The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 189: what you’re looking at

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

SS a en a ee THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 2 Nee ee ————————— eee “Ah! I have heard the name before,” said Editha. “But what do you suppose I can do with two hundred guineas towards paying all that is owing ?” * You must do what you can, my dear,” replied the Earl, with perfect uncoocern. “I wanted the remainder for my own special purposes.” At this moment a servant entered the room bearing a letter on a silver tray, and which he handed to the Countess. She took it languidly, supposing that it was a note of invitation or fri- volous correspondence from some female friend : but the instant she caught a glimpse of the hand- writing, she started slightly—in a scarcely percep- tible manner—while a gentle flush appeared upon her countenance. The Earl, who was observing her at the instant, noticed that little movement and this transient glow: and; he said, “ Who is your correspondent ?” “No one of any importance,” replied Editha: and having hastily scanned the contents of the note, she thrust it into her bosom. The Earl was neither astonished by the evasive answer which she gave him, nor by the manner in which she thus disposed of the letter—for they had long ceased to be on terms of mutual confidence and were not accustomed to communicate, much less peruse, each other’s correspondence. but he had noticed the start and the flush—and a suspi- cion, faint as the first glimmer of dawn in the ori- ental sky, gleamed in his brain. This was the first time he had ever entertained an idea derogatory to the honour of his wife. On the contrary, he had hitherto believed her strictly faith- ful to her marriage-vows. But now—he scarcely knew why—a certain uneasiness crept slowly upon him. That start, almost imperceptible as it was— and that blush, faint and transient though it were —hat engendered a vague and undefined misgiving in his breast. The next moment he found himself reflecting upon the fact that Editha belonged toa family notorious for its profligacy ; and he knew full well that her own passions were of the strongest, most fervid and insatiable description. All these thoughts traversed his brain in a few moments :—but dissembling the incipient uneasiness which he experienced, and suddenly determining not to excite in her mind the suspicion that he even entertained such a misgiving, he began to converse upon a variety of ordinary topics. On the other hand, Editha fancied that her temporary emotion on receiving the letter had escaped his observation ; and she discoursed with more gaiety and friendliness than she had for a long time manifested towards her husband, He would have given worlds to obtain a peep—just one peep—at that letter: but the thing was imprac- ticable. At one moment he was half inclined to seat himself by her side and begin to toy and dally with her: but such a course, by being most unusual on his part, would at once have excited her suspi- cions as to his real object. He therefore abandoned the idea, and resolved to watch her movements. Luncheon was presently served up: and afterwards Lady Curzon retired to her chamber to dress. The Earl went out to visit some friends; but they all noticed that he looked gloomy and absent. At six he returned home to dinner; ana as there was no company that day, he and his wife were alone to- gether. He drank more freely than usual, and Sn ee ee — +2 — — ___— - — ———— — —_ ——— vd forced himself into a gaiety which was after all so well assumed that it entirely deceived the Countess. “ What are you going to dowith yourself this evening?” he inquired, when the dessert was placed upon the table and the domestics had withdrawn. “T was thinking of passing an hour or two with Lady Lechmere,” was the quiet response. “ But I thought you did not purpose to go out to- day ?” said Curzon, regarding her furtively but with earnest attention. “T meant that I was in no humour to take my usual airing in the carriage,’ observed Editha, glancing towards the time-piece on the mantel. ‘ May I accompany you to Lady Lechmere’s 2?” asked the Earl, as he helped himself to claret. “ What anidea!” ejaculated the Countess, looking hard at her husband: then, feeling convinced that he suspected nothing, so well did he dissimulate, she observed, laughing, “The world will fancy you have become quite uxorious all onasudden. Besides, Lady Lechmere did not include you in the invita- tion she sent me this morning—for that note which I received when you were with me, was from her.” “Well, I do not press it,” said the Earl, appa- rently quite satisfied. “Only I thought that as we have been a little more friendly to-day than for some time past, it would be as wellif such feeling were to continue.” “ And who first destroyed that feeling?” asked Editha, with a slight accent of sarcasm in her voice. * T must confess that I have noteproved a model of a husband,” said the Earl: “but then there are allowances to be made. Remember the artificial state of society in which we live, move, and breathe, —think of the temptatations by which a man of my rank and position is inevitably surrounded ¥: ‘Oh! Ihave not time to discuss the point with you now,” exclaimed Editha, starting from her seat and laughing ina lively manner. “ It is seven o'clock, and I must hurry away. But I shall cheerfully promote the friendly feeling which you say has arisen between us once more. So now adieu—I am off to North Audley: Street,”—-where, we should ob- ‘serve, Lady Lechmere resided. “And I shall go and pass the evening with Leveson,” said the Earl: “ or else with Huntingdon, if the Marquis should not be at home.” The husband and wife both quitted the dining- room together. The former took down his hat from a peg in the hall, and sallied forth at once: and Editha, having seen him thus take his depar- ture, ascended to her own chamber. But the Earl of Curzon, instead of repairing to the Marquis of Leveson’s, hastened to the nearest hackney-coach stand—entered a vehicle—and re- turned in it to the immediate vicinage of his own mansiou. He ordered it to stop nearly opposite, as if waiting to receive a fare from the house at which it thus drew up: and remaining inside, he kept watch upon the door of his own dwelling. His wife’s carriage was already there: and in a few minutes he saw the front door open, Then a female figure, enveloped in a handsome cloak, and with a thick veil over her face, descended the stone steps and entered the carriage, which imme- diately drove away. Thrusting his head from the window of the hackney-eoach, the Earl directed the driver to follow the carriage at an easy distance: but when, ee 175 | ee lls ————— iSUGO COPA OVONO)