The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 157: what you’re looking at

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140 Wales, fixing a searching look upon Eleanor’s sountenance, from which all the colour immedi- | ately fled. “Does not your Royal Highness think that it were better to leave such a secret in the oblivion where prudence has sought to bury it ?” she asked, in a low and tremulous tone: for she saw that it was useless to attempt a denial of the circumstance to which he alladed. “Think you that I am anxious to publish my own sister's shame?” he demanded, in a voice which showed how deeply his pride was wounded and how humiliated he felt on account of the dis- honour that had fallen on a relative so near to him. “ No—such is not my intention: bat Iam desirous to learn all the circumstances connected with this most distressing incident.” “It were useless to probe those circumstances now—since all possible precautions have been adopted to cover them with an impervious veil,” said the Countess of Desborough. “ And yet your ladyship perceives that, in spite of these precautions, a whisper has reached my ears, conveying to me the startling intelligence of the dishonour of my sister.” There was a mixture of irony and vexation in the tone and manner of the Prince which struck the Countess with the truth and justice of his ob- servation. For, notwithstanding all the measures which prudence had suggested and which the com- mand of unlimited resources had enabled her to carry into execution, her royal friend’s secret had indeed transpired bysome mysterious and at present unaccountable means. “Let me convince you,” resumed the heir-appa- rent, “that I am better acquainted with the outline of this unfortunate occurrence than your ladyship imagines. A carriage breaks down late one even- ing in the Edgeware Road—the Princess Sophia and the Countess of Desborough take refuge in a neighbouring dwelling. The Princess adopted the name of Mrs. Mordaunt—the Countess of Desborough assumes that of Mrs. Smith.” “Is it possible that those young ladies could have discovered whom we werp?” exclaimed Eleanor, her thoughts and her suspicions instantly settling upon Octavia and Pauline Clarendon: “ can they have been base enough to make the circumstance a subject for vulgar scandal and detestable gossip ? If this be the case, never more shall I believe that the countenance is an index of the mind: for can- dour, sincerity, and artlessness were stamped upon the features of those girls !” “Blame them not—do them not so much in- justice!” said the Prince of Wales. “Being alto- gether unacquainted with them, except by name, itis not from their lips that the whispers have reached me; and I can likewise assert, upon the same good authority whence I did receive the as- tounding and distressing intelligence, that those young ladies have religiously kept the secret of which accident rendered them the depositresses.” “The surgeon—Mr. Thurston—could he have betrayed the unhappy Princess?” murmured the Countess in a musing tone. “ No—Mr. Thurston merits not your blame,” ob- served his Royal Highness. “ Indeed, I am tolerably well assured that neither he nor the young ladies have ever entertained the slightest suspicion who Mrs. Mordaunt and Mrs. Smith really were. I shall THE MYSTERIES. not tell your ladyship how I became acquainted with the circumstance which we are discussing: suffice it to say that my informant is as trustworthy as yourself——_” “Something strikes me !” ejaculated the Countess suddenly. “ When the travelling-barouche broke down, a man—perhaps a gentleman—assisted the Princess’s lady’s-maid to alight, and then opened the door to aid us to descend. But he disappeared abruptly—-and in the confusion of that moment, as well as in the excitement of the subsequent oc- currences, all recollection of his evanescent pre- sence was completely absorbed. It was that in- dividual, then, who was your Royal Highness’s informant,” added Eleanor, with a marked em- phasis. “I will not deny the fact—since you have thus cleverly divined the truth,” said the Prince: “but that person will never divulge the secret to an- other.” “ And yet he could not have informed your Royal Highness of everything,” exclaimed the Countess of Desborough: “ because, although he might have recognised the Princess and me in the carriage, it was impossible for him to perceive the situation in which my beloved companion so unfortunately found herself.” “He remained in the neighbourhood and kept a strict watch all night long,” said the Prince, deter- mined to avert suspicion from Octavia relative to the authorship of the information he had received. “He saw the surgeon sent for—he knew thata child was born during the night—and as he was well aware that your ladyship could have no motive in concealing the birth of an infant of your own, he naturally concluded that it was my unhappy sister who——_” * Enough !” exclaimed the Countess, imperiously. “T again declare that I can discover no advantage in discussing this most painful subject. Your Royal Highness admits the secret to be safe in all quarters : let me therefore implore you not to disinter it from so desirable an oblivion. I love the Princess Sophia as if she were my own sister—I enjoy her confidence—and I have done my duty. Surely your Royal Highness has not come hither to up- braid me for the part whjch I enacted throughout that trying scene ?” “ God forbid I” ejaculated the Prince. “Un the contrary, my deepest gratitude is due to your lady- ship.” “ In this case, your Royal Highness will grant me the boon I am about to solicit ?” observed Eleanor, hastily. ‘“‘ Speak!” said the heir-apparent, his eyes now dwelling with admiration upon the countenance to which excitement had brought back all the glowing hues of health and beauty. “ My prayer is that your Royal Highness will not reveal to the Princess Sophia your knowledge of her secret,” answered the Countess. “Oh! she would die through shame were she even to harbour a suspicion that her weakness—or rather, her un- fortunate leve and its consequences—should be known to the brother of whom she stands so much in awe.” “TI promise your ladyship not only this —but any- thing else that you may choose to ask of me and which I may have the power to perform,” replied the voluptuary, assuming a significant tenderness COMGDOO S COMM