The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 133: what you’re looking at

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118 THE MYSTERTES OF THE COURT. it free rein and permitted it to bear me away like a | and Mary-Anne drew forth from the bosom of her courser that I could stop if I chose, but would not. No—I can assure you, my dear girl, that I wrestled against it—I struggled—and being then deeply imbued with the prejudices in which I had been reared, I also felt humiliated in my own eyes— my pride was hurt—my dignity was offended—I fe)t indeed as if I were touching upon the threshold of a crime! But the power of love has risen triumphant above all such false notions and wretched artificialities. When I have surveyed that beautiful youth, I have felt—Oh! I have felt, that there is no sacrifice I could not accomplish for his sake. Think of all the young noblemen and gentlemen who frequent our saloons, Constance, and tell me one whose voice possesses a sweeter music than that of Francis Paton! Think of them all again—scan them one by one—pass them in re- view through your mind—and tell me if your thoughts can settle upon any individual amongst them whose countenance is endowed with so sub- lime and intelligent a beauty! As for gentility, is he net exquisitely genteel, even in that menial garb Which he wears? Does it not become him as well as the searlet uniform upon the tightly-laced figure of ite young military fop? Strip him of that me- niai garo—-iet him be apparelled in the plain but fashionabie clothes of a gentleman—and what evi- denee vf his plebeian origin will remain? Besides, after ali, who knows that his origin is plebeian at all? For I believe, from what I have heard, it is involved in much obscurity. He was at first a page at Court—but was suddenly removed, he himself scarcely knows why; and it was Lord Petersfield who recommended him to our mother. To a certain extent there is a sort of mystery hanging over him —a mystery which first attracted my interest, in- spired me with sympathy, and led me on to love.” “ And heaven grant, my dear sister,’ replied Constance, deeply moved by Juliana’s speech, “ that you may prove happy in this love of your’s! But you say that as yet you have not in words revealed it to Frank Paton? Think you that he is aware that you love him——” “Tam sure of it,” responded Juliana, with im- passioned warmth; “and I am equally confident that he loves me in return! But he is timid and bashful, and also retiring—more perhaps from a due sense of his position than naturally so; and never from his lips dare I hope for the first avowal. But from mine—yes, from mine—shall he receive that avowal of love which I know and feel to be re- ciprocal! Often and often, during the last few weeks, has such an avowal trembled upon my tongue, when for a few minutes I have found myself alone with him; and yet I have not had the courage to let it go forth. But the next oppor- tunity——~” At this moment the door opened, and Mary- Anne the principal lady’s-maid especially devoted to the service of the two sisters, entered the room. The quick glance which she flung around to assure herself that they were alone, and the expression of mingled archness and importance which was upon her very handsome countenance, at once revealed the object of her coming. “He is here ?” said Constance, springing from her seat and bounding towards the lady’s-maid. “No, Miss: but this letter has just arrived :”’— —_—_.- -—_— dress a little billet which she handed to her young mistress. “He will be here at four o’clock'!” exclaimed Constance, her beautiful countenance becoming radiant with joy as she glanced over the contents of the letter. ‘“ Mary-Anne, you must be upon the look-out at the side door as usual.” “Trust me, Miss,’ replied the abigail, proud of being the confidante of this important secret. “I will take care everything goes well. Her ladyship will not be home till five: she told her own maid g0.” Mary-Anne then retired; and Constance, looking at the time-piece, exclaimed, “It is half-past three o'clock! I must go up and dress. And you, Ju- lana——” “T do not feel in the humour for exertion at present,” answered the elder sister. “I will go up presently. But rest assured, my dear Constance, that while the Marquis is with you in the garden I will keep watch as well as the faithful Mary-Anne.” Constance thanked hey sister, and hurried out of the room. Five minutes afterwards the door again opened; and this time it was to give admittance to Francis Paton, who carried in his hand a massive silver salver, upon which there was a periodical of Court News and Fashionable Intelligence, to which the young ladies regularly subscribed, CHAPTER XXVIII. THE LADY AND THE PAGE, A SUDDEN glow of fervid delight thrilled through the entire form of the Hon. Miss Juliana Farefield, as her magnificent dark eyes settled upon the beau- tiful countenance and symmetrical figure of Francis Paton. The blood mantled upon her cheeks; and her bosom heaved with a long sigh of pleasure as he approached. We have already said, when describing this ex- ceedingly fascinating youth, that he had but little colour upon his cheeks: indeed his countenance was somewhat pale—not with a dull pallor of ill-health, but with that animated paleness which is character- istic of a high order of intellectuality. Nevertheless, the little colour that there was on Frank’s cheeks rapidly deepened as he beheld the regards of the young lady fixed upon him with an expression at once burning and tender. Nor less did he expe- rience a kindred sensation of eestatic feeling, as if catching the transfusion of the fervid passion which inspired Juliana’s heart. With tremulous fingers did the patrician lady take the publication off the silver tray; and as she did so, her own fair hand was lightly and intention- ally swept over that with which the page was hold- ing the salver. Eler eyes were all the time upturned towards him, with an expression of glowing ten- derness which he could not mistake, and the spirit of which it was impossible to avoid catching. Moreover, that touch had galvanized him: it had sent its electric influence throughout his entire form —an influence as potent as the magnetic source from whence it had emanated. The salver actually vibrated in his tremulous hand; and suddenly seized with confusion, he was turning away, when ~-$<— ee Gomicdooks (€©)