The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 47: what you’re looking at

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xO “'Twas you yourself, my charmer, who implored me not to proclaim my love in the presence of Pauline.” said Harley. “ But if you have no eonfi- dence in me, Octavia—if you fancy far a moment that I would counsel you ia any way ta your own in- jury or disgrace,” he added, his tone suddealy assum: ing a hauteur mingled with reproaoch,—“ thea am I unworthy of your affection |” “Oh! now you Geoage,” ahe lee wile or ann trch upset op Ga «Nona, my adored gisl—I cannot be angry with you,” exclaimed Harley, kissing away her tears. “Only promise that you will mest me to-morrew evening——” “T will,’ murmured Octavia, in a tang that was scarcely audible. “ Thanks, dearest—a thousand thanks,” retumed Harley; and the joyousness of his tone and manner excited such ineffable pleasure in the hasom af Octavia, as to stifle the momentary remorse which had stricken her with a andden pang when her lips breathed an assent to her lover’s prayer. * To-mor- row evening, then, my beloved one, we shall megt again!’ he continued, m his tenderest and moat se- “The place of appointment ahall be at the very respectable and fashionable millinery establishment of Mrs. Brace in Pali Mall At aix o'clack I ahall be there, anxiously awaiting the ar- rival af the most lovely and best-beloved of wamen. ar haved me het orion rac that I shall not ex- perience disappointment. The too-canfiding girl breathed the required pro- mise; and Harley, with difficuky veiling the triumphant feelings which animated him, new be- sought her to compose herself in such # mauner that an easy task for Octavia to achieve, so full of ecstatic feelings was her soul. But love is aften wonderfully suggestive of what may be tarmod 4 venial dupli- city; and the young lady accordingly succeeded in concealing the ardour of her passion beneath a studied reserve—so that the evening passed away without affording the slightest ground fer exciting a suspicion on Pauline’s part. Mr. Harley partook ef the supper which had | the been prepared; and during the meal his conversa- tion grew more animated, sparkling, and attractive than ever. Octavia was charmed and faacinated-- and there were moments when she oould kaye thrown off her reserve, started from her seat, and flung her arms about his negk, claiming him as her lover in the presence of Pauline: byt, thongh it was On the ather hand, Payline was gay, sprightly, and in excellent epirits; bust while she admired an in the safter and more tender feelings that had ac- quired such empire aver her more yielding, sensi- tive, and impassioned sister. It was nearly midnight when Mr. Harlay rose to take his leave; and Octavia accompanied him as far as the garden-gate. “You will not forget y your promise far to-morrow evening, my angel?” Be whiapered, as he hastily bat fervently pressed her his lips, PAR MYATREIB. the villa, to dream of the man who had obtained such ompire over her gov’ CHAPTER X. THE KINCHIN-KEN.-—fHE TABLES TURNED. Iw the time of which we are writing, Grab Sireet was the un-euphonious and repulsive appellation of that long, narrow, and dirty lane in the Cripplegate diatrict, which now bears the name of Milton Sireel. At the present day the features of that shorough- fare are none af the moat imviting ;: bnt at the closes of the eighteenth century, the aspect of the place was dieguating and villagous in the extreme, There was not & vestige of pavemeat; and the ground — was 80 uneven and rugged, that few vehicles ever , ventured that way—for in the fine weather they | stood a chance of beiag overturned by the mounds . of concrete dirt that dotted the lane, and in the rainy seasons the wheels weve sure to sink into deep ruta, The honaea were of the most, miserable descrip - tion—tha shaps ef the poorest kind. Every dwell. ing harboured numerous distinct families ;—and verty forced the poor artizan inte a close neigh- hood with the avowed thief. The result, in such cases, too often was that the former iastead of bringing the latter within the aphere of a commen- dable industry, became infected with the poison of and in the desperation produced by failure of work, threw himself into the arms af the villain wha promised a rich harvest with little trouble in the reaping. Vice and depravity accord. ingly spread hike as pestilence in that locality; ana as the first words which infante were taught to lisp were oaths and imprecation, sa the last which they uttered iu their manhood were tea frequently the death-prayer on the gallows! And who can wonder if Grab Street and its rongcorons had beeome a noted academy for twaining of thicves,—a seminary whence the ranks of vice, demoralisation, and crime recruited themselves from day to day,—a hideous scheal of infamy where the precepters were the wretched children’s own parents ?—who can wonder, we «gain ask, if Nowgate, which was y handy, had no fear of findiag its felons’ wards and ite con-' demned cells d so long as the low lodging- houses, the booring-kena, the brothels, the receivers’ ded, their foatid and rank luxuzianoe—the nexious weeds Mr. | of the social system. Reader, take the map of the Great Metropolie— 1 end with “Tue Mysrenize or Lownow” by your side for ready refevyenes, circle with a dark line, either with pen or peneil, each and every loathsome district or neighbourheed which you will find de- soribed in the two Series ofthas work er in the one which you are naw perusiag. Ther calculate the proportion which the haynts of crime and the akulk- ing-places of poverty bear to the localities where N ar@n(o) / <S Pc — etre EE TR TNS STG OE — he = a aT CD, — SSS NSS AUS yon CS TE CMR a RSS ee COMM