The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

¢ which they had received from Mrs. Smith. covered, had not the luxuriant curls showered down upon them—wantoning also over the rich contours The glance of an experienced eye would have how- ever shown that Octavia had devoted more care than Pauline to her toilette. The younger sister was satis- fied when the mirror told her that she looked as well as ever she did in her best apparel: but Octavia had studied to excel on this special occasion. Never had she bestowed so much pains upon that glorious auburn hair which in its warm and sunny hues seemed to indicate the ardent nature of her tempera- ment: never had she stood so long before the glass to admire those deep blue eyes which now seemed melting with voluptuous languor ;—and never had she before thought of observing which smiles im- parted the sweetest expression to her moist red lips, or set off her brilliant teeth to the greatest advantage. transcendent loveliness; and as she cast a slow, lin- gering look over her entire form as it was reflected in the long mirror, her cheeks flushed with exulta- tion and her neck arched superbly as if in anticipa- tion of some triumph which her charms were des- tined to achieve. And now behold the two sisters seated in the front parlour, one on either side of the cheerful fire that blazes in the grate. The curtains are drawn over the window—the lamp diffuses a softly golden lustre throughout the small but comfortable room—and the table is spread with the tea-things, which give an air of such perfect domesticity to the scene that a prince, had he been present, would have gladly accepted the invitation of those beautiful girls to join them in the humble meal. Pauline was whiling away the time with a ro- mance: Octavia was absorbed in her reflections. These were however by no means disagreeable : for, with the sanguine disposition characteristic of her age and her inexperience, she had fallen into a train of thought which gradually led her on to a shadow- ig forth of her own views of happiness—that de- lightful castle-building upon the golden sands of the future ! The expected coming of Mr. Harley had led her to reflect upon his handsome person—the easy ele- gance of his address—the nobility of his air—his melodious yet manly voice—the irresistible sweet- ress of his smile—and the fascinating style of his con- versation. Then she remembered that he had declared himself to be unmarried—and an involuntary sigh stole upward from her bosom. She felt the blood rushing to her cheeks and her very ears tingling with the blushful glow; and though she started for a mo- iment and was even vexed with herself for having al- lowed the sigh to follow the reminiscence, yet at the THE MYSTERIES. should make such improvements to their toilette as she alleged to be suitable for the reception of a guest who was evidently accustomed to move in the best society; and Pauline, though more indifferent in the matter than her sister, readily assented. They ac- cordingly assumed their best apparel: and they did not forget to adorn themselves with the jewellery Never had either Octavia or Pauline appeared to sreater advantage than on the present occasion. The corsage of their gowns being very low, according to the fashion of the time, would have left their white and gracefully sloping shoulders completely un- that shaped their firm, plump, and well-rounded busts. She felt proud and happy in the consciousness of reverie, Wherein her girlish bashfulness gave way to a yielding softness and a dreamy voluptuousness. Suddenly a loud knock at the front-door startled Pauline from her book and Octavia from her medi- tations; and the latter awoke to what appeared to be a guilty consciousness of having made him who was now about to enter, the hero of her thoughts. Again did the blood rush to her cheeks; and the warm glow, not having had time to ebb away ere Mr. Harley was ushered into the room, overspread her lovely countenance once more with a renewed suf- fusion, Mr. Harley pressed Pauline’s hand with a friendly cordiality : but so enraptured was he by the blushing and voluptuous charms of Octavia, that he carried her hand hastily to his lips and imprinted upon it a fervent kiss. So sudden was this movement that Octavia had not time to resist, even if she had pos- sessed the inclination; and so rapidly was it accom- plished, that Pauline did not observe it. A tide of happiness appeared to rush in to the elder sister’s soul: it seemed to her as if she had unexpectedly and all in a moment experienced the realization of a delicious dream ;-—and indescribable sensations of bliss came over her like a warm glow, asif she had just quaffed a goblet of champagne. Mr. Harley was a thorough man of the world, and deeply versed in all the mysteries and intricacies of the human heart. But especially was he an able anatomist of the female mind, which he could dissect and comprehend in an instant. The emotions ex- perienced by Octavia were ‘not lost upon him: he perceived and deciphered:them almost as soon as they had sprung into existence ;—and he saw ina moment that he was not indifferent to her. She had not withdrawn her hand—she had uttered no ejacu- lation when he pressed it to his lips—nor had she resented his conduct. The blush that suffused her cheeks, was indicative of a deep and burning joy— and not an evidence of indignation ;—and Mr. Harley knew by the melting voluptuousness which beamed in her eyes, and by the profound heaving of her swelling bosom, and the sympathetic thrill which shot through every vein in her fair hand during the few seconds that he held it in his grasp,—by all these symptoms was he assured that he had only to de- mand the love of Octavia Clarendon in order to obtain it. “ Perceiving the preparations which had been made on the table, Mr. Harley declared that if there were one thing that he longed for more than another in the shape of refreshment at that moment, it was a cup of tea; and this assurance induced Pauline to bustle about all the more actively, while the guest seated himself next to Octavia. “ We have to thank you, Mr, Harley,” said this, young lady, her bosom palpitating with the sub- siding of her emotions, even as the swell remains on the surface of the ocean after the storm has passed, —‘“we have to thank you for the handsome present you sent us this afternoon——” “ A mere trifle—not worthy of your acceptance,” interrupted the visitor ; “but it consisted of the only things I could heap together in a hurry, for the purpose of proving that you were not absent from my thoughts—as yeu, indeed, never can be,” he added ina low and hasty whisper aside to Octavia, and with strong emphasis on the pronoun. “ But I pro- mised you certain explanations,” he continued almost next instapt she plunged again into a delicious’ immediately, perceiving that the elder sister’s con- LT C-SI tT fC tt EPG a I, Com Clooolkks. con