The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 196: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 181 Ca EE 9 Sa PR Sn a But it is not so. We will if you please drop our to risk your life for her, that you may clear her path fancied characters, and resume our real ones:—that of an enemy; and if you accomplish this, you neea is to say, you shall be once more Lord Harold not accept her love as a favour or her wealth as a Staunton, and I will be an unknown lady of high boon, but demand them both as a right.” rank and title who loves you, who demands aser-| ‘I yield—I consent—l am your devoted Cava- vice at your hand, and who offers you everything lier—and you are once again my Queen Isabella, to that woman can give as the recompense of that whom all homage is due!” and as he thus spoke, service when it shall be accomplished. It is true, | Lord Harold Staunton pressed her gloved hand ta as I have been telling you, that I have an enemy— his lips. ‘ Now, name to me this individual ’ true that he must be removed from my path: but “ No—not to-night,” at once replied the lady. start not, Lord Harold Staunton—I ask you not to | “I must leave you a few hours to think well over commit the foul crime of murder! No—there are | the matter. To-morrow, soon after nine o'clock, other means of accomplishing the aim. First of | you shall receive the name of the individual in a all, however, I ask that you will believe me when I | letter. But I must exact. from you, my own cava- assure you I have been insulted by a certain indi- | lier, the most solemn and sacred promise that you vidual; and secondly, that I am serious in demand- will not breathe aught of all this to a single living ing his punishment at your hands.” soul. If by any accident you should suspect or “If you indeed be serious, most incomprehensible | discover who I am before the time comes when I unknown,” replied Staunton, ‘I will undertake to | may choose to reveal myself, you must still more punish any man who has insulted you.” religiously than ever keep the secret in your own “This is what I require,” continued the lady. | breast. If you vrove indiscreet I am certain to “You must seek out this individual to whom I | hear of it: if you breathe a single syllable in the allude; and without appearing to have any special | ear of another, although you may exact an oath of purpose in view, or to be prompted by a pre- | inviolability from that other, yet shall I be certain ' meditated design, you must provoke him to a quarrel | to find out your imprudence—I will even call it —level some insult at him—and then——For I un- | your treachery. And in that case my love would derstand that with the pistol no man in England | turn to hatred; and instead of looking for a re- can outvie Lord Harold Staunton——” compense, you would have to beware of my ven- “ But you are not serious—you cannot be serious'” | geance! But on the other hand, if you prove faith- ejaculated the young nobleman, who was not so | ful to your promise—if you keep the secret as reli- thoroughly depraved as to listen without emotion to | giously as if it were one revealed from the dead— this murderous project. “If it were to inflict per- | and if you serve me to the fullest extent, not de- gonal chastisement upon the individual to whom you | viating one single inch from the course I have laid are alluding, I should not hesitate——” down, there. is nothing you can ask of me that I “ And would not that inevitably lead to a duel?” | shall not be prepared to grant.” asked the lady. Haying thus spoken, the lady rose; and Lora “True!” ejaculated Staunton: then in a slow and | Harold likewise quitted his seat. He would have deliberate manner he said, “ But to seek in cold | detained her still longer —he would have be- blood a dispute with some one who has never injured | sought and conjured her to throw off at once the me——" mystery wherewith she had surrounded herself—but “Our interview may end here,” said the lady | she took his arm, and in a firm though still in a curtly as she rose from her seat. ‘I have been! low and disguised voice, said, “ Enough for the mistaken in Lord Harold Staunton; and I am sorry | present! Let us now lounge forth again amongst that I should have given him the trouble to listen | the company.” to me thus far still more sorry,” she addedina| They accordingly issued from the bowery alcove, murmuring voice, as if she were deeply moved, and threading the whole range of state apartments, “that I should have bestowed upon him my loye!” | conversed upon indifferent topics. But there was “Stop one moment—do not let us part thus!” | to a certain degree a restraint and embarrassment exclaimed Harold, whose head was turning with | on the part of both; and the lady, appearing to feel the bewilderment of his ideas and the infatuation of | this, suddenly observed, “ Lord Harold, let us sepa- his senses. “Forgive me if I hesituted: but all | rate for the present. Remember your promise: this is so singular—so romantic—indeel, it ap- ‘remember also that I love you !” pears to belong to another age and another coun- She then quitted him abruptly, and mingling try e amongst the thickest of the multitude, was speedily “And yet it belongs to this age, to this country, lost to his view. He remained standing where she and to the present moment,” rejoined the lady, had left him for two or three minutes, wrapt up in suffering herself to sink down again upon the sofa, profound thought, from which he was aroused by in compliance with the movement which Harold being suzitenly caught by the arm, It was Lord imparted to the pressure of his hand as he grasped Saxondale in his pasteboard armour who had thus her own. “ But in this age as well as in any other, | rejoined: him. and in this country too, the aspirng lover must “ Well, my dear Harold, how got you on with often do something to win his beauteous mistress; | your mysterious unknown?” he asked. “Is she and I have assured you, though I myself say the mysterious still? is she still unknown? and was it words, that the lady in the present case is worth the all a mere masquerading trick? Or are you really winning. Now listen to me for a minute longer. and truly blessed with the love of some lady whose You are gay, Lord Harold—and the love of a beauty outshines her virtue? By heaven, though I beautiful woman cannot be indifferent to you: you cannot see your face, yet I can tell that you are not are comparatively poor—and the wealth which she altogether as you ought to be!” can lavish must be an object to you. WYouare asked ‘ My dear Edmund, if I made a gesture of umpa- a ee wes -_— —- LLL ae tl et te ett ———se —— ee eee OO ——— COmicoooKksS.c®