The Mysteries of London; or, Lights and Shadows of London Life — page 112: what you’re looking at

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

106 TT TT were, their blended vision in a starry point. She pictured to herself the possibility of her lover being now at sea, an isolated voyager, traversing the ocean with the feelings of an emigrant who has left behind him all that he held most dear in the land from which he has, perhaps, parted for ever—and then she won- dered if he was gazing in unison with her on the same satellite, the sole object reminding him of his native country as it lighted up the perilous path of the wayfarer. In this way, thought Mary, might a moonbeam be regarded as a welcome messenger from friends far distant—the arial missive of a fond affection, eloquent with the retrospection of the past, and ag that link in the communion of hearts which great a solace in the days of separation, and §0 easant & theme to dwell upon when we again meet. But ia this work-a-day world tho castles built in the air, more especially if the atreets happen to be the scene of our architectural imaginings, are liable to be shattered by the most cemmon-place “ol 3 cidents, and so in this instance it reved with the romantic reverie in which the sem had begun to indulge. Absorbed in these reflections, Mary had arrived, almost unconsciously, at the end of the Causeway, when her foot tripped against the projeetion of the kerbstone, and her parcel would ; fallen the ground had it not beer for the timely intervention of a friendly arm that was thrust ferth t save it by a gentlemanly-dressed y man who ha to be passing at the moment Of course the sem could not do less than thank the stranger who had rendered her this trifling service; and, after a courteous acknowledgment, he left her to proceed in the direction whither she was going. It was an ordinary occurrenee—the event of an instant; but from the earnest glance at her { beetares that she was aware the person had ‘I owed, » the incident left behind a more than or ression. She fancied that with that look ¥ inced a desire to take advantage of the meeting f which this . accident had given rise, to cultivate a further ac- quaintance; and it was with some vexation in conse- quence that she now reflected on the awkwardness that had exposed her to receive this assistance. Crossing the road towards the tavern, which, with its throng of vehicles on every side, presents 80 ani- mated a picture at this period of the evening, she had turned round once or twice in a flutter of nervous tre- pidation to see whether she had been followed by the stranger, but as none resembled him among the crowd of persons who were moving to and fro in the various thoroughfares around her, her confidence was restored, and banishing the memory of the casual encounter from her mind, Mary entered the omnibus that was to take her to the residence of the milliner, and the circumstance was almost forgotten before her journey was at an end. But a new incident speedily brought the first. back te her remembrance. She had alighted from the vehicle at the Regent’s Circus, and was proceeding towards the establishment of Madame Duchard, in Regent Street, when, having descended from the out- side at the same time that the sempstress came from the interior, the person who had accosted her in the Borough took a similar direction, and, a3 if with the intention of ascertaining whither she went, kept at a moderate distance behind. Perceiving that she was followed, and by the same individual—for a thoughtless glance back at the road THE MYSTERMES OF LONDON. aed she had « had crossed had apprised her of this embarrassing companionship—Mary Randall quickened her pace to escape from his observation, and was glad to find herself at the door of her employer’s house without having experienced any further annoyance on her way. The residence of Madame Duchard, who personally supervised the various departments of millinery and dress-making, was an establishment of a very exten- sive and imposing character. The scale of magnitude on which that lady conducted her business, and by which she regulated her charges, was exemplified in | the display of showy gilt frames and plate glass that | adorned her spaci ious windows, and revealed beyond a | tempting 1 rete or of shove ose costly habiliments so irresisti- bly fascinating e female eye. The shop was now’ closed, but there was a side-entrance at a private door, having a on mW late upon it, conspicuously en- | the proprietress; and to this obtained a ready admis- sion. Passing # througl ng lobby, leading to a range of work-rooms at | ebay the servant ushered her into a little parlour, and her, with a revengeful look of insolence for the trouble she had caused, to wait dpe aa mistress was the uf of the-room, and, closing the door, Cre nae such reflections as the solitary imprisonment that she had to undergo might be sup- posed to engender. That her meditations were not of a very lively turn might be concluded from which she had been int square table, without a : of lambe ent solution. e walls were quite bare of ornament, ‘and the paper upon them was of a stiff, pointed , that made the eyes ache to dwell upon it. The only relief to the monotony of a) visitor, who had to endure a trial of | ience in this apartment, was provided by a Bess; the fashions, — left for perusal on EL ee unruffled edges of the lea newness of — the cover, and the ert ios bo of the fold- ing plates, were sufficient of themselves to deter any but the most courageous among the curious from criticising the contents. Compelled, therefore, to fall back upon her own re- sources, Mary was thinking, during her temporary incarceration in this genteel dungeon, of a variety of subjects, each of which brought with it another in its train. She thought of her old abode in Ratcliff High- way, wondered whether her father regretted | or re- joiced at her absence, and if he were still the same reckless course of life. And then she thought of the many weary hours she had spent in that place of wretchedness, reading the old volame of voyages, and with what interest she had followed through every page the perils of the daring navigators of yore. And thus, by a natural transition, her fancy brought to mind the handsome form of Alfred Howard, and how it was possible that he, like those of whom she had read, might be battling at that moment with the dangers that beset a seaman’s life, With this her hand almost involuntarily sought the token that she wore, and as she gazed on that pledge of his remembrance, Mary felt how greatly it would add to her satisfaction if she could learn whether with that gagoof affection she retained the heart of the giver.’ The warmth of her own feelings towards him, the deep earnestness ot the passion with which he saat rmepired her, rs |