The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 201: what you’re looking at

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

mee art eee S— ee a, 104 THE MYSTZRIES OF LONDON. satisfied with that laconic, but emphatic ne- gatirve, “Ah! then your maudlin sentimentalism did not render yon altogether pliant and docile to the impetuous passions of that handsome yourg man ¢” she observed, ‘ Believing that we were to be married,” arswered Laura, “ I necessarily refrained from compromising myself in his estimation, But wherefore these questions, mother ¢’’—and again the fine large eyes the roung woman were fixed searchingly on Mrs. Mortimer’s countenance. “JT had no particular motire in putting those queries,” was the response, apparently delivered off hand, but in reality well weighed and measured, as was every word tbat the artful old creature ut- tered upon this occasion. “I was merely curious to learn whether your prudence or your naturally voluptuous temperament had prevailed in the strong wrestle that must have taken place between those foclings, while you were travelling and divelling alune with a handsome roung man whom you al- most adored.” “ Not quite slone, mother,” excinitned Laura, im- patiently. “ Rosalle was with us.” “Oh! the French lady’s maid, who is so shrewd in disposition, and who manifests such an admirable cipacity for intrigue!” cried the old wernan, unable to resist the opportunity of bantering her daughter a httle, in revenge for the cool insults which she herself had received at the hands of that daughter during the last few days of their sojourn in Lng. land. “Mother, hare vou sought me out only to revive n certain bitterness of fecling which you so recently studied to provoke between us?" demanded Laura, ber countenance flushing with indignation; and sthen she had ceased speaking, she bit her under- lip with her pearly tecth, “No, no: we will not dispute,” sttd Mrs. Mor- timer. “But sou must admit that T warned you not to dream of marriage with that Charles Hat- field; and, had you followed my advice, and stayed in London, you might have retained Lim as a lover a “TLetus not talk of the past,” interrupted Laura, with an imperiousness of manner which warned her mother not to provoke her farther. ‘ The present is assured, and we are at least independent; but the future is before us—and there is the ephere in which my hopes are soaring.” “To return, then, to the point whence Lere now diverged,” resumed Mrs. Mortimer, “ Twill repeat iy asserdon thut one fortnight’s delay will not mar your plans. On the contrary, you will obtain phy- sical rest after the fatigues of travelling, and mental composure after the excitement of recent occur- rences. Your charms will be enhanced, and you will thereby become the moro irresistible. ‘This fortuight’s interval lL require for my own purposcs, as just now cxplained to you; and, whatever be the result of my search after Torrens, I pledge my- eclf that, if auve and in health, I will return to you in the evening of the fuurteenth day from the pre- cent date.” “ANereed !" exelaimed Larrea, “ You purpose, therefore, to retrace your/ way to London ¢” “Such is my intentiqs. A night's rest will be sufficient to recruit myjstrength,” continued Mrs. Mortimer; “and to-m@row morning J shall de- part.”’ “Now let us thoroughly understand each other and in no war act withouta previous consultation and agreement,” said Laura. “ You are about to return to the English metropolis, and it may happen that you will encounter Charles Hatfield. Itis my wish that you avoid him—that you do not appear even to notice him; and, for the same reasons which urge moe to give you this recommendation, I must request that you attempt no extortion with his father—that you will not seek to render avail- able or profitable the knowledge you possess of the private affairs of that family. Were you to act con- trary to my wishes in this respect, you would only mar the projects which I have formed to ensure the eventual gratification of my vengeance.” “‘T have listened to you with attention,” said tho old woman, “ because I would not irritate you by interruption. The counsel you have given me was, however, quite unnecessars. My sole object in visiting London is connected with Torrens; and were I to behold Charles Hatfield at a distance, I should avoid him rather than throw myself in his war. His father EF know not even by sight. Be- sides, necording to the tacit understanding which appeared to establish itself between sou and me just now, wo sro mutually to forbear from inter- fering in each other’s special affairs; and on this basis, good feelings will permanently exist between us. On myreturn to Paris, fourteen days hence. I shall devote mrsclf to the object which you hare jn views; and rest assured that, ere long, some wealthy, amorous, and docile nobleman—English or French, no matter which—shall be languishing at vour feet.” © Yoes—it is for vou to find out the individual to be enchaineds and it will then be for me toenchain him,” ecricd Daura, her countenance Jichting up with the glow of anticipated triumph. The mother and daughter thus made. their arrangements, and settled their plans in an amicable fashion; and the former, after passing the nicht at the handsome lodgings which Laura occupied, fet outin the morning on her journey back to Loudon. e e a « » a We must here pause, fora brief space, tu explain the sentiments and motives that respectively in- finenced these designing women during the lengthy discourse above recorded. We hare already stated, that even before Mrs. Mortimer found hersclf in the presence of her dauphter, her suspicions and her curiosity were cx- cited by twoor three mystcrious though trivial in- cidents that occurred; and she had not been many minutes in Laura’s company, before she acquired the certainty that the voung woman intended to conceal the fact of her marriage with Charles Hat. field. irs. Mortimer at first fancied that this desire arose from shame on tho part of Laura, whose pride might naturally revolt from the idea of avowing that, in her eagerness to eecure the hand of anobleman, she had only linked herself in- dissolubly to a simple commoner, of illcgitiz.nte birth, and entirely dependent on his father. But, as the conversation embraced ampler details, and exhibited views more positive and minute, Mrs. Mortimer perecived that Laura was not inflvcnecd by wounded pride and shame only in concesling the fact of her marriage; but that, as she con templated another matrimonial alliance, as soon aa an opportunity for an eligible match should presont itself, sho was unwilling to allow hor mother te ee eeeeauntinmnammnaniammnd COA i a ne rrr et ED NT me eee ee GIOOKS (SO)