The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 115: what you’re looking at

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eee ees ee ——— —_— - 98 . THE MYSTERIES OF VAE COURT. them to such straits. But he did not scem to take! and nuiritious food for her invalid mother: but any notice of the emotions his words and manner ! while she was s. doing she experienced a gradual thus excited; and having scrutinized the duplicates, : return of that fecling of sadness which had arisen he gathered them all up mm a methodiea! way,{ from the distressing scene of the previous night. wrapped them in paper and thrust thex into his | The thought that she had been suspected by her rapncious breeches-pocket. | mother rankled in the poor girl’s heart—not with “J shall take care of there and took over them/ any sentiment of bitterness against that parent, ecain at my Icisure,” he said: then fixing bis eyes: whom she forgave from the bottom of her soul; but upon Henrietta, he asked, “ Do you like the stage ? | with a deep sorrow to think that her own conduct and do you want to keep on it ?” | had not been sufficient in all its purity to guarantee She burst into tears, as if the very question were | her against such an injurious suspicion. an insult to her pure and delicate feelings. Mrs. Leyden, who watched her attentively during “T could worship the generous benefactor,” cried | her present occupation, observed the natural pen- —_— ~—_——--- Mirs. Leyden, “who would enable that dear girl to | siveness of her countenance gradually deepening . quit a profession which she abhors, and to which} into mournfulness: and shedivined the cause. But nothing but a dire necessity could have induced her | she thought that the best plan under present cir- to have recourse. When we were first reduced to] cumstances was to say nothing more upon the sub- distress, she endeavoured to support us by needle- | ject. Not that she was above repeating her prayer work: but it was so precarious and so badly | for forgiveness at her daughter’s hand; but because paid” ' She fancied that the less that was said upon the “Of course it is!”’ ejaculated the visitor. “‘ Don’t matter the sooner the impression of it would wear you know that in this Christian country which gave | away from the young girl’s mind. Besides, if any twenty millions to emancipate the black slaves in | portion of the promises at which their late visitor the West Indies, there are swarms and swarms of | had hinted should receive fulfilment, Mrs. Leyden white slaves for whom this same Christian country | cheered herself with the hope that in the joyous would not voluntarily give twenty million pence? | excitement produced by a change of circumstances, But no matter: let us talk of your own affairs. | Henrietta would very speedily forget the little in- Do you think, ma’am, that you could béar removal | cident which was now occupying her thoughts. from this wretched den to a little better lodging, if| Nor did Mrs. Leyden fail to perceive something such were provided for you?” that might even be termed satisfactory in the way Mrs. Leyden, in a few words,—but these were | that Henrietta had taken the thing to heart: for uttered in « tone of deepest feeling,—gave tiie gen- | did it not prove that the young maiden was de- tleman to understand that she thought and hoped } licately sensitive in respect to her virtue, and that her indisposition had been produced, and indeed was | the least breath of suspicion tarnishing the fair now continued, more by want of proper nourishment | mirror of her reputation was esteemed by her as 4 and by grief and anxiety than by anything more | misfortune not to be borne? serious; and while she was speaking Henrietta} A more comfortable meal than for many a long gazed with mingled hope and suspense upon the , day had been partaken of by this family, was pre- visitor’s countenance, in order to gleam from its] sently served up by Henrietta’s own hands; and expression whether she dared anticipate that such a| when she saw how her little brother enjoyed bim- change could be effected on her mother’s behalf as! self, and how her mother’s spirits were rallying the one he had alluded to. | under the genial influences of hope, the poor girl’s “Well,” he said, with looks that were inscrutable, . countenance again brightened up, and she appeared “we must see what is to be done. I think that you | to forget the occurrence which had been troubling her. are a very good girl, Miss Henrietta: for the mo- | Scarcely was the meal over, when heavy footsteps ment you got money, you did not go and dress| were heard ascending the stairs: then there was a yourself out in finery as most young persons of your | loud knock at the chamber-door—and on little age would have done,—and besides, you thought of | Charley, who was now all life and spirits, rushing your mother and brother first. I am very well | forward to answer the summons, a man in the garb pleased at that. As for the fifteen shillings you | of an hotel-porter made his appearance laden with spent in embellishing this little fellow here, I can’t | packages. The instant Henrietta’s eyes embraced find it in my heart to blame you for the outlay, | those packages at a glance, she reeogniaed the nu- although it was rather extravagant: he is a sweet | merous parcels which from time to time, and with boy, and it’s natural to wish to see him look well. | almost a breaking heart, she had borne to the pawn- I do not mean to say any more at present — but it’s |} broker’s ;—and if on those occasions she had wept very likely you will hear from me again.” bitter tears of hopelessness and despair, she now When the eccentric visitor had taken his-leave, | burst into tears again, but with joy, and gratitude, little Charley caught hold of his sister’s hand, say- | and gladness! ing, “I don’t lke that old gentleman: he seems} “A gentleman has sent me up with all these so cross and ill-tempered, and he made you cry | things,’ observed the porter, who was a good- once——” tempered fellow himself and had not failed to com. “Yes, my dear Charley: but you must like him,} prehend that he had been made, though humbly though,” returned Henrietta; “for he is no doubt] and partially, the instrument of a good action, a very good man. Oh, my dear mother!” ex-| “ Well, Miss, you had better ery for joy than for claimed the young girl, turning towards her parent, | sorrow,” he went on to say. “ But the old gentle a ‘is there not now some beam of hope for us P” man desired me to tell you that you are all to be “J think so. Pray God that it is so!” answered | ready this evening between five and six o’clock, as Mrs. Leyden. he shall come and fetch you to go to some nicer Henrietta now hastened to prepare some good fodgings.” —_—_- (E©) connicbooks