The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 148: what you’re looking at

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eee tee THE MYSTERIES OF FHE COURT. 133 I at once interrupted her with the assurance that I | The Marauis strained her to his breast—covered entertained no such mean,and mercenary idea; and | her lips and her cheeks with kisses—lavished upon I then very frankly proceeded to inform her that I | her the tenderest epithets—and breathed the most was enamoured of a young lady with whose love I | solemn protestations, and pledges in her ears. was blessed in return—that I had not dared reveal “‘ And now, dearest,” he said, “ you will not refuse to her the circumstance of my wedded condition— | to be mine so soon as I shall have obtained the but that if it were possible to procure and destroy | means of guarantecing an adequate maintenance? the evidences of that marriage, the boon conferred : At the beginning of this conversation, I informed upon me would be immense. Hereupon my wife you that a change in the French Ministry had given at once promised to relieve my mind in this , power to an individual who has influence enough to respect. She told me that she was in possession“of , compel the King to do me justice, though so tar- the marriage certificate, together with certain docu- | dily ; and in a short time I may expect a diplomatic ments testifying to the authenticity of that certifi- | situation. Then cate, and signed by those who witnessed the bridal. | “ Yes—then,’ murmured Constance, “I will be- All these papers she frankly offered to place in my | come thine!” hands, so that I might do with thém as I chose. Again were there caressings, and embracings, and You may conceive, Constance, with what joy and | the breathing of tender vows; and the two lovers gratitude I accepted this offer. She accordingly | experienced, if possible, a greater amount of happi- made an appointment for me to receive the papers; | ness, cr at all events of satisfaction and content, in and she promised that they should be faithfully | | consequence of the explanations which had taken remitted to me on che day, at the hour, and at the | place on this memorable occasion, place named. We then parted, as mere acquaint-| ‘Now, dearest Constance,” said the Marquis, ances, in the same way that we had just met, our | “you shall play me one of those beautiful airs which interview having lasted but for a few minutes, | carry such ineffable bliss in unto my heart when the and the whole conversation being confined to the | music is made by your fair fingers. You have your topics which I have mentioned. We did not even | guitar with you—and I am sure that I shall not shake hands, nor make any inquiry into each other’s | beseech this favour in vain?” circumstances, beyond the one question which my| Constance took up the instrument and began to wife put to me whether I wasin want of money. I | run her fingers over the strings, while the Marquis, have now nothing more to say, unless it be to add | rising from the seat, leant against the pedestal of a that the appointment was faithfully kept by an’ huge vase that stood close by, so that his tender emissary from my wife, and the papers were all gaze might embrace the entire form of that ravish- placed in my hand. I have them at my residence— ! ing creature whom he loved so fondly and who loved I have not destroyed them—and were it not for my | him so devotedly in return. But scarcely had the oath’s sake, I would show them to you, dear Con- ; beautcous Constance begun to strike the strings of stance, But I dare not reveal the names which ! her guitar, when J uliana, who in the meanwhile had appear in the marriage-certificate and the other gone through the ceremony of the toilet and ex- documents, Now, save and except the entry in the changed her deshabillée for a dinner costume, came register at the British Ambassador’s chapel in Paris, hurrying down the gravel-walk with the intimation no evidence could possibly be produced— unless that Lady Saxondale had returned, and that she had indeed by my own hand—to prove that I was ever | intimated her intention of taking half-an-hour’s wedded to another. Finalty, I will ask you, Con- | ramble in the garden before dinner. stance, whether under all these circumstances—|{ The Marquis snatched a hasty embrace from his especially the last—I should not have been almost | adored one; and hurriedly shaking hands with her iustified in representing myself as single and un- | sister, he made good his retreat by the side-door of married?” | the garden. Constance gave no immediate answer: she re- flected profoundly. What course was she to pursue P That she might in all safety become the wife of the Marquis of Villebelle without having her right to CHAPTER -XX2- that name ever disputed, seemed beyond the possi- FLORINA. bility of doubt: but on the other hand, could she | look upon herself as the legitimate and neta wife, WE must now return to Lady Florina Staunton, of this nobleman who had been wedded to another ? | whom we left at the moment when scarcely able to Again, on the favourable side, it was scarcely. , subdue a violent outburst of her anguish, she to be supposed that the English law would re- | sought the window-recess with the seeming pretext cognize a marriage such as that which the Marquis ! of beholding the departure of Lady Saxondale’s had been so mysteriously led into; inasmuch as it | splendid equipage, but in reality for the purpose of had never been consummated, and appeared on the. hiding her tears. Lady Macdonald, not for an in- very face of it a mockery too scandalous to be re- : stant suspecting that every syllable Lady Saxondale garded in the hght of a grave solemnity. And on ' had uttered was a dagger plunged deep down into this same favourable side, too, was the young lady’s | the heart of her niece, began commenting in the love for the French nobleman: so that after a few | bitterest manner upon the presumed insolence of minutes’ deliberation the arguments on this side | William Deveril; and thus each word spoken by the proved the weightier ; and extending her fair hand ' aunt produced a fresh pang in the bosom of tho to the Marquis, she exclaimed, “ No, Etienne, I, gentle Florina. Still however did the unhappy cannot separate from you! I cannot resign this | young lady remain in the room: for she was afraid dream of bliss! I love you—and in the world’s that by a too precipitate retreat she would excite despite will I love you on unto the end.” | Lady Macdonald’s suspicion. It was an excru- ieee EOMICcloookxs (CO)