The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

TUE WYSTKRIES OF THE COURT, a 4 Soon, dearest Adolphus,” she responded, in- clining her head upon hig shoulder; “ soon !—for you “ besoming dear to me again——you, yery ear |” d . “Tait indeed sp, Ethel P! he exclaimed, with 9 gunk * feeling that might very well have been en for the reel joy of lovg jtself—whereas jt was only the gatisfactiqn of bone af the idea that abe woyld sogn be s9 completely his slave again ag te be beyand the reach of any letent inclination that might still exist to proclaim the whole truth to the world agcording to her proposition g week back ef the mangion in the suburbs of London, — 'Yeaz-Aegrest Adolphus, sha peapanded, atil} guffering her bead ta recling ypan his ehapldes, #J love yoy—— and, when you vill,” she pure muringly added, “J will he your's again=——yopr’s wholly !’ Adalphus encircled the lady’s slender waist with his arm—drew her face towards him—and im- printed kisses upon it. Whether it were indeed the cquntry aiz, together with the unugua]l amounh of walking exeroigg which aho hed lately taken-~ or through an altered state of the mind-or from all these causes united, we cannot say: hut certain it is that her appearance wag capsiderably ime proved during the week that ghe had already passed gt Bloomfield. till the tracag of regent gare were perceptible ppon her cheeks: her form too was mare sdend er than it was wont to he in the voluptuqus symmetry of ites proportions ; nevertheless there was stil] the soft justra in her Jarge clear blue eyes,—still the pearly whiteness of he teeth shinipg between tha parting roses of the Kps—still the bright glory of the rich guhura hair. And as Adoiphua thys drew her towardg him, he felt something like a feeling pf tapderpess return- ing,—wntil slowly into his mind game back the recollection of the bitterness of all those alterca- tions which hed taken placa between them; and in the presence of thqsg reggiiections the softer feelings gredually disgppeared, 9p twilight rpcodes when the shades of night come on. But not by his countenance did he exhibit the ghanga that was thus taking plaea in his mind; there was a gmile upon hig feptyrps, while hitter- hens was arising in bis heart; for, ag the reader qomprehenda, if was his interest, and therefore his purpose, to play » deep gamer-tq assump eyery- thing that was congiliatory—te simulate affection srand ta veil every thonght that might shock or give Offence. And Ethel herself had now one arm thrown over his phoylder; and as he was seated, and she wag standing by him, or rather half- reclining in his arws, she looked down into bis eountepance. Phere wae & amjlo ypon dgr features lisewjse; her ayes epprexed fraught with @ ra- viring tenderness; end Adolphus gaid within bim- eclf, “ Feq-—tzuly abe loves me wel] again!” * We will go forth to walk,” gaid the Coyntess; “the weether is heautiful—the air is delicioug— end therp is that wild part of the estate, you know, my dear Adolphus, which we haye not yet Visited since we were down here, but which ia ag picspresque.” “You mean the Maiden’s Bridge?” qeid the young Eerl. “Yes,” exclaimed Ethel: and ingtanfaneously disengaging herself from hjg arms, she’ burried towards the door,—adding, “I will put on my bonnet and scarf in g moment, and bo with you.” . In 9 few minytes they were walking forth to- gether,—the young widow leaning upon the ari of the young nobleman. There was a hejghtened coloyr upon her cheeks—a deeper roseate tinge than for some time pas} had displayed itself thore; pad her eyes tap appeared to shine with a happier ustre. The weather wag indeed beautifyl—the syn- beams irradiated the entire landscape—but there wag ¢ breeze which prevented their extreme sultriness from being felt. The way of the ramblers Jed first through the spacious park—then across the fields, in the direction of a wooded del] in the distance. “Ig there not some strange legend ettached tp the spot which we are about to visit?” inquired the Countess, as she walked by the side of Adol- phus, leaning op his arm. “To be sure!” he sxelaimed: “did you never hasr it? It is that legend which gives its name ta the bridge.” | “No—I never heard it,” responded the Conn- teas; ang suddenly stooping down, sha plucked q wild-foyer which grew by the side of the path- way. “ What is that legend ?” she inquired, bearing ta pieces the floweret she had just culled. There was something slightly wayward or pecus jiar in ber mennor, qs it struck Adolphus for moment: but attributing it to the return of certain buoyancy of spirits with the change of gaene end the fresh air of Bloomfield, he ceased to think of if. “ And so you never heard the legend of the Meiden’s Bridge?” he said. “And yet methinks this is not your first visit to Bloomfield ?” “ No,” she responded ; “ I was berg once before, {Tt was with the late Earl,” she added softly; “and then for ap short a time thet though I paid 5 hurried vigit to all these gcenes of interest, yet I had not leisure to inquire particularly about them, Begidas,” she exclaimed, in p gayer tone, “ to listen to legends of this sort, one must hayo a companion who can tell them pleasantly oy pathetically, ag tha cease may he,” Ado)phus was charmed at this rapidly altering manner pf the Countess: for neyer since her hus- band’s death had she seemed ao gay as on the pre- sent occasion ; and he therefore folt convinced that Within @ very brief spece pf time sho would aban- don herself completely to him again. Besides, with this return of good spirits, there was all the less chance that ehe would relapse into tho dark sombre mpod that would prompt her to demand the sacrifice of himeelf. “ After so pretty g compliment to my powers ag a legend-teljer,” ba said, smiling,—-“ a compliment which, though implied rather than pointedly uttered, I am vain enopgh to take unto mysell,— IT gannot delay the tala you gre so anxjous to hear, You have visited the dell before? If if were in Scotland, or in any wilder district than this, i¢ would be called o ravine. Deep and rapid js the stream that runs at the bottoms; and for several feet ppward above the turbid bosom of the water, the sides are perfectly escarped. Do you yomember all this, Kithel °” “Yes—J think so,” she anawered: “but my recollection of the place js by no means strong, — COMicooOolkxs.conrn