The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 198: what you’re looking at

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es THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT, plain and vindicate his conduct in respect to Lady Saxondale. But Lady Macdonald returned hwm his letter in a blank envelope. He wrote to her again ; and the second letter was returned unanswered. He called at the house once more, but was sternly denied an interview with her ladyship. Subse- quently he waited about in the neighbourhood, on various occasions, in the hope of seeing Florina: but in this expectation he was disappointed. Not for an instant suspecting that it was she whose voice he had heard under such mysterious circum- stances, that evening when she visited his villa- residence and when she had fled so precipitately, he of course knew not that she herself had any reason more than her aunt for thinking ill of him; and in his own heart he hoped and believed that Florina had xoé put faith in Lady Saxondale’s story. Thus Deveril buoyed himself up with the idea that Flo- rina herself had not turned against him, but at all events that if her suspicion or her jealousy had been excited, a word of explanation from his lips would clear up everything. He was therefore most anx- ious to find an opportunity of seeing her: but the whole week passed away without furnishing him auch an occasion. On her part Florina learnt from her aunt that he had called a second time and had also sent letters, but that his visit had been refused and his commu- nications returned to him. It was only in a casual manner and in the course of conversation that Lady Macdonald mentioned these circumstances to her niece; for, as before stated, she entertained not the slightest suspicion that the young lady experi- enced any degree of interest in William Deveril. But what did Florina think of the young man’s pertinacity in seeking to communicate with her aunt ? She could only set it down to a brazen effrontery; and her unfavourable opinion of him was thus materially enhanced. _ ™ Heknows not,” she said to herself, “‘ that it was I who was indiscreet and imprudent enough to re- pai to his country-residence, and even penetrate up to the very threshold of his door, on that night when the fatal truth of his proiligacy was made known to me. No—he could not suppose for an instant that I should have taken such a step—that I should have compromised myself in such a manner! He therefore fancies that the mode in which he is living is utterly unknown to me, and that therefore it is but Lady Saxondale’s story which he has to explain away. This he seeks to do through the medium of my aunt, in the hope that if he succeeded therein he would stand on the same footing as heretofore in respect to myself. Alas, alas! the deeper the insight I obtain into William Deveril’s character, the greater does his duplicity appear. Ah! and I who would have trusted my happiness to such a man—Qh! what a wreck should I have made of it. Better, better far to become the wife of Edmund Saxondale, who simulates no vir- tues, and therefore in his vices is at least free from hypocrisy, than bestow my hand on William De- veril, who is all deceit, all falsehood. I must banish his image from my memory would that I had not loved him as I have! But after all, the lesson is perhaps intended by heaven to render me obedient to the wishes of my relatives, and entrust my happi- ness to their guidance. Surely, surely, my aunt, who has been so kind and good to me, can have but 183 one motive in wishing me to espouse Edmund Saxondale P—and that motive is for the best. I | will accept my destiny—and henceforth will be ruled by her who has supplied to me a mother’s place.” Such was the train of reflections into which Lady Florina Staunton fell one evening, at the expiration of the week which had elapsed since the discoveries made concerning Deveril. She was seated in an apartment which looked upon the garden at the back of the house. The window was open—the bright green foliage of the trees outside waved around the iron railings of the balcony—and the perfume of the flowers was wafted into the room. There was a gentle breeze fraught with a refreshing influence after the sickly warmth of a sultry day ; and Florina stepped forth upon the baleony to woo the cooling zephyr to her throbbing brows and flushed counte- nance. For her cheeks had a hectic red, and seemed to burn with the fever-heat which was upon her and which had arisen from the troubled state of her mind, It has already been stated in a previous chap- ter that there was a means of egress from the premises at the back part of the house. This con- | sisted of a side-gate opening from the garden into a carrlage-way that ran between Lady Macdonald’s mansion and the adjoining one, the stables belong- ing to both being at the bottom. As Florina stepped forth on the balcony, from the height where she stood she could see over the enclosure-wall into the alley just spoken of, and it was with feelings which suddenly became strangely agitated and con- flicting that she beheld the object of her thoughts— William Deveril! Yes—there he was, standing in the lane, evidently watching for her appearance; and the ejaculation of joy which burst from his lips the moment she stepped forth upon the balcony, reached her ears in the stillness cf evening. Wer first impulse was to retreat: but a still more povertul feeling held her rivetted where she stood. What followed was the work of an instant. Deveril flew to the gate—tore it cpen—and rushed into the garden. There was something which struck Florina as so audacious, so full of a matchless effrontery in this proceeding, that all her patrician dignity came to her aid in a mo- ment. Drawing herself up to her full height, she waved her hand, saying, “ Depart, sir—dare not to intrude yourself within the privacy of this garden !” Deveril stopped suddenly short beneath the bal- cony, and gazed up with a look so full of astonish- ment and mournful reproach—so full of mingled tenderness and deprecating sorrow—that Florina felt a gush of ineffable emotions welling up from her heart, making her bosom throb, and producing a suffocating sensation in the throat,—so that her whole appearance grew suddenly changed and she seemed melting, yielding, forgiving! “Lady Florina,” said William Deverill, “I be- seech you to grant me a few minutes’ interview. It shall be to say that everything is at an end be- tween us, if you will—but let me not be discarded for ever from your heart in consequence of a vile calumny. After everything which has taken place between us, I have a right to expect the opportunity of giving an explanation—and you can scarcely be so cruel or unjust as to refuse mre one.” The young man spoke in a subdued but earnest voice. He spoke thus in a low tone for fear of OE E® NOOKS (CO)