The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

I TT TTS 20 addressed to the Duke. THE MYSTERIES kind response was likewise returned by his Grace, —accompanied by an invitation to Oaklands. And Eliza knew that this letter was received—and that this invitation was given. ‘The answer came, to the effect that the writer would be at Oaklands m the afternoon of the following day. That afternoon came. The Duke and his wife were alone together in the drawing-room: for it so happened that all the guests were out riding or walking in the grounds, enjoying the beauty of that autumnal season. A very close observer—if such a one had been present—might have noticed that the cheeks of the Duchess were paler than even their wont,—paler because that animation of the complexion which had survived: the fading of the natural carnation tint, was temporarily dead- ened into a complete whiteness. And such an observer, too, would perchance have seen that there was a strange light in the large dark eyes. The Duke however perceived not all this: for Eliza seemed busily occupied in the contempla- tion of a number of magnificent prints which one of the guests had brought from London a day or two previously. The Duke was standing in one of the bay-windows of the drawing-room, which commanded a view of the carriage-road; for he was in expectation of the promised arrival. It was about four o’clock on this particular afternoon, that a post-chaise dashed up to the grand entrance of Oaklands; and the Duke ex- claimed, “ Here he is! More than three years have elapsed since last I saw him.” Eliza remained occupied with the prints—but turning them over more rapidly than at first. The Duke went on making observations relative to the individual who had just arrived—but it scarcely seemed as if the Duchess heard them: for she gave noresponse. Inafew minutes footsteps were heard approaching the door: that door was thrown open—and a domestic announced, “The Hon. Mr. Bertram Vivian.” CHAPTER V. BERTRAM VIVIAN. Ex1za rose from her seat; and the Duke took her hand to present her to her relative,—that relative whom he fancied she had never in her life seen before—but alas! whom she had known so well and loved so tenderly. She was white as a sheet; and her death-like pallor was rendered all the more visible by the half-mourning garb that she wore. Her raven hair, arranged in massive bands, threw out as it were the colourless countenance in its purest marble relief: her lips were of the hue of ashes: but there was a strange light glistening in her eyes, as she bowed to Bertram Vivian. Then there was a quick revulsion of feeling within her, —pangs of ineffable anguish shooting in rapid suc- cession through her heart ; and while her fortitude was sufficient to prevent any outburst of that woe —any ebullition of that harrowing agony—it had the effect on the other hand of sending up the hec- tic hues of excitement to her cheeks; so that her husband, as he glanced with proud satisfaction upon his young wife, while introducing her to —— nae To this second letter a | Bertram, thought that she had never seemed so beautiful before. felt he ? young man of Apollo-like beauty. His hair clus- tered in raven curls of exceeding richness about that high marble forehead where Genius sat en- throned: his tall slender figure was masculine symmetry itself. to the Duke’s eye was no agitation on his part visible. The glance—the one glance—which she had dared throw upon him, made her aware in an instant that he was a prey to a deep, silent, inward agitation, as tremendous and as excruciating as that which she felt herself: and she saw too that notwithstanding his air of outward composure, there was something about him almost bordering upon terror which her eye alone could detect. allin a moment the adamantine bonds of tensely nerved prudence and preterhuman self-control wherewith he and she had fortified themselves, should be snapped asunder, as Samson broke the Philistine bonds—and that there might ensue a wild in which they would both be lost. tram beheld her so completely the mistress of her- but false report of your loss { OF THE COURT. : And Bertram Vivian himself—how looked, how He was now in his twenty-fourth year—a But he'too was deadly pale: yet But how different to the eyes of Eliza! Doubtless he feared lest scene of agony, flooding tears, and convulsive sobs, But when Ber- self, that feeling of terror passed away in an inxs | stant ; and with a coldly courteous dignity, he re- | turned her salutation. “Bertram, my dear nephew,” exclaimed the Duke, hastening to embrace him; “welcome to Oaklands! Welecome—doubly welcome—all the more that I have not seen you since that shocking But, Eliza dearest, you must at least give my younger nephew as kind a greeting as you bestowed upon the elder one when first you met a year back.” For the Duke remembered that when Eliza and Lord Clandon had thus met, she graciously prof- fered him her hand, giving him at the same time words of welcome. But now to Bertram no hand was stretched forth—no syllable was spoken. ‘Welcome to Oaklands, Mr. Vivian,” said Eliza, in a voice which Ae knew to be unna- turally calm, but which struck the Duke as only being strangely and unaccountably chilling: at. the same time she proffered her hand, which Ber- tram just held for a moment. Again had a revulsion of feeling taken place within her: she was again all marble—and it was a hand cold as that of the dead which Bertram thus touched. “And so, my dear nephew,” said the Duke, “vou only returned from St. Petersburgh a few days back? By the bye, how was it that when you came from the United States last June twelvemonth, you did not take London in your way to see your relatives and your friends, ere proceeding to St. Petersburgh ?” ‘You are aware, uncle,’ responded Bertram, “that when I obtained leave of absence from my post in America, it was my purpose to pass a few months in England. But on arriving at Liver- pool I received an official despatch, announcing that I was appointed First Attaché to the Km- bassy at St. Petersburgh; and the positive orders were that I was to proceed thither without a mo- ment’s delay. I did so.” “ Well, well,” said the Duke, “there is nothing Com TCO —— — ee ee —— . — - ——— ns ———— a —— —_—_— IG DOOKS