The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 78: what you’re looking at

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— SS eee THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 61 “ No—far from it: and between you and me, my lord, the conquest will not prove altogether so difficult as you may fancy. But here she comes! Hasten away for a few minutes!” Lord Saxonda'e, whose ear had suddenly caught the sounds of an approaching vehicle at the same time as the lady’s-maid’s, at once acted in obedience to her suggestion, and hurried higher up the road. Then stopping and looking back, he perceived a brougham drive up to the gate of the villa-garden. The lady’s-maid immediately issued forth—the coachman leapt down—and one person only emerged from the carriage. That person was a female—and she at once entered the precincts of Evergreen Villa. ‘“ Now then,” thought Saxondale to himself, as he experienced a thrilling exultation of the heart, “it is about ten to ove that within a very few minutes I shall have the happiness of being in the presence of Signora Vivaldi. That soubrette of her’s is an artful hussey, and is pretty sure to manage the business cleverly. Ah! now the coachinan takes the vehicle round to the stables. I wonder how long I shall have to wait here ? Perhaps the maid is already opening the matter to her mistress. But if the world only knew what I have discovered to-night—that the beau- tiful Angela Vivaldi, whose virtue has been paraded off as immaculate as her loveliness is transcending, is nothing more nor less than the kept mistress of one of the great Dons of the Opera, what casting up of eyes, and holding up of hands, and lifting up of voices there would be! Well, after all, it will be a conquest of its kind— because I know she has refused so many offers and has treated so many letters with contemp- tuous silence. And yet, if she should all of a sudden receive me into favour it will be rather astonishing. But the soubrette spoke confidently enough! Ah! I know wht it must be! This Signora has her pride and has refused two or three Marquises, four or five Karls, and a whole score of Barons, just because they were not of ancient family; and I presume that cunning soubrette, knowing that I am descended from an- cestors who lived in the time of the Tudors, is very well aware beforehand that her mistress will not say nay to me.” In these and similar musings did half-an-hour pass, while the conceited young nobleman was kicking his heels toand froin the road. At length he became uneasy. Was it possible that the lady’s-maid had been laughing in her sleeve at him the whole time? He began to fear so. But if it were the case, would it not add the crowning ig- nominy to all the previous humiliations of this memorable night? Saxondale was rapidly falling into despondency. But ah! the front door of the villa opens—a female form trips forth and speeds down to the gate! With hope suddenly reviving —not merely reviving, but soaring up into exul- tation—Lord Saxondale hurries thither; and the first glance he obtains of the lady’s-maid’s coun- tenance, is the harbinger of happiness. ‘“ Well, what news have you for me?” he im- patiently asked. ‘ Let this be the reply,” responded the soubrette: and she opened the gate. Edniund hastened in: the young woman shut the gate—and hurriedly conducted him into the hall. ‘khere, as she closed the front door, she threw upon him a look full of arch meaning, and whispered “Did I not tell you that I should succeed ? did I not promise a triumph ?” Lord Saxondale could scarcely retain his joy as he breathed the most liberal promises in the ears of the young woman. “ Walk in, my lord,” she said throwing opena door leading out of the hall. ‘ My mistress will be with you immediately. She is merely making some change in her toilet.” Saxondale entered an apartmtment that was not merely elegantly, but even luxuriously fur- nished. A table in the centre was spread with a supper consisting of several cold dainties and choice wines. ‘The curtains had been drawn closely over the windows; and the room was lighted by a lustre suspended from the ceiling. “Now,” thought Lord Saxondale to himself, “in a few minutes—perhaps in a few seconds—I shall have an opportunity of gazing close upon those charms which I have already devoured from a distance. but hers isa loveliness which cannot diminish by anear view. Ali! what happiness !”— and he literally rubbed his hands with deligbt. At this moment he heard female voiees whis- pering in the hall: then the door opened—and then a lady of tall stature, great beauty, and elastic walk, entered the room. She was clad in an elegant wrapper thrown loosely around her ; and in her appearance there was not merely that negligent abandonment of one who has just put on a deshabillée, but also a meretricious exposure of her charms. She was not the Signora Vivaldi—and there- fore Lord Saxondale at once took her to be either a guest or a relation of a fair danseuse. He accordingly bowed with the politest courtesy, but volunteered no explanation of his object in obtaining this interview. “Your lordship will doubtless think me very indiscreet and very imprudent,” said the lady, motioning him to be seated, as she threw herself listlessly upon a sofa placed near the supper- table, “in receiving you at this time of night—or rather, I should say, at so early an hour in the morning: but from all that my maid told me of your lordship’s anxiety to form my acquaintance, I was vain enough to suppose ” %“ Your maid?” echoed Lord Saxondale, with unfeigned astonishment. “Surely there must be some mistake? It was the fair mistress of the villa to whom I was desirous of paying my respects.” “ And I, my lord,” answered the lady, reddening with mingled indignation and wounded pride, “ am the mistress of the villa! If your lordship is disap- pointed, and expected to meet some other person, your lordship can retire. It was not I who sought this interview: and therefore the humiliation of the mistake will not rest with me.” “ To not be angry, I beseech you !” cried Saxon- dale, scarcely recovering from his bewilderment. “Tt is true that I had been led to imagine another lady lived here: but the one in whose presence J have the honour to find myself, is so charming a substitute that it is as it were only finding myself in one part of Paradise when I had fancied that I was being led to another.” Your lordship at all events has the art of turn- ing a compliment most prettily,” said the young lady, smiling so as to reveal a set of very beautiful aD COMIC DOO© SS (CO)