that my terms are five thousand pounds.” “In three days you shall have the money, Emily,” answered Harold. “ Will you give me up the drees at once, if I present you with a thousand guineas now, and my note of hand payable at three days’ sight for the remainder ?” “ No—assurediy not,” responded Emily; then with a look of malicious mockery, she said, “Ah! “ After all that has just taken place between us,” | my lord, I have over-reached you. I have made repliod Emily, in a cold voice, “I do not choose to | you avow that the secret is worth five thousand negotiate with yvur lordabip : "—and as she thus ' guineas; but I mean to have ten. Lady Saxondale spoke she rose from her seat, as much as t© imply | will not hesitate to silence my lips with that that he could take hie departure if he chose. “Come, Emily—do not let us fall out upon the ! subject,” said Staunton. “I did not mean to give amount. And now, my lord, I wish you good evening.” As the danseuse thus spoke, she rang the bell; utterance to an offensive—very far from it— | and Lord Harold, perceiving how useless it was to I would not do such a thing. Do let us be friends remain arguing the point, and into what mon- again. Give me your hand, Emily.” | strous blunders he had fallen from first to last, “ No, my lord: everything is at an end between _ bowed distantly and withdrew. youand me. You have spoken msultinyly tome—;, He had his cabriolet waiting for him in front of and I resent it. As for the secret which is in my the house; and he was about to enter it, when he possession, I shail know how to negotiate at head- bethought himself of a plan which at the very first quarters.” ; glance ecemed feasible. In less than a minute did “ You mean that you will write to Lady Saxon-_, he revolve it in his mind; and the result was a de- dale ?* said Lord Harold, visibly perplexed. ; termination to carry it out. He ordered his servant “TJ shall not write to her ladyship: I shall go to to drive away witb the cabriolet, and wait for him her,” was the firm response. ‘at the bottom of the road; and when the vehicle “But you will offend _Edmund—you will break had departed, Lord Harold posted himeelf at a little with him al er——" distance from the garden-gate of Evergreen Villa— “ What care I?” ejaculated the danscuse, :lisdain- 00 that he could watch the premises without being fully. “I am more than disyusted with observed by any one who should arrive there. He him—I hate him. Nor do I mind teiling you frankly had net becn in his place of concealment many a a - @ - ww ame =e © o-=- _ a aw 7 ‘ ~ a= Ge wow 0 +e 9 66S ew ° — a =e COMIC LOO