The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 80: what you’re looking at

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

nnn acerca ar rere a aS cS a ee ata THE MYSTERIES. G2 “ How old are you, Gabrielle?” asked Miss Cla- yendon. — returned Florimel,amiling in his sweetest ™ Pauline surveyed the disguised nobleman atten- tively for nearly a minute, and then said, “I should conceive you to be about one-and-twenty.” “WNo—lI am only nineteen,” answered Fiorimel, determined to make his years correspond as closely as poesible with those of his lovely companion. “That is exactly my age!” exclaimed Pauline, with a delight so frank and real that it was almost childish. “Yes—yes,” she continued, in the same joyous tone, “ we will be friends—bosom friends, Ga- brielle—wifl we not ?” “Till death!” replied the nobleman. And now let us seal our friendship with a kiss.” Pauline bent down to him as he stfll remained seated on the chair; and as she pressed her moist 1ips to his, he could scarcely prevent himself from Linging his arms around her and straining her to his Me Now let us think about retiring to rest,” said Pauline ; * and we will talk ourselves to sleep,” she added gaily. With these words she proceeded to lay aside her gown; and when Florimel beheld her lovely form set off in all its fine contours by the corset that rather took its shape from those charms than gave any symmetrical improvement to them, his passion was mflamed almost beyond the power of control. Burn- eg desire struggling with a consciousness of the paramount necessity of prudence—an intense fervour faging in spite of the certainty that any abrupt de- slaration of his sex would ruin his project—an ardent longing to throw himeelf at her feet, proclaim ais love, and implore her to have pity upon him,— such was the turmoil of emotions that now agitated within the breast of Lord Florimel! Placing herself before the glass, and having her oack turned towards him, Pauline began to arrange aer hair for the night. Having unloosed the shining nasees, which now flowed in silken waves over her yaked shoulders, she combed out that luxuriant covering which might have been envied by the prondest empress that ever wore a diadem upon her “ My sweet Pauline,” said Florimel, impatient to give their conversation such a turn that he might reine’ prepare the maiden’s mind, as it were, for the denouement of this adventure, “is it not strange that we should have experienced precisely the same views and the same thoughts relative to the neces- sity of a sincere and tender friendship in order to complete eur happiness ?”’ “It proves that our dispositions are congenial, and that there exists a strong sympathy between us, Gabrielle,” returned Pauline. “ And yot perhaps the ideas and reflections of one ef us have been more developed by circumstances tham these of the other,” observed Florimel. *T do not understand you, my sweet friend,” said Paniine, who was still occupied in combing out her beautiful heir before the glass. “T alinded to myself,” continued the young no- bleman, heaving a profound sigh. “Ah! yeu appear ta be unhappy!” exclaimed Pauline: “and now I remember that when we first came up-stairs, something was annoying you. Have | you anything preying upon your mind? If so, it were wrong to keep it a secret from me, after the vows of friendship whieh we have exchanged.” “You shall possess my entire confidence, dearest Pauline,” said the disguised nobleman. “* The first seoret that I have to reveal to you is this-—I love!” “And are you unhappy on that account?” in- quired the young maiden, in a tone of tender interest. “But perhaps you are not loved in return ?” “T know not,” responded Florimel, throwing a deep melancholy into his voice: “ J hope—and yet I fear !"” “Doubtless the object of your affection is very handsome ?” said Pauline. “Not handsome — femininely beautiful — very beautiful !” exclaimed Florimel, with all the effusion of aworship. “But tell me, my dearest friend— have you yet known what it is to love?” “ Never,” answered Pauline. “Then are you unacquainted with a source of the purest and most ineffable delight,” said the youthful volu : “or I should rather describe it as a de- liciousness of the feelings—a paradise of the emo- tions——” “ Wherefore, then, are you unhappy, Gabrielle™ inquired the artless girl. “Oh! love is a pleasing pain—or a painfal plea- sure—I know not how to describe it!” exclaimed Florimel. ‘It is something that encourages the most heavenly hopes, throughout which there never- theless runs an under-current of fears ;—and yet these fears are not exactly what you would describe as gloomy apprehensions—they are rather an excit- ing influence, seldom or never sinking into despon- dency. Thus, when I tell you that I am unhappy because I fear, I should likewise avow that I am happy because I hope; and such a stranye, unde- finable sentiment is love, that these contradictory feelings—these opposite sentiments are experienced by the soul at one and the same time !” “Tis singular—most singular,” observed Pauline, in a musing tone: “and yet I think that I can fully understand what love must be.” “Friendship often ripens into love,” said Florimel. “ You can scarcely say often, my dear Gabrielle,” returned Pauline; “because it is very seldom that friendship ever subsists between a young Jady and a young gentleman who are not related to each other.” “Nevertheless, such is the case with regard to myself,” observed Florimel. “A sincere friendship exists between me and the object of my love.” “And on your side that friendship has already ripened into love ?” said Pauline, interrogatively. “Yes,” answered the disguised nobleman; “and if it be true that love begets love, I may yet see all my hopes fulfilled and my fears dissipated.” * Heaven send that you may, my dear Gabrielle !” exclaimed Pauline, in a tone of profound sincerity. “If I were a man I am certain that I could love you deeply and tenderly—and the more so, when 1 learnt that you already loved me.” “And what makes you hold this opinion, which is so flattering to me?” asked Florimel, trembling all over through very joy and pleasure. “ Because you are beautiful—extremely beauti- ful,” said Pauline, turning round towards him ; “and because you areso amiable—and good—and pleasing in your manners. Do you think, my dear Ga- brielle, that I should have conceived so sudden a boo S COMM QOLAPT KE