The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 309: what you’re looking at

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

294 THE MYSTERIES. orbs she gazed up into the countenance that was bending over her. At first there was a dull vacancy in that look— but the next moment the pupils of those sweet eyes were lighted up with the resuscitating beams of intelligence ;—and recollecting all that had oc- curred, the Princess said in a faint and tremulous tone, “I thank you, sir, for this kind attention on your part. A miStake—a strange mistake——” And stopping short, as the reminiscence ilashed to her mind that she had thrown herself weeping and sobbing upon the breast of a stranger, she blushed the deepest crimson. “Your Royal Highness may rest assured that I am aman of honour,” was the earnest and impres- sive response, as the gentleman delicately and tenderly assisted the Princess to regain her feet; “and tne words which fell from your lips ere now shall never be repeated by me. I can well under- stand how the error occurred—for I 4am no stranger to the fact that a marvellouS resemblance subsists betiveen myself and his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.” “So extraordinary a likeness I never beheld till now!” murmured the Princess Amelia, casting a timid look upon the countenance which still wore an expression of extreme mournfulness mingled with a tender interest: then, hastily re-arranging her dress, she said, “ Again I thank you, sir, for the courtesy—nay, the generosity of your beha- viour towards me. May i request to be made ac- quainted with the name of one to whom I shall ever be under a great obligation ?” “Doubtless my romantic history and cruel mis- fortunes are not altogether unknown even to a lady so highly placed and so far removed from the world’s ordinary sphere, as your Royal Highness,” said the gentleman. “Fora short time was I the object of universal execration. A number of crimes, any one of which was sufficient to stamp a man with unredeemable infamy——” * AN! I know you, sir—and [I Sincerely, most sincerely sympathise with your misfortunes,” ex- claimed the Princess Amelia, @ sudden light break- ing in upon her memory. “I read your ease in the newspapers—and I now recollect full well that mention was made of the extraordinary likeness which you were said to bear to the Royal Family. That the report was indeed true, the incident of this morning has fully proved,” she added, casting down her eyes asa blush once more suffused her charming countenance: but almost instantly look- ing up again, she observed with a tone and manner | of winting artlessness, “ Sir Richard Stamford, you’ are aman of honour—and [I need not blush like a_ | Here have I dwelt for some days past—and when | the weight of thought becomes intolerable, I rush guilty thing for an error into which I fell so in- nocently.” “Your Royal Highness may look upon the in- cident which has just passed, as if it had never oc. | L should go mad: at others I seem to tremble upon eurred,” said the baronet. “ Nay—it is not altogether in such a light that I wish to regard it,” exclaimed the Princess: “be-. cause your conduct towards me has been too. generous and too delicately attentive to permit. such ingratitude as forgetfulness would be on my part. If you will become my companion to the Castle, I shall have much pleasure in presenting you to their Majesties ——” “Gracious Princess,” Sir Richard Stamford has- vened to observe, “you confer too much honour eo upon me. With delight shall I attend upon your Royal Highness to the immediate precinct of the regal dwelling; but ! crave your pardon if I ae- company you not beyond the threshold.” “Think you, Sir Richard Stamford, that you will be received with a cold and icy ceremony 2” exclaimed the warm-hearted Prineess. “No—no: I shall frankly and candidly inform my beloved father of the origin of our acquaintance—and he will thank you for your chivalrous behaviour to- wards his daughter. Come, Sir Richard Stam- ford—you shall escort me to the Castle.” And the Princess Amelia, with the most amiable cordiality of manner, but with all the maidenly dignity and graceful propriety of her rank and sex, took the arm which the baronet scarcely dared to offer her. “Your Royal Highness,” hesaid, as they proceeded Slowly towards the Castle, “has honoured me with an invitation whieh under any circumstances would amount to a eommand, but which has been given in a tone of such kindness that it were an unpar- donable rudeness and a coarse brutality on my part to offer an excuse. Nevertheless; 1 must incur the risk of your Royal Highness’s displeasure——” “You are incapable of deserving it, Sir Richard Stamford,” hastily exclaimed the Princess Amelia. “If you do not wish to proceed beyond the thres- hold of the Castile, I shall give you credit for en- tertaining some good reason for declining my in- vitation—and we shall not be on less friendly terms on that account.” “Every word your Royal Highness utters lays me under a fresh obligation to you,” said Sir Richard Stamford. Permit me, then, to explain myself, My recent misfortunes have produced an effect which cannot be immediately mitigated— and never ean be altogether subdued. A few weeks ago—and I was a happy husband, enjoying the blessings of a cheerful home and a wife whom Iadored: now Iam alone in the world—widowed in my love, and with my home awreck! Impelled by a sense of duty towards society as well as by those feelings of vengeance which the most virtuous cannot altogether crush and annihilate at the bot- tom of their souls, f pursued my enemies until I sent them to the scaffold. Martin and Ramsey perished by the hand of the public executioner: but at the same moment that the drop fell, launch- ing them into eternity—then also ebbed away the excitement which the proceedings taken against them had kept alive in my mind. A deep despon- dency supervened—and I felt that its influence was irresistible. I fled from the din of London—I sought the retirement of the environs of Windsor. out into the open air—I come hither—and in this park do I wander for hours. Sometimes I fear lest the verge of suicide,” “ Great heaven ! talk not thus, Sir Richard Stamford,” ejaculated the Princess, looking up into his countenance with an expression of such sym- pathy as a sister might evince towards a well-be- loved brother ; for she felt herself irresistibly drawn towards that unhappy gentleman whose misfortunes had constituted one of the most extraordinary ro- manees in real life that ever became known to the world. (C@) VOOKKS.EO