The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 31 “You don’t mean to say that you noticed him ?° exolaimed Saxondale. “Why would you have me guilty of a most wanton and unnecessary piece of rudeness ?” she asked, but again bending her head over the bouquet of flowers, and indeed unconsciously pul- ling one of them to pieces. “'Woll, I think that you are a great deal too condescending,” remarked her suitor. Florina made no reply ; and Lord Saxondale, almost immediately forgetting the incident, began talking on some other subject. Lhe Mr. William Deveril, whose name has jast been introduced into our pages, was quite a young man—very handsome—-with a complexion that was either naturally dark, or else rendered so, by a long residence in a southern clime; for he had been much in Italy, whence he had brought with him to England that art which he now appeared to be teaching with very considerable success, and which indeed had become quite the rage amongst ladies in high life, especially as Queen Victoria herealf was known to have expressed her approval of it and to have purchased some specimens of Mr. Deveril. We msy add, in regard to his personal appearance, that he was tall and symmetrically formed, and looked far more like a nobleman—or what a nobleman ought to be—than the insolent fordling who had just now treated him with such insulting disdain. Lord Harold Staunton was chatting glibly away with his sister's three young friends, and Lord Saxondale was passing his remarks upon the most proaninent occupants, male or female, of the first tler—boxes, with his quizszing glass in his eye,— when the box-keeper entered, and presenting a card to Harold, said, “ My lord, the gentleman who gave me this requests permission to pay his respects to your lordship and to Lady Florina Staunton. He desired me to add that he is the bearer of letters from the Marquis of Eagiedean in Italy.” “ Mr. Gunthorpe,” observed Harold, reading the name upon the card. “We don't want to be bothered with visitors now 7 “Oh! but if this Mr. Gunthorpe be the bearer af letters from our unole,” Florina at once re- marked, “it is our duty to see him; and more- over it should be a pleasure on our part to show him any attention.” ‘‘ Well, just as you like,” returned Harold: and be then bade the box-keeper introduce the gen- tleman. “ Gunthorpe? not a very aristocratic name !” said Lord Saxondale, the moment the box-keeper had retired. ‘“I don't wonder, Flo, at your brotber not wanting to see him to-night. I'll be bound to say he's some queer-looking old fellow --for an eccentric person, as your uncle the Marquis is reported to be, must noed have eccen- trio acquaintances. I can picture to myself an elderly gentleman—either bald or else with an antiquated wig—brown most likely” At this moment the door of the box was again opened; and Mr. Gunthorpe was introduced. Now be it well understood that the veriest fool in the universe, when indulging in random pro- hecies and conjecturee, must once in a way find fis speculation borne out by facts: and so it was in the present instanoe. For of all comical figures, it would be difficult to conceive one more calcalated to excite the ridicule of brainless or thoughtless -—e <pE “> amp - « © anne yaw Ee a @ young men than Mr. Gunthorpe. His age seemed to border upon sixty: he was short, stout, and wore one of the most remarkable brown scratch wigs that ever were seen. He hadared face, and a large double chin over-hanging his white cravat. His apparel was equally old-fashioned so far as the cut of the garments was concerned, though he appeared in a full evening suit of black, with white waistcoat: but the square tails of the coat, having pockets with overhanging flape—the waist- coat reaching far down upon his stomach—the knee-breeches and the black silk stockings, all rendered the costume singular enough. There was an admixture of sharpness and good nature in his countenance: but a physiognomist would have noticed that the former expression could rise into sternness, while the latter could expand into the widest benevolence. On making his ap- pearance he bowed with an off-hand sort of politeness, and threw a rapid but searching glance over the assembled group—his eyes however dwelling longer on Harold and Florina than on the rest. Lord Saxondale turned round to con~ ceal his laughter—muttering almost audibly as he did so, “ What a figure of fun for the Opera !” Lord Harold merely bowed with a well-bred courtesy; but Lady Florina, rising from her chair, advanoéd a step or two, and sesaid with a most affable sweetness, “ Will you not sit down, Mr. Gunthorpe ?” “No, I thank your ladyship,” he answered: “T am off againina momen’. The fact is I have been in Italy some time, and having had the honour of the Marquis of Eagledean’s acquaint- ance—I may eay friendship—he gave me letters of introduction to his relatives in England; and where [ was just now seated in the pit, I ob- served somebody near me pointing out to another which was Lord Harold Staunton’s box. So happening to have the letters about me, I thought I would step round and present them.” ‘‘ Any friend of our uncle,” said Florina, “is most welcome.” “To be sure, most welcome,” echoed Lord Harold, but not seeming as if he thought so: in- deed, from the very instant that he beheld Mr. Gunthorpe, he had conceived a prejudice against im. “ Here are the letters,” said the old gentleman, producing a couple, and presenting one to Lord Harold and one to Lady Florina. “ And here is one,” he added, drawing forth a third from his immense pocket-book, which was literally ple- thorio with papers, “that I suppose I had better entrust to your ladyship, as it is for your aunt, Lady Macdonald.” “J will take care and give it to my aunt the momont I return home,” said Florina, in the same courteous and affable manner as before. “Where are you staying, Mr. Gunthorpe,” asked Harold: “for I willdo myself the pleasure of calling upon you.” “T have put up at the Belland Crown, Holborn,” replied Mr. Gunthorpe. Lord Harold Staunton became suddenly aghast —and Lord Saxondale laughed outright. Nothing could be more terrible to the exquisite aristocratic rofinement of Lord Harold than being compelled to know a man who “pat up,” as he called it, at such a vulgarout-uf-the-way place as the Bell and Crown, Holborn! Lord Harold felt positively little: i¢ seemed to him as if the whole house had COMuicooOolkxs.conrn