The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 237: what you’re looking at

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

| | ae 222 THE MYSTERIES, thing surprising in the circumstance of her husband having given such an Invitation, yet the fact that the Prince had accepted it—nay, she felt assured, must have thrown out some hint which elicited it—was too significant not to be understood by the lady. Then—Oh! then, how violent was the struggle which had taken place between her virtue and her inclinations: how tumultuous was the agitation which filled her heart, as her physical and her moral nature warred together;—how dire was the conflict between the flesh and thespirit! There was a woman imploring heaven to keep her chaste—clasping her hands and beseeching her God to preserve her in the path of duty—exerting every energy to maintain her footing in the ways of rectitude,—but yielding—bend- ing—succumbing beneath the weight of indomitable passions—burning with the fiercest desires! The battle vas maddening—the strife was excruciating. Oh! how she prayed for strength—for succour: and yet her strength failed her fast—and succour came not. She resolved to retreat to her own chamber—to send by a servantan apology for her absence with a plea of indisposition: but scarcely had she thus de- termined, when voices on the landing without met her ears—and she had barely time to seat herself on the sofa before the Prince and her husband made their appearance, No wonder, then, that her cheeks were flushed— that her eyes shone witha brilliancy that was wild and feverish : no wonder that her heart palpitated vio- lently and she gave a sudden convulsive start, as the heir-apparent placed himself by her side upon the sofa. And he noticed her emotions, but divined not the true cause: his licentious, profligate, and demoralised nature led him to mistake the results of that severe internal wrestling for the evidences of a passion as heated, as inflamed, and as longing as his own. The Karl, having thrown one rapid glance upon his wife, examined some new China ornaments which had that day been placed upon the mantel-piece: it was therefore clear to Eleanor that he either did not per- ceive anything strange in her appearance, or that if he did it engendered no unpleasant suspicion in his mind. Relieved and consoled by the circumstance that her excitement had thus again escaped the observa- ton of her husband,—and summoning all her forti- tude to her aid,—the Countess of Desborough as- sumed a composure, almost verging to a gaiety, which she did not entirely feel; and in the endeavour to seem cheerful, contented, and free from any cause of annoyance or embarrassment, she over-played her part. ‘The consequence was that her manner ap- peared so supremely happy—her discourse sparkled with such gems of wit and flashes of intellect—her laugh was so melodiously hearty—and her smiles were so enchantingly radiant, that it was impossible for her to prove more agreeable. The cofiee was handed round—the Prince and the Earl each took a small glass of exquisite ligueur— and the convers3tion was progressing in the same brilliant style as before, when his Royal Highness, in quoting a line of poetry, attributed it to the wrong author. Eleanor corrected him: but he declared that he was right. Thereupon the Earl, starting from his seat, volunteered to fetch from the library a volume which would set the matter at rest; and he lett the But scarcely had the door closed behind him, ee = — | when the Prince, seizing the h4nds of the Countess. pressed them to his lips, covering them with kisses. “Oh! you are determined to ruin me, body and soul!” murmured Eleanor, allowing her head to droop upon his shoulder, so that her hair mingled with his and her soft warm cheek lay against his own. “Ruin you, my angel!” cried the Prince, throwing his arms about her neck and straining her to his bosom: “I would die to promote your happiness! O Eleanor—dearest Eleanor—I loye—I adore you: drive me not to despair !” And, unwinding his arms, he raised her head with his hands, and imprinted a thousand kisses upon her lips,—burning kisses which she returned—yes, she returned—for she was now borne headlong on the torrent of voluptuous feelings into which her fate appeared to plunge her. “ Dearest — dearest Eleanor!” whispered the Prince; “you cannot fail to suspect wherefore L have remained here to-night. Again, therefore, I say—do not drive me to despair. Murmur in my ears a single word—an instruction to guide me to your chamber——” And once more he strained her to his breast: once more he covered her charming, blushing, burning countenance with kisses ;—and, in the delirium of the moment—in the intoxication of ineffable feelings —in the whirl of all the tenderest emotions which woman’s heart can know, the yielding Eleanor did murmur the few words of instruction which her daring companion craved. Then, tearing herself from his embrace, she smoothed her hair and her dress, and strove to tran- quillise her sensations and compose her features ere her husband returned to the room. Fortunately on her account, several minutes yet elapsed before he made his appearance: otherwise he could not have failed to observe the thrilling ex- citement which possessed his wife, and whence she found it so difficult to recover. Apologising for his prolonged absence on the ground that he could not immediately find the book which he sought, the Earl of Desborough opened the volume he carried in his hand; and the Prince of Wales was compelled to acknowledge that he was wrong in his opinion and that the Countess was right. This point being settled, the conversation was pursued until near twelve, when Eleanor rose to withdraw. ‘The Prince took her hand; and, as he pressed it warmly but rapidly, he darted upon her a glance so full of meaning that she was forced to turn away immediately in order to conceal the burning blush which that look called up to her features. The moment the Countess had quitted the room, a deep and sudden sadness fell upon the Earl—a sadness so profound, so strange, so irresistible, that the heir-apparent could not help observing it. The nobleman complained that indisposition had thus | abruptly seized on him; and, endeavouring to | smile, he declared it to be nothing—a mere trifle | —and already passing away. But that smile— oh f | it was so ghastly —so death-like —so positively hideous, that the Prince was alarmed; and, ima- | gining that the Earl was about to faint, he rushed ! towards the bell. | Lord Desborough started up—eaught the hand of his Royal Highness just as it touched the be NSS — _—_—_——_—_— Oe n— nn ee eee — ~ a COME DOOKSaEO