The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 349: what you’re looking at

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

Darra sr ata a ed $88 THE MYSTERIES OF ZHE COURT. Lady Saxondale appeared to reflect for some | kept in your own bosom whatsoever you know minutes: and then she said, “It must be at a concerning my affairs—you may present yourself somewhat late hour to-morrow evening when our | again to me, and I will give you five thousand interview takes place; and it cannot be within the pounds more as a final and closing reward.” ceastle-walls. I should be exposed to a thousand| “ Your ladyship may depend upon me,” exclaimed disagreeable suspicions if you were to visit me here | Emily, scarcely able to conceal her joy at these again. As it is, I shall have to invent some excuse | golden results of her negotiation. to account for your present appearance here. Do} She then rose to take her leave—first however you think, however, that your maid—whom yon say | advancing up to one of the splendid mirrurs in the you have with you in your chaise—is likely to gossip | apartment, and tying the strings of her coquettish with my domestics ?” French bonnet: then with a theatrical curtscy, “I am convinced she will not, my lady. I gave | which mado the amplo folds of her rich satin dress no name on my arrival; and therefore you may | swell out like a balloon all around her, Mademoiselle recognise every inclination on my part to con- | d’Alembert quitted the apartment. She descended duct this negotiation with as much delicacy as to the post-chaiso which was waiting; and taking possible. In the first place, my servant does nut | her seat inside the vehicle, from which her attendant know the object of my coming, nor what the | soubrefte had not alighted, was speedily on her masquerade-dress we have brought with us has to! way back again to Lincoln. do with my visit; and in the second place, she will not mention my name to your servants, even if SS a a 8 ae they speak to her while she waits in the chaise.” “I thank you, Miss Archer, for these assurances,” CEAESEM Fabre resumed Lady Saxondale, whose tone and look had THE THOROUGH-BEED. gradually been displaying mure affability and con- descension since that point in the discourse at which | Om the following day Mr. Hawkshaw arrived to she went off on her new tack. “Iam now better | lunch at Saxondale Castle, shortly after one o’clook, able to suggest the requisite arrangements for our | according to invitation given him by the lady of the interview of to-morrow evening. In the first place, | mansion herself ere he took his departure on the - you must remove to-morrow from Lincoln to Gains- | previous evening. He came on # most splendid . borough. This latter town is bat a few miles dis- | thorough-bred horse, of which he had spoken the . tant from the castle; and there is a pleasant walk | day before, and concerning which Lord Harold along the bank of the river, so that without even had expressed some degree of curiosity. Daring inquiring your way, you cannot possibly mistake it. | luncheon, Staunton renewed the conversation relative Will you to-morrow evening—eay at about half-past | to the horse; and Mr. Hawkshaw launched forth nine o’clock—meet me on the bank of the river | into enthusiastic eulogies of its brilliant qualities, midway between Gainsborough and the castloP— ' —at the samo time describing it as one which only and the matter can be settled at once. I shall come | a fearless rider would venture to mount. provided with the money: you on your part will; “Perhaps,” said Lord Harold, with a smile, have the masquerade-dress.” “you are not aware, Mr. Hawkshaw, that I am “ But your ladyship has no objection that I should | considered by my friends to be a most excellent _ be accompanied by my maid P” equestrian; and if you will permit me the oppor- “ Not the slightest—on condiféon that you do not | tunity, after luncheon, I will convince you whether tell her whom it is that you are to meet: for how-/|I am afraid to take your horse at the highest | ever trustworthy you may consider her, I by no | gate we can find in the fields round about.” _ means wish to place myself in her power.” “I request, Harold, that you will not be so | ** May she not recognize your ladyship P” foolish,” said Florina, who, notwithsteoding ber “Not through the dark veil that I shall wear— | diminished opinion of her brother’s rectitude of nor in the disguise that I ghall adopt in my apparel | principle and worth of character, nevertheless still altogether.” entertained for him too great a sisterly regard not “But are there no other means, Lady Saxon- to be frightened at this proposed venture on his dale,” inquired Emily Archer, not altogether relish- : part. ing the extreme mystery of the arrangement, “by; “And I aleo must interpose my authority,” said which the negotiation can be completed? If, for | Lady Macdonald: “that is to say, if I possess any instance, I were to meet you at Gainsborough to- | —which indeed I hope I do. For people mm our morrow when you visit your banker-——” sphere of life——” “'No,- Miss Archer—I am so well known at | “My dear aunt,” interrupted Staunton,—“and Gainsborough that I cannot risk being talked : you also, Fiorina, I cannot possibly listen to yuur about. Unless indeed the whole affair be managed Jars: or rather you must permit me to tell yoa with the utmost secrecy, it will not be worth my ; both that they are quite unfounded. Have I not while to give one single shilling to seal your lips.” | been out hunting often P did I not ride at the cale “Then be it as your ladyship has decided,” re- | brated Dunchurch steeple-chase ?” joined Emily. “For my part I do not object to; “But, my lord,” said Lady Saxondale, with an whatsoever precautions your ladyship chooses to . air of grave remonstrance, “I think that your aunt take.” and dear Flo have given you most excellent advice; “You must uhderstand that they are indis- | and if you will allow me to add the weight of mine, pensably necessary,” said Lady Saxondalo “But ' I must beg that you think no more of riding Mr. one word more. If you maintain the strictest. Hawkshaw’s horse—at least not for the purpose secrecy in respect to all these proceedings—and if of taking any desperate leaps.” | at the end of a year from the present time you have | “What does Mr. Hawkshaw himeclf ssy ?” at ret EO OOO OEeEeEeEEOEEEEEeeeeeeee a aan | ! “Siege ee we ov 4 @C6 @ eae we ws - ~ - «= << oe eee ow ees TS . swam — - _. — oa -- ee 8 ee a = we Cwm o - Sem ¢ eae ~e-o “=e «© GORMIGOOOKS