The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 342: what you’re looking at

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ee | THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. $31 the gushing emotions of the heart. Her manners, though slightly reserred, and always properly dig- nified, wera affable and unaffected; she wap a lady wham everybody porsssaing a kind heart, could nat help jiking, and sround whom there wee a species of mysterious interest, investing her ee with a We bave oaid thas Lady Castlemaine wag beauti- ful; and while we are thus introducing her to our readers, we may as well pause for a few minutes longer to describe her more accurately. She was of medjum atature, hut Apely made—uniting richness of proportions with an admirable symmetry, The auperb elope and form of her shoulders, the least thing rounded, but not to mar the upnghtness of her figure, suited well the fullness of tha bust, the eontours of which were set off 1n a noble relief by the thinness of the waist. Her hair was of a dark brown, with perhaps the slightest tinge of auburn in it; eo that it shone with a mare velvety gloss in the lustre of @ drawing-room, ay when the sunbeams rested upon it. Her eyes wore not large, but dark, gnd with their netural fires somewhat subdued into solingss by the general air of melancholy which per- vaded her look. Her nose was quite straight— her mouth small and rich: her chin could not be called rounded, but was just sufficiently elongated to render her countenance a perfect oval. Her teeth were white and faultlessly even; and there was an exceeding beauty and sweetness, though waingled with melancholy, in her smile. There was a certain languor about her at times—yet not the lenguor of voluptuougnesse. Jp the eye of the liber- tine her beauty might,—on account of this very air of languor, combined with the richness of her charms,—appear to be of a sensuous type: but the closer and more delicate observer could not fail to perceive that this languor on her part was that of « soft pervasive melancholy which infigenced her en- We should add to the above explanations, that Priscilla—the Christian name of this lady—had been married about seven years to Lord Castle- maine. She had therefore been conducted to the altar when she was only sixteen; and those who knew the Kar) and his bride at the time, affirmed that it was entirely a love-match, and that they experienced an undoubted affection for each other. But, as already stated, for the last three ar four years a change appeared to have come over one or both of them ; ead during this interval they had not only occupied distinct chambers, but likewiee separate wings of the spacious mansion. What could be the cause ot this coolness between a husband and wife whose matrimonial career commenced under such mailing auspices ? No one could conjecture: for even in a sphere where the tongue of scandal was ever ready to catch up the faintest whisper of de- traction, and give ourreacy to it with exaggerations growing as it passed from lip to lip—yet not an aspersion hed been thrown out against the moral purity of Lady Castlemaine. Some had supposed that ber husband's temper was of a most unfor- tunate kind, although he had the good taste and a manly dignity sufficient to conceal it before the world ;: bust. others would object that the natural Sweetness and amiability of Priscilla’s dispositiva, would lead her to bend and adapt herself to any in- ficrnity of temper on her husband's part. Tu be a ee el Ec i il brief, no one ouuld satisfactorily apcounh for the aqolness gubsiating between this couple; and it was supposed thas not even the domestics themeaives (some of whom had been for years in his lordship’s service) could solve the mystery. The readec has now obtained as great an insight as we are at present enabled to afford, into the characters and ciroymgtances of the Earl and Countess of Oastlemaine; and 1: was by the side of this nobleman that Dr. Ferney found himself aeated in the carriage at about three o'clock in the morning, he not having been in bed the whole night. For severgl minutes after they had entered the vehicle, there was a profound silence. The physician could not help feeling, or at least suspect- ing, that there was something more than usually singular in the Karl’s look and manner on coming to fetch him; and this idea was strengthened in hia mind when so many minutes elapsed and yet his lordship volunteered no more specific explanation than he had already hinted at as the motive for fetching him. On the other hand, the Earl himself appeared to be buried in profound reverie ; and though by the twilight of dawn tho doctor could perfectly well discern the countenance of his noble eompanion,—yet, as usual, he could trace no index to his thoughts upon his handsome but inscrutable countenance. “How long is it since you saw Lady Castle- maine?” inquired the Karl, at length breaking silence, not abruptly, but in a slow, deep, and measured voice. “As nearly as I can recollect, my lord, it must have been twa months,” responded the physician. “And was it to presoribe for her ladyship thea, that you saw her?” asked the nobleman. “No-—I think not, my lord. If you remember, it was you yourself, who were unwell at the time. “To be sure—I do recollect. Then it is possibly some months—three or four,” added the Karl, “gince you last visited her ladyship profession- ally p?? “It must be at least for so long a period as your lordship has named,” replied Dr. Ferney. The Earl of Castlemaine made no farther remark at the moment; but falling back in the carriage, he folded his arms over his breast and appeared to sink into a moody reverie. Hoe was a man of dark complexion, with coal black air, and eyea to match; and thus there was something that might slmost be termed terrible in the aspect of thas countenance when thus clouded with inscrutable thoughts. The doctor eyed him furtively, and could not help think- ing that there was sumething wrong, and which had caused himeelf to be thus hurriedly fetched by the Karl in person, and at such an hour. Perbape any other individual save Dr. Ferney would have put direct queries upon these points—or at least’ Lave inquired what ailed her ladyship: but the physician had nut the slightest particle uf worldly | curivsity in his composition—at the same time that his feelings were of eo delicate a nature that under such circumstances as the present, he did not even choose to appear inquisitive where no spontaneous explanation was at once voluuteered. The carriage rolled on; and the Earl of Castle maine continued wrapped up in ailence and im- penetrable gloom. His brows, which were naturally hizh-arched, were contracted,—thus giving a scuw!- pp aE Ct ee COMIC LOO CO