The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 355: what you’re looking at

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nnd bear her to his own carriage, was the work of the next few moments,—during which Madame Angelique and her male accomplice thought it best to beat a retreat,—the infamous woman having hastily slipped a couple of sovereigns into the cab- man’s hand. The crowd had passed round towards the handsome carriage to which Christina was now consigned: no opposition was therefore offered to the flight of the Frenchwoman and her accom- plice,—who, we may as well observe, was her own footman, dressed in plain clothes. Lord Octavian Meredith’s equipage drove off; and the crowd re- mained to question the cabman as to the meaning of these proceedings: but he, apprehensive of un- pleasant consequences on his own account, vowed and protested he knew nothing more than that he had been hailed a short way off by the party, and that the young girl had apparently stepped into the vehicle without any reluctance on her own side. Meantime the young nobleman’s equipage was rolling away towards the Regent’s Park; and his arm supported the inanimate form of the beloved Christina. What unexpected happiness for the adoring Octavian! Would the reader believe us if we were to profess ignorance as to whether he im- printed a kiss upon her cheek ?—it were contrary to all knowledge of human nature to suppose that he abstained. Yet though they were alone to- gether inside the carriage, and she was unconscious of what was passing,—it was with the purest deli- cacy he sustained her inanimate form: he did not press it with passionate vehemence in his arms:— his love for the beauteous Christina was indeed of a holy character, apart from his position as the husband of another, which alone rendered that love unholy ! And now we may resume the thread of our nar- rative at the point where we interrupted it to give the preceding explanations. Christina and Lord Octavian were alone together in the apartment,— she seated as if transfixed upon the chair—he standing near her, bending slightly down, and breathing inquiries tenderly respectful, as to whether she felt better. “My lord,” she answered, slowly recovering her self-possession, “I have to thank you for the service you have rendered me. I cannot compre- hend the meaning of the outrage which dragged me from my home: nor can I conceive who were its perpetrators. But that is of little consequence now, since I am indebted to your lordship tor my safety.” “Rest assured, Miss Ashton,” responded Mere- dith, hastening to set himself altogether right in her estimation with regard to one point which he felt might need an explanatory word, “that if I had known where you dwelt, I should have at once conveyed you thither: but I never knew— I was never told and—and—I never dared to ask |” “With a renewed expression of my thanks to your lordship,’ said Christina, rising from her seat, “IT will now take my departure :’—then, as a sudden thought struck her, she added, “May I request that one of the domestics be desired to fetch a vehicle to take me to my home EY “My carriage is at your service,” replied Mere- dith, who comprehended the meaning of Chris- tina’s request. “Hesitate not to make use of it: THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. | 349 for most solemnly do I pledge my word that I will not inquire of the domestics who are in at- tendance upon it, where you dwell.” Christina liked not the arrangement: but she dared not fling another insult at the young noble- man by rejecting it—which would have been tan- tamount to an expression of mistrust in respect to the pledge he had just given her. She therefore said with modest bashfulness, “I will avail myself of your lordship’s kindness.” “O Christina!” suddenly exclaimed Meredith, carried completely away by his feelings of devoted love and ardent admiration, as he gazed upon the beautiful being who stood before him,—“ where- fore thus cold and distant? wherefore so freezing in your manner? My God: will you not bestow one kind look upon me, Christina ?” ‘* My lord,” she said, with a calm dignity, “ you will not ungenerously avail yourself of the painful and embarrassing position into which circum- stances have thrown me 7 “O Christina, one word !—only one word!” he vehemently cried. “Is it asin to love you? is it a crime to concentrate all my hopes of happiness in this world upon one idea—the idea that you may yet be my own adored and cherished wife ?” My lord, I cannot—I will not listen to this language!” exclaimed Christina: “itis an insult to Zoe—an insult to myself!’—and she moved towards the door, “Wow,” cried Meredith, “if you depart in an- ger, you will leave me so truly wretched that I shall do something desperate! Yes—by heaven, Christina “Oh, this threat which you have held out be- fore!” were the wildly uttered words that thrilled from Christina’s lips: and she pressed her hand in anguish and bewilderment to her brow. “Christina, I am not indifferent to you,” ex- claimed Octavian, in a voice of exultant joy: “tell me, tell me that I am not indifferent !—tell me that you will live for me, as I am living for you——for she cannot live! Ob, speak to me!— for God’s sake spealx to me !” He sank at her feet—he seized one of her hands—the other was pressed against her brow: he was about to convey the former to his lips— but with a sudden and vehement effort she snatched it from him—and the next instant the door closed behind her. Meredith dared not fol- low: he felt all in a moment that it would indeed be flagrantly insulting to the pure mind of Chris- tina, if he were thus far to forget himself. He sank upon a seat—buried his countenance in his hands—and gave way to his agitated reflec. tions. Meanwhile Miss Ashton had passed out into the hall, where she found Jessie and the other maid- servant. Her ears caught no following footsteps ; and she therefore comprehended that the delicacy of Meredith’s feelings had prevailed over the strength of his passion. She hesitated not to linger for a few moments in the hall, while Jessio Giles hastened to fetch one of her own bonneta and shawls to lend the young lady. Then—having in the meantime decided not to avail herself of the carriage, for fear that in some insensate moment Octavian should forget the pledge which he had given—she hastened away on foot. She was soon overtaken by an empty cab, which she entered; 0)(0)(0) (C(O) S