The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 350: what you’re looking at

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

— > oe —— ~ > ’ an THE MYSTERIES theusand pounds! and who knows but that she will double the amount of her demands when she finds that I yield to her first stipulation? No— Emily Archer must be dealt with in some other way. And nowreturn to your chaise. It is useless « prolong the discourse at present.” With these words Lady Saxondale turned abruptly round, and began retracing her steps towards the castle. Lord Haruvld Staunton stood irresolute for nearly a minute; and +e was half inclined to rejoin her ladyship and seek an expla- nation of those ominous words to whici she had just given utterance. But with a cold shudder he feared to have their meaning completely cleared up; and therefore hurried ba k to the cnaise, which quickly conveyed him on to the castle. As he alighted at the entrance-gates, he met his sister Florina, who had discreetly left Juliana and Mr. Hawkshaw to walk by themselves in the garden, knowing that the latter was paying his court to the former. “Ah, Flo!” said Harold, in the usual careless, indifferent manner wi h which he was accustomed to treat his sister. ‘‘ Lounging about by yourself— eh?” “You have returned unexpectedly, have you not ?” inquired Florina, with a look of somewhat anxious scrutiny at her brother’s appearance, which sufficientiy indicated that he had not been in bed all night. ; “Oh! I was desirous to get back,” he answered, assuming an off-hand manner. ‘* You know, when I went away I promised to rejoin you as soon as possible. But you look strange, Florina? Has anything happened? What is the matter P” “Nothing, nothing,” replied the young damsel. “You seem as if you required rest,—you have doubtless travelled all night——” “Yes—lI shall go and lie down for an hour or two:”—and thus speaking, Lord Harold Staunton hastened into the castle. “Oh, my poor unhappy brother!” murmured Florina to herself, as she turned abruptly away and proceeded along the bank of the river. “ What will become of you, if you are indeed, as I suspect, by some means ensnared in the meshes of Lady Saxondale ?” dfours passed away — evening came—and the company at the castle assembled at the dinner-table. Mr. Hawkshaw had been invited to remain: and he of course sat next to Juliana, towards whom his attentions were so marked that Lord Harold Staun- ton had no difficulty in perceiving he was paying his court to her. Lady Saxondale did the honours of the table with her wonted display of good-breeding ; and it would have been difficult for a casual observer to discern the agitation of a troubled soul beneath that external self-possession. Florina was silent and pensive: for not even Deveril’s parting injunc- tion, that she was to dissemble for a short period the unpleasant thoughts which his revelations had excited in her mind, could lead the young damsel so far to play the hypocrite as to appear joyous or gay wen she was receiving the hospitality of a woman whom she alike dreaded and loathed, and while shv was trembling for the welfare of a brother whom she knew to be ensnared in that designing woman’s trammels. After dinner the whole party descended into the _—— OOO a 335 OF TEE COURT. ———— garden, where they soon divided themselves into couples — Juliana and Mr. Hawkshaw pairing off into one avenue—Lady Macdonald and Florina into another—and Lord Harold Staunton remaining alone with Lady Saxondale. But scarcely had the two last-mentioned thus found themselves together —and ere a single syllable of any consequence had passed between them—the sounds of a travelling equipage dashing up to the castle, but concealed from their view by the trees, reached their ears. “This is doubtless the Opera-dancer,” said Lady Saxondale. “If so, I shall see her alune. Do not attempt to make your appearance: for after all you have told me, I question whether she would be over - well pleased to meet you.” “But what course do you purpose to adopt ?” inquired Harold, gazing earnestly upon Lady Sax- ondale’s countenance. “T must be entirely guided by circumstances,” rejoined her ladyship. A domestic now made his appearance, with the intimation that a lady, who had just arrived ina post-chaise, sought an immediate interview with the mistress of the castle. “Did she give her card or name?” asked Lady Saxondale, with perfect self-possession. “No, my lady,” returned the domestic. “She said that as she was unknown to your ladyship, it was useless to do so.” “T will see her,” said Lady Saxondale: and she accordingly re-entered the castle, the footman indi- cating the apartment to which the visitress had been shown. As the door was thrown open and Lady Saxondale crossed the threshold of that room, she armed her- self with all her patrician dignity—invested herself with all her haughty pride; and drawn up to her full height—stately as a queen, yet elegant and graceful in all her moveinents -she accu :ted the visitress, who rose from the seat which she had taken. At a glance Lady Saxondale scanned her from head to foot. She saw that she was handsome —that she was dressed with more magnificence than taste—and likewise that she possessed a hardihood and an effrontery well calculated for the business upon which she had come. Indeed, the spirit of the visitress was such as to prevent her from expe- riencing the slizshtest embarrass:nent on finding herself in the presence of the hauyhty and brilliant Lady Saxondale, whom however she regarded with some little degree of curiosity; for though she had occasionally seen her in her box at the Opera, and also in her carriage in the park, yet this was the first time that she had ever looked her face to face. “Whom have I the pleasure of addressing ?” inquired her ladyship, with a cold politeness, and seeming as if she entertained not the slizhtest idea of who her visitress was. “Perhaps your ladyship may have heard of Mademoiselle D’Alembert ?” * No, never—at least not to my present recollec- tion,’ responded Lady Saxondale, pretending to reflect, as if she were taxing her memory: and still by remaining standing, she sought to keep the dane- euse standin, likewise. “ And yet I have seen your ladyship at the Italian Opera,” resumed Miss Archer, whose pride was hurt at the thought of her name being so utterly un- known to Lady Saxondale. (CO) MICLOOKS (CO)