The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. at home,” said Christina, little thinking that she was addressing one of those of whom she spoke. “ Her ladyship willnot return for two hours fe “But Lord Octavian himself is in the house,” observed Meredith. “Twill ring and inquire,” said Christina: and she was rising from her seat, when the expression of Meredith’s countenance struck her as so pecu- har that she stopped short. ““No—Miss Ashton,” he said, “you need not make any such inquiry. Pardon me for a little deceit which was practised on you—forgive me— listen to me——” “Ah!” ejaculated Christina, with a faint shriek : but instantaneously recovering herself, she said somewhat coldly, “ You, then, are Lord Octavian Meredith?” “TI am,” he responded. “ Pray resume your seat—and suffer me to give you those explanations which are requisite.” Christina hesitated. There was in her mind a vague sense of impropriety in remaining alone with the young nobleman who had deceived her ; and yet she felt that it was a duty both to herself and to him to listen to whatsoever he might have to say. She accordingly sat down again—but spoke not a word; and her look was still cold, but with a certain tremulousness in it. “You will remember, Miss Ashton,” proceeded Meredith, speaking in the most respectful tone, and with a corresponding look—for he felt that he had an exceedingly difficult part to perform,— “you will remember that on the day I had the satisfaction of rendering you a trifling service, I penetrated your mé@tives in asking my name. You saw that a duel was probable—nay, more, that it was inevitable; and with the most generous of purposes you intended to give information to a magistrate. But my honour was at stake; and I was bound to meet that antagonist whom cireum- stances had suddenly raised up. ‘Therefore, to prevent your generous intentions from being car- ried out, I gave a false name ‘i “True! murmured Christina, as all the cir. cumstances flashed vividly back to her mind. “That duel,” continued Meredith, “ took place, as you are aware: but as no injury was the result, if was so completely hushed up that it never reached Lady Octavian’s ears. I trust to your generosity that it shall continue a secret in respeet to her. But to continue my explanations. I promised you, Miss Ashton, that you should be made acquainted with the result of that duel— that if I fell, my second should wait upon you with the intelligence—but that if I escaped unhurt, I would personally call to convince you of my safety. I did call—I sent up the name by which you already knew me: it was however my inten- tion to reveal myself fully to your knowledge. But when I beheld the simple tastes and: pursuits of your brother and yourself—pardon me for thus speaking—I thought that the frank and affable manner in which I was received, and the friendly feeling which your brother specially exhibited to- wards me, might receive a check if I proclaimed myself to be of titled rank. In my estimation that rank is nothing: but I know full well that as the world goes, as society is constituted, and as prejudices have their inZucnce, an aristocratic name has a certain prestige In a word, I saw 107 ~ enough of you both to wish to become your friend ; and I feared that as Lord Octavian Meredith I might not experience the same frank and open- hearted reception which was already given to Mr. Percival.” Meredith ceased: but Christina did not imme- diately answer him. As a matter of course the explanation was entirely satisfactory up to the point where it treated of the visit to the lodgings atter the duel: but from that point to the end it was less satisfactory. Miss Ashton was too art- less, ingenuous, and unsophisticated herself, to penetrate the subtleties of the human soul: but on the other hand, she was too intelligent and right- minded not to entertain a certain misgiving as to the young nobleman’s complete self-exculpation. A vague idea that the latter portion of his speech had some sophistry in it, floated in her imagina- tion: but yet she could scarcely explain the feel- ing to herself—from the simple reason that she could not possibly suppose Meredith to have been smitten with her beauty. “ My lord,” she at length said, speaking gravely and seriously, “I thank you for the explanations which you have given me: but I do not see how it is possible for me to withhold from her ladyship the circumstance that we have met before.” ‘You have not as yet uttered a word to Zoe about that duel ?” inquired Octavian hastily. “I know you did not yesterday—but to-day ?” “I have never spoken of it to a soul except my brother,” responded Christina. “But I really cannot comprehend, my lord, wherefore you should object to her ladyship becoming acquainted with a generous deed which you performed. The danger, thank heaven! has long been over a “Miss Ashton,” interrupted Meredith, “your own good sense gvill tell you that it can be no wel- come intelligence for a wife to learn that her hus- band has for more than two months treasured up a secret from her. Proclaim the truth, if you will, to Zoe—but pardon me for saying that you will be guilty of an act of unkindness towards myself, inasmuch as my wife would never put confidence in me again. If I happened to rise at an earlier hour than usual in the morning—or if I were de- tained out later than is my wont at night—she would torture herself with all possible anxieties— she would picture to herself her husband inyolved in some cruel dilemma the imminence of which he had carefully concealed from her is “Yes, my lord,” interrupted Christina; “all that you say is but too true. Nevertheless, I feel that I cannot be guilty of a.deception towards au amiable lady who has received me in the kindest manner No, I cannot! I will say nothing of past events: but I will withdraw from the house at-once. Yes—whatsoever construction may be put on\this step P . “Miss Ashton,” exclaimed Octavian Meredith, “TIT would rather ten thousand times that you Should tell Zoe everything! What could she pos- Sibly think if you withdrew yourself thus abruptly P She would’ either imagine that you had received some insult from me, and were too generous to mention it; or on the other hand that you were conscious of some unworthiness of your own which you were afraid of transpiring. Against the for- mer suspicion how could I possibly vindicate my- self when all appearances would be in my dis- (C(O) nn) (C 6)(0)(0) KS (C(O)