The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTEKRIKS OF THE COURT 31 Oonstance—retire ! conversation——” “ Private conversation indeed!” echoed Mabel with increasing rage. “ What I want is justice— and I mean to have {ft too. To be bullied and badgered by that petty tyrant, is beyond all en- durance. I hate him—the whole household hates him— everybody hates him: he is a wretched cur ! ‘* Mother !” cried Juliana; “ff you do not call the laoqueys to turn this woman out of the house—— “ Silence, miss!" ejaculated Lady Saxondale, etamping her foot with rage. ‘Retire I say !” Constance, the younger girl, was already re- treating to the door, both frightened and amazed at this econe with the old housekeeper—sa scene which, though not altogether new, was still far more serious than any displays of the kind that had ever previously taken place. Julians, the eider young lady, flung a look of unmitigated contempt upon Mabel, and walked with all her mother's stateliness and haughty grandeur out of the room, closing the door with some degree of violence behind her. What then took between Lady Saxondale and her irate housek , we know not. Suffice it to aay that they remained alune together for nearly half-an-hour; and when the old woman emerged from that room again, it was with the mingled sullenness and vixenish acerbity of countenance which plainly indicated that though she had suffered herself to be appeased somehow or another, yet that it was with a very bad grace she had received such satisfaction or apologies as might have been offered, and that in her heart the sense of insult was still rankling bitterly. Meanwhile, as they were ascending the stair- case to their own chamber, the sisters had en- countered one of the of the household, whom we may at this moment introduce to our readers. He was youth of about eighteen, and of the most extraordinary beauty. Not very tall, his figure was slight, but as perfectly symmetrical as that of a Grecian statue representing Apollo; and the tasteful livery which he wore, consisting of a jacket tightly buttoned up to his throat, and crousers with two thin red stripes down each leg, ect off his elegant shape to the utmost advantage. He had chesnut hair, which he wore long, and was naturally curling and wavy; his forehead was high and as whiteas that of a maiden; his brows were dark, pencilled in two thin arching lines; his eyes were of deep hazel, large and liquid, but bright as if with subdued fires. He had little colour upon the cheeks—no whiskers, nor beard upon his chin—buthe was suffering his moustache to grow, and which, delicately pencilled like hia brows, relieved his countenance somewhat from its otherwise girlish appearance. His lips were somewhat full; and if they had belonged toa woman, would have been denominated ponting. Being slightly apart, they al ways affordedaglimpse of a most beautiful set of teeth. Though already described as not of tal? stature, yet his graceful length of limb, set off by the becoming apparel which he wore, made him appear taller than he really was; and altogether there was s grace- fulness and a gentility about thie youth which, ‘when united with his extraordinary personal beauty, rendered him a being who though clad in e menial garb could not possibly fail to attract the T must have some private ? notice of any one who passed him by. His name was Francis Paton—familiarly called Frank in the household; and he had been in Lady Saxon- dale's service for about a year. Such was the youth whom the two sisters en- countered upon the stairs as they were ascending to their own chamber to talk over together the scenes which had just occurred in the room below. Constance, the fair-haired girl, who was proceed- ing first, passed him by with no more notice than @® young lady in her position was likely to take of one of the household domestics: but Juliana, the elder demeel, bent upon him for a moment the full power of her magnificent dark eyes; and though the youth fmmediately flung his own looks downwards and passed rapidly on, yat was the colour mantling upon his cheeks, and he seemed | to be quivering with the excitement of the feelings which that rapid regard had so suddenly conjured Up. The sisters ascended to their chamber, where they remained er for about an hour; at the expiration of which time one of their maids came to announce that Mr. Deveril was waiting below to give them their lesson in ivory-painting. CHAPTER VIIT. KR. GUNTHORP E. Iw the evening half-past six o'clock, a loud donble-knock was given at the front door of the house in which Harold Staunton occupied handsome lodgings. He and his friend Lord Saxondale were together in the drawing-room; and at the sound of that knock they approached one of the windows. “Asal live!” cried Edmund, “he has come in e Hansom Patent Cab!” and he turned away with a grimace expressive of immitigable disgust. “YY wonder whether Alfred will be able to keep his countenance as he shows him up?” observed Lord Harold: ‘I am sure I could not blame him — if he did not. But then,” he immediately added, “ Alfred is ao very discreet and prudent. Bat what on earth is the old fellow stopping to parley with the cabman for? I do believe he is disput- ing the fare. Good heavens! what will the people of the house think? what will the neigh- bours think? what——” “'Y ea—and now the quarrel iswaxing warmer,” oried Saxondale, returning to the window and looking down into the street. “ By jingo, this is devilish pleasant! A crowd is already collecting.” “ You are nothing better than a reg’larold bilk,” were the words which, being vociferated forth by the indignant cabman, now reached the ears of the two young nobles who were gazing aghast from the fisst-floor windows. “What do you think ?” pursued the cabman, turning round and appealing to those whom the disturbance had already cullected: “thie old fogy, with his great shirt-frill, wants me to take sixteen-pence for driving him from the Bel and Crown right away up in Holborn, down here to Jarmyn Street; and I say my fare's two bob, and | won't bate a farden. He's gived me eighteen-pence in silver, and de- mands tuppence change.” “ Yes—and I mean to have it too,” seid Mr. of the same day, punctually at CONNEC MOO SS COMM